atomicdevan

Joji used to be one of the most exciting voices in music to look forward to; making major waves in the underground with his immersive & hypnotic melodies/beats and gorgeous vocal stylings.

nowadays, Joji skirts the mainstream every 3-4 years by jockeying trends, making songs and entire albums without any sense of structure or thematic focus beyond "sad because women". as a former fan, it's really disappointing. i would really like to see him evolve past the occasional ... read more

i don't believe in the death of mainstream hip-hop, but albums like this make me understand how someone could come to that conclusion.

J. Cole's songwriting and production remain firmly stuck a decade or so in the past. two discs with nothing truly special to show for it. he lacks the focus to make a proper concept record. no grand statement outside of "i set-out to make my best album", but what does that even mean, Jermaine? no fun? because this shit is dry. sauceless. ... read more

oh hey, new pink guy music.

for being overtly try-hard, this is shockingly toothless. the type of satire to impress prepubescents.

i respect the attempt but generally speaking, this is executed quite poorly. Chance's singing is equal parts endearing and grating, making the emotional highs hit while any attempt at making a hard-hitting record only has me thinking of what his contemporaries could've dine instead.

not something i would ever return to.