best of HONESTLY, 2018. - Albums Top 4 + Singles Top 10

[Vilppu]

jpeg did some things. wish i liked AAL more but i didn't think it was quite all that

 

duck duck goose is probs my fave from the songs set, her delivery is amazing, but the marie and tommy tracks were nice surprises too

[madonnas]

Does anybody know anything about Shygirl other than her music slaps?

JPEG and AAL  That Elza Soares album is something I added to my queue but procrastinated with.  I heard its a lot to take in.

[Dom]

Damn Tommy Genesis song is amazing, where was I, such a fun bop. bad bitches in the city, so pretty omg, such trash bop. i'm here for it, thanks.

[TayRianaPH]

Hi sweetie!  

I made a catch-up on your list and great list so far!  

Duck Duck Goose!  

JPEG, AAL and Tommy Genesis are all great choices too!

 

[Remmy]

Duck Duck Goose  sdifj I haven't seen the video and I wasn't expecting to see dildos while scrolling down but coming from her, it's obviously not surprising

[theblackestday]

Jpegmafia and The Body!!  this is not something they ****ing made, professional, different areas, etc.

[MP2K]

Duck Duck Goose

[Pink Matter]

That Duck Duck Goose thumbnail  

Marie Davidson and Earl  

The only album I'm familiar with there is Jpeg's which I thought was alright.

[TRF.]

 

 

#60. JPEGMAFIA - "Baby I'm Bleeding"

(glitch hop/industrial hip hop)

from 'Veteran'

 

Some of the sickest production on his album, and the best bars too. He absolutely did that.

 

 

 

 

#59. Grouper - "Driving"

(ambient pop)

from 'Grid of Points'

 

You need a certain level of depression to vibe with this... a level that I fortunately have!

 

 

 

#58. Bad Gyal - "Más raro"

(dancehall/alt R&B)

from ?

 

The Catalan queen of dancehall and autotune, in a collaboration with Cadenza (who had previously worked with people like Gorillaz, Assassin or Jorja Smith), really delivered one of the most fun songs of the year! I love everything about this.

 

 

 

 

#57. Kilo Kish - "Elegance"

(electropop/art pop)

from 'Mothe (EP)'

 

I always liked Kilo Kish a decent amount, but honestly this song is the one that made me you know... actually interested in her. Really potent song that sounds like a midpoint between Swedish dark electropop and 00's Timbaland production. Shame about the video being kinda ****ty.

 

 

 

 

#56. Florence + the Machine - "Big God"

(art pop)

from 'High As Hope'

 

Trip hop legend! The production is some of the best I've heard on a Florence + the Machine record. Portishead shaking. Massive Attack quaking. Tricky found dead. Also the fact that this song is about ghosting????? She's truly seen me...

 

 

 

 

#55. Peggy Gou - "It Makes You Forget (Itgehane)"

(deep house/balearic beat)

from 'Once (EP)'

 

With latin rhythms, xylophone melodies and catchy, poppy tunes, Peggy Gou truly delivered one of the most ear-catching, infectious house bops of the year!

 

 

 

 

#54. Carly Rae Jepsen - "Party for One"

(electropop/synthpop)

from ?

 

Like, sure, it's no "Run Away With Me" but like it's better than "I Really Like You" and since "Call Me Maybe" isn't *technically* a lead single for her *album*... I guess that makes it her best lead single ever? Either way, queen!

 

 

 

#53. Becky G & Natti Natasha - "Sin pijama"

(reggaeton/latin pop)

from ?

 

Becky G's best song omfg... Shower could never do it. Latinas stay winning, Dr. L*ke stays losing!

 

 

 

 

#52. James Blake - "If the Car Beside You Moves Ahead"

(art pop/glitch pop)

from ?

 

I've always loved James Blake when he gets really ****ing weird. And this track reminded me why do I love him so much when gets really ****ing weird.

