Grand Sultan Summer was a fantastic way to kick off the first Sawtooth Grin record in twenty-one years. The band wastes no time at all getting into orchestrated chaos. The drumming is super intricate and I would expect nothing less from the amazing Jon Karel. I love the jangly guitar tone which is a little unorthodox for a grindcore/mathcore record, and this song in particular is packed wall to wall with gnarly riffs. Then we have Rich Lombardi's vocals which are so shrill and brimming with natural distortion. It's incredibly intense, aggressive, and I'm captivated.
Lawn Chair
Weezer
Weezer has had a bit of a rough year with their SZNZ series of mini-albums, but the opener to the band's summer set was a particularly high point. Beginning with a snobby interpolation of Vivaldi's Winter concerto (oddly enough), Rivers Cuomo embodies a masochistic angel that suggests bringing pain and suffering to the living purely for their own entertainment. The song then defiantly busts into a grand and triumphant bit of rock opera where Cuomo now plays the other side, calling out God and his choir for allowing terrible things to happen to innocent people. Hearing Cuomo curse the lord, calling him a 'punk-ass', is no doubt comical and also very satisfying for this anti-theist.
Eyes
yeule
This stand out from yeule's Glitch Princess has her sounding more like a dark angel. I really like the flow of this track: sparse verses that have a beautifully melancholic piano chord progression and a vocal that comes across like a fading transition, a chorus that expands the sonic space with doubled up vocals soaked in reverb and twinkling keys, a full on communication breakdown as tension rises, and a climactic finish with industrial tinged futuristic synths and glitchy, metallic percussion. It's emotional, thrilling, and unexpected.
In the Way
Ithaca
Ithaca kills it (in more ways than one) on this track. The lyrics portray so much violent imagery and when you factor in the wicked screamed performances of Djamila Boden Azzouz, one can't help but feel incredibly intimidated. On top of that, the production is crushing, offering no route for escape. I love and appreciate the melodic moment of solace the band offers around the one minute mark as well as the ethereal layers of vocals that pad an awesome breakdown that otherwise would serve as an alarming wake up call. It's the opener to their wonderful album They Fear Us and right off the bat, they are already living up to that title.
Valentine, Texas
Mitski
Valentine, Texas is by far the most elegant song I've heard in 2023. After a sparse and moody intro, string pads, harpsichords, and plucking pianos guide this track to the most maximalist of ends. And frankly, it's stunning. Mitski's subdued croon is a little smoky, mysterious, and only further enhances the enchanting spell this song puts me under.
The Real You
Hyd
Hyd comes through with my favourite pop ballad of the year with The Real You. In the lyrics, Hyd laments about a friend who once seemed soft, caring, and fun, but has since developed quite the chip on their shoulder. I love the spacious verses with very natural sounding programmed drums, and the reverb sizzle that trails Hyd's words. The chorus is super catchy thanks to its lovely melody and the icy synth leads. After the first chorus, there's also a really interesting instrumental break where a wailing synth lead bends and warps creating a longing, yet sour melody before Hyd returns. Overall, the track is sentimental, universal, and again, really catchy.
One Or the Other
Petrol Girls
When I first covered their awesome record Baby, and by extension this song, I think I may have misunderstood the message. I got caught up in all the radical feminist politics of the record that I thought One Or the Other was solely rebelling against the idea of the gender binary and the norms associated. However, as I continuously revisited it, I realized there's more to it than I initially thought. It's an interesting commentary on how we embed binary into all types of social structures. For example, those who believe power is a zero sum game only see winners or losers. Or more generally, we may perceive all things to be strictly good or bad. What Petrol Girls are getting at is that nothing is simply black or white. There are nuanced layers that make humanity very complex, and we best unlearn this notion of universal duality if we are going to progress past the issues we are currently facing. Oh yeah, and the instrumentation, sound, and performances on the track just so happen to kick ass too.
