{"id":738,"date":"2023-12-27T10:28:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-27T10:28:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/westcoastaftershock.com\/wca\/2023\/12\/best-albums-of-2023\/"},"modified":"2023-12-27T10:28:00","modified_gmt":"2023-12-27T10:28:00","slug":"best-albums-of-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/westcoastaftershock.com\/wca\/2023\/12\/best-albums-of-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Albums of 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Last year in music was one for the history books. It\u2019s no surprise 2023 had a lot to live up to, and it certainly tried. Artist comebacks, reinventions, long-awaited blockbusters, and a few surprises turned the gears as the twelve months unfolded. In retrospect, 2023 took some time to get going, with the second half of the year picking up steam with high-profile, quality releases. From Travis Scott\u2019s anticipated showstopper to Sampha soothing the soul, plenty of albums scratched the itch across hip hop, R&B, pop, rock and alternative.<\/p>\n

The Mic Cheque team have rounded up the top thirty best albums of 2023, staying largely within the hip hop realm while considering non-rap projects for the list as well.<\/p>\n

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Honourable Mentions<\/h1>\n

Here are some additional contenders on the periphery of the list, or were not lived with long enough to be included in the top thirty.<\/p>\n

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James Blake, Playing Robots into Heaven<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Best tracks:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cLoading\u201d, \u201cTell Me\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Kali Uchis, Red Moon in Venus<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Best tracks:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cMoonlight\u201d, \u201cI Wish You Roses\u201d, \u201cFantasy\u201d, \u201cBlue\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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KwolleM, Melo<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Best tracks:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cNo Heart\u201d, \u201cMainstream\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Noname, Sundial<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Best tracks:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cOblivion\u201d, \u201cBalloons\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Olivia Dean, Messy<\/em><\/h2>\n

Best tracks:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cThe Hardest Part\u201d, \u201cDive\u201d, \u201cDanger\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Jordan Ward, FORWARD<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Best tracks:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cFAMJAM4000\u2033, \u201cSidekick\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Yung Nudy, GUMBO<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Best tracks:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cOkra\u201d, \u201cM.R.E.\u201d, \u201cPassion Fruit\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Jorja Smith, Falling or Flying<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Best tracks:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cLittle Things\u201d, \u201cGo Go Go\u201d, \u201cTry Me\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Ragz Originale, Bare Sugar<\/em><\/h2>\n

Best tracks:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cLong Stay\u201d, \u201cFlashbacks\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Majid Jordan, Good People<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Best tracks:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cWaiting for You\u201d, \u201cHands Tied\u201d, \u201cViolet\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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McKinley Dixon, Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!?<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Best tracks:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cSun, I Rise\u201d, \u201cTyler, Forever\u201d, \u201cBeloved! Paradise! Jazz!?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The Japanese House, In the End it Always Does<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Best tracks:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cSad to Breathe\u201d, \u201cTouching Yourself\u201d, \u201cBoyhood\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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30. Navy Blue, Ways of Knowing<\/em><\/h1>\n
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Freedom Sounds \/ Def Jam<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For his major label debut, Navy Blue drew us further into his close circle. Ways of Knowing <\/em>is a brilliant breakdown of the mental\u2014what\u2019s going on inside Navy\u2019s mind? The raps are the answers, articulated over dreamy production largely courtesy of Budgie. \u201cHow come I\u2019m hurting in my 20s? \/ I guess it\u2019s life,\u201d he says on \u201cLife\u2019s Terms\u201d, simply summarising mid-life experiences not just for himself but for everyone applicable. It\u2019s also in part an ode to his grandparents who have inspired wisdom and sense into the man he is today.<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cChosen\u201d, \u201cPhases\u201d, \u201cThe Medium\u201d, \u201cTo Fall in Love\u201d, \u201cKill Switch\u201d<\/p>\n

