So, here are our top twenty five records of 2015:
1 Marching Church - The World is Not Enough:
Elias Bender Ronnenfelt is better known as the frontman of Danish punks Iceage, and for his oddball side-project Var. Marching Church is what started as his solo venture and soon became a fully-fledged band. Their record 'The World is Not Enough' is a harsh, unforgiving, relentless onslaught of askew brass brutally tied with his unmistakable vocals. Iceage's last record saw his confidence peak, but here it's as if he's turned in on himself. "People die for me, fantasize about me" he croons on 'King of Song', it's almost his relief from the pedestal that he's been put on since Iceage became the punk critics darlings in 2014. At times its hard to listen to in that it's impossible to tell what's going to happen next, whether it's a piercing howl or a sax solo so urgent it could almost be sampled by Clipping - Marching Church won't let you sleep at night, but you won't mind.2 Ought - Sun Coming Down:
Montreal collective Ought are a fucking godsend. Their second LP 'Sun Coming Down' takes the David Bryne-flavored loose post-punk of their debut and runs it into the unknown. Cuts like 'Men For Miles' bind together the kind of social issues that Morrissey's self-indulgence lead him to overlook and document them fearlessly. 'Beautiful Blue Sky' takes on the mundane with claws out, and it's hard to deny that they've earned the right to do so. From the cut and paste-era Bowie lyricism of frontman Tim Darcy to the instrumentals that, in a live environment, are cut off as and when, because their potential is endlessly sprawling, it's hard to not be utterly consumed by Ought and all that they are. 3 Young Fathers - White Men Are Black Men Too:
There are few, if any, bands that are as utterly vital to UK hip hop as Young Fathers. "I'm tired of playing the good black" they collectively chant on 'Old Rock n Roll' before adding "I'm tired of wearing this hallmark for some evils that happened way back". It's the sound of an age of understanding and an age of respect. It's one that, heartbreakingly, stands out like a saw thumb in hip hop - its political progressiveness being replicated by very few within the genre (Kendrick Lamar being one of them). The swollen analogue synthesizers that their manifesto-esque outcries fall on make it a record as engaging sonically as it is on paper.4 Sufjan Stevens - Carrie and Lowell:
Stepping away from the hard to digest cathartic nature of 'The Age of Adz' and the theatrical brilliance of 'Illinois', 'Carrie and Lowell' is Sufjan Steven's 'Blue', 'Pink Moon' and 'Benji' in one. It's the most intimate singer/songwriter record of recent times. Taking its name from that of Sufjan's mother and step-father/co-owner of Asthmatic Kitty Records, it's piercingly close to the bone. "No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross" is a particularly deep cut, with Sufjan almost turning his back on the religion he so clearly adores in the wake of infinite mourning. The album details his mothers death in excruciating detail, to the point where it would be impossible to listen to if not for the rich, warm tones of his acoustic guitars and gently-reverbed backing vocals
5 Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly:
Undoubtedly one of the best hip hop albums of recent times, Kendrick Lamar came through with a record that not only built a bridge between the gap of stubborn indie fans and hip hop but acted as a pillow of hope for those effected by racially-motivated police brutality and racism in general over in the US. Its impact will be felt for years to come, and we're already seen evidence of some of Lamar's lyrics being used in Black Lives Matter movements.
6 Mbongwana Star - From Kinshasa:
Setting out to dispel the myths around African culture and music, Mbongwana Star's 'From Kinshasa' is one of 2015's most innovative records. It's almost a direct argument to post-modernism, defying pretty much every preconception held about contemporary music. The collective snatch the comfort you get from thinking you finely understand the LP from under your feet continuously, it's a record that, as a critic, you sort of have to roll over and accept defeat to. There are moments (like, literally moments) that you can pinpoint perhaps to some of the US's more authentic space rock or an early Wire song, but the fact is that From Kinshasa is utterly un-Western and utterly unique.
7 Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit and Think, Sometimes I Just Sit:
Few made their mark on 2015 quite like Melbourne's Courtney Barnett. Her debut LP is a complete indie rock coup of free-flowing crunchy guitars and almost hip-hop paced lyrics. When the record takes on feedback-laden epics (Small Poppies), it avoids being self-indulgent as Barnett refuses to lose her songwriting wit. "I don't know quite who I am oh but man I am trying" she moans - she'd convince you, too.
