Here are some short reviews of albums I enjoyed from January. What started as an expectedly barren month turned into a solid month of releases; from big names like James Blake, to internet stars like Yung Lean, under his “jonatan leandoer127” moniker. This month has been varied and exciting, spelling great things for the year ahead. Editing of this piece was graciously provided by my friend Rachel Hawker.
Future – The Wizrd
There’s a joke about people dying their hair blonde when they are going through something as some attempt to solve their problems. It’s usually a feigned effort but nevertheless, when Future was spotted with blonde hair before this album was released, my excitement grew.
Coming off the back of his solo mixtape Beast Mode 2, and his joint effort Wrld on Drugs with JuiceWRLD, it was refreshing to hear Future back in album mode. While Beast Mode was decent, Wrld on Drugs was mostly forgettable, so I was hoping for a return to form shown on 2017 albums FUTURE and HNDRXX. With The Wizrd, we not only see a return to form, but also to a return to the brash, in-your-face attitude of 2015’s Dirty Sprite 2.
Futures delivery and beat choices make for a focused album, accentuated by the scarce appearances of features. Future has created the spatial freedom to be himself across the tracks, a welcomed change from the plethora of joint mixtapes he has released across the years. A mix of producers, from Southside to Tay Keith, provide a varied canvas for Future to work on, while keeping the album moving to a familiar rhythm. A solid project all round.
James Blake – Assume Form
Blake’s early 2018 single If The Car Beside You Moves Ahead, and his work on the Black Panther soundtrack, gave me the impression that he would be releasing an album sometime last year. This proved not to be the case; instead we receive Assume Form over a year later.
His first full project since 2016’s The Colour in Anything, Blake keeps his trademark sound, splicing his beautiful instrumentals and touching vocals with amazing sampling and eclectic features. On Mile High, Blake tries his hand at a form of rap-singing; while it may not be a full-fledged onslaught of bars, his relaxed and slow delivery works so well with Travis Scott’s verse. The melodies on this album are lush and beautiful; Can’t Believe The Way We Flow is so vibrant and wholesome that it feels like an audible embrace. Barefoot In The Park features amazing vocals from ROSALÍA, and a particularly rare sample of an Irish folk song performed by Valerie Armstrong.
This feels like Blake’s best work and is a project that will stick with me, and I’m sure you will be seeing Assume Form on countless end of year album lists.
jonatan leandoer127 – Nectar
jonatan leandoer127, better known by his original stage name Yung Lean, shot to internet stardom in 2013 with his bizarre, drug-laced Cloud Rap. His music was thought by many to be joke, and those who knew it wasn’t either loved it or hated it. Nevertheless, Lean became a mainstay within dedicated internet Hip Hop circles, working with big names like Travis Scott and A$AP Ferg, becoming a figurehead of the Soundcloud Rap scene that was bubbling up in the mid 2010s.
As time passed, his status as a meme faded; Lean had a stint in a rehab facility and returned with music that remained true to his internet roots, yet showed his growing maturity. Under this new moniker we see this maturity, while being treated to something completely different and wholly unexpected. On Nectar, Lean draws influence from Alternative Rock, sometimes even Heartland Rock, to create what will inevitably be considered one of the most interesting projects of 2019. The delivery on the track Porcelain is reminiscent of Bob Dylan’s Subterranean Homesick Blues, while Off with their Heads could easily be a track on an early Beck album. Lean truly took some leaps on this record; the instrumental from the track Tangerine Warrior could easily be mistaken for an early Arcade Fire track.
While the vocal performances wont be winning any awards, Lean deserves praise for the change in style he delivers on this project.
Diva Sweetly – In the Living Room
When craving 90s nostalgia, we have to look beyond bands like Weezer’s covers of tracks such as No Scrubs if we want to find hits of primetime Pop Punk. The debut album from North Carolina’s Diva Sweetly offers exactly that.
What makes Diva Sweetly stand out, and what will hopefully get them the attention they deserve, is their effortless blend of Alternative Rock, Pop Punk, and splashes of wall-shaking Nu Metal. Across the album, the duty of singing switches between Karly Hartzman and Daniel Gorham, each lending their voice to craft exciting shifts in genres across the short run time of the album. They flip Auld Lang Syne into The Floor Caved In (New Lang Syne), draw the vibe back with the acoustic, guitar-led Beneath The Floorboards, then smack you over the head with the heavily distorted guitar and thumping drums of Dark Horse Lane. This run of 3 tracks alone demonstrates the groups versatility, which goes hand-in-hand with their potent chemistry to create something utterly charming.
This album is instantly likeable, and will be one that consistently makes its way into your regular playlists.
Toro y Moi – Outer Peace
Chaz Bear is a staple of the Chillwave scene, being one of the most consistent artists within the broad genre over the past decade. Bear is never away from the studio for long, and quick return has been warmly welcomed by music publications and fans alike.
On this project, Bear delivers his rhythmic funk grooves that have made him a darling of synth-pop scene. They create an immersive experience with no pauses between tracks, one flowing effortlessly into the next. Features dotted across the album from the likes of ABRA and Instupendo add to the already fantastic vocals and beats laid down by Bear. House influences are present on tracks like Who Am I, while downtempo vibes are interjected amongst the funk rhythms, bringing a steady balance to the album.
A brilliant and fun record, this is yet another album you will see popping up on a lot of lists at the end of the year.
Incoherent Music Rants 