Gentrified anthems for your neighbourhood Starbucks.

[85 -> 90]

Pure serotonin from start to finish. April Harper Grey might be THE pop idol of our generation.

To me, the first half of "Trying Times" sounds a lot stronger than its second, yet that pristine sheen remains a constant factor throughout the runtime, as James Blake's soulful voice reaches new heights of enchantment.

There are plenty of good ideas on Harry Styles' latest project, and a few truly good songs as well, but I can't help but think that it is rather meager for an album that took four years to make. Please spend some more time on the songwriting, Harry, and get someone else to do your mixing!

Like "Ys", "Have One On Me" is an artistic statement so ambitious and sprawling that it is hard to take it all in at once. Drawing inspiration from a long and winding history of women not unlike herself, Joanna Newsom finds a common thread tying her to them. To the Jazz singer filling the bars of the Roaring Twenties with smoke and sound. To the mistress chained to the will of her patron Monarch. To the wife who tries to find the sweetness in a violent spirit that will doom ... read more

An entrancing fusion of Gorillaz' signature sound with Psychedelic influences from India, "The Mountain" is an exciting step forward for Damon Albarn and his collaborators. It feels as much a reflection on death as it does a celebration of a global community of artists inspiring one another.

Mitski continues to prove herself as one of the finest lyricists of her generation, as she deftly crafts an intimate portrait of isolation.

Once I overcame my befuddlement at hearing French, "URGH" turned out to be a pretty sick album.

The fundamentals of Jane Remover's sound are all here on "Frailty": wistful reflections on youth and relationships, multi-phased song structures, and absolutely insane production. At times, however, the glitched-out breakdowns feel more like interruptions than natural progressions, and I do think Jane has grown as a songwriter since this album. Still, "Frailty" stands out for its warmth compared to the melancholy and rage of "Census Designated" and ... read more

A tight 30 minutes packed with crushing guitars and driving rhythms. It’s Converge’s call to action, and it is loud.

I feel like Charli could have expanded on some of the ideas here a little more, but I understand that this also had to function as a soundtrack to the film. As is, “Wuthering Heights” is the sort of dark, autumnal Alt-Pop I hope to see more of.

[90 -> 85]

Everything I wanted from a femtanyl album. Pure unrelenting sonic insanity from start to finish. Infectious as hell. God, I love taking estrogen.

Zo fucking hard! Laat Wilders dit horen en wie weet krijgt hij een hartaanval.

Every time a song started to click for me, I’d check the timecode, only to see 10 seconds remaining.

Overall, "The Fall-Off" is a solid send-off from J. Cole. Not every track is a hit, but Cole showcases his talent for reflective, story-driven hip-hop enough to make a hundred minutes pass by like fifty.

The sea air is tangible on this addendum to Quadeca’s magnum opus, which serves as further proof of his versatility as a musician with its tender ambiance.

The same despondent melancholy that defined Injury Reserve's "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" is still present on this long-awaited debut album from By Storm. Its sonic landscape is more intimate, however, as Ritchie's lamenting voice floats in the aether of Parker Corey's production, detailing past and future from this distorted limbo. However cold and experimental its winding passages can get, there's still a warmth at the core: a memory that propels us forward, ... read more

Looks like Cameron Winter, sounds like Phoebe Bridgers, sings about a whale. Was Searows created in a lab specifically to make me go "Damn, this is pretty good"? The jury's still out!

Sonic Youth redirect their energy on "Goo", creating an album less vast and desolate than "Daydream Nation", but more relentless in its sonic onslaught.

There's obviously a lot of talent behind this album, but "locket" can best be described as a glass palace built on shaky foundations. I enjoyed the odd song here and there quite a bit, but there's an overall lack of ingenuity. I probably couldn't pick Madison Beer out from a line-up of contemporary pop girlies.