NEW music of 2015 thread (No videos plz)

I always enjoy perusing the occasional music thread here on these forums. There is usually something I haven't heard news about, or knew existed at all. Hoping this one can be a repository strictly for new releases (I love being reminded that good music still exists today).

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't embed YouTube videos (just post a link instead, if you want to share an example). These threads always die because the amount of YT video players on one page, causing browsers to have a seizure.

Anyways, new music!

• A new Blur album (The Magic Whip) came out this week. There have been free streams all over the internet, so many of you have probably heard it by now. I think it's fantastic.
• My girlfriend recently got me into this band, Beauty Pill. They also have released their first album in over a decade. It called Beauty Pill Describes Things As They Are. I haven't dug deep into it yet, but it's experimental pop with tinges of influence from French and Japanese style pop music, so it's right up my alley.
• A new Built To Spill album came out last month! It's called Untethered Moon, and it's their best album in ages. "Living Zoo" is like a fountain of youth. I haven't heard them do a song with that much fun energy since the 90's. They also dip into their guitar noodling and blissful indie-folk sides with great success.
• I recently went to see Jeff Rosenstock live. It was enough good vibes to last me the rest of the year. In between loud ass shouty music, there was so much hugging. Literal on stage emotional "about to cry" speeches. Bands joining each other for songs. It was what punk rock says it is, but never actually pulls off, because people generally are hot-blooded assholes.
• I've recently written about The Go! Team's new album. Now that the weather is finally starting to warm up, you're going to want this in your car.

phew, that's only been the past couple weeks. If there are any 2015 releases you want to share an opinion about, go ahead and post them here.

I've really enjoyed Purity Ring's latest release, Another Eternity. At this point I'm super addicted to bodysigh and flood on the floor. I was introduced to them a couple years ago with Shrines which is another one worth checking out although not from 2015. While another eternity is a bit cleaner and more mainstream, they really put out something amazing in my opinion. Super catchy and great for background music while working or relaxing. Can be good to set the mood of a night in some cases as well. If I wasn't already spending about $400 to go to spring awakening in Chicago I'd definitely see their upcoming show in Chicago as well. Oh well. :(

The recent Tricot album is amazing, first time I've actually imported something too, as unfortunately I can't see it being released outside of Japan. Bonus video of them performing a song live with 5 different drummers.

I also quite liked 4minute's recent mini-album.

That's about it of 2015 that's really interested me.

Some of favorites from this year so far:

• Not a very original pick but the new Kendrick.
• Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear
• Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I Just Sit

And it's not out yet but everything I heard from the new Chance the Rapper & the Social Experiment album has been fantastic. I've been obsessed with this song the last couple days.

Mac DeMarco - (Salad Days)

I've been looking for something like this for a while. It is the closest thing I've gotten to someone replacing Bradley Nowell. The opening track 'Salad Days' is quite good.

Courtney Barnett - (Sometimes I Sit and Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit)

To be fair and honest, I am not a fan of this entire album. Track 3 'An Illustration of Loneliness (Sleepless in New York)' is probably the best sounding song off the album. There is an air of Bonnie Raitt to the way the band plays and the way she sings.

Glass Animals - (Zaba)

If you like Massive Attack or Twinsnake this band would be up your alley. If you have never heard of any of them, give it a try. You might be surprised. It is electronic heavy with very wispy vocals. I am a fan of 'Toes' and 'Pools.'

Modest Mouse - (Strangers to Ourselves)

Personal favorite band. I went into this album expecting it to be lackluster, and it is just that. There are tracks on this album that fit the motif of who Modest Mouse is nearly 20 years later, which has it's benefits and negatives. The benefits of course are that you get to listen to Modest Mouse create something new. The negative is that it's hard to fit 20 years of different styles into one album and have it make sense. 'God is an Indian and You're an Asshole' is a classic Modest Mouse Song. 'Best Room' and 'Lampshades of Fire' our their new 'Float on' and 'Dashboard', but these two new songs feel more mature. Anyway, I went to see these guys live a week ago and it blew me away. It made me appreciate this album more than I thought I could. I'll be seeing these guys again in Brooklyn July 22.

