best of FINISHED | vilppu faves of 18

[Vilppu]

@ everyone who said LEG and US girls and maybe some other albums deserved to be on the main list, yes, they did, they're great pieces of work. however, they did not make my list but now i very much expect them to make it high on yours ^-^

 

unquoted comment means you're right and i have nothing to add and i love you. also yes, probably more messy write-ups coming bcuz i have no remarkable musical knowledge and my thoughts don't matter in the grand scheme of things !

 

20 hours ago, Vxspertine said:

Bon voyage SNAPPED  We stan french excellence Screaming at the caption 

t but where is your thread, we both know it would be better than my tomfoolery

 

20 hours ago, Body Electrician said:

LEG and US Girls only honourable mentions? 

 

I gave Bon voyage a few spins and remember liking a couple songs from it (particularly Quand Les Larmes) but it didn't really stick with me throughout the year

tbh i was crazy about it for like ~two weeks, then it fell off and i didn't touch it for a while either but i've come back lately and it was as good as initially to me!

 

20 hours ago, Eeveelution said:

Bon Voyage is so forgotten dd. That's what she gets for putting out 7 songs in almost as many years.

 

Kimbra snapped yes she did. Those are the best songs too. Though I hope you're not shading Version of Me and Past Life when you say "slower songs".

 

Good spot for miss young fathers  

 

i don't like version of me but i was mostly thinking the closer which i don't rly understand. past life slay and slay and slay

 

20 hours ago, Tsareena said:

no points 

for dirty computer, yes

 

19 hours ago, theblackestday said:

Oh wow, okay, so as for the honorable mentions,I loved a bunch of these, some deserved better  The Internet album was a snoozefest and New Material was underwhelming. Tierra Whack is a worthy HM but nothing more, I love the concept of her album but it doesn't change the fact that the songs feel underdeveloped. I am rooting for her though. Room 25 is quite overrated imo but it's still pretty good, so also a worthy HM. I never revisited Hunter because I didn't feel the need to? One listen was sufficient for me but I did enjoy it quite a bit. and Dirty Computer was aged from day one, I guess I was too ahead of my time...just like with my Masseduction hatred, my mind

 

I tried forcing Primal Heart on myself for awhile but then realized it wasn't really my thing, but I absolutely love Real Life. gorgeous closer

 

I'm screaming at the Bon Voyage and Cocoa Sugar writeups. Both albums got what they deserved

masseduction lowkey fell off too but she's still not the girl you think she is

 

that's fair and also omg i think the album gorgeous AND i tried to force real life on myself but it didn't work. thevilppuday ying yang in full action again, i missed this

 

17 hours ago, volition said:

Loving the HMs, especially Daughters, and what a great set of 3. Primal Heart is not my favourite album of hers, but it feels the most cohesive and has some standout tracks, like Top of the World, Real Life (and HDDR deserved a cute bonus placement). Love the Melody and Young Fathers albums too and think they're pretty underrated.

i don't think kimbra will ever top vows for me but both magic hour and primal heart are not far behind, she's pretty consistent

 

10 hours ago, thecptz said:

only heard whack world  the latter half of WW >>>>>>>>> the first half for me

i was gonna say the halves are equal for me but tbf most the songs i thought were highs were indeed on half 2, point was made

 

4 hours ago, Superpower said:

Top20 for Young Fathers is perfect  

if this a spoiler then i'm all here for that

[Vilppu]

ALBUMS 12-11

 

 

12. Black Panther: The Album

 

