best of vilppu's 2k17 in review xo | CLOSED, RIP Kim Jonghyun

[jose168]

Paradise was LIT. Old legends did that

 

They play feels at work SO much, ughh

[Vilppu]

Thank you kind people xoxo.

 

 

#32 Nick Murphy, Kaytranada - Your Time

Despite loving a lot of what Kaytranada did in 2016, he completely flew under the radar for me now, did he even have a major release I should get to? This little thing I found completely by accident but was drawn to it instantly. I feel like both Kay and Nick Murphy (or Chet Faker or whatever he goes by at the moment) are both very talented artists but work best when they have an equally talented collaborator. And that seems to be the thing here. Your Time is a bridge between their styles but it's not one of those awkward compromises which don't work in either way, it seems like the producers understood each other perfectly and made all their unique traits blossom here. It's not the most exciting production for either of them but still managed to become the most addictive to me. Making the chorus not stand out that much from the verses was a brilliant decision, as the song just becomes a low-key never-ending hook.

I also liked: Medication

 

#31 Protomartyr - A Private Understanding

The one completely random choice of the year, the last time I tried to listen to this band (around the time their 2015 album was released, I think), Lord knows I did not enjoy them. Why exactly I even bothered with this one to begin with, I don't know, but it certainly paid off, if only in the case of this song. The contrast between the drums-driven background of the verses and the detached, cold vocals is what caught me attention initially but it's the endlessly repeated 'she's just trying to reach you' part towards the track's end that gets more intense and almost frantic with each passing second that truly made me stay with it. Evolving a song like that seems to just be an unbelievably easy and effective way to get into my heart. Oh, and this also gets bonus points for the quite obvious and not essentially original but still nice to hear 'I don’t want to hear those vile trumpets anymore' metaphor.

 

#30 Robert Plant - Heaven Sent

Never have I been interested in what Led Zeppelin's leader (?) did after the band's breakup but for some reason I was quite excited to listen to this album. Turned out to be a interesting experience, it definitely showed that Robert's still a force to be reckoned with. There was plenty to enjoy here, from the opener to the moody title track or lovely Bluebirds Over the Mountain cover but ultimately, it was the closer that impressed me the most. It's intimate and creates almost a claustrophobic atmosphere mostly with the cellos', which are a true match made in heaven with the guitars, work. What stands out the most, however, is the second part of the song which makes for a somewhat bittersweet ending to both the composition and the entire record and shows that throughout the many years of his career, Plant has found an immaculate way to tug at one's emotions without being overly impassioned.

I also liked: Carry Fire, Bluebirds Over the Mountain

 

#29 Benjamin Clementine - Phantom of Aleppoville

From the most unexpected choice two spots ago to the most complex and sophisticated one here. The entire I Tell a Fly album turned out to be a truly one-of-its-kind experience and showed that Benjamin is not only a skilled but also incredibly creative artist. A lot of the time it felt like the traditional 3-4 minutes length wasn't enough to get his point across though and that's probably why the song which wows the most goes for over 6. Phantom of Aleppoville sees more complete sound changes than entire albums sometimes, from the build-up in the beginning through almost tribal chants and feverish whispers to the 180 turn in the middle where it all considerably slows down and softens, remaining a fairly traditional, at least for Clementine's standards, piano ballad. It sounds overbearing and shouldn't work in theory but in the end comes together amazingly as quite probably the most ambitious thing I've heard this year.

I also liked: God Save the Jungle

 

 

#32 Taemin - Thirsty (Off-Sick Concert Version)

"The first PBR&B kpop song" as declared by Billboard or some other publication which doesn't have much to do with kpop but they didn't exactly lie, while I don't think anyone would really pay much attention to it were it a Western a song, it definitely stood out in the Korean business. I didn't find the original album version particularly interesting - as I said, it's relatively similar to a lot of other modern R&B Western songs. What convinced me that this is, in fact, an excellent track, was the Off-Sick Concert Version with additional electronic production in the chorus and a more complex bridge, its undeniably most intriguing moment sonically. The changes are slight and don't modify Thirsty that much but they did add the exact extra layer it needed to advance from decent kpop b-side (aka a tolerable song with nothing interesting about it) to something truly worth keeping.

