Jake's music reviews

Track round-up (19th April).

The blog is back, maybe. Lockdown is boring me, so may as well start again. This might just be a couple posts, or I might continue to do it weekly, I’m not too sure. That said, welcome back to my track round up! I’ll be looking at some of the tracks released the week of the 13th that I want to talk about.

Static Dress – safeword.

Starting off happy as usual. New track from Leeds based post-punk newbies Static Dress titled ‘safeword’, and the song is a lot truer to the mid-2000s Emo sensibilities that their visual aesthetic would have you believe. it features a catchy melodic guitar riff, vocals akin to spoken word in the pre-choruses, blended amid screams and very powerful emotional vocals in the chorus. I am really liking this song. Just like the two other songs we have heard from Static dress, the song is catchy, heavy and nostalgic in equal measure. This song does sadly grab at me slightly less than their previous two releases. ‘clean’ was a perfect track to open with, and ‘adaptive taste.’ already showed developments that a band would make a few years later, not months. This track is a lot more in-tow with the former stylistically, and I can’t help but seeing it as a bit of, not a step back, but not the further leap forward I would have expected. Still, the song does what it says on the tin, so to speak, and I like it a lot. One thing I must note as well is the production. It is so much more developed than I expect of such a small and new band, but with Erik Bickerstaffe of Loathe fame on Production what can you expect. Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/track/5pAlSLt3wfHKivEN23URXl?si=tRtiEtlTTOuhSZF6wsQ-YA

Kid Cudi – Leader Of The Delinquents.

Kid Cudi Returns with New Single 'Leader of the Delinquents' | Rap-Up

Kid Cudi. Renaissance man. Kanye collaborator. Here with a new track called ‘Leader Of The Delinquents’, and it is (excluding Kids See Ghosts) one of my favourite things from Cudi in years. As the track art would have you think, the song is very moody, mixing a boom-bap-esque beat with subtle yet swelling synth notes, beautiful piano motifs and subtle string sections. It manages to feel intimate and low-key whilst incorporating quite a lot musically. And of course, there are hums. Potentially one of the greatest things on this planet, Kid Cudi’s humming is always a wonderful addition to a track. It is very musical and goes hand in hand with the string swells throughout the track. I am really enjoying this track. Cudi seems like an awesome guy, and whilst I do not love most of his music, hearing tracks like this always puts a smile on my face. Listen to it here: https://open.spotify.com/track/3hR48Bj9Wgl6xunDG4nsRZ?si=HR1MJ5sNTduaVReY0ahIqA

La Roux – Automatic Driver (Tyler, the Creator remix).

Automatic Driver (Tyler, The Creator Remix) by La Roux on Spotify

This new La Roux track is a remix of the song ‘Automatic Driver’ (from her 2020 album ‘Supervision’, which I must admit, I haven’t listened to) remixed by Mr, Does everything, Tyler, the Creator. Whilst I did not spend too long with the original song, it seemed like a simple, breezy 80s-esque pop song. That, plus Tyler, someone I am vocally a big fan of, should equal greatness right? No. No, it doesn’t. This remix is flat and uninspired. The deepened vocals have lost life, the synth-heavy instrumental is so bass heavy a lot of the glitter that is evidently there underneath is lost, and what I assume is the addition of Tyler’s vocals near the end of the track makes the vocals muddy and lose any sort of clarity that already was lacking. Not loving this track. Still, listen to it here if you so desire: https://open.spotify.com/track/59S3SiDxj914oyXd25zt3j?si=InLP5KICSc2XLG2n2h2WDg

Whitechapel – Hickory creek – acoustic.

Whitechapel releases acoustic version of “Hickory Creek” as a ...

Hickory Creek. I loved it when it came out early last year, then sadly forgot about this song. It’s a crushingly heavy song, whilst having beauty brought to it with vocalist Phil Bozeman’s surprising clean vocals, contrasting his usual sonic cacophony of a vocal performance. This new version is gorgeous. If you haven’t heard the original, do so for context, then hear this. I can’t really say much more. It is a stripped back version of one of the most beautiful metal songs I have heard in the last few years. Listen to the original, then listen to this new acoustic rendition here: https://open.spotify.com/track/6y7roA6dG7c2KObmYKfmUh?si=pfIjKfOZSIKaBmpcOwXnGA

girl in red – midnight love.

girl in red Shares New Single "Midnight Love" - Northern Transmissions

girl in red. Always one to make you want to cry. This new track is called ‘midnight love’, and I am too, loving this song. swapping here usual lowkey indie/ acoustic instrumentals for a more electronic one, yet equally lowkey in substance. I think the aesthetic really fits girl in red’s delicate and somewhat breathy delivery. It is yet another track in a long line of consistently sad, dreamy and enthralling bedroom pop songs from girl in red, one that invokes a feeling driving home late at night in the rain. Find out what this track makes you feel here: https://open.spotify.com/track/1P7tiVl5hgemZuH8oNyP6C?si=KwVTBEzfR1eU___nngCYVw

bbno$, prod. Lentra – what would baby do?

