Matthew Tyler Musto, better known as Blackbear,is an R&B and pop singer and producer from Florida. ‘1 SIDED LOVE’ is Blackbear’s first single in anticipation for his new album, Anonymous, which is being released April 26th. You’ve probably heard his Billboard chart-topper “do re mi” that was released back in 2017. It made it to #2 on the Hot R&B Chart and #40 on the Hot 100 Chart.
After releasing two albums back in 2017, each with two very distinct sounds, fans could only wonder about the next thing he’d bring to the table. With this new track, we get a taste of Blackbear’s older sound similar to that of tracks such as “90210” and “Ain’t Trippin”; both of which are songs from his album Deadroses (a personal favorite of mine). On his most recent album, Blackbear strayed a bit far from the sound his fans have come to love. It wasn’t his best work, and I, as well as most other fans, were waiting for him to redeem himself.
Listen along !
My favorite thing about this track is the hook. It’s gloriously fun to sing along to. To add to that, the light and atmospheric has a nice, spring-time feel to it. The instrumental style is familiar enough to make fans of his older work happy, yet still brings fresh elements to make it a more intriguing listen. It has a less aggressive beat and themes than his previous work.
Because the production remains minimal with very light hi-hats, kicks drums, and synths, the result is a very airy and warm tone that makes it a feel-good song. The effects on his vocals make his voice sound very dreamy.
His lyrics here seem to focus more on the analysis of a romantic relationship, rather than the songs on his album digital druglordthat had lyrics focused a lot more on drugs, sex, and fame.
You’re too busy talking over me to hear what I’m saying
You’re too high to realize I see
Through the smile that you’re faking
He’s definitely getting poppier recently, stepping away from the darker R&B and hiphop work that he started out with. It’s nice to see him stepping out of his comfort zone and experimenting with new sounds! Stay tuned for the review of his upcoming album within the coming weeks. He’s one of my favorite artists recently; I’m excited to see the direction he takes the rest of this album.
Check out the music video for this song!
OVERVIEW
Rating: 4/5
Best line:
Think you loved the idea of us more than the real thing
Just a few days ago, he released a new track, “My Bad”. I was excited to hear what Khalid would bring to the table with this new single, because his newest EP left me and many other fans wanting more. This new song was released in anticipation for his upcoming sophomore album, Free Spirit to be released soon on April 5th.
Listen along!
Though just a short song standing at a little under 3 minutes, it’s fun, light-hearted, and relaxed. It sounds like it could have easily been a B-side from either of his previous works. The topic of the song is very similar to that of his first single for the album, “Talk”. Khalid has recently been discussing the struggles of communications in his relationship. In this track, he dives into the complications lack of trust and miscommunication can cause in relationships. He specifically talks about the roles phone play in relationships (i.e. leaving your phone on silent, forgetting to answer texts, etc).
Said, my bad Blowin' me up, we been wilin' We was cool, yeah we was vibin' Gotta put my phone on silent
The lyrics of this track aren’t the most complex or meaningful, but sometimes you need to listen to music a little more chill and surface-level so you can just relax; and Khalid is great at that.
Frankly, the introduction instrumentals of “My Bad” are very similar to that of his track “Better”. It’s very common for pop artists to try to recycle the ideas from their most successful songs or projects in hopes of their new release gaining the same amount of popularity.
He doesn’t stray much from his usual production and instrumentation here, but I’m hoping we see a bit more experimentation on this next album. He has a lot of musical potential to create something completely different from the poppy-summer-vibe of his last project. His unique, soulful voice paired with his r&b-influenced pop is a sound many try to pull off but not as effortlessly as Khalid. Stay tuned come April 5th when his new album is released; I can’t wait to review this one.
Check out Khalid’s music video for his hit “Better” off of his 2018 EP, Suncity.
2018 was a great year for music that was full of surprises in a variety of genres. Various emerging artists appeared with fascinating debut records, yet even some well-respected artists fell flat with their releases. From J. Cole to Troye Sivan to Marian Hill, there are many albums worth talking about. Unfortunately, 2018 saw the loss of many music artists such as Mac Miller, Avicii, XXXTentacion, Aretha Franklin and many others. Though we mourn the loss of great artists, it is important to remember the art that they blessed the music industry with for the time they were alive.
The music industry is always evolving, and last year there were definitely quite a few highlights. Without further ado, these are the best albums of 2018.
1. Trench by Twenty One Pilots
Trench is Twenty One Pilots’ best project so far, without a doubt. The production is the most crisp and concise fans have heard from the duo in years. Many of the instrumentals remain minimalistic, which is an aesthetic they had not introduced a lot until this record. After waiting three years, this album was surely not a disappointment. For more on the album, check out my review for this album here.
