My listening notes shared

Released in November 2012, Silent Machine was the debut full-length from Melbourne’s Twelve Foot Ninja, a band already known for mixing metal with funk, dub, progressive rock, and other left turns. The album was introduced through the group’s ambitious “Project 12” campaign, which paired weekly song releases with digital comics, and it arrived at a time when adventurous heavy music was spreading quickly online. Rather than fit neatly into one scene, Silent Machine stood out for how confidently it treated genre-switching as the whole point.

Album Notes

The best moments on this album are the ones where the structure genuinely surprises me. Some of these songs morph mid-track, sometimes into what feels like an entirely different genre, and they do it with a level of control that keeps it from feeling forced. That kind of movement holds my attention really well. I like when a song feels alive enough to keep reintroducing itself. At the same time, I felt a bit detached from the project as a whole outside of those standout moments. While I admire how fluidly they blend styles, a lot of the project felt like it was sitting in the middle of several different ideas without fully becoming one distinct thing. When the genre mash ups weren’t happening the songs came off too safe, too one-note, or just forgettable to me.

I think a part of that disconnect came from what I can only describe as a “dad-rock” feeling. I do not mean that literally in a strict genre sense, but more as a certain familiar rock energy that felt a little too polished and conventional for my taste. There is a kind of broad, swaggering alt-metal/hard-rock DNA running through parts of this album that made some moments feel less strange or dangerous than they could have. Even when the band is doing something technically impressive, that underlying rock confidence sometimes made the music feel more traditional than experimental. Nik’s vocal performance ties into this too. His clean, more theatrical delivery did not always work for me. I was much more interested when his performance was more abrasive, because those moments gave the songs more tension and made them feel less predictable.

Overall, I can hear exactly what makes this album exciting to others, especially in the way it shifts, blends, and surprises. But for me, its strongest qualities were also what made the weaker stretches stand out more. When it was inventive, it really pulled me in. When it leaned too heavily into that familiar polished rock sensibility, it started to loose me.

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Track Notes

1. Coming For You — ★★★★☆

Wow this caught me very off guard. What an interesting blend of sounds. Some of those echos of the vocals are really effective. “I AM COMING” Wow, the first one made me jump. What a cool song. So many shifts the song literally morphs. That end!? What a great opening track, gets me excited for whats next.

2. Kingdom — ★★☆☆☆

Felt a little cheesy at certain parts. Really love the guitar on the track but that’s kind of it. Kind of right in the middle of lots of things but not fully anything. Didn’t connect.

3. Mother Sky — ★★★☆☆

Ok, I’m hit with the same unexpected twists that I felt in the first track. Bass sounds insane—I love it. Felt pretty safe but I like the harmonizations that is really pretty. Almost spooky.

4. Shuriken — ★★☆☆☆

“Lalala, lalala, lalala…” was not expecting. Felt like a touch of whimsy. Was my favorite part, but the song overall felt one note. A bit repetitive. Those electronic elements at the outro are really cool. They really are blending lots of different styles pretty seamlessly.

5. Vanguard — ★★★☆☆

Instantly captivated by the environment of the song. Just felt super deep and threatening, like danger. Then it just snaps alive into almost a reggae style. I seriously never know what to expect which is awesome.

6. Deluge — ★★★☆☆

This track got me curious about the comic books that came along with the album release. It’s pretty theatrical so it got me thinking about that. Wouldn’t say I am a fan of the song, but it made me want to see what a visual for something like this would be like.

7. Liberation — ★★☆☆☆

Kinda felt like it dragged on… I don’t have many notes for this one. Was just okay.

8. Silent Machine — ★★★★☆

Guitar stands out. I really liked all the tempo shifts in the track. Has a nice groove to it, it balances calm, groove, and intensity really well. End has this ominous feeling, really loved that last minute of the song. For sure my favorite part.

9. Rogue — ★★★☆☆

Sometimes I’m not really a fan of Nik’s voice, here is one of those times. It feels a little comical to me at times or maybe super conventional? I guess it feels like sleek and clean by design. That tends to be forgettable for me.

10. Myth of Progress — ★★☆☆☆

Mmmm, ok so I like the rougher delivery on this track. Sounds a bit more aggressive and his voice literally sounds rougher which I prefer. But this track also feels particularly forgettable to me. I’ve been having a hard time staying immersed in the album still.

11. Ain’t That a Bitch — ★★★★☆

Ok this song pulled me back in. This one is beautiful to me, has great lyrics. The song grows really well I like how the energy picks up and the production on this track is amazing. Drums really sound great, and I like the pauses for those theatrical sounds that old timey piano?

12. Luna — ★★★★☆

Released on June 9, 2023, Girl with Fish was feeble little horse’s second album and their first new full-length after signing to Saddle Creek. The Pittsburgh band had emerged only a couple of years earlier, but this record quickly marked them as one of the most exciting names in a new wave of noisy, shoegaze-adjacent indie rock. At the time, the album stood out for how it fused fuzzy guitars, digital weirdness, and pop instinct into something messy, sharp, and immediately distinctive.

Album Notes

I enjoyed this listen. Right off the bat, I was a fan of Lydia’s voice. Some of the production on this album is really cool too. There are lots of different guitar effects, warped sounds, and moments where her voice is isolated in unexpected ways that surprised me in a good way. Sometimes the effects and distortion do go a little too far, though, leaving things sounding muddied or harsh. My favorite track was absolutely “Pocket.” The whole song felt so strange but alive and really fun. “Heaven” also stood out to me as a beautiful moment centered around Lydia’s voice. Both tracks have a really strong identity.

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Track Notes

1. Freak — ★★★★☆

Distortion on the guitar is insane. That sounds really, really cool. Lydia’s voice is really such a sweet nice surprise. Fun little song, I could see myself listening to it a lot.

2. Tin Man — ★★★☆☆

Love the warped wind chime sounding thing in here. I don’t have many notes. It’s a pretty song. I like the lyrics.

3. Steamroller — ★★★★☆

Love this blown out sound. And when it just clears away and we are left with Lydia’s voice. It’s like wiping my eyes clean. She really does have a beautiful voice. The song just makes me feel good.

4. Heaven — ★★★★★

Love the slower pace. What a pretty moment—short and sweet. The whispers, wow that got me. Reminds me of innocence. End was perfect.

5. Paces — ★★★★☆

Love the chopped up vocal sound, maybe it’s a guitar? Whatever it is its a great effect. Some details in here are lovely. I really like the abrupt changes happening throughout the song.

6. Sweet — ★★★☆☆

Second voice was an unexpected surprise for me. This one is a bit aggressive for me. Too sharp maybe? The breakbeat type sound at 1:43 was fun, one of my favorite parts. I wish when the song slows to a stop it came back slower or changed.

7. Slide — ★★☆☆☆

This track just doesn’t particularly stand out. Feels a little forgettable, my first listen I didn’t even have any notes and had to relisten to it. Everything feels pretty muddy.

8 Healing— ★★★★☆ Interesting effects that literally made me do a doubletake on what I was listening to. I love that. At certain parts her voice sounds crushed under the music which is cool. The song has lots of movement and shuffling. Very pretty.

9. Pocket — ★★★★★

So many things feel off or wrong but right at the same time. Very funny, and fun to me. Just reminds me of Juno. I love the variation at the end, some parts silly, some parts aggressive, some joyful. Standout track for me.

10. Station — ★★★★½

Drums are my favorite thing here. I love the classic indie sound. Feels like a beautiful, soft moment. Breath of fresh air?

Released on July 25, 2025, SALVATIONLAUGHS IN THE FACE OF A GRIEVING MOTHER was PSYCHO-FRAME’s debut full-length after a pair of 2023 EPs had already established the band in newer deathcore circles. Issued through SharpTone Records, the album arrived with the group’s deliberately anti-gimmick ethos already in place, pushing a raw, abrasive style that stood apart from more polished or theatrical corners of the genre. Rather than introducing a completely new direction, it presented PSYCHO-FRAME’s first full-scale statement at a moment when their reputation was quickly growing.

Album Notes

This album was pretty extreme for me, and I had two different experiences with it: the bodily thrill of the music itself, which I loved, and my lyrical tolerance, which is much narrower than my tolerance for extreme sound. Sometimes the lyrics pushed too far into body horror and torture for me. It almost feels like an album I cannot listen to too closely, since I’m pretty sensitive to those themes. When I focused more on the band itself and the musical atmosphere, I enjoyed the album a lot more. That being said, there were some lyrics that leaned more into trauma, religious tension, and emotional violence that I really did connect with.

This is the kind of album that would probably freak my mom out if she walked in and heard me listening to when I was younger, which makes the experience a little funny to me. I grew up very religious, and when I was younger, even getting into rock music at all felt charged. I remember loving rock and metal but still being afraid to sing certain lyrics out loud because I had that embedded fear of Hell. Having outgrown that heavy music like this still carries a kind of thrilling sensation for me.

When it came to the vocals, I liked the deeper voice much more than the high screams. The lows feel impactful and authoritative, while the higher screams can sometimes be too sharp for me. Production-wise, I loved how much design there was inside the chaos. There are so many small details, shifts, and moments where a song suddenly takes on a completely new shape. That was one of the coolest parts of each track for me. But overall, the album has more charm when I listen without focusing too hard on the lyrics. I connected more with the raw sound and atmosphere than with the literal semantics, aside from a few tracks where the subject matter hit in a way that felt personal and cathartic. Sometimes I do just want to hear the angriest thing ever, and this is definitely up there.

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Track Notes

1. BLUEPRINTS FOR IDOL GENOCIDE — ★★★★☆

Wow wow wow, what a way to open. That first growl. I mean the whole track made me excited for the album. I couldn’t stop shaking my leg, physical excitement. At first I wasn’t convinced I’d like it the track quickly grew on me and the growls at the halfway point sealed the deal. Serious beat drop via voice. Im impressed.

2. INVERTED SPEAR OF HEAVEN — ★★☆☆☆

Drums are going crazy. End was the strongest for me, beginning felt too disjointed. It feels like my energy from the first track got dissipated.

3. THE PORTAL — ★★★★½

Wow. That intro was insane. This is just so unrelenting it’s just so charged. Lyrics are powerful wow. Some of the guitar riffs make me feel nostalgic for some reason. Liked this one a lot.

4. BLACK_WAVE II — ★★☆☆☆

I tend to like the deeper voice of the two. I don’t like the timbre of the higher pitched screams on this track. It just didn’t click here for me. Speed is insane at certain parts.

