2018 in Music

“When I say "us" bet I don't mean no fucking crew, Peggy been a solo act since Looney Tunes & Goofy Troop ”

Confrontational, experimental hip-hop. JPEGMafia's ability as a producer is offset brilliantly by his theatrical performance as a rapper. It's an album with a sonic palette that spans many genres of hip-hop and beyond. With track titles like "I Cannot Fucking Wait Until Morrissey Dies" and a song which has a loop of Ol' Dirty Bastard wailing, it's a confounding album of political commentary and satire, poignant introspection, and laugh-out-loud piss-taking that has ended up as my favourite hip-hop album of the year.

FFO: Clipping', Danny Brown, Death Grips, experimental hip-hop

“But you should know, Celeste Mountain is a strange place. You might see things, things you ain't ready to see. ”

Dreamy electronic soundscapes to climb a mountain to. When a game's soundtrack makes you stop playing, sit back and listen, you know it's probably worth checking out outside of the game. Lena Raine is a composer and producer specialising in video game soundtracks. Her use of synthesisers with acoustic instrumentation sets her apart from other artists who tend to rely on chiptune and electronics for a more stereotypical sound for video game soundtracks, particularly for those that have a 16-bit art direction. The Celeste OST has an emotional depth that elevates it beyond being just background music for a game and is well worth a listen even if you have very little interest in the game (which is also awesome, by the way).

FFO: Chiptune, electronic music

“Unafraid of the aftermath, the bones of what's below will never grow ”

Anthemic mathcore with post-rock crescendos and brutal breakdowns. To go back through Rolo Tomassi's discography at this point seems to chart their progression to releasing this album, which is a combination of all that has been great about the band in the past with additional dynamics and elements to their sound that you would not have predicted by listening to their earlier releases.

FFO: The Dillinger Escape Plan, mathcore

“If only a mirror could see past the skin, through the meat and the bone, I might find the parasite that has made my body its home ”

Heavy-as-lead sludge riffs with guttural and shrieked dual vocals. It's a dark and brooding album (which I guess you should expect from a band called 'Conjurer') which creates an atmosphere of unease, and doesn't often stray far from that path. If this is your kind of thing though, there's a lot here to enjoy!

FFO: Bolt Thrower, Mastodon, riffs

“This music is in return of Joy and Humor that I was given from that life. This music is in return of Grief and Loss that I was given from that death. ”

Neo classical post-rock with elements of glitch and noise. If someone was to ask for an introduction to World's End Girlfriend, I'd probably recommend this EP. It's shorter and more concise than many of his albums, but heartbreakingly beautiful and wholly representative of his unique approach to music. The context of grief makes this an incredibly moving experience, one which will be as memorable to me as the first time I heard 'Hurtbreak Wonderland'.

FFO: Mono, post-rock, classical

“Eatin' Captain Crunch for lunch, don't get your panties in a bunch ”

Old school hip-hop. It's odd that something like this sounds refreshing, but in the age of trap and mumble rap it's really nice to hear beats and skits and flows and rhymes.

FFO: 90's hip-hop

“Thrown from the safety of home, excommunicated from the hive, our world is collapsing, and everything we know is caving in on itself. ”

Brutally-heavy mathcore. Disjointed and all over the place, get these guys in the studio with Kurt Ballou and they'll fill the Dillinger-Escape-Plan-shaped hole in my chest.

FFO: The Dillinger Escape Plan

“We are the devil. ”

Instrumental prog-math-rock. An ambitious double album you can easily get lost in. It feels like a full exploration of Poly-Math's songwriting (and pedalboards) and due to its 70 minute length, is a lot to digest. There's so much here to enjoy though and every catchy riff and punchy bassline feels fresh with each journey through.

FFO: The Mars Volta, prog-rock

“I dragged the body from road to Rome. Under the floor boards its carcass resides. ”

Brutally-heavy beatdown-mathcore-grind-noise and the first of two albums from Pedram Valiani to make my list. It's excessive and overwhelming in every conceivable way.

FFO: Frontierer, mathcore

“Roll down this way, they call that street by your name ”

Chaotic hardcore in major! It's a confusing and wonderful album and if I *had* to choose, it would be up there as my album of the year (I don't have to choose though and this list is chronological). From the opening synth line it's a hook-filled orchestra of poppy-noise that sounds like your speakers have blown, or 20 cars loudly playing different radio stations in a traffic jam. It often sounds like the band are all playing different songs, but all comes together to sound somehow coherent and very much like The Armed. I don't know how they've done this, I'm just glad they did.

FFO: Converge, chaos

“Walk through life with a single purpose, shirt collar tightens like a fucking noose. ”

Post-apocalyptic industrial doom. Crushingly heavy (a theme with a lot of my choices, usually) yet punctuated by ambient moments of calm. I love the pacing of this album, it never seems to get exhausting and those quiet moments seem to come at just the right time.

