Mariah the Scientist – “Hearts Sold Separately” review

Mariah the Scientist is a 27 year old singer/songwriter from Atlanta, Georgia whom Tory Lanez signed to 1 Umbrella Records & RCA Records following her debut EP To Die For. Once her full-length debut Master & the sophomore effort Ry Ry World came out, she would go on to start her own imprint Buckles Laboratories distributed by Epic Records & it’s inaugural release To Be Eaten Alive made her one of the most popular R&B artists today. She even had one of my favorite songs on KAYTRANADA’s 3rd album Timeless & that was a factor in me checking out her 4th album.

“Sacrifice” produced by 1985 makes for a nostalgically lush intro basically reflecting on her being separated from her current boyfriend Young Thug for a period of 300 days because of the latter’s R.I.C.O. case leading into Rogét Chahayed cooking up the calculated 2-parter “United Nations + 1,000 Ways to Die” sings about Thug getting her high off their love.

Meanwhile on “Eternal Flame”, we have Mariah over a funkier yet atmospheric instrumental feeling confident that nothing will tear her or the YSL Records founder apart even if it almost did when the latter was incarcerated just before “Is It a Crime?” featuring Kali Uchis finds the pair asking what the problem is with them falling in love a couple times.

“Burning Blue” blends alternative & contemporary R&B with alt-pop to use the hottest form of fire as a striking metaphor for the deep connection that she shares with Thug must before “All I Want + In Pursuit” begins the 2nd half of Hearts Sold Separately with another track split into 2 halves singing about her desire to have her mans by her side.

Themes of self-reliance bleed heavy during the course of “More” stylistically throwing it back to the ‘80s & ‘90s while “Rainy Days” throws it back to the Master era singing about her being naive as opposed to ignorance as well as asking if it’s possible for one to to make mistakes & lose their way.

“Like You Never” embraces a trap soul vibe to ask if Young Thug would love her like he’s never loved anyone in the past & trusting her as if he doesn’t have inhibitions prior to the bittersweet l “No More Entertainers” finishing the most important entry in Mariah’s discography airing out an ex of hers over an addictive London on da Track beat singing that he was more of an entertainer than a lover.

Honoring the legacies of R&B greats like Sade or Babyface to name a couple, Hearts Sold Separately feels completely different from anything Mariah the Scientist has done previously with a contemporary R&B full-length that ventures out to the depths of synthpop, sophisti-pop, neo-soul & alternative R&B vitally addressing modern society’s war on love. Refusing to be led by heartless womanizers, she pictures herself & most women as toy soldiers who will lay their lives on the line for the sake of love only to realize that men view them as nothing more than disposable playthings used strictly for entertainment.

Score: 4.5/5

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Dominic Fike – “Rocket” review

Dominic Fike is a 29 year old musician, singer/songwriter & rapper from Naples, Florida who Columbia Records signed in 2018 off his debut EP Don’t Forget About Me & later What Could Possibly Go Wrong? during the COVID-19 pandemic. He would later join the cast of the Warner Bros.-owned HBO series Euphoria during it’s previous season & the sophomore effort Sunburn was more well received than it’s predecessor. 14 Minutes last spring preluded his debut mixtape here to mixed feedback & he’s finally dropping it after the recent formation of Geezer this summer.

To get the tape going, “All Hands on Deck” comes out the gate by displaying his range singing & rapping about wanting to inhabit the safe zone of an individual he deeply cares for whereas “Aftermath” goes into an indie rock direction finding him trying to get over an ex of his. The cheerful atmosphere of “Smile” suits it’s lyrics about how it’s not what you’re missing or could’ve done better prior to the funky “Sandman” inviting this woman to be his drifter.

“Great Pretender” colorfully tells this influencer who always spoke so kindly that he sees right through their bullshit & that they do a really good job at making it seem as if their words are sincere while “$500 Fine” talks about having the feeling that he could’ve made the relationship work if he didn’t fuck up 3 times. “1 Glass” despite it’s underwritten structuring embraces the indie rock sound again advising to come get him if he’s lying while “Quite the Opposite” talking about the only thing he knows how to do is make songs that’re apologetic.

Reaching the 3rd & final act, “Upset & Aggressive” realizing that he’ll get rolled over every time he would come over to see this woman who would eventually cut him out while “David Lyons” references Gene Wilder’s character in the film See No Evil, Hear No Evil. The epilogue takes a more soothing route instrumentally singing about being left behind & astray while the self-produced “Still Feel It” ends by explaining that there’s no backstory or words used in vein.

