Falling in Reverse – “Popular Monster” review

Falling in Reverse is a pop punk/metalcore band from Las Vegas, Nevada consisting of lead guitarist/backing vocalist Max Georgiev, rhythm guitarist/backing vocalist Christian Thompson, bassist/backing vocalist Tyler Burgess & last but not least frontman/keyboardist Ronnie Radke. The latter of whom was the original frontman for Escape the Fate whose debut album Dying’s Your Latest Fashion is the only good thing in Ronnie’s entire career, but was kicked out in 2008 after being sentenced to prison for violating probation due to his involvement in the murder of Michael Allen Cook found guilty of battery with substantial bodily harm & prompted Radke to start From Behind These Walls which would later become Falling in Reverse. Signing to Epitaph Records immediately due to Ronnie’s former ties with Escape the Fate, they put out a mediocrely received debut album The Drug in Me is You in 2011 & came back with one of the worst albums of the previous decade Fashionably Late. Just Like You was almost as bad & Coming Home is their best although not by much, but Popular Monster was set out to be almost worse than Fashionably Late given some of the singles.

“Prequel” starts with over-the-top metalcore production & Ronnie writing in his diary that he’s a cynical, egotistical, unpredictable & hardenеd criminal whereas the title track fuses rap rock, post-hardcore, trap, melodic metalcore, djent & emo rap talking about depression. “All My Life” featuring Jelly Roll works in elements of alternative rock, hard rock, country rock, bro-country, nu metal & alternative metal asking for their souls to be saved leading into “Ronald” featuring Tech N9ne gratingly blending metalcore, trap, nu metal & hardcore hip hop to talk about identity & overcoming adversity.

Meanwhile on “Voices in My Head”, we have Ronnie culminating rap metal, trap, electronicore, nu metal, metalcore & djent whining that there feels like there’s a hurricane going on inside his head just before “Bad Guy” featuring his girlfriend at the time in former NXT Women’s Champion & former AEW Women’s World Champion Saraya a.k.a. Paige who used to date former AAA Mega Campeon, CMLL Mundial Pesocompleto Campeon, TNA World Champion, 4-time WWE world champion & 2-time WWE United States Champion Alberto Del Rio comes clean over a metalcore/trap hybrid that he’s a psycho douchebag. “Watch the World Burn” fails at mixing trap, alt-metal, hardcore hip hop, metalcore, post-hardcore, epic music & symphonic metal rapping about his inner demons prior to “Trigger Warning” asking if you’re proud to be American over a metalcore/nu metal abomination.

“Zombified” continues the torture on this LP bringing the alternative metal, electronicore, post-hardcore & djent vibes back for a pathetic jab at cancel culture while the final song “No Fear” finishes the album biting the $uicideboy$ at the start talking about how “saying what’s on your mind’s like stepping on a landmine” when in fact what he says from the mind is hateful & ugly in actuality. The bonus track happens to be a hideous cover of Papa Roach’s biggest hit “Last Resort”, which I was never a big fan of yet has aged poorly in the last 2 decades or so.

Ronnie has justifiably been one of the most scrutinized figures rock has seen in recent memory due to the battery with substantial bodily harm, assaulting a 16 year old girl & a 24 year old man at Six Flags Great Adventure’s Fright Fest metal festival FestEVIL resulting in Six Flags permanently banning rock/metal bands from performing at their parks going forward, raping a 25 year old-woman, going on transphobic tirades on Twitter (fuck calling it X) or most notably never handling criticism of his music very well & Popular Monster really takes the shit-cake on the same day as Post Malone’s new album F-1,000,000,000,000 did. His production is almost worse as it was over a decade ago uglily mutating sounds together whining about why people hate him tryna gaslight his listeners to thinking he’s the victim. In terms of metalcore, it’s NOWHERE near the epicness of Knocked Loose’s You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To.

Score: 0/5

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Frisco Boogie – “Lost in the Loophole” review

Nottingham, East Midlands, England, United Kingdom emcee, producer, graffiti writer & b-boy Frisco Boogie making his Hidden Hobby Records debut with his 7th LP. Dropping his solo debut in 2020 with The Internal Masquerade the sophomore effort Masks of the Morning Son a few months later, he would go on to release Rainbows in the Rubble as well as the COVID-19 themed C.I.R.C.U.S. (Conditions In Reality Causing Us Stress) or the optimistic Sunflowers in September. Coming off 50 From the Cradle last fall honoring his 50th birthday, he’s found himself Lost in the Loophole.

