Miike Snow - iii

Soul is on a rise. The past few years have gifted us the soulful and blues giants that include Sound & Color-era Alabama Shakes and newcomer Jack Garratt. The next player on the scene is Swedish indie pop trio Miike Snow, whose aptly titled third record iii has more layers of soul and groove than you can handle.

 iii is simply just an infectious album. Every song has some splash of vitality that grows more appealing with every listen. Straight off the cuff with ‘My Trigger’, the piano intro just screams soul. The piano is a major component of much of the record, playing vital parts in what makes songs like ‘Back Of The Car’ rolling without faltering. The big single from the record, ‘Genghis Khan’, while “unique” in its wording, is packed to the brim with groove and is driven with conviction. It’s punchy, and even has a feel-good church bell synth/piano lead at the end that ends it on a happy note. The band channels the trademark CHVRCHES sound quite a bit on the record, most notably on the cool intro to ‘For U’ with Charli XCX and ‘The Heart Of Me’. Near the end of the album, Miike Snow begins to pour some more color into the mix. ‘Back Of The Car’ builds up into a massive orchestral pop banger that’s hard to just overlook without any notice. ‘Over and Over’ is riddled with a load of electronics and noise, after a triumphant guitar intro that reprises itself throughout the song. The electronics aren’t absent from the entire record, but they prevail most prominently in this track (speaking of electronics and layers, ‘I Feel The Weight’ feels like it’s straight out of Kanye’s book, right up to the autotune). The synth-filled and sweet ‘Longshot (7 Nights)’ concludes the album on a satisfying, if not a bit underwhelming note.

Miike Snow’s third record definitely has a lot of punch to it. It is, however, very style-centric. You won’t be focusing on the words of the songs as much as you will the feeling, which, for this band, doesn’t have any negative connotations to it. Each track has an infectious factor that’ll keep drawing you in. It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely not a record to be overlooked.

Favorite Tracks: Genghis Khan, Over and Over, Heart Is Full

Least Favorite Tracks: Lonely Life, I Feel The Weight

Rating: 7/10

ZAYN - Mind Of Mine

There’s a new bad boy in town. After saying “See you later” to One Direction, Zayn Malik shed his good-boy heartthrob image (which basically means taking his shirt off and getting some tattoos on there) and adopted a much more mature and sensual sound. His first album, Mind Of Mine, is a huge departure from the sound he would otherwise be associated with, but it feels like he tries too hard to escape that image.

The album kicks off with the obnoxiously stylized ’MiNd Of MiNdd’ (I’m not even going to bother trying to stylize every song I mention - it’s way overboard and edgy) that just makes you feel like you’re missing something. It’s cool and atmospheric, but it just doesn’t build up to anything. The first full song on the album is probably the best one; the single that blew up, ‘Pillowtalk’. It’s a very chill song, and it combines every element of sensuality and musicality exhibited in this album, and the background even has some pretty nice guitar work. The slide into the chorus is epic and can’t be unheard after you hear it. The following track, ‘It’s You’ continues with the instrumental intrigue, with a pretty nice one backing Zayn’s falsetto vocals with piano and some sweet strings at the end. Unfortunately, this is where the album introduces its weak point: trying to hard. In songs like this, you can just tell how hard Malik is trying to escape the One Direction sound. ’Wrong’, ’Fool For You’, and ’Bright’ all have this issue. There’s also a lot of cliché songs on the album, like ’Drunk’ (you can guess the meaning there). And I’m pretty sure the song isn’t referring to the energy drink, so can someone tell me what the hell ‘Lucozade’ means?

Despite the desperate attempts to escape his predecessor’s sound, there are some sweet moments on this album. The intermission, ‘Flower’, is actually an Urdu song that Zayn sang over acoustic guitar. It’s a pretty cool moment on the album, and apparently it was recorded in one take! It’s like a calling to his upbringing living in England with a Pakistani family. It’s a sweet moment that’s even cooler once you learn the story of it. Jazzy elements come into play as the groove is introduced in ‘Bordersz’ and ’Rear View’ that spice up the album. By the end of it, there’s no surprises left, sadly, and it ends unsatisfyingly on ‘She Don’t Love Me'.

