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Despite only releasing her 10th studio album, Midnights two months ago, it looks like Taylor Swift is already back to work. Yesterday (December 13), on her 33rd birthday, Swift took to Instagram and shared a photo from the recording studio.

“Thanks for all the beautiful wishes today!!,” she said in the post’s caption. “I spent my 33rd birthday in the studio of course. Wouldn’t have it any other way. Love you!”

On her side was producer and longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff. While she didn’t confirm if she was working on a follow-up to Midnights, or if she was working on one of the re-recordings of her previously-released albums. However, she is seen holding up six fingers in the picture, which has led fans to believe that she may be working on re-recording her sixth studio album, Reputation.

Others believe she is simply referring to her age, as she is holding up three fingers on each hand.

This past Monday, it was reported that a lawsuit against Taylor Swift accusing her of copyright infringement over her song “Shake It Off” was dropped, which also led fans to theorize that the next version of her re-recordings may come in the form of her fifth studio album, 1989

“Nothing brings me greater joy and greater stress than knowing that Taylor Swift is now legally able to release 1989 (Taylor’s Version),” said one fan.

Despite having its release date pushed back thanks to some reshuffling at Marvel, Deadpool 3 is still on track to deliver the Merc with the Mouth’s official MCU debut and with Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine along for the ride. Of course, the biggest concern is whether Disney will actually release a Rated-R Marvel movie that’s as wildly insane as the first two Deadpool films, and director Shawn Levy is reportedly not backing down on that front.

While talking to Collider, Levy revealed that he was strong-armed by the studio to turn 2013’s The Internship into a PG-13 comedy after already filming it as an R-Rated film. It’s one of the “few regrets” in Levy’s career, and he’s not about to repeat that mistake with Deadpool 3:

“We are writing, rewriting, developing, prepping ‘Deadpool’ every day now. It is such a blast to laugh every day. It is so delicious to hear and write and come up with these scenes where people are just talking foul. And the violence is in your face and hardcore, and it’s very much a ‘Deadpool’ movie. And it has Logan in it. And it has Wolverine in it. It’s too fun. I’m having so much fun, and I haven’t even hit the shooting floor yet.”

Levy also revealed that Deadpool 3 will start shooting “on or about” May 2023, so that film will have plenty of time in post-production for its visual effects. However, Levy made it a point to note that he and Ryan Reynolds are making a conscious effort to maintain the “raw, gritty, grounded” feel of the original Deadpool movies as opposed to a CGI spectacle.

Deadpool 3 will blast its way into theaters on November 8, 2024.

(Via Collider)

Argentina qualified for the final of the 2022 FIFA World Cup yesterday (December 13) after defeating Croatia. With Argentina as the sole Latin American country left in the soccer competition, many Latin music stars like Bad Bunny, Daddy Yankee, and Ozuna are throwing their support behind the country’s national team.

Argentina won a decisive game against Croatia yesterday. The country’s national team emerged victorious with a score of 3-0. Lionel Messi made one goal yesterday while Julián Álvarez kicked the other two goals in. With Argentina as the only Latinx country left in the World Cup, artists in Latin America are showing their support. While watching yesterday’s match, Bad Bunny ecstatically tweeted, “GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLL.” After Argentina won the match, Puerto Rican reggaeton pioneer Daddy Yankee wrote, “Argentina in the final!!! Let’s go to the top!!!!!”

Puerto Rican superstar Ozuna also tweeted out his support. “Argentina are finalists in the World Cup! Congratulations!” he wrote. Wisin, one half of the duo Wisin y Yandel, best summed-up the atmosphere across the Latin music space. “Latin America united,” he wrote with emojis of Argentina’s flag.

The Argentine artists are also very proud to see their country go into the World Cup finals. Pop star Emilia wrote, “We’re in the final of the World Cup! Let’s go crazy Argentina!” Lali, who was in Qatar to see the match, wrote, “What a privilege to experience and enjoy the talent of Messi. Let’s go for the Cup!”

