Top 23 Albums of 2016, Part 2!

 PART ONE HERE

Freetown Sounds- Blood Orange 

Dev Hynes, the real person behind Blood Orange, is as much a cultural trendsetter as he is a musical artist. Creating musical works that often revolve around gender and sexuality and incorporate input from the wealth of modern Queer artistic movements. On this latest record, Hynes captures the exact sound prevalent in 80’s pop music (which was during a time when Queer artists where becoming more well-known and recognized in mainstream media) and channels his own story through that sound. So while the way the synths, funky basslines, and drum machines all come together may be very retro (Prince levels of funk, mind you), it feels more original than anything else. Speaking on poverty, love, identity, and culture, Hynes often has women vocalists (such as Nelly Furtado and Carley Rae Jepson) share songs with him and play integral roles in establishing tone for every song. This album is personal, but is not just Hynes story, struggles communicated in this album affect so many different people, and instead of trying to talk for them he lets them sing and speak for themselves. This is an album from a different musical era that still captures so much of what is relevant about art today, and stays gorgeous while doing it.

Blonde- Frank Ocean 

After 4 years of utter silence, R&B Singer and Producer Frank Ocean finally dropped his sophomore release. Much to many people’s surprise, he decided to stick with a musical approach much more akin to minimalism than the grand sweeping songs of his first album, Channel Orange. Oddly enough, this only serves to bring out the true talent of Ocean’s singing prowess and his musical ear. Blonde is filled to the brim with miniscule details and uncredited features (such as Beyoncé and Andre 3000), that make it near impossible to fully comprehend the weight of each song on a first listen. This album is much more abstract and was released alongside Ocean’s “Boys Don’t Cry” Magazine to make this entire project less about music and more about making an artistic statement. Make no mistake, the music is intricate and lovely, but if Channel Orange was made up of bright neon hues, then this album by contrast is made up of light pastel colors. There are interludes throughout the album (which all smartly share the same instrumental) that comment on social media, fame, drug culture, and love, all extensions of Ocean’s life that he articulates on every song. The simple love story has been turned into a complex tale of discovering oneself in the modern age, and coming to terms with how you live and what makes you happy.

A Seat at the Table- Solange 

While many would assume that Solange, younger sister of Beyoncé, is destined to live out her life in her sister’s shadow, she has proven herself as an independent artist time and time again. With her latest album she gives the world a chance to look through her eyes and experience the daily strife that comes with it. Everything from micro-aggression’s to blatant racism and harassment are set to the tune of electronic Neo-Soul, and given a wide variety of guest artists (Lil Wayne, Sampha, Bj The Chicago Kid) to really bring out their unique potential. In the 21 tracks there are 9 interludes, yet they often take on the musical properties of the song before or after them, leading to seamless transitions between song and stories related to that song. In the interludes we hear members of Solange’s community speaking out about racism they have endured, what it means to have pride in your color, and the overwhelming power of the Black spirit. The album does more than cement Solange as a leading artist in the social moment to empower people through music; she reassures people of color that it is okay to feel hurt. In a society where oppression is often the result of the oppressed not being given “permission” to feel a certain way, this album is a musical essay that addresses and debunks many of the falsities attributed to the Black revolutionary. It lets them know that our struggle will be worth it when we are finally recognized as a complete people.

Telefone- Noname 

Noname has been in my ear since I first heard her feature on Chance the Rapper’s Acid Rap mixtape, wherein her soft approach combined with her excellent writing made her a highlight of an already great project. Since then she has been appearing more and more on singles and as a featured artist, and with her debut mixtape out she has thrown her hat in the ring for the title of best Chicago rapper. Up against such powerhouses like Mick Jenkins, Vic Mensa, Chance, and Saba (who is featured on this mixtape) Noname takes a much different than approach to rap than many of her peers. Set to some of the most beautifully smooth instrumentals of the year, a mix of Jazz chords and Neo-Soul with a wide variety of unique percussion that gives the music a nice pop, Noname’s raps are more akin so spoken word. The way the lines transition and flow to one another and her sing-song way of delivering lines give her an air of mastery that many other rappers lack. It is less that she is writing to the instrumental and more that each instrumental is conforming to her stories. The stories are of losing friends, abortion, and violence in her hometown, all with the sweet vibe of a mother’s love. The content of the short 33minute mixtape is dark, but the way Noname holds the listeners hands and guides them through her world never lets you get to bummed out, because you know that everything will be okay.

