Thy Slaughter - Soft Rock
Genre: Electro-pop; alt-rock
Review
This ended up being the final project released under the PC Music label, and it’s a perfect encapsulation of what the label’s legacy will be. The album is full of weird electronic songs that are warped into pop songs. Sometimes A.G. Cook and Easyfun sing their own songs, but they also get genre staples like Caroline Polachek and Charli XCX to sing on some of the tracks. Soft Rock also encapsulates what the label became, which includes a lot more guitar-based music. Along with these unnatural electronic noises, there are acoustic and electric guitars that provide the melody for many of the tracks here. It’s a really unique combination that I think won’t please everybody, but I found it extremely intriguing. A song like “Heavy” shows everything this project does. During the verses, Charli’s vocals are over a combination of guitar sounds, but the chorus is full of blown out synths and extremely processed vocals. This all comes together to somehow make a wonderful pop song. It’s a fitting end to one of the most iconic labels of the past few decades in electronic music.
Favorite Tracks: “Lost Everything”, “Heavy”, “Reign”
If You Like…: PC Music
Westside Gunn, Conway the Machine, & The Alchemist - Hall & Nash 2: The Original Version
Genre: Hip-hop
Review
One of the original Griselda classics was a collab project between Westside Gunn and Conway the Machine called Hall & Nash. At the end of 2023, The Alchemist surprised listeners by saying that they recorded a follow up in 2016 that never saw the light of day, until now. While about half of these songs were released in one way or another, it’s nice having them all together on one project. Songs like “Fork in the Pot” with ScHoolboy Q and “94’ Ghost Shit” are already Griselda classics that elevate this project, but even the new songs on here are worth a listen. They have also said that these three, plus Daringer, are producing an official follow up to the classic project. So while this is still one of the most enjoyable Griselda projects in a while, it also just feels like a teaser to what might be coming later in 2024.
Favorite Tracks: “Fork in the Pot” (Feat. ScHoolboy Q), “94’ Ghost Shit”, “Fuck & Get High”
If You Like…: Griselda
Jack Peñate - Wondrous Strange
Genre: Folk
Review
Jack Peñate is a new artist to me, but when I saw Cleo Sol and Little Simz posting about this album, I knew I had to give it a chance. After a bit of digging, I realized that he has contributed to the last few projects made by SAULT! It just goes to show how secretive SAULT is that even someone like me, who has listened to everything they’ve done, is still finding new people who might be in the group. The album is a collection of beautiful, singer-songwriter tracks written by Jack for his father. The guitar playing on here is absolutely beautiful and is easily my favorite part. Jack may not have the best voice, but the emotion in it is clear throughout the entire album. Wondrous Strange was written for his father, so the lyrics deal with his relationship with him in heart wrenching detail. So if you are in the mood for a personal folk album with beautiful instrumentals, Wondrous Strange is here for you.
If You Like…: Personal folk music
21 Savage - American Dream
Genre: Hip-hop
Review
It has been a little over five years since the last solo album from 21 Savage. We have gotten multiple collaborative albums though, one with producer Metro Boomin and another with Drake, but it’s always nice to see what he can do by himself. This album doesn’t explore many new territories for 21 Savage, but it’s yet another quality album of sounds he has previously explored. The single, “redrum”, is another mesmerizingly murderous hip-hop track over a beautiful sample. He sticks to the horror theme by having a sample from The Shining to end the track. There are plenty of other highlights though. The three song run from “Letter to my Brudda” to “Née-Nah” with Travis Scott is up there for his best three song run yet! “Just Like Me” with Burna Boy is also my favorite love song that he’s made so far. The production on “Red Sky” is definitely an early frontrunner for best beat of 2024! I understand if people aren’t that impressed with it because it isn’t that different from anything else he’s done before, but it’s still a fantastic surprise to start the year.
