Sean Sharp's Albums
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Whatever's Clever!
Charlie Puth
★★★★★★
Not too much to write home about. Despite being blessed by god himself with perfect pitch and a voice built for hits, Charlie's lack of ambition kills a lot of love I could have for his work. His inability to create a lane for himself is quite sad, considering how versatile he could be. I could be wrong in saying this, but the album features the first time I've ever heard him pitch his voice up or down an octave. Not that it's necessary to be a good artist, but it is a great way to keep the vocals feeling refreshed. He does use some other vocal synthesizers, which I have to give him credit for, but he almost relies too much on the quality of his raw voice. "Whatever's Clever!" dives down a slice of the 80's synthpop. Resorting to heavy bells and fuzzy synths of the time, it's trendy at the moment, and I don't think Charlie really brings anything greatly refreshing that I haven't heard already. The choruses here are some of the weakest I've heard from him. "Love in Exile" is my favorite so far, partly because the chorus is a bit more engaging, and the featuring of Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins is quite suitable for the track and the album. The Jeff Goldblum jumpscare was interesting to hear, and while I don't think the song itself has much weight, it did make the album feel a bit more complete. Otherwise, a lot of this relied on the production to give it that vibe. Finally, there's the song "I Used To Be Cringe". Songs like this are always interesting to me because, of course, everyone looks back on themselves in a judgmental manner. To me, this song is a bit cringe in itself, even though I get the message. He reflects on how he was chasing status, money, and fame. Trying to live a life full of material possessions. I'm sure he changed his mind about what he wants, but for him to say he is no longer chasing it because he's changed is rather... lacking in self-awareness to a degree. While he isn't an A-List celebrity, pretty much everyone who grew up with him being popular knows who he is. He is famous. Google can be wrong, but I doubt it will be drastically far off. It says he is worth $35,000,000. Then there is the status part of it. I'm not exactly sure what he wanted to be part of, since he never explicitly says so in the song, but he is widely known for his perfect pitch. He is the definition of status, money, and fame. I find the song a bit tone-deaf, but not as bad as some other stuff I've seen online. Overall, Charlie is probably just going to release these random albums that are okay every once in a while and occasionally have a cool song. It's hard to envision anything from him where he really dedicates time and energy to making something groundbreaking or breathtaking. I hope that's the case, but my hopes are dwindling.
Apr 19, 2026
World of Walker, Season One: Rise of the Drones
Alan Walker
★★★★★★
There will always be a lot of distaste for Alan Walker's style, considering it is literally the same exact thing it was a decade ago. I'm a bit in disbelief that he has been able to make only this style of music for so long. Like, surely he is getting bored doing this. Regardless, just more of the same here. I think the big difference between how I view this and how some other people do is that it isn't bad. It just... is. In 2014, I liked his music, and if this had come out then, I would have liked it. Now it's just repetitive and beaten to death. Still not bad though. Not entirely sure what this whole TV series thing he is going for because the music is just complete nonsense in comparison. I am happy to report that "Getaway" is his best song in years. I suppose that is why I keep listening. Deep down, I know he has a good song or two left in him.
Apr 18, 2026
BRAT
Charli xcx
★★★★★
The production here is off the charts. For someone who was constantly deemed ahead of the curve with pop in the late 2010's, this album seemed to finally be when the popularity caught up with the style. Oddly enough, I think several songs on here work more as reloaded versions of 2010's EDM pop. "360" and "Von dutch", perhaps the two most well known songs, sound great but I don't think they necessarily embody what built the craze over the years prior. Ironically, the ohmage to a decade old style just with refreshing production makes it so good. There are a lot of songs on here that have a heavily amount of variety with each song and are surely what people deemed "the future of pop" too. "365" features some crazy switch ups that is respectable from any dance fan. A lot of the choruses also are fun and catchy. Truthfully, this thing wasn't entirely for me. I was not the target audience and even though I try to appreciate music regardless of my personal tastes... that's how music reviewing goes. I'm here reviewing what I like and don't like and some of the lyrical matter didn't hit that deep for me. Some of the choruses were a bit repetitive and some of the production does go a little over the top at times. I can certainly appreciate that she created something within the zeitgeist that critics and fans adore, but I am outside of those bubbles.
Apr 18, 2026
Trying Times
James Blake
★★★★★★
James has a knack for making some of the most unique soundscapes possible. Specifically the first half of this thing contains some great sound design while keeping it minimalist at least at the start of each track. Perhaps it's something specific with James voice but it's so haunting that is works perfectly for the style that he achieves here. "Death of Love" features some gorgeous backing vocals over a fairly modernized beat. The bass that holds this insane tension is so cool as well. Very simple but effective. His atypical use of instruments and sound effects is so fun and capitalizes on the unique vision he aims for. "Make Something Up" does this in a similar way with just as much impact. The downside is that the highs are so good to start the album that the latter half struggles to hold up on that same level. It's not that it's bad but after "Doesn't Just Happen", the songs miss that same quality and punch that the predecessors have. To me, this has always been the downside of his work. Some stuff just hits so hard and effective that some of the rest of the album can become a bit dull or bland in comparison. It's almost like if he left off the best tracks the album as a whole would have came out better. Now, I'm not serious with that of course but I hope that gets my point across.
Apr 12, 2026
OCTANE
Don Toliver
★★★★★
Where to even begin with this. Many cool moments and many head-scratching ones as well. I haven't listened to a Don Toliver project since "Life of a DON". I saw "OCTANE" getting a lot of talk and streams, at least more than usual for rappers in the mainstream right now, and thought this might be something unique and different. It is certainly not some visionary album with the instrumentals operating almost purely under an electronic header. It feels very inspired by the 2010's but definitely has some more updated sound design. A lot of the drums don't feel any different than what has been dominating rap for the last 5-10 years now. I was hoping for a bit more on that front, considering how some of the synth and vocal usage is more refreshing. The songs that really highlight the great vocal usage are "Secondhand", "Body", "Long Way To Calabasas" and "TMU". "Secondhand" and "TMU" in particular feature an unlisted vocalist that has immense amounts of vocal processing slathered over it and the nature in which it is presented feels like a futuristic sample. I personally love stuff like this and think this is something that has been around for a while but is underutilized in a lot of pop and hip-hop while being heavily used in EDM. The thing is, I think the more stripped-back backing actually does more favors for this type of vocal usage and should be used more in "radio-friendly" genres like hip-hop. The downside with these few tracks is that the vocals are used scarcely. Only at the beginning and end of the songs which is quite frustrating considering how good they would sound as choruses. Meanwhile on the other side of things, the production with synths and SFX are crisp on "Body", "All The Signs", "K9" and "Pleasure's Mine". "Body" is the prime hit ready song here and knows it with one of the only songs with innovative drums and production, all combined with the Timberlake sample. It does it's job too, it's hard-hitting and fun. Meanwhile, "All The Signs" and "Pleasure's Mine" feature heavily edited vocal chops. "All The Signs" is does this so effectively it reminds me a bit of a grittier Porter Robinson. Similarly as the issue I had in the last paragraph, I don't think it is utilized to it's full potential in "All The Signs". "Pleasure's Mine" is better at this as a whole but the neat use of those vocal chops can be used as a main attraction in the song but fades away not to return much until the end in "All The Signs". Irritating. This album is practically musical edging. Then there are the major downsides to this thing. "Excavator", "Gemstone", and "OPPOSITE" are just a drag to get through. By far and away the worst three tracks here and this album would be much better served with them never included in the first place. The closer just downright makes me laugh due to the extrapolation of "Sweet Home Alabama". The choruses are also pretty non-existent. Like they are there, but they just are not memorable in the slightest even on the best songs. Circling back to those vocals that should have been used as choruses, I think the most frustrating part was that this album went for something I am often a big supporter of: evolution. Many songs try to change as they progress but some of them lose what makes them interesting in favor of my traditional boring trap production or beats.
Y’all
glaive
★★★★★★
Glaive takes another stab, furthering his sound down the hyperpop rabbit hole. Over the past 3 projects, he has experimented more and more with his unique take on hyperpop. Typically, the genre finds itself clashing with nightcore and constant stimulation, but glaive finds ways to slow it down, but still delivers that crazy energy when needed. Unfortunately, this seems a bit messy in my eyes. Several songs share memorable moments and ear-aching vocals/production. This is the tightrope that is always walked, but it doesn't balance everything it needs to in this case. I will always applaud his efforts in making something unique like this, but overall, some more refining is needed.
