2014: Favourites of Q2

Where does time go? 2014 is already half-way through, and having honoured the best albums of (roughly) January-March, we're back to honour the best albums of (roughly) April-June - this time, however, we decided to actually quantify why we like these albums so damn much rather than just straight up list them. As ever, expect a nice grab-bag of styles and sounds, from alien grime to dusty jazz-hop with a gangster rap edge; terrifying doom metal to shimmering psych-folk, and so on.

Shout-out time; many great releases from Q1 slipped through the cracks initially, along with the sleeper hits we didn't realise we liked so much until after the list was finalised. These include Isaiah Rashad's Cilvia Demo, New Balance's Formes De Viure, Kassem Mosse's Workshop 19, Sun Araw's Belomancie, Ana Caprix's For Seven Nights This Island Is Ours, Ekoplekz's Unfidelity, Migos' No Label 2, Magic Eye's Babylon and Kevin Gates' By Any Means.

More shout-out time; the past three months have been particularly kind to us, so here are a load of releases that barely missed the cut from Q2: BADBADNOTGOOD's III, Foodman's DRUM DESU, Valerio Tricoli's Miseri Lares, Traxman's Da Mind of Traxman Vol. 2, Life Sim's This Life, Gobby's Wakng Thrst For Seeping Banhee, Fear of Men's Loom, Dynooo's These Flaws Are Mine To War With, GFOTY's Secret Mix, Lil B's Hoop Life, Klara Lewis' Ett, Fushitsusha's Nothing Changes..., Mac DeMarco's Salad Days. Every single album mentioned above is worth checking out along with our top 20, and who knows, maybe they'll grow on us in the coming months.

2013: Joe Gilbey's Favourite Albums

I like keeping my forenotices short and sweet, and so all I really have to say is that 2013 has been an absolutely fucking insane year in the world of music. Thank you to everyone that has made the year such a good one for //APEX, we promise to supply you with many more great features in 2014. But yeah, here's my long-awaited AOTY list. Enjoy.

2013: Joe Sherwood's Favourite Albums

When it comes to making these year-end lists, I always try to pick out trends in my listening habits, and I always come up with nothing. I'm not trying to say I have an amazingly diverse taste in music, because I don't particularly; only a few rock albums have made it onto my top 50, and unbelievably there are no representatives for metal. The lack of any real dominant focus in my music listening most likely owes to the increasingly fragmented state of music. We live in the age of information, and pretty much any record of one's choosing is available to stream, purchase or (perhaps) download for nothing within a few clicks. Moreover, a lot of the best records this year are available for free at the artist's choice, and it's telling that 3 of my top 10 albums can be downloaded legally without charge. And, the definition of what exactly an "album" is has become hazy of late, with mixtapes and EPs slotting alongside commercially available, full-length releases. The point I'm trying to make here is that this top 50 isn't some sort of vanity exercise to show how unique my tastes are, nor is it an overblown advertisement for independent labels. It's simply a showcase of my personal favourites from the past year, and any diversity is most likely down to the prominence of the internet rather than a conscious decision on my part to appear on trend.

As ever, there was some unpleasant culling that had to be done to keep this list at 50 records, and some really rather good albums are missing from this list. I would honor them here, but there are far too many to reel off, so I may make a separate post for the honorable mentions. I'll also include a Spotify playlist at the foot of this post with some of my favourite tracks from each album (provided the album is actually on Spotify, of course). Please, don't dwell on the rankings too much, because every single one of these 50 records is absolutely worth checking out.

Thanks for reading //APEX this year, and I hope you can find something you enjoy from this list.

Review: Mosh

Mosh Empire (Self-released, 2013)

Since the release of his debut album, Monarchy, in late November 2012, Adam Bignell (A.K.A Mosh) has become a well-established name on many sites such as Soundcloud and Bandcamp. With tens of thousands of hits within a few months and much positive feedback on social networking sites, the release boded well for the future, and for this reason Empire was born.

Empire is an ingenious blend of various genres, predominantly those of electro/punk persuasion, which have been slightly lacking this year due to the primary focus on a more soft-edged finish, and so it has been interesting to hear Mosh's personal take on the evolution of electronica. The foremost track, 'Empress', perfectly exemplifies the tone of the rest of the album due to the tranquil stringed Oriental instrumentals that open and close the track, and also underlie a powerful and imposing electronic bassline throughout; although it isn't a particularly abrasive listen, it isn't an album to be taken lightly.

My favourite track on Empire was one of the longer pieces, 'Zodiac Overdrive',which brings the album to a mid-point climax through the use of formidable overdriven electric guitars and indignant vocals from Melanie K.A. The controlled distortion of the various musical implements really emphasises the quality of Mosh's level of production which can be seen from start to finish on the album, and for this reason Empire is a definite must-listen.

