10. Little Simz – ‘GREY Area’
What We Said…
Since her early beginnings, Little Simz has always used originality to project herself in the industrial. Her previous full-length 'Stillness In Wonderland' was a flurry of expressive soundscapes and conceptual ideas that allowed the frontwoman to stand out amongst the humdrum of commercial hip-hop in recent years. But now it seems she has moved away from the experimental edge of her initial career and adopted a simple yet impactful production style which allows her to make herself heard and more importantly, showcase her as a powerful female MC in a genre dominated by men.
What really grabs your ears from the start of this release is just how minimal yet effective it sounds. With the percussion taking much of the weight on this new collection, 'GREY Area' pays homage to the classic hip-hop sound while also producing something fresh and engaging as it plays. Opening up with the previously heard singles 'Offence' and 'Boss', the record makes a statement that this not the same old Little Simz anymore. She has grown within herself, in both musical style and personal confidence, to deliver a strong and impassioned return that will cement her as one of this generation's greatest rappers.
From the start, 'GREY Area' is all about her raw energy being utilised in the most effective way possible, making for a diverse but tenacious record. It feels like she has borrowed ideas from almost every era of hip-hop in order to create this album, resulting in a eclectic selection of intentions that keeps the listener on their toes and sees her truly come into her own in the process.
9. Husky Loops – ‘I Can’t Even Speak English’
What We Said…
After hyping us up over the last few years with a string of bold and exciting EPs and singles, the Italian trio Husky Loops (now based in London) have been on the buzz train once again these last few months as they prepared to release their debut album 'I CAN'T EVEN SPEAK ENGLISH'. But now that the record is here, I don't think any of us were ready to accept just how wonderfully original and groundbreaking it is as they look set to become one of the best new outfits of 2019.
With its tongue-in-cheek opening 'A Message From Lily To A Friend', a voice recording telling us just how good this record will be, 'I CAN'T EVEN SPEAK ENGLISH' spends the rest of its runtime trying to outdo itself at every turn. The multifaceted release seems to spend every minute channelling some kind of anthemic aesthetic. Whether it be the Kasabian-esque atmosphere of 'Temporary Volcano' or the bold irreverence of lead single 'I Think You're Wonderful', this new collection aims to create a diverse and experimental world for Husky Loops to call their own, keeping it both familiar and original in equal measure.
It is easy to say that you will be hard pressed to find a debut album with as much flair and exciting possibilities as 'I CAN'T EVEN SPEAK ENGLISH'. The chameleon-like aesthetic they have looked to conceive means that each track feels fresh and diverse throughout, delivering a solid selection that continues the hype they have been cultivating since they began.
8. SYML – ‘SYML’
What We Said…
The self-titled debut album from Seattle-based artist and producer SYML (aka Brian Fennell) graced us last Friday; the effects of which still linger after multiple spins. His breakout single, ‘Where’s My Love’ accumulated over 300 million streams online and is Certified Gold in the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium and Platinum in Canada. Having discovered his Welsh heritage in his adulthood, Fennell aptly named his alias after the Welsh word for ‘simple’. His artistic intention is just that, paired with self-awareness and sincerity that makes for truly moving music.
However pure in its motivation, SYML’s debut album is not to be underestimated. It is colourful, dynamic, inventive. Where he may have previously been pigeon-holed into the category of generic male singer-songwriter, SYML uses the range of the record’s twelve tracks to rise above this superficially diagnosed constraint. Mostly self-produced (with additional work from Mark Ralph and Chad Copelin) the self-titled full-length delivers intimate folk-inspired moments as effortlessly as it does hauntingly bold electronics.
The restrained melancholy of ‘Bed’ soon erupts with a Bon Iver-esque distorted vocal whilst acoustic ‘Girl’ gently expresses the desire to absorb your loved one’s darkest emotions. Just as you think the record has settled into balladry, ‘WDWGILY’ awakens your senses with bold production and a devastating mantra ‘where did we go? I love you’ that echoes and dances to the accompanying rainfall. A phenomenal body of work from an artist worth all of the hype.
7. Cate Le Bon – ‘Reward’
What We Said…
Since first emerging a decade ago with the release of her debut album 'Me Oh My', Welsh frontwoman Cate Le Bon has always looked to become as adventurous as possible with her music. And as she has grown in both age and experience, we are getting to see her take more risks with each passing release. And while her experimentation has never quite hit the mark as often as it should have, it certainly feels that she has found her sweet-spot as she returns with her fifth full-length 'Reward', a collection that perfectly couples experimental production and her own musical prowess.
