El Estoque

‘american dream’ serves as a compelling third solo project

Samika Bhatkar • January 19, 2024

Atlanta rapper and one-time Grammy award winner 21 Savage, known for his gritty and monotonous style of rapping, released his third solo album “american dream” on Jan. 12. 21 Savage released a four-minute...

‘Larger than Life’ is a disconnected mess larger than life

Sagnik Nag Chowdhury • October 29, 2023

American R&B artist Brent Faiyaz announced on Instagram that he would release his third full-length album, “Larger than Life,” on Friday, Oct. 27. Faiyaz posted an album trailer as a surprise,...

‘For All the Dogs’ seems to suffer an identity crisis

Samika Bhatkar and Sagnik Nag Chowdhury • October 9, 2023

Canadian rapper and artist Drake announced on Instagram that he would be releasing his eighth studio album “For All the Dogs.” Although set for release on Friday, Sept. 22, Drake decided to push back...

‘Bewitched’ flawlessly paints a portrait of unrequited love

Ananya Chaudhary • September 11, 2023

From the buoyant “Lovesick,” to the melancholy of “Second Best,” jazz musician Laufey produces another unskippable album. Released Friday, Sept. 8, “Bewitched,” foregrounds the stages of a...

‘Aurora’ is a manifestation of classic-rock nostalgia

Jami Lim • March 14, 2023

The fictional ‘70s-esque album struggles to find its voice in the contemporary world

Metro Boomin proves producer albums shouldn’t be disregarded in “Heroes and Villains”

Samika Bhatkar • December 9, 2022

“Heroes and Villains” rich and dark ambiance perfectly pairs masterful production with feature artists

‘TM’ delivers a conflicted goodbye

Aditya Shukla • November 28, 2022

BROCKHAMPTON hides a tattered vision in their final record

‘Sorry 4 What’ is an unapologetic failure

Chiran Arumugam and Sameer Maheshwari • October 13, 2022

“I'm not tryna be here for a long time / Just, just a good, good time / I got a lot of s— weighin' on my mind” “Sorry 4 What” encompasses aspects of Lanez’s personal and musical growth in...

“Entergalactic” is nothing out of the ordinary

Samika Bhatkar • October 6, 2022

Despite its tranquil production and lyricism, “Entergalactic” fails to stand on its own

“BORNPINK” merges the old with the new

Pranati Kotamraju • September 30, 2022

Blackpink’s second studio album diverges from prior releases yet still maintains Blackpink’s essence

“Tell Me That It’s Over” is beautifully bittersweet

Krish Dev and Aashi Venkat • March 31, 2022

Wallows’ new album contrasts gut wrenching lyrics with an upbeat production

“Feel My Rhythm” is a spring gem

Aashna Patel and Angela Zhang • March 24, 2022

On March 21, Korean pop girl group Red Velvet released its 9th EP titled “The ReVe Festival 2022: Feel My Rhythm” as an extension of the three-part, carnival-themed “The ReVe Festival” series it...