Album review overview: Yung Bleu, The Legendary Pink Dots and more

Dozens of new albums arrive at Maxazine’s editorial staff every week. There are way too many to listen to them all, let alone review them. It ensures that too many albums are left behind. And that’s a shame. That is why today we post an overview of albums that arrive at the editors in short reviews.

Eye 2 Eye – Lost Horizon

“Lost Horizon” contains four tracks, including two epics. Each track has its own story. “Garden Of Eden” has a unique start, which also applies to its first turn. A man talks about his relationship breakdown and memories. Various emotions and reproaches can be heard in the (layered) vocals and music. “The Letter” is a unique love song, with the violin beautifully coming to the forefront at the end. Then comes the dramatic story of “Meadows Of Silence”. It’s about a child who falls victim to a bombing and loses their family. I’m touched during the quietly played section, followed by intense changes and blends of emotions and impressions. The three-part epic “Lost Horizon (Ghosts Endgame)” lasts almost 23 minutes. A depressed, unappreciated poet makes message-in-a-bottle poems. A mermaid finds one bottle; what happens next is left to the listener’s imagination. In terms of lyrics, it’s not an easy album, but the stories are beautifully sung. “Lost Horizon” contains remarkable turns and good blends between symphonic prog, rock, and bombastic elements. Excellent ‘food’ for prog rock enthusiasts. (Esther Kessel-Tamerus) (8/10) (Progressive Promotion Records)

The Legendary Pink Dots – So Lonely In Heaven

This band has been around for quite a while, and The Legendary Pink Dots isn’t slowing down when it comes to releasing albums either. They’ve now been going for 45 years and are still going strong. This is evident in 2025 when they recently released their new album “So Lonely In Heaven”. While the originally British band moved to the Netherlands in the 80s, some members have now moved back to England. This has changed the recording process, with some of it happening over the digital web. If you can open yourself up to this kind of music and want to join the dark and gloomy path, be ready for the adventurous trip that’s best experienced with headphones so you don’t miss any of the small details. (Rik Moors) (8/10) (Metropolis Records)

Tiken Jah Fakoly – Live Salle Pleyel

There’s a beautiful irony in the fact that the stately Salle Pleyel, once the beating heart of Parisian classical music, now resonates with the protest songs of Africa’s most prominent reggae voice. Tiken Jah Fakoly, a griot-warrior from Ivory Coast, transforms the art-deco concert hall into a vibrant crossroads of cultures. The evening opens with his ingenious adaptation of “Englishman in New York”, transformed into “Africain à Paris” – a narrative that sharply captures the reality of the African diaspora in France. The traditional kora and balafon blend seamlessly with the reggae rhythms, creating a sound that bridges Abidjan and Kingston. Although his compatriot Alpha Blondy might have a more powerful voice and a more modern sound, Fakoly’s strength lies in his ability to weave complex stories. With “Ouvrez les frontières” he strikes a sensitive chord that resonates throughout the hall, while “Tonton d’America” dissects geopolitical relations with an infectious groove as its foundation. Not a groundbreaking album, but a document of its time that confirms Fakoly’s ongoing relevance as a voice of African consciousness in Europe. (Jan Vranken) (7/10) (Two Records/ Wagram music)

LÖANSHARK – No Sins to Confess

Somewhere in a cheap rehearsal space in Barcelona, LÖANSHARK is trying to reinvent the wheel, but they don’t get further than a confused sketch on a beer coaster. Their second album “No Sins To Confess” sounds like a cover band trying to imitate Motörhead but lacking the budget to turn the amplifiers up past level three. The production is as lean as a vegetarian döner at 3 AM – you settle for it because nothing else is open, but it’s far from convincing. “Electric Shockin’ Waves” opens the album with the energy of a moped that hasn’t been serviced in two years, while “Another Man in the Trunk” sounds like the band forgot that a trunk needs bass to thunder. This is heavy metal for people who think volume equals quality. The riffs are basic, the lyrics seem written during a FIFA gaming session on PlayStation, and the production reminds one of a 1983 demo – but without the charm. It’s as if someone filmed a Motörhead tribute band with a smartphone and ran it through an Instagram filter. The intention is there – they certainly want to be hard and fast – but the end result sounds like a scooter pretending to be a Harley. Without the necessary punch in the production, without memorable hooks, and with a sound as thin as the last sheet of toilet paper on the roll, this is primarily an exercise in missed opportunities. For drinking with a crate of beer? Maybe. But only with that house-brand beer that’s always on sale. “No Sins To Confess” scores a meagre 4/10 – and that’s still generous because at least they try to be heavy, even though the execution fails miserably. (Anton Dupont) (4/10) (Roar)

Yung Bleu – What Makes Us Human

Somewhere on the highway between Mobile and Atlanta lies the story of Yung Bleu like a forgotten mixtape in the glove compartment. Since 2016, he’s been consistently announced as Alabama’s next big promise, but like so many dreams in the Deep South, this one too remains stuck in the shoulder of almost success. The production quality of his extensive discography – with annual releases of one or two albums since his Columbia Records deal in 2017 – sounds as tired as an old Cadillac with too many miles on the odometer. The vocal effects are overdriven to the point where authenticity gives way to artificial autotune, while his beats wander like a tourist without a map in downtown Birmingham. In today’s hip-hop landscape, where innovation moves faster than a Porsche on I-65 and artists like JID are reinventing Southern rap, you can’t coast on potential for nine years. The label ‘rising talent’ has an expiration date, and Bleu’s momentum has evaporated like morning dew on a summer day in Mobile. Despite the blessing of Boosie BadAzz’s label, his work lacks the raw authenticity that made his mentor a regional legend. His latest work sounds like a postcard from a city he never really left – recognizable but insignificant, without the creative spark that transforms local heroes into national icons. (Jan Vranken) (3/10) (Moon Boy Music Inc)