A look back at 2014

As we close out 2014 lets take a look back at some of the best and worst albums of the year and make predictions about what is in store for '15. While it was a dry summer with limited releases it wasn't until autumn hit where shit hit the fan and we had great release after great release. Its easy to think that this year was weak overall especially compared to last year, but we did get some classic albums that we all will be listening to for a long time. While Rap suffered the worst, we did see the huge rise of Future R&B, and when Top 40 had a rough year we did see the takeover of PC Music. Its hard to complain when we got albums from Flying Lotus, AFX and Thom Yorke...



This list is in no particular order, I loved these albums equally.


RatKing – So It Goes
Other than run the Jewels 2 this was one of the strongest rap releases this year. With killer features from King Krule and Wavy Spice, this trio from the New York borough of Harlem debuted with a modern take on gritty east coast boom bap rap. Its hard not to be hooked after hearing the single Canal, with a killer sample, it sounds so New York you can almost smell the rotting trash on the sidewalk.
Clark – Self Titled
You have to feel bad sometimes for Clark. One of the biggest slept on artists from Warp, Clark makes music that’s incredible experimental yet unbelievably cinematic. While a lot of albums disappointed this year, Clark delivered one of the best albums since his magnum opus “Body Riddle”. Winter Linn sounds like a more mature version of his hit single Ted and Silvered Iris harkens back to Clarks work on the album “Turning Dragon” Even the track There’s a Distance In You feels like the best elements of “Totems Flare” but expanded even further. This album has been the perfect companion during brutal Chicago snow storms.

Flying Lotus – You’re Dead!
It always takes me a while to fully unpack a new Flying Lotus Records. I still am discovering new sounds on “Cosmogramma” and even “Until the Quiet Comes”. “You’re Dead!” is a culmination of everything Steven Ellison has done to this point. It feels like a final exam and Flylo wants us to all know he has full mastery of his craft. I was nervous I was going to be disappointed with this one, news that Kendrick and Snoop were on it, I like many had flashbacks to the mistake SBTRKT and Rustie made with their albums this year. You’re Dead! meets all my expectations and more. It’s exciting to see Jazz Fusion get exposure like this and having Tundercat all over this record helps with making a dense genre like this somewhat accessible. PREDICTIONS FOR NEXT ALBUM: It won’t be a Flying Lotus record it will be a Flying Lotus and Thundercat Release and they will both have equal roles.
Thom Yorke – Tomorrows Modern Boxes 
I’m not sure why this release got so much hate. If we leave out the distribution method and make the album stand on its own its pretty solid. Focused, brief, and catchy, TMB blows his last album “The Eraser” out of the water. Anyone who follows Radiohead or Thom’s careers shouldn't be surprised on what they hear during the albums 38 minute run-time. No, this is not groundbreaking but we also cant expect revolutionary work from an artist's every release, and if your biggest complaint is that it doesn't reinvent the wheel then you need to check your privilege.
Hundred Waters – The Moon Rang Like a Bell
There is a lot to hate about this album; a synth-pop group, they are from Florida, and worst of all they are on Skrillex’s OWSLA imprint. If you are able to look past all of that (especially Florida) you will walk away smitten from this groups debut. Like Tomorrows Modern Boxes, its not revolutionary but just a solid listen start to finish. For best results listen to this one at 3am when the party is over when the world is spinning and you are lying on the ground, let front woman Nicole Miglis take all your worries away.
Arca – Xen 
Wow! This is what I call a debut! From production credits on Yeezus to helming the production of the new Bjork album, Venezuelan producer, Alejandro Ghersi has everything going for him right now. One of my favorite releases of this year, I had flashbacks to when I first heard Los Angeles, or the Richard D. James album. A strong visual aesthetic is married to his work because of his relationship with childhood friend Jesse Kanda. It could be said that together they are this generations Aphex Twin and Chris Cunningham. Completely different from his earlier EP’s Stretch 1 & 2, Arca uses his signature vocal manipulation maybe twice during the entire album. It was a risky move but proved to be successful, Arca will be one of the most in demand producers by this time next year, guaranteed.
FKA Twigs – LP1 
Move over XX, Young Turks has a new cash cow and her name is FKA Twigs. Destined to become a household name FKA Twigs had a pretty remarkable album. With production credits from Arca, Twigs’ sound is sexy, sensual, heartbreaking and atmospheric, and while the album art can be a turnoff to some, LP1 is the best PBR&B record this year. Now that she is dating Twilight star Robert Pattison, it will be interesting to see if she molds her sound into something a bit more commercial.