Best Tracks:Neon Gravestones, Nico And The Niners, Cut My Lip, Bandito
This is some of J. Cole’s best work to date. Cole’s career has progressed in the opposite direction of many other modern hip-hop artists today. Instead of “selling out” and making music that has little depth as many have been accused of over the years, his musical themes have actually shifted from more surface level subject matter into more emotional and conceptual topics. Just upon first listen, it’s clear that the album definitely has replay value. When compared to 2014 Forest Hills Drive, J. Cole’s most popular and well received album, it seems very different in terms of both production and themes. Though KODalso has a lot of songs that could easily be played on the radio, it is a more serious listen. This exceeded my expectations, and it is good to see J. Cole sticking to the core characteristics that make him a great artist. Can’t wait to see what Cole does in 2019.
Best tracks:Kevin’s Heart, 1985, Window Pain, Motiv8
Swimming is just smooth. That’s the perfect word to describe it. The trap beats from Mac’s 2013 album Watching Movies with the Sound Off and the soulful r&b vibe of his tracks such as “Weekend (ft. Miguel)” and “My Favorite Part (ft. Ariana Grande)” combine together to create this masterpiece. Mac clearly had matured greatly by the release of Swimming, as this album reached emotional depths that were not even hinted at earlier in his career. This is the most insight listeners get into his mind, and it’s truly beautiful. Rest in Peace, Mac. Your greatness will be missed.
Best Tracks: Hurt Feelings, Jet Fuel, What’s the Use?, Ladders
Troye Sivan outdid himself with Bloom. His 2015 debut Blue Neighbourhood didn’t impress most pop listeners, but Troye changed their minds with Bloom being one of the best pop albums of 2018. 2018 music releases showed a lot of artists maturing, and Troye is no exception to this. This album is perfect for a long drive with friends in the summer. Many of the tracks are just the epitome of joy, while others have more melancholy undertones. The blend of the these themes make this his best work to date.
Best Tracks:Lucky Strike, What A Heavenly Way To Die, Plum, Seventeen
Post Malone was a name on the charts all through 2018. He’s made some big steps since White Iverson topped the charts years ago. The production on this album is impressive, and the features are perfect complements to it. The features from 21 Savage, Ty Dolla $ign, and Swae Lee are some of the strongest tracks on the album.The record has an incredibly pleasing amount of more chill, laid back tracks and party hits. He’s becoming more versatile in his style; I hope to see more of this versatility shine this year as well.
Best Tracks:Spoil My Night, Blame It On Me, Rockstar, 92 Explorer
Jorja Smith’s debut album Lost & Found is soulful, jazzy r&b at its finest. Each track on this record introduces a timeless melody from Jorja and effortless production that combines keyboard, bass, subtle guitar riffs, and a few stringed instruments here and there. Her unique sound has clear influences from classic r&b artists such as Alicia Keys and Amy Winehouse, yet she still manages to infuse her own take on their rhythms and melodies. This is one of my favorite r&b albums of all time already.
Best Tracks: Teenage Fantasy, February 3rd, On Your Own
Joji’s first album In Tongues felt like he was holding back something, but BALLADS1 reveals it all. It’s definitely still just as sad, but luckily for listeners there is a release from this emotional tension with fun tracks like “No Fun” and “Can’t Get Over You (ft. Clams Casino)”. Trippie Redd makes a surprise appearance on the album, and although it seemed like the collaboration might be a bit off, their very different voices melded well together. For more info on this album, check out my review of it here.
Best Tracks: Slow Dancing in the Dark, Test Drive, Yeah Right, Attention
There was always something that set Marian Hill apart from other artists in the electronic music scene. The duo’s debut album, ACT ONE, introduced us to the dark production they have become known for. Samantha Gongol’s vocals have a sultry element that never goes stale. Marian Hill’s iconic sharp use of those vocals is still very present here, as her vocal clips chime in and out during the choruses through the use of a midi keyboard. Much of the electronic music today is weighed down by synth-heavy, crowded production, but the record’s instrumentation remains sparse and minimal. Their saxophonist collaborator, Steve Davit, also make a few appearances that make the album drift away from the conformities of modern electronic music. I was able to see them live last summer at Firefly Music Festival, and I was very impressed.
