ILM's Top 77 Albums of 2020

For those enjoying Charles Webster's 2001 album I would also recommend Tom Middleton's Sound of the Cosmos three CD mix from around the same time, especially Disc Two

Very good first day! DJ Python was 9th on my ballot and Ulla 12th, although probably they should have bteen the other way around (certainly I listened to Ulla more) - both are albums I could listen to endlessly.

Charles Webster would have been there if I'd heard it in time (I only discovered it via Tim F's end of year list); Autechre and Adrianne Lenker both made the unranked part of my ballot although both were probably lucky to make it (if I was voting now they would both have dropped off).

Glad to see the Deftones and Jeff Parker albums place, I listened to both of them a few times although neither stuck.

Not my usual thing but I am enjoying the Webster! Just got to Secrets Held, which is probably the highlight so far

Listened to all of these yesterday evening and I adore the Poppy and the Charles Webster

How is Poppy not the biggest thing idgi this is fucking insane, Katamari Damacy plus Slipknot? I'm smitten

She's going to be huge. That kind of ADHD genresplicing pop* is going to be one of the major forces of this decade, duelling the more sedate doomer charms of yer Eilishes (who I still think can be convinced over to the Hyper Side)

*yes it's Been Done, but it can be done more and more successfully

Each time I listen to the Poppy album, I am newly taken aback by how beautiful it is, especially the proggy finale with all the reprises

And why the exclamation mark in the end?

for emphasis? i mean, what are exclamation points usually for?

who knows!

Here we go

https://i.imgur.com/aP8iDx1.jpg
#60: Pharaoh Overlord - “6” - 232 points - 7 votes

Circle :: what album is their best

https://pharaohoverlord.bandcamp.com/album/6

“Boldly unearthing the missing link between disco and death metal, Pharaoh Overlord deserve to be taken seriously – just don't call them a Circle side-project”
https://thequietus.com/articles/29254-pharaoh-overlord-6-review

what a lovely surprise

WE DID IT <3

Jagger Disco 😎

My #2. Astonishing synthesis of things that shouldn't work but do. Just so badass and strutting and heavy and sick, all done with insane attention to sonic detail and melodic development. I could go on, but really it's up to you to enter the disco of death

This is the one of two albums I voted for that I only heard for the first time through the nominations. I ended up listening to it a bunch throughout December/January.

woohoo

This album struts

things that shouldn't work but do

Seriously. I'm somebody who dislikes a lot of metal because of the vocals but somehow loved this.

My #2. Astonishing synthesis of things that shouldn't work but do. Just so badass and strutting and heavy and sick, all done with insane attention to sonic detail and melodic development. I could go on, but really it's up to you to enter the disco of death

Yes yes yes, this. So glad to see this place!

Well, I meant to get around to this record and never did, so now seems like a good time to actually give it a go.

at last a novelty placement :)

oi

totally get the appeal, but had to admit I am pretty much never in the mood to actually listen to this

Not as good as the previous PO albums, simon?

oh great more pastiche

(j/k I've never heard this, and silverfish's post has me more intrigued than I'd expect)

giving this a spin now

as i say, this isn't pastiche, this is synthesis (with an element of pastiche) ;)

Listened to all of these yesterday evening and I adore the Poppy and the Charles Webster

How is Poppy not the biggest thing idgi this is fucking insane, Katamari Damacy plus Slipknot? I'm smitten

― flamboyant goon tie included, Tuesday, February 2, 2021 8:25 AM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink

5 years ago someone showed me a Poppy youtube and I thought she was just some experimental/meme youtuber at the time. Pretty surprised to see her making music lists these days! I had no idea.

ahahaha ok this fucking rules

I want to like this but I just have never been able to vibe with the cookie monster vox

5 years ago someone showed me a Poppy youtube and I thought she was just some experimental/meme youtuber at the time. Pretty surprised to see her making music lists these days! I had no idea.

― Evan, Tuesday, February 2, 2021 8:04 AM (one minute ago) bookmarkflaglink

she was! then she started making music and it wasn't very good. and then it got very good

BRAD

no one accosted me and told me to listen to pharaoh overlord last year, what can i say

I did try

oh i quite like the first poppy record

v different of course

https://i.imgur.com/M55oqOZ.jpg
#59: Brandy - “B7” - 239 points - 12 votes

Brandy - most consistent newsoul girl singer type thing?

“‘B7’ is a triumph. A record worth savouring, it sits alongside NewGen R&B talent ... while retaining that classic touch. A master of the form, it’s a joy to have Brandy back in our lives.”
https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/brandy-b7

omg my ballot keeps placing haha

this was my #13. a masterpiece of harmony and so brilliantly weird for such a seasoned musician, feels like a true rebirth

I didn’t get why this album was so favored. Guess I’ll give it one more shot.

oh i quite like the first poppy record

v different of course

― nxd, Tuesday, February 2, 2021 8:08 AM (forty-seven seconds ago) bookmarkflaglink

i mean maybe i should go back to it, it's been a few years! i just remember encountering her and being like "is this some naomi elizabeth-type meta youtube pop star thing" and the songs not grabbing me at all

I'm not quite as convinced as you lot about this PO combo. I am, however, listening really quietly through my computer speakers, and I think it would do a lot better louder, or through headphones while walking somewhere. My thing with cookie monster vocals, though, is that I can like them, but I usually like them in contrast with a sweeter melodic vocal (see Runhild Gammelsæter etc), so them being the sole vocal might wear on me a bit.

no one accosted me and told me to listen to pharaoh overlord last year, what can i say

― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Tuesday, 2 February 2021 15:08 (four minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

my Brandy vote was a direct result of Brad doing this to me fwiw, maybe it works lol

xp

the vox aren't death metal cookie monster vox though

there's a part where he says "this is Pharaoh Overlord 6" and it sounds just like Nathan Explosion. I may have to move on now.

listening to PO, i read

cookie monster vox

Other people have used "cookie monster" without being corrected itt. It's similar enough FFS, you know what I mean.

haven't listened to anything circle-related in about a million years. not sure i'm totally into this pharaoh overlord one, it seems like a comedy record and just made me want to listen the sisters of mercy instead. sorry :(

genuinely surprised this pharaoh overlord album has not been used at the entire soundtrack for a horror movie yet

paging panos cosmatos

wake me up when a metal album uses elmo vocals

catch me at the roller rink trying to get the dj to play some fucking pharaoh overlord