The 50 Best Albums of 2012 (So Far)

Image via Complex Original

Label: Odd Future Records
Released: March 22th

More than three years after the release of The Odd Future Tape, Tyler, The Creator and his gang of entrepreneurial teenage misfits have returned with a sequel. The sensibilities of their early work remain intact, but this album shows a new side: the resource-having, world-touring OFWGKTA. From jump, the visuals that have always been so crucial to their brand, were elevated, with Wolf Haley—Tyler's alter-ego—directing more jarring, high-budget videos for singles like "Rella" and "NY (Ned Flander)."

The songs are engaging, even if the collective's outlook is stilled rooted in youthful immaturity. That approach may keep the potential of The OF Tape Vol. 2 from being fully realized by listeners who you won't find standing in line at one of the group's merchandise pop-up shops. But they probably  wouldn't have it any other way—and there's something admirable about that insular world view.

No matter where you stand on your level of allegiance to Odd Future, there's no denying that Tyler's production is tighter, or that Hodgy Beats and Domo Genesis have asserted themselves as artists to watch. Take this project as a further declaration that Odd Future is here to stay, and they aren't changing for anyone.

Label: Young Money Cash Money/Universal
Released: April 2nd

It's unfortunate that, despite its sales, Nicki Minaj's sophomore effort will go down as a schizophrenic, overindulgent, pop-pandering cataclysm. Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded is all of those things, but it's far from a failure because of them. Listen to Nicki's Hot 97 interview with Funkmaster Flex about the controversial decision to cancel her headlining performance on this year's Summer Jam. She comes across as assertive, intelligent, and unwilling to apologize for her eccentrics, especially as a black woman.

That attitude is omnipresent throughout this record, which is fine if you're not expecting it to sound like her Beam Me Up Scotty mixtape series. The life Nicki and 2 Chainz bring to the bare-bones backdrop of "Beez In The Trap" makes it one of the most enjoyable rap songs of the moment. Her singing irrefutably transitions from gimmick to full-blown R&B manifesto with ease on "Right By Your Side"—and next to Chris Brown no less.

Then there's the oft-criticized EDM-influenced second half of the album, which finds the rapper unabashedly basking in the lofty sound of modern Top 40. As evidenced by songs like "Whip It," that portion of the LP is actually a thrilling look into contemporary pop production and songwriting that would be celebrated if anyone but Nicki Minaj were doing it.

Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded isn't perfect, but it is better than good: an ambitious, experimental album that should be applauded not just for the risk involved, but also for affirming that there are really no restrictions on the growth of hip-hop artists anymore.

Label: Columbia
Released: March 20th

It's a bit of a surprise for Port of Morrow to sound the way it does. Frontman James Mercer is The Shins' lone remaining original member, and it's been five years since the band's last album. Mainstream music has changed into a more electronic landscape yet The Shins still maintain their signature guitar-pop core. This isn't a bad thing though.

Port of Morrow finds The Shins constantly switching melodies, but nothing feels superfluous. Each song is tight and, like the best pop music, catchy. Mercer's lyricism doesn't hurt either. His sharp songwriting is once again on display as he sings with optimism, sarcasm, and honesty. There's so many things going on, but somehow it all sounds, well, simple.

Label: High Times Recrods/Cinematic Music Group
Released: June 19th

Maybe it's because he hooked up with Harry Fraud or maybe it's because he's been watching fellow Harlemites Azealia Banks and A$AP Rocky shoot to seemingly overnight stardom. Or maybe it's just because he's finally coming into his own. But after years of trying, Smoke DZA finally proves he's more than just a weed rapper. With the help of some great guests (Curren$y, Schoolboy Q, Sean Price) and all of the production being helmed by Harry Fraud, Smokey has established himself with one of the years most slept-on projects.

Label: Decon Inc
Released: January 24th

Everyone and their plastic-bottle-buying grandma has had a toilet bowl-hugging morning with vodka. But ayahuasca? Probably not. The brew will cause you to damn near trip your balls off, something that rapper-producers Oh No and The Alchemist might possibly have experienced while crafting their sophomore album as Gangrene.

Vodka & Ayahuasca finds that unlikely middle-ground between psychedelic rock and gully hip-hop. Those two realms might seem worlds apart on paper, but Al and Oh No know damn well how to combine them in the studio. Their penchant for brain-melting beats and grimy lyrics  reaches endearing levels, if only because they sound so enthusiastic about chronicling their shit-talking endeavors.

Drugs and booze have long had a connection to music and its creation, but rarely does the end result sound this legit or engaging. Be prepared to make the scrunch face. A lot.

Label: Greedhead
Released: January 17th

Last fall, Das Racist's debut, Relax, established the eccentric trio as hip-hop's silliest savants. And while they've reveled in being wildly unpredictable, the group's main tag team, Heems and Kool A.D., chose to kick off 2012 with a pretty predictable rap group move, releasing a pair of solo mixtapes designed to show off their individual aesthetics.