Apr 9, 2026
MEMORIA, in blue
Noah Guy
★★★★★★
Over his last several EP's I've felt less and less interest in his music since when I discovered him. He has a powerful voice that makes him seem like he should be featured on some mainstream hits. Yet his music has shifted more and more towards traditional R&B. Not that that's a bad thing, but the production has been lacking interesting features. "MEMORIA, In Blue" has me relieved as instead of going harder into traditional R&B, he has woven in more smooth synth textures in a creative way. First things first, having a debut album under 30 minutes is a bit of a letdown in my eyes. If fans really want to eat up your work and you create something that they will like, give them a good-sized plate. This comes in a small portion, which sounds expensive, but it's tasty. The growing distortion on "HIGHER" is unlike anything I've heard in an R&B song before and brings a rich layer of uniqueness to the album. There is this goldilocks streak where everything is just right with "GREEN VOWS", "AGAIN", and "THAT'S MY...". All three of these have great use of his vocals and production to make one of a kind songs. The other drawback his music suffers from is memorable choruses. His vocal flairs are gorgeous but I think he gets a bit lost in the sauce on songs and exemplifies what his voice is capable of over what would be well-written melody. Once again, this album does fix this on the aforementioned tracks. It's not like this is completely gone however as some of the remaining tracks do struggle with this common pitfall. I hope that this is really the beginning for him and not just a side step given his track record of simplifying the production until now. Perhaps it was a budgetary restriction and the fact that this is an album finally allowed him to raise the level of quality but we will see.
HADES
Melanie Martinez
★★★★★★
The term concept album has become such a trivialized term. Without trying to sound like an old head, back when I was younger, a concept album used to mean something! I'm only half joking though. Now it's gotten muddled with "eras" when a new aesthetic drops for an artist. But just the aesthetic isn't what makes someone conceptually different. It's like a watered-down version of what used to be a concept album because half the time now, the music doesn't really have a main theme or storyline. Melanie has been the modern gold standard, at least in mainstream pop, for what a real concept album looks like. While she does embrace the whole "eras" thing, it goes hand in hand with what she is aiming to communicate on each album. "HADES", her fourth album, sticks with this but broadens the scope a bit. It may be a bit of a cop out to still call this a concept album, as it comes off like she wanted to rant and point out hypocrisy in media and society. Which is nothing new for her but again, this double album has a wide lens. People always seem to have an issue with her music and it seems like almost everyone has a different reason. Her childish vocal aesthetic is definitely off-putting at times, her lyrics can often be too on the nose, and her full-fledged pop-electronic production is not everyone's cup of tea. Luckily for me, the genre is right up my alley. The other point's do stick out me as flaws. Practically every album she has released, there is at least one song that I don't add purely due to the lyrics. Not like I disagree with what she is saying but it's sometimes blunt or unnerving, which I think is kind of the purpose sometimes. "HADES" has so many of these songs compared to her other albums. Like so many. "WHITE BOY WITH A GUN", "DISNEY PRINCESS", "THE VATICAN", "CHATROOM", just to name a few. Meanwhile, there are others that I put up with a bit more and sometimes grow to like. "POSSESSION" and "WEIGHT WATCHERS" for example. Then there are the times where it actually comes together nicely. Where off bat, the lyrics may still sound bold or intense but it doesn't pull me out of the music whatsoever. Those songs include "IS THIS A CULT?", "THE PLAGUE", and "UNCANNY VALLEY". While I can certainly nitpick on lyrical work, I adore the production and melodies. Whatever team she uses to both write these earworms and produce this super-polished electronic pop is doing wonders. In tandem with the production, it only makes sense that the vocal mixing and editing is dialed to the max. Besides her childish sound at times, they do a great job of mixing different styles of her vocal ability to create dense and rich choruses or verses that distinctly differ as the song goes on to keep it fresh. In popular EDM there is this stutter effect that a lot of producers use on synths or vocals and Melanie has adopted this pretty heavily over the course of this thing. It's almost overdone but it does give some extra flare. (For examples of this, see "SIRENS" by Flume, "The Fall" by The Chainsmokers, "2gether" by Mura Masa, or "The Last Goodbye" by ODESZA.) This overall is likely my least favorite project of hers since her debut. The first half of the album is pretty disappointing compared to the second half, and I think they easily could have cut 4-5 songs off of this.
JACKBOYS 2
JACKBOYS, Travis Scott
★★★★★
Listen 1: I'm sorry Dave, but Biebs and Druski got you beat with the entertaining interludes this week. The music's whatever. Dave said this will explain the lifestyle. TBH I learned nothing I already knew except Glorilla wants to fuck Matthew McConaughey Listen 2: Found a bit more appreciation for some of the interesting production. A lot of this tho is a hot mess. Wish it was more compact and decisive like the first one. NO COMMENTS and DA WIZARD are pretty cool tho. I’m at a point where I could never listen to Sheck Wes again and be completely fine with life. 1 Week Later: A trap circus. That style that Playboi Carti has made so popular, is pretty prevalent on this album and I finally found the right words for it. A trap circus. It sounds loopy but hard. Like a killer clown. JACKBOYS on their John Wayne Gacy type shit.
Apr 4, 2026
Alfredo 2
Freddie Gibbs, The Alchemist
★★★★★
Listen 1: My first Freddie Gibbs project. Only other time I've heard him was on that Injury Reserve track. I can see why The Alchemist's beats are considered so "rare". Can't really find anything like that in modern rap. Off first impressions, they may not just be for me but it might grow on me as well. 1 Week Later: Unfortunately this was just not for me. I get the appeal but Freddie on Alchemist's beats just reminds me of an older time of rap. I think that a lot of the classics that sound like this are a sign of the times and their projects together are just a refreshing wave for the people that love that sound. While I don't hate the style, I don't feel like this outdoes a lot of the older rap it mirrors.
Apr 4, 2026
Baby
Dijon
★★★★★
A bumpy musical ride. Had a hard time finding anything that really stood out to me here. This is interesting to listen to because it's not something you hear when you turn on the radio or find even within it's genre but it serves just as that in my eyes. I feel like, okay cool I've heard this, now time to move on with life.
Apr 4, 2026
Deadbeat
Tame Impala
★★★★★
Back in 2019 I went and saw Childish Gambino at Lollapalooza in Chicago. The park was packing to the brim and all the way on the opposite side of the park was Tame Impala. In between some songs, you could briefly hear Kevin's hits as Gambino got ready for his next song. This summarizes my experience with Tame Impala. I have never been able to fully immerse myself in his style fully and this album is just further away from what I could fully enjoy. I hear his stuff around, and people seem to like it and sometimes I like a certain song or part but overall I find it almost disorienting to listen to. This album capitalizes on that. Lots of drawn out instrumentals, which is common for him, but I find a portion of them here rather annoying unfortunately. Hopefully this is just a stumble and not a sign of his future.
Apr 4, 2026
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE STREETS?
21 Savage
★★★★★
By far his weakest album. "Issa Album" had some lows, but this thing is pretty consistently subpar besides a few key moments and "GANG OVER EVERYTHING". Coincidentally, Metro Boomin features on this, and he does bring a lot to the table in terms of quality. A lot of the production on this tries to feel like "a lot" but doesn't deliver in the same way. Don't get me started on 21's lyrics on this. Practically every song, he is dropping some ridiculous line like asking a girl not to suck the tip of his dick because it tickles. He's known for some crazy bars, but some of his most head-scratching are scattered across this thing.
Apr 4, 2026
Roosevelt
Roosevelt
★★★★★
Nearly a decade late to the party, but glad I made it eventually. I recently ran into "Moving On" and like I do with most artists that I find a song I like, I dive into the album it derives from. While "Moving On" is the highlight, the general vibe of this thing is pretty in line with the style of the time in 2016 with heavy synths and party beats. Portions show signs of fun guitars, but overall, this is about as 2016 as 2016 EDM/pop gets. That's not a dig necessarily as I loved music during this period. I found it fun and it's a part of my youth so even if it isn't seen as refined by a lot of harsh critics, I still love it. However, the genre is very much a sign of it's time. The nostalgia has it's allure and the songs from that time I did listen too, still hit hard. Anything else that I dodged from then that I finally find now, doesn't scratch that itch. Roosevelt included. The self-titled album still is on the "good" side of things so to speak. It's pretty face value and the vocals are well paired for the energy it portrays. The synths are straight out of a pre-loaded synthesizer but the highlights that Roosevelt's achieves come from a more musical sense. Tension. Complimentary sounds. Track evolution. This kind of thing. It doesn't always rely on "wow cool sound" to carry it's weight. "Wait Up" is the other track that stood out to me a bit more than the rest and it's not much to note but I found it catchier than most of the others. He has a handful of other albums to listen to and I hopefully will get around to at least one of them but I'm curious to see how he keeps his sound updated as I speed through the years.
