Lord(e)Po)))ts
this is the best album that i\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'ve (n)ever heard in my entire life.
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Last Active 07-23-22 10:06 pm
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 Lists
07.05.22 Several More Hip-Hop Albums07.02.22 Some Hip-Hop Albums
06.03.22 ICONIC SAMPLES VOL. 1: SUMMER IN THE C ♦05.26.22 Sputnik Favourite Rapper Census ♦
04.30.22 Record Wish List Part 204.27.22 Record Wish List Part 1
04.21.22 Pots Record Collection 2022 Part 204.15.22 Pots Record Collection 2022 Part 1 ♦
07.18.21 The REAL Real Umbrella Contest07.09.21 Sputnik Fit Census
06.22.21 Primates Ranked By Intelligence02.18.21 Soulsborne Boss Tier List
01.19.21 Ate Roadkill: Shat Blood01.17.21 Pots 2020 Part 2: 50-1 ♦
01.01.21 Pots 2020 Part 1: 101-51 ♦12.22.20 THE REAL SPUTNIK THIRST GAMES 2020: THE ♦
11.24.20 Part II: Definitive Mood Lounge Sexy V11.18.20 Part I: Definitive Mood Lounge Sexy Vi
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Pots 2019

2019: Pots Annual Super Soft AOTY List iN pRoGrEsS Top 50 beb. No EPs and COMPs except for when I feel like it.
58PAT
Love Will Find A Way Home

HONERABLE MENTION
Composed around found recordings of Satterwhite's own late schizophrenic mother's a capella vocal snippets.

Experimental/Techno/Deconstructed Club
Favourite Tracks: TBD
57Gang Starr
Moment of Truth

[SOME MORE WORDS FOR GANG STARR]

I didn't anticipate having quite so much to say about Black Moon and Gang Starr's releases when making this list, but alas. Refer to entries #10 and #12 for context.
DJ Premier and (almost) all of these featured rappers, family, and friends, have elevated unreleased Guru bars to tear-jerking altitudes on 'One Of The Best Yet'. This record not only stands up to some of the best of Gang Star's previous work but is a such a genuine, touching, and inspired tribute to Guru that it's almost impossible not to feel your heart swell every time you hear his familiar old voice.

Genre: Hip-Hop
Favourite Tracks: 'Lights Out', 'From A Distance', 'Family and Loyalty', 'Get Together',
56Madison Mcferrin
You + I

HONERABLE MENTION
One of the best EPs of the year from Taylor Mcferrin's sister featuring production from Taylor himself. Beats are more akin to his Early Riser work than his new LP

Genre: Neo-Soul/Downtempo/A cappella
Favourite Tracks: 'TRY', 'Fallin'',
55Low Leaf
Baker's Dozen: Low Leaf

HONERABLE MENTION
This would probably have made the cut if I had gotten around to it earlier in the year. [5] Flying Lotus but HARP.

Genre: Glitch Hop
Favourite Tracks: TBD
54ANKHLEJOHN
Lordy Is God

HONERABLE MENTION
This would probably have made the cut if I had gotten around to it earlier in the year. [4] Bonus points for the fucking epic jabs at Jesus Is King. *Not for the faint of heart*. Recommended if you like Lil Ugly Mane, Antwon, Dr. Yen Lo, Shahmen.

Genre: Hip-Hop
Favourite Tracks: 'Leviticus 11:7', 'Let the Church Say', 'Mustang 5.0',
53Bella Boo
Once Upon A Passion

HONERABLE MENTION
This would probably have made the cut if I had gotten around to it earlier in the year. [3] *HUMINA HUMINA*

Genre: Deep House
Favourite Tracks: 'Can't Leave You Like This', 'Your Girlfriend', 'Stars', 'Way Chill',
52Jenny Hval
The Practice of Love

HONERABLE MENTION

This would probably have made the cut if I had gotten around to it earlier in the year. I lost interest in Hval after a mediocre live show in support of Blood Bitch and her side-quest into edgy spoken word, obnoxious dissonance, and assorted other non-musical venture. This might be the best thing she's released since Viscera. Also Ordinary sounds like a Mark Isham song lol.

Genre: Art Pop/Synth Pop
Favourite Tracks: 'Lions', 'High Alice', 'Six Red Cannas', 'Ordinary'
51Cate Le Bon
Reward

HONORABLE MENTION

This would probably have made the cut if I had gotten around to it earlier in the year. [2] Absolutely beautiful record.

Genre: Art Pop/Neo-Psych
Favourite Tracks: 'Miami', 'The Light', 'Meet the Man'
50Envelope Generator
Songs I Hate

An EP, but the best EP of the year deserves recognition. This is just a perfect little package of synthwave. Some of the most infectious tunes you'll hear all year paired with all the glorious 80s textures you thought you were finally getting bored of. The production itself is impressively progressive and finessed to perfection making these tracks easily capable of standing-out as instrumentals, but the vocals and lyrics really give it that little bit of extra punch that will lock this EP in your memory for months.