Heems, the man who famously rapped about being “The worst rapper on the track, third coolest” re-introduces himself with Nehru Jackets, the strongest and most cohesive solo release from the crew. Produced entirely by childhood friend Mike Finito, the tape bursts with rugged drums, sweet vocal samples, and lo-fi mixing, reflecting Bollywood and indie-rock influences along the way.

Heems is at his most memorable when he keeps it simple, rapping about women (“Womyn”), computers (“Computers”), and badass spy movies (“Jason Bourne”). But it's his ability to touch on hot-button political issues in accessible ways—like his document of police brutality, “NYC Cops”—that gives his voice more weight. On the standout “SWATE,” Heems reveals the science behind his self-aware silliness: “They like, 'Heems, you should rap in earnest.'/But honestly, I'd rather burn cess and watch Ernest.” Know what I mean, Vern?

Label: Young Money Cash Money/Universal
Released: February 21st

Since 2007 Tyga has been dropping mixtape after mixtape, all leading up to this debut album, Careless World. The loyal fanbase that the YMCMB representer has amassed over his years of grinding was more than pleased with his freshman effort, but this album might be more surprising to the casual fan who only knows Tyga for hits like "Rack City" or "Coconut Juice." What that unsuspecting listener might find is a cohesive album that touches on more than jewelry, cars, and the occasional frisky grandma. While there are plenty of tracks like "Faded" that would be more at home in a strip club, there are also places where Tyga shows that he's really got something to say. Songs like "Do It All" or "Love Game" let Tyga's talent shine through and allow him to express his honest thoughts about love, girls, and his upbringing. While it may not be the album of the year, it certainly deserves a spot on this list. And let's be honest, who didn't love "Rack City?"

Label: Elektra/Atlantic
Released: June 12th

Ed Sheeran is a red-headed youth from a small town in England who plays the acoustic guitar like a folk singer and spits like a grime MC. (He decided to collaborate with Yelawolf on a recent mixtape because he dug the Alabama spitter's breakneck flows.) Back home in the UK Ed's a huge star thanks to edgy songs like "The A Team," "You Need Me, I Don't Need You," and "Drunk." He even got to meet the Queen after performing at her Jubilee celebration this June. Here in the U.S. Sheeran is not quite a household name, but his album debuted in the Top 10 and once folks catch his live show, world domination can't be far behind.

Label: Island
Released: June 15th

Justin Bieber's sophomore album—not counting remixes, soundtracks, and a holiday disc—marks a giant step forward for the world's number-one pop manchild. At age 18, JayBee has not totally abandoned his teeny-bopper audience, but you can tell that this Michael Jackson admirer is building toward an Off The Wall moment one day soon.

Though much has been made of Justin's rap flow on "Boyfriend," the album's real banger is "Right Here," featuring Drake and produced by Hit-Boy, which will surely dominate urban radio play lists this summer—just as sure as Justin's new fragrance (also called "Boyfriend") will be sold out at the mall when your little sister tries to cop a bottle this weekend.

Label: Maybach Music Group/Warner Bros.
Released: June 26th

The first label crew to roll out their compilation album this year is Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group. Self Made 2 picks up where the first volume left off, showcasing the roster's talent alongside epic guest appearances by Nas, French Montana, T.I., Wiz Khalifa, Kendrick Lamar, and more. Ross mostly sits in the backseat on this one, allowing Meek Mill and Wale to drive home the point that they do not need to lean on the Bawse.

From already established stars to relative newcomers like Stalley, Gunplay and Omarion (aka "Maybach O"), the crew holds their own. Combining posse cuts (“Power Circle”) with solo records (Omarion's “M.I.A.” and Meek's “Black Magic”) that each display their own individuality, MMG is two for two in winning crew compilations.

Label: N/A
Released: June 12th

Out of all the new talent bringing hip-hop back to the mecca, Brooklyn native Troy Ave sticks to the basics. Bricks In My Backpack 3: The Harry Powder Trilogy is a very distinctive NY mixtape, pulling inspiration from his borough's street life. Over smooth production from a handful of newcomers, BIMB3 outlines the daily routine of his Harry Powder persona, which sounds like Troy Ave is representing BK's gritty neighborhoods down to the finest details.

While 2012 may be the year he grows beyond hometown favorite status, Troy's “real talk” tracks push him into that direction. So far, he's still “major without a deal,” collaborating with Fabolous, Prodigy, Action Bronson, as well as producing standout solo records like “Red Cup” and “Chiddy Chiddy Bang Bang.” All achievements aside, Troy Ave's third in the Harry Powder series is strong enough for a successful hustler to finally make it out of the streets.

