Top 20 Hip-Hop and R&B Albums of the First Half of 2019

By Spencer Lobdell, Miles Hagan, Kaila Cherry, Carter Fife, & Izzy Stroobandt

Welcome to StereoVision’s top 20 albums of the first half of 2019. It has been a great six months for Hip-Hop, R&B, and music in general making this list challenging yet insanely fun to form. The creation of this list came from compiling all of our writers personal AOTY (Album of the Year) lists as well as extensive album debate and conversation throughout the first half of the year to ensure we have the perfect list that represents exactly what we dig at StereoVision. To get this list out in time, we had to cut off all albums released after June 23rd from consideration meaning albums like “Bandana” by Freddie Gibbs that were released in the last week of June are not eligible for selection. Listen along to our top 20 albums of the first half of 2019 by tapping in to our Spotify and Apple Music playlist which contains three spotlight songs from each selection. Stream it here:

This platylist contains three spotlight songs off of each of our top 20 Hip-Hop/R&B albums released during the first half of 2019

Without further ado, our top albums of the first half of 2019:

20. Still Summer in the projects by 03 greedo

Release Date: April 19th, 2019

Record Label: Alamo Records

03 Greedo is a living legend and if his face tattoo of that exact phrase doesn’t convince you, one listen through Still Summer in the Projects should do the trick. The album is Greedo’s most cohesive effort to date and plays smoothly from start to finish. Greedo raps about familiar topics such as living life in Watts (“10 purple Summers”) as well as unfamiliar ones like a new perspective he received from being in the middle of a 20-year prison sentence (“Visions”). Overall Still Summer In The Projects is another exceptional release from 03 Greedo and with news that Greedo might be able to get out after five years on good behavior, we can only prey this is the case and continue to support his truly unparalleled music. Greedo is a musical anomaly, a figurehead for his hood, an LA icon, but above all, a living legend. Free 03! -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks:

10 Purple Summers

Gettin’ Ready

Visions

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19. Grey Area by Little Simz

Release Date: March 1st, 2019

Record Label: Independent

At the beginning of March majority of the United States was introduced to London-based emcee Little Simz and the pleasure was all ours. Deviating from the eccentric, dreamy, synth sounds that characterized her last album, on GREY Area, Simz opted for a blend of aggression, vulnerability, and genre-splicing to convey her experiences growing up and developing as an artist in a male-dominated industry. While following a theme of self-discovery and personal development, Simz displays true artistry through the presence of influences from a variety of musical genres that elevate her voice and message. The English artist displays great strength with hard hitting verses on cuts such as “Offence” and “Boss” but reels it back allowing us to invade her headspace on songs like the excellent “Venom”. With every bar she spits it’s clear that Simz has something to say and she demands you listen. -Izzy Stroobandt

Favorite Tracks:

Offence

Wounds

Venom

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18. diaspora by goldlink

Release Date: June 11th, 2019

Record Label: RCA Records

Diaspora is an ambitious project. GoldLink tasked himself with consolidating the global sounds of the black experience into a single album. And with each genre he explored, he owed it to the culture in which he drew from to do their music justice, to represent them accurately and genuinely with his audience. Diaspora is just that: the amalgamation of the black cultural experience as told through the sound we engage with in each pocket of the world we inhabit. GoldLink features afrobeat, house, Carribean dancehall, reggaeton, trap, classic hip hop, and more on his extremely diverse and funky project. Not the most lyrically strong, GoldLink nearly makes up for it with how well he executed the concept for the album. Diaspora is an accessible project for anyone, from the person who wants to globalize their ear to the person who just needs some tunes to vibe to. -Kaila Cherry

Favorite Tracks:

Joke Ting (feat. Ari PenSmith)

Maniac

U Say (feat. Tyler the Creator and Jay Prince)

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17. Baby on Baby by Dababy

Release Date: March 1st, 2019

Record Label: Interscope Records

DaBaby shows the world that short men do in fact have rights with his infectious breakthrough project Baby on Baby. DaBaby does not take himself too seriously in his music or his visual aesthetic. His music videos are completely kitschy and absurd. He has posed as figures such as Scarface and Suge Knight, and even filmed a video that parodied sitcom television. DaBaby’s bars are hilarious and clever. But do not get it twisted: He is not one to mess with. He is tough as hell, and, as he spits in the track “Suge,” if given any disrespect he will “... beat your ass up all in front of your partners and children.” Baby on Baby is a refreshing project that is funny, surprisingly crude, and full of dope bangers prime for all your summer antics. -Kaila Cherry

