ILM’s Top 77 Tracks of 2018

Here’s the Top 77 Tracks of 2018 Spotify Playlist:
http://open.spotify.com/user/forksclovetofu/playlist/4cb2Ds6UBJ5UmU2iFlp9uT

If anyone wants to build a matching YouTube/Tidal/Apple Music/Amazon Music/2025 Neural Net Music Service We Don't Know About Yet Playlist, please post on thread.

In case you’d like to listen to the total talent pool, click below for playlists or direct URLs for every one of the 1300+ nominated tracks:
ILM's 2018 End of Year Tracks & Albums Poll / VOTING THREAD

Your poll runners are myself (posting, playlisting), Moka (graphics) and Seandalai (organization and vote tabulation).

With each winning song, I will be posting links to appropriate ILX artist/song/album/genre threads for further reading; ILXor quotes from those threads on the songs/artists in question may also be included. Additionally, whenever possible, I’m linking to the Singles Jukebox review of the song in question, along with published comments from writers there. There’s a brisk crossover between the ILX and SJ population and the encouragement for slightly longer-form writing at SJ often leads to thoughtful and worthwhile consideration of the songs in question. Juicy bonus content! Who could complain? Just kidding, I’m sure someone will complain.

Ongoing thread side bet: see if you can be the first person to name #78 for bonus bragging rights.

Okay, that’s enough prelude. 77 unpredictable tracks ahead. We’ll get into it in about a half an hour.

WHOOP! WHOOP!

*womp womp

extremely ready for this

DILLY DILLY?

[excited reaction gif]

How many tracks ballots were counted this year btw?

"Counted" sounds weird. Submitted, I mean.

TOO LOW

Seandalai would need to chime in with numbers.

http://i.imgur.com/6ktxZUL.jpg
77: Kali Uchis – “In My Dreams” – 162 points – 6 votes
video

Kali Uchis

I’m very late to this party but holy shit at this chica. - Thee Macallan 18 Year

Super stuff, exactly what I want from a pop record. The occasional sci-fi touches are the icing on the cake. - Jeff W

ooh i love the image format, great work Moka

"In My Dreams" is pleasant but i don't feel too strongly about it. very reminiscent of The Cure's "Close to Me"?

Beautiful work moka (and voters!).

162 the lower bound this year - up on last year's 146!

Very pleasing for one of the last things I cut from my tracks ballot to appear at #77.

Also - first appearance from Damon Albarn! Will there be another?

Every December I discover an album I should've blasted earlier in the year.

This December it was Kali Uchis'.

Great start, probably my favourite track on the Kali Uchis record. Great image too.

I wish "Your Teeth in My Neck" had been a single.

http://i.imgur.com/wC4LrbU.jpg

76: Red Velvet – “Bad Boy” – 164 points – 5 votes
video

Kpop 2018

http://www.thesinglesjukebox.com/?p=25005

The vocal performances are great, the melody is sticky, and it’s one of the few songs I can think of that actually feels sexy rather than aiming for it and missing. – Alex Clifton

That subtle “way-o way-o” buried in the chorus is the tune’s most insidious hook, though it took a couple plays to find. – Al Soto”

I only cast an albums ballot but gl hf all.

Al Soto?! Is my dad writing reviews too?

I always mean to check out more kpop during the year, but the poll always ends up being where I find out about it all. This is good.

not one of my kpop picks this year but still a delightful track, very happy to see this place. love the way the vocal lines intersect in the chorus

you'll always be al to me

love this one

xp (if you'll be my bodyguard)

fuck the images are OUTSTANDING

"Bad Boy" also got an official English version for those curious: https://youtu.be/1_0LRhtdUBo

Yay. "Bad Boy" was produced by The Stereotypes and I really enjoyed this video about how they made the track.

both the Korean and English "Bad Boy" are on the playlist fwiw; that'll be the plan for anything that has multiple language versions

Don't forget to vote in the metal poll! Voting is only open for two weeks!

The 2018 ILX Metal n' Heavy Rock Poll VOTING + CAMPAIGNING thread! Ballots due Saturday, Feb. 2nd!

\m/

hoping for 1 or 2 metal-adjacent things in this poll. let's seeeee

"in my dreams" is quite delicately framed

"the moments we are happiest are the moments that we don't exist"

which way are ppl taking this?

Good start to the countdown. I voted for a different Kali Uchis song, but In My Dreams is a lovely song. Certainly the best thing Damon was involved with this year.

i voted for 2 kpop tracks this year up from my usual 0 so you folks finally got me

http://i.imgur.com/viLzKw7.jpg

74 (Tie): Laura Jean – “Girls on the TV” – 164 points – 6 votes
video

http://www.thesinglesjukebox.com/?p=25856

A tale of dashed female friendship akin to Who Will Run the Frog Hospital or Cat’s Eye; what it loses in prose it gains in a kaleidoscopic, wistful arrangement. It fills its six minutes well; like memory itself, it alternates between immediate and almost photorealistic (that one deep synth around 0:30), then languid and ungraspable. – Katherine St Asaph

I’m unaccustomed to hearing such brusque, direct, and yet tender third-person storytelling in modern synth-pop. Jean’s memories of sitting in front of rage on a Saturday morning when young serve as an access point into an important story that deserved to be recounted. – William John

This checks off all the boxes of something I'd be predisposed to liking, but I never got much out of it. Huh.

lovely song

just a great opening run so far

wow way too low, i was hoping the TSJ high score might push this into like the top 20 as sometimes happens? my #2, just a perfect groove with an affecting narrative

i really recommend the album version which lets things groove out for another few minutes: https://youtu.be/G1egX_w_msM

Way close to my #1.

Another one that lost out in my final cull, such a beautiful track.

I've never heard of this. Do the TSJ-only quotes mean no one on ilm ever posted about it?

basically, or that commentary was limited to "i like this" more or less.
now's the opportunity to discuss!

(if i'm wrong, please post links!)

I liked the video a lot but the song just never stuck with me.

"the moments we are happiest are the moments that we don't exist"

which way are ppl taking this?

― ogmor, Monday, 28 January 2019 14:12 (eighteen minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

from user hazeviii on genius.com:

This could have two meanings:

When they are the happiest, they have reached a sort of euphoria that leads them to feel as though they don’t exist. More simply, when Kali/Damon are no longer conscious and obsessive over their lives and selves, they are the happiest.

The happiest moments are when Kali/Damon aren’t in them. Because they live such tragic lives and are exposed to such horrible events, they live in dreams where their physical selves don’t exist and could never exist in.

I can see how it could read as a wish for oblivion / death / end of relationship too.

is this entire list going to be governed by a shady external institution known as 'the singles jukebox' ;)

I'd not voted before, and had little clue about the odds of selections placing. But that makes 2/3 so far.

xxp or you cld take it as arguing that happiness has an essential unreal/fantastic quality

http://i.imgur.com/J2iSdQq.jpg

74 (Tie): Andrew W.K. – “Music Is Worth Living For” - 164 points – 6 votes
video

Andrew WK: C/D?

lol

adios, singles jukebox

i didn't vote for this but i approve

YESS

I've heard precisely 0% of this list so far.

lol very ilm

this is as close to metal as we're getting, I think. also the first of my votes to appear

the heroic intersection of bro-ish party metal and self-help

As someone who really adored the I Get Wet album and gave almost no fucks about anything he's made since then, this is no different. I Get Wet sounded easy. This sounds labored.

I voted for the more radical "I don't know anything"

that rapid bit of falsetto in the chorus made me cackle so i got more than i expected to out of an andrew wk single from 2018 at least

the painful intersection of hearing music and seeking help

xxxp close calls with brick walls, dude!!

all the stuff he's done since i get wet has dealt more or less openly with struggles against depression - that's where the laboredness comes in perhaps. i think it adds another layer myself

omg saer

I voted for a different Andrew WK song, but I'm glad to see this make it on here.

this one didn't do it for me like the old ones

Simon, we have a song that I would consider more "metal" than WK charting later this very day even!

!!

btw, saer's single nominations deserve their own thread and should be sought out on the youtube nomination playlist ASAP (hint: look for the white labels)
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcqiswAZfVPo7ukF0c4p8B55JCRt0jEA3

imago otm, the dark subtext of this is what makes the relentless positivity feel genuine.

(my first one to place too!)

Wow, Andrew WK still exists?

