Dec 10, 2015

Over the next few days on here, I will be posting about some of my favorite albums released this year. I should just give out a warning that there won't be many hip-hop releases on here as I don't follow the genre as closely as I used to. So some of these early entries might piss you off for being as low as they are, but essentially every album I'll be talking about is at least an 8+. So let's get on with the list.

25. Dean Blunt - Babyfather (Electronic, hip-hop, experimental)


You might have heard me talk about this guy a bit through the forums as this fall I became a huge fan of the dude. He's an UK-based musician who used to be in this electronic music group called Hype Williams that was very proto-vaporwave, eventually went solo releasing the disjointed The Narcissist II, the near-perfect The Redeemer, and his debut on Rough Trade Black Metal. This tape joins a number of others that are hard to find but well worth the search as it's another collection of great music thanks to Blunt's keen ear for sampling, his deadpan and unique vocals, and a return of hip-hop influence hinted at on his last album. Though, I will say his vocals are definitely not for everyone and don't always come off well on this tape, so that's why its placed so well. But I'm basically a stan for this dude so I can't not give him a mention.

24. Future - DS2 (Hip-hop, trap)


23. Future - 56 Nights (Hip-hop, trap)


Prior to this year, I didn't really get Future. He had some hot singles but I could barely get myself through Honest and he completely left my radar in 2014 after it came out. However, someone on here put me onto him through Monster and 56 Nights, and DS2 came out shortly after. What bothered me about Honest was that it seemed like he was trying too hard to have pop appeal as there was talent and uniqueness yet, and he seemed to fulfill that with his latest run of tapes and albums. This is some no-nonsense trap music where Future can come through with some great bangers then punch you in the gut with a poignant line or song about drug addiction or heartbreak. 56 Nights is higher on this list than DS2 mainly due to consistency as DS2's highs can be too high sometimes, leaving some songs failing in comparison, whereas with Nights this is not as prevalent. Most people on here know and love these projects so there's not much more to say.

22. Arca - Mutant (Experimental, electronic)


You might not know who Arca is, but if you listened to Yeezus you know of his production, as he was one of the many producers who helped craft the experimental hip-hop sound heard throughout that record. Now, after his debut album last year, he's already back with his most insane and weirdest project yet, breaking the boundaries of what we consider music with constantly changing and consistently odd melodies and insane sounds throughout. This was initially much higher on my list, but brought down a little bit as it doesn't hold up as well on multiple listens due to its length (nearly 20 tracks). However, I still wanted to talk about it as this guy is doing some crazy truly s--- that needs some recognition. If you've got an open mind, this is definitely worth a listen.

21. Jlin - Dark Energy (Electronic, dance, footwork)


One of my complaints about that Arca album is that it lacks the hip-hop influences of his previous projects, this album fills that slot quite nicely. It's some real wacked out EDM footwork type s---. I haven't dug into this album too much but definitely enough to rank it close to my top 20. Seriously, check this out.

#20-16
#16-11
#10-6
#5-3 out now!

 

Dec 11, 2015

Now that we've gotten through #25-21, let's continue on with the list from #20 to #16.

#20: Thundercat - The Beyond / Where The Giants Roam (EP) (Funk, R&B, jazzy)


Because this is my list, I'm going to include a number of EPs throughout the next two days, this included. Some of you may know Thundercat as a close collaborator with Flying Lotus, and is also signed to Lotus' Brainfeeder label. He released a great album last year called Apocalypse which didn't get its due credit because of a very early leak. However, he gained some extra notoriety this year after working heavily on Kendrick Lamar's epic, To p---- A Butterfly, which I'll talk about a bit later on. Once again with this EP, Thundercat's incredible bass work comes through with some of the funkiest lines you'll hear all year. Along with Lotus making a few appearances to help create these songs, we also see up and coming jazz musician Kamasi Washington (who released his nearly 3-hour jazz album The Epic earlier this year, which I haven't given a proper listen since it came out) and the legendary Herbie Hancock make appearances on this EP to help round out the jazz funk fusion this album presents. So, if you enjoyed Kendrick's album and want some more music in that vein, this EP is definitely worth a spin.