Quote

For the 98% white and 2% Hispanic person the website racially analysing your selfie decided I am, it’s not easy to talk about either Black Panther the soundtrack or Black Panther the movie. I’m pretty evidently not a part of the audience it’s catered to – as a fan of Kendrick Lamar’s artistic choices, most the other artists included on the OST (…and also superhero movies, add this onto how I can drive, do Maths at a level more than functional and don’t burn the kitchen whenever I cook and maybe I am straight after all), however, it had to find a way to me eventually. It’s a collection of songs that radiates such a brilliant energy and makes a very clear statement that you don’t have to directly relate to it to feel how purely powerful it is. A big advantage of the record is how it was supervised by Kendrick, him appearing in almost every single track, even as backing vocal, connects all tracks together and fixes the album’s flow which would have been totally over the place otherwise as none of the invited guests betrayed their usual style – for instance, „Opps” is a logical sonic continuation of „Big Fish Theory”, „All the Stars” is SZA fishing for a radio hit (and she got it!) and „Pray for Me” is just a slightly altered variation of Abel’s usual moody stuff. It’s been a while since I had this much fun with an album, let alone a soundtrack.

Standouts: Schoolboy Q – X, Vince Staples – Opps, Jorja Smith – I Am

 

  

 

11. Stray Kids – I Am series

 

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If you asked me what kpop album is worth buying, I’d probably say something along the lines of „how about none” but every rule has an exception and in 2018 it was Stray Kids who defied the odds and released not one but three good mini albums. What sets them apart from most other idol groups is that their music is almost entirely self-written and self-produced and while that means precisely nothing on its own, it gave Bang Chan a bigger chance to fully expand on his concept. And therefore, the first album „NOT” finds the boys experiencing an identity crisis, „WHO” sees them searching and in „YOU” they finally connect with the listener. How intentional and how completely random it was, I have no idea, but along with the narration’s progression changes the soundscape – the first album is the most stylistically varied and confused, and every next one becomes more cohesive and realised. In terms of individual songs, there’s nothing ground-breaking here, the boys play with tons of kpop boygroup clichés, from „heavy” hep hap to the „but we’re soft guys really!” type of soft lovey dovey bull**** but the reasonably competent songwriting ensures that every song is at least above average. It was really nice to see these guys grow and become actually relatively mature artists given their age and the industry they’re in, I hope they can continue to embarrass other groups by getting things some have been trying and failing to do for ages right on their first try.

Standouts: 3rd Eye, Voices, 0325

[Navyofbadgals]

I loved BPs st as well; it’s perhaps a lil too long

[xrosup]

Quote

It was really nice to see these guys grow and become actually relatively mature artists given their age and the industry they’re in

This is true. It was satisfactory to see these guys grow a lot in the span of a year. 3racha worked their asses off improving themselves (remember them asking for help on forums?) on producing. 

 

 for putting 0325 as a standout

 

Quote

I hope they can continue to embarrass other groups by getting things some have been trying and failing to do for ages right on their first try.

ouch.

[Tom Vercetti]

Tbh I never really cared for the BP soundtrack and haven't gone back to it after playing it one time and I liked the movie. 

 

Haven't heard of Stray Kids. but i'll check the link.

 

[Eeveelution]

[prézli]

48 minutes ago, Eeveelution said:

+1

[Kingie]

Eye only found out Primal Heart existed either last week or this week.....couldn't get past the first half. 

 

Only heard 3rd Eye and District Nine re: Stray Kids but I think both of those slay, unsure why kpop stans have such a hate boner for them when they're already better than their seniors Got7 and have had a far more consistent year than NCT. 

[TRF.]

Black Panther (album) is good but I feel like only a few tracks from it have replay value for me, personally.

[theblackestday]

7 hours ago, Vilppu said:

thevilppuday ying yang in full action again, i missed this

I've waited for this moment  

 

the Black Panther soundtrack was v good, but I didn't care much for it, Various Artists albums aren't it for me. Opps is kinda SOTY though.

[Vxspertine]

8 hours ago, Eeveelution said:

+2

10 hours ago, Vilppu said:

t but where is your thread, we both know it would be better than my tomfoolery

Thanks sis  I think I'll start it tomorrow 

[Ewan Chaos]

Love u for the Primal Heart love. Ignoring all the haters in the comments!

 

The Black Panther album was cute for the month that it/the movie came out but I haven't gone back to it since, outside of Opps which I probably like more than anything on that Vince EP/mini album/whatever 

[Ghibli]

Whew Felix & friends.

