London-based jazz 8-member band Kokoroko have finally released their debut album after years of working on their craft and building their fanbase to a global reach. Their 2018 single “Abusey Junction” off the Brownswood compilation album We Out Here pretty much went viral, propelling them into the spotlight and shining a bright light over the…

London-based emcee Jadasea has been making some of the most dreamy and introspective hip-hop I’ve listened to in the last few years. The beats on his albums are always soulful and experimental in their compositions, with his introspective raps taking center stage, painting vivid pictures of his state of mind, through flows and wordplay that…

Joe Armon-Jones’ continuous growth as an artist is so inspiring to witness. The London-based keyboardist and producer is back with a new collaborative EP on his own Aquarii Records label. A Way Back is the new 5-track EP from Joe and legendary DJ, dubstep pioneer and all-around great musician. As someone who has incorporated a…

black midi are one of the most unpredictable bands of this generation. With each album, they achieve a new level of idiosyncrasy, with intense, post-rock, future jazz, folk and hip-hop compositions. And often they incorporate all these genres together, with explosive results. The punk-fuelled intensity of their breakout 2019 debut Schlagenheim was a fierce statement…

Guitarist, singer, songwriter, and overall super talented artist Steve Lacy is back, and back with one of the most enchanting albums this year. Known for being a member of the amazing neo-soul group The Internet, and his various collaborations with the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Isaiah Rashad, Solange and Blood Orange, his solo work has…

It’s crazy to think that Yesterday Is Heavy is Lil Silva’s debut album. The English producer, singer, songwriter and DJ has been involved in some of the most groundbreaking electronic and pop albums of the last decade or so (Adele, Mark Ronson, Kano, Duval Timothy, Sampha and serpentwithfeet to name a few of his previous…

Wu-Lu’s growth from talented beatmaker to full-grown South London punk legend is pretty breathtaking. The Brixton-based artist has finally released his debut album on Warp titled LOGGERHEAD, but after being blessed with incredible EP’s along the way, with the 2018’s N.A.I.S, and 2019’s S.U.F.O.S EP’s that came out, and the occasional killer single that just…

Moor Mother’s poetry is often apocalyptic but grounded in cynical realism. She merges and marries experimental soundscapes, often through electronic loops, free jazz, and hip-hop-inspired beat and grooves, with spoken word pieces that are striking, dark and reflective, showcasing her versatility not only as a composer and arranger, but as a poet and emcee. Her…

mejiwahn is a pioneer in the soul and jazz beat genre. Since about 2014 I have been listening to him create these vast, cinematic soundscapes using incredible guitar leads, synths and beat arrangements that are emotive, beautiful and hypnotic. His last full-length project, Lúil Ó Fadó, was an incredible body of work, with rich soundscapes…

Community is power. Community is love. Community is beautiful. South London’s Touching Bass collective represents this sense of community perfectly. Founded by Errol and Alex Rita in late 2014, Touching Bass has grown into a community-come-club night, a monthly NTS Radio show, a concert series and creative studio, and most recently a record label. I’ve…

Blackhaine’s music has, throughout the years, captured a dark, cloudy, and rainy aesthetic, portraying the misery and poverty of the working class in the North-West of England. The Preston-born artist has an ability to completely transport me to his creative and cinematic world through his immersive ambient soundscapes, and poems speaking on his experiences growing…

There’s something special to me about albums named or dedicated after loved ones not with us physically anymore. They often carry the weight of their spirits, auras and personalities with us, so channeling their energies through music or any other form of art is inspiring and beautiful. In ELUCID’s case, it’s his paternal grandmother, Bessie…

700 Bliss consists of Philadelphia-based experimental artists Moor Mother and DJ Haram. I have been a fan of the former since her 2016 masterpiece Fetish Bones, and the latter since her 2019 EP Grace. Both artists have, throughout their careers, captured different electronic aesthetics within their respected catalogs, and having both collaborate for their debut…

I’m gonna say it here and say it clear – Jeshi is the new champion of UK hip-hop. The London-based emcee and poet has been making waves in the independent scene, with punchy and vibrant projects such as BAD TASTE (2020) and The Worlds Spinning Too Fast (2017). His sound incorporates sounds from jungle and…

Well… what to say about this monstrous album that hasn’t already been said and analyzed to shreds, eh? Kendrick Lamar has finally released his 5th studio album, 5 years after his Pulitzer-winning work DAMN. Can’t lie, it feels great and still slightly surreal that Kendrick has dropped, as with every album. I’ve been a fan…