Argentina’s next match is on Sunday, December 18. Their competition that they’re playing against that day has yet to be determined.

Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.

Since the last update of this weekly R&B and Afrobeats column, we’ve received plenty of music and news from the genre’s artists. After five really long years, SZA finally released her long-awaited second album SOS less than a week after performing on SNL and fans were loving it. Blxst connected with Larry June for some West Coast magic on “Keep Calling” while HER is set to make history as the Filipina Belle in the upcoming Beauty And The Beast anniversary special. The Weeknd announced a new song for the upcoming Avatar: The Way Of Water film and Masego unveiled the dates for his 2023 You Will Never Visit Me Tour.

Here are some more releases on the new music front that you should check out:

SZA — SOS

In the fall of 2020, SZA released “Hit Different” with Ty Dolla Sign which was her first solo single in over three years at the time. Two years later, SZA is back with her sophomore album SOS, her first full-length body of work since her 2017 classic, Ctrl. It’s been a long road to SZA’s second album, but now that it’s here, the journey has definitely been worth it. Twenty-three songs make up her new album as well as features from Phoebe Bridgers, Travis Scott, Don Toliver, and Ol’ Dirty Bastard.

Lucky Daye — Candydrip (Deluxe)

There’s no denying that Lucky Daye’s second album Candydrip is a quality body of work. Just ask the Grammys who nominated the project in the Best R&B Album category. Before 2022 comes to an end, Lucky expands Candydrip with a new deluxe reissue. Two new songs, “Apply Pressure” and “Magic” as well as the original version of “NWA,” now appear on Candydrip and they fit perfectly on the project as closing songs.

Eric Bellinger — “BNB”

Back in October, Eric Bellinger and producer Hitmaka announced their upcoming project 1-800-Hit-Eazy: Line 2 with their single, “Obsession.” After sharing a remix of that song with Muni Long, the duo returns with “BNB,” the second single off 1-800-Hit-Eazy: Line 2. “BNB” is an ode to the ladies who’ve been working hard to get their figure and their understandable desire to show it off for everyone

Emotional Oranges — The Juice, Vol. III

Emotional Oranges show no signs of slowing down. They’re back with The Juice, Vol. III, their third project in four years. It follows 2021’s highly-collaborative The Juicebox, and this time around, the duo that’s made up of singers Azad Right and Vali is back with so much flavor for fans to indulge in — just check out “Make Me Wanna” and “On My Way.”

Ryan Destiny — “How Many”

It’s been a couple of years since Ryan Destiny released a new song, but don’t get it twisted, she’s been hard at work over that time. She had a lead role on the fan-favorite TV show Star and a recurring role on Grown-ish. However, with “How Many,” Destiny proves that she hasn’t lost a step in music as she ponders the many wrongs that existed and could have existed in a past relationship

Dende — “Georgia” Feat. Deante’ Hitchcock

Houston singer Dende is a Southern boy through and through, and his most recent singles have been evidence of that. He kicked off 2022 with a “Round Trip To Atlanta” beside a new intimate lover, and now, he ends the year with “Georgia.” This time, Deante’ Hitchcock accompanies him on the warm and inviting track.

Blk Odyssy & BNXN fka Buju — “Lay Low”

It seemed like Blk Odyssy’s 2022 year would be focused on his expanded Blk Vintage project, which added five new songs to the original release. However, with just a few weeks left until the world switches out their calendars, Odyssy connects with Nigerian afrobeats star BNXN fka Buju for the tantalizing “Lay Low.”

Fridayy — “Blessings (Remix)” Feat. Asake

Fridayy is certainly on the list of breakout names in 2022. Along with strong features besides DJ Khaled and Lil Baby, he also released his debut project Lost In Melody. Before the year wraps up, he makes one last mark on it with a remix to “Blessings,” a standout from Lost In Melody. He recruits Asake for a verse on the song, and altogether, he makes for a sharp and ear-pleasing improvement to the song.

Russell! — “R U Up?”

