For 2017’s year end list, I did something a little different. Most obviously, I scrapped the EP’s list and made one giant albums list instead of breaking it into 5 parts. I also created a playlist of songs from this list to check out, available at the bottom of the page, and you can find links to listen to each album after their respective descriptions.
However, you may also notice something unusual with the writing. Faced with the daunting task of writing 100 albums blurbs with precious little time, I decided I needed to give myself some structure to trick myself into making this task seem doable. I gave myself a limit of 3 sentences per album, challenging myself to fit everything I needed to say into that restriction. I hedged a bit by using more run-ons than I normally would, but by treating this like a writing exercise, I was able to break my writer’s block and learn more about my own writing. So feel free to laugh along as we get towards the end, as I do everything in power to fit what my passion into an all too tiny limit.
Regardless, thank you for reading, and I hope you’ve enjoyed 2017 in music as much as I have.
100. Japanese Breakfast — Soft Sounds From Another Planet
Soft Sounds From Another Planet represents a nice step up Japanese Breakfast’s debut. Psychopomp felt a little too by the numbers for me, but its follow up sees Michelle Zauner more willing to deviate from dream pop’s tried and true formula. This is a nicely atmospheric record with draws just enough from indie rock, shoegaze, and modern pop to keep things interesting. Spotify
99. Impure Wilhelmina — Radiation
Impure Wilhelmina is what would happen if a post-hardcore band listened to a lot of sludge metal and The Smiths. Turns out the result has something in common with Katatonia and similarly depressing hard rock groups, but the emphasis on post-punk really makes Radiation stand out. It’s one of those mostly non-metal albums that’s main audience is metal fans, but it’s also a damn good one that should be checked out by post-punk fans with a tolerance for heavier material. Spotify
98. Hannah Peel — Mary Casio: Journey to Cassiopeia
Mary Casio is a pleasant record at its worst and downright gorgeous one at its best. It’s essentially a mix between synth-heavy progressive electronics and brass band, which turns out to be a very intriguing combination. Parts of it can feel a little empty, but there are moments of sheer beauty and imagination that more than make up for the less interesting ones. Spotify
97. Nagrobki — Granit
Polish punk bands seem to love their brass instruments, and Nagrobki is no exception. Granit could easily have been a pretty standard garage rock album, but brass instruments, electronics, and heavy feedback are used well to break up the monotony. It’s sometimes crazy and fun, but often dark and deliberate in a way that feels unusual for other Polish punk derivatives I’ve heard. Bandcamp Spotify
96. Japan Blues — Sells His Record Collection
Japan Blues is the project of Howard Williams, host of NST’s “Japan Blues” radio show, and much of Sells His Record Collection has the feel of a truncated radio show. Yes, there are samples (as well as field recordings) being mixed to create a new composition, but this record often just moves from one intriguing Japanese music sample to the next. That actually works pretty well, creating what comes across as an expertly curated trip across Japanese film and folk music. Bandcamp
95. Unleash the Archers — Apex
Apex feels like a breakthrough for Unleash the Archers, a band that I honestly had written off prior to hearing this. There’s nothing I would classify as “high art” here, but just pure heavy metal cheese at its finest. It’s a fun, epic sounding combination of power metal, melodeath, and traditional heavy metal, and it’s hard not to recommend to anyone without an appreciation for that sort of thing. Spotify
94. Tzusing — 東方不敗
Tzusing’s EPs have put him at the top of my list of industrial techno producers, and he proves on his full length debut that his style can work across a whole album. 東方不敗 is a fusion of industrial techno and Chinese folk music, and it alternatives between incredibly fun bangers and eerie headphone music. Not every song here reaches the heights of his A Name of Out Place EPs, but there are number of great tracks that cement Tzusing as a producer to watch. Bandcamp Spotify
93. The Bug vs. Earth — Concrete Desert
I had no idea what a collaboration between a drone legend and a grime producer would sound like, but apparently it’s some even slower moving drone than usual Earth. It’s interesting to hear the split between tracks that are more focused on Dylan Carlson’s guitar and the ones that have The Bug providing more of a beat than just a noise backdrop, with creating a trance like quality. I honestly could have done with a decent portion of its massive 90 minute run time shortened. but this is a solid release and still different enough from a typical Earth record to stand on its own. Bandcamp Spotify
92. Bent Knee — Land Animal
Even though their sound is a lot prettier and more atmospheric, Bent Knee might be the most dynamic rock band I’ve heard since System of a Down. Land Animal is filled with style shifts that appear out of completely nowhere, yet somehow keep the momentum of the tracks going. Courtney Swain’s vocals are a clear highlight, as she gives an excellent performance that is just strange enough to work over such constantly changing instrumentals. Spotify
91. Vince Staples — Big Fish Theory
In a surprise twist, Vince Staples’ second album sees him rapping entirely over EDM and house beats. And while I don’t love every song on Big Fish Theory, the songs here that work are spectacular and some of the biggest bangers I’ve heard all year. Vince’s rapping style is still darker less energetic than you would expect from an electronic-heavy hip-hop album, so even when it falters Big Fish Theory is at least an interesting experience. Spotify
90. Enslaved — E
Enslaved have remained relevant in the metal scene for nearly the entirety of their 25 year career by constantly evolving their sound. What started as a viking metal pioneer soon morphed into black metal and more recently into a full on progressive metal leader. E sees the band lessening some of their heaviest aspects (although certainly not completely removing) in favor of a more atmospheric and melodic approach that keeps their sound feeling fresh. Spotify
89. Alfa Mist — Antiphon
Antiphon comes across as a proper jazz album for fans of Nujabes and lo-fi hip-hop, and that’s not a bad thing at all. Alfa Mist is primarily a pianist, but plays a number of instruments (including rapping at one point) throughout the album. It all feels like a very personal project, and there’s a certain somber yet hopeful tone here that is striking in many Nujabes songs, but I don’t often find in jazz itself. Bandcamp Spotify
88. Clap! Clap! — A Thousand Skies
I have mixed feelings on Clap! Clap! as an artist, as I do with most white producers who base their careers off of sampling African music. However, from a musical standpoint, A Thousand Skies greatly expands upon the ideas from his first album and creates a compelling mix of Western electronic and African folk music. It works because it’s never just one plus the other, but instead an evolving composition of different styles, and it comes together to create an atmospheric and often very beautiful sounding record that I couldn’t ignore. Bandcamp Spotify
87. Rapsody — Laila’s Wisdom
Rapsody came into this album with some much deserved hype after her verse on Kendrick Lamar’s “Complexion,” and she shows why on Laila’s Wisdom. She’s always had the flow and lyrical ability to contend with the best in hip-hop today, but this is the first project where Rapsody’s songwriting ability really shows through. Many of the songs here feel immediate and important, especially in its first half, and it’s aided by a number of strong features. Spotify
