After listening to over 1,000 albums, it’s hard to pick 10. But…
#1 is Kurt Elling funneling r&b, neosoul, psychedelic poetry through a jazz tunnel. Robin McKelle gives a loving interpretation of Ella standards. Morgan Heritage reaches back to their African roots with 21 songs featuring Jamaican and African superstars. The fun-punk duo, 100 gecs, have a second album. Skrillex hones EDM with special guests on every track. Russian experimental composer Kate NV mashes together a variety of playful sounds over voice and broken orchestra samples. The Detroit quintet Young Men are inspiring. Corey Ledet sings in the Creole Kouri-Veni language that was nearing extinction. Onipa are a UK-Ghanaian collective mixing African dance rhythms with EDM. The C’mon Tigre collective infuses Brazilian traditional rhythms with Afro-jazz and electronica.
General Top 10 List
| Artist | Album | Label | |
| 1 | Kurt Elling & Charlie Hunter | SuperBlue: The Iridescent Spree | Edition Records |
| 2 | Robin Mckelle | Impressions of Ella | Naive Records |
| 3 | Morgan Heritage | The Homeland | CTBC Music |
| 4 | 100 gecs | 10,000 gecs | Dog Show |
| 5 | Skrillex | Quest for Fire | Owsla |
| 6 | Kate NV | WOW! | RVNG Intl. |
| 7 | Young Men 4 Christ | Our Testimony | Young Men 4 Christ |
| 8 | Corey Ledet | Medikamen | Nouveau Electric |
| 9 | Onipa | Off the Grid | Real World |
| 10 | C’mon Tigre | Habitat | Intersuoni |
Only room for 10 from my Morning Sound Alternative r&b/soul sets with a little funk thrown in. October London is the voice of Marvin Gaye on all original songs. Qamp was a three day recording event with 20 Bay Area artists putting together tunes with no prior content or knowledge of fellow artists.
R&B/Soul Top 10 List
| Artist | Album | Label | |
| 1 | Marcus Malone and The Motor City Hustlers | Interstate 75 | Ramrock Red |
| 2 | October London | The Rebirth of Marvin | Death Row |
| 3 | Q | Soul, PRESENT | Columbia |
| 4 | Qamp | Qamp II | Qamp |
| 5 | The Soul Motivators | Do It Together | Do Right Music |
| 6 | Secret Night Gang | Belongs on a Place Called Earth | Brownswood |
| 7 | Mocean Worker | Boom Box | MOWO! Inc |
| 8 | The Allergies | Tear the Place Up | Jalapeno Records |
| 9 | Bobby Harden + The Soulful Saints | Bridge of Love | Dala |
| 10 | Breeze MrDo2Much | Before Country Was Cool | Melodic HeartBeat |
