KAYTRANADA – “Ain’t No Damn Way!” review

Port-au-Prince, Haiti born albeit Montréal, Québec, Canada raised DJ, producer, singer/songwriter & rapper KAYTRANADA returning for his 4th studio LP. Starting as 1/2 of The Celestics alongside his younger brother Lou Phelps, he’s has been widely recognized as being amongst the most popular & in-demand producers in all of music for the past decade working with everyone from Mobb Deep to Mach-Hommy. KAYTRADAMUS even has 3 solo efforts under his belt in 99.9% through XL Recordings, the RCA Records-backed Bubba, the eponymous debut from KAYTRAMINÉ & more recently Timeless last summer. 13 months have passed since the predecessor & Ain’t No Damn Way! has arrived 4 days after it’s announcement.

“My Life” by Latrelle featuring Kelis gets sampled for the deep house intro with “Space Invader” throwing hints of contemporary R&B in the mix whereas “Championship” continues the house vibes with an 115 second instrumental piece. “Home” sticks out as one of my favorite beats here due to it’s carefree atmosphere just before “Target Joint” pulls inspiration from the funky house subgenre.

Nearing the end of Ain’t No Damn Way!’s first half, “Things” samples “Things Fall Apart” by Steve Monite for a futuristic house composition with some synthesizers leading into “backstABs” getting back in his deep house bag instrumentally. “Good Luck” definitely feels reminiscent to my all-time favorite production duo The Neptunes in terms of sound, but then “Shine Your Light for We” samples “Black Boy” by Cappadonna & makes it into a disco highlight of it’s own.

“Goodbye Bitch!” combines characteristics of both synth funk & funky house for an infectious beat that won’t make you stop nodding your head while the deep house cut “Don’t Worry Babe (I Got U Babe)” makes an irresistibly soulful use of sampling. Speaking of which: The last song “Do It (Again!)” after “Blax” continues to display KAYTRA’s ear for chopping up samples, this time repurposing “Let’s Do It Again” by TLC.

As opposed to having a cast of guests performing over his instrumentals like on all 3 of his predecessors, KAYTRANADA returns out of nowhere 14 months later for Ain’t No Damn Way! as a welcoming return to his electronic roots. Ditching the primary alternative R&B influences of Timeless last summer to emphasize the deep house side of it’s predecessor, he gets to sprinkle additional hints of funky house & synth funk over the 30+ minute course.

Score: 3.5/5

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Young Nudy – “Paradise” review

Here is the 4th studio LP from Atlanta, Georgia rapper Young Nudy. Although he & 21 Savage are cousins, he eventually carved a lane of his own in the last decade with 10 mixtapes (the most notable ones being the Pi’erre Bourne-produced Sli’merre & it’s sequel) followed by his previous 3 full-lengths. I heard at some point last fall when Sli’merre 2 came out that Nudy had an album fully produced by Metro Boomin’ coming down the pipe but regardless when or if that happens, he’s taking us on a trip to Paradise.

“17” made for a cloudy intro produced by Kid Hazel talking about his young shooter layin’ bodies out whereas “What’s Happenin’?” featuring Latto finds the 2 pairing up over a Coupe instrumental so they can stay turnt in the club. “Pull Up” works in some strings & hi-hats for a homage to “Throw Some D’s” by Rich Boyleading into the Atlanta bass strip club heater “B.T.A. (Bounce That Ass)”.

The title track finds himself in the middle of a block party getting back on the trap vibes with some horns added to the equation just before “GOAT” bombastically talks about not wanting smoke with him at all. “Big Bad Wolf” featuring BabyDrill has a quirkier drill sound to it likening themselves to a pack of wolves while “Super Slime” talks about a woman falling in love with him because he ain’t no scrub.

21 Savage joins his cousin to make the Memphis rap banger “Iced Tea” basically saying you don’t get to eat if you don’t hustle while “Sugar” combines these pianos & hi-hats likening himself to Tony Montana of Scarface. “Mop Stick” has an eerier trap flare to it expressing is dislike for people cappin’ in their raps while “Snake” talks about the needing to clean up the streets & watch out for any rats.

