BEST ALBUMS BEAT : THREE

 

Pharoah Sanders’ sax materialises alongside the teasing keyboard refrain

1.-  PROMISES

Listening to Promises by Pharoah Sanders and Floating Points is like driving through an ever changing coastal landscape, as sheer cliffs, flowing rivers and rolling fields of purples and reds emerge out of the haze.

Organized around one recurring ethereal riff, the unlikely collaborative duo of Sanders [ an 81-year-old Arkansan free-jazz saxophonist ] and Floating Points [ a 35-year old British electronic producer ] builds a topography of reverie and chaos, with some help from the magisterial London Symphony Orchestra.

It's a stunning nexus of jazz, classical and ambient influences that transcends genre to create something wholly new.

2.-  VINCE STAPLES

On his eponymous fourth studio album, Long Beach, Calif., rapper Vince Staples fully leans into the elements that have garnered him a cult following in the Indie rap scene : downtempo beats; moody melodies ; and dark, deadpan wit about the grim realities of the street.

Produced entirely by his friend and hiphop producer of the moment Kenny Beats, this tightly curated 10-track LP offers the most intimate look yet at who the inscrutable Staples is - as both man and artist.

3.-  TO HELL WITH IT

If you're searching for the sound of the future, look no further than PinkPantheress's exhilarating debut mixtape for the digital age.

The 20-year-old artist pulls from old-school house and garage samples, fortified with doses of breakbeat, to construct her dreamy, emotive dance tracks, bolstered by her silky, angelic vocals. 

The 10 songs clock in at just under 19 minutes, but this brevity highlights her dextrous ability to deliver a vibe in two minutes or less.

The Publishing continues. The World Students Society thanks authors Andrew R. Chow and Cady Lang.