YOASOBI releases a debut album to show their fun J-Pop style, with quirky and upbeat rhythms on each song. I really liked the vocals, with how fast paced and high pitched they were complimenting the quite complex instrumentation really well. I also really liked the energetic vibe created here, making it a very easy listen and very fun. Overall, I really liked this album and would recommend as an easy album to get into the J-Pop genre.

Favourite song: あの夢をなぞって
Least favourite ... read more

Malcolm Todd releases a catchy album that is easy to listen to. I quite liked his softer vocals as it offered a more sensitive tone, linking well with the idea of the album. However, I do think the album lacks lyrically, going over the same/similar themes just worded differently, sometimes contrasting prior lyrics, with some songs sounding very repetitive. Overall, this album has a few great moments but is quite generic otherwise.

Favourite song: I Saw Your Face
Least favourite song: Good Bye

Conan Gray releases a personal and emotional pop album that shows rawness and sadness through each song. I really liked his vocal performance, with his ability to convey these emotions through his impressive vocal range proving quite powerful. However I think that the production is quite inconsistent, with some songs standing out a lot more than others, with those others sounding very basic and generic. Overall, this was a good album.

Favourite song: Vodka Cranberry
Least favourite song: Class ... read more

Duran Duran release a fun pop rock album with hints of a few similar genres to add more life and variety to each track. I really loved how each track follows a similar structure but have a slight edge each to differ from the rest. I also really liked the vocal performance from Simon Le Bon, with funky cadence and his ability to slide his pitch up and down really added a unique twist to the album. Overall, I really loved this album and think it is quite underrated.

Favourite song: Come ... read more

Yes release an album with three incredibly unique and complex songs with great progression across all three. I love the incorporation of an incredibly large range of instruments and sounds to create a sprawling and beautiful soundscape. I also loved the atmosphere created, with a somewhat whimsical and mystical feel to the album. Overall, I thoroughly loved this album and how the band composed each track.

Favourite song: Close to the Edge
Least favourite song: And You and I

Vince Staples shows a more aggressive and grittier side to rap on this album, deterring from his traditional style and still impressing. I loved the lyrics here, very direct and very fitting with the instrumentation, which in itself I really like how ominous and tense it is. Overall, this is one of my favourite Vince Staples albums and a nice change to his other albums.

Favourite song: Blackberry Marmalade
Least favourite song: Only In America

Tracy Chapman shows her talent in folk with her self-titled debut album. The standout for me was without a doubt the storytelling in the lyrics, with each song creating a clear image of what she is singing about. I also loved the solemnity of the album as a whole, with the use of minimal instruments creating a sense of security and making the album sound safe. Overall, I loved this album and this is not talked about enough for how good it is.

Favourite song: Fast Car
Least favourite song: ... read more

The band Far Apart release their first and only official EP, with only three tracks. I loved the grittiness and aggressive edge featured and how the strained vocals complimented this, alongside the emotional and vulnerable lyrics. The effects used to alter the instruments further carried the concept behind the EP, another part I really liked here. Overall, this is a nice short EP that I really wish was longer and that all the songs were as good as the first (albeit I do still love all the ... read more

An incredible debut album from The Stone Roses, one of the greatest albums to come from the UK. I absolutely loved the instrumentation with how intricate and dense it was in how it was composed. I also loved the somewhat hushed vocals, allowing the instrumentations to rightfully be the main focus and take the spotlight. Overall, this is an incredible album and I thoroughly loved it.

Favourite song: Made of Stone
Least favourite song: Don't Stop
(Not including interlude as not full song)

Iceage release a solid indie rock album has brings an upbeat vibe with each track. I liked how catchy the melodies were as it showed their influence from music in the past. I do, however, think at times it can sound a bit repetitive and quite generic which brings the album down a bit for me. Overall, this was still a good album and I still quite liked it.

Favourite song: Star
Least favourite song: Salve for Every Sore

Freddie Gibbs releases a really short EP, showcasing his traditional gangsta rap genre and style. I liked the similarity in his cadence across these three songs, making the songs match each other. I do wish that the songs were a little bit longer as the lyrics could have led onto more, still good anyways. Overall, a good short EP from Freddie Gibbs.

Favourite song: Rabbit Mode
Least favourite song: Axxtion

Kim Petras brings an energetic and electronic vibe to this album that I personally think tries to do too much. I do like the idea behind the album of Kim Petras going away from her label and drifting further away as the album progresses but other than that the lyrics are very unimaginative and generic. I also think that the beat selections were quite mixed, some really good whereas others have far too much going on. Overall, this album was alright, a bit all over the place at ... read more

An impressive debut album from Violet Grohl, taking inspiration from her father's music career. I love the atmosphere created, blending some dreamy aspects with more explosive rhythms, a great use of both the instrumentals and her vocals. I also really like how Violet Grohl can show her flexibility in music through different styles, allowing her to stand out. Overall, I really liked this album and I cannot wait for more.

Favourite song: Plastic Couch
Least favourite song: Mobile Star

Paul McCartney shows his experience in music on this latest release, serving as a nice reflection of his childhood. I really liked this theme and how the lyrics helped capture the picture of what he sung about, serving as the standout for me. I also really liked how the album kept Paul McCartney's original style but with a few modern twists. Overall, I really liked this album and how Paul McCartney can show his quality once more.

Favourite song: As You Lie There
Least favourite song: Down ... read more

Boards of Canada return with their latest release to create a surreal listening experience. I loved how the whole album goes through a journey with each song, from more unsettling sounds to a more safer and calmer sound. Linking to the vocals, I loved how the recordings were minimal but set the tone perfectly. Overall, this is a brilliant ambient album that shows excellence through music and I would highly recommend.

Favourite song: Naraka
Least favourite song: Acts Of Magic

The band feeble little horse release an indie rock album heavily inspired with more digital elements. really liked how in some songs they played notes a beat out of rhythm, with the unusual sound fitting this album quite well and still sounding quite good. I also quite liked how the more experimental sounds did not overpower the rock foundation. Overall, this was a nice and different album to listen to and I really enjoyed it.

Favourite song: DMT
Least favourite song: Paris

King Crimson release arguably the best ever debut album and one of the best progressive rock albums I have ever heard. I loved how each song told a different story through the incredible use of dramatic dynamic shifts to create an overwhelmingly powerful atmosphere. I also loved the vast array of instruments used and how they were used in complex arrangements and rhythms, all intricately placed in the perfect places. Overall, I really loved this album and it was such an interesting and ... read more

Bleech 9:3 impress with their debut EP, bringing back the traditional grunge sound, with intense and gritty guitar riffs accompanied by loud and explosive drums. I really liked how unpolished this sounded as it gave the EP an edge that suited the vocals. Overall, this was a good short debut and I really liked it.

Favourite song: No Surprise
Least favourite song: Underrated

Katy Perry releases a vibrant and fun dance-pop album that has defined the 2010's. I love the entire vibe carried through this album, how it blends many genres and how carefree it sounds. The only downside for me would be the inconsistency here, the highs are incredibly high but the rest are not to the same quality. Overall, I loved listening to this album and relistening to the many classics featuring here.

Favourite song: Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)
Least favourite song: Pearl

JPEGMAFIA releases a very underwhelming album, especially for his standards, with the experimental elements making it sound all over the place and just far too busy (most of the time). I was not a big fan of the clanking sounds as it just sounded irritating and ruined the songs. I also thought that JPEGMAFIA's lyrics were not great either, repeating the same themes mentioned on prior releases and throughout each song here. Overall, most of the songs are still alright, but as a whole the ... read more