Cypress Hill "III: Temples Of Boom" (1995)

It feels surreal to think that twenty three years have passed since Cypress Hill put together their third and iconic Temples Of Boom. With each record they continued to recreate themselves and this time the trio went down a dark avenue. The music videos went the same way too, resulting in MTV and radio refusing to play them. That didn't stop the record going gold and eventually platinum off their reputation alone. This was the first record I became obsessed with and if your familiar with my taste in music it should be no suprise as to why.

1995 marks a peak in the Mafioso Rap movement and despite the dark and violent, gang related themes, Cypress sidestep that particular narrative. It was when Hip Hop was transitioning away from bombastic sampling styles and production was growing towards sequenced beats and slick synthesized instrumentation. With retroactive ears Muggs's production gets a whole new level of appreciation. These beats hold up so well, Muggerud brings together the tightest kicks and snares samples, arranges them with a hard hitting, slick bombastic groove that resonates of dark vibes.

Track after track is hypnotically dark. Deep rumbling baselines glue the power and jive of the drums with their evil and menacing sampled counterparts. Muggs approach usually consists of ambiguous airy ambiences eerily lurking between the obvious instruments. With attentive ears much variety in that region, most notably cold icy pianos return frequently, playing upfront melodies but sometimes lingering in the distance. The mystic cultural vibe makes its mark here with the inclusion of the Indian sitar to bring about esoteric vibes between the beats. It builds up the unique feel of the record as well as the mythic terminology referencing the albums title and tracks like Stoned Raiders.

I will always put B Real in my top five, he is a phenomenal MC and criminally overlooked in the discussion of Hip Hops greatest. Every line on this record is fire, no filler. His nasal tone adds a sharp spice to his flow, giving his microphone persona a streak of attitude that requires no boasting. Its in the air tight delivery and variety of flows that keeps the goods rolling in from one song to the next. His ability to slip into half-sung hooks and killer refrains is timeless. His flows stealthily change pace and on tracks like Locotes they find a groove of their comparable to the beat itself. With Sen Dog chiming in and double tracking the best rhymes. His voice and lyrics hold up all these years later, still vicious and vigorous.

I'm not sure how many verses Sen gets on this record but as always his presences is illuminating, a great compliment to B Real. His roll as a backup man is never overplayed and easily underappreciated in the Cypress formula. No Rest For The Wicked has the group fire back at Ice Cube for stealing their hook and B Real is just an absolute monster with every line, from start to end. Its a savage diss track, almost on par with No Vaseline which he references with the line "No Vaseline, just a rope and a chair and gasoline". Brutal. Wu-Tang Clan's RZA and U-God turn up for some verses on one of the records dingy, dirtiest beats. A fitting match.

The record isn't all dark and shadowy, the lyrically ironic Boom Biddy Bye Bye lifts the mood with a memorizing piano melody looping over a warm, inviting baseline. The classic Illusions may sound a little nicer but its lonely atmosphere and paranoid lyrics quickly dispel the easy listening. A few beats do lean to a brighter degree but lets face it, its a darkened record. Strictly Hip Hop rests as a fairer beat setting a firm tone for the Hill to send out a clear message on the commercializing of the music. The lyrics read like biblical verses as B Real preaches some of the hardest truths on the business consuming the art form. Its my favorite song on the record and all these years later it truths hold up and Cypress Hill have proudly stuck by their integrity. A truly classic record, one of my first tens and perfection for my taste.

Favorite Tracks: Spark Another Owl, Throw Your Set In The Air, Stoned Raiders, Boom Biddy Bye Bye, No Rest For The Wicked, Killafornia, Locotes, Red Light Visions, Strictly Hip Hop, Everybody Must Get Stoned

Rating: 10/10

Logic "Young Sinatra: Undeniable" (2012)

With only a few Logic mixtapes left on the list, my attention is drawn to how his recurring stories of personal struggles, proving his craft and defying the odds have extend all the way back through his records to this moment here, six years back. With an attentive ear one may also notice his voice is a little lighter and more youthful, something I was anticipating. Articulating his battles and ambitions Logic sounds as sharp and natural as everything Ive heard before. At some point I am expecting a dip but this is not It, intact for a fair portion of the record it has to be my favorite thanks to its avenues into classic 90s Hip Hop and the tight rhymes.

To my ears the record has four phases. Its opening tracks set the stage of his situation, his mission to prove himself, the actualization of its reality. The beats are tight, modern for the time, throwing in some piano samples fit for the classic era, illuminating with classic Nas lyrics for the hooks. In its second phase we get a string of Hip Hop's best. Biggie's Kick In The Door, Dr.Dre & Snoop Dogg with Deep Cover and A Tribe Called Quest's Electric Relaxation. Logic goes ham over these beats, toying with his technicality, flexing cunning rhymes, locking you in with his narrative. Its killer how he picks up untouchable instrumentals and puts a memorable mark on them.

Tic Tac Toe marks the third phase, its sudden beat switch to a sleek and swish club track sees a dip in quality as his subject matter becomes diluted and the lyrical successions are led more by his thoughts and the point hes trying to make. Its a long record at eighty four minutes and after a flurry of mood shifting tracks we land on Aye Girl, its summery popping synths and jaunting beat dazzles, prepping us for the forth phase as Logic once again picks up some classic instrumental to show his prowess on with the best of his rhymes.

Milkbone's classic Keep It Real, that plays like an AZ cut, Jay-Z's Bring It On from his slick Mafioso Rap debut Reasonable Doubt. Maybe its my love of these classic beats blinding me but it seems to bring the best out of Logic. The record has a couple more bright songs in it before ending on a really warm and endearing note as his fans call in, leaving voice mail messages over an emotional beat. Its a great way to tie up an important record for the young artist. He accomplishes a lot of within this record, only curation could of made the experience any better.

Favorite Tracks: Dead Presidents III, No Biggie, Disgusting, Relaxation, Aye Girl, Young Sinatra III, All Sinatra Everything

Rating: 8/10

Grouper "A I A: Alien Observer" (2011)

This record has safely made its way into my record collection thanks to its appraised placement in top Ambient record lists. Grouper is the name and behind it a lone musician, Liz Harris, who utilizes her delicate voice like an instrument. She adds an eerie sad loneliness with her solitary tone hazing the soundscape like a spirit drifting across the voids of space between stars. As the name suggests and possibly plants the seed, the atmosphere conjured feels distant, astral, unusual and alien. Yet its pleasant, spiritual and most importantly relaxing. This is a very warm and welcoming sound that flirts with ambiguity with innocence and safety in mind.

Unfortunately this music has not sucked me in all the way. Minimalism and ambience can often pay a price for its simplicity that leads to similarity. In the case of Alien Observer it doesn't feel all that unique. Liz has crafted a beautiful aesthetic of dreamy, weary instruments glazed in a mysterious low fidelity charm but the melodies that play through it are meandering and without intent even if childlike for the most part. Of course that can be a strength too in pursuing a vision but each track does little to stand apart as the experience seems to linger in the same spot.

