This was a year full of musical curveballs, crossovers and discoveries. Per my annual tradition, below are my brief liner notes for the albums that rose to the top of the heap for me this year. The selection runs the gamut from dance, pop and R&B to country, rap and rock — sometimes even in the same record. While Spotify links are included here, if you enjoy any of these bangers as much as I do, please join me in making some end-of-the-year physical media purchases to help support the artists.

Midnight Generation — Tender Love

This quirky synth-pop/dance outfit hails from the unlikely homebase of Chihuahua (“who knew?”) Mexico. Their latest release is packed with catchy falsetto hooks and robotic talkbox flourishes, all while sniffing the fumes of 80’s Italo-disco and electro/boogie style beats. Gyration of the buttocks may result. You have been warned.

Turnpike Troubadours — The Price of Admission

The Troubs were founded in a place (Tahlequah, Oklahoma) I’ve never visited but can readily imagine. The band continues to hone their Red Dirt Americana sound with heartfelt storytelling and a wide range of stylistic influences outlaw country, bluegrass, folk and sea chanties, etc. If you can get past the Bass Pro Shop cover art (which I admit took me a while), you’re in for a mighty fine treat.

Coco Jones — Why Not More?

CJ expands her stylistic palette while throwing down some signature powerhouse vocals. “Here We Go (Uh Oh),” a righteous, old-school R&B single, is my favorite jam of the year and, allegedly, one that I sing horribly along to in the car while nearby motorists either mock me or consider calling emergency services.

tUnE-YaRdS — Better Dreaming

Merrill Garbus and Nate Brenner’s peppy dream-logic compositions play with polyrhythms, looped vocals, fuzzy basslines and impressionist lyrics like superhero action figures. Despite its experimentation, Better Dreaming has an inherent tenderness that makes it feel like the sonic equivalent of a big, squishy hug.

Reuben James — Big People Music

A conservatory-trained pianist from Birmingham, UK, Reuben James delivers a stellar collection of jazzy hip hop / neo-soul jams. Included at no additional charge are numerous clutch cameos from accomplished compatriots, including Emelie Sandé, Theo Croker, Jamie Callum and Moses Boyd, just to name a few.

Loaded Honey — Love Made Trees

This romantic side project of London’s venerable groove ensemble JUNGLE leans into 60’s inspired falsetto crooning and reverb-drenched atmospherics. On the “Makeout Album of the Year” list I never got around to compiling, Love Made Trees earned the top spot.

Jessie Murph — Sex Hysteria

An attention-grabbing mic-drop packed with no-holds-barred songwriting and eclectic production that fuses pop, country, hip-hop and electronic elements. Murph’s soulful, Nashville-raised vocals steal the show with a purposefully raw, confrontational and idiosyncratic take on the traditional pop princess aesthetic.

Geese — Getting Killed

Frontman Cameron Winter and his collaborators have cooked up a dystopian indie rock opus with shades of post-punk, art rock, and noise influences. Be prepared for zig and zags into abrupt tempo and dynamic shifts, dissonance (cognitive and otherwise), aggressive ambience and purposeful unpredictability. If you’re in the right headspace to embrace the experience, Getting Killed can be more rewarding than it might sound.

Khalid — after the sun goes down

El Paso, Texas-raised singer/songwriter Khalid takes a groovy left turn with this late-night themed R&B project. Collaboration with Iranian-born Swedish producer/songwriter Ilya deserves a lot of credit, resulting in a more playful and dancefloor-ready vibe than fans might have expected.

Tame Impala — Deadbeat

Fickle critics maligned this one but it won me over and deserves better than it got. Aussie wunderkind Kevin Parker delivers a lyrically revealing and sonically intricate comeback. While distancing himself from the psych-rock motifs that fueled his early success, and embracing his unabashed love for techno, Parker’s chops as a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer remain undeniable.