“Lost” begins with a self-produced beat that reminds me of something Dr. Dre would’ve made in the 2000s essentially serving as the title track whereas “Same Ol’ Same” takes the boom bap route instrumentally talking about feeling like life’s repeating itself. “Silence” works in some pianos & woodwinds explaining that keeping your mouth shut is the best answer when realizing it doesn’t value your words leading into “March” featuring the Local Healers taking a smoother approach to talk about a woman who won’t give in.

To get the 2nd half going, “Karma” returns to the boom bap hooking up a prominent vocal sample telling the story of a woman he knew by the name of Susie while “No Answer” orchestrally suggests maybe he would be asking different questions. Frisco later waits for the human race to disappear the “Field of Crows” in a breeze over a vocal sample but once he observes some “Turmoil in the Trenches” all the way from a park bench, the final song asks “1 Question” & that being whether one would push their children.

Known for being the UK hip hop scene’s equivalent to Skyzoo in terms of everything he does having it’s own different concept, Frisco Boogie preludes his forthcoming 8th album celebrating this new era of a career spanning 3 decades when he started out as 1/2 of Lost Island. Topically, a lot of Lost in the Loophole continues the maturity of Frisco’s last couple offerings using dizzying wordplay to ponder whether or not those listening are stuck in a loophole of their own over old school boom bap production.

Score: 4/5

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Fliptrix – “Dragonfly” review

South London, England, United Kingdom emcee Fliptrix teaming up with the Leigh Brothers consisting of Illinformed & Leaf Dog to have them produce his 10th solo LP. The founder of High Focus Records as well as a member of The 4 Owls, he made his debut in 2007 off Force Fed Imagery followed by Theory of Rhyme and later 3rd Eye of the Storm & The Road to the Interdimensional Piff Highway. Out the Box & Polyhymnia both came couple years later as did Patterns of Escapism & Inexhale, but is coming off Light Work & Mantra #9 to unleash the Dragonfly less than a couple weeks away from 白川未奈 & Luke Jacobs becoming the new RPW British Women’s Champion & RPW British Heavyweight Champion respectively.

“Striving” starts by stripping the drums completely hooking up a bare orchestral loop forever making great efforts to achieve or obtain more whereas “Forever” has a bit of a soulful boom bap flare instrumentally talking about having springs in their steps representing that. The acoustic “Keep Going On” wants to know if they can continue to go on with their lives since they’re unsure of it, but then “Dragonfly Steeze” works the kicks & snares back in flexing his titular style.

Moving on from there, “See it in the Clouds” delivers a cloudier boom bap flare forecasting rain that’ll be coming down feeling it in his bones leading into “Make It Rain” hopping over a soul sample for a minute discussing the importance of rain itself. “Funky Microphone” blends a piano with kicks & snares getting hardcore lyrically just before the jazzy “Cosmic Scenes” assuring that the sweet sound of birds can be heard though sirens.

“Spooky Times” maintains the jazz influence crossing it over with boom bap to talk about how nice it is to let the beauty rise sometimes while “The Glow” keeps it raw so everyone listening is able to feel the sunshine. “Paradoxical” has a darker atmosphere to the beat coming to heal you while the flute-heavy “Making Waves” talks being on madness these days. “Grapevine” maintains the instrumental vibes from previously feeling happy & sad simultaneously while the title track jazzily ends the album showing unconditional love to his family.

A series of life-changing events compelled Fliptrix to hole up in the studio to capture the true essence of his recent experiences in real time, resulting in his most alive offering to date with the handbrake fully off as well as emotions & energies dialed up to 11. Each unpacking a tumultuous year which included the birth of his daughter & unexpected passing of his father who played in a 70s rock band that Dragonfly is named after, all this while navigating the ever-shifting music scene he has championed for so long.

