best of Chapel's Best of 2018 | Songs 30-21

[Pink Matter]

Not familiar with the EPs but the songs list though?

Freelance, Short Court Style, and Apeshit slay  

[Uncatena]

Best Albums

 

 

Music in the age of social media is weird. They seem to endlessly influence each other, to a point

where being meta isn't even meta at all. That exact pinpoint fascinates NYC newcomers Bodega.

Their satirical, witty post-punk pop is influenced by social media and it's influence on us and art.

"Name Escape" for example, examines the fascination of knowing people online, but not

even remembering their real names. Elsewhere, they take this leitmotiv to more personal

spaces, like on "Charlie". A promising debut with infectious melodies and riffs.

Favorites: Name Escape / Jack in Titanic / Truth Is Not Punishment

 

 

Calling the third studio album by british pop band The 1975 pretentious is too easy. They are very

much aware of the pretense going on here lyrically. Much like Endless Scroll, A Brief Inquiry

is fascinated with life in the modern fast lane, always glued to a screen or on the move. 

This is probably their most realized vision of a mishmash album, with everything from 

electronica, pop rock, cheesy balladry and stadium choruses being found here. Holding it

all together is lead singer Matt Healy. It can sometimes veer into a rather beige territory,

but the next surprise is always right around the corner. 

Favorites: Love It If We Made It / How to Draw/Petrichor / It's Not Living (If It's Not With You)

 

 

Probably one of the year's most pleasant surprise is Mariah Carey's 15th (!!!) studio album. At this

point the pop star has probaly realized that the days of her commerical success are long over and 

it shows in the music. It feels surprisingly grounded and doesn't chase after any particular trend.

Sure, it's pop music, but it cohesively combines her signature 80s R&B influenced pop sound

and views through a modern, lean electronic pop lense. The result is some of the finest, most

refined pop music of the year. There are many moments of subtle brilliance on here, and Mariah

sounds really comfortable vocally too. Mariah has always been underrated (or rather, not even

seen) as a songwriter, and here she prooves that she's still got it (wink).

Favorites: GTFO / Caution / The Distance

 

 

 

Hereditary is this year's most unsettling and depressing movie experience. A dark family drama about

loss and grief that slowly turns into a hopeless, unsettling nightmare. Following these characters

into their descent of sadness and loss of control is absolutely harrowing and following it all is

Colin Stetson's brilliant score. The experimental saxophonist has always played with the dark side,

but on the material found here, he fully stares into the abyss, along with the Graham family.

The substance he adds to the scenes in the film makes the scenes. The particular "freak

accident" scene that shook audiences everywhere would have not been the same without

his hairraising and tense score and the bittersweet sirens of the climax made the scene.

Favorites: Party, Crash / Steve / Reborn

 

 

Natalie Prass' aesthetic is heavily influenced by the pop rock of the 80s on her second album

The Future and the Past. Here, she beautifully combines heartfelt, singer-songwriter elements

with a lean, classic and suprising blend of 80s and 90s pop music. The result is a cohesive

and engaging album with many of tender, soulful moments. 

Favorites: Oh My / Short Court Style / Sisters

 

[Sbbmsve]

The album list, YES! The 1975 really surprised all of us, huh? It was a fine ass album even though it was Unoriginal af. This might be the only Mariah album that I can listen to it in full.. well maybe other than The Emancipation of Mimi. Natalie's album was kinda flop 

[theblackestday]

choices were made here, but we stan caution yes we do

your writeups serving intellectual

[Navyofbadgals]

Hereditary and Natalie  

Have yet to listen to Mariah oop

[World Eater]

Freelance, Party for One, Short Style, APESHIT, LIIWMI and Spells are THAT bawps

As for the albums, ABIIOR, Caution and TFATP all deserved, even though I didn't feel the need to listen to that Natalie album as often as I would have wanted to.

[Lazuli]

ABIIOP, Caution, TFATP  

[Maddox]

Caution, Hereditary, Natalie Prass  

[madonnas]

the 1975 sounds like its their last album x10, smh.

