#and ''cuz when it's go-time tell me to stop'' are both banger lines

[fudgecake-charlie]

[Mulholland's Dinner and Wine]

definitely one of the weirder things i've drawn but it was fun so i'm still posting it

[spinster-sisters]

yes i want to hear your thoughts!

Hongjoong’s was definitely both the hair and his performance during the medley. He looked so confident and magnetic. Also he was speaking very eloquently and you could tell he put a lot of thought into what he wanted to say every time he spoke. At one point the whole place started chanting “CAPTAIN” at him and I have never seen him smile so bright and I got to see it in PERSON. He said we were the loudest crowd he had had yet. I had a security guard next to me who was vibing the whole show, afterwards I asked him who his favorite was and he said Oreo guy.

Seonghwa???? My man’s came out with a SWORD and this is no joke I was mid scream the first time I saw him and I literally stopped dead and just stared. He quite literally took my breath away. I saw the undercut in person yall I can die happy. Not to mention he was feelin himself in take me home which is banger cuz that’s my favorite song. I could listen to him talk for hours. He was getting very involved durning the performances, coming up to the edge of the crowd and leading the light sticks and chanting with us. He was just very much in the element of ~performing- and he looked beautiful doing it.

Yunho was defo getting a lot of attention lol. Tbh I don’t remember much of him from the songs but he did the majority of the talking and was supper interactive with the fans. Every time he spoke everyone lost their minds and when we did the wave correctly he cheered for us the loudest. He also clowned San during wave lol. I don’t think he stopped smiling once lol. He did the Harry Potter “i have a secret, it’s that I’m a wizard” thing and literally pulled out glasses and a wand. I literally leaned over to my friend and said that if any one else in the world did that I would have hated it but just because it is Yunho I loved it.

Yeosang oh Yeosang. I don’t even know where to start. He was definitely the fan favorite every time his face should on screen during a song or otherwise people lost their absolute minds screaming at the top of their lungs pounding their feet on the floor stomping jumping swinging light sticks, just losing it. he looked so stunning not to mention how shy and excited he got listening to our cheers. On several occasions he took out his in ear monitors to listen to us cheer and it would go on for several minutes just people screaming for him. He called us his happiness.

San was just the sweetest. He was having a lot of fun running around and playing. He giggled every time we cheered for him. A couple of times during the show the crowd would stomp our feet while cheering to add to the volume and San LOVED that, he started joining in whenever we did. Yunho clowned him during wave by doing the hand thing and of course the entire crowd did it so and he gave us a cheeky “good job” it was sweet. Shook his ass in front of 10 thousand people. Like obviously he looked sexy during songs but you’ve probably already seen those shots from other concerts.

Mingi was another fan favorite, people just loved him. I think he was pretty shy not being able to speak English as well as some other members as he was one of the only ones using the translator to talk but the crowd did not care every time he finished the and translator Told us what he said the amount of screams and awes and ooos was insane. People really wanted him to know we understood him and I think that made him happy. The best part was when he said “atiny saranghae!” We didn’t have to hear the translation the crowd immediately started cheering back.

For Wooyoung this is kinda sad but I at least didn’t see very much of him. I was right behind the floor so I got a good view of both the stage and the screens but I was to far away to always tell where they all were on stage so I was watching my the screens for a lot of it and they just didn’t show him that much. I normally don’t talk about stuff like this on her but he doesn’t get very many lines so we didn’t see him much while performing and he didn’t talk very much during the speaking parts and I think that once again it might be because he had to use the translator. Obviously he had some fun moments interacting with the members on stage and obviously the crowd screamed hard for him when we did see him but other than that nothing comes to mind.

Jongho was the other only member to rely on the translator but I think even with that he was having a good time. Obviously vocal legend could never be out done. The crowd losing their minds at every high note and at one point yunho poked his smiley dimples and I think I physically combusted. He rapped one of Mingi’s raps for us which then turned into a jongho Seonghwa San mini rap battle. I loved his last outfit which I know you don’t know what it is but it was basically this colorful shirt sleeve button down and he just looked very jongho if you know what I mean.

