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Day: 31 December 2015

Top 10 Songs of 2015

The date was 15th December, 2014. For music journalists the world over, it was an evening like any other. The end-of-year lists had been published, and it was time to relax in front of the fire. Their work was done.  No more sleepless nights. No more deadlines.

But D’Angelo had other ideas. With reckless abandon and utter disregard for the annual music publication calendar, D’Angelo released Black Messiah, one of the albums of the year, days after most end-of-year lists had been published. Music writers panicked. Many confusedly included Black Messiah on their ‘best of 2015’ lists. For others, Black Messiah was forever lost in post-list, pre-new year purgatory.

With that catastrophe in mind, we’ve held off on publishing our online end-of-year lists until the actual end of 2015. Granted, our list doesn’t include anything released in the past month – but it could have, if anything of Black Messiah‘s calibre had cropped up.

Here’s what we came up with as The Mancunion‘s top 10 songs of 2015, as chosen by our team of writers. We hope you agree with our pick for number one; we just couldn’t help ourselves.

10) ‘Boys Latin’ – Panda Bear
From Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper, released 9th January via Domino Records

“Beasts don’t have a sec’ to think, but
We don’t ‘preciate our things, but…”

So goes the cyclical mantra of ‘Boys’ Latin’, an indecipherable song that speaks a purely instinctive language. Panda Bear’s interloping vocal melody embarks on a spiritual climb, while the song beneath gurgles, mutates and repeats like a living organism. Though it’s really just a straightforward song buried in murky arpeggiated synthesizers, it seems to exist weightlessly on its own plane, so much so that when the 4mins 42s are up, you feel like it doesn’t stop – it just floats away.

– Henry Scanlan

9) ‘Sparks’ – Beach House
From Depression Cherry, released 28th August via Sub Pop

Even though Depression Cherry has been viewed by some as a massive disappointment, ‘Sparks’ has quickly become one of Beach House’s most popular songs. Ethereal voices dubbed over by powerful shoegaze guitar break new ground for Beach House. Yet, Victoria Legrand’s vocals add a dreamy quality to this harshness, making the track feel brand and oh so familiar at the same time. Gorgeous!

– Cassie Hyde

8) ‘Beautiful Blue Sky’ – Ought
From Sun Coming Down, released 18th September via Constellation Records

This song is so good it might actually be perfect. A slow-burning krautrock epic, never rushing. It revolves around breezy bass arpeggios, slowly ratcheting up as Tim Darcy takes us through modern life. Juxtaposing the horrors of neoliberalism—“warplane, condo,” with everyday mundanity—“I feel alright! Beautiful weather today!” the latter declared with absolute joy. Every time Darcy declares “YES!” it’s the most euphoric ‘yes’ you’ve ever heard. The hollow euphoria of normality. This might be my favourite song ever.

– Jacob Nicholas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP0lwQreha8

7) ‘Shutdown’ – Skepta
Released 26th April via Boy Better Know (From #Konichiwa; release date TBA)

‘Shutdown’ is glaring and angry; defiant mockery of the mainstream screams loudly throughout. Skepta, and indirectly the entire UK grime scene, have been dragged kicking and screaming out of relative obscurity because of ‘Shutdown’’s popularity this year. Skepta and JME curated their sold-out Tropical Warehouse Project in October, and Drake (who raps on ‘Shutdown’), Kanye, and even Jools Holland are keen: “Man’s never been on Jools Holland when it’s Shutdown” Skepta quipped. Have these factors contributed to ‘Shutdown’ being one of the first UK grime songs to send shockwaves to the US? Like Skepta cares.

– Elinor James

6) ‘Pretty Pimpin’ – Kurt Vile
From b’lieve i’m goin down, released 25th September via Matador Records

Kurt Vile’s ‘Pretty Pimpin’ is a simple, toe-tapping loop of self-deprication, reflecting on his lacking understanding of himself. Looking at a stranger in the mirror he sings, “oh silly me, that’s just me”, tackling a melancholy topic with an appropriate dose of irony. With traces of the electric organ and sweet falsetto harmonies, this track is more down to earth and honest than previous Vile tracks. Yet far from being miserable lamentation of his own dwindling sense of self, Vile remains upbeat throughout, concluding, if nothing else, he is pretty pimpin.

