Best Albums of 2015 (So Far)

Release date: February 3, 2015

Label: P.W. Elverum & Sun

Throughout his career, Phil Elverum has drifted between the realms of accessibility and impenetrability, creating works obtuse or works as immediate as any other guy with a guitar and something to say. Sauna, his seventh full-length as Mount Eerie, makes a point of switching between these two extremes, showcasing what it is that makes his music so appealing. The lengthy drones and short punk-like bursts of sound might be the most immediately obvious thing about the record, but it’s his beautiful lyricism and impeccable world-building that really seals the deal. No one creates soundscapes quite like Elverum does.—Joe Price

Release date: April 13, 2015

Label: Odd Future

Growing from a goblin in love with gruesome lyrics to a twentysomething ready to push positivity, Tyler, the Creator borrowed The Neptunes' playbook and spun some of P and Chad’s nuances into Cherry Bomb. N.E.R.D.’s “Run To The Sun,” a highlight of the group’s debut album, In Search Of…, sneaks into the sweet mellowness and background vocals found on Tyler’s “Find Your Wings” and “Fucking Young / Perfect.” His earliest influences unabashedly bubble up. Brash songs, songs like the thunderous, apocalyptic title track and “Run,” counteract the middle-of-spring brightness that makes Bomb his happiest body of work, carving deep gashes through a largely green, grassy landscape. It’s this combative coexistence, or lack thereof, that makes this project both compelling and divisive.

Tyler has progressed to a point in life from which he can pivot however he pleases. He’s no longer conjuring up twisted stories taking place at camp or creeping through your window with Frank Ocean. Instead, he’s determined to prove himself as an artist beyond throwing around rape and homophobic slurs like frisbees. Cherry Bomb is not so much important in its current form but rather as a testament to what the new Tyler is capable of creating.—Alex Siber

Release date: April 28, 2015

Label: Self-released

If you’re not listening to music to actively appreciate its pieces and parts, you’re most likely listening to channel its energy. Oakland golden girl Kehlani brings both admirable songcraft and surface accessibility to her wistfully titled You Should Be Here. The princess of pop’s future sits above swirling clouds, which brush past the Bay Bridge and below the plane she once peered from on the artwork to her last project, Cloud 19. The altitude theme isn’t symbolic of the fame ballooning her headspace—the singer has managed to convey a rare amount of modest humility in songs and interviews. She simply has more room to think up there.

Guy or girl, we all know what it’s like to long for a person we’re not supposed to lose sleep over; some leeches don’t let go. From recalling a lover’s charming traits and bedroom talents beside Chance the Rapper on “The Way” to a chilling, minimalist apology sung on “The Letter,“ Kehlani covers all corners of the romantic spectrum with artistic grace and earnestness.—Alex Siber

Release date: April 28, 2015

Label: Self-released

What are gadgets but distractions? Save Money rapper Towkio believes in interconnectivity, and not just in the tech sense of the word. Rather than encourage the cheap thrill felt when you hit 11 Instagram likes, he asks us to consider universal energies. The relationship between the head, the heart, and everything else can't be underestimated. The tape’s name is both a nod to the media file (.wav) format of most master recordings and a complementary title to his friends’ Surf opus.

.Wav Theory falls into the same family as the domino effect and the Chicago rhymer explains this phenomenon's linear workings on the project's title track. From the pink and grey grooves of our brain and the power of thought to lunar cycles, all is one. It's a wide-eyed sentiment he echoes on “Heaven Only Knows” and elsewhere. Even without the inspiring distillation of our place among the stars, the project soars more than it falters. Chance, Vic, Donnie, and other hometown pals and collaborators stop by, adding their own momentum to the wave.

Towkio’s strength here doesn’t stem from mind-boggling rap talent. Instead, it derives from his vision. An accessible mix of uplifting enjoyment (Hi, “Heaven”) and sonic ambition (“Oscillate”) make .Wav proof of Towkio’s legitimacy as a must-watch artist in one of rap’s most important cities.—Alex Siber

Release date: March 16, 2015

Label: Epic

Fans have been waiting eight years for the follow up to 2007's We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank. In Issac Brock's own words, he apparently “got busy” and also cites the three new babies born to various band members during the gap as a pretty legitimate reason for the delay. Throughout the years though, fans were definitely given some reasons to worry. Between losing founding bassist Eric Judy during recording, to rumors of working with Big Boi and Krist Novoselic (the results of which never materialized), and then their canceled tour in 2013, it didn't look likely that this album was ever going to be put out.

But put out it was, and disappoint it didn't. Strangers to Ourselves first lit up airwaves with "Lampshades On Fire," and when the full album dropped it was like a reunion with the Modest Mouse that had left nearly a decade before. Grand historical ambitions were realized on tracks like "Pistol (A. Cunanan, Miami, FL. 1996)" and classic MoMo motifs revisited with every Isaac Brock yelp. It's good to be home.—Graham Corrigan

Release date: March 10, 2015

Label: Megaforce

Heems has always worn his heart on his sleeve, from his time as a Das Racist frontman all the way to Eat Pray Thug. His raps come packed with a bracing honesty, and this latest album is like a look inside a diary: there are moments you feel like an intruder into private thoughts, but that's the way Heems wants it. Either take him as he is or forget it.

