Afrobeats is one of the fastest-growing genres in the country. There are big names who have seen global success, but there are even more talented up-and-coming artists looking to achieve the same type of success. Finding those artists can be tough, but we’ve got you covered. Every week, we’ll share an update on the best new afrobeats songs you need to hear and hopefully, you can find someone new to add to your rotation.
Here are some more releases on the new music front that you should check out:
Mannywellz & Pink Sweat$ — “Attention” & “Better With You”
Almost six months after his Don’t Tell Anyone EP, Mannywellz returns with a pair of songs alongside Pink Sweat$. The two tracks, “Attention” and “Better With You,” are cut from a cloth closest to alté, a sound perfect for Mannywellz afrobeats and Pink Sweat$’s R&B backgrounds.
KCee — “I Pray” Feat. Oxlade
Weeks after releasing “Tuesday,” KCee checks in with “I Pray” alongside Oxlade. Together, the two singers strike up an energetic amapiano-inspired record that speaks to a higher power to thank them for their success and to protect them from the enemies that may lurk around them.
Teni — “Malaika”
Teni’s second album Tears Of The Sun arrives on November 19, and ahead of its release, she returns with “Malaika.” The third single on the project, joining “Lanke” and “No Days Off,” is built on the groove of afrobeats as Teni takes time to thank God for helping her through the ups and downs in her life.
Joeboy — “Only God Can Save Me”
In less than two weeks, Nigerian singer Joeboy will release his Body, Soul & Spirit EP. It appears to be a companion project to his second album Body & Soul, which he released back in May. He begins the EP’s rollout with the vulnerable “Only God Can Save Me” which Joeboy uses to discuss the lack of control we have over our destiny.
Victony — “No Joke”
During an interview with Uproxx back in May, Victony hinted at “really unique” records he had on the way. His latest single “No Joke” is seemingly the first, and it’s a groovy single that is both assertive and confident.
Minz — “Blessings”
We’re due for a project from Minz, but for now, we’ll take the singles the singer continues to deliver. “Blessings” joins “Sokoto” and a remix of “Wo Wo” as his drops in 2023, and on it, Minz takes a moment to celebrate the blessings and success that have rained on him in his life.
Morravey — Ravi
Much of the world was introduced to Nigerian singer Morravey thanks to her feature on Davido’s “In The Garden” from his Timeless album. She now steps out on her own with her debut EP Ravi. Through its five songs, Morravey shows her versatility through dance, reggae, highlife, and afro-pop records.
Tega Boi Dc — “Child’s Play” Feat. Shallipopi
If you love amapiano, Tega Boi Dc’s new record “Child’s Play” with Shallipopi is just the track for you. It comes after Tega Boi Dc’s summer record “Come For You” and after Shallipopi’s October release “Things On Things.”
Mellissa — “Henny Talk”
Ghana singer Mellissa is a name you’ve seen beside artists like Amaarae and BOJ, and now, she’s gearing up to stand out on her own with an upcoming EP. Ahead of that project, she drops “Henny Talk” which is a fun and steamy single that combines romance and a bit of liquor to show how feelings can run wild once both are combined.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Often, when you hear of an artist working on new music, there are stories of them retreating to some off-the-grid destination, experiencing the environment as they pour all their creativity into their craft, and then bringing the results of that process back to society. For his new performance, though, Pink Sweat$ took the opposite approach, bringing his songs off the beaten path for some wooded live renditions.
The performance, which is part of Uproxx and T-Mobile’s “Way Way Out Live” series, sees Sweat$ retreating to Staten Island’s Walker Pond (40.58°N 74.112°W, in case you wanted the exact coordinates). Once there, Sweat$, flanked only by a keyboardist and audio equipment, starts with “Nothing Feels Better,” stripping the track down to its core elements, which has the benefit of creating a simplistic, more organic arrangement, as well as letting Sweat$’ exemplary vocals dominate even more than they typically do.
From there, he busted out “Spiritual” before wrapping with the platinum-certified “Honesty,” both with the same impactful aesthetic as the first performance.