Favorite Tracks:

Suge

Pony

Carpet Burn

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16. We All shine by ynw melly

Release Date: January 18th, 2019

Record Label: Independent

YNW Melly’s We All Shine is far and away the best music he has every released. The Florida rapper is packed with personality and it comes through on every track. His songs are filled with authentic emotion giving them a powerful effect on listeners. “Ingredients” is fun and infectious to the point where you can’t listen without smiling while “No More” is a passionate public service announcement where he calls out a homie on his bullshit. If it wasn’t for a timely jail sentence, We All Shine showed every sign of being Melly’s coming out party and ushering him towards being a household name. Hopefully he can get out soon and continue to make excellent music full of emotion, substance, and his unparalleled pipes. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks:

Robbery

Mixed Personalities (Feat. Kanye West)

Ingredients (Feat. Fredo Bang)

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15. Flamagrama by Flying Lotus

Release Date: May 24th, 2019

Record Label: Warp Records

Very few names carry the weight that Flying Lotus’s does in music. A mysterious prodigy who masterfully meanders through genres like electronic, experimental, R&B, jazz, funk, and hip-hop, Lotus returns from a long hiatus to deliver ‘Flamagra’, a 27-track record that spends approximately an hour showcasing Lotus’s musical prowess. It is impossible to sum up this album in just one paragraph, but listening to this album is an experience very akin to Alice’s trip through Wonderland. While some tracks may not last as long as one might wish, they each leave lasting impressions that resonate within long after Flying Lotus transitions to another musical ideas. Featuring help from artists like Thundercat, Toro Y Moi, Solange, David Lynch, Denzel Curry, and Anderson .Paak (just to name a few), Flamagra was certainly worth the wait. -Carter Fife

Favorite Tracks:

Post Requisite

More (Feat. Anderson .Paak)

9 Carrots (Feat. Toro Y Moi)

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14. Assume form by james blake

Release Date: January 18th, 2019

Record Label: Polydor Records

James Blake’s presence in contemporary music has grown heavily over the past several years. No longer is the singer-songwriter confined to the occasional appearance or feature on throwaway tracks, instead now Blake has evolved into a cultural mainstay. While previously established as an expert in the realm of laments and dejected tracks laced with heavy electronic instrumentation or glitchy production effects, Assume Form sees Blake exiting a depressive period. Blake quite literally assumes form on tracks like “I’ll Come Too” or “Power On”, where the listener can track in real time Blake shedding his reserved and destructive tendencies in the enjoyment of a new love interest. Each track is just as incredible as the last, featuring help from artists like Travis Scott, Moses Sumney, Andre 3000, Metro Boomin and ROSALÍA. Although some of the moments on this record could be explored more thoroughly, James Blake offers a precise and relatable emotional tone on this record that will not soon be forgotten. -Carter Fife

Favorite Tracks:

Assume Form

I’ll Come Too

Power On

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13. Foto by kota the friend

Release Date: May 14th, 2019

Record Label: Independent

FOTO was the perfect album for the summer. Kota the Friend is an artist who seems to have really found a signature sound on this project. He mixes his slick flows and relatable lyrics with laid back gorgeous beats. Rather than attempting to force a message on the listener, he paints a vivid picture with each track. A stand out single from the project was “Birdie”. On the album, he added a beautiful saxophone from Hello Oshay which compliments the song perfectly. He captures what it feels like to really be in love with the girl of your dreams. He shines on this project when he is really just rapping about his thoughts and feelings because Kota is a very relatable character. “Hollywood” offers a realistic perspective on fame and all that comes with it. Kota doesn't want to be that stereotypical rapper who went “Hollywood” and forgot who he was, but rather wants to attain this success in the industry through remembering and honoring where he came from. This idea of him paying homage to the people and experiences that brought him to this point is what makes FOTO so endearing to even the most hardened of listeners. -Miles Hagan

Favorite Tracks:

Church 

Birdie (Feat. Hello Oshay)

Alkaline

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12. Outer Peace by Toro y moi

