Albums of 2016

[Kaius]

Really digging Rihanna's "Anti."

[LoathedVermin72]

What are your favorite tracks on here, LV? I think "Desperados" might be my favorite.

Man, there are so many good ones. "Same Ol' Mistakes" is probably my favorite, but I also really, really love "Consideration", "Kiss It Better", and "Work". And "Woo".

I love this album.

[Kevin Davis]

Yeah, pretty much every song is good.

[Kaius]

Did you ever listen to "Currents", LV? Or more specifically, the original version of "Same Old Mistakes..."...

[Kaius]

Yeah, pretty much every song is good.

I haven't thought about a true ranking up until now, but I'm going to attempt to make one since this album is now mostly integrated into my being.

[LoathedVermin72]

Did you ever listen to "Currents", LV? Or more specifically, the original version of "Same Old Mistakes..."...

I did listen to the original version of SOM, but I have not listened to Currents. It's a good song, and clearly it is entirely their composition, but I'd be lying if I said I liked anywhere near as much as Rihanna's cover.

[Kaius]

Did you ever listen to "Currents", LV? Or more specifically, the original version of "Same Old Mistakes..."...

I did listen to the original version of SOM, but I have not listened to Currents. It's a good song, and clearly it is entirely their composition, but I'd be lying if I said I liked anywhere near as much as Rihanna's cover.

Oh, that doesn't surprise me at all. I'm not sure myself which one I like better. I'm pretty infatuated with Rihanna lately.

[Kevin Davis]

The only other album of hers I have is "Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded." I love so many of her singles, though.

[Kaius]

I think I have all of hers, even "Music of the Sun", and yeah, she has had some great singles through the years, but nothing has transcended the radio dance pop genre until "Anti". Maybe it's just a 'right time, right place' situation, but it resonated with me nonetheless.

[Brett]

Constellation has finally slipped some info about their upcoming plans. Three new artists added to the label, each with a release out some time this fall.

1. Saxophonist/composer Jason Sharp has been working on a suite that translates breath and heart rate into sound triggers, combined with traditional instrumentation.

2. Automatisme (real name, William Jourdain) is an electronic producer who uses field recordings as the sound source for pieces that touch on minimalism, drone, ambient, and noise.

3. Off World, a project helmed by Sandro Perri and Lorenz Peter with collaborations from several other producers and musicians. Melodic electroacoustic with off-kilter beats, there's apparently three records of this stuff recorded and Constellation will be putting them all out, though not at the same time.

Playlist with one track from each project (Sharp - "A Boat Upon Its Blood (Pt. 3)," Automatisme - "Transport 3," and Off World - "Wonder Farm"):

I'm psyched about the whole deal, but most especially for Off World. I love Sandro Perri and "Wonder Farm" is a like a whole bunch of stuff I've been into lately all meshed into a single piece.

[Kevin Davis]

I think I have all of hers, even "Music of the Sun", and yeah, she has had some great singles through the years, but nothing has transcended the radio dance pop genre until "Anti". Maybe it's just a 'right time, right place' situation, but it resonated with me nonetheless.

I picked up a used copy of "Talk That Talk" yesterday and the difference between this -- basically a cookie cutter singles-plus-filler job -- and "Anti" is just night and day. I mean, there are some solid enough songs scattered throughout, but it's pretty clear that they're all passengers on the SS "You Da One"/"We Found Love."

She had an unusually long break between her last album and "Anti" and the care put into the final product seems to reflect that -- there is a lot more precision in the nuances than on her previous albums that I've heard. I hope it's a trend -- she has always been one of my favorite singles artists.

[Bammer]

I can't tell if this is serious conversation or if the past page or two are all completely sarcastic.

[LoathedVermin72]

[Kevin Davis]

Is this an appropriate time to say "never stop?"

[Brett]

The Dwarfs of East Agouza is a band from Cairo, Egypt consisting of Alan Bishop, Sam Shalabi, and Maurice Louca. Their debut, Bes, came out last week. Fairly long, mostly instrumental, middle eastern-tinged jams.

[tragabigzanda]

[Brett]

Oh, on a different note, I'm sure Reid has sought this out for himself, but if he hasn't, and for anyone else, here's that Deakin album, Sleep Cycle:

[tragabigzanda]

Top 10 maybe?
Hello Morning
Close Captioned
The Kill
Place/Position
Do You Like Me?
Latest Disgrace
Recap Modotti
Nightshop
Break
Life & Limb

I'd maybe bump Life & Limb for Epic Problem

[Brett]

Glad to see you check it out. I know of it because of Shalabi's involvement. He's another one of those "musical heroes" of mine who I try to keep up on.

[tragabigzanda]