April 2025 Project Roundup (Skrillex, Bon Iver, Jane Remover, Elton John...)
- Andrew Doucette
- 2 hours ago
- 13 min read
Genre: EDM; dubstep; trap
Review
Well this was a surprise! After he played an already legendary set at the Ultra Music Festival in Miami, he then teased an entire new project to be released on April Fool’s Day. With the release date being that day, people weren’t sure if he was serious or not, but the night before, he sent the entire album to his email subscribers as one full mp3! After listening to it, it’s clear that front to back is the only way to consume this album. None of the tracks reach three minutes in length, and there are plenty that don’t even reach one minute in length. It’s hard to actually talk about individual tracks because most of them are so short that they don’t work outside of the album. For example, I love the collaboration he has on here with Jónsi titled “Look at You”, but when I tried to listen to it outside of the album’s context, the 50-second track doesn’t hit anywhere as hard. This is the type of project where you can zone out for a couple minutes, and all the sudden you missed five songs, but thankfully, it’s very hard to zone out with this all gas no breaks project!
This project will pick you up and throw you in every direction with some of the best production you’ll hear all year! The sound design of Skrillex is nothing short of supernatural! Just listen to a song like “Slickman” and how dense those sounds are. It’s like trying to walk through syrup. But then the song is preceded by “While You Were Sleeping VIP”, which feels so spacious and wide in the mix. These two songs alone are just some of the incredible sound design moments on here. Just put on your best headphones and really try to take in all the different sounds and feelings that fly at you for these 46 minutes. I’m sure you won’t like it unless you like EDM music, but I feel like it’s easy to appreciate the scope and breadth of sounds that are being used and created on this project.
There’s still so much to talk about this project, but I’ll try to keep it brief. DJ Smokey provides these adlibs and spoken pieces throughout the album that make it feel like an old school hip-hop mixtape. There are so many different memorable ones, but a couple personal favorites are him saying, “My life is in shambles” and “I have severe depression” over the mammoth “Biggy Bap”. Those also pale to earlier on the track, where the song builds up and then cuts to silence with Smokey saying, “This beat drop has been seized by Atlantic Records”. All these vocal breaks provide such character to this project that spans the entire career of Skrillex. Some of these songs are from the early 2010s, and just never made it on a project until now. So no matter if you like the older Skrillex brostep or the newer minimalist stuff, there is something for you on here. This album is pure chaos for the entire 46-minute runtime, but it’s a chaotic journey that I’ve loved taking every time I listen to the project!
Favorite Tracks: “Andy”, “When You Were Sleeping VIP” (Feat. Virtual Riot & Nakeesha), “Zeet Noise” (Feat. Boyz Noize & Dylan Brady)
If You Like…: Skrillex; dubstep; chaotic edm
Genre: Soft rock; pop soul
Review
I’ve always liked Bon Iver’s material, but this album exceeded all expectations! His albums combine electronic elements with this folky, “authentic” sound. The mixing of the virtual and the physical are what make him unique, but Sable, Fable does lean a bit more into the physical side of things, especially with his voice. There are previous albums of his that consist almost entirely of his vocals processed through a heavy filter, or singing in a falsetto so high and layered so much that the lyrics are incomprehensible. His voice here is much more open and deeper than it usually is, which I love! There are still a few electronic flourishes throughout, mainly in these minimalist synth or drum hits. Instrumentally, the songs build on themselves beautifully, to the point where I get chills multiple times on the album. Moments like the saxophone on “Awards Season” and the introduction of the electric guitar on “Day One” give me goosebumps every time! After multiple weeks of listening, Sable, Fable is clearly the most beautiful album of the year, and hopefully it continues to get more praise!
