I can’t believe I finished this before the end of the year. I guess this is the benefit of having a job that affords you time off for the holidays. Things could be worse this holiday season. I could have ended the year unemployed, which was looking like a distinct possibility on Thanksgiving. A month later I’m happy to report that stability has, for now at least, returned. I’m not sure the giving-thanks thing is typically reserved for AFTER Thanksgiving, but as 2016 draws to its conclusion I will admit that I am extremely happy that the year is ending on an upswing for me.
That said, let’s talk about this list. Although I have once again elected NOT to write blurbs for every single album here, I have done a pretty good job highlight a lot of titles. That I could find the time to write about more than half of the 100 entries should suffice, no? Especially when you take into account the fact that I probably only mentioned eight or ten of these albums at any point in the previous 11+ months. I’ve included “sound samples” (cough cough) of about 30, mostly those near the top of the list. You’re welcome. I have also provided Bandcamp/iTunes links where possible in the hopes that you will choose to support the artists directly. They deserve it.
Don’t even thinking about pointing out any typos. I don’t want to hear it.
The Top 100 Albums Of 2016
#. Artist -Â Title (Label)
100. Silver Apples – Clinging To A Dream (Chicken Coop Recordings)
99. Cass McCombs – Mangy Love (Anti-)
98. Eluvium – False Readings On (Temporary Residence LTD)
97. Winterfylleth – The Dark Hereafter (Candlelight Records) – A combination of brutally hypnotic black metal with slower-tempoed, atmospheric compositions in the vein of Wolves in the Throne Room. The album closes with a cover of Ulver’s “Led Astray In The Forest Of Dark,†which offers a brief respite from throat-shredding vocals and offers a cleaner ending to a mostly gauzy, violent affair. [Purchase via Candlelight]
96. MV & EE – Root/Void (Woodsist)
95. Oneida / Rhys Chatham – What’s Your Sign (Northern Spy)
94. Nothing – Tired Of Tomorrow (Relapse Records) – I was ready to rank this much higher but now the more I listen to it the harder it is for me to separate the band from its influences. [Bandcamp]
93. Psychic Ills – Inner Journey Out (Sacred Bones) – Sacred Bones had another solid year between this, John Carpenter, Marissa Nadler and Jenny Hval. The first Psychic Ills record in three years finds the band expanding their sound and traversing genres more than, say… Dins did. They sound just as great as as ever. [Bandcamp]
92. King Dude – Sex (Ván) – Imagine if Mark Lanegan fronted Grinderman. You’ll feel like you need a shower after listen to this record. I love it. [Bandcamp]
91. El Perro Del Mar – KoKoro (Ging Ging Recordings) – It’s no From The Valley To The Stars, but I do love me some Sarah Assbring. Her melodies are always catchy and the incorporation of unique instrumentation and arrangements here help form another fine effort. [iTunes]
90. Purling Hiss – High Bias (Drag City)
89. Nite Jewel – Liquid Cool (Gloriette Records)
88. David Grubbs – Prismrose (Blue Chopsticks)
87. A Diadem Of Dead Stars – Kingdoms Bathed In Golden Light (Vendetta Records) – If you love Wolves In The Throne Room (and this Grecian one-man band sure does!) you’re going to love this record. Great atmospheric black metal with some dark folk elements. [Bandcamp]
86. Frank Ocean – Blonde (XL Recordings)
85. Demdike Stare – Wonderland (Modern Love)
84. Bardo Pond – AcidGuruPond (Fire Records) – Me ten years ago would have rushed this to the top of the list: A collaboration between Bardo Pond, Acid Mother’s Temple and Guru Guru? Yes please. [Bandcamp]
83. Landing – Third Sight (El Paraiso Records) – There will never NOT be a Landing record that I highly recommend, and Third Sight (along with Complekt) are both worth your time. [Bandcamp]
82. William Fowler Collins and James Jackson Toth – Under Stars And Smoke (Blackest Rainbow) – This past year Swan Fungus favorite William Fowler Collins teamed up with Mr. Wooden Wand to craft what the duo called a soundtrack to an alien landscape. Toth’s voice rising out of thirteen minutes of slowly-decaying noise on “The Man Who Could Not Stay†is perfect. Panopticon might have a monopoly on bluegrass metal but Collins and Toth officially own the country drone noise genre. [Bandcamp]
81. Messa – Belfry (Aural Music)
80. Ignatz – The Drain ((K-RAA-K)3)
79. Lawrence English – Approaching Nothing (Baskaru)
