2016 is quickly coming to a close. As we prepare for the next five days of the Top 50 Albums of the year, here’s my top 15 EPs of the year: short, yet sweet projects of less than ten tracks. Check the list out below, and let me know in the comments if you think I missed any.

15. Alxandr Nate – El Dorado

Virgina native Alxandr Nate made a massive debut on the scene with his first single “El Dorado”, produced by the Social Experiment’s Nate Fox. Alxandr returned a few months later with a full EP, also titled El Dorado, that showcased a interesting and unique affinity for blending Americana and hip hop. With a kind of folk-like storytelling and a deftness for wordplay and production, El Dorado is a stellar introduction to a soulful new artist.

 

14. 24hrs – 12:AM

In the midst of R&B artists following the Weeknd’s suit by releasing music anonymously, 24hrs was one of the voices that really stood out.We still don’t know his name, but the Atlanta-based singer/songwriter/producer dropped two projects this year: 12:AM and Sunset Blvd. The former, his first project, showcased his atmospheric, soul-inspired R&B with standout track “Gucci Flame/12:AM in the 6”. Across the rest of the EP’s 4 tracks, 24hrs showed his prowess for standing out in an over-saturated style of R&B. With trap-heavy production exclusively from Murda Beatz, it’s an impressive debut for a noteworthy up-and-comer to flex his soulful falsetto and clever songwriting.

13. 2 Chainz – Hibachi for Lunch

2 Chainz has been on an absolute roll this year, from his album with Lil Wayne, to releasing a total of three EPs this year, to incredible feature performances on tracks like “Champions”. His most standout solo project of 2016 was his latest, Hibachi for Lunch, released in conjunction with his clothing line of the same name. Following the somewhat Japan-influenced style of his last project, Daniel Son; Necklace Don, 2 Chainz’ most recent EP was full of interesting, roof-raising production, with some of his best and catchiest songwriting in years. Features from Future, Ty Dolla $ign, and Quavo & Gucci Mane on the Mike Dean-produced standout “Good Drank” also went a long way to make a fun, turn-up kinda project.

12. Duckwrth – I’m Uugly

Duckwrth’s debut album, 2015’s Nowhere, went criminally unnoticed, but after a North American tour opening for Anderson .Paak he started creating a lot more buzz. I’m Uugly, a nine-track EP released in September, showed off his talents for merging singing and rapping (much like his tourmate), but with a pop edge that made the project a fun, catchy, yet introspective look into the Californian’s life. The incredible energy and charisma Duckwrth is known for in his live performances translated best on this project, especially with tracks like “Low Ridr”, “Get Uugly”, and the punk-influenced “Ruuun”. The album’s best moment, however, is on the tropical “Rare Panther + Beach House”, a fun and inventive love song that best shows the up-and-coming artist’s inherent, youthful energy.

11. K.A.A.N. – K.A.A.N. x Sgull

K.A.A.N. has been quietly dropping project for the past couple years now, and while he has yet to receive much mainstream attention, he’s built one hell of an online following. He’s said before that going to a Logic concert inspired him to rap, but K.A.A.N.’s speedrap style already far outshines that of his biggest influence. Teaming up with 19-year-old producer Sgull for this 3-track EP, the beats on K.A.A.N. x Sgull perfectly accentuate his frantic style, providing an atmospheric soundscape to soundtrack his emotional, impeccably-written raps. “Mary Jane”, in particular, uses an incredible sample of Halsey’s “Gasoline” for the album’s standout performance, as K.A.A.N. battles his own personal demons.

10. Elohim – Elohim

LA’s Elohim started drawing acclaim from publications like Pigeons & Planes a little over a year ago for her debut single “Xanax”, and since then she’s started to create quite a name for herself; a North American tour with EDEN (no. 5 on this list) didn’t hurt either. Her self-titled EP is a rumination on social anxiety and self-medication, combining themes of sex and love with those of paranoia and dependency. Her sound bridges the gap between electronic and pop, with a catchy emotional energy, and her live performances feature her often crafting her songs onstage with a variety of keyboards and laptops. Elohim is a concise, well-crafted debut project from an artist who tends to hide her face in photos, preferring to let her music speak for her.

