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chaosincurate · 10 months ago

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chaosincurate's top 20 albums of 2023

For the second year in a row, I'm late to the year-end list party, but the format doesn't lose value as a way of finding new music just because it's not the holidays anymore, so here is my list:

Jessie Ware - That! Feels Good!

An exuberant and self-assured pop album with charismatic vocal performances from Jessie Ware throughout. It's groovy, it's greedy, and it's wonderfully hedonistic. It feels reminiscent of 00's pop by the likes of Rihanna and Katy Perry, but with a modern and classy flair that makes it as fun and danceable as anything by the aforementioned pair, but in a whole new way.

Yves Tumor - Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)

Yves Tumor continues to be one of the most interesting rock acts of their generation in a way that doesn't feel likely to polarize. It's as if we're hearing the pop music from a human-esque alien race. It appeals in all the ways it should, but is barely recognizable as pop music. Yves Tumor is generally yet to click with me properly, but they are undeniably intriguing and someone rock fans should be paying attention to.

boygenius - the record

On first impression, I thought the record was wildly overrated. Now, a few more listens later, but perhaps not enough listens as I should have had, well... I still don't get the hype. But I do find myself enjoying it slightly more with every listen. Maybe by next year I'll see it as amongst the best this year had to offer, but as of right now it's at a lower-than-most but still respectable 18th for me. I love the more upbeat cuts, like $20 and Not Strong Enough, and unsurprisingly considering the solo work of the 2 artists I heard from before this, the lyricism is brilliant with it's offhanded cleverness and sense of humour.

Laufey - Bewitched

Laufey really managed to sneak her way into my heavy rotation with this album. It became one of my most listened albums of last year despite the fact I would have sworn I only listened enough for about five full listens, accounting for shuffle plays, had I not seen the last.fm stats for myself. To be clear, that's not just the seeds for an Apple Music shuffle conspiracy theory (although there are traces of that involved, I'm onto you Apple), it's a comment on how easy this album is to listen to. I found it an unrewarding listen when trying to analyze it in the way I do most of the music I listen to, perhaps on account of my inexperience with jazz and jazz-inspired music, but when I just let it play, it truly shined. It's just so constantly in the groove, relaxing, and uplifting all at once.

Young Fathers - Heavy Heavy

I honestly struggle to put my finger on what appeals to me about this album. All I have are hints of things. It is a very dynamic album, and some songs on it feel quite communal too, which is nice, but those characteristics don't really stand out that much compared to albums I like this much. There's a bit of cool experimentation on display, but nothing truly groundbreaking. It's almost as if I love this album like I love people: not for a specific trait, but the indivisible whole that is made up by those traits. I recognize that isn't very helpful to you as a prospective listener, but honestly any attempt to describe this band and this sound is futile. It's sort of art pop, sort of hip-hop, but both labels, even put together aren't really apt descriptions. AOTY even calls it neo-psychadelia, which I think is an awful descriptor too. You truly just have to listen to this one.

Carly Rae Jepsen - The Loveliest Time

For an album far better than Emotion this sure got overlooked. I'm pretty sure I'm yet to see a year-end list that contained this album, and that is frankly a disgrace. The album has a particular warmth about it that remains as the album traverses conventional acoustic dance pop sounds and thumping electropop seamlessly. I've seen it called a b-sides collection, but I think it'd be more accurate to refer to it as a sequel to The Loneliest Time because calling it a collection of songs does a disservice to the cohesion this album has. If I weren't told otherwise I would have fully believed that this was the initial tracklist. In fact, the only hint I have that this is anything other than an album birthed from the same conditions as any other is the strange dip in quality in the last couple of tracks, tracks which feel strangely unfocused, meandering, and uninspired for what was otherwise an incredibly streamlined listen, thematically speaking. That's also the sole reason this album isn't in the top ten or possibly even top 5 for me.

shame - Food for Worms

This, for me, is one of those albums where, when you haven't listened in a little while, you think your enjoyment with it in the past won't hold up when you get around to it again, only to prove yourself wrong when you get around to it. That sounds like a very specific experience, but I know a bunch of albums and artists just like that, and I'm fairly certain that I've written about the phenomenon before. I think in this case it comes from the fact that they don't really have a particularly unique sound, but they make up for it with their impeccable execution and variety. There isn't an inch of indie rock ground that doesn't feel covered expertly here, which makes for an enjoyable experience, but not a lasting impact, at least for me. If shame can cement an identity with their next album, I think they could really begin to stand out in a crowded British indie rock/post-punk scene.

Danny Brown - Quaranta

Spoilers: Danny Brown makes 2 appearances on my list this year. His first, is for Quaranta. Having grown to appreciate that alienating intonation, I was far more able to respect that it helps Danny to stand out in a mix while also lending itself to a feeling that he is an obtrusive, unignorable outsider, which isn't so true anymore, but it does lend the album a certain fun aesthetic. That being said, the moments where it is absent, in my opinion, are more powerful and definitive for the album. When he tones it down or strips it back entirely, it tells you, along with the lyrics, that this is a more reflective Danny Brown.

