Back when I first made the dedication of this long term project of listening to acclaimed albums from 1965 to today back in March of last year, I thought the top 25 albums for each year was a lot. About a month later I went crazy and quadruped my work load to the top 100 albums per year. Now I am throwing away all sanity and is adding 50 more albums to the qualifying list since there's so many acclaimed albums in 1994 that I don't want to miss anything. Don't be surprised if it ... read more
In Kamagi Smile's Impressive tenth and final full release of the year 2020, they go full dreamy ambient drone and it's back to the monotone drivel that I am all too familiar with. The last track "Lost Reflection" has an entrancing meditative vibe to it that I really like so it ain't all bad.
With the help of vocals from Marie Shimogawa, Kagami has a nice kick to their droney vibe as well as some clubby kicks (at least in the track "Ghost") that makes this release actually feel ethereal and otherworldly instead of relatively flat noise. It does wear thin due to the lack of dynamics in favor of meditative droning. It does actually flow naturally and each track has its distinct character which is appreciated. It makes certain that the listening experience doesn't go ... read more
In this album Kagami goes into a darker ambient drone while keeping their signature flairs to make it theirs. I liked a couple tracks but by the nature of what they are offering, I can only get so much enjoyment out of the experience.
Recs:
- Cracked Dream
- Parable of Transience
Another droney ambient release from Kagami much like the several other ones released on March 2020. The similarity breeds apathy since there's a strong feeling that I have heard this soundscape before. I guess that's what you get when an artist prioritizes quantity over artistic distinction throughout their various works.
Here we have a dope lil release that exemplifies how based my taste evolved into since the pandemic before one day I grew bored and decided to listen to the Beatles discography and my philosophy towards music was forever altered and my horizons expanded. I wonder what kind of music I would be listening today if I never fell into the music nerd acclaimed albums rabbit hole.
Recs:
- One I Need
- Wake Me Up
- Enter My Life
- You're Game
- World Ends Tonight
If you wanted to know what my cringey teenager taste was half a decade ago and beyond was when I was basing my flavors on tired radio pop hits then look no further than this album. 16 year old me would devour this shit and beg for more. 25 year old me is just slightly annoyed yet kinda melancholic of simpler days. Anyways congrats Arizona for my first negative rating since August you manage to break the longest drought yet with your slightly annoying sound.
Thanks @binglegingle for the recommendation.
Every day I thank the Lord that I grew to appreciate and love jazz.
This is a very well done fusion piece that aims to impress and does so with flying colors. At least when I'm game with what they are offering since I only truly enjoyed half the tracklist.
Recs:
- Dream Weary
- Maybe Next Time
- Melancholy
- That's Me
Thanks @MontyRose for the recommendation.
We have some solid rap game here with supportive if generic production. I think you have recommended these guys to me before and again I enjoy the Jay-Z esque rapper. Just effortlessly cool that chap. Overall it's a decent effort.
Recs:
- What Will I Do?
- Everybody
A pretty good Ambient experience that feels more sci-fi than under the sea but since we know less about what's under the waves than beyond our atmosphere I guess the semi alien soundscape fits. Also with the cover you would think this is a thirty year old release but it's only a couple years old.
Recs:
- Swirling Around the Bathysphere
- Hymn of the Decapods
- Nine North
- Submarine Sunbeams
Some ok to decent Synthwave. Pretty standard stuff overall with a couple of highlights.
Recs:
- Colors
- Encounters
Hello Meteor with an impressive 4th release of 2024 is unfortunately their weakest one of this calendar year. We look to be in a club with some casual fun vibes and some DnB thrown about. It's not a bad listen though I would have liked it to be more interesting especially with them able to create some of the most captivating experiences that I have heard all year thus far.
I will say that Meteor does get into the groove on the second half of their latest release that are more fitting to ... read more
Some cool energetic vaporwave. I liked it.
Recs:
- Pineapple Passion
- Gojira
- Salsa Verde
- 69 Game Boys Singing All at Once
A decent Vaporwave release that has me feeling like an egotistical idiotic crazy wealthy son of a bitch.
Recs:
- Parkway
- To Bruce
- Blush
- Forever
- Signal
A few tracks caught my fancy in this Experimental Rock/Post Rock release.
Recs:
- Scissor
- Proud Evolution
- Goodnight Everything
![Rei Harakami - [lust]](https://cdn2.albumoftheyear.org/100x0/album/152699-lust.jpg)
A quality and relaxing IDM release. It's honestly great how with me not hearing a bad release from this genre as of yet I can expect an engaging listen each time with any album like this one having their own unique flavors.
Recs:
- Long Time
- Joy
- Lust
- Grief and Loss
- After Joy
- Approach
- First Period
A unique Atmospheric DnB and IDM release that had my interest throughout the experience. A very fascinating listen.
Fun fact back in fall of 2020 I actually listed to Deftones Discog up to the acclaimed White Pony. The deal was that I never really connected to any of their efforts much and just cut it before wasting more of my time. Now it's been a few years since and my taste has evolved a good amount. Even so with me listening to their debut again with fresh ears, I still find the music edgy and the voice whiney and a bit cringe. So I ain't going to say anything final other than I am now pretty ... read more
Obviously Mariah has an amazing voice, but past the initial being pressed by her rich vocals this debut of hers is mainly just fine listening with a few highlights sprinkled within. Overall not bad but could be better.
Recs:
- Vision of Love
- I Don't Wanna Cry
- All in Your Mind
- Love Takes Time
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Recent Review Comments
On ねごと [NEGOTO] - アシンメトリ [Asymmetry]
"@themarsvolta not everything, bit a good amount. To answer your question is genuinely I didn't connect with the experience. That's it."
