Freddie Gibbs - $oul $old $eparately
Genre: Hip hop
Quick Review
Freddie Gibbs has been one of the best rappers in the game for years now, but it’s been a while since he dropped a full studio album that wasn’t produced by only one person. Not that that’s a bad thing, having multiple albums fully produced by Madlib is an amazing thing very few artists can claim, but it’s been awhile since we could see what he could do fully under his own direction. Unsurprisingly, this was a pretty great hip hop project! It’s definitely not his best album, but some of the best songs in his career are on here! “Feel No Pain” has maybe my favorite Anderson .Paak feature, which is saying a lot knowing what he has done. “Grandma’s Stove” might be his most personal song, and it makes for a harrowing listening experience. The entire second half of the album fits this dystopian, post-apocalyptic vibe that the album cover has. There are also skits at the ends of many songs from Kevin Durant, Jeff Ross, Joe Rogan, and even Jesus himself that are pretty hilarious. There are some tracks on the first half of the album that don’t live up to what we would expect from Freddie Gibbs at this point in his career, but that doesn’t take away from this project being great!
Favorite Tracks: “Feel No Pain” (Feat. Anderson .Paak & Raekwon), “Grandma’s Stove” (Feat. Musiq Soulchild), “PYS” (Feat. DJ Paul)
If You Like: Quality hip hop; fun and thoughtful music
Makaya McCraven - In These Times
Genre: Jazz
Quick Review
Makaya McCraven is a percussionist and composer from Chicago who has been slowly gaining fame over the past decade or so, and this is his newest album, In These Times. It was a wonderful album to be introduced to him through, as it was easily clear what he’s best at. There aren’t a lot of saxophone solos or full band compositions, but he’s extremely talented at writing slightly weird rhythms that manage to feel both weird and calming at once. This is also aided by a significant presence from a harp on many of these songs. I can definitely see this project being played a lot in my study sessions and while writing papers, because it strikes the balance perfectly of background music, but unique enough that it makes you pay attention to it.
Favorite Tracks: “The Fours”, “Seventh String”, “So Ubuji”
If You Like: Jazz-fusion; lofi-hip hop beats
Kid Cudi - Entergalactic
Genre: Hip hop; pop
Quick Review
This is Kid Cudi’s newest album, and it coincides with the release of a fully animated Netflix special of the same name. The album, and tv special, follow a young protagonist who moves to a new city. He ends up falling in love with his next door neighbor and it looks into that and the pitfalls that come with it. It’s not that this album is bad, it’s not, but everything about it is so cleanly produced and straightforward that I get bored every time I listen to it. The only thing I will say could be better is the lyrics. There are so many cringy lines across this project that it becomes annoying. The production is pretty good, but it’s just so generic. Kid Cudi used to be criticized for going too crazy with his projects, but at least there was something unique about those projects. This one almost feels like an AI made a Kid Cudi love story album, and that’s what we got. It’s not bad, but I lose focus every single time I’ve listened to it. If this is truly his last ever album like he’s saying, it’s definitely not the best foot to go out on, but I am glad that he seems truly happy and content with his life.
Favorite Tracks: “Willing to Trust” (Feat. Ty Dolla $ign), “Ignite The Love”, “New Mode”
If You Like: Stoner music; cleanly produced electronic-hip hop and pop
Björk - Fossora
Genre: Avant-pop; orchestral; experimental-pop
Quick Review
Björk is a legend, she doesn’t have to do anything else to solidify her legacy. With almost three decades of influential albums to her career, she seems to be doing whatever she wants at this point. Fossora is extremely nature-driven and is already being dubbed as Björk’s mushroom album. Her voice is as unique as ever, especially with how she varies the annunciations in her lines. The production consists of lots of bass clarinets, other orchestration, and heavy drum patterns that feel psychotic at points. It’s a challenging listen, but one that is filled with many beautiful moments. The only thing that holds me back from it right now is that the songwriting hasn’t clicked with me. There doesn’t seem to be any hooks, or even melodies, that will keep me wanting to return to this project. The abstract nature of this project might be too much for me. But when I do play it, I am still in awe of how unique Björk is and how beautiful some of these songs are.
