Music Reviews

So I’ve been REALLY binge watching hivemind the last few days and with that I also watched a lot of Dev Lemons content. I knew that she has made music in the past but I haven’t really checked if there was anything new she had under her belt recently. So I said why not, decided to look her up on Spotify and what do you know – not even 2 months ago a new EP, her first ever in fact! And look I’ve never really been like a big Dev fan, up to that point I’ve heard like maybe three songs and all of them were you know listenable, but I did really like the song „One Whole Me“ I think she really came into her own with that one. All of this is to say that I was at least familiar with the style Dev usually de(l)ved (get it) into going into this one, so I wasn’t like completely blind.

But yeah, this EP honestly went kinda hard not gonna lie – it’s only 6 tracks but besides one I’m not all that crazy about it’s basically a hit after a hit. It opens up with the song „Cyberpunk Fairy“ which has these just gorgeous piano keys that open it up feel almost distant and kinda mysterious. The beat is really bassy and full of these swirling strings that I really adore, they make the mix sound really rich. But honestly the thing that just kept me coming back to this album is at the end of the day the lyricism – I really find Dev’s lyrical abilities to be genuinely great. Maybe it’s because I find myself relating to A LOT of what she has to say on these songs, but either way it’s conveyed in a really mature way without it being corny and it’s all also delivered very whole-heartedly, it feels super personal and I can’t help but be drawn to that. Anyways, got a little side-tracked there – the opening track is really good. The second song „NIghtstand“ has this really simple plucky repeating catchy beat that I think is very charming and Dev’s vocals just melt like butter over it. The song doesn’t go in like a crazy direction but it’s just so catchy and playful that I still like it a lot, I only wish there was more done with it. The third track „Dizzy Vision“ is one of the more out-there songs on the album – it opens up relatively tame with a snappy calm piano beat that is however very quickly replaced by this almost hyper-pop sounding instrumental with heavy-hitting drums and huge synthy bass hits. And the chorus in this one is just chef’s kiss, it’s catchy, simple yet super effective as are the lyrics, this one is honestly one of my favorites here hands down. „If You Wanna Reach Me“ the 4th song on here is the one I’m probably least crazy about – it just sort of fills the track-list for me, besides the lyrics there isn’t all that much that stands out about it. And honestly something about the chorus just rubs me the wrong way at times, I don’t know, I can’t really explain it. The hyperpop ending feels kinda out of place aswell even though it’s admiteddly kinda cool. „You Tear Me Apart“ does pick things up pretty substantially though, I really like the chorus on here and the melody after it is just heaven to my ears. Not much to else to say here, I do appriciate the Tame Impala-esk finnish to the track, it’s honestly a really nice touch and the few guitar licks sound great. „Think About It“, the closing track, is almost the perfect finnisher for this album – the electric guitar is an excellent choice and it is honestly executed really well, the way the audio is cut out at first and then brought back in and it all just melts beautifully, Dev really shined here, but once again WHY ISN’T longer.

Like seriously, this album is LOADED with great ideas, most of which are executed really well, but the longest song on here isn’t even 3 minutes long. Just stretch it out a bit, some of these songs were essentially just two choruses on top of each other – fantastic chorus with really great lyrics, but still. But yeah, that’s mostly a nitpick, at it’s core, this EP is a huge dub for Dev, at least in my eyes – I really can’t wait for where she goes next. To summarize, good but not enough Eminem impressions, so automatically a 0/10.

-favourite songs: Cyberpunk Fairy, Nightstand, Dizzy Vision, You Tear Me Apart, Think About It

-least favourite songs: If You Wanna Reach Me

ARIANA GRANDE WITH A VENTI LATE/10 (Strong 7/10)

So there have been a few updates in my 10/10s lately, some I have docummented here on this very page and some changed over time, mostly it’s been additions. Before we continue I’d just like to say that the numbering of these numbers is in no particular order even though I tried to do so, all of these records I hold very close to my heart.

