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Well, Dozens Of Donuts effectively ended this year. Five years of running this blog, falling deeper and deeper in love with music along the way, just became too burdensome to bear. That being said, I still eagerly anticipated compiling and releasing 2018's best of lists. Over the course of this week - with some treats at the top of 2019 - we'll cover Dozens Of Donuts' top 100 tracks and top 50 albums of 2018, taken from a batch of roughly 2,000 songs and 180 albums.
Musically, 2018 was magnificent, which makes DoD's demise that much more somber. Rating solely in my head, there would've been three - potentially four - 9+ albums, a statistic that would've matched 2015's trifecta (Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly, Death Grips' Powers That B, Beach House's Depression Cherry). Compared to 2017, which I felt lacked in substantial releases, 2018 was rife with powerful albums and striking tracks that won't soon be forgotten. Contained below are albums 20-11. Enjoy.
And don't forget about the past. Let's take a look back at the best of 2017, 2016, 2015, and 2014.
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20
Noname | Room 25
Jazz Rap | Listen
In terms of a sophomore follow-up to an acclaimed debut, Room 25 doesn't stray from the norm. Recounting changes since Telefone - which includes a loss of virginity, country-wide tour, and relocation to Los Angeles - Noname's return has all the makings of an artist confident in their craft. Room 25 has no flashy development or dubious risks, relying merely on the poetic pitter-patter of an emcee in tune with her feelings and plights. As Chance The Rapper ventures further from his source and Trap continues to consume all, Noname's frail voice represents the lone daisy sprouting from the infertile dirt.
Over scat Jazz Rap that tickles sentiment ('With You'), cuddles satin sheets ('Regal'), and tap dances across busy streets ('Blaxpoloitation'), Noname sashays with a whimsical panache. Whether she's embracing her love of Late Registration-era Kanye on 'Window' or correlating her place in Hip-Hop on 'Don't Forget About Me' with Kendrick Lamar's 'Sing About Me,' Noname never loses touch with how she's represented in Hip-Hop. Room 25's intent laid bare on 'Self's' opening bars: "Maybe this the album you listen to in your car, when you driving home late at night, really questioning every God, religion, Kanye, bitches."
__________________________________________________________Over scat Jazz Rap that tickles sentiment ('With You'), cuddles satin sheets ('Regal'), and tap dances across busy streets ('Blaxpoloitation'), Noname sashays with a whimsical panache. Whether she's embracing her love of Late Registration-era Kanye on 'Window' or correlating her place in Hip-Hop on 'Don't Forget About Me' with Kendrick Lamar's 'Sing About Me,' Noname never loses touch with how she's represented in Hip-Hop. Room 25's intent laid bare on 'Self's' opening bars: "Maybe this the album you listen to in your car, when you driving home late at night, really questioning every God, religion, Kanye, bitches."
19
Saba | Care For Me
Conscious Hip-Hop | Listen
Chicago's Juke scene rose to prominence in the early 2010's about as quickly as it fell, as ringleader Chance The Rapper abandoned post once worldwide fame was achieved. Talented prodigies like Noname, Jamila Woods, and Saba were cast aside as The Social Experiment abruptly dissolved. It has taken years for some to reestablish themselves, six specifically for Saba. Time, patience, and maturity paid off with Care For Me, an intimate recital of Saba's most life-changing moments over explicit Juke that melds modern Footwork with timeworn Jazz Rap.
Inspiration is abundant on Care For Me, with Noname's ticklish charisma dotting 'Smile,' Mick Jenkins' feuding discord amplifying 'Life,' and Kendrick Lamar's storytelling anxiety present on standout 'PROM / KING.' Here's where Saba's ambition flirts with the current greats, unraveling a tense tale all-too common in Chicago's south side, bearing resemblance in consternation to Chance's zenith 'Pusha Man.' Care For Me maintains distinction with the adroit details on tracks like 'Fighter,' a recount of cocky teenage drama, 'Logout,' a message to social media-dependent adolescents, and 'Heaven All Around Me,' a beautiful elegy to Chicago's indestructible character.
__________________________________________________________Inspiration is abundant on Care For Me, with Noname's ticklish charisma dotting 'Smile,' Mick Jenkins' feuding discord amplifying 'Life,' and Kendrick Lamar's storytelling anxiety present on standout 'PROM / KING.' Here's where Saba's ambition flirts with the current greats, unraveling a tense tale all-too common in Chicago's south side, bearing resemblance in consternation to Chance's zenith 'Pusha Man.' Care For Me maintains distinction with the adroit details on tracks like 'Fighter,' a recount of cocky teenage drama, 'Logout,' a message to social media-dependent adolescents, and 'Heaven All Around Me,' a beautiful elegy to Chicago's indestructible character.