[dbzebra]

☕️ OH YKNOW WHAT AT THAT NOTE? Talk about that dbs broly movie cuz yknow. That’s a hot topic of the ages that folk feel particularly really strongly about

ooooh ive been waiting for this one. We watched this together on discord so you know my general feelings but Im happy i got this ask lol.

putting this under read more cause it gets long 

The new movie that everyone seems to love and adore.... that I dont. It was a pretty middle of the ground, meh overrated af movie. Not bad, just nothing special. I enjoyed watching it sure, but not something I have an inkling to return to anytime soon if ever. It was just ‘there’ for me. 

First, I’ll say the good stuff. The visuals looked really pretty. Nobody was THAT out of character of the existing cast (save for the ending), which i feel weird to have to even mention it as a positive, but nothing really stood out to me as a defining moment for the little cast we had besides Goku’s “youre not a bad guy, i can tell” or w/e. SUPER SAIYAN 1 IS STILL GOAT. It looked soooo good in this movie i wish we couldve kept it the whole time instead of Blue. But i will say, Blue looked much better in this movie than the series. The darker-blue with the lighter blue eyes was a nice change from instead of the ugly bluish-green the series did. Also the aura looked better. Backgrounds like the ice area and even Planet Vegeta were amazing. Action was great too. little Bulla was cute. The OST i liked (the chanting really grew on me) and Blizzard is a banger i love that song. Oh and the aritisic license they took for the fusion scene with the reds and blues spiraling together was great

Anyway thats all the positives I have lmaoo

This film includes Minus and I already went in depth on why I hate Minus with a passion and why it’s the worst thing to come out of modern Dragon so yeah moving on. But the fact that they devoted screentime to Gokus backstory which ultimately served no purpose to the story of the film and couldve been used more valuably elsewhere. 

I said the action was good, and it was, but it almost too good. At times it was so fast to tell that was going on and really lessened the impact for me. Like when they went into the other dimension or whatever, Gogeta went blue and Broly went LSSJ (idc if the name is different name, itll always be legendary SSJ to me lmao) so ast it was a blink and you miss it moment. like what? those moments shouldve been given even a little bit of focus. 

Next the cast. Goku and Vegeta. AGAIN. snorefest. no Gohan, Piccolo is just there to show them the fusion, Goten and Trunks are still kids and look like babies (and Pilaf gang is with them which is another can of worms), no Android 17, who the series established as one of the top 4 fighters on Earth. 

Do we get any of that? Nope. Just the two Blue and Bluer fucking again and again I. dont. care. anymore. Their dynamic is so boring and played out id rather watch paint dry. It was fun in Buu Saga, hell it was even fun in GT, but DBS constantly forcing this dynamic and Vegeta as the second Main Character needs to fucking STOOOP. Toei and Toriyama has no idea how to further Vegeta’s character because theyre stuck in this infinite loop. 

Vegeta doesnt want to help Goku, he mentions Bulma and/or Trunks, Vegeta blushes, and then he decides to help. THAT HAPPENED LIKE SIX TIMES IN DBS ALONE. It happened in Buu saga as well, but it organically worked cause it was the first time but Bulma and Trunks were ALREADY DEAD/ABSORBED. The look on his face wasnt blushy or pouting for a gag, dude was legit shocked. I rag on Vegeta but he had some legit great moments in the early arcs and later parts of Buu Saga. Anyway im off track. They repeat that same exact character moment OVER AND OVER. cant tell you how many times we had “my Bulma, my bulla, my Trunks, my cabba” in the Tournament of Power alone, and this movie is no different.

DO SOMETHING ELSE FFS

Then we have Broly. ohhhhhh boooy Broly. if you can even call this version of him Broly. His backstory is kinda the same as original movie 8/Broly LSSJ, but its more tragic becuase according to most fans, if youre background is a sobstory, that equals better character. NO. sure it could, but that trope was so worn out so long ago I hate it. “waaa his life was bad, hes not a bad guy” bruh i dont care thats not Broly. just make an OC if you wanna do that. but nope. gotta use the marketing! (More on that later)

People like to criticize Z Broly as “he hates Goku cause he cried” or “all he says is Kakarot” which both are false. On the first point, Broly is a psychopath. He was stabbed as an infant and left to die along with Paragus cause he was too powerful. Then that same day Planet Vegeta explodes practically on top of them. The rest of his life hes basically either being controlled or on a rampage. So that one moment of peace is “ruined” by Goku in a sense cause he subconsciously associates that with Goku. On the second point, Broly was already mentally unstable and then nearly dying, getting caught in the explosion of a SECOND PLANET and then being frozen for seven years will fuck anyone up in the head. Z Broly in the original movie was sadistic af and he had a lot of memorable moments and lines that werent just screaming Kakarot, that Second Coming made him infamous for. 

