best of HONESTLY, 2022. - Top 25 Singles + FINISHED!!!

[Alldeezy]

Carly & Tove Lo

[TRF.]

On 12/26/2022 at 6:27 AM, MP2K said:

Flo did that

 

Curious to know, where do you usually find some of these artists? I feel I never come across some of these and they look interesting

Oh... different places I guess! RateYourMusic is a go-to, but I also try and search for stuff on different publications like Pitchfork, The Quietus, also ones from different countries whenever I'm able to.

 

On 12/26/2022 at 2:19 PM, TheWayWeWere said:

The Loneliest Time and Dance Fever missing the list  nnn not when they are such a great uprdages from their previous albums  

I'm saving SOS for slayage next year too

Dance Fever was the last cut  I feel bad cause it's a very good album and such an improvement from her previous work  but there'll be justice for Tove Lo I promise

 

20 hours ago, Legend E said:

The Loneliest Time and Dance Fever  love them both, but I don't mind them being only HMs too much

 

glad to see SOS will be charting next year  I'm saving SOS for slayage next year too [2]

Glad to see many people are also saving SOS for the future sláyage

 

Next update in a bit!

[TRF.]

 

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#50. Villano Antillano La Sustancia X Genre: Trap, Pop Rap, Reggaetón Hardcore Hip Hop, Conscious Hip Hop, Rap Rock, Dance-Pop Label: Sony || Country: Puerto Rico Release Date: December 2, 2022   One of the big breakout Latin American stars of 2022 was Puerto Rican rapper Villano Antillano, featured in Bizarrap's excellent and inescpable 51st session, reaching a level of recognition rare for a trans woman in the region. On her debut album La Sustancia X she expands on everything that made that track work so well. Not only is that seen in her genre-hopping energy, going beyond the reggaetón and trap sounds dominating mainstream Latin rap, but also thanks to her clever lines/rhymes and her incessant flow, whether celebrating hedonism or touching on more serious topics, she's equally effortless at everything.   Highlights: "Hedonismo", "Designer *****", "Hello Kitty", "Puesta" (feat. La Dame Blanche), "Mujer" (feat. iLe), "Nena mala" RIYL: Bad Bunny, Ivy Queen, Rico Nasty, La Mala Rodriguez

 

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#49. Lila Tirando a Violeta Desire Path Genre: Latin Electronic, Hard Drum Deconstructed Club, Neoperreo, Ritual Ambient Label: NAAFI || Country: Uruguay Release Date: April 8, 2022   Inspired by rhythms from all Latin America, the recent project by prolific Uruguayan producer Lila Tirando a Violeta is one of her best yet. Her second for Mexican label NAAFI, Desire Path includes collaborations with like-minded artists such as Merca Bae, Nicola Cruz, Loris or Sayveeyun. Far from her early vaporwave-inspired releases, this record leans towards club music, yet still constains the eerieness that characterizes some of her best output, with a production so dense and filled with details, like the birdsong or aquatic Drexciya-like field recordings across the album, that elevate this from any other dancefloor records this year.   Highlights: "Cuerpo que flota" (feat. Nicola Cruz), "Whirlwinds" (feat. Sayveeyun), "Tungsten Tears", "Caminos del deseo" (feat. Loris), "Aguas violentas" (feat. Verraco) RIYL: Hyph11e, Lechuga Zafiro, Siete Catorce, Drexciya

 

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#48. Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Popul Topical Dancer Genre: Art Pop, Tech House, Synthpop Minimal Synth, Electroclash, New Beat, French Electro, Mutant Disco Label: Deewee/Belgium || Country: Belgium Release Date: March 4, 2022   Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul have been working together for years for each other's projects, but Topical Dancer is their debut album proper, both being equally credited. The album adapts mid-00s electroclash and blog-house into a Laurie Anderson-esque style of spoken-word experimental pop, addressing topics related to colonialism, misogyny, racism and xenophobia in Europe, the relationship between fans/critics and artists and more. And while the way they tackle these issues is direct and poignant, it's a dancefloor record with a huge sense of humor and irony that makes everything work, where even the most uncomfortable topics never feel too heavy.   Highlights: "Blenda", "Hey", "It Hit Me", "Ich Mwen" (feat. Christiane Adigéry), "Mantra", "Maing Sense Stop", "HAHA", "Thank You" RIYL: Kilo Kish, Laurie Anderson, Soulwax, La Roux

 

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#47. Bladee & Ecco2k Crest Genre: Synthpop, Art Pop Electropop, Cloud Rap, Ambient Pop, Dance-Pop Label: YEAR0001 || Country: Sweden Release Date: March 17, 2022   Swedish artists Bladee and Ecco2k have been working together for more than a decade now. Both key members of Drain Gang, their chemistry has always been insane, making any kind of style work in their own way. In their first full length together, Crest, they take on lo-fi-esque, upbeat electronic pop that can be seen an extension of their 2020 song "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun". Produced by frequent collaborator Whitearmor, this is notoriously their most accessible record yet, that can convert any DG-skeptic into a fanatic without losing what makes their autotuned magic so special to those already deep.   Highlights: "The Flag Is Raised", "5 Star Crest (4 Vattenrum)", "Chaos Follows", "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", "Heaven Sings" RIYL: either Bladee or Ecco2k's solo work, Grimes, Molly Nilsson

