In the light of the pandemic of “TikTok” music, it’s refreshing to see artists still dedicated to pure craft and artistry. With much of the music industry relying on social trends and the arbitrary “it factor” that makes an artist jump to superstardom as well as the model of social media oversaturating the industry, there are always countless releases that do not get the national or worldwide acclaim they may be worthy of.
Regardless, the releases on this list, most of which were released by independent artists, are releases operating outside the bounds of the traditional industry, already successful enough in their purpose and artistry. With unique and refreshing new sounds, here are five albums you may have missed in 2023.
playing w/ fire – redveil
The 19-year-old independent rapper has been proving his musicality and talent since his debut in 2019. Certified as one of the most talented contemporary rap artists, it won’t be long before the self-made and self-produced rapper shares the spotlight with artists like Tyler the Creator. His April release “playing w/ fire” features a blend of powerful, empowering and generally exciting tracks. With impactful lyricism and unique creative production, the EP exemplifies the artists’ youthful nature and playful musicality.
Notable tracks:
black enuff (with JPEGMAFIA)
stuck
pwf
The Loveliest Time – Carly Rae Jepsen
Jepsen decided to release the sister album to her 2022 release, “The Loneliest Time” in the heap of the summer. As the title would suggest, “The Loveliest Time” offers a soft sonic shift, with distinctly amusing tracks embracing a psychedelic, pop-funk sound featuring bass riffs and vibrant percussion, with songs like “Aeroplanes” even treading on a modernized jazz sound. As an artist who has never had trouble reimagining the music scene to craft a unique pop sound, the experimental, gold-lined sound waves of “The Loveliest Time” signify the return of Carly Rae Jepsen’s undeniably warm summer essence.
Notable tracks:
Psychedelic Switch
Put It To Rest
Kollage
Black Rainbows – Corinne Bailey Rae
The “Put Your Records On” singer released her first full album in almost seven years, featuring a whiplash of a sonic shift, embracing a re-imagined blues sound and the head-banging rock sound of its lead single, “New York Transit Queen.” Though she also delivers some softer, jazz-inspired sounds in “Red Horse” or “He Will Follow You With His Eyes,” the latter still builds up into a self-empowering, drum-based maximallist production as she chants, “My black skin gleaming, my plum-red lipstick.” Inspired by her self-acknowledged artistic renaissance after a visit to Chicago’s collection of black artistry at the Stony Island Arts Bank, she shifts her sonic influences to inspire the black-led sounds of blues and rock that dominate the album. As the name would suggest, “Black Rainbows” is a multi-genre album celebrating the diverse sonic colors of black art history.
Notable tracks:
A Spell, A Prayer
He Will Follow You With His Eyes
Earthlings
Ascension – Sarah Kinsley
Kinsley has been crafting a carefully curated, unique, psychedelic sound since she first began releasing music from her college dorm four years ago. With only five songs, “Ascension” managed to embrace the grandiosity of her sound through some of her most wonderfully produced recordings to date. Kinsley’s revolutionized bedroom pop sound is one that inspires imagination and otherworldly pleasure–an oceanic blend of echoing vocals and deep production. With poetic lyrics, the ivy-league educated musician ignites a magical sense of musicality comparable to Weyes Blood in “Titanic Rising” but fundamentally unique in nature and spirit.
Notable tracks:
Ascension
Black Horse
Oh No Darling!
Sundial – Noname
Five years after her last full-length album, rapper Noname returned in August with “Sundial.” With a music career entirely fueled by her almost natural capacity for social critique, “Sundial” emphasizes her voice with her signature minimalist jazz-inspired production. Writing, “This a dog-eat-dog world, she got family to hunt,” her conversational style makes it clear as ever that her artistry is a sole embodiment of her raw values–a platform for art and voice. “Sundial” is her ode to critical reflection of the self and the society one lives in. It is an embracement of the genuine human artistry and communication that is so commonly missing in conversations of race and prejudice, making it one of the most artistically raw and critical releases defining the state of performativity and social change of the 2020’s.
Notable tracks:
namesake
gospel? (feat. $ilkMoney, billy woods, & STOUT)
boomboom (feat. Ayoni)
