Top 20 AOTY - #11 - Buried In Jade by Thousand Below
TL:DR - Thousand Below's signature style of emotionally driven, electronic influenced post-hardcore is taken to new highs on "Buried In Jade". These guys have mastered the heavy, catchy, and emotional aspects of what makes pop-infused heavier music so enticing.
There is a specific kind of metalcore/post-hardcore that I have a soft spot for, where heavy harsh vocals and instrumentation are juxtaposed by sections of ... read more
Top 20 AOTY - #12 - EVERYONE'S A STAR! by 5 Seconds of Summer (Pop/Alt-Rock/Synthpop)
TL:DR - With each member branching off to do their own solo acts recently, the 5SOS boys have reunited with a new, invigorated sound, leading to their best work to date. A mishmash of genres from pop-rock to new-wave, this album is chock-full of earworms with a little something for everybody.
Truth be told in the 7-8 years I've been listening to these guys I never thought they ever reach this high ... read more
Top 20 AOTY - #13 - Evangelic Girl is a Gun by Yeule (Alt-rock/Pop)
TL:DR - In addition to having one of the best album covers, Yeule has also delivered one of the most boundary-pushing pop performances of the year on "Evangelic Girl is a Gun". Softer pop-rock tracks paired with tasteful hyper-pop influence and avant-garde lyricism make for an infectious listen that I can't get enough of.
This review has been interesting to write, mainly because while I'm certain this is ... read more
Top 20 AOTY - #14 - I Don't Want To See You In Heaven by The Callous Daoboys
TL:DR - 'I Don't Want To See You In Heaven' is a perfectly concocted car crash. It's chaotic, jarring, pandemonium of musical influence alongside its themes of loss, failure, and resentment make for a one-of-a-kind musical experience you can't get anywhere else.
The Callous Daoboys have always felt like this living, breathing entity that spawned from a chaotic vortex of musical ... read more
![青葉市子 [Ichiko Aoba] - Luminescent Creatures](https://cdn2.albumoftheyear.org/100x0/album/1020365-luminescent-creatures_163309.jpg)
Top 20 AOTY - #15 - Luminescent Creatures by Ichiko Aoba (Ambient/Folk)
TL:DR - Luminescent Creatures is truly a magical experience. Listening to Ichiko Aoba's soft, angelic vocal deliveries alongside delicate soundscapes feels like being lulled into a catatonic state by fae creatures (but like in a good way).
It's always a treat when an album that is completely outside of my wheelhouse manages to take me by surprise and really immerse me, and I haven't felt more immersed this ... read more
Top 20 AOTY - #16 - The Hart by Grayscale (Pop-rock)
TL:DR - 'The Hart' is feel-good, pop-rock anthems done to a tee. From it's upbeat jams to it's sadder songs, Greyscale manages to remind us to look on the brighter side of life even at our lowest moments.
Pop-rock can be hit or miss for me, as there's always the chance it can feel "too generic", but the first time I listened to this back in January I could tell this was going to be one of my summer albums ... read more
Top 20 AOTY - #17 - Choke Enough by Oklou (Alt Pop/Indietronica)
TL:DR - 'choke enough' portrays a stripped version of 2000's Pop/EDM that still manages to feel as spacious and emotion-filled as its inspirations. The exotic choices of sound design amongst soft pop songs is enough to leave almost any listener enthralled.
French producer Oklou's newest work is truly an impressive feat, managing to show that the less flashy aspects of pop and EDM can be just as substantial ... read more
Top 20 AOTY - #18 - Nexum by INZO and Blookah (Chillout/Funk/Dubstep)
TL:DR - A perfect mix of chill atmospheric sounds and funky fresh beats, Nexum is all about the vibes.
Contrary to yesterday's action packed heater of an album, today we're kicking back and vibing out old-school style with Nexum, the newest album from trippy-bass artists INZO and Blookah. Honestly I don't have a ton to say about this album because most of my thoughts about it are "Man this is just such ... read more
Top 20 AOTY - #20 - Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party by Hayley Williams
TL:DR - Paramore's leading lady is back again with one of the catchiest and most intimate indie-pop albums of the year. Every track here feels like it's own unique and complete vibe, making it a pleasure to listen to regardless what the order of the songs is.
For those who don't know, this album originally released as 18 singles simultaneously, with no official track list for the public to go off of. ... read more
Not quite the highs that 'The Best Part About Being Human' had, but it's still a high energy, jam packed album. I continue to be enamored with this modernized yet nostalgic pop-punk sound they've found for themselves.
This gets a MASSIVE boost from being released on Halloween, but man they really know how to make some good theatre-kid goth rock.
Top 20 AOTY - #19 - New World Heat by Fox Lake (Nu-metal/Metalcore)
TL:DR - The raw, adrenaline-inducing sound that Fox Lake brings on their newest album will get you fucking AMPED and ANGRY. This shit makes me want to shotgun a Monster Energy and have a boxing match with my drywall.
ALL GAS, NO BRAKES, NO LIMITS, NO FAKES. Contrary to yesterday's "actually good" album, today is a reminder sometimes an album doesn't need to be more than 30 minutes of fun to be good, and ... read more
F.O.O.L. has been just getting better and better these past few years, and this new darker sound they've brought to table is something I'm eager to hear more of.
Definitely some catchy tracks on here (as is to be expected from AiA), cohesively though I don't think it stands up to their previous record.
I was hoping I wouldn't feel this way, but I can really feel the lack of Brian on this one. For better or for worse, he really gave an edge to their sound that I can't help but notice is missing here. That being said, the heavier tracks still go off just like they used to, and Eric's cleans are actually better than expected.
Every time I decide to check out this band again I feel the Stockholm Syndrome continue to set in and start to like them more and more.
I usually find a song or two in each of their releases that really sticks out to me, but sadly nothing really came to me here.
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