Instant Review - Knee-jerk reactions to the P4k 100 for 2015

Instant Review - Knee-jerk reactions to the P4k 100 for 2015

For the fifth year in a row, I'm running down the P4k 100 songs list as I listen to the songs and read the grafs on a track-by-track basis. You can tell I have made great strides this year because I've learned to call the text accompanying a list "grafs" instead of "blurbs".

100. Dâm-Funk - Free

I hadn't heard this song and haven't really listened to Dâm-Funk very much in the past 4 years or so. The lead keyboard line that comes in at the end of this track is fantastic.

99. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Can't Keep Checking My Phone

My most vivid memory of hearing this song is listening to it in a Ramada in Richland Center, WI from my cell phone speakers.

98. Protomartyr - Dope Cloud

I still don't think I've ever seen Protomartyr in an especially sweaty environment, which seems wrong. I look forward to their upcoming Frequency show for this reason.

97. Frankie Cosmos - Young

Wow, I'm surprised that P4k is getting through all these well-established songs so early in the list! I wonder if there will be a different part of the list than usual which highlights predominantly low-profile bands.

96. Isaiah Rashad - Nelly

I still haven't gotten to know Isaiah Rashad at all. I wonder how many hip hop singles I'll recognize on this list and how many will have slipped past me.

95. WOKE - The Lavishments of Light Looking [ft. George Clinton]

Waoh! I hadn't yet heard this. It's fantastic, but I can't pretend to be surprised about that for a second.

94. DJ Koze - XTC

Wow, this was really good! I wonder if I'll get more back into house music next year.

93. Bully - I Remember

Seeing Bully a few times this year, this is the song that stuck most with me. I'm surprised to see it in the 90s.

92. Cool Uncle - Break Away [ft. Jessie Ware]

I hadn't heard this either (that makes 5 out of 9 so far). I think it is funny that this song came out of 2015.

91. Kamaiyah - How Does It Feel

6 out of 10 now! I wonder how familiar 2016 will make me with the line "It's Kamaai-yah / please retiii-re"

90. Ty Dolla $ign - Blasé [ft. Future and Rae Sremmurd]

I like the hook on this because it sounds like the performers can't remember all the words.

89. Natalie Prass - My Baby Don't Understand Me

AHH! My personal #5 track for the year. Why, I oughtta...! At this low a spot, there's always a shred of hope for another higher-ranking track from this album to be included in the list.

88. Shamir - Demon

Now here's someone who will definitely have a higher-ranking song included on this list.

87. Tate Kobang - Bank Rolls (Remix)

I like how this track never lets down. Pretty fun video.

86. Savages - The Answer

I like how this track never lets down. Pretty fun video.

85. Lower Dens - To Die in L.A.

I still haven't sent much time with this album! I really like this though.

84. Titus Andronicus - Dimed Out

I feel at this point that my Titus Fandom is operation on a lag—while underwhelmed with Local Business, the other day I was reflecting on how "In a Big City" has become, at very least, a peer to my favorite Titus songs. I could see the same happening with Dimed Out.

83. Moses Sumney - Seeds

I really love Moses Sumney's voice! Haven't heard much from him yet.

82. Chairlift - Ch-Ching

I also haven't heard this album yet!

81. I recently heard this song on Madison's student radio station, which reminded me I haven't heard this album yet. I look forward to it. It'd also be really great to see Jenny Hval live.

80. Dej Loaf - Me U & Hennessy [ft. Lil Wayne]

Not feeling this RN, but this song was definitely not made for 10 AM on a Monday morning.

79. YG - Twist My Fingaz

I haven't even really listened to "My Krazy Life," much less anything YG did in 2015. Oops!

78. iLoveMakonnen - Whip It (Remix) [ft. Migos and Rich the Kid]

Apparently one of the only rap releases I heard this year(many times)!

77. Majical Cloudz - Downtown

You don't want no beef boy!!