Genre: Synthwave/Synth-pop
Favourite tracks: 'Emasculine', 'Natalie'
49Daniel Maunick
Macumba Quebrada

A biting, aggressive debut ranging from 80s techno to broken beat 90s all concentrated through the rhythmic inclinations of Afro-Brazilian dance. The only thing holding this back on the list is its duration: at the hour mark the repetitive nature of these styles make the final stretch tend to fade into background sound.

Genre: Broken Beat/Tech House/Samba
Favourite Tracks: 'Macumba Quebrada', 'Orbitus',
48Lenzman
Bobby

Lets face it: drum & bass can be a tedious genre. The gimmicks and clout can either be viewed as nauseating or distinguished depending on whether or not you vibe with the dilated light speed trails the frantic percussion and bottomless bass lines cast. But something about this makes it the perfect music for cruising misty urban cities at night, watching the city lights refract through wet glass while they stream past. 'Bobby' is a straightforward liquid dnb album with nothing but a couple uk hip hop interludes to break up the constant flow of fluorescent light-works. It's just a really pretty, well-crafted, and consistent album that perfectly elevates that particular introspective, nostalgic mood.

Genre: Liquid dnb
Favourite Tracks: This is Liquid dnb, they are all the same.
47Floating Points
Crush

I'm still not completely swayed by Floating Points. He's one of those artists that I want to like more than I like, but just hasn't crafted the fully realized album that I know he's capable of yet. This still isn't it, but it's damn close. A little more stylistic cohesion and momentum and Floating Points is bound to make that perfect album.

Genre: IDM
Favourite Tracks: 'Bias', 'Anasickmodular', 'LesAlpx'
46Blood Orange
Angel's Pulse

I've noticed a theme with several of my Top 50 albums this year. Perfectionism has gone out of style. Devonte and other yet-to-be-revealed artists with a penchant for musical neuroticism have been reflecting on the personal effects of these attitudes towards releasing music and attempting to let go. Many of them have described the process of sacrificing that perfection for a more free-flow approach to releasing music as liberating. Fortunately, that's just how their music sounds: liberated. Liberated from the suffocation of drawn out production, endless takes, release schedules and self-imposed restrictions, Blood Orange sounds more human than ever. This mixtape is a glimpse into the notebook of one of the decades most promising songwriters: all the unfinished drawings, crossed out and erased lines, and abandoned poems left (im)perfectly intact.

Genre: Alt R&B
Favourite Tracks: 'Berlin', 'Dark & Handsome', 'Good For You', 'Gold Teeth'
45Injury Reserve
Injury Reserve

Injury Reserve fills an interesting niche in hip hop that serves as a unique and fulfilling compromise. The production is without question a product of our time, it's often jagged, deconstructed, and abrasive, but the attention to detail and structure in the melodies and rapping ensure that the album still has enough hooks and loops to appeal to 'heads'. It might be a bit gimmicky, and it might need focus, but it certainly doesn't need more energy and ambition. These guys have been a delight to follow the past few years and look to have a promising career ahead of them.

Genre: Experimental Hip-Hop
Favourite Tracks: 'Best Spot in the House', 'Koruna & Lime', 'Wax On'
44Hector Plimmer
Next to Nothing

I like Plimmer more than I should. Sometimes he's really fucking boring and the way he structures his albums makes them have some major lulls. But when he's on-point he's so on-point that you forget entirely that he still has some wrinkles to iron out. His tunes are sparing almost to a fault, but this sparseness is what gives his highlights the room to breathe and fully shine. His ability to fluidly transition between nu jazz, broken beat, uk bass and alt r&b make the album an unmistakable journey without ever breaking the heavy melancholy atmosphere it smothers you in. It's certainly not a 'fun' album, but it is beautiful, purposeful, and deep.

Genre: Broken Beat/Nu Jazz
Favourite Tracks: 'Somebody Else', 'Sonnet 17', 'Step'
43Erika de Casier
Essentials

As much downtempo and trip hop as it is contemporary r&b and pop, 'Essentials' keeps one thing persistent: nostalgia. It's washed out production and ethereal vocals are consistent enough to keep the album on the same page even as it traverses a variety of influences. One of the most unique pop albums of the year, I look forward to seeing her artistic vision come into focus in the future.

Genre: Alt R&B
Favourite Tracks: 'Puppy Love', 'Good Time', 'Little Bit',
42Battles
Juice B Crypts

Gloss Drop proved that Battles didn't need Tyondai. La Di Da Di proved they DID, however, need a vast array of features. Juice B Crypts proves that..... maybe they don't? All i know is that it's great to have this kind of energy back from Battles. The signature toy-box quirks are as prevalent as ever but this is the most focused they've been since Mirrored. These tracks are ADD enough to retain that signature Battles charm while still being structured enough for memorability. 'IZM' is one of the best things either Battles or Shabazz Palaces has ever been a part of; Two artists seemingly as made for each other as we thought Tyondai was for Battles. The featureless 'Fort Greene Park' is one of the biggest Battles songs to date. Juice B Crypts swallows its own tail by the last couple tracks but the majority of this record is enough to rekindle some serious interest in a once great band.

