Best of 2018
A little late to the party, heh?! But that's a tradition of mine, to wait until the very end of the year, to catch-up and maybe find some gem that may have flew me by. You just gotta be sure, you know.
The criteria I use is, if I listened a lot to it or if it made a huge impact, a great first impression, even if it wasn't part of the regular listening schedule that often.
There are a couple big names here, not exactly mainstream material (I tend to avoid, just a little, titles that you may find on every year-end list), but people familiar with their respective genres may have heard of them. If you already know anything that's here, just bear with me until the end, and maybe give us some "hell yeah! amen, brother". Otherwise, these are all incredible records that more people should know, and should receive more exposition. Anyway, alreadysaid wrote more than needed. Below is a grid chart with them all, and following with a very brief description of each. No download this time, by the way. There are a lot of them, and they're all easily available so far. Some have Bandcamp, some even offer free download, so go hunt these beauties!
Grave Upheaval - Untitled: The epitome of cavernous Death Metal. Huge, heavy, just monolithic. No flashy musicianship, just the bare minimum to stomp you to the ground. Sometimes fast, sometimes just crawling.
Balmog - Vacvvm: This is esoteric Black Metal done right. Not that flashy either, but they know how to get the point across. I just feel they go beyond mere DSO worship, having a more recognizable structure and catchy riffs helps bring some sense of familiarity, while still packaged in a claustrophobic production.
Purity Renaissance - S/T: Released as a promo tape first, this is some classic raw melodic punk-ish Black Metal with cheap synth interludes. You know the deal. Just really well crafted and catchy. A most impressive debut.
Serum Dreg - Lustful Vengeance: Beherit's sound updated for the 2010's. Pretty inventive bestial Metal full of "ugh"s. Just wild!
Cosmic Church - Täyttymys: The best melodic Black Metal project releases a farewell that may as well be their best album. Going out with a bang, as they say.
Bosse-de-Nage - Further Still: I adore this band. But while I think they will never be able to top "II" (their best album, and one of the best USBM album ever, I'm not even kidding), still, each new release shows they're a very solid band. Less atmospheric leaning than the previous one (and I'm glad that's the case) this is a wild display of a Black Metal and Post-Hardcore fusion. The vocals are desperate and monotonous, the drums are super frantic. Sure to be divise among fans of both genres, but in a good way, not in a bad one like Deafheaven.
Svartidauði - Revelations of the Red Sword: The best Metal band Iceland has to offer, returns. Esoteric, claustrophobic, dissonant but also weirdly melodic. Also the best the DSO school has to offer.
Cirrhus - Unimpeachable Madness: More raw melodic Black Metal, but Cirrhus has quite their own sound. It's so weird to hear them not behind a murk of tape saturation, but it still works pretty well.
Sissy Spacek - Expanding Antiverse: Taking Noisecore to depths it never dreamed to (beyond "this is actually just noisy, sloppy Grind"). I also dare to say this is Sissy Spacek's best -core album. It's more than 20 minutes in length (that's a noticiable landmark) and features a great deal of experimentation with tape editing/collage (that way bridging the gap between their both styles). [for those unfamiliar, Sissy Spacek, a project led by John Wiese with a rotating cast of members and guests, have releases that are either Noisecore or Noise/Musique Concrete/whatever-the-fuck, rarely mixing both togheter, sort of... They have a really extensive catalog, maybe I should post about them in the future]
Sarah Davachi - Let Night Come On Bells End The Day & Gave In Rest: How often does an artist releases two great albums in the same year? That's such a case. Beyond amazing Ambient, inspired by Musique Concrete and Medieval/early music. Also, how many contemporary albums feature the Mellotron? Another reason to love these.
Isorinne - Stumhetens toner: Amazing synth Ambient. Beautiful, melancholic, icy... I can't even come with a good description, I just can't do it justice with my words. This is beyond explanations, it's the kind of thing you just gotta feel.
Kali Malone - Cast Of Mind: Does the words "just intonation" and "drone" make you wet your underpants? Then this is the record for you. A THICC cloud of synth and wind instruments, rumbling and crashing away.
Brahim Yilmaz - The Tapestry Of Their Marriage Was Woven With Violence: Like with Isorinne, this is some amazing Ambient that's quite hard to put into words, and they do sound similar. Coming from the essential Janushoved label, that puts out a myriad of releases that navigate hazily among Industrial, Ambient and Drone (sometimes Synth Pop and Techno may come up from time to time). The best thing this project has released so far, more defined and distinct than the previous.
