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R A I N Y B L A W G . A S U W . O R G
T W I T T E R . C O M / R A I N Y D A W G R A D I O
F A C E B O O K . C O M / R A I N Y D A W G R A D I O
I N S T A G R A M . C O M / R A I N Y D A W G R A D I O
S T A F F
Dear Toilet Reader,
College radio is a tradition that over the years has changed the shape of the music industry, and here in Seattle, Rainy Dawg Radio is the online station that keeps college radio alive. Rainy Dawg is entirely student-run, owned and supported by the Associated Students of the University of Washington. Our station went online in 2003 as an educational outlet for students at the UW interested in the broadcast and music industries, as well as to provide entertainment for students, staff, and faculty. Since then, Rainy Dawg has grown to become an important part of the Seattle music scene, hosting in-studio performances, organizing concerts with local and touring artists, and providing a source for student-designed media. Although the station’s priority is to provide quality and diverse programming for the University community, its reach is global, and anyone, worldwide, can tune in to our live stream at w w w . r a i n y d a w g . o r g . Here are a few examples of the kind on air programs we have offered over the past year, in addition to our blocks of indie/variety, electronic, hip hop, local, and loud rock: •
The #1 college radio show, C a m e r o n ’ s N e w S l o w S h o w features live chopping and screwing of any song and stand-up imaginable. • M o n d a y N i g h t P i z z a P a r t y , a live performance show that brings in local punk groups (Wimps, Monogamy Party, and Strong Killings to name a few) to sshhhhrrrred and share slices between songs. • A hip-hop show, S T R 8 SLAMMIN ’ showcases the hottest slaps, braps, claps, and raps via live, in-studio mixing every Thursday night. This year-end magazine, inspired by the Amoeba Records’ Music We Like, features a series of lists compiled by our staff, DJs, and volunteers. You’ll also find a list of the albums that we’re looking forward to in 2013, along with photos and drawings from our talented friends Ela Engert, Uriel Katz, Cameron McCreery, Bristol Hayward-Hughes, Daniel Guo, and Sammi Davis Jr. Jr. Special thanks to Sammi for the cover art and to Daphne Hsu for the layout design. These are the albums from 2012 that we liked enough to spend our nonexistent printing budget to tell you about... although I noticed that most of our DJs forgot to include the Bieb’s Believe, which was my favorite album of the year by far.
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MA T T K OLHE D E GENERAL MANAGER
Monday Night Pizza Party 1.
Minute long make-out songs by Gnar Tapes dudes. Ear Scope: “Baby” 2.
S i n c e r e ly, The Rainy Dawg
Hank Wood and the Hammerheads Go Home LP
Garagey New York punk rock with a percussionist and a keyboard player. Ear Scope: “Walkin Down the Street” 3. Sc h o o l
Jerks School Jerks LP
Not as good as their 7”s, but still real good. Snotty 80’s purist hardcore. Ear Scope: “Wicked World” 4. T e r r y
Malts Killing Time
Catchy Ramones-esque punk with that fuzzy bass and that good good guitar tone. Ear Scope: “No Good For You” 5. T h e
Shrine Primitive Blast
Shreddy rip-town butt rock. Ear Scope: “Deep River (Livin’ to Die)” 6. M e a t
Market Meat Market LP
Everyone has a garage band. Meat Market write better songs than your garage band. Ear Scope: “Scum” 7.
The Memories The Memories
Audacity Mellow Crooners
Not as spazzy and dirty as their last LP, but they still write real good songs. Ear Scope: “Punk Confusion Formula”
8. C u l t u r e
LP
LIS T S Kids
Real good hardcore from SF featuring members of Moonhearts and The Ty Segall Band. Ear Scope: “MLMMMT” 9. T y
Segall Band Slaughterhouse
Ty Segall’s much cooler ripper side. Ear Scope: “Tell Me What’s Inside Your Heart” 10. C r i m i n a l
Code Cold Thought 12’’
TOPS Tender Opposites
I bet $5 everyone who listens to this “weirdo pop” dances a LITTLE.
xyx Teatro Negro
The story is: this duo broke up then gave some guy a lot of previously recorded songs that became this album and it is SO GOOD. They were from Monterrey, Mexico and shouted in Spanish and shredded reeeal hard and were SO GOOD RIP.
Really good yelly punk outta Tacoma. Ear Scope: “Necessary Evils”
T HE MALLAR D Yes on Blood
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T HE SHRINE Primitive Blast
ERIN HALLIGAN Assistant manager
G.1.R.L.s. C.L.U.B. MI C A C HU AN D T HE SHA P ES Never THIS IS JUST THE BEST.
NU SENSAE Sundowning
A plus, ten out of ten, five stars, good sludge, real heavy, new guit, YOU WON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT HIT YOU.
WHI T E LUNG Sorry
To White Lung: Do not be Sorry. (Get it, because this album is called Sorry but they shouldn’t be sorry because this album is very good.) Another joke I thought up about this album is: Sorry? More like You’re Welcome. (Because, “thank you White Lung for this album,” “you’re welcome.”) Ugh. This is good lady punk.
MA C D EMAR C O Rock & Roll Night Club
This album is soft as heck AND out of control, think about THAT.
YES
This rocks AND ROLLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GRASS WI D OW Disappearing Industries
This is the prettiest singing you’ll hear from Grass Widow and the prettiest music I heard all year.
ARIEL P IN K ’ S HAUN T E D GRA F F I T I Mature Themes GO figure.
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C AMERON M C C REERY MUSIC DIRECTOR
Cameron’s New Slow Show 10.
weird dreams Choreography
shimmery, melancholy guitar-pop from london. lots of the byrds/xtc vibes. simple pretty songs with nice melodies about heartbreak and masochism. very cool. 9.
dean blunt and inga copeland Black Is Beautiful
weird stuff. lots of drones and noise, but still very poppy. there is a song where they just repeat “never look back” over a slowly building drone-
dub for just over two minutes and it is bizarre and uncomfortable and perfect. very cool. 8. h o w
to dress well Total Loss
if i could sing as high as tom krell i would want to make music like this too. sounds like 90s r&b mixed with william basinski or onohtrix point never. really sad at times but then also really fun. very cool. 7. m a tt h e w
Beams
dear
killer opening song followed by killer every other song. something like post-punk future disco. super introspective songs about personal flaws that are so dance-y you almost don’t notice. also sounds so good live. very cool. 6. f r a n k
ocean channel ORANGE
nobody with as much mainstream success as frank ocean is making albums this good. even the minute-long interludes are good. frank ocean writes beautiful songs. highlight in a year of great r&b. very cool. 5. c h a i r l i ft
Something
surprise hit of 2012. these two shifted their sound in all the right places and made an incredibly good synth-pop album. the production is so tight. caroline polachek is so great. very cool. 4. k i d
smpl Skylight
young seattle night bus phenom. emotional electronic music, made for introspective late-night listening. lots of skittering trap kits, drowned vocals, and loneliness. consistently impressed every time i listen. very cool. 3. h o l y
Held
other
sexiest record of the year. sometimes minimal and pretty, other times massive. title track is six minutes of perfect. listen to this on good speakers in a dimly lit room and you’ll get it. very cool. 2. b u r i a l
Kindred EP
burial is on another level. this threesong ep is arguably the best part of
an already flawless track-record. i have no problem waiting for another full-length if his eps continue to be this satisfying. very cool.
kendrick” yesterday. It was hilarious. Good times.
1. a n d y
I’m from the Bay and the best new rapper from there is this guy. Iamsu!! He seems really nice too. Listen to this if you want to.
s t o tt Luxury Problems
oof. unbelievably good record. uses vocal samples in every way possible. perfect middle ground between stott’s older dub-techno work and gloomy 2011 eps. both familiar and unlike anything else. i wish clubs actually sounded like this. very cool.
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V LA D IMIR SE P E T O V
PROMOTIONS COORDINATOR
STR8 Slammin’
1. D i s c l o s u r e
The Face EP
This is my favorite record of the year. It’s not even an LP but these are probably some of my favorite songs of all time. 2. M i g u e l
Kaleidoscope Dream
I would marry this man if I could. ;-) ;-) ;-) he has a cool haircut too. 3. J e s s i e
Devotion
Ware
Jessie Ware is sexy. This album is also very sexy. ;-) ;-) ;-) 4. C h r o m a t i c s
Kill For Love
This summer I lived in LA. My boss and I randomly stumbled in to Echo Park Records which released this record. I also saw Chromatics live this summer. They were amazing live. One of my favorite performances of the year. I cried when I heard this record on the way home from LA.
Enormous E x t i n ct D i n o s a u r s Trouble
8.
9.
Lamar good kid m.A.A.D. city
Bei Maejor Upscale Mixtape
This is my guilty pleasure choice for this list. It’s cheesy, it’s tense, it’s not entirely cohesive, but it’s so good. That doesn’t make sense, but I enjoyed this more than channel ORANGE. Sorry :-/ But channel ORANGE was good too don’t worry guys!!! 10.
Future Pluto
I only started recently listening to this. I feel like ScHoolboy Q could be here too. But man, they’re both good guys. So don’t be mad at me please.
Honorable Mentions: LIANNE LA HAVAS - Is Your Love Big Enough Jeremih - Late Nights With Jeremih Dom Kennedy - Yellow Album RIFF RAFF - Birth Of An Icon CHAD VALLEY - Young Hunger Rainy Milo - Limey FRank Ocean -channel Orange KINDNESS - World You Need A Change of Mind ScHoolboy Q - Habits and Contradictions BJ THE CHICAGO KID - Pineapple Now & Laters REESE - Reese vs The World Pt 2 FIONA APPLE - The Idler Wheel… YUNG VLAD’S OP 10 TRACKS OF 2012
5. T o t a l l y
This is my other favorite live performance of the year. He came out in a pseudo dinosaur costume and basically turned knobs. But man, this is like rave music + Hot Chip and it’s the best dance concert I’ve ever been to. This album is good too.
Iamsu! Kilt (Deluxe Edition)
1.
Disclosure “What’s In Your Head”
I don’t have many words for this because it’s so good. 2.
E - 4 0 ft . I a m s u ! , P r o b l e m & YG “Function”
This is the best rap song by far.
7. K e n d r i ck
3. m i g u e l
This is everyone’s favorite album. I was reading the tweets for “grammy
I would have sex with this song.
“Do You…”
4.
jessie ware “Night Light”
I would have sex to this song.
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B ENNE T T S C HA T Z TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
5. c h i e f
The Chronosynclastic Soul Symposium
I probably wouldn’t have sex to this song.
Mac DeMarco 2
keef “I Don’t Like”
6. t n g h t
“Higher Ground”
It was weird how many frat parties I DJed and played this song at. 7.
evy jane “SAYSO”
Chilly. 8.
jessie ware “Running (Disclosure Remix)”
A song where I’m okay with saying “wait for the drop.” 9. SOLANGE
“Losing You (Cyril Hahn Remix)”
I feel like I’m swimming in a pool of syrup in the Bahamas. 10. n d e l u v
“Summerjamz”
The bass is so loud. It’s cool.
When I first heard this album I thought I was listening to the denim love-child of Jerry & the Knopf. I guess I still think that. For a while I listened to this album twice a day. It makes me dance all funny and feel good vibes.
A n d y St o tt Numb
This album good. Real good. Texturally rich, deep, grooving, erotic, embracing. Many adjectives. Like listening to a broken sampler through the walls of a submarine 3 leagues deep in a K-hole.
M a tt h e w D e a r Beams
Total babe alert! Sultry and seduc tive tunes that satisfy my desire for slow, chugging beats, rich textures, and an excellent pop sensibility. Matthew Dear shows off his production chops, unique ear, musical experience, and also the fact that he is a total babe.