Rosalía — LUX

This N-of-1, experimental pop(?) opus combines Catalan flamenco, R&B and electronica elements, all supported by state-of-the-art sound design and darkly angelic vocals. It demands to be experienced in a single sitting on the best headphones or speakers readily available. This stone-cold stunner appears on innumerable best-of-the-year lists, and for good reason.

De La Soul — Cabin in the Sky

With a title and graphics honoring the loss of founding member David “Trugoy the Dove” Jolicoeur, De La have compiled a long-awaited comeback loaded with sly wordplay, ingenious beats and VIP guest appearances. Conscious rap aficionados and hip hop heads in general will find plenty to enjoy in this gorgeous, nostalgic victory lap.

T-Pain — On Top of The Covers (March 17) Okay, okay, just hear me out… Putting aside the tongue-in-cheek cover art and dive-bar sing-along song selections, T-Pain proves that beneath his trademark autotune, the man can really sing! While this is an admittedly guilty pleasure, the craftsmanship on display is hard to deny.

Jessie Ware — That! Feels Good! (April 28) In a landscape saturated with feminine power/pleasure themed records, UK alt-pop diva Jessie Ware stands out from the crowd with this stone-cold nu-disco opus. It’s no surprise that she earned a spot of this year’s Mercury Prize shortlist. If your body doesn’t move involuntarily to tracks like “Freak Me Now,” ask a friend to check your pulse.

Janelle Monae — The Age of Pleasure (June 9) Speaking of unapologetic womanly gratification, gifted polyglot and self-proclaimed free-@$$ mofo Janelle Monae returns with one of those increasingly rare records designed to be experienced as a complete album, despite clocking in at a brisk 32 minutes. For those of us unlikely to ever attend one of her infamously hedonistic pool parties, The Age of Pleasure is an irresistible consolation prize.

Yussef Dayes — Black Classical Music (September 8) One of the best examples of jazz records for people who don’t like jazz since Kind of Blue, Yussef Dayes’ Black Classical Music showcases the drummer/composer’s profoundly impressive chops and genre-bending sensibilities.

Léon Phal — Stress Killer (September 15) Frenco-Swiss composer and saxophonist Léon Phal blurs the lines between jazz, electronica and R&B in this aptly name release that invites the listener to kick back and get absorbed in its progressive grooves and dreamy vibes.

Diddy — The Love Album: Off The Grid (September 15) Featuring a who’s-who roster of A-list guest stars from H.E.R. and The Weeknd to Jerimih and Mary J. Blige, this R&B masterclass is chock full of expertly crafted bangers.

Naomi Sharon — Obsidian (October 20) Scratching an itch for Sade you might not even know you had, Naomi Sharon’s ethereal R&B debut features wistful, reverb-drenched vocals and afro-electronica soundscapes that combine nostalgia with bleeding edge artistry.

Mayer Hawthorne — For All Time (October 27) Michigan-raised crooner Mayer Hawthorne pays homage to doo-wop and 60’s soul influences while settling into a distinctive vibe all his own. In addition to fronting with lead vocals, Hawthorne self-produces and plays nearly all the instruments himself, including piano, guitar, drums, bass, clavinet, mellotron and vibraphone.

Quantic — Dancing While Falling (November 10) Prolific producer/multi-instrumentalist Will Holland teams up with Andreya Triana, a frequent guest vocalist on Bonobo records, resulting in a dancefloor-ready sleeper that combines soulful hooks with pulsating worldly grooves.

Honorable Mentions:

· Victoria Monet — Jaguar II

· Feist — Multitudes

· RAYE — My 21st Century Blues

· Jeezy — I Might Forgive…But I Don’t Forget

· Ric Wilson, Chromeo, A-Trak — CLUSTERFUNK

· Nas — Magic II and Magic III

· Busta Rhymes — BLOCKBUSTA

· BLK ODYSSY — DIAMONDS & FREAKS

· MELONYX — Soul Glow

· Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit — Weathervanes

· Eric Krasno, Stanton Moore — Krasno/Moore Project: Book of Queens

Neelam — Different. My list kicks off with one of the year’s most underhyped hip hop releases, a mic-drop of an EP propelled by brutally honest, socially conscious lyrics and peppered with clever samples. Clocking in at 19 minutes, it might nearly qualify as a short LP if it had a few more tracks and some interludes thrown in for good measure. If “Different” is any indication of what’s to come, I want to hear a lot more from Neelam Hakeem.

