Jusin Vernon and company always manage to amaze me with how their albums can be so out ther but display such raw emotion. The first time I heard the record, I was like, "what is this?", and in spots, I'm still like that. Ireally like a lot of the weird production techniques that are utilized all over the record, and hearing Vernon talk about his process and the work that goes into making his kind of music on the Song Exploder podcast really helped me appreciate the sound of the record even more.
9. Thee Oh Sees- Face Stabber
I had been apprehensive about diving into the Oh Sees discography until this year; the sheer size was very intimidating. However, I took the plunge, and was pleasantly surprised. My deep dive happened at the perfect time, as I was going through their albums around the time that this beast dropped. Striaght from 'The Daily Heavy' with its squeaky toy sample in the beat, I knew this album was going to be crazy. Psychedelic garage rock meets pop and krautrock in a perfect meld, and for my money is one of the more ambitious outings for the band. I hope they keep going in this direction, as I think they're doing stuff that not a lot of other people are doing.
8. black midi- Schlagenheim
I love how people go crazy for the minimal mathy elements of Tool's new record, but when one of the most innovative and crazy math rock records comes out, it barely gets any coverage outside of snobby sites like NME. black midi's record is a very unpredictable stop and start ride, with incredibly dense arrangements. The members must be able to read minds to follow each other so closely and pull off some of the feats that they do on this record. I feel like prog metal people might get into this if they can get over the lack of shredding and see what the band is doing is just as technical, if just a little more subtle.
7. Swans- leaving meaning.
This is Michael Gira's first record since the dissolution of the last iteration of Swans, though probably 90% of the band shows up on this album anyways. This is definitely a return to their more gothic folk sound of the late '80s and early '90s, if not the Angels of Light side project, but with most of the same ambition that fueled their mammoth reunion albums. This is probably Swans most accessible album since The Great Annihilator, but it retains all of the darkness and depth you've come to expect from Swans. It's Swans stripped down, but it's with all the punch. They were just trimming the fat.
6. Nodding God- Play Wooden Child
This was one of David Tibet's two projects this year, and I chose this over his installation soundtrack Invocations of Almost mostly for its more experimental and sonically diverse nature. Tibet teams up with Andrew Liles for an album whose lyrics are all performed in Akkadian, a long dead ancient language. Tibet has showed a love for old tongues, even earning a ph.D researching Sahidic Coptic texts, and it's cool to see him incorporate that love into his music. My only complaint is that there is no lyric sheet or translations with the vinyl pressing. Maybe it's better that I don't know what's being said. It's more mysterious that way.
5. Ceschi- Sad, Fat Luck
I feel like this probably the best thing that I've heard from Ceschi. The first part of a planned trilogy (the second part San Soleil came out later in the year, with the third part yet to be released), Ceschi puts his best foot forward and gets super introspective, melding his hip hop side with his indie folk side more perfectly than ever before. This is such a shot in the arm to hip hop for me, and I feel like people that say hip hop doesn't have messages anymore aren't looking hard enough. It's also good to know that there are fast rappers who actually say things in their verses too, not just garbage (looking at you Logic and Eminem).
4. Tyler, the Creator- Igor
This is quite a departure for Tyler, but one he has been building to for a long time. This record sees him mostly leaving hip hop for the soul and R&B sound he had worked in to his last few albums (and the fact that the Grammys only gave him one nomination, for Rap Album of all things, shows how reductive and closed minded they are). This is also probably one of the best breakup albums of the decade and really hits you in the feels. Probably the most unexpected but welcome musical about faces since Childish Gambino dropped Awaken, My Love!
3. JPEGMafia- All My Heroes are Cornballs
I don't know why Peggy expected us to be disappointed. Sure, the album is quite a departure from his last, incorporating a lot more melody and singing, but this record still allows his personality and politics to shine through, and his production chops have improved in my opinion. The beats are a lot more varied and I love the sudden switch ups and transitions. It's definitely a record that keep you on your toes, holds your interest and makes you curious for what might be coming from JPEGMafia in the future.
2. Xiu Xiu- Girl with Basket of Fruit
While Forget was probably Jamie Stewart and company's most accessible, poppy and spacey album, Girl With Basket of Fruit is the exact opposite. This record is uncompromising, inpenetrable, and clautrophobic, dominated by chaotic Haitian percussion, dark moods and unspeakable violence. This is an incredibly harrowing and disturbing record, with tracks like 'Mary Turner Mary Turner' illustrating how little America has come from the days of public lynchings. It's a truly ugly thought, but it's also a reality for millions of people in this country and I wish people would listen to this album, and maybe get the shock to their system that they need, but I unfortunately feel like Xiu Xiu might be preaching to the choir. Not a lot of MAGA hat Xiu Xiu fans is all I'm saying.
1. Lingua Ignota- Caligula
If apparently was in the mood to be disturbed this year. Caligula is an absolutely bleak and despondent look at abuse, and is packed with enough throat rending shrieks to make your blood run cold. This album is truly one of the most disturbing things I've ever listened to not involving Steven Stapleton or Peter Sotos. That's not to say this album is not without moments of absolute beauty. Kristin Hayter, the voice behind Lingua Ignota, sings with an absolute operatic purity in front of sparse piano accompaniment before rending your psyche with truly chilling and blood curdling screams. This is not for the faint of heart, but if you can stomach the pain and the sorrow, you'll find this album truly rewarding.So, that's it for my year end lists. I'll be back to my Golden Nuggets series before too long, and I've made a resolution to commit more time to writing, so maybe you'll see more content in the future. As for now, have a happy new year, and all that entails. Hopefully 2020 will provea good year for music as well.
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