Notable Albums, 2025

It took a while to narrow down my favorites from this year, and even longer to write about them. For a moment, I thought I wasn’t going to have the time. As always, this yearly tradition has brought me fulfillment. It’s more exciting to keep up with new releases, knowing I’m going to narrow them down to a list at the end of the year. It forces me to listen to each project more deeply. Also, it’s a nice excuse to keep up with music trends, which is important to me.

2025 was a great year for music in terms of quality and quantity. There were so many great projects that dropped this year, and it was very difficult to narrow down my favorites. This might’ve been the hardest list yet.

That said, I’m excited to share my thoughts, and I’m excited to hear feedback. Don’t be afraid to reach out if you love or hate any of my opinions. Here’s the playlist:

LISTEN HERE

Honorable Mentions

All of these albums blew me away, even though they didn’t make the cut.

Number 20 - Number 11

Some really really great stuff

20: Just Mustard - We Were Just Here

Released through Partisan Records

Drone rock never sounded so good! Irish band Just Mustard sets the bar even higher on this year’s project, We Were Just Here. They’ve been at it for a while, but this year they’ve finally perfected their sound. Part of Just Mustard’s charm in the past, for me, has been rooted in drifting, unrefined fuzz. The band has always known its strengths, and the members utilized them well. That said, We Were Just Here is the first project that sounds perfected, like the band has separated itself from any semblance of peers. The sounds are still raw, but they’re more intentional than ever. A secret concoction of modular pedals floats authentic, low noise through the air as vocalist Katie Ball rides it like a wave with her high-pitched, cutting voice. We Were Just Here is sonic hypnosis at its finest, and it really rocks.

19: Bartees Strange - Horror

Self-released

As far as I know, Bartees Strange has always had a sort of part-folk, part-indie-funk image. I’ve never seen him perform like this before. On Horror, he takes a far leap into a new rockstar rebrand, and it works really well. This project shows Bartees in a totally different light. He’s angsty, rebellious, and more confident than ever. This new persona coincides with the identity questions he raises throughout Horror. While poised, he explores his own fears related to societal pressures. Will he ever find love that satisfies not only him, but the world as well? Is it worth it to stay sober, or should he save his energy by giving up and giving in? Will he ever find a place to settle down and raise a family? Are the cops ever going to stop mistreating people? All of these questions sound rhetorical. He’s asking us, but it seems like he already knows the answer. Horror is an identity crisis delivered with middle fingers, a duster coat, and a cherry red guitar.

18: ZelooperZ & Real Bad Man - Dear Psilocybin

Released through Real Bad Man Records

Detroit rapper ZelooperZ has been carving his own path for a while now, but he takes a whole new direction on Dear Psilocybin. ZelooperZ is known for his unorthodox, wild, high-pitched, high-energy delivery. Albums like Microphone Fiend and Van Gogh’s Left Ear push boundaries with helium-induced bars, offbeat flows, and Crash Bandicoot samples. This year’s collaboration with prolific producer outfit, Real Bad Man, however, sounds like a couch-locked, hallucinatory journey. The project is full of strange psychedelic sounds, and the rapper’s delivery is slowed and deep. Dear Psilocybin is unsettling just because of the distraction. It’s like watching the Tasmanian Devil administer himself a high dose of horse tranquilizer. Upon the album’s release, Real Bad Man revealed the story behind its name. Apparently, there were psilocybin mushrooms growing in the studio during production, and they claim that the studio air was polluted with psychedelic spores. Whether it was due to the mushrooms or a momentary experimental spur, Dear Psilocybin is one of the most unique albums I’ve heard.

17: Hotline TNT - Raspberry Moon

Released through Third Man Records

Hotline TNT has slowly become a go-to band for me. When I don’t know what I’m in the mood to listen to, I throw on some Hotline TNT. They’re one of the most consistent bands in the indie rock scene today. Every one of their albums is solid, including the Trilogy compilation of their first three EPs. Raspberry Moon is different from the rest, but the band still maintains its signature sound. Hotline TNT uses overlapping, distorted riffs and drum patterns to craft a busy blanket for singer Will Anderson to lay his unorthodox vocal patterns on. Anderson’s vocals shine harder than ever on Raspberry Moon, contrasting the mixes used on previous albums. His prominent performance makes the band sound more confident than ever. Each track is a hit on this one. Bits and bobs of hooks and choruses stick in your head all day, but they don’t meld together. Every moment has its signature, proving deep intention. Let Raspberry Moon be the soundtrack to any part of your day. It’ll always fit.

16: Shutaro Noguchi & The Roadhouse Band - On the Run

AND

Ryan Davis & The Roadhouse Band - New Threats From The Soul

Both Released through Sophomore Lounge

This one is a cop-out, but I couldn’t include one and not the other. Ryan Davis has been working this year, and not just with these two projects. He’s had his hands on a bunch of projects this year, and he’s been hard at work with his distribution company, Sophomore Lounge. I respect him a lot. His vision is strong, and his work ethic is unmatched. He’s also a versatile performer. The two times I saw him in concert were wildly different experiences. New Threats From The Soul has been gathering plenty of deserved critical acclaim, and I’m happy to see him in the spotlight. It’s a fun continuation of 2023’s Dancing on the Edge. He and his Roadhouse Band use twangy country sounds to emphasise wordy, ridiculous, and memorable lyrics. On The Run was a more silent release. The Roadhouse Band teamed up with Japanese soundtrack writer Shutaro Noguchi to make something completely unique. The album is electric and poppy, with experimental, off-the-cuff moments that capture attention. Both of these projects blew me away for different reasons. I can’t wait to see where Ryan Davis goes next. Maybe he’ll sleep for once.