Also included in the video is a bit of Sweat$’ journey to make it out to his earthy venue. During that segment, he dives into what creativity means to him, saying, “Innovating as an artist means to me that you’re being conscious about your creativity, to the point where you leave a mark on someone’s heart, someone’s soul, someone’s journey in their own life. For me, it’s super important to feel life, you know, things moving and happening around you. It’s a part of the journey to the song.”
Check out Pink Sweat$’ performances in the video above.
Pink Sweat$ is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
In the latest video from Pink Sweat$‘ EP Pink Moon, the Philly native dreams of the joys of marriage. In a pastel-colored room on a film set, Sweat$ is joined by singer Tori Kelly, as they croon over the loves of their lives. Clips of Sweat$ and his fiancée are juxtaposed with Sweat$ and Kelly dueting.
“I want couples around the world to champion marriage,” Sweat$ said of the video in a statement. “At the same time, if you haven’t experienced love yet, stay hopeful for it. I’m in the process of getting married this year, and Tori is already married. It was organic because we’re both in a similar space in our lives. We just captured the energy and released it through a song.”
Ahead of the release of Pink Moon, we spoke to Sweat$ last month about the EP, and he revealed “Real Thing” was the first song he wrote. He also shared the secrets to creating a streaming hit.
“If you want a playful hit it usually can be tied to some sort of a movement, whether it’s a dance or some form of moving of the body that people can feel,” Sweat$ said. “And if you want more of a singer-songwriter hit, I think it’s just about the story and the storytelling ability because we all got a story, right? The way you articulate that story through a song, the effectiveness of it, that’s how you get ahead.”
Watch “Real Thing” above.
Pink Sweat$ is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
When it comes to streaming hits, Philadelphia singer Pink Sweat$ is something of an expert. His breakout single, “Honesty,” racked up millions of streams across nearly every streaming platform, launching his successful career as a solo star after several years behind-the-scenes as a songwriter. Then, to prove that those numbers were no fluke, he nearly doubled them with his follow-up hit, “At My Worst,” and its remix featuring Bay Area singer Kehlani.
For the release of his Pink Moon EP, Sweat$ graciously agreed to a Zoom interview with Uproxx to reveal the secret to a streaming hit, what made each of his prior hits so special, and which songs from his new EP we should all be betting on to rack up the streams in the future.
We’re here to talk about what makes a hit, how to get a streaming hit. It’s something you should know plenty about what with your growing collection thereof.
Wow. Appreciate y’all having me, number one. To answer, I guess I would say it depends on what kind of hit you want, right?
Yeah.
Because I write and I produce, I try to steer people in the right direction, so it’s different kinds of hits. If you want a playful hit it usually can be tied to some sort of a movement, whether it’s a dance or some form of moving of the body that people can feel. And if you want more of a singer-songwriter hit, I think it’s just about the story and the storytelling ability because we all got a story, right? The way you articulate that story through a song, the effectiveness of it, that’s how you get ahead.
What do you think it was about “Honesty” that connected people? Obviously, you said songwriting, but each song kind of has its own personality. What do you think was the personality of “Honesty” that people were drawn to?
I would say it’s just the vulnerability and the relatability because I feel like the state of music, everything is like fantasy. Whether it’s rollies, chains, all these girls, all this overindulgence. That’s fantasy for a lot of people.
That’s not most people’s every day, but most of us are questioning who we are. Do we deserve this thing called love? Are we capable of loving? And I feel like it’s one of those things that we fill our day in a certain kind of way where we don’t have to think about it. We always got to be busy. Because sometimes when you’re sitting alone by yourself, you start wondering like, “Dang, is this how I want to choose to live my life?”
The first line of a song is “She said, ‘Baby, I’m afraid to fall in love.’” I feel like right there, you got people. It’s like, “Oh this is about to be a story. Like, where is this going?” Who’s not afraid to fall in love? Who’s not afraid to be vulnerable? Most of us are. It’s very few people that are just always jumping right in, and we always judge those people like, “Man, you love too easy.”
Absolutely. Now, “Honesty” was of course a smash, but then, you had to knock it completely out of the parking lot with “At My Worst.” What was it that drew people to “At My Worst?” And what kind of an effect did you see when you added Kehlani to the remix and that exploded even more? I always say that song is going to be our friends’ kids’ wedding song. They’re going to dance to that at their weddings.
