Category: Quickspins

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPIN: Phony Ppl – mō’zā-ik.

Phony Ppl’s new album is the perfect music for those times when you’re wrapped in a golden blanket, magically floating over an idyllic beach at sunset. Sometimes luxuriously crooning over mellow synths, others spitting lay-you-down bars over bouncy percussion, the Brooklyn quintet melds bitter nostalgia with exuberant comfort. The writing is clever, the musicality is fantastically adept. The visuals that dropped with mō’zā-ik. match the bouncy, pastel sounds that permeate the tape. As is all too common in the Spotify age, the songs do begin to blur together by the end of this joyride of a listen.

Trial Track: “Think You’re Mine.”

8/10

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: Lil Wayne – Tha Carter V

At this point in his career Lil Wayne has nothing left to prove. He is a pop culture icon and a hip hop legend. Yet, he is at the top of his game, delivering his best album in over a decade. In many ways, Tha Carter V feels like a victory lap for one of the genre’s greats. Moments like “Dedicate” showcase vintage Wayne, while songs like “Let It Fly” see him exploring more contemporary sounds. Wayne’s content is also more mature throughout this album, with some of his most personal and introspective tracks to date. Moments like ”Famous” and “Open Letter” see him reflecting on the ups and downs he’s experienced in his life and career. This album’s only detriment is its 90-minute runtime, but it’s not enough to bring it down as a whole. Tha Carter V is Wayne’s return to form and is well worth the wait.

 

Trial Track: “Uproar”

 

8/10

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QUICKSPINS: BROCKHAMPTON – iridescence

After dominating 2017 with the critically-acclaimed Saturation trilogy, the “best boyband since One Direction” (according to the group’s leader, Kevin Abstract) is back with their major label debut.

On iridescence, Brockhampton explores new sounds and has certain members getting more exposure as a result of founding-member Ameer Vann’s removal from the group. The album’s opener, “NEW ORLEANS” is a loud, bombastic intro with stand-out verses from a few members, though JOBA’s performance is extremely irritating.

This is an issue throughout the project as JOBA’s presence can either be a perfect fit or flat out annoying. Kevin Abstract’s verse on “WEIGHT” is the heaviest and most beautiful moment on the album, as he tackles coming to terms with his sexuality. It serves as iridescence’s emotional centrepiece. Though there are some fantastic tracks here, they’re mixed into a tracklist that contains some of the group’s most lackluster moments yet.

Trial Track: “TONYA”

6.8/10

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: Idles – Joy as an Act of Resistance.

English punk rock band IDLES’s latest album, Joy as an Act of Resistance, is an emotional rollercoaster, driven by socially charged lyrics and energetic instruments.

The group’s latest album, released on Aug. 31, is an expertly produced body of work in all its rawness. Staying true to the genre’s spirit and grit, this project delivers all the energy and emotion you would expect—and hope for.

From the consistent pounding drums to the unapologetic electric guitar melodies, Joy as an Act of Resistance is powerful. The only song that strays from the album’s consistent drive is “June,” which slows everything down for the listener, mid-album.

While IDLES’s themes throughout the album differ, their unifying message throughout demonstrates their awareness of today’s social issues, like immigration and sexuality.

If this album leaves you wanting more, you can check out the band at their Montreal show tonight (Sept. 18), at Théâtre Fairmount.

7.5/10

Trial Track: “Great”

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: Mac Miller – Watching Movies with the Sound Off

Mac Miller is the writer, and Watching Movies with the Sound Off is his diary.

Released in 2013, Miller’s sophomore album delves deep into the MC’s mind, uncovering his struggles with fame, addiction and love.

From prescription painkillers, to the infamous cocktail known as lean, he raps about attempting to fight off his dependance on said substances, though he explains that he knew about the dangers they hold.

Through calculated, hard-hitting bars, Miller effortlessly flows over every beat, as though he could do it in his sleep.. Fitting that on the second track, “Avian”, he raps “Feel like I do this in my sleep/Literally, I do this in my sleep.”

The 19-track project features diverse instrumentals with a wide variety of sounds, demonstrating Miller’s affinity for musical creativity. From the spacey piano and string duo on “Avian” produced by the rapper himself, to the classic boom-bap beat on “Red Dot Music,” Watching Movies with the Sound Off is far from a predictable hip hop tape.

While Miller undoubtedly gave so much to hip-hop, we must appreciate our favourite artists while they are still here, creating music for us all.

 

R.I.P. Mac Miller

9/10

Trial Track: “Avian”

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: Eminem – Kamikaze

Less than a year after the release of the abysmal Revival, Eminem is back with a surprise project, firing back at his critics. Unfortunately, his fixation on the reception of his last album, Revival, keeps this one from being anything close to a return to form. Kamikaze shows absolutely no growth from Eminem. Using homophobic slurs, calling his detractors “retarded” and dissing other artists, he attacks every person who had a critique for Revival. Not once does he hold himself responsible for the album’s awful reception. This, combined with his need to rap as many syllables as he can at top speed, prevents him from crafting quality songs. Sure, his technical abilities are impressive, but it does nothing when the music lacks substance. With very few high points, and an awful run of tracks to end the album, Kamikaze is yet another misfire for one of the genre’s living legends.

