I'll be honest when I say I am not the most familiar with Travis Scott's work, but even as an outsider, I knew this album has been a long time coming. Scott is one of the biggest artists in the world and considering the around 5-year hiatus since his last major release in Astroworld it is fair to say that the hype that was building was at breaking point by the time this album finally came. What that wait has built to is this, UTOPIA, an album of inconceivable scale and a status that only the biggest stars can manage. This monolithic beast of an album starts, quite fittingly, with a vocal sample of the song "Proclamation" by Gentle Giant, an effective tone setter for the size and sprawl this album will feature. That sample barrels into the song "HYAENA" which features tight and explosive production and a dominating vocal performance from Scott. That level of intensity is a recurring aspect of this album, tracks like "MELTDOWN" use the passion of his vocal delivery to carry the energy, which combined with the vicious Trap instrumental leads to a song that immediately hits the listener. However where I find his vocals the most compelling are in the moments of beauty. "I KNOW ?" has him dissecting the party lifestyle through this deeply impassioned vocal delivery which is almost uncomfortable in its emotion. That emotive power of his voice is also seen on tracks like "PARASAIL" which use his voice as well as those of his collaborators to create this unnerving psychedelic blend that turn them all into a part of the instrumental, just a cog in the machine instead of the presenter on the stage. Despite the excellence of his performance, what makes it shine is the fantastic production here. To match his intense style, tracks like "MODERN JAM" and "CIRCUS MAXIMUS" make use of these thumping and pounding percussion that crash over the listener and only add to the feeling of power and scale the album has. However, the main star of the production here is the synth work, a huge chunk of the album makes fantastic use of these piercing and angular synths that give it a uncomfortable feel. Despite the huge amount of producers, this consistent use of synths works as a thread that ties everything together and makes it feel cohesive. However, this isn't the only side of the coin as tracks like "MY EYES" make use of a more muted and subtle production style to account for his softer delivery style. throughout we find that the album melds around the vocalist, growing and adapting to fit, such as the previously sparse and spacey "LOST FOREVER" suddenly shifting to a more intense and ominous style to account for Westside Gunn's more abrasive style. On the topic of features that is another place the album shines. Whether they are the main event or a backing addition, such as the terrific performance by KayCyy on "THANK GOD", they all do fantastic work. One place the album thrives is in selecting features whose differences complement each other, such as on album highlight "DELRESTO (ECHOES)" where Justin Vernon's more off-kilter additions make the perfect contrast to Beyonces fierce and self-assured delivery, which is also one of the best performances I have heard from her. The feature I want to highlight most however is SZA on "TELEKINESIS" who delivers a stunning final verse for the penultimate track. It isn't all perfect however, the album has moments where it stumbles. "GOD'S COUNTRY" is a shorter track that features the absolute worst of the production, featuring a truly obnoxious vocal sample that cuts through and ruins the song. Occasionally the album will also ignore its intrigue and innovation and deliver us a song like "TOPIA TWINS" which is a decent if extremely basic party jam with some especially generic lyrics, though it did leave me with the only moment where a lyric left me speechless, though considering it is "Deep in the throat 'til she tear, I'm her favorite beverage" it is safe to say it isn't in the best way. Finally, I want to touch on the song "K-POP" which has been especially unpopular with fans and I have to say, I'm not sure I understand it. Sure it is maybe the most intense stylistic shift on the album, being a Dancehall track of all things, but it is pretty solid, everyone performs well and though it isn't one of the best songs on the album it is an enjoyable one. The album ends quite differently from how it began, "TIL FURTHER NOTICE" contrasts the opening tracks' overwhelming power with an unnerving send-off as a number of the album's collaborators reach out to the audience and ask them "The album is now over, what are you going to do now?" but this track also functions as a message from Travis Scott, saying that even if he doesn't know when he will be back, he will be back. In short despite its few shortcomings, this is an album that earns the intense and monolithic status it has built for itself, it feels like an event in a way few albums can manage and I am sure it is going to become a permanent stay of modern music discussion. What we have here is an intensely ambitious, fantastically produced, and excellently performed album that in my eyes lives up to the status its name has had in the months leading to its release and is absolutely one of the best albums of the year.

