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[wild wild rice]

Tim Hecker, Vektor and Young Thug are the good ones for me so far.

 

[p2535748]

I really like both untitled unmastered and The Life of Pablo, but I haven't listened to much else. Except the Hamilton soundtrack, which doesn't count.

On a side note, I've seen a lot of these "halfway through" articles lately, and I have to point out that the end of June is halfway. We're only 5 months through.

 

[Chewy Chipmunk]

It has been a pretty bad year for power metal otherwise, especially after being so incredible last year.

 

[Get'sMad]

DJ Metatron - 2 the Sky
Classixx - Faraway Reach
Kanye- TLOP
Chance - Coloring Book
Radiohead - Moon Shaped Pool
Jessy Lanza - Oh No

 

[Sol..]

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Nonagon Infinity

1. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Nonagon Infinity

Nonagon Infinity by King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard

While I felt the album was ok, I still went to go see em live last month(?) and I highly encourage y'all do the same if you really dig the album and you haven't already missed them. Take all their best tracks from the record, double the run time, and add more energy and that was the show in a nutshell.

 

[Dippindork]

Architects - All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us

 

[TheExhaustedWalrus]

Sturgill Simpson - A Sailor's Guide to Earth
Kendrick Lamar - untitled unmastered.
David Bowie - Blackstar
Death Grips - Bottomless Pit
Xiu Xiu - Xiu Xiu Plays The Music of Twin Peaks
Blacl Mountain - IV
Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool

 

[Bruce Springsteen]

1. Malibu - Anderson Paak
2. Coloring Book - Chance the Rapper
4. Lemonade - Beyoncé

 

[Lego Boss]

Doom OST.

 

[Zakalwe]

White Lung - Paradise

Pinegrove - Cardinal

Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool

Parquet Courts - Human Performance

Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Denial

 

[Silver Arrows]

1:

To Be Everywhere Is To Be Nowhere - Thrice

A rip roaring return for one of the best bands to come out of Orange County. Rejuvenated, Thrice comes back from a three year hiatus showing the maturity of their sound found within Beggars and Major/Minor, with the anger and brimstone of the past which made The Illusion of Safety one of their most popular albums.

2:

Hotel Paranoia - Jazz Cartier

Before Views dropped, one other rapper from the Six showed off why Toronto is becoming one of the next big spots for rap. That man was Jazz Cartier, and his first full length album, Hotel Paranoia. Filled dense, haunting beats which has come to define him, Jazz Cartier's tapestry of lyrics help give this album a darkness unlike any other.

3:

Views From The Six - Drake

For all the hype and scrutiny Drake has received for this album, divorced from said hype, Views is a fairly solid album, if a bit safe. While not the album If Your Reading This was, Views manages to show off Drake's maturity as a rapper and as one of the young princes of hip hop, and a further refinement of the signature OVO (and by this point, Toronto) sound that made him famous.

4:

The Impossible Kid - Aesop Rock

In my opinion, I believe Aesop's 2012 album Skelethon is one of the best he had ever released. But after listening to The Impossible Kid, it's safe to say this album has taken over that spot. With the dense, introspective story telling Aesop is known for in full display, he pairs it with a sound that is reminiscent of his time at Definitive Jux, making it a joy to listen to.

 

[N.A]

Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
Babymetal - Metal Resistance
David Bowie - Blackstar

These are probably the only albums released so far this year I had any interest in. Fortunately they are all great.

 

[snacknuts]

2. Animal Collective - Painting With

My runaway favorite of the year so far.

 

[awesome_pants]

The Kills - Ash & Ice

also
Radiohead -Moon Shaped Pool
The Last Shadow Puppets - Everything You've Come to Expect


waiting on Gorillaz new album to hopefully claim my album of the year.

