Boards of Canada – “Inferno” review

The Boards of Canada are an IDM/downtempo duo from Cullen, Moray, Scotland consisting of brothers Marcus Eoin & Mike Sandison. Their 1998 full-length debut Music Has the Right to Children under Warp Records would quickly become amongst the most celebrated releases throughout the label’s canon with the sophomore effort Geogaddi & The Campfire Headphase both receiving similar praise. Over a decade later however, the Music70 founders are reforming for their 4th studio LP & what could easily become the darkest collection of material they’ve ever conceived.

“Prophecy at 1420 MHz” after the “Introit” intro begins with a stellar opener mixing downtempo, synthwave, progressive electronic, darkwave, hauntology, ambient & gothic rock whereas “Hydrogen Helium Lithium Leviathan” makes me feel like I’m watching the introduction of an apocalyptic sci-fi flick. “Age of Capricorn” gives off a more majestically optimistic sound to it incorporating some elements of spoken word just before “Father & Son” gives off early Aphex Twin vibes.

As for “Somewhere Right Now in the Future”, we have the Boards of Canada reminding everyone they haven’t lost a step bearing the response Sean Booth of Autechre had when he was asked about Inferno leading into “Naraka” calling back to “Come to Dust” off Tomorrow’s Harvest at a few certain point. “Memory Death” after the “Acts of Magic” interlude however reminds me of something I would’ve heard on 9 Inch Иails’ soundtrack for Gone Girl when I was in high school.

“The World Becomes Flash” ends the 1st leg of the album taking it back to BoC’s earlier output with the sampling & increasing the layers of musical ideas for 5 minutes while “Into the Magic Land” kicks off the 2nd half with a composition reminiscent of The Campfire Headphase era. “Blood in the Labyrinth” sensationally continues by taking every characteristic of Geogaddi & evolving them while “Tape 05” combines ambient, hauntology, progressive electronic, drone, new age, chamber music & dark ambient.

Influences of Aphex Twin as well as 9 Inch Иails & Andy Stott all get blended for “All Reason Departs” up until an infernal arpeggio while “Arena Americanada” takes it back to the mid/late 80s when Miami Vice was one of the most popular crime dramas on television. “The Process” hits us with the musical equivalent of passing through death into heaven & after “You Retreat in Time & Space” makes one’s life flash in front of them, “I Saw Through Platonia” sends it off in the most breathtaking way conceivable.

Up until this point, I’ve made it clear a couple times already that Flying Lotus’ 7th EP Big Mama was the best IDM I’ve heard in 2026 & the Boards of Canada have already topped it nearly 3 months later with an album that I would put in the top 3 of their discography with Music Has the Right to Children & Geogaddi. Their signature IDM & downtempo sounds are being retained except there’s an increased use of samples, hints of live-instrumentation & masterful secondary influences of ambient, hauntology, neo-psychedelia, progressive electronic & synthwave.

Score: 4.5/5

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Chxrry – “U, Me & My Ego” review

Chxrry is a 29 year old singer/songwriter from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who made a wider musical introduction for herself in the fall of 2022 when she dropped her debut extended play The Other Side shortly after The Weeknd made her the First Lady of his Republic Records imprint X♥O Records. She would later follow it up 13 months later with her 2nd EP Siren & has since dropped a handful of singles building up anticipation for her full-length studio debut elevating beyond those early EPs.

“Blockstar” opens up with an intro clashing elements of industrial music & trap singing about her making this guy fall in love with her whereas the title track takes a more atmospheric approach instrumentally cautioning what’s gonna happen when she & her man tie the knot. “Hall of Fame” blends electropop, jook, synthpop, Atlanta bass & contemporary R&B to sing about being too sexy to go home while “Bible” likens this guy’s words to the gospel.

Reaching the halfway point of the album, “Call Security” comes through with an anthem dedicated to all the crazy women who’ve gone from being angels to criminals while “Boring” sings about her willingness of lowering her standards as long as her partner isn’t tedious. Cash Cobain makes the 1st of 2 guest appearances on “Badness” where he & Chxrry are detailing the possibility of finding love in the late night although Cash’s verse was the weakest of the 2.

“Bottles & Lights” featuring Mariah the Scientist winds down the last leg of U, Me & My Ego with an empowering alternative R&B duet looking back at previous relationships they were in where their exes constantly disrespected them while “Groupie” conceptually portrays the irrational obsession that hits when you begin to develop feelings for somebody. “Main Character” though ends with her breakout single fusing pop rap, contemporary R&B, trap, futuristic swag, trap soul & pluggnb.

