6/10
-
Inner Song has an admirably adventurous spirit, but the overall experience is dampened by a lack of consistency.
-
NLE Choppa’s debut album is buoyed by his potential and a handful of hard-hitting highlights.
-
Protomartyr attempt a more climactic formula on Ultimate Success Today, with mixed results.
-
333‘s ethereality may be roughly executed, but Bladee is onto something with this increasingly blissful direction.
-
Telas sounds like a collection of glitchy and electroacoustic leftovers—which, granted, mostly sound good—glued into quasi-longform pieces.
-
Despite some questionable guest spots and stylistic detours, Pop Smoke’s commercial debut showcases much of what made him such a unique voice in modern hip hop.
-
Xibalba’s latest album is best when it’s at its most pummeling.
-
Black Curse displays great foundational elements on its debut album, but also runs short on ideas.
-
Pray for Paris does Westside Gunn’s established style well for the most part, but isn’t likely to convert many nonbelievers.
-
Thundercat’s muddy mixes remain his Achilles’ heel on the otherwise enjoyable It Is What It Is.