Release Date: January 18th, 2019

Record Label: Carpark records

Within the first few weeks of 2019, fans of Toro Y Moi were blessed with a new album from Chaz Bear himself. During the promotion for Outer Peace, Bear frequently mentioned how he was tired of making sad love songs, and on Outer Peace there is a clear shift from the pensive sadness of 2017’s Boo Boo into a emotional range that while being fun and optimistic, still has its moments of melancholy and doubt. At 10 tracks long, the Bay-Area native provides his fans with a diverse family of tracks, some low-fi and melodic like “New House” or “Monte Carlo” featuring Wet, others infectiously catchy and uplifting like “Freelance” and “Who Am I”. Although I wish it were longer than half an hour, this summery record has something for everyone. -Carter Fife

Favorite Tracks:

Laws of the Universe

Freelance

Monte Carlo (Feat. Wet)

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11. Rap or go to the league by 2chainz

Release Date: March 1st, 2019

Record Label: Def Jam Recordings

It seems like whenever 2 Chainz releases a project at least one song off of it is a hit single in clubs and at parties all over the country. He has made some solid projects over the years, and is an established vet in the rap game. That being said Rap or Go to the League felt different. From the lack of singles before its release, to it being executively produced by LeBron James, this had the potential to be a great album from the well-versed trapper. What we got was actually one of the most cohesive projects of his entire career. A Standout track like “I’m not Crazy Life is” shows just how good this project is when it’s at its best. 2 Chainz flows over stellar production that allows him to really get across a point to the audience. There is a constant parallel between rap music and basketball throughout the album which intentionally alludes to America’s current social climate where young African American males feel like those are their only two ways out of their current situation. While Rap or Go to the League does have a message, there are still some bangers. “Momma I Hit a Lick” may take some listeners a few times to appreciate, but eventually the hard beat and unique flows from 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar are too much to deny. Overall this project succeeds because its feels like 2 Chainz really had a goal in mind this time around, rather than aim for as many radio plays as previous works. -Miles Hagan

Favorite Tracks:

Forgiven (Feat. Marsha Ambrosius)

Momma I Hit a Lick (Feat. Kendrick Lamar)

I'm Not Crazy Life Is (Feat. Chance the Rapper & Kodak Black)

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10. the falling man by duckwrth

Release Date: May 17th, 2019

Record Label: Republic Records

For those whose know Duckwrth solely from his earlier works such as I'm Uugly (2016) and An Extra Uugly Mixtape (2017), they will be quite surprised to hear the direction the South Central rapper went for his latest EP, The Falling Man. A complete divergence from the pop influenced lo-fi aesthetic he leaned on for the first leg of his career, The Falling Man shows Duckwrth experimenting with genre, voice inflection, and lyrical depth in a way he has never done before. Duckwrth dips his toes into rock, gospel, and trap throughout the course of the album and each venture is a success. The Falling Man is, for lack of a more creative term, a very solid album. It is a reliable listen that keeps listeners engaged and intrigued. Seeing Duckwrth explore and expand the scope of his music is exciting, and I am eager to see what he has in store for us next. -Kaila Cherry

Favorite Tracks:

Bow

King King

Nobody Falls (feat. Kiana Lede, Terrence Martin, Madasin)

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9. Arizona baby by Kevin Abstract

Release Date: April 25th, 2019

Record Label: Question Everything Inc/RCA Records

Kevin Abstract has managed to maintain his individual stardom while being part of the wildly successful super-group, Brockhampton. He has been able to accomplish this rare feat by always making sure his music contains emotion. Each track on ARIZONA BABY, no matter what the subject matter or actual lyrics are, is uncompromisingly honest. Sometimes this honesty is beautiful like on the track “Peach”, which features two of Kevin’s Brockhampton band mates in Joba and Bearface as well as rising star Domonik Fike. Like many of the songs on this project, it is able to mix a more sing song chorus and beautifully played guitars with some solid rap verses from Kevin. While the appeal of this track mainly stems from it just simply sounding beautiful, Kevin really shows his talent as a rapper on a track like “Use Me”. This has one of the most interesting and unique beats to be used in a rap song. Kevin experiments with different flows and tells a compelling story on this cut, but is so impressive because like most of the other tracks on ARIZONA BABY we have never heard anyone spit over sounds like this. This project shows what the bright future of rap in this generation has the potential to be. A seamless combination of rap and incredibly produced pop music. No other mind would be better equipped to spearhead this new sound than the very talented Kevin Abstract. -Miles Hagan

Favorite Tracks: 

Baby Boy

Use Me

Peach

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8. The Life of pi’erre 4 by Pi’erre bourne

