Friday 30 December 2016

TOP 25 LIVE PERFORMANCES OF 2016

Let's get the obvious out of the way. I can only count bands I have seen live in the flesh. Since I am based in Manchester this will mostly be the area covered. I've easily seen over 100 bands this year so here are the performances that knocked me sideways in 2016!


HOUSEWIVES - Gorilla, Manchester


25. DUKATALON
Rebellion, Manchester

The Noiz Alldayer ended up overrunning by about 2 hours, and this band that came all the way from Tel Aviv, Israel had waited patiently to play, finally coming on at 2am and devouring what was left of the crowd with their insanely high energy Sludgy Hardcore. They played with a real menace and their drummer was pumping up the crowd between each song, commanding them to get moving. The show ended in a fantastic stage invasion that saw nearly the whole crowd take to the stage in a moment of sheer bliss.
_______________

24. RICK ASTLEY
HMV Manchester

I'm not Rick-rolling you at all here. I had practically no expectations when I arrived at this show, but Rick Astley really blew the crowd away, not necessarily with his songs (although a finale of 'Never Gonna Give You Up' was obviously incredible) but through his sheer passion and excitement. The man had a really good funk band behind him and delivered an incredible vocal performance. But it was his stage charisma, his fantastic sense of humour and the fact that he looked like he was having the time of his life on that tiny stage that really made this performance special. I'll never say a bad word about this man.
_______________

23. JOHN CARPENTER
Victoria Warehouse, Salford

There was a lot of controversy about the arrangement and venue of this show, which sadly does taint the gig a little. I'm going to try and brush this aside and focus on the actual performance, which I thought was great since I managed to get there early and actually get a good spot in the room. It was incredible to see John Carpenter, the Horror maestro in the flesh with his excellent band that play on his 'Lost Themes' records. Not only did he play some of the best tunes of the two solo records, but of course many of his greatest film themes. Hearing the likes of 'Halloween' and 'The Thing' in the flesh was awe inspiring. Carpenter had a crazy charisma on stage and one of the best highlights was when the whole band put on sunglasses during the performance of 'They Live'. There were also scenes from each film playing on a big screen behind him, so that atmosphere was just right, and I had chills for almost the whole performance!
_______________


22. ACxDC
Rebellion, Manchester

The news that US Grind/Powerviolence legends ACxDC are calling it a day became twice as sad after witnessing just how astonishing this band are live. They must have blitzed through about 50 tiny tracks, absolutely seamlessly with full on rage, venom, sweat and agony. There was no time to catch your breath as the band just raged and battered through blistering, lightning fast song after song. A blur of utter chaos and madness that was as beautiful as it was terrifying!
_______________

21. SPACE WITCH
Rebellion, Manchester

This band don't come around my way often enough, but whenever they do it is an unmissable spectacle. As you probably know I have a bit of a fetish for Extreme Metal bands that implement electronics into their sound, and Space Witch are at the forefront of this in the British Metal scene. Psychedelic tinged droning Sludge riffs bludgeoned the Manchester crowd over their heads, as piercing electronics added deep, spacey textures to the mix and taking their sound to the next level of the spectral ether. Mindblowing from start to finish, seriously one of the most exciting bands in the UK right now!
_______________

20. DESTRUCTION UNIT
Islington Mill, Salford

Without a doubt the loudest performance I heard this year, even with ear plugs in, this was painful and left my ears ringing. With a drummer, a bassist and about four guitarists crammed into the tiny Islington Mill stage, their sound was bigger than the entire venue. The aptly named Destruction Unit powered through pounding Garage Noise Rock with so much sweat and menace. The massive wall of tremolo guitars was intense and agonising... And EAR DESTROYING!
_______________

19. MONO
Gorilla, Manchester

The majesty of seeing Alcest would have been more than enough to cover the ticket price, but we still had an epic MONO performance to enjoy. Equally as stirring as Alcest before them, their instrumental rock often started soft and melodic and built into loud, thunderous climaxes that were intense and overwhelming to the senses. True magic from the heart of Japan!
_______________

18. ALCEST
Gorilla, Manchester

It's not often that you need to bring tissues to a Metal show but the double impact of Alcest and MONO would certainly reach deep into the souls of Metalheads. Alcest played a wondrous, dreamy set of buzzing shoegazy guitars, sweeping melodies and harmonious vocals, with a few shrieking Black Metal parts for good measure. Alcest really hit the sweet spot with a momentous performance.
_______________

17. CONJURER
The Alma Inn, Bolton

The crowning kings of another incredible Riff Fest lineup, a free annual Metal festival in the heart of Bolton. Conjurer are a seriously wild bunch and a stage can barely contain the energy and immense heaviness of this band. As their set goes on these lads get angrier and more explosive to the point where the band and the audience can barely take it any more and the wheels fall off!
_______________