A lt- J An Awesome Wave
Some part of me wants to not like this album, but I have no idea why. There are some things that work, some things that don’t, but the fact that I had half of the album on repeat for 1 month straight says something. Looking forward to a sophomore release.
Trance Around the Wo r l d w i t h Ab o v e & B e y o n d ( R . I . P. ) Not an album, but important to acknowledge the end of an era. Granted, Group Therapy is pretty much the same thing. Still, gotta respect 8 years and 450 podcasts.
D J
10. J o n q u i l
Point of Go
LIS T S
“It’s My Part,” “Swells,” and “This Innocent.”
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AUSTIN GILLIHAN Lost and Sound(tracks) NNNNNNNNNNNNN
PHILIP DAVID The Flow BLU UCLA
Blu has come up with a mellowed out banger that sounds (somewhat to the ire of his fans) like it was recorded on a shitty old Nokia. The hazy staccato raps, however, reveal that the LA native can still rhyme as well as ever. Excellent beats to cruise and zone out to – check out “Burgundy Whip.”
Kendrick Lamar good kid m.A.A.D. city
After seeing Kendrick live when he came to UW last year, the arrogant show and airhorn-happy DJ didn’t stick. This album turned things around for me – spinning stories on tracks like “Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst” as masterfully as he can push hyped-up joints like “Backseat Freestyle,” Good Kid is quickly becoming one of my most favorite albums of 2012.
THE XX Coexist
Between toe-tapping futuregarage rhythms on “Chained” and ventures into steel drum samples on “Reunion,” Coexist provides a somber, low-key goldmine of tracks. Jamie XX is showing his maturity as a producer, and the result is damn nice.
Sleigh Bells Reign of Terror
Slowed-down crooners like “You Lost Me” took time to become favorites on this album, but the Brooklyn duo still shows their harder side on tracks like “Demons” and “True Shred Guitar.”
Del tha Funkee homosapien & Parallel Thought Attractive Sin Del teams up with Jersey natives
Parallel Thought for some tight, jazzy beats. The rhymes are as articulate and classic Del as ever. Check out tracks like “Get to Drillin’” and “On Momma’s House.”
TNGHT TNGHT
Helping popularize the (convoluted and arguably mistermed) hype around trap music, Lunice and Hudson Mohawke, excellent producers each, team up for five tracks that make you want to get fucking weird. I’d recommend every single one.
Oddisee People Hear What They See
This album is simply nice. Articulate beats and rhymes make for a solid follow-up to Rock Creek Park.
Home Brew Home Brew
Hailing from New Zealand, Home Brew delivers a bunch of tracks ranging from the funky to the introspective. The accents from down-under provide a unique flavor on the relatively narrow canon of rap vocals. Definitely check out “Basketball Court.”
Homeboy Sandman First of a Living Breed
Homeboy brings more of his signature flow to his most recent LP, released on Stones Throw. Unique, witty rhymes and a don’t-give-afuck attitude mark down another solid album from this law-gradturned-rapper.
Logic Young Sinatra: Undeniable
Unbelievably quick with his words, Logic is finally gaining ground outside his native Maryland. Rapping, sometimes at breakneck pace, over classic instrumentals like “Kick in the Door” and “Dead Presidents II,” Logic continues to solidify himself as an up-and-coming wordsmith.
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JUSTIN LOUSTAU The Flow 1.
Miguel Kaleidoscope Dream
Tracks to check out: “Adorn” and “Don’t Look Back.” 2.
St. Lucia St. Lucia
“All Eyes on You,” “We Got It Wrong,” and “Closer Than This.” 3.
Sol Yours Truly
“Stakes Still High,” “Paint,” and “The Rundown (feat. Dice).” 4.
Oddissee People Hear What they See
“Do It All” and “The Need Superficial.” 5.
Home Brew Home Brew
“Basketball Court (feat. Esther Stephens)” and “Space (feat. Esther Stephens).” 6.
Lute Lute
“Intro,” “80 Proof,” and “Queen City Slummin’ (feat. Ry).” 7.
Frank Ocean Channel Orange
“Crack Rock,” “Pink Matter (feat. André 3000),” and “Pyramids.” 8.
E-40 The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil Pts. 1, 2
“In This Thing Breh (feat. Turf Talk & Mistah Fab),” “Do The Playa (feat. Decadez),” “Can You Feel It? (feat. B-Legit),” “Function (feat. YG, IAmSu, & Problem),” and “Rollin’ (feat. Raheem DeVaughn, Larro T.H.H., Mugzi, Work Dirty, Droop-E, & Decadez).” 9.
Curren$y The Stoned Immaculate
“Chasin’ Papers (feat. Pharrell)” and “Chandelier.”
1. K r e a y s h a w n
Somethin’ Bout Kreay
What Kreayshawn lacks in talent she makes up in nothing. This bleezy blowing bay area rapper originally hit the scene with her single (and strangely enough a VMA nomination) “Gucci Gucci.” While things have not gone up hill Somethin’ Bout Kreay delivers such ridiculous lines and fun beats that singing along may be painful to your dignity but it is so rewarding in feeling like a cracked out hood rat. Also find this album on Value Village’s “List of Most Frequently Stolen Items” in 2013. 2. S L E I G H
BELLS Reign of Terror
If you don’t know Alexis Krauss go look her up right now. The front woman of this kinda weird noisepop, electronic rock band is a personal hero of mine and has inspired many studded denim jackets, but this about music not fashion. Reign of Terror is Sleigh Bells’ second album and if you’ve never listened to them I recommend starting a bayer aspirin regiment because their music may incite anxiety and panic to the point of a heart attack, this album in particular is a little darker and draws inspiration from part two of this two person band, the guitarist Derek Miller, and his personal tragedies of recent. Less stressful and more sounds of darkness make this a great album that explores other sounds and ultimately a new direction that is really successful. 3. D E V
The Night the Sun Came Up
This is the girl who did the whole “Like a G6” thing from her song “Booty Bounce” and she had a few singles and dabbled here and there. She mainly works with The Cataracs who you can pay no attention to I don’t really care. Anyways this album is a poppier and dancier
version of her bass-heavy singles, it’s lighter but still catchy. However, there is one thing – in literally EVERY song she says “it’s the cataracs” which is then dragged out to varying degrees. Its quite awful but if you can overcome this, this album is also the best. 4. C r y s t a l
(III)
Castles
If you like the other Crystal Castles albums you should like this one. I really enjoy this album and keeping in line with these zany Canadian noisey synth-a-licious kiddos’ sound (III) is punctuated by some really intense songs complimenting a mellower group of songs, which is a slightly new direction for them. The really cool thing about this album is the fact each song was recorded in one single session, which coupled with Ethan Kath’s new synthesizer usage makes for a more modern, smoother, and darker sound. Its very fulfilling and somehow makes me want to dance, join a cult, and contemplate all my life decisions at the same time. 5. T h e
Ting tings Sounds from Nowheresville
I will be completely honest – I loathed this album for a long time because apparently this quirky album was a last minute hodge-podge when a carefully crafted album was ripped from the markets due to the Ting Tings’ own ego. I’ve dealt with that and listened to this album and I now really appreciate it and like it. Jumping through many different genres it somehow retains that weird, indescribable sound that makes you realize “Oh yeah this is The Ting Tings!” Also glossing over that stint they did on Yo Gabba Gabba! I have come to love this album, but in addition to Sounds from Nowheresville you should listen to their single “Hands”, which is the direction the new album WAS heading but like I said, not bitter. 6. A z e a l i a
1991 EP
Banks
A good friend of mine one day said “Hey listen to Azealia Banks you’ll love it.” And before I could wave her away and say “Ehh” I was dancing already. Azealia Banks has delivered dancy, vulgar, and absolutely kick ass tracks since her
EP, she released a totally FREE mixtape with 19 tracks. And this isn’t a shitty getting my name out there mixtape it’s a substantial mixtape, it’s called Fantasea and it fits with this weird mermaidish thing she is doing. 7. H A N S
ZIMMER Dark Knight Rises OST
My show is based off of soundtracks and sifting through all the soundtracks was tough but this one, it’s magical. The roaring bass and the mixture of new age and old age sounds create this blissfully dark sound to Christopher Nolan’s interpretation of the Batman world. From the intense chanting and the stings of the instruments to the gritty sampling of modern, electronic sounds this soundtrack feels not like a compliment to a movie but rather an ambient album in its own right. If soundtracks aren’t your thing I can deal, but you would be foolish to pass this up because it is fan-fucking-tastic. 8. M a r k
& Blade Y a m a n t a k a // Sonic Titan YT//ST
YT//ST identifies as a “psychedelic noh-wave opera group” well sure that’s great but just listen to them and form your own opinions, I for one love them because they craft a sound that is all their own. Mark & Blade is an album done to compliment a 2D platformer but the music included is superb, percussion pops over a wave of smooth singing that envelopes your mind in whatever YT//ST sounds like to you. Also, they included a bonus track on here of them performing live, it’s pretty good all around. 9. T h e
Asteroids Galaxy Tour Out of Frequency
The Asteroids Galaxy Tour just kinda pops and that’s all I can really bring myself to say. Out of Frequency showcases this superbly and kinda scratches your ear drums with high pitched vocals and equally high instrumentals. I say this like it’s a bad thing but the way in which they do it is addictive – to me anyway – and I can’t help but feel like I need to punch dance my way to the top when listening to this album.
10. G R I M E S
Visions
I don’t even know where to begin with Grimes so I’ll just start by saying this album is unexpected, different, and fucking fabulous. Grimes has this magical way of using her voice as an additional instrument to her dirty, heavy, and (in the case of “Oblivion”) sometimes unpolished lines of sound and it works so so so SO well. Visions is quite a trip, and you can easily just listen to one or two of the songs over and over but I highly recommend taking in the entire album. It’s an aural delight and not something you’ll soon regret. My personal favorites are “Genesis” and “Oblivion,” which have equally nutty music videos that I recommend you look up NOW.
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KEVIN SHAW Staff Photographer
1. T H E E s a t i s f a c t i o n
Awe Naturale
2. D a n
Deacon America
3. P e r f u m e
Genius Put Your Back N 2 It
4. J e n s
Lekman I Know What Love Isn’t
5. S a m a r i s
Stofnar Falla EP
6. A z e a l i a
1991 EP
Banks
7. T a m e
Impala Lonerism
8. C h r o m a t i c s
Kill For Love
9. M o u n t
Eerie Clear Moon
10. G R I M E S
Oblivion
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Matthew Hinea Home Alone Radio w/ DJ Macaulay Caulkin 1. C l o u d
Nothings Attack on Memory
My brother and I started the mosh pit during their show at Block Party this year. This album is dark as
heck. “NO FUTURE / NO PAST.” 2. T e e n
Suicide I will be my own hell because there is a devil inside my body
Emo/punk band forms, releases a sweet record, tours the east coast, breaks up. We know the story, but this band’s breakup still seemed especially sad to me. R.I.P. Teen Suicide 2012-2012. 3. B l a c k
Marble A Different Arrangement
For a few weeks this Fall I biked around listening to nothing but this album and John Maus. It makes me glad to see a band continuing the tradition of dark, danceable pop music after Depeche Mode and The Cure. Five stars. 4. A c t i o n
Bronson & Party Supplies Blue Chips
Action Bronson is an Albanian MC/chef from Queens who raps a lot about smoking drugs and the fine art of cooking. His persona on Blue Chips is carefree as ever - he fucks up his verses twice on the album, the first time on the first verse on the first track, but instead of doing another take he just waits for the beat to come back around and gives it another go. Everything this guy says and does is loveable in a strangely real, but still harmless way. “Called the cops, said I beat her face/Beat the case, now I shiver at her sweet embrace.” 5. D a d s
American Radass
Dads’ sound on their second fulllength is less twee and more anthemic, but the lyrics still deliver. They played the Josephine in October and killed it. 6. L i l
B Water is D.M.G. pt. 1
Admittedly it can be hard to keep up with all of Lil B’s releases, but this is by far my favorite from this year. The production is all over the place - on “Seasons,” the beat gets off to a professional start, but before Lil B even starts a verse he hums some sort of Frank Sinatra-ish melody. This album made me feel happy.
