A band I caught wind of back in 2022 during the singles run for this album in fact. Yeah, shame I didn’t get to this in full until now. Especially given the fact that I in fact gave their last record a shot within its “new” time window. And yeah, pretty damn good stuff. With this album in mind now, it’s like the storm, while VOID was the stark calm. Not to say it went “softer”, but in hindsight, and I’ll do my best to make sense of this music- for me ... read more

Shout-out to @outsidernoise444 for this rec. Upon first listen, I’ll admit my gripes were beginning to build as while this MAY in fact BE the most experimental and left field thing I’ll hear this year; I couldn’t help but loathe the execution, which felt more jarring and veering than it did incremental building or cohesive. But then, the BIG call back that maybe helped make sense of it all was the late Scott Walker, and his final works of art in his career. As someone who gave ... read more

So after revisiting their break-out record Girl with Fish back in 2023, and with this new album to go off of- yeah, this band is shaping up to me one of my favourite shoe-gaze acts of the 2020's. Not for nothing, but most of the more "noise" leaning acts in this vein just weren't cutting it for me. I mean, I've enjoyed many Parannoul projects, both main AND side projects, so I know my way around noisier production qualms- but MAN does this project know how to balance ... read more

..... this is what I get for retrospecting a teenage celebrity crush, eh? So, out of losing steam on any new release grabbing my ears worth a damn for me to cover (yes that’s harsh, but hey, so much content, so little time, is what it is), I thought “let’s run back another one”. Sure, my Thank U, Next coverage wasn’t awful, but left me with a strong mix of good and, dare I say, rough to even bad tracks. So, hey, out of current buzz over such era’s ... read more

....And here’s the storm I’m hoping doesn’t take over her sound too much. While her earlier 3 track EP from February was much better suited and resonated pretty damn well with me-, this is, well, the OTHER side of pop I’m more distant to. More overblown mixes and vocal passages, where the “angst” is the selling point- and damn, it’s not working as strongly admittedly.

I’ll get the best song out the way first; Promise? Is another carry on of moody ... read more

Another origin story of Spectrum Pulse and his Billboard Breakdown YouTube channel where when I heard the snippet for the song / his analysis of the tune “iloveitiloveitiloveit”- I had to go out and hear it. Hell, it’s WHY I became so fond of Olivia Dean and her recent output. So here’s another UK breakout, or so should be. Finally getting to the first of the 2 EP’s, supposedly anticipating for this material to make it onto a debut full length soon-ish? Well, ... read more

Alright, let’s put this one to bed..

So, I’m mainly familiar with Peggy’s 2020’s run of albums. Scaring The Hoes I heard in early 2024 as well as his follow-up to that album I Lay Down My Life for You. By far my personal favourite album of his I’ve heard. And not TOO long ago ran up LP (offline, cause yeah, bandcamp is the better of the evils). And yeah, I’d consider myself a fan of his recent output. All the more WHY I felt SOME anticipation toward whatever ... read more

So this one was more a shot in the dark with seeing her creep up on the timeline....

So, a new debut from another PC music artist that throughout my time with this project, blurs the lines between an appeal of what 8485 has been doing, alongside some sweet sided indie-pop meets dance pop from the likes of PinkPantheress. And yeah, happy to report it’s pretty nice. Albeit with it’s debut album symptoms; namely it can FEEL one note and samey. I lean more toward it landing on the side ... read more

So, this must be how most people felt about the recent Slayyyter record. For what it's worth, when I DID utilise a certain streaming platform, and it's weekly discovery playlists, I recall some tracks from a "leroy" showing up. Didn't necessarily catch my ear at the time, but it's funny seeing it come full circle. As I really just have this to go off of- uh yeah, I'd say it's another great output from Jane. While yes all over the place, and maybe not ... read more

Just when I thought I said all I could about how lacking Girli’s efforts have been on recent projects- MAN does this lead me to go off like a tool. For context, back in 2021 I came to be falimiar with her work on her then new EP ‘Damsel In Distress’. Which at the time handily was packed with some great hooks, booming production, and a big personality mixed with some melodrama that I think blended into what I now see as her best effort to date. Cause shortly after this point, ... read more

Highlights: Not Around Anymore, relief

While nowhere near their best work, it's alright. But with certain production, mixing, and lyrical decisions that leave with something to be desired as a whole.

Marked as watched 👀

Here we have what is essentially my MOST anticipated album of the year. With singles ramping at the end of last year, I had HUGE hopes to say the least on what Genesis Owusu would do next following 2 albums this decade that in their own right are super unique and special to me. Kicking off with a bang back in 2021 with Smiling With No Teeth. A record that while all over the place, DOES have something special going for it. That by FAR was it’s variety and versitility. Whether straight up ... read more

This has been a project that I’ve admired more for various songs over full-lengths. I recall some moments from their last album. Kind Of Girl has stuch with me ever since. But outside that, yeah not much for me to add. I mean it wasn’t “bad”, certainly nowhere near, but left not much an impression. I honestly comtemplated covering this or even hearing this based on past experiences. But I caved, annnnnd- ok yeah, bluntly, this is by far their best batch of songs to date. ... read more

It’s been known that after a larger, more serious and focused release, Simz usually puts out either a lighter record, by way of No Merci at the end of 2022. Or an EP with either demo level quality or some newer ideas to explore on future records (that Drop 7 mixtape in 2024 comes to mind). Yeah seeing the more cooler reception had me like oof, is THIS where the house of cards fall? And I suppose the answer is simple, but not fully without merits..

This 4 track EP explores Simz over trap ... read more

Call this the Jessie Ware 2.0 situation, although I had no doubt they’d drop another good album. I mean the singles certainly had me excited. 2 or 3 easily is like a top song of the year for me HANDILY. The theme of dating someone more “versed” than you, but for her to still admire and like you for your heart more than your brain, yeah, umm, relatable for me. I Just Can’t Get Over Losing You is short, simple, yet effective at it’s heartache on display. I’ll ... read more

Yeah, i'll be honest and say I'm not AS familair with these stylings of ambient music. Vocal falsettos over neo-classical instrumentals that toe the line between Ethel Cain's Perverts EP, and early work from Kristen Hayter (Lingua Ignota). Some pretty decent moments here, even if one again, a different approach to ambient as a whole. I'd say it's worth a shot, but I'm just not certain on how much it's gonna stick with me, that's all.

Well, a long time coming to get to one of her albums.
For context, and to keep it centered on this record- YES, I’m familiar with the larger singles that lace the ending, and the deep-cut ghostin’. Why do I cover music in such random pendulum swinging ways? I don’t know. Blame the ASD...

Nah, but in all seriousness, I’m glad to mark this one done, but MAN does it have me frustrated unfortunately. I’ll start off with what works damn well for me. Ghostin’ as a ... read more

....maybe if I was going through it it would've hit stronger?-

Actually, no, I still think I would've come to the same or similar conclusion. As much as the record FEELS raw and has both leads feeling just as devastatingly dreadful to sell this idea, MAN I just can't say it's working past melodrama for me. The best musical comparison I can make is this one track from Rachel Kennedy, aka Alex Kent's partner "Vinyl On The Table". A track dropped as a single in ... read more

Gee, thanks Spectrum Pulse. Yeah, didn’t think I’d be saying it, but thus far, this is the best album I’ve heard this year. Yup, that gut feeling is strong. Blending Americana, Indie Folk, and Country, this album is so sweet and easy to listen to, while giving you one emotional gut punch after another. The record overall centers around moving past a dark place in ones life. Whether that be romantically, through redevelopment shifting your local communities, to even just ... read more