A little later than usual, here’s our Q4 mixtape for 2015, kicking off the new year with a pick of some of the best music released in the final three months of last year. Some of the below mentioned artists featured as part of our year-end staff and userfeatures, and the individual tracks can be heard below the track title or, if you’d prefer, most can be found on the Spotify playlist below. Featuring everything from the wandering post-punk of Cindy Lee to the proggy space jam of Yuri Gagarin to Reket at the forefront of Estonian rap, we hope you enjoy. –Dave
Cindy Lee – “Last Train’s Come And Gone” Act of Tenderness Listen if you like: Women, Viet Cong, Zola Jesus, Metal Machine Music
One of the great clichés in music criticism is to mark down a song by saying that it simply “doesn’t go anywhere”. Now, there is no apparent navigational sense to “Last Train’s Come and Gone”, one of the (many) standout tracks from former Women guitarist/singer Patrick Flegel’s eerie new album Act of Tenderness, but that hasn’t stopped it from becoming one of the most profound songs I’ve heard this year. The number arrives subsumed within a thick syrupy murk, with Flegel casting off individual guitar notes that unfurl in the crushing gloom before slowly spinning off into the abyss; I’ve struggled to come up with a better description for it here but somehow the…
I’ve been mulling a review of David Bowie’s most recent album, Blackstar, which, if you’re reading this, no doubt you’ve realized was released mere days before his passing on January 10th. He died in peace, surrounded by family, so we’re told by his publicist. Could there be a better way to go for a man who made himself so private? For all his fame and public adoration, Bowie died simply, in the company of family. It seems fitting that, for whatever reasons were, Bowie’s prolonged battle with cancer (over 18 months, from the brief obituary provided) was hidden, and his music was allowed to speak for itself. In my mind, that’s how David Bowie would want to go out – not on his knees as the subject of tabloid spectacle, but on his feet, shouting one last opus to the world. How grand a man, to suffer in silence and let the grandeur of his work tell his tale. That’s David Bowie.
I can’t claim to remember all that David Bowie had to offer the world – I’m no historian and Wikipedia and Rolling Stone and others who lived through all phases of his career can, no doubt, provide history lessons and the emotional impact of what it felt like to be there and see Ziggy Stardust in concert. The experience, for me, is far less grand, but still as personal, and if only to personally say “thank you” to one of the greatest musicians to have ever lived, I’d like to share those…
I’ve occasionally come across a particular notion in the music community that the more we listen to the more we build expectations, higher and higher until the bar’s raised unattainably high and we in turn forget what it’s like for that threshold to be met in the first place. I’ve never explicitly agreed with this thought because of how nonsensical it’s always come across – “shouldn’t we come to appreciate art more the more time we take to truly understand it?,” I usually feel, and yet it still can strike me subconsciously, at times. I sometimes catch myself thinking what Theodore, the central character of Spike Jonze’s 2013 film Her, once wondered to himself, if I’m “not gonna feel anything new. Just lesser versions of what I’ve already felt.” And that thought’s a scary one, because I never want to lose that ability to tear up to a song, to get lost in the rhythm of a good screamo song when I feel that desire.
Ultimately I know this fear to be misguided, and don’t worry much about its implications either. I just mostly worry about the fact that this kind of pessimism, cynicism, what-have-you, is such an ingrained thought to me. When I find a new album I love, why am I so quick to worry about when those impressions will fade? I listened to Dream Sequins by Nmesh several nights back, and I was so taken by it – never had I heard an album that seemed to have such…
From an editorial standpoint, the Year-End features are a lot of fun, despite the hectic scheduling and frenetic coordinating necessary to ensure we meet our [perpetually-malleable] deadlines. This is especially true for the Users’ Year-End list, which requires me to rely on the site’s contributing contingent to create the blurbs that complement each album in the feature. Not only are the Contributors tasked with all the writing, but there are occasions where they need to identify and recruit other users to alleviate the burden with similar energy and gusto.
