Four months into quarantine and the internet finally got what it’s been craving: the opinions of some white dude in his 20’s. Existing favorites, word of mouth, critical acclaim, and blessings from the holy algorithm made for quite the daunting “need to listen” playlist, but that’s what evening commutes from your couch to your kitchen are for. Labels are scrambling over disrupted album cycles and artists are being forced to explore new means to stay afloat, but you wouldn’t guess it by the quantity of quality releases.
As with previous roundups, the goal is to highlight projects worth those third, fourth, and fifth spins; projects that will outlive the season and make your playlists for years to come. Let’s begin.
Theophilus London — Bebey
Released January 17
Roughly a decade ago, Theophilus London felt one mixtape away from joining the era’s tradition of transitioning from rap blog favorite to crossover hitmaker. Despite major cosigns and collabs from the likes of Kanye West and Blood Orange/Dev Hynes, the quality of his music rarely matched the art-rap sensibilities on which he set his sights. His latest might overstay its welcome with a few unnecessary remixes, but the appeal is undeniable. Bebey is where his vision and aesthetic come to fruition, merging elements of dance, trap, and Trinidadian music for something all his own.
Selected cuts: “Leon (feat. Kristian Hamilton),” “Only You (feat. Tame Impala),” “Cuba”
Andy Shauf — The Neon Skyline
Released January 24
The concept album doesn’t always have to be this loaded, mind blowing undertaking. Andy Shauf manages to meet the criteria under the simplest of circumstances: a night at the bar with your drinking buddies. The album sonically fits the mellow, playful environment, while Shauf’s lyrics balance casual conversation and a wandering mind. The attention to detail and charm of a Paul Simon are channeled as characters recount their day, make inside jokes, notice that ex across the bar, and stop to analyze the moment. Profoundness is found in the uneventful.
Selected cuts: “Neon Skyline,” “Where Are You Judy,” “Living Room”
Brian Brown — Journey
Released January 31
Brian Brown’s Journey certainly lives up to the title. Local fans following the Nashville emcee sat through five years of “journey” tweets before he was ready to drop his debut, but it feels like his pilgrimage is just beginning. While the album won’t make him a household name, Journey feels like the precursor to something greater — reminiscent of a TDE project just before their legendary 2011-2012 album cycle. It shows a songwriter with the hunger for that next level and the wisdom to get there.
Selected cuts: “Stay (feat. Lul Lion),” “ Runnin’ (feat. Reaux Marquez),” “Peace”
Loving — If I Am Only My Thoughts
Released January 31
If I Am Only My Thoughts, in both title and mood, is the alarm to your morning meditation reminder. Like that meditation, this folk trio’s goal isn’t to make any grand gestures to spark something profound. It’s about painfully simple questions and finding solace in stillness. These songs feel well crafted yet partially like they could have been recorded the day they were written. Rather than sounding half-baked, it plays like the noble pursuit of an idea in its simplest form.
Selected cuts: “Visions,” “If I Am Only My Thoughts,” “Nihilist Kite Flyer”
Tame Impala — The Slow Rush
Released February 14
Inspired by the same 80s pop that birthed 2015’s Currents, Tame Impala mastermind Kevin Parker takes its influence in a slightly different direction. While Currents was a borderline disco record, The Slow Rush feels a bit more like a progressive rock album. Parker still employs his maximalist approach, jamming every idea he can into a four minute track, but fortunately the good ideas outweigh the bad. This is the first time a Tame Impala record isn’t arguably his best, but it provides further evidence that no one has an ear for production quite like Kevin Parker.
Selected cuts: “Borderline,” “Posthumous Forgiveness,” “Breathe Deeper”
Moses Sumney — grae
Released February 21 & May 15
Moses Sumney has no interest in the easily-defined. “Dissatisfaction seems like the natural byproduct of identification” states the aptly-titled “boxes.” From the media’s presumptions on his gender and sexuality to the genre/subgenre titles we gravitate toward, Sumney seeks to explore the grey areas between titles. It’s tempting to describe his sound as a mixture of folk, R&B, and art rock, but titles and descriptors only serve the observer. grae’s post-genre canvas is a self-portrait that highlights the limiting nature of a title; identity can only come from within.
