#eterna forest's music always gets me and this arrangement is like

[darkseldarine]

Personally am never getting over this

[shipinthewoods]

look.ship Presents: The Best Music of the Year, 2017 -- I’m sat in my office trying to sum up 2017 as a whole. So far, all I’ve come up with is: Like 2016, but worse. Which, while reductive, is true. I don’t think it’s worth either my or your time to hash out why 2017 was mostly trash, because, frankly, it’s totally obvious, and will be covered ad nauseam in other year-enders. I do think it’s worth pointing out that, for all the bad, it’s possible that we’ve already begun a long, laborious course correction thanks to the hard work and bravery of those who will no longer accept the status quo nor remain silent. 2018 will be interesting. And difficult, but difficult isn’t always bad. Although, it could be bad. Like, really bad. Who knows? Musically, this was a phenomenal year. Culturally speaking, the underground was vital, galvanized, queerer, and less commodifiable than ever--awake, engaged, prodding gleefully at the fringes of human experience. As most of you know, I occasionally write for The Quietus. Over there, they’ve spent much of the year exploring what they’ve termed New Weird Britain, an amorphous, loosely defined movement of diverse, idiosyncratic artists engaged in exploring the complete potential of their specific place and the experiences they might have in it. It’s a holistic approach, in terms of both topic and execution. There’s room for everything from the landscape to history to alternative religion to politics to sex to etc. It’s brilliant. The real deal--not just white-bread garage rockers playing at being strange-o. But what I think--or at least, what I hope is that what John Doran, Luke Turner, &co. have identified is their regional variant of a global phenomenon. Maybe 2018 is the year New Weird bubbles over. New Weird Everywhere. We’d all be better off. This year, we’ve decided to do things a little differently here at look.ship. In lieu of breaking down our albums-of-the-year list into shortlists organized by genre, we’ve ranked the top 25 of our 75 selections in order to give you a better idea of what dominated our editor’s home stereo (and make the list a bit more digestible). The remainder of the selections are arranged in alphabetical order. It should be noted that these are not runners up or honorable mentions or somehow lesser than. Though definitively not comprehensive--how could we listen to everything?--this is our list of the best records of the year, period. On some level, given the constant apples and oranges comparisons inherent in such an endeavor, we still think ranking albums is a little bogus. Ranking beyond 25? That becomes a frustratingly arbitrary exercise. However, selecting our album of the year was easy. Nothing came close to Hiro Kone’s Love Is the Capital, 38 nearly perfect minutes of desolate soundscapes, crystalline industrial techno, and incisive political bangers. A supremely confident record of rare grace and generosity, it demands the listener’s complete attention and begs to be repeated, proving more rewarding with every listen. (For more, feel free to click through to my interview with Hiro Kone -->here<--)   In addition to our albums of the year, you’ll find our top ten live recordings, compilations, and reissues; top ten EPs & 12″s; live performances of the year; and labels of the year. Where possible, we've included Bandcamp embeds. Otherwise, we've used Soundcloud or YouTube, which really mucked up our formatting. Read on to explore the wide array of sounds that made 2017 worth tolerating.

-- Albums of the Year, 2017: Top 25 -- 1. Hiro Kone – Love Is the Capital (Geographic North)

Love is the Capital by Hiro Kone

2. Bjørn Torske & Prins Thomas – Square One (Smalltown Supersound)

Square One by Bjørn Torske & Prins Thomas

3. Fever Ray – Plunge (Mute / Rabid)

4. Equiknoxx – Colón Man (DDS)

5. Perc – Bitter Music (Perc Trax)

Bitter Music by Perc

6. Virginia Wing & XAM Duo – Tomorrow’s Gift (Fire)

Tomorrow's Gift by VIRGINIA WING and XAM DUO

7. Bicep – Bicep (Ninja Tune)

Bicep by Bicep

8. Country Florist – Waveland (Drawing Room)

Waveland by Country Florist

9. Moon Diagrams – Lifetime of Love (Geographic North / Sonic Cathedral)

Lifetime of Love by Moon Diagrams

10. Andrew Hung – Realisationship (Lex)

Realisationship by Andrew Hung

11. Forest Swords – Compassion (Ninja Tune)

Compassion by Forest Swords

12. Colleen – A flame my love, a frequency (Thrill Jockey)

A flame my love, a frequency by Colleen

13. NoinoNoinoNoino – 8 (Caoutchou)

8 by NoinoNoinoNoino

14. The Cyclist – Sapa Inca Delirium (Hypercolour)

Sapa Inca Delirium by The Cyclist

15. Clark – Death Peak (Warp)

16. Mount Kimbie – Love What Survives (Warp)

17. Lindstrøm – It’s Alright Between Us As It Is (Smalltown Supersound)

It's Alright Between Us As It Is by Lindstrøm

18. James Holden & The Animal Spirits – Animal Spirits (Border Community)

19. JASSS – Weightless (iDeal)

20. Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith – The Kid (Western Vinyl)