Regardless of your opinion on the Users’ list – yes, we’ve heard plenty of you in regards to the Staff list – it takes an enthusiastic and reliable bunch to pull this off without a hitch. I’d wager that, all things considered, both features turned out rather well.
To say thank-you to the contributing reviewers for their hard work for the 2015 list, I’ve awarded them some additional, one-off “face time” on the blog. I left the theme open-ended and to each individual writer’s own devices. Where one might want to write about his favorite album this year, others might prefer instead to champion for an album that seemed to have gone under-appreciated or unrecognized on the site. Perhaps someone else wanted to write a treatise on why Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz is really 2015’s Album of the Year.
Please enjoy this 10-item featurette, and if you have other ideas that you’d enjoy contributing to or reading, don’t hesitate to keep in touch. –Jom
I don’t know about you, but I’ve always found late December/early January to be a dead zone for music. Aside from a few stray finds, it’s typically just a time for me to reflect upon the previous year, look at others’ year-end favorites, and see if I can augment my musical collection with their discoveries. That’s not a bad thing though, as the process often results in some of my most highly-rated records (see: The World is a Beautiful Place’s Harmlessness). So if that’s the route you’re used to taking, then I fully encourage you to continue. However, if you’re a little bored with 2015’s leftovers, it’s often fun to turn the page and peak ahead at what 2016 has in store.
Offering a glimpse into the future is nowhere near as good as what we already know rocked the socks off 2015. I suppose that it goes without saying that hindsight is 20/20, thus it is important not to hold this playlist to the same standard as a “year best” list. Plus, as much as I’d love to know every album that 2016 will bring us, the truth is that I typically play things pretty nonchalantly and just wait to see what comes my way as the months roll by. As a result, the below playlist is merely an appetizer sampler. You’ll probably like a few tracks and hate the rest, but that’s okay because the point is to just see what’s out there. Also, I was kind of limited to…
Love it or hate it, progressive metal is a tough genre to tackle because it takes true skill to balance technicality and emotion. At the same time, it’s another skill to make it sound completely engaging even when it’s nothing new. Even the genre’s most essential artists have trouble going about their music regarding this aspect. Intronaut accomplished this with flying colors due to their incredible musicianship and engaging vocals, both clean and harsh. In addition to this, this album’s melodies prove to be absolutely breathtaking. The band manage to tread familiar ground while consistently making things sound quite fresh in the process, which is quite admirable. It’s for these reasons that The Direction of Last Things exists as one of the best releases of the year. –Nick Mongiardo
It isn’t – and probably never will be – anyone’s favourite Titus album, but with the benefit of hindsight, 2012’s Local Business was a record that had to be made. Hell, the mere thought of topping The Monitor must have been daunting in itself, so it’s to their immense credit that Patrick Stickles and co. circumvented the…
I understand that this person means well in his/her own mind and is only going off personal experience or religious persuasion, but I personally dislike eulogies where the speaker asserts that “[So-and-so] is in a better place.” What makes the eulogizer think that the deceased wouldn’t rather be here with us if he could? Daniel Davis (known to most here as paradox1216) passed away this year after a long battle with cancer. Although we all paid our respects when we learned of the tragic news in October, my hope is that we can integrate his positive energy, enthusiasm, and musical curiosity into our own site presences. As problematic as this site can be on the back-end with technological headaches and other details that are completely outside of our control, Sputnikmusic is nevertheless a sanctuary, an interconnected respite for the weary, a place in which we can escape from “the real world” for a few minutes per day to engage colleagues and friends about our shared love of music in meaningful ways. You can…
It took me a long time to come around to Choose Your Weapon. Even as an avid fan of their debut, the follow-up is incomparably perplexing. Every time you start to wrap your head around the groove, tracks will spiral off in opposing directions — if you’ve ever heard a song that melds Afrobeat and chiptune as coherently as “Atari”, let me know. This steepens the entry curve somewhat, and means it may come across as flighty and directionless if not given the time of day (*cough* Fantano *cough*). However, those who delve deep and give it that time will find one of the most bizarrely enriching listening experiences of 2015.