*Sorry the format is all messed up. Can never figure out this message board system*

Been listening to the new Hop Alongalbum on repeat. AOTY contender for sure.

Also Suiyoubi no Campanella's new song Diablo is definitely my Summer jam. The music video is amazing.

To Pimp a Butterfly was also fantastic.

Other new albums I've checked out: Speedy Ortiz, Waxahatchee, Sufjan Stevens, Tricot, Cloakroom, Courtney Barnett, Sleater-Kinney, among other things.

I'll just get all of the cool synthwave releases of 2015 out of the way. You know, the faux-80's, retro-futuristic electronic music. The type of music that's in the Hotline Miami games.

• Carpenter Brut - EP III / Trilogy (which is all three EP's combined)
• Dan Terminus - The Wrath of Code (pay what you want - no minimum)
• GosT - Behemoth (pay what you want - no minimum)
• Irving Force - Undercover EP (pay what you want - no minimum)

And a cool progressive metal album came out last week:

• Native Construct - Quiet World

Native Construct put out it's debut album Quiet World last week, and wow it's fantastic. They are Dream Theater-esque, specifically in the vocals, and the compositional work these guys put in is incredible! Some great use of a lot of different instruments, crazy interesting harmonies, and out of control time signatures and rhythms. My favorite tracks are Come Hell or High Water and Chromatic Aberration. If you are person of music and music theory, you should listen to this one. You will hear something different almost every time, and there is some pretty mind-blowing stuff musically in here.

Wide Eyes put out a new album in February called Terraforming. They are an instrumental progressive metal band, and always put out great stuff. Their albums are also super long, which can lead to some repetitiveness in rhythms etc, but still some awesome music. My favorite tracks are Traversing the Oort Cloud and Colonization, which features David Maxim Micic (If you haven't heard of this dude go listen to Bilo 3.0(2013))

@mentaldisruption: So happy to see another Purity Ring fan. :D

I happened to come across them while searching out the new music section of my streaming app a few months ago. Begin Again had just been put out as a single and I had that song on repeat for long enough to where I immediately ordered Shrines and pre-ordered Another Eternity. Easily my most played albums of this year so far, though I do prefer Shrines a bit to the new record. My favorites on Another Eternity are constantly changing, right now I'm partial to Repetition and Sea Castle. Just for a recommendation, if you haven't already, check out Sylvan Esso's self-titled debut from last year. It's in the same 'female vocals over beats' vein as Purity Ring and I'm pretty hooked on them at the moment.

As for some other new stuff I'm listening to,

Death Grips - Jenny Death; I decided to check them out after all the hype around them built up to a point where I couldn't really ignore them anymore. I was familiar with their drummer Zach Hill from his work with Marnie Stern so I at least had that foothold into them. They are pretty abrasive, I'd say, and it was a bit of a slow burn for me but I came around on them.

Grimes - Realiti; Apparently just a scrapped song, but it's got me greatly anticipating her new album.

Toro y Moi - What For?; I'm back and forth on this album. I don't like it as much as Anything in Return, but it's got its moments.

@mentaldisruption:Listening to a stream of the Purity Ring album while playing Spelunkey, and I love it! Thanks. Every year, I'm discovering a one-off trip hop influenced album (previously, it's been Phantogram and Data Romance). Looks like I have one for 2015.

@rudeboy217: There is NOTHING I am anticipating more right now than the new Hop Along. Saw them open for The Thermals in 2013, and I I haven't been that blown away by an unknown live act since Screaming Females,

This is some stuff that I've been listening to recently. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - God is in the Rhythm, Sick Sad World - Skateboarding Girl, turntocrime - Without a Care, Poldoore ft Cise Starr - Blind Eyes, PJ Bond - The Better Option, Warm Soda - I Wanna Go Fast, Mean Jeans - Tears In My Beers, The Relationship - Oh Allen, Bad Guys - Crime, Patriot - Crying, John Kratner - I Need Sugar. And, from last year but I really liked the album so here's a link for you all anyway, Sharon Van Etten - Everytime the Sun Comes Up

Thread bookmarked.

