Play Underground! Presents: Our Top Albums of 2017
Ah…. The sweet sound of musical tunes. We here at PUG! love music, haha. 2017 was a pretty cool year for albums, mixtapes, and EPs alike, so we’ve decided to compile a little list of some audio tracks that have stood out to us this year. Hope you enjoy! Let us know what you thought of the musical noises that came out this year, we are always listening. *Smiley face with the nose*
Also a reminder that everyone who writes here is exactly like the guy below.
Bird World — Leon Chang
Max: Honestly this album is the epitome of good times and fun. Leon’s created perfectly soundtracked landscapes all built in with their own separate personalities and honestly, it rocks. I feel like I’ve been transplanted into my own little personal video game world every time I listen to this album and have definitely found it hard not to stomp on every dead leaf like the great plumber Mario would an unsuspecting Goomba.
Max’s faves: Enoki Village, Battle on Mantou Mountain
Funké: I wish Bird World was a video game that existed. I would play that so DAMN hard. Leon is an absolute madman for composing this upbeat collection of tunes that exude pure nostalgia while remaining fresh and original. Somehow this tape captures all of the feelings of playing through a video game for the first time; at the start of it I feel like I’m wandering around the tutorial just figuring out the controls, and by the end I’m crying carrying emotional baggage over a boss battle I didn’t even fight. There’s something insanely magical and fun about Bird World, you just gotta listen to it.
Funké’s faves: Green Tea Forest, Enoki Village, Noodle Cove
Stranger — Yung Lean
Meleah: Now this one is probably my most controversial pick, many may argue there are tons of better picks, but this is my list so get #fucked lol. Yung Lean is turning into a man, y’all! If you think about it, he’s really an unsuspecting veteran of his genre. I think we underestimate how heavily many modern artists are inspired both musically and aesthetically by this weird Swedish teenager. This album really shows how him and his sound have matured post-rehab, motivated by the notion of just making good music and not boosting his clout. My fav song for sure is Agony, which embodies his developing emotional maturity best.
Polygondwanaland — King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
Sel: Faced with the audacious task of releasing five full-length albums in a calendar year, the seven-piece psych-rock band have been able to give as much importance to quality as well as quantity. Each of the four (as of writing this article) albums represent a different musical idea: microtonality, screamin’ space rock, and chill sunshine-jazz. The previous three come close to achieving pure artistry, but it’s their fourth, a Rush-inspired poly-rhythmic prog fest, that takes the cake.
Sel’s faves: Deserted Dunes Welcome Weary Feet, Loyalty, The Fourth Colour
Known Unknowns — Billy Woods
Farouk: This dude is one of those mysterious underground rappers that are hard to find hard to know and hard to figure out. He’s made music with Elucid and other rappers in the underground. He’s one of those MF Doom types who have a lot to say and have a unique way of saying it. His flow, voice, and complicated lyricism elevate him on each album and this is one of his best albums to date. His albums normally take some time to understand. You need a certain iq to truly understand his music. Not actually, but his music is pretty complicated. It’s really nice to hear everything just be high quality on an album. Billy Woods’ flow and instrumentals are great. His lyrics and song topics are deep and complex but he also knows how to have fun. There isn’t really a song in the tracklist that is bad or that I don’t like. I can’t say that for most albums that came out this year.
DAMN — Kendrick Lamar
Sel: The production of K-Dot’s follow-up of “To Pimp A Butterfly” signals a return to his street rap roots, with most of the jazz-funk influences from the aforementioned out of the picture. A radical change, indeed, after what some claim as the most important piece of 21st-century art yet, but a welcome one. Lamar waxes poetic about both fearing and respecting God, his upbringing, and imaginative arcs of relationships during struggles.
Sel’s faves: DNA., FEAR., DUCKWORTH
Flower Boy — Tyler the Creator
Meleah: This album came out on my birthday, so it’s EXTRA special. It’s also the first Tyler album that I actually genuinely enjoyed from start to finish. He’s really finessed his sound & perspective and it seems way less motivated by emulating his idols as his previous work. I also really appreciate the subject matter: while it still has some ultra-macho Odd Future-reminiscent bangers, he delves into more intimate topics in his verses that are more relatable to a wider audience. Specifically, the topic of loneliness and chasing ideals are very prominent on many tracks, and put in me in my feelings in way I didn’t know Tyler could.
