although this album is sort of dark, that aspect of it is overplayed and it gets boring after a few songs.

i'm going to go ahead and call pluto and the outer darkness the most underrated album of the year. disguised as a charming chamber pop record, it's actually an atmospheric art rock adventure that's keen on storytelling through its instrumentation and pacing. beginning with "stranger in a stranger's dream," a harrowing album opener that sets the mood extremely well, it intrigues the listener and makes them wish for more. and they get more, with a more proper opening track, "rise ... read more

metal is usually a genre that i try to steer clear of, but when it's presented in such an intriguing format, there's really no other option than to listen. personally, i'm not digging the guy's guttural screeches, but they're kind of meditative in a way, being able to be tuned out easily. however, my favorite song on here isn't a harsh one, it's "die on mars (addendum)," a spooky piano performance that had me shaking by the end of it, a great album closer.

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original score: ... read more

having previously no experience with emo rap (unless you count 100 gecs, in which case you're probably deaf), i didn't really know what to expect when i first listened to this. on one hand, i really like the whiny vocals that sometimes yell, sometimes sound disinterested, but i also feel like a lot of production on this album is lacking. if the weakest tracks on here were cut out, i would probably enjoy it more than i do.

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original score: 92
no original review

forevher is definitely a smooth album, shining with the glossiness of clean production and sweet melodies, and it sounds like what many 1980s ballads could only wish of being.

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original score: 92
no original review

songs for you seems to have two sides: a catchy synthpop one and a much more prominent trap-inspired one. on their own, they work well enough, but the real magic happens when they're combined into a single unique sound.

as with the rest of hannah diamond's music, reflections longs to glisten in the spotlight, with bouncy production from the pc music camp that doesn't take away from its cute aesthetic. it's a slow burn that doesn't ever feel boring, since it just builds and builds until the true gem of this album is revealed: 2016's "fade away."

two hands isn't really as rewarding on subsequent listens as it should be, but it still manages to keep its general positives, such as its remarkable vocal performances and its sort of timelessness that many albums this year don't have.

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original score: 92
no original review

i think this is the first time i'm rating an album for the third time, and for good reason too. trinity, like irisiri, is just the natural progression of eartheater's music, and it completes her transition into full-on electronic beauty. it's more... aquatic? than anything she's ever done, if that makes sense, and the immersive production really helps with that feeling, standouts include "high tide," "spill the milk," "pearl diver," and "solid liquid ... read more

never had i thought that i'd be hearing a lo-fi bossa nova record that sounds kinda like kali uchis's stuff, but here i am! the genre is normally known for its silky smooth aesthetic, but the contrast that this album gives with its production is really a welcome change. the album seems to evolve throughout, slowly raising the audio quality until it can be heard in its best state, which also happens to contain its best songs, "pretending he was you" and "i'll play the ... read more

i swear, with every single listen this album gets a little better. it's the art rock album of the times, and it really does show in its lyrics and production, both of which are great and modernized. the entire album is an absolute treat to listen to, with its strongest tracks ("bedroom community," "neon glow," "dallas," and ESPECIALLY "yoshi's island") being spread out across the thing. i adore its creativity and i really hope that i'll see more like it ... read more

this album is smooth, and it doesn't ever divert from that adjective despite its sheer length.

after far too long, chromatics return with dark synth-pop that manages to be consistently good and themed, feeling more like the potential narrative to a movie than an only auditorial experience.

this ep is one of the most off-the-wall things i've heard this year, mixing absolutely crazy songs like "yellow" and "digital khan" with calmer ones, all in the span of six songs. that may not seem to be a lot of time to fully explore the ideas that this album has, but it's honestly the perfect length because i think that anything longer than it would overdo its unique sound.

this album takes everything that made kai whiston bitch good and makes it great, leaving behind the trap inspiration in favor of a more natural sound aided by experimental rock and folk music. everything on here is surrounded by flowing electronic production that ties it all together, creating an all-around great listen.

much like slayyyter did with her mixtape earlier this year, liz is able to modernize 90s teen pop into one cohesive, consistent album that's full of bubblegum bass bangers and a whole lot of nostalgia, which is a nice pairing. it's her fast-paced, electronic world, and we're just living in it.

if this album's two longest tracks were cut, which are also its weakest, then it'd be so much better. as a whole, it's very streamlined and easy to listen to, which are probably its biggest appeals to me.

although this album loses the edge that made come in so great earlier this year, sputnik is still able to effectively use similar lo-fi production in a synthpop project.

if there's any one word that i can use to describe this album, it's hypnotizing. gfoty hilariously explores minimalism by describing the tv shows of her past in an almost ritualistic way, all while being set to a seamless instrumental that slowly changes throughout the album, giving each song its own space. it's spectacularly genius, but sounds completely inane.

this album is odd and abrasive, but after the first few tracks it turns into a general annoyance. i enjoy its general sound, but carrying it throughout the entire album just makes it one long chore.