The Blog
Reviews, features & explainers.
‘Golden Hour’: The Year in One Record
Aurelia Vance's second album is a dusk-to-dawn concept record that somehow never feels heavy. We break down why it's the highest-rated pop release on The Ratist Audio this year.
Priya Nair · May 28, 2024 · 6 min read
Inside ‘Goldsmith’: Kodiak’s Jeweler’s-Bench Approach to Rap
The Toronto rapper-producer treats a verse like a setting for a stone. We went bar-by-bar through the year's most meticulous hip-hop album.
Terrence Lake · May 26, 2024 · 8 min read
Is Lo-Fi Actually Music? The Debate Won't Die
It's the most-streamed genre nobody claims to love. We wade into the argument that keeps breaking out in our reviews — and land somewhere annoyingly reasonable.
Jordan Vale · May 23, 2024 · 7 min read
Why Every Musician Suddenly Has an Audiobook
From tour diaries to full memoirs, artists are moving into long-form audio — and narrating it themselves. We look at what makes a musician's audiobook actually work.
Hazel Monroe · May 15, 2024 · 6 min read
Rate 10 Things and the Recommender Wakes Up
Our 'What Should I Listen To?' tool gets uncannily good once it knows a little about you. Here's the fastest way to teach it your taste.
The Ratist Audio · May 11, 2024 · 3 min read
The Silvercord Quartet Is Quietly Making the Case for Strings
In a year of maximalism, four musicians from Vienna made one of the most-loved records on the site by playing as softly as possible. Here's how ‘Nocturnes in Grey’ won everyone over.
Dr. Alan Reese · May 7, 2024 · 7 min read
How the Ratist Scale Works (and Why 8.0 Means Something)
A star rating tells you a record is 'good'. Ours tells you why. Here's how our five weighted categories add up to a single number you can actually trust.
The Ratist Audio · May 2, 2024 · 5 min read