AVSJ
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Top 5 projects of the summer (AvsJ)
It was a huge summer for music as the biggest artists around dropped album after album. We have both compiled a list of our five favourite albums, starting from May 25th to August 31st. This list was so difficult to cut down to just five each but we hope you enjoy. Who's list do you prefer and who did we miss out?
Aaron
‘ye’ – Kanye West
First off, for my five favourite projects of the summer goes to ‘ye’ by Kanye West (I know Jules will be mad at this). Kanye had a big and controversial year. His triumphant return to production came with the five albums labelled the ‘G.O.O.D. Summer’ series made up of Pusha T, Teyana Taylor (underrated), Nas, the Kids See Ghosts project and ‘Ye’. I’m a big Kanye fan, but after his wild ‘That sounds like a choice’ and ‘I just love Trump, that’s my boy’ statements, as well as the release of Lift Yourself, I was really unsure about even giving this album a chance. A week went by and I hadn’t listened to any songs and I hadn’t heard any raving reviews so I thought it was time. Track 1 ‘I thought about Killing You’. In his own words ‘everybody knows [he’s] mother fucking monster’ but, for the first time really since his ‘Graduation’ he presents himself here as just a human, going through his own problems and this track reflects that and sets the tone for the album really well. He’s not trying to relate to people, he’s just being himself and he feels vulnerable. He’s shouting more to himself than to a crowd…
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‘See, if I was tryin' to relate it to more people
I'd probably say I'm struggling with loving myself
Because that seems like a common theme
But that's not the case here’
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The song confronts directly his suicidal thoughts and the different pitches on his voice show the darkness of Kanye’s mind. Initially, the beat is extremely sparse so we can clearly hear Kanye and his pain. He switches to a more energetic flow and aggressive beat displaying the constant struggle for Kanye to control himself when battling against his darkest thoughts. This a difficult time in his life with extreme highs and lows which, he tries to display through this opening track.
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One of the central themes on the album is his struggle with being himself, especially through accepting his mental condition and a sense of freedom in society. Kanye fears the impact of this freedom, saying ‘sometimes I scare myself’ and he discusses the strains it can have on his relationships. He contrasts this feeling of freedom with the spotlight and censorship of life as a celebrity. At the end of ‘Yikes’ Kanye says ‘That’s my bipolar shit, that’s my superpower’ showing him trying to come to terms with this condition and make it his own. He’s not calling himself a god anymore; he has a condition, but he's embracing it to better himself. I know this isn’t Kanye’s best lyrical performance, particularly on ‘All Mine’ which is a little cringey at times, but that is immediately followed by ‘Wouldn’t Leave’. I would never have considered Kim and Kanye’s relationship as normal prior to this song. It seems so bizarre and alien, but this depiction of a loving wife, refusing to leave a husband who is struggling with a mental condition really makes you sympathise with Kim and shows Kanye apologising for all wrong doing and trying to be a better husband.
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The album from this point takes a slightly more celebratory feel as Kanye accepts some of his faults. It offers an insight into his life, especially on ‘Violent Crimes’ showing his struggles with fatherhood and his concerns for his daughter. Kanye comes through with some really funny and relatable bars, like the yoga karate line and this humour and fear makes Kanye appear more down to earth. The song and album closes with a phone call from Nicki Minaj. She sounds tired and confused. She's not really rapping and she too sounds normal, rather than the cartoonish version of a human that she often represents and she finishes by reinforcing one of Kanye’s earlier bars just wanting the best for his daughter.
‘I'm saying it like…
I want a daughter like Nicki, aw, man, I promise
I'm a turn her to a monster, but no ménages
I don't know how you saying it but, let 'em hear this’
Jules
'ONEPOINTFIVE' - Amine:
Aminé’s follow up to his critically acclaimed debut Good For You may have undergone a stylistic change from the rapper, but once again exhibited his ability to have a distinctive sound whilst still competing with the rest of the rap game. Whilst his debut ventured closer to pop-rap with perhaps more radio-friendly beats, the new ‘EP/LP/MIXTAPE/ALBUM’ ONEPOINTFIVE arrives with a blend of hard-hitting 808s, witty punchlines and anecdotes of past relationships. The contrast of Good For You’s humorous self-portrait upon a toilet filled with bright colours compared ONEPOINTFIVE’s cover of Aminé’s dead-eyed stare into the listener’s soul depict the change in tone for the follow up album.
