ILM's Top 77 Tracks of 2014

CLUB GOING UP ON A MONDAY

http://open.spotify.com/user/forksclovetofu/playlist/57m9LpUGkWDzGOiIgNsTeR

http://i.imgur.com/KxmHjXE.jpg

77 NICKI MINAJ "Lookin Ass" [203 points, 5 votes, 1 first place vote]
http://youtu.be/2mwNbTL3pOs

just as i'm going to bed!

good song, wish more of the pinkprint rolled as hard

ooh loving the imagery

feeling good that my first place vote prob helped this brilliant statement of intent to make the 77

awesome start

nicki dropping this and "boss ass bitch" back to back at the beginning of the year felt so incredibly exciting. and promising...

quite funny that despite a record number of ballots, the #77 track only needed 5 votes (last year, #77 got 9 votes)

bears out what matt dc was saying -

Feel like there are relatively few consensus tracks this year, there's a load of stuff that could sneak in that might not in any other year.

― Matt DC, Thursday, January 15, 2015 10:01 PM (4 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

presumably/hopefully there'll be some curveballs today

it's a good point - i'm guessing the proof would be a significant increase in nominated tracks?

How many total ballots were submitted?

147 I think

Lookin Ass [song + video] was definitely a high point of 2014, though it was one of many difficult cuts for my ballot.

yeah 147 ballots were submitted

hooray! we've started!

♫ it's the most wonderful time of last year ♫

i'm guessing "boss ass bitch" will place. maybe "anaconda"? idk if it's a consensus song but it was certainly the think piece single of the year.

http://i.imgur.com/jJfapVF.jpg

76 OWEN PALLETT "Song for Five & Six” [208 points, 6 votes, 1 first place vote]
http://youtu.be/vr_SbrFIuKA

hope every track has one first-place vote

i voted for this!

there aren't any bad moments on the album and so many highlights it was incredibly hard to choose a favourite, but after quite some weighing up, it was this one for the 'do you agree? / i disagree' part.

yeh great album
nommed the riverbed rather than the album but a few considering this were in contention

I forgot to vote but I will cheer and boo from bleachers although no reason to do the latter yet.

xp not sure why i wrote considering instead of including

I like the choreography in Owen's video!

wow that's a cool song, I'm gonna give the album a try

do it, you won't regret it

this song like the whole album is utterly brilliant. did not vote for it but 'the riverbed' got an exceptional placement instead. very glad this has shown up

is the title a John Cage ref.? also the video has the people dancing, not random enough tho'.

Love the OP album and it has a bunch of special moments inside songs, but I don't really think I have a favourite track.

^same

Do you agree or disagree?
There’s a gap between what a man want and what a man will receive.
The sun has set on me.

is it 'do you agree or disagree?' or 'do you agree? / I disagree'?
always heard it as a dialogue. small differences, but whatever.

Yeah, I've had a different favourite every time I've played In Conflict. Happy to see this one make it. Looking forward to seeing where the album places next week.

Not sure how many of my faves will place this year, but whatever, this is a good start!

http://i.imgur.com/OqkOOut.jpg

75 TUNE-YARDS "Water Fountain" [208 points, 9 votes, 1 first place vote]
http://youtu.be/jbiFcPhccu8

First two are unlistenable:(

great tune
surprised it dnp on pitchfork, thought they lauded everything tune-yards?

This album has more standout tracks than whokill even if it's not as memorable, if that makes sense.

And i already know that one from the radio

First three are unlistenable

A friend recommended the album but it really set my teeth on edge at first. Seeing her at a festival really turned me around though and Water Fountain was prob the highlight. Only voted for the album mind you.

Think if you're expecting a bunch of anonymous deep house saer you may be disappointed.

never really got in to tune-yards but i loved this on first listen & still do

Voted for the album rather than any of the tracks, though if I did, "Sink-O" would've been my pick.

The album was the final one cut from my ballot, so I placed the single a bit higher on my trackballot to make up for it. Good song, good band. Album not as good as last one.

Think if you're expecting a bunch of anonymous deep house saer you may be disappointed.

― ewar woowar (or something),

Im not expecting anything!

Cool start imo! Also, great graphics idea!

corny

That comment from flopson a few years back about listening to tUnE-yArDs is like accidentally walking into a room where someone is vigorously masturbating has never really left me I'm afraid :/

nicki (or more accurately, young money as a "movement") almost always rubs me the wrong way but i still gotta give lookin ass a few more listens before i dismiss this outright. it didn't do much for me at all when i first heard it and I much prefer the hot stylez version

5&6 is prob my fave on the album but i think 'in conflict' deserves acclaim as a complete statement more so than chopping it up into pieces. in any case, this is gorgeous

i voted for water fountain though i'm not generally so taken with 'nikki nack'. 'WhoKill' and 'birdbrains' had a stridency and vitality 'nikki' is missing, though there's enough quality on here to not dismiss it entirely (Time of Dark, Wait for a Minute, Left Behind and Rocking Chair are other standouts). Nikki sounds like an artist trying to decide what they want to say next, which is fine. I'm into merrill for the long haul. Water Fountain is pretty massive tho; prob the best white girl struggle track of the year.

I lump Tune-Yards in with Fiery Furnaces and Planningtorock - woozy electronic indie which I admire for its originality, but find just too abstruse to listen to for more than a couple of tracks.

I had a bunch of anonymous deep house on my ballot fwiw.

'in conflict' deserves acclaim as a complete statement more so than chopping it up into pieces. in any case, this is gorgeous

Yes!

^looool xps to mikomcha

this is bad sry, graceland for the '10s. also haha dl it is nooothing like fiery furnaces, spot of female vocalist lumping mebbe

Cool start imo! Also, great graphics idea!
― Johnny Fever, Monday, January 19, 2015 8:21 AM (4 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag PostPermalink

thanks! i learned from the pro ;-)

xxpost

Can't disagree with that statement, though Owen was one of three (I think?) artists that I voted for in both the albums and tracks categories.

merrill and company's optics and first blush sound are very theater kid / upstate bobo... which she is! But she's also a very intelligent and thoughtful composer with a great voice. So i get why people dismiss her out of hand and on a cursory listen but it makes me sad all the same.

That comment from flopson a few years back about listening to tUnE-yArDs is like accidentally walking into a room where someone is vigorously masturbating has never really left me I'm afraid :/
--MikoMcha

LOL. i actually like this track, assuming it's the one in an iphone commercial?

http://i.imgur.com/xsg1fr0.jpg

74 NINOS DU BRASIL "Sombra da Lua" [210 points, 6 votes]
http://youtu.be/VO5BOLIV2S4

can't wait for the first country songs to appear and inspire teeth gnashing

xpost

Yes!! @ this placing, but now that it did...too low!

yay batucada!
one of my favourite tracks of 2014 :)

gonna maintain a dignified silence thru the country section, although iirc kacey musgraves last year was q good so maybe i'll say nice things, who knows

this ninos stuff is r cool

Nice! Voted for this one.

didn't vote for this bit voted for the album, the whole thing is incredible.

batucada? sounds like my kind of bag. not heard this yet though.

Will maintain a dignified silence thru the country section because it is unlikely that I'll have heard most of them!

also these dudes have no press photos I could find lol

ooh, what is this?

re: tune-yards

corny

― The Reverend, Monday, January 19, 2015 9:23 AM (14 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I can't even argue w/ this! I always found her so precious and quirky and incredibly grating and even though this whole album sounds like children's nursery rhymes or something and even though "Why Must We Dine On The Tots" is appalling and cringeworthy, I really liked the album in spite of all of this.

incredibly addictive brazilian drum-orientated piece of brilliance

brazilliance

Never seen the video before, feeling a bit crazy watching this!

yh this is pretty good

lol nobody called out my 'graceland for the 10's' comment, probably too asinine tbh, tune-yards not one for incorporating actual tribal/outernational musicians for probable cost purposes, just their sound :P

whoa and now this ninos track hits overdrive

this is jammin'

i am very into this ninos du brasil track that i'd never even heard of before. can imagine it dropping at 4am in a techno set and blowing my mind

tune-yards - not as messy as what i recall of her first album but still intolerably ~quirky, infantilised etc

"infantilised"!

Hoo, I wish I'd have voted for this track.

At work so I can't hear this Brasil track and really wishing I could.

All the Tune-Yards songs I've heard put me in mind of a really irritating, in-your-face kids TV presenter, there's a kind of non-stop yammering to it all.

Looking forward to the Brazilian one though.

lol nobody called out my 'graceland for the 10's' comment, probably too asinine tbh

this sombra track is pretty hot.

ninos track only gets rly rly good in the last minute but it is worth 5 minutes working up to it

sorry for making you sad forks

There's a bit of a Liquid Liquid thing going on with this track, obviously.

the whole album is like equal parts minimal techno & carnival percussion with a dash of no-wave skronk here and there

this track is like my 4th favorite one on it too

these guys are italian btw

nicki song makes me feel too embarrassed to listen to more than 20 seconds.

Sure Arto Lindsay is proud. xps

the whole album is like equal parts minimal techno & carnival percussion with a dash of no-wave skronk here and there

sounds liek the best thing ever made tbqh

xp whoops - got thrown by their name and genre ha

it's okay imago; i'm coping.

italliance doesn't work as well :(

ninos track only gets rly rly good in the last minute but it is worth 5 minutes working up to it

Build up is always worth it, no point in a cheap payoff.

spoken like a tru bobbins-head :)

Hmmm... on further consultation with my vote, I must have dropped Ninos Du Brasil off my tracks list. Glad others weren't so foolish.

*downloads Novos Mistérios*

http://i.imgur.com/lCSlSap.jpg

73 KING "Mister Chameleon" [212 points, 8 votes, 1 first place vote]
http://youtu.be/OF4fOjIrqaM

Niiice

I voted this pretty high, glad it placed! Thought ILM would be behind KING pretty strongly tbh.

i'd forgotten about king outside of that really good track about 2-3 years ago. will check em out again

Not quite as amazing as In The Meantime but still a lovely song. Hope the album finally comes out soon.

In The Meantime, that's the one.

First one here that I don't know. Will listen as soon as the Dawn Richard album ends.

I think this is B+ compared to the rest of their stuff, but I can't not throw them a vote. Whenever they get an LP out, I may even fill out an ILM albums ballot for the first time ever.

Yeah, it's not their strongest track, but still really lovely. When the album coming already?!

ah found out about KING in the poll last year thanks ilm!
mister chameleon keeps up the incredibly high standard of output

"mister chameleon" is lovely but i spent most of last year anticipating an autumn album from king that never came, and it didn't feel as self-contained a track in isolation as "in the meantime"

so glad that the Reverend has discovered Ninos Du Brasil

every time i think of 'in the meantime', i get the spacehog track stuck in my head instead :-/

that hypnotic ninos du brasil groove is amazing, thanks ilm.