I am finally back from my life related break from writing for this website and just in time (though a little late) for the monthly roundup. June was another great month, there were plenty of excellent releases and more surprising for me, unexpected favourites in genres I usually don't care for. Arthur Russell - Picture of Bunny Rabbit Arthur Russell is one of the saddest what-if's in music for me. Someone with boundless creativity, a unique sound, and a fierce work ethic was taken away before they were able to express their full potential. Thankfully for those of us still mourning what could have been there has been a steady stream of respectfully delivered and thoughtful archival releases that capture snippets of his incredible back catalog of recordings. This newest one is once again excellent, every song here is gorgeous and is even further proof of the excellence of Arthur Russell's songwriting. This whole album feels like a comforting embrace with a loved one that leaves both of you crying by the end. For anyone who enjoys any of Russell's previous releases you are doing yourself a disservice by not checking this out, it is beautiful and wonderfully creative. binki - Antennae Another excellent EP from one of the most promising acts in the world right now. This one leans more into the off-kilter Pop side of binki's sound and it is all the better for it. Every song here is delightfully catchy in its own unique way, all pulling from several different influences in a way that feels like a real combination of ideas instead of a messy board of dots that do not connect as many releases that attempt this fall into. All of this is tied together by the consistently excellent vocal style which somehow always manages to perfectly fit the sound it is going for. When binki finally releases their full debut album it is going to be something truly special as this is further proof that they are someone you need to be paying attention to. Boris & Uniform - Bright New Disease A great collaborative project between these two bands with an overwhelming amount of variety. Practically every song here sounds different, from mindmelting Crossover Thrash to more groovy Electro-Industrial sounds, there is a wild feeling of experimentation here. Occasionally this musical variety leads to a sense of tonal whiplash but largely it keeps the album feeling fresh and enjoyable. Godflesh - Purge Industrial Metal icons Godflesh are back with another project, and their style of EDM flavoured Industrial Metal, last seen in the 90s is back in maybe its best form. This album is filthy, it is dense and murky in the best possible way, you feel as if you are being drowned in a swamp of nails for the whole release. The instrumentals here are absolutely crushing, from start to finish these instrumentals are some of the most vicious of the whole year, and the vocals are somehow just as evil sounding as they were at the band's beginning. After a 6 year break, Godflesh have come back swinging and are here to show that they are still able to contend with everyone else and this incredible album is absolutely proof of that fact. Home is Where - The Whaler Rising Emo band Home Is Where are back with their sophomore album, and their first album that is in a normal album length and honestly, they use this additional time well. There is a very clear development in the band's songwriting here, tracks feel tighter and more engaging, with the variety in sounds and textures also being better. Even with that said though, what was good about their last album is still good here, the vocals especially, crushingly emotive in every part of their delivery. On the whole, this is just more great Emo from a band who are just getting better and better, excited to see where they go next. McKinley Dixon - Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!? From its opening moments, this album feels special, the droning instrumentation and the novel excerpt reading set up the mood for the rest of the album. For every moment after this, the album is beautiful. Instrumentally this is some of the most incredible Jazz in Jazz Rap I have ever heard; every instrumental is dense yet never too busy. The performers on top of these instrumentals are what matters here however. Mckinley Dixon is a captivating performer throughout, with richly detailed lyricism and a fantastic flow. He not only grabs your attention but keeps it for the projects whole duration, and I found myself always focused and engaged in his performance. The features here are also great, whether they are here for backing vocals or to add a verse, they all add so much to the album. In short, this album is brilliant, whether it is it's usual gorgeous or harder such as on "Mezzanine Tippin'" it all comes together in one genius whole. I am kicking myself for not giving McKinley Dixon attention sooner. OLTH - Every Day is Someone's Special Day Some of the most unique Screamo I have ever heard. This album manages to excellently balance softer elements and textures with extremely impactful and cathartic explosions of sound. The guitar work here is excellent, it has a rough Metal tinged tone that works with the fantastic Screamo vocals. The songs here also have a great sense of variety that keeps them exciting for the album's whole duration. For a debut project, this is outstanding and this is a band you should absolutely keep an eye on. Phuyu y La Fantasma - El pacífico albergará nuestros huesos Lush and gorgeous Folk music that sounds as comforting as a warm blanket feels. It can get occasionally one note musically but the sound it goes for is just so pleasant and the song writing is so tight that it never becomes an issue. The vocals are also wonderful, they are bright and passionate and perfectly complement the instrumentation. A great little EP I highly recommend if you are a fan of soothing yet deeply emotional Folk. Squid - O Monolith Of the recent major Windmill bands, Squid was definitely one of the ones I got the least. Their debut album was good but I never thought it was anything more, being that it is annoyingly bogged down by some filler songs that took away from the other half which were pretty fantastic. Luckily, O Monolith is not only musically more engaging and creative but it is also far more consistent and scratches away most of the flaws with their debut. Everything they were doing on their debut is done better here, the instrumentals are more infectious and have a much better sense of groove which gives them a real connective feel and the vocals are far more consistent as well. If this is how much they can improve by their second I can't wait to hear their third because it seems like Squid are just going to get better and better. Thantifaxath - Hive Mind Narcosis Considering I have never really been the biggest fan of Black Metal I was pretty shocked by how much I enjoyed this. There is a lot of variety here, it manages to balance its brutality with more surreal elements that give it a unique identity. I do appreciate how weird this one gets, there are no straight lines or easy explanations, and this album feels like a puzzle you need to unravel on your own. The unfriendly production adds to the uncomfortable and alien feel of this album, it feels like it is suffocating you, trying its best to kill you before you can hope to understand its secrets. It has its flaws, some songs exceed the point of intrigue and get somewhat tedious and occasionally ideas won't be given enough time, but on the whole, this is a deeply enjoyable album that I recommend, even if you don't like Black Metal.