 

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#46. Deize Tigrona Foi eu que fiz Genre: Funk mandelão, Funk 150 bpm Kuduro, Grime, UK Drill, Funk proibidão, UK Bass  Label: Batekoo || Country: Brazil Release Date: September 23, 2022   Deize Tigrona is considered to be one of the OG Brazilian funk MCs, one of the mothers of the genre. After being sampled by M.I.A. on "Bucky Done Gun" however, she didn't really crossover nor was she able to release much music since. This year she released Foi eu que fiz, her proper debut album nearly two decades after her start in music, a seven-track collection featuring forward-thinking producers/collaborators such as Badsista, Teto Preto or JLZ. It shows Deize's ability to adjust herself to the current sound of funk, but moreso a reminder that she's still mother to many.   Highlights: "Sururu das meninas", "Monalisa", "Bondage", "Foi eu que fiz", "A mãe tá on" RIYL: Linn Da Quebrada, MC Dricka, M.I.A., Badsista

 

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#45. Joe Rainey Niineta Genre: Post-Industrial, Powwow Music, Electronic Electroacoustic, Power Noise, Dark Ambient Label: 37d03d || Country: USA Release Date: May 20, 2022   On his debut album Niineta, Red Lake Ojibwe singer Joe Rainey combines powwow music with electronic beats by producer Andrew Broder of The Fog fame. Both Joe and Andrew shine bright in their respective roles, showing each so much range, mostly touching on unheard of territory. Joe's voice is very versatile, passionately expressing each emotion through his singing, sadness, grief, fury, joy, all of which is matched by Broder's cinematic-sounding and impeccably produced industrial beats aided by samples of Rainey's archive of recorded powwow ceremonies. As intense as it may sound sometimes, Niineta is an invitation to a beautiful experience.   Highlights: "easy on the cide", "bezhigo", "no chants", "jr. flip", "turned engine" (feat. Allie Bearhead), "phil's offering" RIYL: Tanya Tagaq, Dreamcrusher, Dear Laika, the last two Low albums

 

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#44. Coby Sey Conduit Genre: Experimental Hip Hop, UK Hip Hop, Downtempo Post-Industrial, Trip Hop, UK Bass, Conscious Hip Hop, Ambient, Avant-Garde Jazz Label: AD 93 || Country: UK Release Date: September 9, 2022   Coby Sey has been an key part of the London experimental music scene, having worked with people like Klein, Brother May, Cosha, and most recently, co-producing Tirzah's Colourgrade album alongside frequent collaborator Mica Levi. His first album, Conduit, is an extension of the music he's been creating over the years. This record is composed of half-spoken-half-rapped reflections on the events of the past couple years, with instrumentals that recall 90s trip hop but also moments of abrasive industrial music, tense jazz and relaxing ambience. It's a perfect representation of its artwork, a rainy, somewhat cold late afternoon in the city.   Highlights: "Etym", "Permeated Secrets", "Dial Square (Confront)", "Response" (feat. Ben Vince, CJ Calderwood & Ben Rainey), "Eve Anwummerɛ)" RIYL: Tricky, John Glacier, Moor Mother, Space Afrika

 

 

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#43. Chat Pile God's Country Genre: Noise Rock, Sludge Metal Industrial Metal, Post-Punk, Post-Hardcore Label: The Flenser || Country: USA Release Date: July 29, 2022   Oklahoma band Chat Pile have been on my radar for their two 2019 EPs, This Dungeon Earth and Remove Your Skin Please, two records with some of the darkest, most chaotic noise rock tracks I've heard in a while. On their debut album, God's Country, they push that even further. Equally inspired by post-punk and Korn, it's music that reflects the current world (particularly that of the United States) in its most hopeless, desperate way possible. By the time you've finished the 9-minute last track, you've probably felt a lot of things, none of them pretty, but also strangely cathartic.   Highlights: "Slaughterhouse", "Pamela", "Wicked Puppet Dance", "Anywhere", "The Mask", "grimace_smoking_weed.jpeg" RIYL: Gilla Band, Big Black, Godflesh, Uniform

 

