Albums:

“Take Me Apart” – Kelela:

The sultry vocalist released this LP two months after the release her 90s reminiscent dance hit, “LMK”, setting the tone for the other 13 tracks included. While some songs include the bass heavy synths, perfect for her alternative R&B sound, some also have an eerie, minimalistic sound to it that focuses solely on her vocals. The slower songs are often paired with a fantasy-feeling falsetto that has tingles going down your back, displaying her musicality in more ways than one. Either way, “Take Me Apart” is one of my favorite releases of the year so far.

“About Time” – Sabrina Claudio:

Sabrina Claudio isn’t new to the music scene just underrated. Her pieces are more vocal focused, capturing the sweetness in her vocal range. 90 percent of the album functions more as a slow jam album, minus “Wait” and possibly “We Have Time”. Her vocals are impeccable throughout, giving feeling to songs that would be bland with her enchanting skills.

“Morning After” – dvsn:

His soulful voice is what grasps the listener. It’s something that we often don’t get the opportunity to hear in music these days due to the fact that singing like you’re talking or rapping is deemed the trend nowadays. However, dvsn remains on the radar by having the beats that are what everyone seems to want to hear these days – heavy bass, synths and something akin to the genre of trap. Songs like “Mood” or “Can’t Wait” break that stereotype, sounding more like R&B produced by legends like Teddy Pendergrass or Marvin Gaye. The songs are all romantic, sharing the theme about wanting to be with your significant other. This album is perfect for the colder weather, and it displays his musicality.

“The Thrill of It All” – Sam Smith:

The ballad artist is back after a hiatus of three years. Personally speaking, I’m not exactly a fan due to the fact that there’s a lot of repetition and no differentiation with the sound of many of his songs. Because of that, it feels like the songs are dragging you down to rock bottom. Sam Smith is a phenomenal artist, and it’s understood that this is the music that he likes to write and produce, yet it remains feeling no different from his discography.

“In Tongues” – Joji:

This was unexpected. For those wondering who this artist is, Joji is better known amongst the masses as his YouTube alias, FilthyFrank. He has matured as a person, deciding to follow his passion of music. Contrasting his videos, this EP has a dreary, alternative sound.  This a solid start to the beginning of his music career as it visibly contrasts his comedic side in exchange for a hypnotizing, relaxed vibe that many of his followers have rarely seen.

Songs:

“Lemon” – N.E.R.D. & Rihanna:

Garnering the same sound of New Orleans bounce, the beat is eccentric with monotone, supposedly rap, sounds. Rihanna has only one part in the entire song, and, if you’re anything like me, you’ll miss it because it doesn’t sound like her. Her voice is much deeper than what it originally is, but, nevertheless, the song is a party anthem of the year.

“MotorSport” – Migos, Nicki Minaj & Cardi B:

Following the tone of party anthems, “MotorSport” is perfect for those. While it’s the same trap sound that you can expect from these artists, the beat with the ringing bell as an unique factor in the sound. This song is about as superficial as it could possibly get in terms of lyrics, and this song wouldn’t have been as iconic as it is with Nicki Minaj’s verse. This serves as a redemption for the mediocre releases from Nicki Minaj following the battle between her and Remy Ma earlier this year. These artists have had a great year – Cardi B’s record breaking success, Migos and their hits and Nicki Minaj with her press coverage.

“I Miss You” – Clean Bandit ft. Julia Michaels:

Many of Clean Bandit’s songs are instrumentally driven. They have a consistent snare, cello, violin and electronic piano that created a new sound to the genre of pop. They’ve pioneered something close to a new genre, and “I Miss You” is a track that meets their standards. The vocals are unique and coming from someone that isn’t an icon quite, something that Clean Bandit strives for.

“Garage Palace” – Gorillaz ft. Little Simz:

Many fans of the Gorillaz believe that their music lost the same quality that they had with their recent releases. It’s clear that this is still a track produced by them with the eccentric, unexpected beat of it that sounds more like something from a video game. However, it’s also something that keeps you listening because you’re not sure what twist or turn the song will take. It’s just not produced with the same tone fans grew to know and love, but change like this is inevitable.