86. Dynfari — The Four Doors of the Mind
Creating an atmospheric black metal album centered around the “four doors of the mind” (apparently sleep, forgetfulness, madness, and death) isn’t an idea I would necessarily call “good,” but Dynfari go far enough to make it work here. The Four Doors of the Mind blends black metal with post-rock and some really gorgeous accoustic music, but the compositions make sense around the themes each “door” is attempting to convey. This actually works quite well and makes for a pretty dynamic take on a genre that was sorely lacking in originality in 2017. Bandcamp Spotify
85. Exquirla — Para quienes aún viven
Exquirla is a new project featuring three members of post-rock band Tounda and flamenco vocalist Niño de Elche, and their debut shows there is still very much some life left in the post-rock genre. It doesn’t avoid all of the pitfalls of the genre, but it’s structured differently enough to accommodate a vocalist and adds in some light Spanish folk influences as well. If you’re absolutely sick of groups like Explosions in the Sky and Mono, I’m not sure Exquirla will do enough to convince you, but this is a heavier, more original attempt that is certainly more interesting than what anyone else in that style is putting out right now. Spotify
84. Benighted — Necrobreed
Necrobreed is a really dumb album by a band that clearly doesn’t take themselves seriously. It’s also as brutal and crazy as death metal gets, and the fact that this band does it with a juvenile sense of humor makes it all the more fun. Necrobreed isn’t necessarily new territory for Benighted, as its still very much the same death metal and grindcore combination that has been found on past albums, with weird samples thrown in for good measure, but it’s still consistently enjoyable and no one else is doing death metal quite like these guys. Bandcamp Spotify
83. Ondatrópica — Baile Bucanero
Ondatrópica’s sophemore album is a fun and interesting fusion of different “world” music styles. Hailing from Colombia, Ondatrópica certainty has plenty of Colombian folk music in its sound, but Latin jazz, reggae, dub, Calypso, and more pop up throughout Baile Bucanero as well. It’s maybe a little long as a full listen and not quite as strong as the group’s debut, but there’s a lot of fun to had here and no two tracks sound alike. Bandcamp Spotify
82. Rainforest Spiritual Enslavement — Ambient Black Magic
Dominick Fernow may be best known for his Prurient moniker, but his work as “Rainforst Spiritual Enslavement” impressed me this year. Ambient Black Magic is essentially an ambient album that creates the feeling of being trapped in a jungle. It’s full of tension and nails that feeling of something lurking behind you, while also making great use of the sound of rain. Spotify
81. Cormorant — Diaspora
Few bands can survive their frontman leaving after their breakthrough album, but Cormorant have done exactly that with Diaspora. It may not reach the same heights as their masterful Dwellings, the last album they released with original vocalist and songwriter Arthur von Nagel, but it’s still a very good album that feels like the natural evolution of where bands like Opeth and Disillution left more extreme progressive metal last decade. I wish it had more of the quieter sections that made Dwellings so fantastic, but in its place Cormorant have done a remarkable job of making prog-infused black metal varied and engaging over the course of 10-20 minute songs. Bandcamp Spotify
80. The Necks — Unfold
Minimalist free jazz group The Necks break their streak of one song albums with a whopping four tracks on Unfold. Gone is much of the drone from 2015’s Vertigo, and in its place is a larger emphasis on piano and drums. The compositions are still intentionally repetitive to an almost hypnotic level, despite their shorter (around 20 minutes each) length, but a good number of surprising instruments and noises are thrown into the loops to keep each track engaging throughout. Spotify
79. The Horrors — V
The fifth album from The Horrors is very much rooted in 80s alternative music, but it still manages to sound fresh and different. There’s a hard, almost industrial, edge at times to the psychedelic post-punk of V, and it exists in that always strange area of being both dark and danceable at the same time. Considering the heavy doses of Depeche Mode and Joy Division on here, I’d say that’s exactly where they want to be. Spotify
78. Ingurgitating Oblivion — Vision Wallows in Symphonies of Light
Ingurgitating Oblivion have an unusual take on technical death metal, and for the most part, it works well on Vision Walls in Symphonies of Light. This is a raw and often dark album, with complex songs that that range from 7 to 23 minutes long, occasionally featuring long sections that sound straight out of an experimental dark ambient project. The production is certainly lo-fi, but it fits the the raw and brooding atmosphere of the music and provides a nice contrast to the technicality it surrounds. Bandcamp Spotify
77. Guerilla Toss — GT Ultra
GT Ultra is the shortest album on this list at under 30 minutes, but it makes the most of its short run time. This is fun, catchy psychedelic pop record that is full of energy and is constantly changing its sound into something new and interesting. It’s the kind of album that packs so much unconventional stuff into such an accessible package that it’s somewhat deceptive as to how weird it actually is. Bandcamp Spotify
76. Grizzly Bear — Painted Ruins
While Painted Ruins doesn’t reach the heights of Yellow House or Veckatimest, it’s great to have Grizzly Bear back. Even on an album takes less chances than their past work, the band’s fusion of contemporary indie rock with psychedelia, folk, and pop music is consistently creative and far more complex than what it initially appears to be. The songs build well off each other, and while it doesn’t have some of the instantly memorable gems like their past records, it works exceptionally well as a whole album. Spotify
75. Aris Kindt — Swann and Odette
This is a beautiful ambient album from Aris Kindt that routinely creates striking textures. It sounds very simple on the surface, but there’s quite a bit of subtlety hidden within the synths and bits of noise. Much of Swann and Odette can lull you in with atmosphere and repetition, only to build to brass instruments and more experimental sounds layered under the main drone. Bandcamp Spotify
74. Billy Woods — Known Unknowns
No one raps like Billy Woods, whose penchant for stringing witty non sequiturs together in often profound ways is unmatched in hip-hop. He’s 100% on point on Known Unknowns, which has some of his strongest rapping to date, and legendary underground producer Blockhead takes a more experimental approach with his production here. Repetitive and often unnecessary choruses bring it down somewhat, but this is still another strong album from someone who has quietly become one of underground hip-hop’s most consistent artists. Bandcamp Spotify
73. Ayreon — The Source
Arjen Luccasen is the master of cheesy progressive metal, and while I’ve come to accept that he’s never going to make another The Human Equation, he’s made another very good album here. The Source, like other Ayreon albums, is a sci-fi concept album that features guest vocalists from a who’s who of power and prog metal singers. The vocalists all give great performances, but it’s still the little touches, such as Wagner-esque motifs for the different characters, connections to past Ayreon albums, and general musical diversity, that make Ayreon the standard in progressive metal operas. Spotify
72. Myrkur — Mareridt
