ILM's 2022 End of Year Tracks & Albums Poll / VOTING THREAD

will def check that out

I wasn't that into the album, but I've become really obsessed with Hideous by Oliver Sim and I'm contemplating having it as my number one. It feels very unexpected. Will start going through the nominations playlist over the next few days. I feel like I have a lot of catching up to do.

― kitchen person, Tuesday, January 3, 2023 7:52 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

Had not heard (of) this album. Very much enjoying it -- thanks.

I found the album disappointing but the track will feature strongly on my ballot. Not least for the startling reappearance of Jimmy Somerville.

I missed the nominations, some major ones I don't see on the albums list: Large Plants on ghost box, Muramuke (herbert & barbara panther) on accidental, Lalalar on Bongo Joe, Ezra Collective, Tim Bernardes on Psychic Hotline, Noori & His Dorpa Band on Ostinato, Tumi Mogorosi on New Soil, Al-Qasar on Glitterbeat, Meridian Brothers, Kibrom Birhane, Branko Mataja comp/reissue on Numero Group just to name a few! Hope you can check some out.. Now onto voting!

just gonna point this out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2nZ_e0_jHc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-MVN1PSY7o

"Baby, let me take a look... Whoa lord!"

some of the albums i nominated, check these out if these descriptions appeal to you

chat pile - god's country : obnoxious noise rock
dany placard & julie doiron - julie & dany : married couple's pandemic album, ramshackle folky rock
horace andy - midnight rockers : just solid old-school reggae album with a killer massive attack cover
mike adams at his honest weight - graphic blandishment : straight-up midwestern power-pop, RIYL sloan
mj lenderman - boat songs : kinda no alternative style twang-indie which isn't usually my thing but it has good lyrics and fuzzy guitars and an old-school homemade/DIY feel that is catnip to me
sexual jeremy - the real sexual jeremy : more noise rock but weirder/more experimental, has kind of a u.s. maple vibe to the instrumentals

I found the album disappointing but the track will feature strongly on my ballot. Not least for the startling reappearance of Jimmy Somerville.

― Dan Worsley

Jimmy's cameo and the very last lines are such a devastating combination.

I just noticed (while voting) that Miranda Lambert’s Palomino was nominated, but no tracks from it(!) (I had forgotten it came out in 2022)

lol kate bush!!! hell yeah i gotta new #1 for my ballot!

(jk, not #1 tho i'm still gonna vote for it!)

Voted

Is Kate Bush really on there? Lol

fave part of these polls is always catching up on bobbins I missed.

current love: "True Romance (Maja Edit)" - Bella Boo

roz otm, that one was new to me and will be getting a vote.

No One dies from Love Guess I'll be the first

many artists might not make it high or into the top 77 at all due to vote splitting by the looks of it.
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Wednesday, January 4, 2023 6:40 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

You could consider it an achievement in itself to get points for different tracks in a single year, that's something we could seriously count (for example top 10 artists, adding up all track votes). In the end I'm not a fan of the idea of artificially reducing a consistent album with various highlights to a one-track "critics" pick, that's BS. Imo, the track vote is also to see how differently some of the best albums resonated at personal level. And sometimes, several tracks really deserve a vote.

To add a controversial opinion, another phenomenon that contributes to vote splitting is also how wide and hopeful ILM is to get very niche picks represented and to produce the hidden gem. As we say in French, we're all "pulling the blanket", meaning something common is torn apart by personal interests.

I guess it's also a question of how much overlap you're prepare to see between the album poll and the track poll. For me it's natural to see a lot, but some might see them as two unconnected hemispheres of music.

Couple of Tracks stans from me

Plastic Estate - Antique Days

Saw these supporting Real Lies and they were real good. Young Cardiff based band making 80s influenced new wave/synth pop

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx-eKkRjYx4

Skin on Skin - Burn Dem Bridges

Techno & drill, together at last

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhJFEMy-u-k

Sorry to lament: I forgot to nominate so my album of the year is not on there. It is Solace by Held By Trees. I like it almost as much as "Spirit of Eden" and "Laughing Stock". Gorgeous stuff flying under the radar.

I just noticed (while voting) that Miranda Lambert’s Palomino was nominated, but no tracks from it(!) (I had forgotten it came out in 2022)

― Wet Legume (morrisp), Wednesday, January 4, 2023 7:34 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

What's your favorite track? I almost nominated "I'll Be Lovin' You" but decided it was unlikely to make the cut and prioritized artists who didn't have any noms yet.

I'll stan for our local-artist-made-good. This Adeem album is really good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FEFSL_dwwg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fM9BP_1ONFk

Bonus track, here's an interview with them I just published today: https://compassknox.com/2023/01/05/revelry-with-a-cause/

so this wasn't even my nom, but burna boy's "it's plenty" just popped up and this is the shit i'm here for and i want everyone to vote for it. holy smokes, pretty significant jam.

What's your favorite track? I almost nominated "I'll Be Lovin' You" but decided it was unlikely to make the cut and prioritized artists who didn't have any noms yet.

I guess it's tricky; my favorite tracks were probably nominated in 2021 via their Marfa Tapes versions (I'd have to check).

