MY TEN FAVORITE ALBUMS OF 2015
(IN NO PARTICULAR HIERARCHY)
/// STARA RZEKA - ZAMKNELY SIE OCZY ZIEMI
I question wether this album would have made it into my top 10 if I didn’t live in Olympia, WA? It is a perfect compliment to our devastatingly long and beautifully dark winters.
/// PANDA BEAR - PANDA BEAR MEETS THE GRIM REAPER
Another collection of experimental trances from Mr. Noah. It lulled me into a wild meditative state from the fist listen.
/// BUILT TO SPILL - UNTETHERED MOON
Built To Spill is one of my favorite bands of all time and I was a little disheartened by my lack of connection with their previous album. But, Untethered Moon was like a warm hug from my hometown. Thank you.
/// THE HELIO SEQUENCE - SUNRISE DEMOS
This album may be best suited for long time Helio Sequence listeners. It is a pretty seamless combination of their raw early days with the well refined sound they currently inhabit. It is the best of both worlds.
/// BATTLES - LA DI DA DI
Propulsive, progressive, experimental, technical, relentless, forward motion… I love listening to Battles when I’m working out.
/// TORO Y MOI - WHAT FOR?
Summer jams abound in Chaz Bundick’s sunniest chapter to date. I can already feel the warm light fading behind the pines.
/// HIATUS KAIYOTE - CHOOSE YOUR WEAPON
This is a pretty fresh take on soul/R&B that really brings the genre back to the forefront for me. Just when you think you’ve got them pegged, they drop the funk on ears to keep things interesting.
/// BEIRUT - NO NO NO
I’m not even that big of a Beirut fan, but this album just hit me with the right sound at the right time. Simple pop songs that were often a instant mood-booster for me in 2015.
/// UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA - MULTI-LOVE
I’ve always enjoyed the groovy tunes of UMO and the grooves got really infectious for me with this latest record. It is a pretty blatant 70’s time-machine, but hey, I was born in the 70’s.
/// JULIA HOLTER - HAVE YOU IN MY WILDERNESS
The pure, haunting beauty of Holter’s latest creation slowly, but surely, won me over in late 2015. My love for this album was fully realized against the backdrop of the misty, snow-capped mountains surrounding LaGrande, Oregon.
::: || HONORABLE MENTIONS || :::
Youth Lagoon - Savage Hills Ballroom
A strange new turn via another one of my hometown favorites.
Ducktails - St. Catherine
One of those day dream-enducing records I just can’t resist.
Shades - Common Desire
More hometown jams… I must miss Boise, or Boise just creates killer music… probably both?
Lianne La Havas - Blood
Neo soul at it’s finest and most classic.
Ibeyi
This collection of world-influenced thumpers is making me hopeful for what these young siblings have in store for our ears in years to come.
::: || SOME OF MY FAVORITE SONGS OF 2015 || :::
Panda Bear - Boys Latin
Jamie xx - Gosh
Shades - Desert Eyes
Botany (with Milo) - Au Revoir
Eskimeaux - Folly
Braids - Letting Go
Gilimatias & Alina Baraz - Pretty Thoughts
Youth Lagoon - Kerry
The Helio Sequence - Lost Images
Tobias Jesso Jr. - Without You
::: || MY FAVORITE LIVE PERFORMANCE OF 2015 || :::
Youth Lagoon at the Nuemos - Seattle, WA
It was like watching an insanely mad scientist at work in his dark lab of wonders.