Label: Jet Life Recordings/Warner Bros.
Released: June 5th

With the plethora of music Curren$y has put out over the years, you have to take notice when he calls a certain project his “first real album” like he's done with The Stoned Immaculate. And from the moment those harp strings are plucked over the first few seconds of “What it Look Like,” the album's intro track with Wale, this album certainly feels important.

The Stoned Immaculate also finishes strong, culminating with sonic gems produced by Pharrell and J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League. The content here is nothing new, as Spitta lights one up in the studio to discuss his high fashion, low-eyes kind of life. But lyrically he does it as well as he always has, and when the music is this good, there are no complaints to be found. Jet lifers rejoice.

Label: Wichita Recordings
Released: May 15th

Part of the appeal of Best Coast's debut album, Crazy For You, was its carefree, simple, slightly sloppy nature. It worked to give the album a certain charm, but it was also pretty limiting. On The Only Place, Beth Cosentino sought to make something more than another fuzzy, West Coast slacker rock album for stoners.

She enlisted Jon Brion to produce a much sharper album and the newfound clarity highlights both her strengths and weaknesses, with mixed results. She may have lost some of the fans who wanted another Crazy For You, but her sophomore effort is a sign of maturity and it opens up the doors for Best Coast to move past their unrefined sound and explore some exciting new options.

Label: Other People's Money
Released: June 21st

Dom Kennedy's From The Westside, With Love II was his moment to blaze the mainstream as an underground artist, but he didn't receive the huge response he expected from his first major release. This fueled the motivation to prove that his laid-back Cali flow belongs with the best of West Coast music. Dom's latest free release, Yellow Album, delivers 13 cuts that stay true to the streets of Leimert Park.

Yellow Album is packed with chilled-out tracks, mostly crafted by up-and-coming producers. You get the sense that Dom felt the pressure to succeed, shining with his style of minimalist bars about money, cars and women. “I talk to girls that talk to girls/I think I ran across your girl/I think your man just lost his girl,” he raps on “So Elastic.”

He gets into the lifestyle of sun-soaked L.A. in the lead single, “My Type Of Party,” and “Gold Alpinas” featuring Rick Ross. With fellow Cali natives Kendrick Lamar and Too $hort adding their own color, Yellow Album offers a perfect glimpse of Cali living just in time for summer.

Label: Polyvinyl
Released: June 5th

By 2012, youthful vitality in rock music has been practically washed out in favor of the cooler, more apathetic sounds of chill wave and bedroom pop. Instead of giving in to the trend, Japandroids went ahead and increased the intensity of their own style: emotionally charged, fist-pumping rock that's about as close to pop-punk as a band can get without getting tagged with the label.

Celebration Rock is exactly what the title suggests, but a little more complicated. It's a coming-of-age story loaded with reckless abandon that's unwilling to relent, but there's also a touch of nostalgia and self-realization that gives these songs an earnest punch that's hard to find in rock these days.

Label: Domino
Released: June 11th

Now five albums deep, it seems that Hot Chip has found their comfort zone and flexed their creative muscle on their fifth studio album, In Our Heads. The album is a collision of different genres, jumping from synth dance music to slow and deep ballads, but it still manages to avoid confusion. The fact that songs like "Let Him Be Him" and "Flutes," which both clock in at over seven minutes, don't seem a second too long is a testament to the power of the music and the message the songs carry. On this album, Hot Chip manages to keep their indie cred, and all that goes with that, while proving that they know how to make great pop songs. How hot is that?

Label: MV Music
Released: May

Ever since his blazing debut album Heads High, Mr. Vegas has been making it clear that he was more than just another dancehall one-hit wonder. The Jamaican singjay has demonstrated an uncommon ability to craft certified boomshots that impact all the way from Weddy Weddy Wednesdays to 106 & Park. Fourteen years into his career, one of dancehall's most consistent hit makers has stepped up his game once again, delivering a self-produced double album timed to celebrate Jamaica's 50th year of independence. The second disc gives us the Vegas we already know and love with dancehall blasters like "Certain Law" and the sexy girls' anthem "Bruk It Down," but the first disc shows another side of his vocal talents as Vegas reinterprets classic reggae tracks by the likes of Toots & The Maytals, Desmond Dekker, and Jimmy Cliff. These are not cover versions, more like heartfelt homages from one of Jamaica's most under-appreciated vocalists, just to let the people know that reggae's future is safe and secure.

Label: Polydor Records
Released: March 12th

Similar to the way Aloe Blacc quietly made a name for himself a few years ago, British singer-songwriter Kiwanuka is slowly but surely gaining notice for his calm take on R&B. (The mellow, almost folksy “I'm Getting Ready” has emerged as a fan favorite.) His debut album Home Again is now available in the U.S. on iTunes, and UK fans who copped it in the spring confirm that it's a must-hear.

Label: N/A
Released: April

From last November's Big Fucking Baby mixtape to his March release of No1 2 Look Up 2, Big Baby Gandhi has been flooding music blogs. The Queens-based rapper, signed to Greedhead, met the Das Racist trio after leaving some distasteful comments on the group's YouTube page. The slander proved successful and Heems has now mentored BBG to new heights while the 22-year-old St. Johns University pharmacology student works on his debut album.

