Song of the Day #6, July 3

Ecco2k: Calcium

It's so hard to find but so easy to find 

(Lost my shine, I star and cross my eyes)

And my heart is blind, I star and cross my eyes

(Lost my shine, I star and cross my eyes)

Art Pop/Cloud Rap/R&B

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfx106XZsN0&pp=ygUOY2FsY2l1bSBlY2NvMms%3D

Yung Lean: Stranger (2017) (Hip-hop/R&B)

In a cleaner more polished formula than usual, Lean crafts a cloud rap album filled with a mix of introspective ballads and catchy cuts. Lean's rapping and lyricism is occasionally captivating and in association with the crisp and clear production of Gud, Yung Sherman, and Whitearmor he does effectively write songs that embody a sentiment of melancholy and bliss. Like much of his work, there are moments with underwritten, unstructured songs, marinating in instrumental vapor, but that being said, Stranger may be his most accessible album and also one of his strongest.


Best Tracks: Muddy Sea*, Red Bottom Sky, Skimask, Hunting My Own Skin, Iceman, Agony*, Yellowman

B



Alternative R&B/Ambient Pop/Cloud Rap/Emo Rap

Yung Lean: Starz (2020) (Hip-hop/R&B)

A mixed bag of personal melancholic R&B and cloud rap, packaged in an aesthetic that is a bit rougher than Stranger but still more serious than most of his work. Performances are varied, and instrumentals are typical blissful cloud rap with occasional abrasive witch house. Some good songs but there are also barren songs with not enough focus or structure (Acid at 7/11, Butterfly Paralyzed), leading some songs to feel like filler. Still many blissful and interesting sounds are found like the lo-fi childlike Dogboy or witch house inspired downer banger Boylife in EU.

Best Tracks: Yayo, Boylife in EU*, Violence, Starz, Dogboy, Iceheart

C+

Alternative R&B/Ambient Pop/Cloud Rap/Emo Rap/Witch house

Nav: Good Intentions (2020) (Hip-hop,R&B,Trap)

Champion Brown Boy, Nav, returns with another album of mostly lifeless robotic raps and auto crooning with some decent feature performances (Future on My Business) and rare moments of animation even if he litters them with consistently corny raps and generic cliches (Brown Boy, Coast To Coast). The first half of the album is stronger than latter. If you like Nav you will likely enjoy this album but if you don't it's still mostly wallpaper in one of the blandest styles of hip-hop.


Best Tracks: My Business, Turks, Coast To Coast



D-




Alternative R&B/ Hip-hop/ Trap

Chris Brown & Young Thug: Slime & B (2020) (Hip-hop,Pop,R&B)

A Chris Brown mixtape with awkward appearances from Young Thug. I've gotten the sense that Young Thug wants to get into more mainstream circles but here he just feels secondary and his performances are too tame and uninspired for their worth. If you like Chris Brown you might enjoy some bits but an overall ineffective pairing with little artistic merit, that is very shameful and often insulting.

E

Contemporary R&B/Pop Rap/Trap

Drake: Dark Lane Demo Tapes (2020) (Hip-hop, R&B)

Just like More Life, commercial hip-hop titan, Drake musters up a collection of B side tracks allowing Drake to discredit his artistic responsibility by downplaying the seriousness of his music, referring to his newest project as "Demo Tapes".This would not be as tragic if the tapes were slightly innovative, enjoyable, or even novel to Drake's sound but for the most part, they're snoozers. This was to be expected because they are essentially the withering waste of his last two drab albums, Views and Scorpion. There are some decent parts to this album but it's mostly a consistent mediocre experience. Toosie Slide is a cringy attempt at creating a viral dance, Chicago Freestyle has one of Drakes better performances on the album but is hindered by the very offputting guest performance. Slow cuts (Not You Too, Desires) are just as average and lifeless as expected. The beat on Pain 1993 is pretty nice but the chemistry between Drake and Playboi Carti does not work out. The drill songs (Demons, War) are alright but still sound very inconsequential and demo-like. Drake takes a colder more reflective route on many of these songs and he still seems to define himself by his struggle as if he needs to prove something. Let's hope he has purged these past few album cycles and starts with more clarity and ambition on his next release. Also, Drake needs to stop saying "Broski" and "Tingz" if he wants to be taken seriously.