Danish one woman black metal/dream pop/folk project Myrkur goes in a softer direction on Mareridt with, an abysmal closing track aside, mostly great results. Mareridt is primarily a dark folk album with black metal influences here and there and a ton of atmosphere. This format removes a lot of the jank from past Myrkur projects, and while I admittedly kind of liked how raw and unprofessional sounding parts of her past releases were, this is a much better format for Amalie Bruun to show off her skills as both a vocalist and songwriter. Bandcamp Spotify
71. Idles — Brutalism
Albums I would classify as pure “punk” are few and far between these days, but Idles have delivered a debut that is just that. Brutalistm takes elements from different years and decades of punk music, including classic punk, hardcore, and noise rock, with urgent lyrics that routinely take a sarcastic tone. This is a a promising debut and a great, bombastic bit of punk rock in its own right. Spotify
70. Saagara — 2
Saagara is a project led by Polish clarinetist Wacław Zimpel, and its fusion of free jazz with Indian folk music is a pretty radical departure from Zimpel’s solo material. Usually known as a minimalist player, Zimpel opts for a more aggressive pace on this record, as it moves more like a folk album with a heavy dose of jazz instruments and rhythms. However, there are clearly still minimalist qualities to be found here, and it ends up as both the most compelling album I’ve heard from Zimpel and another strong release from the excellent Instant Classic records. Bandcamp Youtube
69. Caligula’s Horse — In Contact
Caligula’s Horse has been releasing consistently solid material since their debut in 2011, but In Contact feels like a breakthrough for the Australian progressive metal band. This is an epic sounding album that often hides how heavy it actually is through beautiful textures and incredibly melodic vocals. In that way it feels like a more technical evolution of the work groups like Haken and Leprous were doing a few years ago, and with the state of modern prog too often reverting to King Crimson worship, building upon a more recent progressive style is certainly welcome. Spotify
68. Omar Souleyman — To Syria, With Love
I wasn’t sure what to make of Omar Souleyman signing to Diplo’s Mad Decent label, other than it just being weird that a dabke (Syrian wedding music) singer is on the same label as Riff Raff, but To Syria, With Love quickly put any worry to rest. For better or worse, this is the same Omar Souleyman as ever, just with cleaner, more electronic style production. This ends up being exactly the right approach, as Souleyman’s sound has always been music to dance to, and it’s never been more fun and danceable than it is here. Spotify
67. Colin Stetson — All This I Do For Glory
All This I Do For Glory doesn’t exactly reinvent the wheel for Colin Stetson, but it’s another collection of gorgeous minimalist tracks from one of modern music’s most extraordinary performers. Stetson still uses circular breathing, among other advanced techniques to play multiple parts of his saxophone at once, with this album once again recorded in a single take without edits. However, what’s more impressive about Stetson is that this way of producing music ends up as interesting, emotive, and often beautiful material, and All This I Do For Glory is no exception. Bandcamp Spotify
66. Bicep — s/t
Bicep’s latest is simply a really solid collection of chill house music. It’s the type of record that is engaging enough to warrant careful listening, while also working purely as chill relaxing beats to throw on the background. It’s not the most original or amazing album on this list by any means, but there are some tracks on here I ended up coming back to over and over again because it struck exactly the kind of vibe I wanted in my life. Bandcamp Spotify
65. Dälek — Endangered Philosophies
Industrial hip-hop has changed a lot since Dälek’s early day,s so while it was disappointing, it didn’t surprise me that their comeback record last year felt too much like a relic of the 2000s. A year later, they return with Endangered Philosophies, an album with more energy, a clearer sense of purpose, and poignant politically charged lyrics. Dälek have more of an atmospheric vibe and far less dynamism than more recent industrial rap groups like Death Grips and clipping., but that style only adds more focus to MC Dälek’s words, and there’s a tension and sense of uneasiness here is that still unique to the genre. Bandcamp Spotify
64. LCD Soundsystem — American Dream
James Murphy and friends return from their short lived hiatus with a record that feels more lyrically dense and less purely danceable than any in their discography. American Dream recalls 80s alternative rock with some of the modern electronic elements you would expect from LCD Soundsystem, and it works to mostly great results. Nothing on here is as powerful as a track like “All My Friends,” but taken as an entire album, American Dream is both the most personal and political work of Murphy’s career. Spotify
63. SAICOBAB — SAB SE PURANI BAB
SAICOBAB is what would happen if Yoshimi P-We (Boredoms, OOIOO) took her avant-garde brand of punk and applied to it Indian folk music. The result is an appropriately strange mixture of the psychedelic and noise influences typically present in Yoshimi’s music, but used more sparingly over traditional Indian folk rhythms and instruments. These sounds make for an interesting playground to Yoshimi’s one-of-a kind vocals that go from singing to shrieking to the simply indescribable at the drop of a dime. Spotify
62. Pyrrhon — What Passes for Survival
Oddballs of the technical death metal world, Pyrrhon certainly isn’t for every metal fan, but what they try to do on What Passes for Survival honestly shouldn’t work as well as it does. Adding noise rock, a style than is inherently based around texture and is rarely precise, into a technical death metal sound that is very obviously based on technicality, seems like a recipe for disaster. Instead, Pyrrhon have a crafted one of the heaviest, most dynamic and dissonant albums you can find in the death metal genre, and it’s an absolute blast if you can stomach it. Bandcamp Spotify
61. Fleet Foxes — Crack-Up
After an amazing debut and a follow up that changed very little, Fleet Foxes opt for longer and more dynamic songs on Crack-Up. This results in less catchy, instantly memorable tracks like on their self-titled released, but instead has some pretty fantastic shifts in tone, volume, and tension. The most dynamic tracks are breathtaking, and the sheer amount of instruments and tonal shifts here gives Robin Pecknold far more to work with from a songwriting perspective than the Fleet Foxes sound had previously allowed. Spotify
60. William Basinski — A Shadow in Time
The first track of two tracks on A Shadow of Time is a tribute to the late David Bowie, and not only does it bring something new to William Basinki’s tape loop formula, but it’s one of the strongest compositions of his career. It features a saxophone loop paired with the usual tapes, and it recalls Bowie’s album Low in a stunning way that could only come from Basinksi. The second track is relatively fine, but does very little to separate itself from anything else in Basinki’s discography. Bandcamp Spotify
59. Pallbearer — Heartless
While I often associate doom metal with adjectives like “dark,” “depressing,” and “somber,” Pallbearer is a reminder that sometimes it can just sound downright epic. Heartless is an example of slow and heavy music done right, with a shocking amount of catchy moments as well. It’s something different and far more accessible than the typical doom metal sound, and it’s the kind of record that is easy to recommend to both genre purists and fans of groups like Mastodon and Baroness alike. Bandcamp Spotify
