ILM Albums Poll 2019: Thread of Stats and Ballots

and more balloon emojis because why not 🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈 🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈 🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈

Full results: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_iSx9nFCQ45Fpan5fc97FCBPjMsZlBozVbPOgq3oGds/edit?usp=sharing
Voter stats: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HNpQTGPD5AUWirGSG7-QE19iFKZ-R0dHkfac3D6qhjY/edit?usp=sharing

Celer ‎- Xièxie
Ai Kamano - muonk
Charlie Cawood - Blurring Into Motion
Octo Octa - Resonant Body

18 Carat Affair - Spent Passions 2
3d Blast - Iconic Bitch
75 Dollar Bill - I Was Real
BabyTron - Bin Reaper
Black to Comm - Seven Horses for Seven Kings
Burial - Tunes 2011-2019
Duke - Uingizaji Hewa
Ecco2k - E
ev.exi - Forget
Follakazoid - I
Georgia - Immute
Jay Mitta - Tatizo Pesa
r hunter - rrrrrrafael
Sampa The Great - The Return
Samthing Soweto - Isphithiphithi
Sisso - Mateso
Şiyar Berwari - Şexani Halay Govend (Mılane Delilo Segavi)
These New Puritans - inside the rose
Ustad Saami - God Is Not a Terrorist
Various Artists - Kankyō Ongaku
猫 シ Corp. & t e l e p a t h - Building a Better World

sorry my phone busted accents

Voter stats is empty for me

Helado Negro - This Is How You Smile
Blick Bassy - 1958
Vampire Weekend - Father of the Bride
Big Thief - U.F.O.F.
Sacred Paws - Run Around the Sun
PUP - Morbid Stuff
Leo Svirsky - River Without Banks
Nérija - Blume
A-WA - Bayti Fi Rasi
Theon Cross - Fyah
Mannequin Pussy - Patience
VA - Pacific Breeze: Japanese City Pop, AOR & Boogie 1976-1986
The Comet is Coming - Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery
Ariana Grande - thank u, next
Ikebe Shakedown - Kings Left Behind
Laura Stevenson - The Big Freeze
Astronoid - Astronoid
KOKOKO! - Liboso
Altin Gün - Gece
Saba Alizadeh - Scattered Memories
Origami Angel - Somewhere City
Bring Me The Horizon - amo
Taylor Swift - Lover
Cykada - Cykada
Better Oblivion Community Center - Better Oblivion Community Center

xp there's a tab to click on

Burna Boy - African Giant
Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah - Ancestral Recall
Jamila Woods - LEGACY! LEGACY!
Koffee - Rapture
Resavoir - Resavoir
Samthing Soweto - Isphithiphithi
Dawn Richard - new breed
Nérija - Blume
Tinashe - Songs For You
Sarathy Korwar - More Arriving

Denzel Curry - ZUU
Yves Jarvis - The Same But By Different Means
Mostack - Stacko
Arthur Russell - Iowa Dream
Ari Lennox - Shea Butter Baby
Vanishing Twin - The Age of Immunology
The Comet is Coming - Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery
Starboy/Wizkid - SoundMan Vol. 1
Jamael Dean - Black Space Tapes
Jaimie Branch - Fly or Die II: Bird Dogs of Paradise
Sudan Archives - Athena
Tresor - Nostalgia
Goldlink - Diaspora
Barker - Utility
Men I Trust - Oncle Jazz

@nxd the ustad saami was no lie #26 on my list

ghost sheet has been liquidised

weighted bold DNP

Underworld - Drift Series 1
Raphael Saadiq - Jimmy Lee
Barker - Utility
Galcher Lustwerk - Information
Various Artists - Seitô: In the Beginning, Woman was the Sun
Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell!
CFCF - Liquid Colors
The Highwomen - S/T
Big Thief - Two Hands
Shinichiro Yokota - I Know You Like It
Jenny Hval - The Practice of Love
Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
Charly Bliss - Young Enough
Boreal Massif - We All Have An Impact
Big Thief - U.F.O.F.
Joan Shelley - Like the River Loves the Sea
Maja S.K. Ratkje - Sult
Stenny - Upsurge
Hand Habits - Placeholder
Omma - 1905
Meemo Comma - Sleepmoss
Bella Boo - Once Upon A Passion
Kedr Livansky - Your Need
Callisto - Guidance Is Internal (Pt 1 &2)
Anthony Naples - Fog FM

weighted ballot bold dnp

Fire! Orchestra - Arrival
Lankum - The Livelong Day
Octo Octa - Resonant Body
'Blue' Gene Tyranny & Peter Gordon - Trust In Rock
Shura - forevher
Kelsey Lu - Blood
Matana Roberts - COIN COIN Chapter 4: Memphis

Jaimie Branch - Fly or Die II: Bird Dogs of Paradise
The Comet Is Coming - Trust In The Lifeforce Of The Deep Mystery
Solange - When I Get Home
Kornél Kovács - Stockholm Marathon
Greg Foat - The Mage
Young Marco - Bahasa
Rhye - Spirit
Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising
Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell!
Jamila Woods - LEGACY! LEGACY!
Animal Collective - Ballet Slippers
Arthur Russell - Iowa Dream
Angel Bat Dawid - The Oracle
Mariam the Believer - String Variations
Ethiopian Records - Ye Feqer Edaye / የፍቅር እዳዬ
OOIOO - nijimusi
Jenny Hval - The Practice of Love
Big Thief - U.F.O.F

would def have voted for The Oracle if I'd heard it in time

Weighted ballot, bold didn't place:

75 Dollar Bill - I Was Real
Minor Pieces - The Heavy Steps of Dreaming
Hawkeyes - Last Light of Future Failure
Pinkish Black - Concept Unification
Lamb - The Secret of Letting Go
Black Bombaim - Zone of Resident Bodies
Nervous Curtains - I Tried to Fight It But I Was Inside It
Big|Brave - A Gaze Among Them
Benjamin Hinz - Deep
Alexander Noice - Noice
Mdou Moctar - Ilana (The Creator)
Paul Cauthen - Room 41
Holy Mountain Top Removers - Tonight the Machete Dreams
Rafael Anton Irissarri - Solastalgia
Psychedelic Speed Freaks - Psychedelic Speed Freaks
Shit and Shine - Doing Drugs, Selling Drugs
Deafkids - Metaprogramação
Helium Horse Fly - Hollowed
Sunwatchers - Illegal Moves