 

Quote

Standouts: 3rd Eye, Voices, 0325

But where is Insomnia.

[Blue Rose]

Opps is my fave from the Black Panther soundtrack. 

Honestly I was disappointed by BP soundtrack, not because it’s bad (it’s not) but because I wanted something that matches the movie, not just HipHop. This would’ve been perfect

 

 

 

 

[World Eater]

 

Muszę wrócić w końcu do tego soundtracku, chociaż strasznie mi się nie chce

[Vilppu]

no update today but i feel the need to announce that ariana grande's new song is absolutely ****ing disgusting and if i were to do a worst songs list, it would be top 5 for sure

[volition]

3 hours ago, Vilppu said:

no update today but i feel the need to announce that ariana grande's new song is absolutely ****ing disgusting and if i were to do a worst songs list, it would be top 5 for sure

but now we said it.

 

ot: i never heard the BP soundtrack, i had the impression it would be one of those soundtrack projects that makes all of its collaborators worse, but it managed to nab an AOTY nod, which is impressive for a soundtrack

[Tsareena]

7 hours ago, Vilppu said:

no update today but i feel the need to announce that ariana grande's new song is absolutely ****ing disgusting and if i were to do a worst songs list, it would be top 5 for sure

cancelled!

 

I loved BP soundtrack tho. really well put together

[Mark Rih]

LOVE the BP soundtrack, it deserves

[Vilppu]

hello again~

 

On 12/13/2018 at 8:38 PM, Navyofbadgals said:

I loved BPs st as well; it’s perhaps a lil too long

agree tbh, if it were cut down to 10 tracks, it would be perfect

 

On 12/13/2018 at 10:15 PM, maurixrosup said:

This is true. It was satisfactory to see these guys grow a lot in the span of a year. 3racha worked their asses off improving themselves (remember them asking for help on forums?) on producing. 

 

 for putting 0325 as a standout

 

ouch.

i didn't know the bolded part omg but the improvement is enormous. even when you think of like placebo/mixtape #1, the 3rcha version sounds rough and cluttered and even if the stray kids one isn't anything special, it's so much cleaner and more polished

 

tbh i didn't necessarily have anyone in particular in mind writing that but then i remembered how i snorted on my first listen of GRRR which is literally got7's hard carry with all the problems that song had fixed

 

On 12/13/2018 at 10:22 PM, Tom Vercetti said:

Tbh I never really cared for the BP soundtrack and haven't gone back to it after playing it one time and I liked the movie. 

 

Haven't heard of Stray Kids. but i'll check the link.

 

well the movie was the important thing anyway so you're good ^-^

 

On 12/14/2018 at 12:01 AM, Kingie said:

Eye only found out Primal Heart existed either last week or this week.....couldn't get past the first half. 

 

Only heard 3rd Eye and District Nine re: Stray Kids but I think both of those slay, unsure why kpop stans have such a hate boner for them when they're already better than their seniors Got7 and have had a far more consistent year than NCT. 

welp don't bother with the rest then, the 1st half is def better

 

maybe i'm not 100% objective but like the only decent reason for the excessive hate seems to be that they're not rly a visual group (hyunjin/felix are conventionally attractive even then) bc musically they're not all that different from other bgs?

 

also eye think NCT were v v consistent actually, all of their songs this year were somewhere in between 1/10 and 2/10

 

On 12/14/2018 at 1:02 AM, TRF. said:

Black Panther (album) is good but I feel like only a few tracks from it have replay value for me, personally.

i think a lot of people thought this n

 

On 12/14/2018 at 3:47 AM, theblackestday said:

I've waited for this moment  

 

the Black Panther soundtrack was v good, but I didn't care much for it, Various Artists albums aren't it for me. Opps is kinda SOTY though.

hopefully there'll be more of that  and as someone who listens to songs rather than albums VA doesn't rly bother me

 

On 12/14/2018 at 8:18 AM, Ewan Chaos said:

Love u for the Primal Heart love. Ignoring all the haters in the comments!