That, however, is where Eat Pray Thug finds its greatest successes: the soul-baring "Home" (featuring Dev Hynes) details a relationship past saving, and there are moments where Heems sounds close to breaking down right on the record. Through those moments of apparent weakness, Heems shows his strength. He's an artist unafraid to open up and try new things, and the album is full of departures from the normally wry, punchline-filled delivery: look no further than "Pop Song (Games)," a club-ready dance track complete with a relentless bass drum.

Eat Pray Thug may not be a spotless, dazzling musical display, but it's an interesting, challenging listen from start to finish. In an era of over-saturation, that's all I ask.—Graham Corrigan

Release date: March 31, 2015

Label: Harvest Records / Third Worlds

Who knows what the fuck is going on with Death Grips at this point, right? It’s hard to keep up with all the games they play, but there’s no denying that it’s been worth it for the music alone. With the trio currently on what may be the world’s fastest post-break-up reunion tour, it seems we won’t have to face the unfortunate prospect of no more music from Sacramento’s finest. And what a neat thing, too, considering how the trio’s double-album The Powers That B contains some of the most exciting and boisterous music of their career so far.— Joe Price

Release date: January 15, 2015

Label: Self-released

Future is on fire in 2015, and both 56 Nights and Beast Mode are impressive projects. The decision between the two was like a parent picking a favorite child.

Future does not soldier through bass-heavy beats as he does on 56 Nights' lone-wolf anthem "No Compadre" or the war-torn "Gangland" off Monster. There's no real semblance of turn-up anthems like "Fuck Up Some Commas" or "March Madness." No matter, though. The Freebandz President wholeheartedly embraces a more pensive sound, waxing poetic atop Zaytoven's piano-heavy beats for seven of the project's nine tracks. The Atlanta star stays on his toes for all of the 28-minute running time. He dishes out unforgettable, familial odes with a touch of tragedy ("Just Like Bruddas," his best song of the year so far), wearily keeping an eye open for betrayal, and blowing checks on erotic vices.

The approach to this mixtape, better than many albums, is as follows: skip nothing. Migos > Beatles irrelevant. Zaytoven > Beethoven forever everything.—Alex Siber 

Release date: February 17, 2015

Label: XL

Ibeyi is a musical duo made up of French-Cuban twins. They were raised in Paris but perform in both English and Yoruba—the Nigerian language of their Afro-Cuban ancestors. With so much rich culture flowing through their veins, it comes as no surprise that their self-titled debut album would be a musical melting pot of their mixed heritage.

The entirety of Ibeyi is a spiritual journey through music. Though the tempo and overall sound of each track may vary, there is an apparent spirit that ties all of the tracks together. Songs such as "Oya" and "Yanira" carry the traditional sounds of their ancestors while "River" and "Stranger/Lover" have a much more modern appeal to their production. The sisters proved on their debut album that new sounds can not only be influenced by the old sounds that came before them, but that the two can also coexist effortlessly.—Adrienne Black

Release date: June 1, 2015

Label: Self-released

Lift the lid off a pot of boiling water. Steam will rise from the surface, entering open air at a quickening pace. The clever raps and endearing personality of Boston native Michael Christmas pushed him beyond his city's sphere last year, with his success opening the gates for more to follow as fans speculated about who would ascend next. It's only right Christmas' brother-in-arms, Cousin Stizz, took the reigns in 2015 with his debut mixtape, Suffolk County. The hook-heavy record is stacked with street anthems and nonfictional tales.

Responsibility is a fleeting, borderline-nonexistent concept in the world Stizz shares, one built from the experiences he and his gang of friends lived through. (The phrase "real life" surfaces quite often as a cordial reminder.) Days are spent under the influence more often than not. Years have come and gone since legal employment. Product is pushed and blunts burn. In this wild realm where rules go unobserved, there's room for menacing threats (the tail-end of "Jordan Fade"), renouncements of unknowns visiting unfamiliar territory ("No Bells," a less-fiery take on Kendrick's "m.A.A.d. city"), and moody, slow-rolling boasts referencing a legendary '90s sitcom ("Fresh Prince").

Stalls are reliably infrequent over the course of Suffolk's 13 tracks; producers Latrell James, Tee-WaTT, DumDrumz, Obeatz, and others outfit Stizz with enough hazy chimes and sputtering hi-hats to go around. Mostly hits, few misses make County one of the more notable rap tapes to arrive thus far. Don't take your eye off Boston.—Alex Siber

Release date: May 5, 2015

Label: Innovative Leisure / Timetable

Nosaj Thing makes music that keeps its cool: from his breakout appearance as the sample behind Kid Cudi's "Man On The Moon," Jason Chung found a niche in the space between beats, subdued collages that hiccup and skip in time. He's replaced Cudi with Chance the Rapper since those early days, and the two prove the swap's merit on "Cold Stares," the Fated follow-up to the magnificent, dingy "Paranoia."

