Words I should've said by Mick Jenkins, EMIL, and ENNY comes across as reflective and expressive. The track from words i should've said feels weighted with intention, moving through its structure with a cadence that suggests emotional depth without overstating it. The listening impression lands as…
afters by Sonnee and Malaki feels intimate and conversational. The track from the afters album comes across with a closeness in its production, moving through its runtime with a quality that suggests connection without obvious effort. The listening impression lands as personal and direct.
Coasting by Hutch comes across as easygoing and unburdened. The track from the Coasting album feels loose in its arrangement, moving with a rhythm that suggests ease rather than urgency. The listening impression lands as drifting, with a quality that allows the listener to settle into its pace.
The Heron by Antony Szmierek feels contemplative and patient. The track from The Heron album comes across with a minimalist approach, moving through its structure with careful pacing that suggests restraint. The listening impression lands as meditative, with each moment given time to settle.
Strangers by Dan Whitlam and Raphaella comes across as exploring distance through sound. The Strangers album track lands with an arrangement that feels sparse but present, moving through its runtime with a quality that suggests unease or separation without stating it directly. The listening impress…
Wish You Were Here by Frankie Stew and Harvey Gunn, mustbejohn feels wistful in its approach. The track from the Wish You Were Here album comes across with a certain warmth, moving through its duration with an emotional temperature that suggests longing without being heavy-handed. The listening imp…
The Package by De La Soul comes across as a carefully composed piece from Cabin In The Sky. The arrangement feels deliberate and measured, with a structured approach to how each element sits in the mix. The track suggests purposeful construction throughout.
My favorite Hip-Hop songs from the past year.
Dan Whitlam and Sophie Faith make Mama Said It feel immediate, like a track everybody somehow found overnight. The song lands with the kind of confidence that turns a fresh release into the one people forward before breakfast.
Dan Whitlam and Tamzene make Blue (feat. Tamzene) feel like the track everyone somehow needed today. The hook lands with the confidence of a song already climbing your favorite playlists.
JVCK JAMES and Stormzy land “Easier Done Than Said” with the kind of calm swagger that cuts through the feed. Fresh ears need this one now because it sounds fully formed: sleek, confident, and already bigger than a playlist add.
D2x comes in sharp on “'Twas The Day,” and the timing feels uncanny: the track sounds built for the exact kind of morning where plans are moving faster than coffee. Fresh, nimble, and impossible to ignore, it lands like a new favorite before anyone else catches up.
dublon and Con Cook land Deja Vu like a track that already knows your algorithm and beats it anyway. Fresh, sleek, and a little sly, it feels essential the second the hook locks in.
Logic and Lucy Rose land “Not A Game” like a fresh standout, all taut confidence and no wasted motion. The track sounds immediate enough to hijack your day and sharp enough to stick around after the first spin.
Sammy Virji and Skepta land "Cops & Robbers" like it is already the record everybody has been waiting for. The pairing feels essential because garage energy and grime swagger rarely click this cleanly, and the result sounds built for right now.
KYLE and Hit-Boy make “Dirty” feel like the kind of drop that lands fast and sticks harder. The song sounds fresh off the internet and already too catchy to ignore, with enough attitude to sound like a contender right now.
Killer Mike and Anthony Hamilton hit like a warning label and a prayer at the same time on NOBODY KNOWS. The track feels essential because it sounds lived-in, urgent, and unafraid to stare straight at the mess.
Kota the Friend and RMB Justize make “She’s Gone” feel like the record everyone’s late to, in the best way. The hook lands with the confidence of a song already winning the room.
Zyah Belle and Ben Reilly make About Time feel like the record everyone somehow needed yesterday. The timing lands perfectly: sleek, self-assured, and built for the moment the aux cord gets serious.
Chance the Rapper lands “3333” like a fresh headline with a late-night pulse. The track feels immediate, confident, and built for repeat plays before the algorithm catches up.
Dan Whitlam turns “19” into the kind of track that lands like a fresh scene from a life already in motion. The timing feels perfect: intimate, sharp, and impossible to file away as background music.
Logic and Oddisee hit like a fresh dispatch from the front of the rap line. “Pipeline” feels essential right now because it sounds fully formed on first play: sharp, focused, and built for repeat listens.
Boj and Victony make “Pressure” feel immediate, like a track already owning the room before the chorus lands. For a day that needs momentum, it arrives with swagger, nerve, and zero wasted motion.
Kojaque and Gotts Street Park make BAMBI feel like the track everyone somehow finds at once. The hook lands with confidence, and the song already sounds like a scene-setter, not a slow burn.
