Only 11 months removed from the release of his last album, Major Key, DJ Khaled is back with a new purpose. Clearly fully embracing his status as the biggest walking, talking meme alive, Khaled delivers a double album that takes everything about Major Key and makes it bigger, and oftentimes, a lot more ridiculous than … Continue reading DJ Khaled – Grateful
Month: June 2017
Big Boi – Boomiverse
Atlanta rapper and former OutKast member Big Boi has released his third solo album and his first in 5 years. His previous project, 2012's Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors, never really lived up to the widespread critical and commercial acclaim of his debut, but this project here is certainly a swing back in the right direction. … Continue reading Big Boi – Boomiverse
Lorde – Melodrama
Alternative pop artist and former teen sensation Lorde drops her sophomore studio album, nearly 4 years removed from winning a Grammy at the age of 16 for "Royals". The extensive time Lorde has put into perfecting this album has been well-documented, and the resulting concept album of sorts, chronicling the story of a single house … Continue reading Lorde – Melodrama
Katy Perry – Witness
In a world where the idea of the "pop girl" is holding less and less weight, the mainstream sound shifting to a more urban area, trend-setter and record-breaker Katy Perry drops her fifth studio album, Witness. It is her first in nearly four years, surprising fans with her new appearance, politically geared messages and new ventures … Continue reading Katy Perry – Witness
SZA – Ctrl
Top Dawg Entertainment signee SZA, their solitary female artist, finally unleashes her long-delayed debut album on the world. We last heard from her in 2014, on the EP Z, which reached for lofty heights with its neo-soul style and atmospheric soundscapes but was ultimately too underproduced to be exciting. Now with a few more years to … Continue reading SZA – Ctrl
Bleachers – Gone Now
Ex-fun. guitarist and superstar pop producer Jack Antonoff returns with his side project turned full project's sophomore album, Gone Now. In contrast to debut Strange Desire (2014), Bleachers delve a little deeper into a musical niche here, specifically the arena rock of the 1980s that slowly began to become nearly synonymous with pop. For the most part, … Continue reading Bleachers – Gone Now
Halsey – hopeless fountain kingdom
Indie pop artist turned stadium-status superstar Halsey returns to deliver her sophomore studio album, following up 2015's lacklustre Badlands. Since being featured on one of the biggest songs of all time, The Chainsmokers' "Closer", Halsey's place in the public eye has grown exponentially and this album drops at a very opportune time for her. Halsey has … Continue reading Halsey – hopeless fountain kingdom
Bryson Tiller – True To Self
Rapidly rising R&B vocalist Bryson Tiller surprise drops the follow-up to the wildly successful debut T R A P S O U L a few weeks earlier than anticipated, following more or less the same formula as he did before. Much like T R A P S O U L, True To Self is full of 90s R&B and … Continue reading Bryson Tiller – True To Self
Lil Yachty – Teenage Emotions
Polarizing 19-year old rapper Lil Yachty's debut album, Teenage Emotions, is an absolute mess. But don't get me wrong - in Yachty's case, that's a good thing more often than not. Yachty refuses to play by the rules over the course of this 21-track monster, throwing everything we know about hip-hop music out the window and … Continue reading Lil Yachty – Teenage Emotions
Ben's Beat - Music Reviews 