LEX AMOR, FORWARD EVER

Lex Amor is a DJ, producer, sound designer, engineer, rapper, youth mentor, and community activist from Northern London. Over the past number of years, Amor has turned to poetry as a way to 'find meaning in the world that unfolded around her,' and began performing at open mic nights. Over time, Amor's poems morphed into rap verses which she place over subtle and hypnotic beats.

"FORWARD EVER is a statement of intent – a reminder to persevere and navigate through the haze of modern life – an offering of a perspective. It’s about finding beauty where you stand and having faith in the timing of your journey – seeing the thorn as you see the rose. The album is born out of a lifetime of introspection, capturing the movement of a mind on this earth – a time stamp, a reminder that I was here – London, 2024: thinking and hoping, navigating – alongside everybody else." -Lex Amore-

On her sophomore album, Forward Ever, Amor plays with hip-hop, jazz, electrionica, and afrobeats to create a hazy and dreamlike soundscape which serve as a backdrop over which she floats her poetry. As a whole, the album lives in an almost meditative state. It's one that I have found myself wanting to step into more than once.

 

1999 WRITE THE FUTURE, hella (˃̣̣̥╭╮˂̣̣̥) ✧ ♡ ‧o· ̊

One of the more interesting albums for me this year has been 88rising's 1999 WRITE THE FUTURE, hella (˃̣̣̥╭╮˂̣̣̥) ✧ ♡ ‧o· ̊. 88rising is a musical collective, management company, and record label founded in 2015 by Sean Miyashiro and Jaeson Ma. Since its origin, it has become a platform for Asian American artists. On 1999 Write The Future, artists from their label along with well known hip-hop and R&B artists like De La Soul and Rick Ross, have come together tor create an expansive, 24 track album that bounces from hip-hop to R&B to jazz, to...listen and find found! It's like discovering a great 24 song playlist. 

Oddisee, Odd Cure

Oddisee, aka Amir Mohamed, arrived home from touring in Thailand as the Covid-19 pandemic was hitting the US in March. While in self-isolating, he began writing and recording new music. Like many of us, he also spent time checking in with his family. Unlike most of us, he recorded a number of those conversations. Four months later, he has dropped a surprise EP that weaves six new hip-hop, jazz-soul tinged songs that came out of that period of time with some of those recorded conversations. 

Oddisee has always explored socials issues and judgements that cause inequalities in our society in his music. In this this time of Covid-19 and Black Lives Matter, Oddisee's music has never been more relevant. On Odd Cure, the interwoven family conversations bring a new dimension and relevancy to his art. It also brings a level humanity that I have not heard on another album so far this year. While I have been a big fan of everything that Oddisee has done to date, Odd Cure is something special.

ON ROTATION

Lots of great music. Not enough time to write about it all...but here's what's on rotation for me right now. 

Nik Freitas, Cavalo Morto

   

J Hus, Big Conspiracy

   

Pet Shop Boys, Hotspot

   

ODDISEE, PEOPLE HEAR WHAT THEY SEE

I'll be honest, I have trouble keeping up with all of Oddisee's musical projects. But I eventually always get myself caught up and marvel at what he does. Born, Amir Mohamed el Khalifa, Oddisee is a producer, MC, and rapper who has been at the center of helping to create a strong and focused hip-hop community in and round Washington DC that is referred to as the DMV Movement. For all of his efforts, People Hear What They See is considered Oddisee's true debut album. I see it more as another step in the evolution of Oddisee as an artist. On People Hear What They See, Oddissee's beats, raps, and lyrics come together in a fine way to lift up and convey his thoughts, perspectives, and social mindedness. I hope that Oddisee finally gets the national
                                                        attention that he is due and deserves.
                                                        Let It Go [explicit]  

Speech Debelle, Freedom of Speech

In 2009, Speech Debelle's debut album, Speech Therapy, won Britain's Mercury Prize for best album of the year. Now Debelle is back with her second album Freedom of Speech. 

Where Debelle turned inwards on Speech Therapy, putting her personal life under a microscope, for a kind of self diagnosis, Freedom of Speech is squarely focused outwards. 

Speech Debelle, born Corynne Elliott, has been an outspoken advocate for environmental causes and women's rights, including gender equality in Britain and abroad. Over the past few years, Debelle has been involved with the User Voice campaign, an organization for supporting disadvantaged youth, Oxfam, the Hope Not Hate campaign, the Care campaign, and has served as an ambassador for UN women. Her work also includes writings, such as A Woman's Woman's Woman's World, written for the Godmothers Campaign. Now on Freedom of Speech, Debelle uses her artistry to advocate for all those that don't have public voices.  

Debelle has called Freedom of Speech a "sonic declaration of independent control over rhyme and reason" and a "celebration of female power and identity." The album is packed with stories and imagery as she takes on social and environmental injustices. She has said that the songs on Freedom of Speech are freer and less self-conscious. "I needed to express myself in a new way and this is where I am now."

In some places on the album, Debelle can be controversial, such as on the song Blaze Up A Fire. On it, she takes on urban rioting, such as the ones seen last summer in London, from the standpoint of the rioters. She has said that the song was not mean to condone their actions, but to attempt to be a voice of understanding for how they have come to such a place. Debelle wrote about the song, "People have asked why they are destroying buildings and property from their own communities but they look at them as just buildings that do not belong to them, and never will. Only people who cannot envision a positive future will take part in the destruction of their own community and if we acknowledge that, then we need to ask the question why somebody so young feels they have so little to look forward to? I cannot allow myself to de-humanize these kids and see them as my enemy."

Blaze Up A Fire  

I'm a big fan of Speech Debelle and I think that Freedom of Speech is step in the right direction for her as an artist and activist. With its thoughtful lyrics, rhythmic raps, great beats, and grooving music, this album is both thought provoking and entertaining, and one of my early favorites of the year.

I'm With It

The Roots in 2010

I am a big fan of The Roots. Beyond the fact that they are absolutely amazing musicians, mixing hip hop, soul, jazz, funk, rock, and R&B, I have always appreciated their social mindedness. For over twenty years, the Roots have been putting out super albums that are musically and socially relevant.

2010 was another REALLY strong year for The Roots. The band put out not one, but two great albums, they opened The Rally To Restore Sanity and/or Fear in Washington DC, and they continued their presence as the house band on Jimmy Fallon's Late Night show.

In early 2010 The Roots released the first of the two albums, How I Got Over. From my perspective, this was the better of the two albums, and frankly, I am regretting that I did not include this album as one of my top albums of the year. Everything about this album works. Musically, this album is more restrained and toned down from previous releases, but there is a groove to these songs that I just love. Lyrically, the band has a lot to say. Social theme abound throughout this album as the the band reflects on the end of the Bush administration and the hope of better days ahead under the Obama Presidency. Even if one is not a fan of hip hop or rap, this is a great listen.
Now Or Never [Explicit]   

In September of 2010 The Roots released Wake Up! with John Legend. Comprised mostly of soul music covers from the 1960's and 1970's, Wake Up! was intended to draw parallels between the social and political issues of the times when these songs were written and today. The selection of songs here are fantastic and I love the way The Roots and Legend have incorporated musical elements that are squarely of today's times, while holding onto the essence of these songs. Listening to this album has made me go back to Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield albums that I have not listened to in years. I forgot just how great and powerful the song writing was for these artists.
Compared To What