it's unlikely you would have enough time to fully explore something new if you just heard it today, as opposed to music you've had for months.
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2016 musics
- Thread starter danilo
- Start date
perturbator dropped this single yesterday
pretty decent i guess
pretty decent i guess
fwiw
this year was amazing for music, especially metal. 11-15 are only fractions off of 2-15.
Metal
01 Cult of Luna & Julie Christmas: Mariner (Album of the Year)
02 Meshuggah: The Violent Sleep of Reason
03 The Great Cold: The Great Cold
04 The Dillinger Escape Plan: Dissociation
05 Sinistro: Semente
06 Lycus: Chasms
07 Spektr: The Art to Disappear
08 Sol Sistere: Unfading Incorporeal Vacuum
09 Saor: Guardians
10 Départe: Failure, Subside
Not-Metal
01 Phantogram: Three
02 Damien Jurado: Visions of Us on the Land
03 Colin Stetson: Sorrow - A Reimagining of Gorecki's 3rd Symphony
04 William Ryan Fritch: New Words For Old Wounds
05 The Black Queen: Fever Daydream
06 Pinkshinyultrablast: Grandfeathered
07 Marissa Nadler: Strangers
08 The Caretaker: Everywhere At The End Of Time
09 Dalek: Asphalt to Eden
10 Tegan and Sara: Love You to Death
this year was amazing for music, especially metal. 11-15 are only fractions off of 2-15.
Metal
01 Cult of Luna & Julie Christmas: Mariner (Album of the Year)
02 Meshuggah: The Violent Sleep of Reason
03 The Great Cold: The Great Cold
04 The Dillinger Escape Plan: Dissociation
05 Sinistro: Semente
06 Lycus: Chasms
07 Spektr: The Art to Disappear
08 Sol Sistere: Unfading Incorporeal Vacuum
09 Saor: Guardians
10 Départe: Failure, Subside
Not-Metal
01 Phantogram: Three
02 Damien Jurado: Visions of Us on the Land
03 Colin Stetson: Sorrow - A Reimagining of Gorecki's 3rd Symphony
04 William Ryan Fritch: New Words For Old Wounds
05 The Black Queen: Fever Daydream
06 Pinkshinyultrablast: Grandfeathered
07 Marissa Nadler: Strangers
08 The Caretaker: Everywhere At The End Of Time
09 Dalek: Asphalt to Eden
10 Tegan and Sara: Love You to Death
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ok I'll try
1. Novembre - URSA
2. Obscure Sphinx - Epitaphs
3. Cult of Luna & Julie Christmas - Mariner
4. Sumerlands - Sumerlands
5. Trees of Eternity - Hour of the Nightingale
6. Deströyer 666 - Wildfire
7. Alcest - Kodama
8. Desaster - The Oath of an Iron Ritual
9. Eternal Champion - The Armor of Ire
10. Fates Warning - Theories of Flight
1. Novembre - URSA
2. Obscure Sphinx - Epitaphs
3. Cult of Luna & Julie Christmas - Mariner
4. Sumerlands - Sumerlands
5. Trees of Eternity - Hour of the Nightingale
6. Deströyer 666 - Wildfire
7. Alcest - Kodama
8. Desaster - The Oath of an Iron Ritual
9. Eternal Champion - The Armor of Ire
10. Fates Warning - Theories of Flight
- glory - britney spears
- the life of pablo - kanye west
- lemonade - beyonce
- this is acting - sia
- iliwysfyasbysuoi - the 1975
- the altar - banks
- coloring book - chance the rapper
- blond - frank ocean
- anti - rihanna
- telofone - noname
- untitled unmastered - kendrick lamar
- awaken, my love - childish gambino
- aim - m.i.a
- a seat at the table - solange
- the human condition - jon bellion
okay so let me elaborate a minute since my top five is somewhat different than a lot. glory is truly one of britney spears' best albums. following britney jean (which, by the way, isn't *that* bad) which was admittedly britney's worst album, many never thought she could make a good album. then glory happened. glory is pop perfection and i genuinely do believe it's deserving of #1, though i'm sure not many agree. tlop is, well, tlop; same with lemonade. this is acting is so underrated it hurts. sia genuinely put out such a good album with such deep background to it, i love it. ili is a great album in all aspects and is really under talked about in general. that's my blurb.
also i'm gonna review glory because why not i love it
glory said:glory as an album is stunning. album cover sucks, but hey, can't win em all. anyways, as an era britney really did it. some of my favorite looks are from slumber party, make me, and her vma performance. britney is really back in business with this album. the songs individually:
britney spears , glory
1. invitation - the breathy vocals and synth pop of this song is a great interlude for what to come. very relaxing and fiery + sultry song that britney opened with! leaves the listener wanting more imo and is an excellent opening song.
2. make me... (ft. g-eazy) - ah a pop song. her lead single which is actually so amazing. i love this song and i still get chills listening to it. definitely a classic in her discography which will just continue to get better like wine.
3. private show - okay a controversial song since she is using her nasally voice. i hated this song at first but now i really like it. the vocals are... weird, but it's a good song lyric-wise and i appreciate it.
