by Will Butler / Andrew Trendell | Photos by Artwork
26 amazing albums you may have missed this year
Don't let these incredible records pass you by
Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment - Surf: With Chance the Rapper being involved, it's no wonder this project had as much hype as it did leading up to it's released. Dropping for free may have added to the shortened hype cycle but don't let that put you off, with amazing feel-good vibes, Surf isn't one to just let pass by.
Pond - Man, It Feels Like Space Again: This Tame Impala offshoot as far overgrown that label and their latest release is clearly evident of that. The wider peripheries have been narrowed, the riffs are chunkier and the hooks are more infectious than Pond have ever written them.
Four Tet -Morning/Evening: In fairness to those that haven't heard it, there was zero marketing campaign for this record and it dropped early to celebrate the summer solstice because Four Tet thought it was "a lovely day". Two 20 minute long tracks brush soundscapes gorgeous enough to soothe even the most volatile of mindsets.
Speedy Ortiz - Foil Deer: The second signed release from this Massachusetts noise-pop outfit seemed to fizzle out in comparison to the impact their debut, Major Arcana, made. This is strange since Foil Deer is as punchy and searingly empowering as the band's debut and it deserves a rightful amount of love.
Torres - Sprinter: The music world took longer to catch onto Mackenzie Scott's self-released debut than it should have. Equal parts sinister and enchanting, Torres' second album dives into even deeper terrain armed with just as much proficiency, personality and desire to expand.
Pinkshinyultrablast - Everything Else Matters: This Russian outfit are the perfect introduction for anyone looking to delve into the dark recesses of shoegaze. With an exceptional balance of melody and dissonance, their debut is a glorious, headache-inducing crash course into the genre.
Dan Deacon - Gliss Riffer: This is pop torn inside out - overwhelming and undeniably infectious hooks, but warped and hidden within an acid bath of madcap electronica and tribal drums. An instant rush of pleasure and one of the most fascinating yet utterly joyous releases of the year.
Songhoy Blues - Music In Exile: Songhoy Blues fled from their homes in Northern Mali when radical Islamists overran the region and joined the African Express project with Damon Albarn and Nick Zinner. Co-produced by Zinner, their debut is a rousing concoction of blues, gospel and the tightest grooves you'll hear all year.
Waxahatchee - Ivy Tripp: The follow-up to 2013's Cerulean Salt is a vulnerable and unadorned tour through the meandering thoughts of singer Katie Crutchfield. Stripped back production and the rough-around edges aren't for novelty aesthetic, Ivy Tripp sounds as authentic as a true extension of Crutchfield would.
Say Lou Lou - Lucid Dreaming: We've been waiting on this debut from the much-hyped Swedish-Australian electro-pop twins for two or three years now - and boy, was it worth the wait. Containing all of that chilling, crystalline romance that first made you fall in love with them, but lifted by a real sense of warm disco charm and danceability, this is a rich and evolved debut that rushes with life in Technicolor. They may have been longlisted for the BBC Sound Of 2014, but Say Lou Lou feel so much like the sound of now, that the future deserves to be theirs.
Title Fight - Hyperview: The third release from this Pennsylvania punk group is as bare-bones and focused as any work they've done before. Less muddled and fuzzy as the two albums preceding, Hyperview lives up to it's name with bursts unadulterated and aggressive clarity.
BadBadNotGood x Ghostface Killa - Sour Soul: People often forget that the basis of Hip-Hop is jazz. Sour Soul sees Wu-Tang prodigy Ghostface go back to basics for this outing and spit some of the most impressive bars he's put out in years. BadBadNotGood smash the production job, spanning the whole jazz spectrum throughout but we wouldn't expect anything less from them.
Lower Dens - Escape From Evil: Released on Domino early this year, Escape From Evil is rather a dreamy exploration of the sensitive demeanour than the daring liberation from clutches of tyranny as the title would suggest - still a bloody good listen though.
Idlewild - Everything Ever Written: Absence does indeed make the heart grow fonder, and it's never been easier to fall in love with Idlewild than on this long overdue comeback record. From the gentle rolling balladry of 'Nothing I Can Do About It' into the rushing compulsion of 'Collect Yourself', this makes for an album that both encapsulates the glory of their finest moments, but shows a textured depth of a band highly evolved. An invigorating comeback that deserved far, far more attention.
toe - Hear You: You say Japanese post-rock, we say toe. Hear You is an accessible yet complex introduction to math rock with all the dynamic time signatures and rich instrumentation you could ever want. Their latest record is maybe their most ambitious and melodic album to date featuring gorgeous clean guitar harmonies and the most impressive drumming you'll hear in 2015, guaranteed.
