The Best New Music of January 2021
The New Year means new music. While 2020 was inarguably one of the worst years ever, one of the few bright spots was all of the amazing music released. Luckily, it seems as though the trend of good music is continuing, and several artists have already started 2021 off with a bang.
If you’re looking for some fresh new music to listen to, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s a look at the albums, EPs, and mixtapes of January 2021.
Kota the Friend — Lyrics to GO, Vol. 2
Recommended Song: “Emotionally Dumb”
If you’re looking for some chill, uplifting vibes, look no further than Lyrics to GO, Vol. 2, a brisk EP by Kota the Friend. If you aren’t familiar with Kota, he’s a New York rapper whose music provides a nice contrast to the usual braggadocious music that’s so common in hip hop. Instead, Kota focuses on more relatable topics like family, personal triumphs, and his living room. Yes, Kota has a track on this project called “Living Room,” where he raps:
I think my deepest connection is with my living room
My couch is cozy, I fall asleep on it every day
Like I said, relatable. Despite its shortness, the EP has ten songs. Obviously, with such a brief run time, these tracks are all super short. For the most part, the short song times work, but some songs like “Clinton Hill” and “Emotionally Dumb” leave you craving more. The instrumentals are nice; the type of beats you’d find by searching “lofi hip hop instrumentals for studying” on YouTube. All in all, Kota doesn’t wow with his lyrics but creates a very wholesome, genuine, feel-good vibe that’s incredibly listenable. Definitely check this one out.
Ashnikko — Demidevil
Recommended Song: “Daisy”
Brash and edgy lyrics, in-your-face delivery, and an immature attitude are trademarks of Ashnikko’s debut project, Demidevil. Ashnikko is a bit of a shapeshifter, most of her music is different forms of pop, but she also dabbles in rap, punk, and even musical theater. It’s the kind of music you’d expect to hear on TikTok. You’ll know almost immediately if you vibe with her music or not; it’s the kind of thing you either love or hate.
While I mostly enjoyed the silly and aggressive pop songs on the album, an abomination of a song needs to be addressed. “L8r Boi” is a take on Avril Lavigne’s classic “Sk8er Boi,” and if you have a reverence for the original, this one isn’t going to sit right with you. After playing it for my fiance, she was floored by how Ashnikko butchered such a classic tune. The idea behind the song isn’t bad; in an interview, Ashnikko said she found the lyrics to “Sk8er Boi” to be “a bit problematic,” so she wanted to give a modern update to the song. However, the execution is terrible and might make you cringe.
Overall, Demidevil was a project that surprised me; Ashnikko is very capable of making fun pop bops, and her experiments in other genres are always interesting, even if they ultimately fail. Give a song or two a listen; it won’t take you long to make a judgment.
Jazmine Sullivan — Heaux Tales
Recommended Song: “Girls Like Me”
If Ashnikko is a little too immature for your liking, Jazmine Sullivan might be more your speed. On Heaux Tales, the R&B singer delivers a beautiful album that examines women’s sexuality. It’s a concept that’s both explored in her music and the spoken word interludes that make up the album.
Sullivan’s voice is the star of the album; spacious beats allow her to riff and show off her stunning vocals. She also got some help from fantastic features from Anderson .Paak, and H.E.R. Its a well thought out album, but it would have been nice to get more music; the interludes included are nice and contribute to the theme of the album, but they really pad a short run time. However, if the project leaves you longing for more, you’re in luck. You’ll be hearing Sullivan’s voice again soon; it was recently announced that she will be singing the National Anthem with Eric Church at the Super Bowl.
Arlo Parks — Collapsed In Sunbeams
Recommended Song: “Hope”
Usually, it’s lyricism, vocal ability, or stellar production that sets a project apart from the rest, but in the case of Arlo Parks’ debut studio album Collapsed In Sunbeams, it’s her spirit. The 20-year-old British singer songwriter delivers her unique perspective with a soft and airy voice that draws you. On subsequent listens, the lyrics will stand out as poetic, which helps paint vivid pictures for the listener, bringing you to her world.