Brampton singer Russell! admits that this year has been a tough one for him. This confession comes on his newest single “R U Up?” The track is an emotive and confessional record that he uses to plead for a lover’s continued presence beside him, especially as times remain tough for him.

River Tiber — Dreaming Eyes

You may recognize the name River Tiber thanks to his past collaborations with Kaytranada and Daniel Caesar, but for his second project Dreaming Eyes, Tiber stands in front of the mic all by himself. The 10-track project arrives after 2016’s Indigo and it presents another example of Tiber’s trademark alternative-R&B blend. Dreaming Eyes also arrives after Tiber was sampled on “Savior” from Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & The Big Stepper album.

Khi Infinite — “Pineapple Rum” Feat. Reggie Becton

Hailing from Virginia, Khi Infinite checks back in with a smooth record to complete his 2022 campaign. He recruits singer Reggie Becton for “Pineapple Rum” as they both deliver their wishes to fall in love with a woman they’ve had their eyes on for quite a while.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

GloRilla made a recent appearance on Angela Yee’s Lip Service podcast, where she didn’t keep her lips sealed about some wild sexual stuff she’s tried.

“I do some sh*t that y’all never heard of. It’s gon’ sound corny,” GloRilla said.

The hosts, Yee and Gigi Dior, encouraged the then-hesitant rapper to reveal just what she did that was so cheesy… and the response was even stranger than anyone could’ve anticipated.

“OK, so y’all drink nut, right?” she asked. “This so corny to me, oh my god. It’s some weird sh*t. Say, we just got done eating, right. Then we have sex right after [that]. And it’s some food, I’ma still eat it. So, if he finna nut, I’m like, ‘Nut on my food, I’ma eat it.’ I’m like, ‘Put some on my fries real quick, I’ma eat it.”

“I be doing some crazy sh*t,” she then added. “I just try sh*t.”

After the podcast aired, Glo took to Twitter, revealing that she was apparently “just playing” about the entire thing.

The reactions from her fans in the replies were a range of emotions, as most didn’t appear to be buying into the fact that it was just a joke.

Continue scrolling for some reactions to GloRilla’s wild comments.

City Girl Yung Miami is being accused of racism on Twitter after the identity of Diddy’s new child’s mother was revealed. Miami went on a long tweet storm in which she addressed a woman, who is of Asian descent, calling her “Chun-Li” (from the Street Fighter video games) and “poor sushi.” The woman, Gina Huynh, was also previously romantically linked to Diddy (while he was dating singer Cassie, also of Asian descent), and had been mocking Miami since Diddy announced the surprise birth of his baby girl, Love Sean Combs.

“You want a baby bitch I have Career hoe,” Miami wrote. “You a CERTIFIED FREAK!!! You haven’t heard from diddy since the awards reminiscing on abortions let that hurt go Chun-Li.” In another tweet, she jeered, “You the same bitch that was crying on Tasha k cause you wanted a baby poor sushi!!!!”

Fans censured Miami for the jabs, calling her out for responding to Huynh’s taunts with remarks demeaning the other woman’s ethnicity.

Incidentally, the person Miami might actually be mad at, Diddy’s newest child’s mother, was revealed to also be of Asian descent. Miami also lashed out at DJ Akademiks after he called her a “side chick,” receiving backup from Diddy himself — although it must be slight comfort, knowing that he had a baby on the way while publicly flaunting his and Miami’s relationship. He’s the real villain in all this, but it must be said that Miami is not making herself a very sympathetic victim.

Vladimir Putin’s troops are fighting a god-awful, dismal war, and things are about to grow even more potentially disastrous. Yes, even more disastrous than Russian soldiers threatening to blow up their general, and even more cataclysmic than new recruits being told to bring a tampon supply to plug bullet holes. We’ve already heard that Ukraine’s show of force in cities has led to Russian troops abandoning tanks and heavy artillery, which has only been a further boon to Ukrainian President Zelensky’s army. Now, a senior U.S. military official has revealed some telling intel, which has been summed up on the U.S. Department of Defense website.

