40. Die Lit – Playboi Carti: I’m not the biggest Playboy Carti fan, and I had no intention listening to this project until I saw the album cover. It looks like a photo you would see in a mural on the backstage walls of a historic music venue that’s on the verge of being condemned by city health inspectors. Album cover praise aside, there are enough stand out moments for me to warrant including it on this year’s list. The real star of Die Lit is the production, while Playboi Carti does tie it all together with his vocals, the mood and the foundation of which the album relies on is due to the production. Frequent Playboi Carti producer Pi’erre Bourne has his fingerprints all over the production credits, and I think it’s a much stronger album thanks to those contributions. My favorite example is the ethereal, euphoric sounding “Foreign” it helps capture the unrealistic levels of wealth that Carti’s music career has brought it. While Die Lit does suffer a bit from album bloat, its high points are worth checking out.

Notable Tracks: R.I.P., Shoota, Poke It Out, Foreign

39. Chelsea Jade – Personal Best: I’m a sucker for dream pop. There’s something about the muted beats and the hazy vibe that cause songs from this genre to burrow through my ear canal into my mind where they will dominate my thoughts for the rest of the day. Chelsea Jade’s debut is no exception with her understanding of the genre on Personal Best. The title track “Personal Best” feels like a manifesto of Jade’s goals in artistry, suggesting that a personal best would put a limit on what she’s capable of, but rather “best is better,” all backed by this subtle, thumping base. Personal Best is at its best in the subtlety whether it be in Jade’s soft spoken, soothing voice, or in the light and dreamy production. Along this line, the climaxes here are better off for their lack of bombast unlike what you would expect on a similar project, rather Jade is content with either subverting the expectation (like on “Personal Best” at the track’s conclusion) or by easing you into a light high note (like on the conclusion of “Color Sum”). Chelsea Jade is a great new addition to the dream pop landscape, and I’d say her best has no borders.

Notable Tracks: Personal Best, Color Sum, Speed Boat

38. Rich Brian – Amen: For all his talent, I’ve worried that Rich Brian (formerly Rich Chigga of Dat $tick fame) would have a tough time breaking away from his gimmick status that brought him viral success in 2016. Amen at the very least shows that the Indonesian rapper has the potential to make a substantial career of hip hop without totally abandoning the humor that got him notoriety in the first place. While Brian does have plenty of moments where he fleshes out his typical style (specifically “Amen,” and “Kitty”), the real draw for me is where he ventures off the beaten path. I’d love to see Brian explore this dreamy, tropical sound more on future projects, songs like “Introverted,” “Glow Like Dat,” and “Little Prince” exhibit the tone I’m referencing. These tracks add a new texture to Brian’s style; if he could improve on his singing a little bit then I think it would make him a complete package as a performer.

Notable Tracks: Amen, Glow Like Dat, Kitty

37. iridesence – BROCKHAMPTON: In 2018, BROCKHAMPTON found themselves embroiled in controversy as one of the group’s most prominent members, Ameer Vann, faced sexual abuse accusations. It was a difficult but admirable decision by the group to kick Vann from the group, sticking by their values as one of the most progressive voices in hip hop, but it nevertheless put their future into question (I mean Ameer was the album artwork for all three entries into the Saturation trilogy). iridesence gives us a look at the massive hip hop collective that makes them sound more like a veteran group than the young visionaries they are. This album finds the group reflecting on their meteoric rise in the year before and how much of their life has changed as a result. The individual members of BROCKHAMPTON attempt to cope with the difficulty of the forced aging that comes with becoming successful and being put under the social media microscope, they talk about the hard decisions that come with the business side of art, the depression that they carry, and the longing for simpler times where none of this was as important (as highlighted on “TONYA”). Kevin Abstract once again proves that he’s one of the most interesting voices in hip hop and R&B today on tracks like “WEIGHT”. iridesence might not reach the same heights that the Saturation trilogy did, but it’s yet another solid entry in to an already impressive catalogue of music.

Notable Tracks: NEW ORLEANS, WEIGHT, TONYA

36. Leon Bridges – Good Thing: Good Thing has the benefit of immediately feeling familiar to the listener thanks to Bridges excellent grasp on classic genres like classic R&B, disco, and smooth jazz among others. While I worry that Leon Bridges is one day going to paint himself into a corner as “the throwback impersonator,” (see recent criticisms of Greta Van Fleet for what specifically I mean) but I don’t think that concern has been fully realized yet. There’s a track for just about every occasion on Good Thing making for a universally pleasing project without it becoming shallow. My personal favorites throughout this album is when Bridges cuts loose and lets his charming personality carry a track. “If It Feels Good (Then It Must Be)” is so much fun, the playful guitar plucking, Bridges’ ability to make it feel like he’s talking directly to you (I’m pretty sure I blushed at least one time when I heard this song since it made me feel this way), it makes for a fantastic dance song. “Georgia to Texas” is a song that I’d love to see Bridges flesh out into a full album. I love it when Bridges delves into family history (like on “Lisa Sawyer” from his 2015 album Coming Home), it makes for some of the best content he has to offer. While I was disappointed that “Georgia to Texas” was the only example of this on Good Thing, it was good enough to tie me over for the next time.

