Lana Del Rey"Doin' Time"Sublime OST (out soon on Universal)If you grew up in California in the early 2000's, it was just about impossible to get in someone's car or go to a party that wasn't playing one of those two Sublime albums. Evidently, the same was true in wherever Read more
Stormzy"Vossi Bop"Digital SingleAfter a little while away, the London kingpin looks to be getting back in the game. "Vossi Bop" is a perfect comeback track because it is such a pure distillation of what makes Stormzy a true-one off. Over a tasty, yet simple beat, Big Mike goes in Read more
Even though we're a solid week into the second quarter, better late than never right? Here's a quick round-up of some of my favorite songs of the last three months. To keep numbers manageable, I didn't include anything from any of my favorite albums list and prioritized songs I Read more
Gah, I can't believe we're already 25% through 2019. That said, Spring is in the air, and we've enjoyed an excellent, diverse crop of music during these first three months. Have a look at some of my favorite LPs of the year so far in no particular order.
Dawn Richard
“New Read more
Chief Keef
"Ain't Gonna Happen"
GloToven (Glo Gang / RBC)
The Chicago stalwart's new project with the legendary Zaytoven is unsurprisingly full of weird and wacky sounds, moving in innumerable unexpected and exciting ways. Its most powerful moment is its starkest, as a heartbroken Keef floats freely over Zay's gorgeous piano.
"Face dried Read more
Smerz
“Have Fun” Digital Single
The rising Norwegian deconstructed electro-pop duo come through with one of their most potent tracks to date. Vocalists Henriette Motzfeldt and Catharina Stoltenberg nonchalantly glide through proceedings, mantrically repeating “nothing is embarrassing” over lazy sci-fi synths and bouncy percussion. In short,”Have Fun” sounds like a disassociated party jam for an event that probably looked a lot more fun on Instagram than it actually was to attend.
Prins Thomas “Å” (Pional Piano Mix) Prins Thomas 5 (out now on Prins Thomas Musikk)
On Friday, the Norwegian vet dropped a tasty new collection of his trademark spacey disco. Though the record is totally worth your time, my favorite song from the project actually wasn’t even on it. This sweltering remix from Spanish producer Pional raises the excellent “Å” to rapturous new heights with some languid, super effective piano work. Like the best house music, this track builds gradually, rising and receding deftly before building to an ecstatic climax.
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
“Dead in the Water” Who Built the Moon? (out now on Sour Mash)
I’m not sure I’ll love Noel’s experimental, psych-influenced third post-Oasis LP, but I’ll always be a sucker for a good Gallagher ballad. Tacked on at the end of the disc, “Dead in the Water” has all the hallmarks of the stripped down, sing-along strummers that made Oasis one of the greatest bands of the 90’s. Vague melancholic nostalgia? Check. A knockout chorus melody? Check. A reimagined Beatles lyric? Check fucking mate. While I suppose it’s somewhat admirable that Noel isn’t spending his time trying to recreate past glories, I really like it when he does… even just for a few minutes.
DaVido
“Like Dat” Digital Single
Who needs albums when you drop singles like this? While the world waits with baited breath for official album news, the 25 year-old mega-star doesn’t have time for all that, preferring to drop smash after smash. By my count, “Like Dat” is the Lagos native’s 10th single of the year. And like the vast majority of those songs, it fucking bangs. His warm vocals are second to none, and they slither through a seductive deep house chords and bouncy percussion. Album or not, this guy’s on fire.
Negative Gemini
“Bad Baby” Bad Baby EP (out January 2018 on 100% Electronica) Just when you think you’ve figured out Lindsey French’s sound, the electro shapeshifter hits you with something new. “Bad Baby” features some of the hallmarks of her work — namely the ultra-warm, gauzy synths — but it also has pounding, acoustic drums that wouldn’t sound out of place on a hardcore or metal song. Somehow, they work perfectly, injecting extra humanity into her lovesick vocals.
S. Carey
“Fool’s Gold” Hundred Acres (out 02.23.18 on Jagjaguwar) As winter slowly blows into New York City, it feels like the perfect time to welcome a new album from the ever-soothing Wisconsin musician, Sean Carey. Second single, “Fool’s Gold,” is a warm blanket of cooing vocals, strummed acoustics, and gentle keyboards. Though it’s the kind of song that washes over you as a single, it should be a lot more potent in the context of the album.
T-Pain “Textin’ My Ex” (f/ Tiffany Evans) Oblivion
Tomorrow, T-Pain drops his long-awaited fifth LP, the culmination of the most trying era of the R&B innovator’s career. Through no real fault of his own, Pain (né Faheem Najm) went from the jolly ringmaster of a multi-million dollar radio empire to a sullen, unfashionable has-been — the Chad Kroger of R&B. He’s been surprisingly open about how much the whole process hurt him, specifically chagrined by how little credit he’s given for his undeniable influence on the current sound.
