It seems incredible to think that we haven’t got long left of the 2010s, and next year, every music journo will be compiling their Albums of the Decade lists. Until then though, let’s take a look at what this year had in store for us. 2018 was bookended with the deaths of two Manchester musical legends Mark E. Smith of The Fall and the Buzzcocks‘ Pete Shelley, Kanye West descended into unforgivable amounts of buffoonery (and released the worst album of his career with Ye alongside the underwhelming Kids See Ghosts), stoner metal titans Sleep dropped their first album in 15 years, Arctic Monkeys finally released music after a 5 year wait to a somewhat mixed response, XXXTentacion was murdered, an avant-garde jazz album was nominated for a Mercury, The 1975 gave us Snapchat’s answer to OK Computer, Bristolian punks IDLES sold out huge venues in 5 minutes, ‘emo rap’ became a thing, and Childish Gambino delivered one of the most damning incitements of American culture in recent memory. So, now that’s all out the way, here are my picks for the best music releases of 2018:
Denzel Curry – TA13OO
I’m going to go right ahead and say this now; Ta13OO is the greatest trap rap album of all-time. Floridian rapper Denzel Curry is a highly ambitious performer and a modern hip hop innovator and here’s why: the beats are otherworldly, his rapping performance remains unsurpassed this year, and Ta13OO’s concept is executed phenomenally. The interaction between Denzel’s vocals and the beats is astonishing; he manoeuvres his raps through the multi-faceted tracks effortlessly, spanning from frenetic raps, to sung hooks, to coarse shouts, and eases back into the tongue-twisting vocals, winding and turning with each changing mood of the instrumentals. Presented here are bass-boosted trap tracks, gothic chillers, laid-back synth funk numbers, and heavy-as-hell industrial influenced bangers. The album also stands as a conceptual masterpiece, tackling subject matter including addiction, drug provoked mindlessness, near death experiences, US politics induced paranoia, and child abuse. Split into three clearly defined ‘acts’, the moroseness of Ta13OO increases steadily through its runtime. It may be a difficult listen for some, but this is the essential hip hop record of the year. Trap and mumble rap naysayers will be charmed by Denzel’s wordplay and technical ability on the mic, and Ta13OO’s ambitious scope and variation of sounds is something any music fan can appreciate. After the two-year wait following Imperial and the buzz generated from his EP 13, the wait was truly worth it. Ta13OO is my favourite album of the year, and I’m so stoked to see Denzel finally getting the attention and acclaim he deserves.
Beach House – 7
The Baltimore duo Beach House have been winning over indie fans for the past 12 years, and are often regarded as the front-runners of the dream pop revival sound. They’ve won approval from all corners of the globe with critically acclaimed releases such as Teen Dream and Bloom, however I’ve always found they fell into the ‘atmosphere over songwriting’ troupes which many similar groups take advantage of. 7 however, is their most substantial, heavy and ultimately memorable release to date. Aided by the production talents of Sonic Boom of Spacemen 3, Beach House load up on psychedelia to create dense, ethereal, and driving noise pop. Of course, the Cocteau Twins influence still runs throughout, but 7 is the biggest departure of Beach House’s signature sound to date. If you’ve never listened to these guys before, then this is the place to start. It’s been on repeat for me since it was released in mid-May.
Daniel Avery – Song for Alpha
A record which I’d been waiting impatiently for five years for, Daniel Avery’s Song for Alpha was a shock to the system upon listening to it for the first time. Daniel has changed his sound so much that it’s almost unrecognisable from his previous work. The tech-house bangers of Drone Logic are been replaced by intricate IDM and Warp Records influenced ambience; it’s like stepping into the 90s and listening to the early demos of Aphex Twin, Autechre and Plastikman. Avery creates resonant washes of sound with layers upon layers of electronic bleeps and riffs, echoing snares and underpinning bass thuds. Song for Alpha is simultaneously minimalistic and meditative. Its unnerving mood owes to its overall nocturnal sound; it’s the perfect soundtrack to accompany post-club introspection. The ear-ringing begins, the seemingly distant beats repeat in your imagination, the weariness sets in, and the club is departed. If Drone Logic was the party, then Song for Alpha is the product of a dazed post-club mind.