With productions by Gandhi, Hot Sugar, and Steel Tipped Dove, No1 2 Look Up 2 showcases BBG's affinity for cheeky rhymes and lyrics about growing up in Queens. “I'm on the 7 train, peeping Spanish chicks/I'm on the L train, peeping white chicks/I'm on the J train, peeping black chicks/They all roll their eyes quick: As if,” Gandhi raps on "Drink a Lil Pepsi."

Similar to his mentor Heems, Gandhi focuses his lyrics on the life of first-generation immigrants in New York on nearly every track. “Gandhi Mahndi was the name they called him/The honeys call me Young Kama Sutra/Old white people real mad cuz I'm the future,” he raps on "Boogie Nights." His consistent screaming tone keeps all the focus on BBG, just as he intends. 

Label: XL Recordings
Released: June 12th

Legendary doesn't even begin to describe Bobby Womack's credentials in the worlds of soul, R&B, and rock music. And after overcoming addiction and cancer, why shouldn't he emerge with one of the strongest albums of his distinguished career at age 68? Working with Gorillaz' co-creator Damon Albarn, Womack's electronica-infused soul album for XL Recordings has just the right blend of bare-bones beats and snazzy samples to make it sound modern and forward-looking without distracting from Womack's rich vocals and songwriting. The unexpected highlight here is “Dayglo Reflection,” a duet with Lana Del Ray that seems risky in theory but absolutely gorgeous in execution. 

Label: Capark Records
Released: January 24th

With their debut album, Cloud Nothings carved out a distinct lane in the indie world. Their fuzzy, coarse rock songs fit nicely with the direction the scene was moving in. In a risky move, the band almost completely veered off that path with the Steve Albini-produced Attack On Memory. The risk paid off. The band's third studio album is more crisp and robust than any of their previous work, and that new clarity allows the guitar-driven rock to reach new heights with big hooks and catchy melodies that may have been drowned out in their earlier work. Sounds like these Nothings are onto something.

Label: Blue Note
Released: May 1

Fresh off a breakup, Jones partnered with producer Danger Mouse and poured all her feelings out on wax. At times she sounds downright pissed, then she's sad, and soon she's expressing the joy that comes with being freed of the whole thing. The result was gorgeous marriage of Jones' cool blues with Mouse's downtown beats. First Miss Jones clowns her ex's new chick on “She's 22.” Then she murders a mistress on “Miriam.” Overall, it's a killer album.

Label: N/A
Released: April 2nd

Fans of The Internet's Purple Naked Ladies will certainly enjoy their work on Kilo Kish's self-released nine-track EP, which scored the FIT senior a write-up in The Village Voice. Musically, the album's jazzy grooves pick up where The Internet's album left off. Serene and soothing, Kilo's voice floats along, existing right in the middle of beat.

This New York MC's delivery is harrowingly original—she's less of a rapper, in fact, than a spoken word poet, except not nearly as boring. On “Roman Reloaded," Nicki taunted female rappers saying, “You in the booth, but I be who you channeling.” And while that's certainly true of nearly every new female rapper we hear these days—and there's a lot—we can thankfully exempt the one-of-a-kind Kilo Kish.

Label: Warner Bros.
Released: June 12th

Since Waka Flocka Flame's 2010, Flockaveli, the Bricksquad boss and Gucci Mane protégé has built a reputation for riotous singles and high-energy rhymes that'll move the crowds. On his follow-up effort, Triple F Life: Friends, Fans & Family, Flocka doesn't change his ways. He stills shout hooks, drops witty lines, and emphasizes ad-libs. But where he sounded angry last time around, on this album he's not afraid to show his sense of humor—ignoring lyrical criticisms to entertain his fans by all means necessary.

Triple F Life is a filled with strip-club music and trap bangers powered by potent beats from Southside, Lex Luger and 808 Mafia. But on his sophomore effort, Flocka's sound evolved to embrace more of a crossover appeal as on the pop-flavored "Get Low" featuring Flo-Rida, Tyga, and Nicki Minaj. Make no mistake: Waka will continue getting love from a diverse crowd—hipsters and street-rapping purists included. Look out for cuts like “Round Of Applause,” “Rooster In My Rari,” and “Candy Paint & Gold Teeth” to be bumping loud for the rest of the year.

Label: Cinematic Music Group/Def Jam
Released: February 1st

Much of Big K.R.I.T.'s 4eva N A Day feels like the Mississippi MC strolled into a dimly lit jazz club, grabbed the microphone and told the band behind him to follow his lead. Saxophone, guitar and piano swirl in and out of many of the tracks, mixed in with that classic bounce, a worthy companion to K.R.I.T.'s soulful musings on women and Southern car culture.

