ILM 2014 Albums Poll: Thread of Ballots, Statistics and Survivalist Posturing

also, djmartian is legit my hero

just realised gman5959 was my neighbour again. Pretty sure he's always my neighbour!

I view djmartian with a mix of reverence and pity.

ballot may have changed slightly but whatever

8/25, last year it was only 3 I think?

1. Biota - Funnel To A Thread (acoustic hypnoswirl w/subtle processing of unparalleled quality, jawdropping art as well)

2. Against Me! - Transgender Dysphoria Blues (killer glamrock mallpunk transgender anthems)

3. Ou - Pisces Crisis (staggering RIO-influenced ensemble powerhouse, very European in a good way)

4. Amy Denio - Prodigal Light (one of America's most under-appreciated polymath music geniuses)

5. Grouper - Ruins (Liz Harris steps out of her cloud of effect pedals with sparse piano arrangements for excellent songs)

6. Daniel Bachman - Orange Co. Serenade (young guitar prodigy branches out even further, w/impressive results)

7. Legendary Pink Dots - 10 to the Power of 9 (psychedelic electronic journey)

8. Sir Richard Bishop - Road To Siam (acoustic guitar wizard enchants you on stupidly limited vinyl 10")

9. Einstürzende Neubauten - Lament (suitably dense/bizarre/challenging WWI lament/comeback album from these industrial veterans)

10. Chrome - Feel It Like A Scientist (ferocious comeback album from Creed & co., sci-fi heavy metal noise weirdness)

11. Aphex Twin - Syro (first new material in over a decade is one of his most listenable & solid records to date)

12. Carla Bozulich - Boy (spooky, whispered urgency from one of my favorite vocalists/songwriters, didn't even know this came out until December of 2014)

13. United Bible Studies - Doineann (stupidly limited but gorgeous folk-drone CD, buy it on their Bandcamp page)

14. The Pop Group - Cabinet Of Curiosities (onslaught of insanely great unreleased/archival material from these post-punk geniuses)

15. Caetano Veloso - Abraçaço (suave Brazilian making some of the best music of his 50-plus-year career)

16. Golden Retriever - Seer (new duo combining synth and bass clarinet, results far exceed expectations)

17. Ninos Du Brasil - Novos Mistérios (irresistible techno/batacuda hybrid, drums drums drums sex dance)

18. Armand Schaubroeck Steals - God Made The Blues To Kill Me! (another veteran dishes up his signature blues-rock dementia, his first since the 70's)

19. Alvarius B./Sir Richard Bishop - If You Don't Like It…Don't! (two brothers duel on acoustic guitar, call it a tie)

20. D'Angelo - Black Messiah (the genius behind this R&B tour-de-force is undeniable)

21. Fennesz - Bécs (mostly Endless Summer Part II, but this retread has some teeth and claws mixed in with the pastoral drone)

22. Shabazz Palaces - Lese Majesty (oblique and immaculately produced modern hip-hop, recommended)

23. Tinariwen - Emmaar (this Northern Africa collective keeps cranking out great albums, hypnotic desert guitar intertwines w/full band)

24. Swans - To Be Kind (heavy and satisfying in places but not as good as their last two, this might even be a sympathy vote)

25. David Shea - Rituals (fascinating multi-part voyage through sound)

Honorable Mention (26-50, not bolded)

Goat - Commune (Swedish collective summons the spirit of Amon Duul, great album)

Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra ‎– Fuck Off Get Free We Pour Light On Everything (long form swirl that hits me harder than their previous work)

The Soft Pink Truth - Why Do The Heathen Rage? (black metal translated into synthesizer bounce)

Alvarius B. - What One Man Can Do With An Acoustic Guitar, Surely Another Can Do With His Hands Around The Neck Of God (self explanatory)

Sleaford Mods - Divide & Exit (a very angry man yells about stuff while another man drinks beer and pushes buttons, exhilaratingly furious)

Laetitia Sadier - Something Shines (shimmery is a good word for this surprisingly good solo album from the former Stereolab singer)

