Best albums from first quarter of 2018

[Esteban 2,300]

The first quarter of 2018 has passed and some great album have already been released. I know this fanbase have really various tastes and I think it could be great if we shared our favourite albums from this beginning of year. Here I put mine, I hope you will enjoy  
Feel free to discuss about all genres of music, potential trends, prospections, aesthetics and great discoveries  

 

 DOOKOOM – Riffak (rap, rap hardcore, grime)

 

Dookoom is a rap band from South Africa, a kind of "grime" mixed with rap hardcore and tribal sound design like Die Antwoord (but more raw and brutal). They are known for speaking about the «  neo slavery » and the new form of apartheid in South Africa. Creative, engaged and enraged with good production and good energy this band is really interesting.

Best tracks: Punami, Mosh Pit, Maleviolent 

Spoiler

 

 

Foreign Beggars - 2 2 Karma ( hip hop, grime, trap) 

 

The British boys comes with a new album more cloudy, smoothy, maybe more hip hop oldchool oriented but they don't forget their "grime" style. In "flashback" (with the great Alix Perez) for example, an electro-swing scratch and oldschool percussions rub a dark electro wich infects this venenous track. Same with "toast" with a slimy dubstep ala Getter. There is also more trap, cloud rap songs but always with a bit of bass music. A great combination between old and new forms of hip hop made by one of the greatest band of grime scene.

Best tracks: Sauce, Flashback, Wave, 24-7

Spoiler

 

 

           Vald - Xeu ( rap, french trap)

             

Vald is a french rapper, he is big in France since 2 years. It's an ironical and cynical rap filled with illuminatis, memes, reptilians references and second degree. He have created his own universe and lexicon and can become iconic if he doesn't overdo his megalomanic personna. This album is more accessible and easy to listen than his previous but it stills good because it's well written and well produced (by Seezy).

Best tracks: Seum, Deviens génial, Rituel

Spoiler

 

MGMT - Little dark age (Indie rock, synthpop)

 

I don't really like their other albums but this one match perfeclty with the retrowave, synthpop aesthetic. It's an album between  parody and "pastiche". Great work on melodies such that some of their songs could be hits in 80's! I like the amount of melancholia mixed with catchy choruses. A great commentary (on acid)

Spoiler

LDA=LSD The album cover is like a blotter that invits you in their trip between phobia and wonders

about the synthpop with a contemporary nostalgia. + The clips are cool.

Best tracks: Little dark age, Me and Michael, One thing left to try

Spoiler

 

 

Who made who – Through the walls (Indie rock, dancepunk)

 

 

First of all, I love these Danish boys (I have seen them live a month ago and it was awesome) but this is not my favourite album from them. But it stills good! Less dancepunk and more spacey,  soothing and etheral. Great tracks to put in the live setlist between more energic songs.

Best tracks: Goodbye to all I know, Dynasty If this is your love

Spoiler

 

 

10lec6 – Bone bame (Experimental, tribal, dancepunk, electronica)

  

 

10lec6 are a french group wich the singer sings in bulu, a dialect from the south of Cameroun. It's a true fusion between funk, dancepunk and ethnic instruments and sounds. It's a trippy album + they did great live performances!

Best tracks: Among Ya yop, Quakerz, Bone bame

Spoiler

 

 

Django Django - Marble skies (Indie rock, retrowave, electronica) 

  

A very good album, it's like a glam road movie .  A neo psychedellic rock album with crazy organs, speed sunny guitars and ethereal sounds. + There is a POP bop who comes from nowhere called "Surface to air" (the clip is into "spoilers")

Best tracks: Beam me, Marble Skies, In your beat

Spoiler

 

 

   Ty Segall - Freedom's goblin (Garage rock, psychedelic) 

  

YES  !! A true rock album, grunge and stoner as I like with satured riffs, psychedelic solos, and hypnotic bass's layers. It's a trip through the history of the music of USA with various influences, from a piano who comes from a saloon to jazz but also references to the beat generation, funk, hard rock....

Best tracks: She, Main pretender, Dispoler of cadaver

Spoiler

 

Servants of the apocalyptic goat rave - Queen of darkness  (Breackcore, Black metal, Drone metal)

  

It's a side project of the dutch Bong-Ra, a producer of breakcore and a recognized one in his gender. It's a mix between breakcore, black metal and futuristic/atmospheric sound design like Cliff Martinez does for the film "Neon demon". Well... this is very violent  (~220 bpm), but I like this future doom aesthetic (if you like that I advice the band Phuture Doom) and strangely the saturation of violence does a cathartic effect that turn you calm ^^ (or maybe this is just me)

Best tracks: Scourge, Worship, Mortal bodies

Spoiler

 

 Carpenter Brut - Leather teeth ( Retrowave, synthwave, metal) 

  

In the straight line that the previous work. Epic synths from 80's, powerchords, metal energy, double bassdrum, Z series aesthetic and cheesy melodies. The perfect album for a demonic aerobic session that Jamie lee curtis could'nt deny. Great prod, clean work.

Best tracks: Monday hunt, Beware the beast, Leather teeth

Spoiler

 

 

 Ministry - Amerikkkant (Trash metal, metal indus)

 

Trump used as a dissonant sample in some songs should be enough to convince you to listen this album.   Anti racism and anti militarism pamphlet who diverts conservative american codes, this groovy album sounds like the best of Rob Zombie.

