A Reader staffer shares three musical obsessions, then asks someone (who asks someone else) to take a turn.
Perfume Genius I was introduced to the music of Perfume Genius in 2014, when I heard the big drums, airy defiance, and luxurious synthesizers of the song “Queen.” Perfume Genius make daring, radical love music, and when I recently saw them perform 2017’s No Shape (opening for Florence & the Machine) I was transformed. Their songs are so personal and gut-wrenching. Music is most exciting for me when it’s rebellious and full of love, and Perfume Genius capture this perfectly. —Queen Trashley
Black Thought What more is there to say about Tariq Trotter, the legendary MC and front man of the Roots? My pops been listening to them since ’95, so by extension I’ve been an active participant and fan for just as long. Black Thought’s 2017 Funk Flex master-class freestyle reminded everyone how ill he’s continued to be, and in 2018 he dropped a handful of releases throughout the year. To my delight, his multisyllabic Afrocentric lyricism remains, evolving along with the music. v
