I have spent my entire life listening to and supporting different bands and artists from all over the greater Puget Sound area. Nothing brings me more joy than to discover a talented soul that lives in the same neighborhood as me or the city next to mine. One of my favorite hobbies is spreading the word that these people exist and that they have something beautiful that they want to share with the world.
This year, more than others, I felt it was incredibly difficult to narrow down the list of my favorite local albums. The tenacity of every artist who continued to create throughout this pandemic should not go overlooked.
With every curveball that 2020 threw at us, these artists persevered making one of the best collections of music I’ve seen in a while.
My top albums of 2020 represent many different genres, communities, and cultures. They represent the dope a$$ human beings that I get the pleasure of supporting.
I hope you find something in here that comforts your eardrums as much as these albums have comforted mine. If you’re still thirsty for more, just know that this is only a sliver of the talent waiting to be heard in our region.
Taylor Hart’s Top 24 Albums Of 2020
Blake Anthony, Star Stereo
Right from the beginning, Blake Anthony shows us that his album, Star Stereo, is a work of art through the first song transition alone. The seamless change over from one song to another is crucial for me when trying to immerse myself in an album. Blake’s range of creativity, along with the Nanostorm radio station concept, also helps me to get lost in this album.
Rhyming seems so effortless to BA as he floats over Croupdawg’s intergalactic beats. From “BIG Rolls” to “4 Bluntz” all the way down to the title track, “Star Stereo,” each song leaves me wanting to hear another. Then, when it’s finished it’s nearly impossible for me not to want to run it back from the beginning again.
J’von, Thunderboy
Since entering the world of pop music, hip-hop and the art of rapping have become diluted in the mainstream. Lyrics are being recycled and formulaic songs have taken the forefront of the genre. J’von is the opposite of that. He is an incredible and highly original lyricist who packs a nauseating amount of wordplay into his verses.
To this day, I’m discovering new bars within his album, Thunderboy, that I didn’t catch on the first few listens. I’m even still picking up on bars from his 2019 release, Dream Surfer, which also happened to land on my list of the top 20 albums for that year. Between the animated beats and J’von’s smooth delivery, Thunderboy simply puts me at ease and that’s why it’s been one of my favorites this year.
Nobi, Fulminate
Nobi’s debut album, Fulminate, had been in the making for a while when it finally made its impactful release on June 19th. His lead single, “New Chains” is a powerful song describing the Black experience in America today and how, even after emancipation, they are still slaves to the government and society in general.
Nobi explores these themes more throughout the album with lyrics that would stick around with me for days as I contemplated the things he spoke on. His words sunk in even deeper knowing that the largest civil rights movement in history had begun at the same moment in time that this project was being released. Fulminate is such an important piece of art for this moment that it would be abhorrently wrong to exclude it from this list.
Sam Lachow, Corduroy
To me, Sam Lachow’s album, Corduroy, is a work of art from start to finish. A multi-course meal for your audible soul. An exploration through different sounds and flows, which is a common theme throughout a lot of my favorite albums this year.
Sam’s quirky, unique, and often humorous approach to music has always been a vibe for me. Even back in the Shankbone days. The spectrum of emotions that Sam makes me feel throughout Corduroy is exactly what I look for in a complete project. You know that feeling of satisfaction you get when you have a full stomach? When you’re in your comfiest clothes, and you get to sit down in your favorite place? That’s the same feeling my ears get after listening to this album.
Parisalexa, 2 Real
I’ve never been quiet about my support for Parisalexa. In fact, I’ve screamed at the top of my lungs how talented I think she is. Spotify even recently told me that I was in the top 0.005% of her listeners for the entire year. That really didn’t surprise me in the slightest since her debut album, 2 Real, was full of hits.
Paris gave us multiple anthems like, “Chocolate,” “Slimthick,” and “Bentley Truck.” She also showed us her insane songwriting abilities on tracks like, “Troubled Waters,” “4 Playin,” and “2 Optimistic.” From start to finish, she gave us an album that explores the many sides of Parisalexa. It lays down a foundation for, what I believe, will be a long-standing career within the music industry.