New Broly is legit a man-baby. People talk about old Broly having no personality and this new version having a deep character, but I dont see it. He acts like a child when hes with Cheelai and Lemo and then once the fighting starts he doesnt say a single word but yell. SOUND FAMILIAR?? But he gets a pass because the canon police says so right??? fuck off. New Broly is boring. Im tired of trying to make the Saiyans into ThEyRe noT aLl BaD sEe The SaIyAns ArE AcTuAlLy GoOd!!!11111 ugh i hate it. keep Broly a psycho and keep Bardock a prick. even that guy that went with Buzz Lightyear I mean Paragus was a sweet guy who couldnt fight because of course he was. At least they kept Paragus being a prick when he killed him. Tho his death was lame. 

Cheelai’s overrated af. Shes just green bulma lmao. and the fact that they included the “big soft-spoken man gets mad and saves girl from drunk lowkey-rapey pervert” trope just had me roll my eyes like dude stop. Lemo was fine? Nothing against him but didnt do much for me either.

FUCK. FREEZA. i went over this one before too so ill be quick with this as well. I hate hate hate the fact that they brought him back not once but twice in DBS, but even worse that they left him alive to do whatever tf he wants including going back to mass murdering people and expanding his army again. Goku and Vegeta just LET HIM LIVE. Why tf did they go all out and attack Broly, but not Freeza? when one of them was fighting Broly th other easily could have taken out freeza but nope we need a token villain like Joker or Skeletor cause unoriginality. Even at the end, Gogeta does a full power blast to wipe Broly tf out, but when Freeza tries to kill Cheelai and Lemo (two innocent people, feelings on them aside) Gogeta basically just shakes his finger like nuh-uh! dont do that! and then he flies off. Just let this mfer die already im sick of seeing his ass. FUCK I HATE IT SO MUCH GFGFFGFGFGF

Lastly this movie is legitimately Dragon Ball Fanservice The Movie. 

Gogeta vs Broly, which the games have been doing since fucking 2003, is the main point of this film. Theres no originality whatsoever. Minus is discount Father of Goku special, and then its a mashup of Broly LSSJ and Fusion Reborn (both of which are superior movies imo). This creatively banrkupt shell of a franchise cant think of anything new, so they legit remake an old movie, through in fusions because that sells like hotcakes, and make the animation pretty because thats all that matters.

Imo, this movie, like 99% of Super, is all flash and flair but no substance at all. At least this movie looked nice. unlike the show. 

ok thats all i got lmao

[unproduciblesmackdown]

my highlights list of Owl City songs

maybe you’ve only heard like “fireflies” and you dont have shit taste and aren’t a coward and so you’ve always hoped i’d make a list of imo extra standout owl city songs; maybe i just wanted to make something like this list even though i didnt try that hard to cut it down and it would change every day and i dont think i dislike any of his songs and could give reasons why i especially like some element of pretty much each of them

Assuming Everyone’s Also Heard: VANILLA TWILIGHT (Ocean Eyes), GOOD TIME (The Midsummer Station) they’re both amazing. vanilla twilight is intense and good for when you’re looking at a nice sunset and feeling brave. shaq is in the music video. that carly rae jepsen and adam young happened to team up was a great move by whoever initiated it, and good time is iconic, and there’s a version where carly rae jepsen is also singing the chorus and its better but i dont really know how to search for it in particular because its otherwise identical

***HELLO SEATTLE*** (Ocean Eyes) this was on the radio too so it couldve gone in the above section but it needs its own. im not sure i’d say this is officially my favorite owl city song but if someone hadnt heard anything by owl city this is the one i’d choose to represent his entire vibe and be the first impression. and you’d think nobody could possibly remix it but adam young himself did and its fantastic and relatable even though the only lyrics are the occasional words “hello seattle.” technically the first version of this song is on the album “of june” and theyre both good but i like the ocean eyes version best