Release Date: June 21st, 2019

Record Label: SossHouse/Interscope Records

The return of famed rapper/producer Pi’erre Bourne has been long awaited. Since wrapping up 2018 with his collaborative record with fellow producer Cardo, many have been anxiously awaiting the fourth installment in the ‘The Life of Pi’erre’ saga. When the album finally dropped in June 2019, fans were not disappointed. TLOP 4 is a rollercoaster through contemporary hip-hop from the eyes of the man who has helped shape it. From forming the careers of artists like Young Nudy, Playboi Carti, and 6ix9ine, Pi’erre Bourne’s influence and expertise in modern hip-hop/trap synthesis cannot be understated. On his newest record Pi’erre constantly flexes his production skills and his songwriting abilities, delivering heartfelt and saccharine tracks like “Ballad” and “Racer” in one moment, and fast-paced bangers like “Routine” and “Speed Dial” the next. Each track is dense with expert engineering skills and tactics, while still being accessible enough to appeal to hip-hop fans both old and new. -Carter Fife

Favorite Tracks:

Ballad

Doublemint

Speed Dial

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7. Anger Management by Rico Nasty

Release Date: April 25th, 2019

Record Label: Sugar Trap Records

Rico Nasty is one of the most awesome, if not the most awesome female rappers to enter the game over the past few years. To take note of her womanhood is not to say that she does not hold her own in comparison to male rappers. It is instead to say that what Rico Nasty does as an artist and a personality is extremely revolutionary, and her gender is a large part of what makes what she is doing right now so impactful. On her newest project Anger Management, Rico Nasty does not water down the aggressive, in-your-face rap style she became known for with singles such as “Smack a Bitch” and “Key Lime OG.” Rico Nasty reclaims anger not as something inherently negative. She rejects the notion that black women are angry without cause. On Anger Management, Rico Nasty explores the various facets of aggression, frustration, and how such emotions dissolve into, or are perhaps fronts for, melancholy and exhaustion. And with the entire tape produced by the dynamic Kenny Beats, Anger Management is not a project to sleep on. -Kaila Cherry

Favorite Tracks:

Cheat Code (Feat. Baauer)

Hatin

Big Titties (Feat. Baauer and EarthGang)

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6. Everythings for sale by boogie

Release Date: January 25th, 2019

Record Label: Shady Records/Interscope Records

Compton MC Boogie made some major waves last October when he received a huge Eminem cosign and an actual record deal from Shady Records. In January, the young rapper returned with his Shady Records debut Everythings For Sale and it did not disappoint. Over the 40-minute run time, Boogies honestly reflects on a broken relationship, new fame, and his current day to day life. Throughout the tape Boogie proves why Pitchfork called him one of the best young emcees in the country. The tape is exceptionally cohesive and if you immerse yourself in Boogie’s world and experiences you should find that 40-minutes will feel more like 20. Boogie’s lyricism is a perfect mix of cool California dialect and witty lines that emphasize his smart and reflective themes. He gives us up-beat bangers like the JID assisted “Soho” as well as introspective reflections like “Lolsmh” or “Whose Fault”. This album is complete, thought-provoking, and one of the best releases of the year. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks:

Silent Ride

Soho (Feat. JID)

Live 95

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5. Crash talk by schoolboy q

Release Date: April 26th, 2019

Record Label: Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records

When a TDE project drops it is almost a lock that it will be one of the best of the year and CrasH Talk seems like an album that Q really made for himself. This album finds the Los Angeles artist in a vulnerable headspace as he not only was going through depression, but also dealing with the passing of two of his peers in Mac Miller and Nipsey Hussle. What came out of this tragedy was an album that really gave us an audience a look into the inner workings of Schoolboy Q’s mind. A track like “Numb Numb Juice” is still able to be one of the standouts on CrasH Talk because of just how hard hitting and quality the beat is, and the way Q is able to sound so cut throat during the duration of the song. That being said this is in stark contrast to a song like “Black Folk” which is very self deprecating. Q acknowledges his shortcomings and fears not even just as a rapper, but as a man walking through life. He no longer has the gangster exterior that audiences have grown so accustomed to, but instead is now a vulnerable man who is just trying to do right by himself and the people he loves. That is the whole theme of CrasH Talk and it can be seen even more clearly in the title track “CrasH”. Though we all may not be famous rappers or have grown up in the streets of California like Schoolboy Q, we all could “crash” at some point. No person is invincible to the struggles of life, and Schoolboy reminds us that we should embrace these difficulties and use them to make us that much better in the long run. -Miles Hagan

Favorite Tracks:

Numb Numb Juice 

Drunk (Feat. 6LACK)