Well that song, honestly, it was just me. I was tapping into what I know people wanted from me, and then I just elevated it. I wanted to give a perspective that was super vulnerable, but while the lyrics are vulnerable, but at the same time, the music is happy. It takes your guard down with the music. But then the words are seeping into you where it’s like, “Whoa!”
You know, I’m in a position in my life where things are well, I’m able to take care of myself, I’m able to help people, things like that. But at the same time…Someone can see me and be like, “Yo man, he living,” but you don’t really know the things that I deal with, because money can’t solve everything. But my partner does. And it’s like, I always wanted somebody to love me, despite my problems, my internal issues, the things that I struggle with mentally.
So it’s her not judging me, and I feel like, for a lot of people, we want that. We want to be loved at our worst, because it’s easy to say, “Yo, you’re up, you’re doing your thing. He got his mind on right. He got his bread right. He got a car. He got his own place.” It’s easy to do all of that. I feel like, especially for me, being a Black man, we’re always taught to go out and chase things and accomplish something, and then the world would be yours, but that’s the win and the downfall. Because of that pressure of, “Hey, well what if I can’t keep it all together all the time? Is somebody going to still love me?” So that’s what I wanted to get across, but I didn’t want it to be as heavy as me just saying it just now.
So you got your Pink Moon EP coming out. If you could pick two of the songs to blow up from this EP, that you think are going to be the ones, which ones would they be? And would you be surprised if it were a different one?
That’s a great question. I would say “Real Thing,” since that’s the first song I made for the project. Me and Tori Kelly on that, and then another one is called “Better,” me and one of my favorite artists, her name is Kirby. Those are the two that I really, really, really love. And I got another one. I know you didn’t ask me three, but the third one is the Blxst song. It’s called “For Me.” That’s just because it’s like a manifestation song and also a letting-everything-go song. I feel like when I wrote that song, I was in a place of stress where it’s like, having conversations with my label, having conversations with my peers, trying to understand the climate of music, because it’s always changing. I was just stressing myself out and it was like, “I never do this, why am I tripping? What’s for me is for me.”
Blxst is on a roll. Everything he’s on is just like, it knocks to the high heavens. Yeah, man. I’m really looking forward to seeing what this thing does.
I want to get a gospel award for that song, because technically, that’s an inspirational song. I’m putting that out in the atmosphere for sure.
Of course, “Nothing Feels Better” seems to have taken off. Again, what do you think that one says that people are tapping into, and how do you intend to take that momentum forward into the next one? Do you go left or do you stay the course?
I feel like that’s like an adoration song. I’m just showing mad love to my partner, where it’s like all the things in the world that can go right, they don’t really feel the same as just knowing that at the end of the night, I got somebody to turn to. All the things that I deal with throughout the day, just having somebody to go through all those ups and downs with, that’s like a euphoric feeling. We might argue one day, then in the same day we’d be laughing about, “What was we even… It wasn’t that deep. Nothing feels better than this.” The certainty of love.
I feel like it’s not really a lot of songs that popularize adoring people and telling them how great they are. It’s always about tearing somebody down or doing some drugs or something. To each their own, but I just feel like I want to just mix it up. I’m not trying to say “get rid of this” or “get rid of that.” I’m just saying we need some more of this too. It’s like putting all the salt in food, but maybe put some pepper in there. Maybe use a little honey. I don’t know, but we need more than just salt as an ingredient. We need to mix it up.
Pink Sweat$ is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Months after dropping his debut album Pink Planet, Philly singer Pink Sweats has been treating his fan base to some new songs in recent weeks. His latest drop is a new collaboration between him and LVRN singer 6lack. The two bring their talents for “Midnight River,” a somber track that both singers spent most of the week teasing for their respective fan bases. Altogether, the new record is an easygoing effort that finds the singers craving a peaceful and serene moment with their respective partners, with the hope that they’re truly in love.
“Midnight Skies” arrives after Pink Sweats dropped a visual for his “Nothing Feels Better.” The video detailed a teenage love affair for the track that’s focused on praising a partner and showing gratitude to them. It came after his heartwarming single “I Feel Good,” which captured Pink Sweats in good spirits and has every right to be. His Pink Planet debut was one of 2021’s best R&B releases and it even appeared on Uproxx’s Best R&B Albums Of 2021 list.
