Mid-year lists are a tricky thing. It’s perhaps too soon for some albums to have lost their initial charm, while others have yet to fully reveal what makes them special. By the end of the year, you have a better grip on what will last and what was fleeting. But I’m not paying myself this zero-dollars-a-year salary plus benefits to wait until winter to make these decisions, babe. I forced myself to determine what I thought was kind of cool a few months ago, what I dig that’s still growing on me, and what’s dope and will continue to be dope. This list is that last category.
As with my 2017 list, there is no set number of projects. There is no specific criteria on the type of release. Albums, compilations, EPs, mixtapes: it’s all fair game. Due to the open nature of the list, rankings are out the window. Check the list, tell me what slaps, or send me hate mail. Let’s get started.
MGMT – Little Dark Age
Released February 9
After accomplishing an uncomfortable level of fame following their 2007 debut Oracular Spectacular, MGMT amped up the weirdness on follow-ups Congratulations and MGMT in a move that alienated more and more fans each go-round. That’s not to say that the former doesn’t stand among their best work, but for the first time in a decade, Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser sound comfortable merging their brand of oddity with poppiness. Few bands can firmly plant feet on both sides of that line to such success, and we’re lucky to have to them back.
Selected cuts: “When You Die,” “Me and Michael,” “Hand It Over”
Ravyn Lenae – Crush EP
Released February 9
Crush partners Ravyn Lenae with The Internet’s Steve Lacy, and if you read my Best of 2017 list, you already know what a fan I am. Lacy handles the production on all five tracks and contributes vocals throughout. Straight from the jump on opener “Sticky,” Lenae’s unique ear for melody puts you on notice. Her range and ability to pivot her direction at any moment is perfectly complemented by Lacy’s slinky, smooth guitar work. These dynamics dance around each other, sliding from one ear to the other effortlessly. As her songwriting improves and her sonic palette expands with each release, plus a long list of Chicago peers ready to collaborate, our eyes should be peeled for a full length album.
Selected cuts: “Sticky,” “Closer (Ode 2 U),” “The Night Song”
tobi lou – tobi lou and the …
Released February 9 / April 27
Tobi Lou is a grown ass kid in the best way possible. His visuals show a deep love for cartoons and hip-hop, so it’s no wonder his music works for me. Standout track “Buff Baby” finds a way to incorporate an Adventure Time song into its hook. It’s goofy but still works as a flex even though it probably shouldn’t. That’s largely his appeal; this series of EPs bring a lighthearted, childlike optimism reminiscent of Chance the Rapper’s earlier work. The two differ drastically both lyrically and in beat selection, but that energy is similar. With radio-ready hooks and dreamy, animated production, he’s already won over the likes of No I.D. The hip-hop legend will executive produce Tobi’s debut album, Cult Classic. Let the story begin.
Selected cuts: “Solange (feat. Facer),” “Buff Baby,” “Darlin’”
Various Artists – Black Panther Soundtrack
Released February 9
Full disclosure: I haven’t seen Black Panther or any Marvel movie since 2014. I could lie and talk about how well this represents the film, but I’m clueless and don’t need your judgment. All I can say is, this is a fantastic compilation. It’s been obvious since 2010 that Kendrick knows how to put together an album, but this album adds a different element. His fingerprints are on every song, but few are actually his. Kenny’s ability to curate is what’s on display. It goes from Jorja Smith’s soulful, powerful “I Am” to SOB X RBE’s posse cut “Paramedic!” without clashing. The soundtrack is incredibly diverse but everything flows. I’m also prepared to adamantly defend Future’s “King’s Dead” verse.
Selected cuts: “The Ways (feat. Khalid & Swae Lee),” “Bloody Waters (feat. Ab-Soul, Anderson .Paak & James Blake),” “King’s Dead (feat. Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, Future & James Blake)”
Phonte – No News Is Good News
Released March 2
Hip-hop has a growing subgenre: dad rap. Rap is still comparably young and been a young man’s game, but in recent years, we’ve seen legends and veterans maintain their audience and mature in content. Jay-Z dropped 4:44, rooted in marital issues and fatherhood, to critical acclaim. Phonte’s No News Is Good News tackles the issues of being middle-aged from more of an everyman perspective. He’s coping with becoming his father, health concerns, infidelity, and growing past the insecurities of his 20s. When I hear middle-aged rappers hyping parties and girls, it can feel forced. Phonte provides a realistic view of the next chapter of his life while remaining as lyrically sharp as he was in Little Brother’s heyday.
