best of Pink Matter's Best Of 2018 | Albums: 25-1 | FINISHED

December 29, 2018

i could recall at least a hook from every other rae morris song but the reborn title didn't ring any bells omg. also the yt video says it's june 2017 wtf

x is definitely my fave from this set, gorgeous song, but sisters, elegance and the travis scott one are cute too. us bubblin stans are thriving dw x

December 29, 2018

Saturn yesss :jonny5: Kwabs and Nao did their thing!!

Control Me is like my least favorite from the album

December 29, 2018

7 hours ago, Superpower said:

DJ Koze and Rae Morris

started listening to Koze last night. I didn’t know he was responsible/influenced so many of my faves songs.

Which songs sis?

6 hours ago, MP2K said:

More of the same, Stop trying to be god, NTLTC, Sisters, Control Me

Great choices :clap3:

6 hours ago, madonnas said:

More of the Same ahhh, yes.

Sisters is a great song but 3rd best on the album!! Elegance is also fantastic.

Yeah I'd say there are other tracks I like as much/better than Sisters but it's great at repping the album's style well :katie2:

4 hours ago, Eeveelution said:

Saturn felt so long to me Curiosity is the only song I use from the album honestly.

No Tears, Elegance, Baby, Sisters. All bops.

Saturn (the song) feels like a breeze tbh :heart2: Poor Another Lifetime and Gabriel tho

1 hour ago, Tom Vercetti said:

Unique choice for DJ since everyone usually go for Pick Up.

Starfruit, ntltc, x, elegenace

Bubblin > anywhere but not a bad choice.

Something about the vocals in Stop Trying To Be God is a little off for me and it makes me like the song less. More so on James's side.

I think most went with the actual single choice while I went with what I thought was the best song on the album + I wanted to go with a less obvious song choice :duck:

Would've just stuck with Bubblin' cuz he DOES snap a bit on it but I wanted to give Oxnard some shine even if it was small.

I think I know what you mean (the sort of breakage in his voice right?) and I kinda like that about the vocals lol

1 hour ago, Vilppu said:

i could recall at least a hook from every other rae morris song but the reborn title didn't ring any bells omg. also the yt video says it's june 2017 wtf

x is definitely my fave from this set, gorgeous song, but sisters, elegance and the travis scott one are cute too. us bubblin stans are thriving dw x

Lmao I had no idea :lmao: But usually time isn't a factor for my choices. I have another single that technically came out last year coming up in a later set :duck:

And I like Bubblin'. I was just being a tad edgy :duck:

December 29, 2018

16 minutes ago, Kiss It Better said:

Saturn yesss Kwabs and Nao did their thing!!

Control Me is like my least favorite from the album

They sure did!

But girl, choices :thing:

December 29, 2018

No Tears acclaim yas :jonny:

December 29, 2018

Songs of 2018

30-21

30) Gorillaz|Humility (feat. George Benson)

Image result for gorillaz humility spotify

Did this fly under the radar after the mostly disastrous reception to last year's Humanz? Perhaps. Is the disregard for this song warranted? Absolutely not! Starting off my top 30 is the lead single to Gorillaz's sixth studio album The Now Now and it is an absolute earworm. Humility is a very electric and bubbly pop jingle that gets me bopping, even in spite of its less than optimistic lyrics. I was initially worried when I first saw they were planning on dropping a new album but given the way Humanz was received by fans, but as good as this song is, maybe a new track was what the doctor ordered.

29) Jake Shears|Creep City

Image result for jake shears creep city spotify

Around the time I happened upon Jake Shears, I was coming off of a high of listening to '70s glam rock era David Bowie and needed an extra fix of anything glam rock. And with the in your face style of Creep City and his s/t album as a whole, Mr. Shears was a perfect find! Creep City is brash and brazen and is colorful and bold both in it's sound and in it's songwriting. With immense charm to boot, it's one of the most endearing singles I've listened to all year.

