Best EPs of 2019 -

Welcome to our Best of 2019 series, in which we explore the year’s best albums, songs and extended plays.

Music is flirty and thriving in 2019. The industry itself is a trash heap, just ask Taylor Swift. But the art continues to be the conduit to explore issues of love, loss, mental health, death and joy ⏤ a balance that is hard to achieve without sacrifice. Of course, the singers, songwriters and musicians give of themselves to move the needle of time and what songs can mean for surviving life as it stands this year. From folk to pop and R&B, songs are the bedrock foundation of our everyday lives, whether you commute to work and tune into the radio or go for a run with the latest playlist. Music and art is more accessible than ever, and bodies of work are finding audiences in ways never before imagined.

Below, B-Sides & Badlands has hand-picked the 12 best EPs of 2019.

Here are some honorable mentions: Moral of the Story: Chapter 2 by Ashe; Sleeping on the Woodlands by Alex Krug Combo; you ruined new york city for me by Fletcher; Fantasy by chloe mk; Alonesome by Malin Pettersen; Letters to Strangers by Benedict Cork; First Take by Ellen Krauss; BRAINDEAD by Elohim; Gaslight by VEZZA; and One Heart to Another by Maddie & Tae.

Gabriella Rose, Lost in Translation (Buy)

Genre: Pop/Blues

Label: Independent

Gabriella Rose’s Lost in Translation (produced by Chris Molitor) is an altogether devastating, yet exemplary, collective of the mental hellscape. “She started cutting her skin / Because to them, it was much too thin / She loved the color red, she watched it spill onto the bed,” she cries out on “Welcome to the Dollhouse,” arms showered in blood and draining her spirit of all color. It’s a deceptively confetti-constructed production, guitars flaking in the background, but it’s a testament to her daring to address critical components of the human existence with such beguiling, captivating arrangements. In doing so, she’s dismantling the stigma brick-by-brick, framing her anguish (she had a brief stay in a mental ward) as a device to find relief and strength, not only for herself but for the world. [Full review] – Jason Scott

Girl Wilde, Probably Crying (Buy)

Genre: Pop

Label: Independent

“At least I don’t wanna die,” Girl Wilde squeaks on the essential cut. “I Don’t Wanna Die” is a brazen, sharp, and rattling performance that examine mental health and shrouding depression. GW has been kicking up dust the past few years, dabbling in more sparkling electronica-laced pop in a previous endeavor, but it’s with Probably Crying that sees her landing upright. The titular cut ignites a pilgrimage to drag her demons out into the light and set them on fire. “I’m spending hours on my phone / To feel a little lesson alone / Because I’m bored again,” she cowers into her sheets, reworking her own sexual awakening as a course of habit. But it’s all leading to something, from the frantic grunge-rock of “BATSHiT” to the throbbing closer “Killing Time,” and you may never quite know exactly what. Girl Wilde’s voice is raw and always feels on the verge of blistering over, subtle cracks shading her alto with rich earthy tints. “Do you ever wonder if God is even real / ‘Cause everything’s so fucked up,” she smacks her tongue against her teeth. It’s not in miserable bitterness, just in exhaustion from herself as much as the collapsing world around her. The flames lick her heels, and she often wallows in the emotions, as a way to punctuate the extremes by which she exists – and it’s the violent truth of all of our realities. We’re all fighting something, and Girl Wilde could be our torch in the night. – Jason Scott

Carlos Vara, Have You Ever Seen a Boy Break Down? (Buy)

Genre: Pop

Label: Warner Records

Carlos Vara’s animalistic yowls elicit goosebumps rollicking up and down the backbone. “Confident” is a gusher of swagger, and his “puff puff pass!” is both a sensual finger wave and a slithering declaration of self-worth. Later, with “Impossible,” he borrows from his religious upbringing to take the listener to church, hauling them up to the altar of pop glory, kneeling before the likes of Britney Spears and Madonna, and gives his voice even more agency to prance between styles and prowess. Where “Want Me To” slinks with a rocker bite and lip curl, “Looking for Love” is a boozy, midnight amble down damp cobblestone streets with lust in his eyes and an appetite for victory. The title song swoops in to underscore Vara’s grueling journey from small town America to accepting himself, an ongoing balance beam always teetering on falling apart, and his musicality (there’s saxophone!) is a refreshing addition to mainstream pop. On his first outing, Vara demonstrates strength in vocal nuance and crafting hooks flushed with emotional weight. – Jason Scott

Aly & AJ, Sanctuary (Buy)

