Apr 06 2025
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Freak Out!
The Mothers Of Invention
Never been a Zappa fan so admittedly came into this release with some negative bias. Turned out to be more listenable than expected. I'm sure it sounded weird as fuck to people in 1966. Despite it being ahead of it's time and one of Zappa's earlier tamer releases, it's still just not for me. A couple decent tracks out of the 15, but none I'd likely return to. It hit a nice stride in the middle but dropped off completely for me at the last 2 tracks.
2/5
2
Apr 07 2025
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Ogden's Nut Gone Flake
Small Faces
Not super familiar with the Small Faces. This seems to be some kind of quaint English concept album, not unlike Village Green by the Kinks. There are a few heater tracks on here, scattered throughout. But it's not quite for me. I hate the storytelling voiceovers. It all comes across as dandy fopp-ish, almost like a parody of itself, despite this being released in 1968. It was an okay listen, I only skipped 2-3 tracks part way through. I'd be interested in checking out more of their catalog, albums that are more straight-up rock vs. this one's folk tinged storyline.
2.5/5
3
Apr 08 2025
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Low
David Bowie
Nearly 15 yrs ago I was in an indie band. My bandmates were obsessed with this album. Apart from Sound and Vision being a total banger, I didn't really get it. But taking an uninterrupted, considered listen, I do now. The way the record changes shape from beginning to end...the synth soundscapes...the bursts of typical Bowie melodic/pop genius amidst "futuristic" instrumentals. You can hear how certain touches like gated drums, etc, paved the way for popular production approaches in the 80s. I'll return to this one when the mood strikes, no doubt.
4/5
4
Apr 09 2025
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Can't Buy A Thrill
Steely Dan
I've been obsessed with Steely Dan for over a decade. This album slaps super hard. Not a weak track on it. Only album featuring SD as a "band" beyond Fagan and Becker. More rock tinged than jazz at this point. "Do It Again" is one of the better album openers out there. CBAT is the first SD album I heard and fell in love with, sending me down a massive rabbit hole not only when it comes to the band's own catalog, but other yacht rock/jazz rock/jazz fusion groups in general.
5/5
5
Apr 10 2025
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All Things Must Pass
George Harrison
The only Beatles solo album that matters (sorry Ram fans). Introduced to it 15+ yrs ago. Have it in my collection. It is PERFECT, even with Phil Spector's echo-laden production. Beautiful songs, great musicianship.
5/5
5
Apr 11 2025
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(Pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd 'Skin-'Nérd)
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Honestly...I enjoyed this album more than expected. At the end of the day it's Southern redneck blues rock. But at least it's Southern redneck blues rock done well. "Freebird" is a hell of an album closer. Could see myself putting this on again someday in the future.
3.5/5
3
Apr 12 2025
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The Clash
The Clash
I like punk. I like The Clash. This record is fine.
3/5
3
Apr 13 2025
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Liquid Swords
GZA
3
Apr 14 2025
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The Good, The Bad & The Queen
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
No thanks.
1/5
1
Apr 15 2025
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Our Aim Is To Satisfy
Red Snapper
Nah fam.
1/5
1
Apr 16 2025
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The Undertones
The Undertones
Fun record. Great energy. Catchy songs. Long live power pop!
4
Apr 17 2025
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Fever To Tell
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Seminal indie sleaze. Loved this shit when I was 20. Preferred some other bands of the genre, but respect this release. Maps is an all-timer.
3.5/5
3
Apr 18 2025
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I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight
Richard Thompson
2
Apr 19 2025
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The Renaissance
Q-Tip
Q Tip is chill. Always been a Tribe fan but never considered his solo material. This album is pleasant enough for a social gathering or going for a nice sunshine walk. Not sure I'd clamour back to it in a hurry, but enjoyed the listen!
3/5
3
Apr 20 2025
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Since I Left You
The Avalanches
Dancey, fun. Very much a product of its time. Touches of Daft Punk and Girl Talk and everything that made partying out at dance clubs in the mid 00's the best. That all said, it got a wee bit grating towards the end. Fun listen but may not come back to it over and over again.
3.5/5
3
Apr 23 2025
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Maggot Brain
Funkadelic
Funktastic. Unpopular opinion: kinda wish title track didn't kick this one off.
4/5
4
Apr 24 2025
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Lam Toro
Baaba Maal
More enjoyable than expected. Amazing African polyrhythms throughout.
3
Apr 25 2025
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Music For The Jilted Generation
The Prodigy
Perfect soundtrack for committing cyber crimes during the early internet era. Also great for driving fast, staying awake, working out, doing ketamine, etc.
