I wasn’t planning on reviewing this, so this is gonna be short. I know he’s made a couple of great albums in the past, but I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this as much as I did on first listen! The lyrics are great, the production is excellent and kept me engaged the whole way through, and I honestly think it’s his best album since Big Fish Theory. Definitely already one of the best albums of 2026 for me. I can see myself coming back to it a lot.

Kim Petras has finally stepped away from the situation she was in with he who shouldn’t be named, and it really shows. I’m fully tuned back in, and this might genuinely be her best album yet.

The album is basically almost entirely banger after banger. Jeep is one of the slower moment on the album, but it still works really well and gives the tracklist a second to breathe before 101 immediately comes crashing in right after it and almost gives you whiplash in the best way possible. ... read more

Not one to usually do this, but quick heads up, I’ve recently gone from part-time to full-time work (so I no longer have my New Music Fridays 🥲), so I’ve had a lot less time to listen and review lately. I’m still around, just a bit quieter for now until I find my balance.
Also, thank you for 1000 followers. I really appreciate everyone who reads and interacts with my reviews.

Now my review:
I’ve always known Zara had it in her to be a great pop star. She’s been ... read more

As someone who absolutely loved What’s Your Pleasure? but thought That! Feels Good! felt… meh (sorry, had to), this lands nicely in the middle. It doesn’t quite reach the highs of the former or the lows of the latter, but it stays consistently enjoyable throughout.

I’ve seen some people say she should move on from the disco and 70s-inspired sound, but honestly, it works for her. When an artist finds a lane that suits them this well, there’s no real reason to ... read more

I've been super busy recently and haven't had much time to come on here, let alone review anything. But with @aCriticalXCXfan working overtime to promote this album, I had to give it a fair go.

I'm not someone who listens to singles much, so l went into this completely blind with no idea what to expect.

Halfway through the second track, I thought it might end up being another simple, stripped-back pop album. But midway through that same track, the production switches up and ... read more

Wow, I’m not gonna lie, from my early impressions of her back when she dropped her 2019 mixtape, I genuinely never thought she’d make something this excellent down the line. The singles for this had already raised my expectations a lot, and I’m glad to say it actually met them. Based on my initial impression of her, she’s really proven me wrong here. This truly hits, every song is a banger and no time is wasted listening to this. It’s a decent step up from her last ... read more

I had only heard her 2021 EP before this, mainly because of the banger Good Puss. The rest of that EP was only decent though, so I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this album. It’s pretty clear she has grown a lot as an artist since then. The production feels dark and moody while still keeping things upbeat and danceable. If you like artists like ADÉLA, this will probably be right up your alley.

There aren’t really any skips for me. IG might be the only track that ... read more

I can’t lie, my expectations weren’t very high going into this because the lead single Aperture didn’t really do the trick for me. It’s a decent song, but not something I’d find myself returning to very often.

The title Disco Occasionally is pretty accurate. This isn’t as upbeat as some people may have expected. Harry Styles also shifts his sound a bit here and leans more into experimentation. It doesn’t always land, but it does make the album feel ... read more

We really waited four years for a five track EP, and what makes it more disappointing is that this will likely be their final project before separating for good. I honestly expected at least an eight track album. In a way, though, maybe the shorter length was for the best, because even with four years to create just five songs, the result still is not consistently great.

At times, this feels like a rushed or low effort farewell, as if it was released mainly to satisfy fans rather than stand as ... read more

I really thought Bruno Mars was taking a decade between solo albums to deliver something incredible. I expected growth, maturity, and a clear artistic evolution while still keeping his signature sound. Honestly, I was hoping for a magnum opus. Instead, I am left wondering why this took ten years.

With only nine songs, and even leaving off some of his biggest recent hits like Die With a Smile, this felt like it should have been an intentionally tight, carefully crafted, skipless album. My ... read more

If I am understanding this correctly, Mitski might genuinely be incapable of missing. While this is not my favourite album from her upon initial listens, I still enjoyed it a lot and not a single track feels like a skip. She has never really let her standard slip.