May might have been one of the best months of the whole year as far as releases are concerned. Though I didn't hear as many albums as usual, the stuff I did hear, for the most part, was excellent. We have a wide range of releases here today, from sweet 70s throwbacks to mindmelting Screamo, but the string that ties them together is that they are absolutely worth your time. Alice Low - Transatlantic Sugar Alice Low is a genius and one of the most promising musicians in the world right now. Across this debut EP we some of the most wildly creative music of the year, melding modern off-kilter aesthetics with a clear love for the Glam Rock of the 70s. For a debut release this really is exceptional, each song is wonderfully engaging while being sonically diverse and leaving so much room for future development. I have full faith that Alice Low is going to become one of the greatest artists of all time and I cannot wait to see her career progress because this is an unbelievably phenomenal first step. Alien Tango - Kinda Happy, Kinda Sad After a series of EPs Alien Tango are finally exposing their true potential on this excellent debut album. Packed to the brim with engaging and eclectic song writing this album consistently excites with some of the strangest music of the entire year so far. However, it never feels as if it is leaning too far into being weird, as it always keeps itself grounded with its infectious choruses and delightful vocals. Though I try to avoid direct comparisons this album does remind me of Mr. Bungle on California, where the maximalism is used for more Pop minded writing. I have no doubt in my mind saying this is one of the most promising debuts of the year and I highly recommend it for anyone interested in the weirder side of pop. billy woods & Kenny Segal - Maps billy woods is expectedly on top form here, his flow and darkly political storytelling are always a treat and here there is not a bar that falls flat. not only are the verses great but there are excellent hooks here too, whether delivered by Woods himself or by a feature such as the genuinely gorgeous Sam Herring delivered hook on "FaceTime" which adds so much to the sound. The production here is also extremely effective. Though the beats lack some of the consistency of tone of other billy woods releases it makes up for it having the feel of an improv session by a jazz band at the seediest coffee shop in the world. The thick basslines and chunky drums matched with the additions of either synths or organic instrumentation make for a project that feels rough and ragged in the best way. A fantastic release. CRIM$ON - Visual Snow* This EP is texturally fascinating while still remaining entertaining and engaging, with a range of sounds of elements so intense that would make Don Salsa blush. However it rarely feels as if it is too much, the sound always feels focused. There is a level of scope here that can feel a bit daunting but it feels earned, it never feels as if it is forcing grandiosity when it isn't warranted. The vocals are also great throughout, when they appear they make for a great addition to the sound. Despite the occasional pacing issues this is an extremely promising release. Garfo - Pra aliviar uma dor Some more gorgeously played Folk by Garfo with a whole lot of variety. This short selection of songs are all deeply enjoyable, and also contain some of the best vocal performances I have heard on a Garfo project. There is an emphasis on psychedelic sounds on a number of the tracks on this release which I think works wonders with Garfos usual style. Even with this project not being intended as a structured release, being a combination of released and unreleased recordings from 2022 and 2023 it all works together. Really solid project I highly recommend it. Jeromes Dream - The Gray in Between There is a manic and ferocious rage that permeates the record, from the vicious pinching guitars to the suffocating lower end, the drums pummelling as the vocalist yelps in agony, it is a fantastic sound through and through. Unlike a lot of Screamo it never feels too short, songs have the ideal amount of time to execute their ideas and they never get stale. The song writing really is on top form here, taking the expected viciousness and supplementing it with quieter moments that give the entire record a real sense of balance. Not only is this a great release, it manages to exceed the greatness of their debut. Kœnig - 1 Above Minus Underground Even though this technically released in April I had to mention it because this is possibly the most imaginative Hip Hop album I have ever heard. Every beat on here is unreal, meshing organic sounding instrumentation with alien accents that give the entire project a wonderful creeping and uncomfortable atmosphere. An example of this is the wild, bending and pulsating synth that blasts in a minute into track 2, which creates an unnerving feeling in the mix, as it feels as if an unknown creature is wailing in pain, and textures this fascinating are all over the project. To add to these incredible instrumentals, the majority of these songs have features and every single one kills it. In short this album is phenomenal and is a titanic and monolithic testament to sheer creativity. The Lemon Twigs - Everything Harmony Retro-revival music in recent years has found itself trapped mostly to the 80s so it is refreshing to hear an uptick in revivals of the sounds of the 70s and earlier which the Lemon Twigs are a clear example of. I mean down to the name this band ooze the 60s and 70s, the name sounds exactly like one you would spot in a record stores second hand bargain section that you pick up and love way more than you had anticipated. That effect also transfers to the music, which is lush and well performed but has a looser edge that helps to both benefit the throwback, while also giving the music a real charm. The vocals are also delightful, they have a feeling of bittersweet whimsey in their delivery reminiscent of the Baroque Pop stars of the late 60s that gives it a real flavour. These artists live and breathe the era they are replicating, this is not fancy dress by any means. Sparks - The Girl is Crying in Her Latte After existing for long enough, most bands sort of throw in the towel and just pump out the same album year after year as a constant excuse to tour, Sparks are not that kind of band. Throughout this album we hear sparks take on some of the most unconventional instrumentals of their whole career, from mind melting Glitch Pop to softer Bit Pop inspired sounds. They do often dip into things more in line with their former work but that doesn't detract from how delightfully creative this whole album feels. There are very few bands who have existed for this long who care as much about music as Sparks do and this is just further proof of that fact. Water From Your Eyes - Everyone's Crushed As someone who loves the more unconventional and angular side of Pop this is exactly up my alley. The album starts off great, with constantly shifting and wonderfully creative song after song, but really steps it into high gear for the second half starting at "Everyone's Crushed" and gives the listener one of the best runs of songs of the entire year, with some of the most mind blowing tracks you will hear. The chaotic energy of the instrumentals is perfectly complemented by the vocalist, who's monotone, uncaring delivery gives a sense of normalcy that just makes the music itself even more exciting. One of the most innovative and creative albums of the entire year, absolutely check it out.