But even Chance's whispered raps provide some of this album's louder moments: all in all, Nosaj Thing proves himself a master of minimalism with Fated, quietly turning in one of 2015's most melancholy, bittersweet projects. Equally at home in pelting rain or deep space, Fated is an album with legs. It's a study in patience and patchwork, full of confident, bold choices that you might miss if you don't block out everything else.—Graham Corrigan

Release date: March 4, 2015

Label: Self-released

What is Ratking's place in the hip-hop game in 2015? Who knows. For all of this talk about rappers like Troy Ave "bringing New York back" or some weird assemblage of "New New York" spitters. New York right now? That's Ratking. We established this last year.

While it's kind of odd that Ratking would drop an entire album as a free BitTorrent Bundle subscription, this nine-track opus is the perfect teaser for whatever they have on the way in the near future. It continues down the same path they'd already gone on, that sub-heavy, future-focused street shit. Bombastic bars for jokers who are about that life.—khal

Release date: April 21, 2015

Label: Mello Music Group

Halfway between Vince Staples and MF DOOM, Jeremiah Jae is an archetype for the modern rapper. He's a storyteller who writes in tweetable phrases ("tryna get it, don't let the cops see"), and the Chicago rapper found a perfect complement to his wistful, sharp raps in L'Orange.

The producer is a student of J Dilla and Madlib, a North Carolina native unafraid to keep his listeners off balance. There are moments during The Night They Took Us In Like Family where he's in danger of losing us—extended instrumentals that hiccup and shiver through a collage of gangster-speak samples taken from old radio shows—but Jae is there to rein him in before anticipation builds too long.

This album is a collaboration in the purest sense: besides the seamless work between the two names in the title, there are a couple of rare guest appearances (Homeboy Sandman, Gift of Gab) that spike through the rhythm Jae and L'Orange have found in the best of ways. For the most part however, credit goes to the headliners. The vinyl pops and static wraps Jae's voice in a cocoon of white noise, his intelligent, complex rhymes perfectly suited to swim in and out of the smoke. Required listening is spattered throughout the album, but if we must, start with "I Was Invisible Nothing" and "Taken By The Night."—Graham Corrigan

Release date: April 24, 2015

Label: Parlophone

It's kind of unfair to all the other albums that came out this year that my favorite band decided to reunite and drop a fire record in 2015. The Magic Whip is Blur's eighth studio album and their first in 12 years, and while the band's frontman Damon Albarn has called a return as such "problematic," the foursome still managed to jam out hits like they never spent time apart.

Speaking of which, Blur's beloved guitarist Graham Coxon is back (he left the band after 1999's 13), adding his weirdo guitar touches to songs like "Thought I Was a Spaceman," the same touches that made gems out of Blur classics such as "Beetlebum." Though their '90s Britpop glory has faded a bit, Albarn—the musical godsend that he is—has gifted us long-time fans with old school vibe bangers (see: "I Broadcast") while weaving a reinvented sound heavily influenced by the Hong Kong landscape in which they recorded the album. As far as reunion records go, this is one of the best.—Kristen Kim

Release date: May 4, 2015

Label: Boy Better Know

While everyone was getting excited for Skepta's long-awaited Konnichiwa album to drop, his brother JME delivered a forthright lesson in grime with Integrity>. JME is staunchly independent, and expounds on the virtues of being true to yourself, putting in hard work, and not letting anyone take advantage of you over 16 tracks of hard-hitting grime production from top names like Mystry, Preditah, and Rude Kid.

Guest features are carefully curated, inculding JME's Boy Better Know crew on two tracks, grime legends Wiley and D Double E on one each, and Giggs coming through for one of our favorite songs of the year so far, "Man Don't Care."

To put it simply, if you want to listen to one of the year's best grime releases, hit play on Integrity>.—Constant Gardner

Release date: January 19, 2015

Label: Cinematic / Pro Era

Ever since Joey Bada$$ dropped the video for his single “Waves” from his debut mixtape 1999 back in 2012, his following has continued to grow steadily. The fan base of Joey and the rest of Pro Era is certainly a loyal one, and that fact was proven when his debut album B4.DA.$$ finally released after almost three years of anticipation. As expected, B4.DA.$$ featured the hard-hitting, nostalgic boom bap sound that has become synonymous with Joey Bada$$. But the best surprise may have been the fact that the nostalgic vibe didn’t carry on throughout the entire album.

There was an even mixture of sounds and influences on the album. Rather than opening up the album with his signature sound, the first track, “Save The Children” feels much more soulful and almost jazz inspired. Tracks like “Like Me” and “On & On” cater more to the ear of an R&B lover, while influences of his Caribbean heritage can be heard throughout multiple songs on the album. The bonus song on the album, “Teach Me How To Dance” is a pop radio-friendly track that features Canadian singer Kiesza. Joey Bada$$ ended B4.DA.$$ with a big curveball that showed just how determined he was to showcase his range of sound on his debut album.—Adrienne Black

Release date: February 20, 2015

Label: Lex Records

I'm Canadian, but I'm not quite sure what the Canadian Dream really entails. I'd like to think that BADBADNOTGOOD is the embodiment of the Canadian Dream, though. In the beginning, they were just some dudes who came together, made some music, and made fans out of the likes of Tyler the Creator. It was all so organic and relaxed, with no aggressive dream, no pricy marketing campaigns, and no cheesy gimmicks. Now, they have an album with a hip-hop legend: Ghostface Killah.