Soul revivalists all too often pigeonhole themselves into a specific niche, but Hiatus Kaiyote make use of many strains of jazz, soul and funk from the last 50 years. You would think this smorgasbord of influences would cause the album to come across scatterbrained, but the band always somehow manage to rein it back in thanks to the enigmatic vocals of Nai Palm. Through every absurd twist in Weapon‘s wild ride, Palm is always there, adjusting to match the backdrop while providing some much needed grounding for listeners losing their way amongst the labyrinthine compositions. Have no doubt: it can be an exhausting and complex journey,…
Despite expanding his sound to fill a much broader scope, Kristian Matsson’s fourth full length shares a vital component with its predecessors: an unmistakable feeling of connection with the listener. Deemed his most personal work to date, Dark Bird is Home is affecting and passionate, but not without the lyrical genius of his past efforts. Fueled by topics like the death of a family member and the separation with his wife, Matsson conjures up a release that feels like an unashamed examination of life, rather than an exercise in self-pity. Make no mistake: the album is a grand adventure through life’s bleaker circumstances. Whether it be the horns that bounce around on “Slow Dance” or the gradual build-up in the title track, one can’t help but feel as though they’re part of the journey this time around. –Atari
Perhaps it is a bit surprising to see TesseracT’s Polaris on this list, mostly because of the number one complaint about it: the lack of real standout tracks. In some respects, this is understandable; however, what ultimately makes this album so great is its simplicity. It’s the uncomplicated instrumentation, the one-dimensional atmosphere, and…
Holy shit. Hooooooooooooooooooly shit, you guys. Just picture me, sitting here, profound grin across my face as I read every single comment about Bring Me The Horizon coming in at #42…
Let’s just say I’m truly thankful to be able to join you today, all of us together again for another holiday season and the yearly Sputnikmusic Staff Top Ten. First up is… waiiiit. Album art with like, lots of overly-detailed small stuff happening inside a much, much larger frame? Do a double-take, if you want (search your feelings, you know it to be true…). What you’re looking at is unmistakably Dance Gavin Dance album artwork, and Instant Gratification, now a certified ‘Best of 2015’ record, is unmistakably a Dance Gavin Dance album (let the comments flow, guys… really, don’t hold back).
Over the past eight years, and despite all the (astounding) drama that has befallen the band, Dance Gavin Dance have managed to release an impressive six LPs: one that was okay, two that were great, one that was awesome (this one), and two that changed the game forever. Based on my recollection, the first five never even sniffed our Top 50, and yet, behold! In 2015, Instant Gratification lands right here, in our Top Ten. Hell, even its…
In 2012, I felt a renewed faith in “heavy” music. When Gaza dropped No Absolutes In Human Suffering, it was refreshing, to say the least. Three years later, Cult Leader have risen from the ashes and released an album mired in Gaza lore, but drenched in a new identity. Murky and of the moment, Lightless Walk sees the band chart out their own path with a more focused metal sound. The album is sludgier and grimier than anything Gaza ever released. And while that band’s breakup still stings, Cult Leader more than make up for all of those lonely nights. –Eli K.
