Year-End Critics' Polls 2014

asiatisch is the album i have had to bitch about most in DMs this year

first mention of duck sauce! which i found quite enjoyable

asiatisch is the album i have had to bitch about most in DMs this year

― lex pretend, Tuesday, December 16, 2014 2:42 PM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

i wish you would be better at not using gendered language, lex. your sexism on this board is unbearable

why on earth would lex be too shook to be publicly opinionated about a record and keep it in DMs

Not exactly a critics poll, but hey

Top 10 Most Watched Music Videos in Nigeria on Youtube for 2014

http://www.afrobeatsindacity.com/

1. Davido – Aye (Official Video)
2. Mavins – Dorobucci ft Don Jazzy, Tiwa Savage, Dr SID, D’Prince, Reekado Banks, Korede Bello, Di’Ja
3. Nicki Minaj – Anaconda
4. Tiwa Savage – Wanted [Official Video]
5. Flavour – Ikwokrikwo [Official Video]
6. Dr SID – Surulere ft Don Jazzy (Official Video)
7. Yemi Alade – Johnny
8. Davido ft Mafikizolo – “Tchelete (Goodlife)” (Official Video)
9. P Square – Taste the Money (Testimony) [Official Video]
10.Patoranking – Girlie ‘O’ Remix [Official Video] ft. Tiwa Savage

Lol I looked at that and thought "that magazine has good taste"

xp (1) Why do you hate Asiatisch? (2) Why do you have to confine the hate to DMs?

i think asiatisch is boring and redundant in its clueless art-school rendering of something non-existent; it relies too much on a dull concept which is also slightly problematic and in terms of music FAQ sells herself way short.

i don't hate it enough to talk about it much (can't remember much of it apart from the gimmicky "nothing compares 2 u" cover) but people who are more integrated in that electronic scene have slid into my DMs many times whenever i've obliquely snarked, mostly to expand on how problematic it is to hear wealthy oil money x NYC art school privilege trying to sell grime back to us

i think FAQ is potentially an interesting musician and i've loved some of her stuff in the past but asiatisch was not the one and future brown will be even more not the one next year

<3 that afrobeats list for chucking "anaconda" in there!

"I like Nicki, her yansh is bigger" iirc

Have any Afrobeats tracks appeared on critics lists here?

I'm currently listening to a bunch of the Fader's list and they have Davido (plus a Ugandan track "Jambole" which has an insanely delightful video)

Rhapsody's Top 50 Albums of 2014 (Taylor Swift not eligible because you can't stream her there.)

1) Miranda Lambert, Platinum
2) Flying Lotus, You're Dead!
3) St. Vincent, St. Vincent
4) FKA twigs, LP1
5) Sturgill Simpson, Metamodern Sounds in Country Music
6) Run the Jewels, Run the Jewels 2
7) tUnE-yArDs, Nikki Nack
8) Azealia Banks, Broke with Expensive Taste
9) Lana Del Rey, Ultraviolence
10) The War on Drugs, Lost in the Dream
11) Angaleena Presley, American Middle Class
12) Beck, Morning Phase
13) Various Artists, Haiti Direct: Big Band, Mini Jazz & Twoubadou Sounds, 1960-1978
14) Pharmakon, Bestial Burden
15) Sleaford Mods, Chubbed Up+
16) Neneh Cherry, Blank Project
17) Charlie Haden, Charlie Haden / Jim Hall
18) Aphex Twin, Syro
19) Parquet Courts, Sunbathing Animal
20) Spoon, They Want My Soul
21) Eric Church, The Outsiders
22) Caribou, Our Love
23) YG, My Krazy Life
24) The Lions, This Generation in Dub
25) Grouper, Ruins
26) Jack White, Lazaretto
27) No Te Va Gustar, El Tiempo Otra Vez Avanza
28) Black Space Riders, D:REI
29) The Pretty Reckless, Going to Hell
30) Leonard Cohen, Popular Problems
31) Freddie Gibbs & Madlib, Piñata
32) Tinariwen, Emmaar
33) Angel Olsen, Burn Your Fire for No Witness
34) Trio 3 & Vijay Iyer, Wiring
35) August Alsina, Testimony
36) Moodymann, Moodymann
37) Jenny Lewis, The Voyager
38) Serengeti, Kenny Dennis III
39) Sunny Sweeney, Provoked
40) Popcaan, Where We Come From
41) Ray LaMontagne, Supernova
42) Seattle Symphony Orchestra, John Luther Adams: Beyond Ocean
43) Calle 13, MultiViral
44) Electric Wizard, Time to Die
45) Roscoe Mitchell, Conversations II
46) Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Give the People What They Want
47) Wadada Leo Smith, Red Hill
48) Shabazz Palaces, Lese Majesty
49) La Roux, Trouble in Paradise
50) Little Dragon, Nabuma Rubberband

