March 2016 résumé PART 2
The original list ran out of space, so I'm making another one. This is no best-of list, it is just a bunch of records I've heard, that were RELEASED this month. Not the ones I've heard this month, but ones that were RELEASED this month that I've heard. Therefore, as the time goes, I'll be adding more items on the list, since I listen to stuff constantly. By the way, the names occasionally written under the comments are titles of songs that I recommend. If there are none written, it's either because I didn't like enough of them or because I can't point out a highlight. And now a score guide: 10/9 - 5; 8 - 4.5; 7 - 4; 6 - 3.5/3; 5 - 2.5; 4 - 2; 3 - 1.5; 2/1 - 1 |
| 46 |  | Hebosagil
Lohtu
Well this is just absolutely weird. It's a really, really, really dragging Metal album that feels rewarding when it hits hard, but still obscure as hell. Still not sure what to think of it. 6/10
Peltirumpu, Anna voimaa |
| 45 |  | Slingshot Dakota
Break
This is just so directionless and terribly produced that it gave me literal headache. Man, from the unbearable vocals, to the messy instrumental pasting and some truly weird instrumental to even boring songwriting, this album is a mess to behold with basically nothing to offer. 3/10 |
| 44 |  | Mesarthim
Spire
And on here, they made those synthetic interludes the main course of the EP. 6/10 |
| 43 |  | Mesarthim
Pillars
Gracefully presenting its capabilities, whilst preparing you for what's to come. But that cosmo-pop interludes were unnecessary, it should have been simply some atmospheric cosmic sound (well, sound...you know what I mean). 7/10 |
| 42 |  | Causa Sui
Return To Sky
Not only is this a great Heavy-Psych-Stoner album in in of itself, but it also has some of the sharpest and most on point production on an album of such genre I've ever heard. Besides, with instrumental component like the one displayed here, this is easy to digest, but still a kick ass ride all the way through. 8/10
Dust Meridian, The Source, partially Mondo Buzzo, partially Return to Sky |
| 41 |  | Ray LaMontagne
Ouroboros
I can see the potential there, and for the most part I like the Bluesy Rock direction the album takes. But an overall execution in combination with Ray's vocals make this a bore to behold. 5/10
Homecoming |
| 40 |  | Matt Corby
Telluric
Sometimes energetic, sometimes profound and smooth, but almost always a refreshing and slick taste of Soul-ish (or something) Pop. I honestly did not expect this album to be as mature as it was. Hopefully, Matt Corby will be back soon with even more adventurous and somewhat wilder effort. 7/10
Monday, Wrong Man, Do You No Harm, We Could Be Friends, Empires Attraction |
| 39 |  | And Also The Trees
Born Into The Waves
This sombre masterpiece combines all the atmosphere and mentality of the 70s Post-Punk with influences from modern mastadons of subtle sorrow like for example Nick Cave. It is a truly moving and profound listen that sadly went over a lot of people's heads. 8/10
Your Guess, Winter Sea, Seasons and the Storms, The Sleepers, Bridges, Naito-Shinjuku, The Skeins of Love |
| 38 |  | Venomspitter/DSGNS
Split
If you're looking for a good brutal Hardcore, look no further. The production (especially on the Venomspitter's part) is top-notch and the instrumentation is as brainmelting as one could get. It's a good Hardcore Split, what else d'you want? 7/10 |
| 37 |  | Panopticon / Waldgefluster
Panopticon & Waldgeflüster
A gold standard for what a proper Black Metal should sound like. Whether it is Waldgeflüster's heart-wrenchingly emotional and crushing atmosphere or Panopticon's landscapic and overwhelming fierce nature, this Split mini album is a near-perfect example of all the good in the genre. I'm just struggling to figure out whether it's eligible for my end-of-the-year-list due to it being just a split. 8/10 |
| 36 |  | Metal Church
XI
In its core, there's a decent album, but the flat production and laughably horrendous vocals are what keeps me far from enjoying this album. 5/10 |
| 35 |  | They Might Be Giants
Phone Power
A peculiar record by now-legends of peculiar Rock music. On here you'll find a lot of what the band is known for, which is oddball songwriting and weird lyrics that sometimes sound like random rambling. 6/10 |
| 34 |  | Heck
Instructions
A fairly decent Hardcore Screamo album that really grips with its intensity and even some rather unexpected musical interludes (the acoustic ones) that strangely enough did not throw you out of the mood that rest of the record sets up, and rather adds to the overall dismal atmosphere. 7/10
A Great Idea Bastardised, Don't Touch That Dial, White Devil, some parts of that long ass final track (especially around 10 minute mark) |
| 33 |  | Elzhi
Lead Poison