Funké: I’ve been a fan of Tyler for a while, the dude is just funny. From his ridiculous skits on Loiter Squad to his top-notch tweets and vines, he’s had me laughing for years. That being said — this is the first collection of music he’s made that I’ve actually enjoyed. It came out about a month after a breakup that left me in shambles, and it was full of the perfect backing tracks for my general health and brooding. That nice mix of melancholy and groovy really helped sooth my lil ol’ heart; letting me mope without moping too hard.
Funké’s faves: Boredom, See You Again, 911 / Mr. Lonely
Boo Boo — Toro y Moi
Max: Toro is the king of moods and I feel some kind of way every time I’m done listening to this album. The sounds on this album are so full and mellow I feel like that anime girl in the thumbnails of 24/7 Study/Chill/Game Youtube mixes listening to it. Some of my favorite moments on this album are when Toro gets weird with it, like on Windows. He channels his inner Travis Scott and lays his soul out on four minutes of audio excellence.
Max’s faves: Windows, Girl Like You
No Shape — Perfume Genius
Farouk: This album is one of the craziest most eclectic pop albums to ever come out. Perfume Genius has always been good at this unique take on the extremely eclectic pop style that people like Sophie create. Every instrumental is a wall of sound on this album. Since his debut album, Perfume Genius has continued to make progress in this unique sound and style while still maintaining his emotional and raw singing performances. This album is his craziest most versatile album yet. When you first listen to the opening track “Other Side” you think it’s going to be a soft sweet piano ballad. Then, at the 1 minute mark, you are blasted with this insane combination of synths and instruments. This album is loud and incredible, it’s not something you can miss.
Crack-Up — Fleet Foxes
Sel: The eventual progression of the Foxes’ sound was hinted at in the Helplessness Blues track “The Shrine/An Argument”, but not to the extent of the Misty-less followup. From arranging samples of their own work being sung by a children’s choir, to a 9-minute long lead single with Japanese folk influences, Robin Pecknold, and co., sought out to establish a high class in their work, not caring if such might be alienating to prior listeners.
Sel’s faves: Third of May/Ōdaigahara, Cassius, -
Freudian — Daniel Caesar
Meleah: This is an objectively beautiful album. Amongst this tumultuous mess of a year, the pure, unadulterated R & B sound was entirely necessary. I feel so proud, and it’s not just because he’s a Toronto-adjacent mans I’m partial to local work. He’s such a young guy and his voice and skills in composition are so mature and controlled, it’s astonishing! He also revives the lost art of the duet, with features from H.E.R, Syd, Kali Uchis, and another Toronto native, Charlotte Day Wilson. Definitely well-deserving of its Grammy nomination.
blkswn — Smino
Daniel: At just over an hour, Smino’s blkswn might seem a bit lengthy. It definitely is, but like, have you heard Anita? Netflix & Dusse? Amphetamine? The project is loaded with these super sweet summer bops that work perfectly on any barbeque playlist. Where blkswn succeeds for me is also where it’s limitations exist: it’s cozy sound, feel, and production fail to significantly evolve throughout the album, but it still ended up sounding f-a-n-t-a-s-t-i-c.
Daniel’s faves: Glass Flows (ft. Ravyn Lenae), Anita, Innamission, Amphetamine
Max: Smino’s voice is smoother than butter and tastes like maple syrup in my ear holes, and he could quite possibly be the smartest person on the planet. This album is filled with little verbal gems you might not catch on the first listen that he pulls off with such elegance and ease. His cadence throughout the album is unmatched by most, and is by far one of the most unique I’ve heard this year. How many rappers you know could talk about Pepto-Bismol and make it work?
Max’s faves: Edgar Allan Poe’d Up, Flea Flicka
Saturation — Brockhampton
Meleah: The very first installment of the Saturation trilogy, BROCKHAMPTON bust out of the gate with a huge roster of super infectious tracks. They’re a clear manifestation of the modern digital age: a bunch of teens and young twenty-somethings brought together through the internet, building an empire around the image of the all-too-common yet underrepresented demographic of youth in America. Amidst the catchy percussive beats, their verses tell the stories of a bunch of loners wallowing in their isolation, dealing with identity crises, and dissecting the duality of a teenage boys: the overt macho facade on the outside and the gooey romantic on the inside.
