MFMM May 2019
In terms of quantity and quality of album releases, it’s hard to think of a month in recent memory that holds a candle to May of 2019. Projects from heavyweights like Mac Demarco, Steve Lacy, and Carly Rae Jepsen didn’t have any songs make the cut (I am so, so sorry Carly) on an already larger usual than list. Hope you enjoy the picks that did!
As promised, here is a Spotify playlist of my favorite tracks from May to follow along with as you read:
A BOY IS A GUN* – Tyler, The Creator
I’m incredibly grateful to able to experience Tyler, The Creator’s musical development in real time. His sixth album, Igor, shows the now 28-year-old continuing to refine his sound and message.
“A BOY IS A GUN,*” a flip of the 1971 French western “A girl is a gun,” is simultaneously Tyler at his most creative and most comfortable. At its core, Igor is a breakup album, with this track focusing on the last throes of a relationship.
The project serves as a bookend to 2017’s Flower Boy, which explored falling in love. “’Cause the irony is I don't wanna see you again,” Tyler laments, referencing a standout track from his last album. Another line worth mentioning features a clever reference to high fashion and his sexuality: “’Cause this parka is Comme, you're my favorite garçon.”
Tyler weaves his singing and rapping together perfectly, oscillating between his almost-raspy bars and detached singing.
Kanye West’s influence is clear on the track’s production, typified by the sample of “Bound” by the Ponderosa Twins Plus One sprinkled throughout. The intricate soundscape is one of Tyler’s best, full of lush synths and interlacing piano melodies.
Bags - Clairo
After exploding onto the scene two years ago as the lovable face of bedroom pop with hits like “Pretty Girl” and “4EVER” (bops), it’s clear that with her upcoming album, Immunity, Clairo is eager to redefine herself.
“‘Pretty Girl’ is amazing. I’m really happy that I did it because it wouldn’t have given me anything else that I currently have,” Clairo explained in a recent interview with i-D. “But I do think it kind of painted me as less mature than I really am. I just want people to take me more seriously because I know I have more to offer than just that.”
On “Bags,” the 20-year-old muses about a relationship that’s falling apart and the fear of confronting her partner about the source of their troubles.
Clairo’s delivery is almost deadpan, in stark contrast with her emotionally-potent lyrics.
“Pardon my emotions / I should probably keep it all to myself / Know you'd make fun of me,” she despondently sings in the bridge.
Throughout the track Clairo tries to figure out what’s going wrong, finally acknowledges the problems in her relationship, but then decides to dismiss those concerns when she sings “I guess this could be worse / Walking out the door with your bags.” When she repeats that line several times, the only person she seems to be trying to convince that things are okay is herself.
Clairo enlisted two high profile collaborators on this cut. Rostam, formerly of Vampire Weekend, handles production on the “Bags” (and the rest of the album) while Danielle Haim features on percussion.
As a result of those additions, or more likely just Clairo’s maturation, the instrumental is much more focused and complex than her previous work to date. The chugging guitar, shimmery synths, and upbeat drum pattern bring more depth and character to the young star’s wistful singing.
Based on this introduction to the new Clairo, the next chapter of her career should be something special.
BMO – Ari Lennox
Hate on J. Cole's rapping all you want, but you have to give a hand to his label recruiting. Ari Lennox's new album, Shea Butter Baby, is the latest in a series of high quality releases from Dreamville's stacked roster.
“BMO” is the standout track of the project for me. Built around a sample of Galt MacDermot’s “Space” (which Busta Rhymes famously sampled in 1996), the track has a distinctly old-school sound.
Lennox brings her most sultry lyrics and delivery to this cut. The D.C.-born neo-soul artist sings about lazy summer days and being self-assured about pursuing physical intimacy. The leisurely lyrics and funky production create an infectiously laidback ambience that’s bound to make you bounce.
The hook includes another throwback reference to the 1974 LaBelle hit “Lady Marmalade” as Lennox sings, “Break me off / And gitchi gitchi yaya when the lights is out,” further solidifying the transported-from-another-era feel of the tune.
Cassandra – Leven Kali
After years of being an exciting, but somewhat unknown, part of the California’s soul-resurgence, Leven Kali has finally released his first album. Low Tide is the first of a two releases he has planned this year.
Outside of the breakout single “Do U Wrong,” “Cassandra” is my favorite song on the project. Its inclusion on this list definitely proves that I’m a sucker for bouncy R&B, but hey, there’s nothing wrong with that.
