best of HONESTLY, 2017. - Singles/Albums TOP 10! / finished!!! :)

[Ewan Chaos]

So many people love this Rina girl... gotta check her out.

 

Yaeji is a slay so I love seeing her at #2. I totally agree about that MOO EP!

[ColdKeane]

Este año no escuche practicamente nada en EP's    

 

Bien por Death Grips  

[theblackestday]

Our girl Alice deserveed better

[Kyle.]

solid choices  alice and coucou chloe deserved to be top 10 but i'm glad rina, yaeji, and mø made it

[Zay]

Only heard #1 - #4 on top 10 EPs, will check the rest out!

[TRF.]

 

MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 2018

 

#20. Franz Ferdinand - 'Always Ascending'

#19. Susanna - 'Go Dig My Grave'

#18. Porches - 'The House'

#17. Gwenno - 'Le Kov'

#16. Palm - 'Rock Island'

#15. Anna Von Hausswolff - 'Dead Magic'

#14. Melody's Echo Chamber - 'Bon Voyage'

#13. Ought - 'Room Inside Your World'

#12. Rhye - 'Blood'

#11. Tune-Yards - 'I can feel you creep into my private life'

 

#10. Laurie Anderson / Kronos Quartet - 'Landfall'

 

 

#09. U.S. Girls - 'In a Poem Unlimited'

 

 

#08. Chromatics - 'Dear Tommy' ()

 

 

#07. Tinashe - 'Joyride' ()

 

#06. Kimbra - 'Primal Heart'

 

 

#05. MGMT - 'Little Dark Age'

 

 

#04. SOPHIE - 'Whole New World'

 

#03. ionnalee - 'Everyone Afraid to Be Forgotten'

 

 

#02. Charli XCX - 'XCX3'

 

 

   

 

#01. Sky Ferreira - 'Masochism'

 

 

...

 

 

OTHER ARTISTS WHO I NEED TO RELEASE ALBUMS IN 2018:

 

My Bloody Valentine

Grimes

Oneohtrix Point Never

Holly Herndon

Carly Rae Jepsen

Rihanna

Alice Glass

TR/ST

Blood Orange

Empress Of

Vampire Weekend

FKA twigs

Janelle Monaé

Julia Holter

**** Buttons

Ellie Goulding

Robyn

Jenny Hval

Amnesia Scanner

Grouper

 

...

 

BTW I've had a very busy week but I'm finally free from finals and the like! Yay! I might be commenting on your Best Ofs... later.

 

 

[madonnas]

TR/ST's album will actually come out so I'm excited for that (and Primal Heart)

the others... well I can pray! 

[Remmy]

Joyride and XCX3... we'll see

 

Carly + Ellie should definitely be releasing as long as nothing goes wrong. Not sure about both Robyn's, but I hope so.

[Wicked]

All these anticipated would make my own list but I don't see half of them coming out.

[Dom]

whew at charli yasss

[Topmaster 2]

Sky who? 

 

 

Tune-yards >>>>>>>>>>>>

[theblackestday]

Quote

#01. Sky Ferreira - 'Masochism'

Keep saying it, and maybe you'll convince hope

[Navyofbadgals]

looking forward to Kimbra too  

[World Eater]

Looking forward to hearing so many of these 

[TRF.]

18 hours ago, madonnas said:

TR/ST's album will actually come out so I'm excited for that (and Primal Heart)

the others... well I can pray! 

I am also very excited for the collab with ionnalee so yeah I can't wait

 

16 hours ago, Remmy said:

Joyride and XCX3... we'll see

 

Carly + Ellie should definitely be releasing as long as nothing goes wrong. Not sure about both Robyn's, but I hope so.

Carly said she'll release next year but idk when.  Ellie too but I'm hoping it'll be better than Delirium. Although from what she teased it might be. Don't want to get my hopes up but

 

11 hours ago, theblackestday said:

Keep saying it, and maybe you'll convince hope

 

12 hours ago, Topmaster 2 said:

Sky who? 

 

 

 

[madonnas]

Rumor is... Grimes is releasing next year?

[TRF.]

