Probably my all-time favourite hip-hop album. Definitely on par with Illmatic, because it's literally perfect. And when we’re talking about hip-hop collectives, Wu-Tang are simply the blueprint.

Straight out of the dark streets of New York, these guys lived it, breathed it, and then turned all their experience into music. What they built together was a whole cultural movement, taking hip-hop to a whole another level. They drew inspiration from kung-fu movies, Eastern philosophy, ... read more

One of the most gifted rappers to ever live, Big L completely shook up the Harlem scene, and now, 26 years after his tragic death, he’s finally getting another moment in the spotlight with Harlem’s Finest. As part of Nas’ Mass Appeal Legend series (which already gave us great projects from Ghostface, Raekwon, and Mobb Deep), this one’s dedicated to honouring Big L’s legacy — and while it’s definitely a nice tribute, it’s not without its ... read more

WSG is really on a run right now. In just about a year, he’s dropped Still Praying, HWH 11, HWH 12, HEELS HAVE EYES, HEELS HAVE EYES 2, and now the third HEELS HAVE EYES project. And once again, he absolutely delivers. HEELS HAVE EYES 2 was pretty good, and I’d say that was his best project since HWH 10. Now with HEELS HAVE EYES 3, he gives us another tight follow-up that fits perfectly in his recent run.

At 25 minutes, it’s on the shorter side, with some spoken parts in ... read more

After scrapping Icon just a day before it was supposed to drop, Brent’s finally back with a new single. Now the big question is: does this mean a new album’s on the way? Or will Icon still see the light of day at some point? Either way, this new track is pretty fire.

It’s nothing too groundbreaking, but it’s very smooth and vibey. His vocals sound great here — even the pitched-up parts work really well — and the production has a nice bounce to it. It’s ... read more

After already dropping two double singles in such a short time, Magdalena Bay are back again with another one — Unoriginal / Black-Eyed Susan Climb. And they just keep surprising me. Every new release just sounds so completely different from the last. Where Human Happens / Paint Me A Picture already was very different than Second Sleep / Star Eyes, this new pair goes in yet another direction.

Unoriginal feels very indie rock inspired — there’s this nice, laid-back groove, ... read more

After a great bounce back with Love You following the disaster that was 15 Big Ones, The Beach Boys returned a year later with M.I.U. Album — and unfortunately, this is where things really started to fall apart.

After scrapping the planned follow-up to Love You, titled Adult/Child, the band ended up releasing M.I.U. Album, which was mostly produced by Al Jardine with some involvement from Mike Love and Brian Wilson, but very little input from Carl and Dennis. And that’s exactly how ... read more

After the pretty bad 15 Big Ones, which was definitely their weakest album up to that point, The Beach Boys returned the next year with The Beach Boys Love You (pretty much a Brian Wilson solo record) — and they bounced back big. I’m so thankful they showed they still had it in them. It also marked a great “true” comeback for Brian (he was already back for 15 Big Ones, but not really in the same creative shape) after all those miserable years he went through. You can ... read more

Right after finishing Second Sleep and Star Eyes, I immediately went to check out their latest two singles, Human Happens and Paint Me A Picture. And damn, they’re really on a run right now, huh? These two tracks just add even more greatness to what’s already been an incredible streak. I already said that Second Sleep and Star Eyes rank among their best songs (maybe even the best), and these two new ones are right up there too — definitely top-tier again.

Human Happens kicks ... read more

I know... I’m a little late to the party. But I just hadn’t gotten around to listening to their newest singles — and I’m so glad I finally did now. I absolutely loved Imaginal Disk and still think it’s one of the best albums of the 2020s. It keeps surprising me every time I revisit it. And with these two new singles, they somehow top themselves again. This is definitely among their best work to date.

