A Lot on My Crate🎵

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  • Why You Should Spin: Traces by Cahl Sel

    Why You Should Spin: Traces by Cahl Sel

    So, I didn’t know much about DJ/electronic producer, Cahl Sel from San Francisco. Jasper Sharp going under the moniker of Cahl Sel, has performed at the back of DJ venues or radio broadcasts for quite some time. On his website, he has archived his past gigs that vary from a chill atmosphere to groovy house. Listening to these streams made me believe he knows his craft. I discovered him through high praises from Pitchfork (RIP) on the album and was curious on how this IDM record made them tick. As of right now, he has two EPs under his belt and this album being his debut. Being a fan of IDM and wanting more works like the Animatronics album by Rolando Simmons that I wrote about, I ventured into Traces. And what I got after listening to the opening track was something so gratifying, I knew this record was going to be something special. This all electronic record front to back has some of the most amazing melodies and percussive elements that just soothes the soul. Ambient techno being the heart of this project is such a treat for the ones who want to be engaged into the danceable music, but being put at ease as well. Even the interludes can be enticing. One other album that I recall that takes me into the same headspace was Skee Mask’s iconic Pool as fans of that album would definitely vibe with this one. The whole thing is cosmic, catchy, punchy, and meditative as this album is encased behind glass that you can break for emergencies if one feels down. I beseech you to listen to this and much serotonin will fill your mental cup.

    “Blink” is such a great entry to the pearly gates as we start with these tapered pad fills that feels like a dance floor along with these hand claps. However, “Blink” does a rug pull and a light with its lens flare has shined down on us with this elongated glossy synth lead that sets the mood of the rest of the album. This is the kind of music that heals the soul. “Call to Mind”‘s synth leads are straight out of a planetarium and is reminiscent to works of old works of µ-Ziq. The swelling of this track going back and forth as well as these squelchy sounds near the end adds to the exoticism showing this world has its own nature. “Livin” being short as it is, was very moving and is a great bridge to the mellow “Clear” track. I feel very nostalgic with “Clear” with the hi-hats being delicate as they are and whatever synth recipe Sharp has used to keep up the otherworldly aesthetic. It’s all layered perfectly with many different textures just floating in the air. Whatever soundscape Sharp has achieved on “The Game” is nothing short of spectacular as we get triangles and wind chimes as well as this sound pack that has this sort of howling air that adds to the mystery of this place. The percussive elements have been removed on “Regeneration” as we have crackling radio static and these ambient sounds that come and fade. This cascading arc of this track is a must listen for ambient heads. It sounds like something Paulline Anna Strom would compose or be a fan of. In the next track “Halflife”, what initially sounds like muted hi-hats that emulate spoons to become this track’s heartbeat. This ominous drone in the background makes it haunting, but you don’t feel in danger in anyway shape or form. Then this upbeat acid synth comes in and the tension just floats away. The kicks come in and you just imagine all the wildlife in this strange world just living their best life. “Halflife” has turned into such a fun bop and the bouncy synth leads make it the most danceable out of all of these tracks. Then this small interlude that is the bridge for the next track is one of the most beautiful things I’ve heard of this year. You have these fluttering electronics and grandiose horns coming in like a warm welcome. It sounds like I’m below a spaceship about to be beamed into the sky. It kind of emulates an orchestra warm up if I do say so myself. Sharp didn’t need to go this hard on an interlude, but it’s one of the most memorable things from this album and so damn cinematic. Another favorite of mine is “Left Eye” being it sounds like a VHS nightcore aesthetic painted within a science museum. The sound just eases you into visualizing the future that has been provided for you. The future! Behold! The heartbeat is set in rhythm with pads and hi-hats on “Alone” and these bright synthesizer soundscapes are such great components to be admired as they are all in perfect harmony within each other. We end things strong with “Leaf” taking us in orbit of any planet you can summon in your head. Despite the synth leads making you feel like a speck on the black sea, you don’t feel anxiety, but serenity. It’s a great one to close with it being so peaceful.

    Some misses are present on this album for me, because it either sounds too esoteric that it has no effect on me or the melodies aren’t crafted as well as they are compared to the other tracks. “Ancient and Distant” did sound like a clashing mess to me. Its layering kind of takes me out of the tranquil atmosphere Sharp has achieved in other tracks. However, the album as a whole still succeeds in world building.

    I am so ecstatic on what Cahl Sel will provide next. Traces is calming music that doesn’t make you lethargic. It’s old school IDM without being too derivative. It conjures imagery of outer space that we want to get lost in. This is one of the most beautiful albums in my scope that has moved me to a different spiritual plane. In an interview with Thoughts of a Certain Sound, Sharp has stated this project took four months to produce, but embellished it to his vision for many more years. He sounds like he cares much about how his art would look as a whole and you can tell how meticulous he is in trimming and pruning this ethereal entity. He states there’s not really an order that is necessary of these tracks to listen to, but nevertheless the order is perfect and his father who is also an electronic producer (Spacetime Continuum) has helped him out too. I’m smashing that follow button on Cahl Sel, as I’m booking another trip to another dimension. His dimension.

    FAVORITE TRACKS: BLINK, CLEAR, THE GAME, REGENERATION, HALFLIFE, RHIZOMA, LEFT EYE, ALONE, LEAF

    LEAST FAVORITE: ANCIENT AND DISTANT

    https://cahlsel.bandcamp.com/album/traces

    You can purchase this album on Bandcamp and his album is available on YouTube.

  • Why You Should Spin: Getting Killed by Geese

    Why You Should Spin: Getting Killed by Geese

    What’s more to say about this album? That question is for the people who are already aware of this band and their accolades following their latest release from 2025. Most music journalists and newsletters have been head over heels and for this, while analyzing brick by brick. Before they were known for many works centered around jamming and rocking. Their catalyst happened around the release of 3D Country, an album I loved with how much soul was put into this rock revival kind of deal. Cameron Winter the vocalist has so much bravado now compared to then. If you listened to his earlier works with the band, he sounds nothing like he does today. It was a wild ride for them during 3D Country, but they didn’t want to stall the momentum they had. I saw them live in a small venue and they absolutely blown off the roof with a couple of teasers of the latest release. And now we hear of them performing on Jimmy Kimmel and they have booked a gig at Saturday Night Live. But before Getting Killed, Winter released his solo album, Heavy Metal. Despite its name, it was an Americana and singer songwriter passion project that was much more passionate and had a self reflection to it that made some tracks haunting and beautiful. Listen to “Nausicaä (Love Will Be Revealed)” and see what I mean. The tragic personality that Heavy Metal has manifested has been transferred to Getting Killed. It’s a great stepping stone on what the band can accomplish now that Winter has shown his elaborate penmanship. I already wrote about “Taxes” from before and how I was so hyped on this album, so you know my enthusiasm and anticipation has been filled to the brim. This album has great chords and melodies that I’ve been coming back to many times, but the songwriting and tortured vocals Winter provides are next level even though be polarizing for some. This record has the subtext of a man trying to keep it together, but falls apart in front of their most valuable loved ones. Or there are battles to be won that they put up arms for. It’s like a somber self persecution, but without the theater. There’s a lot of emotion displayed and flayed on the table here. Not only that, but we have renowned hip hop producer Kenny Beats helping produce this thing from left field. There are many other reasons why people love this album, including me. So, I’ll do my best to say why.

    I preemptively shower praise to this album and then we get into the opening act that is “Trinidad”. It’s an intense rocker where you have vocals just eating the mic and scream their freaking lungs out as he yells, “There’s a bomb in my car”. I appreciate it’s intensity, but it didn’t captivate me as much as the other songs here. However, “Cobra” with its country twang and overtones is so cheery in tone, but the main character being so burdened with the thoughts of their significant other. It’s such great songwriting of this flawed character. On “Husbands”, Winter sounds like an absolutely tortured church goer without a roof. The repeating “falling apart” lines are increasingly haunting. Then the background choir rises up on “Getting Killed”, which sounds so reminiscent from 3D Country’s revival rock. The background of “Islands of Men” has such a wholesome background. Along with this ear worm of a groove that crescendos to its peak, Winter has got people guessing what the lyrics are about. Some people say it might be attest to male loneliness, but I like the other interpretation that it’s about their guitarist, Emily Green, a trans woman facing her fears and accepting who they are against this cruel world. I’ve wondered how Green feels when she goes into this groove. This song gets me at a hyped high. “100 Horses” sounds like a motorcycle road trip down the countryside or desert. It’s a rebellious fist pump into the air that’s supposed to get you riled up. I absolutely loved the piano outro too. “Half Real” makes me feel like I’m at the pews at how spiritual this is, but it tells of a man who’s significant other is slipping away from him. Now, I thought this was already a devastating blow, but then it hits you with “Au Pays du Cocaine” like a bag of bricks. This took a few listens for me to grasp the pain this person is going through. The song sounds like a cowboy riding away into the sunset, but it’s not a happy nor proud ending. This ex-lover is now gone and our main character cannot accept it. It always hits me with, “You can stay with me and still come home” and “Baby, you can change and still choose me.” It’s so heart wrenching that this person thought there is still a sliver of a relationship to repair to the point of denial. Just a testament on how great this songwriting is able to reach into people’s hearts. The last act of this album is still as consistent in quality, as what we get into probably the most jam-like song with “Bow Down” as the instrumental makes me involuntarily move with our character moving swiftly in confidence. Absolute killer outro in this one. And you know my opinion of “Taxes” from an earlier blog post. It was great back then and it is great now. Just the explosion of sound as we see the light in the second half of the song. It’s a hopeful ray of light in these cumbersome clouds for most of the album. This song is very much needed as the penultimate track. I will always remember, “Doctor! Heal yourself!” The closer is such an appropriate tone of how spiritual they finish off. Winter using biblical references saying nothing is going to stop him and his fellow band members on accomplishing their purpose. The resolve on “Long Island City Here I Come” is palpable.

