And here it is, the end of another
year, another year-end list:
Honorable Mention:
Tinariwen
Emmaar
Key track: “Arhegh Danagh”
Marissa Nadler
July
Key track: “Drive”
EMA
The Future's Void
Key track: “3Jane”
Lantlôs
Melting Sun
Key track: “Melting Sun I (Azure Crimes)”
Richard Reed Parry
Music For Heart and Breath
Key track: “Quartet For Heart and Breath”
Pharmakon
Bestial Burden
Key track: “Body Betrays Itself”
Mr Twin Sister
Mr Twin Sister
Key track: “Crime Scene”
Liars
Mess
Key track: “Mess On a Mission”
Pallbearer
Foundations of Burden
Key track: “Ashes”
Various Artists
Hyperdub 10.1
Key track: “Expected”
And the top 50:
50. Perfect Pussy
Say Yes to Love
Key tracks: “Interference Fits”, “Dig”
49. White Lung
Deep Fantasy
Key tracks: “Down It Goes”, “Snake Jaw”
48. Ex Hex
Rips
Key tracks: “Outro”, “Radio On”
47. Lone
Reality Testing
Key tracks: “2 is 8”, “Cutched Under”
46. Arca
Xen
Key tracks: “Thievery”, “Now You Know”
45. Bing and Ruth
45. Bing and Ruth
Tomorrow Was the Golden Age
Key tracks: “Twtga”, “Strange Wind”
44. Owen Pallett
In Conflict
Key tracks: “In Conflict”, “On a Path”
43. Andy Stott
Faith In Strangers
Key tracks: “Violence”, “Faith In Strangers”
42. Azealia Banks
Broke With Expensive Taste
Key tracks: “212”, “Ice Princess”
41. Lykke Li
I Never Learn
Key tracks: “I Follow Rivers”, “I Never Learn”
40. Parquet Courts
Sunbathing Animal
Key tracks: “Instant Disassembly”, “Dear Ramona
39. The Antlers
Familiars
Key tracks: “Palace”, “Hotel”
38. Hundred Waters
The Moon Rang Like a Bell
Key tracks: “Murmurs”, “Down From the Rafters”
37. Ben Frost
A U R O R A
Key tracks: “Venter”, “Flex”
36. Cloud Nothings
Here and Nowhere Else
Key tracks: “Psychic Trauma”, “I’m Not Part of Me”
35. Ty Segall
Manipulator
Key tracks: “The Singer”, “The Faker”
34. Gruff Rhys
American Interior
Key tracks: “American Interior”, “The Swamp”
33. tUnE-yArDs
Nikki Nack
Key tracks: “Water Fountain”, “Time of Dark”
32. Wild Beasts
Present Tense
Key tracks: “Wanderlust”, “Mecca”
31. Ought
More Than Any Other Day
Key tracks: “Habit”, “Pleasant Heart”
30. Clark
Clark
Key tracks: “Unfurla”, “Winter Linn”
29. Steve Gunn
Way Out Weather
Key tracks: “Milly’s Garden”, “Shadow Bros”
28. Shabazz Palaces
Lese Majesty
Few hip-hop artists in recent years have proven to be as sonically
complex and pleasing as Shabazz Palaces. Essentially expanding off of the
blueprint of their outstanding debut Black Up, Lese Majesty
contains a bevy of detailed otherworldly, space-aged sonic collages that, in
and of themselves, represent awfully satisfying listening. Throw Ishmael
Butler’s often mystifying wordplay on top and you have yourself a very worthy
follow-up to an album that’s practically already achieved classic status.
Whether critiquing consumerism or rapping about some obscure mysticism, Butler
isn’t always the easiest MC to follow, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun
trying.
Key tracks: “Motion Sickness”, “They Come In Gold”
27. Thom Yorke
Tomorrow's Modern Boxes
Key tracks: “Guess Again!”, “Nose Grows Some”
26. Sun Kil Moon
Benji
Key tracks: “Carissa”, “Ben’s My Friend”
25. Iceage
Plowing Into the Field of Love
Key tracks: “The Lord’s Favorite”, “Forever”
24. A Sunny Day In Glasgow
Sea When Absent
A Sunny Day in Glasgow had long established their pop smarts even if
they had a knack for obscuring their melodies amidst a gauzy haze. On Sea When Absent, the band shows
what happens when they pull the veil back and put their melodic abilities on
display. Sure, the shoegaze guitars and muddled synths are still here, but they
serve more of a supporting role this time around. As it turns out, taking a new
approach was an inspired decision as songs like “The Things They Do to Me” and
“Bye Bye Big Ocean (The End)” are some of their most rewarding to date.
Key tracks: “Bye Bye Big Ocean (The End)”, “Crushin’”
23. Brian Eno / Karl Hide
High Life
Key tracks: “Lilac”, “Return
22. How to Dress Well
"What Is This Heart?"