Genre: Pop

Label: Aly & AJ Music

Well over a decade ago, Aly & AJ were bona fide teen idols, with flourishing careers as actresses and singers. Though they’ve maintained an impressive array of acting gigs over the years, their music was put on hold indefinitely. Fast forward to 2017, the duo made their grand return with the triumphant Ten Years EP and quickly followed up with this year’s Sanctuary EP. Both releases are synth-heavy perfection, but Sanctuary is much bolder and amps up the Eighties vibe they toyed with on the former release. This time around, they seem more focused than ever on creating radio-friendly hooks but never sacrifice their artistic merit in doing so. Lead single “Church” is a slinky ode to your vices and the guilt you can feel for your overindulgence. The vengeful “Star Maps” is dedicated to the victims who shared their stories during the #MeToo movement, and “Not Ready to Wake Up” is a bouncy number about wanting to prolong the euphoria of new love. It’s clear these sisters have something of substance to say, and in doing so, they just so happen to make pop magic. With any hope, there is an album on the horizon, but until then, let it be known that Aly & AJ that they’re back – and they’re here to stay. – Joe Kadish

Emily Vaughn, Bitch Bops (Buy)

Genre: Pop

Label: Independent

Awash in gooey hip-hop beats, Emily Vaughn spins her web-like vocal cords across songs of feminine power and heartbreak. Her penmanship is even more visceral and intense, grafting her various emotions and recalibrating her life into one of astonishing worth and redemption. “Dead 2 Me” is a venomous bite right to the jugular, as she deflates a past relationship before discarding the carcass in the dumpster, and “Bitch” regurgitates the remains for a severe takedown of the male ego, her voice flapping through the synths before puffing up like smoke. In all its iced majesty, “Jealous” slithers along vocal distortion and chewy rhythms that’ll make you higher than you probably expected; then with “Pieces,” she gasps for the last few remnants of herself before they could very well vanish like dust. Vaughn is among pop’s most promising treasures, and she must be protected at all costs. Pop music needs her. – Jason Scott

Miley Cyrus, She Is Coming (Buy)

Genre: Pop

Label: RCA

It wouldn’t be a Miley Cyrus release if it wasn’t polarizing and divisive in opinion, would it? The ex-Hannah Montana star has repeatedly stuck to her guns and never let a desire for universal acclaim tamper with her creative process, which is an admirable trait that doesn’t always pay off. However, that isn’t the case when it comes to She Is Coming, the first of multiple releases that Cyrus plans on dropping this year. Although it was probably unintentional, She Is Coming manages to be Cyrus’ most commercial-sounding musical project since 2013’s Bangerz, courtesy of producers Andrew Wyatt, John Cunningham and the iconic Mike Will Made It, as well as thanks to features from RuPaul, Ghostface Killah and Swae Lee. Through the six-track EP, Cyrus effortlessly shines from start to finish, and the result is some of the best music in her discography, especially on opening track “Mother’s Daughter” where she powerfully proclaims, “Don’t fuck with my freedom!” If the rest of her project is this stellar, do not rush her process and let Miley be Miley. – Galvin Baez

Myylo, I’m a Nice Boy (Buy)

Genre: Pop

Label: Independent

There are few melodies as sticky-sweet as Myylo’s. His new EP, I’m a Nice Boy, pops with syrup, and before you fully realize it, you’re addicted. “Jonesing” and “Cyborg” are slathered with juicy mainstream-made hooks, oozing a provocative edge that’ll make you woozy in the head, and right when you think you’ve recovered, “Doc Martens” sends you back into a catatonic state. “Be My Baby” simmers slow, permitting the beats to echo and bounce off Myylo’s nonchalant, yet warm, vocal tick. Likewise slinky and subdued, closer “Lack of You” gives the singer a moment to breathe and snap the pressure before it gets too much. Myylo swoops between angsty theatrics and heart-rending confessionals that squeeze the heart dry and leave you clutching the empty space in your chest. He exudes both confidence and vulnerability with sly songcraft that’s truly impressive – Jason Scott

unperfect, Yeah, Why Not (Buy)

Genre: Pop

Label: Xenomania

British foursome unperfect are turning the typical notion of a girl group on its head. Forget the matching outfits, heavy makeup and choreographed dance routines. Soipan, Chloe, Tiah and Siobhan are just normal girls – who just so happen to be really, really, ridiculously talented. The group recently signed with Xenomania, the team responsible for some of the biggest hits by girlbands like Girls Aloud, Sugababes and The Saturdays, but this time around, the approach to the music seems far more laid back. Their debut single “Gots to Give the Girl” ditches the conventional pop song structure and focuses more on building a steady, breezy vibe. “Rope” follows suit and is just as mellow, showcasing the vocals first and the production second. The rest of the EP is just as off the book. “Looking for a Hug” is hodgepodge, disco-tinged moment with no chorus to be found and “Jaded” is the most mainstream of the bunch, but still far removed from anything in the top 40. For now, the members of unperfect are biding their time until they’ve made it big. Something tells me it won’t be a long wait. – Joe Kadish