. Helios
7
Moiety
Helios’ free release came as a surprise to many in the ambient community, but this isn’t a “free ambient album” kind of free ambient album. It’s actually really good. 8. E l - P
Cancer for Cure
Cancer for Cure is unlike anything I’ve heard. It sounds revolutionary on a personal, musical, and political level. El-P seems to rap about power a lot, I think. I’m not sure. But he sounds scary and convincing when he raps, and he makes me feel bad for being a passive beneficiary of white privilege. 9. B r i a n
Lux
Eno
Lux was apparently inspired by the light shining into Brian Eno’s studio. You think after a career as long as his and a reputation as the “inventor” of ambient he would already have written this album, and that it would be a four-part release with a total running time of four days. The album was broadcasted live one weekend alongside a slideshow of entirely user-submitted photos focusing on “light.” Cool.
A n d r o n i c u s Local Business
wondering where the future of jazz music is headed should look no further than his 2012 release which has topped this DJ’s list of best albums of the year. 2. M a r k
Guiliana Beat Music
After touring with bassist Avishai Cohen, Guiliana has formed his own group centered around his own drumming, and the result is a series of tracks that Ryan Lewis or Talib Kweli might one day stumble upon as grounds for their next singles. Each of these cuts is about texture, and Guiliana’s establishment of a head-bob-inducing 4/4 that hip-hop and jazz crowds alike will find enticing. 3. E s p e r a n z a
Spalding Radio Music Society
Spalding has been near, if not AT, the top of the jazz scene for a while now, and her newest release Radio Music Society has strengthened her hold on the ears of newcomers to jazz music. It’s as accessible a jazz record as one might find in the industry right now; if you find yourself wanting to get into the genre of jazz, try this record on for size.
10. T i t u s
4. E R I M A J
Titus Andronicus played Neumos this November and ‘killed it.’ I have been waiting for them to tour since I moved to Seattle last year so I could see them, and their show lived up to every expectation. Local Business is smarter and funnier than their previous records, which I think has alienated some people (but not me).
ERIMAJ’s record Conflict of a Man sounds like it could be a movie soundtrack, as it is both accessible and introspective, appealing and mysterious. Layer after layer renders the sound of this album thick as molasses, and listeners won’t be disappointed by the title track’s uncompromising pocket.
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Ben Zipkin Jazz On Wednesday 1. R o b e r t
Black Radio
Glasper
Even before Black Radio, Glasper was one of my favorite jazz musicians on the scene because of his capacity to blend pure, gutwrenching R&B with a more subtle harmonic structure characteristic of newer jazz compositions. Now, though, Glasper has taken off,
Conflict of a Man
5. M i k e
Moreno Another Way
Moreno’s practiced sound has evolved into something entirely its own, and his record Another Way is one of several steps I expect him to make towards finding a place among the jazz giants of tomorrow. 6. B e n
Powell New Street
Instrumentation is beginning to play more and more of a role in modern jazz music, meaning that instruments traditionally reserved
for other genres of music (ie – the violin, Ben Powell’s vocal extender) are starting to factor into newer compositions. Powell is no stranger to this phenomenon, as his classical background and jazz interest combine to fuel an album laden with bluegrass, country, classical, and jazz-oriented tracks, many of which feature guitarist Julian Lage and vibraphonist Gary Burton. 7. R o n
Miles + Bill Frisell + Brian Blade Quiver
This trio of jazz giants comes in at number seven with perhaps the most elegant-sounding record of 2012. Masters of their craft, Miles, Frisell, and Blade have joined forces to create compositions so delicate that their beauty might be lost with the faintest of breezes; the collection is appropriately named Quiver, implying the acute awareness that the trio has with regard to their dynamic work. 8. C h r i s t i a n
ScoTt Christian aTunde Adjuah
Smooth as ever, Scott’s muffled trumpet and flugelhorn sounds seem to ooze with the style he so virtuously demonstrates on his new album, Christian aTunde Adjuah. Though it hasn’t exactly shown Scott moving in any kind of profoundly different direction with his music, it does give his already lengthy discography another foundational building block. 9.
K u r t R o s e n w i n k e l Star of Jupiter
Rosenwinkel has fiery dexterity, but is always aware that he has to bottle it in a way that is accessible to his listeners. Star of Jupiter is telling of his internal musical exploration, featuring several cuts of solo guitar melody and harmony that will surely give listeners something to think about. 10.
Flying Lotus Until The Quiet Comes
Though he isn’t listed anywhere as purely a “jazz” artist, FlyLo’s sampling demonstrates how in tune he is with new age, avant garde jazz music, and his new album hasn’t demonstrated any kind of deviation from this pattern.
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JOHNNY HOWE Staff Blogger Flume Flume
Go ahead and melt away.
O D ESZA Summer’s Gone
Seattle locals with sunny vibes.
Two Door Cinema Club Beacon Catchy as ever.
Lana Del Rey Born To Die
Hype or not it’s sweet like cinnamon.
B e a t C o n n e ct i o n The Palace Garden UW brahs kill it again.
P o r c e l a i n R a ft Strange Weekend Indie meets outer space.
Wild Nothing Nocturne
Well-crafted indie jams.
Purity Ring Shrines
Indie retro super future electro.
Onuinu Mirror Gazer
Neon Indian and Toro y Moi had a baby!
Hot Chip In Our Heads
Dance music with real emotions.
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SEESHA T A K AGISHI ROOM 209
beach housE Bloom tame impala Lonerism paul banks Banks alabama shakes Boys & Girls a n i m a l c o l l e ct i v e Centipede Hz m a tt h e w d e a r Beams the lumineers The Lumineers a lt- j An Awesome Wave muse The 2nd Law dum dum girls End Of Daze EP
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P AULINA AL V ARA D O Room 209 T HE XX Coexist Crystal castles (III) Muse The 2nd Law Beach HousE Bloom Mumford & Sons Babel K e n d r i ck L a m a r good kid, m.A.A.d city Tame Impala Lonerism F ly i n g L o t u s Until The Quiet Comes Polica Give You the Ghost Yellow Ostrich Strange Land
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HENRY SEELEY Electronic Music Director
K-RAK: The OFFFICIAL Radio Show of the Ave. 1. X X Y Y X X
S/T
Really well produced downtempo electronic. Has enough bass to make your bowels loosen. Sounds like someone forced the weeknd to smoke a bunch of opium. 2. R y a n
Hemsworth Last Words
Basically hip hop beats with enough layers to make it listenable on its own. Ryan has done some intrumentals for squadda-b and some other dudes and is comin up bro. He is cool.
for a while, out of LA. This EP takes more of a trap version than their previous EPs, but has amazing layered sounds that can be super unexpected at times while still working well. 9.
How to Dress Well Total Loss
Beautiful voices, great composition, kills it. Nuff said. 10.
Teams Days Off
Super unique electronic, sometimes can be hard to listen to but once it starts making sense musically, it’s awesome. Great collaborations with Bobbi Dahl and Ra Cailum.
soundtrack for peak-hour club confrontation. Though it will take time to see if this tape can reach the surface, it’s a seismic ripple in rap and the logical step beyond Jeezy’s long-standing mantle. 2. F r e d d i e
Gibbs Baby Face Killa
Gibbs might be the best all-around rapper alive and Killa is a simultaneous musical/lyrical peak among his stellar string of mixtapes since The Miseducation Of Freddie Gibbs. The dude’s relative anonymity among even dedicated Datpiff disciples has been bewildering after the internet-age eternity since that tape, but BFK has a DNA-deep kind of eternal groove that only classics seem to whisper in even noncommittal listens. 187-proof.
3. T N G H T
3. G u n p l a y
Badass trap to make your booty bounce. You can play this at a party and get everyone down in ~3 seconds. ‘Higher ground’ is a major highlight. Also Yeezy showed up at their Brooklyn show in November.
When the beat can match his energy, Gunplay alchemically reacts on a track and explodes in every direction. Listening to this tape is like riding a horse at full sprint without a saddle: you fucking hold on.
4. F l u m e
4. S c h o o l b o y
Pretty basic chill electronic but done incredibly well. Dude comes out of Australia and makes bleeps and bloops.
Kush-laced, macabre, razor wit L.A. rider shit. And though their records are a holy shrine, “Raymond 1969” is the ONLY way to flip a Portishead sample.
Bogota Rich
S/T EP
Q Habits & Contradictions
S/T
5. O d e s z a
5. J i m
Jones Vampire Life 2
Summer’s Gone
Pretty local (Bellingham) and really good. Had a pretty big Hypem following and have done incredibly well with their music. Good study music. 6.
Kendrick Lamar good kid, m.A.A.d. city
I dun care this album is so good. Every song is listenable, and it almost has a plot to it. Kendrick deserves any praise he gets. 7. F r i e n d z o n e
Collection 1
Really good instrumentals, some could be rapped over, some are amazing on their own. Again, awesome study music. 8.
Nguzunguzu Warm Pulse EP
These dudes have been coming up
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ERIC SANDERS 1000 Light Years
TOP 10 MIXTAPES OF 2012
1.
Chief Keef Back From The Dead
Searing, gothic fight anthems zombie-risen from Flockavelli’s ruin. It’s a water mark of Trap’s progression and the distillation of hip-hop’s most purposely ignorant, hyper-masculine, and violent edges into a cutting singular idea; the cold-steel production and Keef ’s misanthropic posturing synthesize to form a transgressive-futuristic
When connecting dots here (“You might not understand the life (word) / spent like 10 grand every night (10 years straight)”) to the Capo track “Take A Bow” (“spent 20 mill in like 6 years”), the math is nearly right. And while it doesn’t outshine almost any outlandish claim from, say, Rick Ross’ rhymebook of fairytales, it’s a simple unifying consistency to validate the kind of reality Jim Jones drops without trying. Beyond the brick-and-mortar brand he’s built over the last decade, Jones’ flow is definitely limited so the beats on VL2 are exceptionally well crafted and paced to pick up any slack. With Baby Face Killa and Habits & Contradictions, it’s one of the most listenable tapes this year.
6. M y k k i
Blanco Cosmic Angel: The Illuminati Prince/ss
Mykki Blanco wields a double-sided axe of transgender versatility that enables him to spit a hybrid form of shit-talk beyond both sexes (I find myself pausing to rewind his lines more often than most technically gifted mc’s). His shock-rock persona is a lot to take in, but Mykki knows this and knows the importance of chemistry on a beat. It’s here that the tape finds an equally arresting albeit subdued voice to play second chair to his psychoschoolgirl rambles. Relative rookies Brenmar, Le1f, Gobby, and Boody turn in stellar, progressive beats that beautifully succeed in their risks. 7. D e a t h
Grips NO LOVE DEEP WEB
Though it’s an album officially, DEEP WEB is included with this list of mixtapes for its guerilla-style release and surrounding promotion. There’s a crooked line bridging the decade-plus since El-P’s landmark contributions for Company Flow/Def Jux and Death Grip’s uncompromising stomp. They’re the forefront of rap’s most ambitious edge, the intersection where language, sonic rebellion, and philosophy make something new - the realest shit coincident to hip hop’s ethos. This record is a discordant break from The Money Store for its abandon of discernible tropes like the retro- cheese throwback of “I’ve Seen Footage” or the chorus in “Hustle Bones.” This is music made from base materials: scrap metal and aggression barely wrangled through drum machines. 8. R i c k
Ross Rich Forever
Rich Forever might be the best thing official MMG ever produces considering the collapsed expectations since God Forgives, I Don’t and Dreams and Nightmares. It’s a swollen glut of mayonnaise-thick synths, endless all-star guest spots, and absurdist role playing like, “Now they Tappin’ my phones / Wanna give me the RICO / Speaking Spanish to Papi / Tryna get him for cinco.” If you can sustain the cognitive dissonance, it’s a Shakespearian epic of D-boy theatre.
