Release Radar [March 2023]

Welcome to another edition of the release radar! Music team reviews all of our favorite music projects that released in last month, including slowthai, Kali Uchis, 100 gecs, & more!

If you would like to join music team and help us review and discover music, make sure to join the slack and add channel #music-team. We meet on Mondays 7pm in the station lobby.

Clubmatter is a refreshing take on the stagnant scene of hardstyle, expanding upon a wide range of novel industrial sounds while maintaining the spirit and energy of the genre. In order to captivate the attention of listeners over its long track lengths, Clouds do not merely switch in a bombastic melody every four bars—rather than confiding in indulgently fast basslines, Clouds pay close attention to the texture of each element. One of the most notable aspects of this project is the great use of panning, allowing many smaller sounds to scratch your brain in just the right way amidst the loud intensity.

The end result is an energetic EP that is not content with providing a few moments to headbang to, but rather a project with depth that invites listeners to revisit over and over.       - J.L

Genre: Hard Techno

Recommend if you like: Indecorum (heavily recommend), Blawan, Underworld

Favorite tracks: Corestyle

Rating: 8.75

UK's industrial techno legend Surgeon drops one of his best, most inspired projects yet. It's apparent that Surgeon's still producing for the dance floor from the lengths of these tracks, but it certainly still holds appeal for the home listeners. Like the Clouds EP earlier in the newsletter, Surgeon utilizes drawn-out, subtle progressions through each track as following classic Techno tradition. Birmingham sound–the subgenre of techno pioneered by Surgeon along with Regis and Female in the 90s–especially emphasizes mechanical, stripped-down percussion line, without intense noise or a groovy bassline. As a result, Surgeon's style can come off to some as boring, even perhaps sounding homogenous. With patience to adapt to its sensibility, Crash Recoil will send you to a deep hypnotic trance with each of its automation effects and crackling sounds. You surrender your body to your nervous system, moving along to the constant driving kicks over the ever-persistent tempo–this is what Techno's all about.    -J.L

Genre: Techno

Recommend if you like: Regis, Robert Hood

Favorite Tracks: Subcultures

Rating: 8.5

JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown give the chronically online sections of their shared fanbase the best possible fan service with Scaring the Hoes. Beyond track titles, Scaring the Hoes's connection to internet culture can be heard from its sampling of NES commercials, viral Twitch clips, and anime openings. In tracks like "Lean Beef Patty", "Steppa Pig", and "Orange Juice Jones", we see a trend of JPEGMAFIA weaving heavily processed R&B and pop vocals into off-kilter, glitchy, experimental beats that ooze with Peggy's personality. He lays his hands on jazz samples in tracks like "Jack Harlow Combo Meal", "Run The Jewels", and "HOE (Heaven on Earth)", which feels less effective but are nonetheless unique sounding and adds to the range on the album. What's most impressive, however, is perhaps JPEGFIA's management of triumphant orchestral and gospel samples on "Burfict!" and "God Loves You", pushing his style to new heights.

In the end, Scaring the Hoes is predominantly a JPEGMAFIA project with most of its appeal coming from his production, while Danny Brown's vocals is often de-emphasized on the level of the mix. As a result, if you're looking for Danny-Brown-esque music, you're still better off listening to XXX and Atrocity Exhibition. While the mix can frequently be an issue in sample-heavy music, something about Scaring the Hoes's mix sound so distinctly strange, inorganic, and unnatural. However, over many listens, the consistency in the "strangeness" of the mix suggest intention and confidence in the artists' process. The mix reaffirms the central thesis of Scaring the Hoes: to remain loyal to one's subjectivity and artistry in the face of a tradition and industry that rejects you.         -J.L

Genre: Experimental Hip Hop, Hardcore Hip Hop

Recommend if you like: Injury Reserve, BROCKHAMPTON, Lil Ugly Mane

Favorite Tracks: Burfict!, God Loves You, SCARING THE HOES

Rating: 8.25

Self-described "Bee-mo" band Gingerbee releases one of the most exciting first EPs in recent memory, infusing Midwest emo with screamo and chiptune elements. Gingerbee represents the creative potential the internet can bring, with its band members spanning from North America, Brazil, and Japan. Our Skies Smile is then the product of love from four bedrooms and respective lo-fi recording setups, with its screams not eliciting rage but bittersweet reflection. The screams do not always fit comfortably in every track, but the attempt in fusion is always genuine rather than a cheap mashup that chases novelty for the sake of it. Screams, bit melodies, quiet guitars; each element here is steeped with the same emotion and passion. Our Skies Smile come off as a band's process in finding out what works, and we eagerly look forward to seeing Gingerbee further mature in their execution.         -J.L