Despite a glorious array of backing instrumentation on this new release, 'Reward' has this extremely sparse feel to it. Each track has this overlapped flurry of strings, brass and keys to it, and yet always comes across as a very minimal sound, showing that despite a huge focus on the record's general sound, it never feels too busy or overzealous. Instead the record moves with this humbled pace to it, sweeping and soaring in equal measure to create a warped and yet sometimes haunting new collection that both harnesses Cate's own musical direction and her need to deliver something that is uniquely her.
The result is quite possibly her best album to date. Rather than look back through her back catalogue for inspiration, 'Reward' definitely feels like the peak of her creative zenith so far. With each track keeping to a tight and cohesive path, the LP has this strong and succinct flow to it, making it a joy to listen to and showcasing the best in what she has to offer.
6. Weyes Blood – ‘Titanic Rising’
What We Said…
Ever since she first introduced herself to us via her stunning debut album 'The Outside Room' back in 2011, frontwoman Natalie Mering aka Weyes Blood has always been one to push the boundaries of daring and ambitious pop music. Spinning webs of folk, soul and jazz into every record has become her calling card throughout her career, and culminated in her wonderfully beautiful third LP 'Front Row Seat To Earth' in 2016, her most commercially successful release to date. Now moving onto album number four, 'Titanic Rising' looks to double down on those blended influences and deliver a wonderfully atmospheric new full-length in the process.
Switching onto 'Titanic Rising' for the first time, it is clear that she has begun to add even more genres into her already diverse style. With the country-esque slide guitars haunting the bed of 'Andromeda', and its following single 'Everyday' providing a much-appreciated lift in the record's direction, this new collection sees her at her most eclectic and engaging yet. Filled with a strong mixture of upbeat and excitable compositions, while still maintaining its ethereal aesthetic, 'Titanic Rising' may well be one of her most varied releases of her career, and showcases exactly why she has been such a beloved talent all this time.
Yet despite it clearly being an incredible record, it is still very hard to figure out exactly why is it so loveable. Mering never looks to create a memorable or catchy hook, but instead lets the confidence in her songwriting lead the way, and the result is a fantastic and engaging collection that maintains her long-lasting winning streak.
5. Karen O & Danger Mouse – ‘Lux Prima’
What We Said…
Having spent the better part of two decades as the frontwoman for The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Karen O has been finding herself with a more free range in the last few years. After releasing her critically-praised debut solo album 'Crush Songs' back in 2014, and subsequently leaving her label shortly after, she found herself a new mother and almost limitless in her possibilities of a musical future. So it seems that times like these would be perfect to work on an unexpected collaboration, and so she has teamed up with super-producer Danger Mouse to deliver their first studio album 'Lux Prima', a smooth yet expansive collection that sees both artists fall far from their comfort zone.
With its rich and atmospheric soundscapes, 'Lux Prima' never feels like a sound that these two would have come to organically. With Karen's backdrop in ferocious indie-rock and Danger Mouse's ability to bring hard and tenacious vibes to almost anything he touches, going for a progressive and laid-back style would never be anyone's first guess when listening to this new release. Yet despite expectations, this new collection is a wonderfully warm and inviting collection of drawn-out compositions that look to showcase both talents in an equal light as they tackle a formative sound that neither two have rarely been challenged with before.
Karen O's seductive voice is the most gentle we have ever heard it, as the producer makes incredible leaps to wrap her vocals up in this almost trip-hop-inspired intension, giving us a truly memorable experience from start to finish. 'Lux Prima' may have been formed from a chance encounter, but with a sonic beauty like this, we hope that these two continue to work together again very soon.
4. James Blake – ‘Assume Form’
What We Said…
Over the years, we have seen producer and frontman James Blake go from a humbled and atmospheric beatmaker to one of the most in-demand artists on the planet. Since winning the Mercury prize for his brilliant sophomore album 'Overgrown' and its subsequent follow-up 'The Colour In Anything' in 2016, the producer has found himself collaborating with many artists all over the world, which may go as to explain why this new material feels so diverse when compared to his previous work. Becoming more of a household name and spreading his creative wings has truly allowed Blake to come out of his shell as he unveils his fourth full-length 'Assume Form'.
From the very start, it is clear that Blake is looking to move away from the otherworldly and ethereal vibe of his formative years and instead deliver something that manages to incorporate more contemporary ideas and ambitions. The inclusion of notable rappers and MCs such as Andre 3000, Travis Scott and Rosalía has given the producer license to work towards a more hip-hip-inspired intention, which really feels like a surprise when you first switch on this release. But being the dynamic and inventive artist that he is, the frontman is able to retain much of his core sound and bring it to a new audience, delivering a release that feels fresh and vibrant throughout.