AJ Suede, Long May We Rain
AJ Suede is anything but a stagnant artist. He’s a swiftly flowing river of creativity whose songs reflect on the exact moment of time and season at which they were released. This year alone we’ve seen five albums from him. His third project of the year, Long May We Rain, being released in May.
Long May We Rain captures the essence of that time when spring transitions into summer. Things are still kind of wet, but the sun is starting to warm up and shine more often. It reflects on the pandemic and the protests that sparked, at that time, following the murder of George Floyd. I feel like Suede knows that there is beauty in simplicity and it shows through on this album. He didn’t have to pull any frills out of his sleeves, just gave us some straight-up bars over chill ass beats.
Greg Cypher, Homebass EP
The Homebass EP is some good ol’ 9-6 shit from Greg Cypher and Def Dee. They came together to make this classic project that will bring comfort to any boom-bap lover. It leaves me with the same feeling that a good ass sunny day in Seattle gives me. It’s obvious from the beats to the rhymes, that both Cyph and Dee eat, sleep, and breathe hip-hop.
You can feel the passion in the way Greg raps. His enthusiasm for rhyming shows as he bounces bars off of Def Dee’s beats. The six track tape doesn’t miss with six catchy hooks that will have your heartbeat pumping like an 808.
Blimes And Gab, Talk About It
After going viral with the music video for their track, “Come Correct,” the duo of Blimes and Gab was born. This year, they released their first joint album titled, Talk About It. There’s no denying that it’s a great album and that these two were destined to work together.
Listening to the album is a full experience from start to finish with the tracklisting telling a story. Blimes and Gab play the main characters with cameos from artists like Jay Park, Iamsu!, the legendary Bahamadia, and even Mr. Johnny Blaze himself, Method Man. Their incorporation of skits really brought the whole album together and helped land Talk About It in my top albums of 2020.
Perry Porter & OldMilk, Grey
I’m such a huge fan of Perry Porter. From his painting to his rhyming, I’m constantly in awe of his talent. This year he released a collab project with OldMilk titled, Grey. Which was, to no surprise, another masterpiece to add to Perry’s collection.
The first half of the album or so is a little bit more dance-centric and upbeat. You can feel his confident swagger oozing out of every stank-face-inducing bar that he spits. On the flip side, the last few songs calm down a bit. They turn to the more introspective side of Perry. There were a bunch of other talented artists featured on the album. Every single one of them matched the energy that Perry Porter and OldMilk had brought to the table, making this album something truly special to listen to.
Xperience, Regal Blue ’84
Regal Blue ’84 is silky smooth, plush like velvet, and groovier than a fresh-pressed vinyl record. The album is dripping with soulful vocals and intoxicating instrumentals that make my chest swell up with emotion.
Xperience gave us a little bit of everything on here with heavy ballads like, “Love & War,” and some hit-the-club type tracks like “Peacockin’.” He made some cute little love songs like, “Ladybugs,” and upbeat look-on-the-bright-side type songs like, “Cats & Dogs.” The entire album makes my heart flutter and floods my brain with dopamine and I truly couldn’t be any happier about that.
Blakk Soul, Take Your Time
Light some candles and slip into something sexy, because it’s nothing but smooth R&B vibes on Blakk Soul’s album, Take Your Time. Open up your mind and get ready to set your love free as you explore what it means to be vulnerable. I feel like the deluxe edition of this album should probably include condoms and a pregnancy test, you know, just in case.
It’s not just about intimacy with a romantic partner, though, but the intimacy of deep connections between two different people in general. It’s about embracing who you are and sharing that with them so you can learn from each other. So slow down for a bit and let Blakk Soul serenade you about love, relationships, and personal growth.
