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[Pickles the Firecat]

Premature? Maybe. Pointless? Probably. Fun? Definitely. 2014 is about halfway done and I'd like to see what releases other people have loved so far. Servbot's 2013 Album of the Year thread introduced me to FKA twigs, a fucking phenomenal talent and collaborator with Arca (another fucking phenomenal talent) whose album drops in September (pre-order here). The New Artists In 2014 thread introduced me to Young Fathers, a dope rap group who are pretty amazing live. I'm hoping for gold here people. Don't hold back.

Here are my ten favorite albums from this half year, described with obnoxious hashtags. Post yours! And please, don't be the dude that posts an album cover without saying what it is. Nobody likes that dude.

Soundcloud or Youtube links when available. Album images click through to Spotify.
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Cashmere Cat - Wedding Bells EP



#twee #electronic #happyfuntimesupervibes #whenwillthebassdropwaitthoseareflutes

Pearls | soundcloud / Youtube
Wedding Bells | soundcloud / Youtube

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Angel Olsen - Burn Your Fire For No Witness



#indie #indierthanthou #indiescum #indieordie #emotionalsongwriting #expressivevocals

Hi-Five | soundcloud / Youtube
White Fire | soudcloud / Youtube

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Illum Sphere - Ghosts Of Then And Now



#electronic #jazziermoments #ninjatune2014 #toomuchtalent #howareyouthisgood

Near The End | soundcloud / Youtube
Love Theme From Foreverness | soundcloud / Youtube

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Freddie Gibbs and Madlib - Piñata



#gang #gangbangin #gangsta #gangaffiliated #madlib #fuckastronauts

Deeper | soundcloud / Youtube
Uno | soundcloud / Youtube

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Baths - Ocean Death



#vocaldisharmony #electronic #bedroomproduction #rememberchadvangaalen #kindalikethatbutnow

Voyeur | soundcloud / Youtube
Fade White | soundcloud / Youtube

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Grenier and Archie Pelago - Grenier Meets Archie Pelago



#jazz #cello #electronic #collaboration #thesegroovestheywillnotheal #thankyoubasedDes

Hyperion | soundcloud / Youtube
Swoon | soundcloud / Youtube

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Drew Gragg - Over-Under EP



#minimaltechno #pretentious #ifyoustayawakeyoullloveit #icouldmakethat #noyoufuckingcouldnt

Adsr Toms | soundcloud / Youtube
1 | soundcloud / Youtube

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RATKING - So It Goes



#rap #hiphop #grime #actualanimalambition

So Sick Stories | soundcloud / Youtube
Canal | soundcloud / Youtube

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Untold - Black Light Spiral



#dark #precision #industrial #techno #metallicrainfallingonaluminum

Doubles | soundcloud / Youtube
Sing A Love Song | soundcloud / Youtube

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Anenon - Live In Toronto



#jazz #electronic #sexualghostvibes #entrancing #kindoflikethetheaterscenefrommullholanddrive

II A | soundcloud / Youtube

I B | soundcloud / Youtube

 

[Pickles the Firecat]

Before I grab dinner, a list of really dope songs from this year that are really dope and is in no way exhaustive

Tei Shi - Nevermind the End (Lil Sad remix) | soundcloud / Youtube

MØ - Maiden | soundcloud / Youtube

Evian Christ - Waterfall | soundcloud / Youtube

dd elle - Love Only Me | soundcloud / Youtube

Just Friends - Don't Tell Me | soundcloud / Youtube

Yumi Zouma - A Long Walk Home for Parted Lovers | soundcloud / Youtube

Banks - Brain | soundcloud / Youtube

Bones, Xavier Wulf, and Chris Travis - WeDontBelieveYou | soundcloud / Youtube

SZA and Kendrick Lamar - Babylon | soundcloud / Youtube

YG, Schoolboy Q, and Jay Rock - I Just Wanna Party | soundcloud / Youtube

Step Brothers and Roc Marciano - See The Rich Man Play | soundcloud / Youtube

Young Fathers - War | soundcloud / Youtube

Movement - Ivory | soundcloud / Youtube

 

[Illusive_Juan]

Can't say that I can think of 10 albums at the moment, and I haven't been listening to enough new stuff to latch on to it.