FFO: Primitive Man, doom

“Am I freer cause I’m a godfree scumbag? ”

Chaotic hardcore. I just like this genre a lot and when it's done as well as this will always be something I go back to time and time again. France has produced some great bands in this genre in recent years, and anything produced by Amaury Sauvé tends to be worth a listen.

FFO: Chaotic hardcore, riffs and shouting

“I've recognized the glow of your low beams numerous times, through fairly opaque blinds in the sitting room, vehicles will pass by but I know when it's you. ”

Suave lounge rock on the moon. I have to admit, I was not expecting one of my favourite and probably most played albums of the year to be by Arctic Monkeys. But here it is, and I've been fairly addicted to it since its release. Alex Turner's wordplay is a highlight for me: sharp-witted, introspective, often nonsensical, but always entertaining. The understated musicianship shimmers in the background, occasionally jumping forward as a match to Turner's pretty constant vocal melody. It's difficult at this point to guess what Arctic Monkeys will do next. The only thing we can presume is: whatever the hell Alex Turner wants to do.

FFO: Scott Walker, Pulp

“I’ve victoried myself away, I’ve reached the peak of emptiness, I’ve reached the peak of emptiness and everything hurts. ”

Hell songs. The Body are a polarising band, even in my own brain. I often listen to them, just waiting for Chip King's wailed falsetto to kick in and for me to think "does it work this time?". What surprised me about 'I Have Fought Against It...', is that more times than not, it does, such is the darkness and pain held within these songs. Add to that some wonderful vocal contributions from Kristin Hayter, this one of the more varied and listenable albums by The Body, despite the album as a whole sounding like a genuine cry for help.

FFO: Nine Inch Nails, pain

“Before the water gets too high, add up the bribes you take and know time can’t be bought by the profits that you make ”

Politically charged art-rock. Superficially this album is a fun pastiche of many sub-genres of rock from the last few decades, but to listen closely reveals a lot more. Loaded with social and political commentary, you'll find something to agree (or disagree) with in its many messages. Or you just sit back and enjoy the catchy hooks and melodies which are aplenty throughout.

FFO: Talking Heads

“Between God and where the Devil's at, had to double dutch and double back, then hopscotch through where the trouble's at, exactly what the game's been missin', this fire burns hot as Hell's Kitchen ”

Razor-sharp rap. Most of the time I haven't got a clue who or what Pusha T is talking about, but his confident delivery, concise flow, and the wonderful production from Kanye West kept me coming back for more listens. Its 21:08 length helps with the concision, as Pusha never seems to lose focus or commitment to tongue-twisting word-play.

FFO: Nas, Jay-Z, 2000s hip-hop

“Today, I seriously thought about killing you. I contemplated, premeditated murder. And I think about killing myself... and I love myself way more than I love you, so… ”

Ever wondered what it might be like to be Kanye West's therapist?

FFO: Kanye West

“My face is the front of shop. My face is the real shop front. My shop is the face I front. I'm real when I shop my face ”

Glitzy glitchy future-pop. I first heard of Sophie as a producer for Charli XCX, an artist whose music always intrigued me but never really stuck. After first hearing lead single 'Ponyboy' from Sophie's first album, I just wanted a whole lot more of it. What was subsequently released on 'Oil...' turned out to be so much more though. The opening track is a huge curve ball, and moments of ambient synths break things up into digestible passages in an almost concept-album-like way. It's a culmination of everything Sophie has done so far and stands as one of the most interesting albums of the year.

FFO: Aphex Twin

“I'm reluctant to stay sad, life beyond is a field. ”

Post-black-metal love songs. Transcendent anthems of love and loss communicated through wall-of-sound post-rock, black metal shrieking and Dinosaur Jr-like guitar solos. It's definitely Deafheaven, it's definiely not 'Sunbather', but it is up there with their very best.

FFO: Death-metal, post-rock

“I’m your fucking hangman, don't you fucking look at me. ”

Angry math-grind-core. Short and sweet.

FFO: Converge, heavy music

“Terror spouts from the poet’s pen, charming hearts of all who read . His cancer spreads out like rain, his rusted sheep now remain ”

Jagged-edge-core. The second album from Pedram Valiani to make my list and it's no less intense than the first. What distinguishes Frontierer from Sectioned is the production and use of electronics as well as some insane use of a whammy pedal. It's a more explorative album in terms of styles and influences and a harder listen purely because of its run-time. Well worth the journey if you're will to make it though.

FFO: Meshuggah, Car Bomb

“Massive. Hideous. Monster. Inside. ”

Sludge grind. Impossibly heavy riffs that made me laugh out loud with joy the first time I heard them. It's a pretty straight-forward listen, yet the 3 piece manage to squeeze every last drop from every last riff.

FFO: Riffs

“Been out of The City for over two weeks. Almost forgotten, the sadness it breeds. Work for a leader that no one has seen, stare at a screen that feeds on your dreams. ”

Math-rock perfection. Beautiful jangly guitar melodies, luscious soundscapes, gang vocals, and lyrics that make me want to throw my laptop out of the window and move to the countryside. It's a lot more coherent than 'Twin Galaxies' and a better album for it.

