Sorry for the delay, but here is my list of the best EP´s and such of the year. Above that, you can read most of the list as an collection of what great albums might grace us in 2014. 11. Heinali - Sway, Sway
Heinali - Sway, sway
Before I get into the originally planned Top 10, I´ll have to laud Heinali aka Oleg Shpudeiko. I known his music for quit a while now and can´t wait for him to release something like an full length album. His style ranges from classical to post-rock, crossing electronica and even ventures into noise. He can pull off everything and on Sway Sway he gives us two great piano releases. Just check out all his stuff, and support the man!
10. Prurient - Through The Window
Prurient - Through The Window
Great dark gothy rave music. Dominik Fernow is a musical mastermind and I must say that his not-so noise and abstract releases like Time´s Arrow and this one always have a greater impact on me. A great half hour of moving into somewhere dark and electronic for you!
09. Maldonado - Maldonado
Maldonado - Maldonado
Not much known other then the music and some great visuals about this artists. Gripping toned down R´n`b for selfreflective (or self-loathing) moments. Be sure to download this and keep watch.
08. Fakear - Morning In Japan & Dark Lands
Fakear - Morning In Japan
I´m glad a good friend introduced me to Fakear for I haven´t seen him mentioned on any of my usual channels. As a pretty young french artists, he fits perfectly in the waves of ambient mixing electronica producers and his approach of mixing various vocal samples in sold me at first listen. Mind blowing craft that will work in clubs as good as it will for relaxing.
07. Caspian - Hymn For The Greatest Generation
Caspian - Hymn For The Greates Generation
While only blessing us with three original tracks, Caspian still deserve a mention as their music is ever evolving. This year their bassist Cris Friedrich passed away and in his honor this EP was released. For Waking Season signifying a new direction for the band, the three tracks take you back to the very essence of Caspian, be it in their loud moments or in their greatest contemplation. As the death of a comrade is a saddening experience, Caspian´s music holds the key for commemorating, grieving and moving on.
06. Jhené Aiko - Sail Out
Jhené Aiko - Sail Out
Jhené Aiko and her honey-voice was teasing something the whole of 2013 and I was in high hopes that it would culminate in her first major debut. Sail Out being an EP wasn´t quite what I expected (for that matter, what she herself might not have expected - label politics and such...) but those seven tracks (nine if you count "Burning Man" and "Everything Must Go" which were previously released) don´t fall short in terms of quality. Her singing ability and emotional weight are perfectly balanced with an sweet and candid attitude and mind-set, making her music variable and not falling in an category of either `cool sassy´ or overtly `conscious´ R´n´b. Let´s just hope that her debut will see the light of day in 2014 and be sure, that when it drops, it will be worth the wait.
05. Rainer Veil - Struck
Rainer Veil - Struck
I´m a great admirer of Andy Stott and only through him, better said the Modern Love imprint he is on, I got to know Rainer Veil and their blend of electronic music. While you´re first hit with something close to jungle on "Struck", every following tracks shows a different side of the group. While I can´t come up with an term to describe what their doing, Stott or Clams Casino might be a good reference to grasp the extent of what you receive on those 25 minutes. Being their first outing, it will be interesting to see in what way they will push their sound.
04. Cocaine 80s - The Flower Of Life
Cocaine 80s - The Flower Of Life
I guess Cocaine 80s might be one of the most enigmatic R´n´b groups you´ll encounter nowadays. Not for any drug-soaked narrative or not exactly knowing who they are (although that might also be the case somehow) but for their spiritual and very non-pop approach and defying of publicness. When you download the Flower Of Life (here) you´ll get a package that could also be some weird compilation made by some random fan. And this very grassroots approach fits them well. Their music relies very much on acoustic instrumentation, harmonies and the great voice of James Fauntleroy II. The impression of a band making music in their own rehearsal space is undeniable and seems very unlike what most people expect from music akin to R´n´b nowadays. Really on of the most sun-soaked and positive things heard in 2013 even taking the heartbreak into account.
03. PARTYNEXTDOOR - PARTYNEXTDOOR
PARTYNEXTDOOR - PARTYNEXTDOOR
I´ve said it before and it is the best way to capture PARTNEXTDOOR: Think the Weeknd´s blend of music without the depression. The newest Drake protege sticks close to his artistic moniker without going into anything like dance music abominations of Hip Hop. This self-titled is cool, smooth and densely energetic and it almost evokes the opposite feelings the Weeknd conveys. While I´m always fond of the dark and brooding side of things, this kind of feel-good music can be played extensively.