 

The Black Panther album was cute for the month that it/the movie came out but I haven't gone back to it since, outside of Opps which I probably like more than anything on that Vince EP/mini album/whatever 

i was shocked initially but all the most gorgeous and powerful women have tons of haters so it'd make sense kimbra has them too

 

On 12/14/2018 at 11:59 AM, Kxvk said:

Whew Felix & friends.

 

But where is Insomnia.

1. Voices

2. 0325

3. 3rd Eye

4. Insomnia

5. Question

6. Mirror

 

rest

 

20. Awkward Silence

21. Get Cool

 

also albums: who > you > not x

 

On 12/14/2018 at 4:44 PM, Superpower said:

Opps is my fave from the Black Panther soundtrack. 

Honestly I was disappointed by BP soundtrack, not because it’s bad (it’s not) but because I wanted something that matches the movie, not just HipHop. This would’ve been perfect

 

 

 

 

i've always treated it as a separate project so it didn't bug me but your point is totally valid. this song is nice btw

 

21 hours ago, World Eater said:

 

Muszę wrócić w końcu do tego soundtracku, chociaż strasznie mi się nie chce

ja o 90% albumów, których w tym roku słuchałem

 

14 hours ago, volition said:

but now we said it.

 

ot: i never heard the BP soundtrack, i had the impression it would be one of those soundtrack projects that makes all of its collaborators worse, but it managed to nab an AOTY nod, which is impressive for a soundtrack

never compared these songs with what their respective artists usually put out... maybe kendrick's songs aren't to par with his usual solo output but in general i don't think the quality differences are noticeable

 

10 hours ago, Tsareena said:

cancelled!

 

I loved BP soundtrack tho. really well put together

ariana is indeed cancelled til she gets her shlt together

 

1 hour ago, Mark Rih said:

LOVE the BP soundtrack, it deserves

muah x

 

On 12/13/2018 at 10:25 PM, Eeveelution said:

 

On 12/13/2018 at 11:13 PM, prézli said:

+1

 

On 12/14/2018 at 7:03 AM, Vxspertine said:

+2

Thanks sis  I think I'll start it tomorrow 

probably the most mainstream album here getting indieheaux'd i cannot believe this

[Vilppu]

ALBUMS 10-7

 

 

10. Architects – Holy Hell

 

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I tend to think I have a pretty good idea of what I look for in music, a thing I’ll talk more about in one of the higher albums’ descriptions, but when it comes to metal, I make about as much sense as Death Grips’ discography. Even if the pússy subgenres such as folk metal or symphonic metal are usually go-to for me, they also have to have some ancient, magical blessing behind them for me to truly entertain them. However, when something metal finally sticks, it sticks like grits and this year it was „Holy Hell” that did it for me. It’s been quite well documented that generally it’s easier to write music during times of heartbreak, grief, anger, just strongly negative emotions in general, and Architects had just that – in 2016 their guitarist Tom Searle died due to skin cancer. Kind of a douche-y thing to say but this awful situation served as a great creativity fuel as „Holy Hell” always knows exactly what to do – when to go harder, when to slow down but turn up the unsettling sense of grief up, when to venture into a more electronic territory, something the band hasn’t done before. Records like this aren’t easy to listen to and properly evaluate but they’re undeniably powerful and hard-hitting. Wish these guys all the best and hope their future projects can be as good without personal tragedies.

Standouts: Hereafter, Holy Hell, Modern Misery

 

 

9. serpentwithfeet – soil

 

Quote

Honestly, the main thing I’ve got from kpop is (not entirely) irrational hatred for vocalists. Like, sure, we get it, you can autotune your voice to an inhumane point where it finally doesn’t crack sing, you don’t need to show it off any chance you get. And that’s why „soil”, potentially the most vocally heavy album I’ve listened to all year, making such a huge impression on me surprises me even more. When you really listen closely, there’s little production or instruments here, it’s mostly created with whatever sound Josiah’s decided to produce on his own. What sets him apart from just skilled singers is that he has not only talent but also musicality. He uses vocal harmonies, sometimes whispers and grunts, multiplies his voice to create a faux choir but it’s all with a purpose to sustain the very intimate and sensual atmosphere of the record. At points the quiet and toned down arrangements almost turn the experience into a dialogue between the artist and yourself which is an interesting approach not many albums these days take. In a way it appears to me as more unsure, shy – yes, the often really straightforward lyrics included – version of last year’s excellent „No Shape” by Perfume Genius. Both albums make me think that maybe fãggots do deserve rights in the end.