Favorite Tracks: “Atopos”, “Sorrowful Soil”, “Victimhood”
If You Like: Weird music; being on mushrooms; a Disney movie on psychedelics
YG - I Got Issues
Genre: Gangsta-rap; hip-hop
Quick Review
YG has been all over the place when it comes to the quality of his music. Subject matter wise, this album is just as devoid of thoughtful material as every other one of his projects, but the production here is much more enjoyable. It has an older style compared to most of his material. The G-Funk beats are back on quite a few tracks, but there are also his attempts at a Latin trap banger and mainstream hit that he always shoehorns into his albums. Having features on here like Nas and Mozzy help bring this project together too. I Got Issues is a slight return to form for YG, but it still easily pales in comparison to his best material.
Favorite Tracks: “Manic”, “How To Rob a Rapper” (Feat. Mozzy & D3szn), “No Weapon” (Feat. Nas)
If You Like: 90s G-funk; Nipsey Hussle; West Coast hip hop
Billy Woods - Church
Genre: Abstract hip-hop
Quick Review
This is Billy Woods’s second album of the year after he dropped one of the most acclaimed projects of the year with Aethiopes. This project is a lot more accessible than Aethiopes, but it’s still as lyrically complex as always. Messiah Musik’s production is a lot more accessible for the average listener than Preservation’s, but this is still a weird project. That slightly more accessible production might have been what fully unlocked Billy Woods for me, as I have been playing this album more than any other one of his projects! Of course, it will take a significant amount of time to fully digest what he’s talking about, but I’m excited to dive into the project even more with time. He also put on a great show on campus for the second straight year, and hearing some of these songs live helped me digest them even more.
Favorite Tracks: “Pollo Rico”, “Cossack Wedding”, “All Jokes Aside”
If You Like: Challenging lyrics; spoken-word
Taylor Swift - Midnights
Genre: Synth-pop
Quick Review
After her 2020 run of Folklore and Evermore, I was really curious to see where she would go with this new album. Those were both great albums, and with the concept of Midnights being “thirteen sleepless nights”, along with the cover at, made it seem like it would be a 70s-inspired folk/singer-songwriter album, but it’s not. It’s a lowkey synth-pop album that puts Taylor right back to where she was before 2020. This just makes her feel like a normal pop star again. The songs are passable, and a couple are even entertaining if they’re playing in the background, but the subtle electronics don’t work well for her. Her voice isn’t commanding enough, nor are the instrumentals interesting enough to sustain this whole project. I really hope Taylor goes back to the Folklore and Evermore style at some point. This review sounds harsher than I want it to, but it really felt like she found her sound, and now she’s back to making normal sounding pop music. I’m happy that some people really enjoy it, but I think I might cut my losses until then.
Favorite Tracks: “Anti-Hero”, “Sweet Nothing”, “Bejeweled”
If You Like: Previous Taylor Swift albums; Starbucks
Ekkstacy - misery
Genre: Alternative; punk rock
Quick Review
After hearing Ekkstacy’s track on the new Pigeons & Planes compilation, I knew I wanted to check out his next project, and it only took a couple months to get this album. This is a really interesting album that I wish I had the time to write about more, because it brings up an interesting conundrum. The songs themselves are extremely upbeat and would likely fit in perfectly with many other classic punk rock projects, but the lyrics are extremely dark. Like, insanely dark to the point where it might need a content warning. The content here straddles the line between triggering and therapeutic very narrowly, sometimes seeming like it might be both. This is the type of project where if a friend made this, I would absolutely check to see if they were ok. For now, I will just enjoy this project and hope that there are better days ahead for him.