78. Mizmor – Yodh (Self-Released) – You don’t see a lot of Hebrew in black metal, which is surprising because there are so many awesome band names/album titles waiting to be cherrypicked (I always wanted to use “Yom Suph†for something – “sea of endingâ€). Nevertheless here’s a blast of PNW black/doom metal whose five movements make for some of the heaviest, most miserable music released this year. In a good way! [Bandcamp]
77. Minor Victories – Minor Victories (Fat Possum Records) – You can’t go wrong with Rachel from Slowdive and Stuart from Mogwai in the same band. You just can’t. [Soundcloud]
76. Ash Borer – The Irreparable Gate (Profound Lore)
75. Swans – The Glowing Man (Young God Records)
74. Mamiffer – The World Unseen (SIGE)
73. World’s End Girlfriend – Last Waltz (Virgin Babylon Records)
72. Pye Corner Audio – Stasis (Ghost Box) – This is the record I’ve been waiting to hear since Aquarius Records (RIP) first hipped me to Martin Jenkins. There was a period of time in the late spring/early summer when I would go to work and listen to Stasis and the Stranger Things soundtrack on repeat. [Listen to “Lost Ways”]
71. Goat – Requiem (Rocket Recordings) – The schtick has grown a little old after four years and three studio albums but the music remains as good as ever. Psychedelic world music – now with more acoustic instruments than on records past – energetic, fuzzy, and fun. In 2012 I called World Music “Like a Subliminal Sounds compilation as interpreted by Hawkwind,†and I’m happy to see that description still fits. [Bandcamp]
70. Larsen – Of Grog Vim (Important Records)
69. FVNERALS – Wounds (Golden Antenna Records) – Etherial doom from Glasgow that at times sounds like Chelsea Wolfe fronting True Widow. In other words, a must hear. [Listen to “Antlers”] [Bandcamp]
68. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Nonagon Infinity (ATO Records) – Don’t let the silly name fool you, this is some kick-ass garage rock. And I love the fact that it’s also an infinite loop, so you can get your self amped up listening to it and it will play perfectly for all eternity. The party never has to stop. Ever. [Bandcamp]
67. Mugstar – Magnetic Seasons (Rock Action Records)
66. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Skeleton Tree (Bad Seed Ltd.)
65. Library Tapes – Escapism (Auetic)
64. Wreck and Reference – Indifferent Rivers Romance End (Flenser Records) – Compared to years past 2016 one was a quiet one for The Flenser. Nevertheless they released a perfect industrial, dark ambient record from a CA duo making music as extreme as anything else on this list. I’m all for copious amounts of dread in my music, and this is dreadful with blood-curdling, screaming abandon. [Bandcamp]
63. Goya – Doomed Planet (Opoponax Records)
62. Cult Of Luna & Julie Christmas – Mariner (Indie Recordings) – My buddy Ian is probably miffed this is so low on the list (he had it as his #2 album of the year) but if that’s the case he should publish his own list! That said, I’ve warmed up to it over the course of the year quite a bit. The contrast of an angelic, ethereal vocalist with huge riffs is impeccable. [Listen to “A Greater Call”] [Bandcamp]
61. Vince Staples – Prima Donna (Def Jam Recordings) – TOO SHORT! Clocking in at a paltry 20 minutes, this EP still managed to be one of the most devastating and brilliant rap releases of the year. The minimalist “War Ready†might be my favorite cut, but the James Blake produced “Big Time†is right there with it. [Listen to “War Ready”]
60. Eneferens – The Inward Cold (Self-Released) – The first of two brilliant atmospheric black metal records from Jori Apedaile to make this list, which puts him in very rare company. How many other artists have scored two titles on one of my Top 100 lists before? I don’t know! Less than five? You do the research, I’m too busy writing the rest of this post. [Bandcamp]
59. Ultar – Kadath (Temple Of Torturous) – Russian metal that combines elements of black and post metals with shoegaze. The fifteen minute closing track (called “Kadathâ€) is worth the price of admission on its own. [Bandcamp]
58. Wardruna – Runaljod – Ragnarok (ByNorse Music) - I listened to this a couple months ago for the first time while I was driving through Nevada, Arizona, and Utah on my way to Colorado. It was the absolute perfect fucked up soundtrack for the alien landscapes of that region. [Wardruna Music Player]
57. The Body – No One Deserves Happiness (Thrill Jockey)
