Every year, the quintessential summer album makes its annual arrival around May. It has the power to compliment the clear skies and bright sun, and can be listened to over and over, ringing through listeners’ eardrums in every Target, Starbucks or Chipotle.

Some years are stacked with releases from the decade’s best artists. Take 2016, for example, which began the season with “Views” by Drake followed by Kanye West’s “The Life of Pablo,” Chance the Rapper’s “Coloring Book” and Frank Ocean’s “Blonde,” providing the perfect melancholy project before the start of fall. In other years, one song can define the summer, like Katy Perry’s 2010 hit “California Gurls.”

This summer brought its own individual hits, but a plethora of artists dropped full length projects as well. Here’s a look at some of the best albums from the past season.

“Reset” – Panda Bear & Sonic Boom

The collaborative work between Noah Lennox (aka Panda Bear) and Peter Kember (aka Sonic Boom) immediately transports listeners to the 1960s. Lennox and Kember represent two different generations — Lennox is a co-founding member of the late 2000s group Animal Collective, while Kember played for the 1980s British alternative rock band Spacemen 3. “Reset” begins with a Paul Simon-esque track in “Gettin’ to the Point,” setting the precedent for the rest of the album’s nostalgic sound.

“Danger,” one of the stronger songs on the project, utilizes the same strumming acoustic guitar from “Gettin’ to the Point” as its backbone. The simple chorus, “When your grip gets a hold of me/I’m in danger” pierces through the clapping and vibraslap rhythm.

Both artists still maintain their love for psychedelic production, sprinkling spacey synthesizers in with the simple drumlines. The most popular track, “Edge of the Edge,” combines harmonies from the 1963 doo-wop track “Denise” with Lennox’s timeless vocals, exemplifying the pair’s strengths as a team.

This album is simply the DeLorean, working as a time machine for those reminiscent of simpler, catchy tunes.

“HYPNOS” – Ravyn Lenae

Ravyn Lenae’s debut record, “HYPNOS” doesn’t necessarily fit the build of a summer project, but caters to more of a late night drive. It also delivers one of the best R&B albums of the year, highlighting her strengths as a vocalist on every track.

The album features several collaborations with different artists, including Steve Lacy and Smino. Lacy, who previously worked with Lanae on two songs from her 2018 EP “Crush,” contributed to six of the 16 tracks, delivering especially calming vocals on “Skin Tight.” Smino is featured on the song “3D,” which is similar to his hit “Anita.” The artist also signed Lenae to his label Zero Fatigue.

DJs Sango and KAYTRANADA were also key contributors to the production, providing the blueprint for “M.I.A.” and “Xtasy,” two of the songs on the album inspired by house music.

Still, Lenae’s touch with her high-pitched voice, harmonizing over the intricate production, brings both tracks to another level. She solidified herself in the R&B landscape with this album, set to become as big or even bigger than some of her collaborators.

“Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers” – Kendrick Lamar

Lamar’s never been afraid to comment on the state of the country or open up about his own troubles. A trip to Nelson Mandela’s jail cell sparked the inspiration for his 2015 album “To Pimp a Butterfly,” which commented on the state of African American culture in America. Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, Lamar set out to make “Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.” The opening tracks, “United in Grief” and “N95,” introduce the project’s message about COVID-19 and his own mental health during the pandemic.

On first listen, this album doesn’t seem as strong as some of Lamar’s previous projects. But like 2017’s “DAMN,” which shows Lamar on an introspective journey through rise in celebrity, “Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers” similarly offers the audience a glimpse into Lamar’s emotions, through a contemplative therapy-like session with the rapper.

In the track “Die Hard,” Lamar reveals that he’s “got some regrets” and “gets emotional about life.” The next track opens with a woman saying “you need some therapy,” which Lamar quickly disagrees with. He opens up about his own unwillingness to get help, revealing that the pressure of his public persona has been getting to him on the penultimate song “Mirror.”

In this album, Lamar stretches himself as an artist as well, utilizing orchestral and more cinematic production throughout the project. He even makes Kodak Black sound like a poet on “Rich – Interlude” with a piano melody increasing faster and faster in the background, a feat only Lamar could pull off.

“Surrender” – Maggie Rogers

Rogers went viral for playing her track “Alaska” for Pharrell Williams while studying at New York University. She earned a Capitol Records deal shortly after and proved she was more than a one-hit wonder with her first album “Heard It In A Past Life.”

“Surrender” is a more refined version of Rogers, as she worked with Kid Harpoon, a longtime Harry Styles collaborator. It uses alternative rock inspirations on songs like “Want Want,” straying away from her previous work’s folk style.

“That’s Where I Am” furthers Rogers’ passion for complicated production. In the chorus, she sings, “I told you I loved you when we were just friends” over her looped distorted voice in the background. Her lyricism throughout the project adds even more to the grandeur sound.

At the end of “Horses,” Rogers yells, “can’t hold me back/I’m going, I’m going, I’m going, I’m going away.” With her revamped style throughout “Surrender,” she truly can’t be held back.

“Harry’s House” – Harry Styles

If there was a trophy for the outright winner of this summer, Harry Styles would be engraved in it. “Watermelon Sugar” took over the masses in 2019, just shy of 2 billion listens on Spotify. In similar fashion, “As It Was” already has 1.2 billion streams on Spotify.

“As It Was” isn’t the only hit that Styles delivered this season, though. The album starts with a Jacob Collier-type track in “Music For a Sushi Restaurant,” setting up an upbeat, feel-good production, which carries on through his TikTok viral single. Styles, with help from Harpoon and Tyler Johnson, displays his ability to change up the mood with ballads like “Matilda,” showcases his background harmonies on “Satellite” and demonstrates his witty lyricism on songs like “Keep Driving.”

Styles didn’t need to overcomplicate anything. He just had to provide consistently great vocals over Harpoon and Johnson’s spacey, groovy production.

Honorable mentions

Burna Boy dropped his sixth album, “Love, Damini” in July. The album features some globally-renowned artists like J. Balvin and Ed Sheeran, and Burna Boy backs each track with Afrofusion beats. Songs like “Vanilla” fit the summer theme, and the saxophone scattered in the background is the cherry on top.

Rapper Larry June released his tenth studio album, “Spaceships on the Blade” a few weeks ago, perfectly intertwining old Bay Area style production with his notorious simplistic flow. Tracks like “Private Valet” and “Don’t Check Me” follow the lead of June’s most popular song, “Smoothies in 1991,” focused on keeping listeners’ head bopping throughout the whole song.

You can’t talk about a summer in music without mentioning Drake. After releasing “Certified Lover Boy” late last year, Drake surprisingly released “Honestly, Nevermind” in June. The album didn’t receive much critical appreciation because of its house influence, but songs like “Sticky” display that Drake is still king of making upbeat hip-hop tracks. “Jimmy Cooks,” which was most likely a throw away from “Certified Lover Boy,” proved that even more.

Published on September 5, 2022 at 8:44 pm

Contact Anish: asvasude@syr.edu | @anish_vasu