R&B is an ever-expanding and changing genre, especially in 2012… if you’re a man. Frank Ocean, Migeul, and The Weeknd all rose to higher notoriety and famethanks, in part, to their minimalist beats and crisp falsettos. They brought fresh sounds and perspectives and reinvigorated the likes of Usher, with “Climax” being a direct result of the Weeknd and Drake.
Mykki Blanco has already generated much hype as a fashion-forward, multi-talented, multi-gendered artist. We’re here for her rap more than acting, poetry, or modelling right now, in part due to her incredible ability to make a mix tape that any other rapper would kill for due to the fact that the production is what 2013 should sound like.
Azealia Banks has developed a fresh sound that has been acclaimed since her debut, 2011’s “212.” Fantasea is Banks’ full-length debut after singles, leaks, and an EP. The mixtape never gives the listener a chance to catch their breath. It is a party in a .zip folder. Full of Banks’ recognizable house beats, ever-changing production, and mixture of a mile a minute flow and Nineties r&b singing, referencing Aaliyah or Lauryn Hill.