#10. Xiu Xiu - "Falling" Genre: Art Rock, Experimental Rock, Dark Ambient, Ambient Pop Album: Xiu Xiu Plays the Music of Twin Peaks
"Falling" by Julee Cruise, the theme song of Twin Peaks is actually one of my favorite songs of all time. But I wouldn't feel like it's a stretch to say that Xiu Xiu's version is nearly as good. It sounds more rock-influenced, louder, but also darker and sinister (like their best songs). Personally, I love it when artists make song covers that sound so creative and unique.
#10. Beyoncé - 'Lemonade'
Genre: Contemporary R&B, Pop, Pop Rap, Alternative R&B, Pop Soul
Label: Parkwood || Country: USA
We all knew that it would be hard to Beyoncé’s iconic, legendary self-titled album. But she didn’t give up, instead, with her sixth album, ’Lemonade’, she made an accompanying movie which featured all the songs on the album, released via HBO – and immediately surprise-release it. Did she actually top it, though? Well, that’s a bit more hard to explain. One of the best things about the record is that it has a cohesive theme – infidelity. Which, of course, implies that (maaaaybe) Jay Z cheated on her, and of course, created a number of especulations over who was that “Becky with the good hair” (which included everyone from Rachel Roy to Rita Ora). Whether this is the best Beyoncé record or not is entirely up to you – but this seems to be her most ambitious and opinionated record to date, talking about struggling with infidelity as a black woman, her heritage, being scared of what’s going to happen in the future, anger, oppression, some themes that are almost never touched by modern Pop stars as big as her, and that’s part of what makes this record one of the best of the year so far.
Highlights: “Pray You Catch Me”, “Don’t Hurt Yourself” (feat. Jack White), “Sorry”, “6 Inch” (feat. The Weeknd), “Love Drought”, “Freedom” (feat. James Blake), “Freedom” (feat. Kendrick Lamar), “All Night”
You’ll like it if you like: Beyoncé’s S/T, Kendrick Lamar, Lauryn Hill
#09. Danny L Harle feat. Carly Rae Jepsen - "Super Natural" Genre: Electropop, Bubblegum Bass, Dance-Pop, Progressive House, Vocal Trance Album: PC Music Vol. 2
I feel like this is the song that positions PC Music properly inside the pop world. Sure, SOPHIE has had their collaborations with Madonna and Charli XCX, but in terms of accessibility, this is their poppiest song. And it's without a doubt one of their best for that same reason. Also Carly does her thing as great she always does. Also, she slayed in that video! Great to see she has put an use to all the wigs she snatched this past two years!
#09. Xiu Xiu - 'Plays the Music of Twin Peaks'
Genre: Experimental Rock, Drone, Art Rock, Noise Rock, Dark Ambient
Label: Polyvinyl || Country: USA
One of the most intriguing and better things about Twin Peaks was its soundtrack, composed by Angelo Badalamenti, and the score of both seasons, as well as the one from its movie, became extremely influential to electronic, ambient and experimental musicians, as well as to other film scores. Overall, this is not only the best Xiu Xiu album in a decade, but it’s also one of the best works of their career. On the other hand, Xiu Xiu have been for the last decade, sadly, releasing mediocre albums since the release of their 2006 one 'The Air Force’, they haven’t been able to match the greatness of their earlier records, such as 'Fabulous Muscles’ or 'A Promise’ So, this is why I was scared when I first heard that they were going to make a Twin Peaks cover album. But in reality, overall, this is not only the best Xiu Xiu album in a decade, but it’s also one of the best works of their career. It will be interesting to see what they come up with next, but one of the things that worry me now is: will they be able to top this? But I guess I shouldn’t be bothered that much, because they might surprise us again.
My love, I'm sorry I won't have the time to read all of this tonight but I will wall-post you ASAP to talk about the last few updates! Thank you for such a wonderful countdown again this year, I always find them truly such a pleasure to read
#08. Danny Brown - "When It Rain" Genre: Experimental Hip Hop, Glitch Hop, Hardcore Hip Hop, Ghettotech Album: Atrocity Exhibition
...There's just so much going on here. The production is so dense, I love the ringtone-like sounds over the heavy, glitchy footwork/ghettotech-meets-industrial instrumental, and Danny Brown's delivery here is probably one of his most aggressive performances to date. It's like Death Grips... except that this is 1000 times more punk for real. Also the video fits perfectly with the song!
