This year has been another great one for music discovery, and I wanted to share with y’all some bands & artists currently on my Spotify albums rotation. These recs span genres from post-black metal to neo-soul/R&B to hip hop-y jazz to slacker rock. Enjoy!
Ordinary Corrupt Human Love, Deafheaven
Deafheaven is one of my favorite bands out there. Effortlessly combining the sounds of black metal, post-rock, and shoegaze, they’re a generational talent, with an ability to constantly evolve their sound and push their artistry to new heights.
The band returns with their newest album this week, which I’ve had the pleasure of listening to via NPR’s First Listen. It’s a masterpiece, and even though the screamed vocals take some getting used to, the music as a whole evokes so many emotions while taking you through a complete sonic journey.
Check out their newest single “Canary Yellow” below. With dreamy slide guitar work, high-low dynamics, and an uplifting group chorus near the end of the song, it’s the perfect example of their current sound and one of my favorite tracks.
Isolation, Kali Uchis
Kali Uchis had a breakout year in 2017, with some high profile collaborations (Gorillaz, Juanes, Daniel Caesar) and a couple of Grammy nominations. With the release of her debut album Isolation this past April, her future is looking even more bright.
The LA-based singer with roots in Colombia offers a fresh take on retro R&B, with a variety of neo-soul, doo-wop, and Latin-inspired sounds. For a debut album, Isolation displays some impressive maturity, confidence, and range. It took me a bit of time to really get into all the styles and sounds, but once everything clicked, I was playing this album on repeat.
I really liked the soul-influenced, positive message of “After the Storm” – featuring one of her good friends and longtime collaborators, Tyler the Creater.
Cannonball!, Sen Morimoto
I have to say, the media/label company 88rising has had an amazing track record of introducing fresh artists that I end up really enjoying. Sen Morimoto is no exception. The Kyoto-born, Chicago-based artist offers a bright-eyed look into jazzy hip hop.
Cannonball! is another striking debut album that showcases Sen’s chilled out rap flow, clever lyrical observations, and saxophone playing. I especially enjoyed the instrumentation – oftentimes it’s a full-on jazz setup with fun drumbeats and locked-in performances. I was getting some Thundercat and BADBADNOTGOOD vibes.
My favorite track is the closer, “People Watching.” It has hints of nostalgia wrapped in a laidback presentation. The jazzy hip hop just feels and sounds so good!
Tell Me How You Really Feel, Courtney Barnett
When slacker rock (aka stoner rock) is mentioned, people might picture a dude from North America, à la Kurt Vile or Mac DeMarco. What if I told you that one of the best is a dudette from Australia who goes by Courtney Barnett?
I missed out on her first couple albums (including a collaboration with Kurt Vile), but when I heard her latest album Tell Me How You Really Feel, I was immediately hooked by her vocal delivery and some of the best lyrics I’ve encountered in some time. Seriously, the album flows so well you won’t even notice it’s over until it’s too late.
In “Nameless, Faceless,” Courtney takes a Margaret Atwood quote, spins a commentary, and jumps to a visual scene, all while playing and singing in her easy-going style. It’s incredibly impressive.
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