Genre: Math Rock
Favourite Tracks: 'IZM', 'Ambulance', 'Fort Greene Park'
41Coco Bryce
Night on Earth

A delightfully nuanced and engaging jungle album that slowly unfolds into it's more modern influences. There isn't much to say about it other than that it fucking vibes front to back. A refreshingly palatable nocturnal cruiser for long hazy chills.

Genre: Jungle
Favourite Tracks: 'Wish We Didn't', 'Irian jaya', 'Vertigo'
40Derrok
La Huella

Drawing heavily from Andean music and incorporating plentiful nature recordings for extra authenticity, La Huella is a vibrant, natural, and culturally rich journey to the south. The fusion of electronic and world music is a bountiful and fresh spring of inspiration with rich production, mesmerizing tempos, and long sonic journeys.
Recommended if you like Nic Jaar.

Genre: Progressive House/Downtempo
Favourite Tracks: 'Gato Andino', 'La Huella', '...'
39Fire! Orchestra
Arrival

Due to their consistency I find Fire! and co. difficult to talk about. Everything they do is just great. It also makes it rather difficult to feel particularly partial to one release over another. Perhaps one of the best things I can say about Arrival then, is that I ~do~ feel partial to it. It's one of their strongest works to date, balancing melody and madness more delicately than ever before. Arrival is a sea of contradictions: its soothing and abrasive, beautiful and grotesque, dark and optimistic, delicate and heavy, all in equal parts.

Genre: Free Jazz/Experimental/Big Band
Favourite Tracks: 'Dressed In Smoke. Blown Away', '(I Am a) Horizon', 'Weekends (The Soil Is Calling)'
38Greg Foat
The Mage

The Mage is psychedelic in the key of Floyd, while resting perfectly balanced on a fulcrum between folk and jazz. Recommended for fans of Pink Floyd and pretty much any folk or jazz. This is an easy accessible crowd pleaser.

Genre: Cool Jazz/Contemporary Folk/Avant-Garde Jazz
Favourite Tracks: 'Of My Hands', 'Drifting', 'The Mage'
37Jacques Greene
Dawn Chorus

Perhaps a tad heavy on the sentimental energy, Dawn Chorus is non-the-less a smothering, relentlessly atmospheric, late-night ride. It's easy to get hooked on the vast majority of these tracks, rife with unforgettable moments, moody builds, and explosive payoffs.

Genre: Garage/Funky/Deep House
Favourite Tracks: 'For Love', 'Drop Location', 'Do It Without You', 'Night Service',
36Lyza Jane
Housebound

Featuring bonus production assists from Blah Record champions Lee Scott and Sniff, as well as vocal appearances from Scott himself as well as Black Josh and Danny Lover, Housebound is the underground uk hip hop equivalent to a bedroom pop album. Jane and Scott's minimalistic, snails pace production is a perfect canvas for Jane's sultry, ethereal vocals and melodic flourishes. Housebound may not reinvent the wheel, but it does help further the boundaries of one of the most exciting hip-hop scenes today while offering up a couple of the moodiest beats of the year.

Genre: R&B/Trip Hop/UK Hip Hop
Favourite Tracks: 'Indigo', 'Like That'
35Jamila Woods
Legacy! Legacy!

This one took some growing but it's become a very comfortable semi-regular spin and a marked improvement from HEAVN. Moments like 'Bubbles' promised a lot from Jamila that HEAVN just couldn't deliver, and although 'LEGACY! LEGACY!' still doesn't reach the height of her potential, it's consistency, catchiness, and subtlety makes it one of the staple Neo-Soul albums this year. While on HEAVN, the albums production couldn't quite keep up with Jamila's distinct vocal performance, here the production over-compensates and at times supersedes her vocal creativity. None-the-less, her unmistakable voice rarely becomes tedious and the performances ooze passion and charisma. 'Legacy! Legacy!' is a creeper album that deserves the time it needs to settle familiarly in your memory.

Genre: Neo-Soul
Favourite Tracks: 'Eartha', 'Miles', 'Basquiat', 'Octavia'
34Kleintierschaukel
D-Tales

A mesmerizing gem. A subtle collection of slowwwwwed back house and swelling equatorial downtempo. This lush, primitive beaut is recommended for sput-fans of Nic Jaar.

Genre: Downtempo/Deep House
Favourite Tracks: 'Cirkiss', 'Paradize', 'Madazoo'
33((( O )))
((( 1 )))

The first collection of tracks from June Marieezy's ambitious - and nauseatingly bohemian - new project writing “moondrop creations every full moon, [compiled into] 12-track [yearly] albums for the next 12 years”. If the flakey premise deters you I understand, but it's an apt idea that perfectly summarizes the vibe of these warm, self-contained creative "drops", and the end result offers some of the most beautiful, delicate, and affecting song-writing of the year.