But controversial opinion time! I haven't been able to stop listening to this:

 

[jakefromstatefarm]

Cool idea for a thread and dope OP, Pickles. My contribution:

100s - IVRY
Upbeat, funky west coast rap
Different Type of Love

Mick Jenkins - Trees and Truths
Chicago rapper who uses vivid religious imagery over boom-bap production to create an antiquated, but refreshing soundscape
Lack

Eyehategod - Eyehategod
The gawds are back with more bloated, downtuned riffage
Medicine Noose

 

[Bread]

Avey Tare's Slasher Flicks is likely my album of the year already, it's fucking awesome.

 

[MuddyDonut]

Avey Tare's Slasher Flicks is likely my album of the year already, it's fucking awesome.

I like this album alot as well. Need to listen to it more.

 

[Yado]

Only One
Let Go

Gunshot
I Never Learn

Pass This On (Shaken Up Version)
We Share Our Mother's Health (Shaken Up Version)

These are the only three releases for the year that have stood out to me.

 

[collige]

My favs so far:

Chronik - Rise of the Lengman

Fatima Al Qadiri - Asiatisch

Perc - The Power and the Glory

Sully - Blue

JT The Goon - Twin Warriors

Machine Girl - WLFGRL

Against Me! - Transgender Dysphoria Blues

Caustic Window - CAT023

SD Laika - That's Harakiri

Ben Frost - A U R O R A

Djrum - The Miracle

 

[Bread]

I like this album alot as well. Need to listen to it more.

It's a real grower, the first4 tracks are incredible and really different from anything I've ever heard him release.

 

[Lambtron]

I assume everything else I really like will be covered, so I'll just post this one.


Watery Love - Decorative Feeding
Noisy, angry, punk music. The lyrics are full of gallows humor. RIYL: Pissed Jeans, Big Black, Hammerhead.

Click the album cover to listen in Spotify.

 

[Hey_Blinkin]

I hadn't realized how few albums I've bought this year until now. Only six that I can think of. Anyways my favorite so far is Crosses.

Crosses - The Epilogue

On a side note, how do you all find new music? I haven't listened to the radio in ages. I usually just check the best selling albums on Itunes on Tuesdays. Definitely not the best way, but I just don't have time to scour the internet for new bands anymore.

 

[Cyan]

Bookmarking for later.

 

[SleazyC]

BADBADNOTGOOD - III

#hip-hop #jazz #head-banger #sosmoooth

Hedron | soundcloud / youtube
Confessions | soundcloud / youtube

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Kishi Bashi - Lighght

#pop #indie #orchestra #infectioushapiness

Philosophize In It! Chemicalize With It! | soundcloud / youtube
In Fantasia | soundcloud / youtube

----------------

James Tillman - Shangri La EP

#r&b #soul #brazil #whatafuckingvoice

Love Within | soundcloud / youtube
And Then... | soundcloud / youtube

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David Douglas - Moon Observations

#electronic #ambient #cinmatic #iminspace

Far Side Of The Moon | soundcloud / youtube
Sweet Moonflower | soundcloud / youtube

----------------

CunninLynguists - Strange Journey Volume Three

#hip-hop #rap #sickbeats #whyaretheseguyssoawesome

In The City | soundcloud / youtube
South California | soundcloud / youtube

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Fallgrapp - Rieka

#electronic #hip-hop #icantunderstandthelyricsbutitsstillsoooogood

Arca Natura | soundcloud / youtube
Origami | soundcloud / youtube

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Her Name is Calla - Navigator

#alternative #folk #rock #postrock #darkbutbeautiful

I Was On The Back Of A Nightingale | soundcloud / youtube
Navigator | soundcloud / youtube

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Rodrigo y Gabriela - 9 Dead Alive

#acoustic #rock #theseguysareamazingatguitar #wishiwasthisgood

The Soundmaker | soundcloud / youtube

On a side note, how do you all find new music? I haven't listened to the radio in ages. I usually just check the best selling albums on Itunes on Tuesdays. Definitely not the best way, but I just don't have time to scour the internet for new bands anymore.

I listen to the Bandcamp Weekly (should be at the top of the homepage here http://bandcamp.com/) every week and have found so much great music. Also just browsing the top sellers, staff picks and stumbling upon things in other peoples collections has been a great resource.

