December 29, 2016 FACT Contributors Choose Their Favorite Albums And Tracks Of 2016
As the new year approaches, list season finally tapers f.
But we’ve got one more special selection for you before we wave goodbye to 2016. For your digging pleasure, FACT staff and contributors have compiled their personal favorite albums, tracks, sets and, um, pro wrestling matches from the worst year ever.
Don’t miss the rest FACT’s end—year lists, from the best albums to the most outrageous news stories to the greatest UK rap and grime tracks.
John Twells
Albums
1. Kamaiyah – A Good Night in the Ghetto (Self-released)
2. Equiknoxx – Bird Sound Power (DDS)
3. The Outfit, TX – Green Lights (Everythang Goin) (Self-released)
4. Lorenzo Senni – Persona (Warp)
5. Jenny Hval – Blood Bitch (Sacred Bones)
6. Solange – A Seat At the Table (Saint Records)
7. Nef the Pharaoh – Neffy Got Wings (Self-released)
8. Demdike Stare – Wonderland (Modern Love)
9. Young Dolph – King Memphis (Self-released)
10. Fis – From Patterns to Details (Subtext)
11. Will Long – Long Trax (Comatonse)
12. Peder Mannerfelt – Controlling Body (Peder Mannerfelt Produktion)
13. Mozzy – Mandatory Check (Self-released)
14. Pangaea – In Drum Play (Hessle Audio)
15. Steve Hauschildt – Strands (Kranky)
16. Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition (Warp)
17. Kodak Black – Little B.I.G. Pac (Self-released)
18. Cousin Stizz – MONDA (Self-released)
19. Autechre – elseq 1-5 (Warp)
20. Tinashe – Nightride (Self-released)
21. Payroll Giovanni & Cardo – Big Bossin Vol.1 (Self-released)
22. Mitski – Puberty 2 (Dead Oceans)
23. Botany – Deepak Verbera (Western Vinyl)
24. A Tribe Called Quest – We Got It from Here… Thank You 4 Your Service (Epic)
25. Young Thug – JEFFERY (300)
Tracks
1. D∆WN – ‘Honest’ (Fade to Mind)
2. Rihanna – ‘Work’ (Roc Nation)
3. Popcaan – ‘Ova Dweet’ (Notnice)
4. Lil Uzi Vert – ‘Money Longer’
5. Fox – ‘Big Man Ting’ (Swing Ting)
6. Young Dolph – ‘Fuck It’ (Self-released)
7. DJ Q – ‘Sonic’ (Local Action)
8. Young Thug – ‘Pick Up The Phone’ (ft. Travis Scott & Quavo) (300)
9. Migos – ‘Bad & Boujee’ (ft. Lil Uzi Vert) (Self-released)
10. Tory Lanez – ‘Luv’ (Interscope)
11. Starlito & Don Trip – ‘Real Friends’ (Self-released)
12. Kevin Gates – ‘2 Phones’ (Atlantic)
13. E-40 – ‘Slappin’ (ft. Nef the Pharaoh & D.R.A.M) (Heavy on the Grind)
14. Dave – ‘Wanna Know’ (Self-released)
15. Drake – ‘One Dance’ (ft. Wizkid & Kyla) (OVO Sound)
Chal Ravens
17 brilliant albums that missed FACT’s top 50
¬ b (Lee Bannon) – Reflections 2012-2016 (Self-released)
Africans with Mainframes – K.M.T. (Soul Jazz)
J.G. Biberkopf – Ecologies II: Ecosystems Excess (Knives)
Dreamboat – Dreamboat (MIE Music)
Fox – Music EP (Swing Ting)
Floorplan – Victorious (M-Plant)
Jóhann Jóhannsson – Arrival OST (Deutsche Grammophon)
Kendrick Lamar – untitled unmastered. (TDE)
Klein – Only (Self-released)
Moor Mother – Fetish Bones (Don Giovanni Records)
