ILM’s Top 77 Albums of 2018

Great album! My only complaint is that a couple of Jean Grae's verses reach such god-like heights that the rest of the album can feel a little underwhelming for just being really good.

Are backpackers still uncool? I thought history was cyclical.

I think the last ATCQ album basically made everyone realise the backpackers were right all along

ATCQ are pre-backpacker tbf

mainstream rappers, backpack rappers...they're all just podcasters now

pre-backpacker but also maybe the single biggest influence on it? xp

Charlie Puth album reminds me a bit of the first Daniel Bedingfield LP (a good thing).

Love the JG & QC record, first one I've heard b4 today, but no quibbles with the placement.

idk the first few tribe albums didn't dwell very much on social issues, nor was there much concern-trolling about mainstream rap.

http://i.imgur.com/Wrp7ZLK.jpg

#73: Senyawa – Sujud - 204 points – 6 votes

Rolling Metal 2018

Chase McMullen: Perhaps no musical act is presently melding deeply felt traditionalism with harrowing, damn near unclassifiable experimentation with greater affect.”

Russell Cuzner: “The Javanese duo’s new album distils the energy of earlier releases and evokes the gravity of our relationship with nature.”

nor was there much concern-trolling about mainstream rap.

well Tip got jumped over Phife's New Jack Swing diss.

this promised much but ultimately didn't do much for me, but if you like things that really like to repeat their unusual sonic trick then go for it

at least it's a weird one I guess

What is THIS

This album didn't do as much for me as I'd hoped it would but it did make me want to properly explore Southeast Asian folk music.

2xp heh

Anyway this is already going better than the tracks poll.

why am I still listening to the Charlie Puth album, lol

(I guess...I haven't been made to turn it off yet...so uh well done CP)

I voted for this

Loved this one. I recommend checking out some live clips as well. They make an amazing racket with just a singer and a bespoke string instrument.

That Courtney Barnett album was such a drag after Sometimes I Sit. Feels like it takes 30 min to get through the first three tracks. Must've turned it off a half-dozen times before I ever finished the thing.

Voted for Amen Dunes and Puth. Amen Dunes has a real richness and warmth to it. lol at the david gray comparison - spot on.

Love this one. 2xp

I look forward to Tuomas and Gareths reaction

've got a situation, this girl been stressing me
Saying she better be the only one
My life is complicated, she's only 23
I'm not the guy that she's supposed to love

Oh the more that I tell her I'm not staying over
The harder she makes it to go
Oh the more that I try to convince her this won't work
The faster she takes off her clothes

ftr this is where the puth album got stopped

Senyawa rules, nice to see it here - check out the 10" they did if you want something a bit different

I couldn't get my busy life together to vote this year, just apply a write-in #1 for the album by The Ex and call it good :)

It's pretty varied as well, imo. Shabara has a beautiful falsetto on a couple of tracks.

Sorry, I don't have a Spotify account, so my comments will be limited to albums I already own or have heard.

Gareth still posts here?

lol

Are backpackers still uncool? I thought history was cyclical.

― pomenitul, Monday, February 4, 2019 9:24 AM (fifteen minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I thought I was hallucinating the other day when a streaming service recommended to me a new single from Ozomatli featuring Cut Chemist and Chali 2na

Glad there's still one person who hasn't worked it out over the last 3 years or so
xp

I will always love Senjawa for naming an album 'Brønshøj', aka my postcode for ten years. Didn't vote for them, though.

I don't think there are any guitars tbf. xpd

*xps

Saer is Gareth?!

the seventh seal is opened

yay to the ex

I hope the album places!

I can promise you that the Senyawa album does not sound what you Tuomas or anyone else thinks and is worth checking out. There is no guitars at all. Just a homebuilt instrument as someone said.

http://i.imgur.com/siCsPY4.jpg

#72: Wednesday Campanella – Galapagos - 206 points – 7 votes

WEDNESDAY CAMPANELLA - Galapagos

Matt Hobbs: “One of the most prolific bands from Japan have an infectious personality, idiosyncratic depth and a striking balance of sweetness and intelligence that makes them unique.”

Patric St. Michel: “What could have been a risky turn away from the rapped vocals and dance beats of previous hits ends up giving Wednesday Campanella new energy and even a bit more depth.”

my favourite band in the world!!!

wow some things I expected much higher are placing low

Nice!!

Shamefully I forgot to vote for this

superb record

just fell outside my 25 iirc

The Courtney Barnett album wasn’t as great as her first, but still really good.

Griping about a (good) album that scraped the bottom of the poll seems kinda weak, you guys!

I gripe forever

Weakness is spending one of your 25 – 25! – votes on Tell Me How You Really Feel.

highly encourage anyone curious about Galapagos to at least check out singles The Bamboo Princess (a modern take on Homogenic-esque orchestration + beats) and Melos (jazzy guitar + dnb breaks + gamelan breakdown, "tortoise writing a pop song") which both have great videos

I remember hearing "three mystic apes" and thinking it was Towa Tei, should probably check this out

three mystic apes is wild. this is a cool fav band to have, ufo

Not that I know them, but going by the sleeve the spelling of their name is “Senyawa”, not “Senjawa”.

when people ask me my fav band, it would be cool to say "oh it's this genre-melting japanese pop band," while I'm usually like "i like the rolling stones"