AudioFemme’s Best of 2013

Best of 2013 Graphic

From elaborate roll-outs to surprise releases, 2013 was a banner year for comebacks, break-outs, break-ups, and overnight sensations.  The fact that the most oblique content could cause rampant controversy to reverberate through the blogosphere turned every song into a story and made every story seem epic.  At the heart of it all are the sounds that defined this particular calendar year, from electronic pop to punk rock  to hip-hop to hardcore and everything in between.

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_testimonial company=”AudioFemme Staff” author=”Top 50 Albums of 2013″ image=”http://www.audiofemme.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/01MBVmbv-300×298.jpg”]

After much debate, we’re proud of our little list and believe it represents releases that are among the best and most important of the year.  Here are our top 50 LPs in two parts: 50-26 // 25-1

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And check out our Top Albums of 2013 Playlist on Spotify.
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In a given year, thousands of records are released, many of them having upwards of ten tracks apiece.  So it’s actually physically impossible to hear them all, and can be downright daunting to wrangle them into some kind of intelligible countdown.  But we certainly have done our best, here cataloging the tunes we just couldn’t stop playing, and stuck fast in our heads when we finally managed to turn them off.

Here’s our Top Tracks of 2013 Playlist on Spotify.

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Staff Lists:

[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_testimonial company=”Lindsey Rhoades” author=”RiotGrrl’s Influence in 2013″ image=”http://www.audiofemme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/kimkathleen.jpg”]
Not only are we as a culture stepping up to finally examine sexism and exploitation and appropriation within the industry, there are more acts than ever completely unafraid to do their own thing – be it overtly political (see: Priests) or revolutionary in its emotional candidness (looking at you, Waxahatchee).
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Let’s all just agree to agree that hip hop as a genre won the album cover contest this year, okay?
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Music has the ability to make or break a cinematic moment.  Would Jaws be as scary if it weren’t for the theme song? Or would we cry as hard when Leo Dicaprio sunk to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean if Celine Dion didn’t belt “My Heart Will Go On” every five minutes? Probably not.
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[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_testimonial company=”Lindsey Rhoades” author=”2013: The Year in Music Controversies” image=”http://www.audiofemme.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/musicthoughts.jpg”]In the age of the ubiquitous think-piece, here’s another, and this time, it’s about think-pieces.  In 2013 what think-pieces mean is that no one is about to get away with anything.[/fusion_testimonial]

[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_testimonial company=”Kelly Tunney” author=”Top 10 Unexplainable Kanye Moments” image=”http://www.audiofemme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Kanye.jpg”]
Mr. West has built up quite a reputation for himself. His musical talent has remained impressive throughout his 6-album career (Yeezus easily made several of this year’s “best of” lists, including our own) but Kanye’s persona has been the subject of parody and scandal for a long time now. This year, though, held several moments of Kanye-crazy that stood out among the plethora of examples from his memorable past.
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[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_testimonial company=”Carena Liptak” author=”Notes From The Road” image=”http://www.audiofemme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/BTHEHc8IgAAESY0.jpg-large.jpeg”]
At the beginning of 2013, adventure felt overdue — something about going to new places, with no routine or expectations, opens you up to hear music you’d never think to listen to otherwise.
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Between the exciting festival rumors and anticipated album releases, 2014 is already shaping up to be a pretty amazing year (at least musically speaking).
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VIDEO OF THE WEEK 11/18: “Drop the Game”

Flume and Chet Faker first teamed up for Flume’s track “Left Alone,” featured on his self-titled debut from 2012. The pair are now returning with a collaborative EP, “Lockjaw,” written over the course of four short days this past year. Their new video for “Drop the Game,” the first track off of the upcoming EP, was filmed in Brooklyn and features renowned Brooklyn street dancer Storyboard P.

Flume_ChetFaker_byLisaFrieling

Directed by fellow Australian artist Lorin Askill, the video begins with Storyboard P warming up to the song, stationed on a slick, wet street outside some warehouses. The nearby streetlights are softened by the hazy night, but cars occasionally drive by and brightly illuminate Storyboard’s shape. His shadow, often cast on the concrete in front of him or on the metal warehouse doors behind him, is his only dancing partner.

Storyboard P’s effortlessly fluid movements are perfectly matched to the song’s seductive, downtempo beat and Chet Faker’s soulful crooning. “I’ve been feeling old, I’ve been feeling cold,” he says, as Storyboard skillfully manipulates and inverts his body. The dimly lit industrial backdrop is ideal—it’s urban, bleak, and lonely and provides a stark contrast to the video’s only human figure.

As the song ends, he slowly shuts his body down, lowering himself to the ground and crawling along the pavement with his hood on and a snarl on his face. And with that, the video comes to a close.

It’s a subtly captivating visual that feels sexy as well as dismal, corresponding perfectly with the song. “Drop the Game” will be one of three tracks featured on the “Lockjaw” EP, which is due out Nov. 26 via Future Classic. Check out the video below:

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FLUME TO RELEASE 4-DISC DEBUT

Flume ( Harley Streten)Flume’s acclaimed self-titled debut is being given the deluxe treatment, and oh what a treatment it is! The 4-disc set will feature the album, remixes of and by Flume, a producer disc with Ableton Live 9 Lite decked out with stems for “Insane,” “Holdin On,” and “On Top,” a DVD of live Infinity Prism Tour footage, and, of course, an epic mixtape with heretofore secret guests Freddie Gibbs, Ghostface Killah, Killer Mike, Autre Ne Veut, How To Dress Well, and Twin Shadow among others.  The deluxe edition is out digitally in North American on Nov. 12th / physically Dec. 10th on Mom+Pop.

 

LISTEN TO “INTRO FEAT. STALLEYHERE: http://snd.sc/171hina

Listen to “Holdin On feat. Freddie Gibbs” here: http://snd.sc/17pqeQW