Iann Dior “Industry Plant” Review

Dan Flavin
Music Editor

Best Track: Never is Enough
Rating: 7/10
Young artist Iann Dior, most known for his tracks “gone girl (feat. Trippie Redd)”  and ''emotions,” released his debut album on Nov. 8.
  After the release, many people think that Iann is looking like a young star in music. The project is full of catchy melodies and dynamic hooks that keep the tracks stuck in your mind. Iann Dior is  heavily influenced by rock music and any listener can easily tell right from the jump. He often uses guitar instrumentals and sometimes even uses classic rock drum patterns. His blend of genres creates an interesting listen.
  The production throughout the album is great. The melodic guitars and hard hitting drums throughout the project fit really well with Iann’s style. Nick Mira and Taz Taylor, who are part of the production groupInternet Money, created a solid mix and master. Nothing crazy or super special, but all very well done.
  The highlight tracks from the project are “Problems,” “Strings (feat. Gunna),” and “Never is Enough.” The second track“Problems” is a great song. The production by MjNichols and KC Supreme is very well done. The catchy guitar and high pitched whistle paired with the rock-style drums are great. The beat also has drum transitions throughout that act as  ear candy for the listener. Iann’s performance is also great because his catchy melodies carry the track. He comes up with creative flows that continue to impress us. “Strings (feat. Gunna)” is a great track, but is also very different from the rest of the project. The song has more of a trap style to fit Gunna’s normal verse. Iann Dior provided a solid chorus and verse, but the highlight was definitely Gunna’s feature. His smooth flow and voice create for a great verse. Our personal favorite from the album is “Never is Enough.” The track’s powerful beat and flow results in  high energy and a catchy chorus. The best part of the track is when the beat calms down just leaving deep guitar chords and Iann showing off his talent. He simply repeats the chorus, but he does it in a higher key with a more melodic style that creates the most memorable part of the chorus.
  The downfall of the project is how repetitive it gets. Iann has a very similar style on most of the songs and doesn’t change subjects very often. He pretty much exclusively sings about heartbreak. Although the production is very good it also gets boring late into the album. The same guitar and drum style make the project drag.
  Other than a few flaws, “Industry Plant” is a very good debut album. It has hits in “gone girl” and “Strings,” it has the slower tracks in “Flowers”, and it has genre bending tracks like “Problem.” The album’s downfall is its repetition. Overall it is a 7/10.

Nathan Donohoe also contributed to this article.

Rex Orange County’s Newest album “Pony” Sparks Delight for Listeners Everywhere

Olivia Harrison
Staff Writer

Popular indie artist Rex Orange County releases his third album titled Pony. Eclectic, unique and surprisingly powerful, Rex Orange County’s new album is a delight to listeners everywhere.
  It’s been two years since Rex Orange County’s album Apricot Princess released and listeners have been waiting for new music. Twenty-one year old artist Alex O’Connor, known by his stage name Rex Orange County,  has become a popular musical sensation over the years. Known for his indie-pop style, collaborating with artist Tyler the Creator, touring alongside Frank Ocean, singles such as “Loving is Easy,” and albums such as Apricot Princess.  His third album Pony, was definitely worth waiting for. Although the musical styles between the two albums had the same indie-pop, neo-soul, jazzy feel, lyrically the tone definitely shifts. While themes such as family, friends and being in love still exist, Pony’s lyrics take a more in-depth look into Alex’s mental health.
  With his immediate rise to fame, O’Connor was constantly in the spotlight, but behind the scenes, he was struggling, feeling as if he was stifled in his work and trapped. In an interview for NPR, Alex quoted “.... 2018 was quite tiring and strange. It was kind of just testing for me when I realized what it was like making [music] your job and playing a lot of shows. I wasn't writing much music so I was kind of uninspired, yet very busy and overwhelmed. I felt myself being really selfish, and being like, "This is not a big deal," but everything felt like such a massive deal, and started to stress me out.”
  He also says that he was “[stuck] in a tunnel that was very dark.” The first half of Pony talks about these dark times. The opening track 10/10 explores his quick rise to fame and how he feels confused and directionless. The first 30 seconds of the song he sings, “I feel like a five this year, I can’t pretend/ But if I get my sh*t together, maybe I’ll be a ten.” The less popular, brief,  but still impactful song “Stressed Out” criticizes O’Connors supposed “friends” he’s made, especially when becoming famous.
   The second half of the album features songs like Pluto Projector, Every way, and It gets Better. These songs tell the listener that things might not return or be normal but they will definitely get better.  It’s a great follow up to Apricot Princess and an absolute delight. The world might be miserable but try listening to Pony and it might make you feel a little more optimistic.