Drawing up a list of my favourite records from throughout the year is one of the most enjoyable aspects to the blog and 2019 has been a good year with lots of great records and new discoveries.
This year I’ve narrowed it down 13 and to be fair, there is very little between them, such is the high quality!
Aside from the list of 13 below, I spent a lot of time listening to Skepta’s 2016 album Konnichiwa, Skream’s 2006 self-titled debut, two records released in December 2018 – Dan Amor’s Afonydd a Drysau & Curly Castro’s Tosh – and an absolute ton of Lonnie Donegan.
And as ever, if there is a record that you loved this year and isn’t included here, feel free to leave a recommendation below.
Without further ado, here are my favourite records from 2019. Enjoy!
13. Fold – ‘We’re The Ones’
Leeds-based Hip-Hop/Trip Hop outfit Fold returned with the follow-up to their superb 2015 self-titled debut. Unsurprisingly, and thankfully,
We’re The Ones follows a similar opus; pitting an enviable creativity with a powerful social consciousness to create something thoroughly powerful, unique and irresistible. It brings a message of empowerment, unity and equality, as well as addressing a slew of social issues. Importantly, they deliver their message without overlooking the importance of music’s need to move and groove. We’re The Ones is clever and compelling, the tracks are intelligent and thoughtful, while also seductive and infectious. As they say themselves; “this album is dedicated to those who care about others.”
Listen in full here.
12. FIDLAR – ‘Almost Free’
For album number three, LA garage punks FIDLAR presented an eclectic evolution of their sound as scuzzy guitars and overdriven riffs combine with whopper choruses and no-fucks-given lyrics. Lyrically they have developed further, grown up somewhat, as the album tackles weightier subject matter, while not losing the monster riffs, fizzing hooks and frank lyrics that we’ve come to love. A blistering collection of eclectic tunes, Almost Free is the sound of FIDLAR reinvigorated.
Listen in full here.
11. Mesa Luna – ‘Lash’
Vancouver’s Mesa Luna – the one-man dream-pop project of multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer, Justice McLellan – released his long-awaited debut LP Lash this year. It is an absorbing record, one of seductive grooves, lush tones and dreamy, blissed-out vibes, that sit perfectly alongside bouts of introspective searching, yearning emotion and a doleful, melancholic air. From the shimmering synth-filled gallop of ‘Dispel’, hymn like euphoric anthem of hope and defiance of ‘Woronoco’, absorbing swagger and irresistible grooves of ‘Don’t Let Go’ and warm layers of subtle euphoria, elegant chimes and fluttering keyboards of ‘Church Garden’ – it is a transfixing and blissful sound. bound together by beautiful textures, lush synths and hypnotic grooves.
Listen in full here.
10. Czarface – ‘Czarface Meets Ghostface’
Comic book-themed hip-hop collective Czarface – Wu-Tang’s Inspectah Deck, and Boston duo 7L & Esoteric – burst back into action with their Ghostface Killah collaboration. There is so much to love here; it is a labour of love, unapologetic old-school hip-hop built around those clattering boom-bap beats, rugged production and bursting with colourful pop-culture references (old and contemporary) and as is their way, woven through with a self-contained narrative inspired by superhero comics. Magnificent, escapist fun, and like the others in the Czarface series, worthy of a place is any record collection.
Listen in full here.
