Support NeoGAF

[Servbot24]

It's that time of year again!!! Yay

I'm curious how this one will turn out. This year we didn't really have a Kanye West or Daft Punk type record that could dominate the list (that I can recall). Should be interesting!

Please peruse the rules before posting!


1. List a minimum of 10 albums. If you list less than 10, your list will still be counted but will be given less weight. All lists with at least 10 albums will be given the same weight.

2. There is no maximum, but please only vote for albums that you feel are genuinely worth recommending to your fellow gaffers. If you list albums you don't actually care about they will still get points, and that's no good.

3. Voting Ends January 11th at 11:59pm, PST. Edit your list as much as you like until then. However make sure your original list posted to the thread gets updated.

4. Only albums first released in 2014 are eligible. LPs, EPs, mixtapes and compilations which feature primarily music from 2014 where the music was originally intended for the compilation are eligible. "Lost" records (music recorded in the past but released for the first time in 2014) are eligible. Singles, reissues, live albums, and greatest hits collections are not eligible. Mixes are iffy - include them if you like, but mixes where the DJ left a significant personal mark are preferred, otherwise it gets too close to being a compilation.

5. It is appreciated if you use the following formatting:

01 | Artist Name | Album Name
02 | Artist Name | Album Name
03 | Artist Name | Album Name

6. Adding extra content to your list is highly encouraged! If you include comments in your list, they will be used in the album roll-out thread. This makes for a much more interesting, helpful and discussion-provoking list. Remember that the purpose of this thread is not so much in ordering and tallying things as it is in providing new recommendations to your fellow Gaffers and stimulating conversation about the year in music!

Formatting like this is fine:

01 | Artist Name | Album Name
"I sure do love this album and here is a thoughtful comment as to why!"

02 | Artist Name | Album Name
"I sure do love this album and here is a thoughtful comment as to why!"

7. Be careful to use correct spelling. If an artist/album name uses non-latin characters, please use the official symbols of the artist rather than translating. This ensures that votes don't get separated. Also, if an artist's name includes accents or other unusual characters, please spell it out as the artist intended. If you are in doubt, check http://rateyourmusic.com/ to find the standard spelling.

8. If your list contains errors such as nonconsecutive numbers or duplicate entries, your list could end up being discarded.



IMPORTANT NOTICE: I will not be able to tally this all by myself. If you are interested in helping to tally a chunk of the results, please send me a PM. Even better, if you know how to write a script to help tally results, or anything to that effect, please let me know.



With all that out of the way, have fun!

 

[Snuggles]

Oh man, this is gonna be some serious work. I've known my favorite album of the year for some time now, but everything after that...

 

[K.Sabot]

I've been making my own list for a couple months, and I'm confident in my choices so I might actually post my list up early this year.

11 | St. Vincent | St. Vincent

Incredibly solid album, Clark absolutely flaunts her oddities and comes off as almost effortless in how cool and non-passe she is with making weird earworms. It's solid overall, but there are less standouts than Strange Mercy or Actor.

Noteworthy Tracks:
Bring Me Your Loves
Digital Witness

10 | Clipping | CLPPNG

Harsh. Rap music that can hurt to listen to sometimes, but it's certainly more listenable than the debut (which was number 10 on last years as well I believe). This album is ugly in the most positive way I could possibly use the word. Features some ridiculous instrumentals, perhaps even more ridiculous verses.

Noteworthy Tracks:
Ends
Story 2
Work Work


09 | The Notwist | Close to the Glass

Another incredibly solid album. I didn't expect as much out of The Notwist after their previous album (which was fine, if forgettable), but this album exceeded my expectations. It feels incredibly grimy in the electronic department, but never loses that indie pop/rock edge that Notwist has put on their albums for over a decade now.

Noteworthy Tracks:
Close to the Glass
Casino
Kong

08 | Niel Cicierega | Mouth Sounds / Mouth Silence

These albums disgust me, and scare me. They really, really do scare me. There are mostly mashups on these albums, but there are some incredibly excellent remixes in here.
I think anybody coming into this experience fresh will understand what's going on either instantly or by the second song. It's indeed an experience, so I don't want to spoil anything. All I'll say is my perception of certain unforgettable songs has been distorted and ruined forever. It's not just a funny album, it's actually incredibly catchy.
Was a long time subscriber to the creator of this (and other things like The Harry Potter Puppet Pals / Brodyquest / Lemon Demon) so this popped in my youtube subscriptions one day and it changed my life.


Noteworthy Songs:
IF I have to choose one song you should hear to get you interested, here's the one I would choose: No Credit Card

And here is the playlist of the albums on youtube uploaded by the creator:
Mouth Sounds
Mouth Silence

07 | Liars | Mess

Best description I could find for this the first time I heard it was "it was an experience". It's demented sounding experimental pop / electronic music. I struggle to call it pop because of how seethingly evil it sounds, which is a Liars staple, but it's just so damn danceable. The vocals really do nail the tone of this album, Angus's deadpan drawling in tune with incredibly aggressive industrial tinged electronics create a incredibly intriguing combination. It also has a pretty hilarious opening.

Noteworthy Songs:
Mess on a Mission
Pro Anti Anti
Vox Tuned D.E.D.

06 | Owen Pallet | In Conflict

Absolutely beautiful and stunning baroque style pop music. Owen's compositions on this record are nothing short of awe inspiring with how epic they are while maintaining the essential pop accessibility that many of his classical peers would ignore.

Noteworthy Tracks:
I Am Not Afraid
The Riverbed (also probably the best music video of the year)
On A Path

05 | United Nations | The Next Four Years

This album absolutely floors me with how loud it is. It never stops, it will never relent. It's not very dark, but it is incredibly fiery with anger. The band's music is highly political, and apparently thanks to this the members were contractually obligated to stay anonymous at one point, but I'm not sure if they are anymore. The lineup is a bunch of people from other hardcore bands from Converge to Thursday (which surprised me, considering I don't like them). A great loud album.

Noteworthy Tracks:
Serious Business
United Nations Vs United Nations
F#A#$ (No link, sorry. Apparently for a band that mocks the UN with their name and music, their label is incredibly efficient with taking down reuploads)

04 | Cymbals Eat Guitars | LOSE

I adore this band, they have this whole progressive indie pop thing going on and I eat that shit up for some reason. This album is no exception, the songs here are of variable length and feature some awesome transitions (something the band has always done great). The band never really lingers on a certain melody or chorus for very long, which is their greatest strength on this record.
Outside of maybe one song that I'm still not very into outside of the lyrics (which are incredibly on this record by the by), I'd consider this nearly perfect. Morose, melancholic indie rock music at its finest.

