Category: Album

Length: 47:39
Synopsis: Heavy dance rock
Recommendation rating: 4/5

What I like about it: the opening ten-minute epic Doomscroller, the strings and synths in the title track, the energetic False Dichotomy
What I don’t like about it: a couple of weaker but still very listenable tracks

Review:
Writing about albums is hard! If you like bass, rock, pop and dance you’ll like this one.

Content notes (may contain spoilers):

Length: 38:46
Synopsis: Radio-friendly pop with little depth
Recommendation rating: 2/5

What I like about it: some songs are musically quite decent, more still are catchy and inoffensive enough
What I don’t like about it: i know he can do better; it feels shallow and even cynical in parts, uses his voice poorly

Review:
A sadly forgettable, though probably commercial, album from the deep-voiced English singer-songwriter.

Content notes (may contain spoilers):

Length: 62:14
Synopsis: The Queen of Pop delivers a sexy dance epic
Recommendation rating: 5/5

What I like about it: dancy, catchy, iconic
What I don’t like about it: a couple of underwhelming tracks, some lyrics/vocals

Review:
So many contenders for album of the summer this year and in rides Beyoncé on her Godiva-inspired horse and bowls them all over. Lushly produced, playful, stylish and sexy, Renaissance surpasses even Lemonade in my opinion and is an indispensible record for those interested in pop. My favourites are Cozy, Cuff It, Break My Soul and Thique.

Content notes (may contain spoilers): sex

Length: 73:18
Synopsis: Orchestr-Ellis-Bextor
Recommendation rating: 4/5

What I like about it: i love orchestral pop so was always gonna like this one
What I don’t like about it: just some of the source material

Review:
When my pop-loving best friend suggested I listen to Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Greatest Hits album, my reaction was apathetic but when elle told me that it’s backed by an orchestra, I quickly changed my tune. The album is unfortunately frontloaded with hits which don’t really fit the style (Groovejet) or which, let’s be honest, aren’t great source material (Murder on the Dancefloor) but they’re still impressive and only get better from there. I was under the impression that I only knew the two songs mentioned above but I recognised many more from the early-mid ’00s charts and the ones I didn’t recognise were generally beautiful ballads. She’s a wonderful singer and the orchestra do a great job, resulting in the album of a career.

Content notes (may contain spoilers):

Length: roughly 30 minutes
Synopsis: Smooth soundscape
Recommendation rating: 4/5

What I like about it: complex and beautiful sounds, assured composition
What I don’t like about it: it’s quite laid-back for my personal taste

Review:
This is a really well-made record but a hard one to put into words.

Content notes (may contain spoilers):

Length: 39:33
Synopsis: Underwhelming dance rock record after a 6-year hiatus
Recommendation rating: 3/5

What I like about it: the band has a new drummer and she’s fantastic, Sex Magik is a decent track
What I don’t like about it: Kele’s more grating habits are in overdrive, everything feels disjointed and doesn’t come together into memorable songs

Review:
Having had a crush on Kele Okereke half my life, I’m more excited for a new Bloc Party record than most but it really doesn’t live up to any of my hopes. The dance elements have been toned down and the amplifier’s gain setting turned up to 11. Kele alternates between channelling Morrissey’s crooning and The Hold Steady’s tuneless yelping over guitar noise. It’s not an appealing combo and mostly makes me want to listen to their first two albums again.

Content notes (may contain spoilers):

Length: 51:49
Synopsis: Synth-heavy atmospheric pop with R&B crooning
Recommendation rating: 4/5

What I like about it: easygoing pop with an intellectual undercurrent
What I don’t like about it: I could trim half a dozen tracks, personally

Review:
If the river Styx were a highway and the ferryman drove a shiny red Corvette, this is the album that would accompany you on your night drive into the hereafter. It’s hard to explain but the atmosphere it builds by the middle is quite remarkable.

Content notes (may contain spoilers):

Length: 56 minutes
Synopsis: Dark, atmospheric and reflective
Recommendation rating: 4/5

What I like about it: it’s complex and wonderful, gay without being dance pop
What I don’t like about it: it took a while to grow on me, it is downbeat and that’s not for every mood

Review:
Utilising industrial and darkwave sounds to harness a darker-than-usual sound for this act, this is a heavy album for heavy times. “Dissociation” is an absolute must-listen for anyone who has experienced such a state. “Contempt for You” is a gay wrath anthem. Half the album features beautiful vocals from friend-of-the-band ANOHNI, harmonising with usual singer and core-of-the-band Andy Butler over bassy lines and fascinating sounds

Content notes (may contain spoilers): homophobic slurs (“Contempt for You”), mental health, violence

Length: an hour
Synopsis: Cool bassy R&B
Recommendation rating: 3/5

What I like about it: it’s good to play in the background, maybe as a barbecue is winding down
What I don’t like about it: it’s not exactly essential listening

Review:
Honestly I might have more to say about this one if I wasn’t stung by a bee while listening to it, that kinda diverted my attention but it’s a good record

Content notes (may contain spoilers): sex, deceased relatives

Length: 40:57
Synopsis: Surprisingly little drill
Recommendation rating: 4/5

What I like about it: conscious lyrics, some great tracks
What I don’t like about it: inconsistently ambitious, some underwhelming tracks

Review:
Opening with an amazing poem written and performed by his big sister, moving through reflections on violence in the hip-hop community and being a working artist, I liked this one a lot, especially Ms. Mural and On Faux Nem

Content notes (may contain spoilers): violence