2013 was a mixed bag when it came to releases. Like 2012, it was the debuts of artists that really shined, where some follow-ups did their job cementing their status as some of the best acts of the These are the releases that captured my ears, my Last.Fm account, my iTunes, kept me going through grueling exercises and long days of doing homework and held my attention from their release dates up until this list was created.
20.Perfume-Level3
The Japanese trio under the tutelage of composer Yasutaka Nakata's fourth full length album mixes what the girls have been putting out for the past thirteen years of their career into a neat package of sugary, electropop eargasm that even a person unfamiliar with the Japanese language can get into.
Recommended Tracks: Spring of Life, Spending All My Time, Magic of Love
19.Lorde-Pure Heroine
While Lana Del Rey had to (re)-work to get the public to show her some type of admiration, 17-year old Ella Yelich O'Connor from New Zealand did it without trying. Pure Heroine is an aged album that's best listened to with some type of understanding of the world, or a rainy day is ok too.
Recommended Tracks:Ribs, Tennis Court, Team
18.James Blake-Overgrown
The post-dubstep phenom dug a little deeper for his second LP, which is more a continuation of his self-titled LP rather than a deviation. Rather than recycle the understated iciness that made James Blake so good, he opened himself up to collaboration with Brian Eno and RZA and added warm tones of R&B and soul, making it moodier and more accessible.
Recommended Tracks:Digital Lion, Take The Fall For Me, Voyeur, Retrograde
17.Kanye West-Yeezus
Kanye, though polarizing in real life, always makes above average music (except for "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy", I have no idea what he was thinking when he released that). Though it divided his fans, "Yeezus's" mix of genres from industrial to metal and glimpses of pre-808's Kanye are warm welcome and gives us hope that Kanye will give us another "Graduation" caliber release, but don't hold your breath waiting.
Recommended Tracks:Blood on The Leaves, Bound 2, Black Skinhead, New Slaves
16.Kavinsky-OutRun
Kavinsky's 80s inspired concept album about a teenager who becomes a music making zombie after crashing his Lamborghini (every teenager's dream to be honest) was six years in the making. Six years that couldn't have come sooner, especially after hearing "Nightcall" in "Drive" two years prior. "Outrun" is a test drive you'll want to repeat on numerous occasions. Maybe over some episodes of Knght Rider (the 80s version, preferably).
Recommended Tracks: Suburbia, Nightcall, Protovision, Deadcruiser
15.Frankmusik-Between
After leaving the big wigs over at Island, Vincent Frank was able to stretch his wings and get his creative juices flowing, which resulted in a independent dance record for the ages. Frankmusik drops us in on the tail end of a relationship, where he goes from questionably passive aggressive, to angry, to resolving his issues and moving on. All over some solid production and catchy lyrics.
Recommended Tracks:Cake, Fast as I Can, Captain, Life is My Revenge
14.Autoheart-Punch
Autoheart's debut is a slow starter and may take a few plays before you can fully appreciate the depressing yet whimsical nature of it. Piano pop in its purest form, "Lent" is a rare record: untouched by the hands of mainstream radio and made for the ears of people who more than likely never hear Jody Gadsden's glorious feminine vocals.
Reccomended Songs:Control, Agrophobia, January, Lent, The Sailor Song
13.HAIM-Days Are Gone
HAIM actually knows how to sound like the 80s, 90s and 00s without cheesing it up to high heaven. Rock music with a pop sensibility that few can master, Days Are Gone blends all the ingredients of what an emerging indie superpower should aspire to sound like: consistency, cleanliness and fun.
Recommenced Songs:The Wire, Let Me Go, Forever, Days are Gone, Don't Save Me
12.Alice in Chains-The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here
After 2009's "Black and Blue," many were unsure how the refurbished Alice in Chains would sound going into future. Rest easy fans, The Devil Put Dinosaurs Put Here is a mainstream rock album that doesn't compromise the tortured grit that made the band the alternative staple that it is today. The band hasn't sound this fresh or cohesive since the 1995 EP release "Jar of Flies".
Recommended Tracks:Voices, Choke, Scalpel
11.Oliver Tank Slow Motion Music
The Australian's 2nd EP is more a religious experience than a listening one. A dreamy, ethereal landscape is created within the span of seven tracks, doing what Bon Iver's Justin Vernon does on their album, though conveys the feelings behind the songs better with the icy production and haunted special effects.
Recommended Tracks: Stay, Home, Blessing In Disguise, Her
10.John Newman-Tribute
The crooner who broke into the mainstream as a featured artist finally got his time to shine in 2013 with a major European (and soon to be North American) hit in "Love Me Again". The soulful vocals and big band production of "Tribute", courtesy of one Ant Whiting pays homage to the soul greats of yesterday and brings the sounds up to speed with today's sonic capabilities. Looks like Adele has a male counterpart.
