Not Another 2015 list....
I lied. My favourite records of 2015. |
| 30 |  | Bjork
Vulnicura
I liked this,then I didnt, then I did. Overall Bjorks whining on this does grate a little but but its still a superb addition to her discog. Bjork and more strings is always good. |
| 29 |  | Kammarheit
The Nest
A more than solid return from the master. Faultless in almost anything he does. |
| 28 |  | Cult Leader
Lightless Walk
I actually liked both EPs so wasnt as concerned as many. Lived up to the hype though. Opener is a killer. Theyve got a classic record in them again somewhere. |
| 27 |  | Chve
Rasa
A late comer. Amenra frontman CHVE's first solo record. 40 minutes of soul revealing drone through his hurdy gurdy. Beautiful stuff with on point production by Treha Sekorti. It was only released December so could have even been higher over time. |
| 26 |  | Varg (Swe)
Ursviken
Dark,Cold Ambient Techno. Feels like winter. I dont usually get along with any form of techno but this was on point. |
| 23 |  | Vessels
Dilate
Had to throw some UK in here. Less post rock than previous efforts and (far) more electro. Almost Caribou like in parts. But it works for them. Its an Album I cant pick tracks in It just works as a whole listen. Flows really well. |
| 22 |  | Wiegedood
De Doden Hebben Het Goed
Im a huge Amenra fan so always excited for side projects and all Church of Ra affiliated works. Levys black metal release was great. Transferring those atmospheric Oathbreaker/Amenra clean breaks and atmospheres to this in parts (all though of course never as good) Solid debut. Superb Live too. |
| 21 |  | Yen Pox
Between The Horizon And The Abyss
Only heard this a few weeks ago. With more time to settle it would be higher I think. Really heavy, nihilistic Industrial Ambient. Real Real Good. Really Encompassing. |
| 20 |  | Godspeed You! Black Emperor
'Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress'
I like the droney, Heavy Godspeed but I didnt find myself going back to this as much as I hoped still its a standardly great Godspeed Album and I enjoyed the shift. Needs to be listened to as a whole piece. The tracks of this live where outstanding. |
| 19 |  | Desolate Shrine
The Heart of the Netherworld
I lived and breathed death metal as a kid. Now I barely find anything that interests me. This was a great death metal record. |
| 18 |  | Bell Witch
Four Phantoms
Top Tier Funeral doom. Pure emptiness. After seeing these guys live it made me love this album even more. |
| 17 |  | Lil Ugly Mane
Third Side of Tape
3 in the top 20. Nutthugger. Check. Don't care. The best of his collections. Ridiculously talented producer. Whole thing is dope as usual. Hip Hop beats, Noise , Smooth as shit. The man. |
| 16 |  | Elder (USA-MA)
Lore
Love me some Elder. Was psyched for this and didn't disappoint at all. They upped there game. Songs are fantastic to surround yourself too. Stoner rock escapism. |
| 15 |  | Billy Woods
Today, I Wrote Nothing
Billy Woods can do no wrong for me. His insight and Lyricism are some of the best in the game. Only downside is some short tracks as the title is taken from Russian writer Daniil Kharms who also works is short prose. |
| 14 |  | kreng
The Summoner
Id never heard Kreng before. I basically got this because of the Amenra appearance. Like Dark classical ambient its like classic horror that makes you jump when the strings erupt. 'the first half of the album is made entirely of 12 string players being directed to play around' Its menacing but soul searching.....and then Amenra. |
| 13 |  | Ahab
The Boats Of The Glen Carrig
A lot of people didn't get on with this. Its definitely more accessible in a kind of Mastodon-Blood Mountain/Opeth-Watershed kind of way. But the songs are superb. Theres not one track I dont really like. I didnt want to hear the same Ahab. I like the turn. |
| 12 |  | Mgla
Exercises in Futility
Another beast of a black metal record. Excellent songwriting and superb melodies. I get lost in 'IV'. |
| 11 |  | Nickelus F and Shawn Kemp
Trick Dice
Almost forgot how good this was in the haze that was 'Oblivion Access'. Thankfully Shawn Kemp beats will continue now Ugly Mane is gone (?). This record showcases just why thats important and Im not a huge fan of Nickelus F solos work but it works well here. 'Bathory Motives' is the highlight for me but there are many. |
| 10 |  | Shape of Despair
Monotony Fields
Despite the name. Theres nothing monotonous about this record in a genre that can sometimes be just that. The keys and the clean vox always keep it interesting. Monster of a doom record. |
| 9 |  | Tigran Hamasyan
Mockroot
In a land far,far away Cloudkicker and Animals as Leaders adopted a son and taught him Jazz piano. This is the result. |
| 8 |  | Hiatus Kaiyote
Choose Your Weapon
Every member of this band are so damn good at what they do it is just a joy to listen to them. Soul is the word. They ooze it. Everything is so smooth and bursting with ideas with the angelic Nai Palm leading the choir. Its not a genre I listen to much. Im more on the darker side. But this record gives me them feelz im sure avid soul/future soul/neo funk whatever-the-fuck its called listeners get. It's uplifting. Those electronic kinda of breakdowns on their to like in 'Breathing Underwater' are the shit. |
| 7 |  | Prurient
Frozen Niagara Falls
Im not even going to explain this. Never been a huge fan of his but this is fantastic but It took a lot of hard work to find the jewel but this is what I always was looking for when I listened to his work. I think he did too. |
| 6 |  | Misthyrming
Söngvar elds og óreiðu
Im extremely picky with Black metal. This record hit me straight away. As pulverizing as it is the added progressive nature to it and their excellent song writing made it by far my metal album of the year. There are twists and turns without it feeling forced. |
| 5 |  | Treha Sektori / RM74 / BARST
Tri Muerte
Three artists(french/Belgian/german) decide to work together on this after the Garden of Drones in Belgium and the result is an Incredible record. Part Drone, Part Ambient but much more with soaring crescendo's, almost post rock esque guitar loops even some damn french poetry. 3 epic soundscapes. First track is probably my most listened track this year which explains a lot at 20 mins long. |
| 4 |  | Colin Stetson and Sarah Neufeld
Never Were The Way She Was
Another collab that worked really well. I always look forward to hearing any New Stetson to marvel at his insane lung capacity again and playing off the beautiful string work of Neufield adds a different dynamic. Sounds huge. |
| 2 |  | Death Grips
The Powers That B - Part II: Jenny Death
Last years album made my top 20. This is even better. As in my top 2/3 death grips. Typically Chaotic and Aggro but probably their best collection of tracks since 'the money store'. Flatlander deserves a lot of credit for this too. Loads of fun. Even the last pure electro track owns. |
| 1 |  | Lil Ugly Mane
Oblivion Access
To quote Johnnys ridiculously good review on here...
'Really, what you take away from Oblivion Access will probably depend on how invested you are in Miller'
Those of us who waited through a deleted album and years of dick teasing over when/If it would be dropped where like kids at Christmas when it finally came. I don't think anyone expected what they heard. It dropped as I went to bed. 3 spins later and was still trying to fathom what I heard. Super Dark and Deeply introspective, Its almost like a straight Travis Miller record rather that his LUM persona. As always the beats are stellar but the lyricism and word play on this release are up there , if not better, than anything before. The close of 'Collapse and appear' are possibly the best couple of verses he's ever written but instead of spitting them he does it through Siri/Samantha voice messaging because the guys a DON.This is straight Poetry.
It ends perfectly. His bitter retreat away from the glare. Perfect. |
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