I am 99% sure I know what the other metal placement is

Youtube nomination playlist was a complete joy - doubt anything from it will place, so maybe a nice adjunct to the main poll.

nothing made the 77 with less than five votes
BUT
two songs missed the 77 with eight votes. guesses welcome.

i threw new australian national anthem 'smoko' by the chats low on my ballot and i suppose a few others did. would love it to place but that is my guess for missing out with 8

I am 99% sure I know what the other metal placement is

Poppy - X?

forks, have you not started adding to the Spotify playlist yet or is it just not refreshed on my end?

it's updated and currently includes our #73.

http://i.imgur.com/APYlVPT.jpg

73: Helena Hauff – “Hyper-Intelligent Genetically Enriched Cyborg” – 167 points – 7 votes
video

Helena Hauff - Hyper-Intelligent Genetically Enriched Cyborg

IDG what people who don't like this are looking for in music. - flopson

Dirtbox acid mournful synth, every track's a belter. AOTY. - kraudive

imo it's a worrying (or...exciting?) sign when something with its own ecstatic thread comes in this low

i had hoped i'd like this based on descriptions in the thread but it's not for me

ehhh it's more of an albums list thing xp

hadn't heard "girls on the tv" before, it's nice

it's totally your thing

eh sorta

ooh the gif Brad posted on the Hauff thread is v helpful

Gotta say i was weirdly nonplussed by the Hauff track; not getting much emotional resonance off it.

it's not about emotional resonance

it's about being hard af

tbf the clue is in the title

imo it's a worrying (or...exciting?) sign when something with its own ecstatic thread comes in this low

― imago, Monday, January 28, 2019 10:01 AM (two minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

ilm is withered these days, probably gonna be lot of surprises. that thread, eg., only has like 25 posts on it

Are cigarettes back in style?

xxp Not getting that either I guess.

fantastic images; nice to see red velvet, went for power up! myself

fatalism prob back in style and cigarettes a part of that idk

Today makes two months since I've last smoked a cigarette after smoking for 26 years, so I'm pretty over them now. That's a hot photo though.

the images are fucking great

and congrats JF!

I really like the postal card format. Is Moka doing magazine covers for a living ?

thank u moka design queen

Yeah, these are amazing.

The metal poll could also benefit from such visual professionalism (not throwing shade, just saying it would be awesome).

cosigning; Moka's done a bang up job on all these!

alas all metal band photos are the same

shocking admission - i have never knowingly listened to andrew wk before and now ilx is making me listen to andrew wk. that song is um, like if the darkness had grown up listening to kiss instead of queen?

and just for clarity, i hate the darkness, i hate kiss, and now i hate ilx

http://i.imgur.com/g0Ln4as.jpg

72: Drake – “Nice for What” – 170 points – 5 votes
video

Drake - Scorpion (June 29, 2018) ~it's a double album~
thread for pics of Drake looking ridiculous

http://www.thesinglesjukebox.com/?p=25353

At this point, his personality is so firmly established that the little Drake offers here — lackluster rapping and familiar lyrics — is all we really need. He’s simply a peripheral but recognizable hypeman for the listener, offering supportive nice-guy-schtick in a way that can be comfortably ignored with an eye roll. If anything, the actual empowerment of women on “Nice for What” comes from how easily they can recognize his presence as superfluous. It turns out that Drake is at his most benevolent when he stands outside the frame, allowing the rest of the song to become a space for people to “hit them motherfucking angles.” – Joshua Minsoo Kim

Fucking Drake as master of ceremonies in party-starter mode, gliding (“roll on” and “slow song” should not rhyme so well) over an utterly unstoppable Murda Beatz-made gumbo with just the right touch of “Triggerman” and an airy flip of “Ex-Factor.” Unlike “Hotline Bling” and “One Dance” before it, “Nice for What” features its chameleonic creator straining only to let the influences he’s synthesizing shine in their own right. Drake has been making #1 songs like these for a long time but not all of them have let Big Freedia be an indomitable (if lamentably uncredited and unseen) force or been creative triumphs so profound that it’s worth putting aside cynicism. – Andy Hutchins

good song

uuuuuuuuuuugh

xxxxxps to Simon:

I don't know man, Vargrav's studded classicism and Severoth's pensive druidism are worlds away.

appropriately low for a drake song i've enjoyed

I will never click harder on anything than I will when the "mute" option goes live on Spotify Desktop and I head to the Drake page

a lot better than average for a drake song but i didn't quite understand why this was acclaimed as it was elsewhere (very controversially i like "in my feelings" more), this placement feels about right

can't wait till he finally gets cancelled for grooming underage women

I'm always surprised when Drake shows up in the EOY polls because I remember there's a bloc on ILM that actually doesn't think he's a clown?

"comfortably ignored with an eye roll" is right

Drake is not worse than "Nice for What" is well produced and that's as good a compliment as I can give it.
That said, the old adage about mixing 10 gallons of ice cream and a half gallon of horseshit yielding 10 1/2 gallons of horseshit still applies.

Wtg Andrew WK!

I'm always surprised when Drake shows up in the EOY polls because I remember there's a bloc on ILM that actually doesn't think he's a clown?

― Johnny Fever, Monday, January 28, 2019 9:22 AM (fifty-two seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

he's the biggest pop star of the past decade & ILM is ostensibly receptive to popular music so that might have something to do with it

We aimed for the customary #78 and just missed

also WOO POLL

drake has killed the thread. people are still in 'if you can't say anything nice, say nothing' mode

tbf I took care to say something not nice

there's really so little to left to say to clown on drake at this point, everyone's probably tired of doing so at this point

we could clown those singles jukebox writeups instead i guess

In an alternate universe, Drake became a kind of Coxsone Dodd/ Berry Gordy figure and I don't find him nearly so tiresome

I'm actually impressed how little Drake there has been in our lists over the years.

http://i.imgur.com/gJsiQC9.jpg

71: DJ Koze – “Pick Up” – 170 points – 7 votes
video

dj koze - kosi comes around

'Pick Up' seems destined for many a sunrise set in Ibiza this summer. – Thee Macallan 18 Year

I know it's everyone's favorite, but I'm pretty obsessed with “Pick Up”. It’s like a melancholy Air France… so basically the best music ever. – k3vin k.

the very extended version of “pick up” is the ideal way to listen to it imo

Oh man the explosion of color in that image card is beautiful!

didn't vote for it / not hugely my thing, but this seems low!

great tune

Expected this to make the top 20

this drake song is less bad than most drake I've heard

k3vin otm

didn't quite make my ballot but yeah this seems very low

The images are excellent! Reserved Koze for my albums ballot

Images are excellent, but I also appreciate the blurbs. Great work, everyone!

Pick Up is great, a late cut on my ballot

The Hauff is very nice. I might prefer it without the synth melody at 3:30, which takes over a little too soon.

Hooray for the rollout and lovely images!

Didn’t vote for the Andrew WK track, but happy to see it here and bodes well for the albums poll.

http://i.imgur.com/oD52Nmu.jpg

70: MGMT – “When You Die” – 171 points – 5 votes – 2 first place votes
video

Congratulation to MGMT for their upcoming album

wow, I assumed "Me and Michael" was the only thing off this record that had a shot

Oh wow ok I guess it's 2007 again

this song and the album are just fine which was a huge improvement over their previous dreadful one

The title track was good.

Ulysses, do you want to start a mod request thread to pick up mistakes in the roll-out posts? I'm happy to get them and it'll make it easier for people to follow.

Ah damn, that was meant to be an anonymod post. FFS.

Sure thanks! will do that when i get off this call.

really happy to see Andrew WK make the list. way to go, buddy. you did it

I'm still so surprised how much I ended up enjoying the MGMT album. It's their first album that actually manages to be good all the way through.

i'm guessing this is one of those tracks that did well mostly because of the video

how many are we doing today folks

77-61 as usual, right?

Thoughts so far: Kali Uchis & Laura Jane were new on me, nice in a Shambhala way, both w/ pretty sad narratives if I'm reading them right, but I don't know that they'd stick. Red Velvet have never been close to my favourite Kpop and again "nice" is about the maximum I can muster. In previous years I'd have been enthusiastic about Andrew WK despite not caring about his music but apparently he's still friends with Gavin McInnes so can go fuck himself if that's true.

Hauff is the first of my votes to place, for me it's all about squelches and whoooshes and if you don't dig a good squelch or whoosh then I don't understand you.

The DJ Koze and MGMT are both really great but I voted for the albums instead (if I'd had room for MGMT on my songs ballot I'd probably have gone for the title track).

I wish "Your Teeth in My Neck" had been a single.

― Your sweetie-pie-coo-coo I love ya (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, January 28, 2019 9:02 AM (two hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

yeah this is the Kali song that I voted for. if the industry is gonna anoint a new pharrell, i wouldn't be mad if steve lacy is that dude.

catching up--I'd never heard the Laura Jean or Red Velvet songs, but they're both very nice, especially RV, which reminds me of a happy version of SZA's Love Galore

Hey! Sorry I missed the first part of the rollout! Glad you’re enjoying the images they were picked with love and extra care... there’s a couple of artists in the rollout for which it was extremely hard to find a decent video still or photo, there’s also the opposite, great photos or very photogenic acts that work extremely well with the format and were a breeze to work with.

love the images!

For all you Andrew WK fans, he performed a solo piano version of Music Is Worth Living For for Stereogum early this year (along with Party Hard).

https://www.stereogum.com/1978436/watch-andrew-w-k-perform-bach-and-his-new-single-in-a-stereogum-session/franchises/stereogum-sessions/

The McInnes association alluded to above is really troubling.

the images are stellar.

