5 February Drops You Should Listen To +1 January Honorable Mention
SAYA by Saya Grey
WHY LISTEN
I’m one of the many people who will engage with the ads from musicians on IG and that’s how I discovered Canadian alternative artist Saya Gray. My music library is better for it. Saya Gray’s eponymous album SAYA is definitely a brilliant artful take on pop. Even more inspiring is how much of the song is hers - with her being the vocalist as well as playing the bass, drums, guitar, and many more.
The opening and closing tracks, “..THUS IS WHY” and “LIE DOWN..” respecitvely, create a sonically circular narrative that feed into each other. “LINE BACK 22” is a song for days when the sky is gray and you feel the slight depression of raining spring when the weather is 65 degrees but its cloudy and dark outside.
I just know hearing this album live would probably having me sad as fuck, but it would be so worth it.
MY 2 FAVORITE TRACKS
”LIE DOWN…’” …THUS IS WHY (I DON’T SPRING 4 LOVE)”
BEFORE SUNRISE by Deavhon
WHY LISTEN
I love when hip hop feels like poetry. Before Sunrise is introspective and the Bandcamp album description contextualizes the 11 track album’s fascinating narrative and depth.
The story is heavy dealing with stories of violence and grief, but also religion, love and surrender. But amidst the hard bars and flows of tracks like “mudd travels” and “life so.” there’s this sweet moment in “mani.”, one of my favorite tracks from the project, where the rapper shows his singing ability which is pretty smooth.
The final track “praise be” closes the album so beautifully even if the title reminds me of the chilling and unfortunately timely Handmaid’s Tale. Nonetheless, Before Sunrise is an enjoyable 24 minute journey into the mind.
MY 2 FAVORITE TRACKS
”mudd travels’” and “mani.”
WONDERLOVE by Chase Shakur
WHY LISTEN
I don’t really buy meet and greet tickets for artists unless I really fuck with them (because why the fuck would you do that, right), but this album had me on Ticketmaster ready to purchase before I remembered I gotta pay my light bill that increased during the wintertime.
That’s how good this album is.
Chase Shakur’s Wonderlove is a beautiful ride through RnB. “LIMERENCE” feels like the type of RnB our parents (parents born in the 70s at least) listened to. But then there’s “FAIRTYTALES IN MIDTOWN” sampling the lovely SexyyRedd in this very hookah lounge type sound. I can smell the grape and smoke in lungs. Wonderlove takes Brent Faiyaz’s nachos, adds some seasoned beef, and makes a full platter. This is an album to dance to, chill to, write to, stare at the ceiling to.
I will get those meet and greet tickets for sure.
MY 3 FAVORITE TRACKS
”LUV IN DA 6’”, “2ofUs” and “LIMERENCE”
Off With Her Head by Banks
WHY LISTEN
Banks is such an interesting artist who drops her music and minds her business. Off With Her Head is yet another heartbreak album I’m writing about, but Banks has her own consistent brand of pop with her blend of electronic production, synths, and vocal effects. The album open’s very strongly with “Guillotine” and “I Hate Your Ex-Girlfriend (feat. Doechii)”. Having not listened to any singles before the album drop I was nervous considering the other white lady Doechii featured with, but this song was a bop.
Even when the album slows down in the middle with “Stay” and “Best Friends” it feels appropriate to this narrative around betrayal and heartbreak.
I wish the Sampha feature had hit more. I was very excited to hear how Sampha’s voice would mix with hers, only to be underwhelmed. His voice would’ve been better served on the following track “River”. That and the odd pronunciation of “Delulu” - “day” versus the more common/accepted “duh” - are my only pieces of critical feedback. The title track, powerful and thematic, closes the album.
MY 2 FAVORITE TRACKS
”Move (feat. Yseult)’” and “Direction”
SLATE by Indapond
WHY LISTEN
My friends are so talented and Indapond has proven such again with his EP “SLATE”. After what felt like years of listening to Untittled links and talks about retiring from music, Indapond finally dropped this 4-track package blending RnB and eelctronic music together.
I told him when I first heard “New Cologne” that the song reminded me of early 2000s RnB. In my mind I imagine a music video a la Omarion’s “Touch”. Someone turn on the rain and get the finest video vixen with the snatched waist before the BBL bodies. “Tell Me Sum (feat. Glokey” has him talking his shit. Whether Pond is rapping, like in “Radical Insight” and “Body Bandits”, or singing like in “Hips” and “U Down”, if Pond is on a track its bound to be a hit.
MY 2 FAVORITE TRACKS
”Lovin’” and “New Cologne”
POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION by YTK
WHY LISTEN
Fuck thieves. I’m sure YTK would agree with the sentiment, considering his laptop was stolen summer of 2024. But even amongst the circumstances, Teek notes the positive highs that he felt during the making of the project and it really shows. The album is 10 tracks and 20 minutes, which is relatively short, but also the longest YTK project as of now. Yet, POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION, is one project that I can say I really enjoy from top to bottom. No skips. I was surprised at IDKWTB’s inclusion on the tracklist, and “Living Room Waltz”’s absence considering the timing of their release. “DEADBEAT TEEK” is hilarious and I was almost concerned if it was autobiographical. The beat switch-up is elite. Then “ALAMEDA 28TH” is a track to 2-step to or bad-bitch-bop at least.
“SMOOTH” is the perfect closer to this project. Introspective Teek is one of my favorite expressions - as also seen in 2021’s “Green’s Carryout” and this song makes this 20 minute project feel as full as a 30 minute project. I wanna hear Smino on an extended version.
MY 2 FAVORITE TRACKS
”SMOOTH’” and “1999”