– Cordelia Milward

5) ‘Malukayi’ – Mbongwana Star
From From Kinshasa, released 18th May, via World Circuit Records

‘Malukayi’, the hypnotic single from the cross­generational Congolese outfit Mbongwana Star’s debut From Kinshasa, sits staunchly as that release’s centrepiece, the most weirdly fascinating song on an already fascinatingly weird album. It follows the pattern of a lot of great Congolese rumba: Not much happens at first, then something incredible happens, and then it keeps happening for however many more minutes you’re lucky enough to get. Its thrashing heavy­-metal-on-a-dustbin-­lid opening deceives, a manic adrenaline boost which inevitably precipitates a release, which here comes in the form of a goggle­-eyed electric likembe riff, courtesy of fellow Kinshasans Konono No. 1, and a bassline so pervasive you can feel your blood cells tingling. And so it goes for six ecstatic minutes, as the song’s vocals, both pure and distorted, oscillate through the web of sonics, transmitting from Kinshasa to the moon, and beyond.

– Patrick Grealey

4) ‘King Kunta’ – Kendrick Lamar
From To Pimp a Butterfly, released 15th March via Interscope Records

It’s easy to overstate how culturally relevant Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly is in 2015. So much so that some voices—Complex’s Justin Charity for one—questioned whether its significance overshadowed the music. Their argument: Was it really all that enjoyable? Well, it was. On ‘King Kunta’, Lamar’s blistering verses poured scorn over his lacklustre peers, borrowing James Brown’s lyrical flow from ‘The Payback’ and delivering barbed lines with tremendous ease. Though he may have claimed he was king, Lamar’s boasting chafed with the ambiguity of the music. Its self-assured G-funk thrust felt unsettled, the sound of hip-hop braggadocio taking a bruising as it teetered between angst and confidence, pretty much epitomising the album, which was rich with uncertainty and righteous anger. That said, it was undoubtedly a banger (just watch its music video) and a superior one at that.

– Jacob Bernard-Banton

3) ‘Cause I’m A Man’ – Tame Impala
From Currents, released 17th July via Interscope Records

While Tame Impala’s third record Currents saw Kevin Parker embracing new fields from disco to dance, second single ‘Cause I’m A Man’ is surely its pop pinnacle. First released in April, the track mixes a sluggish yet jagged bassline with a dreamy synth melody, an asset the band have really honed their talent for on Currents. There’s no shying away from a catchy chorus either, and the track’s popularity was faithfully paid tribute to by Haim on their official ‘remix’. The lyrics may have attracted some haters, but don’t listen to them—the injection of some tongue-in-cheek fun here is a key part of what makes Currents the psychedelic jewel in the 2015 musical crown.

– Elizabeth Ruston

2)  ‘Bored in the USA’ – Father John Misty
From I Love You, Honeybear, released February 9th via Bella Union

In this beautiful tragicomedy masterpiece, Josh Tillman manages to take on Springsteen’s classic about the hollowness of the American dream with the ironic detachment of the modern age. The deceptively simple piano and strings ballad is filled with wry asides and observations. Although delivered in his arch persona, ‘Bored in the USA’ gives us a glimpse of the man underneath it all. The lampooning in the song is underscored by a sincere concern for the problems of contemporary life, ranging from the impact of consumerism to the side effects of anti-depressants. Were it not for the bizarre canned laughter pumped in at the end of the song, you wouldn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

– Dom Bennett

1) ‘Where Are Ü Now’ – Justin Bieber
From Purpose, released 13th November via Def Jam Recordings

Remember the days when we all hated pop music on principle and generally felt so much better about our lives? When its now-heir apparent looked only to be a one-hit wonder, destined to fade back into the YouTube obscurity from whence he came? Well, for better or worse, those days are no more. It’s a strange world, Sandy. One where Bieber, Skrillex and Diplo are topping music polls featuring politically conscious works of art alongside solid Pitchfork-bait. This Triple Entente have given us EDM’s magnum opus. Jack Ü’s deep, bouncy and inspired production surrounds Bieber’s breathy, sexy delivery, a song as suited to the dancefloor as the bedroom. We’re all as surprised as you. Well done lads.

