Calc's Cool Cuts 2018
This year has been incredible for me. I work in my dream job (not dream agency but still) and I had my first child a few weeks ago. I'm thankful for all of it and I wish everyone the happiest of holidays. List is top 10 year end list material for sure. |
| 50 |  | Vince Staples
FM!
Rap/Hip-Hop
I'll say this a lot but this shit was fun. the beats make it so and vince bobs along nicely |
| 49 |  | Karas
Karas
Death metal/ Post Hardcore
people seem to be taking bits and pieces of post-hardcores playbook and incorporating it into all sorts of styles lately and it sure seems to be working a lot |
| 48 |  | Royal Coda
Royal Coda
Post-Hardcore
Sergio is easily the most talented guitarist is this swamp of swancore incest and while his foray with Kurt Travis wasn't bad per se. I feel like he's wasting his time lately |
| 47 |  | Chester Watson
Project 0
Rap/ Hip-Hop
dude sounds like he don't care but whoever made these beats did. chill chill stuff |
| 46 |  | Denzel Curry
TA13OO
Rap/ Hip-Hop
it's all been said already, this is fantastic shit though |
| 45 |  | Kamasi Washington
Heaven And Earth
Jazz
Kamasi Washington's sound may not be too exciting but I found myself gripped yet again by this. I missed his date where I live and again, I'm upset |
| 44 |  | Alkaline Trio
Is This Thing Cursed?
Pop-Punk
I fully expected this to suck. and I was fully and completely wrong. old rockers writing old man pop-punk rock and it's great |
| 43 |  | DJ Koze
knock knock
Electronic
I found this waaaaay too late and I'm upset |
| 42 |  | Larry and His Flask
This Remedy
Punk/ Bluegrass
band isn't the same and they took so long to release this but still totally worth a listen or 3 |
| 41 |  | Shad
A Short Story About A War
Rap/ Hip-Hop
another rapper with some wisdom to impart, maybe a little preachy but the dude is good |
| 40 |  | THE FEVER 333
Made An America
Rock/ Electronic
my favorite drummer's other band with the dude from letlive who apparently wishes he was a black guy. it aint that nice all the time bro trust me. this release though tickled me in a good way. pretty much all bangers and I can dig that. |
| 39 |  | Senses Fail
If There Is Light, It Will Find You
Pop-Punk
i loved the heavy sound this band had the past few albums but sometimes you don't wanna talk in poetry and metaphors. you just wanna say something. That's what I feel this album was for Buddy |
| 38 |  | Four Stroke Baron
Planet Silver Screen
Rock/ Depeche Mode
I liked the juxtaposition on this album between the over produced instruments and the vocals. great find by the reviewer on this site. |
| 37 |  | Greyhaven
Empty Black
Metalcore
Shameless ETID love despite what the lead singer says but I'm very happy this came out near the beginning of the year cuz I've been listening to it non-stop. hopefully the next release won't be so top heavy though. |
| 36 |  | Azusa
Heavy Yoke
Hardcore
Music is insane and chaotic just like people expected but the vocals, while sounding great, really dragged this down by being much too samey. Hopefully some more variety will catapult the next release but all the ingredients are here |
| 35 |  | Polyphia
New Levels New Devils
Rock/ Instrumental
i judged the fuck outta this group after I saw them in music video and heard the wank they used to play. this however is just fun. this group is not meant to be taken seriously |
| 34 |  | Mamaleek
Out of Time
Black Metal
completely exemplifies black metal and does so without traditional distorted guitars. very bleak and dark |
| 33 |  | Tilian Pearson
The Skeptic
Pop Rock
catchy nonsense and nothing more..... I've probably heard it 30 times by now |
| 32 |  | Tigran Hamasyan
For Gyumri
Piano
best contemporary pianist? |
| 31 |  | The Doppelgangaz
AAAAGGGHH
Rap/ Hip-Hop
my favorite duo in the game. this isn't as strong as Dopp Hopp but there are some lines in this that'll make you cover your mouth |
| 30 |  | Michael Cera Palin
"I Don't Know How To Explain It"
Emo
Always like me some emo that can play a guitar without leaning on a delay pedal |
| 29 |  | Entropia (PL)
Vacuum
Metal/ Swing
the website I found this on described the sound as swing and that's just what this is. not DSO level swing but I've never heard anything like it. the music fills it's long runtime nicely as it holds your attention without being "catchy" |
| 28 |  | Turnstile
Time and Space
Hardcore
this shit is fun |
| 27 |  | Rosalia
El Mal Querer
Pop/ Flamenco