And when K.R.I.T. isn't speaking on his observations from behind the wheel of an old-school Caddie, he's dropping knowledge on how to survive in the game (“Boobie Miles”) and the plight of the urban neighborhood where there's a gun shop on the same block as the “neighborhood package store.” Mr. K.R.I.T. is wise beyond his years, and 4eva N A Day is his funky gospel.

Label: Shady
Released: July 17th

Russian Roulette is Rocky IV on wax minus the steroids and that ridiculous scene where the Soviets chant “USA! USA!” Not only do many of the song's titles come from the film, but chunks of the movie are sampled throughout the album as well. The record is about 45 minutes long but it contains no fewer than 30 short tracks, half of which are instrumentals; the other half short freestyles from Alchemist's pals like Schoolboy Q, Evidence, and Action Bronson. The album has no hooks and all the songs bleed into one another as the sound unfolds. Picture Alchemist climbing the mountain like Balboa in the harsh Russian winter while you play a game of Russian roulette and have a blast.

Label: Fat Cat
Released: April 3rd

Breton's Other People's Problems is likely to be highly slept-on this year, if only because its media coverage thus far has been frustrating slack. But that doesn't mean the South London quintet doesn't deserve their just due. The multi-talented Brits, who operate out of an old bank they fashioned into a studio, have a strong affinity for being bold in variety and rich in texture.

Their oftentimes fuzzy creations might meander into experimental zones, but these are five guys who know how to find a melody and embrace it. They also aren't afraid of injecting strong doses of boom-bap into their songs, particularly on standouts like "Wood and Plastic" and "Ghost Note." The latter also features a load of synthesizers, perhaps the most essential tool in Breton's arsenal.

Label: N/A
Released: February 15th

Dark, haunting, and sometimes even spooky, Alexander Spit's Mansions is not unlike Clams Casino's Instrumentals or Araabmuzik's Electronic Dream from last year-all three transcended the label of "beat tape" and helped a producer establish their name while becoming essential works in their own right. This 42-minute instrumental suite has 28 tracks, only one of which clock in at over three minutes, so you don't have to get bored listening to the same loops over and over. With a project like this, it's a only a matter of time before rappers (Spit rhymes himself-surprise surprise) get hip to Spit's tunes and start hiring him to produce jams for them. Until then, this is the perfect tape for hip-hop heads to bump whenever hearing someone rap at them is too distracting.

Label: RCA
Released: June 20th

R&B isn't dead. But damn, it can get boring. Thankfully, Ursh refused to let people sleep on Myself. With producer Diplo's help, Usher's first single “Climax”-a gloomy techno breakup song disguised as a slow jam-is one of the year's most intriguing songs. The rest of the album is no letdown either. Worldly dance peppers it, delighting most on “Numb” and “Euphoria.” But that smooth R&B flavor he's been cheffing for nearly 20 years remains at its core. Not only did Usher find himself again, but he found a cool new sound, too.

Label: Iron Works
Released: February 13th

Throwback rap. Yuck. It just leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Children chasing the aesthetic of an era they never knew or has-beens desperately trying to re-ignite their flames. Both, more often than not, with the effectiveness of damp matches. However, Ka, a '90s rap never-was who's often unfairly lumped into this category, is truly altogether different. His music is evocative of a time-his prime-yet what he's offering is absolutely new.

A 39-year-old man, Ka spends his uniquely compelling debut, Grief Pedigree, eschewing generic '90s fly talk to articulate 20 years of real life with precision, consideration, and most notably perspective. And he does it over a body of self-produced beats that, again, may on first listen sound like they were unearthed from a 1995 Havoc beat tape, but are, in fact, absolutely new. The future has a past.

Label: Mellow Music Group
Released: June 12th

It's hard to think that someone like Oddisee, who has been around for more than a decade, would take this long to release a proper solo debut. But People Hear What They Seewas worth the wait. It's both concise and cohesive, never running too far off track or too long-two qualities that aren't exactly commonplace on a hip-hop project.

But Oddisee's not solely focused on hip-hop. His love for jazz, funk, and rock rings heavy here, though it's not like he's dismissed rap or anything. In fact, he out-raps most of his competition on the opening track "Ready to Rock" and showcases his narrative talents on "You Know Who You Are".

While Oddisee has several strong solo releases under his belt, it's clear he wanted this to be his definitive statement as both a rapper and a producer. And there's no question that People Hear What They See is all that.

Label: 4AD
Released: June 13th

There are some contradictions present in Mysterious Phonk: The Chronicles of SpaceGhostPurrp. The album's production is dark, but it isn't uninviting as it sucks you in like a black hole. SpaceGhostPurrp (as well as his Raider Klan collective) remains mysterious even though he's giving nothing but the real in this debut. Mysterious Phonk doesn't seek to entertain as much as it looks to grip-even asphyxiate.