    The album doesn’t have legs for me until the second song. Also, the titular track is a little too mellow for me. But these are very minor grievances. Even these songs have strong lyricism.

    When it came to 3D Country, I’ve always have the thought that album is accessible to both new and old rock fans. However, this album blows 3D Country out of the water and I believe the same accessibility is the same for Getting Killed. This album has been polarizing despite being critically acclaimed, because many felt they couldn’t get into Winter’s vocals. That’s fair. But in my opinion, the vocals carry so much emotional weight along with the depressing word, memorable melodies, and riffs. I am going to remember this album for a long time as there are a handful of songs I come back to have sat through whole listens to this album many times. This is an album for the ages. I hope the best for this band and I love their works even more. With this momentum, let those be damned, if someone even suggests to nail them down.

    FAVORITE TRACKS: COBRA, HUSBANDS, ISLANDS OF MEN, 100 HORSES, HALF REAL, AU PAYS DU COCAINE, BOW DOWN, TAXES, LONG ISLAND CITY HERE I COME

    LEAST FAVORITE: TRINIDAD

    You can purchase this album on Bandcamp and their discography is also available for streaming.

    https://geesebandnyc.bandcamp.com/album/getting-killed

  • Why You Should Spin: GOLLIWOG by billy woods

    Why You Should Spin: GOLLIWOG by billy woods

    Billy Woods was a name I’ve known in the underground hip hop scene through many praise on the web. But I’ve never got around to listening to him with much regret yet at an auspicious time when he did an unforgettable collaboration with Moor Mother on Brass in 2020. The work on that album was what Billy does best. Using dense yet cold lyrics to describe the wicked ways of our unjust world. One day, I would love to do a deep dive of Brass, since I’ll confidentially say it’s one of my favorite hip hop albums ever. And this made me have more desire to follow his work more. I’m aware of his duo project with fellow rapper Elucid that I’ve never got the chance to listen. However Billy’s teamup with Kenny Segal on Maps was astounding yet accessible. Then comes this album. The best way to describe this album it is probably my favorite darkest album yet. It is how others have described, haunting and harrowing with Billy’s bars being so dense and many times fly over my head on how clever he is or if the references are way above my pay grade. He drops verses with mentions of Deng Xiaoping, Coach Thibs, Annie from Misery, the RICO Act, Corinthians, and even a Sylvia Plath name drop that is absolutely bonkers. Woods is very well aware of what’s going on in our present and our past, which I can say more than me. However, as I might fail to grasp the references, I try to understand more as these sinister beats come with these harrowing flows. I know Woods is trying to relay to us with the telescope in front. And all we have to do is look through the lens even if we might be uncomfortable with what it is. The sound of this album is already a trance and a fever dream, yet is what draws me into this album. It’s a tough listen and may not be accessible to some. But if you sit down and are willing to put the effort. This is definitely an experience you won’t forget.

    “Jumpscare” sounding like an American Horror Story episode, Woods references the title of the album right off the bat and heads into the horrors of colonialism. I’m always fascinated with a lot of these words and names I haven’t been aware of and wonder, which books Woods has hit. Quivering strings and bass on “STAR87” and Woods is still referencing children’s books, but the content straight ahead are not for the faint of heart and innocent young souls. Standout moments is Woods talking about his past and having survivor’s guilt. And “Misery” being a strong track with Woods returning to collab with Kenny Segal. It sounds like a Madlib joint (which was appropriate since they make an MF DOOM homage) with Woods speaking ill and praise of an adulterer woman. There’s a lot of erotic imagery at play and this woman he’s head over heels with has caused him pain. How does he cope? I absolutely love this campy DJ on “BLK XMAS” that feature Bruiser Wolf provides, but the matter at hand is the opposite of fun. We touch on the subject of poverty while the people on top want them to suffer. It gets to you when they mention spoiled food, broken toys, and neighbors being evicted in their homes. It’s tragic, yet maddening to the point that the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. We get to the stunning “Waterproof Mascara” as I had a visceral reaction with this grainy sample of this woman crying. It’s such a haunting, disturbing sound. This crying woman is most likely Billy’s mother wanting an escape from their hometown in Zimbabwe. It’s a survival story with not that bright of an outcome as he dropped that Sylvia Plath bar to stay strong and not succumb to the absolute stress. One of my other favorites was “Corinthians” sounds like a John Carpenter dream that never ends. After a Mandarin excerpt, there is great wordplay used against the violence in Gaza, Saudi Arabia, and Elon Musk. I remember the grim video referenced by Woods in “All These Worlds Are Yours” about the Russian soldier being killed by grenades from a drone in the Ukraine Invasion. The opening of that song mentioning the drones being such a powerful weapons, but being as far away from humanity as possible. The verses feeling like chants or spells being cast, which makes it so hypnotic and lets us go into a desensitized trance. “Maquiladoras” starts with killer verses of gang imagery with Al.Divino. Then it goes into an intimate piano about people needing to cope about losing their culture and identity according to the status quo. Diabolical on how that ideal is. Woods likening it to amputation in a way that is poignant to the point that it gave me goosebumps. It’s a lounge saxophone jazz song on “A Doll Fulla Pins” that Woods raps about being alone in this cold world. The aesthetic the song makes is like a noir film and then it goes into a down spiral with this man referencing the titular character that demands him to look after himself and his interests only. He talks about nightmares on blights of his community, a botched basketball draft, and gentrification. Many subjects that just fly over my head. “BLK ZMBY” has one of the coolest, badass beats in the LP with Billy Woods rapping about zombie states, a subject so grim by African refugees leaving governments by sea. Who’s to say they made it out alive? It was really a nice jab to have the dictator of Uganda’s speech being layered by flies. Another favorite of mine is “Born Alone” where this somber lone piano plays throughout. We get another MF DOOM tribute and the connection with death and ones shoes. And then we get “Lead Paint Test”, which sonically might be my favorite out of the whole album. There’s these somber piano chords with a trumpet accompaniment. The other half of Armand Hammer’s ELUCID feature being an absolute machine on the first verses. And Cavalier being able to match their energy is a feat as well. And with Billy’s verses coming in, it is revealed that these artists had a pretty rough childhood. It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, as they not only peel the wallpaper to show the cracks of their childhood, but their parents cracking under pressure to survive. We end with a strong closer being “Dislocated”, where we have ELUCID again showing up as a trippy disembodied voice ringing in your head. Woods closes the curtain says he won’t be located. I’d say that he wishes it to be true, since he blurs his face out in promotional shoots. I don’t blame him, since it’s a weird parasocial world out there.

    The album is a long listen and even with the few tracks not resonating with me, they were still a decent listen. The album being almost an hour is in danger of being bloated, but thankfully was not the case with its haunting atmosphere. The only ones I couldn’t get into were not because of Wood’s lyrics, but the production being a little too scant and barebones for me.

    To say this album is spooky is very reductive. It’s not an album that you can market in a Spirit Halloween. Its production sets the atmosphere and stage, but the lyrics were the real horror of this project. The album is so dense lyrically, that I wanted to look up as much as I can of the content he preaches, but even then I know a lot of it would go through the cracks of my brain. There is so much wrongdoing in the world that I thought I am aware, but there’s always something else. It’s so disturbing. It’s not supposed to be a feel good album, but the tools are there to make you listen. The title of this album is something I wanted to talk about, is actually a slur on a racist caricature doll marketed to children in the late 19th century. Another injustice added to the history books that Woods highlights, as he conveys bars on children’s tales occasionally in this record. Children’s tales are supposed to teach the young on how to be morally centered, to be prepared for life, but somehow the adults still have so much to learn.

