Chris McSweeney
Transgender Dysphoria Blues – Against Me
They don’t make ’em like this anymore. As I may previously have mentioned, I’m a bit of a sucker for punk rock of all varieties, and Against Me!‘s supreme January release checks all the boxes emphatically, exceeding all expectations. The band’s first effort since lead singer Laura Jane Grace came out as a transgender woman, the songwriting and production are just as bold as you’d expect. Every track surges with an undeniable energy that simultaneously parallels early Green Day, The Stooges and even Quadrophenia-era The Who. This is a lyrically infallible power-punk record and it could be very, very influential.
Callum Davies
Everybody Down – Kate Tempest
The line between performance poetry and hip-hop continues to blur, slam poets regularly make appearances at festivals and any time one of them decides to make a further foray into the musical side of things, it’s pretty exciting. Kate Tempest has been on the scene for years and Everybody Down is her first full-length effort, released by Ninja Tune. As you might expect it’s laden with potent, storied lyrics that are offset by dark, deep beats. There’s a certain world-weary vibe to it that you might not expect from such a young artist, but it only moves to enhance the power of the central plot running through all the tracks. Tempest has a bright future ahead of her if this trend keeps up.
Layers EP 1 + 2 – Biome
Biome has been championing the darker, more atmospheric shades of dubstep for a good few years now. He’s a regular fixture on Rinse FM and has a solid, consistent output of releases. Layers, a duo of EPs released separately, represents his strongest work yet, really helping to define his sound. Tonally comparable to some contemporary sci-fi score, permeated by crisp, acute beats, this is the kind of dubstep that demands attention, the kind that worms its way into your mind whilst you follow the deep bass into a hopeless trance.
PTSD – Pharoahe Monch
Any MC who had a strong working relationship with J Dilla is worth keeping up with. Pharoahe Monch has been a hip-hop heavyweight since he broke onto the scene with Organized Konfusion in the early 90s. His solo output has been consistently excellent but PTSD is on a whole new level. Thematically the album deals very directly with Monch’s personal battle with depression, which he illustrates both beautifully and tragically, never one to shy away from important issues. This album also contains the final volume in a trilogy of songs decrying the links between gun violence and rap music that has now spread across three releases over 20 years. This album cements Monch’s status as an intensely adept and intelligent lyricist, it’s essential listening.
Early Riser – Taylor McFerrin
This one has been a long time coming. The DJ/producer/multi-instrumentalist son of Bobby McFerrin (remember Don’t Worry, Be Happy? Of course you do), he’s been working on this cut for the better part of a decade and now finally, thanks to Flying Lotus’s Brainfeeder label, it’s here and it was well worth the wait. A chilled, enticing blend of neo-soul, jazz and electronics, the album contains a strong roster of featured musicians and vocalists and the wealth of influences blur generic boundaries into a fresh, unique vibe. One to lounge to, this.
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