Genre: Midwest Emo, Screamo, Bedroom Pop

Recommend if you like: Your Arms are My Cocoon, Hey Ily,

Favorite Tracks: Our Sky's Smile, We Float Together

Rating: 8

Black Country, New Road proves that the departure of Isaac Wood is far from breaking the band, releasing a live album that can easily rival their previous recordings. Live at Bush Hall marks a further shift into the chamber pop elements of Ants From Up Here, with the post-punk sound of their debut nowhere to be found. You will not be missing them while listening to this album, however. While losing the wacky and weirder charms of their post-punk works, Live at Bush Hall makes up for it with excellent compositions. Each of these tracks take its time building tension and releasing them, crafting captivating and evocative progressions. May Kershaw and Tyler Hyde stands out amongst the lead vocalists as especially in tune with the instrumentals and its emotions, but all of vocalists are marvelous here. The back-up vocals on "Dancers" makes me especially appreciate the multitude of vocal talents in this band, creating a deeper composition with different timbred voices and deliveries. Finally, the live nature of this recording displays the sheer skill in instrumentations from the band, as its impossible to pick out a moment that feels like it didn't belong.       -J.L

Genre: Chamber pop

Recommend if you like: Arcade Fire, Radiohead, Destroyer

Favorite Tracks: Dancers, Turbines/Pigs

Rating: 8

UGLY marks the first successful execution of Rap Rock in mainstream hip hop after a long streak of cringe-worthy attempts. While Lil Yachty's Let's Start Here is a full thrust into rock, slowthai still raps in the majority of this project. In fact, the worst moments on this album are when slowthai attempts singing such as in "25% club", which doesn't seem to be playing to the artist's strengths. UGLY shines in the first few songs on its tracklist, where slowthai delivers his signature vulnerable and genuine lyrics over satisfying, gritty post-punk instrumentals. The quality does however taper off, and the project captures the listener's interests less and less over its runtime.

We see a great artistic growth in slowthai through this album, and not simply because they stepped out of hip hop. Listening to UGLY would make you feel this stylistic choice makes complete sense for slowthai in particular, as he manages to actualize the dark, furious aesthetics he has always been exploring through his music.         -J.L

Genre: UK Post-Punk, Rap Rock

Recommend if you like: Model/Actriz, Beastie Boys

Favorite tracks: Yum, Selfish, Feel Good

Rating: 7.75

Red Moon in Venus is a great execution of the lush and polished R&B sound, pushing towards the limit for artists to standout purely through skills in a safe genre. Since Uchis' relationship with Don Toliver and departure from the Odd Future circle's alternative sounds, Uchis has focused more on the mainstream pop sensibility. Uchis' beautiful singing would've alone made Red Moon in Venus a good addition to the genre, but the smooth soul instrumentation with the saxophone makes the album all the more ethereal and pleasing.      -J.L

Genre: R&B

Recommend if you like: SZA, Rina Sawayama

Favorite Tracks: Moonlight, Blue

Rating: 7.5

Praise is far more upbeat and pop-inspired than Yves Tumor's previous work, but it's nonetheless a great listen. Our favorite moments on Praise are those that remind us of the best parts of Heaven to a Tortured Mind–Yves Tumor's ethereal, psychedelic, and softly mixed singing. Yves Tumor's dedication to eclecticism and variety is still respectable however and keeps the project sounding heterogenous and interesting. There are several ideas here I would love to see further developed by Yves Tumor in the future, such as the hypnagogic pop instrumental of "Purified by Fire".           -J.L

Genre: Neo-Psychedelia, Indie Rock

Recommend if you like: Dean Blunt

Favorite Tracks: Ebony Eyes, Heaven Surrounds Us Like a Hood

Rating: 7.5

Every variation and instrumentation in Fantasy combine to give its listeners optimistic, feel-good energy. From a creative standpoint, Fantasy continues much of what we have come to expect from m83: the wide dreamy synth chords. It lacks the novelty of Saturdays = Youth but delivers the quality happy vibes that have been lacking in some of M83's most recent works. Fantasy does not have a lot of variations from track to track, but most of them are still enjoyable during a front-to-back listen; it just doesn't earn (or have the ambition to earn) the full-attention of the listeners.