A fairly simple love song about wooing a girl, Kali flexes his pipes on this cut. His singing instantly ups the track’s energy while functioning as its melody. The flirty lyrics are upbeat and inviting for fans to sing along to.
The production, driven by some lively horns and a groovy bass line, keeps the track bright and upbeat.
Disclaimer: a version of this track was released online in 2016, but as far as I can tell this is the first time it’s been released on a major streaming platform and seems to have been changed.
Easter Sunday – ZelooperZ & Earl Sweatshirt
Detroit rapper ZelooperZ’s second album of the year, Dyn-O-Mite, features my favorite track by him to date. With the help of the artist known as Earl Sweatshirt, “Easter Sunday” is an uplifting celebration of family, friends, and fond memories.
The two-minute long track features a pair of tight verses reflecting on personal growth and its source without a hook.
ZelooperZ, a member of Danny Brown’s Bruiser Brigade crew, opens the track with a sweet line: “When my momma hear this, I know she gon' be feelin' this / Her son make her feel good like photosynthesis.” From there, he talks about growing up around drugs with some clever wordplay mixed in.
Earl pulls off a miracle in his verse when he reflects on his time in Odd Future, references Octavia Butler and talks about wanting to settle down in just three lines: “Octavia, the future strange as ni**as thought / Used to say it's odd, weigh the cons, I'm 25 now / Tryna find a baby moms, times changin', dawg.”
The chopped up soul samples cobbled together by Black Noi$e, who also produced “The Mint” off of Earl’s 2018 project Some Rap Songs, conjure a wave of nostalgia. The piano melody and funky base line add to the track’s warm feel.
Bonus: there is so much joy in watching ZelooperZ and Earl dance around to this song.
Gimme – Banks
Two years later, Banks is back. The Californian multi-genre star attached “Gimme” to the announcement that she will be releasing her third studio-album this summer.
The dark production sets the track’s tone, dominated by an array of powerful synths. The spinning melodies are hypnotic, guiding the track’s ebb and flow.
The skittering synth that hits in the chorus is what I assume Banks was talking about when she said “Gimme” would slap listeners in the face.
Banks’ distorted vocals lead that backing perfectly, almost merging into the track’s sinister atmosphere.
Built around a chant of “Gimme, gimme what I want. What I deserve. Gimme, gimme it,” Banks is unapologetically confident on this pop anthem.
“’Gimme’ is a song about getting what you want,” Banks explained in a statement. “It’s about knowing what you deserve, saying it out loud, and demanding it with no apologies. I’m ready to release this into the world and begin a new chapter.”
Inglorious – slowthai & Skepta
Slowthai is back on this list for a second month in a row and the song this time around couldn’t be any more different. The Northampton rapper’s debut Nothing Great About Britain was one of the most well received albums of the month and “Inglorious” is the hardest song on it.
The sinister banger is driven by some bass-heavy UK drill production and filled out with a dark organ melody.
On it, slowthai and grime-heavyweight Skepta take aim at the socio-political disarray in the U.K., and the nation’s leadership in particular. The track’s music video, borrowing heavily from Clockwork Orange, shows slowthai being forcefully indoctrinated and mocks Theresa May’s “strong and stable” slogan.
I’m not trying to imply any causation here, but Inglorious dropped on May 17 and just seven days later May announced her resignation.
Slowthai’s flow on this track is erratic, with big volume and speed swings, as he talks about being past his haters and drug-dealing days.
Skepta’s feature almost steals the song here. He talks about issues he had getting simpler to tackle now that he’s focused on his craft while rattling off a ton of timely references.
Realer – Megan Thee Stallion
I tossed Megan Thee Stallion’s Fever on at the gym on a whim and immediately became 10 times stronger.
A lot of that power came from the album’s opening cut, “Realer.” Easily one of the hardest openers of the year, this track serves as an introduction to the many listeners, including me, who have missed Stallion’s meteoric rise up until now.
“I’m a real rap bitch, this ain’t no pop shit,” she proclaims while firing off a slew of bars about being on top of the game.
“I keep it realer than real/ Fuck all the critics and fuck how they feel,” she spits empathetically on the hook. “I’m getting money, it is what it is / They wanna know how I did what I did / Don’t worry ’bout why I do what I do, bitch / ’Cause I ain’t worried ’bout you, bitch / Nah, I don’t wanna be cool, bitch / Still hanging with the same crew.”