This year gave us some fantastic lyricism in Hip-Hop, from Saul Williams perfectly beautiful poetry in January, Apathy's deeply personal tremblings in August to Run The Jewels' socially-political critique in December. But in comes Elzhi, a rapper I've initially completely overlooked. His brilliant lyricism, solid flow and fantastic production made this easily one of my favourite Hip-Hop albums of the year. There's really not that much wrong with this record you can point out, besides maybe the occasional spoken-word sketches, whose contribution is minimal. Near perfect album. 8/10
Medicine Man, Weedipedia, Two 16's, Hello, Cloud, Cosign |
| 32 |  | Kamaiyah
A Good Night in the Ghetto
Kamaiyah presents a very broad retro influence on her debut album. I may have an issue with the delivery, in my opinion it is too plain and unrecognisable, but Kamaiyah's cocky out-there personality is soaking through on almost every track on here through the lyrics and the said production. Overall, I did certainly enjoy this record to a certain extent, though I do believe that Kamaiyah has a long path ahead of her to find a sound and style that is truly her. 7/10
Fuck It Up, Come Back, For My Dawg |
| 31 |  | Domo Genesis
Genesis
Well, this certainly isn't bad, but Domo Genesis doesn't quite use all of his potentially present potential. This album just seems a bit like a dud that could have been much better. 6/10
One Below, Wanderer, Dapper, All Night |
| 30 |  | Tender Defender
Tender Defender
A Latterman outspawn came through with a rapidfire, but unfortunately short effort. If you enjoy fast paced and catchy Punk Rock, you'll love this one. I sure did. 8/10 |
| 29 |  | ZelooperZ
Bothic
Well, it certainly isn't terrible, but the biggest and most apparent lowpoint is ZelooperZ's presence, strangely enough. The quality of his delivery, vocals and lyrics reach from Weird to flat out unbearably annoying. 5/10 |
| 28 |  | Young Thug
Slime Season 3
Though considerably more interesting than Thug's prevoius efforts, SS3 still lacks any artistic charisma or distiguishable direction. 5/10
Memo, Digits, Tattoos, Problem |
| 27 |  | Spiritual Beggars
Sunrise to Sundown
I can see where they're headed, but the production and the general over-the-top nature of this record just kept me diconnected all the way through. 6/10
P.S.: By the way, is that Rolling Stones rip-off on Diamond Under Pressure? |
| 26 |  | Fero Lux
No Rest
Fero Lux delivered an album that may satisfy only the purist fans of the band and the genre. 6/10 |
| 25 |  | Samiyam
Animals Have Feelings
...but you don't, apparently. 5/10 |
| 24 |  | King Buffalo
Orion
So this is just another boring superficial Stoner-Psych...who knew? 5/10 |
| 23 |  | The Murlocs
Young Blindness
On Young Blindness, The Murlocs present an album full of fun and playfully over-the-top Psychedelic tunes that are not just pretty melodies amidst a dissorted production (well, that too), but also quite decent instrumentation. In a way it reminds me of this year's Kaviar Special. Just as fun and hyperactively rad. 8/10
Young Blindness, Adolescence, Rollling On, Let Me Down Lightly, Reassurance |
| 22 |  | J-Zone
Fish-n-Grits
On this album, J-Zone references all that pains him in music today and not only, but he does that with a charming amount of musical silliness. 7/10 |
| 21 |  | Universe 217
Change
First off, I loved the vocals, they're explosive and the range is simply staggering. Second of all, the atmosphere and heaviness of the record is indeed pleasing to listen to. However, that's about all I can really say about this album. It is simply the 'good album and above that'. 7/10 |
| 20 |  | Church of Misery
And Then There Were None
I get where the band's headed and I see it appealing to many people, but I was just really disinterested in the music on here. It was a real bore for me. 5/10 |
| 19 |  | Oceans of Slumber
Winter
I was planning on listening to this album for a long time now, but somehow I never got around doing it. It was only seeing it on the Willie's Best of 2016 blog thread that made me go and listen. And I am happy that I did. This album is magnifyingly beautiful. The music is always a bit eccentric (it comes with the territory), relying on the melodies and overwhelming instrumentation, but never to the point of being obnoxious. It is all-throughout gorgeous and simultaneously heavy. 8/10
Winter, Nights in White Satin, Sunlight, Turpentine, This Road, Grace |
| 18 |  | White Denim
Stiff
White Denim are not as original as one would want with this style, they do seem to wear their influences on their sleeves, but this is still one hell of a fun album, goddammit. 7/10 |
| 17 |  | Normandie
Inguz
Booming overwhelming music that just wants so badly for you to think it is catchy. But it just feels overcompressed. 5/10