Shida Shahabi - Homes: One of the greatest surprises from this year. Piano Ambient (not sure if that's exactly it, that's the best tag I could come up with, but who actually knows what Ambient is, right ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ). Very inventive, somewhat minimalist, lo-fi recording (with the sounds of the piano mechanisms left on purpose), and use of prepared piano techniques and tape echo. Already loving it and waiting for more from her.
Vanessa Amara - Manos: Honestly, I never thought much of their back catalog, though I should love it (organ, lo-fi...), it really didn't do much for me. But after they started experimenting with tape loops on "Like All Morning" (which I REALLY recommend) their sound just transcended into the next level. Classical inspired Ambient, but hazy, drone-ish, melancholic. What an evolution!
Arv & Miljö - Svensk Sommar I Stilla Frid: Masterful tape-loops Noise artist suddenly releases a full-fledged synth only Ambient album. Ok, to be fair, it's not that sudden, one of his previous album is field recordings ans synth only, no Harsh Noise, and this one also features some samples here and there. Minimal and bucholic. A good one.
Zika Boys - Ancient Water: Dusty, dub-ish, Ambient-ish, Industrial Techno. """Techno""", as the beats are really buried down there. Maybe not the most dancefloor friendly, but still heavy and hypnotic. Tape hiss haters need no apply!
Helena Hauff - Qualm: Masterful Electro/Acid Techno. Well crafted songwriting, quite saturated production. There's not much more to say about her, one of the best in the game.
Rune Bagge - Pink Dreams: I never thought I would listen to IDM again, but here we are. Thanks Northern Electronics!
The Empire Line - Rave: Varg + 1/2 of Damien Dubrovnik + Iron Sight. Contemporary Power Electronics inspired Techno. Even featuring an interesting Electro detour and some nice Ambient-ish synths. Recommended listening to it while drinking some sparkling wine.
Dana Valser - Antiguo: Another great surprise and great debut. Slow, melancholic Folk, seemingly inspired by American Primitivism (instrumental wise), and with some marvelous deep voice. Lives up to its name with the archaic sound. Also made me realise I don't listen to much stuff sang in spanish.
Delphine Dora - Eudaimon: Improvised piano Folk jams. Really goes adventurous with the harmonies. Pretty unique stuff.
Grouper - Grid Of Points: As "The man who died in his boat" was leftovers from "Dragging a dead deer up a hill", "Grid of points" is from "Ruins" [to clarify, "The man..." was actually leftovers, I dunno the official status about "Grid...", it just feels like it's from the same sessions as "Ruins"]. Not as heavily heartbreaking as the former was, but pretty good nonetheless if you're craving for more piano mode Grouper.
Current 93 - The Light Is Leaving Us All: How excited was I when listening to this! I saw people comenting it was actually good, and look at that, it's true. I love this project, but I couldn't be bothered to care much about their 2000's, 2010's output. They were experimenting a lot with their sound, sure, but it didn't hit a spot with me. This one here though, it's just great. It has that classic Neo Folk sound without sounding tired or rehashed, but, how can I say, "updated"? With successful experimentations? Yeah, let's go with that. This year would be perfect if Death In June's album was any good, but alas, it's not... at all... such a shame.
Red Brut - Red Brut: Full of surprises and great debuts this year was. Lo-fi tape collages, filth synths and organ, field recordings. Just some great Industrial, with smart use of spaces, great songwriting [I'm running low on adjectives]. Fully recommended for the few people into Sewer Election, Altar of Flies and related projects.
Puce Mary - The Drought: Wow! Just... wow... What can I even say about this one? Her best one yet? You bet! I'm actually scared, she's getting too strong, the competition can't/won't even reach.
Lea Bertucci - Metal Aether: My favorite sax/clarinet player comes out with another great album, what a surprise... Rapid runs melting into drones, and tape collages. I don't even know what game this is, but she's the best in it.
Hilde Marie Holsen - Lazuli: Hilde is in the same game, she chooses the trumpet and has a more subdued sound though, but is not to be underestimated. Dynamic drone jams.
Geography Of Hell - Hiroshima 1945/Nagasaki 1945: The mysterious Industrial group (which most probably is Dominick Fernow + some close associates) resurfaces with a huge double album of drone-y Noise and collages. You expect me to say "it's the best one yet" again? Well, what can I do, it actually is.