15: billy woods - G****G

Released through Backwoodz Studioz

I didn’t realize until recently that the name of this album is a slur…but it’s just like woods to name his album in such a profane way. He’s always been a mysterious figure in the underground rap scene, valuing exclusivity and anonymity. He is an anthropologist, always commenting on the conditions of black America, so again, it makes sense that he’d name his album in a way that excludes those belonging to the majority oppressive group in America. At this point, I think I can say that billy woods is the greatest rapper of our generation. He’s been my favorite for a while now, and while G*****G didn’t blow me away to the point where I’d put it higher on this list, I enjoyed it very much. He assembled the Avengers of underground hip-hop production - Kenny Segal, Preservation, The Alchemist, Conductor Williams, and Steel-Tipped Dove - to create something incredible. Mercy, the Armand Hammer project was also great. It sits in my honorable mentions list only because there were so many incredible projects that dropped this year. Don’t worry, I still ordered the cassette.

14: Agriculture - The Spiritual Sound

Released through The Flenser

Black metal outfit, Agriculture, refuses the current state of music streaming and distribution through loud catharsis. The two frontpeople, Dan Meyer and Leah Levinson (the former of whom also released a great solo project this year), are outspoken about the state of listening today. Within the album’s description on The Flenser’s website, they state, “This is not a playlist. This is not a vibe. It is a demand.” The instrumentation on The Spiritual Sound is intense as the complementary, sharp vocals dismantle modern systems. As we know, the only way out is through. The only way to reform is to revolt. Agriculture takes no breath on this project, exemplifying the violent discomfort that must happen to deconstruct the systems in place. The Spiritual Sound is a confrontation. The band begs you to look at what’s happening. Stop ignoring the injustice and face it head-on.

13: Friendship - Caveman Wakes Up

Released through Merge Records

Friendship frontman Dan Wriggins laments the condition of the working-class artist forced to make a living through unappealing avenues. His gritty, unaltered voice is strong throughout the entirety of Caveman Wakes Up as he howls about evil roommates, uninspired landscaping work, and old beater cars. The band performed the then-unreleased track “All Over The World” last winter when I saw them at Bell’s, and it was an unexpected punch to the heart. On this track, Wriggins mourns a life that could be. His hands are working in the dirt on a stranger’s property, while his heart is anywhere else. The whole album is a commentary on how we, as a capitalist population, treat art like a hobby instead of an expressive necessity. I, like many others, can relate to Wriggins. I’ve worked a job that I don’t care about. I’ve lived paycheck-to-paycheck. I’ve dreamed of a better condition, where I can create and play without worry. Caveman Wakes Up is a collection of anthems for the simplest form of yearning. Dan Wriggins is an everyman through and through, using his voice the only way he knows how.

12: Ninajirachi - I Love My Computer

Released through NLV Records

If you know me, you know that electronic music like this isn’t usually my jam. I did not expect to enjoy this album as much as I did. Ninajirachi, the extremely talented Aussie producer, brought a unique, adorable style to the genre. Every time her voice cuts through the bumping electronic soundscapes, I picture her as a cartoon girl holding up peace signs. There is so much personality on this project. It’s clear that I Love My Computer is authentic to Ninajirachi’s personality. The marketing for this album also blew me away. She tapped into the avenues frequented by her target audience like Discord, Reddit, and Twitch, while embracing her nerdy, gamer persona. The album gathered so much traction that it forced Pitchfork to make a rare 4-month-late review. I heavily respect Ninajirachi, and I give her kudos for making me a fan.

11: Planning for Burial - It’s Closeness, It’s Easy

Released through The Flenser

It’s Closeness, It’s Easy…more like it’s about time Planning For Burial dropped another album - I’ve been waiting since 2017. Though the wait was long, and my expectations grew with time, he did not disappoint. It’s Closeness, It’s Easy is a 9-track collection of droning noise and a new, almost butt-rock inspired vocal style. It’s fitting as Thom Wasluck explores his age and the unchangeable aspects of his life. He visits grief, but doesn’t dwell on it. The album centers on emptiness and the passing of time. He also explores connection and reconnection. I don’t mind the wait, because it seems like he used his time efficiently. This record was worth it.

Number 10 - Number 1

Please give these ones a shot!

10: Khamari - To Dry A Tear

Released through Encore Records

On To Dry A Tear, Khamari doesn’t attempt to do anything unheard of, and that’s why the album is such a winner. In an age where everyone is trying to stand out, sticking to the familiar is a statement. Khamari proves that all you need is talent and inspiration to make gold.

I first discovered Khamari through his 2023 COLORS performance of “These Four Walls.” I had a COLORS playlist on in the background while my attention was elsewhere, and his voice captured me. He has a voice that stops you in your tracks, and it’s as smooth as butter.

To Dry A Tear does divert from other R&B records through its themes. According to Khamari in an interview with BET, “This project is about relationships, self-confidence, and self-awareness. It’s taking a second to recognize all of that. Getting things off your chest without letting those feelings drive you.”

Khamari states Stevie Wonder and D’angelo as main inspirations. The latter, before passing, cosigned Khamari’s interpolation of “Untitled (How Does It Feel),” on “Sycamore Tree” which says a ton. “Sycamore Tree” is a beautiful track about deep-rooted lust and the feelings that accompany it.

“But tender words don’t come close

And nor do crescendos

It’s a tidy bed

Full of thorns of a rose

But I lie in it

Hoping that there’s a chance

That you too long for romance

My heart is in your hazel hands”

His imagery is just as strong throughout the entirety of To Dry A Tear. The prime example lies within the outro track, “Apollo Eighteen.” He addresses the song to his mother, talking through the pain of the world and his longing for an exodus. It’s something I think everyone can relate to - wanting to press pause on the world and escape for just a moment.

