You would be hard-pressed to find a better example of death metal-tinged trash metal than "Reign In Blood".

As well as the ambient/soft electronica music that book ends this album, there's also plenty of other ways that "Obscured by Clouds" differentiates itself from Pink Floyd's core work, either in it's wider inclusion of acoustic guitars, giving this album an almost folk rock feel in some areas; or it's softer rock segments that give off a little bit of a Beatles/Supertramp feel. In another world, Richard Wright would have been a great primary vocalist for a piano ... read more

Quadeca is the perfect example of just letting a guy break some eggs. His growth as an artist is extraordinary.

"Vanisher, Horizon Scraper", from what I can gather, is a concept album about someone who has sailed out to sea after losing everyone they held dear—mainly his partner, who died at home. Throughout the length of the album, the protagonist struggles with this loss and discusses the idea of dying, and how that might make life less burdensome for them, even though ... read more

Production is absolutely amazing, and I love how varied all of the songs are. There are a couple of tracks that I wasn't overly keen on, hence the lower rating. Still a really great album

"We Don't Fight In Here" sees Australian post-rock band War Room explore sounds very similar to those found in the UK's underground Windmill scene. Off-kilter guitar work, experimental passages, and vocals that shift between spoken lines and theatrical flourishes—somewhere between David Byrne’s jittery delivery and Geordie Greep’s erratic cadence.

It's a unique take too, not ripping off any one artist and putting their own spin on things. There are a ... read more

The fact that it took Ozzy's death to finally push this over the edge into must-hear territory is criminal.

"Blizzard of Ozz" stands as one of the best examples of hard rock that the early '80s had to offer.

Starting off this album, I was wondering if Tidal was playing the right stream, because I looked at the genre tags and they weren't matching the luscious ambient music I was listening to. Those doubts were quickly suppressed when I was met with huge, booming kicks and noisy, disjointed production from then on. The bass on this album is immense—enough to make my studio IEMs sound like bass cannons.

Generally, I enjoyed much of this album. The compositions are insane, and it's ... read more

Tyler's new album is a super fun listen, funky, energetic, and versatile, exploring a wide mix of genres both inside and outside hip-hop. Some of the album's best moments lean into textures of synth-funk and dance-pop.

It's almost bittersweet that it's so short, because I could've taken another album's worth of material like this and still been happy.

As someone who doesn't have much experience listening to Trancecore—only a couple of albums in that genre under my belt—it's difficult to explain and describe the utter madness of this album. It's explosive, violent, angry, and relentlessly heavy, but with some great synthetic elements and some great interludes, some of which transcend the genre and lean more towards ambient video game OST in their sound. It's an interesting album, but it's definitely got a ... read more

Panic Shack’s debut is an all-killer-no-filler, female-driven punk party. It’s not afraid to put fun first, with simple compositions, playful lyricism, and an attitude that practically demands you have a good time.

Archer's production is exceptional. Vritra's performances are fine. Overall, a good album that definitely had a higher ceiling.

Billie Marten's latest album follows her recent trend of adding more and more instrumentation to her albums, building out from what was once just a solo guitar and her beautiful voice to a wide and rich instrumentation, and her beautiful voice. There are even some elements of electronica here, with a couple of tracks featuring synths and electronic percussion.

With that said, it's not like she's lost her personal edge, and whilst this might be Billie's most collaborative ... read more

Honestly, for a solid half of these songs, all you need is Dan Carey production and to name the band something weird like "Five Piece Cultary Set" and you'd have something that would be right at home in London's Windmill Scene. It's genuinely impressive how well much of this album has stood the test of time whilst still being undeniably King Crimson.

It's genuinely fantastic with some amazing prog rock highlights throughout, but especially in "Frame By ... read more

It definitely has it's moments where it drops below the high standards set by "Mississippi Mountain" and "Boys In The Band", but overall "Mountain!" Is a short and sweet heavy blues album with some tones of proto-metal and even a little bit of Crimson-esque prog.

Sit back, put your best headphones on, and drift off into the beautiful sounds of "My Method Actor".

Nilüfer Yanya's latest LP kicks off with a powerful blend of dark and brooding tones, instantly drawing me in. The initial tracks blend haunting melodies with some really interesting synth pads and some beautiful guitar work.

However, as the album progresses, it shifts to a folky/poppier sound that doesn't quite capture the same intensity.

Some tracks, especially ... read more

"BELOVED" is a truly great pop-soul album. The vocals are absolutely stunning, and the lyricism is fantastic, mostly tackling the highs and lows of love.
The instrumentation leans towards classic soul with some modern production choices. That modern production, however, is something I wasn’t entirely sold on; I couldn’t help but mentally recontextualise the album with slightly more laid-back arrangements, a little less reverb on the vocals, and just a touch less sheen ... read more

I sometimes struggle to find the right words to describe a hip-hop album, as it was a genre completely unfamiliar to me until a couple of years ago. That said, Clipse’s first album in over 15 years is nothing short of exceptional.

The flows, lyrics, and wordplay are stunning—track after track, I find myself reading the lyrics and occasionally smiling at the clever turns of phrase and comparisons.

The production is top-notch too, though I occasionally find the ... read more

The hate is unjustified. This song is a straight-up classic!

There's a reason that "Whitney" did crazy numbers when it dropped in 1987. It's super accessible, but it's also genuinely brilliant. It features some of the best dance-pop the '80s had to offer, and the soul tracks are undeniably great. Her voice is absolutely stunning – arguably the finest female vocal ever to grace popular music. "For the Love of You" and "I Know Him So Well" are probably the weakest tracks on the album, but even ... read more

I wish I’d poured as much time and care into my own work at 16, 17, or 18 as TURQ has across his last three releases. Each one hasn’t just earned a must-hear status—they’ve placed high on my end-of-year rankings, and "Guardian" won’t be any different. The production here is wild. Easily one of the most forward-thinking records I’ve heard in modern electronic. Huge, immersive sound design. Beats that slap. Pads that shimmer. I honestly can't ... read more