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29. Brent Faiyaz, Larger Than Life<\/em><\/h1>\n
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ISO Supremacy \/ United Masters<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Maryland crooner\u2019s mixtape is chock-full of R&B flips, from the likes of Timbaland and TLC to classic Neptunes. They are often brief yet satisfying snapshots as Brent takes the listener on a nostalgic joyride. When tracks are more fleshed out they\u2019re courtesy of silky collabs with Coco Jones and ASAP Rocky. As usual, Brent Faiyaz\u2019s vocals are a sugar-rush dipped in 2000s Fun Dip. Though not as fleshed and razor in songwriting as 2022\u2019s Wasteland<\/em>, Larger Than Life<\/em> leaves listeners curious for the escalation in Brent\u2019s young career.<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cBest Time\u201d, \u201cMoment of Your Life\u201d, \u201cTim\u2019s Intro\u201d, \u201cOutside All Night\u201d<\/p>\n

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28. Cleo Sol, Gold<\/em><\/h1>\n
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Forever Living Originals<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In September, Cleo Sol released two albums in back-to-back weeks. The standout effort was the latter offering, the ten-track Heaven<\/em>. Being the cryptic artist she is, there is an unclear indication that the albums are companion pieces. Heaven<\/em> hints at rebirth; baptism; washing away your sins and getting closer to God. Gospel influences play all across Heaven<\/em>, and in its best moments echo Cleo\u2019s magnum opus, 2021\u2019s Mother<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cThere Will Be No Crying\u201d, \u201cLife Will Be\u201d, \u201cDesire\u201d, \u201cGold\u201d<\/p>\n

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27. Key Glock, Glockoma 2<\/em> (Deluxe)<\/h1>\n
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Paper Route \/ EMPIRE<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Key Glock put fun back into trap in 2023. Glockoma 2<\/em>\u2018s standard and deluxe edition invigorate the genre with eccentric beats, addictive flows, and plenty personality from the Memphis rapper. The standard edition with the red album cover held standouts like \u201cDirt\u201d, \u201cRandy Orton\u201d and \u201cKey Rex\u201d, topped up with highlights from the blue deluxe edition such as \u201cNo Hook\u201d, \u201cLet\u2019s Go\u201d and \u201cLean Habits\u201d. Whether you take the red pill or the blue pill, the result is still Key Glock bangers.<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cDirt\u201d, \u201cNo Hook\u201d, \u201cKey Rex\u201d, \u201cWork\u201d, \u201cRatchet\u201d, \u201cLet\u2019s Go\u201d, \u201cFuck a Feature\u201d, \u201cLean Habits\u201d<\/p>\n

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26. Paramore, This Is Why<\/em><\/h1>\n
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Atlantic<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A six-year hiatus came to a halt in 2023. Paramore\u2019s return felt monumental, proving they\u2019re not just another washed rock band cashing in a lukewarm comeback. Pop and post-punk never feels compromised on This Is Why<\/em>, granting hearty performances in the form of \u201cYou First\u201d and \u201cCrave\u201d and stepping singles like the title track. A comeback that wasn\u2019t phoned in.<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cYou First\u201d, \u201cCrave\u201d, \u201cThis Is Why\u201d, \u201cThe News\u201d, \u201cFigure 8\u201d<\/p>\n

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25. Daniel Caesar, Never Enough<\/em><\/h1>\n
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Hollace Inc. \/ Republic<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Canadian R&B singer hones his talents back to his strengths; feathery love songs backed by minimalism and potent songwriting. Never Enough<\/em> is male vulnerability that wisely avoids the toxic outlooks that tend to dominate R&B nowadays. Its best moments summon the spirit of Caesar\u2019s 2017 debut, Freudian<\/em>, while pulling off some risks here and there.<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cValentina\u201d, \u201cCool\u201d, \u201cDisillusioned\u201d, \u201cSuperpowers\u201d, \u201cAlways\u201d<\/p>\n

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24. Nas, Magic 3<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/h1>\n
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Mass Appeal<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On\u00a0Magic 3<\/em>, Nas and Hit-Boy take a worthy final bow, granting some of the best material of the eighty album tracks they\u2019ve created together. Magic 3<\/em>\u00a0celebrates Nas\u2019 50th birthday, as well as the 50th birthday of hip hop. The ode lives up to both half-centuries, a fitting demonstration of an experienced man still running a game that was once just 21 years old when Nas released\u00a0Illmatic<\/em>. Hit-Boy rectifies the main issue found on\u00a0Magic 2<\/a><\/em>\u2014the beats on show are no joke. Throughout their partnership, Nas sounds most rejuvenated when the production moves him. Behind-the-scenes footage shared by Hit-Boy has shown Nas\u2019 reaction to certain beats. It\u2019s from here where the inspiration hits, resulting in high-calibre rapping each and every time.<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cFever\u201d, \u201cNever Die\u201d, \u201cSuperhero Status\u201d, \u201cI Love This Feeling\u201d, \u201cSitting with My Thoughts\u201d, \u201cJodeci Member\u201d, \u201cBased on True Events, Pt. 2\u201d<\/p>\n