DESIGNER SKYLINE (Of June) the most upbeat song on the album probably. adam young is very very good at lyrics and some elements of this include his imagery, rhythm, alliteration, wordplay, and general ability to make the words in a song both euphonic in the sound along but also be very Pretty content wise. ok im most serious about how good he is with lyrics so maybe i’ll be more concise after this one

FUZZY BLUE LIGHTS (Of June) owl city songs aren’t depressing or even really Sad even when they’re sad (w/ some exceptions…cough silhouette) but they’re good if you are / have been a Sad Person Who Lives In Their Head because thats what a lot of the songs are about / the perspective theyre from. this one sounds like that and also like an overcast day

***IF MY HEART WAS A HOUSE*** (Ocean Eyes) the Best love song of the whole discography imo. it goes hard as fuck. i don’t date but for the duration of this song i have a gf/bf/nb-f

THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG (Ocean Eyes) one of the best and another one of the best love songs. im especially partial to the winter theme now o course. this super cool thing happens in the middle with amazing lyrics and this volume effect. the instrumental versions of this and if my heart was a house are also killer

ANGELS (All Things Bright And Beautiful) adam young loves jesus a whole lot; this song is about literal christian angels. i love the alliteration of the lines “in the dust on the cellar staircase / a pair of footprints followed me / i saw a flicker in the fake fireplace”. not many owl city songs are from both an upbeat perspective AND have upbeat music, and this one’s chorus really goes for it. adam y.’s pretty excited about jesus stuff i think and so when he channels that in songs especially about jesus, it’s pretty energetic. but for the most part his songs arent overtly christian save maybe some passing references, so if thats a concern dont worry

***GALAXIES*** (ATBAB) for example, this one definitely has a jesus line. but this is just one of the references to an unspecified “he” which means it could also just be interpreted as gay. (owl city belongs to the gays btw) and this really is a song to go ham to and listen to it with stereo speakers because one of my fave parts relies on that. the intro is a bit jarring because the outro of “january 28, 1986” is meant to transition into this one

DEMENTIA (The Midsummer Station) i’d put this as a highlight but recognize its coz its a personal fave. it sounds like it would be incredibly depressing of course but it has nothing to do with actual dementia thank god. it’s a love song and very upbeat in both sound and content. i’m hugely partial to the lyrics, especially the pairs “every light in the night flickered in and out / every bone in my back shivered up and down”; “every voice in my head shouted yes and no / every freight train of thought fought to stop and go”; “every tear in my eyes dripped and wouldn’t drop / every disc in my spine shook and couldn’t stop” and “every hand let me go that i tried to hold / every warm-hearted love left me freezing cold”

KISS ME BABE, IT’S CHRISTMAS TIME (single) he has a bunch of random christmas singles and this ones the best. the titles ridiculous and i love it, and the song isn’t really about anything and i love it. it is such a bop. “peppermint winter” and “humbug” are the other best xmas ones

SHOOTING STAR (Midsummer) half the songs on this album are summery dancey songs about having fun with other people (usually owl city songs are about being lonely or having fun with one other person tops by cloudwatching, so this album is unusual in that regard and rocks out a bit which is also unusual as per owl city’s tendency to sound really dreamy or otherwise fairly light. it bothers people who are in the “the old stuff is better” camp of everything) and the other half are upbeat summery songs that are encouraging and tell you you’re a good and special person. this one is the latter and a lot of fun. i like the lyrics and melody of the lines “fan a flame so hot it melts our hearts” and “let your colors burn and brightly burst / into a million sparks that all disperse / and illuminate a world that’ll try to bring you down” (but not this time)

GOLD (Midsummer) same category song as above (title refers to “i know you’re gold”). it’s great and sung to a person about to go off and do something and you’re telling them they can totally do it because they’re great. i maintain that one of the Owl City Signature Moves is The Affectionate Sigh: he’s very good at working in words sung with a rising/falling tone, a la a sigh, and its an upbeat delivery not like a “im sad” sigh. when it happens in this song is my favorite part of the whole thing, at the end of the line: “you’ll never be far, i’m keeping you near, inside of my heart, you’re he^re”