Top 25 World Albums Of 2014

1) Various Artists, Haiti Direct: Big Band, Mini Jazz & Twoubadou Sounds
2) Orlando Julius, Jaiyede Afro
3) Noura Mint Seymali, Tzenni
4) Popcaan, Where We Come From
5) Aby Ngana Diop, Liital
6) Hailu Mergia, Tche Belew
7) L'Orch First Moja-One, Vol. 2: More Pili
8) Tinariwen, Emmaar
9) Verckys/Orchestre Vévé, Congolese Funk Afrobeat & Psychedelic Rumba
10) Ana Tijoux, Vengo
11) Quantic, Magnetica
12) Etienne Mbappe, Bombay Makossa
13) The Lions, This Generation in Dub
14) Francis Bebey, Psychedelic Sanza
15) Sidiki Diabaté, Toumani & Sidiki
16) Ibibio Sound Machine, Ibibio Sound Machine
17) Various Artists, Gipsy Rhumba: The Original Rhythm of Gispy Rhumba in Spain
18) Golem, Tanz
19) Mamani Keïta, Kanou
20) Kasai Allstars, Beware the Fetish (Congotronics 5)
21) Fantasma, Eye of the Sun
22) Majid Bekkas, Al Qantara
23) Tony Allen, Film of Life
24) Tsigunz Fanfara Avantura, Turbo Balkan Groove
25) Africa Express Presents ...Terry Riley's in C Mali

Top 25 Electronic Albums of 2014

1) Flying Lotus, You're Dead!
2) FKA twigs, LP1
3) Caribou, Our Love
4) Arca, Xen
5) DJ Koze, Reincarnations, Pt. 2 - The Remix Chapter 2009-2014
6) Felicita, Frenemies
7) Objekt, Flatland
8) Call Super, Suzi Ecto
9) Untold, Black Light Spiral
10) Actress, Ghettoville
11) M. Geddes Gengras, Ishi
12) Aphex Twin, Syro
13) The Juan MacLean, In a Dream
14) Röyksopp, The Inevitable End
15) Evian Christ, Waterfall EP 16) Mark E, Product of Industry
17) Function & Vatican Shadow, Games Have Rules
18) Daniel Lanois, Flesh and Machine
19) Royksopp & Robyn, Do It Again
20) Lawrence English, Wilderness of Mirrors
21) Protect-U, Free USA
22) Downliners Sekt, Silent Ascent
23) Peder Mannerfelt, Lines Describing Circles
24) Moodymann, Moodymann
25) Fennesz, Bécs

Top 25 Pop Albums of 2014

1) Neneh Cherry, Blank Project
2) Katy B, Little Red
3) Jason Derulo, Talk Dirty
4) Röyksopp & Robyn, Do It Again
5) Nick Jonas, Nick Jonas
6) Ariana Grande, My Everything
7) Sia, 1000 Forms of Fear
8) One Direction, FOUR
9) Iggy Azalea, The New Classic
10) Tove Lo, Queen of the Clouds
11) Shakira, Shakira
12) Sam Smith, In the Lonely Hour
13) Kylie Minogue, Kiss Me Once
14) Ed Sheeran, X
15) Jessie J, Sweet Talker
16) La Roux, Trouble in Paradise
17) Maroon 5, V
18) Jessie Ware, Tough Love
19) Ingrid Michaelson, Lights Out
20) Company Freak, Le Disco Social
21) Lily Allen, Sheezus
22) 5 Seconds of Summer, 5 Seconds of Summer
23) Cher Lloyd, Sorry I'm Late
24) Akdong Musician, Play
25) Meghan Trainor, Title

More Rhapsody.