Mumdance & Logos – Different Circles mix CD (Different Circles)
Nisennenmondai – #N/A (On-U Sound)
Maxwell Sterling – Hollywood Medieval (Memory No. 36 Recordings)
Andy Stott – Too Many Voices (Modern Love)
Various Artists – Cease & Desist DIY! (Cult Classics From The Post-Punk Era 1978-82) (Optimo Music)
Various Artists – Gqom Oh! The Sound Durban Vol. 1 (Gqom Oh)
Leon Vynehall – Rojus (Running Back)
Best live shows and DJ sets
Jeff Mills at Bloc, Minehead
Bodyhammer at Bloc, Minehead
Jlin at Oslo, London
Charlotte Church at Glastonbury Festival
Infrasound at StoreFrontLab, San Francisco
EX EYE at Le Belmont, Montreal
UR presents Depth Charge at Parc Jean-Drapeau, Montreal
Angel Olsen at Koko, London
Áine O’Dwyer at Le Guess Who?, Utrecht
Junun (Jonny Greenwood and Rajasthan Express) at Le Guess Who?, Utrecht
Scott Wilson
10 albums I listened to most in 2016 (from any year)
Carly Rae Jepsen – Emotion
Rihanna – ANTI
Disasterpeace – Hyper Light Drifter OST
Second Woman – Second Woman
Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein – Stranger Things OST
Steve Hauschildt – Strands
Jessy Lanza – Oh No
Maxwell Sterling – Hollywood Medieval
Konx-om-Pax – Caramel
Kenji Kawai – Ghost In The Shell OST
10 great tracks that objectively prove 2016 was the year the IDM revival
Aphex Twin – ‘CIRKLON3 [ Колхозная mix ]’
Autechre – ‘c16 deep tread’
Bjarki – ‘+4531704090 2’
JoeFarr – ‘Am05’
Lanark Artefax – ‘Glass’
Minor Science – ‘Naturally Spineless’
Rian Treanor – ‘Pattern A2’
Second Woman – ‘100407Jd7’
Lee Bannon – ‘3m11-disc 1’
patten – ‘Dialler’
5 video games I loved
The Witness
Dishonored 2
Super Mario Run
Firewatch
Dark Souls III
Claire Lobenfeld
Albums
Abra – Princess
Beyoncé – Lemonade
Blood Orange – Freetown Sound
BOSCO & Speakerfoxx – Girls in the Yard
Cam & China – Cam & China
D∆WN & Kingdom – Infrared
D∆WN – Redemption
Helena Celle – If I Can’t Handle Me At My Best, You Don’t Deserve You At Your Worst
Jenny Hval – Blood Bitch
Kamaiyah – A Good Night in the Ghetto
Kanye West – The Life Pablo
Kelsey Lu – Church
Liana Bank$ – Insubordinate
LSDXOXO – Fuck, Marry, Kill
Mitski – Puberty 2
Mykki Blanco – Mykki
NAO – For All We Know
Negative Gemini – Body Work
NxWorries – Yes, Lawd!
Rihanna – ANTI
serpentwithfeet – blistering
Solange – A Seat at the Table
Tinashe – Nightride
Warpaint – Heads Up
White Lung – Paradise
Tracks
Ariana Grande – ‘Into You’
Ariana Grande Feat. Nicki Minaj – ‘Side to Side’
Bobby Brackins Feat. Ty Dolla $ign – ‘Faithful’
Chloe & Halle, ‘Lazy Love’
Danny L Harle Feat. Caroline Polachek – ‘Ashes Love’
D∆WN – ‘Not Above That’
Drake – ‘One Dance’
Ducky – ‘Work (LSDXOXO Guerra Edit)’
Equiknoxx Feat. Devin Di Dakta – ‘Bubble’
Fat Joe & Remy Ma Feat. French Montana – ‘All the Way Up’
Jidenna – ‘Little Bit More’
K. Michelle – ‘Mindful’
Kali Uchis Feat. Steve Lacy & Vince Staples – ‘Only Girl’
Katy B Feat. Craig David & Major Lazer – ‘Who Am I?’