Controlled Death - Symphony For The Black Murder: The madman behind Masonna comes out with his best Genocide Organ/Atrax Morgue impersonation.
Frode Haltli - Avant Folk: Despite its tittle, this is no Avant Folk, though it's pretty Folk-y... and Avant-ish... Beautiful contemporary, Nordic Folk inspired Jazz, with the accordeon as central figure, that only the inimitable Hubro label could release. I may have overused "inventive" in this post, but this album trully deserves to be adjectivated as such, it's the epitome of it.
Building Instrument - Mangelen Min: Heh, talking about inventiveness again... Another delicious Nordic jam from Hubro. Art Pop flavored Jazz. This a pretty unique, hard to describe group, fusing Jazz, Folk and electronics in such an idiosyncratic way. The best thing to compare to it is Björk's "Biophilia", in mood and instrumentation I find them pretty similar.
Møster! - States of Minds: Hubro is THE label to release a lot of great things during a single year! Heavy Jazz-Rock unit decides to stretch out things and experiment quite a bit, featuring a great deal of Free/freak-out moments. Huge record!
Kit Downes - Obsidian: Free Jazz and church organ?! More, please?!
Still House Plants - Long Play: Wild, just wild! Free Jazz Rock, I guess? Quite the trio this one. The guitar (and sometimes the piano) just goes insane while those beautiful deep vocals soar above it, the drums keeps a backbone but goes Free from time to time. Some people will say this is No Wave-ish, don't listen to them... but if you like this kinda stuff then maybe you'll dig this.
Julia Holter - Aviary: Another one that just went wild. Julia Holter was your "standard" Art Pop songstress [I'm doing a disservice here, I konw... I'm just tired of writing at this point, cut me some] but just said "fuck it", dropped a bit of Free Jazz sauce here, some non-linear song structure powder there, and BAM! Made a double album full of deliciousness out of it. Like if it was a live album full of extended versions. Some may say it's self-indulgent, but I know I sure indulged into it.
Body/Head - The Switch: The best post-Sonic Youth project (and if you think otherwise, you're wrong) releases their most realized record yet. "Coming apart" was like 'here we are, that's what we wanna do', then "No waves" came and said 'that's what we doing live', then 'The switch' finally arrived and presented us with the perfected form.
And that's it. Thanks to everybody who had the patience to come this far. I'm still checking some other stuff that was released but didn't have the chance to be troughoutly appreciated, so there is a chance for some addendum. Be on the lookout, check these gems.
Best regards.
The criteria I use is, if I listened a lot to it or if it made a huge impact, a great first impression, even if it wasn't part of the regular listening schedule that often.
There are a couple big names here, not exactly mainstream material (I tend to avoid, just a little, titles that you may find on every year-end list), but people familiar with their respective genres may have heard of them. If you already know anything that's here, just bear with me until the end, and maybe give us some "hell yeah! amen, brother". Otherwise, these are all incredible records that more people should know, and should receive more exposition. Anyway, already
Grave Upheaval - Untitled: The epitome of cavernous Death Metal. Huge, heavy, just monolithic. No flashy musicianship, just the bare minimum to stomp you to the ground. Sometimes fast, sometimes just crawling.
Balmog - Vacvvm: This is esoteric Black Metal done right. Not that flashy either, but they know how to get the point across. I just feel they go beyond mere DSO worship, having a more recognizable structure and catchy riffs helps bring some sense of familiarity, while still packaged in a claustrophobic production.
Purity Renaissance - S/T: Released as a promo tape first, this is some classic raw melodic punk-ish Black Metal with cheap synth interludes. You know the deal. Just really well crafted and catchy. A most impressive debut.
Serum Dreg - Lustful Vengeance: Beherit's sound updated for the 2010's. Pretty inventive bestial Metal full of "ugh"s. Just wild!
Cosmic Church - Täyttymys: The best melodic Black Metal project releases a farewell that may as well be their best album. Going out with a bang, as they say.
Bosse-de-Nage - Further Still: I adore this band. But while I think they will never be able to top "II" (their best album, and one of the best USBM album ever, I'm not even kidding), still, each new release shows they're a very solid band. Less atmospheric leaning than the previous one (and I'm glad that's the case) this is a wild display of a Black Metal and Post-Hardcore fusion. The vocals are desperate and monotonous, the drums are super frantic. Sure to be divise among fans of both genres, but in a good way, not in a bad one like Deafheaven.