I also liked: Move

 

#31 Highlight - Celebrate

Don't really know the story behind them losing the rights to their previous Beast name but either way, the rebranding turned out to be the much needed refresh, as they finally managed to deliver one song I wanted to come back to. Seeing that deep house is still alive and well in Korea, sometimes to a better, sometimes to a worse result, Highlight digging deeper and taking heavy inspiration from the 90s is a breath of fresh air. Everything here is more intense, the beat drops harder, it's more energetic and the boys seem to be really into this concept, the 'let's get loco' line especially always gets me. Just a super cool, unabashedly fun song all around, I wish it had been the title track over whatever the actual title track was and more importantly, I hope this is the direction they're gonna go in.

 

#30 oguogu - Ice Chu

Of the post-IOI groups, gugudan placed in the middle for me, not anywhere as entertaining as DIA or even WJSN but also not as blah as Pristin or Weki Meki. Anyway, from the beginning they seemed to miss the point just by a hair to me, A Girl Like Me was cute but got old quickly, Wonderland was good but not enough to stand out in the cute girlgroup concept. Apparently, it took a subunit with the best member Mina and the other irrelevant member with a song snatched from old Ladies' Code's wastebin to win me over. Nothing here makes sense, it's far too sugary, the orchestral instruments appear out of nowhere, the hook - the entire chorus actually - is for some reason the softest and least memorable part of the song which would normally kill all the monumentum. And yet it all just mysteriously works which is more or less a sentiment that applies to this entire genre.

I also liked: Chococo

 

#29 KNK - Rain

More reflective, sad compositions are not something I usually look out for in kpop, especially not in terms of male artists as I can barely stand them even in more uptempo, fun tracks. Every rule has its exceptions, however, as KNK only became bearable once they dropped the usual boygroups' antics and settled for music more subtle and gentle. And while Sun, Moon, Star still didn't quite get there, Rain takes all of that song's good bits and elevates them. It's not as much about the melody here as it is about the climate, it's really soothing, relaxing and works great with headphones at night when it becomes so beautifully intimate. Oh, and the wind instrument appearing every once in a while was an ideal addition, it goes well with the rest of the track and at the same time, it's just what it needed not to eventually become too monotonous.

[Hug]

Ahh yes I love Rain, and I agree with you. The atmosphere the song creates is really effective, and that's what sells it to me.

[theblackestday]

@ A Private Understanding. It really is an intense opener huh. It's not one of my top picks from the album actually but the entire album was really good minus one painfully bad song.

 

Your write-up for Thirsty intrigued me so I just listened to it and... it kinda bops??

 

[bluth]

Quote

Despite loving a lot of what Kaytranada did in 2016, he completely flew under the radar for me now, did he even have a major release I should get to? 

his album if u haven't already! it's great! i actually missed out on the stuff he rihleased this year so imma need to catch up on that

[Tom Vercetti]

I wish Nick's vocal delivery on Your Time was better but that's my only criticism. 

Private Understanding and Protomartyr in general  

Nice Benjamin choice. It's really cinematic and next level. 

[World Eater]

Miałem dokładnie to samo z Protomartyr, sprawdziłem ze dwa lata temu dwa (wtedy) ostatnie albumy i uznałem, że to nic specjalnego. Chociaż w moim przypadku to może trochę inna historia, bo przez ten czas trochę bardziej się otworzyłem na post-punk i kiedy już do nich wróciłem (czyli właściwie w okolicach wydania Relatives In Descent ), bardzo mi się spodobali

[K$Ellie]

The original is obviously better but that remix of New Rules is really cute

I can't remember Paloma's song anymore, her album was pretty dull

[TRF.]

Phantom of Aleppoville is one of the most gorgeous songs this year  Also I liked Protomartyr a lot too! I still need to get into their album.

[Navyofbadgals]

Your Time was cute  

[Ghibli]

This list just lost all validity because of Kang Minga.

 

Stan for Celebrate though! Every other K-Pop list I've seen has put Rain on....guess I'll just have to put their better title from this year on mine! 

[Eeveelution]

Idk any of these so I listened to A Private Understanding and it's v. interesting and cool! I like the last minute or so.

[Vxspertine]

Couldn't get into Protomartyr's new album this year, but I feel like I need to give it more listens 

[Vilppu]

No update today because I apparently ran out of things to say lol maybe there'll be two tomorrow or on Sunday.

