TranscendNoise

10. Trouble & Mike Will Made It – Edgewood The best rap album came in the form of Edgewood and newcomer Trouble. If there is something like a ghetto symphony or a Bildungsroman in rap, Edgewood would be both. The immersion Mike Will Made It creates through his nocturnal beats is impeccable. After the introduction “Real Is Rare / Edgewood” we are thrown into the action with “The Woods” interlude, helicopter swirling, a man running and cursing. Following, the collage “It's In Your Hands” might be the best Raime track without the UK duo laying down a bass that bursts your skull. The prayer, calling upon God to reaffirm your standing as a gangster and wishing for the safe journey of a young one open up a world without even giving slight narrative pointers. It is just in the sound and feeling that the scene is set and the following tracks are to unfold. Mike Will and Trouble did not weigh down their tracks with skits or interludes, the changes happen by Mike Will´s beats an...

20. Playboi Carti – Shoota (feat. Lil Uzi Vert) (Die Lit)  Lil Uzi and Playboi Carti really come off as brothers in spirit, in their solo work and especially in their collaborations. “Shoota” shines in a power that is life-affirming and strongly addictive. In under three minutes Uzi sings a verse that embodies his wild dances on Instagram and his stage show alike and while Carti´s hook slightly fails in topping off the energy, the sketch-like nature of the song, it appearing and closing in the blink of an eye is the singular representation of  youthfulness the two rappers combine on their tracks. Their music never has to be deep and meaningful, but energetic and affective in their simple disregard for structure and hip-hop tropes, a small symphony of improvisation and style and swagger. 19. Nothing – Hail At Palace Pier (Dance On The Blacktop)  Nothing implement a metal or even black metal mindset of songwriting and mood to the most delicate sounds of...

20. Jóhann Jóhannsson – Orphée Jóhannsson himself writes about the gaze of Orpheus towards his Eurydice in the vain of an interpretation given by Maurice Blanchot: The gaze, which turns Eurydice to dust, for that was Orpheus only condition in getting her back from the Underworld, is also the gaze of inspiration. This theme of creativity stemming from something that causes pain, something that is forbidden or transgresses a boundary is something we find in Orphée and Jóhansson´s work time and time again. These, mostly short, tracks follow a similar structure of sweeping, cascading upwards, while also crumbling, employing small sparkling sounds or musical ideas that seem to pick on the basis set for by strings and keys. This gives the undeniable feeling of unattainability, of never being able to grasp the beauty that lies in these small compositions. Much like a gaze, a peak of something breathtaking that will destroy it in retrospect. While the theme of the Orphic hymn reoccurs ...

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...