On Black Sabbath - Paranoid
"@frogofprog of course, all the songs listed in the review are great including the all time classic in War Pigs. I just think as an album experience as a whole it could be a bit better."
On The_troll's review of The Caretaker - Everywhere at the End of Time: Stage 1
"You are in for one hell of a ride if you're going to listen to it all the way through at once! Well worth the six hours of investment."
On Frank Zappa - Hot Rats
"@ScottShelby As for what's next for Zappa since I have listened to most of his Acclaimed stuff besides a couple of TMOI releases In likely to finish off that bands offerings before down the road see what Zappa has to offer in his more contentious releases."
On Frank Zappa - Hot Rats
"@ScottShelby That was intentional, got to save some big hitters for the future you to appreciate."
On Bridget St. John - Ask Me No Questions
"@AidenBowe45 she reminds me strongly of Nico so if you are a nico fan, you'll like this."
On Bedhead - Transaction de Novo
"@musicfanboy You looked into that more than I ever cared to so I guess? I don't know. I do generally find slowcore rather boring to slog through, so your probably right."
On Terry Reid - Terry Reid
"@AidenBowe45 He reminds of Paul McCartney at points with how passionately he sings and the instrumental goes crazy. It's a fun album for sure!"
On Muddy Waters - After the Rain
"@AidenBowe45 I honestly am just too familiar with this kind of style of straightforward Blues, sure it's classic but I find it stale and uninteresting especially compared to other styles that bring more to the table of the genre that makes for more engaging listening."
On Herbie Hancock - Fat Albert Rotunda
"@AidenBowe45 Groovy, funky and takes you on a ride. I don't remember if it goes wildly off the track but I wouldn't be surprised if it did with an artist like Hancock at the wheel."
On Harry Partch - The World of Harry Partch
"@AidenBowe45 yeah basically. I'm not here to hear your lips flapping."
On Amon Düül II - Phallus Dei
"@AidenBowe45 I'm excited for whenever you do decide to listen to it, they put you on a wild ride that's the best of both worlds and reminds me why I regard Krautrock as one of my all time favorite genres to lose my mind to!"
On Eyeliner - Buy Now
"@AidenBowe45 I mean it's not the definitive vaporwave experience, but if you're a fan of the genre then there's definitely some solid stuff here."
On girl in red - if i could make it go quiet
"@AidenBowe45 I am likely not the intended audience since I am a grown ass 26 year old listening to these lyrics. I may not be fully aware of what the kiddos are into these days, but when I was an edgy teenager in middle school, shit like this banged for the girlies."
On Swans - Soundtracks for the Blind
"@OldTask This album is definitely geared towards the artsy fartsy folks that appreciate just how deep into the rabbit hole this experience takes them. Definitely takes an experienced or a very open ear to truly "get it." Not everyone does, but the ones that do praise this shit up and down like I do."
On Swans - Soundtracks for the Blind
"@Moosky This album is fit for a very particular meditative mindset you have to be in for the Inherent strangeness to pack as hard of a punch as it does. Like many albums I love this is like a sonic drug trip that is more to be experienced than enjoyed as regular music. This album has a legendary status because it goes deep into this surreal experimental soundscape unapologetically and not everyone is going to get it, but those who do are immensely rewarded. I recommend you to maybe expand your horizons and listen to ambient/Psychedelic/ experimental releases similar to this so your pallet is more used to what this amazing album has to offer. Cont."
On David Bowie - Station to Station
"@Jakeisthedoctor You mentioned that across the board I have wild takes, are there more recent examples that raises your eyebrows?"
On David Bowie - Station to Station
"@Jakeisthedoctor Man I really should delete and reevaluate these albums I reviewed in my early days when my taste wasn't nearly as refined yet expansive as it is now. Back in 2023 I was throwing my inexperienced taste into classics head first with no idea what I was talking about. It's part of the reason why I am exploring the 60s and 70s again along with bolstering my limited playlists. To great success too with my 60s playlist going from 90 tracks to over 750 and growing as I am now appreciative of the greatness that I am consuming. I promise when I get to these albums again down the road, I will likely have a more reasonable take. For now, just enjoy how unhinged I was in 2023."
On Vapora - Oceanside Mall
"@frogofprog oh yeah, Vapora. I definitely had mixed feelings with this artist. They had some genuinely great vaporwave along with...well ones that missed the mark. Yeah I was a bit more loose with my reviews back in 2023 just experimenting with how I liked to present my reviews. It results in some reviews I am still proud of to some I just go crazy on. It is also an era where I was still forming my tastes on like twenty+ genres at once so don't take my early reviews that seriously."
On Drake - Scorpion
"@Triplo Thanks! I don't often have something to say about an album these days past a standard passing observation, but popular releases from the 2010s are a good way to get be talking at least a little bit."
On Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel
"@RSmithFan What I meant was that this was the first album that felt like it was made in the eighties. Don't know why I phrased it that way either."
On Not Marshall - FRIDAY NIGHT A DRESS2IMPRESS MODEL HAS TO SHOW OFF HER NEW AFRO HAIRSTYLE
"@engar where? what? I don't see anything eyebrow raising."
On Fabrizio De André - Vol. 1°
"@I_love_chickenw 👍 Whatever you say bud. I'll keep on doing what I do regardless of your berating."
On Fabrizio De André - Vol. 1°
"@I_love_chickenw Good for them and the people that praise their writing. That's not the reason I fell in love with music so I don't focus on it. And that is just as fine as those who do the opposite and completely mute the music and gush over the writing. Different strokes, we all appreciate art in our own individual ways."
On Fabrizio De André - Vol. 1°
"@I_love_chickenw Maybe I'll appreciate that part of the experience when I decide to give a shit about the lyrics. Until then, those pink floyd classics offer an amazing sonic experience regardless of whatever they are yapping about."
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