But by the end, the listener is going to come back for more of this summer essential. The steely drums and sound effects straight out of the '90s add to the eerie instrumentals, which are some of the best of the year. SpaceGhostPurrp's world-weary presence makes just as much of an impact.

On "Get Yah Head Bust he ruthlessly raps "Black burner leave your head rust/Don't get your head bust." He later gets depressingly informative on "The Black God," spitting lines like "Apocalypse eclipse put the whole world to fate." As pessimistic as it seems, SpaceGhostPurrp is just talking about the world as he sees it.

Label: Rostrum Records
Released: March 23th

The fourth mixtape from the Pittsburgh MC has a much darker, trippier feel than the spritely sounds of his previous offerings. Over extensive production from ID Labs, as well as contributions from Clams Casino and Sir Michael Rocks, among others, Mac Miller's musings mirror his rising fame. Miller spends time speaking on the usual topics-as partying and drugs coincide with his excellent wordplay (“Sunday I'm going golfing with my Callaways/Watching football, word to Joey Galloway”).

But he also spends much of his time speaking about women and the complicated relationship between opposite sexes on eloquent songs like “The Morning After” and “Angels (When She Shuts Her Eyes)." With guest appearances from Kendrick Lamar, Lil' Wayne and Casey Veggies, Macadelic's eerie feel makes for a twisted ride through the mind of Mac Miller.

Label: Top Dawg Entertainment
Released: May 11th

Ab Soul's Control System often teeters on the brink of “Jay-Z is in the Illuminati” screeds, but never goes there. Why would it? Ab would rather challenge Jay for his throne and besides, we all know the Illuminati is the biggest racist party. Instead, Ab's latest album is a focused effort that always hinges on a disillusionment with the American dream and the wariest of eyes on all institutions.

Lyrically, Ab has some of the most unique diction amongst active rappers (it's no wonder Schoolboy Q calls him a “human dictionary”) but what's really surprising is how catchy and accessible the hooks are. Ab spits plenty of clever lines throughout the album, but his most revealing one comes on the first track: “Said I was the underdog, turns out I'm the secret weapon.”

Label: Epic
Released: April 24th

When Death Grips came onto the scene they were a complete anomaly. Their visuals were disturbing and their punk-rock style of hip-hop sounded like the product of post-traumatic stress disorder and anger management issues. It was an exciting departure from even the oddest variations of hip-hop making the rounds, but it didn't seem like something that would ever catch on in a big way.

Then a strange thing happened: Death Grips starting building some buzz and ended up landing a major label deal with Epic Records. Instead of watering down their unsettling sound, the group made The Money Store, a chaotic, aggressive assault on the ears and perhaps the most atypical hip-hop album of the year so far.

Label: Epic
Released: April 17th

Known for the high-minded hip-hop of OutKast and Goodie Mob, no one expected Atlanta's Dungeon Family to produce a goofy gangster record like Future's 2011 hit “Tony Montana.” Aesthetically, Future (the cousin of Organized Noize producer Rico Wade) may be cut from a different cloth, but his surprisingly excellent debut album Pluto proves that he perfectly represents Dungeon Fam's most prized principle: originality.

With the soul of a pop singer and the heart of a trap rapper, Future's unique sound falls somewhere in between inspired and ignorant. He's never without his Auto-Tune, but his strained voice and stunted enunciation make him sound decidedly raw, more in line with rugged reggae crooners like Mavado than T-Pain.

While “Magic” and “Same Damn Time” prove he's adept at making bang-you-in-the-head trap anthems, Future's biggest strength is in laying down sentimental pop melodies over booming 808s, as heard on standouts like “Straight Up” and “Astronaut Chick.” His lexicon may be decidedly low-brow, but he gives glimpses at a more bluesy introspection on “Truth Gonna Hurt You” and “Permanent Scar” that suggest Future is just starting to discover his abilities.

Label: Universal Republic
Released: February 28th

The whole "rapper makes a rock album" thing has been done many times before, usually with extremely corny results. So why does WZRD—Kid Cudi's guitar-driven album with longtime producer Dot Da Genius—work? Well, for one, despite being identified as a “rapper,” Kid Cudi's strengths have always been as more of a melodic songwriter than as a lyrical MC. And for another, Cudi and Dot take rock's D.I.Y. aesthetic to heart, foregoing superstar producers for the simple solace of the home studio.

The duo clearly culls influences from all eras, spanning '70s art rock, '90s grunge, and modern indie rock. But Cudi never sounds like he's wearing a costume, grounding the lyrics in themes that have run throughout his career. Whether he's making sobriety kick-ass on “High Off Life” or yearning for his long-distance lover on “Teleport 2 Me, Jamie,” this is vintage Cudder that feels right at home with the rest of his catalogue.