15. Injury Reserve – By the Time I Get To Phoenix (strong 9 – light 10)

Yeah this album is still kinda out of this world. The biggest problem I have revisiting this one is that it kinda looses me at points, especially with songs like „Wild Wild West“ and „SS San Francisco“ a little bit as well, those just don’t really do it for me as much as the other songs on this one, but even then they still fit nicely in the aesthethic of the album so I don’t really mind it all that much. Besides that yeah I still can’t wrap my head around this album. It feels like a complete mess and it makes literally no sense yet so much sense at the same time. It feels like a panic attack in musical form and is filled with this just absolutely depserate and sorrowful mood throughout it’s entire runtime, like it’s definetly an album for a specific mood, but when you let yourself get immersed by it, you get transported into a whole different messed up universe. At the same time the really specific nature of this album makes that a lot of the times this album just doesn’t do it for me because of x or y. But when I manage to get into that specific headspace, yeah, this one is just completely out of this world.

14. Deafheaven – Sunbather (light 10)

Yeah I’ve cried several times when I first heard this. With time this album doesn’t show me much more than it already did but MAN does it pack a serious punch even after all these albums, like this is a black-metal album and it’s easily the most bright and sunny thing on this entire list. It feels so hopeful yet hopeless at the same time, I can’t get enough of the aesthethic this one builds – and the sound of it is just so incredibly over-bearing, it really is too much to handle sometimes. There is no miss on this album, the interlude tracks maybe don’t do all that much for it, but I’ve still grown to enjoy them a lot as I think they serve as brief breathing point in the middle of all the madness. Yeah, another incredible record right here, definetly deserving of the 10/10 rating.

13. Death Grips – The Money Store (light 10)

Oh yeah I still recall the first time I heard „Get Got“ over at my friend’s house during a sleepover when I was around 12 to 13 years old – if Meteora and Sempiternal opened me more to music, then this album broke EVERYTHING I thought music could be. With more time this album isn’t AS unreal as it felt the first few times I’ve heard it, but even to this day the production on this one is still just unbelievable. The crazy synths, the fast-paced drumming, the barely intelligible rapping from MC Ride that all mashed together on paper really awkwardly but also somehow absolutely perfectly, this album had it all. I don’t think there is a single song on this project that I don’t enjoy to some degree – sure there are few ideas here and there that aren’t maybe as innovative or just don’t do it for me as much as others do, but man, songs like „Lost Boys“, „Hustle Bones“ or the to this date absolutely massive „Punk Weight“ are absolute bangers. An abslute classic in the underground experimental hip-hop scene and a really important project for me.

12. Radiohead – In Rainbows (light 10)

This is the most album that just sounds like it’s album cover. There is one Radiohead album I overall prefer more to this one, but don’t get me wrong, this one still has it’s undeniable charm – as many people have already stated before, this one is definetly Radiohead’s most human, that’s for sure. It’s also their most colorful and I’d argue the one most packed with bangers – like the first 5 tracks are just absolutely insane, how is this even real. „Bodysnatchers“ always sends shivers down my spine with it’s climac, „Nude“ is chillingly beautiful as is „Weird Fishes/Arpeggi“ and it doesn’t end there. „Videotape“ as simple as it is probably one of my favorite album-closers ever, I always get teary-eyed listening to it. This one is just so much fun – like with the Injury Reserve record though this one is this low because honestly, there are times where it doesn’t hit me as hard as other times, but once again when in the right mood, this album does wonders.

11. Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition (light – decent 10)

My most recent realisation of an album being a 10 is definitely this Danny Brown one over here – man I haven’t listened to this in AGES. But recently I’ve bought this album’s vinyl for a really solid price and decided that well, I haven’t heard it in a long while, might as well give it another shot. And I gotta tell you, these songs BANG. They do everything right. I just LOVE the aesthethic of this album, it’s so captivating throughout. And the production, like don’t even get me started on that. Some of the most craziest, most out-there beats created the last decade. And it all just sounds sooo good, like this album’s soundscape is almost edible I feel like. I had this one at a strong 9 for years but in reality I have virtually zero complaints about it.