56. Loscil – Monument Builders (Kranky) – Scott Morgan has been one of the most consistently wonderful electronic composers of the last decade, and I have never been let down by any of his records. Monument Builders is the exact kind of hazy, ambient early morning come down soundtrack I love. [Listen to “Red Tide”] [Bandcamp]
55. Leonard Cohen – You Want It Darker (Columbia) – No offense to Bowie or his fans, but L. Cohen was the saddest loss of 2016. At least upon his passing he left us with one final testament to his unparalleled songwriting ability. I wrote more extensively about what Cohen’s words and music have meant to me shortly after his death, so if you want to read that go browse my recent posts for it. He was the greatest wordsmith of his generation, and even at 82 he was capable of writing circles around his peers as well as kids six generations younger. Truly he was a genius. Requiescat In Pace. [Listen to “You Want It Darker”]
54. Matt Carlson – The View From Nowhere (Shelter Press)
53. Angel Olsen – My Woman (Jagjaguwar)
52. Spirit Adrift – Chained To Oblivion (Prosthetic Records) – The world is full of one-man black metal bands, but how many one-man doom bands are there? This guy from Arizona basically out-Sabbaths Pallbearer and Khemmis and all those bands BY HIMSELF. I’m impressed. [Bandcamp]
51. A Tribe Called Quest – We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service (Epic) – 18 years! It took 18 years for a new Tribe album to emerge and it’s everything I’d hoped it would be. And, right off the bat with “Space Program†it’s specialness is evident. There’s a host of incredible featured players involved too, but they are presented unceremoniously and without ego – you’d never know about the Jack White guitar or the Elton John piano/vocals unless you’re the kind of person who still reads liner notes. So, so good. [iTunes]
50. Urfaust – Empty Space Meditation (Ván)
49. Tardigrada – Emotionale Ödnis (Eisenwald Tonschmiede)
48. Andy Stott – Too Many Voices (Modern Love)
47. Jóhann Jóhannsson – Orphée (Deutsche Grammophon) – 2016 was an impressive year for Jóhannsson. He scored Arrival, probably my favorite film of the year (and the score was one of my favorites as well), and he somewhat quietly released an album via Deutsche Grammophon that is just as brilliant. [Listen to “A Pile Of Dust”]
46. Mono – Requiem For Hell (Temporary Residence LTD)
45. Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool (XL Recordings) – We finally got to hear a proper studio version of “True Love Waits†after hearing demo versions or seeing it live for so many years. I think the first time I saw it was at Liberty State Park in the summer of 2001 (?), but that warbly piano demo had been kicking around online for a few years by then. Still…that song alone was worth pickng up A Moon Shaped Pool and after not really listening to Radiohead since thinking Hail To The Thief sucked, I was happily surprised at how great this record turned out to be. [iTunes]
44. Russian Circles – Guidance (Sargent House)
43. Vukari – Divination (Eihwaz Recordings)
42. Steve Hauschildt – Strands (Kranky) – I miss Emeralds. I’m glad the trio are still making music on their own, but I miss Emeralds. Hauschildt has found a home on Kranky and has been consistently producing solid records for the past five years. I think Strands might be my favorite yet. [Bandcamp]
41. Umberto – Alienation (Not Not Fun)
40. Explosions In The Sky – The Wilderness (Temporary Residence LTD)
39. Julianna Barwick – Will (Dead Oceans) – I guess because I was listening to Grouper and Tim Hecker a lot of at work Spotify kept recommending me Barwick and Will to me. When I finally broke down over the summer and gave it a listen I felt like a complete idiot. Her hypnotic voice is the perfect accompaniment for those swirling waves of synth/piano. As a result of this recommendation, I pretty much ONLY use the Spotify’s “Discovery†tool now because of how much I liked this record. [Bandcamp]
38. Motion Sickness Of Time Travel – Affinity (Adversary Electronics)
37. Anagnorisis – Peripeteia (Vendetta Records) – INFINITE LOOP ALERT! That makes two albums on this year’s list that will play perfectly for all eternity if you allow it. A fierce, pummeling record that is also immensely personal. Audio tapes from Zachary Kerr’s childhood are spliced throughout the record to give weight to its themes while reaching a level of raw emotion I don’t think I’ve experienced listening to a black metal record before. [Listen to “Peripeteia”] [Bandcamp]
36. Earth & Pillars – Pillars I (Avantgarde Music)