Favorite Tracks: “I want to sleep for 1000 years”, “i gave you everything”, “christian death”
If You Like: Goth; Travis Barker, 70s and 80s punk
The Isley Brothers - Make Me Say It Again, Girl
Genre: R&B
Quick Review
Yes, the legendary Isley Brothers are back again with a new album in 2022. Most of their most famous material is close to half a century old, but they are still managing to churn out new songs with people that were born decades after they already had classic songs. The songs themselves sound like they were written by 80 year olds, but that doesn’t mean that they are intrinsically bad. These songs feel straight from the old school R&B days, and whenever they do try to get a bit current, it takes away from the project. When they do get into the classic brand of R&B songwriting and authentic instrumentation, it holds up fairly better than one would expect. Don’t expect this project to hold up to their classic material, but there are plenty of enjoyable songs for people that are already fans.
Favorite Tracks: “Make Me Say It Again, Girl” (Feat. Beyonce), “Last Time”, “Friends and Family” (Feat. Snoop Dogg)
If You Like: 70s R&B; classic R&B; any funk sample in a hip hop song
Jean Dawson - CHAOS NOW*
Genre: Indie rock
Quick Review
Jean Dawson makes some of the wildest, but catchy indie rock I’ve ever heard, and this project is his most sonically concise so far. The songs themselves can change on a dime, but the overall sound of the album is firm in the indie rock sound he’s been toying with previously. At points, it can sound a bit too messy, but it also has incredible moments! There are anthemic singles that could rule the radio, but there are also ballads that are easily the best of his career so far. This is a wild album that only fits a certain mood, but it works perfectly for whenever someone is in that mood. I highly recommend checking this out if you want to see what the future of indie rock could possibly be.
Favorite Tracks: “GLORY*”, “BAD FRUIT*” (Feat. Earl Sweatshirt), “PIRATE RADIO*”
If You Like: Kenny Mason; boundary pushing indie-rock
Alvvays - Blue Rev
Genre: Shoegaze, Indie-pop
Quick Review
I had no idea who Alvvays was before this album, but people seemed very excited to hear this project. I will say, this project is easily enjoyable, but I’m not sure how much I’ll end up relistening to it. Even after re-listening to it after seeing their show on campus, it doesn’t quite hit the same as most of the music I love. The entire project is upbeat with these driving drums, synthy melodies, and slightly crusty guitar chords. There are even moments on here that I really like, like the hook on “Many Mirrors” and the noisy synth outro of “Velveteen”, but this just isn't my type of music. Maybe I’ll end up loving it like it seems like most people do, but that’ll have to come with time.
Favorite Tracks: “Many Mirrors”, “Velveteen”, “Tile by Tile”
If You Like: Snail Mail; Japanese Breakfast; Soccer Mommy
Open Mike Eagle - Component System With the Auto Reverse
Genre: Hip hop
Quick Review
Open Mike Eagle is one of the most established names in the underground hip hop scene, but he’s recently started to expand beyond that format the past few years. He has a full network of different podcasts, as well as made a television show for Comedy Central that lasted a year. His 2020 album, Anime, Trauma, and Divorce, was his most emotional so far and is still my favorite project of his. This new project is him looking back at his childhood and making a project for comfort with some of his friends. He brought features from Armand Hammer, Aesop Rock, Rap Ferreira, and more underground mainstays onto this album, all of which add to their respective songs. There is even a song dedicated to the late MF DOOM! This album is a collection of quality underground rappers led by one of the best, nothing more, nothing less.
Favorite Tracks: “Burner Account” (Feat. Armand Hammer), “For DOOM”, “I Retired Then I Changed My Mind”
If You Like: Underground hip hop; old-school hip hop
Denzel Curry - Melt My Eyez, See Your Future (The Expanded Edition)
Genre: Hip hop; jazz-fusion
Quick Review
This is a deluxe version of Denzel’s original album, and he did it in an extremely unique way! Instead of just adding a couple remixes and old songs that didn’t make it, he brought a live band in to help remake the majority of the album. Instead of all the synthetic sounds, everything on these deluxe songs is being played live by the Cold Blooded Soul Band. There are a couple new songs on there, but it really is the remixes and remakes that are the star of the show. It’s led some people to even prefer this deluxe to the original and while I don’t agree, I can understand.