Somewhat Disappointing But Still Great The artist behind my favourite album of 2021 is finally back with a brand new release and one that fixes my only issue with the masterpiece of an album that was Manic Manipulator, its short length. So how is it? Sadly, a bit of a step down. The hooky genius of Manic Manipulator is somewhat absent, replaced by a suffocating Hypnagogic Pop atmosphere. Don't get me wrong, I like it, and it is a sound that Amnoliac Teastone has proved to be able to do very well, I just don't like it as much as what came before. Vocally the album is great but the effects on them often drain the impact from the vocals and make them feel somewhat homogenous. The magic touch of his song writing is thankfully still present, his instrumental selections and compositions are still lush and fascinating but they feel less focused than they have before and the suffocating wall of effects can make them feel muddy and distracted. The one moment that captures the genius of Manic Manipulator is the stretch from tracks 13-14. "The Skies" is an absolutely gorgeous song that has an excellent atmosphere and fascinating instrumentation and a brilliant structure. Even better is "Victory Lap II" an instrumental sequel to a song from the previous album which has some of the most eclectic and fun instrumentation on this whole record. On the whole I still think this album is great, mainly because I don't think Amnoliac Teastone can make and an album that is even just good, but sadly I can't help but feel like this is anything other than a bit of a disappointment. I am sure I will be frequently revisiting songs off this album in the future, but I can't see myself revisiting anything on here nearly as much as I do Manic Manipulator.

Excellent Chaos billy woods has firmly cemented himself as an artist who can do no wrong, after an unbelievably excellent pair of releases in 2022 his return in 2023 comes complete with another excellent release, now with producer Kenny Segal on board for the whole project. These two complement each other excellently, Segal's sinister jazzy flair matches woods' husky delivery in a way that elevates the power of both. Not only that but billy woods is expectedly on top form here, his flow and darkly political storytelling are always a treat and here there is not a bar that falls flat. not only are the verses great but there are excellent hooks here too, whether delivered by Woods himself or by a feature such as the genuinely gorgeous Sam Herring delivered hook on "FaceTime" which adds so much to the sound. The production here is also extremely effective. Though the beats lack some of the consistency of tone of other billy woods releases it makes up for it having the feel of an improv session by a jazz band at the seediest coffee shop in the world, which of course, suits billy woods very well. The thick basslines and chunky drums matched with the additions of either synths or organic instrumentation make for a project that feels rough and ragged in the best way, exemplified in tracks such as "Soft Landing" with production that sounds like a mangling of Lo-fi Hip Hop conventions or the manic jazz frenzy of "Blue Smoke" among many others. As is the usual with A billy woods release the features on here are excellent. The main highlights include: ShrapKnel, who delivers a punchy and sinister flow that would seem like the antithesis to woods' delivery but their contrasts only make them work together even more, Danny Brown, who offers a refreshing jovial energy while also paying tribute to the late MF DOOM in his verse and Aesop Rock, who is always an entertaining presence no matter the project. These features only further add to the loose feel of the record and its improvisational style. On the whole this is another excellent project, both of these performers are on top form and they are a pairing that work wonders together. It lacks some of the liquid cohesion of Aethiopes but its frantic energy makes for an almost equally great record.