Thanks for the comments everyone

 

23 hours ago, theblackestday said:

@ A Private Understanding. It really is an intense opener huh. It's not one of my top picks from the album actually but the entire album was really good minus one painfully bad song.

 

Your write-up for Thirsty intrigued me so I just listened to it and... it kinda bops??

 

Oh wow oh wow give me the remaining 28 spots and I'll convert you to a full kpop stan.

 

 

23 hours ago, bluth said:

his album if u haven't already! it's great! i actually missed out on the stuff he rihleased this year so imma need to catch up on that

I did, liked it a lot <3

 

23 hours ago, Tom Vercetti said:

I wish Nick's vocal delivery on Your Time was better but that's my only criticism. 

Private Understanding and Protomartyr in general  

Nice Benjamin choice. It's really cinematic and next level. 

Yeah, he sounds bored on it but I think it's part of the appeal?

 

23 hours ago, AlexisNeiers said:

Miałem dokładnie to samo z Protomartyr, sprawdziłem ze dwa lata temu dwa (wtedy) ostatnie albumy i uznałem, że to nic specjalnego. Chociaż w moim przypadku to może trochę inna historia, bo przez ten czas trochę bardziej się otworzyłem na post-punk i kiedy już do nich wróciłem (czyli właściwie w okolicach wydania Relatives In Descent ), bardzo mi się spodobali

Och, to na pewno był dobry album, tyle że taki trochę z serii "bardziej doceniam niż lubię", zbyt często do niego nie wracałem.

 

21 hours ago, TRF. said:

Phantom of Aleppoville is one of the most gorgeous songs this year  Also I liked Protomartyr a lot too! I still need to get into their album.

Absolutely.

Probably would have made it further had I spent more time with it.

 

3 hours ago, Kxvk said:

This list just lost all validity because of Kang Minga.

 

Stan for Celebrate though! Every other K-Pop list I've seen has put Rain on....guess I'll just have to put their better title from this year on mine! 

You really do hate all the gg members I like, huh

I didn't know KNK released a title after Rain and SNM, will have to check it asap!

 

1 hour ago, Eeveelution said:

Idk any of these so I listened to A Private Understanding and it's v. interesting and cool! I like the last minute or so.

Yes, the last minute is def a highlight.

 

38 minutes ago, Vxspertine said:

Couldn't get into Protomartyr's new album this year, but I feel like I need to give it more listens 

It wasn't instant for me either but it's rewarding in a longer run, I think.

[theblackestday]

Just now, Vilppu said:

Oh wow oh wow give me the remaining 28 spots and I'll convert you to a full kpop stan.

and I even listened to his album after I posted that. I feel like by the end of this list I'll become a top 10 poster in the Kpop thread

 

 

2 minutes ago, Vilppu said:

No update today because I apparently ran out of things to say lol maybe there'll be two tomorrow or on Sunday.

[Tom Vercetti]

I wish I could write paragraphs for songs. I only have enough mental capacity for a sentence or two. 

[smholiv]

5 hours ago, theblackestday said:

and I even listened to his album after I posted that. I feel like by the end of this list I'll become a top 10 poster in the Kpop thread

 

 

Hoping you loved "Move"

make sure to catch the MV, it's pretty awesome, if not my personal VOTY

 

 

-

 

Thirsty is obviously a beloved choice for me.

As for Rain, I agree with your writeup honestly, and there was even a point where I considered it a top 5 contender for myself personally and yet for some reason I fell out of love with it.  KNK are a nice group, but I guess they kind of don't have a solidified identity yet? Most of their songs are still good listens though.

[Ewan Chaos]

Whoa that Nick Murphy dude & Kay did a song together? Huh... gotta give it a listen - your description makes it sound good!

[Vilppu]

I was out all day but still managed to somehow finish a couple, only Western sings this time though.

 

 

#28 Paramore - Hard Times

This was actually supposed to be #32 but I fücked up and all these songs are very close so I guess it's fine? Anyway, Paramore is a relic of a sad past, a throwback to the three weeks when I tried to defend Linkin Park's post-Meteora albums, thought Evanescence had listenable songs and made several other horrible decisions. Therefore, them leaving the emo'd pop punk for something more mainstream didn't appal me quite as much as it probably did for some of the true fans!!1, especially since they dropped their best song in the process. The contrast in Hard Times is fairly simple - lyrics focusing on hitting the rock bottom paired with a melody so unabashedly carefree and optimistic - but it was probably the thing which kept me coming back and falling in love all over again. Or maybe I'm just an 80s influences/instantly catchy choruses' wh0re? Either way, this is amazing.

