Faves in bold. This is a particularly good batch.
Bree Runway - HOT HOT: Pop dancehall that leans harder toward the former than the latter in a way that smacks of Rihanna’s early day, though “ride a boy’s face like a Yamaha” is more later era Ri-Ri i suppose. Didn’t care for this at first, then the cadence earwormed me.
Breeze Brewin - King Oxymoron: Killer New York 90’s-style indie hip hop with (jugga)knotty flow, bars for days with clever emphasis (“if you declare me moron/better be there with sword drawn”) and similarly vintage Marco Polo production. This is entirely in my lane and I will for sure be listening to the whole album.
Brent Faiyaz - MERCEDES, Show U Off, Wasting Time (with Drake): I like Faiyaz’ voice a lot; there’s some Maxwell there, filtered through a loose-throated Baltimore (?!) accent. Both Mercedes and Show U off are honeyed treats that give him center stage, though Wasting Time treats him as a feature and Drake sucks, so…
BRÍDÍN - Floating: Another “only on ILX” find from an Irish artist who I’ve never heard of. This is a lovely ballad of looped and altered vocals, percussion, electronics and harp, floating and swooping like a bird in a parlor searching for a window, all feathery ballet and sweet sound with no aim other than to please itself. Kudos for the recommendation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HRH_qVODSg
Brijean - Hey Boy: An exceptional chill-out mix of samba and blunted seventies funk disco sensibility that would make for manna from heaven at that transitional moment when people are filtering back onto or off the floor for or from the next drink. Is it a vibe? I think it’s a vibe.
Brothertiger - Heaven: My first comparison was Mike and The Mechanics but my partner said Mister Mister and I think that Soul Sister is onto something. Even without the patina of lived or false nostalgia, this is talented enough stuff that it’s still quite enjoyable. I might like it better if it had a bit less fidelity to its 80’s source material so maybe I should try something else by the same artist?
Bruise - Joy: Ecstatically thudding house gospel that’s happy to lather on dancefloor schmaltz until it fairly bubbles. Joy indeed!
Bruno Mars and Anderson.Paak are Silk Sonic - Leave the Door Open, Skate: I would go so far as to call myself a fan of A.Paak but would also go so far as to say I frankly loathe the music of Bruno Mars. Everything I’ve heard from the Silk Sonic project reminds me of the old adage that an ounce of horseshit mixed with two gallons of ice cream results in two gallons and an ounce of horseshit. These tracks are immeasurably corny and funk-faking to me, pastiche of the worst variety.
The Bug with Flowdan - Pressure: Predictably dark, filthy nightmare dub from the guy who does it as well as anyone. I don’t think I’ve heard Flowdan anywhere except with The Bug but together they’ve been consistently grinding out obsidian scaffolding with deft footwork and wordplay for like 15 years or so. I’ve been sold.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN9k6Dz1SX0
Burial - Dark Gethsemane: Overpacked cinematic trip that shifts gears more than once on the way to a sudden but not unpleasant dead end. The journey is the goal here I suppose and, cliche or not, there’s enough thought and care that goes into this lengthy series of ideas that the pieces are fully enjoyable even embedded in this very mannered presentation. I didn’t try the EP when it came out and I’m curious enough to hear what this sounds like in situ that I’m dog-earing the cover for future exploration.
Burna Boy - Kilometre, Question: Each a big chune in its own way. Kilometre is a stuttering, gyrating party starter; Question is a soft exhale of smoke and echoing bass at the park barbecue. If you can only listen to one, I suppose I’d pick the last on the strength of its exceptionally charming video. I cherished both dearly this year and either would fit perfectly on any best of the year ballot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rOer3k2DWg
Busta 929 - Ngixolele, Mmapula: A New Amapiano Challenger Appears! I was mostly AWOL on the always-worthwhile amapiano thread this year with other distractions and just look at what I missed. Both tracks are A+ material from a producer who finds new and original means of expression while coloring within the lines. I clearly need to put Busta 929 permanently on my radar. Did you know about him? You should know about him! I should probably also get up to speed with the vocalist Boohle; she sounds amazing on Ngixolele.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_xsdC6iYgM
Busy Signal - Bring Rum: ILM's favorite balloon artist has been grinding out good music all year but Rum all by itself is one of the five best pop songs I heard this year. I listen to it at least once a week. It’s still fucking amazing in that way that Busy’s best work is, infinitely replayable. I hold out some hope maybe this will place in the 77. Grab a woman every man every woman grab a man and just
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ll5aPrf2zE0
Cabiria - DISCO-CAFÉ: Indie-psych-dance with a distinct Broadway streak and Spanish weirdo flair. By the time the sax comes in, I bet you’ll probably be in too deep to only like it ironically.
Cake Pop - Black Rum: This was my nomination, this year’s Gecs that I will ride or die for. Sped-up absurdist nihilism that slaps is most of what I’m looking for out of hyperpop and this morsel of adult swim feels like a signpost demanding better from music, from life, from our diversions and our dreams. It’s also a track that I genuinely enjoy listening to but that I could simultaneously see alienating any gen x parent that doesn’t understand why junior thinks playing Ride the Lightning in the F150 is hella lame. Keep pushing those little daisies, kiddos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edp0LIUcq28
Camp Cope - Blue: Lo-fi Aussie indie with a country twang and emopunk backbone, surprisingly good.
Cardi B - Up: My nomination and another one I’d argue as a top ten pick. Cardi is probably the biggest name in hip hop, even in a year when she only released one solo track, way back in February. Fuck though, what a great song: minimal and perfect production that puts Cardi at the center so she can absolutely rap her ass off. Somehow I don’t think I ever saw the video! Let’s watch it together?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCiBgLOcuKU
Carly Pearce - Next Girl: I fell hard for Pearce’s debut album and, even though I haven’t given enough time to her 2021 LP, I expect nothing but high quality pop country anytime her name is on the product. Next Girl fits the bill, well constructed both lyrically and musically. If you’d like to hear what radio country sounds like when it’s good, you could do worse than starting here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5KKh5gFock
Caroline Loveglow - Patience Etc…: Bedroom pop via The Cure, lots of glam and languor and velour. Holds up pretty well to the fifth play.
Caroline Polachek - Bunny Is a Rider: The hype on this track was so inflated that I gave it a quick spin, rated it mediocre then forgot about it. But what do you know, on repeat it really proves quite good. Yeah, the lyrics are nonsense (“dirty like its earth day”?), but who cares? A deft synthesis of a lot of gimmicks (the whistle, the marimba, the chimes, the autotune, the baby chirrups, the scratching) held together with a solid bass line and entirely effective vocals.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_V2ccs_Urk
three weeks pass...