April was a much slower month for me as far as new music listening goes, I only heard around half of the albums I did the previous three months, mainly because I was getting burnt out on new releases. That said I still heard a lot of great stuff this month and here are the 10 best. BRAINFREEZE - BRAINWRECK! A great Cloud Rap EP from a group who work off each other excellently. Lush production combined with attention grabbing vocals make for a project that remains exciting for its whole duration. Each member brings something fun and unique to the project that really makes it feel like a group work. Another group to look out for even despite this projects short length. El Michels Affair & Black Thought - Glorious Game Last year Black Thought was half of one of the best Hip Hop albums of the year and only 4 months into this year he is now part of what may be the best of this year. Black Thought is expectedly on top form, at this point he is one of the most reliably excellent rappers in Hip Hop so his immense talent on this project is really no surprise. The beats he finds himself on however are wonderfully unique, with lush instrumentation that gives off a dream like and psychedelic quality, while still being wonderfully punchy, with the tight percussion fitting Black Thoughts delivery brilliantly. This is a wonderful album and I really hope that this group work with Black Thought again because there is a stunning synergy here. Fire-Toolz - I Am Upset Because I See Something That Is Not There. How does someone go about describing Fire-Toolz? What genre fully describes the picture, what adjective sufficiently captures the energy on display here. This is an album that is completely unique, it manages to swap between sounds and ideas so frantically while still feeling complete. This is an album that rejects any idea of convention and instead decides to be as wild and indescribable as possible. This is an album that jumps between the soothing and the harsh skilfully. This is an album that no one but Fire-Toolz could make and I am very excited to hear more of her work, because this is utterly phenomenal. HMLTD - The Worm Rising UK act HMLTD have kicked off their 2023 with one of the most ambitious musical projects of the year. A winding concept album that took the hard work of 47 musicians to bring together and this mass of collaboration is very apparent. This feels like a high budget fantasy movie in musical form, with unimaginable scope and scale prevailing throughout. From the piano ballad of "Days" to the more frantic and frenzied energy of other songs on the track list, the key here is maximalism, with the sonic extremism complementing the surrealism of the concept. The wide range of collaborators also tie into this musical eclecticism, as the all hands on deck approach is also extremely clear in the musicality. On the whole this is a project that feels born of sheer creativity, coming from a group who made it their goal to do something different, and it is my belief that they met that goal and even surpassed it. I hope they keep up this creative momentum in future. The Lousy - Another Lousy Tape The Lousy are currently the most promising band in Metal, they have a level of Crust Punk grit I find extremely exciting and also gives them a brilliant sound. Every member of this band is absolutely ideal for their positions and they come together to create something that is completely and utterly vicious, and I cannot wait to hear more. Magdalena Bay - mini mix vol. 3 Just a fun collection of punchy Synthpop songs. Magdalena Bay are a duo who know their way around a hook and this Mixtape is practically them showing that fact off. Each song is punchy and unique and fiercely enjoyable. This is proof that I have not been paying them nearly enough attention because this is a pretty damn excellent project all around, great vocals and brilliant hooks. Nerver & Chat Pile - Brothers In Christ I am willing to bet most people (myself included) went into this for Chat Pile, but I am pleased to say that both sides perform extremely well. To be honest, Nerver slightly outperform Chat Pile, they bring a unique style of manic power that really interest me where as Chat Pile kind of just do their thing. Don't get me wrong, Chat Piles thing is great, and I enjoy hearing it, hence why I said I enjoyed both sides. On the whole this is a really great split and both artists perform wonderfully. Proc Fiskal - Rt Hon Wildly creative IDM that manages to stay texturally interesting for its whole run. This EP is a brief experience but it manages to pack in more ideas than most longer projects can manage. The sounds on display here are wonderfully creative but manage to keep a rock solid structure that saves it from feeling messy. I can't wait to hear what they do next. VHS Head - Phocus More great sample based IDM from VHS Head who seems to just be naturally gifted at the sound. Almost every track here is filled with hypnotic and suffocating electronic music that I can't help but enjoy. Sure the album is a tad bloated, with a few tracks not being entirely necessary which does detract somewhat from the overall quality but on the whole this is still a really great IDM album. Water-Mall - Of The Mundane A really great Emo album that does somewhat bite off more than it can chew but manages to balance some really brilliant ideas. This is an album that has a huge amount of ideas and though not all of those ideas are fully explored the majority of them are and it stays dynamic and exciting for its whole duration. Really excited for what they do next, this is really promising and great.

Just Another Release From the Band Who Just Don't Care Anymore Most big bands hit a point where they realise they don't have to try anymore, they can trudge along releasing milquetoast album after milquetoast album, primarily as an excuse to tour. Metallica hit that point shockingly early in their career. After the extremely successful Black Album and the extremely successful (and long) tour that followed, Metallica realised that they could just put out an album, that would receive lukewarm reception, and then follow that with a long tour and remain as the most successful Metal band in the world. Sure they have tried to break out and do something new, but those attempts have been quickly squashed by their fans who sit demanding the same old stuff. That leads us to 72 Seasons, an album so horribly afraid of innovating that the band seek to rewrite their old hits with the horrible addition each song being overly long, a song writing quirk that legacy acts seem to love so much. In many ways it reminds me of the problem I had with the last release by Iron Maiden, both albums take good ideas from the bands pasts and stretch them to breaking point in the most tedious and boring way possible. The band play well, because of course they do, the have been together over 40 years, yet they feel satisfied in their abilities and refuse to push themselves even slightly and the talent sounds sterile and polished with any possible roughness removed. They play the same riffs and the same drum patterns as they always have. None of these songs sound musically unique to their previous works. Sure there are highlights, "If Darkness Has a Son" is a pretty solid Thrash Metal song, but again it just lacks anything compelling to lift it above just being okay. Sadly the majority of the songs here don't even get the luxury of being okay, as the vast majority of songs here are painfully lifeless. Vocally James sounds really solid, his vocals still have a solid power to them but his delivery never changes, its always the same punchy delivery that made songs from their back catalogue pop, but with none of the musical substance surrounding it to back it up. The main issue with them though is that you have to put up with them for so long, the songs here being as stretched out as they are means you have to deal with the same delivery for so long that they become frustrating and you are left wishing that any change in delivery would come along, but sadly it never does. Overall this album screams disappointment. This album comes years after Hardwired...to Self Destruct and the glimmers of hope seen in that albums highlights are pretty much gone here, replaced with a wall of uninteresting, unflinching, Dad Rock filler. For a band who used to be hailed as one of the best of all time within Metal circles, this is some of the most unengaging music I have heard all year. But hey, I'm sure the tour following this will be good, and the album will probably sell fantastically so I guess I am in the minority here. I am just personally disappointed that a band I have loved for as long as I can remember care so little about their music.