Top 25 Rock Albums of 2014

1) Jack White, Lazaretto
2) Foo Fighters, Sonic Highways
3) Chevelle, La Gárgola
4) Royal Blood, Royal Blood
5) Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Hypnotic Eye
6) Gary Clark Jr., Live
7) Ray LaMontagne, Supernova
8) Pink Floyd, The Endless River
9) Benjamin Booker, Violent Shiver
10 Bruce Springsteen, High Hopes
11) Linkin Park, The Hunting Party
12) Stevie Nicks, 24 Karat Gold: Songs From The Vault
13) Hozier, Hozier
14) The Pretty Reckless, Going To Hell
15) Crobot, Something Supernatural
16) Wilko Johnson / Roger Daltrey, Going Back Home
17) California Breed, California Breed
18) Crosses (†††), Crosses (†††)
19) The New Basement Tapes, Lost On The River
20) Rival Sons, Great Western Valkyrie
21) Blues Pills, Blues Pills
22) Slash, World On Fire
23) Black Pistol Fire, Hush Or Howl
24) U2, Songs Of Innocence
25) Hiss Golden Messenger, Lateness Of Dancers

Top 25 Metal Albums of 2014 (I'll take the blame for this one.)

1) Black Space Riders, D:REI
2) Edguy, Space Police, Defenders of the Crown
3) Mausoleum Gate, Mausoleum Gate
4) Mekong Delta, In a Mirror Darkly
5) Stallion, Rise and Ride
6) Grand Magus, Triumph and Power
7) Steel Prophet, Omniscient
8) The Pretty Reckless, Going to Hell
9) Hirax, Immortal Legacy
10) Evil United, Honored by Fire
11) Nigromante, Black Magic Night
12) The High Spirits, You Are Here
13) Spiders, Shake Electric
14) Battleroar, Blood of Legends
15) The Shrine, Bless Off
16) Noneuclid, Metatheosis
17) Wolf, Devil Seed
18) Electric Wizard, Time to Die
19) Witch Mountain, Mobile of Angels
20) Dinner Music for the Gods, Beautiful and Treacherous
21) Bigelf, Into the Maelstrom
22) Slough Feg, Digital Resistance
23) Dark Forest, The Awakening
24) Myrkur, Myrkur
25) Morbus Chron, Sweven

Top 20 Alt/Indie Albums of 2014

1) St. Vincent, St. Vincent
2) Pharmakon, Bestial Burden
3) tUnE-yArDs, Nikki Nack
4) Jenny Lewis, The Voyager
5) Parquet Courts, Sunbathing Animal + Content Nausea
6) Gerard Way, Hesitant Alien
7) Against Me!, Transgender Dysphoria Blues
8) Spoon, They Want My Soul
9) Angel Olsen, Burn Your Fire for No Witness
10) La Dispute, Rooms of the House
11) Lana Del Rey, Ultraviolence
12) Swans, To Be Kind
13) Owen Pallett, In Conflict
14) Temples, Sun Structures
15) F*cked Up, Glass Boys
16) The War on Drugs, Lost in the Dream
17) Tokyo Police Club, Forcefield
18) Weezer, Everything Will Be Alright in the End
19) Karen O, Crush Songs
20) Beck, Morning Phase

More genres to come, I assume.

2) Orlando Julius, Jaiyede Afro

yeah!!!!

RT Lex on the bad art school concept of Asiatisch. It's not well defined, doesn't help push her sound into new directions and raises a whole bunch of weird cultural politics I could do without.