28) Ty Segall|And, Goodnight

Image result for ty segall freedom's goblin

I'm a pretty simple guy and I'm not all that hard to please. A couple guitar riffs (when it comes to my taste in rock music), and I'm putty in the musicians hands. And that's the case with the closing track on Ty's Freedom's Goblin. At a whopping 12 minutes, it's by far the longest song in my countdown (but not the only long song in my countdown :eli: ) but it's not a chore to listen to; not by a long shot. And that's because a majority of the time is spent by Ty playing some of the best guitar riffs I've heard all year (or whoever is playing the guitar). What a way to finish an album *insert guitar emoticon from oldTRL that no longer exists*

27) The Weeknd|Call Out My Name

Image result for the weeknd my dear melancholy

To many people, The Weeknd seems like a one trick pony; an artist that has stagnated and has started to run out of ideas as to what to sing about or where to take his music sonically. But in my opinion, Call Out My Name (as well as a majority of the songs on MDM) showcases the perfect direction in which Abel is moving toward. It combines some of the aspects his earlier music was known for (the general dark ambient vibe) with different elements (a more electronic sound, thoughtful lyrics) that takes his music to the next level. It's electric, it's dynamic, the lyrics no longer focus on purely sex and hedonism, and it's a welcome change of pace. Ever since I heard Odd Look back in 2013, I completely fell in love with the idea of "electronic Abel". Call Out My Name makes me believe that that idea may come to fruition.

26) JMSN|So Badly

Image result for jmsn so badly spotify

It's funny to see how there are quite a few black R&B artists straying away from the traditional, old-school flavors of R&B and are moving towards a more electronic, muddied, or avant-garde direction and are generally playing with different sounds (Kelela, FKA twigs, Sampha, Miguel, Frank Ocean, The Weeknd, to name a few), while many non-black R&B artists double down on the more traditional R&B sound. JMSN being a great example. With each album that has followed his debut Priscilla, JMSN has progressively strayed further and further away from the 2011/12'd ambient, excessively reverb-y R&B sound that was heavily inspired by House of Balloons-era The Weeknd into a sound that can be summed up well with So Badly. The song starts off with gorgeous, delicate strings with a drum backing which leads into JMSN singing, almost pleading with his lover about how badly he wants her. Sprinkled with a few spoken moments, it's oddly the most comfortable I've heard him sound in a while!

25) Blood Orange|Charcoal Baby

Image result for blood orange charcoal baby spotify

Honestly, I don't want to just gush over it so needlessly, even though I really want to :jonny: . It's just that I was CRAVING new music from Blood Orange and to get something as smooth and as delicate as this was truly a joy! I think this also is a great example of repetition done right. The verses and the chorus are constantly repeated throughout the entirety of the song to drive the point of the song home and Dev's soft delivery helps to encapsulate his feelings as well. It's very therapeutic to listen to (as I'm sure was for him to make). I also love how the song starts to lose itself and get a bit chaotic towards the end with the horn playing.

24) Gallant|Gentleman

Image result for gallant gentleman

An early highlight from the beginning of the year. For those of you who don't know/remember, Gallant's Ology was in my top 3 albums from 2016, so much like Blood Orange, I was anticipating new music from him heavily. And with the lead single to whatever the **** he's planning to release, I was not disappointed. Where Gentleman succeeds for me has less to do with the songs lyricism (which isn't bad but the chorus could use some work) and more to do with the production and Gallant's vocal chops. The production is dreamy, and like most dreamy landscapes, is easy to be swallowed up by (I found I liked listening to it the most at night) and his vocals show restraint. He's relaxed and calm when at certain points and lets loose at others.

Hopefully G2 is more like this and less... like the other singles he's released.

23) Smino & Bari|SUMMER SALT

Image result for smino noir

I was debating a lot between what song to pick from Smino's sophomore effort because he shows off many different rapping styles and flavors/sounds that I found to be very enjoyable. Noir contains many melodic moments, moments where he's spitting rapid fire bars, moments where's he's just vibing out, and there are many songs where these moments are combined together. Ultimately I went with SUMMER SALT since it exemplifies all of these different elements in a cute lil 2 and a half minute song. The song starts off with and has this hazy and fuzzy production that permeates every nook and cranny of the song which works well with Smino's drawn out and melodic rapping in the verses. The hook is the highlight as it shows him mixing up his rapping style, going for short rapid bursts of lines that are fun to follow along with. Combine that with his cartoon-y cadence (think Chance the Rapper except without the annoying "ah" "ah" "ah" adlibs), and this makes for one of the most unique rap songs of the year.