Last month I called February a fantastic month for music but it is safe to say that March has completely blown it out of the water. This is not just easily the best month of the year but is also a contender for best month for music I have kept up with. There is a lot of stuff I really liked that I had to cut on this list. Emperor X - Suggested Improvements to Transportation Infrastructure in the Northeast Corridor A scrappy little release from one of my favourite song writers with a cute gimmick and expectedly memorable hooks. The idea of having a song for each of the artists live shows for the rest of march is a super cute one and the songs deliver with this wonderful lo-fi bite to everything. A few of the tracks (like "We Demand Tri-County Rail Now! (for NJDOT)" felt a bit weak but the great tracks on here are up there with his best so it more than makes up for the weaker parts. Seriously the breakdown at the end of "An Objection to the Location of the Entrance to the Girard Ave. ACME (for SEPTA and PRA)" is one of his best moments. Gingerbee - Our Skies Smile Online music communities are a wonderful birthplace for creative music. Sure a number of albums created by users of these sites and members of these communities will go on to be substanceless and derivative and will then pass through without any real impact, but sometimes, a release will come along that really does make a difference. On this project, a group of musicians come together to make some of the most imaginative and earnest Screamo you will hear. The group element is key as they all bring their own style and passion into the project and mesh together wonderfully, especially in the beautiful vocal harmonies that come in on softer moments. It is saying a lot when even your interludes are great. JPEGMAFIA x Danny Brown - SCARING THE HOES I am going to be honest, as much as I enjoyed the two singles, I had been somewhat worried that this project would feel more like a JPEGMAFIA album featuring Danny Brown than a JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown album, and while that still would have been really good, the promise of the collaborative project would be somewhat wasted. Thankfully the collaborative spirit shows to be strong on the rest of the project. These two work off each other wonderfully. The manic energy of Danny Brown's flow complements JPEGMAFIA's more impactful and immediate flow excellently, keeping the project at this constant state of balance. Above that you can really hear how much fun these two were having in the studio, as their verses have a noticeable level of joyful energy to them. Mach-Hommy & Tha God Fahim - Notorious Dump Legends: Volume 2 Extremely tight and captivating Hip Hop. Both of our frontmen do amazing work, both absolutely kill it, giving a real grit and power to these laid back and mellow instrumentals while complementing each other brilliantly. On the topic of those beats, they are extremely consistent in quality, all of them being excellent, they give the absolute perfect springboard for Mach-Hommy and The God Fahim to do their thing and just make them sound even more brilliant than they already did. Sure it is somewhat short, and while that is a shame it allows them to focus on quality as there is not a weak song on this whole package, if you even remotely like Hip Hop you are doing yourself a disservice by not hearing this. MSPAINT - Post-American This project is a lean, no nonsense collection of brilliantly written and tightly performed Synth Punk. The bands style of impactful riffs combined with fantastic hooks that immediately drew me to them has only been made even greater than it already was, as they have practically perfected that sound on this release. MSPAINT have a level of power and energy to them that I feel has been sorely lacking with a lot of Punk this year so far. Each song feels like an exercise in vigour that never lets up for its whole duration while remaining fiercely imaginative and wildly creative. As far as I'm concerned, that makes it pretty much the ideal Punk album, if you are even remotely interested in Punk and especially if you are interested in Synth Punk this is one you need to check out, you will not regret it. PAS TASTA - GOOD POP Not many releases successfully live up to the chaotic promise that Hyperpop has, this one however sure does. With a fierce bombast and eclectic charm this collaborative project is continuously exciting and surprising, through its inventive production and great vocals. Despite its short length they manage to cram in more ideas than most 50 minute albums can manage. As they claim in the title this sure is good Pop and I strongly recommend it. If more new Hyperpop can take inspiration from this the genre could be a lot more exciting. Very very excited by what this group could do next. slowthai - UGLY It was only a matter of time before someone in the mainstream took