This is the best album I have ever listened to. Hands down, without debate or question. This album is peak. This album DEFINES peak even. Listening to Ordinary Corrupt Human Love has recontextualized my rating system for every other album I have or will listen to because it sets the bar that high, regardless of genre. This is a true 100/100 gem and I imagine it will hold its title in my heart for a long time to come.

Cryptic aching is how I would describe this album. The themes backed by imagery and motifs that aren't obvious made this an engaging listening experience, and being my second album by Deafheaven, I'm very surprised with the direction they went with this LP. Clean vocals, easy on the metal, if at all, Infinite Granite definitely feels like a shoegaze album to me. And frankly I don't mind it at all, it's still raw, emotional, and at times almost devastating, even if it ... read more

Wow. What an album. MØL certainly branches out of their original sound with DREAMCRUSH, pairing clean vocals with the familiar growling that we all know. Poignant lyrics that hit close to home and much gentler instrumentals without completely disconnecting from their roots make this quite unique as far as their LP lineup goes. The clean vocals especially I understand can be polarizing, though I personally don't mind it. After all, blackgaze is all about the juxtaposition of two ... read more

Going into this album, I wanted to like it so bad. And honestly, I did! My one and only gripe is that there were no lyrics anywhere and I do like knowing what they are. But, I think in this case, it actually added to the obscurity of the music and its themes. Going just off how it made me feel, it was pretty soul crushing and that’s just what I needed.

A step up from their first album, Diorama is an elegantly woven juxtaposition between thrashing guitar and vocals contrasted with gentle melodies and at times, ethereal vocals. It presents as a very cohesive listening experience with more straightforward themes, and as a whole is a very strong album with great pacing.

A textbook example of black gaze from after the genre’s conception, this album was my introduction to MØL and a fantastic one no less. Some of the songs feel like a more abstract exploration of emotions and themes, leaving room for the reader to interpret the songs in their own way. Overall, it is an album that I connected to, with excellent melodies at that. I look forward to seeing how they’ve evolved in Diorama and their latest album, DREAMCRUSH.

On a night where I wished to cry in the arms of someone who does not exist, this album was the next best thing.

Sure the album was a little easier on the black metal components of blackgaze, but god damn I don't care the atmosphere of the album is good as it is. "Tir Nan Og" is slept on, but as a whole this is an album I'd happily listen to again, it's existential, hauntingly serene, and dreamy. It felt almost meditative at times while listening through. Definitely worth a listen.

A great album with songs that will make you yearn, dance, or simply stare at the ceiling and wonder how the hell they managed to come up with or even create this music. That being said I hate Pharrell Williams' voice and the two songs where he is featured are a hard flop for me. "Doin' it Right" is also way too repetitive, and I'm not a fan of Panda Bear's voice either. I'm definitely surprised that "Get Lucky" has such a high rating on here. Without ... read more

I have such mixed feelings about this album. Going into it and having read up a bit on the backstory of this particular album, I really, REALLY wanted to like it. The opening song I'm honestly not really a fan of, though it's the most popular. I wasn't a fan of Owain Davies' airy singing on this track, or for the rest of the album for that matter. The instrumentals on the other hand, were really trippy and I was honestly a fan, and after reading someone else's review I ... read more

Sapphire was my introduction to Alcest and led me to listening to this album. While late in their discography, it is not bad at all. The dark atmosphere and introspective lyrics are nice, though the album I feel is paced a tad slow. On my second playthrough, while I can appreciate the music, I do feel like the instrumental stretches start to blend together. Which, combined with the pacing, lowers my rating of the album. The vocals are consistent and sound good. Overall, I did enjoy it, though ... read more

The album as a whole feels very cohesive, very obviously talking about a breakup and doing so with a dreamy atmosphere. I have no complaints to be honest, and while not personally relatable it's a great album nonetheless. I do believe that Slowdive is a cornerstone of the shoegaze genre, though my active listening experience didn't do a whole lot for me. That being said, the album is excellent for helping to curate a specific mood.

Words that come to mind include dark, psychedelic, hypnotic even. The lyrics are sensual, delivered by voices each beautiful in their own right. While certain songs weren't my cup of tea, like "Risingson" and "Inertia Creeps", they are still respectable as music, and overall, Mezzanine tickles my brain in a way that it didn't know it wanted to be. The composition is consistent in both excellence and mood, and something I'd expect to hear in a dystopian film ... read more

One of the first albums I've ever listened to with intent, Sunbather is quite a journey, and an emotional experience for sure. The instrumentals convey feeling that would be difficult to put into words accurately, with the lyrics adding depth and telling a story throughout the album. What that story is is for you to figure out, deduce, or otherwise synthesize with what you're given. An excellent blend of black metal and shoegaze, I understand why Deafheaven is hailed as a pioneer of ... read more

One of the albums of all time.

Would have no complaints except that I really didn't like the final song, obviously Nutshell is the crown jewel of this album, but Don't Follow and Whale & Wasp both have special places in my heart as well. No singular song here is weak except for Swing On This, otherwise an excellently crafted album that taps into an ache and melancholy so many of us can relate to, contrasted with bursts of energy.