Most people would say that The Other Side & Siren were both average at best which I can agree with despite the introspectively sultry approach made me understand why Abel signed Chxrry earlier this decade. U, Me & My Ego on the contrary achieved my expectations of outdoing herself embracing her more toxic alter-ego over production combining influences of pop, industrial music, trap, electropop, jook, synthpop, Atlanta bass, pop rap, futuristic swag, trap soul & pluggnb with her contemporary/alternative R&B style.

Score: 3.5/5

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The Bug Club – “Every Single Muscle” review

This is the 5th studio LP from Caldicot, Monmouthshire, Wales, United Kingdom duo The Bug Club. Consisting of guitarist/vocalist Sam Willmett & bassist/vocalist Tilly Harris, they emerged earlier in the decade off 3 extended plays & a couple albums preceding Sub Pop Records signing them a few years ago already. Their debut for the label On the Intricate Inner Workings of the System & the pairing previous full-length Very Human Features were both positively received, returning 12 months since the latter for Every Single Muscle.

“Miss Wales 2012” begins with this chugging garage punk intro referencing a competition both Tilly & Sam have actually won whereas “A Good Day for Dying” made for an apathetically humorous 3rd & final single. “Make It Count” finds the pair trading lines with each other over indie rock instrumentation depicting 2 lovers who have absolutely no idea what to do just before “Cut to Black” takes inspiration from both NEU! & Sparks for 90 seconds.

Meanwhile on “Full Range of Motion”, we have The Bug Club taking a page out of the Minutemen playbook for a post-punk revival tune with some occasional slacker rock undertones while “Pretty as a Magazine” bemoans the fact people don’t know what to do with their own bodies a lot similarly to what “Make It Count” did earlier. “Look Like Me” sings about each member’s own appearance while on “How Can We Be Friends” explains that both members are preoccupied with others.

The title track ends the 1st half of Every Single Muscle on some egg punk vibes singing about feeling strong in all ligaments of their bodies while “Shiny & Wet” experiments with a bit of a blues rock sound wanting to see one’s organs since apologies don’t mean shit to them. “Semi-Automatic” treads garage punk territory explaining that they only play guitars & give 0 fucks while “In My Short Life” sings about them using chart toes in times of distress.

“Watching the Omnibus” hits us with a a garage rock-tinged lead single filled with self-deprecating lyrics & after “It’s Our Manager David” shrugs off literally every single question their manager asks the band regarding what they’ve been doing with their day, the 2nd single “Yours (If You Want Me)” gives off a more introspectively tender & anxious approach singing about how neither one of them necessarily want to be adored.

The song “All My Clothes Fell Off” winds down the last moments of Every Single Muscle slowing down the pacing to build up towards a crescendo reminiscent of classic rock music while the penultimate track “3rd Best Friend” sings about an individual they loved like a close colleague. The outro “My Uncle Warren Drives a Passat” switches things up replacing the guitars with pianos singing about how if all of us were made for dying alone, then neither one of them belong here.

Looking at themselves more in a way an alien might probe a captive specimen on an intergalactic gurney instead of introspection, The Bug Club’s 3rd opus under the Sub Pop banner improves above both it’s predecessors sounding noticeably punkier than their previous output. The human form & condition are both prodded & inspected from every angle throughout the course of Every Single Muscle blending indie rock garage punk, garage rock revival, egg punk, post-punk revival & slacker rock.

Score: 4/5

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38 Spesh – “8 Shots” review

Brand new LP & the 6th overall from Rochester, New York producer/emcee 38 Spesh. Known for being the leader of the Trust Army collective & founder of TCF Music Group, he’s been steadily busy throughout the last decade or so whether it be him producing projects for the likes of Planet Asia to Elcamino & Grafh or his own solo output. Last time we heard Spesh by himself as a penman was the intimate Mother & Gun nearly a couple summers ago, firing off 8 Shots to end the month of May.

“Free Game” hops over a drumless, crooning loop to spend the opening 105 seconds talking about rappers taking his life story & making competition out of it whereas “The Main Line” aggressively discusses the reaper being at one’s door with Jesus trying to call. “Used 2” featuring Rome Streetz finds the pair talking about how having 1 gun simply isn’t enough prior to “Be the Best” soulfully speaks against being a small-time individual.

Che Noir appears alongside Spesh to poignantly address some “Mental Health” struggles & I wouldn’t really consider the self-produced “Speshal” to be that much of an interlude, promising those who fuck with him that the’ll eat because of him. “Trust Us” featuring Ransom & Smooth Haynes gets the 2nd half going dropping verses of their own without the need of a hook over strings while “Heavy Burden” featuring Dave East turns up the soulfulness talking about carrying a weighty load for petty individuals.

