The-Dream: “Black”
From the outside, it seems like it has been a wretched year for King Terius. He’s been the recipient of some truly shocking allegations from his ex, and regardless of their validity, it must be a horrible situation for all parties involved. However, he found time to release this potent, timely (during the Donald Sterling war) piece of classic protest music. It’s a reminder of both how talented a songwriter Nash undoubtedly is and how far our country still has to go to with fighting oppression at all levels.
Ramona Lisa: “Dominic”
When Charlift’s Caroline Polachek announced that her debut solo album would be an album of laptop-produced “pastoral electronic music,” it sounded like it would work better in theory than in practice. Surprisingly, Arcadia is a brilliant (and incredibly underrated) collection that, to me, cements Polachek as an extremely talented songwriter (see: Beyoncé’s “No Angel”) and an ambitious, daring artist. Nobody’s really talking about it, but they should be.
PARTYNEXTDOOR, “Her Way”
Though he was written off by many as a cheap rip-off of the Weeknd, the Toronto-native has been going from strength to strength since his solid debut EP. Unlike the Weeknd, PND manages to deliver his hedonistic impulses with at least a touch of subtlety, striking that delicate balance between dirty and sexy.
CFCF: “Windswept”
Over the last few years, Michael “CFCF” Silver has grown into one of my most trusted musicians. I love almost everything that he’s put out since 2009’s Continent, and “Windswept” is just the kind of subtle, head-and-heart-focused new-age jam that he does so well.
Jessie Ware: “Tough Love”
The first lady of TP returns with a gorgeous slow-burner. The taught, Benzel-produced arraignment is reminiscent of what made her debut, Devotion, so impossible not to fall in love with, but the exploration of the upper register of her voice makes it clear that this Ms. Jessie is still growing and maturing. Lovely.
Throwing Shade, “Sweet Tooth” (f/ Emily Bee)
One of the most aptly-titled tracks of the year, London producer Nabihah Iqbal’s engulfing first single washes over you, leaving you buzzing like your morning latte. Packed with lush synths, playful spoken vocals, and a wonky beat, “Sweet Tooth” feels just different enough to be weird but just poppy enough to be accessible. Lovely.
Fatima Al Qadiri: Shanzhai” (f/ Helen Fung)
The Kuwait-born, NYC-based producer’s exquisite, labyrinthine LP, Asiatisch, is meant to be “a virtual roadtrip through (her) imagined China,” and its spellbinding opener transports you along with her. This reconstructed take on “Nothing Compares 2 U” sets up the album beautifully, starting your journey into the unknown on somewhat familiar ground.
The Pains of Being Pure At Heart: “Eurydice”
The highlight of the Brooklyn janglers’ excellent third LP, “Eurydice” is bursting with youthful joy and (ahem) abandon. It’s a song that captures that feeling of being young and wanting to break into the real world to feel all the feels you can feel. It’s exciting. It’s terrifying. It’s beautiful. It’s being young.
Spooky Black: “Without You”
Forget the doo-rag, the FuBu baseball jersey, or the turtlenecks, the most bizarre thing about the Minnesota teenager is how un-bizarre his music is. Unlike most novelty/meme artists, “Without You” is an undeniably excellent song. Over a spacey, 40-ish arraignment, the broken-hearted vocalist uses his expressive, unarguable voice to lace an enduring, well-crafted slow jam.
Lone: “Aurora Northern Quarter”
In his developing career, Matt Cutler has established himself as one of current music’s most consistently interesting electronic producers. The shapeshifting Nottingham native’s excellent, Reality Testing, snakes effortlessly between genres, sometimes even in the same songs. Its finest moment, the aqueous “Aurora Northern Quarter” is a song that highlights that sonic versatility to a tee.
Beach Slang: “Filthy Luck”
Emo’s had a bit of a resurgence this year (if you haven’t heard the American Footbal re-issue, do it), and I don’t know if this counts as emo or not, but this sort of high-school angst is always guaranteed to make me feel emo. Fronted by Weston’s James Snyder, Beach Slang ticks a lot of the same boxes that the bands (Gin Blossoms, especially) I grew up with did. It sounds like it could have been released in 1996, and in this context, I mean it as a massive compliment.
Doss: “The Way I Feel”
The pick from possibly my favorite debut EP of the year, the ephemeral, good vibez of “The Way I Feel” are the perfect soundtrack to late evening sunsets and drinking beer outside. There’s just the right amount of listlessness to balance out its rave-y, trance-y spirit, resulting in a track that feels as good as it sounds.
Drake: “0-100 / The Catch-Up” (f/ James Blake)
Drake goes full DGAF on this inarguable banger. Honestly, at this point, it seems like it’s getting too damn easy for the ubiquitous Canuck. It’s almost like he comes up with hits that other rappers would kill for in between cabana naps. Dude is NBA JAM on fire, and long may it continue.
Devonte Hynes: “Palo Alto”
It’s ironic that a Londoner could write a song so heartfelt and spot-on about the nondescript suburb that I grew up in, especially because he probably would have fucking hated growing up there. That said, he nails the listlessness and superficial beauty of Palo Alto, like he was right there with us, spending his teenage years dreaming of leaving.
Yemi Marie: “Love Bop”
One of the most slept-on songs of the year, the rising Chicago vocalist’s innocent single is the star of DJ Moondog’s excellent We Invented the Bop 2. It’s really more of a radio R&B track than a straight-forward bop one, but it’s an excellent amalgam of the two styles that feels fresh, honest, and intoxicating.
TeeFlii: “24 Hours” (f/ 2 Chainz)
Speaking of easy, it feels like DJ Mustard can make massive hits without even leaving the cabana. His sparse, step-wise synthline is the perfect backbone for the LA-native’s impossibly smooth tenor and 2 Chainz lazy flow. Gonna be one of the songs of the summer.
Caribou: “Can’t Do Without You”
Canadian producer/composer Daniel Snaith is already one of the leading voices in progressive dance music (please don’t say IDM), so it comes as no surprise that the lead single from his last Caribou record since 2010’s massive, Swim, is a fuckin banger. He’s always been one of the great craftsmen of the genre, and “Can’t Do Without You” highlights his signature, carefully created construction, deftly building to an electrifying crescendo.
Coldplay: “Midnight”
It’s Coldplay. It’s about Gweneth Paltrow. It’s a Bon Iver rip-off. It’s embarrassing. I’m embarrassed. But, I love it. Sorry.