4. man on the moon - the first "love" song on the album. motm is a great vocal song which has really nice lyrics. it's not special, or outstanding really, but something about it just sticks with you after listening to the song.
5. just luv me - i love this song a lot. i don't know what it is. it's genuinely just kinda there and won't see a lot of discussion around it but it's such a good song and i really hope we get a music video out of it.
6. clumsy - eh. my least favorite song on glory. it's just like. there. a lot of people like it and i do see why. not my cup of tea but i still don't skip it, or any song, when listening to the album. just, wouldn't choose it.
7. do you wanna come over? - ah used to be my favorite on the album. still such a bop but it's definitely a little tiring to listen to on repeat. will probably be a single soon, so that's nice.
8. slumber party - oh yes a song i like so much. really grew on me. an excellent pop song and one i can definitely understand why it was made a single. i personally prefer it to the remix, but hey, both are good.
8b. slumber party (ft. tinashe) - again, great. great music video, too. don't care much for tinashe though, so that's why i don't /love/ it. plus no lyrical change makes me a little... eh. still good.
9. just like me - no one looks like britney but sure lol. good song, kinda weird name considering just love me is a thing. but a good song, not my favorite, but i do enjoy the song and i think it's nice for a love song.
10. love me down - hated, now i like it. probably the least favorite on the album to many, i can see why, but i like it. could see it being a single which would suck but it definitely seems like something britney would make a single.
11. hard to forget you - grows on ya. it's really catchy and has great synth in it as well. don't go out of my way to listen to it but hey, it's still a fantastic song that i can't skip.
12. what you need - eh still hasn't grown on me. it's like.. nasally akin to private show but less so it's in a weird state for me. i like it but eh it's just a really bland song imo.
13. better - my favorite song on international. such a great synth, like, amazing actually. great lyrics and just wow. this song takes the cake for me it's so amazing i love it a LOT.
14. change your mind (no seas cortes) - listening to this as i write lol. love this song, such a great song. it's a dance song that i could see myself going hard to. she will release this as a single, too, hopefully with shakira.
15. liar - omg this grew on me. i hated it but now it's one of my favorite. apparently this will be on the radio soon, which i am so excited for since it's a really pop song that makes you wanna move.
16. if i'm dancing - "cinematic, take it right back with a bottle of perfume lotion... butterfly from the bottom of the ocean" in the first verse, and it's seriously my fave lyric on the album. such a great song!
17. coupure électrique - a weird song, a good song, french. really breathy and i think a great way to close the album up. wraps everything in a nice little french bow with a little britney touch.
[18]. mood ring - on japanese versions, this is a bonus track. SUCH a great song. favorite on the album. too bad it won't see the light of day in america. sad face. love love love it.
my order of it goes... mood ring > better > change your mind > liar > make me > invitation > just love me ≥ do you wanna come over? > slumber party > just like me > private show > if i'm dancing ≥ man on the moon > slumber party (tinashe) > love me down ≥ hard to forget you > what you need > clumsy. didn't include coupure since it's weird to call a song since it's in french lol. i don't like dislike any song except for probably clumsy, it's such an excellent album it's hard to put them past my top five since it's all so good.
yeah, i love this album. highly highly recommend it, but a few times. it takes a few listens to truly start loving it all. so that's my spiel. ^.^
Haha I don't make much of an effort to stay on top of new music, so I'll just post my top 5 albums because yes, I have less than 10 albums that actually came out this year
Vektor- Terminal Redux. Idk what to say about this, it's really fucking good
Meshuggah- The Violent Sleep of Reason. A lot of gooood tracks on this, such that I'd argue that some of their best work is on here (Clockworks especially), but I still don't like it when they drop the tempo
Anciients- Voice of the Void. This album makes a good first impression, with some great energy and excellent harsh vocals.
Haken- Affinity. This is the album with The Architect on it. Were it not for that I wouldn't like the album much at all, but The Architect is just that fucking good
Gojira- Magma. I was disappointed when it came out. I still am, simply because of where they've been in the past, but the album is starting to grow on me. They're at their best when they're playing heavy, but the quieter songs are becoming less tedious. Pray is easily the best song on the album, that groove is infectious
on a random note, a bunch of bands I like have been either working on new stuff or releasing new stuff that hopefully suggests an album next year. Ne Obliviscaris, Caligula's Horse, Diablo Swing Orchestra, Karnivool(?), that's about it off the top of my head. Also there's Tool, who were giving the impression that there's some small level of activity but really to expect anything from them is setting yourself up for disappointment
Vektor- Terminal Redux. Idk what to say about this, it's really fucking good
Meshuggah- The Violent Sleep of Reason. A lot of gooood tracks on this, such that I'd argue that some of their best work is on here (Clockworks especially), but I still don't like it when they drop the tempo
Anciients- Voice of the Void. This album makes a good first impression, with some great energy and excellent harsh vocals.
