Well, here we are. As the celebration over 2015 finally begins to calm, with the year settling in, there's only one thing left to do, and that's to drool over this list of musical releases we're expected to be gifted with. As a big proponent of 2014's sad slate of releases, with big name artists failing to reach expectations and many more simply gliding by, Dozens Of Donuts is prepared to go head-on and tackle this year with reckless abandon. Looking back, as each year becomes a fading memory, I full envision 2015 overshadowing 2014 in ways no year has done before. Because, as you're about to find out as you read further, '15 is going to be like none other, stacked to the brim with artists from every walk of life, colliding together to create a memorable year like none has done beforehand. Here is the Year That Will Be, 2015.
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Announced
Panda Bear
Panda Bear Meets The Grim Reaper
January 9th
January 9th
Why You Should Be Excited: The kickstarter to 2015 actually leaked quite a while before it hit shelves, in early December. That gave critics and fans alike copious amounts of time to ponder over the quality of the piece itself. And while, I may have have been on the high horse in regards to its merits, I can certainly see the quality many are receiving out of it. Noah Lennox has never been one for quality lyricism, always focused on the production at hand. And this time around he relishes in it, 'Mr.Noah' being the beaming example of his romp through metallic, rustic synthesizers and keyboard constructs. Songs bounce, glimmer, and wreck havoc across the sound stage, and are met with serene moments of contemplation, like the album's centerpiece 'Tropic Of Cancer.' At the very least, PBMTGR is yet another look into the ever-expanding catalog of Animal Collective, building upon their ever-noted taste for musical diversity.
B4DA$$
January 20th
January 20th
Why You Should Be Excited: Whilst many critique artists like Joey Badass and Bishop Nehru for attempting to relive the 90's era of Hip-Hop, the matter of face is that the New York-based rappers grew up on it, it ran their lives, playing it out on the big stage could lead to great successes, or dashing failures like NehruvianDOOM. Here's to hoping Joey Badass' debut album, boasted by the never-ending hype of 'real' Hip-Hop purists, leads down a better path than Nehru's missed opportunity of a lifetime. The singles to dawn upon listeners thus far have shown promise, and more of what you'd expect. Street raps, from the production style, to the lyrics, to the flows. Few argue Joey's talents at revitalizing this type of Hip-Hop, but more argue on why it should be revitalized in the first place, the era has already ran its course, what's a 19-year old prodigy gonna do to spice things up? Hopefully B4DA$$ can bring something fresh to the table, whilst also sounding vintage. If it's half as good as the title we can hope for a quality debut.
Viet Cong
Sleater-Kinney
Viet Cong
Viet Cong
January 20th
January 20th
Why You Should Be Excited: The debut from Canadian Art Rock band Viet Cong is a sporadic release that hinges on the guitar like a deranged homeless man does on his own words. It's teetering on paranoia, ramblings compete with the abrasive instrumental segments that dominate some songs. And yet, it all sounds appropriately structured. Unsure of the bands initial intentions, being named Viet Cong could not be more on point, as the production style sounds picked out of fantastical interpretations of the Vietnam War of the 1960's. The rushed 38 minutes, spanned over just 7 songs, is likely more than anyone can take with the ample amounts of crazed aggression on display here, down to the 11-minute closer 'Death' which spirals out of control. As a debut Viet Cong shows tremendous promise.
No Cities To Love
January 20th
January 20th
Why You Should Be Excited: Growing up around Hip-Hop gave me few opportunities to expand past my pre-concieved limitations. Punk Rock helmed by three girls was probably one of the last visitations I'd make. And yet, here we are. Lured in by the aura that is a gap of ten years since last release, the realization that a core member, Carrie Brownstein, stars in one of my favorite shows, and the regurgitated acclaim Sleater-Kinney received has me ever-so intrigued in No Cities To Love. The dying flowers adorning the cover only add to the mystery surrounding their decade since prominence. No longer angsty teens, or rebelling 20-something's, the three-piece Rock group now have families to attend to and interests that look beyond their former punkish ways, making No Cities To Love an interesting album released during an interesting time.