Black Terry Cat –Xenia Rubinos 

Music genres have only become more and more complicated as more people have created music. Things break off into sub-groups, then those sub-groups get so much traction they are basically a new genre all together. Artists like Xenia Rubinos thrive on this confusing middle ground between the lines and created an album that is the lovechild of R&B, Soul, Rock, and Punk all with Latin rhythms thrown in for a bit of texture. The music can be anything from a smooth ballad to a noisy rock anthem all held together with the tightness of the instrumentals and Rubinos’ fantastic voice. She has stated that the album is about being a brown girl in America, draws from her experience watching her fellow Latin American brethren being mistreated but also experiencing American culture.  It is a diverse project that carries a serious message but is executed by a musician who is 100% comfortable with her skill and her sound. With so many politically charged albums coming out, this stands out as being one of the most fun. Rubinos often pokes fun at stereotypes and racism and even herself whilst still carrying the torch for a very under represented group of people in the musical world.

Coloring Book- Chance the Rapper 

Arguably one of the most important figures in music right now, Chance the Rapper has made his name without being signed to any major label. For the most part, this means that his sound is allowed to expand and change however much he wants it to. With his third mixtape, this becomes more apparent than ever. Drawing from the Gospel he is so enamored with and the Pop friendly sounds of last year’s Surf,   Coloring Book is Chance’s most musically diverse project to date. It fuses the aforementioned styles with his signature hyper-conscious yet fun writing and songlike delivery. The project sounds like a celebration, with the artist commenting on raising a child, looking back on his musical journey, and finally enjoying the opportunity to make the music that he loves with the people he loves most. With this mixtape getting the nomination for a Grammy (the first Grammy offered to a freely released mixtape), Chance is staking his claim in the musical world. The point was never to make something that changed the game, but rather just to show that change was possible. In this mixtape lies the inspiration for you to get through a rough day, it lifts your spirits and makes you want to dance, because you know no matter how bad things have gotten, when you are listening to Chance you cannot help but smile.

HEAVN- Jamila Woods 

Another Chicago native on the list, Jamila Woods first came to my attention as the voice on Sunday Candy, my favorite song from 2014. When I checked out her album, the content did not surprise me, but the grace and elegance with which that content was utilized was astounding. Through grandly orchestrated Neo-Soul and beautiful written lyrics, both by her and guest artists, Woods tells the all too familiar to me story of the black struggle. Yet it is a very logical approach to the narrative. She comments on the mistreatment of Black women, how much she loves her city despite the bad press, and re-occurring love of lakes and water (which I assume implies some sort of purity or cleanse). It is spiritual and moving, but it never tells you to feel that way. Often when writing a political message it can be easy to push forward your own view so much so that the overall point is lost. Yet with this album, it feels like we are taking a look at Woods’ diary, in which she simply chronicles things as they happen and how she feels about them. If it makes you angry or makes you want to make a difference, it isn’t because she told you to draw blood, it is because she made you realize that you have been able to fight and see injustice this entire time. She does not claim to be an authority on how to change the world, she simply tells us how she feels, and that alone is enough to move many to tears.

Sun’s Tirade- Isaiah Rashad 

Depression can be a difficult thing to ingrate into music. Considering its effect on every artist differs, capturing that feeling on a track can be near impossible without the right approach. Luckily for Chattanooga native and TDE’s Isaiah Rashad, capturing that feeling is one of the things he does best. On this lengthy record, we get what Rashad has described as “the longest day ever,” wherein listeners are given the full spectrum of his inner thoughts and lifestyle choices. The instrumentals are gritty yet so pleasing, adding real instrumentation to give more life to the Jazz and Soul elements of the albums production. Despite all this the tone of the project is dark and stays dark, almost as if it is a musical representation of how Rashad perceives life. There are the up’s and down’s of course, but all of that is filtered through this dark could that does not seem to go away. Oddly, it feels almost comforting. A person who spoke so highly of suicide on his last full musical release has now survived long enough to drop one of the most introspective and honest albums of 2016, all while possibly never being able to enjoy the end result. I would like to believe that he lives for making music and making something so good has to bring him some sense of joy, but whether or not that is true, Rashad has proven himself to be one of (if not the most) sincere member of his label. ScHoolboy Q and Kendrick Lamar get the most attention, but somewhere on a hot day in Chattanooga, you can bet that Rashad is thinking about the value of life and finding new and creative ways to breathe fresh air into the rap game, all the while beating depression.