Apr 3, 2026
BULLY
Kanye West, Ye
★★★★★★
Given the ridiculous amount of backstory that goes into the creation of this album and just Kanye's last decade as a whole, it's hard not to go into this without some sort of little voice in the back of your head. To start, I am grateful that this didn't end up being whatever monstrosity he concocted like 6 months ago before he released that letter and announced he was not using AI on "BULLY". I believe this album was not one where Kanye was trying to make something great, but rather trying to save it from being something bad within the past few months. And to be fair, he did succeed in that task. I wouldn't call this bad by any means. The beats and sampling are usually pretty crisp and it contains that bit of spice that reminds you why Kanye is Kanye. The real fall off here is almost everything to do with the vocals. Kanye's vocal mixing is not the best but oddly only on his voice. The few features that do litter this thing are some of may favorite parts. Especially the way CeeLo Green's voice is warped into the chorus on the self-titled track. Love to hear something new with vocal manipulation. Yet anytime Kanye attempts to affect his own voice, it's rough around the edges. The other downside is the lack of progression a lot of these songs have. All too often, a song would start and I would become excited for some sort of great verse or some great chorus, but those moments never came. This may be a backhanded compliment, but I think "LAST BREATH" is actually one of the better tracks on here too. It does feel strange to have Kanye rapping/singing in Spanish and overall the vibe of the track comes completely out of left field, but I can appreciate the Ye flair on the typical reggaeton beat. Andre Troutman's contributions are also a great addition especially on "ALL THE LOVE". While I still find that song didn't stick the landing after the opening, the opening and Andre's portion are just great. I could list almost every song on here for a great thing then follow it up with a "but...". I hope Kanye stays mentally healthy even if it means mid music, but time will tell.
getting up to no good
Artemas
★★★★★★
He just keeps dropping top-tier work in such rapid succession. This dude is the definition of locked in. I can understand if his style isn't for you individually, but within the electronic, edgy, pop realm that he is working in, he is really pushing how good and polished it can be. In the last review I wrote for Artemas, I made references to The Weeknd's "After Hours" and how Artemas seems to be continuing that sound while a lot of popular music has moved away from the heavy use of synths in recent years. Artemas to me at this point is fully carrying the torch of how this genre should sound. I have a theory that artists that break into the mainstream while their specific genre isn't what is "hot" at the moment, do so because they are making music that expands on what has been already established in a genre that is losing popularity. The public gets tired of trends and genres and moves on. You could say the same for Yeat or Playboi Carti right now too considering how popular they are while trap rap is on a definite decline in the public eye. They are something very unique to trap and because of this are holding onto this immense popularity while even some of the most popular trap artists of all time struggle to find success. As for "getting up to no good", Artemas continues where he left off. Truly, I could make this review like three sentences because he's not really bringing any new conversations to the table. This is essentially like his last two albums but he just keeps finding ways to keep the production and vocal mixing interesting. Daintree has been Artemas' go to producer for several years now and he joins him again here and the duo were born to make music together. Whatever artistic process they go through is perfect as they keep figuring out how to keep it fresh without re-inventing the wheel. "time alone w u" as a single actually let me a little bit nervous as it wasn't my favorite track he's ever dropped and so I decided to take a break from his singles until the album itself. And while "time alone w u" isn't my favorite of his, I still enjoy it, I just have high expectations. For some reason there are two versions of this album but don't have any distinguishing names or anything. The track "high note" shows up on one of the versions and I'm very happy that it does. This song is definitely a catalog highlight for him. "other lovers" and "myself" are my other two favorites, at least off rip, but pretty much every track on here is very solid. It's almost difficult to go into detail about each song since they're just him being toxic and glorifying some sort of trauma but damn does it sound good.
Idols
YUNGBLUD
★★★★★
This album has me torn. While it seems that the general consensus on YUNGBLUD is improving with each album he releases, I am struggling to find that same mentality. At the time when his debut dropped, I thought it was pretty solid. Now that I've aged a bit, I do find it pretty juvenile and several things I used to like I no longer do with it's concept or execution, yet I can still appreciate it for how I used to like it. Then came "weird!" which I absolutely love even to this day. While a lot of the same scatterbrained production and vocals are there like his first, I found it to be an improved upon version of his debut and it really scratched an itch for me. Since then, his self-titled effort left me with not much to say. I found it to be his most boring project. Finally, we have arrived at "Idols" which shows some serious appraisal to his inspiration. This album in particular really focuses on the legends of rock and integrates parts of what built not just brit-rock but rock as a whole. "Hello Heaven, Hello" and "Ghosts" are presented in these longform, evolving rock ballads that are a testament to what traditional "good" classic rock is. I personally struggle with these even though I love certain parts of them, even more so than all the other songs besides the few I will mention later. I want to listen to these songs and I think they work well on the album so the project definitely gets some positive reputation on my end for this but just how I listen to music on a day to day basis means I will never listen to them. Only within the setting of the whole album, but when an album doesn't reach a certain level of quality, I don't want to listen to the whole thing, so I just never end up listening to songs like those again. Bit of a conundrum. A hefty amount of the tracks on here are pretty standard rock just with YUNGBLUD's distinctive voice. I find these all quite boring. Nothing too good, nothing too bad. The two tracks that I found to stand out a bit more were "Monday Murder" and "War" and both share a similar thing. They delve deeper into that symphonic element that is used at times. I think YUNGBLUD's voice pairs well with it, which is odd considering how unpolished some of his vocals are next to these instrumentals. I get this was an ohmage to a larger scaled version of rock than just that style, but it's got me feigning for more.
shut up and love me
Aidan Bissett
★★★★★
This album is the standard for a debut album. It's not perfect and features plenty of flaws and parts that could be cut but overall it has several unique enough songs with engaging melodies. The whole thing is glued together with a pretty tight musical instrument array. There isn't a ton of variety of the instruments, let alone the mixing. This is something that can be improved going forward. This could have benefited as well from being a 30-minute album instead of 40. While these issues are pretty standard for growing artists, they are often detrimental to an album's success. In Aidan's case, the highs are frequent enough that it balances out these mistakes quite well. To start, there are more than enough solid songs on here. "are you curious?", "ricochet", "my funeral", "dance around it", "when i die", "bloodtype". All of these make the disc well worth the listen. Several of these songs I've highlighted are the breaks from the momentum he seems to get stuck on so it really capitalizes on the mood change. The instrumentals aren't revolutionary but are solid in their own right and do what they need to on each track. I see this as a great path for him to springboard into some crazier ideas and production because otherwise this will become a bit dull and I don't want to see him stagnate.
Mar 19, 2026
Comfort In Chaos
John Summit
★★★★★★
EDM these days is an interesting thing. Lots of it is just repeated ideas with different singers and names. Then there are distinct styles that stand out from the bunch, and a lot of times these are the artists who blow up and gain worldwide fame. Then the fans of these artists are called normies and looked down upon by the "real fans" of EDM. That then alienates people, and the newer popular artists in EDM tend to have a more traditional style. That's fine to have a traditional style, but right now I find most of the popular work in EDM pretty generic and boring. I say this as someone who loved EDM growing up in the 10s. I'm 26 now, and seeing these new names like Summit pop up is fun to see, but when I listen, I don't hear anything that is much different than a lot of stuff from the past. I'm not sure if it's new fans or hardcore fans leading the charge on a lot of these new names, but I find it hard to dive in like I used to. This album is just a continuation of that. Nothing bad, but I've heard a good amount of this all before. I still find EDM and EDM crossover artists that I enjoy, it's just that they don't seem to really have much traction, even though I feel their sound is very unique (Goth Babe). I hope artists like John Summit continue to succeed, but I also welcome some more unique flavors in the genre, as right now, it seems to be a large heap of recycled styles.
Mar 19, 2026
SWAG
Justin Bieber
★★★★★★
Listen 1: Smooth and slow. Maybe a little too slow. Justin's voice sounds beautiful one sec and like "Baby" the next. Nice change up from him but I'm not sure if anything is memorable other than Sexyy Red saying some out of pocket things and Druski trying to get him to hit a black and mild. Listen 2: Started to notice some more stand out moments but overall I don't think anything swayed my opinion of the album. Is this album title like, cheek-n-tongue? I can't tell if he's seriously calling it SWAG or not. I do like this slowed down different style rather than just aiming for billboard topping hits. Really, I like the idea of Justin doing an album like this rather than how it actually sounds. 1 Week Later: Good idea, just not fully there in execution. This felt like the right direction for him to take after Changes and Justice. Biebs will likely never be expected to put out instant classic albums, but if he's able to find some of that fire that made Purpose so good a decade ago, he can at least make an overall "good" record.