Best Tracks: Subtle Thing, Don’t Miss You, Differently
Many are usually surprised to see huge stadium acts such as Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, or Shawn Mendes have one of the best albums of the year; but, with this album, Shawn has proven himself as different from the other artists similar to him. He managed to mix mass mainstream appeal with acoustic guitar driven r&b songs. There are only two features, Julia Michaels and Khalid, whose soft voices match the vibe of the album perfectly. There are plenty of catch riffs, addicting melodies, and pleasant harmonies that make you want to play this album on repeat. This is a huge step in the right direction for Shawn, away from the more cookie-cutter pop music he was making in his previous two studio albums.
Best Tracks: Lost in Japan, Youth, Particular Taste, Why, Mutual
Though just a short 5-song EP, summer, by Jeremy Zucker deserves to be on this list simply due to the fascinatingly catchy minimalist tracks on it. “comethru” was the single of 2018 that gave Zucker a lot of popularity on streaming platforms such as Spotify. With such a concise EP sitting at just 18 minutes, he manages to show his range of ballads, upbeat pop hits, and everything in the middle. Still a relatively new artist, Jeremy probably has many more musical skills up his sleeve that he has yet to show the world. He most likely working on his second full-length LP to be released later this year, and I’m convinced every song he releases is better than the last.
Two years ago, 6LACK released his debut studio album FREE 6LACK, which contained his breakthrough hit “PRBLMS”. In 2018, he returned with East Atlanta Love Letter. This album could be compared to the early work of The Weeknd, as it has a similar alternative-r&b vibe. The album is very dark, the type of sounds you’d want to hear on a late night drive. There is a lot of emotional intimacy throughout the record that is paired with minimal beats to aid in helping the vocals and lyrics stand out. The features from Future, Khalid, and Offset only complement his voice even more. I hope to see more experimentation from 6LACK in terms of production and subject matter in the future; but, for now, his first two studio albums will more than suffice.
Best Tracks: Let Her Go, Disconnect, Switch, East Atlanta Love Letter
Most know Vance Joy’s iconic radio hit “Riptide,” but not nearly as many have heard his 2018 release Nation of Two. He is definitely one of the best indie folk singer-songwriters currently because of his voice and intricate acoustic guitar hooks that are present on nearly every track of his. The reason this album is on this list is not only just due to the instrumentation on it, but also the lyrics. Vance Joy seems to be at the prime of his song-writing, as each song on this album feels either nostalgic, joyous, hopeful, or sad – alll emotions that, although sometimes very complicated, everyone has felt at some point or another that he seems to portray with ease. He maintains the accessibility of a standard indie album with other niche characteristics that make it stand out. Vance Joy has stuck to his roots and only made them stronger.
Best Tracks: Call If You Need Me, I’m With You, Crashing Into You
Nation of Two came out a year ago today! Thank you to everyone (love ya) who listens to my music and came to a show – Chipping away at some new music now x 🐸 pic.twitter.com/XbhoHAeH3q
13. A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships by the 1975
The 1975’s music defies the norms of all genres. It blurs the lines between radio pop and alternative rock, two genres that seem fairly distant from each other until you listen to one of their albums. A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships was one of my most anticipated albums of 2018, since they are one of my favorite bands of all time. It took a few listens to get used to the new ambient slowness of a few of the tracks on the album, but it eventually became a natural, pleasing listen. The 1975 even included some elements on trap in the track “I Like America and America Likes Me,” with the hi-hat rolls featured in most Top-40 rap today. Though not their best album, it showed an immense amount of creativity and experimentation. There is a prevalence of religious and political commentary on the record as well, which makes it more of a sophisticated listen than their first two albums. Track 9, “The Man Who Married A Robot / Love Theme” tells the story of a man who falls in love with the internet and provides a commentary on the internet’s role in society and relationships. It is narrated by the male British version of Siri, a fun twist on normal storytelling delivery in their music. The album is full of surprises and is worth listening to in full.
Best Tracks: Mine, Love It If We Made It, Give Yourself A Try, TOOTIME
Bobby Tarantino II by Logic is such a fun listen. The production is polished and complex. Though Logic has gradually become more pop-influenced as his career progresses, it is actually quite enjoyable. He’s known for tackling controversial topics in very blunt ways, after his hit song that discussed suicide, “1-800-273-8255”. That side of Logic is a great one, but that was for his previous album Everyday. The Bobby Tarantino albums are songs to get you riled up and excited. He’s taken some clear inspiration from artists like Travis Scott, Drake, and J. Cole and continues to build on his unique take on hip-hop, resulting into the great record that is Bobby Tarantino II.