Melon
Moin
While many songs from Moin's new record, Paste, have fairly linear song structures and also have hypnotizing qualities from the heavy use of repetition, Melon upon first listen stood out the most to me. I think it's mainly because of the guitar riff; a very simple, somewhat emo melody with a great deal of grungy fuzz applied to it. The drum groove is also pretty creative, deconstructed and linear, meaning that only one drum is hit on any given beat. What I've noticed about Moin's music however, is that there always seems to be an unsettling element that sours the mood and in the case of the more accessible Melon, there's no exception. It comes in the form of a voice clip, a person calling out into the ether. At first the voice seems harmless, friendly even, but steadily grows more troubling with each line. There's not much else going on in this track, but Moin does a lot with very little. At the very least, enough for me to want to come back again and again.
Eosophobia
Jack White
This track is wild. One moment I'm hearing reggae dub, the next I'm hearing the sounds of 70s hard rock à la Led Zeppelin. There's so many catchy melodies all throughout and Jack White's vocal performance is as eccentric as ever, especially when you take into account all the wild shrieks that can be found on this track. One of my favourite musical moments of the year appears on this track where one of the main riffs is played through a delay pedal creating all sorts of interesting intervals. But then it's joined with a Fender Rhodes and the combination is simply delectable. Absolutely amazing arrangements and performances here. I will admit, this album has fallen a little out of favour since I covered it but this tune continues to stick with me.
Money
JID
I really wanted to, but I unfortunately didn't talk about JID's Forever Story despite hearing that many would consider this the hip-hop album of the year. I gave it a listen a little bit this past month, however, a hip-hop album like this really deserves a lot of time and consideration before one can have an opinion on it. I simply ran out of time. Although, Money did make a lasting impression on me almost instantly. I absolutely love the instrumental; the 70s soul sample flip, the electrified bossa nova-esque guitar, and the children led chorus. JID delivers two very dense verses about growing up the youngest of seven in a resource starved family. Relics from the past about avoiding danger, stretching meals and clothing, and trying to get ahead in an unfair race are all delivered in thoughtful and disciplined prose. I learned this year that this is what one should expect from JID.
Gold Chain Punk (whogonbeatmyass?)
Soul Glo
I don't even know what to say about this one honestly. I guess we can start with the vocal performances from Pierce Jordan, which are definitely some of the most tortured and unhinged displays I've heard this year as he spews a flurry of words in blood curdling screams. The distortion and volume of words makes it really difficult to decipher, but what I get from it is the sense that walls are closing in. Stuck in a mental rut, insecure in one's self, and feeling outside pressure to be or act a certain way causes Jordan to lash out and ask one simple question: can I live? It's easy to get lost in the midst of the sonic hurricane the Philly hardcore band conjures, but thankfully there are two moments in particular that are really easy to hold on to. We have the chorus which has a distinctly joyous, freeing vibe, and also these fitting beatdown hardcore breakdowns where Jordan painfully asks 'who gon' beat my ass?' Gold Chain Punk is easily the most emotionally raw song on this list. The band gives and gives and gives even more still to this track, leaving an empty shell of a man in the aftermath.
swim
aldn
Add one part self-deprecating and nostalgic 90s pop rock à la Teenage Dirtbag and one part lo-fi garage reminiscent of The Strokes, and you get this fun little tune. That's right, aldn made quite the stylistic shift since last year's more hyperpop oriented predictable, and swim is a great example of how that transition made for a much more compelling sound. The production is what sells it for me I think. I love the soft start with the witchy loop and the way it crashes into its more crunchy garage rock tendencies. The performance on the drums is great; patient but powerful. I also love all the little guitar licks, bends, and harmonics played in between power chord stabs. Great execution overall made for a really memorable song. Perhaps my favourite pop rock track of the year.
Bravo
Gospel
A band named Gospel makes so much sense after hearing the opener to their long awaited sophomore album. It is truly the closest anyone has come to making screamo and post-hardcore feel like a religious experience. Bravo is an edge of your seat thriller with frenetic and speedy drum work, a nimble bass that follows closely in lock step, and duelling guitars and organs that fill out the rest of the harmonic content. On top of this impressive display of high-octane instrumentation, we have Adam Dooling delivering an absolutely manic vocal performance that is completely arresting. It rages super hard and I love it.