Weighted, bdnp

Purple Mountains - Purple Mountains
Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising
Arthur Russell - Iowa Dream
Big Thief - U.F.O.F.
Jessica Pratt - Quiet Signs
Men I Trust - Oncle Jazz
Freddie Gibbs & Madlib – Bandana
SACRED PAWS - Run Around the Sun
Big Thief - Two Hands
Angel Olsen - All Mirrors
Little Simz - Grey Area
Jake Xerxes Fusssell - Out of Sight
Joan Shelley - Like the River Loves the Sea
Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell!
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Ghosteen
Jenny Hval - The Practice of Love
Solange - When I Get Home
SAULT - 5
SAULT – 7
Vanishing Twin - The Age of Immunology
Bill Callahan - Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest
Chromatics - Closer to Grey
Ex Hex - It's Real
Clipping - There Existed An Addiction To Blood
David Kilgour - Bobbie's a girl

weighted, bold did not place:

Clipping - There Existed An Addiction To Blood
These New Puritans - inside the rose
FKA Twigs - Magdalene
Octo Octa - Resonant Body
Alcest - Spiritual Instinct
Kaytranada - BUBBA
Battles - Juice B Crypts
Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
Chemical Brothers - No Geography
Dawn Richard - new breed
Underworld - Drift Series 1
Drab Majesty - Modern Mirror
Lamb - The Secret of Letting Go
Lizzo - Cuz I Love You
Sudan Archives - Athena
Telefon Tel Aviv - Dreams Are Not Enough
The Mountain Goats - In League With Dragons
Thom Yorke - Anima
Bat For Lashes - Lost Girls
Georgia Anne Muldrow - VWETO II
Various Artists (incl. Beyoncé) - The Lion King: The Gift

xp mordy, alas! great record

weighted, bold dnp

Jamila Woods - LEGACY! LEGACY!
Lambchop - This (is what I wanted to tell you)
Tinashe - Songs For You
Carly Rae Jepsen - Dedicated
Jimmy Eat World - Surviving
Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah - Ancestral Recall
Taylor Swift - Lover
Khidja & Balabas - Khidja Si Balabas
Burna Boy - African Giant
Underworld - Drift Series 1
Angel Olsen - All Mirrors
Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind
Octo Octa - Resonant Body
These New Puritans - inside the rose
The Highwomen - S/T
Polo G - Die A Legend
Jenny Hval - The Practice of Love
Liturgy - H.A.Q.Q.
Moodymann - Sinner: KDJ-48
Erika de Casier - Essentials
Shura - forevher
Cate le Bon - Reward
Topdown Dialectic - Vol. 2
Big Thief - U.F.O.F.
Raphael Saadiq - Jimmy Lee

Mixed, bold dnp, italics sole voter

Vampire Weekend - Father of the Bride
Big Thief - U.F.O.F.
Ariana Grande - thank u, next
Michaela Anne - Desert Dove
Sharon Van Etten - Remind Me Tomorrow
Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising
Mannequin Pussy - Patience
Taylor Swift - Lover
Miranda Lambert - Wildcard
Tyler, the Creator - IGOR
Purple Mountains - Purple Mountains
(Sandy) Alex G - House of Sugar
Charly Bliss - Young Enough
Ulla Straus - Big Room

Burial - Tunes 2011-2019
Jai Paul - Leak 04-13 (Bait Ones)
Ian Noe - Between the Country
Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell!
Jenny Hval - The Practice of Love
Michael Kiwanuka - Kiwanuka
Nathan Micay - Blue Spring
Wilco - Ode to Joy
Clairo - Immunity
The National - I Am Easy to Find
Oso Oso - Basking in the Glow

Just missed my ballot:

Little Simz - Grey Area
Kehlani - While We Wait

20/25 is maybe the best i'll ever do on a 77

oh no not portraits getting #78'd!!!! :(

Here's my weighted ballot, bolded ones did not place:

Tayhana - Tierra del Fuego
Marilyn Mazur's Shamania - s/t
Laurel Halo - DJ-Kicks
Hiromi - Spectrum
Nicole Willis & Banda Palomita - My Soul Sensation
박혜진 Park Hye Jin - IF U WANT IT
Shanti Celeste - Tangerine
Kali Malone - The Sacrificial Code
Eris Drew - Raving Disco Breaks Vol. 1
Sampa The Great - The Return
Yemi Alade - Woman of Steel
Octo Octa - Resonant Body
Karen Gwyer - Man on Mountain EP
SHY FX - Raggamuffin SoundTape
Barbara Panther - Feminine
Move D - Building Bridges
Hildur Guðnadóttir - Chernobyl OST
Klein - Lifetime
Ulla Straus - Big Room
Holly Herndon - Proto
Biosphere - The Senja Recordings
Prince - 1999 Super Deluxe Reissue (Disc 3: Previously Unissued Songs)

mixed ballot, bold didn't place

Yves Jarvis - The Same But By Different Means
Raphael Saadiq - Jimmy Lee
Jamila Woods - LEGACY! LEGACY
Helado Negro - This Is How You Smile
Polo G - Die A Legend!
Moodymann - Sinner: KDJ-48
The Comet is Coming - Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery
Burna Boy - African Giant
glass beach - the first glass beach album[

Jenny Lewis - On The Line
Big Thief - U.F.O.F.
Cate le Bon - Reward
Jay Som - Anak Ko
Raveena - Lucid
American Football - American Football
Purple Mountains - Purple Mountains
Kelsey Lu - Blood
Pivot Gang - You Can't Sit With Us
Gunna - Drip Or Drown 2
Great Grandpa - Four of Arrows
G.S. Schray - First Appearance
Bandgang Lonnie Bands - KOD
Marika Hackman - Any Human Friend
Mavi - Let The Sun In

somehow only voted for 24 (oops, i forgot to vote for vampire weekend!), of which 11 made it. shout out to my listening buddy, brad

hi!!!