Pretty much every year Quelle Chris has dropped an album in the past five years, I’ve had it in my top 20 of that year. In 2017 it was Being You Is Great, I Wish I Could Be You More Often, 2018 – Everything’s Fine, 2019 – Guns, 2020 – Innocent Country 2. Each one…

Well, we’re in the year 2022 and Thom Yorke is still going strong and making consistently great music. From the last Radiohead album A Moon Shaped Pool in 2016, to the incredibly eerie 2018 soundtrack to the film Suspiria, Thom has been hitting all the right notes with his music. Jonny Greenwood, since the release…

Nigerian, London-based artist Obongjayar has been making some of the most futuristic soul you’ll hear. With the raw tribalism in the Afrobeat drums to the smooth soul in the gorgeous synth and string melodies throughout his music, to his raspy, almost growling voice, his music is as powerful as it is uplifting and spiritual. He…

Seattle emcee AJ Suede and Philadelphia-based producer Small Professor have released a stellar new album titled Hundred Year Darkness. I’ve been familiar with Small Professor’s work since 2020’s A Jawn Supreme (Vol. 3), and have been hearing AJ Suede’s name around for a new months now, but admittedly this is my first intro to the talented…

Chicago emcee Defcee has been on my radar for a little while now, but really became a fan of his work when he dropped his incredible collaboration with Messiah Musik titled Trapdoor, an album I added to my overlooked albums of last year list. I’m sorry for being a bit late to the party, but…

At this point, billy woods announcing new albums gives me more joy and excitement than my own birthday. Since properly getting into his music via Armand Hammer’s 2017 work of art ROME, I have been enthralled, fascinated and frankly obsessed by his ability to paint such vivid pictures and stories of dark, dystopian and eerie…

Loraine James has taken the electronic music genre to new heights and distances over the past few years. My introduction to her music was through her 2019 album For You and I, a hard-hitting, glitchy body of work that made me fall in love with her eclectic sonic arrangements and experimental production as a whole.…

Beatmaker and producer extraordinaire Oliver Palfreyman has come through yet again with a new project, this time titled SEWER OPAL. Having already made a stamp on this year along with fellow London-based producer Maxwell Owin on What is That Sound?, the young talented artist is back with a new project full of punchy, memorable and…

As far as this ‘new era’ of young talents dominating hip-hop as a whole goes, Denzel Curry pretty much tops that list. I’ve been a fan ever since his incredible 2018 project TA13OO, though his 2016 album Imperial is a pretty great introduction to his work. Between albums, he has experimented with different sounds, and…

Spanish Grammy award-winning producer Cookin Soul has teamed up with London-based emcee Lord Apex on a hard-hitting, neck-breaking new album titled Off the Strength. 11 tracks and 28 minutes of pure boom-bap, sonic bliss, and showcases not only Cookin Soul’s talents as a producer, but Lord Apex’s ability to seemingly rap and rhyme over any…

Among the chaos and the pure, unfiltered energy SOUL GLO have been able to create over the years, there is a sense of vulnerability too. “I think I’ve just always gravitated more towards writing about emotions than writing about politics, simply because I feel like I know more about my emotions than I do about…

London based, Japanese born Hinako Omori makes soundscapes full of animation and gentle sonic muses full of emotive moments. It’s my first time discovering her music, I guess because the album I’m about to review is her debut, (although she did release an EP titled Auraelia I’m yet to explore) and I’m still new to…

Jadasea’s simply one of the coolest UK rappers making music today. The beats he gets on and rhymes over are usually soulful yet with a groove and drive to them that makes his music engaging and upbeat. From his 2019 collaboration with Edgar the Breathtaker half-life to his various redLee collaborations, the talented artist has…

New Jersey rapper Fatboi Sharif tends to sway towards the absurd and the eccentric side to self-expression. He has, over the years, garnered a growing, dedicated fanbase (myself included) through incredible projects that feel dystopian and dark, but with a groovy undertone that keep them engaging and memorable. 2020’s Gandhi Loves Children captures his eccentricities…

As far as punk-rap / industrial hip-hop goes, Ho99o9’s impact over the last decade of so has to place them near the top of the essential and groundbreaking acts that have pushed the boundaries of what experimental hip-hop can sound like. The trio, consisting of theOGM, Eaddy and Brandon Pertzborn, have composed a meticulous, controlled…