Gliss Riffer
February 24th
February 24th
Why You Should Be Excited: There are few albums this year I'm more excited for than Dan Deacon's follow-up to 2012's America. The technical wizard whose frantic live shows pour out into his music feature dizzying production, an electronic montage filled with nothing but highs. And lead single 'Feel The Lightning' couldn't have been a better introduction to the sound we'd want to hear from Gliss Riffer. 2009's Bromst is one of my favorite electronic albums of all-time. The aura that surrounded it matched the cover perfectly, it sounded like a nighttime rendezvous in the jungle. America seemed to depart into maturity, attempting to convey on an epic scale the thoughts Deacon has music as a whole. And yet, the best tracks there were the ones that didn't attempt to accomplish anything besides having fun. Based on the cover and the lead single and Deacon's statements of Gliss Riffer's inherent bliss, his latest could be something special.
Sour Soul
February 24th
February 24th
Why You Should Be Excited: We've been waiting to hear what rappers would sound like over BadBadNotGood's immediately distinguishable literal soundscapes. They have been imitating famous productions left and right ever since their first self-titled LP. Here, we'll get our first full-length taste with the help of Ghostface Killah on Sour Soul. Many rappers from the 90's struggled to crossover and maintain relevancy due to their inability to expand past their sounds. Here, GFK will attempt to boast over live Jazz instrumentation, a contrast that could blow up in flames just as easily as it could prevail. The singles released thus far are promising, along with the featured guest list, namely Danny Brown, Elzhi, and DOOM. Expected to come out in late February, Sour Soul may awaken some to Ghostface's legendary status, while also awakening himself as he attempts to break new ground.
Surf
TBD
TBD
Why You Should Be Excited: It's not often that the artist people are looking forward to the most just happens to be after the '&' in a group's name, but that's exactly the case here. While Surf aims to show off Donnie Trumpet's immaculate trumpeteering, it's really one member of his collective, Chance The Rapper, that has everyone anticipating Surf's eventual release. The tracks released thus far, from 'Sunday Candy' to 'Wonderful Everyday,' have be joyous occasions parading through live instrumentation, reminiscent of Acid Rap's most captivating listen 'Interlude (That's Love).' It'll be interesting to see how the free album plays out, as the voice bouncing all over it isn't even the featured artist headlining the group, a welcomed transition towards a focus on the collective rather than a singular lead.
The Powers That B
February 10th (Rumored)
February 10th (Rumored)
Why You Should Be Excited: Within any niche group right now in music none are more excited than Death Grips' fans for their 'final' album. Eagerly anticipating release ever since the first half's surprise drop in June, along with the lead single's reveal, fans have been creating hype for themselves for the supposed end. Where many have found Death Grips' latest antics cumbersome, and their music too difficult to enjoy, many others have found their work improving, as they themselves believe, calling it quits at the top of their game. I'm inclined to agree, Niggas On The Moon was a daunting, claustrophobic 8 tracks that forced listeners to understand the cryptic messages behind them, admiring the lunacy showcased in the production methods. What's next to come, as anyone who's familiar with the group knows, is anyone's guess.
Strangers To Ourselves
March 3rd
March 3rd
Why You Should Be Excited: It only took eight years but Modest Mouse is finally set to release another record. There's few groups, if any, that has succeeded like the Washington-based has in receiving critical and commercial acclaim based on two halves of their career. The first, lauded, rightfully so, in many respects with their inventive, audacious look at grunge in the late 90's. The second, a turn to a more pop-oriented style as the group themselves begins to age, resorting to a more subdued, but equally coherent sound and content based around a central theme. If lead single 'Lampshades On Fire' is any indication, the latter seems to be the prevailing sound of their forthcoming 6th LP, for better or worse. Despite eight years vanishing in the blink of an eye, lead singer Issac Brock and Modest Mouse haven't lost ground to We Were Dead's nautical Rock sound, and based upon the cover and title Strangers To Ourselves is likely to include a strong message gearing toward urbanization and one's loss of identity.