Score: 4/5

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Larry June – “Doing it for Me” review

Vallejo, California emcee Larry June back with his 11th LP. Steadily grinding his ass off since dropping out of high school by dropping his last 10 studio efforts as well as 14 EPs & 7 mixtapes with the highlights of his ever-growing discography including the Lex Luger-produced Trap Larry, the Cardo-produced Cruise USA& it’s sequel Into the Late Night, the Harry Fraud-produced Keep Going & more recently the mobb music-influenced Jay Worthy collab effort 2 P’z in a Pod, The Alchemist-produced The Great Escape & The Night Shift. 9 months after the latter, Larry’s reassuring that he’s Doing it for Me.

After the “Free Uncle Herm 5” intro, the first song “Magnum P.I.” is a futuristically slick west coast opener flexing that he’s hopping out the whip looking like the titular TV show character whereas “Morning Calculations” produced by Harry Fraud was an early standout from the soulful instrumental to the lyrics advising to check that bitch instead of checking him. “A Little While” has a spacious vibe thanks to Jake One & DJ Khalil telling his romantic interest that she sure looks good to him just before “Stinson Beach” keeps it going with a funky ode to not having your day fucked up.

“Real Talk, Pt. 2” gives Detroit trap a shot detailing the gangsta lifestyle he involves himself in leading into Cardo bringing the synths in the fold for another favorite of mine “3 Piece” shrugging off any hate that comes his way since he be ridin’. “Where I’m Going” resurrects the Detroit trap vibe cautioning that nobody wants war with him, but then “Meet Me in Napa” was a decently spacious single discussing his desire of wanting to meet a woman in the titular California valley.

The orchestrally jazzy boom bap flare of “Breakfast in Gold Coast” is a nice change of pace talking to his sunshine while “Imported Couches” keeps the strings, kicks & snares together not giving a fuck about being 1 hit away rather focusing his attention on doing his thing. “Cleaning My Spot” keeps the jazz influences & strips the drums going so hard working towards his goals while “Like a Mack” makes trap music for pimps.

“Dreams” pushes towards the final moments of Doing it for Me telling everyone who’s tired of the sucka shit to come fuck with the big dogs headed for a dystopian direction to the beat & the closer “Money Bag” that Cookin’ Soul laced ends by hooking up a soul sample telling the world your own people will snake you, others might turn on you & hoes will play you out here for the paper.

Something amazing worth noting is that I found a lot of Doing it for Me’s singles to be average enough that it had me anticipating it less then The Great Escape & The Night Shift when I found myself enjoying a lot of the songs off this new album more than I had initially anticipated. The glitz & glamour from guest stars are being completely tossed out the window in favor of delivering lovesick bars over classic West Coast funk beats, reestablishing his status as one of the smoothest voices in hip hop today.

Score: 3.5/5

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Latto – “Sugar Honey Iced Tea” review

Atlanta, Georgia rapper Latto returning for her 3rd LP. Winning the very first season of The Rap Game & eventually turned down a deal with So So Def Recordings because it wasn’t enough money, she eventually broke through a few summers back after signing to RCA Records & putting out a decent full-length debut Queen of da Souf. The sophomore effort 777 sure enough won me over & Sugar Honey Iced Tea named after a highlight track off Kelis’ 3rd album Tasty had me hoping she’d continue towards that trajectory.

“Georgia Peach” comes straight out the gate going drumless thanks to Pooh Beatz dedicated to all the baddies out in Georgia whereas the incredibly structured 2-parter “Big Mama” is a strong anthem from which self-assurance & success breathe & women show the clear capacity for self-support pulling from trap, hardcore hip hop, New York dril, pop rap, contemporary R&B & sample drill. “Blick Sumn” featuring Playboi Carti on the remix works in some synths & hi-hats letting it be known she don’t trust a man without his heater while “Settle Down” talks about the possibility of that happening & minding her business as opposed to bitches worrying over her.

Young Nudy joins Latto for “Shrimp & Grits” radiating a more enticing vibe from the beat paying homage to all the women in their city who be country thick prior to “There She Go” talking about going from being broke in the ATL to being on an island boasting that a real one has stepped in the building. “Brokey” hooks up chimes & hi-hats explaining that you supposed to drown when a real one hold you down & after the “Mimi” interlude, “H&M (Hurt & Miserable)” charismatically discusses the way hoes be envious of her.