Best Tracks: Everyday, Boomtrap Protocol, Midnight, 44 More
Earl Sweatshirt released one of the best rap albums of 2018. The title, Some Rap Songs, definitely does not do the album justice. The murky production is sample-driven and fascinating which lets the poetry Earl is rapping truly shine. This album has the style of several underground hip-hop artists, but he has the unrelenting confidence that they lack. Some Rap Songs managed to be experimental, yet cohesive. This is not his best work, as his previous releases still shine above this album; however, all of Earl Sweatshirt’s music is worth a high rating, so that isn’t saying much.
Best Tracks:Nowhere2go, December 24, Shattered Dreams
Check out this collaboration “Dance To This” with Troye Sivan and Ariana Grande. This song is from the album that made #4 on this list, Troye Sivan’s “Bloom”.
Just last night, Germany-born and North Carolina-raised rapper J. Cole released his first single of 2019, in anticipation for an album coming out some time later this year. After he left his mark on 2018 with the concise and creative album KOD, which was his fifth album to reach number one on the Billboard 200 Chart, fans were just left to wonder how else he would amaze them come 2019.
Listen along while I dive into the review of this track!
Right from the start of this track, we are greeted with triumphant brass horns, then the hard-hitting hi-hats. Immediately, the production is clean and has those intricate trap drums which have become almost essential to a lot of mainstream hip-hop today.
The lyrics in this track have actually created quite the commotion of Twitter. Fans of both J. Cole and Kanye West have found themselves in various arguments after listening to Cole’s new song. Many think some of the lyrics are a direct diss to Kanye:
But I’d never beef with a n—- for nothin’ If I smoke a rapper, it’s gon’ be legit It won’t be for clout, it won’t be for fame It won’t be ’cause my sh** ain’t sellin’ the same It won’t be to sell you my latest lil’ sneakers
Some fans seem to think J.Cole is taking shots at Kanye on "MIDDLE CHILD"
Cole has often expressed his distaste for “beefs” and other drama in the rap game, most notably in his interview with Lil Pump. He notes in Middle Child that if he’s going to get into some sort of dramatic conflict with another rapper, it’ll be for a legitimate reason, not to sell sneakers, gain clout, etc. Many believe those lines are about Kanye – sneakers being in reference to Yeezy’s and gaining clout being in reference to Kanye’s obvious attempt to gain more popularity with his collaborations with 6ix9ine and Lil Pump.
The rest of the lyrics are in reference to both legendary, past rappers and the ones that are currently rising to fame. He’s not a part of either of these groupings, he’s the “middle child”.
There is no short of references to other rappers in this track, which makes it one that takes a few replays to catch everything. Overall, it’s a solid song. Cole uses noticeable autotune on his vocals throughout the track, which isn’t something he usually does. Fortunately, it doesn’t echo Travis Scott’s use of autotune, which has become a trend many are trying to emulate. Cole introduces his own individual take on the use of autotune; and, after a few listens, I’d have to say I enjoy it quite a bit.
Middle Child is definitely not the best we’ve seen from J. Cole, but it also isn’t the worst. It’s somewhere in the middle (no pun intended). Cole is one of the strongest hip-hop artists in the music industry right now, and I’m excited to see what he brings in 2019.
Check out what else J. Cole’s been up to recently in 6LACK’s music video for his song “Pretty Little Fears” featuring J. Cole.
You may know Joji, or George Miller, as FilthyFrank, an internet comedian with over 6 million subscribers on YouTube. He’s the man behind the viral “Harlem Shake” videos that took over the internet back in 2013. His unique comedy gained a lot of attention on the site over the years, while his music side project remained lesser known on SoundCloud. Miller underwent quite the transformation: from the shock-comedian FilthyFrank to the emotional, lo-fi artist we all now know and love as Joji.
Miller first began to release his music in 2014 under the name Pink Guy, making oddly comedic, yet very well-produced rap music. It was evident that he wanted to take his creative passions more seriously when fans began to become increasingly more aware of his presence on SoundCloud. Joji’s music caught the interest of 88Rising, the record label and media company home of Rich Brian and Keith Ape. After being signed, going on a tour, and releasing an EP, Miller officially retired his YouTube channel and reinvented himself as a musician.
HISTORY MADE. Joji is the first artist from Asia to top the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop charts. We couldn't be more proud. pic.twitter.com/dwHohSrfbc
Miller has matured even more since then, with his first full-length LP BALLADS1. After gaining a bit of mainstream appeal with his euphonious ballad “Slow Dancing in the Dark”, the album only provided fans with more of the atmospheric production and contemplative lyrics that many love from Joji.
