M83 – Fantasy
After what felt like an eternity we FINALLY got a new M83 album – so did it deliver? Well, it depends on who you ask – some people got everything they wanted from it, some people are really dissapointed. Me personally? Well I’m kind of in the middle with this one – it for sure has its moments, but it’s definetly not even close to the most exciting thing I’ve heard these past couple of months. The album also really falls off in the second half and just sort of fades into the background after a while but it at least kicks off fairly strong – the opener „Water Deep“ combined with the follow-up „Oceans Niagra“ are a nice touch but through and through this album just leaves a lot to be desired. Feels kinda half-baked if you ask me. „Us And The Rest“ is a certified banger though, even though it takes a while for it to get there.
Strong 6/10
Skrillex – Quest For Fire
Wow, this was a pleasant surprise! Really didn’t expect to enjoy a Skirllex record in 2023, but here we are. If this record screams anythig it’s maturity – this is in my humble opinion definetly Skrillex’s best effort to this date. The beats are insanely well produced and mixed and are surprisingly layered and intricate. Really can’t believe that this is the same guy who made Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites (which is by the way still an album I will defend to this day).
Light 7/10
Really great record that showed great promise for Skrillex going forward – can’t wait for whatever he gets up to nex- oh…
Skrillex – Don’t Get Close
Yeah no this ain’t it chief. I mean it’s not like unlistenable – „Way Back“ with PinkPanthress and Trippie Redd ain’t half bad and „Real Spring“ with Bladee is honestly even quite good. But besides that it’s just a bunch of sugary soulless but admittedly well-produced half vibes that sort of come and go and don’t leave much of a lasting impression. Don’t understand what happened here considering the first album was so good but yeah, I didn’t get almost anything from this. I guess the album title is quite fitting.
Light 4/10
Model/Actriz – Dogsbody
Yeah I’d rather not show the cover for this (google at your own risk, you’ve been warned), anyways yeah this thing slaps. It’s not quite as perfect for me as it is for many people but it definetly is at least like in my top 10 of the year so far. The dark twisted sounds on this album are given life with lively energetic percussion that glues all of it together seemlessly and really make for an insane ride all the way through. Kinda sounds like a dark version of LCD Soundsystem at points. My only real gripe with this album is probably that the lyrics at points are really… Off-putting I guess? I mean that’s probably a good thing for many people but it can be a bit over-whelming for me personally at points. But besides that yeah, lived up to the hype.
Strong 8/10
Lil Pump – Lil Pump 2
This feels like twice the length it is and I legitemately don’t remember a single note from it. He is obviously trying to relive the glory days of his career here but all the attempts just fall completely flat on their face and are just laughably bad. Also just the „heavy metal“ song alone, enough said.
Light 2/10
Xiu Xiu – Ignore Grief
Another wholesome and fun release from Xiu Xiu! 🤗 Definetly worth listening to if you wanna just chill and listen to some feel-good music! 😝(I am scared for life by this record and this is me trying to cope)
Strong 6/10
Fall Out Boy – So Much (For) Stardust
I mean… At least it’s not Mania right? I mean to be fair the first and the last song on this album are legit some of the best Fall Out Boy released in a hot minute, especially the opener „Love From The Other Side“, I mean that song is almost flawless for the Fall Out Boy standarts lately. But yeah everything in the middle I can just take or leave – got me moving a bit here and there, had some catchy riffs at points, definetly a step in the right direction overall. But man if the album cover isn’t ugly to look at.
Strong 5/10
Yves Tumor – Praise A Lord Who… (sorry I ain’t writing all that)
Even though this is probably my least favorite Yves Tumor album so far (which is like saying DAMN. is my least favorite Kendrick album, I mean c’mon it’s still really great), it still packs a serious punch. The hook game isn’t alway there as it usually is, but songs like „God Is a Circle“ or „Heaven Surrounds Us Like a Hood“ are still some of the best songs to come out all year and some of the deeper cuts aren’t half bad either. I mean this album really has a strong vibe going through it that makes it a really cohesive listen, I’ll give it that. Definitely another very solid effort from Yves, if just a teensy bit forgetable at places.
Light 8/10
100 Gecs – 10, 000 Gecs
As, if not more, unhinged and out there as their debut, the gecs have done it again – this album was not only worth the wait but turned out waay better than i had anticipated from the singles, which except for „Hollywood Baby“ I was all a bit dissapointed in, but they all gained new life in the context of this whole album, „mememe“ especially. This album is everything I could have hoped for with a new gecs release – it’s got a bit of everything, really punchy in your face bangers, goofy ah ska songs about frogs, random ass „songs“ that are essentially just a bunch of sound effects thrown together with little to no rhyme or reason to them, I mean it’s the whole 100 Gecs package. Really solid.
Decent 8/10
Yeat – Aftërlyfe
… like ok but did it REALLY need to be an hour and seven minutes? There is a pretty solid rage album hidden in this, but Yeat really made sure it stays hidden with the ammount of songs on this. „No morë talk“, „Nun id change“, „Split“ and especially „Mysëlf“ are definetly the highlights though.
Light 5/10