Reflecting on recent life events whilst showing personal growth & maturity, Dominic Fike continues to seek beauty in harrowing-but-tender emotional bloodletting with the most deeply personal collection of ideas. The production here primarily focuses on bedroom pop aside from occasional detours into pop rock, indie rock, alt-pop & pop rap to provide a new perspective in light of him becoming a father.

Score: 3.5/5

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Concrete Rekordz – “5$tarCrete” review

Concrete Rekordz is an Atlanta, Georgia record label founded by Lil Yachty as a subsidiary of Quality Control Music & Motown Records. He has since signed Camo!, Dc2Trill, Draft Day & formerly KARRAHBOOO. They released a debut showcase compilation It’s Us receiving mixed-to-negative feedback & is having PlaqueBoyMax host a debut EP ahead of It’s Us 2 over exactly 4 months since Boat was at WrestleMania XLI sporting a shirt of the inaugural AEW tbs Champion & former 2-time WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Jade Cargill.

“Go” starts with a trap instrumental lenient towards sampling talking shout them not breaking any sweats whenever they issue any threats whereas “Big Spender” featuring PlaqueBoyMax references TKO Group Holdings co-founder Vince McMahon fresh off his recent interview regarding the death of the inaugural IWGPヘビー級王座, former 12-time WWE world champion, WWE tag team champion, 2-time WWE Hall of Famer, Real American Beer founder, Real American Freestyle Wrestling (RAF) co-founder & known racist Hulk Hogan.

Former 2-time NXT Tag Team Champion Ludwig Kaiser may or may not have been referred to on “It’s Us” nearly a week after him, the current WWE Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio & former AAA Mundial Parejas Campeon Dragon Lee failing to end former The Crash Pesocompleto Campeon El Hijo del Vikingo’s ongoing 2nd reign as AAA Mega Campeon at Triplemanía XXXIII while “Life’s Proper” by Lil Yachty proves to be my favorite song of the 4 talking about the way life is trading him.

It’s Us wasn’t really all that interesting to me personally because it felt like KARRAHBOOO was the only signee that was actually entertaining besides Lil Yachty himself & 5$tarCrete feels like a step further down from it. Far less interesting production & the true star of it is Yachty, even if I felt that a bar he had regarding the late Screwed Up Click member Big Floyd during a livestream earlier this month was done in horrifically stomach churning taste.

Score: 2/5

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Deftones – “Private Music” review

Deftones are a groundbreaking alternative metal band from Sacramento, California consisting of DJ/keyboardist Frank Delgado, bassist Fred Sablan, drummer Abe Cunningham, lead guitarist Stephen Carpenter & frontman Chino Moreno. Adrenaline, Around the Fur, my personal favorite White Pony, Saturday Night Wrist, Diamond Eyes & Koi No Yokanwould all become classics for their own individual reasons & are returning 5 years after Ohms made up for Gore’s averageness to put out their 10th full-length album.

The lead single “My Mind’s a Mountain” sets the tone by combining alternative metal, shoegaze, post-hardcore, post-metal & doomgaze singing about the cycles of depression & non-depression whereas “Locked Club” suggests to either join the parade or be left out entirely. “Ecdysis” throws it back to the band’s nu metal origins singing about a new phase arriving just before the alt-metal/shoegaze crossover “Infinite Source” realizing a love they were chasing has been found.

“Souvenir” pushes forward with a 6-minute skull smasher singing about hurdling through space & discovering each other’s ways embracing the night leading into “cXz” finds their thoughts reappearing as lost time. “I Think About You All the Time” reminisces over a friend of the band’s who passed away some time ago leading into the 2nd & final single “Milk of the Madonna” blending alt-metal, post-hardcore & shoegaze to sing about being lost in religious ecstasy.

What could possibly be the heaviest track here “Cut Hands” assuring that they can’t be pulled out of their graces in the midst of these adversaries hitting a crossroads because of their lives failing in front of the band while “~Metal Dreams” sings about envisioning the gold drenched days laid ahead & sinking in perfect pose forever sooner rather than later. “Departing the Body” sends it all off with the realization that a brand new phase of their movement has started to change.

Private Music not only continues the ethos of Koi No Yokan & Ohms, but it’s another testament to Deftones rightfully becoming the Radiohead of alternative metal whilst striking a middle ground between the rest of their discography. Contemplating the attractiveness & dangers of nature as well as the challenges of tending a positive mindset & images of a trip beyond the physical realm, they revisit all 4 styles of it’s predecessors explored during the COVID-19 pandemic with more interesting ideas & intricate pacing.

