June Albums have been UPLOADED

Hello, so after saying that I will push back my June album/EP reviews to the July post, I found the time to review like 4-5 albums in one day lmao IM CRAZY LIKE THAT. You can now see it under the new section "7/8 UPDATE":

https://cavs4tw.blogspot.com/2024/07/june-new-edm-2024.html

For reference, here's a copy of the changelog I added:

Albums/EPs 

6/13 = Reel Me In - Codeko

 - Here's a short 3-track EP from Codeko featuring rather laid-back vocal melodic house tracks. What instantly jumps out to me is how catchy the lead to "So High" is, that lead just instantly wins especially with how the production is set up around it. Love the progression in that track. The other two in the EP are similar in production and energy but don't reach the heights of "So High"

Rating = 6/10

Favorite Tracks = "So High"

6/21 = The Secret of Us - Gracie Abrams

 - I don't think I've ever listened to a Gracie Abrams song but she is featuring Taylor Swift so I hvae to listen to this entire album now. I don't even know what her voice sounds like. 

 - After listening, her voice lowkey sounds like lorde, it sounds a lot like lorde with a little bit of olivia rodrigo. Anyway, this pop vocal album actually impressed me. Many of the ballads I found soothing with great lyricism, these tracks are very hit or miss and they somehow hit: "Tough Love", "I Knew It, I Know You". The album aesthetic featured lots of background vocals that added countermelodies or harmony, along with choices to have less drums, more guitar, and add a downtempo feel. It all makes sense when you realize it's produced by Aaron Dessner who worked on a lot of tracks on TTPD which has a similar atmosphere. Speaking of Taylor Swift her feature on the album is very nice, i really like the style of progression along with the vocal lines. She loves to have backing vocals when she's on a feature I've noticed.

 - Now I love the synths in the background of "Free Now" and "Gave You I Gave You I" but they seriously need to come out more even if it doesn't fit the album aesthetic. Adding some arpeggios could enhance the feel so much, everything in this second half of the album is so downtempo when it really doesn't have to be. 

Rating = 6/10

Favorite Tracks = "Us", "Tough Love"

6/21 = Ace Aura - Eternal

 - Here comes Ace Aura with his 2024 EP featuring metallic-heavy production-focused dubstep. After listening to these 4 tracks, I can say that this is a cool exploration into some really heavy drops with quite unique and characteristic synths of Ace Aura. I do still think that these verses could be improved with vocals that support the progression better or some synth soloing, as these verses are dull. My favorite drop goes to "Doorman" 1st drop.

Rating = 6.5/10

Favorite Tracks = "Doorman"

6/24 = MYLK - Take a Byte

 - A 4 track uplifting 8-bit heavy digital EP released on CHOMPO from MYLK. Featuring a lot of saws in the drops with no vocals, these tracks heavily characterize early 2010s nostalgia in melodic dubstep and house music. 

6/28 = Camila Cabello - C,XOXO

 - A generic pop vocal anthem sprinkled in with the occasional ballads and features. I like the subtle pinkpantheres feature on "pink xoxo" where she's listed as composer. Other than that there is some really generic production here and generic progressions. Some moments of catchy melodies but there's absolutely 0 exploration or risk-taking in this album, and so the mid, forgettable camila cabello comes out with a mid, forgettable album.

Rating = 3.5/10

Favorite Tracks: "HOT UPTOWN (feat. Drake)"

6/28 = Syzy - The weight of the world

 - This 10-track album from Syzy who is a producer I am not familiar with features a soundscape similar to Ace Aura's EP mentioned earlier. Except the drops and verses are more drawn out and less melodic, so because of that I inherently don't like this work. There's also more of a garage tint to the production. For example, we get a promising bright melodic lead in "In your face!" but it just dissolves to some garage experimental riddim sound design with the most unnecessary "yay!" samples and it's just so disappointing. The second drop features some stutter step and I think others may enjoy this track more than me. "HEART123" is more digestable but doesn't have anything standing out to me. It's the same case for "Caught up(in circles)" with a more hyperpop influence and reminds me a bit of virtual riot, really wish that midsection could hit harder because Syzy sets it up so well. Now what I did unexpectly enjoy was the last track "Dancing on my own" which took was a bright vocal chop melodic hybrid trap with some neat samples sprinkled in. Great execution here.

 - Overall, this is some great innovative melodic riddim work that I can appreciate, but most of the tracks don't land quite right with me, maybe it's the lack of vocals or vocal chops, or maybe just the lack of cohesion or themes within songs.

Rating = 6.2/10

Favorite Tracks = "Take my energy!"

BONUS ALBUM (from April that i forgot to review lmao):

4/19 = Dyatic - The Third Kind

 - The Third Kind can be characterized as heavy, dirty, rhythmic dubstep and house. The drops are filled with a splurge of various snares and it really sets the theme of this album. The snares fill in every space and the narration (though i didnt focus too much on it) seem to set us in an alien invasion dystopia. 

 - I've never seen snares utilized before and paired with just how rhythmic these drops are, along with drawn out verses that setup nicely. A very holistic sonically cohesive album where all the tracks sound the same in terms of these vocal-led predrops with the snare-led drops but with different takes, genres, and angles. We see a bass-driven drop in "Don't Hold Back" versus vocal chops in other tracks like "Body Flicker" versus more melodic-defining "Enforcer".  I also just love the vocal chops in the verse of "Redshift" and progressing to become fills for the heavy complextro drops. Some really thought out production, progression, and instrumentation from Dyatic. Very underrated album.

Rating = 7.7/10

Favorite Tracks = "Body Flicker", "Redshift", "Don't Hold Me Back"

Lyric(s) of the Post: Lost hope, changing tides,

tried to remember, tried to remember.
Spaces, open wide,
and nothing but embers, yeah.

Codeko & Bertie Scott - So High [Monstercat Release]