1. Songs of a Lost World, The Cure
Reverting to a primal version of itself, the Cure retraces the steps leading up to our disconcerting present and wonders what went wrong. The new songs are thick but plush, intimidating but inviting, blustering but unhurried. It's the best the band has sounded this century.
2. #RICHAXXHAITIAN, Mach-Hommy
On the East Coast rap mystic's latest, revolutionary politics and blunted braggadocios mix in tracks decrying "bloodsuckers" with "avaricious hypercapitalistic aims." Melted sample loops are the lingua franca here, but the title track is your reminder that this isn't one of those underground rappers allergic to a slippery groove.
3. The Thief Next to Jesus, Ka
The late Brooklyn rapper and firefighter's final album is a testament to his monklike poise and pointedness. Prodding Black church history for a thematic concept and sorting convention for samples, Ka inspects generational trauma and the resulting coping mechanisms. It all reads like a manifesto now.
4. Adjust Brightness, Bilal
The Soulquarians singer hasn't lost a step; his instrument - the closest thing to Prince's in its delicate, purposeful fraying of gorgeous falsetto runs - remains breathtaking in action. His first album in nine years reinstalls Bilal as a nexus joining jazz, funk, jungle, soul, and rock.
5. Dunya, Mustafa
The hushed folk tunes of the Sudanese Canadian singer-songwriter's debut album tug at the decade's most disheartening threads. "What Happened, Mohamed?" mourns a friendship ruined by growing neighborhood strife. "Gaza Is Calling" and "Beauty, end" speak to the all-too-common experience of bracing for the worst news of loved ones trapped in ethnic-cleansing operations across the globe.
This story is from the December 16-29, 2024 edition of New York magazine.
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This story is from the December 16-29, 2024 edition of New York magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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