eMusic’s Holiday 2018 List
At eMusic, we view year-end lists as an opportunity to introduce our community to new sounds, and also reminisce on familiar ones that received the highest fanfare. And among the 50-odd tracks and albums that were on the heaviest rotation at eMusic HQ this year, you’ll find a little bit of both. We buttoned them all up on this list for you, and then asked our resident editors to share thoughts on why these selections are worthy of a listen from start to finish.
Jazz in Detroit / Strata Concert Gallery / 46 Selden
Charles Mingus
A document of, arguably, one of the highest points in Mingus’s life. Or perhaps the lowest. After the death of his close friend and decline in his popularity, Mingus struggled to find the next phase in his career. Alternate takes and live commentary from the radio hosts make this more than just an average jazz recording. For an ambitious artist obsessed with making masterpieces, this shows Mingus at his loosest.
The Rizzos/Top Nachos
The Rizzos
Two new singles from fun-loving Brooklyn trio is like pizza with your favorite flavor of ice cream. Both sides provide a picture of Brooklyn living. “Bless This Mess” has a chorus that you can sing along to — “My house, my house, get out of my house!” — while “90’s Song” provides a grungy gut punch with artsy lyrics like, “Will the sun steal the gold from my eyes?”
Pink Noise
Echo Ladies
This album sounds like a rock concert in a cave, invitation only. The blend of electronic noise with moody 90s rock structure makes sense coming from Malmö, Sweden, where the days are long and the skies are like an abstract painting. You might compare this to the Cocteau Twins, but with heavier drums.
Arabesque
Ebonit Saxophone Quartet
After a weighty 2016 exploring works about the death of Jesus, Ebonit chose to brighten our spirits in 2018 with this collection of gems from Debussy, Janáček, and Saint-Saëns. Each piece touches on some mythological theme, drawing to a close with a super saxy arrangement of the Halloween classic “Danse Macabre.” Nice background for cooking, cleaning, or dancing around your house like a wood nymph.
Somersault
Somersault
Ambient music created by strings, these two works began in 2014. Four years later, they are the perfect listen for your high-brow ears. If you know a thing or two about string playing, you’ll hear some standout technique. For the average listener, it’s expansive listening with all the hallmarks of a piece of new music.
Asylum Search
Yuriy Seredin
Berlin-based composer Yuriy Seredin turned 30 this year, an important moment in the life of any composer and band leader. Age 30 is when Charles Mingus founded Debut Records with Max Roach, and when Duke Ellington made his first film appearance. You can expect great things from Seredin, especially after witnessing his emotive playing on “Faith.”
Wild Notion
Night Flowers
Like the cotton candy-haired dancer on the cover photo, Wild Notion is full of addictive melodies and charming pop motifs. “I been stalling, frozen in time,” she sings on “Losing the Light.” While this album takes its cues from music that has come before, the sound is fresh and inviting, that of a team of millennials uncovering their dad’s Cranberries CDs and deciding, “Yeah, this is something we can work with.”
Welcome to Bonkers
Nekrogoblikon
Often, a metal band’s attempts to build up a mythology can feel forced. Not Nekrogoblikon. Like their music, their backstory hardly takes itself seriously: a merry band of goblins who have played music and caused ruckus for centuries. You don’t have to be a goblin to enjoy, but it probably helps.
War on the Saints
Ray Butcher
Ray Butcher has made his career so far playing with the greats: Dr. John, Robbie Williams, even Cookie Monster. With his debut album, he gives a straight-forward performance with no stumbles. If you can’t catch him at any of the numerous clubs he plays at regularly, this isn’t a bad backup plan.
Battle Lines
Bob Moses
Swelling, dancy pop with lyrics that go deep. Note: Bob Moses is not a person, but an entire band. Some have compared them to Coldplay, although sharper ears might notice a unique tenor to their club-beat experiments. Dance away.
Dataverse
DEEP LEARNING
London musician Richard Pike has something to prove: after nearly 20 years fronting the math rock band PVT, he’s decided to throw away his guitar — or place it gently on a stand — so he can show off his skill as a composer. DEEP LEARNING isn’t just, as the title suggests, an album for computers to listen to. With the gentle treatment of rhythm and the masterful combination of flavors, it’s a good way to learn more about what it means to be human.
Les Royal Pickles
Les Royal Pickles
Sometimes you have to go around the world to find the best party. This album will bring you back to a time when swing music was the party music du jour. And their French accents only add to the charm. Hearing Les Royal Pickles swing through the Jellyroll Morton classic “Doctor Jazz” makes you want to pick up the banjo and start playing along.
Roses on the Vine
Christine Fellows
The opening number “Cocoon” is worth the price of the album itself. But don’t stop there: Christine Fellows has as much more to say about life in her native Winnipeg, Canada, than the average singer-songwriter. And a song like “Spell to Bring Lost Creatures Home” might even come in handy at your next community bonfire.
Never Was
WY
Another pick from Malmö, WY offers a glimpse of the more tribal side of the Scandinavian psyche. It’s easy to hear acoustic versions of these songs played on mbira and djembe: not to go against the artist intent, but it’s clear that the power of the songs will remain without any of the production.
Nightfall’s Lament
Ocean of Grief
Representing Greece in the metal pantheon, Ocean of Grief bring a kind of swagger uncommon to metal. That is, you know they could hit you hard with the guitar solos and fast drums, but they choose to withhold that energy for only the best moments. Their sound might be best described as patient metal, teasing you with all of their power and releasing only to those who’ve earned it for sticking through.
Check out the whole list of best albums of 2018, according to our editors.