Madelin, Then Her Head Fell Off (Buy)

Genre: Pop

Label: Independent

Perched on her throne, planted at the heart of Brooklyn, avant-pop queen Madelin conquers everything and everyone in her path. Then Her Head Fell Off is an intoxicatingly adventurous and off-kilter seven piece. “Monarch” glitters beneath the dive-bar limelights, flickering in the heat of seizing the present and pulsating with queer freedom, and later, on the percussive, ritualistic prayer “Dna,” she combs her origins for truth. “Broken Star” clatters and pings with a sense of rebirth, turning her gaze upon a tragically grueling past before she sheds her skin and rises as an orb into the heavens. Madelin’s presence digs into the skin and crawls right into the bones, shifting and squirming with existentialism, and even her cover of The Sugarcubes’ “Birthday” heaves a melancholic tenderness onto the floorboards, a transitory place that soon allows her to unearth exactly who and what she was always destined to become: a vision. – Jason Scott

Kara Frazier, Seven Ages (Buy)

Genre: Pop/Blues

Label: Independent

Once a sorrowful whippoorwill, now an unstoppable beacon, Nashville’s soul-pop newcomer Kara Frazier untethers her limbs with her long-awaited debut EP, Seven Ages, a sky-bound manifesto of vocal prowess and sharp, relentless stories. The project took two years to sculpt, discard and reimagine. Frazier’s savage daring was always the needle, weaving in and of soul, blues and pop, and has culminated in one of the most impressively ambitious bodies of work of 2019. In uncaging such ferocious imagery, as evidenced in the visual for lead-off single, the baptismal “Deliver Me,” which sees the storyteller completely shatter the very meaning of torch singing, Frazier not only sets herself free from ghosts of the past but calls the listener to rearrange their own lives. She’s a vision, to put it simply, and across four songs, co-produced by Michael Robinson, Jeff Lusk and Grammy winner Shannon Sanders (P!nk, John Legend, India.Arie) on various tracks, she weathers the storm and finally finds herself again. The light casts across her face, and for the first time in her life, she’s commanding the conversation. [Full review] – Jason Scott

Pink Sweat$, Volume 2 (Buy)

Genre: R&B/Soul

Label: Human Re Sources

R&B superstar in the making, Pink Sweat$ is on the verge of something big. His freshman release, Volume 1, was a debut that most new artists could only hope for – melodic, sophisticated and expressive. That alone is an impressive feat. Following up on such a stellar body of work is even more so. The sound of Volume 2 is in keeping with its predecessor, but Sweat$ injects a Southern twang into its veins, evolving as an artist without drastically drifting from the genre in which he excels. “I Know” and “Coke & Henny, Pt. 1” are prime examples of this fusion; songs that should be played in a dark corner of a smoke-filled saloon. “Coke & Henny, Pt. 2” is an atmospheric continuation of Pt. 1, his smooth vocals echo over serene guitar strings, lulling you into a peaceful state. Sweat$ has a natural knack for creating music: his voice glides smoother than ice, and his melodies are effervescent, fizzing with sweetness and spirit. Whether he releases a Volume 3 or full-length collection, there is no denying that this artist has a gift and certainly knows how to use it. His work so far more than proves that. – Joe Kadish

Kyle Daniel, What’s There to Say? (Buy)

Genre: Country

Label: Independent

Kyle Daniel is the consummate underdog. He’s torn himself out of the clutches of addiction, and now, he rises victorious over his own bloody corpse, metaphorically speaking. What’s There to Say? is drenched in southern-fried rock and hung out on the line of Chris Stapleton-pinned country. He’s his own man, of course, with his own astounding voice and perspective. “Don’t Give Up on Me Now” is a chest-pounding mountain cry, and “God Bless America (Damn Rock n Roll)” is a timely firecracker that sees the scruffy-voiced rabble-rouser shaking up what it means to be bred of the soil underneath his feet. The title song then seems to be an apt way to close out his second EP; it excavates deep questions about the world, navigating the ravaging insanity outside our doorsteps and his own personal ache for absolution. “There ain’t a thing makes it easier to burn,” he sings. He wears his heart proudly on his sleeve, and even though his voice is laced with anger and frustration, his tears deceive him. Daniel has emerged as a torchbearer with true gusto and undeniable heart. – Jason Scott