The production on the project has maintained a relatively mainstream sound as to retain and draw in listeners, although simultaneously allowing for Aminé to experiment sonically to ensure his sound is unique. The decision to give one days’ notice and refrain from titling the project as an album allows for a wider expression of themes throughout, resulting in the topics of songs varying throughout. Album opener ‘DR. WHOEVER’ and ‘WHY?’ showcase the anxieties and depression that Aminé has openly spoke about experiencing, with the former coming in the shape of a therapy session in which the listener is transformed into the therapist. The introductory track sets the tone for the rest of the project; a combination of heavy trap-like beats combined with heartfelt admissions of overwhelming emotions.
Contrary to the down to earth reality checks of the aforementioned pieces, the stretch of songs from ‘CHINGY’ to ‘SUGARPARENTS’ as well as ‘REEL IT IN’ and ‘BLACKJACK’ showcase less emotional substance and replace it with boasts of fortune and fame alongside funny skits and pop-culture references. Aminé’s individuality is exemplified in how he shows off compared to other rappers. He claims to be ‘the best in the group chat’ or the ‘new CNN’ and this demonstrates what sets the Portland rapper apart from his competitors; he doesn’t take himself too seriously. Aminé’s boasts and topics are so left-field you don’t feel this overwhelming sense of ego that demands everyone pay attention to him, rather an eccentric flow ranging from the under-appreciation of Jack Black to an entire song dedicated to people trying to touch his hair; his wit is the overriding catalyst for his swank. His humour is demonstrated in his self-directed videos and this is what makes Aminé and his sound unique; no other rappers are funny enough do what he is has with this album.
‘Swimming’ - Mac Miller
Where do even start on this. I’d like to say that there is no doubt in my mind that this album would be on my list regardless of Mac’s tragic death. It’s hard to write this about how beautiful this album is knowing that it’s the last piece of work we will ever receive from him. Me and Jules were both huge Mac fans and still are and I also have to give credit to Jules for actually introducing to Mac in the first place. Of course, the situation is going to make people rethink this albums quality but I think the depth of it was always there to be seen. He comes through with pretty much no leading vocal guests which some may dislike and I have seen some reviews calling it boring because its ‘just Mac’ for an hour, but I would argue that the range he displays through his vocals, flows and emotions more than makes up for his lack of features as he competently tackles every beat thrown at him especially the outrageously funky ‘What’s the use?’.
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Mac deals with a few major themes on the album substance abuse, loneliness and riches, self-acceptance and death. He uses the motif of a plane referencing it on nearly every song, which is significant in its symbolism of getting high in literally flying but also what it represents as an escapist object. This is most overtly referenced in the atmospheric and catchy ‘Self-care’ with its enticing beat and the vocal swells from Devonté Hynes before a switch that you can’t help but nod your head. The chorus…
‘I switched the time zone, but what do I know?
Spending nights hitchhikin', where will I go?
I could fly home with my eyes closed
But it be kinda hard to see, that's no surprise though’
Makes it seem like there is no escape for Mac he can be on the other side of the world and get back with ease. He’s recognised almost everywhere he goes and can never truly be alone. So that fact that people thought he had gone missing for parts of this year when in fact he was just at home relates to this idea that being high is one of the only escape for him. As he can't go outside and so must find otherwise run away. This along with songs like ‘Jet fuel’ slightly suggest a duplicity in the idea of flying. Although Mac is talking about planes he often makes reference to him flying or his wings, when accompanying this with the idea of drugs as his ‘Jet fuel’ that he’ll never run out of due to his money, it would not be a huge stretch to say that as Mac is getting higher and higher through his use of drugs he’s getting closer to becoming an angel. A quite tragic and dark reflection on the album but not one that can’t be supported in listening even in the cover it looks like a coffin or a plane and behind him is a black rectangle hiding his wings floating in the white space of heaven.
