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what2watch2night · 3 years

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LAST NIGHT IN SOHO...Where Nothing Is As It Seems

LAST NIGHT IN SOHO, the 2021 British thriller-horror flick by Edgar Wright, is as slick as they come and it leads viewers ever so smoothly deep down into a neon-lit trippy rabbit hole.

We follow Eloise, an out-of-town introvert naive girl played by Thomasin McKenzie. She is moving to a vibrant London neighborhood near Soho to study at a prestigious fashion school. But nothing is as it seems, and our girl "Ellie” has some serious “abilities” (and/or mental issues) on top of some family drama that makes it difficult for her to navigate the "MEAN GIRL plot" at the school. But her life is turned upside down after she gets what is seemingly the deal of a lifetime and moves into a super roomie room in the middle of London. The thing is, the old landlady (Diana Rigg's last performance) is kinda creepy and the place is decrepit and old, well it is in Goodge Street so guess you get -wayyyyy less than - what you pay for... Everything is like back in the 60s which is perfect since Ellie is obsessed with that decade!

So what should happen happens and at night the girl is transported back in time where she meets, observes, or maybe becomes another young aspiring artist played by Anya Taylor-Joy named Sandie. She is a it-girl type pretty tall and slender bombshell blonde who, with the help of a shady dude played by Matt Smith, wants to become a big-time singer in Sixties' Soho no matter how... From there it all goes downhill and Ellie's beautiful nostalgic dreams turned into terrorizing nightmares where she is trying to figure out if ‘is this real life is this just fantasy’ or maybe something else!

This hence leads to room for all kinds of glorious and freaky shenanigans...plus some unfortunate missteps or plot holes! But the film is so captivating and engaging at all times that one won’t have too much time to dwell on the laters or might be willing to sweep them under… the floor! That being said Edgar Wright and Krysty Wilson-Cairns wrote a hell of a story that is only elevated to heaven - or more like hell in this case! - thanks to a spectacular show masterly shot (by Chung Chung-hoon who better get that Oscar) and filled with some mind-bending practical and technical effects.

This is all perfectly illustrated in the “highlight of the film” or its piece of resistance (which probs happens a bit too early on for that or that is sadly maybe not topped later on; but how could they top it!) A great party scene where we are introduced to Taylor-Joy's Sandy and Soho's bygone underground world. This scene will undoubtedly go down as one of the best ever made thanks to its technical prowess (one will be seriously blown away by reading about the behind-the-scenes and how they actually did a Texas switch!) and its dizzying intoxicating sight and sound combo.

And sound LAST NIGHT IN SOHO provides! After all, what did we expect from the guy who brought us BABY DRIVER and its music shepherded direction style. The soundtrack is filled to the brim with nostalgic vibing bangers and we even get to witness Taylor-Joy hidden vocal talents perfectly fitted for the mood. It is hard to fathom this movie with another actress as this is 100% a case of casting match made in heaven with Anya who, fresh from the glory of Queen Gambit proves - to those who did not believe the hype way back from THE WITCH - that she is the real deal and one of the most interesting performers of her generation (along with her fellow Brit, Florence Pugh --- Side note: that would have been an awesome pairing - and doubly amusing considering Anya was originally considered for the role of Eloise) But one thing for sure Anya Taylor-Joy is mesmerizing as ever as Sandie and having someone like Pugh playing Eloise might have also brought something a tad different (decisiveness?purpose?) to the role as Thomasin's take or interpretation of the character might be lacking some momentum. Yet her vacillation is why Ellie is so unsettling to watch.

Nevertheless, this is McKenzie's best, and, plausibly, her “always-disturbed-way-of-being” persona and weirdly unique intonation/pitch, that are, to say the least, very specific, might seem over-the-top for LNIS'S heroine but guess it hammered the point that she is the very obvious black swan. In addition, she is also meant to be a weirdo in and out, but at least she is not alone as the only main character of color, Michael Ajao's John, is likewise unmistakably “different” and...well a simpleton like Eloise. And this brought us to LAST NIGHT IN SOHO “problematic” aspect (or one of the "problems"): it was probably not intended but the way this character behaves and its treatment is sometimes quite unfortunate.

But again the pair are like a couple of Dopey, so no real beef here although it will VERY easily irritate some as they might find themselves yelling at them/the screen: “why you gotta be so naive!” Eloise is essentially akin to a wide-eyed old-school Disney princess (a 6-years-old in the body of a 16-year-old!) or some variant of the horror genre “manic-pixie-dream-girl-ingenue it-girl"...Wheew! However, with all the different looks and subtle behavioral/mood changes she goes through throughout the movie, Thomasin seriously displays some versatility as she certainly transforms herself; also thanks to the clothing she's wearing. Like everything in this movie, the wardrobe is outstanding, with all those dresses and coats! And they did a truly outstanding job as indeed those clothes are not wearing the girls, the protagonists are wearing the sh$t outta them!

