Futuremag Music's Top 20 (2018 Edition)
2018 has been a monumental year of releases! We've selected some of our favourites for you to dig into over the forthcoming holiday break! These 20 tracks are some of the best releases that we’ve covered this year! What are your top picks?
PNK FME - Dark Demons
PNK FME harmoniously melds the ethereal divinity of his production to the heartache driven topline with expertise and prowess. This showcases the young musician's mature and developed mindset, as a producer and lyricist.
Alison Wonderland x SLUMBERJACK - Sometimes Love
Awake is the cinematic sophomore dance album from Alison Wonderland. ‘Sometimes Love’ is the album’s biggest scene-stealer; a track that builds upon restraint, filling the three-and-a-half-minute track with nothing but amped up energy.
GRAACE - SOS
Throughout ‘SOS’ emotion lingers, penetrating deep into the soul, sparking pensiveness reflection. At 21, GRAACE’s musical maturity exceeds her years, and ‘SOS’ is a testament to her depth, and astute commentary of the human condition.
Poppy & Grimes - Play Destroy
Two of the quirkiest artists around, Poppy and Grimes have released ‘Play Destroy’. ‘Play Destroy’ sounds half like a Hasbro toy advert and partly like a gritty Chelsea Wolfe single, kicking up to 100 immediately.
Azura - Yours
Azura delivers a track that swells with desires, forged through vivid vocals, a prosperous production, and vivacious imagery. 'Yours' morphs spacious synths, rich beats, and overarching angelic aspects into a superb symphony of audio visual pleasure.
LÂLKA - Shut Up
‘Shut Up’ blows me away. It’s beautiful, dark and cryptic; the sort of music I wish I had discovered sooner. Brisbane better watch out because someone has wronged LALKA and now she’s out for blood.
AUSTEN - Too High To Cry
AUSTEN's musical prowess blends anguish with high energy electronic symphonies, forming a rousing hybrid of sounds. AUSTEN is well on her way to transcending the scene, especially with single's like 'Too High To Cry' under her belt.
Johnny Goth - Breathe
In ‘Breathe’, Californian lo-fi producer Johnny Goth distorts his vivid voice. The track transforms the textured lyrics into a raw ensemble, in a gorgeous lo-fi tribute to The Cure’s ‘Pictures of You’.
KULT KYSS - Chi Cup
Eclectic elements whirl throughout the score adding a layer of euphoria. Although 'Chi Cup' brandishes a darker undertone, it still builds upon KULT KYSS' lavish sound set by previous singles.
Essie Holt - Magnetise
‘Magnetise’ is soft, smooth and shines in its own acoustic development. Overall, ‘Magnetise’ has a sharp and concise sound that builds over the track, largely due to the beautiful blending of Essie Holt’s vocals with the powerful production.
Sparrows - Over & Out
Sparrows’ vivid vocals dance delicately through the crisp composition elevating the track to new heights. Every element of ‘Over & Out’ synthesise simultaneously resulting in an elating ensemble.
Thom Yorke - Suspirium
Through the glittery charm that ‘Suspirium’ ordains, Thom Yorke’s voice is strong and present while at the same time seeming to be miles away. As he sings, “All is well, as long as we keep spinning”, it’s easy to feel the vertigo hypnotically set in.
Eluera - Blackout
'Blackout' perfectly harmonises gorgeous guitar with the balanced beats that are at the centre of the single's soaring progression. It's clear that Eluera has a focus on quality with each of 'Blackout's lush lyrics resonating seamlessly with the poignant production.
Sharon Van Etten - Comeback Kid
Fading in with a rich drone and electric sirens, ‘Comeback Kid’ emerges as a sharp and poignant recap of the journey and variety of Sharon Van Etten’s backlog.
Flight Facilities - All Your Love (feat. Dustin Tebbutt)
'All Your Love' gradually ascends into a realm of reflection and buoyant beatitude, as vivid vocals flirt with the invigorating composition. Acoustic elements blend seamlessly with elaborate electronic design. It's clear that each stem, note, and lyric has been purposefully placed, resulting in a perfectly polished production.
Wafia - I’m Good
‘I’m Good’ is empowering on a cinematic scale, which cements Wafia as one of the strongest voices in the Australian music scene.
Øfdream - Perception
Inklings of 'Perception's second segment subtly glimmer before animated arpeggios ascend the soundscape. Øfdream's 'Perception' is awe-inspiring, and a prime example of why you should be paying attention to the wave scene.
Broods - Peach
‘Peach’ flaunts catchy vocal hooks and a sublime sonic aesthetic, delivering one of the most exciting singles of Broods’ career. ‘Peach’ encapsulates a sun-soaked glow, a feeling of tranquillity and warmth, accompanied by glittering vocals.
Kinder - Something More
Succulent synths swiftly sweep, as lavish lyrics and boisterous beats promenade proudly through the charismatic composition. Kinder’s DJ roots are a clear influence to ‘Something More’s’ stirring semblance, with the track being the perfect moral and mood booster.
LOVER - Best Side
‘Best Side’ is packed with indie, bedroom-pop flair, drawing the listener into a gorgeous, lo-fi soundscape. Mixing things up from the R&B of ‘Eagle to the Prey’, the infusion of lo-fi and jazzy hip-hop keeps ‘Best Side’ fresh and interesting.
