Our review of the best albums recently released in January 2022.
The Weeknd - Dawn FM
Dawn FM released on 7th January 2022 is the fifth album by Canadian singer Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, better known as the Weeknd. It features songs with Tyler, the
Creator, Lil Wayne and narration by Jim Carrey. Dawn Fm is a mixture of dance-pop and synth-pop genres with 16 tracks and is available to listen on Spotify and Apple Music.
According to Metacritic, The Weeknds ‘Dawn Fm’ Is currently the number one best album of 2022 with a score of 88, which is determined through user scores and critic reviews. Entertainment Weekly stated “Dawn FM might be just shy of summoning the truly divine, but its best moments provide enough blinding light to counter the increasingly enveloping gloom of 2022.
Part of the albums focus is the fictional radio station (103.5 Dawn FM) which Jim Carrey narrates in the interlude of the first track “You are now listening to 103.5 Dawn FM”. Another album focus is growth which features on the albums cover showcasing the singer profoundly aged through prosthetics. Through the lyrics “This part I do alone… I’ll take my lead on this road,” and “I’ve been so cold to the ones who loved me, baby / I look back now and I realise” the singer shows a personal reflection and understanding of past mistakes.
Dawn FM definitely doesn’t disappoint and gives a mixture of sounds on each track with elements of R&B, hip-hop, pop and disco. Our highlights are tracks 'Sacrifice' and 'Here We Go...Again (feat. Tyler, The Creator)'.
Earl Sweatshirt - Sick!
SICK! released on January 14 is the fourth studio album by American rapper Earl Sweatshirt, who first graced the rap scene as part of the Odd Future collective. Sweatshirt's new album is a follow-up to his 2019 EP, 'FEET OF CLAY'. SICK! is available to listen on multiple streaming services such as Spotify and Apple music.
Earl Sweatshirts ‘SICK!’ comes in close second with Dawn FM on Metacritic with a score of 87, based on 11 critic reviews. The Observer critiques in their review: “Sick! emerges with musicality enhanced, full of strings, soul samples, arpeggiating pianos and vinyl crackle – sometimes, as on the immersive Vision and Tabula Rasa, all at once.”
Considering it's only January the Metacritic scores are bound to change with the anticipated release of albums such as Charli XCX: Crash, Mitski: Laurel Hell and Bastille: Give Me the Future coming soon.
Earl Sweatshirt is redefining the rap scene with this new release which features a variety of genres -rap, jazz, hip-hop and lo-fi. Earl seems to be very much self-aware and existential throughout the album. He makes a collection of references to the coronavirus pandemic within the albums name, album cover and within his songwriting, with references to masks, vaccines, and isolation appearing throughout.
Although the album is only 24 minutes long, Sweatshirt gives the listener something they feel they can connect and relate to through his powerful lyrics and instrumentals as we all move through this weird time together.
Our favourite track is 'Vision (feat. Zelooperz)' which boasts a distinct beat, a fantastic feature and amazing lyricism: "Tell them that they're beautiful. Tell them that they're Black".
FKA twigs - Caprisongs
'Caprisongs' is the first mixtape and third album-length project by the British singer FKA Twigs, born Tahliah Barnett. Released on January 14th, the album features a collection of artists such as Shygirl, Pa Salieu, The Weeknd, Sega Bodega and Daniel Caesar, to name a few.
FKA Twigs created her recent mixtape 'Caprisongs' during the early stages of the pandemic in 2020 when the UK was in lockdown. The medium begins with the click of a cassette player on the first track 'ride the dragon' which expresses the mixtape is Twigs expressing her creative freedom in whatever direction she feels appropriate and making clear from the get go, that this is the singer .
Comparing Twigs' recent release 'Caprisongs' with her 2019 album 'Magdalene', the singer had worn her heart on her sleeve approaching her songwriting and production with a darker tone throughout. However, this album takes a more playful and upbeat approach with some tracks 'lightbeamers' and 'pamplemousse' bearing a similarity to mainstream pop artists such as Charli XCX.
What really stands out throughout the 48 minute mixtape is the vast array of collaborations with other artists and the different variety of genres - hip-hop, drum’n’bass, dancehall and R&B.
Currently the album is at number 6 for the best released music of 2022, with a score of 80 on Metacritic. AllMusic critiqued the recent release stating: "The way Barnett shares tracks and experiences on Caprisongs makes it a more diffuse listening experience than her past releases, but it also brings a galvanizing openness to her music -- and suggests pain doesn't have to be her only muse."
The album feels very different to anything the singer has created before, is this a new era looming for the singer? It really feels throughout 'Caprisongs' that Twigs really had fun putting together all aspects of this mixtape - and so did we as listeners. The mixtape is a journey of self-love and we urge you to listen if you haven't already!
Stay tuned to see the music videos for 'Caprisongs' that the London based singer puts out.
AURORA - The Gods We Can Touch
'The Gods We Can Touch' released on January 21st is the third full-length album for the Norwegian singer AURORA, born Aurora Aksnes. This release definitely feels like Aurora's most heartfelt piece of work, with the singer using captivating storytelling to keep her listeners engaged all the way through the 49 minutes - we urge you not to skip a single track!
Greek mythology is referenced throughout the albums fifteen songs with each song focusing on a different god and them having imperfections and flaws too, it highlights that whilst we may carry shame and self-doubt, not even the gods we worship are without this.
'The Gods We Can Touch' is currently at number 4 for the best albums of 2022 published on Metacritic with a score of 86. Clash Music spoke of the album saying "These monumental tunes are totally bewitching from start to finish with heartfelt moments and deep intent packed into every second".
Our highlighted track is 'Giving in To The Love'.