“But I know there’s somewhere out there

Where I’ll feel at home

A place where the bluejays roam

Yes, I know there’s somewhere out there

This world is so cold, I get tired of layin’ here alone”

He explores this theme differently on my favorite track, “Acres.” Khamari sings through feelings of escapism in the form of an unrealistic, happy life. It’s unfortunate that a simple, worry-free life is so unattainable now. On this track, it’s almost like he’s mourning something that doesn’t yet exist, because he knows it’s nearly impossible:

“Saving up for a humble abode

Right on the coast

Where I can smell the roses

Lower my defenses

There’s a Benz on the lawn

What are the chances (What are the chances)

I won’t ever see the neighbors

‘Cause we’ll be sitting on 25 acres

Someday, someday, someday

Our money troubles will be yesterday”

Khamari also explores his own image and its impact on love on To Dry A Tear. “Lonely in the Jungle” is about his own emotional insecurity and how it affects his ability to hold his lover.

“When I look in your brown eyes

Isn’t it so plain to see

This quicksand under my feet

Is suffocating me with time

Ain’t no God in this lonely jungle

Just me and my empty prayers”

To Dry A Tear is an album you could show your grandmother, and she’d eat it up. The ingredients are all there: a good-looking guy with a beautiful voice, singing through tough emotions while keeping his confident composure. It’s an album to put on in the shower and feel like the sexiest person on earth.

9: Florist - Jellywish

Released through Double Double Whammy

Emily Sprague and her band of boys take us beyond existential dread to see the incomprehensible beauty in the unknown on Jellywish. The Earth is dying, and all we can do now is love the dirt, the trees, and the creatures harder than we ever have.

Florist’s music, as well as Sprague’s solo projects, is always tender. Her voice is sweet, and the instrumentation is soft and acoustic. The band has a way of making each instrument whisper along with Sprague. On Jellywish, they perform like there’s nothing left. Even on tracks that adopt more positive themes, the mood is somber. It’s a juxtaposition, though. Just like the afterlife, it’s scary and beautiful at the same time. Maybe one is the reason for the other.

Florist has never failed to make me feel deeply. Jellywish is no exception. All 33 minutes of the album hold your heart’s attention. It’s a dangerous listen - you can slip into an existential hole and totally lose track of the task in front of you. In fact, that happened to me while writing this.

On Jellywish, the band tackles heavy themes. The very first words you hear from Sprague on this project are these:

“Every day I wake wait for the tragedy

Imbalanced humanity

Should anything be pleasure when suffering is everywhere

Is this life too long?

Or too short to have no want”

It’s a slap in the face, and it’s a warning for the listener. This is what you’re getting yourself into. Only traverse further if you’re willing to tackle the hard stuff. Jellywish is about the bravery that comes with recapturing your wonder. Wonder is the secret ingredient to fulfillment and the answer to fear. On the not-so-title-track, Sprague states this eloquently:

“I try to look at this place as if I’ve never seen it

I try to look at your face as if I am alive and you’re alive

Some things just don’t make any sense like the jellyfish

Remember when all of this was just a dream?

…

Destroy the feeling you are not enough”

Obviously, this project’s mascot is the jellyfish. It’s a wonderful creature beyond comprehension. Sprague reminds us to view the whole earth this way. The jellyfish is also a major victim of climate change, which is a theme explored fully on this project. In an interview with The Luna Collective, Sprague stated, “I want to spend what time I have telling the Earth that it’s beautiful and caring for it in all the ways that I can and shouting about that in whispers on Florist songs.”

Florist has always been connected to the Earth. Our planet is a recurring character in almost all of the band’s projects. It’s admirable, too, because they clearly practice what they preach. In the same interview, Sprague mentioned, “I live in the woods and try to live as unobtrusively as I can. And I think when you start thinking about how little of an impact you as one person actually have, it starts to feel overwhelming. It starts to feel like, ‘Oh, well, what’s the point?’ I think for me I try to promote whatever I would feel is the best that we can do, and then try to do better than that. I’m definitely scared for the future.”

Sprague combats this fear with love. When everything else is gone, love is all we have to share with each other. Unapologetic love is a direct protest to the damage caused by modern humanity. On “Sparkle Song,” she seals this idea with an exclamation point:

“Isn’t it amazing

That we get to share this life

I worry about the future

For now you’re walking by my side

There’s no evil in your eyes”

Sonically, Jellywish is relatively simple. Most songs are mostly drumless. Quiet finger-picked acoustic strings complement Sprague’s whispery vocals. Every track sounds different, though. It’s a cohesive album with similar sounds all the way through, but the band’s songwriting differentiates each moment from the others.

Out of all of the albums on this list, this one might be the most relevant.

8: Loyle Carner - hopefully!

Released through UMG

Every time Loyle Carner drops, I prepare my heart for an emotional adventure. hopefully! is a perfect continuation of his 2022 project, Hugo, where he detailed his rocky relationship with his father as well as his battle with generational trauma. When I saw Loyle Carner live during his Hugo tour, he spent a lot of time chatting about each track’s meaning. In doing this, he offered more context for the personal stories he sings about. For example, Loyle Carner told a story about his son crying to him, explaining his sadness and the reason behind it. Carner was taken aback at his son’s ability to not only explain his feelings but display them in the first place. His son had already learned the emotional maturity that it took many adult years for Carner to achieve. He proudly claimed that he’s found the cure to generational trauma through his son: his son showed him so much love and compassion that he was able to send it back up to his father, forgiving him in the process. hopefully! is an album about Loyle Carner’s children, and how they brighten their father’s world.