Death Grips – Niggas On the Moon
TOO NOIDED TO WRITE ANYTHING, THIS ALBUM GETS ME SO HYPE AND ANGRY!!! BJORK IS NOW A CERTIFIED BOSS ASS BITCH BECAUSE OF HER CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS ABRASIVE, EXPERIMENTAL LP.
Todd Terje – It’s Album Time! 
If you can listen to this one without smiling once, something might be wrong with you. This release was cute, funky and spunky in all the right places.
Real Estate – Atlas
Jangle-Pop hasn't died yet thanks to New Jersey based band Real Estate. This one made the list because of its incredible hooks and the fact that they recorded it here in Chicago. Atlas makes you feel like lying on the beach while you watch clouds pass you by. It's the album you put on when guests are over and your trying to set a pleasant mood. It was a great follow-up to their last album Days but you get the feeling that there is no where else to go from here. *Special Award* The safest and most harmless release in 2014*
Perfect Pussy – Say Yes To Love  
Can singer Meredith Graves be insufferable, Yes. Could this band be an industry plant? Also yes. Is the name stupid, Yes Yes Yes. Even with all of the politics and negativity surrounding this noise punk band, Perfect Pussy was the shot in the arm this summer needed. In your face and ready explode at any minute Perfect Pussy had an absolutely dense debut this year. Between this release and the new Death From Above 1979 album, punk and noise had a pretty strong commercial year.
PC Music – Various
PC Music is one of the most bizarre things to happen to electronic music in a long time. What exactly is it though, Bubblegum Bass, American K-Pop or something deeper?  Coming out of seemingly nowhere PC Music releases took the underground by storm this year. It’s hard to explain to others what the appeal of this is; it’s so glossy and shinny that you can feel your brain melting. Listening to some of label head A.G. Cooks mixes you get an idea about where this bizarre scene came from. It sounds like a continuation of the sounds that the Lucky Me crew has been doing for a while. Elements of Juke, Trap and Eruotrance can all be found with each single. A killer visual aesthetic is married with the entire label and should become even more outrageous now that they have backing from XL Records. Never has there been an imprint that was more divisive out of the gate than PC Music, especially with their lead single “HEY QT”. It’s best to see this whole scene as high brow performance art.



Honorable Mentions:
Kelis – Food
Shamir – North Town
A$ap Ferg – Ferg Forever
Spoon – They Want My Soul
Alvvays – Self Titled
Mr. Twin Sister – Self Titled
Schoolboy Q – Oxymoron
Caribou – Our Love
Aphex Twin – Syro
Sia – 1000 Forms of Fear
Ought – More Than Any Other Day
Quirke – Acid Beth
OBJEKT – Flatland
Savages – Words To the Blind
Royksopp & Robin – Do It Again
Tennis – Ritual In Repeat
Parquet Courts – Content Nausea
Andy Stott – Faith In Strangers
Little Dragon – Nabuma Rubberband
Liars – Mess
Mr. Oizo – The Church
Lykke Li – I Never Learn


Things that I'm sure were great, I just didn't listen to them enough to know for sure: 
The entire sacred bones label
St. Vincent
Actress
Zhu
Angel Olsen
Sharon Van Etton
Dirty Beaches
Les Sins
Xiu Xiu


What did I hate this year:
First Aid Kit – Stay Gold
Grimes – Go
Perfume Genius – Too Bright
Rustie – Green Lantern
SBTRKT – Wonder Where We Land
Swans – To Be Kind
Sisyphus – Self Titled
U2 - Songs of Innocence
Coldplay – Ghost Stories
Ariel Pink – Pom Pom
Julian Casablancas and the Voidz – Tyranny
Mac Demarco – Salad Days
Sun Kil Moon – Benji
Lana Del Rey/Black Keys – Ultraviolence/ Turn Blue
Usher


Predictions for 2015: 
Cassettes will hit critical mass next year, thanks a lot Ariel Pink….
The return of Hardstyle, much to the dismay of every scene
Jamie XX will finally drop an album
James Blakes album will be great but sound slightly dated, especially if people get tired of the Future R&B scene
Disclosure drops a new album and it the shittiest thing since gorgon city’s debut
Rap will have a huge year with releases from Frank Ocean, Chance the Rapper and Kanye
Kanyes next album will be number 1 on every list next year
The St. Louis music scene gets adrenalin shot because of frustrated youth.
Detroit Ghettotech makes a comeback. *Fingers Crossed*
Being done with Christmas music Sufjan Stevens makes a 4 part album containing original Easter songs
Robert Pattison drops an experimental Drone album and it’s critically acclaimed
Iggy Azalea’s follow up record bombs harder than Robin Thickes’ Paula
Hudson Mohawke drops a new album and it pales in comparison to Lunice's forthcoming album
Burial gets production credits on the next Taylor Swift album.


-Adam 

EVK RADIO (Day Late Edition) [Soundcloud player broken as of 2020)

wazzam

New mix for you guys, stars hard and ends that way too, enjoy!

