Elmatic is one of those times when you realize that innovation doesn't necessarily mean good. On this album, producer Will Sessions took a hip-hop classic, Nas' Illmatic, and updated it with better recording quality, and embellished the jazz under (and over) tones to create something that is simultaneously infectious and impressive. Elzhi builds upon Nas' original flow and lyrics and expands upon it. Elmatic's not so much a covers album as it is a jumping off point.
The World Is Yours (Represent Intro) by eLzhi
14. The UV Race - Homo
Druuuuuuugsssssssssss. This album sounds like a few Australians holed themselved up in a basement with 5 kegs and a few kilos and said, "Let's make an album." It's ugly, imperfect, bizarre, and fun as hell.
"Burn That Cat"
13. Chelsea Wolfe - Ἀποκάλυψις
This album has been described as "Doom Folk." On paper, that sounds like a recipe for A) Pretention B) Bullshit or C) Pretentious Bullshit. Oddly, though, Ἀποκάλυψις (Greek for Apolcalypse) is a unique piece of sincere, dark, and beatiful music. Tracks like "Demons," "Mer" and especially "Pale On Pale" channel some of the mood of metal, but repackage it into something much more pallatable. Overall it's a really dense and fantastic listen.
Chelsea Wolfe - Mer
12. Hospital Ships - Lonely Twin
I concur with Tim's bafflement at how unheard of this album was this year. Aside from him, really nobody I knew even mentioned this thing. And that's a damn shame. If there's one thing this past year should teach anybody, it's that sincerity reigns in music. If you look at albums like Bon Iver, Bon Iver, Girls' Father, Son, Holy Ghost, and Atlas Sound's Parallax, people respond to sincerity. Don't get me wrong, Lonely Twin isn't in the same league at those other albums. It's actually well produced, catchy, concise, and un-repetive (burn!). The closest analog I have to this album is Windmill's Puddle City Racing Lights; a heartbreaking and beautiful album that grows on you over time, and one that you find yourself immersed in, picking out specific lines that speak to you in a given moment, like that song was only written for you.
Reprise by Hospital Ships
11. Kendrick Lamar - Section.80
Kendrick Lamar is younger than I am. And that pisses me off. Section.80 is the hip-hop album of the year, in my opinion. KL's technical ability is unparalled, even in spite of the fact that his voice is sort of drab. Look at a track like "Rigamortis," where he starts in a dull-ish monotone, then as the song progresses, he gets more and more enthusiastic to the point where he has more words than he has air in his lungs. The album is wise beyond it's years, commenting on modern feminism, over-medication, general malaise, urban issues, etc. Sonically, this album has more in common with My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy than anything else. I feel like KL heard that album and said, "I can do this, but actually put effort into lyrics and flow." And he did. In a year of hip-hop that has been defined by #SWAG, excess, homophobia, misogny, and violence (not necessarily bad things), Section.80 really stood out as a masterpiece with a message.
Kendrick Lamar - Ronald Reagan Era
"Burn That Cat"
13. Chelsea Wolfe - Ἀποκάλυψις
This album has been described as "Doom Folk." On paper, that sounds like a recipe for A) Pretention B) Bullshit or C) Pretentious Bullshit. Oddly, though, Ἀποκάλυψις (Greek for Apolcalypse) is a unique piece of sincere, dark, and beatiful music. Tracks like "Demons," "Mer" and especially "Pale On Pale" channel some of the mood of metal, but repackage it into something much more pallatable. Overall it's a really dense and fantastic listen.
Chelsea Wolfe - Mer
12. Hospital Ships - Lonely Twin
I concur with Tim's bafflement at how unheard of this album was this year. Aside from him, really nobody I knew even mentioned this thing. And that's a damn shame. If there's one thing this past year should teach anybody, it's that sincerity reigns in music. If you look at albums like Bon Iver, Bon Iver, Girls' Father, Son, Holy Ghost, and Atlas Sound's Parallax, people respond to sincerity. Don't get me wrong, Lonely Twin isn't in the same league at those other albums. It's actually well produced, catchy, concise, and un-repetive (burn!). The closest analog I have to this album is Windmill's Puddle City Racing Lights; a heartbreaking and beautiful album that grows on you over time, and one that you find yourself immersed in, picking out specific lines that speak to you in a given moment, like that song was only written for you.
Reprise by Hospital Ships
11. Kendrick Lamar - Section.80
Kendrick Lamar is younger than I am. And that pisses me off. Section.80 is the hip-hop album of the year, in my opinion. KL's technical ability is unparalled, even in spite of the fact that his voice is sort of drab. Look at a track like "Rigamortis," where he starts in a dull-ish monotone, then as the song progresses, he gets more and more enthusiastic to the point where he has more words than he has air in his lungs. The album is wise beyond it's years, commenting on modern feminism, over-medication, general malaise, urban issues, etc. Sonically, this album has more in common with My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy than anything else. I feel like KL heard that album and said, "I can do this, but actually put effort into lyrics and flow." And he did. In a year of hip-hop that has been defined by #SWAG, excess, homophobia, misogny, and violence (not necessarily bad things), Section.80 really stood out as a masterpiece with a message.
Kendrick Lamar - Ronald Reagan Era
Getting close,
-e.
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