 

[ReturnOfTheRAT]

Sevendust - Bonfires and Time Travelers
Best Example: The Wait

Delain - The Human Contradiction
Best Example: Stardust

Iggy Azalea - The New Classic
Best Example: Black Widow

Within Temptation - Hydra
Best Example: Dangerous

Lacuna Coil - Broken Crown Halo
Best Example: Infection

Phantogram - Voices
Best Example: I Don't Blame You

St. Vincent - St. Vincent
Best Example: Psychopath

X-Men: Days of Future Past by John Ottman
Best Example: Welcome Back

Game of Thrones Season 4 by Ramin Djwadi
Best Example: The Children

 

[burgervan]

Cool idea for a thread and dope OP, Pickles. My contribution:


100s - IVRY
Upbeat, funky west coast rap
Different Type of Love

I heard of this guy, but this is my first time listening to him. Good shit! Thanks for the link

 

[Kraftwerk]

Drew Gragg - Over-Under EP



#minimaltechno #pretentious #ifyoustayawakeyoullloveit #icouldmakethat #noyoufuckingcouldnt

Adsr Toms | soundcloud / Youtube
1 | soundcloud / Youtube

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Love this. Getting this for sure.

Thanks for making this thread, I haven't really ventured into this years new music yet. Been going backwards in time with music in the past year. Exploring more through this thread later this weekend.

 

[jakefromstatefarm]

I heard of this guy, but this is my first time listening to him. Good shit! Thanks for the link

It's just an EP, so in case you're interested here's some of his older material:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isb8ab3qRZM off of Ice Cold Perm (Datpiff link)
https://soundcloud.com/foolsgoldrecs/100s-keep-a-bitch-broke-feat (NSFW)

 

[TheOddOne]

Awesome thread, Pickles the Firecat! Subbed!

 

[Bo Knows GAF]

I'm always looking for new music, there's a bunch on here already I haven't heard before that I like. Usually I stick to the same radio stations and such so I miss these things even though my taste in music covers so many genres. Keep em coming gaf!

 

[Revolver]

I haven't listened to a lot of new stuff this year but my favorites so far have been from Crosses, Phantogram and Lykke Li

 

[Pickles the Firecat]

100s - IVRY
Upbeat, funky west coast rap
Different Type of Love

Pass This On (Shaken Up Version)
We Share Our Mother's Health (Shaken Up Version)

BADBADNOTGOOD - III

#hip-hop #jazz #head-banger #sosmoooth

Hedron | soundcloud / youtube
Confessions | soundcloud / youtube

These are all really, really, really good. I haven't gotten a chance to listen to the Shaken Up EP, been moving all week, but seeing The Knife live this year is a highlight reel moment of my life. Truly incredible.

BADBADNOTGOOD would probably be number 11 for me right now, I actually cut III from the post as I was writing it. Had #cliffhuxtablemeetstheohuxtable all ready to go, too.

I waver on the new Lykke Li. I like it, but it doesn't reach the heights Wounded Rhymes did. I need more time to settle in with it. I feel like it'll click with me once I can fully divorce it from Wounded Rhymes, maybe in a year or two. As it is I go back and forth with my thoughts on it.

On a side note, how do you all find new music? I haven't listened to the radio in ages. I usually just check the best selling albums on Itunes on Tuesdays. Definitely not the best way, but I just don't have time to scour the internet for new bands anymore.

A lot of it is going to shows for me. I'm at Low End almost every week (painfully not there tonight, when Kaytranada is going to be playing of course I have to keep moving furniture). Album release parties, after parties, gallery events, openers at concerts for established acts...if you're around a lot of music events you'll hear new artists a lot. I always keep an open mind and ear when I meet someone at a venue or a friend of an industry friend or anywhere really, and they say they're in music.

Then blogs, friends, and GAF-Hop. You can always count on yoyo, toku, injurai, Des, Esch, etc to drop dope shit in Plug. Monthly publications and subscription services (Other People, r.fm, etc)). Podcasts.

 

[injurai]

Then blogs, friends, and GAF-Hop. You can always count on yoyo, toku, injurai, Des, Esch, etc to drop dope shit in Plug. Monthly publications and subscription services (Other People, r.fm, etc)). Podcasts.

You've gone and summoned me. In no particular order.