#19: Clarence Clarity - No Now (Pop, glitch, experimental)


So, you think pop stinks, right? It's completely unoriginal and generic now, no one has been making unique music in that genre for year now you also tell me. I laugh at you and tell you that you need to listen to this album, which I can essentially describe as cyber-glitter glitchy experimental pop. The production on here, all done by Clarence Clarity himself, is densely packed with tons of noises going on, but at its bare essentials it is pop. No Now continues a recent trend of alt-R&B, combing the silky smooth falsetto of The Weeknd and the electronic production of James Blake, but turning it up to 11. This album definitely isn't for everyone as it really can be an overload of sounds at times, but I like to consider that the point, taking the current pop machine and hacking into it, causing it to go all haywire, spitting out this album.

#18: Kid Cudi - Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven (Punk rock, garage rock, grunge)


Kid Cudi is a massive genius and this album will be appreciated one... nah I'm just f---ing with you. This album blows. Here's the real #18:

#18: Sun Kil Moon - Universal Themes (Singer/songwriter, folk, dad rock)


Just one year after his critically acclaimed Benji, Sun Kil Moon aka Mark Kozelek dropped this album, which continues the stream-of-consciousness lyrical style seen on that last album, except this time around while Benji was a reflection of his life as a whole, Universal Themes takes a turn and instead really focuses on the past year or so of Kozelek's life. The subject matter goes from filming a movie with Italian director Paolo Sorrentino, finding an injured possum near his house, meeting an Indian gas station worker new to the job, and getting healthier as he gets older. While this album isn't the emotional gut punch Benji was, I still think this album is incredible as Kozelek is a compelling writer who's able to find the most in the mundane of life.

#17: Ought - Sun Coming Down (Post-punk, art punk)


While in the grand schemes of things, Ought aren't that special. Many consider their style to be somewhat derivative to Talking Heads and The Fall. However, is that a bad thing? In this case no, as this album right here is an incredibly consistent piece of post-punk. This album is a complete improvement on their debut More Than Any Other Day, with stronger instrumentation, more confident vocals, and sharper lyrics. Ought are the perfect soundtrack for the frustrated college-aged Western millennials of today.

#16: Neon Indian - VEGA INTL. Night School (Synth pop, electronic, disco)


Next on the list is Neon Indian’s VEGA INTL. Night School. Neon Indian is the solo project of Alan Palomo, who is mostly recognized for being a pioneer of the electronic/pop music subgenre known as chillwave. However with this new album, his first in nearly four years, Palomo ditches most of his chillwave roots for an album that combines synthpop, vaporwave, funk, disco, electronic music, and 1980’s pop for a wildly successful album. VEGA INTL. is not only Palomo’s look back at the night life of 1980’s, it’s his chance to rewrite it, creating his own universe which any music fan should visit.

Check back in tomorrow for #15-11!

 

Dec 11, 2015

Thread's already getting killed by a thread about a 2Pac section

 

Dec 14, 2015

Tbh, this list looks very similar to something Anthony Fantano would put together.



I see you @MTY lol

 

Dec 13, 2015

 

Dec 13, 2015

#15: Drake - If You're Reading This It's Too Late


I think this was the year I decided I might be a stan of Drake, maybe not a hardcore one, but a stan nonetheless. I really shouldn't enjoy this mixtape as much as I do as it's essentially throwaways, but thanks to great production, rapping and general consistency Drake somewhat lacked in his previous albums, this is probably my 2nd or even favorite Drake project. Cutting the fat and dropping some of the R&B influence of previous albums, we get Drake at his best. His bars are hot, his flows are tougher than ever before, and the moodiness of his previous albums is brought down to a more believable level. Drake has been killing it this year and this was the project that started this recent killer run.

#14: Young Fathers - White Men Are Black Men Too


Starting off as a rap group in Scotland, the trio has expanded their pallet on this sophomore release, making the transition from hip-hop into lo-fi and experimental pop. This transition is extremely smooth as for a bit this was my favorite pop album of the year, thanks to its incredible production, political messages, and doing what a pop album should do best, being insanely catchy. The hip-hop influences are obviously still there but if you had no idea who these guys were going into this album, you wouldn't believe they were originally a rap group as this new style feels completely natural.

