Snail Mail - Valentine

When I first listened to Snail Mail’s music (their debut album Lush) I thought it was boilerplate indie pop with little to offer in substance or staying power. As such, my expectations going into this surprising new release (at least for me) were low. Little did I know that Valentine was exactly what I needed to hear. It’s short, and sweet, but oh so sweet. It’s a breakup album, and I don’t mean that in a dismissive sense. I mean it in the sense that it made me FEEL things. The last track, Mia, may be a contender for one of my favorite tracks of the year. What’s funny is that while I was listening to it, sobbing my eyes out, I was thinking about how peculiar it was for me to be crying over a post-breakup song from a woman’s perspective. But then it hit me that Lindsey Jordan was singing ABOUT a woman. Not that it made a difference, but it was something I found pretty damn cool. I really hope this’ll grow on me even more.

8.5.

Honorable Mentions

Boogotti Kasino - Benjamin Siegel

I’ve been following Boogotti’s career for about a year now, and this is his best release to date. It’s short, but personal, and features top-tier trap production, some of his best hooks, and irresistible flows. In short, I pray his next project will take this sound and hone it even further.

Curtis Roach - The Joy Tape

Joy Tape is pure positivity, but not in a toxic sense–in the infectious sense. Curtis is a rapper cut from the same cloth as Chance the Rapper (although I far prefer Joy to any of Chance’s projects). He just oozes optimism and charm, and I can’t wait to see where his career goes from here.