Before Amon Tobin was delivering punchy trip hop and mind-bending IDM-adjacent tunes, he was cranking out these jazzy breakbeats that brim with sly espionage.

While I don't love this album, mainly because of it's unapologetically jazzy nature, I do think it's well-crafted. It definitely cements Amon Tobin's nu-jazz roots.

I can see why this album was such a masterpiece of independent hip hop in the 90s, as the energy and atmosphere was unlike any other.

There are some really good beats throughout and El-P steals the show from a lyrical standpoint. But there are also many beats with mundane loops that I found forgettable.

In retrospect, this album feels like it lays the groundwork of what was to come from El-P and his crew. And in that regard, I respect this album even more.

I love the story behind the making of this soundtrack, where Jesper Kyd was encouraged to do an orchestral score, despite not having done it before. It shows how versatile he is as a composer, but it also reminds you that - at his core - Jesper Kyd is essentially an electronic composer. For someone who hasn't written orchestral music before...

...Jesper Kyd still manages to craft one of the finest video game soundtracks of all time.

It's a very vibrant and eclectic soundtrack, that ... read more

This might just be the most overhated soundtrack I've ever witnessed. And I feel like most of it just comes from the hate towards the game, as well as the fact that this soundtrack might be tad bit too experimental for Battlefield fans who aren't conditioned to this type of music.

Hildur and Sam craft one of the most industrial and avant-garde soundtracks ever conceived. But within the unconventional approach, there's a story being told here. The production does a phenomenal job ... read more

This is a sampling spectacle. J Dilla manages to craft a truly eclectic and somewhat challenging experience, while showcasing how much of an instrument the sampler really is.

I like to compare 'Donuts' to 'Endtroducing' (by DJ Shadow), in that they both push the boundaries of sampling and instrumental hip hop.

But what I love about 'Endtroducing' is the longer loops that allow the melodies to breath. 'Donuts' has great loops, but they're shorter, ... read more

Not as consistent as the previous album, but there are some undoubtedly iconic gems here that would ultimately define Nujabes for years to come.

The album starts off really promising and ends off quite nicely, too. But the upper-middle section of the album throws me for a bit of a loop. The melody of 'Music is Mine' is quite obnoxious. The rapping on 'Thank You' and 'Eclipse' are not bad, but they are a bit corny and on-the-nose. 'The Sign' was a bit of ... read more

Some of the most beautiful jazz-oriented hip hop out there, because of how it incorporates much smoother and more lush jazz elements than most hip hop projects of its kind.

It gets rid of the grittier sound often associated with it, in exchange for something a lot more light and laid-back. As a result, this album and Nujabes' style ends up sounding quite vibrant and "artsy" compared to other hip hop producers at the time.

While I feel that some of the tracks are hindered by ... read more

Quite an underrated trip hop album, even if I don't quite love it... yet. Fusing bossa nova and acoustic instrumentation with the moody beats of trip hop is quite a novel idea - and it's surprising that it hasn't been done more.

I like a lot of the production and the album is pretty consistent overall. But there are some weird hooks/choruses that slightly hinder some of this great production. I found the hook on 'Mr Gorgeous' to be quite obnoxious, which sucks, because ... read more

First of all, that album cover is one of the most beautiful pieces of art I've ever seen.

Secondly, the album itself is a neat compilation of mellow synthpop tunes with a very artsy and vibrant presentation. I much prefer the first half of the album, as I found the production more consistently interesting.

I thought the second half was decent, but I struggled to fully enjoy it. Which is a shame, because it starts off with easily my favorite song of 2024 (back when I first listened to the ... read more

Mellow and surreal, yet still so groovy.

The slow guitar and gloomy soundscape of Part 2 is gorgeous. Part 1 is a jazzy head-nodder and Part 3 is upbeat, but still dreamlike. Part 4 is probably my least favorite, because the production is good, but a tad bit dull compared to the rest.

My biggest issue with these songs is that they are quite extensive for loop-heavy productions. I wish Part 2 and 4 were much shorter.

With that being said, this is still a really solid EP of mesmerizing ... read more

Promising, but ultimately forgettable. I just didn't find myself all that interested in the hard-hitting production or the vibe that this was going for.

Zack De La Rocha has the most infectious voice I've heard on a metal album. His energy is hype as hell, and the songwriting is punchy and more relevant than ever. Zack is without a doubt the best aspect of this album for me.

While I don't think the production is bad by any means, I do feel like the album starts to sound very samey halfway through. It's a very explosive album, but the heavy riffs and distorted melodies can only be interesting for so long. Drastic variety in ... read more

I admire the hard rock and heavy metal influences that were often implemented into grunge albums. But sometimes those hard rock influences become a bit mundane for me, which is why I can't fully get into this album.

That doesn't mean I don't like it, however. 'Even Flow', 'Black', 'Alive' and 'Jeremy' are still really enjoyable tracks. I still have a high respect for this album.

It's just that after three listens, I still find myself ... read more

Artist reflection:

Easily the best song I've ever made. Whenever I show this song to people, they are immediately fascinated by the production and my performance. Even though many of them don't exactly understand the song completely, the atmospheric nature of it is compelling.

What makes this song tick for me - other than the production - is my songwriting. I aimed to write something very much akin to a ballad. And when I was writing this song while listening to the beat, I knew I ... read more

Artist reflection:

I still think this is the most important piece of music that I've ever created, after 'Kōkai'. It's the first time I started to take things seriously. It's a revelation - an amalgamation of everything I've learned since 2019. While the final result isn't perfect, I still think it's a really solid piece of music.

'WITHOUT CONTEXT' was meant to showcase what I was capable of as a producer and lyricist. But at the same time, I ... read more

Essentially a prelude of what's to come, this album lays a solid and undeniably beautiful foundation that gives you a taste of what Enya is about.

It is fairly raw in its own respect, lacking many of the catchy melodies found on 'Watermark', but still leaving an admirable impression.

A raw shoegaze album that still manages to impress. The noise and distortion never feel too overbearing, nor does it feel weak or misused. And some of the melodies are very pleasant.

This album is definitely a great gateway into shoegaze, as it flaunts the different elements of the genre, while also being fairly straightforward and punchy. It's also got a bit of a slacker rock vibe, too.

This album is a mess. It's a repetitive and inconsistent drag. It overstays its welcome by a mile and the beats are just not that interesting to deserve 4-6 minute instrumentals.

What happened here? This album feels rushed and is ultimately a forgettable experience. The atmospheric and turntablist magic is just lacking here. It's a tedious album to listen to. I didn't like it a few years ago, but I like it even less now.

Compared to other DJ Krush and trip hop records, 'Meiso' definitely takes a simpler approach to its hazy and mostly instrumental production.

However, there's still enough to be liked here. Even if it's not my favorite DJ Krush album.

A very promising project that overstays its welcome. There is some really cool production here, especially on songs like 'Level Select', 'GLACIER ZONE', and 'Emotion Engine'. The atmospheric textures and cyberspace inspired melodies fit well with the interesting drum breaks that switch up occasionally. But most of these songs have no business being as long as they are.

The only track that really works well with the extensive runtime is 'Level Select' ... read more