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

I noticed that on the album nomination sheet, there's a Hatchie album titled "Keep Giving The World Away" and one titled "Giving the World Away". I just voted for the latter, as I think that's the official titled.

Looks like that was me who got the Hatchie title wrong on the nominations thread. It is indeed just called Giving the World Away. Amazing album.

I might as well copy/paste (with slight tinkering) what I wrote in the 2022 AOTY thread and re-highlight a few of my nominations:

Lady Wray - Piece Of Me - Nicole Wray of "Make It Hot" fame continues what she started with the Lady s/t in 2013 and her own album Queen Alone in 2016 - comforting, warm, accomplished soul. The title track is probably my favourite.

Eliza and the Delusionals - Now And Then - I started a thread for this and unfortunately it's still sitting there with no replies, but despite that silence I am continuing my attempts to spread the good word about this debut from these Australian nostalgists. Widescreen dreampop that takes the Sixpence None The Richer sound and runs with it, as many others have this year - Hatchie, the Pale Waves, Soccer Mommy, etc etc. I'll be throwing lots of points at "Give You Everything" which I managed to push through on the Singles Jukebox's recent brief revival.

Say She She - Prism - This album sits at the intersection of a host of ILM vectors - Lady Wray herself might be one, but also Natalie Prass, the Kings (We Are and Emily), Kadhja Bonet, that short-lived band Juce, Esperanza Spalding's "Unconditional Love", etc. Their band name is horrible (it doesn't help either that it's very easily confused with another group who released an album this year, Say Sue Me) and the album is on the short side, but it's lovely to listen to and hard to fault.

RENforshort - dear amelia is a good encapsulation of the best of the 2022 surly pop punk revival for me. More Billie Eilish than that WILLOW album but it's somewhere between those two poles.

Then there's Javiera Mena - Nocturna. It has the feel of a compilation as I'd previously rinsed so many of its component tracks, some of which were released years ago, but at the same time I wouldn't begrudge anyone calling it her best album and if pushed I might give it that description myself. A banger-a-thon that concludes with the song she tried to enter Eurovision with and its spooky-ooky organ solo. seandalai has highlighted "Sombra" and its roars, but that's merely one of its multitude of joys.

Should I post corrections to noms list here?
I misspelled a nom "Shabason & Kgrovich" - should be Krgovich.
And Gigi Masin's 2020 album, "Calypso" shouldn't be there.

Doing a very rough draft. I'll be a last minute voter!

As far as tracks go, I hope to see "B.O.T.A." by Eliza Rose and Interplanetary Criminal in the 77. The strangest and best UK #1 of the year (thanks, TikTok), it initially struck me as icy and detached but somehow its ubiquity has lent it warmth and allowed me to classify it along with "Both Of Us", "Itgehane" et al.

Speaking of UK #1s, Raye's "Escapism." hit that mark in the UK a few days ago. Raye's a wunderkind who's been stuck writing and singing dance tracks for Jax Jones and Joel Corry types for years, but like so many other young pop singers has been at war with her label (in this case, Polydor) when it came to releasing her own material. She and Polydor parted ways last year, and she's been independently readying singles for her debut album, now due in about a month's time, since then. The clock app cottoned on to the sprawling, majestic "Escapism.", it's now a chart topper, and the album itself has become one of my most anticipated for this year. One can only hope that earlier single "Black Mascara", which has a dance throb and which I'm likelier to vote for, might get the same chart treatment.

It looks like my ballot might be quite heavy on Spanish-language pop tracks this year - some that are worth your time beyond the obvious Bad Bunny and Rosalía hits include Karol G's "PROVENZA" (with 596m Youtube views, this might be plenty obvious too), Kali Uchis' airy "NO HAY LEY", and Girl Ultra's "Amores de droga" (technically a 2021 single but I've nominated it under a year of impact rule as it was part of her 2022 EP EL SUR).

Finally, I expect to be a sole #1 this year with Empress Of's "Dance For You", which is possessed of just the kind of desperate melancholia I find irresistible in pop. A BJ Burton (who's worked with everyone from Charli XCX to Bon Iver to Lizzo to Low) co-effort, it's more conventional than the spacious and also very good "Save Me" which I see is in the queue for blurbing in the Tim F '22 thread. I love the shuffling beat, and the writing is curious too - she walks this tightrope of wanting her addressee to erase her from their memory, but also to be left with the impression that she exists, and is a person with feelings and emotions and strength. The whole EP that this is a part of is worth your time.

Oh, another album I should say something about because I haven't heard it written about basically anywhere else is Sara Parkman - Eros Agape Philia which is this amazing, extremely ambitious Swedish prog-pop-folk edifice that, to put things crudely, kind of bridges a gap between Fossora and Ten Love Songs. Lots of magic moments on it, but a favourite of mine in particular is about two-thirds of the way through "Till Salka", where a nostalgically-recounted story suddenly turns into a blaring rave-up.

Was not aware B.O.T.A. was a #1 hit in UK, hadn’t heard anything about it until it started popping in several eoy lists.

Kind of a weird song to be a huge hit, it’s more of a “vibe” than a song.

thirded on hikaru utada - really nice, expertly crafted stuff.

