{"id":7723,"date":"2026-01-20T14:10:19","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T20:10:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/?p=7723"},"modified":"2026-02-24T00:55:35","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T06:55:35","slug":"issas-albums-of-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/2026\/01\/20\/issas-albums-of-the-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Issa\u2019s Albums of the Year"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There were some good albums this year. Here are blurbs about 15 of them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Themes include:
Playful immaturity
Existentialism
Whimsy<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5 HMs:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

people <\/em>\u2013 jackapplepeople \"\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Smashing Machine<\/em> \u2013 Nala Sinephro \"\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Runway Cremations <\/em>\u2013 African American Sound Recordings \"\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lifetime <\/em>\u2013 Erika de Casier \"\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mark William Lewis <\/em>\u2014 Mark William Lewis \"\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n



<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Thank You For Almost Everything <\/em>\u2013 Headache <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The end of music. The beginning of music. Where the sidewalk ends. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fizzle-out of a mid-life crisis with a brochure for a tropical resort in hand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vast swaths of useless knowledge from someone that\u2019s definitely got it all figured out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two anchovies could never hurt me they\u2019re too delicious. And remember, dinner plans can always be successfully enlarged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. The Passionate Ones <\/em>\u2013 Nourished By Time <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A meditation on what it takes to be passionate, modern cults, and the intersection between the two. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The satin sound of 90s slow jams injected with freestyle beats brought into an undeserving future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Syrup where you can actually taste the maple<\/p>\n\n\n\n

dancing with angry tears in your eyes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. The Most Dear and the Future<\/em> \u2013 ear<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/strong>\"\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visiting your old elementary school <\/p>\n\n\n\n

reading on the floor primary colors<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 sitting in rough dark blue plastic chairs, arms wrapped around your knees <\/p>\n\n\n\n

worst days ever, best days ever <\/p>\n\n\n\n

made during a playdate<\/p>\n\n\n\n


<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4.<\/strong> choke enough <\/em>– Oklou<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Melodies that ran through your head when you were seven<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zelda <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Something to dig deep down for <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Secret hideouts with friends <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trading pinecones for rolly pollies<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hugging yourself super tight 

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Big city life <\/em>and Big city life (EDITS) <\/em>\u2013 Smerz <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\"\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cthe group builds minimalist worlds out of fleeting moments. No frills and no flowers take up unwanted space, all of their effort goes into pouring as much as they can into the simple things, encouraging the different pieces of each song to mutate, morph, and evolve into their own entities.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

-Me, a while ago <\/p>\n\n\n\n

the EDITS version takes most songs in wildly different directions all with a clear imprint of the artist that took on the job. Haloplus+ take \u201cWhat\u201d from a 30 second interlude fun little jam. Clairo takes \u201cYou got time and I got money\u201d from the bedroom doorway to between the sheets. Astrid Sonne takes \u201cEasy\u201d from dark uncertainty to Astrid Sonne. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  -Me, now

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Lick the Lens \u2013 Pt 1. <\/em>\u2013 Oli XL<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/strong>\"\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just awesome, almost impossible to dislike <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Electro-pop that makes you want to walk around an unfamiliar city and do whatever calls out to you most<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A treasure trove of fun sounds and an expert collaging of all of them<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A constant casual listen <\/p>\n\n\n\n


<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. The Velvet Underground & Rowan <\/em>– Worldpeace DMT<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/strong>\"\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Probably the most child-like album out of a list chalk-full of child-like albums<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes it borders too much on music you heard only in a Macy\u2019s you\u2019re only in to get to the rest of the mall but DMT\u2019s incredible collection of over-the-top videogame effects and toddler instruments puts it into a league of its own. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With its mix of overjoyed and sometimes frowny songs it could soundtrack a Yo Gabba Gabba spinoff made exclusively for white people. 

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Cutting the Stone <\/em>\u2013 Safe Mind (Cooper B. Handy, Augustus Miller)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/strong>\"\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The class clown made an album with only a 90s\/2000s greatest hits sound bank. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The last sentence of the last review goes for this one too<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I still can\u2019t stand Cooper B. Handy so the fact that this album is great all the way through is a miracle. Augustus has him on a leash of convention. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. \u65e0\u5c3d\u7684\u590f\u5929 Eternal Summer – <\/em>the river, orchestration, walkman! <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bittersweet Chinese experimental improvisation desperately trying to hold onto something that\u2019s bound to end. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fighting the urge to go crazy on the playground on the way to work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A puppet procession parading to the tune of conch shells, recorders, and bike horns in a fantasy world where a rat king rules all the land. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meow meow-meow-meow, meow Meow meow-meow-meow  <\/p>\n\n\n\n



10. Ear World <\/em>\u2013 Dorothy Carlos<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/strong>\"\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    True to its title. Trapped in the Dorothy Carlos contraption<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Machines whirr. Humans breathe. Cellos chop. What\u2019s the difference? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    My ears are definitely in a world. It\u2019s kind of a hear it for yourself type deal

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    11. Forever <\/em>\u2013 Bassvictim<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    1. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Electroclash-wanna-be-floor-tom-folk-pop. Don\u2019t ask me what this means, I\u2019m just a lowly messenger for the music criticism machine. Just know that it works. 

      <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      12. Guitar <\/em>\u2013 Mac DeMarco <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \"\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      1. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        I actually really really liked the review I wrote about this so I\u2019m just going to link it here

        https:\/\/www.undertheradarmag.com\/reviews\/guitar_mac_demarco<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        13. Getting Killed <\/em>\u2013 Geese<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

         <\/strong>\"\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \n
        1. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

          You\u2019ve probably either formulated your own opinion on this album or heard enough about it that your head\u2019s ready to explode so I won\u2019t say anything <\/p>\n\n\n\n

          exceptttttt that \u201cIslands of Men\u201d is by far the best track.

          <\/p>\n\n\n\n

          14. I love MUSIC – Mifu<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

           <\/strong>\"\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n
          1. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

            A cat\u2019s brain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Like just look at a cat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            I\u2019m convinced Mifu just hooked up their cat\u2019s brain to a DAW and hit record. 

            <\/p>\n\n\n\n

            15.  lucre <\/em>\u2013 Elias R\u00f8nnenfelt, Dean Blunt <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \"\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              \n
            1. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

              I love Elias, I love Dean, they mixed really well but end up last because no song was exceptional in any way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n



              goodbye love u all \u2764\ufe0f

              <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              There were some good albums this year. Here are blurbs about 15 of them.  Themes include: Playful immaturity Existentialism Whimsy 5 HMs: people \u2013 jackapplepeople  The Smashing Machine \u2013 Nala Sinephro  Runway Cremations \u2013 African American Sound Recordings  Lifetime \u2013 Erika de Casier  Mark William Lewis \u2014 Mark William Lewis 1. Thank You For Almost Everything \u2013 Headache  The end […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1626,"featured_media":7752,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[155],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7723","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-album-reviews"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2026\/01\/chart-2.png?fit=1300%2C1040","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pa7fJU-20z","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7723","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1626"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7723"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7723\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7908,"href":"http:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7723\/revisions\/7908"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7752"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7723"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7723"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7723"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}