"HEY" is still my favorite KING track by a country mile

Had to vote high for Mister Chameleon and the group were my top discovery of last year after only hearing In The Meantime thru last year's results but was disappointed their album's still not done yet as just can't get enough.

Even saer might be able to get a few seconds into this one...

also if there is a mod with the ability and desire to clean up a few of my my mistakes upthread, shoot me an email gr8080 at gmail

i should be awake and caffeinated enough now to be good for the rest of today's rollout

the irony/frustration about EOY is I discover so much great music from the year that's just been in one go, that it distorts my view of that particular year. like, for me 'differentology' is a 2014 song because i discovered it through EOY2013 (not to mention it was re-released in 2014 in the UK).

Supernatural = Hey > In the Meantime > Mister Chameleon > The Story

This is...fine. Would probably listen to more by them.

Only thing on the list so far that I actually dislike is the Nicki track.

Love the way The Story kicks off. Actually could be my favorite.

mister chameleon is nice but it feels slight; in the meantime is DEFINITELY a more engaging track... also can't dodge the sense that it's somehow interpolating Anthony Hamilton's "Magnolia's Room" which just makes me want to listen to that instead.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9M4TQHOzsRo

very much an aside but i was working at a club when 'Southern Comfort' came out and i put "Magnolia's Room" on repeat for about two days until one of my co-workers told me to cut it the fuck out and that she was tired of the song about the "sexy seniors smiling" and now i can't ever not hear that in the chorus

http://i.imgur.com/HWWtK7a.jpg

72 KATIE GATELY "Pivot" [214 points, 7 votes, 1 first place vote]
http://youtu.be/6KRfceukY1Q

Cool! I definitely voted for this.

yaaaaaay

oh what? i didn't even know about this! was it on an album?

a split 12" iirc

not paying attention!

tremendous track

I didn't know anything about Katie Gately but I just read the Quietus interview and the premise is pretty intriguing.

matt dc - check out the track 'pipes' from last year.

k gately exists in that nebulous space between pop, experimental composition and sound art

she is simply marvellous and arguably a paragon of all the above

'pivot' is not as electrifying a listen as 'pipes' imo but still utterly worthwhile & intriguing. somewhere near the middle of my ballot

kinda sounds like those choruses of heavily processed backing vocals on MBDTF

Woo, my number one (goon tie) made it! Like lex, happy my vote prob pushed it through to the 77.

Tuneyards sucks, but great list so far otherwise (haven't gotten to Katie Gately yet). I keep forgetting about King - that's a gorgeous track.

yay for King & Niños!

not my preferred katie gately jam of 2014 but delighted to see her appear

14 1/2 minutes! Okay, trying now; I don't think i've ever heard of Gately. Link to pre-existing ILX discussion?

not heard of katie gately before - this is real rad, will def be checking out the catalogue

The "woo-hahs" in that tune-yards bit remind me of Busta but not in a good way

forks, there is a katie gately thread here: Katie Gately

Katie Gately-thanks for bringing this to my belated attention.

but yeah, 'Pipes' is def the highpoint in her oeuvre thus far xp

sorry for spoiling a surefire top five finisher but interested parties should check out this (much more concise) track imo - https://soundcloud.com/katiegately/far-1

ogmor otm

v heartening this placed :) i wonder what else is coming...

Huh, I'm a little surprised to see that two of my top 5 have placed ("Song for Five and Six" #2, "Pivot" #4).

thanks for the link; this is okay but sounds like it requires lengthy listening and focus and probably headphones/live exposure.
Far is much more immediately accessible for sure

ok listening to K Gately now, and this is pretty fantastic. So huge.

http://i.imgur.com/0G6NLcp.jpg

71 ANA TIJOUX Ft. Shadia Mansour "Somos Sur" [216 points, 6 votes, 1 first place vote]
http://youtu.be/EKGUJXzxNqc

ah cool remember this doing well on tsj and then forgot about it :(
thanks for the reminder voters

i didn't vote for "mister chameleon" but i'm psyched it placed

Never heard "Somos Sur" before, this is fun.

Wow, only one track to not have a first place vote so far

I always liked "Mister Chameleon," but it sounds especially sweet to my ears this morning. :D

Oh wow, this track is mad political. Interesting.

Voted for the tijoux album but glad to see track place

this ana tijoux track is banging, want to understand the lyrics

i guess i'm suffering through this katie gately track wondering if the directionless holly herndon singles are going to place

Didn't vote for Katie Gately but her + Julia Holter was my favourite concert of 2014.
"Somos Sur" I hadn't heard before the poll - cool track, bet it is massive in Germany.

Sombra da Lua is GREAT

i'm mostly lukewarm on tune-yards but a friend drove me through new orleans while blasting "water fountain" last year and it felt pretty cool

"Somos Sur" lyrics + translation: http://genius.com/Anita-tijoux-somos-sur-lyrics

I guess I appreciate this Katie Gately track and I'm happy it adds to the diversity of our poll, but today is probably the only time in my life I'll ever listen to it.

"somos sur" beat reminds me of the brief period marching bands and horns were a thing in rap - "rock yo hips", "get buck" etc

i did try with k gately and didn't hate it but i didn't feel anything at any point either

Didn't vote for Somos Sur, but the album is fantastic.

K G kinda reminded me of those "Pitbull slowed down 300x!" 30 minute long tracks you find (one of which I believed placed like 5 years ago, think it was the BIEBS)

the owen song is incredible of course, probably my favorite from that record

so many good melodic choices with the vocals on that OP track.

oh wow i am absolutely down with this ninos du brasil track

Ooooh, Somos Sur is reeeeeally nice.

This Katie Gately is good!

the last few have been at least been an improvement on the horrible first 3 but not liked anything yet! Still early days though

gonna use 'I'm happy it adds to the diversity of our poll' for every pop country song

None of them? Tough crowd.

there have only been 7! its not many!

Quick post something he likes so that we can soothe saer

(I did my best NickB impression for that)

Have listened to "Sombra" about eight times this morning tbh.

maybe one of the many the Future Islands songs nominated will capture your heart xp

Lol d

haha

http://i.imgur.com/WTaV3Jo.jpg

70 USHER "Good Kisser" [220 points, 7 votes]
http://youtu.be/1lQtoRFaLsA

Oof! Too low.

tooo low

the thrall of the douse of usher

I've never heard this song

lol did i even vote for it

the synths on the chorus still >>>>>>>>

This Usher track is fine, I feel like somehow I should be more into it, but it leaves me a bit cold.

nothing usher did in 2014 struck me as noteworthy, could understand enjoying this in a casual way but not enthusiastically going to rep for it

70 USHER "Good Kisser" [220 points, 7 votes]

Events have taken a turn for the worse again

lol

this was one of 2014's biggest growers for me

also i find it kinda crazy usher has been around 20 years now

I dismissed "Good Kisser" as a mediocrity last May -- man, was I wrong.

all summer I went around going BABABABADON

more like nay-saer amirite

my own NickB channel ignored, all about who you know in this town

who is saer and have I made fun of him before?

when this came out i really thought it was going to be the summer jam "fancy" ended up being

instrumentation of "good kisser" is just generally v idiosyncratic and invigorating, possibly i am led to think this by shirtless drumming usher

Somos Sur is huge

drums are so charming though, all those little percussive chimes

too bad the other Usher songs released this year were meh to garbage.

Somos Sur was my #1, so glad it made it.

According to Rolling Stone, the R&B song has lyrics of "praising one particular set of lips", and sets the scene with lots of "specific imagery." I

Yeah, Good Kisser had me excited for a year full of nice Usher songs, but it turned out to be the only one.

This reminds me that my own male R&B song of the year wasn't nommed (trey songz, smartphones)

Oh well

Not my favorite track from the Ana Tijoux album, but nice to see her show up here. And "Good Kisser" is fantastic.

Meanwhile, I forgot to vote. ;_;

Really surprised how much of a flop Good Kisser was.

not on urban radio though

According to Rolling Stone, the R&B song has lyrics of "praising one particular set of lips", and sets the scene with lots of "specific imagery."

The fact that it's so "coy" does not appeal tbh. Actually has the opposite effect, seems gross.

The devil is a lie!

Good Kisser is kinda wack; production strikes me as a timberlake toss off. can't get past the constant sniggering high school voice of evil usher on my shoulder saying "you know, 'kissing'? like blowjobs? haha it's about blowjobs"

Tijoux is awesome and somos sur is a reasonable standout.

the devil is alive

enjoying 74 NINOS DU BRASIL thank u to the voters

Damn I forgot to vote for Good Kisser. Thought it would be higher.

oh my god i'm trying to play a spotify playlist for the first time and it's a nightmare, after every song it keeps defaulting to the new dawn richard album?? i mean that's not a nightmare but i can't get this stupid thing to work

Try opening Spotify using your DVD player

just listen to dawn richard

oh my god i'm trying to play a spotify playlist for the first time and it's a nightmare, after every song it keeps defaulting to the new dawn richard album?? i mean that's not a nightmare but i can't get this stupid thing to work

― lex pretend

just boil some water, toss laptop into pot, add oregano, presto

oh my god i'm trying to play a spotify playlist for the first time and it's a nightmare, after every song it keeps defaulting to the new dawn richard album?? i mean that's not a nightmare but i can't get this stupid thing to work

it's your queue bro

you might have the Dawn Richard album in your play queue? in that case you'll need to manually remove it

xpost

I like the idea of using an entire album as a palate cleanser between tracks

http://i.imgur.com/9iaxkbd.jpg

69 NICKI MINAJ "Anaconda" [220 points, 8 votes]
http://youtu.be/LDZX4ooRsWs

xp get off the web interface if you haven't, that thing is horrible. click "follow" then open spotify on your desk/laptop/phone and check under playlists and play from there.

that's got to be it for nicki on the singles, yes?
Anaconda is pretty terrible imo

jeez I prefer "Only"

How does Mix a Lot not get a "featured" on this?

"featuring" rather

"feature"

"anaconda" one of the few thrilling moments on pinkprint

on its own it's uhhh

because he didn't want it to tarnish his rep

prob right

click "follow" then open spotify on your desk/laptop/phone and check under playlists and play from there.

this is what i'm doing and it's still not working so fuck spotify i'll just manually play youtubes

wouldn't be surprised if some of nicki's unofficial remixes/tracks were still to come like "yasss bish" but she perennially suffers from vote-splitting anyway

i'm not an "anaconda" hater by any means but i can't really fathom voting for THAT particular nicki track

i voted exclusively for nicki tracks

that's got to be it for nicki on the singles, yes?

bang bang?

don't think she features on the shred version

lex, try restarting spotify/your computer; it sometimes takes time for the playlist to load.

