2019 Quarter 1 Music Recap
This is part one, from January to March. Here we go...
Best of the Year (So Far...)
"Remind Me Tomorrow"
Sharon Van Etten
18/01/2019
A phenomenal album has grown on me more and more with every listen over the six months since its release. The synthesizers and drum machines are beautifully worked into her typical folk-rock style and her voice sounds gorgeous, guiding almost every song into oblivion in the best possible way. Whilst some tracks are tranquil, others opt for a more bombastic feel that is accentuated by distorted guitars, fuzzy synths and tremendous drums and always carried by Sharon's magnificent vocals. Really an excellent piece of art, and one of my favourite albums of 2019 for sure.
Rating: 9/10
Best Tracks: I Told You Everything, No One's Easy To Love, Comeback Kid, Seventeen, Hands, Stay
Worst Tracks: Malibu
https://withmusicinmindellipsis.blogspot.com/2019/01/sharon-van-etten-remind-me-tomorrow.html
"Almost Free"
FIDLAR
25/01/2019
An expression of lead singer Zac Carper's mental state, delivered through some modern pop-punk and solid rock tunes that, whilst also presenting the band's best foot forward with their most ambitious record to date. Highlights are plentiful and the more punk-leaning tracks are definitely some of Fidlar's best work. Even the interludes feel perfectly placed and accomplished ideas. Really, this is an album I come back to more than most on this best list, which should say a lot about the quality this band is (finally) bringing on "Almost Free".
Rating: 8/10
Best Songs: Can't You See, Flake, Scam Likely, Kick, Get Off My Rock
Worst Songs: Called You Twice
https://withmusicinmindellipsis.blogspot.com/2019/01/fidlar-almost-free-album-review.html
"Severance"
Mikron
01/02/2019
Techno bliss demonstrated by light melodies and dark, dark rhythms build to give this album some incredible structure. Whilst the genre is definitely not for everyone, and there's no denying you have to be in the right mood to listen, but it is a very technically exciting experience that is at times hauntingly theatrical and also deeply rich.
Rating: 8/10
Best Songs: Oceania, Ghost Node, Imora
Worst Songs: Locus Reave
"Anima Mysterium"
Yugen Blakrok
01/02/2019
The production quality of this album is immense and thoroughly underrated, an unappreciated masterpiece. Aside from the thrusting, forceful beats and guitar lines, Yugen's rapping is always en pointe. Her bars drive each and every song showcasing her amazing performance capabilities, her potent sci-fi and social references and all the amazing guest verses and samples that fill out the sound even more. I recommend reading my full review on this, because it takes time to explain my love for this album. It is complete and essential perfection.
Rating: 10/10
Best Songs: Picture Box, Monatomic Mushroom, Mars Attacks, Carbon Form, Hydra
Worst Songs: N/A
https://withmusicinmindellipsis.blogspot.com/2019/02/yugen-blakrok-anima-mysterium-album.html
"thank u, next"
Ariana Grande
08/02/2019
Arguably the biggest name in pop music right now, Ariana sees herself in the most conflicted time in her life and proves that trend-conforming pop can still excel in 2019 from an act that was previously one of the most hit-or-miss acts of the decade. Trap beats characterise this album alongside surprisingly flavoursome, textured synths and complex rhythms that shine through with the purposefully dark production. Not every song is a smash, but every song has something to offer, even if it is dragged down by self-condemning cultural appropriation (cough 7 Rings), and overall this is a thoroughly engaging listen that has defined Ariana for me.
Rating: 8/10
Best Songs: Bad Idea, Bloodline, Make Up, Fake Smile, NASA, thank u next
Worst Songs: 7 rings, break up with your girlfriend i'm bored
https://withmusicinmindellipsis.blogspot.com/2019/02/ariana-grande-thank-u-next-album-review.html
"Driftglass"
SEED Ensemble
08/02/2019
This is quite an interesting jazz outing that sees a handful of songs stretched across a boundless sky of opportunity and genre-bending fusions of mind-melting instrumentation. That was a lot of praise, let's continue... the songs on here may drag on in self-indulgent, fulfilling instrumentals that don't always go anywhere but lure you in by sounding divine and trapping you in spirals of colourful bliss that makes this album what it is. If you are impatient, you may under-appreciate this album for what it accomplishes but I can assure you that this album is worth your time, and the more time you put in the more rewarding it becomes. That said, it can get slightly frustrating as there are moments that don't work nearly as well as others, but all in all this is a fantastic listening experience.
Rating: 8/10
Best Songs: The Darkies, Afronaut, The Dream Keeper, Mirrors
Worst Songs: Stargaze #1
"Fantasy & Facts"
Roses Gabor
22/02/2019
The mantle may have been passed on from Jessie Ware. On "Fantasy & Facts", Roses Gabor demonstrates the fluidity and experimental potential to R&B music. Sure, there are more pop/trap leaning tracks here and there but she brings her emotive and sensual personality to them too. Roses effortlessly blends realism and surrealism on tracks like "Illusions" and showcases some of the wildest drum rhythms on "Perfect Magnitude", an epic standout on an album full of creative high points.
Rating: 8/10
Best Songs: Illusions, Stuff, Perfect Magnitude
Worst Songs: F*ck Up The Bass
"GREY Area"
Little Simz
01/03/2019
This is an important, nay, essential rap album; Little Simz truly explodes over these simple, well-crafted beats and tight production. This album comes together through some great guest verses, excellently selected and placed samples and some phenomenal flows and bars from this young rapper. It is great to see her gain some traction, although I do wish that this was picked up and celebrated as it should be as it seemingly remains that Little Simz is one of those critics favourites and just manages to scrape a fraction of the airplay and exposure she deserves. Incredible experience listening to this thing, some of the most accomplished UK grime I've ever heard.
Rating: 9/10
Best Songs: Offence, Selfish, Wounds, Venom, Sherbet Sunset, Flowers
Worst Songs: N/A
"Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 1"
Foals
08/03/2019
An epic return for the band that sees Foals reach new heights and return to their former glory, whilst successfully incorporating their more recent heavier work effectively into songs. They provide a tasteful journey that experiments to certain degrees of success but retains enough entertaining factors and moments of sheer brilliance that I have to commend the band on the delivery here, from the vocals to the instrumentation and even the production reflecting the clear improvement all round that is so brilliantly showcased. I truly feel like Foals are coming back into their own, and I am incredibly pleased and excited to see where they go next.
Rating: 8/10
Best Songs: Syrups, White Onions, Cafe D'Athens, Exits, In Degrees
Worst Songs: Sunday
https://withmusicinmindellipsis.blogspot.com/2019/03/foals-everything-not-saved-will-be-lost.html
"WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?"
