The Roster is a series created by Aneesh Batchu. Each week, a tier list of the best, most average, and worst new releases is published alongside blistering hot takes. The best of the best receive a trophy, and the worst of the worst are tossed in the bin. First, Batchu tackles the latest singles. Then, the team comments on the most recent albums.
SINGLES…
Good
🏆 Hanumankind – “Run It Up” is a masterpiece of varied pacing, switching the tempo up regularly to create a consistent, welcome sense of novelty. Hanumankind additionally uses a slew of traditionally Indian musical elements that only furthers this track’s uniqueness and stand-out sound.
Doechii – “Anxiety” samples Gotye’s iconic “Somebody That I Used to Know” for a hip-hop take on the beat. Although the remix had been used in a previous Sleepy Hallow album, the song blends best with Doechii’s vocals and flow.
Turbo, Gunna – “Classy Girl” is a classy collaboration that incorporates a more relaxed beat behind matching vocals that utilize Gunna’s smoother delivery in a sweet piece that feels perfect for an evening drive.
Mid
GELO, GloRilla – “Can You Please” make something new GELO? This song is sonically identical to the viral “Tweaker.” Although GloRilla contributes more than her fair share in an attempt to save the track with her feature, the song falls short with its boring and familiar melody.
Homixide Gang – “Free Agents” uses an entertaining flute-central beat behind Homixide’s typical (though somewhat lackluster) vocals. Although the production is unique, the vocals and lyricism are uninspired.
🚮 David Guetta, Sia – “Beautiful People” is the classic house template song. Generic female vocals are layered on top of Guetta’s typical synth-heavy house tune. Sonically mediocre, the song feels like it’s ever-building up to nothing.
ALBUMS…
Good
🏆Lady Gaga – MAYHEM is a controlled chaos. It masterfully switches between genres as it progresses while consistently showcasing Gaga’s strengths. High-energy vocals pair beautifully with the striking electronic musical elements that linger throughout the album, generating a return to Gaga’s well-known art pop sound.
JENNIE – Ruby starts out as a strong pop record. The artist blends genres and features seamlessly into and alongside JENNIE’s own talents and style. Although the tail end of the album feels more extraneous, the record is sonically pleasant with its trend of pretty vocals backed by bassy melodies.
Mid
Kelsea Ballerini (Deluxe) – PATTERN continues to follow Ballerini’s patterns to a T, with folksy melodies behind her reliable, albeit boring, vocals. Though the deluxe edition adheres to the original theme of the original album, the new content fails to add anything particularly striking.
Tory Lanez – PETERSON is unique in its premise: being fully recorded while Lanez was in prison is no small feat. This fact occasionally sticks out like a sore thumb in these songs, though in some occasions, he manages to hide the limits this imposes beautifully. Ultimately, while the production is well-done and unique, the lyrics and vocals are rather plain and repetitive.
Bad
🚮YoungBoy Never Broke Again – More Leaks is very much a throwaway album of recognizable leaks marred by a number of accompanying fuzzy pieces and unfinished work. Despite its few impressively well-made hits, the album is generally a grab for streams of old, tired work.