Notworthy Tracks:
Warning
Jackson
Place Names
2 Hip Soul


03 | Sun Kil Moon | Benji

Somber, heartbreaking / heartwarming stories put to acoustic instrumentation. It doesn't get more simple than that. There is NOTHING cryptic about the lyrics, he bares his heart on this record.
The simplicity of the structure does not make it boring in the slightest, Mark Kozelek has an incredible ear for what sounds good (so much that he can make 8 minutes of telling someone to suck his dick sound like a musical odyssey). The songs pull heartstrings, but because its so personal to Mark himself, I don't feel it comes off as manipulative.

Noteworthy Tracks:
Ben's My Friend
Carissa
I Love My Dad
Jim Wise

02 | Flying Lotus | You're Dead!

Ethereal jazz electronic with hip-hop influences. Might as well be one track with how essential all these songs are. 40 minutes pass by like an instant, and I hit repeat because I want that feeling again. There are some exceptional strings of songs on this record. Amazing moments are interspersed all over this album, almost evenly so that it never drags, never gets old, and never completely leaves my mind.

Noteworthy Tracks:
Never Catch Me
Coronus The Terminator
Just about everything, in order.

01 | Iceage | Plowing Into The Field of Love

Exceptional collection of songs. I love absolutely every track from this record. Iceage had hints of the direction they'd be going on their previous record, and I adore the style they've come out with on this record. Dismal, exhausted, lazy punk vocals cover a wide array of sounds on this record. From Nick Cave style depressionfests to rockabilly and country, and yet the album just... works as a whole somehow, and I think that can be attributed to Elias's vocals being the main consistency.
It's not as incredibly depressing overall as the previous two records, but the thematically low points hit harder than any of the emotional highs on their previous records. Gone may be the youthful ferocity of their previous records, but their songwriting as matured considerably since then. This album makes me feel exhausted (in a good way? either way it's very effecting).

Songs:
Forever
Against The Moon
How Many
Plowing Into the Field of Love
Stay
On My Fingers

And there it is! 1 hour of writing later and here I am, feels good to quantify it all. I'm pretty sure a new Yung Lean album isn't going to change my mind a month before the year is over, so I'm pretty confident in the list I have as of December 2nd. I've heard probably about 50 albums from this year, so I'm not scraping any barrels here. Thanks to Servbot for doing these threads. Hopefully this list will help out the people still compiling lists!

Edit: I'd like to add that this is my favorite individual song from the year, and I wish we got a new record from them!
Pile - Special Snowflake

 

[Moppeh]

Hmmm... Not sure if I even have a top 10. Time to do some digging!

 

[Fjordson]

Sweet! I listened to so much music this year, going to be hard to order them. And I look forward to picking up some new stuff from other people's lists.

 

[Gazoinks]

This was actually a pretty solid year for me, in my weird art-rocky corner of the universe.

Bonus: Click the cover for a song!

01 | Bob Drake | Lawn Ornaments
I discovered Bob Drake very recently, and I find him a pretty fascinating artist. His music is some sort of mixture of wacky advant-prog, country, folk, and Lovecraft, and he has a commitment to keeping things short and snappy that you don't see much in the genre. While Lawn Ornaments doesn't go as far as some of his past albums (one of which featured 52 fully developed songs in 40 minutes), it still manages to stuff 16 incredibly dense songs into 36 minutes. And dense is definitely the word, because this album was started with the idea of making an "overproduced" album. Bob's a very talented producer though, so he absolutely knows how to use the overproduction to his advantage. Every moment on this album has its own flavor, and there's a huge amount of depth to the sound simply due to how much is going on - At any moment a song might change arrangement, genre, or dissolve into a ridiculous sketch about the trumpet player exploding. A really excellent album, though certainly not for everyone as it's a bit out there. Probably not the most immediate place to start with Drake's discography (check out The Skull Mailbox), but it's really rewarding once you get into it. Bonus points for everything being played and sung by Bob. Assembling these songs bit by bit must have been excruciating!


02 | Bent Knee | Shiny Eyed Babies
Dark and powerful experimental rock. Good melodies, creative structures and arrangements, and really masterful use of dynamics and tension. Great singer, too! This album also has the unique distinction of featuring probably the coolest version of "You Are My Sunshine" ever recorded.


03 | Knifeworld | The Unraveling
The second album by the band of Kavus Torabi, a guitarist who's worked with bands like Cardiacs, Guapo, and Gong. If you're familiar with those bands, you probably have an idea of what to expect: Dense, psychedelic prog. It's colorful, complex, catchy, and probably other things that start with c. Plus there's a bassoon! How could it be bad with a bassoon?


04 | Stars In Battledress | In Droplet Form
Possibly the most British album on this list, which is saying something! I think the thing that most impresses me about Stars In Battledress is how thick and active their music is, despite only being a duo of a pianist and guitarist/singer. It's mostly mellow and minimalist sure, but both instruments (and voice) are constantly moving and playing against each other in creative ways. The result is a lovely, atmospheric album that you can put on and zone out to, or really analyze the compositions of.


05 | Zammuto | Anchor
I only got turned on to The Books recently, but I guess it was good timing since former Booksman Nick Zammuto just released the second album with his new band. As you'd expect, Anchor's an album filled with detail in the sound. Samples, weird melodic twists, and lots of layers. However, where The Books verged on sound collage, Zammuto melds his quirky sonics with more "straightforward" indie pop and electronic compositions. The result's an odd, catchy album that feels both warm and playful, and kind of chilly and calculated. As per the cover, really.


06 | Jane Weaver | The Silver Globe
I'm not that familiar with the Jane Weaver oeuvre, but I do know this album is a pretty significant creative left turn for her. Whereas her past solo albums are mostly folky, here she goes all in on a spacey krautrock prog-pop concept album. Neat! Weaver's flighty, swooping voice plays really well with the psychedelic retro-sci-fi feel of the album, and the result is a really strong disc. Aesthetically retro without feeling like it's just rehashing past musical tropes, it's definitely one to check out if you're a fan of space rock and krautrock, or more modern bands such as Broadcast and Stereolab.


07 | Eno • Hyde | High Life
A huge improvement over Someday World, despite coming less than two months later. Long, atmospheric, repetitive (in a good way) songs mixing a live band with lots of electronic details, which is what Eno and Hyde are both best at in the first place!


