best of Body Electrician's Best of 2019 | Albums #10-1

[Pink Matter]

Cherry Glazerr was definitely one of those that I listened to very early on that had little longevity with me too. Which sucked because their previous album was great.

Haven't heard any of the others but #25 looks interesting  

[TheWayWeWere]

yeah, Charli is a bit polarizing  Official is cute tho 

your graphics is cute btw, don't go hard for yourself 

[Lazuli]

charli  REPENT on what u said about official tho

diiv was ok... didnt hit me like oshin and is the is are indeed 

lost girls, young enough  

[World Eater]

Orville?  Twunk excellence won Love the entire top 10, the taste jumped out

I like most of the albums here although I'd put most them a bit lower. I gotta say that Young Enough really grew on me lately and I'd dare to say it was better than Guppy

[Sbbmsve]

Didn't know you stanned Charli  I'm happy with that of course. Sky's dealer had an interesting album, it was sonically very 90s grunge/dream pop or smn, idk my genre arsenal is tight unlike Charli's hole at an awards show. Lost Girls YES BITCH WORK. Little Bats unite. Chromatics as well Wig at our lists being similar (almost). I panned Cherry Glazzer though

[TRF.]

Kelsey Lu and Chromatics yes talent!!!

[Body Electrician]

oh sh*t it's the replies

 

Spoiler

On 12/20/2019 at 8:41 PM, Remmy said:

Yeah Charli (album) is definitely a bit messy, but luckily it includes some album & discography highlights so it's not a complete waste of time or anything. I actually have an entirely different bottom 3

TR~ A Lot's Gonna Change, Everyday, Picture Me Better | NFR~ NFR, MAC, Love song

 

Very messy... but yes not a complete waste of time, only a couple minutes in total. Cute trinities

 

On 12/20/2019 at 8:53 PM, bestfiction said:

The graphics for the album are v cute 

Songs: The Greatest + Andromeda I tried to give Angel Olsen a try but kinda stopped on the 4th song, guess I'll give her another shot 

Charli is a cute album, you def made points about White Mercedes  though I had no choice but to bop to it during her concert

 

thank you

 

Honestly All Mirrors definitely took a while to grow on me and it's still not my favourite Angel album but it's an incredible body of work and a lot of the highlights are towards the end. I would try to pull the plug if she performed White Mercedes in my presence x

 

On 12/21/2019 at 2:59 AM, Pink Matter said:

Cherry Glazerr was definitely one of those that I listened to very early on that had little longevity with me too. Which sucked because their previous album was great.

Haven't heard any of the others but #25 looks interesting  

 

Yeah Apocalipstick was amazing. I still like them but I think they need to bring something a lil new next time.

And yes Blood is a great album, please listen

 

On 12/21/2019 at 11:26 AM, TheWayWeWere said:

yeah, Charli is a bit polarizing  Official is cute tho 

your graphics is cute btw, don't go hard for yourself 

 

whew thanks king, self-confidence restored

 

 

On 12/21/2019 at 4:16 PM, Lazuli said:

charli  REPENT on what u said about official tho

diiv was ok... didnt hit me like oshin and is the is are indeed 

lost girls, young enough  

 

Official is mediocre garbage that should've been shelved like XCX World x

yeah Deceiver was not as great as either of them but I still listened quite a bit, I feel like most albums 30-21 are like 6/7s? 

Charly Bliss praise

 

On 12/21/2019 at 4:29 PM, World Eater said:

Orville?  Twunk excellence won Love the entire top 10, the taste jumped out

I like most of the albums here although I'd put most them a bit lower. I gotta say that Young Enough really grew on me lately and I'd dare to say it was better than Guppy

 

whew the acclaim Orville spit in my mouth

hmmmm Guppy is still superior to me but as you should YE is a grower... 