3/5
3
Apr 26 2025
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Billion Dollar Babies
Alice Cooper
Strong start, including what may be one of the best opening tracks of the 70s. Then bottoms out by the 5th or 6th track.
2.5/5
2
Apr 28 2025
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Vanishing Point
Primal Scream
Love this. It's vibey. Always been a JAMC fan, but never expanded into PS. I dig it, I'll scope out the rest of their catalog, esp Screamadelica. Kind of like a less serious version of Spiritualized with more electronic elements incorporated.
4/5
4
Apr 29 2025
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Scream, Dracula, Scream
Rocket From The Crypt
This is fun as hell. They don't make records like this anymore. Rock is basically dead, but this baby brings back some pleasant memories of a bygone era. Horn shots, four-on-the-floor blast outs, and some literal edge. Nice.
This all being said, it comes across as one sonic glob to me. Not a ton of dynamics. Lots of sameness. Rockin' sameness. But still sameness. Due to the ultimate unremarkability of the record as a whole, despite being perfect to crush miller lites and shoot guns to, this album gets a 3.
3
Apr 30 2025
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Vivid
Living Colour
2 cheesy 4 me. I can't deal with the splonky bass, gated drums and phazed guitar solos. Every song sounds the same. For some reason I thought Living Colour was a new jack swing-style group. Somehow I dislike this even more.
2
May 01 2025
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Femi Kuti
Femi Kuti
Just like his poppa.
3
May 02 2025
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Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd
4
May 03 2025
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Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Red Hot Chili Peppers
5
May 05 2025
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Sunday At The Village Vanguard
Bill Evans Trio
I love jazz. This one was a bit dull.
2
May 06 2025
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Thriller
Michael Jackson
4
May 07 2025
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Snivilisation
Orbital
2
May 09 2025
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Here Are the Sonics
The Sonics
Total blast of an album. It's from 1965 so the song structures (12-bar blues) and sonic asethetic is well worn, but the energy comes across big time. Proto punk, fast and loud and fun. Would revisit.
4/5
4
May 10 2025
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Deep Purple In Rock
Deep Purple
It's fine.
3
May 11 2025
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Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Wilco
Nostalgia blast. Takes me right back to sitting in my dorm room, where I absolutely pirated this record off my uni's P2P network in the fall of 2002. Despite me mostly falling out of love with this brand of rock over the years, Heavy Metal Drummer is still an all-timer. Cozy production. But still a few lowlights, like the last 2 tracks which kind of drag it down.
3/5
3
May 12 2025
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The Pleasure Principle
Gary Numan
Synthy goodness. Doesn't age terribly well but was foundational.
3/5
3
May 13 2025
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Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes
TV On The Radio
Why is this album considered so seminal? I love indie sleaze, it was the soundtrack to my young adulthood and many excellent adventures. But this record, despite being at the forefront of that musical aesthetic, comes off as thoroughly boring. Won't be revisiting.
1/5
1
May 14 2025
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Young Americans
David Bowie
4
May 15 2025
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OK Computer
Radiohead
5
May 16 2025
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1999
Prince
4
May 17 2025
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Mask
Bauhaus
2
May 18 2025
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The Bends
Radiohead
4
May 19 2025
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Murder Ballads
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
This sucks. It's like some theatrical weirdo telling ghost stories around a campfire. Lame, fake spooky, pretentious, unmusical. Next!
1
May 20 2025
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Bat Out Of Hell
Meat Loaf
3
May 21 2025
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Beggars Banquet
The Rolling Stones
Not my favourite Stones release. A bit too country for my taste. Still has 2 of their biggest bangers on it, though.
2/5
2
May 22 2025
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Southern Rock Opera
Drive-By Truckers
This album has absolutely no business being on this list or being 90 minutes long. That's 90 minutes of mostly mid tempo blues rock with lazy vocals and very little deviation from what has long been considered extremely standard and basic rock 'n' roll.
It gets a 1 because even though it's "listenable", it's duller than all get out and has absolutely nothing new, fresh or interesting to offer. And it's 90 fucking minutes long!
TL;DR this record is loooooong and booooooring.
1
May 23 2025
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Wild Wood
Paul Weller
2
May 24 2025
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The Real Thing
Faith No More
It's fine. Epic is an obvious jam. A bit silly. More range than I was expecting. Solid cover of War Pigs. Some cool riffage. I respect it but won't likely be coming back to it any time soon.