Moral Of The Story: 9/10

LAST NIGHT IN SOHO....Death Becomes Her And Beautiful Nightmares? Maybe, maybe not and more, for it is safe to say that it is one of the best films of 2021 and no doubt one of the most visually alluring films ever made. It is a must-see for so many reasons and, despite things clearly needing to be more plainly explained (like how Eloise “abilities” work for one,) its murder mystery story, twist (cuz yes there is a twist!) and, well, mysteries will stay with you for a long long time.

And so will the psychedelic visual or the wonderful soundtrack (that too many of us are obsessing over!) And, lastly, its witchy vibes with nods to the like of THE CRAFT or evidently SUSPIRIA and the Giallo-ness of it all sprinkled all over, because, what less did you expect! There is also something wicked about LAST NIGHT IN SOHO and this can be seen through its many possible influences, references, or callbacks, bringing to mind other surreal movies. Thus all those easter eggs make this film an even more entertaining and bewitching one to watch. So if you haven’t done so, watch it tonight…. or watch it again!

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therappundit · 3 years

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***The Top 5 Rap Verses of 2021***

The Pundit’s Picks For the ”BEST” (a.k.a. MY Favorite) Rap Verses, From a Year Filled with Great Rap Verses...

In a year filled with “I gotta rewind that!” rap verses from some of the best to ever a hold a microphone, how do you even manage to pick “the best” verses?

The answer will always be some combination of how tightly the verse was written, the quotability, conviction of the MC, content (especially as it ties to a specific moment in time), wordplay, flow, delivery - and of course, personal tastes.

So in a year filled with stand-out verses from Lil Wayne, billy woods & E L U C I D (either solo or together as Armand Hammer), MIKE, Mavi, Skyzoo, Ransom, AZ, Your Old Droog, Willie The Kid, Conway The Machine, Earl Sweatshirt, Boldy James, Maxo Kream, Lil Durk, Roc Marciano, Little Simz, Peezy, 42 Dugg, Che Noir, Wiki, Fivio Foreign, Benny The Butcher, Lil Baby, Westside Gunn, Rio Da Young OG, EST Gee, Navy Blue, Stove God Cook$, Babytron, Jay NiCE, LAURYN FREAKIN’ HILL (!?), Mach-Hommy, Nicki Minaj, Polo G, Sleep Sinatra, Evidence, SHIRT, Raz Fresco, Jay Electronica, Jadakiss, P4K, Curren$y, Lute, Babyface Ray, Monday Night, The Opioid Era, Rigz, Semiratruth, Peezy, every damn member of Bruiser Brigade, Freddie Gibbs, Stik Figa, Fly Anakin, Tyler the Creator, Sauce Walka, Teller Bank$, Pros Ap, Namir Blade, Bizzy Banks, Valee, Nappy Nina, Lord Apex, Lloyd Banks, Sideshow, AKAI SOLO, BandGang Lonnie Bands, Defcee, Breeze Brewin, maassai, Ty Farris, Kipp Stone and Dark Lo....how can anyone choose just 5???

The answer: you remember this is ultimately a meaningless list, I’m a busy man with a family, and at the end of the day this is just an excuse to celebrate a mere glimpse at my favorite music of 2021!

These five songs came to mind because they each possess some form of “ex-factor”. Amidst the weekly tidal waves of new music over the course of the year, these five songs featured not just great artists rapping on a great song with great lyricism, but they each hit me with a bar - or even series of bars - that changed my course of thought for the day. This is not at all about the funniest punchlines or most clever metaphors, it’s deeper than that...it’s what separates a MC that happens to be an above average skilled rapper or writer, from a flat-out ARTIST.

With that all being said, here are my choices for the Best Rap Verses of 2021...

5. “Sunbeam” by Chester Watson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlxvoTNpPFI

(1997 was quietly one of the best projects of 2021, thanks to the quiet brilliance of Chester Watson. You wouldn’t be able to guess that he is primarily based in an uptempo party town like Miami when listening to 1997′s gentle and gorgeous opening song, “Sunbeam”. The poetic skills he showcases within this verse elevates the song to ear-grasping levels...and the sad honesty behind quotes like “once uttered words can run faster than horses,” should firmly place “Sunbeam” into song of the year conversations.)

Sunbeams create rainbows in the smoke I was up early, outside, it was cold And these last few days been rainy with a cloak of clouds When overhead, make the city seem remote Gold in the flesh, so I'm so picturesque Ballerina, it control pirouettes Feel the dosage effects, see my soul silhouette in the distance See my soul silhouette If you listen, then you just might grow and progress I just do it, asked Nike can they cut the cheque 'Cause cuz' fluent, feel the sunbeams on my chest Either that, or it's just steam from the fresh pre-roll That I tucked somewhere in the vest MM...FOOD, I feel like I eat beats for breakfast Move smart, a negative plus a negative's negative Can't be reckless, we all know the streets is treacherous People gon' switch up, that's to be expected Yeah, that's to be expected I don't need the friendships just to be respected Yeah, disrespect is out of the question Always take precautions, no second guessin' I Love Ugly garms are to guard the chains on my neck with Lose for wisdom, I cannot make exception Vibin' under sunbeams and reflection Wavy when your wife is your best friend Visualize, like, that's the life I could mesh with And remember to always tell her she's gorgeous Once uttered words can run faster than horses Yeah, so you can't be indifferent Two Balancias is good as he is wicked Smokin' spliffs on the edge of existence Watch the smoke spin in the air like a kick-flip People look at my hair, it's addictive Then they say I don't belong there, I'm a misfit Brown skin is just a characteristic A racist's heart blacker than me and all of my kin mixed Some friends stayed, some friends went Some things changed, some things didn't Still get compared to The Weeknd Felt like a Starboy when that sunbeam hit.

