By Andrew

Turn Blue is just the same as El Camino. It doesn’t challenge any norms and snuggles so deep within a comfortable doona of pop sensibility most original fans would be horrified to known they have come to be so paint-by-numbers.  Read more…

By Andrew

Its finally here. Yes finally. After more than 6 years since transforming his post-hardcore persona as Sonny Moore into the horn-rimmed brostep pioneer, Skrillex has finally released his debut album. After winning three Grammy awards over the past few years and spending more time in the spotlight than the average dance music artist, it feels strange to be reviewing his debut. But is it all its cracked up to be? Is the hype justified?

By Andrew

If you are a Game of Thrones fan or even a mildly interested rap fan you should probably grab this offering. Not only is it pretty good for what it sets out to achieve, but its also 100% free. Sure I could be cynical and say it’s a marketing exercise (and it is) or focus on the rather pointed reason for releasing the mixtape (HBO doesn’t have enough African American’s watching the show) but I can’t help but admire the thought, because in this case; the thought really does count. Catch The Throne is a purchase worthy album and will keep every fan of both hip-hop and Game of Thrones happy for at least the next couple of weeks while they wait for the return of season 4.

By Andrew

Pharrell Williams is obsessed with women. Its like every song he writes is meant to be for the ladies to swoon and faint to, as if, by some incredible measure, his pseudo-misogyny and sexism under the guise of infatuation is the new “black”. Far from it in fact, with every note of this album making me wonder whether the boy has ever left the man, or more importantly, has the boy never become a real man?

by Andrew

Aloe Blacc is an interesting artist. Not raised poor like a lot of rappers, his home town in Laguna Hills Orange County, California, he is anything but working class. That said, he has an incredible affinity with the origins of soul, blues and gospel that you could forgiven for thinking ‘I Need A Dollar’ was his personal life mantra. Now happily married to Australian hip-hop artist Maya Jupiter, and having just had a child, Blacc releasing an album was not really on anyone’s mind. ‘Lift Your Spirits’ is a beast of an album. Melding seamlessly the sounds and thoughts of blues with the ever present gospel voice and kicking beats care of some of hip-hop’s best US producers; this is a surprising revelation in the modern musical media of popular culture…More…

By Andrew

Childish Gambino, or Donald Glover, is an interesting artist and seems to be the talk of
the entertainment industry but not really that well-known in the real world.
Gambino is probably more well-known for his role in the hit tv show ‘Community’
or for his writing credits on the stunning ‘30 Rock’. As part of the comedy
troupe Derrick Comedy he is also responsible for the awesome film ‘Mystery Team’.
All this might seem like gibberish for those outside the loop, and believe me,
I was well outside this incestuous loop for quite a while until I heard the
Flux Pavillion track ‘Do or Die’ and thought, I should probably check this dude
out. Well, I’m here to say, you should too…Read on…