We're in the endgame now. Just a couple more days before the ball drops and one more day before we reach the number one spot. In second place is Blood Orange with Negro Swan.

If Solange's A Seat At The Table and Childish Gambino's Awaken, My Love had a love child, it would grow up to be Negro Swan. This album has all the soul and carefree swagger of Childish's record, matched together with the poignant skits and and subtle but stellar production of Solange's. This was no surprise to me given that Dev Hynes is a long time friend and collaborator of Solange's, however there's a difference to this record in comparison to Dev's previous Blood Orange records.

The title alone strikes up feelings before you even delve into the music. The juxtaposition of something often associated with ugliness, with something only ever linked with beauty poses enough intrigue to begin with. Dev's focus on depression, anxiety and battling with being on the outskirts of so many labels comes through in his beautifully poetic lyrics. Those sprinkled over the mostly cheery and funky beats balance out juxtaposition in the phrase Negro Swan very well. It's an album that you can dance and cry to all in one and that's definitely me favourite kind of album.  

My favourite songs on this at the moment are "Jewelry", "Holy Will (feat. Ian Isiah)", "Nappy Wonder", and "Out Of Your League (feat. Steve Lacy)", but that's changed over the past few months and will no doubt change again. The choice of collaborators and feature artists on this album is well thought out and a great match for the songs that they're on. However, the lack of UK collaborators is quite clear in the album's overall sound, which makes sense in the context of the album. Although I would have liked to see Dev, having been raised in London himself, use this album to put some more eyes on his UK counterparts. That aside, this is a fabulous body of work that I will continue to return to over the next year and beyond.

Have a read of my thoughts on last year's runner up here.

Okay, it's already started to become difficult. Up until a couple of days ago, this spot was reserved for James Blake's The Colour In Anything. However, after listening to it in full and then listening to my current number nine - I had to go with Awaken, My Love by Childish Gambino.

I really didn't think that this was going to make it into the list after being released so close to decision time. Especially since I've been lucky enough to see James play his album twice this year; but the feeling just wasn't the same after listening to them both back to back. Childish really stepped up for this album and as well as being musically brilliant (which James' record also is) it sent me through a myriad of emotions throughout and held my attention the whole way through (something that I had trouble with in parts on James'). Anyway, enough comparison...

Aside from the singles, upon first listen my favourite track was "Boogieman". It hits you in the gut right from the first second and has such a performance feel to it; it wouldn't be amiss in a musical broadway show (sans cheesy-ness) and as far as grooves are concerned, this has just the right one for me. This instrumental has so many avenues for development in a live show - definitely an enjoyable bop. However, after listening again and again, I have to go with "Redbone" as my current favourite. It's just such a smooth track and the vocals at first made me thing of Prince which is of course, never a bad thing. Childish sounds like a whole different person on this record.

The fact that he found the time to put an album of this quality amidst writing and starring in TV shows, movies, producing, and overall just doing life is astonishing! He must have been building this material for quite some time and it never ceases to amaze me how artists can put together a cohesive and flowing body of work that they've produced over years and years. Surely as you change, the sound and lyrics would vary too?! Well, no use in questioning genius. Very deserving of a spot on the list.