Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Best Releases Of 2013: #10-1

#10: Vex Ruffin & James Pants - "Krista"
It's amazing that a 2 song EP/single made the top 10, but these 2 songs are really really good. I hope this is just a teaser for a full length project between these 2 guys, because that would be awesome.

#9: Lapalux - "Nostalchic"
This is a very impressive full length debut full of lush soundscapes and detailed programming. I really appreciate how most of the songs are like an adventure that change throughout the running time.

#8: Mr. Oizo - "Amicalement"
This little 4 song EP was a free download through his website, and as usual, it does not disappoint for me. He's slowly become my favorite artist of the last 10 years.

#7: The Underachievers - "Indigoism"
These guys really hit it out of the park on their debut album here. It's rare nowadays that I hear some new rappers that i've never heard on anything previously that I truly embrace and enjoy, but these guys are just really fucking good at what they do. The beats, the rhymes, the flows... they got it all locked down.

#6: Demon Queen - "Exorcise Tape"
The duo of Tobacco and Zackey Force Funk works extremely well. Tobacco provides his usual dope production that you would expect from him, and Zack's vocals fit perfectly in this mold, while also providing a different sound to the vocals than people are used to hearing on Tobacco tracks. It's a nice refreshening to Tobacco's style and soundscape.

#5: Puscifer - "Donkey Punch The Night"
This EP contains 2 brand new songs and 2 covers, with a remix version of each song as well. The 2 new songs are some of the best of Maynard's career, in my mind. I could do without the straight cover of "Bohemian Rhapsody", but the remix version of it is cool enough to make it worthwhile for me. Actually, all 4 of the remixes are really well done and provide nice alternate listening experiences to the originals.

#4: Of Montreal - "Lousy With Sylvianbriar"
This newest offering from them is astounding. This has all the feel of classic 70's rock but still with Kevin Barnes' trademark writing style. His singing is more catchy than ever. There are no weak songs at all on this one. Just a classic LP, through and through. It's amazing to me that after releasing so many previous albums that he can still raise the bar for quality and come out with arguably his best LP yet.

#3: Fuzz - "Fuzz"
I've been enjoying all of the many releases Ty Segall has put out within the last couple years, but this one really takes the cake. Sounding reminiscent of classic rock like Black Sabbath, Jimi Hendrix, and Deep Purple, but still with his own personal stamp on it. This is one of those albums you just flip over and play again once it's done, because it's just that good.

#2: Thee Oh Sees - "Floating Coffin"
I feel like Thee Oh Sees kinda owned 2013 for me. They put out this classic album, which in turn got me into their previous releases, which I also listened to heavily. I really appreciate how they are doing a styles of rock that have been done before, but they put such a unique personal stamp on their music, it just becomes their own. It's like they live in their own world of rock n roll. I can't get enough.

#1: Igorrr - "Hallelujah"
I feel like every year an artist or an album will come out that just completely shatters my notions of what the possibilities of recorded music are, and this is that album for 2013. This album blows me away in every possible way. He hits all of your emotions at once with music that is simultaneously hard as fuck but also beautiful. I feel like this style of music is a bit too much for most people, but if you're the adventurous type, this is something you need to hear. I'm basically obsessed with this album.


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