08 | Freeman | Freeman
It's good to see Aaron Freeman back after the traumatic break-up of Ween. Seems like he's feeling good about it too, because his first album with his new band is a triumphant ode to recovery and freedom (get it? Free*man? Free man?). Musically, this is mostly a collection of gently psychedelic soft alt-rock (Ween fans: It's most comparable to the soft bits of White Pepper), with a few excursions into different styles, such as the gritty blues of Gimme One More. What sets Freeman apart from the many albums of the description is that Aaron is still on top of his game as one of the best melodicists around. Everything here is extremely catchy and memorable. Icing to the cake is that his voice is still in great form, and he still has a real talent for throwing weird little textures and twists into his songs - such as the background chanting in Golden Monkey - though in a much less in-your-face way than in his Ween days. A very strong "debut" from a man who's been through a lot of bad times, but has come triumphantly out the other side.


09 | Dva | NIPOMO
You might know this Czech band as the duo who did the Botanicula soundtrack. Their solo albums are in a similar style: Quirky folk spiced with samples, field recordings, beatboxing, and loops. Freakfolk I guess. Their non-soundtrack work is more song-based (and very catchy), and NIPOMO is their third and maybe my favorite so far. Lots of fun, infectious songs in made-up languages, which is the band's neat gimmick: folk music for imaginary cultures. They even have translations on their website. A very playful album, but one that can also be surprisingly touching. Really nice!


10 | Eno • Hyde | Someday World
I guess I already showed my hand on this one. In some ways I find Someday World a little disappointing, as both a huge Eno fan and someone who really loved Hyde's solo debut last year. That said, it's still a good album. A gently artsy collection of moody electro-pop, with some strong standout tracks. Shame about the fake horns, though.

 

[Infernostew]

Still subject to change but this is it for now.

01 | Cloud Nothings | Here And Nowhere Else

02 | The Orwells | Disgraceland

03 | Johnny Marr | Playland

04 | The World/Inferno Friendship Society | This Packed Funeral

05 | Iceage | Plowing Into The Field Of Love

06 | SKATERS | Manhattan

07 | The Black Keys | Turn Blue

08 | White Lung | Deep Fantasy

09 | The Menzingers | Rented World

10 | Parquet Courts | Sunbathing Animal

11 | Cheap Girls | Famous Graves

12 | Future Islands | Singles

13 | The War On Drugs | Lost In The Dream

14 | Thurston Moore | The Best Day

15 | Jack White | Larazetto

16 | Real Estate | Atlas

17 | Beck | Morning Phase

18 | Julian Casablancas + The Voidz | Tyranny

19 | Swans | To Be Kind

20 | Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross | Gone Girl

My 2014 Mixtape

Side A:
1. Future Islands - Seasons (Waiting On You)
2. The Black Keys - The Weight Of Love
3. Iceage - Forever
4. Johnny Marr - Easy Money
5. Weezer - Cleopatra
6. Cheap Girls - Pure Hate
7. Thurston Moore - The Best Day
8. SKATERS - Miss Teen Massachusetts
9. The World/Inferno Friendship Society - Dr. Dracula Who Gets You High
10. Cloud Nothings - I'm Not Part Of Me
(Hidden Track) Viet Cong - Continental Shelf

Side B
1. Parquet Courts - Bodies
2. White Lung - Drown With The Monster
3. Fucked Up - Echo Boomer
4. Jack White - Larazetto
5. Beck - Morning
6. The Orwells - Always N' Forever
7. Real Estate - Talking Backwards
8. Julian Casablancas + The Voidz - Human Sadness
9. St. Vincent - Birth In Reverse
10. Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross - Sugar Storm
(Hidden Track) Father John Misty - Bored In The USA

 

[NipplesAndToes23]

All genres?

 

[Servbot24]

All genres?

Yes! Variety is super-welcomed

 

[IrishNinja]

fair enough OP, i'm gonna listen to more stuff and then get back to you with RTJ2

 

[Cheddahz]

favorite albums 2014:
1) ratking - so it goes (sample song)
2) ricky eat acid - three love songs (sample song)
3) sir michael rocks - banco (sample song)
4) freddie gibbs & madlib - piñata (sample song)
5) frankie cosmos - zentropy (sample song)
6) open mike eagle - dark comedy (sample song)
7) shabazz palaces - lese majesty (sample song)
8) d'angelo - black messiah (sample song)
9) ryan hemsworth - alone for the first time (sample song)
10) les sins - michael (sample song)

honorable mentions:
- st vincent - s/t (sample song)
- tony molina - dissed and dismissed (sample song)
- rome fortune - small vvorld (sample song)
- lil herb - welcome to fazoland (sample song)

 

[Zeus Molecules]

parking my spot for future filling out

 

[NipplesAndToes23]

Yes! Variety is super-welcomed

Hmm, mine's will be lacking variety then. I listened to about 45 brand new albums all the way through this year and only three of those weren't rap/hip-hop.

 

[Cyan]

1. List a minimum of 10 albums. If you list less than 10, your list will still be counted but will be given less weight. All lists with at least 10 albums will be given the same weight.

2. There is no maximum, but please only vote for albums that you feel are genuinely worth recommending to your fellow gaffers. If you list albums you don't actually care about they will still get points, and that's no good.

These seem to be in conflict...

 

[Yado]

These seem to be in conflict...

Yeah...I could list 10 but those last five would probably be albums I thought were just ok rather than albums of note.

 

[Servbot24]

These seem to be in conflict...

It was going to be a hard minimum, but I decided to ease up and give everyone a go. The reason for the minimum is so that someone who doesn't really get into music and just throws on the new Nickleback album doesn't get quite as much weight as someone who combs over hundreds of records and has a lot of perspective on the year in music.

The goal is to give everyone a chance to post what they liked this year but also to end up with a result representative of the year's best, which requires listening to a decent number of albums.

Also if you have under 10 albums don't feel pressured to meet that amount as the difference in weighting is not very big.

 

[collige]

In no particular order

01 | Against Me! | Transgender Dysphoria Blues
The first album of theirs I've really liked since Reinventing Axl Rose. Really powerful stuff

02 | Perc | The Power & The Glory
Probably my favorite from this year. A very oppressive and intense industrial techno workout.

03 | Aphex Twin | Syro
It's fucking Aphex Twin. Not his best work, but the sound design is fantastic and XMAS_EVET10 (Youtube link is a live version) is a masterpiece.

04 | SHXCXCHCXSH | Linear S Decoded
Another techno album. Haunting, muddy, and extremely consistent.

