2020 Music Review
Albums and songs I enjoyed that you may have missed…
1.1 Disclaimer
This article does not aim to be a “Best of 2020” or an exhaustive review and rating system of all major albums released this year; instead, it is simply a list of albums I thoroughly enjoyed. Despite all of the negative that occurred throughout 2020, I feel that last year’s music was excellent and exciting. I am amazed at how many talented artists there are right now blessing us with high volumes of incredible music. To all artists (not just the very few on my list below), I sincerely thank you for your music last year.
1.2 Bias
In my work within the generative and music AI space, it is imperative to be aware of one’s personal biases, preferences, tastes etc… I spread my listening mostly amongst Hip Hop, R&B and AfroBeat; along with a little Latin, Jazz and Dance/EDM; I do not listen much to Singer/Songwriter, Rock, Pop, Classical, Chamber, etc.
1.3 Listening Process
The majority of my day-to-day tasks involves programming or reading(non-auditory activities), so I generally listen while I do these. I personally prefer Apple Music as a streaming service because it separates Singles and Albums for each Genre/Category of music. To me, an Album gives me a much better sense of the artist than a Single does. The majority of new releases are on Friday, and Apple Music updates their New Releases sections to reflect this Thursday evening at 9pm PST. For 2020, my goal was to listen to every release in the Hip Hop and R&B genres/categories (between 8 and 30 albums per week, each); if I made it through those two categories, I moved on to Apple Music’s African Music section. I also listen to Dance/Electronic when I work out or jog through my neighborhood.
Although it was initially difficult to digest so much music, my appetite eventually caught up and the Friday releases became something I consistently looked forward to each week. I also found some of these albums from various new sources and blogs. Despite the incredible amount of data on stream counts that the streaming services can provide, I do not pay attention to any of this, the opinions of the below albums are informed solely by listening.
1.4 Links
As stated above, I use Apple Music. I imagine each of these albums are also available on the other streaming platforms, ie Spotify, Tidal, Youtube, etc…
2.1 TLDR; Songs
Here are my ~20ish favorite songs from this past year, there is some overlap with the below album list, but it does NOT directly match up to the “Favorite Tracks” line of each album review. This playlist is subject to change, I am sure that I will remember tracks and artists in the next few weeks...
(edit Jan 7, 2020 evening) Spotify Playlist Link
2.2 Albums (In Chronological Order)
In “Modus Vivendi,” 070 Shake weaves us through a supremely produced kaleidoscope of musical styles to share their post-break up thoughts and experiences. Despite Mike Dean’s signature synth work threading everything together, no two tracks on this album are alike in terms of feel, mood, texture, or bpm; it is a balanced, meticulously crafted, dynamic ride. 070 Shake appeared on Kanye West’s 2018 ‘Ye’ and Beyonce’s 2020 ‘Black is King.’ I am excited to see and hear where they will be next. Perfect for the 2020 pre-pandemic bliss of January/February, getting lost in some late night, abstract oil painting.
Release Date: 17 January, 2020
Favorite Tracks: Guilty Conscience, Rocketship
Funky Jams for the summer that 2020 should have been. Buddy and Kent Jamz lace groovy beats with light-hearted zingers about everyday life, romance, partying, and fashion. Janktape Vol. 1 captures summertime in Los Angeles, fusing West Coast beats and some icy Rhodes chords with the coastal breeze and laid back attitude we get from March to October(actually all year around…). Perfect for when you decide to leave work a little early and meet some friends at the park or on the sidewalk for some socially-distanced cervezas.
Release Date: April 17, 2020
Favorite Track: She Think
DRB Lasgidi, individually Boj, Fresh L. and Teezee, is a super group from the alternative/progressive music and fashion Alté scene in Lagos, Nigeria. I am by no means super fluent in the Alté scene and its other artists (or Afrobeat for that matter), but the three members of DRB Lasgidi (and their features including Tems and Lady Donli) are masters of balance. “Pioneers” bridges traditional instruments, drum sounds and singing of the old world with production, rapping and lyricism that have clear UK Grime undertones. Boj, Fresh L. and Teezee consistently share the mic, creating an infectious chemistry that highlights their individual and volatile styles, while remaining completely stable within the given track. Perfect for windows-down afternoon drives along the coast.
Release Date: May 1, 2020
Favorite Tracks: Ma Pariwo, Necessary
Admittedly, I am (not by any stretch) an aficionado of House, Dance, EDM, and/or all things electronic, but the four tracks on the “Like Water” EP explore harmonic, synth, and textural development that is nothing short of a Brahams’ Theme and Variations. As each track here clocks in above 6.5 minutes, DJ BORING takes us on a perfectly paced sonic tour through foreign auditory landscapes that conjure colorful skys and terrain from planets we may land on in year 3030. Perfect for that non-HIT neighborhood jog or long cardio session you have been avoiding.