As for 6lack, things have been a bit fairly quiet for the Atlanta singer. His last project was 2020’s 6pc Hot, and since then, he’s stuck to do guest features like Lil Tjay’s “Calling My Phone,” Isaiah Rashad’s “Score,” and Melii’s “You Ain’t Worth It.”
You can press play on Pink Sweats and 6lack’s new collaboration in the video above.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The video for Philly soul singer Pink Sweats’ new single “Nothing Feels Better” hearkens to a simpler time when making a love connection was as simple as passing a note in class. The first single from Sweats’ upcoming follow-up to Planet Pink, “Nothing Feels Better” details the euphoric feeling of real love, with the singer promising, “Forever I’m yours / just know that I’m all in.”
The colorful visuals in the accompanying clip reflect those feelings, casting the singer as a student who makes a bid for his crush’s heart by scrawling a love letter and sending it her way. Throughout the video, the classmates also pursue their various passions, from rollerskating in the hall to dancing in an empty classroom, drawing a parallel between the romantic love of the song and the sense of fulfillment that comes from chasing any other dream.
A year removed from his shimmering debut, Sweats is preparing to release a new project, Pink Moon, in early 2022. He also intends to promote Pink Moon with a tour beginning this Friday, November 5 in San Diego, California, and running through December 16 in Dallas. You can find out more about the tour here.
Watch Pink Sweats – Nothing Feels Better video above.
Pink Sweats is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Pink Sweats is slowly making a return to the spotlight just months after he released his debut album, Pink Planet. It’s a project that delivered 18 songs, with a lone guest appearance from Kehlani, to fans. It’s also an effort that arrived after three EPs: Volume 1, Volume 2, and The Prelude. Fast-forward to the present and the Philly singer is back with his second song in as many weeks with “Nothing Feels Better.” The singer’s near-acoustic sound serves as the landscape for a romantic message to a partner he’s head over heels for as their love helped him “realize I’m right where I should be.”
Prior to “Nothing Feels Better,” Pink Sweats touched down with “I Feel Good,” a track that found him appreciating the world around him and how great life is to him nowadays. It all comes amid a spike in activity for him. He recently made an appearance on The Eye, a new series that allows up-and-coming artists to their breakout songs in beautiful and minimalistic environments. There he performed “At My Worst,” “Heaven,” and “Paradise” and also spoke about his debut Pink Planet.
He described the project as “an album about one of the most timeless emotions… love. I wanted to express my love about someone I truly love and document that.”
Listen to “Nothing Feels Better” above.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
More than three years after his breakout moment with his “Honesty” single in 2018, Pink Sweats finally arrived with his debut album, Pink Planet earlier this year. The Philly native’s project came after he graced the world with three consecutive EPs: Volume 1, Volume 2, and The Prelude. Five months after dropping off Pink Planet for his fans, Pink Sweats is back in action with his latest single, “I Feel Good.” The track is a soft and heartwarming release that finds the singer appreciating the world around him and how great life feels nowadays.
The single comes after Pink Sweats performed“ At My Worst,” “Heaven,” and “Paradise” on The Eye, a new series that allows up-and-coming artists to their breakout songs in beautiful and minimalistic environments. In an interview on the show, Pink Sweats characterized Pink Planet as “an album about one of the most timeless emotions… love. I wanted to express my love about someone I truly love and document that.”
If 2020 was a year of scary and uncertain darkness, 2021 is so far a tentative sunrise. The world is getting vaccinated, people are making plans to do things outside of the house again, and overall, it’s starting to look like our planet and its inhabitants might just be okay.
While pointing out the good parts of a historically devastating pandemic isn’t the most obvious or even appropriate thing to do, it should be noted that 2020 at least delivered a ton of great music. Also during that time, artists had a year off from live shows and have been able (whether they liked it or not) to either write new material or finish stuff they hadn’t had the chance to properly wrap up. So, 2021 has brought and will presumably continue to deliver a new wave of exemplary music.
