20. Anna Of The North – ‘Dream Girl’
What We Said…
Since the release of her incredibly well-received debut album 'Lovers' back in 2017, Norway's Anna Of The North has found herself being picked up to collaborate with a whole host of artists in the years since. With acts like Tyler, The Creator, Honne, G-Eazy, and Rejjie Snow all lining up to work with the emerging frontwoman, she has found herself with a new and diverse following of fans since she first began. Now looking to capitalise on her newfound demand, she returns with her sophomore full-length 'Dream Girl', a record that brims with bold and extroverted confidence.
While her debut was about establishing her as a bright and uplifting name looking to break into the alt-pop environment, 'Dream Girl' is more about seeing her as a force to be reckoned with and cement her as one of the scene's most captivating and engaging artists. From the very start, this new collection overflows with a glorious light that is hard not to get swept up with. Much like how we felt when Haim released their first full-length 'Days Are Gone', her latest release has this larger-than-life feel that turns the level of soaring atmosphere up to the max and delivers one of the most enticing pop records of the year.
'Dream Girl' is one of those albums that grabs your attention from the very beginning, and seldom lets it go. With a beautifully euphoric energy running throughout, her return not only continues the glittery feel of her debut, but manages to top it in terms of pace and eccentricity, creating a fresh and instantly appealing collection.
19. slowthai – ‘Nothing Great About Britain’
What We Said…
UK rap music has been so embroiled in the revival of grime that hearing an artist adopt a more hip-hop focused aesthetic to his sound almost comes across as surprising. But since emerging MC Tyron Frampton aka slowthai grew up in Northampton, well outside the grime and drill bubble that is London, he has adopted a far more diverse approach to his political and visceral flow as he unveils his highly-anticipated debut album 'Nothing Great About Britain', a record as confrontational as its title suggests.
Opening up with the album's title track 'Nothing Great About Britain' gives a strong and positive message as to where this collection plans to go. Rather than looking to shunt Britain down, he simply points out the hypocrisy of a country calling itself great when most of the evidence shows that it isn't. From here we can easily slip into the mindset of slowthai as he continues to unleash a thunderous flurry of political and socially charged tracks that borrow influence from punk and hardcore rap in order to create a cohesive and succinct message that we all need to be more mindful of the world and people around us.
Coming across like the musical lovechild of Dizzee Rascal and Jamie T, 'Nothing Great About Britain' is a wonderfully unique gem sitting on the cusp of the UK's hip-hop scene. With an uncompromising attitude and this genre-bending approach to its production, slowthai manages to deliver an album that breaks down barriers and bring his audience together under this veil of positive criticism towards those that can do better.
18. Michael Kiwanuka – ‘Kiwanuka’
What We Said…
Since first emerging back in 2012 with his debut album 'Home Again', Michael Kiwanuka has had a strong appeal latched to him from the start. Despite that first album receiving a Mercury Prize nomination and he himself being named as BBC's Sound Of 2012, the frontman never felt like he truly belonged in people's praise, suffering strongly from imposter syndrome and feeling like he was soon to return to obscurity. Then his sophomore LP 'Love & Hate' arrived and we all realised that he was no flash in the pan, but an artist with so much more to say than we previously thought. Now he continues his bold and empathetic pursuit of impassioned songwriting with 'KIWANUKA', a self-titled reflection of his own mirrored persona.
The main difference that we heard on his first two records was how quickly he turned his attention to himself. While wonderful to listen to, 'Home Again' never had much in the way of longevity, whereas 'Love & Hate' was focused more on his own personal struggles as a black man in the UK, giving us a far more personal affair. This attention to writing about his own beliefs and musings is the bedrock behind 'KIWANUKA' and shows him as how he truly is. Described as an "anti-alter-ego", this new release is meant to be a mixture of the person he is or wants to be at any given time, as we see him bare his soul of a bright and uplifting collection of songs.
There is no denying that Michael Kiwanuka is one of the most consistently brilliant artists working today. His ability to match personal and powerful emotion with such diverse and interesting production has been his gift, and 'KIWANUKA' not only delivers more of that, but gives us a wonderfully self-reflective view of the man behind the music.
17. Billie Eilish – ‘When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?’
What We Said…
After emerging with her debut single 'Ocean Eyes' in 2016 at the incredibly young age of 14, everyone knew that there was something special about Billie Eilish. Her unconventional approach to pop music was unlike anything we had heard before and kicked a wave of hype that has continued all the way through to today. Now 17 years of age, the frontwoman has delivered her long-awaited debut album 'WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?', and unlike many other artists in her position, she has opted to release an entirely new collection of work rather than rely on the material found in her previous EPs.
