This record deals with loss and grief through the lens of faith and isn't shy about it's beliefs. It's rare to find a mainstream "christian rap" record that isn't trying too hard to replicate secular sounds or that feels incredibly forced. There are moments when this feels more like a worship album than anything else and the message and honesty in the lyrics are refreshing in the current music landscape
I'll admit the cover drew me into this one but the record itself is a brilliant, dark and moody journey of rap and R&B. The production is bass heavy and minimal and although the lyrics are sometimes a bit laughable the flows and melodies make up for it
Swizz Beatz has always been one of the best producers in rap music and he doesn't disappoint on this latest project. With the signature Swizz drum patterns and ad libs he brings in some top notch features from a varied range of old and new rappers. His creativity and positivity is infectious and shines through in the music
Don't let the cover fool you...this was probably the hardest rap record of the year. In fact the album cover and marketing drop were my favourite part (based on the old R&B sleeves for artists such as Teddy Pendergrass and Luther Vandross). Gibbs holds the crown as one of my favourite rappers and this record continues his streak of consistently good releases
"Kids on Drugs" takes aim at the current glorification of drugs within music, with Cole feeling out of place in the current landscape of Soundcloud rap and concerned about the artists that inhibit it. The sound is very different to what is popular in rap music right now which is massively to its advantage. Another record from J. Cole which went platinum with no features
The production of this record is on point with Evidence producing many of the tracks himself and a large number being handled by The Alchemist. The bars, wordplay and features are all top notch. Evidence's son is a very similar age to my daughter which I think adds to my appreciation of his craft and makes the final track "By My Side Too" hit home as hard as it does
In terms of streaming numbers there probably wasn't a bigger record this year and that is almost its biggest flaw. At 25 tracks long it has obviously been designed to rack up millions and millions of streams rather than give fans a landmark double album (as promised). You could quite easily cut 40% of the tracks. That being said there are still some very good moments on here, including a decent Jay-Z feature and a long teased DJ Premier beat. I can even forgive terrible filler tracks like "Ratchet Happy Birthday" for the sublime "Is There More" where Drake brings back the introspective style of the So Far Gone era and proves he is still top of the game
This album dropped the same week that I spent in Stoke Mandeville hospital with my daughter 150 miles away from home. Every evening once she was asleep I would listen to this and escape reality for half an hour. Nas has always been very good but this record is something special. Another of Kanye's 7 track productions, the theme is loosely based around the seven deadly sins. Nas' lyricism and flows are as good as ever and the samples and production compliment perfectly
Flatbush Zombies have always been one of the most interesting groups in the rap landscape and on this record they prove they are truly multifaceted, rolling through multiple styles and sounds. A fiercely independent group and wildly creative, this record is a rolleroaster spanning 19 tracks and 75 minutes. It never gets boring and always leaves you guessing where they will take it next. Accompanied by a short film, world tour and a whole load of merchandise this was easily one of my favourite records of the year
This record was released in a whirlwind. After years of teasing his "King Push" project Pusha tweeted one evening that it would drop by the end of the week having been renamed to "Daytona". A day or two later the controversial cover was revealed (a photograph of Whitney Houston's bathroom at the height of her drug addiction which Kanye West allegedly paid $85,000 out of his own pocket to license). Whilst Drake dropped a bloated 25 track double album chasing streaming stats, Pusha went in the opposite direction releasing a meticulously constructed 7 track record where every single syllable has been obsessed over. The resulting beef with Drake only served to make the album even bigger and increased its reach. With production exclusively from Kanye West (the old Kanye), it is an almost perfect record and an instant classic. The first time I heard it I knew it would be the best rap album of the year... nothing else really came close
I haven't heard a better collaboration record than this in a long time. Killer production from The Alchemist and genuine chemistry from Freddie Gibbs and Curren$y makes for a near perfect 25 minutes.
I'm not sure that The 1975 have been around long enough to get nostalgic about, but listening to them always reminds me of my student house on Mulcaster Crescent, listening to their tracks on MySpace and @Parkinson increasing the volume on his iMac. As much as I try not to like this band, the record is actually quite good. Certainly the singles are all top notch and although the approach is a bit all over the place; when it works, it really works
I first listened to this record on my way home from work. The sun was setting in front of me, my fuel tank and the motorway were almost empty and the skyline was cinematic. At this point the perfect segue between "Send To Robyn Immediately" and "Honey" happened. Something about the open road, the glowing red sunset and the kick drums made it a magical moment. I like it when artists take their time and make really good music. A long awaited record from a great artist
It would have been easy for me to forget about this gem that dropped early in the year but it was too good to let go. SiR sometimes feels like the forgotten artist in the TDE roster with Kendrick, SZA and Schoolboy Q getting most of the hype. Sure there are a few tracks in the middle that kill the vibe slightly, but the standout stuff is so good that they are easily forgiven. The production, sampling, features and vocals are all top notch
I loved the first Jungle record so when the follow up was announced I was pretty excited. The formula is pretty much the same but I'm not sure that is necessarily a bad thing. For the most part Jungle stick to what they are good at but the Californian sunshine seems to have helped shape the sound
I've got a lot of love for synths and I love bands with female lead singers so it's not surprising Chvrches ended up on this list. Big hooks and big synths all held together by Lauren Mayberry's vocals. The singles got played to death on radio/playlists but I still get a buzz when I hear the record now, 7 months after it dropped
As kids we are told to never judge a book by its cover but as a graphic designer I judge almost everything on its appearance. Something about this record drew me in: the cover, the colour palette, the tracknames. Once I listened I was transfixed: the piano, the hi-hats, the mix of live instruments and electronic sounds and most of all... the cello. I love a good cello. The music flows from distorted synths and crushing hi hats to soft piano and arps. It's a complex album, thoughtfully put together; beautiful at times and hitting like a sledgehammer at others
Something about the overall sound of this record is soothing. Although it can be slightly melancholic at times, its slow, soft vibe is incredibly enjoyable and doesn't drag or get boring. The addition of live instruments like horns gives it a warmth that perfectly compliments the ice cold vocals
The last person who expected a Mumford & Sons record to end up on this list was me, but I'm not going to pretend I didn't really enjoy it. Perhaps its all those years playing in a worship band but the spiritual undercurrent throughout the lyrics and tension/release of the tracks really grabbed me on a deeper level than almost anything else I heard
It's rare to find a record that my whole family can enjoy, so when I do it gets played a lot. Sometimes simple pop music about love is the best kind of music. Slow country vibes and soothing vocals... the soundtrack of many family mealtimes this year
Perhaps it's because I listen to a lot of rap and electronic based music but when I heard this record from a "real" band, playing "real" instruments it absolutely blew me away. There are moments where a guitar line explodes onto a track or a snare hit thunders into a build up and it is just magical. And "Now or Never Now" is literally the best song I heard all year
I think the reason I enjoyed this EP so much is that it reminds me of the very first time I downloaded the "House of Balloons" mixtape from Drake's blogspot before either artist was the global megastar that they are today. The production is closer to the downcast "House of Ballons" era than the sugarcoated "Starboy". Nobody does melancholic music better than The Weeknd and over just six tracks he proves it
