Favorite 50 Albums of 2018
We’re a couple weeks into 2019 & now that we’ve had a bit of time to reflect & look back on all that happened in music last year, here are my favorite albums of 2018. While the list doesn’t have a real order all the way through, I’ve singled out the 10 albums that impacted me the most and that I had on repeat most often and wrote a blurb about each one.
It’s okay if an album you really liked isn’t on this list – I listen to a ton of music, but there’s only so many hours in each day & a lot slips through the cracks. Also, our music tastes may not be the same, but I hope you discover something on this list that you hadn’t heard yet that you end up enjoying. Hit me with suggestions if there’s anything you think I missed out on this year.
CARE FOR ME – Saba
This was my favorite album of the entire year. Saba’s one of the most gifted artists in the rap game right now and this album is painfully beautiful due to his ability and willingness to talk about internal issues such as grief, depression, toxic masculinity, and loneliness. I can relate to a lot of the topics and discourse and it really hit home for me. 2018 was a transformative year for me & Saba’s album helped me get through it.
Room 25 – Noname
Noname is so, so, so good. She always clarifies that she’s not a poet, but if she’s not one then she’s something extremely similar to one. She talks about herself & all that’s currently going on life for her in some pretty imaginative ways that paint a level of imagery you won’t find from any other artist. Of the current crop of Chicago artists, she may be the person I’m most bummed I haven’t seen live yet. Ace features Saba & Smino and is one of the best songs of the entire year.
Hive Mind – The Internet
The Internet is one of my favorite bands & one of the things I love about them is that they’re legitimately best friends. Each member brings a unique flavor to the group & as a collective they’re not afraid to let each other’s strengths shine & you can tell by the way they made such a cohesive album. Each member put out a solo album in the time since their last group album & I think it’s helped them really hone their collaborative sound when they came back together. I guess I would describe this album as groovy, funk-infused, indie R&B?
Pieces of a Man – Mick Jenkins
I’m four albums in & three of the artists so far are from Chicago. I may be biased since I live here, but in my opinion Chicago has the deepest roster of talent within hip hop right now. The fact that Saba, Noname, & Mick all came from & cultivated their skills via the Young Chicago Authors program says a lot about the city & its youth poetry scene. That being said, Mick Jenkins is another incredibly talented Chicago-based lyricist who put out a great album in 2018. One of the things I really enjoy about Mick’s music is he’s never afraid to touch on his own personal flaws & growth, & never relents in his quest to continually get better as both an artist & as a person.
Negro Swan – Blood Orange
Blood Orange aka Dev Hynes was born in Houston, TX & then raised primarily in East London before settling in NYC as a young adult, so he’s come from a very interesting background & it’s greatly influenced the depths of his music. He doesn’t really fit in a box. His sound ranges anywhere from R&B, pop, house, indie rock, to hip hop, & funk - you never really know what you’re going to get but it’s always rooted in emotion. He says the theme of this album is “black depression” & it’s a beautiful rollercoaster with some really great features from Diddy (!!!), A$AP Rocky, Project Pat, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Steve Lacy, & Janet Mock.
Silk Canvas – VanJess
VanJess are a duo featuring sisters Jessica & Ivana Nwokike that look & act like twins but they’re a year a part. As a result they work incredibly well together & have the utmost confidence in their sound, which is upbeat R&B with a dash of electronic. This whole album is full of bops & after following their singles since 2016, I’m really glad they were able to have so much success with this first record.
November – SiR
This album came out in early 2018 & still managed to stick with me all year. TDE has so many great artists on the label it’s not even fair. SiR’s album is simply just smooth West Coast neo-soul executed very well. If you’re ever passing time on Youtube, the visuals in his music videos for ‘Summer in November’ and ‘D’Evils” are super smooth too.
Lady Lady – Masego
Masego’s collaborative song with FKJ, “Tadow”, is one of the best feel-good songs of the year & the video of them making the track is awesome. Masego plays every instrument you can think of - saxophone, drums, keys - and puts them all together to make great production in style he calls “TrapHouseJazz” and then takes it another level by adding clever vocals. I highly recommend attending one of his live shows if you ever get the chance.
Isolation – Kali Uchis
Kali Uchis is Colombian-American and does a hell of a job combining funk, indie R&B, and pop into both English and Spanish jams. I haven’t heard some random xylophone notes elevate a song quite like on “Your Teeth In My Neck” - I was really hoping this song would take off as a summer jam and it did on a certain level, but it really deserved a lot more shine. How many people you know getting a Bootsy Collins feature on their debut studio album?
Soulection Black Label: Hablot Brown – Hablot Brown
Last but not least, Hablot Brown is a new band on the scene based in L.A consisting of twin brothers Austin & John Brown and vocalist Linus Lester-Hodges. The three of them formed the band while attending Berklee College of Music & realized the trajectory they were on & dropped out to move west and get after it at full speed. They’re a smooth blend of neo-soul & alternative. I went to their tour stop in Chicago & their performance blew me away, especially for a group that’s so new. I get a lot of people asking, “What song is this?” when I play their tracks & I’ve started a few sets with “Reason” because it sets the mood right off top.
The Other 40 (no particular order):
CHERISH – Jay Prince
Good Thing – Leon Bridges
Some Rap Songs – Earl Sweatshirt
Geography – Tom Misch
In The Comfort Of – Sango
Something to Feel – Mac Ayres
Die Lit – Playboi Carti
ONEPOINTFIVE – Aminé
Redemption – Jay Rock
Daytona – Pusha T
Gangin – SOB X RBE
2012-2017 – A.A.L (Against All Logic)
FM! – Vince Staples
Fever Focus EP – Jacques Greene
Lost EP – Brent Faiyaz
DJ-Kicks – Mount Kimbie
Astroworld – Travis Scott
Swimming – Mac Miller
Letters of Irrelevance – Patrick Paige II
The ArtScience Remixes EP – Robert Glasper / Kaytranada
The World Is Yours – Rich the Kid
Dirty Computer - Janelle Monáe
Con Todo El Mundo – Khruangbin
Knock Knock – DJ Koze
Harlan & Alondra – Buddy
Fetti – Curren$y, Freddie Gibbs, & The Alchemist
QUARTERTHING – Joey Purp
Wide Awake! – Parquet Courts
boygenius EP – boygenius
Lover Chanting EP – Little Dragon
Heaven and Earth – Kamasi Washington
Stone Woman – Charlotte Day Wilson
Starting Today – Joe Armon-Jones
Fever – Black Milk
Come To Canada You Will Like It – Project Pablo
Streams Of Thought, Vol. 2 – Black Thought
Conexão EP – Amber Mark
Invasion of Privacy – Cardi B
NOIR – Smino
Oxnard - Anderson .Paak
Bonus round: Here are the artists whose upcoming albums, whether rumored or confirmed, I’m looking forward to most this year.
Toro y Moi
Jordan Rakei
James Blake
Frank Ocean
Solange
Tame Impala
Rihanna
Isaiah Rashad
Spread love,
Alexander