Weighted, bold dnp:

Waste Of Space Orchestra - Syntheosis
Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising
PUP - Morbid Stuff
Weatherday - Come In
100 Gecs - 1000 Gecs
Liturgy - H.A.Q.Q.
Anna Meredith - FIBS
The Scary Jokes - Burn Pygmalion!!! A Better Guide To Romance
Richard Dawson - 2020
oso oso - basking in the glow
glass beach - the first glass beach album
Hannah Diamond - Reflections
Sakanaction - 834.194
Charlotte Adigery - Zandoli
Prince Daddy and the Hyena - Cosmic Thrill Seekers
Clipping - There Existed An Addiction To Blood
Lost Crowns - Every Night Something Happens
Martha - Loves Keep Kicking
Jme - Grime MC
Ladytron - Ladytron
Botanist - Ecosystem
Wilderun - Veil Of Imagination
Jorge Elbrecht - Gloss Coma - 002
Tyler, the Creator - IGOR
Ustad Saami - God Is Not a Terrorist

I thought ILX liked Anna Meredith? Her recent album was incredible!

Weighted ballot and the bolded albums did not place:

Tinashe - Songs For You
Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising
Shura - forevher
Nilüfer Yanya - Miss Universe
FKA Twigs - Magdalene
Erika de Casier - Essentials
Louise Burns - Portraits
Sampa The Great - The Return
Raveena - Lucid
Carly Rae Jepsen - Dedicated
King Princess - Cheap Queen
Bella Boo - Once Upon A Passion
Dawn Richard - new breed
MUNA - Saves The World
Charli XCX - Charli
Sudan Archives - Athena
Maggie Rogers - Heard It In A Past Life
Ariana Grande - thank u, next
Jessica Pratt - Quiet Signs
pronoun - i'll show you stronger
Solange - When I Get Home
Kelsey Lu - Blood
Kaytranada - BUBBA
Elle Varner - Ellevation
Burna Boy - African Giant

my top 2 WILL RETURN in the metal poll

Wilderun - Veil Of Imagination
Waste Of Space Orchestra - Syntheosis
Weyes Bl🎈🎈d - Titanic Rising
The Scary Jokes - Burn Pygmalion!!! A Better Guide To Romance
Lost Crowns - Every Night Something Happens
Lingua Ignota - Caligula
100 Gecs - 1000 Gecs
Jute Gyte - Birefringence
Clipping - There Existed An Addiction To Blood
Little Simz - Grey Area
Black Dresses - Love And Affection For Stupid Little Bitches
Liturgy - H.A.Q.Q.
Jme - Grime MC
Richard Dawson - 2020
"Blue" Gene Tyranny & Peter Gordon - Trust In Rock
Imperial Wax - Gastwerk Saboteurs
Angel Olsen - All Mirrors
Weatherday - Come In
Charlotte Adigery - Zandoli
Anna Meredith - FIBS
Matmos - Plastic Anniversary
Niño De Elche - Colombiana
Ustad Saami - God Is Not a Terrorist
Dominique Leone - Dad Rock
Duke - Uingizaji Hewa

1 is insane gorgeous ultramelodic prog-metal odyssey, 2 is psych-doom meltdown frenzy IN SPACE, 4 and 5 are ultramelodic prog-pop and ultramelodic prog-prog. you may notice a theme

Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising
Sunn O))) - Life Metal
The Comet is Coming - Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery
Chelsea Wolfe - Birth of Violence
Mdou Moctar - Ilana (The Creator)
Follakazoid - I
Sunwatchers - Illegal Moves
Big Thief - Two Hands
Big Thief - U.F.O.F.
Purple Mountains - Purple Mountains
Redd Kross - Beyond the Door
Major Stars - Roots of Confusion Seeds of Joy
Boris - LOVE & EVOL
Fly Pan Am - C'est Ca
Alcest - Spiritual Instinct
Alameda 5 - Eurodrome
Astronoid - Astronoid
Baroness - Gold & Grey
Esoteric - A Pyrrhic Existence
Botanist - Ecosystem
Have a Nice Life - Sea of Worry
Lingua Ignota - Caligula
Moon Tooth - Crux
PUP - Morbid Stuff
Teeth of the Sea - Wraith

I thought ILX liked Anna Meredith? Her recent album was incredible!

― tangenttangent, Thursday, 6 February 2020 23:22 (nine minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

Yes indeed and hi from one of the 3(!) other voters :(

pretty, hurts:

202 Various Artists (incl. Beyoncé) - The Lion King: The Gift 77 4 0 0.39
204 Beyoncé - Homecoming 77 3 0 0.51

Weighted, bold did not place:

Lafawndah - Ancestor Boy
Lingua Ignota - Caligula
Holly Herndon - Proto
Witching Waves - Persistence
Ai Kamano - muonk
Despicable Zee - Atigheh
Black Dresses - Love And Affection For Stupid Little Bitches
Duke - Uingizaji Hewa
Beige Palace - Leg
Matmos - Plastic Anniversary
Rakta - Falha Comum
Moor Mother - Analog Fluids of Sonic Black Holes
3776 - Saijiki
Pharmakon - Devour
Scrap Brain - A Journey Into Madness
Gauche - A People's History of Gauche
Marlo Eggplant - Loose Footing
Alice Hubble - Polarlichter
Kogumaza - Fugues
Tavishi - মশ্তিষ্কের কণ্ঠশ্বর | Voices in my head
Kemper Norton - Brunton Calciner
Slumb Party - Spending Money
Fire-Toolz - Field Whispers (Into the Crystal Palace)
Slagheap - Slagheap
Michael Tanner with Alison Cotton and Lino Capra Vaccina - The Blackening

Fifth loneliest voter, sixth least hivemindy. This time my closest neighbour is imago, so I win the double!

^5!

weighted, bold didn't place
Erika de Casier - Essentials
Big Thief - U.F.O.F.
Nilüfer Yanya - Miss Universe
Tinashe - Songs For You
Burna Boy - African Giant
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Ghosteen
Lambchop - This (is what I wanted to tell you)
Raveena - Lucid
Kehlani - While We Wait
CFCF - Liquid Colors
Samthing Soweto - Isphithiphithi
The Japanese House - Good at Falling
Jenny Hval - The Practice of Love
Chance the Rapper - The Big Day
Mostack - Stacko
Sampa The Great - The Return
Clairo - Immunity
Bon Iver - i,i
Caroline Polachek - Pang
3776 - Saijiki
Faye Webster - Atlanta Millionaires Club
The National - I Am Easy To Find
Raphael Saadiq - Jimmy Lee
Sha Sha - Blossom
Chai - Punk

weighted. italics where I was the sole voter.

