What a year! I feel like Top 10 Albums is one of the few occasions where I actually engage in first person with my writing, and only feels appropriate to express all the great music I’ve come across this year. Although it’s fair to say we’ve been through a number of difficult periods this year, I undoubtedly feel like my Top 10 albums express the ever evolving soundtrack to my personal life and musical preferences.
Spending the beginning of the year in Spain, I was exposed to a generous amount of contemporary Spanish music that paved the way for these artists to guide my listening. From Flamenco inspired numbers to Canarian rap, I’m so happy I took the initiative of exposing myself to an exciting national scene. Also across the world, both Colombia and Puerto Rico dominated throughout the year propelling artists like Bad Bunny or J Balvin into Latinx icons. As a young latina myself, I’ve found solace in album’s like Gabriel Garzón-Montano “Agüita”, or J Balvin’s “Colores” exemplary albums expressing the spectacular variety of Latin music.
Spending the beginning of the year in Spain, I was exposed to a generous amount of contemporary Spanish music that paved the way for these artists to guide my listening. From Flamenco inspired numbers to Canarian rap, I’m so happy I took the initiative of exposing myself to an exciting national scene. Also across the world, both Colombia and Puerto Rico dominated throughout the year propelling artists like Bad Bunny or J Balvin into Latinx icons. As a young latina myself, I’ve found solace in album’s like Gabriel Garzón-Montano “Agüita”, or J Balvin’s “Colores” exemplary albums expressing the spectacular variety of Latin music.
Following my return to the States I retreated back into my lo-fi, dance oriented tendencies. It’s been a difficult year without warehouse parties and dancefloors, but a few standout albums transported me back to those memorable moments. Disclosure’s ‘Energy’ and Cosmo’s Midnight ‘Yesteryear’ were just the right amount of doses of electronic albums needed in my life. I’m also a big hip hop head, and can still stand by my raving review of Duckwrth’s ‘Supergood’. It really is that GOOD.
The emoji that best sums up my year: ?