“Chains On” nears Paradise’s final minutes to show off the ice around his neck over a trap beat with some vibraphones not having to flex shit because the girl he’s currently seeing is already well aware of him making money while “4 God” properly ties up our journey in Nudy’s Paradisewith some 808s & ominous synthesizers promising to put anyone who goes against him on a white tee shirt only driving fast.

Young Nudy & Coupe have crossed paths with one another countless times in the past already, using half of Anyways… or a great deal of both DR. EV4L & Gumbo as examples. Point is: The unique chemistry they’ve always had together still makes for a fun listening experience whether it be the trap, cloud rap, Memphis rap, pop rap, dirty south & rage production or Nudy’s explicitly gangsta approach to his songwriting.

Score: 3.5/5

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Tyler, The Creator – “Don’t Tap the Glass” review

New surprise LP & the 8th overall from California emcee, singer/songwriter, producer, actor, visual artist, designer & comedian Tyler, The Creator. Emerging as the de facto leader of Odd Future, his evolution both artistically & personally since the collective’s disbandment last decade has truly been amongst the most fascinating ones I’ve ever witnessed in my lifetime going from the bratty edginess of Bastard & Goblin to the undeniable maturity & versatility shown on Flower Boy & Igor. Call Me If You Get Lost happened to be his best lyrically & Chromakopia was a mature refinement of Cherry Bomb, releasing Don’t Tap the Glass in the middle of his ongoing tour.

“Big Poe” featuring Pharrell instrumentally throws it back to something The Neptunes would’ve made in the early 2000s with both of them introducing us to this new alter-ego possibly homaging the late Big Moe of the Screwed Up Click whereas “Sugar on My Tongue” takes on a more sexual tone with the lyrics experimenting with hip house. “Sucka Free” lyrically carries over the confidence of his “hey now” freestyle last Christmas except for a g-funk beat backing him until “Mommanem” drumlessly compares his haters to children.

One of the craziest instrumentals Tyler has ever made lands on “Stop Playing with Me” fusing Miami bass & electro calling for detractors to hop off his dick while “Ring Ring Ring” goes for an Off the Wall-era Michael Jackson vibe singing for his lover to pick up the phone & hoping they’re well. The title track boastfully laughs at the idea of him losing touch with the regular folks when he’s never been regular his whole career & “Tweakin’” brings back the synths to find himself trippin’ making the first 2-parter since Call Me If You Get Lost.

“Don’t You Worry Baby” lets DAISY take over the vocal performances singing about having the time & giving it to him before he falls asleep showing a Miami bass influence again while “I’ll Take Care of You” comes off as more of an interlude heavily sampling both Killa C & Princess’ verses during the Crime Mob’s biggest hit “Knuck If You Buck” for 3 & a half minutes. Including the Cherry Bomb title track’s drums. “Tell Me What It Is” ties up the half hour experience with a closer reminiscent of IGOR feeling skeptical of opening up his soul for love since he doesn’t know exactly how to.

Tyler, The Creator commemorates the 8-year anniversary of Flower Boy by straying away from the conceptual themes throughout a bulk of earlier material & whipping up a candidate for Album of the Summer with only a couple months left. It’s more centered around the pop rap & dance styles than anything he’s done previously pulling further inspiration from synth-funk, Miami bass, electro, neo-soul, dance-pop, hardcore hip hop, hip house, Atlanta bass & contemporary R&B doing what Drake thinks he did on Honestly, Nevermind but far superior.

Score: 4.5/5

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Cactus Jack Records – “JACKBOYS II” review

This is a brand new mixtape from Houston, Texas label Cactus Jack Records founded by local rapper, singer/songwriter, producer & the honorary WWE Hardcore Champion Travis Scott. The current roster includes Don Toliver, SoFaygo, Sheck Wes, Luxury Tax, DJ Chase B & Wallie the Sensei with both Smokepurpp & Malu Trevejo being signed at one point except neither one of them officially put anything out during their short time. They collectively dropped a JACKBOYS EP days following Christmas 2019 & have returned for a sequel since they’ve brought a few new artists on board since.

