First off, this list is too early. The year is only halfway done. More music will come out that is top 10 worthy. I can say from listening to the promo of the Cash Cobain album he's definitely got one. But I can't blog about that yet. Same goes for upcoming Khris P stuff: it's gonna go on the year end list but it's not out yet. This is the case for several artists.

Second off, this list is missing a lot. No Sexyy Red? Invalid list! I love the album, it's just not on here, and you are gonna have to deal with that. Other notable music, I haven't listened to yet. Is the Andre 3000 song on the Killer Mike album good? No clue.

This is just me blogging here and now, sharing songs that are personally hitting for me the most when I survey the year so far, on a cloudy Friday morning in New York City. They are in no order except numbers one and two, which are my idea of perfect songs. Noticeable trends: Evilgiane is on fire and 40% of my songs are by producers.

Kendrick Lamar & Baby Keem - The Hillbillies (Evilgiane)

SOTY? Could be. Interesting what it says that such a low stakes song could be song of the year. Perhaps that we crave something light in these heavy times of war, disease, climate collapse, and looming recession. Maybe that's a ridiculously simple explanation and nothing in society precipitated this excellence. In any case it's great to hear Kendrick be so casual and just STYLING when maybe we forgot how cool he sounds doing that. Him and Keem are a solid tag-team, the Evilgiane sample drill/Jersey club beat is a masterpiece, boom instant classic. Surf Gang solidified forever.

Earl Sweatshirt - Making the Band (Danity Kane) (Evilgiane)

Another masterpiece by Evilgiane, this time producing with Clams Casino. Very cool to see Clams stay in tune with the wave, from proto soundcloud rap with Lil B, to making songs with gothboiclique, to now working with Surf Gang. I like to think that the chord change in this song was his idea. Probably I'm wrong lol. People made a big deal about how Earl was flowing very cleanly on this but I'll say, he has worked in this chamber before ("2010") so it didn't take me by surprise. He's really barring out though -- "fish cheeks" with "chipped teeth" is nice -- and the Bruce Banner line feels like a significant bit of personal disclosure.

Ice Spice - Actin a Smootchie (RIOTUSA)

Cool thing about RIOTUSA is how versatile he is. I think all the time about how after the sample drill of No Clarity and Name of Love he switched his style on Munch, to be no samples, and vastly exceeded his prior work. To work in NY rap right now as a producer at the top, you gotta be able to handle a few different styles: you need to be able to make drill, need to be able to at least dabble in Jersey club, you need to be able to make regular rap, and also a fourth thing to stand out sometimes. Actin a Smootchie is that fourth thing, a smooth bit of genre-less vibe music that differentiates itself on Like...? It's just a little experiment, no big deal, and that's why I like it -- the other big Ice Spice songs of 2023 with Taylor and Nicki are events. This is good music for the sake of good music, another style just to keep things fresh.

interfloat - runaway dream (Swish Jaguar)

Formerly Jake One's understudy and now a producer force in his own right, Sam Wishkoski has produced for Brent Faiyaz and other A-list artists but has this cool side project called interfloat where he basically makes (pardon the cliche) cinematic movie music. It's orchestral, lush, knocking, and crazily well produced. I'm afraid the whole world is sleeping on. The reason I blog is to evangelize music like this.

bar italia - Nurse! (bar italia)

How to be cool as a rock band in 2023: hang around Dean Blunt and Mica Levi, be sincere about writing good hooks, deliver them with a mixture of ambivalence and attitude, and have a strong rhythmic sensibility that you rely on as the secret sauce holding everything together.

Swami Sound - I Said (Swami Sound)

The NY producer may be known for his UKG flips but this is the song off his album Back in the Day that I return to almost daily, a light/deep jungle-ish track about sticking around. To me it speaks to having been on a journey, and then taking stock of one's life or position in culture or work to date, something of a personal analysis. Introspective, glossy, patient, honest. Cool combo.

Overmono - Is U (Overmono)

Huge Tirzah fan over here and this is a devious flip and a cold beat. If this is what crossover dance music sounds like in 2023 I'm not mad at all, bring it on.

Rozie Romati - Drown in the Clouds of Dew (Sega Bodega)

Got nothing to say except this is nice swirling atmosphere over a Lyn Collins break, which I didn't know I needed in my life. It has a certain tidal pull to it, I think. It's cool that breakbeats are back, and this is a very understated and beautiful expression of the trend.

Navy Blue - Kill Switch (Budgie)

The best song on the album that No Bells has been calling AOTY. It's a soft jam but it goes hard, and the J Rocc scratches are chef's kiss. From the reception it got at Market Hotel in Brooklyn recently it's everyone's favorite off Ways of Knowing and sometimes everybody's right.

VHOOR - Das Antiga (VHOOR)

Producer VHOOR really separates himself from the rest of the multi-faceted Baile renaissance by being able to flip its rhythms into electro and other genres, and by having a delicate and soulful touch. This song is like a sunrise to me, slowly revealing itself to be majestic. If you want more sick Brazilian music in your life follow Finals alumni @billdifferen on twitter, you'll get what you need.