22) The Voidz|Pink Ocean

Image result for the voidz virtue

whew what a tune. I love the psychedelic trippy vibes the song gives off. I love the wobbles. I love the many guitar riffs. I love the way Julian's vocals sound slightly lo-fi (not sure if that means what I think it means) and muffled. I love the way this songs slaps. I love... I think you guys get the point. Talk about an early year highlight.

21) Saba|PROM / KING

Image result for saba care 4 me

I appreciate good old fashioned lyricism with the many double entendres and triple entendres and mindless rap bops like the next guy, but I feel the art of story-telling is a lost art. While there's nothing wrong with either of the aforementioned styles, I appreciate it more when rappers, and artists in general, just say what's on their minds without over complicating things. With PROM / KING (and all of CARE FOR ME) I get just that. On the first half PROM, Saba tells a story about his first prom experience in which he was threatened to be killed by his date’s brother and how he came to be better friends with one of this friends, Walt, while KING tells the story of the lead up to Walt’s death. I like the contrast between the two songs because PROM is much more of an innocent coming-of-age tale while KING shows Saba dealing with the harsh realities of life. @Tom Vercetti said this first in his write up for PROM / KING, but it gives me major Sing About Me/I'm Dying of Thirst vibes. If you're a fan of Kendrick's good kid, maad city, you'll love this!

December 29, 2018

17 hours ago, Jet said:

No Tears acclaim yas

It's what she deserves :clap3:

-

New update out now. Tomorrow I'll be finishing up my songs list with my entire top 20. I'll be taking New Years Eve and New Years Day off to relax. Like many of y'all I'm kinda getting tired of this lol, especially since I've been doing a lot of write ups. I'm still thinking about it but I probably won't do write ups for my album list except for my top 10/20. Still thinking about it x :duck:

@Tom Vercetti @Maddox @Body Electrician @Wicked @artangel @TRF. @Superpower @Tsareena @theblackestday @Love Drought @Vilppu @madonnas @Eeveelution @ChapelHooker @volition @Mark Rih @TheWayWeWere @Kiss It Better @collin @Lazuli @MP2K

December 29, 2018

Recap:

December 29, 2018

I didn't really expect project like that from Jake after his producing credits and band work :skull:

COMN is my favorite MDM, :clap3:

December 29, 2018

Humility ❤️

December 29, 2018

Pink Ocean :jonny: one of my faves on Virtue and possibly the most underrated track?

And, Goodnight was my favorite on Freedom's goblin, an epic closer :clap3:

December 30, 2018

Call Out My Name :alexz:

Charcoal Baby is my 3rd favorite from Negro Swan

December 30, 2018

5 hours ago, Pink Matter said:

To many people, The Weeknd seems like a one trick pony; an artist that has stagnated and has started to run out of ideas as to what to sing about or where to take his music sonically. But in my opinion, Call Out My Name (as well as a majority of the songs on MDM) showcases the perfect direction in which Abel is moving toward.

Totally agree on this one! King Abel did what he has to do! :alexz:

Pink Ocean & Humility, 2 BOPS :heart2:

December 30, 2018

7 hours ago, TheWayWeWere said:

I didn't really expect project like that from Jake after his producing credits and band work

COMN is my favorite MDM,

I've never listened to the Scissor Sisters but I'm glad that's the direction he went with :cm:

7 hours ago, JGibson said:

Humility ❤️

a bop :katie2:

4 hours ago, theblackestday said:

Pink Ocean one of my faves on Virtue and possibly the most underrated track?