Genre: Dream Pop, Indie Electronica

Recommend if you like: Neon Indian, Passion Pit

Favorite tracks: Oceans Niagra, Earth to Sea

Rating: 7.5

In the past couple of years, it seems that one hardcore album a year has transcended the scene and gained mainstream notoriety. Last year it was Soul Glo’s Diaspora Problems, the year prior it was Turnstile’s Glow On, and this year belongs to Zulu’s A New Tomorrow. Those familiar with powerviolence will be happy to hear short punchy songs with knuckle-dragging riffs and ear shattering blast beats. They also stay true to themselves by making apt racial commentary through their lyrics along with another thought provoking poem from Aleisa Miller. While there are some true masterpieces such as “Lyfe As A Shorty Shun B So Ruff” and “Where I’m From”, the entire album does not live up to this precedent. It may be a symptom of the genre, but many tracks feel like interesting ideas rather than fully fleshed out songs which unfortunately leave the listener dissatisfied at points. Overall, this album serves as a fantastic hardcore album and is worth checking out to anyone interested in heavier music.     -C.S

Genre: Metallic Hardcore, Powerviolence

Recommend if you like: Turnstile, Trapped Under Ice, Left Behind, Mortality Rate

Favorite tracks: Lyfe As A Shorty Shun B So Ruff, Where I’m From

Rating: 7.5

Supergroup boygenius returns with their debut album that brings the introspective lyricism we've expected. However, as each artist is so known for their incredibly personal lyrics, an album of three writers can only be as intimate to an extent. In terms of sound, members Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus can be placed on a spectrum, with Baker representing the slower and stripped-down folk approach, Dacus representing the more upbeat indie pop & rock sound, and with Bridgers fitting somewhere in between. On the record, each artist had its moment to shine, but Dacus's relatively instrumental-heavy approach seems to be more focused and led to some of the best songs on here such as "Not Strong Enough", "$20", and "Satanist". Overall, for listeners who resonate with the lyrics and the touching subject matters, the rating would likely be much higher. For others, the record can seem a little boring.   -J.L

Genre: Singer-Songwriter, Indie Rock

Recommend if you like: Snail Mail, Soccer Mommy

Favorite tracks: Emily I'm Sorry, Not Strong Enough

Rating: 7

10,000 Gecs's uncompromisingly self-indulgent sound can just as much drill itself into your brain as it can get you sick of it. 100 gecs shines again with their signatural lack of seriousness, letting the listeners hear the joy in their creative process, sometimes literally with cartoon sound effects. Despite "doing a lot" in their music, 100 gecs' music is not motivated by creating a very holistic art that captures some sort of bigger experience, but inversely hyper-focused on a listenership and artistic perspective of queer online hyperpop enjoyers, who loves fun and whatever genres that elicit it. The ska influence on 10,000 gecs can more specifically be traced to Dylan Brady's solo-works, which has featured rock instrumentations more forwardly.

Whether it's the classic Third Wave Ska of "Frog on the Floor", the Nu-Metal of "Billy Knows Jamie", or Dance-Punk of "Doritos & Fritos", every radically different song off 10,000 gecs comes together in the same joy-centered production.      -J.L

Genre: Hyperpop

Recommend if you like: underscores, dynastic

Favorite tracks: Doritos & Fritos, Hollywood Baby, The Most Wanted Person In The United States

Rating: 7

Gizmo sprinkles the textbook layout for generic indie rock album with shoegaze elements while experimenting slightly with new tones and vocals. If Radiolove is borderline slowcore and Sunday is more energetic rock, Gizmo is a mix of the two that doesn't seem to work out its own identity. As a result, Gizmo is inconsistent in both its sounds and quality but consequently has varied appeals. Thin Air stands out with the feature of Enumclaw, displaying a what a very different vocalist interacting with Tanukichan on a track could sound like (it sounds good). Tanukichan's vocals are perhaps the most unusual element of Gizmo, as they are delivered like shoegaze music but are mixed like regular vocals with minimal effects, and as a result just sounds quiet and breathy.   -J.L