The first song “Champain & Vacay” by Don Toliver & Travis Scott after the “JB2 Radio” intro finds the latter subtly responding back to Pusha T with the “Made a hunnid off pushin’ T’s” line over some synthesizers & hi-hats whereas “2000 Excursion” by Don Toliver, Sheck Wes & Travis Scott finds Cardo mixing trap, pop rap, neo-psychedelia, alternative R&B & rap rock homaging the titular brand of Ford cars. “Kick Out” by Travis Scott gives me a gritty dirty south vibe until the switch-up during the last minute courtesy of T-Minus talking about getting the boot of shit gets complicated prior to “Dumbo” also by Travis Scott guaranteeing that the baddie he with is going stupid.

SoFaygo gets his own song with “MM3” shutting down the rumors of him being unhappy on Cactus Jack by giving us what we can expect on his forthcoming sophomore effort Mania rapping like the rent was due sampling “Ski Mask” by Project Pat just before “Velour” finds Don Toliver prominently singing a refrain & chorus with Sheck Wes providing a sole verse & Bugz Ronin musically backing them. “Contest” by SoFaygo & Travis Scott marks the first time they’ve collaborated with each other jumping over a rage beat talking about catching Ws their whole lives while “I.L.M.B. (I Love My Bitch)” by Sheck Wes & Travis Scott made for an average trap single with secondary hypertrap influences.

“Where Was You” by Travis Scott featuring Future & Playboi Carti produced by F1LTHY of Working on Dying reunites the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren & Jalen Williams of trap so they can kill all these hoes wanting to eat their bones while “No Comments” by Don Toliver kicks the synths back in full gear to talk about sprinkling more hi-hats in the fold trying to get to know a woman. “Beep Beep” by Travis Scott ruins a self-produced instrumental by giving SahBabii the weakest feature on the entire compilation while “PBT” by Travis Scott featuring Tyla & Vybz Kartel feels like an outdated attempt at dancehall.

Glorilla’s appearance during “Shyne” by Travis Scott makes sense heavily pulling from Chicago drill & crunk referencing Matthew McConaughey in light of his upcoming appearance in the A24 Films thriller The Lost Bus & hitting the wiggly wobbly while “Outside” by Travis Scott featuring YoungBoy Never Broke Again links the 2 up over synthesizers & hi-hats talking about stealing people’s bitches. “Can’t Stop” by Don Toliver & Wallie the Sensei brings both of them together to deliver a psychedelic tribute to ingesting all sorts of drugs & “Florida Flow” by Travis Scott featuring Kodak Black finishes the tape with them beat reflects on the Miami scene speedin’ people’s shit up the way H-Town slows shit down over a Tay Keith beat.

My favorite Travis Scott solo song is actually the one that starts off the deluxe run “Da Wizard” dropping braggadocio over Metro Boomin’ & TM88 production while “Trip Out” feels like a Yeat song featuring Sheck Wes considering Yeat’s all over it except for the final verse out-rapping Sheck & it’s catered to the rage sound Yeat became known for when his popularity grew. The final bonus track “110 South” by Luxury Tax & Wallie the Sensei marks Luxury’s only appearance on the entire compilation joining Cactus Jack’s newest member backed by a ghostly trap instrumental giving no fucks.

So much going down in Texas this weekend considering Adam Page became a 2-time AEW World Champion ending Jon Moxley’s 4th & worst reign, オカダ・カズチカ defeating his biggest 新日本プロレス rival Kenny Omega to become the new AEW International Champion, the longest reigning ROH Women’s World Champion Athena becoming the current 4-time AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm’s #1 Contender, the seeds being planted for a reunion between former 7-time WWE Tag Team Champions Adam Copeland & Christian Cage since the current ROH World Television Champion Nick Wayne turned on the latter and lastly the current ROH World Tag Team Champion & ROH World 6-Man Tag Team Champion Dustin Rhodes becoming the new AEW TNT Champion because of Adam Cole vacating it due to career-threatening health issues at All In IV yesterday. Regarding the Let God Sort ‘Em Out & JACKBOYS II debate, Let God Sort ‘Em Out sweeps because JACKBOYS II feels reminiscent of Drake & 21 Savage’s collab album Her Loss.

