Maz's Favorite Albums of 2016

Aaaaand last but not least, here are my favorite albums of 2016! I always struggle with lists so, like last year, I'm not ranking these albums (except there is one album that I will name as my favorite of the year). 2016 was an interesting year of music for me; I'll admit that I didn't listen to as many albums as I normally do and I found myself listening to a lot more older albums than currently released ones. Nonetheless, the below 15 albums are ones that I consistently came back to throughout 2016.

Playlist

Noname - Telefone

This EP was perfect in every sense of the word. It was personal, beautifully crafted, and her lyrics are captivating. There wasn't any fancy production going on and I think the simplicity in the sound allowed me to really appreciate how refreshing her flow and lyrics are. I'm so excited to see her live in February, I've heard great things about her live performances.






KAYTRANADA - 99.9%

When this album dropped, I don't think I listened to anything else for a week. His production and meticulous choices of sounds really amazed me. I also loved the featured artists on the album, I love how they each brought a different kind of sound to the tracks. I'm super excited for what kind of work we'll see from him in the future.






A Tribe Called Quest - We Got It From You...Thank You 4 Your Service

Probably my most anticipated album of the year, I was so excited for when this dropped. And I'm soooo happy it didn't disappoint. From the featured artists, to the witty lyrics, to Tip's flow, everything about this blew me away. I think I liked the second half a bit more than the first, but you can tell that a lot of thought and work went into this because it was put together seamlessly in my opinion. Huge shout out to Ron for sending me this on vinyl as a part of my Slackret Santa gift!



Angel Olsen - MY WOMAN

I've never really listened to Angel Olsen prior to this album and I'll admit I'm kinda mad at myself about that! This was such a refreshing and super accessible album. She has the kind of voice that I'd want to listen to on a rainy spring morning while doing absolutely nothing else; it's incredibly captivating.  "Those Were The Days" is my favorite track off this album.






Kendrick Lamar - untitled unmastered

This was an exciting release from Kendrick. It's short, sweet, and a great continuation of TPAB. I love how minimalistic it is; he made the focal point his vocals, the sound, and his message. It's well produced and listening back to it, I noticed these subtle moments where his emotions really shine through.






Esperanza Spalding - Emily's D+Revolution

I remember when this album dropped, I was pleasantly surprised by its energy. I really appreciate its theatrical moments, which can some times be a lot for me in most cases. Her vocals are nuanced and the blending of various musical genres (rock, jazz, funk, and folk) make it a treat to listen to.






Isaiah Rashad - The Sun's Tirade

I was really looking forward to Isaiah Rashad's next release, and The Sun's Tirade did not disappoint at all. What I love most about Isaiah Rashad is that he doesn't hold back. He wears his heart on his sleeve and you can tell just be listening to a few tracks. He lets himself be vulnerable which is refreshing in the hip-hop world. He definitely found his voice with this record, and I love how it takes you on that journey with him.




BadBadNotGood - IV

I was excited to see what BBNG would come out with after BBNG2 (which had its moments but ultimately composition wise wasn't my favorite). With IV, you can easily tell that they have found their sound and are embracing it. The featured artists are also really great. Overall, it's a carefully composed blend of hip-hop, jazz, and neo-soul that I think makes it a bit more accessible. Really looking forward to how they evolve from this!






NxWorries - Yes Lawd!

One of my most listened to albums of the year, Yes Lawd! is the perfect throwback to that old school sound that I love. Knwledge's use of samples and the way he crafts sounds together is so engrossing. And Paak didn't disappoint at all, his lyricism was on point throughout the album and as always I appreciated his combination of singing and rapping and switching between the two at the most appropriate times. My only criticism is I wish "Khadijah" was a longer track, I love the bass in it.





Bruno Mars - 24K Magic

Easily my favorite pop release of 2016, this album has the perfect amount of old school sound. This album is groovy and a lot of fun to jam to. It's really well produced and each track really showcases Bruno's vocals.








Anderson .Paak - Malibu

Almost forgot this was released in 2016! It's another feel good, groovy album for me that, like Yes Lawd!, showcases Paak's vocals/flow/lyricism super well.  At first I was kind of turned off by the length of the album (an hour long) but there is no wasted space here, you can tell that each track was carefully thought out and crafted on this album.






Oddisee - The Odd Tape

One of my favorite DC artists had a couple releases in 2016, but I've decided to give The Odd Tape the spot in my favorites (although his EP Alwasta is really good and I highly recommend it!).  This is a full length instrumental album and unlike many instrumental albums, it doesn't drag and it almost feels like it's not even instrumental. I think the best way to describe it is that it's balanced and carefully structured. Also listening to it, you can tell each song represents different parts of the day, from waking up to going to sleep. This album is beautifully produced and always a treat to listen back to.


Abra - PRINCESS 

This EP kind of fell under the radar I think but it's one I genuinely still enjoy listening to. I love the use of 80s style synths and her voice is really pleasant to listen to. It's not the most diverse kind of sound but I do think it's unique and its DIY sound is one I actually quite enjoy.







Childish Gambino - Awaken, My Love!

Childish Gambino is one of those artists that never ceases to surprise me. The quality of production on this album is honestly astounding. I love how the sounds from track to track blend seamlessly together. The only downfall for me is that the lyrics aren't that impressive and fell flat for me a few times. But overall, I loved his vocals on the songs and the clean sound each track brought forth.

Number 1 pick: Solange - A Seat at the Table

I'm sure this doesn't come as a surprise, but A Seat at the Table is easily my favorite album of the year. I chose this as one of my albums for you all to listen to when it first drop, and in that post I talked a bit about what this album meant to me. Three months later, and I'm still blown away each time I listen to it. I'm so happy she has received the deserved acclaim for this record and it's been refreshing to hear others' opinions on it.