1. Anderson .Paak: Oxnard

Anderson .Paak is an R&B all arounder from Oxnard, California. He manages to improve and refine his original sound which fuses genres from synth funk to electronic pop. this album has fantastic features from artists like Thundercat, Kendrick Lamar, and Dr. Dre. He really creates her own world on this album I highly recommend it to anyone that wants to expand their idea of what R&B can be.

2. Kali Uchis: Isolation

Kali Uchis is a pop and R&B singer. Similarly to Anderson .Paak the area where she grew up plays a central role in her music, but instead of California, it’s Columbia. She fuses a distinctly Colombian sound, as well as bilingual lyrics to a fantastic effect. Also some of the best R&B instrumentals I've heard all year pop up on this album.

1. Jack White: Boarding House Reach

Jack White is a Prog Rock mastermind who was formerly one half of The White Stripes. He creates an amazing atmosphere of sentimental longing on this album. Each aspect of this album feels meticulously crafted to create an amazing experience from front to back.

2. Daughters: You Won't Get What You

Want

Daughters is an experimental, Post-Punk and Prog Rock band that up until now hasn’t impressed me that much with past releases. But on You Won't Get What You Want, the sound was refined and intentionally made to sound as wild and almost scary as possible, it just blew me away.

1. JpegMafia: Veteran

JpegMafia is an Experimental, and Underground Hip-Hop newcomer from Alabama. His lyrics are politically charged and always interesting. The beats on this album experiment with elements of Noise Music, and Postmodern Music. Every single verse on this album hits hard. He discusses time spent in the military across almost every track on this album, this central theme ties the album together almost perfectly, this theme also most likely inspired the title of the album as well.

2. Earl Sweatshirt: Some Rap Songs

Earl Sweatshirt is one of the most elusive rappers currently making music, With his last album releasing over four years ago. On his last album he showcased a dark and despondent style of hip hop that felt less like a musical progression. However on this new album the sound palette is experimental lush and full, easily becoming his weirdest release period. Despite this he continues down the dark path he talked about on his previous album.

1. Kamasi Washington: Heaven and Earth

Kamasi Washington is a jazz saxophonist who is responsible for the creation of my favorite jazz album of all time, The Epic (2015). Although this album might not merit that title it does earn the top spot in terms of jazz from 2018. The compositions on this album are incredibly vast and well written/improvised. Compression is a kind of production technique that I typically dislike when it comes to jazz but everything on this album feels so grand, high stakes, and meticulous it just kind of works.

2. John Coltrane: The Lost Album: Both Directions at Once

Both Directions at once is an album that was originally recorded in 1963, and because of this, all the recordings feel like classic Coltrane records even though this is the first time anyone has heard them in decades. If you’re a fan of John Coltrane, this will sound very familiar, but if you’re not, this would also be a very good introduction.

1. Father John Misty: God's Favorite Customer

Father John Misty (formerly one half of the Fleet Foxes), is known for his vivid lyrics and styrical attitude and grand instrumentation. However for returning fans, this album provides a much more in depth look into his psyche while retaining his signature sense of humor.

2. Poppy: Am I A Girl

Poppy is more of a project than a true pop singer. And within this project she takes on the role of a robot, or a test tube person who was grown in an underground government lab. And because of this the project is submerged in a constant theme of uneasy mystery, it creates an amazing satire on the pop music industry.

Favorite Album of the Year:

Death Grips: Year of the Snitch

Death Grips is a experimental rap trio from Sacramento, California, who have consistently blown me away with their loud, dark, paranoid, and violent music that blurs the lines between genres and innovates on a level I haven’t seen seen in a long time. This new album combines heavy metal, funk, and eclectic production techniques to create less of an album and more of an experience. That being said, I'm certain that many people will hate this album, the combinations of genres creates something that is abrasive and very difficult to stomach on a first listen, but I truly encourage you to make an attempt to listen to this album all the way through, in the hopes that you will love this album as much as I do.