1. Grimes – Visions
Wrapped in a winter coat and puffing clouds of breath, rainbow-dyed hair veering towards a greasy green – even through tour-grot, Grimes emergent star power was plain to see at her first trip to Dublin post-Visions at Forbidden Fruit this summer. An album this ubiquitous (and this influential on the hair-dye industry) always risks backlash, but Visions was lucky enough to have the safeguard of niche predecessors. You can’t buy authenticity like having Halifaxa in your back catalogue, an album excellent in its own right, but very much part of that North American vampy-girls-with-synths continuum.
Visions lack of apparent artifice is its major selling point. Much has been made of the helping hand of amphetamines in the process of creating this album – whether true or not, the emotional smudginess and soft psychedelia lends it a mid-pills potency, a feeling of those giddy snippets of connection with somebody you’ve just met in a queue for a gaff party bathroom.
On a musical level, were there better-crafted albums released this year? Of course. But this is pop music, and messy pop music at that; in a period of high-precision production it’s Visions flaws the keep bringing us back.
Honourable Mentions:
Chromatics – Kill For Love
Hitting the same emotional heights as our number 1, Johnny Jewel’s mastery of his craft is undisputed. Kill For Love is untouchable in its own right, but we’d like to see Jewel bring in new elements to the template now that he’s completed his own game on hard mode.
Ital – Hive Mind
The beefier of Daniel Martin-McCormick’s two releases this year, Hive Mind was an early highlight, exactly the kind of house record you’d expect somebody from such a distinguished punk/noise background. Clever subversion, but never contrarianism, makes this the perfect companion piece to Pete Swanson’s 2011 winner, Man With Potential.
Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do
Considering how removed Fiona Apple appeared to make herself from present day music scene (7 years since her last album and seemingly existing in an old-world, major-label existence) her return to the fray seemed to be executed fairly effortlessly, and the reception that she was granted seemed evidence of how singular a talent she is still considered. Aside from Apple’s typically fraught lyrical world and faintly jazz-tinted piano, The Idler Wheel… has a unity of purpose fuelled by the wonderful percussion of Charley Drayton. The music is for the most sparse and vital, offering just the right amount of sonic and musical variations on a basic theme to carry a whole album’s worth of heavy material.
Mumblin’ Deaf Ro – Dictionary Crimes
We described this record to its creator as “frontloaded with miserable hits”, which was as flippant a way of describing these brutal, beautiful songs about the stresses and strains of what it means to be a part of a family. Musically, Dictionary Crimes is more pared-back than Ro’s previous records, focused primarily on a twin acoustic guitar with sparse bass and rhythmic accompaniment. Said line-up ties in with a stricter lyrical focus dealing with at least partly autobiographical illnesses, deaths, worries and loves articulated with delicacy and honesty matched by very few songwriters.
Death Grips – The Money Store
Following the raw slab of malcontent that was Exmillitary, Death Grips emerged with the first of two ambitious releases. Flawless production, catchy hooks and MC Ride’s unfiltered, abrasive style made for the most obtuse and yet forward thinking hip-hop record of 2012.
Perfume Genius – Put Your Back N 2 It
Mike Hadreas’ debut record Learning offered tender but bruised vignettes depicting characters of a life left behind. His self-assured sophomore effort adds lush swells of instrumentation and augmented production to his simple but effective piano-driven chamber pop.
Meyhem Lauren – Respect The Fly Shit
“I ain’t bringing shit back, New York we never left.” Except he did, to go to SXSW, where he got a rake of Harry Fraud beats and features from Action Bronson, Heems and Riff Raff among others, on an alarmingly perfect, fun, loose mixtape.
Nicki Minaj – Roman Reloaded
Simultaneously an almost inexplicably weird record with circusy character swapping, a top level rapper bragging vehicle and a collection of pop tunes of true abandon.
Chris Cohen – Overgrown Path
This delightfully humble little record is a textbook grower, revealing its richness over repeated listenings. There’s a consistently loose and relaxed manner about Cohen’s playing that gives the album a general air of unhurriedness which draws the listener in again and again.
Goat – World Music
A joyous amalgamation of afrobeat, pitch perfect psychedelia, and Sabbath at their most stoned and mystic. The best party record of the year.
Tame Impala – Lonerism
Psychedelic Aussies break the “awkward second album” syndrome with aplomb. Think of it as bad pop in a good way.
Flying Lotus – Until the Quiet Comes
Brainfeeder Record’s very own Dr. Greenthumb offers a jazzy, beat heavy, lucid trip on his fourth LP, picking up some well known names along the way.
Voices From The Lake – Voices From The Lake
Neel & Dozzy’s blend of atmosphere and subtle-yet-propulsive rhythm is unlike anything else in the techno universe this year.
Aine O’Dwyer – Music For Church Cleaners
Managing to sound relaxed and sacred at once is no easy feat. Church organs echo out, sounding beautiful in every way.
Container – LP
Rhode Island noise maker refines his damaged techno experiments into five hard-hitting slices of Drexciya-like electro madness.
Actress – RIP
UK producer Darren Cunningham’s angular and dynamic second album made a Splazsh in the electronic world, but his follow up is nothing short of visionary. A transcendent and immersive personal journey through desolate landscapes.
Laurel Halo – Quarantine
It makes sense that the odyssey in alienation that is Quarantine wouldn’t make top 10 in a consensus chart. Halo’s work is a piece of brute force that is not necessarily divisive, but requires either a strong disposition or some quick adaption to its queasy atmosphere.
Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
Indicative of the re-embracing of cinematic scope the album format offers that resulted in some of the year’s best, Channel Orange is sprawling, progressive, and at times masterful. Gaining a popular vote as Album of the Year across other media is impressive given Ocean’s introspection here.
Jogging – Take Courage
Building on their excellent debut, Jogging deliver another forceful slab of complex and emotive shoutrock.
Jessie Ware – Devotion
As with Katy B before her, Jessie Ware is a bulwark to mainstream values for pop stars. Emphasizing song-craft doesn’t stop her from hitting diva mode on Wildest Moments, and its utilization of lessons from London crossover house make it the perfect mirror to chart pop.