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23. Killer Mike, MICHAEL<\/em><\/h1>\n
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VLNS \/ Loma Vista<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s easy to forget how long Killer Mike has been around. His output in the last decade has come under the collaborative effort of Run the Jewels, with producer and rapper El-P. It\u2019s therefore refreshing to see an album like Michael<\/em> in 2023, Mike\u2019s first solo album in eleven years. Rich in features and No I.D. production, Michael<\/em> is blatantly momentous, and unequivocally Southern.<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cSHED TEARS\u201d, \u201cSCIENTISTS & ENGINEERS\u201d, \u201cDOWN BY LAW\u201d, \u201cTWO DAYS\u201d, \u201cMOTHERLESS\u201d<\/p>\n

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22. Larry June & The Alchemist, The Great Escape<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/h1>\n
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The Freeminded \/ ALC \/ EMPIRE<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Delving deeper into the music,\u00a0The Great Escape<\/em>\u00a0is unlike anything we\u2019ve ever heard from both Larry June and The Alchemist. The atmosphere that the pair construct throughout the record is heavy, playing into the street dream profile from a completely different angle. Larry\u2019s luxurious statue continuous to play a poignant role in the lyrical content coexisting with Al\u2019s dreary style of production. In some cases, the shift in sound allows Larry to hop into different pockets that normally wouldn\u2019t have been possible. Tracks like \u201cOrange Village\u201d and \u201cExito\u201d play into this notion as we see Larry open up his palette to loops and chops that otherwise wouldn\u2019t have really clicked with his catalog.<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cSummer Reign\u201d, \u201c89 Earthquake\u201d, \u201cPorsches in Spanish\u201d, \u201cOcean Sounds\u201d, \u201cWhat Happened to the World?\u201d<\/p>\n

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21. Jim Legxacy, H<\/em>omeless N***a Pop Music<\/em><\/strong><\/h1>\n
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(!)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

South London singer-songwriter and producer Jim Legxacy worked out a formula on his third project. <\/em>Garage breakbeats and classic samples are channelled through bitesized tracks elevated by Jim Legxacy\u2019s treacle vocals. It\u2019s part emo, part something totally new. <\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201chit it light it twist it\u201d, \u201ccandy reign (!)\u201d, \u201cdj\u201d, \u201cfake smiles\u201d, \u201camnesia111\u201d, \u201ceye tell\u201d, \u201cur marges crib\u201d, \u201chomeless n***a pop music\u201d<\/p>\n

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20. Gunna, A Gift & a Curse<\/a><\/em><\/h1>\n
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YSL \/ 300<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The YSL outcast emerged from the shadows to complete a comeback for the history books. With every valuable cosign out the window, Gunna delivered a featureless album to shows he\u2019s YSL\u2019s most valuable asset. It\u2019s home to one of the biggest rap hits of the year in \u201cFukUMean\u201d, becoming his highest-streaming solo song to date. A Gift & a Curse<\/em>\u00a0keeps it mainly PG, allowing Gunna\u2019s raps to be taken seriously for the first time in his career. He raps with a frown, dropping mature observations which aren\u2019t anything revolutionary but do help to paint his mindset since gaining his freedom.<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cBread & Butter\u201d, \u201cFukUMean\u201d, \u201cRodeo Dr\u201d, \u201cIDK Nomore\u201d, \u201cBack to the Moon\u201d, \u201cAlright\u201d<\/p>\n