Struck By Lightning
The Chats
There's not much to say about The Chats' Struck By Lightning other than it's just a finely crafted throwback punk tune. Here's a quick rundown of why this song kicks ass: Eamon Sandwith has a perfectly snide singing inflection, the chord progression in the verses has the air of a familiar eight-bar blues pattern, the back up 'doo-wap's are catchy, the double punches on the 'struck by... LIGHTNING' hook you deep, and the song also has a simple yet effective guitar solo that has a bit of a surf rock vibe. That's all there is to it. Nothing terribly groundbreaking, but the formula is tried and true.
Eternal
Kenny Beats
There were a lot of great instrumentals on Kenny Beat's first solo record, but Eternal hit differently given the context of the record; a love letter and get well soon card for an ailing father battling cancer. The words of Eternal, which were beautifully sampled from Shira Small's Eternal Life, insinuate that life never ends, we just move from one plane of existence to the next. Although, one could also interpret it to mean we live on forever through the memories of others. Either way, it approaches the themes of mortality and legacy in an incredibly warm and comforting manner.
Gordian Naught
Animals As Leaders
I think a great deal of the technical innovation in musical performance can largely be attributed to the progressive metal movement. Tosin Abasi and Animals As Leaders are certainly at the forefront of that movement. Here's the thing though, while the playing is impressive and I have great respect for the time it takes to develop these new techniques, I can't say I've ever been interested in revisiting any of their material. The closer to Parrhesia, however, is a notable exception. And I won't lie, it's all because of that thumping section. By far, one of the nuttiest, most mind altering musical moments I've ever experienced. The intricate patterns and rhythms are far more advanced than my brain can comprehend, and the large interval leaps peppered into the pattern light up the pleasure centres in my brain.
mvp
Uffie
I know it's Uffie we're talking about here, but I can't lie, mvp is just an endearingly sweet, euphoric piece of dance pop-punk. Sure, describing the physical union between you and a new partner with lines like 'two heartbeats become one' or 'you make it feel like the first time' can be a little cheesy. However, when supported with soaring, tremolo picked guitar leads, I see the fireworks. Aside from that, I think the production is quite unique: the verses have lo-fi bedroom pop elements, but the choruses sound quite large and epic. The shots of noise that come and go read as if our pleasure centres are short circuiting. Unexpected, I know, but this track really connected with me and I've spun it over and over again this year.
Call My Bluff
Pusha T
This standout from Pusha T's It's Almost Dry illustrates why King Push is not one to be messed with. Bars about how he can make you disappear without a trace are delivered in such a nonchalant fashion, that I question whether he has any semblance of a conscience. Combine that with Pharell's icy and ominous chromatic chord progression, and you have one of the coldest rap songs of 2022.
Leave Me Alone! Stay With Me!
Otoboke Beaver
There's so many absolutely insane cuts on Otoboke Beaver's second full-length record, Super Champon, but I have to give a nod to Leave Me Alone! No, Stay With Me! Please be advised, this track will give you whiplash due to its conflicting nature. The alternating of screamed sentiments - 'Leave me alone! Stay with me!' - as well as switching between sweet and sour passages certainly make this track stand out as one of the most jarring tracks of the bunch. One moment we have a blistering hardcore punk section where all members get some vocal action, another sees Accorinrin break off for a spell with candied, ascending and descending melodies, then we randomly get a syncopated ska punk version of the chorus. What really grabs me though are the astounding bass fills in this tune. Hiro-chan's playing is almost imperceivable and therefore, I'm just left totally astounded.