Tony Allen, Hugh Masekela — Rejoice. This epic collab, most of which was recorded back in 2010, pairs afrobeat all-star (e.g., Fela Kuti’s lead drummer) Tony Allen with the Godfather of South African Jazz, trumpeter and composer Hugh Masekela. It’s sad that Masekela didn’t live to see this record’s release and Allen passed away just a few months afterward. These two legends were perfectly matched. One could easily envision “Rejoice” as the starting point for a long series of duet records.

Dua Lipa — Future Nostalgia. “Future Nostalgia” is a bona fide instant classic that brings nu-disco to the masses. It’s the ultimate instant-dance-party-during-quarantine record, chock full of irresistible hooks, slick production and playful quirks like the reverb-laden cowbell in “Don’t Start Now,” which DL was seemingly dared by her band to play when they performed on The Tonight Show.

Thundercat — It Is What It Is. Packed with hardcore electro-funk grooves, cheeky lyrics and mind-blowing bass chops, Thundercat is solidifying his role as this generation’s Steely Dan. And please don’t miss the hilarious DIY music video he released for the single “Dragonball Durag,” in which T-cat stars as a painfully eccentric creeper searching for love in all the wrong places.

Fiona Apple — Fetch the Bolt Cutters. “Bolt Cutters” is an out-of-left-field magnum opus that gloomily yet gleefully skips across the tightrope between genius and madness. The opening track ends with vocalizations that may or may not resemble a dolphin reaching climax?! While far from the most accessible entry on this list, it proves to be one of the most rewarding.

Lido Pimienta — Miss Colombia. Nothing else on this list sounds like “Miss Colombia.” In fact, nothing else on earth sounds like this record, which could serve as the soundtrack to a science fiction film set in the Andes. Like the technicolor quinceañera(?) depicted on the album cover, Pimienta’s vocals are surreal and downright breathtaking.

Tom Misch, Yussef Dayes — What Kind of Music. Two of the U.K. jazz scene’s brightest stars team up for this smooth, soulful, and aptly named record. In case it wasn’t obvious by the disproportionate number of British artists on this list, something really special is happening across the pond, and “What Kind of Music” is one the finest examples in a year packed with amazing output. But, wait, you ask — is this jazz or R&B? Yep.

Lettuce — Resonate. These Berklee-trained groove merchants are one of the tightest bands I’ve ever seen…you know, back in the olden days when you could see musicians perform live, like, in the same physical space. Backed by Adam Deitch, who ranks as one of my favorite living drummers, “Resonate” and 2019’s “Elevate” come close to capturing and distilling the hypnotic energy and impeccable musicianship of their live shows.

Sault — Untitled (Black Is) / Untitled (Rise) — A few months back, when Skratch Bastid (shoutout) cued up a new track called “I Just Want to Dance” during a midweek livestream set, it landed on me like a ton of bricks…in a good way. The drums? Some of the illest in recent memory. The lyrics and production? Perfectly calibrated for the BLM era. Since they’re both “Untitled,” I’ve been thinking of these records as two volumes of the same piece rather than wholly separate releases.

Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, 9th Wonder, Kamasi Washington — Dinner Party. Can someone please tell me where I can sign the petition demanding more jazz supergroups? Herbie Hancock was way ahead of his time back in the early 80’s when he fused jazz with hip hop on tracks like “Rockit,” which shockingly featured a DJ (Grandmixer D.ST) scratching records on Technics turntables. Nowadays, young masters like Kamasi Washington and Robert Glasper are finding ways to seamlessly blend jazz, hip hop and R&B, much like their contemporaries in the U.K., and might not be fully appreciated until they’ve become artifacts of the past, stumbled upon by future generations of crate diggers.

