On Repeat: 11 Albums I’m Loving Right Now

So much amazing music came out last month that I had a hard time whittling this one down, so we’ve got a few more albums than usual. There’s jazz, some Brazilian-inspired stuff, Norwegian electronic-jazz music, British rap, funk, soul, beats, and a few albums that are difficult to put into any one category.

As usual, this isn’t any kind of ranking of the biggest or best records, just 11 albums that I’ve been enjoying a lot lately and think are worth checking out.

Here’s what I’ve been playing.

Genre: Kosmische Musik / Balearic / Psychedelic Grooves

Crossings came out last year, and while I typically feature newer albums in these roundups, it was one of the best things I heard all month so I just had to include it. Representing Nuremberg, Neumayer Station combine kosmische (cosmic) repetition, dubby basslines, hazy guitars and Balearic grooves into a hypnotic sound that’s ideal for zoned-out headphone listening.

Genre: Instrumental Hip-Hop / Downtempo

Arms and Sleepers is the long running project of Mirza Ramic, who’s spent two decades making instrumental music that fuzes hip-hop, ambient, electronic and post-rock. SENTIMENTALISMS is his first mixtape, and was written while leaving Berlin and rebuilding his family home in Bosnia. It’s one of my favorite releases of the year so far, with 14 cinematic instrumentals that had me hooked from start to finish.

Genre: Jazz / Hip-Hop / Soul

By far the most ambitious record I heard all month sees Nicholas Payton and Butcher Brown putting their own spin on two classics from the jazz canon, Kind of Blue and A Love Supreme. By infusing the original compositions with elements of house, hip-hop, neo-soul and Southern jazz, they aren’t trying to recreate the originals as much as give them a makeover for the present. Really fun one, highly recommended.

Genre: Soul / Jazz-Funk / Dub

New Zealand singer/songwriter Romi Wrights’ debut is a beautiful mix of soul, funk, jazz-fusion and dub, built around songs about love, loss and friendship. The backing instrumentals by members of Clear Path Ensemble and Circling Sun (among others) are lush and timeless without overwhelming her voice, which moves effortlessly between moments of intimacy and bigger, cinematic release. Gorgeous stuff.

Genre: UK Hip-Hop / Rap

Joe James turns tales of a childhood spent moving between homes, homelessness, family conflict and growing up around London street culture into an incredible debut album. The production is jazz-laden and leans heavily on live instrumentation, making his autobiographical storytelling feel much bigger and more personal than a straightforward rap record.

Genre: Ambient / Psychedelic / Experimental

I’ve been a fan of maya ongaku since Approach to Anima, and this album takes us even deeper dive into the calmer side of their music. Built around the idea of reconnecting with silence after years of touring, it’s a beautiful, meditative record where gentle guitar and small sounds are given plenty of room to breathe. Put this one on, close your eyes and feel the world float away.

Genre: Jazz / Soul / Funk

A super fun record that refuses to stay in one lane or one genre, Marco Benevento’s debut for the mighty Big Crown Records moves between soul, reggae, psych pop, Italian film music and jazz-funk. There are plenty of weird little detours and the grooves will keep your head nodding from the first bars to the last.

Genre: Ambient / Bossa Nova / Experimental

Sofie Birch describes this album as a “pocket of joy,” and that’s probably the best way to put it. Built around bossa nova, lush ambient textures and a sense of childlike curiosity, Bivabippabualukka feels like taking a small vacation from your brain for 40 minutes.

Genre: Funk / Boogie / Disco

Dutch collective Another Taste recorded their second album live to tape, leaning even harder into the analog funk, boogie and obscure disco influences of their debut. It’s a total blast that’s warm, loose, incredibly danceable and the kind of record that makes you drop the needle back at the beginning as soon as it’s finished.

Genre: Soul / R&B / Funk

Headed by guitarist and producer Blake Rhein (best known for his work with Durand Jones & The Indications), Chicago-based collective Patchworks Inc. brought together some of my favorite singers and musicians over warm, groovy arrangements that sit somewhere between ‘70s soul, contemporary R&B and the loose, homemade stylings of acts like Sault.

Genre: Jazz / Electronic / House

Norwegian drummer and producer Bård Berg built Linje 18 around the stops along Oslo’s tram line 18, turning an ordinary commute into a musical tour of the city. His background in jazz is at the center of things, but house rhythms, electronic production and cinematic moments give the whole record a warm, late-night vibe.