by Adam B. & Ultrasound Radio USA
from bottom to top:
20) Godflesh – A World Lit Only by Fire
Forsaking industrial for doom with spectacular results.
19) Various Artists – 8-Bit Operators Enjoy the Science: Tribute to Depeche Mode
And I just can’t get seem to get enough of…
18) Tricky – Adrian Thaws
More than just a brotastic pat on his career’s butt. Beautiful arrangements and great guests (Bella Gotti!).
17) Squarepusher x Z-Machines – Music for Robots
Electro-jazz jams for 78 fingers, 22 arms, 46 chromosomes.
16) Johnny Cash – Out Among the Stars
Even lost recordings too glossy for his taste kick most other music’s ass.
15) The Glitch Mob – Love Death Immortality
Jason Statham’s nextTransporter screenplay run through Ableton and Reason.
14) Pattern is Movement – Pattern is Movement
A swirling cloud of earnest, complex music. Want them to be the next Kurt Vile/War on Drugs.
13) Against Me! – Transgender Dysphoria Blues
Following Laura Jane Grace’s new normal = punk anger skillfully applied to autobiography.
12) clipping. – CLPPNG
Slides neatly into Death Grips’ industrial-rap void. When Sacramento closes a door, LA opens a window.
11) A Sunny Day in Glasgow – Sea When Absent
In the shadow of MBV’s ’13, standing along Slowdive in ’14, holding it down for neo-shoegaze.
10) Sun Kill Moon – Benji
But Mark Kozalek can still suck my cock.
9) Cocksure – TVMALSV
Chris Connelly rips open time and space, delivers us back to the days of RevCo’s Beers Steers & Queers.
8) Eno/Hyde – Someday World
Ambient legend + Underworld leader = artsy Afrobeat? I could get used to this new math…
7) Com Truise – Wave 1 EP
Dude makes 1980s beats/pads ripe like Jersey tomatoes.
6) Neneh Cherry – Blank Project
Dark horse contender for Comeback of the Year. Subtle, smart, jazzy electro-balladry.
5) Lee Bannon – Alternate/Endings
Sacramento fella born at the wrong time, assembling straight-up d’n’b to make the Metalheadz proud.
4) Todd Terje – It’s Album Time
Is it possible to improve on Daft Punk’s space disco formula from last year? All signs point to YES.
3) Run the Jewels – RTJ2
Holding the political, the personal, and the partying, this was the only rap album you needed in 2014.
2) Saintseneca – Dark Arc
Restores the creaky, creepy patina of indie-folk lost amid the pop stomp of the Lumineers and the Mumfords.
1) Aphex Twin – Syro
Having written this up in 84 places beforehand, just know this: It’s funky, it’s fun, and it’s constantly changing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7f5OTi2ROWE&index=4&list=PLtZw7HIqfx3_erZ8n7ZHKfL_3brIjAuPU