I'll need more time with the album before I'm able to describe my thoughts more coherently, but I really enjoyed it and have no reservations about it's placement on this list.

The Japanese House - In the End it Always Does

There is a great deal of texture on this album, and that texture is cotton wool. The type that is warm and cozy and not the least bit itchy. I've said before that it's almost like an album from The 1975 that is entirely uninterested in spectacle and is only interested in catchiness as a secondary factor, instead opting to draw you in and create a sense of intimacy. Where The 1975 point at the layer of abstraction between you and the band, the one that makes them more symbols than people, painting it all these fancy colours and making it ornamental, The Japanese House attempts to remove it altogether, and for a second you'd be forgiven for thinking that the lives and experiences described in these songs are your own. I've tried to communicate this throughout this write-up, but to be very clear and explicit: this is not a derivative copy of The 1975. It has similarities, partially on account of the fact that the band's drummer produced the album, but the album is more defined by it's differences to their labelmates' efforts than it's similarities.

slowthai - UGLY

I really liked this album, and there's little point in denying that but I don't really feel like praising it on account of the allegations. Moving on.

Dispirited Spirits - Redshift Blues

Redshift Blues is a jazzy midwest emo concept album using various astronomical concepts and events as a metaphor for what appears to be a strained relationship. I say "what appears to be" because between the astronomy references and just general sesquipedalianism, this album is a difficult one to unpack logically. Emotionally though, it's all right there, easy to understand. You don't need to understand the concept of redshift to pick up on the fact that there is a longing in the vocals, and space or angst in the instrumental. That's what makes this one special for me. There is so much feeling that you can latch onto right away, but there is so much to comb through lyrically and learn about in the process that no matter what you're looking for from this type of music, you're likely to get it. It's a very underrated album, just by virtue of having little attention paid to it, so moreso than with any other album on this list, give this a listen if it sounds like your thing. It'd most likely genuinely help the artist here.

McKinley Dixon - Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!?

I quite liked McKinley Dixon's last effort, For My Mama and Anyone Who Look Like Her, but I felt as though it wasn't drawing me in that much, which made it feel a little less special to me. That (subjective) problem doesn't exist on his more recent effort. The eponymous jazz elements make this album stand out, not because they exist per se - there are plenty of hip-hop albums that implement jazz to some degree - but the way the genres feed off eachother here make for some immaculate vibes. It also helps to sell the theme of beauty in difficult situations, combining arguably the most widely aesthetically appreciated genre of jazz and hip-hop which is generally seen as the favoured artistic medium of those who are often discriminated against and impoverished. It's a beautiful sound that passively instills hope, and it's the driving force behind this album for me, although far from the only thing worth appreciating.

Olivia Rodrigo - GUTS

This album, for me, is Olivia Rodrigo earning and cementing her fame and adoration, and preparing to create her legacy within pop music. If you'll forgive a quick tangent, I heard Matty Healy say that "there is a big market of music for people who don't like music". Now, the guy is a prick, but I think that quote is a banger, and I bring it up here, because I think one of the big things that makes Olivia Rodrigo so special is her ability to toe that line. Vampire is a great example, you can hear that on the radio, and barring the awful censoring of the term "fame-fucker" to instead say "dream-crusher", it doesn't feel out of place. And yet, you can pay close attention to it and pick out amazing details, and get that effort repaid in the form of more enjoyment, not just in the moment, but in the now recontextualized listens on the radio, or in stores. She is clearly passionate about music, and passionate specifically about the music she makes too, but she's also making music for people who don't like music at the same time, which is a rare crossover to achieve on this level.

This is a very interesting album, and I feel like I could pick something new to talk about with every listen for years, but what's most important is that the music is good, and if great pop with rock elements sounds like something that could interest you, this one won't disappoint.

Genesis Owusu - STRUGGLER

Another album that is difficult to describe, because I love making my job harder on myself. I would hesitantly call it something like dance-punk or something along those lines if forced to, but despite the fact that this doesn't come across as incredibly experimental or genre-bending, there are elements of so many very different genres within it that it's hard for me to pinpoint. It's almost as if it's not genre-bending, but instead a whole new genre all of its own, as useless as a genre of exactly one album is. The traces of dance, grimey hip-hop, alt-rock, funk, and many others don't read to me as a combination at all outside of my efforts to define it, it's far too cohesive for that. There's no chaos here, just Genesis Owusu's sound. It's cohesive, immersive, and unique, but that's not even my favourite part of this album. My favourite part is the concept (and this is very much a concept album). It tightly deals with the experiences of someone who is up against odds that seem undeniable as they grapple with hopelessness, defiance, and laissez-faire acceptance, and all of it feels believable.

