i think the reception on this record was incredibly harsh. It's not offensive at all, maybe a little non-descript at times and far from the most innovative ambient i've ever heard. I however think this record is still a really enjoyable listen and frankly really fucking pretty from time to time

a progressive album that I wish had less vocals on it. The gargled sound doesn't sound epic to me it's just really cheesy. really detracts from what is otherwise a near spotless instrumental odyssey minus give or take some boring moments scattered about. I do definitely want to give their other work a try

I absolutely adore the blisteringly loud, oversaturated energy that this collective is bringing. As a complete package it's pretty spotty, but when they're honing in on their craft you end up with an incredible result, take "hardwired" as an example which is a stellar rap rock revival cut. Not a sentence i say very often, that genre being revived is usually a terrible sign but it works in numerous places on this record. It's so glossy despite it. What im trying to get at here is that ... read more

started off alright but it was actually impressive how this continued to get boring. Like with his other work the production kind of paved his own sound out, here it's just really sleepy trap beats and lackluster hooks

A lesson in why I should stop putting things off. Extremely varied, but everything kind of just makes sense placement wise. Never overstays its welcome despite it's occasionally long runtime. The production could be rock, folk, electronic, pop whatever and it still works. Not to mention her voice is absolutely beautiful, it's super low and has a great rasp to it, it's like something I would hear over like some sonic youth inspired noise rock, but it works fabulously here too. Really really ... read more

Dazzling. really a journey of an album. monolithic and boundless, I feel like I got caught in a gravitational pull and im now endlessly being pulled into an orbit, floating eternally. Probably the ultimate space ambient album, if i had to crown that to a record

John Coltrane in a lot of ways, throughout his career, shattered boundaries and went way farther than anyone thought he could go in jazz music and at this point just music composition in general. This in contrast, is just a quaint, really fucking pleasant album. Duke Ellington while not necessarily ever the most out there jazz artist, was the perfect choice for something like this. Really just an undeniable project

(RATED ON THE STREAMING VERSION)

at this point this record just feels a little by the numbers for earl. Alchemists production is sharp a lot of the time and the lyricism at play is as witty and vivid as ever, but I really crave something fresh from earl as an artist. I don't think he's evolving as of recent and as much as I like this sound it's starting to wear on me as these projects go on. This WAS a step up from sick, and i love some songs on here (namely the ones that feature vince ... read more

I like the idea on concept but on paper i wish it was a little more seamless. I like the heavy sections a LOT actually, having 2 vocalists adds a lot of variety to an otherwise pretty barren genre, and the riffs on here kinda kick ass. The soul sections are also beautiful, well done, but they just feel off in their placements. Some consistency, some interwoven-ness, some better flow from track to track is the one thing stopping me from being HEAD over heels for this thing. I really really mess ... read more

... I wish I didn't listen to the acoustic version of this record prior on accident because all these months later now that im getting to this, the rawness of that is just better in every regard to me

These lyrics are genuinely gross man

probably the most innovative record ever, right next to led zeppelin 4, the doors, greta van fleet, and other assortments of 3-5 white people

its very evident that a james holden electronic project is going to have one of a kind production, I just think this one in particular is a little drawn out and as a project overstays its welcome a little too much. The back end of this project is definitely filled with great cuts though, i'm especially enamored with the synthwork on "The Answer Is Yes"

No if you're feeling sinister, but I actually don't mind this. I quite like the melodies of this album, I think the indie rock sound fits the vocalists in the band a lot. It's still just as quaint and captures the same energy as their greater work. I think the synthpop elements compliment the homey sound the band has always brought to the table a little awkwardly, but far from bad. A little non-descript as a wholistic project, but I enjoyed myself while this project was on.

Not a bad evolution, but far from a fully realized one in my opinion. It's well preformed with passioned vocals and passages that are varied enough to keep it interesting, see the noise rock of "Jophiel" or the Grunge bride of "Sheets." They don't often go above and beyond to be especially boundary pushing but I don't think they need to be, i'm just not taken aback by the sound of this record as a result of that. It's a sound I know I like so there's not much of a surprise ... read more

she really graduates from the bedroom diy aesthetic that coated her first mixtape, and while I did love that sound and kind of wished it still stayed intact I think this proves that she definitely still sounds incredible in a more refined state. This record is hit after hit, her vocals are better than ever, her melodies are on point, every feature besides central fucking cee does an amazing job at complimenting her energy (kelelas vocals were a match made in heaven) and the different styles of ... read more

Cumulative, a representation of everything thus far. Every electronic strain she's ever played around with is reflective on this album. The almost backdoored and mix n match styled dark club music, the shoegaze inspired hyperpop, the spacey ambient, it all blends together here. her progress of the last year has been so insane, and this serves as the first point in her discography you can really look back and think "wow, we're here now." Fantastic record

post Malone's lyricism takes this from being just a bore to a laughable one. not because every lyric is bad, but because he offsets every earnest moment with "Yeah girl shrek because she got a donkay" honestly i was gonna write more but this should reflect the album enough he seems so lost on here

The last 3-4 tracks do this weird thing where they go for like a looser sound and end up feeling so lifeless as a result, but other than that the run this record had was actually pretty fucking amazing. I can see exactly why these guys are considered legends they do everything with so much flare and their own unique twist it felt like a new experience every song. Really like the transitions too. Really wish it stuck the landing

Starts with a good 4 tracks that were really sticking with me on second listen, but unfortunately right after that it nosedives into nothing really. I really wish the energy continued to the house cuts on the second half because he really just seems to be coasting over the one dimensional four on the floors on tracks like “Silly.” Certainly a show of potential, not a fully realized one