Hip-Hop takes top honors in local music critics' poll

The Seattle Times has released its annual Best Local Albums of the Year list for 2021. Local music writers, DJs, and playlisters submit their top ten favorite local albums, and the list is made up of the albums with the most votes.

KUOW’s Kevin Kniestedt sat down with Michael Rietmulder, music writer for the Seattle Times and curator of the list, about the top three albums on the list. For the second year in a row, the top local albums that received the most votes were all hip-hop releases.

1. Jarv Dee and Bad Colours, BlakHouse EP

Over the past couple of years, I’ve had so many people approach me and ask if I’ve heard this. This was a release that had really strong word of mouth and just got people talking. Jarv Dee has been in the Seattle hip-hop scene for years now, first coming up with the Moor Gang collective.

On this new EP, he really switches up his style, and blends both traditional hip-hop and house music, where he’s rapping on these dance music beats that were produced by an East Coast producer named Bad Colours, and he just sticks the landing completely.

2. Travis Thompson, BLVD BOY

This is a Burien rapper that people in Seattle have been tracking for years now. This album that he released this summer is the biggest of his career so far. He was really swinging big in terms of grabbing some big-name features. That was new for him. What really stands out about this album is that his command of melody has really taken a big step forward.

Travis has always been a really talented rapper and lyricist, but he’s also been a really good hook writer. In the past, he would use melody in his verses, sort of bouncing back and forth between these half-sung bars and more traditional rap flows. Here he seems a lot more confident in sort of leaning into that melody and kind of staying in that space. You see that particularly on the song Crossfaded which has a very dreamy, hypnotic effect. It’s super earwormy, and unlike anything he’s done in the past.

3. Parisalexa, Finishline EP

The last three years, Parisalexa has pretty much been a fixture — and that is for a very good reason. She’s this super talented R&B singer and songwriter who has really made her mark, particularly in Seattle. Her career is starting to branch out now.

In the past, she has talked about how she is influenced by 90’s R&B stars like Brandy and Monica who, similarly to Parisalexa, have a very strong pop sensibility as well, and you see that on her new EP Finishline.

To see all of the albums that made the list this year, click here.

Listen to the interview by clicking the play button above.