Mar 19, 2026
NO HArD FEELINGS
Marc E. Bassy, Nic Nac
★★★★★★
Listen 1: Love this dudes music. Never fully understood why he fizzled out of popularity. Probably due to going independent which I respect and understand that decision but this guys voice is too good to not be on more hit songs. My critical opinions of him have always been the lyric matter as they are often questionable if not outright disrespectful towards women or other groups of people (not racist or anything, but just one of lines like on Change My Ways when he references bipolar disorder). Just sometimes in poor taste. This album has some more of that, which was to be expected. Specifically the woman talking throughout the album. You just know Marc or Nic Nac had her say that shit which is just always silly to me. Like it's so constructed and inauthentic it feels kind of gross to have someone say stuff like that. I'm not a prude but it has always seemed off to me how Marc writes about women. Anyways, the album overall has some unique R&B styling to it, thanks to Nic Nac. Good for a little mix up from his usual style but still in the vein that made him popular to begin with. A good portion of the songs on here did miss the mark with the melodies. A bit aimless with no resolution. The latter half of the album is a bit better in that regard. Listen 2: There was a few moments on here where I would say Marc has gotten a bit lazy. The melodies aren't as smooth, his singing can get slightly whiney even though I've heard him hit these note better in the past. I was hoping a collab with a producer might ignite some new inspiration but the only thing new here is the style of production and even that is just a slight change up from Marc's usual style. 1 Week Later: Marc's a man that can put out multiple duds and then drop 2 or 3 bangers back to back so I'm not truly let down by this as my expectations are usually pretty low to begin with. A low floor but a high ceiling. I'm hoping whatever isn't working with this project is just a bump in the road and not a sign of laziness to come as some of the songs on here show a pretty lackluster amount of effort on Marc's part. Specifically in the first half of the album which caught me a bit off guard.
tension
Haiden Henderson
★★★★★★
Listen 1: Might as well have been one long song. There is no versatility whatsoever. Really just boils down to if you find it catchy or are really into this genre. I don't think it sounds bad at all but it's really just picking out of a hat. AA in my opinion is a bit catchier but the rest of these are essentially nameless to me. Listen 2: This really just feels like pop from 2019 with some guy that's a little disconcerting to look at because of his style. Did enjoy the second listen more. Really a clone of other stuff that's come before it but it's not bad. Just formulaic. 1 Week Later: Not a whole lot more to say about this. The lack of word to say about this is rather telling on it's own. Not a lot here that hasn't been done before and done better. Nothing has stuck that hard and nothing has sucked that hard. Not sure if it's the overall style mixed with this, but the sexual moments on the track make me feel rather uncomfy.
Mar 19, 2026
WOW!
BETWEEN FRIENDS
★★★★★★
Listen 1: Has me going "hmmm". I appreciate the experimentation of raw sounds in their music. Nothing almost ever sounds that muted or soft. They tend to go all in with their sound design and production which can often lead to some legitimate bangers or lead to tinnitus. This album embraces this style in full force but more often than not ends up feeling a bit over the top. Leaning into hyperpop territory, it's an acquired taste that I have to be in a certain mood to enjoy. Listen 2: Found a bit more enjoyment in it this time around. Also found some more specific things I wanted to touch on. That hyperpop sound I described in my first listen almost borders on older EDM like Sandstorm. Nostalgic which I appreciate they took that path. The major thing that rubs me wrong is some of the vocal performances. She has a good voice but sometimes more takes could have been taken to find the right one. What's particularly irritating is that some of the catchiest songs, which I would dare say is one of the main draws of this style of music, is right next to some horrendous singing of a different melody. American Bitch, Parking lot, Jackie, JAM !, DJ all have this in common.
Mar 19, 2026
Rule of Thirds
Yot Club, Glitter Party
★★★★★★
They only made 3 songs and they literally sound identical. What was the point? When the third song started and I glanced at Spotify, I thought I somehow skipped one or had shuffle on. How are you going to do a 3 song EP and have no variety.
Mar 19, 2026
Rocket
Dominic Fike
★★★★★★
Dominic Fike has always gave me the vibe that he would be really great at mixtapes given how his sound feels so laidback so a more relaxed, unpressured format for a project would be best. Yet in practice, I really prefer his more fully fleshed out work. Without some of that extra attention that a bigger budget or team, it lacks some of the same flare that gives his albums such a memorable spark. Maybe it's a bit of placebo if his mixtapes aren't really mixtapes and more of a marketing tool somehow.
Mar 19, 2026
Dark
EDEN
★★★★★★
I get that EDEN has taken a path that a lot of people might like cuz it's a bit edgier than how he used to be. In my eyes, I feel he was one of the biggest fumbles of the Electronic Pop of the 2010's. Dude has a ravenous fan base and followed it up with a decent album after ityttmom but since then he will have an occasional song that slaps but overall, I've lost grip of the vision. He still has a fan base but it's much more niche and there is nothing wrong with that either. I feel isolated I suppose. I wanted to be into his music cuz I loved it so much as a teen now I can't really appreciate his new stuff and that frustrates me!!!
Mar 19, 2026
DIRTY DIRTY JON JON
BabyJake
★★★★★★
Man what a pretty lackluster outing. I recently got into some of his hits and was wondering if this would have some more of that spice but unfortunately, it gets pretty pretty pretty generic here.
Mar 19, 2026
purity ring
Purity Ring
★★★★★★
An unfortunate offshoot. My favorite part of this whole thing is the end of 'between you and shadows'. It was the first moment I darted to see which song I was on so I could remember it once I finished the album, only to find that it was just a detached outro of the song. Womb will always be my favorite, and the long wait may have left me several years ago. I may have grown out of this style of music, too. When I compare this to what I'm listening to in 2025, there isn't much that is similar. I used Womb as well as The Weeknd's 'After Hours' as my main points of inspiration for my own music for a year. As many others have said, there is a bit more acoustic in here than anything else they've done. I'm open to the idea, but they don't do much in terms of blending the acoustic sound into it, and it just feels like it was placed near the more traditional Purity Ring songs.
Mar 19, 2026
Curve +1
Mura Masa
★★★★★★
I miss the days when Mura Masa dropped, and I was storming to see what crazy production he whipped up. I support artists who change their style as it shows growth, but like a doomed relationship, I have not grown with them. Neat little sound pieces here and there, but it seems to be catering to an audience that doesn't include me. That, or he has lost a lot of inspiration and is just pumping out anything he can think of. It's not like it's bad; it's just a more standardized style of dance music. Some of this I would imagine playing at a decently cheap club somewhere tropical, and instead of dancing, people are more socializing. Like a mixer, or something similar. No hate, just not much love either.
Mar 19, 2026
ORIGO
Martin Garrix
★★★★★★
At this point, you know if you're going to love or hate this. Never go into listening to a Martin Garrix album expecting something new, but if you love the 2010s radio-tailored sound he creates, he's your guy. Ten years ago, I would have loved this because it is well-made. A lack of innovation can kill a large fan base, except for those few diehards. EDM is represented by artists like this, and Martin is one of its poster children. I hope one day EDM can regain some variety, returning to a more mainstream sound, but trends are cyclical. Since EDM had its time in the spotlight last decade, it'll probably take some time for that to happen as all the previous A-listers continue or fizzle out and others look to mimic their style.
Mar 19, 2026
Nomad
DJ Snake
★★★★★★
A real everything bagel of an album. Love what DJ Snake did for mainstream EDM in the 2010s, but it's Groundhog Day for him. He can't escape. Every song on this album features a different popular EDM style from the 2010s. It runs as a good resume track sheet, but doesn't show any depth. I can definitely tell he knows how to make just about any style of EDM-influenced music, which is impressive, but it really only scratches the surface of what these different genres have to offer. No one ever becomes a diehard fan of someone who just genre-jumps every song.