9. Towkio – Community Service 2!

SaveMoney rapper Towkio’s debut album .wav Theory was one of the best from last year, and this year he returned with a 7-track EP titled Community Service 2! that features some of his most well-crafted songs. Acting as a sequel to his 2012 debut, back when he still released music as Tokyo Shawn, this EP follows the Chicago tradition of looking into his the city as much as it looks into the artist’s mind. Towkio presents himself as an optimistic artist doing what he loves, immersing himself in his crew and the studio, but isn’t afraid to delve into the intense violence and politics of Chicago. Fellow SaveMoney artists Vic Mensa and Joey Purp provide excellent verses on “Playin’ Fair” and “G W M”, and Towkio uses every opportunity to flex his brash vocals and positive credos.

8. Eryn Allen Kane – Aviary: Act II

With all the attention paid to the Midwest’s rap scene, it’s growing R&B movement often goes underappreciated. At the forefront of that scene is Detroit native Eryn Allen Kane, an incredibly gifted singer who’s shown up on work by Chance the Rapper, Mick Jenkins, Noname, and, most impressively of all, a track with the late legend Prince. Aviary: Act II is the sequel to her debut 2015 EP, and with the second installment she really showed her impressive diversity. From the religious soulfulness of “Sunday”, to the country-tinged “Now and Then”, to the upbeat, jazzy “Honey”, Kane continues to impress with a throwback sensibility and remarkable vocal range. Since drawing early attention with her incredible hooks on tracks like Saba’s “Burnout”, Eryn Allen Kane has gone on to prove herself as a standout artist in her own right: hopefully, the future soon holds a full-length from the young singer.

7. Jay Prince – Smile Good

British rapper Jay Prince was already turning heads with his first two projects, Beautiful Mercy and BeFor Our Time, but the broodiness of his early work never really suited his voice. With Smile Good, he released his most positive work, incorporating everything from soul-sample loops in “Father, Father” to trap beats in “Squad” (which features excellent contributions from Michael Christmas and fellow Brit Danny Seth). Jay Prince’s phenomenal songwriting, profinity for variation, and ability to tackle heavy topics of failing relationships and institutional racism make him a bright voice often known for the heavy sounds of grime and dancehall. With an opening slot in Chance the Rapper’s European Coloring Book tour, Jay Prince seems poised for much-deserved international fame.

6. Odd Couple – Liberation
Closed Sessions producer Odd Couple already had a couple of impressive projects under his belt, with 2012’s Separated at Birth and 2015’s Chatterbox, but with the 9-track EP Liberation he really managed to release a cohesive project with a myriad of guest vocalists. All of the other members of the growing Closed Sessions label are present, with Jamila Woods, Kweku Collins, WebsterX, and producer Boathouse all contributing to the project. Other features include Joey Purp, Mike Golden, GLC, and Mick Jenkins, providing memorable verses over Odd Couple’s jazz-influenced production. Odd Couple has provided beats for many of Chicago’s biggest projects, and with Liberation he’s sure to attract even more deserved attention.

5. EDEN – i think you think too much of me

The Irish singer/songwriter/producer started out recording as “The Eden Project”, but shortened it to the more concise EDEN for his last two releases. 2015’s End Credits was a cinematic debut that really showed off his electronic production skills, but his craft was entirely honed for i think you think too much of me. The first four tracks are titled, respectively, “Sex”, “Drugs”, “And”, and “Rock + Roll”, as EDEN seems to explore the pros and cons of each aspect of the supposed high life of fame. EDEN mixes electronic production with conventional analog instruments, and this duality is perhaps best shown on “XO”, a story of a failing relationship that mixes a simple acoustic guitar riff with atmospheric synth undertones. It’s an emotional, vulnerable record, as EDEN uses his wavering voice and remarkable instrumentation to create some incredibly powerful music.