Juçara Marçal - Encarnado (it's like tropicalia grabbing you by the front of your shirt and forcing you to learn a new dance, formidable and confident)

Scott Walker & Sunn0))) - Soused (avant vocals do acrobatics over drone-metal nightmares)

Islaja - S U U (I still don't know what to think about this, Finnish folk-psych goes techno, singing in English, weird and off kilter)

Alessandro Cortini - Sonno (blissful modern composition)

Chris Forsyth and the Solar Motel Band - Intensity Ghost (guitar rock done right)

Sunn0))) & Ulver - Terrestrials (more boiling lava and subterranean eruptions from another Sunn collaboration)

Panda Bear - Mr. Noah EP (dense and shiny prelude to his new 2015 double album)

Richard Dawson - Nothing Important (one man wrecking crew delivers epic folk tunes with avant guitar mangling)

Shellac - Dude Incredible (tight as a fucking drum, this band)

Dum Dum Girls - Too True (catchy & memorable tunes done up in the prevalent reverb-girlgroup style)

Elisa Ambrogio - The Immoralist (deceptively simple arrangements, unusual sounds, good songs)

Tobacco - Ultima II Massage (vocoder madness infests nervous fractured beats & synths)

Thee Oh Sees - Drop (some really pretty songs on this amidst the top notch neo-garagerock)

OOIOO - Gamel (still getting a handle on this but gamelan-influenced music feels like a natural direction for them)

Nicole Mitchell’s Black Earth Ensemble - Intergalactic Beings (much more out-there/free-jazz than her earlier records)

Maurice Louca - Benhayyi Al-Baghbaghan (fabulous modern Egyptian music)

Magic Eye - Babylon (spacey drifting psych-rock)

Tashi Dorji - blue nest of larks that die EP (great new guitarist releases nicely experimental EP, on his Bandcamp page)

Vashti Bunyan - Heartleap (this is really pretty but I am still waiting for the songs to sink in)

Maurice Louca - Benhayyi Al-Baghbaghan (fabulous modern Egyptian music)
Magic Eye - Babylon (spacey drifting psych-rock)

^^^ These get honourable mentions from me too

Ballot. Mixed. Bold didn't place. Bold italics were cases where I was the only voter.

D'Angelo and the Vanguard - Black Messiah
owen pallett - in conflict
mr twin sister - mr twin sister
Future Islands - Singles
taylor swift - 1989
Neil Cicierega - Mouth Sounds
Lewis - L'amour
The War on Drugs - Lost in the Dream
Caribou - Our Love

Alcest - Shelter
Ariel Pink - pom pom
Chromeo - White Women
Fennesz - Bécs
Kairon; IRSE! - Ujubasajuba
Kutiman - Thru-You Too
Sloan - Commonwealth
The Preatures - Blue Planet Eyes
todd terje - it's album time
Weird Al Yankovic - Mandatory Fun
The New Pornographers - Brill Bruisers

Oh and Chromeo - White Women

Mixed ballot:

iamamiwhoami - Blue
Mac Demarco - Salad Days
Arditti Quartet - Ferneyhough: Complete Works for String Quartet & Trios
13) Run The Jewels - Run The Jewels 2
Lotic - Damsel in Distress
Stars In Battledress - In Droplet Form
74) noura mint seymali - tzenni
Terrence Parker - Life On The Back 9
33) The Soft Pink Truth - Why Do the Heathen Rage?
20) javiera mena - otra era
Reagenz - The Periodic Table
48) Wild Beasts - Present Tense
51) A Winged Victory for the Sullen - Atomos
Protect-U - Free USA
The Hotelier - Home, Like NoPlace Was There
58) Kassem Mosse - Workshop 19
Noveller & thisquietarmy - Reveries
Liars - Mess
63) Leon Vynehall - Music for the Uninvited
Mr Oizo - The Church

Mitch Murder - Interceptor
Phaserland - Electric Atlantic
Suicideyear - Remembrance
10) todd terje - it's album time
Ueno Masaaki - Vortices

Noveller & thisquietarmy - Reveries

Glad to see someone else voted for this!