    FAVORITE TRACKS: STAR87, MISERY, BLK XMAS, WATERPROOF MASCARA, CORINTHIANS, ALL THESE WORLDS ARE YOURS, MAQUILADORAS, A DOLL FULLA PINS, COLD SWEAT, BLK ZMBY, BORN ALONE, LEAD PAINT TEST, DISLOCATED

    LEAST FAVORITE: COUNTERCLOCKWISE

    You can purchase this album on Bandcamp and his discography is also available for streaming.

    https://billywoods.bandcamp.com/album/golliwog

  • Why You Should Spin: Tranquilizer by Oneohtrix Point Never

    Why You Should Spin: Tranquilizer by Oneohtrix Point Never

    Daniel Lopatin under the moniker of Oneohtrix Point Never, is someone I’ve heard of many times, but never got into until recently. Not that I didn’t want to, because the man is hailed as a pioneer of groundbreaking electronic music. However, I’ve never done a deep dive as I haven’t had time to. I remembered liking a track off of his Replica album, which was this weird enigmatic track full of ethereal keys and unhinged breathing on “Sleep Dealer.” So, all that was the extent of all my knowledge of Lopatin. He’s just known as an experimental guy to me. But this experimental guy has done mountains of work with eleven studio albums under his belt, with six of them being with Warp Records including Tranquilizer. He’s also collaborated with FKA Twigs, and the Weeknd, so thankfully he’s being properly recognized for his work. The release of Tranquilizer was met with a lot of acclaim right off the bat, so it piqued my curiosity. The album seemed to be in my wheelhouse as it was a lot of layered ambient soundscapes, but it was not a captivating first listen. So wondering if it was me, I decided to actually sit down with proper headphones and give this album another college try. To my surprise, I appreciated the album buku amounts more and listened to this multiple times. There’s a lot of complexity within this New Age album and follows no specific formula. It provides a lush and ethereal atmosphere that makes me feel like I want to float in the air. Lopatin revealed that the development of this album is basically a passion project of using samples from libraries of the 90s. So, giving us a lens of how he made this monster of a project, I’ll go ahead and give you the rundown on why Tranquilizer is something you shouldn’t “sleep” on. I am so sorry for that….

    Even after multiple listens, I couldn’t get into the lukewarm start of “For Residue.” I know it’s supposed to be a taste tester of things to come, but it hasn’t got me engaged enough to prepare for this spiritual experience. It was too wallpaper for me. “Bumpy” was very interesting as it is this glitchy calm soundscape. With these celestial synth sounds and that come in at sporadic times. It has its swells and it sounds so out of this world to me. “Lifeworld” has these tribal hand drums and distorted warbled sounds going into this haunted theme just grabbed my attention. The looping motif of this track made it very memorable to me and I always go back to it. If you want to be taken to an actual spiritual journey “Measuring Ruins” is a wild ride I would recommend. It’s very minimalist in the beginning, but the crescendos on those stuttering pads just does wonders to the human mind. It’s very calming, but very engaging. Two descriptors there that define the album as a whole. “Modern Lust” has a dynamic to it by growing from these soft yet mechanical percussive elements to these overlapping blends of jazz and synths just working in tangent to each other. And in the end of it the synths are singing its song and makes it sound so alien. “Vestigel” is just a delight for any ambient stans in the beginning and gets more chaotic to the point that it becomes jarring in the end. I know a lot of people love “Cherry Blue”. But even if it was not my cup of tea, I can still recognize the blending layers can be engaging with these pianos and synths answering each other. “D.I.S.” is another positive for me. It’s so glitchy and heavenly that it’s not afraid to almost destroy itself as the MIDI keys just go haywire. It then tapers into something so beautiful with this piano passage. Then we get into the titular track, “Tranquilizer”. It is this mysterious entity lurking in the shadows, but it leaves you unharmed in the end. The ending theme is back into its baseline of tranquility as this sinister segment leaves us. There’s this fun xylophone and pan flute segment on “Storm Show” as it is being layered with this tape and glitch noise. In the midpoint of the track, it goes into this really haunting as what it sounds like strings that makes you feel like you’re ascending…..and then it stops. It makes you take a breath and then takes us into this beautiful watery marimba passage that makes it pure bliss. “Petro” is probably the most simple track texture wise, but doesn’t take away the emotion it provokes. It gently pushes us with these simple chords throughout the whole track and it does nothing, but soothes you. “Rodl Glide” is just a crazy adventure. What makes Lopatin justify this minimalist jazz like beginning into this acid, IDM segment that has this groove that just makes me involuntarily move and ends things with this trippy vaporwave aesthetic. It’s the most different out of all the tracks, but it’s so much fun. I cannot lie. And we finish things off with a bang that is “Waterfalls”. The sample sounds used is a great aggregate of all of what makes this album so enriching. It’s epic and engaging with so many memorable moments that it make it an awesome closer.

    It’s a long project and even though there were a few misses, it’s only a remarkable few. The start being a drag is one complaint and some others just seem too wallpaper for me. But that seems to be it.

    Tranquilizer is such a dense, calm behemoth of an album that makes me appreciate the ideas and sounds that sprout from those sample libraries and Loptain’s brain. That mind palace of his must be cluttered with amazing sounds that I’m baffled on how a person can come up with this stuff. The hype is real on this album and I am on the train to Oneohtrix Point Never town. Population: a lot of people, since they praise Daniel and his works that it makes me want to go back and deep dive his discography. This is a headphones listen and you will be remiss if you skip on that immersive experience. It’s sounds you can almost touch. It’s sounds you can heal yourself with. It’s sounds you can escape with. A leap of faith is all it takes.

    FAVORITE TRACKS: LIFEWORLD, MEASURING RUINS, MODERN LUST, VESTIGEL, D.I.S., TRANQUILIZER, STORM SHOW, PETRO, RODL GLIDE, WATERFALLS

    LEAST FAVORITE: FEAR OF SYMMETRY

    You can purchase this album on Bandcamp and his discography is also available for streaming.

    https://oneohtrixpointnever.bandcamp.com/album/tranquilizer

  • Why You Should Spin: Stardust by Danny Brown

    Why You Should Spin: Stardust by Danny Brown

    Danny has always been one of the most respected hip hop artists of the underground. His nasal delivery makes his voice unique and the ability to flow over any beat the universe can throw at him are some of many reasons he is most formidable. His style gradually changing into the conventional to the most unorthodox has been a most interesting sight. I mean the man even rapped over a Crash Bandicoot beat with Zelooperz at one point. His rise hasn’t all been sunshine and rainbows. Danny Brown fans know back in the day he has been struggling with alcoholism. He made Atrocity Exhibtion, which I felt was his best album to date since he highlights his most personal lows, but I’m relieved he got better. His addiction got him to the point where he had to be admitted to rehab. It was a grueling process, where he had to do some self reflection and isolate himself. In an interview with NME, Brown said the thought of quitting music passed by his mind, but thankfully that was not the case. It was a success comeback story and seeing someone rise up always gives us a fuzzy feeling. Brown has taken things into stride and has shared his open mindedness by listening to and even participating with experimental music. Which makes sense as Atrocity Exhibition and Scaring the Hoes with JPEGMAFIA were in fact experimental. He even lamented the fact that Vince Staples (who can also rap with unconventional electronic beats) collaborated with legendary electronic producer SOPHIE and regrets he never would get to do it again since he didn’t want to be a copycat back then. But his open mindedness got his curiosity when he said his first exposure to hyperpop was listening to 100 gecs and it all started there. Danny said his moniker for Stardust, was to make ‘Make SOPHIE proud.’ And that slogan being stamped on this album and a huge fan of SOPHIE, I had to give this album a shot. Danny states this album was his first project being done sober and this album sounded like so much fun. You can tell he had fun. It didn’t matter what beat these talented electronic, hyperpop artists threw at him. And speaking of featured artists, you have so many talented big names who complement what he is going for. You got Quadeca, underscores, Frost Children, Jane Remover, and more. And props to him for collaborating with LGBTQ artists. With these weird ass beats, he makes it sounds so easy, so much as it was like he has been doing this all his life. And this sober album is uplifting and seems to have given Brown so much clarity in his thoughts by not giving a shit about album sales, according to the opening track. This album sounds like a new beginning for an uprising star. It’s a damn feel good time and Brown doesn’t skip a beat.

    “Book of Daniel” is a great opener with these pop guitar loops with Danny talking about how he’s above where he used to be. “Sleeping real good at night ’cause I’m proud of myself. Say a prayer when I wake up, because that rehab helped.” And he wants to be proud of what he has accomplished and influences his fans and upcoming artists. “When the fat lady sings, just know you lived your dreams.” And then the Quadeca feature opens the heavenly gates. “Starburst” was a single I heard to prep for this album and I knew I was going to like what I was getting into. It’s an insane beat with Danny being a well-oiled machine. And if you thought that was insane, wait until you get to the last half of the track. “Copycats” with underscores is this fun infectious pop anthem with this sticky chorus. It’s a song and a warning to those who may lose their way on their walk to fame. Probably my favorite track on the whole album. “1999” sounds like an arcade on the fritz, which makes you question how Danny Brown can keep up with this production. You think, “This is an actual human being rapping?” And then we have this intense screaming alongside this insane asylum. Another favorite I want to go over is “Lift You Up”, which seems to be this house cut that just has a great groove. It’s relatable lyricism that talks about this one relationship with a friend. That friend doesn’t act like one by knocking Danny down only to make them look good. “Green Light” is a good representative on the sounds of this light music box like production with heavy bass. It’s emo hyperpop that is a little bit of a slow burner with some romance sprinkled on top. “What You See” is a song that even though it is slow paced, the vocals from Quadeca is a warm hug and piano accompaniment is sweet solace. Danny Brown shows his growth that he isn’t a young man who only longs for lust anymore. He doesn’t want to be that toxic lover anymore as he got a taste of his own medicine. This beat on “Whatever the Case” is so kooky as it sounds like falling down a cliff constantly and the feature ISSBROKIE keeps up the pace with Danny. “1L0v3myL1f3!” is such a crazy, ethereal experience as the background and jungle breakbeats get hazy. We also have femtanyl’s vocals and screams echoes throughout our path, to the point that it gets celestial at the end with Steve Albini’s outro sample being an inspirational force. Danny shows a lot of gratitude on this track that he sounds like a self-help panel, but it’s so out there yet sincere. The last leg of this album has been such a journey. “The End” I had to warm up to because of the length, but it was engaging enough with a lot of memorable segments with the heavenly Danny bars, the Ukrainian segments by Ta Ukrainia, and the insane IDM and jungle breakdown at the end and we taper off with Angel Emoji spoken word passages like before. “All4U” being the most beautiful moment and is one of the best endings to an album for 2025. It’s uplifting on how a man goes from rags to riches and is happy to spread his art for others.