Selected cuts: “Cut Me,” “Virile,” “Bless Me”
Ratboys — Printer’s Devil
Released February 28
Printer’s Devil would have been inescapable in the mid-90s. Its soaring guitars, moody mid-tempo ballads, and effortlessly catchy songwriting tap into the best of that era with a unique confidence in identity. It’s not trying to be anything; it just is, and it’s a damn good time. From personal recollections to Wikipedia-influenced anecdotes, frontwoman Julia Steiner and company have crafted 10 back-to-back hits loaded with personality.
Selected cuts: “Alien With a Sleep Mask On,” “My Hands Grow,” “I Go Out at Night”
Real Estate — The Main Thing
Released February 28
There’s an inaccurate narrative across most Real Estate reviews that the band is up to their usual tricks. Classic soft rock and jangle pop are always the foundation, but their lo-fi, surfer rock debut vs. the mellow psychedelia of The Main Thing is night and day. Don’t get me wrong: a sharp left turn in their discography doesn’t exist. Rather, each album serves as a bridge for what comes next, taking the strengths of its predecessor into slightly new territory. Their latest offering is reminiscent of 2017’s In Mind, as it will ultimately serve as a nudge in the direction for what comes next.
Selected cuts: “Friday,” “Paper Cup (feat. Sylvan Esso),” “You”
Soccer Mommy — color theory
Released February 28
Brutal, uncomfortable honesty has always been the core of Soccer Mommy’s ethos. While 2018’s Clean channeled young love and the insecurity of adolescence, color theory broaches mental health and a fear of mortality with a profound poignancy on full display. While the subject matter weighs heavy, Soccer Mommy’s Sophie Allison fondness of 90s alt rock and 00s pop balances somberness with morbid sunny day singalongs. If you’ve ever wanted Elliot Smith lyrics in a Sheryl Crow song, you might have one here.
Selected cuts: “bloodstream,” “circle the drain,” “lucy”
TOKiMONSTA — Oasis Nocturno
Released March 20
Much like KAYTRANADA on the previous Haught Takes, TOKiMONSTA has a knack for constructing the perfect gateway to bring her collaborators into her world. That’s not to say her solo offerings on this record aren’t noteworthy; her house-influenced hip-hop production is the lifeblood that keeps the recording going. These collaborations ultimately serve as a challenge. Rather than simply securing a feature, we hear her idea of what an EARTHGANG or VanJess song should be, and it’s hard to argue with her instincts.
Selected cuts: “Get Me Some (feat. Drew Love & Dumbfoundead),” “Fried for the Night (feat. EARTHGANG),” “Come and Go (feat. VanJess)”
Childish Gambino — 3.15.20
Released March 22
Analyzing the trajectory of Childish Gambino / Donald Glover could be an article all its own. 3.15.20 feels like the culmination of the past seven years, blending Because the Internet’s glitchy, synthetic sounds with Awaken, My Love!’s afrocentric, psychedelic funk. Deceptively carefree melodies boil over into a defiant optimism; as things get worse, Glover grows more intent to maintain his joy. The album tackles the uncertainty of just about every aspect of the world around us, but in the face of such weighty issues, the underlying theme is an admirable one: self-love.
Selected cuts: “12.38 (feat. 21 Savage & Kadhja Bonet),” “42.26 (Feels Like Summer),” “47.48”
keiyaA — Forever, Ya Girl
Released March 27
In what can at times feel like a project of incomplete demos, keiyaA has effortlessly crafted one of the most refreshing R&B albums in recent memory. Her candid lyrics and primarily self-produced backdrop play like a diary entry, letting raw emotion guide her stream of conscious delivery. It’s stripped down, intimate synthesizers exist in a space and time of their own, allowing her to evoke 90s throwback slow jams, modern lo-fi hip-hop, and a poetry reading in 2075 in the very same breath. I guess the proper term is ‘timeless.’
Selected cuts: “Rectifiya,” “I! Gits! Weary!,” “Nu World Burdens”
Knxwledge — 1988
Released March 27
Few people know their way around a sample quite like Knxwledge. His source material is contorted in a way that’s simultaneously nostalgic and foreign; warm and inviting, but there’s a hazy disconnect. It’s that dream in your childhood home where there’s an unspoken knowing that it’s not really your childhood home. Clearly a student of the J. Dilla’s before him, his highly trained ear constructs new worlds around the simplest of moments.