Score: 4.5/5

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quannnic – “Warbrained” review

quannnic is a 19 year old singer/songwriter, producer & former rapper from Florida widely introducing themself in 2022 off their acclaimed full-length studio debut Kenopsia ditching the digicore sound they originally came up on because it felt like their attempt at that whole subgenre of trap music was creatively unnatural & an untitled EP experimenting with ambient trip hop merely months a part from each other. They would go on to sign with deadAir Records for the sophomore effort Stepdream matching the praise of it’s predecessor & has unveiled his 3rd album ahead of the supporting tour kicking off a couple weeks from now.

“Prunesnail” begins with a noisy grunge intro singing about the difficulty of trying to maintain a relationship with someone in their life who isn’t as close as they once were prior to the lead single “Wrenches” fusing noise rock, indie rock, grunge, emo & slacker rock to take on themes of self-deprecation.

The 3rd & final single “Aviator” seamlessly blends noise rock, post-punk, dream pop, gothic rock, post-punk revival & slacker rock feeling like there’s so many things they wish they didn’t care to do while the shoegazey “Scolder” sings about missing the times when their ex rebuked them.

“Torch” takes the halfway point to address an individual who they personally feel as if has lost their spark yet becoming surprised by the realization that they’re just like them leading into the shoegazing “Paperweight” singing about how they worked a miracle & finding nothing special regarding yet another victim of their own.

We have quannnic on the wombadelic “Heavensafe” venting that they’ve been contained in this ongoing war for the pearly gates while “Observer” combines noise rock, alternative metal, grunge, shoegaze, nu metal & post-rock to sing about sheeple stepping in to preach nothing but sounds as well as all of us winning only to lose something.

“Floorface” gets the clock started on Warbrained’s last 9 minutes by throwing it back to the days of ‘90s alternative rock with a small hint of grunge becoming delirious by the quiet depths becoming increasingly deadening & the piano-heavy “Wardeath” finishes the LP singing about considering themselves as more of a topic than a hero, yearning to hand out all of their importance.

deadAir Records has been on prolific run in 2025 constantly dropping digicore landmarks like the new Jane Remover album Revengeseekerz, & the new Lucy Bedroque mixtape Unmusique, but Warbrained carried the momentum with the darkest thing quannnic has ever made. Their production here focuses less around noise pop than Stepdream did couple years previously shifting it’s attention towards alt-rock, shoegaze, grunge, noise rock, Emo, alternative metal & slacker rock to compliment the depressive songwriting.

Score: 4.5/5

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Wildchild – “Child of a Kingsman” review

Oxnard, California veteran Wildchild hitting us with his 5th album. A member of the Lootpack alongside DJ Romes & one of my top 10 producers of all-time Madlib, his first couple solo efforts Secondary Protocol & Jack of All Trades under Stones Throw Records & Fat Beats Records respectively, although T.G.I.F. (Thank God It’s Funky) & Omowale would be received more moderately in comparison. Regardless, I still went into Child of a Kingsman hoping for it to be his best since Jack of All Trades.

“A Kingsman’s Flowers” begins by take everyone on a trip down memory lane in order to explain the definition of a kingsman whereas “Season of Kingsmen” produced by Nottz talks about preserving hip hop since he like many holds it dearly to his heart. “Change for My 2¢” heads for a jazzier direction instrumentally to make some powerful social commentary just before the synth-heavy “Wing Chun” talks about remaining undefeated.

Things take a funkier turn on “Multiverse” feeling as if the boom bap in him has been restored whenever his feet touch the floor leading into “Bat Signal” talking about how he don’t play. The beat Nottz whips up on “Mr. Pinocchio & Positive People” feels reminiscent of the late J Dilla touching base regarding crooked cops while “Freedom Riding” talks about the late John Lewis.

“Black Man Blues” turns the jazz influences back up so he can break down the hardships of being an African American feeling as if his glory is trying to be silenced & after the “Where the Poem Lady?” interlude, MAYAH takes over a good portion of the vocals during “Kingsmen” for a neo-soul jam continuing the themes of preserving the culture’s 4 elements & the overlooked element of knowledge.

The song “My Utopia” brings a drumless guitar beat into the picture describing what a perfect world would look like to him & after the “Brown Identity” interlude, “Welcome Home” ahead of the Antwone Fisher outro officially completes Child of a Kingsman by recapping a trip that Wildchild took to Soweto, South Africa with the MC/producer superduo Liberation.

Conceived during his time away from making music to focus on being a father, Child of a Kingsman stands out as potentially the finest example of Wildchild’s ability to make room in his songs for other artists to shine. Blending jazz & neo-soul together, he makes it a commitment to unify cultures through music & paying homage to all of hip hop’s veterans with intricately powerful songwriting.