Zara McFarlane — Songs of an Unknown Tongue. Over the course of several impressive studio albums, Zara McFarlane (yes, another crazy-talented Brit) has been pushing the boundaries of vocal jazz. Now, with “Unknown Tongue,” she’s crafted a more worldbeat and R&B-tinged sound that is all her own and much trickier to pin down. Sit back and get ready to get thoroughly, delightfully lost in this one. It’s a stunner.

Oddisee — Odd Cure. Sublime is the word that comes to mind when thinking about Odd’s flow. The DC-based wordsmith’s catalog (along with some of the other selections in this list) is a clear reminder that hip hop is alive and well — at least if you’re willing to dig for it. “Odd Cure” makes for a sorely needed musical tonic for the many ills of 2020.

Khruangbin — Mordecai. There really aren’t many power trios left these days. Khruangbin easily ranks among the hippest and chillest. Is there anyone who can resist their slinky, Thai psyche rock via Texas sound? Their third LP sees the band reaching into new pockets, like the hook-driven, Latin groove on my favorite track, “Pelota.” Equally worth checking out is “Texas Sun,” their EP collab with retro-soul crooner Leon Bridges.

Fleet Foxes — Shore. This record heralds a return to form for ringleader Robin Pecknold, aka millennial Brian Wilson, who manages to conjure up more of the magic of the earlier FF records than 2017’s “Crack-Up,” while still pushing the band’s sound into uncharted waters. As always, the vocal harmonies are lush, the guitars are jangly and the lyrics are oh-so wistful. You need to let this one wash over you more than once to fully appreciate its intricacies.

Sa-Roc — The Sharecropper’s Daughter. Sa-Roc is one seriously badass and underrated MC, much like fellow DC denizen Oddisee. With a dexterous flow, killer beats and social justice orientation, this album was a last-minute yet irresistible entry onto this list. The reasons should be obvious to anyone who hears it.

The Budos Band — Long in the Tooth. Infamous for their raucous, party-vibe concerts, this fearsomely talented Staten Island ensemble doesn’t disappoint with their sixth studio album. A preeminent and longstanding contingent of New York’s deep funk revival scene, Budos have been steadily embracing their acid rock and heavy metal influences with fascinating results. “Long in the Tooth” is both funky and foreboding, with Dan Foder’s low-hanging lead bass guitar riffs and the band’s piercing horn section driving hauntingly cinematic, Afrobeat-inspired melodies.

Sturgill Simpson — Cuttin’ Grass Vol. 1 (Butcher Shoppe Sessions). Country music’s moody outlaw is back again, sticking it to the establishment as always, this time by reimagining his own back-catalog through the lens of traditional Kentucky bluegrass. Ever since his “Metamodern” breakthrough record, Sturgill has been finding ways to defy the conventions of the genre. The decision to cover his own material in the spirit of finger-pickin’ Appalachian folk tunes shines even more light on his songwriting chops. If this doesn’t score him an invite to headline the next Telluride Bluegrass Festival, nothing will.

Various Artists — Blue Note Re:imagined. Now here we have a superb record-for-people-who-think-they-don’t-like-jazz record. This killer compilation features 21st-century interpretations of tunes from Blue Note’s yesteryears by some of the British jazz scene’s heaviest hitters. You don’t need to be an aficionado to enjoy it, but the geeks will lose their minds over genius choices like Jorja Smith covering St. Germain.

Black Thought — Streams of Thought, Vol. 3: Cane & Able. The Roots remain one of my favorite hip hop groups, and bands in general. Despite being their MC, and one of the finest in the game, Black Thought has always had to share frontman duties. In stark contrast to the full-bodied production and catchy hooks of my favorite Roots records, the unpretentious beats deployed on the “Streams” solo projects allow Black Thought’s improbably dense, thought-provoking lyrics to rightfully take center stage.