Score: 3/5

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Noah Cyrus – “I Want My Loved Ones to Go With Me” review

Noah Cyrus is a 25 year old singer/songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee notable for being the younger sister of Miley Cyrus & the daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus as well as voicing the titular character in the English dub of the スタジオジブリ fantasy classic 崖の上のポニョ. She later signed to Columbia Records after becoming of age, her first couple EPs Good Cry & The End of Everything left listeners divided until her full-length debut The Hardest Part found herself beginning to come into her own. We just got her sister’s most acclaimed project of her career Something Beautiful over a month ago & she’s looking to catch up with her sophomore effort.

“I Saw the Mountains” made for a tight singer/songwriter, Americana & indie folk intro singing about holding onto hope whereas “Don’t Put It All on Me” featuring Fleet Foxes was an unexpected folk pop, singer/songwriter, indie folk, Americana & adult contemporary collaboration that impressed me as a Father John Misty fan since my senior year of high school a decade ago.

Another favorite has to be “What It’s All For?”, delivering vocal performances that feel reminiscent of Miley’s over acoustics reflecting on Noah’s current relationship with her father & the 2 divorces he’s had in 24 months just before “Way of the World” featuring Ella Langley finds the pair coming together for a contemporary country track explaining that them crying on the curb is usually the way it works with them.

“New Country” featuring Blake Shelton served as the final single learning to walk on your own 2 feet & finding your own independence drawing inspiration from Americana once more & the secondary soft rock influences during “Long Ride Home” making our way to the halfway point of were incorporated pretty well singing about her feeling as if the wheels have left the road.

We have Noah over some heavy pianos over the course of “Apple Tree” cautioning not to question or push her to lessen her love since she’s learned from her own experiences that it’s a weapon that ruins everything while “Man in the Field” returns to an Americana sound singing about her father becoming unrecognizable to her & having unfinished emotional business with him implying that he disappears when she calls out for him.

“With You” starts the final act of I Want My Loved Ones to Go With Me wanting someone in her life she’s shared good & bad times with to know that she’ll always be by their side while “Love is a Canyon” comes to a “beautifully true” realization comparing romance to a gorge vulnerably pulling off these low register vocals. “XXX” featuring Bill Callahan closes the album with a duet radiating a nostalgic campfire vibe signing about signing every letter with 3 X’s regardless if it’s to their exes or not.

I wasn’t a fan of Good Cry or The End of Everything, but I did enjoy The Hardest Part for the complete stylistic departure she went for compared to those early EPs & I Want My Loved Ones to Go With Me only reveals what she had inside her all this time. It’s more singer/songwriter & indie folk lenient than the last LP was comfortably finding who she is further pulling from country pop, soft rock, Americana, contemporary country, folk pop & adult contemporary.

Score: 4/5

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ScarLip – “Scarred B4 Fame” review

ScarLip is a 24 year old rapper & producer from Brooklyn, New York signing to Epic Records following the single “This is New York”. I on the other hand wasn’t introduced to her until she appeared on “Take ‘Em Out” off the Hip Hop 50, Vol. 2 EP that Swizz Beatz produced a couple years ago & began seeing the appeal in her music once “Blick” came out weeks after a couple of her fans were messaging me on social media last summer. To get THIS summer started, the Broken Child Entertainment founder’s preluding her debut album with a debut EP.

I didn’t mind “Pop That” featuring Lil Wayne as an intro bringing both of them together over a Rockwilder & Swizz Beatz instrumental to remind where you can find them if you need some weight whereas “Melanin” angrily talks about beefing with ghostwriters instead of other rappers. “Eastside” fuses trap & soul advising not to call her since she don’t need anyone leading into the mediocre New York drill collab “Fruity Pebbles” featuring TaTa.