Favorite Tracks: “Larger Than Life”, “X-Wing - Cold Blooded Soul Version”, “Melt Session #1 - Cold Blooded Soul Version”
If You Like: NPR Tiny Desks, the original album
Louis Cole - Quality Over Opinion
Genre: Jazz-fusion; funk; pop
Quick Review
Louis Cole is along the same lines of people like Thundercat and DOMi & JD Beck. Meaning, he takes extremely complex playing and turns it into accessible and fun music that people can listen to. Quality Over Opinion is a showcase of many talents that Louis has, for better or for worse. The 20-songs and 70-minute runtime does feel a bit too long, and the sequencing from upbeat songs to ballads is all over the place, but he does everything so well that it combats all of the obvious negatives. Louis also incorporates lots of humor into this album, whether that be comparing existence to a hot pocket or the absolutely wild song titles and subject matter of the upbeat funk bangers he has on here. He was also able to slow it down really nicely, even though the slower songs do have a couple misses in the tracklist. Louis Cole doesn’t make music for everybody, but Quality Over Opinion is another solid project for the jazz weirdo.
Favorite Tracks:“Dead Inside Shuffle”, “Failing in a Cool Way”, “Let It Happen”
If You Like: Thundercat; DOMi & JD Beck; Brainfeeder Records
Mavi - Laughing So Hard It Hurts
Genre: Soulful hip-hop
Quick Review
It’s been a few years since the last Mavi album, but he’s grown a lot since then. He opened for Jack Harlow, put out an EP, and collaborated with people like Earl Sweatshirt and The Alchemist, all of which proved that he was a force to be reckoned with. Laughing So Hard, It Hurts might be my favorite body of work from him so far! This album took away the heavy Earl Sweatshirt influence he previously had, but this project now feels like a Noname project. The production is soulful and soft, but the lyrics are poignant and alternate between depressing and uplifting. There are so many gems on this album that can apply to many of life’s different situations. The individual moments are still unveiling themselves to me with every new listen, but each one only makes me enjoy this album even more.
Favorite Tracks: “My Good Ghosts”, “Reason!”, “Last Laugh”
If You Like: Noname; Earl Sweatshirt’s happier music, Chicago hip-hop
Lil Baby - It’s Only Me
Genre: Trap; hip hop
Quick Review
Lil Baby is one of the biggest names in hip hop, if not music in general, right now. Heck, in 2020, he was the most streamed artist overall! It’s Only Me is his first solo album since then, and it’s still leaving me with questions. He’s really great when it comes to features, but carrying a 23 song project with only a handful of features doesn’t make for the most enjoyable project. His beat selection here is pretty generic, with most of them sounding like they could come from a Youtube “Lil Baby Type Beat” search. His rapping itself has its moments of being really good, but there are just too many things bringing this album down. It’s way too long while sounding the same as his previous music, just without the hits. I wonder if he’ll end up wanting to expand his sonic palette, because I’m not sure if he can continue like this for the next decade.
Favorite Tracks: “Real Spill”, “Pop Out” (Feat. Nardo Wick), “Perfect Timing”
If You Like: Rap Caviar Playlist; Gunna
Poppy - Stagger
Genre: Alt-rock; nu-metal
Quick Review
Poppy is back with a new four song EP that yet again, shows her playing with a myriad of different genres. She is bringing back the more accessible pop sound into the hard rock, especially on the middle tracks in this project. The title track stands out as the lone ballad on the tracklist, and after hearing it at her concert back in March, the studio version managed to live up the hype! She also goes at her ex-fiance Ghostmane on the track “Pocket”. While neither one said many details, it was apparent that it didn’t end nicely and “Pocket” is Poppy’s side of the story. It’s still enjoyable though, even without the context. That theme of moving on and being in flux that her last album lived in is still here in full, so part of me wonders if these were leftovers from her last album. Either way, I’m sure her new full length album will come out sometime next year, so hopefully she continues to push boundaries.
