Gio’s complete top 12 – Youtube playlist link

Hiatus – We Can Be Ghosts Now

I must admit, if it wasn’t for my girlfriend Martine I would have never discovered Hiatus. What I love about this track is the Four Ter-esque minimal beat coupled with dark yet poppy vocals and a super catchy refrain.

Chelsea Reject – Go

The outstanding track of what I consider the best debut hip-hop album in a while. This young new yorker has everything to become the new star in the East Coast scene – style, flow, rhymes and the experience of Pro Era.

Flofilz feat. Chiara Noriko

I am a great fan of FloFilz and of of his ability to mix Hip-Hop, Jazz, Soul. His new album features lots of great featuring, the one with Chiara Noriko is simply amazing. I just hoped it lasted a bit longer.

L’Orange & Cool Keith – Twenty Fifty Three

L’Orange is not longer a secret. One of darkest producers in Hip-Hop at the moment with his sampling of vocals from old movies, and psychedelic instruments has now become his trademark. His last effort Time? Astonishing features a wealth of upcomings rappers, and Cool Keith is definitely one of the top joints.

Oddisee – That’s Love

Last year Oddissee The Beauty in All which I consider one of best instrumentals albums in recent time. This year he has come out with a full album with full band. What I love about Oddisee is his honesty towards Hip-Hop. In an interview he once said that many people struggle to understand his music because there is not “drug, money or sex in it”, and this is what set him apart from the rest, maturity, sensitivity and great music, a producer, a rapper, a dj.

Joey Badass feat. Maverick Sabre – On & On

I’m just a sucker for this type of featurings. Great flow, great rhyming matched with soulful, deeper vocals. Good to see Joey back.

Kamasi Washington – Isabelle

I felt a sense of relief when I head Kamasi Washington for the first time – Jazz is not a thing of the past. Deep, smooth, classy, soulful all you can ask for in Jazz, is back and man, I’m happy about it.

Fat Freddy’s Drop – Razor

Man, what a turnaround for Fat Freddy’s. The signs of a shit from ska/reggae to pure dub were already present in their previous effort, but with Razor they’ve completed it. One of the top acts in the scene to see live, they nailed it again.

Earl Sweatshirt – Faucet

Together with Kendrick Lamar, Earl Sweatshirt is allowing the dark, introverted side of Hip-Hop to emerge particularly in those U.S.A where $, b%^&s, and success too often dominate the lyrics of a movement that finally it feels like is turning back the clock.

Klaus Layer – Another Season

Berlin 2015, Europen capital of Instrumental Hip-Hop, no doubt. Klaus Layer in a way is a bridge, between Kreuzeberg and Brooklyn. Produced by the amazing Redefinition Records, his drum heavy and upbeat instrumentls are great companions both mine and of my dear little crew of friends who have developed a true admiration for this kid.

Twit One feat. Ally Imam Salam – Daftari Hili

Every time I hear this track I feel like turning off the news, silencing the noise that surrounds our society and just concentrate on the beauty of humanity as whole. One Love.