Genre: Indie Rock

Recommend if you like: The Strokes, Blue Smiley, Asian Glow

Favorite track: A Bad Dream, Thin Air

Rating: 7

Hello Mary's self-titled album includes several great tracks but fails to compare holistically up to other projects in the same genre. The team loved songs like "Stinge", but a lot of other songs on the album do not keep up the same energetic sounds and effects that makes "Stinge" so good. By keeping up the same format of pedal-no pedal-pedal, Hello Mary does not invite active listening. With that said, putting the band in context of a sophomore project from some very young artists, the album still displays great potentials.

Genre: Grunge

Recommend if you like: julie, Pretty Sick

Favorite Tracks: Stinge, Looking Right into the Sun, Spiral

Rating: 6.5

BAD PREMONITION is a short alternative pop EP carried by two fantastic songs. On "GRIP", Tei Shi's vocals sound much more dynamic and well-mixed than the rest of EP and features a sea of brain-scratching ear candies. The title track "BAD PREMONITION" features a highly catchy chorus and several enjoyably contrasting parts.  Overall, BAD PREMONITION might not be anything special in the current landscape of pop & alt-pop, but the quality and enjoyability of the project should not be denied.

Genre: Pop

Recommend if you like: Caroline Polachek, Billie Eilish, Oliver Tree

Favorite Tracks: GRIP, BAD PREMONITION

Rating: 6.5

quinn returns to the sound of TikTok driven 2020 hyperpop movement on her mixtape(?) sf44. The first thing one might notice about sf44 is probably that it's 10 minutes long. Whether quinn's mixtape can compared up to the other projects listed here which are four, five times longer than it would probably by and large be determined by your personal history with the genre. What quinn does prove is that sf44 is an intentional choice to explore an era of digicore rather than defaulting to an overdone style due to a lack of skills, as we have seen quinn explore a variety of creative sounds before in her 2022 self-titled album.     -J.L

Genre: Digicore

Recommend if you like: aldn, lieu

Favorite tracks: gatecode, start to rain outro

Rating: 6.5

Surf or Drown by well-respected producer Hit-Boy is not only produced by him but now showcases his ability to perform as well. Many features include performers like the legendary artist Nas, LA native Dom Kennedy, and even another famous producer The Alchemist rapping over a Hit-Boy beat. In this album, we see his production take more of the common sound of trap beats rather than leaning towards boom bap/jazz hop beats. Overall, the album is enjoyable and expresses Hit-Boy’s merits clearly, but it doesn’t push the envelope of the rap genre and will get lost in the mix of other trap rap albums. In context with who Hit-Boy is, this can be seen as a positive, showing that his performance skills have the potential to be like many other popular rap artists all the while having his well-crafted productions.    -I.C

Genre: West Coast Hip-Hop

Favorite tracks: Slipping Into Darkness, Composure, Pt. 2

Genre: West Coast Hip-Hop

Rating: 6.5

Ignore Grief is difficult to judge as a project: it is simultaneously less than silence but also possibly more than any musical experience you've had in your life. One of my favorite films of all time has been Hereditary; I can hardly name another film that felt as intense as that. One time when I was seeing a concert, the artist passingly mentioned the film while bantering with the audience, but for the rest of night I suddenly can't get the infamous car scene out of my mind, changing my mood for the rest of the show. For most of my daily life, I don't wish to feel this intensity in my guts; I'd rather not have any experience at all. Yet at the same time, Ari Aster's ability to objectify this pure stress and horror on the silver screen is so engrossing to me. Hereditary reaches out for the darkness and transgression of the world that gives the everyday and the joyous meaning.

Ignore Grief didn't really do this for music team members, but this is what we think it could potentially make someone feel (to us it was mostly uncomfortably scary).    -J.L

Genre: Experimental, Death Industrial

Recommend if you like: Tim Hecker, Lingua Ignota

Favorite tracks: The Real Chaos Cha Cha Cha

Rating: 5