Our favorite albums of the first part of the year- Nr. 04

So here we are again. Nothing changes, it all stays the same, nothing ever happens. For the umpteenth time now, we put in our 2 cents of what has been doing it for us in the first half of this year music wise. Hopefully you can find something in there that you agree with, which you overlooked at first, or which you maybe never even heard of. So much great music out there, this is our little grab out of that hat, enjoy!

04. Linda

Artist: Django Django

Album: Django Django

Label: Because Music

An art-pop band from Dalston. You're probably right to feel ever so slightly turned off by those words. Luckily, they're originally from Scotland, making the whole thing sound a lot better. It's an upbeat, innovative album that manages to surprise me today, even though it's been out since January. The album has been influenced by more genres than there are samples in your average Girl Talk track, but still manages to be easy to grasp and to dance to. 

I could bang on about this amazing album for another few paragraphs (I think I've proven my ability to digress by now), but as that would either keep you from listening to this record, or prevent you from reading my actual top 3, I'll keep it to myself. Now go have listen. 

04. Stef

Artist: Twin Shadow

Album: Confess

Label: 4AD

Only been streaming for a short while now, but the single ‘Five Seconds’ was already an indication (for me at least...) that this was going to be good. The track that comes after that one on the album, ‘Run My Heart’, is pure genius. I just love that line of I’m not in love / I’m just a boy, you’re just a girl / and if you want to be the one that believes it, then be the one that believes it. It is the epitome of youth, being “in love”, but really not, and if any of the two mistakes it for the real thing and not a boy/girl thing, that’s when the real heartache starts.

It is funny, because in essence, most of the songs are about the most basal thing imaginable: love, either the presence or absence of it. Now, that could be a recipe for the most banal album ever, but with his debut Twin Shadow already proved that they can make it into something evoking emotion whilst sticking to the core. Something like ‘Forget’ on that album, for instance. This album has plenty of great songs, I love the vocals, it seems a bit more complex in terms of instruments, bit more layered, and I think this is an album I’ll be having on frequently this summer.