Best new releases: January 2016

[Jigsaw9 6783]

January is drawing to a close, so I thought I'd make this. Picking up the torch this year too, I hope we can make 12 threads for the 12 months of this year (I'll try to be more prescient/proactive this time around). The thread title is pretty self-explanatory, but here are the rules (well, more like guidelines) as said by @Bear last year:

 

 

The concept is simple: pick 3 releases (albums, EPs, singles or compilations), write why you like the album/why people should check it out and be cool. As you hear new albums of the month feel free to quote yourself, remove one and add the newest one instead of it. At the end of the month I'll make a new thread for the previous month. That's all.

 

Rules:

Post three albums each

Add a linke to your favourite track of the album. Do NOT embed youtube videos. Just link to the best song. Not everyone have decent computers to handle all the videos.

 

And that is basically it. Ask if there's something you're curious about.

 

This year started out in a pretty good way musically for me, especially considering the latter half of January. Many anticipated releases, good times, some disappointments, but mostly cool vibes all around. Here are three albums that had a bigger impact on me than others:

 

 

David Bowie - Blackstar / What a strange and monumental work of art! Mr. Bowie's passing makes listening to it all the more strange and surreal. Exciting, thought-provoking and full of adventure, especially considering how far into his career he made this record. He will always be one of the very best!

 

Ty Segall - Emotional Mugger / This dude just can't seem to stop releasing music all over the place, and I sure as hell don't mind. His latest album has everything that makes his style so cozy to listen to: warm fuzzy guitars, trippy vocals and an almost glam-like garage-rock atmosphere.

 

Chthe'ilist - Le Dernier Crépuscule / These guys don't play around: this is probably the most twisted and deliciously morbidly groovin' death metal release I listened to in a long time. It has the technical chops, the appropriate powerful sound and the sick atmosphere to elevate it into perfection.

 

 

Honorable mentions

 

DEZERT -「最高の食卓」/ Even better than their first album. These guys keep doing their own twisted thing, and it's excellent.

Savages - Adore Life / Their debut album was a bit more to my taste, but the mood is still there. More of a 'thinker's album.'

Spektr - The Art to Disappear / Pulverizing black metal mixed with industrial wastelands and fever-dream jazz? YES, COUNT ME IN.

[Original Saku 1593]

THE ORAL CIGARETTES - FIXION

 

The Oral Cigarettes just put out a new album to kick start the new year and I couldn't ask for a better way to start off 2016. Their music has this sorta playful atmosphere that just infects you from the very first minute of listening and this album is no different. fun band, fun album, and fun music.

 

 

赤い月 - LADY

Akai Tsuki is one of my most recent discoveries and my first new discovery of 2016. I guess if I had to describe them in a nutshell I would make this statement; Female vocals with a kick... lol that's really how I feel though, lately I've been listening to a lot of "cutesy" female vocalists and Akai Tsuki definitely was just what I needed around the time I found them. A little rough around the edges but that's just what I wanted!

 

Galileo Galilei - Sea And The Darkness

Galileo Galilei releases their fourth full album Jan.27th, 2016. 2 days before the release they announce that it will be their last album and they're disbanding... impending depression ensues... but only for 2 days because this album is so awesome that I couldn't stay depressed after listening. It's for sure sad that they are breaking up after 10 years of wonderful music but they are all still really young since they started the band at a early age, so I have no doubt they will all move on to other projects. This album was/is the best way they could of gone out and I'm so happy about it. If you've never listened to these guys don't get discouraged of trying them out because of the disbandment I couldn't recommend this album enough.

unfortunately because of the whole YouTube Red and Japanese label mess that is going on right now none of their videos are available in the U.S

[Chi 2624]

午前四時、朝焼けにツキ - カワラズ

 

Gozeyo is a band i discovered very recently, when they started hyping this release.

While the yelling you'll hear in their songs isn't really my thing, the title song and the vocalist's voice were enough to spark my interest.

This is only their 2nd EP, so I hope to hear even more from them in the future!

►  

Probably my favorite release of January. I was satisfied with all songs in this album.

The album was pretty upbeat but variety between the songs was good enough.

►

 

Haven't listened to any artists similar to ZOMBIE-CHANG lately so checking her stuff felt refreshing to me.

I don't know how to explain it but her album is something i'd like to space out to lol?? NOT IN A BAD WAY

► https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veWr1zgPROs'>LEMONADE

 

I second FIXION and Sea and The Darkness btw

THE ORAL CIGARETTES really stepped their game up w/ the new album. A-E-U-I is really addicting. lol

 

I thought the 2nd half of Sea and The Darkness to be a hit or miss (the dramatic sax in Sea and The Darkness II made me cringe lol) but the first half really stood out for me. My favorite tracks were 燃える森と氷河 (ultimate fave!!!!;___; this song omg), ゴースト, ブルース and ベッド! Considering it is such a long album (i can BARELY sit through 8 song releases so bear with me because 16 is a lot lol) I am happy I was able to truly enjoy more than 1~2 songs and everything else was good/decent (tho the 2 cheerful-ish songs and sea and the darkness II killed my vibe a bit lol)

[Jigsaw9 6783]

I checked out ZOMBIE-CHANG's album not long ago too, and made a note to myself to keep my eyes on her in the future. Pretty cool-sounding weird chill stuff.