“Could’ve Been Me” featuring Skilla Baby begins the final moments of Scarred B4 Fame with both of them keeping guns by their side asking what the plan is but after “Runaway Love” freestyles over the instrumental of the Ludacris track of the same name from Release Therapy, “Lord Please” sends off the EP fusing trap & gospel asking God to be easy on her.

Haven’t really consider myself the biggest fan of the New York drill scene other than the late Pop Smoke & right when I thought that subgenre was starting to fade out because nobody has really carried the torch since, hearing ScarLip for the past couple years had me hoping that she would capitalize on her potential with this EP & the results are mixed. I can certainly say the hunger’s there in her verses, although most of the guests’ performances & some of the instrumentals are 2 of the biggest criticisms I have with it.

Score: 2.5/5

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Smiley – “Never Box Me In” review

This is the 3rd EP from Toronto, Ontario, Canada rapper Smiley. Beginning as a member of the Garden Gang, he would go on to drop his debut mixtape Buy or Bye in the spring of 2018 followed by 2 EPs & even a couple more tapes before local superstar Drake signed him to OVO Sound a little over 3 years ago already. As for his OVO debut Buy or Bye 2, it didn’t really do all that much in catching my interest or standing out enough to the point where I’d go back to it & I Did What I Did wasn’t doing any favors. In spite of Kendrick Lamar performing last night & tonight in the label’s city, Smiley’s advising to Don’t Box Me In.

“Budge” wasn’t that good of a single bragging over a piano-trap instrumental that his trap house was doing the same numbers as the NFL when I doubt that whereas “6SideKids” cloudily talks about feeling bored on tour. “2 Mazza” featuring Drake has gotta be one of the more salvageable moments on the EP from the Boi-1da beat to even Smiley’s mentor barely outperforming him leading into the atmospheric “Kept Snowin’” tediously speaking on the racks making him feel good.

Why G pops up on “Trapman” for a subpar trap collab prior to Icewear Vezzo saving the best feature on the EP for “Money Feen” talking about their overly obsessive desire for money. “Big Dog” featuring Baka Not Nice whose weird case still makes people wonder why he’s around takes a nosedive again hilariously referring to themselves as bosses & after “Wave the Flag” adds insult to injury talking about not making it worse since he learned from the best, Pooh Beatz samples Sean Leon during “Spill the Tell” until Smiley derails it by making them “put out your hand like Wii”.

“Bob Curry” cloudily starts the deluxe run boldly asks if anybody wants smoke when the guy who have him a deal’s still taking Ls while “Oliver North” continues with a comatose tribute to his city. “Ratchet Baby” featuring Roy Wood$ finds the 2 talking about preferring some nastiness in their women while “Faddah” pleads for all the time he’s lost to come back when that isn’t happening. The final bonus track “Not a Fan” ends the EP with him talking about being a “guyser” whatever that means.

Last summer, it was mentioned when I had reviewed I Did What I Did that Smiley was by far the weakest link compared to the rest of the OVO roster & Don’t Box Me In solidifies that even further. I appreciate the fact he wanted to go for a different direction compared to his earlier material, but that doesn’t mean I found a lot of his performances boring compared to almost half of the guests on top of the production for a good run of the 36 minutes coming off as mostly uninteresting.

Score: 1.5/5

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Addison Rae – “Addison” review

Addison Rae is a social media personality, singer, actress & dancer from Lafayette, Louisiana know for temporarily being a member of the Hype House collective of TikTokers for a mere 5 months. Her debut EP AR was welcomed to moderate feedback & caught the attention of Columbia Records, who signed her following an appearance on the remix of “Von Dutch” off Charli XCX’s 6th album brat last summer. Coming off a string of well-received singles however, she’s taking it further on her major label debut.