    There are a lot of tracks here and even though some tracks seem like we blaze through, some of them make the album only a bit bloated. The spoken word passages kind of slow down the record a little bit and some songs aren’t as catchy or avant-garde enough for me to come back to them.

    Danny Brown being so creative and so upbeat on this album gives this whole thing a personality. Stardust is so much fun to listen to and any hyperpop head will appreciate the many elements they love about hyperpop, they will also love this for the same reasons. It’s introspective as Danny has always been with great lyricism and pen, but backed by beats that many rappers would and could not touch. It makes him one of a kind and it’s no mystery why he has so many fans. It’s no Atrocity Exhibition for me, but if Stardust makes his mentality for the better than I’m all for it. In an interview Grammys, he makes a quip that people are allowed to party during his performances, but he avoids it. He’s an old man now, since the darkness has engulfed his earlier years that was made into a catalyst for change of his mindset. Being anti-drugs isn’t being anti-fun. In his NME interview he says, “I want to have fun, but I still have something to say.”

    FAVORITE TRACKS: BOOK OF DANIEL, STARBURST, COPYCATS, 1999, LIFT YOU UP, WHAT YOU SEE, 1L0V3MYL1F3!, THE END, ALL4U

    LEAST FAVORITE: RIGHT FROM WRONG

    You can purchase this album on Bandcamp and his discography is also available for streaming.

    https://dannybrown.bandcamp.com/album/stardust-1

  • Why You Should Spin: I Love My Computer by Ninajirachi

    Why You Should Spin: I Love My Computer by Ninajirachi

    We usually associate someone being chronically online as a negative entity. That they are just some weirdo that is constantly plugged in is being part of a cog of a machine, or living in some horrific dystopia. These sheeple will never wake up! However, this album is a love letter about a healthy and complex relationship with their technology. One of the singles is how I found out about Ninajirachi and is literally called “Fuck My Computer”, a song about someone who wants to you know they make sweet sweet love to their computer. After listening to the cute single about nostalgia that is “iPod Touch”, I was then totally invested and followed the release of this album. This electronic album has the most appropriate aesthetic for this theme. How else would you show your love and appreciation to machines than to convey your craft than with the power of technology itself? It’s an electro house and EDM album with meaningful and touching storytelling. Not only the beats and melodies stay with you, but the lyrics do too and this really felt like it was made by someone who truly adored their craft. This album is like a mix of Kero Kero Bonito with the vocals and older Porter Robinson production influences all laid out with some hyperpop elements. One of the best things about this album is that it’s so cohesive and seamless and it flows just like a DJ set at an EDM fest. I was so fortunate to stumble onto this and I hope this reaches out to others too!

    We boot up the album and it goes into “London Song”. It starts out as a grimy cut that tells of Nina never being in London. But with the power of technology and the Internet, she can doesn’t need to physically be there, but using a browser would make it like she’s there. It’s a good starter on how Nina tells about some of the positive influences of what the Internet can bring. Then we get into one of the featured singles, “iPod Touch” and it just gives me a warm fuzzy feeling hearing all these nostalgic throwbacks and with references of a Pikachu case with an iPod Touch encased in it. Makes me miss my iPod touch and classic. But there’s just a certain charm that Nina was able to hit with the production on this one. And then it immediately hits us with something down and dirty with “Fuck My Computer”. The song just blasts the speakers with the synths and electronics that make it into a pop anthem, personifying her computer as something she gives all her being into. It’s a hard hitting banger and I love the responses the computer makes when it says her name. I had to look up what the next song title meant, but “CSIRAC” was the first digital computer from Austrailia, where Nina is from and also the first digital computer to play music, so thank you CSIRAC for your contributions! This track had stuttering chopped chipmunk vocals and goes into techno kick drum patterns that starts low key at first. The chipmunk vocals is a snake charmer that entices Nina about the power of the machines and then came the noise, signifying the drop and the music. The drop dare I say, is so satisfying with that long build. “Delete” is this satisfying electro rocker that has these satisfying fuzzy synth drops and comes around these background cheerleader vocals. It tells about the anxiety, the regret, and the passion to put something online for this one person and how it made her feel. “Infohazard” seemed to fit in an EDM set with a buildup and drop about Nina’s experience of how she saw a snuff film online. Although a relatable traumatizing experience, she stated it didn’t seem to shaken her resolve for her computer, being as how upbeat this track is. “Battery Death” seems to lament a machine, but it goes out with a breathtaking bang with these repetitive lyrics of “taking it too far.” And then we get to “Sing Good” takes an interesting approach as it is a softer tone about how she is saved by this tool. It’s very inspiring to the point that it almost brought me to tears. She admits she doesn’t sing well, but she’s going to keep trying as she just breathes so much life into “Sing Good”. If it weren’t for the touching songwriting, then I would’ve wrote this song so fast. It’s cute and makes you want to cheer for Nina. Then we get into the penultimate bop being “It’s You” with commentary on self-esteem and masking oneself online. After that, we get this banger of a closer on “All At Once” that just brings all the sounds together and this closer is one of many reasons why I keep coming back to this.

    There are only a couple tracks that were lukewarm to me. The weaker ones seem to just slow down at the midpoint at me. I was not affected by “All I Am” as much as I was compared to the other tracks as the songwriting was kind of meh for me.

    Ninajirachi is that weirdo, but she’s a self-reclaimed one who stands by that title. It’s a new spin on the motif that technology is not 100% evil and makes me look at it at a different angle. Nina loves her computer and has no shame to say it. It has molded her into the artist she is today. How can you question her love for it when she made something so moving and beautiful out of this? Nina will stay online for us and for herself. I can say with confidence this is my favorite EDM or even electronic album this year. I’m so fortunate to have stumbled onto this and will follow her for the future. Now, where the devil is my iPod classic?

    FAVORITE TRACKS: LONDON SONG, IPOD TOUCH, FUCK MY COMPUTER, CSIRAC, DELETE, BATTERY DEATH, SING GOOD, IT’S YOU, ALL AT ONCE

    LEAST FAVORITE: ALL I AM

    You can purchase this album on Bandcamp and her discography is also available for streaming.

    https://ninajirachi.bandcamp.com/album/i-love-my-computer

  • Why You Should Spin: Pirouette by Model/Actriz

    Why You Should Spin: Pirouette by Model/Actriz

    When I listened to their debut album Dogsbody in 2023, I was floored by this cold and cacophonous sound that expanded my worldview of music. I wasn’t familiar with No Wave, but it although it causes dissonance, I was being hypnotized by this band’s avant-garde approach to dance punk. I’ve always described their music like music to a groove like you’re being stabbed at while someone is closely singing muses into your ear. And although that experience was intense and cathartic in Dogsbody, that sound didn’t leave us in Pirouette and I’m for one glad. It felt like a short time to already make their sophomore album, but I’m still down for more things I loved about Dogsbody and into this one. It’s tough to say which I love more as it could be so interchangeable. But the coldness is there, the grooves are still there, and Cole Haden’s sultry and tortured vocals are still there. In a famous story, drummer Ruben Radlauer and guitarist Jack Wetmore apparently found Haden performing by “writhing on the floor in a corset, with fake blood dripping in his face.” I love to imagine the mindset of the drummer and guitarist looking at him and saying, “That’s our guy! He’s our first draft!” And it totally fits as Haden’s vocals give both Dogsbody and Pirouette an identity. Like I described Hit It! by vianova as a beast, Pirouette is a diva. A diva that has more bite than a beast. The diva character is on about social norms, LGBTQ issues, mental health, self-hatred, religious themes, as well as violent and sexual imagery abounds. This album is theatrical, gay, abrasive, mechanical, and it sounds like a cry for help. Haden’s deep voice delivers and it gives sultry, but makes him a dangerous, sympathetic force to be reckon with. And he is backed by with this knife sharp instrumental. This whole album is an anxiety inducing trip. Oh I forgot to mention too, this album is danceable as hell! My God, they made someone’s pain so danceable.

