Top Albums of 2020

Like many of you, I spent the bulk of 2020 in lockdown. Over the span of 7–8 months, I binged more media than I have had time for in years and developed deeper appreciation for the art that keeps me going. Whereas music usually serves as the consistent backdrop of my life, this year it became a way for me to filter my emotions in real time, validating my fears and calming my anxieties whenever they got out of control. In that aspect, this year’s list will feel a bit more personal than others, as the albums I took a real liking to also helped keep my sanity in check. So this list serves as more of a celebration of the sounds that reaffirmed my infatuation with the art form in a time in which all I personally wanted to do was disconnect from the world. As always, the order remains mostly arbitrary, on the right day any one of these could be an album of the year — that is what I hope to convey in this list. Each of the selections is powerful in a way only that album could be and played a pivotal role in making the most stressful year of many of our lives a little less so.

21.) The World Is In Your Way by Dragged Under (Heavy Metal/Punk Rock)

Simply put, I believe rage is an underappreciated musical motivation. Though many artists have found genius ways to infuse the emotion into their music historically, it still feels as though genres based around the idea of making “angry music” are often overlooked for their quality. Dragged Under, a Seattle based quintet, in order to both ignore this norm and also emulate the music that made its members feel empowered in their youth, made sure their debut album was just that: angry and high quality. The album starts off on a high octane note with ‘The Real You’, a roaring anthem calling out people’s manipulative or fake nature. The message is simple, but its delivery is harsh and unflinching, with a thunderous rhythm section (the core of which is a killer kickdrum sound) and heavy guitar tones tied together by the lead singer’s screams. Their music is in your face but dares you to move, releasing your energy with it. The choruses of songs often build on pleasant harmonies that work alongside the thrashing rhythms. The album from its opening onward serves as a direct conduit for the band members’ aggression, a directed statement toward fake friends, selfish music industry, and personal mental health crises. The beauty of this project stems from its straightforwardness, songs like ‘Instability’ showing a very candid opening of a seemingly botched musical start before exploding into a heavy tune about doubting one’s own self-worth. Dragged Under doesn’t compromise and quell their emotions on this album, and during a year which looking anywhere in the world would become an instant source of seething rage, the album brought catharsis and affirmation. The depth and value of their music came not from what an underlying meaning to the rage, but in how that rage was expressed in a particular way musically.

20.) Gardens by Dirty Art Club (Lo-Fi Hip-Hop/Instrumental Beats)

In the flood of artists that have come with the mainstream resurgence of Lo-Fi Hip-Hop, the ability to find good instrumental beats for smooth listening has never been easier. What sets the good producers from the greats, however, is the ability to weave a thematic thread through a series of instrumentals. You could say Dirty Art Club specializes in this, crafting albums with diverse samples and tones that all fit within a loose theme. Gardens feels like one long fever dream, wherein the listeners are carried along by tight drums and funky yet subtle basslines through ethereal samples that help reproduce a feeling of deja vu. This sense of nostalgia is created through the eras these songs emulate, like ‘Andromeda’ replicating the lavish harmonies of golden era Soul harmonies, or ‘Technicolor’ having an R&B-tinged groove reminiscent of late-night radio in the early ’00s. The album makes a distinct effort to exist outside of time, both in the inspiration it draws and how it guides the listener through itself. This album demonstrates flexibility while simultaneously showing reverence for the very sounds it draws from, with any instrumentation added to samples giving them a surreal quality. It lives in a space where its only goal is to convey a concise idea, no matter how abstracted, before letting the next thought slip in. The album wants you to get lost in it, letting yourself wander consistently into fresh ideas and finding new details you might have missed the first time around. Gardens is about the journey, and both demands your attention and asks you to relax and be carried through it.

19.) WILL THIS MAKE ME GOOD by Nick Hakim (Alt R&B/Indie-Rock)

Nick Hakim’s music hits the ear as if it is phrased as a question, with its tones and messages often prompting the listener to ponder more and accept answers less. On his latest album, WILL THIS MAKE ME GOOD, Hakim continues this while capturing his own anxiety and putting it on display for listeners. The production of this album is rooted in slow burns, constructed mostly of Mellow guitar and bass loops, with many songs content not to rush the message. Despite the rather laid-back nature of the record, the atmosphere of each song is enticing and rich while perfectly representing its subject matter. Songs like ‘WTMMG’ reflect the artists growing distrust of the pharmaceutical industry for fear mongering while the crunchy drums, and ghostly mixed vocals accurately depict Hakim’s frustration. The album touches on distrust, self-loathing, and apathy without ever forgetting the power it carries as a piece of music. It doesn’t shy away from melancholy nor does it blindly embrace it, rather the album rides a cozy line of addressing its dark subject matter by framing it all as introspection. In honestly conveying his own human experiences, Hakim opens the door for the listener to assess themselves differently. In the deep murkiness of this record you see a representation of the struggle to be a better person. In a year filled with more dissociative episodes than I have ever experienced prior, this album reassured me that getting lost in your own head is normal, and even vital, for continuing to grow as a person.