@doublespy: You have good taste. Modest Mouse is also my favorite band, and I found their new album to at least be better than "We Were Dead". The Tortoise in the Tourist sounds like it would be at home on "Long Drive", it's easily my favorite track on the new stuff. Also, Mac Demarco is excellent, about to see him for a second time in July.

That being said, I actually listen to a lot of hip-hop so here's my patented Hip Hop list of what's in my rotation recently

Kendrick Lamar- To Pimp a ButterflyFavorite Track: Institutionalized

Kendrick first came onto my radar with Section.80, and solidified himself as one of the greatest in the game with Good Kid M.A.A.D City, but with the release of 'i" as a single I was was worried that he was sanding down the edges of his message to try to get more mainstream success. I came into this album pessimistic, and I was wrong because it's easily Kendrick's most ambitious work yet. A worthy listen even to people who don't care for hip-hop music. The scope of this album's lyricism takes a good 10-15 listens to really piece together cohesively, but the production is so stellar and the arguments so tightly constructed that it makes returning each time both enjoyable and enlightening.

Gucci Mane- Breakfast Favorite Track: Money Do

Yeah I followed up Kendrick with Gucci fucking come at me then bitch. Gucci dropped three mixtapes the same day Kendrick's TPAB was released, Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner, and later also released the Dessert EP. The secret about Gucci Mane is that as easy as he is to make fun of, he's actually a really good rapper, and his work ethic is up there with E40 and Lil B. Breakfast is by far the best out of the Mealtime series, both for having possibly the best album art of all time and also having some certified bangers

Drake: If You're Reading This It's Too LateFavorite Track: No Tellin

I used to actually watch Degrassi when I was in middle-school so when Drake first started trying to break out of his acting career and become a rapper I was naturally apprehensive. He has since proved that he brings a specific style and melody to his flows that nobody else can do quite like him. This project has the most consistent vibe of anything he's ever made, and even if he's not breaking any new ground lyrical content-wise, it is one of the greatest records to put on for a consistent chill vibe out of any hip-hop project that's been released recently.

Vince Staples- Hell Can Wait Favorite Track- Blue Suede

Vince Staples first got recognition as an affiliate of Odd Future, a rap group that I used to like a lot but now don't like to admit that I like because the fanbase is so god awful. But they're actually still pretty good, both Earl and Tyler's new projects prove that they are continuing to evolve and mature, and contain some of their most impressive material yet. Vince Staples came out of left field though, with an intelligently constructed EP that tackles the subject of poverty-stricken projects and gang violence with a maturity that makes the whole thing hit hard as hell. This is what I wanted YG's My Krazy Life to be like, this project is tragically underrated.

ILOVEMAKONNEN- Assorted SinglesMakonnen is a horrible lyricist and he knows it, but god dammit it doesn't matter. Makonnen was hoisted into the spotlight by his single Tuesday, which Drake caught wind of and jumped on the track for the radio version. A lot of people think Makonnen will be a one hit wonder, but they are just not paying attention. He is consistently releasing great party-tracks, they just aren't getting radio play. Great production, good sense of humor, dance-able beats, Makonnen's sound is exciting and fresh.

Tuesday

I Don't Sell Molly No More

I Like Tuh (INSANE MUSIC VIDEO)

Also at the end here I'd like to pull out one non-hip-hop recommendation. A.G Cook, a electronic musician is defining a genre of music called BubbleGum Bass that is basically a sort of kitsch-based EDM. There is an entire stable of musicians called PC Music, and they are all doing some really interesting stuff that is definitely worth checking out. Listen to the first three minute of this mix to see if you're on board.

Listened to:

• Tricot - The production and vocals seemed pretty flat most of the time. Although, "ぱい～ん" and "庭" made a lasting impression, so maybe I'll come back to this
• Mac Demarco was, for a time, all over Stereogum; and after listening to him, I don't really understand why.
• The Courtney Barnett album was fun. There is a charming wit to it.

Arcturus is finally coming back with a new thing in a few weeks, so that's exciting. Here's some old Arcturus!

