ILM's Top 77 Tracks of 2014

the run of the last few posts is so weird to me. i joined ilx largely because of the amount of grime discussion happening and now there are n00bs who need it explained to them

that being said, although it isnt something I'd play personally, the skepta was the first one Ive been able to play right the way through

out of all of them?!?

both of them had a second song that was good too but prob neither of them are crafty enough to repeat that brilliance, it was just a moment

the rap game future islands

Y'all are forgetting Buffalo Stance

kinda hate "habits" tbh

Making british rap the second track you show appreciation for has dropped you considerably in my ledger, saer :(

neneh cherry is swedish tho

LJ there are literally dozens of threads in which rap fans talk about having to work through and past sentiments they find repellant, stop posturing and pretending you're the first person to have raised this brave new sentiment.

neneh cherry is swedish tho

― lex pretend, Thursday, January 22, 2015 3:23 PM (52 seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Ah come on

lj is pretty otm

also a very nice and relaxing flute arrangement

― J0rdan S., Thursday, January 22, 2015 9:20 AM (1 minute ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Sold.

not pretending to be the first! just noticing it more due to close listening to music outside my comfort zone

the run of the last few posts is so weird to me. i joined ilx largely because of the amount of grime discussion happening and now there are n00bs who need it explained to them

― lex pretend, Thursday, January 22, 2015 10:21 AM (1 minute ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

the momentary huge american critical interest in grime was an odd and funny thing, like everyone thought they discovered the next big thing and then was all oops nevermind and pretended it never happened

neneh cherry is swedish tho

― lex pretend, Thursday, January 22, 2015 3:23 PM (52 seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Ah come on

― ewar woowar (or something), Thursday, January 22, 2015 3:24 PM (15 seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

wha' are you loike?

Catching up on yesteday:

Crying For No Reason: I'm a fan of Katy's but this song in particular feels like it would be much better if sung by Robyn. Needs a stronger, or at least more emotive, vocal performance.

On the Regular: Sure it sounds like 212 but there are worse things to emulate. Impressive that the energy of the track doesn't let up during the sung bridge.

Otra Era: Not what I expected, this is pretty great.

Pooley: Guess it was too much to hope for a posthumous track from the Gang Starr MC to make this year end poll. This Guru, evidently is from Nigeria and Pooley is an infectious jam, though I can't begin to understand what he's saying.

Prayer: I barely noticed Prayer during my first few BM listens but it's a grower. That flanged out guitar solo at the end...

U-Huh: More Afrobeats, and another 212 imitator. All the redlining and loudness gives me a headache.

Fall In Love: I was ready to dismiss this, but the repeated sample during the intro and chorus dragged me into it. The vocal is not impressive, but works nicely as an element of the mix. Bonus points for the gorgeous bridge melody.

Stoner: I voted for three songs with Young Thug in my top 10, but not this one. I guess "Stoner" makes sense as the commercial breakthrough. That beat is insanely great, love the way it builds during the verse, and Thugger packs in so many different memorable lines and vocal hooks. Somebody should do a "Best Utterance on "Stoner"" poll.

Touch: Ooooh, what is this? Normally, this type of thing isn't what I go for but Touch reminds me of Ghost Town DJs mixed with Justified-era Timberlake. Listening to the remix, and it's fucking epic.

Solo Dancing: I'LL KEEP DANCING ON MY OWN. I'm digging the bass wobble.

Shake It Off: The earwormiest earworm to ever earworm.

Shower: More like Re-Becky Black, amirite?

Red Eyes: Reading the posts that accompanied this selection and wow. There was a long and glowing thread about this album, but every single post here is "what the fuck is this?" or "who listens to this?" Red Eyes is not my favorite WOD song, but it's massive and relentlessly forward-moving, though it takes a bit too long to get to the climax at the end. It's "Walk of Life" without the 80's cheese.

Monument: I think I prefer "Do It Again," this one is a little plodding and for all the "momentum" it builds, it doesn't really do anything with it.

Try Me: Another great song that I didn't vote for. I voted for the album though. Love her delivery over the gorgeous beat, she sounds like a tiny little demon who invaded heaven and is cursing out the angels.

Babylon System: Whoooa ten minutes. In that time you can listen to "Babylon Sisters" twice. Anyway, it seems to make pretty good use of its length, lots of different changes to the arrangement and to the beat.

