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2025 Album Reviews Request

Opening this new question for people to request notable albums released this year that they feel merit a review, just to help AllMusic keep track - the final decision will of course be up the editors, whom I'd like to thank in advance for their generally excellent reviews and much-appreciated efforts to keep up!

84 replies

T

I hope someone will still find a moment for The Sorcerers' 'Other Worlds and Habitats'.

T

Looking at the trendsetting line-up for the Primavera Sound festival and the 'Best of' lists that will again be upon us in a couple of months, I hope someone will still find a moment for Dijon's 'Baby', JADE's 'THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY!', 2hollis' 'Star', Amaarae's 'Black Star', Berlioz' 'Open This Wall', Men I Trust's 'Equus Caballus', Oklou's 'Choke Enough', Rusowsky's 'Daisy', Cameron Winter's 'Heavy Metal', Geese's 'Getting Killed', Joey Valence & Brae's 'No Hands', Mechatok's 'Avalanche', Nick Léon's 'A Tropical Entropy', Annahstasia's 'Tether', Anthony Naples' 'Scanners', Guedra Guedra's 'Mutant', Juicy Bae's 'El Secreto', NewDad's 'Altar', Ninajirachi's 'I Love My Computer' and Blond:ish's 'Never Walk Alone'.

That's an audacious list. Many amazing records amongst those names.

Just to pick out a few, AllMusic really needs to check out Cameron Winter's solo album and the two newer ones from Geese. All three are a marked step-up from their reviewed debut, Projector.

That Valence & Brae album is also top-notch. It's like a sequel to Licensed to Ill!

C

There are some albums on here that I was thinking of asking about. Would love to read a review on the albums from Amaarae, Dijon, Jade or Ninajirchi.

Might be a one-off that was already in the works or it could be the first of a series of write-ups in response to this big request - either way, a short review for 'Getting Killed' by Geese is now available.

T
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Fingers crossed! :)

Seems it wasn't a 'one-off' - reviews for those records by Dijon and JADE were added in the last few weeks. Who knows, with some of the other albums you've mentioned here making regular appearances on the 'End of Year' lists that other publications are now putting out, it wouldn't be too surprising if there are more.

T
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I had kind of expected the 'Best of 2025' to land yesterday. Fingers crossed for Monday. :)

Somebody's wish is gonna come true.

T
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Cheers. :)

T

I hope someone will still find a moment for Kaytranada's 'Ain't No Damn Way!'

T

Hope someone will still find a moment for Weval's 'Chorophobia', Hot Chip's 'Joy in Repetition' and Suede's 'Antidepressants'.

This one's been available for a while but just in case you were unaware of it, 'Antidepressants' has been reviewed.

T
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Thanks!

T

I hope someone will still find a moment for Max Richter's 'Sleep Circle'.

T

I hope someone will still find a moment for The Beaches' 'No Hard Feelings'. Their previous album was very well-received on AllMusic.

A review for this one went up yesterday.

T
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Cheers!

T

I hope someone will find a moment for 'Saul Williams meets Carlos Niño & Friends', which came out today. It looks like an EP because it has only 5 tracks, but it's over an hour long, and worth your attention.

T

I hope someone will still find a moment for Travis Scott's 'JackBoys 2'. He doesn't release LPs that often, so it seems worth giving it a spin.

As mentioned below, AllMusic have got a review for this one up now. May want to brace yourself...

T
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Oh but I am perfectly happy with an elaborate yet honestly disappointed review. :)

T

I hope someone will still find a moment for the new Leikeli47 album. Her previous one was very well-received by AllMusic, the new one isn't even listed yet.

A review for this one went up last week.

T
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Great, thanks!

Thanks again for reviewing the Deafheaven and These New Puritans albums. Open to another request? Here are some newish releases that I'm currently spinning. If any of your writers have enjoyed these records, I'd be up for reading what they have to say about them:

  1. Benjamin Booker: Lower
  2. Craig Finn: Always Been
  3. The Horrors: Night Life

Shout-outs to the posters that've suggested the new records by Heartworms, John Glacier and YHWH Nailgun. Some really good recommends! Add my name to the list that would like to read those reviews.

T

I hope someone will still find a moment for Ben LaMar Gay's new album 'Yowsers' - his previous one was very warmly received.

T

New Tyler, the Creator album has been out since July 21. Still no review.

T
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Thanks, Zac, keeping my eyes peeled for the stars. :)

Yeah, tv's right - the rating is missing. It's been quite common with recent hip-hop reviews: Natanael Cano's 'Porque la Demora' and Óscar Maydon's 'Rico o Muerto, Vol. 1' appear to be missing ratings too.

T
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JID (whose previous efforts have been very highly rated) also has a new album out that isn't even listed yet. And we've already mentioned MIKE a couple of times. :)

No worries, a request to add the new JID album was sent to AllMusic yesterday.

