#stylotunes

[stylohotmilo]

Best Albums of the Decade

One thing I've been doing with fervour in the last few weeks of 2019 was ploughing through 'Best of' lists. Best films, best books, songs... albums. It was a result of moments of FOMO that I was experiencing, and also anticipation on whether I've been in the loop on the good stuff that the world has been offering. I ended up with long lists of things to listen to, read and watch - and I'm not complaining. I love having something to dive into, things to explore, and new favourites. What got me most excited were new and old musicians I've discovered in these lists. And that's when I realised that for the whole of this decade, I've committed to finding music I'll love. I've a strange preference when it comes to music, and to be honest it's hard to find friends who'd appreciate the music I love. Enjoying music has seen been a lone affair - be it hunting for new music, listening to albums or attending concerts. My early days of hunting for music was through Bandcamp, where I would download any free digital album I could find within the genres of indie and alternative. Then a few years later Spotify came along, and my life changed completely. I decided that paying $7 a month for good music is worth it, and honestly it's one of the best decisions I've made in life. Every Monday, I start the week with the 'Discover Weekly' playlist that recommends new tracks based on music I've been listening to. And since the March of 2018, I've started to create bi-monthly playlists to curate tracks that I love in those weeks. I got so excited when Spotify introduced Wrapped in 2017, where it recapped tracks you've replayed for the year. I still love the songs in my 2017 playlist and they bring back so many memories. Perhaps it has to do with the way I live with music - music has always been with me at every episode, good and bad. Because I enjoy music alone, I put on my earpiece during commutes, walks, work, in the toilet, travels, after quarrels, before meetings. The songs I've been listening to somehow has a connecting image of an event that happened in life. Yesterday when I was browsing through my playlists, I realised that I want to do up this post to thank the music that has defined my life from age 16-26. It's in this decade that I figured out music I truly love, and learnt how to lean on music for comfort. So here goes, my 10 best albums from this decade.

The King of Limbs Radiohead, 2011 I'm lucky to chance upon Radiohead in my mid-teens. I don't know how it happened but it did, and Radiohead went on to define what quality means. I guess that's how mainstream music fell off my radar very quickly from then onwards. It took me a while to fall in love with this album, but the musicality and skills of the band shone through with this album. The layers and textures they offer with their songs are always so spell-binding, and it led me to appreciate genres like alternative, experimental, eletronica etc. Favourite tracks: Bloom, Lotus Flower, Give Up The Ghost

Coexist The XX, 2012 The XX's distinct sound really proves that composing music is a work of balance. Their sound is clean and minimal, yet textured and dense. It has just about the right amount of everything. Coupled with Romy Madley Croft's etheral voice and Oliver Sim's deep and husky vocals, The XX is pure magic. I recall being completely swept away when I first discovered their works. Favourite tracks: Chain, Tides, Unfold

Woman Rhye, 2013 I found it unbelievable that the vocals behind this album are from a man when I first listened to this album. It has a similar etheral quality to The XX's sound, but with the vocals and lyrics, I remember feeling a lot of sadness when listening to it. Woman made me feel really lonely and lost, and I used to play The Fall just to have a cry in my room. Favourite tracks: Open, The Fall, One Of Those Summer Days

Midnight Snack HOMESHAKE, 2015 HOMESHAKE is one of my best finds through Spotify. I think I started listening to Mac DeMarco's Salad Days and this was later introduced as a recommendation. This album, along with In The Shower have significantly shaped the rest of the music I've discovered through the app. I'm now listening to a lot of lo-fi, blues, dream pop and psychedelia. And it's the start of what my friends call 'music you listen to when you are high' haha. I don't know what that exactly feels like, but from HOMESHAKE's music, you'll seem to be able to catch a whiff of it. Also, a special mention to my top 3 tracks of all-time - Midnight Snack that's featured in this album. I just want to close my eyes to this song and gently sway along with it. Oh, please. Feelin' like I'm falling asleep. Not ready to visit my dreams. Nothing in the world let me feel. Alone, while she's here next to me. Favourite tracks: I Don't Wanna, Midnight Snack, Real Love

