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[HiResDes]

Albums Over $1 (Retail)

1.

Sample Song
Synopsis – An southern insomniac capitalizes on the late-night euphoria while waxing on all of his life's lessons, vices, and imperfections.

2.

Sample Song
Needledrop Review
Synopsis – Billy & Euclid drop fractured and disjointed lyrics that are like an amalgam of spoken-word urban poetry and MF-Doom esque free-form rap over backing sounds that seem to flip mainstream rap sounds on their heads and make them into something a bit menacing at times.

3.

Sample Song
Needledrop Review
Synopsis - Danny approaches the album like every format is a double-sided vinyl, featuring gritty old-era Danny stylisms on Side A, and more of a EDM dominated party affair on Side B. He attempted a similar thing on his last album, but the emotions of the halves were reversed, but somehow this time around the two sided nature seems more inorganic and they fail to complement each other whatsoever. Nonetheless, Side A is such a strong thematic entity with its own ups and downs that still captivated me more in its ten tracks then most of the longer rap albums I heard throughout the year

4.

Sample Song
Synopsis - A seemingly minimal sounding album where the lyrics are really brought to the forefront as the production just sort of lingers about emphasizing the hidden depth and double speak that encompasses Rap Album One, this is an enigmatic album, but a rewarding one.

5.

Sample Song
Needledrop Review
Synopsis – A laidback soulful joint that at times teeters on the border of succumbing to the hysteria of the world around it albeit all with a refreshing sense of humor.

6.

Sample Song
Needledrop Review
Synopsis – Shad's excellent cadence and sense of humor is in full display on this album as the beats swell and crash in the background, the album is full of swooping emotions, but these emotions are a bit muted due to Shad's oft cool-handed delivery

7.

Sample Song
Needledrop Review
Synopsis – Black Milk's most dynamic affair by far, featuring aggressive production and rap styles. Black Milk shows improvement as a rapper, as he sounds more unapologetic and unwavering in his prowess as an emcee.

8.

Sample Song
Synopsis - Semi-conscious, thematic trap raps featuring a pair of the most charismatic rappers in their lane, Trip's quick jabs are the perfect complement to Starlito's long lingering hooks.

9.

Sample Song
Synopsis – A producer that with the soul of Curtis and the grit of Bobby Womack at his fingertips blesses a truly gifted emcee whose style is somewhat reminiscent of early Mos Def and they embark on a solid albeit very safe boom-bap route.

10.

Sample Song
Synopsis – It's like a modern take on the old UGK albums, lavish lifestyles supported by southern hustling and thuggin...It doesn't bring anything new to the table,but this OG recipe brings back all the right memories

H.M.

Sample Song
Synopsis - Devin the Dude's cool debonair style enables him to weave in and out of hard struggle topics into more lighthearted topics about fucking women and smoking weed. Part Smooth pimp shit, part struggle rap.

 

[HiResDes]

Albums $1 or less (Cheapo List)

1.

Sample Song
Synopsis – Rich Homie Quan sounds so sincere in his swagged out testimonies backed by sweltering heatwave beats

2.

Sample Song
Synopsis – Denmark's mixtape is extremely well-rounded with every spectrum of rap represented besides maybe southern trap shit, the detroit emcee shows that you can be conscious and still have swag. This is inspired boom-bap.

3.

Sample Song
Synopsis - Hot Sugar picks the perfect intelligent, wicky rappers to tackle his somewhat minimal yet highly unique midi beats, the result is a compilation that avoids sounding scattered or smushed together.

4.

Sample Song
Synopsis - A backpack rap album brimming with emotion and lush production that avoids the strain of the Jansport.

5.

Sample Song
Synopsis – Grimey ass, swagged out boastful songs of ego-centrism and an inflated self-worth...With the subtext of conscious nihilism

6.

Sample Music
Synopsis – One of the most unique sounding efforts in the genre this year, Don raps in such a slow methodical and melodical fashion that his voice becomes camouflaged within the atmospheric and soothing backing music The result is one of the most soothing rap pieces I've ever heard.

7.

Sample Song
Synopsis - Swag rap with vaporized production, proto-swag 2020 rap

8.

Sample Song
Synopsis – One of Game's best efforts to date, this mixtape has everything from conscious ambition to old game bay-area odes that bump as hard as the originals, Game may rely on a bunch of people for help, but at least here everyone he picks really adds something to the album.

9.

Sample Song
Synopsis –Kool A.D. is so witty his wordplay is more like word fuckery, he just exudes swag in such a nonchalant way and that's never been more obvious than on this album Not O.K. His songs are like a skillful parody of the rap game itself.

