OK I lied about my eleven through twenty. The post was too overwhelming if you plan to investigate the artists. I am dividing up this set of ten to make it easier to digest.
Here is sixteen through twenty. I favor the way Pitchfork reviews albums, so you will see them linked quite a bit. When you see a review linked, I assure you it is worth the read.
Sixteen – Mondo Cozmo – New Medicine – He is so dang likeable I can’t tell if he is total cheese, or actually has some edge. You tell me.
Seventeen – Gia Margaret – Mia Gargaret – In the spirit of some of the quietness of my top ten. A meditation.
Eighteen – Westside Gunn – Pray For Paris, Flygod Is An Awesome God 2, Who Made The Sunshine. – I think we have the next superstar in the rap game right here. Smart, sharp storyteller with a voice I love. Not since Billy Woods have I tapped into a rapper like this. Although my fave is Pray for Paris, each release stands on its own. If collaborations with Alchemist, Tyler, Boldy James, Conway, Benny, Slick Rick, Busta, excite you, there is plenty of that and more mixed in here.
Nineteen – Underground Canopy – Bluestaeb and S. Fidelity Present Underground Canopy – Underground Canopy got their start playing jazz covers of hip hop songs. This is their first full record. I want to say if Madlib was a band this is what it would sound like.
Twenty – Kassa Overall – I Think I’m Good – The R&B record and artist with the most promise. This fell off my list a couple of times, but every time it would come up in shuffle it always captured my ear. Kassa is not young or new. He is a well respected jazz drummer. This record is lyrically deep. Please check out Pitchfork’s review of that depth.