As the tradition goes, WARM VISIONS LIST WEEK gets kicked off with the EPs. The little appetizers to stimulate musical appetite, the accoutrements to dress the heavy-hitting long-players. Although, someone can be plenty satisfied by ordering just apps at a restaurant. This is essentially what’s happening here: we have a bunch of bite-sized packages that pack in flavor like no other, but exist on a separate section of the menu from the entrees. Quite a bit of flavor we have on deck here as well, from bouncing pseudo hip-house, to sugary sweet jangle pop, to experimental R&B, to interplanetary house bangers, to masochistic electronic. Let’s get it!

10. 700 Bliss – Spa 700

A bent metal baseball bat with golden bangles hanging from the handle is propped up in the corner of a concrete stairwell.
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Fiery collab between warrior poet and exciting experimental producer/DJ, incorporating non-western melodies and instrumentation with deep bass and tough vocal deliveries.

9. 1010 Benja SL – Two Houses

One motivated youth trains flocks of birds to spread the message of rebellion through distinct flight patterns during the changing of the morning guard.
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Experimental pop with a super unique voice, showing flashes of absolute brilliance among some inconsistencies. One to watch for 2019.

8. Helena Deland – From The Series Of Songs “Altogether Unaccompanied” Vol. I-IV

At the bottom of a whirlpool, beside the tattered remains of lost ships, lays a resting, powerful spirit.
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Patient, well-arranged tunes with vocals and instrumentals that pour in a steady stream. Seemingly effortless, subtle grooves.

7. Peggy Gou – Once

A virus from outer space that makes everyone dance has floated into our atmosphere!!!
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Three interplanetary party bangers, an instant burner for anyone’s DJ set. Insane boogie.

6. Ravyn Lenae – Crush EP

The soundtrack to one’s perspective of an overlapping network of online chat rooms between friends & potential lovers after being grounded on the night of the big dance.
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Slick, psychedelic R&B pop songs from a quickly-ascending star, evidence that a traditionally stellar pop voice can succeed over weird, cosmic guitar instrumentals.

5. Yuno – Moodie

Every patch of dirt that you step on with bare feet, a palm tree seed is planted.
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Every good trope in indie rock from the past decade distilled into six killer songs.

4. Channel Tres – Channel Tres

Driving to the club, down a palm-lined street at night in a very expensive car, but continuing to avoid reaching the club because the playlist you made is too good and you don’t want it to end so soon.
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Elastic, Detroit-leaning techno with coolest-customer West Coast emcee delivery. The type of music that makes you feel cool no matter what. Appropriately from the same label that brought us Yaeji.

3. boygenius – boygenius

Going home for Thanksgiving to confront and repair years-old trauma and wafting embarrassment with assorted parties in your small town.
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Three of this decade’s most important new songwriters combine their powers for a highly impactful set of tunes, further establishing their long-lasting legacies of emotional intelligence.

2. Hatchie – Sugar & Spice

Like acquiring the Midas Touch but instead of gold, everything you touch turns to Valentine’s Day heart candies.
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Refreshing, overdriven jangle pop thrown into a tornado of reverb. An overdose of pop rock sweetness. Calls upon the immediate respect from the old masters.

1. Smerz – Have fun

Across a foggy, strobe-lit club, a dancer stares at you intimidatingly.
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Tough, smoky, intimidating house-touched electronic. A balanced euphoria of abrasive, smooth and mysterious textures. Masochistically addictive; a dark carnal pleasure. Unsurprisingly, they’re friends with SASSY 009, the creators of my fav EP from 2017.