"I'm the reaper bahn, calm the arrival, tear it to the night"

A heavily experimental album that really works when it works, but misses at some other points. "Husks", "Seeplymouth", "Island" and "Still" are incredible, incredible musical excursions that rival Justin Vernon's best, but the meandering that becomes of the other tracks leave a lot to be desired. "Dote" is a pleasant ambience that divides the two sides of this ... read more

"How many smokes left have you got?"

The second Volcano Choir album feels so much fuller than its predecessor, and more importantly, it lacks any filler. Featuring some of Vernons best vocal work, this is an unrelenting folk-adjacent collection of soft yet powerful music that clings to you. Up there with Bon Iver in terms of quality and evocativeness, a sentimental and important record.

Favourites: Comrade, Dancepack, Almanac
Least favourites: N/A

"There was a highway inside of her eyes"

A near perfect indie-pop album, and an anomaly in BØRNS' career. Each track here is rooted in summer nights spent outside in fields, in parks and back gardens. The dreamy synth work is the defining factor, driving each song forward, carrying his voice, of which is otherworldly in its own right. "Past Lives" could pass as a Lorde track at points. Nostalgic and above all, fun.

Favourites: Dug My Heart, American Money, Past ... read more

"How do you get by with such a heavy conscious on your best days?"

I need a full album from Alex Banin, this is so, so underrated, she should be a huge name by now already. Her voice is incredibly emotive and silky, which combined with the production of this short EP create an R&B experience that sounds like both the best parts of autumn and spring. Cannot emphasise enough how much of a gem this is.

Favourites: IN FEAR, Doc Whiler, From A Different Life
Least favourites: N/A

"There you go again, head low, putting on a show again"

Another of the best of the 2020's. The live nature of these recordings is something so unique and intimate, I cannot get enough. The soundscape is one of a kind too, so many artifacts and unfamiliar sounds made so cozy and warm, his voice the incredible aspect that brings it all together. The diversity while maintaining such a close knit feeling is a feat to behold.

Mk.gee's subtle guitar work infuses beautifully ... read more

"Can't stand it, backhanded, they wanna see us fallin' apart"

Nobody could expect Glover to pull a psychedelic soul record of, but he did. An incredible album (except "California", which probably deprives it a few points) that reinvigorates the 70's without feeling like too much of a simple replication. "Me and Your Mama" and "Redbone" obviously exceed the others, but most tracks here are earworms with masterful production.

Favourites: ... read more

"Where did you go last night and year?"

The three track run beginning this album was one of my go-to's for a long time, with the star "Fallen Bees" being my favourite song for a while. An album so nostalgic for me that I hesitate to listen to it often. I think this may've been my introduction to Midwest Emo without even being conscious of it. The lo-fi tracks on this dampen the experience a little, they do not match the vibe at all. The end is lackluster too, but ... read more

"Can I sing this to you? Got a thing about you"

NBT are certainly a band that should be as popular as their contemporaries. Connor has one of the best voices in modern rock, and it is the highlight by far of these tracks, and the instrumentation do a great job complimenting it. The album cover is also very cool.

This is stronger than their last for me, but doesn’t quite reach the highs and overall experience that the first album brought, unfortunately. It goes for a ... read more

"In every room, I hear silence"

The instrumentals are extremely well done across the board, I just unfortunately think Charli's voice doesn't quite match them at times, creating a sense of dissonance I can't quite get past. I do wish it continued more with what the lead "House" laid out, a darker route was my expectation and I was thrown off upon listening to the album, but there is a lot here that is worth hearing, and a lot I really do like.