Selected cuts: “So Help Me God,” “Expensive Genes,” “Change of Mind (feat. Freddie Gibbs)”
Bishop Nehru – Elevators: Act I & II
Released March 18
Bishop Nehru was born to rap. The young emcee had collaborated with DJ Premier, MF DOOM, and Madlib, opened for the Wu-Tang Clan, and signed with (and left) Nas’ Mass Appeal Records all before the age of 18. His technical ability has always been there, but Elevators: Act I & II is the first time he wowed me. His charisma is finally catching up with talent. This new album is the closest glimpse to a fully formed Nehru we’ve seen. Elevators is a non-stop barrage of classic New York delivery and bars for 32 minutes. While the production follows boom-bap’s outlines, it never sounds like a rehash or dated. Nehru pushes into sunnier, funkier territory courtesy of the two producers responsible for each act: MF DOOM and KAYTRANADA. Nehru said he intends to keep pushing rap’s musicality forward, and if Elevators is any indication, he’s in for more ups than downs.
Selected cuts: “Get Away,” “Again & Again,” “Rollercoasting”
Saba – Care for Me
Released April 5
There’s a lot to unpack across Care for Me’s 42 minutes. The Chicago MC addresses the depression, anger and general toxicity that can infiltrate ours lives in the grieving process, while confronting bittersweet memories and trying to find peace. Despite the weight of the material and only brief moments of relief, Saba crafted a project that plays astonishingly easily. His lyrical prowess, refreshing flows, and jazzy, neutral-colored spin on Chicago’s sun-soaked production teeter a perfect balance between relaxing and cathartic. For an in-depth look at why it’s still the best rap album this year, check out my review here.
Selected cuts: “Life,” “Smile,” “Prom / King”
Hinds – I Don’t Run
Released April 6
If you’re getting some Strokes vibes from this one, it’s for a good reason: Is This It and Room on Fire producer Gordon Raphael is at the helm of the Spanish quartet’s sophomore album. Although the bulk of the album is rooted in relationship issues, it makes for the perfect windows down, summertime listen. This album sounds like it was a blast to make even if their hearts were heavy. The drums hit hard and the melodic, fuzzed out guitars are an appropriate nod to the sounds of yesteryear without leaning too hard into nostalgia. On the vocal front, Carlotta Cosials and Ana Garcia Perrote finish each other’s thoughts with ease. They shine the most though when fused together like a garage rock Gotenks.
Selected cuts: “Soberland,” “Linda,” “Testing”
Kali Uchis – Isolation
Released April 6
This is a tough one to pin down. Kali Uchis takes influences from a myriad of genres including funk, bossa nova, reggae, and alternative and successfully refracts them through a pop lens. Guest appearances and producers range just as much. Steve Lacy to Kevin Parker, Gorillaz to Bootsy Collins, Greg Kurstin to Thundercat, etc., etc. Isolation’s title does it justice; while the album falls into the category of pop, no other pop album even flirts with this lane. This is a rare project that has no signifiers of its release date. It sounds as retro as it does modern. You could tell me it dropped a decade ago or last week and either would make sense. Uchis might not be tearing up the charts yet, but if her output remains this consistent, that won’t last.
Selected cuts: “Just a Stranger (feat. Steve Lacy),” “Coming Home (Interlude),” “After the Storm (feat. Tyler, the Creator & Bootsy Collins)”
Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Sex & Food
Released April 6
Across three albums, UMO’s sound has gradually evolved from the lofi, psychedelic crunch of their self-titled debut to Multi-Love’s dystopian nightclub. Frontman Ruban Nielson’s melodies have gotten sharper with each release, so it wouldn’t have been a surprise for Sex & Food to keep pushing further into catchier territory. Instead, the album lyrically succumbs to the pressure and paranoia of life in 2018 and sonically finds a home between their older psych rock influences and retro synthesizers. It sounds vintage and futuristic at once, albeit an undesirable future, somewhere between 1984 and Mad Max.
Sex & Food might never hit as high of peaks as II or Multi-Love, but without listening with comparisons in mind, these are sharp tunes with a ton of range. Even just the three song run of “Hunnybee,” “Chronos Feasts on His Children” and “American Guilt” guides the listener through reflective disco, apocalyptic acoustic singalongs, their most scorching hard rock song to date, and an ambient interlude. In theory that much ambition could leave an album directionless, but these detours all feel like scenic routes to the same destination.
