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DRAKE -- VIEWS 2015 was a triumphant year for Drake -- three platinum-selling singles, two successful surprise mixtapes and one of the most memorable music videos of recent times (who didn't try the Hotline Bling dance?).
After such staggering success, there was a lot of hype for his fourth studio album, Views, to live up to.
Drake's 20-track offering is a massive melting pot of perfect-for-radio pop (see Too Good ft Rihanna), straight rap songs (Grammys ft Future) experimentation with dancehall (Controlla) and his trademark special -- thinking about your ex and wallowing (Childs Play, and Redemption).
Critics and fans were quick to compare Views to Drake's rich back catalogue of critically acclaimed mixtapes and albums -- some claiming it didn't match up to previous efforts while others praised him for conquering new musical ground. Either way, you're probably doing okay if your biggest threat is your own discography.
9/10 Claire Hubble THE BOXER REBELLION -- OCEAN BY OCEAN Ocean By Ocean, The Boxer Rebellion's fifth studio album, is undoubtedly their best and most cohesive since they formed in 2001.
Clearly influenced by the likes of Muse, Radiohead, and The National, their guitar and keyboard-driven indie rock is made for big arenas, although Tennessee-born...