Haken- Affinity. This is the album with The Architect on it. Were it not for that I wouldn't like the album much at all, but The Architect is just that fucking good
Gojira- Magma. I was disappointed when it came out. I still am, simply because of where they've been in the past, but the album is starting to grow on me. They're at their best when they're playing heavy, but the quieter songs are becoming less tedious. Pray is easily the best song on the album, that groove is infectious
on a random note, a bunch of bands I like have been either working on new stuff or releasing new stuff that hopefully suggests an album next year. Ne Obliviscaris, Caligula's Horse, Diablo Swing Orchestra, Karnivool(?), that's about it off the top of my head. Also there's Tool, who were giving the impression that there's some small level of activity but really to expect anything from them is setting yourself up for disappointment
Run the Jewels 3 got released early. Official run the jewels website seems down, so I'll link the youtube playlist.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_rR2s4GqBlaK54uEN2WenZZ2n_XnBevs
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_rR2s4GqBlaK54uEN2WenZZ2n_XnBevs
EDIT: woke up this morning and the official site with the free download seems live again. Merry Christmas everyone! https://runthejewels.com/
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_rR2s4GqBlaK54uEN2WenZZ2n_XnBevs
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_rR2s4GqBlaK54uEN2WenZZ2n_XnBevs
EDIT: woke up this morning and the official site with the free download seems live again. Merry Christmas everyone! https://runthejewels.com/
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top10s are always fun
In no specific order of the things i listened most this year:
frank ocean - blond: I don't think I must explain why, really, everything has already been said
a tribe called quest - We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service: always good to see legends back :]
the body - no one deserves happiness: i'm much in this album mood recently
conan - revengeance: i'm a bit sad they sped up, but it was not disapointing. one of the few metal releases i could actually stand
não ao futebol moderno - vida que segue: brazilian emo band. very promising, one of the albums i listened the most this year
childish gambino - awaken, my love: it got me to a kind of song i am not used to, so it's neat enough to be here.
elza soares - a mulher do fim do mundo: it was released outside brazil just this year. elza is one of the strongest females artists i know.
Giant Gutters from outer space - set adrift: avant-garde brazilian group. they've released like three or four eps this years. they're here because i like to see them as a sole, great album.
ty segall - emotional mugger: simple yet strong :}
ka - honor killed the samurai: i would keep an eye on him for the next years, i feel like he have a lot of potencial to grow even more o:
In no specific order of the things i listened most this year:
frank ocean - blond: I don't think I must explain why, really, everything has already been said
a tribe called quest - We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service: always good to see legends back :]
the body - no one deserves happiness: i'm much in this album mood recently
conan - revengeance: i'm a bit sad they sped up, but it was not disapointing. one of the few metal releases i could actually stand
não ao futebol moderno - vida que segue: brazilian emo band. very promising, one of the albums i listened the most this year
childish gambino - awaken, my love: it got me to a kind of song i am not used to, so it's neat enough to be here.
elza soares - a mulher do fim do mundo: it was released outside brazil just this year. elza is one of the strongest females artists i know.
Giant Gutters from outer space - set adrift: avant-garde brazilian group. they've released like three or four eps this years. they're here because i like to see them as a sole, great album.
ty segall - emotional mugger: simple yet strong :}
ka - honor killed the samurai: i would keep an eye on him for the next years, i feel like he have a lot of potencial to grow even more o:
wordo. still a couple things i wanna get some more listens in to be sure on, but by this point i'd say i'm more-or-less sorted in terms of my top 10. s.o to wormrot for holding to the #10 for a hot minute, new tribe for bumping it but sticking to #11 (still think it's fantastic, just not as good for me as most I guess). here is my full list, feel free to get upset at me for how low i put mariner and other things i don't feel bad for not enjoying.
10. Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Denial: i was pretty resistant to this record at first; i'm all for some good slacker rock type content, but so much of the current content just absolutely fails to connect with me, and as a result i tend to just curl up in a corner w/my pavement and fuck off. however, the sticky melodies they manage to pull together with very relatable, plainly delivered anecdotes managed to catch hold of me, and as the year progressed i just found myself going back to it over and over.
9. Xiu Xiu - Plays the Music of Twin Peaks: xiu xiu covers are just bonkers generally, i think. this was kinda a perfect match tho, with xiu xiu's unique brand of misanthropic, eery performance bringing out new intrigue to the already engaging music of the show. a very somber, pensive record, one that warrants sitting back and just taking things in.
8. Swans - The Glowing Man: tbk sent me on a journey in 2014, and while i don't feel i can say the same of this record, it is fantastic nonetheless. the entirety of it plays like a grand, flowing entity, trudging along in this ambient state until these momentous post-rock / neofolk blasts boil up from the ether. i'd call this swans' most accessible record in this iteration, allowing them to gently fall back until they resurface in whatever shape or forme gira chooses to take them in, should he choose to at all. regardless a beautiful record, textured beyond belief and brimming with intrigue.
7. Coldworld - Autumn: like with the glowing man, i feel this is not quite as good as coldworld's prior album, but i find it stellar all the same (thus being here). i kinda figure this to be the sort of balance that these modern blackgaze acts are or should be aspiring to, as the balance set with this release is perfect imo, managing to be throughly beefy and engaging while simultaneously holding on as one of the most inviting and warm releases of the year. most ambitious and beautiful atmoblack record i've heard in a minute.