Favorite Tracks: “Things Behind Things Behind Things”, “There’s A Rhythm”, “Everything is Peaceful Love”
If You Like…: Beautiful music; Justin’s voice
Genre: Hip-hop; digicore
Review
I’ve said before that it feels like Jane hasn't yet made a full project that realizes even a good portion of her potential, but Revengeseekerz is that album! Jane pivoted yet again from the alt-rock and shoegaze sound that Census Designated had, to wild, maximalist, digicore beats! Just listen to any track on here and really try to pick out every single sound that is happening. It feels like an impossible task, probably because it is. This maximalist feeling only adds to the shocking nature that one person made this entire project by themselves (well, except for one Danny Brown feature). Lyrically, it does feel like it’s lacking a little bit. Their voice feels a lot like another instrument in these wild tracks than it does an equal part to the production, but it ends up working for this album! It’s not perfect though, as the album does start to feel a bit too similar in the back half, but that could go away with more listens. Still though, I feel comfortable saying that Revengeseekerz is the best project that Jane has ever made, and I can’t wait to see where they go from here!
Favorite Tracks: “JRJRJR”, “Dreamflasher”, “Psychoboost” (Feat. Danny Brown)
If You Like…: Chaotic production; beats with screaming in the background
Genre: Electro-pop; hip-hop
Review
2hollis has been consistently rising in fame these past 12 months, and star is not only his first album since that newfound fame, but also his debut on a major label. I first heard of 2hollis last year when he performed at Skrillex’s takeover of the Perry’s stage at Lollapalooza last year, and even seeing his popularity rise since August has been wild. Sonically, this album is much more reserved than anything he’s done before. I don’t know if it’s the newfound attention and not wanting to scare off people, but these songs are minimal, hook-oriented, and earwormy. Maybe it’s just me, but I really enjoyed the album! Sure, there aren’t any incredible or hard hitting singles like what we got leading up to this album, but the body of work as a whole is so easily enjoyable. None of the songs overstay their welcome, but they all hit when they are on. No matter if it’s a straightforward bop like “nice”, a minimalistic melodramatic ballad like “cope”, or a multiphasic adventure like on “tell me”, the songs are wholeheartedly entertaining. I would argue that star is actually a good entry point into one side of 2hollis, and hopefully people come around more with time.
If You Like…: Accessible electronic hip-hop/pop
Genre: Alt-rock; indie-rock
Review
It’s been a while since Black Country, New Road has put out a new album, but Forever Howlong is proof that the band can still put out awesome material! Now, you do have to get over the mindset of expecting them to sound like their 2022 opus Ants From Up There, because they’ll never make something that sounds like that again. Those unconscious expectations definitely affected my first few listens of the album, but when you get to songs like “Two Horses” and “Nancy Tries To Take The Night” that really extend to their full length, it starts to get that familiar feeling of the epic indie-rock the band is known for. “Two Horses” especially is a personal highlight, as it shows the band integrating some country into their sound. No matter what configuration the band comes in, Black Country, New Road continues to create fantastic music!
Favorite Tracks: “Two Horses”, “Nancy Tries To Take The Night”, “Mary”
If You Like…: Their previous music; wholesome UK indie-rock
Genre: Folk; singer-songwriter
Review
This is unlike any other live album I’ve ever listened to. First of all, it’s over 2 hours long and consists of 43 different tracks. Sure, some of them are just interludes, but the album itself still feels really intimidating at that length. On the surface, what makes this project different from other live albums, is that the live recordings aren’t exactly high quality. The whole project is full of these interludes and lo fi recordings that sound like they placed the microphone in the lobby instead of in the microphone. Not only are the songs lo fi, but there are interludes of behind the scenes moments from Adrianne and the band, as well as fan interactions. For example, on “indiana and sneezing”, she performs a beautiful version of her song “indiana”, but someone is sneezing through most of the track and Adrianne ends with saying “Bless you”. It’s that level of humanity that makes this live album unique. This album really captures what it feels like to be at a concert; from the fan interactions to the artist banter. And of course, knowing Adrianne, there are plenty of absolutely gorgeous moments to be had as well. The live versions of “Real House” and “Ruined” are guaranteed to leave the listener emotional, whereas the new song “I Do Love You” is another heartstopper of a track that I hope we get an official version of soon. I know this project is intimidating in length, but if you like Adrianne Lenker’s music, and especially if you like interesting live albums, I think there’s something to love about this one!