Venetian Snares - My Love Is a Bulldozer

Caustic Window - CAT023

Enei - Goliath EP

Utah Jazz - Portfolio LP

Metalheadz - Platinum Breakz 4

Lone - Reality Testing

mr. scruff - friendly bacteria

HATE - Bad History

Sorrow - Hieroglyphics EP

Martyn - The Air Between Words

Plaid - Reach Prints

Teebs - E S T A R A

Millie & Andrea - Drop the Vowels

Metronomy - Love Letters

Illum Sphere - Ghosts of Then and Now

WIFE - What's Between

High Heels Breaker

AFMB - A Forest Mighty Black

 

[Soma]

Lots of good music this year so far. Haven't decided on a clear favorite so here's just a personal top ten thrown together (no order):

Young Widows - Easy Pain (Noise Rock/Post-Hardcore)
BADBADNOTGOOD - III (Instrumental/Jazz)
Every Time I Die - From Parts Unknown (Hardcore)
Swans - To Be Kind (Rock/Experimental)
Boris - Noise (Japanese Rock/Experimental)
How to Dress Well - What is this Heart? (RnB/Electronic)
Bones - Garbage (Rap)
Sun Kil Moon - Benji (Indie/Folk)
Have a Nice Life - The Unnatural World (Post-Punk/Experimental)
Little Dragon - Nabuma Rubberband (Pop/Electronic)

 

[burgervan]

So far:

Cloud Nothings - Here And Nowhere Else
St. Vincent - St. Vincent
Isaiah Rashad - Cilvia Demo
Mac DeMarco - Salad Days
Dum Dum Girls - Too True
RiFF RAFF - Neon Icon
Eagulls - Eagulls
First Aid Kit - Stay Gold

 

[HiResDes]

Love Injurai post, great thread idea.

 

[Lihwem]

Yo

 

[Shorty11857]

Haven't really been listening to a lot of new albums this year but The War on Drugs' new one is probably the highlight for me. St. Vincent is also fantastic

First Aid Kit and Lykke Li seem pretty promising as well from a couple of listens

 

[Foshy]

GAF Tape is hitting soon

 

[Divius]

10 Things from 2014 I've enjoyed so far:

The Roots - ...and then you shoot your cousin // BBNG - III // Girl Talk & Freeway - Broken Ankles EP // Swans - To be Kind // LCD Soundsystem - The Long Goodbye
How To Dress Well - What is this Heart? // tUnE-yArDs - Nikki Nack // Madlib & Freddie Gibbs - Piñata // Lone - Reality Testing // Baths - Ocean Death EP

There's still a lot for me to listen to, including a bunch of stuff posted in this thread. I will also check out things posted as I'm always on the lookout for new music to discover.

 

[Halo 2]

Trying to only post pics I haven't already seen in here.

Beck - Morning Phase (A follow up to Sea Change, does not dissapoint)

Isaiah Rashad - Civilia Demo (Newer member of TDE)

Mac DeMarco - Salad Days (Goofy slacker jams)

Tobacco - Ultima II Massage (beeps, boops, not tobacco's chillest work)

Real Estate - Atlas (If you like Days, you'll love this one)

Avey Tare's Slasher Flicks - Enter the Slasher House (A member of Animal Collective has a side project that's surprisingly grounded)

Tycho - Awake (Very Relaxing, love to put Tycho on while I read or during a commute)

*Nikki Nack, Lazzaretto, Here and Nowhere Else, and Piñata have been getting a lot of plays as well.

 

[Stairouais]

 

[Kurita]

I'll just post my 15 favorite albums out of the 40+ that I've liked in 2014 so far. Original names of the artist/album in parentheses.

KEYTALK - OVERTONE

androp - period

the HIATUS - Keeper of The Flame (my AOTY so far)

SAKANAMON - INSUROCK

Handsome Kenya - Amnesia (ハンサムケンヤ - アムネジ&#12450

ART-SCHOOL - YOU (no links available unfortunately)

Gesu no Kiwami Otome. - Minna Normal (ゲスの極み乙女。- みんなノーマ&#12523

OKAMOTO’S - Let It V

cinema staff - Drums,Bass,2(to)Guitars

Yonezu Kenshi - YANKEE (米津玄師 - YANKEE)

BUMP OF CHICKEN - RAY

FOLKS - Newtown

HaKU - Symbiosis (HaKU - シンバイオシ&#12473

Hitorie - Imaginary Monofiction (ヒトリエ - イマジナリー・モノフィクショ&#12531

the telephones - SUPER HIGH TENSION!!!

 

[Sol..]

Mac DeMarco - Salad Days (Goofy slacker jams)
.

THIS IS WHAT DREAMS ARE MOTHAFUCKIN MADE OF BEYOOOOOOOOOOOOOTCH.

First Aid Kit - Stay Gold

I loved The Lion's Roar so so so much but #icanteven Stay Gold.

 

[HiResDes]

Never heard of anything on Kurita's list, impressive

 

[Kurita]

Never heard of anything on Kurita's list, impressive

Well it's only Japanese stuff so... haha
Doubt a lot of people will like them :lol

 

[Sol..]