Bosq — Y Su Descarga Internacional. Blending afrobeat and Latin grooves with a soulful house sound and DJ-friendly sensibilities, Bosq’s latest release confidently synthesizes the diverse sounds and rhythms of his new surroundings in Colombia. Bosq has quickly become one of my favorite producers out there at the moment. His match-made-in-heaven collaborations with former Fela Kuti guitarist Kaleta over the years truly deserve their own compilation album.

Anytime one of these lists authoritatively declares the year’s “best” or “top” records, I hear the voice of Jeff Lebowski griping: “That’s just like, your opinion, man.” Also worth noting that the sheer quantity of new music that moved, entranced and inspired me this past year has resulted in my abandoning the traditional top ten format.

Below are my favorite 16 albums of 2022, listed in order of release date, along with some liner notes and streaming links. Please enjoy these selections at the loudest responsible volume.

Bonobo — Fragments. Studio polymath Simon Green has been defending the throne of downtempo electronica for over two decades. This latest release maintains his signature style of lush arrangements and melancholic samples, while pushing the sonic envelope with harder textures and dancier rhythms.

St. Paul & The Broken Bones — The Alien Coast. Birmingham, Alabama’s blue-eyed soul ensemble explore a slinkier, synthier and more sinister sound on their fourth LP. The band’s hardworking frontman Paul Janeway delivers the growly vocal fireworks fans have come to expect but also modulates with delicate falsetto on tracks like the dreamy ballad “Popcorn Ceiling.”

Joy Crookes — Skin. Soul-jazz balladeer Joy Crookes’ feature debut fuses retro vibes with contemporary sensibilities, inviting comparisons to the likes of Norah Jones and Amy Winehouse. Glued together by Crooke’s velvety crooning, “Skin” effortlessly genre-hops through backdrops of cinematic orchestration.

Tank and the Bangas — Red Balloon. Led by the insightful rhymes and catchy hooks of Tarriona “Tank” Ball, this poetic funk outfit hailing from the Big Easy cranks out one of the year’s cheekiest and most exuberant collections of tunes. As much fun as this album is, it only hints at the bravado of their live shows.

The Smile — A Light for Attracting Attention. Aided by former Sons of Kemet member Tom Skinner’s intricate drumming, The Smile conjure all the feels of a full-blown Radiohead album while staking their own sonic claim. The gorgeously bleak compositions by Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood reinforce their legacy as one of the most fruitful and sophisticated songwriting duos in history.

Kendrick Lamar — Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. With left-field tracks like “We Cry Together,” a potty-mouthed radio-play that could easily be mistaken for a domestic disturbance, Mr. Morale makes me reconsider the outer limits of rap. It’s equal parts challenging and rewarding. Kendrick is not only in his own lane — he’s on his own plane.

Avishai Cohen — Shifting Sands. Israeli musician/composer Avishai Cohen positively shreds on acoustic bass alongside Elchin Shrinov on piano and Roni Kaspi on drums. Despite their obvious virtuosity, this trio’s most potent quality is their restraint and ability to deeply listen to each other no matter how far out their improvisations take them.

Danger Mouse + Black Thought — Cheat Codes. Can a dynamic duo qualify as a supergroup? Batman and Superman claim it all the time, so why can’t these two legends? Not unlike the World’s Finest, Danger Mouse and Black Thought make a complimentary odd couple whose eccentric beats and erudite rhymes clearly belong on the same team.

Sudan Archives — Natural Brown Prom Queen. Brittney Parks, self-proclaimed practitioner of “fiddle funk,” continues to blow minds and defy classification with her musicianship and experimental productions. Inspired by Francis Bebey, the pioneer of electronic African music, Park’s wild compositions benefit from masterful mixing by Blue May, who co-produced and mixed another standout on this list, Joy Crooke’s debut “Skin.”

The Shaolin Afronauts — The Fundamental Nature of Being. An epic space-jazz odyssey spanning five LPs and countless influences worn proudly on-sleeve. Incredibly, this afrobeat arkestra from Adelaide, Australia tracked the entire collection in only five days.