Billie Eilish
29/03/2019
This album is potentially the biggest of the year in terms of commercial, critical and public success; Billie Eilish is making waves in the music industry and beyond with her "bold" statements and super edgy lyrics that, more often than not, mean absolutely nothing at all. Despite framing this album as something antipop and dark, all it really succeeds in doing is branding itself as emo, a new wave of emo if you will. I will be the first to admit that the production is generally fantastic and it is awesome to see such an independent artist creating this much buzz but if you look at the facts Billie is just as much an industry plant as Katy Perry or, a much more approximate example, Avril Lavigne. The music may be a light year away sonically, but in terms of the themes and vibes she is going for a very similar aesthetic and audience. Also, I will continuously state my distaste for bad guy, regardless of how everyone else thinks. Now, for the embarrassing part. Just as I warned in my review, some of my opinions on songs have shifted drastically and yet my score has remained the same.
Rating: 8/10
Best Songs: ilomilo, i love you, goodbye, my strange addiction, you should see me in a crown
Worst Songs: wish you were gay, 8, bad guy
https://withmusicinmindellipsis.blogspot.com/2019/04/billie-eilish-when-we-all-fall-asleep.html
Notable Releases
These are albums that may not be great but, regardless of their overall quality, still house some essential tracks that I have enjoyed or at least appreciated. EPs also end up in this section...
"Micro"
Jinjer
11/01/2019
This EP was, for me, the start of 2019 in music, a metalcore rager worthy of rocking out to with the anger and frustration of a dreary winter. The problem is that, now it's the summer, despite the huge riffs and pounding drums and bass, something about it doesn't quite hold up in the heat. Nevertheless, it is still an incredibly interesting EP and very conscious for a metal act with a couple of the best songs of the year on here.
Rating: 8/10
Best Songs: Ape, Perennial
Worst Songs: Dreadful Moments
https://withmusicinmindellipsis.blogspot.com/2019/01/jinjer-micro-ep-review.html
"Tallies"
Tallies
11/01/2019
A sort of gem in the current shoegaze scene, this Canadian band demonstrating a youthful proficiency in handling this organic, lush dream pop feel to reasonable success. Whilst not every song is a smash, there are some wonderfully delicate and textured instrumentals here that leave me satisfied with this capable but limited band.
Rating: 7/10
Best Songs: Not So Proud, Trains and Snow, Eden, Easy Enough
Worst Songs: Trouble, Beat the Heart
https://withmusicinmindellipsis.blogspot.com/2019/01/tallies-self-titled-album-review.html
"Midnight Parade"
The Day
18/01/2019
Another shoegaze outfit, this one a lot more accessible in terms of its simplistic instrumentation and much poppier vibes, but definitely not as captivating or emotive as Tallies, despite capturing some of the same naive and youthful charms that the other band accomplished. I think the reason I find this album more tiresome is it's length and lack of any creative or massively emotive standouts, despite the pretty epic Berlin which has got to be the best that The Day are currently capable of.
Rating: 5/10
Best Songs: Berlin. Where the Wild Things Are
Worst Songs: Yet To Come, Island
"Assume Form"
James Blake
18/01/2019
An admirable return for alternative R&B's most potent sadboy, James Blake bringing some of his most hip-hop and psychedelic leaning tendencies to the forefront of his instrumentation with some varying degrees of success. He brings together a coherent, heartfelt and enthusiastic(!) album that is packed with emotion and unprecedented levels of joy from such a typically dismal artist. It is a wonderful change-up, but definitely suffers from a few misfires that are either too dull or too stretched to hit like the best tracks do, preventing this from being an utterly great record.
Rating: 7/10
Best Songs: Mile High, Barefoot In The Park, Can't Believe The Way We Flow, Where's The Catch?
Worst Songs: Assume Form, Power On, Don't Miss It
https://withmusicinmindellipsis.blogspot.com/2019/01/james-blake-assume-form-album-review.html
"Human"
Dodie
18/01/2019
Yawn.
Rating: 4/10
Best Songs: Human
Worst Songs: Monster, Not What I Meant
"Outer Peace"
Toro Y Moi
19/01/2019
As I stated in my quick review of this, the production is crisp, flavoursome and tasteful but the songwriting and structure are often quite simple and not particularly distinguished or individual. This is by no means a favourite, but it is pretty good nonetheless, especially when experimenting into slightly different genres and tones.
Rating: 7/10
Best Songs: Ordinary Pleasure, Laws of the Universe, Miss Me, Monte Carlo
Worst Songs: 50-50
"STRENGTH IN NUMB333RS"
FEVER 333
18/01/2019
This has definitely lost some of its initial appeal, and is probably the album that has shrunk on me most this year so far. The rapcore supergroup come together in a grandiose but oddly tethered way, their music teetering on the edge of greatness but never quite exploding past that point as they did with my first few listens. Lyrics meant to sound bold and edgy come across as cringey and poorly written, and instrumentally the hard and abrasive noise of guitars and hip hop beats just doesn't quite hit me as it should. I would call myself a fan, but a very expectant one that demands a higher quality from such an established creative force such as this.
Rating: 6/10
Best Songs: Burn It, Inglewood, The Innocent, Out Of Control
Worst Songs: Animal, Prey For Me
"7 Directions"
NKISI
18/01/2019
This is an album I continuously forget, probably a result of its repetitive instrumental nature, but as far as an electronic dance album goes in this lane it is pretty enjoyable in the moment and captures my attention with most of the songs. The drum rhythms and atmospheric tones are definitely the highlight, whilst the melodies can become grading with their repetitiveness at times.
Rating: 7/10
Best Songs: III, IV, VI
Worst Songs: V
"amo"
Bring Me The Horizon
25/01/2019
Certainly an interesting album from Bring Me, the rock titans that seem to rule modern teenaged fandoms and dominate with their singles in streaming and airplay. This is their first album that truly experiments in terms of diving headfirst into pop and electronic music but also growing their artistic integrity. Strange as it is to be praising this band so much, this is probably their best album or at least on par with their last few.
Rating: 7/10
Best Songs: MANTRA, wonderful life, why you gotta kick me when i'm down, heavy metal, i don't know what to say
Worst Songs: sugar honey ice & tea, mother tongue
https://withmusicinmindellipsis.blogspot.com/2019/01/bring-me-horizon-amo-album-review.html
"The Goat"
Puppy
25/01/2019
It doesn't compare to the best artists in this same branch of very melodic metal music, but there's no denying the power behind the instruments in some of the songs, particularly in the middle of the album. The start, for as strong as it aims to be, somehow doesn't capture the essence of haunting and plosive instrumentals as it does later on and the riffs here, whilst massive and dynamic, fail to withstand the magnitude of volume and end up weightless and without substance, a fault I credit to the often disappointing production and mixing that fails to emphasise the right aspects of the music.
Rating: 6/10
Best Songs: World Stands Still, Nightwalker, Handlebars
Worst Songs: Black Hole
"INTERNATIONALLY UNKNOWN"
Rat Boy
25/01/2019
I enjoy Rat Boy less and less the older I get and the whole rebellious shtick is done to death at this point, and though the production is tighter and altogether more American feeling in comparison to his first, there is just enough britpop influence to be infuriating when I listen to these songs. Undeniably, a couple of tracks here stand out as some of his best material, but they are swamped by so many poorly written, poorly played and poorly executed tracks that fill up the tracklist and altogether worsen my listening experience.
