BY TIFFENY GRIPPER / VN MUSIC WRITER
EPs. “Mixtapes.” Albums. Singles. Whether it be one song or a collection, a variety of music ranging from all different genres gets released every Friday.
With streaming services being the main way people get music these days, it seems there is almost too much content to consume.
For me personally, I will listen to an album that I really like for a month at most before I need to take a break.
With there being new music released every day, it is hard to listen to everything right when it comes out.
I have five albums currently in my rotation that have come out recently that I would recommend for listening pleasure.
“Negro Swan” by Blood Orange (AKA Dev Hynes)
Blood Orange’s fourth studio album is hard to put inside of a box and I think that is intentional.
“Negro Swan” touches on the topics of depression, anxiety and the feeling of wanting to belong while not compromising a part of yourself to achieve it.
While it touches on internal struggles, it ultimately highlights the hope of getting through the not-so-bright moments.
Listening to this album, you will hear bits of jazz, soul, 1980s alternative pop and hip-hop.
In addition to getting an array of different sounds, there is a sprinkle of narrations by transgender activist Janet Mock and one by P. Diddy.
Mock talks about her experiences of walking into certain spaces where she felt she couldn’t fully be herself.
Blood Orange offers a soothing body of music that makes us reflect on our personal journey.
“Milky Way” by Bas
“Milky Way” is the third studio album from Bas.
It is filled with a wide range of beats that are influenced by Afro-Caribbean music.
The theme of love is tied to almost every song on the album in one way or another.
“Icarus,” the opener, speaks about feeling more alive after getting out of a relationship while the single “Tribe” shows Bas being thankful God has brought a woman into his life.
There are seven guests featured on the album with rapper Correy C being on two songs.
Other featured artists include J.Cole, Ari Lennox, Lion Babe and A$AP Ferg, Moe Moks and mOma+guy.
“Milky Way” is a feel-good, upbeat album that will leave you on a high note (no pun intended). Some tracks might make you want to dance as well.
“Room 25” by Noname
On her debut studio album, rapper Noname delivers a neo-soul, jazz album with thought-provoking word play.
Noname touches on a lot of topics: heartbreak, gentrification, Christianity, police brutality and independence in life and in the music industry.
When she is not talking about the state of the world, she might be reflecting on the last two years of her life.
In “Don’t Forget About Me,” she raps about moving to California and getting cosmetic surgery.
Here’s some of what she says: “Let’s get down to the nitty gritty, changed my city / Titties 13k, the pretty costs these days … I just came from the funeral, my ugly passed away / Welcome to Beverly Hills.”
To catch all the lyrical gems in this album will take a couple of listens, which isn’t a horrible thing.
“Chris” by Christine and the Queens
Christine and the Queens is a French singer whose real name is Héloïse Letissier and this is her second studio album.
This marks the first time I have listened to Christine and the Queen.
She will be on my music radar in the future because she reminds me of one of my favorite bands today, Haim.
The only difference is she is a one-“man” band.
“Chris” was influenced by Michael Jackson’s “Dangerous” and is filled with the sound of 1980s pop.
The theme of the album is Christine coming into her womanhood unapologetically.
What makes this album stand out the most is that it is bilingual.
There are 11 songs in English and 12 songs in French.
My favorite track is “Girlfriend” because it is the catchiest tune on the entire album.
“Iridescence” by Brockhampton
Although Brockhampton is labeled a hip-hop boy band, their sound can’t be confined within as the album has no unified sound to it.
This is the group’s fourth album and the first of “The Best Years of Our Lives” trilogy.
The album to me feels like it is split into three different parts with the first five songs having an upbeat drum loop in the background, and then a 180 happens to the sound completely.
The middle of the album is backed by an orchestral mix while the last couple of songs seem to be a blend of the beginning and the middle.
“WEIGHT,” the standout track, is about the group battling their inner demons as they try to adapt to a life of fame.
One of the lines about relationships says, “If people trust you, they don’t need to question your decisions / You never needed them if they make you another villain.”
The group has never been one to shy away from how they really feel and that is a reason they are so appealing.
I would recommend them if you are looking for a breath of fresh air from the radio because they deliver a unique sound unlike any other at this moment.
