Compositional evolution and a further development of their artistic jazz rock sound

At this point 'betcover!!' has racked up a pretty significant discography, and their latest release '勇気' [Yuuki] adds to their amazing run. With this release the Japanese Rock band experiments with a jazz oriented style that incorporates complex arrangements as well as stripped down, haunting performances. I love this change in sound, and I think 'Yuuki' is their most ... read more

Gentle Giant in Order #3

Growing up

Gentle Giants 3rd studio record has a pretty intriguing concept; 3 friends whose lives change significantly as they get older, taking each of them down different paths as they enter adulthood. All three friends end up unhappy with their predicaments, and reminisce on days that were filled with joy. Each song from 'Working All Day' - 'Mister Class and Quality?' tells a story of each of the friends and their profession, often in an ... read more

Cosmic Exchange

All about Reverb and Delay

This record is perfect for this exchange. It has a dreamy, ethereal atmosphere to it that feels cosmic and space-like. Every instrument is soaked in reverb or delay which adds to that spaced out feel and creates a shimmering quality to the guitar tones. I also liked the addition of audio recordings on some of the tracks, most notably on the intro.

Every aspect of this album that makes it great, also makes it feel bland to me. Only a few tracks ... read more

Deeply immersive

Blending aspects of modern classical with chamber folk and throwing audio recordings into the mix, 'Kagayaki' aims to create a sense of warmth and liveliness. There is no doubt that through these 23 tracks (56 if you're listening to the additional disc) you'll enter a state of peace and happiness. I certainly did, and it was all thanks to Takagi's beautiful compositions and his keen ear for ambience and audio recordings. I honestly can't believe ... read more

FREMBLE EXCHANGE with @septembertree
Theme: 2025 Albums
Album: Choke enough - Oklou

Wallpaper music

I am not very fond of anything that’s going on here unfortunately. The artificial vocal style didn’t stir any particular emotions in me aside from boredom and pain. The production felt cheap and rushed; almost like the producers layed out a simple structure and then called it finished. Not my cup of tea but it's great that you got something from this!

Does this review sound ... read more

'I'm Jay Z on my bad days, Shakespeare on my worst days'

Simbi's run from 19' - 22' is ferocious, inspirational and filled with realness. Among my favorite three-album runs in the last 10 years, and probably the most evolutionary. Hearing these records from a retrospective perspective, it's clear to me that Simz has even MORE to prove, which is kinda crazy considering how many amazing albums she already has. Her catalogue just keeps getting better and ... read more

Little Simz has the most commanding and unrelenting voice in rap right now

Marked by a deep contemplation on modern social and political issues, 'NO THANK YOU' is a poetic analysis of the life of 'Little Simz'. Simbi shares her views on the music industry and living as a black person in today's age, all with an uncompromising honesty. Her flow is smooth, coherent and skillful, which makes the lyrics extremely effective and deep-cutting. The lush, funky and orchestral ... read more

Heartfelt lyricism, beautiful production, top tier performance.

On 'STAY WISE' Snick Foley spills his heart out rapping about the passing of his father and other personal issues. There are multiple odes to his father on here with intentionally gripping lyricism to keep you fully engaged. If you just take a look at the album cover you can tell how much his father meant to him...
This record feels like a long-winded path through grief and self realization. Foley made this record not ... read more

Futuristic Hip-Hop

'3030' has some of the most unique production I've ever heard in a hip-hop album. The ideas were executed to perfection, and as a whole the album feels like an experience; like going space traveling with a group of funky homosapiens. I can't really say I've heard anything quite like this.

OVerall: Killer flows, imaginative lyrics, immersive production.

Debut Exchange with @poo12

Come In - Weatherday

I heavily enjoyed the noise-based production here. There’s something about fuzzy guitar tones and oversaturated drums that clicks with me most of the time. I also liked how there seems to be nearly no structure to any of these tracks. It adds a bit of mystery and intrigue, which kept me engaged for the most part. There are sections with a lullaby-esque quality to it and then a moment later it’ll completely change to intense noise ... read more

2025 Exchange with @grilled romi sandwich

Seeking Darkness - Huremic

Sounds nothing like his other work

I’ve been following Parannoul for a while now, even listening to his more ambient adjacent stuff under his Maydreamfever alias, but I honestly never imagined him going for this noise infused experimental rock style. I just didn’t think the guy had it in him, which was clearly my mistake because this has been some of the most mind-melting music I’ve heard all year.
I ... read more

Yet another release that flew under the radar

'Nuits Sans Nuit' will bring out a range of emotions depending on how you choose to listen to it. For me, I felt fragments of unease, curiosity and peace. The project seems to alternate between profoundly beautiful, meditative compositions and anxious, uneasy compositions. I can't tell which aspect I like more, but there are highlights and lowlights of each.

Standout tracks: Waiting in Moonlight,

The most surprising album of the year

Going into this all I knew was that Brendan Canty played drums for Fugazi - a top 5 band for me. I don't know anything about Stephen Vitiello or Hahn Rowe, though I should because Vitiello collaborated with a few ambient musicians that I have been following for a while; Lawrence English, Steve Roden and Sakamoto for example.
This LP certainly has some of those ambient features but the players here take on a serious jam vibe - something adjacent to ... read more

This performance requires patience and a curious mind

It's easy to lose your focus when you're listening to a recording of this length, but if you dedicate your time to this I promise it will be worth it. I say that because every moment of this performance is riveting and worthy of praise, even the sparse sections like Tapscotts haunting piano melodies on 'L. T. T.' (a highlight for me) or the chant-like vocals on a track like 'Lift Every Voice'. This performance ... read more

Poetic and well produced.

There are some moments that didn't make sense to me. 'Young' doesn't sound like it fits in with the album thematically (still enjoyed the song), and some of the choruses were mediocre. I can't really complain though; I still really enjoyed most of the songs here.

'Blood' is Simz' most emotionally moving track.

Is this AOTY?

Yes

The most impactful release for me this year

Released on the Brainfeeder record label, this live recording from the Dutch ensemble 'Asko|Schönberg' feels profoundly special. The performance is composed of tracks from Jameszoo's most recent album, 'Blind', but here the tracks are reworked and made to fit a general theme; the exploration between human and machine creativity.

'Music for 17 Musicians' is clearly a nod to Steve Reich's 'Music for 18 ... read more

Gentle Giant in Order #2

I think I'm acquiring the taste.

With 'Acquiring the Taste' Gentle Giant pushes the boundaries of Progressive Rock even further, implementing more complex compositions, dissonant vocals and a wider instrumental palette. While their debut had major traces of Prog, it isn't until we get to their Sophomore record where we hear them move away from a mainstream sound completely, and fully embraces the weird and wacky side of music...

With that said, ... read more

Some pretty interesting textures but nothing kept me that engaged.

'Femenine' rewards the patient listener with subtle progressions and slight nuance, never really picking up until about halfway through when it introduces a collage of instruments. When it picks up, it stays that way for the majority of the performance, dropping every now and again before picking back up again.
This lengthy live act combines minimalism with a more unorthodox, jazzy style, and creates a shimmering-like quality with the instruments on display. It sort of felt like ... read more