10. The Microphones – The Glow Pt. 2 (decent 10)

I had this album at a 9/10 for a REALLY long time aswell, but man, recently it was just hitting in a way I can’t recall an album hitting in a long time and I could just no longer see any problems with it – in fact my last few listens of this thing have been so good that it skipped right here to this spot on this list. „The Moon“ is probably in my top 5 songs of all time. „Headless Horseman“ I’ve learned on guitar in it’s entirety, and the transition between „I Felt Your Shape“ to „Samurai Sword“ is probably one of the most brutal and defeating musical experiences I’ve had in a while. And the lore and story behind this one… Look I could at this point probably go for hours talking about it, it just resonates with me for so many different reasons that I can’t even begin to tell you, so I’ll just leave it with that, a really important album for me.

9. Swans – To Be Kind (decent 10)

8. Black Country, New Road – Ants From Up There (decent 10)

Yeah this album came out during what was probably the happiest era of my life and I have many many dear memories linked with it – not only that, but this might as well be my album of the decade so far. The emotional gutpunch I recieve every time I hear this thing is unmatched. Isaac Wood’s voice is filled with sorrow throughout this entire project and I can’t get enough of it – this album also may not be as instant as the band’s previous efforts, but it definitely rewards you ten times as much for being patient with it. Yeah there just isn’t a track on here I don’t at least really like from „Concorde“ to what’s probably the song of the decade for me so far „The Place Where He Inserted the Blade“. No yeah, this album is just fire front to back, enough said.

7. Parannoul – After the Night (Live) (decent 10)

6. Radiohead – OK Computer (decent 10)

Now don’t get me wrong, I love In Rainbows to death, but this album is just something else – the vibe it creates was, and still to this date is, quite literally revolutionary. And yeah the first few listens I didn’t get this one all that much, it definitely took some time to get adjusted to it – but when it clicked, oh man it clicked. It’s also kinda crazy how greatly this album ages with each passing day, the lyrical themes are so ahead of their time it’s kinda scary – and don’t even get me started on the absolutely beautiful musical soundscapes this album creates with it’s sound. It feels so depressed yet so hopefull, so harsh and yet so gentle, I still can’t to this day quite put my finger on it, all I know is that I just really love it. Songs like the opener „Airbag“, the ambitious „Paranoid Android“ and one of my favorite jams „Let Down“, which is an underated masterpiece, all the songs here just sound so futuristic and like they are from another planet. Everyone should hear this album at least once during their lifetime, it’s an absolute must-listen.

5. My Bloody Valentine – Loveless (strong 10)

This is like the musical definition of what taking drugs must feel like. From the very moment the first song „only shallow“ kicks you immediately get transported to a whole nother dimension. It’s all so serene and so in your face, like pure euphoria or ecstacy or something, it’s really hard to eplain the feeling of this album. Songs like „to here knows when“, „when you sleep“ and probably my personal favorite „sometimes“ are all just so magical and beautiful, like really out of this world levels of beauty. This album is perfect for me, there are only a select few I think out-do what this album does for me.

4. Godspeed You! Black Emperor – Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven (strong 10)

This is the album that I think is the most perfect musically. There isn’t a single NOTE on this 4 track hour and a half long album that I don’t like. It really is all larger than life and I don’t use that term lightly. The highs on this album are incomprehensibly high – the climaxes of instrumentation and the way everything plays off of each other is like nothing I’ve ever heard before and believe me I’ve heard a lot of stuff, I get PHYSICAL CHILLS during those moments, like it doesn’t even feel like it was made by actual living humans at points. I love this album to death, it’s so beautiful, I could write a whole essay on each song on here.

3. Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly (strong 10)

So many good memories linked with this one. Look, there are way more people who are way more skilled in writing who wrote almost entire seminar works around this album, so I’m not gonna go too in-depth to why this is the album of the century or whatever – for me this is just a perfect story-based conceptual rap album with beautiful lush jazz instrumentations and really introspective and profound lyrical themes. This album is essentially for me just everything I want a rap album to be. Kendrick really went above and beyond when creating this thing, like this album has a SOUL. So many great songs on this thing, such as „Weasley’s Theory“, „King Kunta“, „How Much A Dollar Cost“, just to name a few. Definitely in my top 3 for sure, no questions about it.

