4
Joji – Ballads 1 Reaction
Joji showed surprising amount of skill and understanding in the R&B/neo-soul realm and left his own unique stamp on the genre in unexpected ways. An overall enjoyable listen with more highs than lows....
Pop
4
3.5
Khalid – Suncity Reaction
Khalid's latest is more of a sidestep than a leap forward and although he shows some maturation and still can create generally enjoyable music, it all feels rather inconsequential....
3.8
Jeremih & Ty Dolla $ign – MIH-TY
Between Jeremih's strong vocals and Ty Dolla $ign's skills as a songwriter, the pair were able to craft one of the rare joint projects that's actually worth the effort....
4.2
6LACK – East Atlanta Love Letter Reaction
Despite some cliche and well worn elements, 6LACK still delivers an enjoyable listen that shows he's capable of carving out his own lane in the crowded space of alternative R&B....
4.7
The Native Sibling – “How To Win” Reaction
"How To Win" is a charmingly quaint song by the brother and sister folk duo The Native Sibling that conjures up a bird in a cage that eventually breaks free....
Troye Sivan : The Anthem
Troye Sivan came to The Anthem in D.C. with a stellar performance, with support from Leland and Kim Petras, the crowd was swooning all night long. Check out our full gallery of shots and be sure to catch him on tour....
4.6
Ariana Grande – Sweetener Reaction
There may not be as many instant bangers as one might expect, but 'Sweetener' is a completely realized project a full offering of everything she has to offer as a creative, not just a celebrity....
4
Troye Sivan – Bloom Reaction
'Bloom' is a phenomenal album and if this is what the future of pop sounds like, then it's got a bright future ahead. There's some clear shades of Frank Ocean in Troye's music but he manages to balance that more thoughtful approach to song crafting with the more joyous experience of just hearing genuinely enjoyable music....
2.7
Matoma – One In a Million Reaction
'One In a Million' is a generally decent listen that's a safe bet for any mixed crowd as the aggressively generic songs won't offend anyone one way or another....
3
Animal Collective – Tangerine Reef Reaction
It's strange to say the least and almost hallucinogenic in nature; a perfect fit in one of those old school sci-fi flicks. Alone, there's no way I'd be able to make it through either the audio or visual part of the project but together they create a mesmerizing loop that stands as art as much as it does music....
3
Jason Mraz – Know. Reaction
'Know.' is just Jason Mraz's latest entry into the uber positive niche he's carved out for himself. He cranks the good vibes to an 11 and keeps it there for the entirety of the project....
3.8
Nicki Minaj – Queen Reaction
Nicki Minaj's latest wasn't all hits but it far exceeded expectations and there's more than enough present to remind everyone why she blew up to such extraordinary heights in the first place. It's a shame though that she won't just let the music speak for itself....
Scott Walker: From Pop Pap or (Pap of Pop) to Beating The Avant-garde at Their Own Game
The number of pop artists that have chosen to go avant-garde is extremely small, but none went so far as Noel Scott Engel, a guy from Ohio better known as Scott Walker. The British daily “Guardian” aptly put it, he is “Andy Williams reinventing himself as Stockhausen.”...
4.5
Bebe Rexha – Expectations Reaction
'Expectations' is a great listen from front to back with some irresistible melodies, and it has all the makings to launch Bebe Rexha into becoming a full-blown pop star....
4
Florence + The Machine – High As Hope Reaction
Florence + The Machine try to strip things back for a more intimate listening experience. So there are more ballads and the production tries to be more subtle, but there's really only so much you can do to hold down a voice as powerful as Welch's....
5
Florence + The Machine – “June” Reaction
Florence + The Machine have produced a superb song brimming with brilliant dynamics and depth here and it's a hard thing not to appreciate....
3.5
Christina Aguilera – Liberation Reaction
'Liberation' certainly feels like a more genuine representation of her true artistic self and there are a lot of moments of interesting forays into different sounds and genres. I would have liked to have heard more sounds in that direction but all in all, this is the most interesting I've found Christina Aguilera in a long time....
4.9
Gorillaz – “Humility” Reaction
Bright and brilliantly embellished with tasteful touches on guitar, "Humility" sounds like sunlight should and would, if it had a sound. Wooping, warbling, sliding... It's relaxed soul and upbeat jazz jumbled up together....
3
Lykke Li – so sad so sexy Reaction
Despite 'so sad so sexy' running a bit tired, Lykke Li's voice still sounds fantastic on the somber backdrops and she's still puts out some massive choruses that are perfect for the festival rounds. Just don't expect anything groundbreaking from it....
4
Lily Allen – No Shame Reaction
After a tumultuous past 4 years Lily Allen bares it all on No Shame and it's resulting in one of her most compelling projects to date....
4.3
James Bay – Electric Light Reaction
Evolving and progressing your sound is always a tricky affair but on "Electric Light" James Bay has been able to pull it off 'almost' flawlessly - giving his core fans what they fell in love with in the first place while boldly pushing into a new audience and direction without it feeling forced or gimmicky....
3
Charlie Puth – Voicenotes Reaction
Voicenotes isn't the most exciting or original album to come out of pop but it does provide a much stronger argument as to why we should care about Charlie Puth as an artist outside of an occasional big feature....
FRENSHIP : Rock & Roll Hotel
Simply put, recordings of the songs can’t do the live performance justice. FRENSHIP has to be experienced in person! They’re currently on their US Tour through June 5th and should not be missed! Check out our full gallery of shots from the night....
3
Kimbra – Primal Heart Reaction
What could have been a unique, inventive experience came off as more generic and safe than anything. There's some flashes of something truly special throughout Primal Heart, but ultimately Kimbra is unable to create something greater than the sum of its parts....