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#42. Himera Sharing Secrets Genre: Bubblegum Bass, Progressive Electronic, Trance Ambient Trance, Ambient Pop, Glitch, Uplifting Trance, Dream Trance Label: Unseelie || Country: Latvia Release Date: September 4, 2022   Sharing Secrets, the most recent album by Latvia-born producer Himera is one of the sweetest sounding albums I've heard all year. While the influence of PC Music, SOPHIE and trance music as a whole is very much present, Sharing Secrets feels moreso like an invitation to an alternate, ethereal, colorful world or something like that. It's a record that highlights the importance of friendship (as seen in its list of collaborators like Hannah Diamond, Golin or Petal Supply), it's dance music that sounds comfortable albeit a little disorienting from time to time. It's nostalgic, euphoric, a wonderful memory to have.   Highlights: "Rubber Ball ♩ Wooden Horse ♩ Magic Wand ♩ Building Blocks", "Kiss" (feat. Hannah Diamond), "Our Garden", "Today I Opened My Eyes", "Pose!" (feat. Golin), "You Make It Look So Easy (S.M.I.L.E.Y.)" (feat. Petal Supply), "Faint" (feat. Instupendo) RIYL: Lorenzo Senni, A.G. Cook, SOPHIE, Galen Tipton

 

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#41. death's dynamic shroud Darklife Genre: Glitch Pop, Vapor Art Pop, Synthpop, Vaporwave, Post-Industrial, Glitch, Plunderphonics, Utopian Virtual Label: 100% Electronica || Country: USA Release Date: September 23, 2022   death's dynamic shroud are a collective of vaporwave(-adjacent) artists (Tech Honors, James Webster, Keith Rankin) who are behind some of the genre's greatest works, both individually and dds. Darklife is the second album in which the three members have worked together, and it might be their most definitive work to date. Darklife is a collection of many wonderful experimental pop songs, that are as catchy as they are erratic and unpredictable, using elements from that semi-dead genre to build something that pushes it beyond slowed-down samples and nostalgic ambient music, into one of the most innovative albums of the year.   Highlights: "Judgment Bolt", "Neon Memories", "Light Left the Garden", "Messe de E-102", "After Third Heaven", "Fade Persona", "Fall for Me", "Where Does It Come From?", "Rare Angel", "Dark Matter" RIYL: Oneohtrix Point Never, George Clanton, Holly Herndon, Passion Pit

 

[Sanguine]

Charlotte and Bladee  was kind of a Bladee hater before this year but he really grew on me. DDS was good, although I liked some of their albums from last year better. A few of these I've never heard of and look interesting!

 

 

[Legend E]

oh idk these boo  

[Into The Void]

50-41 

sorry i dont know a single one

[TheWayWeWere]

I don't know anyone, but I followed your lists previously and found some amazing music  as for now Bladee is my favorite from the list

[TRF.]

8 hours ago, Sanguine said:

Charlotte and Bladee  was kind of a Bladee hater before this year but he really grew on me. DDS was good, although I liked some of their albums from last year better. A few of these I've never heard of and look interesting!

 

 

Yeah Bladee is... either you get it or you don't ngl  but when he hits he really hits!

 

5 hours ago, Legend E said:

oh idk these boo  

 

5 hours ago, Insanity said:

50-41 

sorry i dont know a single one

 

2 hours ago, TheWayWeWere said:

I don't know anyone, but I followed your lists previously and found some amazing music  as for now Bladee is my favorite from the list

LMFAOOOOOO well maybe next update you guys will know some things

[TRF.]

 

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#40. Yung Kayo DFTK Genre: Trap, Rage Pop Rap, Cloud Rap, Experimental Hip Hop, Digicore Label: YSL || Country: USA Release Date: February 4, 2022   Washington DC rapper Yung Kayo is a now 19-year-old rapper who got a co-sign from Young Thug from a very young age, and while you can definitely hear the Thug influence, his debut album DFTK is perhaps most indebted to the experimental, abrasive trap production of Carti's WholeLottaRed. For a first full-length project it has a very clear aesthetic and sound, and if all works out, Yung Kayo seems destined to being a star in the making. And besides, where else can you find Eartheater, Yeat, Umru and Gunna in the same album, and make it all make sense somehow?   Highlights: "Down (One Kount)", "Save Her", "Yeet" (feat. Yeat), "Believer", "Hear You" (feat. Eartheater), "Over", "Freak", "No Sense", "It's a Monday" RIYL: Young Thug, Yeat, Playboi Carti, Rojuu

 

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#39. ooodisea O' dimness SOUL HOME Genre: Neoclassical Darkwave, Singer-Songwriter Dark Ambient, Avant-Folk, Chamber Music, Spoken Word, Glitch, Noise Label: self-released || Country: Argentina Release Date: November 19, 2022   ooodisea's debut album O' dimness SOUL HOME is an extension of the world they created with last year's COLORPIANO EP. Written entirely in English in comparison to the Argentinian artist's previous release, O' dimness SOUL HOME doesn't stay far from the piano-led, lugubrious, melancholic songs in it, but it does add multiple elements that make it come together, adding to its somber atmosphere. ooodisea bears their soul open in these very personal tracks, singing each line with pain, angst and sorrow. It does not make for a very easy listen, but it might be alluring for those into the darkness.   Highlights: "cursed...", "the spell...", "let YOUR SOUL GO", "DO YOU LOVE me", "(NO COMFORT) but after all", "glare" RIYL: Lingua Ignota, Ruins-era Grouper, Bohren & der Club of Gore, Diamanda Galás