2. Daughters – You Won’t Get What You Want (strong 10)

Look I know about the allegations and all that and I in no way whatsoever respect any of the heinous stuff the lead singer did… BUT this album is just… Brutal. No but actually like BRUTAL. I like to seperate the art from the artist here, because I just love this thing. It’s one of the most intense things I’ve ever heard, if not THE most. I hate listening to it because it just feels like I’m getting beaten up by the music and yet I can’t get enough of it. And trust me there is NO breathing room on this album – every single song is a different kinda of beatdown. The production on this album is like… So clean and so mezmerizing, I don’t understand how this album exists. It would be my number one if not for one album that not only dfined my growing up years but still to this date holds up as my favorite album of all time. Which is, as last time…

1. My Chemical Romance – The Black Parade (strong 10)

Yeah I’ve got no words, this is the perfect rock opera album. Not a single dud. Perfect from to back. Powerfull instrumentation and performances, powerfull vocals and lyrics, powerfull concept and it’s execution, this album feels like a whole movie. I like to just close my eyes and imagine the story of this album in my head as I listen to it. And what a story it is – every single song tells a story and they all connect into one huge theatrical performance of grief, hopelessness, denial and so much more. I also like how you can essentially decide for yourself how the concept of the album ends – if the so called „patient“ or the protagonists of the album lives or dies. Also yeah, „Mama“ is probably my favorite song of all time, just though I’d mention that. So yeah, this album is my favorite album of all time and the only other album besides Sempiternal of which I have a poster hung up on my wall if that counts for something.

Chop Suey cover song of the year.

I mean to call this a mixed bag doesn’t even cut it for this album – there are somehow some of the best songs I’ve heard all year on this and at the same time some of the unironically worst pieces of music I’ve heard like this entire decade so far. With that being said even with those you at least can’t say it wasn’t entertainingly bad and at the end of the day I think Uzi is just doing whatever he wants to do on here and I really can’t hate on that even though it doesn’t always result in the best song quality.

