katy b's on a mission is another album that incorporates breakbeat type stuff into its production, and oh my god it's a vibe. it's really electronic, which highlights the intricacies of everything really well too and makes for a great pop album.

sound of the underground HAS to be one of the most adventurous debut albums from a pop group of like,, all time? i guess? girls aloud go hard when they incorporate more d&b / breakbeat elements into their music, and it's really a sound like no other that works super well with most other elements of the album. the title track, "life got cold," and "white lies" are all highlights.

i don't know what's going on and this is probably a pretty impulsive 10 but i don't care i love this album anyway. it's super interesting gothic rock / visual-kei, and it creates this amazingly dark atmosphere that's wrapped around every single layer of this album while still being super enjoyable to listen to. very nice.

noveller's arrow is a very, very cinematic drone album, something i can easily imagine playing in the background of a mystery movie, unfolding as it goes on to become a true adventure. it's probably one of the most atmospheric albums i'm going to hear this year, which it excels at because it's bursting at the seams with dreamy guitars and symphonic progressions that make it something special.

ungodly hour is a super uplifting r&b album, and it's filled from front to back with the beautiful voices of chloe and halle bailey and the lush production of a whole lot of other people. "forgive me," "baby girl," "do it," "tipsy," "don't make it harder on me," and "royl" are highlights.

jehnny beth's to love is to live shines when it's at its darkest and most chaotic, but apart from those few moments i wasn't really as engaged with the album as much as i really wanted to be... it's just kind of boring for the most part. i'm sure that with time, this album will grow on me, but for now the only songs i'm willing to return to are "we will sin together," "i'm the man," "how could you," and "human."

estelle's shine is alright for the most part, but it's also forgettably so. apart from the classic "american boy," the kali uchis-esque "magnificent," and the grand finale "shine," i found it to be just fine. i don't know, i think i was expecting more.

nadia oh's debut album is something to behold. it's a noisy, energetic party fronted by self-assured and deadpan vocals, almost like the precursor to today's bubblegum bass scene. space cowboy's forward-thinking and experimental production really blossoms on this album, with every song being unique, danceable, and just plain fun. it was a futuristic take on pop music back in 2008, and it still sort of is now, being eccentric and extravagant at the same time. loved it.

koraii's the cable cult is an album that i've been wanting to cover for a long time, but i haven't had the chance to until now. it's a great electronic album, melting elements of future bass, ambient, and drum and bass to create an interesting story that's captivating the whole way through. "burial" and "worship" are definitely highlights compared to the rest, but the album as a whole could not stand if there was a song absent from the track listing.

this was... disappointing. although i liked a few songs on this album, "she's there" and "cars in space," nothing else really grabbed my attention on here and it just felt kind of bland to me.

this was my first venture into a run the jewels album, and i thought it was fine? there's so much energy in every single track, and although pumping up each song can definitely be a benefit in other genres, on rtj4 it feels just, super overwhelming. that being said, i really loved the production, but it's too much for me sometimes. "ooh la la," "walking in the snow," and "the ground below" are standouts.

it's grown off of me pretty hard.

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original score: 92
original review:
i was introduced to hinds by my mother a few years ago, and i kind of forgot about them because i didn't find them to be all that interesting, just another forgettable all-female rock band. so when i listened to the prettiest curse, i was completely blown away. the band's so much more mature now than ever before, and they're definitely at their best here. the hooks are all extremely catchy, and the performances from ... read more

bambee's on ice is a sweet little eurodance album that's every bit enjoyable as it is danceable. the upbeat and catchy production is where the album really shines, and it's a really cohesive effort. "bumble bee" and "baby baby" are standouts.

the witch's dagger is one of the most horrifying albums i've listened to. it's not like there's anything outright scary on here, but veronica lipgloss and the evil eyes succeed greatly at creating a disturbing and super off-putting atmosphere with their manic, dissonant performances and overall anxiety-inducing everything. loved it.

italian ice is a decent pop soul album that i'm more mixed about than anything. it constantly fluctuates between strong, innovative songs and ones that are a lot more bland in my opinion. "domino," "captain," and "these old roses" are highlights.

for a pop rock album, i was surprised at how hard this thing went, but at points it just sounded cheesy, especially in regards to the lyrics. "little bastards," "anxiety," "nervous breakdown," and "nightmares" are highlights.

i'm not particular a fan of the tropical house wave, but i gave this a listen anyway because kim petras was on a song. i actually liked a few more songs (standouts are "the truth," "broken glass," and "higher love"), but everything else just sounded like the same song over and over again, especially in the second half of the album, which was just straining to go through.

hawaii: part ii is one of the most creative and dreamlike albums i've heard in a long time, and it's reminiscent of a more tame version of vallow's pluto and the outer darkness. that being said, i really enjoyed the sheer amount of experimentation that went into this thing, since most, not all, of it turned out really well. apart from the awkward rapping on "labyrinth" and the owl city-like vocals on "time machine," i think that this album's variety of musical elements ... read more

there's not a bad song on here.

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original score: 97
original review:
devi mccallion's extensive discography has always been enticing to me. whether it's on the more noisy and industrial side like black dresses with ada rook or much more toned down yet eclectic like cats millionaire or mom, she never puts out a bad project, and crap shit under her girls rituals name is perhaps the culmination of all her expertise and personality. it's a really unique indietronica album with a lot of the ... read more

change is bad is an incredibly colorful punk album with really great lyrics and quirky instrumentation, and there's not a boring moment on it. highlights include "era," "bug song," and "wrong question."