Rating: 4/10
Best Songs: Chip On My Shoulder, Internationally Unknown
Worst Songs: I Wanna Skate, Follow Your Heart, So What
"Bare"
Rosie Carney
25/01/2019
She can definitely lack distinction and personality at times, but her wispy, emotive delivery is pleasant enough and able to convey the purpose and pain she feels consistently through this album but not enough to elevate the songs to the status of the artists she is emulating, like Julia Stone for example. Yeah, there's barely enough to hook me but I do find myself moved by certain tracks in ways I didn't expect.
Rating: 6/10
Best Songs: Orchid, Winter, Humans
Worst Songs: Your Love Is Holy
"New Breed"
Dawn Richard
25/01/2019
This is still some interesting R&B, although I would say some of the enjoyment I got out of this retro-synth-laden album has waned with time and I've really not had many listens since February to this fun, cultured and dynamic album. Dawn juggles referencing her own town with sex and glory in the most entertaining ways, and retains my focus with such a snappy, to-the-point length.
Rating: 7/10
Best Songs: spaces, new breed, we diamonds
Worst Songs: sauce
"Eclipse"
The Sonic Dawn
01/02/2019
As far as psychedelic outfits go, this is no MGMT. The Sonic Dawn are the dad-rock of psyche music, and don't often deliver anything particularly special. However, when they do succeed, their brand of half-finished sounding short psychedelia is as entertaining as some of the contemporaries of the genre, albeit much less consistent in certain areas. This is a decent album, but I have no intention of placing any of the songs on my Top 50 of the year list, and that should say it all.
Rating: 5/10
Best Songs: On the Edge of Our Time, Psychedelic Ranger, Islands In Time
Worst Songs: Love Bird, Christiana
"Love Is Here"
Crocodiles
08/02/2019
Such a dull pop-rock album with absolutely nothing to say and no way of saying anything interesting, both musically and lyrically. There is basically no saving grace, and despite some promise in a couple of songs, I feel that there is nothing unique or worthwhile about an album as clichéd and unengaged as this.
Rating: 4/10
Best Songs: I Was a Fly
Worst Songs: Heart Like a Gun, Love Is Here (The End Is Near)
"Girl with Basket of Fruit"
Xiu Xiu
This is a particularly abrasive album, one that could easily have been one of the best of the year if not for its overtly, ridiculously nihilistic framing and aggressive approach to problems that, within the context of the record, may suit the production style perfectly but is overall lacking in execution in a rather unfortunate way that fails to come to a proper conclusion or resolution that would have given purpose to the somewhat inexcusable, excessive and explicit nihilism, delivered through mostly incoherent lyrics and tropes that are at times so incomprehensible and meandering it is childish, which only sometimes pans out to be truly spectacular or ingenious. A shame too, because aside from that this is a really accomplished album.
Rating: 7/10
Best Songs: Girl with Basket of Fruit, The Wrong Thing, Normal Love, It Comes Out as a Joke
Worst Songs: Amargi ve Moo
"Triage"
Methyl Ethel
15/02/2019
Wasn't this disappointing? Methyl Ethel were supposed to be the next Tame Impala, a creative genius of modern psychedelic pop music but instead Jake Webb fails to coordinate any kind of mastery in an album of very flat and uninteresting, basic and risk-less tunes that can't seem to hold together and develop a thought such as they seem to think they can. Really, this is an album only for those who weren't ready for Tame Impala to take such a long break from music, desperate for anything with a similar sound regardless of the quality. The vocals simmer into forgettable nothingness and the instrumentals do much the same. For me, this is tedious and unfulfilling in almost every conceivable way, a flop that requires a tonne of work especially in terms of the mixing and production to raise elements above this flat and boring norm of entry level psychedelic pop. Moving on, fast...
Rating: 4/10
Best Songs: Trip the Mains, Scream Whole, No Fighting
Worst Songs: Hip Horror, What About the 37 Degrees, Real Tight
https://withmusicinmindellipsis.blogspot.com/2019/03/methyl-ethel-triage-album-review.html
"Berkeley's On Fire"
Swmrs
15/02/2019
This is, for all intensive purposes, a very good indie rock album. The issue here is not in the writing, nor in the production or the guitar-work or even the melodies and rhythms. The issue, is that for an album such as this to stand out in such a well-trodden landscape of overloaded indie landfill, Swmrs has to stand out by being catchier and more memorable than their peers, and that can be tough to do. I may find myself coming back regularly to these songs, but do I enjoy these enough to confidently say this indie band,above others, is worth listening to? Well, with "Berkeley's On Fire", I think the answer to that question is yes, albeit a cautious yes as by no means is this band doing anything particularly new or revolutionary, but they are solid nonetheless and worth at least a listen, in my eyes.
Rating: 7/10
Best Songs: Trashbag Baby, Lose Lose Lose, lonely Ghosts, Hellboy
Worst Songs: Steve Got Robbed
"Strange Creatures"
Drenge
22/02/2019
This is a difficult album to pinpoint, that's for sure. In some ways, it is conceptually sound and remarkably interesting in its futuristic themes and accents, but in other ways it contains some pretty mediocre and underwhelming instrumental choices that are far from forward thinking and overtly simplistic. Some songs stick, others don't, there's honestly not much to say either way but I suppose if you're a fan of Drenge or a fan of rougher synthetic rock then I suppose you'll get more out of this than I have.
Rating: 6/10
Best Songs: Autonomy, Strange Creatures, Avalanches
Worst Songs: Prom Night, When I Look Into Your Eyes
"a modern tragedy"
Grandson
22/02/2019
Looking at both volumes of this EP, I suppose you could say Grandson gets more rock-inclined and authentic as he goes on, choosing to separate the hip-hop and pop-punk influences in most cases as apposed to fusing genres together in eccentric and exciting ways as he does on earlier tracks. Yes, some of these still hold up, but there are moments here and there sounding outdated already, an atrocious sign for something so recent. Regardless, these are overall pretty okay tunes, even if the latter few (from the newer EP) don't do nearly as well at entertaining.
Rating: 5/10
Best Songs: Blood // Water, Despicable, Apologize
Worst Songs: Fallin (Temptation), Darkside
"Tasmania"
Pond
01/03/2019
Pond capture a nice amount of realism in their newest release, but sometimes fail to make the emotional connections that would set them well above their much more developed and intricate peers. I think that, in terms of the writing, this is an easy extension of their last album and it hasn't developed much in that regard, although the tonality is greatly more accessible and easygoing, whilst simultaneously catching hold of the pop flare the band previously lacked. This helps to make this their most digestible album in my opinion, but there are still very noticeable low points that take the album down a peg or two in terms of consistency and the general enjoyment I receive from a project such as this, never breaking any new ground but staying at a comfortable level of complexity balanced with the pop sensibilities that arguably make it worth your time, if you do choose to listen to this reasonably good and admirable yet often underachieving album.