    Anxiety attacks! And you’ll know what I mean when you start out with the opening act of “Vespers”. With that staccato synth that they use in tangent with the bass groove. This character takes the stage and is ready to writhe with fake blood. “Cinderella” sounds just like any song that can the Dogsbody tracklist. I am devoid of any complaints, because this track is such a banger with their own retelling of the ‘Cinderella’ story with moments of composure and then chaos. “Poppy” displays a person who is hurting by putting up image of a beautiful self, but surrounded by and decimated by violence. The reason I loved “Diva”, because the beat behind this beast just lurks along with Haden’s spoken word. Loved the part where he just elongated calling himself a bitch. This interlude that is “Headlights” has a lot of religious overtones of a boy who had crush on another with these dying church organs. It highlights Haden’s character and gives us more of a dossier of how he’s this self-indulgent, but tortured self. “Acid Rain” is more laid back and takes a break from the horror with this acoustic number and moment of clarity. “Departures” still continues being laid back, but the monster is still wanting out. And after no one hears his prayers, “Audience” grabs us with these unhinged backing vocals including a scream and a metallic synth that marks impending doom. And then we get an awesome industrial interlude being a clash of sounds on “Ring Road”. It’s brief, but satisfying every time it’s there. The penultimate song, “Doves” I can see why it was one of its released singles to promote this album. It’s one of the catchiest ones with the staccato synths like “Cinderella” and it ties the whole church together with its religious overtones. It’s probably my favorite track on Pirouette. And then we get “Baton” as our closer and has some very strong song-writing to take us home. It’s closing time for these cathedral doors with these sparse church organs. It’s an appropriate ending for one that is long for loving and wanting to be loved. It’s a message for someone who gives our character meaning.

    There are very few complaints I have on this album. Even on the ones that were too chill for me I enjoy their bleak song-writing. The ending even though I wish was more intense, its strong lyricism did hit home with its strong messaging.

    I absolutely love this banger of a dance punk album. This album is such self-flagellation. The flogging stops when morale improves. But does it sound like this person is doing better? Or another question, do they even WANT to get better? The audience and fans are the only outlet that these prayers have reached and are also the ones that are forced to have this sensory overload. Strapped to a chair and eyes propped open like an Alex DeLarge, we are subjected to Model/Actriz’s inquisition and dance. Haden is the one doing the prayers, but why does the light seem to be on us?

    FAVORITE TRACKS: VESPERS, CINDERELLA, POPPY, DIVA, DEPARTURES, AUDIENCE, RING ROAD, DOVES

    LEAST FAVORITE: ACID RAIN

    You can purchase this album on Bandcamp and their discography is also available for streaming.

    https://modelactriz.bandcamp.com/album/pirouette

  • Why You Should Spin: viagr aboys by Viagra Boys

    Why You Should Spin: viagr aboys by Viagra Boys

    Swedish post-punk outfit Viagra Boys already at first glance at their name, is that there is something so cheeky about them. The best things that manifest out of punk or post-punk is that there could be so many ways on criticizing the dumbness that is our world and its men with their art. Frontman Sebastian Murphy uses self degrading humor to give confidence in his self conflict. That makes hilarious song writing, which he has done in the past, when I was a fan of his past songs like “Sports” or “Troglodyte.” The songs make me vent and then laugh. This album with their cheeky songwriting adds the cynic energy what we need. I mean the first track is named “Man Made of Meat” it just pokes fun at the ridiculousness of people themselves. The tracks aren’t long usually so it flows very well and the songwriting is just dead on hilarious or introspective. So, we pop a pill to deep dive this one.

    “Man Made of Meat” is an excellent starting appetizer that reminds me of 2000s rock, but its got so much humor such as a Chandler Bing tub reference, trolling at a drive-thru, and just straight up burping into the mic. It’s a man who yearns for escapism and I find it hilarious he refuses to pay for anything, but is willing to pay for someone’s Onlyfans. This not giving a fuck attitude has weight throughout the album. “The Bog Body” brings us about him criticizing someone who is envious of others. But Murphy states a point, why the vitriol if we all decompose in this swamp or bog looking all gross at the end? Trivial things like that shouldn’t matter. I really liked “Pyramid of Health” as Murphy sounds inebriated as hell like isolated mountain folk. He claims he’s doing dandy by eating cigarettes and cacti, because someone else told him to. Someone else told him to drink the Kool-Aid as the flat Earth is about to get him! Guess what level of the pyramid this subject is at? Really loved the next track, “Dirty Boyz” as it tells the sad story of how this “dirty boy” who is hard into drugs and are seen as less than human. The song is so grimy and abrasive, and the repeating vocals make them sound so lost. Speaking of feeling lost, “Medicine for Horses” is the sounds of a man who is loosely tethered to the Earth. It’s a slow burner of a song that is somber and relatable. Escapism seems to be the name of the game throughout this entire LP. “Store Pollicy” gives us this down and dirty groove who just lists a bunch of absurd rules that were broken. The band brings the life of the party on “You N33d Me”, which is him proposing that Murphy would not let you down if you have him in your party. He insists no awkwardness will arise if he crushes a bunch of beer and European war trivia. “Best in Show pt. IV” is the ramblings of a man who would give absurd imagery and storytelling. It’s the longest song of theirs being just shy of five and a half minutes, but they put their all into the instrumentals of this one. And then we get to a tragic ending in the end as Murphy quivers his way through this piano ballad that is “River King”, he longs for the moments or the person that reminds him of those moments. Its ending comes to a full closing of the curtain as he loosely grabs hold of the link that binds him to the world.

    This was a fun listen, but some tracks didn’t do it for me sound wise. Such as “Uno II” seems too laid back to me. And “Waterboy” seemed to have Murphy sing the song in a stupor in the verses, but it sounds too awkward for me. And although the ending was very touching and I sympathize with his plight, I wished the ending was a bang instead of a whimper.

    Nevertheless, this has been a fun listen with sharp commentary on humans and how they’re surviving. It’s a good album to vent and rock to. Great riffs, great songwriting, and Murphy has so many ways to tell stories and metaphors lined up in his pocket. I wish to get into punk and post-punk more and I’m glad this album is so accessible for my ears to get into. This man of meat approves.

    FAVORITE TRACKS: MAN MADE OF MEAT, THE BOG BODY, PYRAMID OF HEALTH, DIRTY BOYZ, STORE POLICY, YOU N33D ME, BEST IN SHOW PT. IV

    LEAST FAVORITE: WATERBOY

    Their discography is available for streaming.

  • Why You Should Spin: Revengeseekerz by Jane Remover

    Why You Should Spin: Revengeseekerz by Jane Remover

    The cover art is a great descriptor of this album already as Jane Remover pushes the edge forward on how noise and dance music can be implemented. The whole album is fire. Revengeseekerz is a blaze and leaves a trail that marks their spot on the rager map. They have repurposed rager music and EDM by opening the curtain to anything is possible within this genre. There is no box to contain Jane. They hop onto many genres and experiment with many sounds that makes the underground wanting more and this album is what has gripped my attention the most so far in their discography. I was curious about their music when people were making waves for Jane. Frailty and Census Designated were ambitious and intense projects with only a few songs I liked, but Revengeseekerz has a distinct personality that I was charmed by. This project is laser focused in distorted power electronics, 808s, and synths that just crash into you constantly. The tone is constant and the same, but the beats change throughout. It has changed my perspective on rage completely as it was something I found infantile, but now can be a weapon for one’s turmoils. In their interview with Paper Magazine, this album is a weapon to inflict damage on the people that have wronged them. It’s a blind rage that devastates everything in its path. The damage you inflict can actually be self healing, which can be such a weird dichotomy. What I felt through the intensity through this album is much needed, there are almost no breaks. No breaks at all in this album. You sometimes can’t hear yourself think during your listen. So, the album can be one note and polarizing, but if you just feel like fucking shit up, then gear up with this one.

    It starts soft and then gases up at “TWICE REMOVED” and if you’re not into this sound then turn back now. It’s triumphant and Jane postures themselves against God and the grim reaper. “I sent a prayer, I don’t think he hit me back.” We’ve all felt wronged by people in our lives, right? The arc begins and resumes on “Psychoboost” with the great Danny Brown as a feature, who is one of the few rappers who could rap over unconventional beats that Jane Remover chaotically concocts. It touches into hardstyle and this kind of EDM you grab hold of the concert rails and headbang violently. “Star people” goes into braggadocious territory and “Experimental Skin” goes into persecution territory. It’s interesting, yet necessary these two are close together as the people who hurt you still linger in your head even after you succeed. They still describe themselves as a flawed vulnerable person who can hurt. It’s very human, even though Jane have said the others see them as a robot. There are many religious overtones here such as “angels in camo” and “Dreamflasher” as they wish for a power to take out their demons or a plea for help. In “TURN UP OR DIE”, it is a ritualistic dance that celebrates their opposites to blow their heads up. Their gift is this party anthem for their listeners and the drop around the midpoint is such a sweet release. There’s a sort of chiptune loop that makes “Dancing with your eyes closed” fun. And same with “Professional Vengeance” with their synth loop sounds like the 2000s Y2K pop era where you’re seen running down the halls of your school. It ends with a really noisy industrial beat that just mashes your brain. And the last highlight for me is the closer track, where Jane states this was the first track made for Revengeseekerz, which is “JRJRJR.” This may have set the tone for the whole album to be this angry fest. It lashes out on critics that make jokes about their name. They make self-degrading bars by stating they want to do whatever the fuck they want. Such as sexual acts or wanting to escape referencing a procedure that trans people desires. Jane being a trans woman is part of a very marginalized group that has been demonized and this closer is the most vulnerable as they have every right to do whatever they want as much as others. Shouldn’t they stand by for who they are even if it’s against their own fans? Referencing death and the want to reset at the end, it was very riveting and necessary as the song just ends abruptly.