Mind Of Mine is by no means a bad album. A boring album? At times, yes. Overall, it’s a pretty average modern pop album. It doesn’t really bring anything groundbreaking to the table besides the assurance to his fans that he’s not done with music. He achieves what he aims for: escaping One Direction. But in distancing himself with this new mature sound, he also seems desperate to escape. For now, it’s a waiting game to see where he goes from here.

Favorite Tracks: Pillowtalk, Intermission: Flower

Least Favorite Tracks: It’s You, Fool For You, She Don’t Love Me

Rating: 6/10

Asking Alexandria - The Black

Metalcore, and increasingly so, post-hardcore, has adopted the sound of a very distinct fanbase. As is the case with Asking Alexandria, soaring clean vocals above heavy, djent-core guitars following heavy, near-death metal growls define a good portion of their music. The Black follows that suit, but with more grace and a lot more color (despite the record’s title). Unfortunately, with several songs following suit of that very description, this record won’t be taking off with flying colors.

Asking Alexandria tried especially hard to be as edgy and relatable to their fanbase as possible, which, in retrospect, is a good idea. However, if you don’t identify with that, this’ll be harder to grasp. On top of that, a lot of the tracks are almost blatant rip-offs of other bands who make that sound work for them. ‘Undivided’ has the edginess that feels like it was stolen straight from an Enter Shikari song, despite it’s admittedly catchy chorus. The title track, ‘The Black’ is basically a Bring Me The Horizon song, and in its defense, is a pretty good track. The vocals a very much Oliver Sykes during the choruses, and the dark piano and atmospheric background really elevates it. The bridge and ending of the track are fantastic, providing a short reprieve for the intensity of the song. What drags it down is the disgusting screaming on it. This song and opener ‘Let It Sleep’ have that issue - the growls comes straight out of the realm of grindcore. ‘Let It Sleep’ would probably do well as a Cattle Decapitation song. The BMTH comparisons take a cliché turn on ‘I Won’t Give In’ with the gang vocals in the background, which is funny considering that band borrowed from Thirty Seconds To Mars there. If Fall Out Boy had more guitars, the product would be ‘Send Me Home’, but this song is probably one of the best on the record, as it actually feels meaningful and uses that to elevate the song. There is some struggle with grasping meaning on this record, like ‘Sometimes It Ends’, which has just been baffling me with every listen. Is there a meaning to it? Musicianship? An inner struggle? The interludes seem to contradict the deeper message the song may have. ‘Just A Slave To Rock n’ Roll’ is probably the track that makes the least sense. The title literally offers nothing to the song, and it’s more of a bastardization of rock n’ roll, if anything. The intro to the closure track, ‘Circles By The Wolves’, feels wholly unnecessary, not that without it it would be any better, since those screams are back to close out the record. 

This album needed more moments like the song ‘Gone’, or at least the desperation and disposition of it. The song is the most stripped back one on the album, featuring only the harmonies of guitarist Ben Bruce over a sweet symphony and piano. He feels very knowing in his delivery, making the song feel actually meaningful as opposed to a lot of the other tracks. A similar moment is found during the bridge of ‘The Black’, where there’s a break from relentless guitars and instead features a tense and clean atmosphere.

Asking Alexandria’s fourth album leaves a lot to be desired. The good moments are few and far in between, while the rest of it is filled by edgy screaming and whining. Maybe there’s something I’m missing, behind all the guttural screaming, but at that point, I just don’t think I care. The band clearly isn’t incapable of fantastic material, like ‘Send Me Home’ and ‘Gone’, there just isn’t enough power in a lot of the tracks. Their next record needs more substance to surpass this one, which truly won’t have to be too great of a feat.