58. King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard — Flying Microtonal Banana
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard released a whopping four full length albums in 2017, all with some sort of interesting twist attached to them, and all of surprising decent to high quality. Flying Microtonal Banana was the first and probably the best of the group, as it experiments with using microtuned instruments to play King Gizzard’s brand of psychedelic/garage rock. This somehow works while still managing to keep the band’s sounding far more accessible than similarly experimental groups, and that plus a dose of krautrock makes this feel like an uncovered psychedelic rock relic from 1975. Bandcamp Spotify
57. Sote — Sacred Horror in Design
Sacred Horror in Design is a very different record from Sote, as despite some industrial moments here there, it’s a much less aggressive album than what we’re used to from the Iranian producer. Instead, this is an interesting electoacoustic record with Iranian folk influences, and Sote’s love of noise seems contained to the background. This gives Sacred in Design a kind of a unsettling feel at times, especially in its quietest moments, and makes it both the strongest and by far the most ambitious record he has released to date. Bandcamp Spotify
56. Kelela — Take Me Apart
Kelela has been releasing impressive music through mixtapes and features for a few years now, but she truly deserves to find more mainstream success with her full length debut. Take Me Apart is a catchy, well written, and musically diverse R&B record that has some of the most infectious pop songs I’ve heard in a long time. It’s also just a quality electronic album, purely from a production standpoint, with different styles of EDM and wonky providing the backdrop for Kelala’s vocals, and the music and vocals mesh together perfectly. Spotify
55. Nathan Fake — Providence
Nathan Fake has always been a pretty varied producer, but his first full length album in five years sees the British going in the harshest, most dissonant direction of his career. Noise legend Prurient even shows in one especially heavy track, which has the two alternating between a more sunny synth-based techno and an industrial beat. Even on the rest of the album, Fake is able to maintain an interesting dynamic between angry and jovial, despite a clear digital sound to nearly every part of the record. Bandcamp Spotify
54. Power Trip — Nightmare Logic
Power Trip’s Nigthtmare Logic is a fun and heavy slice of crossover thrash metal that doesn’t overstay its welcome and avoids a lot of the nostalgia traps plaguing other modern thrash bands. That’s not to say that what Power Trips is doing here is especially new, as their sound is clearly rooted in 80s hardcore and metal, but the songwriting here is far less predictable and by-the-numbers than just about any crossover trash album I’ve heard this decade. This makes Nightmare Logic a more engaging and interesting listen for metalheads, but it also makes it accessible enough to appeal to those who may not have nostalgia for D.R.I. Bandcamp Spotify
53. Alan Vega — It
Former Suicide frontman Alan Vega passed away last year, leaving behind a posthumous album that takes an existential look at his impending death and the state of the world. Vega’s vocal style is close to spoken word, as he growls over noisy and repetitive industrial beats and spiraling guitars. There’s a rawness to this where, even in its simplicity, it sounds like Vega is giving every breath he had left to make this record. Spotify
52. The National — Sleep Well Beast
The National are one of the very few bands you can count on to make consistently great indie rock these days, and Sleep Well Beast takes their sound in interesting new directions. It’s softer and more somber on per song basis than their past work, and unlike practically every other indie rock band out there, The National’s addition of electronic elements doesn’t start the party but makes their sound bleaker. Matt Berringer still sounds the same as ever, but his voice lends itself perfectly to the darker, more atmospheric tone of this record, and Sleep Well Beast maintains the strong lyrics and songwriting ability that has made the group so great for the last 15 years. Spotify
51. Ibibio Sound Machine — Uyai
Uyai is simultaneously one of the most original takes on afrobeat I’ve heard in awhile and also one of the most purely fun albums I’ve heard this year. Ibibio Sound Machine have crafted an album of non-stop dance rhythms, with influences stemming from various types of electronic and African music, funk, and alternative rock, among others. There are plenty of surprises along the way, as well a seemingly infinite amount of instruments at their disposal, and Ibibio Sound Machine have more than enough energy and variety to keep the party going through the course of the album. Bandcamp Spotify
50. death’s dynamic shroud — Heavy Black Heart
death’s dynamic shroud may have dropped the “.wmv” from their name, but Heavy Black Heart is still as strange an album as any this vaporwave trio has made. It’s also the first one where their love of K-pop, glitch, and starting and stopping samples at seemingly random times really comes together in a coherent package for longer than a song or two at a time. Something is always happening on this album, and even in the moments where catchy pop or R&B drops at the perfect time, you just know that something weird is about to follow seconds later. Bandcamp Spotify
49. Archspire — Relentless Mutation
Metal may be rooted in classical music, but albums rarely show that as literally as Archspire’s Relentless Mutation does. This is an absolutely brutal technical death metal release that effortlessly adds neoclassical riffs and an ethereal atmosphere into its sonic assault. This album represents a step forward in tech death songwriting, as it’s not only one of the more purely technical albums I’ve heard this year, but it manages to keep its sound varied and surprising throughout. Bandcamp Spotify
48. Machine Girl — …Because Im Young Arrogant and Hate Everything You Stand For
Not only had it been awhile since I had heard a good new digital hardcore album, it had been awhile since I had heard a new digital hardcore album period. Machine Girl’s oddly titled …Because Im Young Arrogant and Hate Everything You Stand For is a bit of a throwback to the late 90s days of Atari Teenage Riot and The Mad Capsule Markets, but with more crisp, modern sounding production and a rawness that is more reminiscent of today’s vaporwave or “internet” electronic albums. It’s often dumb lyrically, but also so aggressive and so good at rapidly mixing different types of heavy samples that it ends up as the best album of it’s kind of I’ve heard that’s been released in the last 15 years. Bandcamp Spotify
47. Protomartyr — Relatives in Descent
Protomartyr’s past work has always felt like a nice reworking of post-punk in a modern context, but in Relatives in Descent is the first of their albums to strike me as something more. This is still very much a post-punk album, albeit a noisier one than past Protomartyr releases, but the lyrics clearly focus on the state of the unease modern world and the music around it certainly matches it. There is an inescapable sense of dread in the atmosphere of this record, and it sounds like the darkest, most political album Nick Cave never made. Bandcamp Spotify
46. Blanck Mass — World Eater