  

 

 

 

#51. Natalia Lafourcade - "Danza de gardenias"

(rumba)

from 'Musas Vol. 2'

 

This song is genuinely gorgeous. It makes me so happy everytime I hear it, especially the "floreceráááááá, florecerááááááááá" part.

 

 

 

 

[Remmy]

Party for One  I'd say it's her best lead single even if CMM counted. A bop that should be more appreciated (and successful, of course.)

[potent]

Party for One

Big God keeps growing on me these days

 

I should get to know Natalia better, I like a few of her singles.

[collin]

Peggy Gou  I've been listening to that EP so much in the last month. James Blake, Carly Rae... Becky G

Love what she has done for her career in the last few years. Kilo Kish, Grouper, JPEG are also all great.

 

So Right  So In My Top 20  

 

NO at Dorian Electra  

[TRF.]

 

#30.

serpentwithfeet – soil

Genre: Art Pop, Alternative R&B

Chamber Pop, Gospel, Ambient Pop, UK Bass, Neo-Soul

Country: USA || Label: Tri Angle/Secretly Canadian

 

Josiah Wise had his breakthrough as serpentwithfeet in 2016, with the release of his debut EP blisters, which featured production from people such as The Haxan Cloak or N-Prolenta. That EP was 5-songs long experimental take on the genres of R&B and soul, but with a special focus on its gospel influence. soil, his debut album, is an extension of that, and it goes to places that I personally wished his EP would've gone in. soil features production from mmph, Katie Gately, Paul Epworth and Clams Casino who, along with Wise himself, definitely know what to do with it, often alternating between minimalism and maximalism in imaginative ways. But more than anything, it does a great job of keeping up with Wise's performance. With a wonderful voice, and lyrics that take on spirituality and intimacy, love and lack thereof, it's a strong and powerful debut album from one of the most unique voices in the genre.

 

LISTEN

Highlights: "whisper", "fragrant", "mourning song", "cherubim", "invoice", "waft", "bless ur heart"

You’ll like it if you like: Björk, Sampha, ANOHNI, Brandy, Kelela

 

 

#29.

Ariana Grande – Sweetener

Genre: Contemporary R&B, Electropop

Dance-Pop, Alternative R&B, Synthpop, Pop Soul

Country: USA || Label: Republic

 

It's not necessary to list everything Ariana's been through since the release of her third album Dangerous Woman because we are all well familiar with it, and because it would be redundant as hell. Her fourth album, Sweetener, does reflect that to a certain extent, with songs that are reflective on her mental health. But for the most part, this record is a celebratory album. With production mostly courtesy of Pharrell Williams and Max Martin, Grande does her best job of delivering songs that balance an upbeat, lovely mood with a more self-reflective, introspective one, giving some of her best singing performances to date. There might be a lot of things to say about this album, which turns out to be rather divisive even between pop fans, but something that can't be said is that is generic. One of the most exciting mainstream pop albums of the past few years, that cements Ariana Grande as one of the biggest stars of this decade.

 

LISTEN

Highlights: “the light is coming" (feat. ***** *****), "R.E.M", "sweetener", "everytime", "breathin", "no tears left to cry", "borderline" (feat. Missy Elliott), "better off", "get well soon"

You’ll like it if you like: Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, N.E.R.D., Kelis, Beyoncé

 

 

#28.

Kero Kero Bonito – Time 'n' Place

Genre: Synthpop, Twee Pop, Indie Pop

Noise Pop, Dream Pop, Indietronica, Power Pop

Country: UK/Japan || Label: Polyvinyl

 

British/Japanese group Kero Kero Bonito were known for their extreme positivity, their mix of PC Music-style electropop, chiptune and rap, and their combination of Japanese and English lyrics. So the switch from an album like Bonito Generation to one like Time 'n' Place is a bit... surprising. But it starts to make sense once you consider that in the past two years since the release of their debut, every member of the band had to go through rough life experiences. And it's a big enough of a change that, musically and lyrically, they sound like an almost entirely different band, leaving their fun electronic style, for a darker, noisier indie pop one with more mature songwriting. Still, I say almost, because there is something that still makes them sound so uniquely Kero Kero Bonito, and not only because of lead singer Sarah Midori's signature vocals, but also because of how, even at their darkest, they still keep a bit of hope. And that's what makes them so easy to love.