I won't go into detail on everything, but I've been keeping a loose rankings list on everything I listen to this year:

I was really happy to have ended up liking both the new Sufjan Stevens and Dan Deacon albums. For Sufjan I was always expecting to like it, but I was worried that in returning to his old style the album might feel kind of dry and uninspired compared to All Delighted People and Age of Adz. Instead, it's a beautiful album that's really well paced and he clearly has honed his craft since Seven Swans; honestly it's probably my favourite album so far this year. With Dan Deacon, I was worried because the direction he'd gone with his last album "America" really didn't do much for me. I could appreciate the change in style, but nothing about that album ever really stuck with me. As far as Gliss Riffer goes, I feel like it's somewhere in the middle stylistically and it's actually really strong for it; it feels a bit more directed and a bit less sound-scapey than America, but it's not quite as 'hyper' as some of his older albums. The only album I've been really disappointed by so far was the new Modest Mouse. I wasn't expecting it to be a new Lonesome Crowded West or anything, but I still managed to enjoy parts of We Were Dead, and I thought the No One's First EP was actually pretty good. Strangers to Ourselves just did absolutely nothing for me though, with tracks like Lampshades On Fire being totally forgettable, and tracks like Pistol being downright annoying.

The most recent album I've been really enjoying is Mylets' Arizona, which really surprised me since I wasn't crazy about his last album 'Retcon'. As far as upcoming albums go, I'm excited for the next mewithoutYou in June, the new Daughn Gibson album "Carnation" in June, and the new Elvis Depressedly album coming out on May 12th.

Kendrick, of course.

I like the Father John Misty album, but not often in the mood to listen to it, since most of my listening happens while running or at the gym.

When it was colder and super depressing I was bumping Earl, but it's a bit too dark for the days now.

Jenny Death is a gym staple, especially when I take too much preworkout and get noided.

Really digging on a few songs from the Welcome to Los Santos album they put out, KYSA is a running tune if there ever was one.

@mentaldisruption: Thank you, I found Limos by Vince Staples cos' of your post and I love it!

I don't really care about genre but even so I'm oddly picky about my music. Anyway here we go ;)

This Town by The Skints

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WE3PLVmZXw8

Jamacian Ska. Smooth. Clean. The combination of skills these people have.

Off Peak Dream by Ghostpoet

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaCgnwTHO8o

Indie/Alternative/HipHop. This literally how I feel when I travel through London. The journey, the people, the tube. I think this and other Ghostpoet songs capture that urban city feeling well.

Gosh by Jamie xx

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjNssEVlB6M

Bass Meditation. The progression of the track makes me smile. Starts off as your awe encompassing bass but after the "yes UK Massive" it transforms into this happy ascension. Very cute. Made me smile.

Shaky Cam footage of Illegal Grime Performances (Shutdown by Skepta)

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LopcXiyLy2w

Grime. I don't know. I just like it.

That Drumbeat after 40 seconds into that Schizo track by Antonio Sanchez in the Birdman OST

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJnE2zWVsKg&t=40s

Soundtrack/Instrumental. Speaking as someone who knows nothing about beats. That beat is SICK!!!

Okay To Smile by T-Pain

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=610omzNEuJY&t=50s

A song T-Pain made after his Grandmother died.

@winsord: Thanks, I've never heard of Marriages or Mylets' till now. I like 'em. :)

Haven't been listening to much new stuff this year but Tame Impala just put out a new song a few days ago and I like them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTfYYRGTB3g

Cool! Glad to know someone else here digs them, both of them are pretty small bands. Since you like Mylets, I definitely recommend watching him do his thing in a live set, it's pretty neat to watch.