4. “Let It Roll Interlude” by IAMNOBODI feat. Phonte & BeMyFiasco [Phonte’s verse]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcG-NAR9KTk

(If anyone has the lyrics to this verse, please feel free to share! Full disclosure, I know less than nothing about IAMNOBODI or BeMyFiasco, but maaaaaan who is better than Phonte at cramming content into a short verse? From old school MC braggadocio to tackling middle-aged life during a quarantine to the Little Brother reunion, Phonte is able to tastefully add color to a background without blinding you with the details. Like any gifted artist, he knows that the music goes farther without having to be too on-the-nose with every rhyme. He always says just enough, and with just enough flare, to let you know exactly what his message is and that not many can match him as a MC or a song writer. While I would bet money that this verse will not getting any end of year recognition on any other site, it doesn’t make it any less special to me....I mean, “they spit with ‘Karen’ struggle, I spit with Sheila E’s(ease)”, that’s incredible!)

3. “Fuck You Know About Me” by DJ Muggs & Rome Streetz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pa8E8DVi-Tc

(Like many of the artists on this list, you can choose just about any one of their verses from 2021 and crown it the best verse of the year. Straight up, Rome Streetz is my favorite MC at the moment and has the largest amount of *great* verses in 2021, and it is NOT close. As a feature artist he is one of the hardest working and most potent, but he is equally skilled at pulling off great full length albums. This joint off of Rome and Muggs’ fantastic Death And The Magician really nails exactly what makes him a generational MC. Rome’s style is a perfect blend old & new school because his content could neatly fit into the early or mid-90′s New York scene, but his writing skills are so clearly of this era. A writer’s writer trapped inside a true knuckled-up New York shit talker, on first listen his aggressive demeanor can mislead you into thinking that he’s just another throwback MC, but once you realize that he doesn’t even need a full bar to be a true standout in this game, you can really begin to appreciate how special he is. “Live from where they give a dealer more time than a rapist” and “it’s hard when you learn a real lesson from a fake friend” both sound like they could be credited to legendary quotes from Biggie, JAY-Z, or Nas, and while it may not be fair to compare them, as far as I’m concerned we have not seen the ceiling for Rome Streetz yet and he has first ballot hall of famer written all over him.)

I really only want the 'fetti, fuck being famous Too many worried 'bout what another n*gga's name is My main concern is freein' my dogs out the cages Live from where they give a dealer more time than a rapist The system racist, that ain't no new revelation Crazy how mistakes gave me the best education From the start, lots of ends was the destination Road to riches, need a Rolls Royce and a 'rari racin A pocket with a dead face paper placed in It's hard when you learn a real lesson from a fake friend Watch the reptiles, they blend with the same skin Only so long a coward can front like a brave man Stupid n*ggas gonna spend eleven if they make ten Try to block the god, I'm a home invader, I break in No brake, all gas pedal, ping pongin' memories of how I made a big boulder out my last pebble Rebel, foldin' bread like a pretzel Can't skip steps, scrap, I excelled at every level Send a coin, get the tracking and hope the package get through Everything you do in your life is a chess move.

2. “With All My Heart” by Ka

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-jihUW-hvg

(Ka’s name will be dropped into these conversations virtually in any year that he drops a new album. A Martyr’s Reward is another diamond in the crown of his elite discography, that can somehow managed to go relatively unnoticed by many, while being worshipped as royalty by a fanbase that continues to grow with each release. Honestly, you can pick any one of his verses off of A Martyr’s Reward and dub it one of the best verses of the year, because Ka’s pen remains unparalleled. He manages to weave double-entendres together in a way that never feels forced, so even if you don’t pick up on it, the rhyme still makes perfect sense within the theme of the song - and that may not sound all that impressive, but I assure you that it makes him a unicorn in rap music, very few ever achieve that level of nuanced editing without sounding corny or redundant. I had to select “With All My Heart” as my pick for best verse off of the album....because if you know anything about Ka’s firefighter background - and the petty backlash from a certain NYC-based garbage rag that tried to frame Ka as a hypocrite - it makes the 9/11 reference at the end of his verse unique, and historically powerful...)