The reason behind their success is no mystery; the production on Sour Soul is your answer. It's clean, interesting, and more importantly, unique. Though the intertwining of jazz and hip-hop is becoming more prevalent in modern rap (see: Kendrick Lamar), BADBADNOTGOOD have already been doing it for years. The album not only highlights BBNG's raw talent, but also gives Ghostface Killah—someone who's been there, done that—room to experiment.

BBNG may be living out the Canadian Dream, but Sour Soul is only the beginning.—Joyce

Release date: April 15, 2015

Label: Self-released

Jazz Cartier: much-needed evidence that more than just Drake controls the juice up north. Both artists spend considerable time in dark places. Lover boy Aubrey maneuvers dimly lit clubs and feelings and woes with two women under his arms and a third on his mind—no shots. Meanwhile, Cartier shows you the spots 6 God might be too big to know or care about, unlocking novel channels of the Toronto psyche.

Marauding in Paradise plays up to its near-oxymoronic name. Jazz jumps from being as recklessly bad-ass as Jeff Bridges' pistol-toting True Grit character, spitting in angst over tumbling beats, to roughly crooning about drunken nights over a chorus of trumpets. Some things are still unpredictable. Dude's on the verge of joining DMX, barking at enemies on frenetic track "The Downtown Cliche" and demanding undivided attention, then settling into a more tranquil, if not somber, tone on album closer "See You In Hell." Despite the ups and downs, the hints of aggression and pain—fully displayed on the enraged intro track—never really go away.

As uncontrolled as Cartier comes off at points, his attention to detail is constant. Melodramatic voicemails from former lovers, timely interludes, and song-ending monologues add an entirely different color palette to the mix. Sometimes infectious, sometimes stunningly aggressive, Paradise alone puts Cartier in the discussion for most talented newcomers, stateside or across the border.—Alex Siber

Release date: January 20, 2015

Label: Atlantic / 1st & 15th

More than anything else, Testuo & Youth marks the end of Lupe Fiasco's horrible relationship with Atlantic. Sure, it may have taken hacker group Anonymous threatening the label in order for it to be released, but Lupe is officially off the hook, free to go into hiding or lead a revolution. Whatever it is, it's on his own terms.

But for whatever scars the past may have left, Lupe can still write with the best of them. He's proven as much on this album, which is overflowing with vitriolic commentary on everything from the prison system ("Prisoner 1 & 2") to hood politics ("Chopper," "Delivery"), with a bevy of fantastic guest appearances.

There's really a bevy of everything on this album—allusions, metaphors, massive beats, double entendres, and history lessons. This is the Lupe we've missed since Food & Liquore, the one who seemed buried after Lasers. The resurrection is real.—Graham Corrigan

Release date: May 26, 2015

Label: Self-released

Music today doesn't adhere to traditional genre guidelines. Artists have learned to borrow from each other and blend those sounds together in order to evolve. You have pop singers that are also soulful, R&B that uses electronic production, and rap that's noisy and industrial-leaning. While, for the most part, this is a good thing, there are those rare occurrences in which too much mixing is simply, too much. Artists take on too many sounds in order to create a new offering and it ends up sounding disorganized and messy.

Then you get a band like Made In Heights. The duo succeeds because they know how to balance and integrate a wide range of styles. On their debut album, Without My Enemy What Would I Do, they combine hip-hop beats, electronic production, and pop melodies to make one cohesive and compelling sound. It's not an easy feat, but they make it look easy—a true testament to their artistic abilities.—Katie K

Release date: February 17, 2015

Label: Mute

After a couple of successful albums as the bandleader for Junip, José González returned to his acoustic roots with Vestiges & Claws. The delicately folksy Swede's third studio album, and his first solo in seven years, came to us right after Valentine's Day—a shame, seeing as it'd be right at home soundtracking a quiet afternoon in, where there also happens to be a bit of canoodling.

There's something gently desperado about José's quavering voice here, though the level progression of Vestiges & Claws suggests he's anything but hopeless. In fact, this album seems more resolute than most of what we've heard from him—though it's just as lyrical, possibly even more introspective, with no less to say. His Argentine roots show in the rangy rhythms and clacky percussion in "Leaf Off / The Cave," and the steady thrum "What Will" renders that aforementioned afternoon wrought with meaning.

"Open Book" is the star, though, serving distinctly "Dust in the Wind" vibes with a pinch of optimism.—Sadaaf Mamoon

Release date: June 8, 2015

Label: Sony

There is never a shortage of great pop music from Sweden. Tove Styrke comes from a long lineage of pop artists who showcase traditionally strong songwriting with their own flavor of individuality. From ABBA to Roxette to Lykke Li to Elliphant, Swedish artists have always managed to bend pop music into new shapes, without losing their personalities to the sometimes mainstream-pandering nature of sweet, catchy songs that people can sing along with.

