When Rina Sawayama released her genre-bending debut, people took notice, and she became a critical darling. So how does a critical darling follow up a critically acclaimed album like Sawayama? This is how.

Hold The Girl aims for a new balance. Whereas Sawayama had genre-busting, Hold The Girl opts for a more subtle approach. In the midst of the pop punk revival, this album is a pop rock affair for the small part, with some more straightforward pop songs like the title song and 'Holy', as well ... read more

If you asked some random normie on the street to name one song by Coldplay, chances are that they'll reply with a few lines from 'The Scientist', possibly quote the iconic piano riff from 'Clocks', or even the guitar riff from 'In My Place'. That's because each song comes from what would be described as a classic Coldplay-sounding album, one that is seen as one of their best, if not their masterpiece.

A Rush of Blood to the Head isn't exactly experimental compared to some of its successors, ... read more

Whoever wrote this must've been aware of the vitriol and hate that Aespa's been getting since debut, and it shows here. Whether it works as a clapback song or not is up to you, but it has more 'dissing imaginary haters' energy than 'keep on hating, we'll do us' energy.

Less than a year after the critically reviled CLB, Drake surprise drops a new album. No corny emoji cover, instead you get a bland and apathetic title. Surprisingly enough, Drake actually switches up his sound just in time for summer (at the time of writing this review, it's over 30 degrees in London). He swaps out the spacey trap/alt-R&B instrumentals in favour of a more electronic and house-based bent. This isn't the first time Drake has dipped his toes into chill house, he sampled a ... read more

I actually don't know how to describe this. Oh wait, I do. Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers kind of lyrically breaks new ground for Kendrick. Whereas he was telling stories and exploring the perspective of others, he starts exploring his character more than usual, leaving the listener questioning themselves and their ideals. The album itself may not exceed Damn, but the execution and curation warrants the high score I'm giving it. And because it's Kendrick as well, who knows when he'll drop a ... read more

Another year, another chapter out of the way. With The Chaos Chapter completed, TXT kicks off their 2022 with a new minisode.

The opening song, the aptly titled 'Opening Sequence', hints at a darker and more melancholic direction. 'Good Boy Gone Bad' takes this direction and adds a rebellious tinge to it, while also continuing the rock influence of the Chaos Chapter title tracks. The next couple of tracks, 'Trust Fund Baby' and 'Lonely Boy', are both laidback and stripped by comparison, albeit ... read more

It seems like Jack Harlow has avoided one-hit wonder status thanks to 'First Class'. Good for him. Doesn't save this album from being a disappointment.

Why is Come Home The Kids Miss You so mid? The answer is simple. It's because of the lack of variety in tempo and soundscape. I don't mind chill trap music, I don't mind pop rap, but this album is a bit too chill-pop-rap for me. Almost every song on there is a midtempo, sample-oriented R&B-ish rap tune, with similar lyrical content. Granted ... read more

Fun story: I was too busy listening to Nigo's album when I accidentally clicked on a song from this EP and figured that while I'm here, I might as well get to it and listen to the rest of it.

With My, Miyeon is the second (G)-Idle member with a solo release. By the time you're done with 'Te Amo', you'd find that this is a relatively chill debut. Apart from 'Drive', the obligatory uptempo-but-not-quite-uptempo title track, every song is a midtempo ballad. Nothing wrong with that, but it helps ... read more

This is more in line with the more chill material from Thats What They All Say, but it's no problem, considering it's about the opposite of 'Nail Tech'. I appreciate the Fergie sample, but the verses contain some questionable bars that actually make you laugh because of how embarrassing they are. For a solo song, it kind of feels like Jack took a backseat here.

After the famous hyperpop phase, here comes the infamous 'sellout' album. At least that's what Charli XCX and her fans would tell you. Is Crash really the sound of an experimental pop star selling out and chasing trends?

Charli's no stranger to killing openers, and the title song is no exception. Its hard-edged, new jack swing backing already gives you an idea on what to expect and where to place your expectations. 'New Shapes' and 'Good Ones' are both synth-oriented, but with a great ... read more

One thing that stood out to me was its use of dynamics. It hits the right level between bombastic and laidback, and should set the tone for Serpentina.

After a long wait of... a few months, Jack Harlow is jumping back into album mode. It's been some time after the first listen but I can see what he was going for with the Industry Baby vibes. The problem is, 'Nail Tech' is just not as triumphant-sounding.

A bit of a step down from what we've come to associate with Rex Orange County, but it's not disappointing at all. If this is what WHO CARES might sound like, I'd actually be down for it.

After holding back on this one amidst the Astroworld incident, I'm announcing my return by reviewing something from an artist who stepped back in the spotlight.

This 2-pack is another piece of hype for Travis Scott's upcoming Utopia/Dystopia (whichever comes first) projects. 'ESCAPE PLAN' has a spacey beat that's fitting for what Utopia's theme might be, but the song as a whole is still mid, an average Travis song stuck on autopilot. The B-side, 'MAFIA', is a lot more interesting with its ... read more

Ha ha, old man Abel is the cover.

In all seriousness, Dawn FM is the long-awaited follow-up to the Weeknd's blockbuster album, After Hours. This album doubles down on the synth-oriented sound that defined about half of its predecessor (with some nu-disco and quiet storm thrown in for good measure), but it's just as moody, if not moodier. Oh, and it's structured in the form of a radio show for the posthumous.

Lyrically speaking, the album is familiar territory for Abel. Whereas After Hours had ... read more

I never thought I'd be listening to a Produce group (yes, GP999 is a Produce season in all but name) but here we are.

After a Covid-induced delay, Kep1er kicks off 2022 with their first impact, First Impact. I'll be real, most of the songs pass you by sooner than expected. 'See The Light' is the best example, seeing as it's essentially a glorified intro. Nothing wrong with that, but another couple of minutes. Then we get the TT, 'Wa Da Da', which is exciting in some places but is still a ... read more

In the midst of Soojin apparently turning out to be a bully, resulting in an uncertain future for (G)-Idle as a group, Yuqi settled down and cut some solo material. There's not much to say about A Page. Not because it's disappointing, but because of its quantity. Regardless, 'Giant' is a powerful number that makes it title track-worthy, one where Yuqi makes her personal print. Helps that this song is her baby. Its B-side, 'Bonnie & Clyde', is a more uptempo banger that speaks of having ... read more

Of all the Christmas albums in the world, I choose this one. Merry, Merry Christmas is New Kids on the Block's essential Christmas album, released when New Kids-mania was gaining steam. It's also the corniest Chriatmas album I've ever come across, right down to the cover.

The opening paean, 'This One's for the Children,' shows some maturity and variety from a pop group largely acknowledged for their silly love songs and devotee fans. With its message of hope for the future, it's practically ... read more

'Only two weeks left 'til Christmas!' - Ming-Ming from Elf (2003)

I had been interested in Stray Kids for a while, but I never found the time to listen to an entire body of work from them. Until today. The title track is standard SKZ material, but it still works. Because it shows that not every Christmas song has to be soft or jolly, because the group uses their trademark sound to add a new spin to the holidays. The next few songs are more straightforward. '24 to 25' is your average Christmas ... read more

It's been a year since this came out and despite the initial uproar and skepticism surrounding aespa at this time, they've actually turned out quite fine. I don't think 'Black Mamba' is that terrible, it's actually a decent debut song, actually more fierce than your average Kpop flirtation with EDM. But it didn't really age well in hindsight, and it doesn't exactly reflect aespa's sound yet, like they were lost in sonic translation.