Top 5 Tracks :: So Far This Year

Here are my favourite top 5 tracks so far this year, as a countdown. It was pretty hard, and even now i'm unsure of my choices... I haven't included any of the stuff i've previously posted about, to mix it up a bit.

No. 5:
So the first song in my Top 5 is 'Wanna Party' by Future Brown featuring Chicago rapper Tink. Future Brown is a project by an array of dark & mystical hip-hop producers: Fatima Al Qadiri, Asma Maroof & Daniel Pineda. I'm a big fan of Fatima Al Qadiri's work, she has produced some massive tracks such as 'Hydra' & 'Ghost Raid', which led me to find this joint project, and this banger.

No. 4:
RL Grime's 'Because of U' was only released this week, and was a large factor in writing a top 5 post, as I instantly knew it has to go in there. I love his previous work such as 'Art Money', and this offers a slightly different vibe. 'Because of U' is a beautiful tune.

No. 3:
I am such a big fan of Mount Kimbie, so I had to put them in there somewhere. This year they released 'Cold Spring Fault Less Youth', and to be honest I could have chosen any song from this album - in particular the collaborations with King Krule. But instead I chose 'Home Recording', an extremely laid back and chilled tune.

No. 2:  
I first heard this song in a Boiler Room set, and had to listen to it properly outside a mix. An instant favourite of mine, and I've been listening to a lot more of this Swedish nutter. 'Solarflare' is another favourite, check it out if you haven't. 'Gatorade' edges it out in this case, to go in at number 2.

No. 1:
Not overreacting or anything, but this song in my view is a masterpiece. Slow disco & r'n'b vibes all over the place. I'm one of those people who prefer Drake's singing voice to his rapping voice, and the argument for that is best seen in this track. I'd probably just edge this as my favourite so far this year.

Pusha T :: My Name Is My Name

I've been a fan of Pusha T since his Clipse days, and the work he's been rolling out on GOOD Music is some of my favourite in hip-hop at the moment - I said this in my Big Sean post a while back. I was going to review Big Sean's new album, but it just seemed all over the place. It did have some jams on it though.

'My Name Is My Name' is Pusha's solo debut album, and after giving it a few listens over the past week I thought i'd share my thoughts. The first half of the album stands out to me the most. Powerful grimey beats, with heavy bars by Pusha. 'King Push', 'Numbers On The Board' and 'Sweet Serenade', will probably be my three most go to songs from the album - these are all on point, and classic Pusha. The beats turn more mellow around the midway point. Still some good songs, but I prefer Pusha forcing his voice through so us listeners can hear what he's saying whilst reflecting the beat. Overall I really like the album, and it was definitely worth the wait.

I'm seeing him live next month at The Warehouse Project, in Manchester for 'Disclosure Presents'. He's the act that i'm most looking forward to seeing that night, and that's out of a strong lineup. Check the album out as it's one of the most anticipated this year from the world of hip-hop. The video for 'King Push', possibly my favourite from the album, is linked below...