6. The Drones - Feelin Kinda Free: i adore so much about this release. everything from the pulsing, shrill tones of the guitars to the manic, paranoid lyrics are so up my alley in terms of rock releases. Beyond prompting me to start reading into the bands' back catalogue, the sharp political charge it took really struck a chord w/me and prompted some digging. Compared to their previous effort, their anger is much less direct, which allows them to explore some new and engaging compositions. really great, bluesy art rock.
5. Danny Brown - Atrocity Exhibition: So happy this panned out as it did for Danny; taking this on w/the warp label seems like the best move they could've made here, as the wild, left-field production accentuates the kind of mood the lyrics convey to a t. the way it runs with the ideas set up by xxx (and old to a lesser extent) makes for such an engaging listen back to front, and I hope this establishes itself as a cornerstone of industrial rap cuz it should.
4. Ulcerate - Shrines of Paralysis: probably their best since eif, imo. the essence of brutality, a trve tour de force. while they aren't really known for any kinda pomp n circumstance w/their music, i think the few times they let a build play in goes over amazingly here, especially on tracks like there are no saviours, where they exhibit the best drummer in the game in full. as i said when this dropped, i feel as tho their sludge influences are utilized best on this record, and results in loads of really memorable and diverse passages over the course of the record.
3. Death Grips - Bottomless Pit: it's pretty nuts to me that these guys continue to release material that pushes the envelope in such a interesting, and in cases like this plainly catchy, ways. sonically i would say this record is most closely tied to the money store, honing in on sticky hooks and driving production, but pull from more somber delivery a la niggas on the moon as well, making for a product that's a little harder to pin down. not their best, but really, really strong regardless
2. David Bowie - Blackstar: truthfully, i don't feel i was too familiar w/bowie's catalogue earlier this year. there was ziggy ofc, plus a slew of singles, but for one reason or another i only got on it around this spring on. not necessary to the enjoyment of this record, but i found the context gave me more to hang on with this, as it brought more weight to the themes of everything here. compositionally, i feel the experiments bowie takes are ones that only someone in his unique position would've been able to pull off, and he does so in such an incredible fashion i can't help but respect the fuck outta it. sonically this is super in my lane, between the propulsive jazz performances and slathered mysticism of it all. i can't in good conscious think of a better swan song for bowie, and am so grateful it got out.
1. Vektor - Terminal Redux: surprise lol. while im still resilient to calling it a modern classic, i can acknowledge it has the capacity to be, and after a few months of consideration im willing to admit it surpasses black future. the way it builds on the strong foundation set by their previous works with various small sonic experimentations and ties it together with this bizarre, brutal narrative is just so enrapturing and powerful. this record to me represents what thrash has the capacity for, since there's just so little to really dispute about it. best record from a ridic band, aoty, etc
10. Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Denial: i was pretty resistant to this record at first; i'm all for some good slacker rock type content, but so much of the current content just absolutely fails to connect with me, and as a result i tend to just curl up in a corner w/my pavement and fuck off. however, the sticky melodies they manage to pull together with very relatable, plainly delivered anecdotes managed to catch hold of me, and as the year progressed i just found myself going back to it over and over.
9. Xiu Xiu - Plays the Music of Twin Peaks: xiu xiu covers are just bonkers generally, i think. this was kinda a perfect match tho, with xiu xiu's unique brand of misanthropic, eery performance bringing out new intrigue to the already engaging music of the show. a very somber, pensive record, one that warrants sitting back and just taking things in.
8. Swans - The Glowing Man: tbk sent me on a journey in 2014, and while i don't feel i can say the same of this record, it is fantastic nonetheless. the entirety of it plays like a grand, flowing entity, trudging along in this ambient state until these momentous post-rock / neofolk blasts boil up from the ether. i'd call this swans' most accessible record in this iteration, allowing them to gently fall back until they resurface in whatever shape or forme gira chooses to take them in, should he choose to at all. regardless a beautiful record, textured beyond belief and brimming with intrigue.
7. Coldworld - Autumn: like with the glowing man, i feel this is not quite as good as coldworld's prior album, but i find it stellar all the same (thus being here). i kinda figure this to be the sort of balance that these modern blackgaze acts are or should be aspiring to, as the balance set with this release is perfect imo, managing to be throughly beefy and engaging while simultaneously holding on as one of the most inviting and warm releases of the year. most ambitious and beautiful atmoblack record i've heard in a minute.
6. The Drones - Feelin Kinda Free: i adore so much about this release. everything from the pulsing, shrill tones of the guitars to the manic, paranoid lyrics are so up my alley in terms of rock releases. Beyond prompting me to start reading into the bands' back catalogue, the sharp political charge it took really struck a chord w/me and prompted some digging. Compared to their previous effort, their anger is much less direct, which allows them to explore some new and engaging compositions. really great, bluesy art rock.
5. Danny Brown - Atrocity Exhibition: So happy this panned out as it did for Danny; taking this on w/the warp label seems like the best move they could've made here, as the wild, left-field production accentuates the kind of mood the lyrics convey to a t. the way it runs with the ideas set up by xxx (and old to a lesser extent) makes for such an engaging listen back to front, and I hope this establishes itself as a cornerstone of industrial rap cuz it should.