“Copper Cove” featuring Hunxho has more of a mellow trap groove to it for a slut-me-out-spit-on-my-tongue song & the angelically produced “Ear Candy” with Coco Jones supplying one of my favorite hooks on Sugar Honey Iced Tea talks all the sweet things her partner says to her. Earl on the Beat laces Latto up with seductive instrumental for “Liquor” confessing that the harder alcohol turns her into an absolute freak while “Squeeze” featuring Megan Thee Stallion follows it up with a club banger for all the baddies that wanna get freaky.

Ciara levels up the chorus game on “Good 2 You” with it’s uptempo production & the romantic subject matter addressing those who they feel are the ones for them as does Mariah the Scientist on “Look What You Did” serving as a short but grand dedication to Latto’s bae. “Prized Possession” featuring Teezo Touchdown intoxicatingly talks feelin’ out their minds while “S/O to Me” is a soulful boom bap cut showing pride in herself.

The first of 3 bonus tracks “Put it on da Floor” featuring Cardi B on the remix brings the pair together has some cool Detroit trap undertones start to finish saying both of them have done done it all at this point in their respective careers & the other “Sunday Service” featuring Flo Milli & Megan Thee Stallion on the remix gets on their hardcore, Memphis, dirty south trap tip giving middle fingers to hoes because their men perfect. “Chicken Grease” ends the deluxe run on some dark trap shit refusing to fuck with broke guys.

Compared to 777, I came away from the follow-up liking it a little less than the predecessor although the highs outweigh the lows. I appreciate the fact that she elevates her work beyond “single-driven & club-driven” culture showcasing different sides & versions of her artistry recapping these last couple years of her life, I just think the production could’ve been a tad bit better.

Score: 3.5/5

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Logic – “Ultra 85” review

Maryland rapper, singer/songwriter, producer, author & Twitch streamer Logic releasing his long-awaited 10th & final LP that he’s been working on since 2018. Emerging just over a decade ago off the strength of the first 3 installments of the Young Sinatra mixtape series. His potential would continually be shown on his first 2 albums Under Pressure & The Incredible True Story. However, it’s no secret that the quality of his music took a nosedive from Bobby Tarantino to Supermarket or the unlikeable bitterness of Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. No Pressure however was a mature sequel to his full-length debut & I also thought the Doc D concept mixtape Planetory Destruction was decent too, but Bobby Tarantino III was pretty underwhelming. His final offering for Def Jam Recordings that dropped couple summers ago Vinyl Days happened to be his most artistically definitive yet & College Park was just ok, so hearing Ultra 85 finally coming out had me hoping it’d be his best in a couple years.

“Paul Rodriguez” is a 9 minute, jazzy boom bap opener produced by Logic himself alongside Bobby Boy Records in-house producer 6 & Beat Butcha sampling “Love So Fine” by Roger Nichols including standout wordplay mentioning the Comcast Corporation subsidiary NBCUniversal owned DreamWorks Animation Studios along with The Walt Disney Company owned Pixar Animation Studios whereas “Mission Control” puts a dusty flip on the iconic Gucci Mane single “Lemonade” cooking without even being in the kitchen at all. “Deja Vu” has a predominantly conscious, east coast tone serving as a sequel to “Fade Away” off The Incredible True Story & after the “Glorious Ultra Panavision” skit, “Fear” blends pop rap & hip house with neo-soul & conscious jazz rap shedding fears of judgement from others & becoming the person he truly wants to be.

The cloudier boom bap aesthetics of “Favela” are a nice touch tryna challenge anyone who wants to step up to him on the mic referencing Tesla CEO, SpaceX founder, Neuralink founder & Twitter owner Elon Musk while “Gardens III” hooks up some kicks & snares with an alluring vocal sample going off the grid. “Ghost in the Machine” featuring ADÉ & Robert Ivory samples “Going in Circles” by The Friends of Distinction takes it back to the basement still representing the Ratt Pack, but then “Interstellar” returns to the jazzy boom bap tip talking about those who never understood what Bobby’s been through.

“In Retrospect”’s instrumental kinda radiates a jangly boom bap energy to end Ultra 85’s first half refusing to come down from where is at life currently while “44ever” was a decent continuation of “44 Bars” & “44 More” off the first 2 installments of the Bobby Tarantino trilogy. “Love Me” flips “Amen, Brother” by The Winstons wanting the light to be given to him so he can shine & after the “Planet Death” skit, “Teleport” spaciously shows off speedier flows reflecting on many memories & harsh moments in his life.

