Songs
“Cute Thing” by Car Seat Headrest
The “rerecorded, reimagined” release of Car Seat Headrest’s 2011 album, Twin Fantasy, yielded such beautiful gems. Truly, the album itself was remarkable. I’ve listened to most tracks repeatedly, some more than others depending on the mood. However, this song was one I kept coming back to during the highs and lows of the year. -Izilda Amber
“This is America” by Childish Gambino
I am always looking for music or some form of media that makes me feel something. Whether it’s pure joy or absolute despair, I like art that makes me feel something and that makes me think. That’s exactly why “This is America” has to be included in this list. Whether you love it or hate it, the song (and especially the music video) got people talking; it made people dig a little deeper. It has even made its way to the classroom. I can recall multiple occasions this semester alone that I had classroom discussions regarding the piece. Thus, this piece has generated a lot of opinions and more open discussions several months after its release. If that does not speak volumes to its power, I don’t know what does. -Cassie Rosario
“Power Over Death” by Oli XL
In the incessant existential miasma of existence sometimes a two toned drone is all that we need to actually be able to breathe. As we listen to the varying rhythms of the drizzle falling on the pavement around us, voices garbling and cars spinning their wheels passing by fade into the background of the two tone drone lulling me slowly to rest. Rest. How quickly I forget what it means to me. How I realize I desire it when it is actualized. How I feel it’s presence when it comes. The streetlights, the fog, the air, the fuzz.
Twooooooooo.
Tones.
Twooooooooo.
Tones. -Adam Yawdoszyn
“The Devil Made Me Drop My Ice Cream” by A Great Architect
The opening notes of the lead single off A Great Architect’s Perfect Album sound like they were made specifically to saturate the sweltering summertime air in smoke-filled New Brunswick basements. With “The Devil Made Me Drop My Ice Cream,” A Great Architect, or G, as he’s more commonly known in the Rutgers community, exhibits everything that makes his music so great. Within the first verse, G’s playful yet earnest lyrics jump from “made mosquitoes bite me / fucking up my mood ring” to “the devil why a n***** broke / I’m waiting on a miracle” in just a couple lines. Everything from the absurdly cathartic chorus to the humorously logical rebukes of the devil and hell (“plus a fire need oxygen so I better see a tree up in that bitch”) makes “Ice Cream” one of the most lovable tracks to come out of Rutgers this year. Fuck the devil, I paid good money for that ice cream. -Adam Yawdoszyn
“Lady” by Yubin
For her solo debut, Kim Yubin released a track that confused a good portion of her fans. Staying true to the Wonder Girls’ (her former group’s) signature, “Lady” is a thoroughly retro song. However, instead of a hip-hop, rap-heavy single, or anything remotely mainstream at all, the K-pop veteran dropped perhaps the best-produced city pop song ever. With haughty lyrics chiding her hesitant love interest over a disco groove and beat, you’d be forgiven for thinking this song was released in June of 1988, not 2018. The music video pairs the catchy tune with addicting vintage-style visuals of the singer in 80s getup, dancing alone in a mirrored room, on a show stage, in front of jumbotrons as if in Shibuya and on the subway. Despite over 125 plays on my Apple Music library and probably thousands more Youtube views, the song still retains every ounce of freshness that it possessed on the first play. -Esra Abdulrahman
Contributor Favorites:
“Slow Dancing in the Dark” by Joji
“Charcoal Baby” by Blood Orange
“you should see me in a crown” by Billie Eilish
“Joy As An Act of Resistance” by Idles
“Licking an Orchid” by Yves Tumor
Albums
The Black Panther Soundtrack by Kendrick Lamar
Before you hate on me for choosing a Marvel film soundtrack, you need to hear me out. Although the film was a standout on its own, this album added more life and depth to an already beautifully crafted movie; it added layers of meaning. The fact that the album features and promotes racial inclusivity and representation is just icing on the cake. As someone who rarely saw POC representation throughout her youth, this was extremely important to me. In turn, you could constantly find me listening to this soundtrack; it spoke to me. The fact that this album still finds itself near the very top of the charts despite being released in February only adds to its impact. -Cassie Rosario