 

[ElectronicOldMen]

Stuff I've loved, with a favourite song from each album/EP::

Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool (Chamber Pop, Art Pop)
The Drones - Feelin Kinda Free (Experimental Rock, Electronic)
Xiu Xiu Plays the Music of Twin Peaks (Noise Rock, Dark Ambient)
Kendrick Lamar - untitled unmastered. (Hip-Hop, Jazz Rap)
Deakin - Sleep Cycle (Neo-Psychedelia, Folk)
Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Denial (Indie Rock, Garage Rock)
David Bowie - Blackstar (Experimental Rock, Jazz-Rock)
Anderson .Paak - Malibu (Soul, R&B, Hip-Hop)
Aesop Rock - The Impossible Kid (Abstract Hip-Hop)
Massive Attack - Ritual Spirit (Trip Hop)

Also liked the new albums from James Blake, Parquet Courts, Kanye, Death Grips, Denzel Curry, ANOHNI, Chance the Rapper and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard. Looking forward to Swans and The Avalanches, cannot wait for them.

 

[Lambtron]

While I felt the album was ok, I still went to go see em live last month(?) and I highly encourage y'all do the same if you really dig the album and you haven't already missed them. Take all their best tracks from the record, double the run time, and add more energy and that was the show in a nutshell.

They didn't play here, unfortunately. I'm not going to miss them next time they're close, though.

 

[le.phat]

1. Anohni - Hopelessness
2. Roly porter - third law
3. Baauer - Aa
4. Anderson Paak - malibu
5. Lorn - Vessel

gonna see Anohni live soon, can't.

 

[astroturfing]

as an old cynic i haven't heard too much good new music this year but i really enjoyed the Sun Kil Moon/Jesu full length, probably my fave so far. Radiohead was ok but kind of disposable, won't go back to it very often. Deftones was the same sadly, and i've been a huge fan for 2 decades maybe i'll "get" the album some day but ehh.. dunno.

and hmm what else i've been listening to... trying to think of good hiphop but only Masta Ace comes to mind, The Falling Season might be too long but has some real gems. i'm just waiting anxiously for GZA to finally drop Dark Matter.. i'm growing really impatient, but i'm sure it will be dope. loved Pro-Tools back in 08.

ohhh shit i forgot WEEZER! the new one is honestly incredibly good, i have never liked them more than now :O i hope they continue the same path, just making fun catchy songs with no gimmicks. 2 great albums in a row is a good sign.

Spoiler

more than anything i want that new fucking Tool album so i can feel like a teenager again. plz Maynard.

 

[Sadsic]

i havent listened to much this year, but these stood out to me

Deakin - Sleep Cycle
Animal Collective - Painting With
Bibio - A Mineral Love
Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
James Blake - The Colour in Anything
Black Moth Super Rainbow - SeeFu Lilac
Lone - Levitate
Andy Stott - Too Many Voices

im really looking forward to the new avalanches, tobacco, christ.

also i really did not like the kanye west album from this year at all, seemed like hot garbage to me

also also i made an album this year lol

 

[Myriadis]

Nonagon Infinity by King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard

Yep, and

Kikagaku Moyo - House in the Tall Grass
Not as great and diverside as the Forest of lost Children EP, but still, these guys are really talented. Beautiful Psychedelic Rock from Japan.

Ray Lamontagne - Ouroboros
The best album Ray LaMontagne as ever done. A strong move towards a more psychedelic 70s sound while still being obviously Ray Lamonagne. I also love it that almost every song fades into each other or is seamlessly connected otherwise.

Imarhan
Amazing Tuareg-Band. Saw them live last week and the entire room as dancing. Pure energy, though the album is much slower than their live concerts.

 

[Hot Coldman]

White Lung - Paradise is the best rock album I've heard in a long fucking time.

 

[n00bsauce87]

Elhae - All Have Fallen

Arianna Grande - Dangerous Woman

Chance the Rapper - Coloring Book

Yuna - Chapters

Anderson Paak - Malibu

Kilo Kush - Reflections In Real Time

Lily & Madeline - Keep It Together

Santigold - 99cents

Kanye West - TLOP

 

[wild wild rice]

Doom OST.

Oh, this too.

 

[Deadstar]

I really enjoyed the Rob Zombie album, that's about it. It's been a bad year for music.