Intrigued about that Ferneyhough set. 3 CDs of Ferneyhough still sounds hardcore to me but it IS Arditti.

Not gonna lie, the Ferneyhough IS hardcore, but the Arditti performances (their second studio recordings of all but the most recent of these pieces) have all the sweep and nuance you could hope for. Try the String Trio (not the little Streichtrio, which doesn't amount to much). The whole album is on Spotify; I'm guessing Youtubes are likely to be earlier recordings.

Man some of these ballots are insane!

didn't vote but here are the best albums i heard in 2014

kassem mosse
arca
k michelle
nicki minaj
aphex twin
gabor lazar
lee gamble
actress
lana del rey
theo parrish
young marco
gunnar hasslem
moon b

i need to listen to shabazz palaces

Function & Vatican Shadow - Games Have Rules

^ i quite liked this as well

weighted

Shabazz Palaces - Lese Majesty
Ben Frost - AURORA
Tinashe - Aquarius
Mr. Mitch - Parallel Memories
Moodymann – Moodymann

Lotic - Damsel in Distress
copeland - because I’m worth it
D'Angelo and the Vanguard - Black Messiah
Perc - The Power And The Glory
Call Super - Suzi Ecto

Andy Stott - Faith In Strangers
Aphex Twin - Syro
Theo Parrish - American Intelligence
Shackleton - Drones Over Lancashire
Leon Vynehall - Music for the Uninvited

The Bug - Angels & Devils
Gigi Masin - Talk To The Sea
Dean Blunt - Black Metal
FKA twigs – LP1
YG - My Krazy Life

Tia Maria Produções - Tá Tipo Já Não Vamos Morrer
Richard Dawson - Nothing Important
Kassem Mosse - Workshop 19
Scott Walker & Sunn O))) - Soused
Marissa Nadler – July

Lamp obviously lives in a block of apartments

my weighted ballot

Cher Lloyd - Sorry I’m Late
Jessie Ware - Tough Love
Dean Blunt - Black Metal
Torn Hawk - Through Force of Will
Giant Claw - Dark Web
Sturgill Simpson - Metamodern Sounds in Country Music
Mikael Seifu - Yarada Lij
nmesh - Dream Sequins®
Tinashe - Aquarius
Charli XCX - Sucker
Kitten - Kitten
Nenad Markovic - Kayto
Ex Hex - Rips
Kelis - Food
Brett - Brett
The Soundcarriers - Entropicalia
EEK - Live at the Cairo High Cinema Institute
Gazelle Twin - Unflesh
Baths - Ocean Death
The Wharves - At Bay
Ravioli Me Away - The Inevitable Album
Remember Remember - Forgetting the Present
Young Marco - Biology
Ex-Easter Island Head - Large Electric Ensemble
Dark0 - Sin EP

we tried sweet prince torn hawk so close
thanks everyone involved for the stats and the rollout, much appreciated
also thanks to everyone who voted for that soft pink truth and botanical albums, on repeat

Wtf is indie r&b!?

Genres - never deny their existence if someone else says them, never use their names yourself

Thanks so much for the poll guys.
could someone possibly post my ballot? Ill have some more constructive thoughts later Cheers Again!

Weighted.

1 Sleaford Mods - Divide and Exit (126)
2 Stein Urheim - S/t (389, only voter)
3 The War on Drugs - Lost in the Dream (8)
4 Swans - To Be Kind (26)
5 The Gloaming - The Gloaming (148)
6 Sleaford Mods - Chubbed Up + (326)
7 D'Angelo and the Vanguard - Black Messiah (1)
8 Ronika - Selectadisc (55)
9 Richard Dawson - Nothing Important (23)
10 Bright Light Bright Light - Life Is Easy (523, only voter)
11 Hookworms - The Hum (520)
12 todd terje - it's album time (10)
13 King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard - I'm In Your Mind Fuzz (569, only voter)
14 The Rails - Fair Warning (652, only voter)
15 Neneh Cherry - Blank Project (21)
16 Future Islands - Singles (30)
17 FKA twigs - LP1 (3)
18 Actress - Ghettoville (165)
19 La Roux - Trouble in Paradise (200)
20 Lone - Reality Testing (130)
21 Manic Street Preachers - Futurology (174)
22 Jack White - Lazaretto (700)
23 Goat - Commune (179)
24 Ibibio Sound Machine - Ibibio Sound Machine (162)
25 Ian William Craig - A Turn of Breath (186)

Great ballot Mike.