#13: Rae Sremmurd - Sremmlife


Back in January when this came out, I had completely ignored this album, writing the group off as some generic mainstream garbage. However during the summer I came around and found myself absolutely loving the album thanks to the sure hand of Mike WiLL Made-It as exec. producer. Some of my favorite music from this year had a real depressing edge to it so it was nice to lighten up for a bit and have some fun, which Rae Sremmurd has in strides. The songs are all catchy as h---, Slim Jimmy and Swae Lee play off each other extremely well, and the features aren't half bad either. Sometimes it's hard to enjoy life but after listening to Sremmlife, it ain't all that bad.

#12 (TIE): Archy Marshall - A New Place 2 Drown / Vince Staples - Summertime '06


I had a tough time deciding this spot, as both of these albums are great, but I didn't want to leave either out so f--- it, it's a tie. Let's start off with Archy Marshall's album as it just recently came out and most people don't know about it. While you might not know the name Archy Marshall, you've probably come across his music as King Krule. 2 years after dropping his debut under that name, he's back with A Place 2 Drown, a multimedia art project with his brother Jack, which includes a short film, a book of sketches, photographs, and poetry, and of course, this album. Compared to 6 Feet Beneath The Moon, his debut, this album is much more hazy and electronic. It's also a lot more mature sounding too (not surprising, as Marshall was only 19 when he release 6 Feet), which sometimes can be a bad thing with certain artists like Tyler, the Creator, but with Marshall it's only made his music that much better. Because this just came out on Thursday, I still need some more time to process it, but it's already great enough for me to place it this highly.



I'd probably get slaughtered if I didn't include this album on my list, so I'll be honest and say that's one reason why it's so high up. A few weeks ago though I would've have barely mentioned it as I didn't really give this album much of a chance when it came out. However, I've come around now and this is seriously an incredible debut. There's definitely some flaws due to the double album format and this being Vince's commercial debut (not including his EP h--- Can Wait). However, the imagery Vince displays throughout the album in his storytelling along with the immaculate production. This album brings a lot of potential and I know Vince is gonna be doing great things for years to come (until he retires and becomes a stand up or something).

#11: Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell


This spot was also another tough one to choose as it was neck and neck for the 10th spot with another album, but I decided to place it one spot lower due to some personal preference with the production, as the bare bones approach Stevens takes works completely in its favor due to the subject matter (dealing with his estranged mother's death). However, I do like a little meat in my production, but let's get to the positives. This album is f---ing depressing. From the lyrics to Stevens' quiet and reserved vocals, this album really does hit you with an emotional gut punch, making you feel just empty. If you don't feel any type of emotion coming from this album, you got issues man. Go hug your moms guys.

#10-6 coming tomorrow!

 

Dec 14, 2015

"XshadybusinessX"

 

Dec 14, 2015

>calls me a geek
>says hip-hop is dead
lel

 

Dec 14, 2015

#10: U.S. Girls - Half Free


U.S. Girls is an experimental pop act made up of Meg Remy. For years, she was making experimental music that was progressively becoming more and more accessible as time went on. So it makes sense with her most accessible release yet, she's joined up with indie label 4AD (known for other avant pop acts like Grimes, Ariel Pink, and tUnE-yArDs, along with other popular acts such as Bon Iver and The National) to drop Half Free, a 36 minute journey exploring themes of feminism through the perspective of many characters, whether it'd be the war widow in "d--- That Valley," a wife who's husband cheated on her with her sisters on "Sororal Feelings," or a woman obsessed with plastic surgery in "Woman's Work." Along with these interesting lyrical themes, we get some great production that mixes stylings of reggae, psych rock, disco, indie rock, deep house, and even vaporwave at one point on "Navy & Cream." This album is getting slept on pretty heavily even on the other forums I go on so please, check this out as the variety in the production is insane and extremely impressive along with Remy's creative lyrics and expressive vocals. 2015 has been a great year for feminism in music and this album just adds to it.

