Super solid weekend of music! Damn near couldn’t decide on what to listen to or not haha.
I’ve been having some thoughts about this series as well. I love finding the new music, but I fear that my quick reviews are feeling a little “bleh” lately. I want to continue hunting for new stuff and doing the monthly mixes, but somehow making these posts more engaging. Idk. I’ll have to do some thinking to figure it out haha
Regardless, please enjoy. If I missed anything, don’t hesitate to tap in!
Lil Baby — FRESH
I like the look of this cover. I forget what it reminds me of, but I feel like I’ve seen a cover like this before.
OOo, love the start of this album, “Top Uh It” is a hit fr. Great start. Lowkey the first few songs are dope. Baby really does make great albums. Super solid beat selection. And his vocals always sound so solid next to the instrumentals, neither over shining each other. Really wish that “All My Partners” feat. Future, Young Thug & Rylo Rodriguez was a better song. Such a solid line up for some mid. Rest of the album is coo, first half is defiantly the heat.
7/10
Skepta — The Fork and Knife
Love the cover. Love an “old photo of the artist” moment.
First couple of tracks are coo, but MAAAAN, “Cold Shower” feat. Project Pat is wild fr haha
Really love the instrumentals on this album. Really solid variety. There is a chunk in the middle of the album that I don’t really like, but we get back to it with “Chippie” feat. Aya Nakamura. I have not heard a solid R&B/Rap collab in a min. This was great. “Victory Lap” feat. Fred again.. & PlaqueBoyMax is a pretty fun way to end the album.
Super solid project. I enjoyed it a lot.
7.5/10
Jack Harlow — Sweet Action II
Love a black n white cover. Always gonna hit. Next question.
Wait wait wait…. “TOO SOON” feat. Babyface is a BANGGGERRRR. Whoa haha. Super short album, but some great music here. I really love the energy that Jack is delivering with this album.
8/10
RANI — Private Page Club - EP
Very nice portrait for the cover of this EP. Love how soft the image is.
She is a great singer, but none of these songs really stood out to me.
6/10
GANG! — HEIST - EP
Love this cover. Idk what’s goin on. Hope there isn’t AI here, but it’s dope.
This band gives me like a 3Oh!3 vibe haha. Idk how to describe it.
5.5/10
UNIIQU3 — Mass Appeal
Super fun looking photo for this cover. Like a airplane stewardess or something. Love the blues.
“Kiss Me” feat. BEBE YANA is a great track, the first handful aren’t it haha. Rest of the album isn’t great either.
Shoulda just had Kiss Me on repeat lowkeyyyy
5.5/10
Dawuna — Love’s Arp
Really dope looking over. Few overlays or double exposures. Super sick and simple.
There is some heavyyy D’Angelo vibes here. Super Neo-Soul. “Love Jaunt” is a coo lil track. Other than that, the album is fine. Super chill vibes. Not mad at it at all.
6.5/10
Mike Ladd — Nonechosen
Very nice painting for the cover. I love when you can see that the cover is handmade. Really brings more life into the project.
This album isn’t something that I would normally listen to. I really love how it sounds like an exploration through the artists diary or something. Really nothing wildly produced, just very real. I wouldn’t recommend listening to individual songs on this album, I feel like it is an A-Z experience.
6.5/10
Ciaran — Roisin
I reallllly love the look of this cover. Love the texture of the image and the fun little block of color.
Love the super crazy sounds that they throw around on “K-Bar”. This album is super funky. Not even close to your typical R&B project. I am super into the string beat choices and soft vocals.
7/10
Travy — B4YFLA
Very high fashion looking album cover. I like it.
The album is listed as “Dance”, but I am not really seeing that. A lot more Rap vibes, just with some higher energy instrumentals. Not a bag project really, just not really anything too wild.
6/10
L.A.X. — The Only Lover Boy Left (TOLBL)
Verrrrry fly album cover here. Black and white image for the win.
First few songs sound really lovely, I just wish that the instrumentals were more bumpy, they sorta fall into the background a little too much. I like the vibes of the song “Waist” quite a bit tho. “Arewa” is a banger fr! Very fun track with some exciting instruments running throughout.
The album as a whole was alright, I really wish that the production side of the tape was stronger.
6/10
sundots — On the Quay
I lovvvveee how moody this painting is. I am ready for a super moody album now, thank you.
Super interesting album. The few vocals are dope, but I really love how the focus almost seems more to be on the band. Few songs on the tail end of this album I really enjoy, the rest is just great to have on in the background or something.
6.5/10
Big Softy — Soft Tissue - EP
Super gnarly cover tbh. Looks like it would be quite the horrible feeling haha
I like the sound of these songs, my favorite being “Troubleshooting”, but the rest are all solid. Nothing too wild tho.
6/10
Shygirl — SWALLOW!
Super dope cover. I’d be curious to find out why they chose this art for the cover.
First few songs here aren’t really peaking my interest, but I do enjoy “Real” quite a bit. Also, “Altar” is a bangerrr. Super funky bass. Felt like my brain was vibrating.
This album was cool, nothing super insane tho.
6.5/10