2025 was the year of fatherhood. Dijon, Earl Sweatshirt, Dominic Fike, and Justin Bieber all dropped dad albums, but nobody did it like Loyle Carner. He has a respectable way with words and an inflexion like he really means what he says. In an interview with Junkee, the South Londoner explained that the main detraction from Hugo is his focus on the present instead of the future. He said, “I have two kids now, and that makes me not focus so much on the past, more on the present, and a little bit on the future. Kids are so present, you can’t really explain to them that they’re going to get something tomorrow; it has to be right now. My son was in the studio with me a lot when we were making this music, so it just became a thing of ‘everything was so immediate’. He was just living in the right now, and it’s an infectious thing.”

hopefully! coaxes the listener to stop and live in the moment, especially with Carner’s newfound genre fluidity. Apparently, he was heavily influenced by rock bands such as Fontaines D.C., The Smiths, and Pingrove. This makes sense, since hopefully! sounds much different than his other, more hip-hop focused projects. It’s more melodic and patient than the rest. You can hear his children’s present influence in the album’s sound.

To me, this is all exemplified best in the outro of one of the lead singles, “all i need,” where he pleads to his children to be their authentic selves and to remember that, no matter what, he will be there for them:

“You stay beneath the sun

And find shade

And I fade

But can’t fade the things I’ve done

The sun won’t make it change

But I stay”

He continues to celebrate the tender bond between himself and his children on “lyin.” Here, he talks through playtime, living in his children’s vivid imagination:

“Four walls falling to Poseidon

Bed poles turn into an island

And I’m laying there beside him

I laugh to myself

I can’t believe that I was frightened

I go to leave, feel his hands tighten”

Loyle Carner’s love for his family is tangible through the speakers, halfway across the Earth. There aren’t many things more precious than a father’s love, especially when it’s so outspoken. I don’t want kids, but Loyle Carner almost makes me change my mind.

7: keiyaA - Hooke’s Law

Released through XL Recordings

Forever, Ya Girl, KeiyaA’s 2020 project, may very well be my favorite R&B album ever made. When she announced a new album, after a 5-year wait, I was ecstatic. She has a style of production that rides the line of classic soul and contemporary abstraction. Frequently, the instrumentals on KeiyaA’s tracks are hard to keep up with. It feels like she’s one step ahead of the listener. She knows something we don’t.

Hooke’s Law was produced, written, and composed entirely by KeiyaA, just like her 2020 album. Her talent is boundless and impressive. Named after a physics equation explaining the scale of force needed to extend and compress a spring, Hooke’s Law sparks plenty of curiosity. It differs from its predecessor in a few ways. Most notably, Hooke’s Law is grimy, gritty, and aggressive at times. There are lots of big feelings thrown into tracks on this album. Also, Hooke’s Law is sexy. KeiyaA tapped into her sexual identity on this project, taking the listener through a psychedelic-fueled lust journey after a full night of club-hopping.

Just like the physics equation describes, Hooke’s Law is a soundtrack for a rebound. In an interview with BKMAG, she noted, “This is still a self-love album, but from a different angle than, like, ‘You’re a Black queen, take a bath and light a candle.’ Nah. This is like—scream, cry, break glass, kick shit over. Let yourself fall apart. Look at yourself in the mirror when you’ve fallen apart and ask, ‘What did I do wrong?’”

This scenario is evident in songs like “Break It,” where she confronts herself and her identity flaws, undergoing a personal rude awakening:

“You need to be on time out

You need to cut them lines out

Take a break and get intimate with your mind

Who knows who you will find?

You need to stop being so nice now

And start being more kind”

She continues the conversation on “Stupid Prizes,” which is a song about guilt. It’s about trying to be a confident, care-free person while the harsh world keeps pushing her down. Her lyricism is top-tier on this track as she confronts the idea of thriving. Is it her fault that she still gets knocked down while she tries her hardest to be the light in the room? Is it foolish to keep trying?

“Know I take a while

But I can’t fake a smile

And my-my heart breaks a mile a minute

And I hate breaking down in it

When I’m around anyone

’Cause it’s not any fun

But I do need plenty sun”

On “Be Quiet!!!,” KeiyaA finally learns the value of setting boundaries. It’s the aftermath of realizing that temporarily hurting someone’s feelings is a small price to pay for personal peace. It feels like a victory. Instead of contemplating how she takes up space, she simply starts doing it regardless.

“Please try not to talk me to death, I need quiet

There’s a reason why I keep to myself

I need reliance and peace of mind

Please try not to act too pressed”

After this confrontation, she has the strength to start asking for what she needs. She takes us along with her as she navigates the world in a much healthier way. For example, on “this time,” she decides not to lie down and take more emotional abuse from her lover. After soul searching and identity journeys, she knows her worth, and she’s not afraid to ask for it:

“I guess that’s what it is now

You made this bed, it’s time to lay in it

I guess that’s what’s it’s giving

This time

I ain’t got nothing left to give now

It’s time for someone else to take your shit

I guess that’s what it is”

I found myself relating to KeiyaA throughout this project as I reflected on my own self-worth journey. Sometimes, solidifying your confidence and your identity can look ugly to those on the outside. When you are worried about what others think of you, it’s hard to form boundaries. I was cheering for KeiyaA during the entirety of Hooke’s Law, because I know the difficulty that comes with prioritizing yourself. It’s hard - especially when you’re a people pleaser, which, through songs like “lateee,” it’s clear that KeiyaA is.

“My quest is as sharp as my mind can reach

The pressure is tarnishing my beliefs

Obsessed with my wanting and not my needs

If descending spiral is loaded spring

Is messing with fire unloading me

I question my tired and loathsome ways”

Hooke’s Law is a familiar soul journey. KeiyaA finds herself alongside us through a playful and creative delivery. She has allowed us to listen in on her progress, and it’s a privilege to do so. Maybe it’s because I’m also a fire sign, but Hooke’s Law made me feel like I’m not alone.

“I’m handing in the fire sign oath…

I didn’t come to dance, I came to fight

Burn the bridges, don’t make it right

Lucky for you, I’m not the old me

I would’ve burned this shit down comfortably

Don’t want the chance to change the tides

Do I takе the high road, take it light?”

