2026/09 Listening Log

Genre: Hip-Hop

It’s been a long time since I listened to an entire Hip-Hop album without skipping half of it. I guess when you combine the old-school type beats with rappers that came up during what I consider to be the golden age of the genre, AND you get Tom Hardy of all people to rap alongside them under the Frankie Pulitzer alias, you get a winning combination. The track Mad Technology especially is a real banger.

Tier: B
(Better than average)

Genre: Metallic Hardcore

Here we have another example of a situation where each individual musical element is appealing, but the way the band writes their songs does not resonate with me at all. I don’t actively dislike it, but it doesn’t do much for me either.

Tier: C-
(Cool, but not my thing)

Genre: Sludge

A very raw and abrasive record, whose production makes the music turn to aural soup at times, yet still has the songwriting chops and dynamics to make it interesting.

There are melodic elements, synths, choral vocals in the background, and it can get really heavy and intense. In the end this still doesn’t quite match my taste, but I can recognize it as good metal music.

Tier: B
(Better than average)