 

Trial Track: Lucky You

 

4/10

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QUICKSPINS: Troy Sivan – Bloom

Troye Sivan’s second opus, Bloom, retains some of the heartfelt, boyish charm of Blue Neighbourhood that won over fans back in 2015. Songs like ‘“The Good Side” or “Postcard” are tinged with nostalgia, juxtaposed over a quiet piano melody or an acoustic guitar strum. The album’s real strength, however, resides in the more mature numbers on the tracklist. “Bloom” and “Lucky Strike”, amongst others, are drenched in upbeat, bass-driven synthpop influences, paired with daring and sensual lyrics, making for an addicting and catchy result. Nonetheless, the variety both in sound and in writing doesn’t change the fact that the album offers an incredible amount of honesty in its lyrics through each song. Bloom is a collection of love stories—some that work out, some that don’t—but most of all, Bloom is an apparent, impeccable product of Troye Sivan’s growth, both as a man and as an artist.

 

Trial track: “Lucky Strike”

 

8.5/10

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: Devon Welsh – Dream Songs

Montreal’s own Devon Welsh, formerly part of the electronic-pop duo Majical Cloudz, released his first album this week as a solo artist.

Dream Songs is contemplative yet abstract, contrasting cynical lyrics with spacious production through simple keyboard work. Welsh is aware of his dreaming-nature but can’t seem to stop getting lost in escapism. It is the backdrop of his life and is reflected through the airy but urgent electric guitar and piano, sometimes soaring and other times swaying. There is less synth than in the music of Majical Cloudz—Welsh uses it as an extra touch to emphasize the larger-than-life sounds, to add sparkle and romanticism to his reveries. Welsh’s simultaneous raw and ambiguous lyricism flows through the whole album, but each song begins to sound too similar to the next. Welsh confidently sings a flat note in one instance, waking us up from the daydream and bringing us back to our flawed and disorderly reality. I see the intent, but this bit was unpleasant. The main takeaway of this album is Welsh’s stark, introspective lyrics bringing the dreamy sonics back down to earth.

8.5/10

Trial Track: “Lucky Strike”

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: BLOOD ORANGE – NEGRO SWAN

Devonté Hynes has quietly cultivated one of the best discographies this decade, and this is another stellar addition to his already incredible catalogue. Negro Swan is Hynes’s fourth album as Blood Orange. It’s also his most personal and introspective effort to date. He meditates on the human desire to be loved and accepted. Even Puff Daddy, a man known for his confidence and bravado, shows a more vulnerable, human side of himself on the track “Hope.” This album’s themes are perfectly placed over one of the most gorgeous soundscapes of the year. The record is narrated by author and trans rights activist, Janet Mock, who emphasizes the importance of staying true to yourself and not letting people’s ideas and opinions dictate who you are. Negro Swan is a beautiful and deeply engaging body of work, cementing Hynes as one of the greatest artists of his generation.

Trial Track: “Jewelry”

9.5/10

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: Aminé – ONEPOINTFIVE

Portland rapper Aminé has returned with the follow-up to his 2017 debut studio album Good For You. This project sees Aminé ditching some of the sunny, poppy production of his last album and opting for more trap-influenced instrumentals. While this direction has the project lacking the commercial sensibilities of Good For You, it makes for a more cohesive-sounding project. The album achieves a good balance of smooth, introspective tracks and braggadocious bangers throughout the track listing. “DR. WHOEVER” sees Aminé reflecting on his life and stresses, referring to the listener as his anonymous therapist. On “REEL IT IN,” Aminé showcases his versatile flow and witty punchlines over a bass-heavy instrumental with an infectious flute-sample. With a fantastic selection of beats and just a few features, this project is highly enjoyable and does a great job of highlighting Aminé’s abilities as a singer and rapper.

Trial Track: “REEL IT IN”

8/10

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: Motoko & Myers – Basis Key [OPEN HAND REAL FLAMES]

When Motoko & Myers first began to work on their debut album in an Oakland, California home studio, did they intend on producing what could be an extension to the cult-favourite game Portal 2’s soundtrack? We may never know, but it sure sounds like it. The dub-tinged ambient work is warm and often whimsical, yet at times suggests a sense of unease. This is most apparent on “Sans Time Tone Milk,” where the droning hums of both human and machine are layered beneath scattered drips and unsteady distortion (the darker levels of Portal 2 come to mind). The album is at its most playful on “Super Potato” — a bouncy yet drowsy six minute danceable track. While the album certainly presents a strong sense of cohesion, it feels as though the two producers could have pushed their sound a bit deeper.

7.2/10

Trial Track: “Super Potato”

 

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Music Quickspins

Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour

Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour (MCA Nashville)

Kacey Musgraves has perfected the art of the country-pop crossover. Golden Hour creates its own grandiosity on its own terms. Its 13 tracks are delicate and inviting, but contain a powerfully cathartic ethos that can’t be replicated. Musgraves takes aim at topics that are relatable and powerfully approachable. On “High Horse” the singer digs deep into the wounds left behind by an ex-lover who’s too cool to show weakness. On “Lonely Weekend,” she tackles the pain of being single when you’re supposed to be having fun. The songs here are remarkably intimate, thanks in part to the accessibility of Musgraves’s performances. She doesn’t overwhelm, instead she pursues these tracks with the earnestness of a woman wise beyond her years.

Rating: 8.8/10

Trial Track: “High Horse”

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