Well here it is, the main event; the stand-out moment on this our count-down of the year's musical achievements and prowess of audible creativity. We still have a fair few categories to divulge over, but we'dbe lying if we said it's the albums that both our and your attention has been keenly fixed on over the past few weeks. So it's here in mid-December, nine days until Christmas, that we at last begin our countdown of the year's best albums according to us the database of musical writings and rantings. In a year that has seen a fair few 'returns', a vast major of surprises, and a controversy thrown into the spotlight here and there, it's safe to say that 2013 will be rememebered uniquely in its own aspects in as much the same way 2009 and 2010 most-notably were some of music's most recently strongest years for creative contribution. So without further ado, though it's not my interest to express this as the final act, let us begin the main event and unravel to you MRD's Top 50 Albums of 2013.
50. Vondelpark - Seabed
I was aware of Vondelpark circa
late 2010 / early 2011. They had supported James Blake live in London, and this
ambient / electronica trio seemed to own the vocal glitches and textures better
than Blake, but without his call for minimalism. So I was very excited to hear
Vondelpark were releasing their debut album Seabed
in 2013. Their second EP nyc stuff and
nyc bags was reviewed by moi in early 2012, and it signalled the start to a
more open and distinctive sounds – instead of forever being put in the sub
category of post-dubstep like their then R&S Records counterpart Mr. Blake.
Now Seabed isn’t overly individualistic, Vondelpark still take plenty of their
sound two sources electronica from the likes of Boards of Canada, and post-punk
from the likes of Young Marble Giants. Vondelpark very much are the mix of
these two aforementioned artists, and their debut album Seabed is like walking through an estate listening to Aphex Twin.
~Eddie Gibson
49. Shout Out Louds - Optica
Despite
the variety of instrumentation, the multitude of production choices and even
the dizzying euphoria of Swedish quintet Shout Out Loud’s forth studio LP,
Optica provided a careless flurry of indie rock, art pop and pop art-like
colour across the record’s eleven healthy recordings. With the duo of Adam
Olenius & Bebban Stenborg on vocal duty, there was a neat marriage of
Adam’s murmuring low-key to Bebban’s soothing equivalence, and guided on with a
series of head-bobbing, soaked-in instrumentation, Shout Out Louds at last
certainly had something to shout about.
~Jordan Helm
With Kiss Land, The Weeknd (pseudonym for Abel Tesfaye) took his music closer to the
popular domain, but in so keeping his paid samples fresh and readily available
for the ear to purchase once they’ve worked out what it is. Kiss Land carries on from the analogue
neo-soul of The Weeknd’s three mixtapes released in 2011. There’s a deeper
sense of refuge on Kiss Land, now everyone knows who The Weeknd is, he can’t
use his anonymity to the power he maybe would like. So Kiss Land is far more
personal and reflective than the three EP’s. It’s a move which is taking
Tesfaye out of the gimmicky / faze bracket, and in to a more suited cult
bracket. Tracks like “Professional” offer more than the textured layers of the
extended tracks on Trilogy, with
“Town” delivering that anti-unrequited love theme, with a bit of chauvinism and
domination involved with the lyrics. Kiss Land’s main single “Belong to the
World” has the chart value, with a sample of Portishead’s “Machine Gun” ripping
through. Then there’s the titular track which highlights The Weeknd’s developed
career and fame. Overall, Kiss Land has the production value and content of all
three EP’s, but with less importance.
~Eddie Gibson
47. L. Pierre - The Island Come True
One of 2013’s earliest records was also one of its most
experimental, not in conventional structure or delivery, but in its aesthetic.
The year’s release by American composer and producer L (Lucky) Pierre under the
name The Island Come True was, as its name suggests, a lively extravagance of
experimental electronica mixed with the warmth and glow of any heat-stricken
tropic. But the conflicting sound and time of year of its release created an
interesting dynamic for the listener - Pierre’s challenging but sought tests a
welcome break from breezy, blurred downtempo.
