In a landscape where hip-hop has been under the shadow of Drake, Kendrick, Migos, and Kanye, it is very easy to forget the hundreds of talented acts that left a mark on the genre and culture. Many of the artists on this list also run around the lines of sex, guns, and drugs but it's in the way they deliver it that set them apart from the mumble rappers of the 2010s. Likewise, some of the albums also include artists who fit that "woke" label that feel more genuine than their mainstream contemporaries. Let's start spinning the vinyls. Danny Brown – XXX In an era of rap where artists left and right have radically shifted from the standard norms of the genre, it takes a real weirdo to stand out. One of these iconoclasts is Detroit native with a distinctive squawk and wordplay as tight as his designer jeans. But it is on XXX where his years of mixtape blast into something muscular. Danny Brown’s style of rapping is gallows humor turned up to the spirit of Nas and Mobb Deep. He’s equally ugly…
Periodically over the course of the new year, we will produce two lists to highlight a few of each month's new albums. This list spans multiple genres, with each album ordered best to worst – the first list is the former, the second is the latter. Of the 50 albums in both lists, these are the Ones You Can't Miss - - -
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Stellar
Bill Fay – Countless Braches
An absolutely gorgeous album, despite the songwriter’s age and distance from his previous work. The music has a unified mood, but each song’s nuance elevates its poetic meaning. Each song has excellent lyrics, plain yet elegant piano/guitar backing music, and melodies so simply perfect that you will be amazed you have never heard them before. A poignant unfolding of Fay’s masterful songwriting, and easily the best album of the new year so far. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Awesome
Wire – Hive Mind
This one is definitely a grower more than anything. The dynamic elements of Wire’s post-punk approach show they are truly at the top of their game. The…
Periodically over the course of the year, we will produce two lists to highlight a few of each month's new albums. This list spans multiple genres, with each album ordered best to worst. With about 40 albums in both lists, make sure you Don't Miss These Albums! - - -
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Amazing
Katie Gately – LoomLoom is only Katie Gately’s second release, but she can already craft a deeply moving, complex, and emotional album. Her experimental approach is less written than designed, shaping the sound to match her chaotic yet intentional vision. The middle track “Bracer” is one of the most brilliant avant-garde/electronic pieces I have ever heard, moving through a series of increasingly intense and eerie sonic concoctions – however, this is just one-quarter of an album filled with adventurous and transportive material from start to finish.
Sepultura – Quadra
Now long past losing their original members (and, as some would say, most essential), this Brazilian group finally puts all the pieces…
Periodically
over the course of the year, we will produce two lists to highlight a few
of each month's new albums. This list spans multiple genres, with each album
ordered best to worst (here’s a link to the best albums of February). With over 40 albums in both lists, here are the Less Good albums of February! - - -
⭐⭐ Satisfactory
Wrekmeister Harmonies – We Love to Look at the Carnage
This experimental duo has never feared to let the darkness creep into their music, but beauty often shows up as well. We Love to Look at the Carnage is one of
the band’s least heavy releases so far, but the brooding atmosphere is still
present. The contrast between the darkness and light is not very
subtle here, but the results are a complex tapestry of emotions frequently not
easy to process.
Khruangbin/Leon
Bridges – Texas Sun [EP]
While this is most certainly a one-off compared to their usual output, this four-track EP by Leon Bridges and Texas band Khruangbin is undoubtedly a good listen…
Score: 1.25
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