Black Folk

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4. ventura by anderson .paak

Release Date: April 11th, 2019

Record Label: Aftermath Entertainment/Interscope Records

Anderson .Paak’s Ventura showcases everything we love about the soulful California native. Said to be a counter-part to his prior album Oxnard which was released five months earlier, Ventura showcases Paak in his ideal environment being authentically himself. It is musically unmatched and conceptually rich. It’s both sexy (“Jet Black”) and politically charged (“King James”) but always in moderation to keep it tasteful. With Ventura Anderson truly created timeless music as I foresee songs like “Make It Better” and “What Can We Do” staying in my musical rotation until I can no longer hear. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks:

Make It Better (Feat. Smokey Robinson)

Jet Black (Feat. Brandy)

What Can We Do (Feat. Nate Dogg)

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3. When I get home by solange

Release Date: March 1st, 2019

Record Label: Columbia Records

Solange Knowles’ radical album When I Get Home is easily the most artistic project of the year so far. When I Get Home is not easy to explain, to start, what exactly is the genre? Is it hip hop, as suggested by features with prominent rap artists Playboi Carti and Gucci Mane? Is it soul? R&B? Further, what is the “home” that Solange is referring to? Is this place literal or figurative? Solange manages to answer all of these questions throughout the course of the album. When I Get Home is an iconographic representation of the black experience in the most celebratory sense. Solange embraces her black womanhood and embraces Houston, Texas. The project radiates warmth and familiarity. It creates a home within itself. When I Get Home is wholly inviting, sonically stunning, and lyrically beautiful album that I cannot help but come back to when I am in need of empathy, of comfort, of a place to call home. -Kaila Cherry

Favorite Tracks:

My Skin, My Logo (Feat. Gucci Mane)

Jerrod

Beltway

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2. Zuu by denzel curry

Release Date: May 31st, 2019

Record Label: Loma Vista Records

Coming off his most conceptual album to date (TA13OO), many wondered what direction Denzel would head next. The answer to that was obvious to Curry: he would go home. With ZUU, Denzel tastefully simplified his music showing us that sometimes the obvious answer can be the best answer with proper execution. ZUU is a short album with no skippable tracks. It’s abrasive and in-your-face without being inaccessible for less intense fans thanks to cuts like “WISH” and “SHAKE 88”. Songs like “BIRDZ”, “AUTOMATIC”, and “RICKY” provide long term Denzel fans with his unmatched flow and clever lyricism that they have grown to expect. All-in-all, Denzel made an excellent career decision and the result is a Miami masterpiece. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks:

ZUU

RICKY

AUTOMATIC (Feat. Tay Keith)

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1. IGOr by Tyler, the creator

Release Date: May 17th, 2019

Record Label: Columbia Records

Tyler, The Creator can't be ignored any longer. It is officially his time. Gone are the days of him trying to shock the audience more and more with each track on an album. On IGOR, Tyler manages to continue his incredible growth while also remaining appealing to mainstream audience. A song like “EARFQUAKE” sounds like nothing else that has been put out this year, but is also topping the charts and is able to seamlessly utilize one of the most unique talents rapping today in Playboi Carti. Not only is IGOR sonically interesting, but it also tells a story of falling in and out of love that any listener could relate too. While a song like “A BOY IS A GUN” has some of Tyler’s best rapping on the project, what shines through is what he is saying about the dangers of falling for someone who may not feel the same way back. What makes this the album of the year thus far is that we are seeing an artist who knows his talents as a lyricist, yet still tries to make an album that is great without the traditional constraints of the rap genre. Each track is produced with great care and focus so that the beats aren't just something in the background of him rapping, but actually what helps the listener really feel what Tyler wants them to feel. The perfect example of this is the closing track of the album “ARE WE STILL FRIENDS”. This is a beautiful conclusion to the journey that Tyler just took us on. On this conclusion, Tyler doesn’t even rap but instead he once again lets his amazing production take the stage and what comes out of it one of the most heartfelt and emotional tracks on an album that deserves every bit of critical acclaim that it has received. Though clearly not a trained singer, Tyler doesn't shy away from his more melodic side and it comes across as honest and real. IGOR is one of the best albums of the year because it isn’t just a great rap album, but a great musical experience throughout. -Miles Hagan

Favorite Tracks:

Earfquake 

A Boy is a Gun

Are We Still Friends

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The Idiosyncratic Genius of Flying Lotus: “Flamagra” Album Review