    The album is very one-note, there isn’t very much variety between songs. And even though the song-writing can be poignant and eloquent. Sometimes the vocals can be incoherent or buried in the loud chaos. Sometimes the vibe is good enough though. There was a song called “Supernova” that didn’t make the cut on the original and that song did feel like an afterthought, so I’m only looking at the original. Some songs such as “Fadeoutz” just didn’t do it for me and I want to jump back into the mosh pit that is the aggressive maelstrom of this album.

    Revengeseekerz is a wild ride. It’s a fight back for justice for oneself. A metallic rose with thorns that inflicts pain on others and admittedly that feels good. The album is harsh and abrasive and serves its purpose if anyone wants to lash out in their room. This is my favorite Jane Remover project and I’m excited to see what they have in store later. I appreciate the video game sound effects used, such as Fortnite and Pokémon. It’s so vulnerable that made me empathize with them even more. I hope they get out with less wounds and scars after leaving that razed building.

    FAVORITE TRACKS: TWICE REMOVED, PSYCHOBOOST, EXPERIMENTAL SKIN, DREAMFLASHER, TURN UP OR DIE, DANCING WITH YOUR EYES CLOSED, PROFESSIONAL VENGEANCE, JRJRJR

    LEAST FAVORITE: FADEOUTZ

    You can purchase this album on Bandcamp and their discography is also available for streaming.

    https://janeremover.bandcamp.com/album/revengeseekerz

  • Why You Should Spin: Hit It! by vianova

    Why You Should Spin: Hit It! by vianova

    This metalcore outfit from Berlin, Germany is made up of brothers and a vocalist that caught my attention since I was combing the metalcore world for sick riffs. What I found in Hit It! was not just the mean riffs and unhinged screaming I was looking for, but unconventional methods used to deliver their metalcore identity forward without losing intensity. Hailing the Arising Empire label’s flag, they blend pop elements, have weird guitar effects, church choir vocals, proggy bars, and synth loops. And disco. Yes! Disco is a bold choice in a metalcore record, but I respect that. What we have here, are guys throwing everything and the kitchen sink to the wall with a good amount of it sticking into the bloody canvas. So, I sit down by the fire and tell the tale of Hit It! with the band’s armory still stuck to my bleeding person.

    Things go off the wall with “Squier Talk” as its opener. Distant drums, a squeaky vocal sample that is cut off really short, and autotune reel us in. It’s not as captivating yet, but then hits us with the riffs and the screams that metalcore fans would headbang at the rails. The autotunes and the “yeah” might appeal to the younger listeners, but hopefully it might bring in the demographic that vianova is known for. Más Rápido bring us down in the dirt. The subject of this song is the weight that sinks on anyone’s mental health due to adulthood, fiscal responsibilities, and stress. Anyone who faces hardships can relate and are able to vent here. The sharp contrast as if we started in a music box and then these guitar pedals just drags us into hell around the mid point feels so damn good. It’s one of the reasons why this album appeals to me is how dynamic and different segments their songs can be. It doesn’t get boring. Because it’s like I’m being shoved into church with “Wheel of Fortune” with this choir in the background and then the down and dirty riffs become so jarring when they bust through the door. The sound is so triumphant, however the theme of the song is depressing being how one is always playing the game being an uphill battle and the odds are stacked against you. Might as well go out and bust with a bang. And it feels I’m listening to a different record, or a different decade. Like it starts out Bee Gees and then goes metalcore as it makes me grimace with each blend this album concocts. “Marimba” is going back to basics with being a solid rager, while “Melanchronic” is a night drive with this synth wave direction that has strong John Carpenter influences. Anyone that are fans of moody and industrial hip hop might be into this aggressive rebellious “Whatever Alright”. Usually these kinds of mixes of rap and metal are very awkward, but vianova executes this very well. “Future Nostalgia” takes us into highs, while “Uh Yaya” jump scares us with disco again. And then comes the aggressive overtones with the self persecuting lyrics. This song is probably a good taste tester if anyone would be into this album. And then we come into “Obsolete” as our closer. They go theatrical under the spotlight, but it was not captivating as it can be as a closer of a metalcore album. It doesn’t stick and kind of drags on while their different genres didn’t grab a hold of me.

    The first half of the LP is much stronger than the second half. With the closer being kind of a letdown for me and “Uh Yaya” being the only thing I was looking forward to in the second half. “Future Nostalgia” is valiant in trying to brighten the mood, but it kind of lost its edge while trying to be a little too emotional. Some songs work with their experimental magic, while some just fizzled out or seemed to be an afterthought.

    Even though, there are some songs that just didn’t hit right for me and the ending being a drag, this album was so much fun. It’s so interesting in the band being so bold and experimental, that these moves need to be commended. There are no songs I hated and despite being diverse, this album was so tight and cohesive. This beast can be so upbeat and moody at the same time. The different emotions it can evoke has been a plus. I came out with my face blown off and survived with my jaw intact to say this is comes in with a recommendation from me!

    FAVORITE TRACKS: MÁS RÁPIDO, WHEEL OF FORTUNE, OH NO (BELIEVER), MARIMBA, WHATEVER ALRIGHT, UH YAYA

    LEAST FAVORITE: OBSOLETE

    Their discography is available for streaming.

  • Why You Should Spin: Let God Sort Em Out by Clipse

    Why You Should Spin: Let God Sort Em Out by Clipse

    Legendary hip-hop duo, Clipse has made a comeback after a sixteen year hiatus from their previous album. The group is made up of two brothers Pusha T and Malice whom are each talented in their lyrical prowess that it was caught in line of sight of one of the most influential producers, Pharrell Williams. Williams or sometimes the Neptunes would collaborate with Clipse and one would understandably argue that they also make up the Clipse name. They are well known and now their album Let God Sort Em Out has been making noise in the mainstream that they are even nominated for a few Grammys. The most knowledge I had of Clipse at the time was their phenomenal Hell Hath No Fury from 2006 and that one half of Clipse, Pusha T was abiding by his own rules as a solo artist with a few solo albums under his belt. So, out comes Let God Sort Em Out and we get Pharrell behind the helm at production and it wowed me for sure. This album was a testament that Malice and Pusha T still got it. Still got the words and the charisma that many rappers have been striving to achieve.

    The opener out the gate is already a tough listen. Not in its sonic quality, but the emotional weight hit me like a ton of bricks. “The Birds Don’t Sing” is a tribute to the brothers’ parents who have passed as they are encumbered with sadness and regret as Pusha laments not being with his mother for Thanksgiving before leaving this plane of existence or Malice’s accounts of what his father’s password to his phone was. I won’t spoil what that password is in case no one has listened, but it was heartbreaking when he revealed it. This album is already memorable with how emotionally dynamic it can be. Then we get into a banger that is “Chain and Whips” that not only it has these sick distant guitars over the beat or the sick hook that Pharrell has provided, but it is a statement and commentary that criticizes America and its obsession for materialism and the systemic suppression that plagues complacency among everyone who consumes. And the way to beat the system is with chains and whips, the very thing that puts them there in the first place. It is a powerful message to rebel against the system. There are so many memorable bars in this one, like “I will close your Heaven for the hell of it.” and “Money being dried up like a cuticle.” And it has a Kendrick feature that just killed with beef against Trump, but raises arms to legendary rapper Rakim. The intensity doesn’t stop on this rolling hill into “P.O.V.” They keep the hooks and choruses so catchy on so many of these songs and “P.O.V.” is just another deliciously sinister moment. The chorus tells about kilos of coke, which is what they usually rap back in Hell Hath No Fury, it is familiar territory that is always welcome. And was there any doubt that Tyler the Creator would deliver us the goods on this song? Malice at the end symbolizing chains on the necks as oppression, a call back to the previous track. We have this absolutely insane Arabic sample lifting the braggadocious “So Be It”. It has hot gossip and this juicy drama thankfully has given us this nice thumper of a song. “Ace Trumpets” being fuzzy makes the song enchanting, but not losing the momentum of the album. You got your coke bars, which is just on brand for them, but you have so many bars referencing so many celebrities just adding fun to boastful title. You got Riri, Lady Gaga, and Mufasa bars just making me grin with glee. The sinister siblings slings us this trunk rattling bass on “All Things Considered”. It’s guised as a banger, but underneath there are so many personal things shared both on Pusha and Malice’s fronts. Using the word brave, would feel overused, but it’s actually taken me by surprise yet I applaud them for being honest, opening the curtain to their flaws and vulnerabilities. “M.T.B.T.T.F.” stands for Mike Tyson blow to the face, which is an actual bar on the acronym itself, but has these fun keys as well as this humorous “hot” sample with more coke bars. More coke bars, however they even say themselves in a verse, it’s a religion. Speaking of, “E.B.I.T.D.A.” also sounds celestial enough to be its own religion with Clipse claiming they have the whole world from nothing, but its not enough for them. “Inglorious Bastards” has grabbed my attention with this thick bass and horn sample. The brothers in this song preach in how they seize and conquer their lavish lifestyle and Ab-Liva gives us a fine feature and all artists here give their salutes to Biggie Smalls. It’s like we’re being transported into a castle in the titular track “Let God Sort Em Out/Chandiliers” where there is danger to be found with the last half being a treat with a cavalier sample with Nas being a stone cold machine at the back end. The closer plays with “By the Grace of God” is as if we’re being washed over and cleansed. It’s a beautiful ending with a gorgeous chorus by Pharrell with the brothers coming out on top. You feel this cathartic high knowing they have gone from mason jars to crepe tartares. It’s a sweet cherry on top.

