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2. Action Bronson/Party Supplies - Blue Chips
There's no debate; the Queens-based Albanian rapper Action Bronson is a skilled lyricist. Dropping clever rhymes, gritty tales of NYC's underbelly, food-inspired raps, and lots more, all with a sharp sense of humor, Bronson is holding it down for his borough and putting smiles on the faces of the backpack rap fans at the same time. On his Blue Chips mixtape, Bronson teamed up with producer Party Supplies, whose dusty, eclectic, sample-based production style was a perfect match and lent the tape a self-confident, throwback feel.
4. The Neighbourhood - I'm Sorry... EP
Combining a sugary pop sensibility with skilled guitar playing and solid vocals, The Neighbourhood quickly became a band to keep an eye on in 2012. The Los Angeles-based indie pop five-piece also has a penchant for brutually honest lyrics and sensual (and at times disturbing) black and white videos. Expect big things from these guys in 2013.
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6. Joey Bada$$ - 1999 Mixtape
1999, the debut effort from Joey Bada$$, rightfully created a lot of buzz. Influenced by '90s rap, the young Brooklyn rapper holds his own over silky beats culled from legends such as J Dilla, MF Doom, Chuck Strangers, and Lord Finesse. There's a lot of talk about bringing that classic, no-bullshit New York style back. Whether or not that needs to happen is another discussion, but it is refreshing to see a young artists like Joey who immediately feels like a seasoned vet with respect for those who paved the way.
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8. Chromatics - Running From The Sun
Portland-based electropop band Chromatics had a big year with their stellar album Kill For Love followed by the release of two free tapes. In May, we were gifted a drumless version of the album, and rather than being gimmicky, it gave a whole new perspective on the record, with the songs becoming gentler and more hautning. More recently, producer Johnny Jewel shared a bit about the band's process by dropping Running From The Sun, an EP of tracks recorded while they made Kill For Love.
"Jet lagged & buzzing from Friday's show in Paris, I couldn't sleep...so I stayed up all night with Oko talking about color based dreams while blending these tracks together. Since the album came out, a lot of people on the road have been telling us they are curious to hear some of the unreleased music from the Kill For Love sessions...Recorded November 2009 through December 2011, these songs were all mixed between 4 & 6 a.m. After hours of tracking at the studio in Montreal, we'd clear the channels on the mixer, open a bottle of wine, & feel around in the dark...working our way through the atmospheric elements & peeling back layers of rhythm...throwing the songs into the abstract pile & playing them while driving home in the snow."
Running From The Sun is 35 minutes of sleek and brooding noir synth-pop that helped Chromatics finish off 2012 with a flourish.
10. Captain Murphy - Duality
The enigmatic Captain Murphy provided us with a large dose of mystery in 2012, not to mention a fantastically quirky, dense and darkly addictive mixtape. That polysyllabic flow, off-the-wall content and gruff, almost mumbled voice seemed, at times, reminiscent of both Earl and Tyler, but there was never enough evidence for anyone to be sure. Finally, after allowing the 35-minute video mixtape for Duality to entrance us for about a week, all was revealed  at a Low End Theory show in LA. Captain Murphy was indeed an alter ego of Flying Lotus, but regardless of the mystery, this was one of the year's most singular and enjoyable free releases.
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12. Conner Youngblood - Sketches Pt. 2 LP
There were quite a few bedroom producers making waves this year, but Conner Youngblood has managed to distinguish himself by creating dreamy, multifaceted, original tracks. At once intricate and intimate, Youngblood's music is like Teen Daze on uppers, always flying high but never getting too muddled or murky. When he finds the right melody, his layering and knack for the understated can flip it into something beautiful (see: "A Summer Song").
14. Meek Mill - Dreamchasers 2 Mixtape
Prior to releasing his debut album Dreams and Nightmares, Philly rapper Meek Mill dropped a few notable mixtapes. Released in 2012 was Dreamchasers 2, which cemented Meek's position as a key member of MMG rather than just a bit-part affiliate. "Amen" saw Meek Milly brach out from the hard hitting Lex Luger beat template he had been following and "Burn" provided a sure fire banger, but the hits didn't stop there. "Ready or Not" finds the go-go-gadget rapper flowing over a slightly altered Fugees' track, while "A1" sees him holding his own with Kendrick Lamar. Though the tape is maybe a bit long, there is enough variety, energy and purpose to make Dreamchasers 2 one of 2012's premier mixtapes.