8 Gwenno - Y Daff Olaf:
Marking the second consecutive year that the Welsh Music Prize has gone to a genuinely incredible debut record (See also: Joanna Gruesome's Weird Sister), Gwenno's 'Y Daff Olaf' is a Welsh language full length which takes on the patriarchy and the apocalypse or, rather, avoiding it with the power of Welsh language. Her minimal komische sound may be a million miles from former band The Pipettes' effortless pop, but Gwenno Saunders is still at her assertive political best.
9 The Spook School - Try To Be Hopeful:
Acting somewhat as a documentation on songwriter Nye Todd's experience of coming out as transgender and transitioning, 'Try To Be Hopeful' is as honest as it is furiously catchy. It tackles the timidity of gender and outdated social constructs ("It makes you think that it's still okay to have marriage when there's no way you can own a living being") with a sarcastic smile rather than a scowl, as if The Spooks' weren't the most lovable bunch anyway.
10 Drinks - Hermits on Holiday:
It becomes clear pretty immediately on the record that Drinks write free, experimental psych rock. At its wildest it almost sounds like Dirty Three, but it will always find its way back to some kind of surrealist melody. Nick Murray's (White Fence, Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall & White Fence) drumming is hugely responsible for ensuring that Drinks never wander too far into the experimental to stop this being a wonderfully catchy record.
11 Deafheaven - New Bermuda:
George Clarke and Deafheaven faced a tough crossroads as 'New Bermuda' approached: Take their newly appointed position as the poster boys of black metal in their stride and make another record that appealed less to hardcore metalheads but to fans of alternative music in general more, or revert back to their bewitching roots; they favored the latter. There's plenty of reverb-heavy shoegaze guitar work, but in truth Deafheaven completely turn in on themselves on this record and come out with their scariest,darkest LP to date.
12 Speedy Ortiz - Foil Deer:
Speedy Ortiz sharpened up their oddball-slanted take on indie rock on their second LP, with cuts such as 'The Graduates' putting yet more focus on Sadie Dupuis' effortlessly chaactarised songwriting and 'Raising The Skates' featuring wonderfully off-centre guitar notes. Foil Deer *should* do enough to ensure that there's less boring white dudes writing Speedy Ortiz off as "Pavement rip offs". I mean, if Stephen Malkmus likes them, right?
13 Jenny Hval - Apocalypse Girl:
The venereal monologue of opener 'Kingsize' is soundtracked by minimal electronics, whereas 'Why This' sees Hval toy with layering to create cosmic, surreal tracks for her ambitious vocal delivery and songwriting to sit atop. 'Sabbath' is a surreal pop song in which Hval switches between a beautifully effortless vocal melody and a visceral and thought-provoking spoken-word piece. The alarming artwork compliments the mood of the album to a tee, 'Apocalypse, Girl' is the haunting, cosmic soundtrack to your favourite nightmare.
14 Björk - Vulnicura:
Multi-instrumentalist/songwriter/vocalist/genius/queen of everything Björk suggested that her ninth studio LP would be something of a breakup album pre-release. Although it may have prompted those less familiar with her to expect something akin to Bob Dylan's seminal 'Blood on the Tracks', what she came through with was this; a relatively minimal sonic record which cuts incredibly close to the bone through chronological sequencing and heady vocal deliveries
15 Trust Fund - Seems Unfair:
Kudos to Ellis Jones/Trust Fund for being the only artist to have two records featured in our top fifty. On 'Seems Unfair' Ellis' pens his most infectious pop songs to date, like a favorably warped Built To Spill tape played twice as fast. "If we stop feeling weird in ten or twelve or fifteen years, what will we even have to talk about" he asks on the excellent 'Football'. Closer 'Can You Believe' offers a sombre moment of reflection (before tailing off into breakneck speed indie pop bliss, obviously).
16 Grimm Grimm - Hazy Eyes Maybe:
“The broken glass is falling over me” croons a seemingly careless Yamanoha beneath a gentle synth pattern and a reverb-doused acoustic guitar on the wonderful fifth track Teleportation, and it’s the contrast between the morbid lyricism and gentle, almost lullaby-esque instrumentation that creates the overwhelming sense of surrealism which ties the sonically heterogeneous LP together. In fact, from the moment the sparse percussion of opener Kazega Fuitara Sayonara gives way to the lethargic guitar drones, a real sense of subtle psychedelia is being established.