The story around “Oblivion” — his first record in six years — centers around a man who’s gone through the meat grinder and is primed for redemption. Bruised but unbroken, an older, wiser Pain is ready to translate everything he’s been through into the most potent, affecting work of his career. Unfortunately, none of that was apparent on its lead single, “Goal Line.” It’s a flaccid, ineffectual trap snoozer, more the work of a follower than a leader.
However, the pre-release promise starts to show on thisswooning second single. A duet with rising R&B singer Tiffany Evans, “Textin’ My Ex” is a classic T-Pain song in so many ways — a well-written, well-sung ballad that tells a simple story. However, there’s a subtle difference. There’s a palpable ache in his voice that gives you the feeling that there’s higher stakes here. Maybe it’s because of all the bullshit he’s been through, or maybe it’s just that texting your ex is a much riskier proposition in your 30’s than it is in your 20’s. Whatever it is, it’s effective, and it’s made me so much more excited to hear what else is on “Oblivion.”
Kelela
Take Me Apart
Warp Records The album I was most excited to hear this year, the 34 year-old’s Warp debut simultaneously delivered the goods and left me a little lukewarm. The more time I’ve spent with it, the more I realize that any disappointment I had was my fault, not hers.
“Take Me Apart” is unarguably excellent — a futuristic R&B odyssey that deftly amps up her pop ambitions without alienating the alternative club sound that made her so exciting in the first place. That said, after her stunning debut “Cut 4 Me” (my favorite mixtape of 2013) and TMA’s incredible first single, “LMK,” I was definitely guilty of overstanning and saddling the disc with unrealistic expectations. That said, the further I get away from the hype, the more I fall in love with this record. Get back to me in December.
Hottest Jams: “LMK” “Frontline”
Grizzle Consort Liminal Sounds
The most exciting instrumental grime debut since MssingNo’s classic 2013 EP, “Consort” is a delirious, 20 minute funhouse ride, dripping with adhesive melodies and pounding, nimble rhythms. Each track undulates gracefully in between movements, deftly building to monstrous crescendos that creep up behind you. Rising Tottenham MC ShaqyDread also comes through with a couple of tasty verses on “Sermon,” which proves that the Manchester producer’s stellar sound is just as potent with a vocalist in the mix.
Hottest Jams: “Consort” “Eleusis”
Kelsea Ballerini Unapologetically Black River
To my ears, the 24 year-old is the biggest young talent in country music. Preaching a bold, uncompromising message in a genre dogged by the Nashville scene’s misogynistic roots, “Unapologetically” gleefully shits on lame dudes (“Get Over Yourself,” “Miss Me More”) without letting them sabotage her joy (“Roses”) or stop her from telling her own, unique story (“In Between”). Easily one of the best country records of the year.
Hottest Jams: “Roses” “In Between”
Julien Baker Turn Out The Lights Matador
The 22 year-old’s long-awaited second LP lived up to every ounce of the hype. It is a gorgeous, heartbreaking collection of carefully-crafted, subtle indie folk. She sings about mental illness, heartbreak, and loss with a clarity and incisiveness that is truly rare. And though darkness is around every corner, she always manages to let just enough light in, often in the form of stunning, late-song climaxes. Just an incredible talent.
Hottest Jams: “Appointments” “Sour Breath”
21 Savage, Offset, Metro Boomin
Without Warning Slaughter Gang
Instead of sitting back and riding the waves of their brilliant recent LPs, the Atlanta MCs got back at it and dropped a surprise project, guided by the steady hand of Metro Boomin. The 24 year-old’s skeletal style is the ideal canvas for the pair, and Offset’s nimble, loquacious flow is the perfect foil for 21’s minimalist raps.
The Weather Station
The Weather Station Paradise of Bachelors
When you think about folk music, what adjectives come to mind? Calming, windswept, pastoral, therapeutic. Tamara Lindeman brand of folk has traces of all those things, but it’s also much different. It’s fierce, rugged, and powerful — more Ani DiFranco than Cat Stevens. The Toronto native’s fantastic fourth album is the most impressive of her career, outfitting her gorgeous, warm vocals with an arsenal of sticky melodies, fingerpicked guitars, swelling strings, and thought provoking lyrics.
Hottest Jams: “Thirty” “Power”
Slaughter Beach, Dog
Birdie Lame-O
Jake Ewald’s main band, Modern Baseball, has had a tumultuous 18 months, and you can hear it on his pleasant, soft solo album. An intoxicating brew of sweetness, sadness, and safety (think: coming home for summer from college), “Birdie” is built around Ewald’s kind, warm vocals and considerate songwriting. It’s the kind of record that is so relatable that it’s almost guaranteed to transport you back to some specific moment of your young life.
Hottest Jams: “Phoenix” “Acolyte”
King Krule
The OOZ True Panther
King Krule played two nights in Brooklyn last week, and secondary market tickets were going for about $400. That’s an insane price for a guy who is making legitimately fucking weird, genre-less music. The OOZ is easily his strangest project yet, pairing behind-the-beat jazz chords and lonely synths with howling vocals and lyrics so opaque it’s hard to tell whether they’re poetry or pure gibberish. Somehow, it all works, and the more time you spend with it, the easier it is to see what all the fuss is about.
