Deep Cuts. An idea spurred by those countless playlist drifters, jumping from single to single, without investigating albums further. Here you'll find the five best 2021 songs discovered by Dozens Of Donuts in the previous month, not given exposure via the duty of lead single. The only condition I've imposed upon myself is that no artist can have more than one song.
__________________________________________________________
IDLES - Crawl!
CRAWLER | Post-Hardcore
Yes, IDLES' Crawler was dominated by its two lead singles; 'Beachland Ballroom' and 'Car Crash,' however the pseudo title track still incorporates a great deal of the relentless energy presented by Joe Talbot and crew. No, it doesn't stray far from IDLES' norms, but that's where the beauty lies: In refinement. The percussion and guitars are tight and rambunctious, matched by Talbot's notorious grunts and screams. While the verses are quite rudimentary, the chorus is where 'Crawl!'s' breadth flourishes. It unfolds naturally from the bridge, lending a gritty sense of optimism to the proceedings in classic IDLES fashion.
__________________________________________________________
On her latest record, Courtney Barnett settled down in the simplistic. Melody was placed above all else, exceeding perhaps her sometimes sentimental, sometimes dour lyrics. 'Sunfair Sundown' was a perfect example of both. Jaunty and airy, like the aptly-named Sunshine Pop, with a slathering of disguised plaudits best suited for an intervention. The quirky acoustics combined with the constant, and ever so subtle building made for a cerebrally-enjoyable experience. By song's end, one's enclosed in a flurry of psychedelic sounds without even realizing it. Due, in part, to Barnett's tricky and blunt command of dialogue.
__________________________________________________________
For uninformed readers, 'Silene' is not a good representation of Henki's sound, style, and tone. In fact, its greatness arises out of the fact that it's set squarely in the middle of mayhem, content with languishing in a blissful slumber. A delicate, sublime Krautrock groove carries Dawson over the land, allowing him to analyze those ever-so pretty flowers he's enamored with. The multi-spirited harmonizing towards the end is a fascinating touch, though not as much as the way Circle's production unfolds. The building is pastel and precise, hitting notes of slightly-increasing momentum at just the right times.
__________________________________________________________
Like any DJ Sabrina album, numerous songs could've been picked as representation for this list. But alas, there's a one artist limit I've arbitrarily imposed. Though I'll point those curious in the direction of my review of Makin' Magick II, where I list off (in comically-long detail) every song that would've warranted a spot here. 'Princess' wins purely by personifying what DJ Sabrina does the best... the best. Touching samples from cheap Teen Dramas, dripping melancholy, addictive Trance, and the force of an artist whose never heard of a creative ceiling bashing through with implacable optimism. The prominent vocal sample of 'Princess' beams through all the House layers, with one phrase slicing through the menagerie; "keep on pushing harder." The growing loop only aims to prove DJ Sabrina's visionary ambitions.
__________________________________________________________
death's dynamic shroud - Just To Be Needed
Faith In Persona | Vaporwave
Stop what you're doing and listen to Faith In Persona right now. As is customary, a year's never truly finished until an upset album comes out of nowhere, outdating my AOTY list in the process. With low expectations promptly floored, death's dynamic shroud's latest is a stunning journey into otherworldly Pop; touching, yet unfamiliar. And no matter what song I picked - 'Tear In Abyss' or 'Just To Be Needed' - they both would've topped this list. Most impressive? Given the chance, every other song - excluding 'Pop Chin' - would've appeared somewhere on this Deep Cuts.
Let's dedicate some time to 'Just To Be Needed,' a weeping, ceremonial elegy that ascends in pristine, purified Vaporwave euphoria. On it, death's dynamic shroud tastefully samples Carole & Tuesday's 'Lay It All On Me' for the first half, incorporating Ariana Grande's 'Needy' for the second. In each instance, in typical Vaporwave fashion, impatient Pop slows to an histrionic, wistful crawl. The result borders on tear-jerking, with the coddling swath of heavenly strings and growing bathos. It really feels like love tugging on the heartstrings. For sentimental teens seeking out comfort in Pop music with relational woes, songs like 'Just To Be Needed' and their recontextualization is where true growth and sophistication can be found.
__________________________________________________________
No comments:
Post a Comment