The best of albums of 2015 (so far), courtesy of The State Press arts editors

The State Press has covered a lot of music this semester. Reporters covered everything from hometown acts to rowdy festivals to obscure, forgotten corners of music. Now that the year is winding down, let's take a moment to recognize some of the best albums of the year.

Disclosure — “Caracal”

Two brothers barely past their mid-20s took a house formula and crafted insanely catchy pop songs for an EDM hungry audience. With “Caracal,” Disclosure followed up its successful Sam Smith hit, “Latch,” with a whole album that’ll make you wonder how anyone else in the genre can top it. “Omen” is the first time we’ve seen Smith sing a happy tune, while Lorde does her thing on “Magnets,” a wood-based percussion song that is made straight for rodeo. Add in appearances from America’s star of the moment, The Weeknd, and Miguel’s sex-fueled, Prince-inspired vocals (more on him later), and you’ve got an album that is perfect for the club and your mom’s spin class.

Miguel — “Wildheart”

Speaking of this R&B god, Miguel put out the best rock album of the year and called it soul. There’s guitar throughout this collection of songs that would make Jack White proud, with lyrics that would be at home on a Kanye West record. Some of the songs sound like fun Beatles chords, but include lyrics that talk about drinking coffee after a fun round of lovemaking in the morning. That’s the beauty of “Wildheart.” It feels like a sunny Motown album, but provides enough dark undertones to take this guy completely seriously in the bedroom.

Gary Clark Jr. — “The Story of Sonny Boy Slim”

I don’t want to call him the next Jimi Hendrix (no one can top that guitar legend), but Gary Clark Jr. comes pretty damn close. With “Sonny Boy Slim,” the singer and guitarist has constructed a concept album of growing up with no money and no hopes. It speaks to a lot of issues going on in America right now, with the Black Lives Matter movement and other protests that have taken place all across the country. But besides the message, this guy can shred the blues in a way that would make B.B. King start grooving from his surely comfortable grave. And yet, there is a modern hip-hop charm that is earning him respect from more than just the rock crowd. It’s well-deserved. One song, “Grinder” will melt your face right off, as well as the rest of the album. It’s a must-listen.

Future — "DS2"

Future had a busy 2015. Just as the Atlanta rapper’s fans were getting worn out from incessant blasting of “DS2,” he captured the city's attention with his joint mixtape venture with Drake, “What a Time to be Alive.” Plans on pairing up with sappiest, most introspective rapper to ever live may explain why Future wrote “DS2” to be mostly mindless fun. He can count the number of insightful songs he’s made on one hand, and none of them are off of “DS2.” The man must have a video crew follow him around wherever he goes — he’s put out a video for nearly every single hit on “DS2,” each characterized by his inimitable style. This album really cemented Future’s place as one of the best rappers around today.

Deafheaven — "New Bermuda"

San Francisco is once again home to the most intriguing metal band in the world. Metallica made its name in the Bay after relocating from Los Angeles in 1983, and now, over 30 years later, Deafheaven is revolutionizing a genre in the same locale. Beyond the catchall of metal, it’s up for debate which genre that even is — some say black metal, some shoegaze, and some, like myself, couldn’t care less. It’s just something special. Frontman George Clarke has incredible vocal capabilities, and nearly every song has a moment where you simply bask in how powerful this band’s music is. And if you can’t understand the lyrics, look them up — these guys are poets.

Young Thug — "Barter 6"

Whereas Future is a generally predictable rapper, Young Thug is probably one of the strangest ones around. His songs are replete with random shrieks and lyrics that perplex more than impress. But the guy is good. “With That,” “Halftime” and “Check” are some of the best rap songs of the year, and with videos becoming an increasingly important part of building a rap audience, he made sure they were made into some of the best videos of the year too. Alright, that’s an overstatement — they’re mostly just him and his friends hanging out, but he has such an electric presence that they’re just kind of fun to watch. “Barter 6” is somewhat inconsistent, but the hits are so good that it deserves the acclaim it received.

Honorable Mention

Modern Day Babylon — "The Ocean Atlas" (EP)

Let me have my obscure pick. “The Ocean Atlas” was a mere five songs, but the guitar work on this EP puts other instrumental djent outfits to shame. Bands like Polyphia, Intervals and The Contortionist get most the acclaim in that style, but Modern Day Babylon is cut above the rest. These Czech virtuosos didn’t quite top their 2013 full-length, “Travelers” but “The Ocean Atlas” was a quality follow-up.