magmaniac

Brambles’ ‘Charcoal’ does exactly what Brian Eno’s ambient output could never do for me, in being music that can be listened to no matter whether it’s with my utmost attention, or playing quietly to underscore the monotony of daily life - pieces like Eno’s ‘Ambient 1: Music for Airports’ were always too skeletal for me to listen to individually. I’ve listened to ‘Charcoal’ in isolation numerous times, but I’ve also slept to ... read more

‘808s and Heartbreak’ is absolutely Kanye’s most catchy, unique album, and while it’s clichéd to talk about its influence, its influence is undeniably huge. However, it’s certainly a deeply flawed album, and its flaws should be recognised as they come.

Aside from his Graduation trilogy, Kanye’s releases have been plagued with incessant digital clipping. The lack of this issue in his previous work makes me feel it is intentional, but… why? It ... read more

Just a joyful, entertaining album through and through. ‘Graduation’ has some of Kanye’s best production, but it’s also his most eclectic release, with tracks like ‘Everything I Am’ feeling like they belong on a different album. I feel that people tend to overlook this release because of Kanye’s more “conscious” works, but it’s one that I find I can listen to at any time and still enjoy it.

‘Late Registration’ is a substantial improvement in its predecessor, ‘The College Dropout,’ in almost every conceivable way. Where the first one is thin, skeletal, and amateurish, this one is thick, full, and mature. Kanye showcases a professional control over his samples that far exceeds the haphazard nature of ‘The College Dropout.’

It has some more ostentatious tracks, like the brilliant ‘Diamonds from Sierra Leone,’ and more joyful ones like ... read more