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Alternatively, the album can be read in a completely different way. By focusing on the other recurring idea of swimming Mac paints the idea that worst is behind him. He has jumped into the deep end and learned how to adapt to life clean. This could even be paired with the wing imagery to suggest he’s resurrected into a new life and new man drug-free. This can be seen possibly my favourite song on the album ‘2009’. The song is sad and haunting and beautiful, becoming so much more difficult to listen now. The string intro sets the tone perfectly and the chorus is emotional and captivating followed by the lines…
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‘Yeah, okay you gotta jump in to swim
Well, the light was dim in this life of sin
Now every day I wake up and breathe’
suggesting that he’s gone beyond his life of sin and now is just grateful for life itself reinforced by the chorus
‘I don't need to lie no more
Nowadays all I do is shine, take a breath and ease my mind
And she don't cry no more
She tell me that I get her high 'cause an angel's s'posed to fly, and...
I ain't askin' "Why?" no more
Oh, no, I take it if it's mine, I don't stay inside the lines
It ain't 2009 no more
Yeah, I know what's behind that door’
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He claims he can get her high no drugs needed and he’s grown up now he knows the dangers of drugs. The chorus rings round for days after listening and works perfectly in an album that I really enjoyed and these two contrasting readings only made it more compelling for me.
'Swimming'- Mac Miller
It is almost impossible to write about how much I love this album without Mac Miller’s death affecting my thoughts about it. It is possibly the only album Aaron and I could comfortably put into our top five and, whilst his untimely passing affects how I now view the album, there is no doubt in my mind it would have been in my list regardless. This album was love at first hearing for me; the singles ‘Self Care’ and ‘What’s the Use’ prior to the album’s release had got me more excited than any other album this year and on its release it was unjustly overshadowed by Travis Scott’s Astroworld as Mac showcases his incredible journey as an artist.
Deemed a ‘frat-boy’ rapper by critics after his debut release Blue Slide Park, Mac has tweaked his style and sound as he has grown, from the dark lyricism and production of Watching Movies With The Sound Off and Faces, to more modern rap beats and upbeat flows in GOOD A:M, to the silky smooth The Divine Feminine where Mac dedicates the album to his love for the opposite sex. Whilst sonically leaning closer to that of his previous album, Swimming remains distinctive in its production, lyricism and message and truly feels like a coming of age album; a revelatory experience of his journey to self-acceptance. The instrumentals manage to vary and remain fresh throughout the album but keep to Mac and his collaborating producer’s ultimate expression of emotion. The influence of other musicians is clearly heard on the album and Mac has spoken openly about its creative process, with artists such as J. Cole, Pomo and Thundercat all having writing credits on the project. Whilst there are no features, it’s clear that the Mac Miller who would lock himself away from his own birthday party that was described on Faces is a shadow of the seemingly happy and outgoing mind of Swimming as he incorporates the ideas of others into his own whilst telling his own story, acknowledged on the opener of the album.
It would be easy for me to say that Mac’s impending overdose was an inevitability. It would be easy to say his public breakup with Ariana Grande and following DUI that are harrowingly expressed on tracks such as ‘Self-Care’ and ‘Hurt Feelings’ led to a pain too great to numb. But this is not how I saw this version of Mac. He seemed happier than he had ever been before. The album’s title and opening track are a description of how he has changed as a person to become content with life; in the depth of his substance abuse he was drowning, but through his own hard work he is swimming to become better. Tracks such as ‘What’s The Use’ and ‘Ladders’ are infectious in their mood and it is near impossible to listen to them without a smile, whilst the heavenly strings and seamless plucks on the sombre beats of ‘2009’ and ‘Small Worlds’ coincide with Mac’s smooth vocals to discuss his mental state in such a transparent manner it really seems that he has gotten to grips with life. His inner joy reaches new levels most had not seen on ‘Conversation Pt. 1’ as he raps on an oxymoronic beat alluding to how others try to keep him down whilst he rises above, continuing with the ongoing theme of drowning in and swimming through pain. The song ‘Jet Fuel’ notably expresses his pain and struggle with drugs, but it seems a necessary inclusion as a marker of where he has come from; to understand the buoyancy and self-acceptance from the album, you must understand where he started.