 

On 12/21/2019 at 7:08 PM, Sbbmsve said:

Didn't know you stanned Charli  I'm happy with that of course. Sky's dealer had an interesting album, it was sonically very 90s grunge/dream pop or smn, idk my genre arsenal is tight unlike Charli's hole at an awards show. Lost Girls YES BITCH WORK. Little Bats unite. Chromatics as well Wig at our lists being similar (almost). I panned Cherry Glazzer though

 

hmmm wouldn't say I stanned her but I definitely dig some of her music. I find her personality kinda unbearable on Twitter etc

our taste jumping out... I kind of understand CG panning but I personally dig them 

 

On 12/21/2019 at 7:10 PM, TRF. said:

Kelsey Lu and Chromatics yes talent!!!

 

whew stan

 

[Body Electrician]

 

Kooky lyrics and interesting finger picked guitar... the highlights are real highlights - Fixture Picture, Zoo Eyes, The Barrel, Pilot. A few tracks that overstay their welcome but overall a consistent and quirky album from this Kiwi.

 

 

I hyped myself up for this so much that I was honestly disappointed on my first couple listens... but upon relistening over the summer and into the autumn I've come to really appreciate Keepsake. Hatchie is bringing 80s dream pop vibes into the 2010s with a modern twist. Several absolute SLAPS on this album - Without a Blush, Unwanted Guest, Keep  But I think Hatchie's opus is still to come...

 

 

Short but very sweet album... Pitchfork put it very nicely that it's a beautiful mix of chaos and devastation. Feels like I'm a fly on the wall to the destructive end of the relationship being screamed about.

 

 

Listened to this album a lot during August/September and even though I prefer Everybody Works I still think this is a fantastic body of work from singer/songwriter/producer/multi-instrumentalist Melina Duerte. Her signature bedroom pop has a soothing effect.

 

 

Groundbreaking stuff... Jamila Woods makes an celebratory, angry and hopeful record about black history and the history yet to be made.

 

 

Deeply personal break-up album that showcases the wide spectrum of emotions faced at the end of a relationship... celebrates the bad times and dissects the good ones before coming to an ultimatum.

 

 

Sasami Ashworth's debut establishes her as one of the most promising new voices in indie rock. SASAMI showcases her as capable of making bangers (Not the Time), mournful ballads (Free) and heavier hitting art-rock songs (Pacify My Heart).

 

 

 

Remind Me Tomorrow finds Sharon Van Etten showcasing more electronic production and it works so so well. Whilst she's been renowned as more of an indie-folk lofi artist before now I think this record pushes her into legend status territory. A classic record.

 

 

Music to listen to in the rain, drinking a latte, thinking about forgotten loves and treasured memories.

 

 

Nilüfer Yanya is a force to be reckoned with. Her debut showcases rock, pop, R&B and even electronica. Fascinating debut, although the interludes kinda ruin the pace and I always listen without them. 

[Tsareena]

designer an album
keepsake. glad you switched on ha
whew Anak Ko talent
Crushing no words. an album 
 miss sasami, remind me tomorrow talent
miss universe

[Eeveelution]

I like most of these but the 1-2 punch of Quiet Sings and Miss universe

[Ewan Chaos]

16-20 are absolute talent... and then 11-15 are either imo overrated or I haven't listened to them 

[madonnas]

My fave on this is hatchie, I didn't hear most of them outside of it though besides Sharon... oops.

 

[theblackestday]

The way your top 15 songs are all perfect once you ignore So obsese I fell through the earth

you lowkey dragging the albums from 30-21 kinda sends me 
Love most of the albums from 20-11, Nilufer and Jessica fads

[TheWayWeWere]

omg, I so agree with you on Hatchie write-up after listening her EP I hyped myself so much too, so I wasn't really satisfied with Keepsake  

[Body Electrician]

TOP 10!

 

 

Probably my favourite "pop" album of the year. Pang is built around Caroline Polachek's incredible voice, and the production tries to match this throughout, resulting in experimental bursts of sounds and ambient waves of menacing synths. It sounds like the soundtrack to dreaming, but the dreams are verging on nightmares.

 

 

The second excellent release from Big Thief this year. Two Hands sees a rawer and earthier sound than its predecessor, which works just as well. Adrianne Lenker has established herself as one of the greatest living songwriters and this collection of ten songs is a testament to that. From the gritty Not to the acoustic and fingerpicked Wolf, Big Thief showcase their wide range and there's no doubt that they are one of the most essential bands of our time.