bbno$ & lentra – What Would Baby Do Lyrics | Genius Lyrics

I can’t help it. I love bbno$. If you are familiar with Alex and his music, I am sure you do too. It sounds like what a bbno$ song produced by Lentra should do, one that is somewhat dreamy this time, with the reverbed guitar chords and lo-fi jazz styled beat. If any of that made sense to you, you already know exactly what this song sounds like, and will love it. If it didn’t, have a laugh. What did you expect, an actual track review? Find out what bb would do here: https://open.spotify.com/track/0uLgF7pdj9Gk4ok1z5OVFh?si=Sv22EwL3TdOFCExZNfyaNw

Gimme Love – Joji.

Joji - Gimme Love - Reviews - Album of The Year

George Miller, formerly Francis of the Filth, a king amongst his youtube viewers at the time, has released another track as his new persona Joji, titled ‘Gimme Love’. It is yet another brooding, simplistic electronic ballad from George. It includes Joji’s signature mixture of downbeat instrumentals and wobbly ballad-style singing that has become a staple of his music since his early lo-fi outings on ‘In Tongues’. I have been a large fan of Joji’s in the past, in part to his now retired internet persona that I used to love, and partly due to his previous music has genuinely been quality. This song, and Joji’s last few songs for that matter, have just been lacklustre in my eyes. It is an odd thing to explain, because whilst I do believe Joji’s vocals have improved drastically, I think they have lost character. His mumbly, heart broken vocals on a track like ‘SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK’ are so fitting for the broken yet liberating atmosphere that song creates, married masterfully with the crackly, bass boosted instrumental. Everything from this new track, vocals and instrumental alike, just seem too polished, too refined, but still not enough to be a straight up pop song. It sits Joji in an odd middle ground that comes across as lazy and uninspired. Most of this track is just monotonous, but the repetition of the line ‘gimme gimme love’ becomes almost unbearable on multiple listens. I do very much so enjoy the latter half of the song though. with the simple acoustic guitar playing, the beautifully soaring vocals and piano chords, it sounds like a completely different song; what a refined and glossy Joji song SHOULD sound like. It is sad that this is not the entire track we got. Regardless, listen to it for yourself and find out how you feel: https://open.spotify.com/track/2hfoyc7ve6xM4ZEiNIiU1B?si=JfDCHbSbR0amEyt7k3wboQ

That’s it from me this week. It feels good to be writing these again. please comment if there is anything out of my radar you think I should be looking at. Thanks for reading 🙂

My album of the year.

Tyler, The Creator – IGOR.

You don’t need me to tell you why to listen to this album. I could go on for hours and hours, and I planned to, but it’s placement on this list should be enough. If you have 40 minutes, a dark room without distraction and a good set of headphones, please just shut your brain off, close your eyes and listen. This album has transcended purely being music to me. It has done so much for me and ultimately is one of the first times I can wholeheartedly call something a favourite. It may not be perfect but, to me, it is a masterpiece. ‘IGOR’ is my album of the year.

https://open.spotify.com/album/5zi7WsKlIiUXv09tbGLKsE?si=xWR8BvHIRKOtypxdSJ2rdQ

My no. 2 release of the year.

Beabadoobee – Space Cadet.

The 90s are back. Kind of. Beabadoobee is a sort-of solo project sort-of band fronted by Beatrice Kristi Laus. Bea wears her influences on her baggy sleeve with her lush signature mixture of 90s alternative music and more contemporary indie elements. This new release infuses some grungier aspects into her sound; a bit of grit that wasn’t prevalent on previous releases. It is amazing to see someone reinvigorating what is in my opinion one of if not the best era of music (90s alternative).

A step up.

This album is head and shoulders above Bea’s previous work. That is no insult to her previous releases; I am a fan of everything Beabadoobee has released since 2017, particularly her ‘Loveworm’ EP that also released earlier this year, but the bar is raised on all fronts for ‘Space Cadet’. The songs are written and performed in such a phenomenal fashion: that signature 90s “we don’t care” attitude drips from this release, like the messy guitar solo on ‘I Wish I Was Stephen Malkmus’ for example, but this relaxed approach never comes across as lazy. Because the production quality is so much higher than previous releases, the relaxed approach to performance just adds to the nostalgic sonic landscape that Bea creates. And the production. Oh my, the production. Just listen to the opening track ‘Are You Sure’ and you will understand my fondness of this album’s production. The band has only three members and yet they manage to create such a full and rich sound that is extremely impactful in this song (and others). The intro pulls no punches with its melancholic lyrics sombrely delivered by Bea and chorus that hits like a truck every time. And this is continuous in all the tracks.