[CAT5 9075]

The year has started off wonderfully for me! I've already heard a few noteworthy releases and a handful of great tracks as well! January was a success!

ATATA - Joy EP

I was in love with this band's debut EP, and after waiting four years for new material, I'm not disappointed! This EP is actually just more of the same, energetic post-hardcore/punk goodness from their debut, but I enjoy their sound so much that i'm just happy to sate my appetite.

NakamuraEmi - NIPPONNO ONNAWO UTAU BEST

Listening to this woman's debut, I felt like I was transported back to 2004 and discovering the wonders of Jpop again. There's something so simple, yet refreshing about this girl. Straightforward, yet superbly done Jpop with an organic flair. She almost sounds like a mix of LEYONA and suiyoubi no campanella (when she's rapping). My first surprise of the year.

CHERRYBOY FUNCTION - Word in the Petals

I didn't even realize CHERRYBOY FUNCTION had a new album out until late in the month, as he's a pretty lowkey electronic musician. This album brought me back to 2008 when I was first exposed to the Japanese club music scene, and in that sense, this was also a pretty nostalgic and refreshing listen. Really nice collection of techno/house tunes that are great for both an active listen and just to vibe out to.

I'm excited for 2016!

[Jigsaw9 6783]

CHERRYBOY FUNCTION sounds nice, I might have to check that album out later.

I admit I went into listening to ATATA's EP with moderately high expectations, but I just wasn't feelin' it at all. Oh well, their last album is still pretty cool.

[enyx 903]

Going to dig through the releases you guys have posted since I personally didn't find anything interesting this month. 새벽's EP was okay but weaker than her first (which itself was just 'decent'). The only other notable thing I listened to was Dream Theater's album, which was only notable for being so monotonous that it made me want to gouge my eyes out.

[Pretsy 1343]

Okidoki:

 

Suede - Night Thoughts

Britpop outfit had made their surprisingly grandiose return with this, almost throwbacking release worth an eye and an ear of those willing to look into one of the worthiest comebacks of this year. Suede/Dog Man Star-ian soundscape of "preening, bombastic and over the top"-antics. Think of darker, a bit more restrained Sparks' classic "Kimono My House". Not exactly "better days"-tier, although close enough to reach such heights anyway.

 

Metafive - META

has been set to get his electro brethren together and work in unison as the most intriguing superproject of this year. A gang of embers hailing from various prominent projects - including CORNELIUS, YMO, Kimonos, Denki Groove etc. - managed to find common traits of their otherwise different languages, and churn out this nostalgically extravagant "debut". A gamut of Devo-goes-funk, YMO revival synthpop, sophisti-pop, house and many other genreistic nuances is enough to make even younger peeps sit down and at least experience the retrospective, short ride into what makes J-electro noteworthy as a whole. Some might see obvious westernisms by courtesy of Leo Imai as a rather backfiring element but it doesn't take much away from how nicely "adult contemporary"-ish this release actually is.

 

I will get back to this, but I shalt add Blackstar and that long-ass titled Ulver album as followups, heh.

[Jigsaw9 6783]

Ah dang, I wanted to check Suede out, but totally forgot. xD Gonna get on that immediately tho!

 

Also, I was very optimistic for METAFIVE's album but other than an absolutely killer opening track, it gradually went downhill into 'I guess this is kinda alright' and 'meh, skip!' territory. Not bad tho.

[Bear 1817]

I'm not sure I've heard three yet, but I've heard one and I'm pretty sure it'll be on my top 3 at the end of the year. I actually expect it to be my #1 this year.

 

Will get back to this later.

[TetsuAkira 289]

Okidoki:

 

Suede - Night Thoughts

Britpop outfit had made their surprisingly grandiose return with this, almost throwbacking release worth an eye and an ear of those willing to look into one of the worthiest comebacks of this year. Suede/Dog Man Star-ian soundscape of "preening, bombastic and over the top"-antics. Think of darker, a bit more restrained Sparks' classic "Kimono My House". Not exactly "better days"-tier, although close enough to reach such heights anyway.

 

Oh wow, have to check this out. Loved them back in the day. Thanks for reminding me!

[Lestat 2167]

"A Rare Thunderstorm In Spring", by Perihelion Ship.

[Full] - 

"Mystical Future", by Wildernessking.

01 - 

"Spidergawd III", by Spidergawd.

01 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6xhKSDkDhs'>No Man's

 

While stoner rock is usually not up my alley with its fuzzy and groovy distortional amplifier-effects, Spidergawd creates something entirely different and throws bluesy and jazzy influences into the whole mixture, blending saxophones with thick noise which forms another grandiose pick for this small list of three. The Norwegian four-headed supergroup consists of musicians all having mastered the finest arts of their instruments, and this is clearly noticeable. Unfortunately the only available YouTube song is 'No Man's', which is not my favourite — this being 'The Funeral'.

[Bear 1817]

Perihelion Ship i a cool choice. Discovered the album yesterday, which finally made my total albums for January 3! A couple of listens and I am very impressed. Heard a lot of Opeth, Ihsahn and later Emperor in the band's sound, but not by any means a copy cat or anything. Looking forward to spinning it more.

 

 

Will come back later.