Memorable sounds of 2013
View(s):Well, the world didn’t end in 2013, but on the other hand, too many of us watched Miley Cyrus twerking. In this, our last issue for the year, the Mirror Magazine turn up the volume. Here’s some of the best, most talked about music to come out this year. What were your favourites? Share them with us on Facebook.
The Next Day – David Bowie
If you thought Bowie had retired, you were in for a surprise. The Next Day- his first album of new material in 10 years –arrived unannounced. It promptly won wide critical acclaim, became the number one album in the UK. Bowie, strange, eccentric, brilliantly talented, may be an acquired taste for some but here’s an album that lives up to the legend.
Days Are Gone – Haim
The Californian sibling trio, Haim were the winners of BBC’s Sound of 2013 award and when their album Days Are Gone was released in September in climbed straight to the top of the charts. The sisters’ distinct blend of folk, rock and 90s R&B, make them a fun listen.
Ghost on Ghost
– Iron and Wine
This, the fifth album from the soft-spoken, gorgeously lyrical Sam Beam mixes jazz and pop to produce a catchy, addictive sound. Beam’s easier to listen to this time around, less knotted up, more playful.
Settle – Disclosure
The dance album for the summer, Disclosure produced a bunch of hits with this collection. Listen to You and Me, White Noise and Latch for a sense of what the album’s about. With one foot in pop and another in electronic dance music, this is the crossover album for the year.
Modern Vampires of the City – Vampire Weekend
Vampire Weekend have always been fun, and that’s true of their newest album. Lots of slow songs in this one, all dense with religious imagery but you’ll recognize the same beautiful drums from previous albums.
Random Access Memories – Daft Punk
An unabashedly romantic love letter to the late 70s and early 80s, Daft Punk’s first album since 2005 was a critical and popular success. By roping in guests like Panda Bear and Pharrell Williams, they produced one of the year’s best dance music albums.
The Bones of What You Believe – CHVRCHES
With a very strong Indie pop vibe, this Scottish-synth band has a earned a horde of new fans in 2013. Their music, as embodied in singles like Night Sky and Mother We Share, is bright, tuneful and accessible, with a heavy overlay of 80s synth pop.
Unorthodox Jukebox – Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars hits all the right notes in this, one of the best-selling albums of 2013. It produced a string of hits, including Locked Out of Heaven and If I Was Your Man. Unabashedly romantic, fun and playful by turns, this is one of pop’s new gods in his element.
Sunbather – Deafheaven
With a talent for luring in even people who don’t typically listen to heavy metal, the band’s second and most successful album so far is a mix of intense black metal and post-rock, which inspires the same noisy, fierce joy as the likes of SigurRós andMogwai.
Silence Yourself – Savages
Hailed as one of rock’s most “commanding and ferociously poised debuts” Savages are worth a listen. Lead singer Jehnny Beth delivers her lyrics like a clarion call with the heavy thrum of Ayse Hassan’s bass stepping into her every silence. Combined with the band’s philosophy, an exciting first album.
Beyoncé – Beyoncé
With the ‘visual album’ Beyoncé wanted to recreate for her fans the experience she herself had as a child watching Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Its Beyoncé’s opus, her concept album designed to display not just her vocal brilliance but her visual intelligence, her instinct for what sells – combined they tell you why she’s one of the greatest pop stars on the planet.