By Maxazine South Africa 
Dozens of new albums arrive at Maxazine’s editorial staff every week. There are too many to listen to, let alone review them. It ensures that too many albums are left behind. And that’s a shame. That is why we post an overview of albums that arrive at the editors in short reviews today.
Photo (c) Jorge Fakhouri Filho
WILLOW – The Thread
With ‘The Thread’, WILLOW presents her ninth studio album, a record that explicitly focuses on spirituality, connection and the invisible force that connects people. Together with regular producer Chris Greatti, she builds further on the jazz-tinged sound of ‘Empathogen’, but the arrangements here sound more open and precise. The title track ‘The Thread’ and the single ‘Talk on the Hill’ show an artist who effortlessly lets her voice float above tight guitar parts. ‘Crush on Eternity’ alternates between alt-rock outbursts and restrained, layered vocals, while ‘The Present Moment’ emphasises the urgency of the now with a driving beat. WILLOW sings about connection and compassion without falling into vague clichés, and it is precisely that combination of philosophical depth and musical precision that makes ‘The Thread’ convincing. It is an album that demands attentive listening, but also richly rewards the listener with melodic discoveries and a warm, lived-in production. With this record, WILLOW once again confirms her position as a versatile voice of her generation. (Elodie Renard) (8/10) (Three Six Zero Recordings)
Richard Spaven – Light of Day
The pocket, that is what it is all about. Holding a groove, extremely tight and defined, and finding exactly the right balance between that groove and the rest of the band. With the British drummer Richard Spaven you feel the pocket. That is not only a matter of great technique, but also and much more importantly of sensing the dynamics in a composition and conveying that to the other band members. This ‘Light of Day’ is the result of that. The rhythms are complex and layered, but remain accessible thanks to that groove that runs like a red thread through the compositions. Across the nine tracks that make up the album, there is not simply one label to attach to it: Spaven incorporates influences from jazz, jazz rock, fusion and soul into his work. You can hear that he feels completely at home as a drummer everywhere, comparable to someone like Nate Smith in his Kinfolk. Spaven drives the composition, guides it, but leaves enough space for the solo instruments, such as the trumpet and piano in ‘Distant Signal’, which feels ambient due to the long-held synth chords, with very subtle drumming. Prominent drumming (pay attention to the minimal shifts with which Spaven makes the supporting roll truly exciting) can be heard in ‘Let Me Say It For You’ and the title track. But nowhere does it become a masterclass in drumming. Everything serves the rhythm, the groove and the perfect pocket. On the cover, Spaven is depicted trying to hide under a cap. The image of the drummer who prefers to hide behind his kit. But Spaven does not need to hide. Not as a drummer and certainly not as a composer and bandleader. (Jeroen Mulder) (8/0) (Edition Records)
RIN – Nostalgia
With ‘Nostalgia’, RIN delivers his fourth studio album, eighteen tracks in which the rapper from Bietigheim-Bissingen looks back on his youth, his Yugoslavian roots and his rise in the German rap scene. Together with producers Alexis Troy and Minhtendo, he builds atmospheric, retro-futuristic sound worlds that are occasionally interrupted by intense rage moments. On ‘Bladerunner’ he sings about loneliness in the digital age, while ‘CTG’ and ‘Wach’ sound vulnerable about the desire to belong somewhere. Features from Schmyt on ‘Odyssee’, Reezy on ‘Wach’ and OG Keemo on ‘Redrising’ give the album extra colour without overshadowing RIN’s own story. It is clear that time has been invested in the construction of the album, which feels more like a coherent whole than a collection of separate songs. RIN dares to take things slower and that works well. ‘Nostalgia’ is a warm, thoughtful record that shows that RIN has now become a mature storyteller, without losing his recognisable style. (Tobias Braun) (8/10) (Division / RCA & Gold League)
Charli xcx – Music, Fashion, Film
Charli xcx shows after ‘Brat’ that she is not standing still, and that is exactly what makes ‘Music, Fashion, Film’ so interesting. The seventh studio album by the British pop star throws the dancefloor overboard and chooses guitars, distorted vocals and a rawer approach that you would not immediately have expected from her. Singles such as ‘Rock Music’ and ‘SS26’ set the tone: less glitter, more grind. On ‘Camera’ she philosophises about the attraction of the film world, while ‘Wink Wink’ uses an almost comic self-mockery to show how she plays with her own image. The calm closing track ‘No One Lasts Forever’, with a contribution from director David Cronenberg, also proves that Charli likes to surprise her audience. The album lasts barely thirty minutes, but every song feels considered and confident. Fans who hoped for new hyperpop hits may sometimes raise their eyebrows, but those open to her next artistic step receive a record that feels honest and daring. Charli proves once again: she plays the game on her own terms, and America is listening. (Daniel Harris) (8/10) (Atlantic Records)
Cypress Hill – Dios Bendiga
Cypress Hill takes a remarkable step with ‘Dios Bendiga’ by releasing a fully Spanish-language album for the first time. B Real and Sen Dog return to their Latin roots, accompanied by percussionist Eric Bobo and the scratches of DJ Lord, while producer DJ Flict provides the whole with a consistent, rhythmic foundation. Singles such as ‘Campeones’, featuring founding member Mellow Man Ace, and the reggae-tinged ‘Otra’ show a group that honours its history without repeating itself. Guests such as Alemán, Trueno and Sick Jacken add fresh energy and underline the cultural bridge that the album aims to create between generations. Not every track manages to maintain the same tension as the group’s earlier work, and the production sometimes lacks the sharpness of ‘Black Sunday’, but the sincerity with which this tribute to their heritage has been made carries significant weight. ‘Dios Bendiga’ is an elegant, warm record that brings Cypress Hill closer to their roots than ever before. (Alejandro García López) (7/10) (HYBE Latin America)
