jumpin’ june
featuring a review of my favorite music this year so far & more
buckle up friends: there’s a lot of things to discuss ahead.
we’re gonna get started by looking at all the latest music releases i listened to this month. notably, it was a very Black, very queer time for music (considering Black Music Month and Pride Month).
new releases
Surprise Chef — Friendship EP
Australian jazz-funk for the win! recommended for fans of BADBADNOTGOOD, L’Eclair, Sea Moya, and Brainstory.
Khamari — A Brief Nirvana
i’ve been enjoying Khamari’s singles up until now and his debut album did not disappoint. contemplative R&B will always have my heart.
Downtown Kayoto — Lite EP
the art direction is going wild with this one! i’d recommend checking out the discography (goes back as early as 2017) and enjoying the avant-garde album covers in the process.
Sipprell — Peace in the Madness
this is Sipprell’s long-awaited debut album and it’s absolutely stunning. i remember playing her soulful music on my college radio show back in 2016 and i love watching an artist’s evolution. for fans of Sidibe, Ego Ella May, and Madison McFerrin.
Janelle Monáe — The Age of Pleasure
the title tells you exactly what time it is. longtime fans of Monáe know that they are not new to this — i distinctly recall their sapphic single “Pynk” and the not-so-subtle innuendos (who can forget those pants?). this is like taking that song and exploring it as a conceptual album.
honestly, most of Monáe’s albums are highly conceptual and contextual. but there’s a more emergent stance being taken here (and they are even more heavy on the bisexual representation); it’s like they’ve reached a defining point of self-acceptance and there’s no turning back.
Shafiq Husayn — So Gold
if you like neo-soul, free jazz, and vibing, look no further. with his 3rd solo album, Shafiq Husayn invites us further into his elevated world of Afrofuturism and funk. he brought artists like Syd, Jimetta Rose, Anderson .Paak, and Peyton along for the ride.
PHABO — Don’t Get Too Cozy
PHABO has been on my unofficial “artists to watch” list ever since i added his hit “Jelly” to my year-end favorite song roundup of 2021. his latest album recalls the days of 2000s R&B — not just in the sound, but the fact that the tracklist has 18 songs. what has been modernized is the ability to cohesively get all the ideas on one project, while keeping the runtime under 50 minutes. it’s absolutely worth checking out, with features from other current R&B standouts like Ambré and Arin Ray.
BLK ODYSSY — DIAMONDS & FREAKS
released on the same Friday, i see this album as a contemporary to Monáe’s The Age of Pleasure. for one, Diamonds & Freaks is a conceptual, iconoclastic project with an equally sexy rollout.
both albums also speak to the erotic with a sense of wanderlust and healthy exploration. must be something in the water!
aja monet — when the poems do what they do
tap in for some poignant spoken word with complementary jazz melodies. i also cannot get over the gorgeous album cover — i need it framed like yesterday.
Aliah Sheffield — These Songs Are For Anyone Sick of Earth
Sheffield, the musical genius behind the viral hit “Earth is Ghetto”, has blessed us with an EP full of equally quotable (and memorable) folk/R&B ballads.
Marquis Hill — Rituals + Routines
a chance encounter with a station made on someone else’s Alexa device led me to Chicago jazz artist Marquis Hill. the timing was divine as it was days prior to the release of his latest work Rituals + Routines. upon reviewing his discography, he definitely has a knack for spiritually thematic projects (which makes sense if you know anything about the strong gospel roots of Chicago). Rituals + Routines is like a cosmic journey, a collection of messages channeled from the divine to provide whatever insight your soul needs now.
King Krule — Space Heavy
two words: melancholic jazz. while longtime fans of Archy Marshall aka King Krule know he’s multitalented, i think it’s also fair to say that this album falls in line with his standard, existential sound. and we wouldn’t expect anything less, so he soulfully delivered.
Asake — Work of Art
on a related note, i’ve heard a critique that all of Asake’s music sounds the same. while i’m inclined to agree as i felt the same way listening to Work of Art, i counter with this: “so what?”
it’s not every artist’s desire to reinvent the wheel. some artists find their frequency, stick to it, and keep giving fans what they want. it’s almost as if genres exist for a reason and tend to follow a pattern — go figure! i know there’s always time to be critical, but there’s also time to dance. step away from the keyboard, put down the hot takes, and just vibe to this consistent Afrobeats groove for a moment.
grouptherapy. — I was mature for my age, but I was still a child
honest themes of queer identity, mental health, and more abound on this debut from one of my favorite emerging musical acts. as a supergroup, they are in their own lane, while simultaneously filling the energetic void left by Brockhampton. also for fans of Kari Faux and JPEGMAFIA; highly recommend if you’re nostalgic for playground cyphers.