18.) Everything Is Beautiful by Princess Nokia (Hip-Hip/R&B)

Princess Nokia fully embraces the idea of having multiple musical identities. Just this year she dropped two albums (Everything Is Beautiful and Everything Sucks) and seems forever ready to re-invent herself. That child-like wonder and willingness to dive into new things forms the foundation of Everything Is Beautiful, a love letter to her childhood. The Opening, ‘Green Eggs & Ham”, serves as a warm introduction to Nokia’s sense of wonder, in which she recalls memories from different corners of her childhood and gives thanks for her upbringing. Instead of feeling shame for still connecting to her inner child, she based her sound on it. Instrumentals on the album range from smooth bass and piano driven grooves to more pop-oriented dance numbers. The album lets Nokia gush over the experiences that formed all her current tastes and sensibilities without ignoring the pain of growing up. She touches on this beautifully in ‘Soul Food y Adobo’, reciting some of her favorite dishes and the locations she associates them with, all connected to their own stories. It all sounds gorgeous and sincere but doesn’t take away from the rapper’s signature goofy punchlines and bite. If anything, the album reaffirms the artist’s ability to express different sides of herself without it tanking her overall appeal. She is incredibly candid, citing monthly bills, social media pressure, and self-doubt as daily oppressors in her own life, and that in turn makes her bravado that more inspiring. We are all made up of our experiences, and what we pick and choose to learn from and latch onto varies, but I do believe a healthy understanding of your childhood and how it affected you growing as a person is a vital part of demonstrating maturity. This album is a thematic representation of growing up while being proof of Princess Nokia’s maturity as a now-seasoned artist.

17.) Afrofuturism by Logan Richardson (Spiritual Jazz)

Alto-Saxophonist and Bandleader Logan Richardson has his eye on clarity. In recent years, his albums have focused on more introspective themes and emphasized him incorporating sounds from the musical styles of his youth into his arrangements. On Afrofuturism, however, he turns his gaze outward to create an album that asks us to consider how tomorrow may look; not in terms of technology, but in terms of how we will perceive authenticity in art. The album flows from short poignant interludes to lavish compositions, which are noticeably tamer than his previous work without sacrificing his unique voice. Tracks like ‘The Birth of Us’ retain his signature wailing tone and high energy grooves, but these moments are used sparingly, as if to imply that the future doesn’t need to be grand and overwhelming. The interludes highlight this idea, as they focus on relatively small ideas like appreciating the effect certain musicians have on the cultures of their genres to critiquing the continued lack of authenticity of more modern artists. These ideas will come to define modern music more and more, which Richardson both understands and challenges. In that sense, this album is a statement on the direction he wants music to go in without implying that the artform itself has been sullied beyond repair. In the spacey yet funky arrangements you can often hear audible proof of Richardson embracing the future, with 808 drum samples and piercing synths that don’t detract from the traditional Jazz structure but instead give it a fresh coat. In a year of uncertainty, this album proposed a sincere and bright outlook and a vision of how music should and shouldn’t change going forward.

16.) Host by Cults (Indie-Pop/Indie-rock)

Host’s sublime sound, peppered by bright string and synth arrangements, belies its more toxic nature. When lead singer Madeline Follin brought forth her own musical ideas to the band, a first in her career, Cults shifted in a dynamic new direction, marked by an album that feels fresh and liberating. The Album is built on relaxing riffs that evolve into grand choruses with gorgeous multi-part harmonies .Host explores parasitic relationships, opening with ‘Trials’ the singer narrates feelings of co-dependency, viewing one person as their only light in life. This is expressed to the tune of wonky guitar progressions backed by a tight rhythm section, hitting the ear like a twisted lullaby. It speaks honestly of how easily it is to get caught up in another person, to the point where their identity begins to matter to you more than your own. Despite understanding this despair however, the album never dwells on it. Each track equally serves as a form of liberation, representing a new form of personal growth to help combat unhealthy people and situations. The album also never implies that getting stuck in vicious cycles is the victim’s fault, only that the road to self-love and freedom are possible. You hear this in ‘Honest Love’, a sweet ballad about growing into oneself. The song acknowledges that failure and shame are bound to get in the way of your progress but implore all listeners to move forward. For Cults this album may have felt like a scary decision, departing in a new direction with a thematically vulnerable album, but in the process of doing so they practiced what they preach. They delivered an album that sucks you in close to then tell you that you are worth nurturing.