Favorite Tracks: Gone, Send Me Home

Least Favorite Tracks: Just A Slave To Rock n’ Roll, Sometimes It Ends

Rating: 5.5/10 

Låpsley - Long Way Home

Making a debut record is perhaps one of the most daunting tasks for an artist. After that first record, there’s room for growth. But first, you have to establish yourself. Låpsley’s debut record Long Way Home delivers an underwhelming electronic pop that centers around one sound rather than showing off her capabilities.

As with any new-wave electropop artist, a lot of the music is minimalistic. The problem here is that Låpsley’s minimalism lacks any substance that makes up for the huge space that needs to be filled. Opening track ‘Heartless’ is empty and minimal to begin with before building into a pop beat that carries the chorus. That’s not to say there aren’t any good moments on the record; ‘Hurt Me’ and ‘Cliff’ are both pop bangers that hold a lot of ground. Lyrically, though, this album has some very weak points that anchor it down. The song ‘Tell Me The Truth’ chooses to punctuate the otherwise meaningful chorus lyrics with “I guess,” as if she’s an edge teenager who doesn’t want to open up to an annoyed parent. ‘Station’ is just downright confusing... you can’t really understand what it is she’s saying, and what could be a sampled dog doesn’t help elevate it. The song ‘Operator’ takes you back in time, bringing soul, R&B, and funk and adding a pop flair to it, which while by itself is a pretty cliché track, it does add a splash of color to the album. The only gem of a song on this album is found towards the end: ‘Silverlake’. It’s an enchanting symphonic pop piece with gorgeous harmonies and the visualization of a lakeshore at night. It’s tantalizing and what the rest of the album should’ve sounded like.

Låpsley’s debut wasn’t too well put together, but it only means her sophomore record can only go up from here. By themselves, the songs are tolerable and most have a fun fire to them. The problem that as a whole, the album is largely incohesive and lacks any punch to keep it interesting. Hopefully she can put together a more powerful second record in the future. This time, with closure and substance.

Favorite Track: Silverlake

Least Favorite Tracks: Station, Operator (He Doesn’t Call Me)

Rating: 6/10

Kendrick Lamar - untitled unmastered.

There’s no hip-hop act out there that has a surprise factor quite like Kendrick Lamar. untitled unmastered. was dropped out of thin air onto Spotify a few weeks ago, and fans everywhere have been wallowing it up. It provides an inside look into some unfinished tracks Lamar has recorded over the last few years, all keying into his tendency to dish out some powerful messages.

As the title suggests, a lot of tracks have a strong unfinished vibe to them, as if their mixing and mastering stages hadn’t been reached yet. That being said, each track does have a cohesiveness to them that does play to that factor. ‘untitled 01′ starts off pretty unsettlingly, with someone speaking sensually into you air, but as soon as Kendrick kicks in, the track explodes into a fury of powerful lines and a thick instrumental. There are many epic lyrical moments like the fire of the first track; ‘untitled 03′ slams the music industry - which, is an interesting thing, since Kendrick’s powerful statement at the 2016 Grammy Awards seem to have helped him to spread the message, even considering the track was written three years ago - and ‘untitled 05′, a brutal track of multiple sections that covered abuse to success. ‘untitled 07′ is also a track of multiple parts, but is somewhat more left-field; perhaps it’s due to the fact that the song is dated as being written through 2014 to 2016 - that’s a lot of growth and different ideas to be had.

Where the album’s lyrics may not be the shining point of each track, the instrumentals take over. ‘untitled 02′ has an eerie instrumental, comparable to David Bowie’s creepy ‘Blackstar’ released in January - it definitely has the frantic saxophones in there that lend it to that comparison. These saxophones find their way into ‘untitled 05′, too, in the same manner, while tracks like ‘untitled 08′ use them in a funky manner. The thick beats are complimented by a thicker bassline in ‘untitled 04′, accompanied by piercing staccato guitars. ‘untitled 06′ brings Kendrick back to his underground vibes and classic sound.

