Although most of the project was conceived and recorded in a jointly rented house back in 2021, a collaborative union between Montreal producer Kaytranada and Portland rapper Aminé has been nearly a decade in the making. Then a fan, Aminé remixed a Kaytranada track back in 2014 and caught his attention enough to reach out … Continue reading KAYTRANADA & Amine – KAYTRAMINE
Pharrell Williams
Jack Harlow – Come Home The Kids Miss You
Seemingly overnight, throwing an inordinate amount of hate in the direction of Jack Harlow became the cool thing to do. While Harlow’s singles and features have certainly reached a level much higher than his full projects up to this point in his career, doing what he usually does and releasing an average rap album where … Continue reading Jack Harlow – Come Home The Kids Miss You
Pusha T – It’s Almost Dry
Nearly four years after dropping what may have been the year’s most celebrated rap album in Daytona, Pusha T’s inimitable rap voice and unstoppable pen have returned alongside some absolute legends. I’ve long been of the opinion that you can say the same thing about Pusha T as many people say about pizza – even … Continue reading Pusha T – It’s Almost Dry
Run The Jewels – RTJ4
Run the Jewels’ last album dropped mere weeks after Donald Trump’s election victory. Now, the provocative rap duo returns once again at a time when the world needs a soundtrack to a revolution more than ever. Recognizing this and releasing RTJ4 for free a couple of days early, the incendiary political commentary and spellbinding technical skill … Continue reading Run The Jewels – RTJ4
Rapid Fire Reviews (Gesaffelstein, Flume, Solange)
Gesaffelstein - Hyperion Endlessly experimental electronic producer Gesaffelstein tones down the weirdness a little with some more accessible instrumentals and big-name pop collabs for his second full-length project, Hyperion. Gesaffelstein was a major contributor to Kanye West’s Yeezus, the minimalist and industrial sound of which is currently everywhere you look in the world of pop … Continue reading Rapid Fire Reviews (Gesaffelstein, Flume, Solange)
Maggie Rogers – Heard It In A Past Life
Soulful indie-pop singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers has been selling out concert venues before she even released this debut project. After gaining wider attention through a viral video in which Pharrell Williams nearly started crying when he heard the then-unknown NYU music student’s early demo of “Alaska”, Heard It In A Past Life has been in the … Continue reading Maggie Rogers – Heard It In A Past Life
Ariana Grande – Sweetener
Virtuosic R&B-pop princess Ariana Grande’s 4th studio album, Sweetener, might not be her best work yet - but it’s certainly her riskiest and most groundbreaking. With production shared between the omnipresent Pharrell Williams and old friends Max Martin and Tommy Brown, who we haven’t seen since her soulful debut, it’s the work of the former … Continue reading Ariana Grande – Sweetener
The Carters – EVERYTHING IS LOVE
Global superstar and woman of many talents Beyonce goes the route of surprise drop with no promotion once again, linking up with her famous husband Jay-Z to deliver a satisfying conclusion to the narrative of their familial drama outlined on respective projects Lemonade and 4:44. While EVERYTHING IS LOVE doesn’t quite measure up to either … Continue reading The Carters – EVERYTHING IS LOVE
Rapid Fire Reviews (Rae Sremmurd, Charlie Puth, Playboi Carti)
Rae Sremmurd - SR3MM/Swaecation/Jxmtro Brotherly hip-hop duo Rae Sremmurd embrace their inner OutKast on the third in their Sremmlife album series, branching out and turning into a sprawling triple disc edition that allows a full album for each member to shine individually. Rae Sremmurd’s youthful, jubilant cloud-rap sound is often a joy to listen to, … Continue reading Rapid Fire Reviews (Rae Sremmurd, Charlie Puth, Playboi Carti)
Migos – Culture II
Atlanta rap trio Migos return with the sequel to the album that catapulted them to superstardom, which extends to a gargantuan hour and 45 minutes in length and recruits some high-profile guests as they flex their newfound muscles in the industry in the way only they can. While the project is very excessive, not varying … Continue reading Migos – Culture II
Ben's Beat - Music Reviews 