Zac and the team are usually very quick at adding new entries, as long as the poster provides official sources with their request - It helps the team to verify it.

You can find a thread for making these kinds of requests here.

An entry for Good Does Like Ugly has now been added.

In case you haven't seen it yet, AllMusic have already uploaded a review for that new JID album. Wasn't expecting one so soon.

T
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Not much of a review though. I really wonder why they're treating it like that after the rave reviews for his previous ones. And why hiphop albums are so often reviewed cursorily and anonymously. Are they using ChatGPT or what?

Going to guess that the 'TiVo Staff' moniker is assigned to interns or non-editorial staff who have been given a chance to add to a review for a release that the editors have decided not to cover. If it means that more releases are reviewed, I'm all for it.

T
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I don't think it's an attempt at a proper review, to be honest, it's purely descriptive. Maybe Fred Thomas, who did the previous ones for JID, isn't around (anymore)?

Kinda agree that new hip-hop feels a bit like an afterthought with AllMusic. I'm willing to forgive the delays as many recent big releases for rap this year have been shadow-drops and reviewers haven't been able to listen to them in advance. But this JID 'review' does read like a rushed summary. And that new Tyler review looks messy with it's formatting. Both them and the new Freddie Gibbs feel a bit underappreciated.

Add to this that there's only been one "hip-hop" album has a 4 and half star rating this year and even that record is an assortment of like four different genres. Has enthusiasm for rap been drained from the AllMusic office?

Perhaps the editorial team could do with a more dedicated specialist, the way electronic Music has Paul Simpson or R&B has Andy Kellman.

IIRC, the TiVo account is sometimes used to post summary-like articles instead of reviews - where the staff wanted to have something there but couldn't fully dedicate timr or resources to a full review.

I agree that it is a shame that the editor that previously covered JID's releases didn't this time, as they were on-point. They seemingly decided to write about the new Mac DeMarco record that week instead. So they are still with AllMusic.

As for the current state of the site's hiphop coverage, the new Travis Scott /JackBoys record was just reviewed and it is very detailed. You may not agree with the score but the writer definitely put in the work.

T

I hope someone will still find a moment for Eli Keszler's eponymous album, which came out on May 5.

Listening! Nice arrangement.

T
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You're very welcome. :)

Okay, just posted ! Thank you for this. 

Got a request for your editors. Can someone write up a review for any of these new albums:

  1. Doves : Constellations for the Lonely
  2. Model/Actriz : Pirouette
  3. These New Puritans - Crooked Wing

Also shocked that no-one has tackled the new Deafheaven record yet, despite tv's previous requests for one. It's easily the best thing they've done since Sunbather! Or that no-one decided to take on the new Manic Street Preachers record, despite it having over 40 user ratings and a couple of good user reviews. Guess Stephen Thomas Erlewine was their only fan on the editorial team.

Reviews for both the new Deafheaven and These New Puritans records are now available. Great work by the AllMusic staff, as usual.

Sorry to say but there's still no sign of that MSP review yet. Keep up the good recommendations though.

Wasn't sure it would happen but those are some excellent reviews. Thanks AllMusic!

T

I hope someone will still find a moment for Yungblud's 'Idols'. I'm quite surprised this one's taking so long. 

One went up for this one last week, if you're still interested.

T
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Cheers!

T

I hope someone will still find a moment for the new Jameszoo album 'Music for 17 Musicians'.

T

I hope someone will still find a moment for HAIM's 'I Quit', which seems like a funny release for you to ignore, and 'Metallic Life Review' by Matmos, who have often received glowing reviews.

A pair of good reviews for these two albums went up a while ago. It's worth checking them out, if you haven't yet.

T
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Cheers!

T

I hope someone will still find a moment for Fred Moten & Brandon Lopez' 'Revision' and Theo Croker's 'Dream Manifest' - his previous efforts have always been well-received, but this latest release isn't even listed yet.

T

I hope someone will still find a moment for James Holden and Waclaw Zimpel's 'The Universe Will Take Care of You' and Shanti Celeste's 'Romance'.

T

I hope someone will still find a moment for The Vernon Spring's 'Under a Familiar Sun', Omar's 'Brighter the Days', the new Azymuth album 'Marca Passo' and the new Slick Rick album 'VICTORY' (his 1988 debut got 5 stars on AllMusic, this one's not even listed yet).

T

I hope someone will still find a moment for Marc Ribot's 'Map of a Blue City'.

T

I hope someone will still find a moment for Sextile's 'Yes, Please'.

C

Not had much luck with these requests but here goes: would anyone consider reviewing the album Constant Noise by a new act that calls themselves Benefits? It's an uncoventional yet fun record, with a unique sound that defies catagorization. Your writers might enjoy it!

T

I hope someone will still find a moment for Sault's '10', which isn't even listed on AllMusic yet.

T

I hope someone will still find a moment for Chaos in the CBD's 'A Deeper Life'.