Complex UK’s Best Albums Of 2019

Label: Since ‘93/Sony

Released: February 1

Since ambushing the scene in 2016 with “They Ain’t 100”, Fredo—who walks in the footsteps of trap-n-floss rappers like Blade Brown—has shown us that, despite UK drill’s rapid rise, road rap can still hang. On Third Avenue, which works as a fitting soundtrack for the late-night cruises, Fredo shares his Westside story; from opening track “Survival Of The Fittest”, we’re transported to the backstreets of West London, with his crisp, punchy flow adding gravitas to his menacing rhymes. This was Fredo stepping out of his mixtape comfort zone, and for his debut LP, it was a solid effort. —Joseph ‘JP’ Patterson

Label: Brownswood Recordings

Released: January 25

As far as ensemble records are concerned, Swindle performed a masterstroke in 2019 with No More Normal. The jazz-influenced beatsmith and DJ—who built his name in the grime and bass scenes—brought together the old and new guard of the UK scene, which felt like a passing of the torch. With features from Kiko Bun, Ghetts, P Money, Knucks, Eva Lazarus, Etta Bond, D Double E, Kojey Radical and Andrew Ashong, No More Normal blurred sonic lines, giving the guest artists a chance to explore new ground. —Jesse Bernard

Label: BXB ENT

Released: August 16

The assassin-like ferocity of Blade Brown, as he tells us to kill ourselves if we can’t make £100k in 100 days, is like no other. But the narcotised magic of Bags & Boxes 4 is not only intensified with his lyrics but with his beat selection that’s become more sleeker (see: the silky sax on “Harrods”). It’s not a stretch to place Blade Brown next to someone like Pusha T: both have consistently delivered hardened drug-peddling stories since the very beginning, and for Blade, Bags & Boxes 4 proves there’s nothing wrong with sticking to the formula. Adding to that successful formula are some well-selected guest verses from the likes of K-Trap, Fredo, Asco and 67’s LD, each of them providing vignettes wrapped in proverbial cling film. —Ethan Herlock

Label: OVO Sound

Released: September 13

Top Boy silenced critics and doubters by producing an emotive and heart-wrenching TV series that cuts no corners. The soundtrack, a perfectly-constructed compilation of songs that showcase the diversity and range of the UK music scene, made sure the harrowing storyline of London gang life stayed with you from the very first track, “Riding On E”, by Nafe Smallz. Featuring songs from the show’s breakout stars, Dave and Little Simz, the genre-fluid set brings to life the stories that are painted beautifully (and brutally) on-screen. Honestly, though, why can’t all soundtracks be this epic? —Chanté Joseph

Label: Boy Better Know

Released: May 31

After Skepta dashed his Gucci in the bin and forced critics to acknowledge grime as the future-facing genre it is with 2016’s Konnichiwa, some thought he wouldn’t be able to deliver again—or that he’d start sounding “too American” after collaborating with the likes of A$AP Rocky. But the prolific rhymesmith looked inwards and as a result crafted Ignorance Is Bliss, his maturest album to date. From the throwback UKG of “Love Me Not” (shouts to Miss Sophie Ellis-Bextor) to the industrial techno lean of “Going Through It”, Ignorance Is Bliss had the artist in his experimental bag, but the subject matter dealt with the man (often troubled) behind the mic. —Ethan Herlock

Label: MOVES Recordings

Released: October 4

410’s breakout stars Skengdo x AM had an acrimonious start to the year. After live tour footage was posted online, the Met police charged the pair with breaching an interim gang injunction for “encouraging violence against rival gang members” and the two rappers were given a nine-month suspended jail sentence. Fortunately, things improved dramatically after that, reaching an apex with the release of Back Like We Never Left. The jewel in the crown was of course the Afrobeats-tinged “Brixton Boy” with Sneakbo and Oxlade, but the whole project was spilling over with the same vibrancy and enthusiasm that has endeared them to so many fans. From the defiant title to the Boyz N The Hood-inspired artwork, the duo established themselves as much more than drill artists, absorbing strains of rap, Afrobeats, and even R&B into their shifting sound. —James Keith

Label: S.O.N

Released: October 10

Although it wasn’t quite a comeback for Klashnekoff, the circumstances and eventual theme and tone of IONA was mournful—dedicated to his late mother, he went deeper than deep. It’s not the narrative alone that lands the album in this list, but combined with his deft rhymes and piercing flow, IONA was a reminder why Klash is one of the UK’s greatest storytellers. Much like Kano and Ghetts, Klash has always been a symbol for the idea that the boundaries between UK hip-hop and grime have been arbitrary, but because he found a balance between utilising both lyricism and melody, he’s shown us that rap gods can age gracefully. —Jesse Bernard

Label: D-Block Europe

Released: September 27

This year, D-Block Europe pivoted into the Billboard Charts, sold out Ally Pally (twice!) and entered the heart of every young Brit with an @LDN in their Twitter name. Young Adz x Dirtbike LB’s bars hit with titillating humour, stretching the parameters of Auto-Tune—only to croon about their favourite beverage in double styrofoam cups, the precious warmth of, ehem, “Home P*ssy”, and speaking to their local Imam to get five wives. PTSD boasts twenty-eight tracks, a codeine-laced epic that comes in at just under an hour and a half, but guarantees a banger for everyone: from party-goers and hustlers to lovers of cunnilingus (bowcats assemble!). —Ethan Herlock

