bmbmbmwestern

Sonic Comfort (Zone) (#4 - 10/08)

This record was my introduction to Hotline TNT’s music, and I must say I see the appeal. This is a well-produced, pleasant listen. Fuzzy, sometimes nearly noisy, warm: if this record were fluid, it would gently splash against your eardrums like the sea against a shoreline.

However, this is almost all I can give the band credit for. This record sounds so familiar, the songwriting so formulaic, and the lyrics and melodies so sugary, that it almost feels ... read more

Honey/Honing (#3 - 08/08)

I quite enjoy witnessing this era of chronically online, emo-adjacent music firsthand. A lot of these bands are sharpening their songwriting and pulling from both classic and unexpected influences, from samba to videogame music. Gingerbee is a sort of supergroup: I’m not that familiar with the members’ other projects, but they clearly fall within the scene I’m talking about.

First, the good stuff. This record is, at times, infectious, sugary, ... read more

Who is Alex G? (#1 - 28/07)

Singer-songwriter Alex G returns with Headlights, his first major-label LP. On a surface level, it seems like a typical Alex G record, but while Alex sticks to his familiar formula, it feels notably less convincing than some of his older work. Left-field cuts like "Louisiana" and "Bounce Boy" don't excite me, and don't reach the heights of his previous brash experiments. Radio-ready single "Afterlife" and Elliott ... read more

Technically impressive, emotionally inert (#2 - 28/07)

After a lengthy rollout, Quadeca's follow-up I Didn't Mean to Haunt You has arrived. Like its predecessor, Vanisher, Horizon Scraper aims to be a concept album, sonically a blend of folktronica and experimental hip-hop. It's tastefully arranged and quite well-produced; take a listen to the layered, excellent early verses on single "Godstained" for an example. But no amount of tasteful string arrangements and ear ... read more