BALLADS1 flawlessly fixed many of the problems listeners had with In Tongues. The short track list of the EP quickly felt overplayed after the first few listens; most songs, since they used similar instrumentation, began to sound the same. Joji was more creative on this new album, with features from Trippie Redd, Clams Casino, and Shlohmo. Instrumentally, the most stand out track after several listens is continually “Test Drive”. The crisp production of the track paired with the soothing instrumentals blend to create this hit. This was one of the most radio-friendly tracks Joji has released, with production that I would describe as a more lo-fi version of XXXTENTACION’s ?. It is impossible not to sing along to it, as Joji reaches the sophisticated high notes in the pre-chorus.
Joji and Clams Casino’s music video for “Can’t Get Over You”
Lyrically, the best track is “Slow Dancing in the Dark”. Slow Dancing is the ballad nobody knew they needed from Joji. This is one of his more vulnerable songs, with the first lyric claiming he “doesn’t want a friend” and “wants his life in two,” clearly yearning for the woman that is the subject quite often on this album. He then tells this person to leave him be: “When I’m around slow dancing in the dark / Don’t follow me you’ll end up in my arms”. Joji discusses this lyric: “It’s like when you see me out there lost, don’t come following me ‘cause you’ll be just as lost as me. And if you don’t know what you want and that person doesn’t know what they want either, then they’ll end up with each and it’ll just be [messed] up.” He wants to be with this person; but, he also knows it isn’t what they genuinely want and wishes for them to leave him be when he’s alone, as to avoid an unhealthy relationship. It’s a complicated emotion that many have failed to put into words.
Tracks “No Fun” and “Can’t Get Over You” are ones that could easily be played in a nightclub. They make you feel good, with a similar vibe to that of “Midsummer Madness,” 88Risings summer hit that made its way to #23 on the Billboard Hot R&B Charts. The hard-hitting bass-line of “Come Thru”, “Attention”’s strong vocals, and the sheer creative genius of “Yeah Right” are some of the strongest elements of the album. There is quite a bit of self-deprecating commentary within the lyrics of this album, as well as his previous work. Romance, longing, and hopelessness is all one can expect from George Miller, and I can’t get enough of it.
Check out Joji’s mind-blowing, aesthetically pleasing music video for “Slow Dancing in the Dark.”
Overview
Best Tracks: Slow Dancing in the Dark, Test Drive, Yeah Right
Perfect For: Driving around at night; Getting into your feelings
After a series of cryptic messages hinting towards the themes and lyrics of their new album, Twenty One Pilots have returned from their year long hiatus with their newest full-length LP ‘Trench’. The duo first released four singles: Jumpsuit, Nico and the Niners, Levitate, and My Blood toward the start of the fall season. After much praise from their fans regarding their new hard-hitting Muse influenced rocker Jumpsuit and reggae inspired pop hit Nico and the Niners, they have finally released all 14 new tracks after three years of waiting.
Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun have brilliantly constructed the DEMA Universe, similar to the character Blurryface that appeared on the band’s previous album. The lyrics of the album revolve around a mysterious character, Nico, and journey through the universe with an organization called Bandito. Trench’s dystopian themes manage to have similar effects to that of a sci-fi film.
Tyler’s lyrical prowess reaches its peak in the song Neon Gravestones where he delves into the sensitive topics of suicide, the outbreak of young celebrity deaths, and the Netflix show “Thirteen Reasons Why”. The beat remains minimal, while the lyrics contain the main complexities of the track. He starts off the song inviting the listener to join him on a journey to the “bottom underneath the insane asylum,” expressing his desire to look at more than just the surface level appearance of these issues. He then proceeds to provide a commentary on the current popular culture’s response to celebrity deaths: giving them the “highest of praise” thus portraying the message that suicide may be an option with these positive benefits. He notes that this awareness is in fact helping beat the stigma surrounding mental illness, but it is only providing one point of view.
He notes that some may be tempted to use this portrayal of suicide as a message that it can be “used as a weapon” – which many critics believe is about the Netflix Original, “Thirteen Reasons Why” since the main character of the show blames her suicide on several of her classmates and gains sympathy.
Twenty One Pilots’ sophomore studio album Vesseldiscussed many of the same themes as Trench, providing a complex commentary on personal struggles with mental illness. This newest album, however, is more cryptic and requires a more involved ear in order to fully comprehend the messages of the music.
Trench showed the duo’s artistry mature greatly, and I am excited to see where they continue to take their new, inventive sound.
See the first music video for the Trench era that the duo released, breaking their music and internet hiatus.
Overview
Best Tracks: Neon Gravestones, Nico And The Niners, Cut My Lip, Bandito
Lend Me Your Ears 