All the songs feel the same. However Mary, On The Wall starts off with a music box melody. Its eerie background noise and slow pace creates a unique moment that vanishes as the notation concludes and rides us into the familiar wash of warm cloudy sounds. Liz's voice is magnificent, drifting through the cloudy ambience like a lost soul. Its endearing and in a couple of moments where she rises above the music with audible words it becomes illuminating but the instrumentals lack conclusion. Much of the record reminds me fondly of Julie Cruise. As a result the place we visit doesn't feel all to new and so it was an enjoyable record but didn't forge much to remember.

Rating: 5/10

40 Watt Sun "The Inside Room" (2011)

With exposure to just one song it only took a single listen to understand this project. Now that Ive gotten through the full record my initial reaction was practically complete. It happens every now and then, the music just makes sense of itself immediately. The five songs that are The Inside Room also stick rigidly to the formula heard at almost any moment of any given song. Its a one dimensional experience but that dimension is its own. 40 Watt Sun are an England based Doom Metal band born from two members of the disbanded Warning of the same genre. This record is their debut.

Slow and dark, brooding, corroding and groaning in pace, it has all the hallmarks of the genre but so often in music the aesthetics dialed to different degrees delineate its destination. Firstly the guitars gristle and wallow in a dirty, sludge of washing distortion guitar tone that plays drawn out power chords at a begrudging pace. The drummers symbols add to this haze as they constantly rattle and bleed into the noise, slicing in without a crash but echoing in the crevasse of the thick guitar tone. The bass provides a warm and steady footing to ground the experience with a deep softness.

Its not a particularly extreme sound. Despite being tonally gritty and sharp, its crawling pace makes an easy to follow setting as the music barely gets more ambitions than simple strings of steadily paced power chords. Where it all comes to life is with singer Patrick Walker who I will describe in the keenest of ways as being akin to Michael Stripe of REM. His voice has the same timber and holds a earnest vulnerability. His performance turns the darkness of Doom Metal into a personal, humanist struggle and strips it of all fantasy with his intimate, introspective and relational lyrics of hurt.

The music is simple, the whole record reveals itself swiftly with little in the way of surprises. It serves to put all the attention on the chemistry with their singer and has yet to wain in the several hours of enjoyment I have gotten from it. Id expect that to change at some point given the simplicity but I do wonder if that is its strength. It sets a tone and mood for the light to fall on Walker who puts on a captivating and emotional performance that makes the record glow. A worthy listen if you are curious.

Rating: 7/10

At The Gates "The Red In The Sky Is Ours" (1992)

My recent enjoyment of their latest effort, To Drink From The Night Itself, prompted me to finally get around to checking out a band held in high regards among the Metal elite. The Sweedish outfit have a near perfect score for this record over on the Encyclopedia Metallum. Its an ugly, gritty old school Death Metal record that does little conventional to charm and much experimentation to conjure a dark, broody wallowing atmosphere that would undoubtedly been more impressive in the context of 1992. Even if I Cast my mind back to the likes of Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel, Decide, Death, Hypocrisy and fellow Swedes Entombed, I couldn't specifically say why this record stands apart but I do have some hunches that become obvious on inspection.

Firstly the limited production ability of those times doesn't overwhelm us with thick, overtly loud and punishing guitar tones. Instead the instruments feel rather separated and sparse in comparison to what would of been common at the time. The result of which is music that's far less nauseating to follow and lets its melodic streak flourish in a limited sense of the word. It would be another two records before they would be associated with the emergence of Melodic Death Metal pioneered by Carcass. Here on The Red In The Sky Is Ours there is clearly an inclination to melody in its darker form over blunt force tonality and primitive rhythms.

After just a couple of listens it becomes very clear At The Gates are not trying to dazzle you with simple brutality, crushing grooves or bombastic syncopation. Many of the riffs feel non-circular and linear with some drawn out grinding leads and tremolo picking sequenced in shorter arrangements that cycle swiftly. The result is a spectacle of perceived oddity. With repetition it grows in vision yet the music always falls mercy to strange moments of unconventional riffs that stop the music in its tracks with drop outs between its notes. It is also characterized by the inclusion of folkish violins that both chime in and play linking interludes between songs. As stated before they don't immediately feel natural but end up making sense and leaving a memorable mark.

The unusual and strange runs deeper than its observations. The mood and tone of the record has vibrations unlike typical Death Metal. It leans towards atmosphere when its brooding tracks can culminate in layered guitar leads and violins that feel more visionary than primitive. But what is its vision? I am still unsure but I know it is dark and dimensional. In other times it drifts to the Avant-garde as its baselines plod to the forefront with a murmurous dance. The drumming arrangements seem to flop over from the battery of pounding atypical grooves into experimental sporadic shuffles of madness mostly helped on by a sloppy outdated recording aesthetic.

 Its clear the group attempted to write music that's complex, challenging and subverting norms within a subversive genre that has quickly established some boundaries. It has also produced results in doing so. A mysterious atmosphere brews through its endless string of experimental riffing that is continuously shifting, evolving, unwinding, providing delight and a unique mood to indulge with. Each listen uncovers another secret as one slowly dissects the arsenal of experiments crammed in behind the red haze of its ambiguous, red sky cover art.

Favorite Tracks: Within, Claws Of Laughter Dead, Night Comes Blood Black

Rating: 8/10

Autumn's Grey Solace "Eocene" (2018)

The consistency continues! Autumn's Grey Solace are one of my favorite groups from this "youtube era" of my musical addiction, maintaining a steady output of records through the years. After the disappointing Monajjfyllen I have been left thinking that the duo have essentially run out of ideas with little of their music feeling new or fresh. I also ponder if the powers of mood and timing play a roll in enjoying their unique Ethereal sound I adore so much. This new release Eocene embodies all that I feared in terms of originality yet it has been an absolute delight to indulge in.

Not a fraction of this record attempts anything unexpected. I know each of their other ten albums inside out and listen to this new shapter as if it were a greatest hits record. Singer Erin Welton once again blesses us with her lush and serine voice, indulging in lavish reverbs with the usual timings, demeanor and lack of lyrics. On most the songs she just cruises notes with her chords but on occasions her words are lost to a wall of reverb that quite often fills a small frequency range into a soft white noise keen ears will pick up on. Scott Ferrell again shimmers and glistens away on his effects soaked guitars. His production technique brings it altogether in an ooze of dreamy Ethereal sweetness, succulent in its helping of serine colorful melodies fit for the night.

For one reason or another the songs do indeed resonate with the best of what Ive heard them do before. Not every track tho, Untamed Flora for example sounds a little thin and short on composition. Its lack of depth lets its lead melodies stray into lulls. Most the songs transcend their parts and hit the emotions, which has been a problem for me when I understand the construct of their unchanging sound so well. Each song becomes a break down of previous drum patterns, vocal arrangements and exotic guitar sounds reassembled. This time it worked making for many indulgent listens.