15.) What Kinda Music by Tom Misch/Yussef Dayes (Alt R&B)

At first glance the collaboration between multi-instrumentalist Tom Misch and hardcore Jazz drummer Yussef Dayes seems like a mismatch. Misch tends to make music on the sweeter side with a Pop flavor, and Dayes is technically found on non-vocal tracks with an emphasis on tight instrumentation. Prior to Misch’s debut album as a songster however, he released a set of instrumental beat tapes that he produced, and it is this ear for beats that lends itself to a strong collaborative effort. Truly, their abilities meet halfway, resulting in tracks that build on a simple groove and escalate with expressive solos and intricate rhythms. Songs feel like equal parts room for lyrical expression and a sandbox for the musicians to play around in, with smooth basslines and Dayes impeccable drumming complimenting Misch’s silky voice and wavy guitar work. Songs like ‘Tidal Wave’ flourish in this balance, with the moody vocals serving more as a setup to the instrumentation than existing to steal its attention. In that sense, the real hook of this album is how much it lets you hear each artist’s particular flavor. Misch is given the room for his experience crafting catchy and loopable melodies to shine and Dayes grounds every track with his insane percussive work. This furious drumming comes through on tracks like ‘Lift Off’, trading bars with the lead guitar in a chaotic groove. What Kinda Music is about pushing each artist’s particular comfort zone to make something new that still plays to their strengths. Many of the instrumentals on this album feel like they were composed naturally in jam sessions, as Misch and Dayes learned what worked and didn’t work about their musical chemistry. The result is an album that tackles love and connection through two artists’ exploration of their own prowess.

14.) Untitled (Rise) by Sault (Neo-Soul/Funk/R&B)

While not much is known about the identities behind Sault, in the past two years they have dropped four stellar albums and quickly secured a spotlight as one of music’s new greats. The latter of their two 2020 albums, Untitled (Rise), is a powerful piece of art that both celebrates Black joy and mourns Black suffering. Opening with a driving bassline and soulful strings in ‘Strong,’ the lead singer imparts a message of moving forward to the listener, and this momentum is carried through the whole project. The instrumentation on the album is varied, but its foundation consists of a live band feeling and a consistent call and response between the band and the singers. Sault’s music is Black to its core, with songs shifting from drumline breakdowns to sultry Gospel progressions with a backing choir, all dripping with swagger and confidence. Sault is never timid in any of their approaches to songwriting, with tracks like ‘The Beginning & the End’ having a militant energy to them. While the singer recites a thunderous mantra, a bassline drives the song along until a chorus of chants fills the space. The music moves you, with just about every song on the album prompting you to dance, even in its more heartbreaking moments. Sault’s music operates under the assumption that celebrating joy will always overpower trauma, so the album never marinates in its more somber moods. Even slow jams like ‘Scary Times’ make sure to remind listeners that the world being oppressive is the very reason that it’s important to keep your spirits high. This album is the soundtrack for the current revolution, a musical testament to the importance of being strong in the moment as well as long term. 2020 saw a new wave of #BLM movements and once again re-opened the conversation about how POC are treated in America. This album doesn’t just stoke the fires started by protests, it carries the flame over its runtime, validating the fears of POC without being overwhelming in its presentation. It is equal parts fight music and love music, a grand statement that reminds every person fighting for better rights that their struggle has never been in vain and never will be.

13.) Fantasize Your Ghost by Ohmme (Experimental Indie-Rock)

Defined by their gnarly guitar progressions and the duo’s wild vocal harmonies, Ohmme is a band that knows how to give a visceral edge to their music. Their latest album refines their strengths with tighter melodies, more abstract improvisation, and unwavering feminist energy. Ohmmes song structure on this album is incredibly freeform, with songs like ‘Selling Candy’ having sparse verses but being performed in total harmony. This is further complimented by the band’s folky approach to lyrics, vividly depicting frustrations with society’s narrow perception of women. On ‘Ghost’ Ohmme warns of the danger of projecting idealistic traits upon women, as the object of your affection tends to become more ghost than person. This theme runs throughout the whole album, as Ohmme continually reaffirms the power of honing your own identity. This is something the band has been vocal about in the past, making songs that have cast away the traditional idea of a music icon. Many social boxes and norms we confine people to are often done subconsciously, with us just internalizing ways to treat people without thinking about the implications. To counter this, Ohmme’s music is unpredictable, with pretty choruses melting away into feedback heavy guitar solos to make for chaotic soundscapes. All of this is done with finesse, with the sonic climax of the album ‘Sturgeon Moon’ being an instrumental collection of pedal effects, improvisation, and an undeniable sinister energy about it. It is a violent release to the album’s thus far pent up tension that hammers home the point without drowning the listener in sound. Ohmme is not here to become the next great female rock band, they are here to disrupt our understanding of what a rock band even is and urging their listeners to never settle for the conventions attributed to you.

