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Showing posts from December, 2019

Luke's Top 15 Albums of 2019

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By Luke Robinson 2019 is over, and this amazing decade has finally come to a close. While it wasn’t the finest musical year in comparison to ’15, ’16 or ’18, innovation remained a common theme. Everything from pop to electronica to metal saw increased experimentation, and many of the new genres born this decade, from the electronic niche carved by PC Music to the emo rap of the SoundCloud scene, saw artistic pinnacles reached. Most notably this year, commercial rap projects took a backseat for those with more idiosyncrasy, commercial pop auteurs took charge of their respective visions, and death metal had one of its finest years ever. So, without further ado, here are my Top 15 Albums of 2019. 15. Planetary Clairvoyance - Tomb Mold Absolutely CRUSHING Finnish-style death metal hailing from Toronto. On Planetary Clairvoyance , the HM2 is buzzin’ hard and the drums are thundering through high speed blast beats. Tomb Mold noticeably upped their technical game fr

Review: S/T - Duster

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By Luke Robinson Oh Duster. One of my favorite bands. A band that pioneered slowcore unlike any other, one that can find itself more dreamy than My Bloody Valentine, and one that can be more distant and despondent than any Grouper album. After catching their NYC reunion show in 2018, I left more than impressed. It was one of the best musical experiences I’ve endured, despite the fact that I ate the world’s hottest curry in a food challenge (Carolina Reapers, kid) and threw up scolding hot chunks into the Duff’s bathroom an hour before their set. That show left me excited for where the band would head next, and with their new self-titled LP, the results are in.   The album opens with “Copernicus Crater.” The song comes crashing through the gate with overdriven descending chord progressions that give way to a terrible alarm clock ringing note that keeps repeating for way too long . I’m left simultaneously annoyed and bored. Despite this, the clean production is a saving grace.

The Top 50 Albums of 2019

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By Zach Zollo 2019 was genre-less, or at least to a point where it didn't matter what sounds you were concocting on record, so long as they slapped, it all would make sense. In a music world that moves faster than ever thanks to the Internet, it may be nearly impossible to find the diamonds in the rough from all the genre-less music that is released. But I'm always up to the task...that, and I just want to share with you the good shit. So without further adieu, here are the Top 50 Albums of 2019. 50. A Life of Crime - Office Culture  A Life of Crime by Office Culture 49. Melt Away - Jadu Heart 48. What Life - Club Night What Life by Club Night 47. Night Pass - Pure Bathing Culture Night Pass by Pure Bathing Culture 46. Schlagenheim - black midi Schlagenheim by black midi 45. Tomb - Angelo De Augustine Tomb by Angelo De Augustine 44. Largos Agotadores - El Palacio de Linares Largos Ago