Tory Lanez
Chixtape 2 (self-released)
You may think that I exhausted my supply of plaudits on How to Dress Well’s outstanding lead single, but I dipped into my reserve arsenal to lavish a few on this liquid mixtape from this Texas-via-Tornoto crooner. I’ll resist the urge to compare it to Jeremih’s still-perfect Late Nights with Jeremih, but early returns mean that the comparison is in play. While he admittedly flirts with the trope-y practice of borrowing from classic R&B cuts (Ginuwine, TLC), he never lets the samples get over on him, and over the digestible 10-ish song set, Lanez demonstrates an impeccable ear, disarming experimental sensibilities, and above all else, an unfuckwitably smooth voice. This one’s got potential to be among the best of the year.