Ivy Tripp
April 7th
April 7th
Why You Should Be Excited: Singer song-writer Katie Crutchfield is Waxahatchee, and if lead single 'Air' off her 3rd LP is anything to go by, she has a lot to say. But as any good poet would have you believe, the strongest messages are better off getting across in as little words as possible. Crutchfield utilizes this, as evident on her 2013 record Cerulean Salt, by resorting to minimalistic measures, in sound, style, and scope. She's been quoted as saying that "Cerulean Salt is a solid. Ivy Tripp is a gas." Expect more fluid interpretations of her collective thoughts, which shall seep into the sounds that protrude behind her. With a voice that can soar, hum, and whisper all with the same talents, Waxahatchee could have no problem surprising many with her latest LP, look out for it in April.
Eat Pray Thug
March 10th
March 10th
Why You Should Be Excited: Every conversation centered around Heems or Kool A.D. will divulge into "what could have been." The defunct group Das Racist led a disruptive charge in alternative Hip-Hop, pushing boundaries in and out of the music itself. They had technical skills but resorted much of their lyricism to Lil B-style nonsensical ramblings. And yet, people ate it up, because they had charisma, could flow like the best of them, and chose selectively dope beats. Then Heems hit a low, as hard drugs began to overtake his life. Slowly getting back on track, Eat Pray Thug will be the Queens rapper's first release since 2012. The lead single 'Sometimes' is promising and disorganized in all the right ways. What Heems and Kool A.D. do best is make music that's almost impossible to make; often one-take, filled with slips, distorted beats that never seem fully rendered, a perfectionist's nightmare. That's why we're excited.
Dear Tommy
February 14th
February 14th
Why You Should Be Excited: Coming three years after their 17-track, 91 minute opus Kill For Love, the Chromatics are back with Dear Tommy, another Synthpop orgy that'll tease another epic. Their Italian Disco sound received a revitalization thanks to 2011's cult-classic Drive, which features an 80's glam-inspired soundtrack that drove listeners wild and featured their song 'Tick Of The Clock.' While details are scarce, even the release tentatively due out on Valentine's Day, the band aims at creating yet another opera that'll captivate listeners into their Dream Pop love stories for late night drives down barren city streets. Their style lands themselves dead center in the new obsession over Glam Pop, with a deviation in terms of new, stylized electronics that help complement the sound on a more grander scale. Look for Dear Tommy to show up on a lot of year-end lists.
Carrie & Lowell
March 31st
March 31st
Why You Should Be Excited: There's hardly a few names I can pick that go to the beat of their own drum more than Sufjan Stevens. Its been five years since his lauded Age Of Adz, which came five years after his even-more lauded Illinois, which was the third album in a string of 3 in the same amount of years. He keeps busy though, making Christmas albums and teaming up with experimentalist Son Lux and rapper Serengeti to form Sisyphus, one of the oddest pairings of this decade. And yet, here he is, set to release Carrie & Lowell, a dedication to his parents, come the end of March. The aim is a return to his folk roots, something that has a lot of fans excited, but clearly nothing as audacious as Illinois judging from the track list. But even then, sometimes ambition doesn't always lead to a good project. But, as has always been the case, Stevens may confuse, perplex, and bewilder his followers, but when it comes to music, he almost always delivers.
Vulnicura
March
March
Why You Should Be Excited: Bjork's Bjork, I shouldn't need to explain why you should be excited. She's possibly one of the most eclectic musicians of all-time, impossible to define, a genre list that expands past one's own imagination. And while her recent work has been a little iffy there's no denying the need to check out her latest, which will be co-produced by Arca, coming off the heels of his critically loved Xen. All we know for now is that there's gonna be nine songs, but knowing Bjork we'll be in a for event-filled release, maybe not to the likes of a gameplay-filled App, but one can hope.
Another Eternity
March 3rd
March 3rd
Why You Should Be Excited: Few debut albums in 2012 sparked more discussion than Purity Ring's Shrines, and with reason. It was a condensed, expertly crafted electronic pop album that utilized the latest glitch-hop trends to captivate listeners in an instant. Three years has passed with a few noted collaborations to their name, namely Danny Brown, crazed Detroit rapper of all people, on the fantastic '25 Bucks.' But now is time for another detour back into their own world, with Another Eternity. The focus this time seems to be on Megan James' lyrics and voice, as the Synthpop that cascades behind her still in focus as a beaconing to lure in listeners.