For Tove Stryke, finding herself wasn't easy. She started on Swedish Idol when she was 16 and then put her debut album out in 2010, but she still needed to connect with herself and figure out who she was outside of the industry. She took a three-year break and moved back to her hometown, working on lyrics and trying out new things musically. What she emerged with is Kiddo. It's technically not her debut album, but it feels like it. The album is full of satisfyingly immediate songs—"Ego," "Number One," "Borderline"—but it's Tove's personality and message that makes this album special. Everything is delivered with attitude, energy, and a self-assuredness that Tove worked hard to bring to the surface.—Confusion

Read our interview with Tove Styrke here.

Release date: April 6, 2015

Label: Carpark

The latest album from Chaz Bundick aka Toro y Moi, What For?, is sonically different from his 2013 release Anything In Return. His last album had a much deeper groove to it, while the new album has a much lighter, carefree feeling. However, those familiar with Toro y Moi know that his sound really has no bounds and he is constantly switching gears. Tracks like “Buffalo” and “Spell It Out” still carry that funky, late disco-influenced sound that many of his fans have come to love, while tracks like “Lilly” and “Run Baby Run” sound as if they were distantly inspired by the psychedelic sounds of the late ‘60s.

What For? may be Toro y Moi’s most indie rock album to date, but that still feels like a broad generalization. In the past five years, Bundick has proved just how many musical surprises he has hidden up his sleeves. What For? comes off as another dive into new experimental sounds and yet, elements of it still feel familiar. Toro y Moi provided the perfect soundtrack for the summer with an album that feels so timeless that it could be a permanent staple in anyone’s car for years to come.—Adrienne Black

Release date: January 9, 2015

Label: Domino

Arguably the most prolific of Animal Collective’s animals, Panda Bear aka Noah Lennox has been steadily putting out stellar solo albums since 1999, and Panda Bear Meets The Grim Reaper is the fifth of these gems. Lennox began working on it in Texas alongside Animal Collective's 2012 Centipede Hz, and it was mixed in Minorca by Sonic Boom. You can hear both the sun and busyness in it, quite a departure from Panda Bear's last full-length release, 2011's Tomboy (which was recorded in a basement and totally feels like it).

Amorphous, yet oddly tangible, Grim Reaper is a wholly affective experience, lodging itself in the quiet places of your brain, randomly stimulating neurons that probably aren't being used for good reason, but oh well why not fuck it. It's equal parts heavy and uplifting, struggly messages packaged in bright colors. The sweeping grandeur of the two singles, “Mr Noah" and "Boys Latin," could soundtrack a zeitgeist moment in your life any day (though hopefully you don’t suffer a zeitgeist moment on the daily), while "Crosswords" is a joyfully plaintive reminder you are what you are, doing what you do.—Sadaaf Mamoon

Release date: April 6, 2015

Label: Big Dada

Young Fathers waste no time on the followup to their Mercury Prize-winning Dead. Even before the strains of "Still Running" start to burn through your speakers, they've made it clear right from the album title this is a record with a message. The songs are short, punchy, and full of energetic emotion. The band often records their songs in live, one-take sessions that have all three members in the same room, passing the vibe between them, and you can hear that fire on the resulting album.

They do have moments of exhalation, most notably on "Sirens," their response to police brutality. The song has a heartbeat that seems to reach out from the speakers to cradle its listeners, a group-sing that invites you to join in.—Graham Corrigan

Release date: March 23, 2015

Label: Atlantic / Vice

We've been listening to Action Bronson mixtapes since 2011, and it was starting to feel like this debut album would just be a continuation of those. That would've been fine—his mixtapes are all great projects of strong production, rapping, and the kind of personality that only Bronson could deliver. But what could possibly be different about this "album" than any of his mixtapes leading up to this point?

Well, a lot. From jazz to psychedelia, Bronson's got an appreciation for music that runs deeper than he sometimes lets on, and he explores that on Mr. Wonderful. "Brand New Car" features a Billy Joel sample, "Baby Blue" has Action singing one of the catchiest choruses of the year (shout out to Zane Lowe, who helped with that), and "Easy Rider" sounds like an acid-fueled '70s jam.

And throughout it all, it's still Action Bronson being Action Bronson. Mark Ronson's production gives the music a more full-bodied feel than much of Bronson's more gritty mixtape work, but everything we've always loved about him is here, neatly packed into 13 songs.—Confusion

Release date: March 30, 2015

Label: Asthmatic Kitty

Though this is Sufjan Stevens' most restrained and straightforward album in years, don't take that to mean a lack of complexity. Sufjan's ode to his late mother details a relationship that was complicated, to say the least, but it's also a unabashed dissection of grief in its various stages.

