Talking Heads in the late 70s and early 80s were on an insane run. Fear of Music and Remain in Light are straight-up masterpieces, and then they just followed it up with Speaking in Tongues. That’s crazy. By this point they had really locked into their sound, this funky, groovy, slightly weird new wave style that’s instantly recognisable as Talking Heads. And wow, they made it even funkier on this one.

The album kicks off with Burning Down the House and that’s just such a ... read more

The Wall, Pt. 2.

That’s basically what this is, and honestly I don’t mind at all. It’s Roger Waters’ party again, and by this point it feels way more like a Roger Waters solo album than a full Pink Floyd record. The Wall already leaned that way, but The Final Cut takes it even further, with much less involvement from the rest of the band. Still, if you listen to it as a continuation of The Wall, it works beautifully.

A lot of the material here was originally written ... read more

By the time they got to their self-titled album, Genesis had pretty much left their full-on prog rock days behind. This is the point where they leaned heavily into pop rock, and while that shift gets mixed reactions, I think this record is actually pretty solid. It doesn’t have the artistic highs of their 70s run, but as a pop rock album it works surprisingly well.

The opener Mama is honestly one of the best Genesis tracks ever. It’s dark, haunting, and that Phil Collins vocal ... read more

Offset’s back with his new album after the pretty inconsistent but overall decent SET IT OFF. I already really liked the single Bodies with JID, I mean, that’s Offset at his best, a sharp trap banger that felt fresh while still sticking to the classic sound.

Diving into the album now, I got to say, the whole album surprised me. I expected just another bloated trap record with the same old beats, but KIARI feels way more dialed in. Mainstream trap albums lately have been pretty ... read more

Cudi’s back with a new album, and this time he’s fully gone into pop rock. After the underwhelming trap vibes of Insano and Insano (Nitro Mega), he switched it up again and the result is some sort of liberation: Free.

When the singles dropped, I wasn’t too convinced. Neverland had some punch but didn’t really grab me, Grave just kind of dragged without much happening, and while Mr. Miracle was already a much better track, it still didn’t click like classic Cudi ... read more

I can already tell this next album’s gonna be amazing. After that first single, which was super intimate and beautiful, Daniel comes back with this one and it’s just really groovy. Call On Me is such a fun track, the guitars bounce so nicely through the song, and his voice just floats over it like it always does.

What I really like is how lighthearted this feels compared to some of his more emotional cuts. It’s still soulful, still warm, but it’s got this playful vibe ... read more

Now this is Roger Waters in full force again. Amused to Death is definitely his best solo work to me. This album feels like the spiritual successor to The Wall and The Final Cut, just as big, bold, and emotionally and politically intense. This is absolutely peak Roger: theatrical, furious, reflective, and deeply personal.

Where Radio K.A.O.S. felt a bit too drenched in ‘80s gloss and Pros and Cons was more of a personal fever dream, Amused to Death is razor sharp. The concept – how ... read more

So apparently Roger himself isn’t too fond of this one… but can I be honest? Radio K.A.O.S. really isn’t that bad. It definitely gets more hate than it deserves. Sure, it’s not The Wall or even The Final Cut, and it’s drenched in that ultra-80s production that kind of dates it, but beneath all that slick digital gloss, there’s a surprisingly solid and heartfelt concept album here.

From the get-go, you can tell this album is very of its time. The synths, the ... read more

After already setting his legacy with Prince, Dirty Mind and Controversy, Prince came back and just went all in with 1999. And this really is one of the perfect albums he made. This is Prince fully locked into his artistry, owning every single aspect of what he was doing. The funky GOAT. The best ever. Once again, he wrote, produced, and played almost everything himself. At THIS level. Barely anyone in music history has ever done that. The man was a genius. Truly one of a kind.

The album ... read more

I’ll always have a soft spot for The Gap Band. The Wilson brothers, with Charlie leading the charge, just had that magic touch. Fully ’80s, dripping with funk, groove, and buttery smoothness. And with Gap Band IV, they really hit their peak, easily my favourite record from them.