Weighted

Torn Hawk - Through Force of Will
Young Marco - Biology
Terrence Parker - Life On The Back 9
A Winged Victory for the Sullen - Atomos
Eleventeen Eston - Delta Horizon
The Juan Maclean - In a Dream
Roman Flugel - Happiness Is Happening
Owen pallett - in conflict
FKA twigs - LP1
Mr twin sister - mr twin sister
Leon Vynehall - Music for the Uninvited
Bohren & der Club of Gore - Piano Nights
Tinashe - Aquarius
Moodymann - Moodymann
Francis Harris - Minutes Of Sleep
Delicate Features - The Passenger
Grouper - Ruins
Mica Levi - Under the Skin OST
St. Vincent - St. Vincent
Lone - Reality Testing
Gazelle Twin - Unflesh
Aphex Twin - Syro
tUnE-yArDs - nikki nack
Lamb - Backspace Unwind
Kassem Mosse - Workshop 19

could I have mine posted please?

Thanks to everyone involved!

Mixed:

Delicate Features - The Passenger
Eleventeen Eston - Delta Horizon
taylor swift - 1989
Horsebeach - Horsebeach
Paqua - Akaliko
Young Marco - Biology
BAR - Welcome to BAR
Suzanne Kraft - Missum
Little Mix - Salute
Javier Bergia - Eclipse
Gigi Masin - Talk To The Sea
A Winged Victory for the Sullen - Atomos
Mark Barrott - Sketches from an Island
A.R.T. Wilson - Overworld
Katy B - Little Red

Geoffrey O'Connor - Fan Fiction Mastered
The Preatures - Blue Planet Eyes
Run The Jewels - Run The Jewels 2
Loscil - Sea Island
Tove Lo - Queen of the Clouds
Aphex Twin - Syro
vesuvio solo - favors
Seahawks - Paradise Freaks
Sorcerer - Jungle Hideout
Gruff Rhys - American Interior

ooh very cool to see someone else put maria minerva at #1. i can't belive how hard it's been slept on :(

Highest placed critics' poll "Consensus Watch" albums that didn't make the ILM 77.
(Consensus Watch ranks albums by the number of year-end collective-vote critics' polls an album appears on. Places below #50 are excluded.)

Flying Lotus - You're Dead! (#8 on Consensus Watch, #99 on ILM)
Sharon Van Etten - Are We There (#11/#95)
Beck - Morning Phase (#15/#220)
Perfume Genius - Too Bright (#16/#124)
Mac DeMarco - Salad Days (#17/#100)
Jack White - Lazaretto (#23/#700)
Jenny Lewis - Voyager (#27/#81)
East India Youth - Total Strife Forever (#27/#381)
Ty Segall - Manipulator (#27/#554)
Cloud Nothings - Here And Nowhere Else (#30/#137)

Albums on the ILM Top 40 with little year-end poll love elsewhere:

The Juan Maclean – In A Dream (#11/#184, 5 polls)
Charli XCX - Sucker (#12/#154, 6 polls)
Mr. Twin Sister - Mr. Twin Sister (#14/#280, 3 polls)
Javiera Mena - Otra Era (#20, no polls)
Richard Dawson - Nothing Important (#23/#222, 4 polls)
K. Michelle - Anybody Wanna Buy a Heart? (#24/#405, 2 polls)
Gazelle Twin - Unflesh (#27/#405, 2 polls)
DJ Quik - The Midnight Life (#28, 1 poll)
The Soft Pink Truth - Why Do the Heathen Rage? (#33, 1 poll)
Toni Braxton & Babyface - Love, Marriage & Divorce (#35/#280, 3 polls)
Mark Barrott - Sketches from an Island (#38/#405, 2 polls)

a good day's trading imo

That consensus watch comparison really illustrates ilx's greatness and also importance

