saba
The 30 Best Albums of 2022 (So Far)
The following acts released quality albums in May 2022 alone: Radiohead off-shoot The Smile, Kendrick Lamar, Wilco, Arcade Fire, Sharon Van Etten, The Black Keys, Florence + the Machine, Harry Styles — we’ll stop there for space reasons. It’s been such a wild music year so far, only some of them made the following list. Maybe 2022 was just front-loaded and the final six months will be less eventful. (Judging by the release calendar, that’s probably a bad prediction.) Either way, we had trouble even narrowing this down to 30. Let’s meet back here at year’s end and see how things shake out. 30. Caracara – New Preoccupations Fans of classic 2000s emo — Say Anything, Dashboard Confessional, or Circa Survive, for example — are sure to find something to love in Caracara’s New Preoccupations (and...
Saba Is Building an Independent Rap Legacy With His Friends
Saba was overwhelmed with memories in the glare of a thousand fans’ phone screens. The 27-year-old rapper shouted “We was 16, in the library!” as he introduced members of his band on stage at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom earlier this month, reminiscing about the teenaged studio sessions that led him to headline in his hometown a decade later. In the early 2010s, Saba practiced rapping at open mics, libraries, and eventually a studio constructed in his grandmother’s home. He emerged from neglected West Side neighborhood Austin and stood out among a talented class of young Chicago musicians (Lil Durk, Noname, Mick Jenkins, Chief Keef) thanks to his vivid writing and tongue-twisting style, indebted to Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and fellow West Siders Crucial Conflict and Twista. In 2018, Saba earned g...
SPIN Daybreaker: Violet Lounge
Here we meet again at our not-so-secret weekly rendezvous, and boy are we back with loads of new music for you to discover and rummage through. This week’s playlist is bringing some rhythmic lounge vibes that’ll pair with your mood perfectly when you’re working, studying, cooking dinner with bae, or kicking back with some friends in an intimate setting. It is a concentrated collection of the best rising R&B, soul-tronic, neo-soul, and alt-pop artists that have saucy musicality, emotive lyricism, and sonic storytelling on lock. Highlights this week include South Londoner Sasha Keable, that is no newcomer to creating some of the most relatable and soulful acoustic love songs – which her latest single “Exception,” is a true testament of her pure songwriting capabilities. The next artist i...
SPIN Daybreaker: 23 Songs to Chill With
As we settle into this glorious Friday, we’re looking ahead to enjoying another weekend full of wholesome spring fun or downright debauchery. Either way, it’s time to make more memories that’ll embed themselves into the recesses of our minds. This week, Daybreaker is back with a mix of melodic, rhythmic, and lyrical tracks that’ll be perfect for the times you’re feeling more introspective, reflective, or just want to chill. The artists included create a subdued, uptempo vibe while still keeping things sonically engaging and explorative. You’ll get a zesty mix of tracks within the bedroom pop, indie R&B, alternative rap/hip-hop, and electro-lounge spaces. Standouts this week includes one of the best electro-hip-hop producers, Sam Gellaitry, who delivers a sensually ethereal trap track, ...