Sampha - Lahai

This is the vibiest album I've heard in a long, long time. When I initially listened to this album, I had completely forgotten that Sampha was behind one of my favourite moments on Mr Morale & The Big-Steppers (that being his chorus on Father Time), so while I shouldn't have been surprised by the incredible vocal performance and soothing essence here, I was absolutely swept off my feet all over again. The whole album, to varying degrees, feels reassuring, like an earnest "you got this" or a loved one being there when you need it. There's a calming warmth emanating off of the project that makes it so impactful no matter whether you're listening to the album actively, having a song served up on shuffle, or putting it on in the background.

Squid - O Monolith

I love me some art punk, and this album scratches that itch incredibly. Something about the core of Squid's sound feels so existentially anxious at all times, as if they are aware of some vague, unknown apocalyptic event that will occur in just a few years and they opted to channel their feelings of futility into music while they were still here to do so. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if it were true that there were an unknown apocalyptic event right around the corner that sneaks up on us by hiding amongst the many known apocalyptic events, but that's not the point. The point is that the anxious energy they give off suits this punk-adjacent sound brilliantly, and when the themes are punky too, like on my favourite off the album The Blades, it feels so cathartic.

Paramore - This Is Why

From pop-punk to post-punk, Paramore have only improved as they've aged thus far. While every other band I loved from this time have strained themselves trying to create something of value by way of hollow experimentation, desperate grasps for popularity, and nostalgia bait, Paramore continue to go in bold new directions, and walk them with a genuine passion, which makes for not just more critical success than the vast majority of their former peers, but also more commercial success. It's a demonstration of their understanding of what gets people interested in new music from bands they love. They know it's not about being on the next big wave anymore or recapturing former glory, fans are already on board now, it's about giving those fans something new while staying creatively authentic and recognizable. We want to see bands express themselves and show us how they've grown, and older acts so often lose sight of one of those things, or occasionally both. Either they refuse to grow, stubbornly wearing the clothes they wore as teenagers as their hair begins to grey, or they start wearing what they think is on trend. But Paramore here, for far from the first time, buck the trend with maturity. It's very refreshing to see.

JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown - SCARING THE HOES

Honestly, with how much I've enjoyed this album, especially towards the end of the year, just calling this my favourite rap album of the year or third favourite album of the year feels a tad sacrilegious, but that should be taken as high praise for the next two albums as opposed to even slight criticism of this album. This is album of the year quality without a doubt, but the competition is strong in my opinion this year.

That said, this album is so easy to come back to that it's verging on addictive. The short runtime, the incredible production, amazing writing (Danny Brown on God Loves You gets verse of the year hands down), perfect flows, and crucially the feeling that none of this should work when all of it does makes me feel like the high I get from this album is impossible to replicate, although JPEGMAFIA's solo work does come close. It's a must-listen for me if for no other reason than that feelings

Model/Actriz - Dogsbody

Sexy, depraved, intense, and messy as fuck. This album is BDSM in audio form. It's banger after banger after banger, and there's always a slight tension, a tension that falls between feelings of dread and excitement, the performance straining as if they are leaning themselves over the brink of what they are capable of taking. There's a tangible sense of fear in that as you'd expect, but also a thrill and a pleasure in the knowledge that you are pushing yourself to your limits and giving everything you've got. If it feels like I'm always kind of describing BDSM, it's because 1. it's funny and 2. that just is the sound of the album. It sounds like rough sex. I can't help that. I didn't think industrial rock would be my thing, but it turns out if you add sex it does something for me.

Final note on this album, I just wanted to bring up the most beautifully depraved lyrics I think I've ever heard courtesy of the song Donkey Show:

Oh, you don't have to try to be gentle do it the way you feel right now I know it's hard I feel you rise to the occasion In the black light you know I'm shining for you here

underscores - Wallsocket

This one really came out of nowhere. With enough distance from first listen that I can be fairly certain that it's not just recency bias anymore, I'm calling it: Wallsocket by underscores is my album of the year. This was my first foray into hyperpop (if this would be considered hyperpop, idk, I'm new here) and I'm hooked. The nostalgic maximalist sound of 00s pop put through an online outsider filter is such a natural fit for me, as is the indie rock blended into the sound at points on this album, and the weird, unique themes that the album touches, and the fact that there is a story that goes through it... It almost feels like underscores cheated to get recognition from me for some reason, somehow finding out all my musical soft spots and calculatingly targetting them with this album. If it were under 40 minutes I'd feel like when she wrote about stalking that it was about me. Given a little time, this might well end up making my all-time lists. I can't recommend this one highly enough, although that might be more to do with the fact that I like it so much moreso than the feeling that anyone else would like it.

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