Thoroughly Best Tough Music of 2023

Click here for the complete tough 2023 playlist experience. And over there for the another thorough list.

Top 17 Albums of 2023 + Top EP of the Year + More (Apple Music friendly (click on album art to open in app))

Welcome back:

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RIP:

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Children’s album of the year:

DANCE MODE! – Bluey (Ludo Studio)

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Runner up:

KAYTRAMINE – Kaytraminé (CLBN LLC/Kaytranada Music & Publishing, Inc./Venice Music)

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EP of the year:

REAL CULTURAL ISH – Channel Tres (Channel Tres Inc./RCA Records)

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#17

MIDLIFE CRISIS (Swishahouse RMX) – Slim Thug (SoSouth)

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#16

MINIATURE TIGERS – Miniature Tigers (Miniature Tigers)

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#15

SO MANY OTHER REALITIES EXIST SIMULTANEOUSLY – Atmosphere (Rhymesayers Entertainment LLC)

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#14

FIVE OF CUPS – Holy Wave (Holy Wave/Suicide Squeeze Records)

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#13

NEW BLUE SUN – André 3000 (Epic Records/Sony Music Entertainment)

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#12

WELCOME 2 COLLEGROVE – 2 Chainz & Lil Wayne (Gamebread, LLC/Def Jam Recordings/UMG Recordings, Inc.)

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#11

CRACKER ISLAND – Gorillaz (Parlophone Records Limited)

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#10

BORN FOR GREATNESS – Buju Banton (Gargamel Music Co./Roc Nation Records LLC/Def Jam Recordings)

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#9

THE MAVERICK WAY – Maverick City Music (Tribl Records)

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#8

MARK CALLING ORSON – Jehst (YNR Productions)

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#7

LOVE HALLUCINATION – Jessy Lanza (Hyperdub)

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#6

SIT DOWN FOR DINNER – Blonde Redhead (section1)

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#5

FOR THAT BEAUTIFUL FEELING- The Chemical Brothers (The Chemical Brothers/Universal Music Operations Limited)

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#4

BORN AGAIN – Danger Mouse & Jemini The Gifted One (Lex Records)

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#3

I WANT IT ALL RIGHT NOW – GROUPLOVE (Glassnote Music LLC)

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#2

SREMM 4 LIFE- Rae Sremmurd (Eardruma Records/Interscope Records)

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#1

BARBIE THE ALBUM – Various Artists (Atlantic Recording Corporation/Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc./Mattel, Inc.)

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Top 10 Songs of 2023

Runner ups:

KANT NOBODY (FT. DMX) – Lil Wayne (Young Money Records, Inc.)

KEEP IT ROLLING (FT. KENNYHOOPLA) – Bloc Party (BMG Rights Management (UK) Limited)

SPIRIT – The Killers (Island Records, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.)

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#10

JOHNNY DANG – That Mexican OT, Paul Wall & DRODi (Manifest/GoodTalk/Good Money Global)

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#9

HOTLINE – bby (bby)

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#8

HOUDINI – Dua Lipa (Warner Records UK/Warner Music UK Limited)

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#7

GOOD LIES – Overmono (XL Recordings Ltd)

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#6

OFF THE LOT – Curren$y & Jermaine Dupri ft 2 Chainz (Jet Life Recordings/So So Def)

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#5

I BELIEVE IN LOVE AGAIN – Peggy Gou & Lenny Kravitz (XL Recordings Ltd)

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#4

TELL ME – James Blake (A Republic Records/Polydor Records Release)

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#3

GIVING ME – Jazzy (Universal Music Operations Limited)

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#2

SUMMER OF LUV – Portugal. The Man feat. Unknown Mortal (Atlantic Recording Corporation)

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#1

NOW U DO – DJ Seinfeld & Confidence Man (Ninja Tune)

-EY

Mork Calling Orson – Jehst

2023

YNR Productions

Britain’s haziest MC is back after 6 years with a fresh LP straight out the smokin’ streets of London. It makes us want to stream some episodes of Mork and Mindy; Not so much of a concept record as a procept one. It’s a far cry from the Mengi Bus days, but will more than suffice for 2023’s headspace.

Cop it here while you can.

4/20 out of 4/21 marks

Choice cuts: Footsteps and Flight to L.A.

Miniature Tigers – Miniature Tigers

2023

Miniature Tigers

listening to miniature tigers self-titled non-debut digital streaming only lp conjures the beach boys circa the zombies plus 90’s weezer, plain and simple. Beamber. Truly this is an underground release. With scant evidence that this album even exists (aside from apple music new music notifications), we’re at a loss to provide much context other than to say these songs bippity bop.

The subject matter hasn’t changed – think lovelorn love lost – but this may be the closest return to mia pharaoh form, 10 years+ on. Time will tell if this gets a vinyl / cassette deluxe release. Should those come to press then it’d surely be a wise investment. Time will further tell should Charlie and the Brand hit the road to make audiences dance and laugh. Dude was clownin’ back in the 10’s when opening for freelance whales on Broadway in Denver Colorado.

11 out of 11 marks

Choice cuts: Carousel and Lavender Boombox

Goodbye, Asshole – Fuckwolf

2022

Silver Current

Simply said, their debut EP was spun on WMCN‘s studio speakers a long time ago when no one was listening (except maybe Laura) and we thought they were a has-been no hit wonder. It turns out they’re not so much progenitors of post-hyper dub-schiztronic as they are Thee oh Sees lesser cousin whose time has finally come to take out the trash. Taking profanity to a whole other level, it’s fire in a box full of sharp objects.