 

 

IGOR is the first Tyler, the Creator album I have really connected with. It's a break up album with funk and neo-soul influences but with Tyler's experimental production twists. One of the funnest albums of the year but also heartbreaking in its emotional honesty.

 

 

Jenny Hval moves onto a more accessible synth-pop sound following 2016s more experimental (and incredible) Blood Bitch, but her unique Scandinavian sound still shines through to create some of her finest and most complete songs to date. She questions the many meanings of love throughout it's eight tracks, joined by collaborators who help her shape her understanding into an academic study. 

 

 

House of Sugar seems to serve as a culmination of everything (Sandy) Alex G has been building in his decade long career. There are simpler acoustic songs that could have been on any of his early Bandcamp albums (Cow, In Your Arms) and more experimental tracks like those found on his most recent albums (Project 2, Sugar) - but these all mesh together to form his most complete body of work to date. A modern day Elliott Smith.

 

 

FKA twigs finally returns. Was the wait worth it? It depends on what you were looking for. MAGDALENE feels like the comedown after LP1s chaotic high. Barnett reflects on the destruction of her relationship and the fallout that follows. The baroque pop influences are paired with twigs' trademark glitch-pop production to create an album that truly sounds like no other in 2019.

 

 

All Mirrors is not what I expected from Angel Olsen following 2016s MY WOMAN. She trades in the guitar for synths and a full string quartet to create one of the most beautiful and surprising albums of 2019. The album begins with the destructive Lark (my SOTY) and the rest of the album questions ones sense of self following a relationship and the personal pride in moving on towards self-fulfilment. A future classic for sure.

 

 

After 2017s indie-rock influenced Capacity, U.F.O.F. finds Big Thief in more of a celestial headspace that results in twelve enigmatic offerings. Not only have they mastered the craft of a band working together at their fullest potential, but Adrianne Lenker crafts hymns that take listeners on a sonic journey through space. Big Thief are the winners of 2019, on both Earth and in space.

 

 

The months and months of hype should have meant Norman F***ing Rockwell! arrived overhyped and underwhelming - but Lana delivers her purest full-length expression that was worth every second of the wait. Jack Antonoff is the perfect creative partner in helping her create her first album that doesn't seem to about her own sadness, but on her lovers. She mocks, misses and reflects on the love of her life, whilst coming to conclusions about herself that amateur writing on earlier albums didn't allow. NFR! is the sound of an artist completely in control of their own destiny and more aware of themself than ever before.

 

 

What can I even say about Titanic Rising that hasn't been said already? It's one of the most complete bodies of work I've heard in a long time, and it knows itself better than any album in recent memory. Natalie Mering has always been an interesting artist and created beautiful songs that sound like they're from a past that never was, but this is her opus and the best album of 2019 by a mile.

 

The wonderful A Lot's Gonna Change sets the stage for an operatic performance that sees Mering's voice swoop and soar over 70s inspired instrumentals and some electronic swells. It's hard to talk about highlights on an album where every single track succeeds at everything it does, and even surpasses its own expectations from the listener. With every listen of the album its emotional complexity channelled through its classic musical influences becomes even more clear and awe-inspiring. "I wanna be the star of my own" she sings on Movies - and it's an easy accomplishment when absolutely no one else is on her level.

 

---

 

Thanks for reading, hoping to get round to reading and commenting on all y'alls threads this week once I've finished work. Might drop an unranked decade list in a week or so if I'm in the mood.