5. ENDLESS AGONAL DEVOTION — ★★★★☆

This one is nasty. Production style was just cool here so many moments have these really dynamic sounds. Guitar riffs are crazy and some of the effects there at the end are just really a nice touch. I like the duality of the vocals here. Some parts are literally so nice to my ear. It gets a bit away from the direct body horror I hear on some of the other tracks so far, which I appreciate. Sometimes it can be hard for me to connect with straight up body horror. This one feels more angry than disturbing to me which I love. End is absolutely nuts.

6. APOCALYPSE THROUGH LYSERGIC POSSESSION — ★★★★☆

Visuals are so strong here. Wow that moment in the middle is really strong for me. Seriously the vocals and some of these growls are just insane. It’s so crazy to me some of the sounds metal artists can get out of themselves. End is nuts. It bumped the track from a 3 to a 4 to me simply the last 30 seconds of a sonic jumpscare. I love it. Sounds like the invisible ghosts from Charlie Murder. Please someone know what I’m talking about...

7. I WON’T BE THERE TO WATCH YOU GO — ★★★★☆

Damn. Seriously amazing. This is one of those tracks that just gets a reaction out of me. It's like a cathartic feeling that you just can't describe or even maybe achieve through different genres. Just like certain songs can force tears out of me, some can force this sensation out of me that's the same equivalent of crying just through different release. This is it. It forces emotion. The lyrics are phenomenal and I think that my ear has always accepted lyrics like this because they feel very at my core of trauma and anger that I've carried. I love when a song can pull that out of me. It's always felt cathartic even since I was young. Quickly became a favorite. The end so sharp. I mean that was perfect.

8. FILLETED AND FUCKED — ★★★☆☆

Pushed too hard for me at times lyrically. I love the energy of the track but the lyrics don’t sit well with me on this one. Halfway point seemed to pull me back in though. REEEEEEEEEE, that was fun.

9. GOD IS BUSY — ★★★☆☆

I love anything this angry with undertones of religious imagery, I really, really do. That always gets me because it’s deeply personal. “Lacerate your perception of me” what a strong line it really stuck with me. There were quite a few lines I really liked here, but still a bit too aggressive for my taste. Those few cinematic moments in the end is a nice touch. The details considered by this band are impressive.

10. STILL WATER SALVATION — ★★☆☆☆

I really like the deeper voice over the screams and I think it’s really apparent here. I listened to this one a few times to form an opinion but I just don’t have many notes. It’s ok. Doesn’t particularly stand out to me. Love catching the album title there.

11. NEURO++TERROR — ★★★★☆

Released in 2012, Purity Ring’s Shrines introduced Megan James and Corin Roddick as one of the most distinctive new electronic-pop acts of the moment. Issued through 4AD and Last Gang after early buzz from tracks like “Obedear” and “Belispeak,” the album stood out for its contrast between delicate vocals, vivid lyrics, and sharp, futuristic production. In the context of early-2010s indie and electronic music, Shrines quickly became one of the era’s defining debut albums.

Album Notes

It’s interesting I feel like I can listen to this two ways. As the version of me that I am today with what my music taste has evolved into AND as the version of me I was when I found it for the first time. It’s a super nostalgic album and the sound of it resonated deeply with me when I was a teenager. I loved the creepy undertones with the light layer sprinkled over top—that felt like me. I also loved electronic, experimental sounds so this just worked for me and still does. It really was a blueprint for the things I grew to like.

The atmosphere of the album and the sound design really does a lot of the heavy lifting for me. There are some times where I’m not sold by the lyrics but there is usually so much going on in the production that I just still find a lot to admire in each of these songs. Sometimes I like the nonsense, it feels like a part of the charm of the album. Other times it can make the songs feel disjointed. That could be a part of the working not his album separately. I feel like there are times I can hear that in the music.

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Track Notes

1. Crawlersout — ★★★★★

I love the nonsense of the lyrics that are just at times flat out creepy. This is just so nostalgic to me seriously. I related so much to this music when I was 15. I felt like I had the same creepy, lowkey psychotic aura shrouded with sweet disposition that the song has. I loved this aesthetic because it felt like my aesthetic. I remember I used to write “keep them crawlers out” over all my drawings…

2. Fineshrine — ★★★★☆

I just love the production. Love the warping of the beat at the middle. Feels like the air got sucked out the track. Lowkey beat drops at certain parts. It’s really such a dynamic song. Love the almost body horror adjacent lyrics.

3. Ungirthed — ★★★☆☆

I think I really like the production work here more than the vocals. I like the song, but there are just some moments that feel disjointed or like I’m not immersed in it. Love the outro.

4. Amenamy — ★★★★☆

What a fun time for experimental indie music, geez the song is just good. Some of these beat breakdowns are really nice. I really do love the chorus, super catchy.

5. Grandloves — ★★★★½

Always been a favorite, even the way it starts… wow. Like I float into it. I do feel enchanted by this song. Feels light and heavy at the same time, I hear things rise and crash. I like having a second voice here, Megan sounds really nice against another person. Vocal effects are really interesting here too. That little skip off at the end is very pretty.

6. Cartographist — ★★★★★

God I just love this song, I always have. Even just hearing that dark warped intro makes me feel so extremely nostalgic. The deep drops in this song really showed me a sound I grew to LOVE in music. This sound always felt so intoxicating. Very ominous. Perfect amount of restraint, glitch, strangeness? Lots of high sounds, lots of low sounds. Perfect.

7. Belispeak — ★★★☆☆

Kind of jolts me out of the other track. There are some vocal parts that I really like, and some that I really don’t. Some parts feel really cohesive, others feel overwhelming. Overall a little too disjointed. I do love that this is being said to Grandma. The end is nice, I like the mixing of just vocalizations, but I don’t think I like the chorus.

8. Saltkin — ★★★★☆

Love. Have always loved. I like the direct creepiness showing up again. I just really like the lyrics here, super catchy.

9. Obedear — ★★★★☆

Fade in feels nice again. I don’t have many notes for this one. I simply like it.

10. Lofticries — ★★★★☆

I do really love all the crying imagery, was really on brand for me at that age. Sometimes it sounds like complete gibberish but it’s being said so prettily that I don’t even care. It adds to the creepy feeling if anything.

11. Shuck — ★★★★★

Released in 2019, Atlanta Millionaires Club was Faye Webster’s third album and her first for Secretly Canadian, arriving at the point where her Atlanta roots, country songwriting, soft R&B textures, and hip-hop connections came fully into focus. Co-produced with Drew Vandenberg in Georgia, the album is named after her father’s old friend group and pairs intimate, emotionally direct songs with arrangements that quietly blur genre lines. It became a key early breakthrough in Webster’s catalog and helped define the distinct musical world she’s now known for.

Album Notes

I mean, it’s quite literally a perfect album. I have always really loved this album, and there’s just not a point in time where I stop enjoying the experience. I feel like I can relate to a lot of the subject matter, and I feel like a lot of people can if you’ve been through heartache or losing someone that you loved. But it also kind of deals with things like family. It doesn’t necessarily feel exactly just romantic. I feel like there are broader feelings here that are relatable for people, and it really connects for me. I also really love Faye’s voice. It’s soft with distance and never quite over-exaggerated. There’s a ton of emotion without feeling overperformed. It’s very melancholy because it’s being delivered so gently.

The sequence of the album is really strong too. Jonny, to me, feels like the center of gravity, and it’s right in the middle. Kingston right after really moves me. Some songs on this album have so much groove but still seem to carry the same ache. It’s really impressive. It feels like a complete work and at no point at all one-note. It moves so much without losing itself, even between genres. It does such a good job of blending genres seamlessly. I heard Americana, folk, country, soul, jazz, R&B, and rap, and it never felt like it was proving how eclectic it could be. It all felt extremely natural. I am actually blown away by how adaptable her style is. Yeah, the album is really great. It gets tears out of me. It’s so gentle, but devastating at the same time. It’s easily a favorite for me. I simply love it.

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Track Notes

1. Room Temperature — ★★★★★ Magical voice. Reminds me of Nancy Sinatra's sometimes. Sweet, slightly distant, feminine with restraint. Not overperformed. Her voice has a doll-like quality with a hint of loneliness—one of my favorite voices in music, especially among women. The song is undeniably catchy. The sweeping guitar—are you kidding me?

2. Right Side of My Neck — ★★★★★ Love the country twang in this one; it makes me melt. This song is beautiful. Feels like floating in bubbles. Butterflies in my stomach?

3. Hurts Me Too — ★★★★★ Love the story she tells here. I had to stop and restart when I realized I was being told a direct story. It’s different from the last song, which felt more like a vibe; this one is an actual vulnerable moment that makes my ears perk up. Beautiful sentiments. Reminds me that GOD, I love folk music. A really creative take on it. In the right moment, this one could bring me to tears.

4. Pigeon — ★★★★★ Those echoes of her own voice halfway through really got me—such a beautiful touch. At first, I didn’t know how I felt about her delivery, but the song grew on me. Following her line of thought to the end, the lyrics stuck with me. I relate to the feelings she candidly expresses.

5. Jonny — ★★★★★ This is one of my favorite songs and has been since I first heard it in 2019. I love the slower, almost walking-with-your-head-down-in-the-rain feeling of the song. At times daydreamy. It’s just perfect to me. The lyrics tug at something inside me and resonate deeply. I always feel moved; it’s one of those cry-on-command songs. We all have some sort of Jonny in our lives. What a beautiful place for such a powerful song, right in the middle.

6. Kingston — ★★★★★ This song right after "Jonny" hits me in the heart. Something about that sequence just works. The groove is beautiful, taking on a jazzy, almost R&B vibe. The lyrics are seriously so good; I love her storytelling. That chorus is really beautiful.

7. Come to Atlanta — ★★★★★ "I want my time back, I want my time back." I love this song; it's always been a standout for me on the album. Sounds beautiful on this setup. I love how sharp everything is here. That delivery—nearly arms crossed, pouty. It’s fun. The hums at the end are a nice touch.

8. What Used to Be Mine — ★★★★★ Wow, those drum rolls are amazing. Almost like an old-school American march. It feels patriotic. An impressive sound for me. I love the emptiness here; it feels like a beautiful love song with a touch of melancholy. Heavier in the context of the album, but on its own, it could feel quite loving.