Kehlani Feat. Little Simz – ‘Table’
Kodie Shane Feat. Lil Yachty – ‘Sad’
Kiiara – ‘Gold’
Kristin Kontrol – ‘X-Communicate’
LSDXOXO – ‘Lady Vengeance’
M.I.A. Feat. Blaqstarr – ‘Go Off’
M.O – ‘Who Do You Think Of?’
Maxwell – ‘Lake By the Ocean’
Pusha T Feat. Jay Z – ‘Drug Dealers Anonymous’
Raven Felix Feat. Snoop Dogg & Nef the Pharaoh – ‘Hit the Gas’
Stalin Majesty Feat. Lord Narf & Archibald Slim – ‘Run It’
Ty Dolla $ign – ‘Zaddy’
Zendaya Feat. Chris Brown – ‘Something New’
Best The LOX album
Filthy America, It’s Beautiful
Miles Bowe
Albums
Jenny Hval – Blood Bitch
Jessy Lanza – Oh No
Lorenzo Senni – Persona
Equiknoxx – Bird Sound Power
Nick Cave – Skeleton Tree
Steve Hauschildt – Strands
Kamaiyah – A Good Night In The Ghetto
A Pregnant Light – Rocky
Helena Celle – If I Can’t Handle Me At My Best You Don’t Deserve You At Your Worst
Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool
Andrew Pekler – Tristes Tropiques
Songs
Jefre Cantu Ledesma – ‘Love’s Refrain’
Huerco S. – ‘Dance Of Fertility’
TALsounds – ‘I Am Why’
Kevin Gates – ‘2 Phones’
MJ Guider – ‘Evencycle’
Pup – ‘DVP’
Black Dice – ‘Big Deal’
Kanye West – ‘Real Friends’
Frank Ocean – ‘Ivy’
Danny Brown – ‘Really Doe’ (Feat. Ab-Soul, Kendrick Lamar, Earl Sweatshirt)
Album the Life:
01. Vantage – DAT BOI
10 Albums to help me recover from year-end list-writing
Kate Bush – The Dreaming
Cocteau Twins – Treasure
Destroyer – Kaputt
Alex Zhang Hungtai – Knave Of Hearts
Scissor Lock – Churn
Andrew Pekler – Sentimental Favourites
Theo Burt – Gloss
Natural Snow Buildings – The Dance Of The Moon & The Sun
Merzbow – Dust Of Dreams
James Ferraro – Marble Surf
April Clare Welsh
Albums
Drugdealer – The End Comedy (Weird World/Domino)
Jackie Lynn – Jackie Lynn (Thrill Jockey)
Kamaiyah – A Good Night In The Ghetto (self-released)
Kelsey Lu – Church EP (True Panther Sounds)
Noura Mint Seymali – Arbina (Glitterbeat Records)
TALsounds – Lifter + Lighter (Hausu Mountain)
Asiq Nargile – Yurt Yeri (Cafe Oto’s Otoroku label)
Mitski – Puberty 2 (Dead Oceans)
Bruxa Maria – Human Condition (Extreme Ultimate)
Jenny Hval – Blood Bitch (Sacred Bones)
YG – Still Brazy (Def Jam)
Various Artists – This is Kologo Power! (Sahel Sounds)
Pangaea – In Drum Play (Hessle Audio)
Anxiety – Anxiety MLP (La Vida Us En Mus)
Yishak Banshaw – Love Songs Vol. 2 (Teranga Beat)
Jessy Lanza – Oh No (Hyperdub)
Various Artists – So Low (The Vinyl Factory)
Marie Davidson – Adieux Au Dancefloor (Cititrax)
The Caretaker – Everywhere At The End Of Time (History Always Favours the Winners)
Ghold – Pyr (Ritual Productions)
Live shows
Radiohead at NOS Alive, Lisbon, Portugal, July 8
Bombino at The Forge, London, June 14
Ata Kak at Moth Club, London, June 10
