Complex UK’s Best Albums Of 2017

Relive all the amazing music we've been spoilt rotten with this year.

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Every year we find ourselves saying something along the lines of, "Wow! This really has been the best ever year for albums—how ever do we choose?" That may or may not have been true in the past, but it most definitely is this year; both sides of the Atlantic have gifted the world incredible collections from some the planet's greatest musicians. Look, we're not going to focus too much on America (nor Canada), but we have to give props to a few albums from across the pond; the impact of More Life, Take Me Apart and Wins & Losses is simply impossible to miss.

The first two projects spoke to a British audience in a way few non-UK albums have before, either by connecting with sounds synonymous with the UK or by introducing British talent to U.S. audiences. It was also a year that saw a lot of artists maturing into something longer-lasting. J Hus' Common Sense LP, of course, is a prime example. The album showed us a more thoughtful side to the rapper and took him, without having to compromise, into the mainstream arena. The same can be said of Stormzy's Gang Signs & Prayer, both albums cementing the artist's position for good.

We could go into every album on the list, but there's no need to rehash what's written below. The point is: it was a painfully hard year for picking the best albums, and we've all been pretty horrible to each other this year so it's not even like we deserve it. With that being said, scroll down and relive all the amazing music we've been spoilt rotten with.


 

15. Fekky, ‘El Clasico’

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JP: Fekky proved that he was much more than a shouter of ad-libs on his debut album: from the pop-leaning bounce of "My Size" to the thug tear-jerker, "Real Ones", this was a surprisingly versatile effort from the trap-rap don.


James: It's been a long, long, long time coming and, fortunately for us, the geriatric adage that 'good things come to those who wait' turned out to be the truth for Fek.


Tobi: Some solid highlights on an album full of distinctive records, El Clasico helps to further define Fekky from the road rap crowd.

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14. Giggs, ‘Wamp 2 Dem’

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JP: Wamp 2 Dem = certified rap star, living his best life, who gives two fucks about your co-sign. The lyrical wrath of The Landlord was truly felt in 2017.

James: After The Landlord, we could've forgiven Giggs for aiming for the charts, but Wamp 2 Dem saw Hollowman double down on his rap roots with some of his toughest and most uncompromising output to date.

Tobi: Our Mayor of London slots another one into one of the strongest catalogues in UK rap. There isn't another rapper more firmly in their pocket as Giggs is right now.

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13. Krept & Konan, ‘7 Days’

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JP: With 7 Days, Thornton Heath duo Krept & Konan reminded us of their deft rhyme schemes—taking us back to the road rap essence of Tsunami, their 2010 mixtape—and showed us how they balance mainstream appeal with underground worthiness.

James:​ A blockbuster dual-release, 7 Days and 7 Nights between them boasted A-list guests like Torey Lanez, Skepta, Jhene Aiko, J Hus, Stormzy and more that felt like Krept & Konan in their purest form. However, it was 7 Days that took this one.


Tobi: The more aggressive (and lyrically impressive) of their double project drop, 7 Days was Krept & Konan stepping right back into their lane like they had never even gone. 

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12. King Krule, ‘The Ooz’

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JP: The only indie kid invited to the BBQ.

James: A divisive album, for sure, but we never expected anything less from the enigmatic mind of Archy Marshall. Besides, who doesn't love watching painfully cool hipsters get mad?


Tobi: Outlining his proficiency as a lyricist and frontman, The Ooz is the response to those mistakenly pegging King Krule as a jack-of-all-trades. He's the master of his universe, one that will always involve side projects, constant experimenting, and a number of monikers.

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11. Mr. Mitch, ‘Devout’

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JP: A masterclass in electronic sonics, Mr. Mitch's collabs with P Money and Palmistry on Devout were some of the best—from any genre—this year, and the rest of the album is an understated work of art that will one day see classic status.  


James: Planet Mu has been a great fit for Mr. Mitch; the more time passes, the more he flourishes as a producer. Devout was a rare and shining example of how to balance soul and experimentalism in electronic music.


Tobi: A necessary and transformative project, Mr. Mitch continues to travel uncharted territory around the grime landscape with ease.

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10. Nines, ‘One Foot Out’

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JP: Armed with arguably the laziest flow in UK rap history, Nines' way of finessing a beat is unlike any other in his field, and One Foot Out—his debut album—was a great piece of storytelling that offered up some hard-hitting truths. 

James: A divisive figure in UK rap, but this impressive debut shocked the haters with its surprisingly substantial lyrics and high production value. 

Tobi: Yet to receive a Nines project that wasn't in need of trimming in a few places, but One Foot Out nonetheless treated us to special moments of celebration, reflection, and introspection.

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9. Wiley, ‘Godfather’

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JP: Godfather is undoubtedly Wiley's most complete and fully-rounded album to date. The 17-tracker presented a Wiley who had finally arrived—a Wiley who, after twenty years, finally knows what he means to the music industry at large. 