Tough Love: Not as good as "Champagne Kisses," but still great. I really need to go back and listen to this album a few more times, don't I?

Quarterback: A good song and an important one, but I wish the video didn't pull its punches at the end.

About the Money: Fuck yes, top 10 for me. The church organ-driven beat is very old-school Pimp C (which T.I. acknowledges) and though Tip has seemed lazy on a lot of tracks recently, Thug makes him step up his game. Thugger's little post-chorus is so bizarre and incredible.

The Riverbed: Beautiful song, great album. I think I prefer "I Am Not Afraid," which was a late cut for me, but I'm very happy to see this place. Love the way the orchestra gradually spills in until it takes over the whole song.

Out of the Woods: My favorite track from 1989, love the massive drums and the amazing breakdown on the bridge.

Danny Glover: My #2. What can I say besides: it fucking bangs, with such a great borderline nonsensical (two-part!) chorus. I like Nicki's verse on the remix, but the original is better because Danny Glover is just, pure unadulterated Thug, the essence of his appeal. TWO MIDGETS!

Boom Clap: A good pop song, sounds good in the gym.

re: sket, probably never a bad time to bring out this golden oldie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIOuaAA0i24

feel like both shmurda and makonnen struck gold w their hits and interestingly both of them had a second song that was good too but prob neither of them are crafty enough to repeat that brilliance, it was just a moment

― lag∞n, Thursday, January 22, 2015 10:20 AM (3 minutes ago) Bookmark

i think this is truer for shmurda than makonnen -- makonnen will never have another hit on the level of "tuesday" but if you like that song his catalogue has similar songs of relatively equal quality that establish him creating an aesthetic rather than stumbling into a weird hit

shmurda..... i mean the guy has like 5 total songs so who knows, but many things about that song feel accidental

Y'all are forgetting Buffalo Stance

Also 'Next Hype'.

Making british rap the second track you show appreciation for has dropped you considerably in my ledger, saer :(

i called it: RADIOHEAD

Grime is a musical message performed by artistes like Dizzee Rascal from London. It is less about having a tight, tight band then being a real bear behind the microphone, carrying the crowd with you through the night.
One particular hotspot is where no tourist in London will ever take their tube: EAST LONDON. The poverty of East London is all up in the lyrics of such magicians as The Streets and Slaughter Mob.

Like the "no escape" attitude that runs through these streets, you also can't escape grime charging the pop charts of the US like the Beatles or Herman's Hermits. Lil Jon has expressed interest in being a part of this grime scene, even with so little money to be had, because there is that renewed purity that you can only hear in the sound of a true Englishman.

― Gabe Tonkin, Tuesday, June 21, 2005 10:19 AM (9 years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

makonnen will never have another hit on the level of "tuesday" but if you like that song his catalogue has similar songs of relatively equal quality that establish him creating an aesthetic rather than stumbling into a weird hit

― J0rdan S., Thursday, January 22, 2015 10:26 AM (17 seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

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makonnen has vibes but coming up w something as evocative and left field as the phrase club going up on a tuesday which is what really animates the whole thing imo again seems unlikely

ok everyone.

listen up:

if you thought things got bad when QT placed, you might wanna go for a walk.

oh christ

we're about to be dealt a full-on imago-bomb

I REPEAT: PREPARE FOR THE IMAGOPOCALYPE

http://i.imgur.com/K1IcIr2.jpg

14 RICHARD DAWSON "The Vile Stuff" [468 points, 11 votes, 4 first place votes]
http://youtu.be/GQVlNt6DAxY

fyi this ELEVEN MINUTE VIDEO cuts off the FIRST FOUR MINUTES of the ep version

wow shocker

hahaha awesome

amazing

all is saved

one man wrecking crew, this guy

Ahahaha AWESOME

lol don't forget bout Derek B
xxxps

Every time I listen to that album I have zero idea whether it's brilliant or rubbish. I'm glad it's placed here.

Wait, who's Richard Dawson? Isn't he like a british evolutionary scientist

FUCK YES!

this is fuckin heinous

my #3

not going to say anything

i am in fact going to sit back and watch this all unfold

REALLY? I didn't even vote for this (because: album) and it still placed!

Nice one ILM

lol my god what is this shit

not going to say anything

lol

sweet
this ep is tremendous

I like how Grady prefaced this with that old grime post as well.

Hahaha!

glad the subtitles are here

3 eeeeempty caaaaans of
caaaaaaaastlemaine XXXX