It really hurts me to know that Mac Miller will never know how much he meant to me. He helped both myself and so many others through difficult times in our lives, but also brought so much joy through his music that I find difficult to reconnect with in virtually any other musician. I was lucky enough to see him perform live during his GOOD A:M tour and will be forever grateful that he could leave us with such a brilliant album to cherish before his passing.
‘Everything is Love’ - The Carters
Now I’m fully aware that this might look a little biased and I accept that. Jules and I both went to the OTR II tour and so naturally we were a lot more excited when the next day we saw that this album had dropped out of nowhere. Although people may say that this album is far from perfect Jay-Z at times comes through with some lazy writing and it did not have the impact expected from a Jay-Z and Beyoncé collaboration album, as it was her first studio album not to debut at number at 1 on the Billboard 200 (not that 2 is a flop). I do think, however, the criticism of Beyoncé’s attempts to delve into rap are completely unfair. I, like many others, naturally expected the album to see the two stick to their trademark sounds and fields. Beyoncé, however, comes through with some of the best flows on the album, arguably outclassing Jay on pretty much every song other than maybe ‘Nice’ and ‘Boss’. She shows a range that as a casual listener I was completely unaware of and the chemistry between the couple is smooth and compelling, with them naturally bouncing off each other and transitioning seamlessly. Even in ‘Apeshit’ a trap anthem, with writing credits from Quavo and Offset, which makes sense because its exactly the kind of song they would write, and I’d normally hate, for some reason in the context of the album and the pair’s complementing styles and performances got me appropriately hyped and made it a lot more enjoyable.
The album is a little weak on messaging, beyond “We’re great, we’re in love and you’re not us,” but there are moments when they do go a little deeper into the complexities of their relationship. Jay explores his nerves and embarrassment in their first few interactions on ‘713’ and ‘Black Effect’ does work to highlight a theme throughout the album of black excellence and black and wealth. The two take their race as a display of wealth as though society doesn’t want them to succeed and they have defied it. They’re proud to be black and rich, making you think back to Jay’s line on ‘Nice’,
‘Time to remind me I’m black again huh?’ They talk about again on Boss, where Beyoncé drops possibly my favourite line … which speaks for itself.
‘My great-great-grandchildren already rich
That's a lot of brown chil'ren on your Forbes list’
'Everything Is Love' - The Carters:
The surprise collaborative album dropped by music super-couple The Carters provoked a question that separated them from the majority of mainstream chart rappers: do Jay-Z and Beyonce have to be woke?
The response of this album made it seem like two of the biggest artists in the world had sold their souls to the devil for an album that would appease a younger generation of rap fans by having Beyoncé rap over trap beats designed for and written by Migos, whilst the pair flaunted their wealth and reminded everyone of their success. This is a stark contrast from both of their previous albums; Beyoncé’s Lemonade exposing her husband’s adultery in a fierce focus on the thin line between love and hate, whilst Jay’s 4:44 portrayed his guilt and remorse for his actions, tied in with feelings towards racial prejudice to the black community typified by the powerful music video for ‘The Story of O.J’. The success of these two albums set a precedent that the third combined project of the ‘trilogy’ did not follow: The Carters must be woke. They can’t rap about fame and fortune, they have to write about the struggle of their race. They can’t boast about the legacy of their success and its result on their children, they have to express how their decades of grit and determination has gotten them out of Brooklyn projects or the pain of losing a child. Yet people forget that Jay-Z was ‘spending cheese’ way back on ‘Big Pimpin’’ and Beyoncé was rapping on trap beats as recently as ‘Formation’ and ‘7/11’. Albums such as Lemonade and 4:44 could define a musician’s career but not these two; they have had so much success for so long that they cannot be subjected to the themes of two albums.
