As many beauty drops there are in a year, there are probably even more album and single drops. Music is something that we all love listening to in the office, mainly because it helps a slow day go just a little bit faster and it also blocks out all other distractions and helps us to concentrate a little more. This year, there have been quite a lot of anticipated releases with Kendrick Lamar, Higher Brothers, Harry Styles, Ed Sheeran, G-Dragon, Taylor Swift, Coldplay and more that made for a very exciting 2017. We asked around the office to see which albums everyone loved, and we were quite pleasantly surprised by everyone’s choices. It seems like even though the billboard charts are full of new and upcoming artists, most of us still prefer the artists that we grew up with! So scroll down and see which albums we thought were the hottest drops in 2017.
Call Me by Your Name – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by various artists
Based on André Aciman’s novel of the same name, Luca Guagadino’s film chronicles a particular mid-’80s summer in the life of a 17-year-old named Elio, who comes to terms with his sexuality as he slowly falls in love with an older man named Oliver. It’s a splendid yet heart-wrenching film that shadows a confused, clumsy love and longing, and its accompanying soundtrack paints every bit of it perfectly. The album itself is a blend of classical music and ’80s dance jams that celebrates youth, but the 2 new original tracks crafted by Sufjan Stevens really anchored the mood of the whole film. I’ve followed Sufjan’s work closely for years now, and it’s always nice to hear his trademark trembling falsetto, the one that frames every lyric as some kind of delicate, fleeting memory. In ‘Mystery of Love’ and ‘Visions of Gideon’, those familiar whispered vocals and gentle instrumentation truly tugged at my heart strings. I mean, if you’re not a sobbing mess at the end of the film as ‘Visions of Gideon’ plays in the background, then you’re probably dead inside. Also, here’s a treat for all the Sufjan Stevens fans – he’s created a beautiful piano adaptation of ‘Futile Devices’ from his album ’The Age of Adz’, just for Call Me by Your Name. – Jade Yeo, Writer
Humanz by Gorillaz
As far as I’m concerned, most of my favourite artists are dead. I’m not going to mince my words; I think that today’s music is torturous at best, so you can imagine my excitement when Gorillaz announced Humanz, their first studio album since 2010, which was probably the last year when decent songs were produced. Even though the new album is slapped with the label of Contemporary R&B, it can’t really be confined to a single genre. Yes, there is a very strong Hip Hop element in Humanz compared to Gorillaz’s previous works. But lurking in every track is that deep, enigmatic electronic sound the band is so famous for. Coupled with strong political overtones that chronicle today’s divisive political landscape, this album is a joy to listen to from the get go. For single tracks, check out ‘Saturnz Barz’ for a melodic journey through time and space. – Joel Conceicao, Writer
We’ve Done Something Wonderful by Epik High
It was really, really hard to choose one album, with so many other great contenders like Kendrick Lamar’s Damn and Yellow Claw’s Los Amsterdam around, but I ended up choosing Epik High’s latest album. Half the tracks feature guest singers as usual, but that’s only half the reason why I loved this album. The seasoned hip hop trio have managed to outdo themselves yet again with an album that is somewhat more mature, stepping away from the upbeat, pop-ish sound in Shoebox. ‘Love Story’ sees IU lending her vocals to the tune, reminding me of previous hits like ‘Love, Love, Love’ and ‘Fan’, whilst ‘No Thanxx’ is a much more swaggy, funky tune that is not like your usual hip hop on your radio. But the one song that really got me playing it on repeat was ‘Here Come The Regrets’, mainly because the lyrics were in English and I could really connect with them. We’ve Done Something Wonderful is a deeper, darker album, with themes of regret, religiosity and romance that mixes the ‘Epik High’ sound with other styles like trap and hip hop. It’s like something new, yet it still retains their own signature touch – they never fail to let me down! – Michelle Ng, Writer
Lust For Life by Lana Del Rey
You know that bittersweet feeling you get when an artist you’ve been listening to for years slowly enters the mainstream sound wave and suddenly everyone’s their biggest fan? This album gave me just that. That said, I’ve always loved Lana Del Rey’s somber, nostalgic approach to writing and singing; it’s like she time-travelled from the 70’s and is searching for her lost lover along the red-light districts of Los Angeles (which explains her apparent daddy issues). In Lust for Life she’s departed into an airy happiness, but with Lana’s melodic perfection she intertwines happiness and sadness, which I assume is we’d define our emotions most of the time — mixed and confusing? – Marcus Lee, Editorial Assistant
Dua Lipa by Dua Lipa
Absolutely adore this album, and I usually play this every morning while travelling. Much of the album’s magic boils down to one element: Lipa’s golden voice. It could make the thickest synths seem tame in comparison and carries a 20-a-day raspiness capable of making heartfelt ballads sound edgy. And it’s impressive to hear how confidently the debut holds itself together, flitting between styles but always shining a spotlight on a legitimate pop sensation. She’s the real deal. – Vidhya Sai, Editorial Assistant
Synthesis by Evanescence
As someone who enjoys dramatic, orchestral soundtracks, you can imagine the eargasm I had when I found that Evanescence had rearranged some of their nostalgic hits like Lithium, Lacrymosa, and, of course, Bring Me To Life into dramatic, symphonic tracks (with minimal synthesisers, despite the title of the album), discarding their signature, heavy rock sound. The new arrangement seemed to amplify Amy Lee’s deep, soprano vocals, making each song – fan favourite My Immortal in particular – more haunting and dynamic than it ever was. Trust me when I say that you don’t need to unleash your inner angsty, emo teen in order to enjoy the impact of this album. As their listeners grew up, their music matured too – and it couldn’t be better. – Patrene Mathieu, Designer
After Laughter by Paramore
I became an instant Paramore fan as soon as I heard Hayley Williams’ powerful vocals for the first time when I was 14. Paramore can do no wrong really, and there is not one song from Paramore that I did not enjoy! Their last album released was in 2013, and when they were dropping hints that there was going to be a new album this year, I constantly stalked their Twitter account cos there’s no way I was going to miss out on being one of the firsts to listen to their latest release. When I heard ‘Hard Times’, their first single off the fifth album, I was pleasantly surprised by the very pop and “sunshine bright” sound instead of the usual heavier pop punk / pop rock sound I’m used to. The band really embraced the pop musical vibe this time and from the cheery tunes of most tracks, I can tell that they’ve had fun working on the record. But don’t be fooled though, despite the happy tunes, the lyrics are deep and touch on themes like masking misery, spiralling depression and the anxiety of aging, and I appreciate the balance a lot. Overall a refreshing, vibrant and enjoyable record from the band, therefore easily making it my pick for best album of 2017. – Nurasyiqin Sedik, Media Executive
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