10.

Sample Song
Synopsis - Unconscious trap with all of the hyped up aspects you've come to love, autotune/screaming rap styles/moaning adlibs just done with a high level of swag and spirit. FUN IGNANT SHIT

11.

Sample Song
Synopsis – Retch puts his rugged, somewhat raspy voice to work on this crime-ridden journey away from redemption, straight into thug hell. This is no holds barred gangsta rap.

12.

Sample Song
Synopsis - The attempts at club bangers on this tape are nowhere near as good as Inland Empire. It's also more all over the place, but the variety is somewhat impressive considering the album's best tracks consist of rappity rap and downtempo shit, which is definitely a bit of a surprise. Overall, Come As You Are is a much more varied affair, but while Audio Push seems to have made giant strides in crafting different types of songs, their knack for creating bangers seems to have been a bit diminished

13.

Sample Song
Synopsis - Overdoz continues to be one of the best pop-rap groups out today, though how they remain so underground is probably due to the awful timing of their releases. Boom would have been the perfect summer BBQ album, the rap album you can put on at a house party and not offend anyone that likes mainstream music while not hurting your ears.

14.

Sample Song
Synopsis - Like the great Lord Quad, Mac Miller decides to pitch up his vocals and utilizes a rap style that's like a hybrid of early Eminem and Earl from Odd Future, rapping about really violent and fucked in things in a seething sardonic manner.

15.

Sample Song
Synopsis - Love King Louie's immense energy and the production, high intensity trap album, would say a guilty pleasure, but I ain't ever been innocent

 

[Dereck]

I like seeing that Armand Hammer all the way at the top doe.

 

[Discotheque]

lito's killing it

should get on that shad and black milk soon

 

[HiResDes]

Almost forgot an album, whew

 

[MuddyDonut]

good job enzo_gt

 

[PBY]

Shocked that u dug slim thug and black milk that much.

Interesting.

 

[HiResDes]

Since I expanded the mixtape list to include albums that could be purchased on bandcamp for less than a dollar the retail list never compares.

 

[CountBlack]

Gonna peeeep the Starlito since many Gaf-Hopians are on it

 

[Cerity]

gonna have to check a few of these out, that last quarter was a relatively quiet one after october.

 

[adversesolutions]

No Rich Homie Quan despite the title. And no Drilluminati 2 =whaa

 

[The Return of]

No Rich Homie Quan despite the title. And no Drilluminati 2 =whaa

Nice job reading there buddy. Album list, Mixtape list is coming up soon

 

[overcast]

should get on that shad and black milk soon

Same. Those are the two releases I need to listen to before making my list.

 

[HiResDes]

DONE

 

[PhoenixDark]

Thanks for blessing us again HRD

 

[Net_Wrecker]

Much appreciated as always.

Now to see if there's anything I missed that will make me adjust my top 10.

 

[Tokubetsu]

All these albums suck except for the ones with Starlito. HRD didn't put "Fried Turkey" on the list though so fuck HRD.

 

[Face it Tiger..]

No Signed to the Streets..

 

[Jitters]

Wait, where is Eminem?

 

[enzo_gt]

good job enzo_gt

I do it 4 the luv of the game

 

[brokenbeans]

Nice one man always a good list.

 

[Bad_Boy]

Wow at the split personality mac miller tape. I had no idea.

Interesting to see he made a album from the voice off his album.

 

[FairXchange]

Thanks man, dope list.

 

[IrishNinja]

another tight list - sub'd & bookmarked, thanks as always des

 

[HiResDes]

...This is the only thing I think I snubbed, but it only had four songs.


...The Three 6 Mafia was close, but to be honest didn't wow me as much others.

 

[MuddyDonut]

Bitch I'm flawlesssssssssssss, Uh
Bitch I'm flawlesssssssssssss, Uh

That Gorgeous Children <3

 

[Dereck]

Wait, where is Eminem?

Not on the list, because it blew.

 

[Mastadon]

Thank you HRD, love these round-ups.

 

[HiResDes]

I love doing it, and it's not too tedious now that its only quarterly.

 

[BlackGhost]

Thanks for the list, awesome work. I Always feel like I miss tons of shit at years end.
Edit: didn't realize you've been doing these thread quarterly, will look out for them!

 

[oneils]

The HiResDes 2013 Rap-Up youtube playlist has been updated!

Awesome stuff.

HiResDes 2013 Rap-Up

 

[HiResDes]

SORRY I SLEPT OLIVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!