Selected cuts: “Major League Chemicals,” “Hunnybee,” “Everyone Acts Crazy Nowadays”
Beach House – 7
Released May 11
You generally know what you’re getting with a Beach House album. While there’s a familiarity with every project, they have yet to be boring; the Baltimore duo has mastered the art of tweaking the formula just enough to keep things fresh. 7 welcomes us back to their muted haze that pushes and pulls you between melancholy and tranquility. It’s that simultaneous relaxed and disoriented feeling after a midday nap.
7 doesn’t reinvent Beach House, but certain aspects feel like a transition to something new. The hypnotic “Lemon Glow” manages to sound haunting and feel cool as hell at once. The hardest guitar of their discography on “Dive” is immediately memorable and the drums in general command more attention. Their changes are never a sharp turn but a casual wander, and this album has me excited about where they’ll float next.
Selected cuts: “Lemon Glow,” “Dive,” “Lose Your Smile”
Courtney Barnett – Tell Me How You Really Feel
Released May 18
Upon the release of her full length debut Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, Courtney Barnett immediately became one of the most exciting new voices in rock. It remains just as fresh today, filled to the brim with grungy rockers, pop sensibilities, and quirky quotables and anecdotes. The two former traits remain in tact on her sophomore album, but her eccentricities are dialed back in favor of brutal honesty.
Tell Me How You Really Feel is true to its title. It feels like Barnett’s diary. While in the past she might have witty wordplay to allude to an issue, she’s on full display here as she talks through her sadness and self-esteem issues. Her confidence might be shaky, but a genuine attempt at optimism throughout makes this a sunny listen for the cloudiest of days.
Selected cuts: “Hopefulessness,” “Nameless, Faceless,” “Help Your Self”
Pusha-T – DAYTONA
Released May 25
I might be reading Kanye interviews nervously peeking through my fingers and Push’s Drake drama might be squashed, but one thing remains: DAYTONA forces stank-faced head-bobbing. While the height of Pusha’s critical acclaim came during his legendary run as Clipse with older brother (No) Malice, his delivery has only gotten more razor sharp with age. Push taking shots at foes and describing how he flips bricks makes listeners feel like an extravagant supervillain, or at the very least the anti-hero. He’s got the snarl of Cobra Commander and the luxury of Ric Flair, if the Nature Boy’s jet-flyin’ entailed transporting a kilo in the luggage compartment. Kanye also makes his long-awaited return to production, and with Ye back chopping, it reaffirms few producers know their way around a sample quite like him.
Selected cuts: “If You Know You Know,” “Come Back Baby,” “Santeria”
Tierra Whack – Whack World
Released May 30
Tierra Whack is onto something, even if it’s hard to pin down what exactly that is. Whack’s debut album is 15 tracks long, clocking in at… 15 minutes. On paper, it’d be safe to expect a half-assed compilation of demos strung together, but Whack doesn’t waste a second of these minute-long songs. She jam-packs each track with a fully fleshed out introduction to her personality and why you should be interested. In Whack’s world, comedy resides next to heartbreak without missing a beat.
As rewarding as Whack World is, it’s even more frustrating. By the time you get invested, she’s onto the next one. It’s a good problem to have, I suppose, leaving listeners wanting more. When you factor in the bizarre, beautiful video album, which I absolutely recommend for your first listen, it makes even more sense that this is an introduction. The track lengths coupled with stunning visuals make each song a potential viral tweet or Instagram post. Whatever the intention was, it worked. Now I impatiently wait.
Selected cuts: “Bugs Life,” “Hungry Hippo,” “Pet Cemetery”
Father John Misty – God’s Favorite Customer
Released June 1
Part of Josh Tillman’s appeal under the name Father John Misty has always been his grandiose, tongue-in-cheek persona. He indulges in borderline pompous lyricism and musical flourishes that should have induced eye-rolling, but inexplicably worked up until Pure Comedy. His humor was absent and replaced with a self-seriousness that begins to wear on you after 74 minutes of doom and gloom.
God’s Favorite Customer continues to strip back elements of Tillman’s persona but is done so with an emotional honesty that makes it much more endearing than its predecessor. The album was written during a mental breakdown in which he lived in a hotel for two months. These heavy moments are central to the album but not without his usual wit; his wife’s heartfelt concerns on “Please Don’t Die” are balanced by the dark comedy of hotel concierge advice on “Mr. Tillman.” Even if you found his gimmick obnoxious in the past, the songs here are undeniable. God’s Favorite Customer makes a case for being his best work yet.