Like how could anyone prefer the consensus picks we rejected to the ignored albums we loved

multiple xpost That Maria Minerva album is a real step-up from an already great artist, can't believe how unloved it is considering the thinkpieces around it practically write themselves.

weighted

Isaiah Rashad - Cilvia Demo
Taylor Swift -1989
Future - Honest
Rich gang - the tour pt 1
LDR - Ultraviolence
the-Dream - royalty prequel
future -Monster
Travis porter - music money magnums 2
King louie - tony
elisa ambroglio - Immoralist
Que - can you dig it
schoolboy q - Oxymoron
trey songz - Trigga
Warpaint s/t
lil Spook - black silk
Yg - my krazy life
Les sins - michael

Genres - never deny their existence if someone else says them, never use their names yourself

― saer, Friday, January 30, 2015 5:04 AM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

otm

Mark Barrott - Sketches from an Island
Young Marco - Biology
YG - My Krazy Life
Gigi Masin - Talk To The Sea
Suzanne Kraft - Missum
Lee Gamble - Koch
A Winged Victory for the Sullen - Atomos
Delroy Edwards - Teenage Tapes
Horsebeach - Horsebeach
Nenad Markovic - Kayto
Ital - Endgame
Maricopa - Pastel Love Part 2
Braid - No Coast
rich gang - rich gang the tour part 1
Wadada Leo Smith - The Great Lakes Suites
Hauschka - Abandoned City
Torn Hawk - Through Force of Will
Container - Adhesive
Carla Bozulich - Boy
Golden Retriever - Seer
Kyle Bobby Dunn - And The Infinite Sadness

despite missing the nomination window most of my favorite records from the last year made the list which is pretty cool.

The New Pornographers - Brill Bruisers
The War on Drugs - Lost in the Dream
Nadja - Queller
Francis Harris - Minutes Of Sleep
Mac Demarco - Salad Days
Thantifaxath - Sacred White Noise
Gene the Southern Child & Parallel Thought - Southern Meridian
Alvvays - Alvvays
Rick Ross - Mastermind
Fluisteraars - Dromers
Fennesz - Bécs
todd terje - it's album time
Mayhem - Esoteric Warfare
javiera mena - otra era
Nightbringer - Ego Dominus Tuus
Agalloch - The Serpent and the Sphere
Meshell Ndegeocello - Comet, Come to Me
Tori Amos - Unrepentant Geraldines
Sloan - Commonwealth
Cormega - Mega Philosophy
Kayo Dot – Coffins on lo
Lana del rey - ultraviolence
Aphex Twin - Syro
Frank & Tony - You Go Girl
Step Brothers - Lord steppington

Mixed ballot.
Bold = missed the 77. Bold italics = sole voter. Surprised to be the sole voter for DK3.

Mica Levi - ‘Under the Skin’ OST
tUnE-yArDs - nikki nack
D'Angelo and the Vanguard - Black Messiah
Todd Terje - It's Album Time
Pete Wiggs - Saint Etienne presents 'How We Used To Live' Original Film Soundtrack
Ariel Pink - pom pom
Cavern of Anti-Matter - Interlude Music
BABYMETAL - s/t
Guy Gerber & Puff Daddy - 11:11
Tinashe - Aquarius
Tim Love Lee & Shawn Lee - KPM: New York Trouble / Electric Progression
Danity Kane - DK3
Neneh Cherry - Blank Project
Mouse On Mars - 21 Again: Collaborations
Giant Claw - Dark Web
The Juan Maclean - In A Dream
Exotica - La vierge et le lion
Laetitia Sadier - Something Shines
Nicki Minaj - The Pink Print

Concretism - Town Planning
Benjamin Schoos - Une dernière danse EP
Ibibio Sound Machine - Ibibio Sound Machine
Kali Mutsa - Souvenance
The Emperor Machine - Like A Machine
Caribou - Our Love

For the record, Skye Ferreira's Night Time, My Time was in my IRL top 5 but was ineligible for this poll.