76. Empress Of - Standard

My #14 track from the year, at least according to a list I made last week! There must be more from this album later in this list though. I had a hard time choosing one of my many Empress Of songs from this years to include near the top of my list.

75. Lana Del Rey - High by the Beach

I heard this played yesterday in a coffee shop and I thought, "this is a pretty cool coffee direction for coffee shop music."

74. Frank Ocean - (At Your Best) You Are Love (Aaliyah/The Isley Brothers Cover)

Oh yeah!! I completely forgot about this.

73. Rick Ross - Foreclosures

Whoa, I hadn't yet heard this but I am into it.

72. Hudson Mohawke - Ryderz

This song is so wacky!!

71. Father John Misty - The Night Josh Tillman Came to Our Apartment

FJM has pretty comfortably slid into the canon of contemporary indie without making too huge of an impact on me personally, but I do enjoy this album.

70. DJ Rashad / DJ Spinn - Dubby [ft. Danny Brown]

Those drums!

69. Sufjan Stevens - Fourth of July

More so than with many artists, seeing Sufjan play this live this spring really impacted the way my brain reacts to the song's studio version. I really like T. Cole Rachel's graf for this item.

68. Björk - Lionsong

Wow, somehow I still haven't heard this album! Put that at the top of my list for 2016.

67. Rae Sremmurd - This Could Be Us

Interesting that this seems to be the one selection (based on this blurb) from this album from this year's album list.

66. Jazmine Sullivan - Dumb [ft. Meek Mill]

Lol, this music video was really distracting. From what I remember, it was a good song.

65. Deerhunter - Living My Life

Deerhunter will see a top 20 spot this year, easily. I suppose with this track at 64, those might be the only two Deerhunter tracks on this list.

64. Chance the Rapper - Angels [ft. Saba]

I was surprised to not see Sunday Candy in last year's list, but since it wasn't listed for 2014 I expect it in a top 20 spot this year.

63. Chromatics - Shadow

I didn't spend more than a few minutes listening to Chromatics this year, and most of those were spent hearing this song just now.

62. Blood Orange - Sandra's Smile

Oh Dev! I'm surprised this didn't rank a lot higher.

61. G.L.O.S.S. - G.L.O.S.S. (We're From the Future)

I would really love to see G.L.O.S.S. in 2016!

60. Neon Indian - Annie

I'm still not over this album art.

59. Janelle Monáe / Wondaland Records - Hell You Talmbout

WOW! I hadn't yet heard this recording. A great entry.

58. Nicolas Jaar - Fight (Nymphs IV)

This ranked very high on my personal list. I can't wait to see what Nicolas Jaar does in 2016. 

57. Destroyer - Dream Lover

What! I wish this was higher. "Dream Lover" is a real banger.

56. Earl Sweatshirt - Grief

I need to listen to this more.

55. Nao - Inhale Exhale

I hadn't yet heard this one. I could see myself getting into it next year.

54. Jeremih - Oui

...and same for this one! I look forward to getting into the new Jeremih album, perhaps once list season dies down a bit.

53. ANOHNI - 4 Degrees

I would really love to see ANOHNI in 2016! This song is so fantastic. I'm thrilled about the promise of this new album.

52. FKA twigs - in time

There's so much I haven't heard this year!

51. David Bowie - Blackstar

Only 51? Bowie was robbed!! Every time I hear this song I like it more than I did before.

50. Kurt Vile - Pretty Pimpin

This chorus is distractingly goofy. It's a welcome addition to the pile of enjoyable Kurt Vile tunes.

49. Beach House - Sparks

The most surprising Beach House single of their whole career. Do you remember hearing this for the first time?

48. Kelela - Rewind

Yaaa!

47. Dr. Dre - Genocide [ft. Kendrick Lamar, Marsha Ambrosius, and Candice Pillay]

If you think you're tired of hearing that I haven't yet heard songs on this list, just think about how tired I am of having to say it!

46. Oneohtrix Point Never - Sticky Drama

Underrated! I heard this song played at a hot dog restaurant four days ago. The Singularity nears closer than ever.

