———————————————————————————————————————————————-
So its that time of year again where lots of blogs throw out personalized lists giving there two cents about what they thought summed the whole dang year. Well somebody from the Nagilgun team had to go up to bat on such an endeavor so here we go with it. Gonna keep this one short and sweet on this one cause I want to get back to drinking way too much egg nog and taking naps. Feel free to post comments or complaints below or maybe even your own lists of what you got down with this year.
———————————————————————————————————————————————-
(10) Container: LP
Totally sick 80s throwback high sound noise techno at its finest. Lots of tight distortion and chaos in the sound of this Album that is done in such a catchy and perfect way that is literally just melts your brain. One of the finest party records of the year. A dance classic for sure.
(9) Matana Roberts: COIN COIN Chapter Three: River Run Thee
The third installment of Matana Robertes supposed twelve part series of trying to explore and trace her role in life as a African American woman in the USA is an album that is an absolutely fascinating and mesmerizing jazz record that is an heavy hitting droned out journey trying to understand and contextualize the chaos that is life in the USA. For real this album is as haunting and beautiful as it is is unrelenting. An extremely unique record and one that shouldn’t be slept on.
(8) Jefre Cantu-Ledesma: A Year With 13 Moons
Jefre Cantu-Ledesma has been killing it for a while but with his new release he really ups the game with a real amazing popped out droned out electronics albums that that is the perfect concoction of noisey dance chillness. Think MBV Loveless blissed out sound being combined with new age slash/dash dance.
(7) Eyeliner: Buy Now
Many have done it before, pretended the early 90’s have never ended but none have done it with quite such a smooth sound and with as much pizzazz than Eyeliner has on his new album this year. Just let all your cares go and jam out to some killer tunes throwing back to your youthful days of trying to get all those damn Chaos Emeralds in Sonic 2 while you devour down some Echo Cooler Hi C juice packs. Easily this years best lounge about album and anti anxiety remedy for sure.
(6) John Wiese: Deviate From Balance
Its been another year so of course what a surprise that we yet again have an amazing John Wiese album in are hands. Easily one of the best modern composers of are time and he still just does the most impressive job of creating these real integrate and erratic sound works that almost act like an avant grade jazz piece but with their own organic and unique style. This new album of one of his best in ages and is a real amazing listen.
(5) Zs: Xe
Ever since Zs has brought Greg Fox into the fold with this project they have literally re resurrected what was one of the better freak out acts of the 2000’s. Their new album expands on the sound of their impressive 2013’s Grain to create the most hypnotic and raw new age jazz on this side of the earth. This album is just the ultimate banger of the year. Also OMG Greg Fox is still just the best drummer around right now.
(4) Wolf Eyes: I Am a Problem: Mind in Pieces
Oh Wolf Eyes has yet another amazing album what a shock. Their new album of Jack White’s Third Man Records continues their tradition of being the kings of irreverent noise rock/trip metal and with I Am A Problem: Mind In Pieces they have put out quite easily this years best rock head fuck of an album. Nothing much different in the game these guys are playing, they have just mastered what it is that they do, which is not giving a fuck what you think cause they are going to do their own thing.
(3) Oneohtrix Point Never: Garden Of Delete
The king of give and take dance music is back this year with one of his most impressive statements to date. Oneotrix is still doing his thing of exploring what it means to exist in a digital/whatever bullshit age but with a way more of an industrial rock hit to it that creates an absolutely anxiety drenched affair that is just down right erratic and fractured but is also so damn catchy that you can’t help coming back for more and more.
(2) Kendrick Lamar: To Pimp A Butterfly
Seriously what more can be said about this one. Easily the best big time LP since Outkast’s Stankonia. I have nothing to add to the conversation. You’ve all heard the album, you know how sick it is.
(1) Prurient: Frozen Niagra Falls
Oh my fucking lord what a heavy album this one is. I had honestly kinda written off Prurient being able to slay this hard ever since he started getting caught up in things like Cold Cave and other dark wave jams but with this really he has put out not only one of his best albums in his already insanely heavy count of a discography but also just of the the best albums to grace this decade so far. If your in the mood for soul crushed introspective noise electronic sound pieces that almost perfectly fits the absolute confusion and destruction that is this totally blessed 2k10’s than this is the album for you. Maybe not the most popular choice but no album hit me so hard and had me always wanting to give it another spin to explore its many depths more than this one.
———————————————————————————————————————————————-
Here was a bunch of really sick shows I went to this year. I know I missed a bunch of awesome stuff that happened in town because I live the restaurant worker dream life so what can you do. But here is a list of some awesome things that mostly went down in Charlottesville in 2015.
———————————————————————————————————————————————-
(01-03) Gel Set / The Voice Of Saturn / MC NASDAC / Nu Depth @ Magnolia
(01-09) Chris Forsyth & The Solar Motel Band / Elisa Ambrogio / Nathan Bowles @ Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar
(02-05) Chiffon / Eu1ogy / Nu Depth @ Ix Art Park
(02-09) Diane Cluck / Jeffrey Lewis @ Magnolia
(02-26) Microkingdom / Ming Ming / Prance @ Magnolia
(03-08) Darsombra / Claim Culture / Buck Gooter @ The Anteroom
(03-10) Onwe / Nicholas Nicholas / Ming Ming / Nu Depth @ Al Hamraa
(03-31) Fountainsun / The Voice Of Saturn / Grand Banks @ The Anteroom
(04-02) Grouper / Julianna Barwick @ UVA Chapel
(04-10) The Extraordinaries / Katie Bollinger @ Magnolia
(04-13) Sir Richard Bishop / Robert Millis @ Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar
(04-14) Netural Milk Hotel / Dot Wiggin Band @ The Jefferson (For real Dot Wiggin was the best set I saw all this year. I will fight anybody about this).
(04-25) The Antlers / Teen @ The Jefferson
(05-20) Beck @ Charlottesville Pavillion
(05-23) Gobby / The Voice Of Saturn / Nu Depth / Ming Ming / Doofgoblin @ Henleys Auction
(06-20) D’Angelo @ The Norva (Norfolk)
(06-23) Paul McCartney @ JPJ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgPMjwcVwGc)
(07-29) Matthew E. White @ The Southern
(09-06) Psychic TV / Corse Light / Mutwawa @ Strange Matter (Richmond)
(09-08-09-10) Hopsoctch Music Festival (Lawrence English, Godspeed Your Black Emperor, Prurient, Pusha T, ETC ETC ETC ETC) (Raleigh)
(09-16) Kevin Greenspon / Grand Banks @ Henleys Auction
(10-12) Weyes Blood @ The Southern
(10-26) Modest Mouse @ Charlottesville Pavillion
(11-06) Wolf Eyes / Daggering / Mutwawa / Author & Punisher @ Strange Matter (Richmond)
(12-12) Arms & Sleepers / Brian Moon / Siamese Floater / The Voice Of Saturn @ Henleys Auction
———————————————————————————————————————————————-
keep it real cville // catch ya in 2016