Svartidauði - Revelations of the Red Sword: The best Metal band Iceland has to offer, returns. Esoteric, claustrophobic, dissonant but also weirdly melodic. Also the best the DSO school has to offer.
Cirrhus - Unimpeachable Madness: More raw melodic Black Metal, but Cirrhus has quite their own sound. It's so weird to hear them not behind a murk of tape saturation, but it still works pretty well.
Sissy Spacek - Expanding Antiverse: Taking Noisecore to depths it never dreamed to (beyond "this is actually just noisy, sloppy Grind"). I also dare to say this is Sissy Spacek's best -core album. It's more than 20 minutes in length (that's a noticiable landmark) and features a great deal of experimentation with tape editing/collage (that way bridging the gap between their both styles). [for those unfamiliar, Sissy Spacek, a project led by John Wiese with a rotating cast of members and guests, have releases that are either Noisecore or Noise/Musique Concrete/whatever-the-fuck, rarely mixing both togheter, sort of... They have a really extensive catalog, maybe I should post about them in the future]
Sarah Davachi - Let Night Come On Bells End The Day & Gave In Rest: How often does an artist releases two great albums in the same year? That's such a case. Beyond amazing Ambient, inspired by Musique Concrete and Medieval/early music. Also, how many contemporary albums feature the Mellotron? Another reason to love these.
Isorinne - Stumhetens toner: Amazing synth Ambient. Beautiful, melancholic, icy... I can't even come with a good description, I just can't do it justice with my words. This is beyond explanations, it's the kind of thing you just gotta feel.
Kali Malone - Cast Of Mind: Does the words "just intonation" and "drone" make you wet your underpants? Then this is the record for you. A THICC cloud of synth and wind instruments, rumbling and crashing away.
Brahim Yilmaz - The Tapestry Of Their Marriage Was Woven With Violence: Like with Isorinne, this is some amazing Ambient that's quite hard to put into words, and they do sound similar. Coming from the essential Janushoved label, that puts out a myriad of releases that navigate hazily among Industrial, Ambient and Drone (sometimes Synth Pop and Techno may come up from time to time). The best thing this project has released so far, more defined and distinct than the previous.
Shida Shahabi - Homes: One of the greatest surprises from this year. Piano Ambient (not sure if that's exactly it, that's the best tag I could come up with, but who actually knows what Ambient is, right ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ). Very inventive, somewhat minimalist, lo-fi recording (with the sounds of the piano mechanisms left on purpose), and use of prepared piano techniques and tape echo. Already loving it and waiting for more from her.
Vanessa Amara - Manos: Honestly, I never thought much of their back catalog, though I should love it (organ, lo-fi...), it really didn't do much for me. But after they started experimenting with tape loops on "Like All Morning" (which I REALLY recommend) their sound just transcended into the next level. Classical inspired Ambient, but hazy, drone-ish, melancholic. What an evolution!
Arv & Miljö - Svensk Sommar I Stilla Frid: Masterful tape-loops Noise artist suddenly releases a full-fledged synth only Ambient album. Ok, to be fair, it's not that sudden, one of his previous album is field recordings ans synth only, no Harsh Noise, and this one also features some samples here and there. Minimal and bucholic. A good one.
Zika Boys - Ancient Water: Dusty, dub-ish, Ambient-ish, Industrial Techno. """Techno""", as the beats are really buried down there. Maybe not the most dancefloor friendly, but still heavy and hypnotic. Tape hiss haters need no apply!
Helena Hauff - Qualm: Masterful Electro/Acid Techno. Well crafted songwriting, quite saturated production. There's not much more to say about her, one of the best in the game.
Rune Bagge - Pink Dreams: I never thought I would listen to IDM again, but here we are. Thanks Northern Electronics!
The Empire Line - Rave: Varg + 1/2 of Damien Dubrovnik + Iron Sight. Contemporary Power Electronics inspired Techno. Even featuring an interesting Electro detour and some nice Ambient-ish synths. Recommended listening to it while drinking some sparkling wine.
Dana Valser - Antiguo: Another great surprise and great debut. Slow, melancholic Folk, seemingly inspired by American Primitivism (instrumental wise), and with some marvelous deep voice. Lives up to its name with the archaic sound. Also made me realise I don't listen to much stuff sang in spanish.
Delphine Dora - Eudaimon: Improvised piano Folk jams. Really goes adventurous with the harmonies. Pretty unique stuff.