16. HOUSEWIVES
Gorilla, Manchester

This was my first time seeing and even hearing this mysterious English Drone/Noise Rock band. They played in near darkness with strobe lights blaring as they played what seemed like one giant 40 minute composition of super atonal rock that almost felt like an incredibly minimalist and deconstructed version of Joy Division, complete with noisy saxophone and deranged screams. It was such a regimented and tense performance. This band had an entire crowd hanging on every note and even when they just jammed one note for 5 straight minutes it felt like the most intense thing that ever existed!
_______________

15. UNDER
The Boulevard, Wigan

Under are a menacing and creepy Doom Metal/Drone Rock kind of hybrid band that have built an exceptional reputation over the year for their jaw dropping live performances. I've probably seen them about 10 times this year alone and they just get better and better. Under constantly change up their setlists, hinting at a well of new and unreleased material, so every performance of theirs feels fresh, exciting and unpredictable. This was the last time I saw them in 2016 and I am incredibly excited to just be a part of their wacky journey, just as a member of the crowd!
_______________


JOHN CARPENTER - Victoria Warehouse, Salford

14. CAINA
Fuel Cafe, Manchester

Hands down one of the most extreme things I have ever witnessed. In what sadly looks like one of Caina's very last shows, the duo performed incredibly loud with dense layers of noise pedals and cold synths grinding away as the two screamed at the top of their lungs. Vocalist Laurence Taylor was terrifying, topless with a balaclava and cuts on his body. He got right up into the faces of the crowd, screaming nihilistic words and wrapping the microphone cable around his neck like a noose. This is what happens when a band take the performance aspect all the way up to 11!
_______________

13. THE RIVER VERSUS
Rebellion, Manchester

Few things put as big a smile on my face as when I am watching The River Versus. They tantalise the Prog Rocker inside me with their virtuoso fusion of Neo-Classical verging on Post Hardcore. TRV are still a band that I am championing and sadly they don't quite play as often as I'd like or quite get the acclaim that they so sorely deserve. This band have the ability to leave newcomers completely speechless and the atmosphere at one of their shows is full of sheer joy and awe. Just go listen to them and never miss them live!
_______________

12. SVALBARD
Damnation Festival, Leeds University

I was so excited to see Svalbard perform once again and they certainly didn't disappoint. In fact they just get better. It feels like the band are continuing to perfect their craft, delivering emotively resonant Blackened Hardcore with so much passion, energy and raw feeling. Playing in front of a packed out Damnation stage may well have been their biggest crowd and most defining show yet.
_______________

11. FULL OF HELL
The Ruby Lounge, Manchester

This US band absolutely knocked me sideways. Bouts of lightning fast, brutal Grindcore suddenly evaporated into 0bpm electronic drones that were deafening and very intense, bringing a huge tension. The way Full Of Hell combine the slowest and fastest of Metal genres is really something special, and the way they switch between the two seamlessly is not only incredibly tight, but completely fucks with the audiences head. Absolutely astonishing.
_______________

10. MAX RICHTER
RNCM, Manchester

The master of modern Ambient Classical performed his 'Blue Notebooks' and 'from SLEEP' albums in full with an ensemble and vocalist. Truly one of the richest and most beautiful performances I saw this year, with every note and instrument travelling through my body. It felt like a healing process and was incredibly moving.
_______________

9. DEATH GRIPS
Manchester Academy

Perhaps the most anticipated show of the year, that sold out in mere seconds. Death Grips slammed through all of their best discography highlights, with MC Ride's maniacal grunts, Zach Hill's pounding drums and Flatlander's noisy synths sounding supreme, with so much energy and violence. This will remain one of the most talked about shows of the year.
_______________

8. CULT OF LUNA & JULIE CHRISTMAS
Damnation Festival, Leeds University

To think that these musicians said they didn't get time to even rehearse properly is absolutely staggering! I think many who attended Damnation Festival in Leeds this year will agree that this performance was the crowning achievement of an already magnificent festival that seems to get better ever year. With about 7 people on stage, Cult of Luna absolutely pummeled the Damnation main stage with crushing, dense and emotionally draining riffs and textures, Julie Christmas was a bundle of energy, dancing, moshing and belting out powerful vocals. An absolute marvel from start to finish that we may never see performed again.
_______________

7. AUTECHRE
Old Granada Studios, Manchester

The first time I saw Autechre live I didn't enjoy it so much, but I think it was let down by a poor sound and venue choice. No such problem this time as they performed in pitch darkness in a massive room where you could hear every blip, beep and rumble perfectly. They played a continuous hour long piece of music that was rather slow and doomy, with lots of discordance and alien textures. The lack of light allowed the music to really enter my body and take over my thoughts. Things got metaphysical and even though this band have no lyrics and use total discordant sounds, there was much emotion and expression.
_______________