Since the early ’00s and the gradual reinstatement of Paradise Lost among the flagship bands of European death/doom metal the same questions come to mind once the cycle of each and every full length release has been completed: where will they go from here? Will they still be relevant? Truth be told, the Shadowkings have shown to be extremely resourceful in redefining their style, while taking calculated risks regarding the addition of “foreign” elements. For…
Following a surprise hiatus and the ongoing reunion rumors of front-man Charlie Simpson’s seemingly buried boy-band past, anyone could be forgiven for thinking that 2009’s superb Be Human would be Fightstar’s swan song. However, the English post-hardcore, come-alternative metal quartet pleasingly return with a vengeance on their fourth LP Behind the Devil’s Back. Including metallic riffs and thunderous drumming, this is arguably their heaviest record yet, with the raw aggression on display often being astounding. Thankfully, the band have far from sacrificed those killer melodies, with the dual vocal dynamic and some nifty synth additions being a genuine strength. Lacking the diversity of their previous two albums, it may take a few listens to differentiate some of the tracks, but with no filler over an extremely lean thirty-seven minutes, fans are sure to adore this triumphant comeback. –DaveyBoy
49. Godspeed You! Black Emperor – ‘Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress’
With a band like Godspeed, the task isn’t so much explaining how the album’s merits lifted it to the Top 50, but trying to – as sympathetically as possible – describe why…
Welcome back! It’s hard to believe that it’s already been a year since the highly acclaimed SMA’s (Sowing’s Music Awards) made its debut, and – to your certain delight – the feature has returned in 2015 to bring you the best of…well, whatever I say is best. I’m sure you are the most excited you’ve been all year long.
A typical reaction to the announcement that the SMA’s have returned.
Last year we saw the likes of Gates, The Afghan Whigs, St. Vincent, and Low Roar hoist the seriously cool shit trophy [pictured below]. Many worthy artists are considered, but it takes something truly special to garner an SMA. Acclaimed musicians like The War on Drugs,The Antlers, and Sharon Van Etten have all previously been nominated but walked away empty handed. In short, this is a damn prestigious thing – and at the very least, it beats out the Country Music Awards.
There were many personalities that I considered bringing on board to host this year’s installment. Conan O’Brien, Stephen Colbert, Donald Trump — however, Judio! had dibs [citation: 12/02/14], so I do request that you direct all of your questions and frustration over this list at him. If you’d like to offer praise, my shoutbox is always open. And of course, without further ado, here are the 2015 SMA’s. I hope you find them as riveting as I do. PS: I’ve dedicated a heartfelt 2015 mixtape to all of Sputnik, which…
Can we start again, go back to what it meant back then? The intentions have never been lost, but in the case of Bane, we can’t go back. Instead, there are a few select chances left for both Europeans and North Americans to see the legendary Boston hardcore outfit, who will be drawing a line under their illustrious career in 2016. They did want to go out on their own terms though, and to capitalize on the chemistry and joy they felt onstage, nothing short of a global farewell tour wasn’t going to cut it. I caught the group on their Tallinn date and was assured in person, not through words but through presence, that this is a band who still wants to do what they’ve done for the past 20 years, and that the decision to hang up the mic wasn’t something that came overly easy. In fact, after this interview, I’m still not convinced that Bane actually want to quit, but all things must come to a close eventually, I guess. As Aaron Bedard, the vocalist for Bane and my interviewee, has always said, hardcore is a young man’s game. But what about a young soul in an old(er) body? I’ll just let Aaron explain everything.
This is your goodbye tour to Europe and it’s the first time you’ve come to Estonia, so I’d like to say a big thank you to you for finding the time to come over here. With…
Zardonic is one of the heaviest non-underground DJ-s out there right now, which is also why I was so interested in chatting him up. One of the main things that I look for in music is adrenaline, and Zardonic’s music has a lot of that. It’s not hard to see why either: Federico Agreda, the man behind the mask, is one passionate guy. Whether we were talking about the state of things in Venezuela, or just what wines are good, there was an aura of exuberance emitting from him. 2015 was the most fruitful year in Zardonic’s career, so what better time to see on which wavelength Federico is, than right now. Not one to shy away from sharing what he really feels, or dropping names who have inspired him, this metalhead-at-heart gave some real detailed answers about how one gets big in the US, what he thinks of trends, drugs, the Zardonic character, and everything in between. Check it out.
Because I too am into metal, let’s start from there. You have quite the metal background. Not necessarily as an artist, but as a fan. What can you tell about that?
Metal is my thing. It is the genre that contains every element I look for in music. It’s not about being heavy actually, it’s about intensity. It’s a very passionate music genre. You of course also have metal bands that sound like shit, but in general, at least…