Genre: Neo-Soul/Downtempo/Alt R&B
Favourite Tracks: 'Nature's Joint', 'Une Verse', 'One, Two'
32Tank And The Bangas
Green Balloon

Barring a couple questionable choices (the misleading intro, the unnecessary trap diversion of 'Dope Girl Magic', and the Disney piano ballad 'Mr. Lion') 'Green Balloon' is one of the most unexpected bangers of the year. The only way to accurately describe this is "Lizzo, with Hiatus Kaiyote". The band is never taking the back seat here and many of these tracks double as some of the most infectious Pop bangers and most creative, fierce, and high-energy Neo-Soul joints of the year. Always giving the excellent musicians a run for their money, front-woman Tarriona "Tank" Ball is an absolute beast of a singer, reminiscent of Lizzo's distinct tonal capabilities but with such pure force, and command it sounds as if you are listening to three different singers all at once. Dismiss the few missteps here and prep your asshole for some of the absolute hottest units of 2019.

Genre: Alt R&B/Neo-Soul
Favourite Tracks: 'Spaceships', 'Ants', 'Forgetfulness', 'Nice Things',
31TITLE
Curve

Instrumental Hip-Hop is getting fucking boring. As hordes of bedroom producers continue to spew out 7 beat-tapes full of the same chopped up sampling a year that we've been familiar with since the early 2000's, it's hard to find something that stands out in the crowd. That's not to say that 'Curve' is as simple as that: it's not just an instrumental hip-hop record. But the delivery, form, and aesthetic of it all fits the bill. The major difference, aside from a sprinkling of assorted stylistic influences, is the fact that this album is really fucking interesting. It serves its chill-out purpose with flying colours, but it never quite fades in the peripheral, constantly offering little attention-grabbing digressions to keep you engaged. This diverse and eclectic little package is a reassuring assertion that instrumental hip hop still has more to offer.

Genre: Beats/Instrumental Hip Hop/Downtempo
Favourite Tracks: 'Maybe Sunshine, Maybe Rain', 'Talk To Me', 'Remake'
30Chelsea Reject
This Is Not My Final Form

Almost forgot about Chelsea Reject in the 4 year gap since her mixtape 'CMPLX'. Looks like she utilized the time well crafting her debut LP. There's nothing truly innovative or remarkable about Chelsea, but her quality and consistency are admirable in the modern hip-hop climate. 'This Is Not My Final Form' is a perfect amalgamation of the heady lyricism and laid back jazz loops of the 2000s and the choppy aggression of contemporary trap percussion and vocal hooks. Perhaps the only miss-fire here is 'Edge' as I think it's about time we let Grandmaster Flash's 'The Message' die forever (seriously fuck that song). Recommended for fans of anything from Blu & Exile to Kendrick Lamar.

Genre: hip-hop
Favourite Tracks: 'Kidulthood', 'Out Alive', 'Amnesia (Self-Luv), 'Let It Go', 'On My Mind'
29O'Flynn
Aletheia

O'Flynn's debut LP is an absolute beauty. It's a safe album, rarely venturing outside of the box of House music - often touching base with its roots for some straight forward, optimistic Soul - but what makes the album shine is it's mosaic of tribal inflections. For every adrenaline pumping, dance-floor high is a tropical digression into the lushest parts-unknown. One of the best 'party' albums of the year doubles as an intrepid downtempo excursion for fans of Bonobo and Gold Panda.

Genre: House/Downtempo
Favourite Tracks: 'Aletheia', 'Udu', 'Aeolian', 'Painted Wolf', 'Desmond's Empire'
28Eartheater
Trinity

This is the album I've been waiting for Eartheater to craft since discovering her. At a time when experimentation in pop music is invading the mainstream I'm surprised that Alexandra Drewchin is still going rather unnoticed. Traversing a similar terrain to the likes of Grimes and FKA Twigs, Drewchin has been incubating her own brand of ethereal, abrasive, broody, and uncompromisingly individualist pop music since 2015. Recommended if you like the aforementioned inferior pop 'stars', any equally edgy peers, or stuff like Crystal Castles.

Genre: Art Pop/UK Bass/Trap
Favourite Tracks: 'High Tide', 'Supersoaker', 'Preservation', 'Spill the Milk'
27Amon Tobin
Long Stories

It's a bit hard for me to separate 'Long Stories' from its companion album "Fear...". 'Long Stories' strikes me as a direct continuation of the latter, rewarding your patience with virtually all of the first inclusions of traditional percussion for this new phase of Tobin's career. This makes 'Long Stories' a much more climactic album than 'Fear...', but when separated from its companion it is a much less dynamic stand-alone. 'Long Stories' feels like it's starting in the middle of something - and when paired with 'Fear...' it is. Together, the sequencing elevates both albums, resulting in one of the most groundbreaking albums of the year. But since I'm ranking them as individual albums as they were released, 'Long Stories' is over-shadowed by 'Fear...', left to sound familiar in the wake of its unexpected 2019 predecessor.