Favorite Tracks: Gazing Across An Endless Sea, Echoland, Extinction

Rating: 7/10

Cypress Hill "Elephants On Acid" (2018)

I've been eagerly awaiting this record. The legendary Latin American Hip Hop group Cypress Hill have returned with their ninth album after an eight year absence. They were my first "favorite" group, as a young teen I became rather indulged and obsessed with their music. Binge listening and making copies of their records borrowed from the local library, I quickly came to know all their music very well and hold them in the highest regard. To this day I frequently return to their best records, Temples Of Boom being my favorite as the dark, spooky, mysterious Gangster Rap record with killer lyricism and timeless hooks. Going into this new record I had little in the way of expectations. It has been some time and anything can happen.

Elephants On Acid is a reasonable effort that does a fantastic job of establishing a distinct vibe and maintaining it. Cypress always had an exotic twist about them, using Latin lingo and inflections in the vocal department. At times their choice in sampling naturally leaned to Southern American and Eastern cultures, a niche characteristic. This record homes in on the latter with its sleepy esoteric atmospheres born of slower drum grooves, deep muddy baselines and the sprinkling of Eastern instruments to affirm an air of mysticism. In its second half the instrumentals start to brood in darker places. Locos, Insane OG, Warlord and Blood On My Hands Again unapologetically explore the creepier avenues of a dangerous vindictive world.

It is B Real who gives this record its merit. After eight years off the wax I had feared he may of aged but much like his live performances, he seems youthful and fully capable with a tight grip on the mic and his craft. Hes rocking the same nasal style, delivering lean raps with a weight of rhyme and wit that reminds me again how criminally over looked he is in the Hip Hop community. We may not hear his best here but he capably drops in plenty of steady flows, smart rhymes and one cracking line referencing Silence Of The Lambs. At his side Sen Dog seems unfortunately absent for many of the tracks, he is one to elevates the music with his unique chiming in. Even with a just small and simple roll he seems missed.

As discussed this record achieves a vision but unfortunately its a rather tame one even if distinct. The pacing is sluggish. Half baked instrumentals serve as brief interludes making up a quarter of the tracks. The main beats themselves are often indulged, brooding on atmosphere and the drum grooves rarely land with much intensity. Its obvious Cypress were going for this tone but the records best song, by no stretch of imagination, is Locos. The beat lands, its banging, the atmosphere serves it well and B Real is backed up by a mean sounding Sen Dog who throws in his aggressive call outs that land like threats. It the traditional formula and it works better.

It doesn't feel like there is much more to be said beyond going into specifics. Deep into the record hides Crazy, a song clearly trying to recapture the Insane In The Brain spark. To be fair its a fun track but once again the drum break just doesn't land with any intensity or groove. As much as Ive enjoyed these songs I really don't see myself coming back to the project to often. I commend Cypress for attempting to do something outside the scope of what you expect from a Hip Hop record. Its certainly nice to hear consistency and vision but if it doesn't bang its got to get something else right and I'm not sure what that's supposed to be on Elephants On Acid.

Favorite Track: Locos

Rating: 5/10

Revocation "The Outer Ones" (2018)

I have a strong connection to the Boston based Revocation. I caught their debut album Empire Of Obscene literately moments after it reached the blogspot scene. It was an instant connection and I regarded them as one of Metal's finest new acts, expecting them to rise to the top but it wasn't to be so. I still think they are criminally underrated but as the years stroll by and the excitement of "traditional" Metal wains I found myself becoming disinterested in them. This new chapter is a big step up from Great Is Our Sin, which in turn was a also a step up from the disappointing Deathless.

The group continue to firmly stick by their core identity of style and with that run the risk of repeating themselves. They call it diminishing returns, the first exposure always has the most impact but in the case of The Outer Ones they push the boundaries far, holding onto that distinguished character while creating a new and vividly animated universe of beastly Extreme Metal in the Revocation name. It holds up well to the ambitions conveyed by its spacial, maddening and slightly creepy album art.

The core tenants of brutality and Thrash hold true as forays into the antics of Technical Death and Progressive Metal bring about a detailed and dizzying web of indulgent music, punishing in tone but aesthetically gorgeous in delivery. Its production squeezes in the instruments with clarity and precision. As a result the bass guitar gets room to maneuver into focus with a luminous gritty texture in its select moments. David Davidson also stretches his voice down a peg with a significant amount of low, growling guttural vocals that land with a streak of menace, something he has clearly worked hard on. It gives the music many hair raising moments.

The music itself is a never ending sprawl of clever riff design and song structuring that creates a very specific atmosphere. I feel like a lot of the record gets caught up in the brutal aspect of their sound. Its the songs that offer the most respite from the slaughter that bring about the best moments, that and the guitar leads. These erupting solos evolve the songs, played with true intent and vision they time and time again mask the shifts of music and make the whole experience organic. That's frequently a tricky task for tricky music that is dexterous but often mechanical and without feeling.

This record has brought the utmost enjoyment, yet as I touched on, it is the subversion of the core tenants that bring about the magic. If Revocation where to explore directions that stray from the roots I am confident they would find gold. In a few brief instances I am reminded fondly of Opeth, a band that utilize clean vocals exceptionally well. At many times I felt the music was yearning for that but most likely that is my own taste exerting itself on a punishing and brutal record that for over half of its duration is dancing in the swamps of mean and ugly guitar playing brought to the mercy of groove and sensibilities. Its a cracking listen for any Extreme Metal fan.

Rating: 8/10

Favorite Tracks: Blood Atonement, Vanitas, Ex Nihilo, A Starless Darkness

Brockhampton "Iridescence" (2018)

The Southern American, self proclaimed boy band is back! Brockhampton are riding the hype wave after a successful 2017, releasing their trilogy Saturation I, II & III within eight months, to much critical acclaim. I liked their music in patches but this new release Iridescence brings about much needed cohesion as the album experience takes a firmer grasp on its fusion of Pop and Hip Hop. Its typically eccentric and wild but between its quirky off beat attitude, pop melodies on pianos, more singing and catchier choruses anchor down an important sense of direction for the listener.

In some senses its style is all over the place. Obnoxious Hip Hop oriented lyrical themes slam up side against soothing melodies and wooing vocal lines that seem to sway back and forth from one another. That is the charm though and it plays out both thematically and aesthetically too. Crunking dirty beats with gritty samples quickly disintegrate as harmonious sing and chorals take charge, often with luscious strings and pianos behind them too. A few tracks straddle the middle ground like the second half of Weight and Tape as Jazz Hop vibes emerge with soft boom bap grooves.

One strength this record has that didn't feel quite so on previous albums is the amount of voices. With over ten members there is quite the range of tones to be found in the music. It plays to each of their strengths, as you might expect. Those who sing find their moment in the lush instrumentals, the energetic, obnoxious hyped up raping lines over the oddball, boisterous beats. Its the ground between that excels. When transitioning, a lot of creativity and cohesion in the directional shifts comes through from the human voice and the individual quirks they posses in bulk.