12.) The Slow Rush by Tame Impala (Psychedelic-Pop/Indie-Rock)

Kevin Parker, the one-man band behind Tame Impala, needs almost no introduction at this point in his career. With some of the most acclaimed albums of the last decade under his belt, the artist decided to make his latest album about time and its passage. Starting strong with ‘One More Year’, Parker opens the album with tight drums and his trademark synth tones, singing about how easy it is for time to slip away from you. There is an intimacy to this track, as Parker seems to be talking about his own journey, with the art he has made consuming more of his time and life as his craft improved. His perception of time is not a negative one however; it is simply the inevitable force that we all must learn to healthily interact with. The album’s production reflects this thematic focus, with spacey bass and synth lines blending with Parker’s reverbed vocals to give songs a feeling of being removed from time. The songs demonstrate a kind of patience, slowly unfolding but consistently changing over each track’s runtime. Tunes like ‘Tomorrow Dust’ morph from an acoustic guitar and drum loop to an ethereal synth driven ballad, carrying with it a message of our inevitable decay. In talking about time it seems inevitable that Parker should touch on its ability to erode, but the majority of the album focuses on the power of accomplishing things over time. This album brilliantly reminds listeners that no time is wasted, all effort expunged to keep living is a vital part of being a human. Since time is not a thing we have any meaningful control over, and we tend either get lost in it or dwell on it, Parker’s music provides a solid middle ground: enjoy it. He posits that it is a gift to be able to experience yourself changing and draws upon his decades worth of experience creating art to show us just much how time has improved his craft. The Slow Rush is a magnificent reflection of Tame Impala’s growth, but more importantly it reminds us that time is seldom something we should fret about controlling, as its tides will carry us all away eventually.

11.) Modus Vivendi by 070 Shake (Alt Hip-Hop/Ambient Pop)

By the time she made her mainstream debut on Kanye’s track ‘Ghost Town’ in 2018, 070 Shake had already established a voice for herself in her own work. The young New Jersey artist’s previous EP and collaborative album with her 070 collective had focused on growing pains, drug abuse, and the importance of loyalty, all themes Shake would carry and develop moving forward. Her debut album, Modus Vivendi, sees Shake in the final stages of her coming-of-age tale, accepting her flaws, mistakes, and bad experiences as she lets the listener see her vulnerable side. The production and presentation of this album carry more of a Sci-fi feel than the artist’s previous work, with songs built upon droning synth tones and Shakes autotuned vocals giving her the presence of something otherworldly. This helps create a kind of dissociative aura to the album, with tracks like ‘Morrow’ seeing the artist on the verge of a collapsing relationship, but mentally seeming past the situation already. As the bass grooves and ghastly background vocals carry on, Shake’s vocal delivery feels somewhat cold and detached, not for lack of caring, rather as a defense mechanism. The album’s moody energy comes from Shake’s self-acceptance, as someone who understands her past errors but is clearly still affected by them. ‘Guilty Conscience’ may be the best example of this, with Shake seeing her partner’s infidelity being karmic retribution for her own affair. This acceptance doesn’t come with malice, but rather sorrow, as Shake internalizes error as personal flaw and attempts to move forward without forgetting that knowledge. The album doesn’t just wallow in regret however, as ‘Rocket Ship’ touches on the literal highs of Shakes lifestyle, with us seeing the artist at her most whimsical and laid back. She has touched upon her own personal drug abuse habits in the past, and this song feels like a love letter to that era without glorifying it or glossing over its devastating long-term effects. Modus Vivendi is incredibly mature, as 070 Shake can frame her past with nuance, allowing it to be relatable without inviting excessive pity. I believe this is an artist to watch, as her journey is only beginning, and she has already demonstrated self-awareness and poise that dwarfs many of her contemporaries.