Rating: 7/10
Best Songs: Sixteen Days, The Boys Are Killing Me, Hand Mouth Dancer, Doctor's In
Worst Songs: Burnt out Star, Selené
https://withmusicinmindellipsis.blogspot.com/2019/03/pond-tasmania-album-review.html
"Ulfilas' Alphabet"
Sundara Karma
01/03/2019
A colourful reinvention that saw the Reading band alter their sound from indie rock to smooth synthetic indie pop, dropping their typical catchy guitar and drum rhythms in favour of a twisted Bowie-esque soundscape that incorporates elements of dance and psychedelic to enhance their enthusiastic melodies. This band has advanced but unfortunately lost some of the quality displayed on their first album that made it so enjoyable. it just barely scraped a 6 in my review and I am questioning that in retrospect.
Rating: 6/10
Best Songs: One Last Night On This Earth, Symbols Of Joy & Eternity, Higher States, The Changeover
Worst Songs: Duller Days, Sweet Intentions, Home
https://withmusicinmindellipsis.blogspot.com/2019/03/sundara-karma-ulfilas-alphabet-album.html
"SNAFU"
Potty Mouth
01/03/2019
A raging mess. This is quite enjoyable actually, music doesn't necessarily have to offer something brand new to be amazing and this is unashamedly unabashed, influences-on-sleeve pop-punk at it's most... something. Honestly this band is hard to pinpoint, given how loud, how accessible, how witty and how typical they are, simultaneously.
Rating: 7/10
Best Songs: 22, Starry Eyes, Lies, Plastic Paradise, Dog Song
Worst Songs: Fencewalker
"Beware of the Dogs"
Stella Donnelly
08/03/2019
Isn't this interesting? Stella Donnelly's career has thus far been an interesting one, and that definitely continues with "Beware of the Dogs", a very socially conscientious release that points the finger and holds those who deserve it accountable, whatever the cost. This attitude fits perfectly with her stripped back, indie rock sound and makes it all the more personal and profound, particularly when she gets the balance right between impassioned ramblings and hard hitting points. Overall, this album is probably more lyrically relevant than instrumentally necessary, but that's not to say the instrumentals are redundant as that is by no means the case.
Rating: 7/10
Best Songs: Mosquito, Tricks, Boys Will Be Boys, Beware of the Dogs, Face It
Worst Songs: Bistro
"I Can Fool Anybody In This Town"
Liily
08/03/2019
A promising debut (EP) from this LA rock band, showcasing some high-quality playing and early finesse that is rare in modern bands in this lane, particularly when so many follow the same formulas and old patterns that make them almost indistinguishable from one another in such an oversaturated climate since the 90s boom of alt rock. Liily breathe some new life into the world of rock dominated by those with no ambition, bands like Royal Blood and Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, by demonstrating how potent the rock of then was by writing music more in response and less just copying what came before them. This early accomplishment in musical proficiency and gripping instrumentals makes Liily a somewhat rare case, and leaves me excited for a debut album.
Rating: 7/10
Best Songs: Toro, The Weather, Sold
Worst Songs: I Can Fool Anybody In This Town
"Hyperion"
Gesaffelstein
08/03/2019
So, before this album, Gesaffelstein was this cool producer I wanted to hear more from and knew nothing about. After this album, Gesaffelstein is this disappointment I couldn't care less about. "Hyperion" is a name that signifies greatness and grandeur, but this album is full of purposeless, generic, early synth-inflected dance music that neither captures my attention nor demands I turn it off for being so abhorrently awful, a frustrating middle ground I won't remember disliking so strongly by the end of the year, something I'll forget entirely by the end of next year.
Rating: 4/10
Best Songs: Blast Off, Forever
Worst Songs: Reset, So Bad, Lost in the Fire
"To Believe"
The Cinematic Orchestra
15/03/2019
This really didn't sit well with me, partly due to the awkward arrangements and poor production that gives the album an incredible lack of coordination, even if it seems focused and direct at times. All in all, and yes this is an extremely brief overview, this is a complete waste of time and I do not recommend.
Rating: 4/10
Best Songs: A Caged Bird/Imitations of Life, A Promise
Worst Songs: The Workers of Art, Zero One/This Fantasy
"Chekhov's Gun"
Last Sons
15/03/2019
Definitively, there are some really accomplished songs here, tracks that excel and burst with vibrancy and metallic excellence, as it strives to do in the beats. The rapping itself, the flows and bars and lyrics, is all pretty interesting, a sort of modern Deltron 3030 set instead in the 21st Century and it is all pretty good but there just isn't quite enough substance here to make it one of the best rap albums of the year, let alone a great album at all. It is, however, still very very good and some of the tracks will be in with a shot at making year-end provided they don't fade like so much of the album does in its unfortunate forgettable moments.
Rating: 6/10
Best Songs: Megaton Test, Welcome To Corporatonia, Chekhov's Gun
Worst Songs: Phoney Plaguestation
"PUNK"
Chai
15/03/2019
This isn't the best Japanese rock act out there, and their brand of explosive indie fun gets a little tiresome outside of the odd track, amounting to a decent but undeniably mediocre album that pales in comparison to some of their more wild, exploratory peers. I suppose it's worth a listen, but this isn't the best that J-pop can offer.
Rating: 6/10
Best Songs: Fashionista, Choose Go!
Worst Songs: Wintime
"It's Real"
Ex Hex
22/03/2019
I didn't see myself enjoying this as much as I do, but I can safely say that Ex Hex has delivered a quite respectable, strong album that I would recommend to anyone that is curious. The songs are good, it's very consistent and despite a few nitpicks not much gets in the way of enjoying this release. Admittedly, there's also not much that especially grabs me for multiple listens but I stand by this being a solid enough listen.
Rating: 6/10
Best Songs: Good Times, Rainbow Shiner, Radiate, Want It To Be True
Worst Songs: Diamond Drive
"English Rose"
Connie Constance
22/03/2019
Connie Constance is easily one of the most flexible performers to come out of Britain in the last few years, able to dive between R&B, indie pop and hip-hop at a moments notice all to great effect and without sacrificing the talents that make her unique and special in the first place. Throughout most of these songs she demonstrates versatility in her writing and performing, living up to the hype built up by some excellent singles and often exceeding what expectations I had of an up and coming, out of the blue act. I am very pleased with this album, although it isn't without its faults. One pro might be the consistency of the project, although it could definitely be argued that on some of the songs there isn't enough differentiation for there to be a point to you listening to the whole album, although I'd argue the deep cuts hold up for the most part.
Rating: 7/10
Best Songs: Fast Cars, I Want Out, Yesterday, Give & Take, Blooming In Solitude
Worst Songs: End Credits (Sober), Bad Vibes
"When We Land"
Anteros
22/03/2019
This is lighthearted, fun, indie pop that doesn't add or detract anything from what you'd expect. It reminds me of Two Door Cinema Club's "Beacon", only with a slightly more summery feel and a warmth that shines through on certain tracks more than others. I don't have a lot to say here, because I'm not particularly under or overwhelmed at this very static album. When we land... It seems Anteros never left the ground.