Score: 3.5/5

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Hand Habits – “Blue Reminder” review

This is the 4th studio LP from Amsterdam, New York singer/songwriter Hand Habits. Following their first 5 EPs & of course the last 3 albums, they would go on to sign with Fat Possum Records for their last EP Sugar the Bruise to moderate reception although I personally thought it was Meg’s strongest one yet. They’ve put out a small handful of singles already to generate buzz for Blue Reminder, which is Fat Possum’s first offering in over 3 months & their first full-length under the label.

“More Today” sets the tone with a crossover between indie rock & singer/songwriter feeling like their romantic interest’s words are tearing her apart in a good way whereas the lead single “Wheel of Change” maintains both elements of the previous track & combines them with alt-country & folk rock to sing about needing their lover now more than ever.

As for “Nubble”, we have Meg fusing alt-country & dream pop together confessing that they feel like life has been treating her well outside of a few regrets they has just before “Dead Rat” recaps a true story of a mouse’s corpse rotting away from within the walls of their own home & advising people to let nature take it’s course.

“Jasmine Blossoms” was a great b-side to the latter single depicting the contradictions between the neighborhood of Mount Washington out in Los Angeles, California as well as the horrifying things one may come across on social media & the TV news stations leading into “Way It Goes” singing about the ups & downs of a relationship.

After the jazzy piano heavy “(Forgiveness)” instrumental composition, “Beauty 62” shows a bit of a Bob Dylan influence singing about finding beauty within all the chaos while the 4th & final single “Bluebird of Happiness” draws inspiration from the extensive amount of time Meg had spent on the road.

The title track easily sticks out as the most emotional & confessional moment on Blue Reminder wanting to prove that the love they have for their partner is true by doing literally anything over more keys while “Quiet Summer” sings about wanting to lie down during a warm evening around this specific time of the year. “Living Proof” wraps it all up with a subdued tone admitting they never knew what love could do.

Walking an emotional tightrope between hope & quiet anxiety, Hand Habits’ 2nd offering under the Fat Possum banner departs from the insularity that their previous material had become known for & it takes over Wildly Idle (Humble Before the Void)’s spot for Meg’s greatest LP of the 4. Their indie rock & singer/songwriter production has evolved greatly almost a decade in pulling from indie folk, slowcore, folk rock, americana, alt-country & dream pop to thematically attach itself to the idea of committing in many ways.

Score: 4/5

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Paul Cornish – “You’re Exaggerating!” review

This is the full-length debut studio album from Houston, Texas pianist Paul Cornish. Known for working with the likes of Terrace Martin or Robert Glasper & Herbie Hancock, he would go on to sign with the greatest jazz label of all-time Blue Note Records this past January after solidifying himself by blending post-bop with blues & gospel. Coming off the heels of 3 singles with in the past 7 weeks or so, You’re Exaggerating! looks to carry the torch for all the pianos players who began an 86 year tradition that’s still going strong.

“DB Song” comes out the gate blending these settle piano passages with Jonathan Pinson on drums & Joshua Crumbly on bass hence the “DB” in the title whereas “Queinxiety” expresses Paul’s habit of chronic overthinking the 3 & a half minutes. “Star is Born” references the formation of literal stars instead of the composer himself leading into “Slow Song” removing the drums & bass from the equation.

As for “5AM”, we have Paul looking back at his days in college where he used to wake up very early to work out just before the lead single “Dinosaur Song” takes inspiration from his girlfriend’s nephew. Jeff Parker plays guitar on 2nd single “Palindrome” complimenting the Monkian keys & after the final single “Queen Geri” pays tribute to the late Geri Allen, the closer “Modus Operani” shows off a bit of a baroque influence to end the LP.

Inspired by Robert Glasper’s sophomore effort Canvas & it’s follow-up In My Element, all 9 of the original compositions that Paul Cornish conceived throughout the course of his 42 minute debut continues a historic lineage of local pianists by taking out a few pages from his story leaning towards the styles of post-bop & jazz fusion with an approach that tends to entice the audience rather than impressing them.

Score: 4/5

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Nourished by Time – “The Passionate Ones” review

This is the sophomore effort from Baltimore, Maryland singer/songwriter & producer Nourished by Time a.k.a. Marcus Brown. Beginning under the original monikers Riley with Fire & Mother Marcus until sticking with his current name, he would go on to drop his debut EP Erotic Priobotic followed by the sequel in the spring of 2023 & sign to XL Recordings a year later. His previous EP Catching Chickens would arrive a couple months later, preluding The Passionate Ones nearly 6 weeks after Justin Bieber experimented with bedroom pop over the course of his 7th album Swag in light of him becoming a father.