    Even when I was lukewarm on “F.I.C.O.” and “So Far Ahead”, they were by no means bad listens. The former not hitting as hard for me, while the latter was not as captivating as they can be. Them being present hasn’t slowed down the album at all.

    Writing about this has convinced me, I am much into Let God Sort Em Out than Hell Hath No Fury. Even with repeated listens I have favored more tracks than my first listens. There is just something that is so refreshing in their sound and their ways of gangsta rap when the bling era was dominating back in the 2000s is all now left behind. But they still got it. They still got the flows, the charisma, the emotion, which makes this record not only so catchy, but poignant in their poetry. There’s so much depth here and the “culturally inappropriate” tag will always crack me up. Any hip-hop fan needs to jump on this if they haven’t. Who knows when this empire will crumble and fall? Will it be in another sixteen years? I can wait that long again for another great Clipse album. But I wait with bated breath, I hope they won’t fall by then.

    FAVORITE TRACKS: THE BIRDS DON’T SING, CHAINS & WHIPS, P.O.V., SO BE IT, ACE TRUMPETS, ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, M.T.B.T.T.F., E.B.I.T.D.A., INGLORIOUS BASTARDS, LET GOD SORT EM OUT/CHANDELIERS, BY THE GRACE OF GOD

    LEAST FAVORITE: SO FAR AHEAD

    Their discography is available for streaming.

  • Why You Should Spin: Rammana by Salin

    Why You Should Spin: Rammana by Salin

    A girl in Bangkok, Thailand named Salin Cheewapansri, had such a strong affinity to music that she would dip her toes into drums after being entranced into grunge music. Later, Salin would do many gigs in the streets and in the studio and then would move into the States and eventually in Montreal, Canada where she resides to this day. Her passion is music and uses not only her culture, but others as well. Mainly afrobeats, soul, or funk, genres that aren’t conventional to Thai ears are what fascinates Salin and hence, uses them as vessels to deliver her amalgamation of this melting pot of sounds to her audiences as shown in her debut album Cosmic Island as well as Rammana. Off a coast of southern Thailand, are a group of aboriginal people known as the Urak Lawoi, where Salin got her inspiration with the title. The saying, “Rammana: is sung by the Urak Lawoi in celebration at a floating boat ceremony. That is what this album symbolizes and paints itself as, a celebration. Cheewapansri has made a colorful, lush project that is not only catchy in its world beats, but blends it very well with Thai and afrobeats instrumentation. Looking at the credits of this LP is eye opening on how their sound was executed to achieve this aesthetic. You got not only drums, strings, and brass, but as well as ngoma drums, a phin (a type of lute from Thailand), a khene (a reed instrument of many bamboos), and many more instruments whose names I’ve also never heard of. Not only that, but Salin just absolutely slays on the drum set on all of these tracks that would make jazzheads involuntarily bob to the rhythm. This album was a fun listen and Cheewapansri states the purpose of this mostly instrumental project, Rammana and that is to make it danceable, which in my opinion succeeds with flying colors. And boy howdy, how colorful this album has become.

    The opener is a good prep on where you’re at, but not know what’s in store for you. The isolated hand drums that accelerate with these Thai chants from far away seem like a ritual in “Pam Intro”. But does a complete 180 in the next track, “Ma’at”. It goes into these Fela Kuti inspired brass and funky keys with these same chants. It’s such a refreshing turnaround sound in what was spiritual, is now a groove by heart. The funky vibes continue with “Current” and “Egungun”, which sounds like a scenario in which one sneaks around the city at night for the former and more romantic intimate moment for the latter. Anyone who is into the Seatbelts would be enamored with this sound. However, the second act of this record is where its stars shine brightest as the interlude eases into “Painted Lady” and goes into deep intimate blues with toned down brass, shiny keys, and sexy licks from the bass. It’s a recognizable slow burner, but this song would go very well with a glass of good wine and a Barry White voice-over with how smooth this sound is. And now the album goes back into this fun hybrid of mixing Eastern and Western instrumentals for “Being Here”. With these eastern in the background being the backbone of the jazz band. It has a killer outro and jazz flute solo too. This whole blend makes this tapestry much more mysterious, textured, and colorful. My favorite track “Puaj” sounds so trippy with this out of this world background instrumental beat that’s like some kind of jaw harp. This itself makes it so much fun with this unique sound within funk. I need more stuff like this. Please, give me more like this. “Si Chomphu” is more funk goodness that seems more guitar centric and makes it very much engaging. It has these hand drums and eastern percussive bits that just support the guitars upright. And that seems to be the statement Salin gives in the last half of the album. The instrumentals from around the globe support each other. And then we close out with the titular track, “Rammana”. It is such a beautiful and wholesome closer and could easily be the best way to close this record. It is Salin’s interpolation of the folk song and her gift to not only Thai folk, but everyone around the globe. It’s beautiful, funky, ornate, and hands down the most emotional on the album.

    The second half of the Rammana, is much more stronger in theme and sound than the first. Either the Eastern instruments are either not present or not pronounced enough in some of the tracks, especially the first half did kind of hurt Salin’s statement a little bit. If she is wanting to give more attention to the other sounds and bring it over the other cultures, I felt in my opinion she should’ve shined the spotlight more on that sound.

    On the behind the scenes of Rammana, Salin said this album’s purpose was to bring Western and Thai cultures together. Not to become experimental, which is a fortunate byproduct of this album, but to let the people of Thailand love themselves and what their culture has provided them. Western music is so ingrained and ubiquitous into all of us, is what makes us miss or take for granted what’s next to us. There are so many great sounds out there and it would be such a pity if we miss them and they disappear into the ether. It’s such a noble goal what they’ve done and much of that is achieved here. It’s an amazing collaboration by many people from different backgrounds to put together this colorful project that it needs to be celebrated. And that’s what Rammana is here. A celebration.

    FAVORITE TRACKS: LAM INTRO, MA’AT, PAINTED LADY, BEING HERE, PUAJ, SI CHOMHU, RAMMANA

    LEAST FAVORITE: CURRENT

    You can purchase this album on Bandcamp and her discography is also available for streaming.

    https://salinmusic.bandcamp.com/album/rammana

  • Why You Should Spin: Animatronics by Rolando Simmons

    Why You Should Spin: Animatronics by Rolando Simmons

    An electronic artist hailing from Sweden, Mattias Östling who goes under the moniker of Rolando Simmons, has caught my ears when entering the mystifying world of IDM. And in this subgenre being so broad and boundary pushing, the cerebral experience he provides here in Animatronics is such a treat for any voyeurs in experimental electronic music. Östling stated that he was dealing with a creative writer’s block and then something hit him. A surreal vision came to him in form of a world that has materialized in his mind in hopes would transcribe in this concept album. His success in its conceptualization is up to you to judge, but regardless if his objective has panned out, the audio experience provided here is nevertheless, fulfilling ear candy. It is especially a good listen for me, but I may be biased since IDM is one of, if not, my favorite genre of music. Despite it being my favorite genre, it is such a tough medium to describe since IDM is again, so broad and yet, amorphous. But we must press on, as there are many layers and textures to describe in this record.

    “Cloudless Passenger” transports us into Animatronic’s world with this calm ambient sound and a voice going through this vocoder filter. It’s a peaceful yet mysterious feeling and the mood continues as these drum loops pass on by. We get an atmospheric change on the LP with the second track, “Purple Soap”. It’s playful acid that makes this track probably the most upbeat of the entire album. It makes me think of a functioning futuristic society or an assembly line producing the shiniest technology and all the cogs are in place. In the next piece, “Eternal Plastic Foundation” was an enjoyable listen for me, since it draws so much Autechre inspiration. It’s somber and alien with this hollow lurking bass along next to these synth leads that sound like a desolate place of worship. “Retinal Caustics” has faint ghost vocals along with these simple minimalist drum patterns and breaks and yet it grows into something gorgeous in the end. These tracks have been giving that enigmatic vibe and “Procedural Cosmetics” is no exception however a highlight for me is “White Lace Throne” afterwards. This piece had these delicate string-like soundscapes that compliments these grandiose kicks and synths. It’s epic yet celestial at the same time, that can be pulled off only by someone who is really meticulous in their craft. But what a change as we get plucked out of our comfort zone with “GlobalGroove Dust Club” as this is the most acid oriented track of the with engaging break beats, but the acid synths just revs up and discombobulates the mind. Makes the track go by so fast with a plethora of ways from Östling’s pocket to manipulate the space in this room. And last but not least, because this was probably my favorite track as “Memory Defrost” was such a banger of a closer. It’s like a club, techno, and march for robots that’s so laid back, it puts you into a trance. The chill kicks, the stuttering drum machine patterns, ghostly vocals and synths all lead to a great closer on our last glimpse of Roland’s world as we get lifted out.