And, Goodnight was my favorite on Freedom's goblin, an epic closer

They didn't have to go that hard on PO :jonny4:

And tea! I couldn't ask for a better closer :clap3:

2 hours ago, Kiss It Better said:

Call Out My Name

Charcoal Baby is my 3rd favorite from Negro Swan

a serve. Abellah did that :clap3:

What's your top 2?

2 hours ago, TayRianaPH said:

Totally agree on this one! King Abel did what he has to do!

Pink Ocean & Humility, 2 BOPS

Glad you agree! And yass they both go awf! Julian and Damon did what they had to do.

December 30, 2018

Charcoal, Call Out My Name, Prom / King (!) :clap3:

I gave gorillaz the complete cold shoulder this year so don't got much to say about them.

I thought a 2nd gallant album would come this year but I guess he had other plans.

December 30, 2018

loooooove Charcoal Baby :heart2:

December 30, 2018

I hear you, but maybe I'll go back and listen to COMN to see if he gave us something fresh. I remember not hating the song but I haven't really gave it much play since week 1.
Charcoal Baby and Gentlemen, JMSN too :clap3: come thru men of r&b

December 30, 2018

2 hours ago, Pink Matter said:

What's your top 2?

Hope and Jewelry :alexz:

December 30, 2018

18 hours ago, Tom Vercetti said:

Charcoal, Call Out My Name, Prom / King (!)

I gave gorillaz the complete cold shoulder this year so don't got much to say about them.

I thought a 2nd gallant album would come this year but I guess he had other plans.

dd at least give Humility a shot :thing:

18 hours ago, TRF. said:

loooooove Charcoal Baby

One of his best singles :heart2:

18 hours ago, MP2K said:

I hear you, but maybe I'll go back and listen to COMN to see if he gave us something fresh. I remember not hating the song but I haven't really gave it much play since week 1.
Charcoal Baby and Gentlemen, JMSN too come thru men of r&b

I think it does a good job of combining many of his styles together. Saying it gave us something new might have been incorrect. ALlthe R&B boys came through :alexz:

16 hours ago, Kiss It Better said:

Hope and Jewelry

Hope does stomp I'll give you that :alexz:

December 31, 2018

the blood orange and weeknd songs were a serve and humility was fun live. idk if pink ocean was one of the few voidz songs i liked but i think it was ^-^

December 31, 2018

The talent in the recent list. Not including the ones that I've already talked about, Creep City is great (not my fave from that record but a ****ing bop) as well as that Weeknd song but I didn't like the rest of the EP!

Great write-up on So Badly (and JSMN in general this year). Not my fave track of his but he killed it this year.

December 31, 2018

Dogs on Asphalt, ntltc, STOP TRYING TO BE GOD, Baby, Elegance, Sisters, And, Goodnight, Charcoal Baby and PROM / KING :heart2:

December 31, 2018

Creep city is really good, it and BBM are the best but I didn't really spend enough time with it. I wish he would have gone on a less Scissor Sisters direction cause it sounds like anything they could have recorded... lol. It is charming though.

The ending of Charcoal Baby is the best part, ah, LOVE outros that improve the song.

December 31, 2018

Songs of 2018

20-1

20) Rosalia|Malamente

Image result for rosalia malamente spotify

Like many of you, Malamente, and El Mal Querer as a whole, was my first introduction to newcomer Rosalia and as you all know, first impressions are important. They have the ability to capture your interest in said artist, or cause you to completely ignore them. Thankfully, Malamente is the former. Malamente contains all of these different elements to make an amazing final product; the elements of flamenco music/claps mixed with pop & R&B, the curling drums and soft synths, and best of all, her velvety voice which has this sort of "cool" factor. It's very nonchalant and laidback which helps give the song a very hypnotic vibe, making it one of the most addictive tracks of the year.

19) A$AP Rocky|Tony Tone

Image result for asap rocky testing spotify

Say what you want about the parent album (actually don't) but no one can deny just how much of a quality song this is. Or if any of you plan on doing so, I'm just going to pretend I can't hear y'all. Tony Tone has some of the best and most memorable quotable lines I've heard all year and it's backed by production that contains blaring horns and beats that, while certainly not the hardest beats ever, give the song a great bounce to it. As always, his flow is impeccable and it helps put me in a "don't gaf" kind of mood, which is quite similar to the mood Rocky portrays all throughout the song.