8 out of 11 marks

Choice cut: My Life

Unquestionable Toply Terrific Music of 2022

It seemed with the ending of pandemic, great music proliferated. Here’s the greatest.

Click here for the complete 2022 playlist experience. And there for the 2nd toply terrific list.

Top 18 Albums of 2022 + Top EP of the Year + More (Final Selections (Apple Music friendly (click on album art to open in the Apple Music app))

Welcome back:

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Children’s album of the year:

MORE FAMILY TIME (DELUXE) – Ziggy Marley (Tough Gong Worldwide)

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Runner up:

TONES OF THE SPARROW – The Asteroid No. 4 (Club AC30)

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EP of the year:

U.Z.I (UNIVERSAL ZEITGEIST INTELLIGENCE) – Planet Asia x Snowgoons (Goon MuSick)

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#18

C’MON YOU KNOW – Liam Gallagher (Warner Music UK Limited)

As you were Sir Gallagher.

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#17

ROSE PINK CADILLAC – Dope Lemon (Angus Stone / BMG)

2022 is no exception when it comes to Aussies coming to play their guitars and drums groovyily. Angus Stone said it’s a love record. Pucker up :-*

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#16

LET IT BE BLUE – !!! (Warp Records)

Let it blue? Let it belue? Let it be below? Let it be neon blue!!!

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#15

RESET – Panda Bear & Sonic Boom (Domino Recording Co Ltd)

Spacemen 3 with recurring themes.

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#14

SPIRITUALS – Santigold (Little Jerk Records)

In a sign of the year, Santigold had to cancel her tour, because we weren’t going.

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#13

CHURCH CLOTHES 4 – Lecrae (Reach Records)

The real question everyone was asking this year was: Would there had been a Church Clothes 4 if Lecrae was agnostic?

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#12

STONER’S NIGHT – Juicy J & Wiz Khalifa (Trippy Music LLC)

JJ and WK reunite for a trippy animated art album art cover.

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#11

GHETTO GODS – Earthgang (Dreamville / Interscope)

A far cry from ATL’s best to ever do it, are they on the up and up.

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#10

APOCALYPSE LOVE – Black Lips (Fire Records)

Quietly keeping it going, they avoid being completely canceled after their old pals at Burger got what was coming.

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#9

COOL IT DOWN – Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Secretly Canadian)

Karen O and the gang are settling nicely into grandparent rock with earthly overtones.

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#8

ALPHA ZULU – Phoenix (Loyauté / Glassnote Entertainment Group)

No stranger to our top 10 lists they are. Alpha Zulu or Classical Neon Notebook?

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#7

START 2 FINISH – Paul Wall & Termanology (Perfect Time Music Group)

Somehow, but not un-surpisingly, the former Billboard chart-topper, keeps aging like fine wine bring his southern drawl to classy easy coast beats.

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#6

U WASN’T THERE – Cam’ron & A-Trak (Federal Reserve / Empire)

But we were there when Dipsh*ts was an instant classic, just the like the rest of these tracks. When is Dame’s business course starting?

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#5

TILT – Confidence Man (Heavenly Recordings / [PIAS])

Way out 80’s deep dance party bops with a Kiwi hype woman.

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#4

MATA – M.I.A. (Island Records)

Amen.

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#3

CHEAT CODES – Danger Mouse & Black Thought (BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd.)

From the Grey Album to Black Thought. Danger Mouse comes full circle. RIP to MF Doom.

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#2

THE THEORY OF WHATEVER – Jamie T (Universal / Polydor Records)

A grand return for the bar-dropping Brit. Did he care that the Three Lions fizzled?

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#1

ONLY BUILT FOR INFINITY LINKS – Quavo & Takeoff (Quality Control Music / Motown Records / UMG Recordings Inc.)

It is a trifecta for dynamic duos taking home the top spot. RIP to Takeoff. Hopefully next year’s list won’t include any fallen stars.

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Top 10 Songs of 2022 (Indispensable Crate)

Runner ups:

MERCURY – Steve Lacy (L-M Records / RCA Records)

BURN THIS HOUSE (FT. LITTLE BOOTS) – J. Worra (Insomniac Records)

WATCHING STRANGERS SMILE – Parquet Courts (Rough Trade Records Ltd)

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#10

B.O.T.A. (BADDEST OF THEM ALL) – Eliza Rose & Interplanetary Criminal (One House X Limited / Warner Music UK Limited)

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#9

BRIGHTSIDE – The Lumineers (Dualtone Music Group)

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#8

YOUR LOVE – Mallrat (Mallrat Pty. Ltd. / Nettwerk Music Group Inc.)

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#7

OVER (FT. YEBBA) – Robert Glasper (Loma Vista Recordings)

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#6

LET’S DO IT AGAIN – Jamie xx (Young)

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#5

ON & ON – Piri & Tommy (Universal / Polydor Records)

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#4

HOLD A VIBE (FT. RED RAT) – Groove Armada (Ministry of Pies / BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd)

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#3

FREE (FT. UNCLE CHUCC) – A-Trak & Lee Foss (Fool’s Gold Records)

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#2

MAD AT ME – Samia (Grand Jury Music)

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#1

BREAK MY SOUL – Beyoncé (Parkwood Entertainment LLC / Columbia Records)

-EY