Yey at Ninos du Brasil track making it! First one of my votes to make it, hope it's not the only one.

I forgot to vote for the Ana Tijoux track. Grr. Such a great song.

I really recommend listening to the full album if you enjoyed that song. It's more of the same sort of thing but it doesn't get boring.

I honestly hope there's no more Nicki tracks, I'd prefer more diversity and there's probably going to be a bit Taylor Swift yet to get through.

Anaconda was her most prominent single, no?

Nothing I've voted for turned up yet but I like this list so far

http://i.imgur.com/DVpnIc7.jpg

68 DAVIDO "Tchelete" Ft. Mafikizolo [229 points, 8 votes]
http://youtu.be/oiHh2-6jmnUA

HELL YEAH

Is spotify desktop any better? I know everyone hates on the web player, but I found the desktop version pretty unwieldy as well.

I like this!

FUCK YEAH "TCHELETE"

Aww man, glad some Naija pop placed, even though this isn't my favourite Davido tune.

This Katie Gately record is awesome, she should go all out and make a full scale choral work using this approach.

oh man "Tchelete" is a revelation.

even though this isn't my favourite Davido tune

same, kinda hoping "shoki remix" places but also it's cool that even this is here

Shoki is great

Not sure what quality file the label sent to Spotify, but it sounds like it's streaming at about 24kpbs fidelity.

no hope for "aye" placing even though it's my favorite davido track. so emotional

ooh i like this one, thx ilm :)

"things that people do for money" midway through "tchelete" is THE moment. reminds me of the divine sounds track - initially half-thought it was a direct interpolation

Since I'm an old geezer who doesn't follow what's hip with the kids these days, I hadn't actually heard any of these tunes before, except for "Anaconda" and "Somos Sur". But here are my first impressions:

77 NICKI MINAJ "Lookin Ass"
Most Nicki Minaj tunes that I've heard have felt too gimmicky and hyperactive for my taste, but this one is actually nicely subdued and moody, and I like the ballsy lyrics too. Does she any other tunes like this?

76 OWEN PALLETT "Song for Five & Six”
This is the same Owen Pallett who used to post to ILX? I didn't know he made music like this! Love the synth arpeggios, but the singing is too New Wave for me, this should have had some disco diva vocals instead. Still, I could imagine dancing to this after having gotten drunk with my corny indie friends

75 TUNE-YARDS "Water Fountain"
I liked the polyrhythms and the general afropop vibes, but the vocals and the farty synth bass got tiring after a while. I guess if I was 10 to 15 years younger I'd have more tolerance for freaky styles like this, but now I just can't be arsed.

74 NINOS DU BRASIL "Sombra da Lua"
Oppressive samba techno, sure, why not? This reminds of the early 90s "tribal" techno and trance like Exqusite Corpse or The Ambush, and that's a good thing! The "full" groove at the end could've lasted a bit longer though, cutting it so short doesn't feel very dancefloor friendly...

73 KING "Mister Chameleon"
This is really sweet, like modern-day Minnie Riperton! You say they haven't released an album yet? This was the first tune in the results that made me feel like I could listen to full LP of the same, so it's sad if there is none.

72 KATIE GATELY "Pivot"
I'm all for experimental stuff and sound art, but the beginning of this track was too flimsy to get me interested, so I didn't make it to the end. Maybe another day.

71 ANA TIJOUX Ft. Shadia Mansour "Somos Sur"
A friend of mine kept playing Ana Tijoux to me and explaining how good it is, and it does sound good, but she speaks fluent Spanish and I don't, so I think she just got more out of it. IMO political rap like this requires a sort of immediacy, a gut-level "HELL YEAH!" reaction when you hear the lyrics, and it just isn't as strong if there's a distance caused by the language barrier, even if you can read a translation online. I think Mansour actually has a better delivery here than Tijoux, does anyone know what she's rapping about?

70 USHER "Good Kisser" [220 points, 7 votes]
This was a surprise, I didn't expect an Usher tune to have such a cool, innovative arrangement, love how the drum rolls become the hook! And I also like how the main love interest in the video looks like a fairly normal (if still quite attractive) woman, and not a porn star. The lyrics are still kinda juvenile, but I can't remember ever enjoying an Usher tune this much, so that's something.

69 NICKI MINAJ "Anaconda"
This is exactly the sort of gimmicky Minaj tune I don't like. It just makes me feel old, makes me want to reach for my Yo-Yo albums.

68 DAVIDO "Tchelete" Ft. Mafikizolo
This is really cool, didn't expect ILM to vote stuff like this so high, well done!

Davido song is dope, gonna check out more of him

I think of Tchelete as being a Mafikizolo track really, it's got that same slightly druggy feel as Khona, like you can imagine either tune being dropped into a deep house or techno set at like 4am and really working.

apart from "oliver twist" i don't recall any of the big afropop songs of recent years placing?

Love the synth arpeggios, but the singing is too New Wave for me, this should have had some disco diva vocals instead.

This sounds like the most ruinous idea imaginable.

Like it sounds like with glossier production it could be on Innervisions or something.

dont like Anaconda but its bearable, and better than the first one that plae

Tchelete is the best one so far, would prefer without the vocals

apart from "oliver twist" i don't recall any of the big afropop songs of recent years placing?

does Omar Souleyman count?

does Omar Souleyman count?

syria is not africa!!!

lol

I think I heard lapaz toyota thru ilx eoy

really quite surprised saer prefers "anaconda" to "lookin' ass"

lex otm

http://i.imgur.com/MzmPhJo.jpg

67 RÖYKSOPP & ROBYN "Do It Again" [229 points, 10 votes]
http://youtu.be/btBSxtKzF6Q

"lapaz toyota" placed a couple of years back as well!

Fantastic song. Easily the highlight of the EP which was good but should have been way better.

Suspect this probably took a majority of the R+R support away from Monument, but good to see it here.

syria is not africa!!!

think I'm going to stick my head in a pail full of water.

not the R&R i voted for but it's good

Monument is gorgeous but just way too long.

Good job on getting Tchelete in there, ilxers! I regret that I didn't vote in this thing now.

davido's album is scheduled for this year. v excited about it.

I wish there was a version of the EP mix of Monument that's the length of the LP mix of Monument.

Monument (The Inevitable End Version) is perfect as it is shortened!

The synths are just a touch too harsh on the lp version imo.

really quite surprised saer prefers "anaconda" to "lookin' ass"

― lex pretend, Monday, January 19

The backing vocal(sample?) in 'lookin ass' is what really dragged it down for me, that sound is a nails/blackboard experience for me!

I rly thought "Sayit" was the standout track from the R+R ep but I couldn't find anyone else who agreed w/ me

Hey well done on the artwork guys, looking fab!

"Do it Again" sounded uninspired to me and "Monument" was just long and plodding

Did hot chip make an album this year?

no hope for "aye" placing even though it's my favorite davido track. so emotional

― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Monday, January 19, 2015 12:47 PM (21 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

^otm

also didn't "Khona" place? (xp, re afropop in eoy)

RÖYKSOPP & ROBYN "Do It Again" [229 points, 10 votes]

Worst one yet apart from tuneyards

Royksopp and Robyn teaming up makes me feel old

The main problem with that EP is there isn't enough Robyn on it.

Lapaz Toyota definitely placed in 2012.

"Do It Again" is great but "Monument" is just ridiculously beautiful. Didn't really think it stood a chance against DIA though.

I voted for Monument but not this.

lol guess I cut "Aye" from my ballot along with most other afropop apart from "Pooley" which I think still could place and "Girlie O" which won't

I think the track Wizkid did with Femi Kuti placed too, no?

just reminds me that the first ilm poll i ever paid attention to was... 2009 i think, where "the girl and the robot" placed, which is >>>>>>>>>> this

I don't know if I dislike R&R for its own self and not b/c generally I've lost interest in Robyn.

I might burn in ILM hell for saying this but there's something about Robyn's singing and persona that doesn't register with me. I think it's one of the most boring ILM's darlings.

xpost The 2009 poll was the first one I voted in and I had The Girl & the Robot as my number one.

"khona" placed at #188 last year

"jaiye jaiye" at precisely 400 places below that.

I think the anti-Robyn contingent on ILM is as strong and as vocal as the pro-Robyn one.

Temi Dollface was top 100 last year

i haven't heard this song yet, but i'm also in the anti-robyn camp

just find her so boring

Robyn <3

First time I've bothered listening to this collaboration. Would have been interesting pairing like 10 years ago, no? The fact that it's called 'Do It Again' as well.

That Robyn & Röyksopp tune was kinda-generic-though-eminently-uplifting, but the video was quite something! It's rare to see such well-made, conceptually inspired music videos in this era!

anaconda is awes

tijoux best new discovery so far, the second verse in partic goes very hard

good kisser is great. i think maura originally posted this but it's unfortunate that usher had to cash in on the blurred lines train when he already had an amazing retro pharrel feature under his belt all the way back in 2012 with twisted

"khona" placed at #188 last year

"jaiye jaiye" at precisely 400 places below that.

― prolego, Monday, January 19, 2015 1:20 PM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

lol/smh

I wonder what RÖYKSOPP bring to the table here. It's been a long time since Melody A.M.

i'm anti-robyn but i find it more baffling that people would get excited about röyksopp, who have always been extremely dull producers! that's why i didn't check it out - apart from having assumed they'd constantly been collaborating over the years - and "do it again" is pretty much the kind of uninvolving thin pastichey pop i'd've expected, but this "monument" is actually pretty nice

Do It Again is the only song from the collaborative EP that sounds like stock Robyn solo. Everything else blends their styles far better.

i relistened to "good kisser" and i get what people love about the drums but i feel like his singing doesn't gel with them - he's singing really loudly and clumsily for that arrangement, it doesn't fit

The Royksopp album was really dull but they have made some great moments. Junior from 2009 is a brilliant album. They should have gone further in that big pop direction.

I like Robyn a lot but I totally see why ppl wouldn't

I voted for monument it's great

Fully accept that Do It Again was generic R+R but there's nothing wrong with comfort food.

Monument (TIE version) >>>>> Monument

i never got hooked on "good kisser" but i love it when i hear it

robyn/rokysopp: oh i actually know this one from the radio, i have enjoyed it although giving it a closer listen now there's one level of synths (the one that's kind of aggressively vamping through the first chorus) that could be excised. good generic pop house chorus. i can see why people who have extracurricular interest in this stuff could find it boring but it does it for me

lex, you might like this Beenie Man track that uses the "Good Kisser" drums?

