The new Dominic Fike album is fine. He is a good producer with Sunburn carrying an impressive and eclectic energy. However, the whole album feels derivative. Every pop song feels like another pop song, and that’s from me, a person who doesn’t listen to a whole lot of pop music. While the production does elevate the Fike’s music above the artists he is cribbing from, his lyrics send him right back down. Especially when his music feels like a punk-y attempt at Frank Ocean, a great lyricist.
The tunes are overall fine, and I like the song from Spider verse. 2.5/5 stars
I enjoyed the album, certainly more than her first. “Bad Idea Right?” is a huge highlight, might be one of my favorite songs of the year. I still feel like she stays at the surface level with the styles she borrows from, and doesn’t really put that much of an interesting spin on them. For me, it’s pretty much a coin toss as to whether her lyrics are endearing or aggravating when it comes to their teenage snottyness.
Can’t get enough of this guy ever since I randomly heard one of his songs while I was at the airport. Epic and catchy Chilean pop with politically-charged themes.
New James Blake is excellent. Loading? Banger. I Want You To Know? Banger. Fall Back? YOU ALREADY KNOW IT IS A BANGER! Haunting and booty-shaking, this album has something for everyone who has enjoyed JB in the past. This includes those who appreciate him for his skills as a DJ which are on full display in He’s Been Wonderful and Big Hammer. I prefer the songs where he hovers between a croon and a falsetto, but I really love this album.
Thinking a lot today about one of my favorite musicians, Sufjan Stevens, who just posted that he was suffering from a rare autoimmune disorder that’s left him unable to walk. Hoping for a quick recovery for him
Damn, those are super cool, I’m jealous. Been meaning to get a turntable for a long time now but I just don’t think I have a good spot to put it.
Unrelated, tossing a little update in here, as I’ve been exploring Coil’s discography recently. There’s a ton of super awesome (and kind of scary) stuff in there that I can’t believe I somehow never came across before. My favorite album so far has been Black Antlers I think. I’ve never been big into the Dark Ambient genre, but this may be my gateway drug. There’s just something really addicting about the way each track builds across its runtime. Many don’t feel like something humans could have made, if that makes sense. Here’s one of my favs from the album:
This has been my go-to spotify playlist for the last couple of years. It’s basically Argentinian cumbia but what can be better than that, honestly. I dance to it by myself in the lab with it on speakers. Weird image, for sure.
I have been on such a City Pop bender for the last 6 years, but just recently took the time to listen to whole albums instead of the same 50 songs in a playlist and I came across Narcissist, which is just electric and lovely.