 

LISTEN

Highlights: "Only Acting", "Flyway", "Dump", "Make Believe", "Dear Future Self", "Visiting Hours", "Swimming", "Rest Stop"

You’ll like it if you like: Alvvays, Crying, Cibo Matto's most rock-ish stuff, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Sky Ferreira

 

 

#27.

Kimbra – Primal Heart

Genre: Art Pop, Electropop, Synthpop

Alternative R&B, Pop Soul, Indietronica

Country: New Zealand || Label: Warner

 

New Zealand songstress Kimbra is mostly known for her part on the global smash hit "Somebody That I Used to Know", with Gotye, but failed to have an actual crossover of her own. And while she always deserved more recognition than being known for that song, she had never released an album that truly lived to her potential, either they had too much filler or were all over the place musically and unnecessary complex. But with the John Congleton-assisted Primal Heart, Kimbra keeps it as direct as possible. These are pop songs that have enough strength to stick in your head for a long time, but still manage to be quite experimental. Songs that take from a lot of influences, but since Kimbra has more than enough personality, it does not sound derivative. It proves more than the already well-known fact that Kimbra is underrated, but that she is able to craft an album as great as this is.

 

LISTEN

Highlights: "The Good War", "Top of the World", "Everybody Knows", "Like They Do On the TV", "Human", "Lightyears", "Black Sky", "Real Life"

You’ll like it if you like: St. Vincent, Kanye West, M83, Robyn

 

 

#26.

MGMT – Little Dark Age

Genre: Synthpop, Neo-Psychedelia, Psychedelic Pop

New Wave, Hypnagogic Pop

Country: USA || Label: Columbia

 

MGMT were a case of a "one-album wonder". Oracular Spectacular, their debut album, proved to be massively successful, selling millions of copies worldwide, getting decent acclaim and scoring three enormous hits that, if you were alive and listened to music in between 2007 and 2009, you are more than aware of. However, even though their sophomore album became some sort of cult classic, they were never able to replicate their success again, due to how experimental their music became. And yeah, there is still a lot of experimentation on Little Dark Age, their fourth effort, but at its core, it's a pop album. There are catchy hooks, infectious synthlines and melodies, relatable lyrics, everything that a modern pop record needs, except through the eyes of the duo. And it works much better than it should, finally making a record that would kick their "one-album wonder" status right on its ass.

 

LISTEN

Highlights: "She Works Out Too Much", "Little Dark Age, "When You Die", "Me and Michael", "TSLAMP", "One Thing Left to Try", "Hand It Over"

You’ll like it if you like: both MGMT's biggest hits and their best deep cuts, Ariel Pink, Talking Heads, CHVRCHES

 

[TRF.]

18 hours ago, madonnas said:

Does anybody know anything about Shygirl other than her music slaps?

JPEG and AAL  That Elza Soares album is something I added to my queue but procrastinated with.  I heard its a lot to take in.

Her name is Blane Muise, she is from London and she's that b*tch! 

 

8 hours ago, Remmy said:

Party for One  I'd say it's her best lead single even if CMM counted. A bop that should be more appreciated (and successful, of course.)

Right???? The fact that it never even charted

 

7 hours ago, collin said:

Peggy Gou  I've been listening to that EP so much in the last month. James Blake, Carly Rae... Becky G

Love what she has done for her career in the last few years. Kilo Kish, Grouper, JPEG are also all great.

 

So Right  So In My Top 20  

 

NO at Dorian Electra  

[Staryu]

Big God is probably my favorite song from High as Hope, which was overall lackluster for me, the first Florence album I really didn't love. Party For One and Sweetener  

[World Eater]

Duck Duck Goose, So Right, The Mint, Baby I'm Bleeding, Elegance, It Makes You Forget (Itgehane), Party for One, ITCBYMA  Big God is also nice, although it lacks something and by something I mean a huge, final chorus.