Statements like this certainly don't help any:

Because I feel like German is the language of high philosophy in Western languages. It’s also alien for me, because I don’t speak German, so it’s taking this idea of an imagined China created by the West – who are aliens – who are treating China like they’re aliens. So it’s all about alienation... I’m drawing attention to this notion of 'what is Asian? Why does this word function the way it does?' 'Asiatisch' makes it even more rarified and more alien and more removed. I wanted something that would be alien to English speakers, so German was perfect!

1) Various Artists, Haiti Direct: Big Band, Mini Jazz & Twoubadou Sounds

^ so otm best comp of the year

fuck i knew i should've voted for it in the vv poll. i'll make up for it by campaigning hard in the ilx poll. everyone check it out it's excellent.

mostly to expand on how problematic it is to hear wealthy oil money x NYC art school privilege trying to sell grime back to us

FWIW a lot of the stuff that people suddenly started labelling "grime" from a year or so back feels problematic in similar ways that I'd expand upon if I thought that more than three or four posters would care.

Have any Afrobeats tracks appeared on critics lists here?

― curmudgeon, Tuesday, December 16, 2014 3:50 PM (53 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

i mean, my personal list will be like 1/3rd

I wouldn't argue with the conceptual baggage of Asiatisch but I thought the record itself sounded pretty great

FWIW a lot of the stuff that people suddenly started labelling "grime" from a year or so back feels problematic in similar ways that I'd expand upon if I thought that more than three or four posters would care.

― Matt DC, Tuesday, December 16, 2014 10:45 PM (1 minute ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

yeah this conversation has been happening too. all this instrumental nu-grime stuff. nope, mostly.

if you ignored the concept asiatisch was even MORE weaksauce. by grime standards, by 2014 electronic music standards, by FAQ's own standards

It's mostly an even more exaggerated version of the eyeroll I usually do when vocal-centric genres are recontextualised (normally by the same groups of writers) to be all about a) producers and b) sparse moody bass rumble, like that's going to be full of exciting sonic surprises in 2014.