Recommended Tracks: Love Me Again, Cheating, Try, Losing Sleep
09.Chance The Rapper-Acid Rap
Chance The Rapper was 2013's breakout hip-hop star. Bloggers loved him,. His honest, reflective and trippy "Acid Rap" mixtape surprisingly captured the masses who were a.)tired of the rap game flaunting their excessive wealth and women or b.)could relate to Chance's emotional laments while actually sounding sincere and genuine, even with terrets-style AAAHs! peppered through some of the tunes .
Recoomended Songs:Cocoa Butter Kisses, Lost, Pusha Man, Good Ass Intro, Favorite Song
08.Rudimental-Home
"Feel The Love" was just the beginning for the London quartet, who recruited a number of relatively unknown singers (sans Emeli Sande) for their major label debut. The albums spans a number of different genres, but rather than an LP full to the brim of drum and bass inspired euphoric pop, they stake their claim with the minimally produced cuts and superb vocal performances thanks to superb producer/singer MNEK, Sinead Harnett and American raptress Angel Haze.
Recommended Songs:Hell Could Freeze, Baby, Spoons, Hide, Feel The Love, Right Here
07.Sub Focus-Torus
Whereas most producers were at their best with the sounds they weren't familiar with, Sub Focus drum and bass was the strongest element of DJ Sub Focus's sophomore set. The passionate environment created by most of the tracks are meant to liven up the dancefloor and kill the livers of said dancefloor residents. Pour the shots!
Recommended Songs:Turn Back Time, Endorphins, Closer, You Make It Better
06.Eliza Doolittle-In Your Hands
Eliza's first album was bright and cheeky with a few hints of maturity beyond the albums fluffy pop landscape. Eliza's second effort was self-aware, honest, with a bit of the cheekiness from her first album mixed in. "In Your Hands" is a record that is willing to travel through the uncharted wilderness of a still blooming solo career.
Recommended Tracks:Don't Call It Love, Waste of Time, Checkmate, Walking on Water, Backpacking
05.Justin Timberlake-The 20/20 Experience (Part One)
The singer-turned-actor had people worried that he would never return to making infectious, Timbaland-produced tunes ever again. Good thing he nipped that in the bud in the early months of 2013. JT took a retro approach to his music this time around, opting out the pulsating rhythms that permeated "FutureSex/LoveSounds" and replacing them with big boy grooves and jives a la Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder. The album could have easily captured album of the year, if it weren't for the length of the songs and replacing some of the songs ("Suit and Tie" for instance) that made it onto Part 2 onto this disk instead (Not a Bad Thing and TKO for instance).
Recommenced Songs:Mirrors, Strawberry Bubblegum, Blue Ocean Floor, Don't Hold The Wall, Let The Groove Get In
04.Lady Gaga-ARTPOP
Lady Gaga got the short end of the pop music stick this year, with Katy Perry's "Prism" outselling her and Beyonce dropping that surprise LP. However, surprises and sales don't matter when you're discussing quality and consistency, both elements that made ARTPOP so enjoyable. Gags had fun with this release, though the lyrics could be a little juvenile and preachy (again).
Recommended Tracks:G.U.Y, MANicure, Dope, Gypsy, Applause, Swine
03.Disclosure-Settle
90s-era house music was already making a mainstream comeback, Disclosure just decided to make it known that they were going to be the ones leading the charge. Disclosure laid it on heavy with surprisingly light melodies mixed in with lyrics crafted in tune with the pulsating instrumentation. "Settle" is just uptempo enough for the clubs and the gym, downtempo enough for the bedroom, hipster/yuppie get-together or getting high with your best friends. Overall, the strongest dance record of 2013.
Recommended Tracks:Grab Her!, Latch, White Noise, Help Me Lose My Mind, Defeated No More, F for You, Boiling
02.2AM Club-Moon Tower
In lieu of a proper second studio album, the band released a slew of freebies including "Moon Tower" which they could have easily passed off as their follow-up and they wouldn't have been a complaint. The Moon Tower Mixtape provides unforgettable and a communicable vigor that leaves listeners singing and grooving right along with them. Whether it be to a forgotten promsed phone call or a ode to everyone's favourite plant based girl who isn't Poison Ivy from Batman, 2AM Club cannot make a bad record.
Recommended Tracks:All I Hear Is, Sweet Song, Black Liquor, Natural Spring Water, My Fire
01.King Krule-6 Feet Beneath The Moon
Archy Marshall channeled nujabes, J.Dilla, Elivs and Morrisey in his full-length debut. The deep growl of his vocals, the mature nature of the lyrics cast a musical landscape similar to what the album cover depicts: King Krule is in a disjointed state of black, white and grey, the lines blurred (in a good way) between what genres go where and same with inspirations. Impressive to say the least.
Recommened Tracks-Baby Blue, Border Line, Foreign 2, Out Getting Ribs, Bathed In Grey, A Lizard State, Easy Easy
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