I haven’t really listened to much Ruel before this, but Kicking My Feet was an easy first impression. It’s smooth, light, and super digestible.

The vocals are the main draw. He’s got that clean, effortless tone that makes even a pretty simple track feel polished. The production’s bright and tidy too - nothing messy, just a nice little pop/R&B moment that fits perfectly in a playlist.

But yeah… it’s also kinda forgettable. It doesn’t really say ... read more

I was actually planning to review this while I was in Korea/Japan, but between being obsessed with the Rosalía album and having zero downtime, it slipped through the cracks. Getting to it properly now after the recommendation, and this pretty much landed where I expected.

It’s a smooth, very relaxed listen - almost too relaxed at times. There’s nothing outright bad here, but there are stretches where it feels like it’s just drifting, and emotionally it stays pretty ... read more

On paper, Nas and DJ Premier linking up again should feel seismic - and in moments, it absolutely does. Light-Years sounds like two legends reminding everyone why their names still carry weight, even if it doesn’t always hit with the same urgency their best work once had.

Premier’s production is the real anchor here: dusty, stripped-back, unapologetically old-school. It’s boom-bap with intent, not nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. Nas, for the most part, sounds ... read more

First listen, I was in the car with my mate and thought it was… decent? - but I also wasn’t really paying attention.

Then I actually sat down and listened properly over the weekend, and yeah… this album is, fittingly, DOG SHIT (which is also one of the track names, somehow fitting). Not the worst album of the year, but definitely one of the more disappointing ones - especially given how consistent 21 Savage can be when he cares.

The biggest issue here is how lifeless this ... read more

I hadn’t really listened to Jane Remover before this, so I went into this EP with zero expectations - and ended up pretty interested. It’s a quick little project but it throws a surprising mix of sounds at you, bouncing between glitchy, dreamy, and abrasive. It’s messy in a fun way, the kind of chaos that actually feels intentional rather than just thrown together.

What stood out most is how textured everything is. Even in such a short run time, the EP feels like it’s ... read more

Reviewing this honestly feels a bit illegal. It’s my first time ever attempting a classical album review and of course it had to be this - a project that barely behaves like an album at all. Isobel Waller-Bridge (yes, Phoebe’s sister) has created something that sits somewhere between a score, a meditation, and an installation you’d experience in a sound museum. Trying to slap a number on it feels wrong, because it’s more of an atmosphere than a collection of ... read more

So this is actually my first real dive into Lady A, and of all things… it’s a Christmas album. Not the debut I planned for myself, but here we are. And honestly? It’s exactly what you’d expect from a country-leaning holiday record in 2025: warm, inoffensive, and so shiny you could mistake it for seasonal background music at Woolies.

The production is glossy in that very Nashville-at-Christmas way - you can practically hear the fake snow machine humming in the ... read more

It’s… fine. Jessie didn’t exactly tease me with a good time here because it’s kinda boring, but it’s not a disaster either. She still has that amazing, and there are a few moments where everything clicks and you remember how good she can be when the songs actually support her.

The problem is that a lot of this album just sits there. The writing is pretty safe, the production feels dated in parts, and some tracks blend into each other without much personality or ... read more

FKA twigs is in her “no one is operating on my plane anymore” era, and Eusexua Afterglow only reinforces it. This companion piece feels like she’s taking the world she built on Eusexua (which btw is one of my favourites albums of the year and I gave a 92). Whilst it doesn’t reach the same heights as Eusexua, it’s an absolute banger.

This one leans hard into the breathy, sensual vibe she does so well. The production feels warmer and looser, yet it’s still ... read more

Woman of Faces has this moody, almost theatrical energy and while not every track lands -when the album locks into its atmosphere, it’s genuinely compelling. The production feels shadowy and slightly off-kilter in a good way, and her voice does most of the heavy lifting.

Not much else to say on this one. Celeste has such a beautiful voice though.