6. STEVEN WILSON
02 Apollo, Manchester

The master of Prog treated us to a 3 hour performance. In the first half he played the entirety of his fantastic 'Hand Cannot Erase' album, synced up to a film that ran on a big screen above the band with amazing visuals, helping to tell the story behind the lyrics. His band was incredible, including Marco Minnemann on drums and Dave Kilminster on guitar. The second half showcased songs from his latest release '4 1/2' and songs from his previous albums including a tear-jerking rendition of 'The Raven That Refused to Sing'. He even threw in some stunning Porcupine Tree songs, including 'The Sound of Muzak' and 'Lazarus' which he dedicated to David Bowie who had only just passed.
_______________

5. SHOBALEADER ONE
Gorilla, Manchester

This quartet is a side project of Tom 'Squarepusher' Jenkinson, where he focuses solely on his virtuoso bass playing. This is one of the tightest bands I have seen perform all year. The music they played really reminded me of 70s Blacksploitation Funk. There were some seriously infectious grooves going on here, but with techy and jazzy parts thrown in also. A few renditions of Squarepusher classics were also performed. The band all dressed in black cloaks with masks on that had neon lights on them. How on earth they managed to perform to such a level was wearing them is anyone's guess!
_______________

4. YOB
The Ruby Lounge, Manchester

A truly mindblowing performance from the US Doom trio. Guitarist and vocalist Mike Sheidt is mesmerising on stage. His guitar playing looks effortless, whether he is churning out massive slabs of Doom or clean, emotive arpeggios, and he pours so much passion into his vocals. The performance of 20 minute "ballad" 'Marrow' was something really special, completely captivating an entire room into stunned silence.
_______________

3. EMPLOYED TO SERVE
Damnation Festival, Leeds University

Truly one of the most angry, visceral and energized performances I've seen all year. Mathcore maniacs Employed to Serve showed us how to fucking BRING IT!!! Like this was a "COME AT ME BRO" meme in it's most literal and musical entity. The stage was like a warzone and there was some seriously crazy pitting, crowd surfing and stage diving as they tore into the Damnation crowd with a relentless barrage of aggressive screaming and jagged staccato riffs, that ended in the destruction of a bass guitar letting out it's final battle cry (and I was lucky enough to catch a piece of it thrown into the crowd)! ISS BYOTIFUL!!!
_______________


2. SLABDRAGGER
The Alma Inn, Bolton

In this very special one off performance, Slabdragger performed the entirety of their new album 'Rise of the Dawncrusher', and it was a FREE entry show! Damn! The packed out crowd were truly knocked sideways by the loud, crushing and technically mind blowing riffs. Constant twists and turns looked seamless in these 10+ minute epics. A true testament of great musicianship, high energy and sheer headbanging delight!
_______________

1. KAMASI WASHINGTON
Manchester Academy

Damn, this was more than a show, it was an experience, a journey, a transformation! Kamasi Washington and his insanely talented Jazz band are more than a band, they're a family unit. With most of the players having grown up together as kids and learning their instruments from a young age, and it really shows. This band is beyond tight, and have a spiritual chemistry together on stage. The show was full of raw talent, insane musicianship, fantastic storytelling between the songs, and a lot of emotion too. 'Henrietta Our Hero' left people in the audience in tears. This was not only the best live music experience I had this year, but one of the best shows I have ever witnessed!
_______________



KAMASI WASHINGTON - Manchester Academy










Wednesday 21 December 2016

FRENCHIE'S TOP 50 ALBUMS OF 2016

2016 may have been a pretty terrible year for legendary musicians dying and world politics, but I actually think it has been a very strong year for music releases. In fact one of the finest of this decade. I have a feeling the rise of vinyl as a dominant format once again has really contributed to this. In the days where digital music ruled, artists could get away with making just one or two great tracks and succeeding, but I feel like the focus on making an ALBUM with multiple sides of music has lead to an even greater focus on creativity and consistency.

I listened to a couple of hundred albums this year, but obviously I can't hear them all, so there are probably some huge albums I've missed out on. I've been hearing nothing but praise for the latest De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest albums, but I haven't found the time to give them a listen yet! But here is a top 50 of the albums that have rocked my world this year!





50. KARG - WELTENASCHE
Black Metal, Post Rock. Art of Propaganda.


A fine pick in the year of epic post-Black Metal. Austria's Karg is just a one man project, but sounds far more ambitious and well recorded than his peers. 'Weltenasche' reaches truly epic heights combining furious black metal with melodic Post Rock in fine fashion.
_______________

49. MARS RED SKY - APEX III: PRAISE FOR THE BURNING SOUL
Stoner Metal, Psychedelic Rock. Listenable Records.


France's Mars Red Sky have delivered a powerful and stirring third record, praising slumberous, atmospheric Doom riffs with beautiful textures. The album is a little bit of a slow burner, but one where your patience will pay off in the end.
_______________

48. BOYCOTT THE BAPTIST - BASH THE BISHOP
Grindcore, Powerviolence. Self-Released.


Raw as fuck, no nonsense grindcore that can't decide if it is political activism ('Fuck Off Trump') or utter foolish absurdity ('Eels Up Inside You'). Whatever the case, this is a raging and exciting slab of Grind and Powerviolence that sounds genuine and is suitably over in less than 20 minutes!

