Episode Description: In this episode of the NTTR Review, we dissect one of the most unexpected and euphoric electronic music events of recent years: the legendary, surprise B2B set between Fred again.. and Thomas Bangalter at London's Alexandra Palace. Closing out the USB002 tour, this performance marked a historic return to the decks for Bangalter—one of his very rare public appearances since the end of Daft Punk.But does the performance live up to its monumental hype? We break down our highly anticipated 86/100 NTTR rating and debate why this set managed to land even higher than Daft Punk's iconic Alive live album in our electronic corpus.

What we cover in this episode:

• • The 86/100 Verdict: Why this mix hits the absolute "sweet spot" of electronic music by delivering pure, hedonistic pleasure alongside intelligent, highly technical curation.
  • Deconstructing the Robots: How the duo completely disassembled and rebuilt classic Daft Punk tracks instead of relying on cheap nostalgia. We analyze how they worked through twenty different versions of Technologic and executed flawless mashups—like weaving Digital Love into Prince's Raspberry Beret or shifting Turn On The Lights again.. into Harder Better Faster Stronger.
  • The Anatomy of an Addictive Set: Why casual listeners and hardcore clubheads alike are finding this nearly two-hour mix impossible to turn off. We break down the immediate physical impact of euphoric hooks from Music Sounds Better With You, Marea, and One More Time.
  • Contrasting the Narrative Arc: How Fred again.. and Thomas Bangalter rejected standard BPM-driven DJ structures to craft a genuine story. We highlight the mid-set gear shift into the narrative-heavy Touch and Giorgio by Moroder, and the raw, emotional high point featuring a track sung by Bangalter’s son.

Tune in as we explore whether two hours of pure dancefloor euphoria can truly become a permanent electronic reference point, or if the sheer length makes full replays a demanding task.

Phoebe Bridgers’ highly anticipated third solo album, Lost Weekend (released via Dead Oceans), has taken the music world by storm, scoring a massive 91/100 critical consensus on Album of the Year.

But does the record actually live up to the astronomical hype, or is it a classic case of critical groupthink?

In this episode of the NTTR Podcast, we run the album through the rigorous NTTR-Pop evaluation grid to see how it truly holds up for active listeners.

While the record is undoubtedly a sonically ambitious step forward from her previous work, we explain why the strict trade-offs of our criteria landed this record at a final score of 67/100.

We dissect the album’s brilliant highlights, the devastating emotional weight of her lyrics surrounding grief and her father's passing, and the specific pacing issues that make this 16-track, 52-minute album a challenging front-to-back listen.

What did you think of the album? Let us know your score in the comments below! 👇

• Artist: Phoebe Bridgers
• Album: Lost Weekend (Released August 14, 2026)
• Runtime: ~52 minutes (16 tracks)
• Producers: Phoebe Bridgers, Tony Berg, Ethan Gruska, Jack Antonoff, Alex G
• Key Collaborators: Lucy Dacus, Julien Baker, Alex G, Blake Mills, Conor Oberst, Christian Lee Hutson, Bo Burnham, Caroline Shaw, Rob Moose

#PhoebeBridgers #LostWeekend #NTTRReview #AlbumReview #IndieFolk

The Earned Tension of A.A. Williams' Solstice

Is A.A. Williams’ Solstice a modern dark masterpiece? In this episode of the NTTR Podcast, we dive deep into the British singer-songwriter's monumental 2026 release, analyzing how it earned its incredible 94/100 NTTR score—placing it directly alongside legendary works like Ghost’s Prequelle and above post-metal giants Cult of Luna.

We break down the delicate tightrope Williams walks, contrasting her intimate piano-led storytelling with crushing, cinematic post-metal crescendos. If you've ever wondered how emotional weight and songwriting craft can transcend a "quiet/loud" formula, this is the episode for you.

• Artist: A.A. Williams
• Album: Solstice (UK 🇬🇧)
• Release Date: June 5, 2026
• Label: Reigning Phoenix Music
• Duration: 58:13 (11 tracks)
• Genres: Dark Rock, Post-Rock, Gothic Metal, Singer-Songwriter, Post-Metal
• NTTR Score: 94/100

🎵 Like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more deep-dive metal, post-rock, and dark singer-songwriter reviews from the NTTR team!

What is your personal score for Solstice? Let us know in the comments below!

Reviewing Sam Smith’s "Hazel Eyes"In this episode of the podcast, we dive deep into Sam Smith’s highly anticipated album, "Hazel Eyes" (released August 21, 2026, via Capitol Records UK / Polydor)

For years, Sam Smith has been the ultimate voice of heartbreak pop. But on Hazel Eyes, Smith trades in the synthetic, radio-polished pop aesthetics of their past for something entirely different: a warm, organic, and sepia-toned sound inspired by classic pop-soul, folk, blues, and gospel. Built around a live-band feel and co-produced by Smith themselves alongside Simon Aldred and David Odlum, this record feels like their most intimate and mature artistic step forward yet.

We break down everything you need to know about the album, explore its standout tracks, and explain why we awarded it a NTTR score of 66/100.

### 💿 ABOUT "HAZEL EYES"

Release Date: August 21, 2026

Label: Capitol Records UK / Polydor

Track Count / Duration: 12 tracks, 45:39

Key Guests: Feist (on "Moondance"), The TwoCity Chorus (on "Oh Mother")

Key Highlights: "Everlasting Love", "When He’s Gone", "To Be Free"

### 💬 JOIN THE DISCUSSION

Are you loving this warmer, acoustic direction from Sam Smith?

Does the happy romance of their relationship with Christian Cowan shine through, or do you miss the dramatic heartbreak anthems?

Let us know your favorite track and your personal rating in the comments below! 👇

Subscribe for daily in-depth album reviews, NTTR score analyses, and music discussions!

#SamSmith #HazelEyes #AlbumReview #MusicPodcast #NewMusic2026 #Feist #GospelPop #SoulMusic #ChristianCowan #NTTRPop

NTTR – No Time To Review is a music review podcast for people who want an opinion, not a press release.

Each episode focuses on one album: what works, what doesn’t, what it sounds like, similar artists to explore, and a deliberately tough final score.

Rock, electronic, metal, jazz, classical, pop, hip-hop and everything in between.

No endless biographies. No hype. No pretending every album is a masterpiece.

One album. One opinion. Is it worth your time?

Subscribe now — the first reviews are coming soon.