I like Caution and Natalie's album.  Maybe they shoulda been hiigher?  I find more funk/jazz in Natalie's than pop rock but I suppose its in there as well.

[Pink Matter]

Natalie's has got to be my favorite from this set and yeah I'd consider it more white girl funk with a sprinkling of jazz than 80's pop rock

[Vilppu]

hereditary's music was so thrilling omg probs one of the best aspects of the movie actually

 

natalie's album was cute for like two listens and SCS/sisters were absolutely among the strongest on it

[Tom Vercetti]

Natalie's 2nd album > her debut.

After two attempts I can safely say that 1975 are not for me.

Haven't heard Bogeda yet but I like description. 

[Uncatena]

Best Songs

 

 

yaeji returns with another bopT after her amazing EP2.

This is nowhere near songs like raingurl or drink i'm sippin

on, but i like the softer house approach she took here and 

it still knocks. 

 

 

This is the obvious highlight from Traversa and almost

comes close to Romaplasm in quality. The production is

just so unique and soft and beautiful and I could be 

covered in Will's voice.

 

 

They really redeemed themselves with the songs they

released this year, huh? This is my favorite one of them

and almost comes close to Settle in terms of quality.

The other song are nice as well, but this one just SLAPS.

 

 

Westerman has been releasing comforting sophisti-pop for a

little while now, but this is probably his best song yet. Pretty,

lo-fi style production paired with his buttery vocals really

deliver one of the years finest songs.

 

 

Offer is the new project by PC Music's Lil Data and 

Adult Jazz' Harry Burgess and it perfectly combines their

sound and aesthetic into a unique vision. This 12-minute

is a perfect display of Harry's odd songwriting and

versatile vocals.

 

 

This ****ing QUEEN ugh. She really is releasing bop after

bop after bop after bop. This is one of the most fun releases 

of the year and there is not much to say except that it goes off

and makes me happy and wanna dance.

 

 

This is just a really nice, subtle pop song. It's quite a departure

for her sonically, pusher her sound into a more R&B

influenced pop sound. It works well and sets up her upcoming

debut promisingly.

 

 

Iglooghost's sound goes to new heights on this track, the melody

and trap influenced verses are super sick and the 

breakdown goes so ****ing hard. Scalp? Clean.

 

 

This is probably the best result from their new sound. It

effortlessly sounds like them, but in a whole different context.

It's quite touching and beautiful and the chorus is stellar.

 

 

Her best song this year, sue me. My single, never-in-a-relationship

ass sure loves this. 

[Blue Rose]

Disclosure really snapped this year, yes. But don’t sleep on Moog For Love

[madonnas]

I don't get why Moonlight seems to be everyone's fave Disclosure song this year.  Yall deaf!

Make Believe is gorgeous, their 2nd best song this year.

I've already shared my opinion on Boys in other YE lists.  It's cute tho but.... anyway.  I want to like Lizzo more.

 

[Uncatena]

 

thank y'all SO much for commenting xo

there is probably an album update coming in a few hours too, so keep a heads up

gonna comment on yalls now

peace and love,

joanne

 

On 12/19/2018 at 9:22 PM, Navyofbadgals said:

idk any of the top 5 but I need to check out shygirl x

you sure do! big bops as the kids say

 

On 12/19/2018 at 9:37 PM, Sbbmsve said:

Wow, surprised at indieheauxs SMERZ  Hatchie and Jenny slaying another EP list, nothing new :deserve: . Also It seems like there are many EPs I have missed out this year 

 

On 12/19/2018 at 9:39 PM, theblackestday said:

We STAN a top 4, the quality that was exhibited...

 

are you surprised or...?