Fight, Calling |
| 16 |  | Amon Amarth
Jomsviking
Amon Amarth as typical as they ever were, still killin' it. 6/10 |
| 15 |  | The Hue
Aurora
Fantastic space-oriented Funk-y Hip-Hop album. Though the lyrics sometimes show off a tiny bit of bragging, but I'm sure that in a couple of years, this band will have all the reasons to brag. 8/10
Tron, Slick, Magic City, 626, Copters, Alt3r |
| 14 |  | Electric Century
For The Night To Control
Electric Century know the direction they want to go, but that is not particularily the one that I am interested in, unfortunately. A lot of the times the lazy vocal/production combo leaves the songs feel just flat and boring. 6/10 |
| 13 |  | Woman
Fever
A smooth and tender Pop EP that has a lot more potential than it shows. I can see that the band can write smooth bangers, but every song on here comes closely, but not entirely to that. 7/10
Psychedelic Lover, Fever |
| 12 |  | Bob Mould
Patch The Sky
A guy who proved to the world that he knows what he's doing released an album where he constantly makes you question, whether that's true. Generic Pop-Rock revivalism and nothing beyond that. 5/10 |
| 11 |  | Birdy
Beautiful Lies
Birdy started this whole schtick when she was 15, and to this moment very little has changed. With the exception of the music, of course. Music on here can sometimes be really beautiful. However, it still sounds like a teenage girl trying to get attention on how she doesn't want attention (I know that this is very much not what she is trying to accomplish, but that is exactly how it sounds). Not even her vocals are appropriate to the music she plays. Her voice is, to me personally, way too weak in some moments, where she is supposed to explode into emotions, but she leaves the songs feel placid and underwhelming. 5/10
Deep End, Silhouette, Beautiful Lies |
| 10 |  | Sound of Ceres
Nostalgia for Infinity
An album that is the definition of Dream Pop. It just makes you feel like you are in a dream (and a hell good one), as it should. On the other hand, people who are not prepared to go to sleep yet might be slightly put off by the lightweight floatiness of the whole record. 7/10 |
| 9 |  | Lil Yachty
Lil Boat
Ughhhh...this sounds like your classmate's first mixtape. 4/10 |
| 8 |  | The Thermals
We Disappear
The Thermals, a prolific band with not much to say. A lot of the time, the songs have a catchy melody and I definitely dig the vocal delivery, but the instrumentals leave it all feeling raw and quite amateurish. 6/10
My Heart Went Cold |
| 7 |  | Puce Mary
The Spiral
So first off, this is a mesmerising Electro-Noise record. Secondly, it's extremely hard to get into. 6/10 |
| 6 |  | Anna Meredith
Varmints
A glorious glitchy and thrilling record. Every song seems to be quite repetitive, but as it progresses, the new instruments add on and some of them change a tune at the backgrounds a little. I might not entirely dig the vocals, but it all still comes together into a fantastic listen. 7/10
Nautilus, R-Type, The Vapours, Blackfriars |
| 5 |  | Kendrick Lamar
untitled unmastered.
How's that even on his B-Sides compilation he sounds as ambitious and powerful as on the album itself. Well, almost. At the end of the day, those are B-Sides for a reason and this reason is very apparent on some of the cuts on here. Though I like that slightly feel-good Jazzy flow and music, it just sounded a bit off putting. 6/10 |
| 4 |  | Tone of Arc
Shutters Are Shaking
This is actually a single and a B-Side off of their debut album that came out in 2015. And you know what? I could have enjoyed it is the production and the instrumentation were a little different. It has a potential, but I just don't see it on those two tracks (if we think off the remixes at the end) and they deffinitely didn't make me want to listen to the whole album. 5/10
Shutters Are Shaking (Radio Edit) |
| 3 |  | Haelos
Full Circle
After that heartfelt and soulful intro I expected a very emotional and powerful album. And in a way that is what I got. The music definitely sounds emotional, but not in a way when it makes you entirely engaged. And the slightly moody and sad tone the band is trying to push becomes a real drag towards the end. Though I appreciate the effort. 6/10
Intro/Spectrum, Pray, Separate Lives |
| 2 |  | Sensory Deprivation
SNSRY DPRVTN
At this point it might seem that I dislike long albums (or in this case, albums with long songs). I don't, I just like it when something happens within the runtime. 6/10 |
| 1 |  | Vespero
Lique Mekwas
This is an intriguing Psychedelic Avant-Jazz record that will evoke exactly the kind of emotions it is meant to evoke and will provide you with a fantastic experience all the way through. 8/10 |
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