Hushed reverence, child-like bewilderment, and eventual acceptance are at the center of album standouts like "All of Me Wants All of You," "Fourth of July," and "John My Beloved." But there isn't really a weak link on the record—none of those songs were released as singles, but they could have been. This is a concept album in its purest form: one idea, approached from every angle. Sonically, Carrie & Lowell never strays far from its hushed reverence, and it becomes one of the year's most coherent, albeit heartbreaking, efforts as a result.—Graham Corrigan

Release date: June 15, 2015

Label: Warp Records

Hudson Mohawke warned us that Lantern wouldn't be a rap record, and he made good on the promise. The producer's first solo album in six years is a jubilant affair, and finds HudMo replacing raps with happily chirping synths along with notable features from Miguel, Jhené Aiko, and Irfane.

But the album works best when Mohawke is left alone: the triumphance of "Scud Books" or the patient builds and frenetic drops of "System" are more rewarding than some of the catchier, contact-high anthems. Lantern was an experiment for HudMo, and a successful one. He's proved the well has not run dry, and while I'd be surprised to see his next project follow in the same vein, this is a side of the Scottish producer we would not have seen otherwise.—Graham Corrigan

Release date: March 20, 2015

Label: Mom + Pop Music

I like to think a not-so-small part of Courtney Barnett was hoping this album didn't attract too much attention. Sure, it may be totally untrue, but it's in keeping of the image of her the media has constructed: introverted, awkward but sharp-witted with the driest sense of humor this side of Australia. Well, it's too late now. Sometimes I Sit and Think has become the lo-fi folk rock anthem of the year, fueled almost exclusively by Barnett's stream-of-consciousness lyrics and a band that reminds you what rock bands once were.—Graham Corrigan

Release date: March 23, 2015

Label: Columbia / Tan Cressida

Earl Sweatshirt's hazy, depressed aura speaks to the unfiltered, neglected outcasts of the world. Earl seems to have had a way with words since birth, but it took him unexpectedly blowing up off his disturbing, intricate rhymes, and being thrust into the spotlight for him to get down to the nitty gritty in terms of truly personal material.

I Don't Like Shit I Don't Go Outside is that confusing, murky novel that changes your life, even if you don't "get" it at first.

The beauty about a project like this are tracks like "Faucet," where you can pick up glimpses of what's going on with Earl, personally (per his conversation with NPR, Earl was going through a lot in the making of this project), but the overall feels that are etched in this rough stone-turnt-gorgeous statue are cloudy emotions that we've all felt from time to time. It also helps that this project was primarily produced by Earl (aka randomblackdude), as it adds another layer to how personal the entire release feels.—khal

Release date: May 19, 2015

Label: XL Recordings

First there was the funky, timeless sounding "If It Wasn't True," released on a compilation by Brooklyn indie label GODMODE, and a little later the Northtown EP, which included the stunning vocal performance on "I'll Never Be Able To Love." And with those releases we were introduced to Las Vegas' own Shamir, a young artist with an incredible voice and an infectious sense of fun.

The labels came calling, and Shamir signed to XL Recordings. His debut album, Ratchet, doubles down on the bouncy disco and funk sounds of his earlier tracks, but also gives us new sounds to dig into—the sweeping balladry of "Darker," for example, or the sassy rapping of "On The Regular."

Shamir doesn't necessarily see music as something he'll pursue forever, though, and he told us, "I have so much other stuff I want to do outside of music and having this happen so fast and so young, it makes my life feel endless, in that I can do so much." We can't wait to see where Shamir's career goes, but while we have him, let's cherish him.—Constant Gardner

Release date: June 2, 2015

Label: Island Records

The third album from Florence & The Machine was a cathartic experience for Ms. Welch, coming on the heels of a breakup and a sophomore album that couldn't live up to the sky-high expectations set by 2008's Lungs.

You can hear the pain melting away throughout the course of How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, from the snarling condemnations of "What Kind of Man" to the lip-trembling fragility of "St. Jude." It's an album grand in scope: the fingerprints of producer Markus Dravs (Arcade Fire, Mumford & Sons) are all over this one, and while there are moments where his penchant for resplendence becomes repetitive, there are enough standout tracks to keep the ship afloat.—Graham Corrigan

Release date: March 16, 2015

Label: True Panther

There was a time, back in the '60s and '70s, when singer-songwriters reigned supreme. These artists created music that was void of complex instrumental arrangements and instead, favored something much more powerful: an honest narrative. Though released decades after this swell, Tobias Jesso Jr.'s Goon truly resides in this world.

The album opts out of the intricate or experimental production favored by many of Jesso's contemporaries. Rather, the strength of the LP lies in its ability to beautifully explore love through lyricism. Although Jesso sometimes even lacks the best words, he makes up for that in his delivery of them. He howls and whispers, properly emphasizing the various emotional states one experiences throughout a relationship. In doing so, he draws you in and makes you feel—for better or for worse—exactly what he's singing about. It's relatable, it's raw, it's pure, but above all else, it's impeccable storytelling.—Katie K

Release date: April 16, 2015

Label: Atlantic / 300

Ah, Young Thug. He's arguably the most polarizing rapper alive right now, and Barter 6 isn't going to be the album that changes any minds. But this album—which he actually refers to as a mixtape—is proof that even amidst a storm of leaked, half-finished songs, Thug is capable of putting together a cohesive, polished project.