After the “Chess” skit, “Antidote” featuring ZeelooperZ goes head-on trap flexing that the art they make goes over people’s heads while the boom bap heavy “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” recognizes Quentin Tarantino’s latest movie to date as the best of his career although I’d say Pulp Fiction. “Peace, Love & Positivity” richly advising that listeners never give up their dreams. “City in the Stars” by Robert Ivory is a sequel to “City of Stars” & “Thank You for Believing in Me” ends singing over a guitar dedicating it to his fans.

Regardless if I still have Vinyl Days as my favorite album of Logic’s career, Ultra 85 takes a step above College Park as the best one Logic has done since leaving Def Jam to go independent & it’s certainly an incredible way for him to go out so he can focus on producing full-time. The production goes from boom bap to jazz rap, trap, cloud rap, pop rap, hip house, conscious hip hop & neo-soul showing how much he’s grown in nearly 2 decades with performances as consistent as they were couple years back feeling reminiscent to Cowboy Bebop.

Score: 4/5

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MAVI – “Shadowbox” review

Charlotte, North Carolina underground sensation MAVI returning after a couple years to put out his 3rd album. Emerging off his full-length debut Let the Sun Talk a day before his 20th birthday, he would go on to land a verse on “El Toro Combo Meal” off of Earl Sweatshirt’s 2nd EP Feet of Clay a month later as well as preluding the further well received Laughing So Hard It Hurts in the form of a debut EP of his own End of the Earth. Few singles later, he’s ready to Shadowbox.

“20,000 leagues” goes drumless to start the LP rapping about saving him from himself whereas the 2-part “open waters” takes a cloudier route instrumentally keeping the drums out the picture for both halves explaining that creating art out of suffering is a haunting if not a futile endeavor. “i did” finally puts some drums in the equation keeping it cloudy talking about doing stuff that he promised not to do anymore & “i’m so tired” strips the drums once again abstractly wanting to be washed off so he can can make another song without a crater or a scar.

The beat on “tether” kinda has a glitchier, funkier tone altogether reminding that we’re all gonna die at some point in our lives while “the sky’s quiet” raps about making a bunch of hearts bleed unable to measure a correct amount of soup although he’ll get back on that when he eventually does. “latch” squares up at the score even if he wasn’t sure this is what he meant over Madlib-inspired production, but then the piano/boom bap hybrid “grindstone” addresses a bitch ass dude named Brandon telling him why he’s the greatest.

After the “drown the snake” skit, “drunk prayer” talks drinking until he’s unable to feel shit over a crooning sample wailing behind him leading into “the giver” telling his partner to make it make sense for him over lavish keys dashed with kicks & snares. “too much to zelle” goes for a psychedelic trap approach getting back to his boogie just before the jazzy “testimony” produced by Tom Levesque of Vanguard Music Group refers to himself as a living dream. “my own ways” finishes the album going his own path accompanied by an instrumental that doesn’t add the drums in until near the end.

Feeling a hopelessness towards Laughing So Hard It Hurts, MAVI felt like he had to come back learn & really how to make art all over again centered around visual art, fashion, interior design & design as an artistic framework & as an organizational force in society. The orderliness in the lives of the devoutly religious became an attractive subtext & lot of shadowbox’s backbone comes from his time with The Black Experience in Design, gaining the idea from them that design is power & the ability to determine the order of things & the way things are supposed to be are power.

Score: 4/5

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Spice – “Mirror 25” review

Spice is a 42 year old DJ, singer/songwriter & producer from Spanish Town, Jamaica whose aggressive flow, musical versatility & outspoken lyrics made her one of the most prominent dancehall artists that the world has seen in recent memory. Her debut 10 backed by VP Records was a fun introduction to her music generally & although the sophomore effort Emancipated was simply average, I was anticipating her 3rd album more after learning that was self-producing the whole thing by herself.

After a 3 & a half minute intro, the first song “You Are Worthy” sets the tone of what’s to come acoustically letting everyone who’s tuning in know that they are in fact worthy whereas the reggae/psychedelic “Lead Me” featuring Ky-Mani Marley finds the 2 thanking Jah for everything that was given to them & letting Him guide you. “Whoop” heads for a cavernous direction saying y’all can miss her with any negative energy leading into the fuzzy “G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All-Time)” talking about being the greatest in her subgenre.