Not much of the lyrical content peaked my interest. Words sometimes do that with me, I think the instrumentals overpower my focus as their is quite the stretch of style and attitude at play here and its in a constant state of flux, routinely moving back and forth yet feeling natural and fluid. Its a very creative project that I have much appraisal for but on a personal level it doesn't connect as strongly as I know it will for others. I think this group have much potential and on Iridescence its certainly coming to life.

Favorite Tracks: Where The Cash At, Weight, Tape, J'ouvert, San Marcos

Rating: 7/10

Avenged Sevenfold "Black Reign" (2018)

 

Its that time of year, the shopping season is upon us, perhaps explaining why we see an increase in bands dropping EPs in the months leading up to Christmas. Avenged have scraped the barrel for a B-Side in the instrumental Jade Helm track. Its a strange track of build ups and grooves that have these awful pauses, lasting too long to keep time of the beat and anticipate its return. Maybe vocal rhythms would of tied this space over but without them the song sounds like a bunch of sub par riffs stitched together with shuffling, over involved drum patterns, things left out from other songs.

Before it three songs play that fans may be familiar with. Turns out Avenged have been collaborating with the Call Of Duty franchise for a few years and these songs are from the successive soundtracks of the Black Ops games. The first track Mad Hatter being the most recent stands out as a firm favorite. Its their only new material since the magnificent The Stage, can barely believe its been two years already! The singing style, composition and quality of riffs really reflects the maturity of that record and so we receive a well written track with a luminous mid-tempo break in the middle. It cruises from acoustic guitars into an epic guitar solo, shredding heights and erupting back into the song main riff, riding it like a wave.

I can't speak too highly of the other two tracks, they are from further back in time when Avenged where less appealing to me. A couple of moments appease but what I like of their sound is only present in fractions. If anything the one song is a good sign that they are keeping on track and capable of continuing to write on form. As for the record itself, its simply a stitching of extra songs to promote the new single.

Favorite Track: Mad Hatter

Rating: 4/10

Dizzee Rascal "Don't Gas Me" (2018)

I really enjoyed Raskit released last year. It signaled a return to form from the UK veteran and this five track digital EP may even top it. Don't Gas Me gives off carefree vibes, artists having fun with the craft and enjoying the moment. If there was curation involved or not, these five songs are tight and precise, giving nothing but the goods. Firm instrumentals and keen rhymes let each tracks theme emerge with ease as Dizzee brings on some excellent features for the last three of five songs.

An almost cliche 90s Dance beat opens up the record with the title track. Its pumping energy, slapping claps give way to night time sirens and a dirty obnoxious synthetic base that grooves to its own accord. When Dizzee gets into his rhymes its all fun and games built on a firm flow, throwing in fun, silly rhymes about appletizer and getting his car clamped. Deeper into the track he reinforces the playful nature with goofy high pitched rhymes on the end of a string of words. Its greatly amusing while showing off his talent and ability to make great music.

Quality makes for a great follow up track as the instrumental pulls on summery 90s sounds and Dizzee gets more serious with introspective lyrics that drops into bursts of rapid rhymes. He sounds fantastic, on form. The features start with Skepta who I last heard on More Life. The two exchange verses but I think its the younger generation, P Money and especially C Cane who impress. Their youthful energy and opertunity to reach new ears plays up some fantastic flows and rhymes from the both of them.

The closing track swings things back to where it began with another 90s Dance beat and punchy synthetic base lines. Some subtle Dub vibes are brought to light as Afronaut Zu lights up the track with Reggae inflicted singing in the chorus. All in all its a fantastic but brief encounter that has a carefree Dizzee orchestrating some easily enjoyed tracks to keep fans happy until the next full length project. Wwith more songs attached this could of easily been that. These are no b-sides here.

Favorite Track: Spin Ya

Rating: 6/10

Logic "Young Sinatra: Welcome To Forever" (2013)

The Logic journey continues with this mixtape and I might just hold off from his recently YSIV until Ive made it back to the starting line, another four releases. The new record is actually continuing where this left of since Logic didn't touch the Young Sinatra name between this and that. The new record also has a track called Wu-Tang Forever with the entire Wu-Tang Clan... that is something I absolutely need to hear!

To jump straight to the point Welcome To Forever is fantastic but flawed collection of songs. This is a very "of the moment", raw, youthful and energetic record full of life. Its also rather bloated at seventy three minutes with tracks that frequently drift from the core tone, both lyrically and instrumentally. Its beats play from the 90s to the Kanye era and into the origins of auto tune and Trap style production that was coming into its own five years ago. Kicking of with snippets of KRS-One the album is loaded with bold sampling from the likes of Ice Cube, Drake, Pusha T, Kendrick Lamar, paying a firm tribute to the Hip Hop universe. Unsurprisingly Frank Sanatra turns up and so do Parliament of the samples I caught. He also uncannily mimics the Down To Erf rhyme, flow and cadence on his A Tribe Called Quest tribute, its got to be a reference!

Logic puts himself on the stage for judgement by rapping over the classic Ms Jackson beat by Outkast. Its a firm statement but becomes across with a keenness and passion for the craft, a young artists with it all to give. Its endearing and when his lyrics go into that "prove yourself" zone the music is illuminated. This record also includes many features and talks about his Rat-pack collective, a lot more than Ive heard before. His lyrics bring us into this moment where is hard work is paying off and its time to shine with his friends. I'm not sure who's who but Dizzy Wright lights up the incredible Young Jedi instrumental as the record strides into its strong final phase.

Many of the modern instrumentals are paired with the less engaging topics. It just so happens to be my favorite instrumentals that have Logic flexing his vocal prowess with impressive rhymes and flows. He paints the picture of this moment, walking us through his struggles, the deal with Def Jam and doing what he loves, working hard and putting out this mixtape with the debut album in the works too. In those tracks this is golden, its ties to Hip Hop through samples and references feel so genuine and passionate, unfortunate its patchy, caught in a haze of varied instrumentals. Trimmed down to its best there is a solid forty minute experience here.

Favorite Tracks: 925, The Come Up, Nasty, Young Jedi, Common Logic, Just A Man, Man Of The Year

Rating: 7/10

First Aid Kit "Tender Offerings" (2018)

This four track EP has me thinking I must of missed something from Ruins released earlier this year. Perhaps I wasn't in the right frame of mind? Stay Gold is such a beautiful record, one of my all time greats, maybe it set my sights to high for the follow up. Before writing this blog I was convinced Id learn at least one of these four songs are covers because they are so striking and have a classic vibe about them. Turns out they are all B-Sides from the aforementioned Ruins and bar one or two tracks from that record Id say these songs a better than most of what I remember of it.

Firstly, I've Wanted You takes a minimal approach with its soft acoustic patterns and a nearly non existent baseline. It pulls all focus to the beautiful serine singing that I believe is Klara of the Soderberg sisters. Her chorus lyrics are sung with such striking emotion and sincerity of word that I was convinced it was a cover. The yawning distant organ and gentle piano keys chime in to keep the spell rolling as the duo start to harmonize and elevate and conclude what is a bare, naked and exposed song, its direction plays so true to the words of the song and its raw emotion.