The first single, Second Sleep, might already be a top 3 ... read more

Wow, another absolutely breathtaking single from OPN for his upcoming album Tranquilizer. I’m starting to feel like this new album might end up being a top 3 OPN album — the singles so far have all been incredible. Measuring Ruins is no exception with how transcendent and atmospheric it sounds. And again, OPN really makes you feel like you're floating through outer space, drifting somewhere in the Milky Way. If the rest of Tranquilizer is on the same level as the four singles ... read more

After the Love Symbol album in ’92, which still showed flashes of brilliance, Prince followed it up with Come. And honestly, this album is kind of an odd one in his catalogue. Prince’s 80s run was basically flawless – album after album of pure innovation, from Dirty Mind all the way to Sign “O” the Times and Parade. Even the early 90s had strong moments, but you can already feel a shift happening. The ideas are less razor sharp, the execution a bit less focused. ... read more

Wow, Rosalía is back with a BANG. This new single for her upcoming album brings something completely different. She brings out classical, opera-esque music, delivering quite a dramatic, immersive track full of tension, and it's working perfectly. I really can’t wait to hear what the rest of the album sounds like if this is the direction she’s going for.

After a pretty good bounce back with Holland, following the somewhat mediocre Carl and the Passions – So Tough, The Beach Boys returned with what’s easily their weakest album up to this point. On 15 Big Ones, we see Brian Wilson taking over as the sole producer again — something that hadn’t happened since Pet Sounds. But despite his return and the attempt to revive their older sound, they didn’t deliver anything “big.” Released in 1976, it’s ... read more

When you put two of the best producers in the game together, you just know it’s going to be something special. GOLDFISH is another really dope collab between Hit-Boy and The Alchemist — two producers who’ve both been on incredible runs the past years. And this project is exactly what you’d expect from the two of them. They bring those soulful, laid-back beats, full of smooth sample chops and also some solid rapping from the both of them.

The production is split about ... read more

After his real breakthrough with MUTT, Leon Thomas is already back with a brand new EP, PHOLKS, and he’s really in his bag right now. This EP proves again that Leon’s one of the hottest names in R&B at the moment. You can tell he’s fully locked in, further defining his signature sound with much confidence, and he’s ready to take over the scene.

On this EP, Leon sticks to what he does best with those smooth vocals, the groovy drums, and that dreamy, soulful ... read more

Two years since the release of NEVER ENOUGH (which I really, really liked), Daniel’s back with a brand new album, Son of Spergy, and what a beautiful record this is. On this one, Daniel takes a different path compared to his earlier albums. Instead of the smooth R&B love songs he’s known for, Son of Spergy dives deep into something way more spiritual and introspective. It’s basically Daniel reflecting on faith, love, lust, and his search for God — and it might be his ... read more

We all know the story behind Donuts, and what an inspiration it still is. J Dilla, sick and bedridden, made most of this album from his hospital room, and somehow, in the middle of all that pain, he created one of the most soulful, emotional, and groundbreaking instrumental albums ever made. You just feel his energy in every single beat. The passion, the love for music, the dedication, it’s all in there.

Donuts is pretty much the ultimate blueprint for sample-based production. ... read more

After eight years, Miguel is finally back with a brand new album and it feels so good to have him back again. Over the past few years, he dropped a few singles that were supposed to lead up to an album called Viscera, and the rollout for that album was pretty wild if you ask me. That performance with the hooks in his back, the emotional tracks (such as Rope), it all hinted at someone going through a lot mentally and emotionally. His divorce and personal struggles definitely shaped that era, and ... read more

Man, Sampha just can't miss. To celebrate the two-year anniversary of Lahai, he drops one final track that was made during that era, and of course, it’s another beautiful one. Cumulus / Memory is split into two parts, and both are just great, classic Sampha.

The first half has this dreamy, floating vibe, it’s very smooth, with Sampha’s ethereal vocals gliding over that gentle piano and subtle drums. Then, the second half brings a different, more stripped-down energy, and ... read more

OPN is back with brand new music in the form of a new EP, a little teaser for his upcoming album Tranquilizer dropping next month — and I’m absolutely blown away. With these three new tracks, it really feels like he’s tapping back into that otherworldly, spacey, ambient zone he’s so good at. Where his last couple of projects leaned more into experimentation with different sounds and structures, this one feels like a return to that classic OPN atmosphere — the one ... read more