2016 Year-End Mixtapes

[chewm]

Thanks to SNC's mix, I've been enjoying the fuck out of Dark Blue these days, quality post punk, both the album and the ep from 2016 are great.
I'll try to listen to every mix.

[Brett]

I'll get my mix that literally no one on RM but me will enjoy up soon

This is true, though I think I like more about it than LMS does. Highlights from the first listen were the Kanye and Rihanna tracks. They're the strongest of the hip-hop and R&B songs with good beats, interesting melodic phrases, and mostly enjoyable vocal work. There's certain elements of others that I like: the droning bass line of Yung Lean or that weird piano hook in the Lil Yachty song. I think I've heard the Twenty88 track before; a video of two guys miming along to the vocals in a car, I believe?

I found it amusing that the Gojira song, the first of the metal and hard rock tracks, was the quietest song on the mix to that point. The Helmet track's not too bad, though being short probably helps. Can't say the same for Meshuggah - I thought these guys had a reputation for being complex and technically impressive, but it's basically the same chugging bass line for seven minutes with some wheedling guitar and screaming vocals. The White Lung and Deftones songs are decent radio rock tunes.

Die Antwoord, unsurprisingly, turn in the worst song on the mix. Since I'm not familiar with most of the artists on here, outside of their names, I looked up several of them, out of curiosity. I apparently have a different definition of art rock than others, because Bent Knee would not get that label from me. I was similarly confused by "Boredom," since it wasn't what I was expecting from The Drones, but I only listened to their previous album a few times, so that's on me. The mix ends on a high note, as the Kitty song is catchy and charming with its '80s pop arrangement fusion with a modern vocal style.

I appreciate the idiosyncrasy of your mix, LV, even if I don't really understand or enjoy most of it.

[LoathedVermin72]

Haha, that's a way more in depth response than I was ever expecting. Thanks, Brett.

[doone]

I liked the Die Antwoord.

[LetMeSleep]

1. The Mike Smith Company - Boneless Ghost
8. Le Révélateur - Imagaineers Are Governed
11. Tortoise - The Clearing Fills
12. El Ten Eleven - Ineffable
13. Sarah Neufeld - Where the Light Comes In

I enjoyed these ones Brett. I haven't tuned in to Tortoise for quite a while, it was nice.

Most of my listening is while I'm driving and yours and the BiH mix haven't been great in that setting. I do intend on listening again as the mix had a nice flow.

[bodysnatcher]

Finally downloading and digging into these. Lots of stuff I never heard of so that's exciting. I'll try and do one myself.

[Jorge]

Man, my mix is really long and not cohesive like I like my mixtapes to be. Maybe I'll whittle it down in size and mood.

[ridleybradout]

Brad, I enjoyed this mix more than last years. A few of the albums I was familiar with but a few took me by surprise. I'll especially be checking out Angel Olsen, Paul Dempsey (I'd written off SFK but this track is fantastic) and The Jezabels.

01. Angel Olsen - Shut Up Kiss Me
02. Paul Dempsey - Morningless
03. Beyoncé & Jack White - Don’t Hurt Yourself
05. The Jezabels - Come Alive
16. Weezer - Summer Elaine & Drunk Dori
18. Muse - Sign O The Times
19. Beth Orton - Moon
20. Crowded House - Convent Girls

Thanks for the feedback man, glad to hear you enjoyed it. Looking forward to checking out yours and all the other mixes in here when I get a chance.

Angel Olsen is the only 5-star album from 2016 for me (beside Radiohead of course).

That Paul Dempsey album isn't bad but the most recent Something For Kate from a couple of years ago is great and very underrated

I've been following The Jezabels since 2009 (they formed at my uni and played around here regularly) and want to take this opportunity to give them a plug as I don't think I've ever seen them discussed on RM.

They're very talented - dramatic and atmospheric, intelligent lyrics, complex arrangements with elements of many genres, and superb live. This recent album was okay but my favourite stuff of theirs is from their debut EP trilogy and album:

[doone]

I saw the Jezebels a few years ago when they were touring with one of my favourite Canadian bands, Hey Rosetta. They ARE really good live. I bought the album they were promoting at the time, Prisoner. Try colour and City Girl were standouts for me.

[Brett]

1. The Mike Smith Company - Boneless Ghost
8. Le Révélateur - Imagaineers Are Governed
11. Tortoise - The Clearing Fills
12. El Ten Eleven - Ineffable
13. Sarah Neufeld - Where the Light Comes In

I enjoyed these ones Brett. I haven't tuned in to Tortoise for quite a while, it was nice.

Most of my listening is while I'm driving and yours and the BiH mix haven't been great in that setting. I do intend on listening again as the mix had a nice flow.

Glad you found some stuff that you liked. I tried to get it to flow well, but because of the amount of material I was working with, I wasn't sure how successful I was. Good to know that it's at least tolerable.

I've been a bit preoccupied lately and haven't gotten around to most of the other mixes, yet, but it is on my to-do list.