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#38. Charli XCX CRASH Genre: Dance-Pop Synthpop, Electropop, Contemporary R&B, Freestyle Label: Atlantic || Country: UK Release Date: March 18, 2022   A lot's been said about this album: the style change, the lack of hyperpop, her toying with "selling out" and so on. By being more "normal", it's been the most controversial Charli XCX album so far. And yet, CRASH, proves that even when stripping Charli from her experimental side, her strength in pop songwriting shows regardless, especially with its amount of infectious, catchy hooks. In some kind of way, it feels like a sexier, more mature version of True Romance (her best album I believe). Not everyone will get CRASH, but what she wanted out of it, she's got it.   Highlights: "New Shapes (feat. Christine and the Queens & Caroline Polachek)", "Good Ones", "Constant Repeat", "Move Me", "Baby", "Lightning", "Twice" RIYL: Dua Lipa, Caroline Polachek, Janet Jackson, True Romance-era Charli

 

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#37. Huerco S. Plonk Genre: IDM, Ambient Electroacoustic, Ambient, Glitch, Ambient Dub Label: Incienso || Country: USA Release Date: February 25, 2022   Brian Leeds a.k.a. Huerco S. grew a bit tired of ambient music, and for several reasons, I don't really blame him for it. His 2016 album proved a revived interest in the genre, redefining his sonic identity, something he dived deeper into and went darker with his work as Pendant. But his third album Plonk is here to challenge that... mostly. With footwork-inspired rhythm patterns, a vaguely car-inspired concept, 90's IDM aesthetics and even a collaboration with rapper Sir E.U, Plonk is notably different from anything he's ever done before, yet feels like a natural evolution for Leeds to take.   Highlights: "Plonk I", "Plonk III", "Plonk IV", "Plonk VI", "Plonk VII", "Plonk IX" (feat. Sir E.U), "Plonk X" RIYL: Actress, Autechre, Ulla, Loraine James

 

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#36. Klein Star in the Hood Genre: Sound Collage, Post-Industrial, Glitch Dark Ambient, Noise, Drone, Epic Collage, Musique concrète Label: Parkwuud || Country: UK Release Date: September 23, 2022   Klein is unstoppable. Since the mid-2010s, the London-based artist been putting out some of the most challenging, unpredictable, interesting and unique experimental music, and she's only pushed further and further into this direction. Her second album this year, the mostly-collage-based Star in the Hood, almost feels like a back-to-the-roots record in comparison to her recent material. With the eerie-sounding pianos, distortion and ghostly vocals that has characterized her for years, she still manages to surprise with her ominous yet oddly nostalgic and introspective work. In a world with plenty of so-called avant-garde music, Klein shows she's still 5 steps ahead.   Highlights: "mommy's girl", "black star", "schooled", "postcode wars", "signed and delivered", "Swerve", "brand new day", "winter", "SOUF TITLE" RIYL: Tim Hecker, Elysia Crampton, Vanessa Rossetto, Chino Amobi

 

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#35. DJ Travella Mr Mixondo Genre: Singeli Bubbling Label: Nyege Nyege Tapes || Country: Tanzania Release Date: April 1, 2022   Kampala-based label Nyege Nyege Tapes has long championed Tanzanian singeli and the artists making it, releasing some of the most exciting electronic music albums of the past years. But young producer DJ Travella is different from the rest, not just because he's not affiliated with the Sisso studio many of singeli's big producers came out of, but also because his approach is beyond genre limitations. With sounds akin to hardcore EDM, Dutch bubbling-house/dancehall and many other global club sounds, his album Mr Mixondo is one of its kind. It'll surely be hard to find music as energetic as that.   Highlights: "Crazy Beat Music Umeme 1", "Crazy Beat Music Umeme 2", "Chapa Bakola Music Bass", "21212", "London Bandcamp", "London Jomon Beat", "Kaz0" RIYL: Jay Mitta, Duke, Gabber Modus Operandi, Slikback

 

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#34. OHYUNG imagine naked! Genre: Ambient Drone, Electroacoustic, Minimalism, Field Recordings Label: NNA || Country: China/USA Release Date: April 22, 2022   OHYUNG is a Chinese-American artist whose music takes influences from rap, noise, pop and club music to create some truly intense stuff. Which is why it's interesting that for their first album under NNA Tapes, they would start with an almost two-hour long ambient record. But imagine naked! goes way beyond just that. Inspired by their work as a film composer, something different is brought out of OHYUNG in each composition, with notably varied results for an ambient album, managing to bring it all together into a cohesive body of work, one of the best of its genre this year.   Highlights: "my torn cuticles!", "my hands hold flora!", "tucked in my stomach!", "yes my weeping frame!", "imagine naked!", "symphonies sweeping!", "philodendros trail!", "releases like gloves!" RIYL: William Basinski, Malibu, Pendant, Mica Levi's scoring work