Mar 19, 2026
Drunken Fits of a Modern Age
Two Feet
★★★★★★
Moody as ever, Two Feet strikes a chord with this one. Like a literal single chord, not a whole lot of variety here, but if you like Two Feet's signature style, you'll like this. I'm not sure if it was accidental or intentional, but I'll give him props for it either way. The ooo-ing on "Remember Us?" is just slightly different from the ooo-ing on "Nostalgia". If this was intentional, I love the clever idea of a slightly adjusted melody from one song to the next when "Nostalgia" is looking back at a previous time that "Remember Us?" refers to. The downside to this is that the two songs sound EXTREMELY similar. I mentioned earlier that Two Feet doesn't branch out much creatively here, but these two songs are nearly exact copies to my ears. The rest of the songs could be a (two)footnote.
Mar 19, 2026
FEAR
NF
★★★★★★
I hate to say it, NF, but you might be WASHED UP. As I grow older and listen to these albums and EPs by artists I grew up with, it becomes readily apparent which ones are evolving with the times and which others will serve as checkpoints along a few-year span. With this EP, NF strikes me as the ladder. Some voices are perfectly suited for a certain style of music, and NF excels at this melodramatic rap, which can sometimes slow down for a sad song. Unfortunately, that is not part of the zeitgeist in the 2020s. Much like many artists from the 2010s who have fallen off, it's not that they've forgotten their craft; rather, both the public and individuals move on from certain styles as they grow. So yes, NF can still have a long-lasting career, but his fans will come and go as they grow since NF's music style refuses to evolve.
Mar 19, 2026
GRACE
Reaper
★★★★★
So he disappears for 7 years, drops an EP with a complete tone switch, but it's pretty quality, then returns 6 months later with a new EP and a new tone switch. This one keeps it short and sweet, only featuring 4 songs this time around. "UP" was oddly the first track he released after his hiatus last year, even before "SHARK", and I absolutely loved it, finding it odd that the song and its style were not found anywhere on "SHARK". For whatever reason, he delayed "UP" from appearing on "SHARK" and instead it shows up here, and it is much more fitting in all fairness. While "SHARK" embodied a darker synth experience, "GRACE" plays as its counterpart. "GRACE", the song, is quality. A fantastic use of vocal mixing and ambience in the glittery synths. Reaper has almost nailed down the art of slow-moving production. He finds ways to keep the music interesting while maintaining certain chords or noises for a good length of time, and "GRACE", the song, is a great example of this. The middle two tracks, "HEAVEN" and "LIBERATION," do falter slightly, not matching the same quality as the opener and closer. They suffer a bit from not capitalizing on the same strengths as the other songs do. The slow production I mentioned earlier hinders these a bit. It's not like they are unlistenable, but a bit more time in the oven, and I think these could have at least neared the quality of the others. I hope Reaper sticks around and continues doing whatever he's doing. It seems every time he releases something, it's pretty different, but I am consistently a fan. While I wish this could have been a song or two longer and a few tweaks to keep the interest in a few songs, I'm still satisfied with the EP, especially considering how close together he released this to his previous outing.
Mar 19, 2026
EVERYONE'S A STAR!
5 Seconds of Summer
★★★★★★
This return to their roots is quite satisfying, as they display a significant amount of new evolution in how they represent pop punk. Resting at the heart of one of the main themes of the album, their transformation over the past decade is evident. The Neighbourhood just came out with "Ultrasound," which I feel this review will echo many of the same feelings as I have towards that one. 5SOS is the first mainstream boy band I have ever seen age gracefully. Adding new elements, synths to the instrumentals, and fun chord progressions, this shows that 5SOS is making music for the beauty of the art. 12/20 Update: After a week, I have had a hard time wanting to relisten to much of this. While I think the album works well as a whole and do appreciate the unique application of standard pop in this more punky style, I don't think the songs are as gripping as I first thought.
Mar 18, 2026
Quantum Beats
Alan Walker, Steve Aoki, Lonely Club
★★★★★★
On the positive side of things, it's nice to see 2010's EDM artists that haven't changed a bit work together as it may produce some new ideas. The realistic side is that this mainly just sounds like Alan Walker's brand. Only in slight moments can you see any influence of what you would call Steve Aoki. This may be due to the fact that Alan Walker's music is so recognizable and Steve Aoki tends to make more "generic" EDM in the sense that you would likely not know it's his song if you didn't know beforehand. These artists know their craft and are good at it but seem to be too comfortable to make something that may interest anyone but diehards.
Mar 18, 2026
Monica
Jack Harlow
★★★★★★
This thing is bizarrely R&B coded. Like so far at certain points where it begins to circle around to jazz. Not fully, but you can feel it. The jazz bar vibes are there. Love a good switch up from an artist and I think Jack has done the genre well here. From my POV this album is probably better from a technical or objective standpoint, but from a more subjective standpoint, I think it can be a little dull here and there. I would absolutely love for him to take another stab at this though. Definitely some great foundations to build off on. While not a 1 to 1 in the styles but this reminds me of Mac Miller releasing Swimming before his death. It was an adjacent step to his typical style but it just felt right. "Lonesome" and "All Of My Friends" are the two that deliver the absolute most while staying minimal in their styles. It blends his catchy vocals perfectly into the full R&B tracking. "Trade Places" works on a different level. While the vocal melodies are good, the real highlight is the production, which pops at different points in the song. The other songs simply don't have the same addictive qualities these three do but work well in the album as a whole. Worldbuilding songs in a way.
Mar 15, 2026
Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally.
Harry Styles
★★★★★★
Thematically, it seems Harry set out to make a pure-blood disco album, but he and his team ran out of workable ideas and ended up making a few artsy pop songs. Then decided to give the album this title to make it seem intentional. The vibe throughout this thing is pretty unique to say the least. It seems only Harry, Kid Harpoon, and Tyler Johnson had input on this, and so I decided to do a little bit of digging on the background of the producers. Kid Harpoon is, historically, a pop producer. Tyler Johnson seems to be more on the writing side of things and has had a long history of working with Harry. Meaning that these three focused their efforts on a disco album, something that none of them seem to have any experience with, based on my little bit of research. Because of this, they harness some of the elements but completely miss at other points on the direction of this thing. The unique vibe is probably also attributed to their lack of experience in the genre. Their experience as a whole in the industry does serve them well, however, as it does provide as a one-of-a-kind listen. To quickly run through some of the track list to drive the point home, "Aperture" is long, which is not an uncommon thing in disco, but it loses a lot of its grip when it's not peaking at its chorus. "Ready, Steady, Go!" has some very cool vocal details and layering but the production as the song progresses seems like they flew a little too close to the sun as it begins to become a bit of a jumbled mess. Then heading down to "Paint By Numbers", it abandons the style of the album altogether. Truly no idea what they were even thinking by including this track on here. But... the album is good. As much as it seems like it shouldn't work, something about it does click. They knew they had a gem with "American Girls," with it being one of the more pop-focused but still embodying a more disco core. "Taste Back" through "Season 2 Weight Loss" finds a more consistent groove with some songs that are both catchy but features little electronic touches that are typically associated with disco. Then there is "Pop". Despite the name, it really is a crisp example of how this unique style comes together well. A roaring chorus and production that shows the skills of the producers. This song to me seems like the refined version of "Aperture". The closer "Carla's Song" has an excellent ending as well which really is a nice bow and tie to the ambitious project from the trio. While I imagine we will never get something like this from Harry again, I am happy that he took this detour.
SongsToSleepTo
BONES
★★★★★★
Figured it was time to do my occasional check-in on BONES. This dude confuses me to the extreme. I constantly find songs by him that I absolutely love but anytime I listen to a "full" project by him, it's mediocre at best. I suppose when he releases as much music as he does, he's bound to hit the target every once in a blue moon. This album doesn't really seem to land at almost any point. The emo screaming on "HouseMadeOfSticks" is just downright hard to listen to. While most of the rest of the album doesn't drop that low in quality, it is just boring. His albums are always short but typically his rap style and eerie production really work well with the format. This album doesn't feature any traditional BONES production or rapping which he has been straying away from in recent years. BONES is definitely one of the artists that people will be nostalgic for his older work, and typically it's because the new style doesn't meld well with how the old fans' personalities age, but in this case, BONES has just started making worse music in a different genre. The only redeeming quality here is when he briefly finds the light on what this genre could sound like if he put a bit more thought and effort in it. "SuitYourself" and "TallPaleAndUgly" feature some vocal effects that make his vocals more spacious matching the midwest light guitar a bit better. When his vocals are at the forefront of the production, he losses the atmosphere that could be there. Overall though, even if he did capitalize on this throughout the rest of the album, it still misses interesting verses, gripping choruses, and it has an abundance of dead air where boring production just plays... and plays... and plays. Somehow it still only manages to be 26 minutes in total.