9. Flowers (feat. Father) — ★★★★★ What an absolutely beautiful touch. She’s really genre-bending here, and it’s just perfect. This feels like the opposite of the last track. She is seriously multifaceted. The way her voice fits into all these genres is impressive. I love the sound of begging, even whimpers. I’m obsessed. It has that airy quality I’ve always loved in FKA Twigs’ voice as well.

Georgia Anne Muldrow is a Los Angeles-born singer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist known for blending soul, jazz, funk, and hip-hop into music that is both exploratory and intentional. The project is rooted in groove, using repetition and texture to build an atmosphere more than a direct lyrical argument.

Album Notes

This album felt more like an intersting exercise than a satisfying full listen for me. I entered with no expectations, yet I found myself caught in loops that felt unending. I could hear the intention behind the repetition and groove-heavy structure, and at times it created a hypnotic atmosphere that worked. But more often I found myself wanting the songs to develop, shift, or reveal something new. There were standout moments. The best parts were undeniably the opening and closing tracks. "Queen Knockingstein" captivates with its atmosphere, distortion, and texture, holding my attention throughout. "Ciao" offers a different clarity, a melodic and emotional arrival that feels like a breath of fresh air. These tracks serve as bookends to an album where I often felt disconnected, as if I were trapped in one room for too long.

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Track Notes

1. Queen Knockingstein — ★★★★☆ Only song I was familiar with coming into this album. I love the warped sounds, the moments where it feels like the song holds its breath or goes underwater—distorted and muffled. Super hypnotic beat. Always loved this song, thought I’d give the whole thing a listen.

2. Beat Beat — ★★★☆☆ Funky, with a dark mystery feel. It feels mischievous.

3. Baroque Ditty Thang — ★★★½☆ A little “mi-lady” sounding. I actually don’t hate it; I think it’s fun. A blend of sounds I haven’t heard meshed together before.

4. Lendahand — ★★★☆☆ Has that strange, whimsical delivery I tend to like. The effects that come in and out of the voice are nice, and the harmonies add depth. This track feels richer than the loops I heard in the first few tracks.

5. Flavafunk — ★★★☆☆ Like a tiny insect playing a tiny instrument. It’s fun and magical. Uplifting, and I love the breaks and pauses.

6. Extravagant Groove — ★★☆☆☆ Feels a bit repetitive. At times, I really wish it would go somewhere else.

7. Makeba — ★★☆☆☆ Not sure why, but this track and the last one feel identical? I don’t understand it. Maybe a mistake when uploading to Apple Music because "Extravagant Groove" is different on Bandcamp…

8. In the Chambers of Her Goodness — ★★☆☆☆ I wish a couple of these songs were half the length.

9. Protoplazz — ★★½☆☆ A little funky, makes you wanna do the robot. The vocal effect is fun.

10. Crunk Circut — ★★★☆☆ I don’t mind being stuck in this loop. It feels interesting and fun, and I’m digging the beat—especially the glitchy parts.

11. Shooby Saves — ★★☆☆☆ Ominous. Got old real quick for me.

12. Starshipfonk — ★★☆☆☆ I like the whispers of voice here and there; it’s interesting. Overall, I don’t have much to say. Once again, just longing for a bit more.

13. World on Wheels — ★☆☆☆☆ This loop actually annoyed me. The high-pitched whines with the snare drum became overwhelming. At a point, I just wanted it to stop. The guitar feels disjointed, and the whole thing is uncomfortable for me.

14. Moleculefonk — ★★☆☆☆ It’s fine, just highly forgettable.

Released on February 7, 2006, on J Dilla’s 32nd birthday, Donuts was the final album issued during his lifetime, arriving just three days before his death. By then, Dilla was already a hugely influential producer through work with Slum Village, Common, D’Angelo, Erykah Badu, and others, and this record pushed his sample-based style into something even more fragmented and intimate. Over time, Donuts has come to be seen not just as a landmark instrumental hip-hop album, but as one of the defining statements of Dilla’s legacy.

Album Notes

This album is very different and creative. It feels like playing around, flipping through an old-school TV, channel by channel. At first, I didn’t know what I was listening to, but once I understood the whole concept, it became such a pleasure. The tracks are simple yet effective, blending old and new. It’s futuristic for its time, using sounds from the past. A great style—music as collage. I love how the vocals are used as snippets rather than central performances. I can see myself listening to this while making art; it’s definitely going to blend easily into my life.

I want to listen to this all the time. It’s such an interesting experience. Some parts left me transfixed, perfect for creating or as background sound. Other moments felt overwhelming, but not in a bad way. The album does feel like a box of donuts—open the lid, and there’s a dozen different flavors, each with its own filling and glaze. It’s a random assortment, yet it feels cohesive, like it’s all from the same bakery, made by the same chef. Even though it’s explorative, it’s all through the same creative lens of J Dilla. There were times when I struggled to rate a track, needing to go back and listen again to grasp how it made me feel. Overall, I think it’s a successful project. I’m glad I listened to it; I’ve added a few songs to my favorites and some to my close playlists.

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Track Notes

1. Donuts (Outro) — ★★★★☆ So short I don’t really care about it. It’s like a blink. On a second listen, it matches well with the last track, turning on this TV of a project.

2. Workinonit — ★★★★☆ It’s really fun, like a live record spinning or a collage of ideas. I like how the effects loop. It feels random yet cohesive. I’m impressed, especially by the guitar sound.

3. Waves — ★★★★☆ Reminds me of xxyyxx and other glitchy, lo-fi sounds that became popular again. It’s super ahead of its time, or maybe it is the time, creating a ripple-down influence.

4. Light My Fire — ★★★☆☆ Felt a little all over and intense, incomplete overall.

5. The New — ★★★☆☆ Super interesting sounds; it feels old for its time, even though it’s just 2006. These songs are over so fast.

6. Stop — ★★★★★ Playful. Pretty. Sounds like it’s coming directly from vinyl. That forced pause at “stop”—wow, felt like a blink. Disco-ey. I like it a lot.

7. People — ★★★★★ Of course, I love it. This is my favorite sound in music—tribal, with a deep drum. I could really get lost in this one. Perfect amount of strange. I love the different places it goes.

8. The Diff’rence — ★★★★★ I’m just really having fun with the album as a whole. I can’t predict what will come next. I love the in-and-out effects—forced clarity for my ears. Super fun.

9. Mash — ★★★★★ Love it. At first, I didn’t like how short the songs were, but now I really appreciate it. I’m just looking forward to the next loop. They aren’t complete, but that feels right, like a peek into the creative process. This one goes hard, specifically. Love the piano.

10. Time: The Donut of the Heart — ★★★★★ Has that same moody vibe as the previous track. I love that the only vocals are clippings from other songs, not a traditional voice or rapper. The environment it creates will definitely make this a repeat listen for me.

11. Glazed — ★★★★☆ Great. Not many notes on this one.

12. Airworks — ★★★☆☆ I felt in a flow with this album, but something between the end of the last track and this one lost me. Many songs feel repetitive, but this one feels particularly so, to the point where it loses me.

13. Lightworks — ★★★★★ This feels so fun. The effects at the beginning are amazing. It sounds like a level of an 8-bit game. “Listen up” with no vocals is perfect. All the voice effects are perfectly placed throughout this project. I’m literally scrunching my face by the end. It’s simply NASTY in the best way.

14. Stepson of the Clapper — ★★★★★ Need to hear this in my car ASAP. Love this. It feels like we’re in an underground arena watching dance battles. I can really picture where I am here. I didn’t want that one to end.

15. The Twister (Huh, What) — ★★★★☆ Got a bit loud and aggressive for me. The track feels intense but eventually balances out. I like the bouncing sounds—they’re addicting.

16. One Eleven — ★★★☆☆ Simple. Pretty.

17. Two Can Win — ★★★★☆ For the first time, I wasn’t quite a fan of the vocals. Maybe it’s the pitch or effect. Still super catchy.

18. Don’t Cry — ★★★☆☆ Not many notes on this one. It’s pretty but also forgettable to me.

19. Anti-American Graffiti — ★★★★☆ I like the guitar sound here. This one is dreamy, easy to get lost in. I enjoy feeling like I’m casually overhearing a conversation.

20. Geek Down — ★★★★☆ Shocked me at first.

21. Thunder — ★★★★☆ Pretty mesmerizing. I wanted it to keep going; it was just getting interesting for me.

22. Gobstopper — ★★★☆☆ Felt a bit too on the loopy side.

23. One for Ghost — ★★★☆☆ No notes.

24. Dilla Says Go — ★★★★☆ I feel like I recognize this song; I just can’t place where. Pleasant. Dilla really is saying go!

25. Walkinonit — ★★★★☆ I like the mood of this one.

26. The Factory — ★★★★★ Wacky little moment. I like it. It caught my attention for sure; I felt like I was coasting along in the previous tracks.

27. U-Love — ★★★★☆ Love the looping in this track. Very pretty, simple, and short.

28. Hi. — ★★★★☆ Pretty concept. I like the simple lyric. A lovely little music collage.

29. Bye. — ★★★★☆ Super familiar; I know I’ve heard this sample somewhere, but I can’t put my finger on it. Musically not my favorite, but in the sequence of the last four tracks, it feels perfectly placed.

30. Last Donut of the Night — ★★★★☆ Dramatic little ending here. Very somber, knowing he died just a few days after this was released. Emotional.

London band Palace released their third album, Shoals, on January 21, 2022 via Avenue A / Fiction. Coming after So Long Forever (2016) and Life After (2019), the record arrived in a period shaped by pandemic-era reflection, with the band framing its themes around uncertainty, mental health, and broader existential questions alongside oceanic imagery. Singles such as “Fade,” “Gravity,” and “Shame On You” previewed the album’s more expansive, atmospheric approach.

Album Notes

This album felt more about vibe and atmosphere than lyrical strength. It has real atmosphere but just didn’t change enough for me to feel really moved. It’s interesting because, while I found it really pretty and effective at setting a musical scene, it still felt somewhat one-dimensional. It's funny because its still a strong album. It's hard for me to place it, but I can sense that it didn’t stick with me. Each song feels beautiful, but I still long for more. “Pleasant” is a word I’d use to describe this listen—easy to enjoy, easy to forget.

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Track Notes

1. Never Said It Was Easy — ★★★☆☆ Short, pretty, a nice way to open the album.

2. Shame On You — ★★☆☆☆ Has this uplifting feeling to it. Has that classic indie/alt rock sound. Sometimes I wish it pushed harder or felt a bit more unique, but the song is pretty.

