A hell of a sharp set from Black Milk – a record that seems to really refine the vision of his previous records, and send him forth into very soulful territory too – maybe no surprise, given that he's got guests along who include Phonte, Karriem Riggins, and Raphael Saadiq! The production is nice and spacey, but never sleepy – a crisp edge, even when laidback – as keyboards wrap their arms around some of the rougher edges in the beats, cradle them nicely, and set up this wonderful presence for the vocals! Titles include "Is It Just Me", "The Black Surf", "Downs Got Up", "Wait Til Fate", "God Willing", "Feelings Don't Feel", "No Wish", "Fews & Trues", and "Yeah Really". (Hip Hop, Neo Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

The best album to date from Orange Pekoe – a lovely blend of light rhythms, acoustic instrumentation, and sweet female vocals! The instrumentation here has a more jazz-based sound than before – with lots of light percussion, guitar, and keyboard bits – creating an almost bossa-like sense of intimacy, one that really lets the breezy vocals of Tomoko Nagashima dominate the set. Most of the lyrics are in Japanese, and titles include "Story", "Heavenly Summer", "Cradle", "Songbird", and "Niwaka-ame". LP, Vinyl record album