This isn't a 'best of 2016' because everything is subjective. It's not even 'my favorites of 2016' because some of these releases I haven't even heard all the way through. They're just things that caught my ear for one reason or another. People making art that reflects themselves instead of the shit going on around them. Sometimes I don't have the attention span for an album, or I'm not in the mood for a particular genre, but I'm trying to give props where it's due.
Bizarro Jerry's 2016 List:
King - "We Are King"
Throwback R&B by two sisters and their friend who write and produce all their own songs. Their debut album has a dreamy, almost 'hypnagogic' vibe that out-hazes Sade at times, which I found impressive.
Andy Stott - "Too Many Voices"
Genre-less electronic music with bits and pieces from a lot of unlikely sources (i.e. 80's New Romantic music, Memphis rap, outsider house) that I like a LOT. I'm really excited to see what this dude does next.
Yves Tumor - "Serpent Music"
Further proof that music is transcending genres. Faded R&B mixed with industrial, lo-fi, field recordings, vaporwave-ish looped samples, religious records and creepy beats.
Zomby - "Ultra"
Stoned-out, insular dance music with elements from trap rap, 90's rave, dubstep, and ambient techno. I feel like I should hate this, but it's so tossed-off and weird that I don't. Just seems like this dude has fun with what he does.
Demdike Stare - "Wonderland"
I've learned to appreciate music that I might initially write off as 'boring' under the right circumstances. Normally I'm not too into the kind of ambient creep-fests these two guys usually cook up, but they're perfect for late-night driving. I think I'm finally sold on them with this release, though, as it's a lot more musical and beat-driven. Still creepy, but in a car-thumping, menacing kind of way.
Nicolas Jaar - "Sirens"
I have no idea what this dude is on about, but I got major feels off this. He seems very angry. His music is...strange. More shapeshifting, genre-bending weirdness that encompasses Suicide-esque synth punk, IDM and ambient, and somehow has a lot of chaotic jazz drumming and saxophone, too.
Immune - "Breathless"
Kind of like if you took the vaporwave recording aesthetic and applied it to 90's dance music. I guess a lot of these are slowed-down remixes of old dance tracks, but whatever. It's got a rainy-day kinda vibe, and I fall asleep to it a lot.
Spark Master Tape - "Silhouette of a Sunkken City"
Spark's experimental take on mainstream rap continues, and gets even darker. This came out after a 2-year hiatus where nothing was heard from him at all. I still think he's Kai Skywalker.
2 8 1 4 - "Rain Temple"
This is like the soundtrack for some 90's made-for-TV tech-thriller film, and I love it.
callasoiled - "Vapor Reflection"
callasoiled - "音響効果芸術集"
I don't know a whole lot about this Japanese producer. I don't even know if I correctly typed his or her name, because sometimes it's stylized as 'Calla Soiled,' sometimes as 'calla soiled' and sometimes like I have it. I do know that the music they make is super-luxurious, maximalist electronica that seems (to me) very modern, but also very natural. Even with trap drumkits and dubstep wobble bass popping up here and there, callasoiled's best tunes feel like a forest broken down into mathematical components, then turned into music. Last year's 'Lucoq' is the best release I've heard, but they've put out like, 5 things this year that are all pretty good.
Babyfather - "BBF Hosted by DJ Escrow"
I am apparently just as baffled by Dean Blunt's music as everybody else. I dunno, this kinda seems like he just freestyled really badly over some songs he had that sort of resembled rap music, but taking into account his public persona, it seems that wouldn't be the case, and that this is a carefully planned release. I don't know. Parts of it are obnoxious, but then it gets very disorienting and weird. It's interesting, at the very least.
Moe and ghosts X 空間現代 - "Rap Phenomenon"
Okay, it's headache-inducing math rock with female, Japanese rapping on top. It's insane. This could have only come from Japan.
Vektor - "Terminal Redux"
I've heard about 4 songs, and they were all good. Vektor has consistently been solid, and this might be their best release yet.
Deftones - "Gore"
Every time the Deftones put out a new record, it ends up being my second favorite, after "White Pony." This time, for real, this is my second favorite Deftones record. Okay, maybe third, because I have a soft spot for 'Adrenaline,' but SERIOUSLY, this is a good Deftones record. Any minor complaints I had about "Diamond Eyes" and "Koi No Yokan" (namely over-production, auto-tuned vocals, and a few kinda samey songs) are resolved here.
Floating Points - "Kuiper" EP
Like, some weird combination of film noir instruments and ambient electronica? I don't really know. It's got a movie-feel to it, and it's pretty dark and dreamy. I dig it, along with the full-length they put out last year.