4. Ulcerate - Shrines of Paralysis: probably their best since eif, imo. the essence of brutality, a trve tour de force. while they aren't really known for any kinda pomp n circumstance w/their music, i think the few times they let a build play in goes over amazingly here, especially on tracks like there are no saviours, where they exhibit the best drummer in the game in full. as i said when this dropped, i feel as tho their sludge influences are utilized best on this record, and results in loads of really memorable and diverse passages over the course of the record.
3. Death Grips - Bottomless Pit: it's pretty nuts to me that these guys continue to release material that pushes the envelope in such a interesting, and in cases like this plainly catchy, ways. sonically i would say this record is most closely tied to the money store, honing in on sticky hooks and driving production, but pull from more somber delivery a la niggas on the moon as well, making for a product that's a little harder to pin down. not their best, but really, really strong regardless
2. David Bowie - Blackstar: truthfully, i don't feel i was too familiar w/bowie's catalogue earlier this year. there was ziggy ofc, plus a slew of singles, but for one reason or another i only got on it around this spring on. not necessary to the enjoyment of this record, but i found the context gave me more to hang on with this, as it brought more weight to the themes of everything here. compositionally, i feel the experiments bowie takes are ones that only someone in his unique position would've been able to pull off, and he does so in such an incredible fashion i can't help but respect the fuck outta it. sonically this is super in my lane, between the propulsive jazz performances and slathered mysticism of it all. i can't in good conscious think of a better swan song for bowie, and am so grateful it got out.
1. Vektor - Terminal Redux: surprise lol. while im still resilient to calling it a modern classic, i can acknowledge it has the capacity to be, and after a few months of consideration im willing to admit it surpasses black future. the way it builds on the strong foundation set by their previous works with various small sonic experimentations and ties it together with this bizarre, brutal narrative is just so enrapturing and powerful. this record to me represents what thrash has the capacity for, since there's just so little to really dispute about it. best record from a ridic band, aoty, etc
1. Deathspell Omega - The Synarchy of Molten Bones
2. Crying - Beyond the Fleeting Gales
3. Lycus - Chasms
4. Oranssi Pazuzu - Värähtelijä
5. Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
6. The Dillinger Escape Plan - Dissociation
7. Lorenzo Masotto - Rule and Case
8. Tegan and Sara - Love You to Death
9. Dark Tranquillity - Atoma
10. Yuka Kitamura - Dark Souls III OST
2. Crying - Beyond the Fleeting Gales
3. Lycus - Chasms
4. Oranssi Pazuzu - Värähtelijä
5. Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
6. The Dillinger Escape Plan - Dissociation
7. Lorenzo Masotto - Rule and Case
8. Tegan and Sara - Love You to Death
9. Dark Tranquillity - Atoma
10. Yuka Kitamura - Dark Souls III OST
20: The Dead C - Trouble. The Dead C are a band with a specific style, and they've been doing this style for about 30 years now. Still sounds good. If lo-fi noise rock improv sounds like your thing, check em out.
19: Prairie WWWW - Wu-Hai. These guys are from Taiwan and make some really cool music that blends traditional folk and ritual ambient with post-rock and electronic music, it's honestly like nothing else I know. One of the rare diamonds in the rough one can find on Bandcamp.
18: Even Oxen - Arrayed Above the Seraphim Lights. Another one from Bandcamp, this time a lo-fi indie folk album with Christian themes. Don't particularly care about the religious stuff, but the music's really sweet, and Even Oxen isn't afraid to experiment with noise and the like, it's good stuff.
17: Denzel Curry - Imperial. This might be the sign that trap rap is maturing, because I actually liked a whole album of trap rap! It's not really like any other trap though, Denzel's got his own style, more conscious and angry than most trap rappers I know of, a healthy dose of Southern vibes, the occasional bit of cloud rap, good shit basically. ULT is one of the best songs of the year.
16: Pleasure Model - Kendo Dynamics. This is some really tight outsider house, not reinventing the wheel by any means but it gets me hyped alright.
15: Injury Reserve - Floss. This one wasn't consistent enough to be truly great, but man, when this one hits the spot, it hits it hard. Oh Shit is one of the bigger bangers of the year, S On Ya Chest gives off some great jazzy vibes, and Look Mama I Did It is honestly pretty damn beautiful. Just a really nice mix of hardcore bangers and more conscious hip hop.
14: Swans - The Glowing Man. I have no idea where to put this, honestly. In terms of quality, I feel like it should be higher, but it also feels like a bit of a rehash of old ideas and despite the fact that I really loved it when I listened to it, I didn't feel compelled to return to it. Nonetheless, it's still Swans, so it's good as fuck.
13: LAM - LAM. Piano-based minimalism meets avant-garde jazz, which happens to be a combination I have a weak spot for. The Necks didn't put out a new album last year, but this was a fine substitute. I feel like if I could've given this one more time it'd be higher in the rankings, but alas, it's a recent discovery.
12: Ichiko Aoba - Mahoroboshiya. Ichiko Aoba is a mystery to me. She makes folk tunes that are generally fairly simple and nearly always feature nothing but her voice and an acoustic guitar. Considering the instrumentation is so minimal and I don't really know the lyrics because I can't speak Japanese, by all means I shouldn't find this great, but somehow I do. Her music is the epitome of prettiness and calmness, it's like fucking therapy.