35. Gnod – Mirror (Rocket Recordings)
34. Forndom – Dauðra Dura (Nordvis Produktion) – Atmospheric folk that sounds like the soundtrack for ritual sacrifice. Very similar to Wardruna (#58 on this list) if you’re into traditional Norse folk music. Sometimes something soft and melodic can be just as dark and foreboding as a metal record. [Bandcamp]
33. Xiu Xiu – Plays The Music Of Twin Peaks (Polyvinyl Record Company) – I mean, if I had to pick anyone to cover Julee while upping the creepiness tenfold, the ONLY name I could suggest would be Jamie Stewart. And that’s exactly what he does here. His renditions of “Into The Night†and “Falling†are so disturbing. And I mean that in the best possible way. [Listen to “Into The Night”] [Bandcamp]
32. Matt Christensen – Adult Books (Self Released) - Not that I expected any less, but I’m happy to say that Adult Books’ half-dozen songs are as haunting, alluring, and engaging as any formal Zelienople record. The most recognizable trait for fans of that band might be Christensen’s reverb-drenched vocals, which you will pick up almost instantly. That aside, there are several elements that set this record apart from recent Zelienople releases. The lazy (plaintive?), distant piano and the lush, Sketches Of Spain-style horns remind me of how good The Drift were at their best (ie. Memory Drawings), or to take things back a little further, those two essential Talk Talk records (Spirit Of Eden and Laughing Stock). To my ears I’m hearing more programmed effects than I believe are common on Zelienople records, but sometimes fresh ears hear nuances more clearly than they can recall familiar sounds from the past. [Bandcamp]
31. Kendrick Lamar – untitled unmastered. (Top Dawg Entertainment)
30. Worm Ouroboros – What Graceless Dawn (Profound Lore) – What do you call this? It’s like… gauzy goth chamber doom. The Oakland trio has connections to Amber Asylum and Agalloch so that alone warrants some attention. Do not expect your typical doom metal record, this is much more experimental. [Listen to “Broken Movements”] [Bandcamp]
29. Zomby – Ultra (Hyperdub)
28. Khemmis – Hunted (20 Buck Spin) – Whereas Absolution was a collection of songs, Hunted is a legit album from start to finish. The vocals soar, the tracks flow seamlessly, and the riffs are as mammoth as ever. Is there a song on Hunted as good as Absolution’s “The Bereavedâ€? Probably not, but “Beyond The Door†is close! [20 Buck Spin]
27. Jefre Cantu-Ledesma – In Summer (Geographic North) – Yeah, it was a cassette only release, but you can find In Summer both on Bandcamp and Spotify, and I do recommend you seek it out. If there’s a better manipulator of tape, guitars, and electronics at the moment, I defy you to name them. [Bandcamp]
26. Sumac – What One Becomes (Thrill Jockey) – Pretty much everything Aaron Turner touches turns to gold, so it’s no surpise that Sumac was one of my most listened to records of the year. Add in Brian Cook (Botch, These Arms Are Snakes, Russian Circles) and Nick Yacyshyn (Baptists) and the result is supremely heavy metal steeped in expressionism and despair. Is there a better pairing than that?! [Bandcamp]
25. Saor – Guardians (Northern Silence Productions) – What Panopticon is to bluegrass, Saor is to celtic folk. There’s highlands bagpipes, strings, and other traditional celtic instruments featured on most of these tracks, and the result is an unbelievably cool, wholly unique sound that I have very, very quickly fallen in love with. An absolute MUST HEAR for anyone who enjoys metal. [Listen to “Tears Of A Nation”] [Bandcamp]
24. Huerco S. – Those Of You Who Have Never (And Also Those Who Have)
23. Chihei Hatakeyama & Dirk Serries – The Storm Of Silence (Glacial Movements Records) – If ever there was a more apt name for a record label. The Storm Of Silence is pretty much exactly that: the sound of glacial movements. This album was released just 2 weeks after 2016 began, and it’s STILL my favorite ambient/drone record of the year. That’s an impressive feat. [Listen to “Klude”] [Bandcamp]
22. Schoolboy Q – Blank Face LP (Top Dawg Entertainment) – My favorite rap record of the year. I don’t even mind Kanye’s verse on “That Part,†that’s how much I enjoyed this record. “Ride Out†with Vince Staples is another standout, as is the title track with Anderson.Paak. [Listen to “That Part”]
