If Jens Lekman can write, record, and produce a new song every week, I can write a monthly blog post rounding up my favorite musical goings-on from the last 28-31 days. These aren’t in order, and this isn’t a Best Of List. Rather it’s a random collection of ten things (i.e. scenes, songs, albums, new directions, etc) that caught my attention. I’ll mostly be picking things I didn’t have a chance to write about, so as to avoid repeating myself. Let’s see how this goes.
1. The back half of Rihanna’s ANTI
The biggest release of the year seems like a good place to start. Don’t let the pre-release Tidal apocalypse or its lukewarm, Drake-featured first single, “Work”, fool you; ANTI is a fabulous, understated collection that finds one of the world’s biggest stars at her creative and vocal peak. Aside from the wonky Tame Impala cover, the disc’s second half is unassailable — from the venomous break-up jam, “Needed Me” to its stunning piano ballad closer, “Close To You.” The latter is probably my favorite song of the year so far and is one of the most engaging, honest moments of RiRi’s career. Plus, it almost always makes me want to cry, then call everyone I love, then cry again. Her weary, expressive vocals go places others can’t, dripping with the kind of mournful beauty that is unmatched by any modern pop star. The same goes for the wonderful “Love on the Brain,” “Yeah, I Said It” and “Higher.” It may not have the hits, and “Work” is a dud, but ANTI is one of the strongest releases of her career.
Because Tidal is the worst, you can’t stream any of it here. Pick it up over at Apple Music. Jk, it’s out on Spotify now. Stream it here.
2. The dreamy R&B of King’s We Are King
Rihanna made my favorite song, but the LA trio’s long-awaited debut LP is definitely my top album of the young year. A remarkably consistent 12-song set, We Are King is a balanced, updated take on the soul-infused R&B of people like Sade and Prince. While it’s a totally unfair comparison, it’s far from baseless, and there are so few artists nowadays who are writing such lush arrangements and full, rich vocal melodies. There’s just so much love on this album, and if it feels this good to get swept up in the waves, why would you fight it?
Stream it over at Spotify.
3. We got a new MssingNo EP
Truth be told, I’ve only been able to listen to it once or twice since it dropped this morning, but after two years of waiting, it sure feels like the mercurial Londoner’s incredible, genre defining self-titled debut EP has a worthy successor. After putting out a handful of inch-perfect remixes and one-offs, it’s so exciting to hear another long(ish) form statement from the still-anonymous producer. I’m sure I’ll write more about this when I get a little more time with it, but early returns are fucking massive.
Stream the whole thing over at Spotify.
4. Ryuichi Sakamoto comes back from cancer treatment with the Revenant Soundtrack
In July of 2014, the legendary Japanese composer announced that he was taking a some time off to deal with oropharyngeal cancer. Last summer, we got the good news that he was in good health and looking to get back to work. This January, we got to hear that work, and goddamn, that work is beautiful. Alongside Alva Noto with assistance from the National’s Bryce Dessner, Sakamoto crafted 23 tracks of affecting mood music. I haven’t seen the film, but if I enjoy it half as much as I did the soundtrack, it’ll be one of my favorite movies of the year.
5. David Bowie’s touching goodbye, Blackstar
I’m not qualified to put any part of David Bowie’s incredibly legacy, life, or influence in any modicum of context. Especially when it’s been done so well by so many different folks. However, when it comes to Blackstar, I can say that its the rare example of a piece of art created with the disarming insight gained by someone who is coming to the end. It reminds me of my grandmother in the year before she passed away from esophageal cancer. In that one year, we had more conversations then in the 26 that preceded it, and they remain some of the most precious I’ve ever had. We talked a lot about the same themes Bowie eruditely covers in standouts like “Dollar Days” and “I Can’t Give Everything Away.” And though we may not fully comprehend what he’s singing about until we’re in the same situation, the wisdom he passes down remains invaluable.
6. Kelela’s Hallucinogen Remixes EP
Whenever one of the best albums of the year gets a fresh coat of paint, it’s a good thing. Whenever that fresh coat of paint is applied by a collection of producers this versatile and creative, it’s going to be a real keeper. In just seven tracks, we get a bunch of different Kelelas. We get footwork Kelela with DJ Spinn, darkwave Kelela with Sporting Life, and post-grime Kelela with Kahn and Gaika. Like the original EP, my only wish is that there was more of it, but that will likely come later this year in the form of her long-awaited debut LP.
Stream the whole thing at Spotify.
7. Ghe20g0th1k is back
After a short hiatus, the beloved, unpredictable Ghe20g0th1k club night made its triumphant return to New York City. As if that wasn’t enough, we got three exquisite, non-denominational remix packs to pick through. Highlights like Kamixlo’s monstrous “Milly Rock” remix and Total Freedom’s Natasha Bedingfield flip underline the crew’s immense creativity and experimental scope. More than anything, these tracks fucking bang, and it’s awesome to know that they’ll be blasting out of speakers in packed, sweaty rooms once again.
Get all the goodness at their Soundcloud.
8. Sicko Mobb’s Super Saiyan 3
Lil Trav and Lil Ceno are back for more bop hijinks, adding another tasty volume to their Super Saiyan series. The BPMs might be down, but the anthemic melodies are turned up. And most of the disc’s 13 tracks come equipped with the kind of saccharine, adhesive hooks that make their music so much fun to listen to. With mixtapes this dope, what’s the point of a debut LP or a major deal?
Grab the whole thing over at DatPiff.
9. Lontalius rises out of the Soundcloud
The Wellington teenager first popped up on my radar screen about two years ago, thanks to his heart-rendering covers of artists like FKA Twigs, Drake, and Yung Lean. His distinctive Casio keyboard and innocent vocals captured the somber notes of the source material, turning even the most extroverted original into a quiet personal moment. Slowly, that lonely Casio was joined by new friends — sweeping guitars, spare percussion — and the covers turned increasingly into confessional originals about looking for love, making connections, breaking up, and all the mad shit that happens in between. Still just 18, Lontalius (né Eddie Johnston) writes with a depth and maturity beyond his years and the wide eyes and open heart that youth provides. His debut LP, I’ll Forget 17 (s/0 Frank Ocean), is out in March, and it will be fascinating to hear how far he has come since he first picked up that Casio.
10. DJDS trades in samples for the real thing on Stand Up and Speak
After spending most of their careers flipping samples into outstanding, emotional club music, Jerome LOL and Samo Sound Boy decided to approach their second LP together in a new way. Rather than digging through a billion crates, the LA duo explored their city, seeking to capture new sounds rather than reimagine old ones. Tracks like “You Don’t Have to Be Alone” and “I Don’t Love You” are in-line with the ecstatic, mantric house of their previous work. But their new approach means that those tracks are now balanced by more streamlined, pop-oriented numbers like the brilliant “Darling Cheryl” and “Something to Believe In.” The result is probably my favorite album, start-to-finish of their fine careers.
Stream it over at Spotify.