I love the really subtle saxophone portions of the EP version of Monument.

i relistened to "good kisser" and i get what people love about the drums but i feel like his singing doesn't gel with them - he's singing really loudly and clumsily for that arrangement, it doesn't fit

― lex pretend, Monday, January 19, 2015 1:26 PM (6 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

the vocals are perfectly suited to the track imo, couldn't imagine how else you could make that beat work. the transition to the 'the devil is a lie' part gives it the propulsion it needs, the piano chord, mmm so perfect

i liked 'the girl and the robot' from several years back but i haven't gotten into any other r&r tracks i've heard

http://i.imgur.com/Ym4RBkn.jpg

66 SHAKIRA "Empire" [230 points, 7 votes, 1 first place vote]
http://youtu.be/QapfTGTXbxc

the beenie man track rob posted is p much exactly how a vocal should go with that beat imo

"Empire" is too low, but I'm glad it placed.

the best part of this Shakira track is when she harmonizes with the guitar.

Did maura vote this year?

YES

nno

"empire"'s chorus melody reminds me directly of a my chemical romance song and a level from super mario 64

obv the greatest song ever

I can't stand her voice on this

i had no idea shakira released new music this year!!!! this is good!

"Empire" was the first of my votes to place, it's just gorgeously over-the-top! And I just love how she phrases "and the stars make love to the universe".

i like this.

That Royksopp and Robyn track is just so unbelievably rote, like there were literally dozens if not hundreds of tracks in that vein clogging up MP3 blogs in 05-06. Like surely everyone who likes that sort of stuff has so many records like that already? And the lyrics... it seems to underestimate its audience to an almost insulting degree.

Yeah, that Beanie Man track is terrific.

Lol this was unexpected

Had no idea this Shakira song was so popular. Was the album any good?

Empire was on my long list but didn't make the cut. Belting track!

really enjoying the images so far btw. Usher looks so pleased to be at #70

this shakira is amazing, perfect "should have been a hit" pop jam u can depend on ilx for catching for you

Yeah but conversely I spent too much time on ilx last year so why am I just now knowing about this smh ilx

I'm with crut, this is the first thing so far I really dislike.

so glad that the Reverend has discovered Ninos Du Brasil

― some kind of terrible IDM with guitars (sleeve), Monday, January 19, 2015 7:18 AM Bookmark

yeah, this is totally aimed at me.

love "empire". it sounded especially great following that rihanna duet, which was such an ungainly attempt at a hit.

I got over my thing about Shakira's voice a number of years ago, so it doesn't even phase me now.

http://i.imgur.com/xsg1fr0.jpg

74 NINOS DU BRASIL "Sombra da Lua" [210 points, 6 votes]
http://youtu.be/VO5BOLIV2S4

― gr8080, Monday, January 19, 2015 Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Awesome how the video is based on Limite. I always wanted to catch a screening of it.

I was wondering about where the footage was from. Looks like an interesting film.

So far Usher is the only thing I voted for. It was way high on my ballot and I'm shocked it's so low here. Like it's the type of thing I would expect to do better here than on P&J? It some how manages to pull this balancing act of being very minimalist while still being ridiculously crammed with hooks, like every beat and vocal tic in the song is pitched for maximum impact. Tuomas otm about the drums-as-hook.

It was such an anthem for me and my gf this summer, like we'd be walking around Brooklyn and one of us would randomly break out singing it or even just the beat to each other. Also DJing, it's been my favorite song recently to slow things back down at the end of the night after faster stuff. People hear that first bass/drum beat and instantly know what it is. Easily my favorite song he's done since Confessions.

Shakira track sounds like a poor stab at a little earthquakes era tori amos outtake; I am not feeling this. sorta discards what makes shakira special amongst the grandiose production; why you wanna put a yodeller on and then drown her out with all kinda sci-fi marching music. Was this on a soundtrack for hunger games or interstellar or something?

Do It Again/Monument were big for me this year, generally while jogging. I prefer Monument over DIA but perfectly happy to have this here.

Tchelete is def one of the tracks I only caught through ILX which is as good a reason to stay plugged into this forum as any. this also reminds me I need to get caught up on the early returns of the afrobeats 2015 thread.

That beenie man take over the "beng beng riddim" is excellent; would take that over Usher seven days a week

"do it again" <<<<<< "monument" which i voted for (highly) [also ep version is far preferable to the inevitable end version]

i like "empire", nice 2 see it place

TS: "and the stars make love to the universe / and you touch me / and I'm like / WOOOOOOOOOAHHOOOOOOOO" vs "she looks so perfect standing there / in my american apparel underwear / and I know now / that I'm so down"

i think monument may still place

http://i.imgur.com/L1wH2cr.jpg

65 ST. VINCENT "Prince Johnny" [230 points, 8 votes]
http://youtu.be/idllxjHbX7w

[also ep version is far preferable to the inevitable end version]

hi-five

how many of these per day are we doin' btw

It was between this and Digital Witness for my one St. Vincent vote. This won.

To 61 today I hear

as nonplussed by this as ever

17 today, 20 on T, W and TH.

77-61 today
60-41 tuesday
40-21 wednesday
20-1 thursday

why you wanna put a yodeller on and then drown her out with all kinda sci-fi marching music

What "sci-fi marching music"? Sounds like regular rock drums to me, and fairly subdued strings... The orchestration on "Empire" is actually quite simple for such a huge tune, certainly it doesnt "drown" her vocals, and I don't think it'd work if it just followed the ballady part in the beginning in all the way through; this is Momentous Pop Music, it requires those big feelings.

"Prince Johnny" sounds pretty cool, the combination of moody synths and trad pop melodicism reminds me of Marc Almond... Except that I hate that weird hi-hat sound that pervades it, the one that sounds like a screwed-and-chopped hamster fart, whoever thought that kind of synth drum was a good idea for a tune like this?

st vincent

sorry, anybody else I'd know when a question was rhetorical

Love this song. It's just so beautiful.

"monument" is definitely better than i remember it being (i remember it being boring, which it is kinda, but right now i'm enjoying how sleepy and inviting it is)

this was my St Vincent vote. she's great.

King: I totally forgot about this song and I stan for them so hard. It's nice, I guess? Their other songs have been better.

Katie Gately: This is the kind of thing that's interesting to listen to once but I'm never going to put it on again.

Ana Tijoux: Yeah, this is good! The horns, the anti-colonial politics. I like.

Anaconda: I maintain my stance that this is fun and has some good ideas until it becomes a total mess halfway through but the former wins out.

Davido: This is cool but I feel like don't love Naija-pop because it's too focused on mid-range. When I listen to this I'm just waiting some heavy bass to appear the whole time.

Robyn/Royksopp: What boring people. This is better than that song they did together that placed a few years ago but as others have said, it just feels so rote. This kind of tidy euro stuff was much more cute a decade ago. Really good video though.

Shakira: I had no idea she released music this year. This is very 90s alt-pop! Which is funnily kind of full circle for her, just not what I'd expect her to be doing at this point.

St. Vincent: This evokes no reaction from me whatsoever.

'monument' is incredible driving music imo

Davido: This is cool but I feel like don't love Naija-pop because it's too focused on mid-range. When I listen to this I'm just waiting some heavy bass to appear the whole time.

^^feeling this. still a good track and i'm happy to have discovered it

love her guitar playing, couldn't give a hoot for her songs so ah i dunno

st unconvincent basically

drums are so stiff and muted on that st. vincent record idk

I'm not quite that hardline on St. Vincent. She's usually good for between 2-4 keeper songs on each album, but for the most part I just admire her gitfiddle skills.

i've listened to this st. vincent track three times and i still don't know what it sounds like except i don't like it

^^feeling this. still a good track and i'm happy to have discovered it

― gr8080, Monday, January 19, 2015 11:23 AM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Oh absolutely, I'm just trying to suss out why I like not love this type of stuff when it seems otherwise so squarely pitched at me.

I've listened to it 0 times and feel the same xp

ouch! xps to NickB

i think she's a very admirable artist overall, i'm happy for her success (even though i'm not a huge fan)

"st unconvincent" lol

Ienjoygourmethotdogs

more like st wincent

never been a fan of her, but she absolutely crushed her performance at pitchfork this summer, pretty whack that neutral milk hotel got top billing over her because she totally outshone everyone.

very few artists i enjoy live more that listening to their recorded output, but she's top of the list.

http://i.imgur.com/IyOJlti.jpg

64 DUKE DUMONT "I Got U" Ft. Jax Jones [233 points, 10 votes]
http://youtu.be/FHCYHldJi_g

Oh hey one I voted for

2x lol @ wins

hip hop tracks showing very "Tanuki was right" so far

oh yeah this one

this duke dumont is kinda nice but it got old kinda quick idk, lots of better populist house this year imo

joyous stuff, gave it points

I voted for this one as well, played to death earlier in the year.

this is alright, i liked the duke dumont thing from last year way more, abrupt eq filtering kinda took me out of it

my ballot was >90% hip hop tracks and i am confident most of them will place

I Got U is a very fun track; almost as good as "Rather Be". It was a good year for populist house!

I like this too. it's the steel drums imo

omg i love this shakira track

I love the house piano and steel drums on that Dumont track but I never warmed to the rest enough to play on repeat? I gave this a 7 on the Singles Jukebox w/out being motivated to play it again.

hip hop tracks showing very "Tanuki was right" so far
― rob, Monday, January 19, 2015

and we're still in the sixties

I liked "Need U 100%" a lot but I've never been into this type of Ibiza vibe.

while a lot of these tracks sound like they came from the nineties

I've voted for a pop-rap song this year. Tanuki has no hope really

shakira and st vincent ive already forgotten what both sound like but i guess that means they werent annoying

dumont wasnt as bad as i thought it might be but was still bad tho i didnt mind the steel drums!

Ana's track is the epitome of "tanuki was born wrong and will die wrong and it's up to us to lessen the wrongspan between the two"

i found "i got u" a bit too unsubtle in its approach for me to be fully enamoured with it (even more so with latest tune), but those steel drums provided tons of fun every time i heard it this summer.

the RT line was a joke yall, just thought it kind of funny that so far (not far at all) the American hip hop has only been Nicki, who I like a lot

in penance I will listen to the Tijoux which i have not heard

charlie xcx still coming

je ne suis pas charlie, je suis marina

ok, the Tijoux is real dope, I regret nothing. Mansour the standout here imo

Was I Got U this year then? Thought it was 2013 for some reason. Probably would have made my 25 if I'd have realised.