Selected cuts: “Hangout at the Gallows,” “Please Don’t Die,” “Disappointing Diamonds Are the Rarest of Them All”
Neko Case – Hell-On
Released June 1
You’d think with being such a diehard New Pornographers fan I would have taken the plunge on Neko Case’s solo discography long ago. She might be one of four singers in the Pornos, but she’s easily the most recognizable solo name. On Hell-On, she displays lyricism and vocal control that can make intimate moments feel larger than life and sprawling moments feel like a one-on-one conversation. She’s had her fair share of tribulations in recent years that makes for some incredibly inspired songwriting. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have 21 years of solo material to catch up on.
Selected cuts: “Hell-On,” “Last Lion of Albion,” “Curse of the I-5 Corridor”
Kids See Ghosts – Kids See Ghosts
Released June 8
Kids See Ghosts is as weird as you expect it to be. It’s technically a Kid Cudi / Kanye West collaborative album, but it feels more like a Cudi album featuring Ye. That’s not a knock against Kanye; Cudi just feels like the primary focus. Both artists continuously push genre boundaries to varying success. While Cudi’s output has been more miss than hit, his exploratory nature is perfectly paired with Ye’s ability to take the abstract and make it accessible. This chemistry results in one of the strongest projects either has created in years. It’s a proper balance of shit-talking and mental health honesty. It’s celebratory one moment and sobering the next. If Scott Mescudi is reborn, keep your eyes peeled for where his new lease on life takes him next.
Selected cuts: “4th Dimension,” “Reborn,” “Kids See Ghosts (feat. Mos Def)”
Snail Mail – Lush
Released June 8
Lindsey Jordan’s Snail Mail is off to an incredible start. Although she’s only 19, Lush feels like an homage to 90s indie rock. Its melancholic guitar and her shaky yet confident voice command attention. While the album is inspired by adolescent angst, it succeeds because Jordan’s ability to tap into a universal uncertainty. As far removed from teenage melodrama as you might be, there’s something tangible in her writing. Factoring in that she can absolutely jam out doesn’t hurt either. Melodies are fully formed and she has a natural grasp on how to let a song flow. I have a feeling she’s only getting better from here.
Selected cuts: “Pristine,” “Heat Wave,” “Deep Sea”
Jay Rock – Redemption
Released June 15
Jay Rock’s “WIN” sounds like a victory lap, but it feels more like a reminder to himself. Rock was Top Dawg Entertainment’s initial star, but numerous career setbacks stopped him from making the splash he seemed poised to make. Years of major label red tape before and after debut Follow Me Home and a motorcycle accident after comeback album 90059 halted any progress made. The aptly titled Redemption showcases a hungry veteran ready to receive his due.
The album furthers TDE’s brand of trap production found across Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN. and the Black Panther soundtrack, which makes sense with Lamar serving as an executive producer. Nothing on the album is bad, but after a few attempts at radio bangers, it loses steam towards the end of the first half before the J.Cole-assisted “OSOM” sets a fire for the back half. Despite a few moments of filler, Jay Rock consistently spits like he has something to prove. Fingers crossed he can finally capitalize.
Selected cuts: “The Bloodiest,” “For What It’s Worth,” “OSOM (feat. J.Cole)”
Gorillaz – The Now Now
Released June 29
The Now Now inches closer to a proper Gorillaz return. Don’t get me wrong, 2017’s Humanz had some fantastic tracks that are still in rotation, but it felt a little bloated and unfocused. It clocked in at 20 tracks (26 including bonus tracks) and had features on all but one song. It felt less like a Gorillaz album and more like a Damon Albarn-curated CD-R mix he couldn’t wait to show you in the whip, showcasing his favorite artists on every second of that 74 minute limit. There’s moments of classic material, but it’s exhausting. Even though The Now Now is only seven minutes shorter than Humanz’ proper tracklist, it flies by and begs to be restarted.
This is Gorillaz least hip-hop album yet with a single rapped verse coming from Snoop Dogg. Albarn instead focuses on an immersive, electronic funk not unlike Humanz highlights “Strobelight” and “Andromeda.” Its mixing and mastering will be the unsung heroes. There’s so much happening on each track but everything finds its pocket. Each synth works together to envelop you, but before you can get too lost in them, the drums slap hard enough to keep you moving. The album could be faulted for not experimenting as much as previous records, but with songs this fun, it’s hard to complain. Also a Powerpuff Girls villain joined the virtual band. This is canon. I couldn’t NOT mention this.
Selected cuts: “Humility (feat. George Benson),” “Sorcererz,” “Souk Eye”