Since everything is running short in Russia (which apparently doesn’t even have paper these days), the report is an intriguing and frightening one. The U.S. military official (whose name has been redacted, possibly as a life-protecting measure) revealed how “new ammunition” will soon be a thing of the past for the Russian army, and Putin’s troops will be “forced” to use ammo that’s been preserved in “degraded conditions.” This will bring higher “failure rates” and “unpredictable performance,” and the briefing then goes into a rather remarkable discussion of how 40-year-old ammunition is very bad and could “explode in your face.” Yikes:

Q: All right, in layman’s language, does degraded mean dud rates? And you’re finding — the Ukrainians are finding a number of unexploded ordnances, i.e. degraded ordnance?

SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: That’s correct. That’s correct. So, in other words, you load the ammunition, and you cross your fingers and hope it’s going to fire. Or, when it lands that it’s going to explode.

Q: Or not — Okay, thank you. Or not explode in your face. Okay.

SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: Yes, exactly. All right, thank you.

Q: Thank you.

There’s been no word on whether Putin has heard about would even care to listen to coverage of this briefing. After all, he’s possibly/reportedly in the bunker as we speak. Yet it’s quite something that he’s been toasting with champagne while Russia cannot even replenish its new ammunition stocks.

(Via Defense.gov)

There’s a recent red carpet interview when Harrison Ford was asked, in relation to Indiana Jones, if he’s finally ready to “hang up his hat” and hand off the character to another actor. Ford was polite and basically said to just wait for the movie, then wandered off. What’s weird is he’s been asked some form of this question for decades now. And he’s been pretty clear the answer is, “no.” A few years ago he literally went on the Today show and told us when he’s gone, Indy is gone.

And as an actor, this is one of Ford’s most prolific time periods. He obviously has Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny coming in 2023. He has a new Apple series, Shrinking. He has signed on to play Thunderbolt Ross in Captain America 4. Oh yeah, and he’s also starring in his own Yellowstone spinoff series, 1923. You know, that series which are the most watched shows on television? This does not sound like a guy who is hanging up his hat for anything anytime soon.

In 1923, Ford plays Jacob Dutton, patriarch of the Yellowstone ranch, which he runs with his wife, Cara, played by Helen Mirren. This is a reunion between the two legendary actors, having co-starred in the excellent The Mosquito Coast back in 1986. It’s actually surprising it took this long for these two to reunite. In fact, a few years ago I interviewed Mirran and brought up The Mosquito Coast and it’s immediately obvious how much she loves that movie and working with Ford. I read to Ford what Mirren said and he had a big smile on his face the entire time.

And then there’s Ford’s former Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom co-star Ke Huy Quan, who is getting rave reviews and picking up awards along the way for his performance in Everything Everywhere all at Once. He and Ford made some headlines for appearing in a pretty joyful photo together back at D23. I asked Ford about that photo and he did that Harrison Ford thing where he stopped me in my tracks to tell me he has seen Everything Everywhere all at Once and gushed as he talked about his former sidekick. When I mentioned he might get nominated for an Oscar, Ford did that thing only Ford can do where he takes a pause, his eyes light up, leans forward then forcefully enunciates, “Well deserved!”

Harrison Ford: Nice to see you.

Oh nice to see you. I’ve always wanted an excuse to start getting into Yellowstone. Talking to you was my excuse. And I watched this first episode of 1923, yep, I’m in.

Great! Glad to hear it.

I knew I was in when I saw that old-timey photo of you and Helen Mirren in the opening credits, that’s a great photo of you two.

Yeah, and it’s great to work with her again. As you probably know, we worked together 40 years ago on a movie…

Yeah, The Mosquito Coast is one of my favorite movies. We literally just watched it a couple of days ago.

Oh, really? Great.

It’s funny, last time I talked to you, I made a Mosquito Coast reference and you interrupted me and you’re like, “I think Allie Fox is Nuts!” So I’m glad you and Helen get to do a project now where you’re not, using your word, playing a nut.

