The sound of a lush, sublime summer day distilled and encapsulated in 47 minutes. Gun to my head, my pick for Takanaka's best record- every cut here is truly perfect, even the downright wacky ones like Star Wars Samba. If you don't have a smile on your face listening to this, turn up the volume

Takanaka continues his untouchable 70s streak with AN INSATIABLE HIGH, a record that truly does sound hungry in all the right ways. Every track here holds a momentum that sets it apart from, say, SEYCHELLES or his prior s/t record- tracks like the opener ESP, or the closer will light your hair on fire while still having some of the best production of the 70s no questions asked. A dice roll for Takanaka’s best

I can’t believe I somehow missed this- at one point, Untidy Soul was my favorite R&B project ever, and Henshaw’s music on the whole still means heaps to me.

It Could Be Worse is a reflection of just how far Henshaw has come as an artist. The production is *miles* above any of his work to this point, and there’s an easy-goingness to the entire record that just feels so effortlessly suave. Henshaw’s vocals have always been the star of the show with his music, but here ... read more

The cracking thunder that opens the record may have you wondering if things will take a turn toward a more dramatic sound contrasting Takanaka’s rainbow of a debut- before the groove kicks in and you know you’re right at home. Strings make for the major new feature here compared to SEYCHELLES, helping to give these tracks a ‘cinematic’ flair

Assured, confident, and never faltering for even a second. SEYCHELLES has the power to brighten your day *no matter* the circumstances. Badass by every metric, and one of the best Jazz debuts of all time (I'm half-tempted to say *the* best). You'll be soaring like the cover I promise

Dream-soaked Indie Rock with Midwest Emo vocals and lyricism may sound somewhat contrived, but Turnover work to subdue expectations with a record that’s consistently tight and experimenting whilst still remaining incredibly accessible its entire runtime. Edgy lyrically, but sonically a beam of sunshine

Still utterly oppressive per Darkthrone’s prior three records, but the inclusion of some Doom Metal elements helps slow things down and let some of these cuts really breathe. The Hordes of Nebulah and Quintessence are phenomenal

Even more accessible than Under A Funeral Moon on account of more muted guitar mixing, a change that arguably makes this the ‘rawest’ Darkthrone project but also leaves most of the tracks blending together. That said- if you dig Darkthrone’s other projects, this one will be a winner too

Under A Funeral Moon doesn’t hit quite as hard as Darkthrone’s debut, but the choice to lighten things up a bit (mind you, a very relative ‘bit’) does make this record the slightly more accessible of the two. Tracks like Unholy Black Metal, To Walk the Infernal Fields, and the title track are all about as classic 90s Black Metal as you can get

Other than perhaps the opener being a *bit* too 'Gollumny' for it's own good, A Blaze in the Northern Sky is a depraved, fierce showing of capital R A W Black Metal. The record is entirely uncompromising in its presentation and performances, and though it took a bit to sink in for me, the relentlessness finally won me over. Pummeling

AC’a second essential psych-pop record of the 2000s. My least favorite of their acclaimed trilogy, though arguably has the highest highs with tracks like Fireworks and Unsolved Mysteries

I would hesitate to call this AC’s best, but it’s certainly their first record to feel like a holistically psychedelic experience all the way through. Though the vocals still stand out as a definite weak point, the compositions here production-wise are a step above just about any of their contemporaries at this point. The opener, The Purple Bottle, Banshee Beat, and the closer are all stone-cold 2000s psych-pop classics

An unlikely collab between AC and 70s folk-legend Vashti Bunyan results in an EP that is deeply sensitive and approachable- both adjectives that you’d be hard-pressed to apply to much of Animal Collective’s other projects. The almost twee-like sound palette here lends itself to some genuinely sweet songwriting, which is no surprise with Bunyan at the helm

How I'd imagine a woodland rager to sound- from. the perspective of the wildlife of course. This record does have lyrics, but it still sounds like chirping and other such wild exalts of joy (or pain? Somewhere in between). Folk music for Martians that want a taste of home

Animal Collective (or at least some of them) come out of the gate with a debut that's snarlingly noisy yet alluring, like a siren. For a band that would go on to consistently churn out some of the most 'psyched-out' indie pop of the 2000s, I'd wager they never got more psychedelic than here. The vocals almost sound as though they're desperately hiding away from your perception, burying themselves in the lush layers of ear-splitting noise and glistening folk ... read more

Lacks the panache of O Monolith and Bright Green Field, leaving a set of messily connected Post-Punk sketches that never hits a point of being particularly enjoyable for me

Whenever Bright Green Field starts to latch on to a compelling idea, it too often derails into meandering post-punk territory, to such a degree that I found the overall record experience here a frustrating one despite the plethora of intriguing ideas Squid present here. Further cements the idea that the Windmill scene is far more style than substance if you ask me

Overall an incredibly forgettable reunion record. That said- An Extraordinary Life is one of my Dad's favorite songs and as such prevents this record from going into the red for me

In terms of 80s AOR, Asia's debut is certainly on the better-half of things. Wetton's vocals carry a lot of natural power to them that really hoist a lot of these tracks up above the likely '80s rock hell' they'd sit in otherwise. Heat of the Moment and Only Time Will Tell are some great hits, even if much of the remaining tracklist fails to be as memorable. Cheesy as all hell- but just enough charm to feel worth one go

If you're looking for a Jazz record that'll melt your face off with its virtuosic playing, Idle Moments is not the album for you. However- if you're looking for a Jazz record that's utterly assured and confident in its bravado and tempo, Idle Moments is nearly unbeatable. In fact, I'd consider Idle Moments a worthy competitor to Kind of Blue for title of best Cool Jazz of all time. All four pieces here are pleasant on the ears, but also have technical prowess oozing out ... read more