Obligatory sentence that expresses disgust, disdain and disapproval of shitty shit shit music released this year.
To be perfectly honest, though, I wanna say there was a boatload of great shit that came out this year, but I'm not too sure anymore. Still, teh shit that I did enjoy, I enjoyed a whole fucking lot. Like, teh artists who came through with dope shit came with that front-to-back album chock-full-of-goodness type dope shit.
So, while this edition of teh Year in Review continues in teh tradition of having only two categories, I suppose some elaboration on teh uber-favourites will offer some insight into teh dopeness of teh dopeness.
ZOMG DIS IZ LYKE SOOOOO FULL OV TEH AWESOME!
Dam-Funk - Toeachizown
A crazy mix of some dope soul/space/funk shit, Toeachizown demands you to roll up and blaze to it for the entire two hours.
Electric Wire Hustle - Electric Wire Hustle
Now this is what (post-?)(modern-?)neo-soul should sound like, yes?
Exile - Radio
A great achievement in instrumental music, Exile displays his mastery of the MPC and his incredible ear for samples.
Fashawn - Boy Meets World
Boy Meets World is almost like a loose sequel to Blu & Exile's Below the Heavens. Almost. Regardless of teh comparisons, what's important is taht Fash kills it, and Exile comes thru with some serious heat.
J Dilla - Jay Stay Paid
Yup, obvious inclusion of Dilla is obvious. I don't give a fuck. The beats bang, the features bang, so that's that.
Little Dragon - Machine Dreams
A little more dancy and upbeat than their debut, Machine Dreams maintains teh atmospheric beauty of their sound while pounding even moar synth-heavy goodness without ever missing a beat. And ZOMG, seeing Yukimi and teh gang perform live was just epic.
Madlib - Beat Konducta Vol. 5-6
BKvol5-6 gets a mention here because I actually officially copped the shit in 2009, even though I loved the hell out of teh leak in 2008.
Metric - Fantasies
This is far and away my favourite Metric album. Everything about it is So Succexy.
Mos Def - The Ecstatic
The Mighty Mos' take on DOOM's model of music making shows him in top form. Casa Bey is that crack. Not to mention the Ruler's cameo appearance is worth the price of admission alone.
Nicolay - City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
Genre-bending seems to be name of the game for my favourite crew of musicians, The Foreign Exchange. Whatever teh classification, this album is perfect for any time of day no matter where you might find, or lose, yourself.
Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. II
Though rap album sequels are generally fail, Raekwon does not disappoint on this one. In fact, this album is an amazing follow up to teh O.G., banging beats and crazy ill drug raps ftw. I needs the instrumental to Surgical Gloves in my life.
Robert Glasper - Double Booked
Dope jazz? Check. Dope hip-hop fusion with jazz? ZOMG. Though admittedly, I'm not always in teh mood for straight up jazz shit, this album cannot be denied.
(Also, I absolutely HATE that Robert Glasper's collabo with Bilal is pitted against The Foreign Exchange's Daykeeper in teh Grammies. Like, DAMN.)
The Roots - Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Sandwiches EP
Only 22 of 1000, but fuggit -- these free! goodies from The Legendary show that quality and diversity do not have to compromise. Hopefully that new Roots album will not be postponed anymoar.
Slug & Murs - Felt 3: A Tribute to Rosie Perez
Sluggo and MURS got a whole album produced by.. Aesop muthafuckin' Rock? Wait, wat? Though 22 tracks may be a bit overkill, these dudes did the damn thing. Again, the instros to this shit would be oh so good, cuz Aes done brought that BASS FO' YO' TRUNK.
Tanya Morgan - Brooklynati
I really really really liked this album, really. All iller and no filler, teh TM crew shine. Prime example of how an album of front-to-back dopeness could and should be made.
Zo! - ...just visiting too
Yet moar amazing covers from The Foreign Exchange crew. Zo! & 'em Love the 90's? I hope so.
Yes, this is also good.
14KT - Nowalataz
Atmosphere - Leak at Will
BK-One - Radio do Canibal
Blakroc - Blakroc
Blame One - Days Chasing Days
Blockhead - The Music Scene
Blueprint - Sign Language
Brother Ali - The Truth Is Here EP
Brother Ali - Us
Camp Lo - Stone and Rob: Caught on Tape
Clutchy Hopkins - Music is My Medicine
CunninLynguists - Strange Journey Volume One
CunninLynguists - Strange Journey Volume Two
Definitive Jux Presents IV
Diamond District - In the Ruff
DJ Spinna - Sonic Smash
Doom - Born Like This
Elzhi - The Leftovers Unmixedtape
Freeway - The Beat Made Me Do It
The Gift of Gab - Escape 2 Mars
Greenhouse - Electric Purgatory Part One
Hudson Mohawke - Butter
Jay Are - The 1960's Jazz Revolution Again
John Mayer - Battle Studies
k-os - Yes!
Kam Moye - Splitting Image
Mayer Hawthorne - A Strange Arrangement
Method Man & Redman - Blackout! 2
Mr. Scruff - Bonus Bait
Oddisee - Mental Liberation
Oddisee - Odd Summer EP
Oddisee - Odd Autumn
Paramore - Brand New Eyes
Passion Pit - Manners
Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
PPP - Abundance
Prefuse 73 - Everything She Touched Turned Ampexian
Sa-Ra Creative Partners - Nuclear Evolution: The Age of Love
Sean Price - Kimbo Price
Shawn Lee & Clutchy Hopkins - Fascinating Fingers
Skyzoo - The Salvation
Slum Village - Villa Manifesto EP
Strong Arm Steady - In Search of Stoney Jackson
Termanology - If Heaven Was A Mile Away
The xx - The XX
Yu - Before Taxes
Zo! & Asylum 7 - Overdue Process
CunninLynguists
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