[Laughs] No, listen, that was a glib characterization of something that was … a glib reference to a character in the past. I think the writing in this is extraordinary, and Taylor Sheridan has given me a character that he spent some quality time with. This script, the architecture, the development of the character is really clear and interesting to me, so it’s easy to know what to do.

You get to basically play a cowboy in this. Is that something you’ve wanted to do? I know you’ve dabbled. I’ve seen The Frisco Kid. I’ve seen obviously Cowboys & Aliens.

“Cowboy” is a … I don’t know what a “cowboy” is!

I don’t either, to be honest.

The guys who work on ranches are “cowboys.” They work with cows.

Yeah, they do.

And many of them are boys! But he’s a rancher, and a rancher is financially responsible as well as everything else for the outcomes. The pressures on Jacob Dutton at this point are considerable. The economic pressures. Banks are not loaning to cattle ranchers, having suffered losses. The business has not become as efficient as it needs to be just to generate consistent profits. The railhead is not close enough, so cattle still have to be driven. They lose weight, and they suffer casualties on the way to the market.

There are a lot of things coming that are unknown. There’s electrification. There’s cars in the street instead of horses. Jacob Dutton looks around and he’s seeing the threat to his way of life, to the simplicity. He’s challenged by all of it. All of it becomes his responsibility to extend the opportunities he’s had to his family for generations to come. You want that ranch, you got to keep that ranch in the family. You got to hold onto it, and there’s a lot of pressure on it.

Does it surprise you how long it took for you and Helen to do something together again? Because I’m under the impression you two both admire each other’s work quite a bit.

No, I think each had different paths and different opportunities. Her work has been incredible. She’s had a very different career than I’ve had. And yet we’re very, very comfortable with each other, I think. I enjoy the opportunity to work together.

I mention that because a few years ago I brought up The Mosquito Coast to her. She just lit up and had a lot to say about it, but this part struck me, “Harrison was trying to do something different. They couldn’t see their beloved Harrison Ford being this dark, conflicted, problematic character. They just couldn’t handle it. They couldn’t handle it. It’s interesting,” as she gives this big defense of you. At that moment I was like, well they will work together again.

[Laughing] I’ve never heard that! That’s very sweet.

Do you agree with that though? That people couldn’t handle dark Harrison Ford at the time? You’re awesome in that movie and you know that.

Well, thank you very much. Allie Fox was a wonderful character to play, and his questionable sanity is one of the … a process that Peter and I had to work through together. That’s a very supportive and generous thing to say, and that’s Helen.

When people bring up your most famous scenes, like the swordsman in Raiders, for my money to some little kid and you can’t hear what he’s saying should be on that list. High comedy.

[Laughs] Good. Good!

That picture you took with Ke Huy Quana a few months ago, that made a lot of people happy. The Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom reunion…

Oh yeah. Yeah, it was great to see him. I mean … I’ve had the opportunity to see the film. He is really terrific in his movie. And I’m so glad to see him … and what he has become. I’m so happy for him. He’s such a happy guy, too.

Yeah, he just got a best supporting actor award win from the New York Film Critic Circle, and he’s probably going to get an Oscar nomination.

And well deserved! Well deserved.

I’m out of time, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that the Indy 5 trailer looks great.

[Laughs] Thanks, man. Hope to see you for that.

Ha, yeah, me too. It was good to see you.

Take care.

You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter.

Maluma was a special guest on the live finale of The Voice last night (December 13). The Colombian superstar performed his FIFA World Cup anthem “Tukoh Taka.” He also brought Colombia to the stage with his performance of “Junio.” Maluma was the sole Latin act last night among special guests that included Adam Lambert, OneRepublic, Breland, and Girl Named Tom.

Maluma proudly represented Colombia during his performance of the soaring love song. As he belted out the song, the stage lights were lit up in the colors of the Colombian flag. The single’s lyrics include “qué chimba,” which is slang from Colombia for “how amazing.” Judges Camila Cabello and Gwen Stefani were dancing along to the performance.

