‘Cause fuck it, I need something to do while I drink these beers.

Burial - Kindred
Simply the best piece of music out this year from the world’s most singular musical talent.

Action Bronson - Blue Chips
I haven’t fucked with Bronson heavy in the past but this is either his magnum opus or (hopefully, more likely) the moment where he comes into his own. Party Supplies delivers a Madvillian set of dirty loops.

Shackleton - Music for the Quiet Hour
An evil but ruthless demon of an album, everything about this record wants to bite your face off.

Killer Mike - RAP Music
A late career masterpiece from both of these two. Both of these guys have got flaws but the brilliant thing about this collaboration is just how effortlessly one’s strengths compensate for the other’s shortcomings.

Schoolboy Q - Habits and Contradictions
A gangsta rap album so hooky and well-written it puts the entire rest of the genre to shame. Almost every track on this is outstanding.

LHF - Keepers of the Light
A demanding album but one that rewards the brave listener willing to dive into it. The 2 1/2+ hours of music on here are a lost island of beats, bass and ideas.

Goth-Trad - New Epoch
Dubstep with a capital D and an excellent example of what the style COULD be as a genre. Best DJ food of the half-year.

El-P - Cancer for Cure
I never wrote a review for this but long story short is that it’s good even though El’s rhymes can veer into the needlessly incomprehensible. Love the Bass music influence.

Hype Williams - Black is Beautiful
As much as I hate their public persona, this album burrowed itself into my mind. I suggest listening to it on cough syrup during a particularly bad cold.

Ab-Soul - Control Systems
TDE is on such a role right now and they’ve still got Kendrick’s album dropping this fall. Ab-Soul’s project is idiosyncratic but there’s tons of great stuff. Plus the Black Lip Bastard remix slays all.

Spaceghostpurrp - The Chronicles of SGP
From static-shod demos to full on songs, SGP’s singular tracks have evolved into deeply disturbing slices of urban paranoia splitting the difference between drug-fueled messianic delusions and some of the dirtiest sex raps out there. True swamp shit.

Alchemist - Russian Roulette
A clever gem of an album combining one of rap’s best producers to a perfectly picked selection of future all stars and reliable team players. This is his Donuts.

Rick Ross - Rich Forever
In which Ross fulfills the promise of B.M.F with a mixtape devoted almost entirely to stomping, gothic trap beats. Also see Self Made Vol 2.

Wiley - It’s All Fun & Games Till
When this guy spits hardcore over 140 BPM beats, no one can stop him. Call it a flow clinic.

Gunplay - Bogota Rich: The Prequel
Rap’s new Rambo goes nuts with gun sounds, trap beats and a general aura of violence. “I’m a human riot/G.U.N.P.L.A.WHYYYY!!!” is the lyric fo the year.

Clams Casino - Instrumental Mixtape 2
Clams is dope. His collaborators? Except for Rocky not so much, so this is very welcome. Once his collaborators get up to par, this guy’s going to be a monster.

Azaelia Banks - 1991 EP
Hip-House done right. Not a fan of the whole Sea-punk wave AT ALL but the girl can spit and the beats are dope, so fuck it.

Lone - Galaxy Garden
Rave nostalgia a bit on the delicate side but so completely immersive that you can’t help but get lost in its production.

Meek Mill - Dreamchasers 2
Ross is molding jabronies into stars. Mill’s got bars though, even if he’s a bit on the corny side. Still, this is all about the unstopable Maybach Music empire’s strict quality control in the beat department.

Mr. Mitch - Searching for Venus
A conceptual Grime album…with a romantic theme? Give Mr. Mitch props, this wasn’t exactly the most expected release of the year. However, it is a strong statement of intent from a top-ranked producer in a genre that could use a bit more ambition.