She also seems to follow a consistent formula at this point. Eleven songs, just over half an hour, almost identical in structure to her last two albums. But honestly, if it works, it works. I trust her process.

My main criticism is ... read more

Raye’s family is definitely talented, however I unfortunately don’t love this! It often feels like she’s aiming for something grand, unique and almost otherworldly, but the execution doesn’t fully land. I felt a similar way about her last album too. She is clearly very talented, has a strong voice and a lot of potential, which makes the end result slightly disappointing because the ambition is obvious. The music is never bad, but at times it feels more focused on ... read more

We now have all three debut solo albums from the Little Mix members!

Her vocals are strong, as I expected. The first nine tracks have a few enjoyable moments, with maybe 3-4 songs offering some replay value, but even here a couple feel like filler. Starting around track 10, from Sunrise onwards, the album is mostly filler, with little that stands out. The stronger tracks are decent listens, but aren’t particularly interesting or original. I know it’s difficult to develop a truly ... read more

I love Hilary Duff as a person and an actress, but that doesn’t mean her music is automatically good. Much like her 2015 album (minus the pop banger Sparks), this feels boring, with bland production and lyrics that don’t leave much of an impression and only decent vocals. Hilary Duff deserves a stronger team around her, both in terms of writers and producers. It comes across as watered-down Taylor Swift, and if I wanted that, I’d just listen to Taylor’s last two albums. ... read more

I’ve loved watching her growth over the past 16 years as an artist. Her last album was easily her best and a genuinely great record, and she has gradually become one of the most interesting artists of our time.

This album flows nicely, with each track blending seamlessly into the next. However, I do wish the songs were longer. By 7 tracks in, only a couple of tracks pass the two minute mark, and even those barely reach it. The first song to approach three minutes, Omnipotent, even ... read more

I wasn’t planning to listen to this or review this, but I saw Dua Lipa mention she was on it and got curious. Then I noticed PinkPantheress, Caroline, Clairo and Oklou were featured as well. Hello? Where did this even come from? I had never heard of Danny L Harle before, but after doing a little research I realised he was the executive producer of Pang and Desire, I Want To Turn Into You. With that in mind, and seeing the feature list, I had to give the album a go.

Euro-trance is not a ... read more

Honestly, I really loved the direction she was going in with House. It felt so left field for her and a lot darker than I ever expected from her. I was hoping for more of that across the album, but it seems like that was a one and done style for her. The rest of the project sounds nothing like that song specifically, which makes it a slightly strange way to introduce this soundtrack. I do get it though. An entire album in that darker lane might have been a risk.

This album still feels like ... read more

I can see why Chappell Roan keeps hyping her up. I listened to her EP a couple of years ago once or twice and enjoyed it, but it did not stick with me enough to return to it after that. I did not really care for the intro track, but after that it was consistently enjoyable. This feels like a clear step up. It sounds like she has really found her own sound, and it is a fun, offbeat and playful one, with slightly whimsical production choices that give the project personality. She also has a good ... read more

This was my first time listening to a Joji album, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the mood early on. The production is laid-back and the vocals carry emotion, which works straight away. There are clear highlights sprinkled throughout the first few tracks, even if a couple of them still feel like they end just as they’re getting going.

As the album continues, that issue becomes harder to ignore. With 21 tracks packed into a 46-minute runtime, many of the songs are ... read more

Pretty solid return from Ari Lennox. I enjoyed most of this project. Her second album never fully clicked for me, but I was a fan of her debut, and this feels closer to that sound. Her vocals have never sounded better, and the production really suits her. It plays to her strengths and lets her voice shine.
My only real criticism is the length. Even though it’s not actually that long as albums go, toward the back half, the album starts to feel a bit samey, and I found myself slightly ... read more