Genre: Electroacoustic/IDM/Ambient
Favourite Tracks: 'Long Stories', 'Dust for a Duster', 'Brushed Aluminum Reeds', 'Feed'
26Babii
Hiide

I really dislike Iglooghost's current frantic, gimmicky, and attention deficit trajectory into novelty music, but my appreciation for some of his older material - paired with FlyLo's admiration for him - have me keeping up to date on his output regardless. Iglooghosts collaborative album 'XYZ' was a mess as per usual, but there was something very charming in the sparing moments when Babii was allowed to shine. 'Hiide' is far from perfect: it's nauseatingly cute and preciously amateur, but fortunately these are features that enhance Babii's particular blend of bedroom-eyed dream-pop. This 'short and sweet' debut isn't hitting any grand-slams lyrically, but Babii has no lack of charisma to hold everything together: her production is absolutely infectious and her vocals are adorably diffident.

Genre: Dream Pop/Electropop
Favourite Tracks: 'Volcano', 'Seiizure', 'Symmetrii'
25Ariana Grande
Thank U, Next

Fuckin deaaaaaaaaal with it. This is the best mainstream pop album of the year. Your shitty Lana Del Rey's and Taylor Swift's never stood a chance. The girl has started to turn out consistent fire bops faster than any of her current peers can tie their own shoes (if they even know how) or any of you pasty mouth-breathing neck-beards can crack a racial joke. There are some weaker tracks here and there and the flow is sometimes questionable but this is Mainstream Pop not 'Threnody For the Victims of Hiroshima', the bar is extremely low. 'Fake Smile' does the sampled "After Laughter" staple better than anyone since Wu-Tang and the title track, 7 rings, and break up with your boyfriend are provocative enough to melt T-Swizzles chastity belt off. Lana can stay stuck in the bell-bottomed, rapey, 70s California past, because between the likes of Charli and Grande the future of basic-bitch-Pop is full.

Genre: Pop
Favourite Tracks: 'fake smile', 'make up', 'thank u, next',
24Sudan Archives
Athena

Neo-Soul has been creeping on the fringes of the mainstream for quite some time now. As welcome as this is, with the growing prevalence comes some consequences: homogeny, over-saturation, and a lot more middling attempts to sift through (*cough Tyler cough*). Sudan Archives avoids falling into this area of tedium with one very small but dramatic distinction: the presence Brittney Denise Parks' phenomenal violin playing. The simple addition makes all the difference in helping Sudan Archives stand out from her peers, enabling an entirely new emotional dimension. Neo-Soul is a particularly robust genre, it's usually up-beat, empowering, and cool. Parks' innovative classical take on the genre offers an uncharacteristically melancholy, soaring, and tender side to things, and the result is nothing shy of 'epic'.

Genre: Neo-Soul/Alt R&B
Favourite Tracks: 'Iceland Moss', 'Confessions', 'Black Vivaldi Sonata', 'Green Eyes', 'Honey'
23BEA1991
Brand New Adult

Another eclectic, highly individualist Pop star to keep your eye on. BEA1991 has been releasing some of the coolest new EPs and singles since 2014, but her debut LP proves it can work on a grander scale. The sounds here are gossamer, sparse 80s textures and aesthetics from synth-pop to new age are prevalent, giving this a particularly cozy feel. You won't find 'bangers' here, but you will find gorgeous, slow-burning compositions rife with nostalgic modulated bass tones, ethereal effects, diverse instrumentation, and haunting vocal performances.

Genre: Trip-Hop/Ambient Pop/Indie Pop
Favourite Tracks: 'Philip', 'Modern Comforts', 'My Own Heaven'
22Big|Brave
A Gaze Among Them

You won't find a lot of metal of any sort in my rotation these days. It's an absolute slog to sift through the legions of trite, immature emulators of great-bands-past, and many of those that remain have lost their bite - or their balls. Big|Brave is one of the few that have managed to keep my interest enough to stay current, which is shocking given the blend of Post-Rock and Drone is subject to the potential for even more monumental boredom than a lot of the other sub-genres. But 'A Gaze Among Them' is the most crushingly distilled album by Big|Brave to date. Robin's vocals have always been a crucial element to Big|Brave's individuality, and they are centre-stage as usual, divining some of the band's most hypnotic instrumentals to date.

Genre: Post-Metal/Drone
Favourite Tracks: The Whole Damn Thing
21Bells Atlas
the mystic

Another demonstration of innovation within the realm of Neo-Soul, 'the mystic' takes a different route than Sudan Archives to achieve the same refreshing ends. Instead of infusing their sound with classical elements, Bells Atlas traverses the lo-fi, reverb drenched, abstract realms of Hypnagogic Pop. The result is distinctly guitar-driven, hazy, psychedelic, and experimental approach to Neo-Soul that is smooth as butter and utterly unforgettable. Recommended for fans of Little Dragon, Taylor Mcferrin and Hiatus Kaiyote.