9. L e 1 f
Dark York
This record is slightly frustrating for its swallow-you-whole alternate universe of near-greatness. It’s a fantastic debut: cohesive and developed with a completely unique sound. But Le1f ’s voice is flat in its affect and mixed uncommonly low among the record’s 22 tracks. With that said, there’s no doubt that the guy can fucking rap (check the ridiculous 8 bars starting at 1:07 in “Yup”), and these tracks would benefit from a little more of his sonic presence. The beats come is already good; he could become great. from a murderer’s row of New York progressive-club badasses like NGUZUNGUZU and Matt Shadetek (and a few talented producers shared with Mykki Blanco), but their left-field individuality barely comes up for air over Dark York’s lengthy 68 minutes; “Wut” is the shortcoming’s welcome exemption, a pariah of fun wedged into the center of pure dystopian funk. Le1f is already good; he could become great. 10. F r e n c h
Montana Mac & Cheese 3
French Montana and his Coke Boys crew could be called a modern Dipset: their records are upbeat vindications of drugs and excess that buoy occasionally inane wordplay with ear-worm-catchy hooks and cathartic, hard beats. They juggle simultaneously distinct and unified personalities with reportedly authentic hood credentials. They’ve spent honest years working a grassroots buzz at street level, and reap real love from their NYC home. They make shamelessly fun music that stuns for its consistency. Still, it took until this year for their collective momentum to earn the slack to pause and channel the punctuated statement in Coke Boys 3. With Chinx Drugs’ Cocaine Riot and Flip’s Fuck Love, I’m Paid, CB3 was a highpoint for the crew: Mac & Cheese 3 takes that trophy now. Without choking the veins of social media like MMG (he’s loosely associated with them anyway, as is Gunplay), French fucks shit up sans contract and dump gas on a fire for the argument that Coke Boys are
the most exciting thing in gangster rap right now.
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ARIS T A B URWELL - C HEN Gettin’ Funky In The Morning TOP 10 TRACKS OF 2012
1. P u r i t y
“Fineshrine”
Ring
2. M r .
GnomE “House of Circles”
3. G r i m e s
“Circumambient”
4. M i l a g r e s
“Glowing Mouth”
5.
Young Magic “Slip Time”
6.
Ob e r h o f e r “Gold”
7.
Flume “Sleepless” Ft. Jezzabell Doran
8. F r a n k
Oc e a N “Thinking About You”
9. O n u i n u
“Mirror Gazer”
10.
Moon Duo “Sleepwalker”
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SELENA LUSTIG Staff Blogger 1. F r a n k
Ocean Channel Orange
While this may seem like a cop-out number one, Ocean creates a new genre, PBR&B, which allows hipsters to love slow-jams as much as those who attend community center dances. It is honest, soulful, and the instructor at Yoga to the People playing “Thinkin’ Bout You” during final Shavasana resting pose transcended me to a world where rap mixed with John Mayer somehow makes sense. 2. B e a t
Connection The Palace Garden
These guys are going to be big. The UW alums rocked their sophomore album with a cleaner atmosphere that still allows the listener’s imagination to wander. Beat Connection
creates the perfect ratio of nature and mankind through their mixture of organic and synthesized sounds. 3. V a c a t i o n e r
Gone
These Philadelphia natives are those dudes who ACTUALLY enjoy long walks on the beach but aren’t lame about it. Gone is reminiscent of those times your older relatives look at you in awe of how much smarter your generation is than theirs, and how they wished they were half as tech- savvy and cognizant of their being as you are. Vacationer is perpetually being reborn by other DJs revamping their songs in mesmerizing ways and they’ve created quite a following in the new music realm of remixes. 4. T a m e
Impala Lonerism
1 part George Harrison. 1 part John Lennon. Shake well and serve chilled. 5.
K e n d r i c k L a m a r good kid m.A.A.D city
Remember when Nas said hip-hop died? I don’t think he’d be too pleased to know that this up and comer, now full-fledged superstar, proved him wrong all the while Nas’ latest album Life is Good bows its head in shame lower on many top lists of 2012. Also one-fourth of the hip-hop super group Black Hippy, Lamar came on the scene in a big way this year. Think Drake, but swap Canada for Compton. 6. A n i m a l
Collective Centipede Hz
I am as loyal to Animal Collective as Rolling Stone is to Bruce Springsteen. All I need to say to justify loving this album is the line, “Imagination won’t get moldy / can’t wait for time to unfold me / then I imagine time / he’s got real big hands and bigger plans” from the song “Father Time”. Keep Animal Collective weird. 7. P a s s i o n
Gossamer
Pit
The mousey falsettos produced by lead singer Michael Angelakos turned off many from their second album, but I can’t stay away. After seeing them live at Bumbershoot this September, I found myself falling in love with Gossamer over
and over. Hiding behind the giddy, upbeat sounds are heart-wrenching lyrics for an album that makes us question the classic response, “I’m fine”. 8. F l y i n g
Lotus Until the Quiet Comes
I don’t know many other contemporary artists with more respect that Flying Lotus. He receives and radiates so much love from the music community, blogosphere, and every fan. Until the Quiet Comes is a trap door into the attic that is FlyLo’s brain, which is full of daydreams, drug trips, and a lot of jazz and J. Dilla influence. Cameos by the Erykah Badu and Thom Yorke take it to the next level. Spoiler alert: and Flying Lotus IS mystery rapper Captain Murphy. 9. T a n l i n e s
Mixed Emotions
This rock duo from Brooklyn debut album brings vivid break-ups back to male music. It reminds me a lot of The Strokes’ first album This is It on account of its alternative New York quintessence and that half of the album shines much brighter than the other half. Nevertheless, Mixed Emotions is swamped with indie-dance gems and a little spice of world music. Make sure to check out the 360-degrees panorama music video for their hit “Brothers”. 10. A l t - J
An Awesome Wave
Also known as ∆ (what happens when you hit Alt and J on a keyboard), this band put out what’s probably the most emotional and introspective album on the list. It’s a conglomeration of all genres actionpacked into thirteen tracks. Fun fact: the song Taro is about a war photojournalist Gerda Taro and her love interest Robert Capa who died in the First Indochina War.
Honorable Mentions:
ODESZa - Summer’s Gone The Asteroids Galaxy Tour Out of Frequency Balkan Beat Box - Give Titus Andronicus - Local Business and shout out to everyone’s dad who loves The Lumineers’ selftitled album.
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me on a cross-country trip in a ‘64 Impala.
Sippin’ Hunny with DJ Bearika
7. T a k e n
1. T a m e
Swedish. Awesome. Victoria Bergsman has the voice of an angel.
ERIKA GAJDA Impala Lonerism
I actually just started listening to Tame Impala and this album made me a fan very quickly. You can seriously become intoxicated by Kevin Parker’s voice. Lonerism is a super smooth blend of psychedelic rock and indie rock. I suggest everyone listen to “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards.”
By Trees Other World
3. D o m
8. P o l i c a
Give You The Ghost
If you like Gayngs, you like Polica. Justin Vernon himself thinks Polica is the best band in the world and this album will convince any indie music listener of it.
2. F r a n k
8. I c o n a
Frank Ocean was all over the indie blogosphere and it’s no wonder why. With surprisingly unique lyrics for today’s music and sick beats, this is where I’d love to see R&B going the next few years.
This EP makes me wonder why I don’t live in Stockholm. Once the song “I Love It” starts, you can’t stop moving your body.
Ocean Channel Orange
3. T h e
Raveonettes 3Observator
As a long time Raveonette’s fan I’m happy to say that there are many songs on this album that are worth listening to. From the song “Observator” to “You Hit Me (I’m Down)” - it’s a great album to listen to on a rainy walk to class. 4. M i g u e l
Kaleidoscope Dream
“Do You” from this album was in my Itune’s “Top 25 Played” within one hour. For any guy reading this: You WILL seduce women with this album.
Icona EP
Pop
9. T h e T a l l e s t Man On Earth There’s No Leaving Now
Kristian Matsson is why Sweden is TAKING OVER. His WILL pull at your heartstrings whether you like it or not. Case in point: “1904”
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XHJYL KELLEY GOSSETT
Hip-Hop Music Director
1. K e n d r i c k
Lamar good kid, m.A.A.d city
If you like Robin Thicke, you will love How To Dress Well. This album is an unexpected blend of R&B and indie rock. The songs are bit on the slower side but Tom Krell’s ethereal voice is like a Tempurpedic for your ears. If that isn’t enough for you, check out “& It Was U” for a 1990s-reminiscent sound.
Kendrick Lamar killed this and produced, in my eyes, one of the top 5 studio albums of the past 5 years. The beats are crazy, the few guest verses are very solid (especially the MC Eiht verse) and most importantly, Kendrick decimates every bar, with real lyrics clearly based in experience. Kendrick transcended the rap game with this album and although it probably won’t be, good kid, m.A.A.d city should be considered for album of the year. Must Hear: The whole album front to back in order, you won’t regret it.
