"Everything Is Beautiful" is definitely a better record than "Everything Sucks". It sticks to a pop rap formula with plenty of wholesome topics and some decent performances. However, I can't help but feel like this is a watered-down Noname or Tierra Whack, as the instrumentals are generic as hell. It doesn't serve the cuter premise very well and the lyrics and hooks themselves are forgettable at best. Nothing awful on here, it's just really bland.

Fav Tracks: Sugar Honey ... read more

Wow. This is consistently horrid. Princess Nokia channels her inner "Harley Quinn" (the most basic understanding of the character, anyway) with some of the laziest trap "bangers" I've heard in a while. The trap production is consistently terrible, her performances are numbingly unenthusiastic and the lyrics try... very little to be edgy.

Zel's voice shouldn't even be on a project this bad.

Fuck you.

Fav Track: Gross

Least Fav Tracks: Woes, Fee Fi Foe, Crazy Horse, I Like ... read more

Yaeji lays down some pretty production, some introspective lyrics and a few great tunes that showcase a really cool style. Unfortunately, that style can only appease for so long. Not only does most of "WHAT WE DREW" consist of above average hip house-isms, the record also sees a considerable drop in quality during the latter half.

Fav Tracks: WHEN I GROW UP, IN THE MIRROR, WAKING UP DOWN, WHAT WE DREW, MY IMAGINATION

Least Fav Tracks: FREE INTERLUDE, THE TH1NG

Score:
5.6
Okay

"It Is What It Is" builds upon Thundercat's unique sound into what's probably his most wholesome record to date. It's still got that flair to it, from Stephen's falsetto vocals to the outstanding bass playing to the lovably nerdy lyrics. All of it is executed really damn well here, and these combined with excellent guest vocals, a great sense of humor ("Dragonball Durag" has to be one of the funniest songs of the year) and a touching tribute to his late friend, Mac Miller, ... read more

It may not be as diverse in its blend of genres and styles as "Safe in the Hands of Love", but "Heaven to a Tortured Mind" is just as focused. There seems to be more rock and soul leanings on this one, and the results are as striking as ever! The mixing on the drums and bass are punchy amidst all the noisy, psychedelic chaos. Sean Bowie's vocals are as alluring as ever, and they even brought along a few cool guests like Kelsey Lu onto a few of these songs. Overall, ... read more

Lightning Bolt may just be another reason why I LOVE noise rock (I know I said this in my black midi review, but still) and "Hypermagic Mountain" may just grow up to be one of my favorite noise rock albums ever! The amount of aggression placed onto the performances puts their other albums to shame, as this is noisy enough to cause at least a three-way head split with the loudest speakers available! Everything about this album screams relentlessly, sometimes even literally. Brian ... read more

This album is a "Wonderful Rainbow" of pure NOISE rock! Everything is such a blissfully explosive assault to the senses, with Brian Chippendale's raw snares and Brian Gibson's heavy, effects-flooded bass noise coming through those awesome riffs! The instrumentation and production is absolutely batshit insane, relentless and sounds like utter shit, which is pretty much what makes this band so charming!

Fav Tracks: Assassins, 2 Towers, Dracula Mountain, Duel in the Deep, Crown of ... read more

Brought to my attention by Youknowwho (@Inglume), Awich is a Japanese rapper that seems to be under the radar. But I'll just do my part in saying that her debut album, "KUJAKU", is PURE. PUSSY. POWER! There's only half of a language barrier here, which is somewhat convenient, but the translations tell that she delves into topics like sexism and empowerment. Her performances are passionate, with flows and deliveries that match her hip-hop influences without letting them get in the way ... read more

"The Main Thing" is a beautiful and warm indie record with some really cool instrumentation. But the formula makes the songs sound really samey after a while, which makes this album feel even more bloated than it has any right to be.

Fav Tracks: Paper Cup, Friday, You, Also a But, Shallow Sun, Procession

Least Fav Track: Gone

Score:
6.7
Decent

Using only a bass guitar and drums, Lightning Bolt have created a short and solid noise rock album with plenty of extreme, chaotic fun. The bass is bonkers as hell, the drumming is bonkers as well and the vocals, though sparse, are just as manic. We even have Brian Gibson communicating with a dolphin through bass guitar... that's a thing.