45. Joanna Newsom - Leaving the City

I've loved witnessing this album crystallize as a quick favorite more and more rapidly over the past two months.

44. Courtney Barnett-Pedestrian at Best

This is the point at which the wording in these blurbs starts messing with my mind. "Peak Courtney Barnett"? Does that mean we won't see Depreston higher on this list?

43. Rich Homie Quan - Flex (Ooh, Ooh, Ooh)

I'm really glad this blurb linked to "Hit the Quan" for reference.

42. Future - I Serve the Base

An eeeasy frontrunner for most-anticipated Madison show of 2016.

41. Sleater-Kinney - A New Wave

This year Sleater-Kinney did for themselves what Pavement had to have Clearance do for them.

40. Kanye West - All Day [ft. Allan Kingdom, Theophilus London, and Paul McCartney]

It's a little mind-boggling that this song came out this year. 2015 has been long!

39. Grimes - Kill V. Maim

This song in particular was one I was looking forward to pinpointing on Pitchfork's list. Like several songs on "Art Angels" (despite simultaneously sounding nothing like them) this song shows remarkable depth and is a tremendous joy to experience.

38. Jack Ü - Where Are Ü Now [ft. Justin Bieber]

Clearly we have struck the gold that this year was—the top-ranking fifty songs all viable contenders for the top five slots.

37. Janet Jackson - No Sleeep

Watch the Throne etc. etc. etc.

36. Jamie xx - Loud Places [ft. Romy]

YES! ...as Jamie xx locks in three top-40 (Pitchfork) singles, along with Good Times and Gosh. Loud Places is a brilliant piece of music. The lyrics are extraordinarily efficient.

35. Drake - Energy

Perhaps unfairly buried by Hotline Bling (a top tenner if I've ever heard one), this song bangs and deserves to be remembered as the best Drake song of the year (until August).

34. D.R.A.M. - Cha Cha

For the bulk of the year I knew Cha Cha only as a winking nod from Madison's *hitmayng in DJ sets. It's a terrific song, partly because it's terrifically silly. All of a sudden, Hotline Bling flipped the conversation—what had we learned from Cha Cha while goofing and shaking butt to it in basements all year? It's been a great surprise to witness the song's pop resurgence.

33. Panda Bear - Tropic of Cancer

This came out in 2015???

32. Alessia Cara - Here

This is the first I've heard of Alessia Cara! I liked this song, though.

31. Kamasi Washington - The Rhythm Changes

Cross off the "token jazz artist" square on your Tiny Mix Tapes year-end list bingo sheet. Get ready to mark off your "token metal song" square when Deafheaven comes up! I'm kidding, I love this song.

30. Missy Elliott - WTF (Where They From) [ft. Pharrell]

Note that I am still expecting, now more than ever, a Missy Elliott headlining set at Pitchfork 2016.

29. Julia Holter - Feel You

With structure like sculpture, this song's chorus is one of the most impressive and mystifying things I've heard in contemporary music.

28. Carly Rae Jepsen - Run Away With Me

I've woken up to this song for more mornings in the past 9 months than not. Somehow I still haven't tired of it!

27. Thundercat - Them Changes

So fantastic. Thundercat is a national treasure.

26. Tame Impala - Eventually

I listened to this album for the second time about two weeks ago, so I'm going to have a hard time estimating the rankings here. How many more Tame Impala songs await us in this list?

25. D'Angelo - Sugah Daddy

Duuuude, yes.

24. Erykah Badu - Cel U Lar Device

Is this really the best thing from Erykah's wild "Cain't Use" mixtape? Well, ok!

23. Future - March Madness

Two Future for Y'all

22. Drake - Know Yourself

I would have forgotten about this song, potentially chiefly because the "woes" line has become so ingrained in Drake culture that it can be easy to forget it's a product of this year.

21. Kendrick Lamar - The Blacker the Berry

If Drake can have three songs in the top 35, why couldn't Kendrick have three in the top 21?