Desaparecidos - Payola: It's been 13 years since the last release from this Conor Oberst fronted emo/post-hardcore band and Payola was worth the wait. Staying true to their 'in the garage' attitude, Desaparecidos have had their eyes on the declining state of America and got a lot to say about it through the vehicle blistering distortion.
Hop Along - Painted Shut: Hop Along haven't managed to make huge waves in the UK but their latest effort, Painted Shut, fits like a glove into the intellectualist DIY rock sound we're harbouring at the moment. Witty and provoking observations pour out of frontwoman Frances Quinlan over angular indie-rock instrumentals.
Adventures - Supersonic Home: For fans of indie-rock and emo, Run For Cover records is a mecca of unmissable talent. This goes for the Pennsylvania trio Adventures too. Their debut album is a vibrant, gnashing that aims for both the jugular and the heartstrings.
Boxed In - Boxed In: Oli Bayston is no stranger to amazing production. Having worked as an assistant to Dan Carey and experience writing songs with The 2 Bears, Boxed In's irresistible electro-pop is easily traceable. Taking as much inspiration from house as Bayston does from new wave, Boxed In has dynamite choruses and enough tonal variety to keep you coming back.
De Lux - Generation: An exotic but dark realm where Talking Heads meet LCD Soundsystem and spoken word dystopian streetwise poetry is set over funk, post-punk and shimmering electro. Tunes that get your feet moving, heart beating and mind racing - an utterly immersive experience.
The Pop Group - Citizen Zombie: The post-punk Pop Group are nothing like their name suggests, so let's just deal with that first. Citizen Zombie is their first album in 25 years and retains the dirty-nailed and fevered funk-punk sound that was as exciting in 1980 as it is now.
Susanne Sundfør - Ten Love Songs: "Is this the sound of your heart?" pines Susanne Sundfør on the bubbling elegiac grace of 'Fade Away' - for us, it's certainly the sound of falling in love. With six albums to her name (numerous topping the Norwegian charts) and having collaborated with the likes of M83 and Royksopp, her influence on bringing credibility to the dancefloor over the last decade is never in question. This is by far her crowning achievement. From the cinematic ghosthouse chill of 'Accelerate' to the decadent disco and infectious lust of 'Delirious', it's a delightful and flawless journey. She deserves to be a megastar the world over.
Clarence Clarity - No Now: An hour long helter-skelter down the rabbit hole, British electronic wizard, Clarence Clarity, is very much in the business of confusing you so much you start to forget the names of your loved ones. A highly recommended electro-funk album.
HEALTH - Death Magic: Produced by the master of eerie atmosphere, The Haxan Cloak, HEALTH's third studio released has only recently dropped but is already being swept under the carpet. Cacophonous depth and exceptional layering makes this one of the most intriguing industrial releases of 2015, don't forget to give it a listen soon.
Cannibal Ox - Blade of Ronin: The cult kings of alternative Hip-Hop returned this year with a fire album as sharp and unforgiving as their debut back in 2001. El-P was too busy with Run the Jewels to produce it but with guest spots from MF Doom, Black Milk and U God, Cannibal Ox prevail once again.
Rainer - Water: Sparse and delicate, the debut album from this London duo is the perfect accompaniment to slow Sunday afternoons. Lending vocals to the latest Maccabees album, Rainer are making a name for themselves at the moment so jump on their new record before they blow up.
Younghusband - Dissolver: After a strong debut album in Drones, Younghusband - who are led by Euan Hinshelwood who also plays guitar for Meilyr Jones - have done themselves proud on their second album. They%u2019ve created something that sticks to their love of '60s pop and psychedelia but feels more accomplished in terms of songwriting. It powerfully lifts your mood and feels appropriate to chill out to on a mountain top but it also has some gutsy moments that would lift the dance floor live. Their gig in support of Pond earlier this year proved so.