 

#27 Susanne Sundfør - No One Believes in Love Anymore

I feel like I'll get crucified for saying this but Ten Love Songs was overhyped. When it was good, it was amazing, but it hit the right spots less often than most people think. Therefore, never would have expected her doing a more stripped down, traditional album was exactly something that would do it for me. Everything here is just so pure and beautiful proving Susanne only really needs a few instruments and her voice to create true magic, most of which I felt in No One Believes in Love Anymore. It starts off pretty inconspicuous, just a nice piano ballad with pretty lyrics, but the moment Sundfør stops singing and we get to hear this brilliant flute... wow. It's just one not overly complex melody for almost three minutes but the peaceful, calming and soothing atmosphere it creates is unmatchable. Shows the artist's incredible talent and how less is quite often more.

I also liked: The Sound of War

 

#26 Sabrina Claudio - Unravel Me

To this day I have no idea what makes me fall in love with some girls doing PBR&B and not the others but hey, let's focus on the positives and the most recent addition to the former group. Can't exactly point out what makes me feel that way but there's something almost low-budget to both Unravel Me and the entire About Time and, surprisingly, it's an advantage for both, it just gives the production a more sultry, raw, unpolished edge which not only creates an interesting contrast to Sabrina's sweet and subtle voice but also compliments it perfectly. The seductive, breathy harmonies add it that one much needed sensual but not overly sexual touch. Just a really well thought-out song overall, quite impressive for someone as young, and should have definitely placed her at least in the same internet-and-internet-only-relevant boat as Jhene Aiko/Banks, with Sabrina obviously being far better than either of those.

I also liked: Belong to You

 

#25 Tove Lo - Disco TTs

As a proud OTLH I tried my hardest not to like this but it's just too good to act petty. So what exactly sets this apart from Tove's previous material and/or other Blue Lips songs? I... don't actually know. She's serving the same ugly crackhead aesthetic here she's been doing since the very beginning of her heinous career, it's just as try-hard and cringey as you'd expect and the Swedish chanteuse's vocal performances floates somewhere in between boring and bored. But Christ, this still BANGS. The production, a tad retro one at that, makes it feel so much more spacious, the bass and drum beats are all able to breathe and blossom here simultaneously creating an impeccable soundscape. It's just so unreal to me because at its core it's still very much a Tove Lo track but at the same time, it's almost as if this were made by a copycat who has an ounce of actual talent.

[World Eater]

Ja tam wolałem Susanne z albumem pełnym bopów  MFPIT było ładne, ale jakoś specjalnie na mnie nie zadziałało.

Mam dokładnie to samo z Tove, ale przyznaję się bez bicia, że od czasu do czasu jej coś wyjdzie. Disko Cycki może nie są na poziomie True Disaster, ale to nadal bardzo dobra piosenka. W ogóle fakt, że nie dałeś przy niej "I also liked" 

[theblackestday]

Hard Times is the worst song on After Laughter but I'm glad Paralegends made the list.

 

Quote

No One Believes in Love Anymore

 

Cute writeup except the TLS slander which I will not comment on.
 

Quote

As a proud OTLH I tried my hardest not to like this but it's just too good to act petty. 

Why can I relate to this? Screamed at the entire paragraph but you didn't lie (except for when you placed it higher than NOBILA)

[jose168]

Offt at disco i'm like TT (ooh) being basically the same spot here. Taste! Hard times was iight

 

Taemin mention  

 

[volition]

2 hours ago, Vilppu said:

I feel like I'll get crucified for saying this but Ten Love Songs was overhyped.

tea. she has 3 better albums & TLS has some unfortunate lows

 

No One Believes in Love Anymore is a SONG

[Vxspertine]

NOBILA I agree with what you said about MFPIT but NOT with what you said about Ten Love Songs, most of it still bops  

Hard Times was one of the better songs on After Laughter.

Disco TTs was awful tbh

[Lazuli]

Hard Times  

Disco Boobs