How to go from 2 really charming and lovable tracks to very run of the mill jazz funk. This album really set me up for some really funky, charismatic music only to become a pretty big let down, not even having any vocals after the second track and losing a lot of its personality by sacrificing the elements that made it unique in that regard in favour of playing it safe. Fine, Louie, you get your green, but I’m not happy about it.

Sigh. This is 3D Country but somehow even more offensively disappointing. Can we PLEASE direct vocalists that are absolutely out of their minds towards a sound that actually suits their chaotic nature, and not the beautifully crafted and sounding instrumentals that are found here. Sure, the instrumentals definitely get noisy and chaotic too, and then I just don’t like it really at all lol. When I could just sit back and take in the jazz I was pretty much floating, I really can’t ... read more

I appreciate the uniqueness of this album, and it sure did hit the way it seemed to intend, but this was a tiring listen for me. It’s just a bit too much flashiness and not enough actually gripping music. There were several moments that were quite jarring to me, and the closer was such a bore. I didn’t really get much out of the lyrics either. Still, I can see why people are liking this, it certainly stood out and I’ll probably remember it well.

Listened to this as @pintobean recommended it and I haven’t actually rated it yet so…here it is! The SAI live version demonstrates just how brilliant Tyler’s writing is as he masterfully incorporates several of TØP’s iconic tracks with the lesser appreciated songs from SAI and makes them sound fantastic. I love how it’s an authentic live experience as Tyler interacts with the listener the way he would at a concert, and both boys give it their all.

Quick question, do you make all these instrumentals completely originally? Cuz if you do, you really don’t get enough credit for how consistently great you are at making them in whatever genre you’re doing. They always feel passionate and made with experience, and the production sounds good through my shitty headphones so it can’t be that bad either lol. Black Metal is definitely something I can appreciate, Ne Obliviscaris are probably the greatest in the field, particularly ... read more

WHAT IS GOING ON???
This is wildly different to what I’m used to from this band, reminding me of the approach they took for Scaled and Icy, but obviously with a more punk style. This track is very noisy and loud, with lyrics that obviously nod towards a young person in education struggling with their mental health, and failing to cope with the overbearing college life. There are some points where I can’t really understand the lyrics Tyler is singing, but he delivers so well here, ... read more

The improvement from this to Shoelacs & A Knot is very noticeable, but it makes sense given the 4 year gap between projects. This was often bland and lacked character, and felt like pretty typical Tiktok indie.

It only took 11 tracks to get to a great song that isn’t Misery Business, but the ride along the way was pretty fun! You can definitely tell it’s early Paramore because of the outdated sound and basic punk writing but Hayley is definitely a brilliant vocalist and there were some strong instrumentals in there.

We need to drop everything right now. Did Cherry and the Other People actually just release a somewhat ok song??? I think they did! Seriously, ‘What Are Years’ is probably their best song, as it actually sounds kinda close to something I’d hear on a poorly mixed indie album that AOTY loves for some reason. That’s huge! The rest of this EP is mostly just awful noisy garbage but it did make me smile from its unlawful goofiness. How do they not sound or act any older ... read more

Thanks for the recommendation @InfiniteBoi, that sure was something. There’s a reason I tend to avoid anything that’s trap and hiphop, there’s a good chance it’s going to annoy the hell out of me. This style can be done well, makes me think of the song ‘POSSESSION’ by WHOKILLEDXIX, which is an awesome song, but the difference is that the vocals aren’t as grating, the beat actually goes hard unlike 90% of what this album has to offer, and the lyrics ... read more

I can’t even gaslight myself into liking these new tracks like I could the album, there’s truly no life left from the band’s original brilliance and it hurts to see. I think they have focused on this new style hard, which is perfectly fine and respectable, but I can’t get behind the poppy, squeaky clean nature of what was once a really provocative, raw sound. ‘Oh No…’ is fine, but I can’t connect to the new songs at all, it’s bland.

Perhaps the most promising music from a small artist I’ve heard in a while. The reason I say promising is because there are a lot of brilliant aspects of this album and really engaging writing that I can’t ignore, but I certainly have my gripes as well. For example, a few of the songs take too long to get going, and others, such as the closer, don’t even set off (super disappointing closer after everything else prior). Storge is a good example. Sounds fantastic, really ... read more

I swear, Caravan Palace will make 2 fleshed out, interesting songs per album and then make the rest basic and forgettable, every time. That being said, even with most of the songs sounding like 90% of their discography, it’s still funky electroswing with a lot of strong features that make it a solid listen. ‘Mirrors’ and ‘Reverse’ were the stand out songs here.

Everything Everything make their return with a perfectly solid album that stays consistent with most of their discography. I didn’t dig the experience as a whole as much as I did for Get To Heaven, but there were certainly some highs, and I didn’t find the vocals annoying at all here, they’re very refined and likeable in their style. The stand out songs for me are Wild Guess and The Mad Stone.

God this is exactly what I was hoping for oh my god. I don’t even think I can accurately put into words how I’m feeling right now but this song is such a bop, the production is godly (Paul Meany is god amen), the chorus is so gorgeous, Josh completely outdid himself with the drumming and Tyler’s rapping is class. This is a perfect introduction to the album, and the storytelling with both the lyrics and MV have me giddy. FUCK YES.

Edit: They managed to make a song that’s ... read more

Somehow Cavetown managed to create the most stylistically interesting music I’ve heard from him in a while, pushing for a hyperpop aesthetic that honestly suits him really well. The first three songs are really appealing to me, with a very sweet sound and memorability that I will keep returning to, however the other two tracks are a bit weaker and don’t offer much else to keep me engaged. It surprises me to say that this was the best project I’ve heard so far this year, but ... read more

Allie X grabbed my attention with the single ‘Black Eye’, and I knew there was potential in this album. This is a solid synthpop record that features some menacing instrumentals and angelic vocals from Allie, with squeaky clean production. Most of the album didn’t really cling to me as I hoped it would, but a few tracks were good enough to return to, especially the closer. Good stuff!

MGMT continue to explore their attention grabbing electronic style with a more subtle psychedelic pop record, getting increasingly laid back in their discography, and it works pretty well with what they’ve done here. Personally, this reflective atmosphere can feel a little lacklustre, although I appreciate how some of the lyrics dwell into some rather dark themes. For me, MGMT has always been a band that had a lot of potential, but couldn’t grasp the right amount of uniqueness and ... read more

It’s usually pretty hard to admit that an artist you’ve grown a liking and admiration for has produced a less than impressive release, but honestly, I was kinda expecting it here. Mostly because of what went down with Ryan, the drummer, and his unfriendly departure, leaving Dallon alone and probably tired of dealing with crappy band mates. We’ve waited many years for new IDKHOW music, and I was looking forward to see how Dallon would expand his unique electronic sound, ... read more

A very charming and emotionally driven indie rock debut that caught my attention with some great reviews. I decided to check it out, and it was mainly pretty good! I really like the energy in a few of the earlier tracks, although after Chemicals it does feel a bit slow and doesn’t leave much of an impact. The main attraction for me though is the song ‘For Ella’, a very gorgeous ballad that actually made me tear up, which is a first for this year. The orchestral atmosphere and ... read more