Young Thug x Bloody Jay
Black Portland (self-released)

Two of Atlanta’s rising stars combine forces for an exhilarating 11-song set that highlights their esoteric, freewheeling styles to perfection. The former, born Jeffrey Williams, is one of the brightest voices in current hip-hop, mixing a little bit of Future/Rich Homie Quan robo-flow with a heavy dose of Gucci Mane WTF-ness and the relentless energy of Gunplay. In short, Black Portland is gloriously shackle-free allowing both artists to truly explore the space, and the results are explosive and brilliant.

Angel Haze
Dirty Gold (Island/Republic Records?)

It’s been raining awesome surprise LPs recently, and this one just might be the pick of the bunch. Being pegged as the next great female MC has been a bit of a poisoned chalice, as demonstrated by the disappointing Nicki Minaj and the now mostly-irrelevant Azealia Banks, but the 22 year-old is made of sterner stuff. To be honest, I’m still working my way through Dirty Gold, but holy hell, it’s impressive. She’s always been a thought-provoking lyricist with a ravenous flow and a fascinating perspective, but she’s never done something this cohesive and melodic before. The real queen is here.

NOTE: It looks like the record has just been pulled, but here’s the record’s outstanding lead single, “A Tribe Called Red.”

Tev’n
Solitude
Self-Released

I know I said Thunder Penguin was going dark, but this is simply too good not to post. The North London R&B newcomer’s debut mixtape is murky, restrained, darkly seductive, and beautiful in all the right ways.

Via, the homies at Dummy.

Deptford Goth
Life After Defo Remixes

Daniel “Deptford Goth” Woolhouse’s exceptional debut LP gets the full remix treatment from an impressive range of rising producers. Though it has mostly flown under the radar in the States, Life After Defo is one of the stand-out albums of the year, and it’s fascinating to hear the stark, emotive originals in new lights with fresh arraignments. If you missed the original, this is a fantastic way to get caught up on one of the best albums of 2013.

CFCF
Outside (out 10/22 on Paper Bag)

Montreal’s keyboard genius Michael Silver threw his hat into the “Best Album of the Year” ring today with the stream of his sumptuous, essential second LP. Only a few months after his stunning Music for Objects EP dropped, the young composer’s Outside is a cavernous, reflective masterclass, bridging the gap between the head and heart masterfully. He is truly one of the unique, fascinating, and versatile voices in music today.

Face+Heel
Chipped Tooth (out 9/30)

King Arthur. Gareth Bale. A town called Llanfairpwllgwyngyll (seriously). If you haven’t figured out by now, Wales is the shit. Hailing from the coastal town of Aberystwyth, Face+Heel link the romantic with the desolate, crafting tracks that are both isolated and communal. Members Luke Taylor and Sinead McMillan both take turns weaving hushed, vulnerable vocals, reminiscent of a more esoteric version of the XX. This 3-song EP is extremely difficult to characterize — as much defined by what it isn’t as what it is — but like all the rest of their previous work, Chipped Tooth is undeniably affecting and worthy of a much bigger audience.