This is an all-killer album. Each track hits the target it is aiming for with pinpoint accuracy; if a song is melancholic and slightly down beat, it pulls at your heart strings in such a very effective fashion. If a song is calm and cute like ‘She Plays Bass’, a big ol’ smile will undoubtedly form on your face during your listen. If a song hits a bit harder and is more grunge-inspired, like on the chorus of ‘I Wish I Was Stephen Malkmus’, you won’t be able to keep your head still. It’s a simple yet effective album that plays to the small and refined arsenal the band has perfectly.

My favourite track.

This was very hard to choose as two tracks come instantly to mind. I love ‘She Plays Bass’ for its bouncy indie guitar riff and laughable lyrics, the song is smile inducing. But my favourite track from this EP would have to be ‘Are You Sure’. I couldn’t imagine a better introduction to this album, it’s a perfect example of what the band is all about: It is simple, melancholic, grungy and evokes a level of nostalgia that is hard to achieve whilst still being original.

This album is awesome. It is refreshing, simple and easy to listen to. Listen to it yourself and allow the perfectly balanced mixture of classic and originality to wash over you. https://open.spotify.com/album/1R5kPLo5rJAgp161g5hOFQ?si=v0bTXH20SsSih19eA1ZfyQ

I will post my no. 1 album of the year on Sunday. People who know me may be able to work out what it will be, so stand by for my thoughts on it. I’m sure it’ll be very in-depth. Thanks for reading.

My no. 3 favourite album of the year.

Lotus Eater – Social Hazard.

Hailing from the less-than-glamorous streets of Glasgow, five piece metal outfit Lotus Eater have turned heads in recent years with a signature sound incorporating some of the industrial and experimental aspects of Nu-metal with more contemporary flavours of death-core and metal-core. But their sound goes farther than that. It has an unsettling undertone that I’ve never heard created as effectively from other bands, and that comes down to one main ingredient: Gloom. Gloom is our home. Doom and Gloom. These phrases are emblazoned on everything the band creates, from music to merchandise. Gloom is their aesthetic, their sound, their statement, and having such a developed artistic vision helps the band create consistency in their work that stays completely true to them and no one else.

Metal perfection.

Social Hazard is to me, exactly what a metal album should be sonically and artistically. The album features some of the most brutal production I have ever heard, with the band’s crushing low-tuned guitars, tight-as-anything drums and pieces of experimental electronic sound littered through-out, this album is just disgusting sounding, and it is so effective. The gloom monicker makes complete sense. Their is a constant feeling of unease riddled throughout the 15 minute EP. Simply put, is it sonically aggressive? Yes. Does it have an over-encompassing artistic aesthetic that is original and refreshing? Yes. Does it creep me out and make me scared to listen to it if all the lights are out? 100%. This EP is my favourite metal album of the year by far. It is everything I would’ve wanted from Lotus Eater, a band who had been impressing me long before this album’s release.

Favourite track.

My favourite track on this EP at the time of writing this post, is ‘Mother’. The intro gets me. Every. Single. Time. The guitars have an odd rhythm that, without the backing of drums, throws me off each time I listen. It is one of the more atmospheric songs on the EP; a lot less breakneck than a track like ‘Jawless’. It focuses more on creating an unsettling atmosphere, and with the crushing chorus it does more than delivers. The screams of ‘mother!’ during the chorus gave me goosebumps upon first listen, supported by the cavernous guitar riff. The warped vocals during the verses just adds even more layers to the creepy factor. It gives a different flavour than the usual screaming or aggressive rap-style delivery.

This EP is just massive. From it’s ginormous sound to the projection it’s had for the band, this album is one of the only times I would ever be ok with the description of ‘it slaps’ being used. Get crushed by this album’s astronomical power here: https://open.spotify.com/album/7pYfYulwcuJxCRTA8JwkGE?si=-HkubA7ySN2ePaXGTnJYjA

My second favourite release from this year is coming this Friday. Some of you who know me and my tastes will know exactly what is to come in my next two posts, but regardless I will see you on Friday then Sunday for my last two posts of the year.

My 4th favourite release of 2019

Oliver Tree – Do You Feel Me?

I have very little to say about this album, and that isn’t a negative. The less you know about Oliver Tree the better. Oliver Tree is weird. His music is weird, his personality is weird; everything is one ginormous continuous joke and it’s awesome. This newest album ‘Do You Feel Me?’ Is a continuation of his signature melting pot of pop, rock, hiphop, trap and electronic. His music isn’t something that is easy to explain, it is something that has to just be digested by the individual.