I mean, maybe it's one of those "Andrew WK is friends every person he's ever met" scenarios, but still xp

WK seems like a pretty stand-up guy from everything else I've heard so I'd hope this was an exaggeration or a massive oversight on his part

I know there's a lot of WK conspiracy-theorising out there (see: Andrew WK doesn't exist), but the "he's still friends with McInnes" seemed to come from a different set of people. I don't know for sure that it is true, but w/o certainty it's enough to move my previous goodwill far far away.

I would not read too much into that - he tries to be friends with everyone and will appear pretty much anywhere he's asked to, and none of the segments he did on FOX or TheBlaze were in any way political (the only politician he ever supported was Obama, IIRC). I really, really doubt he's in line with right-wing values in any way.

(he's unfollowed McInnes on Twitter, btw)

the mgmt track isn't really my thing but it's weird and unique enough that i respect its appearance

Uchis – I wanted to like this album, but it never clicked. I get why people like this track though; it sounds like a fully formed version of the kind of tossed-off album-finishing half-song that fades out too soon. I agree with voodoo on: “if the industry is gonna anoint a new pharrell, i wouldn't be mad if steve lacy is that dude”. Hopefully we'll see that Ravyn Lenae ep too--I liked the energy on that much more than Isolation.

Red Velvet – I should probably have a thesis on why I don’t fuck w/ kpop. I’m sure I’m missing gems, but a lot of it, like this, sounds v stiff to me.

Laura Jean – I said upthread I’d never heard of this, but I think I did listen to this once. This dream-version-of-the-80s TSJ-core ;) isn’t my thing, but this is nicely done if not exactly thrilling. I might like it more if I paid attention to the lyrics?

WK – This is so far outside my personal taste, I don’t have anything to say about it. Like when I tell people I’m vegetarian, and they respond with “but what about hot dogs?!”

Hauff – Very cool. Not being up on my house/techno history, my closest touchstone for this is Legowelt, who ilm got me into a while back. As with Legowelt, I think this stuff works best when it’s not too po-faced.

Drake – As much as I appreciate Drake as a major node in a musical network I am super invested in, his own music is irredeemably dull and takes up space someone more exciting could be occupying.

Koze – Love this, voted for the album.

MGMT – I know MGMT are a band that exists, but I’ve never registered more than that fact. This is alright. Tbh my attention drifted after the first couple minutes. Lyrics seemed pretty aggro for such a mellow tune.

his own music is irredeemably dull and takes up space someone more exciting could be occupying

Nicely put

when you die has some nice Rundgren energy. it's a fun album, and I was surprised by how much I liked it. Me and Michael narrowly missed my ballot.

http://i.imgur.com/Yyv1gFv.jpg

69: Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever – “Talking Straight” - 173 points – 6 votes
video

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever

nice

the album was too much of one thing, but I got this one stuck in my head

the EPs were so thrilling, the album was a bit of a step down. my fav track was "the hammer"

when you die has some nice Rundgren energy

It does! Some psych Beatles vibes too. I haven't listened to them at all since Oracular Spectacular (which I liked well enough) but I'm pretty into this tune.

The other metal track = "Honeycomb"?

The French Press was agreeable enough, but I can't recall a single song from the LP.

the plan is to get this to 61 today.

or "Luxury Themes" xxp

Another one from my album ballot, not sure if this is my favourite track on there but it's the one that first grabbed my attention. Didn't realise how much I missed this sort of sound in indie rock.

(emily, here's that MRF thread, I'll update as i err: Ongoing fixes for the ILM 77 Tracks Poll)

omg PLEASE xxp

That Rolling Blackouts tune sounds like decent 3Ds album filler. Nothing wrong with that.

Damning with faint praise for the 69th best track of the year though.

rolling blackouts: thoroughly all right

http://i.imgur.com/4DEPx8v.jpg

68: Parquet Courts – “Total Football” – 173 points – 7 votes
video

Can we talk about how awesome Parquet Courts are?

Not sure what to make of that (RBCF) tbh. It's not unpleasant and has a hook but also doesn't seem that exceptional. Might just need more time. xps

lmao i was just gonna mention parquet courts after hearing that rolling blackouts song

"fuck tom brady" -- otm

The indie run seems more quarantined into a single patch on the list this year.

my rbcf opinions are probably more scathing than most but i generally reserve my greatest ire for the indie that gets in instead of the indie i like. you do not need to hear my rbcf opinions

omg FUCK parquet courts

I don't really care about parquet courts but I like this song a lot

I think I do, imago.

laura jean track is wonderful and certainly my favorite new find so far. i was going to say it seems to end a bit too soon but it seems the edit in the video is quite a bit shorter than the full-length album version.

andrew wk is still like a novelty act to me. don't get it.

i find it funny that some ppl turn their noses up at freemasons-like sample-based disco revivals circa 2006 yet find this dj koze track compelling. not much to say about it.

mgmt track is all right tho i'm not sure there's much i'll want to revisit. nice video though.

"total football" at least better than that dance punk song they did this year ("wide awake??!?!?!" iirc)

lol yeah "wide awake" is terrible

The indie run seems more quarantined into a single patch on the list this year.

― Johnny Fever, Monday, 28 January 2019 16:58 (twenty-one seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I really hope this is not that patch.

my rbcf opinions are probably more scathing than most but i generally reserve my greatest ire for the indie that gets in instead of the indie i like. you do not need to hear my rbcf opinions

nor do you need to hear my parquet courts opinions

oh and i def need to echo the sentiment that the image cards are outstanding, huge props to moka

I guarantee 12 hours from now in the rollout's off hours we'll hear them.

andrew wk is still like a novelty act to me. don't get it.

He reminds you that music is worth living for.

The indie run seems more quarantined into a single patch on the list this year.
― Johnny Fever, Monday, January 28, 2019

hahaha shit I didn't think my first post had gone through! the perils of posting about awful indie from the metro system

I was fairly indifferent to PQ until this year, I've come around to really liking both Wide Awake and Human Performance.

I didn't vote so I've already waived my right to complain but not a single one of the tracks that made it so far is conceivably among the best of 2018.

parquet courts track has brilliant intro, but goes swiftly downhill when the actual song gets going

the real indie run is usually in the 20s or teens

I only voted for one track because of how my listening was shaped last year. I like the rollout and listening to the breadth of people's interests. Except Parquet Courts. That song sucks.

Oof... This is dreadful.

it's not my usual thing aesthetically but i actually sort of like it

... um ...

I obvs know nothing. I have no clue whatsoever is even in the top 20 besides maybe "thank u, next." I was off the grid this year.

'Baby Shark'

ugh god

lol

... um ...

― Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Monday, January 28, 2019 10:02 AM (six minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

no offense intended but i would prefer fewer teases about whatever terrible shit is on the way

I like PQ, love them live, like WA in May/June, lost interest in replaying it.

Same tbh xp

as an avowed hater of contemporary indie rock:
"total football" is listenable but nothing i would ever intentionally come back to.
i just played "talking straight" twice and can't remember anything about it.
"when you die" is oddly mannered and okay i guess? MGMT not my cup of tea.

love it if we made it, nobody and that kacey musgraves song about it being amazing the world has different timezones will all do p well

http://i.imgur.com/nEzArzk.jpg

67: Mr Twin Sister – “Echo Arms” – 174 points – 6 votes
video

Mr Twin Sister

the best band in the world

beautiful song, made my ballot last minute!

Great song, voted for Jaipur instead

Now this is more like it!

the ilmiest band

also true

I was just about to say. It's not bad, though.

xp

they really do look ILMy don't they

I wonder if I've been mixing that name up with Twin Shadow.

Voted for this, got really into this band this year

Johnny Fever at 5:13 28 Jan 19
Great song, voted for Jaipur instead

i voted for the album but if they appear on the tracks list twice they deserve it

I like the odd bits of the MGMT track but the song itself is nothing. RBCF is just completely nothing. Surprised myself by actually quite liking that Parquet Courts song but I'd rather listen to real punk made by women/queers/POC (props to PQ for getting Big Joanie to support them, is what I'm saying here).

Mr Twin Sister really fucking is ILM, innit?

Johnny Fever at 5:13 28 Jan 19
Great song, voted for Jaipur instead
― mfktz (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Monday, January 28, 2019 12:20 PM (four minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

me too, wonder if we're gonna see it later

i enjoyed that video of the stereotypes on the making of "bad boy" posted upthread

I expect to see one or two more MTS tracks

xps I was super excited about the Big Joanie album coming out and then when it did I didn't think it was so hot, which surprised me.

I love them, but I think people anticipate the songs being a bit more high-tempo, most of them are pretty much on the slow side and therefore don't really work as dancefloor fillers or pit-pleasers or whathaveyou, if you get what I mean?

Yeah, I do.

are Rolling Blackouts really good live or something?

do Parquet Courts give out free drugs at their gigs or something?

