The Plug’n Play: May (‘24)
May 31, 2024
You can listen to the full playlist on Apple Music, Spotify, or Tidal
Over the course of each month, Kevin and I select some of our favorite releases. This month — May 2024 — has been filled with some exciting new music. Willow’s phenomenal, genre-curious LP, empathogen; Soft, Lucky Daye’s latest single from his forthcoming album; Badbadnotgood’s’ 3 EPs, and Rapsody’s stellar LP, Please Don’t Cry are a few of my favorites from the month.
This month’s playlist features 19 songs, all picked by me, Stanley (Kevin will be back next month with fresh legs and fresh ears). Below are some words on a few songs/projects I found particularly interesting from the month.
A Ballad for Homegirls — Rapsody (Featuring Baby Tate)
Please Don’t Cry — Rapsody’s 12th studio album — positions desire as its central frame. Desire for respect and recognition, desire to leave public life behind (she mentions Lauryn Hill on a number of occasions throughout the album), desire for love and lovers, desire for truth. Rapsody’s vulnerability, her openness, on the album is inviting. Her contemplative storytelling offers a chance for the listener to ask questions of themselves — what does any of this mean? Who is it for? — as she asks them of herself. BLK ODYSSY — the Plainfield, NJ native, producer, and artist — shines bright Please Don’t Cry as well. His production blends the canon of 20th Black American music, and offers the finest of canvas’ for Rapsody.
Something to Hold On To — Bilal (Featuring Robert Glasper, ?uestlove, and Burniss Travis)
Bilal — the Philadelphia-born singer and songwriter — is one of the first vocalists I can remember being obsessed with. His ability to navigate, and remake, tunes was astonishing to me, inspiring. You can put Bilal in any environment, and he’d thrive: Jazz, R&B, Classical, Rock, Folk, Gospel, Hip-Hop. His dexterity as a musician is worthy of awe.
Bilal’s latest offering — Something to Hold, recorded for Glasshaus’ live, concert series — is a re-recording, if you will, from his shelved-then-leaked sophomore album, Love for Sale. Bilal is backed by longtime collaborators, Robert Glasper on keys, ?uestlove on drums, and Burniss “Boom Bishop” Travis on bass.