<---- top 3 in 2015 for this guy (so far). youtube links in descriptions.

bjork - vulnicura

i'll be the first to admit that she's not for everyone- and i'm a relatively recent convert. but if you're in the mood to listen to a deeply cohesive and disarming record, this one doesn't disappoint. be warned, however- this is essentially a breakup record (bjork split from her life-partner or spouse by any other name) after many, many years as a family (they have a child together). it's completely devastating, and conceptually charts the progression from seemingly inconsequential arguments to complete turmoil.

also- if you're familiar with arca's work with kanye or perhaps the excellent fka twigs- he's a collaborator on this record. the kid is young, but his production is outstanding. he's my favourite working producer.

braids - deep in the iris

i've seen lots of good chatter regarding the good canadian electronic musicians purity ring and grimes (@mentaldisruption; @redyoshi)- well BRAIDS is the band currently opening for purity ring on tour, and the lead singer raph used to live with grimes! and BRAIDS is my favourite of the 3!

no joke- BRAIDS has one of the strongest singers and drummers going right now. they are fucking fantastic live (kicks in at 2:42). this is their third record- and if an interesting amalgamation of electronic, indie rock, and pop sounds good to you- you must check them out.

bonus song from first record!

viet cong - self-titled

if you're a fan of post-punk or new wave of any stripe (joy division/new order, the cure, interpol, etc.), these canadian boys are your jam. or in other terms- the sounds of 80s rock, but with teeth.

THIS SONG JUST FUCKING GOES.

and this one is great too!

the whole record is fantastic, check it out!

I can't think of new music out from this year that I have enjoyed; most of my year has been enjoying older stuff (Squeezing Out the Sparks is my fav. album of the year so far). But The Libertines have announced they are working on a new album, and I'm super hopeful that it's at least half as good as their second album because that would mean it's as good as their first album.

It's pretty much been the new Florence + the Machine singles and the Hotline Miami 2 soundtrack. Cannot fucking wait for How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful to drop.

There's been some other stuff too though. I haven't listened to much of the album, but Ophelia by Marika Hackman is wonderful. I Don't Want To Let You Down by Sharon Van Etten is also fantastic. I originally heard Reflections by MisterWives as a remix, but the original's started to grow on me. Most recenly I've been listening to the new Prodigy stuff, which is what you'd expect from The Prodigy. Unfortunately I haven't dug into the new Passion Pit much yet, but I'm looking forward to it. That's about it for 2015-only stuff.

I didn't know there was a new The Go! Team album. I gotta immediately get on that shit.

I still haven't got round to listening to Jeff's new album, which is weird, because I've been lapping his music up since Matt Wixson covered Panic Bomb.

The new Sleater-Kinney is pretty great.

Haven't listened to much 2015 stuff yet, but I really dug Marilyn Manson - Pale Emperor (surprise surprise).

For future 2015 releases, not much at all, sadly. This is a no-release year for most of the stuff I like. I'm very excited for the upcoming Lana Del Rey. And Steam Powered Giraffe - Vice Quadrant. There will probably be a new Abney Park as well, since they put out albums like crazy. I was really let down by their last album Nomad, though. They just don't sound right without a replacement for Jody Ellen.

lot of music for girls in this thread, if you like your shit heavy there's an english band called Bad Guys who have a pretty great new album out, heavy-ass no-nonsense rock with a really good vocalist - humorous lyrics, has fun with it, but also has a powerful voice, bandcamp is here

@thepullquotes: Jeff's new album doesn't have that loveably cheap DIY producing he's known for, but it's still great stuff. The only thing keeping me from always praising it is that he's already done better songs about the same things in the past. Dat music video doe.

@mellotronrules said:

viet cong - self-titled

if you're a fan of post-punk or new wave of any stripe (joy division/new order, the cure, interpol, etc.), these canadian boys are your jam. or in other terms- the sounds 80s rock, but with teeth.

THIS SONG JUST FUCKING GOES.

the whole record is fantastic, check it out!

ffffffffuck. That is a S O N G right there!

I've always wondered. How/Where can I go to find Jazz, percussional trip-hop or Classical stuff released this year? What site or blogs are there for that?

Cos' the indie discovery is totally saturated. I'm great at finding underground london/uk scene (UK Funky/(Proper)Dubstep/Grime) stuff on my own but apart from that I'm not sure where to go.