18) The Internet|Next Time/Humble Pie

Image result for the internet hive mind

One of the complaints I've seen/read when it came to The Internet's output this year has a lot to do with the fact that their music seems to have taken somewhat of a retread into familiar territory instead of forging on into newer sounds (the other being that Hive Mind as a whole sounds far too samey). I feel this track in particular is a perfect song to counter both of those arguments. If one poses an argument/complaint about ANY artist not trying something new with each and every album, my response would be, does one need to? NT/HP shows that while Syd and the gang aren't exactly reinventing the wheel, they are doing a great job at perfecting a sound they've worked hard to craft for themselves. Moreover, the song being two tracks put together with sprinklings of interesting elements in both songs (the beat-boxing influenced beat of Next Time, Syd's hazy, muffled vocals in Humble Pie) shows a sense of dynamism that can also be found elsewhere throughout the album.

17) Tinashe|No Contest

Image result for tinashe joyride spotify

A bit high? Perhaps ~~NOT AT ALL!!!!~~. But one things for sure. Even at her worst, Tinashe still manages to strike gold and releases a song that manages to stand toe to toe with many of the songs in her discography. The diamond in the rough (the rough being Joyride if it wasn't obvious), No Contest shows off Tinashe's ability to create hit worthy songs that aren't just plain generic radio fodder, but are actually quality songs with several different aspects about it that could be considered highlights! The beat knocks, her vocals are distinctive and layered with the Tinashe-like wailing that we all know and love, there's a more dancier transition towards the end, and overall, the song is very catchy. Why wasn't this released as a single again?

16) Beach House|Lemon Glow

Image result for beach house lemon glow

If some of you remember from earlier in my thread, I posted a list of disappointing albums and albums that weren't for me. Unfortunately, Beach House's 7 was in the latter group. As a whole, the album really didn't sit well with me as I felt I never found myself paying that much attention to the music. One minute I'm listening to it, and the next, 40 minutes pass by and I don't have a clue of what I listened to. One thing is for sure, every time I listened to 7, Lemon Glow was always a song that made my ears perk up. And I feel that it's because it's pretty much the exact opposite (in terms of sound) to the majority of 7. The production and instrumentation are clear, distinct, and I can easily make out all of the things that are going on in the background. Victoria and Alex don't sound like they sing back up to the surrounding music and are actually front and center. Basically, I can actually hear wtf I'm listening to and what I'm listening to is some of the most gorgeous and dreamiest (without sounding like aimless noise!!) soundscapes I've had the pleasure of hearing. Bonus, at roughly 4 minutes, it never seems to over stay its welcome and I find myself playing it on repeat!

15) Noname|Prayer Song (feat. Adam Ness)

Image result for noname room 25

In an age where there is an assortment of female rappers, some flock to the queen Nicki Minaj, while others have decided to enlist themselves into Cardi's Bardi Gang. Some are getting flewed out by the City Girls, and then there's the unruly kid crew made up of CupcakKe and Rico Nasty stans, among other stans of female rappers. Me personally, I'm riding with my girl Noname, and Prayer Song is an example of why that is. While I have no issues with sexual nature of most female rappers lyrical content, I do think it is refreshing to hear a female rapper tackle different subject matter in their music, or at least use sex in a more interesting manner. Prayer Song shows Fatimah tackling the chaotic nature of race relations and U.S. politics from two perspectives, hers and that of a corrupt cop. For some artists, it can be difficult to discuss these kinds of topics; Noname does it with ease. Backed by ghostly wailing and scittering beats, this makes for one of the best tracks on Room 25.