 



 

On 12/19/2018 at 11:59 PM, World Eater said:

Oh bitch, now this is what I'm talking about  I should have done the same with Róisín, I'm mad that her team didn't rerelease those singles as a compilation or sumn. The whole top 5 is just

yeah they needed to release it as an alberm (like i did on my iKoons)

 

On 12/20/2018 at 1:06 AM, collin said:

The Shygirl and Smerz EPs were absolutely fantastic. 

TASTE!!



 

On 12/20/2018 at 9:16 PM, TheWayWeWere said:

Hatchie slaying another list Sure is so great

Roisin  

Sleep, Try and Sure

Plaything, The Rumble

 

On 12/20/2018 at 9:25 PM, Sbbmsve said:

Wow such a great way to start your track list  I am not surprised at Sylvan Esso appearing in your list  They are so lucky that they have you. I’ve seen some negative reception towards Party For One, I was like honey that is a bop what u doin’? 

 

Girl I- Beyoncé really snapped tho (or her ghost writers, producers, singers etc). Sway was really a good pop record Love If We Made it & Spells... GAY RIGHTS. Also wig at your graphics... they are simple but clean.

They are constatnly on sold out tours, but yes, they are lucky that they have their biggest stan 

 

ignore them, they drink and dont like to have fun

 

and thanks for the graphic comment luv u bb gworl

 

On 12/20/2018 at 10:18 PM, Body Electrician said:

Party for One was the biggest non event of the year  I hope she's gone back to the drawing board because literally anything anything on Emotion/Side B is better

 

LIIWMI  

i wouldnt say anything, but most of it yes x

 

On 12/20/2018 at 10:26 PM, Vilppu said:

i ~think spells was the jenny song i liked the most from her but idk i don't rly remember that ep

 

short court style is really good, in like 8 albums time, she'll have a bombass GH with all her leads

oh wow oh wow the acclaim for Natalie, you're right tho

Spells is easily the best song on the EP so ur probably right

 

On 12/20/2018 at 10:29 PM, madonnas said:

I see a lot of praise for Toro Y Moi's releases this year.  He lost me with his last release but maybe I should give him another chance?

There are good songs in the songs update, but none that SNATCHED ME BALD (except maybe short court).  Two of them will prob be on my list though.

the new songs are very different from the last album, or any of his releases for that matter. they are great!

maybe snatching will still *** x

 

On 12/20/2018 at 10:49 PM, Eeveelution said:

Party for One was underwhelming for me ? However 45-41 are all good!

thanks bb, i can see why it was disappointing i guess but i wasnt like... SUPER hyped and its a very cute n nice sing

 

On 12/21/2018 at 1:57 AM, artangel said:

The Long Sleep  

Cruel Practice  

I guess I really need to check Smerz too huh?

 

Party For One  

APESHIT :sumn: 

you havent checked out smerz yet?

why am i not surprised

 

On 12/21/2018 at 2:25 AM, volition said:

party for one is great and i will not hear otherwise!

TEA!

 

On 12/21/2018 at 3:43 AM, Tom Vercetti said:

freelance, short court, spells  

Party for one ain't as bad as some try to paint it. 

it really isnt, just because it isnt a RAWMe doesnt mean it doesnt knock

 

On 12/21/2018 at 5:13 AM, Pink Matter said:

Not familiar with the EPs but the songs list though?

Freelance, Short Court Style, and Apeshit slay  

STAN, we love bops

 

On 12/21/2018 at 1:37 PM, Sbbmsve said:

The album list, YES! The 1975 really surprised all of us, huh? It was a fine ass album even though it was Unoriginal af. This might be the only Mariah album that I can listen to it in full.. well maybe other than The Emancipation of Mimi. Natalie's album was kinda flop 

i didnt expect that from them, thats true. it was derivative but still vey nice.

i havent listened to any other mariah album .t hide

.t toyou

 

On 12/21/2018 at 2:42 PM, theblackestday said:

choices were made here, but we stan caution yes we do

your writeups serving intellectual

 

On 12/21/2018 at 2:53 PM, Navyofbadgals said:

Hereditary and Natalie  

Have yet to listen to Mariah oop

a fellow hereditary stan, hello taste x

its a great record, honestly. i never expected that from her

 

On 12/21/2018 at 3:47 PM, World Eater said:

Freelance, Party for One, Short Style, APESHIT, LIIWMI and Spells are THAT bawps

As for the albums, ABIIOR, Caution and TFATP all deserved, even though I didn't feel the need to listen to that Natalie album as often as I would have wanted to.

i just recently revisted it again and its honestly still great, its gonna age very well me thinks

 

On 12/21/2018 at 4:19 PM, Lazuli said:

ABIIOP, Caution, TFATP  

 

4 hours ago, Maddox said:

Caution, Hereditary, Natalie Prass  

hi taste x

 

3 hours ago, madonnas said:

the 1975 sounds like its their last album x10, smh.

I like Caution and Natalie's album.  Maybe they shoulda been hiigher?  I find more funk/jazz in Natalie's than pop rock but I suppose its in there as well.

there are dfeinitely funk and jazz influences i hear, but i hear more pop and rock

 

2 hours ago, Pink Matter said:

Natalie's has got to be my favorite from this set and yeah I'd consider it more white girl funk with a sprinkling of jazz than 80's pop rock

im bad with genre but your description sounds more accurate (especially the white part)

 

2 hours ago, Vilppu said:

hereditary's music was so thrilling omg probs one of the best aspects of the movie actually

 

natalie's album was cute for like two listens and SCS/sisters were absolutely among the strongest on it

ugh the hereditary stans coming out for me, i knew yall would come thru. and yes, the music MADE it the experience that it was

well, taste

 

2 hours ago, Tom Vercetti said:

Natalie's 2nd album > her debut.

After two attempts I can safely say that 1975 are not for me.

Haven't heard Bogeda yet but I like description. 

surprised by that opinion tbh, i mostly read the other way around. i have yet to listen to her debut tho

give it a shot, its great!

 

2 minutes ago, Superpower said:

Disclosure really snapped this year, yes. But don’t sleep on Moog For Love

[Eeveelution]

Boys is a big bop as the kids say, so is Make Believe.

Best is a reach, but TU,N is definitely top 5 of her releases this year.

One More only got 1 listen for me n, I think she can step it up for her album!

I like Kelsey but I kinda forgot abt her this year ?

Edited December 22, 2018 by Eeveelution

[theblackestday]

Once again, multiple points have been made (and no I am not surprised)

 

Boys is straight-up a fire smash hit bop, but we need the artist to release the album

 

 

Iglooghost really snapped with VOTY's audio huh? Make Believe 

[madonnas]

OK you had the tea about Toro.  Freelance is so good it reminds me of Gronlandic Edit by of Montreal meets Chromeo sorta 

[Lazuli]

Quote

Her best song this year, sue me.

[Uncatena]

Best Albums

 

 

Tove Styrke's third studio album is more than just a mere collection of glossy, minimalistic pop songs.

In it's short 29 minutes (if you count the recently added Vibe), it manages to perfectly capture the

complicated, conflicting and beautiful emotions of being in love with a fresh, constantly

engaging sound. The hooks and melodies always hit the exact right spot, the ear she has for melodies

and songwriting is nearly unmatched in her field. Be it the sweeping, overwhelming butterflies of

the title track, the bombastic, explosive chorus of "Mistakes" or the transformative cover of Lorde's

tender Liability, Styrke always knows exactly what trick to pull out her hat to conjure genuine emotion.

Favorites: Sway / On the Low / I Lied

 

 

The narratives on Bloom, Troye Sivan's second studio album, are very much exclusively queer. If they

are not that, they are tender, beautiful love songs full of passion and desire written by a man, about men.

"Seventeen" probably encapulates an experience plenty of gay men had and the underlying sadness

and loneliness of that situation is perfectly captured in the bittersweet sound of the song. The explosive,

glossy synths of the title track compliments the sexual, tense nature of the song and the declaration

of utter love and desire on "My My My!" is accompanied by sweeping synths and vocal samples.