Some of these sounds reflect on the tough year that preceded them, others try to help us all sport smiles and move forward, and others yet check different boxes. Whatever the case, there’s been a lot of music to be grateful for so far this year. That’s as important now as it’s been during any other time in recent memory, so let’s go through the best albums of 2021 so far, presented below in alphabetical order. Please note that December 2020 albums are eligible to be included here, as they came out too late for our 2020 lists.
Another Michael – New Music And Big Pop
Run For Cover
It takes a mere 31 seconds for the opening track of Another Michael’s debut album to capture your full attention, when frontman Michael Doherty hits a falsetto so striking it is impossible to ignore. Across its ten tracks, New Music And Big Pop is imbued with a sense of liberation and raw talent that feels rare in 2021, a breath of fresh air that creates a unique lane and a promising future for the indie-folk trio. – Zac Gelfand
Arlo Parks – Collapsed In Sunbeams
Transgressive Records
With her poetic lyrics and vulnerable songwriting, UK singer Arlo Parks won over hearts with her debut album Collapsed In Sunbeams. The singer has earned co-signs by the likes of Michelle Obama and Dua Lipa, and it’s no secret as to why. Over shimmering harmonies, Parks is able to share catchy-yet-moving songs that resonate, exploring subject matters like queerness, teenage depression, and anxiety, and offers earworms about why it’s important to never lose hope. – Carolyn Droke
The Armed – Ultrapop
Sargent House
Are they called The Armed because the band members always look so jacked? Are these even really the band members? There’s so much mystery to this enigmatic noise-rock outfit, but what’s obvious is how much fun Ultrapop is. Chaotic soundscapes abound as always but there’s more melody and hooks to be had here than on previous records. It’s like if The Go! Team did crank for three days and then made a record. – Steven Hyden
Caleborate – Light Hit My Skin
Caleborate
Bay Area native Caleborate is one of few stalwarts of the indie rap scene who deserves placement here, mostly because Light Hit My Skin is the perfect showcase for what feats of creativity artists can be capable of away from the commercial expectations of the major-label system. In spots, it dazzles. It also asks listeners to think — about the world around, about the art they consume, and about themselves. Plus, it sounds lush, a true accomplishment when compared to the repetitive, bare-mininum production that often defines bigger-budget releases. – Aaron Williams
Claud – Super Monster
Saddest Factory
As the first artist to officially be signed to Phoebe Bridgers’ fêted Dead Oceans imprint, Sad Factory, (now featuring the queer trio Muna as well) Claud’s sparkling sad-pop anthems are a fitting foil to Bridgers’ own terrifically depressing tunes. Super Monster is 21-year-old Claud Mintz’s first official album, but it’s by no means their initial foray into music. The artist formerly known as toast has been making delightfully left-field pop songs for the past two years or so, and they’ve honed in on that sound with confidence on this surprising, gentle debut record. – Caitlin White
DDG – Die 4 Respect
Epic
DDG’s imminent path to rap stardom is found on his mixtape Die 4 Respect. Helmed by production from the Grammy Award-nominated and legend OG Parker, a sound is developed as DDG establishes his own style of rap. Though the current star of the show is the pop-based TikTok track “Impatient” with Coi Leray, Die 4 Respect is loaded with so many hidden smashes outside of the previously released “Rule #1” featuring Lil Yachty, “Money Long” with 42 Dugg and of course, the platinum-certified “Moonwalking In Calabasas.” The melodic “Hakuna Matata” is a storytelling number about what it took to get out of his hometown of Pontiac, Michigan and “Let em Go” is the tale of how it goes when fame hits. At this point, it’s hard to deny DDG’s artistry. If you’re reading this, it’s probably not too late to give Die 4 Respect a spin. – Cherise Johnson
Girl In Red – If I Could Make It Go Quiet
AWAL Recordings
Girl In Red may have gotten her start writing gentle pop songs in her bedroom, but with her debut album If I Could Make It Go Quiet, the Norwegian songwriter positions herself as a major indie pop contender. Altering between heartbreak and horniness, the album boasts smoldering hooks and towering choruses that sometimes veer into pop-punk territory. Her cutting-edge alt-pop songs about queer relationships have even made the question “Do you listen to girl in red?” become a discrete way to find out if a crush is gay. – C.D.