Review: Forest Swords

Forest Swords Engravings (Tri Angle Records, 2013)

Following the release of the critically acclaimed Dagger Paths EP in 2010, Matthew Barnes, A.K.A Forest Swords, seemingly ceased to continue producing new material; the reason for the hiatus being that he had been trying to overcome some serious hearing difficulties. However, 3 years later, he has returned with an absolute gem. Overdue admittedly, but after hearing the official album leak, it is simple to conclude that the wait was an undoubtedly worthwhile one.

It's difficult to explain the path that Forest Swords has gone down with his latest LP, but to put it simply, it's an electronic album of pastoral persuasion that gives off a veritable naturalistic vibe. It takes you through a musical spectrum of everything from the neo-psychedelic achy groans of the lead guitar, right through to the chillwave-influenced field recordings on tracks such as "Thor's Stone". Now that wasn't too hard was it...

Engravings is an album that welcomes you to sink deeper into its shadowy realms, and will almost certainly be on my Best Albums of 2013 list.

Forest Swords - Engravings stream (Pitchfork Media)

Reviews: SAINT PEPSI, Diamond Terrifier and Inga Copeland

SAINT PEPSI HIT VIBES (KEATS//COLLECTIVE, 2013)

Fuck what ya heard, because vaporwave never actually died. No, it didn't die, but instead spawned a whole new wave of practitioners to pick up the baton left by the likes of New Dreams Ltd. and Mediafired. SAINT PEPSI is among the new generation of vaporwavers, and having released 6 full-lengths prior to HIT VIBES, it goes without saying that he's quite a prolific artist. His earlier work, while vaguely interesting, was never fully realised conceptually or musically, but his latest release sees him righting these wrongs and delivering a very good album in the process.

Part of the issue with releases like EMPIRE BUILDING and STUDIO 54 is that they didn't bang enough. They felt as if SAINT PEPSI was going through the motions. His brand of vaporwave (or broperwave as it has been coined) relies on the manipulation of groovy dancehall cuts, and this is where HIT VIBES delivers; many of these tracks are funky and danceable, with motifs nabbed from the likes of Rose Royce and The Live Band. The synth and bass lines that run throughout HIT VIBES are downright infectious, and the soulful vocal snippets are sure to stick with you long after the album is over. Elsewhere there are slower-moving, chilled-out tracks in perhaps a more familiar fashion to the vaporwave that dominated 2012, and these make for an interesting diversion from the dancehall bangers rather than merely padding out the album. SAINT PEPSI is onto a winning formula here for sure, and if he further hones his sound, a new vapor classic may be released in the not-too-distant future.




Diamond Terrifier The Subtle Body Wears a Shadow (Terrible, 2013)

Sam Hillmer is the saxophonist of the Brooklyn avant-rock outfit Zs, and The Subtle Body Wears a Shadow is his second full-length under the Diamond Terrifier pseudonym, released by Chris Taylor's ever impressive-looking Terrible Records. Last year's Kill the Self That Wants to Kill Yourself is a scattershot, almost piecemeal record, but still a somewhat absorbing experience with a couple of killer tracks thrown in for good measure. This effort, on the other hand, is definitely more cohesive, yet fails to deliver as many memorable moments as its predecessor.

The Subtle Body is meant to be experienced as a whole, a 33-minute composition comprised of four movements. Whereas tracks like "Adamantine" broke the sometimes-unidimensional sound on Kill the Self by experimenting with a variety of genres and loops, this album is mainly comprised of warped saxophone squeals and effects, which leaves a little to be desired. Another distinctive feature of The Subtle Body is the English snippets of the Bodhicaryāvatāra that are recited by a computerised voice at various junctures in the proceedings; the irony of the clear influence of religion on this record is that it fails to move me or provoke thought. Although it does have the occasional moment (see the metallic chugging in "Triple Gem"), The Subtle Body is quite an uninspired listen, especially when stacked up against Hillmer's previous achievements as a member of Zs and on Kill the Self.




Inga Copeland Higher Powers (Self-released, 2013)

Although I would hardly accuse the Hype Williams duo of Dean Blunt and Inga Copeland of going pop, 2013 has seen both of them move away from their tape hiss-infected sound and towards clarity; Dean released his crystal clear The Redeemer to a smattering of acclaim, while Inga showcased some fantastic synth-pop with her Don't Look Back, That's Not Where You're Going EP, released on the duo's World Music imprint. While I am a fan of these excursions, they've kind of left me longing for a return to their well-trodden lo-fi sound - fortunately, Inga Copeland is glad to fulfil my desires, in the form of her new mixtape Higher Powers.

