Alex G: “God Save the Animals”

Uneasy and quintessentially stilted. But on Alex G’s latest affair, he sounds as settled as he ever has.

Steve Lacy: “Gemini Rights”

Albeit a bit twee, Gemini Rights is a rich-bassed reminder of Steve Lacy’s inescapable charm.

Earl Sweatshirt: “SICK!”

As unambitious as ever, “SICK!” is a brisk, withdrawn affair from Earl Sweatshirt. He’s labelled the album a humble capsule of his COVID-19 and lockdown thoughts. If you treat it that way, and nothing more, it’s deceptively intricate and gorgeously understated.

SZA is her bubbly, vindictive self on “I Hate U”

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Earl Sweatshirt drowns in his younger self on “2010”

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Lorde: “Solar Power”

Pop music artists face a constant battle – the need to foster their unfathomable popularity whilst trying to keep their artistic integrity. Many fail, almost unapologetically. Others manage to succeed, but rarely entirely on their own terms. So what the fuck do we make of Solar Power? It features glistening, sunny production and Lorde’s vocals are as crisp as ever. But the writing is… almost so cringeworthy that it’s hard to believe. We’re left with a mess from an artist who is used to being very tidy.

Billie Eilish: “Happier Than Ever”

Artists don’t get much bigger than Billie Eilish. And like most pop music titans, it’s the whole “package” that Eilish has going for her – a distinct ethereal attractiveness; unattainable cool. All that makes it even more surprising how fascinating this album is. Gorgeous, warped production and sniping lyrics, all with Eilish snaking her way through the tracks in odd ways. For a 19 year-old who spends most of this album circling her insecurities, Eilish’s sound is as confident and elusive as any artist going around.

Vince Staples: “Vince Staples”

Vince Staples burst onto the scene with Summertime ’06. Ever since, he’s been a critical and fan darling, helped in no small amount to a personality not far-removed from a Black Jerry Seinfeld. He suffers from sky-high expectations on his eponymous album, Vince Staples. It felt like we were ready for something big. It had been a while. But this album simmers along, technically superb but never attention-grabbing. It’s a great piece of work. It can’t help but feel like he’s holding back, though.

Lil Uzi Vert Rides His Winning Formula on “P2”

There were plenty of reasons to believe that Lil Uzi Vert, every bit a creation of the Soundcloud wave, wouldn’t still be around these days. He seemed to keep bagging co-signs and leaping on big-time tracks, not least of which the Migos’ “Bad and Boujee”. But he often seemed like an odd star. Objectively, he was a lazy, unimpressive rapper and a painfully nasally singer. Frankly, it shouldn’t have worked.

Nilüfer Yanya: “Miss Universe” (Review)

The term ‘indie rock’ is thrown around a lot, often meaning everything and nothing, and often being associated with that horrible sameness and the image of a guitar-wielding quasi-weirdo trying very hard to be different-but-not-too-different. That’s part of the reason London-based artist Nilüfer Yanya is such a breath of fresh fucking air. How do you stand out in a sea of guitars? Whatever it is, Yanya’s cracked the code with a deep British cadence and a mastery of paranoid, head-spinning love ballads on her debut album Miss Universe. If you listen to one new artist in 2019, you should make it her.

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