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19. Armand Hammer, We Buy Diabetic Test Strips<\/em><\/h1>\n
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Fat Possum<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Billy Woods and Elucid continue to find indiscoverable pockets on their latest Armand Hammer offering. We Buy Diabetic Test Strips<\/em> is eerie, anxious and meandering. Listening to Test Strips<\/em> is like navigating through a 1,000-acre maze. At one point they\u2019re rapping over JPEGMAFIA-sampled telephone beeps, elsewhere they\u2019re grinding gears on noisy production that\u2019s becoming oddly conventional for their standards. Test Strips<\/em> challenges listeners, as well as the capabilities of Billy Woods who continues to be a jack of all trades.<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cLandlines\u201d, \u201cThe Gods Must Be Crazy\u201d, \u201cWoke Up and Asked Siri How I\u2019m Gonna Die\u201d, \u201cTrauma Mic\u201d, \u201cI Keep a Mirror in My Pocket\u201d, \u201cDon\u2019t Lose Your Job\u201d<\/p>\n

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18. Mick Jenkins, The Patience<\/em><\/h1>\n
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RBC \/ BMG<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mick Jenkins finds his footing again on The Patience<\/em>, cutting out anything that\u2019s not vital to the experience. It is 11 tracks and 28 minutes, wisely plucking features from Freddie Gibbs, JID, Benny the Butcher and Vic Mensa, and laying spacious production for Jenkins to work with. It\u2019s clear Jenkins takes a leaf out the Griselda boys\u2019 book, finding an ear for beat selection that resonates with the current trends of the underground (\u201cGuapanese\u201d, \u201cSitting Ducks\u201d).<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cROY G. BIV\u201d, \u201cGuapanese\u201d, \u201cSmoke Break-Dance\u201d, \u201cSitting Ducks\u201d, \u201cShow & Tell\u201d, \u201cFarm to Table\u201d<\/p>\n

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17. Bakar, Halo<\/em><\/h1>\n
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Black Butter<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bakar\u2019s been working hard to be the face of UK indie. Last year\u2019s album Nobody\u2019s Home<\/em> set a foundation, but Halo<\/em> amalgamates all his talent and potential for his most realised effort to date. Halo<\/em> can be peppy in cuts like \u201cAll Night\u201d and \u201cRight Here, for Now\u201d while honing indie folk for tracks like \u201cHate the Sun\u201d. Sometimes all it takes is a guitar lick and Bakar\u2019s vocal melodies to result in an album highlight. The balance is continually addictive.<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cAll Night\u201d, \u201cAlive!\u201d, \u201cI\u2019m Done\u201d, \u201cHell N Back\u201d, \u201cRight Here, for Now\u201d<\/p>\n

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16. Ama Lou, I Came Home Late<\/em><\/strong><\/h1>\n
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Interscope<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

British singer-songwriter Ama Lou laid some of the most emotive R&B of 2023 on her debut album, I Came Home Late<\/em>. Filled with poignant writing, teary production and climactic hooks, I Came Home Late<\/em> is poetic from minute one to end. \u201cCause the north winds pushed slightly \/ On horses, I\u2019ll ride in \/ And I feel you right by me \/ A Trojan disguise, I hope not,\u201d she delicately sings on \u201cTokyo Cowboy\u201d, one of many songs where the masterful singer uses extended metaphors to convey her message. It\u2019s a gripping album that tugs at the heartstrings with no mercy.<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cCaught Me Running\u201d, \u201cFrustrated\u201d, \u201cBe Well\u201d, \u201cTokyo Cowboy\u201d, \u201cRange 95\u201d<\/p>\n

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15. PinkPantheress, Heaven Knows<\/em><\/h1>\n
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Warner<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On her debut studio album, PinkPantheress graduates from TikTok princess to digital popstar. The traits that led to her success are still there to some degrees: the short-track format, UK garage beats, and cooing vocals. But there\u2019s an upgrade to the song structures, lyricism and hooks. Songs like \u201cOphelia\u201d, \u201cCapable of Love\u201d and \u201cBlue\u201d are traditional pop songs that simultaneously could only be sung by PinkPantheress. Heaven Knows<\/em> takes PinkPantheress fever to the next level, home to the most catchy pop songs of 2023.<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cCapable of Love\u201d, \u201cFeel Complete\u201d, \u201cOphelia\u201d, \u201cBoy\u2019s a Liar Pt. 2\u201d, \u201cAnother Life\u201d, \u201cFeelings\u201d, \u201cNice to Meet You\u201d, \u201cThe Aisle\u201d<\/p>\n

