IDLES are as heavy, political and ferocious as ever, all while not sounding too repetitive. The vocals here are still some of the most insane of any band currently going, there's such a guttural rage to them that I don't think has properly been matched by anyone else. However, I don't think this is as strong as their others because there are just some songs that feel like duds compared to the highpoints like "Mr. Motivator"
A pretty big step down from Toxicity, the singing portions came off as a lot more jarring compared to their previous albums. One thing I will give this album is that I respect this album for being a lot more blunt in its writing, it makes a lot of the songs hit in a different way to their previous ones. I also think that, despite sounding a lot more all over the place, it lacks the same level of ferocity, it's still definitely there, but I juts don't think it's the main focus of ... read more
![Quadeca - Vanisher, Horizon Scraper [Visual Album]](https://cdn2.albumoftheyear.org/100x0/album/1396235-vanisher-horizon-scraper-visual-album_205453.jpg)
Going into this sleep deprived and completely blind and having your mind blown for 70 minutes straight is a special kind of experience that only happens once in your life.
Thank you @Tarul for sending me your new album!
Everything here sounds super clean, the production, the vocals, it all sounds like a major label indie album. There's honestly not really much to say other than it's really well made.
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This album has been on my radar for a while now, mostly because of the cover art. To me, it feels like revisiting a piece of your childhood in a dream, or at least a desire to. This also just so happened to be the thesis to the opening track, which has this 70s soft rock/ballad style to both the music and the vocals. The idea of wanting to go ... read more
Probably the most brutal album of the year so far, everything about this sounds so disgusting, and it doesn't really stop the whole way through. It might be my inexperience in deathcore, but a lot of the stuff here was absolutely mind-blowing. The vocals are really really good, and as disgusting sounding as everything else going on. Every song is just this explosion of energy and rage the entire time, it's a really consistent album in that sense.
It would take until their album for MIRAR to fully refine their sound, but this EP is still kicks ass. The riffs are incredibly powerful and cut through the entire song. The classical elements somehow manage to fit in with everything else, which definitely gives this EP a different flavour to their album.
This is the first Beatles album to really click wth me so far. I think the move into a slower, more folk direction does wonders in bringing out what makes the band so special. A lot of the music here still sounds good 60+ years later, it's a really big step in the right direction, even if I don't love every track.
Sounds a little like a combination of their two previous albums, with the same highs and lows that were on White Light/White Heat. With the exception of the penultimate track, the experimentation is pulled back, with some really pretty songs in their place. I think this album is a little more inconsistent compared to their debut, but at the same time, the best songs on this album easily rival the best songs on that album. My favourite track would probably have to be "Candy Says" just ... read more
It's crazy to hear fully fledged post-rock from 1981, you can see how much this album laid the groundwork for bands like Godspeed in the decades to come. The guitar playing on this is crazy, each song goes through so many passages and they all come together in a really satisfying way. A song like the final track could be released today and it would still be considered fresh, so it must have been insane to hear a song like that back in 1981. I also think the grimy industrial no wave ... read more
I love how this thing is always taking new turns and exploring different sounds and styles. Being mostly instrumental, you really get to appreciate the musicianship on this album, how they were able to create an album that sounded somehow cohesive amongst everything going on. When the vocals are present, they're either sparse or heavily distorted, and it adds another layer to the manic nature of the music here. Overall an incredibly creative album that hasn't aged a day in the past 18 ... read more
The lo-fi production here sounds incredible, I was reminded a lot of Katie Kim with their approach to folk music, and with very echoe-y vocals. Every song here is just fascinating to listen to and pick apart, even the last one, which goes for a slightly more electroic approach.
Pretty unique take on jazz rap, but I also thought a lot more could have been done with all the ideas at play here.
Yeah this just straight up sucks, all of the personality that was on their previous stuff is nonexistent. Even on "Beats, Rhymes and Life", which was already a large step down, I could still sense some chemistry between the members, even if it was strained. I guess on a technical level, the beats are fine, but they just come off as such a downgrade compared to the group's peak. Really disappointing way to send off the 90s.
It's your typical vaporwave affair, but with a much darker tone overall. The way the samples are used and distorted make it sound like an old, buggy radio playing in a dark room somewhere. That being said, for what the album sets out to do, it's a little short to leave a real impact.
This album is very well made, with so many ideas being tightly packed into a 30 minute project. Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak are both great and bounce off each other really well. If anything, I would have liked this album to have been a little longer and have the ideas be fleshed out a little more.