You can only nitpick to find criticisms of Collapsed In Sunbeams. The album could use a little more variety; on first listen, a lot of the songs sound similar. However, given another listen (or two, or three, or 100 — seriously, it’s very replayable), there’s more distinction between the tracks than first appears.
At just 20 years old, Arlo Parks delivered a great debut album; it’s clear that she’s bound for stardom. Give this a listen before she really takes off.
Mac Ayers — Magic 8ball
Recommended Song: “Every Time”
Smooth would be the best descriptor of Mac Ayers’ latest effort, Magic 8ball. Ayres combines R&B, soul, funk, and jazz to create a beautiful album. The diverse instrumentals are incredible; they are so full and groovy and dreamy. While Ayers’ vocals and lyrics are solid, it’s the stellar production that really makes this album stand out.
If you like alternative R&B artists like dvsn or Majid Jordan, Magic 8ball should be right up your alley. It’s the perfect album to play on date night — fun, smooth, funky, and a little sultry. Personally, I was unfamiliar with Ayers before this project, but I’m so impressed that I’ll be diving into his previous releases.
UnoTheActivist — Unoverse
Recommended Song: “Taco Bell”
In 2020, UnoTheActivist released 8, one of my favorite albums of the year. It was my first exposure to Uno and reminded me of Playboi Carti. With Carti taking ages to drop Whole Lotta Red, 8 was a worthy substitute. Unfortunately, Unoverse fails to live up to its predecessor.
Unoverse isn’t bad by any means, but it has fewer highs, seems a little less risky, and suffers from some poor mixing. However, “Taco Bell” is a delight. Sure, it’s repetitive — Uno raps the line “I bet you ain’t know you was dangerous” eight times in a row during the bridge, but that doesn’t detract from the song. If you’re into Playboi Carti, Young Thug, or Gunna, definitely give Unoverse a listen; you’ll probably find at least a couple of songs that hit you just right.
Aaron Frazer — Introducing…
Recommended Song: “Bad News”
If you’re a sucker for a nice falsetto, this is the album for you. You might know Aaron Frazer from Durand Jones & The Indication, where he played drums and did vocals, but Introducing… is his first solo project. And what a debut it is.
Produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys, Introducing… sounds like a modern take on old-school soul music. Frazer’s crisp vocals are like butter over the groovy guitars and crisp horns. Vocally, he’s a stand out artist, and his unique sound helps carry the album; you don’t hear a lot of songs reminiscent of doo-wop in 2021. However, the songwriting is pretty one-note, almost every song is about unreturned love, and by the end of the album, it can seem a little repetitive. Overall though, the album stands out as unique in its time and is definitely worth a listen.
Erick The Architect — Future Proof EP
Recommended Song: “Let It Go”
New York rap group Flatbush Zombies are known for their lively performances, so many fans might be surprised at Erick The Architect’s solo project, Future Proof EP. It’s a very chill and conscious record filled with emotional depth.
On the opening track, “I Can’t Lose,” Erick raps over a beat that sounds inspired by The College Dropout. On “WTF,” he raps about racial inequality, and Col3trane drops a moving chorus. But track three, “Let It Go,” is the best song on the album. Bolstered by exceptional features by FARR and Loyle Carner, the track urges the listener to make the most of their life despite the challenges. It’s a fantastic encapsulation of the project — Erick seems to be talking directly to the listener. He seems extremely calm, confident, and deliberate. It shows a side to him as an artist that you don’t typically see from his work with Flatbush Zombies.
I hope Erick has more plans for solo music; this short EP shows incredible potential. Future Proof EP is a project I’ll be revisiting a lot this year.
Hopefully, this list of January 2021 music inspires you to check out a new project or two. If you can’t be bothered to give the full albums a listen, I put together a playlist of my favorite tracks of the month, which you can listen to here. I’ll be back next month with a summary of the best music of February 2021; in the meantime, enjoy January’s musical offerings.
