Moor Mother & billy woods - BRASS [2020]

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The first song on BRASS, “Furies”, was the beginning of something special. Although Moor Mother and billy woods had connected before on “Ramesses II” by Armand Hammer (woods and ELUCID), “Furies” was the first time they recorded as a duo. The track was originally released as part of the Adult Swim single series - a full album was not on the cards yet. “Furies” has a cavernous mysticism to it. Moor Mother travels through time and woods crafts a foreboding verse full of paranoia and greek mythology. The chemistry between the two was undeniable, but nothing could have sufficiently prepared listeners for what was to come. The surprise release of BRASS hit like a lightning bolt. Both Moor Mother and woods have released excellent albums in the past, and on BRASS they push and pull each other into exciting new dimensions.

Small Bills - Don't Play It Straight [2020]

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Ten tracks into ELUCID's Valley of Grace, the rapper declared that "nothing's broken, this is how it’s supposed to run" on "Talk Disruptive Fo Me”. At that point in the EP, if the listener did not know that he was talking about systemic racism, they had not been paying attention. Inspired by a trip to South Africa and released in 2017, Valley of Grace was a powerful reaction to turbulent times. The beats, produced entirely by ELUCID himself, had a grim futuristic tone that fit the subject matter perfectly. 

Open Mike Eagle - Anime, Trauma and Divorce [2020]

 

Despite how unrealistic the stories in something like Anime can be, a colorful imagination can help people process their own realities. It can be a method of escapism and even empowerment - just listen to the spirit and positivity of “I’m a Joestar (Black Power Fantasy)”. This can be especially appealing if one happens to be Black in America. To be blunt, cops and other tools of white supremacy would probably be a lot easier to deal with as a Super Saiyan or a Hamon user. According to rapper Open Mike Eagle, this was, more or less, the initial concept behind what would end up being Anime, Trauma and Divorce - before the divorce turned his life upside down. 

Cat Toren's Human Kind - Scintillating Beauty [2020]

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With a first track as striking as "Radiance In Veils", one immediately gets the sense that Cat Toren's Human Kind's Scintillating Beauty is an album that will live up to its name. The tune is an epic Cat Toren original that moves from serenity to overwhelming force - in one instance in shockingly abrupt fashion. In its calmer moments, Toren's piano is spellbindingly delicate, working particularly well in the company of mesmerizing chimes. Later on, a fiery solo by saxophonist Xavier del Castillo is met well by energetic playing from the rest of the band. The high-quality on display will not surprise anyone who has heard Cat Toren's Human Kind's self-titled debut album, which featured the same band: Cat Toren (piano, compositions) Yoshie Fruchter (oud), Jake Leckie (bass), and Matt Honor (drums). Stephanie Rooker, who plays chimes, tuning forks and singing bowls on "Radiance in Veils", is the only addition.

Tyshawn Sorey - Unfiltered [2020]

 

Multi-instrumentalist and composer Tyshawn Sorey is a master of modern creative music. Unfiltered has Sorey on drums joined by five talented young musicians, Nathan Reising (alto saxophone), Morgan Guerin (tenor saxophone), Lex Korten (piano), Nick Dunston (bass), and Sasha Berliner (vibraphone). Those who have heard Sorey's recent work as a bandleader may be surprised at the relatively grounded nature of this two-hour piece. Unlike past albums such as Verisimilitude or Pillars, Unfiltered is not a release characterized by overtly modern classical or free improvisation elements. However, this has not changed a key aspect of Sorey's work: riveting complexity and extremely high quality. 

Protomartyr - Ultimate Success Today [2020]

 

Ultimate Success Today is bleak and eerily prescient. The seemingly optimistic title of Protomartyr's fifth album is in jest, diametrically opposed to its grim content. The album name makes a murmured appearance on opener "Day Without End", a song in which frontman Joe Casey paints a picture of imminent death. Although there is nothing even relatively close to a joyful celebration of success on Ultimate Success Today, that isn't anything the Protomartyr fans would expect, and more importantly, it's an exceptional album.

YC the Cynic - GNK [2013]

It's always refreshing to hear a young hip-hop artist debut strongly, and that's exactly what YC the Cynic (now known as Kemba) does on GNK. The Bronx rapper is clearly a student of the classics, as there is a litany of references to artists such as Tupac, A Tribe Called Quest, and Biggie. GNK is not something to put on during a party - the album is mostly dark. YC the Cynic's rapping and producer Frank Dank's beats are both mostly ominous or introspective. 

Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 2 [2014]

Run the Jewels was one of the best albums of 2013 and Run the Jewels 2 continues that trend of high quality. It's hard to tell which record is better, but that doesn't matter because both are fantastic. Outside of Gangsta Boo's feature verse, which is a step below El-P and Killer Mike's typical standards on "Love Again", there is really nothing to complain about.

Amani + King Vision Ultra - An Unknown Infinite [2020]

An Unknown Infinite by Amani and King Vision Ultra is full of gems - two of the most striking being "Scrapes" and "Shaft In Africa". The songs have very different lyrical approaches, the former scattering through free-form imagery and the latter containing poignant socio-political commentary. Amani is the principal emcee of the album, but "Scrapes" is exclusively occupied by the words of Elucid, a rapper who recently reached new creative heights alongside Billy Woods in Armand Hammer's Shrines. As the eerie chimes, bass, clicks, and clacks of "Scrapes" sound off, it's hard to imagine a better environment for Elucid's hoarse voice. Producer King Vision Ultra's creation is the unnerving calm after the storm - an ominous, desolate search through rubble, debris, and unhinged doors. Elucid rips through the tension with mystifying poetic transit. It's winter, then summer - "The jazz is free, the noise is love / You wear me out, I drag my tongue" - there is no defined structure as the East New York emcee crafts fractured vignettes of his surroundings. As the first full song of the album, "Scrapes" is a bold and appropriate introduction: Amani and King Vision Ultra would fit in extremely well on any playlist containing Backwoodz Studioz artists like Armand Hammer or ShrapKnel. 

Tame Impala - Currents [2015]

"Let It Happen" was a lovely single. It was also an announcement of a change that seemed almost inevitable for Tame Impala. The song is extremely groovy and drenched in synths. While it wasn't a world away from past Tame Impala songs it was definitely not strictly within the psychedelic rock label one could apply to Tame Impala's first two albums. This shouldn't have come as a shock, as Kevin Parker had always spoken about his admiration for pop music in particular. His recent masterpiece, Lonerism, was clearly more pop-leaning than Innerspeaker or the past Tame Impala EPs. 

Terrace Martin - Velvet Portraits [2016]

Terrace Martin garnered the attention of many by being a key part of Kendrick Lamar's masterpiece, To Pimp A Butterfly. Although Martin's contributions to Lamar's record were phenomenal, Velvet Portraits leaves a lot to be desired. It is clear that Martin is an accomplished musician, but this is an album that bores more than it hits. 

Cannibal Ox - The Cold Vein [2001]

Had Cannibal Ox continued making records as incredible as The Cold Vein, they could have ended up being the underground experimental version of Mobb Deep. Two New York City-based emcees telling stories of the dangerous reality of their neighborhood backed by transformative production. El-P's beats are perfect for Vast Aire and Vordul Mega's street tales and battle raps. They put the listener right in the emcees' grim and unforgiving concrete world. The instrumentals could be used in the soundtrack for a gritty post-apocalyptic urban film. El-P's dark, aggressive, and futuristic soundscapes are idiosyncratic. Nothing sounds close to it, not even El-P's own Fantastic Damage released the next year. El-P has proven to be quite versatile in his long career, and The Cold Vein is definitely one of his peaks.

Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels [2013]

In October 2012 at the Howard Theatre in Washington D.C., Killer Mike opened up for GZA. The rapper was hot off the release of one of the best rap albums in recent memory, the El-P-produced R.A.P. Music. During his thunderous set, Killer Mike announced that he was working on rap collaboration with El-P. The news was met with cheers, but perhaps not as much as one reading this in retrospect would expect. This is likely because there is a good chance that at least half of GZA's audience did not know who El-P was. Killer Mike had already shown he had great rhyme chemistry with El-P on "Butane" (R.A.P. Music) and "Tougher Colder Killer" (El-P's Cancer 4 Cure), but what their fans did not know was just how satisfying Run the Jewels - the album and the group in general - would end up being.