For the second half of his performance, Maluma performed his part of “Tukoh Taka,” his FIFA World Cup anthem. Last month, he released the song as a duet with Nicki Minaj and Lebanese singer Myriam Fares. The stage turned into a futuristic club with Maluma leading the party. Bryce Leatherwood emerged as the winner of The Voice last night. That marked the ninth overall win for Blake Shelton’s team.

Back in September, he released the music video for “Junio,” which highlighted his hometown of Medellín, Colombia.

Watch his performance on The Voice above.

Sure, you’ve been doom-scrolling through your share of year-end Best Albums lists, but there are some deep cuts out there that might not be getting the shine they deserve. While we stand by the diverse offering of the year’s best on Uproxx’s Best Albums of 2022’s round-up, these picks represent the ones you may have missed. From post-punk and global sounds to West Coast hip-hop and IDM, check out the best albums of 2022 that you might have missed below.

Khruangbin and Vieux Farka Touré – Ali

Much like how Khruangbin’s Texas Sun/Moon collaboration with Leon Bridges wonderfully melds together each artist’s sound while aiming for the essence of Texas, Ali is a sonic journey into West Africa with Vieux Farka Touré. The son of the great Malian desert blues guitarist Ali Farka Touré, Vieux joins forces with Khruangbin to honor his late father on the album. The Texan trio elevates Touré as a vocalist and guitarist, and together they tap in deeply to the spirit of West African blues and folk. One that can finally be felt in widespread fashion well outside of the continent.

Greentea Peng – Greenzone 108

The British rapper’s latest mixtape sees her spitting metaphysical rhymes over jazzy psychedelic soul beats and dancehall riddims. “Stuck In The Middle” showcases her sly wordsmithery over a groovy twang, while “Your Mind” lays down lush strings and funky horns for Peng to flow over with impeccable cadence: “I see you still, cower at your power. I see you still, doubt the world is ours / But I’m here to shower you, with messages from higher you, in spite of you, inside of you, there’s light in you, and fight in you.”

Widowspeak – The Jacket

On their sixth album, Brooklyn’s Widowspeak have found their highest form. Straddling shoegaze and cowboy pop, The Jacket is a calming, extremely pleasant, and flat-out gorgeous display from a band that’s aging gently and gracefully. Through standout tracks like the kaleidoscopic “While You Wait,” the balmy “Everything Is Simple” and the brilliantly arranged “The Drive,” singer Molly Hamilton’s vocals are a salve throughout one of the best evening companion albums of the year.

Ela Minus & DJ Python – Corazón

Before the arresting dance music pulse of Ela Minus’ breakthrough 2020 album, Acts Of Rebellion, the 2017 Adapt EP was a more playful, vocal IDM essay on synth mastery from the Colombian artist. Corazón harkens back to that early release through the earthy tonalities of New York-based producer DJ Python. As its title suggests, Corazón is a collection of love songs — only three of them to be exact — that leave a lasting feeling of sweet longing, tinged with palpable hope and nostalgia for sweet moments of romance. None do it better than “Pajaros en Verano,” one of the best songs of the year which brims with starry-eyed adoration wrapped in Ela and Python’s warm embrace of synths.

Thee Sacred Souls – Thee Sacred Souls

In the spirit of retro-soul-minded acts like Durand Jones & The Indications and Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, the self-titled debut from SoCal’s Thee Sacred Souls is a display of lowrider soul tunes. Singer Josh Lane, drummer Alex Garcia, and bassist Sal Samano channel vintage ’60s soul and ’70s R&B vibes on the twelve-track Daptone Records release. But it’s in their full seven-piece setup where you get transported to a scene right out of that sock hop in Back To The Future, only this time, it’s the full Thee Sacred Souls touring ensemble commanding the stage for [radio DJ voice] alllll the lovers out there.