Even when exploring more cliché rock topics, like on the haunting suicide dream “Efflictim,” Cudi's enigmatic personality sells it in a convincing way. Truth be told, if this album was branded as another Cudi solo album instead of a rock side project, it probably would have been heralded as a creative triumph. Despite an uneasy critical reception, WZRD is proof that Cudi's talent as a songwriter can take him anywhere he damn well pleases.

Label: Arbutus
Released: January 31st

Before Visions, Grimes was making inaccessible lo-fi music. With her third album, she polished her sound and sharpened her aesthetics just enough to let people in. Her self-produced, electronic brand of pop still isn't going to produce any Top 40 radio hits, but even if you can't understand many of the lyrics, you'll find yourself humming along with the melodies for months.

Pop music is getting more interesting, and in 2012 Grimes was perhaps the most interesting character on the scene. Her gothic roots and medieval influences may not be the norm, but they made Visions one of the most unique pop albums in years.

Label: Smart Crew
Released: March 12th

Flushing, Queens' Action Bronson's discography is relatively lean, but it's also extremely consistent. While his culinary and WWF-referencing, street-smart rhymes play a major role, it's also the fact that he's got one hell of an ear for beats. Not only that, but Bronson's one of that rare breed of MC who likes to work with one producer for each project. His latest, Blue Chips, continues that trend to beyond-impressive results.

The mixtape's producer, fellow New Yorker Party Supplies, took a break from his more dancefloor-ready beats to craft a boom-bap-flavored release. His crate-digging approach is a perfect complement to Bronson's unrelenting rhymes and often-hilarious quotables. It's also just refreshing to hear a tape that isn't brimming with features. And when guests do come through, they shine alongside their colorful host.

Label: Williams Street
Released: May 15th

Killer Mike and El-P might be on separate ends of the rap spectrum, but their unexpected collaboration is a triumphant one. Mike's southern drawl floats viciously over El-P's synth-heavy beats, smartly outfitted with fresh drum patterns, providing the perfect backdrop for Mike's southern poetry. Killer Mike is at his lyrical best here, which should come as no surprise after hearing him tell the listener that he's “addicted to literature” on “Willie Burke Sherwood.”

His affinity for reading shines through in both his wordplay and his content, whether it be his crusade against dirty cops on “Don't Die” or his seething critique of Reaganomics on “Reagan.” When the Atlanta bred MC tells us the closest thing he's had to a religious experience is listening to rap music, it's not hard to believe him. He and El-P have created a religious experience of their own.

Label: Roc Nation/Downtown/Atlantic UK
Released: April 24th

Like she did on her essential debut album, Santi finds fun ways to relay heavy messages on Make-Believe. On “Fame” she cloaks lyrics about longing for social change, but not needing notoriety for it with a totally danceable club beat. The same goes for the bouncing “This Isn't Our Parade.” Her sophomore effort is filled with head-nodders and “Aha” moments.

Label: Sub Pop
Released: May 15th

Beach House hasn't gone through any drastic transformation over the years. Instead of trying to reinvent themselves, they've honed in on what they do best and have become even better at it. With Bloom, they've put together the most fully realized version of a Beach House album we've heard yet, sounding more expansive and lush and showcasing their best songwriting to date.

It's not that songs like "Myth" and "Lazuli" sound much different than what the duo was doing on their debut album six years ago, but with practice comes perfection, and Beach House is definitely getting closer to perfecting the style they've been working with since 2006.

Label: Cinematic Music Group x Creative Control
Released: June 12th

It's a cliche to note that Brooklyn rapper Joey Bada$$ is just 17 years old, but sometimes that's hard to ignore. How many rappers his age (or any age, for that matter) have this level of flow and lyrical mastery? In 1999, the '90s-influenced tracks feels like less of a homage and more like a product made in that era. The beats range from dusted boom-bap ("FromdaTomb") to anthemic ("Survival Tactics" f/ Capital STEEZ), and they all sound air-tight.

On top of that, you have Bada$$ spitting verses tirelessly with enough punchlines to keep you entertained ("Sparring with a knife in a missile fight"). In short, it's exactly what fans have been waiting for since the "Survival Tactics" video went viral a while back. It's hard to believe that 1999 is considered the end of real hip-hop by the heads with mixtapes like these coming out.

Label: Maybach Music Group/Warner Bros./Roc Nation
Released: May 7th

With a few successful singles released last year and Self Made Vol. 2 (streaming now) at the helm, Meek Mill refused to rest on his mounting success as an MMG soldier when he released Dreamchasers 2 back in May. Mill sounded as intense and ferocious as ever on the mixtape, and he gave listeners a reason to feel the same way. Dreamchasers 2was nothing but hits and club bangers from start to finish.