 

 

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#33. Cities Aviv Man Plays the Horn Genre: Experimental Hip Hop, Abstract Hip Hop, Jazz Rap Drumless, Hypnagogic Pop, Conscious Hip Hop, Cloud Rap, Sound Collage, Plunderphonics, Ambient Label: D.O.T. Audio Arts || Country: USA Release Date: February 2, 2022   My first impression of this album was looking at its runtime. And Man Plays the Horn is indeed quite long, its regular version being 83-minutes long, with a deluxe "Director's Cut" extending to almost 2 hours. Yet, it sounds like Cities Aviv's most fully realized project to date, not a second going to waste. Definitely recognizably hip hop in its nature or structure, but not afraid to take inspiration from psychedelia, vaporwave, and even ambient music, it's a wonderfully contemplative work of art. Despite many rappers having explored similar styles, rarely has it sounded more perfect than it did now.   Highlights: "Everythang Workin on a Natural Time", "Black Pleasure", "Blues Traveler", "Jet", "Maceman", "Tragedy Theater", "Smokin on a Brighter Day", "Romance", "Theme from the Source", "Marina", "Subterranean Staircase", "Bolt Thrower", "The Final Spark" RIYL: Earl Sweatshirt, Slauson Malone, MIKE, Dean Blunt

 

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#32. Lucrecia Dalt ¡Ay! Genre: Art Pop Bolero, Dark Jazz, Latin Electronic, Electroacoustic, Chachachá, Latin Jazz, Ambient Pop Label: RVNG Intl. || Country: Colombia Release Date: October 10, 2022   The work of Colombian producer Lucrecia Dalt has been turning more and more sparse, cryptic and ominous over the years, culminating in a (great, underrated) collaborative album with noise artist Aaron Dilloway. But fresh off of scoring TV series The Baby, ¡Ay! is Lucrecia's most accessible work in years. Inspired by the music of her land as well as science fiction and the idea of time in and of itself, it's a gorgeous, nocturnal and mysterious album that sounds as intimate as it does cerebral. It's an eerie conceptual record, yes, but maybe your Latina mom will dig it too.   Highlights: "No tiempo", "El Galatzó", "Atemporal", "Dicen", "Contenida", "La desmesura", "Enviada" RIYL: Julee Cruise, Nicolas Jaar, Helado Negro, Félicia Atkinson

 

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#31. Jenny Hval Classical Objects Genre: Art Pop, Ambient Pop Sophisti-Pop, Neo-Psychedelia, Dream Pop Label: 4AD || Country: Norway Release Date: March 11, 2022   When preparing her first album for 4AD, Jenny Hval had to reflect about what being "just her" meant, in a post-pandemic world. This results in Classic Objects, her most straight-forward album structure-wise. However, straight-forward doesn't mean less complex, or less interesting or less good. Musically it takes influences from the early 4AD output, sophisti-pop and 90's psychedelia shaped into her otherworldly avant-pop aesthetic, but lyrically it reflects on marriage, her origins, democracy and the overcommercialization of the music industry, with some of her most descriptive storytelling to date. While not as focused in transgressing, Hval continues to stun as always.   Highlights: "Year of Love", "American Coffee", "Cemetery of Splendour", "Year of Sky", "Jupiter", "Freedom" RIYL: Julia Holter, Cate Le Bon, Kate Bush, Everything But the Girl

[Alldeezy]

Crash

[Mr. Blue_Shirt]

Yaass Jenny Hval acclaim 

 

Classic Objects is one of my favorite discovery this year and Year Of Love is just THAT bop!

[Sanguine]

Yung Kayo’s album was really fun and Lucrecia Dalt’s was cool and pretty! I need to revisit them

 

Jenny’s was nice too, she’s veryyyy consistent for me which is a good thing but Blood ***** is above all the others by a decent margin personally

[TheWayWeWere]

I was pretty afraid of 'Crash' being another 'Sucker' mess, but it's actually pretty amazing pop record  

[Legend E]

well I know Crash...unfortunately!

[Lee!!]

Crash

[TRF.]

12 hours ago, Sanguine said:

Yung Kayo’s album was really fun and Lucrecia Dalt’s was cool and pretty! I need to revisit them

 

Jenny’s was nice too, she’s veryyyy consistent for me which is a good thing but Blood ***** is above all the others by a decent margin personally

I kinda agree with you  Blood ***** is a top 5 album of 2016 for me, and my favorite work of hers. That said her other work is not far off behind for me so

 

11 hours ago, TheWayWeWere said:

I was pretty afraid of 'Crash' being another 'Sucker' mess, but it's actually pretty amazing pop record  

Kinda same even though I did like Sucker when it dropped

 

2 hours ago, Legend E said:

well I know Crash...unfortunately!