We get a heavy dosage of dance-pop during the intro “New York” singing about her affinity for the City of Dreams itself whereas “Diet Pepsi” blends contemporary R&B, alt-pop, chillstep, alternative R&B & downtempo for a lead single calling back to Lana Del Rey’s 5th album Lust for Life. “Money’s Everything” takes a complete 360 from what “Diet Pepsi” did asking taking on a more satirical tone while “Aquamarine” combines dance-pop, deep house, garage house & melodic house to sing about her transforming & realigning.

“High Fashion” after the “Lost & Found” interlude fuses alternative R&B, alt-pop, post-dubstep, chillstep, future bass & wonky preferring the luxurious lifestyle over drugs leading into the breezy “Summer Forever” singing about loving Omer Fedi so much that she forgets what’s going on. “In the Rain” kicks the synthesizers into full gear turning her tears into gold until the dance-pop, electropop, synthpop & electro house track “Fame’s a Gun” recaptures the ethos of Sheila E.’s biggest hit “The Glamorous Life”.

The song “Times Like These” uses the sounds of contemporary R&B, downtempo, trip hop, alt-pop, UK street soul & alternative R&B to sing about her life moving faster than herself while “Headphones On” after the “Life’s No Fun Through Clear Waters” interlude finishes off with a trip hop, contemporary R&B, pop, UK street soul, alternative R&B & hip hop soul single sampling “What I Am” by Edie Brickell to touch base regarding situations that cannot be resolved.

Of the 2 full-length albums we have from the Hype House so far, Addison puts Huddy’s debut Teenage Heartbreak to shame by revealing Addison Rae as the most musically talented of the bunch by cooking up a more passionately conceived LP than Alex Warren’s recent singles ahead of his own debut You’ll Be Alright, Kid next month. We get a better understanding of herself with her background as a competitive dancer bleeds all over the production pulling from alt-pop, contemporary R&B, downtempo, dance-pop, alternative R&B, electropop, pop, trip hop, UK street soul, hip hop soul, electro house, synthpop, post-dubstep, chillstep, future bass, wonky, deep house, garage house & melodic house.

Score: 4/5

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Miley Cyrus – “Something Beautiful” review

Miley Cyrus is a 32 year old singer/songwriter, actress & director from Franklin, Tennessee breaking out as the older sister of Noah Cyrus & the 2nd eldest daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus. Achieving greater success as the titular character on the The Walt Disney Company-owned Disney Channel teen sitcom Hannah Montana, her first 3 LPs Meet Miley Cyrus alongside Breakout & Can’t Be Tamed under Hollywood Records were equally met with mixed or negative reception. Same goes with The Time of Our Lives. Her debut for RCA Records during my junior year of high school Bangerz was when her music started to improve since I prefer songs like “#GetItRight” produced by The Neptunes over it’s biggest hit “Wrecking Ball”. Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz became a polarizing take on neo-psychedelia & psychic pop even with The Flaming Lips’ involvement, Younger Now went for a mid country pop direction aside from a DJ Premier remix of the title track, She’s Coming missed the landing with R&B & electropop and Plastic Hearts was a decent way to fulfill her RCA contract following her divorce from Liam Hemsworth of the mid A24 Films thriller Cut Bank. Moving over to Columbia Records, her debut for them Endless Summer Vacation once again divided public opinion & the high praise her 9th full-length album has been getting made me want to hear it to believe it.

“Prelude” has gotta be one of the boldest lead singles to a body of work that I’ve heard in a long time since it’s spoken word poetry over an epic post-minimalistic & progressive electronic instrumental until the title track goes full gear drawing from art rock, psychedelic soul, psychedelic rock, smooth soul, jazz-rock & experimental rock desiring something beautiful lasting eternity.

Pop rock, Europop, new wave, psychedelic pop, soft rock & big music all collide on “End of the World” suggesting that we should be making the best of our final moments if the apocalypse were to happen leading into “More to Lose” maintains a steady cross between soft rock, adult contemporary, piano rock & art pop singing about not wanting to be interrupted ore overthinking of chasing perfection.