 

[SeanC]

Bookmarking because I'm obviously way behind on listening to anything this year and love these threads to help me catch up.

I did enjoy the latest Radiohead and Weezer albums though because apparently my tastes haven't progressed past 1997.

Oh, and that Bowie album.

 

[BTM]

M83 - Junk

Aurora - All My Demons Greeting Me As A Friend

The Strokes - Future Present Past (EP)

 

[Fjordson]

Crescendo - Unless

Hinds - Leave Me Alone

Twin Peaks - Down in Heaven

Yung Bae - Bae 2

Jessy Lanza - Oh No

Young Thug - Slime Season 3

Bones - Useless

TV Girl - Who Really Cares

BadBadNotGood - IV

 

[wenis]

CLICK ON THE COVERS TO HEAR MUSIC

 

[n00bsauce87]

Yung Bae - Bae 2

I was just listening to some of the music on the Best Future Funk mix on youtube. I love their stuff

 

[Lan Dong Mik]

Man it has been a fucking awesome year for music so far imo.

My two favorite albums are Death Grips - Bottomless Pit and Cult Of Luna - Mariner. It's going to be tough to top these two.

Been listening to the new Nails and Gojira all day today. Nails album is fucking awesome!! Still digesting the new Gojira. Pretty good so far though.

Some of my other favs

Diiv - Is the Is Are
Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
Narrow Head - Satisfaction
Nothing - Tired of Tomorrow
Kendrick - untitled

 

[Aklamarth]

Symphonic death metal FTW

 

[EmptyCanO'wupass]

Personal favorites so far:

1. Thao & the Get Down Stay Down - A Man Alive
2. Deep Sea Diver - Secrets
3. Frankie Cosmos - Next Thing
4. Parquet Courts - Human Performance

Really looking forward to hearing more of Puberty 2 from Mitski and seeing her play live this month. I've been playing Happy on repeat a lot for the last few days.

 

[BigWeather]

Loving _Monolith of Phobos_ by Claypool Lennon Delirium.

 

[AlteredForms]

Haven't heard of any of these albums or acts. I'm not into music unfortunately.

 

[pablito]

Ask again in July! It'll be fully 50% done then. But so far

1. Schammasch - Triangle
2. Death Grips - Bottomless Pit
3. Kendrick Lamar - untitled unmastered
4. David Bowie - Black Star
5. Vektor - Terminal Redux
6. The Drones - Feelin Kinda Free
7. Oranssi Pazuzu - Värähtelijä
8. Perturbator - Uncanny Valley
9. Chthe'ilist - Le dernier crépuscule
10. Dark Fury - This Story Happened Before

Next Week I expect Swans to dethrone my #1.

 

[Steamlord]

Very tentative, in very vague order

David Bowie - Blackstar
Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
Tortoise - The Catastrophist
Guerilla Toss - Eraser Stargazer
Cavern of Anti-Matter - void beats/invocation trex
Deakin - Sleep Cycle
Mermaidens - Undergrowth
Sarah Neufeld - The Ridge
Yumi Zouma - Yoncalla
Cross Record - Wabi-Sabi
Japanese Breakfast - Psychopomp
Banned Books - Banned Books
Anna Meredith - Varmints
Mothers - When You Walk a Long Distance You Are Tired
Pity Sex - White Hot Moon
Sound of Ceres - Nostalgia for Infinity
Eleanor Friedberger - New View
Deep Sea Diver - Secrets
Open Mike Eagle + Paul White - Hella Personal Film Festival
September Girls - Age of Indignation

 

[RDreamer]

Here's my list thus far:

 

[Kevtones]

1. Teen Suicide - It's the Big Joyous Celebration, Let's Stir the Honeypot

Woot. Have you heard the newest Julia Brown? You know it's basically the same band.

Yeah, I think someone on GAF recommended Alex Smoke to me back when Lux came out, and I've been a fan since. He's got another thing coming out this Friday under his real name, his score to a BBC documentary. Mechanical Marvels: Clockwork Dreams

The Last Panthers is slightly rearranged suite of Clark's score to the television show of the same name. It's definitely kinda reshaped to flow nicely as an album, but as it's rooted in being a score it's a little different than how his albums are usually structured.