Genre: Alt R&B/Neo-Soul/Indie Pop
Favourite Tracks: 'Rogue Dream', 'The Khamsa', 'First Gen Pisces'
20Elsa Hewitt
Citrus Paradisi

Nothing particularly new here from Hewitt, but her lush blend of ambient pop and downtempo is more refined on 'Citrus Paradisi'. If you haven't had the pleasure of checking out any of her 2017 trilogy albums this is a great place to start. Recommended if the sound of early Gold Panda or Baths with ghostly female vocals sounds appealing to you. FYI this is where my avatar comes from.

Genre: Downtempo/Ambient Pop
Favourite Tracks: 'That Thing', 'Pastel', 'Rolling In Your Wall', 'Mermaid'
19Boy Harsher
Careful

A perfect encapsulation of what makes Coldwave such a nihilistic thrill. The haunting androgynous vocals and apocalyptic 80s synths have a capacity for aural world-building that few other genres do. 'Careful' is film-like in that regard - this could soundtrack the likes of The Bad Batch and Turbo Kid perfectly - but it's never distant enough to actually sound like a soundtrack.

Genre: Coldwave
Favourite Tracks: 'Face the Fire', 'The Look You Gave (Jerry)', 'Lost'
18LION BABE
Cosmic Wind

Ok I'm about to mention Neo-Soul again. See? It's very prevalent these days. But first I'm going to make one thing clear: this is a pop album. What makes it hard to see 'Cosmic Wind' in such simplicity is the the production. Lucas Goodman sounds like he eats, breathes, and even excretes Neo-Soul. Thanks to Jillian Hervey's vocals this album oozes with the sultry vibes of contemporary R&B, but each track is so tightly packed with shameless showcases of Goodman's technical proficiency that they feel as if they might burst at the seams. Tracks like 'No Rules', 'Sexy Please', and 'Different Planet' make up some of the biggest bangers of the year.

Genre: Contemporary R&B/Neo-Soul/Dance-Pop
Favourite Tracks: 'Hit the Ceiling', 'Reminisce', 'No Rules', 'Different Planet'
17Octo Octa
Resonant Body

I've been waiting for Octo Octa to grab me (with her tentacles?) for quite some time. I've never disliked her music, but have always been left feeling a little empty and uninspired at the end of her releases. I won't say 'Resonant Body' is a drastic departure from anything she's done before, but there's something so charmingly nostalgic about it that it's grown on me to semi-regular rotation. The pairing of 'Resonant Body's persistent high-energy and continuous flow make the album feel like a live DJ set more than an album, and in the case of such a fantastic party album, that works strongly in its favour.

Genre: Deep House/Breakbeat/Acid House
Favourite Tracks: 'Ecstatic Beat', 'Can You See Me?', 'Power To The People'
16Edyth
Bare II

Edyth has been a highlighted project on my radar for the past couple years, and his debut LP 'Bare II' does not disappoint. Edyth has often been experimental in nature, but the vastness of his influences is contained within a focused aesthetic. 'Bare II' traverses a lot of terrain, but between the celestial digressions you're getting a lot of deep bottomless bass, plodding trap percussion, and distant alien sound-waves. The beauty of the whole is in the way Edyth uses reoccurring motifs or continuations throughout the album. This attention to the totality of the release helps create an unmistakably cohesive and immersive experience.

Genre: Experimental/Garage/Ambient
Favourite Tracks: 'Hunger', 'Entry Strategy', 'You Are Where You Are', 'Amazonian', 'A Map Of What Is Lost', 'Ana'
15Kornel Kovacs
Stockholm Marathon

A much poppier album than his previous album 'The Bells', 'Stockholm Marathon' was a bit unexpected. The vocal support from Rebecca & Fiona seemingly encouraged Kovacs to adjust his projectile somewhat, making much more focused and deliberate tunes to compliment this addition. 'Stockholm Marathon is perhaps a bit less eclectic in that regard, but the cohesion yields more fulfilling results. This adorable, fuzzy little record is recommended if you like Jessy Lanza.

Genre: Balearic/Deep House
Favourite Tracks: 'Purple Skies', 'Marathon', 'Szombat', 'Rocks',
14Tenesha The Wordsmith
Peacocks & Other Savage Beasts

Tenesha has a lot of powerful content to unpack here, it's hard not to admire her uncompromising and explicit ferocity in regards to topics of race, identity, culture, and trauma. But what really sets 'Peacocks...' apart from other spoken word albums of a similar nature is the unique production. The instrumentals here aren't just a backdrop to Tenesha's haunting prose, they embody it instead. These staggering haunted tracks add an unsettling energy to the already powerful lyrical content, resulting in both a masterful example of story-telling, and an especially affecting piece of music. Recommended for anyone other than Ghostb1rd and Gyro.

