40. The Sea and Cake - "Harps" - Runner
The Sea and Cake have changed up their sound quite a bit from their 1994 self titled album. They are a long way away from ""So Long to the Captain" but the Sea and Cake have shown they like progression. Now electronic-tinged and heavily nostalgic, "Harps" contains airy vocals by Sam Prekop gives it that dream atmosphere.
39. The Men - "Please Don't Go Away" - Open Your Heart
With high intensity blast of harmonized vocals over the sullen phrase "please don't go away,"the hard rock of the Men have kicked their intensity up a notch for this anthem. Not to mention the beautifully distorted leads. Everything falls right into place for this track.
38. Xiu Xiu - "Born to Suffer" - Always
The standout track from Always, "Born to Suffer" is a frail masterpiece right up with the likes of "Sad Pony Guerilla Girl" and "Vulture Piano." The percussion is clanky and synths are even more erratic, yet the oddest quality is how damn catchy it is. This is a statement of pain and suffering that only Jamie Stewart could paint.
The standout track from Always, "Born to Suffer" is a frail masterpiece right up with the likes of "Sad Pony Guerilla Girl" and "Vulture Piano." The percussion is clanky and synths are even more erratic, yet the oddest quality is how damn catchy it is. This is a statement of pain and suffering that only Jamie Stewart could paint.
37. Kendrick Lamar feat. Gunplay- "Cartoon and Cereal" - Cartoon and Cereal - Single
Released almost an entire year before good kid, m.A.A.d city, Kendrick Lamar had already set expectations incredibly high with his new project on a major label. Dealing with his upbringing of the safety of his upbringing and the "Wile E. Coyotes" who pull people into the life of the hood. Gunplay is featured on an emotive chorus speaking of his letting out his pain in the booth due to the fact that he could be killed at any minute. "Nobody can mute me, but I never said that nobody can't shoot me."
36. XXYYXX - "About You" - XXYYXX
XXYYXX's "About You" is what is would probably sound as if the Weeknd and James Blake did a collaboration. Its spacey drone, backmasked vocals, and post-dubstep explosion at its climax make it one of the most exhilarating somewhat-instrumentals of the year. The song had also been used by rappers Kami De Chukwu and Brian Fresco. I do not really know anything about them, other than I want to hear more. "Red Rover" uses "About You" to its full potential.
35. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - "Pink Slime" - Mature Themes
One of the most odd songs of Mature Themes (which is saying something), "Pink Slime" is a falsetto-ladden gem that is fun, bouncy, and full of variety keeping it interesting in it's short two minutes.
34. Earl Sweatshirt - "Chum" - Chum - Single
Earl Sweatshirt's triumphant return under a nice fuzzy bass and piano loop display Earl's new found maturity. He is not the same Earl, which shows his growth as an artist. He speaks about his frustration with the lack of his father being around and how he is "too black from the white kids and too white for the blacks." This caused Earl to act out until he found his "big brother" Tyler, the Creator and influenced him to continue to rap. It is songs like this that shows that we all should be happy they met.
33. Titus Andronicus - "Upon Viewing Oregon's Landscape with the Floods of Detritus" -Local Business
A story of an accident on a highway,"Upon Viewing Oregon's Landscape with the Floods of Detritus"gets into the mind of angry motorists as they wait to get to work. "Hating which becomes them and their coffee," the story of this lends the idea of the resiliency of the Americans, especially with their "Built to last" chorus.
32. Death Grips - "Pop" - NO LOVE DEEP WEB
As aggressive as NO LOVE DEEP WEB was, "Pop" can be noted as that "quiet (for Death Grips) spot of the record). It's trill-heavy almost orchestral sounding chorus may be the most aurally pleasing section of any song they have released.
Bringing back the glory days of Missy Elliott under an ever-evolving house beat, Azealia shows of her verbal gymnastics. "1991" shows that she did not use up all of her ferocious confidence in the brilliant "212." After a successful EP and mixtape, now we are stuck waiting on her highly anticipated on her first proper full-length.
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