Kendrick always has a way with formulating thought-provoking statements that are infectious, controversial, and agreeable all at once with every effort he has. Even this collection of unfinished songs have more substance than a great deal of hip-hop music. untitled unmastered. goes to show: Kendrick Lamar is the king of hip-hop.

Favorite Tracks: untitled 02, untitled 05

Least Favorite Tracks: untitled 04, untitled 6

Rating: 7/10

Hands Like Houses - Dissonants

Post-Hardcore over the last few years, with its combination of electronica and emo metal, has quickly taken over the music scene. Bands who perform in this genre are face being a rash: sometimes so unbearable, you have to scratch the painful irritation. Other times, you find your shot in the dark and get a pleasant itch in, relieving you from your struggle. Hands Like Houses find themselves in the middle of this spectrum with their new album, Dissonants.

Hands Like Houses blend a variety of sounds into their third record. Opener track ‘I Am’ opens the album strongly, having strong choruses with lots of great background details that make them even more monumental. The lead guitar work is pretty good in this song; nothing too flashy, but adds a strong melodic element to the song that intensifies it. A thriving djenty section comes in near the end and brings the song to its epic climax. ‘Glasshouse’ is similar in its hugeness, having a massive breakdown and powerful vocals. These two songs are on a whole different level of the album, while most of the other tracks stand at a pretty level tone. Most of the album gets pretty bland as isn’t far too interesting. The song ‘Degrees Of Separation’ is the final highlight that gives the album one more big moment, along with a sweet message, but other than that, there’s nothing much else to the album. ‘Motion Sickness’ edges the Thirty Seconds To Mars/Bring Me The Horizon influences that found it’s way on the latter’s That’s The Spirit, albeit, in a less cohesive way. The album has a lot of sweet endings to songs, such as the end of ‘Stillwater’, but that doesn’t stop ‘Momentary’ from being a single delay pedal away from being the intro riff for a U2 song.

Dissonants isn’t the strongest album of the year, but it’s still a good one. The album has some sour moments and is overall nothing too special. Each track kind of blends into the next and there’s no clear change of pace, save a few moments, and it really brings the album down. 

Favorite Tracks: Glasshouse, I Am, Degrees Of Separation

Least Favorite Tracks: Stillwater, Colourblind

Rating: 7/10

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - This Unruly Mess I've Made

The dynamic duo of Seattle rapper Macklemore and producer Ryan Lewis is back with the follow up to 2012′s epic The Heist. Four years later, they’ve come back with a new, controversial effort with This Unruly Mess I’ve Made, covering topics that some artists in their position won’t tread in. The album is eclectic and different, but there are some sour moments on it, too.

The album begins with the honest ripping of the media, ‘Light Tunnels’ featuring songwriter Mike Slap. The song trashes the whole award show scene, Macklemore stating savagely, “They want talking topics, they want trending topics / They want outfits to be outlandish, they want sideways glances / Beef and problems, they want nipple slips / Cause they live for clips, this is economics.” The instrumental is classic for this project, many different levels, the first verse featuring urgent strings and opera singers on top of a thick bassline and beat before kicking into a droning beat section and finally a piano-led ending. There’s always a lot going behind the lyrics that you’d miss if you weren’t focussing on one or the other. Next comes the funky take on ‘Uptown Funk’, ‘Downtown’ with a whole slew of guests. The song has a lot of groove and is just really infectious - it’s like this album’s ‘Thrift Shop’. It’s a fun song to just groove too and is endearingly annoying (in a good way). The music video is pretty huge, too. Other great moments on the album include the heartwarming message to Macklemore’s child, ‘Growing Up (Sloane’s Song)’ with Ed Sheeran and the hard-hitting ‘Kevin’ featuring Leon Bridges that addresses overdosing and suicide.