_______________

47. ANIMAL COLLECTIVE - PAINTING WITH

Psychedelia, Noise Pop. Domino Records.

YES I'M INCLUDING IT!!! The most critically panned album of the entire decade so far from a once untouchable band. The Quietus had the audacity to call it "total dogshit from start to finish", but I just can't see how anyone without a massive bias (or chip on their shoulder) could possibly listen to this and think it has no merit. Animal Collective successfully deliver the spiritual follow up to their classic 'Merriweather Post Pavillion', by once again combining Beach Boys-esque vocal harmonies with noisy layers of ADHD synthesisers. The result is a pleasant, dreamy and summery marvel that will bring a huge smile to your face! I have no idea why the critics have turned so badly on a band that are still at a creative peak, but I'm not buying into that bullshit!

_______________

46. THE COMET IS COMING - CHANNEL THE SPIRITS

Fusion Jazz, Electronic. Leaf Records.

New exciting sounds in Jazz, combining with modern electronic sounds and frantic playing, existing in the same realm as FlyLo and Squarepusher, but favouring more natural timbres.

_______________

45. WARPAINT - HEADS UP
Alternative Rock, Dream Pop. Rough Trade.


Warpaint are 4 albums in now and I didn't have too high expectations from this one, but I think they have actually delivered their best yet. I find 'Heads Up' to be their most consistent and varied release yet. There are plenty of their trademark hypnotic grooves going on, but they also throw in some faster, more upbeat numbers and do it rather well.
_______________

44. BOSSK - AUDIO NOIR
Post Metal, Post Rock, Sludge Metal. Deathwish Inc.

I've kind of drifted out of the Post Rock and Post Metal sounds a bit in the last few years, but if any band was to re-spark my interest it would be Bossk. Here they have crafted something that feels fresh and doesn't adhere to the set blueprints, packed full of weight and emotion.
_______________

43. BRIAN ENO - THE SHIP
Ambient. Warp Records.


Damn, the master of Ambient music is still making his mark. Eno hasn't sang on a record since the early 90s, but after rediscovering a love for his voice after the two collab albums with Karl Hyde, Eno has decided to combine his minimalist Ambient works with his soothing vocals. 'The Ship' is a real trip, ethereal and brooding like a ghost ship drifting over icy waters. The album builds marvelously to an emotional finale in tribute to the late, great Lou Reed. Heartbreaking stuff.
_______________

42. GNOD - MIRROR
Drone Rock. Rocket Recordings.


The ever shifting Gnod machine delivers their angriest, most anarchic and hate fueled release yet, trading psyched out electronics for crushing Drone Rock.
_______________

41. VODUN - POSSESSION
Garage Rock, Hard Rock. Riff Rock Records.


Vodun's debut full length delivers blistering garage rock riffs, tribal grooves and powerhouse vocals in a really exciting package that commands you band your head!

_______________

40. CLARK - THE LAST PANTHERS
Ambient, Original Score. Warp Records.


Clark is an artist who likes to make every album different, and he always succeeds in his vision and making a great work of art. This is Clark's first trip into pure Ambient territory for a full album, largely putting away the pulsing, wonky beats in trade of swelling strings and minimal pianos, with his unique voice still coming through the music.

_______________

39. CLIFF MARTINEZ - THE NEON DEMON
Ambient, Electronic, Original Score. Milan Records.


I heard the score before I watched the film, but hearing this amazing score made me more excited to see the film. In fact it's one of the strongest elements of the film. Pulsing Industrial Techno crossed over with dreamy, neon ambient. Cliff Martinez is one of the most important soundtrack composers of this millennium and this is one of his finest works yet.
_______________

38. THE AVALANCHES - WILDFLOWER
Hip Hop, Electronic. XL.


I don't know why it took The Avalanches 16 years to follow up their debut album, but they've done it in style. 'Wildflower' sounds very fresh and one of the most positive and uplifting sounding Hip Hop albums of the decade. The Hip Hop influences feel a little stronger than on the debut, with a little less sampling density going on. It has that Stones Throw kind of vibe to it and flows remarkably well from start to finish with a rich and diverse palette of sounds. Hip Hop with flowery psychedelic moments ala early De La Soul!
_______________

