Music is a massive part of my life and I try to listen to a couple of new albums every month. I’ve been kept busy with album releases in 2019 so thought a rundown of the best albums of the year would be appropriate. These are albums I rate highly based on replayability, lasting enjoyment and my memories from the first time I ever listened to them.
This turned out to be Gorilla Voltage’s last album following their split in September (which is still a raw wound for me) and I’ve listened to this album so much this year. Even now it still feels as fresh and incredible to me as it did when it dropped back in January 2019.
I’ve extolled the virtues of Gorilla Voltage many times here on Respawning, and ranked their four albums https://respawning.co.uk/featured/alexx-discusses-the-best-of-gorilla-voltage/ for anyone who is interested in giving them a shot. Think solid rap bars, combining both incredibly fast and bassy tones with slow and hard-hitting lyrics from two highly talented rappers capable of perfectly mirroring each others styles. No need to thank me.
I’ve always liked Kung Fu Vampire but even I was blown away by the quality and replayability of his 2019 album, Come Dawn. A healthy variety of various styles of rap and hip hop, all the way from chilled out feel good vibes in ‘Be Alright’ to the chilling messages behind ‘Weep In Silence’.
There is literally something for everyone packed within this album and you simply must give it a listen if you enjoy any type of rap music.
What can I say? I’m a massive Ouija fanboy, and he’s gone and done it again with Resistance: The Walk to Wasteland. His 2018 album, Gutterwater, is definitely one of my most played of the decade already, and the frequency of his music videos he releases for Resistance continue to support this mighty album.
Ouija Macc is one of those artists that even if for some perverse reason you don’t like his music, there will definitely be one or two of his tracks that get stuck straight into your head after you first hear them, that will cause you to listen to as much of his music as you can until you find out which song it is.
Ouija has already confirmed his next album, Wasteland, is dropping sometime in 2020 and it is one of my most hotly anticipated albums of the year.
A fantastic, frantic and ff..phenomenal album from the legendary Insane Clown Posse, Fearless Fred Fury is one of my favourite ever records from their 30+ year music career so far. The rich sound behind every track combined with the great sometimes comedic, sometimes dark; but always memorable lyrics that ICP are well known for is here in spades.
I always get massively excited for new albums in ICP’s Joker Card saga and with this being one of the longest gaps between the release of Jokers Cards, I was at fever pitch for this release. Straight out the gate I was hooked on it, with its Introduction and title track that are incredibly catchy and give a great feel for the new album. I must have listened to it three or four times in immediate succession on release day, and I was absolutely convinced it would be my album of the year. That is, until the release of…
My CD of Generation Nightmare has been completely shredded by my car CD player, and the eight month old disc can no longer be read, which I couldn’t be more annoyed by. It is, however, testament to the sheer quality of this record that it has not left my car since I got it back in May. Generation Nightmare is a masterclass in music, and a powerful reminder of the weight of talent that Twiztid bring on every release.
A combination of rock, rap and horror, I was convinced after listening to Fearless Fred Fury two or more times a day in the two month headstart it had on Generation Nightmare that it would be my album of the year. For all the love and respect I have for ICP (who I am seeing perform live when they tour the UK in mid January) and their music, Twiztid have exceeded all expectations with this album and created nothing short of a masterpiece. Boasting 20 slamming tracks, the work and passion they have put in here is evident, and so I have no reservations at all with naming Generation Nightmare the best album of 2019.
Thank you for reading my top albums of 2019. You can follow me on Twitter @MaliceVER, and also find me on YouTube at Void Euphoric Records where I’ve released my third EP, Silent Protagonist! Thanks again, and I’ll speak to you soon.
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