Feature / Music / Year End 2016
Pass The Mic: Artists on 2016

December 30, 2016

Pass The Mic: Artists on 2016
Pass The Mic: Artists on 2016

EORÐESLAJYR

1. What are your top five albums that were released in 2016? (In order 1-5)

  1. David Bowie - Blackstar
  2. The Drones - Feelin’ Kinda Free
  3. Psalm Zero - Stranger To Violence
  4. Gnaw Their Tongues - Hymns for The Broken, Swollen and Silent
  5. Jenny Hval - Blood Bitch

2. What band did you discover in 2016 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?

My pick for this would have to be an Irish solo artist called Wastefellow (His name comes from the hilarious Vennu Mallesh song It’s My Life Whatever I Wanna Do). He basically combines skittish beats and samples with ethereal vocals, taking a fragmented approach to songwriting that’s really tasteful and hypnotic. He occasionally plays with a live drummer and wears an iridescent mask made of plexiglass (I think) that makes for a really intense performance.

3. How will you remember 2016? (In terms of music)

It’s morbid, but kind of hard to deny that the biggest impact on music this year is probably just the sheer amount of iconic figures that were lost. David Bowie’s album Blackstar is our favorite of the year, and his dead was seismic in the impact it had on us and seemingly everyone; but it was also incredible how he went out on such an artistic high note, with an amazing album and a successful musical based on his songwriting. Prince’s death was also huge and so unexpected, and recently Leonard Cohen. Phife Dawg as well was a sad one, especially as it came just at the moment that A Tribe Called Quest were working on their comeback. 2016 was a tough one to swallow, and it seems like everyone feels that way.

4. What can we look forward to from you in 2017?

We’re currently putting the finishing touches on a short EP, and have begun work on our next album. Similar to HÄXAN, our new album will also be an unofficial soundtrack to a cult movie, but we aren’t ready to say which one just yet.

5. What records are you looking forward to most in 2017?

You know, I’m not really sure, usually I don’t hear about the albums I want until they drop or a video gets released for it. Every year The Body release something really amazing and unique so I’d be excited for anything they do. I remember reading that they were planning on doing a collaboration with The Bug and that’s something I would love to hear, preferably on the loudest speakers possible.

6. What would you like to see more of when it comes to music coverage websites (such as ours)?

I think we all appreciate interviews and detailed reviews, anything that gives us a new/different perspective on music that we like or might like.

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— words by the SPB team • December 30, 2016

Main photo by Daniel Gable.

Pass The Mic: Artists on 2016
Pass The Mic: Artists on 2016

Pages in this feature

  1. Opening page
  2. André Foisy (Locrian)
  3. Bobby Hussy (The Hussy/Fire Retarded/Cave Curse/Kind Turkey Records)
  4. Dead Bars
  5. EORÐESLAJYR
  6. Frank Turner
  7. J. Wang (Shallow Cuts/Chagrin/Fast Crowd Records)
  8. Justin Pearson (Retox/Head Wound City/Dead Cross/Three One G)
  9. Kid Tsunami
  10. Mark Glick (AJJ)
  11. Matt Scifres (Not Half Bad)
  12. Nathan Martin (HANNAHBAND)
  13. Real Numbers
  14. Seth Gile (Arms Aloft)
  15. Shane Handal (Set and Setting)
  16. Stephen Brodsky (Mutoid Man/Cave In)

Series: Year End 2016

Our annual round-up of the best music of the year 2016.

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