TranscendNoise

10. The Hotelier – Soft Animal // Settle The Scar ( Goodness ) “Soft Animal” is a heartwarming moment of realization, facing the nature of mortality and learning about the ongoing cycles of existence. While it can be understood apart from the album, it is the literal successor of “Opening Mail for My Grandmother” and sees the singer Christian Holden reencounter his dead grandmother as a newly born doe. This moment of realization goes as far as believing in some notion of a God and being talked down by others, who cannot share such spiritual meaning. Regardless of one’s own standpoint, the serene nature of the verses and the exploding chorus of this song build a powerful dynamic, almost serving as a repercussion of such an encounter and the inner upheaval and revolution it can bring. Lifting this experience even higher is the band´s complete lack of any elements that allude to darkening of mind, representing a balanced sensibility of knowledge and centering yourself in the way of a...

20. Allan Kingdom – Fables ft. Chronixx ( Northern Lights ) This is Kingdom at his most introspective, while at the same time not compromising on the melodic and catchy quality of his songs. The atmospheric and almost ambient keys and altered vocals are contrasted with a menacing bass line and snappy snares for the full effect of delivering the same broken aggression the lyrics convey. I´m not a huge fan of religion and we see Kingdom recounting the smoke and mirrors of his own experience with Christian belief. Chronixx complements this with his reggae-infused deliverance, calling out the intrusion of Christianity and in right manner swearing allegiance to Selassie and the Rastafari movement. The fitting aural experience for realization and the overcoming of submission stressed by the stunning visuals. 19. Case/Lang/Veirs – Delirium ( Case/Lang/Veirs ) This collaboration by three artists I never listened to yielded great songs from top to bottom. “Delirium” is a dynamic...

60. Explosions In The Sky – Disintegration Anxiety ( The Wilderness )  I had the ultimate honor of finally seeing Explosion In The Sky live and it was one of the best shows and hands down the best performance I ever witnessed. It especially helped me understand the progression of the band from their greatest albums to their newer work on Take Care, Take Care or The Wilderness . As post-rock had to come to reach a dead end in its formula of the early 2000, it was hard to imagine most bands moving on, expanding their sound and making good on staying relevant without falling into a cycle of repetition. "Disintegration Anxiety" shows EITS going deeper into a narrative and more imaginative kind of songwriting, playing on the themes of nature’s grandeur and ever-changing flow, furthering the bands own sonic palette. There is no need for great crescendos anymore, for minutes of washed out distortion. This is aging gracefully and finding the voice to tell a story with more deta...

30. Ólafur Arnalds – Particles ( Island Songs ) Ólafur Arnalds isn´t one for vocal collaboration, at least these instances don´t make any entry on his album and remain mostly in the range of working with choirs. For his Islands Songs compilation, he got together with Of Monsters And Men singer Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and this track is one of the most goose-bump inducing moments of this year. Arnalds arrangements of tiny melodies and little hints over a solid framework of piano, the rising strings for emotional impact over the chorus of the song, create the perfect synergy with Nanna´s voice. Her lyrics provide a mythical openness for interpretation and her few words create evocative imaginary, especially when she sets for the peak of the song, her exhaustion expressed in the words can be felt. 29. Jace – Midas Feat. Robb Banks ( Jace Tape ) Why this track was the bonus track of the Jace Tape is beyond me. This one caught me off-guard after a good listen, solid l...

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...