Selected cuts: “do you,” “listen,” “itkanbe[sonice] (feat. Anderson .Paak)”
Little Dragon — New Me, Same Us
Released March 27
Previous album highlights always sent me into a Little Dragon album with expectations that wouldn’t quite be met. Thirteen years removed from their debut album, the band has crafted arguably their most well-rounded album yet. Mid-tempo tracks and ballads often served as plodding interruptions to their sugary synth-pop, but on their latest, they’re just as essential as the dance cuts that reel you in. Their natural upbeat groove and alternative R&B aspirations have finally merged for one hell of a pop album.
Selected cuts: “Hold On,” “Rush,” “Water”
Orion Sun — Hold Space for Me
Released March 27
Orion Sun’s proper debut plays like a half hour of deep breaths. Whether chasing composure or genuinely soaking in the tranquility of a moment, it’s the sound of someone creating their own peace. Her simple production, much like the title, intentionally maintains space as her strong but uncertain voice gathers itself. Through heartbreak, death, and homelessness, the simple proclamation of “I feel so damn good” on “Ne Me Quitte Pas” feels like a serene victory lap.
Selected cuts: “Lightning,” “Ne Me Quitte Pas (Don’t Leave Me),” “El Camino”
Waxahatchee — Saint Cloud
Released March 27
On her most country-leaning folk album yet, Waxahatchee has captured the sound of learning to love yourself. Her stories recount a journey past substance abuse and codependency with a certain level of romanticism. There’s anger, frustration, and solemn introspection, but it’s rooted in an understanding that there’s strength in acknowledging imperfections. It’s the comforting apprehension of a sunset on your Sunday Scaries, finding beauty in the uncertainty.
Selected cuts: “Can’t Do Much,” “Lilacs,” “Ruby Falls”
Peel Dream Magazine — Agitprop Alterna
Released April 3
If you’re going to wear your influences on your sleeve, you better do it well. Peel Dream Magazine is the sort of band you would mistakenly discover on LimeWire when a song like “Pill” would understandably be misattributed to My Bloody Valentine. The band’s second album follows MBV’s shoegaze template of a hypnotic blend of soft vocals submerged beneath crunchy guitars. Fortunately, we only tend to claim theft when the results are poor, and I’ll be damned if you’re not humming this record the rest of the day.
Selected cuts: “Pill,” “NYC Illuminati,” “Up and Up”
Yves Tumor — Heaven to a Tortured Mind
Released April 3
Heaven to a Tortured Mind thrives on controlled chaos. While Tumor jumps from Prince-influenced, hyper-sexual psychedelic R&B to visceral explosions of electronic noise, it’s not the scattered sound of an artist attempting to be everything. They never stay in one place too long, but Tumor finds the essence of a moment without having to dwell. Everything serves a purpose, as if they’re intent on fully constructing a moment for every romantic feeling, no matter how fleeting.
Selected cuts: “Gospel for a New Century,” “Kerosene!,” “Strawberry Privilege”
Fiona Apple — Fetch the Bolt Cutters
Released April 17
In the pursuit of the undefinable, Fiona Apple’s latest offering hitches its identity to absolute freedom. It finds autonomy from the patriarchy, traditional pop sensibilities, and her own expectations. Through unconventional song structures, unpolished vocals, and uninhibited percussion, Apple continues doing what she does best: challenging the notion of what a pop record can be. It’s a cathartic proclamation for anyone refusing to accept the situation they’re in.
Selected cuts: “Fetch the Bolt Cutters,” “Relay,” “Heavy Balloon”
Westside Gunn — Pray for Paris
Released April 17
The grit and vocal performance of Ghostface Killah are an obvious comparison, but a trap rapper’s shit-talking, sense of humor, and ad libs are what set Westside Gunn apart from other 90s New York revival acts. In both content and aesthetic, Pray for Paris is as much high culture as it is pro wrestling. Both are capable of telling the same tales through different means. Gunn has managed to convey the most abrasive concepts in the most lavish of settings.
Selected cuts: “327 (feat. Joey Bada$$, Tyler, the Creator & Billie Essco),” “French Toast (feat. Wale & Joyce Wrice),” “Shawn vs. Flair”
Nick Hakim — WILL THIS MAKE ME GOOD
Released May 15
From the first hit of the piano on 2017’s Green Twins, it was hard to not be immersed in the murky waters of Nick Hakim’s psychedelia. His reverb-laden soulful crooning, crinkly guitars, and hip-hop drums are still intact on his sophomore album, but it’s more of a slow burn whose rewards come with time. A few experiments with little payoff threaten to derail the album, but the highs found throughout the second half leave a lasting impression.
