Top 25 Albums of 2024
Honorable Mentions
Top Albums of 2024
#25: Megan Thee Stallion - MEGAN
Megan is out for blood on this record, with her opening statement on the album being fuck everyone that talks shit on her. This is matched with one of the hardest beats of the year from Bankroll and LilJuMadeDaBeat and disses many people on the track, including Drake who accused her of not actually getting shot by Tory Lanez (who was convicted for shooting her) and hilariously insinuates that he got a BBL. This viciousness continues on Rattle where she points out the hypocrisy of fellow rappers in the scene, showing that they’re too scared to beef with each other but aren’t afraid to beat women. Aside from tearing other naysaying rappers apart on the album, Megan is also able to explore various sounds on the album apart from her Southern style. Where Them Girls At transports you right back to the mid 2000s with its Crunk vibes, with a first listen getting me to expect Lil Jon to hop on the track. There’s also a little bit of Memphis trickled into the album with Accent, where GloRilla hops on the track and matches Megan’s vibe perfectly. But where I think I'm most impressed from an artistic perspective is the introspectiveness of the album, in particular with the lead single Cobra. Here Megan reflects on depression, alcoholism and the complexity of personal relationships after making it in the music industry. These themes are woven around the track with some of her trademark swagger as well, like insisting that she’d bleed Pinot, making these reflections hit harder as you know this a well-rounded view of Megan’s thoughts. This album was the surprise of the year and I can’t wait to continue to bump it as I vouch for my own non-existent revenge story.
#24: Kendrick Lamar - GNX
It’s been a great year for Kendrick, winning the beef against Drake with some timeless bangers and securing the Super Bowl halftime performance. GNX feels like a victory lap for this year, being a ghost drop that is focused on bangers without a central motif that we are used to Kendrick dropping. This relaxed and free style makes the album a bit more digestible and sees Kendrick going back to his West Coast roots. Squabble up shows this free flow with its funky little synth sample and vocal rhythm on the chorus that’s so addictive. TV off is probably the biggest victory lap with the instantly iconic MUSTAAAARD while diving into the reasons behind keeping the beef alive. There are also amazing vocals from both Kendrick and SZA on luther showing a new side of Kendrick that works so well within the album. Despite this loose structure, GNX is far from being a shallow album. On wacced out murals he continues to call his shots, revealing that Nas was the only one to congratulate him on the halftime show, states he never lost his persona for his image and acknowledges his growing animosity towards not just Drake but others after the saga of the beef. The absolutely nasty industrial production on hey now matches the continued disses towards Drake, where Kendrick has strangled himself a GOAT after putting a square on his back. Kendrick was already on hip-hop’s Mount Rushmore prior to this release and GNX continues to reaffirm his position on that album with his most straightforward album yet.
#23: The Marias - Submarine
Following their solid debut album CINEMA, Submarine marks a continuation of the bedroom/alt pop that The Marias have established. There are some trademark Marias tracks on this record like Echo and Real Life, which have catchy choruses, soothing vocals, and laid back basslines that brings these tracks together. Real Life in particular also has an inquisitive guitar tone making it feel like it's straight out of a Bond film. The Marias also offer some unique mixes on this record like the song Ay No Puedo. This track retains the soothing vocals and backing guitar, but also has some flamenco percussion added in to create a unique bedroom and flamenco pop fusion. The most impressive track to me though is Paranoia. Its distant Alvvays-esque guitars help emphasize the lyrics exploring the paranoia of the singer's partner that deteriorates the relationship. Submarine shows that The Marias are still experts of their craft with their lush and ethereal bedroom pop sound, making for one of the easiest listens of the year.