Best tracks: Game Over, Twilight Zone, Victims of a clown

Spoiler

 

 

Madeaux - Burn (Techno, Edm, electro)

   

 

Madeaux is a great studient and give us a great review of electronic landscape. It is resolutely a techno/edm oriented album but there is also touches of tech house, uk garage, trap, future bass, tropical house, dancehall, future funk... on top of that, the myriad of featurings brings rnb, rap and autotuned voices ( maybe too much sometimes) and the final result of this mix is almost pop! It could be too much but this is well executed and 2018 isn't generous in good electronic music imo so it deserves its place. + He is signed on Fools Gold records  (Oliver, Danny Brown, Nina las vegas, Para one, Rl Grime, Malaa and more...)

Best tracks: Look at me, Afters, The wave

Spoiler

 

 

Marcus Marr - Familiar Five ( House, Future funk)

    

 

This is technically not an album but what ep it is  ! Funky, dancing, warm, tropical and sensual. The title track sound like a Gesaffelstein track in more woody and comfy while other tracks are totally funky. I look forward the next album! 

Best tracks: Familiar Five, Rocketship, High times

Spoiler

 

 

Oliver -  Inner circle: remixes and rarities (Electro, synthwave) 

  

I like these guys ! They know how to put the retrowave out from its comfort zone with an actual edm/electro and it sounds so fresh  ! Great Ep!

Best tracks: Big city, Endless conversation, Bygones

Spoiler

 

 

 Seinbeï – Ningyo (Turntablism, trip hop, dub, ambient)

  

A french trip hop group, inspired by Asia and more precisely Japan and China, (like the band "Chinese man"). Good vibe, chill and joyful.

Best tracks: The life of Puyi, Space Dutty invaders, La photo de classe

Spoiler

 

                                                                                                    

Auri - Auri (Folk, progressive) 

  

Auri is the side Project of the Finnish Tuomas Hollopainen (Nightwish's composer), her wife the singer Johanna Kurkela  and Troy Donockley who plays various folkloric intruments like Uilleann pipes. This album is inspired by legends and nature. It's very progressive and atmospheric so is necessary  to be in the good mood and listen the album as a whole because individually some songs are quite boring but there is also true gems, very inspired. + Great voice  !!

Best tracks: Night 13, Skeleton tree, Aphrodite rises

Spoiler

 

Honorable mentions to: 6ix9ine - Day69,
                                          Black rebel motorcycle club - Wrong creatures                                         
                                          Jack White - Boarding house reach
                                          The Decemberists - I'll be your girl
                                          Tale of us - Fabric97

 

 

                         

                                     
                                                                                                 

[GaGaLB 367]

 

[Esteban 2,300]

@GaGaLB I haven't listen the new EP of "The Weeknd" except the two tracks produced by Gesa (that I like), the rest is good too? 
About XXXtentacion I don't know, I have listened the album only one time and it was kinda depressing 

[DelusionalGaga 29,581]

I think people should really give "Golden Hour" by Kacey Musgraves a listen. It's mostly country mixed with pop music. There's just something special about her lyrics. She sings about how beautiful life actually is, despite all the negativity in the world. For me it's easily the best release of the year. 

And daddy Mark stans it too 

[Bradley 59,226]

I only know the mainstream ones so I'd say Man of the Woods 

[Esteban 2,300]

1 minute ago, DelusionalGaga said:

I think people should really give "Golden Hour" by Kacey Musgraves a listen. It's mostly country mixed with pop music. There's just something special about her lyrics. She sings about how beautiful life actually is, despite all the negativity in the world. For me it's easily the best release of the year. 

And daddy Mark stans it too 

You convinced me with the Ronson argument, I totally trust his musical ear!

Spoiler

...and every part of his body 

 

[DelusionalGaga 29,581]

1 minute ago, Esteban said:

You convinced me with the Ronson argument, I totally trust his musical ear!

  Reveal hidden contents

...and every part of his body 

 

It reminds me of Joanne at some parts 

[Esteban 2,300]

Just now, Bradley said:

I only know the mainstream ones so I'd say Man of the Woods 

It stills a good one though! "Midnight summer jam" is my favourite track, I like the solo of harmonica

[Eighteen 5,430]

i liked charisma by oliver

[Esteban 2,300]

1 minute ago, Eighteen said:

i liked charisma by oliver

This guys deserve much more 

[Eighteen 5,430]

Just now, Esteban said:

This guys deserve much more 

i think you might be right. this sounds like this could hit it big imo.

[FRANK1991 3,329]

haven't heard much this year, mostly just single songs not full albums

but Flor's debut album is pretty good

pretty catchy bops

[corvus albus 38,031]

32 minutes ago, GaGaLB said:

I only accept this the rest has some good songs (Man Of The Woods and My Dear Melancholy) and the rest is garbage from beginning to end. sorry

[Blake 7,385]

The best album so far this year is being released on Friday.

Kylie Minogue's Golden. 

X

[Esteban 2,300]

21 minutes ago, Blake said:

The best album so far this year is being released on Friday.

Kylie Minogue's Golden. 

X

We'll see ... 

Spoiler

But I hope

Edit: I have listened "Stop me from falling" and I don't think so ^^