Although it is tantalisingly brief at just 20 minutes in length, these 6 tracks share qualities of Hype Williams' previous work while still sounding fresh, new and exciting. "faith" is an intriguing opener that features piercing tones and barely audible singing amidst the dub-y undergrowth, while tracks such as "light up", "b.m.w." and "obsession 2" wouldn't be out of place on releases like Find Out What Happens When People Stop Being Polite, And Start Gettin' Reel or One Nation. A new version of the previously released "A&E" is also featured here, but the standout cut has to be "a world in danger iii", a minimal but addictive exercise in effective drum programming, organ-like synths and tasteful sampling. Overall, Higher Powers will satisfy anybody who has missed the Hype Williams aesthetic of old, and then some, with a fresh spin on a tried-and-tested modus operandi.

(FREE DOWNLOAD)

Review: Starship Amazing

Starship Amazing Ruby Dagger (Self-released, 2013)

Starship Amazing described their latest release as containing 'aggressively happy pos-vibes funk-jams for expressing inward and outward love' on their Tumblr page, and I simply can't think of a better way to put it. Ruby Dagger is a vivacious album that typifies what modern synthpop is all about; convivial basslines with an infinitely flexible structure, and considering that it reached number 1 on Bandcamp on its day of release (16th July 2013), it has proven to be a popular summer soundtrack.

Despite the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed previous releases such as A Man Who Made A Choice and The Robot Trilogy, I'm glad that Starship Amazing have gone down a different path with Ruby Dagger as it shows that there is a lot more to come from this talented Alaskan electronic duo.

In a nutshell, if you're down in the dumps then go and listen to this, it's one of the most cheerful albums I've heard all year. It took me back to the POP days... ah.

A lot of their earlier EPs are free on their website, so go and check them out if you enjoyed listening to Ruby Dagger. - http://starshipamazing.com/

Reviews: Young Fathers, Paisley Parks and Pharmakon

Young Fathers Tape Two (Anticon, 2013)

The Edinburgh-based Young Fathers are an alternative rap trio, and Tape Two follows 2011's impressive Tape One. Since then, they've signed to Anticon Records, and this latest release sees them drop some of the lofi-ness of their debut. I say some, because they haven't exactly gone crystal-clear yet, and Tape Two is still grottier than your average squeaky clean hip-hop release.

"I Heard" opens the proceedings with a croon reminiscent of The Weeknd, and almost-whispered rapping over a mysterious drum pattern. Elsewhere on Tape Two there are a variety of sounds which are all indebted to traditionally black music; the album abounds with tribal drums and vocals heard in Afro-pop, and the aforementioned heartfelt crooning harkens back to soul music. One criticism of Tape Two is the rather pointless 51 second interlude "Bones", which serves no real purpose other than to pad out what is a rather short release; the all-too-brief length of Tape Two is another criticism of mine. On the whole though, this album/EP is satisfying enough, and it definitely whets my appetite for future Young Fathers material.

Paisley Parks Бｈ○§† (Pan Pacific Playa, 2013)

Footwork isn't an exclusively Chicagoan scene, you know. Paisley Parks are part of a wave of Japanese footworkers, and they've been putting out material since 2011. I knew nothing of them until earlier in the year, when Tiny Mix Tapes writer C Monster featured their new album, Бｈ○§†, in the webzine's "Chocolate Grinder" section. His write-up made the album sound fairly interesting, and being the sheep that I am, I checked it out. And, well... it wasn't quite as good as he (or TMT reviewer Birkut) would have you believe.

Part of the problem I have with Бｈ○§† is that I'm not entirely sure what it aspires to be; it treads the line between parody, homage and sincerity so finely that it leaves me confused as to what the intentions of the project actually are. Take the track "There’s no pain killer anymore", which all but steals elements from DJ Rashad's "We Trippy Mane". Not a problem in and of itself, but when combined with stuff like the frankly annoying “Pai-Pai-Pai-Pai-Paisley Parks” production tag, I cannot decide whether Paisley Parks are critiquing and mimicking footwork conventions, or if they simply want the listener to move their feet to the music. Maybe I'm reading a little too far into this one. That aside, Бｈ○§† overstays its welcome a little bit at just over an hour in length, and tracks vary in quality, but it's also a strangely addictive album that does have a few choice cuts, namely stand-out track "G.H.O.S.T", and I do admire Paisley Parks for providing a new spin on footwork and juke, even if it isn't always all that successful.