 The title track works a denser instrumental build up. Its stronger organ presence leads to country tang guitar licks that play up its rooted vibes. Ugly has a similar performance to I've Wanted You, however the instruments gradually grow and its soft guitars and buried organ give into colorful eruptions of almost psychedelic stretches as its guitars give into that fray and spacial synths sparkle like stars in a clustered climax. Its quite the natural yet experimental edge to a song I did not expect but thoroughly enjoyed. More of this could lead somewhere interesting.

All That We Get may fall victim to being the least interesting, its a nice song, calm, soothing and soulful with a charming message of warmth and introspection yet it lacks a defining moment and the vocals don't reach previous plateaus. These are four very welcome songs. I especially liked the slight, almost missable use of electronics and the opening song is an instant classic. I will continue to follow this wonderful act.

Favorite Tracks: I've Wanted You, Ugly

Rating: 5/10

Front Line Assembly "Warmech" (2018)

Fun fact, on my way to a Plini gig I arrived at the wrong venue. These Canadian Industrial veterans were playing there, I wouldn't of minded watching them too. Its been many years since I last checked in with FLA. I remember them as having the classic synthetic, Electronic, Gothic leaning Industrial sound which I grew to love through the likes of Frank Klepacki. In the 90s they flirted with Industrial Metal after Ministry laid the path, just before its commercial peak with Antichrist Superstar in 96.

Being out of the loop, I was unaware that Warmech was the soundtrack to an RTS game called AirMech Wastelands on Steam. That might explain why this record wasn't what I expected. The Industrial sounds I anticipated linger beyond a solid core of modern Electronic and EDM styles that aim to build atmospheres with music that's not in your face yet rich with synthetic instruments coercing an environmental approach that draws in the meditative vibe VGM requires to let the player drift in and out of focus from the soundtrack. At seventy three minutes its a long listening stretch clearly, better suited to its intended purpose of semi-distracted gaming sessions.

Considering these are old, experienced minds at work I did not expect to hear the sub wobbles and drops of Dubstep working angles on the music. Their seasoned selves showed as the drops refrain from being overly bombastic and obnoxious, resulting in a crafty execution of trendy techniques. With hard thudding kick and snare grooves the songs often cruise into EDM territory with some faster percussive loops leaning towards Drumstep. Like with Metal, Electronic music can so easily blur many lines and show influences. Whatever may be on display its composition holds onto that craft for detailed arrangements of instruments and industrial sounds that give the atmosphere conjured a depth of field. Better yet this detail extends into the musics progression as the songs make shifts and breaks with animated sequences of sound that often play like machines firing up their gears and getting into transitional motion.

Across its seventy plus minutes a healthy amount of variety unfolds however it does suffer a little when exclusively in focus, slow tempos and drawn out melodies show a desire to not be intrusive. The best way to enjoy these songs is when focused on a task, then it becomes meditative and helps one focus while creating vivid soundscapes. As a result of that tone its most ambitious melodies and epic synth chords get pushed back in the musics attention as that and a lack of vocals never try to steal the show from the game it was made for. If not for the soundtrack some adjustments and vocals could of made this a great traditional record too.

Rating: 6/10

Machine Gun Kelly "Binge" (2018)

Its been a while since we've had some entertaining Rap beef. I don't take it all that seriously but if it leads to good songs and gets people listening then its usually good for those involved. In the case of MGK Eminem has handed him a golden opertunity on Kamikaze where he took shots at a lot of rappers, especially the new generation. Being the first to respond, Rap Devil gave Midwest rapper Kelly over 100 million views and a lot of exposure, an opertunity to find new fans which has surely been squandered on this flimsy, hastily assembled extended play. Its trashy. Its a stinker.

The bulk of these beats are mediocre at best. Lacking their own style they come off as Trap mimics, deploying all the tropes of shuffling hi hats and sub base kicks in a variety of arrangements that lack intention beyond doing whats currently in. Its chasing the Mumble Rap sound and Kelly's voice just isn't suited to it. Unfortunately the couple of instrumentals that do have some traction and excitement in them seem to be stacked up against the worst of MGK's troubling lyrics.

And that's the hardest thing to endure on these songs. Kelly is all attitude and no substance. Its braggadocios, angry and aimless. He boasts and raves about his careless attitude and drug abuse without a measure of meaning to be extracted. The hooks are weak, the rhymes subpar and occasionally a few unintentionally hilarious lines slip in past the "quality" filter. I wonder if anyone advised him not to release these songs. There is also an awful feature on Signs, an auto-tune abusing vocal hook that sounds so lifted and uninspired, a total rip.

Rap Devil is the only song worth your time. Upon release it was obvious Eminem was a sitting duck for a diss. So much of the subject matter was born from Em's jaded, angry attitude but it brought the best out of Kelly, forced him to focus on a subject and find strings of coherent rhymes on the same track. There is none of that focus and craft to be found here, the songs barely make three minutes and the two that do, bar Rap Devil, have extra beats stitched on the end of them. Not sure what Kelly was thinking here, cash grab? Maybe he wasn't thinking at all.

Favorite Track: Rap Devil

Rating: 2/10

Jinjer "Cloud Factory" (2018)

You know how it goes, once something new roots itself in the mind you often start to see it everywhere, as if it were somehow invisible beforehand. Since Ive heard of this four piece act from Ukrane Ive spotted quite a few of their shirts worn at gigs. Their views on Youtube would also suggest they are gaining rapid popularity in the Metal community. Naturally I wanted to check them out and see what the fuss was about.

Fronted by singer Tatiana Shmailyuk, a duality is forthright as she swings from strong, powerful effeminate singing to brutal, blunt screaming. She mixes in some native Ukrainian tongue too. Behind her the band put together some very likable songs for Metal fans to gravitate towards. Strong grooving guitars play a range of classic guitar techniques from over the years that hail back to Death and Thrash at times. Its mostly situated around Groove and Metalcore while showing some flashes of Djent and Nu Metal. Its neatly structured into a healthy riff fest of revolving grooves and energetic low end shredding that packs each of its songs with a fair helping of head nodding.

Their music is well executed, its mostly rather accommodating Metal thats loaded with familiar riffs. They do little to define themselves and stand out in my mind however every other song or so seems to find a moment to leap away from the page and throw in a crushing riff, brutal scream, or in the case of Who Is Gonna Be The One, both in a memorable breakdown. I might sound somewhat harsh but this record makes me feel a bit like a "Metal Veteran". There isn't a single riff here that's unexpected or unusual. All the techniques, styles, sounds and grooves Ive heard many a time before.

They pull from Metals best and rework ideas in to their own vision, even throwing in short sections of acoustics and brief non-Metal sounds. In the case of Jinjer they straddle that region well above mediocrity but below greatness. If you're new to Metal they will probably sound rather varied, exciting and invigorating. There is a great range of influence on their sound at work but Ive heard it all before. They are clearly talent musicians though and a band worth keeping an eye on.

