2024 music is ever a self-fulfilling prophecy for me. It seems like amazing new music has been released every week or so since the beginning of the year, and the number of great albums that have dropped so far in six months eclipses what we would typically receive in a full year. As we’re now officially into the second half of 2024 I want to have a look back at my top five albums released so far in this already incredible year.
Before I begin it’s important to note that both The Emerald Tablets by Klokwerk E and Oblivion by The Underground Avengers both technically released in June, but were released after the ranking for this article was decided. I could have tried to write in amendments after listening to them but didn’t want recency bias to cloud the albums I’ve been listening to and enjoying for months. This being the case, these two albums will not be featured until my end of the year round up of music.
5) Young Wicked Mixtape 2 – Young Wicked
The first Young Wicked record since 2017’s The Return of the Prodigal Son, this mixtape brought back all the heat and aggression that made me a Young Wicked fan in the first place. From its opening beats to final fade out, this project hooked me from my very first listen and has stayed in constant rotation ever since. My favourite all time Young Wicked tracks are on this mixtape, and it has made he even more excited for the upcoming Axe Murder Boyz album currently in production.
Favourite tracks – Eternal, Resurrected, Shallow Grave
4) Arm:igeddon – Mission: Infect
Having never listened to Mission: Infect until this year, with Arm:igeddon being my first experience with their music, this album was an absolute treat. I was only familiar with Lo Key and Mad Maxxx in the group to begin with, so listening to the other members is broadening my music horizons the more I go back to listen to this and the previous Mission: Infect albums. Thanks to the variety in the vocal deliveries here, coupled with the incredible production behind the scenes, this compact 25 minute record sometimes feels like it has started and finished in less than half that. Luckily this means I will just play it on repeat before moving on to something else, never tiring of the tracks contained.
I will be following Mission: Infect’s releases much more closely from now on.
Favourite tracks – Pathogen, Old Man Flow, Fire Back
3) Anemoia – Ouija Macc & Darby O’trill
As we enter the top three albums of the year so far, if you ask me on any day which is my current favourite, my answer is prone to change. I’ve always been a big Ouija fan but Anemoia has taken that to a whole new level. This album is played at least once a day, front to back, and even after that I will usually stick on my favourite tracks between albums as they seem to play constantly in my head regardless.
I also love that Anemoia samples Insane Clown Posse’s Hell’s Pit, an album I absolutely fucking adore.
Favourite tracks – Kidney Stones, Sage Allergy, Jokaroholio
2) I’ll Tell You When I Want To Laugh By Laughing – Super Famous Fun Time Guys
Similar to Mission: Infect this album was my introduction to this artist after previously not being into their music despite a couple of attempts. I listened to this day one after reading about the buzz it created in the Juggalo music scene, and went in with the mindset that I would be difficult to impress. As it turned out, I absolutely love this album.
Not only do I love it, but my sudden obsession with it has pushed me to do back through SFFTG’s discography, which has also been a delight. I do admit I think I prefer their last album, Don’t Hug Me From The Front, over this one; though that’s to absolutely no detriment of the quality of this offering.
Favourite tracks – Laugh Now Maybe, Cumulonimbus Cerebrum, Sote2Nelf
1) The Chainsmoker II – Monoxide
As a fan of Twiztid for nearly two decades now, plus how excited the announcement of this album made me during Christmas of last year, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Chainsmoker 2 is currently (though narrowly) my favourite album so far of 2024. I have only heard the deluxe edition released on streaming platforms at time of writing as I don’t tend to buy CD’s anymore. While I always enjoy Monoxide’s rap style and delivery, the variety injected into the record by its collaborations demonstrate that the final project can only be enhanced by having them.
Favourite tracks – Smoke Train, Anxiety, B.M.A
2024 is comfortably the best year for music of my life so far, and with a full six months to go that already appear stacked with releases, my excitement continues to build for what we will get next. I will of course be back with an updated ranking at the end of the year so in the meantime thank you for reading, and I’m sure I’ll catch you again before then here on Respawning UK!
Written and edited by Alexx.
Liberty Lives in the Execution