best of mokis best of 2020 | FINAL update - AOTY/SOTY revealed !

[Alex]

12 minutes ago, mokitsu said:

i told you you'd collapse

 

maybe the worst collapse of all time

 

[mokitsu]

19 minutes ago, Madame X said:

i did not pay any attention to amber rose this year tbh.  kinda regret it, but she just kept on giving droplets and idk why but that makes me lose interest.

yeah her quarantine ep (COVERED-19 () ) never came to fruition and i don't really care for those droplets. BUT generous is the only one that was intended for the pre-covid debut album and it's the best one by miles. 

 

edit: not amber rose tho

Edited December 10, 2020 by mokitsu

[madonnas]

1 minute ago, mokitsu said:

yeah her quarantine ep (COVERED-19 () ) never came to fruition and i don't really care for those droplets. BUT generous is the only one that was intended for the pre-covid debut album and it's the best one by miles. 

 

edit: not amber rose tho

i didn't even do that to be shady  my bad.

 

well, she's had great eps before so she will probably redeem herself.  

[KasioKas]

9 hours ago, mokitsu said:

]

 

 

is it bad that i like "dedicated side b" more than the actual album? while the final one had some of her best songs ("no drug like me" and "everything he needs" come to mind), it also had tons, and i do mean tons, of lackluster filler and songs that just never really hit the mark. "side b" balances the doe-eyed, romantic and energetic synthpop of dedicated with a more mature, midtempo side of carly that we got to see in tracks like "all that" and "warm blood". there's also some room for experimentation with indie pop in the obviously jack antonoff produced "let's sort the whole thing out" and the hazy "california". all in all, i think it's a great record and pretty much what "dedicated" should have been.

]

Someone else who liked B more than the orginal! ha!

[1998tweety]

Yass IDEA. I agrih that it was much better than Criminal, both instant classics though. Dedicated Side B was...cute, there are a couple of smashs (Stay Away, Felt This Way), but as a whole I think it was ok. DISCO was amazing, no one asked Kylie to release one of her best albums this late into her career but she did it anyway.

[Enigmanotta]

Idea, Lifetime, DISCO and someone finally giving Side B the respect it deserves!

 

[luckystrike]

UMMMMM kylie and alina too low but fine 

[Tom Vercetti]

I like emotion side b more than the actual album so no, not a bad thing. Romy is coming. 

[JGibson]

Need Your Love 

[Ewan Chaos]

God I can't wait for Romy's full album, assuming one will come. Dedicated Side B is cute but better than Side A........ choices (tho your highlights of side A are great at least, NDLM in particular). 

[Ava Max]

Disco

Dedicated Side A >>>

[Legend E]

Quote

i didnt like the ep when it dropped but i guess it works better as an album

 

oop maybe i should check it out

 

disco is the best here and it is too low  

[potent]

Haven't listened to Lapsley but I liked My Love Was Like the Rain!

We stan Disco  bop after bop

Need to give Lifetime some more listens

[mokitsu]

Spoiler

 

On 12/10/2020 at 9:07 AM, Navyofbadgals said:

Disco a cute moment yes x bop after bop

dua's mom snapped

23 hours ago, Lazuli said:

circle the drain and lifetime  two songs that definitely slayed my year a lot

disco, dedicated side b  

circle the drain, im going dooooooooooooooooown

 

21 hours ago, K$Ellie said:

IKEA kinda bad, I thought it was inch resting on first listen but after like 5 plays I was already tired of it

 

 

Lapsley... well  Disco was a great effort, my first Kylie album too  Side B had bops here and there

It Was Divine whew  I found it a lot better than girls like Jhene, the production is just

Apple and Dumhdurum ahhhh, amazing choices  ROM is fine I guess and Comess a bop x

mah ah hahah mah aha ah ah ahah i de uh WHEW i love it

 

and IWD is not my fave r&b album this year, but its in the podium

 

 

19 hours ago, Sunderland 4ever said:

This is a strooooong set, let me tell you. Circle The Drain sounds like a track that was hidden in a cave since the 90s. The melody in her voice at the end of the chorus is my favorite part. Need Your Love is another great track. Probably my second off their album. Tennis really outdid themselves this year.

they did! i already loooooooooved them but im so happy they pushed themselves harder.

19 hours ago, Psycho said:

Idea messy bop

Lifetime classic

 

DSB above Disco

it is what it is

 

18 hours ago, TheWayWeWere said:

Need Your Love is epic   I never knew about them before this year, I'm so glad I find them  

Disco  one of her best albums for sure

yas for Through Water  so nice to see Lapsley on someone's lists   Station is one of my favorites from Debut  

 

17 hours ago, BlackoutZone said:

Ahh still haven't heard Tennis album, but NYL is great IDEA cute, but yeah Criminal outsold

Lifetime bops, but hopefully it's just the beginning and not cute stand alone

 

So glad DISCO made it, camp Kylie best Kylie

 

17 hours ago, Supervillain said:

Idea is excellent Glad to see It Was Divine here as you kept switching on it but seems like you enjoyed it in the and so I'm happy to see that, Alina deserves more recognition. Disco was a classic and Dedicated Side B is a cute collection of outtakes, could have been better though. 