Death at Moth Club, London, October 2
John Carpenter at The Troxy, London, November 1
Angel Olsen at Koko, London, October 17
Kelsey Lu at Dover Street Market, London, October 6
JK Flesh at Supernormal Festival, Oxford, August 6
Martin Rev at Cafe Oto, London, December 3
Anxiety at DIY Space, London, November 3
Worst comebacks 2016
Dodgy
Busted
Robbie Williams
Rick Astley
The Jesus and Mary Chain
Tayyab Amin
Records
Ramriddlz – Venis
Chance the Rapper – Coloring Book
Kanye West – The Life Pablo
Willow – Workshop 23
James Blake – The Colour in Anything
Rihanna – ANTI
Valerio Tricoli – Clonic Earth
Floorplan – Victorious
Solange – A Seat at the Table
James Ferraro – Human Story 3
Tracks
Rae Sremmurd – ‘Black Beatles’
Lexxi – ‘Red Eyez’
Zomby x Darkstar – ‘Quandary’
Jessy Lanza – ‘It Means I Love You’
Rostam – ‘Wood’
A.K. Paul – ‘Landcruisin’’
Hamilton Leithauser x Rostam – ‘A 1000 Times’
Bok Bok x Sweyn Jupiter x Flirta D – ‘Unlimited’
Skepta x Novelist – ‘Lyrics’
D.R.A.M. x Lil Yachty – ‘Broccoli’
Abra – ‘Crybaby’
Samrai x Platt x Kemikal – ‘Tease Me’
Omar S x John FM – ‘Heard Chew Single’
Aminé – ‘Caroline’
Desiigner – ‘Timmy Turner Freestyle’
Live and DJ sets
Sote at Unsound Kraków 2016
Rabih Beaini Plays Vincent Moon at Unsound Kraków 2016
Guttersnipe at Wharf Chambers, Leeds, May 29
Senyawa at Unsound Kraków 2016
Hipsters Don’t Dance at HiFi Club, Leeds, April 28
Kablam at Unsound Kraków 2016
Mitski at Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, October 2
Mumdance at The Old Red Bus Station, Leeds, September 29
Tom Howells
Albums
IX Tab & Hous – The Blow Volume 1 (Front & Follow)
Mukqs – Walkthrough (Hausu Mountain)
Hieroglyphic Being – The Disco’s Imhotep (Ninja Tune)
Dan Wilson – Radionics Radio: An Album Musical Radionic Thought Frequencies (Sub Rosa)
Good Willsmith – Things Our Bodies Used To Have (Umor Rex)
Cold Pumas – The Hanging Valley (Faux Discx)
Steve Hauschildt – Strands (Kranky)
Michael Tanner – Suite for Psaltery and Dulcimer (Kit)
TALsounds – Lifter and Higher (Hausu Mountain)
Mamiffer – The World Unseen (SIGE)
Matmos – Ultimate Care II (Thrill Jockey)
Tracks:
Rom – ‘Gonzo’ (Hausu Mountain)
Grumbling Fur – ‘Strange the Friends’ (Thrill Jockey)
MJ Guider – ‘Triple Black’ (Kranky)
Biosphere – ‘Well and Purpose’ (Smalltown Supersound)
Cloud Becomes Your Hand – ‘Bridge Ignorance Returns’ (Northern Spy)
Howlround – ‘Amboy 1–6’ (Front & Follow)
Wode – ‘Trails Smoke’ (Broken Limbs/Sell Your Soul)
Juliana Barwick – ‘Nebula’ (Dead Oceans)
Mamiffer – ‘Mara’ (SIGE)
Laura Cannell – ‘The Happiness Both Worldes Pt. 1’ (Brawl)
Haley Potiker
Albums
Rihanna – ANTI
Kanye West – The Life Pablo
YG – Still Brazy
Solange – A Seat At The Table
Young Thug – No, My Name Is Jeffery
