It’s fun and inventive; a mashup of experimental Hip Hop that harnesses a truly demented collection of sounds and influences from 80s commercials to gospel chorus. That combination might not make sense to everyone, but it’ll be a long revisited cult classic for those who get it.

Phonte and Pooh have released the best Little Brother album since 2005’s The Minstrel Show. In doing so, they’ve reaffirmed why LB means something special to so many people and proven the improbable is still possible.

Surf will not be for everyone, but for those seeking a sense of spiritual upliftment and a relaxing summertime soundtrack, Surf is the wave you’ve been looking for.

It’s indeed Summer Walker’s authenticity she sells on Over It that feels right at home with ’90s R&B, and adjacent to contemporary druggy Atlanta-centric Hip-Hop. Summer Walker is unashamed, contemplative, and despite her debut album name, far from over.

What strikes you most is the sheer joy present in the sessions, imperfections galore. The free-flowing yet concentrated totality of Kendrick’s method.

The album takes a more digestible approach than its predecessor, Feet of Clay; while still heavy on metaphors and wordplay, it’s not buried under cryptic mystique, allowing one of rap’s most prominent enigmas to come out of the shadows.

Girl In The Half Pearl emits confidence despite being out of bounds for the average musically unconscious listener. Liv.e makes it clear she’s not here for external approval.

Skyzoo's sincerity as a rapper is shot through A Dream Deferred, but the album has a seamless musical charm.

Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers paints a gripping portrait of how trauma and therapy have morphed the 34-year-old artist beyond recognition. Even with superior production choices and a semi-triumphant tone of self-actualization, it feels as if listeners can’t fully define what place he’s in — the question of what’s left for him lingers.

For as good as the melodies and ripe drums and bass beats are on the album, more impressive is the songwriting.

As a highly experimental album, the occasional misfire is a guarantee. Ultimately, Iridescence is an exciting way to start a new trilogy and is a testament to Brockhampton’s perseverance.

Sullivan’s long time away from music has given her a new outlook on life and Reality Show is all the better because of it. Her excellence bleeds into songwriting and production while her crooning is as good as ever.

ZUU is filled with entertaining records, but their relatively short runtimes often leave one yearning for more. This brevity is just minor quibble though when presented with rewind-worthy efforts such as “Ricky,” a creation named after Curry’s father.

Ultimately, the album is challenging and uncompromising as it makeshifts a rallying cry for the disenfranchised Millennial Redditor; a manifesto for the misunderstood.

Pray For Haiti is an easy starting point for new Griselda fans looking to find out what the Mach-Hommy hype is all about.

The most rewarding aspect of Atrocity Exhibition is the ease with which Danny Brown conducts this freakshow.

It’s just a rap album, albeit a very good one, and it shows just how dynamic and forceful Denzel Curry can be when he releases himself from the poisonous burden of perfection.

Pusha delves into risky artistic terrain and imparts flashes of lyrical genius only a few have the pedigree to pull off. The Prelude has once again positioned Pusha as an emcee with the ability to put forth a legendary piece of work.

Water Made Us, Woods’ third, and best, album, tackles an even more grand and universal experience: relationships. But she does so with a fine-tooth comb, crafting songs bursting with intimate details on a diorama-sized scale that loosely trace the relationship lifecycle.

There are a few holes--the project’s length and forgettable appearances (Wiz Khalifia on “See Me”)--but overall, it’s an incredible album that will keep that hint of burgundy in the sky.

The end result is his most introspective material since “Daylight.” Dedicated fans will appreciate it for its familiarity, which ironically, might also be their deterrent from it.

Travis manages to create a substantial body of work that begs to be served as a whole, rather than just bite-sized pieces.

The end result sounds like a distillation of contemporary popular music, the kind of blockbuster pop album following the much larger footsteps of Ariana Grande’s Dangerous Woman or Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream, albeit not as polished.

Kool Herc: Fertile Crescent is at its root empowering, challenging and subversive, most strikingly, it’s simply an incredibly rewarding listen.

If there’s one thing you can take from Beyonce, it’s that you never have to feel “bored” as she describes in “Ghost.” There’s always room to innovate.

Still Over It puts Walker into an elite tier of R&B artists who are able to balance personal vendettas and artistic execution. She pulls no punches, commanding attention through her ability to integrate her drama into tracks through beautiful storytelling.

There's no doubt--R.A.P. Music is the best Southern Rap album since Big Boi's Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty.

As a debut album, X 100PRE succeeds at establishing Bunny’s ambition. With its bangers and sonic diversity, this release suggests that the Latin trap artist possesses the potential to shape mainstream music for years to come.