Gao has such a unique sound in a pretty saturated field, his music is really fun and interesting to listen to. The production and performance here is so good, it manages to capture this subtle, ominous atmosphere throughout the EP. All the features here do a great job, and carry the same energy that Gao brings. Even how good this EP is, I think it neds a little abruptly, and it wouldn't be until his album from earlier this year that Gao the Arsonist truly manages to flesh out his sound and ... read more

This era of Swans just isn't working for me, I've just never really clicked with this gothic sound the same way others do, that's not to say there aren't highlights, but overall, I'd say I prefer their earlier no wave stuff. I can appreciate this album specifically for leaning into a more industrial sound, most comparable to "Children of God". I did also like the way that the writing handled mortality so much, and I think the fact that Michael Gira produced ... read more

It's a shame I didn't check this out before making my year-end lists for 2024, because this would have easily made it on there. Bill Orcutt combines his usual noisy, busy guitar playing with choral and classical sounds and music surprisingly well. It goes with the title and cover of the album, it's him trying the recontextualize this style of music for a modern day in a way he's familiar with. The juxtaposition of the calming classical styles with Orcutt's harsh guitar ... read more

There are moments where this album really clicks with me, and there are moments where this album really doesn't. Pretty much every aspect of this album has it's highs and lows for me throughout the album. The production of this album is really good but doesn't always mix well with the vocals, which are also pretty all over the place, again, sometimes the singing worked with me, and sometimes it really didn't. I personally preferred the more screamed vocals to the relatively ... read more

Really interesting listen that combines styles of metal, shoegaze, and even folk tunes on the second track. I don't really have any experience in Blackgaze as a genre, so I can't really compare it with other projects of a similar genre. I do feel like the final track could have worked in the previous, it didn't really feel right as its own standalone song.

It's in your face in every way possible, the writing is pretty on the nose, the production is rough, the singing is equally as abrasive. This has it's strengths and weaknesses, it makes for a pretty powerful punk album, and its messaging is very clear, but the whole album gets pretty repetitive after a while.

My favourite of the "Traditional" Christmas songs, and probably the best version.

An EP that feels very much inspired by Mort Garson's "Plantasia" but is very obviously doing its own thing here, I like the big emphasis on nature sounds here, like running water on birds chirping, it adds a lot to the EP, and works well with the rest of the production. A very relaxing listen, even if a couple of tracks can feel a bit same-y, to a fault sometimes.

This is obviously an album that doesn't take itself too seriously, and it's a really enjoyable listen because of it. Zappa has a very unique way of telling a story, that is also surprisingly captivating, he's more speaking than singing on these tracks, there's also some very fun, impressive guitar playing here that add a lot to the experience.

This album really nails the gloomy, isolating atmosphere perfectly, a big step up from what I've heard from the group previously. It manages to match the aesthetic of the album with genuinely well made, and catchy songs.

This album is, for the most part, quiet with its horror, it starts off pretty normal, although a bit sad. Waters' voice is very subdued, almost whispery for the most part, until it slowly descends into terror and screaming in the final song. This whole album sounds like someone is trying to keep it together emotionally, in the end failing. The writing here details an obviously harmful relationship that Waters is unable to escape from, and it makes her descent that much more frightening. ... read more

I saw that Dizzee Rascal declare that he "invented grime" according to his newest EP, so I wanted to go back and see how true that statement is. According to this website, this album is pretty much the first major release for the Grime genre, and honestly, considering this album is over 20 years old, it has not aged a day. I think Dizzee Rascal has the right to consider himself this much of a pioneer of British rap music, considering how forward thinking this album is. The fact that ... read more

2nd listen (7 months later)
60 --> 80
KA was one of the greatest writers in modern hip hop, and I don't think it was something I ever gave him credit for, the way he so uniquely discusses his inner psyche and the state of the world using these abstract metaphors is incredible. On top of that, the production of this album is great, it's really out there, and almost sounds like a collage of different noises that all come together to create a somehow cohesive sounding beat, the fact ... read more

World's End Girlfriend's combination of weird rock instrumentation, avant-garde jazz, glitchy electronic, and classical music somehow doesn't sound like a complete mess. There are some legitimately beautiful moments in here among all the chaos. I had only checked out "Resistance and the Blessing" from them previously, which I loved, they have a very distinct sound, that is showcased here really well. I love how so many songs begin slow, and then descend into chaos and ... read more

Really haunting listen here, although I thought it was strange that the singing was really only present in the first half of the album, it definitely added to the overall experience. Definitely a case where the album works best when listened to as a single project, compared to any individual tracks.

Really good production, I really like the jazz mixed with some weird, warped influences, it almost sounded like an old radio playing, and gave the album a feeling of reminiscence and depth that other similar albums didn't really have. Navy Blue's laid back style of rapping works well with this production, and his writing is also really good, and adds to the feeling of reminiscence and coming of age.

Perhaps I wasn't in the right headspace for this album, or I didn't know what I was getting myself in for, but this album really did just not click for me at all at first. Let me get this out of the way first, the writing on this album is incredible, it's harrowing, and feels like Ethel Cain is being as open as possible, and deals with a lot of heavy subject matter. It is by far the strongest aspect of the album, and I wish I enjoyed the rest of the album as much. I also think ... read more

I'm surprised it's taken me this long to listen to BC,NR's debut album, considering "Ants From Up There" is one of my favourite albums of all time. This is insanely impressive as a debut album.
The first track is an incredible instrumental piece and works well as an introduction to the album, it slowly builds and builds over the course of about 4 minutes, and then explodes into a cacophony.
This album goes through a lot of sounds in quick succession, from the noisy ... read more

Thanks to @Tr6pic for the recommendation!
I haven't heard a hip hop album embrace the jazz sound this much since Avantdale Bowling Clubs's self titled album. This really does sound like a love letter to the music that these people grew up listening to, with mentions of Billie Holiday and John Coltrane in some of the many interludes throughout the album. The production on this album is immaculate, and I'm surprised that this album on the whole isn't as acclaimed and ... read more

Ann Peebles' voice is incredible, and the instrumentation is great. Not much else about the album really stood out to me other than that though.