Reviewing 2026 projects: Project: #018 Title: THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE Artist: RAYE Tagline: RAYE's second LP puts on a decent impression. Low lows but really high highs. The album is very strong structurally, using a mix of orchestral sound and digital sound and letting it just sit together to form this album's story-telling identity. The album sounds free-flowing and as if it has space to breathe, it isn't confined, but sometimes it goes a bit too out of bounds, and not in the best ways, like some elements within a song stretching too far that it doesn't fit their corresponding song. The album does feel polished however, everything has an identity and sits with each other pretty well. RAYE's vocal performances are great throughout the album, varying from playful lyrical performances, to some rap-like performances, and some just straight up singing. Production is also great overall. My main issue is that this album does not try to reach out for a wide audience, with a strictly female target audience instead, which is probably why most of it doesn't sit with me too well. And also in my opinion some tracks just feel filler, and un-needed (most ones in the Least Favourites section), but the highs are still really high so that's why the rating is as high as it is. Favourites: Life Boat., Winter Woman., I Will Overcome, Whatsapp Shakespeare Least Favourites: I Hate The Way I Look Today, Beware... The South London Lover Boy., Fields., Fin. Simplified rating: 8/10