@mellotronrules:Vulnicura is incredibly beautiful yet has some absolutely devastating lyrics. It's such a honest and open album. I'm glad that musically she has returned to something between Homogenic and Vespertine. Lyrically it's incredible, but it's not her best musically. (That'd probably be Vespertine) There was a period for a few years that I questioned whether I was a fan of hers anymore with Volta and Medulla being what they were. Biophilia was an improvement, but that album is pretty damn incredible.

glad you dug it boss! i'm seeing them in june- can't wait!

i'm in total agreement re: verspertine (ps: nice avatar!)- a few months prior to vulnicura's release i decided to finally take the plunge with bjork, and after doing some reading that's where i started. verspertine might be her magnum opus, and to anyone on the fence- verspertine is a brilliant entry point to start checking her out. the vespertine live dvd is fucking outstanding as well- if only to hear her hit those banshee-high notes she rarely goes for now.

i was able to see her twice in nyc earlier this year- if you get the chance, SEE HER ON THE VULNICURA TOUR. black lake is incredible live, and mouth mantra rips it up!

(it's my suspicion you'd be a big business and brocas helm fan, if you aren't already)

I have this thread bookmarked and will go through it tomorrow, good job all!

@mellotronrules: Thanks for the Braids recommendation, I'm definitely into a lot of electronic type stuff at the moment so it's much appreciated. You weren't lying about the singer, I love her voice. I'll be digging into their back catalog as well.

I'm here for my weekly preaching regarding Marina and the Diamonds. Great Welsh artist with a super unique sound and rapidly evolving style. Her third album, FROOT, is pretty killer. Have the full version of the title track and dig deeper if you like what you hear! I'm personally into Blue and Forget, but that album it almost entirely gold. (Pun intended, hee hee.)

@mellotronrules: i like big business a lot, one of the best gigs i ever did see was them playing alongside the melvins in 06/07. brocas helm are a little on the beat for me, but i do dig their vibe

Cool! have fun. I got the LP, and actually enjoy "Bunker Buster" and "Death" even more, so yah, well done.

The first three tracks had me worried. They kinda just droned on. When it comes to post punk, I'm more of a Gang of Four / Bloc Party kind of jangly guitar fan, not so much the Ian Curtis melodrama. Thankfully, the last 4 tracks took care of that.

Anyways, my actual favorite band in the world, Polysics, has been held back from me lately. They released an EP last month, and for some reason, it's entirely unavailable in America. Even their music video has been region locked on YouTube. It's just this weekend, finally starting to leak over here. I hold the band to a pretty high standard, so I only find it 50/50 ok. Here is the best track off it - "DTMK".

This thread is something I'll need to come back to, there's a lot of stuff here worth checking out. When it comes to music I anticipate to be released this year I can't express how excited I am for the new album by Swedish folk (with some mental influences) band Fejd (Spotify link to their 2013 album Nagelfar, if you're curious about how they sound).

Some new albums from this year, in no particular order, I've been enjoying (with spotify links);

• Ensiferum - One Man Army (Spotify)
• Continuum - The Hypothesis (Spotify)
• Unleashed - Dawn of the Nine (Spotify)
• Enslaved - In Time (Spotify)
• Keep of Kalessin - Epistemology (Spotify)
• Northland - Downfall and Rebirth (Spotify)
• Skogen - Vittra (Spotify)
• Shining - IX Everyone, Everything, Everywhere, Ends (Spotify)
• Ancient Rites - Laguz (Spotify)
• Marduk - Frontschwein (Spotify)
• Ereb Altor - Nattramn (Spotify)
• Heidevolk - Velua (Spotify)
• Tribulation - The Children Of The Night (Spotify)
• Dynfari - Vegferd Tímans (Spotify)
• Frosthelm - The Endless Winter (Spotify)
• Svartsot - Vældet (Spotify)
• Bonus: David Hasslehoff - True Survivor (Spotify)

When it comes to music I'm not the best person to actually put into words how I feel about it or how to describe it to other people other than to let them know I like it and they should give it a try. Though I am pretty wide as far as tastes go in general, I've been leaning very metal lately, especially folk influenced metal. The list above is a mix, but looking at it though you can see the folk influence on my priorities in finding new music.

Corpo-Mente - Corpo-Mente

Of course Corpo Mente is for you, if Igorrr is your jam. But as it is not as electronically distorted as typical Igorrr fare, it might also be more palatable or more easily recognizable as music. That does not however take away from an overall haunted and eery quality to the album, which I quite enjoy. Pop on over to their bandcamp and give em a whirl.