Drunk — Thundercat
Daniel: Ever since hearing the guitar intro to Hood Politics on Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly, I’ve been entranced by the sweet, sweet riffs of Thundercat, and I think that my soul left my body when Drunk came out in late February. The album effortlessly flows from track-to-track, rife with personality and technical skill. As an absolutely nutty funk, jazz, soul, and R&B hybrid, Drunk is reflective of Thundercat’s idiosyncratic style.
Daniel’s faves: Bus in These Streets, Lava Lamp, Walk on By (ft. Kendrick Lamar)
Funké: Thundercat is the only person able to make a song called Friend Zone that has me programmed to bust it open on the dance floor the millisecond I hear the first chord. Daniel broke it down perfectly above, so I just want to say love his sound so much because it sounds like it could be seamlessly swapped into the Black Dynamite soundtrack and nobody would notice.
Funké’s faves: Them Changes, Friend Zone, 3AM
Being You Is Great, I wish I Could Be You More Often — Quelle Chris
Farouk: This album is just plain weird. That’s the best way to describe it. Everything about this album is odd, and that’s kind of its charm. This album isn’t easy to consume or easy to listen to, but I guarantee you it’s nothing you’ve ever heard before. Chris’s voice, flow, weird drum loops, and production make this one of his weirdest albums yet. The album is incredibly cohesive which adds to the almost entrancing effect of the album. This isn’t the type of album where you pick out your favorite songs and then listen to them whenever. This is more of an album for when you’re in a particular mood and you decide to listen to the whole thing at once. Chris may be an acquired taste, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. This album isn’t for everybody but it’s certainly unique, well put together, and well done.
Neo Wax Bloom — Iglooghost
Max: IGLOOGHOST IS A GENIUS. I TURN ON MY LAPTOP, I CLICK THE IGLOOGHOST ALBUM AND I THRIVE. This album feels like a punch in the face in the best way possible. Every song on this masterpiece is a pure audio journey of wonder and joy and I couldn’t be happier listening. A pure medley of synths and chaotic sounds leads to a blessed listening experience and and even more blessed Max.
Max’s faves: Bug Thief, Sōlar Blade
23 — Hyukoh
Daniel: The sounds that Hyukoh create on 23 exude attitude and confidence, along with whimsy exemplified through the blatant surf rock influences that they proudly wear on their sleeves (the last song is even titled Surf boy?). The South Korean indie group explores and reinterprets the subgenre with a balance of polish and edge; from the rock ballad TOMBOY’s melodic choral wails to the crunchy, distorted electric riffs on Die alone, Hyukoh presents a hypnotizingly fun and palatable experience.
Daniel’s faves: Leather Jacket, 2002WorldCup, Die alone
Saturation II — Brockhampton
Sel: America needed a new boyband craze after the Great ‘NSync Recession of 2002, so in came One Direction, and while they filled our minds with teenage heartthrob schlock for a little while, we were left for wanting more after their “hiatus” (breakup.) Lo and behold, a rag-tag team of producers, rappers, graphic designers, and directors came from Van Nuys, California (as well as the rap forum KanyeToThe), to deliver a three-punch lineup of spectacular left-field hip-hop, with the second punch being the most potent.
Sel’s faves: JUNKY, GUMMY, QUEER
Daniel: Anyone else love boybands? BROCKHAMPTON’s 2017 was a crazy prolific run that I’m honoured to have been able to witness. With three back-to-back killer albums under their belts, the collective is geared for a raw 2018. Out of the original SATURATION trilogy, however, SATURATION II stood out to me as the premier BROCKHAMPTON record. Where the first project served as a more hesitant introduction to the scene, II allowed BROCKHAMPTON to go completely nuts with the production, bringing some of their hardest-hitting tracks to date.
Daniel’s faves: GUMMY, CHICK, SWEET, SUMMER
Funké: Brockhampton to me is just an audio representation of pure friendship. All the members are so different, both in personality and rapping methods, but they meld together to fuse a creation more jaw-dropping than a Megazord. I found out about them in the summer when I heard SATURATION and since then I’ve been straight up entranced by their eclectic concoction of honest-to-god bops. Every rapper on there has delivered concrete bars that have had me sitting like this for a long time.