21. Mogwai – Atomic (Rock Action Records) – This is where I remind you that you’re reading the Swan Fungus Top 100, and my list is dictated by my rules. With that in mind, I’ve included Atomic here even though it’s a soundtrack. Why? Well, it’s the most exciting Mogwai record I’ve heard to since Mr. Beast. [Listen to “Ether”] [Bandcamp]
20. Aluk Todolo – Voix (The Ajna Offensive) – The genre-defying French trio are back with another slab of what I’ll call heavy experimental rock. Aluk Todolo doesn’t make easy music. Their records are a hyperactive, dynamic, constantly shifting combination of rock and metal that require a lot of effort on the part of the listener to keep up. This is not music I can put on in the background at work in order to get things done. It’s unsettling, it’s hypnotic in all the wrong ways, and I think that’s why I love these guys so much. [Listen to “8:18”] [Bandcamp]
19. Jenny Hval – Blood Bitch (Sacred Bones)
18. Alcest – Kodama (Prophecy Productions)
17. Ben Frost – The Wasp Factory (Bedroom Community) – This shit literally came out of nowhere and blew my mind. At least, I wasn’t expecting it, and I knew nothing of the opera he directed for the stage inspired by a dark, violent novel from the early ‘80s I’ve never heard of. This record features the first instance of a human voice on one of Frost’s albums. Three soulful and dissonant female voices play off his unsettling electronic compositions to perfection. It’s practically Borges-ian in nature, a terrifying glimpse into a cracked human mind juxtaposed to a crumbling labyrinth of its own creation. Did you enjoy his work on the TV show Fortitude? Imagine that creeping dread punctuated by unsettling operatic singing. Trust me, this is worth a listen or ten. [Listen to “Death, No Less”] [Bandcamp]
16. Oranssi Pazuzu – Varahtelija (Svart Records)
15. SubRosa – For This We Fought The Battle Of Ages (Profound Lore Records) – While I’m on the subject of musicians being inspired by novels, there was an awesome new SubRosa record this year! This one was inspired by an early 20th century Russian novel called We, which “describes a new world of harmony and conformity within a united totalitarian state.†Sounds kinda prescient, huh? [Listen to “Killing Rapture”] [Bandcamp]
14. Ulver – ATGCLVLSSCAP (House Of Mythology) – This was my #2 album of the year back in June but I kind of slept on it later in the year, hence it’s lower position in December. This ain’t your cool, older cousin’s Ulver. Long gone are the days of Nattens Madrigal or Bergtatt. This is meditative and Kraut-y (in the Popol Vuh sense of the word), a new take on a dark and disturbing sound. Could I easily hear these tracks in an episode of The Venture Bros. credited to JG Thirlwell? Yes. When Kristoffer Rygg stretches out his vocal cords on “Nowhere (Sweet Sixteen)†does he sound as if he’s inadvertently written the most brooding The The song ever? Also yes. There’s a lot to unpack here, which for me has meant a lot to enjoy. [Listen to “Nowhere (Sweet Sixteen)”] [Bandcamp]
13. ColdWorld – Autumn (Cold Dimensions) – One of the better atmospheric metal records I heard this year. Comparisons have been drawn to Opeth and Porcupine Tree, which should give you better clues as to the nature of said atmosphere. The layered vocals and harmonies blend quite well with the guttural vocal-cord shredding screaming. It seems a bit silly to say that something as inherently sad sounding as strings are the one element of Autumn that seems to offer hope, but it’s true. This is a bleak record, but it is also quite moving and at times beautiful. [Listen to “Void”]
12. Cough – Still They Pray (Relapse Records) – One of my favorite moments of 2016 was walking into TRVE Brewing in Denver while this was blasting through their sound system. The room instantly felt like home. That said, it’s slightly unsettling to have to admit that I discovered Windhand before I discovered Cough. My foray into the world of metal and its sundry sub-genres began just a few years ago, and the last proper studio album Cough released was issued in 2010. So I wholeheartedly apologize for my being late to the party. Nevertheless, this stands as a fantastic take on the swirling, sludgy, psych-meets-doom sound that has become popularized in recent times. With Jus Oborn of Electric Wizard in tow as producer and boasting a sickening blend of guttural vocals, Lovecraft-ian imagery, and riffs galore, Still They Pray worms its way under your skin in terrifyingly awesome fashion. [Listen to “Dead Among The Roses”] [Bandcamp]