on the aesthetics of the recent boom in UK Post-Punk, and slowthai, along with respected producer Dan Carey have taken that challenge. In my opinion slowthai was a great choice, his dynamic and immediate approach to music has him adapting to this sound extremely well. It never feels too loud or overpowering, everything has this great level of suffocating tightness to it and the use of synths throughout works excellently. A great album from slowthai who I think has found a sound that he fits in extremely well. Xiu Xiu - Ignore Grief On Ignore Grief Xiu Xiu have successfully created one of the most manically sinister albums I have ever heard. The whole album is packed with off kilter instrumentation, suffocating drones, horrifying vocals and utterly hopeless sounding strings, and all these elements come together to create something wholly unique in its musical horror. A further point on the vocals, Stewart and Seo both take half of the album each and their unique voices complement their songs in unique ways, with Stewart offering a more hopeless yelp which gives his songs a feeling of writhing pain with Seo bringing in more foreboding powerful presence that gives a wildly different effect to the overall sound of her tracks. A lot of people have complained about the lack of cohesion between the two sides of this album but I think it only helps to further alienate and unsettle the listener and helps to make the elements I love about this all the stronger. Yves Tumor - Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) After being somewhat lukewarm on their last album I was somewhat skeptical going into this one but I am happy to say they did not disappoint. Every song on here takes on a different style and for the most part, it works. Yves Tumor has a voice that can work in any climate, whether it is a creeping Psychedelic build or thumping Punky bombast, they always find a way to adapt and that ability is on full display on this album. The maximal instrumentation is also great, finding a great balance between chaos and beauty. On the whole this is just a great album and I am glad I did not let my previous thoughts get in the way of checking this out. Zorn - Zorn Some of the most evil sounding Punk I've heard, owing heavily to its strong influence from Metal. That influence helps to give the sound a fierce bite which helps really set it apart. All the songs here are excellent, with their harsh screeched vocals and wall of distortion giving a bitter feeling of dread. This year is continuing to prove to be great for Punk and if you are a fan of Punk or Metal you have to give this one a chance, it really is something excellent.

Collaborative Chaos I am going to be honest, as much as I enjoyed the two singles, I had been somewhat worried that this project would feel more like a JPEGMAFIA album featuring Danny Brown than a JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown album, and while that still would have been really good, the promise of the collaborative project would be somewhat wasted. Thankfully the collaborative spirit shows to be strong on the rest of the project. These two work off each other wonderfully. The manic energy of Danny Brown's flow complements JPEGMAFIA's more impactful and immediate flow excellently, keeping the project at this constant state of balance. Above that you can really hear how much fun these two were having in the studio, as their verses have a noticeable level of joyful energy to them. The songs themselves manage to keep the project feeling tonally consistent while also managing to be eclectic and constantly shifting. The one feature on this album, young rapper redveil, is really solid, the production opens up to allow him space to breathe and he performs extremely well over this angular production. On the topic of the production it is expectedly imaginative. Some highlights for me were: the manic jazzy carnage of the title track, with its wild and unconventional percussion, the unstoppable beast that is the instrumental of "GARBAGE PALE KIDS" that barrels in furious energy, the psychedelic pulsating on "Shut Yo Bitch Ass Up / Muddy Waters" paired with the thumping drums makes for a deeply unsettling effect, the unflinching wall of sound of "God Loves You" and the organ blasts of "HOE (Heaven on Earth)" make for a perfect companion to the rest of the instrumental. All throughout this project we are given a wide range of examples for just how good JPEGMAFIA is at producing. Overall I believe this project is great, sure there are some weaker tracks that bog down the track list a bit like "Orange Juice Jones" but on the whole this is really great. The primary complaint I have been seeing is on the mixing and honestly? I don't hear it, the weird mix, to me, just helps the project feel even more unconventional and gives further reason for why I really hope to see these two making another collaboration.