25) Meghan Trainor, Title
yessssssssssssssssssss

Cocaine Blunts

1. Young Thug f/ Rich Homie Quan – “Lifestyle” (London On Da Track)
2. Metro Thuggin – “The Blanguage” (Metro Boomin)
3. T.I. f/ Young Thug – “About The Money” (London On Da Track)
4. Rich Homie Quan f/ Young Thug – “Freestyle” (Goose)
5. Rich Gang f/ Birdman, Young Thug & Rich Homie Quan – “Flava” (London On Da Track)
6. Chief Keef – “Sosa Style” (DPBeatz)
7. YG f/ Charley Hood, Reem Riches, RJ, Slim 400 & TeeCee – “When I Was Gone” (DJ Mustard)
8. Common f/ Lil Herb – “The Neighborhood” (No ID)
9. Kevin Gates – “Posed To Be In Love” (Go Grizzly)
10. Rae Sremmurd – “No Type” (Mike Will Made It)
11. Vince Staples – “Progressive 3” (DJ Babu & Evidence)
12. Lil Boosie – “I’m Wit Ya” (??)
13. Future f/ Andre 3000 – “Benz Friendz” (Mr. DJ)
14. Shy Glizzy – “Awwsome” (EA Glizzy)
15. Yowda f/ YG – “That’s How It Goes” (Pyro)
16. Nicki Minaj – “Four Door Aventador” (Parker)
17. Kendrick Lamar – “i” (Rahki)
18. Migos – “Freak No More” (C-Note)
19. Lil B – “No Black Person Is Ugly” (??)
20. Lil Herb f/ Lil Reese – “On My Soul” (Da Internz)
21. Bas f/ J Cole – “My N***** Just Made Bail” (GP808 & Hottrak)
22. Tree – “Probably Nu It” (Tree)
23. Big Sean f/ E-40 – “I Don’t Fuck With You” (DJ Mustard & Kanye West)
24. Starlito – “My Love Lost” (Sledgren)
25. Drake – “0 to 100” (Boi-1da)
26. Jay Electronica f/ LaTonya Givens – “Better In Tune With The Infinite” (Ryuichi Sakamoto “Bibo no Aozora“)
27. Lupe Fiasco f/ Ty $ Sign – “Next To It” (Ty Dolla $ign & Shafiq Husayn)
28. Spiiker – “Basic” (808 Mafia)
29. Dej Loaf – “Try Me” (DDS)
30. DJ Quik f/ Tweed Cadillac & Suga Free – “Broken Down” (DJ Quik)
31. Mick Jenkins – “Jazz” (OnGuad)
32. E-40 f/ Turf Talk & Cousin Fik – “Paint The Picture” (Decadez)
33. Gucci Mane f/ Chief Keef – “Top In The Trash” (Mike Will Made It)
34. Shabazz Palaces – “Forerunner Foray” (Knife Knights)
35. The Social Experiment f/ Chance The Rapper – “Sunday Candy” (The Social Experiment)
36. Ilovemakonnen – “I Don’t Sell Molly No More” (Sonny Digital)
37. Breezo Dollar – “Skinem (??)
38. Young Money f/ Lil Wayne, Tyga & Nicki Minaj – “Senile” (David “DA” Doman)
39. Lil Dred – “Take ‘Em Back” (Chad)
40. SD – “Circles” (Omen & AudioBLK)
41. Abdul Marshy – “Suede Couchess” (Nxxxxs)
42. Pharoahe Monch – “Time2” (Marco Polo)
43. Snootie Wild f/ K Camp – “Made Me” (Big Fruit)
44. Armand Hammer – “Crwns” (Elucid)
45. Lil Uzi Vert – “U.Z.I.” (Charlie Heat)
46. Black Kray – “Flexican Gudda Love” (Horsehead)
47. Ghostface Killah f/ AZ – “Double Cross” (The Revelations)
48. Peewee Longway – “Sneakin & Geekin” (Metro Boomin)
49. Tink f/ Jeremih – “Don’t Tell Nobody” (Da Internz)
50. Bobby Shmurda – “Hot N***a” (Jahlil Beats “Jackpot“)

i never really got why people liked "the blanguage" but the rest of that top 5 is otm

It's one of my favorite of his solo numbers.

"The Blanguage" is pretty awesome

I've laughed off the YT rumors but that T.I. track is the only time it felt like two rap dudes doing "(I've Had) The Time of My Life."

Pitchfork - The 50 Best Albus of 2014

50. Ben Frost - AURORA
49. Mr. Twin Sister - Mr. Twin Sister
48. Clark - Clark
47. Shellac - Dude Incredible
46. Ariana Grande - My Everything
45. Andy Stott - Faith in Strangers
44. A Sunny Day in Glasgow - Sea When Absent
43. Madlib / Freddie Gibbs - Piñata
42. Owen Pallett - In Conflict
41. Leon Vynehall - Music for the Uninvited
40. Ty Segall - Manipulator
39. Ought - More Than Any Other Day
38. Hundred Waters - The Moon Rang Like A Bell
37. Perfect Pussy - Say Yes to Love
36. Tinashe - Aquarius
35. Shabazz Palaces - Lese Majesty
34. Cloud Nothings - Here and Nowhere Else
33. Rich Gang - Tha Tour Part 1
32. White Lung - Deep Fantasy
31. Taylor Swift - 1989
30. Iceage - Plowing Into the Field of Love
29. How to Dress Well - "What Is This Heart?"
28. Pharmakon - Bestial Burden
27. YG - My Krazy Life
26. Ex Hex - Rips
25. Azealia Banks - Broke With Expensive Taste
24. Parquet Courts - Sunbathing Animal
23. Lykke Li - I Never Learn
22. Future Islands - Singles
21. Brian Eno / Karl Hyde - High Life
20. Vince Staples - Hell Can Wait EP
19. Sharon Van Etten - Are We There
18. Arca - Xen
17. Flying Lotus - You're Dead!
16. St. Vincent - St. Vincent
15. Angel Olsen - Burn Your Fire for No Witness
14. Real Estate - Atlas
13. Spoon - They Want My Soul
12. Mac DeMarco - Salad Days
11. Perfume Genius - Too Bright
10. Caribou - Our Love
09. Ariel Pink - Pom Pom
08. Todd Terje - It's Album Time
07. Sun Kil Moon - Benji
06. Swans - To Be Kind
05. Grouper - Ruins
04. Aphex Twin - Syro
03. The War on Drugs - Lost in the Dream
02. FKA twigs - LP1
01. Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 2

