TONEwood's Top 10 Albums of 2019

While preparing the write-up for my top 10 albums of 2019, I realised that most of the albums I had listened to only really felt like top 10 material because, as a whole, I haven't felt very strongly about many releases this year.

I had looked forward to the new albums by Tinariwen, The Budos Band, Death Hawks, Lord Gore, Power Glove, Black Mountain, Grand Magus, and more. But they all sounded aggressively "okay" to my ears.

So, rather than doing an elaborate triple-entendre of top 10 metal and top 10 non-metal albums and runner-ups like I normally would, I ended up deciding on a more concise 10 album format with 5 runner-ups.

TONEwood's Top 10 Non-Metal Albums of 2017

They say variety is the spice of life. For years heavy metal has been my go-to music style, and to this day it remains the style that I consume the most of. But even if heavy metal has numerous very different subgenres, there always manages to sneak a bunch of very un-metal albums into my consciousness. These are the Top 10 non-metal albums from 2017 according to the Gospel of TONE.

2016 Top 10 - Part III: The EP Top 5

Arguably I haven't listened to that many EPs in 2016 - And the best ones seem to have been classified as demos, which is another Top List entirely! For a relatively short list there is still something for everyone. A little metal, a little funk, a little something-something. The choices for Top 5 EPs of 2016 are as follows:

The Budos Band: "Budos Band III"

Vast, boundless and brazen, a testament to the sexuality of music

The Budos Band is a Brooklyn gem. Nine members strong, they have through the course of a four album career toured the world and gathered a large cult following. Throughout each record the band, complex as their make up may seem with the throng of musicians taking up the stage, has evolved from an unrefined and budding entity to the full blown phenomenon we see today.

Nite Funk: "Nite-Funk"

Night-time funk for your favourites-list

The heavenly match that the world deserves, Nite Funk is the union of singer/keyboardist Nite Jewel and jack-of-all-trades Dâm-Funk. The Nite-Funk EP cleverly and seamlessly combine elements of retro and modern in a mix that could best be described as half funky retro disco and half post-modern vocal pop.

The Souljazz Orchestra: "Resistance"

Warm tunes from the cold north

Afrobeat, as the style is so affectionately called, has really been gaining speed these last few years. Not only that, but the overall quality of the groups is also at an exceptionally high level. Having released a steady stream of retro keyboards and daring brass since 2005, The Souljazz Orchestra from Canada aren't exactly newcomers to the international afrobeat dancefloor. Their style revels in a luscious spread of genres rooted in jazz, Resistance being their latest majestic offering of engaging rhythms.

Bixiga 70 @ Atlas, Aarhus DK 18.02.2016

Colourful and seductive South American-styled Afrobeat that leaves you powerless to the rhythm

All over the world Brazilian ensemble Bixiga 70, named after the area in São Paulo from which they hail, have been saluted as one of Brazil's finest new bands. Their third album, "III" from 2015, brought them before new audiences, both in new listeners and a worldwide tour now in its conclusive stages ending in Copenhagen, Denmark, the 19th of February before a sold out venue.