Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain, or any attention to the fact that it’s been more than a full month since June concluded. All you should be paying attention to are these SICK. RECORDS. from the month of June. God I need a nap
Wanderer - Liberation from a Brutalist Existence
This is just such a full throated and loving embrace of metal in all its forms. A bit tech-death, a bit thrash and all tone, Wanderer has managed to put together one of the heaviest hitting albums of the year. The vocals make you want to rip your own face off and the instruments make you want to kick down a brick wall, it’s just great.
Poppy - EAT (NXT Soundtrack)
Every time I try and get a read on Poppy I find myself more and more confused and more and more intrigued. After the ear-rending success of I Disagree, I had figured that Poppy might wriggle her way back into the odd pop space, but her stint as an alt-metal artist seems more destiny than phase. While EAT may only be an EP for one of WWE’s many programming blocks, it’s a surprisingly compelling piece of work. Poppy has clearly grown more comfortable with the genre, and pushes both her vocals and instrumentation to thrilling new heights.
Amenra - De Doorn
If you’re in the mood for balls to the wall metal you won’t find it on De Doorn. What you will find is one of the most thoughtful explorations of the metal genre that I’ve heard in quite some time. Often found in a more contemplative and quiet place than most metal albums, De Doorn has no trouble keeping your attention. The reason? When Amenra turns it on, they turn it all the way on. Take for instance my favorite track, “Voor Immer.” It takes nearly nine minutes for the track to break from a cool, quiet acoustic into an absolute wall of noise. By the time it breaks, your body is so tense you could crack a baseball bat on it. Luckily, Amenra brought one with nails in it.
Japanese Breakfast - Jubilee
Japanese Breakfast continues her reign of dominance over the indie world. Jubilee finds Michelle Zauner at her most devastating and passionate. Her lyrics have somehow become even more cutting and poetic over time, and her ear for instrumentation has enabled her to cut out the noise and focus entirely on the emotional heft of the song core. When the songs do choose to pick up the pace, all you can do is lay back and let it break your heart.
Sewerslvt - Skitzofrenia Simulation
Sewerslvt, a perpetual darling of rateyourmusic.com (RYM) again proves why they’re held in such high esteem. In a sea of excellence, Skitzofrenia Simulation may be their best project yet. The record bounces between breakneck pace and near-noise with such ferocity that it constantly feels as though it’s on the verge of collapsing. Thanks to its breakneck tempo and inability to sit still, it’s able to elevate itself to the ranks of the year’s best electronic music. Also, if there’s ever another F-Zero game I demand that “Looming.Sorrow.Descent” be on the soundtrack for a particularly menacing course.
Garbage - No Gods No Masters
I go back and forth on whether or not subtlety is ultimately good or bad, but you know who doesn’t — Garbage. In true Gen X fashion, the band virtually calls out their targets by name before pulling the trigger, which they do song after song. Thankfully, the targets they aim at would only benefit from subtlety, and Garbage refuses to give them any cover. Add this vitriol to classic grungy noise rock instrumentals and you’ve got a recipe for success.
Backxwash - I LIE BURIED HERE WITH MY RINGS AND MY DRESSES
As someone who admittedly did not hop on the Backxwash train when the highly regarded God Has Nothing To Do With This Leave Him Out Of It was making the rounds, I found myself captivated by her latest project. Noisier and more abrasive in every fashion, this album further explores the fertile ground of industrial hip-hop through brutal vocals and innovative instrumentation. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it’s one hell of a ride.
Tyler, the Creator - Call Me If You Get Lost
What could I possibly say about a Tyler album that hasn’t already been said. After transitioning from a hip-hop delinquent to an indie darling during the Flower Boy album cycle, Tyler continues along the same track that he carved out in 2017. That said, the album is neither predictable nor a retread. Instead, it’s a brilliant spot of joy and self-assuredness that mixes pop with the heavier elements of hip-hop in ways that other artists only wish they could.
The Mountain Goats - Dark in Here
That The Mountain Goats are still so good at what they do is nothing short of a miracle. Frontman John Darnielle seems to be in the prime of his songwriting career, but then again, he’s never seemed to be out of his prime in any capacity. Dark in Here is slightly less bombastic than some of the group’s recent projects, but it calls to mind the era of Tallahassee and The Sunset Tree in a way that is both refreshing and compelling. Looks like The Mountain Goats are going to remain essential for a few more decades at this rate.
Lucy Dacus - Home Video
It feels unfair to view Lucy Dacus in the context of her boygeinus cohorts, but the comparison is so inviting that I refuse to resist it. After a run of excellent albums, including the breakout Historian, Lucy Dacus has managed to surpass herself with the magnificent Home Video. Each track unpacks personal traumas and difficulties with such care, grace and naked honesty that it’s often difficult to witness. But the stellar instrumentals, impeccable song construction and perfect vocal performances make even the difficult moments compelling. Hell, those difficult moments might be the most compelling music of the year to date.
Ski Mask the Slump God - Sin City The Mixtape
While I share the internet’s general complaint about this record (it’s way too short), beyond that minor nitpick there’s really nothing to hate here. Ski Mask shows off his verbosity and flows through a combination of zany bars, cackle-inducing punchlines and thrilling beats. As a mixtape, it certainly whets the appetite for any full-length record that may be coming down the pipe.