3. Fade — ★★★½☆ This one feels the most interesting so far. I like the guitar and the bursts of energy that come and go, much like the title suggests. The distortion and little peeks of fun sounds create a dynamic feel. I love when the song takes a moment to catch its breath; things feel so big and then shrink in. Cool effect.

4. Gravity — ★★★★☆ I love that Wyndham’s voice gets clarity here; I do like his singing voice. The layering on this track is really nice. The chorus is just beautiful, and the bass in the middle is so pretty. There’s a magical transition in the middle of the song.

5. Give Me The Rain — ★★☆☆☆ I don’t think I like all the vocal effects on this one. The lyrics didn’t land for me; it felt one-note and didn’t hold my attention fully. BUT the song is still very pretty. It feels like something I wouldn’t mind having on in the background, but it’s hard to sit with it fully.

6. Friends Forever — ★★★☆☆ Maybe it feels a little too high in tone, tempo, and subject matter (uplifting) for my taste. I did love the little instrumental break; it was my favorite part of the whole thing. Once again, the song is simply pretty.

7. Killer Whale — ★★☆☆☆ Just did not hold my attention.

8. Lover (Don’t Let Me Down) — ★★★☆☆ I liked the lyrics here. The “all in my head” bit is my favorite part of the song. Really emotional piece.

9. Sleeper — ★★★★☆ Loved that sound in the beginning; I wish it had more presence in the song. Something clicked here for me that hadn’t before in the album. It has a more somber, deeper feeling, and I found the lyrics really relatable. I wish the vocals were clearer; there’s an inaudible haziness that makes it hard to catch everything. I do like some of the effects in this track, though.

10. Salt — ★★★☆☆ Really just a beautiful moment. I like this slower pace; I can really sit with what’s being said. This moment has more isolation.

11. Shoals — ★★★☆☆ Love the little purrs from the guitar; I don’t really know how to explain that sound. The song has a cool pace, like it grows on you. Once again, it’s pretty—nothing more, nothing less.

Released in May 2012, Do Not Lay Waste To Homes… caught El Huervo just before his profile expanded through Hotline Miami later that year. El Huervo, the music alias of Swedish artist Niklas Åkerblad, was already working across sound and visual art, and this six-track EP became especially notable when “Daisuke” and “Crush” were later used in the game. It now feels like an early document of the atmosphere and musical language that would become closely associated with his name.

Album Notes

This album has become a staple for me, an EP I play when I study or create art. It’s interesting how often I turn it on, almost like it’s a soundtrack to whatever I’m doing. It puts me in a focused state, serving as background music. It doesn't ask a lot from me so I return frequently. My favorite thing about the EP is how it disappears; many tracks flow by so fluidly that they nearly escape my conscious attention. Yet, there are moments that break, revealing more dramatic and tactile sounds. I love the pairing of repetitive loops with glitchy effects. It’s smooth, with small ruptures so I only get half-hypnotized.

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Track Notes

1. Rounders — ★★★★★ I've always loved this song. It’s calming, and I can’t pinpoint when I first heard it, but I've been listening to it for a long time. It's on some of my oldest playlists. I adore how you can hear the loops. When the beat morphs and introduces that pulsing sound, it’s such an interesting moment. I get lost in the song in a really great way.

2. Fumes — ★★★★☆ I love the lo-fi mixed with sharp synths. It feels like opposites meeting. This track has a retro vibe that reminds me of old video games, and it’s no wonder the creators of Hotline Miami were drawn to this musical atmosphere. Learning that made me want to play the game. It also makes me want to listen to Groundislava; I really like this style and I used to be obsessed with this sound when I was in highschool.

3. Daisuke — ★★★★☆ I feel like I blink and these songs are over, passing so fluidly through time. Maybe it’s the loops—they’re such good background tracks that put me in a calm mood and help me focus. Sometimes the sound feels blown out, but I appreciate the effect when it glitches and goes in and out. I keep needing to relisten to tracks because I realize I completely missed it. The song just slipped by (I'm collaging right now).

4. Rest — ★★★★☆ Dramatic. I love dramatic booms in music. I really, really do… Imagine hearing that in a movie theater.

5. Bones — ★★★★☆ I love the guitar here. It’s an interesting intersection of sounds. The breakbeat style mixed with the guitar loop and a hint of dread really captivates me. It reminds me of glitchier music I enjoyed as a kid, like "Ants" by EdIT. The voice startled me, and the long outro was unexpected.

Released on Verve in March 1967, The Velvet Underground & Nico emerged from Andy Warhol’s Factory scene and the band’s “Exploding Plastic Inevitable” performances, pairing Lou Reed and John Cale’s avant-leaning approach with Nico’s featured vocals on key tracks. The album’s stark subject matter and abrasive textures clashed with the era’s dominant “flower power” mood, contributing to a muted commercial reception even as its influence grew over time. The 2012 45th Anniversary releases expanded the record’s context with remastered stereo/mono mixes and archival material including Factory rehearsals and early Scepter Studios recordings, framing how the album took shape before and around its original release.

Album Notes

Listening to this album was definitely an interesting experience. It had been on my list for a while, especially because I’ve always loved “Femme Fatale.” However, I found myself a bit underwhelmed. I didn’t realize Nico was only a guest voice and not the lead for the whole album, and I’m not really a fan of Reed’s voice on this project.

I had two parallel experiences: I understand why this is a cornerstone of music history, but I kept bumping into a personal friction—late-60s rock vocal phrasing and mixes just don’t resonate with me. This era of rock has always been tough for me to connect with, which frustrates me because I know it’s a classic staple album that many adore. It annoys me when I don’t enjoy something that’s widely loved; I guess we all have our own preferences. I do appreciate the hazy, vintage charm, but I’m sensitive to mix decisions and timbre. Some parts felt unbalanced, and moments physically hurt my ears. The distortion and chaotic tone at times left me feeling fatigued.

The album almost splits into two for me: Nico-led tracks that feel emotionally and aesthetically alive, and Reed-led tracks that feel like I’m translating a dialect I don’t enjoy. There are standout moments, especially in Nico’s identity-driven songs like “Femme Fatale,” “All Tomorrow’s Parties,” and “I’ll Be Your Mirror.” These tracks made me want to explore her other work. Overall I’m glad I finally listened to this album.

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Track Notes

1. Sunday Morning — ★★☆☆☆ It has a juvenile feeling, a bit too soft for my liking. I do like when the echoes enter. The twinkling sound gives it a nursery rhyme or childlike vibe. I could picture myself listening to it in a convertible driving down besides the beach, but I rarely do that.

2. I’m Waiting for the Man — ★★☆☆☆ At times, it feels heavy on my left ear, probably due to the guitar being so dominant on that channel. It’s funky, but the instrumental feels repetitive, like I’m caught in a loop.

3. Femme Fatale — ★★★★☆ A long-time favorite. It’s interesting to hear the context in which this song exists in the album. I always assumed there was one female lead singer in The Velvet Underground, but now I realize Nico is an addition, and I might prefer her sound over Reed’s. This song has always felt beautiful with its vintage charm. I love the hazy feel and the rhyme structure in the lyrics.

4. Venus in Furs — ★★★½☆ I like the strange tune in the background and the slower, marching feel. Still, Reed’s voice doesn’t resonate with me. I enjoy the mystical vibe of the song. If there were an instrumental version, I think I’d enjoy it much more. I do appreciate the BDSM themes and imagery.

5. Run Run Run — ★★☆☆☆ That first guitar solo actually hurt my ear. It sounds strangely unbalanced. I’d like to hear this song in a different setting. The second solo was better. I can feel how different this must have felt among other late-60s rock, but this era has historically been hard for me to connect with.

6. All Tomorrow’s Parties — ★★★★☆ I really like Nico’s voice. It makes me more curious about her music than continuing with The Velvet Underground’s discography. On this track she reminds me a bit of another artist I like, Anika. It feels almost improvisational, and I want to listen to this song every morning while getting dressed. I relate to the lyrics about assembling an identity through clothing. I love that it’s portrayed through a muted tone, not something joyful. This will quickly become a repeat listen for me.

7. Heroin — ★★★★☆ Loved the drums right off the bat. Reed’s voice has this up-and-down structure; it rises and falls so much, and I just don’t like where the emphasis lies in his delivery. It’s drawn out and talky at times. I do love how the song picks up speed. I enjoy when a song makes a dramatic change within itself, rather than across multiple songs. The shifts are interesting. I also appreciate the chaos of the song reflecting the chaos of addiction and the world around him. It’s a very candid take.

8. There She Goes Again — ★★★½☆ I like the harmonizations a lot, which helps since I’m not the biggest fan of Reed’s singing voice. It has the most “classic” sound to it. The lyrics and sound are fun, a little snarky. It’s enjoyable in the same way that “Girls” by the Beastie Boys is to me—offensive but all in good fun.

9. I’ll Be Your Mirror — ★★★★☆ I just love her. I’m glad Nico is back. What a contrast to the last song. This one feels nice, warm, and comforting—short and sweet.

10. The Black Angel’s Death Song — ★★☆☆☆ I think I like this version of Reed’s singing more than any other melodic setup. The song confuses me; I want to like it, but I just don’t. I respect the experimental quality, but overall it doesn’t come together for me. Certain sounds make me jump. It’s crazy because this is where I like Reed’s voice the most, but I don’t like the instrumentals this time. It feels like they swapped places from how I experienced the rest of the album.

Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black (Island Records, 2006) was her second and final studio album, recorded across 2005–2006 and shaped largely by producers Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi, with contributions from the Dap-Kings’ circle that helped give it a ‘60s-inspired soul/pop backbone. The album’s songs are widely associated with Winehouse’s highly publicized relationship turmoil at the time, pairing classic R&B arrangements with sharply modern, candid lyrics. After becoming a major UK success, the record’s US impact surged around the 2008 Grammy Awards, where Winehouse won five awards and performed “Rehab” via satellite from London.

Album Notes

I am seriously so happy I got this submission, I literally felt it in my heart! It’s an emotionally charged album for me that I already really love. So I was excited to listen again. Overall, I love Amy’s style so much. Her music has a mesmerizing quality that transports you to a different time. It reminds me of a different era, and the beauty of her voice is captivating. The juxtaposition of the retro sound with modern references creates a unique style that feels balanced perfectly.