10 minutes ago, madonnas said:

Rumor is... Grimes is releasing next year?

apparently

 

[Lazuli]

I don't really give a rat's ass about Tinashe anymore tbh  

XCX3 is gonna be a mess tbh  

And that #1...

 

[soml]

Excited for Little Dark Age too

Hopefully Masochism comes out  

[Zay]

I'm most excited for SOPHIE, Charli, Tinashe, ionnalee, and Melody's albums. Great list!

[Sunderland 4ever]

Looking forward to Melody's Echo Chamber's new stuff.

[TRF.]

 

ALBUMS - HONORARY MENTIONS

 

I'm gonna make a top 50 albums this year! But because I listened and liked/loved a lot of albums this year, I'm going to make a list of 25 other albums that were pretty close... but not enough. No other order other than alphabetical.

.

.

 

Allie X - 'CollXtion II' (Electropop/Synthpop/Dance-Pop)

 

Canadian musician Allie X's debut EP 'CollXtion I' was a collection of pop tunes with sharp productions and hooks, excellent vocal performances. Her debut album, 'CollXtion II' is a little less aggressive and more lowkey than 'I', but still showcases other strengths, like her songwriting and lyrical abilities. Allie continues to show promise, and is definitely going to make something undoubtedly excellent, likely very soon.

 

Highlights: "Paper Love", "Vintage", "Casanova", "Old Habits, Die Hard"

 

 

Bibio - 'Phantom Brickworks' (Ambient)

 

Electronic musician Bibio's has always worked in a midpoint between indie folk, glitch, IDM and ambient. But on his 2017 album 'Phantom Brickworks', he decides to explore ambient on its own. The results are fantastic, often reminiscent of William Basinski's loop-based experiments – although there are a few gentle piano pieces – makes this one of his best albums, if not his best altogether.

 

Highlights: "Phantom Brickworks", "Phantom Brickworks II", "Capel Celyn", "Branch Line"

 

 

BROCKHAMPTON - 'SATURATION'/'SATURATION II'/'SATURATION III' (Pop Rap/Experimental Hip Hop)

 

One of the most important new acts of 2017 was rap and R&B collective (or as they call themselves, "boy band") BROCKHAMPTON. In this year they've released not one, not two, but three albums, in which they explore topics like race, LGBT identity, love, disappointment and religion in a way that feels both personal, deep and fun, as well as pushing the sonic posibilities of the genres in innovative ways.

 

Highlights (across all albums): "Heat", "Junky", "Sister/Nation", "Team"

 

 

CupcakKe - 'Queen Elizabitch' (Hardcore Hip Hop)

 

Chicago rapper CupcakKe is well known for her sexually-charged rap verses, and on her second album 'Queen Elizabitch' there certainly are a few of those, namely "CPR" and "Cumshot". But also this is the album that also proves her versatility, not being afraid to talk about other issues like sexual assault, her hard and long way up to the top, body positivity, as well as just demonstrating how badass she is as a whole.

 

Highlights: "CPR", "Quick Thought", "Barcodes", "Reality, Pt. 4"

 

 

DJ Python - 'Dulce Compañía' (Deep House/Ambient House/Reggaeton)

 

Thanks to labels such as N.A.A.F.I., Bala Club and Staycore, the lines between reggaeton and many genres of experimental electronic dance music became more blurred. But Miami-born producer DJ Python (also known as DJ Wey) took the combination between these two genres to an unexplored territory. Mixing lo-fi house music (like that of Anthony Naples or Huerco S.) with typical dembow beats, it is one of the most exciting takes on this kind of music I have ever heard.

 

Highlights: "Las Palmas", "Q.E.P.D.", "Acostados", "Yo Ran (Do)"

 

 

Dua Lipa - 'Dua Lipa' (Electropop/Contemporary R&B)

 

Dua Lipa's debut album was highly anticipated, and it certainly did not disappoint. Even though it might have some slow songs that do not live up to the expectations, basically every song on the album is a perfectly-sung, perfectly-written, amazingly-produced radio-ready hit. It is exciting that she has finally broken through in America and is achieving global success, and this record proves that this is just the beginning.