The album’s biggest moment, and perhaps most controversial, is the closure track, the nearly 9-minute commentary of ‘White Privilege II’. The song addresses the Black Lives Matter movement as a whole, addressing both the ideas of finding equality and the struggles of being a white man in a predominantly black genre. With its impressive length, it covers a lot of subjects and has five clear sections. The first section is a contains a soulful melody behind Macklemore’s addressing how the struggle for racial equality goes both ways - it’s hard for white people to take part when they’re being “targeted”, in a sense, when trying to have a voice. The second part takes place in a bar, with a mom talking to him about how his music sends a positive message as opposed to the rest of hip-hop. Then comes a short sample bridge where different individuals speak their mind on white supremacy, one notable quote stating it pretty clearly: “I have an advantage? Why? Cause I'm white? What? No.“ Then breaks into a more dramatic section filled with a keyboard and synths that discusses the influence of white culture taking from the black culture. The final section features singer Jamila Woods, and features more interviews being sampled as it segues into the track. ‘White Privilege II’ is more of a conversation than it is a hip-hop feat, almost as if Macklemore is discussing his position with himself. It’s bound to be a reference in the whole movement for a time to come, and it’s interesting to hear a white artist address this in hip-hop.

Despite some powerful moments, a lot of this album just makes you ask... “What?” Songs like ‘Let’s Eat’ and ‘Brad Pitt’s Cousin’ are just so left-field, it’s hard to find endearing. The track ‘Bolo Tie’ is the closest this project has ever gotten to the stereotypical rap scene and fails to include that Macklemore touch. ‘Dance Off’ features Anderson .Paak and Idris Elba, and, while incredibly strange, does have some appeal. There is such a big divide between the songs with powerful meanings and the less serious songs, it feels like the duo couldn’t decide how to formulate the album. The album has good intentions, but doesn’t fall up all the way through.

This Unruly Mess I’ve Made may not be as cohesive an effort as The Heist, but it is an enjoyable listen. There are some incredible moments on it, but also some very strange ones, as well. It’s made it’s mark, though. That’s the important thing.

Favorite Tracks: White Privilege II, Downtown, Growing Up, Light Tunnels

Least Favorite Tracks: Bolo Tie, Let’s Eat, Buckshot

Rating: 8/10

Aurora - All My Demons Greeting Me As A Friend

Every year, there’s an artist who throws their genre into a spiral. Their music is so powerful or just makes such a strong impact that it leaves the world wondering. This year, that’s Aurora. Her debut album, All My Demons Greeting Me As A Friend is perhaps the most perfect piece of pop 2016 will see. This Norwegian singer has the purest voice and doesn’t need sex appeal - though she is absolutely adorable - for her music or performances to catch your attention. It’s as pure and as true to heart as music can be.

It’s been awhile since I’ve done one, and every track on this album is oh-so-deserving of being talked about, so here’s a track by track review of the record.

1) Runaway - Beginning with an intro of epic harmonies consisting of Aurora’s calming voice and low bassy vocals, the album couldn’t start any more enchantingly. As is the case with much of the record, Aurora’s voice is the highlight of the track. The instrumental in and of itself is very minimalist: the beat isn’t flashy and the synths build from a relaxing harpsichord to an explosion of sound. The vocal harmonies act as an instrument: they’re brought all the way up in the mix. Aurora sings about being tired of her world and wanting to go “home where I belong,” though as amazing as the lyrics are, the melodies are what you’ll be focussing on. 10/10

2) Conqueror - A change of pace in the album; this one actually sounds like a pop track! Beginning with clean guitar, a thicker beat, and her voice in a major key, ‘Conqueror’ will get you dancing. It’s a pure, big, and fun pop banger that is just perfect to let go to. This fun song is about searching for someone to “conquer” you and give you what you’re looking for - to complete the challenge that is you. There’s a lot going on in the percussion that’s pretty hidden in the mix but adds so much color to the track. The giant bass synth in the choruses also elevate the song to its soaring levels. Again, Aurora’s voice is so pure you can feel the curiosity of the track in you. It’s the best pop song of the year so far - how it hasn’t taken over radio by storm is crazy. The final chorus is an explosion so grand that it’s appeal is just unarguable. It’s a great track. 10/10