Shayhan, Godspeed
When Shayhan released his EP, Godspeed, he dropped a video of him performing with his band on a mountainside within the Snoqualmie Forest. He gave us one of the softest and most beautiful performances of 2020 while rockin’ a Street Fighter t-shirt. Between the picturesque scenery and the mesmerizing songs, Godspeed is an essential project for anyone looking for a short and sweet escape from the hellish reality that we are currently living in.
Chong The Nomad, A Long Walk
I imagine that Chong The Nomad’s mind is one big, wild fantasy land full of curiosities more intriguing than any other human could dream of. The way she translates her thoughts through music always gives me a fresh perspective on familiar feelings. Throughout her EP, Chong The Nomad takes us on A Long Walk strolling through different areas of her mind. Just follow the pathway that her beats lay down and let yourself transcend into her dreamscape.
Kateel, Mind Over Matters
Man, this dude, Kateel is going places. He hops on the mic and he’s snapping. Let me get to the point, he’s magic. After signing to Atlantic Records, he released his debut album, Mind Over Matters, which happened to become an official sound of the NBA playoffs this year. Again, this young cat DEBUTED his first album and it got played on ESPN during the friggin’ NBA playoffs.
Throughout Mind Over Matters, he showcases a few different sides of himself artistically and it’s all quite impressive. Kateel’s positive and motivational lyrics caught my attention earlier this year, landing him a spot on my list of rising artists in the Northwest. Already, he’s accomplished some really great things and I don’t even feel like he’s scratched the surface of his career yet.
Porter Ray, When Words Dance
Porter Ray’s album, When Words Dance, is a study in the fluidity of language. His poetic lyrics dance throughout the jazzy and atmospheric beats. It’s hypnotizing, really. Tracks like, “Daily News,” “Pisces,” and “Eye of the Storm,” make me physically stop what I’m doing and solely focus on what’s he’s saying.
When Words Dance sounds light and airy on the surface but this album is far from shallow. Porter takes you on a deep dive with his verses that bounce back and forth between abstract concepts of life in general and the brutal honesty of his own personal life. An overall beautiful performance by Porter Ray that receives a standing ovation from me.
Samurai Del, Till Death
Samurai Del’s album, Till Death, is all about vibing out. Seven different artists bring seven different vibes to Del’s production with each song being strong enough to stand on its own. Every artist featured fits the tone of the instrumental perfectly making the album flow cohesively from start to finish.
Standout tracks for me are “Forgive Me” featuring Laureli, which spent the majority of the year on my Money Mix playlist. As well as, “For You (Waiting)” featuring Kristin Henry, and “Whatever U Say” featuring Ben Zaidi.
Macntaj, 2020 Succs!
For me, Macntaj gets the award for best COVID-themed song with “I Hope You Cough” off of his album 2020 Succs!. The brilliance of just that song, to me, is enough to land this album in my top 24. Even if the rest of the album sucked (it doesn’t) I’d probably still put it on my list simply because I laugh so hard when I hear “I’m finna be at your house. I’m finna sneeze in your mouth. I’m gonna drink up all your juice, and take a leak on the couch.”
Lucky for us, Macntaj is no one-hit-wonder. He’s the type of artist who keeps you on your toes. There’s a distinct quality to the tone of his voice that is easy to recognize. Yet, he can change it up from time to time to where you might question if another rapper just hopped on the track mid-verse. One of my favorite qualities, though, is Macntaj’s masterful and dynamic delivery. Throughout the entirety of 2020 Succs!, he gives us a wide variety of different styles that keeps things spicy all the way to the end.
Adrian Milanio, Where You Wanna Go
I started out the year hearing the title track for Adrian Milanio’s debut album, Where You Wanna Go. The single featuring Olivia Escuyas and RJ Suave immediately became one of my favorite tracks at that moment and spent months in heavy rotation on my Money Mix playlist.