I was a bit disappointed with their stuff this year but thats probably because i unfairly compared it to the almost perfect self-titled. Nothing really stuck except Jaipur

are Rolling Blackouts really good live or something?

― rob, Monday, January 28, 2019 12:32 PM (four minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

actually, yes

I can see that (question was only half-ironic)

Oh, I like this Parquet Courts song a lot more than "Wide Awake", the only song of theirs I heard before, and it stands out more than the RBCF for me.

Yeah, it's not quite as awful as others (imago, imago and imago) have led me to believe.

I actually gave the PQ album as much as 5/10 - the cartoonish level of my disliking for them is as much to do with the hype they get as annoying else. It isn't terrible (well, apart from that title track)

EVERYTHING else dammit lol

Listening now and virtually everything is pleasant enough without really moving beyond the level of cosy pastiche.

Of the ones I hadn't previously heard, the Red Velvet one is the only track I could imagine feeling remotely motivated to listen to again or even remember more than a couple of minutes after it was over. Actually the Kali Uchis is good too.

i quite liked the one about being stoned and hungry

http://i.imgur.com/kAx19oV.jpg

66: Ravyn Lenae – “Sticky” – 174 points – 8 votes
video

http://www.thesinglesjukebox.com/?p=25268

Shimmering synth chords, slithering bass, glittering guitar and sharp, tear-shaped drums anchor the song, while Ravyn swims through the current with confidence and ease. – Nortey Dowuona

A loop of the electric organ and Steve Lacy guitar scratches that open “Sticky” would be enough to keep me beguiled for days. But it turns out they’re mere prologue: Ravyn Lenae, stonewalled by love, gives the performance of a polyglot, shifting shrewdly from whirling dreamer to jaded enquirer to hopeless devotee; meanwhile, the track rotates around her methodically, keeping her in check. Her use of multiple voices is ingenious, and never reaches the point where it becomes affectedly obtuse; she instead transports us directly to her conscience, which, based on this evidence, appears to be brimming with ideas and predisposed to the sublime. – William John

I loved this EP, dug her Pitchfork set last July.

Oh shit! I tried to get this into the 2017 poll, but it came out in mid-December which was far too late to get people onboard. Glad it lives in 2018!

This is great, but it's weirdly depressing to see a song make the Top 77 and have it supported with Singles Jukebox quotes because it has literally never been discussed on ILM before.

oh i'm glad one of hers has placed. whole ep was strong

I think I voted for Sticky in 2017. Perfect song.

Yeah I liked this one

I'm a Tom Brady fan, but I still enjoy "Total Football" and the rest of the Parquet Courts album.

xp some of those tracks were discussed here im pretty sure but probably buried in a rolling thread and hard to search for

damn didn't know we had a real-life fash on here xp

Tom Brady had awful hair even when we didn't know he supported a dumbfuck fascist

a lot of times in rolling threads the YouTube gets posted and then people discuss in reference to it and so the title/artist never actually get said so it doesn't show up in searches

Haha, can't help loving my hometown team despite their disgusting politics.

i already had patriots fatigue in 2007 despite them being 'my' team

Ravyn Lenae is not really my normal thing but I feel like something's going to make me go back to it.

It burrows deep.

I voted for the whole Lenae EP which is really strong. I get singling out Sticky but check the rest out if you like it

"sticky" is very good, glad it didn't need my help to place

tsj blurbs bum me out but it's mostly bc i straight up hate the styles of a few tsj writers, not sure anyone else will care

more Steve Lacy production

four leaf clover was the other standout imo

yeah i didn't have room for this on my ballot but i'm glad it placed

I have already expressed displeasure at the way both Drake blurbs were written tbf Brad

i have only one particularly smug TSJ writer whose writing i really actively dislike, there are likely others but i can't keep track of em.

Is it Maxwell? It's Maxwell right?

it's always him. anyway i now feel bad that there are multiple posts about this

Mr Twin Sister is the find for me so far. I had this pegged, somehow, as cold and remote. Non.

I regret not voting for 'Sticky', it's a great song (and yeah, the whole EP is good).

This is as good a time to make my futile plea for a separate EPs and mini albums category next year...

http://i.imgur.com/TXBCWva.jpg

65: Soccer Mommy – “Your Dog” – 177 points – 6 votes
video

soccer mommy

I love the taut garage-ness of 'Your Dog', 'Last Girl', and 'Cool' (which are the best songs she's ever written imo). She’s an incredibly talented songwriter. – flopson

http://www.thesinglesjukebox.com/?p=25088

When I was Sophie Allison’s age, I was just starting to overcome the trauma of my own abuse. Suddenly I couldn’t not hear the song in that light: a steely, seething statement of purpose about weaponizing weakness and fear. Befitting the subject matter, it’s also one of her strongest, most confident songs yet. Of all the emotional milestones in processing abuse, there are few more rewarding than realizing you don’t care anymore. And say what you will about Soccer Mommy, but she certainly doesn’t sound like she cares. – Julian Axelrod

Amidst the shimmering guitars and Sophie Allison’s lilting vocal, there’s a lingering sadness in “Your Dog” that even the line “I don’t want to be your fucking dog” can’t hide. It’s a sobering but important take on the breakup song format; lashing out can feel great, but it ultimately stems from being pushed to the ground and made to feel less than. – Will Adams

*as good a time as any* xp

a very good song i thought would place higher

JF - indeed

Not to harp on the TSJ thing, but I do wonder what your intention is there forks--picking apart a non-poster's (or absent poster) comments seems kind of dickish?

Your Dog is nice, and I actually re-submitted my albums ballot when I realized I mistakenly left this album off of it, but my jam on this record was Skin from day one and still is now.

The metal poll could also benefit from such visual professionalism (not throwing shade, just saying it would be awesome).

― pomenitul, Monday, 28 January 2019 15:15 (three hours ago) Permalink

you wouldn't perhaps be volunteering to make some graphics, would you pomenitul?

forks is a TSJ contributor now iirc, so he's bringing work home

i mean i'm a huge dick tbf

xp

This Soccer Mommy track was the last thing I cut from my ballot.

you wouldn't perhaps be volunteering to make some graphics, would you pomenitul?

I would if I could.

lol i think soccer mommy is an artist i never bothered to listen to based on name alone but i quite like this

oh that wasn't aimed at you Brad, I accidentally deleted the part about how nonetheless *I* want to pick apart the blurbs, even just to point out pedantic shit like organs are not synths

I like the sentiment of the Soccer Mommy song a hell of a lot but the music leaves me cold (like most of ILM's guitar-based choices tbh).

i promise not to complain when snail mail places

it wasn't nommed but it would be amazing if boygenius' "me and my dog" placed next

Also I suspect the point of the blurbs is so that people have an idea of what the track's like before they listen, or so they can choose whether to bother to listen if they don't have time to sample everything. Y'know, like what reviews are meant to be for?

Soccer Snail
Snail Mommy

yeah they do blend together in my mind, not their fault.

i promise not to complain when snail mail places

Is it shallow of me to hold her in low regard ever since she said Gritty was overrated on the Pitchfork Over/Under video?

i've been a singles jukebox contributor for almost fifteen years now as it happens.
emily's suggestion of my intent is correct: they're jumping off points for conversation.

I finally got home where I can actually listen to these tunes, and except for "Sticky" (which was pretty awesome), the stretch from #70 to #65 is just one vaguely emotional indie song with listless vocals after another. I guess I shouldn't be so surprised to heart this stuff on the top-of-the-year lists every year, but I always wonder why so many people like this kind of aural impassiveness so much?

i've been a singles jukebox contributor for almost fifteen years now as it happens.

Oops sorry, how did I only notice you pop up recently?

<3 Ravyn Lenae but I voted for "The Night Song". Never heard Mr Twin Sister until right now and...yeah I get the idea.

no biggie JF, I am highly irregular there. Though I've been the photo editor for about two years! But yeah, I go back to Freakytrigger days with SJ.

as noted above by myself and other, the SJ blurbs inclusion is mostly because - for most of these songs - there's no discussion at all! some grounding is better than none.
Incidentally, i am deeply suspicious that #64 placed this high at least partially because it was the first song on the nomination playlist... no shade, it's a great song!

http://i.imgur.com/ezCVAwb.jpg

64: Fabiana Palladino – “Shimmer” – 177 points – 8 votes
video

never heard this, guess playlisting works

Is it shallow of me to hold her in low regard ever since she said Gritty was overrated on the Pitchfork Over/Under video?

― Johnny Fever, Monday, January 28, 2019 6:39 PM (four minutes ago)

BURN HER.

Ooh definitely go back and listen to the 2014 lp. I like the new stuff fine, but that album is the business. xp to seandalai

I really like this track

so the AAA Plumbers of the poll

not mad at all @ what "shimmer" is doing

Not sure I even campaigned for this but iirc I found it while trawling through Boomkat recommendations, fell in love, nominated. Peak shambhala.