17 Death Grips - Jenny Death:
Undoubtedly the best experimental hip hop record of the year, Jenny Death's eventual arrival back in March signaled the return of the most punk band on the planet. It's visceral, relentless and utterly, utterly petrifying.
18 Kurt Vile - B'lieve I'm Goin' Down:
The layers of reverb and fuzz that characterized his early work are completely absent here, and the tone is a little darker. It’s a nighttime album, moody and introspective, while amping up Vile’s signature brand of dark humour. This makes sense, given that the majority of the album was written and recorded in the early hours, and Vile has stated that “somewhere between midnight and three, maybe the best stuff happens.” ‘B’lieve’ is a tour of his hazy, introverted mind; a collection of late night thoughts that tumble out as Vile attempts to balance the life of an unassuming family man with that of a busy touring musician.
19 Pinact - Stand Still and Rot:
Glasgow's finest, Pinact, released one of the most promising debut records of the year with the MJ of Hookworms-produced 'Stand Still and Rot'.'Up or Down' has graduated from The J Mascis School of Writing Great Noisy Rock Songs and gone on to take over as principle, whilst 'Spill Yr Guts, Let Out Some Noise' is a fuzzy, scratchy freakout of an interlude that could only be on a Pinact record.
20 Shopping - Why Choose:
The London three piece serve up relentlessly jittery post-punk on their second offering. Although it could be said that their social awareness isn't quite that of their debut, the leftfield guitar lines and frantic vocal mantras that Shopping throw down seemingly effortlessly are way beyond their years.
21 Waxahatchee - Ivy Trip:
For her third album as Waxahatchee, Katie Crutchfield recruited Swearin's Kyle Gilbride and Keith Spencer to flesh out her formerly bare, dry instrumentals; it worked. The crushing intimacy is still present. Harshly overdriven 'Breathless' is a testament to the musical horizons that have opened to Katie.
22 Benjamin Clementine - At Least For Now:
Whilst he clearly has an ear for avant-garde (Then I Heard A Bachelor's Cry), Clementine's debut consists mostly of the dry, heartbreaking piano compositions that have served him well since the days of hiding his keyboard under hostel beds. His smooth, tenor voice cuts through his melancholy composition 'The People And I", whereas 'Winston's Churchill's Boy" takes on an unexpected almost slow hip-hop turn as Clementine poignantly recites "Where is your family?/Where are your loved ones, someone uttered".
23 Pond - Man It Feels Like Space Again:
From the golden moment ‘Waiting Around For Grace’ explodes from a guitar riff into space Pond take you on a bumpy, interstellar journey in an upgraded Hobo Rocket covered in glitter. The trip is perfectly paced, with fast, jerky tracks like ‘Elvis’ Flaming Star’ and ‘Zond’ broken up by more melodic ones like ‘Sitting Up On Our Crane’ and ‘Holding Out For You’. This album is Pond at the top of their game and proof that they’re so much more than just a ‘Tame Impala offshoot’.
24 Two White Cranes - Radisson Blue:
Roxy Brennan (Joanna Gruesome, Grubs, Towel, Trust Fund... literally every good DIY band ever) does solo stuff, too. Her third studio album as Two White Cranes, Radisson Blue, is an endlessly warm folk record that you'd really struggle to tire of. The closer on the record is called 'We Grew Up' and is by far the loudest track on the record, which makes the nature of the next TWC album up for debate. If she ever gets time to write it, that is.
25 Stealing Sheep - Not Real:
"Don't let the daytime fool you that you're not real" demand Liverpool collective Stealing Sheep on the title track to their wonderful second record, with sparse steel guitars and synthesizer notes fighting for attention behind them - an otherworldly pop record that cuts through the onslaught of generic psych music releases in 2015 with an effortless charm, a record that fights against the daytime.
This piece was written collectively, it features original and new reviews from Scott Brown, Lloyd Bolton and Marty Hill
(Full fifty list available in print from December 20th and online from January)
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