Pharmakon Abandon (Sacred Bones, 2013)

Abandon begins with a tortured scream, and from there on in Pharmakon grabs you by the throat and plunges you into a dark place. A place where chains rattle, electronics groan and any signs of humanity are distorted beyond any decipherability. This is a resolutely murky album, and as a power electronics/death industrial record it has earned comparisons to the likes of Throbbing Gristle and Wolf Eyes, as well as the Hospital Productions roster.

Industrial music and power electronics are oftentimes quite repetitious affairs, wherein electronic effects, noises and drum patterns are looped and stretched out, and Abandon is no different in that respect. Like others operating in the genre, Pharmakon is effective in her employment of sheer noise and metallic, spine-tingling drums to create harsh, sometimes brutal atmospheres, and that indeed is what Abandon is all about; the long, pulsating sections of ambience are unsettling, even on record. Imagine what it'd be like to witness this live. Perhaps Pharmakon's greatest achievement, however, is the relative accessibility of this release; I'd say that most people could find something to enjoy in Abandon's deepest and darkest crevices, which isn't always the case for extreme music.

Joe Gilbey's 'Best of 2013 So Far'

First of all, I apologise again for the scarcity of posts over the last couple of months. However, Joe Sherwood and I are treating you all dearly this half term with our 'Best of 2013 So Far' lists, so I do hope that you forgive us. I feel that two albums need a special mention though considering that they would be on this list if I'd released it a month later, so keep your eyes and ears peeled for Yeezus by Kanye West and Untitled EP 2 by Hodgy Beats, I'm pretty excited about those.

2013 has been dominated by rap and experimental hip-hop so far which is something that I always like to see, and I think that shows through in this list a fair bit so sorry if you feel that there is a lack of variety. Every man to his own, right?

Tweet me or Joe Sherwood if you have any suggestions for albums that we may have missed out on!
@JoeGilbey
@SoeJherwood


20) Dean Blunt The Redeemer (Hippos in Tanks)

19) Iceage You're Nothing (Matador Records)

18) Frank Turner Tape Deck Heart (Interscope)

17) David Bowie The Next Day (ISO Records)

16) Mikill Pane The Lucky Strike EP (Self-released)

15) Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds Push The Sky Away (Bad Seeds Ltd.)

14) Slim Guerilla & DJ Smokey Guerilla Warfare (Self-released)

13) Le1f Fly Zone (Greedhead Entertainment)

12) Vampire Weekend Modern Vampires of the City (XL Recordings)

11) Ghostface Killah & Adrian Younge Twelve Reasons To Die (Soul Temple Records)

10) Koreless Yugen (Young Turks)

9) A$AP Rocky Long.Live.A$AP (Polo Grounds/RCA)

8) Ghostpoet Some Say I So I Say Light (Play It Again Sam)

7) Tree Sunday School II: When Church Lets Out (Creative Control)

6) Daft Punk Random Access Memories (Daft Life/Columbia)

5) Chance The Rapper Acid Rap (Self-released)

Don't expect too much depth from Acid Rap, that's all.

"Na na na na na, na na na na na!"

4) James Blake Overgrown (Republic)

Overgrown contains some of this unsung British hero's greatest work to date. He has stepped up since James Blake and his various extended plays when it comes to both producing and songwriting, which resulted in him creating one of the most soulful and artistic albums of the year so far. There is almost definitely a lot more to come from this man, and considering that he's been noticed by artists such as RZA, I think that we can expect more hip-hop/R&B artists to collaborate with him in the future.

3) The Child of Lov The Child of Lov (Double Six)

Whatever Damon Albarn touches turns to gold, so after learning that Blur's musically cultured front man would be both producing and appearing on The Child of Lov's self-titled debut album, it was pretty evident that this Dutch artist was off to an impressively good start. The album itself portrays the artist's personal social viewpoint (his identity is currently unknown as he hasn't released much information about himself) in a bouncy and convivial way that gives a very similar 'multi-genre' vibe to that of Demon Days by Gorillaz or a late OutKast album, which shows that The Child of Lov definitely has much potential for the future.

2) The Knife Shaking The Habitual (Brille/Rabid)

Most bands wouldn't dare attempting to take such a risk in creating an experimental album like Shaking The Habitual, but dear lord has this paid off. 

I was fairly anxious about listening to an album of such a monstrous nature at first, but after it had been recommended to me for the third time I just had to but my mind at ease and give it a spin, which turned out one of the best decisions I have made for a long time. It is a relatively slow-moving and spacious album but is undoubtedly rewarding if given its due listen, so if you're easily dissuaded by long tracks then sit on your hands and face your fears; you'll thank me later.

