Album review overview: Primal Scream, Hetty Kate and more
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 today we post an overview of albums that arrive at the editors in short reviews.
Ab-Soul – Soul Burger
The TDE rapper returns with an emotionally charged mixtape dedicated to his late friend DoeBurger, who passed away in 2021. On “Soul Burger”, Ab-Soul blends his signature introspective lyricism with strikingly upbeat production—a conscious choice to honour DoeBurger’s wish for more danceable music. The opening track, “9 Mile”, sets the tone with a Soul II Soul sample as Ab-Soul wrestles with identity and existential questions. Tracks like “Squeeze 1st 2” and “Crazier” featuring JID rank among the strongest moments, where Ab-Soul’s complex wordplay and metaphors come alive over hypnotic, jazz-inspired beats. Alex Reade’s backing vocals of DoeBurger serve as a constant reminder of the friend who inspired Ab-Soul to make this record. Unfortunately, the album feels uneven, with fillers like “Go Pro” and “Saudi Sweats” disrupting the flow. Tracks such as “Peace” featuring Lupe Fiasco offer nuanced reflections on loss and resilience. “Soul Burger” is not an easy listen, but it proves that Ab-Soul remains one of the most technical and authentic voices within TDE, albeit with room for improvement in consistency. (Elodie Renard) (7/10) (TDE)
Primal Scream – Come Ahead
After eight years of silence, Bobby Gillespie and Andrew Innes return with a record that is both personal and political. Produced by David Holmes, “Come Ahead” combines disco, funk, gospel and electronic elements into a lush yet uneven whole. The opener “Ready To Go Home”, written for Gillespie’s father, begins with a gospel choir before transforming into roller-disco funk with Shaft-like coolness. “Love Insurrection” is the highlight, a Curtis Mayfield-inspired groove with strings and flutes that recalls the best moments of “Screamadelica”. “The Centre Cannot Hold” is a driven rager seeking to set right a lost capitalist hell with pounding beats. The album, however, suffers from uneven pacing, with plodding tracks like “Melancholy Man” and the aimless wandering of “False Flags”, despite heartfelt tributes to working-class victims of war. Andrew Innes’s David Gilmour-like guitar work and the House Gospel Choir lift weaker tracks, while Holmes’s production balances Primal Scream’s vintage instincts with modern clarity. Though imperfect, “Come Ahead” shows a band refusing to stand still, with enough highlights to make it a worthy addition to their legacy. (Anton Dupont) (7/10) (BMG)
Make Them Suffer – Make Them Suffer
The Australian metalcore group delivers their most polished and mature work to date with their self-titled fifth album. Following lineup changes and the addition of keyboardist and vocalist Alex Reade in 2022, Make Them Suffer has entered a new chapter. The album opens with the atmospheric intro “The Warning”, featuring angelic choirs, before “Weaponized” lands a gut punch with heavy riffs and Sean Harmanis’s ferocious growls. Reade proves to be the missing piece, her clean vocals perfectly contrasting Harmanis’s intensity on tracks like “Doomswitch” and “Oscillator”. Jeff Dunne’s production brings depth and dynamics that earlier releases lacked. “Mana God” may be the heaviest track, while “Epitaph” encapsulates the best of Make Them Suffer’s evolution, blending atmospheric synths with powerful vocals. The addition of electronic elements and a keytar gives their sound a modern edge without losing its metalcore roots. The only drawback is the repetitive song structure where heavy verses, melodic choruses, and breakdowns follow a predictable pattern. Nevertheless, “Make Them Suffer” proves the band is at the height of its powers and remains a formidable force in the metalcore scene. (Norman van den Wildenberg) (8/10) (SharpTone Records)
Our Girl – The Good Kind
Six years after their debut, “Stranger Today”, the London trio returns with an album that explores vulnerability, defiance, and joy with a delicate touch. Produced by John Parish, Fern Ford, and Soph Nathan, “The Good Kind” tackles themes of sexuality, illness, and relationships with intimate honesty. Opener “It’ll Be Fine” starts softly with delicate strings, while “What You Told Me” quickly reveals its shoegaze influences through swirling guitars and Joshua Tyler’s solid basslines. The title track showcases Lauren Wilson’s drumming as Nathan sings heart-wrenching memories. Highlight “Something About Me Being A Woman” is Nathan’s answer to misogyny—beginning calmly but exploding in frustration. “Relief” adds upbeat shoegaze tones with Marika Hackman’s backing vocals, while “Something Exciting” lives up to its name as an energetic rocker. The album feels more mature than its debut, less self-reflective yet filled with warmth like walks on late spring evenings. Closer “Absences” brings tenderness and vulnerability back as Nathan sings about fears and distance. Although some later tracks feel less immediate and the album is slightly front-loaded, Our Girl has crafted a charming and bold record that is both accessible and unpredictable. (William Brown) (8/10) (Bella Union)
Hetty Kate – Jazz in Four Seasons: Spring Vol. 1
Timing is everything: releasing an album inspired by spring just as winter approaches is a bold move. “Jazz in Four Seasons: Spring Vol. 1” is the first part of an ambitious four-part series. Vocalist Hetty Kate, a British-born singer now based in Paris, recorded it in Prague with local musicians, seeking to capture the light, fresh spirit of spring. The repertoire includes standards by Ellington (“I Like The Sunrise”) and Brubeck (“Strange Meadowlark”). The opener “Soon It’s Gonna Rain” features Kate’s voice solo—clear and elegant, in the tradition of classic jazz vocalists with flawless technique. On “Inchworm”, Kate’s range and precision shine, every note perfectly placed—crystal-clear and super clean. This approach remains consistent throughout, making the record refined but somewhat clinical, resulting in a standard vocal jazz album without true standouts. It’s all very polished and restrained, but halfway through one realises something is missing. Spring is an energetic, awakening season, and that vitality is barely heard here. Still, we’re curious about the coming seasons, hoping autumn will bring a bit more stormy passion. (Jeroen Mulder) (7/10) (Lisez L’Etiquette Records)