3) Running With The Wolves - Returning to the subtlety, the title track of the Running With The Wolves EP that gave listeners the first taste of her album material, this track is deceptively quiet. It starts with the same quietness found in the verses of ‘Runaway’, but includes instrumentation of a guitar and piano instead of layered harmonies. The chorus explodes in a flash of synths, a confident drum beat, and a thousand voices singing altogether because flawlessly returning to the quiet verses. The bridge is a little strange, but still amazing with the almost possessed vocals over the driving beat. The backing vocals in the final chorus end it with a breathtaking finale. 9.5/10

4) Lucky - The first track that is exclusive to the album, ‘Lucky’ is a hard-hitter. It’s quiet, and the song is mostly Aurora’s singing over symphonic synths. It’s a song about escaping the darkness that takes over so many people. The harmonies are absolutely beautiful and compliments the minimalistic instrumental. The meaning of the song gives it so much weight, the ending has a sort of mysteriousness to it, as if saying that the full story isn’t over. But, I’m willing to wait for the rest of it to come given how wonderful this track is already. 10/10

5) Winter Bird - This song almost plays off of ‘Lucky’, in that it’s about feeling alive again with someone. The song’s instrumental makes it so huge - like a winter storm. It has the grace of a dove, the verses being very beautiful and the choruses grand. It has a certain sensuality to it that adds to it’s atmosphere. As typical with the songs on this album, the harmonies build the track into another flawless vocal performance. 10/10

6) I Went Too Far - This song is an apology. It’s also the most modern pop song on the album. It has the Aurora flair with vocal movements being a primary part of the instrumental, yet the piano intro shows shades of Adele and the choruses have swelling synths. Perhaps the most average song, as it leaves little to talk about, but amazing in the Aurora kind of way, all the same. 9/10

7) Through The Eyes Of A Child - This song is... interesting. Every listen makes you feel something different. It may be nostalgia, it may be sadness, it may be regret. There’s no one emotion you feel, there’s something new every listen. The song is one of the most simple on the album, too. It’s largely just Aurora singing over a piano that flows like a river. In her voice is a certain recollection that brings upon so much emotion that’s just unfathomably pure. The ending just swells with harmonies and emotion. It’s just a down to earth, beautiful track. It’s almost near perfection. 10/10

8) Warrior - ‘Warrior’ was the last teaser track before the album’s released. It begins with an eastern flair before a bassline and Aurora’s pure voice carry it into a soaring chorus. The verses have a particularly capturing melody. I can’t put it in words... there’s just a certain way her voice works with the eastern vibes that make it an entrancing moment. The choruses are huge with massive percussion and synths. It’s another track that has loads of appeal and would do insanely well on the airwaves. 9.5/10

9) Murder Song (5, 4, 3, 2, 1) - This song is probably the most heartbreaking song you’ll hear all year. Just wait until I get to the acoustic version... The complete version still has a certain vibe to it that paints a haunting picture of its target: abusive relationships. This version lacks the intimacy of the acoustic version, but has a greater urgency. The choruses are soaring and full of noise, with a CHVRCHES-esque vocal line and an enchanting bell synth. The bridge is an explosion of emotion that just sends chills down your spine. There’s something just so intrinsically haunting about the lyrics and their delivery in this song that makes it unforgettable. 10/10

10) Home - After the explosion of ‘Murder Song’, ‘Home’ returns to the minimalism. The song builds the harmonies like that of ‘Runaway’, but it’s largely what makes up the entire song. It includes various layers of percussion and small synths, yet the song’s mainly built around the singing of a thousand layers of vocals. Luckily, Aurora’s vocals are beyond belief and we have another fantastic song. 8.5/10

11) Under The Water - Beginning with strings and Aurora’s flawless voice, this song can’t go wrong, right? Right. This is perhaps the “heaviest” song in terms of how huge it is. The chorus is best described as CHVRCHES meets industrial, huge drums accompanying you as you sink into an abyss that would leave Chelsea Wolfe breathless. The brooding chorus is tantalizingly immense, between pretty calming verses. This song oozes urgency and power, as if a force to be reckoned with. So massive. 10/10