Goodie Mob - Soul Food [1995]

Considering that they were closely associated with OutKast and released an album as incredible as Soul Food, one could argue that Goodie Mob is a bit overlooked. Of course, Still Standing is also great, but Soul Food, true to its name, is one of the most soulful, heartfelt hip hop albums ever created. There is also the issue of Cee Lo. It is great that he went on to obtain a good amount of fame, however, it is also a bit weird that he is primarily known for dressing odd and pop-soul singles like Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" to those who don't know about Goodie Mob. It would be less weird if his performance throughout Soul Food wasn't so colossal. Big Gipp, Khujo, and T-Mo are good emcees, but Cee Lo's rapping, which can be strikingly melodic, is what puts this album over the top. It is one of the greatest performances of any rapper from any era period. Listening to Cee Lo seemingly freestyle through his stunning verse of "Goodie Bag" is evidence enough of his staggering talent. 

Adrian Younge - Something About April II [2016]

When Something About April II was released in January 2016, Adrian Younge was on a roll. He had produced a great album for Souls of Mischief (There Is Only Now) and produced what might be Bilal's best album (In Another Life). Additionally, the multi-instrumentalist's work was the source of the samples of the solid PRhyme album and he also worked on two albums with Ghostface. 

Souls of Mischief & Adrian Younge - There Is Only Now [2014]

There Is Only Now is the best Souls Of Mischief album since the classic 93 Til' Infinity. Even though Montezuma's Revenge was solid, this record blows it out of the water. Adrian Younge's instrumental work is extremely well done. There is no sampling - the "beats" are all live instrumentation. Sonically, it sounds like something that could be from a seventies movie, though the biggest influence here is clearly the work of David Axelrod. Younge's arrangements have lots of tastefully played bass, strings, keys, and flutes. 

Flying Lotus - You're Dead! [2014]

The evolution of Flying Lotus has been marvelous. Each album has been different from the last and from 1983 to Cosmogramma, all maintained or surpassed the producer's high standards. Flying Lotus' sound has a myriad of elements. It can be glitchy, jazzy, hip-hop structured, and even psychedelic. This distinct style has made him stand out as one of the most interesting artists of his time. 

Herbie Hancock - Head Hunters [1973]

Head Hunters is an album that deserves the immense popularity and praises it has received since its 1973 release. Herbie Hancock has a fantastic discography overall, starting off with his hard bop and post-bop Blue Note releases in the sixties such as the excellent Empyrean Isle but as soon as you hear the bass line, guitar licks, and overall theme of the incredible "Chameleon", it's extremely obvious why this is his most popular album. In short, Head Hunters is fun, funky, and groovy as hell. "Watermelon Man" is somehow even more infectious than "Chameleon". The track envelops the listener in an addicting aural equivalent of walking through rainforest animal chirps and buzzes and its bassline is fantastic. "Sly" features Hancock and Bennie Maupin freaking out on keys and sax respectively. It almost seems like Maupin's impressive solo was only conceived as a challenge to Hancock, whose impressive playing is the highlight of much of the song's runtime. Head Hunters is a vibrant jazz-funk album that consistently delivers.

Janelle Monáe - The Electric Lady [2013]

Janelle Monáe's full-length debut, The ArchAndroid, was one of the standout releases of its year and The Electric Lady is a worthy sequel. The lead single ("Dance Apocalyptic") was a take on Andre 3000-inspired brand of pop music that missed the mark. Thankfully, the rest of the album does not sound like this, as Monáe continues to play with a wide range of styles. She delves into Jackson 5-like soul with powerful vocals on the wonderful "It's Code" and sounds equally at home in the cinematic, sultry string-driven atmosphere of "Look Into My Eyes". "Givin' Em' What They Love" has more great Monáe singing and a stellar feature from Prince, who provides a strong guitar solo. The Electric Lady really hits its stride in Suite V, with the blatantly "I Can't Help It" (Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder) influenced "Dorothy Dandridge Eyes" and the infectious "Can't Live Without Your Love" being two of Monáe's best songs. The former has gorgeous scatting from bassist Esperanza Spalding and it is a crime of the highest order that the latter was not pushed as a single. The smooth instrumentation and catchy, succinct hook of "Can't Live Without Your Love" had the potential to do wonders for Monáe on R&B-centered radio stations. The existence of duller tracks like "Primetime" or "We Were Rock & Roll" means that The Electric Lady is ultimately not on the level of The ArchAndroid, but it's still a very good album.

