Unfortunately, Lil Wayne is washed. He sounds out of touch and oftentimes insufferable on this album. The occasional track displays his usual skilled ability is being one of the best technical rappers of all time, but it's never enough the album from falling flat on its face.

The production is so clean and dreamy... until the equally as clean hardcore elements begin pouring in. I'm left with an awkward taste in my mouth where I just don't think dream pop and hardcore rock like this blend into a novel or interesting experience.

McKinley Dixon has been a recent discovery for me, and "Magic, Alive" is not just an excellent jazz rap sequel to his previous album "Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!", but a gorgeous expansion of its soundscape and concept. It is genuinely one of the best hip-hop albums I have ever heard in my life.

In an interview with Stereogum, I liked how Dixon addressed the reality that we live in a "post-To Pimp A Butterfly" world. While Dixon dismisses the idea that Kendrick Lamar ... read more

From my perspective, it seems like this album is being hailed as the second coming of BRAT, but it's really just a rather amateurish effort with terrible performances and writing, and packaged with production that's as flimsy as paper.

nobigdyl is plagued by his brevity, but his passion surges through concepts and lyricism, backed up by impressive self-production.

My first introduction to Swans, and I'm not all too impressed. The skill in instrumentation is quite grand and recognizable. Still, I struggle to grasp a real understanding of its complex progressions, as well as Michael Gira's performance feeling like potholes in an otherwise smooth drone rock experience.

it's bloody brilliant. An influential pioneer in modern pop.

"A horrid sight, the blackest gnome."

From the first track, Jumpscare, billy woods' latest project is a work of horror. The record's title alludes to the 1895 children's book, The Adventure of Two Dutch Dolls, and the execution of its concept gives me chills. billy likens himself to the idea of this gnome, a racist depiction of a black doll. Often associated with mischief that enforces the stereotypes weaponized against African Americans, billy plays with the ... read more

While I found some of Kali's vocal performances lacking, the record builds to a fantastic conclusion with lush soulful production and compelling writing.

Aside from some introspective tracks and genuine bangers, the album feels stretched, and the production and writing are not too flattering.

Pinkpatheress is stunning, killer, and confident, executing a perfectly produced 20 minutes of her staple UK dance-pop ear candy. The mixtape label weighs heavily on the project, and as a whole, I think it falls short of her previous work, "Heaven knows". That being said, I will be dancing my ass off to "Tonight" like I'm the new Queen of England all summer.

It's hard to go wrong with a MIKE project.

The quintessential definition of an East Coast mixtape. Joey and friends have sick flows over various golden age productions from J Dilla to MF DOOM, paying homage to the sound that popularized hip-hop as an art form while still retaining its initial radical edge through Public Enemy-style tracks like "Survival Tactics".

"Death gotta be easy because life is hard."

I'm surprised this record is categorized as a mixtape because this is a strong and impressive display of conceptual control. Ray writes about his compelling fears and anxieties over a well-paced variety of West Coast bangers and low-tempo ballads.

Production and style are rich and consistent with a sharply political perspective that keeps you thinking and nodding your head.

Returning to older works after the refined masterwork that is the Forever Story, JID's potential is inevitable. I'm just not interested in engrossing myself in what came before.

A quintessential rock epic of the internet-fueled era of indie rock, loaded with catchy riffs, passionate performances, and cathartic progression.

A rock odyssey that, while drenched in a rich world, doesn't cathartically unpack its vastness for the casual listener. Neither does its musical progressions hold much interest or weight. Tough, I certainly can't blame the record for fitting a niche that gives fans plenty of depth to unpack within its unconventional storytelling.

If you listen to this album while staring at the tracklist, you can easily get confused by its structure and pacing. With your eyes closed, you can actually get lost in the world of Ultra 85, a long-awaited concept project from Logic, and I'm glad this came out so "late" into his career because Logic's writing is the most reflective and sincere it has ever been. Punchy boom bap and jazz rap cuts filled with fast-spat and witty bars laced together by skits about space ... read more

My bias here is greatly born of nostalgia, but Logic's more mature outlook on his career and position as a father makes him an underdog that you get behind. The production on this record is earwormingly good. The track "man i is" is certainly a highlight, combining its Erykah Badu, Pimp C, and Outkast samples to make a uniquely classy jazz rap cut.