I did consider including 'Shimmer' on my list after listening through to some of the playlist - didn't end up doing it, but it's very pretty.

ooh, this is quite good

This Fabiana Palladino is nice, finally some proper pop with ups and downs. Wouldn't have voted for it, but better than most on the list so far.

I like this!

Wow yeah I like this a lot

it's a great headphone track btw; the "shimmer" constantly moves left to right

lol I think I hate this :/

"additional production by jai paul" lol yo what's up dude!

I need to engage with the lyrics of the Soccer Mommy track, clearly, but the foundations made me think of being bored by it on Jools Holland.

I like Shimmer, but I rekkun it's benefitted from being top of the noms playlist.

Peak shambhala.

Indeed.

this also sounds like an indie song with listless vocals

ups and downs where?

"additional production by jai paul" lol yo what's up dude!

― jolene club remix (BradNelson), Monday, January 28, 2019 1:50 PM (twenty-four seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

holy shit, i was trying to figure out what the backing track reminded me of, and turns out it's "jasmine" with some actual production value

getting close to the end of the time I have allocated to do this so let's knock out the last three a bit faster and then it's free-for-all discussion till tomorrow

http://i.imgur.com/q9aZVII.jpg

63: Toni Braxton – “Long As I Live” – 178 points – 6 votes
video

Toni Braxton - Classic or Dud?

I like Shimmer, but I rekkun it's benefitted from being top of the noms playlist.

― Good cop, Babcock (Chinaski), Monday, 28 January 2019 18:50 (forty-two seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Nominate early, nominate often

This may be my least favourite so far (Palladino).

xps

Toni!

lol i love how the voting/campaigning threads are always hugs-all-around 'wow that's awesome even tho i prob won't vote for it!' and then when the actual countdown starts everyone hates everything

Toni has been quietly turning out some of the best material of her career over the last few years. Glad to see this place (I voted for it).

thank fuck this placed, so sick of mainstream r&b getting passed up on these polls

toni too low

my first vote to place so far

mine too i think!

holy shit, i was trying to figure out what the backing track reminded me of, and turns out it's "jasmine" with some actual production value
― voodoo chili

lol i love how the voting/campaigning threads are always hugs-all-around 'wow that's awesome even tho i prob won't vote for it!' and then when the actual countdown starts everyone hates everything

― dyl, Monday, January 28, 2019 1:52 PM

it's true

Yeah, this poll really isn't for me.

It is funny to me how much dragging is going on here... I would think this would be the thread for basically celebrating these tracks!

"long as i live" landed in the middle of my ballot, which was also too low, wtf me

re: this Toni song. I love that good r&b today is still powered by the same slow galloping beat Al Green was riding in 1972.

just realized the video for this song fits the recent ilm thread about music videos with industrial fans

lol morrisp: talking nonstop shit in these threads is a yearly tradition! We're still due for at least one huge temper tantrum and angry argument.

I liked Sex and Cigarettes well enough but "Long As I Live" doesn't quite do it for me.

Just wanted to let everyone know: I Love Music

haha ok :)

here's the song that's "more metal than WK;" please do not have a huge temper tantrum and angry argument with me about how it's NOT METAL... i'm just saying it's more metal than WK!

http://i.imgur.com/zOJ9EYr.jpg

62: mewithoutyou – “Julia (or, Holy to the LORD’ on the Bells of Horses)” 180 points – 5 votes – 1 first place vote
video

https://www.ilxor.com/ILX/ThreadSelectedControllerServlet?boardid=41&threadid=107911

The other night - while high - I compared “Julia” to taking a shower but instead of water, it's guitars. God, it’s the best song ever made. - BradNelson

Best song of the year, although I have no idea what any of it means. - ArchCarrier

wrt DJ Koze: doesn't the sad 10-minute techno track always somewhere between #11 and #17? What's it doing all the way out here?

huh, the full album didn't connect with me but this single grew on me in a huge way

dj koze track isn't sad enough and is actually fairly boring. i would know b/c those #11-17 sad techno tracks are always catnip to me

Toni has been quietly turning out some of the best material of her career over the last few years. Glad to see this place (I voted for it).

― Timothée Charalambides (cryptosicko), Monday, January 28, 2019 1:53 PM (nine minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

thank fuck this placed, so sick of mainstream r&b getting passed up on these polls

― dyl, Monday, January 28, 2019 1:53 PM (nine minutes ago)

yes and yes!

aw I'm so sure this song will not sound as good to me as Brad's description that I' not sure I should listen

HOLY SHIT

the temper tantrums and explosive arguments that precipitate from these polls are pretty excellent. i seem to remember some wonderful ones centered around black eyed peas, "empire state of mind", that one song by girls, perhaps some others i'm forgetting

ok y'all i'm sorry, this song/album is not for everyone, but i'm so thrilled

This is good guitars.

i didn't even vote for it!

Long AS I Live was the last song I cut and as I submitted my ballot, I had instant regret. Glad it still made the list. Probably my favourite song of hers apart from You're Makin' Me High.

Really happy to see Shimmer and Sticky make the list. Those were two songs I didn't know that I fell in love with on the Spotify playlist. My first two votes to appear!

Good song.

Oh god, this Toni Braxton song is massive! Why didn't I listen to it before voting, surely it would've been in my ballot... By far the best tune in this poll so far!

xps i would go so far as to suggest that part of the reason the yearly poll is such a beloved fixture of ILM is BECAUSE it sets off so much free floating emotion. "How dare Drake show his face in here" is a feature, not a bug.

#62, on the other hand, is horrible. Is grunge back for good? I hope not.

Toni Braxton is the sort of thing I just don't understand at all. There's nothing there for me. You guys do you, I guess.

I was about to faintly praise the Fabiana Pallardino song for being less enervating and predictable than this Shambala stuff usually is, even if it did sound like it was recorded in a wet cardboard box, but then I heard the Toni Braxton song and that made it sound so timid in comparison. Best song yet by a mile.

^^^ even the tuomas comment is perfect xp

#62, on the other hand, is horrible

ok y'all i'm sorry, this song/album is not for everyone

nah, "Julia" is genuinely good. I *nearly* voted for it. Just reward for consistent stanning by Brad.

What about this says "grunge" to you?

It's not my type of thing, but this song's ok and doesn't sound a bit like Mudhoney.

admittedly i don't know quite what to make of "julia" yet. but it has enough bizarrely intriguing features that i will certainly revisit it.

mewithoutyou song is good

wow we're in brad heaven rn

It's not a million miles away from one of the more florid Pumpkins songs but the similarities end there.

Yeah - reminds me of Deftones meets Pinback, or something? Not my usual jam, but I like it

i probably voted for this. great guitars indeed

Toni Braxton is the sort of thing I just don't understand at all.

I definitely didn't get 80s r&b in the 80s, but grew to appreciate it later in life. Some people get it at the time, some people never do, but I'm glad I was lucky enough to and it helps with digging things like this Toni song in 2019.

I'm enjoying Julia a lot more than when I last heard it and it might make me give the album another go. In my memory the guitars sounded great but the lack of a vocal register between mimsy and screaming started to grate after a while.

Toni Braxton is the sort of thing I just don't understand at all. There's nothing there for me. You guys do you, I guess.

Didn't vote for this but really came around to the mewithoutYou record over the past few weeks (and had never been able to get into them before).

Would be quite nice to hear something that sounds like the 21st century sometime soon though.

lol

What about this says "grunge" to you

A century ain't nothing but a number.

huh I did not hate "Julia" though I will probably never listen to it again

Would be quite nice to hear something that sounds like the 21st century sometime soon though.

― Matt DC, Monday, January 28, 2019 2:14 PM (one minute ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

overstated but way more right than it should be

Toni Braxton autotuned and dropped on top of a beat someone designed ad hoc sounds like a very bad idea. I prefer she stay in Toni mode, ty.

last one for today but at least we're going out on a high note imo.

http://i.imgur.com/9E9Bt17.jpg

61: Wizkid – “Soco” – 180 points – 6 votes – 1 first place vote
video

Wizkid (aka Starboy)

Wizkid is one of those artists who I rarely actively seek out but I hear all the time and literally everything is enjoyable. Even the lightweight/tossed off stuff is just immensely likeable. – Matt DC

Wizkid is Africa’s best and (arguably) biggest pop star, the grandmaster of melodies and hooks, and, increasingly, vibes. He’s currently making the best music in his career and it’s more “Nigerian” than ever before. You get the sense he’s decided for himself that if he’s going to make it at all outside of Africa, he might as well try to do it on his own terms. - breastcrawl

ayyy

YES though i voted for “fever”

Back tomorrow.