the typical whines of her selling out and this being soulless were expected but as far as pop music goes it didn't get much better than this. she injects her flamenco soul into her new pop sound flawlessly and I was entranced by her voice the entire time. this woman is going to blow tf up, hell if she performed in english she already would be |
| 26 |  | Hail the Sun
Mental Knife
Post-Hardcore
judging by the ratings this is completly overrated but like people say, there aren't many if any doing the swancore sound better right now |
| 25 |  | Kilo Kish
Mothe
Pop/Indie
semi-experimental ethereal pop from a common vince staples collaborator |
| 24 |  | The Story So Far
Proper Dose
Pop-Punk
they changed a little bit but thankfully kept all the catchiness |
| 23 |  | Maeth
Whaling Village
Stoner Rock/ Metal
a little raw but maeth give us a thick chunk of stone to wittle on here. fun to listen to all the little intricacies of each track |
| 22 |  | serpentwithfeet
soil
RnB/Gospel
Doesn't hit as hard as his debut EP but the man is obviously beautiful inside and out |
| 21 |  | Ross From Friends
Family Portrait
Electronic
brainfeeder goodness, can't explain WHY I'm really diggin this guy as opposed to others but I really liked this |
| 20 |  | Iglooghost
Clear Tamei
Weeble wobbles/ Electronic
the novelty has worn off but I'll be listening to this dude as long as he puts stuff out. very inventive and quirky stuff |
| 19 |  | Iglooghost
Steel Mogu
Weeble wobbles/ Electronic
ditto |
| 18 |  | Oh, Adeona
Oh, Adeona
Post-Hardcore/ Instrumental
until night verses dropped their masterpiece, this was easily best instrumental rock album for me. shades of dionaea, the fall of troy, and save us from the archon all wrapped up in this bad boy, fantastic stuff |
| 17 |  | Real Friends
Composure
Pop-Punk
if anyone has better pop-punk than this from this year let me know please. |
| 16 |  | Murs
A Strange Journey Into The Unimaginable
Rap/ Hip Hop
very introspective look at loss and the state of society from an intelligent viewpoint. the song about superheros is fucking awesome too |
| 15 |  | Palm Reader
Braille
Hardcore
breaking my neck to Coalesce's chorus over and over |
| 14 |  | Submotion Orchestra
Kites
Dub/Electronic
Bit of a return to form and their form is fantastic, they need to do a US tour |
| 13 |  | World's End Girlfriend
MEGURI
Ambient/ Electronic
like the approach with only 3 tracks, 2nd track is cute going from cutesy Nutcracker vibes to castlevania-sounding. maybe a little corny but it won't put you to sleep |
| 12 |  | Elder Brother
Stay Inside
Alt Rock/ Emo
not sure what changed but I clicked with this album immediately and their last piece I thought was boring af. top indie rock of the year here |
| 11 |  | The Armed
Only Love
Cybergrind
genghis tron nostalgia, loved this |
| 10 |  | Kindo
Happy However After
Jazz/ Contemporary Rock?
hate the name change, don't get it. this isn't as good as earlier efforts either (and there's barely anything that's better than their debut) but the boys sound as tight and pretty as always. another note, they also cover dreams from fleetwood mac and I loved it, might be worth listening to for fans |
| 9 |  | Aviations
The Light Years
Djent/ Alt Rock
supremely catchy chunky riffz, need to put this on my gym playlist |
| 8 |  | Dedekind Cut
Tahoe
Ambient/ Drone
my fave ambient release of the year, I really like this artist formally known as lee bannon |
| 7 |  | Poly-Math
House of Wisdom | We Are the Devil
Math Rock/ Post- Hardcore
technical but smooth, not a lot of the overly angular stuff but good |
| 6 |  | Jon Hopkins
Singularity
Electronic
need to listen to this more but more than a couple nights were spent zoning out to this piece of work |
| 5 |  | Rad Horror
Anti Teenage Sensation - Part 1
Alt Rock
completely loved this when I found it, reminds me of brand new and nirvana mix made with today's production. catchy |
| 4 |  | JPEGMAFIA
Veteran
Rap/ Hip-Hop
This album was playing when my Zune crapped out on me so I resent it but this guy has a neat thing going (and has fans that call him peggy) |
| 3 |  | High on Fire
Electric Messiah
Doom/ Stoner/ Motorhead
No matter how much weird shit I try out I'm always gonna come back to the riffz and this delivers |
| 2 |  | Filthy Young Impalers
Pattern Blue
Death Metal
Fantastic little tech death EP, completely relentless so do yourself a favor |
| 1 |  | Night Verses
From the Gallery of Sleep
......
AOTY for past two years for me have been instrumental albums. nothing really more to say about this that hasn't been said |
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