#22: Geordie Greep - The New Sound
After the disappointing dissolving / indefinite hiatus of Black Midi, frontman Geordie Greep announced his solo album debut was releasing, a welcome surprise amid the bad news. Now that this debut has been released, it continues the legacy of Black Midi, carrying forward the distinctive sound that the band established. Opening track Blues dives right into the familiar sound with the avant-prog track, emphasizing the use of percussion and quick plucking of the guitar for the better part of the track. This intensity complements the lyrics, a telling of a self-obsessed man who, as death approaches, finally comes to terms with their flaws. Lead single Holy, Holy explores similar themes with a story of a man who pays a woman to make him look like a player. This is set over another intense set of percussion that is paired with some earwormy bass and vibrant brass to create one of the most complete eclectic but focused songs of the year. Other sounds are explored outside the avant-prog aesthetic that dominates the runtime. Jazz in partciular, a large part of Cavalcade, makes a strong feature on the album. The instrumental title track and Bongo Season showing Georide’s take on Jazz Fusion, adding a nice touch of variety to the record. It seems as though with this album Geordie Greep has emerged from the flames of Black Midi, continuing to serve the people with some of the most creative prog music of the decade.
#21: Brittany Howard - What Now
What Now is the second album from the Alabama Shakes vet, venturing further into the soul sound established on her first solo LP. Of course the vocals are a focus on the record, as it has been since the Alabama Shakes were conceived. Red Flag might be the best of these vocal performances, with her vocals absolutely soaring over the chorus that capture the raw emotion of the track. There are also some cool manipulations of Brittany’s voice on the record, with I Don’t featuring both her unfiltered and pitched vocals to create a spring fantasy feeling. Aside from the vocals, the production here is immaculate as well. Earth Sign features a crisp piano and percussion to add to the vibrance that Howard’s voice brings to the track. This production shines on Prove It to You as well. The song is an unexpected house cut with some great bass and percussion that works well because the house genre naturally lends itself to highlighting vocals. However, where I think that the instrumentations and vocals work best together is on the title track. This cut has sharp percussion and a psychedelic guitar that create a base layer for Howard’s soulful voice to shine, especially on the chorus. Howard has created one of the brightest records of the year, one that I’ll be revisiting often on spring mornings.
#20: julie - my anti-aircraft friend
Julie is a band that I’ve kept on my radar since 2022 ever since stumbling upon their debut single flutter. I was immediately enamored by the elite instrumentation that they had brought to the noise pop/shoegaze genre, which was especially impressive for a new band. Naturally after I heard that they were finally releasing their first full-length LP, I was super excited. And this record does not disappoint. For one, the instrumentation on this record is top-notch much like their debut single. The opening track, catalogue, features what you’d expect from them with the heavy shoegaze guitars that envelop the entire song. Other tracks like claiborne practice feel like they’re pulled straight out of a My Bloody Valentine album with its bright and fuzzy shoegaze guitars that define their sound. Julie also explores some new sounds on this record, specifically with some sludge influence. This is most evident on the track tenebrist, where the guitars evoke the heaviness of the Melvins, mixed with a deadpan delivery on the track which makes for a sound very similar to early Autolux. Julie have proven on this record that they have the chops for more than just singles and should be a band that I’ll continue to follow in the future.
#19: yungatita - Shoelace & A Knot
Shoelace & a Knot marks the LP debut of yungatita, an indie rock outfit headed by Valentina Zapata that has some influences of bedroom pop and noise rock intertwined. Right off the bat the opening track Poppy introduces the listeners to these bedroom pop influences with its chill, fluttering instrumentals to start the album. However where I find that yungatita excels the most though is with the noisier tracks where the guitars are allowed to shred and Valentina’s vocals shine. This is most present on the track Armchair, which starts out with an instrumental build that progresses into a pretty straightforward chorus and verse. The track then evolves on the next chorus and bridge, with some vocal fluctuations to start from the young singer, culminating in a heavy guitar-driven bridge that stands out as a highlight of the song and one of the album’s best moments. Other similar noisy influences shine on tracks such as Descenda and Crack of Your Jaw that show the band’s prowess despite being new to the indie landscape. While this LP may not stray too far from their influences, the execution is done so well that it earns its place on this list and my eye for their upcoming releases.