What I love about Adrian Milanio is that he takes me back to when I would listen to artists like Ne-Yo, Usher, and B2K late at night in my room as a teen singing into my hairbrush microphone. Earlier this year, I named Adrian Milanio in my Freshest in the Northwest series of rising artists in our region. I think he still has a lot of growth and development ahead of him but given the point at which he’s starting out, I’m truly excited to watch his journey.
Brandon Marsalis, Ouroboros
Through his album, Ouroboros, Brandon Marsalis takes me to a tiny old club with a dimly lit stage and dust in the air. The album gets me intoxicated enough to open my heart and mind but leaves me with enough coherence to retain my experience. If you close your eyes and picture Brandon Marsalis on that stage with a jazz band backing him, you can almost feel that intimacy of a live performance. It’s almost like he’s telling his stories directly to you.
He was one of my ten rising artists in the Northwest for 2020 and I’m so upset that I haven’t got to actually experience him perform on a stage. If you wanted to add another reason to your list of why we need to save our stages, Brandon Marsalis should be one of those reasons. He’s a young artist with a strong voice that can spread powerful messages and I believe his album, Ouroboros, is a reflection of that.
Dave B., Delicate
You wanna talk about someone skating over a beat? Let’s talk Dave B. He glides across the ice with his lyrics gracefully as if he were competing in the Olympics. The way the words fall out of his mouth it’s like he’s hitting triple axles with his tongue. His newest album, Delicate, is a stunning example of these talents. Dave B.’s the type of artist, for me, where I don’t even question whether the album will be good or not; I just know I’m going to listen to it and enjoy it.
ILLFIGHTYOU, ILLFIGHTYOUTOO
2020 was the perfect year for ILLFIGHTYOU to reappear on the scene. Their newest album, ILLFIGHTYOUTOO, has the perfect balance between its bouncy, fun beats and its aggressive and often obscure lyrics. There’s a lot of humor throughout the album, as well as, catchy ass hooks that will get stuck in your head.
Tracks like, “CHATANOOGA,” “F***WASHINGTON,” “BLACKREVOLVER,” and “FLORIDAMAN” all have hooks that do loops around my brain. Sometimes I even just whisper to myself, “Shake, shake, shake, shake” over and over again. If you have an offbeat sense of humor and enjoy artists who really be rapping rapping, then ILLFIGHTYOUTOO is definitely for you.
Anthony Danza, BBS Diaries Vol. 2
At the top of the year, Anthony Danza gave us BBS Diaries Vol. 2 and little did I know it would become one of my favorite mood elevators through the shit show that was 2020. There’s something so classic about Danza. His production is full of bright, disco-soul, breakbeats that send waves of energy through my body.
From start to finish it makes me want to dance, it makes me want to sing, it makes me laugh, and it makes me want to follow my dreams. At my lowest moments throughout the year, I found myself reaching for this album. Through the good and the bad, through all the changes, yeah, we really stuck together like them noodles in that ramen.
LIVT, Flowers In The Void
I didn’t even have to question whether LIVT’s album, Flowers In The Void, was going to be good or not. I just knew it was going to be an instant classic that would live on much longer than this article will, or you and I for that matter. Her voice is soothing for the soul and her lyrics are like a bouquet of love, experience, and passion. She truly knows how to make music that makes you feel something and, to me, that’s the greatest thing an artist can accomplish.
Sango, Da Rocinha 4
Sango has become my favorite artist to listen to while I practice yoga. Even though his albums are produced electronically, they have this organic ‘from the Earth’ feel to them. This year, one of his newest releases, Da Rocinha 4, became my go-to album for my sun salutation asana.
The album has an energizing quality to it while simultaneously having this calm aura that curbs my anxieties. I often find myself leaning deeper into my stretches and counting the tempo to determine when I switch sides. It also happens to have the perfect run time from start to finish to fit my routine. Any album that gets incorporated into my daily life like that absolutely deserves to be one of my top 24 albums of the year.
Stream T’$ Top 24 Albums of 2020 on Spotify
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