6: Mark William Lewis - Self-Titled

Released through A24

Mark William Lewis makes music that belongs in Silent Hill, which is why it makes perfect sense that he was signed to A24’s new record label. I’ve been able to watch him evolve since his 2023 masterpiece, Living. What a privilege it is to see an artist develop their style and confidence to the point where they have a signature. At this point, I haven’t heard anything quite like Mark William Lewis. His talent on the harmonica is a perfect complement to the dreamy, surreal instrumentation that layers each track. His deep voice and mysterious persona combine into a wonderfully brooding presence.

I recently learned about Salvador Dali’s “micronap” process, where he would hold a key in his chair while falling asleep. When he dropped it, it would wake him up, allowing Dali to immediately start painting in his half-awake dream state. I bring this up because Mark William Lewis’s music sounds like it was made in the same in-between. His esoteric sounds bring the same feeling as those that arise while staring deeply into a Dali painting. Lewis transports the listener into a custom Hypnagogia. Listening to his self-titled album forces the listener to pause and fall deeply into the music, forcing an almost out-of-body experience.

Lewis starts his project with “Still Above.” It’s an authentic soundcape filled with distorted, but almost bouncy, instrumentation and whispering vocals. Lewis explained the environment of the song during an interview with HighClouds, “‘Still Above’ is the morning after an argument. You are trying to remember what happened the night before, but the memories are blurry. Part of you wants to repair the emotional wreckage, but another part of you wants to stay in bed and relax into the familiar comforts of conflict.”

“It’s early

The cold light of the day

The phone light

The shame I can’t escape

Slim memories

The restless journey home

Sleep separately

It’s all I’ve ever known”

This track sets the stage for the hazy, almost meditational environment that Lewis has built. While he starts with a feeling of regret and confusion, he explores more feelings throughout the rest of his project. For example, on the third track, “Seventeen,” Lewis explores tangential feelings of escape and the loss that comes with it. He uses bleak soundscapes to emphasise the tragic story of someone, only seventeen, seeking a way out of the dull world around them.

“No-one ever talks about it

No-one really knows what happened

I guess he always had a habit

He said the needle made him happy

He didn’t like the way the world looked

He drew a picture in a sketchbook”

Lewis’s self-titled project is littered with grief. He speaks from experience as he describes the dark feelings that come with a dreary worldview. All of his promotional materials and photography are grayscale. The album cover is too. He has done what many musicians struggle to do - he’s created a universe for his listeners. Being a Mark William Lewis fan means stepping into a new world. You are encouraged to completely immerse yourself in what he has curated. There’s no halfway.

Listen to this one on a foggy drive, but please try not to take your mind off the road. It’s easier said than done.

5: Pink Siifu - BLACK’!ANTIQUE / ONYX’!

Released through Dynamite Hill

Here’s cop-out number 2! I couldn’t choose just one of these albums, and I couldn’t rank one higher than the other. I feel less bad now, though, because he recently combined both of these projects into one big album. Both of these projects are generational gems, and Pink Siifu is a madman for dropping two full-fledged albums at this quality in one year. Everyone else in the abstract hip-hop scene should be genuinely scared of him, because he’s steamrolling the competition.

There are plenty of artists in the same scene who frequently drop multiple albums a year; however, they rarely feel curated. Artists like Boldy James and Westside Gunn will drop upwards of five projects a year. While they usually sound great, each project sounds mass-produced. They feel more like mixtapes than anything. Pink Siifu did the opposite this year. He dropped two albums that are extremely curated and cohesive. They work so well with each other, too. It feels like he’s engaging in commentary with himself.

Truthfully, it might be disrespectful (or inaccurate at the very least) to call Boldy James and Wesdside Gunn his peers. Those guys are extremely talented, but Pink Siifu is really in a lane of his own. I haven’t heard anyone meld genres as he does. Both BLACK’!ANTIQUE and ONYX are masterclasses in thoughtful experimentation. They are rooted in trap, but each track brings a new influence. On BLACK’!ANTIQUE, songs like “1:1[FKDUP.BEZEL]” are bouncy and dancy, utilizing playful features to make the listener feel energized and ready for a gym run. On another side of the coin, “Sacrifice’!BonAppetit” is a straight-up noise rock track. Immediately following, “SCREW4LIFE’! RIPJALEN’!” is a contemplative, lyrically-focused ballad about a lost brother, which switches mid-way into a bassy jam. Pink Siifu knows how to seamlessly integrate so many different genre inspirations and energies in a way that feels natural. Any whiplash during these projects was felt with a smile.

I think “4DOE[47]” was the track that threw me off the most. It’s such a diversion from the first half of the project, containing the qualities of an interlude while providing an addictive listening experience. Pink Siifu’s voice is muted as he speaks in a mumbly tone. A slow, hypnotising instrumental plays, forcing the listener into a respite before the rest of the album jostles them around. The lyrics are almost indistinguishable, and I’m sure that’s intentional.

“Say it like

“Hello, my name is, eh”

“Hello, my name is, eh”

Say the word

[?]”

BLACK’!ANTIQUE concludes with something wild, of course. The last few tracks are absolutely peaceful. “LAST ONE ALIVE’!” is another soft ballad, “8)” is a spacy melody with hypnotic whispery vocals, and “BLACKWATER’!,” the outro track, is pure meditation. Incoherent singing is heard over rushing water and somber strings. As you pay attention to the lyrics, you start to realize that this project is much more serious than it seems:

“Mama say it was polluted

Glow more away in the water

She got different things now to deal with

Babies that gettin’ slaughtered

And tell her mama got a resolution

That baby’s enough

Evolution

She say it’s gon’ be alright

See, she’s about to die

Mama’s dyin’ from this pollution

Something’s in the sky

Tellin’ us a lie”

The name itself is a commentary. BLACKANTIQUE’! is a title that steps away from the itemization of black artists, and toward an image that is sacred. It brings me back to Denzel Curry’s TA13OO era, especially with the black and white aesthetic. It’s an album that says, “I’m not a jester for your entertainment, I’m much, much more than that.” That idea is exemplified most clearly through his forward-thinking songwriting and composition. He’s further ahead than anyone can reach.

