First Review from RYM

Chinese Algebra :: 4.5 / 5

"Let me begin by saying this is much better than it has any right to be.

It's kind of an unwritten rule that RYMcore is supposed to be thoroughly average, as my page and several other RYM Artist pages can demonstrate. This is something different, it's full of infectious pop that has been put together very, very well. Aj's voice is human and honest, and you can tell that he believes in what he's singing. The instrumentation is great, and the few samples and field recordings that he's included are perfect for its atmosphere. The image I formed while listening to this album: it's Aj's mate's housewarming, and Aj's been invited to infuse a bit of spice into the proceedings. And that he does - each song is full of energy, the sort of thing you get want to get up and dance to. The album gets better and better as it goes, with, it seems, increasing confidence. That might sound strange for a studio record, but that's how it sounds to me. Maybe Aj's been swilling beer in between each song, we'll never know. Anyway, I figured - due to Aj's cover of Paris Hilton's Stars Are Blind - that I was going to like this album, but I never imagined it would be this good.

Pat yourself on the back, sir. And now stop making the rest of us look bad"