Jimmy Donnellan
Alabama Shakes – Sound and Colour
I have a lot of time for Alabama Shakes. Already a fan of their dreamy, weird soul since 2013’s Boys and Girls, this follow-up has done nothing but cement my adoration for the American fivesome. The self-titled opener sets up one of the easiest albums to listen to I have ever experienced, and one that I have found joy in almost once a week since its release. ‘I Don’t Wanna Fight’ is a song worthy of starting off the most emotional dance-off committed to memory and is unshakable in its catchiness, without even mentioning the lyricism that simply ‘sticks’ to your conscience.
If you’re looking for the best female voice in rock, I dare you to make the case that it’s anyone but Shakes’ phenomenal Brittany Howard. She carries one of the best albums of 2015 already with her outstanding range, and I will be very surprised if Sound & Colour doesn’t make my end of year list too.
Action Bronson – Mr Wonderful
When you can make a certified rock kid take an interest in rap music again, you know you must be doing something right as a musician. Having never listened to Bronson before this, his first major label release, I had no idea what to expect. I certainly wasn’t expecting Mr. Wonderful to still be on my playlist months after its release, but that’s testament to the New York native’s soulful delivery and lack of pretension.
The intentionally “rough” production highlights the humanity of Bronson as he fluffs his lines and relates to modern life without ever losing sight of his origins. He might not have the tortured upbringing to riff off that many rappers do, yet he still delivers compassionate and complex bars with the best of them. Even if you’re not a fan of the genre, Mr. Wonderful deserves a chance.
Ghostpoet – Shedding Skin
We had the pleasure of interviewing Ghostpoet a while back and it seems like he’s exactly how he comes across on record: a man interested in reality. He doesn’t talk about owning fleets of cars or anything immaterial on Shedding Skin, just the everyday lives of you and I. And it’s utterly compelling.
An ethereal soundscape reflects the uncertainty of working the 9-5 and struggling with relationships. The instrumentation is more complex than previously evidenced in his work, adding welcome menace to some of the tracks, most notably ‘Better Not Butter’and ‘The Pleasure in Plather’. It might not be the perfect soundtrack to a  warm summer’s day, but if you like your lyrics to be drenched in pained realism, Ghostpoet’s Shedding Skin is simply not to be missed.
Jimmy Donnellan
Chubby gremlin in charge of this place. Won't know peace until I have Titanfall 3 in my hands.
Shaun Yassin
Joey Bada$$ – B4.DA.$$
While other hip-hop artists may have more thought-provoking messages in their music, or more complex displays of lyricism on their 2015 albums, Joey Bada$$’ debut just feels like an awesome rap album. Released on his twentieth birthday, the album has the youthfulness, slang, production, and vocal delivery of the classic ’90’s. It features production from heavyweights like DJ Premier, J Dilla, The Roots, Statik Selektah, and Joey’s Pro Era protégé Kirk Knight, which gives it the overall ’90’s feel, and Joey is able to stand above his modern day peers with his competitive raps. From the laid-back ‘Like Me’, to the hyped ‘No. 99’, to the party track ‘Teach Me’, there are many memorable moments on this album.
Tech N9ne – Special Effects
When we initially reviewed this album, it felt like one of the most diverse rap albums of 2015, and it still is. This album takes you on a wild ride of different emotions as Tech N9ne gets deeply personal, introspective, angry, happy, and parties, all on the same album. While at his core, Tech N9ne is hip-hop, he branches out into many other genres including metal, trap, and dubstep. There’s a wide range of guest collaborators on this album too, all with varying levels of fame, such as singers like Slipknot’s Corey Taylor, Krizz Kaliko, Kate Rose, and Zuse, as well as rappers like T.I., Hopsin, Lil’ Wayne, and E-40, and even EDM DJ, Excision. Not to mention the long-awaited collaboration with Eminem.
Czarface – Every Hero Needs A Villain
While it’s only a few weeks old, this album may very well be the finest display of raw hip-hop we’ve seen so far this year. Together as Czarface, 7L, Esoteric, and Inspectah Deck form one of the best new underground rap groups, and their sophomore album brings more of what fans loved about the first album. Inspectah Deck has often been overlooked as a prominent member of the Wu-Tang Clan, but his work with Czarface has ignited a new fire in him, and we may be seeing his finest work outside of his Clan recordings here. Esoteric has been running the underground scene in recent years with Army of the Pharaohs, and his level of competition as an MC brings the best out of those who work with him. There is an all-star lineup of guest collaborators on this album too, including Wu-Tang’s Method Man & GZA, MF DOOM, Large Professor, and R.A. The Rugged Man.
Shaun SYpher
Hip-Hop connoisseur, concert-goer, Canadian
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