Gonna keep this intro real short because I just had a lot of beers and I'm getting turned up and I might start rambling and no one wants that. I just figured it would be cool to publish my year-end list, even though nobody cares anymore. What happened to us? No one knows.
I'm also not gonna complain about this year in music - I bet it was amazing, I just didn't got to listen to a lot of the stuff that came out. I'm sure Marco would have a field day telling you all about how 2014 sucked and there was no good music to be heard, so you can ask him about that. I'm just gonna list a bunch of albums I enjoyed and then maybe I'll head over to CVLT Nation's website to see what metal albums I missed.
Here we go, in alphabetical order:
Clipping - CLPPNG
Shit, these guys managed to make hip-hop beats out of random noises, like broken glass and drills - sounds amazing, and Daveed Diggs' precise, surgical rhymes bring this thing to the next level. Jaw-dropping hip-hop album. Oh, and I heard Run the Jewels 2 was released this year. Gonna have to give that a listen, too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQidzKOrj10
Code Orange - I Am King
As far as I could tell, the big battle in hardcore this year was between Baptists, Code Orange and Trap Them. Bloodmines sounded weaker than Bushcraft and Blissfucker by Trap Them was utterly boring, so I gues I'm left with I Am King by the newly rebranded Code Orange. A towering monolith of crushing grooves, with lots of yelling and really creative drumming, sporting good songwriting that's constantly switching gears on you. What was all that noise about Thinners of the Herd, tho?? I am out of the loop.
https://deathwishinc.bandcamp.com/album/i-am-king
Dead Astronauts - Dead Astronauts EP 2.0
Synthwave is still going strong, and this sweet EP by Dead Astronauts is here to prove it. This will make you feel like you're dancing in a futuristic night club. There's also some remixes by Perturbator in there. Diggin' it.
https://telefuturenow.bandcamp.com/album/dead-astronauts-ep-20
Death Grips - Niggas on the moon
Hell yeah. Lots of noise, chopped and screwed samples of Bjork's vocals and abstract rhymes from MC Ride. The most schizophrenic release by Death Grips to date. Can't wait to hear the other half of the album too. Then they're gone for good. UP MY SLEEVES.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr6OJFyxDuE
Eco Virtual - ATMOSPHERES 第2
Atmospheric research and analysis music - the sort of jams you'd expect to hear on the weather channel at 5 AM in the morning, predicting a sunny day and heavy traffic. Song titles include "Sunrise at the Googleplex", "Aloe Vera Water" and "McDonald's breakfast". ATMOSPHERES 第3 was also released in 2014, but I feel this is more... seminal to vaporwave.
ecovirtual.bandcamp.com/album/atmospheres-2
g h o s t i n g - Telenights
A fuzzy, hypnotic, spaced-out melange of trippy futurebeats, vaporwave and late night TV commercials, creating a really atmospheric experience. Feels like passing out and waking up in Videodrome.
http://dreamcatalogue.bandcamp.com/album/telenights
Le Cassette - Left to Our Own Devices
Synthpop, chillwave, synthwave... No idea what to call this, but it. is. AMAZING. I'm a sucker for sexy 80s synth vibes. That dude's voice is so dreamy. Catchy choruses and impeccable production make this an instant classic. This is what they're playing in Perturbator's futureclub.
http://telefuturenow.bandcamp.com/album/left-to-our-own-devices
Lipstick Elite - Stay Passionate, But Be Discreet
Luxury Elite is among my favorite vaporwave producers, but this collaboration with Skeleton Lipstick trumps anything he's ever done in terms of sheer sexuality and dancingness. Every song on this EP is insanely catchy, the lyrics are beyond seductive and the vocals and sexy beats will leave you moist with desire. Seriously, you need to hear this.
https://sunuprecordings.bandcamp.com/album/stay-passionate-but-be-discreet
マクロスMACROSS 82-99 - A Million Miles Away
More vaporwave? Alriiiiight! This album is full of funky and seductive beats and will make you wish you'd have taken the first flight to Tokyo, fell in love with a beautiful woman and married her right there in the karaoke bar. Listen before judging me, senpai.
https://macross82-99.bandcamp.com/album/a-million-miles-away
Mantar - Death By Burning
I know you were just starting to get jiggy with it and that's great, but we need to take a HARD turn and pay our dues to Mantar, the single greatest metal duo to emerge this year out of whatever foundry these guys crawled out of. Wielding just drums, a guitar and a shit-ton of amps and pedals, this half German, half Turkish band will absolutely melt your face off and will cause a racket that is sure to shatter your windows. So fucking stoked these guys are taking off and have started touring Europe. They have totally earned it for being such sweet bros. Check out the interview we did with them here and then go bang your head to their music. Oh, did I mention how awesome it is that lady looks like she's wearing a flaming cake? FUKK.
http://mantar.bandcamp.com/
猫 シ Corp. - pretty much everything?
The name translates to Cat System Corp. and I honestly didn't know which album to pick, because they are all excellent. If you ever become the CEO of a spa resort, this is the music you will play while ladies get their facials done. I'm gonna link the wonderful 太陽。慰安。楽園。album for your listening pleasure. It translates to "The Sun. Comfort. Paraside". This is not a Japanese band btw. Check out that zany artist pic above. LOL.
https://catsystemcorp.bandcamp.com/album/--2
Phoenix #2772 - Interludes
More easy late-night listening, courtesy of Phoenix #2772. I enjoy putting this bad boy on while I'm brushing my teeth and changing into my pajamas. There's also a song with a sample from a Macintosh Plus song that samples a Diana Ross song. So meta.
https://phoenix2772.bandcamp.com/album/interludes
Waterfront Dining - COMFY 快適な
I picked COMFY 快適な but Waterfront Dining has released a buttload of stuff in 2014 and everything is excellent. If you're into smooth, vaped out jazz vibes, this band will please you immensely.