Label: Method Records

Released: May 17

It’s perhaps not too surprising that slowthai’s Molotov cocktail of a debut album, Nothing Great About Britain, resonated so well with the country. His contempt for the political direction of the UK and the shabby nationalism that pervades it was articulated through caustic, punk-inspired rap and our ears are still ringing. It wasn’t just its incisive political warcry that cemented its place on this list; the grinding, scuzzy production made for explosive results that landed perfectly in nightclubs and muddy festivals alike. And let’s not forget how much more vastly powerful its contents sounded roaring over the packed fields of Glastonbury. —James Keith

Label: Atlantic Records

Released: September 6

Love & Compromise is the soulful and unrepentant debut album from Mahalia, who has been consistent in delivering her unique take on breezy soul-pop. The LP cleverly nods to the songs that shaped our childhood as ‘90s babies: “What You Did” featuring Ella Mai samples “Oh Boy”—the 2002 rap smash-hit from Cam’ron and Juelz Santana—while “Simmer Down”, christened by Nigeria’s Burna Boy, revives “Playground Riddim”, best known as Beenie Man’s dancehall classic “Who Am I”. Mahalia’s painfully relatable lyrics, looping hooks and soft melodies create infectious songs that feed you with healing gems and leave you wanting more, and her natural grace lets us know who she is and why she’s here to stay —Chanté Joseph

Label: Polydor

Released: January 18

Every year, there’s always one album outside of my usual realm of rap and grime that ends up becoming one of my most-played sets. Last year, it was NAO’s soul-stirring Saturn LP; this year, it was James Blake’s Assume Form. Many would tag the British singer-songwriter’s sound under “experimental”—which, on the production front, it is—while others can’t look past his “post-dubstep” phase at the top of the decade. In 2019, however, Blake is one of the most skilled soul artists out: the riffs, the runs, the melodies and writing is as soulful as it gets (see: “Are You In Love?”), and Assume Form is some of his best work yet. —Joseph ‘JP’ Patterson

Label: AGE 101

Released: March 1

Where Little Simz’s fourth album, Stillness In Wonderland, was a sprawling expanse of lyricism, concepts and themes firing off in every direction, GREY Area was a far more focused affair. As great as Wonderland was, a lot of the ideas explored on the album have been expanded upon and fully realised. This time round, Simbi Ajikawo is in her mid-20s and, just like the rest of us, she’s had to navigate the limbo of a quarter life crisis and articulates it with the sure-footed confidence of someone who’s successfully made it out the other side. With production handled by childhood friend Inflo, this makes her coming-of-age tales in the midst of a crumbling society all the more personal. —James Keith

Label: Neighbourhood Recordings

Released: March 8

Dave, 21, has been able to separate himself from his own reality to tell multiple stories. If people weren’t listening before, they definitely are now. “Black”, Psychodrama’s standout track, dared to challenge the way that blackness is perceived, commodified and experienced; Dave brazenly and evidently positioned himself as more than an artist, now a political voice. Black music has always been political, but embracing that has been a difficult choice when ignoring it is more convenient. The Streatham rapper’s debut album gave us the Afropop-tinged summer jam “Location”, a twisted love story in “Purple Heart”, and an eleven-minute story about domestic violence in “Lesley” that contained more character development, twists and fluidity than your favourite television show. Psychodrama pushed all limits and set a precedent for how music can be a conduit for larger causes. —Chanté Joseph

Label: Parlophone

Released: August 30

There are a number of reasons as to why Hoodies All Summer—Kano’s sixth studio album—was received so positively in 2019. The difference between albums like Home Sweet Home, London Town, Made In The Manor and Hoodies All Summer isn’t just its sonic pallettes, it’s the various ways in which the MC’s relationship with home has changed and evolved over the years. Kano has been compared to Jay-Z in the past, but perhaps the one area where he trumps the Brooklyn legend is that the Newham icon’s love for his ends doesn’t mean pricing out your fellow natives by investing in a new stadium, and that was reflected throughout Hoodies All Summer, a project that fuses grime, hip-hop and dancehall with black pride sermons. —Jesse Bernard

Label: Relentless/Sony

Released: August 23

Technically a mixtape, Music X Road really gave the drill naysayers something to talk about. Headie One is now the lead star of the sound (that was unfairly targeted in 2018 for London’s rise in youth violence) and though not much of the tape sticks to drill’s sonic blueprint, his taut-yet-choppy flow has its DNA running right through it. The North London rapper gets introspective on the title track (easily the project’s standout), samples Faith Evans on ride-or-die anthem “Home”, and reflects on the dark times on “Nearly Died”, showing the scene he came from that it’s okay to switch things up and still have your street cred firmly intact. And I must say: whoever’s idea it was to do a stripped-back version of Ultra Nate’s ‘98 hit, “Free”, on “Both” deserves a hefty Christmas bonus. Roll on that debut album! —Joseph ‘JP’ Patterson