Grouper - Grid Of Points: As "The man who died in his boat" was leftovers from "Dragging a dead deer up a hill", "Grid of points" is from "Ruins" [to clarify, "The man..." was actually leftovers, I dunno the official status about "Grid...", it just feels like it's from the same sessions as "Ruins"]. Not as heavily heartbreaking as the former was, but pretty good nonetheless if you're craving for more piano mode Grouper.
Current 93 - The Light Is Leaving Us All: How excited was I when listening to this! I saw people comenting it was actually good, and look at that, it's true. I love this project, but I couldn't be bothered to care much about their 2000's, 2010's output. They were experimenting a lot with their sound, sure, but it didn't hit a spot with me. This one here though, it's just great. It has that classic Neo Folk sound without sounding tired or rehashed, but, how can I say, "updated"? With successful experimentations? Yeah, let's go with that. This year would be perfect if Death In June's album was any good, but alas, it's not... at all... such a shame.
Red Brut - Red Brut: Full of surprises and great debuts this year was. Lo-fi tape collages, filth synths and organ, field recordings. Just some great Industrial, with smart use of spaces, great songwriting [I'm running low on adjectives]. Fully recommended for the few people into Sewer Election, Altar of Flies and related projects.
Puce Mary - The Drought: Wow! Just... wow... What can I even say about this one? Her best one yet? You bet! I'm actually scared, she's getting too strong, the competition can't/won't even reach.
Lea Bertucci - Metal Aether: My favorite sax/clarinet player comes out with another great album, what a surprise... Rapid runs melting into drones, and tape collages. I don't even know what game this is, but she's the best in it.
Hilde Marie Holsen - Lazuli: Hilde is in the same game, she chooses the trumpet and has a more subdued sound though, but is not to be underestimated. Dynamic drone jams.
Geography Of Hell - Hiroshima 1945/Nagasaki 1945: The mysterious Industrial group (which most probably is Dominick Fernow + some close associates) resurfaces with a huge double album of drone-y Noise and collages. You expect me to say "it's the best one yet" again? Well, what can I do, it actually is.
Controlled Death - Symphony For The Black Murder: The madman behind Masonna comes out with his best Genocide Organ/Atrax Morgue impersonation.
Frode Haltli - Avant Folk: Despite its tittle, this is no Avant Folk, though it's pretty Folk-y... and Avant-ish... Beautiful contemporary, Nordic Folk inspired Jazz, with the accordeon as central figure, that only the inimitable Hubro label could release. I may have overused "inventive" in this post, but this album trully deserves to be adjectivated as such, it's the epitome of it.
Building Instrument - Mangelen Min: Heh, talking about inventiveness again... Another delicious Nordic jam from Hubro. Art Pop flavored Jazz. This a pretty unique, hard to describe group, fusing Jazz, Folk and electronics in such an idiosyncratic way. The best thing to compare to it is Björk's "Biophilia", in mood and instrumentation I find them pretty similar.
Møster! - States of Minds: Hubro is THE label to release a lot of great things during a single year! Heavy Jazz-Rock unit decides to stretch out things and experiment quite a bit, featuring a great deal of Free/freak-out moments. Huge record!
Kit Downes - Obsidian: Free Jazz and church organ?! More, please?!
Still House Plants - Long Play: Wild, just wild! Free Jazz Rock, I guess? Quite the trio this one. The guitar (and sometimes the piano) just goes insane while those beautiful deep vocals soar above it, the drums keeps a backbone but goes Free from time to time. Some people will say this is No Wave-ish, don't listen to them... but if you like this kinda stuff then maybe you'll dig this.
Julia Holter - Aviary: Another one that just went wild. Julia Holter was your "standard" Art Pop songstress [I'm doing a disservice here, I konw... I'm just tired of writing at this point, cut me some] but just said "fuck it", dropped a bit of Free Jazz sauce here, some non-linear song structure powder there, and BAM! Made a double album full of deliciousness out of it. Like if it was a live album full of extended versions. Some may say it's self-indulgent, but I know I sure indulged into it.
Body/Head - The Switch: The best post-Sonic Youth project (and if you think otherwise, you're wrong) releases their most realized record yet. "Coming apart" was like 'here we are, that's what we wanna do', then "No waves" came and said 'that's what we doing live', then 'The switch' finally arrived and presented us with the perfected form.
And that's it. Thanks to everybody who had the patience to come this far. I'm still checking some other stuff that was released but didn't have the chance to be troughoutly appreciated, so there is a chance for some addendum. Be on the lookout, check these gems.
Best regards.
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