 

16 hours ago, prézli said:

Yes Kylie, yes Carly, yes TASTE

16 hours ago, geodancefreak said:

Wow I'm actually shocked you were disappointed with Cape God. It's one of my fav albums this year. DSICO should have also been higher 

Other than that, here for all the Gaga entries 

 

16 hours ago, dangerousalex said:

it was divine WAYYYYYY too low why why why

 

15 hours ago, KasioKas said:

Someone else who liked B more than the orginal! ha!

YES! finally!!!!!!

14 hours ago, 1998tweety said:

Yass IDEA. I agrih that it was much better than Criminal, both instant classics though. Dedicated Side B was...cute, there are a couple of smashs (Stay Away, Felt This Way), but as a whole I think it was ok. DISCO was amazing, no one asked Kylie to release one of her best albums this late into her career but she did it anyway.

kylie needs a lifetime award or something for keeping the gays FED

 

14 hours ago, Enigmanotta said:

Idea, Lifetime, DISCO and someone finally giving Side B the respect it deserves!

 

purr bestie

11 hours ago, luckystrike said:

UMMMMM kylie and alina too low but fine 

they get participation awards

10 hours ago, Tom Vercetti said:

I like emotion side b more than the actual album so no, not a bad thing. Romy is coming. 

well... i liked emotion side b more too

10 hours ago, JGibson said:

Need Your Love 

an ANTHEM

 

9 hours ago, Ewan Chaos said:

God I can't wait for Romy's full album, assuming one will come. Dedicated Side B is cute but better than Side A........ choices (tho your highlights of side A are great at least, NDLM in particular). 

i hope so. she keeps dropping remixes tho

 

NDLM carly's best song

8 hours ago, Ava Max said:

Disco

Dedicated Side A >>>

yup yup

 

4 hours ago, Legend E said:

oop maybe i should check it out

 

disco is the best here and it is too low  

Yes do it

Kylie just released too late

 

48 minutes ago, potent said:

Haven't listened to Lapsley but I liked My Love Was Like the Rain!

We stan Disco  bop after bop

Need to give Lifetime some more listens

there's a lot of moments like Rain! listen!

 

 

 

[mokitsu]

SONGS

 

 

madison's fifth lead single this year is undoubtedly the best one yet. a couple of harp notes in the intro are followed by a dark, drone-y beat - and that perfectly symbolizes the balance between the sultry and explicitly sexual nature of the song with a more delicate, almost holy side madison presents. she's never sounded more confident, assertive and sure of herself, and when she repeats that she looks to good to be alone and that she can turn you on, there better be no doubt in your head about it.

 

 

 

 

 

after seemingly wrapping up the "rare" era, selena came back with "boyfriend". it's a far cry from the album's quirky and julia michaels'd sound, opting instead for deep house production reminiscent of kanye's "fade" and a sensuality and self assurance that recalls some of her best material, like "fetish" and "hands to myself". it's a gen-z dating anthem, what else do we need?

 

 

 

 

 

stayc gurs! it's going down! remember when i talked about black eyed pilseung and their production when i described apink's "dumhdurum" some updates ago? well, this is the first kpop group they put together and "so bad" is their debut song! it's another fast paced, sugary song with a lot of synths and drum n bass production, very reminiscent of apink's "%%". their vocal performances are very unique, especially the deep voiced (15 year old) member "j". even if the lyrical content is a bit immature and teenager'd the production is very sleek and shiny. best debut of the year?

 

 

 

 

 

our anti-covid queen dropped the aptly titled "fever" shortly after "levitating" for her french audience, and thankfully, since it's 2020 and not 1973, the whole world got to appreciate it. this song is tropical house run through a "future nostalgia" fever and after taking some shots - a much slurred, ready to pounce "new rules" when it comes to production. while dua is no stranger to carrying sexy dance songs on her own (her husky voice just does it naturally), the french singer angèle elevates this track with her more innocent vocals and weirdly catchy french verses and hook. an unexpected collaboration, but one that works great.

 

 

 

 

it's incredible that this is such a fast paced song but still manages to feel atmospheric and airy. yukika recaptures a nostalgic city pop with the "soul lady" title track, but makes it more upbeat and dancey. it does an incredible job of transporting me to a dark, neon lit street in seoul with some raindrops falling. and i'm alone - but the sheer warmth and anthemic joy of the song makes me feel good in my loneliness.

