My predicted best year yet for music is already taking no prisoners. In December I posted an article about how each artist who released my favourite album from 2017 to 2022 has a project poised for release in 2024, and while none of those have released yet, the albums we have had so far have been ridiculously good. For this article I’m looking at the top five best projects of 2024 so far, which considering March isn’t over yet, is a very good sign of things to come.
I’ll Tell You When I Want To Laugh By Laughing – Super Famous Fun Time Guys
I was late to the party when it comes to appreciating SFFTG, but oh boy I’m having a fun time now. I’d tried previously to get into their music after they signed with Alla Xul Elu’s label – Long Live Evil – but never really ‘got’ why so many heaped such affluent praise on them. I’ve always been more into the darker elements of the rap genre, and everything about their production and lyrics always felt a little too positive for me. That was until I listened closer..
8Legz and Whipstick may sound upbeat in their songs, but often you will find the lyrical content is dark as fuck. Not only that, so many of their tracks are so catchy that even if you aren’t hugely impressed at first, the amount of occasions you’ll return to the song within a short span of time will swiftly have you appreciating it.
That brings me to I’ll Tell You When I Want To Laugh By Laughing. I decided to play it over the speakers in work on its release day out of curiosity, and despite not having high hopes for the first album drop of the year I fucking loved it. The comedy, the darkness and the stellar production reminds me so strongly of First Six era Insane Clown Posse that it astounds me they aren’t better known already. The first song ‘Laugh Now Maybe’ will hook you immediately on the record, and by the time the final two melancholic songs have finished, transitioning from early ICP vibes to late Psychopathic Twiztid, while keeping their fresh originality all to themselves, you too will be having a fun time.
I listened to this album front to back a couple of times on release day, and have played it dozens of times since then. An immediate and powerful contender for album of the year even before the first month was over.
Favourite tracks – We’re Waaaack, My Friends Can Beat Up Your Friends, Sote2Nelf
Fire & Lead – Lex the Hex Master & Jake Palumbo
Technically Fire & Lead released before I’ll Tell You When I Want To Laugh By Laughing, but I honestly had no clue this was coming out until it had already been out for a few days. Surprising nobody at all, a Lex the Hex Master project is nothing but quality. Featuring production and the occasional verse from Jake Palumbo, this project is mostly Lex just doing his thing; delivering solid bars without giving listeners a moment to catch their breath.
I do wish this album was longer, which is the closest I get to a criticism of it, as it has been seven years since Lex last dropped a full length album. Some of my favourite all time Lex tracks are on this project, and I really hope we get more from him sooner rather than later.
Favourite tracks – Rollin’ and Rockin’, Off With His Head, Fire & Lead
The Chainsmoker II – Monoxide
Everybody who likes Twiztid knew this album was going to be nothing but fire, and sure enough, it was! Monoxide’s voice and rap delivery constantly improve with age, assisted to no end by the masterful production from the likes of Fritz and Seven. The intro to Chainsmoker 2 makes me laugh every time I hear it, which considering just how many times I’ve played it is impressive.
Recency bias will play a factor in this, but ‘Smoke Train’ is currently my favourite song released in 2024, and even though it’s one of the most recently released songs in my rotation, it likely is already one of my most played.
Favourite tracks – F.A.F.O., Smoke Train, B.M.A.
Filth City – G-Mo Skee & Stu Bangas
This album isn’t even out yet at time of writing, but the singles and videos released from it so far have shown G-Mo Skee once more at the top of his game. This isn’t even the album I talked about in my article where he featured last year, and G-Mo also has that album, Huckleberry Filth, prepped for release later in 2024.
The two tracks released ahead of Filth City – ‘Work Magic’ and ‘Evil Plans’ are everything we’ve come to expect from G-Mo Skee. Filthy and cleverly constructed punchlines within impeccably produced beats; I am incredibly excited to listen to Filth City when it is fully released on streaming platforms on 25th of March!
Pandaemonium – Malice
Of course I’m going to be biased when it comes to this one. My third album, Pandaemonium, released on 8th of March on all streaming services, so any support towards that is greatly appreciated.
When it comes to the albums I talked about in my December article, my guess for which will be released first is Lyte’s Full Force, as according to his social media accounts it was completed and sent for production in November, with videos shot and ready to go as soon as they’re needed. There has been no word from the MonStar camp as to the projects they have lined up, but I reckon any day now we will get the Full Force release date.
Thanks for reading this article. Of course I will be back later in the year following releases from Psychopathic Records (hopefully!), Majik Ninja Entertainment, Long Live Evil and MonStar ENT, as well as following up on this article with a planned best album of the year so far ranking in early July. There’s lots of underground music to be excited about and I am already being proved correct that 2024 could be one of the best ever years for music.
Written and edited by Alexx.
Liberty Lives in the Execution