Camiele’s 50 Favorite Albums of 2016

30. DIEALRIGHT – Minor World

Then we go from the mostly slick and clean punk of the Guten Birds to the piss and vinegar of DIEALRIGHT. If you want punk in its rawest state, you go to DIEALRIGHT to scratch that itch. This co-ed band is all hard angles, crashing sounds, a thick piece of toughness wrapped in lace. Minor World was their first full-length offering, but it had all the power and edge found in their previous releases.

You can listen to the album on Spotify and purchase it on iTunes.

29. Lance Skiiiwalker – Introverted Intuition

Okay, let’s just put it out here. No label is touching Top Dawg Entertainment when it comes to releasing cerebral badassery. Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, Jay Rock. And the blissed-out perfection that is Lance Skiiiwalker. Introverted Intuition had a sound and ache to it that made itself a home in my soul. (You’ll notice there’s a lot of that on this list.) I don’t know what I quite expected when I first heard Attraction, but I assure you it wasn’t this skewed piece of music. It’s like mad science meets The Fantastic Planet—images playing out in front of you in a psychedelic fashion, as if you can’t be sure if what you’re seeing is really happening. The entirety of Skiiiwalker’s debut is full of the kind of visual sonics that drive me crazy. Not completely lyrically brilliant, but absolutely composed with magic. If you want to get lost in an album, not sure of where you’ll end up after the last note’s been played, you’ll want to invest your mind in Introverted Intuition.

You can listen to the album on Spotify and Tidal and purchase it on iTunes.

28. BJ the Chicago Kid – In My Mind

I have two words for you: The Resume. I know, I know. It’s not the song that defines the album, but it’s most certainly the song that put the album on the list. Beyond that the construction of BJ’s In My Mind made it climb my list the more I listened to it. Smooth, sensual, introspective, honest, playful. It’s just such a well put-together album, a love note to his upbringing in Chicago. He has a way with his melodies. They fit so perfectly with his rich tenor, bringing all of his stories to life.

You can listen to the album on Spotify and Tidal and purchase it on iTunes.

27. Ms. Banks – New Chapter EP

The next couple females honestly could step on my face, and I wouldn’t even mind! There’s nothing shy or sugary sweet about these ladies. Ms. Banks is London’s answer to some of the rawest MCs in the States. She’s not out to coddle, nor is she going to shy away from being rude, nasty, and all types of abrasive. And I absolutely adore it. She comes in with a snarl and a sneer, proclaiming in the first few seconds of her EP, “I’m on some next shit.” Ms. Banks (if ya nasty) could chop anyone out there, I’m not exaggerating. She’s got so much style and finesse, yet she’s so dangerous behind a microphone. I can’t even express the level of my adoration for this queen!

You can listen to the album on Ms. Banks’s Soundcloud .

26. Princess Nokia – 1992

Then in comes Princess Nokia, “With my little titties and my fat belly!” She’s seven different types of out of control. She raps like she’s on fire, a voice that’s laced with candy and shots of homemade tequila. I’m ashamed to say that I discovered her late in the year, but when I finally did get around to listening to her album, I was blown away and vowed to never slack on this true princess ever again. She yells at the top of her lungs her pride in her heritage, her upbringing. She holds nothing back and speaks to the deepest part of who she is, opening herself up, leaving nothing to the imagination. There’s no need to second-guess who she is or where she comes from. She’ll tell you to your face, spitting in your eye and stepping on your toes. To make reference to both The Craft and American Horror Story: Coven without even the smallest bit of irony, then smooth out the grit with good old-fashioned soul straight from the ’70s… I have to give it up to this woman for her ballsy delivery and her fearlessness.

You can listen to the album on Princess Nokia’s Soundcloud .

25. NAO – For All We Know

From the gut-check of Princess Nokia we go to the pristine first soprano of NAO. This woman’s voice and her ability to integrate smooth and elegant balladry with the rough and tumble of pure ’70s funk blew me away. I’ve also not heard a voice this pure in quite a long time. It’s crystalline magic, unblemished without all the frills of typically big voices. She’s got such a grace to her delivery and so much soul in every corner of her music. I fell instantly when I heard the high-pitched dynamite of track Girlfriend. From there I just continued to fall. I’m completley enamored of this queen, and I can’t wait to hear more of what she has to offer in the future.

You can listen to the album on Spotify and Tidal and purchase it on iTunes.

24. Samuel Seo – Ego Expand

After hearing Frameworks I was pretty much sold on anything Samuel Seo had to offer. Exo Expand (100%) is most certainly a step above and beyond his debut full-length, being more than just a competent piece of R&B. It’s an example of his ever-expanding musical vocabulary, his adaptation to a broader range of musical styles. What intrigues me is Samuel’s drive to create better music with more soul, heart, and introspection. It’s not an album for album’s sake. It’s an album meant for exploration of self and the world at large. Really just a beautiful piece of music.

You can listen purchase the album on iTunes.

23. Huerco S – For Those of You Who Have Never (And Also Those Who Have)

Anyone who knows me is aware of my love of House and all its permutations. For those who love the ambient noise of the sea, the sway of all the positive vibes of the universe, Huerco S is definitely for you. The smoothness of this album is so deceptive. You think you’re floating on a cloud only to be brought back down to earth, your feet coming in contact with the dirt and rock. For Those of You Who Have Never… really does manage to get into the body and give the soul depth and scope, brings pure vision to those who allow themselves to simply listen to its rhythms and melodies. I was completely blown away by the serenity felt in the mellow moods of this album. I can’t wait to sink my teeth into more of Huerco S and his love sounds.

You can listen to the album on Spotify and Tidal and purchase it on iTunes.

22. Tee Mango – Imperfections, Vol. 1

And following that piece of melodic brilliance we have the debut album from Tee Mango. Under the alter ego of Millionhands’s founder, Tom Mangan, this piece of house music was so shockingly good. It’s been a while since I’ve heard a deep house album with this much soul, and certainly not one released within the last few years. To be honest I thought a lot of the rich nuance of deep and tropical house had been lost over time. How wrong I was. Just goes to show you one can never truly turn away from the things she loves. If you ever need a reason to return to something you thought had lost its luster, just turn on this album and you’ll be surprised to note that there are still artists out there who are dedicated to always finding new avenues and ways to express even in genres that have been long since infiltrated and oftentimes oversaturated.

You can listen to the album on Spotify and Tidal and purchase it on iTunes.

21. Nucksal – The God of the Small Things

If I could point to one newer MC in South Korea that really left an imprint on me, it would have to be Nucksal. His delivery is slick, his lyrics are space-aged and rambunctious, just like he is. The God of the Small Things was one of those albums that I just fell headfirst into. It helps that Deepflow is so dedicated to all things East Coast rap, claiming Nas’s legendary Illmatic as his Bible. It’s obvious Nucksal has been baptized in the waters of ’90s hip-hop, everything from the production to the cadence of his rap reminiscent of a bygone era of rap both in the States and South Korea. Truly one of the most surprising pieces of hip-hop to come out of South Korea.

You can listen to the album on Spotify and purchase it on iTunes.