1) Tyler, The Creator Wolf (Odd Future Records)

Wolf is most definitely a large landmark in Tyler's musical life. Not only has he learned to channel his hatred for our monotonous society, he's also combined his trademark versatile beats and lyrical dexterity in a way that only offends a small minority of social groups, as opposed to half of the globe. Of course, he continues to rant about his father, uncultivated fans and women in general, but what more could you expect from a member of Odd Future?

The album features many impressive guests such as the infamous OFWGKTA crew (Domo Genesis, Hodgy Beats, Frank Ocean etc.) and also a few of the most successful hip-hop artists of the past decade, including Erykah Badu, Nas and Pharell. This unquestionably reflects well on Tyler's huge jump in maturity, as it shows that he's conscious of his influence on his ever-growing fan base, and therefore has an inherent duty to inspire future generations with legendary music.

Although Tyler's lost some of the zaniness that made Goblin such a compelling listen, he's technically improved in just about every way, which makes Wolf a near impossible album to top this year.

Retrospectives: Forgotten Classics, Volume 1

When this whole Retrospective Reviews thing began, I knew I would focus on stuff that I liked. However, I reviewed the obvious albums, the usual suspects; Radiohead, Gorillaz and Death Grips all fell under my sights, and there was nothing overly new to say about them that hadn’t already been said. I’ve decided to start a sub-series, if you will, dedicated to the less heard-of albums and artists out there, or maybe even albums by larger artists that tend to get overlooked. This is Forgotten Classics, and I hope you find something that interests you.

Fat Worm of Error Pregnant Babies Pregnant With Pregnant Babies (Load, 2006)

The preposterous album name probably gives the game away, but Pregnant Babies Pregnant With Pregnant Babies is a strange album. “Off-kilter” doesn’t even begin to describe the deconstructive sounds that are made here – it’s as if decades worth of rock music were ground up and eaten, partially digested by salivary enzymes, before being puked up in a mass of bile and stomach juices, and slapped onto CD. Yeah.

One review I’ve read before now describes Fat Worm of Error’s sound as “skronk”, and thanks to a quick Urban Dictionary search, that seems to be fairly reasonable summation. According to the site, the word is “used to define music that is grating, dissonant, and frequently avant-garde.” Yup, this album sounds pretty much like that, featuring vocals that are somewhere between shrieking and singing, sludgy guitars, and a variety of percussive noises that amount to something of a controlled chaos. I’m probably not making this album an easy sell, but it’s certainly not the most difficult album I’ve ever heard, and there are passages throughout that actually resemble structured music. Just try it. You never know, you may enjoy it.

The Music Tapes Music Tapes for Clouds and Tornadoes (Merge, 2008)

The Music Tapes is the pet project of Julian Koster, a member of the Elephant Six collective and some totally indie band called Neutral Milk Hotel. Koster utilises some unusual DIY instruments, such as the singing saw and a bowed banjo, and vintage recording equipment to create a fuzzy, lo-fi sound that’s decidedly experimental, but homely and autumnal.

2008’s Music Tapes for Clouds and Tornadoes is certainly the finest album to emerge from the project, for it sounds quite unlike anything else of its kind. The lyrics are ominous in places, optimistic in others, but Koster always delivers them with the same heartfelt passion, amidst the raw, crackly backdrop of minimal instrumentation and elements of musique concrete. It’s an album that I think fans of folk-ier music may appreciate, due in no small part to the intimate environment it creates for the listener. All you have to do is step inside, and relax for 40-or-so minutes.

Major Organ and the Adding Machine Major Organ and the Adding Machine (Orange Twin, 2001)

Another product of the Elephant Six collective, this (those guys are really good, aren’t they?). This time, it’s a supergroup of sorts, and some of the names involved certainly arouse suspicion about the project; Jeff Mangum, the really not-famous front-man of some obscure group called Neutral Milk Hotel, the aforementioned Julian Koster, Kevin Barnes of of Monteal (get your head around that one!), and many other Elephant Six members are believed to have contributed too.

Nobody knows who (or what) Major Organ is, but he is the leader of the Adding Machine, and his band made one self-titled album back in 2001. I believe there’s supposed to be some sort of narrative or over-arching theme behind this album, but I cannot hear it – instead, I hear noisy slabs of 60s psychedelic pop, interspersed with trippy sound collages. It’s fairly bonkers, to say the least, but don’t let the vibrato’d opener scare you off, for the 30 minutes that follow are a joyous ode to an era of catchy melodies, cryptic lyrics and copious use of psychedelics. It’s amazing to think that an album that features so much talent from the world of indie music is oft-overlooked, so I say go check out Major Organ and the Adding Machine for a blast of experimental, yet sort-of accessible pop.