18
Hop Along | Bark Your Head Off, Dog
Indie Rock | Listen
Despite our collective maturation, musicians rarely reveal such natural progression in music. The majority peak with their invigorated debut, while others maintain an undistinguished career profiting off stagnant ideas. With this in mind, Hop Along's third LP Bark Your Head Off Dog is of particular note, namely for the band's ability to reconfigure their foundation after the vapid Painted Shut. Gone is the Midwest Emo flatness and Frances Quinlan's acrid vocals, replaced by elaborate Chamber Pop and a self-reflecting lead.
On Bark Your Head Off, Quinlan retreats to her bourgeois past, calming the screeching so her songwriting takes precedent. Take standouts 'One That Suits Me' and 'Prior Things,' two tales of provocative origin that find Quinlan detailing in serenity before unleashing her shrivel shriek at the opportune emotional peak. The band's orchestral commitment - something unheard of prior in their career - fluidily intertwines with Indie Rock formality, achieving harmony during the excellent hooks of 'How Simple' and 'Fox In Motion.' It's this visceral spectrum that defines Hop Along's latest evolution.
__________________________________________________________On Bark Your Head Off, Quinlan retreats to her bourgeois past, calming the screeching so her songwriting takes precedent. Take standouts 'One That Suits Me' and 'Prior Things,' two tales of provocative origin that find Quinlan detailing in serenity before unleashing her shrivel shriek at the opportune emotional peak. The band's orchestral commitment - something unheard of prior in their career - fluidily intertwines with Indie Rock formality, achieving harmony during the excellent hooks of 'How Simple' and 'Fox In Motion.' It's this visceral spectrum that defines Hop Along's latest evolution.
17
Denzel Curry | TA13OO
Trap | Listen
Unlike most, I wasn't a fan of Denzel Curry's breakout LP Imperial. That's not to say I wasn't keen on his potential, a talent just waiting to be unleashed. Talent is one thing, creativity another, and on last year's 13 the Florida-based rapper shattered expectation with an ingenious wrecking ball of pure, pent-up adrenaline. While TA13OO eased off the lunacy to send a more wieldy message, Curry's dexterity improved tenfold. From the unsuspecting Neo-Soul of 'Black Balloons' - falling somewhere between Outkast and mid-90's De La Soul - to the tactile Trap of 'Super Saiyan Superman' that would put artists like Playboi Carti and Ski Mask to shame, TA13OO is aflush with versatility.
However, Curry's bread and butter lies within the anger. Even though his three act concept of taboos didn't exactly muster much discussion, apart from provocative cuts like 'Sirens' and 'The Blackest Balloon,' his general pain and affliction surfaced every time the maniac inside went primal. Take the filthy Memphis Rap of 'Sumo,' or the three-track Industrial punch of 'Percs,' 'Vengeance,' and Curry's final transformation into a literal 'Black Metal Terrorist.' His exorbitant character - seen best in the 'Clout Cobain' music video - an easy draw for both Trap fanatics and left field appreciators. But it's Curry's pensive touch and no-frills craftsmanship that deserve the critical acclaim.
__________________________________________________________However, Curry's bread and butter lies within the anger. Even though his three act concept of taboos didn't exactly muster much discussion, apart from provocative cuts like 'Sirens' and 'The Blackest Balloon,' his general pain and affliction surfaced every time the maniac inside went primal. Take the filthy Memphis Rap of 'Sumo,' or the three-track Industrial punch of 'Percs,' 'Vengeance,' and Curry's final transformation into a literal 'Black Metal Terrorist.' His exorbitant character - seen best in the 'Clout Cobain' music video - an easy draw for both Trap fanatics and left field appreciators. But it's Curry's pensive touch and no-frills craftsmanship that deserve the critical acclaim.
16
Let's Eat Grandma | I'm All Ears
Electropop | Listen
From a distance, Let's Eat Grandma does nothing but comply with the strict regulations of Electropop, sans the two girl attack Rosa Walton and Jenny Hollingsworth offer. However, upon inspection, I'm All Ears presents something that's been sorely lacking in the genre since Purity Ring and Chvrches reinvigorated Pop formality; enthusiasm. Whether it's the SOPHIE-assisted, Charlie XCX-like eccentricity of the first half or the atmospheric excursion of the second half, I'm All Ears never succumbs to torpor or apathy, despite basking in a genre now known for it.
Given the single-mindedness of Synthpop, seeing the 51-minute duration could've spelled doom. Variety takes ahold though after the intoxicating hits of 'Hot Pink' and 'It's Not Just Me' wear off. Tracks like 'Snakes & Ladders' and 'I Will Be Waiting' begin small and innocuous, only to blossom into scaling behemoths of chorus worship. The nine-minute 'Cool & Collected' treads warily across anxious guitars, the eleven-minute 'Donnie Darko' calmly evolves into an M83-like synth sanctuary, while the nimble piano ballad of 'Ana' interrupts each. I'm All Ears acts like a flavorful taste tester of sorely overlooked Synthpop delicacies.