05 | Objekt | Flatland
Not the most accessible album, but the sound design is truly astounding, on the level of Autechre and Tim Hecker.

06 | Omar-S | Romancing The Stone!
A solid EP from a house master. The title track and Leave are fantastic.

07 | JT The Goon | Twin Warriors EP
Another EP. My favorite pure grime release this year overall just based on how good the title track is.

08 | Murlo | Into Mist
Beautiful melodic instrumental grime in the vein of the aforementioned JT the Goon EP

09 | The Bug | Angels & Devils
A worthy follow-up to London Zoo. I'm not a fan of the lack of any dancehall tracks, but the dubstep/grime hybrids are great and the concept of a divided album worked out really well.

10 | Young Lean | Unknown Memory
I ended up liking this a lot more than I expected. His new autotuned style is way better than his old flow and the productions are great. I have no idea why he left off Kyoto and Motorola though.

11 | Venetian Snares | My Love Is a Bulldozer
A worthy return to form. Venetian Snares is one of my favorite artists ever and this is the best his been in over half a decade imo

12 | Tiltmode | Chrons Jungle
I found this almost totally out of nowhere. A superbly excecuted album of old-school Metalheadz-style jungle/dnb tracks. And it's free!

13 | Strict Face | Marble Isles
Yet another instrumental grime EP. Like Murlo's, the melodies are beautiful.

14 | Djrum | The Miracle EP
Holy fucking shit The Miracle is fucking amazing. The other tracks are great too, but that track is really a standout. 15 minutes of bliss.

15 | Fatima Al Qadiri | Asiatisch
This sounds like the soundtrack to some obscure PS1 Kung-Fu game. She was featured in a recent documentary about video game music and how it influences modern producers.

16 | Moleskin | Moleskin EP
This is strictly for dancefloors. Sure to light up any party that has Baltimore/Jersey Club fans.

17 | Young Thug | 1017 Thug 3: The Finale
Young Thug shows us why he's the best in the game at the moment. The versatility and creativity of his vocals is unmatched. This would be pretty much perfect if you dropped You the World and Out the Bowl


That's about it I think. There's a few albums I haven't listened to enough to comment, but I would recommend everything on this list to GAF. Edit: Fixed spelling and added some Youtube links.

 

[Servbot24]

Woohoo! Thank you for the comments!

 

[InaudibleWhispa]

I'll probably edit this and change some later as I listen to others more, and check out some recommendations from this thread.

01 | Sun Kil Moon | Benji.
02 | Run The Jewels | RTJ2
03 | FKA Twigs | LP1
04 | D'Angelo & The Vanguard - Black Messiah
05 | Aphex Twin | Syro
06 | Swans | To Be Kind
07 | Dope Body | Lifer
08 | Ariel Pink | Pom Pom
09 | Angel Olsen | Burn Your Fire For No Witness
10 | St Vincent | St Vincent
11 | Freddie Gibbs & Madlib | Pinata
12 | Caribou | One Love
13 | Flying Lotus | You're Dead
14 | Iceage | Plowing Into The Fields of Love
15 | Timber Timbre | Hot Dreams
16 | The War on Drugs | Lost in the Dream
17 | tUnE-yArDs | Nikki Nack
18 | Perfume Genius | Too Bright
19 | BADBADNOTGOOD | III
20 | Mac DeMarco | Salad Days

 

[Snuggles]

Looking forward to some recommendations. I'll put together a top 20 soon, maybe expand it later. Right now off the top of my head, I think my number 1 will be

01 | Sun Kil Moon | Benji.

I'll edit some more tomorrow.

Carissa is probably my song of the year. Powerful stuff. 😓

 

[Cyan]

Also if you have under 10 albums don't feel pressured to meet that amount as the difference in weighting is not very big.

Oh ok, cool. I don't know how many I'll have since I'm always a little behind the times. I think at least a few of my favorites this year were actually from 2013.

 

[Lionel Mandrake]

This list is a rough draft. I'll add to it, and maybe re-order/replace some stuff. I'll give details and link to a standout song later.

01 | Sturgill Simpson | Metamodern Sounds in Country Music

02 | Jamestown Revival | Utah

03 | Nico Vega | Lead to Light

04 | Jack White | Lazaretto

05 | Old 97's | Most Messed Up

 

[Snuggles]

I've never gave a shit about my "vote" in these situations anyways. The point is to share the music that was special to me over the course of the past year, and to get turned on to some new stuff by like-minded people. I don't really care about my picks factoring into an overall list that's just gonna generate a page or two of complaints before the thread dies off.

 

[Lionel Mandrake]

I've never gave a shit about my "vote" in these situations anyways. The point is to share the music that was special to me over the course of the past year, and to get turned on to some new stuff by like-minded people. I don't really care about my picks factoring into an overall list that's just gonna generate a page or two of complaints before the thread dies off.

Yeah. Obviously my list is largely country/folk and won't amount to much in the grand scheme of this poll, but I just wanted to share the music I liked this year.

 

[Servbot24]

I've never gave a shit about my "vote" in these situations anyways. The point is to share the music that was special to me over the course of the past year, and to get turned on to some new stuff by like-minded people. I don't really care about my picks factoring into an overall list that's just gonna generate a page or two of complaints before the thread dies off.

Speaking of which, how do you guys feel about a results thread in a roll-out style? Say I post 20 albums per day over a week, something like that. This allows more of the albums to get attention, it encourages more discussion, it does a better job of highlighting comments, and it makes the event feel more exciting!

Last year I tried to do that and the thread was immediately locked, lol. So I can just post the albums all in one dump too, but that does tend to just get a page or two of whining and then it dies.

Hmm, mine's will be lacking variety then. I listened to about 45 brand new albums all the way through this year and only three of those weren't rap/hip-hop.

I mean having lists from a variety of listening backgrounds, if yours focuses on one genre that's completely fine We will definitely need hip hop representation!

 

[tycoonheart]

A meh year for em album wise. I really love the top 2 in my list, the rest are whatever. Its just what I listened to came to mind at this time:

01 | Run The Jewels | Run The Jewels 2
02 | Prince | PLECTRUMELECTRUM
03 | Freddie Gibbs/Madlib | Pinata
04 | Got a Girl | I Love You But I Must Drive Off This Cliff Now
05 | Kool AD | Word OK

 

[Gazoinks]

Speaking of which, how do you guys feel about a results thread in a roll-out style? Say I post 20 albums per day over a week, something like that. This allows more of the albums to get attention, it encourages more discussion, it does a better job of highlighting comments, and it makes the event feel more exciting!