Whilst the track ‘Alien Boy’ is Oliver’s opus and has featured on everything he has released, my favourite track on this album is ‘Hurt’. With its doomy guitar riff mixed with an explosive electronic bass riff creates for an awesome, slightly creepy bop. Oliver is just an artist that despite how odd they are, the work they create is ridiculously consistent and true to themselves. I listened to all of these tracks to an almost addicted level this year; they’re simple, catchy and just a little bit different that the norm. All of this coupled with a phenomenal live show I witnessed a few weeks ago, Oliver has stayed consistently a favourite of mine over the past two years, and this album is a shining example of such. Listen to the album here: https://open.spotify.com/album/6VVtLiRVTvWPEOGjeEtlGr?si=6qCE-fz3QE2lVTrNW-vqng

And that’s all you get for this one. Experience Oliver Tree for yourself. He/it is equal parts awesome and hilarious. Come back on Sunday for my no. 3 release of the year. I can guarantee it will be a lot more in-depth than this one!

My 5th favourite release of 2019.

Denzel Curry – ZUU.

Denzel Curry is a rapper from Miami, Florida. After his beautifully conceptual and encapsulating 2018 masterpiece ‘TA13OO’, an album that has become a personal favourite of mine for its experimental soundscapes and intriguing narrative concept, (splitting the album into three acts: light, grey and dark) I have clung to Instagram for updates on a new release from Denzel almost obsessively. Those desires were sated in May when Curry released ‘ZUU’.

Stylistic change.

This album takes a stylistic left turn from ‘TA13OO’, focusing heavily on a sound homaging to the classic 80s Miami rap scene, evidently what a young Denzel was brought up on. The stylistic change and its success further give evidence for Denzel’s validity in the modern rap game, and show him as one of if not the most refreshing young rapper at large.

A lot of Denzel’s lyrics focus on his upbringing in Miami, specifically on tracks like ‘RICKY’ where Curry details the morals and values beset on him by his caring yet god-fearing parents. This setting is obviously something Denzel knows like the back of his hand, and the balance between homaging his favourite 80s Miami rappers and bringing his own signature flow and attack to a well established sound is done to near perfection. Not only is it back to basics, it builds on that foundation with Denzel’s own originality, creating something as familiar as it is unique.

Favourite track.

I had great difficulty deciding on my favourite track from this album. I love the track ‘WISH’, a chilled cut ripped straight out of the 80s, with its shimmering reverbed synths and bouncy bass line. I also considered P.A.T, potentially the most contemporary sounding track on the album, with its explosive trap beat and cut-throat feature from PlayThatBoiZay. But in the end I decided my favourite track from ‘ZUU’ would have to be ‘RICKY’. With Denzel’s grounded and relatable lyricism, the upbeat yet punchy instrumental and Denzel’s consistently remarkable delivery, this track stands above an already phenomenal group of tracks. It seems to be an impossibility to listen to this track and not at least slightly bob your head: the aggressive delivery coupled with the vigorous instrumental packs almost as much of a punch as the boxing-themed music video. This is one of a myriad of high points of the album; the level of energy consistent through out. ‘RICKY’ was one of the tracks I listened to the most this year, and for good reason: It seems to always creating a high energy and powerful mood.

Conclusion.

In conclusion, this album gives a wonderfully contemporary take on a classic sound, adding to the list of things Mr. Curry has attempted and more than succeeded at. It is more than another reason to keep an eye on Denzel Curry in the coming decade, as I believe his potential as an artist hasn’t even been fully realised yet. listen to it on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/album/6PkSBdx19zarn4ae1D08gA?si=wm9CkLhDQ_u5mmNuodSezA

And that is my choice for (subjectively) my 5th favourite release of the year. Stay tuned for Wednesday, where I will return with my no. 4 pick. Thanks for reading!

My 10th – 6th favourite releases of the year.

Welcome to my picks for my 10th to 6th favourite releases of the year. Listed here are the releases that I enjoyed the most from this year, emphasis on the word ‘enjoyed’. This is not an objective list, nor will my picks for numbers 5-1 be. These are purely what I found myself listening to and enjoying the most. I am counting both singles and EPs in this list as well as full albums. Now let’s go!

10. bbno$, prod. DJ Yung Vamp – hyrule temple.