11: Iggy Pop/Tarwater/Alva Noto - Leaves of Grass. I don't know how this came into being, but I'm glad it's here for us to enjoy. Well, an old proto-punk reciting Walt Whitman's poetry over glitchy downtempo music isn't something everyone would enjoy, but I sure as hell did.
10: The Gerogerigegege - Moenai Hai. I could go on for hours about this band, but I won't. Long story short, the frontman became depressed after years of dadaism and depraved on-stage antics and whatnot, started releasing depressing drone music for a bit, then disappeared for about 15 years. Now he returned with a new album, and it's great. It's more depressing drone music of the most minimalist kind and that's good enough, but what you really need to hear is the second track, which is a 15-minute droning noise rock monolith, absolutely crushing.
9: Nails - You Will Never Be One Of Us. Only got around to this like a week ago for some reason so I should give it more time honestly, but damn, I liked this one a lot. Nails can easily count themselves among the greater grind bands like Insect Warfare, Napalm Death, and Gridlink, if you give a toss about extreme metal this one's essential (and it's only 20 minutes or something).
8: Xiu Xiu - Plays the Music of Twin Peaks. Twin Peaks is an amazing show with an amazing soundtrack, and Xiu Xiu really did their best to pay a worthy homage to it. It's a rare case of a "cover album" where the band takes the original material and truly turns it on its head in unique and exciting ways.
7: Fishmans - LONG SEASON '96～7 96.12.26 AKASAKA BLITZ. This live album's biggest fault is that it isn't their best live album, but it's really really good still. It's an album for the fans, no doubt, but every person is a potential Fishmans fan. Please give Long Season a try, chances are you'll love it.
6: Autechre - elseq 1-5. 4 hours of Autechre! It's practically five albums in one and I'd say you might be overdoing it if you're trying to listen to all of it in one go, but even so, Autechre know how to stay interesting and diverse for 4 hours. It's obviously not a good entry point into their music due to its length and due to the fact that Autechre's generally been fairly inaccessible ever since they put out Confield, but the fans should know what to expect (except for the final disc, which channels dub techno rather than the usual IDM affair Autechre is known for) and yeah, it's great.
5: Masami Akita & Eisho Ishibashi - Kouen Kyoudai. Masami Akita AKA Merzbow AKA Meme hasn't been terribly interesting in terms of his solo material for a good while now, but he's still going strong when he collaborates with other artists. Rather than providing his usual ear-splitting harsh noise, here his noise is calmer and takes on more of a supplementary role, adding the necessary texture and intensity to Ishibashi's improvisations on piano. Merz also drums! This record is a must for those who are into experimental music.
4: Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool. Loved this band to bits since I was 14, I don't listen to them as much as I used to but I still love them. This record is nothing like its predecessor (King of Limbs) and quite a bit better. The King of Limbs felt a little too clinical at times, so this return to a more emotionally engaging type of songwriting pleases me, and the chamber pop influences that are all over this are really pleasant as well. Beautiful record.
3: David Bowie - Blackstar. I don't really have to explain this one, if you give half a fuck about music you know about this record and why it's significant. Having explored Bowie's discography more intensively after his death, I'm happy to say this one holds up to his greater works (Heroes and Station to Station are best Bowie albums, fight me). Also, 'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore is best track, don't @ me.
2: Danny Brown - Atrocity Exhibition. This is how I like my hip hop best tbh. Enough of an experimental edge to be easily distinguishable from the masses (in case his peculiar voice didn't differentiate him enough already) but still staying true to what the genre is all about (for an example of something that tries too hard to be left field, see clipping). It's all still recognizable as a Danny Brown record, but the occasional surprises (like the brass samples that dominate Ain't It Funny, the industrial edge to When It Rain, etc) are an extremely welcome change of pace and continue to keep you on your toes.
1: David Thomas Broughton - Crippling Lack. Here's a rare example of a 100-minute album that is 100% worth your time. David Thomas Broughton is one of the most interesting artists in the contemporary folk scene atm, his songs strike a beautiful balance between the familiarity of folk and the more experimental edges that are found within the underground. What I love about his music is that at its core, it's sad bastard folk, but DTB transforms this simple music into sprawling progressive songs that build up and up, it's great. He's far from a one-trick pony too, he continuously reinvents himself on this album, never shying away from a change in instrumentation, oftentimes letting his longer songs drone on so as to create a sense of dreaminess. His vocals might take some getting used to and yes, it is quite a long album (and one that needs to grow on you at that), but trust me, it's one of my most listened albums of 2016, it's incredibly rewarding on the long term.
Tracks that aren't on any of the aforementioned albums but are worth a mention:
That'll be all for now. Keep in mind I have yet to hear a lot of stuff from 2016 (the new ATCQ comes to mind, for example).
19: Prairie WWWW - Wu-Hai. These guys are from Taiwan and make some really cool music that blends traditional folk and ritual ambient with post-rock and electronic music, it's honestly like nothing else I know. One of the rare diamonds in the rough one can find on Bandcamp.