Malibu- Anderson .Paak 

Anderson .Paak, a drummer/singer/rapper from Oxnard, California, is the best new artist of 2016. “New” being used very loosely since the man has been around for a while, producing for people such as Watsky and being featured on albums with such megastars as Dr.Dre. Even after being selected as a XXL freshmen this year and hype building over his new features, people had still yet to grasp the depth of his ability as a musician. However with the release of his second album, .Paak gets a chance to show the world the full extent of his musical talent. This album takes the golden age sound of soul and keeps it current with funky basslines, rap verses, and Jazzy chords atop the already smooth sound. This year .Paak has blown up, releasing another critically acclaimed album, Yes Lawd!, as NxWorries (a duo he is a part of) and touring everywhere. With his band he has created a name for himself that doesn’t depend on being the feature on someone else’s album, and at the core of that is this album. A musically diverse project that is a fusion of every influence .Paak draws from and a bold declaration of his independence as an artist. Many artists on my list are talented singers/rappers/and writers, but not very many are seasoned musicians, and with .Paak often singing to the tune of his own drumming, it gives him an extra layer of command and mastery over his work. If 2016 has proven anything, it is that .Paak is here to stay, and it is only a matter of time before he is a household name among the greatest to ever do it.

We got it from Here…Thank You 4 Yourservice- A Tribe Called Quest 

Tribe has nothing to prove to anyone, with 3 classic albums under their belt, and being widely recognized as one of the most important rap groups of all time, their legacy is set. So when it was announced that a new album was being released, in the same year that one of their members, Phife Dawg, passed away, there was plenty of surprise to go around. As it turns out, the album had already been in the works prior to Phife’s passing, and while many were worried the quality of the album, the group managed to make magic one last time and create a phenomenal record. With Q-Tip handling production, it certainly builds upon the Jazz-Rap standards that the group was known for. As well as soulful chord changes, it incorporates samples from Willy Wonka to Elton John. The end result is an album that sounds incredible cartoonish and chaotic on one hand, but focused and tight on the other. Each song has its place and purpose, and with topics ranging from the current state of American politics to the remaining members of the group reminiscing on their fallen brother. The album was also recorded entirely in person, so every feature on the album flew into the studio in order to lay down their parts, and this includes such favorites as Jack White and Andre 3000. Due to this, the album feels complete, every part blends in and verses flow in an out of each other seamlessly because everyone involved could play off of everyone else in the room. Hearing Phife rap alongside Q-Tip again and capture some of that chemistry is one of the most satisfying musical experiences of the year.

Awaken, My Love! - Childish Gambino

Simply put, Donald Glover AKA Childish Gambino is one of my favorite creators. Doing everything from acting, writing amazing TV shows, and releasing music, it seems there is nothing this man cannot do. Earlier this year when it was rumored a new Gambino album was in the works, I tried my best not to explode, and when the first single dropped I was so shocked that I had to listen over and over again. The Atlanta born Renaissance man had now shifted his focus toward making a Funk album, and not just any Funk, but as vintage as he could get. He takes the modern mindset and lyrical content of Rap and funnels it through the sound that our parents grew up with. Punchy percussion, buttery smooth basslines, explosive guitar solos, fantastic keyboard work, and the most dynamic vocal performance I have heard on an album all year. He touches on Race and the prejudice that comes from just existing as a Black person, explains to his newborn son the story of said child’s mother, and encourages the listeners to stand on their feet and be proud no matter how the world tries to bring you down. It is a glorious sentiment from a creator whose only motivation in his art is to make something real. Everything boils down to authenticity and quality, because when all is said and done music is simply an extension of life. The sounds and lyrics we throw together are reflections of who we are and what we stand for. So as you listen to this sound directly inspired by Sly and the Family Stone and Funkadelic, you get a sense for the kind of person Gambino is. You hear an album meant to breathe new life into such an important part of Black music, and through it all it never feels fake or dis-genuine. Through it all Gambino, the man who wears a million hats, never feels like anything other than himself, just the way any great artist should. 

Thank you all for joining my once again through my journey of 2016's best! Have a Happy New Year and keep song listening to the sweetest jams you can find.