While initial singles such as 'bury a friend' and 'wish you were gay' may have given an inkling as to where we expected this full-length to go, the overall result of this new release is something all-together more diverse and experimental than we thought, which at times is its own downfall. There is no denying that plenty of this record is some of the most groundbreaking and interesting new music we have heard in years, but with so much emphasis on standing out from the crowd, she occasionally loses sight of the big picture and takes us down a road that may not have been quite as captivating.
In all, 'WWAFAWDWG?' is a marvellously expansive record with plenty to show off the teenager's extraordinary eye for diverse songwriting. But with so much hype surrounding the young singer, it would only make sense that her long-awaited debut album falls just short of being pure genius.
16. Sampa The Great – ‘The Return’
What We Said…
There is obviously a large irony in Sampa The Great calling her debut album 'The Return'. Having been a major player in the international rap scene for years now, the frontwoman is no stranger to creating diverse and engaging hip-hop, albeit in smaller and more condensed forms until now. But while the name of her initial release may seem a little strange, this certainly does feel like a momentous return for the rapper, as she looks to channel the fresh and multicultural sound she has carved throughout her career and fold it all together into one expansive and adventurous debut effort.
Although now based in Australia, Sampa The Great stays very much in touch with her Zambian roots, regularly taking cues from her musically cultural background to create a record that is flooded with the sound of African but spliced with a Western aesthetic. Taking inspiration from Jay-Z and Kanye West productions of chopping up classic soul records to bring a familiar yet fresh angle to her sound, this new release sees her deliver a bold and exciting slice of exploration on every track. Mixing the softer and more humbled side of her personality with anthemic, big beat club smashers gives this album a vibe that is hard to compare in today's ever-evolving hip-hop scene.
This may have been a long time coming, but 'The Return' shows that taking your time is easily the most rewarding path to conceiving a enticing debut record. Sampa The Great has always enjoyed a cult following until now, but this new release will see her step firmly into the mainstream, establishing her as one of the true voices of modern rap.
15. Blanck Mass – ‘Animated Violence Mild’
What We Said…
Since breaking away from his formative outfit Fuck Buttons near the beginning of this decade, producer Benjamin John Power has seen his new persona Blanck Mass grow from a cult entity into one of the world's most endearing and captivating alt-electronic acts. With three warped and techno-ridden studio albums under his belt, as well as his recent remix work for Editors' 'Violence' LP earlier this year, he now returns to share one of his most thunderous and industrial releases to date in the form of 'Animated Violence Mild', a record that sees him step away from his modest approach and go hell-for-leather on the production.
While Blanck Mass has never been much of a sombre project, just switching on to 'Animated Violence Mild' for the first time makes it seem like everything he has worked on to date has been the producer holding back as this new collection brings a mixture of frenzy and tenacity to his style that sees him mirror the darker side of his troupes, similar to the output of Daughters or HEALTH. Inspired by the "post-industrial, post-enlightenment religion of ourselves", this new collection is all about moving beyond our own understanding of what Blanck Mass has been up until this point, embracing the unknown and taking giant leaps in order to create a bold and fascinating vision for his future self.
The result is beyond anything we were thinking in the build-up to this new release. 'Animated Violence Mild' not only shows off the diverse range of aesthetics he is able to summon, but also takes us on an irreverent journey through the darker side of his own preconceptions, delivering a powerful and original album that grows ever more impressive as it plays.
14. Lizzo – ‘Cuz I Love You’
What We Said…
Over the last few years, Lizzo has been one of the best hidden talents on the pop scene. Releasing a number of albums and EPs through independent and self-produced imprints, the frontwoman has now scored a major label deal through Nice Life/Atlantic Records, as she returns with her most high-profile full-length to date, 'Cuz I Love You', a record that brings her unique flair and swagger to the mainstream for the very first time.
She may have always had this flamboyant personality on older releases such as 'Lizzobangers' and 'Big GRRRL Small World', but this new return with a strong label backing has enabled her to bring her energy to some spotlessly produced new tunes and deliver one hell of a fun album in the process. Mixing up a direction that incorporates hip-hop, pop and disco, 'Cuz I Love You' takes all the micro elements that have filled Lizzo's back catalogue to date and merge them together into a wonderful melting pot of ferocious energy and proficient songwriting that makes this one of the most vibrant new releases of the year so far.