New things from the past week

• Listened to the new Hop Along album, Painted Shut, a few times. I'm not as blown away by it as I hoped to be, but still insist Hop Along is a band everyone should check out. Frances Quinlan has such an unpredictable cadence and range in her singing that it makes every song compelling. They also have a knack for making songs that aren't instantly catchy, but "click" halfway through to catch you by surprise.
• The new Polysics EP has been digested. They still act a bit too "cute" for my liking, but the songs have grown on me. Some have subtle experimentation to them. There is a moment of "Ski Ski Die Ski(n)" that actually sounds quite lovely and serene. Adjectives I thought I'd never assign to a band like that.
• I've only seen one comment on the new Squarepusher album, Damogen Furies here, and it wasn't a positive one. Shame. Even though it's nothing new for Squarepusher, I really dug it. Wrote a whole bunch about it here.
• I'm cautiously pessimistic about the new Hot Chip album out next week. I'm a fan of their more "out there" string of albums (The Warning and Made in The Dark), and not so much their last two. With a title like Why Make Sense?, I'd expect something truly bonkers. The leaked tracks from it that I've heard seem to be nothing of the sort. Preparing for the worst...
• With every 8 new releases I grab, i make an 8-Tracks playlist. Here's the second one of 2015.

2 new ones for the instrumental crowd

(personal aside: i'm trying to expand my horizons a bit- and part of that entails exploring instruments i never paid much mind to.)

nils frahm - solo

this record is freely available, and was played on an incredible instrument. somewhat sparse and subtle- but huge depth of emotion. and if those words don't convince you- look how this man plays a piano.

colin stetson & sarah neufeld - never were the way she was

these two have performed in various other groups (arcade fire, bon iver, etc.) but they're both tremendous artists in their own right. if you had told me i'd be head over heels for a saxophone and violin record, i'dve called you a liar. it should be noted this is released on godspeed you black emperor's label, constellation records- so if you have a tolerance for their nonsense (as you should!), you can handle this...despite it seeming a bit avant garde at first.

it really works. and colin stetson is just a mad scientist with the sax- he gets sounds out of it that radiohead would be jealous of.

Alabama Shakes came out with a new album, Sound & Color. Didn't even know they had one yet until the single "Don't Wanna Fight" started playing through the end credits of a Silicon Valley episode.

@dochaus: yeah! i'm not a fan of their first one, but the new one is really great!

Here’s a big dump of my personal (incomplete) 2015 releases list. I’ll bold the stuff that I think is dope or just worth checking out even if I didn’t necessarily personally like it. Bear in mind I haven’t heard all of these. I’ve heard a lot of them, but while I am a music obsessive I’m not a total dafty.