Rating: 5/10
Best Songs: Honey, Fool Moon, Ordinary Girl
Worst Songs: Ring Ring, Afterglow
"Everyone's Commute"
APRE
29/03/2019
I cannot wait for this band to release a full length album, honestly I am so stoked especially after hearing this, their third EP. Almost every song by these guys has just grabbed me by the throat and demanded I pay attention to the music that they're making, a sort of blend between the synthetic side of MGMT and the trip-hop inflected beats of a band like Easy Life. They are wonderful, and perhaps my favourite new act of 2019 as they know exactly what tricks to pull musically to really draw me in and keep me entertained with nonstop excellence. Check out this band, you won't regret it!
Rating: 8/10
Best Songs: Backstreet, Gap Year 2008
Worst Songs: N/A
That was part one, covering all the relevant new albums I've listened to from January-March in 2019. A collection of my favourite songs of 2019, assorted from these albums, will be added to m Deezer playlists shortly. Part two will come out at some point in July, so that I can give the June albums some time to settle, and will further highlight my favourites of 2019. It may interest you to know that I am working on a couple of list-style posts at the moment, so I hope you get to see them very soon. I hope you enjoyed, let me know in the comments what else you'd like to see me review/write about and have a good day.
Rating: 8/10
Best Songs: Oceania, Ghost Node, Imora
Worst Songs: Locus Reave
"Anima Mysterium"
Yugen Blakrok
01/02/2019
The production quality of this album is immense and thoroughly underrated, an unappreciated masterpiece. Aside from the thrusting, forceful beats and guitar lines, Yugen's rapping is always en pointe. Her bars drive each and every song showcasing her amazing performance capabilities, her potent sci-fi and social references and all the amazing guest verses and samples that fill out the sound even more. I recommend reading my full review on this, because it takes time to explain my love for this album. It is complete and essential perfection.
Rating: 10/10
Best Songs: Picture Box, Monatomic Mushroom, Mars Attacks, Carbon Form, Hydra
Worst Songs: N/A
https://withmusicinmindellipsis.blogspot.com/2019/02/yugen-blakrok-anima-mysterium-album.html
"thank u, next"
Ariana Grande
08/02/2019
Arguably the biggest name in pop music right now, Ariana sees herself in the most conflicted time in her life and proves that trend-conforming pop can still excel in 2019 from an act that was previously one of the most hit-or-miss acts of the decade. Trap beats characterise this album alongside surprisingly flavoursome, textured synths and complex rhythms that shine through with the purposefully dark production. Not every song is a smash, but every song has something to offer, even if it is dragged down by self-condemning cultural appropriation (cough 7 Rings), and overall this is a thoroughly engaging listen that has defined Ariana for me.
Rating: 8/10
Best Songs: Bad Idea, Bloodline, Make Up, Fake Smile, NASA, thank u next
Worst Songs: 7 rings, break up with your girlfriend i'm bored
https://withmusicinmindellipsis.blogspot.com/2019/02/ariana-grande-thank-u-next-album-review.html
"Driftglass"
SEED Ensemble
08/02/2019
This is quite an interesting jazz outing that sees a handful of songs stretched across a boundless sky of opportunity and genre-bending fusions of mind-melting instrumentation. That was a lot of praise, let's continue... the songs on here may drag on in self-indulgent, fulfilling instrumentals that don't always go anywhere but lure you in by sounding divine and trapping you in spirals of colourful bliss that makes this album what it is. If you are impatient, you may under-appreciate this album for what it accomplishes but I can assure you that this album is worth your time, and the more time you put in the more rewarding it becomes. That said, it can get slightly frustrating as there are moments that don't work nearly as well as others, but all in all this is a fantastic listening experience.
Rating: 8/10
Best Songs: The Darkies, Afronaut, The Dream Keeper, Mirrors
Worst Songs: Stargaze #1
"Fantasy & Facts"
Roses Gabor
22/02/2019
The mantle may have been passed on from Jessie Ware. On "Fantasy & Facts", Roses Gabor demonstrates the fluidity and experimental potential to R&B music. Sure, there are more pop/trap leaning tracks here and there but she brings her emotive and sensual personality to them too. Roses effortlessly blends realism and surrealism on tracks like "Illusions" and showcases some of the wildest drum rhythms on "Perfect Magnitude", an epic standout on an album full of creative high points.
Rating: 8/10
Best Songs: Illusions, Stuff, Perfect Magnitude
Worst Songs: F*ck Up The Bass
"GREY Area"
Little Simz
01/03/2019
This is an important, nay, essential rap album; Little Simz truly explodes over these simple, well-crafted beats and tight production. This album comes together through some great guest verses, excellently selected and placed samples and some phenomenal flows and bars from this young rapper. It is great to see her gain some traction, although I do wish that this was picked up and celebrated as it should be as it seemingly remains that Little Simz is one of those critics favourites and just manages to scrape a fraction of the airplay and exposure she deserves. Incredible experience listening to this thing, some of the most accomplished UK grime I've ever heard.
Rating: 9/10
Best Songs: Offence, Selfish, Wounds, Venom, Sherbet Sunset, Flowers
Worst Songs: N/A
"Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 1"
Foals
08/03/2019
An epic return for the band that sees Foals reach new heights and return to their former glory, whilst successfully incorporating their more recent heavier work effectively into songs. They provide a tasteful journey that experiments to certain degrees of success but retains enough entertaining factors and moments of sheer brilliance that I have to commend the band on the delivery here, from the vocals to the instrumentation and even the production reflecting the clear improvement all round that is so brilliantly showcased. I truly feel like Foals are coming back into their own, and I am incredibly pleased and excited to see where they go next.
Rating: 8/10
Best Songs: Syrups, White Onions, Cafe D'Athens, Exits, In Degrees
Worst Songs: Sunday
https://withmusicinmindellipsis.blogspot.com/2019/03/foals-everything-not-saved-will-be-lost.html
"WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?"
Billie Eilish
29/03/2019
This album is potentially the biggest of the year in terms of commercial, critical and public success; Billie Eilish is making waves in the music industry and beyond with her "bold" statements and super edgy lyrics that, more often than not, mean absolutely nothing at all. Despite framing this album as something antipop and dark, all it really succeeds in doing is branding itself as emo, a new wave of emo if you will. I will be the first to admit that the production is generally fantastic and it is awesome to see such an independent artist creating this much buzz but if you look at the facts Billie is just as much an industry plant as Katy Perry or, a much more approximate example, Avril Lavigne. The music may be a light year away sonically, but in terms of the themes and vibes she is going for a very similar aesthetic and audience. Also, I will continuously state my distaste for bad guy, regardless of how everyone else thinks. Now, for the embarrassing part. Just as I warned in my review, some of my opinions on songs have shifted drastically and yet my score has remained the same.