“Automatic Love” sets up shop in the form of this synthpop intro singing about being loved in a way he’s never known previously whereas “Idiot in the Park” soothingly desires a type of romance that’ll leave him with scars, vocally throwing it back to the days of the late King of Hooks Nate Dogg on certain occasions. The lead single “Max Potential”blends bedroom pop, neo-psychedelia, hypnagogic pop, synthpop, dream pop singing about the stabilization of affection while “It’s Time” admits the only 2 things he has are baggage & a vision of love.

After the “Cult” interlude, the 2nd single “9 2 5”brings together elements of deep house, outsider house, freestyle music & Jersey club singing about life being hateful when that couldn’t be any more accurate regarding the state of the world in 2025 just before the peppy synthpop tune “Crazy People” kicks off the 2nd half of The Passionate Ones suggesting that the insane doesn’t flat out admit it openly. “Jojo” featuring Tony Bontana works in some bass guitar licks singing about never being any worse while the 3rd & final single “Baby Baby” mixes new wave, experimental hip hop, neo-psychedelia, synthpop, Atlanta bass, electro & political hip hop comparing the murder of Freddie Gray to the ongoing Gaza genocide.

“Tossed Away” begins the LP’s final act incorporating some heavy synthesizers with a Stevie Wonder twist to it feeling disillusioned by many Americans having difficulty of paying rent & buying groceries due to everything becoming more expensive while “The War’s Over” sings over a piano instrumental that the only case scenario of him surrendering is if the woman he’s addressing gets with him. The neo-psychedelic title track finishes with one of the most gratifying outros I’ve heard all year, skillfully tying up all loose ends culminating it’s core themes & prominent sounds feeling like he’s lost his reflection or pondering if the future will be in his favor.

Laying out the blueprint for building your own altar in the ruins of the American Dream, what Nourished by Time has done for the bedroom pop subgenre of indie pop in the 45 minutes The Passionate Ones has to offer is far more groundbreaking than Swag earlier this summer & could go down amongst the greatest albums to ever come from that style of music. Marcus’ production further explores alternative R&B, neo-psychedelia, hypnagogic pop, synthpop, sophisti-pop, UK street soul, deep house, outsider house, freestyle music, Jersey club, dream pop, experimental hip hop, Atlanta bass & electro powerfully tackling subjects including love or labor & everyday existential pressure.

Score: 4.5/5

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Tezzus – “King Phønk” review

This is the 5th EP from Atlanta, Georgia rapper Tezzus. Introducing himself with his first few EPs Hard2Kill as well as Hellraiser & Everyday’s Halløween, his debut mixtape Tezzus Khrist last holiday season would significantly elevate his profile locally as did the handful of appearances he made on The XA Tape earlier this year. Coming off his new Søufside collaborative EP with Percaso & more recently Backrooms, there’s still no signs of King Phønk slowing down anytime soon.

“Heroin” gets the party started with some dirty south-esque horns & hi-hats keeping all blues in his pockets along with encouraging the women to get addicted to him whereas the rage-inducing “Scream!” talk about it either being “Øway or no way”. “Bleeds” featuring Percaso finds the pair taking 107 seconds to reflect on making bitch boys shed blood for a bag of weed just before the pluggy “172M” featuring 10KDunkin talks about being showstoppers.

Moving on from there, “Don Dølla” goes for a minimalistic trap direction instrumentally talking about having real problems & the legitimacy of being a crime boss leading into the phonk-inspired “Me & Gang” looks back on the paper plate days when he knew he’d be in the position he’s currently in doing good financially. “Balling” talks about going off so hard to the point where he might as well get himself a jersey while “Damn” finds himself waking up next to a hoe he doesn’t even know.

“In the Hills” featuring southsidesilhouette pushes further towards the conclusion of King Phønk with both of them embracing a hypertrap vibe to talk about going brazy with friends out in the west coast hills & once the raging “20K Bitch” flexes the amount of money he made in only 7 days’ time, “Bones” caps everything off with a dark plugg outro talking about his trust issues.

Tezzus shifts his focus back to the music only 24 hours after being hacked, leaked, lied on & almost having his spirits killed to seamlessly continue this run he’s been on these past couple weeks by dropping off his 2nd EP of the month if you count Søufside separately & one that I find myself leaning towards more than Backroomsmerely 10 days ago. Stronger production based around the modern trap sounds of rage & dark plugg, tighter contributions from the guests & the phonkiest himself delivering angrier performances.

Score: 4/5

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