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Expected
TBA
TBD
TBD
Why You Should Be Excited: Now here come the question marks. And let's start with the biggest, Kendrick Lamar. No other artist is coming off such a high-caliber album than Kendrick and his major label debut good kid, m.A.A.d. city. Ever since lead single 'i''s perplexing release, fans have been curious, albeit slightly worried, as to what Lamar's follow-up might be filled with. And then came The Colbert Report's magical performance of a untitled track, which used live instrumentation and odd structuring to create a one-of-a-kind performance. And then he acknowledged the fact that the song wouldn't even be on the album. So we're at a loss. But what we know is that it's going to be big, bold, and, likely, very good. On top of all that, with his not-so-recent comments that it could have received a 2014 release, the un-named album could be much closer than we're expecting.
TBA
TBD
TBD
Why You Should Be Excited: The artist whose received the most criticism in the past decade has also received the most acclaim, and here he is continuing the trend with 2015's surprise release of his first single 'Only One,' featuring Paul McCartney and Ty Dolla $ign. Yup. As is always the case with Kanye know one but him knows what to expect from his upcoming release, as he's the only one with the vision to see that some people would see Yeezus, a project so outlandishly experimental for a mainstream artist, as good. The risks he takes are documented and have become a facet of his enigma, it's only telling where he'll go next. But rest assured, we'll all be along for the ride.
TBA
TBD
TBD
Why You Should Be Excited: Currently the spearheads of Psychedelic Rock, Tame Impala aims to release their third LP this year, a follow-up to 2012's critically-acclaimed Lonerism. The group laced with nostalgia, doused in reverb and delay, and sprinkled with electronic Shoegaze looks to continue that trend of making warm, summer tunes that reflect on days long since past, moments since forgotten. Details on the album are null, but one can expect a continued trend with their sonically trademarked sound. Unless they're planning something secretive, look to see the album get released towards the end of the year.
TBA
TBD
TBD
Why You Should Be Excited: There's possibly no other artist in Hip-Hop right now in a weirder place than Tyler, The Creator. WOLF was, in many respects, his best release, and yet, for some unexplainable reason, since then his popularity has been on the decline. As he sways away from Odd Future's shock rap that his first two releases featured, the content of his music has gotten more serious, more developed, and more diverse. It seems as though the direction Tyler's moving is similar to that of Kanye West's, artistically styled, branching away from what he was initially known as. So much so that, as of his Fader interview, Tyler doesn't stay in contact with much of anyone in Odd Future, including that of Earl Sweatshirt, his friends are more mature, his interests have changed, including that of his new-found dislike towards rap. Which means that his latest, which he's been scarily quite on, will be very, very interesting.
TBA
TBD
TBD
Why You Should Be Excited: The figurehead's of Alternative Rock for the past 20 years have stayed relevant through constant fluctuations in their musical palate, along with their ability to stay up-to-date with unique releases along the lines of In Rainbows' surprise 2007, internet-only drop. Its now been 4 years since King Of Limbs, a record often looked at as their worst since Pablo Honey which many wouldn't even include in their discography, so a resurgence of sorts is expected. The release of Thom Yorke's underrated Tomorrow's Modern Boxes last year gave a slight glimpse into where the group may be leaning. All we know is that they're in studio, it'll likely release this year, and it'll certainly explode when it does.
King Push
TBD
TBD
Why You Should Be Excited: For me 2013's My Name Is My Name was a let down. It was one of those albums where the middle, the toughest part of an album to nail down to maintain interest, completely ruined it for me. What MNYMN had though was some stellar songs that still has me excited to see what King Push, also the name of his next album, has up his sleeve next. The presumed lead single 'Lunch Money' was a good first indicator, another attempt at a 'Numbers On The Boards'-esque beat that swayed on a risk that untethered sounds could still constitute a banger. Here's to hoping his next album will consist of more of the same, and is devoid of all love songs or sweet serenade's.
