ILM’s Top 77 Tracks of 2018

(but also relevant to Nabozo’s post above perhaps lol)

Struggling to imagine what dancehall from last year would place this high, but at least two or three more afropop records seem very likely. Sun el-Musician may have suffered from everyone voting for different album tracks but Burna Boy is a lock.

so of the 28 what is an absolute lock

1975 x2
ariana x2
mitski
robyn
kacey x2
monae
a certain bromley-based indiepop group :D
sun-el musician
arctic monkeys
lana del rey
baby fucking shark
sophie (x2?)
as matt has just said it, burna boy

and i'm obviously missing some locks from bobbins or rap idk. not much room for maneouvre but let's see

only dancehall affiliated thing on my ballot was a bassline x dancehall thing: sharda ft shanique marie 'wanna know'. was actually my number one but no way will it place now

'itgehane' will def be in there

How is it possible to predict what is going to be in? Every single track has been a surprise to me except Drake because he is famous for memes and coats. Do you have relatives in the police something is fishy

The only bobbins that will definitely place are Peggy Gou and Krystal Klear. Both locks in terms of what's already placed.

I wouldn't bet on the Arctic Monkeys, Lana Del Rey or any individual Sophie making it. Ella Mai definitely will though. Also Pusha T, Swae Lee, definitely one more Christine & The Queens.

There's plenty of room for curveballs.

I can see Burna ending up just OUTSIDE (gettit?) the Tracks 77 because of the votes being ever so perfectly split between “Ye”, “Gbona” and “On The Low” (plus “PH City Vibration”?). Guessing “Ye” still has the best shot at placing. Today is crunch time. (His album will place big, evidently)

How is it possible to predict what is going to be in? Every single track has been a surprise to me except Drake because he is famous for memes and coats. Do you have relatives in the police something is fishy

I phoned up Harry Redknapp and he said he'd seen Travis Scott hanging around Loftus Road.

lol

Think Janelle may be another x2

I was expecting 'Donnie Darko' to place, but not that low. There's one obvious 1975 track that I'm expecting to see in the Top 15 at the very least.

Struggling to imagine what dancehall from last year would place this high, but at least two or three more afropop records seem very likely. Sun el-Musician may have suffered from everyone voting for different album tracks but Burna Boy is a lock.

― Matt DC, Thursday, January 31, 2019 10:24 AM (twenty-one minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

King Tuff by Rygin King or possibly the controversial Black Hypocrisy by Spice felt like monumental dancehall tracks this year, but I doubt they'd have had enough push to make it

especially sincve I didn't fecking vote (okay I shut up now)

In my head, it's totally plausible that a quarter of ILM put Toast in their top 5 and that there's no way it's beyond 77#. But hey, maybe you all suck.

But yes, it feels like afro-pop has the sonic qualities that would absolutely fit in with a big swathe of the ILM hivemind and I encourage Ilxors to keep a good eye on that thread. I said it last year, but Nabozo, longneck, breastcrawl, Rob are all experts in this field and brilliant contributors. They've affected my tastes over the last 2-3 years more than pretty much any other online resource.

I also think that soca needs wider representation on ILM - it's fun, bouncy music with myriad variations and routes via the various sub-genres (Chutney, Jab etc) and weirdly reminiscent of the energy behind OG rave music but with a sunshine vocal feel. What's not to like?

Also I'll be massively upset if Rosalía doesn't place at least, wait, let's be reasonable, 3 songs.

oh i haven't heard of that?

Claims to be some variant of flamenco but it's basically what happens if you take the flamenco out and replace it with tepid electropop

...and with that, shots were fired

NL: imago, this is great wtf

Which Burna Boy is most likely to place? I thought the album had an even spread of faves

imago is correct. Were the flamenco to electropop ratio heavily skewed towards the former, she wouldn't fare as well 'round these parts.

i would have thought the other bobbins likely placement is "hold me"

RMDE at the vapid contrarianism on show here. I can understand not feeling it's sufficiently flamenco but anyone who thinks it's rote or "tepid electropop" just hasn't listened to it properly. What other electropop sounds like Rosalia?