Viet Cong - Viet Cong: Formed from the ashes of fellow Jagjaguawar signing Women, Viet Cong have exploded onto the scene with this brilliantly exciting debut. Boundaries don’t really exist for Viet Cong, despite the overriding feel being post punk there’s plenty of abstract distorted noise, and prog. The unique approach makes the album feel vital in a world where imitation is so prominent.
Julia Holter - Have You In My Wilderness: So staccato and strangely paced are Holter's melodies that you almost miss the bizarre beauty of her lyrics. "My first thought was there are so many days of rain in Mexico city," begins 'Feel You', part conversation, part poetry, "a good reason to go - you know I love to run away from the sun.
H Hawkline - In The Pink Of Condition: Cardiff’s H Hawkline has been around for a while and even supported Gruff Rhys on tour in 2010. However, this year feels like his biggest breakthrough. He released the album on Heavenly to critical acclaim and made his most grabbing album to date. In particular his single ‘Moons In My Mirror’ pops out on the radio like a sore thumb because it’s so much more brilliant and strange than most things that get played.
Mitski - Bury Me At Makeout Creek: The first half of the album's opening track is a beautiful, restrained ballad, which aches with quivering vulnerability. The second half of that same track is a screeching, thumping rock song. And the rest of the album continues in this brilliantly contradictory vein, layering Mitski's emotive, scale-leaping vocals over squelchy rock riffs and a sea of noise. Its lyrics, too, are astoundingly beautiful.
Gwenno - Y Dydd Olaf: The winner of The Welsh Music Prize made an absolutely beautiful album through combining various influences within pop, Krautrock, and psych rock. Gwenno Saunders’ vocals are a hazy delight next to the refreshingly experimental soundscapes. Sung entirely in Welsh, the album covers media manipulation, patriarchy, and the decline of minority languages. Despite the heavy political angle, Y Dydd Olaf is so soothing it's like giving your ears a long bath with scented candles on a Sunday.
Ultimate Painting - Green Lanes: Green Lanes is the second album by Veronica Falls’ James Hoare and Mazes’ Jack Cooper. It’s the closest thing we have to the elegance and catchiness of great jangly '60s songwriters like The Beach Boys, The Kinks and The Beatles that’s made an impact on the radio this year. The soft melodies and clean tone on their guitars combine with their lush harmonies to make one of the most enjoyable and easy listening albums of the year.
The World Is A Beautiful Place - Harmlessness: You should never judge a book by its cover; a similar rule should be applied to band names. In the case of the Connecticut emo battalion stylized TWIABP, their pretentious title shouldn’t distract from the sheer emotive magnitude of their third full length release. Uplifting and inspirational hardcore music that could only come from a band seven members strong. Harmlessness is intimate and sincere as often as it is willing to character assassinate.
Du Blonde - Welcome To The Black Milk: Du Blonde, the new moniker of Beth Jeans Houghton, deserved far more attention than she received this year. Perhaps it's because no-one quite knows where to pigeon-hole her. Welcome Back To Milk dips its toes into almost every genre imaginable - she bursts into the lads' clubs of guitar rock and glam-metal dressed in a fur coat and a merkin, before swerving into moving, melancholic territory with the likes of 'Hunter'. It's a surprising and arresting LP
Editors - In Dream: They may be a pretty massive band, but one can't help but feel that the sheer class of this tender but propulsive, matured and elegant album may not have got the true credit it deserves.
Dave Gahan & Soulsavers - Angels & Ghosts: The second collaboration between production duo Soulsavers and Depeche Mode icon Dave Gahan, this brilliant sonic territory where the blues and soul blend with electronica and alt-rock make the machines seem way more human. This release deserves far more attention, not only for the staggering meeting of minds, but the brilliant results within.
Tags: Dan Deacon, Four Tet, Waxahatchee, Susanne Sundfor, Idlewild Photo: ARTWORK
With so much great music coming out all the time it's no surprise there are some albums that slip under the radar. At Gigwise, we do our best to make sure you don't miss the most essentially awesome albums as they come out but it's no easy task - the mainstream lets many slip under the radar.
So we're going to knock this out in one fell swoop by giving you a run-down of the best 2015 albums you may not have gotten round to listening to or may never have heard of. From the return of seminal bands like The Pop Group to incredible debuts from Boxed In and Songhoy Blues.
Here are 26 amazing albums you may have missed this year.