37. IGGY POP - POST POP DEPRESSION
Alternative Rock. Caroline International.

People are saying this is Iggy Pop's best album since his 70s heyday. Whilst I haven't heard all of his stuff since then, I'd find it hard to disagree. This album packs a real punch, with a vocal that almost channels his late sparring partner David Bowie. Choosing Josh Homme to crack out the riffs was a wise idea, and the album is exceptionally well produced. Iggy Pop sounds revitalised and hungry once again.
_______________

36. BADBADNOTGOOD - IV
Fusion Jazz, Neo Soul, Funk. Innovative Leisure.

Everyone has been talking about Kamasi Washington being the saviour of modern Jazz, and don't get me wrong he is incredible from a nostalgic point of view, but I think BadBadNotGood deserve as much credit. This band sound much more modern in terms of production and fusing Funk, Hip Hop and Soul into the mix. I think I preferred this to their breakthrough album 'III' and their collab with Ghostface Killah. It's up, up and up for these guys!
_______________

35. VENETIAN SNARES - TRADITIONAL SYNTHESIZER MUSIC
Electronic, IDM. Timesig/Planet Mu.


You'd think Mr Funk might end up restricting himself by sticking to just using a modular synthesiser to create this album, yet somehow he just pushes his art further. One of his most consistent full lengths of recent times, and mad as a badger!
_______________

34. KYLE DIXON & MICHAEL STEIN - STRANGER THINGS (VOLUMES 1 & 2)
Electronic, Ambient, Original Score. Lakeshore.

The one soundtrack that got nearly everybody pumped up this year. S U R V I V E members do 80s nostalgia perfectly well with some sublime John Carpenter worship and some chilling Dark Ambient too.
_______________

33. MAMMOTH WEED WIZARD BASTARD - Y PROFFWYD DWYLL
Doom Metal, Sludge Metal. NHS.


I have a real thing for Metal bands that implement electronics, and this was one of my favourite surprises of the year. This quartet from Wales combine slow, crushing Doom riffs with washed out synths and buzzing electronics piercing and boiling on top. Also vocalist Jessica Ball tops it off with her angelic banshee vocals. If you thought you were in for a typical Stoner band you will be gravely mistaken.
_______________

32. CRYSTAL CASTLES - AMNESTY (I)
Electronic, Witch House. Fiction Records.

The critics have eaten Crystal Castles' comeback album up and quickly spat it out, with a wave of mediocre reviews, but I have to calmly tell them to get to fuck! So Crystal Castles have had a 4 year break, and had to introduce new vocalist Edith Frances into the band. One thing the critics have got right is that this isn't anything particularly new or daring, but this is the sound of a band finding their feet again. But however you want to analyse it, I can't deny that I enjoy every track on this album and I've been listening to it over and over in my car. Crystal Castles still manage to sound innovative, hard and exciting in 2016 where they could have easily tailed off into commercial drivel by now.
_______________

31. DANNY BROWN - ATROCITY EXHIBITION
Hip Hop. Warp Records.

I'm still not completely sold on Danny Brown's voice and lyrical content (he seems to work much better as a guest spot), but this album has really won me over. Something told me that the fact Warp Records wanted to put this out, meant it would be worth a listen and I really enjoyed it from start to finish. It feels like the right cross between the modern Hip Hop production sound and that wonky, abstract Warp sound. A great selection of guest spots and off kilter moments keeps things fresh.
_______________

30. WINTERFYLLETH - THE DARK HEREAFTER
Black Metal. Candlelight/Spinefarm.

By stripping things back a little and making a shorter album, Winterfylleth have actually come across as more consistent. 'The Dark Hereafter' is an emotionally rich and thorough black metal album that exists in the same realm as Ulver's 'Bergtatt', from the cover to the cover!
_______________

29. AMERICAN FOOTBALL - AMERICAN FOOTBALL
Emo, Alternative Rock. Witchita.

Scathing reviews be damned, I freakin' loved this. Of course it is going to sound a bit different 17 years since their first album, but the honesty, vitality and genuine heartfelt songwriting still shines through for me! Didn't get what all the uproar is about but I only discovered the first album about the same time too!
_______________

28. CAINA - CHRIST CLAD IN WHITE PHOSPHORUS
Black Metal, Industrial, Noise. Apocalyptic Witchcraft.

Caina was one of the first acts in Black Metal to start thinking beyond the genres constrictions. 'Christ Clad In White Phosphorus' will possibly be his last record. It makes for a fitting nadir, as this goes to the furthest reaches of what a post-Black Metal band can achieve to the point where the listener isn't even sure whether this is Black Metal, or if they even know what Black Metal is any more. A wild and eclectic ride that strips Caina down to the bone, relying less on guitars and much more on ambient synths, layers of noise pedals, furious hazy vocals and pounding industrial drum machines. This is the sound of travelling down a pitch black tunnel and never quite reaching the glow of light at the end.
_______________

