My Favorite Songs of the Year So Far

It’s already May, and I figured it would be a good time to shout-out some of the quality songs this year has brought us, so without further ado, here are some of the singles I have been enjoying listening to the most so far this year...

“(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano” by Sampha:

I’ve already written about another song by Sampha, “Kora Sings,” and “(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano” is another brilliant track off his excellent album Process that finds the British singer alone with his piano (with very faint electronics) as he beautifully recounts the confessional-like nature the instrument holds for him. The most emotionally-raw and touching song of the year.

“Cool Your Heart” by Dirty Projectors:

David Longstreth’s Dirty Projectors project is constantly evolving with every album. His latest album tackled Alternative R&B but as always retained the kookiness and experimental tendencies that make the project so unique (like his voice, which seems to be an acquired taste). Co-written by Solange, “Cool Your Heart” is an awesome little glitchy pop song that has some great percussion, staccato organs and brass, and really great chemistry between Longstreth and guest vocalist Dawn Richard.

“Show You the Way” by Thundercat:

Not only is Thundercat a frequent collaborator with Kendrick Lamar and electronic producer Flying Lotus, he is a supremely accomplished bass player in his own right and has been making his own music for years. Most of Thundercat’s songs consist of funky jazz fusion, and “Show You the Way” is one of his best, sounding like a slow jam straight out of the late 70’s featuring appearances from OG’s Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald.

“JBS” by Chaz Bundick Meets the Mattson 2: Better known by the name Toro y Moi, Chaz Bundick teams up with California jazz duo The Mattson 2 to create this warm & sweet vintage psych rock track. “Easy listening,” sure, but for what it is, it’s quite good.

“Third of May/ Ōdaigahara” by Fleet Foxes:

With “Third of May/ Ōdaigahara,” baroque folk band Fleet Foxes released their first music following a 6 year hiatus, but you would never think that if you only listened to this track. Soaring melodies, perfect harmonies, hauntingly impressionistic lyrics, and amazing progression alternating between passages of swirling guitars and refrains before settling into a beautiful string outro. This is Fleet Foxes firing on all possible cylinders on one song.

“3WW” by alt-J:

A lot of people have heard alt-J's music, but I feel like they don’t get enough credit. Their first single released for their upcoming album, “3WW,” is another slow burner. The first part of the song, with its thick bass, shakers, and minimal guitar chords, sounds like it comes from some ancient far-away land, lulling you into a trance before the dazzling chorus blasts in. It’s a hard song to describe but it’s really cool and has some nice female vocals thrown in on the back half.

“Andromeda” by Gorillaz:

Even though I found Gorillaz’s new album Humanz to be very underwhelming overall, I still love “Andromeda,” a futuristic, outer space track with a double-time house beat that has all the makings of a club hit. I wish D.R.A.M. had made a bigger contribution to the song than he did, but I can’t complain too much because Damon Albarn as 2-D carries the song just fine. “Take it in your heart now lover” is such a catchy line.

“Ran” by Future Islands:

Whenever Future Islands put out a lead single for a new album, chances are that it’s gonna be real good, and “Ran“ is no exception to that rule. Synth-pop is generally not a genre that I am a big fan of, but Future Islands are a model of consistency that stand out from the crowd thanks in large part to front-man Samuel Herring, who delivers a passionate performance on this ode to a lost love and life on the road.

“Saint Ivy” by Beach Fossils:

Jangle pop outfit Beach Fossils go for a more understated approach on “Saint Ivy,” mostly replacing their usual guitars with pretty orchestral violin compositions that steal the show as they crescendo during the chorus. Later, there is a small flute part, and the electric guitar arrives in the final third, meshing with the violins. The results are strong.

“Only God Knows” by Young Fathers: Young Fathers hail from Scotland and make genre-defying music, always finding interesting ways to infuse hip hop and their brand of rough-around-the-edges pop with a heavy African influence. “Only God Knows” incorporates a gospel vibe with a choir and organs accompanying the trio and then transitions to a breakneck pace with bleak but also strangely uplifting lyrics about God and death. A deeply spiritual experience.

