Good Albums #1 : 2014 Releases

I am very passionate about music. I listened to new albums from various genre almost every week and every time i found great releases, my finger itches to immediately write reviews. Good albums is the manifestation of that itch. To make it easy to organize, ill post albums review here

This week, my Winamp playlist is dominated by 2014 recent releases. Lets start with the first one.

Arch Enemy – War Eternal

After almost two decades, legendary Swedish melodic death metal bands Arch Enemy came with new vocalist . Angela Gossow, which personally i think is the deadliest frontwoman in metal, stepped down to become their manager. AE growl department is now held by blue-haired Alissa White Glutz from Canadian-based hardcore metal band The Agonist. Even though it is debut album with new vocalist, War Eternal is solid. Sound and groove wise, this albums is not very different with 2011 Khaos Legions. What makes the difference for me is Alissa’s voice. She has more diverse growl range compared to Angela which makes War Eternal sounds more dynamic from the previous AE releases.

If only Alissa brought clean vocals from her Agonist days, this album would be perfect. Still, War Eternal was crowned by Blabbermouth as the best AE albums in years.

Arch Enemy – War Eternal

Gorgon City – Sirens

Disclosure’s meteoric rise in 2013 paved the way for other UK dance music collective to the billboard mainstream audience. Rudimental, Chase & Status and recently Clean Bandit, all churning albums which was very well received outside the great britain. One which yet to reach mainstream spotlight but recently delivered awesome releases is Gorgon City. Duo producer Kye Gibbon and Matt Robson-Scott released their first studio album Sirens under Black Butter records (which also host Rudimental and Clean Bandit under its roster).

Sirens is the epitome of the english dance music. From garage sounds in Take it all up to dubsteppish ambient in Hard On Me, Gorgon City takes you pub hopping into different sounds of UK underground club. Each tracks features different vocal collaborator such as MNEK, Yasmin and the gorgeous Katy B. Even if you dont have appetite for all things electronic, Sirens is the perfect entree to start your journey into the deep part of house music.

Just like Settle in 2013, Sirens together with Clean Bandit’s debut album New Eyes are the best electronic releases ive listened so far this year.

Gorgon City – Here For You (feat Laura Welsh)

Sia – 1000 Forms of Fear

Sia Furler was featured in several David Guetta’s hits such as Titanium, She Wolf and Bang My Head. She was also chart-topping song writer for house hold name such as Katy Perry, Beyonce and Rihanna. When i first heard Chandelier in the radio,  i mistook her voice with Rihanna. Understandable error considering it was Sia who composed the uber-hits Diamond.

1000 Forms of Fear is a highly nutritious pop albums. Sia unique voice paired with constant dark vibe in majority of the track offer refreshing take on mainstream hits. On the lyrical department, it deals with heavy issues such as depression in Burn The Pages, abusive relationship in Straight For The Knife the emptiness from hedonistic lifestyle in Chandelier. However it is a pop so youll still find anthemic cheesy chorus on tracks like Hostage and Fire Meets Gasoline which kinda remind me of Rihanna’s Love The Way You Lie.

If youre looking for quality pop albums which lyrics wont makes your IQ drop (looking at you Swift and Grande), 100 Forms of Fear is for you.

Sia – Chandelier (Live from Ellen)