TBA
TBD
TBD
Why You Should Be Excited: Two years have already passed since LongLiveA$AP, an album released early in 2013, leaking in 2012. That is a long time for an artist who centered himself around mixtapes. But, if anything has been known about the A$AP Mob, it's that they're incredible at delaying releases. Rocky's different though, despite how big Ferg has gotten, he's still bigger than the collective whole combined, which makes his silence more intriguing. It's still unsure the place 'Multiply' has on Rocky's career, whether it's a loose cut or part of an album, but the song slaps, and, apart from an odd, forced beat switch, showcased his talents to a greater extent than many of his previous works. Here's to hoping Pretty Flacko's ear for bangers carries through to 2015.
Run The Jewels 3
TBD
TBD
Why You Should Be Excited: Killer Mike & El-P are masters of the long-haul. Perennial underground mainstays, only now, after a decade putting in their work, have received the recognition they've rightfully deserved. Run The Jewels are what's best about Hip-Hop in the new decade, the ability for two distinct artists, whose only connection is rapping, to come together, one from the South, one from the North, is nothing short of amazing. Their consistent content push as Run The Jewels, each year, one after the next, as a side project, keeps the tires rolling meaning the hype never fails to falter. The duo is never out of the fans' minds, and with their all-encompassing music, they're constantly talked about. The second iteration of RTJ was a bombastic 39 minutes of the most aggressive and thought-provoking music slammed into Hip-Hop since Public Enemy.
Gnossos
TBD
TBD
Why You Should Be Excited: Doris to some was a disappointment in terms of separation from original lyrical content and a letdown to the massive amounts of hype it endured. But to many others it was a superb release, stored with memorable beats and Earl's trademarked monotone delivery. For an artist so out of the loop since a retreat to Somoa, returning with the level of quality Doris had was an accomplishment. But now he's detached from Tyler, his future is uncertain, and his next album is complete, as stated in October of last year. Gnossos should be set for release soon, with an announcement coming even sooner. He's demoed a multitude of songs in live shows, it'll only be a matter of time before we hear his lead single that'll attempt to elevate past 'Chum''s head-turning release.
TBA
TBD
TBD
Why You Should Be Excited: They're four albums in, and for the first time in that eight year span they missed their two year release schedule, which could only mean that we got one coming in 2015. They've begun playing new songs at their shows, another hint that an announcement is soon to come. Beach House is in an interesting position, many feel they've moving in a progressive direction, improving each and every album, culminating in Bloom. While others feel they've detached themselves from their antique, Victorian-era sound found on their self-titled debut. I'm in the former, eagerly anticipating what they've got next, crafting their sound to perfection, including Victoria Legrand's baritone, yet beautifully lulling to the ear vocals.
M83
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Hopeful
TBA
TBD
TBD
Why You Should Be Excited: Its been four years since M83's last sprawling opus, Hurry Up, We're Dreaming and we haven't heard a snippet of what he has to come. He's kept busy with two movie soundtracks, which are more in tune to the movie's motives and atmosphere than what M83 can conjure up. We're hopeful to get something that can hold a candle to his last album, a double-album, 22-track massive look into dreams through the artist's unique look and approach to Dream Pop.
TBA
TBD
TBD
Why You Should Be Excited: There's nothing saying Big Boi has an album coming out this year, but there's no reason we can't expect to hear something by the end of the year. In late 2012, just after Vicious Lies hit shelves, Big Boi was quoted as saying that he's ten songs deep into his third LP and that it be out by January 2014. That was a year ago. An festival-filled year that no doubt put a hamper in his music-making plans. But now that his festival run as Outkast has round out, with those ten songs still sitting there, there should be nothing holding the Atlanta-based rapper from releasing his third solo LP.
TBA
TBD
TBD
Why You Should Be Excited: As of right now Danny Brown is making a children's book, a la Dr.Seuss. Despite how surprised many would be, this is actually right up his alley in terms of his unexpected nature. As of right now though, he's been mum on his follow-up to 2013's Old, but, given his rapid mixtape releases of years past, we should expect his two year schedule to continue. The zany, Detroit based rapper hasn't given us much in the way of new music since his highly-acclaimed third LP, his latest appearance can be heard on Shady XV's 'Detroit vs. Everybody,' the posse-cut that sparked fervor discussion amongst the Hip-Hop community.