11. Mare Cognitum – Luminiferous Aether (I, Voidhanger Records) – The one-man Californian black metal band gets downright cosmic, and the results are fan-fucking-tastic. Ian introduced me to the music of Jacob Buczarski back in May when we were headed out to Joshua Tree and I spent the latter half of the year exploring his recorded output. As someone whose ears tend to gravitate to the guitar parts on first listen, this is probably the most interesting and proficient work I heard in 2016. That the instrumentation around it creates a brutal, blackened void makes it all the more impressive sounding. [Listen to “Aether Wind”] [Bandcamp]
10. Eneferens – In The Hours Beneath (Self-Released) – I liked one-man-band Jori Apedaile’s The Inward Cold as well, but for the past couple months I’ve been listening to In The Hours Beneath A LOT. As winter approaches (yeah, even in California it’s been cold(ish) and dreary for the past week or two) I like to start hunkering down with music that features more depressive qualities. A record that opens with the line “All is cold and dying in the morning light†establishes right away it is not going to be a fun ride. It’s a black metal record for sure, but you might be able to pick up hints of post-rock throughout. Would it surprise me if Apedaile listened to Slint? Listen to “Morning†and tell me what YOU think. [Listen to “Morning”] [Bandcamp]
9. Thomas Koner – Tiento De La Luz (Denovali Records) – More than any other album this year, Tiento De La Luz is what I turn to when I need inspiration while writing. The record features Köner’s ambient electronics accompanied by piano, percussion, and viola da gamba. My old college roommate used to play the latter instrument and it did not take long to become enamored of its sound. Whereas Köner’s previous efforts (like 2012’s Novaya Zemlya) are often described with works like “bleak,†this is a slightly lighter affair. Emphasis on slightly. [Listen to Track 2]
8. The Morningside – Yellow (BadMoodMan Music) – Russian post-metal that has elements of black and doom to it but also at times sounds like Isis or Russian Circles. It manages to remain very melodic throughout, which is probably what drew me in initially. Even the raspy vocals have a delicateness to them – you can still make out the lyrics. If you’re just getting into metal I would say this is a really good place to start as it bridges the gap between post-rock and metal very well. [Listen to “To The Last Point…”] [Bandcamp]
7. Oathbreaker – Rhein (Deathwish Inc.) – If there’s one element that sets Oathbreaker apart from the other metal acts on this list it’s Caro Tanghe’s vocals. She can produce a harrowing, guttural screech as effective as anyone but her wavering (at times shifting between tonal and atonal) clean singing really makes these songs shine. Musically I love that Oathbreaker aren’t afraid to take pause or shift away from metal entirely. “I’m Sorry, This Is†is a guitar drone set against garbled speech and field recordings. “Where I Leave†shares pretty much nothing in common with the first 45 minutes of the record, but it works. The result of these stylistic choices make for a record that stands apart from most of the metal featured on this list, while remaining as intense, brooding and dark as anything I heard this year. [Listen to “Where I Leave”] [Bandcamp]
6. John Carpenter – Lost Themes II (Sacred Bones) – I recently shared my top ten with a small group of friends just to get their reactions to what I have spent 2016 listening to. Far and a way the most positive response to any of these records was that of Lost Themes II. So, I guess I’m doing something right! Also, I can’t believe my sister came to town the same weekend as his Los Angeles concert, because it meant I had to sell my tickets and skip a show I had been looking forward to for months. I don’t know how he does it. The now 68-year-old Carpenter released his debut LP last year, and has now followed that up with another shockingly good studio album this year. And he already has plans for a third Lost Themes album for 2017. He’s an absolute genius. I hope I have the chance to watch him perform these songs again soon. [Listen to “Last Sunrise”]
5. Marissa Nadler – Strangers (Sacred Bones) – I happen to think that Nadler’s last record, July, was an absolute gem—perhaps the crowning achievement of her career to this point. Strangers boasts more varied instrumentation than its predecessor resulting in a more noticeable “full band†sound. Her gauzy, otherworldly voice still floats above the music, though, haunting and gorgeous as ever. After I spun this for the first time I went back and grabbed my copy of Ballads Of Living and Dying and played the ‘A’ side before returning to Strangers for a second listen. From “Fifty Five Falls†to “Hungry Is The Ghost,†the evolution of her songwriting and her sound is remarkable. [Listen to “Hungry Is The Ghost”]