Blanck Mass, the solo moniker of Fuck Button’s John Benjamin Porter, has made a number of tracks I really like, but World Eater is the first time he’s put it all together on a full album. Much of this is odd little IDM and wonky beats that move that are fun and interesting on their own, but always seem to dissolve into some sort of industrial chaos. At no point does this work better than “Rhesus Negative,” which is essentially what Blanck Mass does best trimmed down into an incredible 9 minutes, but the rest of the album has more than enough surprises to keep things interesting through the final track. Bandcamp Spotify
45. tricot — 3
While tricot may not be as noisey as other Japanese female-fronted experimental rock bands like Bleach, Melt-Banana, or Mass of the Fermenting Dregs, there’s a similar oddity to their music that is infectious. For all intents and purposes, 3 is best described as a “math rock” album, but it embraces a similar love of pop vocals as other Japanese experimental rock albums that makes it far more catchy and charming than pretty much anything else I’ve heard with that “math rock” label. Underneath that pop exterior, the instrumentation is varied and technical as you would want from the genre, and as such should easily appeal to both fans of math rock and those who have no interest in overly technical rock whatsoever. Bandcamp Spotify
44. Joey Bada$$ — ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$
Joey Bada$$ moves away from the old school style found on his debut, and despite really liking that album, it ends up being the right move. Joey has something to say on ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$, and the split between a mellow first half and aggressive second provide the perfect canvas for his lyrics on social justice and racially inequality. It may alienate a few people who came to Joey purely for the boom bap throwback, but this is an intelligently written record from a monumentally talented artist, and hip-hop fans should take notice. Spotify
43. The Body & Full of Hell — Ascending a Mountain of Heavy Light
In case the first collaboration between sludge metallers The Body and hardcore/powerviolence band Full of Hell wasn’t chaotic enough for you, they made another one. With Ascending a Mountain of Heavy Light, the two groups mesh even stronger with more adventurous songwriting that allows for even odder and heavier sections. There’s a swirling mix here of overwhelming guitar and drums, power electronics, guttural screams, and a section that sounds like something out one of Merzbow’s recent jazz collaborations, but more than anything, there is just more of what made the first album between these two so interesting and so unbelievably heavy. Bandcamp Spotify
42. Björk — Utopia
Utopia is almost the inverse to Björk’s last album, Vulnicura, as its a glitchy mostly Arca-produced record that replaces the latter’s dark strings with sweet, happier ones. The lyrics are, as you might expect from the title, significantly more hopeful than the breakup detailed in Vulnicura, but there are a few less positive tracks where I question if Björk and I have the same definition of “utopia.” Still, even when the concept doesn’t always hit and the album goes on for maybe a bit too long, Utopia works because of Björk’s splendid vocals and wonderfully creative production that is still unlike what any other artist is making in modern music. Spotify
41. Bargou 08 — Targ
Bargou 08’s Targ is the first officially released project of Tunisian musicians Nidhal Yahyaoui and Sofyann Ben Youssef, who use drums, a variety of wind instruments, and a Moog synthesizer to recreate traditional folk songs of their region. It’s a fascinating record, both as an interesting musical experiment to hear North African folk songs performed with this set of instruments and purely as a document to hear the music of Bargou. Between the synth rhythms and the surprisingly heavy percussion in spots, there’s a lot of groove and fun to be had, but also a clear passion and love of one’s culture that makes this an essential listen for anyone with even a passing interest in “world” music. Bandcamp Spotify
40. Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith — The Kid
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith returns with more her synth-heavy electronic I loved on last year’s Ears. By comparison, The Kid has more of a futuristic sound to it and more heavily utilized Smith’s vocals, but the album’s biggest strength remains the same as its predecessor. Despite being primarily a synth album, Smith does an incredible job of simulating nature, creating the feeling of exploring forests, bodies of water, and space and making an incredibly digital album feel as organic as possible. Bandcamp Spotify
39. Ryuichi Sakamoto — async
Ryuichi Sakamoto’s first non-soundtrack solo album in nearly a decade is very much concerned with texture, both in terms of the crispness of its samples and the motifs those samples represent. async is often a dark album, with plenty of gloomy piano, organ, and synth melodies, but also a very beautiful one that has themes of hope and peace buried beneath its bleakest moments. It’s not the most musically interesting or obviously experimental album Sakamoto has made, but it’s clearly among his most personal and carries an emotional weight that is unrivaled in the legendary producer’s discography. Spotify
38. Zola Jesus — Okovi
After a disappointing detour to electropop with 2014’s Taiga, Zola Jesus returns to her darker roots with an album that blends her brand of darkwave with a little bit of the pop she’s picked up in the mean time. Okovi is a gloomy, atmospheric album of chamber instruments and harsh pecrussion, but it routinely builds to powerful hooks, and Zola Jesus’ passionate and powerful voice is on full display. The slower tracks don’t always reach the same atmosphere as on some of her earlier lo-fi material, but the highlights on this project are among the best of Zola Jesus’ career, and Okovi is as close as she has come to making a front to back great album. Bandcamp Spotify
37. Amenra — Mass VI
To borrow a phrase from MMA fighter Cub Swanson, Amenra’s Mass VI is like “beautiful destruction.” This is a devastating sludge metal record that can at one moment greet you with massive, heavy riffs and pained vocals that sound like the coming of the apocalypse, only to surprise you the next with lush melodies and beautiful spoken word interludes. In many ways, this sounds like the atmospheric sludge version of an emotional screamo record, with how much emotional weight this carries, and its an absolute triumph of modern sludge music. Bandcamp Spotify
36. Maniucha Bikont & Ksawery Wójciński — Oj borom, borom
I admit that I don’t have a vast knowledge of Ukranian folk music, but if there’s more out there like OJ borom, borom I will gladly learn more. The instrumentation, primarily coming from Wójciński’s double bass, is constantly moving and sounds free form, while simultaneously being absolutely beautiful to listen to. The lack of different instruments and Wójciński’s deliberate pace gives Maniucha Bikont’s powerful vocals space to shine, and there are even some extended acapella moments that break the album up nicely. Spotify
35. Laster — Ons vrije fatum
Laster injects some much needed new ideas into atmospheric black metal on Ons vrije fatum. It’s at times very heavy and at times very lo-fi (by today’s standards), but mixes in more melodic and ethereal post-punk in ways that create a different type of atmosphere than anything else I’ve heard in the genre. It’s equal parts Fleurety and Joy Division (OK, maybe more like 70/30), and the result is something weird, tragically beautiful, and wholly original for black metal in 2017. Bandcamp Spotify
34. Iglooghost — Neō Wax Bloom
I’ve been big on Iglooghost’s EPs, so I’m happy to say that his cheery blend of wonky, footwork, hip-hop, and whatever other electronic styles he can fit onto a track absolutely works on a full length album. The tracks on Neō Wax Bloom never seem to stay still for more than a few bars, as the Irish producer is always either adding in something new or completely changing things around. Thankfully what he adds almost always works and never loses sight of the extremely upbeat vibe that the whole project carries with it. Spotify