Meme rapper gets melancholic for a second. This ended up being my 5th most listened to song on Spotify. There is literally nothing more I can say. I love bbno$ (starting strong, I know). https://open.spotify.com/track/1b9Ab3ogNZcmcFEu2AjKhi?si=PeLIKgLwSgejFrJkwFtbgw

9. Bilmuri, No Dice – Slow Dancing in the Dark.

I will start off by saying I had no knowledge of either of these artists prior to hearing this track, and I have heard none of the other songs from the EP this track hails from. That being said, I adore this song. A melancholic emo rendition of Joji’s ‘Slow Dancing in the Dark’, this cover takes the downbeat beauty of the original track and ups it to 11. That coupled with the heart breaking lyrics about a relationship that is deteriorating being powerfully belt out by whoever the singer on this track is, makes for one of the saddest yet powerful tracks I have heard this year (not including any tracks from my no. 1 album from this year, but none of that now). The production is crystal clear; being a guitar player, a lot of my knowledge and judgement on the production of music comes from the quality of the guitar mix, and this track knocks this out of the park. The guitars are glassy clean, making every note audible. This helps in creating a fuller sound to the track without it becoming distorted or notes being lost. The clarity is unreal. Finally, something I cannot stress enough: The G sharp note the singer hits in the choruses. Absolutely heartbreaking. Hear it here: https://open.spotify.com/track/4ekmVfwZes6YUCFN09yfay?si=tNEPKlNmQH6swT8kSsyJvQ

8. Slipknot – We Are Not Your Kind.

2014’s ‘.5 The Gray Chapter’, Slipknot’s previous studio album, was a ‘testing of the water’ of sorts, a test if the band could still write and play together after the tragic passing of founding member and bassist Paul Gray. ‘We Are Not Your Kind’ is a return to form for the Iowa based metal outfit. Featuring a similarly full and clear production like ‘.5’, the band does more than deliver with one of the most developed and varied Slipknot records to date. With back-to-basics heaviness from tracks like ‘Birth Of The Cruel’, to the slow-burning ‘A Liar’s Funeral’, the band goes back to the roots of their signature heaviness and takes it in an unexpected and more experimental direction to what was expected, creating some of the best Slipknot songs in more than a decade.

My favourite track from this album is ‘Spiders’. With its creeping piano motif, growling and unrelenting bass guitars and Corey’s powerful vocals, the song evokes something more of a twisted David Bowie song than a Slipknot track. Jim’s augmented and atmospheric guitar solo compliments the song perfectly; There is just something not quite right about it, and it is wickedly wonderful. As I already stated, this album is a real return to form for the metal titans, and I cannot wait to see some of these songs performed live in January. Listen to the album on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/754RY5WpZ2LTUZsk8kDBju?si=O0wDkBhRTfagf_8GXk4o7w

7. JPEGMAFIA – All My Heroes Are Cornballs.

Baltimore based rapper and producer JPEGMAFIA is an outlier in today’s hiphop scene, mainly due to his uncompromising personality and refusal to follow the norm. As a follow-up to his phenomenal 2018 album ‘Veteran’, JPEG released ‘All My Heroes Are Cornballs’ earlier this year. For me, JPEGMAFIA is like a marriage of Death Grips, an experimental hiphop trio and rapper/singer Childish Gambino. ‘Peggy’ Produced and wrote everything on this album, as well as Veteran, giving the tracks a trademark experimental sense that is hard to portray effectively and present in a way that doesn’t feel tacked on. Along with his provocative lyricism and questionable song titles, everything Peggy creates is undoubtably original and very, well, fitting for him. Not many artists could release a lead single from their upcoming album with a title like ‘Jesus Forgive Me, I Am A Thot’.

A lot of the songs are chaotic and in-cohesive, ending abruptly or completely changing instrumental part way through, but Peggy manages to structure this in a way that doesn’t make the album as one entity feel disjointed or unfinished. The album is as extroverted musically as it is introspective of Peggy and his thoughts, and the level of social and personal awareness sets this album apart from its contemporaries. Peggy stays true to himself and his originality, creating one of the most provoking albums this year. Get weird with Peggy on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/5ilsl5R2lGACTnPZMKIp7o?si=yYFz7X6bQeOCS7wkBWQPrQ

6. EARTHGANG – Mirrorland.

Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Hiphop duo EARTHGANG deliver a lush and refreshing album in ‘Mirrorland’. Having the burden of being dubbed a spiritual successor to Hiphop giants Outkast, those who looked past the weak links between these artists found a brilliantly put together straight-up Hiphop album. For me, the contrast between the two members, Johnny Venus (pictured left on the album cover) and Doctur Dot (right) is a serious positive of the album. Both members bring a different flavour, Venus with his virtuosic riffing and Dot with his gravelly southern delivery. They split up the verses to great effect, Venus often bringing more energy to the song, whilst Dot brings a level of chill to his sections. The album is produced wonderfully; the songs are rich, and the instrumentals are more in-depth and layered than that of many contemporaries, taking inspiration not only form classic Hiphop tropes, but all manners of music, like the latin-esque brass-heavy instrumental on the song ‘Tequila’. There are some bangers on this album; songs like ‘Top Down’ and ‘Bank’, but the instrumentals are lifted out of being 2-Dimensional with the multiple layers and genuine instrumentation instead of purely programmed sound. Songs like ‘This Side’ bring a wonderful calm to the mainly positive and upbeat album. The song is introspective in its lyricism and intimate with its simple instrumental of a bass and what I believe is a synth.

