Albums of the Year - 2024
Honourable Mentions
Fine Art - KNEECAP / shadowbox - MAVI / In waves - Jamie xx / Cartoon Darkness - Amyl and the Sniffers / TRUE MAGIC - salute / Real Deal - Honeyglaze
BLUE LIPS - Schoolboy Q / Watch Me Drive Them Dogs Wild - Merce Lemon / CHROMAKOPIA - Tyler, The Creator / Almighty So 2 - Chief Keef - COWBOY CARTER - Beyonce / Samurai - Lupe Fiasco
15. american dream - 21 Savage
Trap, Southern Hip-Hop
Best Songs: Redrum, NHIE, Prove It
Rating: 81
An unexpected record for me, as I haven't really liked any 21 songs after ISSA. The tracks had great transitions and clean deliveries. Overall, it is a good listen that started 2024 with a bang.
14. Iechyd Da - Bill Ryder Jones
Chamber Pop, Singer-Songwriter
Best Songs: I Know That It's Like This, If Tomorrow Starts Without Me, It's Today Again
Rating: 84
An emotional and hopeful album. Jones does a phenomenal job portraying his stories with well written lyrics and great instrumental backing tracks. This is a must listen for any music fan, as it is palpable, smooth, and familiar.
13. Here in the Pitch - Jessica Pratt
Singer-Songwriter, Contemporary Folk
Best Songs: Life Is, By Hook or By Crook, Empires Never Know
Rating: 84
I'm super glad that Jessica Pratt got some well deserved exposure when she featured in that one ASAP Rocky track. When I first heard one of her tracks, Poly Blue, I thought it was something out of the 60s. Pratt's sound pays respects to the hippie sounds in the past like Nico, and in this record, she nails the style perfectly. This album is not for everyone, but I geniunely enjoyed it from beginning to end.
12. I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU - JPEGMAFIA
Exp. Hip Hop, Hardcore Hip Hop
Best Songs: Vulgar Display of Power, Either On or Off Drugs, Don't Put Anything on the Bible
Rating: 84
JPEGMAFIA delivers his mastery in experimental hip hop with more to offer. Though the album is not all hardcore or unique, he sticks to the style that we all know and love. As any JPEGMAFIA project, this record has many lines that would make you think, laugh, or just straight up get you confused. But that's the beauty of his work- you'll never know what to expect.
11. My Method Actor - Nilufer Yanya
Indie Rock
Best Songs: Like I Say, Call It Love, Just a Western
Rating: 84
This is the first record I have ever listened to by Yanya, and I am glad I found her music. This is indie rock that I am not quite used to listening to, so maybe I love it because it's something new to me. However, seeing other people's reaction to this album proves that it is an excellent, fun, and inviting album.
10. #RICHAXXHAITIAN - Mach-Hommy
Abstract Hip Hop, East Coast Hip Hop
Best Songs: Politickle, Padon, Lon Lon
Rating: 84
An absolute banger from beginning to end. If you want to listen to a unique album, go for this one. Mach-Hommy's ability to deliver many different styles in one record while making it flow smoothly is outstanding. This is a record that all hip hop heads should give a listen to.
9. The New Sound - Geordie Greep
Jazz Rock, Art Rock, Weird as hell
Best Songs: Holy Holy, Blues, Motorbike
Rating: 84
This record mindfucks you. You don't believe me? Give it a listen. It's so bizarre and weird, but in a good way. Listening to this album for the first time feels like you're getting too high at a party and you start hearing everything around you. It's either you get a panic attack or take a nap, there's no in between. That's basically what this record is.
8. The Great American Bar Scene - Zach Bryan
Americana, Country Folk
Best Songs: Lucky Enough, Bass Boat, Funny Man
Rating: 84
Although I wasn't a big fan of Bryan's last album before this one, The Great American Bar Scene is an excellent record. It is well structured, and gets you hooked for the whole duration. Bryan's amazing storytelling skills accompanied by simple chord progression and folky instruments is a recipe for success always.
7. Imaginal Disk - Magdalena Bay
Pop, Synthpop
Best Songs: Killing Time, That's My Floor, Cry For Me
Rating: 86
At first, I didn't want to listen to this album because the cover creeped the fuck out of me. But I finally gave it a chance around November, and I am so glad I did. This is what I think Grimes would sound like today if she didn't go insane and marry a Nazi. I love the long runtime as well of the record, as all the tracks are bangers and have lots of replay value.
6. When A Thought Grows Wings - Luna Li
Indie Pop, Soft Rock
Best Songs: Confusion Song, That's Life, Bon Voyage
Rating: 86
I absolutely love this album. Unfortunately, it runs a little short on runtime. Li's vocals are soft, yet it encapsulates the listener while not making it boring. Many artists nowadays sound sleepy when they sing soft or when they are trying to sing emotionally, but not for Li. This album is one of the best Canadian projects that came out last year, and I urge everyone to give it a listen.
5. GNX - Kendrick Lamar
West Coast Hip Hop
Best Songs: squabble up, tv off, heart pt. 6
Rating: 86
This record that came out of nowhere was a blessing. At this point we all know about the beef that happened last summer, but this is a completely different sound and topic from that event. Lamar showcases his respects for West Coast culture and proves to all doubters that he is a master of hip hop. Although this is not my favourite Kendrick Lamar album, this is still an amazing record.
4. brat - Charli xcx
Electropop, Dance-Pop, Hyperpop
Best Songs: Talk talk, Von dutch, Girl, so confusing
Rating: 86
Yes, I am human too. Everyone loved this album last summer and it is well deserved. I think a lot of people think I'm a snob when it comes to music, and I don't like records if it's popular, but loving this album disproved all of that talk. This is a masterpiece that will be talked about in the next few decades. It is a future classic that will be used as a benchmark for all other hyperpop records.
3. Submarine - The Marias
Indie Pop, Bedroom Pop
Best Songs: Hamptons, No One Noticed, Sienna
Rating: 86
An amazing album that is always in my repeating playlists. This emotionally charged record by The Marias is a classic bedroom pop style that we are all familiar with. It hooks you from its catchy hooks, meaningful lyrics, and smooth instruments. This is a perfect balance of what to like from the indie movement from the last 20+ years.
2. epistolares - AKRIILA
Alt-Pop, Neoperreo, Hyperpop
Best Songs: ALL OF THEM
Rating: 90
Crazy album that every person who likes pop should listen to. For me, this a like the brat album but in steroids. This flows are amazing and it balances all the insane noise that you hear in the record. I have nothing to say. This album is such a fucking banger, I can only portray how much I love it if you're near me physically. It makes you crash out in a good way.
Silence is Loud - Nia Archives
Drum and Bass, Jungle
Best Songs: ALL OF THEM
Rating: 91
My God, what a debut album. You have never heard Jungle like this before. Nia Archives gives an amazing vocal performance on all the tracks and encaptures you to this perplexing world of the record. The album also has a near perfect flow, keeping you engaged throughout the whole entire runtime. This is definitely my album of the year, and it is something that's going to be in my rotation for years to come. I invite you to give it a listen, even if you are unfamiliar with the sound.
February 19, 2025