3
May 26 2025
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The Age Of The Understatement
The Last Shadow Puppets
1
May 27 2025
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Cut
The Slits
Meh. This can call itself groundbreaking and seminal all it wants. It's still plodding, absent of groove, poorly performed, and structurally awkward proto post punk. Not sure I needed to listen to this before I die. Not the worst thing I've heard on this list, but far from the best or even most mediocre.
That said, I dig their cover of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine". It's kinda fun.
2/5
2
May 28 2025
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No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith (Live)
Motörhead
I bet being at this show was fucking amazing. Unfortunately, listening to it just ain't.
2/5
2
May 30 2025
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Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
The Flaming Lips
Pleasant -- if not at times boring -- dreamy, optimistic, psych-tinged wallpaper music from OKC's best known non-country group.
3.5/5
3
May 31 2025
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Peace Sells...But Who's Buying
Megadeth
I get it. I respect it. But I don't really wanna listen to it all the time.
2/5
2
Jun 02 2025
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The Seldom Seen Kid
Elbow
1
Jun 03 2025
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Bright Flight
Silver Jews
Meh. I generally enjoy David Berman and love the Purple Mountains. This was fine enough to listen to but I won't be clamouring back any time soon.
2/5
2
Jun 04 2025
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Steve McQueen
Prefab Sprout
I've known and enjoyed this record for years. Is it perfect, with every track being a smash? Absolutely not. It has its fair share of lowlights. But the "Bonny", "Appetite", "When Loves Breaks Down", "Goodby Lucille #1" 4-song run is virtually unbeatable.
3/5
3
Jun 05 2025
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Heaux Tales
Jazmine Sullivan
This is okay. Pretty smooth. Easy enough to listen to. But I just can't stand all the little skits scattered throughout the album. 14 tracks, 6 of them are filler, so there are really only 8 songs on the record. I didn't mind this listen, but I won't likely be returning in a hurry.
2/5
2
Jun 06 2025
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Gold
Ryan Adams
This is some of the whitest music I've ever heard, and I'm a white guy who loves Steely Dan.
1
Jun 07 2025
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Selling England By The Pound
Genesis
Started off alright. Then got real boring, real fast. I can't stand all the hokey medieval shire bullshit. Despite Collins killing it on the drums, there's very little chance I'll ever listen to this again.
2/5
2
Jun 08 2025
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The Contino Sessions
Death In Vegas
Pleasant enough vibey background music. Not dissimilar to Primal Scream. But also not as good.
2/5
2
Jun 09 2025
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Reggatta De Blanc
The Police
A bit played out by 2025 standards but I could imagine this album being pretty fun when it came out.
3
Jun 10 2025
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Neon Bible
Arcade Fire
AF was inescapable in 2007. This album is fine. I remember it slightly more fondly now than I experienced it at the time. The Suburbs will still be their magnum opus, IMO. Too bad they're essentially irrelevant nowadays, thanks to Win Butler's personality defects and bullshit behaviour.
A solid 3/5.
3
Jun 12 2025
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Two Dancers
Wild Beasts
This is no bueno.
1/5
1
Jun 13 2025
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Pet Sounds
The Beach Boys
One of the greatest albums ever recorded by humans. I'm positive I got served this today because it's the day after Brian Wilson died. RIP king. There will never be another one like him.
5/5. Obviously.
5
Jun 14 2025
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British Steel
Judas Priest
This rips. One of my favourite discoveries from this list.
5
Jun 16 2025
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Street Signs
Ozomatli
Being labelled world/funk/hip hop, this album should be much more interesting than it actually is. It's got no bite. It's not memorable. If anything, it's pretty cheesy. I always dug J5 (to a degree) and Cut Chemist (a whole lot!) but them together in this outfit does absolutely nothing to me. This is boring global coffee shop-assed music for people without passports.
1
Jun 18 2025
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Viva Hate
Morrissey
Super divisive artist. I was obsessed with The Smiths in my 20s. Something about the jangly moroseness worked for me. That said...most of this does not.
Viva Hate gets 2/5 because it contains exactly two bangers: Everyday Is Like Sunday and Suedehead. The rest was, to use his words from a subsequent album, a crashing bore.
2
Jun 19 2025
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Soul Mining
The The
Why did I think The The was a punk band? I do like punk, but this was a pleasant and unexpected surprise. Boot scootin toe tappin synth pop grooves. Nothing on here is standing out to me in a huge way, but as a whole it's a great listen. Sets a cool vibe, good to work/stroll to. Would revisit!