Favorite Tracks: A Plus Or A Minus, Who Is Gonna Be The One, Желаю Значит Получу

Rating: 6/10

Bullet For My Valentine "Gravity" (2018)

They were once a young and promising act but these days Bullet For My Valentine are drifting towards obscurity. They have never interested me that much, last time I checked them out was a decade ago with Scream Aim Fire which I remember being at least half decent. These days I am far more open to Pop Metal and these lush, clean sounds. Gravity is on one hand is an easily enjoyable record, bright, pristine aesthetics, easily digestible with warm, harmonious singing and a sprinkle of bombastic riffs between its fluffy lighter appeal.


On the other hand its lyrically atrocious, full of angsty lyrics trying to tie heightened emotional words of pain and struggle to rather hollow and shallow themes of social relationships expressed through plain and simple language. It conveys little complexity or depth and reminds me of the lyrics my teenage self would of latched onto. Packaged into simple song structures it feels all to formulaic. After a play through it dawned on me that the whole project is very much treading in the shadows of Thats The Spirit, a record that reinvigorated much of the Hybrid Theory formula, in a really positive way. Bullet deploy all the tropes Bring Me The Horizon's recent sound. The song Under Again sounds like a pure unflattering imitation.

The synth tones, gang shouts have little original going for them and once it had crossed my mind I couldn't get away from how much the vocals emulate Chester Bennington. The delivery, the notes, the inflections, Ive heard it all before.  This record sounds like its doing very little to stand on its own. Trend following and niceness daunt its ability to create any original moments. In all fairness is pretty easily enjoyed if you tune out the lyrics. Its well produced and well written Pop music but its facade is thin and a lack of authenticity will have you scrutinizing on closer inspection.

Rating: 3/10

Irreversible Mechanism "Immersion" (2018)

Over two years ago the Belarus duo Irreversible Mechanism's debut made quite the footing in the musical landscape of my mind. Their take on Symphonic Extreme Metal had many of the hallmarks similar to bands I adore, I could hear echos of Dimmu Borgir, Old Man's Child, Aeons Confer and Abigail Williams. It became a record of frequent returns and so my excitement has brewed in anticipation of this sophomore album. Although it sticks to similar classifications, Immersion is an evolution of the beast and I'm not entirely sure where I stand with it. One thing is for certain my captivation has been held over the weeks as I have strayed of from writing about it, soaking in the experience as many times as I could before now.

 This new record expands its pallet with the introduction of luscious, gleaming acoustic guitars reminiscent of Gru. They work in parallel with deep, soft, airy synths boasting an immersive spacial tone. It plays between the dynamic bursts of explosive drumming and distortion guitar onslaught that drifts keenly into angular and blunt force playing akin to Technical Death Metal. The blazing dives into pummeling intricate blast beats and maddening atonal fret scaling licks push at its harshest but also in a constant sway with the synths and ethereal guitar sounds that vastly expand the pallet with plucked chords and softer distortions to thicken the atmospheres cast.

Where they once had echos of other bands, Irreversible Mechanism have very much channeled the aspects of their sound to new places. The once typical sweep picking licks that flooded the music with melodic flushes has been channeled into a web of meaningful guitar leads and solos that organically flex with the swaying of the music, erupting to life in with the dynamic shifts in tone. Their talents as musicians has found a vision and its executed wonderfully in a set of nine songs that frequently shift, sway and unravel with its smothering of intricacies and complex song structures leading into new and marvelous frontiers that feel boundless in this form.

Its a complete package, the music is thrilling with its extremities and its aesthetics are gorgeous. These modern production techniques sound is if there is nowhere left to go. Packed into this production we hear every kick, snare, symbol and instrument with clarity as they all frequently pile into the fold with a frantic unleashing of extreme composition. The drums pack a hefty punch, slick tones on all its components let every note cut through with strength that compromises nothing. All the way down to the bass guitar, which gets its moments to rumble its texture, every sound illuminated.

And so the album cruises on by with its unending sways, exploring different degrees of parrying assault and indulgence with its two identities. Beyond has both my favorite moments and least too, its swings of gleam the most appeasing and its dive into Technical Death Metal the most grinding. Tracks like Absolution is a, mind the pun, absolute peach when the back and forth is frequent and lined with glorious, emotive guitar leads. Infact eight ninths of its whole fit that frame, constantly finds these energetic thrusts to soaring peaks of intensity and blissful color on practically every song while each one feels so unique.

Taking all this wonderful music in I do feel an ambiguity of vision. It reminds me of my experiences with Doom and Post-Metal. I can feel the electricity but it doesn't allays light the bulb. With every song here I feel the current but where is it we are? I'm not quite sure, I mostly see neon colors illuminating solar systems and bizarre, exotic alien planets with intense visuals but perhaps that was put in my mind but the fantastic album cover. Either way this will be one of the years best and one I will continue to enjoy for many years to come! Bravo Irreversible Mechanism, you have raised the bar for all within your field, this is a true accomplishment.

Favorite Tracks: Abolution, Footprints In The Sand, Limbo

Rating: 9/10

Toska "Ode To The Author" (2016)

I caught the UK based trio Toska live recently at a Plini show promoting their magnificent Sunhead album. It was an engrossing performance, there was an electricity present but I'm not so sure it translates that well to the studio. The roar of mammoth, grooving guitars hooked in the room with there vibrations, unable to escape its grasp. Ode To The Author features a couple of tracks I recognized from the show. Its an entirely guitar led meld of Post Metal soundscaping and Progressive Metal tangents, making for some distinguished moments as the range of riffing leads us into unique places.

Without a vocal presence the guitars really do make up a forward momentum as the bass does little to expand upon its tone or experience. The drums chime in with appropriate grooves and energy to create some dynamism. Even in its moments of intense inflections and intricacies it still seems to play second fiddle to the mammoth presence of Rabea Massaad who dominates the spectrum, making his lone guitar sound like an ensemble.

It has its appropriate moments of calm and acoustics, lush notes plucked with harmony but the main avenue is groove and power beyond the structured formula. Massive shapely, lunging riffs gather momentum in the expansion of tension through minor progressions. It makes for colossal moments born of a careful craft, slowly growing songs that always seem to steadily lure us into a trap of mountainous riffs, cascading with a great weight.

Its all brilliantly executed, its steady build ups and sudden shifts feel organic and natural. It flows like a river and builds an engrossing atmosphere that quickly lures one in with vision as we explore the array of riffs, of which its groove elements even steer close to Nu Metal briefly and more obviously Djent with the occasional polyrhythmic and elasticated riffage. I'm very impressed, with a new album out November I will certainly be getting myself a copy.

Favorite Tracks: Chasm, Illumo

Rating: 7/10

Danny Brown "Twitch" (2018)

The origin story of this bootleg mixtape is rather interesting! Turns out the Detroit rapper has taken up gameplay streaming on the popular twitch.tv! That's where the name of the record comes from because Danny decided to stream nine songs he has been working on during a recent livestream. These nine songs could be for a new record, perhaps unfinished. There may be more information out there but all I can do is speculate, however all is looking good from here.