BEAUTIFUL TIMES (Ultraviolet EP) the songs on ultraviolet all have a super cool sound, kind of mixing the more loud/layered/noisy quality of midsummer station with the more introverted vibe he usually has, and are all kind of about being stressed and sad but looking to something or someone and kind of seeing a chance to feel okay. “this isn’t the end” is completely about a girl who’s dad kills himself but it has the really good line “you fight to survive cuz you made it this far” and otherwise has a technically uplifting end but without much of the “you shouldnt kill yourself because life is magical” bs which is useless and irrelevant imo but instead the “life is chaotic and you cant say the future is going to be good but it exists and meanwhile you’re not dead yet” which is an infinitely more thoughtful approach. but anyways, about beautiful times: its also about being happy but usually being really sad (“this fight of my life is so hard (so hard, so hard) but i’m gonna survive, oh oh these are beautiful times,”) and also isnt very patronizing about the subject (the prospect/aspiration of feeling happy when you’re a Sad Person) and frames everything in having had damagingly negative feelings while still being overall positive. i really like the way he sings into the first few verses with an echo of what will be the first couple of words, overlapping slightly and growing in volume before taking you right into the actual start of the verse. this is the most upbeat sounding song of the EP imo

THUNDERSTRUCK (Mobile Orchestra) the intro alone is killer. one of the most Go Hard to songs of the owl city discography. proudly carries the tradition of singing about ghosts (see: plant life, a fun-to-sing-along-to song all about an actual haunted house)

BACK HOME (Mo Orch) this album has a lot of sounds that, while familiar, are different from any of the other albums, like this one which is very very country. it goes hard as fuck. it uses the word “fireflies” for the first time since fireflies. i love it

CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT YOU (M.O.) personal fave of the album is mostly why this is here. as the title suggests its a dramatic love song, i love how pumped the chorus is and the way the outro sounds. Love To Sing Along

***WHEN CAN I SEE YOU AGAIN?*** this is peak “happy music, sad lyrics” even though thats everywhere in owl city music, its pretty rare to find songs that are straightforwardly happy. this song is a banger and lyrically crushing. i guess its in the “bittersweet” category like a shit ton of owl city songs are, but still. this song changed our lives

I HOPE YOU THINK OF ME has this sick chill drumbeat throughout the song which is kind of rare. it kind of fuses his underwater type sound with his going hard as hell sound. like, it would be like the choreography of “bet on it” if i was listening to this song while standing up. you get really into the lyrics. i love this part at the end where the music pulls back for just a second while he goes “the thought is KILLING me!” shoutout to “kamikaze” where he yells half of it and its invigorating, shoutout to “paper tigers” which is an amazing song that hasnt shown up on an album

SUNBURN (Ocean Eyes) possibly the cutest owl city song. it has a sweet guitar riff. cute sweet, not sickass sweet.

HOT AIR BALLOON (Ocean Eyes) possibly the happiest owl city song. extremely cute but not as cute as sunburn but happier than sunburn.

BEAUTIFUL MYSTERY killer intro, really upbeat, the melody of the verses is great and the chorus goes pretty hard

RAINBOW VEINS (Maybe I’m Dreaming) another top level cute and happy song (“cheer up and dry your damp eyes, and tell me when it rains, and i’ll blend up that rainbow above you, and shoot it through your veins”) and has a top tier chilled out whispery interlude/bridge/whatever that then throws you into this pumped up finale

THE YACHT CLUB (ATBAB) speaking of being thrown into a pumped up finale, this does that too. so does “umbrella beach.” this one goes hardest imo and the live version of it goes even harder than that. plus the lyrics are amazing and the alliteration is stellar

***SUPER HONEYMOON*** (Maybe I’m Dreaming) consistently one of my top tier faves. i like the semi staccato delivery of parts of the lyrics, the music is fantastic, also very Classic Example of owl city

SKY DIVER (MID) super dreamy and pretty and bittersweet sounding, classic

HALCYON a bop!!! electronica on electronica

SLEEPWALKER so fun and sounds like a song to be going to the beach to

YOUTOPIA (ft. Adam Young) obvs not owl city but i’m putting it in, the full 4 min version. not only dreamy and bittersweet but one thing i always love in music is an unresolved musical phrase repeating on end. there’s also this part in the middle where his vocals kind of layer and grow and it has a long E sound and when he lingers on the long E its one of those things that would be grating except for its actually great because of that. see: honey and the bee

MR. HEARTACHE (ft. Adam Young) a total bop about being sad. like i wanna jump around to this song. see: tokyo, the song by adam young (owl city) featuring the artists of this one, SEKAI NO OWARI, which has my fave lyric “are you having fun yet, i’ll send you the sunset, i love the most”

FIREFLIES (Said the Sky remix) the intro to this is like, oh my god. the only fireflies remix the world needs.