4/5
4
Jun 20 2025
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Siembra
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
I like salsa! I like the tropical vibes, the amazing percussion, the toe tapping rhythms. But I do not like this much salsa all at once. It's good, it's fine. But unless I'm down south on a beach or by the pool or exploring a lil Spanish town...I doubt I'd be throwing this on in its entirety again anytime soon.
2/5
2
Jun 21 2025
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Joan Armatrading
Joan Armatrading
5
Jun 22 2025
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Germfree Adolescents
X-Ray Spex
This blew me away. Super fun, super high energy. Vocalist comes off like a female Johnny Rotten. Enjoyed this way more than expected, will be on the lookout for a vinyl copy.
4
Jun 23 2025
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Straight Outta Compton
N.W.A.
First 3 tracks are total bangers, then it drops off big time. Obviously groundbreaking for the time, the advent of gangsta rap. Dre's production is sick. But it all becomes a bit same-soundy for me once those first few tracks are done. Also Eazy-E can't rap worth shit, but we all knew this already.
2
Jun 24 2025
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Kick Out The Jams (Live)
MC5
Why so many live albums on this list? I'm just not a fan, regardless of the artist.
Anyways, MC5. They're fine, I guess. High energy proto punk garage rock. There's nothing terribly special about this record. They were "extremely influential" and outspoken for their time, presenting some radical leftist views. I believe they were even spied on by the FBI for "corrupting the youth of America"...whatever that means. Despite all that, they can't really play worth a damn.
Like many other albums I've encountered on this list: I'm sure this was a great show to be at in 1969. But listening in 2025...it's just not doing much for me.
2/5
2
Jun 25 2025
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Orbital 2
Orbital
Very early 90s electronica aesthetic. Decent pace, interesting enough for me to have on in the background while I crushed some work. Wouldn't likely spin this otherwise.
2
Jun 26 2025
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So Much For The City
The Thrills
This record is cheesy, lame, derivative, repetitive. And I love it.
Give me that twee 00s indie jangle all day long. I loved this record when I was listening to it in my dorm room in 2003. Now, 22 years later, despite changing times and changing tastes, I still love the hell out of it.
Don't overthink it. This dumb record pairs great with summer, sunny road trips or rainy days spent dreaming of brighter times.
4
Jun 27 2025
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Tusk
Fleetwood Mac
Even though Tusk is kind of a mess, it's the perfect bridge album between Rumors and Tango in the Night (my personal favourite FM album by a mile). Buckingham goes wild in the studio because he could, high off the success of Rumors (and a lot of cocaine).
There are some massive highlights here, mostly Stevie's songs (Sara, Angel...they've got that signature FM bounce to them) and obviously Think About Me slaps. But the bad/unfocused definitely outweighs the good, here.
3/5
3
Jun 29 2025
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The Downward Spiral
Nine Inch Nails
3
Jul 03 2025
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Elastica
Elastica
I absolutely did not "need" to listen to this album before I die. It's fine. But like....come on.
2/5
2
Jul 04 2025
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L'Eau Rouge
The Young Gods
I really do try to listen to every album I get served. "Try" being the operative word. For this album, I tried and I failed. Industrial just isn't for me and that's a-ok.
2/5
2
Jul 05 2025
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Clandestino
Manu Chao
1
Jul 06 2025
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Pacific Ocean Blue
Dennis Wilson
One of the greatest and best albums ever recorded by humans.
5
Jul 08 2025
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Rapture
Anita Baker
This record is full of CVS bangers. Soft rock, supermarket-core, adult contemporary. Whatever you want to call it, it is smooth, silky, and ultimately, quite forgettable. I read this record scored Baker 2 Grammys and sold upwards of 8 million copies. The 80s were a crazy time! I don't hate this record at all, it's a very pleasant listen. I also LOVE smooth rock, so that might be why. Anyways...it's a fine record. Not great. You DEFINITELY don't need to hear this before you die.
3/5
3
Jul 13 2025
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Selected Ambient Works 85-92
Aphex Twin
First time Aphex Twin listener, here. Somehow.
I enjoyed this album wayyyy more than expected. Exceptional to work to. Great for city walks, when your brain is a bit too active to concentrate on vocals or musical nuances. Not entirely ambient, either, as there's a pretty strong beat and plenty of interesting textures throughout.
I almost want to give this a 5 because of how pleasantly it caught me off guard. But 4 is more realistic. Will definitely check out more of AT's catalog, though!
4
Jul 19 2025
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Tank Battles
Dagmar Krause
This sucks.
1/5
1