14) Yves Tumor|Licking an Orchid (feat. James K)

Image result for yves tumor licking an orchid

Sometimes I'll just be at a loss for words at how beautiful certain songs are. But while a lot of songs that come to mind are grand and opulent, Licking an Orchid is pretty sparse overall. I can only really pick out harp and drum playing with some sort of haunting hazy production? Meanwhile Yves and James K don't necessarily fade in and out of the song, but their presence is felt in short increments throughout. While repetitive, the lyrics are grabbing. All this to say this song has impacted me more than most songs with even grander production or moments could ever.

13) Flatbush Zombies|M. Bison

Image result for flatbush zombies vacation in hell

I love a good conceptual rap song that makes me spend more time than I have available mulling over the meaning of every other bar but sometimes, all I need are simple raps over great beats. Which M. Bison provides in spades. The only thing missing from this is Meechy Darko spazzing on this beat like his mates did.

12) Lana Del Rey|Venice Bitch

Image result for lana del rey venice bitch spotify

ahhh my ****ing fave
No Pink Matter year end list would be complete without Lana being somewhere on it. And this year, we have the inclusion of one her most daring songs yet. Daring not due to the style of the production (though to some Lana stans, working with Jack Antonoff may have come as an absolute shock) but due to the length of the song. Clocking in at roughly 9 minutes and 30 seconds, Venice Bitch is quite easily her longest song. Yet it seems to never feel as if its going on for too long. And I think a lot of that is due to the easy going nature of the production, as well as the way in which she sings the song. The breakdown in the middle adds to make the song more dynamic too. Lyrically, I do appreciate the way in which she sings about the feelings she has for her lover. It feels... different to the way in which she did it before. She still has a longing for them, but she never seems to sound like a hopeless romantic. A great addition to Lana's catalog.

11) Wednesday Campanella|The Bamboo Princess

Image result for wednesday campanella the bamboo princess

Honestly, take what I said about Rosalia's Malamente and paste it here. From this being my first introduction to her (both being intro tracks at that), to first impressions being important, to the song combining many different elements together to create an amazing product. From the very first second, The Bamboo Princess captivates it's listener with violin strings, the clocking of wood blocks, crashing horns, and best of all, Wednesday's soothing voice that rounds everything out.

10) Let's Eat Grandma|Cool & Collected

Image result for let's eat grandma i'm all ears

Starting off my top 10, we have another 9 minute epic from the dynamic duo Let's Eat Grandma. Or maybe "epic" is the wrong word to describe this song; for the most part, it's pretty chill. But that is probably why I enjoy this song so much. Both in the lax production and delivery, Rosa and Jenny do what they set out to do well! But if you pay attention to the lyrics, you can see that the girls are dealing with a relationship in which they want to show that they're cool and collected, but just... can't. And as their anxiousness grows, so does the chaotic nature of the song until it reaches a fever pitch... and fades away.

9) Robyn|Because It's In The Music

Image result for robyn honey

Man, if this isn't the very definition of pop perfection. So glittery and magical, but not everything is sunshine and rainbows in Robyn's world. On Because It's In The Music, Robyn tells the story of how a song she listened to now has even more meaning (albeit a painful meaning) after her ex-boyfriend dumped her. Robyn proves here that her voice can be just as powerful as a standard powerhouse vocalist because you can truly feel what Robyn's conveying. It's painful, it's depressing, it's frustrating, and yet she can't seem to get enough. To some, the stronger the connection you have with the music you listen to, the more you'll come to enjoy it. That very well may be the same case for Robyn.

8 ) Mitski|Geyser

Image result for mitski geyser spotify

I have to admit, I did not think this was all that good when I first heard it :shutup: But the more I listened to it, the more I appreciated what Mitski was going for (or at least what I figure she was going for). I think what Geyser, as well as Be The Cowboy as a whole, succeeded in doing was capsuling all of these strong feelings in short bursts. The short duration of the song gives each song a more transient, fleeting feeling and acts as a sort of release. It's therapeutic and cathartic, more for Mitski than for me but you guys the point. I think on Geyser specifically, there are moments like the explosion after Though I'm a geyser till the end where there's this release or exhalation, as if you've just taken a deep breathe, exhaled, and let go of whatever it was that was troubling you.

