Review: True

True

'True' is the debut album from Swedish EDM Producer Avicii.

No matter where you are in the world you would have heard 'Wake Me Up' at some point or another. The soaring vocals of Aloe Blacc combined with the country guitar chords and then hardcore EDM segments blew everybody's minds. This album continues in the same vein of taking every boundary that existed and tearing them down violently. True demonstrates that you can take any kind of music form and stir in with a sizable amount of electronic dance beats to make it work. True succeeds in doing this for 12 songs.

For Avicii, managing to do the job is only a small part of the work. Unfortunately, True doesn't succeed at being able to construct everything into one amazing album. The first eight songs go very well together and flow nice into each other despite being very different songs. However, after that, there's a certain sense of not caring that goes into the music and isn't quite so nice to listen to as the first two thirds.

For lovers of EDM, the album is of course a must have. Avicii has knocked down boundaries and shaped horizons with new album 'True'. While he hasn't done a perfect job, I hope to see many albums like this in the future from many different artists. Good pioneering job!

8/10



Click here to watch the music video for the first single off the album 'Wake Me Up'

Review: AM

AM

'AM' is the fifth studio by Sheffield rock band, the 'Arctic Monkeys'.

Arctic Monkeys have been around since their sudden rise to recognition in 2005 with singles such as 'I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor' that went straight to number one. Despite this, none of their music has really caught my attention until now. The album is clearly recorded with a different perspective in mind than the last albums. Almost like a dream, Alex Turner slips from the epic electric guitar chords of 'Do I Wanna Know' to the hardcore rock sound of 'R U Mine' to the chill drum vibes of 'One For The Road'.

Most importantly, 'AM' is the first album when people can really hear the Arctic Monkeys experimenting with their sound to great effect. In this album we hear the acoustic guitar of 'Fireside' turn into the 2002 hip hop feel of second single 'Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High'. The result is an album that is really able to flex its muscle and despite taking the sound and feel all over the place, manages to drag everything back into a clear album that has its own body. No wonder it got nominated for the Mercury Prize only two days after it had been released.

'AM' is a work of art album from a band that absolutely knows what they're doing. Despite being an album that's clearly a rock album, it goes everywhere and can be enjoyed by many. Namely, I would recommend this album to people between the ages of 16 and 24 who are looking for love (I won't give away why). BUY THIS ALBUM!

10/10



Click here to watch the video for the new single off the album 'Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High'.

Review: Roaring 20s

Roaring 20s

'Roaring 20s' is the second album by male hip-hop duo 'Rizzle Kicks' from Brighton.

There are two things that makes this album stand out from debut album 'Stereo Typical'. The first is their collaborations, Rizzle Kicks reign in musical talents such as Damian Marley, Fatboy Slim and Jamie Cullum, to create songs that have a lot more depth to them. The second is that there's certainly a more mature sound to the second album, Rizzle Kicks would've felt they had the opportunity to let go and play around with sounds a bit more than with the first album. This change in tone and musical direction has really helped Rizzle Kicks, where they went "Let's get down with the trumpets" on their first album, they're now rapping "Jeremy Kyle got the nation laughing at other people's expense."

The secret sauce of the Rizzle Kicks formula is the frugal use of trumpets in their music. One man is rapping, the other is singing and trumpets are constantly backing them up. It is the almost jazzy, vintage sound of their music they makes them an oasis in a sea of similar sounding hip hop music. Short of cutting it out, Rizzle Kicks embrace it and in this album they have hit that button again and again to great effect.

In short, 'Roaring 20s' is an upgraded Rizzle Kicks album worth buying and enjoying. The album is a lot of funm full of catchy punchlines and a joy to listen to. It makes you excited about what's potentially to come from these two.

9/10




Click here to watch the video for their first single off the album, 'Lost Generation' (video made entirely by youths)