Standouts: fragrant, seedless, waft

 

 

8. Kali Uchis – Isolation

 

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And here’s a 180 turn – as opposed to serpentwithfeet, Kali Uchis can’t actually sing at all (saw her live so I can tell – whenever she put the mic up to her mouth, I prayed for her to stop and just slut drop again) and it’s exactly what keeps „Isolation” afloat. I’m pretty sure if she were a decent vocalist, this album would just turn into another alteration of terrible vocal masturbation R&B has seen way too much of. Instead, we got an album that could be used as an Oxford definition of the word chill. It’s mostly slow and sort of sluggish and yet so insanely cool and feel-good at the same time. Kali absolutely dominates here – even though the songs have very different producers and some, like „In My Dreams” or „Nuestro planeta”, go into pretty unexpected sonic territories, her personality and charisma shines through all the tracks pretty equally and makes the flow really smooth and seamless. It’s great to see her grow this much over the years – „Por vida” and the singles released prior to „Isolation” showed potential but the full album is much more than just potential. It shows a mature artist who’s perfectly aware of her strong sides and isn’t afraid to expand on her fun and enjoyable ideas.

Standouts: Dead to Me, Gotta Get Up, Feel Like a Fool

 

 

7. Mitski – Be the Cowboy

 

Quote

Before Mitski is an artist, she’s a smart woman. She’s under no illusion that being 1) a person of color, 2) a woman, she’s going to make anyone listen to an album over 40 minutes. She’s pretty brutally honest admitting that is the main reason behind barely song on „Be the Cowboy” going above 3 minutes, you just know anyone else would try to hide behind some dumb bull**** like „„„artistic vision”””. And while efficiency isn’t exactly the first adjective that comes to mind when I think of quality music but Mitski shockingly turns into a huge advantage. Working under a pretty tight limitation she finds evidently stimulating as really every song on the album manages to unravel and emotionally hit harder than many seemingly more fully fleshed-out tracks do. What’s just as impressive is that the singer knows exactly when to stop. For every „A Horse Named Cold Air” there’s a „Lonesome Love”, a track softer and lighter which makes the full listening experience heavy enough to make an impact but at the same time never too heavy, it’s still an easy play breezing all the way through. It may not be Mitski’s strongest offering – „Bury Me at Makeout Creek” and „Puberty 2” both have songs which are absolutely crazy amazing which I don’t think anything off „Be the Cowboy” lives up to – but it just may be her at the most aware of her own strengths and shortcomings, and it’s certainly a really poignant and important stop at her artistic path.

Standouts: Geyser, A Pearl, Blue Light

Edited December 15, 2018 by Vilppu

[Pink Matter]

Mess, a lot of your HMs deserved better 

 

 

Particularly Noname, The Internet, LEG, Janelle, US Girls, Wednesday  

 

Albums: Melody's Echo Chamber and Cocoa Sugar were alright. Didn't really like either of them all that much.

I really enjoyed The Black Panther OST but I wouldn't say it's almost top 10 material. Top 50 for sure.

[TRF.]

serpentwithfeet, Mitski and Kali!!!

[Eeveelution]

I didn't know Kali was a talentless hack.  Her vocal producer snapped. Gotta Get Up is also a brave choice for the standout.

 

Great write up for Be the Cowboy, Bury Me is not better though.  

 

soil was cute the two times I listened to it. fragrant was a bop yes.

[madonnas]

UGH, I can't stand serpentwithfeet.  He's one of those people who's creative and talented but the way he over emphasizes every single note makes me CRINGE. 

Be the Cowboy and Isolation