2021 Music In Review: Best EPs
Welcome to week two of my year-in-review series! You can read about my favorite labels of the year in my last post and look forward to reading about my favorite songs and albums of 2021 in the coming weeks. Now let’s dig into my favorite EPs!
10. “REALITY!” by Angry Blackmen
Even more than Angry Blackmen’s 2020 album “HEADSHOTS,” this EP is a perfect introduction to the Chicago-based experimental hip-hop duo. Over industrial samples and thumping bass, Brian Warren and Quentin Branch deliver relentless righteous anger with just enough clever writing and catchy flows to make their message stick in your head without diluting it. If you weren’t already watching out for Angry Blackmen, set aside 10 minutes and get with the program!
9. “The Lightwork EP” by AKAI SOLO and YL
In this collaboration with lofi boom bap producer Roper Williams, New York City MCs AKAI SOLO and YL reach new heights of evocative imagery and addictive atmosphere, consistently complementing each other’s distinct styles. Throughout the EP, AKAI’s slow and purposeful flows contrast with YL’s quicker spitting and lighter tone, each verse pulling an entirely different feeling out of Williams’ woozy mixes of light drums, warped pianos and muffled bass. Don’t miss this short-but-sweet triumph from New York’s hip-hop scene.
8. “IV” by Sam Gellaitry
Scottish producer and songwriter Sam Gellaitry delivers a remarkably concise and theatrical artistic statement on “IV.” From the infectious dance pop of “Duo” to the constantly morphing alternative R&B on “Games,” Gellaitry never wastes a moment, crafting dramatic narratives over his diverse and unpredictable electronic production. If you’re looking for some catchy electro-pop packed with personality, give “IV” a shot and good luck picking your favorite track.
7. “R&B?” by Tierra Whack
Despite not releasing a full-length album in the three years since she dropped her debut, Tierra Whack is keeping her fans well fed with short bursts of consistently high quality music. Even more than the genre-hopping “Rap?” and “Pop?” EPs also released near the end of 2021, “R&B?” delivers an unforgettable and emotionally resonant experience with just three short songs. From a modern gospel song that holds its ground against any modern Kanye tune to a courageously honest and achingly gorgeous tribute to her late grandmother, Whack keeps delivering some of the best songwriting in hip-hop in a way that feels relaxed, natural and personal.
6. “Where Have All The Flowers Gone?” by deb never
This EP isn’t quite the defining artistic statement deb never is fated to eventually make within the next few years, but it does deliver some of her strongest songwriting and most varied production yet. Each song pulls from a different facet of the emo pop sound she wears so well, hopping between dynamic ballads and indie rock earworms. Although this EP doesn’t quite come together as cohesively as her 2020 project “INTERMISSION,” “Where Have All The Flowers Gone?” expands deb never’s sound and delivers many of her new best songs.
5. “EP2!” by JPEGMAFIA
Experimental hip-hop innovator JPEGMAFIA took a surprising and thrilling detour with this follow up to his 2020 EP, holding the fans over a little while longer before the mind-bendingly eclectic and strange “LP!” arrived. Instead of serving up the cutthroat rap bangers he broke out with on 2018’s “Veteran,” Peggy returns to the tuneful autotune ballads he made in the early ’10s when he released music as Devon Hendryx, making himself sound like a one-man boyband from another dimension in the process. Peggy’s hilarious one-liners and infectious flows are still here in full force, but more melodic beats and 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.
4. “boneyard aka fearmonger” by underscores
San Francisco-based hyperpunk pioneer underscores already made quite an innovative and genre-pushing statement with their debut album “Fishmonger” earlier in 2021. But of course, instead of sitting back and staying in their lane, Devon Karpf experimented even more boldly on this follow up EP. While “Fishmonger” largely focused on a blend of hyperpop and pop punk, “boneyard” feels even more eclectic and representative of underscores’ wide range of influences, pulling from everything from acoustic emo to early ’10s dubstep, sometimes all at once. Not every experiment works perfectly (the last two tracks feel a little aesthetically messy and not as fully realized), but it’s thrilling to hear underscores push their sound even further, making the coming of another full-length sometime soon even more tantalizing.
3. “This Thing Of Ours 2” by The Alchemist
The Alchemist has been making beats for iconic MCs since the ’90s and has already more than earned his veteran status in underground hip-hop. Establishing his production style and artistic ambition even further, he dropped the “This Thing Of Ours” EP earlier in 2021, giving a perfect platform for rappers like Earl Sweatshirt, Navy Blue and Boldy James. But even that wasn’t enough apparently, because the sequel is even better. While the first EP felt like a short collection of very distinct scenes, “This Thing Of Ours 2” is borderline cinematic in its cohesive flow. And while the verses on the first installment were stellar, these are even more evocative, each performer condensing their voice into one perfect performance that perfectly complements The Alchemist’s blends of dusty film dialogue, muffled drums and menacing synths. From the weary and menacing monotone of MIKE on “Lossless” to the electrifying victory lap for Danny Brown’s Bruiser Brigade on “Flying Spirit,” “This Thing Of Ours 2” delivers nonstop underground hip-hop perfection.
2. “all dogs go to heaven” by glaive
Between the emo pop of deb never and the hyperpunk of underscores earlier in 2021, the year had already provided plenty of genre-blending bittersweet bangers. But with his second EP, North Carolina-native glaive delivers a defining moment for a wave of music combining influences from hip-hop, pop punk, emo and electronic music. “all dogs go to heaven” piles on the singalong hooks and emotive performances as every song expresses youthful rage and pain. In the best possible way, glaive sounds like the 16-year-old kid that he is, with every melodramatic story of relationship drama and deteriorating mental health delivered with seemingly limitless passion and absolute sincerity. Even if some songs can come off as more than a little immature, glaive taps into some powerful catharsis by just putting it all out there. If you’re looking for something to help you headbang through tough times, whether you’re as young as glaive or just haven’t lost touch with the emotions his songs come from, “all dogs go to heaven” is for you.
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.