I think it also just hits this emotional spot for me because even though I became a fan of Amy's after she had already passed, I remember seeing her in the media and how publicized her substance abuse battle was. As I grow older and I've had my own struggles with alcoholism and the entire storm that it creates with self worth, romance, emotional spirals—I just come to feel this album more and more as I age. When I’m also hit with the fact that Amy is gone, succumbing to the subject matter of the project itself, it makes the reality of dealing with addiction become very bleak. Hearing her sing so candidly about the experience she had in this way I cant help but get emotional and with this listen I cried, especially towards the beginning.

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Track Notes

1. Rehab — ★★★★★ Her voice is one of my favorites. I just love how she sounds. The subject matter is haunting, especially as a fan of Amy Winehouse, knowing she succumbed to addiction. It’s sad to hear in retrospect, and it carries a lot of emotional weight for me. As I’ve lived closer to addiction in my own life, the lyrics resonate more now than when I first heard the album. Addiction is a passionate topic for me, and the rawness of this album makes it feel incredibly real. The music is amazing, the style ingenious. It feels like it’s from a different time, much like Amy herself. It’s a beautiful song.

2. You Know I’m No Good — ★★★★★ The lyrics are raw and real, offering a candid glimpse into Amy's mind and lived experience. This kind of songwriting is perfect to me—extremely relatable. Her delivery is beautiful, matching the rawness of the lyrics. I feel enchanted, charmed by her singing.

3. Me & Mr Jones — ★★★★☆ This one really has a retro charm. The echoed vocals, the swanky guitar, and the piano—it’s just fun. I love the slower speed. The song production feels deep, and those echoed bass lines are nice.

4. Just Friends — ★★★★★ This song has always felt like pure magic to me. It’s both up and down at the same time, a sound you can float in. It’s super immersive, and her voice is truly beautiful. That little instrumental break towards the end feels perfectly placed.

5. Back to Black — ★★★★★ It feels dark, like a tragedy which ironically align’s with the trajectory of Amy’s life. I love the atmosphere of the song, with little details passing all around the soundstage really has a magical quality. This one sounds beautiful; it’s a full immersion I can feel. The mood change at the end is such a lovely moment in the song, and it has a cool structure.

6. Love Is a Losing Game — ★★★★★ This song instantly makes me cry. It’s one of those tracks that forces the emotion out of me, I have to be careful when I listen to it. She sounds incredibly vulnerable here, and the smoothness of the whole feeling is captivating. Such a standout track.

7. Tears Dry on Their Own — ★★★★☆ Her range is so interesting; I like this side of her voice. It’s a complete 180 from what we just heard in the last track. It feels like standing up after being beaten down. I love the storytelling in her lyrics.

8. Wake Up Alone — ★★★★★ I enjoy calming back down in the tempo. The way the lyrics fade out, as if the song ends for a moment before picking back into the melody, adds a mysterious quality. I can’t quite explain it, but it’s a very beautiful song. Sultry and sad at the same time.

9. Some Unholy War — ★★★★☆ This one has a direct, staccato delivery at certain parts that I love. Sometimes the twanginess of her voice can be a bit much for me on this one, but overall, it works.

10. He Can Only Hold Her — ★★★★☆ A beautiful song full of energy. It feels very clean and upbeat. To me, it’s the most “radio-ready” or maybe the most pop sounding. It’s catchy, and I love the horns at the end; they feel like they’re really singing.

Released in 2008 on Aniplex, TV Animation BLEACH (Original Soundtrack 3) collects 27 pieces by composer Shirō Sagisu from the later stretch of the BLEACH TV anime. The score blends orchestral writing with programmed drums and prominent guitar, and it notably leans into Spanish/Latin flavor in both track naming and musical texture. Recording credits span sessions in London and Tokyo, reflecting the soundtrack’s mix of live players and studio production.

Album Notes

I was so excited to listen to this album with intention. It’s definitely a formative album for me, and it happened almost unintentionally. This is my first time really sitting down to absorb it like this. I used to save Bleach songs into my YouTube playlist when I was a teenager, but nothing compares really to sitting and listening in full. I’ve listened to these tracks countless times while watching Bleach, which was my first anime and one of my favorites. It was such a formative show for me, and the nostalgia hit hard. These songs carry so much emotion, intertwined with memories and visuals.

While listening I got so curious about how the songs were created. Some tracks are strong, while others explore different styles. Did Sagisu compose the music after seeing the scenes, or did he create it based on emotional descriptions? It’s fascinating. Overall, I think the album captures the world of Bleach well, but my experience with it mirrors my feelings about the show itself. Some moments enthrall me, while others feel like filler. Just like with the series, I find myself wanting to stay with the standout tracks that resonate deeply, but then it dips into playfulness or transitions that disrupt my immersion. Those moments are where I don’t feel entirely captivated. I wish I could linger in the absolute standouts forever, but there are a handful of “filler-tone” tracks that drag down the overall experience, even though the world-building is strong. It basically mirrors how I feel about the show.

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Track Notes

1. La Distancia para un Duelo — ★★★★★ Perfect amount of loops and repeats. The song breaks at just the right times. It feels so nostalgic. I love the Latin influence—not just in the music but in this arc of the show as well with the introduction of the Espada. It creates such an interesting dynamic. Some of my favorite characters come from this era, and their backstories are so captivating. The strangeness of their world is palpable, and I can feel it in the music. It’s frantic and grounded at the same time, full of drama. Those beats in the background give it an almost electronic techno feel, mixed with guitar and violins. It’s a beautiful blend. Love how it grows. And that groove at the end? Damn…

2. Principio de Lucha — ★★★★☆ Sounds like a different rendition of the last song, almost like seeing it from a different angle. You’re obviously still in the same place. This one feels more fun, like a dance or a party, with a dramatic flair. The guitar goes wild at some parts, literally bursting with life. At times, it feels a bit one-note in the background.

3. Nube Negra — ★★★★★ Wow, that intro is just SO NOSTALGIC. I absolutely love this one. The way everything moves around itself is beautiful, with a beat to carry it. I adore that layer of repetition. The moment in the middle for the guitar to shine is just the cherry on top. Makes me close my eyes and just listen. I can even hear the deep breaths of the guitar player.

4. Clavar la Espada — ★★★★★ Love how each element is added in the beginning. The guitar keeps visiting us throughout this journey through Hueco Mundo. The style is phenomenal. The strings at the end go crazy, then pass it off to the guitar for a mysterious solo. The song is ENCHANTING. Seriously, the end is the strongest part.

5. No Regresar — ★★★★☆ This one instantly hits me with nostalgia. It’s interesting to think of these moments as introductions. A lot of the time, these serve as introductions to characters or some reveal their power. It’s like an unraveling who they are, and I feel that in the music. Some songs hit me hard because they’re tied to significant moments in the show. However, it feels half-fleshed out or incomplete in some way.

6. Fiesta de Guerra — ★★★☆☆ I can’t help but smile when the song picks up speed. The landscape of these songs is so cool. Starting slow had me on edge, knowing what was coming. This one reminds me of Grimmjow beating someone up. What a fun image.

7. Batalla, Batalla — ★★☆☆☆ This one makes me miss the strings. It feels emptier than the others.

8. Andar Errante — ★☆☆☆☆ I feel like I’m passing into something different here. It feels chaotic, like we’re bracing for something else. Sometimes the echo feels strange, and the instruments sound so DEEP. Hard to follow.

9. Get Smart! — ★★★★☆ Those horns got me… I didn’t know how I felt until they came in. Love the melody. This one’s funky, with a jazzy feel. At times, it even feels like there are lyrics—the horns really sing something!

10. Escalon — ★★★★★ WOW, that intro with the synth is another pure shot of nostalgia. The intensity of the song and how it breathes feels like a nod back to the energy at the beginning of the soundtrack. I love how it breathes at places, rests, then comes alive. The groove is incredible, and the addition of the synth is just the right amount of futurism.

11. Shady Charade — ★★★☆☆ Wow, this one almost has a hip-hop quality. There are so many interesting textures, and it feels sultry. It’s slow, and I love the mood.

12. Quincy’s Craft — ★★★★★ Got an instant smile out of me. Another super nostalgic one. This one stands out; it’s SO demanding and fast. Those deep synth sounds are amazing—it feels like a true score moment. It reminds me of Inception with how grand those scaling-down moments happen. The frantic energy is just incredible. This part in the middle has so much life to it. It feels like witnessing something evil, and it’s perfect.

13. Dominio del Chad — ★★★☆☆ It’s crazy how this song and the previous track match the characters they represent. This just feels like Chad from Bleach; I don’t know how else to explain it! The last one felt studious, while this one feels cool. Great job. I don’t like the song too much, but in the context of what it is, it does a phenomenal job.

14. KO — ★★☆☆☆ Feels like a silly little intermission.

15. Magot’s Dance — ★★☆☆☆ Silly. Just feels like those fun breaks in Bleach when little silly things happen, like a cutaway scene with Kon or something.

16. Orihime’s Line — ★★★★★ Wow, this song instantly became a favorite. It feels magical and surreal. So. Damn. Pretty. A true lullaby. I don’t even remember it, which makes it a fresh, amazing song for me. I’m taken aback by its beauty. That steady sound in the back is so calming and grounding. It feels like I’m underwater in a magical way or dreaming on a cloud.

17. Soundscape to Ardor — ★★★★★ You know how many times I cried to this song growing up? Literally sobbing because of how beautiful and emotional some of those scenes felt for me. I realize now that a big part of that was the music. It’s genuinely beautiful.

I loved this song so much when I was younger that I’d include it in my personal listening playlists. It still has an impact on me—it’s a formative song that makes me very emotional. The music, the memories, all of it. It’s just. So. Soft. This song captures longing, loss, grief, and confession. It conveys heavy moments so well. When you think about music production and hiring someone to create music for your vision, this is the kind of song you need to convey deep emotion. It’s mind-blowing.

18. Hollowed — ★★★★★ The title and sound of this song are so intense. I can visualize it. The clanking sounds are mesmerizing and have a primal feel, which is crazy because that’s what’s happening to Ichigo in his hollow form. It’s a unique way to capture the visuals of the show and the character. So ominous. I can hear GETSUGA TENSHOOOOOOOOO. Bro.

19. Anguish — ★★★★★ Love it. Reminds me of Alice Madness Returns, another soundtrack I adore. I love feeling scared through music in this way—not too intense, just a little uncomfortable. A little uncanny. I love when music can move me like that without being overtly scary. This has a weird calm effect as well.