Veteran, 2012-2017, soil, Sweetener, Time 'n' Place and Little Dark Age

[Tsareena]

elegance, big god, party for one

 for albums, soil whew a brilliant debut, sweetener, time n place was cute, primal heart ♥️ 

[theblackestday]

Big updates as the kids say. Baby I'm Bleeding is fantastic  I vibe with Driving too well hello, let's celebrate that! Florence kinda reinvented trip hop with Big God huh? Love It Makes You Forget, and lowkey forgot about ITCBYMA after a week but the audience needs the album

 

I wish I liked Soil more than I had, his vocals seem to be quite polarizing and I'm more on the other side of the fence. Ariana did what she had to do with Sweetener, tea was served with your writeup  Time 'n' Place continues to snatch me, I was instantly a fan but in the past few days I've been having it on repeat  and I'm screaming at your writeup being nearly identical to mine before I pulled the dump posting ****  our minds  Tried forcing myself onto Primal Heart because Real Life is one of my fave songs of the year tbh but it's the only song I really like on the album. Little Dark Age is excellent, Talking Heads though?

 

This essay... sorry

Edited December 28, 2018 by theblackestday

[Remmy]

Only cared for around half of Sweetener and luckily that half is pretty strong. Primal Heart was a surprise, Kimbra never caught me with her music but she did a great job with this album. everytime, breathin, no tears, better off, The Good War, Top of the World, Lightyears and Black Sky in your highlights

 

8 hours ago, TRF. said:

Right???? The fact that it never even charted

A travesty

[Pink Matter]

MGMT and Ari   soil has it's (great) moments but certain aspects bring it down for me

Peggy and Kilo  Can't wait to see what they come up with their albums! Driving is cute and I might check out the James Blake sing soon.

[Blue Rose]

I really loved Soil and the imagery in the songs was unique and interesting. I wonder what he’ll do next album (hopefully it will be less religion focused)

[-mUsIcLoVeR-]

Listened to Driving, Elegance, and Itgehane and I love them all on first listen  Such taste, new discoveries for me.  

 

 

[TRF.]

 

#25.

Oneohtrix Point Never – Age Of

Genre: Progressive Electronic

Art Pop, Glitch Pop, Post-Industrial

Country: USA || Label: Warp

 

To follow an album like Garden of Delete is a more than challenging thing. That album is probably the height of Oneohtrix Point Never's career, a record that featured a lot of elements that made his music so great across his career, yet managed to incorporate some new ideas, both intensely experimental as well as surprisingly accessible. For what it's worth, Age Of does an excellent job of doing that, even if wasn't entirely what was expected of him. It's a record that, of all things, takes influences from pop, with Daniel Lopatin himself singing on a handful of tracks, jazz, baroque music and even country. Yet, it still has OPN's signature experimental style, which somehow makes everything work. Featuring collaborators such as Kelsey Lu, James Blake, ANOHNI or Prurient's Dominick Fernow, Age Of is a unique take on avant-pop, that proves Lopatin's creativity might as well be endless.

 

LISTEN

Highlights: "Manifold", "The Station", "Toys 2", "Black Snow", "myriad.industries", "Warning", "We'll Take It", "Same"

You’ll like it if you like: ANOHNI, Klaus Schulze, Bon Iver, Arca, Tangerine Dream, **** Buttons

 

 

#24.

Organ Tapes – Into One Name

Genre: Alternative R&B, Ambient Pop, UK Bass

Dancehall, Cloud Rap, Deconstructed Club, Emo Rap, New Age

Country: UK || Label: Genome 6.66 Mbp

 

London-based producer Organ Tapes mixes a lot of genres in his music, to the point where it's hard to determine how can his music be classified at all. Into One Name, his debut record for Shanghai netlabel Genome 6.66 Mbp, is proof of that. Genres as diverse as R&B, dancehall, afrobeats, new age, emo, industrial, trap, crunk, reggaeton, among many others can be found in it, yet it isn't one of those records where one track is entirely different from the other musically, in fact, you can find a lot of the tracks blend into one other quite easily, in a very cohesive way. Organ Tapes' own singing in those tracks is soaked in autotune, often making it very hard to understand what he's saying, especially considering he's apparently singing in both English and Mandarin. But you can still understand the emotions that he is trying to convey in this record, and it's one that is extremely rich in that aspect.