6. B e a c h w o o d
2. J o e y
5. H o w
To Dress Well Total Loss
The Tarnished Gold
SparkS
I’m not usually into country-tinged music but this band is providing me with the baby steps to appreciate it. This is the album I would take with
1999
with a fantastic project, dripping in vintage ‘90s NY flavor. In a lot of ways, 1999 is like a new age Illmatic, however blasphemous that comparison is to draw. Must Hear: Daily Routine, FromdaTomb$, Survival Tactics
Bada$$
1999 introduced us to the future of NY hip-hop. Out of nowhere, Joey Bada$$ bursted onto the scene
Kennedy Yellow Album
Hands down, best project of the summer. Dom Kennedy came through once again with the chilliest music, perfectly encapsulating his LA roots and his laid back style. The Yellow Album is a great tape to throw on in the background of any situation, especially driving or indulging in herbal remedies, but it also has great active listening appeal. Just a dope project front to back. Must Hear: We Ball, Gold Alpinas, Been Thuggin’, P + H 4. B J
the Chicago Kid Pineapple Now-Laters
BJ the Chicago Kid is one of the most underrated vocalists around. Pineapple Now-Laters is a testament to his musical ability, with great singing and production, and is one of my favorite R&B/Soul/HipHop/whatever you want to call it albums in a long time. After doing a significant amount of guest vocals for other artists its good to see him put out a project on his own. Must Hear: His Pain II, Dream II, Good Luv’n 5. K i d s
These Days Traphouse Rock
If you like The Roots, then this album is for you. Arguably one of the most unique hip hop albums of the year, Traphouse Rock is a youthful blend of Rock, Jazz, Hip-Hop and many other genres, and exactly what you would expect out of the Brass/ Rock/Rap/Vocal conglomeration known as Kids These Days. They capture every mood imaginable, from rebellious to tender, in musical form beautifully. It’s a perfect album to play for a mixed crowd, as there is legitimately something for everyone on each track. Must Hear: Don’t Harsh My Mellow, Bud Billiken, Doo-Wah
6. K A
Grief Pedigree
With its gutter beats and authentic verses, Greif Pedigree is very old school, with simple but clean beats and vivid lyrics, and for reason is inaccessible for many listeners. That being said, it is one of the most distinctly Brooklyn albums of recent memory. Harkening back to the “Golden Era” of hip-hop, Ka quietly created an underground classic, a gem of an album that will surely be overlooked for years to come. Also worth mentioning is the self-directed and edited music videos Ka shot for each track, an impressive feat of artistic vision. If you really like this album, check out Roc Marciano’s Reloaded, an equally dope album of the same NY vein. Must Hear: Decisions, Cold Facts, Born King N.Y. 7. C U R R E N $ Y
Stoned Immaculate/Cigarette Boats
One of the most prolific artist in rap, Curren$y struck again this year with five projects so far. Of these five, The Stoned Immaculate and Cigarette Boats are definitely worth a run through. The bars on both are perfect examples of why people, myself included, love Curren$y, laced with descriptive tales of weed, women and whips. As Curren$y’s first label album, The Stoned Immaculate is extremely strong and the beats fire, exactly what you would expect from Spitta. The strength of Cigarette Boats lies in the fact that it’s all produced by Harry Fraud, one of the best young producers in the game. Must Hear: Chasin’ Paper, Chandelier, Leaving the Dock, Mirrors 8. N A S
Life is Good
Give Nas credit where credit is due. After 20+ years in the game, he is still able to make a great album. While not Illmatic (not ever going to happen again), Life is Good is Nas giving you exactly what you would expect from one of the slickest rappers around, a picture into the life of a middle age man. Each song feels like a snapshot of life through his eyes, dealing with all the issues he faces. From problems
with his daughter to dealing with divorce, Nas keeps it as real as he’s ever been. A nice bonus is ”LocoMotive”, a collaboration with The Large Professor, Nas’ friend and mentor since the days of Illmatic. Must Hear: Daughters, Accident Murderers, The Don 9. R I C K
ROSS God Forgives, I Don’t/Rich Forever
Hate it or love it, Rick Ross is now one of the Hip-Hop elites. God Forgives, I Don’t and Rich Forever, the mixtape preceding it filled with original content, helped to solidify his spot at the top of the mountain. With his fantastic ear for beats and ever improving bars, Ricky Rozay put together banger after banger after banger, each carrying the aura of grandiose that surrounds the man himself. Per usual, the album is filled with features, however, they aren’t as necessary as they were on previous pieces, as Ross’ bars are surprisingly good, much better than the days of “Hustlin’.” Must Hear: Triple Beam Dreams, 3 Kings, Sixteen, Stay Schemin’ 10.
Lupe Fiasco Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album
Lupe is back. Although a studio album, Food & Liquor II is no Lasers, rather it is Lupe’s return to his conscious roots, spitting bars about real issues affecting America, similar to the albums that made his career, Food & Liquor and The Cool. He displays rare talent, flipping made for radio beats into poignant tracks with complex messages. Like all Lu, this album requires you to actively listen to pick up the nuances of his lyrics. Must Hear: Bitch Bad, Strange Fruition, Lamborghini Angels, Around My Way
Honorable Mentions: Big Krit - 4Eva N A Day & Live From The Underground Roc Marciano - Reloaded 100’s - Ice Cold Perm Robert Glasper Experiment Black radio Blu & Exile - Give Me My Flowers While I Can Still Smell Them Kembe X & Alex wiley - Can I Borrow A Dollar THE O’Mys - Chicago Style
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K A T IE B U K A T A Staff Blogger 1.
2.
The Soft Hills The Bird Is Coming Down to Earth Other Lives Mind the Gap (EP)
3. H u s t l e
and Drone Hustle and Drone
4.
Lemolo Kaleidoscope
5.
Special Explosion EP
6.
I For Eye I For Eye
7. S B T R K T
SBTRKT
8.
Sondre Lerche Bootlegs
9.
The Shins Port of Morrow
10.
Seth Sentry This Was Tomorrow
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DANIEL SANDOVAL Jazz
1. R o b e r t
Glasper Experiment Black Radio
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D A P HNE HSU St . V i n c e n t Krokodil/Grot single
I did not listen to a ton of new music for the first half of 2012, but I did listen to “Krokodil” a lot. St. Vincent, who normally restrains albums, goes crazy!
K e n d r i ck L a m a r good kid, mA.A.d city
A lot of people have written smarter things about this album than I can, so here’s an anecdote: a boy I liked texted me choice lyrics from this album, which should’ve been an indication that he wasn’t into me (to my credit, they weren’t as blatant as “bitch don’t kill my vibe”), but Kendrick’s voice is just so smooth that who cares.
M y kk i B l a n c o Cosmic Angel: The Illuminati Prince/ss
4. A n d y
Beyonce, Queen Babe, deserves all the idolization she gets, but Mykki is where it’s at. Look up “MYKKI BLANCO: COSMIC ANGEL” on YouTube—it’s 13 minutes of Mykki Blanco freestyling around Harlem—and lemme know who’s more fierce.
5. J e f f
Ty Segall Twins
2. V i j a y
Iyer Trio Accelerando
3. K e n n y
Wheeler The Long Waiting Sheppard Trio Libero
Parker Trio Bright Light in Winter
6. T o n y B e n n e t t
Viva Duets
7. G u i l l a u m e
Chassy Silences
de
8. M a t t
Wilson An Attitude For Gratitude
9. A t o m i c
Here Comes Everybody
10. T h e
Bad Plus Made Possible
Did you see the video of Ty and company playing “You’re the Doctor” on a Chicago morning news show? IT RULES!!! SO DOES THIS ALBUM!
Thee Oh Sees Putrifiers II
~***~**~***~**>!!!!! a visual representation of the 13 seconds of this album :) :) :) how you will feel listening to the rest of the album
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KYLE BERGMAN Local Music Director
West Northern Music 1. P u r i t y
Shrines
Ring
After five singles intermittently surfacing on the Internet, this duo from Canada created enough buzz to make the release of their debut album ahighly anticipated event in the blogosphere. The result was a highly refined electronic album the blogosphere. 2. A l t - J
∆ An Awesome Wave
As the symbol of their name implies, Alt-J’s music is all about change. They refuse to be pigeonholed in a single genre, resulting in a multitude of labels that ultimately do nothing to describe their sound. An Awesome Wave is an amazing album that merits countless listens. 3. P a s s i o n
Gossamer
Pit
Everyone seems to know Passion Pit for their hit song, “Sleepyhead,” but with Gossamer, they prove that they are more than a one album band. The bombastic electronics and synthesizer riffs are enough to keep you dancing, but once you delve deeper into the lyrical content of Michael Angelakos’s tunes, you realize that every song is incredibly personal and revealing. Gossamer is a rare album that can satiate those craving mindlessly catchy tunes while at the same time providing enough depth to give it meaning. 4. J a p a n d r o i d s
Celebration Rock
For me, Japandroids came out of nowhere and knocked me off my feet with their single “The House that Heaven Built.” Celebration Rock is exactly what its name implies, a collection of celebratory anthems that can get even the most reticent individual to shout the heavens. 5. L o r d
Huron Lonesome Dreams
Lord Huron’s songs transport you to different parts of the world. Travel is a reccurring theme in
Lonesome Dreams, which in combination with lush instrumentation and tales of love make the album an escape from the dullness of reality. 6. T h e
Shins Port of Morrow
James Mercer proved with Port of Morrow that The Shins can indeed carry on without his former members. Each song shows the growth of Mercer as a musician while still retaining that signature Shins sound. 7. T h e
Tallest Man on Earth There’s No Leaving Now
There really is something wonderful about a man and his guitar. The Tallest Man on Earth’s minimalism enables the listener to focus in on what is really important, the story he is trying to tell. 8. T h e
xx Coexist
Somehow, The xx was able to take the minimalism of their debut album and hold themselves back even more on their sophomore effort. The xx focus on speaking large volumes with little to no instrumentation. Hopefully on their next release they will not hold themselves back so much and allow their sound to flourish. 9. O f
Monsters and Men My Head is an Animal
Of Monsters and Men is truly the story of the little band that could. They are a six piece from Iceland that broke through to international success with their amazingly catchy song “Little Talks.” The entire album is great to the point where you could listen to it over and over again without getting tired of it. The only reason this album is so low on my list is because it was released in Iceland in 2011, but the US got it in 2012. 10. F a d e d
Paper Figures The Matter
The Matter is a collection of songs with smart lyrics and pleasurable synthesizer riffs reminiscent of Postal Service to a degree, but unique enough to stand apart from it.
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JAGGER BEATO
R.I.P. Bryce 1991 - 2009 FIDLAR Shit We Recorded In Our Bedroom bleeding knees club Nothing To Do Best Friends Grazes Split Wooden Indian Burial Ground Self Titled LP perfect hair forever Bubblegum holograms Self Titled LP Brothers In Law Gray Days EP the barbaras 2006-2008 FF Deadhead And Dusted Naomi punk The Feeling
poppin’, glammy, garage sound is the funnest around. Kyle Thomas, aka King Tuff, has played with the esteemed likes of Witch, Feathers, Happy Birthday, and his ability to create catchy riff-filled rock tunes with ridiculous (in the best way) lyrics is uncanny. Long live the king.
Tame Impala Lonerism
These Australian dudes sound like the Beatles, except in the future. Don’t know what that means? You will after you listen to Lonerism. It’s like the Beatles had a little brother who learned all their tricks, but also had the newer gadgets and his own slightly different personality. Very aptly titled album because with music this good to listen to, who needs friends?
The Black Angels “Watch Out Boy” // “I’d Rather Be Lonely”
Sadly my favorite band The Black Angels did not drop a full-length this year, but the Austin, TX psych rockers didn’t leave me completely high & dry when they dropped this special edition 7” single on Record Store Day. The double A-Side pairs “Watch Out Boy”, a slow psychedelic ballad, with the even better, “I’d Rather Be Lonely” which shows a poppier, lighter side of the often heavy, dark band. As a bonus, buyers are treated with an additional mp3 download of a cover of The Zombies’ classic “She’s Not There”. By the way, check out the killer lineup for the Black Angels’- curated Austin Psych Fest coming this Spring.
The U.F.O. Club S/T
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MAX YANCY Throw Stones
King Tuff S/T // “Wild Desire” and “Screaming Skull” singles
By far my artist/record of the year. If someone were to ask me to give one reason why rock and roll is still alive and well I would say two words: King Tuff. His power-
Man. I really love Seattle’s Night Beats & The Black Angels. If only they could join into one super awesome band….OH WAIT, THEY DID! Lee Blackwell of Night Beats fame & Black Angel Christian Bland collaborated to make this awesomely retro garage psych dream of mine possible. The cover of The Ronettes’ “Be My Baby” is priceless. Released on the Black Angels’ Reverberation Appreciation Society label which also put out great records from Holy Wave, Indian Jewelry, Vacant Lots, & Cosmonauts.
Ty Segall Slaughterhouse // Hair (with W h i t e F e n c e) // Twins
Ty Segall is a crazy man. Some artists put out a record every few years. Ty Segall put out 3 records this year alone, and all the while never even seemed to stop touring. How does he do it? He rocks. Hard. Slaughterhouse is the most raucous of the three, Hair the all-around best, and Twins falls somewhere in between. Go see him live!