Funké’s faves: TOKYO, SWEET, SUMMER
Take Me Apart — Kelela
Farouk: From the beginning of her career, Kelela put herself in the alternative r&b lane with artists like FKA Twigs and The Weeknd. This album combines those great melodic styles from 80s and 90s r&b with instrumentals that sound like they’re from the future. Kelela’s vocal performances on this album are amazing. I was bald after listening to this. Each song on this album is so vast and ambitious. Kelela combines the music of artists like The Weeknd with the music of Janet Jackson and TLC. Her vocals can go from quiet and subtle to grand and ambitious. The percussion switch ups throughout each song and the intricate production gives this album a lot of staying power and repeated listens. This album is cutting edge and if you haven’t listened to it already, you need to immediately.
Max: Kelela is the queen of all music and I’m willing to fight about this. Take Me Apart is Kelela’s first full album and proof of how much she has learned and how far she has grown as both a person and a musician. From Frontline to Altadena, this DC Mastermind has manifested pure, raw, emotion into smooth tracks digestible for whatever mood you may be in.
I love Kelela.
I love you.
Max’s faves: Bluff, LMK
Brick Body Kids Still Daydream — Open Mike Eagle
Farouk: This album is Open Mike Eagle’s most personal album yet. The Chicago native uses the destruction of a set of projects that he used to live in as a way of talking about his feelings on home, displacement, gentrification, and a wide variety of other topics. His feelings on the destruction of his old home can go from sad to nostalgic to filled with rage as you go from one song to the next. While his sense of humor that he’s known for doesn’t show up as much on this album, his lyricism, wordplay, and his great production are still here. Each song on this album has a pretty strong topic or idea that Open Mike Eagle wants to talk about. It’s his most emotional album yet and it’s a great listen for old or new fans of the art rapper.
Arca — Arca
Sel: Arca has shaped himself to be a post-industrial icon, mixing fragile beauty with absolute brutality. However, he dials back a tad and allows his exquisite and haunting voice to take hold of our conscious, almost as a prisoner. Every word in his mouth becomes an open wound, festering with egregious depression, waiting to be healed by the next sentence. May it heal us until the end of time, or at least, until his next collaboration with Björk.
Sel’s faves: Piel, Desafío, Urchin
RINA — Rina Sawayama
Daniel: Without a big Carly Rae Jepsen release from this year, I was fiending for a tight pop release and it came to me in the form of a very brief EP from UK artist Rina Sawayama. RINA oozes with 2000’s attitude and flavour and features some real fun production that just slaps like a Disney Channel Original Movie soundtrack. Y’all know exactly what I’m talking about — don’t contest me on this because I’m right.
Daniel’s faves: Ordinary Superstar, Tunnel Vision, Alterlife, Cyber Stockholm Syndrome
Ctrl. — SZA
Funké: I love SZA, but not as much as my pal Rai who listened to so much more of her than I did. Also I’m laughing so hard as I type this because I just remembered I found out about SZA through a tweet about that vine with the rat where the girl screams out something that could be translated to either “Hizzuk” or “Sizzuh.” But got dam am I glad I saw that tweet. I cannot count how many times I’ve listened to Love Galore and bawled my eyes out when Travis Scott’s yelps out his truly therapeutic “Yuh!” This is the album that made me believe love is real, that made me hate every man on Earth, and that made me realize I am really an amazing person that doesn’t need anyone but myself. A real emotional rollercoaster with the most comfortable seats and a cupholder for my passion fruit tea.
Meleah: Hands down, favourite album of the year. My top 5 most played songs this year on Spotify were all off of Ctrl. This album found me in the weeks following a tough breakup, and its brutally honest lyrics and empowering girl-specific idioms lifted me from my destitution and inspired me to embrace my loneliness, my femininity, my power. And obviously, I’m not alone! SZA’s voice is impeccable, the beats are so catchy and well-produced, and there are some real TDE allstar features with Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar, and Isaiah Rashad all making an appearance. Being relatable was the name of the game in 2017 and SZA broke it down into a science, quickly becoming the woman I want to be, to have as a best friend, or as my fairy godmother.