Details like these are sprinkled all over Bloom, and the songwriting is Sivan's strongest to date. 

Favorites: My My My! / Bloom / Animal

 

 

New Zealand's Chelsea Jade first debuted as Watercolours back in 2013 with a dreamy, washed out

art pop sound that included field recordings of tap dancing. Five years and several EP's, songs and

a name change later, her debut album finally arrived in the form of Personal Best, a collection

of sleek, beautifully written, cohesive pop songs. Her songwriting style combines specific, personal

experiences with an universal understanding of life, love and others. She can be so oddly speicifc

in one moment, and super ambigius and general in the next, without ever making the shift jarring.

Underlying are simple, modern pop productions that feel classic but never dated. This year's

most promising debut.

Favorites: Laugh It Off / Pitch Dark / Over Sensitive

 

 

I only listened to this three times and I have not heard any of their previous material, but this is

absolutely fantastic in so many ways so uhmmm

 

 

 

Leon Vynehall returns with his most introspective and subdued record yet. Gone are the house and

techno style bops of his previous projects, instead the album is filled with quiet ambient moments

of beauty. The few moments that lean towards his older style really get a chance to shine her, but

the record doesn't need them to be interesting or engaging.

Favorites: English Oak / Envelopes / Movements

 

 

[Uncatena]

this thread serving

 

 

20 hours ago, madonnas said:

I don't get why Moonlight seems to be everyone's fave Disclosure song this year.  Yall deaf!

Make Believe is gorgeous, their 2nd best song this year.

I've already shared my opinion on Boys in other YE lists.  It's cute tho but.... anyway.  I want to like Lizzo more.

 

Where Angels Fear to Tread and Funky Sensations were the other choices, and they are both something new for them. But Moonlight is just classic snappage.

Make Believe and Only Acting fought for that spot, but the former just is better

 

19 hours ago, Eeveelution said:

Boys is a big bop as the kids say, so is Make Believe.

Best is a reach, but TU,N is definitely top 5 of her releases this year.

One More only got 1 listen for me n, I think she can step it up for her album!

I like Kelsey but I kinda forgot abt her this year ?

Sweetener remains overrated I see

I agree, she needs to serve a biT more for the alberm

Kelsey deserves more x

 

18 hours ago, theblackestday said:

Once again, multiple points have been made (and no I am not surprised)

 

Boys is straight-up a fire smash hit bop, but we need the artist to release the album

 



 

Iglooghost really snapped with VOTY's audio huh? Make Believe 

WHERE IS THE DAMN ALBUM LIZZO??!?

 

djfsg not VOTY's audio, some points have been made 

 

Make Believe's chorus the best of the year? Maybe so

 

18 hours ago, madonnas said:

OK you had the tea about Toro.  Freelance is so good it reminds me of Gronlandic Edit by of Montreal meets Chromeo sorta 

 

lemme pretend like i know what you said there in the end x

 

9 hours ago, Lazuli said:

I-

kasjdfgh

[Unoriginal]

I see four snaps and Leon Vynehall  jk idk him one of these deserves to be higher

The highlights for Sway are spot on and I'd only change MMM for TGS in Bloom's picks 

[Sbbmsve]

Wow, loving your write-ups, very accurate and detailed  Surprised at Chelsea being there, I thought it would be in your top 10, but we stan her & Tove. Quick lil' pop albums snapped. Bloom is like the gay version of Teenage Dream (title track). Ugh, wig at this list slay A LOT sis. This is me singing along to My My My btw:

 

[World Eater]

I was expecting way more from yaeji than One More after those EPs tbqh. That Westerman sing is really nice, no clue who that is, but maybe I should get to know ha. Lizzo, KKB and Ariana made some points, oh yes, they did! Haven't listened to Low prior to Double Negative either, now I also know that Christmas EP, but that's it  Multiple points have been made with that album, though