“It was a Sunday, we stripped a tree, it was always about me”

Fantastic take on dream pop/shoegaze. I love the glitching nature that sort of threads the songs together. Feels like a truly interesting take on genres quite polluted. It has its share of missteps, but they’re in a fashion experimental enough for me to see past them. The screamo ending is one such decision that very much does pay off though, such a cool finisher. Great album, fairly swept under the radar, I can ... read more

I like what this album offers, I think its detriment is how bloated and misguided it is. A lot of this feels really undeveloped and rudimentary and it takes away from the impact as a whole. I feel it attempts to create an experience akin to “the glow pt.2” with some of these, but doesn’t hit anywhere near it.

Some cool cuts in this though, and a lot of neat ideas that unfortunately just don’t come together very well at all.

Favourites: Way We Are, Same Things,
Least ... read more

“Mending slowly all wounds, effortlessly”

A relentless flurry of jabs and kicks, love the dichotomy of small vocal passages/entries scattered between the brashness. Creates something very attention grabbing. Feel like it trails off as it nears the end, the back half isn’t as strong as the first for me at all, almost dampening the rest in retrospect. Still a quite unique project that I was definitely captivated by, I can definitely see it growing on me.

Favourites: Woolworm, ... read more

----------- REVIEW #200 -----------

“You are gone, become someone from before now,
you are not you anymore, not again”

Alike when I hit 100 reviews, I wanted to reserve something important for the milestone. Perhaps my most recent discovery that I’d give a perfect score to, this album had been sitting in my backlog for a while until one afternoon coming home from uni, I decided to finally listen to it.

As the first triplet of songs kicked in, I swore the wind picked up, ... read more

“Convincingly polite, a spirit so perpetually contrite”

Lovely take on the genres at hand, I found myself engrossed in the foggy, quite unsettling environment this creates. Feels like if you sped up slowcore, if that makes sense, it carries similar dread in a tighter, quicker delivery. I did feel at points it started to blend together, unfortunately. All in all, I think I respect and appreciate this more than I actually enjoy it, but it’s a distinctive sound that I ... read more

“Since when was this just a whisper in the womb?”

Loved their recent release, so wanted to check out their back catalogue. Really love the decisions made here, the xylophone in the first track being a great example that elevates it by that little touch. By all accounts, the vocals aren’t the best, but as is often the case, I feel that’s what makes it more impactful. Love the guitar work. Really pleased with this, especially with the longer tracks. The expect of brass in ... read more

“The strangest of the strange, the coldest of the cool”

Just oozes cool. Great balance struck between heavy and light, making for an extremely fun listen. Feels very familiar while still feeling fresh, and I love her delivery across this. Great slice of 90’s alt-rock.

Favourites: Supervixen, Queer, Vow
Least favourites: N/A

“Let's start this over, let’s start it again”

Clocking in at 6 minutes for 6 songs, I’m left desperate for more from these guys. Such a great sound depicted in this demo, would kill for a whole album with this style.

Favourites: Footsteps, Hatred, Save My Breath
Least favourites: N/A

“In my head I saw us riding 'til it slowed enough to jump”

Modern trailblazers of the scene, with Merchants Ships’ very own Nick Stutsman, do what they do best. Although criminally short, this project fills the hole in my heart regarding this type of Midwest Screamo and will tide me over until a Jingwei full length (here’s hoping). Incredible burst of energy, ripe for several replays. I do wish each track was more developed and longer, but even as it stands so much ... read more

Midwest Emo is a precarious genre due to how easy it is to be generic, the “cliches” of the genre are often what defines and identifies it, and this leads to a lot of music like this. It isn’t bad at all, I’ve just heard almost every note and vocal pattern of this a hundred times before, and I’m therefore a bit fatigued by it.

Otherwise, this is a sufficiently fun project, it plays to its strengths without really breaching much new ground, and I can’t ... read more

“ All I have's on my shoulders, vision clearing”

Silky and short R&B release, makes for an easy and laidback listen. It’s nothing revolutionary by any means, but it’s pleasant and relaxing, almost satisfying in its simplicity, with just enough details to get lost in. Like the noise of the ending, great send off.

Favourites: Let Me In, Summertime, Burner
Least favourites: N/A

“ I said, "We should take a break from this””

Very strong and emotive set of screamo tracks, good variation between them as well for the genre. Love the amateurish nature, makes it all the more potent. Really love this, short, sweet and effective.

Favourites: Knots, Oct. 26, Holding On
Least favourites: N/A

Quite tame indie rock, she’s got a quite unique tone to her voice, it’s mixed very forward, unsure if I like it. Instrumentals are alright, very standard but executed well enough that my interest is maintained. Quite a nostalgic sheen to it. A lot of this ends up just blending together, which is unfortunate as there’s some ideas here I do like. A lovely set of songs that aren’t anything too remarkable.

Favourites: Wonder, One Thing, Beautiful Day
Least favourites: Site ... read more

“I just hope I make it till tomorrow”

Soothing yet unresolved, like it’s building up to something, that something being the penultimate track which very much feels like a cathartic release, with an almost haunting delivery of its story. Very open and honest, lovely instrumentals. The middle section didn’t feel as developed for me, but it starts and ends very strong.

Favourites: BUSY/SIRENS, PROM/KING, HEAVEN ALL AROUND,
Least favourites: FIGHTER, SMILE

“Eau d’bedroom dancing, to you, I wanna say yr my thing”

My first proper riot grrrl record, and what an entry. Of course, the main event of the opening track is the key highlight, but the rest of the album is brilliant in its own way, being more minimal yet still as hectic. The crunchy essence of this really hooks me. Love the Sonic Youth/Kim Gordon style nonsense lyricism at points too, really strong and cohesive effort that I can’t help but love.

Favourites: ... read more

“Lady Luck, don’t you find that this town will leave you dying?”

In dire need of another Mk.gee project. This has come to define the 2020s for me already, the guitar work and tones achieved must have been manufactured in a lab to attract me. His voice is perfect for the open spaces across this album, the whole thing just works. I do wish it was longer, but when that’s my only critique of an album, it’s surely an all-timer.

Very similar to Dijon (obviously) in the ... read more

“How's it feel being this alive?”

Hugely underrated due to comparison to her earlier work, this is an amazing and vulnerable reflection plastered in eclectic detail that separates itself from the pack due to Lordes spark. This is up there with “Melodrama” for me, it makes for a wonderfully engaging, mature counterpart that fully operates individually as well. Hopefully more people come around to it in time.

Favourites: Current Affairs, Clearblue, David
Least ... read more

“Sign it, print a new path”

A very moving, contorting and glitchy set of experiments. I love how relaxed this feels despite the abrasion, it’s not trying to be some grand statement, it’s just some friends having fun, and it’s enjoyable as a byproduct of their clear enjoyment and passion.

Favourites: Deep Green, Lyla, Run From It
Least favourites: N/A

“But what will we do when we’re sober?”

One of the best pop albums of all time, extremely impactful and encapsulating of the teenage experience with a sound that is so incredibly unique and difficult to replicate while simultaneously being minimalist, airy and stylish. Lorde is one of a kind. Can’t get this experience anywhere else.

Favourites: Sober, Feelings/Loveless, Perfect Places
Least favourites: N/A

“A loyal giver’s field lingers on, they will not be kind”

Huge fan of this album, very much a broad range of styles and influences, but still all identifiable as authentically them. I like the unsettling undertone that carries this experience, bookended by quite the unnerving intro and outro to further enforce this. Very creative and simply cool.

Favourites: Hogtied, Blur, Freeze Frame
Least favourites: N/A