ratings explanation:

5.0 (mental health supplement) = one of the best releases from a favorite act/ a genre-transcending work/ possibly a “masterpiece”
4.5 (awesome) = a standout record/ a really good effort from a favorite act
4.0 (good) = a balanced well thought-out work/ a consistently rewarding listen/ a genre highlight
3.5 (nice/somewhat flawed) = a slightly above average effort/ a good record with some flaws
3.0 (bearable) = a disposable listen with a few rewarding moments/ a severely flawed record with hints of goodness
2.5 (muzak) = an inoffensively bad record (i.e. the effort is still evident)/ background music
2.0 (...you're kidding me, right?) = a record that fails to achieve whatever intended result almost completely/ an unexpectedly bad record/ baffling (in a bad way)
1.5 (sham) = a contrived self-indulgent affair/ artist’s ego vehicle/ playacting/ bad carbon copy off a better source (sources)
1.0 (utter shite) = unjustifiable
0.5 (brain dead) = monkeys make better music

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notes on rating policy:

Constantly reevaluating stuff and attitudes towards rating in general, though within the established rating system (since changing that has proven to be a real pain in the ass).

The 5.0 rating is essentially the most subjective rating often ensuing from the most immediate impression (or memory thereof), but is at the same time meant to lend a certain weight to a record which I grew to consider important for one reason or another. Because of its tricky nature this category tends to get a bit messy, though I've recently cleared out (i.e. downrated) all compilation/compiled-albums releases, reserving it solely for albums -- LPs/EPs (the only compilation in the 5.0 category at the moment is Disco Inferno's In Debt, which happens to be my favorite DI release and that rare instance when a compiled CD flows better than most albums would).

Records in the 4.5 and 4.0 categories are considered almost equally good, though a 4.5 rating implicates a potential rise to 5.0 more so than a 4.0 rating. Same thing with the lower rating categories where chances of potential rise decrease linearly with the rating.

upd. ^ pretty much irrelevant as of now