Gruеsome me; used to bе if we had rift, you felt the wrath Now I'm too sophist', still don't miss with shooting gift to help your path On your road to triumph, you know the science, I dealt in math These God sessions answer hard lessons; brethren seldom ask My misses gave butterfly kisses, she know I felt the lash The land is tense, I stand for sense, never knelt for cash Solid vow, I got it now, bow to who held it last Was done well and young fell if he dispel the past They tried to hush me cause gave dusty a smarter new glisten From a priceless mold, I might be old but I harvest nutrition You know the beast controls, so peace to those Gods that do listen If you scout them, each album imparts a new mission From child was already handling, images very damaging On corners politicking, police break us up like gerrymandering Once learned the land was never ran, never ran again No lessons clandestine all these ancestors I'm channeling Billion good deeds, eclipsed by a moment of weakness Got my yield in the field, you was at home in the bleachers From a savage site, had to fight just for owning some sneakers Where every link is grim its sink or swim, we got thrown to the deepest You ain't living premier if you living in fear No verdicts, not guilty since block filthy, no innocence here Since seared by sin, all I ever been is sincere If you hear I'm on the premises, every premise severe Though my rank capped at captain, I did it admirably Cause of my race, took hits from the start, it never staggered me Knew I was black back then, so at ten I had tenacity No tracks are vacuous, my pact is to do it masterfully When them planes crashed, Ka did his task in the catastrophe I dug and I held when them towers fell, how dare you try to hassle me?

1. “Life Of The Party” by Kanye West feat. Andre 3000 [Andre’s verse]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YNL5DCRNec

(Too easy of a pick for #1? Far from a simple verse but the second we all heard Andre 3000′s - unofficial, at the time - verse off of Kanye West’s DONDA album, clearly this was destined to hit the best verse of the year lists on most mainstream sites. Yes, it’s a slam dunk to slurp up any new material from the elusive, magical flute toting Outkast member...but I’m really not that guy, I have all the respect in the world for Outkast but personally I don’t keep their stuff in my regular rotation, I’m sorry but it’s just not my typical vibe! Managing to overshadow the whiny “beef” that was Ye vs. Drake in 2021, as well as the out of control media freight train that is Kanye West in general, Dre’s verse on “Life Of The Party” is not just one of the best verses of 2021, I think it is one of the greatest rap verses that I have ever heard.

Seriously. Forget you know anything about Andre 3000, and just focus on the messages in this verse, the performance, and the poetry he wields on this joint...he manages to turn an ode to someone else’s mother into a deep AF, personal exploration of his relationship with his own deceased mother and father, his childhood and his flaws, his changing perspectives as a young man that is rapidly getting older, someone that has all the fame and riches in the world but can still say something like “Miss Donda, you see my mama, tell her I’m lost” - and Andre aside, don’ even get me started on the section with DMX and his daughter closing out the song - and NO SHUT UP I’M NOT CRYING YOU’RE CRYING. In my opinion, Andre gave us audio gold with this one, and it’s a no-brainer selection for the best rap verse of 2021.)

You run into my mama, please tell her I said, "Say something" I'm startin' to believe ain't no such thing as Heaven's trumpets No after-over, this is it, done If there's a Heaven, you would think they'd let ya speak to your son Maybe she has in the form of a baby's laugh I heard passing by in a stroller remindin' me, "Hey, keep rolling" I don't know, maybe she has with a prick of a blade of grass I've been layin' on way too long, got me itchy Got up and roamed a lil' more Miss Donda, you see my mama, tell her I'm lost You see, she'd always light a cigarette, we talk, I would cough Exaggeratin' a lil' bit so she get the point Tryna get her to stop smokin', I would leave and fire up a ***** 'Til I quit, started back up again, twenty years later All that time, y'all thought a ***** was high, thought I was crazy My mom, she ain't cut no corners Got me back on track, I don't miss her overstepping But do miss her showin' Seven civilian life **** Ah, Miss Donda, you see my mama, whisper her this: The real reason I was geeked to go to church Must confess, when y'all grown-ups would be in Bible study That girl helping me with my homework? Her and I were **** So pure and ****, so spirit spinning and dirty So on, so on, and so on, we hoped that no one heard us Sh-sh, ah, ah And to this day, I think her mama knew but let us explore Miss Donda, you see my father, please, ask him why he never married Always smiled, but was he happy inside? Because I carried my mother's name, did he carry shame with him? I'm sure she did it out of spite, 'twas her decision at birth Shit, she probably was hurt, ah, poor baby Two young people with different views, a lot for a young lady No coincidence, they both passed away from heart conditions There's a dissidence at play, dad and mom do hard division Three Thou', poster child for big d*ck n*ggas raised by their mothers I'm supposed to smile as if God knew that I would be troubled Keeps me around, for what? I don't know But I do know that it's crucial, that we do so, pronto I don't know how much long though...

As always, thank you for checking out my stuff. 🙏

Next stop: my picks for the best rap albums of 2021...stay tuned!

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diamonddeposits · 3 years

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AROOJ AFTAB- LAST NIGHT

Brooklyn X Pakistan singer songwriter Arooj Aftab shares Last Night, with moon-lit vocals intoning a Hafiz poem soaked in twilight with swirling instrumentals-its hard not to be awestruck.The track is lifted from her just issued Vulture Prince LP. Have a listen via Bandcamp above!

