Rapid Review – 11/11/20

Sorry for the lack of activity recently it has been a tough season.

Swedish indie-rock duo Pale Honey releases their new record Some Time, Alone. The vocals stand out a lot as the treble is extremely crisp and drastically more prominent than the instrumentals. The tracks are upbeat but also aggressively psychedelic, creating an enjoyable contrast in the sound. The album is simultaneously accessible and has great flow as the music’s mysticism, experimentation, and melodic structure are balanced. The mixing is immaculate on this record. Friends reminds me of the Gravity Falls intro theme. 7-8

Kodak Black drops his third studio album Bill Israel while in prison. This is an impressive feat for any human in Black’s position, especially considering the production quality and effort Black put into the record. According to the album title, I believe this album may be Black paying homage to a religion he identified with since 2017 (although there is no proof of official conversion). All controversy aside, Black showcases his infectious rap tone and effortless flow that feels somewhat offbeat and onbeat at the same time (it is actually onbeat, his syncopation is just experimental). I do not think anyone would be surprised by the lyrics. Some solid verses, good hooks, great beats, and okay features. ~6.5

Electronic musician Pole’s eighth album Fading is a mix between mystery soundtrack music and ambient at the beginning. The album consists of eight long tracks that make the listener feel like their “listening to the album art” in different moods. Each track is cluttered with clicks, noises, and vaguely recognizable sounds. Pole can portray this effect in moods ranging from the aforementioned mysterious to joyful to confused to mildly uncomfortable. It’s interesting but depending on the person it may be stressful to listen to. ~7

Babe Club’s new EP Remember This Feeling is a short, sweet rock project that indulges in some of the most pleasant techniques to listen to. The guitar backing is slightly reverbed to perfection, and I appreciate the experiments in the production. Remember This Feeling provides very honest commentary on love experiences. The song Automatic Love becomes “shoegazy” at points, too. (no score for EP)