This is a really awesome idea, I'd love it.

 

[Mononoke]

Reserving my spot. I'll update this soon. Going to start making my list now.

 

[Crash55118]

Can't wait to fill this out, had to search for the thread to see if it had been made yet with a bunch of outlets starting to post their lists now.

First Draft:

01 | Run The Jewels | Run The Jewels 2
02 | Taylor Swift | 1989
03 | Julian Casablacas + The Voidz | Tyranny
04 | Tycho | Awake
05 | Flying Lotus | You're Dead!
06 | Duck Sauce | Quack
07 | Spoon | They Want My Soul
08 | Taylor McFerrin | Early Riser
09 | iamamiwhoami | Blue
10 | Ryan Hemsworth | Alone for the First Time

 

[Fancy Clown]

01 | Spoon | They Want My Soul
02 | Run The Jewels | Run The Jewels 2
03 | Freddie Gibbs & Madlib | Piñata
04 | Flying Lotus | You're Dead!
05 | FKA Twigs | LP1

I missed a lot of notable releases this year. I just haven't been listening to as much new music as I used to for some reason :/

 

[OniBarubary]

04 | Mary Elizabeth Winstead | I Love You But I Must Drive Off This Cliff Now

Small notes:

1. I believe the name of her "group" with Dan the Automator is Got a Girl.
2. I didn't know this was a thing they were doing and that is was French
Pop and that it was amazing.

Totally gonna just lurk this thread and pinch albums I've missed this year.

 

[Jaroof]

01 | Uyama Hiroto | Freedom of the Son
02 | Broken Bells | After the Disco
03 | ODESZA | In Return
04 | Michael Jackson | XSCAPE
05 | Beck | Morning Phase
06 | Cunninlynguists | Strange Journey Volume Three
07 | Little Dragon | Nabuma Rubberband
08 | Dirty Loops | Loopified
09 | The Black Keys | Turn Blue
10 | Damon Albarn | Everyday Robots

 

[Delio]

Not much music I really like that came out this year. Lot of what I was seeing was 2013 which sucksss. But here we go.

01 | Porter Robinson | Worlds

Was a tough choice for number one and it was REALLY close for me but this won out. I loved the japanese feel of it a ton and I wouldnt have listened to this without kitchenmotors linking me to it.

02 | FKA Twigs | LP1

This was really damn close with Porter Robinson. I loved the super smooth jams on this album from songs like Lights On, Two Weeks, Video Girl. Excellent album for a Debut.

03 |Taylor Swift| 1989

Came pretty late for this year but I really enjoyed a lot of songs on this album. Stuff like Style,Shake it off, Wonderland were some of my favorites.

04 | Kyary Pamyu Pamyu | Pika Pika Fantasian

Gotta give love to my girl. I have loved her and her style since the PonPon days and I wish I could meet her. This album was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed Mottai Night Land a bunch.

05 | 5 Seconds of Summer | Self titled

Their debut album and my current fandom. I love the very early 2000 vibe I get from them and some of their songs are super catchy ( Looks so perfect and Heartbreak Girl) being my favs. Not for everyone indeed.

06 | Sam Smith | In the Lonely Hour

Super soulful and gets to me. Another album with a ton of smooth stuff that really gets me going. Leave your lover, Stay with me and You're not the only one. Being highlights for me.

07 | St.Vincent | Self titled

08 | Iamamiwhoami | Blue

Another Album Kitchenmotors tossed at me (as well as a ton of promo check out his thread!)

09 | Sia | 1000 forms of fear

10 | Micheal Jackson | Xscape

 

[tycoonheart]

Small notes:

1. I believe the name of her "group" with Dan the Automator is Got a Girl.
2. I didn't know this was a thing they were doing and that is was French
Pop and that it was amazing.

Totally gonna just lurk this thread and pinch albums I've missed this year.

You are absolutely right. They're called Got a Girl. Fixed it.

 

[nintendork666]

01 | Bones | Deadboy

This album dropped in January, and not a single 2014 release has topped it yet (not even Bones' own). The thick, droning, lo-fi production is absolutely blissful, and Bones' delivery has a way of making even drinking Artesian water seem fresh as fuck. The album is infinitely quotable and a wonderful introduction to the TeamSesh catalogue. Bones is an extremely unique voice in hip-hop and deserves as much recognition as possible. Hearing the intro with the NIN sample compels me to listen to the entire album every time. I just have to! That's how I know this is my absolute favorite. All of his music should still be available for free officially through the TeamSesh website.

02 | Flying Lotus | You're Dead!

Flying Lotus has always been the perfect chill-out background music for me. I don't wnat to downplay the album's complexity however, it has that tenfold. Whenever I put this on in a social setting, friends always ask, "Hey what is this?!" No matter what their musical preferences are, they can get down to Flying Lotus. Having Snoop Dogg and Kendrick Lamar spitting bars on this just makes You're Dead! an even better listen.

03 | Purrp | B.M.W. 2 Intoxxxicated

Purrp is easily in my top 5 favorite hip-hop producers of all time. Every release from him bangs so hard for me, it's stupid. Some people diss his simplistic rapping style, but as a huge fan of Three 6 Mafia and Too $hort - it suits me just fine. Even he admits it with the line, "I'd spit more bars, but I'm intoxxxicated". Purrp has a deep resentment for the rap game after being scorned by former friends who went on to grander success, and he has no problem being as open as possible about that on this album. It opens up a brand new side of him as an artist, aside from his usual subjects of drugs, getting his dick sucked, girls with thick asses, and Mortal Kombat.

Also - Suck a Dick for 2014.

04 | Mastodon | Once More 'Round the Sun

Oh man, Mastodon rocks so damn hard. People are claiming this is a lesser release of their's. I am not one of those people. It's catchy, it's trippy, layered and heavy where it counts. The melodies keep me humming, bobbing my head and drumming my thighs even when I'm not listening to it. Some pine for a return to their less accessible style, but I'm happier than all hell to be along for the ride. Bands should evolve with time to keep things fresh and Mastodon is dominating their new sound. Keep it up dudes. This is the best rock album of the year (suck it Rivers Cuomo).

05 | Lana Del Rey | Ultraviolence

Lana Del Rey is the queen of modern pop as far as I'm concerned. I fell head over heels over Born to Die like most others did. Ultraviolence continues my adoration for Del Rey in a big bad way. It's not the most experimental or catchy pop album of the year (hell even Mastodon is catchier these days), but it is for damn sure the most heartfelt. She has a soul about the way she sings which makes her stand far and above other artists of her ilk. Ultraviolence is exemplary of that soul. I also like when she says 'fuck', what a rebel.