Amaarae — Fountain Baby
with a mesmerizing soprano tone and flawless production, Amaarae gave us banger after banger on Fountain Baby. with more listens, this has potential to make my year-end list.
Ambré — who’s loving you? EP
i know this is an EP. but i wouldn’t complain if this was longer. for fans of Destin Conrad, PHABO, and Summer Walker — basically, if you like modern R&B, this one’s for you!
Olivia Dean — Messy
Dean’s debut album came out at midnight prior to the publication of this newsletter, so i’ll definitely need more time to sit with it.1 but i’m excited to relisten; this is a pop album you need on your playlists this summer.
Animal Collective — “Defeat”
it’s just one track, but it’s also 22 minutes long so it might as well be here!
music from the last 6 months that i initially missed (and that’s worth checking out):
Annahstasia — Revival EP
Harrison — Birds, Bees, The Clouds & The Trees
Lavarr the Star & Shabazz Palaces — Illusions Ago
Oracle Sisters — Hydranism
Dina Ögon — Oas
Gorillaz — Cracker Island
albums i’m excited for
Little Dragon — Slugs of Love
Jungle — Volcano
Vagabon — Sorry I Haven’t Called
Devendra Banhart — Flying Wig
PARIS TEXAS — MID AIR
James Blake — Playing Robots in Heaven
Victoria Monet — Jaguar II
Cautious Clay — KARPEH
my 2023 favorites so far (not in any particular order):
Unknown Mortal Orchestra — V
Kelela — Raven
grouptherapy. — I was mature for my age, but I was still a child
Liv.e — Girl in the Half-Pearl
Kassa Overall — Animals
Baby Rose — Through and Through
Ice Spice — Like…? EP
Harrison — Birds, Bees, The Clouds & The Trees
TV, videos, and more!
Santigold visited Amoeba Music for the What’s in my Bag series. her tastemaker status prevails — the picks were exquisite and distinctly showcased her influences.
no commentary, just these photo of Ravyn Lenae (and Smino!) at the BET Awards2.
Unknown Mortal Orchestra stopped by NPR’s Tiny Desk to perform a pretty sweet medley of tracks from their earlier discography.
Janelle Monáe did an interview for one of my favorite websites of all time, Stylelikeu. they participated in the iconic What’s Underneath series and beautifully paid homage to the uniform that started it all.
‘Da Kink in My Hair (available on Prime Video)
i randomly stumbled upon this aughties sitcom about a Jamaican family-owned hair salon in Canada while i was looking for a new comfort watch. i got through this one quickly as i found it pretty endearing. i soon learned it was a TV adaptation of a stage play written in 2001, which explains the soap opera feel. while some aspects of this show seem dated, much of the interpersonal themes explored are pretty universal. enjoy the retro trailer below:
The Game Show Show (available on Hulu)
from The Price is Right to Wheel of Fortune to Family Feud, i grew up watching game shows with my granny. considering that we would watch old reruns of shows from decades prior on GSN, i knew a lot of the programs and highlights discussed in The Game Show Show documentary series (i could even predict some moments where they would bring up correlations between game shows). still, i enjoyed every minute as it gave me greater context for history of the genre overall.
jumpin’ june: the playlist
the notes: seashells, iridescence, rising with the sun, saying goodbye, starting over, a club full of ballers (and their pockets full grown).
(jumpin’ june on apple music)
hope you enjoy this list of goodies as there’s quite a bit to explore heading into the long weekend. i’m also preparing to get back to a more regular posting schedule — just have to figure out what collectible to cover for july!
in the meantime, what are your favorite albums of the year so far? anything i missed?
other albums that came out on 6/30 that will likely end up in next month’s roundup: Grapes Upon the Vine by TV Girl and Blowout by John Carroll Kirby.
however, it’s funny the amount of people who were acting brand new about how hood fabulous the BET Awards were this year. it’s ALWAYS been that way and i think that was always the appeal, whether we care to admit it or not.