Hello again, everyone. I am back with my third year-end round-up list. In case you missed it, my article on my favorite hardcore and post-hardcore releases of the year is here, and my article on my favorite heavy releases of the year is here.
Now we get to dive into stuff that is more under the indie side of New Noise and I get to share a couple categories that mean a lot to me. Today’s is R&B and rap, and while a few are definitely on the more commercial and popular side of the genre, quite a few small artists made my list and are worth your time. Rap and R&B are genres that are constantly evolving, expanding, and bearing new magnificent fruit for artists everywhere.
10. ZORA – Z1: The Cuntification Of Zora (Get Better Records, June 17)
A legend in the making. Radical, provoking thought that has the unabashed joy, love for life, sexual prowess, and liberation of a young, Black, LGBTQ+ woman folded into it. It’s stunning, fun, sad, and beautiful. Also, how many other artists like her are you seeing mentioned in Rolling Stone? Not very many. I was also able to talk with her earlier this year about her goals for the record here.
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9. Backxwash – HIS HAPPINESS SHALL COME FIRST EVEN THOUGH WE ARE SUFFERING (Self-released, October 31)
The end of the trilogy Backxwash has been crafting for the past couple of years is a display of an artist losing their chains and inhibitions. She has made an aggressive, horrific, and malevolent record. Largely self-produced, Backxwash has also mastered her brand of industrial, noisy, heavy rap. Her features are also incredible, Censored DIALOGUE and Ghais Guevara (who released his own fantastic record this year) both being favorites of mine on the record.
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8. Mykki Blanco – Stay Close To Music (Transgressive Records, October 14)
A breath of fresh air for the prolific artist. Mykki Blanco is a huge star and always has been, through modeling campaigns, various tastemaking, and—of course—their music. Stay Close To Music still manages to be a sparkling centerpiece through all of the other gleaming contributions they’ve made. Tons of amazing features like Saul Williams, ANOHNI, Kelsey Lu, Devendra Banhart, Jónsi, and many more. Them and their producer, FaltyDL really went into it to build something intimate but still communal and they exceeded all expectations with it. I even got to talk to Mykki about the album here.
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7. The Weeknd – Dawn FM (XO Records, January 7)
Undeniable. Massive. Such an incredible work that has dominated the world and deserves to. Abel has been growing as more and more of a pop force, but this record is a new height for him in my eyes, and my favorite record of his. Funk and new wave infused beats made to be clubbed to, with lyrics that balance sexy and self-deprecating with more grace than ever. Also, how the hell did he get Jim Carrey narration?
6. Earl Sweatshirt – SICK! (Tan Cressida, January 14)
A refreshingly hopeful release from someone who has gone through enough grief to last a lifetime. It is a beautiful change of perspective for him, and it’s a record I love to listen back to regularly and have been throughout the year. The vocal-heavy production on his previous two records had been a little muddling for his skill level, but on this record, it feels like he finally has the assurance to step forward and really put himself on display like he deserves to be.
5. Dawn Richard & Spencer Zahn – Pigments (Merge Records, October 21)
I have been a Dawn Richard fan for years, and this record introduced me to the magnificent artist that is Spencer Zahn. Spencer flexes his ability as a composer and makes these enamoring arrangements of clarinets, bass, guitars, strings, saxophone, synth, and even more. Dawn gets to explore a more textural approach to vocal contribution, and her voice truly shines as a glimmering centerpiece. It is reflective, smooth, and breathtaking.
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4. Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul – Topical Dancer (DEEWEE, March 4)
This is one of the later additions to my AOTY list. I only found out about it a little over a month ago; however, it has since soared to the top half. The vocals and lyrics Charlotte supply switch from snarky to supremely sincere on a dime, and it’s so wonderful and fun to hear. Songs vary from production that sounds like it could come from countless different styles, and it speaks volumes about Bolis’ capability as a producer. Lyrics, in both French and English, are about racism, post-colonialism, social media vanity, and more.
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3. George Riley – Running In Waves (PLZ Make It Ruins, September 9)
This record has been on replay for me for a long time. Completely sublime soul and R&B singing over incredible production from Vegyn. It’s a short record, clocking in at just under 24 minutes, but it has a very rewarding replay value. I have a hard time explaining just how perfect the formula is between George Riley and Vegyn.
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2. Moor Mother – Jazz Codes (ANTI- Records, July 1)
Moor Mother is the voice of a generation. Everything she puts out is a new favorite of mine, and her creativity is unparalleled. In less than a decade, she has managed to cement herself as a pillar of underground music communities and helped lead the Black Quantum Futurism Collective. This album is a masterful blend of jazz, blues, soul, and hip-hop. The features are stacked; the production is dense and lush, and it is beautifully complex.
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1. FKA twigs – CAPRISONGS (Young Turks, January 14)
Even though it is technically a mixtape in regards to its release, the thematic tie of it makes it more cohesive than most other albums I’ve heard this year. The production on it, twigs’ incredible vocal range, the features, and the interludes make it so wonderfully immersive and captivating. It’s infectiously catchy and manages to infuse vulnerable self-reflection into huge tracks.
And that’s my list! There are hundreds of really good records that came out this year, but in the world of R&B and rap music, these are the ones that really hit all my marks. I hope there’s something new for you here, and feel free to let me know your favorites as well.
Some other amazing records to check out in this same genre are:
Cities Aviv – MAN PLAYS the HORN
Ghais Guevara – There Will Be No Super-Slave
Vince Staples – Ramona Park Broke My Heart