As for albums, BAD MODE is unbelievably one of Hikaru Utada's best in a legendary career - just funky, funny, sweet, beautiful, human. What a joy and a surprise that she would put out a masterpiece in 2022. And a great starter for anyone who hasn't checked out the discography.

forks, I just noticed you put the wrong "Korobela" in the tracks playlist, an older Kabza De Small track by that title.

it's supposed to be this one: *DJ Sumbody ft. Drip Gogo & The Lowkeys – Korobela* (and a gorgeous track it is too, people, if I may so myself)

trusting the final batch of noms will get there eventually as well. it's a hermit's job, I'm well aware. merci beaucoup!

One of my favourite discoveries of the year is Double Virgo - theyre Dean Blunt affiliated (on his World Music label). They have a darkly narcotic late night indie strum vibe. Actual information about them is thin on the ground but I loved their album 'Foolish Narratives' and their NTS mix which is worth a listen on Youtube too. I nominated this on the tracks poll. So dead eyed and malevolent. Love it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1YYWSRNySs

Even better is this track which I also nominated. Its from their side project bar italia (basically Double Virgo and a female singer). Reminds me of stuff like Insides or Woodbine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5mTSmNKoDE

Forgot to nom Omar S - can’t explain R&B mix :(

want to bring to attention a lesser known braxe + falcon track on the EP

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCN3aM9Oi3s

okay what the actual fuck is this shabason + krgovich?

the whole album is unbelievably good. legitimate blue nile revival.🔥

I listen to like 5 new albums a year so I never nominate but I would have nominated "I Am So Happy With My Little Dog" from that album

heyo!!

OK I did nominate the album even if I misspelled Krgovich on the thread (Ctrl+F panic a moment ago). Moka put up "In The Middle Of The Day" as the only track nom from it, so at least it won't get split. I could've put up "Childhood McDonald's" just for

The pancakes, the Playplace
Grimace's Face
Doo, doo, do, doo, do

I'm stopping just short of pasting the album description from https://shabasonandkrgovich.bandcamp.com/album/at-scaramouche which is one of my favourite things about this. Picked it up on vinyl in the big city last week and was a little let down this wasn't part of the package lol

Starting to play catchup in earnest now, with a goal of better informing an Albums vote and even having a Tracks vote. January the bessst

some pitches:

Mabe Fratti - Se Ve Desde Aquí: I'm just catching up with JF and Nabozo and everyone else who was repping Mabe Fratti in previous polls. This album is really excellent. Singer/composer/cellist who writes knotty but inviting song arrangements...the lazy Julia Holter comparisons write themselves. I mean it as a huge compliment though!
Cheba Wahida - Jrouli: dream raï, twirlers and bangers

Hyolyn - Over you: a better CRJ song than anything CRJ released this year
Javiera Mena - Sombra: ridiculous Italo stomper complete with lion sound effects and unnecessary guitars; Radiorama would be proud

I discovered the Shabason + Krgovich via Sean saidthegramophone’s eoy list and loved it. Great album for this season.

Kinda blown away by Shabason + Krgovich! Reminds me of a cross between Jim O'Rourke and the aforementioned Blue Nile.

Like, this might be my new #1.

okay, the playlists should be fully updated with everything on the nomination thread (and i threw in y'all's edits and late additions in the name of good will). If there's anything that you're not seeing on the list that's available on Spotify in the US, flag it here and I'll fix.

As is my yearly process, I'm trying to thoroughly listen (at least three times per track) to everything in the singles pile. With past faves included, I'm about 320 tracks in. I'll likely try to do capsule reviews as in past years if there's time. Suffice it to say, lots to like.

Oh, and it's worth mentioning Joseph Shabason's connection to Destroyer, having been the sax player on "Kaputt."

for anyone seeking a novelty track: am i the only person who enjoyed the Finneas/Billie Eilish tracks from the Pixar period piece Turning Red? They ghostwrote songs for a fake Backstreet-style boy band named 4*Town (with 5 members of course) and there's a few solid hits on the soundtrack. This is the obvious stand-out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQQRjFzB8gY

At Thanksgiving, an extended family member mentioned that those songs were done by Eilish & Finneas… I said, “I don’t think that’s right!,” like a condescending know-it-all. Then I looked it up. Egg on my face!

Lol, I have a colleague from Vancouver (Krgovich is from there) who has a passion for her dog (and animal wellbeing in general) and it was her birthday two days ago. Good excuse for discretely sharing music nerdship. If you add "Feel You", there's already a good beginning of a list.

None of my nominations are on Spotify but they may have been blocked by the local magnate along with the results of last nights match

My nominated track is not on the spreadsheet:

Tramhaus - I Don't Sweat

A shame, because it's one of the best Dutch songs of 2022.

My nominated track is not on the spreadsheet:

Tramhaus - I Don't Sweat

A shame, because it's one of the best Dutch songs of 2022.

― ArchCarrier, Friday, 6 January 2023 10:48 (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink

I don't see this on the nominations thread :(

Damn, you're right. I probably meant to and forgot about it.

really cool that ya'll dig that shabason + krgovich - and thank you maffew for the word! i already rec'd it to a non-ilm friend and they were also taken aback by how great it is.

in other news, i'll be voting for the sofie birch album.

nicholas krgovich also plays on the new dear nora album from this year that is also great