Skip Through Reviews 8/7/2026
A day late, but we got it folks. Had some birthday things going on this weekend, so I missed my Monday deadline. All good though, we got there.
Less reviews from last time. I wanted to be more intentional about the project I listened to this time. More focus on cover art and genre. We’ll see what I find to be the best approach here.
I found a few really fun albums this week. Really looking forward to learning more about these new artists.
I hope y’all enjoy the reviews. If there are any albums that I missed, please hit me up! Would love to find some more new stuff.
Roy Woods – X
I really like this cover. Simple, dark, sexy. Solid look. I am not sure how I feel about the first half of this project. Not until “I Wanna Know”, do I start enjoying the sound. I think maybe the first songs just don’t feel oomfy enough? Idk. Last song is a petty anthem, not the best, but love the lyrics haha
Stand out jawns on this album: “I Wanna Know”, “Brunch”
6/10
Deloyd Elze – Nellene (Extended)
Cover is funky, maybe stars, maybe liquid splatter? Not sure, but it’s subtle and non-descript, which is why I picked to check it out!
Love the soft start to this tape. Says it’s a country album, if this is the vibe the whole time, I am SUPER here for it. Soft and straight forward instrumentals here, none of that over-produced pop/country that saturates the charts now-a-days.
This EP was cool, I enjoyed listening to it, though, I’m not sure that I’d revisit.
Only song that I noticed more than the others was “Dog Will Hunt”.
6.5/10
THAMI – Relevuras
MPB? Música Popular Brasileira. Okay, okay! Little Brazilian vibes, looking forward to this. The cover is stunning. The bold red text over a lovely green backdrop and an extremely elegant looking person front and center.
I’m not sure about the genre as a whole, but this is some SUPER vibey jazzy dance music. I really like this. “Ainda e Pouco” is an absolute banger. THAMI’s voice is so soothing, I could listen to this album on repeat.
Highly recommend checking this tape out. If I had to pick a few songs: Ainda e Pouco, Cais, No Mudo.
9/10
BlocBoy JB – Free Agent
Cover is coo, something light. “Intro” song is a great show of how BlocBoy can really go crazy over a simple instrumental. “Dive In It” has one of the weirdest beats I’ve ever heard. Idk why anyone would choose that weird stutter as a beat to rap over. Thought my headphones were broken…
This tape is fine. Nothing wild, but really felt sorta low energy over the whole album. I wish the beat selection could have been stronger.
Really like: “Should’ve Robbed Ya”,“Robbers & Trappers” (feat Dbloc DaDon)
6.5/10
Ousu Leigh, Pacify – FOREVER FOREIGN
Lord knows that I’m a sucker for a black and white album cover. “Belle Full” is a BANGERRRR! I’m over here in my chair vibinggg! Rest of the EP is cool, short and sweet. Such a fun vibe though. I’ve been really enjoying finding these afrobeats albums.
Go listen to: “Belle Full” and “MR. OUSU”
7.5/10
Coupdekat – Goodbye 2012!
Listen, the cover is…Like an emoji? Haha Oddly enough, it really fits the vibe of this album. It’s super techy, super girly pop. Not really my vibe, but I can’t help but bob my head throughout the whole project. “Mwah” was a really fun track that I was really enjoying.
Overall, the tape was fine. Had a unique and fun sound, just not for me.
4.5/10
Runt – Runt
This cover is a simple drawing of the main singers dog I believe. (had to make sure it wasn’t AI) This is a fun debut album for the band Runt. First few songs are fine. Nothing too stand outish, but I do end up really enjoying “Racecar”. This would be a fun album to hear live, the energy that the band has here feels pretty electric already.
6/10
TenderBeat – A New EP from TenderBeat
Great title for this tape tbh. Really get’s to the point haha. Swedish band making some cool spacey techno rock. Only 4 songs. Nothing really crazy about this tape. I didn’t hate it.
4/10
Tano Jackson – NOSEBLEED
Once again… Love me a clean black and white album cover. This one is beautiful too. “XTC” has such a funky baseline and some fly verses by Mr. Jackson. Super funky sounds all over this tape. I really like that it feels like he’s using his voice as an instrument throughout these songs. Really enjoyed “ISLEY JOINT”, super trancy sound, then his voice comes in and cuts through the beat and delivers. This would be a great live album. Gotta find him and check it out.
Go peep: ISLEY JOINT and BROOKLYN BITCH
8/10
FattMack – Mr. Did It By Hisself 3
Cover is a clean photo. Simple. Nothing too wild. First few songs have a simple vibe that I can get behind. This sound of Rap music reminds me that I would really love for us to have specific sub-genres now. The idea of Hip-Hop and Rap has changed so much since its creation. “Done With Xans” gives almost an emo rap sorta vibe. Also “Baroline” has this dope lil guitar riff in the beat that really elevates the song. Coo project, lots of skips tho.