Guapdad 4000 – 1176
Guapdad 4000
From its opening track’s clever Alice Deejay rework to its closer’s raw, gut-wrenching storytelling, the Oakland native’s latest release is 100 percent authentic to who he is. Though he’s primarily known as a comedic figure, here, he gets tender, delivering heartwarming odes to the flavors of his youth (“Chicken Adobo“) and poignant plugs to partnerships ruined by split attentions (“PlayStation“). And still, despite his commitment to peeling back the layers and hailing his Filipino heritage, he’s wiling to remain a little goofy on tracks like “She Wanna” with fellow Bay Arean P-Lo. – A.W.
Jazmine Sullivan – Heaux Tales
RCA
It’s been so long since the R&B game heard a full project from Jazmine Sullivan and Heaux Tales satisfyingly came through at the top of 2021. The words Jazmine sings are relatable hymns found out through time and wisdom, are what make this collection of songs inspired by stories from the women in her life truly special. “This process and making the project helped me to do that by listening to the tales of other women, my girlfriends, and older women,” she told Uproxx in an exclusive interview. “Bodies (Intro)” alone is a moment that many women may have found themselves in at one point in time when it comes to making sure sexual needs are met after a cocktail or two. “Pick Up Your Feelings” reiterates a classy new mindset of what it means to have a hot girl summer. – C.J.
Joyce Wrice – Overgrown
Joyce Wrice
Joyce Wrice is without a doubt one of this year’s brightest and most promising newcomers in the R&B world. The LA native shared her debut album, Overgrown, at the beginning of the year and while it flaunted her youthful spirit and cheery vocals, Wrice also injected enough maturity and wisdom in the project’s 14 songs to deliver her intended message without error: Indecision and false hope are two things she won’t deal with in love. – Wongo Okon
Julien Baker – Little Oblivions
Matador Records
The contradiction of Little Oblivionsis that it’s the most musically inviting album that Julien Baker has yet made, and also her most lyrically devastating, observing a period of personal upheaval. The extra heft added to the guitars and rhythm section nudges her closer to a full-on rock record. Somehow, the emotional brutality of the words melds with the uplifting beauty of the music, perhaps giving Baker some peace in the process. – S.H.
Kota The Friend – To Kill A Sunrise
Kota The Friend
It’d be easy to write off Kota The Friend and Statik Selektah’s collaborative effort To Kill A Sunrise as “just another backpack rap album,” if not for the laser focus of its execution, the earnestness of Kota’s rhymes, and the intensity that emanates from each of its 10 tracks. It’s a vibe that says it’s cool to just, like, enjoy the process. Unlike J. Cole’s The Off-Season, Kota raps with nothing to prove, and the lightness and enjoyment with which he does is infectious. – A.W.
Lana Del Rey – Chemtrails Over The Country Club
Polydor/Interscope
Confounding, canceled, and always coquettish, Lana Del Rey managed to drop an album that can stand up to the best of her career while even long-term fans were rolling their eyes at her endless social media gaffes and tone-deaf “rebuttals.” But maybe Lana does best when she’s under pressure, managing to turn in the breezy and beautiful Chemtrails Over The Country Club despite all the noise. With the finest take on folk-pop since music critics started scorning the Laurel Canyon vibes, Del Rey comes out on top again. It’s not a statement record like Norman F*cking Rockwell but a gentle, whispering one, the kind Jackson Browne and her own beloved Joni used to deliver. – C.W.
Lil Tjay – Destined 2 Win
Lil Tjay
Of all the 20-something New York rappers utilizing the singsong flow pioneered in large part by A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Bronx rapper Lil Tjay is perhaps the most versatile. He illustrates as much on the wide-ranging Destined 2 Win (shout out to the power of manifestation), where he contemplates heartbreak on “Love Hurts” and turns up on the jaunty “Oh Well.” He even displays a penchant for broader ranging, tough guy taunts on “Headshot” with his longtime partner-in-rhyme Polo G. – A.W.