18: Even Oxen - Arrayed Above the Seraphim Lights. Another one from Bandcamp, this time a lo-fi indie folk album with Christian themes. Don't particularly care about the religious stuff, but the music's really sweet, and Even Oxen isn't afraid to experiment with noise and the like, it's good stuff.
17: Denzel Curry - Imperial. This might be the sign that trap rap is maturing, because I actually liked a whole album of trap rap! It's not really like any other trap though, Denzel's got his own style, more conscious and angry than most trap rappers I know of, a healthy dose of Southern vibes, the occasional bit of cloud rap, good shit basically. ULT is one of the best songs of the year.
16: Pleasure Model - Kendo Dynamics. This is some really tight outsider house, not reinventing the wheel by any means but it gets me hyped alright.
15: Injury Reserve - Floss. This one wasn't consistent enough to be truly great, but man, when this one hits the spot, it hits it hard. Oh Shit is one of the bigger bangers of the year, S On Ya Chest gives off some great jazzy vibes, and Look Mama I Did It is honestly pretty damn beautiful. Just a really nice mix of hardcore bangers and more conscious hip hop.
14: Swans - The Glowing Man. I have no idea where to put this, honestly. In terms of quality, I feel like it should be higher, but it also feels like a bit of a rehash of old ideas and despite the fact that I really loved it when I listened to it, I didn't feel compelled to return to it. Nonetheless, it's still Swans, so it's good as fuck.
13: LAM - LAM. Piano-based minimalism meets avant-garde jazz, which happens to be a combination I have a weak spot for. The Necks didn't put out a new album last year, but this was a fine substitute. I feel like if I could've given this one more time it'd be higher in the rankings, but alas, it's a recent discovery.
12: Ichiko Aoba - Mahoroboshiya. Ichiko Aoba is a mystery to me. She makes folk tunes that are generally fairly simple and nearly always feature nothing but her voice and an acoustic guitar. Considering the instrumentation is so minimal and I don't really know the lyrics because I can't speak Japanese, by all means I shouldn't find this great, but somehow I do. Her music is the epitome of prettiness and calmness, it's like fucking therapy.
11: Iggy Pop/Tarwater/Alva Noto - Leaves of Grass. I don't know how this came into being, but I'm glad it's here for us to enjoy. Well, an old proto-punk reciting Walt Whitman's poetry over glitchy downtempo music isn't something everyone would enjoy, but I sure as hell did.
10: The Gerogerigegege - Moenai Hai. I could go on for hours about this band, but I won't. Long story short, the frontman became depressed after years of dadaism and depraved on-stage antics and whatnot, started releasing depressing drone music for a bit, then disappeared for about 15 years. Now he returned with a new album, and it's great. It's more depressing drone music of the most minimalist kind and that's good enough, but what you really need to hear is the second track, which is a 15-minute droning noise rock monolith, absolutely crushing.
9: Nails - You Will Never Be One Of Us. Only got around to this like a week ago for some reason so I should give it more time honestly, but damn, I liked this one a lot. Nails can easily count themselves among the greater grind bands like Insect Warfare, Napalm Death, and Gridlink, if you give a toss about extreme metal this one's essential (and it's only 20 minutes or something).
8: Xiu Xiu - Plays the Music of Twin Peaks. Twin Peaks is an amazing show with an amazing soundtrack, and Xiu Xiu really did their best to pay a worthy homage to it. It's a rare case of a "cover album" where the band takes the original material and truly turns it on its head in unique and exciting ways.
7: Fishmans - LONG SEASON '96～7 96.12.26 AKASAKA BLITZ. This live album's biggest fault is that it isn't their best live album, but it's really really good still. It's an album for the fans, no doubt, but every person is a potential Fishmans fan. Please give Long Season a try, chances are you'll love it.
6: Autechre - elseq 1-5. 4 hours of Autechre! It's practically five albums in one and I'd say you might be overdoing it if you're trying to listen to all of it in one go, but even so, Autechre know how to stay interesting and diverse for 4 hours. It's obviously not a good entry point into their music due to its length and due to the fact that Autechre's generally been fairly inaccessible ever since they put out Confield, but the fans should know what to expect (except for the final disc, which channels dub techno rather than the usual IDM affair Autechre is known for) and yeah, it's great.
5: Masami Akita & Eisho Ishibashi - Kouen Kyoudai. Masami Akita AKA Merzbow AKA Meme hasn't been terribly interesting in terms of his solo material for a good while now, but he's still going strong when he collaborates with other artists. Rather than providing his usual ear-splitting harsh noise, here his noise is calmer and takes on more of a supplementary role, adding the necessary texture and intensity to Ishibashi's improvisations on piano. Merz also drums! This record is a must for those who are into experimental music.
4: Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool. Loved this band to bits since I was 14, I don't listen to them as much as I used to but I still love them. This record is nothing like its predecessor (King of Limbs) and quite a bit better. The King of Limbs felt a little too clinical at times, so this return to a more emotionally engaging type of songwriting pleases me, and the chamber pop influences that are all over this are really pleasant as well. Beautiful record.
