Best Albums
1
Jaime
Brittany Howard
Lead singer of Alabama Shakes makes a stunning solo debut. Jaime is a profound, intimate self portrait with a deeply righteous message packed with sublime blues, folk, jazz-rock, and hip-hop influence. — Garth Trinidad
2
5
Sault
A mysterious band that has captured our imaginations and has a bright future. Their sound is what you get when you merge The Alabama Shakes and The Internet with Danger Mouse drums. — Aaron Byrd
3
ANIMA
Thom Yorke
Any Radiohead fan is familiar with Thom Yorke’s experimental analog techno tendencies. His latest solo album ANIMA takes it to a deeper level with a fever of gorgeous motion and melody that feels soaked with both dread and tranquilizing comfort. #currentmood — Liza Richardson
4
Oncle Jazz
Men I Trust
To paraphrase one of this album's standout tracks "Say, Can You Hear?" the music contained within bends around you to fit any occasion. The smooth, yet oddly shaped grooves can be wholly immersive, or blend seamlessly into the ether as you go about your day. In a world where trust in anything is an ever dwindling commodity, take comfort in having records as good as Oncle Jazz to rely upon forever. — Marion Hodges
5
Jimmy Lee
Raphael Saadiq
Shapeshifting and never compromising, Raphael Saadiq takes us through a more cinematic approach to music making in this stellar tribute to his older brother. A song cycle imbued with longing, regret, forgiveness and deep love. — Chris Douridas
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6
KIWANUKA
Michael Kiwanuka
Every song on Michael Kiwanuka’s, Kiwanuka, is a classic either from this time or another. His songwriting talent only grows stronger and more beautiful with each release, as does the depth of the production. Love, loss, race, humanity and warmth – it is all here. — Anne Litt
7
Signal
Automatic
LA-based trio Automatic came storming out of the gates with a debut album that oozes cool and screams for repeated listens. — Travis Holcombe
8
Bimini Road
Moon Boots
The long-awaited second album from American DJ and producer Moon Boots continues his steadily reliable (but never predictable) blend of the sophistication of European house, the deep feeling of American soul, and masterfully-chosen vocal collaborators. — Scott Dallavo
9
All Mirrors
Angel Olsen
All Mirrors is Angel Olsen's meditation on lost love and a search for truth in all of it. She finds it behind a Wall of Sound worthy of her girl-group influences, resulting in a haunting & epic masterpiece. — Dan Wilcox
10
This Is How You Smile
Helado Negro
Few records released this year felt as intimately personal and conversational as This Is How You Smile. In its entirety, Helado Negro’s album feels sonically adventurous and uniquely emblematic to his experience, all while remaining accessible and inviting to listeners of all persuasions. This Is How You Smile is a pure example of creative earnestness transcending musical prejudice – it’s simply a fantastic album; there's something for everyone. — John Moses
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