 

LISTEN

Highlights: “Rust", "Di Qiu", "Something", "Li Bu Kai" (feat. Yayoyanoh), "Can I Know" (feat. Malibu), "Seedling", "Streets"

You’ll like it if you like: Palmistry, Lil Uzi Vert, Bladee, Bad Gyal, Jenny Hval, Elysia Crampton

 

 

#23.

Natalia Lafourcade – Musas Vol. 2

Genre: Nueva canción latinoamericana

Mexican Folk Music, Bolero, Vals criollo, Folk Pop, South American Folk Music, Son Jarocho

Country: Mexico || Label: Universal

 

Last year, Mexican singer/songwriter Natalia Lafourcade released an album titled Musas, inspired by the history of folk music in Latin America. A collaboration with legendary guitarist duo Los Macorinos, it featured both covers of well-known song as well as original songs that were good enough that they might become classics in the future. Musas Vol. 2 does the exact same thing, but still touches on lots of more styles from across the continent(s) that its predecessor didn't. With a wide variety of themes, ranging from oppression to falling in love, Lafourcade does every single cover on the record justice, and the same strength is found on the original songs. Both parts of Musas are some of the best homages to the genre someone could ever do, and represent some of the best work of the singer to date.

 

LISTEN

Highlights: "Danza de gardenias", "Alma mía", "Hoy mi día uno", "Tus ojitos", "Duerme negrito", "Luz de luna", "Derecho de nacimiento", "Eclipse", "La llorona"

You’ll like it if you like: the history of folk music in Latin America

 

 

#22.

Blood Orange – Negro Swan

Genre: Alternative R&B, Sophisti-Pop

Synth Funk, Art Pop, Neo-Soul, Ambient Pop

Country: UK || Label: Domino

 

Dev Hynes' fourth album as Blood Orange, Negro Swan, is his most lowkey and genuinely smooth to date. While his previous record, Freetown Sound, seemed to find a balance between his pop-oriented productions for people such as Sky Ferreira, Solange or Carly Rae Jepsen and his most experimental interests and endeavors, this one is rather rooted in the latter. Not to say that aren't any accessible moments on this record, but this is one that has having a dreamy, ethereal atmosphere over catchy hooks. And Hynes happens to be quite good at both of these things. The album, just like its predecessor, is a record that deals in great part with the anxieties of being a black queer man, but there is also a sense of hope, and these are thankfully well-represented in it.

 

LISTEN

Highlights: "Saint", "Jewelry", "Charcoal Baby", "Chewing Gum" (feat. A$AP Rocky & Project Pat), "Holy Will" (feat. Ian Isiah), "Dagenham Dream", "Runnin'" (feat. Georgia Anne Muldrow), "Nappy Wonder", "Out of Your League" (feat. Steve Lacy)

You’ll like it if you like: Sade, Prince, D'Angelo, Frank Ocean, SZA

 

 

#21.

Christine and the Queens – Chris

Genre: Synthpop, Art Pop

Electropop, Alternative R&B, French Pop, Synth Funk

Country: France || Label: Because

 

.French pop artist Christine and the Queens' debut album, Chaleur humaine, is one of the most brilliant pop debut of the decade. It balanced perfectly well powerful hooks with great production and meaningful, personal lyrics. And her sophomore record, Chris does the same thing, to an extent. However, there are more than a few elements that were just introduced here, like the outright sexual, masculine energy that several of this songs have or the heavy 80's synthpop and funk influence, and those are things that Christine does a great job of representing on this record. Still, the magic of her debut is not lost at all, just expanded into a bigger package. Whether you listen to the French or the English version (or you know... both?) there's a lot of things to love you can find, as you should expect from one of the most exciting pop artists out there right now.

