Sean Sharp's Diary

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".

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Joji historically has songs that kind of fall under the banner of being half-demos. They're fully created and mixed and mastered, but are way too short. It really depends on the specific album if they have more or less of these but "Nectar" was the first time this might be a problem with his music. "SMITHEREENS" even had this issue to a degree despite the low track count. Now "Piss In The Wind" returns more to the former's style with it's length. If 21 songs in 45 minutes doesn't tell you what you need to know about this, I don't know what will. The songs themselves are well made but don't really bring to life many of the ideas. "Past Won't Leave My Bed" is probably the closest we get here to a fully functional song acting closer to "Glimpse Of Us". Not meaning that I think he should continue making songs that sound like that, it's just a coincidence that they do, but more so that it feels like a real fuuuulllll song. It has progression. Lots of these other songs are simply ideas. I still liked this as a whole since it does sound good overall. I just hope one day, Joji can dive a bit deeper into some of these and actually finished them.

Heard "On Nothing" and was really happy with it. Never heard of her before but just that song made me interested in what the full EP sounded like. "On Nothing" does reach a level that I don't think the other track on here are able to reach but you can tell it's got good bones. Definitely a jump pad for more successful music to come. Some of the production is pretty slick but the whole project does feel a little slow here or there. "Double Tragedy" would be another highlight for me. I think her voice pairs well with production that feels more full. Several of these songs contain a slower contemporary R&B vibe but I think she thrives a bit more when it mixes with pop a tad bit more.

The production is right up my alley. Gritty but has that glimmer that some darker synth pop holds. I wish he would switch it up just a tad more, as by about halfway through the production doesn't feel much different from any other point. "I Don't Mind" is incredibly catchy and is an example of when all the pieces come together correctly. There are a few cool outros as well that differ from the norm, but I wish some of those elements were implemented more thoroughly throughout their respective songs. The final gripe I have is the vocal melodies. Probably the weakest part of this. Not super catchy. Sounds good, but this album feels like a bunch of singles, and the way these songs are written is begging for more gripping choruses. Overall, it's hard to hate. Well-produced, fun atmosphere, and his vocal tone is unique, making it hard to get bored with his voice.

After so many years, I think I wanted a little more overall, but it still delivers in doses. There is a wide range of styles and genres here, but the aggressive, electronic-heavy production serves as the anchor point that the album keeps returning to. While I love some of this style, I personally like Rocky when he's a bit more docile on tracks. Many people fell in love with "L$D" back in the day, and it is the biggest highlight here. That style suits him so well, and I feel sad that he doesn't embrace it more. Even if it was just another song or two. Maybe that is what makes it so addictive: as fans, we are starved for tracks that sound like that. The lyrics here have some highs and some basic traditional Rocky bars. Nothing too crazy. Specifically, I like "THE END" where Rocky starts reflecting on the imperfections in the world. He takes several good points and touches on them briefly, using interesting lyrics. My specific favorite is when he references public school lunches tasting like an institution. Returning to "PUNK ROCKY", the more love-laced lyrics fit that style of song like a glove. Nothing on here is particularly bad lyrically, other than maybe a feature's bar here and there. But again, nothing that stands out so much that I think it's worth noting. That electronic grit is prevalent here. "ORDER OF PROTECTION", "STOLE YA FLOW", and "NO TRESPASSING" are some examples where it is executed well and differently each time. I wish there were more traditional instruments at times when there's so much electronic bass and synth; that is what makes some of the other electronic-heavy songs blend in. The songs that divert from this path are a nice surprise. "PUNK ROCKY", I've already touched on, but that is a good detour. "ROBBERY" is the most shocking twist in production, sounding straight out of a jazz bar. Doechii features on here, and their back and forth is rather soothing, but since it's really embodying that jazzy style, there's not really any sort of direction with the song. Vocals throughout this are pretty mundane. Brent Faiyaz does kill it on "STOLE YA FLOW," and Doechii does sound slick on "ROBBERY," but a lot of these features aren't particularly known for their gorgeous voice. Tyler sounds like Tyler and will.i.am sounds like will.i.am, but these are people you expect to give amazing vocal performances. Tyler does sound particularly good at the end of "FISH N STEAK (WHAT IT IS)" when he is singing rather than rapping, but it's just his usual distant style. The real sad vocal performances show up on "STFU" with Keilo Kei. Sounds degrading to listen to, and truthfully, this song as a whole is just a miss. It takes a stab at that JPEGMAFIA grit, but every time I've heard someone try to do it that isn't him, they miss. He's in a lane of his own with that sound.