#18: Quadeca - Scrapyard
Scrapyard is the follow up to the impressive I Didn’t Mean to Haunt You, an album where Quadeca completely transformed his sound from a “meme” rapper to a haunting landscape. This LP continues to show the development of Quadeca’s sound through the scraps of his previous album and other cuts, hence the name. Quadeca’s progression is shown the best through the incredible production that highlights the various genres that are explored. Dustcutter shows these skills with pitch shifts and vocal distortion to create a scattered approach, layering onto a nice little optimistic beat loop for a chaotic but pleasant emo rap cut. Meanwhile, Pretty Privilege features a bouquet of gospel-like vocal layering from Quadeca to help elevate the track to its art pop potential. U Don’t Know Me Like That ventures into hyperpop with the chipmunk vocals set over a warped piano beat that reflects the muddy and depressive mood of Quadeca on the track. Another highlight of the project are the features, which are sparse but impactful. A La Carte features brakence’s emotive vocals that help push forward the narrative structure and emotional weight of the track. The other feature on the mixtape Kevin Abstract appears on closing track Texas Blue, where his vocals are layered between Quadeca’s. These are placed over a beautiful arrangement of flutes, guitar and piano on the track, a perfect curtain drop to the project. While this mixtape may be forged from scraps, these still craft a cohesive set of genre-spanning tracks that show Quadeca’s growth as an artist.
#17: Joey Valence & Brae - NO HANDS
The modern day Beastie Boys are the only way to properly describe Joey Valence & Brae. With their bravado, punchy old-school beats, and over the top delivery it’s hard to not make the comparison. Standout track PACKAPUNCH puts this on full display, where they deliver an absolutely cold sample flip with all kinds of boastful one-liners, my favorite of which being “Your name’s not Olivia, you don’t got the guts”. LIKE A PUNCH continues to show their prowess in production with a horn sample that switches halfway to a synth with a light melody. This transition seamlessly leads into the ravey climax, which merges these two elements together to create one of the best beats of the year. The duo also manages to show their versatility, most notably on WHERE U FROM. The track features some chipmunk vocals on the chorus that you’d hear on a Brockhampton track that are layered over a light and airy piano, perfectly complementing the track. But where I think the duo manages to put it all together is on THE BADDEST, which features a combined grand brass and alien beat with lyrics about being the baddest bitch in the club. These elements combined with some great bass mark it as a certified big booty banger. This duo has certainly shown that they can hang with the big boys of hip-hop, all while having fun doing it.
#16: Billie Eilish - HIT ME HARD AND SOFT
Billie Eilish has been at the top of the music industry for a while now, and she continues to show why she has occupied that space with her latest release. On Hit Me Hard and Soft, Billie continues to push her sound in the alt-pop space, which is driven in large part with the production from Finneas. A great example of this synergy is on Lunch, which has subtle production until the bridge, where Finneas incorporates some warping synths and left to right vocal mixing to add to the sensual lyrics from Billie. L’Amour de Mia Vie also highlights the ability to create an apt beat switch on a track, beginning with a bossa nova style song in the first half where Billie is lamenting on her breakup. This shifts into a synthy pop song with an almost hyperpop-esque filter on Billie’s vocals that reflects her transition from heartbreak to peace with the breakup. The production on the record also helps showcase the improved vocals from Billie, in particular on Birds of a Feather where the airy synth bells help these vocals flourish. Lyrically, Billie continues to reflect on fame throughout the album. Just like on Happier Than Ever, she tackles the toxic perception of her body on Skinny, noting that the media continues to perceive her as happy just because she is skinny. She notes that this isn’t the true reflection of her happiness and this kind of perception from the media is damaging. It’s not surprising at this point that Billie (& Finneas by proxy) is already one of the best pop artists of the century, and should she continue on this trajectory will likely end up on the Mount Rushmore for pop artists.