Lamp and me both voted for Carla Bozulich! <3 <3 <3 <3

I would have voted for Boy if I had found a way to fit 50 albums in 25 slots.

yay dark web votes :)

Weighted:

1. A Sunny Day In Glasgow - Sea When Absent
2. shabazz palaces - lese majesty
3. YG - My Krazy Life
4. D'Angelo and the Vanguard - Black Messiah
5. John Luther Adams - Become Ocean
6. Tinashe - Aquarius
7. owen pallett - in conflict
8. Behemoth - The Satanist
9. Fuse ODG – TINA
10. Sicko Mobb - Super Saiyan vol 1
11. FKA twigs – LP1
12. Oren Ambarchi – Quixotism
13. Run The Jewels - Run The Jewels 2
14. Tanya Tagaq - Animism
15. Popcaan - Where We Come From
16. Young Fathers – DEAD
17. St. Vincent - St. Vincent
18. javiera mena - otra era
19. Lantlos - Melting Sun
20. todd terje - it's album time
21. Skrillex – Recess
22. The Notwist - Close to the Glass
23. f(x) - Red Light
24. 2NE1 – Crush
25. Ariel Pink - pom pom

My #1 didn't place :(

Lamp and me both voted for Carla Bozulich! <3 <3 <3 <3

― some dude, Friday, January 30, 2015 5:44 AM

and me!!! <3 <3 that album is great and I only know about it because you nommed it, so thanks!

ah awesome

Mixed

Against Me! - Transgender Dysphoria Blues
Owen Pallett - In Conflict

Amelia Curran - They Promised You Mercy
Betty Who - Take Me When You Go
Emm Gryner - Torrential
Jenny Lewis - The Voyager
Neneh Cherry - Blank Project
Ninos Du Brasil - Novos Mistérios
St. Vincent - St. Vincent
The Both - The Both
The New Pornographers - Brill Bruisers
Toni Braxton + Babyface - Love, Marriage, and Divorce
Tune-Yards - Nikki Nack

Lamp and me both voted for Carla Bozulich! <3 <3 <3 <3

haha for someone that i never agree with about anything we like a lot of the same music

i'm shocked there's no jazz in the genre top 10s! were there really fewer than 10 jazz albums with votes!?

― example (crüt), Thursday, January 29, 2015 5:00 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

No country either.

Gigi Masin - Talk To The Sea
Young Marco - Biology
Nenad Markovic - Kayto
Atelje - Meditation
javiera mena - otra era
Mark E. - Product of Industry
Kassem Mosse - Workshop 19
A.R.T. Wilson - Overworld
Javier Bergia - Eclipse
mr twin sister - mr twin sister
YG - My Krazy Life
Mark Barrott - Sketches from an Island
Paqua - Akaliko
rich gang - rich gang the tour part 1
Hashman Deejay - Sandopolis
Head High - Megatrap
Lee Gamble - Koch
Lnrdcroy - Much Less Normal
Roman Flügel - Happiness Is Happening
Strategy - Boxology
The Juan Maclean - In a Dream
Leon Vynehall - Music for the Uninvited
Ronika - Selectadisc
Torn Hawk - Let's Cry and Do Pushups at the Same Time

there were so many albums i liked this year, here's a list of stuff i couldn't fit onto my ballot:

hon. mention:
Ariel Kalma - An Evolutionary Music
Charli XCX - Sucker
Escape Force - Confused House 4
Gesloten Cirkel - Submit X
Horsebeach - Horsebeach
Ital - Endgame
Juju & Jordash - Clean-Cut
Khun Narin - Khun Narin's Electric Phin Band
Maricopa - Pastel Love Part 2
Protect-U - Free USA
Suzanne Kraft - Missum
Vangelis Katsoulis - The Sleeping Beauties
Yagya - Sleepygirls

i'd switch out a few of those that didn't make it for some that did if i made my ballot today

had an incorrect hunch nenad markovic would place
that ital record is very nice

yeah, there was a surprising amount of enthusiasm for it on ilx, i thought it had a chance, too