Boldy James, The Alchemist: The Price of Tea in China (2020) (Hip-hop)

Boldy's voice and style may not be especially distinct, and he may be too lax in his deliveries for my liking, but he has enough versatility and is a decent enough storyteller to make for a captivating listen for those looking for some hardcore hip-hop. The Alchemist, for the most part, kills it on the production, creating murky dark atmospheres with enough punch and variety. 

Best Tracks: Giant Slide, Surf & Turf, Scrape The Bowl, S.N.O.R.T




C+

Gangsta Rap/ Hardcore Hip-Hop

Yung Lean: Unknown Memory (2014) (Hip-hop,Trap)

Though it at times it can feel inconsequential and flippant, allowing yourself to be consumed by the misty Lean in it's gooey, druggy nature can amount to moments of bliss and intensity (Sunrise Angel, Yoshi City, Volt). Production is largely influenced by Clams Casino cloud rap aesthetics of the time but prepare for a subtle dose of 80s synth-wave and electro. Many songs have very fast tempos and are not just a cloud of intoxication. Don't expect much from the raps but Lean allows himself the freedom to experiment under the hazy veil of production showing that him and his Sadboys collective are worthwhile for the times they get it right.

Best Tracks: Sunrise Angel, Yoshi City, Ghosttown, Volt*

C+

Cloud Rap/Electronic/Trap

Bob Dylan: Nashville Skyline (1969) (Country, Folk)

Homely forrays into country music with poppy accessibility are successfully conjured in the brief and casual Nashville Skyline. Dylan's voice is much heartier than usual allowing for an effective transformation into "mature" "rustic" country music. Though not groundbreaking, Nashville Skyline features filling but simple country ballads, written with much of Dylan's efficacy of the 60s. 

Best Tracks: Girl from the North Country*, Nashville Skyline Rag, I Threw it All Away, Lay Lady Lay, One More Night*, Tell Me That It Isn't True*


B+

Morning Vibes/Country/Folk

Westside Gunn: Pray for Paris (2020) (Hip-hop)

Westside Gunn is a real mothafucka who like many rappers of his cloth, has tasked himself with the continuation of grimy hardcore hip-hop. His voice is distinct, nasally, what I would imagine a sneer or a grimace to be translated in sound. And you can never get away from his constant ad-libs (Ay yo, bo bo bo bo bo booom, rrrrr etc). This and his cold raw delivery on the "trap" have been cornerstones of Westside Gunn's music. This album is no different. The production is laid back, dark yet embellished, handled by producers like The Alchemist and DJ Premier, at times jazzy sometimes more boom-bap inspired, the beats, for the most part, are successful in inducing a twisted but luxurious aesthetic. Though Westside and the guest performances may be cold, there is only so far that his laidback delivery and subject matter can get him. With too many songs sounding similar, the potency of Westside's delivery gets washed out and often feels inconsequential. It is too bad that Westside Gunn does not manage to effectively progress his style past previous efforts and his deliveries seem like he is on auto-pilot. 

Best Tracks: George Bondo, 327, Eurostep, Allah Sent Me, 500$ Ounces

C-

Gangsta Rap/Hardcore Hip-hop/ Jazz Hip-hop

DaBaby: Blame It on Baby (2020) (Hip-hop, Trap)

Even though DaBaby has (or had) a somewhat refreshing style of deep-voiced, heavily accented, full-mouthed rapping over tacky trap instrumentals, his style has become even more formulaic and banal than ever before. I think DaBaby has become slightly aware of his monotony, leading him to change it up by singing "some sad shit for the real niggas" in what might be one of worst songs of the year (Sad Sh*t). Beats are minimal, cheap and very routine like his songwriting. Some features provide breaths of fresh air but ultimately a very poor project that stylistically regresses from his previous attempts.

Best Tracks: ROCKSTAR

E

Hip-hop/Pop Rap/Trap 

Thundercat: It Is What It Is (2020) (Jazz-Funk, Neo Soul)

He has some charm and heart in this project, and the features are a nice addition considering his surgery vocals can get tiresome. The instrumentation is interesting but is hindered by the washed-out mixes leading to an intoxicating but often indistinct listening experience. 

Best Tracks: I Love Louis Cole, Dragonball Durag*, Fair Chance

C-

Jazz-Funk/Neo-Soul/Psychadelic

Yves Tumor: Heaven to a Tortured Mind (2020) (Pop,Rock,Soul)

Much more concise, cleaned and less experimental than his previous release. Sean Bowie aka Yves Tumor's newest record is his own spin of glam rock and psychedelic soul merged together in an accessible pop format. The instrumentation draws from art-rock, funk and soul sounds of past years yet still feels fresh and modern. The bass and drums are punchy throughout the record and the instrumentation remains bright and well produced. A few of the forays into soul are not as eventful as others (A Greater Love) and certain songs can feel unfulfilling whether it be through lack of structure or development but this issue is mitigated by the much more direct poppy approach. 

Best Tracks: Gospel For A New Century, Kerosene!, Romanticist, Dream Palette*, Super Stars



B

Art Rock/ Glam Rock/Psychadelic Pop/ Psychadelic Soul

Yves Tumor: Safe in the Hands of Love (2018) (Electronic,Experimental,Pop)

Many beautiful, interesting textures are conjured on this album and the samples and production fit the apprehensive narrative quite well. The experimentation is often successful and fulfilling, with elements of industrial, glitch, psychedelic and electronic woven in a melancholic, occasionally frightening blend. But even with a largely interesting sound, the unorthodox structure can lead to songs that don't feel fully fleshed out and songs failing to reach their full potential as experimental pop tunes.



Best Tracks: Economy of Freedom, Noid*, Licking An Orchid, Lifetime 






B-

Art Pop/Electronic/Experimental/Industrial Pop

Ecco2k: E (2019) (Pop,R&B)

Unorthodox in style, Drain Gang member Ecco2k succeeds in challenging perceptions of cloud rap and ambient pop with vague yet personal songs. Plenty of interesting eclectic ideas and tricks litter the 30-minute project, expect ethereal production with splashes of glitch and trap with Ecco's heavily corrected boyish vocals. Though the ethos remains consistent on the album Ecco will change his style and angel enough to give well-ranged snippets of his inner spirit, ranging from coyish songs (Sugar and Diesel, Don't Ask) to more confrontational and angsty cloud rap tracks (Cc, Time). Typically songs rely heavily on hooks and refrains, which Ecco executes in an intense melodic fashion, however, this may lead to some songs feeling underbaked.

Best Tracks: AAA Powerline, Peroxide, Cc, Calcium*, Sugar and Diesel, Security!*, Time




B+

Alternative R&B/Ambient Pop/ Art-Pop/ Cloud Rap/ Electronic