#arooj aftab #bestof2021 #last night #brooklyn #pakistan #pop #sufi #night music #vulture prince

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mbari-blog · 3 years

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Holy mola! It’s a whole new year! 🎉⁠

⁠The ocean sunfish, Mola mola, can grow up to 10 feet long from head to tail. With a tiny mouth, this animal slurps jellies as they swim through the ocean. It was a treat for our remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to spot this sunfish as it dove to deeper water to feast on jellies. ⁠ ⁠ Molas are fairly common in Monterey Bay, spending part of the time floating on their sides at the surface, where boaters can get a good view. Sunning molas are visited by gulls who pick off tasty snacks—external parasites! Their large size and large number of parasitic hitchhikers make molas an unappetizing meal for most ocean animals. But gulls aren't picky eaters and don't mind gorging on those parasites.⁠ ⁠ Head on over to our YouTube channel and reminisce about the last year with MBARI’s Best of 2021 video.

#MBARI #deepsea #sealife #ocean #happynewyear #holymola #bestof2021

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recordsshmecords · 3 years

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21 of 2021: The Best Albums of 2021

It’s been a long time since I’ve broken out this ol’ Tumblr account. Life has changed in the...Jesus...four years since I last posted on here. But the fact of the matter is this; I was motivated to crank out my first end-of-the-year list for myself in quite sometime. A huge shout out to multiple random people that I’ve never met who approached me saying they actually read my nonsense throughout the years. Big reason I threw this list on this old account (seriously, people use Tumblr still? Shock). Thank you for the support and with that, here are 21 albums that kicked total ass in 2021, a year when good music was more necessary than ever.

21. Vince Staples – Vince Staples

Vince Staples gets straight to the point with no bullshit. His self-titled album, another knockout, is Staples’ least abrasive sonically, toning the energy down with his focused lyricism front and center. Unlike other Staples albums, there’s no real political or social commentary explicitly explored. Instead, this self-titled album plays as stories told from someone who’s lived them, painting vivid portraits of a life consumed by violence and fear. The inevitability of death permeates the album, be that the inevitability from the lifestyle or simple matter of fact that no one lives forever. Vince Staples reveals the traumas that brought him to the conclusions of life – violence and pain that would define his entire outlook.

20. Sault – Nine

Everything about Sault’s fifth album Nine felt subtly monumental. The British soul/funk collective stays secretive, save for the knowledge that it’s a collab effort from producer Inflo with Cleo Sol (whose delivered a phenomenal album in 2021 with Mother) delivering some knockout lead vocals. In pure enigmatic fashion, Nine was only available for download/streaming for 99 days before disappearing forever. Though it may be gone, the thoughtful meditations of race and modern sociological issues resonated long past the album ran off into the night. Maybe it was the catchiness of the tunes; sticking these ideas in the mind through a subtle release that will never be forgotten.

19. Turnstile – Glow On

An absolutely BITCHIN hardcore punk album that brought soaring emotions, Glow On is the best album from Maryland band Turnstile. Glow On shreds the fuck out. But it’s not all punk jamming; Brandon Yates’ vocal performance take on an anthemic quality soars along with the rifts, morphing the production into something dream-like and intoxicating. Glow On feels like a gung-ho, go for broke type of hardcore album grappling with existential ideas in the fiercest way possible, blurring genre lines but remaining a punk statement throughout. My favorite type of punk and an album that was a perfect catharsis throughout the year. Definitely damaged my hearing with this one.

18. Squid – Bright Green Field

Hands-down the best debut of 2021, Squid are a post-punk British oozing with bountiful, off-the-cuff eccentricity throughout Bright Green Field. This is an album that indulges in any tendency as it sees fit, playing in its own labyrinthian world with listeners invited to spiral along. Whiplash is expected when songs veer from one end of the punk spectrum to whatever makes sense in the moment. As a band, Squid sound so secure in their vision here that it’s boggling to comprehend this as their first album. I randomly stumbled across Bright Green Field after a night of drinking, engulfing myself in its often unsettling atmosphere. This is one that begs to be listened in the dark, headphones cranked to deafening levels for the best “descent into madness” experience of 2021.

17. Tune-Yards – sketchy.

It’s easy to forget, but Tune-Yards have been working in the industry for 15 years, delivering quirky art pop with Merrill Garbu’s lead vocals always acting as some of the genre’s most distinct. Each Tune-Yards album provides unique soundscapes, but sketchy. is possibly the band’s most eclectic and colorful work thus far. A more personal album than previous projects, sketchy. is a confidently anxious project that confronts all manner of issues by puffing its chest and doing what it needs for release. It’s always bizarre, as all Tune-Yards albums are delightfully weird in general, but sketchy. comes in guns blazing with pure intent and passion. I was taken off-guard by how much I loved revisiting the world crafted here throughout 2021. Tune-Yards don’t give a shit and will express the heart on their sleeve as seen fit, something I’m 100% here for.