#08. Rihanna - 'ANTI'
Genre: Alternative R&B, Contemporary R&B, Pop Rap, Pop Soul
Label: Westbury Road || Country: Barbados
Rihanna announced the title of her eighth album, ‘ANTI’, back in October, along with its official cover, and after that the hype intensified. Many tweets and even Instagram comments and photos, from collaborators and Rihanna herself, teased its content, its release date, among other things, along with the Rihanna Navy hyping everything up… and certainly, its weird, confusing promotional campaign, the “ANTiDiary”, made everyone feel even more anxious and impatient. But, in January 28th… it happened. That day the regular edition of ‘Anti’ was released for free, on Tidal, and its deluxe edition got a full, proper release the next day. But first, if you were expecting the typical bangers, hit singles or… even pop songs, you came to the wrong place. I must admit I was waiting something different from Rihanna, as in, her own 'E·MO·TION’, but still, this is the first album where Rihanna seems totally passionate and involved in her music (every single song, that isn’t a cover, has her writing credits, something that… for some reason never happened before), and although that it could be maybe a little better, it’s one of the first Rih albums that isn’t a few hit singles + some other filler tracks. And if 2007’s 'Good Girl Gone Bad’ was Rihanna’s first album as a popstar, this is her first as an artist. And I can’t wait to see more of that, hopefully without having to wait 3 years the next time!
Highlights: “Consideration” (feat. SZA), “Kiss It Better”, “Work” (feat. Drake), “Desperado”, “Needed Me”, “Same Ol’ Mistakes”, “Love on the Brain”, “Higher”, “Pose”
You’ll like it if you like: The Weeknd, Frank Ocean, FKA twigs, Beyoncé’s self-titled record.
#07. Ariana Grande - "Into You" Genre: Dance-Pop, Electropop, Synthpop, Contemporary R&B Album: Dangerous Woman
I don't think anybody expected a track like "Into You" from Ariana. I don't exactly know what makes this song so good, but the combination of her excellent vocals, the catchy hook, the (silly but) fun lyrics about love and sex and the bombastic production makes this probably one of the greatest pop songs since "Run Away With Me".
#07. Jessy Lanza - 'Oh No'
Genre: Synthpop, Alternative R&B, UK Bass, Footwork, Electropop, Freestyle
Label: Hyperdub || Country: Canada
Between the release of her first and her second full-length records, she was involved in several projects – in 2014 she was featured in Caribou’s “Second Chance”, from his latest album, 'Our Love’. In 2015, she released a single called “You Never Show Your Love”, which featured DJ Spinn and Taso – two of the biggest Footwork acts from the Teklife collective, and was remixed by the late, iconic DJ Rashad. She was also involved in an EP by “The Galleria” (which was her project featuring Canadian producer Morgan Geist) called 'Calling Card’, and was heavily influenced by 80’s dance-pop subgenre “Freestyle”. A year later she releases her sophomore album, 'Oh No’, also co-produced by Jeremy Greenspan from electronic-pop duo Junior Boys (who earlier this year also released a great record 'Big Black Coat’), which shares many similarities with her debut, but it also has some influences from the genres that were previously mentioned. And 'Oh No’ is not only clearly superior to her debut, but it also feels more mature, varied and textured, and it’s also one of the best Pop records of the year so far – the way this blurs lines between alternative R&B, pop, dance and electronic music makes it so impressive.
Highlights: “V V Violence”, “Never Enough”, “I Talk BB”, “It Means I Love You”, “Vivica”, “Oh No”, “Begins”
You’ll like it if you like: Grimes, Junior Boys, Hot Chip, FKA twigs, Mariah Carey, DJ Rashad
#06. Jenny Hval - "Conceptual Romance" Genre: Art Pop, Ambient Pop, Drone, Dream Pop Album: Blood Bitch
In a way, this is Jenny’s most “pop” track to date – unlike the songs from 'Apocalypse, girl.’ and her previous albums, this has a definite hook and a relatively normal structure. But her lyrics deal with usual themes for her, such as identity, conceptual art, sexuality, and it has a more atmospheric, darker vibe than the previous single from 'Blood Bitch'. And it's also one of her best songs to date too, so there's that.
#06. Danny Brown - 'Atrocity Exhibition'
Genre: Experimental Hip Hop, Hardcore Hip Hop, Industrial Hip Hop, Abstract Hip Hop, Post-Punk
Label: Warp || Country: USA
Despite the fun and charming personality Danny Brown displays in interviews, videos and even some of his features, his own music usually has a darker, more aggressive undertone to it. Still though, I was not expecting him to sign to Warp Records, and I was not expecting him to put out a record like ‘Atrocity Exhibition’, but in some way or another, it was a natural evolution for him. It also makes sense that the title of this record is a reference to one of the songs on Joy Division’s ‘Closer’, since that record was inspired by Ian Curtis’ emotional struggles, and sound-wise it was darker than its predecessor too. The same thing happens on ‘Atrocity Exhibition’, which is a strange move for Brown (outside of the mainstream rap circle), but gives him a position as one of the greatest rappers and artists of this generation.