7) Jorja Smith|Blue Lights (+ Lifeboats Freestyle)

Image result for blue lights jorja smith spotify

I don't care how old this song is, I'm just going to pretend like this didn't come out 2 years ago :flower: Honestly, I'm starting to get tired of these write ups so I'm just going to quote what NPR said about it:

"All it took was one viral single to springboard Jorja Smith from a Starbucks barista job in Walsall, England, to international stages. ‘Blue Lights,’ the R&B star’s debut single, questions the social constructs that have led black and brown men to feel tension around police with surprising poignancy and frank delivery. Invoking the drowsy drawl of Amy Winehouse, trying her hand at a Mobb Deep-inspired rap and sampling grime pioneer Dizzee Rascal, Smith proves on this layered ballad that she did her musical homework and didn’t merely luck into a Soundcloud hit."

I do like how the song comes full circle though. In the beginning she sings about how you shouldn't run from the police if you've done nothing wrong and then comes back around saying the police will be coming for you so you need to watch out. It hits home, because as a young black man living in the U.S., I have to wrestle with these feelings all the time. I guess this is one of those cases where having a deeper connection makes me like the song even more.

Also, special shout out to Lifeboats Freestyle. I love the way Blue Lights seamlessly transitions into it, and I like how it breaks up a bit of the monotony on Lost & Found a little bit.

6) Janelle Monae|Screwed (feat. Zoe Kravitz)

There's so much I love about this song and so much gay lingo I could use to describe this song, but ~~because I just want to post this list already~~ I'll sum it up by saying that from the funk and synth based production and the guitar heavy backdrops, to the psychedelic breakdown in the bridge, to the outro, to the many times she says screwed, this is one of the best jams I've listened to all year.

5) Pusha T|Santeria (+ The Story of Adidon)

Image result for pusha t daytona spotify

Starting off the bold, but mostly misguided Wyoming sessions, Pusha T had a daunting job of making sure that he put his best foot forward. With the critical praise Daytona received, all eyes were on him, and a track like Santeria shows why. This song is just so goddamn diabolical. Push has one of the best voices/cadences for rapping and it works perfectly with the dark, dense wordplay/lyrics and beats he's rapping on. The multiple beat switches with 070 Shake singing in Spanish just help to add to the eerie vibe of the song too. Wrapped up in under 3 minutes, this never ceases to give me goosebumps.

Also, I'd like to give another special shoutout to The Story of Adidon. Though it didn't end Drake like many people wanted, it came the closest to actually knocking him down a peg and temporarily wounding Drake, a feat that not many rappers can attest too. :clap3:

4) SOHPIE|Is It Cold In The Water?

Image result for sophie oil of every pearl's un insides

I feel the best thing I can do to describe this song is just list off all the different ways it makes me feel. Though this isn't the most avant-garde song on Oil..., it certainly represents the edgiest and most tense moment on the album. Quite literally the musical embodiment of anxiety, this song always managed (still does) to give me shivers. It's like I'm trapped underwater, about to take my last breath as I'm fighting to reach the surface but can't. It gives off all of these feelings of unease and agitation as Sophie sings with such listlessness. And I absolutely love it!

Image result for pinocchio water gif

3) U.S. Girls|Rage of Plastics

Image result for us girls in a poem unlimited

This has most everything that I love in a rock song. I love the rhythmic nature of the song. It has interesting inflections like the horns at the beginning of the song that give the song an extra punch and the synths and strings that make it all the more a wonder to listen to. I'd like to give Ms. Remy credit for the lyrics but I can't considering it's a cover. I will say this though, not only does this song go with the lyrical nature of the album, her version of Rage of Plastics is so good that I don't even want to listen to the original version.