77: Kali Uchis – “In My Dreams”
76: Red Velvet – “Bad Boy”
75: Laura Jean – “Girls on the TV”
74: Andrew W.K. – “Music Is Worth Living For”
73: Helena Hauff – “Hyper-Intelligent Genetically Enriched Cyborg”
72: Drake – “Nice for What”
71: DJ Koze – “Pick Up
70: MGMT – “When You Die”
69: Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever – “Talking Straight”
68: Parquet Courts – “Total Football”
67: Mr Twin Sister – “Echo Arms”
66: Ravyn Lenae – “Sticky”
65: Soccer Mommy – “Your Dog”
64: Fabiana Palladino – “Shimmer”
63: Toni Braxton – “Long As I Live
62: mewithoutyou – “Julia (or, Holy to the LORD’ on the Bells of Horses)”
61: Wizkid – “Soco”

"long as i live" landed in the middle of my ballot, which was also too low, wtf me

same

Yay! I had to cut this from my ballot but it's sweet!

Yes, best track so far!

I pledge to follow the afropop thread more closely this year.

great list so far, but lol @ the idea that anything post-WK was "more" metal

ty to whoever #1'd "Soco" as for some reason I put that at #25 on my ballot

was that second quote from breastcrawl, forks?

wait -- what "sort of thing" is Toni Braxton -- R&B?

Good Monday. Not any real "whoa, wtf is this???" moments as is usually the case, but I'm pleased to make Fabiana Palladino's acquaintance.

Loud metallish guitars, combined with quieter saddo vocals in the verses and shouting in the chorus - isn't that the grunge formula?
― Tuomas, Monday, January 28, 2019 12:16 PM (four minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

the only shouting in “julia” is buried in the mix of the third verse. not expecting you to have memorized this song tho

YES though i voted for “fever”

― jolene club remix (BradNelson), Monday, January 28, 2019 2:19 PM (one minute ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

this poll could do a lot worse than having Fever and Fake Love still show up

i think "long as i live's" aesthetic is more 90s r&b than 80s r&b, along the same vein of toni's own material from that decade. it stands up with her very best though.

a little bit that i loved reading on the song by sean of said the gramophone:

There are portions of "Long As I Live" that feel as if they could have been released in 1996, in Braxton's un-broken heyday. But listen carefully: you'll hear a voice with more years in it, a production haunted by younger sounds.

Didn’t vote for Julia as my mewithoutyou track, but I easily could have. They do weird, shifting darkness so well.

Have loathed being stuck in work/on my phone today. Can’t wait to get home and catch up on all these songs everyone hates.

ME WITHOUT YOU

Ps. Brad I didn't have the time to vote in the end so I'm sorry my missing vote will keep your 'Embrace Nothingness' from the number one spot just saying

i would’ve been so embarrassed if a faith/void track appeared in the 77

No you wouldn't u liar <3

oh "soco" is v nice :)

wow we're in brad heaven rn

― resident hack (Simon H.), Monday, January 28, 2019 2:11 PM (seventeen minutes ago)

brad's ballot will obv be required listening this weekend

Countdown took a while to warm up (even if Kali Uchis was an ok start) but its def done that after that Braxton-mewithoutyou double!

unexpectedly really like this WK track!

Fabiana Palladino - wait is that Pino’s daughter?

Soco, Shimmer and Long as I Live all passed me by on the nominations playlist but are sounding really good now.

Fabiana Palladino - wait is that Pino’s daughter?

― my name is leee john, for we are many (NickB), Monday, January 28, 2019 2:31 PM (one minute ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

according to wiki--yes

i'm gonna be the one in the garden shouting for "shimmer" when i see the who in may

actually, idk if pino will be there, but i also won't actually shout for "shimmer"

I believe Fabiana was in Jessie Ware's touring band at one point

she does sound more influenced by jessie ware than the who tbh

was that second quote from breastcrawl, forks?
― rob

Kali Uchis - Dreamy, as advertised. I like this quite a bit and would like to hear more of them.
Red Velvet - I'm highly indifferent to this
Laura Jean - Pretty low-key, but she won me over by the end. Think I'll be returning to this one, it gets under your skin, a slow burner.
Andrew W.K. - I think this may be the first time I've ever listened to an Andrew W.K. track, yet it is pretty much exactly what I imagined. I just don't think I have place in my life for his particular brand of loud, anthemic pop rock, there's just something painfully dopey about it.
Helena Hauff - This is dope. I listened to this album a bit when it came out, but moved on quickly, not sure why. More armies of malevolent robots please.
Drake - Holy god, I hate Drake. I guess this is decent party music, but the rapping is utterly generic, no big surprise here.
DJ Koze - 10 minutes of stasis, not bad, but hardly thrilling. ILM's taste in house music is a bit too subtle for me.
MGMT - This is a great album, perhaps hurt a bit by coming out so early in the year. The fact this track placed indicates to me that at least one more is coming, maybe more. A running theme for me this year is albums I liked having lots of tracks nominated, not always my favorite ones. I was tempted to also nom the title track and "TSLAMP", but was worried it would all get vote split to hell.
Rolling Blackouts Costal Fever - I really like the guitars on this, the singing and melody wears a bit thin, but I could see liking these guys if they keep it interesting.
Mr. Twin Sister - I listened to it, and can barely remember it a few minutes later.
Parquet Courts - this is the first track I voted for. See my comments on MGMT about vote splitting. "Violence" and "Before the Water Gets Too High" were worthy of nominations, perhaps "Mardi Gras Beads" and "Freebird II" too.
Soccer Mommy - Just missed my ballot. Good tune, I like the bass tone and detuned guitar arpeggios. Would've prefered to see "Cool" or "Last Girl" on here. Some odd songwriting twists and production choices, helped Soccer Mommy standout in a fairly crowded genre.
Ravyn Lenae - Very nice. Lots of unusual, almost opreratic vocal flourishes really make this track for me.
Fabiana Palladino - This is fine. I suspect the thin demo quality was a plus for some.
Toni Braxton - Good to see her going strong, not my cup of tea, though.
mewithoutYou - some nice guitar textures over dumb thudding drums with unremarkable vocals. Kind of reminds me of Smashing Pumpkins if Jimmie Chamberlin sucked and Billy Corgan had no personality.
Wizkid - not for me.

xps

Yes, that was my quote - and I also was the one who had “Soco” at #1. It’s the first time Wizkid has placed in one of these polls; it was about time and I’m happy. Would be great if “Fake Love”, the other stone-cold classic he made last year, places as well.

And while we’re fixing things: the correct artist credit for this track would be “Starboy feat. Wizkid, Terri, Spotless & Ceeza Milli”. It’s Wizkid plus three mini-Wizzy’s (I say respectfully).

I was a bit confused about who to credit in Soco, so I went by the nominee name. Isn’t Starboy another alias for Wizkid?

Yes and no, it’s complicated. Starboy is one of his nicknames, plus the name of his label - and in this case the artist name he uses for non-RCA, Africa-only releases. Or something. But it is in fact him plus three others, and that’s how it’s officially labeled.

I also wish I had lobbied for “Soco” (and a bunch of other things for that matter) - it deserves to be so much higher on this list.

RE: DJ Koze, I think my pick would've been for Illumination or Seeing Aliens as Pick Up is great but a little same-y. the album was pretty essential for me last year tho'. And hey! Any of you Koze fans out there would do well to listen to Detroit Swindle's 2018 LP High Life as it's in the same vein and is just as necessary.

(btw thank you, rob, for your eagle eye!)

xp I was left a little cold by the Koze album, but I almost voted for "Baby (How Much I LFO You)" cause I'm a sucker for that type of fluttery, sample-based sound. It sounds like it could be a hip-hop beat by Exile or somebody.

Soco soco - soco soco...

no problem! I was about to post "breastcrawl is one of the unsung mvps of ilm" when it occurred to me you'd been literally unsung there (no shots at forks, I appreciate all the work you're doing)

Interesting to compare last year's Monday:

77 LUIS FONSI ft. DADDY YANKEE "Despacito" [146 points, 8 votes]
76 AVALON EMERSON "One More Fluorescent Rush" [149 points, 7 votes]
75 MINOR SCIENCE "Volumes" [150 points, 5 votes]
74 GOLDLINK ft. BRENT FAIYAZ & SHY GLIZZY "Crew" [151 points, 5 votes]
73 KELELA "LMK" [151 points, 7 votes]
72 LAUREL HALO "Moontalk" [152 points, 4 votes, 1 first place vote]
71 TORNADO WALLACE ft. SUI ZHEN "Today" [153 points, 5 votes, 1 first place vote]
70 TAYLOR ALXNDR "Nightwork" [153 points, 6 votes]
69 KEDR LIVANSKIY "Ariadna" [156 points, 5 votes]
TIE-67 BULLION "Blue Pedro" [158 points, 5 votes]
TIE-67 TWICE "Likey" [158 points, 5 votes]
66 BLACKPINK "As If It's Your Last" [159 points, 6 votes]
65 FRENCH MONTANA ft. SWAE LEE "Unforgettable" [160 points, 5 votes, 1 first place vote]
TIE-63 THE MOUNTAIN GOATS "Wear Black" [160 points, 6 votes]
TIE-63 JESSIE WARE "Midnight" [160 points, 6 votes]
62 TAYLOR SWIFT "Look What You Made Me Do" [163 points, 5 votes]
61 BRIAN ENO with KEVIN SHIELDS "Only Once Away My Son" [163 points, 6 votes]

Only the last two would have had enough points to make it in this year's 77.

of that group, I would say i've returned to the Avalon Emerson, Minor Science, Kelela, Laurel Halo, TWICE and Mountain Goats tracks the most.

that minor science track is an ace tool for jogging up a steep hill btw

lol at "look what you made me do" placing last year. and "delicate", which failed to place last year, might not make it this year either, even after becoming a hit ;_;

I vaguely remember liking most of the bobbins tracks, but a bunch of these were more like "forgettable" for me (heyo). "Crew" is still a jam. I don't know what to make of Marko's points point since we had fewer ballots this year (no?), and I had assumed this was a very non-consensus kind of year

iirc seandalai's graph said votership was slightly up this year

nothing of my ballot placed yet. if there won't be anything in the next 20, it will be nothing at all, i guess. surprised how much i love that toni braxton song. it has got a melancholic vibe which somehow totally enchants me.

