The Sweatdown has existed since April of 2018 as a monthly collection of music I’ve been listening to. Sometimes it’s old tracks but it’s usually new music. Everything from indie to synthwave to rock to alternative and more. Every December is a culmination of the music I’ve listened to. Originally posted to Spotify, these playlists can now all be found on YouTube where they will be updated monthly for YouTube Music.

Some of what’s here for September

I went to the 89x Birthday Bash here in Windsor, Ontario, Canada at Caesars Windsor on September 4th. The headliner was Default with locals The Blue Stones and Sweatdown favourite Fionn also playing. Fionn opened the show and honestly sounded the best of the three bands. This is at least my third time seeing The Blue Stones (I’m sure I saw them like 20 years ago when they were still bar band sized and also later when they were launching Pretty Monster) and then first time seeing Default. I like a couple Default songs. Always loved Deny. I didn’t see them play Deny. They held that off for the encore and… eh, I took the encore intermission as a good time to slink out.

So I had to put Fionn and Blue Stones at the top of the Sweatdown this month.

Right after I released the August Sweatdown 2K26 that’s when Royal Blood released their new track Ten Over Ten. Great track, reminds me of their first two albums.

Blister Sunrise by M83 might be an odd fit for a Sweatdown but I had to get it on. The song just brings me so much happiness. M83 just have a key to the heart of certain elder millennial’s like myself.

Be sure to listen to the new album by almost monday that came out last week!

Check the video out for REVOLUTION.EXE since the visuals by Yudho I’ve been checking out on Twitter for years now. Definite FAITH: THE UNHOLY TRINITY vibes.

I’m just as surprised as anyone that Dogstar is on here. I should have seen them when they were in Windsor. The song is good!

September Sweatdown 2K26 features:

Fionn – I Put My Makeup On
The Blue Stones – Happy Cry
Royal Blood – Ten Over Ten
M83 – Blister Sunrise
babushka – I don’t play nice
almost monday – french kids
Bleeker – Feel It Again
W O L F C L U B – Casting Silhouettes
Gunship, Tyler Bates, Dave Lombardo – REVOLUTION.EXE
The Ninth Wave – Bitumen
Marshmellow x Portugal. The Man – Phoenix
Dogstar – All In Now
Icona Pop – Mad Love
AmiiFy – Poison Crown
Chain Gang of 1974 – Crying
The Amazons – Living a Lie

See you in spooky October!

Photo by me of Fionn performing at the 89X Birthday Bash on September 4, 2026.