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14. JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown, Scaring the Hoes<\/em><\/h1>\n
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PEGGY \/ AWAL<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown sent experimental rap goons into a frenzy when they got word of a collaborative album in the works. The aptly-titled Scaring the Hoes<\/em> is accessible enough for conventional rap fans to enjoy, but you still need that left-field ear to enjoy its most daring moments. Above all, it\u2019s two rappers having fun all over the most kooky rap album of the year. Hoes, be prepared to be scared.<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cScaring the Hoes\u201d, \u201cLean Beef Patty\u201d, \u201cKingdom Hearts Key\u201d, \u201cSteppa Pig\u201d, \u201cBurfict!\u201d, \u201cRun the Jewels\u201d, \u201cOrange Juice Jones\u201d<\/p>\n

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13. Billy Woods & Kenny Segal, Maps<\/em><\/h1>\n
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Backwoodz Studioz<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You need a really advanced ear to fathom what Billy Woods is rapping about. Always offering a dense listen with each album, it\u2019s the way he strings bars together that few rappers can accomplish. The two verses on \u201cSoft Landing\u201d are vivid to the syllable, adding another thought to the tapestry like an extra carriage being attached to a moving train (\u201cThe worst people\u2019ll wiggle out the rubble \/ Maybe \u201cSuicidal Thoughts\u201d was the \u201cEveryday Struggle\u201d \/ For a brief, sweet, moment it was nothing in the thought bubble\u201d). In other bars, he is downright straightforward (\u201cI quit lookin\u2019 for solutions \/ Bought a pistol and learned how to use it\u201d). All\u2019s achieved over the most daring beats by Kenny Segal.<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cSoft Landing\u201d, \u201cFaceTime\u201d, \u201cHangman\u201d, \u201cYear Zero\u201d, \u201cBabylon By Bus\u201d<\/p>\n

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12. Kelela, Raven<\/em><\/h1>\n
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Warp<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kelela puts listeners in a sixty-minute trance on Raven<\/em>, submerged in ambient electronica. Raven<\/em> can be so minimal yet so unique, a talent that\u2019s evident on tracks like \u201cDivorce\u201d and \u201cWashed Away\u201d. Waists can be whined to \u201cOn the Run\u201d. We\u2019re taken to the breakbeat room in the club on \u201cContact\u201d. You feel like you\u2019re drifting slowly in the black water found on the cover on the title track. We could go on and on. Point being, the imaginative imagery available from the songs on Raven<\/em> speaks to its sheer creativity and genius to convey so much with so little.<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cContact\u201d, \u201cOn the Run\u201d, \u201cDivorce\u201d, \u201cRaven\u201d, \u201cHappy Ending\u201d, \u201cBruises\u201d<\/p>\n

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11. Arlo Parks, My Soft Machine<\/em><\/h1>\n
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Transgressive<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Arlo Parks leans further into pop territory on her second album, learning from the process of Collapsed in Sunbeams<\/em> to make her songs catchier. Yet she\u2019s still able to get equally intimate, as found on spring-kissed songs like \u201cImpurities\u201d, \u201cPurple Phase\u201d and \u201cPegasus\u201d with Phoebe Bridgers. It\u2019s still undoubtedly indie pop, some of the finest you\u2019ll find this year.<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cImpurities\u201d, \u201cPurple Phase\u201d, \u201cDevotion\u201d, \u201cWeightless\u201d, \u201cPegasus\u201d<\/p>\n

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10. MIKE, Burning Desire<\/em><\/h1>\n
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10<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

MIKE expands his mystique for a top ten album of 2023. A daring format, Burning Desire<\/em> is a 24-track album filled with cuts under two-minute runtime, entirely self-produced under MIKE\u2019s alias DJ Blackpower. The beats are soulful, jazzy, sample-centric gems gleaming under the kaleidoscope of MIKE\u2019s lyricism. The fleeting nature of the album works to its advantage, with transitions between tracks to incorporate intentions in sequencing, adding contrary to the belief that you could shuffle all 24 tracks and get the same album.<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cGolden Hour\u201d, \u201cLet\u2019s Have a Ball\u201d, \u201cSixteens\u201d, \u201cPlz Don\u2019t Cut My Wings\u201d, \u201cThey Don\u2019t Stop in the Rain\u201d<\/p>\n

