So many in the 2nd Hm set deserved to be in the full list. Erykah, Susanne, Jenny, Miguel.
Janet maybe too but she was in my HM.
Glad you chose Pop for You for your Junglepussy pick a BOP
Shinee, 4minute and f(x) are the 3 groups that I was introduced to when I was getting into Kpop a while ago (I re-got into it this year tho) and I remember LOVING Sherlock. I don't think Odd Eye is their best this year though but it's grown on me.
yessssss I love Susanne Sundfor! Jenny Hval was interesting as well. Autre Ne Veut's album was really underrated tbh. It's better than Anxiety imo. Also, great to see ANV, Kate Boy, Blood Orange, Miley and Earl on the singles list!
I missed some Honorable Mentions. Janet, Miguel, and Ms. Badu released some good stuff this year.
I also see a couple I have been putting off listening to. Bilal, I read Adrian Young produced it and yet I haven't listened , and Four Tet- had no idea he released!
For the songs:
Nice to see Britney! The song kind of felt like classic Britney and shows that she's capable of greatness.
I almost always love Blood Orange and the Future song is nice
20. Holly Herndon - Platform
This is like a super glitchy sound collage, and depending on how you perceive it can come off try hard and pretentious. Holly slices and dices her vocals and then jumbles them all over here and it has almost surgical precision to it. It even gets kinda robotic at times, and it seems the album's theme is about relationships with Technology (Guess she beat Erykah to the punch).
19. John Carpenter - Lost Themes
The genius behind the near perfect Halloween OST came back this year with a great take on what is kinda reminiscent of late 70s Tangerine Dream. It's dark and eerie, and another thing is the cuts are all straight to the point; there's no tracks that went on longer then they had to. Instead of trying to hop on current Electronic trends John made this like it's still the 80s; and it worked.
18. Arca - Mutant
A major step up from Zzzen, It seems Arca drove a lot deeper into focusing on Sound Design. It's also probably Arca's most calculated project but in his case it works for him. The cuts are kinda formless, but it's a good thing here because the execution of all his ideas is amazing.
17. Julia Holter – Have You In My Wilderness
One of the most gorgeous albums of the year, Julia perfected her craft here. Just about everything is a step up from Loud City Song which was pretty great too. Some tracks are in the more conventional pop world and others have obvious Psychedelic & Jazz influences/more Experimental side of things, but it all comes together. A really bright point on this is the songwriting though; she's not very direct and that leaves the songs open to a more various interpretations while still being full of emotion. And sometimes she gives Fiona Apple teas vocally.
16. Marika Hackman – We Slept at Last
This earthy indie folk gem is packed with emotion but not too much. It's sad but not depressing, it's kinda dreamy but doesn't over do it. Her vocal delivery makes it all that much better. Also, she samples cartoon sound effects on here which is the weirdest thing I've ever heard in Indie Folk/Pop. The dark melodies are so perfect; one of the albums this year that really left an impression on me.
Yeah, Julia's album was gorgeous. There are a couple of songs that kinda ruin it for me so it just missed the cut for my list.
Platform was..interesting. I feel like I should go back to it. I never listened to Mutant because I couldn't make it through his first album but maybe I'll give it a shot if you think it's better!
a BOP
Also, great to see ANV, Kate Boy, Blood Orange, Miley and Earl on the singles list!
Like I never paid attention to him before that and its kind of amazing
, and Four Tet- had no idea he released!