Genre: Spoken Word/Jazz Poetry/Afro-Futurism
Favourite Tracks: 'Bastard', 'The Collection', 'Peacocks & Other Savage Beasts', 'Again', 'I Dream So Loud'
13Evan Geesman
Newagesewage

Evan Geesman has been on my radar as a potential breakthrough performer for a couple years now. His special blend of mainstream genres is often reminiscent of Thom Yorke, evident in both his unmistakable vocals and incredibly nuanced songwriting. Geesman still has room for growth, but 'Newagesewage' is a delightfully unique, neat, and accessible record that fulfills the promise of his prior material and proves that Indie isn't yet at the point of stagnation.

Genre: Hypnagogic Pop
Favourite Tracks: 'Pari', 'Buppy', 'English', 'Turmeric'
12Black Moon
Rise Of Da Moon

The return of Black Moon with their full original lineup over 15 years after their last release was one of the most exciting surprises of 2019. Black Moon was one of the most underrated and overlooked forces responsible for the resurgence of east coast Hip-Hop in the early-mid 90s. Their quintessential '93 album 'Enta Da Stage' preceded the likes of 'Illmatic', 'The Infamous', and even '(36 Chambers)', and helped coin the distinctly aggressive style the east coast became known for. Buckshot even bridged east and west coast Hip-Hop rivalries by collaborating with Tupac later in his career - albeit to arguably mixed results - for the unreleased (due to Tupac's death) 'One Nation'. 'Rise Of Da Moon' fulfills the promise of 'One Nation' by successfully infusing the classic boom-bap style of Black Moon's beginnings with elements of G-Funk and 2000's Hip-Hop. More on this in #10.

Genre: Hip-Hop
Favourite Tracks: 'Creep Wit Me', 'Ease Back', 'Black Moon Rise', 'Glory', 'At Night'
11Barker
Utility

There's a certain je ne sais quoi about this one. The enigma is similar to some of the best of the best in IDM, offering a disarming palette reminiscent to the surrender Boards of Canada's output offers. 'Utility' is hypnotically dissociative, the type of album that suspends you in a comforting fog for it's duration that you may not want to leave at its end.

Genre: IDM
Favourite Tracks: 'Gradients Of Bliss', 'Hedonic Treadmill', 'Die-Hards Of the Darwinian Order'
10Gang Starr
One Of The Best Yet

A lot of what can be said about the return of Gang Starr can be said for Black Moon as well. The 2010's have been far from lacking in regards to 'golden age' legends returning in part or full for reunion albums or semi post-humous homages. What has been lacking, is any semblance of quality from these releases. Aside from a couple FAN-TAS-TIC exceptions (yes, that's you Slum Village) these releases have had a tendency to be marred by poor production choices, lack of ambition, and the mellowed out cringe-inducing lyricism of these middle-aged men trying to match the energy of their former glory. Black Moon and Gang Starr don't necessarily transcend the latter: Black Moon's handful of questionable choruses to Gang Star suffering Ne-Yo's idiocy and Q-Tip's traumatically embarrassing gun-bar hook. However, in terms of production and sheer ambition these two albums utterly transcend. [See 53 for more...]
9Aldous Harding
Designer

Look, I'm as surprised that this ended up here as you are. Indie-Folk is hardly in my wheel-house anymore, and although I've always had an appreciate for Harding, I never thought something so simple and straight-forward would weasel its way into my heart this year. This whimsical collection doesn't break new ground - in fact a lot of it is some of the most simple, uplifting music Harding has written to date - but the sheer amount of charisma injected into each of these tiny little ear-worms is utterly euphoric. Harding says it best on the opening highlight 'Fixture Picture': "There's a definite vibe".

Genre: Indie-Folk
Favourite Tracks: 'Fixture Picture', 'Zoo Eyes', 'The Barrel', 'Weight of the Planets'
8Swindle
No More Normal

Swindle's music has been on my radar for years. These fleeting moments spent with his material have been generally appreciated, but also often quite anxiety-inducingly attention-deficit. This year, Swindle has instead opted to drop not only one of the best Neo-Soul albums in years, but some of the best UK Hip-Hop in recent memory to boot. In laymen's terms, what you are going to get here is straight soul and funk drenched bangers from front to back. Recommended if you like anything from Kendrick Lamar to Dam Funk.

Genre: Neo-Soul/Contemporary R&B/UK Hip-Hop
Favourite Tracks: 'Run Up', 'Reach the Stars', 'Knowledge', 'Take It Back', 'California', 'Talk a Lot',
7James Blake
Assume Form

Since his debut, Blake has been slowly alienating audiences with over-long, self-indulgent, and sometimes flat-out homogenous releases. With 'Assume Form' Blake continues to alienate his audience, but this time it's by diverging from tired expectations, rather than by fulfilling them. The same people who criticized Blake for not challenging himself after mastering his craft are the same that will tell you that this is too much. I'll tell you something different: pop is the best thing to happen to James Blake. For the first time since his self-titled debut, Blake has put out something unpredictable and succinct. This is Blake at his most vulnerable and frank. It's the kind of audacious move you expect from someone with nothing left to lose. It's personal, revealing, and for every garbage-person it endlessly irritates (fuck you slex, doof etc.), it will touch the heart of another.