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9. Earl Sweatshirt & The Alchemist, VOIR DIRE<\/em><\/h1>\n
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Tan Cressida \/ ALC \/ Gala \/ Warner<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cVoir dire\u201d is a French legal term that translates \u201cto speak the truth\u201d. Could Voir Dire<\/em> be the album that The Alchemist said was hidden on YouTube under an alias name? We may never know. Irrespective of that, hip hop finally received the long-yearned collaborative album between Earl Sweatshirt and The Alchemist. Including both commercial versions of the album (which totals to 14 tracks), Voir Dire<\/em> is a blissful merger that was always bound to end in matrimony.<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cThe Caliphate\u201d, \u201cSentry\u201d, \u201c100 High Street\u201d, \u201cMancala\u201d, \u201cFree the Ruler\u201d (+ \u201cGeb\u201d, \u201cAll the Small Things\u201d)<\/p>\n

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8. Sampha, LAHAI<\/em><\/h1>\n
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Young<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Somewhere in a message chat, Frank Ocean and Sampha were competing to see who could go the longest without putting out an album. After a six-year wait, it\u2019s Sampha that bit the bullet and fed the ever-patient world. Unlike Process<\/em>, Lahai<\/em> exists in a joyous parallel universe. Times have changed. Sampha\u2019s now a father, and has clearly embarked on a successful journey of heaving. \u201cI ain\u2019t scared as before, ain\u2019t as scared as before,\u201d he says on the album\u2019s lead single, \u201cSpirit 2.0\u201d. But sonically, it\u2019s the same Sampha we\u2019ve grown to love in the finest of doses. On Lahai<\/em>, Sampha is deservedly liberated.<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cDancing Circles\u201d, \u201cJonathan L. Seagull\u201d, \u201cSuspended\u201d, \u201cSpirit 2.0\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

7. Q, SOUL,PRESENT<\/em><\/h1>\n
\"\"
Boy Meets Euphoria \/ Columbia<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There is a man out there that goes by the letter Q. We\u2019re convinced he\u2019s come from the past to deliver upper-echelon music. The real story is this is Q Marsden, son of Steven Marsden, producer of the famous Diwali Riddim. But he doesn\u2019t need the affiliation with his father to earn his success. Q\u2019s music is deeply rooted in throwback 70s soul, funk and R&B. Not on no novelty Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak level either\u2014this is the real Class A stuff. His debut album, Soul,PRESENT<\/em>, masterfully brings back the essence of soul to the 21st century. The vocals, production and hooks are the most organic throwback sound you\u2019ll feast yourselves to this year.<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cSTEREO DRIVER\u201d, \u201cLUV (I KNOW YOU WANT THIS FOR REAL), \u201cINCAPABLE HEART\u201d, \u201cTODAY\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

6. Amaarae, Fountain Baby<\/em><\/h1>\n
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Golden Angel \/ Interscope<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Amaarae is a ready-made pop princess. The Ghanaian-American singer first made waves with her viral TikTok hit \u201cSad Girlz Luv Money\u201d. Her whispery pitched vocals are granted full autonomy on Fountain Baby<\/em>, the best bonafide pop record of 2023. Each track is packed with melody, taking influence from internet pop, R&B, afrobeats, indie and punk. When it comes together, it\u2019s all still uniquely Amaarae. Whether it\u2019s the hedonism of \u201cPrincess Going Digital\u201d, the astrology-infused \u201cCo-Star\u201d, or the Kill Bill<\/em>-esque \u201cWasted Eyes\u201d, Fountain Baby<\/em> is a haven of melody with plenty going on for it not to be a standout of the year.<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cPrincess Going Digital\u201d, \u201cDisguise\u201d, \u201cWasted Eyes\u201d, \u201cReckless & Sweet\u201d, \u201cCo-Star\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

