Through all of her trials and tribulations, it seems unbelievable that Demi Lovato has been a cultural force long enough that she’s now releasing her eighth studio album. Last year’s Dancing With The Devil saw her return after a four-year hiatus rife with tragedy, continuing to showcase some of the best vocals in the game … Continue reading Demi Lovato – HOLY FVCK
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Joey Bada$$ – 2000
After dabbling in various acting projects like Mr. Robot and the Oscar-winning short film Two Distant Strangers for a while, New York rapper Joey Bada$$ returns to the studio after five years. The sequel to his widely celebrated debut mixtape 1999, Bada$$ takes things into a new millennium on its 10-year anniversary, bringing back his … Continue reading Joey Bada$$ – 2000
Future – I NEVER LIKED YOU
A decade and 16(!) projects into his career, Future’s influence cannot be disputed. It also means there’s nothing left for him to prove, as most of his recent output has been truly hit or miss, sounding at times like Future is on auto-pilot in the studio. Case in point – his last solo project High … Continue reading Future – I NEVER LIKED YOU
Fivio Foreign – B.I.B.L.E.
As more and more big-name artists search out verses from people like Fivio Foreign to add a touch of the ascendant New York drill sound to their own projects, the genre’s new de facto leader in the wake of the tragic death of Pop Smoke sees fit to drop his debut studio album. After catapulting … Continue reading Fivio Foreign – B.I.B.L.E.
ROSALÍA – MOTOMAMI
To fully put into perspective just how mind-bending Spanish pop experimentalist Rosalía’s highly-celebrated fusions of genre can be: different online articles have compared her latest to the works of The Beastie Boys, Moby, Lorde and Nine Inch Nails. Rosalía herself has said it was inspired by Nina Simone and J. S. Bach, and actual collaborators … Continue reading ROSALÍA – MOTOMAMI
BensBeat Top 25 Albums of 2021
Finally, here are the best full-length projects this year had to offer. As the album format continues to valiantly fight onwards against a seemingly impending demise, many of the most innovative artists used the form to tell striking stories from front to back, flip the structure upside down, or simply load it up with the … Continue reading BensBeat Top 25 Albums of 2021
BensBeat Top 50 Songs of 2021
A sentiment I've seen crop up a couple times as year-end lists are published is that the year 2021 had such a consistent stream of great music, it was difficult to really sit with and connect to the best material like in years past before the next great thing came along. It's a strangely agreeable … Continue reading BensBeat Top 50 Songs of 2021
Rick Ross – Richer Than I Ever Been
15 years and 11 albums into his career, there’s not a lot that Rick Ross can do anymore that’s going to be new or surprising. Still, he’s arguably built up one of hip-hop’s strongest and most reliable brands, and he delivers more of what people are expecting on his latest project. With a litany of … Continue reading Rick Ross – Richer Than I Ever Been
Summer Walker – Still Over It
Racking up some stunning streaming numbers, it’s clear that fans have been clamouring for new material from Summer Walker – after all, she’s fit to be the soundtrack for tumultuous times, romantic or otherwise. After exploding onto the scene with her excellent debut, 2019’s Over It, elevating the alt-R&B scene with some biting, relatable lyrics … Continue reading Summer Walker – Still Over It
Ed Sheeran – =
Having come a long way from the early days of rapping with a guitar and a loop pedal, Ed Sheeran has racked up some of history’s most impressive touring numbers over the past couple years and has seen his appeal get further and further watered down into industry trend-hopping. Originally a massive breath of fresh … Continue reading Ed Sheeran – =
Ben's Beat - Music Reviews 