UMBRELLA BEACH (Long Lost Sun remix) the original is great but i love this version even more. the finale is fantastic and exuberant

THAT’S IT i could include all the songs because i have good things to say and specific things to point out about each of them. for example: dental care is a masterpiece of puns. puns are a running theme in owl city. so is ghosts, the sky, the ocean, and The Affectionate Sigh. if you listen to enough songs you find repetitions of certain phrases like “oh darling i wish you were here,” “i feel like a postcard, i wish you were here,” “like hundreds of postcards, that say i wish you were here” and someone should make a post of all of them. it would be me if i had a laptop. anyways i like owl city you’re welcome for this post

[themanguidemg]

The Man Guide’s 5 Best Albums for February 2017

February was a strong month for new releases.  We really struggled choosing which projects would be left off the best albums list. The big news was Future dropped two albums – but both of them were bloated and could’ve been trimmed down to form an exceptional single project. Thievery Corporation, Anna Wise, Saga & Thelonious Martin, Thundercat, Dirty Projectors, Big Sean, Fat Joe & Remy Ma all dropped better albums each worth listening to.

By months end  there was so much music that artists such as Stormzy and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizzard didn’t get the necessary spins for a proper evaluation.  Maybe they’ll make the cut next month. This month’s list is R&B heavy. It was easily one of the best months in recent memory when it comes to that particular genre.

Here are The Man Guide’s 5 Best Albums for February 2017.

Sampha – Process

(Album Of The Month)

Sampha’s name has surged the past few years after collaborating with big name artists like Kanye, Drake, Solange and Frank Ocean. Process is the British singer’s long awaited debut album.  Spoiler alert..don’t be surprised if you see it mentioned in a ton of “Best Of” lists at the end of 2017. Production wise, the album is as solid as it gets.  From the simple beauty of Like The Piano to the more complex electro R&B sound palette of Plastic 100°C, the album really pulls the listener in from it’s first note.

Where the album truly shines is in it’s lyrical aspect. Process is the work of a man who is finding himself both artistically and personally after suffering a great loss. Sampha lost his mother in 2015 and her spirit beautifully haunts his songwriting. In Kora Sings he pleads “You’ve been with me since the cradle/ You’ve been with me, you’re my angel/ Please don’t you disappear.” This sentiment continues on Like The Piano where once again he references the love of his mother at her time of sickness: “An angel by her side, all of the times I knew we couldn’t cope/ They said that it’s her time, no tears in sight, I kept the feelings close/ And you took hold of me and never, never, never let me go.” This is that type of songwriting that leaves you with a knot in your throat. To top it off, the video pays tribute to her as her spirit surrounds him while he plays the piano.

This will be one of the best albums by year’s end and I expect Sampha to, at the very least, be nominated for multiple awards and accolades. Process is one of the most impressive R&B debut albums in recent memory and without a doubt one of the best albums this month.

Stand out tracks: Plastic 100°C, Like The Piano, Blood On Me

Oddisee – The Iceberg

Due to the recent political climate and xenophobia, Oddisee’s subject matter seems more relevant than ever. As a devout Muslim and son of a Sudanese immigrant, Oddisee brings first hand experience dealing with racism, religion, fear and equality through out The Iceberg. As always, Oddisee’s production is one of the best in hip hop as a whole and he provides varied landscapes for his bars. In addition to synths, pianos and horns, it’s the live drums and fantastic bass lines that stand out throughout the entire album.