#9: BOOTS - AQUARIA


While you might not know who BOOTS is, you've definitely heard his work if you listened to Beyoncé's 2013 surprise released self-titled. After working with acts like Run the Jewels and FKA twigs (who shows up later on this list), he's finally put out his debut solo project which is becoming extremely underrated, getting mostly mixed reviews from critics. Not this one though as it's definitely one of my favorite pop albums of the year. The production is somewhat minimalistic but still has tons of interesting stuff going on. BOOTS' lyrics are abstract but his understated and sometimes quiet vocals are still extremely confident. Also these songs are catchy as f---. If you liked the more experimental aspects of BEYONCÉ or liked FKA twigs' EP this year, this is totally worth a listen.

#8: Empress Of - Me


Out of all the albums I've listened to, this album right here is probably the second most fun I've had listening to an album all year. Sitting alone Friday afternoon at my school newspaper's office, I decided to check this album out on a whim thanks to a friend's recommendation. What followed was my own personal dance party, as this album just produced hit after hit. I should probably explain the background a little bit though. Anyways, Empress Of is a solo project for Lorely Rodriguez, who initially started off posting random demos to her YouTube channel. After a 7" and an EP in 2013, she returned this year with her debut, Me, which is probably the best synth pop album released all year. Made during a five week hiatus to a friend's place in Mexico, the album explores relationships, sex, breakups, and youth behind incredibly fun and bubbly production, that still has a bit of a bite to it that other synth pop albums this year (cough CHVRCHES cough Purity Ring cough Grimes) lacked. This is just a fun a--- pop album that's practically for everyone unless you're a pretentious a------, so lighten up.

#7: Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Multi-Love


For some of the more indie music fans like me on here, you might be wondering why Tame Impala's Currents hasn't show up yet. It hasn't shown up as I think it's a below mediocre album with god awful lyrics, overblown production, and bad vocals. And also a much better version of it came out about two months earlier, entitled Multi-Love. The album could go wrong in so many ways like Currents, but instead treats everything with justice, like the transition into a more pop-focused style, mature lyrics that treat its somewhat complex subject matter with respect, and generally more interesting grooves/melodies. For those who don't know, Unknown Mortal Orchestra is a band started by a New Zealander residing in Portland named Ruban Nielson (who's the band's sole member during the album process, similar to Tame Impala), who dropped a random song on Bandcamp back in 2010 that took off and eventually led us to here. The album's subject matter focuses on a polygamous relationship between Nielson, his wife, and a woman he met in Tokyo during an off-day on tour, exploring the complex emotions that come with an experience so new. I really recommend checking out the interview Nielson did with Pitchfork that adds a lot of context to this album which really increases the value for me. So, if you're interested in some great funky psych-pop, this is the place to go.

#6: FKA twigs - M3LL155X (EP)


I told ya she'd be on the list later on. Anyways, FKA twigs is a British singer/producer/director/artist/dancer who's made a big name for herself in quick time after dropping two fantastic within a year entitled EP1 and EP2, before dropping the fantastic LP1 last year. Not even a year after that fantastic album and she just goes ahead and tops herself. Compared to her previous releases, we see the production become more industrial and twigs' vocals more confident. Comparing the stand-out track "In Time" to anything on those previous projects we see someone sounding like a completely new artist thanks to the slight trap-influences added in by twigs' and co-producer BOOTS and embracing the pop side of her must a bit more. This is by far the best EP of the year and worth a listen all the way through. Also check out the short film made for the EP posted above that was directed by twigs' herself!

The list will return tomorrow with entries #5-3, as I'm prepping for my last final and need to stretch out the list a bit in the mean time so I can focus more on that. See ya then

 

Dec 11, 2015

only enjoyed two from that second list

but man... Clarence Clarity... I'm copping that No Now album asap

 

Dec 11, 2015

This time around I added genre tags to my list entires so if you don't feel like reading my paragraphs, you get a basic idea of the sounds going on.

 

Dec 11, 2015

Arca's album is really a challenging listen. If you have a headache and you want to relax with music, this album definitely isn't for you.

Also I didn't know he was involved in creating Yeezus. It would be great if Kanye decided to go in that direction with his next album.

 

Dec 11, 2015

Mutant's artwork's unsettling af