6/10
B Murph – it got quiet
Dark and moody cover. Low light, low contrast. This is an angsty tape through and through. This album inspired me to buy guyliner and window shop for warped tour merch. “Old photos” and “quiet” are cute songs looking back on a relationship. Solid rainy day vibes. I really enjoy this softer type of song here.
7/10
Hurricane Wisdom – Weathering The World
Very nice studio photo for the cover. He sorta has this naisally cry baby voice that he does when he’s singing, idk how I am feeling about it. Chance the Rapper showing up on “Barbie Doll” was fun to hear. I still am waiting for that man to drop something legendary again.
I dont really like this guys voice. Songs are coo, lyrics are coo, but I can’t get past the way he sounds.
4/10
CKay – BANGER BOY
Okay, I’ve been really into these dance hall/afro-beat albums. You can’t help but feel like you need to move once the music starts. This album feels more techy than other albums with this sound that I’ve heard so far. Each song seems like it has these moments of repetition, not sure if that’s just a typical feature of this genre or not. It can be a little much at points. Though this sounded really good from an instrumental stance, I wasn’t really sold on everything. Nothing on this album really spoke to me. It wasn’t bad though.
5/10
Strawberry Alarm Clock – Where’s One?
This album cover is dope. Simple design work, but gives a timeless vibe to it. I could easily find this record in some bins or at a thrift shop. “Day Tripper” is a really fun, high energy instrumental track. The band is going crazy with this one. Seeing/hearing this live would be insane.
This album coming out in 2026 is sorta crazy to me. In the most kind way possible, this sounds like a band my grandma would have been rockin to. They sound very classic, timeless. I’m going to have to dig deeper into this band. I would love to see some visuals they have.
Idk what makes the genre “psychedelic”, but I’m here for it.
7.5/10
ROLE MODEL – Chuck Timely & The Hourglass
This cover looks pretty dope. Like a scene from a movie or something. The pink and orange looks great over the black and white image. “Does love come around, or does one come around to it”, love this lil line in the song “High Hopes 3000”. The theme of this album seems to be littered with regrets about women, and his relationship with booze.
“Joy” is a fun track. A lot of this album is feeling like it would be great in a Rom-Com or something.
I like “Joy” and “Stain” quite a bit.
6.5/10
DUCKWRTH – A.A.F.B-Sides
So these are the B-Sides of his album “All-American Fuck Boy”. He’s starting off strong and talking his shit. I love to hear it. I love the sound of a fuzzy guitar/bass. I haven't listened to any DUCKWRTH really, but I am loving this sound. “21st Century Freak” is a fun song. Love all of the different sounding instruments throughout this song.
Lyrics throughout this tape make me want to check out more by him.
“Wishing Well” is a slow banger, love this slower drawn out basey type vibe.
7.5/10
Q – DO YOU SEE ME?
Love this cove, it’s giving vulnerable punk. Yooooo! Album starts off great!! “silly boy” has such a fun pace about it, and Q’s singing is just lovely. Almost reminding me of a more energized Frank Ocean. Super fun.
Great mix of fast paced tunes with some slow beautiful R&B joints. Both sides of the coin are hittin! “keep your clothes on” is a beautiful song with some crazy sounding production. “i built a brick patio” is what Kanye thinks he sounds like when he is singing.
Go check out this whole album. Great A-Z project (maybe except “STOP GOONING!!” Haha beat is dope tho)
8.5/10
ZUKO – Built For Pain
This EP cover does not immediately yell out “Metal” to me when I first peeped it. But I really fuck with this energy. “Primal Rage” is exactly what it is advertised as. I need to go tackle something. “Ain’t About It” is a song full of anger against silence and compliance, such a banger.
I really like this tape. Gonna need more.
8/10
Pooh Shiesty – All Eyes on Shiest
The cover is a pretty solid visual of what this fool is goin through right now haha Pooh is currently going through some legal disputes, so I am curious if this is from before or after the incidents… First few songs are a little slow. Once “Last Man Breathin” came on, I was expecting the energy to jump up, but it kinda bobbed up and down for the most part. “Booty Club” was a fun track, one of the better Sexyy verses I’ve heard in a min. I love a good story tellin track like we get on “Trip”, but it may be a little too long without changing the pace throughout the song. “MANE” shows GloRilla showin off on the whole track. It’s crazy how the best joints are bonus.
Check out “FDO (Bonus)” and “MANE (Bonus) feat. GloRilla
6.5/10
YTB Fatt – VERA VOLPE: THE PRELUDE
The cover is simple, but I really like it. Looks like it’s a painting or somethin. Not a fan of everything on this tape, but “HERE AND THERE” is fun and so is “SPIN”.
Feels like YTB Fatt made this album to show off his Lil Baby verse.
6.5/10
