12.19.2016

Favorite Albums of 2016

During a year of enormous life changes, this is the music that grabbed me the most. Every album here impressed me in some way. 

It can be difficult to define what exactly creates that impression. Sometimes it's musical mastery or lyrical dexterity. Sometimes it's a pleasing aesthetic. Sometimes, though, it is a visceral physical or emotional reaction that can't be quantified. 

Simply put -- this music moved me. 

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40. Blood Orange
Freetown Sound



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39. Danny Brown
Atrocity Exhibition



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38. Whitney
Light Upon The Lake



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37. Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith
EARS


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36. Kevin Morby
Singing Saw


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35. Ka
Honor Killed The Samurai



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34. Jeff Parker
The New Breed



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33. Aesop Rock
The Impossible Kid



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32. Charlie Haden
Time/Life



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31. Radiohead
A Moon Shaped Pool


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30. Nothing
Tired Of Tomorrow



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29. Cass McCombs
Mangy Love



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28. Isaiah Rashad
The Sun's Tirade



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27. Lambchop
FLOTUS



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26. Yumi Zouma
Yoncalla



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25. Denzel Curry
Imperial



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24. Austin Manuel
Up The Ridge



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23. Flock Of Dimes
If You See Me, Say Yes


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22. Kendrick Lamar
untitled unmastered.


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21. Yussef Kamaal
Black Focus



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20. Skepta
Konnichiwa



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19. Childish Gambino
"Awaken, My Love!"



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18. Big Thief
Masterpiece


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17. Solange
A Seat At The Table



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16. Elzhi
Lead Poison



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15. Frank Ocean
blonde



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14. Angel Olsen
MY WOMAN



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13. Wild Nothing
Life Of Pause



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12. Noname
Telefone


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11. Frightened Rabbit
Painting Of A Panic Attack




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10. Pinegrove
Cardinal




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9. A Tribe Called Quest
We got it from Here... Thank You 4 Your service


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8. Bon Iver
22, A Million




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7. King Cyst
King Of New York




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6. David Bowie
Blackstar






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5. Anderson .Paak
Malibu





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4. Kikagaku Moyo (幾何学模様)
House in the Tall Grass




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3. David Bazan
Blanco







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2. Robert Stillman
Rainbow







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1. Florist
The Birds Outside Sang




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[Read past year-end lists here]