__________________________________________________________Given the single-mindedness of Synthpop, seeing the 51-minute duration could've spelled doom. Variety takes ahold though after the intoxicating hits of 'Hot Pink' and 'It's Not Just Me' wear off. Tracks like 'Snakes & Ladders' and 'I Will Be Waiting' begin small and innocuous, only to blossom into scaling behemoths of chorus worship. The nine-minute 'Cool & Collected' treads warily across anxious guitars, the eleven-minute 'Donnie Darko' calmly evolves into an M83-like synth sanctuary, while the nimble piano ballad of 'Ana' interrupts each. I'm All Ears acts like a flavorful taste tester of sorely overlooked Synthpop delicacies.
15
Busdriver | Electricity Is On Our Side
Art Rap | Listen
You wouldn't know it by reception, but Busdriver's Electricity Is On Our Side is the veteran rapper's best album. Two decades into his career. It's a testament to Driver's relationship with art and insistence upon interpreting it. Rather than latch onto his protégés like he did with the perfectly competent Perfect Hair, Driver instead retreated to the lavish soundscapes of abstract Jazz, entering the lawless realm with 23 mixed portraits over 82 ambitious minutes. It's challenging, obtuse, and contains a surprising amount of personal anecdotes for the man whose always hidden behind ambiguous concepts.
This, eloquent given the two decades in service and the tenth album in store. Electricity runs the gamut of Driver's range, flexing with creativity as he's prone to do on standouts like 'The Year I Became A Mutherfuckin’ G' and 'improvisers anthem,' while eager to unveil new passions like the Vocal Jazz scatting of 'Right Before The Miracle' or interpretive psychedelic manifestations on 'Be-Grizzled_Auteur_Mythos Take_3.' The sprawling length becomes a mute point as the energy remains consistent through countless avenues of expression. Few do that better than Abstract Hip-Hop's linchpin.
__________________________________________________________This, eloquent given the two decades in service and the tenth album in store. Electricity runs the gamut of Driver's range, flexing with creativity as he's prone to do on standouts like 'The Year I Became A Mutherfuckin’ G' and 'improvisers anthem,' while eager to unveil new passions like the Vocal Jazz scatting of 'Right Before The Miracle' or interpretive psychedelic manifestations on 'Be-Grizzled_Auteur_Mythos Take_3.' The sprawling length becomes a mute point as the energy remains consistent through countless avenues of expression. Few do that better than Abstract Hip-Hop's linchpin.
14
Shygirl | Cruel Practice
Industrial Hip-Hop | Listen
It may only be 13 minutes, but Shygirl's debut EP packs one hell of an impressionable punch. Cruel Practice bridges the gap between multiple genres that, in recent years, have been begging for a single bed to coalesce. Explosive Deconstructed Club that relies on helter-skelter mania. Searing Industrial Hip-Hop that slices conventional formats with jarring decision-making. And boastful Grime that thrives on advancement and not routine. Shygirl's ability to gracefully combine each taste-making venue, with an emphasis on progressive lingo, is too judicious to fail.
Similarities abound, Cruel Practice can be seen as the little sister to last year's 13, another five-track, 13-minute, boundary-breaking EP performed by Denzel Curry. The two waste zero breaths while giving you none to take. Shygirl flies through 'Nasty,' triple-steps her way around the immaculate 'O,' and flexes with poise on 'Gush.' All of this with a knack for the innate, much like Vince Staples' forward-thinking Hip House on Big Fish Theory. Even though it's just one EP, Shygirl's elegant calmness over rousing club anthems instantly makes her a tempting prospect worth watching.
__________________________________________________________Similarities abound, Cruel Practice can be seen as the little sister to last year's 13, another five-track, 13-minute, boundary-breaking EP performed by Denzel Curry. The two waste zero breaths while giving you none to take. Shygirl flies through 'Nasty,' triple-steps her way around the immaculate 'O,' and flexes with poise on 'Gush.' All of this with a knack for the innate, much like Vince Staples' forward-thinking Hip House on Big Fish Theory. Even though it's just one EP, Shygirl's elegant calmness over rousing club anthems instantly makes her a tempting prospect worth watching.
13
Car Seat Headrest | Twin Fantasy
Indie Rock | Listen
Will Toledo's decision to rework the Lo-Fi-rich Twin Fantasy rather than release Car Seat Headrest's follow-up to Teens Of Denial was a baffling one. On one hand, it wasn't new material. On the other, it's certified greatness with tweaks meant for improvement. On 2018's Twin Fantasy, Toledo takes his ambition to unseen heights, which is quite the accomplishment given his already-cemented track record. Lengthy tracks with spoken word interjections grow in size. Scratchy guitar pandemonium receives Hi-Fi treatment. Toledo's confidence doubles down.