Stallion’s sexual politics are pervasive on this project. To borrow from The Ringer's Lindsay Zoladz, her music is "gleefully libidinous," inverting traditional male-centric sexual narratives in rap.
All of her flexing rides over a trap beat that leaves no doubt that Stallion is true to Houston.
Sweet Spot – Kim Petras
Pop princess Kim Petras has been blessing with us with weekly singles for over a month now. With “Sweet Spot” not only is she saving pop, but Petras is bringing disco back as well.
The bright, club-ready production feels like it could be stripped from a Daft Punk B-side, and makes the track a definite song of the summer contender (she agrees).
“Baby, what you waiting for? / You got the green light / Don’t you hold back no more,” Petras flirtatiously sings in the chorus. “Let’s live our best life.”
The lyrics here don’t need to have a deeper meaning – it’s important to have fun music sometimes, and Petras is an expert at producing that.
The Climb – Flying Lotus & Thundercat
Flying Lotus’ new album Flamagra, his first since 2014, is a sprawling exploration of modern jazz, funk and psychedelic music. One person who is present for much of the project is Thundercat, who lends his bass playing and writing prowess to several of the tracks. His only singing feature is on “The Climb,” a dreamy anthem on overcoming.
The track is full of warmth and positive affirmation. Guided by Thundercat’s twangy bass and built out by Lotus’ twitchy jazz instrumentation, “The Climb” has an incredibly full, lush sound.
“Soon as I feel I got a grip, shit starts to slip / When my mind wonders where I've been through all of this,” Thundercat sings in his signature falsetto. “All that I'm reminded of is that I just can't quit.”
Throughout this track, and the album itself, the death of Mac Miller, a good friend of both musicians, is omnipresent. Thundercat offers a message of positivity in the face of inexplicable loss, emphasizing that things will be okay even if they don’t feel that way now.
“This song is a special one because, to me, it's really one of the songs that sums up the album,” Lotus told GQ. “Some of the things he sang, it's things I wanted the overall message of the album to be. It's really a song about pushing forward at times when everything feels shitty. We'd been working together forever, we'll keep working together forever.”
Three Man Weave – Injury Reserve
Injury Reserve has a penchant for finishing off their albums with positive tracks, and their eponymous major label debut is no different. “Three Man Weave” is all about the Phoenix rap trio celebrating their success as a unit.
It’d be pretty hard for me to dislike a rap song chock full of basketball references, and Ritchie with a T and Steppa J Groggs each bring plenty.
Ritchie handles the hook, where he muses on his progress through life. “My biggest worries were missin' a free throw / Now me, Groggs and P doin' the three man weave, though,” he raps, contrasting a stressful, solitary part of the game with a fluid, team-based drill.
He also reflects on his changing musical preferences with a clever line about lyrical legend Phonte collaborating with Lil B on “Base 4 Ya Face” (Phonte also provides some ad-libs for this part of the hook).
Ritchie’s verse itself includes a Russ diss – he says Russ’s level in the rap game is equivalent to JV ball – and a deserved shout-out to the Seven Seconds or Less Suns.
Groggs’ verse talks about moving on from something he wasn’t great at, basketball, and finally finding something he’s passionate about, music. Not to be outdone by Ritchie’s Suns reference, Groggs also name drops rookie-year Ray Allen and Chris Webber’s signature shoes.
The production from Parker Corey is as innovative and genre-bending as usual. He pulls a saxophone melody from a Phoenix deep-cut from 2000 and makes it sound natural on a modern rap song. Corey adds a soulful beat under that sample, creating a warm backing for the group’s emcees.
All three of Injury Reserve’s members seamlessly work together on “Three Man Weave,” making good on the track’s name.
Zulu Screams – Goldlink, Maleek Berry & Bibi Bourelly
Goldlink’s lead album single, “Zulu Screams,” is a hyper-energetic summer banger.
The D.C. rapper easily has one of the slickest flows in the game right now, effortlessly linking bars at high speed, a skill which is on full display here with his relentless verses.
The frenetic production that he glides over merges Goldlink’s hometown go-go with African and Caribbean rhythms, creating a delightfully unique sound. The percussion in particular is a huge departure from the sounds defining rap right now.
British-Nigerian singer Maleek Berry provides an assist on the catchy hook, while Bibi Bourelly’s Lingala bridge and singing throughout adds an extra dimension to the already brimming track.