The album is filled with moments of retrospect and maturity but Oddisee shines more than ever on his story telling ability. On You Grew Up, he tells  two stories that contrast each other but mirror the results in similar ways. The first of a white childhood friend who, after blaming the loss of his father’s job on immigrants, grew up to be a racist cop and ended up murdering an unarmed black man. He recently told NPR the second verse is loosely based off a story he came across in the UK, about a muslim kid who grew up in a good home. The racism he encountered outside of his home drove him to the other side, ultimately becoming an ISIS member.

These type of stories (and his ability to tell them) separates Oddisee from the rest. Even on tracks which aren’t political, such as Rain Dance, he still speaks about self growth in ways that every grown man can relate. The Iceberg proves that Oddisee remains one of the premiere lyricists in hip hop and one of the most consistent musicians today.

Stand out tracks: Built By Pictures, You Grew Up, Rain Dance

SYD – Fin

SYD is known as one of the founding members of Odd Future and lead singer of the grammy nominated R&B band, The Internet. After last year’s breakthrough album, Ego Death, members of The Internet decide to focus on solo projects. Three of them being released this month. SYD’s Fin, however, is light years above the others. SYD’s sultry neo-soul vibes carry the LP in a slightly different way than as a member of The Internet. Fin has more spacey alternative R&B production than any album from The Internet, and that is immediately showcased in the first single All About Me. The album’s second track, Know, sounds like a late 90s R&B hit with it’s Timbaland style percussion and SYD’s sensual vocals.

SYD holds most of the album down solo, with only two features near the end of the album such as the break up anthem Over, with upcoming R&B/Rapper 6LACK. Insecurities closes the album with an ode to toxic relationships and low self esteem and she tells her lover “You can thank my insecurities for keeping me around you babe/ I’d pack my bags but never leave cuz it’s so hard to walk away/ You know I love you girl way more than I love myself/ But in a perfect world I’d be with somebody else.” With her solo debut SYD shows she’s capable of getting her own success in a bloated world full of R&B singers.

Stand out tracks: All About Me, Over, Know

Jidenna – The Chief

If I’m being perfectly honest, I did not expect myself to enjoy Jidenna’s debut album as much as I did. After first hearing Classic Man, I knew he could craft commercial hits but that’s really all I got from him. My perception changed after listening to both his Chief themed singles, Long Live The Chief and Chief Don’t Run. Both are hard hitting tracks with different production types, yet both are equally torn apart by Jidenna’s energetic delivery. The diversity  and genre-hopping of The Chief is it’s strongest suit. It’s also the reason why some people may ween from it. The album is a completely unlike his Classic Man track that gained him so much momentum. He still manages to make pop radio singles such as Little Bit More and Some Kind Of Way. Other tracks such as Helicopters and Bambi show off varying styles and range.

Although he’s a great singer his best tracks show off how talented he is at rapping. The opening track A Bull’s Tale is a vivid story of his return to Nigeria to bury his father. While in the controversial White Niggas, Jidenna plays role reversal with the hardships of black and white folk, “The law had you in crosshair/ Stop and frisk your kids playing street hockey in lacrosse gear/ Son was barely even selling, but when he returns the whole suburb would brand him as a felon.” These are not your average bars from an R&B singer trying to rap. Jidenna’s debut album took me by surprise.  This seems like the beginning of not only a quality entertainer but also a brilliant artist.

Stand out tracks: Chief Don’t Run, Helicopters, White Niggas

THEY. – Nu Religion: Hyena

As much as I enjoy some moody minimalist R&B every now and then, there’s enough of it from Drake, PartyNextDoor, and all their clones to put you to sleep for the next few years. In steps THEY., the LA duo composed of Dante Jones and Drew Love. Their aim is to put some much needed multi-faceted energy in the game. Influenced by everyone from Babyface to Kurt Cobain, THEY. mix their own sound while creating a stand out and entertaining debut project, Nu Religion: Hyena.

U- RITE is a club banger and the hypest track on the album with a blaring horn and some hard ass drums while Dante & Drew take turns with infectious flows and hook. THEY. aren’t all about catchy club music, Say When takes an aggressive stand against police brutality. Nu Religion: Hyena has 13 tracks (plus an intro) and there’s not a single track I skipped. I have no doubt in my mind that these kids are going to blow the fuck up, and I will be here to watch THEY. become stars.

Stand out tracks: U-RITE, Say When, Motley Crew

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