By Carter Fife

The first time I ever heard Flying Lotus I was in high school driving around downtown San Fransisco with a close friend of mine who had the privilege of selecting the soundtrack for the day. I can distinctly remember when “Coronus, The Terminator” came through the speakers, and I immediately turned to my friend and asked him: “What is this, and is there more of it?”. The song was so minimal in composition, while also demonstrating an emotional tone so passionate and meaningful that I had to hear more. Few artists have provoked such an instant interest within me, and since then I have delved deeply into every album, every project, and every track that he has been involved with thus far. Although Flying Lotus, also known as ‘FlyLo’, has not been exactly radio silent since his last album in 2014, the amount of excitement that a five year wait can instill into a fanbase as committed as his is almost unparalleled. 

Announced just a month ago, I spent the past few weeks ravenous for new information and music from the Los Angeles Native. Before listening to the album on release day, I combed through the liner notes. I felt joy seeing names I recognized, and researched the names I didn’t. I wanted to know what to expect, who would be playing what instrument on certain tracks, and who the writers, producers and engineers were as well. Gradually, the hype I felt shifted increasingly into a synthesis of excitement and anxiety as I read names like Solange, Thundercat, and even a personal hero of mine, Toro Y Moi as contributors to the album. This anxiety may seem uncommon, but after similar experiences with the Gorillaz’s 2017 return HUMANZ, and Travis Scott’s sophomore album Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight, I was worried that the 27 track, 67 minute album that many had waited so long for would be potentially too busy. While the previous albums weren’t necessarily disappointments, I was concerned that Flying Lotus’s sixth studio record may have been muddled with the ideas of others preventing the talent of FlyLo to shine through. 

I could not have been more wrong.

Flamagra sees Ellison at his peak, with almost every track being simultaneously quick and easy to digest, while also having the depth and richness of a legendary piece of classical music. This is not an understatement. Somehow each of the 27 tracks are just as resonant as the last, lending themselves to a cohesive whole, though some songs exist in  totally different musical genres. Every moment subverts your expectations, whether it is the melodies, arrangements, chord progression, percussion, or even the brief moments of lyricism on certain tracks. Back from a long hiatus, Ellison presents the listener with 27 tracks that are the aural equivalent of rich appetizers: easy to consume but almost impossible to completely understand. That is a good thing however, as I’ve listened to certain tracks dozens of times and am still picking out drums, effects, and vocals that were previously hidden.

The opening track “Heroes” is an eerie introduction to Flying Lotus’s return to form. The lush instrumentation and hazy feel gives the song an almost vaporware-flavor. Suddenly as the percussion picks up, samples from Dragonball Z come in as the musical tone shifts as well. The track turns over into a more jazz-oriented composition, with Thundercat simply massacring the track with a hectic but funky guitar riff. The guitar ends, “Heroes” turns over once more into a spacious and ambient track as if to say, “catch your breath, there’s no slowing down”, and the next track begins. 

“Post Requisite”, the second track, borrows many musical themes and ideas previously explored in Flylo’s genre-defining Cosmogramma and Los Angeles albums. Fans of favorites like “Auntie’s Harp” and “Do the Astral Plane” will be unable to resist this banger, as Post Requisite's funk-laden baselines and constantly changing drum patterns make it clear that Thundercat had a hand in this song’s creation. In addition to this, the jazzy low-fi elements of this track almost feels like Flying Lotus has returned home with a few new tricks up his sleeve. 

“Heroes in a Half Shell” is another track with the classic random humor of Ellison in the title, and although it is only half as long as the previous track, it still contains a busy and hectic piano arrangement with notes drifting in and out of earshot, as if one was floating down a river with multiple piano concerts happening just feet away. The song transitions nicely into “More” featuring a truly killer performance by Anderson .Paak, who delivers a mediation on love and self-reflection. He sings on the infectiously catchy hook, "Breakin' you down to size / There's gotta be more to life than myself / That's when I caught light of myself / Gotta be somethin' more that I can't tell”. Paak’s effortless confidence pairs well with the background vocals from Norelle, and clocking in at just over 4 minutes, this track is one of only three songs on the album to break the four minute mark.

