20 of the Best Albums of 2018

I thought I should start blogging again, but as is tradition for me, I was burdened with a lack of creativity. So here's a list of my favourite albums of 2018. The amount of great music released in 2018 was genuinely absurd, so this is just a few of the best releases. There were plenty of other albums I loved which aren't covered here. I don't really know what else to say for an introduction, so I guess I'll put a divider here in a moment. Oh yeah, there's a playlist down the bottom as a secret bonus thing.

---

Julia Holter - Aviary

Aviary is comfortably Julia Holter’s most expansive art pop effort to date. She describes the exhausting 90-minute slog as an exploration for self-identity. The album really harnesses Holter’s two great strengths: pacing and climaxes. From infectious pop to breathtaking crescendos to lengthy droning bagpipe sections, the album has everything you could ask for from an art pop record and more. It’s exhausting, but on repeat listens, about as rewarding as any album has been this decade.

IDLES - Joy as an Act of Resistance

IDLES’ sophomore album Joy as an Act of Resistance has all the anger of a classic punk record but repackages it as a triumphant and inspiring expression of unity. Belligerently tackling a wealth of themes, from xenophobia to nationalism to toxic masculinity to sexism, it’s not only the conviction of frontman Joe Talbot, but his vulnerability that makes him, and the band so powerful. Definitely the album 2018 needed.

Tropical Fuck Storm - A Laughing Death in Meatspace

Gareth Liddiard is one of the great wordsmiths of Australian music, perhaps worthy of being spoken about in the same breath as Nick Cave and Paul Kelly. And Tropical Fuck Storm’s debut album, A Laughing Death in Meatspace, may very well be his seminal release to date. Sharing half of their band members with The Drones, TFS takes the deconstructed and bombastic art punk of The Drones and exaggerates it even further. As compared to sentiments of hope, A Laughing Death in Meatspace is very much about the dystopian present day. Unsurprisingly, the album pissed off a number of conservatives.

Gurrumul - Djarimirri: Child of the Rainbow

Gurrumul’s posthumous masterpiece, Djarimirri: Child of the Rainbow, is a departure from Dr G’s previous folk works. The album is a spellbinding fusion of cultures, with the stunning orchestral arrangements serve as the perfect backdrop for Gurrumul’s vocals, with each song evoking strong imagery of its accompanying title. Finished only a few weeks before his death, Djarimirri is a fitting lasting statement from one of the most celebrated Indigenous Australian musicians.

Binker and Moses - Alive in the East?

The more I delve into London jazz, the clearer it becomes that it’s one of the most exciting scenes in the music world right now. Binker and Moses prove this on their first live album, and third album to date, Alive in the East?. There’s an emphasis on solo improvisation on the record, and the ensemble, led by tenor saxophonist Binker Golding and drummer Moses Boyd, come through with enthralling free jazz. As we edge ever closer to the new decade, London jazz could be the one of the key scenes to pay attention to. And at the end of the forthcoming decade, this is the kind of album that could be canonised within that scene.

Kids See Ghosts - S/T

Kanye West had an interesting 2018 to say the least. For all that could be said about his antics (and plenty was rightfully said), it can’t be said that he wasn’t prodigious as far as musical releases went. Arguably the peak of his five GOOD Music releases came in the form of his collaboration with Kid Cudi, KIDS SEE GHOSTS. The experimental hip-hop album is the most focused, intelligible, and ahead of the curve Kanye has sounded in years, and Cudi has sounded ever. While only 7 tracks and 23-minutes long, there’s enough pulled from different genres and influences to keep this album sounding fresh and progressive after countless listens.

Earl Sweatshirt - Some Rap Songs

Earl Sweatshirt’s Some Rap Songs is an abstract and messy, yet beautiful collage into Earl’s clearly troubled mind. With 15 tracks crammed into 25 minutes, there is minimal structure on the album, not dissimilar to Earl’s last release – arguably one of the greatest EPs of all time – 2015’s Solace. This is perhaps Earl’s most disturbing exploration of themes of depression and anxiety, which wasn’t unexpected following the death of his father, Keorapetse Kgositsile, who he heartbreakingly samples along with his mother. Despite the overwhelmingly dark rabbit-hole that much of this album is, there are messages of hope buried within. The glitchy and experimental production complements Earl’s striking honesty and lyrical ability to create one of the most atmospheric and moody hip-hop albums ever recorded.

Pusha T - DAYTONA

Kicking off the mid-year GOOD Music releases, Pusha T’s DAYTONA did a fine job. Admittedly, I wouldn’t have predicted Push charting in 2018, but his beef with Drake which was kickstarted on this project, had him doing just that. Not only was this album the catalyst for one of the all-time great diss tracks, in The Story of Adidon, it was a damn fine albeit straightforward hardcore hip-hop project. With fantastic production from Kanye, Push says all he needs to in just over twenty minutes. It also gave momentum to the short album trend, and if that means less hip-hop albums with excessive filler and limited killer, I’m all for it.

Makaya McCraven - Universal Beings

The way jazz drummer and producer Makaya McCraven’s 2018 album, Universal Beings, came together is truly fascinating. Following a series of recorded improvised music nights, McCraven began loading the files onto Ableton and tweaking them to his liking. Having been fascinated with rap production, McCraven would find the best moments from the improvisations and loop them, allowing them to linger, which becomes clear when you hear something subtle like repeated chatter from the audience. The result is a largely improvisational avant-garde jazz album that at times sounds like an instrumental hip-hop record, and one which sounds quite innovative and forward-thinking.