It's Mill's show throughout the entirety of the 20-track set, but the numerous features don't hurt. Big Sean cooly delivers a sharp verse in "Burn" against Mill's aggressive hook. The classic "I smell pussy" line from House Party sounds that much better coming from Fabolous on the "House Party (Remix)." And let's not forget the victorious "Amen" f/ Drake and Jeremih. Bottom line: Dreamchasers 2 is tough. Tough enough to get us even hungrier for his debut album, Dreams & Nightmares. But unfortunately, fans are going to have to wait until August 28 to get their hands on it. Now let that shit burn.

Label: Interscope/Polydor/Stranger
Released: January 12th

Lana's rapid rise to internet phenom status made haters work overtime. They can credit her looks all they want. Yeah, the long red hair and pouty lips make her a hottie. But Lana's sultry '60s flow and Emile Haynie's orchestrated hip-hip productions (like on “Born to Die”) are what made her Interscope debut a 2012 must-listen. Oh, and it debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart behind Adele's monster 21 set. All are reasons to hope Lana puckered up and blew the naysayers a big kiss… of death.

Label: Taylor Gang/Rostrum/Atlantic
Released: March 13th

Although Wiz Khalifa's major label debut album, Rolling Papers, was a commercial success which featured several hits and established Wiz as a star, it's hard to argue that it wasn't an artistic failure. Especially after Kush & Orange Juiceshowed us what Wiz was capable of. So earlier this year, when Wiz wrote an open letter to his fans, it read a lot like he was apologizing for making a pop album that alienated his fanbase.

Shortly after penning the letter, Wiz came back with a mixtape named after his old high school, Taylor Allderdice, which found the perfect balance between gritty street anthems and catchy tunes meant for radio. Although it does run a bit long and there's a bit too much Juicy J (we can't believe we just typed those words either), there's no denying smashes like “Mary 3X,” “Never Been,” and “My Favorite Song.” And yes, we can't believe one of our favorite songs of the year featured Amber Rose.

Label: Fat Possum Records
Released: May 22th

Fear and loathing. And paranoia and anxiety. In Brooklyn. Yes, the world offered by El-P, the rapper/producer of Company Flow and later Def Jux fame, on his latest solo LP, C4C, is a decidedly dark and manic one. And exquisitely captured, too. Imagine watching Orwell's 1984, directed by Oliver Stone circa 1992, set to the music of Hank Shockley in 1988. While your eyelids have been clipped open on some A Clockwork Orange shit. And then imagine becoming addicted to it.

Label: Epic
Released: June 18th

Fiona Apple's The Idler Wheel… is not an easy album to listen to. Her revealing lyrics spill pain and struggle over minimal soundscapes, and her delivery of those lyrics is devastatingly intense. She says that she shows these sides of herself because nobody else seems to be doing it, and she's right. We're so used to hearing music-especially in the mainstream realm-with airbrushed messages where every cloud has a silver lining. But Fiona's return has been a necessary reminder of the very human side of things. Things aren't always perfect, but this album comes pretty close.

Label: Top Dawg Entertainment
Released: January 14th

If his counterpart Kendrick Lamar (the man responsible for last year's excellent Section.80) is the most calculated lyricist in recent memory, then Schoolboy Q is the most sporadic wordsmith around. Every verse on Habits and Contradictionssounds like a crazy-eyed, slightly aggravated Schoolboy hopped in the booth and just let loose.

Schoolboy has many admirable qualities but it's his voice and delivery that make him unpredictable. “You may hear me fuck with my voice,” Q told us earlier this year. “You may hear me do a two-bar pause. You may hear me do an odd 33 bars instead of 30-give you 14 bars instead of 16.”

That willingness to switch up the flow andconstantly take risks is what makes this left field gangsta so rewarding when hearing him screech phrases like, “No AC but the heater work... murrrk” and “I gets my hustle on, prostitutes and raps and all, Cra-zayy.”

In the last 18 months we've seen Top Dawg Entertainment put out Control System, Habits and Contradictions, and Section.80. And ya act like TDE don't run L.A..

Label: Maybach Music Group/Def Jam/Warner Bros.
Released: January 6th

Rich Forever tops this list for two reasons. For one it introduced us to the phrase "Bitch, you wasn't with me shooting in the gym," which is a motto to live by of course. Secondly, it showed that Rick Ross isn't only rich when it comes to currency. He's also rich with ideas. The Boss' charm relies on a larger-than-life grandeur he displays on nearly every track he's a part of. But in Rich Forever, substance is just as important as style.

Ross said the mixtape is only an appetizer to God Forgives, I Don't, which drops July 31, but it sure tastes like the main course. You don't tease people with "Triple Beam Dreams"-a drug dealer chronicle that features one of Nas' most memorable verses ever. You don't say there's bigger things in store when you're already riding the same whips as LeBron, rolling on the same strip as Wade, and burning the same piff as Wiz ("Party Heart" f/ 2 Chainz and Stalley). But that's what Ross is doing: living that life in each of these 20 tracks. In "Key To The Crib" f/ Styles P, he mentions "My next move. God Forgives, I Don't, I think you'll love it." We'll take his word for it.