10.) Descendants of Cain by Ka (Hip-Hop)

As a Rapper, Ka has never let himself into modern genre trappings. His vocal delivery is monotone, more speaking than rapping, but his lyrical content is dense, as he tells vivid stories of his past and dives into the dark context behind them. The production on this album is nothing less than cinematic, beats rarely contain driving percussion, and instead are composed of ambient chord progressions and haunting samples. Instrumentals do a perfect job of creating a dark atmosphere without being so busy that they take away from Ka’s lyrics, the main attraction. Descendants of Cain is an album about experiencing pain and clutching onto joy in a daily grind for survival. We hear in ‘Unto The Dust’ that no day is guaranteed in Ka’s life, as he has watched what he describes as scores of friends and foe alike die needlessly. He tells us that this lifestyle exists almost in a vacuum, consuming just about everyone he knows while being foreign to so many people blessed with better circumstances. He even goes so far as to express otherwise unhealthy actions, such as a father leaving his son behind with nothing but money and a gun, as forms of love where he is from. This album, knowing how normalized violence has become to people, asks us if this cycle of death and destruction is inevitable, harking back to the titular Cain who killed his own brother. This question becomes the central theme of the album, as Ka wonders if humans’ tendency toward violence is a form of punishment from a higher power. As he recalls his youth hustling to make a living, we see Ka struggling with the idea that we must suffer for the sins of our fathers. His lifestyle and community are the results of systemic damage done before he was even born, but he goes so far as to wonder if this would be the fate of his people regardless. It is a nihilistic but honest take on human nature, one that comes from years of experienced trauma and attempting to make sense of a warped reality. Ka bridges fantasy and reality, forcing himself to compare religious teachings and mythology to the cold world outside his window, often finding pain but occasionally finding hints of something else. On ‘I love (Mimi, Moms, Kev)’, a beautiful closing to a deeply introspective album, Ka thanks the people who showed him that life is more than struggling to survive. While the world has shown Ka that it is cruel and oppressive, at his core he remains unable to give up hope entirely due in part to the small beacons in his life that have allowed him to believe in himself.

9.) 1988 by Knxwledge (Instrumental Hip-Hop/R&B)

Knxwledge has one of the best ears for samples you will find among producers, finding the smallest vocal riffs or instrumental passages and creating focused surreal beats out of them. These beats are often short and sweet, capturing a specific strength of a sample and giving it just enough room to make an impression. His latest album, 1988, pays homage to a different era of Hip-Hop music, wherein the process was more coveted than the product and experimentation was more commonplace. The album feels like one long continuous movement, gliding from one crispy drum laden idea to the next seamlessly. Mixed in between every few beats are snippets from radio interviews with various artists, talking about their experiences in the industry and adding thematic context to the album. These snippets touch on dealing with beef, the drive to make a genuine hit record, and even the artist’s personal preferences within the Hip-Hop genre. 1988 glorifies the drive needed to push forth innovation, without implying that the struggle of working on your art is the only thing that gives it value. It is a thin line, but songs like ‘solivelife’ and ‘watchwhoukallyourhomie’ remind listeners of the situations many of these artists were trying to escape. For many of them, the 80’s was a period defined by the war on drugs ravaging their communities, leading to rising feelings of distrust, violence, and residual trauma. Knxwledge’s respect for the hustle of this period lies in him understanding just how desperate and passionate the artists of that era had to be to make a living. Before Hip-Hop was a commodity, it was a means of escape, and this energy is what the producer is so fixated on and drawn to. Of all the albums on this list, 1988 may be the most addicting, as each track’s brief runtime can leave you wanting more, but that hunger for more is the point. The album inspires us to revisit songs endlessly until we understand and appreciate every small detail, which to Knxwledge is the greatest honor you can give a piece of music.

8.) Fetch The Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple (Experimental-Pop/Baroque-Pop/Vocal Jazz)