Esperanza Spalding - "Emily's D+Evolution"
Why aren't more people talking about this?? Really, REALLY cool jazz-fusion from a young bassist/singer. Like, for one thing, how many female singer/songwriter/bassists are there? And how many of them sound like Prince's weirder moments and play like fucking Jaco Pastorius?
Joao Donato - "Donato Eletrico"
I just stumbled across this album, and it's just super chilled-out Latin jazz that could've come from any era, if it weren't for random moments of record scratching and other strangeness. It's just very unassuming and enjoyable.
Autechre - "Elseq 1-5"
Okay, I've only heard a small fraction of this because I haven't been in an Autechre mood, but I love these dudes, and what I've heard is classic Autechre. In some ways, it's even noisier than they usually go for. Less chaotic and alien than something like "Confield," but definitely more experimental than their early albums.
18+ - "Fore"
What the hell is this? I'm not even sure if I like it. It might be super pretentious. Or it might just be some drug addicted, idiosyncratic weirdos. I guess it's R&B?? It's a guy and girl half-rapping/half-singing over these really strange beats...like some outsider couple version of Bones or something?
Nu Guinea - "The Tony Allen Experiments"
Cool jazz-funk with a lot of African vibes that reminds me of Bill Laswell's classic recordings. Nothing new, but not bad at all.
Burial - "Young Death / Nightmarket"
It took me a lot of listens to get into Burial. I still think his debut is better than "Untrue," which kind of bores me honestly. This...kind of bored me too...but it's just neat this reclusive dude is still putting tunes out, and it's cool to be able to get excited about new releases again.
Ho99o9 - "The Dope Dealerz / Double Barrel"
This is what the teens are doing now, and it's fucking terrifying. Like OFWG if they were actually as 'punk' as they think they are. These dudes do rap songs, and then they pick up instruments and do punk songs. Sometimes it crosses over, but not usually. These two tracks represent their two sides perfectly, much better than their previous EPs.
King - "We Are King"
Throwback R&B by two sisters and their friend who write and produce all their own songs. Their debut album has a dreamy, almost 'hypnagogic' vibe that out-hazes Sade at times, which I found impressive.
Andy Stott - "Too Many Voices"
Genre-less electronic music with bits and pieces from a lot of unlikely sources (i.e. 80's New Romantic music, Memphis rap, outsider house) that I like a LOT. I'm really excited to see what this dude does next.
Yves Tumor - "Serpent Music"
Further proof that music is transcending genres. Faded R&B mixed with industrial, lo-fi, field recordings, vaporwave-ish looped samples, religious records and creepy beats.
Zomby - "Ultra"
Stoned-out, insular dance music with elements from trap rap, 90's rave, dubstep, and ambient techno. I feel like I should hate this, but it's so tossed-off and weird that I don't. Just seems like this dude has fun with what he does.
Demdike Stare - "Wonderland"
I've learned to appreciate music that I might initially write off as 'boring' under the right circumstances. Normally I'm not too into the kind of ambient creep-fests these two guys usually cook up, but they're perfect for late-night driving. I think I'm finally sold on them with this release, though, as it's a lot more musical and beat-driven. Still creepy, but in a car-thumping, menacing kind of way.
Nicolas Jaar - "Sirens"
I have no idea what this dude is on about, but I got major feels off this. He seems very angry. His music is...strange. More shapeshifting, genre-bending weirdness that encompasses Suicide-esque synth punk, IDM and ambient, and somehow has a lot of chaotic jazz drumming and saxophone, too.
Immune - "Breathless"
Kind of like if you took the vaporwave recording aesthetic and applied it to 90's dance music. I guess a lot of these are slowed-down remixes of old dance tracks, but whatever. It's got a rainy-day kinda vibe, and I fall asleep to it a lot.
Spark Master Tape - "Silhouette of a Sunkken City"
Spark's experimental take on mainstream rap continues, and gets even darker. This came out after a 2-year hiatus where nothing was heard from him at all. I still think he's Kai Skywalker.
2 8 1 4 - "Rain Temple"
This is like the soundtrack for some 90's made-for-TV tech-thriller film, and I love it.
callasoiled - "Vapor Reflection"
callasoiled - "音響効果芸術集"
I don't know a whole lot about this Japanese producer. I don't even know if I correctly typed his or her name, because sometimes it's stylized as 'Calla Soiled,' sometimes as 'calla soiled' and sometimes like I have it. I do know that the music they make is super-luxurious, maximalist electronica that seems (to me) very modern, but also very natural. Even with trap drumkits and dubstep wobble bass popping up here and there, callasoiled's best tunes feel like a forest broken down into mathematical components, then turned into music. Last year's 'Lucoq' is the best release I've heard, but they've put out like, 5 things this year that are all pretty good.
