although iconika's previous album introduced us to a dark and more r&b-oriented character, she really comes into her own on x-rated, which is wholly more grand and realized than indecent exposure. it's a very long listen, clocking in at over an hour, but it's a very rewarding one as well. most songs on here are longer and more developed than those on her previous, and some (namely "bottles & vixens" and "prime time") even have a sort of narrative structure that's ... read more

iconika's debut album following her work with youthquaker is truly something to behold. from the opening song, "wild bitch show," it is very clear that indecent exposure is a dark and well-produced album, and as it progresses it blossoms into a much more atmospheric and sensual venture. "hit it" is another standout that's a little lighter than the rest of the album, but it sounds so dreamy... "no days off" is another song in this dreamier group, but it sticks to ... read more

the sensual world is sadly the last in kate bush's streak of great albums, and i think it's because it isn't sure what it wants to be. yeah, there is really good, sort of hounds of love stuff on here like "the sensual world" and "this woman's work," but songs like "between a man and a woman" and "rocket's tail (for rocket)" both seem to draw inspiration from her previous work, and "the fog" and "heads we're dancing" both seem to step ... read more

hounds of love continues kate bush's streak of great albums, and although it isn't as atmospheric as never for ever or as experimental as the dreaming, it's her most polished and dreamy record up until this point in her career. "running up that hill (a deal with god)" is one of the best songs ever written in history, which is good, but it doesn't make up for the general weakness of the first half of the album. "mother stands for comfort" is the only other song in the first ... read more

the dreaming is the second in kate bush's streak of great albums, and it's definitely her most experimental. this is good, since most of the weird shit on this album works really well. "there goes a tenner" is really good, i don't know what else to say about it, "leave it open" is more moody than a lot of her other stuff, "night of the swallow" is easily one of my favorite songs of all time because it's just so so so gorgeous and aaaaaaaaaaa,,, "get out of my ... read more

never for ever is kate bush at her best; she matures the sound of her first two albums and turns it into something with atmosphere, with adventure. whether it's the catchy storytelling of "babooshka," the mysterious vibe created on "egypt," the heartbreaking tale of "army dreamers," or the all-around beauty of "breathing," this album doesn't waver in its great quality. it's full of life, and it's great.

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no original review

on lionheart, kate bush just, like, does her thing? but in a much less interesting and creative way than she did on the kick inside. other than "fullhouse," i don't really come back to it.

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original score: 89
no original review

kate bush's debut, although spectacular, also feels kind of cheesy at some points and i didn't really like those moments. however, when the kick inside is good, it's really good, like on "moving" or the undeniably timeless "wuthering heights."

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original score: 87
no original review

shed blood does everything. that's it, it's just really fuckin' good.

moaning's second album reminds me a lot of a better, more atmospheric, and more put-together wallows. that's it, really, since there are great synth grooves, really interesting guitars, and lots of catchy melodies throughout the album. "connect the dots" is a huge standout, but "what separates us" and "saving face" are also very very good.

woah! i was really taken aback by this project. it's an experimental hip hop album that draws heavy influence from a lot of electronic genres (mainly ballroom and industrial stuff), and it actually combines them all together very well. zebra katz's monotone rapping brings a lot of attention to the great instrumentals and also make it a little more unnerving than it already is. "in in in" is really upbeat and great, "sleepn" is a really vibey thing, and "lick n ... read more

i'm not really that big of a fan of the weeknd, and so far, the only song of his to really interest me has been "the hills," which was released way back in 2015. it's really dark and well-done, so i was somewhat excited for after hours after hearing that it would also a darker album than his other material. i was disappointed. yeah, it's a little more downbeat and definitely draws influences from 80s aesthetics and stuff, but it's really boring. i can't sit through songs like ... read more

lifestyles of the laptop café is a tech house masterpiece that, if it isn't already, should be a staple of the genre. for being as rhythmic and futuristic as it is, it's also surprisingly intimate and mysterious. "eye contact" begins the album on a dark note, and, honestly, as much as this album tries to break free from it with the bright, sort of bubblegum k.k.-ish "it's your love" or the active and upbeat "moonlight rendezvous," it can't. everything after ... read more

devi mccallion has always been an odd musical figure, and the my little pony-inspired songs of fun fun fun just add to her wide range of everything. they're surprisingly catchy, and the production is equally fitting. "dragons aren't supposed 2 be cute right?" and "exclusive royal canterlot wedding playset" both have solid lo-for indie grooves, and "rarity fighting a giant crab" and "other twilight" are indietronica gems.

woah! moth avenue is a really cool bubblegum bass-ish cloud rap-ish album that definitely has a personality surround it, and this is really apparent for a majority of its duration. "wasteland airlines" and "Гад mode" especially are powerhouses of tracks, and they're what i'd have wanted to see from this album. however, while there are a few more songs that are in the same vein as these two, there more that are just plain boring, which is really a problem for the last five ... read more

i was wrong, and even though i still don't like the lyrics, i also don't think it's fair to knock an album with production and melodies and structure that's this damn good that many points.

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original score: 47
original review:
well... i didn't really like spirit phone. although i enjoyed a few sprinkles its eccentricity ("when he died," "sweet bod," "reaganomics"), carrying it out for an entire album is just overkill and actually kind of boring at times. a ... read more

the garden keeps getting more and more interesting with each album. i loved 2018's mirror might steal your charm, but that album has nothing on kiss my super bowl ring. incorporating much more electronic instrumentation, kmsbr sounds a little like a really tame machine girl on a lot of songs, but with guitars. because of this, there isn't a dull moment on the album, and it's a hell of a lot of fun to listen to.

kinda weird how my favorites have shifted to "kawasaki backflip," "hotlines," and "ender." hm.

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original score: 87
original review:
energetic! raw! powerful! dogleg's debut album is really, really good and aaaaaa it's so much fun to listen to because of the pure energy that the vocalist gives all of the songs. a lot of the melodies on here are really nice and just... like... really well put-together. "headfirst" and "wrist" are ... read more

every bad is an album that mixes good and bad songs together, but they all fall under a consistent atmosphere and sound that really defines this album. whether it's the booming "sweet," the more the lively "nephews," or the best song on the album, "circling," porridge radio manages to create a mood of anxiety(?) that seems to resolve on "homecoming song."

heavy light sounds fine. a lot of the time, it sounds like it's trying to be the soundtrack to a musical that hasn't been written yet, which is a little weird but works in the long run. "and yet it moves / y se mueve," "denise, don't wait," and "the quiver to the bomb" are all highlights, but the rest is kind of... there? i guess? the production is distinctive but doesn't really have much of an edge to it, and that's pretty disappointing considering the much more ... read more