 

LISTEN

Highlights: "Comme si", "Damn, dis-moi" (feat. Dam-Funk), "La marcheuse", "Doesn't Matter (Voleur de soleil)", "5 Dollars", "Goya Soda", "Follarse", "Feel So Good", "Make Some Sense", "L'étranger (voleur d'eau)"

You’ll like it if you like: St. Vincent, Prince, Janelle Monáe, Lorde, Perfume Genius

 

[TRF.]

 

 

#50. Lykke Li - "hard rain"

(art pop)

from 'so sad so sexy'

 

Another song I have cried to this year at least once, thank you for giving a song to play every time it rains hard, Lykke!

 

 

 

 

 

#49. Mariah Carey feat. Ty Dolla $ign - "The Distance"

(cont. r&b/electropop)

from 'Caution'

 

Like... wow. I knew I was always a Mariah stan deep down but this song convinced me she was going to do her thing on her album and you know what? She absolutely did. Invented cheerleading, synthwave and Skrillex all in one track... name someone more powerful.

 

 

 

#48. Jon Hopkins - "Emerald Rush"

(tech house)

from 'Singularity'

 

Was slightly dissapointed with Singularity, especially considering Immunity is one of my favorite house records of all time. Still though, there are lots of great points that were made, this being probably the best of them all. Sounds like an updated version of one of my faves of his, "Collider", but it's its own experience at the same time.

 

 

 

 

#47. Iceage - "Catch It"

(post-punk)

from 'Beyondless'

 

Sky Ferreira's boyfriend snapped. I love how formless yet absolutely strong and powerful this is. What rock music should sound like in 2018? Discuss!

 

 

 

 

#46. Shygirl - "Nasty"

(deconstructed club/grime)

from 'Cruel Practice (EP)'

 

Rarely has a song lived up to its title more than this track has.

 

 

 

 

#45. Robyn - "Missing U"

(electropop/synthpop)

from 'Honey'

 

What is in my opinion one of the turning points in Robyn's career, "Monument", was about death and its effect on others, as well as self-reflection. It's one of my fave Robyn songs ever, and this is sort of the upbeat version of it. You can tell the song is obviously about grief and learning to deal with it, but at the same time, it still feels like total bliss. I mean those arpeggios... there are no words.

 

 

 

 

#44. Fever Ray - "IDK About You"

(art pop/kuduro)

from 'Plunge'

 

This is like all the upbeat songs from The Knife's Shaking the Habitual, put into a blender and fastened up like 70%. It's energy at its maximum. Nídia (Minaj) absolutely ****ing snapped on the production from this track!

 

 

 

 

#43. Tove Styrke - "On the Low"

(synthpop)

from 'Sway'

 

Most of Tove Styrke's third album is lowkey already, but this takes that to an even further limit. It's minimal, skeletal. You can hear bird chirping in the background. And Tove's lyrics make it all even more lovable.

 

 

 

 

#42. MGMT - "Me and Michael"

(synthpop/new romantic)

from 'Little Dark Age'

 

Ladies and gentlemen, this is how you do 80's homage well!

 

 

 

 

 

#41. Neneh Cherry - "Kong"

(art pop/trip hop)

from 'Broken Politics'

 

The production of this song is otherworldy, and so is the video, but even that being said, Neneh's lyrics and voice are my absolute favorite thing about this. Making a political statement, without falling into "we live in a society" territory. I know I can trust her! Bansky lost.

 

 

 

 

 

Swedish women did that omg

[Blue Rose]

3 hours ago, TRF. said:

48. Jon Hopkins - "Emerald Rush"

(tech house)

from 'Singularity'

 

Was slightly dissapointed with Singularity,

Same. Singularity missed my Albums list but this song, well I just posted about it  

 

Missing U