Amongmen counts down the best albums of 2013 in two bars of 4:4. Every one of these modern, well-rooted records is good enough to get in wax. Who did you like most?
Fun and Loud
Daft Punk: Random Access Memories
From the first beat Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories is engrossing, so crystal clear it’s filthy. The album that’s divided Daft Punk’s fanbase like a pair of rock ‘em sock ‘em robots attributes it’s warmth to an all analog, hands on production. Honoring its influences, this disco revival is the kind you buy on vinyl, and spin again and again.
Janelle Monáe: The Electric Lady
Janelle Monáe’s The Electric Lady is definitely the most fun album of the year. The young ‘girl Prince’ comes on stage in a straightjacket, for goodness sake. The concept album about life in a future filled with cyborgs and ass-slapping DJ’s is filled with brilliant, original, and endlessly entertaining funk-pop tracks. Monáe can belt, too.
Kanye West: Yeezus
Not the most fun album, but one of the most important. Kanye offers a loud, ugly, gasping experimental hip-hop album that reminds of Death Grips and Madlib. It can stand as a contrast to his other, hyper-produced albums, or just a big middle finger to the music and celebrity industry. The rap isn’t great, but I don’t think he wants it to be.
Vampire Weekend: Modern Vampires of the City
Vampire Weekend manages to remember who they are, but still move in a different direction with Modern Vampires of the City. They keep their bouncy, bright, collegiate sound, but add a lot more rough and tumble pitch bending. Ezra Koenig continues to charm as he starts sounding more and more like Jerry Lee Lewis.
Slow and Sexy
Arcade Fire: Reflektor
Speaking of disco revival, the Montreal ensemble mixes their cold night ennui into an album full of long, groovy, accent laden tracks. Centering on the myth of Orpheus, the first lyricist, and his doomed love Eurydice, Reflektor is sassy, sad, and gets better with every listen.
Rhye: Woman
Rhye has made the sexiest album of the year, without a doubt. The only way the album could get sexier after the first track “Open,” is by the second track starting off with “make love to me,” which it does. Woman is a smooth, sad R&B album that makes your windows look like stained glass.
My Bloody Valentine: m b v
After 14 years My Bloody Valentine takes stage again, when no one thought they ever would. Shoegaze royalty.
Toro y Moi: Anything in Return
Toro y Moi gets called chillwave, deep house, hip hop alternative. All fit. Put on the red light and set the mood, slick, for this smooth, synthy, deep beat-ed album from the young, cutting edge American producer.
