The beats and instrumentation are equally lush and riveting, so immaculately constructed and so extraordinarily infectious and danceable that I almost couldn't care less about what she’s saying, Amaarae’s voice carries an angelic, silky quality that could pierce through the sky into the heavens, but simultaneously, she sings with confidence, exuberance and vivacity. A quality that is unique to her and her only, and she utilises it brilliantly, her vibrant personality punctuating ... read more

Stretching an impressive 77 minutes long, “Ocean Blvd” is ambitious, cathartic and honest. Lana lays out her sentiments and vulnerabilities across the many piano-backed folk songs in the record, the production and music is quiet and carries a haunting element, perhaps generated from the combination of Lana’s whispery vocal performance and the depressing and sometimes self-deprecating lyrical content. In this album, Lana writes herself a personal mythology, detailing her ... read more

Jessie Ware had the same objective during the making of this album as she did with her previous effort, the stellar and jawdroppingly gorgeous “What’s Your Pleasure?” — to transform into a carefree spirit and bath in the euphoric atmosphere that music could create — though “That! Feels Good!” did not quite match the alluring and mystifying quality that her predecessor possessed, the record is still undeniably enjoyable from front to back, filled to the ... read more

Following her ubiquitous debut album “SOUR”, critics worry that Rodrigo may have exhausted all of her steam, but GUTS is an improvement from “SOUR” in practically all aspects, more mature songwriting, more developed vocals and more realised musical direction, Rodrigo dives from drum and piano based emotional outpours to angsty teenaged pop-punk screamers, and unlike her debut, she seems to have found the perfect balance between the two sounds.

“The second part of her ‘Jaguar’ series sees Monet venturing into more traditional territories of R&B. She sings over sleek and silky instrumentation that often incorporates styles of reggaeton, resulting in songs that could almost be described as frictionless. Being an experienced songwriter that has contributed behind-the-scenes for many high-profile artists over the years such as Ariana Grande, Blackpink and Travis Scott, Monet does not disappoint with her own work, ... read more

Though not as intricate and as lyrically dense as Monae’s previous efforts, Monae’s dive into afrobeats-inspired R&B leads to mostly commendable results – barring the critique that it finishes just a slight prematurely – the record sacrifices traditional album structure in favour of the creation of an atmosphere, a collective emotion, to which she succeeds with flying colours, as the record faultlessly transitions from one song to the next, likening to a gigantic DJ ... read more

Spanning only 7 tracks, this album does not overstay its welcome, but its succinctness might just be part of its appeal, it is focused and straightforward, playing at the edges of experimental and contemporary music and effortlessly infusing the genres of R&B, trap and pop together into masterful pieces with catchy hooks and groovy beats. The dark-toned, unconventional production on “Talk To Me Nice” is especially memorable, and the spacious and amorphous “Gravity” ... read more

Hailed with the moniker as one of the pioneers of the hyperpop movement, 100 gecs has amassed a loyal cult following on the internet for their often unorthodox use of instrumentation and experimental sound, their sophomore effort "10000 gecs", certainly does not fail to live up to their reputation, featuring an eclectic selection of genres that span from metal to pop-punk to electronica, and although some songs may sound odd and off-putting at first, once you throw all expectations of ... read more

No, Charlie Puth, you cannot just release the same song 12 times, put them on an album, and call it a day.

Charlie Puth’s album should really be renamed to “One Track Mind”, because that's what it is, basic and unimaginative tracks with rehashed and repetitive themes of love that could basically be mushed together to form one big, bland and boring song because they sound practically identical. To his credit, Charlie Puth possesses the most bizarre ratios present in the music ... read more

Mendes’ third studio album is another piece of sonically sterile, radio-pleasing pop that fills the niche in the music industry of having no niche at all.

A major, and rarely discussed cause for the misjudgement in the quality of music is childhood naivety. I’ve had the unfortunate experience of falling into the trap of liking Mendes’ music when I was still young. While liking music that carries a juvenile quality as a child is much more understandable. Making this kind of ... read more

Newjeans short but sweet EP provides a refreshing new spin on Kpop music that recalls the breezy R&B tunes of the 2000s

It was evident, even during their initial debut, that Newjeans possessed a very unique and identifiable style that directly contrasts the loud and sometimes even abrasive instrumentals that are practically omnipresent in K-pop music. Their arrival at the music scene with selections such as “Hype Boy” and “Attention” took the world by storm, by ... read more

Creating an up to par follow up to Folklore and Evermore is a tall order, and with Midnights, it seems that Swift is rather safe than sorry.

With Midnights, Swift creates a contemporary, mainstream pop album in an attempt at artistic progression following her crowning achievements with the folk-inspired sister albums Folklore and Evermore. The radical change cements that Swift is a music chameleon, though with Midnights it seems she has blended herself completely into the background. Striving ... read more

Kali Uchis’ second full-length spanish language LP consists of dreamy R&B tunes punctuated with ferocious latin jazz dance numbers, culminating into a varied but memorable listen

Uchis weaves her voice into the criss-crosses of the flower basket of Orquídeas — an incredibly fitting title — as you could almost picture her singing these luscious tunes in an endless meadow of orchids. Her voice, hypnotizing yet raw, coupled with the production, entices the listeners ... read more

On her fourth album, Jessie Ware sounds free, fun and fresh, and she infects us with her spirit through the music

Jessie Ware is not the first to pivot towards a disco direction. As the music industry turns to the new decade, a trail of pop behemoths and smaller indie acts turn to the dancefloor, however none are perhaps as loyal to the source material as Ware. While her contemporaries are desperate to add hints and tinges of commercial pop sensibilities, Ware spares no effort in ... read more

A culturally rich and career-defining work of astonishing quality, Beyoncé’s first foray into dance music is a beautiful homage to the genre and the underground queer artists that helped forge it.

Beyoncé has never been shy from artistic reinvention, from the release of her groundbreaking, experimental self-titled album Beyoncé in 2013, to the landmark story concept album Lemonade in 2016, which sees Beyoncé at her most eclectic musically as she explores ... read more