Highlights: “Downward Spiral”, “Tell Me What I Don’t Know”, “Rolling Stone” (feat. Petite Noir), “Really Doe” (feat. Kendrick Lamar, Earl Sweatshirt & Ab-Soul), “Ain’t It Funny”, “Pneumonia”, “From the Ground” (feat. Kelela), “When it Rain”, “Today”
You’ll like it if you like: Lil Ugly Mane, Earl Sweatshirt, Death Grips, Iceage, Kendrick Lamar, SchoolBoy Q
#05. Radiohead - "Daydreaming" Genre: Art Pop, Ambient Pop, Chamber Pop, Dream Pop Album: A Moon Shaped Pool
“Daydreaming” is kind of the opposite to "Burn the Witch" – as an ambient-pop track and everything, but they do share some similarities, like the usage of strings and electronics, but lyrically is very interesting as well, possibly referring to Yorke’s divorce, after spending 23 years with his wife (literally “half of his life”, as its said backwards at the end of the song), giving it a very personal edge, which is one of the reasons this is now one of my favorite Radiohead songs ever.
#05. Radiohead - 'A Moon Shaped Pool'
Genre: Art Pop, Art Rock, Chamber Pop, Ambient Pop, Electronic
Label: XL || Country: UK
One of the bands that have evolved the most throughout time is, without a doubt, Radiohead. Last Christmas, the band released a brand new track, “Spectre”, which was initially intended to be the theme for the latest James Bond film, but they, for whatever reason, preferred to have Sam Smith over them, and it had a more organic, minimal, orchestral vibe to it. And their ninth album,’A Moon Shaped Pool’, is, in a way or another, an extension of that sound and aesthetic, but there are many, varied results from this, and they fully lose the experimental-electronic sound from their previous record – but rather use it in different ways. As a whole, 'A Moon Shaped Pool’ recalls some of the best moments from their career up to this point, and execute them in a wonderful way. But nevermind that, it is exciting and amazing to see a band like Radiohead constantly changing – trying different sounds, different things, both lyrically and sonically – and make this record, not only one of the best of the year, but also one of their best ever in their discography.
Highlights: “Burn the Witch”, “Daydreaming”, “Ful Stop”, “Identikit”, “Present Tense”, “Tinker Tailor Soldier Sailor Rich Man Poor Man Beggar Man Thief”, “True Love Waits”
You’ll like it if you like: Sigur Rós, Björk, Kate Bush, David Bowie’s 'Low’
#04. Solange - "Cranes in the Sky" Genre: Neo-Soul, Sophisti-Pop, Art Pop, Alternative R&B, Psychedelic Soul Album: A Seat at the Table
“Cranes in the Sky” was written about eight years ago with soul icon Raphael Saadiq, it’s a slow, dreamy song that mentions all the ways she tried to get over her depression – by drinking, reading, having sex, dancing, none of which were successful. This song is gorgeous, probably one of my favorites of hers ever and without a doubt one of the best singles of the year.
With a very rich concept, about the relation between women and blood, and besides the obvious link of it, menstruation (which is a theme found in a couple of tracks), but also vampires, their portrayal as women in horror films and violence. And, indeed, it is her best record. In some kind of way, this reminds me of last year’s Oneohtrix Point Never’s ‘Garden of Delete’, in the way that it approaches themes of growth and maturity – in a very grotesque, violent and physical way, and also because this is both her most accessible and her most experimental work yet. It’s also possible to notice that, while her music is still very descriptive and graphic when it comes to gory, disturbing and uncomfortable situations, the lyrics on the album tend to be a little less… explicit, I guess. I mean, you don’t really hear her talking about “smoke rings from her pussy” or “soft dick rock” – which is not a bad or a good thing, but an interesting thing point out regardless. But what matters here is that Jenny created a strong body of work that is completely unique and I’m sure that will be influential for many up-and-coming experimental-pop musicians.
Highlights: “Ritual Awakening”, “Female Vampire”, “Conceptual Romance”, “The Great Undressing”, “Period Piece”, “The Plague”
You’ll like it if you like: Laurie Anderson, Julia Holter, Björk, The Knife’s ‘Shaking the Habitual’, Prurient, Holly Herndon
Bey scalped with that one
A great album that was well worth the wait
