Annabelle Kline Is Looking For That Good Sh*t

Annabelle Kline has built a serious reputation for her taste. 

Through her work as a curator, journalist and DJ, she’s become a golden ticket to many up-and-coming artists. Her platform, That Good Sh*t (TGS), introducers followers to new talent through semi-chatotic interviews, FOMO-inducing branded events, and high-stakes Discord “aux battles.” 

But in between turning up NYC crowds with fellow Shelf-obsessed DJs and interviewing stars like Rayvn Lenae, Kline tells ShelfMAG from her Bushwick apartment that she still finds time to indulge in all things cunty and surrealist. 

We caught up with the Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree to find out what exactly is on her Shelf these days.  

hooke’s law by keiyaA

“I'd been familiar with keiyaA for a while, from her earlier work. I have a lot of friends and peers in music who just love her. She did a show with us in September of 2024 that was really amazing, and that's when I actually got to meet her and talk with her. I started hearing about a new project she was working on through the team at XL Recordings, which is her label, and when the album came out I went to the listening party at the Telfar store a couple weeks ago. It was phenomenal listening to it, and seeing her not necessarily performing it, but standing in the room and dancing along. I just think it's such a cool album, and I feel like her production is so forward-thinking. Her voice is so gorgeous, and I love everything that she talks about in her songs, too. The subject matter is really intelligent, unique, and cool. 

Abbott Elementary

“I love a giggle. That's my main thing — I really love wholesome media in general. I don't really like violence, I don't really like scary stuff, I like very happy-go-lucky, joyful media. Abbott Elementary is a top favorite for sure. I love all the guest stars they have, and all the kids are so freaking cute. I love Janine and Gregory's relationship, and all the jokes are so relevant and funny. I feel like [with] a lot of TV shows, the humor will feel a little bit old just because it takes them time to write it, produce it, and put it out, but Abbott Elementary is so quick with it. And on top of it, their references are just hilarious. It's such a good show.”

Deadbeat by Tame Impala

“Tame Impala has been a pretty electronic artist, but this leans way more into house music and club electronic music. I feel like a lot of the Tame Impala fanbase is divided on whether they like this new era, but I'm obsessed. My partner is the biggest Tame Impala fan in the world, so from the moment this album came out, it's been on repeat in our house non-stop. It's the album I've definitely heard the most this year. 

My partner and I actually went to see him two nights in a row in Brooklyn this year — the first two nights of the tour for this album. Seeing him perform was so sick. I love that project. Off the first listen, my favorite track was this song called ‘Piece Of Heaven.’ But now I think my favorite track is ‘Not My World,’ which I feel is the most deep house, drawn-out song on the project, and I just think it's really cool.”

Feline’s Return by Natanya

“[Feline’s Return] is by this artist named Natanya, who I'm deeply obsessed with. She's from London and I've actually been familiar with her for a long time because she used to join these Instagram livestreams I did back in 2021, 2022. She would submit her music, and I was aware of her for a while, but then she started dropping this series of singles earlier this year. She dropped ‘Daydream’ with this really cunty music video, and I was super intrigued, and eventually she dropped this project, Feline’s Return.

I feel like it's such a strong shift for her as an artist. She has this super locked-in choreography, really cool aesthetic — stripes, red, and this feline-esque makeup with this wing — and all the songs are so addictive. It's very pop, R&B. But she has a really fun Jersey Club song and all the melodies on it are super sticky and addicting. Every time I listen, I just fall deeper in love with it. It's so good. She’s very much a true artist.” 

The Vince Staples Show

“I really love shows that lean into surrealism. I really loved Atlanta, especially when it got super fucking weird — like the last episode is so crazy. I feel like The Vince Staples Show sits in a similar world, where things just feel a little off, and something weird could happen at any time. I remember watching the episode in the first season where he's at the amusement park, and he goes to find the forbidden chicken, and he goes into this back room, and it feels like he entered another world. And this new season is even more chaotic.

My partner and I were talking about this when we were watching it. His mannerisms and his energy in the show — he kind of has a straight face and very blank energy the whole time, but there's so much chaos happening around him. It's cool how he builds that world around him even though he's kind of monotone. On some Magic School Bus shit, I would love to become tiny and jump into [Vince Staples’s] brain and explore what's going on in there, because it's crazy.”

Remarkably Bright Creatures 

“I got recommended this book in the cutest way. I was at a bookstore in Wisconsin because I was visiting my grandparents out there, and one of the bookstore ladies came up to me and [asked] ‘what are you looking for?’ And I was like, ‘I like fiction books that switch between multiple perspectives, books written by women, and I really like books that involve nature — animals, plants.’ And she immediately went to this book and handed it to me. She was like, ‘this is a book written by a woman, and it's about this woman's relationship with an octopus.’ And I'm sold.

Without giving away too much because you should totally read it, it's basically this old woman who's about to go through retirement. Her son died a couple years in the past, and she's working at an aquarium where she cleans at night, and there's this giant Pacific octopus in the aquarium. And the book goes from her perspective to the perspective of this octopus and also the perspective of other characters whose storylines kind of intertwine throughout the book. The octopus knows something about her son's death and is trying to communicate it to her before it's too late. It's really interesting seeing how that all plays out, and I didn't really understand when I first got into it, but the way it all unfolds is cool. I just learned they're making a movie about it next year, and I'm really excited.”  

What else is Annabelle Kline is into? Get real-time updates at shelf.im/annabelleklinee.