I liked Carly Rae Jepsen’s new album The Loneliest Time. I really did. But maybe I feel disappointed because I expected to love it. I’m not trying to rag on it — there were so many big and little things I liked about this album, and so many songs I enjoyed — but it’s hard for CRJ to live up to her previous work. Perhaps I shouldn’t expect that of her.
Tove Lo’s newest album Dirt Femme is a powerful display of her pop skills, with many amazing singles. It’s honest and vulnerable but still fun throughout. Overall, it’s a deeply catchy synth pop creation.
I’m back for NNAMDÏ’s newest album, Please Have a Seat. NNAMDÏ remains an expert at crafting catchy, entertaining, and beautiful music, and this album is absolutely worth your time. What follows are my thoughts after my first listen.
Above all else, Mura Masa’s latest album demon time demonstrates a mastery of groove. The album is short and sweet and every track is a treat for the ears. This is what I think about the album after one listen. The album is inspiring in terms of its production and flow. Mura Masa is sparse when appropriate, and dense, layered, and loud when called for. His collaborators and features are terrific (especially Shygirl).
Rina Sawayama’s Hold the Girl shows off an updated sound and introduces a number of exciting new tracks that will certainly delight anyone who enjoyed Rina’s first album. After my first listen of the album, here are my thoughts. Hold the Girl is a slight departure from Rina Sawayama’s previous sound. Her first album, SAWAYAMA, is first and foremost a pop album, but it also uses a considerable number of elements from metal music, including in the guitars, drums, and overall arrangement.
Under the Shade of Green by The Happy Fits is a solid next entry that especially shines when it explores sounds and ideas that are new to the band. These are my thoughts after my first listen. Overall, Under the Shade of Green delivers something that I’m sure fans of the Happy Fits will be excited about. The band brings energy, catchy melodies, and lyrics that I can easily imagine the crowd belting out at a live show.
This is a short rundown of albums that came out this year that I liked. One of them is secretly an EP but it still made the list. Featuring NNAMDÏ, Dua Lipa, CHIKA, Tall Tall Trees, Anjimile, and Luke Titus.