Anderson .Paak - Malibu [2016]

The key to Malibu is that there is plenty of variety in how aspects of groove, soul, and occasionally even jazz course through Anderson .Paak's music. The album does genre-hop, though not to the extreme of something like Janelle Monáe's The ArchAndroid. .Paak walks the tightrope between neo-soul, hip-hop, and R&B. Something like that could be an absolute train wreck, but thankfully the musician has the skill to do it all well. He is a great singer and a solid rapper. "Put Me Through" is imbued with classic soul and the song right after it, "Am I Wrong", switches things up to a much more contemporary club atmosphere. Despite the radical difference between these two songs, the transition works perfectly - a testament to .Paak's talent.

Moonchild - Please Rewind [2014]

Moonchild is a Neo-Soul trio based in Los Angeles, California. Their sound is very jazzy, often featuring great keyboard playing that dominates stellar tracks of Please Rewind such as "The Truth" or "All The Joy". The trio's sound is clearly heavily influenced by Neo-Soul greats such as Erykah Badu. They are students of the mellow jazz and funk-based Neo-Soul sound that was making waves in the second half of the 90s and early 2000s.

Dr. Lonnie Smith - Evolution [2016]

Organist Dr. Lonnie Smith's Evolution is filled with loads of groove. It begins with "Play It Back", a stunning Smith original. Pianist Robert Glasper drops in to blaze through an incredible solo. Jonathan Kreisberg provides funky guitar licks and Smith takes center stage near the end of the tune with a ridiculously soulful solo. The strong rhythms make it hard to sit still while listening.

Caetano Veloso - Transa [1972]

Except for parts of "Soy Loco Por Tí América", Caetano Veloso's self-titled debut album was entirely sung in Portuguese. It's an exceptional record, full of strings, horns, and a distinct, somewhat quirky atmosphere that is very representative of the Tropicália sound of the sixties. Transa has Veloso leaving much of this past style behind, opting for a much less orchestral presentation and much more English lyrics. The strings, horns, and Tropicália psychedelia are gone, replaced by a relatively traditional band: acoustic/electric guitar, bass, and percussion.

Curren$y - Pilot Talk III [2015]

Curren$y is a mixed bag. It's clear that he has an impeccable ear for beats. It's also admirable that he doesn't seem to make any concessions for contemporary mainstream appeal. This is a man who left Cash Money - he makes the type of music he wants to make. None of his albums or mixtapes are badly produced from an instrumental point of view. The majority of them, with some exceptions, fall into the awkward area between good and bad. 

Marcos Valle - Viola Enluarada [1968]

What makes Viola Enluarada stand out in the Marcos Valle discography is that his sound is mostly devoid of the joy that typified past releases. There are occasional signs of that signature sunny Brazilian happiness ("Viagem"), however, Viola Enluarada is full of lyrical and musical melancholy. It's an excellent recording with fantastic arrangements that feature great use of piano and occasional participation from woodwinds. Viola Enluarada is a fine choice for Valle's best album, but those who were drawn to his work off the strength of something like the lighthearted "Samba de verão" may be a bit surprised by things like "Eu". "Eu" has Valle and a guitar in an extremely somber settling. The musician is alone in his room, failing to distract himself from thinking about lost love. "Homen do Meu Mundo" is another downtrodden number in which he laments on how the world is plagued with war and sadness. While things are generally quite mellow, early in the album Valle and his then-wife Ana Maria Valle both shine over the rapid piano lines of the addictive "Próton, elétron, neutron". Clocking in at just thirty-six minutes with nothing but great tracks, Viola Enluarada is the peak of the more introspective side of Valle's songwriting.

Marcos Valle - Previsão do tempo [1973]

Arguably the best album in a stellar catalog, Previsão do Tempo is a key MPB ("Música Popular Brasilera") record of the seventies. By the time Marcos Valle released this album, he was already ten years deep into his career, having released an impressive bossa nova debut in 1963 (Samba Demais). Valle eventually started to move away from the more pure bossa nova of Samba Demais and Previsão do Tempo is the crown jewel of this departure. As can be heard towards the end of one of Valle's most beautiful songs, "De Repente, Moça Flor", keys often give the album a slightly psychedelic feel. On the catchy "Mentira", his embrace of funky guitar licks and groovy keys yields great results. Emotionally Previsão do Tempo has a nice range, containing playful moments like "Nem Paletó, Nem Gravata" and somber atmospheres like that of "Samba Fatal". Opening with the brilliantly political and melodically strong "Flamengo Até Morrer", Previsão do Tempo is an excellent album from front to back.