Previous staples of transcendence change minimally, as seen on peaks 'Beach Life-In-Death' and 'Twin Fantasy (Those Boys).' But others, such as the cold and dirty 'High To Death' or the endearing 'Cute Thing' receive significant facelifts. 'Famous Prophets' transforms so significantly that the addendum 'Minds' becomes 'Stars,' with the inclusion of a piano ballad and subsequent uplifting horn arrangement. The Strokes and LCD Soundsystem crossover 'Bodys' grows in flair and panache, thus representing the endgame of Car Seat Headrest's reimagined Twin Fantasy.
__________________________________________________________Previous staples of transcendence change minimally, as seen on peaks 'Beach Life-In-Death' and 'Twin Fantasy (Those Boys).' But others, such as the cold and dirty 'High To Death' or the endearing 'Cute Thing' receive significant facelifts. 'Famous Prophets' transforms so significantly that the addendum 'Minds' becomes 'Stars,' with the inclusion of a piano ballad and subsequent uplifting horn arrangement. The Strokes and LCD Soundsystem crossover 'Bodys' grows in flair and panache, thus representing the endgame of Car Seat Headrest's reimagined Twin Fantasy.
12
Yves Tumor | Safe In The Hands Of Love
Post-Industrial | Listen
Considering his background in lucid Sound Collages somehow colliding with confrontational live performances, Yves Tumor's breakout LP Safe In The Hands Of Love was considered an accessible foray into Pop constructs by his fans. For outsiders, it was Experimental mayhem featuring seething Noise and emotions best left to a therapist. Tumor's tenuous grasp of love - felt most predominantly on the delicate 'Licking An Orchid' and the vociferous 'Honesty' - deepens Safe In The Hands' intense solemnity. His pain is felt, his tenderness laid bare, his pride an unflappable constant.
Likely derived from his early days on LP's like Serpent Music and When Man Fails You, Tumor's twisted take on conventional structuring further accentuates the uneasiness percolating. While there's Art Pop-oriented affairs, like the brilliant standout 'Noid' wherein Tumor composes imperious Alternative Dance to enhance his oppressive paranoia, they're sandwiched between instrumental mood-setters ('Faith In Nothing Except In Salvation') and grotesque depictions of schizophrenic delusions ('Hope In Suffering'). Safe In The Hands Of Love works because of this conflict that pairs accessibility with addled substance.
__________________________________________________________Likely derived from his early days on LP's like Serpent Music and When Man Fails You, Tumor's twisted take on conventional structuring further accentuates the uneasiness percolating. While there's Art Pop-oriented affairs, like the brilliant standout 'Noid' wherein Tumor composes imperious Alternative Dance to enhance his oppressive paranoia, they're sandwiched between instrumental mood-setters ('Faith In Nothing Except In Salvation') and grotesque depictions of schizophrenic delusions ('Hope In Suffering'). Safe In The Hands Of Love works because of this conflict that pairs accessibility with addled substance.
11
Young Fathers | Cocoa Sugar
Indietronica | Listen
Expressing fragility in music is a rather new concept, one sparked by liberating LGBT movements across the world. Hip-Hop, as to be expected, has been one of the last genres to catch on considering its reliance on tired, virile tropes. At the forefront stands Young Fathers, a Scottish trio not afraid to expose their affective, effeminate qualities. With blazing red lipstick slathered against a stark black model - a la Grace Jones - Cocoa Sugar represented their most tenuous collection of emotional perplexity yet.
At the crux of Cocoa Sugar, much like 2015's White Men Are Black Men Too, lies an internal fight between progressive beliefs and punitive religious ideals. Whether on the stunning Gospel-Noise clash of 'Lord,' the motivational race discourse of 'Turn,' or the delicate funeral procession of 'Picking You,' Young Fathers never shy away from moralizing dissenting topics. Social commentary can only go so far without powerful instrumentation to accompany, a circumstance Young Fathers, with their genre-bending mix of Pop and Experimental, ignore proudly.
__________________________________________________________At the crux of Cocoa Sugar, much like 2015's White Men Are Black Men Too, lies an internal fight between progressive beliefs and punitive religious ideals. Whether on the stunning Gospel-Noise clash of 'Lord,' the motivational race discourse of 'Turn,' or the delicate funeral procession of 'Picking You,' Young Fathers never shy away from moralizing dissenting topics. Social commentary can only go so far without powerful instrumentation to accompany, a circumstance Young Fathers, with their genre-bending mix of Pop and Experimental, ignore proudly.
50-21 | 10-1 | Top 100 Tracks
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