Death Grips – Year of the Snitch
Death Grips previous record Bottomless Pit is one of my favourite albums of the 2010s, and was my Album of the Year in 2016, so my anticipation for Year of the Snitch was absolutely huge. Last year’s Steroids (Crouching Tiger Hidden Gabber Megamix) hinted at the approach the group were going for with Year of the Snitch, and it’s their most manic and experimental release to date. The titular ‘Snitch’ is a reference to the key witness of the Charles Manson prosecution, Linda Kasabian, who Death Grips demarcate in ‘Linda’s In Custody’. It’s a throwback to the Manson themes in Exmilitary, specifically Charlie’s speech which opens ‘Beware’. Though the themes of nihilism and cult of personality appear throughout Year of the Snitch, MC Ride’s puzzling lyrics and the off-the-wall instrumental approach of the album ultimately signifies there is no unifying concept.
Opening with ‘Death Grips is Online’, the Sacramento three-piece employ traditional hip hop aspects (such as DJ scratching) to a forward propelling instrumental which recalls both 70s krautrock and synth-punkers Suicide. The dense electronic production paired with the golden-age hip hop influence immediately evokes the sound of the Bomb Squad and Public Enemy, though Death Grips conjure a much more frenzied approach here on Year of the Snitch by virtue of MC Ride’s inimitable shouts and Zach Hill’s overexcited drumming. ‘Flies’ cements the unpredictability of Death Grips, sounding completely unlike the previous track thanks to its influence from the experimental corners of the electronic world, namely wonky and glitch hop. This sound resurfaces in ‘Streaky’, the album highlight which applies simple hooks to fragmented electronica samples and industrial grooves. ‘Black Paint’ is a straightforward stoner rock affair, with pummelling riffs and rhythmical chants, complete with a head-nod inducing breakdown. It’s a true standout in Death Grips’ catalogue as it sounds so unalike previous material, yet it’s one of their catchiest and memorable. Though the latter half of the album tails off a bit, Year of the Snitch is a triumph none-the-less, and will go down as one of their greatest achievements.
Year of the Snitch manages to divert Death Grips’ sound into new territories, effectively deconstructing their core musical values and inverting them. They will be a group who will forever keep their fans guessing what’s going to be around the corner. By straying away from the aggro-rap which has become all the rage in contemporary hip hop and directing a newfound carnivalesque approach, Death Grips have effectively cemented their position as the musical influencers and innovators we always suspected them to be.
Iceage – Beyondless
A surprising return to form, Beyondless rivals New Brigade in terms of quality and consistency, but Beyondless is much more diverse and ambitious than their enjoyably chaotic and youthful debut. Having not really got the sound and style Iceage were going for in Plowing Into the Field with Love, I was impressed that the Danish post-punks had managed to amend their sound once again, keeping it interesting without resorting to the Nick Cave indulgences of Plowing.. ‘Showtime’ is a particular highlight, as vocalist Elias theatrically recounts an actor’s on-stage suicide to the march of the vaudeville waltz of his fellow band members. Basically, it’s the best song Tom Waits never wrote.
Nine Inch Nails – Bad Witch
Nine Inch Nails revisit their classic sound with this half-hour short record. A departure from the electronic inspired sound of Nails’ last few LPs, the aggression, the mechanical industrial rhythms, and the crunching guitars that we all love in Trent Reznor’s work return, alongside elements of experimental and noise rock, free jazz, and dark ambient. It’s reminiscent of the brooding, atmospheric jazz which soundtracked Twin Peaks, David Bowie’s Blackstar, and Bohren & der Club of Gore. This miniature album is a step in the right direction for Trent Reznor and his collaborators, and it feels like a taster for what’s to come. Who knows, he might even write a record which rivals the masterpiece The Downward Spiral.
Parquet Courts – Wide Awake!
