It’s pretty late to share for a list of my favorite albums from the past year, 2018–January is about to end, yikes–but I thought I’d still push through writing this and recap, albeit briefly, what drew me to the following albums.
Shaw, Learning to Ride a Bike
For someone like me who just casually enjoys post-rock/math rock/instrumental rock, Learning to Ride a Bike by Shaw may be intimidating. It’s always my case with listening to works belonging to the genre, since they do not follow conventional song structures. Upon repeated listenings of the EP, however–I’ve listened to it on my way to work/school so many times–there are engaging riffs and clear, clean sounds all around, which makes for a great listening experience.
BROCKHAMPTON, Iridescence
I have, as the kids say it, slept on BROCKHAMPTON until 2018, when “1999 WILDFIRE” came up on one of my Daily Mixes on Spotify. It’s catchy and energetic and it made me an instant fan. Iridescence, their 2018 album, has that same compelling energy. Some bars brim with confidence (“‘Til the casket drops I will play God,” Joba raps in “J’OUVERT”) while others reveal vulnerability (“I thought I had a problem, kept my head inside a pillow screaming,” Kevin Abstract in “WEIGHT”). I liked that they have weaved in interesting sounds too, like the transition from loud bass kick-y album opener “NEW ORLEANS” to piano-driven “THUG LIFE” and the engine revving in “BERLIN.” It’s a feat that all these voices and efforts–they’re a 14-strong boy band–came together in this fun hip-hop album.
No Rome, RIP Indo Hisashi
I’ll admit that I didn’t listen to much of No Rome’s material before he got picked up by Dirty Hit, so RIP Indo Hisashi is my first foray to his music (probably the first, if I am to exclude his contribution to BP Valenzuela’s “bbgirl”). And what a nice way to be introduced to No Rome: RIP Indo Hisashi is fun, lush electronic pop-slash-R&B. Though it dwells on melancholy and teenage romance, it surprisingly did not ward me off. The guitars and synths in “Seventeen” are my favorite parts. It’s a shame it’s only four tracks long though, but this is completely understandable as this might also be a teaser for things to come. Side-note: I’ve yet to look up who Indo Hisashi is.
Tom Misch, Geography
I grew up listening to old-school jazz and bossa nova (thanks to my musician dad) so I developed an appreciation for it, and it thrills me that musicians from my generation have picked up a thing or two from these genres. Tom Misch is one of those musicians, and he does so mind-blowingly. In Geography, his 2018 release, there are lots of tinges from not just jazz and bossa nova but also funk, hip hop, and electronica. His singing is also soft, smooth, and easy. The centerpiece of the album, “It Runs Through Me,” is a funky hymn to the magic of music and music-making and is nice reflection of his own practice. He also had interesting renditions of “Man Like You” and “Isn’t She Lovely.” And there’s nothing quite like watching him and his band live, which I got to do last year too when he was part of Karpos Live Mix 2.1.
Charlie Lim, CHECK-HOOK
Charlie Lim’s 2014 record TIME/SPACE had thoughtful songwriting and a mix of blues and jazz, acoustic guitar and piano, and relaxed electronic beats–it made me a huge fan of the Singaporean artist. In 2018’s CHECK-HOOK though, he did away with blues and acoustic sounds. This record is now more electronic pop than TIME/SPACE, but it has that same brilliant, perfectionist, and introspective lyrics. It also featured some pretty rap verses from Farriz Jabba and Yung Raja and stunning vocals from Weish. I was lucky to have watched him for a Singapore Tourism Board event–I watched him sing tracks from CHECK-HOOK live, and I was able to tell him how much his music meant to me.
Sobs, Telltale Signs
Yup, another Singaporean act. Telltale Signs is the best bedroom pop album I’ve ever heard, but maybe that’s because it’s the only bedroom pop album I’ve ever heard… in years (the only other bedroom pop album that comes to mind is Michael Cera’s True That). The albums sounds so uncomplicated, effortless, and warm. It has smart lyrics, too; my favorite line is from the album opener “Vacation:” “Everyday is looking so bleak/ Your smile won’t last so take a picture now.”
UNIQUE, Grandma
Even with his departure from the funk and disco sounds of his former group, UNIQUE’s new venture takes inspiration from the sounds of yesteryears; the wonder kid has an old soul, I guess. It has a gripping first half, but the second half had forgettable melodies; maybe I’m not just that drawn too much on his forays into ballads and folk, or the album really did not put too much focus on track sequence. There is noteworthy songwriting in Grandma, and I find it most emphasized in “OZONE (Itulak and Pinto);” “Sunog ang katawan, ulo hanggang paa/ Dagitab ng bawat isa ay nadarama.” It’s a curious piece of work; it explores the 1996 tragedy. I was uncomfortable upon first listen, despite finding it sonically pleasing. It’s an undeniably remarkable track. Despite the weird track sequence, I still found myself listening to it many times in the past year, because it’s such a beautiful debut.
And here are the things I’m looking forward to this year:
Childish Gambino
The folks over at r/donaldglover have speculated that the new Gambino album will drop in December just like Because the Internet and Awaken, My Love!, and specifically on December 28th, since the number has been appearing on his recent shows. Sadly, nothing was released. And Summer Pack just left me wanting more. Here’s hoping that Gambino record drops this year, because I cannot keep on relying on YouTube for the audio of “Saturday,” which he first performed on Saturday Night Live.
Banna Harbera
Their number of records is inversely proportional to their talent. I find two EPs with three tracks each too modest for a band brimming with full-bodied funk and soul sound. If their 2018 release “We’ll Be Fine” is a sign of things to come, their full-length album just couldn’t arrive soon enough. Thankfully, they have announced the date of their album launch.
I am also super excited to listen to releases from Vampire Weekend, Bombay Bicycle Club (who has just announced their return from hiatus), and Foals!
I’ve read probably dozens of write-ups online saying “[Insert year here] was a good year for music” which I think is futile because there’s always gonna be good music all around. The challenge now actually lies in sifting through all the amazing records released in the year, and it’s pretty hard to keep up with all of them. So here’s to 2019; may it be filled with good records and may I get to listen to them all.
Napakinggan 