FFO: TTNG, thoughtful math-rock

“Come and see me and maybe you'll die, but I can keep you in artwork, the fluid kind ”

It's an Interpol album, but hooks and clean production make way for dissonance and a bit of grit. It's certainly a grower due to this, but I'm glad I gave it the time as the year went on as there are some gems to be found within.

FFO: Indie-rock

“Stop giving me hope ”

Bleak noise-punk. There's a strong air of pissed-off-ness about KEN Mode's music and you don't be surprised to hear what KEN stands for. This album also holds the title of My Favourite Use of Saxophone 2018.

FFO: Unsane, more straight-forward hardcore-punk

“I fucking love you. I really love you. Look at the card I bought It says “I love you” ”

Lefty-punk for the modern British man. Lyrical themes of the struggles with masculinity, love, loss, and Brexit, all paired with catchy punk delivery. It's an album for the ages and a cathartic listen in these trying times of political and social turmoil.

FFO: Punk

“A movie not worthy of its soundtrack, apparently... ”

Key-instrument-forward post-rock. I'm beginning to enjoy Mogwai's soundtrack work than their full releases. After last year's disappointing 'Every Country's Sun' I had kind of given up on a band I would have once consider as one of my favourites, yet 'KIN' sees Mogwai in their old melodic comfort zone with added pianos, synths and electronic elements that make this an incredibly listenable and a superior collection of songs to anything they've done since their last sountrack.

FFO: Instrumental post-rock

“Part One... ”

Post-rock. A genre I used to be obsessed with, my interest in post-rock has dwindled over the years. The genre has stagnated somewhat and been diluted by bands who rely too much on the tropes of everything that has came before them. Barring 2017's wonderful 'Stubborn Persistent Illusions' by Do Make Say Think, it's been a while since an album (or two in this case) has really grabbed my attention this much, but there's just something about This Will Destroy You that resonates with me. Production, melody, texture, and the sheer emotion of it all still gets me and reminds me of those early days discovering this wonderful genre.

FFO: Mono, Mogwai, post-rock

“... Part Two ”

Post-rock. Dropped as a surprise release only a few weeks after 'Part One', I fully expected to have to wait much longer for an eventual 'Part Two'. Any wait would've been justified, as 'Part Two' is possibly the better of the two parts.

FFO: New Others Part One

“And if nothing's changed at all, should it be so strange at all ”

Instrumental math-funk. I have to admit, I really dislike Polyphia's older albums. The reason I listened to this one is because the Internet's Busiest Music Nerd had said practically the same thing but gave this one a good review, and I have to agree. Whether Polyphia have matured or just been hanging out with Chon a lot, this is a catchy and funky math-rock album rather than a showcase of their technical abilities like their previous albums feel. It's a lot of fun and it will be interesting to see if Polyphia stick with this sound or reinvent themselves next time around.

FFO: Chon, Intervals, math-rock

“The incorrigible wheel tilts at a grotesque angle, the delay is upon me. Who locked the door? Who bent the key? I've been knocking... ”

Horror-core. Another contender for Top Dog Album of the Year, I was nervous before hitting play on this for the first time. Daughers' two previous albums, 'Hell Songs' and the self-titled 'Daughters', are watershed moments for the band. The first introduced Alexis Marshall's new crooned vocal style, and the second perfected Daughters' unique sound in a way I could never have expected to be topped. I wasn't even sure what I wanted from a new Daughters album almost 8 years on from the release of S/T. And therein lies the genius of this album, as 'You Want Get What You Want' acknowledges head-on fans' expectations and hopes, throws them in the bin, and replaces them with something none of could have expected. It's definitely Daughters due to the unique vocal style of Marshall and guitar work of Nicholas Sadler, but the songs are longer and more foreboding than ever, conceptually, musically and lyrically. They include all of those signature sounds you would expect from Daughters, just arranged differently and more convincingly than ever before. It's safe to say I definitely didn't get what I want because I didn't know it was this that I actually wanted!

FFO: Noise-rock, industrial, I don't know just try it

“Heal me ”

Progressive crust. A more nuanced heavy album on my list thanks to moments of calm where Cult Leader almost sound like a different band (specifically, like a Doom Crash Test Dummies). These more melodic moments offer respite from an album which is otherwise relentlessly heavy in tone and theme.

FFO: Gaza, Primitive Man

“I've got blisters on my fingers! ”

It's the best version of the most interesting album by The Beatles. Granted, it's not all great, but the addition of the Esher demos and alternate takes give a new perspective on the work that went into creating the album we all know and (mostly) love.

FFO: Music

“Bad apple, daily clashin' with my kinfolk, bad acid did damage to my mental ”

Avant-garde jazz-hip-hop. An interesting rap album from an artist who seems to be timidly revealing more of his true self with each release. This is way more than "some rap songs" though and feels more like the poetic end product of an existential crisis.

FFO: Experimental hip-hop