Rating: 8/10
Best Songs: ilomilo, i love you, goodbye, my strange addiction, you should see me in a crown
Worst Songs: wish you were gay, 8, bad guy
https://withmusicinmindellipsis.blogspot.com/2019/04/billie-eilish-when-we-all-fall-asleep.html
Notable Releases
These are albums that may not be great but, regardless of their overall quality, still house some essential tracks that I have enjoyed or at least appreciated. EPs also end up in this section...
"Micro"
Jinjer
11/01/2019
This EP was, for me, the start of 2019 in music, a metalcore rager worthy of rocking out to with the anger and frustration of a dreary winter. The problem is that, now it's the summer, despite the huge riffs and pounding drums and bass, something about it doesn't quite hold up in the heat. Nevertheless, it is still an incredibly interesting EP and very conscious for a metal act with a couple of the best songs of the year on here.
Rating: 8/10
Best Songs: Ape, Perennial
Worst Songs: Dreadful Moments
https://withmusicinmindellipsis.blogspot.com/2019/01/jinjer-micro-ep-review.html
"Tallies"
Tallies
11/01/2019
A sort of gem in the current shoegaze scene, this Canadian band demonstrating a youthful proficiency in handling this organic, lush dream pop feel to reasonable success. Whilst not every song is a smash, there are some wonderfully delicate and textured instrumentals here that leave me satisfied with this capable but limited band.
Rating: 7/10
Best Songs: Not So Proud, Trains and Snow, Eden, Easy Enough
Worst Songs: Trouble, Beat the Heart
https://withmusicinmindellipsis.blogspot.com/2019/01/tallies-self-titled-album-review.html
"Midnight Parade"
The Day
18/01/2019
Another shoegaze outfit, this one a lot more accessible in terms of its simplistic instrumentation and much poppier vibes, but definitely not as captivating or emotive as Tallies, despite capturing some of the same naive and youthful charms that the other band accomplished. I think the reason I find this album more tiresome is it's length and lack of any creative or massively emotive standouts, despite the pretty epic Berlin which has got to be the best that The Day are currently capable of.
Rating: 5/10
Best Songs: Berlin. Where the Wild Things Are
Worst Songs: Yet To Come, Island
"Assume Form"
James Blake
18/01/2019
An admirable return for alternative R&B's most potent sadboy, James Blake bringing some of his most hip-hop and psychedelic leaning tendencies to the forefront of his instrumentation with some varying degrees of success. He brings together a coherent, heartfelt and enthusiastic(!) album that is packed with emotion and unprecedented levels of joy from such a typically dismal artist. It is a wonderful change-up, but definitely suffers from a few misfires that are either too dull or too stretched to hit like the best tracks do, preventing this from being an utterly great record.
Rating: 7/10
Best Songs: Mile High, Barefoot In The Park, Can't Believe The Way We Flow, Where's The Catch?
Worst Songs: Assume Form, Power On, Don't Miss It
https://withmusicinmindellipsis.blogspot.com/2019/01/james-blake-assume-form-album-review.html
"Human"
Dodie
18/01/2019
Yawn.
Rating: 4/10
Best Songs: Human
Worst Songs: Monster, Not What I Meant
"Outer Peace"
Toro Y Moi
19/01/2019
As I stated in my quick review of this, the production is crisp, flavoursome and tasteful but the songwriting and structure are often quite simple and not particularly distinguished or individual. This is by no means a favourite, but it is pretty good nonetheless, especially when experimenting into slightly different genres and tones.
Rating: 7/10
Best Songs: Ordinary Pleasure, Laws of the Universe, Miss Me, Monte Carlo
Worst Songs: 50-50
"STRENGTH IN NUMB333RS"
FEVER 333
18/01/2019
Rating: 6/10
Best Songs: Burn It, Inglewood, The Innocent, Out Of Control
Worst Songs: Animal, Prey For Me
"7 Directions"
NKISI
18/01/2019
This is an album I continuously forget, probably a result of its repetitive instrumental nature, but as far as an electronic dance album goes in this lane it is pretty enjoyable in the moment and captures my attention with most of the songs. The drum rhythms and atmospheric tones are definitely the highlight, whilst the melodies can become grading with their repetitiveness at times.
Rating: 7/10
Best Songs: III, IV, VI
Worst Songs: V
"amo"
Bring Me The Horizon
25/01/2019
Certainly an interesting album from Bring Me, the rock titans that seem to rule modern teenaged fandoms and dominate with their singles in streaming and airplay. This is their first album that truly experiments in terms of diving headfirst into pop and electronic music but also growing their artistic integrity. Strange as it is to be praising this band so much, this is probably their best album or at least on par with their last few.
Rating: 7/10
Best Songs: MANTRA, wonderful life, why you gotta kick me when i'm down, heavy metal, i don't know what to say
Worst Songs: sugar honey ice & tea, mother tongue
https://withmusicinmindellipsis.blogspot.com/2019/01/bring-me-horizon-amo-album-review.html
"The Goat"
Puppy
25/01/2019
It doesn't compare to the best artists in this same branch of very melodic metal music, but there's no denying the power behind the instruments in some of the songs, particularly in the middle of the album. The start, for as strong as it aims to be, somehow doesn't capture the essence of haunting and plosive instrumentals as it does later on and the riffs here, whilst massive and dynamic, fail to withstand the magnitude of volume and end up weightless and without substance, a fault I credit to the often disappointing production and mixing that fails to emphasise the right aspects of the music.
Rating: 6/10
Best Songs: World Stands Still, Nightwalker, Handlebars
Worst Songs: Black Hole
"INTERNATIONALLY UNKNOWN"
Rat Boy
25/01/2019
I enjoy Rat Boy less and less the older I get and the whole rebellious shtick is done to death at this point, and though the production is tighter and altogether more American feeling in comparison to his first, there is just enough britpop influence to be infuriating when I listen to these songs. Undeniably, a couple of tracks here stand out as some of his best material, but they are swamped by so many poorly written, poorly played and poorly executed tracks that fill up the tracklist and altogether worsen my listening experience.
Rating: 4/10
Best Songs: Chip On My Shoulder, Internationally Unknown
Worst Songs: I Wanna Skate, Follow Your Heart, So What
"Bare"
Rosie Carney
25/01/2019
She can definitely lack distinction and personality at times, but her wispy, emotive delivery is pleasant enough and able to convey the purpose and pain she feels consistently through this album but not enough to elevate the songs to the status of the artists she is emulating, like Julia Stone for example. Yeah, there's barely enough to hook me but I do find myself moved by certain tracks in ways I didn't expect.
Rating: 6/10
Best Songs: Orchid, Winter, Humans
Worst Songs: Your Love Is Holy
"New Breed"
Dawn Richard
25/01/2019
This is still some interesting R&B, although I would say some of the enjoyment I got out of this retro-synth-laden album has waned with time and I've really not had many listens since February to this fun, cultured and dynamic album. Dawn juggles referencing her own town with sex and glory in the most entertaining ways, and retains my focus with such a snappy, to-the-point length.