06 | Crying | Get Olde Second Wind

Crying's Get Olde EP was my favorite release last year by far. I discovered them through the tinycartridge podcast and could not stop replaying the damn thing. Get Olde Second Wind is a continuation of that EP. The latter half of the album is as full of infectious chip-tune rock charm as the former, which is just a redux of the EP from August 2013. I can't rate this album any higher than #6 because of the repeat material, I'd have honestly preferred more filler instead. The group already released a B-Sides and Demo versions EP of Get Olde, it stinks to see them be so dependent on that initial EP's material. Crying still knows how to brighten my day (over and over again) like few other bands can.

07 | Riff Raff | Neon Icon

Music to me has always been a mean of entertainment first, and an artform second (keep your John Cage's 4'33" the hell away from me). With that said, Neon Icon entertained me more than any other album released in 2014. This is a very clever, and more importantly hilarious man who can hang with the big dogs and show them how to be the man. Play me a more entertaining song from this year than Aquaberry Dolphin and I'll make you listen to Tip Toe Wing In My Jawwdinz. I once read a Youtube comment that compared Riff Raff's lyricism to a Jackson Pollock painting, and I totally agree. Versace Python has my favorite chorus of the year, but that horrid Bloomingdales skit has grown even more grating since release. I can't wait for his next release, his character will never get old to me and he will only hone his skills further as time goes by, and DiPlo's beats bang holy shit.

08 | Venetian Snaes | My Love is a Bulldozer

It's a new Venetian Snares album. Of course it's going on my list. Venetian Snares has always made some of the weirdest breakcore music I've ever heard, and thankfully My Love is a Bulldozer is no exception to his usual fare. Hospitality remains my favorite release of his, but that doesn't make My Love is a Bulldozer any less worthwhile. Everyone's talking about the new Aphex Twin, and with good reason, but I've been listening to the new Venetian Snares a hell of a lot more. Sometimes I'm not hype enough for breakcore, which is why this is a little lower on my list. Still this is one that should be heard if you're into this sort of thing.

"Only you can make my dick feel like this... ooooh baaby."

09 | Obituary | Inked in Blood

Hey look guys, Obituary released a new album this year! And it's badass from start to finish! Just an awesome headbanger that should please most metalheads. Not much diversity here, but that's not why I bought an Obituary cd. This is one tough album and makes for great freeway driving music, especially when there's snow. A lot of times I can't get behind many metal bands that I used to really dig, especially their modern input. But Inked In Blood album holds up and makes me go, "Yup, this is Obituary, and Obituary is still badass." Not many are still going for that old school death metal sound, and in that sense Inked in Blood feels like a breath of fresh air.... I mean fresh blood.

10 | The Killjoy Club | Reindeer Games

The trappest album that ever trapped. MMFWCL

 

[RoKKeR]

01 | Bad Suns | Language and Perspective

A breakout, energetic, and exciting debut album from Bad Suns. The lead single 'Cardiac Arrest' screams California, and will be stuck in your head for days and weeks to come. This album is all over the map in terms of style and influences, and it's abundantly clear that these guys can write hooks unlike any I've heard in a long time. The funk-inspired Dancing on Quicksand has an impeccable grove, and the closer Rearview is just laced with expertly crafted nostalgia. Bright future for this band and I was totally floored by who great this record was front to back.

02 | U2 | Songs of Innocence

Probably the most exciting album release I've had the pleasure of experiencing, Songs of Innocence is a return to form for my favorite band. Their most consistent record since Achtung Baby, U2 has crafted and introspective record that spotlights their early years and upbringing, and does so in a way that revitalizes some U2 sounds we haven't heard for quite some time. From the chiming guitar tones and Bono's emotional delivery on Iris to a pounding, in-your-face political anthem Raised By Wolves, this album covers the spread of U2 and does so extremely well. So happy the boys are back and I can't wait to see them on tour next year.

Spoiler

Get off the damn bike Bono!

03 | Jack White | Lazaretto

While there may be one too many slow country-infused songs on this record, Lazaretto brings more energy and soul to Jack White's solo career than his previous record. The ear-piercing guitar and wails on High Ball Stepper is maybe some of the best jamming I heard all year, and this album picks and choses very smartly where it jams out and when it keeps things calm. Very dynamic stuff, and I'm hoping to see him tour some of these songs live in Nashville in February.

04 | Yellowcard | Lift a Sail

A very personal record about Ryan Key's wife who was paralyzed in a snowboarding accident, Lift a Sail is Yellowcard's most personal record yet. The band taking inspiration from Muse and Coldplay has brought more pop elements into the mix, but they work extremely well. Taking risks by incorporating electronic elements in songs such as MSK and the title track, they bring a whole new dimension to their music even years after their breakout hits. There is still room for classic Yellowcard in this record though, and The Deepest Well tore down the House of Blues when I saw them in Las Vegas in October. Very solid record.

05 | Taylor Swift | 1989

Unapologetic, high quality pop music. Nothing more to say, it's damn good. She pulled it off.

 

[Gazoinks]

Does where we place the album in our list affect how it's tallied for the final score? i.e. does something I place as #1 on my list get more points than #10? Ranking is always the hardest part.

 

[enigmatic_alex44]

This was a real flop year for music so there weren't 10 albums I liked so I'll just post the few that stood out:

iamamiwhoami with Blue

Kiesza with Sound of a Woman

Jessie Ware with Tough Love

Lana Del Rey with Ultraviolence

Azealia Banks with Broke With Expensive Taste

And since I can't post Artpop I guess I'll post Gaga's Cheque To Cheque:

I love Sam Smith too but his solo stuff sucks.

Oh and won't count for voting obv. but special mention to best game OST of the year:

 

[CheesecakeRecipe]

Always look forward to seeing everyone's choices, it can help introduce me to some stuff I've never heard of before.

Gonna be a tough race for number one this year for me.

 

[NipplesAndToes23]

Pasted most of this from my Top 10 of The Year thread. Will come back and add descriptions to all of them.

20 | Yarah Bravo | Love Is The Movement

19 | Lee Fields & The Expressions | Emma Jean

18. | The Illjazztic One | Soul of the 70's

17. | Sammus | Another M

16 | Black Milk | If There's a Hell Below

15. | Stolas | Allomaternal

14. | Salsa Son Timba | Time Machine, Old Salsa Vol. 2
This mix album is what got me into Salsa.