#15: Marika Hackman - Big Sigh
Marika Hackman’s latest effort is a compact collection of emotional impact, put together with some quick, catchy and depressive songwriting. The title track shows these aspects well with lyrics about falling apart and a pre-chorus that repeats the infectious, but bitter refrain “I’ve been better” over an Alex G inspired instrumental. Blood also shows a bit of her touch on songwriting, starting out a bit light on the instrumentals in the beginning. The track then gradually builds to have a doomy piano once she gets to the chorus, where she starts to sing about disappointing people once they get to know her, amplifying the emotional impact it has. The arrangements on this record are also a highlight. The Ground is a prime example of this, with its delicately arranged piano medley and soft, distorted vocals over a well arranged string composition helping establish the tone for the album. The first proper song on the album No Caffeine combines these two strengths on the record. This track has a beautiful string arrangement which helps drive the emotional impact that the clever lyrics of Marika portraying her anxiety as a telling of an abusive partner have. A Big Sigh might be what you need after a listen to this album, but it’s worth it with the touch the Marika brings to the table.
#14: Beth Gibbons - Lives Outgrown
Lives Outgrown is the first true solo album from the legendary vocalist of Portishead, where she strays away from trip hop to a unique venture into the chamber folk genre. To bring us into this new venture, Gibbons starts delicately on the opening track, with a minimalist approach of just some percussion and light guitar. This progresses with a layering of an orchestral arrangement similar to what you’d hear on A Moon Shaped Pool to help set up the contemplative mood that resonates throughout the record. This sound continues with Floating On a Moment which has so many layers of strings, vocals and woodwind instruments that still manage to be delicate and bright at the same time. These instrumentals reflect and establish the themes of cherishing life as it is, ones that will be layered into the entirety of the record. Lost Changes continues with these themes at a moodier angle, with more yearning string arrangements that mirror the sentiments of the various changes in Gibbons life. There are also some themes of the world that are explored on the album, in particular on Rewind. This track criticizes the materialistic mindset that many people have that has caused a negative impact on mother nature, which is emphasized by the sinister tone of the instrumentals on the track. While still being contemplative, it marks a brief pivot from self reflection to broader reflection on the world. Lives Outgrown stands as a tranquil reflection on life, fitting for the powerhouse of Portishead as she heads towards the latter stages of her musical journey.
#13: The Lemon Twigs - A Dream Is All We Know
The Lemon Twigs previous release was a reinvigorated homage to 70s soft rock featuring harmonized melodies, great songwriting, and lush instrumentation. On their latest release the group continues to ride with these great melodies and songwriting, but replaces the 70s with the 60s in a turn to the sunshine and psychedelic pop of that era. One of the opening tracks, They Don’t Know How to Fall in Place, sets this tone early, feeling like it’s straight out of Odessey and Oracle with the electric guitar and vibrant keyboards on the track. Other tracks like Church Bells still showcase those aforementioned harmonized melodies, but also include some very Eleanor Rigby-esque strings to add to the 60s aesthetic. However I think the track that encapsulates this vibe the most is How Can I Love Her More? which channels the classic sunshine pop sound of the Beach Boys. The twins' vocal harmonies and keyboards feel mirror the Wilson brothers, yet their incorporation of a lush string arrangement elevates it to something unique to them. This latest release reaffirms that while Lemon Twigs may wear their influences on their sleeves, their execution of songwriting, instrumentals and unique combinations of these styles continues to make for a catchy and captivating experience.
