Danny's fourth project takes a lot of risks. The production's originality deserves the hype. I can't think of any other rapper that would approach these beats. Personally, I enjoy a good amount of this raw material. However, there are a few tracks here and there where the instrumentation is way too random or obnoxious for me to view it as something of quality. Regardless of anyone's take on the risky production - which for the most part I enjoyed very much - one can't argue with Danny's lyrical ... read more

The tight production helps his third effort set up a powerful atmosphere, but PARTYNEXTDOOR 3 is killed by its poor writing and execution. Most of these tracks overstay its welcome or simply don't lead to anything. There are tracks on here that show significant improvement. Unfortunately, the improvement only stands true to only a few...

Favorite Tracks: Not Nice, High Hopes, Come And See Me

Besides two or three strong tracks, the mixtape is so-so. Some songs incorporate Christmas well while others simply don't. There is only a certain amount of "Christmas" you can weigh into a hip-hop track before it gets a little rediculous. I found the first half of the tape to find a solid mix between the two. The second half, unfortunately, tips the scale pretty quick.

Favorite Tracks: Snowed In, I Shoulda Left You
Least Favorite: Chi-Town Christmas, Merry Christmas Lil Mama,

Each release continues to be less interesting, unique, and consistent than his previous. His songs are beginning to mold into a recycled formula. But even with The Weeknd following the path of a sellout, there are still some awesome tracks with stellar vocal performances. Though, it shocks me to see an artist with such a powerful voice feel the need to use autotune over pieces of his work...

Favorite Tracks: Party Monster, Nothing Without You, Six Feet Under,
Least Favorite: False Alarm

J. Cole's fourth studio effort has some solid tracks and a relatively strong concept, but it lacks the full-length songs to make it more compelling. More than half the album is caught up in an intro or an interlude, resulting in a forgettable album with too many skippable songs (if I could even call them "songs"). They aren't necessarily poor quality. It's that they simply rely too heavily on the idea of a "concept".

Favorite Tracks: For Whom the Bell Tolls, Neighbors
Least ... read more

Bon Iver has grown to become one my favorite artists. I am hooked to almost anything Justin Vernon delivers. His band resembles everything I want in an artist. Although "22, A Million" may be my least favorite release by Bon Iver, It isn't by any means a terrible thing. His first two albums are favorites of mine. In fact, "For Emma, Forever Ago" has been my favorite album for over 3 years. So, it would be almost impossible for their third album to be even better, especially ... read more

A decent mixtape from Jeremih. The first track starts off somewhat abrupt and incomplete, which prepared me for a handful of throwaways. Even with the scraps, there were some solid highlights that made the project well worth the listen.

Favorite Tracks: Dubai, Czech Republic
Least Favorite: Belgium

A decent mixtape from Jeremih. There has been a lot of improvement since this mixtape, with his official "Late Nights" album being proof. Many songs on this tape still feel like "sounds" rather than complete songs, which is relatively expected with the majority of mixtapes, especially debuts. At the time of this mixtape's release, Jeremih was still developing a sound that he has not yet mastered. And because of this, Jeremih's "Late Nights" mixtape is a progression ... read more

Rashad's official debut falls short from what he created on Cilvia Demo. Isaiah's music is overwhlemingly laid back, which is a style within rap that I tend to lose patience with. However, this rapper is one of very few that can make his music just as entertaining. Cilvia Demo is a perfect example this. Cilvia Demo sends a relaxing tone, yet still, I'm intriegued to listen to what he has to share, specifically because of how he writes about his experiences with depression and anxiety. Isaiah ... read more

From the intensified anticipation of this release, to the conspiracies of Frank fading from the world of music, Blonde is worth the wait. Frank Ocean does an excellent job at crafting something different while still sounding like an album that gives you the same feel as his previous projects. Besides a few tracks in the middle of the LP that take an unwelcoming shift from the album's focus, Blonde represents everything I want from such an important artist. His vocal performance, songwriting, ... read more

I was not very entertained with this release. "BlackSUMMERS'night" left me uninterested by the time it reached its second half. Maxwell's vocal performances felt unbalanced with the low-tempo production, which made the majority of the songs relatively forgettable and sluggish.

Favorite Tracks: ill, Lake by the Ocean

Least Favorites: Hostage, Fingers Crossed

PartyNextDoor's EP/Mixtape feels very shallow. The tracks feel incomplete or redundant, almost like they are more representative of a demo tape than an album. This self-titled project hides too deep into its own comfort zone, preventing the artist to express his artistic character. Rather than "the real deal", PartyNextDoor gives listeners a preview of what could be delivered in the future.

Favorite Track: Make A Mill

Least Favorites: Relax With Me

A very typical R&B/Rap performance. Although Tiller's songs aren't necessarily bad, they adopt a sound that lacks individual character. On several tracks, Tiller criticizes artists who "sound commercial" or "sound like other artists". Yet, I find these claims hypocritical because nearly every song reflects what "typical" or "commercial" R&B/Rap sounds like. Tiller has potential to be a promising artist, but he won't progress until he finds himself ... read more

I was very entertained while listening to dvsn's debut. Daniel Delay delivers a soothing, warmhearted vocal performance. And although the vocals are thrilling, the instrumentation is what makes this experience so unique. OVO Sound's in-house producer "nineteen85" crafts beats full of so much energy that it makes it nearly impossible for me to not sway with the tracks. Sept. 5th will likely stand as one of my favorites of the year, which makes me excited for what the duo will deliver ... read more

Beyonce releases her most focused and most touching album to date. While she primarily sticks within the R&B/Pop influence, she successfully expands her pallet by connecting with a pinch of hard rock and country. Digging into tracks like "All night", "Sand Castles", and "Pray You Catch Me" prove that each of the 72 writers' contributions paid off. Beyonce did a fantastic job transitioning her personal conflicts into songs that can relate to the general ... read more

I'm a big fan of the risks the band took on their third LP. The first track gives you a great introduction for what lies ahead. The fresh production makes "Currents" more ambitious, memorable, and entertaining than any other release from the artist to date. As much as I love their new approach, I also understand why there are people who much rather prefer the sound of their preceding album "Lonerism". Tame Impala's experiment will certainly not be for everyone. But, at the ... read more

James Blake's third major release feels like a bundle of emotions and thoughts jumbled into scrapped sounds. Most of the album feels disjointed and dragged out to an unnecessary length. With 17 tracks adding to a little over 77 minuets, there is a lot of room for trimming. It's not that Blake's efforts are necessarily "bad", but rather sounds that tend to overstay its welcome.

Highlights: I Need a Forest Fire, The Colour in Anything

Least Favorites: Points, Waves Know Shores

I loved the consistent sound throughout this project. For the most part, the production is very fitting with the artist's vocal performance. Every once and a while there is an instrument or a vocal performance that sounds a little "out of place". Songs can be a bit repetitive at times, which can get annoying. But for the most part, Cupid Deluxe a very entertaining album that takes you back to glory days of synth-pop/R&B from the 1980's.

Highlights: Chamakay, You're Not Good ... read more

While I enjoy the bulk of the instrumentation, Krell's inconsistent vocal performance and mediocre songwriting ruins this LP from its potential.