Stan Getz & João Gilberto - Getz / Gilberto [1964]

Getz / Gilberto is easily the most well-known album in the United States to feature the Brazilian legend. The large non-Brazilian popularity in comparison to the rest of João Gilberto's fantastic discography has much to do with the fact that this album has the definitive English version of the most popular bossa nova song, "The Girl From Ipanema". "The Girl From Ipanema" has an iconic performance from Astrud Gilberto, who pops up again for another arguably definitive performance on "Corcovado". Like "Corcovado", every song of Getz / Gilberto is a Brazilian standard, the majority being composed by Antonio Carlos Jobim with lyrics from Vinicius de Moraes. Stan Getz' playing is not at its most adventurous here, but it doesn't have to be. The smooth saxophonist does a great job of complementing Gilberto's genre-defining bossa nova guitar, and if that wasn't enough, Jobim himself drops in to play piano occasionally. Everything is delicate and beautifully played and every musician involved is a master of the hypnotizingly light bossa nova style. This album is a perfect gateway to the rest of Gilberto's excellent work and bossa nova in general. Getz / Gilberto is essentially listening for anyone who has ever wanted a laid back jazz record.

Elis Regina & Antônio Carlos Jobim - Elis & Tom [1974]

The combination of Elis Regina and Antonio Carlos Jobim really should have lasted for more than one album, because it worked out perfectly. Elis & Tom is arguably the best album of either artists' discography. Every song of Elis & Tom is an exemplary version of classic Jobim compositions. Regina's voice is gorgeous and emotionally compelling. It's obvious why her irresistibly bubbly recording of "Águas de Março" with Jobim is so well known, but the dynamic rendition of "Corcovado" is just as impressive. The melancholic strings and soothing bossa nova guitar of "Corcovado" are excellent. Jobim, who can be heard on vocals, guitar, and piano, outdid himself with the arrangements. The record never does too much, there is a tasteful amount of space and simplicity to let Regina's divine voice shine. Elis & Tom has a perfect balance between happier, more upbeat tunes like "Fotografia" or "Brigas, nunca mais" and more mellow string or piano focused numbers like "Soneto da separação" and the stunningly beautiful "Modinha". No bossa nova or Brazilian music collection is complete without Elis & Tom, a record that set a ridiculously high standard for the many artists who would eventually record their own versions of these stellar Jobim tunes.

Novos Baianos - Acabou Chorare [1972]

Happiness radiates from Acabou Chorare on a level that is extremely hard to match or replicate. Every single song, even the relatively slow title track, feels unmistakably light-hearted and fun. The album has so much energy that it would be hard to believe that the band did not have a fantastic time recording it. The guitar-work is top-notch, with the majority of the tunes featuring catchy rhythms and great acoustic or electric solos. Moraes Moreira and Paulinho Boca de Cantor are both great singers, but Baby Consuelo is somehow even more infectious as she takes lead on both "Tindo Trincando" and "A Menina Dança". It does not matter if you speak Portuguese or not - you need to hear this classic.

Gal Costa - Gal Costa [1969]

Gal Costa's March 1969 self-titled release is the perfect balance of everything that makes her an extremely compelling artist. It is not a coincidence that this album falls right in between two albums that are stellar in their own right but do not display as many aspects of the Brazilian singer. Domingo, released with Caetano Veloso in 1967, was an album of bossa nova perfection. Despite how fantastic it is, Domingo may be a bit too mellow for those who want edge and rock in their music. On the other hand, in Gal, released in December 1969, the artist is in what would end up being her most erratic state on record. Relative to the rest of her discography, the singing at times borders on organized chaos. It is a fantastic record instrumentally and vocally, but if one prefers Domingo, it may just be a bit too freaky. Gal is definitely not the record one would expect after listening to Domingo or any of the classic bossa nova releases. 