My favourite track on this album is ‘Up’, particularly this live version. This was my introduction to EARTHGANG, and I was instantly hooked on the duo’s energy, namely Venus, the upbeat sense that the song creates and the effortless cool that both members exude. I feel like this song is the best example of the contrast between the capabilities of both members of EARTHGANG. Venus is an absolute power house, his breath control is god-like and his enthusiasm is infectious. Dot is a great stripped-back rapper. Whilst it may not be for everyone, I enjoy the slight southern drawl he inflects in his delivery; it gives his delivery character. Whilst at a lower level than Venus, he still has good energy, and cool just oozes from him. I have come to love this duo, this album and everything the pair do as people. They have a wonderful infectious energy. I look forward to see what they do in the future. Go to Mirrorland here: https://open.spotify.com/album/2JtlTPzThXs3Pvz8V2iBIB?si=kWg6QXn-SSKdNh0Kr_Y0SQ

And those are the choices for my 10th-6th favourite releases from this year. As I said at the beginning, I ranked these releases purely from my own enjoyment: These are all very subjective choices. All my posts until the end of the year will be individual and more in-depth looks at my 5th favourite to no. 1 album of the year. So thank you and keep posted!

Updated post schedule (until end of year).

Hello all, apologies for my radio-silence over the past week, but I have been preparing the count down to my choice for release of the year! These releases are chosen purely from what I enjoyed the most this year, not what is technically the most proficient. These are all subjective. The new schedule will be as follows:

Wednesday 11th December.

A quick review of my choices for my 10th – 6th best release of the year. I will give a brief run down of each release and why it secured the spot it did.

Sunday 15th December.

My 5th favourite release this year.

Wednesday 18th December.

My 4th favourite release from this year.

Sunday 22nd December.

My choice for the 3rd best album of the year.

Friday 27th December.

(Surprisingly) my choice for album no. 2 from this year.

Sunday 29th December.

Objectively. Album. Of. The. Year.

And that is it. Stay tuned, these are going to be an exciting few weeks!

Weekly track round up (1st Dec).

Welcome to another weekly round up, featuring me giving my thoughts on some of my favourite and least favourite tracks from the week beginning the 25th. This week has been very dry. Especially from my personal radar, there have been very few new releases that have grabbed my attention enough for me to give my thoughts on. That being said, here are the few tracks I did want to speak about.

Loathe – Aggressive Evolution.

Loathe are a fairly new metal quintet from Liverpool. Blending elements of Nu-Metal, Metal-core and even more experimental genres like Post-rock, Loathe have positioned themselves at the forefront of the new northern UK metal scene that I so love, along with bands like Lotus Eater and God Complex. I see Loathe as more of an experimental and melodic counterpart to Lotus Eater’s more gloomy and destructive aesthetic, and this allows the band to really develop and grow sonically, whereas a band like Lotus Eater is limited to their sonic landscape. Their recent singles have both been quality, yet haven’t nearly stuck with me as much as anything from their 2017 album ‘The Cold Sun’. This new track from Loathe is titled ‘Aggressive Evolution’, and I feel like, despite it being a great track, part of their signature sound is lost in it. The track boasts heavy as hell verses and beautifully ambient choruses, but I just cant help but hear the band’s inspirations too loudly on this track. The chorus sounds like a Deftones song. That shouldn’t be a negative thing; Deftones are one of my all-time favourite bands, but I miss the signature Loathe ambience on choruses. As a band, they have always felt slightly Deftones inspired; it is well documented Erik and Kadeem from the band love Deftones, but it is usually subtle enough to not feel too indulgent. I am sure this is just a personal point, and regardless of me thinking this it is a beautiful chorus, perfectly contrasting the brutality of what is a classic Loathe verse. All of that being said, the outro on this track is something else entirely, Especially after the 3:02 mark. It is, to put it simply, absolutely filthy. It balances a brutally muted guitar riff, a simplistic and explosive drum beat, and just a small bit of electronic noise that Loathe love implementing to up the griminess even further. Listen to ‘Aggressive Evolution’ here on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/0760zYIfOlkX2pvEAleisZ?si=mZ30MWzKQ8SidY5VjQAUpg

Deadmau5 – FALL.

