Monday, December 11, 2017

A FOOLish Top Ten Albums of 2017

Recaps, retrospects and reviews!

It's that time of year: best of the year lists are upon us.

And adhering at the Radio Boise tradition of deejays compiling and submitting their lists of the best albums from the fast passing calendar year, I present the Forces Of Obvious Luck's Top Ten Albums of 2017.*

In no particular order - unless you count the alphabet as a particular order.

 
The Allergies - Push On (Jalapeno Records)
The sophomore release from this pair of Bristol, Britain-based deejays / beatmakers, DJ Moneyshot and
Rackabeat dig deep in the magic crates and come out with nothin' but lush, soulful grooves and colorfully retro funk. It's not like a disco Motown where all problems disappear with the first drum kick.... it is, in fact, exactly that! 
Standout track: Buzzsaw (featuring Andy Cooper)



Animal Teef - Argyle Gargoyle
(self-released)
With a tongue-twisting title (you try it five times fast), the South Dakota-bred emcee rapidly draws his razor to sharply
indict an entire nation and dissect thoughts from his own diary. Teef sure lives up his moniker; his devastating dexterity and lyrical bite is unmatched.
Standout track: Marathon

Brother Ali - All The Beauty In This Whole Life
(Rhymesayers Entertainment)

Despite all the horrendous headlines polluting current events, the prolific Minneapolis orator looks inward to appreciate the good surrounding us while plainly presenting a pep talk on how to overcome our still long odds. A canvas musically painted by Ant (of Atmosphere) makes Ali's message all the more captivating.
Standout track: Special Effects (featuring deM AtlaS)

ETOAS - End Times of A Sunshine
(Cult Classic Records)
Anonymous and deeB team up to guide listeners through a brooding but somehow very soothing experience. This atmospheric EP is shaped to follow the pattern of one day: sunrise to sunset, but is a perfect soundtrack for escaping reality to think through your innermost monologue during any waking hour.
Standout track: Just One More

Funky DL - Marauding At Midnight: A Tribute To The Sounds Of A Tribe Called Quest
(Washington Classics)
Everyone loves A Tribe Called Quest, and their 1993 classic 'Midnight Marauders' may have left the most enduring imprint on Hip-Hop heads. Funky DL is definitely among them. The veteran emcee and producer perfectly captures the Tribe essence with this wholly organic (look ma, no samples!) instrumental
tribute on the Jazz [Q] tip.
Standout track: God Lives Through

KWAYE - Solar EP
(Mind of a Genius / Warner Bros)
A Zimbabwean-born singer and multi-instrumentalist, KWAYE burst on the scene in London in 2017 with a series of goosebump-inducing, epically-orchestrated singles. Somehow he's a man of a fervent old soul but deeply rooted in futuristic Soul vibes. KWAYE is only getting started.
Standout track: Little Ones


Lions Ambition x Marcus D - Portrait of a Muse
(Absolutezero)
No gimmicks, no inflated egos, no unrealistic narratives - just pure talent and emotional passion. A collective of Seattle's finest (who I still need to learn a lot more about), Lions Ambition is back with Japanese producer Marcus D in-toe for an uplifting Jazz-Hop trip that can human can relate to.
Standout track: Bullet




Open Mike Eagle - Brick Body Kids Still Daydream
(Mello Music Group)
Prior to 2017, Michael Eagle was best known for witty, stream of conscious "art raps". Now he's expanded his pallet to include a full-on concept album personifying a now-demolished housing project and its native tenants. The industrial, hollow beats do match the top 40 trend, but Eagle actually fills the gaps with substance: true pain and anger.
Standout track: Brick Body Complex

Sidewalk Chalk - An Orchid is Born
(Ropeadope)
A seven-piece Chicago band featuring a horn section to fully announce its platform, Sidewalk Chalk tackles issues like racial and class injustice, environmental destruction, police brutality and beyond with full gusto and no apologies. Vocalist
Maggie Vagle and MC Rico Sisney trade off lead duties on one satisfying roller coaster stump speech.
Standout track: We Burn You Down

The Vintage Babies - The Vintage Babies
(Mky Entertainment)
Maimouna Youssef & DJ Dummy have massive credentials as background players (The Roots, J. Cole, Alicia Keys, Common, Nas, Erykah Badu, etc.), but now they co-headline as the starring Vintage Babies. Youssef highlights
the duo's debut, flexing her skills as a powerhouse singer and poignant rapper - switching back-and-forth flawlessly.
Standout track: Work In Progress (featuring Elena Pinderhughes)

Honorable Mentions:


Braxton Cook - Somewhere In Between (Fresh Selects)
 
DJ Okawari - Compass (Space Shower Music)

Oddisee - The Iceberg (Mello Music Group)
 

The Perceptionists - Resolution (Mello Music Group)

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Tune into Forces Of Obvious Luck Radio - live from KRBX Radio Boise every Thursday from 4:00 - 6:00 AM MST for more powerful and positive Hip-Hop focusing on soul-stirring poetry and tongue-twisting lyricists.

*Also, here's to no one releasing anything amazing in the final three weeks of the year. Save that release for Q1 2018!