4. Wildernessking – Mystical Future (Monotonstudio Records) – Other than the #1 album on this list, Mystical Future was the metal record I played the most this year. It’s also the one I kept recommending to friends and acquaintances with similar tastes. Here’s one you don’t come across often, South African Post-Metal. When this came out back in February Ian hipped me to it and I got obsessed. I started forcing it upon friends and acquaintances from work looking for new music recommendations. It’s probably the most gracefully layered, melodic black metal record you’ll hear this year. [Listen to “White Horses”] [Bandcamp]
3. Tim Hecker – Love Streams (4AD) – Speaking of challenging records, it took a few weeks of coming home from work and spinning Love Streams for me to fully appreciate its brilliance. The first time I sat down with it I was reading an interview with Hecker published by The Guardian and I couldn’t bring myself to hear what he was describing. Mostly because I thought quotes like “an electronic version of the Nordic desecrations of Christian sites†were more cringe-y than informative. In spite of such claims, I find this to be one of his warmer (which is to say less harsh) recordings. I’ve really come to enjoy the sinuous flow through compositions as layers are built and stripped away, then built up again. It’s not easy to disrupt experimental music “norms†when by definition it is meant to be in flux. Hecker manages to achieve something both unique and beautiful on Love Streams, which is what makes it one of the most intriguing and enjoyable albums released this year. [Listen to “Castrati Stack”]
2. Car Seat Headrest – Teens Of Denial (Matador Records) – The passing of Leonard Cohen represented the loss of one of the greatest wordsmiths of our time. I like to think maybe there could be room for Will Toldeo in that pantheon if he continues to develop his lyrical chops. Simply put I could not get enough of this record from the moment someone dropped the needle on “Fill In The Blank†for me. When I first heard “Vincent” I thought the timely reference to Wikipedia might not age gracefully (you know, like when you watch an old episode of CSI and they mention suspects’ MySpace pages?), but he makes it work by using it to color that particular moment, place and time in his life. By and large Teens Of Denial is filled with fantastic insight from a brilliant young mind. You’d be surprised how refreshing it feels to hear a fantastically written, exciting new rock record. [Listen to “Fill In The Blank”] [Bandcamp]
1. Astronoid – Air (Blood Music) – Call it “thrashgaze,†or “blackgaze†or “dream metal†if you want. Hell, you can even create your own genre to describe the contents of this record if you want. You have just as much authority on the subject as any other self-proclaimed blogger/journalist. At the end of the day, we can all agree that Air is a wholly unique collection of bombastic, melodic metal tunes. To my ears Air finds a soft spot between emo (the good kind of emo!), shoegaze and black metal. It’s all atmosphere, bolstered by propulsive rhythms, with stunning vocal harmonies and melodies decidedly skewed towards major keys. Back in June I was content to rank this in the top five albums of the year, but as 2016 wore on I found myself listening to it more and more frequently. While running, at work, stuck in traffic, it hit me harder than any other album I heard this year. The lyrics are littered with references to space travel, love, euphoria, longing, and hope. Of those themes, it’s the yearning for something greater, the “HOPE!†message that resonates the most. 2016 is going to be remembered by many as a year that left them feeling dejected, afraid, confused and angry. What better testament to our collective desire for better days ahead is there than the album that delivers triumphant messages like, “We are free / A new day / The sun shines bright for us,†“ and “The unknown beginning to shine / The future is better than bright / A reason to all find out.†Air is overflowing with hope. If you haven’t heard it, check it out. Let its grandiose arrangements and heaping chunks of canorous joy be the positivity you need to start 2017 with a smile. [Listen to “Air”] [Bandcamp]