1 - Jenny Hval - The Practice of Love (17)
2 - 100 Gecs - 1000 Gecs (18)
3 - Black Dresses - LOVE AND AFFECTION FOR STUPID LITTLE BITCHES (110)
4 - Octo Octa - Resonant Body (6)
5 - Giant Swan - Giant Swan (197)
6 - Grlwood - I Sold My Soul to the Devil When I Was 12 (388)
7 - Default Genders - main pop girl 2019 (129)
8 - Blanck Mass - Animated Violence Mild (70)
9 - Kornél Kovács - Stockholm Marathon (202)
10 - GLOO - XYZ (453)
11 - Xiu Xiu - Girl With Basket of Fruit (468)
12 - Ziúr - ATØ (400)
13 - Holly Herndon - PROTO (22)
14 - Drain Gang - Trash Island (583)
15 - Varg - Evanescence (a Love Letter) (335)
16 - Black Dresses - THANK YOU (636)
17 - Dominik Eulberg - Mannigfaltig (335)
18 - beth sawlts - dusty (688)
19 - Karenn - Grapefruit Regret (334)
20 - rRoxymore - Face to Phase (415)
21 - SASSY 009 - KILL SASSY 009 (742)
22 - Quiltland - Polarity (755)
23 - rRoxymore - Face to Phase (415)
24 - Bella Boo - Once Upon A Passion (166)
25 - Kablam - Confusía (772)

As expected brad is my closest neighbour

Yes indeed and hi from one of the 3(!) other voters :(

Sad high five o/

I liked it even more than Varmints tbh. Its energy is so weird and breezy and I can often listen to the whole thing in one sitting.

Moon King was my #1 - evident influences include Patrick Cowley, early Ministry, DAF, DFA, 80s Italo, The Knife...listened to it only slightly more than Shura

mixed ballot, bold didn't place:

Santilli - Surface
CFCF - Liquid Colours
Bartosz Kruczyński - Baltic Beat II
UCC Harlo — United
These New Puritans - inside the rose
Not Waving & Dark Mark — Downwelling
Shanti Celeste - Tangerine
Julia Reidy - Brace, Brace

Barker - Utility
Boy Harsher - Careful
Buttechno - Badtrip
Caterina Barbieri - Ecstatic Computation
DJ Python - Derriterse EP
Eartheater - Trinity
Félicia Atkinson - The Flower and the Vessel
G.S. Schray - First Appearance
Jefre Cantu-Ledesma - Tracing Back The Radiance
LeBrecque/Barakat - Terminal Desert
Madteo - Dropped Out Sunshine
Meemo Comma - Sleepmoss
Nkisi - 7 Directions
Omma - 1905
Sacred Paws - Run Around the Sun
Sarah Louise - Nighttime Birds and Morning Stars
Sleep D - Rebel Force

wild that for an album that was talked about a lot the sleater-kinney record only received one vote and placed 720th

My heavily Afro-weighted albums ballot:

bold: did not place, italic: sole voter

Burna Boy • African Giant (#14=>#10, really, truly, madly, deeply)
DJ Maphorisa & Kabza De Small • Scorpion Kings (#135)
Samthing Soweto • Isphithiphithi (#57)
Starboy/Wizkid • SoundMan Vol. 1 (#168)
Sha Sha • Blossom (#159)
DJ Sumbody • Ashi Nthwela (#388)
Fireboy DML • Laughter, Tears & Goosebumps (#257)
Dawn Richard • new breed (#16)
Jamila Woods • LEGACY! LEGACY! (#12)
Lady Donli • Enjoy Your Life (#276)
Ariana Grande • thank u, next (#8)
Makhadzi • Matorokisi (#488)
Davido • A Good Time (#419)
Various Artists (incl. Beyoncé) • The Lion King: The Gift (#202)
Tinashe • Songs For You (#7)
Sho Madjozi • Limpopo Champions League (#636)
Kelsey Lu • Blood (#39)
Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah • Ancestral Recall (#31)
Blick Bassy • 1958 (#258)
Kabza De Small & DJ Maphorisa • The Return of the Scorpion Kings (#723)
Magnom x Nshona Muzick • Seaside Nitendo (#742)
DJ Nigga Fox • Cartas Na Manga (#205)
DJ Python • Derriterse EP (#249)
Koffee • Rapture EP (#53)
Raphael Saadiq • Jimmy Lee (#27)

rob, top o’ the neighbour to you!
also close to Nabozo and hey, hi there, forks!

also surprised the chance album did so badly, i thought there were more who came round to it being his best here but i guess the consensus elsewhere prevailed

Weighted, bold DNP

Yosi Horikawa - Spaces
Barker - Utility
Tinashe - Songs For You
These New Puritans - inside the rose
SAULT - 5
DJ Python - Derriterse EP
Men I Trust - Oncle Jazz
Bat For Lashes - Lost Girls
A Winged Victory For The Sullen - The Undivided Five
Complete Walkthru - Scrolls
CFCF - Liquid Colors
Nathan Micay - Blue Spring
Holly Herndon - Proto
Project Pablo - Live in Montreal
Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising
Clairo - Immunity
Velvet Negroni - NEON BROWN
Vendredi Sur Mer - Premiers Emois
Kelsey Lu - Blood
Carl Gari - Whities 023 (The Act of Falling From The 8th Floor)
Galcher Lustwerk - Information
Kornél Kovács - Stockholm Marathon
Jenny Hval - The Practice of Love
Charli XCX - Charli
Carla dal Forno - Look Up Sharp

Got my first lone vote number 1 ever. If you check the 'balearic revival' and 'doing it wrong' threads then you could do worse than give this a shot. Blissed out tracks based on his own field recordings

it's going on the list!