Favs: 'Mile High', 'Tell Them', 'Where's the Catch'
Genre: Alternative R&B/Pop
6Andy Stott
It Should Be Us

Technically a 'double EP', resulting in what comes across suspiciously similarly to an LP, 'It Should Be Us' continues a series accompanied by his previous two EP's 'We Stay Together', and 'Passed Me By'. Aesthetically nothing is different here for those familiar with Stott's work, but rather than the cinematic effect of his usual LP format 'It Should Be Us' is a much more percussive collection of tracks designated as "deconstructed club bangers". The result is less narrative but much more energetic than usual, offering some of the 'catchiest' work Stott has done to date. A delicious appetizer for existing fans of Stott while we wait for 2020's main course.

Genre: Outsider House
Favourite Tracks: 'It Should Be Us', 'Versi'
5Taylor McFerrin
Love's Last Chance

Like Dev Hynes, Mcferrin has been in the process of adjusting his trajectory to better suit his own needs. After a decade spent meticulously crafting Early Riser to obsessive compulsive levels of perfection 'Love's Last Chance' is an extremely light record in comparison. These are all in-the-moment cuts in which McFerrin tried to liberate himself of the stress and anxiety of perfection. It's not as unique as 'Early Riser', and if the biggest appeal of that album was the downtempo influences 'Love's Last Chance' might disappoint. Instead this is an incredibly personal and intuitive record with a much heavier emphasis on Taylors instrumental, vocal, and lyrical talents. For an album that took a fraction of the time spent on 'Early Riser' the biggest surprise - and marvellous irony - is just how perfect every aspect of the song-writing and production is non-the-less.

Genre: Neo-Soul/Alt-R&B
Favourite Tracks: 'Memory Digital', 'I Can't Give Your Time Back', 'Love and Distance'
4Thom Yorke
ANIMA

Only further elevated by the marvellous short-film and mind-boggling visuals designed for the live adaptations of this record, ANIMA is the type of visionary product that has proven Thom Yorke as one of the greatest musicians of our time. This is the dystopian, crooked, robot fever dream Yorke that was sorely missed on A Moon Shape Pool. This is the Yorke that gave us Kid A, Amnesiac, and The King of Limbs. This is the Yorke that has so much left to offer.

Genre: IDM/Ambient Pop
Favourite Tracks: The whole fucking thing.
3Amon Tobin
Fear In A Handful Of Dust

Continuing deeper into the realms of 'sound sculpture' that Tobin started nearly a decade ago with 'ISAM', 'Fear In A Handful Of Dust' is a matured, masterful offering that explored some of the most innovative territory of the decade. 'Fear...' is a dark, subtle affair, completely devoid of any sort of traditional percussion in favour of electroacoustic ASMR-like euphoria. Another artist this year embracing imperfection and spontaneity, the loose, organic defects of this album further its effectiveness as a 'tactile' album and render the album a nearly physical journey through the soundscapes of another world.

Genre: Electroacoustic/Glitch
Favourite Tracks: 'Vipers Follow You', 'Freeformed', 'Heart of the Sun', 'Fooling Alright', 'Milk Millionaire', 'Three Different Hat Sizes'
2Flying Lotus
Flamagra

The first official LP since closing his 'death' trilogy, 'Flamagra' compiles material from all corners of FlyLo's career in one disturbed, cum-stained package. Without the context of FlyLo's filthy 2017 film 'Kuso', 'Flamagra' might appear as a grotesque after-birth of an album on the heels of 'Cosmo' through 'You're Dead'. However, if you are (un)fortunate enough to have seen it in all of its (disgusting) glory, 'Flamagra' feels like the long lost soundtrack to 'Kuso' we were once promised. 'Flamagra' is a maddening, fleshy sonic plane ridden with blisters and boils that ooze a pussy, vertigo inducing causticity, and it's this twisted, visceral deity that makes FlyLo's world so revoltingly unique. This is an ironic aerial retrospective of FlyLo's career to this point that perfectly closes a decade utterly dominated by his influence.

Genre: Neo-Soul/Glitch Hop/Synth Funk
Favourite Tracks: 'Post Requisite', 'More', 'Yellow Belly', 'Fire is Coming', and too many more to fit.
1Lapalux
Amnioverse

My review says all I need to say about this on a musical level, but on an emotional level this is by far the most affecting album of the year. 'Amnioverse' is a thematically comparable album to 'Ruinism' - a personal all-time favourite - that veers into the unpredictable by adding yet another new set of stylistic learnings to Lapalux's expansive compass. This is the kind of album that - especially when paired with someone's own circumstantial melancholy - is so touching it has the power to become immortalized as a musical beacon for its time. Check my review for more.

Genre: Glitch Hop/Ambient Pop/Breaks
Favourite Tracks: 'Voltaic Acid', 'Momentine', 'Thin Air', 'Limb To Limb', 'The Lux Quadrant'
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