“Easy Lover” after the first of 2 interludes was actually conceived during the Plastic Hearts sessions fusing country, rock & pop addressing the emotional addiction to a complicated relationship but after the other interlude, “Golden Burning Sun” turns up the soft rock influences employing themes of devotion. “Walk of Fame” featuring Brittany Howard is a synthpop duet singing about what it’s like for he to be at her level of international superstardom just before “Pretend You’re God” yearns to have that person in her life who’ll make her their everything.

The song “Every Girl You’ve Ever Loved” featuring Naomi Campbell blends funk & pop together for another duet asking if they’re pretty enough for more than fun in the dark while “Reborn” experiments with meshing trance music & pop together for a spiritual enlightenment ode inspired after she & Greg Aldae sat at church together one day. “Give Me Love” as a closer heavily builds itself around synthesizers instrumentally singing that heaven & terror both await behind the curtain while “Secrets” starts the deluxe run by forgiving her father. The final bonus track “Lockdown” finishes with a 13 & a half minute 2-parter singing about a relationship on the lowkey.

Never thought I’d see the day where I’d actually being saying any of what you’re gonna read in this paragraph, but here we are! Regardless of Bangerz always holding a place in my heart as time goes on, I can’t say that I’ve would’ve NEVER thought I’d hear Miley surpass it in terms of cohesiveness until Something Beautiful. Inspired by Pink Floyd’s iconic 11th album The Wall, it’s heavy concept centered around healing from trauma on top of finding beauty in life’s darkest moments & reconciliation of lost time heavily dabbling with pop rock, art rock, electro-disco, dance-pop, soft rock, neo-psychedelia, spoken word, poetry, epic music, post-minimalism, progressive electronic, psychedelic soul, psychedelic rock, smooth soul, jazz-rock, experimental rock, adult contemporary, piano rock, art pop, Europop, new wave, psychedelic pop, big music, synthpop & a small dose of country blows everything she’s done out the water.

Score: 4.5/5

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G-Eazy – “Helium” review

Oakland, California rapper, singer/songwriter, producer & actor G-Eazy making up for the delays of his 8th studio LP. Breaking out into the mainstream with his 3rd album These Things Happen in 2014, this was followed up a year later with When It’s Dark Outas well as The Beautiful & Damned back in 2017. Scary Nights was a subpar prelude to These Things Happen Too, Everything’s Strange Here easily stands as his embarrassing body of work yet & the These Things Happen sequel was only better by a small margin. Freak Show was one of the worst albums of 2024 & is putting out Helium only 11 months later.

“GRWM” was a mediocre trap intro talking about hoes calling him & asking them to pay him whereas “Kiss the Sky” gives boom bap a shot only for him to miss with a weak homage to the iconic Jimi Hendrix cut “Purple Haze”. The title track gets into his signature pop rap style pleading for this woman’s love leading into the underwhelming boom bap/rap rock crossover “Outside” featuring Diany Dior staying out for the summer.

Finishing the first half, “Dream About Me” tells his ex not to even think of him in her dreams over a generic trap instrumental just before “Fight & Fuck” gets back on the pop rap vibe once again describing a toxic relationship where he & his partner argue only to make lover afterwards. “Nada” wound up being a close contender for one of the worst singles to come out in 2024 partying when he wants, but then “After Dark” expresses his desire to be understood.

“How Can You Sleep?” gets it going on the final minutes of Helium with an acoustic pop rap cut finding G-Eazy admitting that he can’t move on from this woman that he said he would try to leave in the past & I found the lead single “Vampires” to be a tiring closer addressing toxic relationships once again although I don’t really mind the moodier sound all that much nor did I have any issue with the Bahari hook/bridge.

Conceptually built around the highs & lows of love & life, the sliver of optimism I had regarding this one wasn’t really done any justice even if it was released the day prior of G-Eazy’s birthday & the birthday of his brother he was closer than close too. The boom bap portions are actually average at best & the idea of parties never lasting forever being worth it in the end is a valid life lesson, except neither the trap or the pop rap cuts don’t really scratch the itch.

Score: 1.5/5

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