4. Oddisee – Alwasta

Oddisee released two projects this year, the 9-track EP Alwasta and the instrumental Odd Tape before releasing a full-length project next February. Alwasta shows off Oddisee’s remarkable musical ability, as he’s one of the few artists (along with the likes of Kanye West and J. Cole) who are equally skilled at both producing and rapping. Naming the project after the Arabic term for “plug” (as in middleman), Oddisee created an album about personal currency, detailing the African narrative from the days of slavery to his own childhood. The Mello Music rapper has been dropping incredible projects for the past seven years to little mainstream attention, and each one seems to be stronger than the last.

3. Vic Mensa – There’s Alot Going On

Next to Chance the Rapper, Vic Mensa is the artist out of Chicago collective SaveMoney to reach the greatest acclaim. Since signing to Jay Z’s label and working with Kanye West, Mensa’s music has made a significant shift: from the breezy jazz-rap shown on Innanetape and his work with Kids These Days, to the pop sounds of singles like “Feel That” and “Down on My Luck”, Vic has now progressed into hard-hitting political rap. Working predominantly with producers Smoko Ono and Papi Beatz, There’s Alot Going On is a characterised by its paranoia. Vic holds the horrors and infidelities of his city up for the world to see as he crucifies the police, the government, and American society as a whole. “16 Shots” is a war cry on the police who shot Laquan McDonald, and “Shades of Blue” takes on the deplorable way the Flint Water Crisis was left unattended for far too long. Vic’s songwriting has come a long way, but where he stands out the most is on the title track, in which his entire life is put on display: the breakup of Kids These Days, his addictions and abusive relationships, and his newfound fame are broken down over the six minute odyssey. The buzz for Vic’s long-awaited major label debut has only continued to grow.

2. YG – Red Friday

YG already had one of the year’s most impressive releases with his sophomore album Still Brazy, but an influx of studio time and his rekindled relationship with DJ Mustard lead to a new EP in Red Friday (and several more projects coming in the future). Still Brazy was YG at his most political, taking on institutional racism, police brutality, and Donald Trump himself. YG didn’t exactly leave the politics behind for Red Friday (the album’s outro, “One Time Comin'”, is entirely about police brutality), but this EP is the kind of ignant G-funk that characterised early hits like “Bicken Back Being Bool” and “My N***a”. YG’s wordplay and ability to write trunk-thumping gangster rap has only getting better with age, and he’s managed to combine the impressiveness of Still Brazy with the replayability of My Krazy Life. RJ, Mitch, and 21 Savage all provide incredible guest verses (21 may have his best verse to date on this tape), as YG continues to prove himself as so much more than the “Toot It & Boot It” guy: he’s one of the most impressive, politically-minded rappers with the natural ability to craft a club-ready hit.

1. Vince Staples – Prima Donna

From sleeping on Syd the Kid’s couch and making reluctant guest appearances on Earl Sweatshirt’s early work, Vince Staples has grown into one of the biggest rappers in the world. Last year’s Summertime ’06 cemented his rightful acclaim, but he’s actually managed to surpass himself with a seven-track concept album. Prima Donna tells the story of a suicidal rock star, but it tells it backwards: the EP opens with an a capella children’s hymn and a gun shot on “Let It Shine”, then makes it way backward to the cocksure, fame-ready rock star on “Big Time”. Over the course of the narrative, Vince’s unnamed narrator slowly become more and more paranoid, dealing with the realities of fame and the horrors that come with it. Decadence and depression are laid side by side (“buy a million dollar home/and blow my dome to paint the kitchen”) as Vince displays both his narrative abilities and his cynical worldview across phenomenal production from DJ Dahi, No I.D., and James Blake. The Outkast sample on “War Ready”, the guitars on “Smile”, the hazy A$AP Rocky hook on the title track: Prima Donna is Vince at his best, with a concise message and a dexterous way of portraying it. Both the album and the accompanying short film offer a glimpse into the concept of celebrity depression, as both Vince and his narrator struggle with a life under constant public scrutiny.