Rating: 7/10
Best Songs: spaces, new breed, we diamonds
Worst Songs: sauce
"Eclipse"
The Sonic Dawn
01/02/2019
As far as psychedelic outfits go, this is no MGMT. The Sonic Dawn are the dad-rock of psyche music, and don't often deliver anything particularly special. However, when they do succeed, their brand of half-finished sounding short psychedelia is as entertaining as some of the contemporaries of the genre, albeit much less consistent in certain areas. This is a decent album, but I have no intention of placing any of the songs on my Top 50 of the year list, and that should say it all.
Rating: 5/10
Best Songs: On the Edge of Our Time, Psychedelic Ranger, Islands In Time
Worst Songs: Love Bird, Christiana
Crocodiles
08/02/2019
Such a dull pop-rock album with absolutely nothing to say and no way of saying anything interesting, both musically and lyrically. There is basically no saving grace, and despite some promise in a couple of songs, I feel that there is nothing unique or worthwhile about an album as clichéd and unengaged as this.
Rating: 4/10
Best Songs: I Was a Fly
Worst Songs: Heart Like a Gun, Love Is Here (The End Is Near)
"Girl with Basket of Fruit"
Xiu Xiu
This is a particularly abrasive album, one that could easily have been one of the best of the year if not for its overtly, ridiculously nihilistic framing and aggressive approach to problems that, within the context of the record, may suit the production style perfectly but is overall lacking in execution in a rather unfortunate way that fails to come to a proper conclusion or resolution that would have given purpose to the somewhat inexcusable, excessive and explicit nihilism, delivered through mostly incoherent lyrics and tropes that are at times so incomprehensible and meandering it is childish, which only sometimes pans out to be truly spectacular or ingenious. A shame too, because aside from that this is a really accomplished album.
Rating: 7/10
Best Songs: Girl with Basket of Fruit, The Wrong Thing, Normal Love, It Comes Out as a Joke
Worst Songs: Amargi ve Moo
"Triage"
Methyl Ethel
15/02/2019
Wasn't this disappointing? Methyl Ethel were supposed to be the next Tame Impala, a creative genius of modern psychedelic pop music but instead Jake Webb fails to coordinate any kind of mastery in an album of very flat and uninteresting, basic and risk-less tunes that can't seem to hold together and develop a thought such as they seem to think they can. Really, this is an album only for those who weren't ready for Tame Impala to take such a long break from music, desperate for anything with a similar sound regardless of the quality. The vocals simmer into forgettable nothingness and the instrumentals do much the same. For me, this is tedious and unfulfilling in almost every conceivable way, a flop that requires a tonne of work especially in terms of the mixing and production to raise elements above this flat and boring norm of entry level psychedelic pop. Moving on, fast...
Rating: 4/10
Best Songs: Trip the Mains, Scream Whole, No Fighting
Worst Songs: Hip Horror, What About the 37 Degrees, Real Tight
https://withmusicinmindellipsis.blogspot.com/2019/03/methyl-ethel-triage-album-review.html
"Berkeley's On Fire"
Swmrs
15/02/2019
This is, for all intensive purposes, a very good indie rock album. The issue here is not in the writing, nor in the production or the guitar-work or even the melodies and rhythms. The issue, is that for an album such as this to stand out in such a well-trodden landscape of overloaded indie landfill, Swmrs has to stand out by being catchier and more memorable than their peers, and that can be tough to do. I may find myself coming back regularly to these songs, but do I enjoy these enough to confidently say this indie band,above others, is worth listening to? Well, with "Berkeley's On Fire", I think the answer to that question is yes, albeit a cautious yes as by no means is this band doing anything particularly new or revolutionary, but they are solid nonetheless and worth at least a listen, in my eyes.
Rating: 7/10
Best Songs: Trashbag Baby, Lose Lose Lose, lonely Ghosts, Hellboy
Worst Songs: Steve Got Robbed
"Strange Creatures"
Drenge
22/02/2019
This is a difficult album to pinpoint, that's for sure. In some ways, it is conceptually sound and remarkably interesting in its futuristic themes and accents, but in other ways it contains some pretty mediocre and underwhelming instrumental choices that are far from forward thinking and overtly simplistic. Some songs stick, others don't, there's honestly not much to say either way but I suppose if you're a fan of Drenge or a fan of rougher synthetic rock then I suppose you'll get more out of this than I have.
Rating: 6/10
Best Songs: Autonomy, Strange Creatures, Avalanches
Worst Songs: Prom Night, When I Look Into Your Eyes
"a modern tragedy"
Grandson
22/02/2019
Looking at both volumes of this EP, I suppose you could say Grandson gets more rock-inclined and authentic as he goes on, choosing to separate the hip-hop and pop-punk influences in most cases as apposed to fusing genres together in eccentric and exciting ways as he does on earlier tracks. Yes, some of these still hold up, but there are moments here and there sounding outdated already, an atrocious sign for something so recent. Regardless, these are overall pretty okay tunes, even if the latter few (from the newer EP) don't do nearly as well at entertaining.
Rating: 5/10
Best Songs: Blood // Water, Despicable, Apologize
Worst Songs: Fallin (Temptation), Darkside
"Tasmania"
Pond
01/03/2019
Pond capture a nice amount of realism in their newest release, but sometimes fail to make the emotional connections that would set them well above their much more developed and intricate peers. I think that, in terms of the writing, this is an easy extension of their last album and it hasn't developed much in that regard, although the tonality is greatly more accessible and easygoing, whilst simultaneously catching hold of the pop flare the band previously lacked. This helps to make this their most digestible album in my opinion, but there are still very noticeable low points that take the album down a peg or two in terms of consistency and the general enjoyment I receive from a project such as this, never breaking any new ground but staying at a comfortable level of complexity balanced with the pop sensibilities that arguably make it worth your time, if you do choose to listen to this reasonably good and admirable yet often underachieving album.
Rating: 7/10
Best Songs: Sixteen Days, The Boys Are Killing Me, Hand Mouth Dancer, Doctor's In
Worst Songs: Burnt out Star, Selené
https://withmusicinmindellipsis.blogspot.com/2019/03/pond-tasmania-album-review.html
"Ulfilas' Alphabet"
Sundara Karma
01/03/2019
A colourful reinvention that saw the Reading band alter their sound from indie rock to smooth synthetic indie pop, dropping their typical catchy guitar and drum rhythms in favour of a twisted Bowie-esque soundscape that incorporates elements of dance and psychedelic to enhance their enthusiastic melodies. This band has advanced but unfortunately lost some of the quality displayed on their first album that made it so enjoyable. it just barely scraped a 6 in my review and I am questioning that in retrospect.
Rating: 6/10
Best Songs: One Last Night On This Earth, Symbols Of Joy & Eternity, Higher States, The Changeover
Worst Songs: Duller Days, Sweet Intentions, Home
https://withmusicinmindellipsis.blogspot.com/2019/03/sundara-karma-ulfilas-alphabet-album.html
"SNAFU"
Potty Mouth
01/03/2019
A raging mess. This is quite enjoyable actually, music doesn't necessarily have to offer something brand new to be amazing and this is unashamedly unabashed, influences-on-sleeve pop-punk at it's most... something. Honestly this band is hard to pinpoint, given how loud, how accessible, how witty and how typical they are, simultaneously.