Busta Rhymes joins Spice for the rubbery 2nd single “Round Round” that I actually found myself enjoying more than I initially thought I would going out to all the clubs worldwide just before the lead single “2085 Tea” humorously & sentimentally takes us 61 years from now being happy that she’s been minding her own business stripping down roots reggae with an increased emphasis on pure rhythm. “Ex Boyfriend” maintains a tropical bashment flare talking an ex of hers & the entrancing “Cry” featuring Lola Brooke calls out bitches who want smoke with them.

“D.D.D. (Dead Dick Disguises)” has a slower R&B groove to it this time around letting it be known she’s sick & tired of wasting her time on that shit while “Chair” returns to her dancehall roots flexing that her body stays rockin’ similarly to a rocking chair itself. “Super Hero” featuring Jada Kingdom & Pamputtae brings the synthesizers in the picture calling themselves vigilantes with a super clue while electronic/bashment fusion “Ghetto Gal” shrugs off anyone who thinks they can walk in her shoes.

Meanwhile on “Come Out”, we have Spice delivering one of the most empowering choruses Mirror 25 has to offer displaying her bad bitch status while “Bestie” fuses dancehall & house music dedicated to anyone in the world who has a best friend in their lives. “Put It On Me” featuring Patoranking has a futuristic bashment/afrobeats tone tackling themes of intimacy & intercourse while the celebratory “Happiness” works in some afrobeats undertones coming to the realization of the titular feeling suiting her.

“Mirror” entrancingly asks who’s the prettiest of them all while “Price Tag” keeps unraveling hypnotizing rhythms talking about money following her. “Mafia” pushes forward with a 3 & a half minute bad man anthem while “Gangster” featuring Chronic Law unites both DJs so they can talk about being rollin’ with certified gs that crush the road together.

Starting the final leg of the album, “Bailando” clashes Latin music & dancehall in an impressively unique fashion while “Hell No” clarifies that there are certain things she can’t do. The song “This Him Love” delvers further into raunchier subject matter while the penultimate track “God a Bless Me” speaks of Jah blessing her & having her back around the clock. Finally, she justifiably declares herself as the “Queen of the Dancehall” to finish the 85 minute experiences.

Quarter of a century in the game & Spice has decided to celebrate by outdoing herself from Emancipated by making Mirror 25 the best album that she’s done since leaving VP. Even if it’s 26 tracks & almost 90 minutes, her production top to bottom is a step above the predecessor’s revealing itself to be more musically ambitious injecting her dancehall sonic foundation with notes of the likes of country or afrobeats & R&B heavily reflecting as a result of a near-death experience.

Score: 4/5

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Chlöe – “Trouble in Paradise” review

Chlöe is a 26 year old singer/songwriter, producer & actress from Atlanta, Georgia coming up as 1/2 of the duo Chlöe x Halle with Halle Bailey. Introducing themselves in 2018 when Beyoncé signed them to Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records for their decent debut album The Kids Are Alright, the Bailey sisters’ sophomore effort Ungodly Hour in the summer of 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdowns would prove to be their most acclaimed body of work yet & have since been focusing on their solo careers. In contrast to Halle having yet to release her solo debut, Chlöe’s own debut In Pieces received mixed responses & is looking to have Trouble in Paradise top it.

“All I Got (Free Falling)” has a bare gospel-influenced beat from Bongo to get the ball rollin’ wishing she & her ex could start all over whereas “Might as Well” featuring Ty$ fresh off ¥$’ sophomore album Vultures 2 last Saturday morning coming together for a soulful duet singing about texting each other at 2am. “Boy Bye” fuses pop, contemporary R&B, 2-step, alt-pop & dance-pop thanks to Rogét Chahayed for anyone who needs to get rid of someone toxic and draining from their life just before “Redemption” catchily sings that she’s not being too big on the titular act herself.

Meanwhile on “Temporary Single”, we have Chlöe over a predominantly acoustic sound assuring that she briefly doesn’t have a man at the current moment while the intoxicating trap soul cut “Rose” talks about becomin’ alone & not meeting another man like the one she has now. “Favorite” featuring & produced by Anderson .Paak stands out as infectious R&B duet not tryna buy into favoritism, but then the syrupy “Same Lingerie” sings about needing some time to herself.

