Kadhja Bonet season is upon us, and we are so ready for it. Last year, the Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist signed to Ninja Tune and released the amazing “For You” (she also shared a new version of the track recently). After having shared a visual for “WINGS,” a highlight from her 2018 album Childqueen, she’s now back with a super smooth and hazy new single “Dear Gina.” No need to be a psychic to guess that something bigger is on the way. In the meantime, you can watch the visuals for “Dear Gina,” which were produced by Bonet herself with assistance from creative director Ethan Samuel Young.

First, no one can be objective, there’s no truth in music. Then, it can be mentally difficult for artists to accept these insights. We are music fans above all and we never want to hurt anyone. Our goal is only to discover new talents and to bring them to our readers’ ears. We know they don’t always have the time to listen to everything we scan and write about during the year so these lists are just recommendations of what they should first focus on. Nothing more.

We know it’s a shared subjective feeling: 2018 has been another great year for music. We got introduced to fascinating newcomers with strong concepts that prove that albums are certainly not dead yet. Some rising singer-songwriters confirmed their defining style while a few established artists successfully re-recorded their masterpiece or explored challenging new soundscapes. You can find below the 30 albums that made 2018 according to our staff and stay tuned for our usual 100 Tracks of the year list next week.

30) Amen Dunes – Freedom

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29) Kadhja Bonet – Childqueen

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28) Yves Tumor – Safe in the Hands of Love

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27) Whitney Ballen – You’re A Shooting Star, I’m A Sinking Ship

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26) Tirzah – Devotion

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25) CupcakKe – Eden

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24) Rosalía – El Mal Querer

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23) Tomberlin – At Weddings

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22) Sidney Gish – No Dogs Allowed

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21) Ezra Furman – Transangelic Exodus

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20) Kali Uchis – Isolation

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19) Janelle Monáe – Dirty Computer

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18) Frankie Cosmos – Vessel

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17) U.S. Girls – In A Poem Unlimited

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16) Ariana Grande – Sweetener

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15) Ex:Re – Ex:Re

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14) Car Seat Headrest – Twin Fantasy

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13) Tierra Whack – Whack World

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12) IDLES – Joy As An Act of Resistance.

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11) illuminaties hoties – Kiss Yr Frenemies

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10) Mr Twin Sister – Salt

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9) SOPHIE – Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Sides

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8) Low – Double Negative

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7) noname – Room 25

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6) Soccer Mommy – Clean

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5) Beach House – 7

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4) Robyn – Honey

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3) Lucy Dacus – Historian

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2) Snail Mail – Lush

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1) Mitski – Be The Cowboy

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The enchanting singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, music wizard Kadhja Bonet released her album “Childqueen” earlier this year and, like it is often the case, some tracks did not make the final cut. Luckily, the Californian artist is gracing us with three outtakes, three songs that were – maybe – too minimalist and sparse for the bewitching psychedelia of “Childqueen”. You can discover them below.

Kadhja Bonet is about to play a few gigs in Europe and we can’t wait to see her in Istanbul next week.

10.20.18 – Manchester, UK – Manchester Academy (as part of Strange Waves IV)

10.21.18 – London, UK – The Borderline

10.22.18 – Paris, France – Café De La Danse

10.23.18 – Istanbul, Turkey – Salon ISKV

10.24.18 – Istanbul, Turkey – Salon ISKV

10.26.18 – Madrid, Spain – Primavera Club

10.27.18 – Barcelona, Spain – Primavera Club

10.28.18 – Gent, Belgium – De Centrale

11. 09.18 – Brooklyn, NY – National Sawdust w/ Little Kruta

Following up on the amazing “Mother Maybe” and “Delphine,” Los Angeles-based multi-talented artist Kadhja Bonet has just unveiled a third track off of her sophomore album and as she sings it, it brings us into “another time and another space” with its festival of flutes, violins, guitars, drums, and bells. About the track, she said: “Bored with your partner? Escape to a fantasy. 104% guaranteed to be better than the real thing.” Listen to Kadhja Bonet‘s “Another Time Lover” below.

Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Kadhja Bonet follows up on the excellent thunderclap-labeled single “Mother Maybe” with a brand new track “Delphine”. The artist played all the instruments on this soft jazz and celestial ballad, as well as on the rest of the album.

About the track, Kadhja Bonet detailed:

[su_quote]’Delphine’ is a song I wrote when I wanted to break up with someone but I struggled to do so because I had too much empathy for them. So instead I write it from their perspective. I have been Delphine, and I have sung to Delphine, many times throughout my life.[/su_quote]

You can preorder Kadhja Bonet‘s upcoming album “Childqueen”(Vinyl/CD/Digital) there.

Take a chance on pop!

When the sun rises on this new wave of rising artists, the pop-rays will guide us through this week with rising Belgian star Sam Renascent and his all-but-tranquilizing new track “Morphine”. Brasko smears out his sugar coated love-spread with “TMYLM”, leaving a sweet taste on your lips.

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Baileyrp delivers a down-tempo, house-infused new track “Too Close”. To drift away on. Perfect crafted soul-pop comes from Leeds based singer Kern Parks on his indie-ballad “Ghastly”. London-based artist Jareth shared “Bit By Bit”, delicious single from upcoming EP.

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Flashback memories! Riah thinks about her old crush on her synth “Prom” song. And our favorite discovery of the week is pure and raw voiced vocalist Umi Copper, who, with gentle instrumentation, brings us the beat-y-full song “All”.

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If you want to drink a bit more until you get tipsy, you should check him on Facebook and Soundcloud, and follow his regular posts on our site.

Subscribe to Deer Du Bois refreshing playlist on Spotify now!

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30-year-old LA-based artist Kadhja Bonet is back with a new single and the announcement of her sophomore album. As she sings it, “Mother Maybe” is indeed “a magic reverie”. The track almost opens like a James Bond theme; this majestic effervescence is actually caused by an accident or a benediction – call it as you want – that could eventually end up with the birth of a baby.

“Mother I maybe, Or maybe not” she sings. Encapsulating both the excitment and the mysterious magic of giving birth, the arrangements also turn into a time travel machine as Kadhja Bonet dusts off influences from the 60s and 70s with a deft hand. The bassline is groovy and the funky production is loaded with bewitching and psychedelic details. But above all, Kadhja Bonet‘s jazz-tinged vocal performance remains captivating from its sweet start to its final climax. It’s another gem from the singer-songwriter who seduced us with her 2015’s EP “The Visitor” (which features the wonderful song “Honeycomb“).

Kadhja Bonet – “Childqueen” (pre-order):

1. Procession

2. Childqueen

3. Another Time Lover

4. Delphine

5. Thoughts Around Tea

6. Joy

7. Wings

8. Mother Maybe

9. Second Wind

10. Nostalgia

“Prima Donna” – Vince Staples

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“There’s Alot Going On” – Vic Mensa

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“Emotion: Side B” – Carly Rae Jepsen

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“In Loving Memory” – Saro

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“The Dream Synopsis” – The Last Shadow Puppets

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“Home” – Obongjayar

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“Dreaming Adjacent” – Modern Chemistry

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“Blisters” – serpentwithfeet

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“Sleepy Hungry” – Bonzai

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“Kuiper” – Floating Points

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“EP” – Ady Suleiman

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“Temporary Fixes” – Arima Ederra

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“Hana” – Hana

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“Okey” – Smerz

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“Vroom Vroom” – Charli XCX

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“Blackened Cities” – Melanie De Biasio

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“Sip!” – Mick Jenkins

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“The Visitor” – Kadhja Bonet

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“Princess” – Abra

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“Futurepunksoul” – AM!R

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Stream this full list on Spotify, for hours and hours!

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You can also check our other lists:

20 Favorite Videos

20 Favorite EPs

20 Favorite Albums and Mixtapes

Radar 2017

100 Favorite Tracks