Although there is room for variety these songs mostly carry a hard, urban, gritty vibe. Reinforced by a low-fidelity feel they take on a rugged street persona. That however may have more to do with the streaming quality than the recordings themselves. Loose percussive loops and sparse sequences collide with a keen ear for sampling that builds atmospheres through the aesthetics of its sources. The melodies frequently feel second fiddle to the tone conjured and so these beats become rather indulgent.

The lyrical presence has quite the boisterous, aggressive stance. Danny's navel voice and flow raises the energy but around him an arsenal of features from rappers work dark and mean angles. On Cut It Up one of his friends puts in a crazy maniacal stuttering flow to much effect. The opening Funeral Lines features has some similar enunciation with the cries of "brusa brusa brusa". Among his comrades Danny stands out the best of lines and rhymes however they all put in a shift with an abundance of style and little to fault.

For nine "leaked" songs it holds up really well as a short record, clocking in just under thirty minutes. Its gritty, gloomy and maniacal in bursts of harsh attacking rhymes. Danny and his friends go crazy on the mic, the beats step into some dark territory, the closing track especially so as a dirty grisly baseline buzzes while errie haunting vocals call like a distant ghost. There's a lot to get excited about, the production is distinct and the lyrics ripe.

Favorite Tracks: Space Trip, 8 Ball Flow

Rating: 7/10

Apex Twin "Collapse" (2018)

I'm not here to comment on the history or legacy of English musician James D Richard aka Apex Twin. There is one, however his music has always been just out of my reach. Ive never been sucked in but throughout my time I have heard nothing but praise for him. Catching wind of this new release I fancied a try given its an EP. This trend of thirty minute records is quite appeasing to me. Its the sweet duration where music never seems to outstay its welcome. That is true in the case of this album, each listen feels like another leaf upturned with much to discover in this meld of relaxing, pleasant ambient countered by dizzying jumbles of electronic percussion.

Its not all magic though. Much of these six tracks felt like an effort, enduring the drum sequencing in hopes of finding its charm. James assaults the rhythm with fast choppy waves of sampled sounds that stack, collide and trip over one another as they fall neatly into position. Its crisp and clear, clean and punchy yet the off-kilter timing and swift, rapid rolls leave me a little disoriented as flurries of glitched out sounds constantly bombard the listener. Feeling the groove and rhythm is difficult. There are glimpses of aesthetic delight and occasional strides of movement but a lot of it just isn't on a wavelength I'm able to connect with.

Behind it an arsenal of strange and wonderful inhuman sounds forges calm and yet unusual atmospheres fit for indulgence but constantly hurried along by the abrasive presence of tireless sampled percussion. The Occasional emergence of childish melodies ground the emotions from the continual roll synthetic and odd sounds. In other moments thees same oddities form cohesion to resemble something more traditional but at all times the music resists being anything but.

Tracks MT1 and Abundance gives the musical side far more credence to form a memory of the music as much of the drum sequencing feels like a continuous attempt to dismantle itself and all sound encompassing but on these tracks they give a little more room to breathe. Ultimately its a strange experience with two elements mostly opposed to one another in my mind. It does find bursts of charm and passing intrigue. My curiosity will have me continuing to expose myself to Collapse in the hopes that something unheard may click for me in the future.

Favorite Tracks: MT1 T29R2, Abundance10edit

Rating: 6/10

Between The Buried And Me "Automata II" (2018)

Automata II is the second installment of the Automata double mini-album format the band have split their music into this year. This second half clearly strides into consistency with a stronger sense of theme that their progressive nature can usually make a meal of given the array of influences these musicians share. Across its four tracks the theatrics of showmanship play out in moments of carnival festivity as horns and trumpets emphasis jovial moods emanating between the cracks of rattling drums kits and metallic groove shredding guitars. The chemistry is tuned to its apex on Voice Of Trespass as striking memories of Diabolical Swing Orchestra are conjured.

On the other three songs this particular vibe is less prominent as the slew of intensity shifts, direction changes interchanging of instruments leads it along many paths. Its thirteen minute opener The Proverbial Blow takes the cake as both records best song. Its opening riffs evolve with intricacies in replay as subtle organs and synths wade in on the melodies. Its energetic thrust eliminates the building hype as calm wades in on the storm, holding us in suspense. Singer Rogers brings a vocal performance to elevate the fine direction the song takes, the steadily rising intensity finds its moment for shouts and screams or tight distortion guitar grooves.

A distance lead guitar wails across a suspended atmosphere as the music builds its tension to release. Its fine musicianship but only on this track does it really resonate. The other songs tend to fall into the mishaps of Prog music that doesn't quite engage this listener with the direction itself. As shifts permeate and new instances arise the juggling of serine melodic harmonies and dirty aggressive hammering play somewhat jagged. That's more of a comment on the first Automata though, this is clearly the better release, the best of both could of made a swell record but instead we have two reasonable releases that are sure to keep fans happy.

Favorite Track: The Proverbial Bellow

Rating: 6/10

C418 "Excursions" (2018)

German composer Daniel Rosenfeld aka C418 has birthed iconic music and sounds stained into the minds of millions of Minecraft fans worldwide. His unique sound and approach seems an uncanny match for the games engrossing atmosphere, almost to good to be true. Over the years he has released the games soundtracks alongside his own records that mainly dive into the House and Downtempo orientations of Ambient Electronic music, while showing that his flair extends into all degrees of composition hes attempted. With each passing record the wonders are revisited with a degree of expectancy and predictability but always within the allure that his style conjures, resonating and radiating its hypnotic, colorful warmth.

Its not been since my first exposure to his sound that the soothing radiation of warm indulging sounds has been so strong. Even within the realms of familiarity and anticipation, his capability finds an exuberant stride. One hundred minutes of beautifully ambiguous moods and engrossing atmospheres that win me over with a luminosity and vibrancy to these sounds we know all to well. The textures of synth, tones of melody, buzzing baselines, composition traits, the shrink and expansion is all akin to what we love about this artist and its executed wonderfully. One new experiment emerges, the sounds of birds chirping in Cold Summer gives it a wonderfully exotic and mysterious vibe if only for a song or two.

Its hard to dive into details when everything feels so snug and sweet. This is the C418 we know, the songs don't take long to feel like you have known them forever and yet the magic flows forth through a range of songs so typical of him. We have light ambiences led by pianos, quirky ambiguous melodies and banging percussive lines that seem to creep in like the morning sun through blinds. The transitions are sublime, one instance there is barely a beat and moments later the synths have arose, the snap and clap of snare and kick is in full swing. Excursions has flow, zen and sustains its spell for a remarkable length, suspending us in its dimension. Possibly his best.

Favorite Tracks: Cold Summer, Benton, Thunderbird, The President Is Dead

Rating: 9/10

Greta Van Fleet "From The Fires" (2017)

Following up on Black Smoke Rising we have an unusual release from the greatly hyped Greta Van Fleet. Its marketed as a double EP, eight songs that could of been an album however four of the songs are from the aforementioned release. So its like another four songs released alongside the last. Because of that Ive just focused on the new independent tracks, of which two are covers. That was unknown to me before writing this up, perhaps it serves as a testament as to how well they embody the era that inspires them since I was none the wiser, these songs fit sweetly into the run time.