16. Julien Baker – Little Oblivions

Little Oblivions, the third album from singer/songwriter Juilen Baker, is an utterly punishing experience. Not in how abrasive the album isn’t, but how Baker’s self-destructive lyricism paints a vivid portrait of tormented emotions that feels like something beyond personal. Utilizing a full band rather than the simplicity of acoustic folk, Little Oblivions feels at once fittingly huge and painfully intimate. Like the diary of someone grappling with trauma in the midst of ego death, Baker brings a wide-eyed unpredictability of someone with nowhere to go but within. Little Oblivions isn’t a sad record because of the topics, it’s the singer’s own approach to the material that hurts the most. You want to tell Baker everything will be alright, despite knowing that’s bullshit.

15. Self-Esteem – Prioritise Pleasure

When Rebecca Taylor left the band Slow Club to reimagine herself as the bonafide Madonna-esque popstar Self-Esteem, it seemed like a jarring shift of intent. And yes, indie-folk to pop-bombast is a pivot for the ages, but Self-Esteem’s true nature is more personal and direct than the quiet intimacy afforded to folk. Her second album as Self-Esteem, Prioritise Pleasre, is a direct takedown of relationship dynamics and sexist gender politics that eschews preachiness by delivering the years’ biggest anthems of self-gratification. Even when the album is fighting with fire in its eyes, there’s a genuine sensitivity that comes through with fantastic songwriting as Taylor isn’t pointing the finger or laying the blame; she’s showing her side and bearing her soul for anyone willing to listen. Taylor’s Self-Esteem moniker isn’t a statement of who she is, it’s statement reminding herself who she is. This album feels like she’s shaking you, crying passionately for understanding from every angle.

14. Kanye West – DONDA

To anyone that knows me: yes, I knew you knew DONDA would make my best of 2021 list. But the thing is, the experience of the DONDA lead up is crucial to understanding what made this Kanye West’s best album since The Life of Pablo. Constant delays, the massive listening events that showed an artist crafting the album in real-time, the constant turmoil of Kanye’s personal life; all factored into DONDA being as grand as it is. You don’t listen to a damn near two-hour experience this messy and nitpick the flaws; you admire some of Kanye’s biggest, boldest, and most emotional work yet. It’s a slop-show structurally (my god, the deluxe is worse) and saves the best for the second half, but it’s a Kanye flex in every way imaginable. Being a Kanye fan can sometimes seem like a full-time job of defense and head-shaking, but 2021 was the gift that kept giving for Kanye fanatics with DONDA smack dab in the middle, defining a true cultural moment.

13. Laura Mvula – Pink Noise

Despite being nominated for the prestigious Mercury Prize in 2016, British artist Laura Mvula was unexpectedly dropped from her label RCA. A heavy blow to any artist and one that would undoubtedly drudge up the worst emotions. Five-years-later, Laura Mvula returns not with negativity, but with Pink Noise - a glistening and sexy slice of 80s/90s pop with Mvula radiating more confidence and style than ever before. It’s her biggest sounding album, dominated by a vocal performance bursting with attitude, sass and passion. This feels like an album specifically for Mvula to prove her self-worth to herself, to show the labels and critics that she’s worthy of her own artistry. Screw the labels and critics – Laura Mvula deserves the happiness radiating on every inch of Pink Noise.

12. Doja Cat – Planet Her

Easily the biggest surprise of 2021. I knew Doja Cat to be a talented rapper/singer with a dash of controversy, but hadn’t dug a complete project from her. Like other big name female rappers who’ve conquered the charts, Doja exuberant viral personality is tantamount to Planet Her’s energy and quality. She’s given us a chart-topping pop album that feels spaced-out and confident from beginning to end. Planet Her isn’t just full of catchy tracks specifically designed for maximum plays; these tracks earn your repeated listens with fantastic production and Doja Cat’s uniquely animated voice that’s as entrancing as it is hype as fuck. The pop-mainstream doesn’t always deliver on the album experience, but Planet Her powered through as one of the most worthwhile entries in some time. Sometime, a little faith in “what’s popular” can pay dividends.

11. Jayda G – DJ Kicks (Mix)

I’m going to keep it real – “Both of Us” by Canadian house producer Jayda G is one of my favorite bangers to share with people. It’s full of raw emotion that builds at a breakneck pace to an explosive soulful climax without ever losing any propulsion that house music needs to be a success. It’s incredible and while I’ve waited to see a solo-release of some sort from this incredible new talent, I’m floored with Jayda G’s contribution to the DJ Kicks series. It’s a soulful blend of house utilizing a plethora of raw samples for maximum impact on the dance floor. Once Jayda G starts the set, she sounds like a veteran of the genre with complete control of her craft, creating art through movement. It never loses momentum and I dare say it’s the best installment in the DJ Kicks series heard in years. Jayda G continues to be an artist to watch, especially when a simple DJ mix holds a candle to the best works of 2021.