Parquet Courts have hinted at brilliance before, but have never managed to write an excellent record from start-to-back. On Wide Awake! however, the Brooklyn indie rockers satisfyingly compose track after track of irresistibly catchy bangers. It’s fun, it’s dancey, it’s funky, and it’s ultimately very entertaining and memorable. Danger Mouse lends his production to Wide Awake!, and the results are astonishing; the rhythm section is brought to the forefront, with seismic basslines and rolling percussion now leading the music and propelling it forward. The sound on show here is of course influenced by The Fall and Pavement, but Parquet Courts have upped the new wave, dance punk and post-punk influence; think Television, Elvis Costello, Talking Heads, Gang of Four, Liquid Liquid, and Devo. Wide Awake! sees Parquet Courts finally accomplishing their full potential, and it serves as a must have album for those craving a slice of excellent guitar music.
Pusha T – DAYTONA
Yet another artist who’s managed to unlock their full potential this year, Pusha T has assuredly increased his fan base a significant amount with DAYTONA, a twenty-minute short record produced entirely by Kanye West. Not to steal the limelight away from Push, but this is the only record worth getting from Kanye’s productive yet ultimately disappointing streak this year. Here on DAYTONA however, Kanye delivers some of the best beats of his career such as the swaggering ‘Games We Play’ and the Clipse recalling gangsta rap of ‘If You Know You Know’. Pusha’s performance here is top-notch; every rhyme and lyric is calculated, his flow matches the beats seamlessly, and every bar is executed with precision. It’s the same length as an EP or prog guitar solo, so there’s no excuse to let DAYTONA’s twenty-minutes of brilliance pass you by.
Sleep – The Sciences
The Sciences is the biggest surprise of the year. Sleep fans have been eagerly awaiting new material since they reformed in 2009, and The Sciences is their first album since 2003’s stone cold classic Dopesmoker. Sure, they’d teased us with standalone singles like ‘The Clarity’ in 2014, but Sleep still left everyone wanting a significant slab of material. The Sciences is comparable to the group’s earlier work like Sleep’s Holy Mountain, yet with a few key differences such as Al Cisneros’ vocals which centre on recreating hypnotic, meditative chants. The production here is incredible, it’s as if those dirty Sabbath riffs we love in Sleep have been transformed into high-definition. It really enhances the cinematic scope and themes of science fiction, the Antarctic planes and mind altering substances. If you’re into Sleep or any riff-based stoner and doom metal, you will not be disappointed with The Sciences.
Sons of Kemet – Your Queen Is A Reptile
Sons of Kemet’s breakthrough album Your Queen Is A Reptile deserved to have won the Mercury Prize. It’s exciting to see the buzz around this album, as it’s a hugely unlikely success story. The London four-piece interestingly consist of two drummers, a tuba player, and a saxophonist. They have no double bass or bass player, no guitarist or keyboardist, and they play a mix of Afrobeat and avant-garde jazz with elements of dub, spoken word, and funk. There’s even a grime flair to sections of Your Queen Is A Reptile, especially in the tracks including vocals and rapping. The sound is unique; it’s like Fela Kuti is jamming with some of the greats of experimental jazz, albeit with a heavier low-end from the tuba. It would be impossible to write about Your Queen is A Reptile without explaining its concept. It’s a fiery outburst which takes aim at the tumultuous political climate of Britain and its capital, in particular aspects of the monarchy and republicanism, immigration, Windrush deportations and apartheid. Sons of Kemet state that the monarchy does not represent UK citizens, especially black immigrants and the past victims of the Commonwealth. The track titles (bar ‘My Queen Is Ada Eastman’, which references saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings’ grandmother) refer to significant and influential black women who are often whitewashed in the history books. Your Queen is A Reptile is one of the greatest albums this year has to offer, and I can’t wait to hear how they will follow this masterpiece.
Sufjan Stevens – Mystery of Love (EP)
Sufjan Stevens has slowly become one of my favourite songwriters of all-time. With albums as strong as Illinois and Carrie & Lowell, it’s easy to see why he has a cult following who endorse every new release of his. Sufjan may usually take five years between releasing studio albums, but he can be counted on to release singles, EPs, compilations, remixes, and even Christmas songs between waits. Mystery of Love is the first non-album Sufjan release I’ve enjoyed, since it’s simply three tracks which showcase his ear for striking, romantic melancholy. The tracks here all feature in Call Me By Your Name, with the first two being specifically penned for the film after Stevens turned down the role as narrator. ‘Futile Devices’ is a remix of the track from 2010’s The Age of Adz. Though Mystery of Love will leave you wanting more, its Stevens’ best work since the modern classic Carrie & Lowell.
