by the time i get to phoenix 🖼️❤️☀️🧍🏻

mind-boggling (middle nine)

pros -

while not entirely a posthumous tribute to late bandmember groggs, by the time i get to phoenix taps into exactly what the late rapper would've wanted. this is a testament to their collective vision as a trio, not a duo. groggs chose the title
(cue the isaac hayes), groggs told them to cook up some weird shit, and that's exactly what they've done. groggs has about 3 performances, if i had to put a ... read more

the melodic blue 🪑🌈🌊
it's pretty good (lower seven)

pros -

baby keem busts out of the garage with a truckload of unparalleled charisma. he seems to have inherited this from his cousin, who infamously dethroned radiohead on multiple album ranking charts and may be someone you know (this is a joke)

hence, keem's flows and boisterous vocal performances are much improved from the already great die for my bitch. keem's vocal performances in the crooning side of things have shot up ... read more

my beautiful dark twisted fantasy 👨🏾👄🐦👩🏼🟥

mind-boggling (middle nine)

pros -

what can i say about this record? from the very first time i listened to it in it's entirety, it gave me an experience unparalleled by any album before or after it. not even to pimp a butterfly, or something of that vein gave me the same euphoric and triumphant rush.

behind the skin of red wine and leather, my beautiful dark twisted fantasy has running lore and conceptuality. it resides in ... read more

oil of every pearl's un-insides 🧚‍♀️🌃

it's amazing (middle eight)

pros -

very reassuring in tone, as in the album is quite comforting in nature. also, the more synth balladesque songs are transcendental and some of the best music i've heard from the last decade

sophie's sound sticks out from her contemporaries. the late producer makes tunes that don't conform to most pop stereotypes, and if they do, they are stereotypes she invented herself

most of the writing on the album ... read more

max and match 🧍🏻‍♀️🧍🏻‍♀️🧍🏻‍♀️

it's amazing (upper eight)

pros -

filled with life, energy and what not. this thing sounds like sugar in the form of music if that makes any sense on paper
oddly enough, tracks like odd and odd front are nearly psychedelic in tone. there's something ever so addicting about them

the three girls put out pretty commendable vocal performances, and given that there's a lot of resources within the trio themselves, not all of ... read more

hello 🙆🏻‍♀️

it's pretty good (middle 7)

pros -

these are nothing but covers of good songs. and if you have the vocal talent, then it's easier done than said, lol

sounds very very nostalgic, has a lot of retro charm

her voice is rather adorable and while the high-pitched tone of it might not appeal to everyone, it sure pricks up my ears

both the title track and happy birthday to you are both absolutely lovely and might as well be my favorite k-pop tracks of the year, i have ... read more

donda ⬛

it's good (lower 8)

pros -

some of my favorite artist's best work in ages, i can't stress this enough. given that he's 44, this project boasts of some pedigree of creativity

doses of conceptuality: ie, the storyline about freeing larry hoover sr, his late mother's final heartbeats in vocal form, and being reborn in jesus to reunite with his wife

some of kanye west's most passionate writing in a decade

some wonderful features putting out their finest work to date

also, like ... read more

nurture 💮💮💮💮🛌

it's good (upper 7)

pros -

very very sweet, adorable, and sounds fuzzy all around

has a very wholesome and reassuring set of lyrics

love the midi piano segments, adds a tone of minimalism

subtle experimentation on dullscythe and wind tempos

cons -

occasionally overblown, the drops can often be a little taxing in nature

sounds a bit too much like the projects that inspired it and a sea of Japanese music

mother is a sweet song that's marred by some ... read more

blonde 🤦‍♂️🔳

it's decent (middle 6)

pros -

has some of my favorite songs ever (white ferrari, godspeed, self control)

standout in its category, ie it took a risk being this minimalist

beautiful aesthetic

cons -

i'm too restless to sit through this project

i dislike nikes

the poppier tracks aren't as impressive as the more laidback ones

it's a tad boring

overall: blonde is a great project, but it's not for me. i think it's the worst frank ocean project because ... read more