no Pallbearer, no Against Me!

Against me was in the honourable mentions iirc

Taylor at #31 despite no review

like most lists it's a more interesting list in reverse

I'm dimly and shamefully aware that on the odd occasion I've seen the name, I've filtered Asiatisch out because I thought it was a French shoegaze hipster metal band.

xp Lex, you've summed up my feelings about Asiatisch and Future Brown.

asiatisch isn't offensive in that it's literally just art school project wank that's only relevant inside its hermetically sealed bubble but future brown, from the name and its connotations (and, indeed, origins) to the ooh-so-edgy bringing in of hitherto-mostly-ignored hood artists to this extremely bourgeois milieu to the apparent way no one can see the immense privilege at the heart of it...ugh. album's dry as fuck obv.

Yeah it is dry. I don't know enough about the members' backgrounds to have an opinion on their privilege. It's not new for middle-class artists to work with MCs is it? But I don't have much invested in the politics of grime so maybe I'm missing something. At least Tink and 3D Na'tee sound great on it.

not a tink fan but na'tee, shawnna and timberlee in particular have sounded fantastic for many years in many places including their OWN records (and i don't think they've outdone themselves in any way here), because they're incredible talents, and received 1/100000000000th the attention of this

cant totally believe that RTJ at number one. my krazy life was better, as far as high profile rap albums.

I love both albums but RTJ2 is clearly the one that's gonna find favour with a broader cross-section of p4k writers.

i didn't even like RTJ2 by RTJ standards but i can't even imagine a world in which it isn't white indie writers' token pick. obviously YG was miles better, which is why i expected this result from p4k.

i like RTJ2 much more than RTJ. Voted for it and YG in my top ten.

Yeah that's the least surprising Pitchfork choice imaginable. An album that recalls PE is going to appeal more than a very good gangsta rap album. Personally I think RTJ2 is stronger front-to-back anyway but then I have corny indie fuxxor tendencies.

i like RTJ2 much more than RTJ.

why is this out of interest? i enjoyed RTJ in a lukewarm way (doubt i'll ever properly enjoy el-p's beats) but RTJ2 seemed even more awkward and annoying than usual, had no desire to return at all

I'd be interested to read some smart writing about why YG is more than just a very good gangsta rap album. I feel like I'm missing what makes it great.

Tiny Mix Tapes - Favourite 50 Music Releases 2014
http://www.tinymixtapes.com/features/2014-favorite-50-music-releases-of-2014