James Tillman - Shangri La EP

#r&b #soul #brazil #whatafuckingvoice

Love Within | soundcloud / youtube
And Then... | soundcloud / youtube

James Tilman's EP is lovely.

You might also enjoy

curtis harding's "soul power"

 

[MilkLizard]

Killer Be Killed

Maybe one of the best albums from Max Cavalera in years.

Perturbator

Only a few days out but his stuff is simply amazing. You can get it on bandcamp of you like it.

 

[Jarnet87]

Best song of the year - Iggy Azalea "Fancy"

Worst song of the year - Iggy Azalea "Fancy"

My brain hurts.

 

[kris.]

hmmm

The Hotelier - Home, Like Noplace Is There

The Menzingers - Rented World

Masked Intruder - M.I.

Every Time I Die - From Parts Unknown

Trophy Scars - Holy Vacants

Dead Congregation - Promulgation of the Fall

Locktender - Rodin

Plebeian Grandstand - Lowgazers

Black Monolith - Passengers

so much good stuff has come out this year so far

 

[HiResDes]

James Tilman's EP is lovely.

You might also enjoy

curtis harding's "soul power"

When I found he was on Burger I was like this must be a sort of garage rock/punk record in a way too...And then I listened to it reminded me of Death and Love, the bands, and I knew I couldn't live without it. Bought!

 

[Tunin]

Coming from the harsher/heavier side, here are the best ones so far:


Animals as Leaders - Joy of Motion


Black Monolith - Passenger


Chevelle - La Gárgola


Cormorant - Earth Diver


Cynic - Kindly Bent to Free Us


Dead Congregation - Promulgation of the Fall


Dirge - Hyperion


Intervals - A Voice Within


Lantlôs - Melting Sun


Morbus Chron - Sweven


Saor - Aura


Son of Aurelius - Under a Western Sun


Thantifaxath - Sacred White Noise


The Atlas Moth - The Old Believer


The Great Old Ones - Tekeli​-​li


Woods of Desolation - As The Stars

 

[Maiar_m]

Only a few days out but his stuff is simply amazing. You can get it on bandcamp of you like it.

OK, I know the Perturbator guy. I never knew his stuff was well known. Now I'm scared.

 

[HiResDes]

OK, I know the Perturbator guy. I never knew his stuff was well known. Now I'm scared.

Scared of what exactly?

 

[Maiar_m]

Scared of what exactly?

ANYTHING. The press, mostly. Nah but seriously, it's just surprising but really great for him. He's passionate.

edit: xD Just talked to the guy I thought was him...wasn't him at all, just a close buddy of him that made Perturbator's website. Close call.

 

[The_Poet]

Jack White Lazzaretto

He is smashing it at the moment,

 

[JaseMath]

Album of the Year, right here.

http://youtu.be/IIA1XQnAv5s

 

[RobotNinjaHornets]

hmmm

The Hotelier - Home, Like Noplace Is There

The Menzingers - Rented World

Masked Intruder - M.I.

Was waiting for you to show up. At work at the minute so don't want to spend ages putting a post together, but these are pretty much my 3. Oxygen Thief and Mongol Horde are fucking great too.

OK, I know the Perturbator guy. I never knew his stuff was well known. Now I'm scared.

Even with the success of Hotline Miami?

 

[Maiar_m]

Even with the success of Hotline Miami?

That does explain some things.

 

[Fallout-NL]

Perturbator

Only a few days out but his stuff is simply amazing. You can get it on bandcamp of you like it.

That 'humans are such easy prey' track is pretty badass.

 

[chris121580]

Here are mine so far:

Chromeo - White Women(My Album of the year)
The Districts - S/T
Jamestown Revival - Utah
St. Paul & The Broken Bones - Half the City
Water Liars - S/T
Real Estate - Atlas
The Men - Tomorrow's Hits
The War on Drugs - Lost In The Dream
Tycho - Awake
Future Islands - Singles
The Hold Steady - Teeth Dreams
Cloud Nothings - Here and Nowhere Else
Woods - With Light and With Love
Pink Mountaintops - Get Back
Wild Cub - Youth
The Orwells - Disgraceland
Parquet Courts - Sunbathing Animal
The Donkeys - Ride the Black Wave
Hamilton Leithauser(lead singer from The Walkmen) - Black Hours
Coldplay - Ghost Stories

Also, I second that album by The Hotelier. I'm currently going through it now and it's awesome. Great recommendation