The top fifty albums of 2016, selected by our staff.
by Matthew Langham Originally conceived during 2009, Josh Dibb a.k.a. Deakin has finally released his debut solo record Sleep Cycle to much acclaim and no small amount of relief. As a member of the experimental indie heroes Animal Collective, his band has lived up to their collective namesake. While Noah Lennox (Panda Bear) is the most prolific when it comes to solo albums, each member has branched out to create their
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by Matthew Langham Produced by Josh Homme of Queens Of The Stone Age, Iggy Pop’s 17th studio album has been rumoured in some quarters to be his final one, and features a star-studded line-up. Homme himself plays guitars alongside contributions from Arctic Monkeys’ Matt Helders on drums and QOTSA’s own Dean Fertita. Dropping a sly clue as to his possible retirement with the brilliant title Post Pop Depression – who knows
by Matthew Langham Emmy The Great’s first two albums, First Love and Virtue, both explored heartbreak and the ending of a relationship. It’s been five years since Emma-Lee Moss’s last record and her third effort to date is certainly more introspective and focused on advancements in technology, and how it affects everyday life. Labelled as a former anti-folker, Second Love mixes electronica with intricate orchestral arrangements to create a confessional record,
by Matthew Langham Following a three-year hiatus, Miike Snow return with their third album, imaginatively titled iii. Their 2009 self-titled debut featured hit record ‘Animal’ and it’s perhaps no surprise that the single became such a big success, with its bouncy hybrid of electro and indie. The trio is made up of Swedish production duo, Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg, alongside lead vocalist Andrew Wyatt. Karlsson and Winberg’s credits read as a
by Matthew Langham Following on from the minor success of their debut record Everything Else Matters, St. Petersburg’s five-piece Pinkshinyultrablast return with their self-described blend of ‘thunder pop kung-fu gaze’, which saw them play to sell-out crowds in tiny venues throughout 2015. Grandfeathered is an expansive eight-track album, which capitalises on the soundscapes that were explored throughout their debut.
by Matthew Langham It’s been a frustratingly long wait for DIIV’s follow-up album to their 2012 debut Oshin. In the time that has passed a lot has happened to the quintet, inclusive of but not limited to drug busts, addiction and rehab cycles and multiple failed recording sessions. It seems that lead singer Zachary Cole Smith’s heroin addiction is replicating that of his musical hero, Kurt Cobain.
by Matthew Langham Recorded in their hometown of Sunderland, Field Music, consisting Peter and David Brewis, return with their sixth studio album looking to capitalise on the Mercury-nominated Plumb, and is considered to be one of their most accessible records to date. The duo have previously been compared to the likes of XTC, Talking Heads and Hot Chip – and Commontime perfectly highlights how Field Music are as far removed from
by Matthew Langham Savages’ focussed, demonic Silence Yourself was amongst one of the most critically acclaimed albums of 2013 with its confrontational approach to experimental rock and punk. With a Mercury Prize nomination in their back pocket, the all-female foursome return with the follow-up to their debut record, Adore Life. Aesthetically the band borrowed liberally from their post-punk influences, including Joy Division and Siouxsie & The Banshees, and they ran away
by Matthew Langham Over three years have passed since Mystery Jets released their Americana-influenced Radlands which featured the excellent ‘Hale Bop’. Now onto their fifth record in the first decade of their existence, their progressive fourth has certainly influenced their King Crimson / Pink Floyd soundscape on Curve Of The Earth. Released in the same week as the passing of David Bowie, it can’t help be noticed that this record takes
