Dare I say that this is more than just a worthy sequel to last year’s TEAATB?

VOBBB is everything you want from a ‘clipping.’ record: Harsh noise ✅ abstract, rapid vocal delivery ✅ impeccable production ✅ otherworldly, haunted atmosphere ✅ .

VOBBB perfectly balances catchy, more accessible tracks, such as “Say The Name” and “‘96 Nerve Campbell” (the latter sounding as if OutKast had taken the horrorcore path), and their signature ... read more

Gorillaz are still left looking for that whole-album cohesiveness that’s been missing since the exceptional Plastic Beach back in 2010, but hey, at least the songs slap this time round. Robert Smith, Beck, ScHoolboy Q, Elton John and Slowthai all make fantastic features, amongst other solid appearances throughout. And that’s what Gorillaz have ultimately been about all along: hearing your favourite artists from different genres all come together for a fun album experience, and ... read more

Burden of Proof starts off strong, but gets more and more generic and outdated as it progresses

Rated R walked so that Songs for the Deaf could run ...

They’ve done it again haven’t they. The most consistent indie folk band are back at it with another beautiful chamber-inspired record. It’s subtle, it’s delicate, it’s atmospheric ... it’s just folk-ing good music. Clocking in at just short of 55 minutes, Shore delivers plenty of calming, anxiety-reducing moments that are sure to lower your blood pressure in a tense year.

Fleet Foxes set the scene perfectly right from the word go: you’re standing on a ... read more

I don’t know if I’m missing something here, but there’s no tracks on here that I’d return to time and time again. Of course it has its moments, yet the lyrics aren’t consistently charming, despite the constantly goofy nature of a lot of the songs, and Mike’s delivery isn’t abstract enough to differentiate itself in a memorable way.

Mike’s smoothest flow comes and goes in the space of the opening track, “Death Parade”, which acts as a ... read more

Feeling both raw whilst also meticulously designed, True Opera seems to develop in whatever way it wants, never trying to appeal to the masses. The record, which runs for just a little over 26 minutes, drifts freely through post-punk, noise rock and experimental rock without stopping for even a second, hence leaving you wishing to replay it again and again and again.

Lianne La Havas’ self-titled third LP is everything you want from a soul record:
✅ Personal and introspective lyrics
✅ Soothing vocals
✅ Contains a Radiohead - Weird Fishes cover... or is that just me who wants to hear a cover of that song on every album?

There’s hardly a bad moment on this stunning reflection of La Havas, let alone a bad track, right from the first notes of Bittersweet through to the winding closing track Sour Flower. Although the music itself isn’t ... read more

I didn’t have a clue who Metz were 24 hours ago. Well, they’ve definitely proved themselves as a band to watch with Atlas Rising, a record that will consistently blow your socks off with its harsh vocals, powerhouse drumming and absolutely killer guitars. Its complete lack of subtlety is both the album’s strongest and weakest point, as a moment or two of relief would help to make the noisier parts even more extreme.

One to check out if you’re a fan of hard noise rock, ... read more

Pain Olympics has a staggering amount of untapped potential, even in its relatively short length. The highs of the record, which can be found when the collective truly release their shackles and artistically express themselves, show great promise, yet these highs never quite come together cohesively. Crack Cloud have a lot of great ideas, but it seems as though they’ve just not quite realised how to fully utilise all of their talents.

No Dream is the equivalent of having far too much caffeine on an empty stomach - pure, unrelenting, energetic anxiety

Alphaville definitely dares to push the boundaries of metal, with plenty of avant-garde experimentation which is pulled off to a tee ... it’s just a shame that the below-par, indistinguishable vocals cause large parts of most tracks to feel like a chore to finish.

Deeply rich in lushly constructed synth-pop and nu-jazz instrumentals, Room For The Moon oozes tranquility out of every pore. Kate NV uses the record as a musical sandbox; she sets the rules and creates whatever she wishes. Every song is fine-tuned and expanded upon to form complexly layered grooves that you’ll get lost in repeatedly.

Fave tracks: “Not Not Not” , “Du Na” , “Ça Commence Par” , “Lu Na” , “Plans” , ... read more

Yves Tumour confirms his place as one of the most forward thinking artists on the planet with their sophomore record. Whilst more conventionally structured than his debut, Heaven For A Tortured Mind still feels creatively free to head in any direction desired, with experimental elements of psychedelia, art-pop and even glam-rock appearing frequently. It’s a record that you’ll want to dive into again and again to fully make ends of everything that’s going on in it’s ... read more

Women In Music Pt.III presents some of Haim’s most enjoyable tracks of their career, with enough twists to their indie pop sound over its duration to keep the record sounding fresh and fun.

SAWAYAMA serves as one of the most diverse pop and R&B records of the year, effortlessly blending elements of dance, rock and nu-metal throughout to form a unique and catchy listening experience. There’s also something really human about the pop that Rina makes, a kind of true relatability and resonance with her voice and what she’s saying. It’s something that’s hard to put your finger on, but when an artist has it (whatever ‘it’ is), all you want is for ... read more

Poetically mesmerising jazz rap which retains its charm and prettiness even as the album loses its momentum in its later stages. R.A.P. Ferreira sounds free on Purple Moonlight Pages - something which is incredibly refreshing in the saturated hip-hop scene.

They’re not quite LCD Soundsystem, but boy is this debut album a packed dance-floor of funky synth pop and punk.

Jon Brion + Kanye West

Please retire mike.