EMI レコード& CD

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Ken Carson's A Great Chaos marks a creative breakthrough for the Opium affiliate, showcasing a departure from his previous work and establishing him as a force to be reckoned with in Atlanta rap. Collaborating with producers like Starboy, Outtatown, F1LTHY, and Lucian, Carson delivers a thrilling album filled with outrageous beats and vibrant vocal performances. The album's calculated sequencing and diverse production create a brisk and electrifying listening experience. Carson's vocals are upfront and raw, conveying a sense of urgency and vitality that permeates each track. From the icy duet with Destroy Lonely on 'Singapore' to the bludgeoning intensity of 'Hardcore,' Carson explores new sonic territory while staying true to his roots. Carson's audacious approach and undeniable charisma elevate the album to new heights.

Review: Ken Carson's A Great Chaos marks a creative breakthrough for the Opium affiliate, showcasing a departure from his previous work and establishing him as a force to be reckoned with in Atlanta rap. Collaborating with producers like Starboy, Outtatown, F1LTHY, and Lucian, Carson delivers a thrilling album filled with outrageous beats and vibrant vocal performances. The album's calculated sequencing and diverse production create a brisk and electrifying listening experience. Carson's vocals are upfront and raw, conveying a sense of urgency and vitality that permeates each track. From the icy duet with Destroy Lonely on 'Singapore' to the bludgeoning intensity of 'Hardcore,' Carson explores new sonic territory while staying true to his roots. Carson's audacious approach and undeniable charisma elevate the album to new heights.

Review: Chase & Status and Stormzy coming together was always going to be huge. One rules the charts, the other the clubs, and between them they cooked up a massive single that got heard everywhere all summer long, including a special live performance of it in Ushuaia Ibiza. Now you can own it on a slab of vinyl that has been cut nice and loud, which is perfect for the tune - the bass is devastating, the bars from Stormzy are hard, the energy is dark and unrelenting and it's the perfect sort of jungle cross over sound that will continue to be heard everywhere well into 2025.

Review: Brittany Howard's highly anticipated second studio album What Now is a bold exploration of identity, resilience and the human experience. The Alabama Shakes front-woman's sophomore effort delves deep into themes of self-discovery and social commentary to deliver a raw and visceral sounds that pairs her famously powerful vocals with instrumentation that draws on several different genre references such a soul, funk, rock and gospel. From the anthemic energy of 'Stay High' to the introspection of 'Tomorrow,' each track offers a glimpse into Howard's multifaceted artistry and they all show that Howard's evolution as an artist continues to make her one of today's most compelling voices.

Review: Kali Uchis is a globally renowned Columbian r&b and pop songstress who first rose to fame due to her frequent collaborations with alternative hip-hop wunderkind Tyler, the Creator. She has dropped a few great records ever since that bring her unique cultural heritage to r&b and result in hooky tunes, feel good grooves and plenty of great songwriting moments. Her critically acclaimed Red Moon In Venus LP from last year now gets followed up by the lush crooner here. Her Latino-heritage imbued compositions make for a second Spanish-language album, following 2020's Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios), which is well worth hearing.

Review: The ever divisive Kanye West dropped this 10th album Donda on streaming platforms back in August 2021. He has already served up an expanded 'deluxe' version on CD and now it comes on limited edition vinyl. Less over the top than its predecessor, this record continues the iconic artist's infatuation with blending cutting-edge contemporary hip-hop (and nods to his musical roots in the '90s rap scene), R&B and his beloved gospel, resulting in a grandiose and entertaining set that makes use of a huge roll call of guests and collaborators *Lil Baby, Lil Durk, Lil Yachty, Roddy Ricch, Young Thug, Jay Electronica, Travis Scott, The LOX, Kid Cudi, Fivio Foreign and many more.

Review: Sixth months after it first dropped on streaming platforms, the expanded 'deluce' version of Kanye West's 10th studio album finally drops on CD. Less over the top and strutting than its predecessor, Jesus is a King, the double-disc set continues the iconic artist's infatuation with blending cutting-edge contemporary hip-hop (and nods to his musical roots in the '90s rap scene), R&B and his beloved gospel, resulting in a grandiose and entertaining set that makes use of a huge roll call of guests and collaborators *Lil Baby, Lil Durk, Lil Yachty, Roddy Ricch, Young Thug, Jay Electronica, Travis Scott, The LOX, Kid Cudi, Fivio Foreign, Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine, Playboi Carti, Jay-Z, Shenseea, DaBaby, Pop Smoke and Andre 3000 all feature). It's basically stadium hip-hop blended with reflective soul and R&B; given that nobody else does it quite as well as Kanye, it's no surprise that Donda hits home hard.