That Duke Dumont track, one of those moments - "Ah, I've never heard this." - "YouTube views = 92,338,684" - oh.

http://i.imgur.com/vUiZRxh.jpg

63 CARIBOU "Silver" [238 points, 8 votes, 1 first place vote]
http://youtu.be/yvDVyqgaAFo

hahaha okay

neat, surprised this placed as its very un-ilx-in-2014 but i enjoy it. its more about the music than the vocals for me

xp lol

suggested handicap: number of million Youtube hits subtracted from points total

never heard this Duke Dumont track before but I'm finding it really difficult to get hyped over it. the video is cool though.

xp That would be an interesting side-stat tbh

Caribou is nice, agree about the vocals in general on this record tho.

I feel like the last two tracks are the Ibiza interlude on this poll.

i don't mind that caribou track, vocals nearly sink it tho

I was pleasantly surprised by the Caribou track. another one that had passed my by.

love Caribou, not impressed by Silver. After Swim, nothing else compares

I imagine Can't Do Without You will place higher. Is that a sample of Leona Lewis' voice on Silver?

you mean Andorra right, or TMOHK :P xp

Umm... so this was a thing that also happened? "St. Vincent & Nirvana - Lithium (Live Rock Hall of Fame 2014)"

Oh shit, and Lorde played All Apologies?? Sacrilege.

Sorry, getting off topic here.

This has one really nice chord change about two thirds of the way through but this guy seems to emotionally slay people in a way that I just don't understand, most of his music just feels so tepid.

xp you maybe missed this: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/the-inside-story-of-nirvanas-one-night-only-reunion-20140416

Ooof, the Katie Gately and Ninos du Brasil tracks are the highlights of this list so far for me. Both are gorgeous, texturally adventurous and have epic buildups with a payoff.

Silver at 63???? TOO LOW.

he'll never top the Andorra LP imo but i've loved everything he's done since, even if it mostly pales in comparison

Ooof, the Katie Gately and Ninos du Brasil tracks are the highlights of this list so far for me. Both are gorgeous, texturally adventurous and have epic buildups with a payoff.

― octobeard, Monday, January 19, 2015 8:20 PM (3 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

:)

Silver at 63???? TOO LOW.

― octobeard, Monday, January 19, 2015 8:20 PM (3 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

X/

don't like 'too low' as a rule, think it demeans the poll, also this caribou track just felt rote to me during my extended poll ballot preparations, might give it another try tho

I can't speak for everyone, but when I do a "too low!" post I know full well the hurdles a track has to go through to even make the top 77, so it's kind of tongue in cheek.

i feel like being a shakira stan would be very rewarding, she suits being a niche concern as much as she suits being a megastar and tends to be come off as pretty unconcerned about it either way.

st vincent - idgi generally, though is this youtube a different mix to the album version? i remember not liking the album bc it was all lo-fi and scratchy and don't remember anything as ~stately as this on it. quite like the crunchiness of the guitar rupturing the stateliness but the song isn't grabbing me

duke dumont - lots of fun, guaranteed to make me happy if i heard it, it seems a lot more straightforward and disposable than "need u" - in a good way but i never considered voting for it

caribou - what a fucking snooze this was

http://i.imgur.com/hgDIfOS.jpg

62 AGAINST ME! "FUCKMYLIFE666" [242 points, 6 votes, 1 first place vote]
http://youtu.be/5Q4XJI8B1BI

shit, that's 62

i actually like this caribou track? weird b/c i normally don't like caribou, like the other one that ppl liked this yr is just whatever

Most of the time I was on the beach in Mexico last month (while Chicago was cold and gloomy), I felt like I was in the "I Got U" video.

didnt like the caribou either. didnt mind it that much until the singing and then it had to go with all the others

Interested to hear lex's thoughts on this one.

aw i love this song and i did not vote for it at all

have a long-standing personal "no rock on the tracks ballot" rule for myself though

lasted about 10 seconds of against me, I think im at the end of my limit now, not done very well today

don't like 'too low' as a rule, think it demeans the poll, also this caribou track just felt rote to me during my extended poll ballot preparations, might give it another try tho

― rae sredrum (imago), Monday, January 19, 2015 12:25 PM (53 seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I find the "too low" exclamation to be funny and an adorable public proclamation of ecstatic love for a track or album on these polls. I'm glad it made it, nonetheless. Our Love is my favorite record of the year based on simply how often I listen to it. A good half dozen of the songs on are personal classics for me. It's also hard for me to compare it to Andorra or Up In Flames to Swim and Our Love... feels like two different bands to me.

not sure why that Against Me track gets the love, much stronger ones on the album imo

although it was good to freak out to at their live show

I'd always thought Against Me were heavier than this? I tend to assume I'm just not going to like new rock music but this is fun. The singer reminds me of J0hn D4rn13ll3 a bit.

no more troubled sleep
there's a brave new world that's raging inside of me

;_;

was v interested in this band and their frontwoman and her story, enough to check out the album in a genre that's usually not for me, but it's still not for me. sometimes listening to individual tracks via the trax poll rather than slogging through a whole album cracks artists open for me but that's not happening at all either

I've listened to all the tracks in this poll so far, but I'm not sure if should even try that with something called "Fuckmylife666"...

It's not a bad track, really. But not really my style of music these days.

I guess it's an ironic title? But that'd be just worse.

(xpost)

#JUSTICE4KELLILEIGH

oh, re: duke dumont, what IS the male vocal singing? i've always heard and sung it as "taking drugs all night" but surely not given the radio play it got

this is the first song where if you didn't watch the video the song wouldn't make as much sense, even with knowing the backstory.

I guess it's an ironic title? But that'd be just worse.

imo it's like an aim screen name, i.e. referring to early moments of self-definition

What scene would you say Against Me! emerged from? Post-emo or something? iirc they used to be more abrasive than this, because this is Green Day and Soul Asylum blended into one sound.

i really like Against Me! and voted for the album! dunno many of the tracks apart from each other (except 'unconditional love') but they're all good and the album makes for a really sweet listen-thru. bet you didn't expect that :D

well this is one of the uh gentler songs on the record. their scene was folk punk and then they expanded their sound dramatically

xpost

xxp JF they have roots in the Florida anarcho=punk crusty dumpster diving train hopping patch wearing scene

Okay, this Against Me band isn't as awful as I thought, based on the track title I was expecting hardcore punk or metal, but the tune sounds more like Soul Asylum or something... And the lyrics are actually kinda cool in a heartfelt way, I get the point of "FuckMyLife" now. But I'm like Lex, rock music like this just isn't for me, I'm still not converted.

(xpost with Johnny Fever, hahaha!)

ilm proving about as punk as a fish dinner rn :P

nothing more punk than being punk in 2015

re: Katie Gately, the Quietus interview makes something of her film work but she isn't sampling any compelling source material to do anything much with in the first place..

guess I like Against Me! because they're really intense and wild, but also pop as hell, idk. good concise songwriting that never gets too dull as well

Against me! lasted about five seconds. xp

Against Me! track is fine but an odd choice for a tracks list

Even before the band's story became their most interesting aspect, people would preach the virtues of Against Me! and I'd just go o_O so idk

well, I prefer the album as a whole - it works in aggregation - but nothing wrong with its representation here imo

i hope there's another Against Me! track or two to come, i liked that one when they played it on Letterman but it never felt like a standout in the context of the album to me.

only thing i've voted for so far is "Good Kisser." i'd love to hear a remix of "Lookin' Ass" that put the vocal over something better than the turgid Detail instrumental. maybe even an a cappella would be preferable.

i kept trying to make "Empire" click, i've liked a lot of Shakira singles, but that one always just went in one ear and out the other.

I'm listening to the album now and a lot of it is pretty MOR in a way that reminds me of the one good Gaslight Anthem album but that's okay, it works for me.

fwiw this is the first AM! album I have truly loved since their debut in lol 2002

White Crosses is growing on me though

they did a tour w/ Gaslight Anthem last year and i still feel like a chump for not getting a ticket. xp

tried to listen to Katie Gately on youtube, made it to 8 mins until wtf youtube an ad interrupted it!

the new album has the story but i'm firmly in the new wave/white crosses camp - but i totally understand why this one crossed one

This was my #1 vote, mostly for personal reasons, although I'm not sure it'd have the same place if I made my ballot over. There are albums from 2014 I find a lot more musically interesting, but I was listening to this album pretty heavily when I was starting to come out and transition, and this song (my favorite track nominated, if not my favorite on the album) is fairly subtle in the way it deals with the complex emotions involved in the early moments of transition, or more specifically anxiety about how transitioning is going to affect your existing relationships--I haven't found a lot of songwriters who've explored that ambivalence.

crossed over i mean xp

youtube otm xps

"FUCKMYLIFE666" is both my favorite song title of the top 77 and also the most obnoxious to try and fit in my chosen design theme

did it well gr8080 imo

ows I'm glad you had an album like this one in your pocket, then.

final result for today coming up

i just realized that updates on the results can be viewed way faster via the spotify playlist.

http://i.imgur.com/wk60g2v.jpg

61 HOLLY HERNDON "Chorus" [249 points, 9 votes, 1 first place vote]
http://youtu.be/nHujh3yA3BE

yesss i love this track. awesome video too

gr80 you're doing this like a champ! Can't wait for the next three days.

Herndon is the first track thus far to not be on spotify.

thanks, man! me neither.

MONDAY RECAP:

Gallery of today's images

77 NICKI MINAJ "Lookin Ass"
76 OWEN PALLETT "Song for Five & Six”
75 TUNE-YARDS "Water Fountain"
74 NINOS DU BRASIL "Sombra da Lua"
73 KING "Mister Chameleon"
72 KATIE GATELY "Pivot"
71 ANA TIJOUX Ft. Shadia Mansour "Somos Sur"
70 USHER "Good Kisser"
69 NICKI MINAJ "Anaconda"
68 DAVIDO "Tchelete" Ft. Mafikizolo
67 RÖYKSOPP & ROBYN "Do It Again"
66 SHAKIRA "Empire"
65 ST. VINCENT "Prince Johnny"
64 DUKE DUMONT "I Got U" Ft. Jax Jones
63 CARIBOU "Silver"
62 AGAINST ME! "FUCKMYLIFE666"
61 HOLLY HERNDON "Chorus"

This was my #1 vote, mostly for personal reasons, although I'm not sure it'd have the same place if I made my ballot over. There are albums from 2014 I find a lot more musically interesting, but I was listening to this album pretty heavily when I was starting to come out and transition, and this song (my favorite track nominated, if not my favorite on the album) is fairly subtle in the way it deals with the complex emotions involved in the early moments of transition, or more specifically anxiety about how transitioning is going to affect your existing relationships--I haven't found a lot of songwriters who've explored that ambivalence.

