mg

Having read all the year-end lists I have the patience for, the party line, and probably the truth, appears to be that since life in 2016 was so fuckin shitty, music was better than ever. For months I have tried to find the vantage point from which that is true for me. In all honesty, it was very difficult for me to feel connected to much of anything musically. I spent the year feeling quite alienated, seeking comfort and re-inspiration from the things I listened to 10 or 20 years ago. I could chalk that up to the increasing incentivization for every website to cover the same shit as everyone else, or how I felt it more difficult than ever to navigate the space between manic celebrity worship and the super-niche, or how much I don’t give a shit about harsh noise or ambient synthscapes or Lil Uzi Vert or whatever, or the fact that I refuse to join Apple Music, or that I’m just old now and no one should be taking aesthetic cues from a woman who is usually in bed before 10. What it really comes down to is that I was incredibly depressed, to the point where, most days, anything beyond silence felt like someone was shrieking directly into my ear.

Now that things feel less urgent, I have finally been giving attention to things I wasn’t able to, and thank fucking god, it feels nice. (Damn you guys were right about Mitski ‘Puberty 2’!) In that spirit, I have put together a quick collection of songs, albums, mixtapes that I don’t imagine will be very popular on other lists, on the off chance you’re still trying to find something small to believe in from this year, too. I’m not saying these are the year’s most stunning artistic achievements (like, yes, there is an album from a Yung Lean affiliate on here but honestly it is lovely so whatever), but to me, they stand out. I hope you find something you like. Oh yea, there are a couple hot takes on the end too.

Marshmello, ‘Alone’ https://soundcloud.com/marshmellomusic/alone
Bladee, Eversince https://soundcloud.com/bladee1000/sets/bladee-3v3r51nc3
Ben Babbitt, Kentucky Route Zero, Act IV (Soundtrack) https://benbabbitt.bandcamp.com/album/kentucky-route-zero-act-iv
Marie Davidson, ‘Naive to the Bone’ https://soundcloud.com/minimalwave/marie-davidson-naive-to-the-bone
Kamaiyah, A Good Night In The Ghetto https://soundcloud.com/kamaiyah/sets/a-good-night-in-the-ghetto
Taemin, ‘Drip Drop’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oz3mm3tPKfg
Negative Gemini, Body Work https://negativegemini.bandcamp.com/album/body-work
Ibn Inglor, Honegloria https://soundcloud.com/ibninglor/sets/honegloria
DBM, ‘Halo’ https://soundcloud.com/dbmsound/dbm002-halo
serpentwithfeet, Blisters https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/blisters-ep/id1138356384
James Ferraro, ‘Ten Songs for Humanity’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf-hASwA8q0
Kamixlo, ‘Bloodless Y (Evian Christ Remix)’ https://soundcloud.com/balaclub/bloodless-y-evian-christ-remix
Analogue Dear, ‘Better Off Alone in B Major’ https://soundcloud.com/analogue-dear/better-off-alone-in-b-major
Filomena Maricoa, ‘Nhanhado (DJ Jio P Remix)’ https://soundcloud.com/djjioproduction/filomena-maricoa-nhanhado-dj-jio-p-remix
Aseul, New Pop https://aseulmusic.bandcamp.com/album/new-pop
Kuedo, Slow Knife https://kuedo.bandcamp.com/album/slow-knife
21 Savage, ‘Ocean Drive’ https://soundcloud.com/metroboomin/ocean-drive
Basco, ‘Gamebient’ Mix https://soundcloud.com/basco/gamebient
Fifth Harmony, ‘Work From Home’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GL9JoH4Sws
Cupcakke, ‘LGBT’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hu_XwnAiMXg
Jean-Michel Blais, II https://play.spotify.com/album/6rFWeVAaT4ExiW4Lx33NWS?play=true&utm_source=open.spotify.com&utm_medium=open
Young Thug, ‘Harambe’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjN5-f2MNWM
Mr. Mitch, ‘Eiffel (Peace Edit)’ https://soundcloud.com/mrmitchmusic/eiffel-peace-edit
The 1975, ‘A Change of Heart’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trbwqF0d7NA
Avalon Emerson, Whities 006 https://play.spotify.com/user/thesoundofyounggbg/playlist/1BwonmKuKPS0aqVAAlVY8M?play=true&utm_source=open.spotify.com&utm_medium=open
Mikey Dollaz, Picture Me Rollin http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/mikey-dollaz-picture-me-rollin-new-mixtape.116283.html
Ana Caprix, M6 Ultra https://soundcloud.com/caprix/sets/m6-ultra
Yaroze Dream Suite, ‘Yaroze Dream Mix’ https://soundcloud.com/yarozedreamsuite/yaroze-dream-mix-1
Future, ‘Inside The Mattress’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8Qr8A1j_sg
Carly Rae Jepsen, ‘Fever’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN2kDDxscHY
DJ Gant-Man, ‘Fade (Remix)’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePQMULgOP_o
Letta, ‘Honest (Remix)’… last song on this mix http://www.dummymag.com/mixes/dummy-mix-451-the-astral-plane

p.s.
the most important Kanye song was ‘Ultralight Beam’ for the first half of the year, but at the end of the year, it is obviously ‘Real Friends’

the most important Rihanna song was ‘Needed Me’, but the BEST Rihanna song was ‘Higher’

and Purple Reign is still perfect