2021 Midyear AOTY: Top EPs
Congrats everyone on making it halfway through 2021! As 2020 taught us all, there’s no guarantee that next year won’t be just as turbulent, so let’s try and appreciate what we can during the ride.
Personally, new music has been one of the best parts of my year. I’ll share my favorite projects of 2021 so far over the next few weeks, starting now with my five favorite extended plays before moving on to my top 20 albums!
5. “IV” by Sam Gellaitry
Scottish producer and songwriter Sam Gellaitry made an incredible first impression on me with this 13-minute burst of left-field production and infectious hooks. From the infectious dance pop of “Duo” to the constantly morphing R&B beats on “Games,” Gellaitry never wastes a moment, crafting a cohesive experience and telling personal stories over his diverse production. If you’re a fan of alt pop or any form of electronic music, give “IV” a shot and good luck trying to decide your favorite track.
4. “jams EP” by Luna Li
Toronto-based producer and multi-instrumentalist Luna Li builds a little slice of paradise onto hip-hop beats on her “jams EP.” This collection of fan-favorite unreleased songs she’s shared through social media serves as a perfect introduction to her lush production and sheer musicianship.
Whether she’s shredding on an electric guitar or plucking her harp, Li makes every one of these 10 tiny songs just as comforting as they are addictive. If you’re working on a school assignment or work project, put “jams EP” on loop and let at least some of the stress melt away.
3. “This Thing Of Ours” by The Alchemist
With production credits going back to the early ’90s and revered collaborations with modern artists like Freddie Gibbs, Boldly James and Armand Hammer all under his belt, hip-hop icon The Alchemist has nothing left to prove. Although he could definitely kick back and relax, “This Thing Of Ours” shows he’s determined to show us even more of his talent and bring the best out of underground hip-hop’s most talented MCs.
With soft drums, dusty horns and chopped vocals leaving plenty of room for charismatic features from the likes of Earl Sweatshirt, Sideshow and Pink Siifu, these beats hypnotize as they stand alone and heighten the energy of whatever verse flows over them. If you’re looking for an all-killer-no-filler piece of hip-hop opulence, “This Thing Of Ours” is
for you.
2. “EP2!” by JPEGMAFIA
Damn Peggy! Giving us rap music from the year 2052 wasn’t enough for experimental rap pioneer JPEGMAFIA, so he decided to bring us back some pop and R&B too. “EP2!” trades out the hookless cutthoat bangers many of his fans fell in love with on his breakout album “Veteran” and instead returns to the tuneful autotune ballads he made in the early ’10s before he picked up the Peggy name.
Make no mistake, his hilarious one-liners and infectious flows are still here in full force, but stronger chords and more melodic verses make these seven tunes some of his catchiest and most approachable songs yet. JPEGMAFIA’s truly strange sound choices and tongue-in-cheek aggression make this release an absolute delight and a welcome addiction to one of modern hip-hop’s best discographies.
1. “Like A Good Old Friend” by Vegyn
With this follow up to his 2019 debut album, London-based producer Vegyn proves beyond a shadow of a doubt he’s one of the most talented beat makers in hip-hop and electronic music today. With just six songs, “Like A Good Old Friend” creates an immersive and theatrical journey, carrying you through drastically different styles and moods. From the driving beats and pitched rap vocals of opener “I See You Sometimes” to the dark pianos of closer “Sometimes I Feel Like I’m Ruining Songs,” every moment of the EP explores a different facet of house, hip-hop and IDM, making for cinematic progression in a condensed package.
Not only does Vegyn create distinct moods in each song to keep the project fresh, but individual songs go through surprising and cathartic transformations, like the constantly accelerating tempo and shifting timbres of the opener or gentle pulsing synths gradually building into a bouncy orchestral banger on “Mushroom Abolitionist.” If you’re looking for some unrelentingly creative electronic music to take you on an adventure, don’t let Vegyn’s crowning achievement pass you by.
You can follow John on Twitter at @JohnMichaelBr15.
