Why is this actually phenomenal. While "I'm God" and "B.O.R." had absolutely amazing production on 6 Kiss, this easily carries the most consistent and well rounded production among the Lil B projects I've heard thus far. There isn't a single track on here that feels dull. It's short, extremely focused for a Lil B project, and goddamn I can't praise the production enough. It mostly involves a neo boom bap sound with great fantastical and soul sampling, Lil B topping ... read more

I do NOT care this shit slaps.

Catch a Fire is a magical album. In my review of Kaya, I stated how it felt like one of the more put together, whole, Wailers albums, but that applies even more so for this one. Catchy a fire not only has one of the most cohesive sounds of a Bob Marley album, but it presents such a quality, mystical, enthralling sound, song after song after song. "Concrete Jungle" is a massive highlight, exhibiting one of the most ethereal vibes in The Wailer's entire catalogue. It's so lush and well ... read more

Despite evolving away from their joyous, good times sound of their debut, De La still holds a ton of personality and charm on Buhloone Mindstate. 3 Feet High and Rising is quality for sure, but it's honestly so happy that I don't enjoy a front to back listen very much. This album is much more on my wave in that aspect. The flows feel cleaner and the production is a lot slicker. This more chill formula is much more appealing to me, best constructed and epitomised on songs such as "En ... read more

Every time I listen to a Bob Marley album, I come across tracks that I forgot I knew, having heard them plenty of times during my childhood. This is one of the many great pleasures of his music that makes a deep dive feel more like an expedition of rediscovery. For Natty Dread, this was "Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)" While "No Woman, No Cry" is undoubtedly another gem in the crown of Bob Marley's catalogue, I prefer the live version. Maybe it's because its the version ... read more

Usually I'm not into greatest hits albums, but 'Legend' is one of the best, most iconic compilations in the history of music. Though one thing that seriously peeves me is when people compare it to actual studio albums. It literally says it on the cover "the best of BOB MARLEY and the WAILERS". Like please. This is NOT a studio album. Can people, specifically casuals (sorry not sorry for the label), PLEASE stop rating it like it is. Of course if it was a studio album it'd be like one ... read more

Lofty is one of those artists with such a massive catalogue and such little recognition where you kind of have to pick a project at random to listen to. Fortunately, it seems he's pretty consistent and while a lot of it isn't mindblowing, you can expect some good from pretty much whatever you choose to explore. This one's got some cool production. "Burmese" was my favourite but it's got pretty cool vibes all round. Of course with what feels like dropping music at a rate where his life ... read more

After deep diving future around over a year ago, I've fallen in love with what future brings to the trap scene. Despite what opinions some may hold, I find his catalogue to be pretty darn consistent, delivering well produced trap bangers year after year. His cadence is genuinely one of my favourites in the entire genre of hip-hop. After hearing almost everything that Future has to offer, I'll always be intrigued in another drop from Future, especially when Metro is on the production.

Well Yea. ... read more

For me, Julia Holter has been one of the most interesting and intriguing artists I've had the pleasure of discovering in broad recency. With her soft, gorgeous vocals and immensely talented artistic vision, she almost always delivers such a high quality sound. I've been highly anticipating this project since first diving into a couple of her albums and being blown away. Her music is also often hard to categorise. At a baseline, it has chamber and art elements but its ultimately so much more. ... read more

I'm so down for rage Ski. This goes hard.

Kevin Gates' music throughout the mid-early 2010s was very of the times trap music but aging surprisingly well compared to other acts of the era. Gates has garnered a considerable amount of attention over the years but I really don't see too much talk about his music. Despite possessing a well known name, Gates' music is pretty under-appreciated. He stands out among the early 2010s trap artists for his heavy, infectious cadence and flows, rapping over your standard but effective southern trap ... read more

It’s cool to see the Wailers without Bob Marley as the main headline. He was very much an icon among the group, but ‘Burnin’ leaves opportunity for other members to take the lead vocals. It’s vibe after vibe after vibe.

Bookends has a pleasantly unique sound in the Simon and Garfunkel catalogue, displaying not only sonic experimentation, but conceptual advancements too. After listening to and enjoying Sounds of Silence and Bridge Over Troubled Water, I was hoping for similar quality, but also not just a photocopied project with the same sounding music. Fortunately, that’s far from the case. Of course the duo very much incorporate their signature folk charm, infusing it with newer tones and ideas.

We see ... read more

Kenny Mason to JID feels like what Lil Baby is to Young Thug: Largely replicating their predecessors style, trying to include new elements that make them unique but ultimately lead them to fall to mediocrity. It's not as bad with Kenny, as he is pretty talented and can pump out some bangers. This batch is hit or miss, giving heat like "JUMPIN IN", a well produced, well paced bop and then an uninspired soulless "EASY DUB" and "4 MY". "FEEL IT" had a cool, ... read more

Bang 3 takes the formula of Keef's earlier work with more of a clean, modern produced sound. It definitely has bangers, but it gets patchy here and there. "Laurel Canyon" is a great first track to establish tone. Sosa sounds kind of reserved vocally on the track but the structural still brings a ton of umph. "Cappin" unfortunately immediately throws off the albums momentum with a horrible mix. It's not that the song is built on a good idea, but the awful mixing drowns out ... read more

Aesop is always one to impress. Despite his music following the roots of gritty, raw east coast hip-hop, it's a pretty sonically refreshing. Every beat is tossed back and forth with powerful and bouncy drum breaks with simple but invigorating samples. It's a very consistent sound that, while not always sounding completely pristine, sets up Aesop for an array of lyrics and flows that'll knock your clothes off. Every song brings a fun grit with MF DOOM level wordplay and weirdly perfect rhyme ... read more

I'm seeing a trend with Bladee's newest material. While cult or more extreme followers might gravitate toward his older material, I find myself drawn into projects such as this, Spiderr, and his latest collaboration with Yung Lean Psykos. They feel more focused, refined, and coherent as full length projects. I mean, you can excuse this in other's due to their mixtape status but I sincerely prefer a more LP style collection from Bladee, and this is exactly what's given here.

333 takes what I ... read more

A pretty well produced instrumental hip-hop album but a handful of it isn't really the type of thing I like to come back to. He's a very talented producer, no doubt about that, the sound just doesn't click with me or urge me for a relisten. There was some really great stuff here, namely "howtokope.", "uonlygetone", "be safe", "don_tgottabe", "gangstaallthetime", and "itkanbe[sonice'". Despite not being totally drawn in, the passion is ... read more

When tuning out the often painfully superficial lyrics about some sort of struggle, I find that Rod Wave's music can actually be a vibe. I enjoyed Beautiful Mind and Soulfly so I was open to this one too. The formula has essentially remained the same for his entire career, delivering large batches of the same material with a few highlights. This one just happens to deliver less. It's pretty boring. I found "Nostalgia" to have a nice beat, not really a carbon copy of everything else ... read more

Since the release of softscars last year, yeule has kept my attention. Whether it be the more gazey, otherworldly tones of Serotonin II or the rock influenced softscars, yeule has exhibited a sound that I’m always going to come back to. softscars was my favourite album of 2023 and of the 2020s. It’s absolutely magnificent on all fronts and has made its way back to the top of my musical rotation recently. Thus, I wanted to hear more, leading me to this EP.

This is pre-LP yeule, ... read more