20. Princess in Captivity — ★★★★☆ Love the change in pace. I love how empty the song sounds. It really captures that disorienting place. It’s like the sound of liminal space or the backrooms. Wandering through a place with no end?

21. Cops ’n Robbers — ★★☆☆☆ Caught me off guard. After getting over that, there are some fun moments, especially with the drums and bass. A little cheesy, but I think that’s the point.

22. Dancin’ in the Dunes — ★☆☆☆☆ I really wanted to skip it at certain parts. It makes me long for the more serious sounds, which is how I feel during those silly moments in Bleach. It’s the literal sound of a filler episode. I want to get back to fighting and intensity.

23. Can’t Back Down — ★★☆☆☆ Almost has a surfer rock quality or feels really retro.

24. Scoundrels — ★★★☆☆ I like the style. It has a good flow.

25. Yours Truly — ★★★★☆ Strong funky little moment. Feels like I’m witnessing a reveal or something.

26. Turkish Delight — ★★★★☆ I actually like this little moment. It has a glitchy feeling and is just the right amount of silly for my palate. I wish it were longer or more fleshed out.

Released in 2007, The Meaning of 8 finds Minnesota band Cloud Cult expanding their orchestral indie sound into something sweeping and spiritually reflective. Led by Craig Minowa and released through their eco-conscious Earthology Records, the album layers strings, horns, and dense harmonies around songs shaped by grief, faith, and questions of continuity. Arriving during the late-2000s indie boom, it stands as one of the band’s most ambitious and emotionally direct works.

Album Notes

This album is a mixed bag for me. I came in with high hopes, drawn by “Chain Reaction,” one of my all-time favorites. That song set a bar: cinematic scale, emotional catharsis, spatial mixing, and a grand arc. But the album didn’t consistently deliver that same transcendence. It’s 19 tracks long, and the inconsistency becomes amplified. There are beautiful moments sprinkled throughout, but overall, I found myself disappointed.

I appreciate the indie feel, but Minowa’s singing style often pulls me out of the experience. At times, it feels annoying or a bit forced, which detracts from the emotional impact. Many songs have this swelling effect, starting small and growing, and while they play with interesting sounds—like distorted electric guitar and snappy drum beats—nothing carries through with consistency. The energy isn’t sustained throughout the project, making the experience feel fragmented. I got peaks of emotion, but no cohesion.

Despite my overall feelings, there are a few tracks I genuinely love. The album has its moments, but it struggles to maintain the power and beauty I found in “Chain Reaction.”

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Track Notes

1. Chain Reaction — ★★★★★ Without a doubt, one of my favorite introductions to an album and one of my favorite songs for years. It’s the first song I heard by Cloud Cult. I love the emotions it takes me through. The song feels like it physically GROWS around you. It’s cathartic. I adore the use of the soundstage; some voices come from one direction, some from others. The bouncing intro? I can’t help but love it. The sentiment in the lyrics stays with me. I believe in manifestation and energy, so this song is just a package deal for me.

2. Please Remain Calm — ★★☆☆☆ I didn’t know how to feel at first, but that little piano section and bass in the middle completely got my attention. I like how the song builds. Some of the harmonies in the beginning didn’t resonate with me, but when they dropped away, I started enjoying the song more.

3. Chemicals Collide — ★★★☆☆ This song makes me feel nostalgic for the days when I mainly listened to indie music. So fragile and pretty. I love the variety of instruments here. Really beautiful moments with the bass.

4. Pretty Voice — ★★☆☆☆ The song grows so slowly, almost too slowly for me. Some of the warped vocals are an interesting touch, but I don’t think I’m fully sold on the track. It feels like it doesn’t build into anything solid, which hurts for a song that’s nearly 4 minutes long. Like unresolved anticipation.

5. Brian Gateway — ★★★☆☆ I love the distortion on the guitar; it really fills up the song and has this aggressive quality. The fuzzy feel of the instruments in this track is great. What a beautiful moment in the middle! That delicate twinkling sound shocked me. That layer picked up the song for me.

6. Take Your Medicine — ★★★★☆ I like the shift in Minowa’s tone while he sings in this song. It starts to have this magical quality. It’s pretty catchy. I feel this vulnerability in how he leans into the lyrics, while in other parts, his singing sounds demanding and strong. Overall, I like it.

7. Your 8th Birthday — ★★★☆☆ The guitar is so unrelenting and fast; it caught my attention right off the bat. This song has that same growing feeling I felt in “Chain Reaction.” It just feels like release at certain parts, and if I'm not mistaken, this song may be referring to the singer's son who passed away, Kaidin. The song is packed with emotion.

8. Dance for the Dead — ★★★☆☆ I liked this warped thudding sound in the back; I’m not sure quite what it is, but it feels like a drum with a thick blanket over it. This feels more like a chant than a song, but it’s pretty. It’s just repetitive. It feels like ascending somewhere or floating away. The layered vocals are a particularly beautiful section.

9. Everywhere All at One Time — ★★☆☆☆ This feels like a little break to rest midway through the album. Once again, it has this growing effect; it just gets more and more intense. That seems like a recurring theme. I do think it does a good job at passing you to the next song.

10. Purpose — ★★★★☆ Absolutely love the relationship between the drums and the piano. I like how raw the instrumentation feels at certain parts. They create space and pauses to bring attention to a single instrument, which is very interesting. I can’t expect what will happen next. I love when they give that space for an instrument to breathe. Then layered growth brings things back up to speed perfectly. That last line and vocalization are really beautiful.

11. A Good God — ★★★☆☆ This song scratches an itch for me. I like the underlying beat and the stop-go feeling in the beginning, leaving room for emptiness—something I also liked in the previous track. The super-fast strumming of the guitar with abrupt pauses is my favorite part; it reminds me of moments earlier in track 7. You can really feel the tension.

12. The Shape Of 8 — ★★★★★ This is just my favorite. The passing between left and right ear is well done. I love this chaotic, almost guitar record scratch. Once again, adding those breaks for air is so effective; everything can just hit all at once again. I love how hollow the whole thing sounds. Some parts get out of control, especially in the left ear; it’s my favorite song so far.

13. The Girl Underground — ★★★★☆ Beautiful transition into this track. The instrumental immediately pulls me in—the deeper tones are mesmerizing. But as soon as the lyrics begin, it loses me. The vocal delivery feels theatrical, almost overly spoken, and it doesn’t sit naturally in the soundscape for me. The instrumentation, though, is gripping. By the end, it feels cinematic, like a chase scene building in tension. That final swell really works.

14. 2x2x2 — ★★☆☆☆ I love the electric guitar tone here. The repetition works—it builds tension and then releases it. It almost feels symphonic in how it swells and settles. The exaggerated vocal style, though, pulls me out of it. The performance feels lighter and more theatrical than the music underneath, and that clash makes it hard for the emotional arc to fully land.

15. Thanks — ★★★★☆ This is a beautiful moment. I tend to prefer his voice when it’s softened and understated rather than more talkative or performative. Here, it sits naturally in the mix. The layering with the female vocal is stunning—she almost functions like an instrument, adding texture rather than competing for attention. The pacing is incredibly slow, maybe the slowest so far, creating this slightly uncanny stillness at the start. But it grows in such a controlled way. The pauses feel intentional and perfectly placed.

16. Alien Christ — ★☆☆☆☆ This one lost me. It feels almost like gibberish—stream-of-consciousness in a way that doesn’t give me anything solid to follow. I think it’s the wavering in his voice that pulls me out; that part of his singing style just doesn’t land for me. Even the more interesting musical parts can’t quite save it. The overall tone feels overly joyous, almost jolly at times, and that brightness pushes it further away from what I connect to.

17. The Deaf Girl’s Song — ★☆☆☆☆ I couldn’t get into it. This one has a sterile feel. I think the subject matter is interesting, and I feel like I’m getting let in on a story, but I wish the delivery was different musically.

18. Hope — ★★★★☆ I feel like I hear teasers of the melody in “Chain Reaction,” which excites me and keeps me on the edge of my seat. It doesn’t seem to grow to have that same grandiosity, though; I was hoping it would. The song does add interesting textures with these bubbling sounds, and it feels like a breathing landscape that rises and calms, almost like waves. Then this distorted guitar joins the mix, and I just get pulled back in. I take it back; the song does grow in a similar way to “Chain Reaction,” but it doesn’t have those lyrics that carry it home as much as the opening track. They feel like mirror images. This song feels like praising something.

Lady Gaga released MAYHEM on March 7, 2025 via Interscope, positioning it as a pop-forward record that still pulls from a wide mix of influences. Executive produced by Gaga, Michael Polansky, and Andrew Watt, the 14-track album followed singles “Disease” and “Abracadabra,” and also includes her Bruno Mars collaboration “Die With a Smile.” The album debuted at No. 1 in the U.S. and U.K., and later won Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2026 Grammy Awards.

Album Notes

Each song feels like a single experience, then it just stops. The album as a whole doesn’t carry me through anything. There’s a general vibe, but it lacks an overarching story. Maybe that’s a pop tactic—crafted for radio or virality? I’m not sure, but it’s something I noticed. It feels like a lineup of singles, each engineered to land fast, announce a hook, then wrap up. I tend to forget the songs right after I hear them.

The songs themselves feel predictable and safe. At first, they seem novel with interesting sounds and effects, but once you hear the first quarter of any of the songs, you know what the whole song will sound like. That’s what loses my attention. The song tells you what it is early, then just repeats until it’s done. I felt a bit underwhelmed by the album. I wanted something extravagant or avant-garde. There’s so much potential for experimentation, but this is just clear-cut pop. I do like when Gaga’s voice leans into the spooky or theatrical; that makes sense to me. But sometimes, within the pop structure, I just lose interest. The songs feel extremely repetitive, and the formula doesn’t change throughout the album.

Don’t get me wrong, there are great moments, like “Abracadabra” and “The Beast” which is ironic to me because those two songs are almost opposites sonically—one feels like a hyper-maximalism UP song, the other a restrained emotional moment. I do tend to like Gaga’s sound most when she leans into character—those moments feel alive. I don’t like the clean, radio-perfect pop delivery of her voice. The album felt like it wanted to have this dark feeling. Everything from the album art, lyrics, and the spooky textures of certain songs, but it sits there in contradiction with the sanitized, bubble-wrapped production. That dark aura feels more like an aesthetic than an emotional delivery.