“Great Wall” featuring Curtis Coke nears towards 8 Shots’ final moments responding to the crowd of people who were expecting Spesh to stay put even if Curtis’ verse left me on the fence while “Renovations” talks about selling everything from weed to shrooms back then. Busta Rhymes comes into the picture to help Spesh recall a “Cold War” survived 2 decades earlier & “Everything” sends off the album talking about his desire to have it all.

Carrying forward the tradition of street-certified storytelling & razor-sharp lyricism, 8 Shots further cements 38 Spesh’s place as one of hip hop’s most underappreciated multi-hyphenates pushing his evolution even further by showcasing ability to bridge generations of elite lyricists whilst continuing to sharpen his own voice from the standpoint of both an MC & a producer. The subject matter takes it back to the grit that made the other Shots installments so well received.

Score: 4/5

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Seth Narley – “Prada Cups in the South of France” review

Here is the brand new extended play & the 10th in his discography overall from South Bronx, New York emcee Seth Narley. Dropping his debut EP 5am on Crosby in 2019, he would later follow it up by putting out the Trissland trilogy & drop 3 more EPs in 2024: Night at the Roxy, A Millbrook Story & S.A.L.Y. (Still Ain’t Lie Yet). Coming off both The American Dream: Son of a Dealer & Oceans: Mondrian however, he’s copping Prada Cups in the South of France.

“Jordan on the Baseline” begins with a soulfully jazzy opener clocking at 109 seconds likening himself to my favorite basketball player of all-time whereas “$2K on the Knicks” chops up a gospel sample to talk about betting for his home team in the NBA Playoffs & not trippin’ live it because of his bias instinct. “Unplugged from Marsielle” kicks off the 2nd half of the EP admitting his brother took his own life over a drumless loop while “Celia Cruz & Gloria Estefan” ends on a jazzier note talking about being worth $1M.

Only a few days after getting to see Adam Copeland & Christian Cage end FTR’s record-tying 3rd reign as AEW World Tag Team Champions in person at Double or Nothing VIII this past weekend surpassing All Out III as the best PPV the company has ever put on, Seth Narley begins summer a few weeks early by coasting over a bunch of drumless sampling techniques Creestal has to offer ranging from jazz to soul music reminding us of the symbolism Luna Rossa’s commissioned sneakers have over in Marseille.

Score: 3.5/5

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Mr. Y.U.G. – “UrAmerica” review

Mr. Y.U.G. is a 46 year old MC from Detroit, Michigan who would join his older brother The R.O.C. in becoming members of the Level Jumpers & The Howse respectively. He would eventually make his solo debut in the spring of 2009 with Weightin’, which he followed up with the sophomore effort Warning Shot as well as 18 Shots & Kill Flows. My favorite of his #48205Defcode came out in 2016 under Anybody Killa’s label Native World Inc. & ahead of next summer making it an entire decade since Thriller, he’s returning to music for his 7th studio LP.

“Introduce Yo Self” begins with an 85 second trap intro explaining that he’s gonna be talking on these tracks again because nobody’s paying him whereas “Keep Checking My Pockets (To Be Continued???)” gives off a more energetic vibe regardless of the uncredited feature taking up the 1st half of it. The title track goes for more of a boom bap vibe instrumentally & a hardcore approach to the lyrics just before “DOMoxic” dedicates itself to anyone who’s ever been in domestically toxic relationship over some guitars.

We have the “Eastside Shooter” freestyle ending the 1st half of Y.U.G.’s return getting on his gangsta rap shit topically over another boom bap beat while “Yesteryearz” kicks off the 2nd leg with a highlight telling us the origin story of Ragz dating back to 1989. “Yicked” continues talking about having people snitching on his name leading into “Can’t Feel My Face” embracing a jazzier sound for all the stoners out there who like to get high.

“Party Life” begins to wind down the final act of UnAmerica takes it back to the boom bap sound with an eerie twist talking about him hitting the club on a Tuesday night & once “Miss at U” featuring Carli “La Moure” hits us with what’s mainly a spoken word piece essentially recapping Mr. Y.U.G.’s entire life story additionally addressing the people who want to bring the bad side out of him out again when no one wants it, “MC Stick Faygo Flow / Knock Dat Shit Off” sends off the full-length with an interesting 2-parter.