    A lot of engaging sounds to ease your mind to in this LP, but there are a few exceptions. Some of the tracks drag on for me or too similar to each other. Biggest issue of this LP to me was “Procedural Cosmetics” although the instrumentation was layered really well. It was too similar to other tracks and kind of dragged on a bit for me.

    On the album’s Bandcamp page, Östling shares that his thought process and visual direction steered into making this album that is a futuristic, absurdist shopping mall in a dream-like dystopia. It’s a sonic discussion on teddy bears (per album cover) and technology. The execution of this dream is understandably debatable, however you cannot argue this ambient, acid, techno, IDM album does put you in a dream-like fugue state. What a marvelous surreal experience Roland Simmons has provided this window of this enigmatic world. Thankfully this dystopia has open borders.

    FAVORITE TRACKS: PURPLE SOAP, ETERNAL PLASTIC FOUNDATION, WHITE LACE THEME, GLOBALGROOVE DUST CLUB, MEMORY DEFROST

    LEAST FAVORITE: PROCEDURAL COSMETICS

    You can purchase this album on Bandcamp and their discography is also available for streaming.

    https://rolandosimmons.bandcamp.com/album/animatronics

  • Why You Should Spin: Bleeds by Wednesday

    Why You Should Spin: Bleeds by Wednesday

    I first heard about this band from North Carolina through the Brooklyn Vegan blog and saw this quirky and somber album cover that looks like it’s from Where the Wild Things Are. The creature on the cover looked like they needed a hug, so I wanted to give them a listen! Wednesday has been around the rock scene for quite a while with this release being their sixth. Their singles, “Elderberry Wine” and “Wound Up Here (By Holdin On)” are perfect litmus tests for seeing if this album strikes your fancy. They are a blend of noise rock and country notes that mix so well that it satisfies ones palette by being so modern and fresh. It is no wonder that their names have been thrown around as some of the most innovating in the indie rock scene as the genre refuses to throw in the towel to its contemporaries despite not being as booming popular. Self admittedly, I’m not a huge fan of country, however this album gets a huge praise from me, so that should hold much water. Also, MJ Lenderman is apparently in this band and it got me more curious as I did like a few songs from his last solo album as he is also obtaining buzz in the alternative scene. Bleeds has such rocking leads and noise that is so engaging, it just makes your head bang and your body move. I appreciate the strong song writing as frontwoman Karly Hartzman showcases them with compassion and steadfast emotion in her vocal chops. Like the album art, this LP is a beast, but it’s such a gentle, grungy, beast with a heart that will pour out in front of you.

    Getting into it, the group just showcases and hone in their rock energy with the opening track, “Reality TV Argument Bleeds”. And then the next track, “Townies” is such a treat with the chorus having so much teeth as that energy has not been diminished from the previous song. It tells about the burdened past that weighed one down from everything that is wrong from the small town they grew up in. Just the visuals of what everything Hartzman’s character is going through and describing the setting is down to the bone accurate on the damage that small towns inflict upon people. And then we get into the next two songs that were featured as singles and man, a part of me was happy that I was not spoiled on what I was about to be treated with. “Wound Up Here (By Holdin’ On) is such another showcase on Hartzman’s strong song writing on how one tries to survive in a cruel rural landscape. One dreams of a lottery ticket, while one’s dreams ends and what is now a crime scene. The grunge guitars are the true reason this band wants to let their audiences know ahead of time with this single that they are not to be trifled with. And what is now a night and day difference with the next song, not in quality, but in mood. It is my favorite song of the album as “Elderberry Wine” is such a smooth and gentle piece that is probably has the most country blends within it. Among the toxic world that we live in, we always find the sweetest things among life and cherish it as much as we can. It is much needed positivity that contrasts the previous songs and shows a light at the end of the tunnel, as it is a metaphor that elderberries while being poisonous for consumption is made into sweet wine that one can enjoy to cope with others as they get along just fine. What a lot of these songs do is reminisce the good times, not all of them are pleasant, but at least they are memorable as such in “Phish Pepsi” as they remember smoking from a Pepsi Can or watching the movie, Human Centipede. The grunge comes back on “Candy Breath” as we look into Hartzman’s world of her just surviving in it and relying on her “candy breath” to get her through the times. Looked up candy breath and it is apparently a strain of sativa. A slow ballad arrives on horseback with “The Way Love Goes” and with one big fell swoop is “Pick Up That Knife”, which is a jam that tells of a person down in the dumps as the world loves to beat them down. But do they come back with a vengeance? And just hearing the Death Grips reference in this song already made me love this band even more. Next up, even though it’s a short minute and a half interlude, “Wasp” went out guns a blazin’ and is probably the most in your face they’ve gone on this LP. And Hartzman goes pessimistic on “Bitter Everyday” with how she face plants the floor that is life. And then in the last leg of the album, we reach the eye of the storm with a soft piano ballad that is “Carolina Murder Suicide” with poignant, beautiful poetry on something that is so grim. You can see them paint when they mention fruit flies sleeping in a drain. So, we end on a country tone with “Gary’s II” and it wraps up the album nice and tight with the last verse best describing the motif of this album, which I won’t spoil of course.

    Single cover art for “Elderberry Wine” by Kamila Mlynarczyk

    Little complaints on the album. Even on some of the ones I didn’t get into as much, I was awestruck with how strong the songwriting was. “The Way Love Goes” was a little too mellow for me and I’m glad how soft the ending happened and how the writing is still consistent, but sonically wise, the ending songs weren’t as captivating as “Elderberry Wine”.

    I absolutely love this album. Hartzman is such a great storyteller and conjurer of images. The album again blends rock and country so well that I can see fans of both crafts would appreciate how captivating, boisterous, and uplifting in such a downer of a world the band paints. Because what hurts you, makes what you stronger and more appreciative of the little things along the way.

    FAVORITE TRACKS: REALITY TV ARGUMENT BLEEDS, TOWNIES, WOUND UP HERE (BY HOLDIN ON), ELDERBERRY WINE, CANDY BREATH, PICK UP THAT KNIFE, WASP, BITTER EVERYDAY

    LEAST FAVORITE: THE WAY LOVE GOES

    You can purchase this album on Bandcamp and their discography is also available for streaming.

    https://wednesdayband.bandcamp.com/album/bleeds

  • Song of the Day: Supersonic by J.J. Fad

    Song of the Day: Supersonic by J.J. Fad

    A blast from the past. J.J. Fad was formerly an acronym of all the past members of this all female ,80s hip-hop group, but when they changed members it turned into fun descriptors of the them as they laid it out for you at the beginning of the song. “J is for Just. The other for Jammin’. The F is for fresh. A and D, def.”

    80’s hip-hop was such a different entity back then as compared to now of course. Whatever your opinion is of rap today, you cannot deny the phenomenon that the 80’s (or Golden Age hip-hop) had back then when rap spearheaded this cultural explosion. The flow and lyricism may be different from what we’re used to now, but they still had social commentary and a message to spread along their audiences. Artists were scrambling on what works as this was new ground for everyone. However, the genre was absolutely dominated by male artists. You have your Public Enemy, KRS One, A Tribe Called Quest, and N.W.A, which they’re all greats. But on the other side of the culture coin, you have Sha-Rock, Salt-N-Pepa, and of course, Queen Latifah along many more. But I wanted to talk about “Supersonic” and J.J. Fad here. They weren’t as dominating in the scene as the artists above, but their album Supersonic hit Platinum in sales. The production of this record was by N.W.A. members Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, and Arabian Prince, which of course, they deserve credit and praise for the success of this album. But without these ladies’ charm and lighthearted demeanor, this album wouldn’t take wings. That’s the reason I love the titular song of the album, because it’s just so peachy.

    The song doesn’t take itself seriously right out the gate, with its lone beat-boxing and J.J. Fad announcing who they are and they’re ready to roll with their DJ, DJ Train. If you’re familiar with Fergie’s “Fergilicious” song, you can hear a little bit of it and how it was implemented on that popular song. The main beat is so catchy with its light percussion and what seems to be 808 cowbells to give the track this bright energy the group has been emanating off of. “He may be a little light, but that’s OK.” They let you know they’re women and they grab all the attention of the greats. So, what’s the worst that can happen? Just give them a listen! They have as much to say and as fresh as their male counterparts as while being boastful as they can. The little whimper after one the bar “big in your behind” always gets a chuckle out of me. Fun fact, their little scat shindig at the closing of the track, they considered just a joke and made fun of. They made a mistake and turned it into something chaotic and hilarious.

    Song and the album was a hit. As of 2025, the group is apparently still active. The single was sampled by MF DOOM, Eminem, and Killer Mike. As even the greats gave their ears on what they had to say. I may look into J.J. Fad some more. As I’ve not done a deep dive into their discography yet. But my big ears as they would say, just perked up and loved what I heard. It’s a fun vibe they gave, whilst rocking my world.

    You can listen to their discography on streaming.