If anything this makes me want to revisit Gaga’s earlier works, like The Fame/The Fame Monster which I think I’d enjoy. I haven’t listened to either all the way through, but I’m familiar with many tracks. I want to explore her sound more to figure out if this is a one-off that just didn’t click for me or if it’s Gaga’s overall sound. It’d be interesting to listen to the earlier work putting nostalgia aside and just listening to the music. Do those earlier songs resonate with me more because they fit my listening interests better?

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Track Notes

1. Disease — ★★☆☆☆ Almost overwhelming at times—like too much happening, but it sounds very classic Gaga from what I know of her. Super upbeat, the song is filled to the brim, except for that one quiet moment at the end. It has a super poppy structure to it. The echoed vocalizations are my favorite part of the song.

2. Abracadabra — ★★★★☆ Super catchy! That chorus is insane. It feels like being taken to a different room. Not the biggest fan of the verses in-between, but I love this techno feeling. It has crazy maximalism; I can hear lights flashing, strobes, confetti, disco balls. So theatrical, like it’s meant for the stage. I wish I could bottle up that “abracadabra” bit—it feels like a shot of energy. I love the way that the music grows at the same pace that Gaga’s voice is growing. It feels like you’re hearing a balloon inflate or something. The outro caught me; I liked the end the most when she’s just vocalizing.

3. Garden Of Eden — ★☆☆☆☆ Not sure what it is about the vocal effects or lyrics, but it feels juvenile—like something from Disney Channel. Very clean-cut pop. The song feels so polished, lacking soul, which is ironic given the song’s subject.

4. Perfect Celebrity — ★☆☆☆☆ Powerful visuals; I can picture the song. It feels like a fourth wall break, deeply personal, but hard for me to relate through this style of filtered production. Some rock elements peek through, especially in the breakdowns at the end, which are the most interesting part. I don’t think I’d return to this one.

5. Can’t Stop the High — ★☆☆☆☆ The style and lyrics feel repetitive. I’m still in the same sound so far in this project. It feels stale, one-dimensional?

6. Vanish Into You — ★☆☆☆☆ I like when she does this creepy feel; it’s almost Halloween-ish. But when the chorus comes back around, I dread it—like, oh, here we go again. It doesn’t feel like a return; it feels mechanical. The verses don’t take me anywhere, so it’s like, okay, back to the chorus again.

7. Killah — ★★★☆☆ This one is fun! At points, it pushes into almost too comedic territory, but maybe that’s intentional. It’s the catchiest so far since "Abracadabra." Still has that polished, squeaky-clean feeling I’m not a fan of. And once again, the end is my favorite part. These songs feel packaged; if they dare to be fun or push boundaries, it waits until the end—formulaic. But I liked that ending; it had sounds I enjoy and kept my attention.

8. Zombieboy — ★★★☆☆ This one is funky and has that Halloween feeling again. The chant intro is super fun. The bassline caught me off guard—a pleasant moment in the mix. I love it. I just wish her voice wasn’t drowned out by all the elements at the end. Her voice sounds powerful, but I can’t hear it over the layers of production and effects. I wish I could just remove a few elements.

9. The Dead Dance — ★★★½☆ I like the atmosphere right off the bat. The song grows nicely; it’s not rushed and builds well. Strong start. It has an ominous feeling that’s inviting, like a smoky room. It’s catchy and repetitive, but in a better way this time. Kinda gives a “Monster Mash” vibe at the end; funny how much I like these Halloween-sounding songs.

10. LoveDrug — ★☆☆☆☆ When I heard yet again that we’re talking about dancing, it’s just funny. Is the theme of the album dancing and Halloween? It feels one-note, not really building to anything, just handing me the same concept in different packages.

11. How Bad Do U Want Me — ★★☆☆☆ Some fun sounds and effects here; I feel like I can bop to it. Once again, the end has the most texture. I’m liking the lyrics a bit more here, but it’s so predictable that I can guess at this point what part of the song I’ll like the most. Almost forgot I was listening to Gaga; her voice seems so different here.

12. Don’t Call Tonight — ★☆☆☆☆ It has this stadium feeling that’s a little melodramatic to me, but that seems to be the style of the album. By the end, it feels so repetitive that I almost want to skip it. Some of the guitar textures and synth at the end are fun.

13. Kill For Love — ★☆☆☆☆ Sometimes her vocal style hurts; it feels strained. I don’t like how the harmonies are layered—it sounds too clean. Once again, I can predict a fun moment at the end, then it’s back to the chorus one more time. The structure is so STRUCTURED. Palatable, but very predictable.

14. Shadow Of A Man — ★☆☆☆☆ The most interesting part is the deep echoes of her own voice.

15. The Beast — ★★★★☆ This one is interesting. I like the stripped-down sound and slower tempo. It’s a calmer moment without sound packed into every molecule. I enjoy the storytelling; it sounds emotional, like she’s singing through something. I like the brooding sound, but it still has that rigid structure. Strange how it reminds me of “Bleeding Love” by Leona Lewis.

16. Blade Of Grass — ★★★☆☆ Such a beautiful moment here; I like the isolation of her voice. Still, I get lost and more bored the longer it goes.

Released in 2006 on Triple Crown Records, As Tall as Lions was the band’s first full-length album, following their 2004 EP Lafcadio. Emerging from the mid-2000s indie and post-hardcore scene, the record expanded their early sound into something more theatrical and structurally ambitious. Driven by Daniel Nigro’s elastic vocals and unpredictable songwriting, it became a cult favorite within underground emo and art-rock circles.

Album Notes This was a really amazing listen. Some of the effects I heard here are going to stay with me — moments that felt genuinely new, like the shifting guitars in “Song for Luna” or the way certain tracks suddenly bloom into color. I know an album is amazing when I don’t feel the need to replay something to decide how I feel about out it. I just know. Most of these tracks felt that way.

There was only section fo the album that ost me in the middle, and even that feels minor in the context of everything else. What makes this record work is its sense of dynamic contrast — it holds back, then releases at exactly the right time. It balances power and restraint so carefully that the emotional intensity never tips into melodrama. The songwriting blends emo and indie in a way that feels matured and stable, never irritating, never excessive.

The final stretch is what sealed it for me. Those last three tracks create a sustained emotional cycle — stripped down, hollow, then slowly reintroduced with softness. It didn’t just end in sadness. It transformed sadness into motion. It felt like the album was holding something fragile in its hands and choosing when to let it expand. By the end, I was in tears.

For me the album was about love and self-worth, about what loving someone can do to you internally. Dramatic, but controlled. Expansive, but balanced. It’s easily becoming one of my favorites.

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Track Notes

1. Stab City — ★★★★★ I am literally blown away by the production of this song. It shoots to life a quarter of the way through, it felt like seeing something black-and-white turn to color. The motion in the song is impressive; this song has depth and motion. The harmonizing at the beginning makes me realize this is going to be good. It excites me as the first track. It draws me in. The sweeping guitar is such a great sound—full of life. The use of silence and restraint is perfect. The drums catch my ear too; the drummer is back there killing it. The band is perfectly balanced. I love the emotional singing style; he almost accompanies this amazing band rather than the other way around. The instrumental is just so amazing; they stand eye to eye.

2. Song for Luna — ★★★★★ Starts so beautifully. That little clicking beat at the beginning is so nice, and the drums—wow. It’s one of those extremely environmental tracks that feels like traveling through a place. The back-and-forth guitar from left to right ear is a genius moment. It’s so interesting and textured; I can’t help but be in love with that effect.

I can’t stop moving when I listen to this one. This song changes how I listen to music, introducing me to a sound I grow to adore. Love the airy harmonizations. Seriously, it’s the perfect balance of intensity, softness, speed, and pauses. It brings you on this journey—explosive one moment, soft the next. Love it.

3. A Break, A Pause — ★★★★★ The drowned-out sound is seriously beautiful, like an old radio. It makes the band sound alive, bringing the song to color—AGAIN. They’re good at this. I love how heavy it feels; it brings me down, in a good way, like resting my eyes. It could make me cry; it pulls on my emotions. Ending the way it started is a brilliant way to put the song to rest.

4. Love, Love, Love (Love, Love) — ★★★★★ I really love how this album travels. It feels like one fluid sequence—beautiful. The style of this one, with its glittery, glimmering sounds, is a perfect touch. I love how he hits his high notes; it has this emo sound but evolved, stable, with the perfect amount of restraint. He has a powerful, beautiful voice. The last chorus pulls on my heartstrings.

5. Ghost of York — ★★★★☆ I wasn’t the biggest fan of the song in the start, but then it got to the “Tell me…” bit, and the song just it lit up. The outro is insane. The way the song grows on me emotionally is a steady upward trajectory, but it ends much stronger than it starts.I enjoyed getting all the power at the end, like an explosion.

6. Milk and Honey — ★★★☆☆ This one just doesn’t catch my ear; it has a repetitive feel. Kind of one-dimensional at parts compared to the other heavy moments I’ve felt so far. The guitars sound great, and those drums are so good again, but it feels a bit sweepy or drawn out.

7. Be Here Now — ★★★★★ Well, if the last track put me to sleep, this one woke me back up right at the beginning. The guitar sounds so fun in the back; it catches my ear the most. The switch mid-song is perfect, instantly changing my mood—my favorite little trick a song can do. I prefer the second half, but honestly, they work well together, feeling dynamic as one experience. The choir-type sound at the end is nice.

8. I’m Kicking Myself — ★★★★★ At first, I wanted to not like the indie singer-songwriter sound in the middle of this experience, but the lyrics were so powerful that I forgot about that when I was moved emotionally by the writing. It almost needs silence to be said, and this stripped-down feel works, even though it feels random in this specific project. It made me cry; the song is beautiful.

9. Where Do I Stand? — ★★★★★ I’m so glad this song started softly after the last track. I was afraid it would be another moment like track 7. I love being teased by the band coming back in; it prepares us for sound after such an emotional moment. It feels just as emotional as the last track, even though it’s faster. It’s a great way to carry the emotion through these tracks. The last one felt like crying down; this one feels like crying up, if that makes sense. Great track, especially in the context of the album. These two tracks feel like pairs or two sides of the same coin. The Christmas feeling at the end is magical, like snow falling in the song plus a heartbeat. The end of The Giver?

10. Maybe I’m Just Tired — ★★★★★ Am I simply crying through the whole last part of the album? Looks like it. This is such a beautifully hollow-sounding song in the beginning. It’s perfect. I don’t have many words, but I cried looking out my window.