– Joe Connell

Top 10 Albums of 2015

As we draw the curtains on 2015, we look over what’s been a stonking year of albums. I know, every year’s a stonker according to us journos. But seriously, 2015 eats 2014 for breakfast. Testament to this high standard is the variety of albums on our list, with releases from post rock to hip-hop to sugar pop making the cut. I’m sure there’s particular gems we’ve missed and particular genres we’ve under valued, but it’s an authentic representation of what our writers have been digging, so if you find yourself grumbling at your computer screen, come write for us in the new year and have your say! Each album comes with a loving praise and a custom re-imagining of it’s cover art by our artistically inclined friends and fellows. Here’s to 2016 and the magical musical moments it will bring.

Illustration by Helena Ross

10) Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress – Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Released 31st March via Constellation
Clocking in at just 40 minutes makes this the shortest full-length Canadian post-rockers GY!BE have recorded. However, this is by no means a bad thing as the LP feels like a distilled version of 2012’s excellent comeback ‘’Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!’. Based on the live track ‘Behemoth’, the band perform an utterly engrossing piece across 4 tracks meant to be listened to as a whole. Taking you through the grandeur of ‘Peasantry or ‘Light! Inside of Light!’, the haunting drones and static of ‘Lambs’ Breath’ and ‘Asunder, Sweet’, before finishing with the spiralling strings of ‘Piss Crowns Are Trebled’, the album is a veritable journey of mental imagery that toys with your emotions.
– Adam Rogers

Illustration by Bruce Tang

9) Art Angels – Grimes
Released 6th November via 4AD
With her fourth studio album, Claire Boucher sounds like she is truly making the music she loves. Her poppy aesthetic choices – so brilliantly brought to life by her obsessive self-production – may have come as a surprise, but these maximalist, spasmodic, slightly deranged songs are unimaginable in any other form. When you take the plunge, you’re bombarded with pitch shifting ‘kawaii’ vocals, trap claps, country guitar licks, a billion melodies crammed into each song, all topped with Boucher’s multiple-personality-disorder delivery – and yet somehow, you don’t get a headache. In fact, you get something like the exact opposite.

– Henry Scanlan

Illustration by Henry Scanlan

8) Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit – Courtney Barnett
Released 20th March via Milk
Witty, articulate and delightfully grungy, Courtney Barnett’s debut album is a celebration of, well, nothing very significant at all. Holding steadfast in a swirl of abrasive guitar riffs and matter-of-fact, deadpan lyrical delivery, Sometimes I Sit and Think… is an idiosyncratic lament of beautiful, insignificant-yet-meticulous detail that constantly unravels listen-upon listen. Filled to the brim with intricate subtleties which pass you by before you can realise, Barnett’s profound realism can at first wash you away – however, this Melbournian’s sardonic storytelling and genre-revitalising musicality has propelled this record into being one of the most important releases of 2015.
– Jamie Chapman

 

Illustration by Elinor James

7) Have You In My Wilderness – Julia Holter
Released 25th September via Domino
The LA based singer and composer delivered a masterpiece of pure songcraft with her fourth album. The album has a more open and accessible sound than Holter’s previous efforts, her excellent vocals and song writing ability being brought to the fore. Even though there is a more pop ballad sound on the surface it manages to remain incredibly intricate and abstract in places. The album jumps between differing viewpoints and moods, but a sense of wonder and new found emotional intimacy unites the songs, each piece acting as a voyage into a different mysterious world. A journey everyone should take.
– Dom Bennett

Illustration by Rosie Gill

6) In Colour – Jamie XX
Released 29th May via Young Turks 
In Colour is the perfect album title for The XX man’s debut; it’s a record that brings together the bright euphoria of uplifting dance music but still remains very intimate and restrained. Isolation and loneliness are common themes throughout the record and Jamie manages to communicate these whilst capturing the joys in the shared experience of clubbing. Every track is beautifully crafted, feeling organic and sonically rich. With In Colour, Jamie really makes a bold statement, proving he’s one of UK Dance music’s brightest talents, with one of the most refreshing club albums in years.
– Mark Holland