If You Like…: His previous albums; great production and flows
Boldy James & Nicholas Craven - Penalty of Leadership
Genre: Hip-hop
Review
Boldy James has been on here quite a few times, but Penalty of Leadership feels like his most essential project since 2022! There were still quite a few projects from 2023, but this one is his most important in a while. A big reason for this is because it is the first project he recorded since he was in the hospital after a horrific car accident. In fact, some of these songs say how long it’s been since the accident. On “Brand New Chanel Kicks”, he talks about how three weeks previously, he was paralyzed and there was a serious chance that he might remain paralyzed for good. It’s little moments like this that remind the listener when this project was recorded. As for the musicality of this project, Nicholas Craven provides exactly what one would expect, sample-heavy loops for Boldy to rap over. Penalty of Leadership starts off Boldy’s 2024 with a great project, and hopefully there is more to come later in the year.
Favorite Tracks: “Evil Genius”, “Brand New Chanel Kicks”, “All My Tokens”
If You Like…: Boldly James; Detroit hip-hop
Kid Cudi - Insano
Genre: Hip-hop; psychedelic trap
Review
Cudi is back after less than 18 months with another new album! It was an eventful 18 months though, which included him retiring, delaying this album multiple times, and changing the lead single after so much backlash. After all the hoopla, we are finally left with this new album, Insano. After the first couple singles were released, I was really worried that this was going to be bad, but I think it’s an overall improvement from Entergalactic! While it’s nowhere near his best stuff, it’s still fairly enjoyable while it’s on. The production here is fantastic, but that’s to be expected from people like BNYX, Take a Daytrip, FnZ, Dot Da Genius, and more. Cudi’s rapping isn’t fantastic, especially lyrically, but he does flow fairly well on most of these songs. Most importantly, it feels like what Kid Cudi wanted to do, which is nice to hear someone execute their artistic vision to the best of their ability.
Favorite Tracks: “Wow” (Feat. A$AP Rocky), “ElectroWaveBaby”, “Blue Sky”
If You Like…: Travis Scott from Wish.com; the first half of MOTM3
Bruiser Wolf - My Story Got Stories
Genre: Detroit hip-hop
Review
Bruiser Wolf is apart of the label run by Danny Brown called Bruiser Brigade. All it takes is one song to understand what makes Bruiser Wolf unique. His flow style is somewhere between a stand-up comedian and a spoken word poet. I have never heard anyone that raps like he does. The production here is fairly straightforward, but it does provide the space for him to be weird himself. The album does work the best when he leans into the weirdness. “2 Bad” with Zelooperz and Danny Brown is easily the biggest banger on the album, but it still consists of three of hip-hop’s weirdest individuals rapping over the same sample as “1 Train”. “Crack Cocaine” with Chris Crack is also another wacked out track, especially with how Bruiser Wolf chooses to enunciate the chorus. But even the songs that are simple on here, like “Dope Boy” and “Hurry Up & Buy” are still pretty good hip-hop tracks. I do think Bruiser Wolf can improve from here, but My Story Got Stories is still a good way to start off the year!
Favorite Tracks: “2 Bad” (Feat. Zelooperz & Danny Brown), “Crack Cocaine” (Feat. Chris Crack), “Hurry Up & Buy”
If You Like…: Any of the Bruiser Brigade artists; funny, but dark hip-hop
Green Day - Saviors
Genre: Pop rock; pop punk
Review
Legacy band Green Day is back with their newest album, Saviors. I’m not quite sure what they are saviors of at this point, but whatever, it’s probably best to not overthink an album from Green Day three decades into their career. Either way, this album has some decent tracks, which was a nice surprise. “The American Dream Is Killing Me” starts off the album on a surprisingly great note! The song has a great groove and a chorus that will have listeners entranced on first listen. A song like “One Eyed Bastard” sounds like a great Black Keys track, which is a nice change of pace. My main issue with this album comes from the lyrics being extremely trite at some points. For example, the song “Bobby Sox” is all about him wanting to have a girlfriend or boyfriend. The idea is fine, and him embracing his bisexuality is nice, but using the words “boyfriend” and “girlfriend” as a fifty year old man is so cringy. It’s a song that should’ve been made by someone in high school or college, not someone who’s most iconic album is turning 30 years old this year. Overall though, this is a pretty decent Green Day album, especially considering their age. It might be worth a listen if you’re a Green Day fan.
