Head Space Daily Top Ten Albums of 2015 - Number 2...

2: Matthew E White - Fresh Blood...

I love the bearded wonder that is Matthew E White. His beard is not that of a hipster, it isn’t a passing fad. In fact, he was probably born with a beard, as a symbol of his lyrical wisdom to come and with music like this, he won't be a passing fad either. I was introduced to Mr. White and his Fresh Blood album in the early part the year and like all good music, it made me come back for more, in the knowledge that it would keep on getting better. All the albums in my top ten achieve that goal. Matthew E White’s music is breath taking. It gets inside your head and takes you to another place. It is lyrically meaningful, spiritually uplifting and musically sublime. Tickets have been bought for his show at The Roundhouse on January 30^th. I have not tired of listening to Fresh Blood all year, which is a great sign of being something special. 


Check out the track below:

Matthew E White – Feeling Good Is Good Enough...

Head Space Daily Top Ten Albums of 2015 - Number 3...

3: UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA – MULTI LOVE...

Unknown Mortal Orchestra has been my favourite band for the past few years and seeing them grow and develop has been a real pleasure. With Multi Love, their third and most accessible album, they stay true to their slightly distorted musical outlook and the sound truly belongs to them. Psychedelic, soulful, funk, rock and pop are all words that could be used to describe their music and every label in that description could easily be applied at different points within their albums or live sets. They have become one of the very few artists or bands that I have seen perform on three or more occasions, having seen them at the Electric Ballroom (UMO Electric Ballroom 2013) Islington Assembly Hall and their recent gig at Shepherd’s Bush Empire was my favourite live show of 2015 (UMO - Shepherd's Bush Empire.) Their live show has grown in stature and taken on a persona of its own – pushing the music way beyond the constraints of a recorded format and freeing it up in the live arena. Ruban Neilson, the main man, has relinquished total control, allowing the other band members the freedom to express themselves and it has worked a treat. The addition of a superb keyboard player has taken the music in another direction, the drummer is sensational, and the bassist who holds it all together needs to be given his wings!! To be able to produce incredibly good music, with a unique feel, time and again is the sign of a band at the top of their game. Multi Love is another super UMO LP...

Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Like Acid Rain

Head Space Daily Top Ten Albums of 2015 - Number 4...

4: NATALIE PRASS - NATALIE PRASS

This is a simply beautiful album of pure, heartfelt gorgeousness. Hailing from Richmond Virginia Natalie is part of Matthew E White’s Spacebomb family, her album being recorded alongside White’s Fresh Blood LP. Prass is a charismatic, stylish and vibrant performer, with a timeless, crystal clear voice, full of honesty and emotion. She also wears a great pair of shades. The music wraps itself around you, from the soaring Bird Of Prey and the raw, emotive Violently – a song of simmering desire – to It Is You, feeling like it has stepped out from the soundtrack of a ‘50s musical (see HSD Christmas Day 2015 Tune.) Her London gig at KOKO, scheduled for late November was called off, so I am anticipating her return. In the meantime I am clinging to the memory of her performance at The Green Man Festival and re listening to one of the best albums of 2015...

Click on the link below to listen:

Natalie Prass - Bird Of Prey

Head Space Daily Top Ten Albums Of 2015 - Number 5

5: Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A 
Butterfly 

It takes something special for hip hop to truly register and make a mark with me. It must be saying something positive and not be all bitch, ho, bling and misogyny. The landmarks of Jungle Brothers, Tribe, Jurassic 5, Outkast and Missy Elliott are some of the key albums in my collection. To Pimp A Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar is up there with them. It is not so much a series of songs as a damn funky and defiant, social and political statement, questioning the life and times of black America, whilst he also indulges in some introspective self-analysis. The music soundtracks the development of black culture, through a jazz, funk, soul, electro and naturally, hip hop score. To Pimp A Butterfly is the most meaningful hip hop album I have listened to since Public Enemy's It Takes A Nation Of Millions... It presents a vibrant voice, boldly speaking out and the lyrics have to be listened to. When he played Reading in the Summer, how many of the kids actually heard what Kendrick was saying? Whether it becomes a classic, only time will tell but it is a winner in my book. Have a listen and make your own judgment...

Click on the link below to listen:

Kendrick Lamar - King Kunta