By now, most people know who Canadian born producer and DJ Deadmau5 is. Yes, he is the guy who wears the big silly-looking mouse helmet. But his costumed gimmick does not take away from his validity as a titan of electronic music production. After a rocky few years with controversies and lack-luster music being released, Deadmau5, in my eyes at least, returns to form with this new track. This song is awesome. It has such an eerie vibe to it, thanks in part to a consistent warping sound throughout the song that isn’t the same time signature as the beat. It creates a mind altering listening experience, making you feel as if you are in a futuristic dance club from the movie ‘Blade’. During a drum break around the 3:15 mark, the sound, I really can’t describe what it sounds like so I will stick with warp, seems to spiral and close in on you, filling your head with this awesomely deadly sound. When the track comes back in around the 3:45 mark, you can do nothing but bob your head as the hard hitting drum beats hits you. Please listen on a good sound system, or very loud headphones. This track deserves your sonic respect. Listen to the track here on spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/1KVrHVbZrD2aE8PS8lmOB7?si=_4Q_OgFSR9aODWeXv2kmYw

Yung Gravy, bbno$ – iunno.

Ah yes, Yung Gravy and bbno$ (baby no money) come together to release a single from their yet-to-be released ‘Baby Gravy EP 2’. Being two of the shining examples when it comes to internet rapper/producers who blend comedy and trap music, previous pairings of Gravy and baby have been nothing but fun. So with this track’s arrival I am slightly let down. It features the classic ‘is it ironic, is it serious’ lyrical themes, repetitive trap beat and soundbite ad-libs that seem to feature on every single track these two produce together. All the ingredients are here, and yet something is just not clicking for me. I don’t find the instrumental massively inspired, which is what usually lifts the tracks out of being just another internet trap song (The best example of that is the track ‘Early Afternoon Stroll’ from Gravy’s 2018 album ‘Snow Cougar’. The instrumental sounds like something from the Pixar movie ‘Up’), and the chemistry of Baby and Gravy bouncing comedic lyrics from one another seems to not be as present as other collaborations. I can’t be too upset by this song though. It is still fun, and that is what these two always try to express with their linked projects. I prefer their recent collaboration on the song ‘shining on my ex’ a lot more; the level of comedy and quality of instrumental are both better, but oh well. They both make so much music there will undoubtedly be more soon. Listen to ‘iunno’ on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/album/7LjgrgyzI7qkkYpEcWSHk6?si=XFyp4-jSTrO1MNnuuMBJKA

Vistas – Teenage Blues.

This song is really mediocre. I don’t like being so disrespectful to artists (excluding Coldplay), especially newer, lesser known artists, but this song is so mediocre and repetitive, by the end of the track, I feel like I need to get the bad taste out of my ears with some brutally destructive death metal (it seems to be the best musical mouthwash). The repetitive backing vocals of the word ‘you’ are almost unbearable by the end of song. I understand the kind of direction Vistas are trying to go in with this track, with its hard hitting pop-rock positivity, but to me it is akin to a worse produced version of Stereophonics’ ‘Dakota’ (go listen to that song instead, it is much better). I wouldn’t be surprised to hear this song on an advert for teenage acne cream. It has that level of cringey positivity that for some reason my mind places it in that scenario. To end on a lighter note, at least the song is harmless. Whilst the lyrics are uninspired and cliché, there is nothing offensive here. Regardless, best skip this track: https://open.spotify.com/album/3nZrt2qTRUQ7Bp59zagW13?si=y1QB5qp6Se2WpogzDJqbpQ

Static Dress – Adaptive taste.

Leeds based Post-hardcore band Static Dress have released their second ever song this week with ‘Adaptive Taste’. Starting as the brain-child of photographer Olli Appleyard, Static Dress have appeared in recent months with a very striking aesthetic and musical style, doing more than just relying on capturing the nostalgia of early 2000s emo. This new song heavily reinforces that. It presents some of the wonderfully dissonant yet hauntingly beautiful guitar riffs that I so love, each of the four member’s performance is tight as anything, and the song is so well produced, especially for such a new and ‘underground’ band. Whilst loving their previous single ‘clean.’, I feel this is a step up in regards to Olli’s vocals. His screams hold a solid amount of strength and distortion , and his melodic singing is clearer than before, his mumbling being a negative of the previous song. I especially love his vocals during the chorus, around the 1:06 mark. There is just the right amount of clarity that I felt has been lacking previously. I am not going to talk any further about this band, as I want to dissect this track and the band further on Wednesday. This song is not on Spotify yet, so please listen to it through the youtube link above.