Vol. 4 by Professor Caveman
On the highly inconspicuous date of April 20th this year, I saw Professor Caveman’s release show in a friend’s basement. Having seen the group two or three times before, I had decently high expectations, but their performance that night was something else. Rob, Shannon, Dan, John, and Omar blew the roof so far off the venue that it felt like they were electrifying the entire city of New Brunswick. I didn’t end up revisiting Vol. 4 until later on in the summer, but when I did it thrust me right back into the joy of seeing it performed live. From the smash hit “Poughkeepsie Woman” to the basement show killer “The Virtu of the Harpe” to the beautiful singalong “Babies,” Vol. 4 is a blast through and through. With Vol. 4 and the live shows following it, Professor Caveman feels like they’ve entered a new era and established themselves as the best band in New Brunswick. -Adam Yawdoszyn
Midnight In a Moonless Dream by The Buttertones
If you like your music accented with the saxophone and rooted in garage and surf rock, look no further than The Buttertones. Listening to this album is like striking up an old friend and falling into familiar conversations. Vocalist Richard Araiza is still a compelling frontman, passionately narrating tales of heartbreak, love, as well as interesting stories of people and places. This album, while drawing from the same blend of sounds as previous albums, fleshes out the genre creatively once more. Standing at thirty-six minutes, it’s an integral part of 2018’s musical landscape. -Izilda Amber
Antares by Kris Wu
It’s an understatement to say that Chinese-Canadian superstar Kris Wu’s first full length album was long awaited. Over the course of the last few years, Wu only dropped the occasional single while he focused on his acting career, leaving his fans and followers hungry for a coherent Kris Wu sound and signature. When November finally came with the drop, the hype and troublesome streaming audit drama spurred by Ariana Grande’s manager Scooter Braun drew attention away from the actual music, which (surprise!) was the best part. Every debut album has its flaws, and Antares is no exception. Sad-boi track “November Rain” and single “Tough Pill” are pleasantly mellow but are a little too lukewarm for radioplay. As a whole, the album doesn’t take leaps from the singles he’s previously released, but that’s not to say that there aren’t absolute gems. The album’s eponymous song features witty references to Antares the star as well as its Chinese meaning, “heart of the dragon.” With the Chinese versions of “Hold Me Down” and “Tough Pill,” Wu’s voice takes on a warm coarseness that is obscured by autotune and the tonal change that comes with switching languages on the English versions. The body of the album is rap, R&B, and almost trap, where Travis Scott, Jhené Aiko, and others add a touch of color to their respective features. But the capolavoro of the album is the Mandarin track “Tian Di,” with spacey intro and bridging vocals and the best showcase of Wu’s smooth flow. The modern beat offsets an ethereal, dark synth situation in the far background, and a translation of Wu’s lyrics show that his lyrics are more than just audibly sleek. -Esra Abdulrahman
2012-2017 by A.A.L. (Against All Logic)
2012-2017 opens with a distorted low-frequency tone that feels like it’s driving us to do something. It’s not clear exactly what we’re supposed to do, but as the volume and intensity of the noisy blasts grow to a crescendo, we’re pushed to the fucking edges of our seats waiting in anticipation and ready for anything. Then suddenly at 1:06 the tension is broken by one of the most infectious grooves of the year, and finally we see what we need to do: dance. And for the next 65 minutes of delectably good house music, we get to do exactly that. -Adam Yawdoszyn
Contributor Favorites:
You Only Live 2wice by Freddie Gibbs
budding ornithologists are weary of tired analogies by Milo
Whack World by Tierra Whack
I’ll Sing by Shannen Moser
Negro Swan by Blood Orange
Astroworld by Travis Scott
ONEPOINTFIVE by Aminé
Namanana by Lay