I'm kind of doing these Kanye reviews in a weird order as, after Graduation, I'm now jumping back to Late Registration. I think I knew more songs going into this compared to Registration, with Diamonds from Sierra Leone being a track I remember hearing back when I was a kid, not really understanding what I was about then, but really enjoying the sound. Now, for me, it probably stands as the best track on the album. The beat is absolutely incredible and the vocal contributions from ... read more

Getting round to listening to Kanye's discography has been a long time coming and I decided to start with Graduation purely based on Stronger being on this album. And, well, I 'm not going to go against the grain on this; Graduation slaps.

It's catchy with some fantastic use of samples and some superb features. Kanye's flows and lyrics are superb. It flows well with not two tracks being too similar to eachother. No real weak moments to speak of either, though there were a ... read more

While there are moments on The Leaving’s debut that could be mistaken for tracks from Chvrches’ latest album, there are also plenty of tracks that bring something entirely different; something a bit darker, a bit more brooding, and, in some ways, almost reminiscent of Depeche Mode. Martin’s vocals are superb; and the variety of songs from start to finish keeps the entire experience sounding fresh. There are just a couple of moments where the songs can feel a little safe, but ... read more

The production quality of “Process” is among some of the best I have ever heard, regardless of genre. Everything is just so clean, yet so impactful, from Sampha’s beautifully light vocals, to the deep booming bass from the kick drums and bass instruments throughout this album. It’s emotive, atmospheric, and – above all – absolutely beautiful. This is definitely one to listen to on some good-quality headphones.

The style of Thundercat’s music is unmistakable, and if you’ve liked his previous albums, this is essentially just more of the same beautifully complex harmonies, versatile bass, and modern-meets-soul production that we’ve come to love. The features are also really varied. I would never have expected a Lemon Twigs feature on a Thundercat album. One feature that I did miss was the single with Remi Wolf that he did last year. That was probably my favourite Thundercat song, and ... read more

Kinda cute. Also kinda bland.

Completely passable. I think the lyrics are crap, but the bass line is pretty cool

There is something a bit novel about a soul record being released with the sound and production style of an album from 55 years ago. But even without that, this is still a very high-quality album. The vocals are truly unique and cut through the mix effortlessly. The supporting instrumentation fits perfectly and is mixed incredibly well, with the warmth of an old Motown record that hits the spot just right. This is definitely one album I’ll be eager to get a copy of on vinyl.

Cool jazz for cool grandads like me (I'm 24 and have never had kids)

A beautiful yet sometimes sorrowful album by Bill Evans. Even the title feels like it was intended to be taken in a couple of different ways.

A question: Surely you must believe in spring? Or is it a statement? You must believe in spring.

Telling you that no matter how dark and gloomy the world feels now, there is brightness on the horizon. It’s a truly wonderful album and it proves that Evans still had it, regardless of the struggles he was facing personally at the time of this ... read more

A pretty great YouTube homepage pull. Retro-feeling, modern-sounding drum and bass in a dance-pop wrapper. Song structure might be a bit basic, but that does make it pretty damn catchy.

Maybe a bit basic, but it's a pretty good bop. A nice mixture of electropop and hyperpop.

Perhaps the most famous modern classical orchestral suite of all time. That's for good reason. Each planet is brought to life in a very individual way, with no planet sounding or feeling like the other. From anger to joy to mystique, there is something new in every movement.

In many ways, "Kind of Blue" is an album that has truly stood the test of time. Cool Jazz may not be a genre widely created today, but the vibe this album creates is timeless. It’s a beautifully soothing listen that nigh-perfectly showcases each musician with incredible fidelity for a record that’s now pushing 70.

The performers on this album are the crème de la crème of their instruments (arguably the best of their time at each one) and it really comes ... read more

Beautiful. While it may be simpler compared to some of the more avant-garde projects out there, there’s an undeniable beauty to this album. It’s just so pleasant to listen to.

Whilst not as absolutely groundbreaking as some of his later albums, The Clown is still an exceptional jazz album. The title track does stand out in particular for its spoken word storytelling passages. Not just that, the story that’s told is pretty bloody shocking as well. The other tracks are a bit more standard, lacking some of the innovation of later records, but still standing up as top-quality bops.

I suppose it’s case of third LP’s the charm for Kim Petras. She’s always had potential as an artist, but after a long list of low-quality LPs, Mixtapes and EPs, Petras has finally struck gold with a hyperpop-driven EDM album that could define summer for me. The songwriting is catchy, production is absolutely stellar, and there's a fantastic mixture of genres here that keep the album feeling fresh throughout its 36-minute runtime. If this isn’t my most listened album ... read more

feeble little horse’ third album is a some of the same and some very new sounds for the band. The first half of the album is almost business as usual, with a couple of different production choices that make the album sound a little bit different and a little bit fuzzier than their previous material album.

But it’s when we cross the halfway point of the album that we notice a new, more electronica-focused element to the band’s music that’s beautifully DIY with fuzzy ... read more

Chaos, but the good kind.

It's interesting to hear Nia with a bit of an indie rock vibe on her music. It's fun, catchy and sounds great.