Boy Harsher - Careful

6.5

Where darkwave duo Boy Harsher sounded risky, edgy and pulsatingly menacing, on Careful they feel pensive, restrained and suffocated in their own derivative song structures. Rare glimpses of greatness cannot lift it up afloat, though.

Highlights

- Synth inter and intra plays are still something to get marvelled at.

- When it pulls out, it truly delivers dancy, spookily grand tracks.

- There's a sense of cohesion holding the record together.

Lowlights

- Some tracks are completely unnecessary and underdeveloped.

- All the elements that made them special in the first place are there, except for the energy.

Standouts

- LA

- Fate

- Come Closer

Country: USA

Released: February 1, 2019

Length: 43:05

Aesop Rock & TOBACCO Are Malibu Ken - Malibu Ken

7.7

The unsurprising duo fuses what we all were expecting: abstract, cathartic pieces of poetry made rap verses, all hung out into psychedelic, trippy synths and modulations. And besides that, Malibu Ken manages to sound both compact and full of charisma.

Highlights

- Aes' verses kill it once again, razor-blading with edgy alliteration and deadpan humour.

- Tobacco shines throughout most of the tracks, elevating the verses and giving enough space for them to grow.

- The record hardly ever loses momentum and sense of purpose.

Lowlights

- Distorted vocals at the end of each track is kind of an overused weapon after the first half.

- It seems like a couple of songs lack force or intuitive gut on and within them.

Standouts

- Corn Maze

- Sword Box

- Dog Years

Country: USA

Released: January 18, 2019

Length: 34:34