33. Jun Konagaya — Memento Mori
This bizarre bit of avant-folk and industrial from Japanese composer Jun Konagaya is simple on the surface, but amazing to listen to. The vocals, while technically in Japanese, often sound more like animal noises than anything that could be described as human, and that works with the repetitive, nature-esque feel of Konagaya’s instrumentation. The organ is featured prominently, giving this appropriately titled album a funeral-like atmosphere, as it’s one of the best and strangest meditations on life and death I’ve heard all year. Bandcamp (partial)
32. Perfume Genius — No Shape
No Shape is a pop album at its core, but a deceptively strange one that is hardly ever stays the same for long. Mixed in with the often beautiful ballads of love and relationships are abrasive sounds, quick style changes, an eerie atmosphere, and even one track that reminded me of something off of Colin Stetston and Sarah Neufeld’s Never Were the Way She Was. Even in its most lush moments, there’s an inescapable tension to No Shape, and both the crispness of the instrumentals and the range of Perfume Genius’ vocals only work to strengthen that dichotomy. Spotify
31. Jlin — Black Origami
Jlin’s Black Origimi isn’t a radical departure from her fantastic debut a few years back, but the Indiana producer’s crisp samples, footwork rhythms, and often repetitive vocal snippets still work wonders the second time around. And much like on Dark Energy, it’s fascinating to hear footwork taken this far outside of the dance realm and used in such a thematic way. Each of the tracks have a clear theme that is brought to life by the short, repetitive vocals and precise sampling, and listening to Black Origami feels like listening to a producer tell a story through the medium of electronic music. Bandcamp Spotify
30. Ifriqiyya Electrique — Rûwâhîne
Ifriqiyya Electrique is a collaborative project between French experimental guitarist François R. Cambuzat and a host of Tunisian musicians. Rûwâhîne, the group’s first album, plays with industrial sounds in the context of traditional banga music from the Tunsia region, and it results in an album that sounds darker and more ritualistic than almost anything else that gets classified under the umbrella label of “world” music. The vocals come across almost like chants over the swirling of noisy guitars and heavy percussion that comes from both African instruments and electronics, and it works as part of a larger experimentation on how the truly organic and the truly digital can intersect. Bandcamp Spotify
29. Sampha — Process
One of my favorite things about Sampha’s Process is how his silky smooth voice can feel like its filling the room while still sounding organic and effortless. This is true on the album’s piano ballads, electronic bangers, and the tracks that work as some combination of the two. That quality within its variety helps cement Process as an incredibly impressive debut, as its filled with intriguing compositions that incorporate elements of R&B, soul, and various forms of electronic music, as well beautiful writing and a vocal performance that demands attention. Spotify
28. Circle — Terminal
Finland Circle has been around for 25 years in some form or another, and while I can’t say I’ve kept up on every single album they’ve put out over that time, Terminal feels like a pretty radical shift from where the band was at their onset. This is a much heavier, more dynamic sounding album than what I remember from the group, with vocals that range from operatic singing to full on screaming for long stretches of time, and instrumentation that passes everything from krautrock to Hawkwind-esque space rock to sludge metal. It’s a far wilder ride than I could have ever anticipated, and it’s some of the most fun and interesting psychedelic-inspired rock of recent years. Bandcamp Spotify
27. Ex Eye — s/t
Just the fact that Colin Stetson actually made a black metal album is in an of itself of one my favorite things to happen in music in 2017, but as it turns out, Stetosn’s style of circular breathing saxophone prowess makes for an interesting experiment with a full metal band behind him. Stetson can sometimes get drowned out behind the guitar and drums, even with the saxophone turned up higher in the mix than I’ve ever heard in a metal album, but that can also make for some pretty crazy compositions. The moments where all the instruments come together to simultaneously play over each other are particularly wild, and Stetson has a few quieter solos that are much appreciated as well. Bandcamp Spotify
26. Kendrick Lamar — DAMN
Hip-hop concept albums are difficult to pull off, and DAMN‘s effectiveness in telling a story that can work in different ways depending on whether you listen to it with the original track listing or with reverse track order is legitimately amazing. While I don’t love every song on here, especially some of the disposable pop songs that feel like a stark contrast to the more intricately detailed tracks, this is almost certainly the most ambitious and original album Kendrick Lamar has attempted. Of course, it goes without saying that Kendrick’s rapping is fantastic, and while the beats aren’t as memorable to me as on his last two albums, the 808s, record scratching, and drops from former Big L DJ Kid Capri all fit within DAMN‘s concept. Spotify
25. Lör — In Forgotten Sleep
Progressive metal returned in a big way in 2017, and no where was that more true than with Lör’s outstanding debut record. The Philadelphia band takes elements of progressive metal, power metal, and folk metal on In Forgotten Sleep and combine them in wholly original ways that constantly surprise the listener. Nearly all of the tracks here feel epic and move in ways you might not expect, with style, speed, and melody all building to moments that stand out in ways I haven’t heard from a prog metal album in years. Bandcamp Spotify
24. Chelsea Wolfe — Hiss Spun
Chelsea Wolfe has teased a transition into doom metal on recent albums, but Hiss Spun puts her damn near actually turning into a metal act. The core of the album is more focused around guitar and drums than anything Chelsea has done before, but she still uses electronics as an ancillary piece to create layers of dark and ethereal music, while her voice can alternate between adding yet another brooding layer or acting as a melodic release from the doom. While Hiss Spun isn’t as dynamic as 2015’s Abyss, attempting an album this close to metal and noise territory is commendable, and it works exceptionally well throughout the entirety of the record. Bandcamp Spotify
23. Ninos du Brasil — Vida eterna
Ninos du Brasil have been making interesting music for a few years now, but Vida eterna is the fist album where their sound really comes together across a full length project. This is a tense, atmospheric, and ultimately very fun fusion of industrial techno and Brazilian batucada music, and there’s a surprising amount of variety to be found here. This is an album that simultaneously begs to be danced to, while also acting as a truly original slice of experimental music. Bandcamp Spotify
22. Elder — Reflections of a Floating World
Elder continue to do their thing on the vast majority of Reflection of a Floating World, which is yet another collection of exceptionally written stoner rock/metal epics. Whether it’s heavy sludge riffs, melodic guitar solos, moments of 70s psychedelia, or the full on krautrock of “Sonntag,” this album never does the same thing for too long, and every aspect of its compositions are exceptionally well performed. While Elder is a more of a name in the metal community, and Reflections of a Floating World is certain to be on many end of year metal lists, this is honestly one of the best psychedelic rock albums to come out in a long time as well, and you don’t need to be a fan of modern metal to get something out of it. Bandcamp Spotify