Skiptracing Mild High Club, 2016 Mild High Club brings a little jazz to lo-fi psychedelia, and I also love the vintage 80s vibe he layers the tracks with. I felt Brettin managed to create a unique sound that I really haven't found anywhere else. Mild High Club's debut album Timeline is a favourite as well. Favourite tracks: Skiptracing, Cary Me Back, Chapel Perilous, Kokopelli

Ego Death The Internet, 2015 The Internet are the ones who introduced me to hip hop, soul and funk music. I listened to this album heavily when a friend got us free tickets to Laneway where The Internet would be performing. It's an album that makes you want to stand up and groove along to the beats. Syd's laid-back but delicate vocals also makes The Internet's sound even more appealing. Favourite tracks: Get Away, Under Control, Go With It, Just Sayin/I Tried

Currents Tame Impala, 2015 Another band with a really distinct yet familiar sound. It feels more futuristic, almost foreign, and the narratives to the songs are also pretty fresh - on sexism, courage to tackle the unknown, embracing change.. It's an album that's high in contrast, colourful and very self-aware. It feels like it could be the soundtrack for Star Trek haha, the visuals just go so well with how I've experienced this album. Favourite tracks: The Less I Know The Better, Yes I'm Changing, The Moment

Cold Shower Triathalon, 2015 Triathalon is officially my artist of the decade based on Spotify's statistics. And it's true, I love all their albums and I've faithfully followed this very indie band for quite a while. I gave them a shout-out on Instagram to celebrate the status as artist of the decade and they so kindly replied me with "Yooo *prayer hands emoticon* *heart emoticon*" haha! Cold Shower is more of an EP, and I love all 4 tracks. It's so smooth, so groovy, so easy. Slow jams that stole my whole heart. Favourite tracks: South Side, I Want It, Come Thru, Smooth Move (hahaha yes, it's everything)

Drowsy Bane's World, 2016 "Dreamy psychedelic bedroom pop" is how fans defined Blanchard's sound. I didn't listen to this album in a seating - I was recommended various tracks one after the other and I only recently realised they are all from the same album. Some tracks are fun and cute (Still Lovely, You Bet I Stare), while others feel really eerie or melancholic (Dream Boat, Drowsy). It also took me a while to fall in love, but now I'm hooked. I've to say I do agree that his music is really strange - but it all just feels together and in the end they sit well. Favourite tracks: Dream Boat, Valentine's Curse, Stay Away From My Baby

Déjàvu Matty, 2018 I remember feeling really excited when I discovered Matty. It's the typical high-and-slightly-off pitch voice I found familiar with HOMESHAKE and Tame Impala, but he offers it with really beautiful compositions from instruments other than lo-fi keyboards and synthesizers. For some tracks I felt I was watching a movie unfolding while listening to them. A great find that wraps up my decade! Favourite tracks: I'll Gladly Place Myself Below You, Clear, Butter

[stylohotmilo]

Oh drip drip drip drip...

[stylohotmilo]

We've got as much time as we give it We give as much time as we have it Only now I realise that what I got from the time I lost Was learning how to give And I still go after time I could not avoid it Ah, it didn't move Hummingbird in the air The river stays there It's the water that moved It went with the tide It became the sea It's as if dying Was like flowing water Like pouring into the sky Like self-purification Like leaving behind salts and minerals Evaporate

[stylohotmilo]

Currently working hard in Sydney. We have one more day here and I already know that I'll miss the wonderful weather, laying on the grass and staring at the blue sky and the Australians' carefree perspective towards life.

[stylohotmilo]

Used to listen to this when I was... 18, 19. Rediscovered it through a vlog I randomly chanced upon.

[stylohotmilo]

Rachel Nguyen and Lee Hyori reminded me of my love for this beautiful beautiful song.

[stylohotmilo]

I dance to this tune.