kuru rly rly surprised me with this release, showcasing a very wide range and a distinct creative vision.

Kanye West returns after one of the most disgusting public displays in music history as well as one of the sharpest artistic declines in recent memory, and it feels as if he is still not ready to be direct about anything. This album is almost like a mirage of what a good Kanye album is, with some pockets of competent production, but it feels as if Kanye is being played by an impersonator throughout the entirety of this project. This feeling of uncanniness is certainly not helped with the usage ... read more

it really hurts when an album with a clear amount of effort and passion put into it ends up feeling like a big swing and a miss. fraxiom shows promise here as a post hyperpop icon but her approach makes the project feel like just a joke rather than an artistic endeavor with a lot of thought put into it. this is not me saying that albums cant be lighthearted or jokey in tone, but fraxiom’s presence and approach to being lighthearted does not create something upbeat and replayable, rather ... read more

nettspend has been a very interesting artist to follow, as he rides the line of being downright terrible and somewhat captivating, and this album embodies that assessment. nett has a lot of tracks on here in which he adds a lot of character to these well produced if not generic rage beats, however nettspend’s place within the scene is placed into question the further the album limps forward. in comparison to similar artists within the scene, its not even a competition, nettspend does not ... read more

xaviersobased is an artist that i often struggle to listen to in the context of a full album listen, however this album is the exception. xavier flows so naturally over some of the most consistently great production in his catalog, whilst never losing his avant garde touch. incredibly consistent and full of modern UG rap bangers.

ASAP rocky returns with a lot of effort and creativity being put forward. the sound is not cohesive and can feel scattershot but it does not feel out of place considering the artistic theming surrounding this album, alongside rocky’s commitment and willingness to lean into these differing sounds. this makes this album a somewhat difficult project to relisten to in one sitting, but it also has allowed rocky to create some truly memorable tracks that stand out within his vast catalog.

while slayr’s explosion in popularity has led to quite a divisive reception within this current “underground” scene, slayr does not let this stop his momentum in the slightest, and creates a project that feels uniquely him. It is catchy, honest, and unashamed of itself. this amount of character and memorability in just one project is something that i place a lot of value on.

the album overall is satisfactory, however it gives me very little to go back to, with baby keem not offering much innovation on his style, making this album feel like just another step rather than a bombastic return or defining moment

this project is a bit too scattered, the lack of thought put into cohesion and sequencing really holds this album back, but the individual songs are really nice within a vacuum, kmoe has quite a wonderful voice and i do appreciate the ambition that does appear in certain parts of the album

really just an incredible exercise in sonic contrast, both freddie gibbs and alchemist gave it their all

theres a through line of melancholy that's present through the whole album and it works really well with this batch of expertly produced pop songs

second half locks the fuck in

dude

a rly great ode to the new internet electronic age, but im mad about that jane song

geordie greep delivers a scattershot, psychotic, but deeply romantic record that proves why people held him with such high regard during his involvement with black midi

im stunned

this feels like a taylor album from a bizarro universe where she entirely gave up except in a few spots. the terrible attempts at being edgy, the scattershot production and theme, the honestly awful writing nearly the whole way through. all of this adds up to an experience i never want to have again. i feel bad for taylor stans, who now have to convince themselves that this is good.

his best for sure

wow

the second half of this album is maybe his best run of tracks ever