Grandiose, powerful, beautiful, intense and thrilling - the highly anticipated debut album from the British rock group delivers in about every cylinder possible. Wholly original combinations of jazz, rock and rap, it’s a phenomenal album that has me even more excited at where the band will go in the future. Between this and Vanisher, Maruja are responsible for the 2 best closing tracks I’ve heard this year.

Might write more at a later date but this is their best since Trench and clears everything that came before that album to be fair. Lyrically this is some of Tyler’s most emotionally powerful, compelling and creative we’ve ever seen. City Walls, Tally and Intentions are perfect ways to link to the lore and even non lore songs like Drum Show and Downstairs are emotionally compelling. The songs here go harder than any TOP record before, especially the likes of Drum Show, The Contract, ... read more

One of if not the best rappers albums of the 2020s. Jid is rapping on a whole other level across some of the finest rap production I’ve ever heard. The bass on some of these trap beats will actually melt your ears is insane.

JID does it again. One of the best rappers we have working today. Of course his flows and lyrics and beats are great here but the soulful and powerful singing on songs like SK8 or Of Blue is a real highlight here. Get fucked Bob the Builder. This is amazing.

Ridiculously fun album. Full to the brim with insane house bangers that take the best parts of bubblegum bass and hyperpop but put them through super catchy and immediate EDM structures which make for songs you cannot help but dance to. What a great debut.

Some amazing indie rock that’s super bright and fun whilst being so well made. So many of these tracks are stupidly catchy, it’s a 45 minutes that absolutely flies by - just such a great debut album. Backseat is also a very strong contender for SOTY.

JVB return with a crop of tracks that takes the best parts of their last 2 albums the closest to perfection we've ever been. As the mirrorball on the cover suggests, the focus on club sounds and songs you can dance to is given greater emphasis, which both offers the foundations for Joey to flex his insane production skills and for the duo to lyrically use the club to explore ideas of youth and growing older through a lens that feels authentic yet doesn't compromise on the braggadocios ... read more

Yeah holy fuck this is a party and a half. Justice’s “Cross” or self titled, whatever you refer to it as, features some of the most thrilling and exciting dance tracks I’ve ever heard. Just some of the most energetic and insane house tracks you can’t help but dance along to.

A super fun, instantaneous and punchy set of bangers from Tyler that beg to be moved to, grooved to and danced to. I think the production can get a bit choppy on some tracks near the start of the tracklist but there’s some amazing moments across this as well. A great time.

Quad did! And did something monumental. Vanisher, Horizon Scraper is everything it was hyped up to be and so much more. An odyssey searching through scraps of purpose but grilled by self destruction, there’s a darkness at the heart of Vanisher seen through the very first notes of opening track NO QUESTIONS ASKED. This darkness is an inevitability throughout the album, and although the sunshine and wonder evoked by tracks such as lead single GODSTAINED may create an impression of curiosity ... read more

Such an insanely colourful, masterfully crafted and beautiful rap album. The jazz instrumentation is mind blowing, and McKinleys flows and verses just blend with it so well. So much effort clearly went into this and it shows.

One of those albums that feels like an instant classic even though it just came out. Ever beat, every lyric, every flow is just the result of years worth of experience from a pair who are just fused to the concept of what makes good hip hop music. The opening 4 track run on this album is fucking insane and an all timer.

It’s not great but it gets me in the feels and that’s enough. Songs like Risk are super catchy and enjoyable and although Gracie isn’t doing anything new or original here it’s still a pleasant enough listen to my ears.

Literally fucking gorgeous. Hounds of Love is 40 years old and still sounds like it could come out today. Such a perfect collection of grand and dreamy sounds that would go on to shape many of todays most beloved albums with how magnificent it is.

Graduation is good, don’t get me wrong, but the hype this album gets specifically completely goes over my head. At this point, Kanye had done better and would go on to do even better. Graduation really shows his shift to embracing elements of pop and electronic music more but he would go onto master it on later albums. It’s really the middle set of tracks here where my issues lay however, the album starts and ends with some really high notes.

Sure the flaws that would harm all of FOB’s post-haitus music is here but Save Rock and Roll features enough songs that don’t feel completely overblown and are pretty enjoyable. The Phoenix, Just One Yesterday, Miss Missing You and Death Valley are all super fun songs.

It’s pretty great. Definitely lacks the scope and progression that has led to some of Reznors most emotionally compelling and powerful songs but makes up for it with a bunch of bangers that absolutely rip.

Keeps what made the last album great but adds enough new flavour and improvements to prove JVB aren't going anywhere and are here to stay. "When I was ten, I was sippin' Shirley Temples
Present day, I'm still sippin' Shirley Temples" is such a funny lyric amongst an album of funny lyrics and production choices

All JVB are here to do is give you a ridiculously good time. and Punk tactics is a ridiculously good time. These songs would all go so hard in Karaoke.

Super fun 20 minutes of bops after bops. One of the most unique voices and sounds in dance-pop today, and with tracks like “Illegal”, “Tonight” and “Stateside” it’s clear PinkPanthress is here to stay. Even the intermission is great.