Soundcloud this time.

Be Easy,

Earl

Gloomy Sundays IV: This Time It's Personal.

How was your weekend? Awesome? Fantastic? Well unfortunately just like everything else in your life it's coming to an end. So do a line of Prozac, put on your comfiest pair of slippers and wallow together, this week might be your worst yet.

Alex Colville - Horse And Train (1954)

Lets start with a whimper off Arca's new album Xen. Many of you know Arca through his production credits on Kanye's Yeezus, and FKA Twigs EP2 and LP1. His debut full length Xen is unlike anything I have ever heard and is a strong contender for AOTY. The track "Wound" has a beautiful cinematic feel to it with a soaring orchestral backbone. Once the empty and cold vocals roll in the track transcends to the next level. The lyrics are undecipherable and that's OK because the pain you're feeling is also hard to put into words.

Arca · Wound

What happens when you combine the hopelessness and trashiness of Florida with the shame of being associated with Skrillex?  Hundred Waters! Signed to Skrillex's OWSLA label, Florida natives Hundred Waters have a pretty dark brand of synth pop. Their label debut "The Moon Rang Like a Bell", was the soundtrack to countless nights of crying myself to sleep. The highlight of this amazing album is the track"Down From the Rafters". Lead vocalist Nicole Miglis has a beautiful and haunting voice that fills up whatever empty room you're in.

Hundred Waters · Down From The Rafters

Oh hey look its our favorite depressed frontman Thom Yorke! His newest album Tomorrows Modern Boxes is a music lovers "quart of ice-cream after a breakup" One of the standout tracks is "Interference".





The description from Rock Genius sums this one up perfectly:

"In the song, Yorke sings about the transience of our lives, our loves, our identities. We have moments in time that seem to be so eternal, but in reality it will and does come to pass all so suddenly."

How does it feel when the lead singer from your favorite band knows your life is worthless?


Lets close out with a track from Sharon Van Ettens ultra depressing "Are We There?" This one always leaves me speechless so I wont say too much about it and spoil it for you.

Jagjaguwar · Sharon Van Etten - "Your Love Is Killing Me"

I would say this is a good playlist when studying for midterms, but lets be honest you don't need to study, you are going to fail all of them.

-Adam 


I've crawled out of my dissertation den to lay down some additions of my own. When the pressure's on and you have to not fuck up at all because otherwise you've wasted three years of your life, you will not get your degree and good luck getting a job in this post-industrial landscape of Northern England it is difficult to stay peppy. So I don't. Have some existential Brian Eno to help with that.



And when you see them all, somehow managing to live it up, go out an do what your stereotypical students do and manage to write a dissertation too. You wonder if it's all in vain, spending time writing when you could be out with them. If only you lived closer to the town center and didn't have a 1 hour commute to do, perhaps it would be. Don't dwell on it though, distract yourself and sit down with a brew and read over some academia again.



You are again wracked with doubt about whether your work is good enough, or will ever be good enough. As the last render of the night's bar slowly fills to complete, you look outside and wonder if winter is getting darker every year. Shutting down your workstation, you clamber off to bed. Another early morning bedtime. The small things make it worth it, tomorrow's another day and we can do it all again.



-Claude Van Foxbat

Ilictronix Wingman: Breakup Edition.

Autumn, the days aren't as long, the leaves are turning brown and dying and your summer romances are coming to an end. We have brought you a couple of wingman posts and hopefully you all found that special someone. But its time to look at the other side of things and make a killer list to listen to when that knot becomes unfurled leaving you more hollow than a jack-o-lantern.

 Lets go with the obvious pick first, The xx - Sunset. We talk about The XX a lot on this site and it would be easy to post Coexist in its entirety but due to copyright reasons and not wanting to bum you out too hard we will just do one of the standout tracks.

"I always thought it was sad The way we act like strangers After all that we had We act like we had never met."

Oh yeah that's right, embrace those feels. You might still see her at the grocery store or at Starbucks getting her Soy Latte, but she doesn't even acknowledge you. She probably got a new haircut too, symbolizing that she is now a different person and there is no room for you in her life anymore.


The next track is off SBTRKT's newest album "Wonder Where We Land" and features vocals from Sampha. A sad and haunting piano ballad kills the vibe on the album but is perfect for this list.

 "Would I lie to myself just to be close to somebody else" 

You probably changed for her didn't you? She said she loved the Smiths and I'm sure you agreed and said you loved her Morrisey tattoo. Its ok, we've all been there, she isint coming back though so sell those Arcade Fire tickets you bought her for Christmas and be thankful that you don't have to go anymore. We all know Reflektor was a disappointment but you lied to yourself and got the vinyl anyway.