Manchester Orchestra – The Million Masks Of God
Loma Vista
Manchester Orchestra have spent the better part of the last two decades as one of the biggest emo bands on the planet, known for their emotive and volatile brand of post-hardcore. The Atlanta band’s latest album, The Million Masks Of God, features the their grandest vision to date, delivering a collection of what Steven Hyden called for Uproxx “expansive and philosophical indie rock” tracks inspired by the death of guitarist Robert McDowell’s father. – Z.G.
Mdou Moctar – Afrique Victime
Matador
Afrique Victimeis loaded with moments where this Nigerian phenom steps out of the song in order to ram his guitar directly into your guts. He does this for emotional effect, bending and blurring notes with the furious energy that defines one of his most obvious influences, Jimi Hendrix. But you suspect that Moctar also believes that ripping off a sick solo is extremely dope, which on this record it absolutely is. – S.H.
Moneybagg Yo – A Gangsta’s Pain
Moneybagg Yo
While A Gangsta’s Pain is only Moneybagg Yo’s fourth album, the project is a part of more than 15 projects he’s released since 2012. Known for his braggadocious bars and nonchalant approach to seemingly anything that doesn’t benefit him, A Gangsta’s Pain, which saw help from Polo G, Jhene Aiko, and more, found the Memphis rapper effectively tap into his emotions and how the pains of yesterday affected him. It’s an illuminating look at what created the rapper and man he is today. – W.O.
Nick Cave / Warren Ellis – Carnage
AWAL Recordings
Nick Cave has proven to be hard to predict: Just since March, he’s voiced a “virtual midsummer forest” in an online theater production and released two songs inspired by a letter from a fan. So, it shouldn’t have been a tremendous shock when he released Carnage, an album made alongside Warren Ellis that Cave says was made with risk-taking and “an accelerated process of intense creativity.” It’s one of the finest offerings of his already incredible career. – Derrick Rossignol
Olivia Rodrigo – Sour
Geffen
Olivia, what’s left to say? Dominating 2021 from the jump with her darkly sad, magnificently constructed “Drivers License,” Rodrigo proved she wasn’t a one-trick-pony ten times over on the simple, eleven-track Sour. Veering from pop-punk to delicate electronic-laced anthems, to even folk-infused harmonies on one of the album’s sleeper cuts, “Favorite Crime,” Rodrigo proved that she has the range — and it only took her 34 minutes. All this quick, efficient pop record did was make fans want another one. And another one. And another one. – C.W.
Origami Angel – Gami Gang
Counter Intuitive Records
The sophomore album from Washington, DC duo Origami Angel is a sprawling double LP that transcends the traditional boundaries of emo and puts on full display the band’s knack for catchy and undeniable songwriting. With tracks ranging from borderline metalcore to intimate folk punk, Gami Gang feels like nothing short of a modern punk masterpiece, fraught with intricate guitar insanity and impressive vocal hooks that show the band won’t be stopping anytime soon on their way to the big leagues. – Z.G.
Pink Sweats – Pink Planet
Atlantic
Unlike most, Philly singer Pink Sweats endured an extended wait between his breakout moment, his debut single “Honesty,” and the arrival of his debut album, Pink Planet. The latter appeared nearly three years after the former and while it was certainly a long wait for those who got acquainted with the singer early, Pink Planet proved to be an excellent display of Pink’s artistry as it honed in on the qualities listeners were familiar and introduced new ones that made his music more enjoyable. – W.O.
Pooh Shiesty – Shiesty Season
Pooh Shiesty
Pooh Shiesty’s highly-anticipated debut album Shiesty Season came with evergreen hits in the chamber. He put his hometown of Memphis on full display through his lyrics and let everyone know what time he’s on over beats crafted by eerie beats. “Back In Blood” featuring Lil Durk stars one of the most prominent lines used to assert allegiance: “Pooh Shiesty that’s my dog, but Pooh you know I’m really shiesty.” Songs such as “Neighbors” with Big30, “Ugly” featuring 1017 general Gucci Mane, and “Box Of Churches” with 21 Savage offer a peek into what can become of Pooh Shiesty musically since he’s just getting started. Though Pooh’s rise happened during the pandemic, nothing is stopping Shiesty Season from its inevitable reign. – C.J.