James: While the output of most artists tends to wane the longer they spend in the game, Wiley's years of experience seem to have only but sharpened his focus. Straight grime collabs, heavy riddims and tightly-wound bars, this was the Wiley we'd always wanted.

Tobi: Hands-down a top three release in Wiley's lengthy discography, Godfather appeared to not only reignite the MC's creative flame, but within the scene, it re-aligned his position of merit.

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8. Dave, ‘Game Over’

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JP: Dave—young Dave from Streatham—is getting ready to clock each and every level of the game next year. 2018 is already his and the Game Over project was just a confident, emotive, primer for the impending takeover.

James: Every move Dave makes takes him closer and closer to the stratosphere. Game Over managed to pack political discussion, heartbreak and tough-talking all into just seven tracks.

Tobi: A brave and bold project, Dave showed the breadth of his artist ambition here and with "No Words", produced one of the biggest anthems this year.

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7. Meek Mill, ‘Wins & Losses’

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JP: #FREEMEEK!

​James: It's been a rough year for Meek, so thank the heavens that his album was good at least. 

Tobi: Synonymous with the letter L all year, Meek Mill's bouncebackability was truly put to the test. Blocking out the background noise, delivering a hungry and urgent album, Meek's perspective will be sorely missed over the next two years.

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6. Kelela, ‘Take Me Apart’

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JP: Kelela—the reigning queen of R&G—didn't let us down with her debut LP, Take Me Apart. More sombre than previous EP offerings, her songwriting here was put on show like never before (also glad that she finally got to work with Terror Danjah, the grime pioneer, on project highlight "Blue Light").   

James: Please may we adopt Kelela as an honorary Brit?

Tobi: It's certainly no Cut 4 Me, but Take Me Apart still showed us what levels of eclectic amazingness Kelela Mizanekristos is currently on.

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5. SZA, ‘Ctrl’

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JP: A soundtrack for the heartbroken and heartbreakers alike. An honest record, relatable to most.

James: A little too honest for some, SZA's Ctrl may have been playfully sold as an album for "side tings", but dig a little deeper and you'll find tales of empowerment and heartbreak in equal measure.

Tobi: The path to Ctrl was fraught with countless delays, but somehow and someway, it appears TDE knew what they were doing all along. All hail the new queen of contemporary R&B!

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4. Sampha, ‘Process’

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JP: An album that could make the toughest of roadmen cry, Process was Sampha almost exorcising his demons on wax, the gospel tinge adding a touch of spirituality to what is one of the finest soul-pop offerings of 2017.

James: After working on three of 2016's biggest releases (More LifeThe Life Of Pablo, and A Seat At The Table), Sampha's Process was a triumphant, albeit harrowing, demonstration of Sampha's unnerving ability to express our most painful fears.

Tobi: An outstanding body of work and deserving winner of this year's Mercury Music Prize, Process' accompanying short film makes for essential viewing, helping to situate the album's core content and emotions. 

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3. Drake, ‘More Life’

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JP: He's one of us now 🇬🇧

James: Is it a playlist? Is it an album? Does it even matter? Drake sent his love to the British Isles with this collection and it's still revealing hidden gems on new listens.

Tobi: Despite seamlessly fusing sounds from across the globe, Drake's More Life will still probably go down for amplifying the talents of Jorja Smith and briefly reminding the States that people rap in English accents.

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2. Stormzy, ‘Gang Signs & Prayer’

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JP: My whole life summed-up in sixteen songs 🙏🏿​


James: The perfect summation of everything that defines Stormzy as both an artist and a person, Gang Signs delivered on every promise laid out by those early, raw first singles.


Tobi: Not since Dizzee's Mercury-winning Boy In Da Corner, in 2003, has there been this much weighted expectation on a young MC's debut. Stormzy can proudly boast to have searched within and made the album he wanted to, firstly; all the platinum plaques and stuff are, of course, a welcome bonus.

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1. J Hus, ‘Common Sense’

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JP:Common Sense helped me to properly appreciate—and further explore—the forever-expanding Afrobeats scene this year; a beginner's guide for rap heads, if you will. J Hus' swag-filled style and flow moved this album to become a repeat-worthy, play-anytime-anywhere body of work for all ages, and all people. The boy from the hood done good!


James: Over 17, club-ready tracks J Hus and producer-of-choice JAE5 gave the world a crash course in the growing Afrobeats movement. One of the most exciting debut albums in recent memory and an irrefutable mission statement for the Bouff Daddy.


Tobi: On the song "Closed Doors", J Hus laces a trumpet-led ballad with claims to "beat the box, while I'm beat-boxing" and of all the rappers in the country, who else could pull this off but a man that frequently refers to himself as the ugliest.

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