You can tell the guys were having a blast in the studio. That energy is all over the place, whether it’s the bounce of Early In The Morning, the smooth vibe of Lonely Like Me, the timeless ... read more

After the funky, groove-heavy In Our Lifetime, Marvin returned with Midnight Love: a record that feels like him easing back into a smoother, more sensual lane. It’s a bit more rooted in his classic soul sound, but with a polished early ’80s touch, and it just works. This is Marvin in full control of mood and atmosphere, crafting a record that’s silky from front to back.

Of course, the big one here is Sexual Healing, one of the most iconic tracks of his entire career and a ... read more

After a pretty great run in the ’70s and a good start to the ’80s with The Game, Queen really took a step down with Hot Space. It’s less “hot space” and more “hot mess.” They moved away from their classic sound and went for a more stripped-back, funk and disco-influenced style, but the execution just isn’t there. A lot of these songs feel like filler: minimal in instrumentation, light on energy, and without the spark that made Queen’s ... read more

I’ve been waiting on this day, because deep down I knew Chance would come back. Yes, The Big Day is widely considered a flop, and honestly, it was a bad album. But I’ll defend it a little: it wasn’t quite the disaster people like to make it out to be. Sure, it was corny, the execution was weak, and he maybe he talked a bit too much about loving his wife (it's sweet though), but musically it wasn’t completely hopeless. Still, it derailed his career big time. People ... read more

Did anyone really ask for a new Maroon 5 album? Definitely not me. Still, I tuned in out of curiosity. Luckily, they only release something every three or four years, so at least we’re not completely drowned in their music. But let’s be honest, after that atrocious run with V, Red Pill Blues and JORDI, expectations couldn’t have been lower.

And, this new record? Well... it’s more of the same polished-to-death pop radio slop they’ve been leaning on for years ... read more

And then there was this surprise… a new Dijon album. I’ve been waiting on this. After his already incredible 2021 album Absolutely (which I absolutely loved), Dijon comes back swinging, and just weeks after his contributions on Justin Bieber’s new album, he drops this out of nowhere.

And man, it sounds so incredibly good. Dijon’s got such a unique sound, totally different from anyone else in the R&B and soul space right now. The guy’s just ridiculously ... read more

KAYTRANADA’s back!!! After a pretty great run with his last three albums, there was no way I wasn’t excited for this one. Like he said before dropping it, this album’s for workouts, dancing, and studying. So I was expecting less vocals, more instrumentals, and a lot of that funky, groovy house sound he's so good at.

And hearing it now, this was exactly what I expected, and I’m here for it. Is it his most groundbreaking production? Not always, but it’s clean, ... read more

After the kind of mediocre and lacklustre self-titled album, Bryson Tiller is back with THE VICES, which is apparently one half of a double album with the other half, Solace, set to drop in a few months. And honestly, this one feels like a continuation of the same sound he’s been riding recently.

It’s not really outright bad, but it’s not grabbing me either. The production is mostly okay, but rarely does it feel exciting or immersive. Bryson’s delivery is fine, but his ... read more

Gunna’s back with another album, and tbh, my expectations weren’t high going in. I’ve never been a huge Gunna fan, like, he can drop some tracks that are nice to vibe to if you’re not taking things too seriously, but a lot of his stuff just ends up feeling repetitive and uninspired. WUNNA had its moments, DS4EVER was a bit inconsistent but had some decent cuts, A Gift & a Curse was a solid enough comeback, nothing crazy but fine, and then One of Wun was just a ... read more

After the incredible Dirty Mind, Prince kept the momentum going with Controversy. And honestly, the title couldn’t be more fitting. Prince was always pushing buttons, always sparking conversation, and here he leans right into that. The way he plays with themes of politics, sexuality, faith, and identity while keeping it funky is just peak Prince.

The album opens with Controversy, and man… what an opener. One of his best songs ever. It’s funky, it’s catchy, it’s ... read more

After an incredible run with What’s Going On, Let’s Get It On, Diana & Marvin, I Want You, and Here, My Dear, Marvin came through once again with another really strong project: In Our Lifetime. At this point, Marvin was deep in his creative groove, and this album shows it. It’s very much Marvin Gaye through and through: funky rhythms, groovy melodies, lush arrangements, and those amazing smooth, emotional vocals that only he could deliver.

The album kicks off perfectly ... read more