Only a month after The Raps On Contact’s 4th album No Direction under Majik Ninja Entertainment made his return almost a decade after Digitial Voodoo excluding the 2019 extended play Monsters Ain’t Real & fellow Native World alumni Bake Lo refining himself with Spirals, The R.O.C.’s younger brother M.oney R.olls Y.oung U.known G.angsta’s own comeback could very well be a personal one considering how much heavy inspiration it takes from his autistic 4 year old son landing right behind #48205Defcode & is said to already be working on another album of his own by the end of the year called Park of Lyrics. Some criticisms I have being the feature on the 2nd track nor any of the producers being credited & the AI artwork.

Score: 3.5/5

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Struggle Mike – “Muerte” review

This is the 10th & possibly final studio LP from Buffalo, New York producer, curator, record executive & audio engineer Struggle Mike. Introducing himself at the end of 2019 off the strength of his full-length debut Great Escape followed by Next Up as well as Wall & Progress, he eventually kept his consistency going on Ties & Struggles until signing to Black Soprano Family Records as an artist after becoming an A&R of theirs. IYKYK, IYDK & Honor would all come out through the label & he’s back 24 months later for Muerte.

“Bandits” by Benny the Butcher, ItsHOLY & Moon after the “Bandidos” intro welcomes everyone to the land of the robbers over a boom bap beat to get things going whereas “Solid” by Party G the Humble works in some violins so he can talk about staying loyal. “La Commission” by Heist Da Profit, YaH-Ra & 448 Brad finds the trio linking up to get on their mafioso shit leading into “Brick James” by Fuego Base & Mark 4ord talking about the country feeling like it’s end days are nearing.

B.A.R.S. Murre & Speedie da Icon both appear on the primarily drumless “Good Boy” up until the final 45 seconds talking about well-behaved children becoming hustlers while “It’s a Lifestyle” by Jess Classic discusses the way he lives over a bare guitar loop. Eto joins B.A.R.S. Murre for “Hell”, spending a couple minutes bodying a flute instrumental from DJ Benoit just before “Anything Goes” by The Hoodies finds E-Class & Young Poppa talking about there being no restrictions.

“Get to the Money” by Heist da Profit, Joxiel & Smoke Bulga after the “Locked Up” interlude Boons 153rd kicks off the 2nd half of Muerte talking about making some paper over a decent trap beat prior to Gunny H discussing his “Deals with God” on top of a vocal sample & mixed with hi-hats. “Violins” by Lo Profile & Rick Hyde embraces an eerier boom bap sound talking about making people go to sleep when the strings cease while “Take a Risk” by B$F Tone 066, Mike Major & Miles A aim to step out their comfort zones.

After the “Smoke Break” by D Les comes through with a quick drumless freestyle, “What’s Real?” by O.T. the Real & 067Red talks about not knowing what’s legit until it falls in the cooking bag while “Old NY” by Ockz & Spiderdagod explains that they’ve always liked being underdogs. “Southside” by Balistic Man, Chop the Father & Speedie da Icon brings everyone together to hustle until daylight while “The End” by Conway the Machine & Lefty Gunplay excluding the “Just Like That” outro finishes with an outstanding east/west coast boom bap closer.

Confirming in a recent interview that he’s fulfilled all of his contractual obligations for Black Soprano Family, this new era of Struggle Mike’s career collides some of the underground’s biggest artists as well as those who’re a part of his Mike’s own Struggle Cartel collective & a few of Steve Lobel’s clients for what could potentially be the last time we might hear from musically due to some legal issues. When he comes back, he did say he plans to capitalize on his squad over at the Struggle Compound.

Score: 3.5/5

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A-F-R-O – “Blood Rain” review

Los Angeles, California emcee/producer A-F-R-O back with his 16th extended play. A protege of R.A. the Rugged Man after winning the Definition of a Rap Flow contest, his 5th EP A-F-R-O Polo produced by Marco Polo under Duck Down Music Inc. introduced himself as a promising up-&-comer within the underground. The Drawing Board alongside the Stu Bangas-produced The Bad & the Ugly: The Goods Always Die First and Crimson Fury have all testified to his vengeful return in recent memory, coming off The Bad & the Ugly II and No More Patience… to let Blood Rain.

The self-produced “No H.E. Double Hockey Sticks” begins talking about him being a man of God hence why he stays away from the pits of Hell whereas “The Hangman” goes for a symphonic boom bap vibe instrumentally assuring that he ain’t the one to fuck with. Highway Robbery” featuring 4-Ize finds the 2 speaking of winning the lottery & no one taking them alive while “No Talk” flexes of being more legitimate than someone who regularly stays silent.