After hearing him on songs like "About The Money," "Hookah," and "Good Times," it's hard not to hope for a Young Thug album full of masterfully produced, accessible, pop-leaning, hook-driven rap songs. These are the types of songs that, in my opinion, would lift Young Thug into the upper echelon of mainstream rap, where a character like himself could add an electric unpredictability. What made Lil Wayne so great at his peak was not just that he was at his best on mixtapes—it was that he was also selling millions of records while doing it. Thug has the same potential. He's a master at off-the-top wordplay and colorfully absurd imagery, but it's his ear for pop melody and his deft, animated delivery that make Thug a star.

There is something commendable about Barter 6's refusal to pander to the mainstream audience, but at times, this album feels like a compromise. It's that halfway point between Thug's unhinged leaks and his more refined hits. My hope is that as he progresses, these two sides of Young Thug will split from each other. My hope is that the next time Young Thug drops an album, we won't be wondering whether or not it's a mixtape. That said, Barter 6 is an excellent body of work, whatever it is.—Confusion

Release date: February 27, 2015

Label: 4AD

When Purity Ring released their debut album Shrines in 2012, it was in the midst of a lot of other solid electronically backed pop offerings. That year also brought Grimes' Visions, The xx's Coexist, and Crystal Castle's (III), to name a few. But what made Shrines stand out among these releases was it's ability to seamlessly pair forward-thinking production with mainstream pop tendencies, creating a whole new and exciting sound for the hybrid electro-pop genre.

Three years later, and that term "electro-pop" is more expansive than ever. With the release of their follow-up album, Another Eternity, the duo could have reentered this world in one of two ways: abandon their style and reach for something as equally different and game-changing as Shrines, or fine-tune their sound and produce something that showcases artistic growth and maturity. Smartly, they chose the latter. Another Eternity is polished and well-constructed, all while being incredibly accessible, ensuring they satisfy old fans and attract new ones.—Katie K

Release date: February 12, 2015

Label: Cash Money

It took me a while to get past the first track on Drake's album/mixtape/whatever the fuck you want to call it, If You're Reading This It's Too Late. There's something magical about the way Drake can speak these boastful truths into unforgettable anthems. In his sung-rap flow, this is one of his most impressive feats as of late, and with the Ginuwine "So Anxious" sample flowing underneath, this sets the tone for what could be Drake's Cash Money swan song.

While heads were enraptured with "Energy" (gotta lotta energy), it was "Know Yourself" that had the hood on lock, early. "Runnin' through the 6 with my woes" became an anthem, and Drake had another notch on the belt, even if there was talk of Drake not really bringing it on this project. You could probably fast forward through cuts like "Madonna," but there are too many puffed-out chest bangers like "6 God" and the "aiming darts at everybody" "6PM In New York."

No matter what you think about Drake and his sound, you can't front that he can perfectly capture a night with the woes, celebrating triumph and wallowing in a tumbler full of brown liquor (or maybe a tumblr full of girls you want but can't have).—khal

Release date: May 29, 2015

Label: Self-released

Plumes of trumpet shoot through the surface of Surf opener “Miracle” like an umbrella thrusted into the air as its arms spread. Those notes set the tone for much of the music that follows, full of the refreshing sweetness of apples and lemonade; the freeing feeling that comes with ignoring your phone for awhile; the beauty of standing on your own two feet to face whatever the day will bring.

The Social Experiment, helmed by underappreciated bandleader Donnie Trumpet, labored over the construction of a multipart play and a theater to house it. Behind red, rippling curtains wait some of music’s best talents. National stars shine on the same stage as local hopefuls, who, if your name is Noname Gypsy or Joey Purp, boast the brightest spark. Much like the foresight needed to film the video to lead single “Sunday Candy,” almost every feature works like a purposeful puzzle piece. I have never tolerated Kyle more than on “Wanna Be Cool.”

And nowhere do this project’s core creators chase cool, at least not in the traditional sense. Instead, they push the listener—especially those expecting Chance’s Acid Rap follow-up—to venture through the often sunny, sometimes stormy peaks and valleys these musicians worked to orchestrate since 2013. No track on the free LP more so encapsulates those mood shifts than Donnie’s first mercurial solo, “Nothing Came To Me,” in which his trumpet transitions from lonesome, paranoid shrieks to a forward-looking smoothness. It’s a new day in the neighborhood; regardless of past troubles, it’s possible to make the next day better. Just remember to pass the vibes. Rain or shine, life can be as sweet as candy.—Alex Siber

Release date: March 16, 2015

Label: Interscope / Aftermath / TDE

You know what's funny about the public? They want their dope artists to stay being the same artist. Not too much growth, not too much "different shit"–the world wants their favorite acts make what they like, and never change. Keep in mind, if you asked these same "fans" to continue to listen to the same exact songs, they'd bug out.