Stupid Kids
Master Peace
★★★★★
I've heard singles here and there from this guy and have always enjoyed them and finally decided to give a project of his a shot. Considering he has been 100% on singles that I've listened to, the math says anything less than perfect is a disappointment but I realize EPs and albums usually have a drop in quality. "Spin The Block" was the only one on here that I heard prior and absolutely loved it. "My Guitar" was the only other track on here I ended up really enjoying. His in your face style is fun and the guy knows how to write a good chorus. I think some of the tracks here lose me a bit with their direction. Especially, "There's No More Underground" and "Fuck It Up" both start to tread into teen band in garage territory which isn't doing the project many favors. I'll still be happy to see what this dude is up to in the future but hopefully the quality increases at least a tad.
Mar 8, 2026
Strictly 4 The Scythe
Denzel Curry, The Scythe
★★★★★★
My is so goat is back... sort of. Although not a purebred Denzel Curry release, putting his name on the album and every track despite no full appearance on each track is a bit of a letdown. KOTMSV2 was by far from my least favorite of Denzel's and this album definitely returns to a level of quality that I expect from him. I would still heavily like to here a Denzel heavy album, which apparently we will be getting later in 2026. As for what's here in March, it's pretty great. Short and sweet, The Scythe shows out in grade A form. Legends like Juicy J and A$AP Ferg are on here as well as a few up and comers like BKTHERULA and TiaCorine. TiaCorine is the real standout newbie on here. Her verses are the definition of swag, just like she says on "THE SCYTHE". My favorite track is "MUTT THAT BIH". The production is bouncy and energetic and Denzel's verse is fun but, and this is probably a hot take, 1900Rugrat's verse is oddly addicting to me. Typically whiney rappers like him have no part in my listening habits but something about that verse is just fun. The production here though is done to perfection, nearly front to back. There is unique touches around every corner that still fit a typical gritty hip-hop style but are still unique in ever sense of the manner. The only track that loses me a bit on the production side of things is "HOOPTY" with has a pitched up vocal as part of the beat that doesn't do it any favors. Sadly it features TiaCorine and Smino which should have been a great song on here. Otherwise, the last half of this features some of the best production I've here in a hip-hop album in years. A true chef's kiss.
The Romantic
Bruno Mars
★★★★★★
A let down from the standard that Bruno usually holds. By far and away his most boring album to date. Every track on here sounds nice but nothing really stands out that heavily. "I Just Might" being the lead single is the catchiest and by default becomes my favorites since the rest do not differ all that much. "Risk It All" and "Cha Cha Cha" do add a little bit a spice that the rest of the tracks sincerely miss but do not has other gripping elements like an addicting chorus or hypnotic drums to really draw me in. It may do the trick for others, just not me personally. "God Was Showing Off" was the only other track I thought the chorus was fairly interesting from and it does have my favorite lyrics on the who shebang. Given Bruno's impeccable track record, I assume next time he will be back with something I'll appreciate a bit more but his usually extended wait will have me a bit more impatient than ususal.
Mar 6, 2026
Wuthering Heights
Charli xcx
★★★★★★
Man the production value here is off the charts. That is always the nice thing about having a movie budget backing an album. The quality can be insanely good and the distraught strings on here are gorgeously unsettling and lovely. My favorite production on the whole thing is "Dying for You". The more staccato strings do wonders with the wavy synth that floods the song. The travesty of it is the chorus is just meh. Could have been a song I loved by the chorus and verses in general are extremely weak which is a real let down. The opening track is the most artsy of the bunch and it's crazy strings and production that begin treating your ear like a punching bag is pretty neat. That leads me to my only major issue here. There is a few times where the album is just too loud. I'm sounding like old man Jenkins here but honest to god, "House" along with one or two others were just difficult to listen to at my normal volume then when Charli would start singing on the next sound, she sounded quiet. The second half of this is where I think the pieces finally start to come together a bit better. The filter masking Charli's voice on "Seeing Things" is a good one off on here. The song feels more traditional in it's production without as much of the crazy strings staying more elegant. The following song "Altars" is another highlight. The production is the most pop-centric but the chorus is by far and away the best. The way her voice floats with the reverb on the strings on the chorus is mixed to perfection. Finally, the track "My Reminder" embraces glitchy vocals on the chorus while keeping the beat a bit more subdued which is a nice change in combination with the gritty synths. Overall a strong soundtrack to accompany the film but I wish they would have revisited the first half a bit more.
ONLY IF I DIE, WOULD I NOT BE
1nonly
★★★★★★
Pretty good overall. 1nonly has certainly found a niche in the gritty rap scene that has been unexplored and he's living up to it's potential. The first half of this album is almost all quality. Loved "GRAILED" on it's release as a single and "LATELY" with Pouya is an excellent change of pace. My main critic is that it doesn't vary much. "LATELY" diverts slightly from the rest and "MOVE FAST" has a bit more of a rock feeling to it even though I wouldn't say it nears rock. The haunted aggressive vibe is abundant here and sounds slick. The production is top notch and works perfectly with his voice. A match made in heaven. "PUSH UP" with Project Pat and 870glizzy struggles. I don't really like 870glizzy's voice and Project Pat on this type of beat feels wrong. Like one of those intentionally bad meals you see on social media. I know 1nonly's still very fresh to the scene but I hope he doesn't get pigeon holed into this forever because I think there is a bit more variety he can explore but it's a solid first outing.
Mar 1, 2026
Ca$ino
Baby Keem
★★★★★
The variety on here felt pretty abundant to me. Still honed in on a certain genre but none of the tracks sounded that similar. I ended up liking this a lot more than I was anticipating but I've liked Keem's stuff in the past. I think it is missing a really stand out track but maybe I need to give the ones I do like a bit more time to age on me. Keem's vocal style is almost off-putting given how his delivery is lackadaisical at times but that's part of the charm. Makes sense that he is related to Kendrick because they have similar mannerisms in how they "perform" on a song. Not afraid of doing something a little bit wacky or goofy but is done tastefully where it's not portrayed as cringe. Very let down by "Good Flirts". Was hoping the main Kendrick feature on here would just be him talking about butts. It's a bit funny but not a ton of reliability. Given the vibe of the song, not exactly a party banger. A lot of the other songs on here are freakishly good.
Feb 28, 2026
LET'S DO SOMETHING STUPID!
Bryce Vine
★★★★★
For some reason I felt this coming in his discography. Have always had a love-hate relationship with his music. On one hand a lot of it is the epitome as corny and other time I can't help but appreciate how well written the melodies and the actual music is. He knows how to make catchy music but not necessarily good music, but he very often brings the two together accidentally. Starting with the negatives, some of the lyrics and songwriting on here is piss poor. Sounds like an edgy 15 year old that hates his parents for no real reason. "Superman", "Mommy's Little Monster", "Right Thing, Wrong Time". All contain this self-deprecating attitude that becomes old very quick, even if you haven't listened to his prior work. I think he shines brightest when doing what he typically does, pop. This punk rock sounds dated, but what punk rock isn't a product of it's time and it's likely something he knew going into making this. It feels like something not for the listeners but for himself. Circling back to what I mentioned earlier, he does stumble across fun, catchy songs. "Catalyst", "Still Want You", and "Otherside" all fall within this. The feature on "Still Want You" does take away a bit of the enjoyment as his vocals do not match this type of music whatsoever in my opinion. Looking at their background, they make "heavy synth pop - Real Rockers". Not sure what that means. But I don't think this qualifies. The rest of song where Bryce is actually singing is the catchiest on here. The other songs fall more into this category too where I just want Bryce to be singing cuz his pop vocals do translate well into this punkier style. Overall, I hate that I like some of this as much as I do considering how bad some parts are. I would feel I'm doing a disservice saying this is average overall.