These songs took a little longer to get into and I believe that's because these are the less dynamic cuts. They don't aim to dazzle up front with hard hitting licks but sneak up on you as their atmospheres build in intensity. Both the originals here culminate in guitar solos after the songs tempo feels hastened in the rising tide of instruments steadily raising the energy. The cover songs also ask something more from front man Josh Kiszka who certainly rises to the occasion without a sweat.

Admittedly I felt these song illuminated their potential to reach more crevasses of this era but in reality its a patchy release to comment on with just two originals. With an album arriving in just a month we will find out what this band is made for. Until then I will continue to enjoy these EPs very much so. Its been a while since Ive been so excited for a band outside my musical comfort zone and this is it!

Favorite Track: Edge Of Darkness

Rating: 5/10

Algiers "Algiers" (2015)

Algiers self titled debut record is a similar beast of burden to its surpassing successor The Underside Of Power. Release two years prior, this record plays with the rawer edge and grit you might expect closer to a formation. Its influences, attributes and roots stand more so exposed and open as the union of sounds frequents dark corridors of shadowy, dread soaked atmospheres. Its bleak resentment drags us down to hell as moments of relief and uplift are far and few between here.

The rattle and snap of Blood's percussion echos the chain gang clank its vocals personify. Subtle gospel, soulful choirs hang heads in the shame of abuse and suffering. Its a song that captures the downtrodden mood and tone of the record. Overpowering, dense guitars wail in a wall of sharp distortion and feedback, playing into the conjuring of a hellish, fearful atmosphere. Singer Fisher cries 400 years a slave, 400 years of torture, driving in the nails that seethe.

The track highlights the records darker tone. It and many of the songs lyrics leap from the page, others addressing police brutality and many horrors linked to the era of slavery it draws its inspiration from. Its electronics are also chained to this path, chirpy, punchy sounds of sequenced snappy beats and stabs reminiscent of 80s Hip Hop find themselves sucked into this abandon. Almost all the sounds from this eclectic tapestry of influences find themselves sinking into terror.

Its a brood, punishing listen fit for overcast skies and the cold of rainy days. At its inception Algiers dive deep into the disgust and dismay of slavery, from a very personal and unforgiving angle that Fisher time and time again ties together with his words. I'm not sure how hearing the records in this record effected my enjoyment but the darker direction and rawer tone smothered some of the magic I expected to hear like on its predecessor. Very impressive record but something restrains my enjoyment.

Favorite Tracks: Blood, Iron. Unity. Pretext.

Rating: 7/10

Greta Van Fleet "Black Smoke Rising" (2017)

Do Greta Van Fleet live up to the hype? Does it even matter? Music should be about what you get out of it! If you can connect with the artists vision there is often something wonderful to be enjoyed. That is certainly the case for me and I even got to see them live earlier in the year at Download Festival. I really wish I had got to spin these songs sooner as I would of really dug that show. Familiarity and repetition are important for getting to know music but the reality is I was already singing along by the third listen. The four songs that make up this record are fantastic.

Hailing from Michigan USA, Greta have fallen under the spotlight for their enigmatic revival of 60s Rock, frequently being compared to the likes of Led Zeppelin. It is singer Josh Kiszka, one of the three brothers, who's electric singing makes them stand out. His howling voice hails back to that era vividly and compared to anything popular, or within my scope that's happening right now, he stands alone. It is a little unfair to focus on him alone though, the rest of the group embodies this era too.

Across these four songs you may be thinking this is a nostalgia trip but whats really making this music tick is the songwriting. The hooks are driving and powerful, the keys and organs gleam with that spark Lynyrd Skynyrd had. The music develops its themes and channels them into fantastic eruptions of energy when Josh kicks his voice into fifth gear and the guitars rise up with the hard grooving licks. Between its brilliant choruses the verses set the tone for whats to come, keeping you anticipating the shifts and waves of mood and charged emotion that come with it.

Another thought crosses my mind. This is not a style and era of music I'm that well versed in and so they could be plugging a void. The production is modern, bright and crisp, so much so to make the music far more inviting compared to the soft and muted recordings of times gone by. As I said up above, music is what you can get out of it. If you've exhausted everything from a style you like then its hard to get excited about new music in the same vein. I can see why fans of Classic Rock are skeptical but there is a huge opertunity here for a new generation to discover some truly fantastic music.

Favorite Tracks: Safari Song, Flower Power, Black Smoke Rising

Rating: 7/10

Parliament "Medicaid Fraud Dogg" (2018)

My interest in Parliament and Funk music is superseded by its influence on the Hip Hop music of the 90s. In this case of George Clinton and his P-Funk musician collective, its the re-imagining of his songs from the likes of Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube that are among some of my all time favorite Rap tunes. Their last record was thirty eight years ago, so it was quite a surprise to hear of a new album in the works, I thought they were done and dusted, the last Parliament tour was in the 80s bar occasional one offs as the Parliment-Funkadelic collective. So after a long hiatus Clinton returns with his son Tracey Lewis to go another lengthy round.

Medicaid Fraud Dogg plays very much like an open, grooving jam, a free for all. It explores avenues with varying degrees of styles, aesthetics and instruments that mostly stick to a Funk template but often slip into rather mellow and jazzy lulls of relaxed expectations. Clocking in over a sizeable one hundred minutes it clearly sets no bars for curation and may test some listeners patience. It drifts from track to track with no obvious theme or direction bar the references to medication culture. Many of the songs have a leisurely temperament about them and a few tracks take a drastic shift as one young rapper gets the limelight to showcase their modern rap style with a tightly produced modern, Trap influenced Hip Hop beat. The track Mama Told Me aims to meld the two sounds together in a rather tragic mess.

It doesn't suit how I enjoy records, yet there is some good music is to be found. Its glossy sound revises lots of classic Funk sounds and ideas. With an arsenal of trumpets, the bass guitar, saxophone, piano and other instruments, Clinton's musicians meld the punchy synthetic sounds with little in the way of new tricks or surprises but certainly with a big dose of style and fun. The production however is insufferable in its inconsistency. The difference in volume between tracks and instruments can be misleading. The loud voice over the quiet music of Kool Aid sounds like an interlude compared to the loud and prominent Dada that follows.

The album hits a few good notes with its "social media ain't shit" hook on the Antisocial Media track. Its a reminder of how little this record lands its hooks. Not even its jiving I'm Gonna Make You Sick Of Me song with its big raunchy baselines and funky synths, fit for a west-coast remaster, can deliver something memorable on the lyrical front. The album rolls out on a lull and given my lack of affinity with Funk music the length may just wear me down. There wasn't a lot to take away on this one.

Favorite Tracks: Backwoods, I'm Gonna Make You Sick Of Me, Antisocial Media

Rating: 5/10