Favorite Tracks: “Real house (live)”, “I do love you (live)”, “symbol (live)”
If You Like…: Live albums; sad folk music; Adrianne Lenker
Short Reviews
This project ended up being a bit delayed, but it seems like the wait was worth it, as the project ended up being an awesome release! No ID on the production is obviously very helpful, as his soulful, Chicago-style production works perfectly with Saba. I will say, for me personally, Saba’s music doesn’t hit quite as much as it used to. I think it’s just a personal thing and how my taste has evolved since high school, because there’s no denying that this project contains some of the best moments in Saba’s career. If you like soulful hip-hop though, you should definitely check this out!
To be honest, this project didn’t really grab me as a whole. Sure, there are a couple good moments, such as the shoegaze outro of “Honey Water” and everything about “Picture Window”, but there are just too many moments for me that feel like wallpaper. I’m just missing the upbeat bops of “Be Sweet”, “Slide Tackle”, and “Paprika”.
This is the first solo Lucy Dacus album in four years and the first after the breakthrough boygenius debut album. That boygenius album cycle is also important, because Lucy started dating fellow member of the band, Julien Baker. This new album is all about their relationship and both realizing they liked each other, and falling in love with each other. As for the actual album itself, I don’t exactly enjoy it with the same fervor as her best songs. I think it’s just a me thing, because everytime I listen to the album, I enjoy it a lot. “Best Guess” especially is a phenomenal track! This project is probably worth a listen for people that are fans of any of the boygenius members, even if it won’t blow your mind as a whole.
I mean, it’s another Mumford & Sons album. If you've listened to their other material, then you likely know what to expect. “Truth” does show the band doing a bit more country than they’ve ever been, but pretty much everything else is to be expected, both for the better and for the worse. Marcus’s vocals are too processed for someone that has that great of a voice, especially during the choruses, but the songs themselves are usually easily enjoyable. It’s not a project that’ll blow you away, but rather another project for people that already love the group.
This is the first of the two part album All The Quiet by Joe Armon-Jones. Joe is also the pianist in Ezra Collective and Nubya Garcia’s band, which are both acts I really am a fan of. Part 1 of this album goes right alongside those other two acts. This one might be a bit more straightforward jazz instead of the fusion aspects the other two add in, but the project itself still carries that London jazz energy. Part 1 is about an hour long, and there’s a part 2 coming in a few months that will likely be just as long!
I see a lot of people online talking about Juelz in the same conversation as ISOxo and Knock2, but he’s just not that good in my opinion. Still though, there are some bangers on this EP! “Waste My Time” is a trap banger of the highest caliber, and the single “Movement” with XKYLAR is a quality look at the accessible version of this sound. Adrenochrome won’t be the best thing you hear in 2025 for EDM music, but there’s a couple bangers to take away and put in your rotation.
I can’t say I was blown away by this album, but beastboi’s electronic style just tends to hit the spot for me. Sure, sometimes it’s a bit heavy on riddim, but it’s usually still enjoyable no matter what. The Blood of the Stars is probably worth a listen if you like EDM music in general, but especially if you like beastboi’s previous music. “Race The Sun” ends the album on a very high note as well!
As much as I loved Djo’s album Decide from 2022, The Crux didn’t hit me quite as hard. This one is a bit less electronic-rock and more pop-rock focused, but both occupy this same area of accessible, throwback, rock-ish music. The album is pretty solid, but the songs themselves are just missing the extra oomph that his other album had. Sometimes, it’s just as simple as the songs themselves just aren’t quite as good. Still though, it’s an entertaining listen that might catapult him to even higher heights.
