Lyrics

"Best" is a misnomer - I don't make claim to these being the objective best of the year. There's a lot of stuff I haven't listened to, and there's a lot of stuff I just don't get. These are the five albums I've continually returned to this year, finding them enduringly enjoyable. Some are for dancing to, some are for thinking about. Some are even for both. These are my five favourite records of 2016. Shura - Nothing's Real Shura's debut is equal parts classic synthpop and modern anxiety. Having learnt production from YouTube videos, Shura released her first single, "Touch," in 2014. Unknown to her at the time, it would appear on her 2016 label-backed debut. Promotional singles such as the lively "What's It Gonna Be?" showcase some of the year's catchiest pop writing, imbued with both a solid yet generous sense of style. Whilst this track epitomises the dance-based peaks she's capable of, album cuts such as "Make It Up" and "What Happened To Us?" explore a more sombre subject matter. Despite this range, the album remains thematically cohesive, concerned with youth, adulthood, and the strange space in between. Subjects from young love to parental death swarm around her embattled, ageing mind. Insecurities infuse with her vivid stories. The writing is also incredibly localised. The narrative of "Kidz N' Stuff" flows seamlessly into later track "Make It Up," two seemingly unrelated songs taking cues from the same personal moment. The simple storytelling and commonplace blues that comprise the lyrics are instantly relatable. The places and people in Nothing's Real are characters in our own lives, too. Ultimately, Nothing's Real is a great example of life. It's the kind of album that can't be replicated - a self-taught musician writing about their life before fame. Noname - Telefone For all intents and purposes, Telefone is an album – and a very good one at that. Noname's official debut represents the culmination of years of guest spots and subdued excellence. It's a confident grab for a contested crown, hinged on great lyricism and a consistent atmosphere. Telefone is interesting in that it feels unique, yet every song feels like a variation on the one that came before it. Noname turns that consistency into the mixtape of the year. At 33 minutes, it's not long enough to become a chore, tearing through summery percussion and off-kilter melodies and closing before you know it. Features are a blessing and a curse - whilst Raury delivers a great verse on "Diddy Bop," you can't help but wonder what Noname would have done with the same bars. It's a weekend trip to the beach – exactly what you needed, and not a moment too long. It's reliving somebody else's sunlit childhood for just a moment. If you like relaxing, it's the record of the summer. Once you've spun this one, check out Jamila Woods' HEAVN for variations on the theme! Frank Ocean - Blonde Blonde is an album that did the impossible - delivered on an unreasonable amount of hype. Delayed by a year, fans congregated around a warehouse livestream for what they hoped would be a taste of Frank's new album. They were in luck - over one weekend in August, he dropped two full albums. Blonde is close to wall-to-wall brilliance. "Nikes" is more interesting than anything on Channel Orange bar "Pyramids," and "Pink + White" features some of Ocean's most beautiful arrangements. It arguably loses its sure footing at "Facebook Story," when producer Sebastian tells a short story. What's meant to come off as an indictment on technology just sounds like some strange, contrived conflict. It takes almost all of "Close To You" to get immersed into the the record again. It's a forgivable misstep in a 17-track album, buoyed by otherwise incredible tracks. The emotional peak is undoubtedly "Seigfried," in which Ocean croons, interpolates, samples and recites spoken word. It's a six-minute glimpse at Ocean firing on all cylinders. I was quietly hoping for the John Mayer/Frank Ocean collabs to continue, though. Damn. The Avalanches - Wildflower Wildflower is everything people said it couldn't be – a satisfying sequel to one of the greatest Australian albums of all time. A more hip-hop heavy affair then Since I Left You, The Avalanches, now a trio, recruit artists such as Danny Brown, DOOM, Toro y Moi and Biz Markie for a true musical roadtrip. Tracks emulate soundscapes from crazy carnivals to cereal advertisements, effortlessly weaving together with distant chatter and tricky fade outs. What starts out as a bouncy hip-hop affair ends as an alt-rock romp. Though it's been 16 years in the making, Wildflower is overflowing with youthful exuberance. The Avalanches delve deep into the recesses of popular music, plundering esoteric soundbites and layering them atop one another. This is 'plunderphonics,' a genre mainly identified with the group's 2000 debut. Having been all but popularly forgotten in the years since, the release feels interesting and the genre feels fresh. There's evidently still ground to be broken in plunderphonics, and Wildflower does much to explore this ground. Featuring artists, especially Danny Brown and Toro Y Moi, infuse their solo styles with the overarching Avalanches project. Album closer "Saturday Night, Inside Out" features a David Berman poem laid over an ethereal instrumental, a meditative end to a 21-track journey. When contrasted with the upbeat self-assuredness of "Because I'm Me," it's clear that the project has covered many genres, many feelings and many moments. As I listen, I feel the day slip into night. As the album closes, I feel the sun on the horizon. It sounds like a summer night spent in good company. Carly Rae Jepsen - E·MO·TION: Side B The sole EP on this five-record list, E·MO·TION: Side B is less a collection of outtakes and more a complementary release. Billed as "Side B" to Jepsen's critically-acclaimed 2015 album, the EP is packed with similar retro-pop stylings. Its release coincided with the first anniversary of E·MO·TION, gifting fans seven previously unheard tracks. The result is an incredibly satisfying sequel record, often going the way of The Empire Strikes Back - that is to say, unexpectedly excellent. Tracks such as "Body Language" and "Roses" represent the wide range of Jepsen's emotions, with the record evenly split between stories of heartbreak and desire. The only previously released track, record-opener "First Time," is her most clearly indebted track, taking percussion cues from Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody." It's bouncy, it's satisfying and it's over in thirty minutes. In the world of pop music, it's easy to get caught up in what lies ahead - artists get caught up in EDM trends (Katy Perry, "Dark Horse") or the flash-in-the-pan stylistic choices (manipulated vocals as hooks: Jack Ü's "Where Are Ü Now?"). Whilst this isn't necessarily an indictment on those artists, it's still refreshing to see a pop star take cues from the classic tenets of pop music. Two years ago, it seemed unlikely that Carly Rae Jepsen would do it, but as of E·MO·TION: Side B she's firmly cemented her place as one of the most impressive working pop stars. Excited to see what comes next... what are the chances of Side C?