21. Angles 9 — Disappeared Behind the Sun
Angles, the experimental big band brainchild of Swedish saxophonist Martin Küchen, shuffles some members around and winds up a total of 9 this time around on their worthy follow up to 2014’s fantastic Injuries. Disappeared Behind the Sun, like its predecessor, is a challenging free jazz album rooted in social justice with its titles and themes, and presents motifs of war, freedom, love, and loss in its sound. These are complex compositions with a lot going on in each track, but there are powerful stories to be found in the way they progress, as well as a ton of compelling instrumentation throughout. Spotify
20. Damien Dubrovnik — Great Many Arrows
Damien Dubrovnik have always excelled at merging the atmospheric with the apocalyptic, and Great Many Arrows contains some of the group’s harshest and most violent moments juxtaposed with some of their most strikingly beautiful. Just on the first track or “arrow,” piercing screams and an increasingly overpowering drone is played over gorgeous orchestral music, and that dichotomy continues in various forms throughout the course of the album. Despite its softer moments, Great Many Arrows is one of the most intense listening experiences I’ve had this year. and the more I return to its demented world the more fascinated I am by it. Spotify
19. Big K.R.I.T. — 4eva is a Mighty Long Time
Hip-Hop double albums are rarely consistent, but Big K.R.I.T. solves this issue by essentially packaging together two very different albums that are both are excellent in their own right. The first disc of 4eva is a Mighty Long Time is done in K.R.I.T.’s classic Southern style, complete with the kind of features you would expect from an album of its type. The second is more of a slowed-down conscious album, with jazz and gospel beats and R&B features, and both show equally compelling sides of one of modern hip-hop most talented and underrated emcees. Spotify
18. Forest Swords — Compassion
Forest Swords continues to play with his unique blend of ambient and psychedelia on Compassion, his second full length release, and he ends up crafting a worthy follow up to his debut. Song for song, Compassion moves a bit a slower than Engravings, but there’s more of a tribal sound to this record, with harder drums that work in unusual ways with the dub rhythms and psychedelia. However, my favorite aspect of Forest Swords’ production is still his use of small vocal samples to break up certain tracks, especially on the absolutely haunting single “Panic.” Bandcamp Spotify
17. Converge — The Dusk in Us
Now in their 40s, Converge have returned with a musically diverse album that isn’t trying to remake Jane Doe or even Axe to Fall, but one that has replaced songs about unadulterated rage with tracks about the birth of a child and becoming a father. Musically, it accomplishes that by incorporating more sludge sections, different vocal styles, complex time signatures, and a generally slower pace than any other Converge album. The Dusk in Us is still well within the metal/hardcore style that made the band beloved to begin with, but it feels perfectly tuned to the themes of this record. Bandcamp Spotify
16. Slowdive — s/t
It’s been 22 years since influential dream pop/shoegaze band Slowdive have released a full length album, but their self-titled return makes it seem like they never left. The atmosphere of this record is just something else, as it drifts at a slow, airy pace and surrounds the listener with a type of ethereal bliss I haven’t felt in a dream pop or shoegaze album in a long time. There’s little here that is necessary new territory, but it occupies a space that feels long lost from modern alternative music, and it feels absolutely sublime to return. Spotify
15. Endon — Through the Mirror
Endon’s Through the Mirror is not only the single heaviest album I heard in 2017, but it’s easily among the heaviest albums I have heard in my lifetime. This album’s brutal roller coaster ride into a combination of harsh noise, hardcore, heavy metal, and sludge is just incredibly fun to be along for, and coming out unscathed is one of the most satisfying experiences I’ve had with music this year. Every individual part, despite sounding utterly chaotic on its own, somehow end up forming quality pieces of music together, and that makes Through the Mirror‘s few moments of melody and tranquility all the more powerful. Bandcamp Spotify
14. Yves Tumor — Experiencing the Deposit of Faith
Yves Tumor’s Experiencing the Deposit of Faith could best be described as an ambient record, but it routinely delves into experimental sounds, changes up rhythms, and alters its tone in ways far more than what I typically expect from the genre. Each new song brings a different slowed down take on some on combination of samples from psychedelic, industrial, folk, and soul music, among others, and no two songs here sound alike. The disconnect between tracks can make it seem more like a compilation at times (and to be fair, Warp Records has occasionally billed it as such), but it’s hard to complain when the quality is consistently this high, and taken as a whole there simply isn’t another producer right now who is making music quite like this. Download
13. Mount Eerie — A Crow Looked at Me
Before any instrumentation even begins, Phil Elverum starts A Crow Looked at Me by reminding us that “death is real,” and what follows are heartbreaking meditations about the death of his late wife. As you might expect, this isn’t as musically innovative as other Mount Eerie records, but it rightfully puts the focus squarely on Phil’s guitar and vocals, with no choruses or common musical structures. “I don’t want to learn anything,” says Phil, as he focuses most on what he finds in the symbols left behind and delivers a profoundly human look at what it means to lose a loved one. Spotify
12. The Ruins of Beverast — Exuvia
Exuvia is a dark, tribal, and atmospheric doom metal album from multi-instrumentalist Alexander von Meilenwald, and its heavy riffs and hypnotic rhythms are absolutely stunning. Despite moments of melody and even beauty, there is a ritualistic nature to Exuvia that constantly makes it sound like something evil is approaching. It certainly draws influence from the recent wave of atmospheric black metal, but isn’t as musically overbearing as anything from that genre, and that actually works to make it sound even more threatening and certainly more original. Bandcamp
11. Nmesh — Pharma
Not only is Nmesh helping to keep vaprowave a genre worth taking seriously (sometimes), the Kentucky producer’s rapid-fire sampling to create experimental sounds feels like the natural evolution of plunderphonics. Pharma uses this to create a drug-fueled fever dream that alternates between the completely chill and the all out nightmare, with surreal vocal samples present on just about every track. Musically, Nmesh has crafted a record that exists somewhere between the type of sound vaporwave is typically known for and the modern ambiance of groups like 2814, and it makes for both an essential listen for fans of the genre and a great introduction point for those unaware. Bandcamp Spotify
10. Open Mike Eagle — Brick Body Kids Still Daydream