TBA
TBD
TBD
Why You Should Be Excited: We're nearing three years since Grimes' Visions, her sensational Art Pop record, dropped, leaving critics and fans alike salivating for more music from the Canadian-born Experimental Pop artist. 'Go' was our first look at that, and severely lacked in the experimental nature, excusing the bizarre, LSD trip music video. So lacking in fact that her fans were so disinterested in the direction she was going, herself potentially too, that not just the song, but the entire record up to that point was scrapped. Time will only tell what Grimes' vision is now, and when we could potentially receive the new album.
TBA
TBD
TBD
Why You Should Be Excited: No one knew following 2012's Channel ORANGE's release that Frank Ocean would be as mysterious as he has become. R&B's newest darling has been mum on any details regarding his next, magnificently-hyped LP, other than a list of artist that could potentially be on it. In April of 2014 he announced his album was nearly finished, that was eight months ago and we've heard no update since then. Ocean's debut studio album was one in a small list of record's in the last decade that received tremendous critical-acclaim, sensational commercial recognition, and success during awards season. When an artist is silent it's usually good, toiling away at their next stunning album.
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A bit intimating isn't it? 2015 will be a year to remember in music, there's no question about that. And yet, to add to this, those listed above are only the known or expected releases from big artists. Every year unknown or underground artists will shock and stun, releasing something that was on no one's radar. Prior to 2014 I hadn't heard of clipping. or Mick Jenkins, 2013, Chance The Rapper took everyone by storm, could these artists be overshadowed by big names dropping left and right? As is evident by simply looking at the top, Quarter 1 of 2015 is already one of the biggest seen in recent memory, a season typically used for savaging discographies and enjoying the last push of 2014 releases.
And yet, this isn't all. As a music blog, a new one at that, I'm fully on top of everything happening within my genre interests. This includes artists either I'm not typically fond of, have lost interest in, or have never given a chance. Below, is a finalized list of a handful of artists, all nearly certain for release, that I have failed to include for the reasons listed above.
Mr.Wonderful
March 24th
Bronson's lyrical content is boring, despite his shtick of being funny. And I still can not escape his voice, so eerily similar to Ghostface Killah's, stuck in the wrong decade.
Radio Silence
TBD
Haven't given Mr.Blake the due chance, as I have not yet gotten around to his 2013 release Overgrown.
TBA
TBD
Joanna's albums are events. Festival-sized affairs that take time to consume. For me however, while I can see the acclaim behind her albums, more than one trip through her fantasy world teeters on exhaustion.
What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World
January 20th
As the release nears so does my waning interest from a band I haven't listened to yet. Mixed reactions abound over their latest doesn't have me particularly inclined to invest.
TBA
TBD
Oh Jay Rock, what has TDE done with you. It's almost been four years since a full-fledged release, and while 'Pay For It' was a welcomed single, his ship may have sailed.
Tetsuo & Youth
January 20th
Lupe has disappointed me enough to force me not to invest hype into his latest, but I'll surely be checking it out. Three tracks over eight minutes has me intrigued for another fiery crash, or a surprising success.
Views From The 6
TBD
I'm a confirmed hypocrite on Drake. Already have a negative bias on his sound and persona, but have yet to check out a single full-length release. Regardless, his place here is warranted.
Girls In Peacetime Want To Dance
January 20th
Long-time Indie darlings continue to churn out records, despite the length in between growing in size. As has my regret in continuing to fail to get into them.
Kintsugi
March 31st
Ben Gibbard's group has had a rough stretch of unspectacular releases. We'll see if Kintsugi, the last album featuring guitarist Chris Walla, can derail that trend.
I Love You, Honeybear
February 10th
As of a couple weeks ago I hadn't heard of Father John Misty. There's my excuse for not being so excited for his release, but there's been talk through the grapevine that it's a stellar album.
Yeah, it's a lot. Please Avalanches
Great post! noted some of those albums down to look forward to. Love your blog too, very jealous mine isn't as well written haha. Nice stuff!
ReplyDeleteHey nothing wrong with that, lots of practice got me here. And thanks! This year really is going to be something else, it already started off really strong.
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