“Lens” by Frank Ocean:

A lot of Frank Ocean’s last album Blond(e) had very minimal instrumentation, but in comparison to “Lens” a lot of the songs off it would seem maximal. With this track, there are flourishes of organs and other electronic touches, but it’s basically just Frank singing a capella with auto-tune for the first half of the song until any semblance of rhythm appears. Not many artists could pull that off without it coming off as boring, but Frank’s songwriting skills are more than up to the task. On the one hand, it's a simple and straightforward ballad, but on the other, it’s an achingly gorgeous song about Frank accepting his life being under the limelight, feeling the smile of spirits watching him from above.

“Thinking of a Place” by The War on Drugs:

The War on Drugs is a great example of the old saying that you should never judge a book by its cover. Their name is dumb, but their music is really good. “Thinking of a Place” is an 11 minute Americana epic with elements of psychedelia, feeling like a half-remembered dream. Equal-parts lucid and opaque.

“The Underside of Power” by Algiers:

Discovering Algiers recently is one of my best musical finds in quite a while, and in time they might become one of my new favorite bands. Seamlessly blending blues rock, industrial post-punk, and soul with political subtext and astounding vocals from singer Franklin James Fisher, there was no way I wasn’t going to dig this song. The groove on this thing once it gets going is absolutely infectious.

“HUMBLE.” by Kendrick Lamar:

Hard to believe that I didn’t like this the first couple times I listened to it when it dropped a month ago. Since then it’s grown on me immensely and I can’t get enough of it now. Not one of my favorites off DAMN. but definitely a great track, both within and outside the context of the album. I’m really happy this song and the album are doing as well as they are; Kendrick deserves it.

“Silent Treatment” by Blanck Mass:

Most misleading song title ever. Some of the most explosive, mind-bending experimental drone music I’ve heard, like having your ears assaulted by a thunderous cacophony of alien sounds. Not much else to say except it’s massive.

“Love Galore” by SZA:

The talented TDE female singer has unfortunately not had much solo music released since 2014, but it looks like her long overdue album is coming soon. If “Love Galore” is a good indicator, the album is shaping up to be promising, as it’s an incredibly sensual song with voluptuous vocals and phenomenal production that even Travis Scott manages to enhance.

“Truth” by Kamasi Washington:

If you like jazz but don’t listen to Kamasi Washington you are missing out, because the guy is a virtuoso musician and bandleader. His triple album from 2015, appropriately titled The Epic, was one of the best projects of that year, and his first song since serves as both a triumphant epilogue to that style and announces an elegant new chapter in the saxophonist’s burgeoning career.

“Arms Out” by Forest Swords:

Along with “Silent Treatment,” one of the other standout left-field electronic tracks from this year. In contrast to “Silent Treatment” though, “Arms Out” is much more composed and serene, with primal drums and a distorted vocal sample that is repeated and sounds like it might be played backwards, resembling a chant. The moment when everything drops out except for a lone ascending choral voice, and then it all gradually gets built back up, is transcendent.

“call the police / american dream” by LCD Soundsystem:

The comeback of LCD Soundsystem has officially begun, and this new double A-side they just released is everything you could ask for as a fan. The two tracks are very different musically, but each of them are wonderful in their own ways: “call the police,” propelled by its pulsing guitar riff, has the feel of a huge protest anthem made for arenas, while “american dream” is an introspective 80’s-ish synth and drum machine track that seems to be about an existential crisis related to getting old. Neither track really “goes anywhere” over their respective 7 and 6 minutes, but they both manage to sustain their energy and advance the ideas present in the song from start to finish.

“Hyperreal” by Flume:

Probably the best pure electronic song I’ve heard this year and unlike anything I’ve heard from Flume before. I wouldn’t even classify this as “wonky;” it’s a thumping dance song with a myriad of woozy synths(?) floating around and oscillating in the spaces between the beat, which actually slow down as they keep climbing higher and higher at the point leading up to what would normally be a drop if this were a normal EDM song, creating a disorienting effect for the listener. Hyperreal, indeed.

“Slip Away” by Perfume Genius:

And finally, a track that unfortunately slipped under my radar until a few days ago, "Slip Away" is a cathartic song about being vulnerable and letting go, something that is reflected in the percussive instrumental that opens up and erupts into a wall of colossal drums. Great lyrics, great message, great song.

#Music #Lists #2017