January Two Thousand and Fourteen
We begin with power-pop, post-rock and experimental electronica.
And stealing the January Crown, with great great ease: the singular East India Youth. As always I came to the party late - only discovering him during his electrifying set at Green Man.
Total Strife Forever is an epic saga, layers upon textures of noise, creating a pulsating atmosphere at once hypnotic and utterly abrasive. And man does it get under your skin.
On stage he is incredible, it's like watching a hurricane trapped in a man, playing electronic music. He is living proof that live performance based around laptop playing has the potential to be bone-bustingly energetic.
He is dazzling. And this album dazzles with him.
NEXT IN LINE, Beyoncé weaves us a tale of female empowerment, love, lust, envy and conquest. (nb: she released this album mid December 2013, but for the sake of what my ears were full of in Jan 2014, this has to be given a nod).
Shinning bright on her self-titled surprise release is a feminist agenda with a clear focus on female sexuality. Rocket, a 6-minute-plus track about female orgasm, is the highlight of this LP for me. Without a shadow of a doubt.
Blow and Partition are close seconds, dealing bluntly with female sexuality whilst creating powerful hooks- the kind that grind their big pink wheels of pop in your head for days on end.
Catchy, stimulating, and evidence of the power of pop.
FINALLY, very special mention to Have a Nice Life, who's follow up to the barefaced darkness, intelligence and depth of 2008's Deathconsciousness is still loud, still angry and still great.
Next up... February...
Love them? Hate them? Unleash your judgement in the comments below!
Kate x