Selected cuts: “QADIR,” “ALL THESE INSTRUMENTS,” “CRUMPY”
Kota the Friend — EVERYTHING
Released May 22
In a perfect, pandemic-less world, EVERYTHING would be the album of the summer. Sun-baked, breezy production and a simple, infectious flow immediately transport you to backyard barbecues and days by the lake, even if you’re largely confined to your porch like most of America. There’s no show stealing moments or monumental artistic statements, but the album is excellent at playing its role: a sunny day, windows down rap-along.
Selected cuts: “Summerhouse,” “Long Beach (feat. Hello O’Shay & Alex Banin),” “Away Park (feat. Kaiit)”
Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist — Alfredo
Released May 29
Gangsta Gibbs has always been a rapper’s rapper, but his run within the past two years has him kicking down the door of your Top 5 list. While his chemistry with producer Madlib feels like two gritty, kindred souls, Alfredo shines brightest when the Alchemist’s light, pristine production contrasts Gibbs’ harsh, hoarse-voiced recounts of dope dealing. This yin and yang does what all great duos do: highlight what you love about the other.
Selected cuts: “God Is Perfect,” “Scottie Beam (feat. Rick Ross),” “Something to Rap About (feat. Tyler, the Creator)”
OHMME — Fantasize Your Ghost
Released June 5
If a baroque choir of the occult formed a rock band, they’d sound a lot like OHMME. Synchronized vocals, grimy guitars, and peculiar melodic sensibilities feel vaguely malevolent and overtly badass. The two are intent on exploring every vocal range on the spectrum and multiple changes in pacing and time signatures, like two oracles sent to mischievously poke at the conventional.
Selected cuts: “The Limit,” “ 3 2 4 3,” “After All”
Run the Jewels — RTJ4
Released June 3
You couldn’t name a more timely record; amid police brutality and systemic racism protests sweeping the nation, Killer Mike and El-P released the soundtrack to a revolution. These topics are nothing new for the duo, but the record feels like it could’ve been written and recorded within the first week of protests. Striking the perfect balance between social commentary, outlandish brags, and not taking themselves too seriously, it’s an album for our times that knows real change happens outside the recording booth. To put it simply: if you hate Run the Jewels, you don’t love the troops.
Selected cuts: “yankee and the brave (ep. 4),” “holy calamafuck,” “JU$T (Pharrell Williams & Zack de la Rocha)”
Phoebe Bridgers — Punisher
Released June 18
The appeal is evident. While Bridgers’ debut Stranger in the Alps checked all the boxes it should have, there was a mental block stopping it from fully clicking. Punisher introduced itself on a similar note, but with repeated listens, you can’t help but be engulfed by it’s sprawling landscape. Her writing and ambiance capture the calm before the storm with a knowing wisdom clouds are just over the horizon.
Selected cuts: “Garden Song,” “Kyoto,” “Halloween”
Gum Country — Somewhere
Released June 19
Moving as an adult isn’t so different than changing high schools in adolescence. Developing new social circles and finding your place in a new city is a daunting, isolating experience. Inspired by her move from Vancouver to Los Angeles, Courtney Garvin (of The Courtneys) channeled these experiences into what she does best: a batch of killer garage pop tunes. Much like the 90s slacker aesthetic that inspired the album, it’s ironic detachment masks a record with heart.
Selected cuts: “Somewhere,” “Tennis (I Feel OK),” “Talking to My Plants”
Neil Young — Homegrown
Released June 19
Imagine being in such peak form as a songwriter that you can choose between releasing Homegrown and Tonight’s the Night and drop a classic regardless. Both are dark, deeply personal records, but with Homegrown reflecting more on his recent divorce, Young chose to keep that aspect of his life on the shelf for 45 years. Even in 2020, the record plays nearly as vital as any of his other entries into the country rock canon.
Selected cuts: “Separate Ways,” “Try,” “Star of Bethlehem”
Becca Mancari — The Greatest Part
Released June 26
Becca Mancari’s latest stretches beyond Nashville’s traditional folk/americana sound, finding solid footing in indie pop. Paramore’s Zac Farro helps Mancari blend her acoustic inclinations to create a funky world where synthesizers exist in harmony with slide guitars. Based largely around healing after coming out to her family a decade ago, her new sound is as unique as her perspective.
Selected cuts: “Hunter,” “First Time,” “Bad Feeling”