Hottest Jams: “Logos” “Lonely Blue”
Colleen
A flame my love, a frequency Thrill Jockey
The specter of death looms large over the shapeshifting French composer’s excellent sixth album. She was in Paris on the night of the horrifying 2015 terror attacks and worked on much of this album while a loved one was battling a crippling illness. Her deep lyrical examinations are balanced by her soothing vocals and fields of oceanic, ambient synths, which swell to capture the fear that envelops our modern times and recede to highlight the isolation.
Hottest Jams: “Winter Dawn” “Separating”
Future x Young Thug Super Slimey Epic
Though it disappointingly didn’t make much of a dent in today’s uber-saturated market, Thugger and Future’s collaborative LP is far from a throwaway (get it? get iiiit?). Thug, especially, sounds rejuvenated here (Future’s been pretty consistent recently), which isn’t surprising considering that both artists tend to bring out the best in each other (think: 2014’s classic “Chanel Vintage”). Standout track “Three” is the best example of this, as they both snap on their verses with Thug recapturing some of the unpredictable magic that made his early work so compelling.
Hottest Jams: “Three” “Cruise Ship”
Circuit Des Yeux
Reaching For Indigo
Drag City Nobody, I mean nobody, sings like Haley Fohr. Her expressive baritone toes the line between emotive and performative — constantly flirting with community theater melodrama without ever falling into it. “Reaching for Indigo” is arguably her most direct effort yet, pairing experimental folk instrumentation with legitimately catchy hooks (see: lead single, “Black Fly”) and overwhelming crescendos. A true one-off.
Hottest Jams: “Black Fly” “Paper Bag”
Lil Durk Signed To The Streets 2.5 Only The Family Admittedly, this isn’t Durk’s most vital project of the this year, but this tape is worth writing about because it underlines what an incredible 2017 the Chicago MC is having. Along with a handful of excellent loosies, STTS2.5 is his third quality project of the year and is a reminder that very few artists are making better melodic street rap in 2017 than the 25 year-old.
Hottest Jams: “Make it Out” “India”
Jessie Ware
Glasshouse PMR
A welcome bounce back from 2014’s uninspiring, “Tough Love,” “Glasshouse” recaptures much of the magical quiet storm of her glorious early work. Now 33 with a family of her own, Ware writes about the joy and melancholy of growing into a real-life adult with insight and emotion. Her voice is still a rare instrument, especially when it’s given room to operate. And thankfully, “Glasshouse” is gleefully short of the overcooked arrangements that bogged down her last record.
Hottest Jams: “First Time” “Midnight”
Citizen As You Please Run For Cover Though they tend to get lumped into the fourth-wave emo crowd, to my ears, the Ohio group’s excellent third LP sounds a lot more like the 90’s radio-rock that I grew up on than Mineral or Rites of Spring or something. I mean, its pre-release singles lifted melodies from Nirvana and the Primitive Radio Gods; it doesn’t get much more mid-90’s MTV than that. Label it however you want, but the record is an impressive collection of rock-solid, guitar-driven songwriting, elevated by Mat Kerekes’ muscular vocals.
Hottest Jams: “In The Middle of It All” “World”
Ty Dolla Sign
“Beach House 3” Atlantic
Though he still hasn’t really found the mega-smash single to elevate him to the very top level as a solo artist, the 32 year-old is still one of the most consistent R&B singers around. I like Ty best as a mid-tempo balladeer, as his slightly raspy voice adds a nice touch of edge to ultra-smooth production. Tracks like “Droptop in the Rain” and “All The Time” scratch that itch and provide a nice balance to the rest of the club-friendly setlist.
Hottest Jams: “Droptop in the Rain” (f/ Tory Lanez) “All The Time”
Ariel Pink
“Feels Like Heaven” Dedicated to Bobby Jameson (Kemado) Ariel Pink’s psych-pop is very hit and miss for me. It’s partially because of his odious persona, but it’s primarily the fact that I’ve never had much time for his very obvious, bizzaro 70’s and 80’s influences. That said, the man can write one hell of a popsong, and “Feels Like Heaven” is another example of that rare knack. Lovesick and bathed in neon light, Ariel beautifully distills his intoxicating early-relationship jitters into an airtight, dreamy, reverb-soaked package. He’s rarely this direct, but he’s so much better when he is.
Miles From Kinshasa
“FIREWORKS” LIMBO (out now on Quality Time)
It’s crazy that it’s been more than two years since Miles From Kinshasa dropped his lovely debut single, “IVRY.” What’s even more crazy is that I somehow totally missed the release of his debut LP, “LIMBO,” and this, its glorious lead single. Like “IVRY,” this cut is a slab of urbane, smooth city soul that pairs the Londoner’s affecting, easy vocal with modern, quiet-stormy instrumentation. It’s indicative of the rest of the project, which is well worth diving deeper into.
Smerz