#12: Father John Misty - Mahashmashana
I wasn’t a huge fan of Father John Misty’s previous LP, so I was skeptical going into Mahashmashana, however it marks a return to form for the coveted singer-songwriter. Much like Pure Comedy in terms of song structure, the record features long-winded songs but trims the excess fat from the tracklist for a concise 50 minute release. The opening and title track shows this aptitude that Misty has in making these expansive songs. The pristine production highlights the string arrangements, pianos and fuzzy guitars allowing him to channel his inner Bob Dylan. The song tells a story about a man and woman serving as a metaphor between man and human existence. The metaphor itself means that man hopes to shed the burden of life at death but, as FJM notes in the third verse, there is nothing at the end of the tunnel. This and other tracks on the album give listeners a lot to chew on, a sign of a great Misty album. There are also some dips into uncharted territory genre wise from the singer/songwriter. She Cleans Up stands out as a bluesy garage rock revival song that has some fantastic saxophone and guitar throughout the track. BJ Burton, known for producing tracks for Charli XCX and Bon Iver, has some production on Screamland making the textures on the track sound like Low’s Double Negative, which he also produced. This in tandem with the expansive vocals from Father John MIsty makes it my personal favorite of the album. Mahashmashana is an absolute beast of an album with its meanings and will take a long time to digest, but it’s easy to tell that this is one of Misty’s finest efforts yet.
#11: Floating Points - Cascade
Following the serene and calming collaboration album with Pharoah Sanders, Floating Points returns to familiar electronic territory, exploring some of the most exciting and innovative tech house music in recent memory. Off the bat, Vocoder provides a murky yet hypnotic loop that fades perfectly into a vocal loop which proceeds to be one of my favorite beat drops of the year happening not once, but twice on the track. The Club Mix of the track switches gears, introducing some sweltering and off-kilter percussion that then loops right back into these same vocal loops showing the producer’s prowess in important tension and release with electronic beats. Other cuts like Ocotillo offer a different approach. The track builds gradually, starting with a jumbled, glitchy sound reminiscent of a loading screen. This eventually transforms into one of the most interesting soundscapes of the year with some tense synthetic maracas and a haunting sound effect making the listener feel as if they’ve gone straight into a jRPG dungeon boss fight. Another personal favorite is Tilt Shift, which is much in the realm of Burial with the urban instrumental. A breakbeat is layered on top and continues to build throughout the track, eventually sounding like walking through an electrical grid, with some lighter, bouncy percussion to lighten the track. This release from Floating Points scratches that irresistible itch that comes from a perfect beat drop and should be an essential listen for any electronic enthusiast.
#10: Iglooghost - Tidal Memory Exo
This album feels like a futuristic DJ set on a mysterious world, a description that is perfectly captured by both the cover art and the music within. What brings this vision to life are the experimental electronic ventures that UK producer Iglooghost takes on the album. While he typically ventures into UK Bass, which this album does cover, he also explores other elements like Deconstructed Club, Drill and even Industrial influences on the record. The latter is explored on lead single Coral Mimic, which has an electro bass that pulsates throughout the track. This bass gradually progresses into a whirlwind that feels like you’re hyperdrifting in this mysterious world, before slowing down, as if we’ve finally reached our destination after an intense ride. Other tracks like Pulse Angel venture into more of a party feel, with a dip into drill. Pulse Angel has the trademark bass progression that you’d hear on a Pop Smoke song, but has many electronic elements like the trademark Sophie hyperpop synths and electro-vocals to make it distinct. Iglooghost’s ability to transport you into this groovy rager of a world is really special and any electronic fan should take a gander at this one.
#9: Magdelena Bay - Imaginal Disk
Imaginal Disk is the 2nd full length LP from synthpop duo Magdelena Bay, and it marks a continued step forward in the sound that they’ve established in that realm. In particular, this shows a step forward for them because of the conceptual nature of the album, where they explore the topic of the ideal self. The narrative begins on the opening track with the singer meeting with her ideal self and then continues onto the next track where the narrator is waiting for her ideal life to begin. True Blue Interlude, playing like a late night TV ad, introduces a product of the new you (aka the ideal self) that promises to make the consumers a better person and leads into Image, where Mica actually starts to use the product advertised here. What helps drive this narrative are the apt soundscapes that are on each of the tracks with this narrative. In particular, True Blue Interlude sounds like the Wii Shop with the light piano and vaporwave instrumentals and vocals, helping establish the feeling of the late night TV ad. Other tracks that are not as connected to the narrative also show these instrumental chops from the group, in particular with Death and Romance. This song has a great dose of neo-psychedelia with the heavy guitars, wavy synths and mystical voice that add to the themes of star-crossed lovers. There are also some great vocal performances scattered throughout the record, notably on Watching TV where Mica’s vocals soar over the glitching instrumentals at the climax of the song, making it one of my personal favorites of the record. Magdalena Bay continue to establish themselves as one of the best pop groups in the indie scene today and I hope they continue this into their next record.