― one way street, Monday, January 19, 2015 12:54 PM Bookmark

Yeah, I didn't vote for any individual songs from it, but Transgender Dysphoria Blues was my #1 album until D'angelo suddenly appeared and tbh I'd probably put it back there if I could redo it. It's been so helpful to me this year in sorting through a lot of my own emotions, and I've been surprised to find myself connecting so strongly with a band I never previously had any interest in. And as Louis says, the poppiness of the tracks is one of their greatest strengths. Usually as trans people, we don't get catchy singalongs that directly speak to our interests, concerns, loves, and fears.

this video is giving me a headache

Herndon in the oneohtix school of production i see. i like this a lot.

This was my #1 vote, mostly for personal reasons, although I'm not sure it'd have the same place if I made my ballot over. There are albums from 2014 I find a lot more musically interesting, but I was listening to this album pretty heavily when I was starting to come out and transition, and this song (my favorite track nominated, if not my favorite on the album) is fairly subtle in the way it deals with the complex emotions involved in the early moments of transition, or more specifically anxiety about how transitioning is going to affect your existing relationships--I haven't found a lot of songwriters who've explored that ambivalence.

― one way street, Monday, January 19, 2015 12:54 PM (6 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Rad. I will always be loyal to Against Me! for "Baby I'm an Anarchist" and other anthems that defined my political consciousness as a teenager. Transgender Dysphoria Blues just fucking solidified that love.

Duke Dumont probably the rotest thing I heard last year.

good lord, i was clearly sleeping on Holly Herndon

this is kinda great. obviously it has the slightly unfair advantage of a spectacular video but it's still got something really interesting going on. haha and 2 mins in it explodes into life! yay this is awes

eh, i don't hear oneohtrix so much xxxp

I haven't heard any of these yet:

77 NICKI MINAJ "Lookin Ass"
68 DAVIDO "Tchelete" Ft. Mafikizolo
62 AGAINST ME! "FUCKMYLIFE666"
61 HOLLY HERNDON "Chorus"

this is ACE! how tf did I miss this, this is something I should have voted for

Holly Herndon is someone I like in theory but I never end up actually listening to.

doh I forgot to vote for hh

i voted highly for both "lookin ass" and "sombra da lua", very glad they managed to sneak in.

most captivating new exposure was katie gately -- quite bizarre, wasn't sure what to make of it at first, but unlike similar more experimental tracks of extended length it actually gelled into something amazingly captivating by its back half. i see others saying they can appreciate it but will never listen again but i am already listening again and looking forward to spending good time w/ it later on too.

holly herndon track is tiring :\

Holly Herndon is incredible. That track and Katie Gately were in my 25.

Enjoyed Ninos Du Brasil, King, Usher, OP... Caribou and St Vincent leave me cold, I was big into the Manitoba era stuff too. I tried living with the St Vincent album for a bit, it had its moments but just dulled out too much to keep me in.

My voting significance to top 77 placements seems exhausted with Ana Tijoux and Holly Herndon this year. I've perhaps 6 votes left to place, but they're lost in the chorus.

Ana Tijoux / Shadia Mansour: Sure, I get a contact high off the militant Chavista politics, but the amazing thing is how adroitly it blends Andean and Chaabi horns, beats, and ululations as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Its a great template for a post-everything global music, far more organic than some of M.I.A.'s similar ventures.

Holly Herndon: What if Paul Lansky listened to Autechre? I'm fond of contemporary composers remembering there's an audience to meet halfway, and accessible entries from the electroaccoustic left-field.

Otherwise, I'm pleased to see Owen P., Ninos du Brasil (both more album picks for me), King (its no "Hey"), Katie Gately (its no "Pipes"), Davido (also would like an instrumental version).

"Chorus" is maybe the only Herndon track I've really warmed to.

by the wayyyy

katie gately and holly herndon get compared a lot but if we're crudely reducing to women who make experimental techno in 2014 don't sleep on karen gwyer, she might be the best one anyway nuff said

i keep wanting to like herndon more than i do but it just seems like pleasant electronic background stuff to me

it's lovely when it sort of turns into sehnsucht part of the way in

Cosign on the Gwyer respect from me to

didnt like the holly herndon, tiring is definitely the word

Preferring the Herndon track to the Gately one, mostly because there are no farty mouth noises.

Yeah, I didn't vote for any individual songs from it, but Transgender Dysphoria Blues was my #1 album until D'angelo suddenly appeared and tbh I'd probably put it back there if I could redo it. It's been so helpful to me this year in sorting through a lot of my own emotions, and I've been surprised to find myself connecting so strongly with a band I never previously had any interest in. And as Louis says, the poppiness of the tracks is one of their greatest strengths. Usually as trans people, we don't get catchy singalongs that directly speak to our interests, concerns, loves, and fears.

― The Reverend, Monday, January 19, 2015 4:08 PM (1 minute ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Yeah, totally: art by trans people about their lives typically struggles for visibility, but it's been so important (especially trans women's writing) in helping me come to terms with my experience. I'm glad TDB was emotionally useful to you, too, Rev!

Voted for Holly Herndon... The HH album from a couple of years ago didn't do much for me, but her singles from 2014 were tremendous, feels like she's crystallized the thing she hadn't yet fully found on that album. And yeah, I like that she feels for us beat-lovers too, not just for the electro-acoustic crowd.

I like Karen Gwyer, but I don't see much reason to lump her with HH besides their gender... Gwyer's music is much more in line with trad techno. It's still great though, I voted for her single too.

sorry i mentioned holly herndon below katie gately i wasn't trying to compare them

lol i was just referring to how both singles are oblique and ponderous

idk they seem totally comparable? based on these two songs, at least.

gwyer's track got nice about halfway through though

XP *too

The Katie Gately stuff is so fierce and dynamic, almost nauseatingly so in places but it a ruddy thrilling ride

Holly Herndon was a kind of ideal primer for loving the fantastic Giant Claw record from last year. Looking forward to finding kindred stuff in 2015.

Agreed re Gwyer not really being as closely comparable as the above.

Holly Herndon also someone I admire in theory, and she's obviously very onto important issues (including cool collabs, esp. Metahaven), but there's something also a bit art school po-faced about it all. Appreciate 'Home', more than Chorus, for obvious political reasons.

Feel like you might get trapped in a conversation about gluten with her.

Or she might say, "oh my god, you're funny", after you tell a joke.

Johnny Fever, Dyl was confusing my comment on Karen Gwyer with Katie Gately, but I commented on Imago comparing Herndon with Gwyer. Gately is roughly in the same genre as Herndon, I guess, but Gwyer isn't.

oh lol i'm totally lost between the kgs

I felt good about wasting my #1 vote on a song only I was going to vote for at the time, but now I wish I'd played it a little differently.

The other great kg of the year was koo koo by gabi - Craig, imago, go watch that video

imago said katie gately and holly herndon get compared a lot but if we're crudely reducing to women who make experimental techno in 2014

That's what I was responding to, I guess. I don't think comparing those two women in particular is crude or sexist. They're definitely speaking the same musical language to my ears.

having your #1 not place builds character imo

yes

haha tru

Am familiar with GABI - that track is mint.

would like to thank everyone for getting us brought day one with only a single Hot Chip joke

Didn't vote for Katie Gately but her + Julia Holter was my favourite concert of 2014.

― seandalai, Monday, January 19, 2015 4:19 PM (5 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I got completely mixed up, now I realise I meant Karen Gwyer here :(

*through day one

If I'd been online I would have posted one when Robyn placed xp

My #1 was a Finnish rap tune, so it never had a chance of placing here... But I listened to that song in 2014 twice as much as any other tune, so it would've felt like cheating not to put it at the top of my list.

Fantastic imagery gr80.

This has been a very interesting first day - I think i only voted for "tchelete" but who cares when the results feel unpredictable in a good way.

The Holly Herndon video tickles me in all-new ways.

Catching up now, no tracks I've voted for yet. Prince Johnny was a late scratch.

Two tracks I voted for, Water Fountain and Tchelete. Lots of good discoveries, most of all Ninos do Brazil and Ana Tijoux.

My #1 was a Finnish rap tune

Yhdentekevää? Really really liked this stuff on the Spotify playlists, as did my gf (who is in fact saying right now: "it was the best!") :)

69 NICKI MINAJ "Anaconda" - voted for this. defensively qualifying that vote by saying that most of the stuff i really loved in 2014 wasnt nominated so its probably not in my personal 20 best but i still really like this a lot. trying to explain why makes me think about this article erstwhile ilmer tom ewing wrote for the music website pitchfork about music that 'stands the test of time'. ewing felt like that was kind of a meaningless or maybe nonsensical way of praising music but i disagree i think theres something really great about music thats 'lasted' long enough to ingrain itself into both public and private consciousness. its a testament. also i like the way she rhymes troy and boy

61 HOLLY HERNDON "Chorus" - thinking about girls with woven gold belts, indoor carpeting, a painting of the old microprose logo, anne carson, eating with paper utensils, cheap white wine, annie ling, laughing at jokes you cant quite hear, square leather backpacks in soft pastel colors, the ice trilogy. voted for this, really love it.

lamp ffs dont deprive us of knowing which tracks you havent heard

that style of rundown didnt seem v well received last time...

I think I was the only grumpus in that regard, but I'm over it this year.

My #1 was a Finnish rap tune

Yhdentekevää? Really really liked this stuff on the Spotify playlists, as did my gf (who is in fact saying right now: "it was the best!") :)

Yeah, that's the one, glad to hear someone else liked it too. It doesn't help that I find the female MC in the group is ridiculously cute, though it feels kinda silly to have "musician crush" at the age of 35. :)

The day I stop having crushes on musicians is the day I've died inside.

This was brought up in a revive of the 2008 albums results thread, but would a mod like to go back and hunt down the pre 2010 albums & tracks poll results and standardize the titles of them like we've done for the past five years? It would make them much easier to find when searching. Hint: musically liked to spell tracks as "trax".

Good start to the list! My only votes were Tijoux and R&R, but I had fun discovering Sombra da Lua and Tchelete. That Shakira song placing seems totally random.

Just caught up. Voted for Ninos du Brasil and Holly Herndon (though 'Home' was much higher on my ballot). Obviously I was the Katie Gately #1 voter.

Favourite new discovery: Ana Tijoux by a long chalk, but I'm also pretty into the Davido track. The Usher rhythm is really cool but I felt like it didn't go anywhere with it.

really cool to see people liking the ana tijoux, definitely check out her other stuff esp the new album. but don't just take my word for it:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/32863603/Screenshot%202015-01-18%2022.11.33.png

lmao oops

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/32863603/2014-08-15%2017.38.44.jpg

well if waste man likes it

All three of those things almost make me want to rescind my statement of admiration. But nah, that track is really great.

xp that's no way to talk about tom york ahaha

Ffs mark me down as another who inexplicably forgot to vote for Holly Herndon.

lol emily

Finally got around to listening to today's tracks, here's what I think:

Nicki Minaj - Lookin Ass: I'm happy to see this place, even though I didn't vote for it. Nicki kills her verses, but the vocal samples grate.