On Brick Body Kids Still Daydream, Open Mike Eagle tells the story of the Robert Taylor homes, as he brilliantly intertwines tales of “ghetto superheros” with the realities of project housing and its demolition and removal. Throughout the album, Mike raps as a child seeing himself as Juggernaut from X-Men to cope with his living conditions, a man who has to “no sell” like a professional wrestler to avoid showing the world his pain, and as the building itself fighting off demolition and institutional racism. This is not only only one of the best and most important albums of the year, but also an achievement in hip-hop storytelling that cements Open Mike Eagle has one of the most crucial voices in hip-hop today. Bandcamp Spotify
9. Algiers — The Underside of Power
Algiers blew me away on the self-titled debut, but their combination of post-punk, gospel, and electronic/industrial feels fully formed on their fantastic follow-up. As the title might suggest, The Underside of Power is political record, and it uses Algiers’ energetic, diverse, and powerful instrumentation to lay the groundwork for its booming gospel vocals that deal very closely with important topics of power in the world today. When you hear a track like “Cleveland,” for example, where the names of deceased victims of police brutality are immortalized in a gospel voice over the band’s aggressive punk guitars and industrial synths, the power of Algiers’ message becomes hard to ignore. Spotify
8. Rosalía — Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles, the debut record from Spanish singer/songwriter Rosalía, is simultaneously an experimental modern flamenco album and a dark, painstakingly beautiful meditation on death (the title means “The Angles,” not the American city). The mostly acoustic guitar-focused instrumentation, entirely by Raül Refree as far as I can tell, routinely plays with volume and tension, and is full of intense, gloomy, and often simply gorgeous melodies that bring out the album’s themes. However, Rosalía’s voice is by far the strongest instrument here, as her massive range, passionate delivery, and her own ability to manipulate tension is what makes this album so beautiful to listen to, and her performance is without a doubt the best vocals I’ve heard on an album in 2017. Spotify
7. Merkabah — Million Miles
Merkabah, a sludge and jazz metal hybird from Poland, is a band I’ve enjoyed since finding their first album in the depths of Bandcamp, but they came into their own on 2014’s Moloch, and have created something special with Million Miles. This no longer feels like a cool experiment, but an actual composition where moments of atmospheric dark jazz will build to heavy sludge, bits of noise, and free jazz. Some parts still sound chaotic, but the way Million Miles moves, even between its heaviest moments, is simply sublime and can make the entire album feel like one long, amazing track. Bandcamp Spotify
6. Richard Dawson — Peasant
Richard Dawson has crafted a wonderfully strange album with Peasant, a record of wild, dissonant compositions that are reminiscent of pre-medeival era folk music, with touches of modern day freak folk. The songs here are among the most constantly changing pieces of folk music imaginable, never allowing the listener to get comfortable with one sound or tone, and always building to some type of odd tension. This blends with lyrics that tell engaging, multi-dimensional stories in unconventional ways, and helps make Peasant the type of album I could found something new in and even more enjoyable in every time I returned to it. Spotify
5. Brockhampton — Saturation Trilogy
The self-proclaimed “best boy band since One Direction” released their first three albums in 2017, and while the first Saturation was an overall solid mix of gems and untapped potential, the final two are individually among the most fun and unique hip-hop albums to come out this year. At their core, Brockhampton are a pop rap group disguised as an experimental hip-hop collective (or vice-versa) that have a production style that sounds like the evolution of Odd Future, only with more of a focus on posse cuts and at times more serious topics (Kevin Abstract’s verse about homophobia and coming out as gay on “Junky,” for example). The hooks are huge, the production is consistently on point for the course of three albums, and each of the six emcess bring their own style of flow and lyrics that mesh well enough together to keep their sound fresh for all of the 3 hours of music they released in 2017. Spotify (Trilogy) Spotify (1) Spotify (2) Spotify (3)
4. Oxbow — Thin Black Duke
It took Oxbow a decade to release Thin Black Duke, but this epic sounding noise rock album with orchestral and jazz instruments was absolutely worth the wait. This is a musically dense record that, despise radical shifts in style and tone, feel perfectly placed together, and is helped by a theatrical vocal performance from Eugene S. Robinson. Not only does Robinson more than keep than keep up with the album’s dynamism, but his delivery sells the album’s story as much the lyrics themselves, and it all helps to create an album that, in terms of recent similar experimental rock, is only rivaled by the best Swans albums of the last decade. Bandcamp Spotify
3. Bell Witch — Mirror Reaper
Mirror Reaper is Bell Witch’s tragic tribute to Adrian Guerra, their former drummer who passed away last year. It’s an epic, nearly 90 minute single track that beautifully uses the weight and atmosphere that comes with doom metal, as it slowly builds to passionately heavy guitars and screams that feel like the world around you is about to collapse. This is a challenging listen, both because of the length and because what it means is so clearly found within every note and word, but through all of its darkness and despair is a type of real beauty that I can only describe as “human.” Bandcamp Spotify
2. Tyler, the Creator — Flower Boy
Odd Future’s former leader finally matures on Flower Boy, an album of shockingly honest lyrics about loneliness, depression, and queerness over largely lush and upbeat production. There’s real depth to be found here, with the dichotomy between loneliness and happiness found in both the words and beats, and Tyler, the Creator’s surprisingly reserved delivery and just slightly off singing (especially compared to smooth features from Frank Ocean and Rex Orange County) bring those emotions to life. This is the album that we’ve waiting for from Tyler, an artist who has always been talented, but has rarely been honest in his music. Spotify
1. Laurel Halo — Dust
I’ve been a fan of both Laurel Halo’s synth pop vocal work and her more elaborate non-vocal records, but Dust feels like the perfect merger and subsequent evolution of everything she has done to this point. This album is full of amazing and unusual textures, routinely merged with infectious rhythms and Halo’s monotone vocals that beautifully fit the album’s mix of the synthetic and the lush. However, the brilliance of Dust is how all of its pieces come together, as its a deceptively dense album with what seems like electronic magic happening in the background at every moment, and yet it’s so easy to just drift away and enjoy the wonder that Laurel Halo has created. Spotify
Honorable Mentions:
Akercocke — Renaissance In Extremis
Bing & Ruth — No Home of the Mind
Boris — Dear
Brother Ali — All the Beauty in This Whole Life
Carbon Based Lifeforms — Derelicts
Clark — Death Peak
Computer Graphics — Lo-Fi
CunninLynguists — Rose Azura Nijano
Dodecahedron — Kwintessens
Dying Fetus — Wrong One to Fuck With
Emel — Ensen
Helge Lien Trio — Guzuguzu
Lorde — Melodrama
METZ — Strange Peace
MIKE — MAY GOD BLESS YOUR HUSTLE
Ne Obliviscaris — Urn
NOÊTA — Beyond Life and Death
Pain of Salvation — In the Passing Light of Day
Path of Might — s/t
Pharmakon — Contact
Priests — Nothing Feels Natural
Renart — Fragments Séquencés
Schnellertollermeier — Rights
The Moon and the Nightspirit — Metonia
Tinariwen — Elwan
Ulver — The Assassination of Julius Caesar
Unsane — Sterilize
Yasmine Hamdan — Al Jamilat
Sounds of the Night 