Amen Dunes

"Experimental Tape 2 (Vol. 1) is the purest, most potent of bedroom [production] madness and beauty, but basically no one heard it when it came out. It's like a combo of Bowie, Al Green, late-period Scott Walker, and R&B, but done on GarageBand in a small room with mass amounts of painkillers and Adderall. It’s so fucked and heartfelt and rhythmic and playful. "Emma Baby" is one of the most cosmic melodic climaxes I’ve heard in a very long time."

"Hands down my favorite thing I’ve heard all year. Dudes’ vibe is so refreshing. Super cocky in a super mellow way. Feel like it’s re-appropriating aggression and turning it into something else, like it’s more tough to have fun or something. So good. Could, and do, listen to this on repeat."

"This one’s a little biased as they’re friends’ bands, but regardless, these are two of the best things I’ve heard this year. I love bands that change and I love the direction Iceage are going in. And I love bands that are smart and thoughtful about what they do, and Iceage are definitely that."

"Pharmakon I’ve always loved. She is super brutal, believable and smart, and the new record is great."

"I was turned onto this record—and to Firecracker Recordings in general—in London at Kristina Records, the best record shop I’ve been to in a while. The Panoram record rules. Really abstract and minimal like a lot of stuff coming out this year, but has this very melodic, positive, clubby, acid/’90s vibe to it as well that I really love. The subtle club vibe reminds me of when I was a kid. Super nostalgic and musical."

"They’re really good. It’s smarter and more musical and also more believable than a lot of similar stuff in it’s world and I’m a big fan."

"People give him all kinds of shit but they’re just jealous. I also listened to this song on repeat on tour this year—every time I got to wi-fi—and drove my bandmates crazy, who hate this shit. I love how minimal it is, and it’s the best intro ever and then when the beat drops it stays minimal and aggressive and reserved, so good. I’m kind of a YouTube fiend for everything that’s going on in this world, and it’s been funny to watch all the covers of this song kind of mocking him but also unavoidably kind of flattering him despite themselves. Song is pretty undeniable. Oh, and the video rules too."