(also - DAMN she's been active since the 90s i got some homework to do!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0YDZqeKMnU

14 from 22, short stories from inside the penalty box

That was mean to be a playlist of things missing from the spotify

Oh you have to write it out differently I understand now

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYcYugGx0D5HJ3SDeOquxAaDeIEivGCX8

Nosaj Thing - Blue Hour feat. Julianna Barwick is the biggest find in the noms for me so far. The emotional pull of Barwick's ethereal vocals is not something I might normally go for, but am sucked into the cinematic quality of the track. Massive Attack 'Teardrop' drums with melancholy synth-lines and sub-bass that invokes shimmering horizons of heatwaves and transit spaces like an air-conditioned airport terminal.

It does give me trip hop vibes and, as a simple man continually awaiting the trip hop revival, that's a good thing.

Thanks saer!

Oh, another album I should say something about because I haven't heard it written about basically anywhere else is Sara Parkman - Eros Agape Philia which is this amazing, extremely ambitious Swedish prog-pop-folk edifice that, to put things crudely, kind of bridges a gap between Fossora and Ten Love Songs. Lots of magic moments on it, but a favourite of mine in particular is about two-thirds of the way through "Till Salka", where a nostalgically-recounted story suddenly turns into a blaring rave-up.

― monotony

I nominated her collaboration with Maria W Horn (Funeral Folk) but am considering a vote for this as well.

funny i heard "blue hour" in the peoples pop poll on twitter and thought it distractingly too similar to "teardrop"

tidal tracks playlist is finally up-to-date (for the 2 people that are following it), sorry for taking this long

https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/080d2645-6bba-43f1-943b-500665d76ffb

That whole Nosaj Thing album is very pleasant. Love “blue hour” but I agree that it is very distractingly similar to “teardrop”. Can’t get enough of a good thing though.

Panda Bear had a great year, very active and mostly high quality: good animal collective album, great sonic boom/solo album, brilliant run of collaborations: braxe+falcon, teebs, nosaj thing, george fitzgerald, lifted, imperio pacifico…

Should I post corrections to noms list here?

― maf you one two (maffew12), Sunday, January 8, 2023 8:21 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

I misspelled Tyler Childers' "Way of the Triune God (Jubilee Version)" as "Way of the Tribune God (Jubilee Version)". Planning to vote for what's in the spreadsheet unless I'm told otherwise.

tidal tracks playlist is finally up-to-date (for the 2 people that are following it), sorry for taking this long

Thanks, silverfish

How did only one Charlotte Adigery/Bolis Pupul track get nominated? Assume the album will rank but quite surprised to not see "Ceci n'est pas un cliche" on the track noms.

Meant to add "Mantra," but I was sorta holding off on duplicating artists and then it was too late. Same with Shygirl, especially.

nice not to have to worry about the vote splitting I suppose

A lot of the singles were 2021 though. Someone nominated HAHA but that placed last year.

voted!

As far as tracks go, I hope to see "B.O.T.A." by Eliza Rose and Interplanetary Criminal in the 77. The strangest and best UK #1 of the year (thanks, TikTok), it initially struck me as icy and detached but somehow its ubiquity has lent it warmth and allowed me to classify it along with "Both Of Us", "Itgehane" et al.

Agree with this monotony, a weirdly compelling tune!

Should I post corrections to noms list here?

Yes! Thanks to everyone who has posted corrections so far.

Regarding Sudan Archives: I know “Home Maker” is a good song and probably everyone’s favorite but “Freakalizer” is the one that I would get excited to see in the top 77.

Still happy she’s getting all the love this year elsewhere. ILM has been supportive of her since that first ep from 2017.

ayo thanks for this Abel Selaocoe "Where Is home/Hae ke Kae" album, what a find

seriously, check this shit out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJZ4zd7Acq0

Playing tracks poll on shuffle, ‘Dishintegration’ by Staubitz and Waterhouse has came up. 10 minutes into it, does anything happen?

Omah Lay and BNXN are today’s discoveries. Wow

I hope (and half expect) that includes Omah’s “never forget”, a stunningly beautiful and incredibly moving song, in both performance and production. it’s a serious contender for my number one spot.

lol, dishintegration is just a washing machine i think. i hope matmos got a check

if it's not a dishwasher what are they doing

i got that stuck on repeat for awhile so i get the appeal

I forgot to nominate Omaha Lay - Safe Heaven, which was my favorite from the album. Gorgous almost dubby afropop.

God dammit spellcheck.

Yes breastcrawl! That’s the song that I heard and floored me. I think I heard it some months ago and didn’t make much of an impression at the time but today it clicked. Regret not voting for it.

ah dang Safe Haven might actually be my favourite too. at any rate it's the perfect follow-up to Never Forget, a great moment on that album

I think I’ve played “never forget” 8 times already today.

Hi, just noticed another error on the albums list:

Soshi Takeda - Same Place Another Time is listed twice, the other erroneously as soichi takeda - same place, another time

Fire-Toolz was sounding quite nice and then at just over three minutes the vocals came in

re: Omah Lay - if I'd been practive enough to submit a suggestion's ballot, I'd have definitely entered "I'm A Mess". It's absolutely excellent and something I've been able to relate to a lot this year

The truth is that the album really deserves votes.

Fire-Toolz was sounding quite nice and then at just over three minutes the vocals came in

― groovypanda, Thursday, 12 January 2023 10:17 (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink

this is my burden

Favourite discovery of the nominations thread has been 'Jolene' by Victony, such a great track.

Fire-Toolz was sounding quite nice and then at just over three minutes the vocals came in

Regarding Sudan Archives: I know “Home Maker” is a good song and probably everyone’s favorite but “Freakalizer” is the one that I would get excited to see in the top 77.

"Freakalizer" will be in my top two