If I had to describe Fiona Apple’s music, I would call it intricate and expansive. This has been true since her debut over two decades ago but is perfected in her latest album, a powerful testament to Apple’s eclectic songwriting and Feminist mantra. The album sounds like a wild circus, with Apple drawing from Jazz and Rock to fill songs with wild transitions and tone switches. In ‘Shameika’ this is used to emphasize a formative moment, with the driving piano and bass cutting out to spare chords as the artist is told by a peer that she is a gift. The song then combines the sparse chorus and driving beat in its outro to show the effect that had on a young Apple, whose music now literally marches to its own rhythm. Fetch The Bolt Cutters is built around these formative moments of the artist’s life, which she relives through her music to leave her listeners with tools to analyze their own oppression. As the album cares deeply about empowering women, Apple shares her own tales of being talked down to and silenced, with ‘Under The Table’ serving as a righteous anthem of self-confidence in lieu of societal norms. Apple understands full well what is “expected” of her in every facet of her life and chooses time and time again to hold her moral ground. In this sense the album feels like her personal blueprint to liberation, containing many of the machinations she has used to survive thus far. My favorite example of this is in “Cosmonauts”, where Apple compares a healthy relation to a pair of cosmonauts, emphasizing the focus on each other devoid of distractions, as they maintain their connection while readjusting to the outer world. The energy of the arrangements calls back to the grandiose performances of 80s/90s pop, with sounds filling every space in the explosive choruses found throughout. It’s here I think the album reaches its peak, with the passionate growl of Apple’s delivery never failing to steal the show. This album may not be for everyone, but I do think everyone should hear it. Fetch The Bolt Cutters is a brazen kick to convention that rings true from start to finish, standing tall amid Apple’s already powerful discography and reminding the world of her talent.

7.) New me, Same us by Little Dragon (Alt R&B/Dream-Pop)

Some albums are constructed entirely of earworms that stick with you for days and dominate your thoughts. New me, Same us is such an album, an electronic-tinged collection of catchy tunes centered around finding your center in a changing world. The album hooks you from the start with ‘Hold On’, built on its funky bassline and synth leads, while the lead singer’s light but soulful voice touches on not letting the passage of time dissuade you from accomplishing goals. I think it’s important to mention that despite their relatively moderate fame, Little Dragon has been making music together since the late ’00s, having seen trends come and go without changing out their roster or taking any massive breaks as a band. In this time parts of their musical map may have changed, as the band has adopted aspects from modern pop production, but their identity as a band has remained strong and unwavering. I think this is captured best in ‘Kids’, a song dedicated to the rising wave of artists who have risen to prominence, hoping that their drive to make art keeps them motivated long term. In this sense the band takes the role of a veteran in many of the perspectives found throughout the song, choosing to impart wisdom through their smooth jams. Little Dragon has no need to fear the future or changing trends, as they have proven they can maintain their level of excellence regardless, so instead they welcome change outright. We hear in ‘New Fiction’, a head-bopper that uses crunchy drums and bass to set its atmosphere, that the band sees an importance in finding one’s path. This is viewed not as an option but as a necessity, as art needs new ideas, perspectives, and talent to be introduced to push itself forward. The message is simple, but comes surely after years of the band questioning how they can change without losing sight of themselves. New me, Same Us reminds us that change is inevitable, but it doesn’t have to take away from the core you, nor is it something to fear. Learning to maintain a sense of self feels tougher by the day, especially with the year we just had, and this album provides a solid anchor to anyone struggling with what the future may bring.

6.) Lianne La Havas by Lianne La Havas (Soul/ R&B)

In the 5 years since her last album release, Lianne La Havas ended a long-term relationship and had to re-adjust to life without a partner. As a result, her latest project feels much more introspective than her previous work, centered around the tumultuous feeling of moving on. That said, the album retains Havas’ smooth acoustic R&B feel, with the rhythm section’s support making every song sway. Tracks are often built off simple guitar passages and fleshed out with subtle catchy rhythms, resulting in an honest indie charm with tight instrumentation. The album finds its groove immediately with ‘Bittersweet’, as Havas recounts many of the awkward interactions couples encounter as relationships reach their conclusions. Her tone is that of a tired partner who has gone through the same cycles and arguments an exhausting number of times. Despite this, the desire to still be a good support for the other person remains, as love isn’t an easy thing to just give up on or ignore. The album handles this dichotomy with elegance, taking place in the emotional midway point between grief and closure. ‘Can’t Fight’ sees the artist explaining just how hard it is break bonds, as our emotions always seem to exist beyond our control despite coming from us. This idea remains important, as most of the hardships involving relationships ending ties into our unconscious desire to see or be around that person, regardless of how bad an idea that might be. People can bring us comfort, and that comfort is internalized in such a manner that often surpasses reason, leading to deep emotional turmoil and distress. Simply put, Havas is dealing not just with the act of physically parting ways with someone, but also the mental gymnastics of questioning the breakup’s benefits. It’s a vulnerability, articulated perfectly on ‘Please Don’t Make Me Cry’, as Havas understands full well how easy it is for her partner to cut to her emotional core. Lianne la Havas touches on low points in the artist’s personal life but demonstrates a nuanced understanding of the cycle of relationships, acknowledging that the people we love and who changed us may not be in our lives forever, and learning to hold onto the concept of love without them can be both vital and excruciating.

