These are my personal favorite albums of January and February.  Check them all out.

FKA Twigs - Caprisongs

FKA Twigs bends all of the genres once again by dropping a mixtape that instantly clears my skin. The production is more layered and detailed than ever. Her songs are catchier than ever. Twigs brings the best out of herself and every one of her guests on this project. 2022 came out swinging, and Twigs deserves a lot of credit for throwing this Falcon Punch of a record.

The Weeknd - Dawn FM

Genre: R&B, Nu Wave, Disco

Score: 8/10

Listen

Abel doing disco and nu wave was a good idea. Keep doing this Abel. Quincey Jones, Daft Punk, Tears for Fears, Pet Shop Boys and New Order are listening on with much pride. Score another hit record from the most versatile artist in a generation.

Amber Mark - Three Dimensions Deep

This is a really good debut album. Amber Mark has an incredibly sharp songwriting pen. The production is a fun mix of R&B, neosoul, and pop. It has a really wide variety of sounds and performances from all kinds of hip hop and R&B, and is a great introduction to a really talented singer songwriter that wears her influences on her sleeves.

Earl Sweatshirt - SICK!

Earl Sweatshirt comes down from mountain once again with another cryptic prophesy from the Hip Hop Gods that I am still trying to completely wrap around my head. From what I can tell, he still very much has the strongest pen game in hip hop and few can keep up with him in a smoked out cypher. The Spirit of Hip Hop presents itself within Earl’s music in ways few rappers can successfully capture, no matter how technical their rapping is or how sharp of an ear for beats they have. You can read his lyrics and they would flow and hit emotionally like lines in a poem. He stands as one of hip hop’s greatest poets, even when he’s just playing around.

Black Country New Road - Ants From Up There

Do not let the abstract styles or length of this record deter you. Do not let Black Country New Road’s socially awkward fanbase deter you. If you want incredibly musical and dramatic music that will tug on your heart strings and throw dishes at your ex, definitely check this record out. It’s a great emotional breakdown.

Raveena - Asha’s Awakening

This is also a really good debut album. The production is a unique mix of R&B, neosoul, pop, and Southeast Asian music genres. Is she throwing power notes out like Adele? Not really. But the songs are sharp, the features compliment her songwriting style well, and her taste in sounds and influences is one of a kind. If you’re looking for a futuristic sounding R&B record that you can relax to, do not let this release pass you by. It will only be a matter of time before she drops an amazing record.

Check these records out!

Great Albums: January / February 2022