Thom Yorke – Suspiria (Music for the Luca Guadagnino Film)
Horror may boast the most iconic soundtracks and compositions than any other film and TV genres out there. It’s become impossible to think of The Exorcist without thinking of Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells, the shower scene in Psycho without Bernard Hermmann’s staccato strings, or Twin Peaks without Angelo Badalamenti’s iconic lounge jazz score. Some directors such as John Carpenter even compose their own accompanying music to their films. The soundtrack to the original Suspiria is perhaps more famous than the giallo classic. Directed by slasher indulger Dario Argento and scored by progressive rockers Goblin, Suspiria became an underground classic and one of the most loved horror films of its era. The 2018 remake sees the Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino behind the camera this time, and instead of opting for the romantics of Sufjan, he enlists the help of Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke. Suspiria is a varied affair which takes influence from ambient, psychedelia, krautrock, choral, and progressive electronic music which achieves what any good horror soundtrack aims to; creating suspense and instilling fear in the listener / viewer. Suspiria is highly engaging and eclectic, and it’s the best solo release Thom Yorke has offered so far.
Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Sex & Food and IC-01 Hanoi
Unknown Mortal Orchestra have been my favourite discovery of 2018. Well, rediscovery to be exact. Even though I’m a huge fan of psychedelic pop, when I first listened to them half a decade ago, they didn’t really do much for me. After seeing them at a festival and being impressed by their performance, showmanship and unique take on psychedelia, and later stumbling across their debut for the first time and really enjoying it, I revisited their catalogue. They soon became my most listened to act. This year, Ruban and co. gave us two albums, records which are hugely different from each other.
First up was Sex & Food, which although patchy, has some of the best songs they’ve ever written. There’s the Hendrix-esque ‘American Guilt’, the classic UMO sound of ‘Everybody Acts Crazy Nowadays’, and ‘Hunnybee’, my favourite song of this year. All of these songs should be staples of their live sets.
IC-01 Hanoi feels gives the impression of a group desiring to stray away from traditional songwriting tropes, and instead concentrating on music which is loose, improvisational, and jammy. It’s reminiscent of Pink Floyd’s earlier work, especially Ummagumma, Atom Heart Mother, or A Saucerful of Secrets, with embellishments of experimental rock and jazz fusion. I was really surprised at the stark change in sound, and would love to hear the group experiment more with this untied mix of jazz and psychedelia.
Jonny Greenwood – Phantom Thread
It’s become impossible to separate Jonny Greenwood from filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson in the past decade or so. The Radiohead guitarist has been soundtracking his films ever since the highly revered There Will Be Blood in 2007, and has since scored the music for The Master and Inherent Vice. Anderson has also directed the Radiohead video for the incredible ‘Daydreaming’ and stripped down live recordings of ‘Present Tense’ and ‘The Numbers’. Though I’m not really a fan of the films I’ve seen from PTA, the music here was too compelling to not give Phantom Thread a watch. On his most ambitious score yet, Jonny leads a 60-piece orchestra, offering an extravagant backdrop to the occurrences in the period drama. Phantom Thread is a classical masterpiece inspired by minimalism, romantic, and baroque music. It works incredibly well as a stand-alone piece, though after watching the film following the first listen, the music becomes inseparable from the film as it enriches it substantially. The orchestration is lush, the melodies inspire emotion, and the whole record feels like you’re following the cinematic journey. Phantom Thread has inspired me to listen to more of Greenwood, classical music, film scores, and soundtracks.