The interplay between flamenco and modern digital production techniques is what makes it compelling (not to mention the voice) but nothing else in pop has anything like the clicks and handclaps than run through it, its use of space and texture and rhythm seems very particular.

But yes continue to act like every "I thought R&B was rhythm and blues" garden-variety Guardian comments box twat if you really must.

Today is going to be fiery

imago did you end up listening to the rosalia album all? it wasn't for me (too heavy on the flamenco) but if your complaint with "malamente" and "pienso en tu mira" was "not enough flamenco", they're (unfortunately imo) not that representative of the album

Which Burna Boy is most likely to place? I thought the album had an even spread of faves

Hmm. That sounds more promising at least. I may give it a go xp

good morning!

Hmm. That sounds more promising at least. I may give it a go

So you are talking about music you haven't listened to then? It's a pretty diverse album with a lot going on in it.

I've heard like 3 or 4 tracks? Malamente bugs me a lot

imago what are the ten best flamenco records of 2018

idk that another christine & the queens track will place, not many were nominated and i would have though "doesn't matter" would be the favourite of the ones that were.

lana absolutely will place.

other stuff that seems likely to me that hasn't been mentioned:
azealia banks
jessie ware
probably crj? not sure
maybe troye sivan?
a few indie tracks like "night shift" and one of the snail mail singles

there's one kpop track i'm holding out hope for still too. also hoping burna boy hasn't been vote split to death

You say it like you've never judged an artist on a couple of tracks before!

Best flamenco album of 2018 is a really easy one: Nino De Elche. I voted for it even. You should all give it a listen

I asked for the ten best flamenco tracks of 2018

There are pretty obvious commercial reasons why they would share and promote the side of the album that sounds the closest to mainstream pop rather than the less familiar side.

I think that, as with afrobeats c. 2012 or therabouts, it represents a fascinating *potential* way forward for pop, I'd love to hear a breathy American R&B singer over a beat like Que No Salga La Luna.

(xpost - 'Girlfriend' is surely the big Christine consensus pick, right?)

The interplay between flamenco and modern digital production techniques is what makes it compelling (not to mention the voice) but nothing else in pop has anything like the clicks and handclaps than run through it, its use of space and texture and rhythm seems very particular.

― Matt DC, Thursday, January 31, 2019 11:33 AM (seventeen minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

100. It's more than just a fusion of those two styles. There's loads of influences and interesting rhythms and textures going on, and that's apparent from my first listen.

while the Rosalia album wasn't quite what i wanted from her it still felt exciting and fresh to me and i'm really looking forward to hearing what she does next. while i'm far from an expert on flamenco if there's anything else similar happening in the flamenco/pop crossover space i'd love to hear it

Holding out for some Tiwa Savage ITT

I shared imago's distaste for malamente but the album is better and I've really warmed to her voice

this nino de elche album is off its box

Wouldn’t “One Kiss” be another contender? It was my favorite mainstream pop track of the year, along with the Arianas.

Or Aya Nakamura’s “Djadja”? Although I’m probably conflating its massive real-world popularity (in these parts anyway) far too much with any ILM traction (or awareness).

I thought One Kiss placed last year? or am I thinking of New Rules?

new rules was #2 last year I think

re: Rosalia, from a pure production point of view, it's incredibly difficult to get those kinds of claps to sound so clear and ripply in a mix, as I've learnt this year. Extra points just for that

It really does feel like 'One Kiss' has been around for years

to Imago:
Niño de Elche and Rosalía are often grouped together as flamenco "iconoclasts". They have performed on the same nights. He has defended her approach in interviews. I see no division to be had there: they're both fascinating. I voted for both. I love music.
But I mean, you just said you're not familiar with her catalogue (and it shows). As a punishment, you should watch the video of that Spanish guy who talks about and analyzes her compositions and concepts for 40 minutes (it's entertaining). He's eager to show how flamenco rhythms are everywhere in her songs, including the hits. "Tepid synth pop", listen, we hate that as much as you do.

track 2 of the rosalia album already a big improvement yes. i will accept that i spoke hastily!

I will be shocked if the 1975 don't get at least two more in