The album opens up with the ethereal and surreal „Flooded The Face“ which has hands down not only the best beat on this whole album but one of my personal favorite Uzi beats ever, the synths are just out of this world, the parts where you can clearly hear the bass are just super funky and when the beat drops… It really drops. And Uzi sounds amazing over it too – really starting this project on as strong of a foot as you can get. Just an absolute jam. Anyways Uzi IMMEDIATELY does a 180 with the next also amazing song „Suicide Doors“ produced besides others also by the legendary „Arca“ and you can clearly hear that in the mix with the guitars, the chainsaw sounds constantly going from left to right, the punchy synths – long story short, this song is an absolute rage bop. Easy gym playlist song. So yeah, to say this album opens up strong is an understatement. However things really take a nose dive from this point on kinda fast. Next is the song „Aye“ with none other than Travis Scott and for such a promising beat this song REAAAALLY underdelivers, like Travis is barely even present on here and the beat is like REALLY good but just misses some final touches, because like this it’s just all over the place and honestly Uzi is kinda what really drags this song down – overall a really promising song with some really cool parts that kinda just doesn’t go anywhere. After that is the song „Crush Em“ which is where the filler REALLY starts to settle in. I mean this song in particular is fine to be honest – and I like the way the synths are introduced later on in the song and admiteddly it is really catchy, but it just once again doesn’t leave much of a lasting impact like the first song. The song „Amped“ is overall also kinda filler BUT I just LOVE the beat on this one – the guitar beats on this album just work so much for me. Honestly I just can’t hate this song because if Uzi is kinda underdelivering at points I just zone him out and just focus on the amazing beat and then he also starts sounding amazing + the main hook is pretty hype I won’t lie. Speaking of really amazing beats with some weak deliveries from Uzi the next song „x2“ is like the definition of that. The beat is this glitched swirling set of synths and some heavy hitting hi-hats that all just come together absolutely amazingly. After this point however the songs REALLY start to just blend together, so I’ll only be mentioning the stand-outs whether good or bad. „Died and Came Back“ has a nice beat. „Endless Fashion“ with Nicki Minaj is this absolutely HORRENDOUS „Blue (Da Ba Dee)“ type beat that somehow butchers the original song more than that one other song from last year. Nicki’s chorus is I’m sorry but just absolutely horrible as is her verse – like what the hell happened Nicki? Uzi’s harmonizing is also just… I can’t I’m sorry, this song just ain’t it. „Nakamura“ is the first song in a looong while that’s like REALLY good, like the first two songs quality good. The main melody is really well constructed and surprisingly even sung, it feels super full of life after the couple of last soulless songs. Just a really good song overall, really picks up the momentum of this album by a bit and it sure as hell needed it. After that is the infamous single „Just Wanna Rock“ aka the song that just never really starts. I mean… It definetly fits the album and there are times where I can absolutely mindlessly enjoy it but when I said some of the songs on here don’t really go nowhere, it’s like this song doesn’t even start going like ever. Still there are parts of it I for some weird reasons really like so. After that is the surprisingly really hard „Fire Alarm“ (mostly for the „Justice“ sample“ but yeah) and what can I say, this song just kinda goes. The alarm type beat just really works for some reason and the intro to this song REALLY gets you hyped. So yeah, this one goes, sue me. Wow, 3 kinda really good songs in a row, is this album finally starting to pick up again? Can’t wait to see how the next song continues thi- oh… So yes, the rumours have been true, the next song simply titled „CS“ as in „Chop Suey“ as most of you probably already put the pieces together, is indeed a thing. Honestly nothing I could write here would really describe how absolutely just… Yeah see what I mean, I just CAN’T explain how this thing made it onto the album, he literally just gives up singing halfway throughout the song and just let’s the instrumental play out. This is easily like top 10 worst songs of the year, how is this real, like you’re telling me NOBODY in the studio said anything about it? Fortunately things do go basically from a 0 to a 100 with the next and also my favorite song on the album „Werewolf“ with Bring Me the Horizon, yes this is also a real thing. Even though it’s basically a BMTH song featuring Lil Uzi, his metal vocals area ctually surprisingly fitting and BMTH just do their thing and yeah it just work even though it really shouldn’t, I just can’t get enough of this song, the chorus, the instrumentals, even Uzi is just fire on this song. This one’s a certified hood classic. „Pluto to Mars“ has once again a really nice beat and honestly a really nice vibe, it’s a good kinda slow down after the BMTH song, I quite like this one as well. And „Patience“ with Don Tolliver as much as it’s kinda slow and drab, I can’t help but really like this one too – it scratches that R&B itch in my brain just the tiniest bit. And yeah, Don Tolliver really is barely there, his background vocals aren’t half bad honestly. It’s not the most well-made song on the album but it’s really pleasant to listen to. The second to last two songs „Days Come and Go“ and „Rehab“ are passable, definitely better than some of the song in the middle, but I’m still not as crazy about these though. However the finnisher „The End“ with BABYMETAL is REALLY something. It’s not on the same level as the BMTH song however it still absolutely rules. Not much to complain about with this one as much as it is just all over the place but like in a good way.

So that was… confusing to say the least. I mean don’t get me wrong, this album DEFINETLY has it’s moments, but at the same time there is just so much absolute CRAP burried underneath all of the greatness. It honestly just all evens out, but I still overall enjoyed myself, it was definetly an experience. I really wouldn’t mind Uzi experimenting like this more, because it usually still results into something pretty decent.

-favourite songs: Flooded The Face, Suicide Doors, parts of Amped, parts of x2, parts of Died and Came Back, Nakamura, Werewolf, Pluto to Mars, Patience, The End

-least favorite songs: Endless Fashion, CS, parts of Aye, rest is forgetable

Strong 5/10