Wasabi02

Wow The Academy thinks they’re so cool and quirky picking the album no one expected to win The GRAMMY for Album of the Year. But I shouldn’t judge the decision without having heard it, and now I have, I can confidently say that I understand why it won. This album is a tremendous display of competence across genres, Batiste tries his hand at funk, soul, gospel, jazz, hip-hop, pop and so many more styles, and is technically impressive in all of them. He’s a fantastic player, a ... read more

Commercially viable post-punk is an interesting concept. Several bands from this current wave have succeeded, but that always seems to have been against the odds. IDLES, Fontaines DC and Sports Team are all names that now fit comfortably on the BBC Radio 1 playlist, and when you take a step back and look at it that’s insane. But now Wet Leg have come along and made an album that is simultaneously and intentionally both post-punk and pop. The success was immediate, with the lead single ... read more

So our saga of going through the year’s RYM charts and listening to a bunch of stuff people seem to like begins! Our first victim is the fourth studio album from Connecticut screamo band Foxtails who have decided to go all-in on Post-Hardcore for the first time, drifting slightly from their Midwest Emo roots. That’s not to say those influences aren’t at play, and it’s one of several they use to create something really quite unique. Perhaps the most striking of these is ... read more

Denzel Curry has always been one of the most reliable rappers when it comes to a big ol’ banger, but the Floridian’s fifth studio album sees him balance that out with some of his most personal musings to date. Underpinned by a largely jazz motif Denzel discusses both personal and wider issues with his usual dexterity and killer wordplay, but manages to do so without losing his tendency to go so bloody hard. It’s an album that’s serious without being depressing, ... read more