The next track “Capillaries” is a slightly off-kilter and glitchy cut from the album, with delicate piano melodies that are vaguely reminiscent of entering a quiet bathroom during a busy party. The track also features very heavy percussion that conveys a hard-hitting marching feel when paired with the other instruments. This rhythm continues into “Burning Down the House”, where kicks and claps come together with a sometimes funky, sometimes ambient instrumentation. It is a nice detour before “Spontaneous” featuring the Swedish electronic-fusion band Little Dragon, an ethereal track with vocals so dreamlike that only Little Dragon could deliver. This track is all over the place, sometimes sounding like 80’s rock music, and other times like jazz or funk, but by the time the song ends, it feels just as consistent as it did in the opening seconds. 

“Takashi” is the longest track on the album by far, and at just under six-minutes, it is easily also one of the most infectiously fun and playful cuts off the album. Flylo’s use of the classic analog Rhodes synthesizer paired with the mechanical and calculated feeling of the drums makes this song truly unique and an invaluable part of Flamagra as a whole. The upbeat and electric feeling of the song fits almost every situation, whether it be a crowded house party, or a quiet morning at home. The song ends before you know it, slowly winding down while still maintaining its funky atmosphere before transitioning into “Pilgrim Side Eye”. One of the goofiest and most eclectic tracks on the album, this moment features writing credits from Herbie Hancock and features instruments that are played in reverse in instances akin to a modern Captain Beefheart. Right when you think you have the track figured out, the beat switches into spacious and dreamlike pads that transition nicely into track ten, “All Spies”. 

Featuring a much more conventional drum track, “All Spies” has a distinctly nostalgic 8-bit feel that was commonly invoked on Ellison’s 2014 album You’re Dead!. It is fun, experimental, and features a bit of a musical shift in the track list. “Yellow Belly” featuring Philadelphia native Tierra Whack is a very heavy throwback to FlyLo’s “Dead Man’s Tetris”, with playful rapping paired over stilted percussion and weighty low-pitch synth melodies. Whack raps humerously "In the sky, I'm so high, everyone looks up to me / You a virgin, you could not compete (I put my titties in his face)” before the song quickly changes into the comparably darker experimental rap-track “Black Balloons Reprise” featuring Denzel Curry. 

This track is everything one could hope for from a Flying Lotus and Denzel Curry collaboration, where themes from Curry’s 2018 TA13OO shine through when he raps "The night turns to day and my days don't seem the brightest / ... I wanna take a bite out of what life is / If the President fuck around and piss off ISIS / Bury me in blueberry bills, jewels, and ices”. With multiple layers of background vocal layers, the song carries with it a simultaneously funky, and choir-inspired classic rap track. Curry closes his verse by lamenting "I kick that funky shit until my casket closed”, and he is not wrong.

The next track “Fire is Coming” contains a horrifying spoken word piece by David Lynch about a family realizing that a fire is approaching their house. This is a theme that Flamagra is centered around, a concept that Ellison describes as “...a lingering concept about fire, an eternal flame sitting on a hill […] Some people love it, some people hate it”. The track, like the concept, contains a science-fiction adjacent composition with ambient and space-like pads and heavy bass, with the classic Thundercat and Flying Lotus funk that is so present on the record. Released as one of the singles leading up to the album’s release, “Fire is Coming” ended up being a self-fulfilling prophecy about Lotus’s own upcoming album. 

“Inside Your Home” is a much more spacious and elegant track, with occasionally hectic and busy moments that one would come to expect from Flying Lotus. It acts as a short interlude before “Actually Virtual” featuring vocals from the legendary Seattle-based group, Shabazz Palaces. Delivering lines like "From east blew in a plush wind, with nomads that blow grass /To gold flow that's so passionate, styles dash, we so cash”, this track is incredibly engaging despite the sparse instrumentation that occupies the background of the song. The following track Andromeda is a very chill and relaxed track that almost sounds like it could be an indie-rock song at times. It is just as enjoyable as it is short, as just after a minute passes, it is over. 

The last third of the album begins with “Remind U”, a similarly chill and laid-back track that gradually unfolds and flourishes as the song becomes more and more upbeat. The drums pick up, the bass lines go faster, and right before they reach a climax they recoil back as a glittering piano track ends the song as quickly as it began. “Say Something” is a beautifully haunting track containing some of the most vaudevillian string melodies since Panic! At The Disco’s A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out almost a decade ago. Although the song is also fairly short, the wonky piano melodies in the background make the track a nice but ominous detour before Debbie is Depressed. This track is a simultaneously funky and upbeat soulful track, though the vocals contain some of the most dejected lyricism on the album. The song is about the monotony of quotidian life, and how it is both a blessing and a curse. The track ends quickly with an angelic string arrangement that stands in strong opposition to the sadness laid out in the track. “Find Your Own Way Home” continues this string track into a track that softly blooms and wilts in under two minutes.