Babyfather - "BBF Hosted by DJ Escrow"
I am apparently just as baffled by Dean Blunt's music as everybody else. I dunno, this kinda seems like he just freestyled really badly over some songs he had that sort of resembled rap music, but taking into account his public persona, it seems that wouldn't be the case, and that this is a carefully planned release. I don't know. Parts of it are obnoxious, but then it gets very disorienting and weird. It's interesting, at the very least.
Moe and ghosts X 空間現代 - "Rap Phenomenon"
Okay, it's headache-inducing math rock with female, Japanese rapping on top. It's insane. This could have only come from Japan.
Vektor - "Terminal Redux"
I've heard about 4 songs, and they were all good. Vektor has consistently been solid, and this might be their best release yet.
Deftones - "Gore"
Every time the Deftones put out a new record, it ends up being my second favorite, after "White Pony." This time, for real, this is my second favorite Deftones record. Okay, maybe third, because I have a soft spot for 'Adrenaline,' but SERIOUSLY, this is a good Deftones record. Any minor complaints I had about "Diamond Eyes" and "Koi No Yokan" (namely over-production, auto-tuned vocals, and a few kinda samey songs) are resolved here.
Floating Points - "Kuiper" EP
Like, some weird combination of film noir instruments and ambient electronica? I don't really know. It's got a movie-feel to it, and it's pretty dark and dreamy. I dig it, along with the full-length they put out last year.
Esperanza Spalding - "Emily's D+Evolution"
Why aren't more people talking about this?? Really, REALLY cool jazz-fusion from a young bassist/singer. Like, for one thing, how many female singer/songwriter/bassists are there? And how many of them sound like Prince's weirder moments and play like fucking Jaco Pastorius?
Joao Donato - "Donato Eletrico"
I just stumbled across this album, and it's just super chilled-out Latin jazz that could've come from any era, if it weren't for random moments of record scratching and other strangeness. It's just very unassuming and enjoyable.
Autechre - "Elseq 1-5"
Okay, I've only heard a small fraction of this because I haven't been in an Autechre mood, but I love these dudes, and what I've heard is classic Autechre. In some ways, it's even noisier than they usually go for. Less chaotic and alien than something like "Confield," but definitely more experimental than their early albums.
18+ - "Fore"
What the hell is this? I'm not even sure if I like it. It might be super pretentious. Or it might just be some drug addicted, idiosyncratic weirdos. I guess it's R&B?? It's a guy and girl half-rapping/half-singing over these really strange beats...like some outsider couple version of Bones or something?
Nu Guinea - "The Tony Allen Experiments"
Cool jazz-funk with a lot of African vibes that reminds me of Bill Laswell's classic recordings. Nothing new, but not bad at all.
Burial - "Young Death / Nightmarket"
It took me a lot of listens to get into Burial. I still think his debut is better than "Untrue," which kind of bores me honestly. This...kind of bored me too...but it's just neat this reclusive dude is still putting tunes out, and it's cool to be able to get excited about new releases again.
Ho99o9 - "The Dope Dealerz / Double Barrel"
This is what the teens are doing now, and it's fucking terrifying. Like OFWG if they were actually as 'punk' as they think they are. These dudes do rap songs, and then they pick up instruments and do punk songs. Sometimes it crosses over, but not usually. These two tracks represent their two sides perfectly, much better than their previous EPs.
Melt Yourself Down - "Last Evenings on Earth"
Afro-post-punk wildness. EXCELLENT sax playing, complex rhythms, and a lot of anger. Sometimes the vocals are a little annoying, but these folks have a cool sound.
Yello - "Toy"
I didn't even realize these two weirdos were still doing shit...they must be in their 60s or 70s now. You remember 'Oh Yeah' from 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' of course, but the rest of their classic output was more like the Residents Lite. I haven't heard this full album, but it sounds just as yuppie-ish, lush, and goofy as they always did.
I dunno, there's other stuff, but I don't wanna start doing the 'music journalist' thing and write about albums I'm not familiar with. This is stuff I've been ACTUALLY listening to.
Afro-post-punk wildness. EXCELLENT sax playing, complex rhythms, and a lot of anger. Sometimes the vocals are a little annoying, but these folks have a cool sound.
Yello - "Toy"
I didn't even realize these two weirdos were still doing shit...they must be in their 60s or 70s now. You remember 'Oh Yeah' from 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' of course, but the rest of their classic output was more like the Residents Lite. I haven't heard this full album, but it sounds just as yuppie-ish, lush, and goofy as they always did.
I dunno, there's other stuff, but I don't wanna start doing the 'music journalist' thing and write about albums I'm not familiar with. This is stuff I've been ACTUALLY listening to.
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