Focusing on the music, there are hits on this record that would easily make it into any competing rapper’s discography. The big question before this album was on the strength of the marriage after their very public scandal, but the duo handle it very well as they open and close the project clearing the air in a classy manner instead of constantly pining over each other for an entire album of cringe. For a supposed ‘rookie’ who shouldn’t rap, Beyoncé’s verse and flow on the lead single ‘APESHIT’ is better than most trap rappers have ever come up with, whilst we get a reminder on ‘713’ of why so many consider Jay to be one of the greatest to ever do it. The couple delineate their beef with various organisations such as Spotify, the Grammy Awards and those who deemed themselves too good to work with the pair in savage fashion, reminding us all that these two cannot be fucked with.
This album manages to stay loyal to the best features of hip-hop and modern rap whilst also acting as a pop album for the masses. It sustains an identity whilst delving in to a range of instrumentals, appeasing the older and younger generations and still allow themselves creative freedom for whatever track they want to make. Trying to pin these two to one sound and then getting angry at them for not doing so is incredibly harsh, especially when they adopt other influencer’s sounds better than them; if you needed reminding, The Carters ‘can do anything’.
‘Negro Swan’ – Blood Orange
On this album Devonté Hynes is responsible for writing, vocals, saxophone, drums, keyboard, bass and guitar, with occasional guests coming in to help out. The 32-year-old one man band from Essex comes through on ‘Negro Swan’ with what is for me my favourite release of his to date. He almost defies genre by blending gospel, psychedelic, soul, R&B, alternative pop, funk and at times dipping into hip hop, to create a reflective and inspirational album trying to lift us and be sure of our identity. While much of the writing on the album is open to interpretation it does not stop Hynes from creating very emotional and personal songs, drawing on his own experiences, discussing things like bullying and race through songs such as ‘Orlando’ and ‘Dagenham Dreams’. He delves into his past, a bleak and dark time for him, living in fear and having to limit his identity. The songs, however, all feel slightly glossy and dreamlike, finding romance and smoothness in the darkest times. Interview snippets from Trans activist Janet Mock are interwoven through the album, talking about how people are told to shrink themselves and laughing at the idea of criticising someone for ‘doing the most.’ These give the album a comfortable and relatable feel, as well as shedding some light on the cover, as she discusses her love of images where people shouldn’t quite fit into the picture yet they come through as their best self and steal the show. This is symbolised by the angel figure hanging out the car window, luring you into the album.
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The album takes listeners on an unbelievably smooth journey and the 8-track run from ‘Jewelry’ to ‘Nappy Wonder’ really blew me away and secured this album’s spot for me, with every song working perfectly together. The final track ‘Smoke’ is another dreamy song of self-acceptance, which feels reminiscent of Frank Ocean, coming through with a lot space for the track to breathe and really make an impact. It feels reflective and rounds off the album really nicely.
'Milky Way' - Bas
I had heard little of Bas before his August release Milky Way, but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of this album. The Sudanese-American rapper manages to capture so much of what I love in an artist and is a welcome replacement for many of the ‘classic’ rappers I have lost interest with this year after putting out so much trash. Although signed to J. Cole’s Dreamville Records, my first hearing of Bas was on LION BABE’s ‘Spaceships + Rockets (Remix)’ from back in May, which I have been playing in all my club sets since. It is clear to see the influence that Dreamville has had on his work whilst still allowing Bas creative freedom to produce his own distinct sound; Bas is constantly improving himself to become a rapper worthy of a mention in rap’s top tier.
