5 New Albums You Must Listen To! – February 2023
By Philippe Martin 03/02/2023
The second month of the year does not disappoint as we get releases from popular acts like Logic and Don Toliver. They come back in full effect with great projects that solidify their catalogues. The rest of the list contains placements from amazing underground artists like ALLBUT6, CRIMEAPPLE, and D-Track.
With that being said, here are the best albums of February 2023. This list contains many independent placements from artists who dropped great albums and some mainstream releases that deserve the attention they have been getting. Let us know in the comments what you think about these and if any other albums deserved to make this list.
- Logic - College Park
- Don Toliver – Love Sick
- ALL BUT 6, Pouya & Fat Nick - ALL BUT 6
- CRIMEAPPLE – Kilómetros
- D-Track – Territoiredelours
Logic - College Park
Fresh off his very successful major label run with Def Jam, Logic is ready to enter a new phase of his career with the independent release of the full-length project “College Park”. Now free from any restraints, he creates an unsurprisingly good album that features everything he loves from boom-bap productions to numerous features from his longtime collaborators. C Dot Castro, Big Lenbo, and Lucy Rose all have great vocal performances. Other features like RZA, Joey Bada$$, Redman, and Seth Macfarlane bring an outside energy that elevates the album to new heights. Running at over one hour, the project is packed with many amazing songs and proves once again that Logic is far from slowing down, even after more than 12 albums under his sleeve.
During the first half, “Lightsabers” is amazing, featuring 3 beat switches and a cool verse from C Dot Castro. The following tracks focus on Logic’s ambition to reach the respect levels of Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole but eventually settle to be himself and be free from industry expectations. Highlights of “College Park” include the simple but grandiose “Insipio” and the epic “Self Medication”. The hardest tracks are “Gaithersburg” and “Shimmy”, as they see Logic rapping over trap beats with solid 808s and contagious energy. The abundance of skits does slow up the rhythm of the album, but they create a narrative that hits the spot once the album finishes with “Lightyear”.
Released 02/24/2023
Don Toliver – Love Sick
The Houston artist finally release his very melodic third studio album “Love Sick”. He keeps the same formula that he perfected on 2021’s “Life of a DON”, creating a track list that feels cohesive and balanced. Recruiting Lil Durk, Future, Justin Bieber, Kali Uchis, WIZKID, and many others, he manages to have a mix of songs that range from RnB ballads to bouncy club hits. The regular track list includes 16 songs, but the deluxe version that arrived shortly after the release adds 4 excellent songs including a Travis Scott collaboration.
The first tracks flow together perfectly as Don Toliver sings about his appeal to women and the impacts of love on his life. The very talented James Blake elevates the mood to space on “Let Her Go” and the rising star Glorilla raps a cold verse on the beat switch of “Leave The Club”. “Time Heals All” and Leather Coat” find the Cactus Jack artist in his melodic sweet spot as the autotune vocals mix with the heavy synth bases produced by diverse production team including NEZ, Los Hendrix, and BRYVN.
Released 02/24/2023
ALL BUT 6, Pouya & Fat Nick - ALL BUT 6
The Florida artists Pouya and Fat Nick unleash all their collaborators for a quick but cut-throat project under the name “ALL BUT 6”. They recruit a mix of rappers and producers with Mikey the Magician, Shakewell, Boobie Lootaveli, South Strip, Lu, and Kxllswxtch appearing multiple times on the 8-track effort. The overall vibe is on par with the artist’s styles, mixing horrorcore elements with trap music.
The tracks “FMZ” and “Euro Step” are some of the hardest songs of the year, featuring aggressive beats and spooky verses. “Crucify Me” uses old-school drums that give the song a nostalgic sound, setting the stage for South Strip to deliver high-energy raps. “SCAT PACK” is a hard-hitting banger that sees Fat Nick step into his element as he raps about his efficient ops and loaded pockets.
Released 02/03/2023
CRIMEAPPLE – Kilómetros
Technically released in December as an exclusive project on Manteca Worldwide, “Kilómetros” is now available on streaming platforms representing his second album released in 2023 following the short project “El Cantante”. At 23 minutes long, the 7-track effort is concise and raw, clearly showing that the New York artist has both the talent to rap well and curate great songs together. With views from all the different cities he mentions in the song titles, the artwork is amazing and smart.
The opener “Orbit” is a cold tour-de-force that sees CRIMEAPPLE talk about his upcoming and his relentless work ethic. It features a beat switch halfway through that builds a dramatic vibe to the song. The production of Preservation on “Prada in Prague” is great, showcasing an epic vocal loop and some beautiful strings. “Pissy in the Palazzo” is the song that stands out the most for its subject matter. He lets his pen game paint a picture of an extravagant love relationship, often being funny and vulgar with his punchlines.
Released 02/16/2023
D-Track – Territoiredelours
The French Canadian artist D-Track is back with a great album that checks the box for every element of a solid hip-hop project. It contains classic-sounding boom-bap production, skillful rhyme patterns, and varied skits. As one of Quebec’s best rappers, the Gatineau native keeps on proving to the underground scene why he must be paid attention to. Tracks like “Sans II” (Without 2) and “Sirop d’érable” (Maple Syrup) are lyrical exercises that put to shame anybody that cannot hold a subject matter for more than two bars.
The production is stellar, with a clear direction for sample-based beats and a wide range of instruments. Nicholas Craven, Sadhugold, August Fanon, and Quest are some of the producers credited on the 31-minute album. The first half is featureless, letting D-Track flex his flows and melodies. He recruits CHAM rapper, l’Queb, Almiros, and SeinsSucrer for some help on the project’s end.
Released 02/10/2023