27. MARK PRITCHARD - UNDER THE SUN
Ambient, Progressive Electronic. Warp Records.

This album was a big surprise for me considering Mark Pritchard's last album under the guise of Harmonic 313 was one of the funkiest, most upbeat Hip Hop albums of recent times. Pritchard has decided to follow it up with an exact opposite album of super slow, quiet, languid droning ambient. However he is still a master of his craft, delivering beautiful alien textures and sweeping modular arpeggios.
_______________

26. CROWHURST - II
Post-Hardcore, Black Metal, Sludge Metal. Broken Limbs.

Crowhurst (the project of Jay Gambit) is constantly releasing noise, drone and dark ambient releases on his Bandcamp page, so much so that it can be hard for the most dedicated fans to keep up to date. For 'II' though he has enlisted an entire band to perform his songs for a full on Metal album, which you can tell most of his writing efforts have gone into. 'II' will forever stand out as one of the main attractions in his massive discography, inhaling influences of Converge, Darkthrone and Neurosis and then spewing it out in a varied and consistent racket!
_______________

25. DEAD TO A DYING WORLD - LIVE AT ROADBURN
Black Metal, Post Rock. Roadburn.

A testament to a band that started off as one man and expanded to seven band members! We have a new contender in the envelope of bands pushing the boundaries of modern black metal. Dead to a Dying World are one of the most epic and emotionally stirring, combining monolithic riffs with beautiful string sections. Excited to see where they go from here!
_______________

24. ALCEST - KODAMA
Post Rock, Shoegaze, Black Metal. Prophecy Records.

After being slightly underwhelmed with previous album 'Shelter', which cut out the Metal elements for a more shoegazy, dream pop direction, it would have been easy to brush Alcest off. Fortunately after the glowing reviews, I decided to give 'Kodama' a go and I am very glad I did. Alcest have not only implemented the heavier elements back in but they sound far more focused. My second favourite album of theirs after their classic debut.
_______________

23. THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN - DISSOCIATION
Mathcore, Technical Metal, Progressive Metal. Party Smasher Inc.

The Dillinger Escape Plan go out with a bang. 'Dissociation' is perhaps my favourite record of theirs since the genre classic 'Miss Machine'. The album plays like a best of, made of all new material, and draws from everything they have learnt over their incredible career. They say it is better to burn out than to fade away... Well here is to a band that have been a constant burn out since day one!
_______________

22. JOHN CARPENTER - LOST THEMES II
Progressive Electronic, Synthwave, Ambient. Sacred Bones Records.

With any great Horror film, a sequel will emerge the year after, and so was it was the same with the master of Horror's second Lost Themes album. Whilst it sort of delivers more of the same, the first one was so damn impressive that more of that gold was very much welcome. 'Lost Themes II' doesn't fall short of those incredible pioneering synthwave sounds that made the first one such a knockout!
_______________

21. THE FIELD - THE FOLLOWER
Minimal Techno, Electronic. Kompakt.

The Field continues to perfect his craft and be one of the leaders of the Berlin Minimal Techno scene. These lengthy compositions take minimalist blips and bleeps to new atmospheric and epic heights, with a constant pulsing backbone charging through.
_______________

20. PARQUET COURTS - HUMAN PERFORMANCE
Post-Punk, Noise Rock, Jangle Pop. Rough Trade.

Parquet Courts sound at their most inspired here, and also at their laziest and most laid back. Pure slacker vibes crossed with jangly Velvety goodness. A thoroughly entertaining mess!
_______________

19. WEEZER - WEEZER [THE WHITE ALBUM]
Alternative Rock. Atlantic Records.

Well... I really liked it! Weezer have become a parody of themselves in recent times, but I would happily place this as the true successor to Pinkerton. It feels like Weezer have finally managed to channel back the sound, charm and songwriting that made them so good in the first place!
_______________

18. NEUROSIS - FIRES WITHIN FIRES
Sludge Metal, Post Metal. Neurot Recordings.

Neurosis are a band that have kind of done everything by this point, so they have gone for a less is more approach with 'Fires Within Fires'. Running at just over 40 minutes, Neurosis have made something much more direct and immediate. I do love their long Post Rock inspired builds up and crescendos, which are still kind of present, but stripping back their sound still makes them sound really inspired. The masters deliver the goods once again!
_______________

17. ULVER - ATGCLVLSSCAP
Progressive Electronic, Ambient, Space Rock. House of Mythology.

The wolves are still evolving and Ulver keep shifting genres, never seeming to run out of innovative ideas. Part live album, part studio work, this record explores spacey, Tangerine Dream-esque electronics and atmospheres. Probably my favourite album of theirs since 'Shadows of the Sun'!
_______________