 

Recap if anyone cares:

Spoiler

30. Charli XCX - "Charli"

29. Charly Bliss - "Young Enough"

28. Black Belt Eagle Scout - "At the Party with My Brown Friends"

27. DIIV - "Deceiver"

26. Vivian Girls - "Memory"

25. Kelsey Lu - "Blood"

24. Florist - "Emily Alone"

23. Bat for Lashes - "Lost Girls"

22. Cherry Glazerr - "Stuffed & Ready"

21. Chromatics - "Closer to Grey"

20. Aldous Harding - "Designer"

19. Hatchie - "Keepsake"

18. Mannequin P*ssy - "Patience"

17. Jay Som - "Anak Ko"

16. Jamila Woods - "LEGACY! LEGACY!"

15. Julia Jacklin - "Crushing"

14. Sasami - "SASAMI"

13. Sharon Van Etten - "Remind Me Tomorrow"

12. Jessica Pratt - "Quiet Signs"

11. Nilüfer Yanya - "Miss Universe"

10. Caroline Polachek - "Pang"

9. Big Thief - "Two Hands"

8. Tyler, the Creator - "IGOR"

7. Jenny Hval - "The Practice of Love"

6. (Sandy) Alex G - "House of Sugar"

5. FKA twigs - "MAGDALENE"

4. Angel Olsen - "All Mirrors"

3. Big Thief - "U.F.O.F."

2. Lana Del Rey - "Norman F***ing Rockwell!"

1. Weyes Blood - "Titanic Rising"

 

[Body Electrician]

Spoiler

20 hours ago, Tsareena said:

designer an album
keepsake. glad you switched on ha
whew Anak Ko talent
Crushing no words. an album 
 miss sasami, remind me tomorrow talent
miss universe

 

yes yes yes  all tea

 

20 hours ago, Eeveelution said:

I like most of these but the 1-2 punch of Quiet Sings and Miss universe

 

two albums I didn't know much about but ended up SLAYING me  women WON 2019

 

19 hours ago, Ewan Chaos said:

16-20 are absolute talent... and then 11-15 are either imo overrated or I haven't listened to them 

 

well listen to them/underratet them

 

19 hours ago, Madame X said:

My fave on this is hatchie, I didn't hear most of them outside of it though besides Sharon... oops.

 

 

get listening x

 

7 hours ago, theblackestday said:

The way your top 15 songs are all perfect once you ignore So obsese I fell through the earth

you lowkey dragging the albums from 30-21 kinda sends me 
Love most of the albums from 20-11, Nilufer and Jessica fads

 

djgfhsdgfd, the so heavy slander MUST stop

and yeah I struggled to find 30 albums I genuinely liked  but I wanted to do a cute number and showcase albums I somewhat enjoyed...

Nilufer and Jessica WOTY

 

5 hours ago, TheWayWeWere said:

omg, I so agree with you on Hatchie write-up after listening her EP I hyped myself so much too, so I wasn't really satisfied with Keepsake  

 

Maybe it's because it was announced in February and didn't come until June? The long wait was NOT it... she's still yet to top her best song Adored x

 

[Eeveelution]

A top 10.  The way I stan almost every album.

 

Glad somebody else put UFOF top 3 like it deserves They won 2019 tea.

[Pink Matter]

NFR! and MAGDALENE   There's a bunch more in your top 20 that I have queued and will listen to later on. 

[Lazuli]

glad u switched on keepsake cuz it slays

anak ko, crushing, miss universe, remind me tomorrow

top 10:

pang, both big thief albums (glad that the superior album is higher), nfr, all mirrors, magadalene  

titanic rising deserved  it's funny how most ppl have the same few albums in the top 10 nnnn but it feels right 

[World Eater]

me not knowing what to comment because I don't have anything bad to say about a single album from the top 20 because they are all serves

 

Julia talentless hag I guess?

[TheWayWeWere]

PANG YOUR TASTE  I'll start my 2020 by listening Chairlift

Magdalene is just... ART  

All Mirrors Lark gave me chills  

NFR missing #2  what a surprise  mess but this album slays  I can't @ her repeaking so many years into carreer  

[K$Ellie]

Wasn't huge on the Bats for Lashes album but Kids in the Dark is v cute  same with Charli and Cross You Out/Gone

Pang in the top 10, the excellence  NFR is cute but I'm glad Weyes came thru in the end, TR is just that good  

Plaesed to see twiggy and Angel in the top 5 too  Igor was a solid effort