Owen Pallett - Song For Five & Six: I really loved this album and regretted cutting it from my ballot. I also cut "I Am Not Afraid" during my last round of cuts. I never really considered "Five & Six" a highlight from In Conflict, but that was very silly of me it turns out. The highlight is when the strings blend with the synth during the final minute.

Tune-Yards - Water Fountain: I somehow entirely missed the new Tune-Yards album even though I enjoyed the last one quite a bit. I'm pretty sure I heard the NPR stream, then forgot about it. "Water Fountain" reminds me a bit of Diplo-era MIA, which is a good look for T-Y. Doesn't really click for me until the end, when the track explodes.

Ninos Du Brasil - Sombra Da Lua: Never heard this before now. Just got back from two weeks in Brazil, so I'm really feeling the Samba percussion. I would wild out to this in a club but would likely never listen to this by myself. Wish it were longer, weirdly.

King - Mister Chameleon: Hadn't heard this one either, turned out to be totally different than what I expected from the first moments. It's totally gorgeous, with a unique melody. I'm ashamed that I've missed this until now.

Katie Gately - Pivot: I hear a lot of "Comfy in Nautica" in this one, but without the pop ambition (however little that was). I can appreciate the experimentation and the construction of this track without ever wanting to listen to it again.

Ana Tijoux Ft. Shadia Mansour "Somos Sur": I'm floored. Listening to this makes me realize just how little I pay attention to lyrics in my first go-rounds even when listening to rap in English. I respond to charisma, delivery and song structure and this song checks those boxes. So energetic, so vital.

Usher - Good Kisser: An amazing track that I completely forgot to vote for. Didn't seem to need my help anyway. Love the way the arrangement expands and contracts, with so many interlocking vocal and instrumental hooks.

Nicki Minaj - Anaconda: Not a fan of Nicki's flow on this song or her groan-worthy punchlines. Reminds me of Encore-era Eminem's jokey songs in a way, and that's not a good look.

Davido ft. Mafikizolo - Tchelete: This is super-energetic and danceable and I love it.

Röyksopp & Robyn - Do It Again: Far from my favorite Röyksopp, far from my favorite Robyn. I do love the part where Robyn says, "The anticipation, you know it's like mm-mm-mm"

Shakira - Empire Hadn't heard this one either. I can't get past the typically corny lyrics or Shakira's weird hiccup-y delivery, though I do like the melody. I'd almost definitely prefer this in Spanish. Reminds me weirdly of a mixture of Massive Attack's "Teardrop" on the chorus.

St. Vincent - Prince Johnny: Narrowly missed my ballot, voted instead for "Huey Newton," which will certainly not place. "Prince Johnny" is beautiful and dreamlike, but what truly makes the song are the ugly elements, like the compressed percussion and the overblown guitar lines.

Duke Dumont ft. Jax Jones - I Got U: It's no "Need U," but what is. It's very consciously trying to be a "summer jam" and it mostly succeeds. It's very bright and warm. The steel drum hook reminds me a lot of this, and the rest of the track evokes "Rather Be," though I prefer that.

Caribou - Silver I used to like this guy a lot, but I haven't paid nearly enough attention to him since he released Andorra, which I loved. I still haven't listened to Our Love all the way through yet, and as a result haven't heard this yet. The vocals have a strange echo/reverb, which make the track sound like it was recorded underwater. It's much better during the hypnotic instrumental section of the end, though Snaith owes one to Gold Panda/Charli XCX for the vocal sample.

Against Me! - FUCKMYLIFE666: I somehow skipped this entire record and after hearing this I regret it. Actually, scratch that, I've skipped the entirety of Against Me!'s career. Of course I know the story of Laura Jane Grace by now, and knowing the story definitely enhances the experience of the song. That said, "FUCKMYLIFE666" would succeed even without the backstory, sounding like a souped-up, hookier version of the Mountain Goats.

Holly Herndon - Chorus: Stitched-together, glitchy vocals, but I like this more than Julia Holter or Julianna Barwick or whoever I'm thinking of. I also like it a lot better than that Katie Gately track from before.

http://www.samosapedia.com/e/waste_fellow xposts

Really enjoying the image format for this rollout, bravo!

"Anaconda" is the only song of these I've heard, didn't care about it. Sampled the Davido, and I'm not sure yet if it's for me, but I was intrigued enough to wanna try again - may work better for me w/o the video.

Oh yeah, I wanted to mention that the Davido video is chock full of fly motherfucking outfits.

I seriously could listen to nothing but tunes like "Tchelete", "Skelewu" and "Khona" for the rest of my goddamn life.

great job gr8080, as expected.

0/17 lol

pretty sure I voted, and that I voted for two of these (Pallett/Tijoux)

Just catching up on the rollout so far... More stuff I've enjoyed at this point in the poll than last year, I think. I wish I could understand the lyrics of the Tijoux, but some of the attitude comes through and with the music that's enough to send me off in search of the album. The ILX tracks poll is usually my go-to place to discover the club tracks that I missed, since I don't often make it to clubs, and with "Tchelete" and "I Got U" and "Good Kisser", this poll has not disappointed so far. I believe I was the #1 vote for "Water Fountain". Garbus seems like someone who is constitutionally incapable of playing it cool, which as a major nerd is something I immediately respond to. A lot of the more subtle stuff in the rollout exhausted my attention span, but the Herndon was kind of nice.

L and I listened all the way through unless noted:

Look Ass - love the sparseness and the rapidfire delivery on this, liked it much more than I expected

Owen P - this sounds great on the surface but it's not my kinda vocal style, too ornate, I dunno, sorry.

King - nice voice but not for me

Gately - like most of this but no thanks to the yelping/digeridoo part

Tijoux - y'all had me pumped for this but I was v. disappointed except for the big chorus near the end, just too mechanical sounding, not enough hooks

Usher - not for me, skipped forward at 3:00

Anaconda - never heard this before, would like it much more as a 3-minute edit but would definitely dance to this

Davido - yes to this, echoes of reggaeton/toasting?

Royskopp - what a leaden beat, nice melody got boring fast, skipped at 3:00

Shakira - hey it's the 90's! is this a conscious throwback? pretty good.

St. Vincent - don't like this, skipped at 3:00, NickB otm

Duke Dumont - got repetitive, skipped at 3:00

Caribuo - I like this track MUCH better that Can't Do Without You, hadn't heard it before

Against Me - I got this song mixed up with "Drinking With The Jocks", it makes much more sense that this placed

Herndon - I liked this but wouldn't seek it out again

oops forgot:

Tuneyards - we both love this and I voted for it

Ninos Du Brasil - we both love this, forgot to vote for it

so happy Empire made it, it was my #1. i was trying to find an adjective to describe the lyrics: i was going to go with "earnest" but actually "corny" probably captures it better. i love its earnest corniness! i love the juxtaposition of the slangy "and i'm like" with the grandiose, beyond-words declaration of joy. ("and i'm like" is also one of those phrases that's emblematic of the flighty-teenage-girl stereotype, and i love how unabashed she is in using it.)

favorite discovery of this section was the katie gately track, didn't think i'd have patience for it but was very pleasantly surprised.

why are we all giving our hot takes on every song

Because who needs a blog when you've got ILM?

feeling reddening's description of the shakira track, it's def corny in a good way. i like how her ooOOOooOoOoOo's simulate a full-body shudder of the type of joy her lyrics are describing

why are we all giving our hot takes on every song
― j. winters (josh),

lol bcz it's a geeky music message board where ppl talk a lot abt music, dawg

I don't want to derail this thread with a discussion of what a "hot take" is but I'm pretty sure that phrase has lost whatever meaning it had in the first place due to the internet's tendency for overusage - what did it mean? A contrarian opinion? A disingenuous opinion? Whatever, who the fuck cares. I hate how it's used on Twitter to shut down discussion.

Okay, back to top track discussion, had to get that off my chest

At the risk of derail, i think it does capture a certain mode of internet journalism - e.g. a million thinkpieces on what Charlie Hebdo "means" published within 24 hours of the event - quite well.

To continue the longstanding tradition of providing unsolicited hot takes on each and every song -- ladies and gentlemen, my live-blogging thoughts on this 1st set:

Nicki Minaj - Lookin Ass : good track. I don't remember Anaconda being nearly this good IMO. Great production on the drums and great flow. The track as a whole seems too short and underdeveloped? Sounds like the start of something that never amounts to much. The muffled vocal sample and synth aren't particularly memorable either. 6/10

Owen Pallett - Song for Five and Six : excellent arpeggiator synth intro. Hooked immediately. Uh oh, lyrics are atrocious. Vocals are lame. Sick beat drop bro, but the snare drum is flat. Percussion effects, synth fills, and string break are a welcome addition. Why is this song still going? Outro was redeeming, but this probably could ended after the intro arpeggiator lick. 4.5/10

tune-yards - Water Fountain : right groovin' percussion -- good progression through the song, earwormy AnCo-style hook that won't age well. Bass player could probably turn their volume down. The track immediately changed to one called "Bizness" afterwards, which sounds much better than this. 6.5/10 anyway

Ninos du Brasil : Sombra du Lua : mmmhmmmm. Now we're talking. 9/10

Mister Chameleon : KING : I've heard this before, somewhere. Nice bouncy bass and synth arrangement. Songwriting is great. 7.5/10

Katie Gately - Pivot : "hungry hungry hippo?" - like randomly generated impressions of pop. Cool mid-section starting around the 7:40 mark. Some very creative parts in this. 11:00 mark opens another world. 8/10

Ana Tijoux - Somos Sur : love the verse sample hook, percussion throughout. catchy chorus. The featured artist takes this for me - great stuff. 7.5/10

Usher - Good Kisser : wohoooo damn son where'd you find this 8.5/10

Nicki Minaj - Anaconda : not so bad listening into it the context of these other tracks. It's fun, but it's not much of a dance track, and not much of a hip-hop track. Not much of a song at all, really. Not sure what it is. Loses points for Drake being in the video. 4/10

Davido - Tchelete (Goodlife) : nice rolling intensity; very catchy 7.5/10

Royksopp, Robyn - Do It Again : a song I've heard previously!, albeit once. I forgot it sounded like this. It doesn't really stand up with the other tracks here, IMO. But nice production, I guess. Needs more Robyn, and bring the old Royksopp back. Sounds like a track from a number of years ago, at a time when Royksopp did not sound like the popular music being released at the time. Surprised this is what they came up with in 2014? 5/10

Shakira - Empire : wow, beautiful. The modern chorus is on overdrive on a number of levels. 7.5/10

St. Vincent - Prince Johnny : lyrics are bad. But it's a nice song. I like it. It's kind of the same idea over and over. Can I turn it off now? 7/10

Duke Dumont - I Got U ft. Jax Jones - Fun, like a beach. Love 'dem steel drums. Boop bing bong. Sounds like the kind of song I needed to hear at 5am after one of those nights for it to mean something. I give it 7/10 for its unrealized potential in my psyche.