FAVE TRACKS🔥: Woman Of Faces, Time Will Tell, Could Be Machine, Happening Again
LEAST FAVE TRACKS❌: Keep Smiling, Sometimes

There’s honestly not much else this year operating on this level. I mean there’s literally 13 different languages on here and somehow ROSALIA (who I admittedly haven’t listened to much) stitches them into something that somehow feels totally seamless. Emotion is the only true language here.

I barely listened to any music while I was overseas in Korea and Japan (which is so unlike me), but this album still got multiple plays. It’s just that transportive. Even when I ... read more

Weird in all the right ways, but still super listenable. The mix of art-pop chaos and emotional songwriting somehow works, creating something that feels both sharp and surreal. Definitely left a strong first impression.

This is high fashion grime and bars that sound like they’re rapped inside an art gallery. It’s sinister, stylish, and cinematic, dripping with that signature “GRISELDA” energy which he always goes on about. The production is dark and gorgeous, full of eerie samples and cold loops that feel tailor-made for his tone.

That said, it’s hard to shake the feeling that I’ve heard this before. He isn’t reinventing anything here - he’s refining it. And ... read more

I really like the themes, lyrics, and Florence’s voice on this. Objectively, it’s good music - cinematic, haunting, and beautifully arranged.
The production is lush and textured, and her vocals sound incredible as always. Honestly probably an 80+ album but somewhere between the theatrics and the spirituality, it loses a bit of spark / is a bit boring. It’s cohesive and grand, but not especially gripping.

Still, there’s no denying her craft or vision. She’s in ... read more

Every once in a while, an artist drops something that reminds you why you even care about albums in the first place .. this is one of those moments. The Boy Who Played the Harp is a full-blown statement piece. This overtakes Kali Uchis for my album of the year👑

I’ve adored Dave’s music and storytelling for years - but this feels like the culmination of everything he’s been building toward.

Mandem speaks with the weight of someone who’s seen too much and still ... read more

LOVERCORE is exactly what its title promises - messy, lusty, and just a little bit chaotic. Artemas is clearly reaching for his “main pop boy” moment, and while he gets close at times, the project swings so wildly between brilliant and bland it’s almost whiplash-inducing.

There are songs here that absolutely hit - sleek, cinematic bangers that sound ready for a late-night drive. When Artemas locks into that groove, he feels untouchable. But then a few tracks later, ... read more

Well… turns out she meant it literally. It’s Not That Deep really isn’t that deep - and that’s kind of the charm.

Demi finally said “screw it” and made an album you can actually dance to without needing a therapy session after. This is pure, neon-lit fun - a tight 30 minutes of pop shimmer and club energy where the lyrics don’t matter nearly as much as the bassline.

Sure, it’s surface-level and pretty basic. But I think that’s the point. ... read more

Damn I never thought I’d listen to Lily Allen and be able to talk so much about the artistry. This is a no-holds-barred diary of betrayal, chaos, and rebirth that reads like someone cracking open their Notes app after the breakup of the decade.

The album follows the emotional fallout of her marriage collapse and the mess that comes with it - the cheating, the double lives, the late-night discoveries on his phone. It’s all there. “Pussy Palace” alone is one of the most ... read more

Despite the score, it’s actually really not that terrible - I’ve definitely heard worse from The Chainsmokers - but wow, it’s boring. This EP feels like the duo on autopilot, recycling every idea they’ve already overused and wrapping it in slightly shinier production.

There are glimpses of something decent buried under all the glossy predictability, a few melodies hit, and some of the vocal moments are surprisingly smooth but there’s just no real emotion or edge ... read more

Hide & Seek is probably one of my all-time favourite songs (The O.C. anyone?). But I actually haven’t really listened to Imogen Heap outside of that track - and it’s definitely on my to-listen list, especially considering how the album that song’s from, Speak for Yourself, is meant to be incredible.

But beyond that, I hadn’t really dug into Imogen Heap’s catalogue markedly - until this EP pulled me down the rabbit hole. The concept is compelling: apparently ... read more