Key tracks: “Repeat Pleasure”, “What You Wanted”
21. Future Islands
Singles
Key tracks: “Seasons”, “Spirit”
20. Damon Albarn
Everyday Robots
Key tracks: “Everyday Robots”, “The History of a Cheating Heart”
19. Grouper
Ruins
18. Sharon Van Etten
Are We There
17. Swans
To Be Kind
16. Angel Olsen
Burn Your Fire For No Witness
15. Real Estate
Atlas
14. FKA Twigs
LP1
13. Caribou
Our Love
12. Flying Lotus
You're Dead!
11. Ariel Pink
pom pom
10. Spoon
They Want My Soul
9. Todd Terje
It's Album Time
It finally happened. We finally received that long-awaited full-length
from one of Norway’s most consistent producers. Not only that, but the album
actually met all of the unreasonably high expectations placed upon it. If
singles like “Inspector Norse” and “Strandbar” suggested an album of
party-ready jams, the resulting album was even more adventurous. It’s an
ecstatic, genre blending mix of electro-funk and space disco, but that’s
oversimplifying things. Terje even restlessly manages to slip a little Calypso
in. Considering the album’s generous use of live instruments alongside soaring
analog synths, comparisons to Random Access Memories
were inevitable, but It’s Album Time
is a far more unwieldy affair. It’s an album that proves that those early
singles were no fluke; if anything, they were just a tip of the iceberg.
8. Mac DeMarco
Salad Days
Let’s face it, it’s getting harder and harder to square Mac DeMarco’s
immature behavior — be it endearing or downright disgusting — with the
increasing sincerity of his music. With lines like “Watching
my life pass right in front of my eyes,” Salad Days reaches striking new levels of introspection. Even
musically speaking the album stretches out into territory that’s a bit more
sophisticated, right down to the Beach House-esque chiming synths and stately
lead guitar. Sure, even amid his most contemplative moments, nothing about his
work feels heavy; there’s always a boyish charm lurking beneath the surface
(see the line “What mom don’t know has taken its toll on me”).
He may be opposed to growing up any time soon but he’s certainly growing
artistically.
7. Run the Jewels
RTJ2
Key tracks: “Crown”, “Angel Duster”
6. Beck
Morning Phase
Key tracks: “Blackbird Cage”, “Waking Light”
5. Aphex Twin
Syro
4. Perfume Genius
Too Bright
If Too Bright’s hushed, piano-based
opener “I Decline” didn’t give any indication that major changes were afoot for
Perfume Genius, the album’s strident second track announced them with
bravado. Stirring synths buzzing around a haunting chorus of “oohs,” the
sparse quiet of Perfume Genius’ past was been replaced with something
altogether soaring and fully fleshed out. It stands to reason that the track
harnesses Mike Hadreas’ most confident performance to date. If the album’s
grander scale necessarily removes some of the intimacy we’ve come to expect
from Hadreas, it still retains the melancholy beauty that has always made
Perfume Genius so special.
Key tracks: “Queen”, “Grid”
3. The War on Drugs
Lost in the Dream
“Red Eyes” is as blistering as it is blissed out; like much of their
fantastic 2014 full-length Lost in the Dream,
the song’s waves and washes of ambiance rub up against the electric charge of
the band and the results are dazzling. Sure, the lyrical message put forth by
singer Adam Granduciel is a bit ambiguous, but the urgency of his delivery
conveys the message loud and clear. The song’s description of running in the
dark is the perfect metaphor; this is the sound of a band in need of an escape
route. Utilizing the best tricks Springsteen once had up his sleeve to an often
breathtaking affect, “Red Eyes” is the cinematic result of The War on Drugs
finding that way out through its own joyous craft. 2014 was a turbulent year on
a global scale and with “Red Eyes,” The War on Drugs provided us with our own
escape, if even for just five minutes.
Key tracks: “Red Eyes”, “An Ocean In Between the Waves”
2. St. Vincent
St. Vincent
If each of St. Vincent’s album covers have been largely indicative of
the tone awaiting the listener, the self-assured, silver haired Clark sitting
on her thrown donning St. Vincent definitely gives light to where her headspace
is these days. It’s been a gradual transformation, but at this point, the
coyness of her debut Marry Me has been
completely stripped away. The album is certainly Clark’s most confident to date
as she stridently jumps from one approach to another (a confidence that is
definitely earned after the brilliant Strange Mercy). From
the Dap Kings’ horn blasts of “Digital Witness” which echoes her work with
David Byrne, to the robotic frenzy of “Birth In Reverse” reminiscent of Strange Mercy’s more aggressive
side, the album essentially provides the perfect snapshot of her career up
until this point. It even comes complete with a classic Clark ballad, the
stunning closer “Severed Crossed Fingers.”
Key tracks: “Prince Johnny”, “Digital Witness”
1. D'Angelo and The Vanguard
Black Messiah
In the final hour, D’Angelo returns with a timely end of the year stunner.
Key tracks: “Another Life”, “Prayer”
Please check out the list my fellow Treble staffers and I voted on as
well (you’ll probably recognize some of the blurbs on this list).