Well... it is divisive indeed

[TRF.]

 

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#30. Beach House Once Twice Melody Genre: Dream Pop, Neo-Psychedelia Indietronica, Shoegaze, Synthpop, Ethereal Wave Label: Sub Pop || Country: USA Release Date: February 4, 2022   If you weren't already a Beach House fan, their newest record Once Twice Melody might not convert you. This album is 84 minutes of the most Beach House-sounding "dream pop" the band has ever done. It's a lot. Nevertheless, that's part of its appeal — in this album, the duo seems to explore every possible aspect of their sound, from synth-heavy psychedelic compositions to heavy-hitting shoegaze-y bangers, passing through their dreamiest acoustic songs. In some kind of way, Once Twice Melody feels necessary as the best, most complete gift they could give fans after so long in the world of music.   Highlights: "Once Twice Melody", "Superstar", "Pink Funeral", "Runaway", "New Romance", "Over and Over", "Only You Know", "Masquerade", "Illusion of Forever", "Finale", "Hurts to Love", "Modern Love Stories" RIYL: any Beach House album, M83, Broadcast, Mazzy Star

 

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#29. Jockstrap I Love You Jennifer B Genre: Art Pop, Glitch Pop Chamber Pop, Progressive Pop, Folktronica, Contemporary Folk, Electropop Label: Rough Trade || Country: UK Release Date: September 9, 2022   British duo Jockstrap have been one of the most exciting alternative pop acts of recent years, with 2020's Wicked City EP they cemented themselves as such. Now on Rough Trade (fitting theme!), their debut album I Love You Jennifer B they show how far their concept for what the genre can be goes. They stretch their eclectic electronic-pop sound by adding acoustic guitars, orchestral arrangements, digitally distorted vocals and more. With lyrics that can be very personal and intense yet still have a strong sense of humor to them, Jockstrap are truly creating a brand of pop unique to themselves.   Highlights: "Neon", "Jennifer B", "Greatest Hits", "Concrete Over Water", "Debra", "Glasgow", "50/50" RIYL: Goldfrapp, Imogen Heap, both Weyes Blood *and* Charli XCX

 

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#28. Amber Mark Three Dimensions Deep Genre: Contemporary R&B, Neo-Soul Pop Soul, Alternative R&B, Afrobeats, Synth Funk Label: PMR/Interscope || Country: UK Release Date: January 28, 2022   I've been hearing about Amber Mark since at least 2017, so it does seem a bit surprising to hear that only this year her debut album was dropping. But Three Dimensions Deep makes it incredibly clear that the wait was worth it, an excellent, diverse-sounding R&B album with top-notch production and songwriting that reflects on general issues like relationships or the experiences of being in your mid-20s, to personal ones like the loss of her mother. Despite being an hour long, there's little-to-no filler, making it an excellent debut statement from an artist whose best is surely yet to come.   Highlights: "One", "What It Is", "Most Men", "FOMO", "Turnin Pages", "Foreign Things", "On & On", "Out of This World", "Cosmic", "Darkside", "Worth It", "Bliss", "Event Horizon" RIYL: SZA, Solange, Jorja Smith, Jazmine Sullivan

 

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#27. Marina Herlop Pripyat Genre: Glitch Pop, Avant-Folk, Art Pop Choral, Folktronica, Deconstructed Club, Carnatic Classical Music Label: PAN || Country: Spain Release Date: May 20, 2022   My first impression of Marina Herlop's solo music was the video for her track "miu". The song was already good enough, but the video elevated that even further, being my favorite one of 2021. But would the Catalan artist's music stand on its own for an album? Pripyat proves it can. Far from the piano-led abstractions of her earlier work, it is a take on futuristic folk music that combines Herlop's wordless singing with electronic production that edges on the industrial. In only 28 minutes and seven tracks she creates something so dense, yet so beautiful it's impossible to ignore.   Highlights: "abans abans", "lyssof", "miu", "ubuntu", "Kaddisch" RIYL: Maria Arnal i Marcel Bagés, Juana Molina, Tujiko Noriko, Björk

 

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#26. Perfume Genius Ugly Season Genre: Art Pop, Experimental, Modern Classical Ambient Pop, Neo-Psychedelia, Chamber Music, Impressionism, Modern Creative Label: Matador || Country: USA Release Date: June 17, 2022   Ugly Season is, technically speaking, not a 2022 album. It is the soundtrack of a dance piece titled The Sun Still Burns Here, performed in different locations throughout 2019, and for which Perfume Genius wrote the music. Regardless, it makes for a fantastic album, and quite possibly one of the most exciting releases of Mike Haedras' career. It is undoubtedly the most experimental he's ever sounded, taking inspiration from classical music, jazz, ambient, industrial, psychedelia and incorporating it into his signature style. It makes for a truly vibrant, colorful and slightly offputting experience, hoping he continues this path of experimentation.   Highlights: "Just a Room", "Herem", "Teeth", "Ugly Season", "Eye in the Wall", "Photograph", "Hellbent" RIYL: Arthur Russell, Julia Holter's Aviary, Mabe Fratti, Meredith Monk