Release Date: 12 June, 2020
Favorite Tracks: Like Water
In “Barnacles,” SahBabii captains a cartoon submarine to maneuver through tide pools and underwater safaris that are sensual yet silly, reserved yet reeeeaaaalllllly raunchy. Despite a fair amount of mumbling and non-sensical syllabic spillage, SahBabii swims over gleeful, nursery-rhyme beats, making light of every subject he touches, cracking jokes almost every other line. I was happy to see SahBabii on “Do ya Deed” from Nav’s November album, “Emergency Tsnuami.” I imagine he will show up a fair amount in 2021, on tracks by artists like Gunna, Young Thug, Lil Keed… Perfect for getting into a study groove or anytime you need a quick stretch and silly dance break.
Release Date: July 8, 2020
Favorite Tracks: Giraffes & Elephants, Pregnant, House Party (feat. T3)
DUCKWRTH returns from a time travel and parallel universe voyage of the last 50 years to bring us a curated collection of #1 hits that were never written, recorded and/or intended to be in our own timeline. Over the course of his “SuperGood,” DUCKWRTH walks (dances rather) us through discos, dancehalls, nightclubs, and speakeasy’s from different eras, cities and countries. On top of each of this mixed crate’s lost-but-now-found deep cuts, DUCKWRTH writes about modern Los Angeles life while rapping or singing in a variety of styles, ultimately showing us how Soul, Blues, R&B and Jazz are simply weapons in his arsenal. Perfect for a slow evening when you’re in the mood for some deep conversation, or possibly some late night dancing…
Release Date: August 21, 2020
Favorite Tracks: Kiss U Right Now, Coming Closer (feat. Julia Romana & G.L.A.M.), Did U Notice? (feat. Julia Romana)
Ashton Travis paints an interesting blend of R&B, Alternative and Pop that is completely unique, yet completely Houston. Although Travis’ vocals can easily navigate the Trey Songz/Eric Bellinger hemisphere, he opts (generally) for longer, less thirsty lines over beats that are dusty, warped, DIY and a bit early Gorillaz… Travis’ supreme, trance-inducing, vocal finesse is not only balanced by, but also supported by production that quietly pushes a barrage of subtle and secretly addictive instrumental and drum underpinnings; this makes listening to this album on repeat for a few hours an easy habit to fall into. In my opinion, this album could have been about 5 tracks longer, however, I am left wanting more(not a bad thing)... Perfect for getting in the zone on that night time drive, so long as that drive is at least 20 minutes long.
Release Date: September 4, 2020
Favorite Tracks: Robbery, Too Fast/Bad4Me, Almost There
In “Made in Lagos,” Wizkid assembles Earth’s most talented artists (essentially the MCU of music) for seamless collaborations and features, only to snap his fingers and make us all dance. Wizkid outfits his Afrobeat vehicle with high-and-tight, loose-but-exact drums to traverse the genres and dynamic sonic terrains of his international colleagues (Burna Boy, Skepta, H.E.R., Ella Mai to name a few) to create a party album that levitates across our planet’s best grooves and simultaneously sits in its own incredibly unique vibe. However, this album was delayed as the #EndSARS movement and protests in Nigeria reached their peak in October 2020, ultimately resulting in the death of around 60 civilians. These tragic casualties are a stark contrast to the joyous and relaxed atmosphere Wizkid effortlessly cooks up.
Release Date: October 29, 2020
Favorite Tracks: Smile (feat. H.E.R) but also almost everything other track…
Showing up to the 2020 party fashionably late (along with Kid Cudi and Jack Harlow who also released excellent albums in November/December), Scribz Riley gives us a trove of low-key, refined, washy cuts that transport us to a dreamy, relaxed, happy place where we can finally put 2020 to bed. Riley’s guitar work, song-writing and production provide the perfect foundation for his smooth and silky vocals to float across each track. Scribz Riley’s use of reverb and delay is masterful, every single backing vocal, vocal tail, ad-lib, or instrumental echo is perfectly crafted to go somewhere unexpected. Pretty sure this is my favorite album of the year… Perfect for a dim-lit few glasses of wine and slow roasted veggie-dinner with your quarantine partner(s) and cat(s).
Release Date: 20 November, 2020
Favorite Tracks: On My Sleeve (ft Kaash Paige), East Side
Honorable Mentions
Summer Walker: Over It & Life On Earth EP
Ty Dolla $ign: Featuring Ty Dolla $ign
Kaash Paige: Teenage Fever
Sonny Digital & Black Boe: Black Goat 2
JAHMED: THEBOOFMOBILE
Theophilus London: Bebey
Lil Durk: Just Cause Y’all Waited 2
Dinner Party (Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, 9th Wonder, Kamasi Washington): Dinner Party
Blxst: No Love Lost
The Weeknd: After Hours
Thanks for reading! Please go listen to these great albums and support these amazing artists!
Walker
