Best Music of 2020

NathanRicaud said:
I really like Rina Sawayama’s “SAWAYAMA“ but Jessie Ware’s “What’s Your Pleasure?” Is definitely better in my opinion! And yes, that album is the second coming of Christ because the production is sublime and you have tracks that are reminiscent of Sadé (Yes, Sadé), Prince, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Kashif, Donna Summer, Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, Robyn, Giorgio Moroder, Rick James, Teena Marie, Janet Jackson etc

“What’s Your Pleasure?” Is a disco paradise that is immersive and truly transports you back in time! It’s the real nostalgia trip!

“SAWAYAMA” is great but there’s around 3-4 tracks that are disappointing; the shaky opener ‘Dynasty’, the almost lifeless “Who’s Gonna Save U Now” and the repetitive, safe almost unnecessary “Fuck This World (interlude)”. The rest is great, but 3 👎 tracks is a bit too many for me!

Pop albums I think they have been extraordinary since FKA Twigs’ LP1 include Charli XCX “Vroom Vroom EP/Pop 2”, Billie Eilish’s “WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?”, Caroline Polachek’s “Pang”, Carly Rae Jepsen’s “E•MO•TION”, Kero Kero Bonito’s “Bonito Generation”, Beyoncé’s “Lemonade”, Kali Uchis’ “Isolation”, Lorde “Melodrama”, Clarence Clarity’s “No Now”, Neon Indian “Vega Intl, night school” etc
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You mentioned Kylie Minogue, and that's exactly who first came to mind, and let me tell you, I wasn't a fan of her overproduced brand of pop back in the day, when she was prominently featured on MTV. Too me she was nothing more than a sexy MILF 🤷‍♂️
 
@gaporter - I don’t know if I told you this, but “Akasaka Sad” totally sounds like a Brockhampton song to the max! I love it so much, but sometimes I giggle at how much the production and the manipulated vocals in the background and semi-adlibs and vocal effects etc. Like, that track is so Brockhampton! 😜🪀

What I love about SAWAYAMA, is that you have four extremely strong singles, all of them are genuine 10/10 tracks; STFU!, Comme Des Garçons, XS and Bad Friend. All those four tracks are lyrically great, the production is immaculate and sharp and all are just so different to each other too! Freaking love that! ♥
 
Hollywood said:
You mentioned Kylie Minogue, and that's exactly who first came to mind, and let me tell you, I wasn't a fan of her overproduced brand of pop back in the day, when she was prominently featured on MTV. Too me she was nothing more than a sexy MILF 🤷‍♂️
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Yeah, I’m not a fan of most of her pop either but I think her album “Fever” had some amazing singles - especially the irresistible, futuristic, intoxicating, mesmerising, sleek “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head”! 🎯

But yeah, apart from that album, I’m not a fan of most of her songs at all. “Spinning Around” is such a song Mum’s with kids love dancing too! 😂😂🙅‍♂️❌
 
NathanRicaud said:
“SAWAYAMA” is great but there’s around 3-4 tracks that are disappointing; the shaky opener ‘Dynasty’, the almost lifeless “Who’s Gonna Save U Now” and the repetitive, safe almost unnecessary “Fuck This World (interlude)”. The rest is great, but 3 👎 tracks is a bit too many for me!
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I do view this album positively, like many in the PopTarts thread, although my qualms are about the same as yours. To add, I found the ending weak, similar to how Future Nostalgia ends on a disappointing note. The singles are all standout, of course.

NathanRicaud said:
Pop albums I think they have been extraordinary since FKA Twigs’ LP1 include Charli XCX “Vroom Vroom EP/Pop 2”, Billie Eilish’s “WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?”, Caroline Polachek’s “Pang”, Carly Rae Jepsen’s “E•MO•TION”, Kero Kero Bonito’s “Bonito Generation”, Beyoncé’s “Lemonade”, Kali Uchis’ “Isolation”, Lorde “Melodrama”, Clarence Clarity’s “No Now”, Neon Indian “Vega Intl, night school” etc
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Yes/yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes.

I would add MGMT's Little Dark Age, Rosalia's El mal querer, and Tame Impala's Currents as well.
 
Honestly a few tracks on Sawayama didn't really grip me the first few listens ("Dynasty" and "Who's Gonna Save You Now?" being two of them) but on repeated listens, the album as a whole has grown on me and I think it's a near-perfect album. Obviously I'm biased in a sense, but I think it's just an unbelievably impressive and amazing album. My opinion of it only seems to grow.
 
Rip_City said:
I do view this album positively, like many in the PopTarts thread, although my qualms are about the same as yours. To add, I found the ending weak, similar to how Future Nostalgia ends on a disappointing note. The singles are all standout, of course.



Yes/yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes.

I would add MGMT's Little Dark Age, Rosalia's El mal querer, and Tame Impala's Currents as well.
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Omg, yes, all of them three are great too! I just didn’t want to go too alternative with the pop even though LP1 is exactly that! Like I would’ve put Julia Holter, Weyes Blood, Sharon Van Etten, Sufjan Stevens, Stella Donnelly and Perfume Genius in there but I felt like it was a bit too alternative/indie - even though those three albums are still so much more pop!

Those three albums you mentioned by Rosalìa, MGMT, and Tame Impala are literally all at least a 9.3/10! Like, those three albums are just 👏👏👏😍😍😍🏆🏆🏆
 
gaporter said:
Honestly a few tracks on Sawayama didn't really grip me the first few listens ("Dynasty" and "Who's Gonna Save You Now?" being two of them) but on repeated listens, the album as a whole has grown on me and I think it's a near-perfect album. Obviously I'm biased in a sense, but I think it's just an unbelievably impressive and amazing album. My opinion of it only seems to grow.
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Mmmmmm it is a great album but I think like @Rip_City says, towards the end, it feels weaker than the start. After Dynasty, all the 7 tracks that come after - XS, STFU, Comme des Garçons, Akaska Sad, Paradisin, Love Me 4 Me & Bad Friend are all just incredible! Then the last 5 tracks is a really mixed bag! Only Tokyo Love Hotel is the real standout in my opinion. Chosen Family is great, especially vocal and lyrically, but doesn’t have the same emotional impact the ending does with the choir/background vocals/clap-along aesthetic in comparison to “Bad Friend”. Snakeskin is a pretty great song, and the ending in particular is stunning, but the track is a bit too messy overall. The track is a bit overproduced in parts, and the sentiment gets a bit lost I feel. Still, the ending to Snakeskin is impeccable!

This is the same issue I have with Charli XCX’s “how I’m feeling now”. It’s a great album like “SAWAYAMA”, but the first half is so much stronger than the second half. As soon as “I Finally Understand” starts, the album gets a bit bland at times and is nowhere near as good as those other 6 tracks. c2.0 is good but you can’t help think about how much better “Click” is. Party 4 U overstays it’s welcome and her vocals are really thin in some spots and “visions” is cool, but is a tiring listen as the last song as I dunno - it sounds a bit like 100 gecs and I feel just sounds really different to everything. “Anthems” is the only truly great track on those last 5 tracks to me, just like “Tokyo Love Hotel” is for SAWAYAMA.
 
gaporter said:
Honestly a few tracks on Sawayama didn't really grip me the first few listens ("Dynasty" and "Who's Gonna Save You Now?" being two of them) but on repeated listens, the album as a whole has grown on me and I think it's a near-perfect album. Obviously I'm biased in a sense, but I think it's just an unbelievably impressive and amazing album. My opinion of it only seems to grow.
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The album is not without it's flaws but a it's a near-fully realized debut from an artist that's only going to grow from here on end.
 
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