ILM's Top 77 Albums of 2017

I did have an initial wave of excitement about the new colleen record, just the sound of it, but it has grown on me over time. the highs of captain of none are something else but I keep being drawn to the more lonely, starkly poised mood of the new one

https://i.imgur.com/LFEDnBo.jpg

40 BLANCK MASS "World Eater" (292 points, 8 votes, 2 first place votes)
spotify

oh cool!

lol. i like that today starts off with something that makes AG happy. will check out

That's one of two albums I'd been hoping placed purely because I forgot to put them on my ballot.

Fuck yeah! My number 4.

this has something about it, have enjoyed what i've heard, although i'm sure he has a greater work in him

probably much better than fuck buttons

https://i.imgur.com/I8cQIkJ.jpg

39 GAUSSIAN CURVE "The Distance" (294 points, 10 votes, 1 first place vote)
spotify

i listened to this one a lot this year

And there's my number 1

An album I was p much always in the mood for

Blanck Mass!

this was my number 1. The combo of the opening track + Rhesus Negative has been by far my most often played thing this year. could generally fit this into the 10 minute walk between the metro station and my house.

rest of the album doesn't quite live up to those two opening tracks but still incredible.

Would have been my number 1 too but I didn't ever see the voting thread and I'm still having a massive pity party about not getting to vote this year. What was the thread called, anyway?

(Referring to Gaussian Curve)

gaussian curve was my number 2, beautiful record, thank you gigi

yeah just listened to the opening 2 tracks of World Eater having heard only the 3rd before - they were great

aw evan, wonder what another 50 points or whatever would have doen to the result?

Prob would have made it place higher.

Would have been my number 1 too but I didn't ever see the voting thread and I'm still having a massive pity party about not getting to vote this year. What was the thread called, anyway?

"ILM's 2017 End of Year Tracks & Albums Poll / VOTING THREAD":

ILM's 2017 End of Year Tracks & Albums Poll / VOTING THREAD

oh yeah, thanks Jeff! :) xp

Hahaha how did I miss the thread??? Oh well

I liked that Gaussian Curve record, gave it a few spins. Slept on the Blanck Mass record but was digging Rhesus Negative when it popped up in the noms playlist on Spotify. I'm still working my way through that playlist at the moment. It finally motivated me to sign up for Spotify, thank you ILX.

I'm kicking myself for missing the voting deadline, too. Even made a couple noms. Next year I will pull my shit together and vote, promise.

https://i.imgur.com/bIJoWFL.jpg

38 FOUR TET "New Energy" (295 points, 10 votes)
spotify

That one didn't do anything for me.

Not really a big Four Tet fan but I liked this one a lot - it was the last cut from my ballot but would definitely make it if I was voting today.

here's the title track of the gaussian curve record: The Distance

very soft, languid music, it sounds like they're just gently caressing the air molecules in the room

sounds right up my street ;)

am listening anyway

four tet is unalloyed dullsville

Is the Four Tet a collab with Tove Lo?

iirc the last track on the four tet is great and the rest is....whatever

Gaussian Curve’s debut from a few years back is even better

https://i.imgur.com/h3G4G7K.jpg

37 THE CLIENTELE "Music From The Age Of Miracles" (298 points, 11 votes)
spotify

best band since the smiths

this might not be so bad in fact, am deciding

I'm not gonna listen to the Gaussian Curve record because in my head it is an ambient electronic 1-hr cover of that Cake song.

(Note that I like this idea that is in my head and fear the reality would only be a disappointment.)

re world eater
voted rhesus negative in the songs poll but cool to see the album place

fun fact- gaussian curve is a principal in physics that solves for optimal pizza slice eating

https://youtu.be/gi-TBlh44gY

fey, reactionary dullardry with the occasional decent melody, i'm deciding

i just had a panicked vision of a 2023 albums rollout thread where it was only me and imago

:D

Initially, the Four Tet wasn't what I wanted from him - too gentle and pretty - but I came around to it in time. I liked most of his 00s stuff without loving it, but the last three or four years have seen a pronounced upswing.

had completely forgotten to listen to the Gaussian Curve album until now but it's as gorgeous as i'd expect

the Clientele record takes some small chances I wasn't expecting while also being gorgeous and cohesive and right up there with their best work

i underestimated the four tet record, some of his prettiest stuff since Rounds

Blanck Mass! Gaussian Curve! Good start today.

https://i.imgur.com/VxivoC4.jpg

36 JAMES HOLDEN & THE ANIMAL SPIRITS "The Animal Spirits" (302 points, 10 votes)
spotify

I always found rounds much too busy, liked his newer stuff lots more. I should give the latest one another chance. Or I will when I finally get through all the trax noms, God there are a lot of these.

Oh what James Holden had a new record and I missed it? Love that guy.

This is absolutely amazing, my #8. The melodies are wonderful, the sense of dynamics really brilliantly executed and it sounds like nothing else. Set the controls for the psychedelic electro-forest!

New Clientele is my least favorite record by them but it's also great