Alternative rnb is a term used to describe music and artists that don’t fit into the typical mold of contemporary rnb. The first artists to be described as being “alternative rnb” were D’Angelo, Erykah Badu, and Maxwell  Much of the subject matter of love and sex remain the same between contemporary and alternative rnb, but other topics like spirituality and personal philosophies can be found more often within this broad genre. In my opinion, this brings an added element of introspection and vulnerability that makes the music more relatable. The stylistic fusions of rnb, electronic, rock, blues and more can be found. Artists like Miguel and Frank Ocean later popularized the genre and brought it more to the mainstream with albums like All I Want Is You and Channel Orange. The artists within the classification of alternative rnb all have unique and varied sounds and I’m sure they would appreciate it if you listened to them without preconceived ideas to what they should sound like. Genre labels can make artists feel like their work has been put in a box, but for those discussing their work it helps us by giving us a term to loosely group together music. In this article I will discuss five albums released in the 2010s that I loved and think deserve more attention.

Hive Mind – The Internet, 2018

Lush and authentic are two words that come to mind when describing The Internet’s fourth studio record, Hive Mind. When listening, I get the feeling of a warm, summer night. Groovy bass lines provided by Patrick Paige, soothing guitar chords from Steve Lacy, and a variety of emotions on display by The Internet’s lead vocalist, Syd are found on this album. Syd tells stories of intimacy and overcoming hardship over lush soundscapes of funk, jazz, and hip hop. In an interview discussed here Syd mentions how she would rather put her emotions on display than inject politics into the groups music and touches on the fact that she wants the music to be healing and be able to resonate with a multitude on people. She achieves this goal by being vulnerable and honest. The whole group sounds as cohesive as ever on this record. To me, there is a steady influx of pleasing, smooth music here. Give it a shot.

Key Tracks: Come Over, La Di Da, Next Time / Humble Pie, Wanna Be, It Gets Better (With Time), Look What U Started

Malibu – Anderson .Paak, 2016

With touches of the laid-back, cooler than cool Outkast and the soulful melodies of Stevie Wonder, Anderson .Paak creates something truly unique on this record. There is a certain ‘free spiritedness’ that has a distinct west coast feel and can be heard throughout the album. Compared to his previous record, Venice, Malibu has a funkier and more soulful feel that relies on the use of smooth guitar and catchy bass rather than the electronic and trap influences found in Venice. In my opinion, there is a better sense of direction and connectedness between the songs found here. There is something for everyone on this record, you’ll find the classic, seductive serenades that allude to his rnb predecessors on “Heart Don’t Stand a Chance”and “Room in Here”. Tales of personal struggle on “The Season / Carry Me”and “Put Me Thru”. A modern, hip hop anthem on “Come Down” and the album closes with the stretch of “Silicon Valley”, “Celebrate”, and “The Dreamer” which are lighthearted and hopeful. Honestly there isn’t a bad song on the whole album and I couldn’t recommend this one enough. There are a variety of moods on display that make this album playable in just about any context.

Key Tracks: Every Track

Overgrown – James Blake, 2013

James Blake comes from a future-garage, electronic oriented musical background and the Londoner takes these musical influences and paints a somber picture with his record, Overgrown. A fairly textural album with bedroom rnb and gospel elements sprinkled throughout. Anyone looking for a well-done medley of heady, electronic music with soft piano and an almost classical vocal style should stop and listen. Full of bittersweet melancholy, these songs make for excellent winter and rainy-day listening. Some signature James Blake tracks on this album are Life Round Here, which feature winding synth melodies and Retrograde, a minimalist track with James Blake’s beautiful humming on a loop. As far as rnb goes I would say this albums lyrical content isn’t completely straightforward. This is a good or bad thing depending on your tastes, it allows you to dig and interpret things as you like, but some people would rather not take the time.

Key Tracks: Life Round Here, Retrograde, Take A Fall For Me

99.9% – KAYTRANADA, 2016

Kaytranada, or Louis Kevin Celestin, is one half of the hip hop duo, The Celestics and is the brain behind this record. In my opinion, this album focuses on rhythm and percussion the most out of all the albums on this list. All but three tracks are solely produced by Kaytranada and this allows you to really get to know his style. Colorful, electronic, and funky are the elements that stood out to me. There are a wide variety of drum and synth sounds to keep you interested and Kaytranada brings in a slew of feature artists including Vic Mensa, Little Dragon, Anderson .Paak, and Syd to add their flavor to the songs. Two of those artists are also featured on this list. You may not love every part of this album, but I’m confident you will find something you enjoy.

Key Tracks: Got It Good, Weight Off, Glowed Up

Negro Swan –  Blood Orange, 2018

Dev Hynes the one man wonder behind Blood Orange wrote and produced his fourth studio album, Negro Swan all on his own. The content of the album comes from a place of introspection and observation. Hynes described it as, “an exploration into my own and many types of black depression, an honest look at the corners of black existence, and the ongoing anxieties of queer/people of color. A reach back into childhood and modern traumas, and the things we do to get through it all. The underlying thread through each piece on the album is the idea of hope, and the lights we can try to turn on within ourselves with a hopefully positive outcome of helping others out of their darkness.”

Mr. Hynes comes into his own on this record and you can feel the added emotional weight compared to his previous works. The funkier elements of his older sound are found less frequently on these songs. There is more experimentation here, as shown by the combination of spoken word passages and what sounds like to me, a ‘pieced together’ approach to his album construction. You will find jazzy elements and plenty of melancholic guitar all over the place. It’s thoughtful and beautiful. Let this album take you on a journey of what it feels like to be misunderstood and finding the inner strength to carry on.

Key Tracks: Hope, Charcoal Baby, Nappy Wonder, Runnin’, Smoke