But that's not going to happen with someone like Kendrick Lamar, who's not only much more than Section.80, and more than being a good kid from a m.A.A.d city. This is a guy who is rocking with artists like Flying Lotus and Thundercat. On To Pimp A Butterfly, you're going to get some fire hip-hop, but there's too much funk/jazz/soul/spoken word and more in the mix for it to be good kid, m.A.A.d city part two.

On TPAB, there's a lot to take in. There's the obvious influence of what's going on in the world–one of today's best MCs has, similar to D'Angelo in 2014, taken the pain and frustration of the uprisings in Ferguson and Baltimore, and the racial tension that hangs thick in the air, and channeled it into a truly revolutionary project. He's also opened up his palette, giving us seductive suites like "These Walls" and backporch funk jams like "King Kunta." We get priceless odes to concrete strife like "How Much A Dollar Cost" as well as turnt affirmations like the Pharrell-produced "Alright." Kendrick keeps thing just as hood and backpack-y as you like it on certified cerebral bangers like "The Blacker The Berry" while balancing things out with the D'Angelo-flavored "Institutionalized."

Ultimately, this project doesn't care about singles. To Pimp A Butterfly is the kind of project made for 8-track tapes–no skipping, just throwing it on, hitting play, and letting it take you on that journey. It's a project containing a number of layers, one that you'll need to really let soak in. Something that might not even be made for "right now," but a project to revisit when life's handing you bullshit and you need a reminder about your place in the world.— khal

Release date: May 29, 2015

Label: Young Turks

Jamie xx, one third of The xx, made a truly welcoming album with In Colour, a record that has something for everyone from diehard The xx fans to HOT97 listeners, and beyond. We didn't really know what to expect when the album was announced—his solo output had ranged from bouncy, tropical remixes to an entire Gil Scott-Heron remix album to the UK rave obsessed "All Under One Roof Raving."

The final product, which is Jamie's debut solo album, was better than we could have imagined, an emotional rollercoaster packing euphoric highs ("Loud Places," "I Know (There's Gonna Be Good Times)") alongside moments of dewy-eyed nostalgia ("The Rest Is Noise," "Hold Tight") and raw dancefloor power ("Gosh").

You don't need lyrics to convey emotion, however, and it feels like this album was a release for Jamie, who is known for wearing all black and being very quiet and reserved. The album is anything but, and sees him taking all these musical elements he loves (steel drums, soul, rave, garage, breakbeats, rap etc.) into his studio and coming out with a stunningly cohesive project.

The immediate standouts are songs like "Loud Places" with Romy and "I Know (There's Gonna Be Good Times)" with Popcaan and Young Thug, but dig deeper and there are no throwaway songs on this album, which is also a testament to taking your time to perfect things. It is when listened to in full that In Colour can really be appreciated as the truly wonderful, emotional roller-coaster of an experience that it is.—Constant Gardner

Read our feature on Jamie xx and In Colour here.

Release date: May 26, 2015

Label: Sony / RCA

A$AP Rocky doesn't have the message that Kendrick Lamar has. He doesn't have the pop sensibility of Drake or the grandiose vision of Kanye. What's so great about A$AP Rocky?

He's cool.

For Rocky, cool is more than a slick way with words, cocky delivery, and emphasis on style. It's knowing how to say "I don't give a fuck" and sound like you mean it. It's identifying niche qualities from different worlds and combining them into something new. It's making it to the top of the rap game and then swerving left with a trippy ass album inspired by drugs, sex, and rock 'n' roll.

On his debut album, 2013's Long.Live.A$AP, it felt like Rocky was trying to prove that he could be a mainstream star. Songs like "Wild For The Night," "Fuckin' Problems," and "Fashion Killa" all sounded like Rocky was ignoring his own gut reactions in order to make something with more potential mass appeal. Despite that compromise, it was still a good album. "Goldie," "PMW," and "1Train" were all strong Rocky songs, and with over 500,000 copies sold, Rocky entered the upper echelon of rap.

On At.Long.Last.A$AP, Rocky's not trying to prove anything. There are no clear crossover records, with the possible exception of the awesomely random Rod Stewart, Miguel, and Mark Ronson-featuring "Everyday." Rocky has already proven that he can fit in with radio regulars like Sam Smith and Selena, but this album avoids all that. Instead, he invites an obscure London street musician (Joe Fox), a lo-fi internet favorite from L.A. (Bones), and the elusive Mos Def for an exploration into psychedelic influences and left-field hip-hop.

Look, I understand the complaints about A$AP Rocky being all style and no substance, but let's be real: there are enough conscious rappers to go around, and there's a reason why most of them aren't popular. Music is more than a message—it's feeling, expression, and mood. These are things Rocky is a master of, and they are things that make him, as an artist, far more interesting than a technically sound rapper who has a political agenda and a way with words.

And of course, it would be negligent to not acknowledge A$AP Yams. One of the great musical minds of our generation, Yams was a curator of the highest caliber. He merged street and internet culture in ways that yielded something completely new and modern, and it's ignorant to even talk about the A$AP aesthetic without mentioning Yams. It's without a doubt that Yams' tastes and ear played an essential role in making A.L.L.A the best album of 2015, so far. RIP Yams. Long live A$AP.—Confusion