Vieux Farka Touré, Khruangbin — Ali. Houston’s inimitable hipster power trio follow up their sessions with crooner Leon Bridges with another match made in psych-rock heaven. Malian singer/guitarist Vieux Farka Touré assumes the guest frontman role, paying tribute to his late, great father, Ali Farka Touré.

Gabriels — Angels & Queens — Part I. Jacob Lusk’s haunting, heartbreaking vocals infuse this stew of soulful, gospel-tinged R&B with otherworldly magic. Clocking in shy of 28 minutes, it’s one of those precious records that demands an immediate, start-to-finish relisten. This one left me breathless and impatient for more.

Ezra Collective — Where I’m Meant To Be. Propelled by the brotherly rhythm section of drummer/bandleader Femi Koleoso and bassist TJ Koleoso, Ezra Collective solidify their reputation as vanguards of the embarrassment of riches that is the UK jazz scene. The thesis statement of this record emerges in the form of a sample proclaiming: “Everybody will think that I’m gonna be playing jazz like the Americans. No. I’m playing jazz my way.”

Nas — King’s Disease III. Revenge of the Jedi would be an apt subtitle for the grandmaster’s latest. Part II made my favorites list last year and the rubber match is yet another lyrical mic drop, accompanied by deeply dug beats from the trilogy’s producer HIT-BOY. Nas continues to run circles around much younger lions with no sign of slowing down.

Sault — 11. While not all of his five recent releases conjure the same magic, Inflo continues to earn his reputation as one of the most ingenious producers around. Marking the eleventh incarnation of his Sault collective in only three years, this live-sounding record expertly combines intimately recorded drums with lean instrumentation and ethereal harmonies.

Little Simz — No Thank You. After the gauntlet drop of 2021’s “Sometimes I Might Be Introvert,” Little Simz continues to demand respect as one of the most gifted MCs in the game. This London-based teen actor-turned-rapper returns with another fully loaded chamber of poignant, rapid-fire rhymes backed by sumptuous orchestral beats.

Nas — King’s Disease II. As Muhammad Ali repeatedly proclaimed: The champ is here! Nas makes it clear why he’s achieved legend status with a rare sequel that surpasses the original. Don’t miss Ms. Lauryn Hill’s mic dropper of a verse on “Nobody.”

Jungle — Loving in Stereo. With their third LP, these clever lads from London continue to kill it with their Bee Gees-esque falsetto harmonies and slinky, mid-tempo grooves. If you’re not obsessed with Jungle, then you probably haven’t heard them yet.

Talib Kweli, Diamond D — Gotham. Two all-time masters of their respective crafts unite for this old school stunner. If you close your eyes, you can practically smell the dust from the records from which the samples were chopped.

Doja Cat — Planet Her. Doja defends her throne as the reigning queen of pop with this monster, somehow equally hard and ethereal. Of all the records played to death on terrestrial radio in the past year, singles like “Woman,” “Get Into It (Yuh)”, and “You Right” still hold up.

Hiatus Kaiyote — Mood Valiant. No one sounds quite like Hiatus Kaiyote. Melbourne’s vanguards of future soul combine sultry, jazzy vocals with psychedelic R&B orchestration. Like their prior two bravura releases, this one keeps on getting better with each listen.

Little Simz — Sometimes I Might Be Introvert. Making its way onto many a year’s best lists — for good reason — is this British MC’s latest release, showcasing her lyrical depth and relentless flow.

Cimafunk — El Alimento. Chock full of irresistible bangers, this genre-defying Cuban funk opus is an instant dance party. Just add amplification.

Theon Cross — Intra-I. Moody, hypnotic and enchanting. If you can name a better avant-garde tuba album from 2021, I’ll buy you a sandwich, after calling you a liar.

Makaya McCraven — Deciphering The Message. These remixes of catalog Blue Note recordings, supplemented with fresh drums and percussion, result in a compilation that feels both nostalgic and forward-thinking.

Moses Sumney — Live From Blackalachia. Enjoy getting lost in this sonic labyrinth populated with haunting vocals that repeatedly reach orgasmic crescendos.