Looks like 9 of mine placed in the 77 (Stott, le Bon, Barbieri, Brown, Simz, Roberts, Mountains, Rapsody, Sault). I believe the remainder were:

 80    Vanishing Twin - The Age of Immunology     176    10     0
 82    Tropical Fuck Storm - Braindrops           172     5     0
114    Michael Kiwanuka - Kiwanuka                128     5     0
158    Topdown Dialectic - Vol. 2                  94     5     0
205    DJ Nigga Fox - Cartas Na Manga              76     5     0
229    Justin Hopper et al - Chanctonbury Rings    68     3     0
243    Carl Stone - Baroo                          66     2     0
243    People Like Us - The Mirror                 66     2     0
280    Altin Gün - Gece                            56     3     0
290    Ryan Carter: Chamber Works                  52     2     0
290    Tristan Murail: Portulan                    52     2     0
419    Mike - Tears of Joy                         36     2     0
504    33EMYBW - Arthropods                        26     1     0
504    Kit Sebastian - Mantra Moderne              26     1     0
504    Rian Treanor - ATAXIA                       26     1     0

It's my fault that Vanishing Twin didn't make the 77. I wanted to vote for it, but forgot to include it in my longlist and lost sight of it after that :(

Ballot, unweighted, bdnp

Arthur Russell - Iowa Dream
Big Thief - U.F.O.F.
Bill Callahan - Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest
Celer ‎- Xièxie
CFCF - Liquid Colors
Deathprod - Occulting Disk
Gabriel Fauré - Nocturnes (Eric Le Sage)
Hildur Guðnadóttir - Chernobyl OST
Kali Malone - The Sacrificial Code
Kyle Bobby Dunn - From Here to Eternity
Liturgy - H.A.Q.Q.
Maria Somerville - All My People
Marie Ythier - Schumann, Murail: Une rencontre
Meitei – Komachi
Midori Hirano - Mirrors in Mirrors
Octo Octa - Resonant Body
Richard Dawson - 2020
Sunn O))) - Life Metal
The Caretaker - Everywhere at the End of Time - Stage 6
These New Puritans - inside the rose
Toshio Hosokawa - Gardens
Various Artists - Kankyō Ongaku
Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising
William Basinski - On Time Out of Time
Zachary Paul - A Meditation on Discord

Yves Jarvis - The Same But By Different Means

my number one, thanks to rob for being the only other voter hah. it was dealt a death blow when flopson forgot to vote.

Ditto mine for TFS xps

also, i wrote about my top 10 albs and top 25 songs and i'm finally not too embarrassed to share here, in case anyone is interested.

https://voodoochili.tumblr.com/post/190072841549/my-favorite-albums-of-2019
https://voodoochili.tumblr.com/post/189890284724/my-favorite-songs-of-2019

Rustin Man - Drift Code
Fat White Family - Serf's Up!
Fontaines DC - Dogrel
Purple Mountains - Purple Mountains
These New Puritans - inside the rose
Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising
DIIV - Deciever
Chris Cohen - s/t
Robert Forster - Inferno
Steve Gunn - The Unseen In Between
Octo Octa - Resonant Body
SAULT - 7
Richard Dawson - 2020
Bill Orcutt - Odds Against Tomorrow
Follakazoid - I
slowthai - Nothing Great About Britain
black midi - Schlagenheim
Cass McCombs - Tip Of the Spheres
Lankum - The Livelong Day
Purple Pilgrims - Perfumed Earth
Royal Trux - White Stuff
Vanishing Twin - The Age of Immunology
Big Thief - U.F.O.F.
A Lazarus Soul - The D They Put Between The R & L
Kim Gordon - No Home Record

Weighted, bold DNP:

American Football - American Football
Carly Rae Jepsen - Dedicated
Richard Dawson - 2020
Nicola Cruz - Siku
Caroline Shaw/Attacca Quartet - Orange
CFCF - Night Bus 4: Memory of Night Bus
FKA Twigs - Magdalene
Tyler, the Creator - IGOR
CFCF - Liquid Colors
Duke - Uingizaji Hewa
Jay Mitta - Tatizo Pesa
Dawn Richard - new breed
Various Artists/Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir - Estonian Incantations 1
Young Guv - Guv I & II
Kokoko! - Fongela
oso oso - basking in the glow
Maja S.K. Ratkje - Sult
Billy Woods & Kenny Segal - Hiding Places
Doja Cat - Hot Pink
Floating Points - Crush
The New Pornographers - In the Morse Code of Brake Lights
Danny Brown - uknowhatimsayin¿
Bob Mould - Sunshine Rock
Blut Aus Nord - Hallucinogen
Chromatics - Closer to Grey

Weighted, bold placed.

Hadn Dadn - Lyaoakyn
Louise Burns - Portraits
Caterina Barbieri - Ecstatic Computation
Purple Mountains - Purple Mountains
Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell!
Луна - транс
Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
Alyona Alyona - Pushka
Kali Malone - The Sacrificial Code
Foresteppe - Karaul
Cream Soda - Kometa
Charly Bliss - Young Enough
Taylor Swift - Lover
Florist - Emily Alone
Mirele - Renaissance
Tanya Tagaq - Toothsayer
Quelle Chris - Guns
Altin Gün - Gece
Alyona Shvets - Provoloka Iz Oduvanchikov
Kira Lao - Trevozhnii Opit
PTU - Am I Who I Am
Kedr Livansky - Your Need
Sunn O))) - Life Metal
Moor Mother - Analog Fluids of Sonic Black Holes
Octo Octa - Resonant Body

Fuck, I competely forgot about the Nkisi album, I definitely would've voted for it otherwise! Somehow I must've missed it on the nomination list too.

My weighted ballot:

American Football - American Football
Clairo - Immunity
pronoun - i'll show you stronger
Charli XCX - Charli
Kehlani - While We Wait
Dawn Richard - new breed
Great Grandpa - Four of Arrows
Doja Cat - Hot Pink
Mannequin Pussy - Patience
Origami Angel - Somewhere City
Octo Octa - Resonant Body
Charly Bliss - Young Enough
Akasha System - Echo Earth
SACRED PAWS - Run Around the Sun
Martha - Loves Keep Kicking
Meitei - Komachi
Mikron - Severence
Kornél Kovács - Stockholm Marathon
Robag Wruhme - Venq Tolep
H. Takahashi - Sonne und Wasser

I'm checking and rechecking things like:
- Topdown Dialectic (great!)
- These New Puritans (haven't engaged since Hidden)
- CFCF (very much my kind of thing)
- Koffee (lovely)
- Erika de Casier (would have been on my ballot if I'd listened sooner)

So thanks to the pollrunners and contributors!

xp the Nkisi album is very good

lmao the very last-placing album in the whole poll (alphabetically on 2 points) is called It Wasn't Even Close

Mixed ballot, bold placed.