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Upon about 30 minutes of review, here's my anticipated top 20 ranked tracks, complete with a reserve of 10 runners up to this list. This year I'm simply shooting for "no catastrophes" (last year I forgot to include "Seasons" in my rankings.. what a mess!)

Leftovers:

Carly Rae Jepsen – All That

Sufjan Stevens - Should Have Known Better

Shamir - Call It Off

Destroyer - Times Square

Death Grips - On GP

Julia Holter - Sea Calls Me Home

Majical Cloudz - Silver Car Crash

DIIV - Dopamine

Deafheaven - Brought To the Water

Hot Chip - Huarache Lights

20. FKA twigs - Glass & Patron

19. Courtney Barnett - Depreston

18. Grimes - Flesh Without Blood

17. Tobias Jesso Jr - How Could You Babe

16. Vince Staples - Señorita

15. Adele - When We Were Young

14. Jamie xx - Gosh

13. Deerhunter - Breaker

12. Miguel - Coffee

11. Kendrick Lamar - King Kunta

10. Joanna Newsom - Sapokanikan

9. Donnie Trumpet & the Social Experiment - Sunday Candy

8. The Weeknd - Can't Feel My Face

7. Rihanna – Bitch Better Have My Money

6. Grimes - REALiTi

5. Fetty Wap - Trap Queen

4. Tame Impala - Let It Happen

3. Jamie xx - I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times) [feat. Young Thug and Popcaan]

2. Drake - Hotline Bling

1. Kendrick Lamar - Alright

Superstar DJs, here we go!

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20. Fetty Wap - Trap Queen

Aw, Fetty! 20 feels like an awfully low ranking for this song. Of the YEAR? Whose year were you living in, Pitchfork??

19. Vince Staples - Norf Norf

It was tough trying to decide whether to include Norf Norf or Señorita. This is a great song.

18. Jamie xx - Gosh

This was such a fantastic year for music.

17. Grimes - REALiTi

Interesting! Seeing this place in the low 20s keeps hope alive for another Grimes track later in the tens, but doesn't guarantee it. Additionally, I'm not sure if Pitchfork would select Flesh Without Blood, Venus Fly, or another track.

16. Donnie Trumpet & the Social Experiment - Sunday Candy

I passed on including this song in my personal list this year since it brightened my 2014 as much as it did my 2015. It was just as good to have this year, though—especially since we got to see him play it a number of times this year.

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4/5 is not bad. Let's see if I can get two 5/5s in the next three chunks of five. I feel like at least one is probable, given that many of these songs are practically guaranteed here.

15. FKA twigs - Glass & Patron

14. Courtney Barnett - Depreston

13. Tobias Jesso, Jr. - How Could You Babe

12. Adele - When We Were Young

11. Deerhunter - Breaker

10. Miguel - Coffee

9. Kendrick Lamar - King Kunta

8. Grimes - Flesh Without Blood

7. Joanna Newsom - Sapokanikan

6. The Weeknd - Can't Feel My Face

5. Rihanna – Bitch Better Have My Money

4. Tame Impala - Let It Happen

3. Jamie xx - I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times) [feat. Young Thug and Popcaan]

2. Drake - Hotline Bling

1. Kendrick Lamar - Alright

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15. Adele - Hello

Really!! Hm!!! I had expected them to include the Tobias Jesso, Jr.-penned "When We Were Young", a fantastic track that they'd championed in the past. Well, "Hello" certainly is an Adele single! Since "When We Were Young" hasn't hit the radio as significantly yet, perhaps Pitchfork is saving that song for possible inclusion in 2016's list.

14. Miguel - Coffee

Oh Miguel!! I want Miguel to put out a record with the Brainfeeder bigwigs.

13. Rihanna - Bitch Better Have My Money

"Pay-me-if-you-wanna!!" If memory serves me right, I heard this at a wedding reception this year, which is awesome.

12. The Weeknd - Can't Feel My Face

I would have been skeptical if you told me The Weeknd would be a star in 2012; if you told me in 2014, even more so. Of course, this all changed the first time I heard this song.