Rico Nasty – Nightmare Vacation
Rico Nasty
Coming in hot at the end of 2020, Rico Nasty’s long-awaited debut turned out to be everything longtime fans could have hoped for from the eclectic DMV native. With forays into the thrash-rap that helped make her name on “OH FR?” and “STFU,” floaty, cotton-candy trap on “Own It” and “Don’t Like Me,” and splashy hyperpop on “iPhone,” Rico deftly displays every facet of her weird-girl style, delivering a debut that truly has something for everyone. – A.W.
Rod Wave – Soul Fly
Rod Wave
Rod Wave’s latest had something of a bumpy road to its release but once that road cleared, the Florida native easily coasted to an impressive chart debut, buttressed by his velvet vocals on tracks like “Richer,” “Street Runner,” and “Tombstone.” Even for fans who can’t relate to his traumatized tales of hood survival, his voice transmits every emotion needed to tap in and zone out. SoulFly is as soulful as trap music has ever been. – A.W.
Shelley FKA Dram – Shelley FKA DRAM
Empire/Atlantic
Three and a half years went by since Shelley (fka DRAM) dropped his debut album, Big Baby DRAM. At long last, he returned in April with his sophomore effort, Shelley FKA DRAM. It saw the Virginia native embrace the sultry love-driven ballads that appeared infrequently throughout his discography before this album. All in all, it made for an elegant and unblemished body of work that detailed the beauty behind a fearless love. – W.O.
Slowthai – Tyron
Slowthai
Casual American audiences might know Slowthai best from his raucous Tonight Show performance from early 2020. That uniquely high energy level can be found all over his sophomore album Tyron as well, although the UK rapper proves his versatility and also excels in tender moments, like on the James Blake-featuring “Feel Away.” – D.R.
St. Vincent – Daddy’s Home
Loma Vista Recordings
A departure from the futuristic sounds heard on St. Vincent’s previous albums, Daddy’s Home takes a trip through the past. Trading in electrifying guitars for woozy sitars, the album leans heavily on iconography from the ‘70s in order to revisit her own complicated history. Her most personal album yet, Daddy’s Home vaguely sheds light on St. Vincent’s private life with dizzying production, dreamy chords, sultry back-up vocals, and her acerbic sense of humor to explore what it truly means to be a struggling artist. – C.D.
Sun June – Somewhere
Run For Cover
Sun June previously told Uproxx that their second album, Somewhere, takes place at “a futuristic prom set in Albuquerque in a time where global warming has lapsed to a point of climate cooling.” Indeed, on Somewhere, there are handfuls of tender and hypnotic moments suited for a swaying embrace, the sort of calming blanket that can make any apocalypse more bearable, whether the world’s actually ending or it just feels like it. – D.R.
Taylor Swift – Evermore
Taylor Swift
Since the ever-prolific T. Swift managed to file her second album of 2020 after all the year-end lists had already been ranked, published, and debated, we have little choice but to take Evermore as a 2021 record. And since the project’s excellent bonus tracks “Right Where You Left Me” and “It’s Time To Go” were added to this year’s deluxe edition, we did technically already have new Taylor songs in 2021. Like the rest of this thick, folkish album, the songs hew close to Swift’s signature storytelling style, sprinkling in banjo twang and elevated strings that bring her closer to her best self than ever before. – C.W.
Topaz Jones – Don’t Go Tellin Your Momma
Topaz Jones
When Topaz Jones stepped away from the limelight in the wake of viral single “Tropicana,” it wasn’t just because he didn’t want to be stuck rhyming about fruit juice. Instead, he examined himself both as an artist and as a man and came back with the introspective, observational, and terrifically musical Don’t Go Tellin’ Your Mama. Like Kendrick Lamar with To Pimp A Butterfly, Jones threw out what had worked in the past, opting for something smart, experimental, and deeply personal. Tell a friend. – A.W.
Wild Pink – A Billion Little Lights
Royal Mountain Records
On previous Wild Pink albums, John Ross wrote sensitive story songs about millennial ennui set to surging synth-based rock, producing a rich, stirring sound that evoked a cross between Death Cab For Cutie and Lost In The Dream. For Wild Pink’s latest, Ross pursues a big, lush sonic canvas that integrates Americana instrumentation like pedal-steel guitar and fiddle into his usual heartland rock mix. – S.H.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
