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One of the handful of instances where it’s not all that bad to be called an ‘at home’ type. With a clear jazzy kind of beat that is reminiscent of A Tribe Called Quest, New Zealand-based emcee Tom Scott contemplates the use of drugs as a tool of escapism alongside escalating costs of living. While its overt instrumentation might not have always landed its spot with ease, there are a few gems that are worth the praise. ‘Twenty Eight’ in particular offers a suave, slick flow. Scott weaves in strands of anecdotes around his difficult personal life, double standards in the legal system, and a motif of number that rings the best of Yasiin Bey’s early works. 2.9/5

Following her well-deserved opus from 2021, Simbi Ajikawo’s fifth album strips down the ambitions of her previous album in favour of more overt funk influences and a more subdued feeling in its sounds. The result is that of a record that feels like a clear disappointment, but where can you go if you’ve already released one of Britain’s best albums of the decade? It’s at least a solid testament of Simz’s versatility and technical proficiency with her conscious lyrics. If you’re a fan of her and you’re itching for a track that comes close to the grandeur of Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, then ‘Broken’’s thematic look at mental health and twinkly sounds is as soothing as it is emotive. 4/5

This glitch pop track is zany all the way through with its abrupt changes, bass-boosted retro beats and instrumentation, an EDM-driven sound production, and alternating vocals. Suffice to say, its avant nature will more than likely bug others out (pun intended) for its frantic impression and chipmunk vocoding, but there’s an undeniable gem to be found if you love genres like hyperpop. ‘Rare Angel’ stands out as being somewhat beautiful in its direction even if it embodies what much of the album is about – for better or for worse. 3.8/5

The debut album from two experienced musicians is, to put it simply, not the embodiment of what one would first consider to be great music at first. The lyrics might come off as being juvenile, the singing might not be the most exciting, the riffs might not be tastefully unique. In execution, the record is actually a boat-load of fun that is filled with catchy choruses, a post-punk guitar playing that gives off a subtle sense of nostalgia, the deadpan vocal performance adds a lot more charm than what one would expect, the production is actually pretty clean in enabling each instrument to stick itself out. Last but not least, Wet Leg hits the right spot in how difficult it is to live life as a young adult from the innuendo-driven frustrations in ‘Chaise Lounge’ or ‘Wet Dream’ to tongue-in-cheek consumerism in ‘Supermarket’. It’s a bottle-full of enjoyment to be had. 4.5/5.

The recent announcement by Kristern Hayter that she will retire her Lingua Ignota project for the sake of her mental health will leave a hole in the neoclassical darkwave revival. Who is more than prepared to take over her space as the master of the gothic horror-alike genre? Enter the self-published debut album of the Argentina-born musician. It’s largely haunting, chilling, any suspenseful word that one could come up with over the delicate production, legato-focused notes for maximal thrill, and a strong vocal performance that could easily creep up to your soul. There is one simple, yet significant problem however. It’s all too familiar to Hayter’s music. This could make for a wild card scenario where fans of Lingua Ignota might either find the album to fit them like a glove or its clear similarities will turn away those who were hoping for something that has its own identity. Hopefully, they’ll look to refine their identity in the future because I find it to be too derivative for its own good. That being said, don’t discount the technical proficiency – the groundwork is there if they feel the need to reinvent themself. 3.4/5

Some half-decent psychedelic jangle pop tunes that, for some reason, are spliced with erratic and often distracting audio cuts to random samples. It’s reminiscent of the likes of Captain Beefheart or Frank Zappa if you were to force them to create something that’s commercial for once. The production even feels too off to give an impression that it’s an intentional choice as does the too-squeaky background vocals at times. To cut to the chase of my thought, fans of indie pop rock should honestly stay away from it even if they’re curious. 0.9/5

A nice little math pop record that is about as bouncy, youthful, and wild in its own riffs as the very bands that inspire them. The Netherlands-based band has conjured up an album that, in a different timeline, could find a track or two break out as hit singles among the mainstream. ‘Slip and Slide’ is what leads me down the hole into discovering It Already Does That through a YouTube recommendation and it’s still my favourite track within it. The start-stop dynamic in the song structure, the fun rhythm, and a little tinge of feeling makes for a low-key highlight. Do note that aside from its above-average performances, there is little to none worth writing home about. 3.3/5

Think a couple of adult-oriented rock songs, a handful of power ballads added in, and a decently strong British singer in her second album. Its 80s aesthetics might be nice and appealing for those who are fans of classic rock acts like Journey, Bon Jovi, or Bonnie Tyler. But, such homage might come off as being way too kitschy for those who might not only scoop around to find post punk, but may end up preferring other genres for their variety over AOR – me included. The technicality might have shown its chops, but the production feels off with how all the aspects sound as if there’s no distinct layers between each instrument or vocal singing. Its cliches and constant reminder of love without any sense of nuance will, on the other hand, risk people being turned off with how overplayed it feels without any unique flavouring. Try it out only if you simply wish for a throwback. 1.5/5

Distancing further and further away from their jangle pop roots, the third album from Alvvays takes a full plunge into shoegaze and noise pop. The final result from such is that it’s gorgeous, dreamy, and simmerful of lush production with waves and waves of layered guitars. Guitarist and frontwoman Molly Rankin’s singing is at her most appealing, shedding away the girl-next-door impression on the debut in favour of an echoey, faerie-like focus that adds to the atmosphere of the album. I would like to nag a bit about how the songs do at times ‘blend’ together all too much with my personal favourites being the most experimental sounding. For that, ‘Very Online Guy’ is alien and is packed with keyboards playing and shifting intonations of Rankin’s voice… on top of hitting a bit close to home in its subject matter. 3.8/5

Yes, this is the soundtrack from an anime called Bocchi the Rock! As much as many would skip it over for not being unique enough, this record is actually a real deal in how the songs were made. Notably influenced more by underground music although the main inspiration remains clear in Asian Kung-Fu Generation’s signature power pop, much of the record shifts between infectious riffs from one track to the unpredictable angular structure of math rock. If, or once for those who have tried out anime soundtracks/J-Rock before, you manage to find yourself liking it, the proficiency, songwriting, production, and vocals are actually very distinct and remarkable in their own way. Each instrument playing sticks out in their groove with help from the mixing, the multiple lead vocalists help to add a personality to their respective tracks, the minimal production lends itself to adding a kick to the music without feeling too slick in the process. It might not be revolutionary, but it’s a rare gem where the music is treated with as much love and care as its very source material does. Give it a good go if you can. 4.3/5

If this is going to serve as a portfolio for the Atlanta-born rapper, then what a way to prove himself to be one of the most exciting rappers of today. A sprawling concept album that serves as a rags-to-riches story about Destin Route’s pursuit of honing his emcee-ing talents under the conscious subtext of living within the ghettos, the style is very kaleidoscopic. Backed by a stacked list of established featured artists, he not only switches flow effortlessly with each change in the beat, but his tone changes to represent varying character opinions or differing thoughts on how his life is turning out. The theme might be common and some of the production might not land as hard as had hoped, but it’s certainly tried and true. As a shout out, the legendary Yasiin Bey (formerly/better known as Mos Def) turns up from his retirement with a verse that touches on his signature look on black American corruption in a way that’s interwoven with mysticism and mythology. 4.3/5