5. Travis Scott, UTOPIA<\/a><\/em><\/h1>\n
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Cactus Jack \/ Epic<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Houston native\u2019s fourth album affirms Scott as a sweeping sonic conductor, granting the imposing blockbuster listeners expected. Sonically, it subverts expectations of what \u2018utopia\u2019 should sound like. Instead of a blissful, heavenly experience,\u00a0Utopia<\/em>\u00a0is a dim land of chaos. This makes\u00a0Utopia<\/em>\u00a0lack a running thread throughout the album, especially when it jumps from trap and industrial hip hop to dance and reggaeton.For a 19-track album, there are plenty highlights, and nothing worthy of a skip. Opening track \u201cHYAENA\u201d is his most combusting intro to date; \u201cTHANK GOD\u201d is flooded in darkness; \u201cI KNOW ?\u201d is a\u00a0Rodeo<\/em>\u00a0remnant.<\/p>\n

Utopia<\/em>\u00a0shows that at four albums deep, Travis hasn\u2019t lost his knack for sequenced auditory trips. It\u2019s an album that takes elements from his best work while standing tall in its own identity. When it comes to rap explosions, nothing in 2023 will come close to the combustion of\u00a0Utopia<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cFE!N\u201d, \u201cMY EYES\u201d, \u201cHYAENA\u201d, \u201cI KNOW ?\u201d, \u201cTELEKINESIS\u201d, \u201cLOOOVE\u201d, \u201cSIRENS\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

4. Lil Yachty, Let\u2019s Start Here<\/a><\/em><\/h1>\n
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Quality Control Music \/ Motown<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lil Yachty hit the reset button this 2023. Just a few months prior, Yachty found his music being a meme in ways he hadn\u2019t experienced since his peak of 2016. \u201cPoland\u201d took the internet by storm. It was a song that was so unserious it wasn\u2019t supposed to come out until fans demanded for it. This was all happening while he was recording & announced a \u2018non-rap psychedelic project\u2019. For a minute, Yachty\u2019s career was at the mercy of the internet. How would it have felt, being compelled to release meme tracks while you\u2019re working on music so vastly different to that?<\/p>\n

But Yachty regained control. At the apex of the year, he released Let\u2019s Start Here<\/em>, signalling one of the biggest rebrands in modern rap\u2014an unprecedented yet delightful pivot into progressive rock that unlocks not just a new layer of Yachty, but new skin.\u00a0Let\u2019s Start Here<\/em>\u00a0is what you\u2019d get if Pink Floyd, MGMT and Tame Impala had a rap-leaning lovechild. The trap 808s are chucked out for guitars, drums and synths, packed with non-linear twists and turns that make the record a genuine alternative rock album. The risk can be likened to Tyler, The Creator\u2019s\u00a0IGOR<\/em>, Childish Gambino\u2019s\u00a0Awaken My Love<\/em>\u00a0and Mac Miller\u2019s\u00a0The Divine Feminine<\/em>, albums that take an artistic risk and stick the landing. To help him out, Yachty enlisted collaborators such as Patrick Wimberly, Mac DeMarco and Magdalena Bay (an UNO-reverse on white artists enlisting black collaborators for their hip-hop-centric efforts).<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cThe Black Seminole\u201d, \u201cThe Ride\u201d, \u201cI\u2019ve Officially Lost Vision!!!!\u201d, \u201cThe Zone\u201d, \u201cWe Saw the Sun!\u201d, \u201cSay Something\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

3. Yves Tumour, Praise a Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume<\/em>\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/h1>\n
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Warp<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWhat makes you feel so important? Can you spell it out for us?\u201d, Yves Tumour sings on \u201cParody\u201d off their fifth studio album. What does feel important is this exact album, a thrilling twelve-track art piece inhabiting the chambers of indie rock, pop and electronic music. Praise a Lord Who Chews<\/em>\u2026 impeccably combines the finest elements of popular genres for the most addictive left-leaning album of the year. What you truly appreciate from the album is the detailed instrumentation. The drums solo boom over the midpoint of \u201cHeaven Surrounds Us Like a Hood\u201d, the electric guitar can\u2019t be escaped on \u201cMeteora Blues\u201d, and the heavenly strings on \u201cEbony Eye\u201d are a soundtrack to ascension. Yves\u2019 symbolic writing is not be brushed over either.<\/p>\n