Still Running
Disheveled Cuss
There's lots of fun cuts on Nick Reinhart's most recent, more subdued collection of tracks under the disheveled cuss name, but this one deeply affected me. It begins with a pretty forlorn chord progression, very reminiscent of mid-western emo. It's the foundation for which David Binney and JR Kurtz riff on the saxophone and drums respectively. Binney's performance especially I find to be so emotionally powerful. Every melodic run and contentious squawk releases so much tension in a shallow wave of catharsis. I'm so happy to hear Reinhart return to his free jazz stylings which were a big component of his work with Tera Melos, and now hearing it from a more contemplative and measured tone is incredibly refreshing.
BOUNCE DANCE
4s4ki
4s4ki was busy this year, releasing both an EP and a full-length. There were quite a few decent tracks among them but none were as immediately gratifying and had quite the lasting power as BOUNCE DANCE. The blown out string synths instantly caught my ear, 4s4ki's vocals are nicely treated, and the vocal melody is sugary sweet. The beat is sparse, perhaps a little colourless, however, all that changes after the uplifting pre-chorus where the beat drops back in, this time in its fully flourished glory. It totally lives up to the song's title, as I can't help but bob goofily to the music.
The Family
BROCKHAMPTON
The title track to BROCKHAMPTON's 'last' album encapsulates the animosity that wound up driving the band apart. It's not the only track to touch upon this, but in this specific instance, Kevin Abstract doesn't really approach it from a place of humility or a holistic perspective. Honestly, he kind of comes off like an asshole talking about how he cut other members versus purely out of egoism, or how he doesn't feel bad about teasing the scraped album fans have been dying to hear. He recognizes his toxic behaviour, and yet instead of trying to make amends and better himself, he prays that he can find a new band to carry on with. I find this track so interesting; Abstract vehemently pushes people away but there's a hint that he believes he needs others to be successful. Then there's the opening verse about how his blood family and his found family are so different, and yet, if anything, this song documents the toxic parallels that led to him pulling away from the former and dismantling the latter. It's the kind of song a therapist would have a field day breaking down. On top of that, the instrumental is one of my favourites across the record. A wonderful looped guitar melody pops out from the smooth, 70s soul backdrop, and Bearface's one and only vocal spot brings this track to a heavenly close.
WHATUP
DOMi & JD BECK
There's so many cuts I could've picked from this album, but in the end I went with WHATUP as I think it is the best representation of the talent this young, prodigious duo possesses. DOMi absolutely rips her solo, incorporating a dizzying flurry of notes that leap massive intervals or occasionally venture out of the key for a real angular feel. As dizzying as it can get, she always manages to resolve everything so beautifully. Her amazing skill has made a fan for life. And similarly with JD Beck as I find his hyperactive, skittering style to be so unique. He also approaches his drum sound unlike any other, using untraditional muting techniques in order to get a more lo-fi hip-hop sound. They're such a brilliant and forward thinking duo whose first release is already far more elevated than many seasoned musicians twice their age.
But Does It Fart?
Deaf Club
As far as insane, chaotic, and relentless hardcore goes, Deaf Club's But Does It Fart? does the most. Plain and simple. Compared to The Sawtooth Grin, Deaf Club's approach lacks all finesse and instead uses pure brute force and raw negative emotion to bludgeon the listener into submission. Ring modulated guitars unsettlingly rise as a characteristically pissed off Justin Pearson rambles incoherently about our overly prideful mannerisms leading to humanity's downfall (at least I think). I've heard a lot of Deaf Club material this year, but what sets this particular song apart is the vocal support in the chorus. I'm not sure who exactly is responsible but one employs a guttural holler while the other, a feral screech. Just that brief period where we get a break from Pearson's consistent delivery was enough to make this song stand out from not only the rest of their output this year, but the output from all bands in this chaotic hardcore lane.