Rating: 7/10
Best Songs: 22, Starry Eyes, Lies, Plastic Paradise, Dog Song
Worst Songs: Fencewalker
"Beware of the Dogs"
Stella Donnelly
08/03/2019
Isn't this interesting? Stella Donnelly's career has thus far been an interesting one, and that definitely continues with "Beware of the Dogs", a very socially conscientious release that points the finger and holds those who deserve it accountable, whatever the cost. This attitude fits perfectly with her stripped back, indie rock sound and makes it all the more personal and profound, particularly when she gets the balance right between impassioned ramblings and hard hitting points. Overall, this album is probably more lyrically relevant than instrumentally necessary, but that's not to say the instrumentals are redundant as that is by no means the case.
Rating: 7/10
Best Songs: Mosquito, Tricks, Boys Will Be Boys, Beware of the Dogs, Face It
Worst Songs: Bistro
"I Can Fool Anybody In This Town"
Liily
08/03/2019
A promising debut (EP) from this LA rock band, showcasing some high-quality playing and early finesse that is rare in modern bands in this lane, particularly when so many follow the same formulas and old patterns that make them almost indistinguishable from one another in such an oversaturated climate since the 90s boom of alt rock. Liily breathe some new life into the world of rock dominated by those with no ambition, bands like Royal Blood and Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, by demonstrating how potent the rock of then was by writing music more in response and less just copying what came before them. This early accomplishment in musical proficiency and gripping instrumentals makes Liily a somewhat rare case, and leaves me excited for a debut album.
Rating: 7/10
Best Songs: Toro, The Weather, Sold
Worst Songs: I Can Fool Anybody In This Town
"Hyperion"
Gesaffelstein
08/03/2019
So, before this album, Gesaffelstein was this cool producer I wanted to hear more from and knew nothing about. After this album, Gesaffelstein is this disappointment I couldn't care less about. "Hyperion" is a name that signifies greatness and grandeur, but this album is full of purposeless, generic, early synth-inflected dance music that neither captures my attention nor demands I turn it off for being so abhorrently awful, a frustrating middle ground I won't remember disliking so strongly by the end of the year, something I'll forget entirely by the end of next year.
Rating: 4/10
Best Songs: Blast Off, Forever
Worst Songs: Reset, So Bad, Lost in the Fire
"To Believe"
The Cinematic Orchestra
15/03/2019
This really didn't sit well with me, partly due to the awkward arrangements and poor production that gives the album an incredible lack of coordination, even if it seems focused and direct at times. All in all, and yes this is an extremely brief overview, this is a complete waste of time and I do not recommend.
Rating: 4/10
Best Songs: A Caged Bird/Imitations of Life, A Promise
Worst Songs: The Workers of Art, Zero One/This Fantasy
"Chekhov's Gun"
Last Sons
15/03/2019
Definitively, there are some really accomplished songs here, tracks that excel and burst with vibrancy and metallic excellence, as it strives to do in the beats. The rapping itself, the flows and bars and lyrics, is all pretty interesting, a sort of modern Deltron 3030 set instead in the 21st Century and it is all pretty good but there just isn't quite enough substance here to make it one of the best rap albums of the year, let alone a great album at all. It is, however, still very very good and some of the tracks will be in with a shot at making year-end provided they don't fade like so much of the album does in its unfortunate forgettable moments.
Rating: 6/10
Best Songs: Megaton Test, Welcome To Corporatonia, Chekhov's Gun
Worst Songs: Phoney Plaguestation
"PUNK"
Chai
15/03/2019
This isn't the best Japanese rock act out there, and their brand of explosive indie fun gets a little tiresome outside of the odd track, amounting to a decent but undeniably mediocre album that pales in comparison to some of their more wild, exploratory peers. I suppose it's worth a listen, but this isn't the best that J-pop can offer.
Rating: 6/10
Best Songs: Fashionista, Choose Go!
Worst Songs: Wintime
"It's Real"
Ex Hex
22/03/2019
I didn't see myself enjoying this as much as I do, but I can safely say that Ex Hex has delivered a quite respectable, strong album that I would recommend to anyone that is curious. The songs are good, it's very consistent and despite a few nitpicks not much gets in the way of enjoying this release. Admittedly, there's also not much that especially grabs me for multiple listens but I stand by this being a solid enough listen.
Rating: 6/10
Best Songs: Good Times, Rainbow Shiner, Radiate, Want It To Be True
Worst Songs: Diamond Drive
"English Rose"
Connie Constance
22/03/2019
Connie Constance is easily one of the most flexible performers to come out of Britain in the last few years, able to dive between R&B, indie pop and hip-hop at a moments notice all to great effect and without sacrificing the talents that make her unique and special in the first place. Throughout most of these songs she demonstrates versatility in her writing and performing, living up to the hype built up by some excellent singles and often exceeding what expectations I had of an up and coming, out of the blue act. I am very pleased with this album, although it isn't without its faults. One pro might be the consistency of the project, although it could definitely be argued that on some of the songs there isn't enough differentiation for there to be a point to you listening to the whole album, although I'd argue the deep cuts hold up for the most part.
Rating: 7/10
Best Songs: Fast Cars, I Want Out, Yesterday, Give & Take, Blooming In Solitude
Worst Songs: End Credits (Sober), Bad Vibes
"When We Land"
Anteros
22/03/2019
This is lighthearted, fun, indie pop that doesn't add or detract anything from what you'd expect. It reminds me of Two Door Cinema Club's "Beacon", only with a slightly more summery feel and a warmth that shines through on certain tracks more than others. I don't have a lot to say here, because I'm not particularly under or overwhelmed at this very static album. When we land... It seems Anteros never left the ground.
Rating: 5/10
Best Songs: Honey, Fool Moon, Ordinary Girl
Worst Songs: Ring Ring, Afterglow
"Everyone's Commute"
APRE
29/03/2019
I cannot wait for this band to release a full length album, honestly I am so stoked especially after hearing this, their third EP. Almost every song by these guys has just grabbed me by the throat and demanded I pay attention to the music that they're making, a sort of blend between the synthetic side of MGMT and the trip-hop inflected beats of a band like Easy Life. They are wonderful, and perhaps my favourite new act of 2019 as they know exactly what tricks to pull musically to really draw me in and keep me entertained with nonstop excellence. Check out this band, you won't regret it!
Rating: 8/10
Best Songs: Backstreet, Gap Year 2008
Worst Songs: N/A
That was part one, covering all the relevant new albums I've listened to from January-March in 2019. A collection of my favourite songs of 2019, assorted from these albums, will be added to m Deezer playlists shortly. Part two will come out at some point in July, so that I can give the June albums some time to settle, and will further highlight my favourites of 2019. It may interest you to know that I am working on a couple of list-style posts at the moment, so I hope you get to see them very soon. I hope you enjoyed, let me know in the comments what else you'd like to see me review/write about and have a good day.
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