Somehow, this year outdid 2020 for crazier shit, but at least we had music? I can't speak for everyone, but this was the year I felt like I gave much more time to detaching from real world stresses through music than anything else. Below you'll find a collection of the songs that helped me to work through this crazy thing called life. Follow us for more content at @thedeathofthemixtape on Instagram, Facebook and Spotify. Thanks for reading.
10.) GOJIRA
"GRIND," FORTITUDE
It's taken me too long to understand the
excellence of Frances Gojira, but this year it finally made sense to me.
Fortitude is full of future metal classics, but "Grind," which comes at the
end of the record, has all the ingredients hardcore metal fans love. It has a
bounce of energy circulating through it, and the voice of Joe Duplantier growls
through the chorus like the best of the best. Gojira has steadily risen in the
metal world for the last five or so years, and songs like "Grind" are a good
reason for that success.
9.) SILK SONIC (BRUNO MARS & ANDERSON.PAAK)
"LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN," AN EVENING WITH SILK
SONIC
I wasn't born or even conceived in the 70s,
but goddamn does this song make me wish I was conceived to its glorious melodies
and vibes. I've never been huge into either of these artists, but there's
something so cool, confident, and dare I say sexy about these two modern
crooners making an album that's as authentic and nostalgic as this one. It
perfectly captures the romanticized idea we like to have of that decade, yet it
never feels stale or redundant.
8.) NICK CAVE & WARREN ELLIS
"ALBUQUERQUE," CARNAGE
Dammit, Nick Cave, why are you always making me
cry? Anyway, if you're a fan of Cave and longtime collaborator Warren Ellis,
you probably know the last several years has seen the duo make compelling,
deeply unsettling music. On this track, from their recent duet album, the pair
continue to make somber, thought- provoking music that can make a grown man
bend and break with the best of them. "Albuquerque" is unique in its
instrumental approach, while Cave's deep, smoldering voice does everything it
always has to extraordinary success.
7.) MEGAN THEE STALLION
"THOT SHIT," SOMETHING FOR THEE HOTTIES
At this point there's very little the public
needs to know about Megan that we don't already know. She's fine as f**k,
intelligent in a way much of hip hop can't seem to understand, not to mention
her verses and word play are insane. Sure most of her tracks are about
unadulterated feminism, the love of sex, and being free in your own skin, but
with those tracks come a woman who is storming the industry, striking while the
iron is hot, and flaunting her insane lyrical skills as well as her excellent
visual performance skills.
6.) GIRL IN RED
"SEROTONIN," IF I COULD MAKE IT GO QUIET
Marie, otherwise known as Girl in Red, leaped
into the indie pop pool this year, and while many hours I gave towards her
music, "Serotonin" and its unflinching honesty certainly latched itself to my
household. My wife and I loved this song, and while there's plenty to enjoy
from this album, there's no song better than this one, which is why it lands at
number six on the Top 10 songs of the year.
5.) LUCY DACUS
"BRANDO," HOME VIDEO
In the recent, more than welcome trend of
heartfelt indie female performers, Dacus has become the next in the line of
Mitski, Bridgers, and etc. in crafting thoughtful pop-ish rock that strikes the
heart strings of many people, including myself. "Brando," clocking in right at
three minutes, exemplifies the burn of early love, naivety in the face of that
love, and the knowledge of being a certain way for certain people, and how easy
it is to get wrapped up in those emotions. Lucy's voice is reserved but to the point,
which makes the song all the better and emotional.
4.) PINK SWEAT$
"17," PINK PLANET
It's only been in the last several years that
I've gotten more into R&B, but Daniel Bowden, aka Pink Sweat$ can write a
song that's equal part love and loss, and "17" is a perfect example of the type
of swooning and seduction you get throughout the album. Borden's voice is easy
to get lost in, and the gentle instrumentals lifting up the song are easy going
while still being emotionally impactful. I listened to this song and album many
times this year, and I hope this type of output continues, because Pink Sweat$
might be the future of classic R&B making a big comeback.
3.) BILLIE EILLISH
"HAPPIER THAN EVER," HAPPIER THAN EVER
This album mostly missed the mark for me, but
our number three track of the year, "Happier Than Ever," somehow makes up for
the rest of the record. It starts slow and solemn, with Billie's voice cracking
and desperate as she tries to escape the bullshit of her current scenarios.
It's a gentle ball upfront, but as the emotions explode so does the musical
energy from the song. The closing section is not quite arena rock, but it has
everything that an emotional record finale needs to stick its landing, which it
does brilliantly.
2.) HALSEY
"EASIER THAN LYING," IF I CAN'T HAVE LOVE,
I WANT POWER
It's amazing what the addition of two
excellent producers can do for a pop star looking for a sharp change in musical
tone. With this record, Halsey, along with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross,
created a classic collection of songs that play on her strengths. "Easier than
Lying," with its underlying tension and complicated relationships, brims with
intense anxiety, uncertainty, and a killer instrumental section to boot. On an
album consistently great and genre pushing, "Easier than Lying" stands out even
among the best moments of the record.
1.) JAPANESE BREAKFAST
"BE SWEET," JUBILEE
As 2021 events began to become clearer and more organized, the release of Michelle Zauner's second major Japanese Breakfast album was one of the things I was most excited about. The album is good, not amazing though, but "Be Sweet" is a masterpiece and a truly triumphant song. The guitar and synth parts are perfectly shaded under the strength of Michelle's voice, but the positivity and optimism of her voice is enough to make this the Top Song of 2021.
TOP ALBUMS COMING SOON!