For some reason, I didn’t think this would end up being that good. Maybe it’s the tacky cover art or never thinking that these two would make music together, but it’s actually pretty solid! Sure, it’s not amazing or anything, but they have too much talent for the album to actually be bad. It’s clearly not mind blowing or anything, but it’s a solid listen for people that are fans of either artist.
If you like the synths and soundscapes of 2010s Kanye and wish that they were made into half-pop/half-rap songs, then this is for you! The album itself is pretty good though, especially if you like KayCyy. As with most of his stuff, it’s just dripping with potential that, as a project, is only partially realized. It sounds like KayCyy has more music coming out this year, so I’m excited to see what other sounds he dips his toes into!
I enjoyed this album! After a couple EPs from Gabby in 2022, they disappeared until this surprise drop. It’s definitely in their traditional style of DIY-pop music with a little hyperpop-isms sprinkled in there. The production is a bit minimal at points, especially during the ballads. But then there’ll be a song like “Parkour”, that is jam-packed with catchy moments. Overall, the album is an easy-listening, 30-minute listening experience that some people who enjoy DIY-pop music might enjoy!
This is the followup to his previous album, A Great Chaos, and the title similarities are just as evident as the sonic ones. These songs clearly aren’t leftovers, but they exist in that same combination of trap and rage music that the previous album did. Sure, these songs are a bit messier and more rough around the edges, but it gives the project character. I do need to listen to this more because the songs haven’t grown on me quite yet, but the project is fairly enjoyable for this style of music.
I’ll never forget my first time learning about Scowl. It was at Coachella in 2023 and I was sitting in the air-conditioned Sonora tent after watching Horsegirl. With the temperature being near 100 degrees everyday, I was just enjoying the air conditioning before I left to see whoever I was going to see next. And then, five people walked on stage, Scowl. Four guys in flower dresses, and one green-haired girl in a full suit walked on stage and turned the “influencer” festival into a hardcore show for half an hour! It was the type of performance that leaves an impact, and after releasing their excellent single “Special” last year, I was ready for an album! This album is definitely a bit lighter than most of their hardcore material, but that ends up being a positive thing for me. Most of these songs feel closer to accessible metalcore than the hardcore that I saw, but still, Are We All Angels delivers on the band’s promises and makes for an awesome debut album!
This should’ve been better than it was. It really feels like they were both on autopilot for this album. That doesn’t mean it’s bad, but it just doesn’t really feel like either one of them is trying that hard. There aren’t really any personal songs or mind-melting flows from either, just some good songs with them both rapping good on it. Even with that, the album still has some good songs, but it’s only worth a listen if you like both of the artists.
I mean, it’s right in the title. These are just four songs from Eprom’s vault. So yeah, this isn’t anything groundbreaking, but the songs themselves are all pretty solid. Surprisingly, they all even work together as a mini-EP fairly well!
There’s a couple big reasons why this project is a mess. I’ve heard that this is apparently full of old verses, some of which were straight up reused. I haven’t seen any publication picking this up, so it might be false. What isn’t possibly false, is the clear use of AI videos that were completely generated from the ground up. They follow this loose narrative of snippets from a movie, but the entire plot, vocals, and sound effects were all AI. Even the film sounds in the album are AI. Still, this is the first album in almost a decade that has all nine living members from Wu-Tang, so it’s still worth a listen. There’s some good tracks, and even a couple that are fairly personal. Putting away all the background of the album, Black Samson is a fairly entertaining look back at arguably the greatest hip-hop collective.
It’s been a while since I listened to a G Perico project, and it’s still the same as I remember. Classic west coast gangsta rap beats, G Perico’s memorable flows, and DJ Drama is back with his endearingly random adlibs. There is also a feature from legendary west coast artist E-40 on here that was a nice surprise! You definitely shouldn’t listen to this if you don’t love west coast hip-hop, but it’s another pretty enjoyable project from G Perico.
Commentaires