The Kid by Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith

21. Blanck Mass – World Eater (Sacred Bones)

World Eater by Blanck Mass

22. Ninos Du Brasil – Vida Eterna (Hospital Productions)

Vida Eterna by Ninos Du Brasil

23. Expressway Yo-Yo Dieting – Undone Harmony Following (Type)

24. Snapped Ankles – Come Play the Trees (The Leaf Label)

Come Play The Trees by Snapped Ankles

25. Gnod – JUST SAY NO TO THE PSYCHO RIGHT-WING CAPITALIST FASCIST INDUSTRIAL DEATH MACHINE (Rocket Recordings)

JUST SAY NO TO THE PSYCHO RIGHT-WING CAPITALIST FASCIST INDUSTRIAL DEATH MACHINE by Gnod

-- Albums of the Year, 2017: 26 - 75 -- Auburn Lull – Hypha (Azure Vista)

Hypha by Auburn Lull

Basic Rhythm – The Basics (Type)

The Basics by Basic Rhythm

Ben Frost – The Centre Cannot Hold (Mute)

The Centre Cannot Hold by Ben Frost

Blondes – Warmth (R&S)

Warmth by Blondes

The Body & Full of Hell – Ascending a Mountain of Heavy Light (Thrill Jockey)

Ascending a Mountain of Heavy Light by The Body & Full of Hell

British Sea Power – Let the Dancers Inherit the Party (Golden Chariot)

Coldcut & On-U Sound – Outside the Echo Chamber (Ahead Of Our Time)

Outside The Echo Chamber by Coldcut x On-U Sound

Dale Cornish – Aqal (Entr’acte)

Aqal by Dale Cornish

Dalham – Waves (Public House)

Waves by Dalham

Dominowe – SiyaThakatha (Gqom Oh!)

Dominowe - SiyaThakatha by Dominowe

Downtown Boys – Cost of Living (Sub Pop)

Cost of Living by Downtown Boys

Emptyset – Borders (Thrill Jockey)

Borders by Emptyset

Escape-ism – Introduction to Escape-ism (Merge)

Introduction to Escape-ism by ESCAPE-ISM

Feature – Banishing Ritual (Upset The Rhythm)

Banishing Ritual by FEATURE

Golden Teacher – No Luscious Life (Golden Teacher)

No Luscious Life by Golden Teacher

Great Ytene – Locus (Faux Discx)

Locus by Great Ytene

Grey Hairs – Serious Business (Gringo)

Serious Business by Grey Hairs

H. Hawkline – I Romanticize (Heavenly)

Hey Colossus – The Guillotine (Rocket Recordings)

The Guillotine by Hey Colossus

Institute – Subordination (Sacred Bones)

Subordination by Institute

Jack Cooper – Sandgrown (Trouble In Mind)

Sandgrown by Jack Cooper

James Place – Voices Bloom (Umor Rex)

Voices Bloom by James Place

Jon Brooks – Autres Directions (Clay Pipe)

Autres Directions by Jon Brooks

Karen Gwyer – Rembo (Don’t Be Afraid)

Rembo by Karen Gwyer

Kedr Livanskiy – Ariadna (ариадна) (2MR)

Ariadna (ариадна) by Kedr Livanskiy

Kelela – Take Me Apart (Warp)

Kelly Lee Owens – Kelly Lee Owens (Smalltown Supersound)

Kelly Lee Owens (Extended Version) by Kelly Lee Owens

Kemper Norton – Hungan (Self-released)

Hungan by Kemper Norton

Kevin Morby – City Music (Dead Oceans)

City Music by Kevin Morby

Liars – TFCF (Mute)

Mogwai – Every Country’s Sun (Temporary Residence / Rock Action)

Every Country's Sun by Mogwai

Nathan Fake – Providence (Ninja Tune)

Providence by Nathan Fake

Nidia Minaj - Nídia É Má, Nídia É Fudida (Principe)

Nídia é Má, Nídia é Fudida by NÍDIA

Panayotis – Hawaiiprus (Honest Electronics)

Hawaiiprus (HE04) by Panayotis

Part Chimp – Iv (Rock Action)

Phillippe Hallais – An American Hero (Modern Love)

The Proper Ornaments – Foxhole (Slumberland / Tough Love)

