This Week's Underground Picks
12 slept-on albums hand-picked from the crates — spanning underground hip hop, trip-hop, jazz, electronic, soul and beyond.
Cella Dwellas — Realms 'N Reality
These two never got their due — 'Livin' Proof' and 'Land of the Lost' hit as hard as anything coming out of BK in '96. The production is dark and dusty in that classic mid-90s Nervous Records way. Totally slept on compared to their peers from that era.
Deepchord — Liumin
Rod Modell basically made a record that sounds like standing inside a rain-soaked parking structure at 3am and somehow that's the highest compliment. Tracks like 'Seil' drift for minutes in the best possible way. This one is perfect for headphone listening when you want something that moves without rushing anywhere.
Sinkane — Mean Love
Ahmed Gallab pulled together funk, Afrobeat, and straight-up disco into something that doesn't sound like any of those things individually. 'Warm Strangers' and 'How We Be' are the kind of tracks that make you feel good without being corny about it. One of those records that fits every part of the day.
Floating Points — Elaenia
Sam Shepherd basically made a full band electronic jazz album on his first try and somehow nailed it. 'Silhouettes' builds so patiently you don't even notice how deep you're in until it breaks open. This sits right between Four Tet warmth and proper jazz ensemble energy.
Osunlade — Rebirth
Osunlade made this on Yoruba Records and it basically set the template for spiritual deep house before anyone was calling it that. 'Envision' and 'Healing' are the centerpieces — they feel genuinely devotional rather than just atmospheric. One of those records that rewards patience massively.
Nneka — No Longer at Ease
This record got some attention in Europe but never landed properly in the US which is criminal. 'Suffri' and 'Heartbeat' hit that intersection of reggae bounce, soul vocals, and Afrobeat rhythm that almost nobody else was working in 2008. Her voice carries real weight.
Quantic & His Combo Bárbaro — Tradition in Transition
Will Holland basically moved to Cali and made a Cuban and Colombian soul record that sounds completely lived-in. 'Duerme Negrito' and 'Mi Swing Es Tropical' groove so naturally you forget this was made by a British producer. The horns and percussion feel completely uncontrived.
Dabrye — Two/Three
Tadd Mullinix followed up the debut with something sharper and weirder and it barely got noticed. 'Air' featuring MF DOOM is as good as anything from that era and the instrumental tracks hit just as hard without the features. Pure Detroit electronics with a hip hop backbone.
Vakill — The Darkest Cloud
This one is basically a Chicago boom bap masterclass that almost nobody outside the underground circuit talked about. 'Tug of War' and 'God Body' show him at his most technically precise while still hitting emotionally. Production from Molemen crew keeps it dusty and heavy throughout.
Matthew Halsall — Salute to the Sun
Halsall basically recorded this during lockdown and it comes through — it feels both expansive and contained, like music made for a specific quiet moment. 'Salute to the Sun' and 'Oneness' drift through modal jazz territory in that Gonzo Media warmth he always brings. Genuinely healing record.
Bonobo — One Offs, Remixes & B-Sides
This collection of early Bonobo material is looser and dustier than the proper albums and honestly more interesting for it. 'Kong' and 'Pick Up' have that basement beatmaker feel that got polished away later. If you found Days to Come a little too clean this is the version of Bonobo that hits differently.
Nicolay — City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
Nicolay basically made a whole mood board for Tokyo in album form. The Rhodes-heavy production floats between ambient and groove — tracks like 'Shibuya Station' and 'Rain In Ueno Park' actually feel like the places they're named after. Instrumental for the most part, with Carlitta Durand's vocals on a few cuts that hit just as hard.