Gal Costa & Caetano Veloso - Domingo [1967]

Domingo was the beginning of the careers of two Brazilian legends, Gal Costa and Caetano Veloso. Undoubtedly influenced by the definitive bossa nova record, João Gilberto's Chega de Saudade, Domingo is another arguably perfect example of the Brazilian genre. Veloso and Costa's voices are like a perfect summer breeze: soft, relaxing, and beautiful. The tunes are short and simple, with arrangements that usually feature a classic bossa nova style guitar accompanied by woodwinds or strings. Those who crave some of the psychedelic sounds that these artists would embrace later in their career should look elsewhere but at 31 minutes, Domingo is an album that is remarkably easy to return to and appreciate in its totality. A great starting point for those wondering what bossa nova is all about.

Thumbscrew - The Anthony Braxton Project [2020]

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It would be hard to find a trio better equipped to tackle an entire album of saxophonist Anthony Braxton’s compositions than Thumbscrew. Braxton is an accomplished veteran of the avant-garde, free improvisation, and everything in between. Mary Halvorson (guitar), Tomas Fujiwara (drums, vibraphone), and Michael Formanek (bass) do not approach The Anthony Braxton Project (Cuneiform Records, 2020) with the same distance that many other musicians may have. Braxton has played with every member of Thumbscrew, having a profound influence on Halvorson in particular. Braxton is a mentor to the guitarist, who changed her college major from biology to music after taking a class with him at Wesleyan University.

SAULT - UNTITLED (Black Is) [2020]

Very little is known about SAULT. The group may be a trio, and they are much more about "show" than "tell". The band revealed the bare minimum to the public when they appeared on the scene, seemingly out of nowhere, with two albums in 2019: album titles and a band name. Eventually, listeners were led to the names of multi-instrumentalist/producer Inflo, singer/songwriter Cleo Sol, and rapper Melisa Young (Kid Sister). SAULT is most likely a London based band, as both Inflo and Cleo Sol are Londoners. Inflo has worked on recent high-quality British albums such as Grey Area (Little Simz) and Love & Hate (Michael Kiwanuka). He also produced Cleo Sol's sublime debut album, Rose In The Dark. The role of Young in SAULT is arguably the most curious revelation, as she is best known for a brand of pop-rap that is radically different from her empowering spoken word on UNTITLED (Black Is).*

Gerald Clayton - Happening: Live at the Village Vanguard [2020]

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Pianist Gerald Clayton first came to the attention of many jazz fans by way of the late Roy Hargrove's quintet on Earfood (Emarcy, 2008). Since then, the musician has grown to be a fine bandleader in his own right. He has released nothing but high-quality work, with a notable artistic shift between 2011's Bond: The Paris Sessions (Emarcy) to 2013's Life Forum (Concord). On the exceptional Life Forum, Clayton expanded beyond the piano trio setting of his past recordings and included singers, a horn section and poignant poetry. Tributary Tales (Motema), released in 2017, continued the strong returns of this new format with slightly different personnel. Although there are no singers or poets on Happening: Live at the Village Vanguard (2020), the accomplished musicianship makes it obvious why Clayton was recently signed by the legendary Blue Note record label.

Armand Hammer - Shrines [2020]

Armand Hammer, a duo composed of rappers Billy Woods and Elucid, are at the vanguard of left-field rap music. In the last decade, they have steadily amassed fans by releasing unapologetically exploratory albums. It's music that rewards time and analysis - the opposite of rap the average listener can fully digest in one listen. Armand Hammer's lyrics are often cryptic, non-linear and peppered with a myriad of references. Both Woods and Elucid are extraordinary writers with distinct styles. Elucid's guttural cadence is more visceral than Woods', whose raps can be aggressive but are relatively more aloof than impulsive. Woods is more likely to employ the inflection of a narrator, while Elucid raps as if he is battling in the trenches. These differences in tone and poetic nuance create a fascinating juxtaposition that has reached its greatest point thus far on Shrines.

Okkyung Lee - Yeo-Neun [2020]

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Cellist Okkyung Lee is best known for her visceral attack and extended techniques, which can be heard on past albums such as Ghil. On Yeo-Neun, she embraces the delicacy of chamber music, leading a quartet including Maeve Gilchrist (harp), Elvind Opsvik (bass) and Jacob Sacks (piano). Lee has not lost her experimental edge - she can bend the cello to her will in such a manner that sometimes it's impossible not to focus on her. However, even though she composed the entire album, Yeo-Neun is never solely about Lee. Each tune puts the onus on the quartet as a whole.