The first half is a little stronger than the second, and there's a great iteration of "Janela de Ouro" here. This also probably is the most Gismonti has sung on a project that I've heard from him, and it works to set this album apart from his others.
It's deifnitely a really great display of musical talent, but I also found it quite repetitive at times. I can definitely see an album like this, with a focus on percussion and new age instrumentals to be really good, so I'm interested to hear what they make in the future.
A lot of really interesting ideas executed pretty well, with some really impressive production.
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Recent Review Comments
On twenty one pilots - Clancy
"@avg_music_enjoy nearly 2 years late but just listened to trench and holy shit it was incredible"
On JID - God Does Like Ugly
"@Phiroman I think it comes down to a personal preference thing, my favourite JID tracks are the ones where he's the main focus throughout. Not saying he can't bounce off others well, but I think he really shines when it's just him rapping his heart out."
On JID - God Does Like Ugly
"@Phiroman I expected this album to be weaker than the forever story, but it's weaker in ways I wasn't expecting, if that makes sense? I appreciate him not trying to recapture the forever story's magic, instead stretching his legs and trying out different musical influences on some tracks. I think by "disappointed", I just mean that I wish this album was more consistent quality-wise. Also by "Not giving it his all" I was referring to the tracks where the features feel like they do a lot of heavy lifting, and JID is less present than I was expecting."
On Armand Hammer - Race Music
"@Phiroman I know they've collaborated before, but this is one of the first times they've come together to make an entire project with a shared vision. Because of this, there are ways they bounce off each other that would be refined over time. Their rapping abilities and writing are still really impressive."
On TorpedoArma's review of Alex Warren - Ordinary
"Better question, why is it STILL the #1 in the UK?"
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"@Cnd185 Probably will either sometime today or tomorrow"
On FootballVertigo's review of Doechii - Alligator Bites Never Heal (Extended)
"Kendrick Lamar did the exact same thing with Mr Morale, adding a single song on the deluxe that had already been out for a while. I don't see what makes this in paticular a cash grab."
On A.R.E.A.S - You Won't Last Forever
"@Alius9 Probably "It's Still There", that song sounded like an entire city being destroyed, if that makes sense. I also thought the ambience and the more blaring noises juxtaposed each other really well."
On Kobold's review of E L U C I D - INTERFERENCE PATTERN
"I think Peggy's only listed as a producer because the album samples a different ELUCID song that Peggy produced. This is pretty much entirely ELUCID's own work, not counting samples."
On Quadeca - I Didn't Mean to Haunt You
"@ol_iv_ei_ra I think we can both agree that it's actually Question mark"
On Quadeca - I Didn't Mean to Haunt You
"@CaptainSquirrel You must be mistaken, it's has to be quesadilla"
On Quadeca - I Didn't Mean to Haunt You
"@CaptainSquirrel It might be Quagmire"
On Quadeca - I Didn't Mean to Haunt You
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On Quadeca - I Didn't Mean to Haunt You
"@CaptainSquirrel Are you sure it isn't quetzalcoatl"
On Quadeca - I Didn't Mean to Haunt You
"@CaptainSquirrel I thought it was Quendrick"
On Radiohead - OK Computer
"@davFaithid Thank you!!"
On Sezen Aksu - Firuze
"I actually never thought of the albums being connected in that way, really interesting!"
On Shygirl - Cruel Practice
"@NeedlefluuJr I'll have to check it out before finishing my year-end lists"
On Shygirl - Cruel Practice
"@NeedlefluuJr She has such a unique take on British rap and electronic music, I've heard some of Shygirl's stuff before, but I've never actually sat down and listened to her stuff."
On HEAL XO - dis/ambiguate
"@healio I suppose music like this would be better to experience live, I'll have to check out some of the music you suggested, it's not a genre I have that much experience in"
On HEAL XO - dis/ambiguate
"@healio No problem! Do you have any recommendations for albums that sound like that song?"
On HEAL XO - dis/ambiguate
"@healio I would say my favourite track would be "nuit (poissons lune)": the way all the different vocals are layered on top of each other is simply angelic, there's something so soothing and meditative about that song, it's the highpoint of the album for me."
On healio's review of Tristwch Y Fenywod - Tristwch Y Fenywod
"@healio Yeah I get that completely, as someone who's only experience with Welsh music was pretty generic pop rock and folk, this album hit me like a truck. Definitely has an underlying sinister atmosphere to it."
On healio's review of Tristwch Y Fenywod - Tristwch Y Fenywod
"Great review, love the track by track analysis you gave"
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