brass band resurgence lets go

Intro and Ty’s verse don’t work AT ALL on this beat, but the verses work better. A mix of the versions would get it to be a half decent song. Neither versions are 7+/10.

Amazing album. Don’t judge this just because it was a different sound to what you maybe expected in parts. There’s no way this is below an 80 just because you found it boring, because you wanted power pop. This is fantastic music. You don't get the dizzying, euphoric highs, without building the anticipation through mysterious and beautiful ambience. Not all good music has instant gratification. This is a highly rewarding and redeeming album that is constantly taking you somewhere, ... read more

Fantastic album Travis. Truly. The production is incredibly picturesque, with the Utopian title being just with the electronic soundscape throughout. Juxtaposing the title with the dark sounds creates a brilliantly moody vibe through the music. It’s all incredibly detailed, energetic and most importantly, interesting throughout. There’s a couple spots of usual dip, as there are on most albums with trap beats and over 12 songs, but he does well to keep the album flowing nicely. ... read more

It's a nice listen, if a little one-dimensional. Blissful music but nothing groundbreaking. A solid, solid 7/10.

The tracklist my rating is based on:

Chakras (Selah)
Hurricane
Alien
City in the Sky
All Dreams Real
Law of Attraction
Slave Name
We Got Love

Firstly, this LP has it’s own successes and glaringly obvious failures - with NO need to compare to Daytona like everyone else is doing! Push comes through with ice cold bars and new flows with himself being a great highlight on the record. A more melodic sound in his vocals often works and shows a new side to his rapping - probably influenced by Pharrell. Despite this though, the futuristic beats clash heavily with Push’s style, almost to the point where he feels uncomfortable on ... read more

Southgate you’re the one.

This album feels far too uninteresting to me. When Cole tries to switch up the style, or fuse elements of other sub-genres in the production, it comes across as corny, but when he sticks to his guns the music lacks excitement. What I mean by this is, in the first track the trap drum beat mixed with the soul sampling doesn’t work for me, and this is evident in many other tracks. Further into the track list when Cole makes J Cole music, the songs become predictable and the features tend to ... read more

TYRON is the second full length LP by Northampton raised artist slowthai. Side A showcases slowthai doing what he does best, with tracks like ‘CANCELLED’, yet feels slightly lacklustre due to the underdeveloped ideas – evident on tracks such as ‘WOT’. Side B, however, shows the reflective capabilities of the twenty-six year olds music, with tracks like ‘I tried’ displaying a soulful instrumental, and a mellow sonic on show during the track ‘feel ... read more

Man on the Moon III, the latest record by the self dubbed ‘musical anarchist’ Scott Mescudi, merges the original melodic beauty of his previous musical endeavours, with a psychedelic trap sound comparative to that of Travis Scott - a musician whom he inspired with previous projects. With a mostly consistent track list that explores these different sounds, the immense production and stunning melodies result in a slick and spacey soundtrack to solidify the trilogy as a fantastic ... read more

After 3 years since their previous project, Blu & Exile returned on July 17th 2020 to release their fourth collaboration, Miles. Lasting 1 hour and 35 minutes, this album is a consistent dedication to pure Hip Hop, exploring different topics and styles throughout. From Jazz influence and the discussion of Hip Hop’s roots on tracks like ‘Miles Davis’ and ‘Roots of Blue’, to a classic Hip Hop sonic on ‘The Feeling’ and ‘Requiem Of Blue’, ... read more

Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, aka Logic, announced on July 16th 2020 that his seventh album would be his last. No Pressure, produced by No I.D. and Logic himself, boasts one of the greatest comebacks from previous projects in recent times. His retirement announced came after he had recently become a father, and falling out of love with his craft due to poor critical reception to his projects. This deeply impacted his mental health. Despite many critics being overly harsh, some had valid opinions ... read more

Tkay Maidza’s sequel, to her 2018 EP Last Year Was Weird Vol.1, is a diverse hip hop EP that gives substance to every style and topic it explores. Elements of an electronic sonic work really well on tracks like ‘Grasshopper’ and ‘Awake’, the latter of which boasts a JPEGMAFIA feature which compliments the style immensely. A more well known hip hop groove is shown in tracks like ‘24k’ where Tkay displays great flow. ‘You Sad’ shows her vocal ... read more

On September 7th 2018, Malcolm McCormick, known artistically as Mac Miller, sadly passed away due to an accidental drug overdose. Almost two years on from the tragic event, his posthumous record serves as a beautiful gift to his fans. Thankfully, after Mac’s passing, his legacy was respected and the project wasn’t forced out as soon as possible as a cash grab. Miller’s final release is a gorgeous performance, with sweet melodies and relaxing instrumentals.

RIP Malcom ... read more

Limbo, the sophomore album by Portland musician Aminé, is arguably his most consistent project in his catalogue to date. A more mature tone is evident, with tracks like ‘Kobe’ allowing Adam to discuss his realisation and reflection of his age, due to events happening in 2020 - namely the passing of NBA Icon Kobe Bryant (RIP). Despite this heightened level of maturity, the project stays light, and features great R&B production in places, as well as fantastic hip-hop ... read more

Released at the very beginning of 2020, the short collaborative project between Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats, Unlocked, showcases hard, glitchy beats with direct and gritty lyricism. Despite only lasting 17 minutes and 51 seconds, the project is full of substance, with tracks like ‘Take_it_back_v2’ providing experiments with the vocal production, keeping the track varied yet somehow remaining concise. Ultimately, this packed collaboration is a definite highlight of 2020.

Savage Mode II is the hard hitting sequel to 21 Savage’s joint 2016 mixtape with Metro Boomin, that leaves very little to be questioned. With fierce production on almost every track, and arguably some of Savage’s finest lyricism, the project is certainly one of the greatest for the year.

Immediately setting the scene, the opening track ‘Intro’ hooks the listener by creating a dark, overhanging atmosphere - helped to come to life by none other than Academy Award-winning ... read more

The latest extended project from Sheffield based metal outfit, Bring Me The Horizon, sees the band take a successful re-exploration into the heavier aspects of their previous musical endeavours. Trying to perfect the controversial electronic elements the band had been demonstrating on recent previous projects, ultimately results in an electronic metal album that stands out amongst the best of the year. With ‘Survival Horror’ being the first of the ‘Post Human’ series, ... read more