Irreversible Entanglements - Who Sent You? [2020]

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In their debut and the live album released a year after, Irreversible Entanglements wowed audiences with energetic free-jazz poetry performances, and that doesn't stop on Who Sent You?. Camae Ayewa does not have as many lines as on the band's first album, but whenever she does speak she is as effective as ever. The poet's delivery often contains more reserved anger as opposed to the explosive rage that characterized much of her contributions to the band's debut. An impressive cold intensity courses through her voice, and when she does explode, the stellar band supports her with even more fire. Aquiles Navarro (trumpet) and Keir Neuringer (alto saxophone) excel whether they are wailing or blowing through a melodic lament, but the MVP of Who Sent You? is arguably the rhythm section, with Luke Stewart (bass) and Tcheser Holmes (drums) both putting in great performances.

Earl Sweatshirt - Some Rap Songs [2018]

Earl Sweatshirt had already released a couple of quality albums, but on Some Rap Songs he found an aesthetic that fit his raps perfectly. Although bleak lyrics are still present, there is a big shift in style from his past work.

Ka - Descendants of Cain [2020]

Ka's music is full of moments in which he speaks his essence into existence. In the hook of "Land of Nod", the rapper bluntly states "You can tell I'm in fact a native / I live this vivid shit / I ain't that creative" and by the end of Descendants of Cain, you believe him. When he carefully see-saws between reverence and boasting on "Every Now and Then" ("People I love blood is in the soil that I walk / Where them curbs serve the servant, but it's royal when I talk"), it's impossible to disagree. Ka's recent work is so good that when speaking of him this statement feels almost redundant, however, it must be said - he is a magnificent lyricist.

Noah Preminger - Zigsaw: The Music of Steve Lampert [2019]

Noah Preminger is a Boston-based saxophonist with a warm tone, impressive improvisational chops and a strong sense of swing. On Zigsaw: Music of Steve Lampert, Preminger departs from the more traditional sound of his previous releases. "Zigsaw" is an almost 50-minute composition that trumpeter Steve Lampert wrote for Preminger and the rest of his band, which includes frequent collaborator Jason Palmer (trumpet), John O'Gallagher (alto saxophone), Kris Davis (piano), Rob Schwimmer (Haken continuum synthesizer, clavinet), Kim Cass (bass) and Rudy Royston (drums).

Taylor Ho Bynum - The Ambiguity Manifesto [2019]

Cornetist Taylor Ho Bynum's previous album, Enter The Plus Tet, was a fantastic example of the heights that can be reached in an unmistakably modern big band. On The Ambiguity Manifesto, Ho Bynum's compositional brilliance shines again in a band mostly composed of members of his previous "Plus Tet": Ingrid Laubrock (tenor/soprano sax), Jim Hobbs (alto sax), Bill Lowe (trombone), Mary Halvorson (guitar), Tomeka Reid (cello), Ken Filiano (bass), Tomas Fujiwara (drums) and new addition Stomu Takeishi (electric bass). Each piece here is a movement of a grand composition that runs for just over an hour. One of the first things that may register after a listen to The Ambiguity Manifesto is its intriguing duality. "Enter Ally" and "Ally Enter" and "Real/Unreal (For Ursula K. Le Guin)" and "Unreal/Real (For Old Music) are all interesting distorted reflections of one another.

Nostrum Grocers - Nostrum Grocers [2018]

Elucid and Milo always sound great together. In the Milo albums released before Nostrum Grocers, the tracks featuring Elucid, "Going No Place" and "Landscaping", were both highlights. While it could be said that both rappers exist in the same abstract lane, their styles and work are quite different. Elucid's projects tend to be on the darker side, which is fitting for the rapper's grimy voice. Conversely, although Milo's work is by no means sunshine and rainbows, it is relatively less aggressive and often features playful humor that would be out of place on an Elucid record. 