Lauryn Hill’s son YG Marley joins Chlöe for the dancehall/R&B crossover “Never Let You Go” finding both partners refusing to let go of one another while “Want Me” by Chlöe x Halle hops over acoustics as well as hi-hats & snapping fingers asking why everything in their past relationships changed. The piano-driven “Moments” sings that she has true love for her ex due to all the memories they have together while “F.Y.S. (Fuck Your Status)” blends trap soul & alternative R&B discussing one’s social status.

“Nice Girls Finish Last” atmospherically starts the final leg of Trouble in Paradise singing about intercourse while “Strawberry Lemonade” experiments with a nu disco R&B sound talking about having the sugar for her partner. “Shake” featuring Jeremih goes from the nu disco undertones of the previous track to prominent house influences throwing that ass back & “Somebody” wraps up the album with an empowering pop ballad feelin’ like she needs someone.

She & Halle already earned my respect when Ungodly Hour came over 4 years ago, so I figured that Trouble in Paradise had to improve on the moderately received debut & it’s certainly a more consistent showcasing of what Chlöe’s capable of doing by herself. It’s a summer fling & coming-of-age celebration of being a woman having fun & not taking life too seriously pulling from pop, contemporary & alternative R&B, pop soul, pop rap, afropiano, trap soul, dancehall, nu disco, 2-step, alt-pop & dance-pop.

Score: 3.5/5

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BP Infinite – “Kill or Be Killed” review

This is a brand new producer album from Amityville, New York beatsmith BP Infinite. In the last 19 years or so, he’s found himself working with underground veterans from K-Rino to Diabolic, Ill Bill, the Black Market Militia & Uncle Murda. His first producer album Timeless Music was released in the fall of 2017 followed by an EP called The Supreme 7, so I was interested in hearing Kill or Be Killed since the list of performers compared to the last couple solo efforts looked grander & jam packed on paper.

After the “Tournament of Champions” intro, the title track by RJ Payne & Skyzoo sets the tone with its organ/boom bap instrumental explaining that you either kill or be killed in this game called life whereas “Street Vengeance” by Nature & Tragedy Khadafi has a mafioso flare to the beat getting in their hardcore bag lyrically. “We Out of Here” by Elucid & Gudda Vell soulfully unites the pair flexing that they runnin’ on their last legs prior to “They Know Who It Is” by E-Class & Nature keeping the soul samples in tact comparing themselves to Steph & Klay or Kobe & Shaq.

“Kill Squad” by Redman gives one of the hardest performances on the album over horns although my biggest complaint is that it’s a shorter than I imagined just before the vocal sampling returns on “Love & War” by Bub Rock, Eddie Kaine & J. Arrr talking about wanting to see their brothers ballin’ & keeping it 100 being law to them. “Raise Your Glass” by Bunchy Cartier, Shabaam Sahdeeq & 9th Prince strips the drums to make a toast while “Can’t Fuck with Me” by Mooch & Tragedy Khadafi ruggedly talks life being different for them now.

Gudda Vell & the Intelligent Hoodlum express their desire of being great on “No Replay” further marking a return to the boom bap, but then “The End” by E Murda & Shots hops over a crooning sample to make money & put others in their place. “Screwface” by Dunbar has a suspenseful vibe instrumentally putting the listeners in his shoes while “Deep in My Heart” by Cory Gunz, eLZhi & Tragedy Khadafi hooks up a gospel flip flexing their lyrical prowesses.

“I Survived” by Eddie Kaine & Shots further pushes towards the end of the LP going chipmunk soul looking to stay high where they reside witnessing someone pass away in front of them at 16 & “Listen Up, Pt. II” by Bunchy Cartier & Pillz wraps up by working in pianos clarifying that the only thing on their minds is the money both of them stay stackin’ up.

Kill or Be Killed is the hip hop equivalent of a roundhouse kick to the face from both the beatsmith & his incredible cast of collaborators, almost like the movie Bloodsport with a tournament of diverse & unique talent. To make all of it possible, BP spent 18 months of fleshed out all the production that he thought specifically matched the artists he wanted to work with & it’s finally paid off.

Score: 3.5/5

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