Features such as A$AP Ferg and Cole himself, plus production from Sango and Childish Major to name a few, exert a certain style and flow you would expect, but Bas switches up his vocal delivery and beat selection throughout the album to keep things interesting and match the artistry of his collaborations. Tracks like ‘Tribe’ and ‘Boca Raton’ are upbeat, quick and fast-flowing but also compliment the slower, thoughtful tracks such as ‘Fragrance’ and ‘Designer’, sampling chilled tracks from FKJ and Tom Misch respectively. There are songs that sound more inspired from genres such as Dancehall and Bashment like ‘Sanufa’ and ‘Spaceships + Rockets’, as well as some more modern rap beats such as ‘Front Desk’ and ‘PDA’. No two songs sound the same in this album and, although this can be a problem for a project with no identity or theme, Bas creates so many different vibes and moods whilst continually making the album flow.
If I’m honest, Bas’ lyricism was not exactly what drew me to this album so much, but the themes of his lyrics are clear throughout and compliment every beat to perfection. Bas’ love for women is the prominent message of the album, with the ‘Infinity’ skit probably being my favourite of the year, but we also hear general anecdotes of Bas’ life and emotions on tracks such as ‘Barack Obama Special’. As a producer, I do generally look for a better flow and rhythm rather than incredible bars a lot of the time but, while Bas’ lyricism is maybe not as conscientious or deep as someone like J. Cole, he holds his own well and delivers a flow better than most rappers around. His wordplay from each song perfectly encaptures the album’s message and at this rate I cannot see why Bas shouldn’t be in with a shout of album of the year.
'Streams of Thought, Vol. 1 EP' - Black Thought & 9th Wonder:
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I really was ready to give this spot to Denzel Curry and even made notes to write it out. But I couldn’t bring myself to exclude this EP. At just 17 minutes long and with no break, even for a chorus, there’s not a lot I can say about this EP except that you have to just experience it. Black Thought of course has endless bars and his flow, as always, is incredible. It feels like the perfect accompaniment to his incredible Funk Flex freestyle, which if you haven’t listened to already please amend that. 9th Wonder brings his signature style to the project and the two work perfectly together. Guests, such as Rapsody and KIRBY who are brought along add even more to what is already fantastic. I didn’t love the Styles P verse, but that’s just personal preference. I realise its quite a big statement to put an EP that only runs for 17 minutes as one of my 5 favourite projects of the summer but it's quality is undeniable. This project should not be ignored and you have no excuse considering its runtime. I can only say if this is volume 1 I can’t wait for the rest.
'SUGAR LIKE SALT'- Louis VI:
Probably my most left-field choice for this list, London rapper Louis VI’s jazz-infused debut album SUGAR LIKE SALT took me by storm. I generally don’t seem to take to English rap and find us generally miles behind the main competitors over the Atlantic, but this album perhaps suggests that I have been looking in the wrong places. Its themes on racial prejudice over jazz trumpets is reminiscent of Kendrick’s To Pimp A Butterfly, mixed with the flows and delivery of fellow TDE member Isaiah Rashad. Louis’ creative process for the album involved a three-month stint in the States with Rashad’s producer and the American influence is clear from instances such as Mick Jenkins feature on the lead single ‘Jazz Got Me’. However, the English rapper has not succumbed to the pressure of changing his sound for a more popular culture; he takes what he likes from others and mixes it with his own.
The tracks on this album take you on an emotional journey; from the sombre, moody description of heartbreak on ‘Floatin’’ and ‘Confidence’ to the eccentric drum patterns working in perfect harmony with immaculate vocal delivery on ‘Black Opus’ or ‘Track7-ish’, it’s clear what the project is trying to do and it does it so well. He captures the sound of classic hip-hop and jazz in a modern, experimental take and, for an English rapper, it is sonically unique. Louis seems ahead of the game with this album and is taking a step away from the overplayed, dancehall-inspired UK rap that is so often heard in the charts for a measured, thoughtful album that has held its own against much more successful rappers in my albums of the summer list.
Honourable mentions:
Jorja Smith: ‘Lost and Found’
H.E.R.: ‘I Used To Know Her: The Prelude’,
Jay Prince: 'Cherish'
Denzel Curry: 'TA1300'
Honourable mentions:
Jay Prince: 'Cherish'
Freddie Gibbs: 'Freddie'
Jay Rock: 'Redemption'
Pusha T: 'Daytona'