Nicole Mitchell & Haki R. Madhubuti - Liberation Narratives [2017]

"I feel there is an immediate connection between Madhubuti's words and what we are going through today, so I thought it was important to make them accessible to people that may not find his books." - Nicole Mitchell

Tierra Whack - Whack World [2018]

There is an undeniable charm to Whack World that is weirdly part of what may make it frustrating to so many. This is a 15-minute album with 15 one-minute songs, some of which are literally cut off as if a DJ has accidentally skipped to the next track. It's easy to play over and over again. Whack World could be viewed as a crash course in Tierra Whack's vast talent. "Bugs Life" shows that she has bars. Her flow is tight, the rhymes are intricate and Whack sounds at home over the somber production. She is equally adept at creating snippets of catchy sung hooks, which can be heard on "Hungry Hippo" and "Cable Guy". Even within this extremely short album, the strength of Whack's versatility is impressive. The R&B is upbeat, bouncy and fun and the rapping is solid. There are hilarious things like the twangy "Fuck Off" that do not necessarily lead to repeat listens, but generally Whack World is very fun stuff. Hopefully Whack can bring this infectious energy to a proper full-length project.

Tyshawn Sorey - The Adornment of Time [2019]

This completely improvised set runs just over an hour and features the talents of Tyshawn Sorey (drums, percussion) and Marilyn Crispell (piano). Both established names in the avant-garde jazz scene, it is of little surprise that no discussions regarding the music took place before this live recording. The Adornment of Time is a magnificent example of what can happen when two stellar musicians who listen to each other just as well as they play come together.

James Blake - Assume Form [2019]

There is the sizable dose of the usual melancholy, but Assume Form is James Blake's most upbeat work to date. It is also blatantly his most mainstream effort yet, which is a bit odd to say of an artist that has collaborated with giants such as Kendrick Lamar and Beyoncé. The album is much more accessible and compact than it's predecessor. The Colour in Anything was an album with incredible highs, the album could have been edited a bit to form a shorter and more cohesive experience. That specific issue is not present on Assume Form.

Ana Frango Elétrico - Little Electric Chicken Heart [2019]

It's hard not to smile while listening to Little Electric Chicken Heart. Ana Fainguelernt, who sings under the moniker Ana Frango Elétrico, has created a charming album that emits sunshine in every track. When listening to her playful singing cadence and colorful instrumentation, one may be reminded of a young Tropicália-era Gal Costa. This is not to say that there is a strong vocal similarity between the two or that Fainguelert is simply mining the past for her sound. However, Little Electric Chicken Heart is a clear descendant of Brazilian legends such as Costa and Os Mutantes' Rita Lee. The sound is different, but the energy, especially the joy, is familiar.

Tricot - 真っ黒 (Makkuro) [2020]

Tricot is an extremely consistent band. Outside of "危なくなく無い街へ" a pop-ballad track that surprisingly lacks the main drawing elements of the rock group, Makkuro does not do much in the way of pushing further into the poppier territory that 3 flirted with. While "危なくなく無い街へ" stands out as the album's nadir, thankfully nothing else on the tracklist resembles it. The entire album is high quality overall, but the first half of Makkuro has the band pushing their math-rock sound to new heights. 

Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters [2020]

Fetch the Bolt Cutters is immense. The album is a natural and bold evolution of ideas present in moments of Fiona Apple's previous album, The Idler Wheel. A highlight of that album was "Anything We Want" a song anchored by the clicks and clangs of somewhat unorthodox percussion. Eight years later, Apple takes the ethos of "Anything We Want" and runs with it on Fetch the Bolt Cutters, singling out percussion as the driving force of the record. With drums, bells, wooden blocks, metal butterflies, chairs and abandoned stove-tops all making contributions, there seems to be no limitation to what her band will use. The strong percussive focus pushes Apple's sound to new heights.

Pink Siifu - NEGRO [2020]

Pink Siifu has a great range of talent. There is the mellowness of his previous solo album, Ensley, and then there is Negro. The two projects are extraordinarily different, but an analysis of his discography reveals relevant precedent. The artist embraced abrasive hardcore punk in 2018 on Fuck Demo, a four-track EP that contains tracks featured here. On Negro, Siifu leaves the smooth hip-hop pastures of Ensley for radical noise. The album is a fierce evolution in sound and structure. Siifu's voice is filled with furious energy - and the indignation is justified. Negro is a record that rages against the violence of systemic racism.