Favorite Tracks: “The American Dream Is Killing Me”, “Dilemma”, “One Eyed Bastard”
If You Like…: Green Day; pop punk
Ericdoa - DOA
Genre: Alternative; hip-hop; hyperpop
Review
DOA is the latest album from one of hyperpop’s original core artists, Ericdoa. I’ve never listened to an Ericdoa project before, but I thought that DOA was a pretty good collection of tracks! This album sounds like someone who is still trying to find their sound, but that makes sense for a 21-year old. Thankfully, Ericdoa is at least good at everything he tries on here! His ear for production is fantastic, no matter if it’s an indie rocker or a hip-hop banger. Personally, I tend to prefer the songs on here that lean more into the alternative side. A song like “dancinwithsomebawdy” is a pure alternative dance track that is one of the most enjoyable tracks of 2024 so far. The hip-hop songs on here a bit more hit or miss, but there are still quite a few redeeming things about each track. After that mess of an album that Ekkstacy had, it was nice to hear something that was genuinely alternative that was lots of fun to listen to.
Favorite Tracks: “Dancinwithsomebawdy”, “the cake is a lie”, “sweet tooth”
If You Like…: Alternative hyperpop; Glaive
Keyon Harrold - Foreverland
Genre: Jazz; jazz-fusion
Review
Keyon Harrold is associated with people like Robert Glasper and Kamasi Washington, but for some reason, I’ve never listened to anything Keyon had put out. People didn’t talk about his albums the way they did those other two. Even today, after being on multiple albums for people like Beyoncé and Jay-Z, he’s most known for the SoHo Karen incident, where someone tackled his teenage son after racial profiling him. If he keeps putting out albums like Foreverland, I don’t understand how he won’t become one of the bigger names in jazz. Keyon Harrold did assemble quite a collection of artists for these tracks though, which include people like Robert Glasper and especially Chris Dave on the drums. There are multiple songs on here where Chris steals the show with his little drum fills and tempo changes. Keyon’s trumpeting and writing on here is still fantastic though! He even shows off his vocals on a couple tracks, which are better than one would expect. Foreverland gets better with every listen, and it will probably in rotation for quite a while.
Favorite Tracks: “Well Walk Now (Pereverence)”, “Gotta Go (Outer Space)”, “Don’t Lie” (Feat. Malaya)
If You Like…: Robert Glasper; Terrace Martin’s jazz material; Kamasi Washington
CONNIE - Hi_TEK MZK, VOL. 1
Genre: Electronic; hip-hop; high tech music
Review
After hearing him produce a couple insane bangers for Zelooperz last year, I knew I had to keep an eye on Connie. This EP is more of a collection of previous singles, but it’s still a frenzied collection of tracks. The production from Connie is actually insane! The songs are clearly made for rapping, but the sounds here feel like they should be used exclusively for electronic bangers. A song like the single “GS1” with Zelooperz is a perfect example of this. These blaring synths provide most of the sonics of the track, but the constantly malfunctioning drum n bass beat below it feels straight out of a dubstep track. And of course, Zelooperz’s rapping over it is fantastic! The vocalists on here do a great job at managing to fit these wild instrumentals, which is far from an easy task. Since this one is labeled as volume one, I do hope that there is more to come later this year!
Favorite Tracks: “GS1” (Feat. Zelooperz), “GRFX88” (Feat. Matt Ox & RXKNephew), “Purple Ape” (Feat. Bayli)
If You Like…: MDMA; Zelooperz
Various Artists - The Book of Clarence (The Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Genre: R&B; soul
Review
Have I listened to this whole album? No, but it’s on here anyway because it has one very important song. D’angelo hasn’t released any music in five years, but he has a song with Jay-Z on here that is almost ten minutes long! I’ll find any excuse to talk about D’angelo, and this is the first time he’s released new music since I’ve been dong this, so I need to take it. Now, the song itself is great, albeit, a bit repetitive. This is mainly because the entire song is just D’angelo singing the same chorus while the instrumental builds, aside from one Jay-Z verse in the middle. Jay tried a spoken word approach to fit the lush, soulful instrumental from D’angelo, and contrary to what most people are saying, I think he sounds good enough. The main problem I have with the track is just the repetition of it, but either way, I’m still excited to hear anything new from D’angelo, even when he is saying the same thing for nine minutes.
Favorite Tracks: “I Want You Forever” (Feat. D’angelo & Jay-Z)
If You Like…: D’angelo
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