Sampa The Great - The Return
Thee Oh Sees - Face Stabber
Jenny Hval - The Practice of Love
Roses Gabor - Fantasy & Facts
FKA Twigs - Magdalene
Holly Herndon - Proto
Tourist - Wild
Little Simz - Grey Area
Galcher Lustwerk - Information
Moodymann - Sinner: KDJ-48
Vanishing Twin - The Age of Immunology
Dominik Eulberg - Mannigfaltig
Floating Points - Crush
Varg - Evanescence (a Love Letter)
Silk Road Assassin - State of Ruin

Teebs - Anicca
Barker - Utility
Danny Brown - uknowhatimsayin¿
Special Request - Offworld
The Comet is Coming - Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery
Mikron - Severence
Billy Woods & Kenny Segal - Hiding Places
Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Bandana
Amyl and The Sniffers - Amyl and the Sniffers
Ziúr - ATØ

Completely forgot about the Floating Points album, slightly surprised it didn't make the lower reaches

Bdnp

1. Anna Webber - Clockwise
2. Liturgy - H.A.Q.Q.
3. Vampire Weekend - Father of the Bride
4. Efdemin - New Atlantis
5. Matana Roberts - Coin Coin Chapter 4: Memphis
6. People Like Us - The Mirror
7. Samthing Soweto - Isphithiphithi
8. Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah - Ancestral Recall
9. James Blake - Assume Form
10. Big Thief - U.F.O.F.
11. Sunn O))) - Life Metal
12. Sir Babygirl - Crush On Me
13. Deathspell Omega - The Furnaces of Palingenesia
14. Blood Incantation - Hidden History of the Human Race
15. Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell!
16. Kogekunst - LaLa
17. Fly Pan Am - C'est Ca
18. 100 Gecs - 1000 Gecs
19. slowthai - Nothing Great About Britain
20. White Ward - Love Exchange Failure
21. Davido - A Good Time
22. Holly Herndon - Proto
23. Rajna Swaminathan - Of Agency and Abstraction
24. Richard Dawson - 2020
25. Lambchop - This (is what I wanted to tell you)

My #1 was a lonely vote. Also gutted to learn nobody else voted for Efdemin :(

Weighted:

Big Thief - U.F.O.F.
Vampire Weekend - Father of the Bride
Plaid - Polymer
Big Thief - Two Hands
Richard Dawson - 2020
Eyvind Kang - Chirality
Chemical Brothers - No Geography
Girl Band - The Talkies
Sunn O))) - Life Metal
Beyoncé - Homecoming
Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising
Fontaines DC - Dogrel
Hama - Houmeissa
Kelsey Lu - Blood
Nihiloxica - Biiri
SAULT - 5
These New Puritans - inside the rose
Lingua Ignota - Caligula
Koffee - Rapture
Rico Nasty & Kenny Beats - Anger Management
Sunn O))) - Pyroclasts
Equiknoxx - Eternal Children
Follakazoid - I
Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah - Ancestral Recall
Blick Bassy - 1958

Didn't really listen to many full albums this year, so some of these I only gave cursory listens to I'll admit

Unweighted, bold did not place:

Andavald – Undir skyggðarhaldi
Andvaka – Andvana
Arild Andersen, Clive Bell & Mark Wastell – Tales of Hackney
Big Brave – A Gaze Among Them
Billy Woods & Kenny Segal – Hiding Places
Danish String Quartet – Prism II: Bach, Beethoven, Schnittke
Danny Brown – uknowhatimsayin¿
Dmitri Kourliandski – Non–lieux
Edmund Finnis – The Air, Turning (M. Simpson, E.–Fl. Thom, B. Beilmn, V. Ólafsson, BMCG, R. Baker, Britten Sinfonia, A. Gourlay, London Contemporary Orchestra, R. Ames, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, I. Volkov)
Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Kalle Randalu & Kaspars Putniņš – Liszt, Pärt
Gabriel Fauré – Nocturnes (Eric Le Sage)
György Kurtág – Scenes (Viktoriia Vitrenko, David Grimal, Luigi Gaggero, Niek de Groot)
Horațiu Rădulescu – The Complete Cello Works (Laurence Marie Tunnell & Ian Pace)
Jimmy “Duck” Holmes – Cypress Grove
Lingua Ignota – Caligula
Maja S. K. Ratkje – Sult
Ryan Carter – Chamber Works (Fr. Dillon, E. Torquati, K. Kirchoff, Calder Quartet, JACK Quartet, Yarn/Wire)
Matana Roberts – Coin Coin Chapter Four: Memphis
Michael Tanner with Alison Cotton and Lino Capra Vaccina – The Blackening
Misþyrming – Algleymi
Robert Rich – Tactile Ground
Tamara Stefanovich – Influences
Tomb Mold – Planetary Clairvoyance
Toshio Hosokawa – gardens (Mario Caroli, Ukho Ensemble Kiyv, Luigi Gaggero)
Tristan Murail – Portulan (Ensemble Cairn, Guillaume Bourgogne)

Too late to nominate, would've voted for them otherwise:

juneunit – juneunit
Stefan Fraunberger – Quellgeister#3 – Bussd
Þóranna Björnsdóttir & Federico Placidi – Lucid

I oddly forgot to mention the Fraunberger when we talked about organ drones during the rollout. It's a magnificent record that Kali Malone fans would very likely enjoy.

And please remember to vote in the METAL & HEAVY MUSIC poll:

2019 Metal ’n’ Heavy Rock Poll: VOTING & CAMPAIGNING thread (open until the 21st of February)

You nominated Zachary Paul iirc, and a belated thank you for that is in place. Even though you didn't vote for it!

xp

My pleasure! I was so bulimic last year, listening-wise, that a ballot with 100 records on it would've been useful for once.

I didn't keep my ballot but it was very close to my real Top 25 of the year, so almost certainly was as below. LDR was my real #13 of 2019 but I assumed it would do fine w/o me so left it off my ballot. Never guessed Weyes Blood would outstrip it by as much as it did or I'd have omitted that as well.

