ILM's Top 77 Albums of 2013

the cover is like an adult's version of the bangerz cover

oops sorry
many xps

what kind of krautrock is this holden record trying to evoke?

ignore me, dude who listened to half of the first track and turned it off

hmm i didn't really get into this hecker as much as his last few, will definitely revisit at some point though

when most people say krautrock, they mean motorik

Holden has talked about being influenced by Amon Duul iirc

Wow I have totally been conflating Hecker and Holden I guess

Hecker album is awesome, hope I remembered to vote for it.

that Hecker album is amazing, voted for it at (I think) #9.

haha and there is a hecker who is not tim hecker to confuse things even more xxp

virgins is great, not quite as obsessed with it as I was by ravedeath but better than the one with lopatin

Still would like to hear the last two all the way through, but must find the right mood for each.

this album surprised me. It's very gripping, and I haven't wanted to stop listening to it. haven't felt this way about one of his albums before.

the video for "black refraction" is hypnotic and sinister, with image of giant swinging incense boat
http://youtu.be/EEmgEAp8hSI

i like the hecker but i don't think i heard it in time to vote. i guess this was the year i finally gave in on the arty electronic music stuff

if people mean motorik when they say krautrock, could we encourage/promote the use of more precise terminology? i'll give it a listen regardless.

http://i.imgur.com/iFp7l0w.jpg

25 CLASSIXX Hanging Gardens (572 points, 19 votes, 1 first place vote)

Spotify

whee

most fun record of the year imo

This was one of my late year discoveries.

Loved the Holden record, reminds me a fair bit of Colin Stetson out of his loose contemporaries, same flutteriness (rather than motorik).

classixx was a bit too much of a grab bag for me but definitely some good ones on there. feel like the singles were the best ones tho.

good placement. love this album.

highlights for me were "Stranger Love" and that transition from Rhythm Santa Clara into Diamonds

classixx album didn't stick with me but enjoyed it v much for those couple of weeks in summer

getting a bit nervous about some of my picks, don't feel like I have the measure of this list at ALL

I don't have credits so forgive me if someone raised this point, but am I hearing bits of Fleetwood Mac's "Seven Wonders" in "Hanging Gardens"?

correct

yes

Yay for Tegan and Sara, my number 2. Seriously love every single song on that record.

this is the album i'll grab for when years for now i want to remember what my 2013 sounded like

Classixx album hella patchy imo - couple of great tracks, but then there was "Do You Like Bass?" and a bunch of unearned cheesy samples.

Amel album cover is great, has a vivid otherworldly quality more than lol retro imo and matches the sound of the album in a weird way

seandalai obviously a hater of Bass

now that I'm really sitting down and listening to Deafheaven... this is great IMO

so 2012-13 were when acts moved from sounding like or praising Tusk to sounding like or praising Tango in the Night.

http://i.imgur.com/RfEMP57.jpg

23 JULIA HOLTER Loud City Song (615 points, 21 votes)

Spotify

love this album so much.

too low

voted for maxim's i in trax but couldn't get into this as a whole

Holden, Hecker and Holter all too low!

helluva law firm

love this record too, i guess this is the annual 'the entire ilx-friendly portion of my ballot appears between 30 and 20' run

first holter that really clicked with me. there's still a detachment in her voice that prevented it from making my ballot, but only just. the arrangement of "horns surrounding me" is just insane and her cover of "hello stranger" is gorgeous

i voted for those last 3 albums! i think the classixx is well under-rated. lovely sugary summer pop bliss.

yeah the holter album is probably even better than "extasis"

So fart today, I voted for DJ Rashad, Ariana Grande, and Classixx

This is my favorite track off the Rashad. That high synth that careens all over the place and the Juice samples! It's basically the hardest shit ever:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWTsLnYO68U

oops, sorry about embed

I feel like every Holter album has gotten better

ariana grande beating fantasia is sadface
amel beating ariana is happyface

the "horns surrounding me" video is really good btw! paranoid and sinister, echoes of don't look now. first time i'd seen it today

http://i.imgur.com/ZXC2MU4.jpg

22 BRANDY CLARK 12 Stories (617 points, 18 votes, 1 first place vote)

Spotify

Disagree with almost all of you re: Julia Holter - I think Holter is moving further and further away from what I liked about her in the first place. I perfectly understand if you don't dig 'detachment' in vocals, but detachment often speaks to me a lot more than 'passionate' style vocals. HOWEVER, this is still really good, and in fact has grown on me quite a lot.

Ok this Holden song "The Caterpillar's Invention" is so great! It sounds like caterpillars marching/preparing for war against the grasshoppers or something. I like it a lot. Loooove when the horns come in!!