Fav Tracks: 13 Monsters, St. Jacques, Ride the Sky, The Faire Folk, Wee Ones Parade

Least Fav Track: Into the Mist 2

Score:
8.2
Great

Oneohtrix Point Never creates some of his most alluring textures yet on "Age Of", with richly-detailed soundscapes and an ear for making MIDI sound good. The experience is quite varied too, which also makes this his most inconsistent work to date. There are also some vocals contributions that sometimes work decently and other times not at all.

Fav Tracks: We'll Take It, The Station, Age Of, RayCats, Still Stuff That Doesn't Happen, Last Known Image of a Song, Toys 2

Least Fav Track: ... read more

"Garden of Delete" is probably one of Daniel Lopatin's most abstract and off the wall releases in his career. It combines his recent sample-based work with a chaotic mash-up of different genres, and that craziness is why it's so damn good! It's mind-bending, as well as it's brilliantly-produced, meticulously-crafted and fun to sit back to.

Fav Tracks: Sticky Drama, Mutant Standard, Freaky Eyes, I'll Bite Through It, Lift, Ezra, No Good, Child Of Rage

Least Fav Track: ... read more

The first track, "Weather", is a very cool track with crisp percussion, reverb-soaked synth passages and tight mixing all round. "Outer Sunset" is also a... very cool track with... crisp percussion... reverb-soaked synth passages and... tight mixing. Yeah, he just kind of repeats the same track 8 more times on this record and, while it keeps it somewhat consistent sonically, it blemishes itself for the fact that there isn't a single standout track on here.

Fav Tracks: Outer ... read more

"no future" is a beautifully-produced album. It strikes a pretty consistent tone too, with relaxing, ambient soundscapes throughout. Unfortunately, despite some really good tracks, it's also kinda bloated, forgettable and derivative. It also lacks variation in the tracks, further enhancing the bloated nature.

Fav Tracks: hertz; good morning; untitled; love, death, distraction; projector; so far so good; 2020; just saying; isohel

Least Fav Track: $treams

Score:
6.7
Decent

Despite a few underwritten moments, goddammit, I had so much fun listening to "Drunk". The production is great, the vocals are great, the bass playing is fantastic and the features are solid. But all in all, this album is really funny. There's a bunch of nerdy references to Sonic the Hedgehog and Dragonball Z alongside song topics like "I got friend zoned. Fuck it, gonna play some Diablo". Overall, this is a fun, jazzy and playful record that just OOZES with wit and ... read more

"Windows Open" is a cute little EP but it never really goes beyond that, which may be fine. It features some sweet vocals from guest Maia Friedman and the songwriting's solid but the track lengths (under 3 minutes each) never bring these songs to their full potential.

Fav Tracks: Overlord, Search for Life

Least Fav Track: Guarding the Baby

Score:
6.8
Decent

I haven't gotten much material from the group before this album, besides the Gorillaz collab and "Ritual Union", but I think "New Me, Same Us" is a solid release from them. It's a little shallow, but Yukimi Nagano's vocals are great, the instrumentation is quite calming and there's a fine dosage of catchy songwriting here.

Fav Tracks: Are You Feeling Sad?, Hold On, Another Lover, New Fiction, Where You Belong, Stay Right Here

Least Fav Track: Water

Score:
7.5
Very Good

Despite the closing track being quite underwhelming, "The Beyond / Where the Giants Roam" is a really good, albeit short, EP that further shows Thundercat's great talents with terrific production, smooth vocal performances and a better handle on the more experimental bits. "Them Changes" is especially a highlight here!

Fav Tracks: Them Changes, Lone Wolf and Cub, Song for the Dead

Least Fav Track: Where the Giants Roam / Field of the Nephilim

Score:
7.8
Very Good

"Apocalypse" builds upon the foundations of "Golden Age of Apocalypse" with smoother results. Thundercat's bass playing is fantastic, his singing is great and the instrumentation is even more wonky before. Add to that some great production from Flying Lotus and some quality tracks and you could've had another outstanding project. Unfortunately, a few of the weak attempts at more experimental palettes make this a more frustrating listen, and the mixing is all over the ... read more

"The Golden Age of Apocalypse" is a great showcase for Thundercat's songwriting. His crazy bass lines, jazzy instrumentation and mind-warping progressions are really unique to modern jazz and his vocal performances are smooooth. Maybe the production doesn't always pan out, but this is a really solid debut project overall.

Also, as a fan of "Cosmogramma", hearing the "MmmHmm" reference on "Is It Love?" brought a huge smile on my face!

Fav Tracks: ... read more