Foxhole by The Proper Ornaments

Protomartyr – Relatives in Descent (Domino)

Relatives In Descent by Protomartyr

Richard Dawson – Peasant (Domino)

Shackleton & Anika – Behind the Glass (Woe To The Septic Heart)

Behind The Glass by Shackleton with Anika

Shinichi Atobe – From the Heart, It’s a Start, a Work of Art (DDS)

Spoek Mathambo – Mzansi Beat Code (Teka)

Mzansi Beat Code by Spoek Mathambo

STILL – I (PAN)

I by STILL

Teengirl Fantasy – 8AM (Planet Mu)

8AM by Teengirl Fantasy

Terry – Remember Terry (Upset The Rhythm)

Remember Terry by Terry

Tim Darcy – Saturday Night (Secretly Canadian)

Saturday Night by Tim Darcy

TLC Fam – Isbethelo seGqom (Gqom Oh!)

TLC Fam - Isbethelo seGqom by TLC Fam

Turinn – Eighteen and a Half Minute Gaps (Modern Love)

Ulrika Spacek – Modern English Decoration (Tough Love)

Modern English Decoration by Ulrika Spacek

The World – First World Record (Upset The Rhythm)

FIRST WORLD RECORD by The World

-- Top Ten Live Recordings, Reissues, & Compilations -- 1. Blood Sport – Live at Café OTO (Howling Owl)

Live At Cafe Oto by Blood Sport

2. Normil Hawaiians – More Wealth Than Money (Upset The Rhythm)

3. Bamboo – The Dragon Flies Away (Upset The Rhythm)

4. Maximum Joy – I Can’t Stand It Here on Quiet Nights (Silent Street)

I Can't Stand It Here On Quiet Nights: Singles 1981-82 by MAXIMUM JOY

5. Dub Syndicate – Ambience in Dub: 1982 – 1985 (On-U Sound)

Ambience In Dub 1982-1985 by Dub Syndicate

6. Hood – The Cycle of Days and Seasons / Rustic Houses, Forlorn Valleys (Domino)

7. Jay Glass Dubs – Dubs (Ecstatic)

8. Various – Mutual Ground (Honest Electronics)

Mutual Ground (HE03) by Various Artists

9. The Knife – Live at Terminal 5 (Rabid)

10. Pye Corner Audio – Sleep Games (Ghost Box)

-- Top Ten EPs & 12″s -- 1. Blood Sport – “Harsh Realm” / “Boiled in Dust” (Return To Disorder)

2. Dale Cornish – Cut Sleeve (Halcyon Veil)

Cut Sleeve by Dale Cornish

3. The Bug – “Bad” / “Get Out the Way” (Ninja Tune)

Bad / Get Out The Way by The Bug

4. Panayotis – Sawaiiphur (Honest Electronics)

Sawaiiphur (HE06) by Panayotis

5. RAW SILVER – Thanatos (Honest Electronics)

Thanatos (HE05) by RAW SILVER

6. Forest Swords – “Congregate” / “Free” (Ninja Tune)

Congregate by Forest Swords

7. Total Control, Laughing at the System (Alter)

Laughing At The System by Total Control

8. Café Ale – Transformative Nature (Geographic North)

Transformative Nature by Café Ale

9. Holy Fuck – Bird Brains (Innovative Leisure)

Bird Brains EP by Holy Fuck

10. Fujiya & Miyagi – EP3 (Impossible Objects of Desire)

FUJIYA & MIYAGI by Fujiya & Miyagi

-- Live Performances of the Year -- Steven Warwick and Benjamin Wardell performing "Figuring Space (on the Mezzanine)" to close out Lampo's season at the Stony Island Arts Bank in Chicago -- Cattle live at Supernormal, Braziers Park, Oxfordshire, UK

-- Labels of the Year -- Geographic North Gqom Oh! Honest Electronics Smalltown Supersound Upset The Rhythm

-- Label of the Year, Emeritus -- Faux Discx

-- In the next couple of weeks, keep an eye out for special episodes of SHIP/SHAPE/SUNDAY featuring our favorite recordings of 2017. – Bernie Brooks is the editor-in-chief and bloggist of look.ship. *Everything* he writes or compiles or otherwise makes–or has *ever* written, compiled, or otherwise made–for A Ship In The Woods is editorial content, and as such reflects his opinion alone, not necessarily that of Ship as an organization. Actually, this applies to all the content on look.shipinthewoods.com, regardless of who wrote or said it. He can be e-mailed: bernie [at] shipinthewoods [dot] com -- Image of Steven Warwick and Benjamin Wardell performing at Stony Island Arts Bank by Bernie Brooks.