Caribou - Silver : the sounds here are amazing. I always avoid Caribou for some reason, but this is deep, meditative. Something about picturing that dude singing in falsetto irks me though. I saw him live circa Andorra but don't remember a thing except that every possible frequency was filled with sound. This has a nice a climax. Call me Pleasantly Surprised, and I'll call you back. 8/10

Against Me! - FUCKMYLIFE666 : Wut. 4/10

Holly Herndon - Chorus : Yeah, sounds straight from the school of oneohtrix, but not afraid to hold onto a fixed BPM it seems, with a pop progression and song structure. It's kind of like where you wish some oneohtrax would latch onto and go, but then once you hear it you realize why he maintains his tension and restraint. I'd probable be more impressed if I'd never heard R Plus Seven. The video is mesmerizing, but I'm trying not to let that factor into my decision unless Drake has a cameo. 7.5/10

why are we all giving our hot takes on every song
― j. winters (josh)

idk what else you think would be posted in this thread

i have enjoyed reading all the hot takes so far. gonna get the ninos du brasil and ana tijoux albums, and that shakira single's gonna get into rotation too

oh wow fuckmylife666 placed! an agonising late cut for me so happy to see it broke the 77 anyway :D
and chorus was my #3 - such an amazing piece of music
great list so far and echo my earlier statement of fantastic smart images

yes a+ presentation. lol, didn't realise til seeing the full imgur page that they're alternating sides

It goes without saying that one of the best things about I Got U is how DD interpolates 'Your Love Is My Love' but places the vocal so it lands at a completely different part in the beat. Rather than being 'cut-up', the male vocal sounds like it's been extended, or opened up, which is also unusual. The way the vox are contextualised like this meant it took me a while to grok on to where the vocal source came from, even though I'd been listening to YLIML just a few weeks before.

Prince Johnny was my #4. Like the Owen Pallett album, the St Vincent LP is short of bad tracks and is the kind of record where my favourite song changed regularly on the first several plays. But I eventually found myself listening to this one more than any. Whoever said it's the 'ugly' parts of her music that make it, is OTM. SV's music is very much about spiky, somewhat awkward phrases rubbing up against moments of startling beauty, and that's what's happening here. The pay off comes when she gets to the Court & Spark-style harmonies and the music starts swirling round her head. Also a fantastic musician and live performer. I could see her becoming a mega-star on the next album.

Much as I love both Katie Gately and Holly Herndon, I find myself getting confused about which tracks are which and where they appear. Both seem to have been keen on releasing a lot of split-singles and single track things it's hard top keep up. So is Chorus the one with the video of a computer desk rendered in VR graphics? I love that one.

Really enjoying that Owen Pallet track. Never crossed my radar before. What other things of his should I be checking out?

Not keen on any of the music so far but its interesting to hear different things I wouldnt otherwise hear.

i like the images

I dont usually post negative thoughts but here it feels ok to do so. An occasional hot take to clear the january air

yep chorus is the one with the computer desks
and in relation to owen pallett, personal choices but i'd recommend the riverbed off his latest, and this is the dream of win and regine way back from his first album (under the alias final fantasy)
genuinely love all four of his solo records though and would say that if you have the time to, to check them all

correction, i liked he poos clouds but never loved it :'(

Ok, cheers

Both seem to have been keen on releasing a lot of split-singles and single track things it's hard top keep up

i wish! katie gately discography is really short: 1 x cassette (Pipes), 1 x 12" EP, 1 x split 12" (includes 'Pivot'), 1 x split 7" (includes 'Far')

might be more stuff on her soundcloud, but otherwise it's just the two songs in 2014

Love love love that Ninos do Brasil track, those rotating drums sound great on headphones.

yh so far,

voted for: gately

love: pallett, herndon

like a lot: ninos, against me, MAYBE st vincent

other: the others

why are we all giving our hot takes on every song

Because a rollout without discussing what we think of the songs would be really fucking boring?

Whoever said it's the 'ugly' parts of her music that make it, is OTM. SV's music is very much about spiky, somewhat awkward phrases rubbing up against moments of startling beauty, and that's what's happening here.

See, I know this is what people like about St Vincent, and having seen clips of her live I can sort of get it, but listening to this track I don't hear "ugliness vs beauty" at all, I just hear a mid-range radio blandness.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

maybe it works better in the context of the album/rest of her work. like, Prince Johnny is a highlight on that record because it comes as a much-needed breather after a bunch of fairly fast/jerky songs. I could imagine hearing it for the first time as an individual tune and thinking it might be a bit on the sleepy side. It's def a song that reveals itself after a few plays.

My six year old daughter gives a big thumbs up to that Shakira track.

Very happy that AM! placed - I voted for this, but it was more to make up for forgetting to nominate the True Trans EP for last year's poll, I'll fill my singles ballot with AM! tracks I don't care

Here's the true trans version, I like it better than the album http://youtu.be/4q5oAY4BIcE

Because a rollout without discussing what we think of the songs would be really fucking boring?

instead of posting hot takes ppl should type out the names of the tracks and then put ::claps politely:: after each of them.

MONDAY RECAP:

Gallery of today's images

77 NICKI MINAJ "Lookin Ass"
76 OWEN PALLETT "Song for Five & Six”
75 TUNE-YARDS "Water Fountain"
74 NINOS DU BRASIL "Sombra da Lua"
73 KING "Mister Chameleon"
72 KATIE GATELY "Pivot"
71 ANA TIJOUX Ft. Shadia Mansour "Somos Sur"
70 USHER "Good Kisser"
69 NICKI MINAJ "Anaconda"
68 DAVIDO "Tchelete" Ft. Mafikizolo
67 RÖYKSOPP & ROBYN "Do It Again"
66 SHAKIRA "Empire"
65 ST. VINCENT "Prince Johnny"
64 DUKE DUMONT "I Got U" Ft. Jax Jones
63 CARIBOU "Silver"
62 AGAINST ME! "FUCKMYLIFE666"
61 HOLLY HERNDON "Chorus"

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9627011/photos/golfclap.gif

http://i.imgur.com/O98fLAn.jpg

60 MARK RONSON "Uptown Funk" Ft Bruno Mars [252 points, 7 votes]
http://youtu.be/OPf0YbXqDm0

monday was a great day
well done everybody

sure didn't take long for you guys to poop in the punchbowl today

actually can't imagine a song i'll hate more in this poll, unless "happy" is eligible, but at least we've saved the higher echelons of the 2015 poll. like if one of the organised fun assignments on an office team building day was to make a michael jackson song. brr

Feel like 2015 is going to be more of a year of impact for that song.

My id thinks Uptown Funk sounds terrific, but my ego can't help feeling slightly sceptical that this isn't just a bunch of touchstones and vamps that have been cynically smooshed together for optimum effect. Part of me says 'fuck it well that's what a large part of pop music is all about' and the other part isn't so sure whether 'Get Lucky''s fairy dust works as well the second time round.

It's amazing that I still haven't gotten tired of "Uptown Funk."

like if one of the organised fun assignments on an office team building day was to make a michael jackson song. brr

Or what lex said, p much.

I loathe Bruno Mars and love loathing Bruno Mars but this is my jam. He should sing in that cocaine-husk of a whisper forever.

This is the kind of music that a band that goes on Jonathan Ross or Letterman might play. Thankfully I dont even have a tv

My #2, prob caught up in joy from New Years Parties and all that. But I love it, much more than Get Lucky. It really is "touchstones and vamps that have been cynically smooshed together for optimum effect" which is what makes it so much better than when touchstones and vamps are cynically smooshed together to seem 'authentic' or 'tasteful'. I love the almost EDM-like dynamics of it.

his voice on this is so weak

felt that way about "fuck you"

love "uptown funk" tho

i don't care about how cynical the motivations were behind this but the end result is joyless and insipid

"fuck you", "happy", "all about that bass", all need to get in the bin

Thankfully I dont even have a tv

* * ILX SIRENS AWOOGA * *

'Happy' is definitely more irritating than this. 'Happy' is up there with Lenny Kravitz' 'Fly Away' a hit song that doubles as a hatchback commercial

"Fuck you" is the worst

I love Bruno Mars and take the hateposts about him around here a bit too personally but this song is trying too hard to please. Orgafun is a good comparison but see also Hollywood movie plots put together by committee of scriptwriters.

Yeah, Uptown Funk is the Skyfall of popmusic. But I love Skyfall as well. Sometimes it works.

'Fuck You', 'Crazy', 'Uptown Funk', 'Get Lucky', 'Happy' - dangerously close to becoming a genre in itself.

Thankfully I dont even have a tv

flagged

Happy is in a category of its own, no way is this as bad. Neither is it as bad as Fuck You, which was more in your face about its melodic gimmicks and only slightly listenable the very first time. This one is just a piece of sound pastiche with not much of a song to it and I don't particularly like it or hate it.

I never heard this before either. I guess I'm not listening to the radio anymore or something...

YouTube views:
115,699,903

Part of me says 'fuck it well that's what a large part of pop music is all about' and the other part isn't so sure whether 'Get Lucky''s fairy dust works as well the second time round.

― quinoa: how's it spelt? (dog latin), Tuesday, 20 January 2015 12:47 (9 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

it's not even "get lucky" a second time round, more like the latest in that long line of "happy", "fuck you", "blurred lines", "crazy", "hey ya", "crazy in love" etc. that sort of inoffensive retro funk that somehow manages to appeal to every demographic (aka older white ppl) so as to top every radio format and become inescapable (and then ends up on wedding playlists forever). i actually can't think of a more popular style of song (although ofc it generally needs an engaging performer over the top). there's going to be loads more before the decade is out.

I never heard this before either. I guess I'm not listening to the radio anymore or something...

YouTube views:
115,699,903

― MikoMcha,

#1 song in America.

and was #1 in England.

'Fuck You', 'Crazy', 'Uptown Funk', 'Get Lucky', 'Happy' - dangerously close to becoming a genre in itself.

― quinoa: how's it spelt? (dog latin), Tuesday, 20 January 2015 Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

you mean pop music?

I'm not 100% on board with get lucky but it's abt a hundred times better than either cee-lo cut

Just catching up on the rollout so far... More stuff I've enjoyed at this point in the poll than last year, I think

yus, no indie, no country and no metal. A great roll out so far. A proper tracks poll.