13. | MC Melodee | Coolin'
MC Melodee dropped three EPs this year and it was hard to pin it down to one, but I decided to give it to Coolin. It was sort of a random choice, but I feel that the production edges out the other ones by just a smidge. Melodee's flow and lyricism is just on point as it has always been on this project.

12. | Rita J | Lost Time

11. | 20syl | Motif

10. | Lyric Jones | Love's Trail Mix

9. | Kelis | Food

08 | Apollo Brown & Ras Kass | Blasphemy

07 | Nitty Scott MC | The Art of Chill

06 | Blitz The Ambassador | Afropolitan Dreams


5. People of Today

05 | The 1978ers | People of Today

04 | Rapsody | Beauty & The Beast

03 | CunninLynguists | Strange Journey Volume Three

02 | Moderator & Vanilla | As the Lights Fade & Sweet Talk
I can't separate these two. These two mixtapes are the quintessential production albums of not only this year, but of all production projects I've ever heard. Moderator provides jazz infused with his hip-hop beats and Vanilla gives us the sound of soothing soul to chill to. Both of these albums have made me want to go back to writing rhymes like I used to. You should not pass these by. If you're a fan of music, get them!

01 | Sa-Roc | Nebuchadnezzar
I can't remember how I came across Sa-Roc. I'm thinking I found her through a random Youtube comment, but however I did, it lead to me finding one of the greatest albums of the year and my second favorite emcee. Forefront of the God-Hop movement, Sa-Roc brings the 10th album in her discography with Nebuchadnezzar. Instead of me attempting to put my own theory on the themes of this album, I'll direct you to Sa-Roc's explanation of the project. Sa-Roc is a notable Afro-futurist writer and this is exemplified in this album. Afrocentrism and sci-fi are thematically woven into her songs. She is about empowerment of black people, educating our youth, and sailing through the cosmos. I found it really unique how "Lost Sunz" was a hype song about the struggle of fighting through the environment of the ghetto and the lost of African roots in America. David Banner's verse on “The Who?” taught me about Patrice Lumumba and I liked it so much that I presented it for a discussion in my Hip-Hop class. Her delivery on the rhymes are astounding as she delivers with exceptional flow and her messages are transcribed through metaphors and wordplay. The production on these tracks provided mostly by the talented Sol Messiah are excellent compliments to these space rap tracks. The entire album is solid from start to finish. The only negatives I have with it are the hooks to the two bonus tracks are kind of meh and I don't know why "Hounds of Hell" wasn't put on the album when it fits thematically with the rest of it. I suggest adding it as the last track of the album if you have it digitally. Nebuchadnezzar is without question worth a purchase. The lyrics are great and enriching and the production is good. It became a close battle between this and Strange Journey Vol. 3 for album of the year, but this weeded out in the end. You should also note that Sa-Roc is currently on the event 50 Songs in 50 days in which she promises to drop a song every day since two week ago to January 1st. The songs will be both old and new. I suggest subscribing to her Youtube Page or liking her on Facebook. That's a lot songs and I don't see many artists doing similar stuff.

 

[Servbot24]

Does where we place the album in our list affect how it's tallied for the final score? i.e. does something I place as #1 on my list get more points than #10? Ranking is always the hardest part.

Yes, the ranking does have an effect on the tally.

 

[Cyan]

Speaking of which, how do you guys feel about a results thread in a roll-out style? Say I post 20 albums per day over a week, something like that. This allows more of the albums to get attention, it encourages more discussion, it does a better job of highlighting comments, and it makes the event feel more exciting!

Last year I tried to do that and the thread was immediately locked, lol. So I can just post the albums all in one dump too, but that does tend to just get a page or two of whining and then it dies.

It would probably be locked again. Sorry to be a party-pooper. :/

 

[RoKKeR]

Alright, updated with some comments. Still can't believe that U2 wasn't my top album of the year (though it really is damn good) but I was so, so impressed with the breakout record from Bad Suns. Would encourage all of you to check it out!

 

[injurai]

This is going to be hard, I've started compiling a list just so I wouldn't forget anything. It's 50 artists long already... fuck.

 

[TheExhaustedWalrus]

01 | Aphex Twin | Syro

I was highly anticipating this release, as I love Aphex Twin's early work and thought this might be a return to form after such a long hiatus and a mediocre album (in my opinion), and it absolutely was. Every track on here is oozing with James' trademark sound, one that goes farther back into his ambient roots than I expected. I love nearly every moment on this LP.
02 | Freddie Gibbs & Madlib | Pinata

Madlib's awesome production and ability to adapt to an artist returns, in perhaps his most modern-feeling work with a rapper yet. This matching proves eclectic and dark, with Madlib supplying exciting and consistently enjoyable beats and samples behind Gibbs' strong lyricism.
03 | Run The Jewels | Run The Jewels 2

Probably the harshest, most raw, in-your-face record to drop from any kind of hip-hop artist this year. I don't find some of the lyrics all that compelling, but there is no denying these two are amazing at creating beats together. They capture the flow and feel of a song so well that every tune on this LP is memorable and pleasurable to listen to. This may not be the most intellectually stimulating music to have come out this year, but very little was as fun to listen to.
04 | Flying Lotus | You're Dead!

I have always been a fan of Flying Lotus and his atmospheric, moody production. This guy often choose to taken his projects in different directions every time, and has always created something interesting and worth your time. It's great music to chill out to, but it's lavishly produced and masterfully sewn together. However, on 'You're Dead!', FlyLo abandons the familiarity of his early music to make something jazzier, more curious than usual, and always exciting. 'You're Dead!' never fails to keep you guessing, and it makes me very excited to see where FlyLo goes next.
05 | Swans | To Be Kind

As a long-time fan and appreciator of Swans and their weird brand of post-rock, noise, and highly experimental music, I was first disappointed by 'To Be Kind'. I thought it lacked the emotion so present on albums like 'The Seer', 'Soundtracks for the Blind', and 'White Light From The Mouth of Infinity'. But it then occurred to me that this is an ever-changing band, one that does not usually stay in one place at the same time with the same moods and motives. So once I began seeing 'To Be Kind' as a sort of "next phase" for the 30+ year old band, the more the album began making sense to me. These tracks are all a variation on intensity, unrelenting harshness, and as someone who's seen this band live, I can attest to the projected attempts at these emotions. It's clear that with this LP, Swans are trying to cram loudness into as many songs as they can. But it's not just about the loudness; they create some genuinely moving quiet moments here and there. But this album, like some of their others, is all about the mounting, the building, and the crash afterwards. And couldn't have been more revealing.