An Unexpectedly Eclectic Mess Just to be honest, going into this I was expecting a bad album that I wouldn't have much to say about, but I couldn't have been more wrong. Well I could have been, it is still bad, but I hadn't anticipated it being one of the most creatively bad albums I have heard in a long time. Each song is not only sonically completely different, but somehow also managed to be bad in a completely unique way. The album starts with the same brand of hollow Dad Rock angst that you would anticipate but then you are thrown through a loop by track two being a Dark Cabaret inspired Pop Rock song which immediately lets the listener know they are in for a wildly unpredictable experience. After this we are greeted with what starts as a ukulele ballad but suddenly transforms into what sounds like a more abrasive Train song, which of course isn't really saying much. That song is also the first time the listener will pick up on how deep Theory of a Deadman's lyrical issues run as this pseudo wedding bait instrumental is matched with deeply misogynist lyrics that clash horribly. After that adventure the listener is once again taken off guard as the next song starts as what sounds like a knock-off of Twenty One Pilots and finishes as what sounds like a knock-off of Avenged Sevenfold, and not only that but this song that directly apes the style of two other artists also interpolated "Just the Two of Us" for its chorus. The Rap Rock energy of the last track is ramped up with the next which sounds like a more Psych inspired take on Kid Rock, complete with awkward flow and tough guy instrumental. The listener is then given a fairly standard piano ballad track which then leads into what is probably the most natural fit for this band, directly stealing from Velvet Revolver, a band which share a number of the issues that Theory of a Deadman normally do. However that can not be said for what comes next which sounds like an attempt to sound like both Ed Sheeran as well as late 2000s Taylor Swift. Then we are greeted with a song that starts as an acoustic alcohol ballad with the bizarre addition of EDM instrumentals faded far in the background as if they would build to the track becoming more electronic but instead it just transforms into another Pop Rock song where the expected structure is dropped. The album ends with a song that feels like a Southern Rock One Direction song which nicely ties a bow on this utterly bizarre listening experience. As is to be expected by my previous thoughts, this ended up being one of the most bizarrely bad albums I have ever heard, it has a feeling of slap dash chaos that makes it feel surprisingly entertaining despite its low quality. Of course the normal Theory of a Deadman pitfalls pop their heads, the terrible lyrics and rough vocals are on pretty much every song and do make every track worse. But despite me still thinking this album is bad, I have some bizarre respect for it, it embraces a number of styles and while almost all of them fail, I have to give props to the band for trying to do something this wildly different.

One of the Best Debuts I Have Heard The long awaited debut album by Synth Punk band MSPAINT is finally here. After building up hype through their excellent EP from 2020 they were high on my list of bands to look out for, and I am happy to say they have lived up to the promise they showed on that EP and have even exceeded it. This project is a lean, no nonsense collection of brilliantly written and tightly performed Synth Punk. The bands style of impactful riffs combined with fantastic hooks that immediately drew me to them has only been made even greater than it already was, as they have practically perfected that sound on this release. They don't stay in their own lane though, they are always finding new ways to excite, from the infectious confidence of "Information", the ball of energy that is "Acid" which feels as if it is constantly ramping up more and more, the anthemic scream of "Hardwired", the angular synths and manic vocals of "Decapitated Reality" and the fiercely powerful vocal delivery on "Titans of Hope" the band constantly find new ways to pummel the listener. They have an incredible Punk heft, it feels as if you are being circled in their sound but in a way where it is more as if you are being surrounded by a bunch of guys who want to beat the life out of you. That element is only escalated by vocalist Deedee's fierce and commanding vocals, which harken back to the style of vocals prominent in 80s Hardcore Punk. MSPAINT have a level of power and energy to them that I feel has been sorely lacking with a lot of Punk this year so far. Each song feels like an exercise in vigour that never lets up for its whole duration while remaining fiercely imaginative and wildly creative. As far as I'm concerned, that makes it pretty much the ideal Punk album, if you are even remotely interested in Punk and especially if you are interested in Synth Punk this is one you need to check out, you will not regret it.

Macklemore and His Musical Mess Macklemore sure has had a weird career hasn't he? He has got to be the only musician who ever had his career ended by winning an award. His guilt for winning took him from a likable comedy rapper to someone who was so desperate to be taken seriously that he alienated his entire fanbase. Which brings us to Ben, his first album in over 5 years, with a break that long it's impossible to not ask what direction he is going to take on this album, is he going to go back to the sound that made him famous? is he going to stick with his more serious sound? is he going to reunite with Ryan Lewis? The answer to all of these questions is no (except the Ryan Lewis one as he does appear for one song). So what does Macklemore do instead? A middle ground compromise. This exhaustingly long project rides a fine line between Macklemore continuing to try to be taken seriously while bringing back some of the energy that made him appealing to people in the first place and it ends up as a mess. Inconsistency is the core of the problem here, songs range from good (Tracks 6 and 7 are surprisingly solid) to absolutely atrocious like the entire first 5 song stretch and especially the obnoxious "Lost/Sun Comes Up" which thinks itself as a genius for making the observation that Pop is formulaic. The features here are strange, a weird mixture of decently sized names like NLE Choppa, Tones and I and DJ Premier and an ocean of no names that it feels like Macklemore just found on the street. The saddest part is almost none of these features bring anything new to the table, they are pretty much all here to sing the hook in a way that feels as if it is aping the style of another artist and it gets tiring very quickly. Macklemore himself feels weirdly uncharismatic, he sticks to the exact same flow and delivery for the entire album except for the one song which he decides to sing, which is sadly something he isn't the best at. Considering the amount of time he has had you would think he would try to develop his skills but it feels as if nothing has really changed other than the energy he once had disappearing. On the whole this album feels sad. Macklemore is really trying to break out of the rut he has found himself in but his attempts come across as desperate. This album isn't terrible, but the lifeless performances on some songs and the weak features just turn this into a slog. There are silver linings, such as the surprisingly good "Heroes" but this mostly comes across as an overly long and overbearing listen that makes you wish he had stayed as the fun comedy rapper he used to be.