~Jordan Helm
46. Daniel Avery - Drone Logic
A bold move was made by DJ-turn-producer Daniel
Avery on Drone Logic’s assemble of scurrying analog synth hooks and
knob-turning carriages of melody and pacing. But rather than dusting off the
cobwebs for the sake of nostalgia, Avery’s efforts felt far more adjust and
reasoned-with than many Roland enthusiasts would dare to implore. Drone Logic’s
mash-up of 303, 606 & 808 leads then created an impressive and intriguing
return to roots for one of electronic’s founding cornerstones. At a time when
simple = effective made rampant returns this year, the debut LP for Daniel
Avery encapsulates both the light and darker sides to House’s club-stomping
influence.
~Jordan Helm
45. Anna Calvi - One Breath
When Anna Calvi debuted her first
single “Jezebel” in 2010, the PJ Harvey expressway was sounding the horn. Calvi
was set to take off in to the distance, and she did with her self-titled debut
album. But it’s her sophomore effort that’s pulling her apart from the
contemporary art rockers in the United Kingdom. Calvi looks as if she belongs
in an art gallery in Paris, but her sound seems more akin to a suit and tie
affair at the Royal Albert Hall. One
Breath is sometimes explosive, then suddenly minimalistic. It’s a drastic
change from her self-titled, though Calvi’s electric guitar progressions do
tend to follow on from her debut. “Eliza” has the same essence and “Desire”,
both singles, both great in their individual right, and both fitting of their
albums but could cross over. See Calvi is taking her art rock sound and using
her knowledge of classical, and noise music to create a distinctive blend of
what is essentially soft post-rock. It’s different, but it’s also very good
throughout.
~Eddie Gibson
44. of Montreal - Lousy With Sylvianbriar
Indie pop is becoming fare loose,
as is what’s considered twee in the 10s. With of Montral, Kevin Barnes and his
every changing and following posse of multi-instrumentalists are the
neo-psychadelia to Sufjan Stevens baroque. Lousy
With Sylvianbriar takes the old sounding and somewhat flat sounds of 00s of
Montreal and matches it with a blend of 90s acoustic folk and modern neo-psychedelia.
It’s a blend which takes Barnes’ sound and puts it in a realistic perspective
with his literal lyricism such as with “Colossus”. It’s never the same with of
Montreal, Barnes always has something extra to say / produce, and Lousy With Sylvianbriar is his outlet to
continue down a path to further his cult status.
~Eddie Gibson
43. Deerhunter - Monomania
Deerhunter always surprise with
their albums – Monomania is no
different. It always takes five, 10, sometimes even 20 listens through a
Deerhunter album to fully grasp their point of view, their layers and the
order. Whenever listening to Deerhunter, specifically with Monomania, all you
hear is chaos – but just on the first few listens, because hidden deep
underneath is a powerful post-punk noise rock album using studio equipment and
electronics to not just boost their sound, but to make their sound what it is –
a spectacular array of layers. The progressions are as good their previous
album Halcyon Digest, with some
singles which completely alter my perception as Deerhunter. This once light
shoegaze artist has developed in to a machine of glorious rhythm guitar and fuzz
that you would expect to be hand-picked from The Velvet Underground’s White Light / White Heat.
~Eddie Gibson
42. Frightened Rabbit - Pedestrian Verse
Pedestrian Verse, Rabbit’s forth studio album, was much like the
archetypical night-in at your local pub. The more you get absolved in
the bands gracious acoustics and Scott Hutchison’s welcoming comfort of a
voice, the more the roast fire, the wooden floorboards and home-made
Sunday roast, begin to materialize. But beyond metaphors, Frightened
Rabbit’s sound opened out to invite its listener in - Hutchison’s vocals
inclusive as much as they were exclusive to fans’ previous delicacy of
indie, folk and alternative music coming together. In one almighty
greeting, Pedestrian Verse made its listener welcome but never forgot
about that which lay beyond the exit.
~Jordan Helm
41. Pharmakon - Abandon
When you can say evenn the grotesque nature to the cover sleeve of Abandon is subtle, you can be confident ‘song-writer’ Margaret Chardiet a.k.a. Pharmakon, is something else. The need for quotation marks is rightly just. Of all the albums on our list, Abandon is sonically the most impounding and offensive onto our innocent little ear canals. But even with the violent screams, grated layering and pulse of noise and industrial instrumentation, the dire frustration and need for such volumes gave Pharmakon’s demonic, Worldly presence a detail with which was hard not to empathize with. Even against the cold bleakness of the album’s backdrop, Abandon’s listeners throughout were kept utterly absorbed.
~Jordan Helm