NPR: October 2018

So many great things this month! And I'm so lazy to write! Or maybe I just like one sentence reviews now! Only time will tell.

Songy songs

Julia Holter - Aviary - Her most expansive work, one of the most expansive works of its kind, and probably one of the best albums of the decade.

Robyn - Honey - I'm now imagining each song being written at a different all-night dance party and it works perfectly.

St. Vincent - MassEducation - Really just as necessary as the first one. 

Kero Kero Bonito - Time 'n Place - Frustratingly good weird pop music.

Kikagaku Moyo - Masana Temples - My favorite foreign language rock record since Boris's Pink

Anna St. Louis - If Only There Was a River - A bunch of nice, simple songs that might convince you that simple is the way to be.

Heavy Songs

Daughters - You Won't Get What You Want - Heavy and noisy work that reveals more melody and songwriting on each listen.

Fucked Up - Dose Your Dreams - Hardcore's The Wall. 

Gouge Away - Burnt Sugar - Raw, intense, somewhat traditional female-led hardcore that's done really well.

Exploded View - Obey - Obey is more improvisational and meanders more than its predecessor but is still very satisfying when it comes together.

GØGGS - Pre Strike Sweep - Ty Segall's best album of the year only because of Ex-Cult's Chris Shaw's amazing punk delivery.

Electronic Songs

Jlin - Autobiography - This ballet soundtrack is the best thing that Jlin, and the entire footwork scene, has ever done.

Demdike Stare - Passion - The masters are back with deconstructed riddims and bangers like only they can do.

William Basinski / Lawrence English - Selva Obscura - Two ambient luminaries team up and make a luminous ambient work.

Korridor - End of Cycle - This really captures the uncompromising glory of Northern Electronics. 

Klara Lewis & Simon Fisher Turner - Care - I'm still digesting this but I hope to be able to say something interesting about it by the end of the year.

Forest Drive West - Apparitions - This is techno broken down to its essentials, which turns out to make essential techno.