11. Sufjan Stevens - Should Have Known Better

I'm so happy Sufjan is back!

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3/5 on this set of songs, though the Sufjan song was on my runners up list and the Adele song was switched for another one. Since I have to knock a song out of here, I'm going to choose FKA twigs, though it could as easily be CB or Grimes.

10. Courtney Barnett - Depreston

9. Tobias Jesso Jr - How Could You Babe

8. Deerhunter - Breaker

7. Kendrick Lamar - King Kunta

6. Grimes - Flesh Without Blood

5. Joanna Newsom - Sapokanikan

4. Tame Impala - Let It Happen

3. Jamie xx - I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times) [feat. Young Thug and Popcaan]

2. Drake - Hotline Bling

1. Kendrick Lamar - Alright

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10. Vince Staples - Lift Me Up

Ah!! An upset, though I am happy to see it. There goes my two 5/5s! I should have known not to trust my hubris.

9. Courtney Barnett - Depreston

Shouts out to Ryan Dombal for namedropping TripAdvisor on this listing's blurb.

8. D'Angelo - Really Love

In keeping with the precedent they set in '14 with mid-December 2013's "Beyonce", Pitchfork won't be able to include "Black Messiah" on this year's album list. It's especially fair, then, that they're giving him his due on this list with two high-ranking tracks. It does muddle my anticipations, though! I'm more curious than ever to find out what's listed next.

7. Grimes - Flesh Without Blood

After sending out a few favorite 2015 songs lists, I made a few quick retractions: "Wait, I forgot Flesh Without Blood!" This track's first seconds are among my favorite and the most evocative of the year.

6. Young Thug - Constantly Hating [ft. Birdman]

As a fairly uninformed hip hop fan spread thin by the year's releases, I frankly didn't even try to listen to everything Young Thug released this year. I do, however, acknowledge that this is one of my favorite of the Young Thug tracks I did get around to hearing (many times).

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2/5 there. Woof! For how excited I get about making these lists, I'm doubting how good I actually am at putting them together. These final five should be the easiest, since there are some tracks that just couldn't not be included, but I'm still not sure about Joanna here:

5. Joanna Newsom - Sapokanikan

4. Tame Impala - Let It Happen

3. Jamie xx - I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times) [feat. Young Thug and Popcaan]

2. Drake - Hotline Bling

1. Kendrick Lamar - Alright

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5. Tame Impala - Let It Happen

Two weekends ago, I heard this song about 5 times after somehow missing it almost entirely up to that point. I get the hype now, though I did recently realize that I like "Let It Happen" because it's an MGMT song.

4. Kendrick Lamar - King Kunta

Waaaoh!! Seeya, Joanna Newsom. I was surprised to begrudgingly drop King Kunta at the last re-sort (as the last resort) but now this cements Kendrick's obvious top-track position.

3. Jamie xx - I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times) [feat. Young Thug and Popcaan]

Some things are difficult. Some things are so easy, they reassure you that despite any other mistakes you're bound to make, at least you'll have them to fall back on. Anticipating Pitchfork's top 3 tracks was the least stressful aspect of doing this challenge. It wouldn't make sense to flip any order in these nesting doll records. I am a bit nervous as I prepare to scroll down to see what occupies Pitchfork's top 2 picks, but I'm comforted by knowing that if our lists don't match up, I wasn't the one to make a mistake—Pitchfork was.

2. Drake - Hotline Bling

Yuup!

1. Kendrick Lamar - Alright

I'd argue that no song since 2009's "My Girls" [or vice versa?] was as clearly the defining song of the year until the moment this spring brought us "Alright". As important as it was exciting to hear and as empowering as it was acknowledging of struggle, "Alright" meant more than I'm used to songs meaning. While "My Girls" sourced its emotional resonance from contentedness, "Alright" finds its power in reassurance that corruption, dehumanization, and oppression are worth fighting back against. More than any other song on this list, I'm thankful we had "Alright".