Calliope Music Weekly Roundup

July 8 - August 28, 2024

Reviewed Albums

Joey Valence & Brae - No Hands

7.5/10

Best Tracks: BUSSIT -- PACKAPUNCH -- NO HANDS -- THE BADDEST -- JOHN CENA

From East-Coast Boom Bap to synth-heavy EDM, each beat emits the pure aura of a "banger." Complemented by Jazzy bridges and old-school sampling, the instrumentation smashes into the listener, sharp and simple. As each thwacking kick hits, the two rappers indulge in playful verse, full of pop-culture references and braggadocious irony.

Albeit childish and surface-level, all 31 minutes are nothing but a blast to listen to. A breakneck pacing and a rather diverse soundscape hone an already fun experience into one of Hip Hop's hardest-hitting and most fun-loving records as of recent.

Skee Mask - Resort

7.5/10

Best Tracks: Reminiscrmx -- Waldmeister -- BB Care -- Hölzl Was a Dancer

Simply an absorbing IDM experience.

Through sophisticated ambiance, blipping electronic progressions, and superb percussion pacing, Skee Mask paints a vivid picture: a cool night under the stars, swaying in the crowd of a nightclub on some alien planet far in the future.

Alcest - Les Chants de L'aurore

7/10
Best Tracks: L'envol -- Améthyste -- Flamme jumelle

An inspirational and shining sound, Alcest captures the hope of greener pastures and the effervescence of dreamy waters through soaring Post-Metal.

Elevating and smooth, a spiritual endeavor into what lies beyond the physical realm is not only searched for, but yearned for. Albeit not an original sound, especially regarding the band's past discography, the record cannot be contained from exuding its natural brilliance through lofty compositions of flush Shoegaze.

Clairo - Charm

7/10

Best Tracks: Thank You -- Juna -- Add Up My Love

Understated, yet ever so eloquent, Clairo explores the comfort of closeness in her third full-length effort.

Suave combinations of bright keys, jingling bells, and soft flute complement a crisp low end, highlighting a signature featheriness in the vocals. Where a couple tracks teeter on drowsiness in their temperament, strapping kicks, and bittersweet melodies radiate a well-timed warmth that keeps the record going.

Quaint and to the point, the album perfectly encapsulates its name, as many listeners are sure to fall for Clairo's undeniable charm.

파란노을 [Parannoul] - Sky Hundred

8/10
Best Tracks: 황금빛 강 (Gold River) -- 고통없이 (Painless) -- Evoke Мe -- 시계 (Backwards)

there's no happiness when its painless

Basking in the disintegration of memory and sound, sink deeply into a warmth grown from ashes. Ashes of a childhood loathed, a depression so bright. Look at the sky a hundred times in search of it. Peer into the blaze as it melts your eyes and removes identity. Witness a dissolved self, liquified by the pursuit for it. It is here that the deliquesced one rises, evaporating and pouring into a golden river; a river run so gallantly and pure, fueled by the droplets of suffering and soreness that shine their fire back into the sun.

Jack White - No Name

7.5/10

Best Tracks: Old Scratch Blues -- That's How I'm Feeling -- Archbishop Harold Holmes -- Tonight (Was a Long Time Ago)

Back in Blue

Punched. Thoroughly battered, walloped, and beat with the flamboyant shrills of Jack White and his guitar. Not a new feeling, but a welcomed nostalgia blessed with a fresh outlook on the passing of time. Fidgety in fidelity, but magnificently robust in sound and signature. The Blues arrive once again, this time as a hidden army fit to burst in a world of eccentrics and absurd desire.

Other Notable Releases

Frail Body - Artificial Bouquet