 

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#25. Messa Close Genre: Doom Metal Stoner Rock, Traditional Doom Metal, Heavy Psych, Post-Metal Label: Svert || Country: Italy Release Date: March 22, 2022   Close is my first encounter with Italian doom metal band Messa, and it couldn't have been a better introduction. This is the kind of doom that can appeal easily to fans of more traditional stuff like Candlemass, Saint Vitus or early Black Sabbath, but can also be really appealing to those who enjoy contemporaries like Pallbearer or even artists like Chelsea Wolfe, in part due to the strength of lead vocalist Sara Bianchin, as well as its psych-rock and jazz influences. It's rare for me to find a metal album as instantly satisfactory as this, but Close simply feels monumental.   Highlights: "Suspended", "Dark Horse", "Orphalese", "Pilgrim", "0=2", "If You Want Her to Be Taken" RIYL: Chelsea Wolfe, Pallbearer, Candlemass, Black Sabbath

 

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#24. Alvvays Blue Rev Genre: Indie Pop, Shoegaze, Noise Pop Dream Pop, Jangle Pop, Twee Pop, Neo-Psychedelia, Power Pop Label: Transgressive/Polyvinyl || Country: Canada Release Date: October 7, 2022   After five years without releasing an album, one of the most likeable indie bands active today, Alvvays finally come back. And listening to Blue Rev, it kinda makes sense why they're leagues above their contemporaries. It doesn't differ greatly from their previous record Antisocialites, but it has everything that made it so good, amped up to the maximum. Hooks upon hooks, melancholic and relatable lyrics, lush and gorgeous instrumentation that takes the most influence from 90s shoegaze and dream pop without overly relying on nostalgia, and obviously Molly Rankin's gorgeous vocals, Blue Rev feels like Alvvays' sound being fully realized.   Highlights: "Pharmacist", "Easy on Your Own?", "After the Earthquake", "Many Mirrors", "Very Online Guy", "Velveteen", "Tile By Tile", "Belinda Says", "Lottery Noises" RIYL: Beat Happenings, Lush, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Kero Kero Bonito's Time 'n' Place

 

 

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#23. yeule Glitch Princess Genre: Art Pop, Glitch Pop Ambient Pop, Glitch, Post-Industrial, Ambient, Drone, Synthpop Label: Bayonet || Country: Singapore Release Date: February 2, 2022   Singaporean experimental pop artist Nat Ćmiel released their first full-length album as yeule in 2019. Serotonin II explored their relationship with the online world and escapism over glittery, colorful synthpop with some unexpected surprises spread throughout the tracklist. Glitch Princess, despite (mostly) doubling down on the glitchy electronic aspect of their music, seems most in tune with the real world, their body and mental health. And it is not pretty, in fact it can feel a little bit too much at times. However, it manages to mix beauty with horror, both musically and lyrically, in a way that feels transcendent.   Highlights: "Electric", "Eyes", "Don't Be So Hard on Your Own Beauty", "Fragments", "Too Dead Inside", "Bites on My Neck", "I <3 U", "Friendly Machine", "Mandy" RIYL: Grimes, Baths, Sweet Trip, Xiu Xiu

 

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#22. black midi Hellfire Genre: Avant-Prog, Brutal Prog Jazz-Rock, Art Rock, Vaudeville, Progressive Folk Label: Rough Trade || Country: UK Release Date: June 15, 2022   In their 2021 album Cavalcade, British band black midi made somewhat of a radical shift in their sound. Drifting away from their noisy post-punk beginnings, they went into a weirdly prog-rock direction, but without losing any of their complexity or intensity. Barely even a year after, comes their third album Hellfire, in which they push this sound to the furthest possible, in their most brutal-sounding record yet. Thanks to the absolutely wild drumming courtesy of Morgan SImpson and Geordie Greep's vocals becoming more intense and louder than ever, Hellfire is black midi at its black midi-est, surely a wild ride.   Highlights: "Sugar/Tzu", "Eat Men Eat", "Welcome to Hell", "The Race Is About to Begin", "Dangerous Liasons", "25 Questions" RIYL: Henry Cow, Frank Zappa, Fire!, Battles

 

