1. The Avalanches - Wildflower
Of course the long awaited second album from The Avalanches was going to be in here. After 16 long years, the Australian plunderphonics trio have finally come through and given us a follow up to 2000's Since I left You. I was actually only introduced to this band a few weeks ago by a friend and it sounded to me a lot like what I had heard on projects from J Dilla. I dug it a lot, but to hook me for an entire album of sound snippets and samples, it has to be really good. Luckily, Wildflower is exactly that, really fucking good. This album sounds like The Beatles, The Jackson 5 and J Dilla got together and made an album. It really has it all, but the main reason I'm loving it so much is simply because it makes me feel so damn good. The music is a lot more dreamy than their first, which might not be to everyones liking. But fortunately it never feels like the album falls back on one type of sound and treads water, instead throwing subtle curveballs at you all over the place. There are songs like Frankie Sinatra, the album's lead single, that feel peculiar and particularly ambitious. But my favourite moments on the project were the groovier tracks like Subway, If I Was A Folkstar and Sunshine. These tracks are idyllic and perfect for a late afternoon walk through in the countryside. I also loved the smattering of hip hop across this project with MC's like Danny Brown, MF Doom and Biz Markie coming through with verses that really give the album a change of pace exactly when it needs it. It is hard to make an album with such a diverse set of influences sound so seamless and organic, but The Avalanches pulled it off superbly with this album. What's more, you can listen to it at any time in any place and I guarantee it will lift your mood noticeably.2. Schoolboy Q - Blank Face LP
TDE are back and they just keep getting better and better. Schoolboy Q is definitely an aquired taste, even amongst hip hop fans, but if you like him then chances are you'll REALLY dig this most recent project. I always saw Schoolboy as the gangster rapper of TDE, and in many ways he is. His previous songs and albums are vivid depictions of his past and even his current lavish lifestyle, his drug habits and his struggles with gang culture. This new album has seen Schoolboy up his production game, employing some of the music industry's most forward thinking names who are really looking to push the genre forward. Like on Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly, the production on Blank Face is spacious, jazzy and groovy. I always thought Schoolboy would suit tighter production better. Some of my favourite tracks on Oxymoron were the straight up bangers with catchy hooks. I see it a bit differently now. On Blank Face, Schoolboy proves that he can rap over pretty much any beat and can write lyrics that can convey deeper meaning whilst still being just as hard hitting and in your face as he has been before. The mix of soft sensual cuts on the album like Kno Ya Wrong and Overtime blend perfectly with the harder cuts on the record like Groovy Tony, Dope Dealer and Lord Mercy. Tookie Knows II is probably my favourite cut on the record though, with a super catchy beat and some incredible rapping from Schoolboy and his homies, Traffic and T&F. It's an album that's aesthetic is very well formed, but never end up sounding rigid or like its meandering. Schoolboy raps with just as much authority as I've heard from him before, and I'm really glad that he hasn't sacrificed his sound in any way, just brought in producers and features that helped to give the album a more thematic quality. It is clear that Kendrick has raised the stakes in the TDE camp with his last two projects and forced the current stable of rappers to up their games, which can only be a good thing. Quite simply, the production on this album alone is enough to warrant giving it a listen, but if you also like Schoolboy's brash brand of rapping, then you're in for a treat with this one.3. Nolan The Ninja - He(Art)
I know, I know, it's another rap album. But what can I say, it's my favourite genre at the moment. From one abrasive rapper to another, next we have Nolan The Ninja's album He(Art). This project caught me completely by surprise a few weeks ago after a recommendation from a friend. This shit is hard! If you're looking for a rapper whose just going blow your ear drums out with straight up bars for 16 tracks then this is the album for you. The beats are pretty minimal and mostly boom bap based, which is the perfect foundation for Nolan to showcase his rapping, which is aggressive, fast and angry. He's also a really good lyrical rapper, who won't give you too many stories so to speak, but will spit bars that might cause you throw an imaginary fist pump or two. Sometimes I am not in the mood for hip hop that is trying to preach to me, I just want to hear a dope rapper with a distinct delivery rap his ass off, and that's okay. That is exactly what you'll get with He(Art), but there is probably more to the album if you want to dig a little deeper. To me this is the way rap should be in its purest form, hard hitting and competitive. We have drifted too far from what made the 90's the golden age for hip hop, where for the most part it was all about toppling your rivals and showing off your ability on the mic. There was no sugar coating, the rapping had to speak for itself. In 2016, with the likes of Future and Drake dominating the genre's mainstream, it is always nice to be reminded by an underground artist just why you love this type of music so much. This album will be perfect for those of you who are about to go wild in the gym or want to get yourselves fired up for something. You won't be dissapointed.