 

 

 

[mokitsu]

ALBUMS

 

 

was "manic" snubbed from the grammys, like halsey suggests? does the basement they run pitchfork out of need to collapse? we all know miss frangipane has been one to make bold statements about injustices in the world ever since she was an unknown act with a small tumblr following - either through tweets or music. but five years and two #1 hits later, she turns inward and locks up her alter ego (the cinematic, mystical one we got to know in "badlands" and "hopeless fountain kingdom") and out comes ashley. she described this as a personal album, with the facade and drama stripped away, so as to examine who she really is. and there's no doubt she's a mess: this project attempts to combine genres, influences in a way that sounds like her own "lemonade", and she amps up the songwriting in a way that is both poetic and personal, going through her mental health issues and relationships with her partners and family. and even if she's the main character in her own story, there's still cinematic moments that work really well, like "forever is a long time" and "finally // beautiful stranger". even if the rock songs should've been included and some moments work better than others, this is halsey's most accomplished project and one i can enjoy thoroughly.

favorite songs: finally // beautiful stranger, ashley, you should be sad

 

 

 

 

kinda feels weird that i'm writing this as we're hours away from a new taylor swift surprise album, the second this year! like, who does that? a couple of months after her (unfairly) maligned album "lover" came out, taylor swift used the pandemic to retreat and restructure. and in doing so, she allowed herself to come out of the pop box she locked herself in with the blockbuster "1989". ever since "going pop" she's been criticized for sacrificing great lyrics for pop melodies, and "folklore" exists basically to flex her creative storytelling skills and vernacular over mellow guitar and piano ballads. gotta respect her for that! even if the flannel in the woods aesthetic seems a bit... tryhard for the same girl who was marching with brendon urie in a rainbow road while unicorns puked glitter on them last year, it's definitely a welcome change and if you can separate it from taylor swift the celebrity, a truly great listen.

favorite songs: august, peace, seven

 

 

 

 

another addition to 2020's list of "was great, got bad, but is great again" acts! yeah, i'm not going to defend "us" one bit. it sucks. thankfully, empress came back HARD with this record. produced entirely by bj burton, "i'm your empress of" is incredibly cohesive and benefits from its flow, so much so that the tracks bleed into each other with great transitions throughout. sometimes cohesion is mistaken with it being same-y, but that's not the case here. each song sounds different and has a new emotion and theme that contributes to the main motifs of the album: a broken up relationship and the fall out, being desperate for human touch. even if the title sounds self assured, she's still finding herself and going through the mishaps of adult relationships - but she does it over electropop, club ready beats.

favorite songs: not the one, hold me like water, love is a drug

 

 

 

 

although i had loved some of taemin's singles years ago, i only really got into him when this dropped. released in two parts this year, "never gonna dance again" plays to his strengths: dark, sensual electropop that is cinematic and performance-ready and mellow, romantic r&b cuts. although the album has more of the latter (which isn't a bad thing at all, as i find myself liking them more), there's groove and emotion all through the album. it's probably as good as it gets for male pop albums this year.

favorite songs: idea, be your enemy, clockwork

 

 

 

 

the recently retired yukika is probably the leading lady of the city pop revival in the kpop circles. i don't know much about the history of city pop except that it originated in japan and is quite groovy, a great fusion of jazz and synthfunk. and that's exactly what "soul lady" is! it does a great job of capturing an 80s nostalgic feel, both through the crisp retro production and her emotive vocal performance. and just like i said in the description for its title track, it really transports me somewhere else.

favorite songs: soul lady, shade, neon

Edited December 11, 2020 by mokitsu

[dreamofyou]

boyfriend, baby and fever

 

folklore yup

Edited December 11, 2020 by dreamofyou

[Navyofbadgals]

Fever very good yup, good to see you have some taste!

[Navyofbadgals]

3 minutes ago, mokitsu said:

kinda feels weird that i'm writing this as we're hours away from a new taylor swift surprise album

The unprofessionalism to not change this smh

[mokitsu]

Just now, Navyofbadgals said:

The unprofessionalism to not change this smh

i didn't want to say i listened to it and it sucked

 

[geodancefreak]

Fever 

[Navyofbadgals]

12 minutes ago, mokitsu said:

i didn't want to say i listened to it and it sucked

 

Fine then

 

[Sunderland 4ever]

4 hours ago, mokitsu said:

an unexpected collaboration, but one that works great.

Spot-on write-up! Great track.

 

I was pleasantly surprised by Taylor's album. Will surely check her latest realease out.

Edited December 11, 2020 by Sunderland 4ever

[ikiru]

So Bad! Really in love with that song recently!

Fever is cute, a little underwhelming, but the two of them sound great together!

Yukika and Taemin Korean excellence

[Supervillain]

Oh wow, oh wow, oh wow, the amount of excellence in this update! Baby, So Bad, Fever are all 10/10s and I do agree about STAYC being rookie of the year, they just did the damn thing that had to be done and the whole group looks and sounds really solid and each member is special, love them so much. Manic is a massively underrated record for no reason, I think Halsey did a really great job there and it's such a well-put record, Folklore and I'm Your Empress Of are both classics