While bringing together so many contrasting genres may sound messy on paper, she has such an incredible presence on this release, it is almost impossible to find fault with the album's eclectic nature. Whether it is a soulful serenade or an all-out rap banger, she has the pipes to handle it and showcase her exceptional talents to the commercial world for the first time.
13. Foals – ‘Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 1’
What We Said…
It is fair to say that Foals have truly evolved as a group since the days of their debut album 'Antidote' back in 2008. Originally introduced as a twinkling math-rock-inspired group that brought a sense of pace and fun to the indie sound of the mid-noughties, the group quickly began to experiment with more grandeur and gravitas within their writing, moving them from another copycat outfit to something far bigger and more impressive. Now as they return to deliver their fifth full-length 'Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 1', the first of two new releases from them this year, it is clear that these two worlds of theirs are beginning to blur once again.
When we first heard the lead single 'Exits', it seemed that the band were beginning to reach back into their archive when it came to conjuring their next direction. With jangling guitars and progressive pace, many were quick to point out the similarities between that song and their early incarnations. With an almost Battles-esque approach to experimental rock, it was easy to see that this new record was going to be a more retrospective sound and that is exactly what we have now. Blending a mixture of bold and anthemic ideas with their trademark quirkiness, this new collection sees a more revived and vibrant group at the helm.
Although this is only supposed to be one half of a complete collection, 'Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 1' stands up as one of their most engaging and impassioned releases to date. With very little in the way of slow and meandering works, the album is a full throttle onslaught of high-energy and creativity that many will find hard to put down.
12. Vampire Weekend – ‘Father Of The Bride’
What We Said…
When the group's multi-instrumentalist and producer Rostam Batmanglij left the group in 2016 to pursue his own solo career, the future of Vampire Weekend seemed unsure and unpredictable. While the outfit certainly didn't live or die by his hand, his contributions over the years were an integral part of their sound and direction, and without him present, could lead to their overall demise. Yet while many would see his departure as a setback, the band have seen it as an opportunity to discover new avenues and open themselves up to new collaborations as 'Father Of The Bride' looks set to become their most expansive record to date.
With a whopping 18 tracks to its name, this double album sees them team up with a multitude of guests including The Internet's Steve Lacy, Haim's Danielle Haim, Dave 1 of Chromeo, Dirty Projectors's David Longstreth, Mark Ronson and surprisingly Rostam himself. Since their initial beginnings, Vampire Weekend has been largely a closed affair, with the group sticking firmly to themselves, but with so much talent joining them on this release, the band have been able to create a broad and joyous record that brings back the classic Vampire Weekend sound just as much as it experiments with the light and airy path they have always looked to adopt.
From the start, 'Father Of The Bride' is nothing more than the most uplifting and euphoric 58minutes you will hear all year. With suitably catchy additions such as 'This Life' and 'Harmony Hall' flying the flag for their traditional sound, while 'Sunflower' and 'Big Blue' take them down a more diverse intention, the band have managed to return with an exceptional new full-length, something we can all get behind.
11. Jordan Rakei – ‘Origin’
What We Said…
Despite this now becoming his third studio album, the name of Jordan Rakei has remained rather obscure up until this point. The New Zealand-born, Australia-raised and now Britain-based frontman has been a strong and progressive name in the world of neo-soul as far back as his debut EP 'Groove Curse' back in 2014, but thanks to a string of notable collaborations, including his work with Loyle Carner, the artist has seen his name explode in the last year or so, leading many to discover his older work for the first time and make this new record his most high-profile to date.
From the start, Rakei looks to make a grand impression with this new collection. As a master songwriter and meticulous producer, the sound of 'Origin' makes for an extremely bold and diverse listen. Keeping his mellow and tranquil voice very much a part of the musical instrumentation of this new release, he is able to construct a sweeping and sometimes ethereal tone throughout the album in order to bring a higher level of grandeur to his sound. Taking influence from the likes of Sampha and Kaytranada, the frontman looks to make this rather organic sounding release as futuristic as possible, adopting new technologies to compliment his incredibly down-to-earth demeanour.
While there are plenty of artists working in this evolving RnB-laden style, very few have managed to deliver something as competent as 'Origin'. Keeping the general aesthetic as playful as possible to prevent it slipping into more pretentious territory, this new full-length not only cements Jordan Rakei as the master composer he deserves to be, but also gives us one of the most uplifting albums of the year so far.