Laroi embarks on a slow, reflective journey though a breakup with several highs and lows. In a nutshell, the lows boil down to aimless music where several songs feel like interludes into interludes. The high's meanwhile are where the attempts of this album have the stars align. For some reason, this album doesn't feel like it was created with a lot of specific decisions in mind. That's not a bad thing; many artists excel at creating music through this process, and I think it is generally the standard way, especially for new musicians, to produce music. On here, though, it feels like the only decisions they made before creating this album were a few of the artistic styles, like "A PERFECT WORLD" and "THE MOMENT" being more 80s themed. Several of these songs share a very slow stripped-back R&B rhythm, which, duh, makes sense, it's an R&B album, but the ideas are just rehashes of trendy instrumental themes or copies of each other. This leads me to why it does work! Albums with this style of creation, even if they feel aimless, can come out with several good tracks if working with musicians who even hit every once in a while. That is the case here. Starting with the lyrics, I mean, it's a breakup album. Laroi has never hosted a masterclass in songwriting, and while his writing has improved since his teenage years, it's still not at a point where it would be a main draw. His voice has improved significantly over the same time period, and he's finally finding some good consistency with it. I'm sure his moving away from rap has helped, as now he has more opportunities and more pressure to do it right, given the abundance of singing he's doing now compared to then. The production is pretty consistent in terms of style but varies significantly in terms of quality. This album struggles with creating slower, more stripped-down music. It does succeed when it finally tries to build inthroughto something. "THANK GOD", "PRIVATE", and "BACK WHEN YOU WERE MINE" all show this exactly. "THANK GOD" is perhaps the best version of this as the drums build and build throughout, and with Laroi's nice tempo, the lyrics come to a very great ending. It features a glitchy production that doesn't feel like you're in an EDM track, but is appropriate for the style. This is an example of what I wish there was more of here. Not necessarily slow builds, but just more change within each song. "THE MOMENT," for example, has this nice '80s stripped production, but the only memorable part about it is that there is a feature on it. The song has no movement. Laroi is young and has plenty of time to learn and improve. The amount he has changed over the last 5 years is astonishing in its own right. He's not a messiah of music by any means, but I appreciate his dedication and care in creating something new for himself. He is definitely not one to get stuck in a particular musical trend and live there his whole life, at least from what we can tell so far. I would love to continue to listen to what he makes as the songs that do stick the landing, like "A COLD PLAY", deserve the attention.

I see the vision and the vision is nice. The music is ever-changing and constantly evolving into some new creation or beast. Albums like this seem to generally have wide praise when done right but to me I struggle to get behind them in the same way. I can appreciate the way the music waves between instruments and given the theme of the album, it's rather impressive how well this is done. Still though, I can't come to terms with the fact that many of the songs here aren't that interesting to playback and some parts are downright hard to listen to. The flip side is also true, there are many many moments where I wish certain sounds or melodies could be used as an anchor point but instead are never to be seen again. This once again matches being out at sea very well but for my own personal interest in this project, I can't be bothered to listen to some of these 4-6 minute songs just for a specific 20 second part. I can understand the idea from an artist's perspective too. It's not about creating something that people will replay with their friends in the car or bump at a party. It's about expressing an idea in music in such a way that it perfectly encapsules the core idea. Which, to me, is to "idea" focused. To the point where the idea starts to eat itself. So overall, interesting for a listen, but I doubt I would ever listen to this thing unless I got it on vinyl because that album cover is dope as fuck. The vocals and lyrics in this are a bit timid. I don't mean that he writes fearfully, like "oh jeez, will they like this". But more that they aren't a forefront object. The instruments are the big brain of the operation here, and they're flexing. Quadeca's songwriting isn't bad whatsoever and the parts where he does bring his voice more to center stage, like on "THE GREAT BAKUNAWA" and "FORGONE", he sounds great even with these crazy backings. It's a shame that they are back-to-back on this album, as it would break up the album nicely if they were separated a bit more. The instrumentals are the obvious glory. What he has accomplished to do with everything perfectly melding into the next sound is phenomenal, and this is what artists dream about being able to do sonically when transitioning from one part of a song to another. I would dare say that this album is over 50% musical transitions. It feels like there is almost always something changing. Even the sounds that I don't think are that pleasing to the ear are still transitioned well. They fit the soundscape and even the most aggressive noises are brought in with grace. "NATURAL CAUSES" is a slight highlight given it's slightly more memorable brief vocal melody. As a whole though, doesn't drift far from the norm. The real stand out track is "FORGONE". Talk about a beautiful moment. This song alone practically brings this whole hour of waves together. Even at 7 minutes, it's hard to get tired of it. At most, he could have cut off the last minute or two of the song. It reminds me heavily of a modernized version of Simon & Garfunkel or something from that era in that genre.