Thank you! I'll check it out. Clark always finds a way to hook me in and it's always in a different way. I got some of his way old 'Chris Clark' moniker stuff last year and it hit the note with me too.

 

[K.Jack]

James Blake's The Colour In Anything is the best album I've heard in years.

 

[Kevtones]

James Blake's The Colour In Anything is the best album I've heard in years.

I need to take it in. His S/T is still one of my faves of the past 10 years. The follow up not so much.

 

[Tall4Life]

Radiohead's A Moon Shaped Pool is probably going to end up being one of my favorites ever. In Rainbows and Kid A are still better, but man, after a few listens it really grew on me. Absolutely loved the style of the album; it was reminiscent of Kid A in a way while still having the kind of rhythm that a lot of In Rainbows had. Tinker Tailor especially was incredible.

James Blake's The Colour in Anything was good too, though it wasn't his greatest work. Weezer's White Album was pretty good as well. I should listen to Kendrick's album, and maybe Beyonce's too soon...

 

[mhayes86]

There's been a few albums that I have really enjoyed so far, but none nearly as much as Borknagar's Winter Thrice. IMO, their magnum opus, and a perfect progressive black metal album that released right in time for the east coast blizzard.

I couldn't stop listening to it in my car for about two months, and even now I find myself changing the current song to go right back to Borknagar. I have loved their progressive transition over the last decade, but this one really takes the cake. Furthermore, it was a pleasant surprise to find out that their original vocalist made a return as a guest, which means that all four vocalists in the band's history are on a single album together, and it's marvelous.

My fiancee, who has slowly acclimated to my musical taste over the years has fallen in love with it and even considers it one of her favorite albums.

 

[NipplesAndToes23]

I've really been slow on listening to new music this year, but it's okay as it takes up time for the stuff I should be doing.

Out of what I've listened to, it's...

Wow, just one album. Everything else from this year are just singles or albums where I deleted the songs I didn't like.

It's just The Odd Tape right now. Sad... and I guess Yung Bae 2.

 

[Tapejara]

Haven't really heard any new albums outside of Dystopia (Megadeth) and untilited unmastered (Kendrick Lamar). Kendrick wins out between those two. Need to catch up on a few albums (Lemonade, Life of Pablo, White Album, Everywhere is Nowhere). Autumn's Grey Solace has a new album out on the 11th, so that'll probably end up topping my list.

 

[Weetrick]

Didn't realize there were so many metal fans on GAF!

 

[equippedwithtowel]

In roughly descending order

Albums

Parquet Courts - Human Performance
Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Denial
Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
The Hotelier - Goodness
James Blake - The Colour in Anything
Mitski - Puberty 2
Kanye West - The Life of Pablo
David Bowie - Blackstar
Ty Segall - Emotional Mugger
Fear of Men - Fall Forever


EPs

Charli XCX - Vroom Vroom
Massive Attack - Ritual Spirit
Chromatics - Cherry
Colleen Green - S/T
Wolf Parade - Ep 4

 

[MuddyDonut]

Nonagon Infinity by King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard

Dope LP, gonna buy as I enjoyed their album. Lots of stuff I need to catch up on, thx guys.

 

[LOLDSFAN]

4. Kanye West - The Life of Pablo

This is the first time I've actually seen the original album artwork.

 

[MuddyDonut]

This is the first time I've actually seen the original album artwork.

That's how the album sounds

 

[torre_avenue]

This is the first time I've actually seen the original album artwork.

Yeah, it's not...pretty or even good looking by #DONDA standards. And all the alt-art I've seen of it is along the lines of MBDTF or doesn't look too appealing to me. So, I just stuck with the awful one. Album is still pretty decent, though it is a hot mess of a record. Songs feel half-baked like FSMH Pt. 2 and Highlights & Lowlights, but the rest of the record has some really great 10/10 moments. It may be a disappointing package overall, but it still has a higher concentration of awesome moments than other Ye records for me.