Siifu has never been a stranger to facing his identity and the beauty behind it. He’s taken us through pure anger on N*GRO and pure pride for his culture on Leather Blvd. Now, he’s thinking on the individual level, proving that he’s a mastermind, and directly combating preconceptions.

ONYX’! is no different in terms of unorthodox cohesion, but it provides an alternate experience. ONYX’! is less artsy and more lighthearted. I can’t help but feel like Siifu was playing a bit more on this one. Take “EGM”!!” for example. Alongside the incredible Detroit-based Ghettotech trio, HiTech, Siifu made an addictive, high-energy club jam. Tracks like “MIKE VICK’!” and “$$$4EVA” are pure earworms that make you feel untouchable. There’s definitely some contrast on ONYX’! as well, though.

The title track is so Pink Siifu it isn’t funny. I love that he decided to stay solo on the title track, especially since both of these projects are littered with features. It’s industrial and raw, and I’m a huge fan. Also, the track “CRTX/VRTX” utilizes an Armand Hammer feature to drive home their intense, ominous style. It’s a huge contrast to the rest of the project, and it further showcases Siifu’s versatility. That’s just it - Pink Siifu is criminally versatile.

There’s something for everyone within these two projects, and I can’t recommend them enough. Don’t get left behind as one of the greatest contemporary minds in hip-hop continues to innovate.

4: Maiya Blaney - A Room With A Door That Closes

Released through Lex Records

A Room With a Door That Closes continues to catch me off guard, even after plenty of listens. Every time this project comes on, I discover something new. It took a lot of creativity and courage for Maiya Blaney to come out swinging this hard on her first full-length album. A Room With A Door That Closes first caught my attention when I saw it was released on Lex Records. Lex is a UK-based label that represents big names in the underground hip-hop scene, including MF DOOM (rest in peace), Danger Mouse, and MIKE. The lead singles for her new project were seemingly rooted in slowcore, almost soft punk inspiration, so when I saw it drop on Lex, I was immediately intrigued.

My experience with this project started with surprise, and it still continues with surprise. The second track, “Left,” is a perfect example. The first few times I heard “Left,” I was taken aback by its wonderful, building composition, as well as its detraction from the jungle-inspired intro track. I was so focused on those qualities that I neglected Blaney’s beautiful lyricism. She laments a breakup that was necessary but still so painful. She goes through a rollercoaster of emotions as she juggles two alternatives. Does she move apart from this person she loves and avoid all of the hurt, or does she listen to her heart and stay with them, even though it won’t be healthy? She gets introspective, confronting her own mistakes. Was she too boring? Did she mistakenly push them away? Could she have done anything differently? As the crescendo arrives, she laments:

“We talk about things we don’t really give a shit about

Like TV shows

And what you did today

And I hope you’re having a good one

Hope this didn’t ruin it…

I’m sorry, I can’t help but be honest

I will wait for you to change your mind

Thank God you’ll cry when you realize

I will wait for you to change your mind

Thank God you’ll cry for the first time

You’re on my mind

And I love you

It’s not so bad anymore”

A Room With a Door That Closes is full of raw emotion like this, but it’s displayed in such a fantastic, shocking way that you have to dig through layers to get there. The following track, “Carmen Electra,” deserves a mosh pit. Nasty bass lines and loud cymbals complement her intense ramblings. Here, she lets her rage come out with a totally new energy. It’s one of the many sonic highs of this project, alongside “Fumbled,” which is a high-energy, almost hyperpop-inspired track that completely contrasts the more introspective moments on A Room With a Door That Closes. “Fumbled” is a cheat code for cardio.

“I don’t wanna mess around

Fuckin with another one two toes down

I don’t wanna fuck with you…

Fuck around (x6)

Fumble the bag”

This track is immediately followed by the spacey instrumental, “”Affirmatively.” Pt. I,” riddled with distorted piano and reverbed whispers. The second part doesn’t appear until right before the outro track, and it couldn’t be a more different continuation. “”Affirmatively” Pt II” is a high-bpm digital track behind unintelligible, energetic mumbling. It perfectly leads into the outro track. “And” is somber and orchestral with a six-and-a-half-minute runtime.

A Room With a Door That Closes is unapologetically vulnerable. In an interview with Nina Protocol, Blaney described her album as “a solitary record. Because [she] wanted to make something for [her], and for this feeling [she] got that [she] couldn’t explain...The beautiful thing is that usually when you write something deeply personal, that usually makes it more universal, so that’s pretty cool.”

Maiya Blaney isn’t afraid of the uncertain. She talks a lot in interviews about how she has tried to wear many “outfits” with her music, just searching for one that sticks for the moment. Her experimentation is admirable, and so is her willingness to navigate through doubt with her process. She has the qualities I look for in an artist, and I can’t wait to see what she does next.

3: Chat Pile & Hayden Pendigo - In The Earth Again

Released through Computer Students & Modulor

It’s a misconception that noise/sludge metal has to be hard and fast all the time. The beauty of the genre, to me, is held in the respite. A barrage of noise can only be felt fully if you’re given a moment of quiet contemplation. It’s the contrast that emphasizes the extreme. On In The Earth Again, Chat Pile and Hayden Pendigo combine forces to be that contrast for one another.

This collaboration was an unexpected one. Hayden Pendigo is known for his somber, slow instrumental tracks that always gather critical acclaim. Chat Pile is one of the best active metal bands out there with a signature loud, noisy, pleading sound. Together, they’ve created one of the most unique projects I’ve listened to this year. I really wish I could’ve been present in the room while they wrote this album because I think I’d learn a lot about utilizing different strengths as a team. They brought the best out of each other and explored some uncomfortable compromises between soft and brutal.