I voted for #77 and #61, I can't confirm if I'm the #1 for Soco, I think I flipped it back to second-place. If Akanamali could place top10 in its year (iirc), Soco could have been higher :) Hope another few afro-pop songs place.

So far really enjoyed Laura Jean. Also like Sticky and Twin Sister (I forgot to vote for Jaipur btw). A couple others raised my curiosity but nothing out of this world. Some are average or truly bad (Andrew WK really ?), but nothing worth arguing about either.

I'm not too sure what to make out of my point either.

Kali Uchis track was really nice. Lightweight but really good. I miss that kind of hookiness in R&B.

Laura Jean, maybe even better. Wasn't sure of it at first but really came around.

The Andrew WK track is great. Dunno what y'all are on about. It's not my favorite on the album but I def put it on my ballot b/c I wanted one of his tracks to place.

Helena Hauff...really glad someone's doing this sound in 2018. Could easily be some old Aphex Twin release.

Didn't like the Drake track, though it's better than what Kanye did this year at least. DJ Koze track was good but this really sounds like French house circa '98, dunno if I'll be listening to that one again

MGMT - totally agree with that "Rundgren energy" comment. This is one of those bands that seems really high up my alley but I've never given them the time of day yet. Jesus Christ @ that video though, definitely puts me in the "glad I've never taken LSD" camp

wasn't too interested in RBCF, nor Parquet Courts. makes me feel like its 2004 again, when "trying to be the easy song on Guitar Hero" was an entire genre

Ravyn Lenae...very nice. Will check out that EP for sure

Soccer Mommey tune was pretty boring

Fabiana Palladino...ok there's a lot of retro sounding stuff here. It's a proper pop song which is nice

Had no idea Toni Braxton was still around, I can't believe she's 50 in that video. Never really been a fan but this song was nice.

mewithoutyou was okay, liked it better than the other guitar based songs (besides AWK obviously) but wasn't really digging the vocals. I'd probably check out a full album though.

Starboy song was a lot of fun. Wish it weren't so autotuned but I really like the beat. Feel like tunes like this always place higher so I'm expecting some good stuff later in the week.

see you tomorrow

Happy to see a few of my votes place - Laura Jean, Ravyn Lenae, and Fabiana Palladino. Didn't vote for Toni but glad it placed, and sorry that everyone was subjected to a couple of my dorky TSJ blurbs.

Lots of good songs in last year’s 77-61 slot. There’s 3 I voted for in there (Laurel halo, Kedr Livanskiy, Tornado Wallace). I can’t remember my votes this year but I may have voted for Fabiana Palladino and Laura Jean... probably only the latter. I know the 80’s pastiche is way overdone at this point but this one does it particularly good I found myself coming back to it throughout the year.

As for the Palladino one I kind of like how it sounds like a demo, loved it on first listens but didn’t come back to it as much.

The Ravyn Lenae song flew under my radar and loving it, my highlight discovery of this batch.

love that Kali Uchis album.

This Laura Jean album reminds me a lot of another artist I'm hoping will place this year.

I was about to post "breastcrawl is one of the unsung mvps of ilm"

The first MVP put Soco at #25 and the second one voted for Fever. I say hang them as traitors.

The MGMT song has grown on me quite a lot on second listen. The video really is something too

Of the two bollocks indie tracks that followed it, I actually MUCH prefer the Parquet Courts, which should indicate how much I do not like RBCF

Haha, I'm listening to the RBCF album right now and enjoying it a lot. Their guitar style is very much inva sweet spot for me. But yes, the Parquet Courts is much better.

I agree. Though I voted for both. Easily my favourite track off the PQ album and one of my least favourite RBCF tracks. I much prefer RBCF's album overall though, mostly for tracks that weren't nominated. My ballot wasn't especially indieguitardude aside from these, from memory.

XD

I must have crammed pretty effectively, with the noms playlists. Almost everything so far is pretty familiar. Probably should have voted for "Sticky" though.

Yay Kali Uchis and DJ Koze! The rest, meh.

the laura jean and palladino are nice discoveries. nothing outright offensive either although i'm really, really done with parquet courts.

kali uchis - like the sound but the hooks aren't hooking
red velvet - already on board, voted for it
laura jean - this seems designed for me to like it, and i kinda do
andrew wk - i like my andrew wk faster than this
helena hauff - not seeing it, too sterile
drake - the drake meme is way better than the guy looking back at the girl one but not as good as galaxy brain
dj koze - i like house music but have no idea how to listen to something like this critically. like plot armor but for music
mgmt - this is the villain's song in some cartoon musical
rolling blackouts coastal fever - good band name, okay song
parquet courts - still don't get these guys
mr twin sister - its fun, woulda been a highlight on the record
soccer mommy - i like the main guitar riff
ravyn lenae - nice vocal performance. the offbeat verse is precarious but works
fabiana palladino - i like the rare instances of a song making a play for complete ownership of an instrument sound like this synth patch here
toni braxton - where did that guitarist come from at the end, was he hiding under the stage?
mewithoutyou - don't fear the reaper 2
starboy - some nice sounding ghosts haunting the backdrop

wait... what? how in the ever living fuck did I miss all the voting and nom threads??

they were at the top of ILM for...a month and half, or so?

I wish you were here for it! your pov is interesting to me

helena hauff - not seeing it, too sterile

are you sure you listened to the right track?

it's severity is what makes it good!

it's = its

severe yes but i don't think it's sterile at all, the griminess is one of the best things about the record

mewithoutyou - don't fear the reaper 2

hell yeah

*devil horns*

lol

i like house music but have no idea how to listen to something like this critically

This is how I feel about Afropop. It all sounds great, no idea how discerning fans figure out what’s better than what

yeah same with that but at least that's outside of my wheelhouse whereas i listen to a fair amount of dance music and still don't know what to do with it

really love that fabiana palladino track - the guitar outro especially rules.
toni braxton track is a nice discovery too.
as far as indie goes, i feel like i understand the appeal of parquet courts less than ever and the soccer mommy track is very boring. rbcf track is pleasant but not really anything more.

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever remind me a little of The Go-Betweens

The momentum and jangle but not the tunes.

well I guess I agree, nothing since can really compare to The Go-Betweens

really love that fabiana palladino track - the guitar outro especially rules.
toni braxton track is a nice discovery too.
as far as indie goes, i feel like i understand the appeal of parquet courts less than ever and the soccer mommy track is very boring. rbcf track is pleasant but not really anything more.

― ufo, Monday, January 28, 2019 10:17 PM (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Agreed, the Palladino track reminds me vaguely of that Eugene song Living in your Love because of the outro. Not that the songs are alike, I just love how the outro sneaks up on you and suddenly you end the song just giddy and have to replay it, then spend the whole next listen trying not to fast forward to the outro again. I like the Toni Braxton one as well, it's not stuck with me the first couple times I heard it but maybe I was more open to it this time. Love me some Wizkid of course too. Kali Uchis was cool I'll need to re-listen to it.

I've not listened to Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever before, but its almost good, would be interested to hear what they do in the future.

I think I might one day like the Helena Hauff song, will have to listen to it again.

The biggest shock for me was that mewithoutYou song, a new don't fear the reaper sounds great to me, excellent track. Do they do heavier shit? Or is this basically the way they always sound?

lol if my flippant comparison stuck somehow

would be interested to hear what they do in the future

It's possible you'd be interested in what they did before this album, since this album is a minor letdown.

for some reason i thought they were new? i am way out of touch, thanks, I'll check out their older stuff.

