I just don’t have much to say about this EP. It’s got some good ideas that are *almost* capitalized upon in a satisfying way. But ultimately, it falls really flat and fails to make an impression on me.

Favorite: The Man Who Laughs
Least Favorite: Shank

🔴 4u, PARASITE
🟢 The other 15 tracks

I hate to say I was a bit disappointed by this comp, as I regard Exobolt as a standout label in the EDM space. It had a promising beginning, featuring a dazzling track from Glacier—alongside bouncebacks from Devath and Electric Dad. After that, a lot of fantastic ideas were wasted on drops that just didn’t measure up. I left the comp feeling a bit jostled around, but there were several solid tracks to take away from this—especially ... read more

There’s definitely a bit of oomph missing here, but it’s still got a bit of that Oppidan charm I’ve grown to love. A diet UNTITLED SINES, but still a fun EP in its own right.

Favorite: MINT (BUMPY MIX)
Least Favorite: DARWIN

I quite like this tracklist and how well this simple story is told, but I'm torn on what direction this may set for the duo. The songs are catchier when they're more upbeat but more vulnerable when they become downcast. I was rooting for the sort of "narrator couple" to stay together, which would fall in line with J&S's established vibe, but the relationship takes a sadder turn. It shows that the duo is willing to experiment (also considering the more produced-out, ... read more

🔴 Norwegian Wood
🟢 The other 10 tracks

Slightly parabolic in quality with a strong beginning and a strong finish, this album was a great way to move forward from his momentous Djesse series, even ending with a track that feels like an even truer sendoff for that series than "World O World" was. It shows his great prowess on acoustic instruments and pays homage to his influences in classic Jacob Collier fashion. I very much understand the comparisons to Djesse Vol. 2, as that ... read more

I've never played this game, so I don't have the history with it. Even so, this remix package is a lot of remixes that just exist. They do the job and clock out at exactly 5pm. Even though I enjoyed the comp and the remixes set a nice vibe for the most part, most seemed very safe and formulaic. I'm sure I'd have more fun with this comp if I experienced the game.

Favorite: CORE (RoBKTA Remix), MEGALOVANIA (Pegboard Nerds Remix)
Least Favorite: Once Upon a Time (No Mana ... read more

The first track is a bit questionable, but the other two do quite well to keep the energy going and serve up some banger sound design. Always love seeing artists who seem to me at first like a one-trick pony branch out into other styles I wouldn't expect from them.

Favorite: dawn
Least Favorite: tell me!

🔴 Retrofit
🟢 The other 17 tracks

Half a classic Lowswimmer vocal album and half his take on an ambient album, Lowswimmer weaves a fantastic musical companion to his film about the exhausting ennui of touring. The film takes a more intentionally monotonous tone, with occasional interjections from Lowswimmer reflecting on the harsh realities of being a touring musician. However, this soundtrack is more dynamic if you look past the surface. On top of showing his regular vocal, lyrical, and ... read more

Brutally real intercessory album that packs a punch. Saying this album has a stronger front half always comes with a caveat in that the collaborators represented here generally do a great job of adding to the record while including their own flair. That said, most of this album really hits from front to back, especially if you relate to the message and content of the lyrics. To have two albums in a year is impressive in itself, but for both of them to be great is a generational feat.

Favorite: ... read more

🔴 Cab, No Regretti, Goggle Gang
🟡 On Fire, Jiggy
🟢 The other 9 tracks

A real mixed bag from Spag Heddy. You've got a few spicy tracks, a few moldy tracks, and a few that just seem like reheated portions of the same ol' thing, for better or for worse. The really interesting and unique ideas stood out, but the others either have enough nostalgia to carry the track or not enough going on to justify listening to it rather than the classics. Some fun moments, but it's ... read more

🟡 floater friend, it doesn’t kill me anymore
🟢 The other 10 tracks

Leaning further into her bossa nova and RnB influences more for this album, Lyn Lapid was still able to create an immaculate vibe and palpable emotion amid the fun beats and peppy melodies. Whereas her previous projects examined a lack of belonging somewhere, this album focuses on having an unsatisfactory purpose or sense of belonging in a group—just to exist or conveniently serve as a plot device for someone ... read more

🔴 For The H**l Of It, High On My Lows
🟢 The other 5 tracks

Sawyer Hill applies his voice well to a solid banger of an EP. The melodies are great, the production is full, and the vibe is fun. Although simple in structure and vague in connection, the songs serve work well as a collection. I quite enjoyed this one!

Favorite: Closed Eye Fiction
Least Favorite: High On My Lows

🔴 Mirrors, coolgirl, Insecure
🟢 The other 8 tracks

Don't be fooled by the energetic, dynamic, even cheery production; this is a heavy album. It captures a bit of personal growth lyrically, more depicting a level of self-awareness at a particular point in N33T's mental health journey, which I appreciated even if it isn't quite nailed home by the end. Lyrically, N33T establishes the tension between wanting to ask for help but getting burned in the past, desperately trying ... read more

🔴 Jangly Bones
🟢 The other 9 tracks

Although First of October has not phoned in a single album, this is the closest they've gotten. Some of the ideas are weaker than I would have liked at this point, and it seems much more scattered than I'd expect from an album with a clearly more intentional theme. Even so, it's consistently good for the most part. Most of the power chords and guitar solos really hit, and several of the ideas are quite funny. The style departures are ... read more

I almost went a full 3/4 of the year without finding an EP I'd rate above a 75, so much so that I thought I just became hardened as a reviewer, but Au5 comes in clutch! This is an absolutely gorgeous EP with a number of groovy and bass-face moments to keep up that Au5 classicness, even with the unique direction this EP takes. Au5's penchant for catchy, emotive melodies has always been a strong suit, and that's on beautiful display here. Providing his own vocals to match, you can ... read more

I don’t normally dismiss a song entirely just because of the drops. I also loved Devath’s previous EP, “Henka”. And I don’t have a problem with atonal drops or off-kilter grooves. But I do have a problem with sections that do not belong together.

The melodic sections are some of the best I’ve heard from Devath, and they’re right up my alley, built just right to amaze me. Then the drops, almost in their entirety, do something else entirely that’s ... read more

This EP is funni.

Favorite: Vice
Least Favorite: Night Bus

This being my first SPORTMODE project, I’m impressed! Although there’s a clear gimmick throughout this EP that leaves it sounding a little homogenous, there’s still a good bit of variety to show SPORTMODE is not just a one-trick pony. Some real bangin’ bass sustains and even genre switchups keep this project feeling fresh. Excited to hear what’s next for this guy.

Favorite: Seasmoke
Least Favorite: flute song

The first half chooses chaos, which fits with the “panic attack” theme of the EP, but the execution leaves much to be desired. It falls victim to some pitfalls of generic riddim, namely: noise seemingly for its own sake rather than to fit the theme, samey sound design, and synth sustains that don’t carry on the energy of the more percussive first half of the drop.

The second half takes a more melodic approach, which I generally like more from Sharks. Track 3 even harks back ... read more

🔴 FANTASY
🟢 The other 4 tracks

Although more consistent than its predecessor, it doesn’t reach the highs of its predecessor. Even so, this is a series of cool tracks that go into some territories I wouldn’t have expected from Hex Cougar. With some hardwave and future riddim weaved between the typical hybrid trap styles, this is a fresh widening of his sound palette.

Favorite: FANTASY
Least Favorite: HEARTBREAKER