12) Black Water Lilies - Right off of the oppressive choruses of ‘Under The Water’ comes the soothing piece, ‘Black Water Lilies’. I screams color and relaxation, like iamamiwhoami, but done better. The choruses show off Aurora’s falsetto and her voice soars high above the lower synths and piano arpeggios. This song is something you could play in a spa to ease tension - it’s so smooth and entrancing, it’s hard to not just feel cozy listening to it. 10/10

13) Half The World Away - The first of the album’s bonus tracks is a cover of Oasis’ ‘Half The World Away’. Aurora’s version places emphasis on the meaning of wanting something new but still not wanting to let go of the past through her voice. There’s just so much thought and emotion in her disposition, you wouldn’t even need the lyrics to understand the meaning. You can feel it. The song bares a full symphony (including a brass section hidden in there) that gives you the sense that you’re floating through space on a small planet with a piano, á la Muse’s ‘Explorers’. 9.5/10

14) Murder Song (5, 4, 3, 2, 1) (Acoustic) - This version is a thousand times better than the already incredible studio version of the song. Seeing her perform it live adds a whole other dimension to it. The way she reacts to it, as if she’s fighting away the memories that have come back to attack her. The male harmonies are a welcomed surprise in this version, too, but that’s more of an afterthought. This song has the achievement of being the only one this year to make me cry. There’s something so powerful about it and in her delivery that is just so chilling, it’s indescribable. The line “I know he knows that he’s killing me for mercy”, and the crushing chorus that is probably my favorite vocal moment on the entire record, where she sings “he did it all to spare me from the awful things in life that come / And he cries and cries” ALWAYS get me. It’s just too flawless to comment on. This is the best song of 2016 to this point, and it’ll be hard to dethrone it. 10/10

15) Nature Boy (Acoustic) - This is a haunting song. The dark cello and Aurora’s disposition leave a very mysterious track. This kind of thing could be found in the soundtrack of a Lord Of The Rings film. It just has that feel to it - like you’re journeying through a thick forest towards some magic. It has something that’ll make you uneasy but entrance you all the same. A song very well performed on all ends. 10/10

16) Wisdom Cries - Björk is in the house. Aurora’s final track to offer (besides the remix at the end of the album) is dark and icily creepy. It consists of a disjointed electronic beat and a piano like that of ‘Bloom’ by Radiohead. The harmonies scream Björk. They’re dissonant but work so hauntingly. It’ll make you uneasy like ‘Nature Boy’ but in a very different way. There’s fear in this track, in its recording and its output. A chilling way to end this album’s deluxe version. 10/10

Aurora’s debut record can go down in the books as one of the strongest debuts of all time. You could put this on repeat for days and still need more. She has the most enchanting pop presence and the purest voice you’ll ever hear. So much emotion comes out in every track, it toys with you in a way. It’s perfection in music. Her career will be a gracious one, and I, for one, cannot wait for her future releases. There’s just nothing like her out there. A phenomenal debut from a phenomenal performer.

Favorite Tracks: Murder Song (5, 4, 3, 2, 1) (Acoustic), Through The Eyes Of A Child, Under The Water, Conqueror

Least Favorite Track: If I had to pick... Home

Rating: 10/10

Top Albums Of 2016 (so far):

1. Aurora - All My Demons Greeting Me As A Friend
2. Panic! At The Disco - Death Of A Bachelor
3. Dream Theater - The Astonishing
4. Foxes - All I Need
5. Daughter - Not To Disappear
6. Lacey Sturm - Life Screams
7. David Bowie - ★
8. BANNERS - BANNERS
9. Savages - Adore Life
10. Kanye West - The Life Of Pablo

The 1975 - i like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it

The infectious grooves of 80′s pop has been making a comeback in modern pop lately, The 1975 jumping directly on the bandwagon and pioneering the rock front of it. With this year’s I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It, the band has added more dimension to their music, but not enough to justify the annoyingly long runtime, much like its album title.