I will come back to this post as I listen to everything I missed this year, which is a lot. So this is not an entirely final list.

 

[NipplesAndToes23]

This is going to be hard, I've started compiling a list just so I wouldn't forget anything. It's 50 artists long already... fuck.

I know how it feels. I looked back at mind and realized I think I left someone out who should at least be in the top 20.

Edit: Also just forgot Cataraps did not come out this year. Will find a replacement.

 

[kitchenmotors]

01 / iamamiwhoami / BLUE

02 / Porter Robinson / Worlds

03 / Caribou / Our Love

04 / FKA Twigs / LP1

05 / Aphex Twin / Syro

06 / Perfume Genius / Too Bright

07 / Sisyphus / Sisyphus

08 / Chromeo / White Women

09 / Tori Amos / Unrepentant Gearldines

10 / Owen Pallett / In Conflict

EP of 2014

Ben Khan / 1992 EP

Single of 2014

Grimes - Go

Music Video of 2014

Black Atlass - Jewels

Best NeoGAF Music Topic of 2014

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=913217

 

[K.Sabot]

I feel like the main issue of slowly doling out the results is that somebody will just rage quantify the results and post them anyways and that's IF the thread doesn't get locked.

 

[burgervan]

01 | Isaiah Rashad | Cilvia Demo

Genre: Hip Hop
R.I.P. Kevin Miller
Banana
Soliloquy

02 | Ty Segall | Manipulator

Genre: Garage Rock
Feel
The Feels
The Singer

03 | Sun Kil Moon | Benji

Genre: Folk
Pray For Newtown
Dogs
Carissa

04 | Cloud Nothings | Here And Nowhere Else

Genre: Punk/Post-Punk
Psychic Trauma
I'm Not Part Of Me
Now Hear In

05 | St. Vincent | St. Vincent

Genre: Art Pop
Rattlesnake
Bring Me Your Loves
Digital Witness

06 | Dope Body | Lifer

Genre: Post-Punk
Rare Air
Hired Gun
Day By Day

07 | Tinashe | Aquarius

Genre: R&B
2 On
Feels Like Vegas
Wildfire

08 | The War On Drugs | Lost In The Dream

Genre: Dad Rock
Red Eyes
Burning
Under The Pressure

09 | Schoolboy Q | Oxymoron

Genre: Hip Hop
Man Of The Year
Hoover Street
Collard Greens

10 | Mac DeMarco | Salad Days

Genre: Indie Rock
Passing Out Pieces
Blue Boy
Brother

 

[bobbychalkers]

No order....Except for Run The Jewels I threw a sample track in all of the names. I'm sure I'll be the only vote for some of the albums I picked.

01 | Run The Jewels | Run The Jewels 2
It just knocks.....The synergy between Mike and El has improved greatly over the first album. It came out at the perfect time as well as it is the most socially relevant album on my list.

02 | Cibo Matto | Hotel Valentine
The first complete project from the duo since reuniting in 2011. Hotel Valentine sounds as if they never broke up in the first place all while managing to sound like nothing else in their catalog. I waited several years to hear the album version Tenth Floor Ghost Girl, twas worth it.

03 | RATKING | So It Goes
This album is probably the most forward thinking NY Hip-Hop album I've heard in some time. Its hard to explain but their sound itself reflects the melting pot analogy NYC often gets. At its core its boom bap, but made with bedroom production tools while fusing other genres like 90's house and jungle.

04 | Azealia Banks | Broke With Expensive Taste
Amidst all the label drama and twitter beefs, Azealia put out a good fucking album. It pulls sounds and inspiration from a tons of sounds (90's house, Trap, UK Garage, and even 60's beach pop for one track) but still manages to sound cohesive.

05 | Freddie Gibbs & Madlib | Piñata
Probably one of my favorite concept albums this year. Gangster rap albums are a dime a dozen but framing this around the blaxploitation angle was perfect on Gibbs part. It is larger than life but very real at the same time. Madlib's put his foot in on the beats on this as well.

06 | Your Old Droog | Your Old Droog
Highly skilled, no frills type of emcee. There are a lot of rappers this generation that derive their sound from the golden era but Droog actually sounds like he came up in that time.

07 | Flying Lotus | You're Dead!
Flylo once called Cosmogramma his jazz album but this truly takes that distinction. Its a very lush album but can be unsettling at times as well. Most of the tracks just bleed into one another while taking a completely different turn. Also...dat Shintaro Kago art.

08 | Open Mike Eagle | Dark Comedy
Very introspective but witty album. The world needs more normal guy raps

09 | Sango | Da Rocinha 2
Nothing but beats on this. Wonky electronic/hip-hop that heavily samples older R&B mixed with Brazillian baile funk.

10 | Childish Gambino | Kauai
CG could always sing but it usually took a backseat over rapping. On this, singing takes the main stage over some very upbeat, summery production.

11 | Sir Michael Rocks | Banco
I enjoyed this album way more than I thought I would. Mikey isn't the most technical/lyrical rapper out there but there's enough charisma to carry these tracks along with a healthy dose of random ass anime references. The hooks are made to get stuck in your head. Its a fun album to ride around town with

12 | FKA Twigs| LP1
The most left-field R&B album this year.

13 | Ibn Inglor | New Wave 2
A Chicago rapper that is the antithesis to the city's drill scene. NW2 is dark, introspective, brooding and vulnerable at times. Production wise, I don't know how the hell he gets his beats. It sounds more ambitious than many major label signed rappers. Only way to describe it as eerie, and dystopian with a cinematic twist.

14 | Theophilus London | Vibes
Perfect blend of indie pop and rap with a pinch of retro 80s aesthetics.

15 | Anderson .Paak | Venice
Paak is extremely versatile on this record. He can resurrect neo-soul for one song and but could totally give Future a run for his money on the next. Its mostly R&B with production from the likes of artists like Tokimonsta and Ta-Ku

16 | OG Maco | OG Maco EP
I know it literally just came out but it left a huge impression on me. Just when I thought the Atlanta trap sound ran out of steam, this album comes out. Way too much energy on this. Maco has a more punk rock approach to the sound and the production is more minimalistic and left field than the average Atlanta artist.

17 | Les Sins | Michael
Dem grooves! Its damn hard not to bob your head listening to this. Chaz did his thing