It makes for the most epic sonic experience of 2023, by an artist who continues to be different and push the boundaries of contemporary music.<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cEbony Eye\u201d, \u201cMeteora Blues\u201d, \u201cLovely Sewer\u201d, \u201cIn Spite of War\u201d, \u201cHeaven Surrounds Us Like a Hood\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

2. CASISDEAD, Famous Last Words<\/a><\/em><\/h1>\n
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XL<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Waited a couple years for your favourite artist to drop an album? That\u2019s nothing. Try nine years in the case of North London\u2019s CASISDEAD. The masked rapper\u2019s debut album is an exceptional world-builder, bleak yet glistening in its dystopian soundtrack to an instant classic, generating a puzzling, addictive universe executed with precision. Famous Last Words<\/em>\u00a0is both vivid and cryptic, a theatrical sci-fi adventure drowned in dreamy 80s synths. It\u2019s a starry-eyed escapade from the real world into something far worse, mired by addiction, control, self-indulgence, and dormant trauma. CASISDEAD ensures it takes multiple listens to understand the dense narrative, centred around a dystopian society being fed an apathy-inducing drug by a company called DeadCorp. Close your eyes and you can picture the scenes CAS is describing, from the eerie \u201cA Spark\u201d and \u201cSteptronic\u201d to the skits that add context to the story. Above all, it\u2019s CAS\u2019 ability to marry hip hop with the alternative, granting a wholly original UK rap album that is the first of its kind.<\/p>\n

At every turn, the listener is presented with the most refreshing album UK rap\u2019s had in years.\u00a0Famous Last Words<\/em>\u00a0is an enthralling experience, maximising efforts, ambition and creativity. In a year where hip hop\u2019s been under the fire for its lack of dominance, CASISDEAD shows the world how to beat the odds and grant an instant classic. Pay attention UK rappers, this the new bar.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cPat Earrings\u201d, \u201cMarilyn\u201d, \u201cActin\u2019 Up\u201d, \u201cVenom\u201d, \u201cSkydive\u201d, \u201cMatte Grey Wrap\u201d, \u201cBoys Will Be Boys\u201d, \u201cBefore This\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

1. Potter Payper, Real Back in Style<\/a><\/em><\/h1>\n
\"\"
0207 Def Jam<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With\u00a0Real Back in Style<\/em>, Potter Payper provides a fully-realised, self-accomplished project worthy of rap album of the year. Potter Payper treats\u00a0Real Back in Style<\/em>\u00a0like his big day, where the spouse is a prime rap album, and the vows are the songwriting, lyricism and production. Tales of upbringing and abuse are told on \u201cAll My Life, If I Had\u2026\u201d and \u201cMoney or Victims\u201d respectfully. Lyrical peaks are found on the title track and \u201cWhat They Ain\u2019t\u201d, granting some of the best rap verses of the year. Production shapeshifts on a range of cuts. Previous critiques of Potter\u2019s lack of hookwriting are also put to bed. Blending transitions. Concept songs. Personal content. No stone is left unturned.<\/p>\n

The cherry on top of all these checkboxes is the passion. Few albums this year transmit humane passion quite like Real Back in Style<\/em> did, and the same can be said for UK rappers without an album in their catalogue quite like this. When Potter Payper performs at this level, real can never be out of style.<\/p>\n

Best tracks: <\/strong>\u201cReal Back in Style\u201d, \u201cMultifaceted\u201d, \u201cTrack Flocaine\u201d, \u201cQuite Befitting\u201d, \u201cMoney or Victims (Kayla\u2019s Story)\u201d, \u201cWhat They Ain\u2019t\u201d, \u201cWhite Ash\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last year in music was one for the history books. It\u2019s no surprise 2023 had a lot to live up…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14044,"featured_media":905,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,6],"tags":[10,9],"class_list":["post-738","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-rss","tag-culture","tag-hip-hop"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/westcoastaftershock.com\/wca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/738","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/westcoastaftershock.com\/wca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/westcoastaftershock.com\/wca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/westcoastaftershock.com\/wca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14044"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/westcoastaftershock.com\/wca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=738"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/westcoastaftershock.com\/wca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/738\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/westcoastaftershock.com\/wca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/905"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/westcoastaftershock.com\/wca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=738"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/westcoastaftershock.com\/wca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=738"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/westcoastaftershock.com\/wca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=738"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}