Earl Sweatshirt – Some Rap Songs
Earl Sweatshirt is easily my favourite member of the musical collective Odd Future. With his monotone raps, impenetrable and cryptic lyrics, and left-field beats, Earl is the millennial’s answer to MF DOOM. Earl is an interesting figure in today’s music scene as he goes about releases his own way; he doesn’t play to current trends, he doesn’t seem to care about profiting, and he unflinchingly unloads his harrowing despair on the listener. His 2015 album I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside offered a snapshot into his depressive state, an unflinching testament to the detachment of mental illness. It wasn’t an easy listen, and it seemed like an active attempt to shun the mainstream and fans of his previous work. He furthered the sentiment of unconventionality with the single ‘Solace’, a stand-alone single where spoken word trailed to lo-fi minimalism. On his first album in three years, Some Rap Songs sees Earl once again snubbing the mainstream and opting for the unorthodox. Experimental to its core, Some Rap Songs revels in unconventional instrumentals, muttered bars, dusty beats, and abstract prose. It’s by no means a straightforward listen, and like its oft-compared weirdo-rap record Madvillainy, it demands repeated listens and improves upon each spin. The influences here range from boom bap and jazz rap, glitch hop, and avant-garde jazz, yet interestingly, its air of psychedelia leaves the biggest impression. Some Rap Songs sounds unhinged and atmospheric, and rivals Doris in terms of experimentation and quality.
Bongripper – Terminal
Bongripper have slowed down a bit in recent years; they were relatively prolific when they first formed, releasing an album every year or two. It’s been a four year wait since 2014’s disappointing Miserable, and prior to that, fans had to wait four years after Satan Worshipping Doom. Maybe it’s all the weed… The wait for Terminal however, was definitely worth it. Terminal is completely instrumental, yet it’s engaging from start to finish. The Chicago four-piece write some of the heaviest music put to record, an antagonistic combination of doom, sludge and stoner metal, with flourishes of post-metal soundscapes and dynamic variation to keep the repetitive riffs interesting. With only two tracks titled ‘Slow’ and ‘Death’, Terminal isn’t easy to digest, especially for newcomers of the genres mentioned above. If you’re a fan of the heaviest strains of doom however, you will be absolutely over the moon with this record. It’s their best since the slept on classic Satan Worshipping Doom, thanks to the perfect production and Bongripper’s ability to tactically augment their characteristic sound with minor variations. Listen to this loud on a big pair of speakers and prepare to be overwhelmed by Terminal.
Honourable Mentions
Julia Holter – Aviary
Kurt Vile – Bottle It In
Against All Logic – 2012 – 2017
Deafheaven – Ordinary Corrupt Human Love
DJ Koze – knock knock
Egoless – Empire of Dirt (Single)
MGMT –Little Dark Age
Anna von Hausswolff – Dead Magic
Jon Hopkins – Singularity
Saba – Care For Me
Curren$y, Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist – Fetti
Lonker See – One Eye Sees Red
Melody’s Echo Chamber – Bon voyage
Christine and the Queens – Girlfriend (feat. Dam Funk) (Single)
André 3000 – Look Ma No Hands (Single)
Miss Red – K.O.
Tony Molina – Kill the Lights
Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs – King of Cowards
Leon Vynehall – Nothing Is Still
Childish Gambino –This Is America (Single)
IDLES – Joy as an Act of Resistance.
Mitski – Be the Cowboy
Mid-Air Thief –무너지기
Commodo – Dyrge EP
SOPHIE – OIL OF EVERY PEARL’S UN-INSIDES
Best Live Moments
The Flaming Lips at Bluedot Festival
The Chemical Brothers at Bluedot Festival
Wand at Brudenell Social Club
Open Mike Eagle at Headrow House and The Parish
Boris at Brudenell Social Club
Mercury Rev performing Deserter’s Songs at Brudenell Social Club
Mogwai at 02 Academy
Jon Hopkins at Headrow House
Ought at Brudenell Social Club
Joe Nice at Freedom Mills (Beneath the Surface)
Objekt at Headrow House (Inner City Electronic)
Parquet Courts at Church
Turnover at Brudenell (Gold Sounds)
Unkown Mortal Orchestra – World Island Festival
Hold the Relish (Rumble in the Jungle)
Peanut Butter Wolf at Belgrave Music Hall
Thee Oh Sees at 02 Academy
St. Vincent at 02 Academy
Iceage at Brudenell Social Club
Sons of Kemet at Belgrave Music Hall
Portico Quartet at Belgrave Music Hall
Dead Meadow at Headrow House
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