#8: Clairo - Charm
Clairo’s first evolution brought her from bedroom pop to folk and on her second evolution we see her naturally progress into the tranquil pop world on Charm. From the outset, opening track Nomad sets this tranquil tone early, with a Weyes Blood-esque vibe on the Wulitzer to start, which are soon joined with Clairo’s calming vocals, and then lastly layering in the soft acoustic guitar to complete the tone setting. Charm also marks a continuation of introspection from Clairo. Lead single Sexy to Someone shows this with an exploration on the yearning to be desirable, with thoughts that this could lead to a deeper sense of purpose. These lyrics are laid out in a catchy chorus, pronounced piano, and a light and airy flute that shines, resulting in a vulnerable but melodic piece. To add to this, Juna marks as a progression to a more happy Clairo, with lovestruck lyrics on being so comfortable with someone that there’s no pretending. The airy synthesizers here are the cherry on top that really evoke this lovestruck feeling. Ultimately Charm does quite well in living up to its name as another slow morning essential in Clairo’s catalog.
#7: Knocked Loose - You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To
Intense. That’s the first word that comes to mind with Knocked Loose’s latest record. And it’s to be expected from the Louisville-based band with the metalcore label, but the intensity shown on this record is not run of the mill for the genre. To start, the drumming on this record is absolutely top tier. Fifteen seconds into the record listeners are absolutely barraged with these relentless drums on Thirst that are complimented with equally intense vocals and guitars. And to continue with praise of instrumentation, the guitar-work on this record is immaculate as well. These draw from a sludgy influence that you’d hear on something like a Kyuss or Acid Bath record that is turned up to 120% for maximum blood pumping. I would be remiss to not mention the most prominent feature of the record, the visceral and unrelenting vocals from lead singer Bryan Gartis. There’s no better track that shows off these vocals than Suffocate. The opening line, a simple yet effective “Suffocate”, drags the listener from the safety of earth straight to hell. Not to mention Poppy who matches the ferocity from the band on the track, making for the most cathartic moment of the year. This record from Knocked Loose is an unexpectedly desirable trip to hell that should act as a catalyst to anyone getting into the metalcore scene.
#6: Allie X - Girl With No Face
Allie X’s latest record is a futuristic yet retro take on synthpop. This journey kicks off with Weird World, which leans into the retro side with its synths, percussion and New Order guitars that help establish the record’s retro vibe. The retroness is also evident on Hardware Software, which feels like a modern day shot at a Kraftwerk song. The track’s exploration of modern day tech is a nice complement to its retro-futuristic sound that reinforces the album's aesthetic. There is also a lot of bravado that is showcased throughout the album. The title track is the trademark example of this with its playful yet sinister tone that matches the cheeky lyrics about her persona. This is played up with the boastful guitars on the track, helping show Allie’s personality on the record. There are also some incredible vocal performances on the album. In particular, on Off With Her Tits, Allie’s voice soars over the synth-driven climax, marking one of the best moments of the album. Her voice is also used versitaly on the record on Galina, where her layered vocals switch octaves within the same verse, utilizing her voice as both a lyrical driven and instrument on its own. Where I think that Allie shines the most is on the lead single Black Eye. This encapsulates the signature futuristic retro vibe with a catchy chorus that contains relevant lyrics on Allie subjecting herself to pain for the sake of her career. All of this builds to a vocal conclusion where she again showcases her sprawling voice, making it perhaps the best moment of her decade-long career. This album doesn’t necessarily push any new boundaries in pop, but is executed so well to create some of the catchiest hits of the year.