Released in 2016 after a four-year gap, Anti marked a shift in Rihanna’s career from high-volume pop releases to a more curated, mood-driven project. Distributed through Roc Nation with an unconventional Samsung-backed rollout, the album blended R&B, trap, and psychedelic influences while favoring atmosphere over radio polish. Featuring collaborators like Drake, SZA, and producers including Noah “40” Shebib, Anti debuted at No. 1 and is widely regarded as one of her most cohesive works to date.

Album Notes

ANTI (Deluxe) has this overall moody feel. It feels drawn out, long, almost mumbled, muffled out in a hazy environment. Conceptually cool, but there are lots of peaks and valleys for me. I listened to the deluxe version, which includes three extra songs that ended up being my favorites. They sound more fun and dynamic than some of the original tracklist. The album starts strong but loses me toward the end. Some songs are really good, but it didn’t hold me emotionally. It sounds clean and safe, even within the realm of experimental pop. I’m glad I listened to the deluxe version because those bonus tracks really picked the energy back up. Without them, the finish would have felt really flat.

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Track Notes

1. Consideration (feat. SZA) — ★★★☆☆ It has this simple, almost empty sound. I like the timbre of her voice and delivery—just catchy. Almost wish it felt more dynamic. Harmonies are really pretty. Somber feeling to it, especially at the end.

2. James Joint — ★☆☆☆☆ Has this nice mystical feeling.

3. Kiss It Better — ★★★★☆ Vocals are really good here. Super dreamy and hypnotic. Feels big in scale. I love the harmonizing with the guitar—really beautiful landscape. Feels nostalgic. These big sweeping sounds are so cool.

4. Work (feat. Drake) — ★★★☆☆ I mean, it’s just catchy as fuck. You can't help but love the song, especially Rihanna’s verses. Her dialect here is so nice to listen to. Her voice is just as bouncy as the beat. I get lost in it. The jump to Drake’s voice is stark—his style so drawn out, almost doesn’t even feel like English compared to her bright and clear tone. I like it.

5. Desperado — ★★☆☆☆ Sometimes the breathiness of her voice is hard for me. This one feels dramatic, but in a clean way when I wish it was dirty? I don’t know, it just feels bubble-wrapped in many ways.

6. Woo — ★★★★☆ It must be something about listening to this album up close that takes away from the experience of how these songs are produced. I feel like this is one of those times where the music isn’t created to be heard through a microscope—more felt through a space. This song feels much more impactful, or even sounds better when some of the clarity is removed or compressed to make it not sound so odd. The song feels unstable in a way. I do like the strange beat in the back and how haunting it sounds. Feels like something following behind you. It has this interesting feeling to it—I'd say it’s my favorite so far. You can hear Travis Scott’s production style all over this.

7. Needed Me — ★★☆☆☆ I like the echoed verses. I think I like her singing here the most so far in the project. I think it’s just the themes I’m not relating with or something, but I don’t know why my emotions don’t get gripped the way I wish they would.

8. Yeah, I Said It — ★☆☆☆☆ Just seems very simple, too simple? Very repetitive. Yeah, she said it.

9. Same Ol’ Mistakes — ★★★★☆ Now this is seriously a beautiful moment, and I love the song. Such a great Tame Impala cover. It’s interesting that it’s an exact copy of the song but sounds so different because of Rihanna's voice. That is just really cool, and I don’t hear that a lot. It’s like hearing the song through a mirror—it’s just so different. Both versions have the perfect amount of hazy dreaminess. This is one of those moments where I have the joy of seeing pop meet alternative and combine in this unique way. It feels like a handshake of those worlds, making for a really interesting song. Feels far from the other pop sounds in the album. Still, I’m not sure why this whole album style has this flat, kind of murky sound. One-dimensional?

10. Never Ending — ★☆☆☆☆ Surprising little moment for me—I wasn’t expecting this sound. I like the indie feeling; sometimes it even has a country feel. It feels extremely left field to me.

11. Love on the Brain — ★★☆☆☆ It’s crazy how different she sounds here versus earlier songs on the album. This one’s kind of funky. Feels restrained in parts. I kind of feel that throughout the project, but that could be the intention. The songwriting is good—some lines start to catch my ear here for one of the first times. I kind of like the retro ballad sound.

12. Higher — ★☆☆☆☆ This one has a horrible static crunch sound that I actually hated. The whole song sounds painful to me, even some of Rihanna’s delivery. Very raw, almost too raw.

13. Close to You — ★☆☆☆☆ Feels very clean. Polished, squeaky clean. I feel like I’m watching a sad slideshow with fading transitions. It’s a little too polished for my personal taste.

14. Goodnight Gotham — ★★★★☆ Like the glitchy landscape and some of the reversed, zippy vocals. It’s a reopen-your-eyes moment after the album would’ve been closed (no bonus tracks).

15. Pose — ★★★★☆ Now I like this—these bonus tracks are fun. Like, just fuck it, I’ll just make something fun, and I can’t help but dance to it. The sound effects and fun harmonies—it’s a bop. Great energy, especially there at the end.

Released in 2011 on Domino, Coastal Grooves marked Devonté Hynes’ reinvention as Blood Orange after earlier projects Test Icicles and Lightspeed Champion. The album blends minimal drum machines, post-punk textures, and 1980s-inspired synth pop into a sparse, intimate sound. Arriving during a broader indie revival of R&B and new wave influences, it established the foundation for the more expansive and politically charged Blood Orange albums that followed.

Album Notes

This album really surprised me. It’s the earliest Blood Orange I’ve heard — I’ve mostly lived with Negro Swan — so I expected something smaller or rougher, but it still sounds fully formed in its own way. Not as grand in scale, but immersive. That’s the biggest thing for me. I feel taken somewhere when I listen to this. And when the lyrics aren’t what’s emotionally pulling me in, the environment absolutely is.

The whole record feels unhurried. Nothing is rushed. If anything, every song takes its time — growing slowly, lingering in its own atmosphere, stretching out into long outros that almost blur at the edges. There’s this hazy quality to everything, like the corners are rounded off. Nothing is too sharp or sudden. It almost has this old movie, old west undertone at times. Smoky rooms. Echoes. Plunking guitars. Textures bouncing around my head.

What I keep noticing is how much space and spatial movement matter here. Sounds ripple from ear to ear. Little taps, glittery tones, hollow knocks — they swirl and float. The production feels intentional and dynamic without being overwhelming. Even when a vocal performance isn’t my favorite, the instrumental world is so strong that it carries me. The music is what draws my emotions out. I can struggle with very distinct or stylized vocal deliveries it is really hit or miss, but this swanky, slightly retro way Hynes sings actually works for me here. It matches the texture of everything else. The album feels cohesive in its atmosphere. Chill, immersive, textured, and patient. It’s not explosive — it’s enveloping.

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Track Notes

1. Forget It — ★★★★☆ That little guitar was a surprise when it finally hit. I really wasn’t expecting it. The timing of the pauses is perfect. The production is super clear, almost surfy and nostalgic. Hynes’s voice has a captivating effect. It feels repetitive but catchy, light, and uplifting. His vocalization feels retro.

2. Sutphin Boulevard — ★★★★★ Instantly catchy. It feels like something turning on for me. Makes me move my body. The plunking guitar is lovely in the background; the song has so much texture, like water on a speaker, bouncing and rippling. I love the plunkiness of his singing style—it matches the staccato sounds. It’s like rain or things dropping around me. Great change of tempo; I love the empty parts that play with my ear. This glitter sound is beautiful. The guitar sings as much as his actual voice. The brooding, moody undertones, especially at the end with sprinkles of glitter, are beautiful.

3. I’m Sorry We Lied — ★★★★☆ I love the speed here. The juxtaposition between the fast drums and drawn-out, slow guitars is captivating. They sweep over slowly and calmly on this frantic beat. I enjoy the singing style; he’s almost tiptoeing over his words and other times he sounds like he’s pleading, with a frog in his throat. So interesting, in a good way. I love the environment of the song. I might love it even more if it were just instrumental because that’s what moves me. I like how it trails off at the end. This song has an ‘80s feel.

4. Can We Go Inside Now — ★★★★★ Wow, how hazy and dreamy is this? I love the environment—it feels like a smoky room or an old western saloon. It puts me somewhere. I adore the deeper moments when his voice drops. The texture made with the guitar is so cool. His voice is extremely beautiful. I’m so glad that guitar looped twice at the end; it was the cherry on top.

5. S’Cooled — ★★★☆☆ I love these little hollow tapping sounds coming from all around. It’s so dynamic, with tiny sounds everywhere. I do think it’s very simple. Those sounds are the most interesting part of the song. The lyrics and vocals leave me wishing for more.

6. Complete Failure — ★★★★★ Wow, this is beautiful. I’m blown away by how pretty that opening was. I like the direction he takes his voice, moving up and down so well. It has a dark, haunted quality—so cool. The plunking guitar returns, sounding tight, like physically tight strings or something intense. I feel like I’m being told a mysterious, old-timey story.

7. Instantly Blank (The Goodness) — ★★★☆☆ I love the layered vocals. There’s so much to hold my attention. I wasn’t really interested in the song until it started happening. The space the voices take up around my head is captivating; they bounce around. It’s mixed so well. Sometimes, I felt the song trailed on too much.

8. The Complete Knock — ★★☆☆☆ Once again, these sounds swarm from ear to ear, almost like whispers. I love that. But this song feels happier or more upbeat. It lost me a bit with the pace. I love the long stretch to just hear the music. Nothing is rushed, which is nice, but sometimes it feels slightly boring. This song is long, too. The end with the synth sounds felt a tad dated, but when it transformed into those bouncing droid sounds, I loved that little bit.

9. Are You Sure You’re Really Busy? — ★★★★☆ This is probably my least favorite vocal performance here; the whispers are loud and quiet, slightly uncomfortable for me. But that ending with the drums shocked me. The song does a 180 once the lyrics are stripped away. The piano is such a beautiful touch. The song has great spatial dynamics. The way it grows is magical. It feels grand in scale, even though it sounds simple. The last bit with the guitar solo feels so cathartic.

10. Champagne Coast — ★★★★☆ It's funny to finally have context for this song since it’s one I used to hear someone sing all the time. This song is so catchy, but the beat feels slightly like a loop I’m trapped in. Too crisp or maybe too perfect. I can hear behind the fourth wall of looped instrumentals when I shouldn’t be able to. I love the shaky delivery of the lyrics, especially in the chorus.