California Calling
Møme, Ricky Ducati
★★★★★
Not sure why they landed on calling this "California Calling" as there isn't much of anything that sounds like California's ambiance. It does have some good rich synths throughout but I wouldn't call this too much of an upgrade of their last team up project, "Flashback Fm" back in 2021. While the production in good, this could have been made by Mome back in 2016 when he released "Panorama". I would also say that his more interesting work still remains on that record. This serves more as a synth-pop background for Ricky Ducati to lounge around on. Not sure I'm really a fan of that set up either. Ricky's voice isn't always bad but you can tell sometimes it's like he's a dog toy getting chewed on. The air is being forced out of his lungs at points and it's a bit rough around the edges. There are definitely highlights though. "Do You Know Me" is a softer song on here that is a bit more fleshed out and as a result makes it a more engaging and interesting listen. "In Your Arms" almost sticks the landing with a very catchy chorus but Ricky might have been trying to do a little to much on it. That's TBD on my end though. Then the best piece on here is "Don't Forget Yourself". The most California sounding, however still nothing close to justifying the name of the album, it blends in some guitar backing to make for a more upbeat experience where a lot of these feel like a drive at night on a highway in a city. The melody on the chorus is perfect and the production goes hand in hand with Ricky's voice. Definitely the best song these two have collaborated on. Mome's 5 year gaps between releases doesn't give me much hope for the future considering he doesn't really seem to improving or evolving that much as an artist but he does have his occasional highlights.
BRODIE WORLD
AG Club
★★★★★★
A very colorful album. The rapping & singing isn't really the forefront. These energetic beats are really the draw here. The opener "eva" is a prime example of this as the main melody is mixed so much higher than the vocals and I really hope it was intentional because this might be one of the only songs I've ever heard where this unorthodox mixing style works perfectly. The wacky ideas sometimes lose me here and there like on "that's right daddy" and "The Iron Giant" but generally speaking it's pretty fun overall. "Sabine" is also a nice closer given the more R&B choice over the pop rap scattered throughout the rest of the album.
Feb 15, 2026
Melt
Beach Weather
★★★★★
First time ever listening to Beach Weather. Immediate comparison is a more upbeat Lord Huron, which I think has its place. This style of music sometimes doesn't grip me from one song to the next, which isn't any fault of Beach Weather's. However, I liked a few songs on here, such as "High or Low Places" & "Hottest Summer on Record." Not too much to say otherwise. I'm sure this band will be around for a while, just based on how bands in this genre have historically developed a slow-burning fan base. It'll be interesting to see what they do next.
Feb 15, 2026
Icon
Brent Faiyaz
★★★★★
Brent returns with a more minimalistic, synth heavy outing. "WASTELAND" has surely broken my expectations with him as some of my favorite modern R&B production is on there. This time around, the same level is there but that minimalistic difference leaves some of the space feeling a bit bare and empty. "have to." is the move full song in that sense while a lot of these other ones are just a tad too slow. "four seasons." is the only other that comes close to what I really love from him but it isn't at that same level. "butterflies." also has some some gorgeous synths at the end of the song that make me wish more of it had it. Overall, I don't have a lot to say about this. Minimalistic in it's style leaves me with not too much to talk about.
Feb 14, 2026
Blush
Kevin Abstract
★★★★★
Listen 1: Equivalent of throwing paint on a wall. Cool but debatable on if it's good, lucky, or just bad. Wide range of features makes it feel very full, like the lo mein I had a few days ago. Listen 2: Wtf is NOLA. Sounds like absolute garbage until JPEG shows up and tears it up. Bizarre how someone's voice and flow can completely make or break a track. That beat should just be for JPEG and be on a solo project of his. No one else on it should make a peep. Credit where credit's due to the album cover as well. Sums up the how the music sounds quite sufficiently. 1 Week Later: It sounds colorful and sometimes the colors don't mix well. It's fun and wacky and quirky and that's all great but it just doesn't always land the punch. Some flows are just aimless while others grip you before you see it coming. I'm sure the length of the project has something to do with this as well. There's a fair amount of it, that's not filler, but just experimenting. That is always commendable. Experimenting is going to produce some lackluster results but also put out defining art styles. This landed somewhere in the middle. Nothing outright atrocious (other than some of NOLA) but nothing really pushed a boundary that I would consider new. It's diet experimentation.
Feb 14, 2026
BELOVED
GIVĒON
★★★★★
Listen 1: Beautiful voice. Some parts become very repetitive. He was going for a certain style for sure and he nailed it. It may just not vary enough. TOO consistent one could say. Listen 2: This has the bones of a great album but still kinda ugly on the outside if you get what I mean. Not saying it's bad, don't get me wrong. Has redeeming qualities like TWENTIES and MUD but you could pick 1 or 2 songs and say you've pretty much heard the whole thing. 1 Week Later: TWENTIES is by far and away the best track. This overall works great as a project but for individual songs to listen to, doesn't have a ton or replay-ability. I hope this man finds some more ways to mix this classy, pinky lifted, type sound while making it a bit more addicting. Once he's done that, he will have struck gold.
Feb 14, 2026
WWP
Tyla
★★★★★
Listen 1: I have never really gotten into this sound all together but I think this EP does weave together an almost watered down version of it. I don't mean this in a bad way either. It bridges the gap between standard R&B/Pop with some Afrobeats which for me is the kind of music that needs to exist if I will ever fully appreciate genres like Afrobeat or Reggae. I'm sure they are fantastic genres in their own rights, but just like how many of the people on this website or other critic oriented websites look at EDM, it will take more than just a simple run through of Afrobeat's' greatest hits for me to appreciate the genre as a whole. Listen 2: This does have some fun bounce to it but is held a bit short due to it's repetitiveness. Contrary to the first listen as well, I think the boiled down version of mixing this with more mainstream pop does take some of the flavor away. It's a bit of a double standard considering what I previously said, but it's a tough line to walk so sue me for feeling split. 1 Week Later: Truthfully, I will likely forget about this by the years end and will only be reminded when I'm scrolling through all the different things I listened to. The beat for Mr. Media is excellent but unfortunately the melodic element is quite lacking for it to have any sort of long term replayability.
Feb 14, 2026
LOOK! I'm Alive
Quinn XCII
★★★★★
Listen 1: Very soft and soothing album. I think everything on here is a real recorded instrument which he has slowly been shifting towards over the last several years. I like to refer to music like this as sunflower pop. It feels like a beam of light is shining down on you. The danger of sunflower pop, which is relevant to this album, is becoming too stagnant or boring. It's about doing a lot with a little. In the same way Yeezus is a minimalist album for electronic music, "LOOK! I'm Alive" is a minimalist album for pop heads. The quality comparatively is up to debate, don't get me wrong but the simple movement through instruments makes this easy to listen to. Especially as background music, which has it's place. The only slight to this record is "Kissed The Sun". Only song on here that made me want to skip. Listen 2: My second listen just solidified my already existing thoughts. This album is all face value and there's nothing wrong with that. The simple melodies and chill production are just that but they fit what's needed. 1 Week Later: I will almost always listen to his new music but I know deep down I will never like his newest stuff more than his earlier work. He's simply a nostalgia artist for me. I'm sure he will have a song here and there that I really like but overall, unless something changes drastically, I don't see his music style being something that I'm head over heels for. This album is decent listen front to back and definitely delivers on what it's trying to get across but I'm not ready for that message.
Feb 14, 2026
God Does Like Ugly
JID
★★★★★
Initial: Love me some new JID. I've been noticing a lot of rappers, especially new age acclaimed ones, fading away from a typical radio song structure of 2 or 3 choruses with a few verses and maybe a bridge. This is a dangerous game to play and really shows who is a step above the rest. I believe that if you are able to make not only an interesting listen that doesn't have a lot of repeating melodies or choruses, for it to really stand out, it needs to be replayable. Unfortunately, I think JID isn't quite there yet. I love his choruses on prior albums and his memorable verses. He does have a good few of them on here like on Gz. Overall though, this is still just missing that extra umpf that pushes this into that next stratosphere of artistic rap. 1 Week Later: I would call this a bit overly ambitious. I heard those preluxe songs and assumed they were preluxe because they sound cool but they don't really have any gripping moments. The album as a whole follows some of that same trend. There are some cool spots specifically but there is just so much going on here that it all gets jumbled together at times. Nearly every song has a "Well X was cool but Y was a bit weird".
Feb 14, 2026
WHERE IS MY HEAD?
Rich Brian
★★★★★
Yeah, a wait that was worth it. On "The Sailor" he was going down an a more introspective route but it didn't feel fully fleshed out. Considering it was only a year after his debut Amen, there didn't seem to be much time to look back on. Now that it's been 6 years, that introspection has some life to it.
Feb 14, 2026
Goofs
Medasin
★★★★★
This has been a fun spin Medasin has taken over the last few years and this just goes further down that path. Never would have seen this coming if you told me he would be making electronic jazz back in 2018 but I'm still as happy to listen as ever.