“Behold a Pale Horse” is a perfect example of that compromise. The track contains no vocals, but it showcases the fluid middle ground between the two contributors. It starts slow with a contemplative, reverb-heavy guitar segment. Distortion then builds through the soft environment, eventually fading away again. This happens a second time in the latter half of the track, altogether creating an electric tide flowing onto the shore, then fading back into its ocean. It’s amazing how much they can say without words.

It’s also amazing what they can say with words. On the following track, “The Magic Of the World,” Raygun Busch, Chat Pile’s singer’s pseudonym, shows us a new identity. Usually, he’s screaming and wailing into the microphone, pleading about a given social issue. On this track, however, he’s quietly singing a ballad about the end of the world with a lover’s approach. It’s a completely new sound from him, and it’s an entrancing compliment to Pendigo’s instrumentation:

“Until I can no longer conjure you

Until I can no longer bring you into my room

Before the life goes from my eyes

Before all magic is lost to time

You’re here

With me

One more time

One more time

Until the world ends”

After the solace of the two previous tracks, Chat Pile and Hayden Pendigo throw the listener right back into the sludge. “Fission/Fusion” is another instrumental track that shakes the walls with hard drums and dirty riffs. It’s a perfect transition into the seven-and-a-half-minute track “The Matador,” where Busch sounds like his usual self again. He screams at the listener like it’s their fault that all of the atrocities in the world outshine everything good. No more relaxation - back to reality. They end the song by asking us over and over:

“Are you afraid of the dark?

Are you afraid of the dark?

Are you afraid of the dark?

Are you afraid of the dark?”

Next, Hayden takes over again with the beautiful instrumental, “I’ve Got My Own Blunt To Smoke.” The entire journey that this album takes us on is pure whiplash. The moments of respite emphasize the chaos and pain even further, and the same is true the other way around.

In The Earth Again ends with “A Tear For Lucas,” which, to me, is the quintessential example of how these two have so eloquently combined their minds. On this track, Busch weeps for a lost life in a way that isn’t just out of character but unsettlingly worrisome. Someone who channels his sadness into rage is singing through tears over Pendigo’s signature lullaby-style instrumentation. After all of the whiplash that the two have put us through, this feels like a depressing conclusion. They remind the listener that the horrors will always persist, even through the respite, even through the rage. It’s a not-so-gentle reminder that the Earth is dying and there’s not much we can do. Loss is everywhere, and it manifests through death and the conclusion of love. And everything keeps moving regardless.

“Oh, I wish I could hold the planet up

With my two hands

And make it right

With glad return…

But what I would give to be able to

Change it all

And turn around

But all there is is forward and our memory

So I’ll toast my friend

While time allows

‘Cause I loved you then

And I love you now”

2: Fust - Big Ugly

Released through Dear Life Records

Conceptually, Big Ugly is a lot like Fust’s other projects. Aaron Dowdy and his crew use twangy sounds and authentic vocals to describe simple moments in a life that might not be perceived as exactly beautiful. It’s not just about simple living. Fust highlights the importance of finding beauty in unexpected places. Even the title of this album, Big Ugly, is a commentary on the perception of beauty. They take the idea that “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” to the extreme, finding purpose through sun-bleached wallpaper, simple work, long-lasting love, and the outside fridge.

Before I get into the themes of this album, though, I want to talk about the sound. Big Ugly is full of earworms from front to back. I’m not sure who is in charge of writing melodies for Fust, or if it’s a joint effort from everyone in the band, but WOW do they know how to write a catchy song. Even the more somber tracks are full of memorable moments, whether it’s a crazy riff or an unforgettable vocal performance from Aaron Dowdy with great conviction.

A great example is “Mountain Language,” which was undoubtedly my song of the summer. The guitar melody on this song, as well as others on Big Ugly, sounds like a signature. It’s so recognizable and so simple, and it sticks in your head for hours. Not to mention the chorus, which is so unapologetically country:

“But if we can make it up the mountain again

We’ll be back with country friends

And there’ll be language on the mountain again

Oh, what country, friends, is this?”

I can’t tell you the number of times I muttered “...we’ll be back with country friends” under my breath this year.

“Spangled,” the intro track (which is plastered on my new car’s back bumper), is another cause for addiction. It sounds like a sample from an ’80s “Underground Country Greatest Hits” compilation. It’s so cheesy in the best way possible - you’ll be smiling from ear to ear the whole time.

“They say the night gets spangled

When you can’t get еnough to drink

Well I’ve been drinking

So the night looks spanglеd to me…

Yeah I’m feeling pretty spangled

I’m feeling like heaven

I’m feeling like a sparkler

That’s been thrown off a roof”

Again, Fust has a special way of finding beauty in the simple things. Even the cheesy, familiar sound of each song exemplifies their point. Nothing on Big Ugly is revolutionary, but that makes it even more special. The band found a way to make something new and amazing with sounds that are so classic. “Bleached” carries this energy through and through. Aaron Dowdy wails about how the most boring ways of life are the most heavenly. Nothing is perfect, which makes it more special:

“Holy water bucket

Sloshing ‘round down at our feet

I’m bound to be a boring angel

Though I try not to be…

Boring angels carry me”

Nothing is perfect, which is more than okay. On “Doghole,” Dowdy encourages the listener to get in touch with their simple, natural self. It reminds me of being a kid, rolling around in the dirt and uncovering rocks to find salamanders. It’s so incredibly healing to let yourself be messy and curious, or, as Dowdy says on “Doghole,” let your dog out:

“Oh, what’s that you said?

