My Top Music Releases for April, May & June; shortlist of good stuff

Parisian beatmaker Onra’s latest EP “Deep In The Night”

With tons of new projects forthcoming and lots of dope music in my ear right now, I just realized I haven’t posted my favorite “new music” list since the beginning of April. For those who might of missed ‘em, here’s January, February and March –but the list is a short roundup highlighting my top LPs, EPs, singles, and mixtapes released throughout the month. Whether for deep lyrical content or strong production aspects, there were plenty who got play on my iPod.

Nonetheless, here’s a shortlist of my favorite releases that dropped from April 1 to June 30 of this year. In order of the most recent.

JUNE:

▪    Atlantic Connection, LOVE ARCHITECT (electro/soul/downtempo)

*    Emeli Sandé, OUR VERSION OF EVENTS (pop/soul) #SwedishSoul

▪    Esthero, “Never Gonna Let You Go” (electro/pop) [single]

▪    HouseShoes, LET IT GO (underground hip-hop)

▪    Jarrard Anthony, READY TO LIVE (R&B/soul) #uplifting

▪    Lakecia Benjamin, RETOX (soulful/funky/jazzy)

▪    Liquideep, Alone [EP] (soulful house)

▪    Lissat & Voltaxx vs. Marc Fisher feat. Vanessa Ekpenyong, “Heat of the Night (Deep Disco remix)” (house) [single]

*    Onra, Deep in the Night [EP] (electro/hip-hop) #dopeness

▪    Rocco Careri & Arturo Macchiavelli feat. Vanee, “Rock With You“ [Michael Jackson cover] (soulful house) [single]

▪    Tamia, “Beautiful Surprise“ (R&B/soul) [single] | video provided by Singersroom

MAY:

*   B.o.B, STRANGE CLOUDS (pop/hip-hop) | 15 tracks/10 features #StillLikey

*   Columbia Nights, Dawn | Dusk EP (neo soul) #sosmooth

*   Karmin, HELLO (pop) #ultrapop #guiltypopleasure

▪    Mary Mary, GO GET IT (Music from the TV series) (contemporary gospel)

*   Miguel Migs feat. Meshell Ndegeocello “Tonight“ (R&B/deep house) [single]

▪    Monophonics, IN YOUR BRAIN (soulful/heavyfunk/60′s rock)

*   Rebecca Ferguson, HEAVEN [U.S. RELEASE] (pop) #BritishSoul

*   Scissor Sisters, MAGIC HOUR (electro-pop-dance)

*   Tank, THIS IS HOW I FEEL (R&B) #warning #pantieswilldrop

*   The Hood Internet, MIXTAPE V.6 (hip-hop/electro) #crazymashups #FREEdownload

APRIL:

*   Alabama Shakes, BOYS & GIRLS (rock/blues/soul) #lovelovelove

▪    Bassnectar, VAVA BOOM (dubstep)

▪    Blockhead, INTERLUDES AFTER MIDNIGHT (trip-hop) #instrumentals

▪    Bonnie Raitt, SLIPSTREAM (blues/country/rock)

*   Jamiroquai, ROCK DUST LIGHT STAR [U.S. Release] (pop/rock/dance) #nearly two years after its European release. Can we at least get a U.S. tour? #justsayin

▪    Photek, DJ-KICKS (drum n bass/downtempo/deep house)

▪    SWV, I MISSED US (Soul/R&B) | Sisters With Voices are back!

▪    The Black Seeds, DUST AND DIRT (pop/rock/reggae)

▪    Yuna, YUNA (indie pop/rock/folk)

Bonus track: Matisyahu “Sunshine” [re-worked, pop version of 2010 single]