16. RADIOHEAD - A MOON SHAPED POOL
Alternative Rock, Art Rock. XL.

I've heard nothing but negativity about this album in my circle of friends, but I have been championing 'A Moon Shaped Pool' since my first listen. Rather than trying to constantly take a step forwards like this band are known for, Radiohead take a big step backwards, stripping away the wonky electronics and distorted guitars completely. What is left are beautiful, heartfelt and stripped down songs favouring natural acoustics, sombre vocals, pianos and strings. There is something so beautiful and admirable about this coming from a band who sometimes left their wilder ideas run loose. Radiohead at their most subtle and I like it.
_______________

15. AUTECHRE - ELSEQ 1-5
Electronic, Ambient, IDM. Warp Records

To be honest, I'm still making my way through this! I'm absolutely loving just the first two discs and I am in no rush to move on yet. This record will keep me occupied for a while! Every time Autechre makes a new release they just seem to push the boundaries further and further. This 4.5 hour long album sees the duo express total unrelenting freedom, where they can take 20-30 minute avant garde compositions and just run with it. Obviously if you have not explored their vast discography yet, this certainly shouldn't be a starting point, but seasoned veterans will experience nothing but pure bliss listening to this!
_______________

14. IRON WITCH - A HARROWED DAWN
Sludge Metal. Secret Law Records.

Liverpool based Iron Witch have gone through many lineup changes, but on the way have really evolved their sound. If you've heard their earlier NOLA inspired works, you might be surprised to hear they have delivered a far darker, gnarlier and tougher bunch of songs than ever before. Iron Witch channel the crushing weight of Neurosis and Cult of Luna, combined with the agonising misery of EyeHateGod to create something that will not only crush you, but make you feel feelings too!
_______________

13. DAVID BOWIE - BLACKSTAR
Art Pop, Jazz Rock. Sony Columbia.

This is how you go out with a bang. I'm convinced that Bowie knew it would be the last shining star in one of the most impressive discographies of any recording artist to ever live. It's cryptic, forward thinking and truly belting. People will still be listening, discussing and lamenting this album in years to come. RIP David Bowie. Innovative til the very end!
_______________

12. SLABDRAGGER - RISE OF THE DAWNCRUSHER
Sludge Metal, Doom Metal, Technical Metal. Holy Roar Records.

For their second album, Slabdragger combine monumentally crushing riffs with a Sci-Fi aesthetic, sounding like a killer robot spiraling out of control. Even with songs that near 20 minutes, the trio have composed a true behemoth of an album that really takes you on a journey of winding, technical riff mastery.
_______________

11. GOAT - REQUIEM
Psychedelia. Rocket Recordings.

Goat have become one of the bands from this decade to impress me most. They have now delivered 3 knockout albums in a row. 'Requiem' is easily their longest album and the least heavy of the three. There aren't as many storming fuzz drenched riffs as before, but they have expertly substituted these moments with a more folky influence. Flutes and panpipes still sound just as groovy and psyched out, and this album is full of seriously infectious moments that will get you dancing and rocking out!
_______________

10. JESSY LANZA - OH NO
Electronic, R&B. Hyperdub Records.

Jessy Lanza just has this amazing ability to just cut through my heart and soul. Sure there are similarities to the sound of Grimes and FKA Twigz, but Jessy Lanza doesn't need any of the theatrics and comes across more genuine, sweet and down to earth. Her songs are brilliant and this album in particular is much warmer and more confident than the (also excellent) debut. Jessy Lanza really gets her groove on here with strong Electro and 80s RNB vibes, fused with that modern bass heavy Hyperdub sound. A sheer delight from start to finish.
_______________

9. ANDY STOTT - TOO MANY VOICES
Electronic, IDM. Modern Love.

DAMN! Andy Stott delivers his most direct and energised album yet! His trademark use of pitchshifting and choppy beats is on fire here with trippy vocal samples drifiting in and out. The album is a really shiny with a mad streak in the middle and a beautiful Enya like finale. One of the most exciting and addictive Electronic albums of the year!
_______________

8. DEFTONES - GORE
Alternative Metal, Shoegaze, Dream Pop. Reprise Records.

One of the most consistent bands in all of Metal strike gold once more. Deftones continue to mature and craft a fine balance between hard hitting riffs, atmospheric textures and soaring choruses. 'Gore' delivers everything you could want from Deftones in spades!
_______________

7. JESU & SUN KIL MOON - JESU/SUN KIL MOON
Folk, Shoegaze, Drone Metal. Caldo Verde Records.

Continuing the decade of weird collaborations is an album that combines intimate folk music with crunching metal riffs. And yet it suceeds. Both artists channel a lot of emotion, atmosphere and intimacy and the two artists really bounce of each other. The heavy parts allow Mark Kozelek to channel more of an anger and despair in his lyricism, allowing the more typical Sun Kil Moon sounding folk tracks to be more focused than last year's turbulent 'Universal Themes' album. Not everyone got it, but I personally loved it!
_______________