I said it’s a doghole

I guess I get excited when you let it show

Dig down, go to ground

Just dig down, go to ground

Come on, let the dog out”

Big Ugly is full of special moments and simple celebrations. On “Jody,” Aaron Dowdy celebrates a long-lasting relationship, as well as the beauty that comes with loving someone through ugly times.

“Yeah, me and Jody been at this since high school

We’ve been at this now longer than we’ve not

And I think that as I watch her stir her heavy with her finger

I’ll never get enough of what I’ve got

Yeah, I’ve always loved you when you’re messed up”

And on “Gateleg,” he tells the story of an unnamed person finding happiness in a new corner store career path, and celebrates for them. The memory of this person carrying a homemade gateleg fills him with pride:

“You’re gonna stock, bag, shelve, and load

You’re gonna do everything you’re told

I still remember you walking down the mountain

With that gateleg you built her

‘Cause you remembered that the car was propped

Up on cinders at Jerry’s lot

He can’t put it back together

But, boy, he can take it apart”

Finally, the title track is the quintessential moment of the album. Dowdy becomes self-reflective, recognizing the ugliness within himself and where it all came from. He puts a bow around everything as he points inward. His upbringing, the city he lives in, his profession, his relationships are all full of flaws, and so is he…but he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“If they want me gone

If they want me lost

If they don’t want my lonesome here

They’ll have to haul me off..

And I’ve got the mud of Big Ugly running through me

And I’ll never get it off or get it out

Though I know what the rain can do”

Every single track on Big Ugly has its own unique flair, while the entire project stays cohesive. It’s an album for any season and any mood. Listening to Big Ugly has become a sort of therapy for me - it makes me feel like I’m not alone. It reinforces for me that life isn’t meant to be perfect. I’m not meant to be perfect, and inside that imperfection is beauty and purpose.

1: Benjamin Booker - LOWER

Released through Fire Next Time Records

LOWER is, without a doubt, the most forward-thinking project of the year. Benjamin Booker is possibly the most fluent genre bender I’ve ever heard. Alongside generational talent Kenny Segal, Booker created a wonderful funk-rock-pop-soul-punk-electro masterpiece. This album has everything I crave: wall-shattering guitar riffs, haunting samples, blown-out bass, unique vocals, and the unmistakable crackle of a tape recorder.

I hear Motown inspiration alongside the attitude of Funkadelic. It’s an edgy commentary on the barren state of lower-class, Black America. LOWER reads like a foil to E L U C I D’s 2024 injustice-fueled rage on his 2024 album, REVELATOR. The lyrics alone could easily be adapted to something heavier and angrier, but Booker takes a different route. Tracks like “LWA IN THE TRAILER PARK” encompass the longing for a better place with such a soft pleading approach:

“I watched the blood drip to the street

The spirit came in flames under the moonlight

Oh, Marinette take me from here

I want the world

I want to live a good life”

He and Kenny Segal bring the listener into a nightmarish interpretation of the concrete curse. On “NEW WORLD,” he speaks directly to his oppressors:

“And I know it’s not just survival

And I know what you did to get here

And I know everything is turning

And I know you can’t look in the mirror

You can’t be who you are without me

Without me beneath you

You can’t be who you are without me

Down here”

Furthermore, Booker includes commentary on sexuality. He has a unique perspective on multi-faceted cruelty, as someone who belongs to more than one minority group. “SLOW DANCE IN A GAY BAR,” the fourth track on LOWER, sounds like a lullaby thanks to Kenny Segal’s entrancing production. It’s as if Booker is lamenting his search for love, and it feels beautifully somber.

“I just want someone to see me.”

His unrequited dreams of love continue on “SAME KIND OF LONELY,” where he envelops the listener in a fuzzy melancholy as his dreams are contradicted by a lonely reality:

“Love, love, love while we have a chance

Love without no room…

If I could make it out tomorrow

If I could start again on my own

If I could be the same kind of lonely”

If you haven’t caught on so far, Booker loves to use repetition to drive the weight of his ideas - a tactic that I eat up when it’s done well. It brings me back to Kevin Abstract’s “American Boyfriend,” which is another album that painted a clear picture of an existence I know nothing about through personal experience. When Kevin Abstract repeated “He was a bad son” on “Echo,” it brought me as close as possible to feeling his personal conflict. Just like on “HEAVY ON MY MIND,” where Booker repeats:

“I want more than a dream, I want more than a dream

I want more than a dream, I want more than a dream

I want more than a dream, I want more than a dream

I want more than a dream, I want more than a dream”

His soft, shaky whisper dances around in my head as he brings me to an understanding that his experience as a queer, Black man in America is not easy, and often not glorious. The repetition alongside his tone says more than complex lyrics ever could. It packs a harder punch as a reference to Dr. King’s famous “I Have A Dream” speech. Booker, along with many others, is tired of dreaming of change. It’s about time for something tangible.

LOWER concludes with “HOPE FOR THE NIGHT TIME.” It’s a ballad reminiscent of Marvin Gaye’s “I Want You” era, depicting an alcoholic stumbling through a bender, getting worse and worse. The storytelling on this track is genius. Booker describes a night out that leads to a rock-bottom situation, but he’s saved by a mysterious entity, presumably some type of heavenly body, and brought to bed with the message:

“a man can choose

To crawl or stand up”

However, as the song reaches the second verse, this message is completely contradicted as he stumbles again, and this time is left to his own devices on the cold ground. Booker depicts the false narrative of salvation, socially and religiously. He throws a middle finger to the idea that hard work “from the bootstraps” will save the oppressed man from the dirt, and strong faith in the heavens will save the “sinner” (i.e., the queer man) from hell.

LOWER is a passageway into Benjamin Booker’s universe that even someone with a totally different life experience from his can feel. It may be the most tangible depiction of pain, fear, inequality, and otherness that I’ve ever heard.