Dum Dum Girls End of Daze
For an EP to make a year-end list, it better be damn good. The Dum Dum Girls’ latest EP End of Daze is damn near perfect. This all-girl surf garage group led by Dee Dee Penny just keep on expanding their sound with each new release. “ I Got Nothing” is an emotional rocker, “Lord Knows” could bring you to tears, and apocalyptic jam “Season In Hell” closes it out leaving you hooked.
Moon Duo Circles
This is the way psychedelic music was meant to be made. If you’ve heard Ripley Johnson’s other band, the Wooden Shjips, you know he knows how to make swirling, trippy jams a la Neil Young & Crazy Horse meets the Velvet Underground. The addition of female vocals in the form of Sanae Yamada and danceable bass lines creates a groovy, space rock disco in your head. Not to be missed.
The Flaming Lips & Heady Fwends S/T
Wonder what The Flaming Lips have been up lately? This is the best of ! Over the past couple years Wayne Coyne & Co have been collaborating with anyone and everyone. Seriously, like everyone. Tame Impala, Yoko Ono, Kesha, Bon Iver, Coldplay’s Christ Martin, and MMJ’s Jim James aren’t even half of the all star cast appearing on this record. And get this: Wayne, in his infinite craziness, pressed a few copies of the record on vinyl mixed with blood samples from each of the guest performers. Long live the Flaming Lips!
C h a s t i t y B e l t // TacocaT Dude // Take Me To Your Dealer
I’m lumping these two releases together because both of these bands are garage girl groups (except for one dude in Tacocat) from Seattle. Neither release clocks in over 10 minutes, but it’s all about quality over quantity. Each track from Chastity Belt is a rocker, my favorite being the lead track, “Ponytail”, which makes fun of guys with ponytails. Tacocat takes more of a power poppy angle, but the sense of humor is also fully present in this band as well with songs like “Cat Fancy” and “F.U. #8”. Both of these groups prove that Seattle rock and roll is alive and well.
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Joe Dillon Juicy Jamz 10. Z e d s
Dead Adrenale // Victor // Living Dead EPs
They just know how to make some dope ass dirty dance music. 9. P u r i t y
Shrines
Ring
Dreamy female vocals + hypnotic synths = success! If you see them live they have a light up drumset :o 8. T N G H T
EP
With their lack of vowels and affinity for alt code symbols, trap artists are taking dance music in a new direction. This EP contains some of the best the genre has to offer. 7. S l e i g h
Bells Reign of Terror
This duo knows the definition of rocking out. See them live and have a gnarly, drunken, sweaty time. 6. R u s k o
Songs
Before the horrific sounds of Cypress x Rusko and the Kapow EP, Rusko actually made a pretty solid album, with some great dub and dubstep tracks. 5. O D E S Z A
Summer’s Gone
Local ambient sound that never gets old.
4. X X Y Y X X
XXYYXX
THE “ABOUT YOU” VIDEO IS THE BEST MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR 3. B a s s n e c t a r
Vava Voom
The king of bass showcases his musical versatility once again, as Amp Live and Lupe provide vocals for a few tracks, adding a trill hip hop sound. 2. D i p l o
Express Yourself EP
Expressing yourself is one of the best things you can do on a dance floor 1. F r a n k
Ocean Channel Orange
Oh so smooth. It lacks the OFWGKTA vibe though, for better. Much, much better.
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TIM HEROLD Something? 1. B u r i a l
Kindred EP
My favorite release from this year is officially an EP, but it more closely resembles a classical tone poem than simply a short collection of new material. I have been a huge Burial fan for a while, and though I did enjoy last year’s Street Halo EP, that release had made me start to question whether his particular style of dubstep had been stretched as far as it was gonna go. And then he put out this seraph, and I felt like an idiot. Kindred is not a normal EP by any standard definition, but then again Burial has his own way of doing things. He does nothing live, the only people who even know what he looks like are his producer and a few close friends, and the carefully planned leaks of his music have become real events. Kindred demands its full runtime, and has to be understood not as three songs but more as movements in a symphony. It’s simultaneously of this world – with all its dark rainy back-alleys lit by a half-light – while existing on a more celestial plane. His earlier music has hinted at these possibilities, but on Kindred he perfects it, and frankly a full-length album here would likely dampen its
effect on the soul. In a year of a lot of uncertainty, Kindred was truly a shell of light. 2. G o d s p e e d
You! Black Emperor ‘Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!
This album makes it to number two on my list almost solely because of the mere fact that it even exists. After disappearing for almost eight years and not releasing any material for a decade, Godspeed You! Black Emperor made a surprise announcement while touring that they had finally recorded something new, and two weeks later released ‘Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend! The album itself consists of four tracks, two of which, in true GY!BE fashion, are over twenty minutes long. Interspersing those tracks are two shorter drone pieces, which serve almost as cooldowns to the emotional workouts of the meaty centerpieces. Taken as a whole, the album is a wonderful summation of everything that made Godspeed great in the first place, and drops plenty of hints about their worldview now that they’ve given it ten years to mature. ‘Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend! is the latest in an increasing line of albums put out by bands that took lengthy breaks, only to recently pop up out of nowhere and release brilliant new material (see Portishead a few years back), and I for one am glad that, in addition to the newcomer kids, some old veterans still have some real shit to say. 3. A n d y
Stott Luxury Problems
A pleasant surprise, this album by British minimalist techno producer Andy Stott came out right when it started raining in Seattle, which I know for a fact lent to my appreciation of the music. I’m loving on the electronic scene in Britain these days (see my #1) and Stott’s music is like a soundtrack to what the world looks like with a raincoat hood pulled over your head. Beautifully orchestrated vocals punctuate his bass-laced soundscapes, and it flows through headphones like a constantly churning stream of water down the street. In November. In Seattle. MAKE IT STOP GOD PLEASE!!!
4. T a m e
Impala Lonerism
…on a different note, Tame Impala. Lonerism. I know this is going to be on like half the DJ’s lists. We all know. Moving on. 5. F l y i n g
Lotus Until The Quiet Comes
Flying Lotus has been keeping busy. In between his previous album Cosmogramma, he seems to split all his time between touring and, as his Twitter would have you believe, “Imma get high and make some shit.” Seeing as he devotes an entire song on his new album to DMT, Until The Quiet Comes explores different new realms of his astral-plane electro that are much more subtle on their edges than their predecessor, but no less interesting. His live show kicks ass now, if you have a chance go see it immediately. 6. J o h n
fin
Talabot
If you like electronic music at all, then listen to this album. ‘nuff said. 7. J a p a n d r o i d s
Celebration Rock
Vancouver band Japandroids came out swinging on this one, and they provided the perfect summer anthem album of 2012. Starting and ending with recordings of fireworks, the music that fills the space in between is composed to be fitting of such fanfare, and they duo pull it off with much aplomb. Their performance at Neumo’s this fall seemed to put the seal on the envelope, and drove the point home that if you need a lesson in how to properly “celebrate” something, look no further than a few hours north of here. 8. S w a n s
The Seer
Boy is this one is a doozy. I didn’t think there would be a release this year that was longer and more epic than an average Godspeed album, but these guys meant business on this one. Returning after a long hiatus, Swans concocted this twohour long demon, and it’s quite the statement. I don’t know that trying to delve into the motifs on this album is really appropriate in a little blurb, but suffice it to say this album takes the listener on a rollercoaster
ride of the darkest reaches of human desires and emotions. After a few years in which I felt there was more of a market for bouncy happy hipster music, I’ve been really refreshed this year to be able to dive into some dark caverns like this. 9. L o t u s
Plaza Spooky Action at a Distance
I’ll be honest, I have a mancrush on everyone who is involved with Deerhunter, and Lockett Pundt is no exception. His solo project, Lotus Plaza, showcases a lot of what makes me love Deerhunter’s music, and his 2012 album Spooky Action at a Distance conjures up all the best types of memories through its shoegazy hazy goodness. <3 <3 <3 10. J u l i a
Ekstasis
Holter
See #6. Her musical project kicks total ass, and I can’t wait to hear more.
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LANDON WHITBREAD Toast and Jams
Dan Deacon America
In the world of hyperactive, overdriven electronic music, Dan Deacon is Supreme Leader. America contained all the wonderful bells and whirring electronics of his previous albums, but functioned less like an album of one lone guy playing with toys and more like a collection of songs lead by a focused composer. Don’t worry though, it’s still just Dan Deacon playing with electronics, but now he’s got a whole host of violins, pianos, and a heavenly choir behind him. America is alright, but America is just plain awesome.
D IR T Y P RO J E C T ORS Swing Low Magellan
The Dirty Projectors somehow managed to find a way to strip down everything to the essentials, and still remain mind boggling complex. David Longstreth, with his backing vocalists Amber Coffman and Haley Dekle, have continued on with their trend of “one guy with a weird voice backed by two wonderful angels”. Also,
some of the lyrics actually make sense on this album.
Ava Luna Ice Level
This was the most promising debut album all year. It was short, concise and damn good. This album functioned much like the Dirty Projectors, with strong complex bass and drum lines and backing female vocalists. Instead of the awkward yelps of Longstreth, we get instead Carlos Hernandez, who is sultry and soulful. Also they sing a song about math, for all those people with calculus fetishes.
Chrome Canyon Elemental Themes
I once fell asleep to my playlist of recently added material after a long night of… libations. I woke up at three in the morning to this album blasting through my speakers, and I thought I had entered an interplanetary dimension where space volcanoes erupt with Technicolor lava and planets are flat planes of existence. I was scared, yet intrigued.
Tame Impala Lonerism
You’ll be hearing a lot about this album this year. Probably because Tame Impala has personally paid every person with a crappy music blog 50 bucks to write a positive review. Or at least I think that’s the case, because for some reason no one on the Internet can find a problem with this album. I refuse to believe that everyone enjoys this album. With that said, I enjoy it, and you probably will too!
Ty Segall & White Fence Hair
This was like one of the three albums Ty Segall put out this year. All of them were good. Every damn one of them. This guy doesn’t stop, which I have no problems with. I just chose Hair because this one’s album art work didn’t scare the hell out of me (I’m looking at you, Ty Segall Band’s Slaughterhouse…).
How To Dress Well Total Loss Man, whenever I am feeling in a rut, I just put this on, and get
comfortable in that rut. This album is like taking some reverb coated Tylenol PM and just drifting away. It’s got touches of R&B, a little bit of Michael Jackson, and a whole lot of introspective sadness that makes me feel like not going out in the rain today… I think I might just stay inside.
K i n g T u ff King Tuff
I know jam season is in the winter, when you clear out all those preserves and gift them for the holidays, but King Tuff was my summer jam. I worked a month a warehouse folding shirts for 8 hours a day, and this album was the only thing that kept me from running out of that warehouse. Well, that, and the shackles that bound my feet to my folding table.
moonface Siinai: Heartbreaking Bravery
Spencer Krug is a beast. He dissolved Sunset Rubdown this year and decided to go make some Prog-Rock with some dudes from Finland. The tracks here have heavy drums and deep synth work. Also, when he sings “Lay Your Cheek On Down” it sounds like he is saying “Lay Your Chicken Down”, which I feel is a stronger lyric anyways.
Death Grips Money Store
These guys were on my top 10 list last year, and here they are again. I just can’t get over how insane they are. The verses are terrifying, the beats are claustrophobic, and everything is all around troubling. Except for that one song that totally lifted the Salt & Pepa beat. That song is for all intensive purposes, dope.
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SAMMI DAVIS JR. JR. SIDEWALK SURRRFIN’ 1. K i n g
Tuff King Tuff
Kyle the King of King Tuff is a freakin genius. If you wanna get stoked, listen to the first track “Anthem.” It only gets better from there. Tellin tales of losers and bruisers while his guitar drools golden tunage. 2. F l e t c h e r
JOhnson Salutations
C.