Feb 14, 2026
DUMB
Emma Louise, Flume
★★★★★
A part of what has always made Flume so appealing is the wide range of sound he achieves with such a sprawling cast of artists. Flume doing this with Emma and the recent JPEG EP are essentially Flume in a box. Not that Emma Louise (or JPEG) don't work with Flume, but it doesn't leave much room for different styles with a lot of these follow a lot of the same structure and sound with screaming synths. Still evolved from previous work, it is all in the vein of Flume's more pop centered songs and lacks that diversity which is dearly missed.
Feb 14, 2026
Play
Ed Sheeran
★★★★★
You're listening to an Ed Sheeran album. Simple as that. Got some good range of tracks with some being catchy, some being ballads, and some that are just kinda forgettable. If you are listening to Ed Sheeran waiting for his "big breakthrough" I don't quite know what to tell you. This dude knows his sound and is pretty good at it so I wouldn't ever expect some big brain culmination album where he is going to do ???. Listening to this and expecting something other than what he has put out over the last decade and some is only tricking yourself. You're either on the boat or off it with him.
Feb 14, 2026
A Quiet and Harmless Living
Matt Maeson
★★★★★
An album of ranging quality, not in one song to another, but certain aspects as a whole. Starting with the good/great. The lyrical songwriting is S-Tier. If not for the other more negative parts that I'll get into in a minute, this album could go down in history as a great for it's song writing. The down turn of this is coincides with a lot of these pop/folk/acoustic artists that are looking to essentially follow in the footsteps of Noah Kahan. Matt Maeson has made some great pop crossovers and would love if he continued to do so but instead this album feels very stripped and sticks very plainly to some gritty folk/acoustic rock. It all comes together rather generically. I'm all for artists evolving, but it feels like this wasn't a great step for Matt outside of his ability as a lyricist
Feb 14, 2026
Movement II
Petit Biscuit
★★★★★
A standard artist of his time, he delivers quite consistently but doesn't do much to really evolve. When he first broke out, it seemed like his style was going to be much more chill than it was. His hit, 'Sunset Lover', filled a gap that wasn't Petit Biscuit's main genre. That's okay, though, because he typically delivers time and time again. This is no different. A short and sweet EP with the highlight on 'Close Your Eyes'. While it's nothing inventive, he does still find a way to keep a sound that's so 2010s feel exciting.
Feb 14, 2026
Some Kind of Alchemy
Mansionair
★★★★★
Sticking to their guns, Mansionair delivers more of their signature atmospheric electronic pop ballads. To me, they have also struck me as a slightly more pop-driven RUFUS DU SOL. The unfortunate part of it is that I think RUFUS can typically create that big tension that is best fitted for longer form EDM tracks without some massive drop, but more of a world of textures where you get lost in it. Mansionair seems to often aim for that same feeling, but run into either having songs that are too boring when they try to extend the build and momentum of the song, or they feel stunted by not having enough time to accumulate. So the answer to each issue I have with their songs they can't seem to do right when they do what I want them to. Bit of a head scratcher. That said, it's not like it's all bad news. I am a bit of a nitpicking maniac, and this is good overall. The percussion on Orbit, stellar. The production of the synths on Lose Yourself Again is silky. Overall, they are reliable and at the very least, that is a sign of a good artist that does not seem to fall off in terms of quality, even if they're not bringing much that's new to the table anymore.
Feb 14, 2026
I Learned It The Hard Way
DLG.
★★★★★
DLG. always comes in with some very intriguing production but often misses on making a song stick. That glue that keeps you coming back. This entire album has the backbone and production to leave a lasting impression but a lot of the vocal melodies, and maybe his voice altogether, just fade into nothing. It feels aimless while the production feels full of purpose. If he can learn to balance these two elements a bit more, I think he can really make some great tunes.
Feb 14, 2026
Breathe
The Chainsmokers
★★★★★
They may need a hiatus. All of my favorite work of theirs is when I haven't been bombarded with new music by them over the last several years. This could be me growing tired of their style year after year. Or it could be that they do the best when they save up some of these half-baked ideas and put them all on a longer album when they've had more time to flesh them out. When they were brand new, I listened to everything they put out on repeat. By the time they released World War Joy in 2019, I had lost that same excitement for their releases. Then they went on break for 3 years and released So Far So Good in 2022, which was my favorite album of that year (I know, crazy). Now they're slipping down that same path where Summertime Friends was pretty good, then No Hard Feelings lost me a bit. Breathe feels like an improvement, but it lacks any sort of creativity from them. What made So Far So Good so good was the fact that they were trying new ideas and sounds. When they go on these streaks of non-stop releases, that creativity is refocused into pumping out traditional pop/future bass EDM songs, mimicking their golden years. It's time for them to move on from those days.
Feb 14, 2026
PHOLKS
Leon Thomas
★★★★★
I have never been to a party so early before, and I'm happy he's getting his praise! I first discovered Leon back in 2018, and now, 7 years later, he is finally blowing up. Feels like a long time coming. MUTT was pretty good, obviously, and this EP plays well as a mini-successor to that album. Some neat production on 5MoreMinutes that I've never heard before, but couldn't feel more R&B. Baccarat also deserves its props for that guitar. Oh, lord, does it hit right. It's smooth and polished overall and delivers exactly what you would want Leon Thomas to be doing.
Feb 14, 2026
d00mscrvll, Vol. 1
Diplo, d00mscrvll
★★★★★
Made for TikTok but still hits. I would almost call this montage or supercut music. Exists to accompany cool edits of sports or TV or movies or whatever. Diplo wisely used Project Pat on this all over the place. For some reason, Project Pat is the perfect rapper to use for these types of edits.
Feb 14, 2026
ABOVE*GROUND
MEMBA
★★★★★
Back with their unique twist on Future Bass, MEMBA are still stuck on what made them stand out in the first place. They first emerged with a brand of EDM that was a nice offshoot of the typical David Guetta or Martin Garrix wannabes. Several years down the line, and they can't seem to find a new path to follow. I'm starting to fear they will fall into a washing machine of their Eastern-influenced masked version of the genre, not really innovating.
Feb 14, 2026
ODYSSEY
ILLENIUM
★★★★★★
It's been a few years since ILLENIUM has dropped and I can't say you could really tell it's been that long. These tracks could have been made at the same time as his self-titled effort and I would not have known the difference. For a three year gap, I was really hoping for more development, especially given how formulaic the electronic genre is right now. Not sure if this is too many hands in the pot given the TWENTY-THREE different producers that worked on this behemoth. A little stat breakdown of producers per album. "Ashes": 1. "Awake": 3. "Ascend": 11. Starting to get a bit excessive. "Fallen Embers": 12. "Illenium": 11. "Odyssey": TWENTY-THREE! Where even is ILLENIUM here? There are more producers than tracks. This many different people working on something that ILLENIUM could have made with Dabin is insane. It still sounds nice and pretty and polished though. Like to a tee. This album could be a baseline for AI learning languages to produce this genre. It is all "perfect" in the most boring way. My favorite song from his last album was "Shivering". Great change to the typical pace of his genre and perfectly mixes a harder rock style featuring Spiritbox. I think it was pretty apparent that he had struck a new working medium and this time he returned with two more attempts at this. "Slave to the Rithm" with Bring Me The Horizon and "War" with Lo Spirit. "amo" by BMTH is one of my all time favorites due to it's excellent mixture of rock and the electronic sound sweeping the airwaves at the time of it's release. Maybe not a BMTH diehard fan fave, but to me it's timeless. Seeing them on here gave me an optimistic outlook. Hearing the song was somewhat opposite. The mixing on this rock-edm hybrid must be a nightmare to do, even with 23 people, with all the blazing synths, screaming vocals, and heavy guitar. So the beginning of the song suffers heavily. As far as the rest of it, the magic just isn't there like on "Shivering". "War" does pull this off a bit better but I still doesn't capture that same flame. The features slathered across here have quite the track record and I'm sure ILLENIUM is aware of the different crowds he is pulling with these. Mako, Ryan Tedder from OneRepublic, Elley Duhe, Zeds Dead, Dean Lewis, Bastille, Dabin, Alok, the aforementioned Bring Me The Horizon. He even got Kid Cudi. The wide range of vocal style is what does keep the run time refreshing. Just a ton of people with great voices that are easy to listen to. "I'll Come Runnin" did catch my ear as I'm down bad for Zeds Dead's production style. "Not Ordinary" with Kid Cudi also accomplishes what it needs to for me. It doesn't embrace the wall of music a lot of these other songs have. Don't get me wrong though, it still has that big production feel to it. I'm not quite sure if ILLENIUM will ever do anything different. I simply ask for one excellent song each album. As long as I get that, I'll be happy.