George Fitzgerald – Stellar Drifting

Domino Records really had their finger on the pulse of melodic IDM this year and George Fitzgerald’s Stellar Drifting was it’s most accessible offering. Breakneck soundscapes bloom everywhere, often making way for lasting vocal collabs like the glorious “Passed Tense” with Panda Bear and the magic carpet ride that is “Rainbow And Dreams” featuring Soak. For the album, Fitzgerald synthesized the literal sound of the cosmos and moments like “Cold” — featuring a pitched-down (and uncredited) Ellie Goulding — are downright interstellar.

Tim Bernardes – Mil Coisas Invisíveis

Brazilian singer-songwriter Tim Bernardes opened for Fleet Foxes on tour this year and recently collaborated with them on the track “A Sky Like I’ve Never Seen.” He even recorded a version of “Baby” with Brazilian legend Gal Costa before she passed this year. His trajectory is certainly on the rise and his solo album, Mil Coisas Invisíveis, is one of the finest modern Brazilian folk albums released in recent memory. Look no further than “BB (Garupa De Moto Amarela)” for a prime example of how Bernardes presents his elegant and poetic Portuguese-language lyricism, alongside bohemian arrangements that feel inspired by the flower child era of the Summer of Love.

Larry June & Jay Worthy – 2 P’z In A Pod

While San Francisco’s Larry June Spaceships On The Blade drew considerable attention this year (including from Uproxx’s Best Albums of 2022), June’s collaboration with Compton rapper Jay Worthy was likewise a standout. 2 P’z In A Pod is nothing short of a titanic West Coast rap release, bringing together two distinct voices from NorCal and SoCal. The record is produced entirely by Sean House and “Leave It Up To Me” doesn’t just show two rappers complementing each other with a distinct symbiosis, it might just be the best track June put out this year. There are even features from a slew of OGs in The Diplomats’ Jim Jones, West Coast rap fixture Suga Free, and then NYC’s Roc Marciano on the cognac-soaked “Leave It Up To Me.”

A.O. Gerber – Meet Me At The Gloaming

There’s a lot more than meets the eye on Los Angeles singer-songwriter A.O. Gerber’s latest album. If meticulously constructed and impassioned tunes like “You Got It Right” and “Walk In The Dark” remind you of Wye Oak, perhaps it’s because Gerber co-produced the album with Wye Oak collaborator Madeline Kenney. Out on the workhorse Father/Daughter Records label, melancholy strings permeate this beautiful album about staying optimistic in difficult emotional standstills. And even experimental jazz saxophonist Sam Gendel pops up at a couple turns, flashing ambitious layouts from Gerber and company that leave you wanting more.

Cola – Deep In View

While Montreal post-punk trio Ought disbanded recently, Cola immediately arose from the ashes. Most importantly, deep-voiced singer Tim Darcy is still at the helm lyrically on an album that easily slotted among the best post-punk releases of the year. Album opener “Blank Curtain” sets the stage with Darcy’s perfectly-paced vocals, sleek riffs, and a devious bass line from Ben Stidworthy. “Water Table” brings back Darcy’s signature callouts of our growing technocratic state, over drums from Ben Cartwright that thump like a tell-tale heart. And for a moment, it feels like Ought never left, they only got better.

Archibald Slim – Worldly Ways

While Archibald Slim is still rubbing elbows with Atlanta’s left-of-center Awful Records crew that he first came up with (including on Father’s “Let’s Kick His Ass!” along with Zack Fox this year), he’s found new life with LA’s P.O.W Recordings after a lengthy hiatus. Now Worldly Ways immediately slots him among the upper crust of the label’s eclectic roster of emerging rappers. The Boldy James comparisons are inescapable as Slim weaves stories with the hard-earned wisdom of a man who’s traversed many roads, but with the South as his recognizable point of origin. And he puts it down on the standout title track over a breezy thump, rapping: “I ain’t proud of some of the things that I had done. But my folks proud I stand my ground and I don’t run unless there’s time on the line.”