02. Woman´s Hour - To The End / Darkest Place
Woman´s Hour - Darkest Place
Every now and then, you´ll come across some new bands making electronically influenced indie / dream pop. After some time you´ll come to the conclusion, that many of them are somewhat generic or just simply lack a sense of true craft and idea. In this matter Woman´s Hour possess everything this genre and a new bands needs. They went underground after a sudden period of success, feeling that they weren´t ready yet and this self-containment served them well. On their two singles they prove to be a band with a distinct idea and message and they don´t seem in their way to please anyone but their own vision. Fiona Burgess´s voice stands far apart with it´s crystal clear delivery and their sparse instrumentation never feels lacking but stands as a sign of refinement and breathing space for the listener. Additionally, their visual work is coherent and conveys as much mood as the music does itself and in every interview you´ll get a little further glimpse into the ideas surrounding the work. This is a band that displays confidence in their artistry and I can´t wait to hear more from them.
01. FKA Twigs - EP2
FKA Twigs - EP2
When I first heard "Water Me" it came close to an revelation of it´s own kind. This is contemporary music at it´s best, as emotionally gripping as it seems to be conceptually elaborate. Twigs doesn´t really say much about her music or herself (still nobody knows her real / full name) but you get that this is not just another artist channeling recent sounds but someone who is on the forefront of crafting something innovative. And yes, you can sprinkle some deeper meaning on top of everything; if you may.
5 0. Vacant Gardens – Under The Bloom / Obscene Re-released in 2022 after flying under my radar in both 2020 and 2021, Vacant Garden’s provided two albums of delightful shoegaze / dream pop. The last time a band sounded this ethereal as the greats such as Cocteau Twins or Slowdive, must have been Asobi Seksu. Vacant Gardens pull together the sweet mixtures of fuzz, gloom, and vocal transcendence. There is rainy melancholy in the guitar hazes, counteracted by flourishes of powerful chords, arpeggios, and gentle strumming, all coming together in the float of Jem Fanvu’s ethereal vocals. Atmospheric density does not need to be inventive as such, it just needs to be well made and full of intricacy. Seldom do albums capture the yearnings of youth I encountered when first making contact with shoegaze. While nowadays most find the best conflation of dream pop and shoegaze in Beach House and their synthetic rhythms and uplifting haze, Vacant Gardens deliver a proof of concept in striking gre
10. Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul – Topical Dancer Rarely do dance music centered albums come along with such political urgency. Topical Dancer follows in the line of Arular and Kala , the first two M.I.A outings that were aural and political lighter fuel. Charlotte Adigery and Bolis Pupul magically switch from tongue in cheek moments in “Esperanto” to sarcasm in “Blenda”. Lyrics like “Siri, can you tell me where I belong” or “You’re the Columbus to my America” on “Thank You” not only make you chuckle, they encapsulate the strange awareness of a POC living in a dominantly white culture. Topical Dancer handles these moments of alienation with comedy, but never uses laughter as a cheap thrill. Tracks like “Reappropiate” and “Ich Mwen” grapple with the intersections of race and sexuality in an honest manner. “Ich Mwen” prominently features Charlotte’s mother, the singer Christiane Adigery in a heart to heart of mother and child, touching upon self-care, motherhood, and the stra
40. Frank Ocean – Nikes ( Blonde ) “These bitches want Nikes” might be one of my favorite lines of this year. I Can´t give any rational explanation akin to the depth of such a statement, it just sounds incredibly good especially in the auto-tuned madness of Frank Ocean. While Blonde is full of great songs and an emotional and introspective ride that only someone like Ocean could pull off, “Nikes” is the perfect intro and re-introduction through the unfamiliar. If someone doesn´t need to pitch shift his voice, it is Ocean, but when he does, it becomes something as surreal, as the world “Nikes” introduces us to. This fashion of rnb melancholy still is something fresh and evocative and Ocean is truly a master of this craft. Frank Ocean - 'Nikes' from DoBeDo Productions on Vimeo . 39. Drake – U With Me? // Controlla ( Views ) Drake´s latest album was the first to receive deeper criticism of some flaws, his music has had throughout his career, but which became
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