Top 5 Indie Albums of 2012

5. Triple Threat - 'C.L.U.T.C.H.'

There is much to be said about Triple Threat and her abilities but the most simple way to put it is; she's a visionary. After the intro, it's all onslaught. She's taken raw and gritty and polished it over very well. Only a small hiccup or two for my tastes. There is a ton of content in this album and I still discover new things every time I listen to it. 'C.L.U.T.C.H.' is really dope material. Know about it.



4. AC - 'Courtesy of a Nightmare'

This project is amazing! It popped up on me out of seemingly nowhere so it was worked out somewhere in the universe for me to find this. Please allow me to point you to a specific point on the album to display how brilliant this work is: "I Killed the Future President" - Press play and prepare to be amazed.

'Courtesty of a Nightmare' is very high level artistic work and AC is the writer's writer. If you're a fan of Hip-Hop, especially lyricism, this album is a must own.



3. Kokayi - 'Pro Deo et Patria

This is easily the most abstract of the bunch but an incredible experience none the less. Kokayi went above and beyond everything I knew of his music with 'Pro Deo et Patria' and shattered every expectation I had. His ability has earned him a Grammy nomination in the past and I'm hoping that this album earns him another nomination at minimum. Let's cross our fingers for a win! Kokayi is in a class by himself and deserves the industry's attention. He's ridiculous both as a producer and as a songwriter.



2. Cocoa Sarai - 'The Black & White'

My favorite R&B single of 2012 is featured on my number 2 album of 2012. There are so many moments on this album that it is still parked in slot 1 of my car's CD changer. I know pretty much every lyric to every song because I pretty much listen to it every single day. Yeah, I'm a fan.

'The Black & White' is a masterpiece. If you didn't tell someone that this is an entirely independent project, nobody would know that it's not a big budget major label effort. It is that good. Cocoa Sarai is a once in a lifetime talent and I'm looking forward to seeing what 2013 brings.

(No stream of this project. Sorry. Preview and download via iTunes.)

1. Madison - 'Vanilla Sky'

'Vanilla Sky' is a 16 track ode to dreamers - a wildly creative and daring project loaded with some great story telling. What I love most about this album is the emotional setting that Madison delivers. It's young, arrogant, contemplative, lustful, angry... but all wrapped up in desire. Desire to be great.

The writing and production are married perfectly. Each track takes you to the next and back again with no disjointedness whatsoever. The sprinkling of clips from the film Vanilla Sky and it's inspiration Abre Los Ojos tie everything together with additional focus. It's just all around the most enjoyable listening I did last year from an independent artist.

Click to Stream/Download

AC - 'Courtesy of a Nightmare'

I was sifting through my mental Rolodex earlier today trying to figure out what I wanted to listen to on Spotify. Eric Sosa came to mind so I ran a search for him. Not much of his work came up. This 'Courtesy of a Nightmare' was in the search results so I clicked on it, pressed play and went back to work.

I listened to most of the first song and thought, "This ain't Eric Sosa but it's damn good! What am I listening to? Who dis?"

Meet AC. Apparently this dude has been operating at a high level right under my nose here in NY. Representing Staten Island, AC has clearly worked all kinks out of his game and is delivering all-star work. 'Courtesy of a Nightmare' is a fantastic project delving into a bevy of themes and ideas and it all works beautifully. The project is further strengthened by the production, handled exclusively by C4 Sinistah.

First impressions are extremely important and AC has made a considerable one with 'Courtesy of a Nightmare.' You will LOVE this album. It's rich in content, style and delivery. He's definitely gained a fan over here.

Check out the free stream below but you'll need to put up a little paper to take it with you. Well worth the purchase price. Dig in...