10. Czarface & MF DOOM – Super What?

If 2020 didn’t suck shit enough, the death of hip-hop legend MF DOOM was a crushing blow to the entire rap community and artistry in general. DOOM amassed a following of rabid fans by simply being one of the best wordsmiths (an opinion I strongly share) of the genre. If DOOM’s death was a crushing blow, another collab with hip-hop supergroup Czarface was exactly needed to soften the hit. Super What? was delayed due to the pandemic and because of this, DOOM never comes off like an incomplete presence is in top form. DOOM may not be in every song, but his tracks feel like a pure showcase for a legend in prime form. Each member of Czarface (7L, Esoteric, Inspectah Deck) sound like they’re honored to be part of an icon’s legacy, delivering top-tier bars and production. It’s rare to get posthumous performances that live up to the life of the artist, but Super What? works as a bittersweet send-off to one of the all-time greats.

9. Tyler, The Creator – CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST

I remember the Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All era of Tyler, The Creator like it was yesterday. The brutal shows of the collective, the abrasive (sure…problematic) attitude and sensation of a group bringing something new as a collective; it was exciting to see where it would all go. Throughout each subsequent solo album, ex-OFWGKTA leader Tyler, The Creator consistently challenged the perception of his brash persona, slowly peeling layers of his persona to reveal the intimate and personal side like never before. If Flower Boy was his descent into personal territory, and Igor was a bizarre interpretation of those sensibilities, CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST is Tyler, The Creator revealing and celebrating himself to the fullest. Tyler raps is ass off, bringing DJ Premier along for a personal odyssey that looks at the past to come to terms with the present. CMIYGL feels like the most cohesive vision of the Tyler persona; a soul-bearing rap epic that might just be his best album yet.

8. Lakou Mizik & Joseph Ray – Leave the Bones

I’m going to be 100% honest about this entry – I didn’t know, and still don’t, much of the history behind Lakou Mizik or Joseph Ray. I know Lakou Mizik as a multi-generational Hation roots band and Ray won a Grammy for a Skrillex/Nero remix of one of his tracks. Whatever the case and lack of knowledge, I feel the music within Leave the Bones speaks for these artists better than any online search would bring. I like it that way; keeping Leave the Bones a multi-cultural house record that destroys the dance floor with peace, love and unity. It’s an album that immediately brings a better mood with an exuberance pouring out with every track. The less I know details, the more I focused on the act of crafting such joyous tunes. One of the purest experiences of 2021.

7. Bo Burnham – Inside (The Songs)

Okay, so I tend to avoid comedy albums on end of the year lists, let alone one containing songs from a Netflix special. The thing is, no other piece of media grappled with the intimate issues 2020 left in its wake like the songs featured on Bo Burnham’s new special Inside. These songs are certainly hilarious at times, but strikingly catchy and produced with a level of craft often reserved for the biggest names in the business. Even without the visual aid of the film, Inside (The Songs) features tracks that feel remarkably honest and timely. Every one of Burnham’s songs seem to come from such an honest place of observation, like watching the world crumbling in 2020 felt to so many people. It becomes a mental health awakening that rightfully deserves to be in the conversation of the best album/film 2021 had in store. If you’ve ever felt trapped and insecure about yourself, maybe unsure how to channel personal energy, Inside (The Songs) has something guaranteed to get a laugh through a few tears.

6. Porter Robinson – Nurture

In the seven(!) years since Porter Robinson’s debut album Worlds became a sensation of the electronic dance genre, times have changed. The initial burst of new and fresh EDM led to an oversaturation in the pop sphere, almost diluting what made some of the genre’s best so great in the early part of the 2010s. Nurture isn’t Porter trying to recreate the success of Worlds nor is it any sort of commentary on the state of modern dance music – it’s a full blown statement of an artist who used the gap in albums to refine his sound and come to terms with his own place in the world. Nurture feels like a sigh of relief - like a hug from a loved one that hasn’t been seen in years or a feeling of peace rather than anxiety in moments of solitude. Worlds has a special place in my heart, but Nurture is a personally fulfilling album that glistens with hope every step of the way.

5. Little Simz – Sometimes I Might Be Introvert

With her breakout mainstream appearance in the new Venom film (best scene in an otherwise mediocre movie), it’d be forgivable if Sometimes I Might Be Introvert being the FOURTH Little Simz studio album came as something of a shock. The British-Nigerian rapper delivered a major critical darling in 2019’s Grey Area, displaying her incredible flows and intricate wordplay to a whole new legion of fans and leaving everyone frothing for a follow up. Everything was all warm-up; Sometimes I Might Be Introvert is the rapper’s best work by a country mile, no tall feat considering the quality of her previous albums. Little Simz matches her thoughtful bars with some of the best production of any album in 2021, booming along with soulful samples and kinetic beats that keep up with her madcap delivery. Easily one of 2021’s premier hip-hop records, Little Simz delivered something special that rightfully boosted her into a whole other level of fame.

4. Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee

To say Michelle Zauner had the glow-up of 2021 would be an understatement. After two solid albums leading Japanese Breakfast, the singer shifted her focus towards writing and landed a New York Times bestseller with her memoir Crying In H-Mart. Zauner’s book is a beautiful read, meditating on life with her mother using food as a gateway into poetic ruminations on bittersweet memories that defined a relationship forever. While the book is the meditation on death, Japanese Breakfast’s third-studio-album Jubilee is the catharsis. It’s the band’s most confident and assured work yet, delivering some of the finest singles in 2021 (“Be Sweet”, “Posing In Bondage”). Though Crying in H-Mart isn’t required reading to connect with Jubilee, the pairing of both crafts a thoughtful narrative of the human experience at once gut-wrenching and all too real. It’s the remembrance of small moments that stay with us forever, no matter how insignificant in the moment, that define our lives forever.

3. Wolf Alice – Blue Weekend

Hot off the heels of the 2018 Mercury Prize winning album Visions of a Life, Wolf Alice were in a situation award-winning, acclaimed bands find themselves; where do we go from here? Rather than completely reinventing, Wolf Alice doubled down and worked to perfect specific vibes on their newest album Blue Weekend. This is alternative rock by definition only; each song expertly plays as a series of vignettes, indulging in rock, shoegaze, folk, trip-hop and dream-pop without losing an ounce of cohesion. Wolf Alice keep a narrative of relationships and proceeding anxieties as a loose guideline to tell a mood-piece. Each song feels so distinct, its own contained story with something for any kind of vibe. Melancholic, joyous, or spacey; Wolf Alice have specifically designed the entire album to work on a multitude of emotional waves.

What separates Blue Weekend from the slew of dream-pop releases is not only the perfectly curated moods, but the fact that Wolf Alice delivered their best album by working towards improving everything that came before. The genres being explored don’t see reinvention often, so it’s up to bands like Wolf Alice to prove that a moody-shoegaze-alternative album can be thrilling. Not just music, but worlds to escape and discover ourselves within. A world of our own, separated from reality and finding the biggest truths. Blue Weekend is a masterpiece of the genre(s) that will be a blueprint (sorry) of what these sounds can accomplish in a new decade.

2. CHVRCHES – Screen Violence

While touring their third album Love Is Dead, CHVRCHES received horrific threats of death and rape, often directed toward frontwoman Lauren Mayberry. The taunting from Chris Brown based off comments Mayberry made about domestic abuse set shitty Brown’s fans into a frenzy, attracting shitty Tyga fans to pick at the electropop band. Upping security, CHVRCHES powered on to finish the tour only to have Covid-19 isolate the band with the rest of the world. With the band already disillusioned with the touring life, isolation could have been the kiss of death. Instead, the band fittingly recorded their latest album Screen Violence over video sessions in isolation for what is easily the heaviest album the CHVRCHES discography. It’s also their best.

Lauren Mayberry sounds better than ever. Though the threats gave her enough material to tackle misogyny headfirst, Mayberry is more concerned with expressing the confusing and terrifying mental repercussions of trauma. Everything is based off the worst case “what if” scenario in Mayberry’s lyrics, yearning for the comforting past not out of naivety, but weariness. CHVRCHES are at their glitchy electronic best, throwing in more guitars and reverb than ever before which compliment the band’s darker turn. Mixing cinematic production with Mayberry’s awe-inspiring performance makes Screen Violence the most dramatically satisfying album from the band. It’s as if isolation allowed everyone to fully express themselves in a world of their own. Screen Violence doesn’t find answers in the turmoil, but confronts them head on with an aggression of someone backed into a corner. Of all albums in 2021, Screen Violence is the most personally impactful, digging deep into the darkest side of mental health with honesty and heartbreaking realism. It fucked me up.

1. Jungle – Loving In Stereo

The best albums of 2021 felt like the reprieve needed after a tumultuous year the world still grapples with. Many, myself included, were impacted on a personal scale in a myriad of ways that shifted perspective of life as we knew it. In a digital age, the worst tendencies of man are on full display for all to see and as such, every self-accomplishment can feel insignificant or inconsequential to the madness around us. The best music of 2021 felt like an affirmation that no matter the context, everyone struggles with acceptance on a personal and collective scale that requires looking inward first. The new Jungle album Loving In Stereo is the album of 2021, for me, because it epitomizes everything music does to free the mind from the darkest depths.

It’s right there in the Apple Music description, spoken by Jungle producer/multi-instrumentalist Josh Lloyd-Watson: “This is the antithesis to our last record – where that was about heartbreak, this album is about freedom, picking yourself and moving forward,” before adding “It’s an album made for bringing people together; upbeat tunes to set people free.” And that’s precisely what Jungle deliver on Loving In Stereo – wall-to-wall groovy bangers that actively beg you to cut loose and feel yourself. It’s a massive album that feels like a monument for liberation at every turn, at every groove, with something amazing around every corner. We may be living in rough times, but hope for a better tomorrow is always possible with the focus on beautiful moments and how they can eventually overtake the bleakest of times. Jungle aren’t going to save the world with Loving In Stereo, but albums like it make it a better place.

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