Best Tracks: D4L, War

D


Contemporary R&B/Drill/Hip-hop/Trap

Rina Sawayama: SAWAYAMA (2020) (Pop, Rock, R&B)

It's refreshing to see an artist so drastically redefine themself so early in their career. Though she previously released an EP (RINA), SAWAYAMA is her full-fledged introduction, touching on themes of family, friends, this album is a more effective portrait of the artist. The naive image of her last EP is gone, now she has an apparent swagger as shown explicitly in Comme des Garcons or in her more fiery confrontational heavy metal excursions (STFU!). This confidence translated largely into a more eclectic but scattered sound. The album is maximalist, in production which allows for a lot of refreshing sounds but can also drown out the punch of certain melodies. The compositions are for the most part simple but also diverse and captivating ranging from breezy pop (Comme des Garcons) to groove metal pop (STFU!). Though not especially innovative to the genres she borrows from, SAWAYAMA is still a project full of well-crafted pop songs expressed in a bold and enjoyable manner.

Best Tracks: Dynasty, STFU!*, Paradisin', Love Me 4 Me, Bad Friend, Who's Gonna Save U Now?, Chosen Family


B

Alternative Rock/ Contemporary R&B/ Dance-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 

James Blake: Assume Form (2019) (Pop,R&B,Soul)

James Blake maintains his moody detached introspection with a large dose of sentimental, spacey tracks. The production and album's aesthetic are largely nocturnal but very modern with nods to trap, ambient and art-pop and very ponderous songwriting. There are also poppier tunes but where James really shines is in his subtle but emotively powerful songwriting as shown in songs Into The Red, I'll Come Too, and Don't Miss It. 

Best Tracks: Into The Red*, Barefoot In The Park*, Where's The Catch?*, I'll Come Too, Don't Miss It*

B+

Nocturnal Vibes/Ambient Soul/Art-Pop/R&B/

Childish Gambino: 3.15.20 (2020) (Experimental,Hip-hop,Pop,R&B,Soul)

In attempting to create an experimental record, Gambino sadly loses himself in the rubble. A lot of promise is in this record and it starts off well (Algorhythm being a highlight), however, the production is not as consistent and cutting edge as it may believe itself to be, and the Motown inspired gimmicks can seem forced and stale. It seems much of this album is filled with attempts to merger a profound message with futuristic, experimental sounds, many of which are nabbed from Yeezus. Gambino still has mellower tracks but these often feel breezy and inconsequential. Though you might find good moments, most of 3.15.20 is as bland as the cover art. 

Best Tracks: Algorhythm, 53.49

D-

Contemporary R&B/Experimental/ Hip-hop/ Neo-Soul/Pop

The Weeknd: After Hours (2020) (Pop,R&B)

With a heavy drench of 80s new wave and synthpop sheen. The Weeknd rellies heavily on the merger of retro sounds and contemporary R&B, Trap. However, this focus on production does not impede the quality of the songs but rather makes them, for the most part, simpler and more digestible (not that the Weeknd ever was that Avantgarde in his song compositions). The songs are for the most part could be described as nocturnal synthpop, though The Weeknd still makes sure to include slower more airy R&B tracks that sometimes fall flat with the occasional, wispy, hushed vocals. I never found The Weeknd's voice to be the most compelling thing about him but with the support of the instrumentals and the simple, catchy song structures, After Hours succeeds the botched synth-pop attempt that was his previous album Starboy. A lot of worthwhile tracks.

Best Tracks: Too Late, Hardest To Love*, Scared To Live, Heartless*, Faith*, Blinding Lights*, In Your Eyes*, Save Your Tears, After Hours 





B+

Night Vibes/Alternative R&B/Synth-pop

Don Toliver: Heaven Or Hell (2020) (Hip-hop,R&B,Trap)

Spacey and dreamy half and half doses of Trap and contemporary R&B. Though not groundbreaking, Mr.Tolliver is enough of an artist that has crafted style that blends both genres. The usual trap cliches remain but at this point, it's just a vibe. 






Best Tracks: After Party, Had Enough, No Idea

C-

Hip-hop/R&B/Trap

FKA twigs: Magdalene (2019) (Electronic,Pop,R&B)

Like much of Twig's usual work expect her wispy singing on top of airy instrumentals. Sometimes her songwriting is a hit (mirrored heart, home with you, mary magdalene) and Twig's manages to sing emotively to themes that I find pertinent and relatable, sometimes not to the best effect(daybed). The poppier tunes are a good mix, songs like sad day and fallen alien are some of the best pop songs of the year. The choruses of these songs get bigger and bigger, buffered by excellent industrial instrumentals from producers Nicolas Jaar, Benny Blanco, Skrillex among others. Many good songs, some sleepers, but overall decent listen. 

Best Tracks: home with you, sad day*, mary magdalene, fallen alien*

B-


Art Pop/Electronic/Industrial Pop/R&B