“The Climb” features vocals from Thundercat, and fans of his last album Drunk will be sure to love this song. The vocal harmonies are incredibly lush, and Thundercat’s falsetto singing sounds amazing over the jazzy and hip-hop influenced drums and the dense string sections. Created in perhaps an optimistic light after “Debbie is Depressed”, Thundercat sings "Most of the things we're going through make no sense / Even though you feel alone, it's not the end / And when you're feeling out of place and nowhere you can hide / Just close your eyes and take a breath and you'll be alright”. “The Climb” is definitely one of the high points on the album, as Thundercat and Flying Lotus are able to pair jazz, soul, disco, and hip-hop into one easily accessible track that will be in heavy rotation for many fans of the like this summer. After the song ends, the two take a breather with “Pygmy”, a fun and exotic-sounding track containing echoing nature samples and chill contemporary piano melodies. 

Thins begin to pick up again on “9 Carrots” featuring Toro Y Moi, where the track begins with powerfully delicate strings and angelic vocal harmonies before transitioning into a funky and vintage soul beat. Ellison and Bear trade lines while singing about the loss of love, detailing its emotional strain with lyrics like "There's a woman that I know / Who now wants me feeling happier when the day breaks / … / Don't you give it away, give it away”. Both Bear and Ellison’s signature styles of chill wave and experimental electronic funk find a new home on this track, and together they both sound utterly incredible. 

“Ff4” is one of the four closing tracks on the album, featuring a soft and elegant instrumental arrangement of piano flourishes and chords, as well as low-fi drum patterns that almost make this sound like a direct cut off of the youtube playlist ‘low-fi songs to chill/study to’. The track ends, an ominous and beautiful string arrangement fades in and out, and Solange begins to sing on “Land of Honey”. There is not much to say about this song that can accurately portray how well Flying Lotus and Solange pair together, as their combined talents offer themselves on a track that is the musical equivalent to slowly sauntering around a beautifully overgrown garden. Solange even nods to the concept directing Flamagra, singing "When you see smoke, there's fire”, and softly singing “Hallelujah” as the song quietly ends. 

“Thank You Malcolm” is very similar to “Remind U”, as both tracks start soft before increasing in intensity, and right before their peak, the song transitions into the next track. Both these tracks, while beautiful in their own rights, act as springboards into the following tracks, and in the case of “Thank You Malcolm”, the song launches the the listener into the final track, “Hot Oct.”.

Like the very first moments on Flamagra, “Hot Oct.” contains many elements of vaporware music that convey a sense of the fantastical and the surreal. Ambient pads and down-pitched vocals slowly lead the listener out of the album, as the song slowly and peacefully fades away. Like Denzel Curry said on Black Balloons Reprise, “We all die”, and just like that Flamagra is over.

It is no easy task to host as many musicians and collaborators as Flying Lotus has on Flamagra, while still maintaining the personal integrity and identity of the album as your own album. This balancing act is made effortless by Flying Lotus, as each collaborator, such as Thundercat and his camp, Anderson .Paak and his camp, Little Dragon, Toro Y Moi, Tierra Whack, Denzel Curry and Herbie Hancock, is in a position that makes sense within the narrative of the album. None of them overpower the work of Flying Lotus, as each one is able to play with and flourish under the canvas that Flying Lotus has laid out for them. While at first I was skeptical as to how Ellison could pull this off, he proved me wrong by creating Flamagra, an album that is so layered and complex that it seems much more appropriate to call it an elaborate dinner party that Flying Lotus is hosting for his friends. 

Very few other artists host the talents that Flying Lotus has, and even fewer artists could pull off such an exceptional feat such as this project. Every song is its own moment of diverse instrumentation and emotional tone, and I am happy to say that Flamagra was worth the wait. Few artists alive are as idiosyncratic and talented as Flying Lotus, so it logically follows that if any artist could pull this off after all, it would be him. Be sure to check him out at a live show sometime, his visuals and music will be sure to capitate even the most skeptical critics. In the meantime, I’ll be anxiously awaiting the release of his next project.

Favorite Tracks:

(too many to choose)

Post Requisite

The Climb (Feat. Thundercat)

9 Carrots (Feat. Toro Y Moi)

Rating 10

Listen to Flamagra here:

Flamagra, an album by Flying Lotus on Spotify

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