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16. Meg Myers - Daughter in the Choir EP
Meg Myers first grabbed our attention with her sinister track "Monster" which saw her powerful, strident vocals shot through with deeply felt emotion. She followed this up with a darkly emotive EP titled Daughter in the Choir, which highlighted her songwriting talent and one-of-a-kind personality over the course of six original tracks and one remix. Her interesting background, having gone from being a Jehovah's Witness living in the Tennessee mountains to a Los Angeles resident only adds to our fascination with the talented singer/songwriter.
18. Charli XCX - Super Ultra Mixtape
London-based electropop artist Charli XCX's Super Ultra mixtape is filled with darkly emotive lyrics and lush, uptempo beats produced by the likes of Sinjan Hawke, J£zus Million, Giraffage, and Jakwob. After first appearing with the self-styled "goth pop" of "Nuclear Seasons," this mixtape proves that Charli XCX is no one hit wonder by collecting some new material as well as a great remix of How To Dress Well's "Cold Nites."
20. Supreme Cuts & Haleek Maul - Chrome Lips Mixtape
Barbadian rapper Haleek Maul combined forces with Chicago-based elecronic duo Supreme Cuts to create a wonderfully dark mixtape entitled Chrome Lips. Over the duo's spacious and hard-driving beats, Maul spits brooding rhymes. Kool AD, Deniro Farrar, and several up-and-comers make guest appearances. While there's still plenty of radio-friendly pop rap in the world, we've also been seeing a rise of the dark, twisted variety, and Haleek Maul's preference for the less bubbly makes him a good fit to be coming up now.
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22. Katy B - Danger EP
After a fairly quiet 2012, Katy B reminded us just why we loved her with the short but sweet four track Danger EP. Carefully treading the line between pop sensibilities and her underground dance music background, Katy shows that she's equally at home singing sultry R&B with Jessie Ware and making a straight crack house rave anthem with Zinc and Wiley. Danger also features collaborations with producers Jacques Greene, Diplo, and Geeneus, and rapper Iggy Azealea.
24. Wiz Khalifa - Taylor Allderdice
Wiz Khalifa is a unique case in hip-hop. There's no denying that he's a mainstream star now, but he's also still holding firmly to the dedicated fan base that helped push him into the spotlight in the first place. As with any major label star, there is going to be pressure to make hits and create accessible music fit for the radio and the masses, but Wiz manages to balance that mass appeal with stuff like Taylor Allderdice. There's no pleasing everyone, but Wiz did a damn good job trying with this tape, full of low key hits and very little filler.
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26. Flosstradamus - X LP
2012 was a big year for EDM. The Grammys had an EDM category for the first time and while no trap specialists were nominated for the award, the genre took off this year (despite some debate over the use of the term "trap" being applied to EDM). At the center of the 2012 trap wave was Chicago production duo Flosstradamus. They ran into some snafus earlier in the year due to some sampling "controversy" but that's all been worked out. And it's a good thing because these two hoodieboyz are known for getting the crowd turnt up. Get a taste of the trap via the duo's free LP simply titled X.
28. Dominic Lord - Fashion Show EP Deluxe Edition
On his debut release, Harlem rapper Dominic Lord demonstrates a knack for current style better than most vets. His music may need some polishing and focus before he creates something cohesive and as promising as his vision, but for a young artist who just started making music, he's already showing that he's got that "it" factor that no amount of experience can earn. Keep an eye out for him in 2013.
30. Clams Casino - Instrumental Mixtape 2
Now one of the top names in hip hop production, Clams Casino (Mike Volpe) has shot to the top by offering dense, dank, genre-bending beats that just force the head to nod. His latest release simply titled Instrumental Mixtape 2 includes the instrumentals from A$AP Rocky's "Palace," The Weeknd's "The Fall," and Lil B's "I'm God." Clammy Clams also hits us with a few remixes, reworking tracks like Washed Out's "Amor Fati" and Lana Del Rey's "Born To Die."