If you ever drive down the 101, do not turn this album off. Every song is a beautiful sunset in big sur waiting to happen. His weirdo voice will make any girl, or guy, swoon. 3. S u m m e r
Twins Summer Twins
Girls rule. Especially these girls. With longing tunes like “Got Somebody to Dream About” and “Teardrops on my Pillow”, you can’t resist. You’re a goner. There’s something about their girly harmonies and danceable simplicity that makes me wanna doodle hearts and daydream out my window. Their songs spark crushes on imaginary dudes surfin the waves and holding you tight. “Maybe he’ll ask me to Prom, boy oh boy I hope he does”. 4. F I D L A R
FIDLAR
FIDLAR: Fuck It Dog Life’s A Risk. That’s the moto these dudes live by. To be honest, there is not a single bad song on this album. Already released on Burger Records and soon to be on Mom and Pop, FIDLAR (the album) rages hard with rowdy riffs and whiney lyrics.
Ranging from real-ass punk to slop-pop, theses dudes know how to rock and roll. They drink cheap bear, do drugs, and whine about being broke and awkward. Sounds familiar. Maybe that’s why I like them so much. I drink Rainier, so what, fuck you. 5. C o l l e e n
Green Milo Goes to Compton
Drum machine pop at it’s finest. Colleen Green likes to talk boys and weed. The subjects of every girl’s dreams. If you’re a dude, you love her. If you’re a chick you hate her because you wanna be just like her. 6. T h e
Memories The Memories
Portland dudes livin in a place called Gnarnia smokin weed. Some of them are in White Fang. All of it is good! Sweet stoner pop. <3 7. A u d a c i t y
Mellow Cruisers
Cutest punk babes writing good music. What more could you ask for! Front man Matt (who also plays with King Tuff !) is a dreamboat who writes damn good rock n roll! If “Subway Girl” doesn’t make you day dream about riding on Matt’s studly motorcycle, then I don’t know what will! 8. G u a n t a n a m o
Baywatch Chest Crawl
Do you like going to the beach? Do you like sand in between your toes? Did you ever untie your babysitter’s bathing suit while she was tanning so when she stood up all the little boys would get boners? If so, then you will dig the new GBW album!!
S e g a l l B a n d Slaughterhouse
9. T y
How he keeps putting out great music, I have no idea. It’s no surprise when he releases another damn good fuzzy garage album. Keep em comin Ty, we’ll keep listening.
Cloud Nothings Attack on Memory
10.
Dark. And good. Polished-punks. With hints of 90’s grunge, these dudes know how to lay down catchy beats that are easy to thrash and crash to.
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D REW HANSEN STR8 Slammin’
8 STR8 SLAMMIN’ TRACKS OF 2012
8. G h o s t f a c e
“Big Girl” (2006)
Killah
Sometimes you venture back deep into your iTunes portal and find that gem you never knew you had. Much like finding a nug of some bomb ass dank ass in the sofa cushion. Ghostface delivers a compelling story about the dangers of nose candy dependency through the mind of a father figure that we wish we could indulge with. 7. T y g a
F t. D - L o “She Used To”
EYY! EYY! EYYYYYYY! She used to mess around with my friend! But I don’t care tho! I’m still going to try to sleep with her! And when get to sleep with her, its gonna be awesome! 6. M r .
M o t h e r f u ck i n ’ e Xq u i r e “Position of Passion”
eXquire gives us two minutes of stupid flow over a classic 50 cent instrumental. He brings back that grimy east coast flow that makes you wanna slam an OE, hop into a mini-van, and scream “DRUNK DRIVIN ON A WEDNESDAYYYY” (See Huzzah!) 5.
Madlib & FreDdie G i bb s F t . B J T h e Chicago Kid “Shame”
Every single track Madlib & Gibbs have collaborated on thus far have been straight fire. Madlib’s timeless sample heavy production provides Gibbs with the canvas to paint a picture of real uncut street life seen in their first single “Thuggin”. “Shame” builds off this track as Freddie spits about keepin’ his women in check and BJ The Chicago Kid provides some silky smooth vocals on the chorus. Peep both music videos as we tuck back our mega-raging boners in anticipation of their full length album. 4. A $ A P
“Goldie”
R o ck y
A$AP has blown up in 2012, following up his highly praised mixtape LiveLoveA$AP,
this single confirms he is on his rockstar grind right now and is getting ready to peak all over everyone’s face. With a steezy music video dipped in gold to supplement, this begins the anticipation of his first full-length studio album dropping in 2013. 3.
E - 4 0 F t . IAMSU , YG , & P r o b l e m “Function”
Seems like E-40 isn’t happy to drop just one album at a time anymore. Shit, two isn’t even cutting it, so when homie dropped Block Brochure v. 1,2, & 3 you knew there was bound to be some fire in there. IAMSU & Problem are the next wave of rappers holdin’ it down for the west coast, they are simply out here attempting to function, and succeeding. 2. K e n d r i ck
Lamar F t . J a y R o ck “Money Trees”
No question Kendrick is the future of rap and good kiid, m.A.A.D. city is one of the finest albums front to back in a long time. It is easy to overlook this song with so many quality tracks on the album, but your boy Jay Rock gets off on this track. Don’t bust early and appreciate his verse ya bishh. 1. C l y d e
Carson Ft . T h e T e a m “Slow Down”
The hyphy movement is over, shit has been dead longer than Too $hort’s hairline, so to all you kids who just spent the last 6 years growing out your dreads and looking up Keak da Sneak lyrics you can’t understand, slow your fuckin’ roll
and go home. That being said, Clyde Carson produces a cut with that unique sound only produced deep in the cuts of Oakland, California, about 60th and E 14th to be exact. This slapper slows down your heart rate to a flat line, CUZ DUDE FUCKIN KILLS IT.
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EVANGELINE SPRACKLIN
TOP 10 TRACKS OF 2012
SO LA NGE “Losing You”
And the award for song I play on YouTubeReapeat.com goes to...
D U D E YOR K “Ghoul”
This song has been stuck in my head since June! It’s catchy and rawky and made by beautiful people!
B LA C K RE B E C C A “Don’t Trust Private Schools”
This is my punk rock band! I like the lyrics because they make fun of all the gay-ass/retarded private schools in Seattle. Ha ha ha!
YOUNG B U F F ALO “Baby Demons”
I have a crush on one of the band members. I am including this song on my list because I think it might make him like me back.
K I T T Y P RY D E “Justin Bieber!!!!!!!!”
This song is cool. I related to the parts about hunting down younger men but now I think I’m over it. Fun song about being reckless. She should go to college though, the rap game is not that good a deal.
Bat For Lashes “Lillies”
This song is the first song off the only full new album I been interested in this year (The Haunted Man). I like basically everything about it because it’s honest and epic and not afraid to be like “HEY I’M IMPORTANT AND THIS IS IMPORTANT AND LISTEN UP YOU DUMMIES! ALSO ITS COOL TO BE HAPPY BUT ALSO I UNDERSTAND IF YOU FEEL SAD, BUT CONTINUE ON AGGRESSIVELY TOWARD HAPPINESS.”
Brohder Seyster “Everyone Fucks Everyone in Iceland”
True and also more of my own work.
F r a n k Oc e a n “Super Rich Kids (feat. Earl Sweatshirt)”
Ha ha two of my favorite songs are about hating people with more money than me. This does a good job of describing WHY. I love Sweatshirt’s voice too. Sounds like stand-up comedy/poetry performed by someone high from a weed treat.
Sigur Rós Ég anda
The soundtrack to my summer in Iceland. I was never much of a Sigur Rós fan until I listened their music on long long walks in the remote western fjords of Iceland. The music makes sense when you are in the visually epic, macro earth setting it was made in.
C h e l s e a P e r e tt i Coffee Crankin’ Through My Sys
Not only is she a great stand-up comedian, she is also a prolific song writer! This is the text tone on my phone. It reminds me of how fun getting jacked on coffee can be and also about our bodies as systems that we can add and subtract from.
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MARTHA DOWNEY White Lodge
TOP 10 MUSIC HAPPENINGS OF 2012
1. The news of a Loveless follow
up from m y b l o o d y
valentine
2.
trust TRST
3.
grimes Visions
4.
crystal castles (iii)
5.
death from above 1 9 7 9 touring with new shit
6.
s u n n o ) ) ) at the Neptune Theater (December 16)
7. s i g u r
Valtari
rós
8.
four tet Pink
9.
daphni Jiaolong
10.
J o h n M a u s ’ two sets at
chbp
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EJ
Go Deep On ‘Em 1. B u r i a l
Kindred EP
As much as I love every single clopping track William Bevan has ever produced, it’s undeniable that his style lends itself most fruitfully to the EP. Sure, you can listen to Untrue over and over again as one complex idea and appreciate it intellectually. But as a listening experience, it begins to wear on one after a while. Kindred, on the other hand, feels like an LP stripped down to its essential moments. At the same time, it is easily the most ambitious set of productions Bevan has thus far offered: spare, haunting, even a little symphonic, and purposeful in a way that, perhaps, 2010’s Street Halo EP was not. While I will refrain from making grandiose claims about Bevan ‘pushing the envelope’ or expanding the ever-growing threshold of contemporary electronica, Kindred is surely an evolution of sorts, some rough beast slouching round a London street corner to be born. 2. G o d s p e e d
You! Bl a ck E m p e r o r Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!
As though we actually thought they’d just quit and go away. Thankfully, GY!BE is not LCD Soundsys-
tem. Out of the ashes of their own self-imposed hiatus, the grandmasters of apocalyptic post-rock return with an album that I really would have appreciated during the Bush years, but which seems no less relevant now. Sprawling, seething, and tortured, there is no less anarchy and angst in this release than any of their previous output. Perhaps I should expect more of an evolution in their sound after a nearly ten-year break. But you know what? I don’t care. Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!, while perhaps not a masterpiece, still makes me want to paint an anarchist symbol on my cat and throw a chair through my bedroom window, then go about the painful process of searching for my soul in a broken world. Even if the chaos is only carefully controlled within the confines of an hour long LP, it’s still a warm, therapeutic, and necessary embrace. 3. T h e
xx Coexist
As we all know, sophomore albums can be a tough sell for bands with distinctive sounds and impressively mature first efforts. Love it or hate it (and how could you really hate it?), 2009’s XX was one of those first efforts. Maturity for The xx has meant stripping down their already spare sound to its elementary particles—hushed vocals, lyrics that seem whispered across pillows or spoken only in dreams, guitar riffs that seem to form vaguely identifiable affective fault lines, and a host of ethereal atmospherics (largely to the credit of Jamie xx, now a bona fide producer in his own right). Some might see this attention to refining a sound—rather than expanding it—as stunted development. But while Coexist may push The xx to their own natural limit, it does not fall back on a standard. It is not, one might say, the Protection to Massive Attack’s seminal Blue Lines. No, there is something else happening here, a kind of self-actualization that will most definitely reach a point of exhaustion should the band continue to gaze longingly into its own aesthetic navel for too much longer. For now, simply enjoy the fact that The xx are very, very good at what they do. By the time
we get a third album that selfrealization may well generate the expansion of sound we’ve come to expect from sophomore releases. 4. A n d y
St o tt Luxury Problems
Having only come across Luxury Problems mere days ago, I’ve admittedly less to say about it. What I can say is that it sounds like nothing I’ve heard all year, that it’s only eight tracks long, and that I wish it were sixteen instead. Eschewing his former work with more conventional dance music, Stott has here crafted a piece of art that seems to revel in a fascination with texture and atmosphere. I won’t be dancing to it anytime soon, but that won’t stop me from putting it on the headphones and drifting off while it slowly envelops me in what surely feels like a sonic loom weaving together everything I love about dub and techno. 5. Sc u b a
Personality
Hotflush Records founder Paul Rose seems finally to have let his DJ career bleed into this production. After five years captaining Berlin’s famous Sub:Stance night, Rose returns with a record infinitely more danceable than either 2007’s A Mutual Apathy or 2010’s gloriously understated Triangulation. At the same time, Personality builds identifiable bridges between his trance/dance-oriented work as SCB and these earlier efforts. Perhaps the most salient of those connections can be summed up by the question of whether a record like Triangulation could or would ever work outside of a chill-out room. The answer is probably no, but Personality seems to want to push the issue by combing the kind of stadium-ready hooks, drops, and beats we’ve come to expect from the big producers, while still retaining the more intimate, bass-driven tendencies of Rose’s Hotflush comrades. What’s more, in contrast to Rose’s earlier work, Personality is somewhat tender, and certainly more human than much of the steely, industrial production that made Triangulation so hard to access at times. While this record is sure to divide fans on both sides of the techno/
dubstep camps, I think it also makes a compelling case for the continuing experimentation that may explode into another dance music hybrid and push us on into the post-dubstep decade.