The End of Sorrow
Jyocho
My bid for the best math rock tune of the year is Jyocho's The End Of Sorrow. There's a sense of longing and sea faring adventure in this track that I love; it makes me feel like I'm perched above a roaring body of water waiting for someone's return. This song also demonstrates how you can take a great riff and extract every bit of value out of it. When first introduced, moments of rest break up the phrases giving the song an interesting rhythm. Then those pauses are removed to free up a little listener bandwidth for the verses. And lastly, there are moments where the main riff repeats with a few stunning flourishes. The flute and vocals are beautiful, the bass parts are incredibly creative, the drummer is a machine, and a key change for the bridge creates an interesting tonal shift. As far as songwriting goes, this is perfectly crafted.
wavery
vein.fm
2022 saw the release of a number of decent chaotic mathcore albums, such that even vein.fm's standout cuts blended in with the rest of them. What stood out more was the band's more moody and patient Wavery. The song is a cavernous dirge that continues to build in intensity. Troubled singing eventually gives way to unhinged screams and the song climaxes with one of the year's most crushing breakdowns. Explosive chugging guitars and thundering growled vocals makes the journey getting to this point more than worth it. As far as heavy music goes in 2022, this might be my favourite song of the year.
I'll Figure It Out Tomorrow
JoyThief
I'm a little sad I didn't get to hear any new easycore albums this year, but thankfully, JoyThief from just down the road in Toronto released this absolute gem. The band's attempt on I'll Figure It Out Tomorrow stretches the heavy and blissfully melodic boundaries to limits I don't think I've heard any other band reach. It's like easycore went Disney, and I don't mean for that to be a slight in any way. It's perhaps the only way I can illustrate just how magical this song feels. This song has everything going for it: heavily rhythmic, djent-styled guitars, whimsical synthesized chords and arpeggios, and a killer vocal performance from Joshua Scott, who exhibits an impeccable sense for melody as well as the occasional cathartic roar. I hope to hear more from this fine band in 2023, because I need more of this in my life.
5 Star Crest (4 Vattenrum)
Bladee & Ecco2k
This tribute to a fallen Drain Gang member is an immaculate auditory odyssey presented in five brief vignettes. Instead of getting bogged down in grief and sadness, 5 Star Crest instead feels like a celebration of life; not the end, but the beginning of a new journey that transcends Earthly limitations. Whitearmor's score, to quote the Street Fighter sample in the second phase, is simply 'perfect'. It's packed with so many celestial, shimmering sounds that bathe you in a warm light as you slowly rise towards the clouds. Everyone, to a certain degree or another, fears death, the afterlife, and the unknown. But perhaps the grandest compliment I can give to this song is that it has the power to quell some of those fears.
Welcome to Hell
black midi
This song is insane! Welcome to Hell is a multi-phased epic that tells the tale of Private Tristan Bongo, a quaker who refuses to return to the battlefield after leave. The words are the most poetic of any song on this list as it vividly describes all the sordid activities that one destined for a fiery, violent death can engage in with a night on the town. The musical accompaniment is freakish with all the chromatic melodies, but also quite stunning as the performances are truly captivating. We move through alt rock passages reminiscent of Primus' John the Fisherman, a vaudeville shuffle, sinister big band explosions, and even a blazing double-timed hardcore punk passage without a single falter. Every aspect of this song is impressive and I could not get enough of this song in 2022.
Intentions
Hudson Mohawke
Thanks to that one Reddit post, CBAT, a song Hud Mo released eleven years ago, overshadowed the release of the excellent Cry Sugar. In fact, the infamous rise of this absurd song almost led me to completely skip over his new collection because I already had the talented electronic producer typecasted. Of course, Cry Sugar had a couple ridiculous moments but for the most part, the album was one colourful banger after another, and Intentions was the best of the best. It has a fantastic chord progression and rhythm, a great vocal sample that Mohawke creatively cut up and manipulated at various points, but the thing that makes the track for me is the aggressively blown out percussion which has a real metallic tone to it. It is so unexpected and visceral upon first listen that it has made a real lasting impression on me. Now, every time the track comes on, I get noticeably excited (according to the people I share spaces with when the song happens to come on), and whatever I'm doing in the moment has to be put on hold so that I may 'wild out' for around four minutes. No other song this year had quite the same effect, so by that metric, I guess this would be my favourite song of the year if I had to pick.