I'm also not gonna complain about this year in music - I bet it was amazing, I just didn't got to listen to a lot of the stuff that came out. I'm sure Marco would have a field day telling you all about how 2014 sucked and there was no good music to be heard, so you can ask him about that. I'm just gonna list a bunch of albums I enjoyed and then maybe I'll head over to CVLT Nation's website to see what metal albums I missed.
Here we go, in alphabetical order:
Clipping - CLPPNG
Shit, these guys managed to make hip-hop beats out of random noises, like broken glass and drills - sounds amazing, and Daveed Diggs' precise, surgical rhymes bring this thing to the next level. Jaw-dropping hip-hop album. Oh, and I heard Run the Jewels 2 was released this year. Gonna have to give that a listen, too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQidzKOrj10
Code Orange - I Am King
As far as I could tell, the big battle in hardcore this year was between Baptists, Code Orange and Trap Them. Bloodmines sounded weaker than Bushcraft and Blissfucker by Trap Them was utterly boring, so I gues I'm left with I Am King by the newly rebranded Code Orange. A towering monolith of crushing grooves, with lots of yelling and really creative drumming, sporting good songwriting that's constantly switching gears on you. What was all that noise about Thinners of the Herd, tho?? I am out of the loop.
https://deathwishinc.bandcamp.com/album/i-am-king
Dead Astronauts - Dead Astronauts EP 2.0
Synthwave is still going strong, and this sweet EP by Dead Astronauts is here to prove it. This will make you feel like you're dancing in a futuristic night club. There's also some remixes by Perturbator in there. Diggin' it.
https://telefuturenow.bandcamp.com/album/dead-astronauts-ep-20
Death Grips - Niggas on the moon
Hell yeah. Lots of noise, chopped and screwed samples of Bjork's vocals and abstract rhymes from MC Ride. The most schizophrenic release by Death Grips to date. Can't wait to hear the other half of the album too. Then they're gone for good. UP MY SLEEVES.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr6OJFyxDuE
Eco Virtual - ATMOSPHERES 第2
Atmospheric research and analysis music - the sort of jams you'd expect to hear on the weather channel at 5 AM in the morning, predicting a sunny day and heavy traffic. Song titles include "Sunrise at the Googleplex", "Aloe Vera Water" and "McDonald's breakfast". ATMOSPHERES 第3 was also released in 2014, but I feel this is more... seminal to vaporwave.
ecovirtual.bandcamp.com/album/atmospheres-2
g h o s t i n g - Telenights
A fuzzy, hypnotic, spaced-out melange of trippy futurebeats, vaporwave and late night TV commercials, creating a really atmospheric experience. Feels like passing out and waking up in Videodrome.
http://dreamcatalogue.bandcamp.com/album/telenights
Le Cassette - Left to Our Own Devices
Synthpop, chillwave, synthwave... No idea what to call this, but it. is. AMAZING. I'm a sucker for sexy 80s synth vibes. That dude's voice is so dreamy. Catchy choruses and impeccable production make this an instant classic. This is what they're playing in Perturbator's futureclub.
http://telefuturenow.bandcamp.com/album/left-to-our-own-devices
Lipstick Elite - Stay Passionate, But Be Discreet
Luxury Elite is among my favorite vaporwave producers, but this collaboration with Skeleton Lipstick trumps anything he's ever done in terms of sheer sexuality and dancingness. Every song on this EP is insanely catchy, the lyrics are beyond seductive and the vocals and sexy beats will leave you moist with desire. Seriously, you need to hear this.
https://sunuprecordings.bandcamp.com/album/stay-passionate-but-be-discreet
マクロスMACROSS 82-99 - A Million Miles Away
More vaporwave? Alriiiiight! This album is full of funky and seductive beats and will make you wish you'd have taken the first flight to Tokyo, fell in love with a beautiful woman and married her right there in the karaoke bar. Listen before judging me, senpai.
https://macross82-99.bandcamp.com/album/a-million-miles-away
Mantar - Death By Burning
I know you were just starting to get jiggy with it and that's great, but we need to take a HARD turn and pay our dues to Mantar, the single greatest metal duo to emerge this year out of whatever foundry these guys crawled out of. Wielding just drums, a guitar and a shit-ton of amps and pedals, this half German, half Turkish band will absolutely melt your face off and will cause a racket that is sure to shatter your windows. So fucking stoked these guys are taking off and have started touring Europe. They have totally earned it for being such sweet bros. Check out the interview we did with them here and then go bang your head to their music. Oh, did I mention how awesome it is that lady looks like she's wearing a flaming cake? FUKK.
http://mantar.bandcamp.com/
猫 シ Corp. - pretty much everything?
The name translates to Cat System Corp. and I honestly didn't know which album to pick, because they are all excellent. If you ever become the CEO of a spa resort, this is the music you will play while ladies get their facials done. I'm gonna link the wonderful 太陽。慰安。楽園。album for your listening pleasure. It translates to "The Sun. Comfort. Paraside". This is not a Japanese band btw. Check out that zany artist pic above. LOL.
https://catsystemcorp.bandcamp.com/album/--2
Phoenix #2772 - Interludes
More easy late-night listening, courtesy of Phoenix #2772. I enjoy putting this bad boy on while I'm brushing my teeth and changing into my pajamas. There's also a song with a sample from a Macintosh Plus song that samples a Diana Ross song. So meta.
https://phoenix2772.bandcamp.com/album/interludes
Waterfront Dining - COMFY 快適な
I picked COMFY 快適な but Waterfront Dining has released a buttload of stuff in 2014 and everything is excellent. If you're into smooth, vaped out jazz vibes, this band will please you immensely.