#5: Chelsea Wolfe - She Reaches Out to She Reaches Out to She
Chelsea Wolfe’s latest release plunges you into the cold, dark world that she has crafted through its atmospheric soundscapes. The album thrives on the consistent world building effort throughout the project that draws you into its haunting tone provided on each track. This starts on the opening track, which sets the stage with its reversed percussion, looming guitars, and ethereal vocals that help establish the tone for the album. House of Self-Undoing follows, initially sounding like a moody Muse song with its triumphant Knights of Cyodnia-esque guitars, but then has the darkness oozing in with its eerie synthesizer and percussion kicking in. Tunnel Lights offers a rare glimpse outside the dark. With its glitchy waves that evoke a feeling of moving slightly towards the light while being weighed down, it complements the lyrics about guiding yourself out of darkness. There are also some interesting techniques here to make it more eerie, in particular with Eyes Like Nightshade. Here Wolfe has sleigh bells established as the main percussion element, which would typically be jolly, but placed over the cold beating bass makes it feel like you’re stranded in the wilderness during winter instead. Where I think Wolfe peaks in terms of this atmosphere is on the closing track Dusk. Distorted, Siren-like vocal effects lead into gloomy instrumentals as lyrics explore a narrative of love, with Wolfe indicating that she’d run through a fire for them. The song builds to a powerful crescendo with a clash of reverb of percussion and guitars that help emphasize this theme, closing the record on a cathartic note. It’s a cold and dark album, but there’s not denying that the atmosphere sucks you in until you’re done listening to it.
#4: JPEGMAFIA - I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU
The sixth studio album from JPEGMAFIA is another notch in the belt for the legendary underground rapper, with an album that is as well produced as others in his discography but with a twinge of metal influence throughout. This metal influence is shown to begin the album with these heavy metal riffs mixed with some of the Peggy production that we love to hear. The influence continues onto other tracks like vulgar displays of power and JIHAD JOE, where JPEG puts on his best guttural metal voice to complement these metal instrumentals. Aside from this influence to distinguish this album from others in the discography, Peggy continues to pull some of the most off the wall samples to create some of the best moments of production of the year. The hilarious Big Booty Hoes sample on Sin Miedo is a trademark sample that continues into a classic Peggy instrumental that seamlessly weaves the heavy metal instrumentals into the track, a nice show of the old and new styles from him. Another standout is with it’s dark and hell is hot that features some samples of Brazilian Funk music, which combined with the vocal delivery from JPEGMAFIA makes for one of the most uniquely captivating songs of the year. And lastly, it wouldn’t be a JPEG record without some hilarious bars along the way. My personal favorite is the opening line to the album, “I’m like Dillon Brooks but worse”, highlighting not just the obvious difference in bball skill, but also worse in terms of irritation that he’s known to cause across the internet as a result of being terminally online. With this album Peggy is continuing to build his case as one of, if not the best artist in hip-hop at the moment, especially locking it up in the production department with this record.
#3: death’s dynamic shroud.wmv and galen tipton - You Like Music
You Like Music is a collab album from death’s dynamic shroud and galen tipton as a part of NUWRLD Mixtape Club, a monthly subscription series that has been running since November 2020. Despite being part of a one month production cycle, this album is fully fleshed out, transporting you into a synthetic, eclectic, and chaotic world. The way that this is achieved is with addicting melodies that are interspersed with chaotic plunderphonic samples. No song shows this better than the title track, which has a fast-paced, airy melody that layers in various high BPM vocal samples that’ll heighten your blood pressure. The album also offers off-kilter hooks in Herobrine Shell 2049 with its abrupt beat that sounds like someone trying to beat down a door. This beat lays the groundwork for a glitching vocal sample incorporated halfway through that changes to another glitching vocal sample every fifteen seconds, as if two entities are trying to communicate through this song. It also just amazes me what kind of sounds are created on this album. Generate Utopia showcases this, sounding like someone or something is having an absolute breakdown despite it just being a quick vocal sample that’s repeated over itself at very quick tempo. After a lot of time in this chaotic world, the closing track Full Body 2 flip is a proper sendoff to the album. With its grand reversed sample, it feels like riding off into the sunset after a long journey, which is appropriate for this LP. This truly is unlike anything else that I’ve listened to this year and should be at the top of any electronic enthusiasts list to check out.