The classical ... read more

"Honey, you're familiar, like my mirror years ago"

A great album containing even better poetry, the man couldn't write a bad song if he tried. Surely the Irish are divinely blessed. The bluesy nature elevates the greenery throughout, curated with engaging storytelling narrated by a phenomenal voice. I cannot believe he was just 24 here. "Cherry Wine" is one of the best closers I've ever heard. A truly beautiful selection of music, albeit a little lacking in ... read more

"What if I told you I feel like I know you? But we never met"

Probably still one of the best album of the 2020's so far. Perhaps overwrought in discussion, it's a testament to its strength that I'm not even tired of it. There is an air to it that felt so safe and comforting, that kept me coming back, that reminds me of walking the bike track and watching the trains traverse in parallel. You can't help but see yourself in this. Gorgeous album that's as much a ... read more

"Do you remember your lucky number?"

My favourite Title Fight release, so many great tracks. This could be double its length and I'd be happy, it's over far too quick. I do appreciate how each song is a short burst, though, it adds to the chaos of it all. I also love that it is 27 minutes in length. Incredible introduction to hardcore/emo when I was younger.

Favourites: Shed, Flood Of '72, 27
Least favourites: N/A

"They never found him, and they haven't since"

A beautiful atmosphere is fostered here, but it takes so much from other artists that it becomes quite blurry and forgettable in areas. It's soothingly pretty and relaxing, well produced and very emotive, I just can't shake the notion of it being too similar to others I already love, coming of as an imitation rather than its own thing. Still, it's so well made that it is hard not to fall for it.

Favourites: Belly of ... read more

Its biggest crime is being inoffensive. Outside of "Sojourn" and the singles, nothing really goes anywhere or really fleshes out at all. A huge amount of missed potential carrying a similar feeling to his prior effort. I think I've just grown out of Joji at this point.

Favourites: PIXELATED KISSES, LOVE YOU LESS, Piece of You
Least favourites: Fade to Black, Rose Colored, Horses to Water

A mess, to say the least. The fall from grace makes this all the more saddening, considering this is what they deliver coming back after their best. The bloat here is the main issue, half of these do not need to exist and serve no function. There are some gems, but they're clouded by the slog of the rest. Really disappointing and forgettable.

Favourites: Lucky, Finalist, Thanks for Coming
Least Favourites: Overtime, Best Man, Re-entry

It's some feat to be more disappointing than their last record, but they managed. This is hollow, void of artistic integrity and anything interesting. Not a single song stands out, they all feature the same basic lyricism and bland instrumentation that just don't have any character. It feels manufactured in a way that "Music Box" at least avoided by means of having creative moments and taking risks.

Favourites: N/A
Least favourites: Murder, King, Stars

"Now dissolve me, two tabs on your tongue"

You couldn't convince me this was a debut if I hadn't prior knowledge, this is the sound of a band fully realised, bursting at the seams with innovation. Alt-J sound like no other. This is very summery to me, healing in a way, his voice possesses a very unique inflection that creates a rippling level of mystique, contrasting nicely with the almost naive and free sound. Something that needs a listen in full every time.

Favourites: ... read more

"It took a little while to recognize that I, I'm not givin' it up again"

The 1975. A band I fell in love with but have since grown out of. This album in retrospect may have been their most defining effort, featuring some of my long time favourites in "UGH!", "Please Be Naked", "Lostmyhead", Loving Someone" and the title track. It bursts with pretentiousness, but also an allure and lively quality that almost give it every reason be. I stand ... read more

"Fly, feel your mother right at your side, don't you know you got my eyes"

The first band I properly got into, and maybe the only remnant of my past taste that I can assuredly say is good (sitting alongside RKS, who coincidentally also Fell Off). I love that each song has a distinct personality alike the people they're based of, its difficult to make something like this sound cohesive but I think this manages. "Youth" is the best song here, with "Agnes" ... read more

"I can't tell, if all my answers correlate at all"

High highs and low lows make for an interesting listen. "ATTENTION", "SLOW DANCING", "WANTED U", "YEAH RIGHT" and "LA" are all incredible tracks, and you are sent of with a great ending in "SEE YOU IN 40", but the filler lowers the experience by a lot. The latter half almost entirely consists of fairly mediocre or bad songs. It is unfortunate that so many great tracks ... read more