“Saints Row” kicks off the 2nd half of Blood Rain taking a funkier approach to the beat advising for those nearby not to make a move unless he says it’s alright to while “Antagonist hooks up an organ flip to talk about becoming more villainous the older he got. “Burn It Up” has a more ghostly boom bap flare to it staying gold because he’s always outside with his squad & the title track finishes up talking about there eventually being a sunny time.

I’m sure his full-length debut will be coming within the next 7 months or so like the No More Patience… outro last winter promised, but Blood Rain will suffice for those who’re ok with going on a quick 20 minute journey through his mind. Compared to a great deal of his earlier output, the boom bap production’s more experimentally darker even if I felt like the self-produced half of it was stronger & he sounds significantly angrier.

Score: 3.5/5

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Veeze – “Y’all Won” review

New surprise mixtape & the CBFW Records debut from Detroit, Michigan rapper Veeze. Emerging back in 2019 off the strength of his debut extended play Navy Wavy, he would go on to blow up in the summer of 2023 after dropping his full-length debut Ganger under Warner Records. He has since spent the last few years making guest appearances for several projects & felt like Y’all Won only announced 24 hours prior through social media would cement Veeze as the greatest signing on the entire CBFW roster.

“Tesla Pill” begins with a cloudy trap instrumental talking about him not hanging it up until he becomes a billionaire whereas “Wrong Place, Wrong Time” embraces the Detroit sound so he can discuss keeping it lit for the city. “Bruce Wayne Coupe” talks about how there should be 1,000 people kissing his ring considering people take a lot from him just before “Malice in the Palace” sticks out as a favorite from the Taurus beat to the boastful lyrics.

Meanwhile on the significantly darker “New Clothes”, we have Veeze detailing him being rich without any problems prior to another highlight track explaining that he doesn’t talk about “Old Shit” & tana producing a cloudy instrumental that I’d consider to be amongst Y’all Won’s strongest. “Listen to Me” describes giving advice to bosses over this soulful trap beat while “Still Grinding” talks about this shit historically being in his blood.

“IDK” winds down the last act of the tape observing that the reason all these muhfuckas are broke is simply because they don’t have any aura & his main bitch being unapproachable while “Birdman” compares himself to the Cash Money Records co-founder of the same name way he stunts in addition to staying around shottas whenever he’s in the hood. The outro “Lose It All Today” takes up the last 4 minutes hopping over a sped-up vocal sample talking about making bands flip.

Ganger already made it pretty clear that Veeze ranks amongst the 2020’s finest Detroit trap artists alongside the likes of Lelo & Y’all Won marks Veeze’s comeback with a respectable half hour letting the world know what makes him more appealing than Rylo Rodriguez or Lil Dann & Noodah05. Not even gonna mention EST G & 42 Dugg because they’re both on CMG too, but I respect that he held it down without any guests even if some of the production could be better.

Score: 3.5/5

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Tayo – “Farewell” review

Brand new extended play & the 9th overall from Seattle, Washington up-&-coming rapper & producer Tayo. Originally starting under the moniker ByeTayo, he started on SoundCloud close around Halloween 2021 off his first few EPs Crash on Purpose as well as Inside Voices & PM the following year. He would later go on applying pressure with couple more EPs in wintr & a sequel to PM, coming off Thank You Tayo taking himself to newer levels both artistically & personally on both Bye & Goodbye. The latter of which is the most refined he’s ever sounded, returning 6 months later to end the trilogy Bye began & Goodbye bridged with Farewell.

“rainbow 6 2” begins with an enjoyable plugg sequel to a Bye highlight nearly 13 months earlier whereas “proud of you” hops over a more upbeat instrumental to tell his bae how happy he is for her & watching himself on YouTube smoking weed. “window” incorporates another blissful plugg beat encouraging someone flexing on their own to do the same thing to these hoes while “cancer” talks about not believing this woman who wants him back.

As for “3am”, we have Tayo turning up the plugg influences so he can tell his lover that he’ll be right here waiting for her while “bailey” produced by Pi’erre Bourne tells his lover to show her patience for him. After a sequel to the Tooly? interlude, “burn” featuring Tooly? finds the 2 talking about each of their pockets staying crowed & the closer “thing about it” sends off Farewell with a 2 minute outro admitting that he gets high out of nervousness.

I may have not loved Farewell as much as I did Goodbye last fall, but I still believe that Tayo’s one of the most interesting plugg artists I’ve heard within the past couple years & would consider this to be on par with Bye around this time 12 months earlier. His knack for catchy songwriting has changed & it’s still rooted in plugg & pluggnb stylistically, although I’d like to hear him working with producers in that vein who I’m a fan of like SOULJASPIRITS or Ayelavish! for example.

Score: 4/5

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