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#21. Natalia Lafourcade De todas las flores Genre: Chamber Folk, Vocal Jazz Bolero, Mexican Folk Music, Chamber Jazz, Samba-jazz Label: Sony || Country: Mexico Release Date: October 28, 2022   For the past years, Mexican singer Natalia Lafourcade went from being an indie-pop artist to an explorer of Mexican and Latin American music, with most of her recent albums consisting of covers of traditional folk songs. De todas las flores is her first album entirely consisting of original music in about 7 years, and it sounds like Natalia executing everything she's learned from her time covering these songs, building classics of her own. Her jazziest album to date, it's also her lushest, most introspective and complex work, and both the arrangements and Natalia's vocals are absolutely gorgeous throughout the record.   Highlights: "Vine solita", "De todas las flores", "Llevame viento", "María la Curandera", "Muerte", "Canta la arena", "Que te vaya bonito, Nicolas" RIYL: Ichiko Aoba, Silvana Estrada, Mercedes Sosa, Nara Leão

[GreatestLoveofAll]

Amber 

[Remmy]

Music Videos~ Barely watch any at this point but Dreamcatching was so pretty & artsy. N1DFL was nice from what I remember. Wasn't in love with Gasoline (again, from what i remember.)
Empress Of 'Save Me' was a good EP, and ahhh this reminds me I still need to listen to BÉBE YANA, I've heard 2 songs from ha already. The Lead... whew... so damn good, FLO really killed it right out of the gate & I live for that.
American Gurl, Dirt Femme and especially The Loneliest Time missing the albums list No complaints w/ 070 Shake though
CRASH is a fun time for sure Which is nearly always a guarantee with Charli anyway. Enjoyed Charlotte Adigéry's EP but based on snippets & pre-releases from Topical Dancer, it just didn't sound like it was for me Three Dimensions Deep yesss, literally never seen her name until this year & her debut album is lovely. Even got one of my friends into her.

[K$Ellie]

Alvvays and Yeule back to back  I regret not placing Blue Rev a bit higher cause I really got into it this week

thought Perfume Genius and Amber Mark were a bit overrated but still decent!

Jockstrap, Beach House and Charli released solid albums too

[Alldeezy]

Interesting set

[Legend E]

Three Dimensions Deep is great

 

meant to get into Alvvays but didn't have the time to do it yet

[Sanguine]

Ooooh all these back to back hits, I like them all Perfume Genius aside but I'm a hater and it was his best album so. And Beach House being the opposite, didn't click with me as much as their previous stuff but ehh I might've been too harsh on it, Superstar is def a 10/10 at least

 

Glitch Princess and Blue Rev are especially amazing  two of my faves from this year + artists the past few years. Jockstrap's album has been really addicting as well, I keep coming back to it when I'm not sure what I feel like listening to. Marina was one I checked out recently and it was super cool, wish I had gotten around to it sooner!

[TRF.]

17 hours ago, Remmy said:

Music Videos~ Barely watch any at this point but Dreamcatching was so pretty & artsy. N1DFL was nice from what I remember. Wasn't in love with Gasoline (again, from what i remember.)
Empress Of 'Save Me' was a good EP, and ahhh this reminds me I still need to listen to BÉBE YANA, I've heard 2 songs from ha already. The Lead... whew... so damn good, FLO really killed it right out of the gate & I live for that.
American Gurl, Dirt Femme and especially The Loneliest Time missing the albums list No complaints w/ 070 Shake though
CRASH is a fun time for sure Which is nearly always a guarantee with Charli anyway. Enjoyed Charlotte Adigéry's EP but based on snippets & pre-releases from Topical Dancer, it just didn't sound like it was for me Three Dimensions Deep yesss, literally never seen her name until this year & her debut album is lovely. Even got one of my friends into her.

Yesss was waiting for you to come here  Glad to hear you enjoyed Amber Mark! Was such an underrated record. I wish I had put those three albums on my list but this year's been loaded with so much great music it's been hard to choose

 

15 hours ago, K$Ellie said:

Alvvays and Yeule back to back  I regret not placing Blue Rev a bit higher cause I really got into it this week

thought Perfume Genius and Amber Mark were a bit overrated but still decent!

Jockstrap, Beach House and Charli released solid albums too

Yeah... kinda same re:Alvvays  but well I mean they got Pitchfork SOTY so like... they won already 

 

5 hours ago, Legend E said:

Three Dimensions Deep is great

 

meant to get into Alvvays but didn't have the time to do it yet

I feel like based on your avi you might like them a lot (also mayyyybe this next set too )

[TRF.]

1 hour ago, Sanguine said:

Ooooh all these back to back hits, I like them all Perfume Genius aside but I'm a hater and it was his best album so. And Beach House being the opposite, didn't click with me as much as their previous stuff but ehh I might've been too harsh on it, Superstar is def a 10/10 at least

 

Glitch Princess and Blue Rev are especially amazing  two of my faves from this year + artists the past few years. Jockstrap's album has been really addicting as well, I keep coming back to it when I'm not sure what I feel like listening to. Marina was one I checked out recently and it was super cool, wish I had gotten around to it sooner!

Oh yeah, the Marina album is fantastic! Wish it had gotten more attention in general.