Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2017. Our next list is from DJ MAURICIO REYES.

Weirdest year of my life but music got me through it. Here's a bunch of reasons why...

#1   BLKSWN by SMINO (DOWNTOWN)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

Smino is a superstar. This album is a masterpiece. Monte Booker's production sounds like it was made by little aliens. I'm still finding new things/sounds every time I listen to this album. Smino has definitely created his own lane with this one and he's just waving at us while he drives by everyone.

#2   AMERICAN DREAM by LCD SOUNDSYSTEM (COLUMBIA)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

S/O to everyone that thought that James Murphy wouldn't be able to put together 10 songs that could live up to his past catalog. 7 years since the last release, we've all grown, as has LCD's sound. There's no "bangers" like "All My Friends" or "Dance Yrself Clean." Instead, we get an extension of a sound that that fits perfectly with their past, without sounding too much like their past. My favorite story from JM from all the album press he did was when he told Bowie that he openly stole from Bowie's sound and Bowie replied with "You can't steal from a thief, darling"

#3   DAMN. by KENDRICK LAMAR (TOP DAWG ENTERTAINMENT)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

The album title pretty much says it all. DAMN.

#4   BIG FISH THEORY by VINCE STAPLES (DEF JAM)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

I don't think 2017 was ready for Big Fish Theory. Vince Staples is from the future.

#5   JUST LIKE THE MOVIES by KAMI (self-released)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

If Depeche Mode was from the South Side of Chicago instead of Essex, England, this is what they would sound like.

#6   LIFE WILL SEE YOU NOW by JENS LEKMAN (Secretly Canadian)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

Jens does it again. Thank you for getting me through March 2017.

#7   SATURATION II/III by BROCKHAMPTON (QUESTION EVERYTHING)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

3 albums in one year with each one better than the last.

#8   BEAUTIFUL THUGGER GIRLS by YOUNG THUG (ATLANTIC)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

None of my immediate music friends like Young Thug and hate me for loving him. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

#9   NEED TO FEEL YOUR LOVE by SHEER MAG (WILSUNS RECORDING COMPANY)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

PHILLY'S BEST

#10   CIGARETTES AFTER SEX by CIGARETTES AFTER SEX (PARTISAN)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

This album slowly undresses you.

THE NEXT 20 ALBUMS...

11. PROTOMARTYR-RELATIVES IN DESCENT
12. ARCADE FIRE-EVERYTHING NOW
13. FUTURE ISLANDS-THE FAR FIELD
14. ODDISSEE-THE ICEBERG
15 AGENT BLA-AGENT BLUE
16. PRIESTS-NOTHING FEELS NATURAL
17. G PERICO-ALL BLUE
18. DJ SEINFELD-TIME SPENT AWAY FROM U
19. MYKELE DEVILLE-PEACE, FAM
19. KNOX FORTUNE-PARADISE
20. FEVER RAY-PLUNGE
20. THE DRUMS-ABYSMAL THOUGHTS
21. BJORK-UTOPIA
22. HOT FLASH HEAT WAVE-SOAKED
23. THE SMITH STREET BAND-MORE SCARED OF YOU THAN YOU ARE OF ME
24. THE WORLD IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE-ALWAYS FOREIGN
25. CORBIN-MOURN
26. BOB DYLAN-TRIPLICATE
27. SUPA BWE-FINALLY DEAD
28 NE-HI-OFFERS
29. GUERILLA TOSS-GT ULTRA
30. KING KRULE-THE OOZ

TOP SONGS:

SWET SHOP BOYS-"BIRDING"
CCFX-"THE ONE TO WAIT"
LCD SOUNDSYSTEM-"OH BABY"
JAMILA WOODS-"HOLY"
THE BLACK MADONNA-"HE IS THE VOICE I HEAR"

TOP EPs:

SWET SHOP BOYS-SUFI LA
KWEKU COLLINS-GREY
CCFX-CCFX EP
FLASH TRADING-THE GOLDEN MILE
RAVYN LENAE-MIDNIGHT MOONLIGHT
RICH JONES-VEGAS/LIGHT WORK

TOP SHOWS:

JAWBREAKER-RIOT FEST
KENDRICK LAMAR-UNITED CENTER
LCD SOUNDSYSTEM-ARAGON BALLROOM (NIGHT 1)

TOP PODCASTS:

THE INTERCEPTED
THE HANDSOME RAMBLER
EAST BAY YESTERDAY