50. Lil Herb - Welcome to Fazoland (NLMB)
49. The Body - I Shall Die Here (RVNG Intl.)
48. T C F - 486669f0e9b8990384108f3d54c6a8f… (Self-Released)
47. Ai Aso - Lone (Ideologic Organ)
46. Ninos Du Brasil - Novos Mistérios (Hospital)
45. Lee Gamble - Koch (PAN)
44. Death Grips - niggas on the moon (Third Worlds)
43. The Soft Pink Truth - Why Do the Heathen Rage? (Thrill Jockey)
42. Gem Jones - Admiral Frenchkiss (Goaty Tapes)
41. Burial Hex - The Hierophant (Handmade Birds)
40. Beyoncé - Beyoncé (Columbia)
39. Sun Araw - Belomancie (Sun Ark/Drag City)
38. Objekt - Flatland (PAN)
37. James Ferraro - SUKI GIRLZ (Self-Released)
36. Fear Of Men - Loom (Kanine)
35. Dean Blunt - Skin Fade (Self-Released)
34. White Suns - Totem (The Flenser)
33. FKA Twigs - LP1 (Young Turks)
32. Fennesz - Bécs (Editions Mego)
31. Kane West - Western Beats (PC Music)
30. Swans - To Be Kind (Young God/Mute)
29. Call Super - Suzi Ecto (Houndstooth)
28. Aphex Twin - Syro (Warp)
27. Ariel Pink - Pom Pom (4AD)
26. Magic Eye - Babylon (Not Not Fun)
25. Perfume Genius - Too Bright (Matador)
24. Jenny Hval & Susanna - Meshes Of Voice (SusannaSonata)
23. Actress - Ghettoville (Werkdiscs/Ninja Tune)
22. Pharmakon - Bestial Burden (Sacred Bones)
21. 18+ - Trust (Houndstooth)
20. Arca - Xen (Mute)
19. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Piñata (Madlib Invazion)
18. Valerio Tricoli - Miseri Lares (PAN)
17. Lil B - 05 Fuck Em (Self-Released)
16. Lotic - DAMSEL in DISTRESS (Janus)
15. PC Music - PC Music x DISown Radio (PC Music/DIS Magazine)
14. Sun Kil Moon - Benji (Caldo Verde)
13. E+E - The Light That You Gave Me To See You (Self-Released)
12. copeland - Because I’m Worth It (Self-Released)
11. C L E A N E R S - Real Raga Shit Vol. 1 (Bootleg Tapes)
10. iLoveMakonnen - iLoveMakonnen EP (Self-Released)
09. Andy Stott - Faith In Strangers (Modern Love)
08. D/P/I - MN.ROY (Leaving)
07. Giant Claw - DARK WEB (Orange Milk/Noumenal Loom)
06. Ian William Craig - A Turn Of Breath (Recital)
05. Kevin Drumm / Jason Lescalleet - The Abyss (Erstwhile)
04. Scott Walker + Sunn O))) - Soused (4AD)
03. GFOTY - Secret Mix (PC Music)
02. Grouper - Ruins (Kranky)
01. Dean Blunt - Black Metal (Rough Trade)

think i preferred the copeland record to the dean blunt but only listened to each once so yep great post

i like RTJ2 much more than RTJ.

why is this out of interest? i enjoyed RTJ in a lukewarm way (doubt i'll ever properly enjoy el-p's beats) but RTJ2 seemed even more awkward and annoying than usual, had no desire to return at all

― lex pretend, Wednesday, December 17, 2014 10:55 AM (20 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Dunno really! It strikes me as a party record in a way the debut doesn't. In fact in that regard it reminds me of Wu-Tang Clan's Iron Flag (a record I seem to be alone in totally venerating). The beats feel more kinetic than before. Also (alongside the typically great Killer Mike raps) it has a lot of surprisingly-good El-P raps. Like this from "Crown":

Down with the shame
Down with the shame
Carried the flag in some other men's name
Loaded my weapon and swore to them vengeance and stepped with aggression right into the fray
Into the haze
Into the murk
Told me to prove to them what I was worth
"We’ll teach you to move without mercy and give you the tools to go after the causers of hurt
You'll become death
You will take breath
This is for everything you’ve ever loved
Use all the pain that you’ve felt in your life as the currency go out and trade it for blood
You are not you
You are now us
We are the only ones that you can trust
You’ll become fear
They’ll become dust
Before this moment you didn't mean much
You are the smoldering vessel of punishment born to do nothing but justify us
Give us your empathy we’ll give you lust
Let yourself go my son time to grow up
Give up your childish obsession with questioning
Anything we don't tell you is irrelevant
Everything you've ever been is replaced by the metal and fire of the weapon you clutch"

ok "more of a party record" was not what i was expecting. i feel like r.a.p. music was ten times the record than either RTJ and that had super-diminishing returns for me.

re: YG, i guess it is a great gangsta rap record, but there's no "just" about that. it's really danceable at its best, i feel that's important.