And that is about it for this week’s track round up. As I said, this has been such a quiet week for new releases on my radar, but I have definitely missed and not covered many tracks. Also, as a side-note. please keep in mind this all just personal opinion. What I think has no less validity than anyone else. Anyway, thanks for reading, and I hope to see you again on Wednesday for a review!

Don’t you (forget about Bea).

Indie singer/songwriter comes out with cover of Simple Minds classic.

(Yes, I understand that is a cringey title. Let’s just move past it) Beabadoobee has exploded onto the scene in the last two years. Having two great EPs under her belt, the most recently released of the two, ‘Space Cadet’ being one of my favourite releases this year, Bea has quickly shown herself as a force to be reckoned with in the alternative scene. With a style being dubbed ‘bubblegum grunge’ by her fans, she blends a luscious mixture of alternative 90s guitar pop and some of the lighter, more atmospheric aspects of grunge. Her music creates a sense of nostalgia that is very difficult to achieve. She takes heavy inspiration from, in my opinion, one of the greatest decades and genres in music, but manages to inject enough of her own cute personality into her music that keeps it fresh and modern. She reinvigorates a time when Indie meant music that was independently produced, raw and was hard to place in any one genre. Bea has come out, in collaboration with Spotify, to release a two track single last week, one being an acoustic rendition of her hit from earlier this year, ‘She Plays Bass’, and a cover of 80s legends Simple Mind’s ‘Don’t You (Forget About Me)’. Both tracks are wonderful, and I will now explain, to the best of my ability, why.

‘Bedroom’ Pop.

The first track on this single is an acoustic version of Bea’s hit, ‘She Plays Bass’. I loved the original song for its stripped back, almost shoegaze-esque instrumental. It’s a little bit ambient, it’s produced beautifully, and it retains the 90s guitar pop elements of her music I love. As a three-piece band, they manage to create a very full sounding musical palette. Doing an acoustic version of this song was more than a good idea. It takes an already beautifully atmospheric track and ups the beauty to eleven. If you are an easy crier, you may find yourself being set off by this track. The acoustic setting makes the song so much more intimate. The production and instrumentals on the original song, with the heavy reverb and quiet vocals already create a closed and intimate atmosphere, but stripping this to just Bea and an acoustic guitar really emphasises the ‘bedroom’ element people often describe her music with. It feels like someone is serenading you late at night. I cannot reinforce enough how pretty, raw and real this feels. In an era of young new artists opting for soulless, auto-tuned music, devoid of real emotion (*cough* Post Malone *cough* army of Lil rappers *cough*), Bea is putting her songwriting first, and it is a wonderful thing. At around the 3:10 mark, Bea performs the outro, with hushed falsetto vocals on the word ‘more’. specific I know, but this is where my heart melts. please listen to this track, I cannot stress how gorgeous it is.

The original version of beabadoobee’s ‘She Plays Bass’, from her 2019 EP ‘Space Cadet’.

Simple, mind.

The other track on this single is the Simple Minds cover. Whilst not being a huge fan of the 80s as a whole, feeling that a lot of the music from the decade is hit or miss, I have always believed, despite the experimental, often ineffective soundscapes created, the songwriting of the decade was top-notch, often shown when modern artists perform covers of them, like Marilyn Manson’s cover of ‘Tainted Love’ (not that that song isn’t amazing in its original form). This is more than evident with Bea’s cover. It’s as if ‘Don’t you’ was written by a band like The Cranberries or bôa (I said like. I understand Dolores R’iordan has a very distinctive Irish voice), and just reminds me of my favourite thing about, not only Bea’s music, but the alternative rock scene from the 90s/early 2000s; it’s quite simple. And that could not be further from negative. The songs come first, and that is the same here. They did exactly what anyone covering a song should be aiming for; creating a fresh take on the original, whilst still retaining elements of the original as to not stray too far from it. keeping with that theme, the instrumental performances from all three members are consistent; simple, stripped back and serving the song. Not implementing anything too experimental allows the grungey style of the cover to shine through as it’s own difference from the original. Bea’s vocals work perfectly for this track. It fits well within her range, and her cutesy, hushed singing style elevates the song, adding a signature flavour to the cover. This cover may have not had the same lasting impact without the contrast between Bea’s vocals and the more hard-hitting instrumental track. Overall this is a phenomenal cover, and it was a nice change of pace to hear a more straight up rock song from beabadoobee.

The takeaway.

It’s quite simple: I love beabadoobee. Everything they/she puts out is high quality and consistent, I love that they are bringing back one of my favourite genres/eras of music, and I will continue to eagerly wait for more music, hopefully having that desire sated in the near future. Whilst I do recommend listening to this new single, I highly recommend listening to Bea’s EP ‘Space Cadet’ as well.