(First Listen) - 85
Consistently brooding and cinematic, Mezzanine bears similar aesthetics to Fight Club and Requiem for a Dream. It’s dystopian atmosphere and at-times paranoid lyrics give it such a strong presence that feels different from any other album that I’ve heard. I’m new to trip-hop so this has me excited to explore more of the genre.
(First Listen) - 73
This is probably one of the lower ranking MM projects that I’ve heard so far. I like a lot of it, but there’s enough fat that could have been trimmed to keep it from being one of their better projects. It keeps some of the pop sensibilities of its predecessor, but maintains the angst that the band has maintained from their very first project. Hoping that with future listens, some of the moments I’m not as high on, will grow on me.
(First Listen) -65
There are some strong ideas here that are executed well, and others that feel like they need to be baked a bit more. The level of production was pretty impressive and my most significant gripe is how some of the singing comes across. It works really well in some tracks and feels like it takes away from others. That being said, this was a decent project that has the markings of exceptional future projects.
(First Listen) - 82
Full of youthful passion and poetic maturity. From the opening track, it’s clear that Dylan is offering something special. I’m excited to sit with these tracks more and explore the rest of his work.
(First Listen) - 90
An incredible first listen. The beats and performances both comes across as cold, insensitive, and true. As a result, everything here feels so effortless and necessary. 90s hip-hop is a sub genre that I haven’t explored at length, and albums like this make me wonder why. The simplicity in the approach showcases the raw talent of these mcs and producers alike. The album feels timeless and is a truly brutal and cinematic showcase of a life that I can’t fathom ... read more