The first quarter of the album is the funkiest rock you’ll hear this year, as if indie met ‘Uptown Funk’. Sadly, the sound gets old fast. Right after the symphonic and disjointed intro named after the band, ‘The 1975′, that is just off-putting enough that it actually works comes the funk-filled single ‘Love Me’ that immediately gets the album to its foundations. The song is endearing in a feel-good kind of way, but after a listen or two it just gets annoying. The next song, ‘UGH!’, is just my reaction when the next four songs all sound the same. Things start to change after the Hiatus Kaiyote sounding track, ‘If I Believe You’, when sweet ambience topped with piano is brought to the field with ‘Please Be Naked’. The song introduces what the good moments on the album are: sweet, soft, and warm. After the following song ‘Lostinmyhead’, things start reverting back to the funk. Starting with the single ‘The Sound’, the funk gets good in ways (it has a great solo), but it’s far too along in the album for anything to be amazing. The closure track is the best song on the album - ‘She Lays Down’ is a barebones acoustic track featuring nothing but an acoustic guitar and vocalist Matthew Healy’s warm vocals over it, singing with a fond recollection in his disposition. The song just has an emotion to it that feels like a good, nostalgic memory, something that if was captured in the rest of the album instead of placing focus on the 80′s revivalism, would have made it a much more enjoyable listen. There were touches of this in the middle of the album with the brief symphonic and sweet tastes, but it never quite reached it.

The 1975 are funky, and if you grew up in the 80′s listening to pop or you’re just a sucker for the genre, this album is for you. If you’re looking for something that is consistently feel good in more ways than funk flair, this isn’t for you. I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It is just as it’s title says: so long, you stop caring before the end. Sadly, the most powerful moments come at the end when it’s far too late. Their next effort should look to capture the feeling better, combining it with their signature 80′s sound. That’ll be an experience.

Favorite Track: She Lays Down

Least Favorite Tracks: She’s American, UGH!, Change Of Heart

Rating: 5/10

Textures - Phenotype

Progressive metal is all about the atmosphere (and weird timings and all the other minutia). By building layers of huge guitars and crashing percussion, Textures’ fifth album, Phenotype is a giant album. Each song is a barrage of heavy and unrelenting riffs that make this album a huge jam all around.

The album begins very abruptly with ‘Oceans Collide’, the most metal the album gets. Despite distorted guitars being the focal point of the track, it also builds a big atmosphere by the end of the song, where clean vocals replace the thick screaming. The album’s latest single ‘Shaping A Single Grain Of Sand’ is similarly unrelenting, very big and in-your-face. ‘Illuminate The Trail’ also has a huge presence that makes it a highlight of the record. The album also contains some gentler moments hidden within the walls of distortion. ‘Meander’ is a percussion instrumental that builds urgency into the fantastic ‘Erosion’. ‘Zman’ is another interlude, but it features a beautiful piano instrumental, in which the instrument reprises itself at the conclusion of the album, at the end of ‘Timeless’. ‘Erosion’ is perhaps the most electrifying song on the record, excelling in every aspect. It’s heavy, disjointed, upfront, and fantastic melodically. The guitar solo in it will absolutely melt your face off, too. The ending is a haunting choir, on top of a clean guitar. Vocally impressive moments on the album are ‘The Fourth Prime’ and the triumphant intro of ‘New Horizons’, both of which showcase Daniël de Jongh’s clean and screaming registers.

Phenotype is an all-around progressive metal record, filled to the brim with djenty riffs and blast beats. Textures showcase their musical prowess while still creating a lot of atmosphere and nothing too complex that would turn the listener off. A great record to sit back and jam out too, though nothing too spectacular.

Favorite Tracks: Erosion, New Horizons

Least Favorite Tracks: Shaping A Single Grain Of Sand

Rating: 7.5/10