If You Like: Rina Sawayama; Accessible hard rock
Rome Streetz - Kiss The Ring
Genre: Hip hop
Quick Review
Rome Streetz is part of the new Griselda ensemble that Westside Gunn has been building these past couple years, and this is his first official album on the label. It’s not as amazing as some of Griselda’s best material, but it’s still a quality hip hop record. It doesn’t stray far from Griselda’s classic sound, and that’s because the majority of this album is produced by in-house producer Conductor Williams. Almost the entire label has features on this project as well, which is a nice change of pace considering Rome Streetz’s flow doesn’t change that much. Compared to other people who have recently signed with the label, like Mach-Hommy and Boldy James, this project fails in comparison to their projects over the past couple years. But looking at this project in a vacuum, it’s still a quality hip hop project.
Favorite Tracks: “Blow 4 Blow” (Feat. Stove God Cooks & Benny the Butcher), “Reversible”, “Serving” (Feat. Boldy James)
If You Like: Griselda; grimey hip hop
Nicholas Craven & Boldy James - Fair Exchange No Robbery
Genre: Hip hop
Quick Review
Speaking of Griselda, Boldy James remains one of the most consistent and great rappers in the game currently with his new release, even if it pales in comparison to his previous album this year. This time, it’s the Canadian producer, Nicholas Craven, who provides the beats. He provides a plethora of soul samples for Boldy to rap over, which can sometimes get a bit repetitive. Instead of changing the sample or beat throughout the track, the songs mainly consist of just one loop of the sample and drums that are repeated the entire track. Even though the beats are enjoyable, they’re not that great that they defy the need for change. Boldy’s bars are still really great and entertaining though, which makes this a quality hip hop project on its own. Boldy is on an insane run of quality projects, and even though Fair Exchange No Robbery isn’t quite as great as most of them, it’s not bad by any means.
Favorite Tracks: “Monterey Jack”, “Stuck in Traffic”, “Town & Country”
If You Like: Old-school hip hop; grimey hip hop; Detroit
Armani Caesar - The Liz 2
Genre: Hip-hop
Quick Review
The “First Lady of Griselda” is back again with her second project on the label, and it ended up being the most unique Griselda project in a long time. There are still some classic Griselda cuts on here though, even with the changes. Some of the beats are absolutely filthy and some of the best in this vein of the year, but she also switches it up more than the majority of anyone on that label. Armani even sings on some of these songs, which is something she’s never done before, but it actually works here! It’s not like she should only sing now, but it works when it needs to. Honestly, even though she has features from almost all the Griselda members on here, most of the best songs are where she is by herself. The Liz 2 proves that Armani not only deserves to be on Griselda, but that she has her own lane outside of the group as well.
Favorite Tracks: “Ice Age”, “Hunnit Dollar Hiccup” (Feat. Benny the Butcher & Stove God Cooks), “Mel Gibson”
If You Like: Griselda; Megan Thee Stallion
Arctic Monkeys - The Car
Genre: Orchestral rock, lounge pop
Quick Review
Arctic Monkeys are one of the most acclaimed rock bands in the past couple decades, and The Car cements their new direction into orchestral rock. Their 2018 album, Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino, already had them going in this direction, but that album was so concept heavy that people didn’t know if they would stick with that sound or not. The Car dives heavily into orchestral sounds. So much so, that I would declare the string sections to be the main instrument throughout the album. It does leave a lot of space for Alex’s really great voice on these songs, especially on the opening track. This album really seems like one that will grow on everyone the more they’ve listened to it. Every time I’ve checked it out, it’s only grown on me, so hopefully it continues to do that.
Favorite Tracks: “There’d Better Be A Mirrorball”, “I Ain’t Quite Where I Think I Am”, “Body Paint”
If You Like: The Beatles, The Strokes, David Bowie
Comments