#2: Porter Robinson - SMILE! :D
With the release of Nurture, Porter Robinson showed that he could expand his sound from the catchy EDM that Sad Machine represented into other adjacent genres like electropop with some folk influences mixed in. SMILE :D marks another evolution of his sound with a venture into indietronica, very reminiscent of Jane Remover’s earlier works at points, with a focal point of emotional resonance tying all of the tracks together. This resonance is shown well on Russian Roulette where Porter shares his thoughts on depression with lyrics like “Maybe this time I won’t be alright” to show where Porter’s headspace is at. This then has a turning point on the third verse where he goes through various aspects of life that he wants to experience, reflecting a positive change towards hope for Porter. The venture into the singer-songwriter Easier to Love You continues to show these emotions, where he revisits letters from his past self. Lines like “Please be disappointed in me” are heartbreaking, but the overarching theme of self-love on the track offers some sense of hope. Porter also tackles the complexity of fame on the album, in particular on the opening track. Here he notes how absurd it is to be famous, with people online willing to continuously fight for and against you, even if you only intend to make music and not have any other influence. Despite this, Porter pushes forward as the positives for his fans outweigh the vocal minorities that occupy these spaces. The album’s ethereal quality is another highlight, especially on Cheerleader where Porter’s voice and ecstasy emulating synths create an otherworldly experience that showcase the production quality of the album. Porter’s continued upward trajectory and evolution with this album is exciting to see and I’ll be looking forward to whatever the next evolution may look like.
#1: Charli XCX - brat
brat is a culmination of the direction of pop that Charli XCX has fine tuned for years, resulting in one of the boldest, catchiest, and without a doubt largest release that she’s had yet. This album combines the experimental edge of the likes of Pop 2 and how i’m feeling now, while also adding the commercial edge learned on Crash to create this peak in commercial and critical appeal. What stands out as a “critic” at first are the many risks that are taken throughout the album, in particular with the venture into the club sound. Club classics epitomizes this sound, with its ethereal backing instrumentals to begin the track that transitions to a wonky instrumental on the verse and bridge to bring the club vibe. The closer 365 is my personal favorite in the production department with a throwback to the opening track that evolves to its alien-like synth beat breakdown to finish off the record. Everything is romantic is perhaps the technically best produced on the album, featuring what I hear as five different beat switches. The best of the bunch to my ear is the first, which is a subtle yet moving string arrangement that switches to a vibrant battery of synths, the foil of these adding to the romantic vibe of the track. There are still some fairly straightforward pop tracks on the tracklist like Talk talk and Apple that are still impactful because of the vibes and catchiness that the tracks provide. In particular, the line “Talk to me in your own made up language” on Talk talk is a spot on hit of the enamored feeling. Charli is also able to get into her feels on the record, helping balance out the club vibe that is persistent on the record with Sympathy is a knife and I might say something stupid being the best examples of this. The latter dives into Charli’s insecurities on her status in the pop sphere, indicating that she doesn’t feel like she belongs at the level she’s at, a surprising contrast to the album’s overarching bravado. brat is an accomplishment like no other in Charli’s discography. It should be a blueprint mentality wise for what pop artists should strive for in their work, pushing boundaries while creating some of the catchiest songs imaginable.