3: David Bowie - Blackstar. I don't really have to explain this one, if you give half a fuck about music you know about this record and why it's significant. Having explored Bowie's discography more intensively after his death, I'm happy to say this one holds up to his greater works (Heroes and Station to Station are best Bowie albums, fight me). Also, 'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore is best track, don't @ me.
2: Danny Brown - Atrocity Exhibition. This is how I like my hip hop best tbh. Enough of an experimental edge to be easily distinguishable from the masses (in case his peculiar voice didn't differentiate him enough already) but still staying true to what the genre is all about (for an example of something that tries too hard to be left field, see clipping). It's all still recognizable as a Danny Brown record, but the occasional surprises (like the brass samples that dominate Ain't It Funny, the industrial edge to When It Rain, etc) are an extremely welcome change of pace and continue to keep you on your toes.
1: David Thomas Broughton - Crippling Lack. Here's a rare example of a 100-minute album that is 100% worth your time. David Thomas Broughton is one of the most interesting artists in the contemporary folk scene atm, his songs strike a beautiful balance between the familiarity of folk and the more experimental edges that are found within the underground. What I love about his music is that at its core, it's sad bastard folk, but DTB transforms this simple music into sprawling progressive songs that build up and up, it's great. He's far from a one-trick pony too, he continuously reinvents himself on this album, never shying away from a change in instrumentation, oftentimes letting his longer songs drone on so as to create a sense of dreaminess. His vocals might take some getting used to and yes, it is quite a long album (and one that needs to grow on you at that), but trust me, it's one of my most listened albums of 2016, it's incredibly rewarding on the long term.
Tracks that aren't on any of the aforementioned albums but are worth a mention:
Arca - Sin Rumbo. His EP was almost good enough to be in the top 20, probably the best thing he's put out so far. This track is the main reason for my praise, though: it doesn't sound a lot like his glitchy IDM affairs, more like something that wouldn't sound wrong in a David Lynch movie. It's dark and harrowing, and the vocal performance (who's singing here anyway) is so so so good, you really need to check it out.
Gorguts - Pleiades' Dust. I guess this is cheating since this is basically a one-track EP, but fuck it. It wasn't quite good enough to make my top 20, but I can't just not mention it. I feel like I'd appreciate this more if Colored Sands didn't exist, because that album does this shit way better, but whatever.
Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker. Honestly wasn't feeling his album too much, but this particular track is beautiful. A great way to say farewell, rip.
Death Grips - Giving Bad People Good Ideas. Bottomless Pit was good, but didn't leave enough of a lasting impression on me in the end. This track in particular, however, is completely bonkers. The drums sound like they belong in a fucking death metal track, it's great.
Grouper - Headache. Grouper didn't release an album in 2016, but did come through with a really fucking pretty single. Do listen to this if you like pretty slowcore.
Gorguts - Pleiades' Dust. I guess this is cheating since this is basically a one-track EP, but fuck it. It wasn't quite good enough to make my top 20, but I can't just not mention it. I feel like I'd appreciate this more if Colored Sands didn't exist, because that album does this shit way better, but whatever.
Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker. Honestly wasn't feeling his album too much, but this particular track is beautiful. A great way to say farewell, rip.
Death Grips - Giving Bad People Good Ideas. Bottomless Pit was good, but didn't leave enough of a lasting impression on me in the end. This track in particular, however, is completely bonkers. The drums sound like they belong in a fucking death metal track, it's great.
Grouper - Headache. Grouper didn't release an album in 2016, but did come through with a really fucking pretty single. Do listen to this if you like pretty slowcore.
That'll be all for now. Keep in mind I have yet to hear a lot of stuff from 2016 (the new ATCQ comes to mind, for example).
tashi dorji + tyler damon | both will escape | noise rock / free improv
mark dresser | sedimental you | avant-jazz
elzhi | lead poison | east coast hiphop top 5
okkyung lee + christian marclay | amalgam | free improv top 5
lil yachty | lil boat | trap rap / pop rap
pink freud | pink freud plays autechre | nu-jazz
Super Hi-Fi | Super Hi-Fi Plays Nirvana | dub
Kanye | Life of Pablo | pop rap top 5
Young Thug | Slime Season 3 | trap rap
Oren Ambarchi | Hubris | experimental rock / krautrock top 5
21 Savage | Savage Mode | trap rap aoty
Li Daiguo and Rick Parker | Free World Music | Experimental / Electroacoustic top 5
Peter Evans | Genesis | avant-jazz
mark dresser | sedimental you | avant-jazz
elzhi | lead poison | east coast hiphop top 5
okkyung lee + christian marclay | amalgam | free improv top 5
lil yachty | lil boat | trap rap / pop rap
pink freud | pink freud plays autechre | nu-jazz
Super Hi-Fi | Super Hi-Fi Plays Nirvana | dub
Kanye | Life of Pablo | pop rap top 5
Young Thug | Slime Season 3 | trap rap
Oren Ambarchi | Hubris | experimental rock / krautrock top 5
21 Savage | Savage Mode | trap rap aoty
Li Daiguo and Rick Parker | Free World Music | Experimental / Electroacoustic top 5
Peter Evans | Genesis | avant-jazz