Weighted, bold DNP

The Japanese House - Good At Falling
Dawn Richard - new breed
Pulselovers - Cotswold Stone
Le SuperHomard - Meadow Lane Park
Gabe Knox - ABC
Article 54 - The Hustle
Dempagumi.inc - Wareware wa Dempagumi.inc da
Matmos - Plastic Anniversary
Phono Ghosts - Warm Pad, Sharp Stab
Ariana Grande - Thank U, Next
Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising
Szczepan Buczkowski - Smile Eyes and the Children Folk
Vic Mars - Inner Roads and Outer Paths
Little Simz - GREY Area
Various Artists - Scarred For Life: The Album
Shura - forevher
Listening Center - Retrieving
The Home Current - The Splendour of Change
Julia Michaels - Inner Monologue, Part 1
Terror Jr. - Unfortunately, Terror Jr.
Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
Holly Herndon - PROTO (4AD)
Spellling - Mazy Fly
Anna Wise - As If It Were Forever
Vanishing Twin - The Age of Immunology

I hear thee. Listening to Fraunberger right now, it's good! I'm ready to be scammed ;)

xp

lol!

It's my fault that Vanishing Twin didn't make the 77...

Interesting that a full 10 people *did* vote for it, but frequently at relatively low rankings, it seems. The unranked-ness of my own ballot conceals the fact that I wanted to like a little more than I actually did!

Yes, the Vanishing Twin record was a bit weaker than their previous ones. However, they played one of the gigs of the year in 2019 and are a GOOD THING in general so I put them at the bottom of my ballot.

P.S. correction to my ballot above: swap the positions of Anna Wise and Holly Herndon

My weighted ballot, bold did not place

Purple Mountains - Purple Mountains
Carly Rae Jepsen - Dedicated
Ariana Grande - thank u, next
Blood Incantation - Hidden History of the Human Race (#234)
Waste Of Space Orchestra - Syntheosis (#96)
Bill Callahan - Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest (#102)
CFCF - Night Bus 4: Memory of Night Bus (#201)
Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising
The Comet is Coming - Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery
Taylor Swift - Lover
Hatchie - Keepsake
Tropical Fuck Storm - Braindrops (#82)
CFCF - Liquid Colors
Clairo - Immunity
Galcher Lustwerk - Information (#86)
Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell!
Prince - Originals (#171)
Amyl and The Sniffers - Amyl and the Sniffers (#498)

mixed ballot, bold did not place

Filmmaker - Somber Realm
100 Gecs - 1000 Gecs
Jenny Lewis - On The Line
Andy Stott - It Should Be Us
SAULT - 5
SAULT - 7
Kim Gordon - No Home Record
Marika Hackman - Any Human Friend
Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising

Anna Meredith - FIBS
Boy Harsher - Careful
French Vanilla - How Am I Not Myself?
Sunn O))) - Life Metal
The Juan Maclean - The Brighter the Light
Underworld - Drift Series 1
I Hate Models - L'âge Des Métamorphoses
Paula Temple - Edge Of Everything
Black Dresses - Love And Affection For Stupid Little Bitches
Rapsody - Eve
Default Genders — main pop girl 2019
Lingua Ignota - Caligula
Stephen Malkmus - Groove Denied
Blanck Mass - Animated Violence Mild
Pharmakon - Devour
Autechre - Warp Tapes 89-93

Gonna have to check out this Default Genders thing

Somehow, I'm going to get you guys to listen to Filmmaker eventually

Oh I think I checked in! It was sounding cool but then I saw he did like 5 albums last year and got scared :/ clearly one to watch!

And ohhhhh, Default Genders is an actual ilxor...I thought I was doing my bit voting for Matmos and Dominique haha

yeah, there's a lot of filmmaker, but not really more than autechre or underworld have released in the last couple of years

anyway, I did a best of spotify playlist if anyone is interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1KXU4NOPGg7vf7F3H94Zs5?si=Z04CdEGpRX6G3yxLnKhB2w

Nice, ty, will check it out

Burna Boy - African Giant
Copeland - Blushing
Raphael Saadiq - Jimmy Lee
Tool - Fear Inoculum
Emily King - Scenery
Tinashe - Songs For You
Chance the Rapper - The Big Day
The National - I Am Easy To Find
Better Oblivion Community Center - Better Oblivion Community Center
Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind
Ariana Grande - thank u, next
Jimmy Eat World - Surviving
Tresor - Nostalgia
Carly Rae Jepsen - Dedicated
Danny Brown - uknowhatimsayin¿
glass beach - the first glass beach album
Gunna - Drip Or Drown 2
Harry Styles - Fine Line
Jamila Woods - LEGACY! LEGACY!
Larry June - The Port Of San Francisco
Mereba - The Jungle Is The Only Way Out
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Ghosteen
Pedro the Lion - Phoenix
Starboy/Wizkid - SoundMan Vol. 1
Tree and Vic Spenser - Nothing IS Something

really didnt have strong feelings for many of these outside my top 5. i spend way less time with albums now compared to past years.

xp default genders album was great!
the covers of secret garden and holy ground <3

Michaela Anne - Desert Dove

― Johnny Fever, Thursday, February 6, 2020 8:24 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

(high five)

speaking of ILXors, I would have voted for Chants had that album been nominated because it bangs

unweighted, bold didn't place

Angel Olsen - All Mirrors
Big Thief - Two Hands
Big Thief - U.F.O.F.
Carly Rae Jepsen – Dedicated
Dave – Psychodrama
FKA Twigs – Magdalene
Purple Mountains - Purple Mountains
Stormzy - Heavy Is The Head
Taylor Swift – Lover
The Mountain Goats - In League With Dragons

I only wanted to vote for albums I spent a bit of time with hence the short list. Biggest regret was leaving the Little Simz album off.

Weighted, bold did not place. My anti-fuxxor score was high! (What does that mean?)

Purple Mountains - Purple Mountains
Jimmy Duck Holmes - Cypress Grove
Burial - Tunes 2011-2019
The Highwomen - S/T
Tool - Fear Inoculum
Padang Food Tigers - Wake up, Mr Pancake
Tunes of Negation - Reach the Endless Sea
Underworld - Drift Series 1
Various Artists - Kankyō OngakuWilco - Ode to Joy
American Football - American Football
Bill Orcutt - Odds Against Tomorrow
CFCF - Liquid Colors
Craig Leon - Anthology of Interplanetary Folk Music Vol. 2: The Canon
Eric Le Sage - Gabriel Fauré: Nocturnes
Sandro Perri - Soft Landing
Sunn O))) - Life Metal
The Comet is Coming - Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery
Greg Foat - The Mage
Isasa - Insilio
Jaimie Branch - Fly or Die II: Bird Dogs of Paradise
Joan Shelley - Like the River Loves the Sea
Joshua Abrams & Natural Information Society - Mandatory Reality
Lambchop - This (is what I wanted to tell you)
Mdou Moctar - Ilana (The Creator)

silverfish - I voted for Filmmaker in the tracks poll pretty high, but only discovered it late last year so couldn't in good conscience vote for the album, I love it though!