Illustration by Pierre Flasse

5) Elaenia – Floating Points
Released 6th November via Pluto
Lush, pristine, and wildly original, Elaenia’s release marked the moment Sam Shepherd finally broke through into all of our collective musical worlds. It’s the first LP-sized entry in the Manchester wunderkind’s discography, but it brims with the confidence and proficiency you’d expect from a veteran jazz artist. Think Talk Talk’s Laughing Stock, Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks and Miles Davis’ In a Silent Way and you’ll be halfway there. Stunning from beginning to end, no other album this year works in quite the same way. Bring on album number two.
– Joe Connell

Illustration by Joe Connell

4) To Pimp a Butterfly – Kendrick Lamar
Released 15th March via TDE
Given highly politicised singles and album artwork and released amidst fever pitch of race relations on the US, many of us were expecting Kendrick’s sophomore record to be one of singular purpose; a ferocious call to arms. Instead, he took the fight to the mirror. Kendrick is conflicted: he’s a star, he’s an egomaniac, he’s an inspiration, he’s betrayed his own people. Yet To Pimp… manages to say far more about the world around him than we were expecting, in acknowledgement that problems, like people, are complex. His debut may have been subtitled ‘a short film’ but it’s here that Kenny proves himself the master of narrative. As the ever expanding poem interlaced between tracks winds to a close, we’re treated to a twist ending (in an album!). It’s a unique and thrilling musical masterpiece.
– Rob Paterson

Illustration by Rob Paterson

3) Carrie & Lowell – Sufjan Stevens
Released 31st March via Asthmatic Kitty
Sufjan Stevens ushered in spring with a hushed and wintry record – his best to date. Avoiding the maximalist instrumentation and observational lyricism he’s best known for, Sufjan instead opted for sparseness and introspection. That means no more bible studies or character pieces: exploring the death of his absent mother and revisiting childhood memories, the focus here is squarely on Sufjan, unobtrusively backed by fingerpicked guitars and subtle keyboards. The change in style works: his heartbreakingly candid explorations of grief are as compelling as anything he’s written, and the fragile instrumentation is an appropriate accompaniment. Slight, airy music substantiated by heavy themes – Carrie & Lowell is one of 2015’s best releases.
– Joe Casson

Illustration by Pierre Flasse

2) Currents – Tame Impala
Released 17th July via Interscope
Tame Impala took a change in direction with Currents. This is the same psychedelic Tame Impala as before, but unashamedly more poppy. The synths and handclaps injected into seven minute epic ‘Let It Happen’ crackle and bounce out of the record, while ‘The Less I Know The Better’ got a healthy dose of disco. Kevin Parker’s characteristically introspective lyrics are  significantly more open than those in his past endeavours and connect the listener on a personal level amongst luscious, hook filled instrumentals on tracks like ‘Yes I’m Changing’ and ‘Same Old Mistakes’. Our hermit hero finally stumbles in the limelight, blinking, yet basking. Currents encapsulates change as a profound human experience and explores it from so many angles that you’ll be going back again and again.
– Matthew Staite

Illustration by Bruce Tang

1) I Love You Honeybear – Father John Misty
Released 9th February via Sub Pop
Josh Tillman’s cynicism and his dry wit working in conjunction with beautiful melodies and string arrangements make for the most (literally) bittersweet album of the year. Tillman’s lyrics are laced with pessimism on topics such as the “American Dream” in ‘Bored in the U.S.A.’, and fundamentalist religion in ‘Holy Shit’. Even his love songs have to involve the romantic concept of the decline and self-destruction of the human race, as in the eponymous album opener. This, with his cover of the equally disillusioned ‘The Suburbs’ by Arcade Fire, this year cap off Tillman’s campaign of hate towards humanity. However it’s not all disgust and disdain on his behalf, ending I Love You, Honeybear on a moment of clarity, as he caps off a majestically swelling piece of music lovingly with the words first he said to his (as of recently) wife, an uplifting and a warming realisation that, maybe, things aren’t so bad after all.
– Zakk Brown