ALBUMS OF THE YEAR 2018

Pink Siifu – ensley

It’s like Pink Siifu went from man to king in the space of a year in terms of his musical output. ensley is a profound an utterly gorgeous album that is introspective, soulful, political and rebellious. The production is amongst the best I have heard all year, and “Stay Sane” is absolutely iconic (my favourite song of 2018). As someone who has followed his career since 2013, seeing his growth into the artist he is today was one of my favourite things this year. REVIEW/STREAM

Oliver Palfreyman – OP01

Oliver Palfreyman exceeded all expectations with releases this year, putting out one of the dopest releases this year, with heavy production that just keeps your heart racing. Listening to it live especially will change your life. Futuristic beats, more defined compositions, the young London-based producer is a future legend. OP01 is an incredible listen. REVIEW/STREAM

Joe Armon-Jones – Starting Today

This was one of my most anticipated releases at the time of its announcement. Together with talented producer Maxwell Owin, he crafted one of my favourite EP’s of all time with Idiom, so I was really looking forward to the direction he would take with this record. He exceeds expectations tenfold, and shows us why he is one of the best pianists in the country. REVIEW/STREAM

Noname – Room 25

On her album debut Room 25, Noname brings soul, deeply moving and relatable poetry and a whole lotta jazz. in fact, this is more of a jazz album in composition and execution than it is a hip-hop record. It’s almost avant-garde. Spoken word poetry done to such excellence, this is the album that cements her position, for me at least, as one of the most creative emcees doing it today. STREAM

Earl Sweatshirt – Some Rap Songs

Talking about avant-garde, experimental hip-hop, Earl Sweatshirt came back with a new album titled Some Rap Songs. The brief 25 minutes are filled with dense lyricism and brutally honest lyrics about his state of mind, relationships with family, and dealing with depression. It is a dark and sombre record, but one with an optimistic tone to it. It requires multiple listens to truly appreciate the depths to this project, but once you’re there, it’s an unforgettable listening experience. REVIEW/STREAM