5.) Purple Moonlight Pages by R.A.P Ferreira (Experimental Hip-Hop)

Purple Moonlight Pages hits you like a novel, with R.A.P Ferreira imparting his lavish perspective on what the role of an artist is in 2020, and how often that role clashes with our mundane realities. With the Jazzy/Neo-Soul support of the Jefferson Park Boys as a backing band, Ferreira weaves dense lyrical essays that disassemble topics before rebuilding them in a different shape. For those unfamiliar with R.A.P Ferreira’s (formerly known as Milo) style of rapping, his verses often resemble slam poetry, with long elaborate passages and reverence for 4th wall breaking. The latter of his two rap characteristics shine in tracks like ‘Greens’, where the lyrical juxtaposition of seeing money as the most valuable green versus plants and nature being the most valued, is framed as an aside in a random conversation the rapper is having with another person. He constantly changes the lens like this, giving his music a maze-like quality, with re-listens revealing new thoughts and viewpoints. Ferreira frames himself on the album as a sort of guru, whose path to enlightenment has come from the enjoyment of his day to day life. He uses his knowledge for peace, unconcerned with changing anyone’s mind who is unwilling to listen. A concept found throughout the album is that an idea is a work of art, implying that Ferreira’s main concern is leaving listeners with a sense of curiosity. His flow is so stream of consciousness in nature that you can’t but wonder with him as he rhymes. In ‘Leaving Hell’, as horns ring over a snappy drumbeat, he explains that music and performance have given him a freedom he couldn’t know otherwise. At times his verses seem overwhelming but every topic he touches feels equally weighted, every word carefully inserted to convey his many thoughts. This album celebrates the ability to create art at all, and gives listeners a sincere chance to converse with Ferreria from his place of zen.

4.) It Is What It Is by Thundercat (Neo-Soul/Alt R&B/Jazz)

I think anyone who has experienced a close friend or family member dying would agree to never wish that fate on someone else. It leaves you feeling hollow and disconnected, with your memories now the only concrete way to interact with that person again. Death can also serve as a wake-up call of sorts, with the reminder of our own mortality urging us to re-evaluate our current lives and cherish our loved ones. In the year since Thundercat’s close friend and fellow artist Mac Miller passed, he has made it no secret how heavily the death weighed on him, affecting his art and current relationships. It Is What It Is sees Thundercat on both sides of the grief table, a grueling but heartfelt love letter to those who passed and those who yet remain. The production on this album is moody, with Thundercat’s frantic bass work mixing laying the foundation for most songs and setting the genre it lies in. the varied stylings of the songs lends to touching on different spaces on the grief scale. Starting with ‘Interstellar Love’ the artist’s first line of coping is looking for love in new places and different people. As death can make us feel a part of ourselves was taken away with a person passing, I think an understandable response to that is looking for new sources of affection. Another common coping mechanism is retreating into your own circle, with the features on the album reflect this energy, using their time on songs to comfort the artist or join him in his mania. With his friend’s death came personal revelations and a desire to live more freely, as we hear on ‘Black Quails’, a funky anthem about the artist’s new digs. The album sees Thundercat openly embracing a new persona, one where his awkward tendencies and love of Japanese culture are more on display than ever before, but the artist appears at his most comfortable. These swirling feelings of grief and re-discovery culminate in ‘Fair Chance’, a mellow heart wrenching song about the mourning period (featuring Ty Dolla $ign and Lil B, more real life friends of Mac Miller). It is ironic that this album sees Thundercat more confident and in tune with himself than ever before, but the artist understands the catalyst for this, and never forgets to pay homage to the dear friend who forever changed his life.

3.) Black (真っ黒) by Tricot (Math Rock/J-Pop)