Hm, I'm trying to work out what I think of the mewithoutyou song. I like it, and the aesthetic is up my alley, but I want it to take off more than I feel like it does; either for the guitarist to let it rip a little more in the solo or for the drummer to tap into some Jimmy Chamberlain propulsion. Tuomas's comments sort of make up for it all, though.

i can appreciate "julia" somewhat but it's not really my thing i think

kali uchs - it's ok
red velvet - funny how every in the last couple years every k-pop song has trap drums. this songs rly good
laura jean - meh
andrew wk - really sucks
helena hauff - i probably overrated this album slightly at the time, but it's fun to listen to someone make bangin rudimentary techno on some old pos hardware
nice for what - great sample. btw i was just thinking today, was scorpion drake's new jersey? i feel like there's arguments to be made for any of his last 3
koze - i kinda hated his album from this year but this one's good. i mean so simple right, how can u go wrong
mgmt - ok this poll kind of sucks lol... yall...
rolling blackouts coaster - pretty nice. this album bored me really badly, maybe i'll check out the eps... kinda lazy tho
parquet courts - great opener to the best rock album of the year, by my fav band. i've started becoming so cranky and bored by music for a lot of the last couple years and it felt improbable that i'd crush so hard on a band as i did after this album prompted me to get back into them (had checked out after the first couple albums out of laziness, despite liking them). the basslines are sooo good
twin sister - my other fav band. see them live if you can imo. she's totally transfixing as frontperson, and the rest of the band are v cute, you wish you were friends with them irl. i really regret not nominating 'tops and bottoms' from the album, which was my fav off the album. i love the sade worship stuff but i also love when they branch out into their dubbier dark techno side like 'out of the dark' off the last album. thought they should've explored that side a bit more
sticky - really great. that vocal's wild. love how the drums come in and cut against the guitar. poll's picking up steam... fingers crossed
your dog - soccer mommy >>>>>>> snail mail. sheryl crowe-core
shimmer - it's alright
tony braxton - d0pe.. controversial opinion (not rly): the mainstream r&b on these polls is better than the shimmery 80s influenced slowmo vaguely dancey indie pop that always takes up 1/3 of it
mewithoutyou - there's usually one or two brad albums per year i listen to once and it doesn't really click at first and then i go back to it a year later and realize i was wrong and it rips... not sure if this will be the case with this one. it's cool tho, kinda emo deathrock
wizkid - this guy's been killing it for like 4 years now? still not getting his due imo. afrobeats production is so much cooler and more hi-def than american pop production has been the last decade

i don't get the "soccer mommy >>> snail mail" opinions, i don't really like either but snail mail has one really nice song in "heat wave" at least which i'd guess is probably yet to show

I played these this morning bloody hell this is thin gruel

75: Laura Jean – “Girls on the TV”
71: DJ Koze – “Pick Up
70: MGMT – “When You Die”
69: Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever – “Talking Straight”
65: Soccer Mommy – “Your Dog”
64: Fabiana Palladino – “Shimmer”
67: Mr Twin Sister – “Echo Arms”
77: Kali Uchis – “In My Dreams”

these all sound a photocopy of a photograph of a memory of watching a tv show in a doctors waiting room. tough to even think of anything to say about this pallid schlock

73: Helena Hauff – “Hyper-Intelligent Genetically Enriched Cyborg

sounds exactly like its title. Cyborgs are joyless unfriendly dicks and the sooner people admit it the better

72: Drake – “Nice for What”

i like this fellows memes where he's wearing a coat

68: Parquet Courts – “Total Football”

great title, unlistenable garbage

66: Ravyn Lenae – “Sticky”

if it was instrumental it would be bearable

Sorry about being so negative, i will say this there weren't that many that were actively painful!

Yes but did you like the Wizkid?

Aw <3

xp

Yes but did you like the Wizkid?

― Matt DC, Tuesday,

I would quite like this as an instrumental! but the vocals are no good for me, why is he so morose. Sounds like he's wasting a sunny Saturday afternoon sat at a desk in front of a mountain of paperwork or dealing with some car insurance problems. I get it, bureaucracy is a pain, I had to transfer out Kane from my fantasy football team when he got injured but sometimes you just have to deal with these things head on

Sounds like he's wasting a sunny Saturday afternoon sat at a desk in front of a mountain of paperwork or dealing with some car insurance problems.
― saer, Tuesday, January 29, 2019 11:57 AM (fifty-six minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

That should have been the blurb for Soco.

Wizkid's vocals are the best part! It's all about how relaxed he sounds, imo.

*is (- grrrrrrrr)

The only thing that could have made Soco even better than it is would be if the other vocalists on it sounded as relaxed and carefree as Wizkid does.

Having gone through the playlist from yesterday the only song I actively dislike is the Andrew WK one, it just has a sort of sports stadium sound/quality to it that I find really off-putting.

I have to admit, I'm not in LOVE with Soco. Wizkid's an absolute afrobeats darling but the only song I really like with him on it is Ma Lo, but that's mostly cos of Tiwa Savage.

I'm fucking gutted I missed the voting thread. Maybe not enough BIG CAPITALS in the thread title this year? It's not like I've strayed far from ILM. Anyway, I only know the Wizkid and Parquet Courts songs so far. Weird choice for PQs - a good opener and Black Flag homage but nowhere near the best track on that album.

But it was a single, and had a fun video, and fuck Tom Brady

The biggest shock for me was that mewithoutYou song, a new don't fear the reaper sounds great to me, excellent track. Do they do heavier shit? Or is this basically the way they always sound?

― Will (kruezer2), Monday, January 28, 2019 10:20 PM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

check out the most recent album imo, but the answer is: 1. yes (and lighter shit too) 2. not really, “julia” is one of their few songs that is both gentle and aggressive, but if you like it you’ll probably like their other stuff

you didn't ask for it but i'm giving it to you anyway

77: Kali Uchis – “In My Dreams”: this is cute enough, kind of a slightly more boisterous big sister to that dreamy version of 'rock your baby' that emerson kitamura put out this year
76: Red Velvet – “Bad Boy”: i like this quite a bit tbh
75: Laura Jean – “Girls on the TV”: for the sake of your own health, eat less beige food people
74: Andrew W.K. – “Music Is Worth Living For”: sounds like something from quiet riot: the musical
73: Helena Hauff – “Hyper-Intelligent Genetically Enriched Cyborg”: really nice electro that's a lot more warm and tactile than i expected - some satisfyingly moist and splashy synth sounds in there; probably should've listened to the album tbh
72: Drake – “Nice for What”: hey i didn't hate this! well not that much anyhow
71: DJ Koze – “Pick Up": i loved this when i first heard it but it only gets more boring with each subsequent play. gorgeous loop but he takes forever to go absolutely nowhere with it
70: MGMT – “When You Die”: have never heard anything else by these chuckleheads apart from that one fucking song, so i was pleasantly surprised by this. i like the music a lot more than i like the singing though
69: Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever – “Talking Straight”: not terrible but the chorus is really annoying. it makes me sad that blank realm got so roundly ignored while they were around, cos i think they made a better fist of this sort of fidgetty clean-ish hypno-jangle
68: Parquet Courts – “Total Football”: yeah, i'd like to see if these lads could still do it against 'theme from sparta fc' on a wet tuesday night in stoke
67: Mr Twin Sister – “Echo Arms”: i feel like a freelance food writer who's just been assigned a review of ten different off-brand porridges
66: Ravyn Lenae – “Sticky”: solid enough but could do without the comedy vocal effects
65: Soccer Mommy – “Your Dog”: don't mind the singer but this is all a bit mimsy and forgettable. needs more loud
64: Fabiana Palladino – “Shimmer”: eh, this is lame like haim. her voice just makes me wish Laura Groves would hurry up and make another album
63: Toni Braxton – “Long As I Live: haha, this sounds fucking amazing in the context of the rest of this list
62: mewithoutyou – “Julia (or, Holy to the LORD’ on the Bells of Horses)”: getting a cormac mccarthy vibe from that title, song sounds a bit like katatonia? hated the video, like the director was trying to shoot a netflix pilot for some terrible post-stranger things throwback bullshit (but maybe that's all music videos these days i dunno?)
61: Wizkid – “Soco”: don't hate it but wish i could say i liked it more, i'm sorry

i'd also recommend anyone curious about mewithout you check out the ep that accompanied the album they put out last year (both are named untitled), totally different side of them

yeah parquet courts were definitely going for a Fall thing, sans bite

Voted for: Kali Uchis, Red Velvet, Toni Braxton
Voted for the B-side instead: DJ Koze (and NIckB OTM about the A-side)
Best discovery: Mr Twin Sister (was put off by their name until now; listened to half the album last night and that was rather good too)

Love how for most of the year everyone's being nice about music they like in cosy self-contained threads, then in January we all come together to tell everyone else the music they like is boring and shit.

:D

I'm restraining myself so far tbf - but as soon as y'all lay into something I REALLY like then no holds will be barred. Only Acting will probably be a sparkpoint

sans bite

Things I still find amusing although I'm no longer 14: 'bite' (pronounced like 'beet') means 'penis' in French.

You assume I didn't know that ;)

Boringly the only thing from yesterday I actively hate is the Drake track, which I haven't listened to. Soccer Mommy was dull, not awful, just dull. Everything else was very good and you should all congratulate yourselves for voting for it.