 

Highlights: "Genesis", "Lost in Your Love", "Be the One", "New Rules"

 

 

Everything Everything - 'A Fever Dream' (Art Pop/Progressive Pop)

 

Everything Everything continue with their highly theatrical and progressive sound on pop and indie music found on their 2015 release, 'Get to Heaven'. This time, however, on 'A Fever Dream', they take influence from dance music, new wave and even house music. The results are excellent, probably one of their best albums, if not their best.

 

Highlights: "Night of the Long Knives", "Desire", "A Fever Dream", "Run the Numbers"

 

 

Forest Swords - 'Compassion' (Ambient Dub/Neo-Psychedelia/Downtempo)

 

The way in which Matthew Barnes a.k.a. Forest Swords manipulates the lines between the organic and the electronic is completely fascinating. While 'Compassion' does not have the big, ear-grabbing singles that his 2013 debut ('Engravings') had ("Thor's Stone", "The Weight of Gold") it still shows his creative vision in strong and wonderful ways.

 

Highlights: "War It", "The Highest Flood", "Panic", "Raw Language"

 

 

Giant Claw - 'Soft Channel' (Sound Collage/Plunderphonics/Electronic)

 

Giant Claw's break-through album ('Dark Web') had a really creative way of using pop and R&B samples in ways which were completely different and strange, warping them over juke and trap beats in a very abstract fashion. After the 2015 MIDI-centered 'Deep Thoughts', his latest work, 'Soft Channel', sees him going back to his sample-based origins, but done in a form that is even stranger. There are barely any beats and melodies, but an excellent sound work and a captivating atmosphere that will keep one at the edge of their seat.

 

Highlights: "Soft Channel 001", "Soft Channel 003", "Soft Channel 006", "Soft Channel 008"

 

 

Guerilla Toss - 'GT Ultra' (Art Pop/Dance-Punk)

 

Boston punk band Guerilla Toss leave their noisiness behind for a bit on this album, and it is really worth it. They come up with excellently written and sung experimental guitar-pop songs, featuring unusual song structures and a diverse number of themes, it is one of the most underrated albums of the genre this year. This album is a grower. Personally, I only wish it were longer.

 

Highlights: "Can I Get the Real Stuff?", "The String Game", "Skull Pop", "Dog in the Mirror"

 

 

 

Iglooghost - 'Neo Wax Bloom' (Wonky/UK Bass)

 

After the acclaimed EP's 'Chinese Nü Yr' and 'Little Grids', producer Iglooghost finally releases a highly-conceptual debut album that fullfills his expansive vision of fast-pased electronic, pop, dance and experimental music. It can occassionally be distracting and overwhelming, but more than often he does pull through, coming with some innovative sounds and rhythms.

 

Highlights: "Bug Thief", "Solar Blade", "White Gum", "Peanut Choker"

 

 

JFDR - 'Brazil' (Art Pop/Folktronica)

 

Icelandic musician Jófríður Ákadóttir has been making music for nearly a decade, despite being barely 22 years-old, gaining fans such as Björk and The xx. 'Brazil' is her debut solo album, after having been on bands like electronic-pop outfit Samaris, folk duo Pascal Pinon and R&B group Gangly, and it sounds like mixture of all of the sounds she has explored up until this point. The album is, to be honest, very underrated and a very promising debut.

 

Highlights: "White Sun", "Airborne", "Destiny's Upon Us", "Journey"

 

 

Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith - 'The Kid' (Art Pop/Neo-Psychedelia/Folktronica)

 

'The Kid' is Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith's most accessible album, but that does not mean the album itself is easy to digest. But there is a lot to like in it, the way in which the electronics merge with the Enya-like atmosphere and her soft voice, it really sounds like a new age album from the future. Thanks to its concept, which is supposed to "document" someone's life from birth to death, it is also one of her most interesting works so far, and makes it exciting to see what is she going to come up with next.

 

Highlights: "An Intention", "The Kid", "To Follow and Lead", "To Feel Your Best"

 

PART TWO TOMORROW

 

 

[MP2K]

I'm excited for that top 5 of your anticipated albums as well. BROCKHAMPTON. I'm checking him out currently too.

[World Eater]

I see some nice stuff already  Perched to see what made it to the main list

[Wicked]

Kaitlyn