Ned Collette - Old Chestnut

Ned Collette is one of Australia’s most underrated contemporary musicians. His first three albums last decade and his collaboration with Wirewalker this decade should arguably have him sitting in the top echelon of Australian songwriters. He further reinforces this point on Old Chestnut. Throughout his career, Collette has been compared to the likes of Paul Kelly and Nick Drake, and it’s easy to see why here. For a 70+ minute folk record to remain as effortlessly gripping is a wonderful achievement, and many songwriters would be proud to call this their opus. For Collette, it’s certainly a contender in an already exceptionally strong catalog.

Death Grips - Year of the Snitch

There are very few acts around right now that you can have as much confidence in as Death Grips. The group simply continues to push the boundaries of what experimental hip-hop can be. They further cemented their status as one of, if not, the most innovative act of this decade with Year of the Snitch. Ride’s vocal performance is abrasive as ever, Zach Hill continues to prove he’s one of the most manic drummers in the world. Arguably their most maximalist work yet, YOTS another wonderfully chaotic release from a band now renowned for it.

Benny - Tana Talk 3

It could be argued that Benny (mainly known by the pseudonym Benny the Butcher) was both blessed and burdened to have The Alchemist produce his latest effort, Tana Talk 3. Blessed because The Alchemist’s production guarantees the project won’t fall flat but burdened because Benny had the challenge of doing the production justice. Benny triumphantly rises to the challenge, and the result is one of the grittiest, rawest, and best hardcore hip-hop albums this decade.

Daughters - You Won't Get What You Want

Daughters’ first album in eight years, You Won’t Get What You Want, is genuinely unsettling. It’s sonically aggressive and gritty noise rock, and it’s about as dark an album as you will find. Each band member is at their best on here and they forge a soundscape which is as riveting as it is terrifying. Taking sounds from hardcore, no wave and industrial music, the result is something that is menacing, disturbing, and quite unique. This album has all the ferocity many would feel 2018 deserved.

Anna von Hausswolff - Dead Magic

Swedish composer, pianist, organist and songwriter Anna von Hausswolff’s fourth album Dead Magic is a haunting congregation of neoclassical darkwave, orchestral arrangements, and elements of experimental rock. The album features captivating vocal performances which are underlaid by brooding compositions that are centred around a twentieth century pipe organ. A memorable gothic atmosphere and soundscape is carried throughout which is both eerie and ethereal.

Sons of Kemet - Your Queen Is A Reptile

Sons of Kemet is another exciting group that has emerged in the London jazz scene in the last few years. Conceptually the album is a nod to black female history and a fierce dig at the Monarchy (see the track list and title of the album). The music itself is pulsating Afro Jazz that is as rhythmic and funky as it intense. Fittingly the album is bookended by tracks which include spoken word pieces which express frustration at the post-Brexit and general climate in Britain. Records like this are helping to introduce London jazz to the world, which again, is very exciting.

Clau Aniz - filha de mil mulheres

The debut album from Clau Aniz is a delightful hybrid of slowcore, jazz, post-rock and dream pop. The result is nine tracks which are dense, lush, and mesmerising. Gorgeous instrumental arrangements – including piano, saxophone and minimalist percussion passages – give this album a dark jazz bar vibe, while Aniz’s placid vocals are quite atmospheric and hypnotic themselves. If this is a sign of things to come from the Brazilian songstress, she’s one to watch.

Against All Logic - 2012-2017

Nicolas Jaar is arguably one of the heavyweights of contemporary electronic music, and under the moniker Against All Logic he has released perhaps his best solo work to date. As you can imagine given the title, this is a collection of tracks he recorded between 2012 and 2017. A bit of a departure from the solo work he’s been releasing under his own name, this album is a funky, catchy mix of deep house, which features some of the best sampling of 2018. Once again, Jaar proves he’s one of the best out there right now when it comes to sound design.

Armand Hammer - Paraffin

The collaboration of Elucid and Billy Woods, Armand Hammer, put out a fantastic abstract hip-hop album, Paraffin, in 2018. The dark, glitchy and industrial beats are fantastic, and Elucid and particularly Woods are at their lyrical best. Two great writers tackle introspective and political themes (amidst others) over impressive production – this is just a generally great abstract hip-hop album.

Amen Dunes - Freeodom

Like King Krule without the accent, Damon McMahon’s vocals are sure to divide listeners. On his fifth album as Amen Dunes, however, it’s hard to deny the passion behind them. Perhaps the most interesting part about this album, though, is the way it takes two sounds in danger of sounding stale by themselves (neo-psychedelia and song-writing that screams classic heartland rock) and surprisingly combines them to good effect. Overall, it’s a very well-written project that I continue to find myself returning to.

Dino J.A. Deane - For Leena

Dino J.A. Deane’s compilation, For Leena, could very easily be mistaken for a cohesive tribal ambient studio album. The album is a collection of compositions he created for the work of dance and gymnast choreographer Colleen Mulvihill. The compilation gives you a pretty good idea of what the choreography may have looked like, with a range of instruments pulled together, either played by Deane or sampled, to create worldly, vivid and textured ambient electronic soundscapes.

---

As an added secret bonus, here's a playlist of 50 of the best tracks from 2018:

And because Wix didn't think about us freeloaders who want to incorporate HTML for mobile, here's a link to it.