Well, 2020 is over. What an awful, awful year it has been. I hope everyone is healthy and doing alright. On the other hand though, for music it has been truly amazing. Week after week, music gets released that just blows my mind, and so much has been on repeat for the past 12 months. It’s been a difficult task trying to cut down my favourite releases into 25 (check out the list of 15 Honourable Mentions here), but the criteria was the following: Replay value and impact. Those projects I would think about and return to on a regular basis get my vote, and even then it’s been difficult to define 25. They aren’t ranked, because we don’t do that around here. All of these projects are incredible and every single artist deserves all the recognition and support in the world. Love to everyone, and yeah! Happy discovery, happy listening, and to an even better 2021!
Demae – Life Works Out... Usually
The moment I knew Demae’s debut project would end up on this list is when I kept seeing myself repeating “Hello” randomly throughout the day to the melody of “Basic Love”. This happens to me way too often with Demae’s music, which is a testament to her hypnotic and ethereal aura. The London-based soul singer exceeded expectations with her debut project Life Works Out… Usually. It’s a soft, smooth and catchy body of work with delicate,incredibly soothing and sensual vocals as well as groovy production that captures her aura and creative spirit beautifully. It’s timeless music, and Demae is an artist that will see so much success moving forward, and I can’t wait to see where she goes from here! Read more
Lex Amor – Government Tropicana
I wrote a poem for Lex Amor”s debut project Government Tropicana and that automatically qualifies it for the best albums list. Honestly, this project oozes greatness. It’s a soulful and intricate body of work that perfectly captures Lex Amor’s ethereal creative spirit. Whether you hear it on the mesmeric “Mazza” or the soulful and poetic “100 Angels”, Lex Amor’s vocal tone and delivery is hypnotic and serenades my soul. As a poet, she flows effortlessly over soulful and eclectic production. Her voice is as smooth as honey, and the overall aura of it is just incredible and truly timeless. It’s a potent soundtrack to London, and one of my most played albums of the year. I will celebrate it for years and years to come. Read more
Goya Gumbani & Kiina – The Lesser-Known
Goya Gumbani & Kiina came through with an album that sounds buttery, smooth, soulful and just so, so beautiful. Goya’s introspective and personal raps complement Kiina’s incredible production effortlessly. The Lesser-Known is a true masterpiece – an album that oozes class and beauty, while also showcasing both Goya’s impeccable lyricism and Kiina’s infectious production. I feel like I’m repeating myself at this point, but there’s just something so warm and relatable about this project, it was literally one of the first albums that came to mind when I was thinking about my end of year list. Love to both of you. Read more
KeiyaA – Forever, Ya Girl
KeiyaA is a once in a generation talent. Her production is eclectic and varied, bringing soul and electronic influences into a body of work that sounds both experimental yet catchy. Idiosyncratic time signatures, fascinating and memorable melodies, gorgeous vocals – Forever, Ya Girl has everything. It could be a challenging listen for some, but once you get used to her off-kilter production, this project is such a joy to listen to. Its political and introspective message is also something to admire. She doesn’t seem afraid to speak her mind, and with incredible production and music to back her message, makes for a truly essential and important listen. Read more
Liv.e – Couldn’t Wait To Tell You…
As far as psycedelic, off-kilter soul music goes, Liv.e might have album of the year. Couldn’t Wait To Tell You…is a raw, moody and hypnotic body of work that sounds equally as psychedelic and mesmeric as anything else I’ve listened to this year. The album feels like a collage of thoughts, packaged into a project that is just stellar in every sense of the word. The murky mixing and raw aesthetic add to the charm of Liv.e’s music, and the dynamic and diverse production is eclectic and incredibly dense, making this a truly immersive musical experience. A truly stellar body of work indeed! Read more
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