Album review overview: Anneke van Giersbergen, Bruce Hornsby 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.

Peach PRC – Porcelain

‘Porcelain’ is the debut album by Australian pop star Shaylee Curnow, better known as Peach PRC. Where she was previously known for her bright pink hair and theatrical Manic Dream Pixie persona, she consciously opts here for a softer, more grounded identity. The electropop opener ‘Piper’ introduces a forested, fairy-tale world, while ‘Eucalyptus’ explores her recent spiritual wonder. On ‘Miss Erotica’, she delves into her past as a dancer, transformed into a confident dance-pop anthem with queer glamour. ‘Out Loud’ is a vulnerable anthem about a forbidden queer love, while ‘The Palace’ describes the dream with a Fleetwood Mac reference and cheetah-print floors as imagery. The closing sequence of ballads is emotionally convincing, though occasionally somewhat saccharine. With clear production and a coherent artistic concept, Curnow succeeds in bringing her two worlds together: the glitter of Peach PRC and the vulnerability of Shaylee. ‘Porcelain’ confirms her as a fully-fledged and original voice in pop music. (William Brown) (7/10) (Island/Republic)

Earl Sweatshirt, MIKE & Surf Gang – POMPEII // UTILITY

‘POMPEII // UTILITY’ is the long-awaited collaborative album by underground rappers Earl Sweatshirt and MIKE, produced by the New York collective Surf Gang. The 33-track double album is split into two discs: the first part, ‘Pompeii’, is MIKE’s work and revolves around decay and loss, while the second part, ‘Utility’, belongs to Earl Sweatshirt and sounds tighter and more purposeful. Surf Gang’s spacey, trap-oriented beats form the connecting thread and push both rappers out of their familiar lo-fi comfort zone. MIKE shines on ‘Afro’ and ‘The Pope’, while Earl remains lyrically sharp on tracks such as ‘Earth’ and ‘Home on the Range’, writing more openly about his drinking past with a candour that was lacking in his earlier work. Guest contributions from, among others, Niontay, Na-Kel Smith and Anysia Kym strengthen the sense of community. At 33 tracks, the album is sometimes too long, but as a double portrait of two like-minded spirits pushing each other forward artistically, ‘POMPEII // UTILITY’ is a statement. (Norman van den Wildenberg) (8/10) (10k/Tan Cressida/Surf Gang Records)

Thundercat – Distracted

Six years after ‘It Is What It Is’, Stephen Bruner, alias Thundercat, returns with his fifth studio album ‘Distracted’, released via Brainfeeder. The album, largely created in collaboration with super-producer Greg Kurstin, reflects the tension between digital overstimulation and introspection. In recent years, Bruner has processed his sobriety and personal losses into songs that are both humorous and sincere. Opening track ‘Candlelight’ immediately sets the tone with complex jazz fusion, while the singles ‘No More Lies’ with Tame Impala and ‘I Did This to Myself’ with Lil Yachty showcase the more accessible side. Particularly moving is the collaboration with the late Mac Miller on ‘She Knows Too Much’, recorded at the time and now completed with permission from his estate. The album closes with ‘You Left Without Saying Goodbye’, a stripped-down jazz ballad reflecting on a record filled with distraction and sorrow. ‘Distracted’ is not his most consistent work, but it shows Thundercat at his most human. (Elodie Renard) (8/10) (Brainfeeder)

Anneke van Giersbergen – La Mort

Anneke van Giersbergen needs no further introduction. This versatile singer made her name in the 1990s when she became the vocalist of The Gathering. With her songwriting abilities and her beautiful voice, she has, since 2007, built a successful solo career alongside all her projects and collaborations with other artists and bands. Each year, millions also hear her voice in the Efteling attraction Baron 1898. Her new solo album is titled ‘La Vie, La Mort, L’Amour’ and will be released sometime this calendar year as a triptych. The first part, the EP ‘La Vie’, was released in February 2025. This EP is part two of the trilogy and was released on 27 March this year. Anneke wrote this trilogy shortly after the passing of her parents. The songs are, therefore, understandably emotional and personal. This EP, as the title ‘La Mort’ suggests, deals with dark, introspective themes, contrasting with the first part, ‘La Vie’. The highlight is the final track, ‘Sail Towards The Sun’, which she wrote at her father’s deathbed. She recalls memories of her father, resulting in an emotional and comforting tribute to saying goodbye to a loved one. ‘La Mort’ is a soothing balm until the full trilogy is released later this year. (Ad Keepers) (8/10) (LAB Music)

Bruce Hornsby – Indigo Park

Yes, the one behind the indestructible classic ‘The Way It Is’, that Bruce Hornsby. The man turns 72 and clearly does not wish to be remembered as someone who scored a one-hit wonder in 1986. This ‘Indigo Park’ is meant to stand as testimony to a richer musical oeuvre in which Hornsby proves himself adept in various styles, from jazz to pop and even classical influences. Naturally, the piano remains Hornsby’s trademark: the intro of the title track immediately serves as a strong calling card. It must also be said that Hornsby is still surprisingly strong vocally. These ten tracks are simply fine compositions framing personal memories without becoming sentimental. A word of caution applies: those expecting an album like ‘The Way It Is’ may be better off skipping this record. ‘Indigo Park’ demonstrates that Hornsby, even after decades, is far from finished and continues to explore new terrain within the landscape of his own past. New territory such as the avant-garde irony in the unusual ‘Entropy Here (Rust in Peace)’. Or the jazzy experiment ‘Alabama’ with an upright bass line, distorted guitars and dissonant piano chords. Even the collaboration with Bonnie Raitt can safely be called experimental. Not an easy album. Yet far superior to that one hit. (Jeroen Mulder) (8/10) (Zappo Productions/Thirty Tigers)