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C HASE HOY T The Right Choice 1. B e t w e e n
The Buried and Me The Paralax II: Future Sequence
2. N e i l
Young and Crazy Horse Americana
3. D i r t y
P r o j e ct o r s Swing Lo, Magellan
4. T y
Segall Twins
5. Ev e r y
Ex-lives
Time I Die
6. T h e
Chariot One Wing
7. W i l k i n s o n
Tonight/Pistol Whip(RAMM109)
8. S u b
Focus Out the Blue feat. Alice Gold (RAMM113)
9. O r i g i n a l
Sin Mad World EP (PLAYAZ029)
10. V a r i o u s
The Flavours EP Vol. 4 (PLAYAZ031)
over and over again (don’t let it get too soggy). 8. S e a p o n y
Falling
You gotta love this local Seattle band and almost upbeat style. They sound like they belong at a small venue California music festival, where you would go right after surfing a couple ways outside of Santa Cruz. Simply a treat. 7. T a m e
Impala Lonerism
The song “Elephant” just works, and it fits so well with the rest of the album. Very slick, very nostalgic, and very fly. Something about this just works. 6. T w o
Door Cinema Club Beacon
The girls got soul. ‘Nuff said. 4. H o w
to Dress Well Total Loss
A live rendition of this show really sealed the deal for me. The vocals have an RnB tinge, and the music behind it makes it even better. Simply delightful. 3. M u m f o r d
Babel
& Sons
The experimental elements of Flying Lotus really make this album fresh and original. It might not be for everyone, but truly is a treat to kick back to.
The ambience is reminiscent of a dream, a warm dream cuddled in a blanket on a melancholic evening. It’s a dark night in London, a rainstorm waiting to be born. I haven’t listened to an album that has such atmosphere since Burial’s Untrue several years back. There’s nothing like it. Amazing.
Shrines
Ring
“Shrines” is one of those albums that you can’t really put a finger on. It has so many elements wrapped up in it. A musical burrito that should be eaten very slowly and reheated
Held
1. F o u r
Pink
Ot h e r
Tet
The one that has stayed with me the most. Four Tet’s chill electronica should be on every kitchen counter
10. M a ck l e m o r e
Rya n L e w i s The Heist
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NI C HOLAS WILMER - SHILES The Cure For O.C.D.
1. F r a n k
2. F r a n k
J J D OOM Key to the Kuffs
Oc e a n channel Orange Oc e a n channel Orange
Yup. Two spots. Chalk it up to either not enough other releases that rocked my boat this last year or the fact that every track on this album is smoother than buttered cashmere.
Lamar good kid, m.A.A.D city
4. K e n d r i ck
Lamar good kid, m.A.A.D city
5. T h e
Trilogy
Weeknd
Almost all these tracks had been out on his mixtapes, but the official release of them on an album just made sure no one was sleeping on The Weeknd’s baby-making serenades. 6. F l y i n g
Lotus Until The Quiet Comes
Flying Lotus never ceases to impress 7. C h i l d i s h
Royalty
Gambino
Childish aimed to convert his skeptics with this drop, which at the very least silenced the vast majority. 8. G . O . O . D .
Music Cruel Summer
The tracks “Cold,” “Mercy,” and “Clique” are reason enough. 9. L u p e
Fiasco Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album pt. 1
Lupe returns with his conscious lyricism and some beats that knock.
&
Because Ryan Lewis.
Killer Mike R.A.P. Music
Again, two spots. Kendrick Lamar dropped an H-bomb on the game with this musical artistry. Lyricism, fire beats, and the consistent flow of a story well-told are all present on this one.
La Havas Is Your Love Big Enough
2. H o l y
9. P u r i t y
Something Hip-Hop
5. L i a n n e
10. F l y i n g
Lotus Until the Quiet Comes
ZA C HARY F REGIN
It took me a while to get turned on to Two Door Cinema Club, but I’m glad that I finally did. Beacon is the bee’s knees.
Mornings With Kaldi
RYAN HULSEY
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3. K e n d r i ck
Who doesn’t like the unique sounds of these bad boys from London? It’s catchy folk, it’s a heartfelt folk, and it screaming to be heard. Always a pleasure to listen to.
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in America. It really sets a mood, a mood that’s addicting, fresh, and incredibly fascinating to plan your life to. Been a staple on my playlists since it came out, and it will be for years to come.
El-P Cancer 4 Cure Roc Marciano Reloaded Nacho Picasso and B l u e Sk y B l a ck Death Exalted
album. Has a great edge of pop with contrasting melancholy lyrics. My favorite song from this album would have to be “Feels Like we Only Go Backwards.” Best to listen to it while walking backwards through UW.
ALT-J An Awesome Wave
I’m sure some DJ’s put this on their list already and it’s no coincidence. This band really knows how to play with melodies, especially vocally. On another note, they are also great in creating different stages in songs which to me is one of the most important things in song writing. My favorite song here is “MS,” where they chant “ohhh darker/ the nights of all my youth pressed into one glass of water.”
Deep Time Deep Time
B l o ck h e a d Interludes After Midnight
Talking about melodies, Deep Time, formerly Yellow Fever, created kick @$s melodies in this album. Their surf inspired guitar along with their vocals make for perfect songs. My favorite song in Deep Time would have to be “Clouds.”
A e s o p R o ck Skelethon
Lescop Lescop
B i g K . R . I . T. Live From The Underground F r e dd i e G i bb s Baby Face Killa
DJ Premier and B u m p y K n u ck l e s The Kolexxxion
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URIEL KATZ
Dude, Where’s My Catnip Here We Go Magic A Different Ship
I don’t feel this album received as much recognition as it should have. Their single, “A Different Ship,” is definitely one of the best songs I’ve heard all year. They make great use of the wah wah, and shape the song into multiple waves of psychedelia. Best to listen to this song before falling asleep; the end of this song will take you into an eternal drift until you slowly fall into your rem cycles.
Tame Impala Lonerism
Tame Impala always kills it, but they really killed it with this
I can’t really say much about this album except that it’s French and you should listen to it. Especially listen to La foret along with the music video to get a sense for what the lyrics mean. If you feel like acting sophisticated you can sign along to it while wearing a Beret and a fake moustache or real one if you have one.
Father John Misty Fear Fun
Although I found some songs a little too country for my taste in this album, I do have to say most of the songs made me want to stand up, dance, and sing. Unfortunately I’m only good at one of those things and it does look kind of weird to just stand up in the middle of nowhere.
Summer Heart About A Feeling
This was the perfect summer album. It was awesome to listen to it through long drives and airplane
rides. Lyrically it does not seem to stand out, yet instrumentally it was outstanding. My favorite song in this album is “I Wanted You to Stay on the Other Side,” which is the opposite of how I feel because I wish you could transcend through this page and come into my world you wonderful person.
BEAT CONNECTION The Palace Garden
Yet another perfect summer album although I’d say this one is more for the beach and late night parties. It has a large share of pop songs which makes it great for 5 second dance parties, but only 5 seconds don’t exceed that.
SIMIAN GHOST Youth
I really enjoyed this album. Although it’s a bit depressing, it’s perfect for this time of year. This album along with the winter rain is sure to mellow you down. If you get the album make sure to get it with bonus tracks, it has a amazing renditions of some songs on the album on acoustic guitar.
Damien Jurado Maraqopa
Super psychedelic album, amazing guitar, and amazing vocals. My favorite song from this album would have to be Nothing is the News, where Damien creates guitar licks that extend through the whole song. If you are feeling in the mood for something strange listen to this.
3. T a m e
Impala Lonerism
Kind of like getting meta on the simple things in life -- it can be a bit cheesy at times, but it’s damn good. 4. G r i z z l y
Shields
Bear
Kind of like watching the best musicians around try too hard -- it’s a pretty damn good record but you can tell they really wanted that Grammy. ,’>/
Best Song of 2012: Sufjan Stevens “Christmas Unicorn”
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DANIEL GUO G.1.R.L.s. C.L.U.B.
ARIEL P IN K ’ s h a u n t e d g r a ff i t i Mature Themes PPPPP B LA C K D I C E Mr. Impossible PPPPP
death grips Money Store P P P P P Too loud.
UPCOMING RELEASES O F 2 0 1 3
swans The Seer P P P P P Too loud. silent servant Negative Assimilation PPPPP ricardo denoso Assimilating the Shadow P P P P Very quiet. micachu Never P P P P P Bjork loves it. M i k e W i l l M a d e It Est. in 1989 Pt. 2 P P P P P Rap.
5 0 C ENt Street King Immortal February 26
Devendra banhart Mala March 12
J OHN T ALA B O T fin PPPPP
ages TBA
earl sweatshirt Doris
alunageorge Body Music
EA T S K ULL III February 19
human teenager Animal Husbandry PPPP<
arcade fire TBA atoms for peace Amok February 25 Azealia banks Broke With Expensive Taste February 12 B a ck s t r e e t b o y s TBA “Beautiful Noise” A Shoegaze Documentary
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Bleached TBA
MI C HAEL B ESWE T HERI C K Dank && Foreboding
brave bird Maybe You, No One Else Worth It January
1. B e a c h
C HER TBA March
Bloom
House
Kind of like if the annex between Suzzallo and Allen was filled with warm water and you just hung out in there. Also a great night record.
mgmt MGMT My bloody valentine TBA
future Future Hendrix
pissed jeans Honeys February 12
haim TBA
schoolboy q Oxymoron
James blake Beyond Belief
S i ck s a d w o r l d TBA
j a y r o ck TBA
solange knowles TBA
kid cudi Indicud March
tacocat TBA
The knife Shaking the Habitual April 8 Lady gaga ARTPOP Lady gaga & T o n y b e n n e tt TBA
C IARA One Woman Army
Local natives Hummingbird January 29
2. D i r t y
danny brown Old
m.i.a. Mitangi
Kind of like a Math final but one that holds no negative impact on your life -- it’s deceivingly simple and Dave Longstreth is an insane genius.
the-dream The Love IV
major lazer Free the Universe
DArwin deez Songs for Imaginative People February 11
mariah carey TBA March
P r o j e ct o r s Swing Lo Mageallan
the men TBA
Justin timberlake TBA thin lizzy TBA Toro y moi Anything in Return January 22 Unknown mortal orchestra II February 5 Vampire weekend TBA Kurt vile TBA wimps Repeat woods TBA