2) KIDS SEE GHOSTS|Reborn

Image result for kids see ghosts

I feel the entirety of Kids See Ghosts was just leading up to this moment. It's a pretty simple song, both in it's production and in the lyricism and the skill portrayed by Cudi and Ye. What helps this song top most of the other songs in my countdown is the emotional value that's instilled in it. I've been a fan of both of these guys for a really long time and with this track, I've come to realize and draw some conclusions about them with this aptly titled song. Kanye's diagnosis of BPD and his public backlash has sort of caused him to be reborn as someone who despite the attacks he may receive, responds with love in the attempt to move the culture towards the future. Cudi is someone who always dealt with depression and has made many references to it throughout his discography. With Reborn, it seems that he's finally managed to overcome the struggles he's faced for so long. To hear them both brimming with positivity really makes the stan in me weep.

1) Kali Uchis|After the Storm (feat. Tyler, The Creator and Bootsy Collins)

Image result for kali uchis after the storm spotify

And finally, my #1 song of 2018. Who knew that it'd be a single that was released back in January?! But the more I kept listening to this, and with the more music that kept coming out as the year went by, my feelings about this songs placement kept getting affirmed (Reborn did come close though :mandown: ). While Reborn has lots of emotional value to me as a stan, After the Storm contains and offers more emotional value to me as a person. Like I'm sure it was for most of you guys, 2018 was a pretty difficult year to get through. On a macroscopic scale, the U.S. political climate is/was as awful as ever, the Earth is slowly dying, there was no snow this Christmas, etc. But on a microscopic level, I dealt with a lot of setbacks, both professionally and personally. And the one constant that has helped me deal with these occurrences and process my feelings, was music! After the Storm is a smooth and sultry late 60s/70s inspired R&B track about picking yourself up, dusting yourself off, and trying whatever you failed at again. It's soothing and relaxes me like no other song this year has. Sometimes I even sing the chorus myself like it's my own personal mantra. In the end, we all just need to keep in mind that no matter how hard things get, everything will eventually turn out alright, in one way or another, 'Cause after the storm's when the flowers bloom.

Image result for in conclusion we stan

*I

December 31, 2018

18 hours ago, Vilppu said:

the blood orange and weeknd songs were a serve and humility was fun live. idk if pink ocean was one of the few voidz songs i liked but i think it was ^-^

Def give it another spin (just for me xo)

18 hours ago, Ewan Chaos said:

The talent in the recent list. Not including the ones that I've already talked about, Creep City is great (not my fave from that record but a ****ing bop) as well as that Weeknd song but I didn't like the rest of the EP!

Great write-up on So Badly (and JSMN in general this year). Not my fave track of his but he killed it this year.

Jake served big bops on his s/t :jamming: but MDM was solid :thing:

And thanks! Glad to know some people read em lol.

5 hours ago, World Eater said:

Dogs on Asphalt, ntltc, STOP TRYING TO BE GOD, Baby, Elegance, Sisters, And, Goodnight, Charcoal Baby and PROM / KING

All serves :heart2:

1 hour ago, madonnas said:

Creep city is really good, it and BBM are the best but I didn't really spend enough time with it. I wish he would have gone on a less Scissor Sisters direction cause it sounds like anything they could have recorded... lol. It is charming though.

The ending of Charcoal Baby is the best part, ah, LOVE outros that improve the song.

I've never heard of his SS music so it was new for me. If it's anything like his s/t I'll check it out! And glad you agree, I love the outro too :jonny:

-

With that, I've finished my songs list! I would have posted this yesterday but I was doing write ups and I didn't want to stop half way. I'll be taking the rest of today and tomorrow off to relax and fix up my albums list. I'll post my HMs on 1/2 and continue with my albums list from there. I'll figure out how much I want to do for each update then. Have a Happy New Years/Eve you guys :heart2:

@keerbyriri @Kang. @Tom Vercetti @Maddox @Navyofbadgals @Body Electrician @Wicked @artangel @TRF. @PrinceMichaelFan @Clueless @Superpower @Tsareena @theblackestday @Love Drought @Vilppu @K$Ellie @DAP @madonnas @mokitsu @Eeveelution @ChapelHooker @volition @Mark Rih @prézli @TheWayWeWere @Vxspertine @Glassmouth @JEWRJEWR @Kiss It Better @collin @Lazuli @MP2K

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best of Pink Matter's Best Of 2018 | Albums: 25-1 | FINISHED

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