Notice I tried to sneak in that I voted for the Wilco record.

On reflection, Tool too high, Kankyo Ongaku should have been my no.1.

Was hoping that guitarist/singer Mdou Moctar would place. Oh well.
I wasn’t the only vote for bluesman Jimmy Duck Holmes I see via looking at comments ( haven’t examined stats yet). Also, was 1 of 2 votes for Lady Donli afropop album.

Was hoping that guitarist/singer Mdou Moctar would place. Oh well.
I wasn’t the only vote for bluesman Jimmy Duck Holmes I see via looking at comments ( haven’t examined stats yet). Also, was 1 of 2 votes for Lady Donli afropop album.

I voted for it in here and as its nommed in the metal poll i'll vote for it too even though it obviously belongs far more in this poll.

Lingua Ignota - Caligula
glass beach - the first glass beach album
Sunn O))) - Life Metal
The Highwomen - S/T
Raphael Saadiq - Jimmy Lee
Matana Roberts - Coin Coin Chapter 4: Memphis
Richard Dawson - 2020
100 Gecs - 1000 Gecs
Opeth - In Cauda Venenum
Zig Zags - They'll Never Take Us Alive
Rapsody - Eve
Glenn Branca - The Third Ascension
Cloud Rat - Pollinator
Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell!
Purple Mountains - Purple Mountains
Maxo Kream - Brandon Banks
3776 - Saijiki
Radar State - Strays
Charly Bliss - Young Enough
Rustin Man - Drift Code
Liturgy - H.A.Q.Q.
Teitanblood - The Baneful Choir
Tinashe - Songs For You
Burna Boy - African Giant
Chromatics - Closer to Grey

^weighted

X-post - I see Mdou Moctar album got 7 votes here, and 75 Dollar Bill got 5. Fans of heavy guitar should check out both

I don't remember my exact ballot, but I do know that Charly Bliss was the only vote that placed. For fans of their pop-punk stylings, other things that I probably voted for that might be of interest: The Murlocs, Origami Angel, R.M.F.C., Nightwatchers, Sports Team, Stroppies.

Mdou Moctar was very good live and, generally, live music > recordings. (I had to leave early bc it started so damn late but I was sad about it.) Just didn't spend as much time with the album.

Jamila album is fantastic. My favourite discovery of the poll, I think. Saba's verse on Basquiat. Sheeeeiiit.

I haven't been on ILX much this week and I even missed the last day of the album rollout -- but shit, you guys put a tinashe album in the top 10??? Never change, ILX, never change.

Anyways, kept my (ranked) ballot short this year, Oso Oso and Doja Cat were robbed, gec gec gec gec gec gec gec gec, etc

100 Gecs - 1000 Gecs
Big Thief - U.F.O.F.
Charly Bliss - Young Enough
Solange - When I Get Home
Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell!
Clairo - Immunity
Vampire Weekend - Father of the Bride
Doja Cat - Hot Pink
Ariana Grande - thank u, next
oso oso - basking in the glow

i didn't nominate or vote so this should not be seen as a complaint but these are albums i loved in 2019 that didn't appear in the poll results:

billy woods/kenny segal - hiding places (ok, i am complaining about this one not making it because it should be on any respectable best of 2019 list)
mope grooves - desire
bogdan raczynski - rave 'till you cry
gong gong gong - phantom rhythm
bill orcutt - odds against tomorrow
possible humans - everybody split
damon locks & black monument ensemble - where future unfolds
pile - green & grey
empath - active listening:night on earth

I'm curious why the Tinashe placement--which was admittedly higher than I expected--is raising eyebrows, when every year surprisingly late-career albums (e.g., Chem Bros, Kim Gordon, Berman, Lambchop, Underworld, Thom Yorke) place without this reaction. What is it about her or her career that makes this more remarkable than ilm loyalty to, say, CRJ?

I think there’s a different career arc here from the other examples you mention. To begin with, I think Tinashe would hate you calling this “a late-career album”. She probably feels like she’s only getting started now.

The thing is, she came out of the gate with a fantastic debut album (yeah, I know there were mixtapes before that) and seemed destined for greatness, artistically and commercially (the imminent future of r&b and all that), but then every album after Aquarius was a disappointment, again both artistically and commercially, (all these increasingly pathetic attempts to recreate “2 On” as if that was all there was to what she had created with Aquarius - Faded Love indeed), until a lot (most?) of us had completely given up on her out of sheer frustration.

Speaking for myself, it took all of the enthusiasm of the posters on the dedicated thread for me to let go of my cynicism and give Songs For You a real chance. I’m still not convinced it’s as good as Aquarius, leave alone better, as some have claimed (it’s certainly not as groundbreaking), but I really really like it now.

CRJ is different in that even though she has never been able to match her initial commercial success, artistically she has been going from strength to strength ever since, at least according to her fandom.

correction: ...but then *everything she released* after Aquarius was a disappointment...

I think Tinashe would hate you calling this “a late-career album”.

I'm not saying Songs For You is itself a "late-career album"; I'm saying ILM frequently has no problem giving artists career-arc leeway and will happily not give up on someone like the Chemical Brothers, who are absolutely a lol-the-90s joke for most people ime.

Anyway, this is something I like about ILM! I don't care about either of these groups, but I thought it was cool that Alfred said The National album is the first he's ever liked, and I think I heard similar sentiments re: Purple Mountains from other posters. So, given how well-known Tinashe's label fuckery was, I found the reactions odd.

Probably a better way to phrase it: SFY is an excellent *comeback* album, which doesn't seem all that remarkable to me in a place where I'm being told the Chemical Brothers and Underworld put out amazing shit in 2019. I agree mentioning CRJ muddied the point