The best way to get over someone is to spend time with a new fling. FKA Twigs should fill that void for you.

"Was I just a number to you?"

The dizzying beat and the her breathless cry's are perfect sounds after you find out that your dream girl was blowing her tattoo artist while you both were together. Yes you were just a number to her. You think she really cares that your drinking canned wine crying about her? Clean yourself up man, you'll be ok.

One of the best benifits to being dumped is that you are allowed a free pass to listen to and love Coldplay.

"Late night watching TV

Used to be you here beside me

Used to be your arms around me

Your body on my body"

Yeah, unfortunately she wasn't "getting breakfast with friends" once a week while you were at work. What did you expect though? She cheated on her boyfriend at the time with you, what makes you think she wouldn't do the same thing again? Hey look on the bright side, you don't have to watch Pretty Little Liars anymore, I mean she didn't even like Hannah! Now you get to sit in your boxers and watch Modern Family and know you will never have that. 

Finishing off this list is something a bit more left-field from Keyshia Cole.

"Can't say I'm not hurt

I'll be damned if I'm broken

What we had is now hers

Let her know she can have it"

When you first met she told you she was a Christian and a born again virgin but you knew better, she even had a kid. She tells you that she drank too much moonshine and had a 5 man train run on her a week after you spend Thanksgiving with her family in Ohio.   Some people never change.

So get a new haircut, buy some fresh threads, hit the gym and keep being incredible, thinks will be ok for you in the end!

-Adam 

Lets Talk About Young Turks: A Newbie Guide

Unless you have been living under a rock, Future Garage and Future R&B are in right now. Unknown to most, a small imprint of XL Records is putting out some of the most groundbreaking and forward thinking Future Garage music right now. It's only a matter of time before things hit critical mass. That imprint is Young Turks, and believe it or not your probably are already familiar with some of the work they have put out already.

I should'nt need too give much detail about XL Records, let's just say if you've listened to Adele, The White Stripes, Thom Yorke, or Vampire Weekend, you know who XL Records are. With an impressive parent label, Young Turks takes things even further with big names that release remix's and side projects and acts that will make it big tomorrow. Now, lets talk about the biggest things to ever come out of this imprint and dig our way more "obscure"

Yes, this Drake track is produced and heavily sampled from Jamie XX's and Gil Scott Heron's "I'll take care of you".



Speaking of Drake.....


The vocals are from the talented crooner Sampha, who is also on Young Turks. Sampha also worked with imprint mate SBTRKT,




Oh snap we are going down the rabbit hole but lets come up real quick for another heavy hitter "The XX"




One of the biggest names to come out of the imprint this year is FKA Twigs, I don't mind FKA Twigs, LP1 and LP2 have had heavy rotations from me, and she put on amazing performance at Pitchfork Festival this year. I'm the only one with this opinion but it really doesn't suck me in like everything else that Young Turks is putting out. Don't worry I'm sure I'll change my mind and post a gushing post about their next album. For now though I get why its popular, but maybe I'm having a Weeknd deja vu. Fingers crossed she doesn't put out a "Kiss Land"   EDIT: Shit bangs in the right ways possible, everyone listen to LP1 all week, I was wrong, I'm hooked. Sorry.



FKA Twigs - Video Girl [click to download] |HTML5|


You might be thinking that you have their "sound" down, but really no, because also on this imprint is "Holy Fuck" Yes, thats one of the worst names of all time but man that music grooves. They have perfected this kind of live, chaotic hardware set sound that would fit nicely on something like DFA Records.




Maybe this EP found me at the right time or maybe it's the sudden cold front thats hit Chicago but this release from Quirky might be my new favorite thing out of this imprint.

Quirke · Quirke - We Landed

Quirke · Quirke - Break a Mirrored Leg

Quirke · Quirke - Acid Beth

With releases like that its not fair to write off Young Turks as a "Small Label'. They have had so much success that they recently started another imprint named "Whitites". Here is their first release.



 OOOOH yeah thats the stuff...


-Adam

Summer Echo

Late Sunday morning, waking up from gentle sun kisses. Sleepy eyes catch rainbows falling through stained glass. Happiness for a new beautiful autumn day blends with nostalgia for a lost night.

Crystal clouds float across the sky. Air smells like melancholy and warm summer memories. 

I invite you to listen to my new dreamy compilation "Asleep On Stained Glass".

Tracklist:

1. Arts The Beatdoctor - IL404 (Flako Remix)
2. FKA Twigs - Hide
3. Radiohead - Give Up The Ghost (Brokenchord Remix)
4. Four Tet - Unicorn
5. DasFallin - Zacinfact
6. Tokimonsta - The World Is Ours
7. Balam Acab - Motion
8. Clostri - Petan