• Viet Cong - Viet Cong
• Jessica Pratt - On Your Own Love Again
• Panda Bear - Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper (I thought this shit was so lame like omg)
• Joey Bada$$ - B4.DA.$$
• Mount Eerie - Sauna
• Lupe Fiasco - Tetsuo & Youth
• Björk - Vulnicura
• Dawn Richard - Blackheart
• Juicy J - Blue Dream & Lean 2
• ALL OF GUCCI MANE'S MIXTAPES HE'S PUT OUT LIKE 28 or something
• Future & Zaytoven- Beast Mode
• BADBADNOTGOOD & Ghostface Killah - Sour Soul
• Drake - If You're Reading This It's Too Late
• Liturgy - The Ark Work
• Napalm Death - Apex Predator - Easy Meat
• Zs - Xe
• Your Old Droog - Kinison EP
• The Pop Group - Citizen Zombie
• Big Sean - Dark Sky Paradise
• Sannhet - Revisionist
• Leviathan - Scar Sighted
• Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly (goat rap)
• Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell
• Xibalba - Tierra y libertad
• Death Grips - The Powers That B
• Open Mike Eagle - A Special Episode Of EP
• Lightning Bolt - Fantasy Empire
• The Go! Team - The Scene Between
• Earl Sweatshirt - I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside
• Kamasi Washington - The Epic
• Marching Church - This World Is Not Enough
• Clarence Clarity - No Now
• Young Fathers - White Men Are Black Men Too
• Billy Woods - Today, I Wrote Nothing
• Desaparecidos - Payola
• Godspeed You! Black Emperor - 'Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress'
• Susanne Sundfør - Ten Love Songs
• Torres - Sprinter
• Young Thug - Barter 6
• Jim O'Rourke - Simple Songs
• Portico - Living Fields (this was mad disappointing)
• The Tallest Man on Earth - Dark Bird Is Home
• Colin Stetson & Sarah Neufeld - Never Were the Way She Was
• Tribulation - The Children of the Night
• Timbre - Sun and Moon
• L'Orange & Jeremiah Jae - The Night Took Us in Like Family
• Paul De Jong - IF
• Alabama Shakes - Sound & Color
• Chelsea Wolfe - Abyss (Not actually out yet. Hasn’t leaked either.)
• Cloud Rat - Qliphoth
• Blur - The Magic Whip
• Hop Along - Painted Shut
• Shamir - Ratchet (Not actually out yet. Think it leaked though.)
• The Fall - Sub-Lingual Tablet
• Jenny Hval - Apocalypse, Girl (Not actually out yet. DEFINITELY LEAKED.)
• Big Blood - Double Days I
• Big Blood - Double Days II
• Ghost Bath - Moonlover
• Curren$y - Pilot Talk III
• The Mountain Goats - Beat the Champ
• Father - Who's Gonna Get Fucked First
• THEESatisfaction - EarthEE
• Screaming Females - Rose Mountain

• Merzbow + Xiu Xiu - MERZXIU (warning: this is pretty much, as is the case with just about anything Merzbow releases these days, only gonna appeal to hardcore Merzbow fans. Hardcore.)

• Westkust - Last Forever

• DRKWAV - The Purge

King Kunta

Man... what the hell happened to Metric? I'm now convinced Live it Out was a total fluke, because I haven't come close to liking anything they's done since. They've been offensively bland, but "The Shade" is whole new level of awful. It reeks of the kind of disposable pop formula you typically hear at an amusement park or Today Show performance.

I wasn't completely turned off by Synthetica (Not even close to my favorite album but I enjoy it from time to time) but I don't even know what to say about whatever that was. This is giving me the same reaction I had for Muse' Psycho where I'm not sure if the band got switched with aliens or some shit.

ha- they've definitely been making a run for the money for awhile now. @roomrunner i think you have it right, they've been dodgy since 'live it out.' i do have a permacrush on emily haines however, so i'll always take a listen. but yes- this is fairly terrible.

incidentally- have either of you listened to her solo stuff from 2006? it's a pretty fantastic minimalist record- especially if you like some of metric's more melancholy stuff.

I'm a hardcore Metric fan but... yeah. They are enjoying the mainstream success. Here is more melancholy stuff (a cover) recently. Emily Haines is still amazing.

Also, Aphex Twin keeps on putting old stuff online under random usernames

Sweet, I like this. Will definitely have to check some of these out for myself.

For me, album-wise the standouts have included: Lupe Fiasco - Tetsuo & Youth, 4minute - Crazy, Ga In - Hawwah, Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly, Sleater-Kinney - No Cities To Love, Crayon Pop - FM. Special mentions to stuff from last year I only got around to this year but loved, like 2NE1 - Crush or Run The Jewels - Run The Jewels 2.

Single-wise there has been a ton of K-pop I've loved (as ever): Gain's Paradise Lost (bonus mention cause it's so good), Bestie's Excuse Me, Bigbang's Bae Bae, So Yumi's Shake Me Up, NS Yoon-G's Wifey, EXID's Ah Yeah, Dalshabet's Joker, and most recently Girl's Day's Hello Bubble.

Honestly I've probably (re-)discovered more old stuff lately, but that's what immediately jumps out at me from this year. I don't really have a good way to discover new stuff, and there's so much that I want to listen to that I rarely feel like I need to go out looking for something. I always love discovering something new on recommendation though.

@meatsofevil: I've been listening to Quiet World a lot the last few weeks and really liking it. Will definitely be checking out whatever these guys do next.