Many felt that his last record 'The Colour In Anything' was too similar to 'Overgrown' and didn't quite see the producer growing as an artist, but 'Assume Form' is such a dramatic move to the left, it is hard not to feel impressed by it. Truly finding himself at home in the hip-hop genre, this new release is the beginning of a new James Blake, and one that feels like there is so much more to share.
3. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – ‘Ghosteen’
What We Said…
Over the last few years, Nick Cave has become evermore captivated by the more minimal approach to his writing. While his backing group of The Bad Seeds usually occupies at least half-a-dozen additional musicians, his previous full-length 'Skeleton Tree', written after the tragic death of his son, preferred to keep itself as lo-fi as possible as he regularly crooned over a simple piano medley for most of the release. Now as they return for their seventeenth LP, 'Ghosteen' sees them embrace this new aesthetic even further, splitting the record into two halves, which Cave himself has referred to as the children and parents of this collection.
While the bleak and solemn darkness that filled 'Skeleton Tree' has been thrown out on 'Ghosteen', the records' almost have this reflective feel to them. "Once where there was darkness, now there is light" as the old proverb goes, this album seems to project a more outward, optimistic and spiritual aesthetic than its predecessor, as the release's vibrant artwork might show. His voice no longer seems filled with pain and sorrow, but has a lilt of euphoria running through it, showing that while he still mourns for his lost son, he is beginning to feel that his life is slowly moving to the next chapter and is projected with some of the most hauntingly beautiful compositions of his career.
Put these two new albums together and it is clear that we have entered a new age of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. One that adopts a far more minimal and intimate approach to both writing and production, giving even greater power to his sublime voice throughout. 'Ghosteen' is quite possibly his best work to date, and given his tenure, that is an incredible feat.
2. Brittany Howard – ‘Jaime’
What We Said…
As the frontwoman of Alabama Shakes, Brittany Howard is no stranger to the true roots of the southern American sound. With two heavily-praised studio albums under their belt, the band are considered one of the most original and organic voices to emerge from the Bible belt in a decade. But with the band taking an extended break, having now been four years since their last record, her and her partner took a road trip across the United States, and it was this journey that inspired 'Jaime', an album that looks to showcase both the best and worst about the country that she loves so much.
Dripping in southern soul and wrapped up in Howard's beautifully tortured voice, 'Jaime' has everything we have come to love about her formative outfit, but still feels very much like a personal project. Whether it be the gospel-inspired stomper that is 'Georgia' or its soul-infused opener 'History Repeats', this new collection is very much a mishmash of multiple inspirations that come together to deliver a release that truly represents the woman at the heart of it. With an introspective view towards songwriter, we are hearing the words of someone conflicted within their environment, where they want to see nothing but love yet find the opposite just as quickly.
Yet despite the clearly impressive production behind each of these tracks, it is her voice that once again steals the show. 'Jaime' has this wonderfully rich aura about it, washing itself in the smooth and sensual soul of her musical forefathers yet maintaining this contemporary and explorative aesthetic that gives it a whole new angle to appreciate it from.
1. FIDLAR – ‘Almost Free’
What We Said…
Since emerging back in 2013 with their self-titled debut album, FIDLAR quickly established themselves as the quintessential Californian party band. With raucous energy and catchy hooks, the group took to the US punk scene like a duck to water, quickly following up their first full-length with the equally excitable 'Too' in 2015, a name which implied more of a sequel to its predecessor than a continuation of sound. But after nearly four years looking to reinvent themselves, the outfit have now returned with the brilliantly bombastic third LP 'Almost Free', a record that sees them take a gamble and emerge more solid than ever.
The first thing you notice about this new record after a few tracks in, is just how unbelievably diverse it is. Opening with the bold and thunderous 'Get Off My Rock', the release quickly changes gear over and over again to give a real rollercoaster of ambition and focus that leaves you feeling impressed that this is all somehow the same band. Whether its the brilliantly fun 'By Myself' or the blistering punk energy of 'Alcohol', FIDLAR have managed to create an eclectic range of ideas, all cloaked under the umbrella of having a good time and adopting new challenges that have seen them blossom from their stereotypes with gusto.
They have always had this infectious energy, but to see them transfer it into almost any genre they feel like is incredibly impressive and despite reservations towards bands rejecting a more cohesive directions, these guys seem to have gone against the mould and emerged even greater in the process. This is an essential listen for anyone looking to have their day brightened.