Notable Tracks: Bad Bad News, Shy, If It Feels Good (Then It Must Be), Georgia to Texas

35. Clean – Soccer Mommy: Famed woman in indie rock released her debut project Clean this year and caught a ton of buzz for it. It’s a spiteful, cynical, take on relationships, but wrapped in breezy, echoing guitar riffs and elongated bass tones. You’d never know Sophie Allison was singing about hating being an accessory in someone’s life (on “Your Dog”) or wanting to be her boyfriend’s ex because she appears to be better in every imaginable way (on “Last Girl”) thanks to the light tone of the instrumental on this track. Clean is a simple little project that concludes just after 30 minutes of run time, so I don’t have much to say on it other than I can’t wait for more from Allison’s music career!

Notable Tracks: Cool, Your Dog, Blossom (Wasting All My Time), Skin

34. Lush – Snail Mail: Lindsey Jordan’s debut project Lush under the name Snail Mail is a pensive reflection on an anonymous “you” and the complicated emotions that bubble up as a result. The project is an emotional roller coaster that ricochets from sullen and wounded on “Speaking Terms” to vengeful and righteous on the peppy “Heat Wave” as she hopes that “Green Eyes” finds love that consumes them, only to have it rejected. Lush is a spectacular debut from Jordan as she reflects on what I can only interpret to be fresh emotional wounds.

Notable tracks: Speaking Terms, Heat Wave, Full Control

33. What Happens When I Try To Relax – Open Mike Eagle: Open Mike Eagle is at his best on smaller, but more focused projects. I would regard the thought provoking and clever A Special Episode – EP as one of the best releases he’s ever put out, and I’d say we’re getting a similar output on What Happens When I Try To Relax. “Relatable (peak OME)” is classic Open Mike Eagle, you’re treated to a spacy, droning, synth beat as Mike stretches out the last syllable of every line and ponders the artificial “relatability” of being a creator in the digital era. This facade of relatability breaks down in the second verse, Mike releases his anxieties into the world and then ultimately concludes that “At the end of the day it was too irresponsible”. The relatability paradox is one that I often feel as I erase a caption for a dumb meme that I’m posting (or as I re-write these reviews for the fifth time to prove that I know what I’m talking about). “Southside Eagle” is another standout track to me as Mike explores his creative trajectory like his burgeoning podcast career (Adventure Time fans I recommend you check out his show Conversation Parade, it’s lovely), the struggles of being an independent artist, and the problem that Mike has identified as most crucial in his career “[How] to reach black kids in a room full of whites”. Mike presents himself as an imperfect, struggling, artist; through his clever observations and eclectic beat choices, this decision pays off.

Notable tracks: Relatable (peak OME), Single Ghost, Southside Eagle

32. Joey Purp – QUARTERTHING: As the city of Chicago continues to make its case as the best represented city in this generation of hip hop music, Joey Purp often appears to be the forgotten one. Not poetic enough to be Mick Jenkins or Saba, not poppy enough to be Chance the Rapper, I always find him just outside of the conversation. Enter QUARTERTHING, Joey Purp’s first official studio release. Where Joey’s previous efforts often sported production rich with traditional horn arrangements and boom bap percussion, QUARTERTHING is a departure in favor of an electronic vibe. The opening track helps bridge a gap from Joey’s previous project iiiDrops as he proclaims amazement at the progress and growth he’s seen to this point, yelling “I’m still alive!” is a heartfelt, positive start to a project that serves as a retrospective on the young rapper’s grind. I love the viewpoint that’s afforded to the listener between the two tracks “Look At My Wrist” and “2012”. It’s an interesting pairing of songs towards the end of the album that gives you an idea of how exactly Joey’s perspective on friendship, street life, and growing up has changed over the years. QUARTERTHING is excellent as an official debut for Joey Purp, and I love that he gets his moment to relish in the spotlight.

Notable Tracks: Godbody Pt.2, Elastic, 2012, Lebron James

31. Mitski – Be the Cowboy: Be the Cowboy brings to the fore a vulnerable, wounded, and confessional Mitski; a decision that makes for an engaging and relatable album. At times this album plays like slide reel of crimes one’s committed against their own heart in a desperate attempt at feeling whole. Most of the examples are these innocuous interactions that can be devastating by virtue of rejection from a former lover. Throughout the album Mitski depicts the effort she puts in to move on from a former lover, only to “lose” as soon as she sees them in person again (on “Lonesome Love”) or her willingness to be walked all over just for a kiss (on “Washing Machine Heart”). If you’re like me and have found yourself in a comparable situation, you’ll feel secondhand embarrassment or endear yourself to the feelings of longing (depending on the temporal distance of your own experience). The crushing inevitability on the album’s closing track “Two Slow Dancers” is a poignant closing note as Mitski’s voice is accompanied by a minimalist keyboard arrangement as she explores the fleeting nature of relationships and the painful drift that happens as the participants’ age. The final moments play out like the end of a sappy 80s movie as the romantic pairing are embraced and swaying to the song in a poorly lit gymnasium, they both are reluctant to part but know that it will one day happen.

Notable tracks: Geyser, Old Friend, Remember My Name, Two Slow Dancers