Despite not speaking the language or understanding specific lyrical themes or ideas, Black has been in rotation weekly since a friend sent it my way. The album, a fusion of Math-Rock, Funk, and J-pop by the Japanese All-Female Quartet Tricot, is a powerful landmark in the bands growing discography. Starting with the opening track, serving as an appetizer of sorts, Tricot demonstrates it’s immense technical prowess and soft center, with heavy bass and guitar riffs driving drums before relaxing into a more pared down Pop-like jam. The band excels in these transitions, playing with time and rhythm in a new way on each track and constantly surprising the listener. The band exudes chaotic high energy but retains their precision without skipping a beat, creating a wild ride from start to finish. On Track 7, one of my favorite examples of tonal shifts in the album, the band morphs from a tight ballad into an explosive pop chorus, in a move that should be jarring but flows perfectly, using the expectation of when the rhythm you are used to should drop to completely change things up. On the topic of understanding the album’s themes, the band’s playing is so expressive that picking up on the emotional context of songs is still possible. Of course the experience of listening would be different for native Japanese speakers, but being able to appreciate the music regardless of language I think is a testament to the album’s quality. So much of Black transcends the typical western/eastern music barrier, and if this project intimates you or seems unappealing due to that barrier, I urge you to give it a listen regardless. It is incredibly easy to get lost in the band’s rhythms, with moments like the slow build into the expansive chorus of Track 10 being one of my favorite musical moments of the year. Tricots music is catchy, smart, technically proficient, and more than anything else a pure example of a band of world classic musicians getting to make music that means something to them. This album reminded me of why I love listening to bands, and I implore you to let it work its magic on you.

2.) Skin by KillBill:The Rapper, Scuare, Rav (Alt Hip-Hop)

A collaborative effort between three rappers/friends, Skin is the album that caught me the most off guard this year. From the opening comedic interlude and deep bass drop on ‘Worth’, with KillBill’s guttural first verse, I was hooked. The song is a bold mission statement, asserting the artist’s desire to make music freely, untethered by label obligations or other 3rd party interference. It is biting and honest, which the album reveals more and more layers of over its runtime. The three artists who created this album have been dropping collaborative work together for years now, and that kinship plays a huge role in buying into the album’s world. The personas the artists push forth on the album are relatable, being more Clark Kent than Superman, and focus more on making through a struggle than bragging about accomplishments. The production on this album makes heavy use of fleshed out instrumental samples mixed with crispy drums, resulting in a live band feel. This makes songs like “Celadon” tug at the heart strings a bit harder, as the saxophone melody feels like it’s happening in real time to punctuate emotional peaks in thong songs verses. The album sees our artists in the middle of various depressive episodes, with the album being the way up again after hitting rock bottom. This doesn’t mean every song is sad per say, but verses are often framed from the viewpoint of the artists being down on their luck. This gives the album a bit of an underdog vibe, as the rappers uses songs to express their discomfort with their own insecurities and put forth a genuine effort to grow. You end up rooting for them, captivated by their ability to be so forthcoming and honest, and can feel their shared sense of camaraderie pushing each other forward. Skin is album about confronting yourself, and not just letting self-pity swallow you whole. All three of these artists have their own distinct careers, but function flawlessly as a unit, singularly guided by the desire to be better people today than they were yesterday, an honest pursuit that led to one of the most compelling albums of the year.

1.) Innocent Country 2 by Quelle Chris, Chris Keys (Alt Hip-Hop/R&B)

Innocent Country 2 Starts with an episodic recap of Innocent Country Season 1, filled with twists and turns as a story we have no context for is summarized for us. This leads into ‘Outro/Honest’, and MC Quelle Chris recalling a failing relationship. The production is gorgeous, with a jazzy piano progression over a steady neo-soul drum ride and helps sell the somber energy of the lyrics. Its an odd first impression to leave, but one that prepares you for the emotional whiplash the album has in store. The album features a full cast of collaborators, which fits itsTV-show centered format, to give us small but specific glimpses into its setting. These take the form of songs centering Black empowerment and unity. The characters and personas of this world suffer and struggle, but always present themselves with a sense of pride. In ‘Sacred Safe’ we get verses adorned with life lessons the rappers have learned growing up, but the silky bassline and bright piano progression help convey the artists genuinely sharing wisdom. There’s a maturity to verses on the album, with even more hype songs containing weighty lyrics the prompt reflection. It is an incredibly lively project, with its rotating cast of artists all playing off or complimenting Quelle Chris’ mellow rap style. The core of the album reveals itself with the interlude ‘Ritual’, wherein the MC calls upon his ancestors to join him in the moment he is making, citing his desire to live a healthy lifestyle and prosper. The album is built upon the sample principle, with the goal of the music being to leave you feeling stronger than you were prior. The artists decided to create an album with this family-like dynamic because that connects to strength and comfort, and in turn helps sell its message. Innocent Country 2 is a risky venture — by inviting so many different voices into the fold there was inevitably the chance for it become cluttered and unfocused — but its vision was so well understood among its collaborators that it never drops in quality. While this album was not the one I spent the most time with this year, it remains the one the left the biggest impression. It handles collaboration so elegantly, and the finesse needed to follow through on such a daunting task is beyond impressive. Simply put, the album is a triumph in unifying an artistic vision, and through its compelling storytelling helped make so much of 2020 brighter.