6. DEATH GRIPS - BOTTOMLESS PIT
Electronic, Hardcore, Hip Hop. Harvest Records.

One of Death Grips' finest hours yet. I didn't think it was possible for this band to become even more crass, in your face and devoid of subtlety, but they managed it with the addition of roaring guitar riffs and blastbeats. 'Bottomless Pit' is just a crazy, noisy blast of sheer joy that asks you to leave your brain at the door!
_______________

5. KATATONIA - THE FALL OF HEARTS
Alternative Metal, Gothic Metal. Peaceville.

Katatonia have always been a very consistent band, but I don't think anyone was expecting to drop arguably their finest work 11 albums in. 'The Fall of Hearts' delivers everything I love about this band, finding the right balance between hard hitting riffs and melodic melancholy. Lyrically and vocally it rings as one of their most emotive works that has kept pulling me back in for more and more. Absolutely spellbounding!
_______________

4. BOSS KELOID - HERB YOUR ENTHUSIASM
Progressive Metal, Stoner Metal, Sludge Metal, Technical Metal. Black Bow Records.

Deeply spiritual, progressive tech as fuck Sludge/Stoner Metal from Wigan. Boss Keloid haven't just created an album, but an entire odyssey that grabs you from the first track and takes you on an inner pilgrimage, full of meaty riffs and off kilter rhythms. 'Herb Your Enthusiasm' will not only give you the neckache but give you the feels and the ponderings too whilst yer at it!
_______________

3. BARBARIAN HERMIT - DEMO MMXVI
Sludge Metal, Stoner Metal. Self-Released.

It's basically an album... And it's glorious. This first demo of masterful Sludge/Stoner riffs doesn't feel like it was inspired by the likes of Down and Sleep, but feels like a complete refresh on that style, with plenty of great hooks and riffs so tasty they'll give you instant neck ache!
_______________

2. 40 WATT SUN - WIDER THAN THE SKY
Slowcore, Folk Rock. Svart.

Genuinely one of the most beautiful, heartfelt and emotionally affecting albums I have heard all year. 40 Watt Sun deliver their softest album yet, favouring clean guitars over heavy riffs. The result sounds a lot like Red House Painters or early Sun Kil Moon ('April' especially). Lyrically and vocally this is just an explosion of real feelings. The album is very slow, long and repetitive but I have managed to get obsessed with it and listen over and over. I hope the physical copy comes with a free pack of Kleenex because you're going to need it!
_______________

1. OATHBREAKER - RHEIA
Post-Hardcore, Black Metal, Sludge Metal, Shoegaze. Deathwish Inc.

2016 belongs to Oathbreaker. The belgian quartet deliver their longest and most ambitious album yet. I always knew they were a fantastic band, but 'Rheia' brings them into the league of the all time greats. Sometimes making an album twice as long as your other output can be the nail in the coffin, but Oathbreaker have used that extra space phenomenally well, adding more breadth to their sound with the use of folky and shoegazy elements. The music across this album really takes you on a journey and seamlessly blends different subgenres together. From the furious Sludge, Black Metal and Crusty Hardcore to the emotive beauty in the Folk, Shoegaze and Dream Pop moments. The album has similar blueprints to the works of Deafheaven and Alcest, and carries just as much emotional weight and intensity in the quiet moments as it does the raging heavy parts.
_______________

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

Aphex Twin - Cheetah, Basement - Promise Everything, The Body - No One Deserves Happiness, The Body & Full of Hell - One Day You Will Ache Like I Ache, Cavern of Anti Matter - Void Beats/Invocation Trex, Conjurer - I, Corinth - Corinth, Cult of Luna & Julie Christmas - Mariner,Dam Funk - DJ Kicks, J Dilla - The Diary,  Esben & the Witch - Older Terrors, Future of the Left - The Peace & Truce Of, Garganjua - A Voyage In Solitude, Gilmore Trail - Twin Peaks, Tim Hecker - Love Streams, Ital Tek - Hollowed, Jega - 1995, Kendrick Lamar - Untitled Unmastered,Cat Le Bon - Crab Day, Lone - Levitate, Mogwai - Atomic, Moon Wiring Club - Exit Pantomime Control Mower - Meathead, Laura Mvula - The Dreaming Room, Negura Bunget - Zi, Perturbator - The Uncanny Valley, Pinegrove - Cardinal, Plaid - The Digging Remedy, Rolo Tomassi - BBC Sessions, Scrubber Fox / Sadistic Foxician - Core Tea Vicar?, Se Delan - Drifter, Ty Segall - Emotional Mugger, DJ Shadow - The Mountain Will Fall, Silverchild - Red Desert, Soulwax - Belgica, Suuns - Hold Still, Steven Wilson - 4 1/2
_______________