Well, 2016 has come and is now on its way to being out the door; ready to ring in a new year full of new experiences. Many things are defined by the year: political events, social occurrences, pop culture, and international affairs, among others.
Music is also defined by the year. And this year, there have been a plethora of new releases and comeback albums, artists that have gone too soon, artists that have delivered promising new content for us to enjoy. Art is a wonderful construct because it can only be a source of pleasure and enrichment to your life. So here begins a list of some incredible works of music that I believe defined my year, a list of ten albums that no matter what your tastes, are just something to put on shuffle for a good listen.
1. 25 by ADELE
After the release of 21 in 2011, British songstress Adele went on hiatus with the birth of her first son in 2012. She has claimed in interviews that she also took the break to take time for herself and mature a little. This year; she announced her return with the single "Hello," from her third album 25. The album itself is a slight departure from her previous in that it has a more lighthearted feel with swing and pop influences. But in true Adele fashion; she keeps the soaring ballads and blues undertones prevalent, and her heavy contralto range shines through the entire work.
Highlights: "Remedy," "When We Were Young"
2. 22, A Million by Bon Iver
Indie folk band Bon Iver similarly went on hiatus in 2012 after the release of their sophomore album Bon Iver, Bon Iver the previous year. Frontman Justin Vernon claimed that most of his writing comes subconsciously; and justified this as a reason for needing time for that part of his mind to develop again and renew itself. And this year, the band released their third album, 22, A Million.
Despite there being only ten tracks on the album, the work is ambitious and panoramic in its scope and influence. The band keeps their folksy sound but departs from their previous album by developing a unique new blend of neo-jazz and experiments with sampling and layering vocals. Complex themes of relationships, spirituality, and mental and emotional conflict pervade throughout the work. Angsty lyrics are contrasted with motifs of religion and searching for a higher purpose; which make the album a poignant view of human duality.
Highlights: "715-Creeks," "#29 Strafford Apts," "33 God," "00000 Million"
3. How to be a Human Being by Glass Animals
The sophomore effort of English indie band Glass Animals is unmatched in nostalgia and lust. Mixed with psychedelia and hip-hop, the album is largely a collection of personal experiences from lead singer Dave Bayley. The majority of the tracks are retrospective; dealing with themes of adolescence, family, first relationships, and ambitions.
The band changes up their style for their second album, purposefully creating a contrast against Zaba, the band's debut album. Zaba uses a lens that sees the world as a fantasy-land, with sensual psychedelic pop melodies and tribal influences. However, the band goes for a more realistic lens for How to Be a Human Being, recalling memories and old pipe dreams. It deals with raw emotion and real passions, and Bayley effectively creates a lusty vision on nostalgia.
Highlights: "Life Itself," "Mama's Gun," "The Other Side of Paradise," "Pork Soda"
4. Blackstar by David Bowie
The twenty-fifth and final album from musical legend David Bowie is a final artistic endeavor, a "swan song" that cements his creative vision and bears testament to the last months of Bowie's life. Dramatic and theatrical, the album deals with dark themes and death as well as a plethora of mental struggles and intense emotions. Bowie recorded this album during his eighteen month battle with cancer; while he was in remission. The album was released January 8th, and Bowie died two days later.
Bowie purposefully tried to avoid the stylistic rock from his past and took on a new creative outlook, citing Kendrick Lamar as a primary influence for Blackstar. The album is tinged with atmospheric art-rock and jazz, notable for the prevalence of saxophone on many of the tracks. It is a highly notable album for its references to theatre and literature; especially in one track's use of a language called Nadsat, a vernacular made up by writer Anthony Burgess in his 1962 novel A Clockwork Orange. The album also inspired an off-Broadway musical entitled Lazarus, which premiered at the end of 2015. It was one of Bowie's last musical gifts and will forever stand among his legacy.
Highlights: "Lazarus," "Dollar Days," "I Can't Give Everything Away"
5. The Life Of Pablo by Kanye West
A new and improved sound from Kanye West successfully attempts gospel, R&B, soul, and rap fusion. The Life of Pablo is a unique record, even for West, who constantly seems to be pushing the boundaries of hip-hop and the music industry at large. The album itself features an array of talented producers and guest vocalists; including Chance the Rapper, Rihanna, Chris Brown, and Frank Ocean. But one thing I find most interesting is that when West released the album, he did so exclusively to music streaming service Tidal, claiming that he would not release it elsewhere. However later, he released it to Spotify, iTunes, and Apple Music; and faced a lawsuit against Tidal, who sued on the basis of West's promise that he would release it only through their network and thus boost the company's business.
The Life of Pablo is a pretty personal record for Kanye, which is rich with themes of family, faith, and fame. It acts as his stream of consciousness, with each track being distinct from others, lending the album to a constantly shifting mood. It is definitely no small feat for West, full of ambition and grit.
Highlights: "Ultralight Beam," "Waves," "FML," "Wolves"
6. Painting With by Animal Collective
Painting With is the tenth studio album from Baltimore group Animal Collective. The band has been described as an "experimental pop" group, whose sound is tinged with psychedelic and ambient rock, and has been compared to the Beach Boys and Fleetwood Mac.
After touring in 2012, the band took a break to pursue individual side projects, but reconvened in 2015 to write and begin recording Painting With. In the process of making the album, the band members claimed that they wanted to create an atmospheric energy with choppy tracks, and prehistoric and earthy influences, unlike some of their previous efforts, notably the 2009 album Merriweather Post Pavilion. The record itself is very catchy and enthralling, and has a bit of an offbeat feel while also creating a constant, elemental flow.
Highlights: "Floridada," "Vertical," "Bagels in Kiev," "Recycling"
7. Ash and Ice by The Kills
As the fifth studio album from UK indie rock band The Kills, Ash and Ice features a plethora of genre-bending tracks that range from garage punk to blues to grunge rock. The band consists of British guitarist Jamie Hince and American vocalist Alison Mosshart, who formed the band in 2000 after previous musical endeavors from both of them were disbanded. The duo have drawn many influences from bands such as Nirvana, The Clash, and The Rolling Stones, and have been compared to The White Stripes.
The Kills' fifth studio effort is a rich record, charged with sensuality, lust, and loyalty, as well as undercut with heartbreak and flawed love. It's equally juxtaposed with glam rock and deep blues, using the two contrasting themes to create a duality, one that explores relationships, externally and internally. It lacks the punk feel of previous albums from the band but is consistently characterized by a soft grunge indie rock that is equally satisfying and rambling.
Highlights: "Doing it to Death," "That Love," "Hard Habit to Break," "Siberian Nights," "Echo Home"
8. Blonde by Frank Ocean
Blonde is the highly anticipated sophomore album from hip-hop artist Frank Ocean. After the release of his debut album, Channel Orange, Ocean claimed in 2013 that he was working on a new concept album. After many delays, the album was finally released in late August, receiving wide acclaim from the public. The mood of Blonde is quite different from the style employed on his debut album, taking on an atmospheric sound with a rap, R&B, ambient fusion. Ocean claims influences such as The Beatles and The Beach Boys. The record has also been described as avant-garde, drawing comparison to electronic music artist Brian Eno.
The album itself is rich with themes of self identity, family, relationships, and spirituality. Many guest vocalists appear on the tracks, including Beyonce and Andre 3000. The record also plays around with sampling of interviews that Ocean has done as well as songs by other artists, which makes it a standout album and a fascinating work of art.
Highlights: "Ivy," "White Ferrari," "Solo," "Godspeed"