Beyoncé – Lemonade
Dreezy – No Hard Feelings
Blood Orange – Freetown Sound
2 Chainz & Lil Wayne – Collegrove
Cam & China – Cam & China
Tracks
Young Thug & Travis Scott ft. Quavo – ‘Pick Up the Phone’
Rae Sremmurd – ‘Black Beatles’
Ariana Grande – ‘Be Alright’
Freddie Gibbs – ‘Cocaine Parties in LA’
French Montana Feat. Kodak Black – ‘Lockjaw’
Most iconic Kim K look
Chris Kelly
Albums
Chance the Rapper – Coloring Book
Beyoncé – Lemonade
Mitski – Puberty 2
Solange – A Seat at the Table
Jamila Woods – HEAVN
Kamaiyah – A Good Night in the Ghetto
Kodak Black – Lil B.I.G. Pac
Margo Price – Midwest Farmer’s Daughter
D∆WN – Redemption
JoJo – Mad Love
Tracks
Beyonce – ‘Formation’
Fifth Harmony Feat. Ty Dolla $ign – ‘Work From Home’
NAO – ‘Girlfriend’
Rihanna Feat. Drake – ‘Work (Murlo Remix)’
Kali Uchis Feat. Steve Lacy & Vince Staples – ‘Only Girl’
Japanese Breakfast – ‘In Heaven’
Joey Purp Feat. Chance the Rapper- ‘Girls @’
Abra – ‘Crybaby’
D.R.A.M. – ‘Cash Machine’
Kanye West Feat. The Weeknd – ‘FML’
Pro wrestling moments
1. Shinsuke Nakamura vs AJ Styles before signing with WWE
2. The broken brilliance Matt Hardy
3. Cedric Alexander vs Kota Ibushi on TV (and vs Shane Strickland in a JCC 2 days later)
4. The worked-shoot brilliance Talking Smack
5. DIY vs the Revival I & II
6. The Sasha Banks vs Charlotte Flair saga (in progress)
7. Enzo Amore freestyling his promos
8. Sexy Star and Mariposa say “No Mas”
9. Will Ospreay, Ricochet and Matt Sydal vs Adam Coles and the Young Bucks
10. Everything Chris Jericho did in 2016
Laurent Fintoni
11 is an awkward number, 2016 was an awkward year
Anderson .Paak – Malibu
Moodymann – DJ-Kicks
Terrace Martin – Velvet Portraits
J Dilla – The Diary
Oddisee – Alwasta
Trim – 1-800-Dinosaur Present: Trim
Jay Daniel – Broken Knowz
Common – Black America Again
Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition
Jonwayne – Wonka
Om Unit Feat. Krust – Underground Cinema
Son Raw
Albums
Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition
Equiknoxx – Bird Sound Power
Trim – 1-800-Dinosaur Present Trim
Tinashe – Nightride
YG – Still Brazy
Isaiah Rashad – The Sun’s Tirade
Mumdance & Logos – Different Circles
Rae Sremmurd – SremmLife 2
Ka – Honor Killed the Samurai
Kaytranada – 99.9%
A Tribe Called Quest – We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service
Vybz Kartel – King Dancehall
Rihanna – ANTI
Kanye West – The Life Pablo
Skepta – Konnichiwa
Yamaneko – Project Nautilus
Denzel Curry – Imperial
Kahn & Neek – Fabriclive 90
Zomby – Ultra
J-Zone – Fish n Grits
Schoolboy Q – Blank Face
BadBadNotGood – IV
Young Thug – No, My Name is Jeffery
Anderson .Paak – Malibu
21 Savage – Savage Mode
Tracks
Sir Spyro – ‘Topper Top’
Rae Sremmurd feat. Gucci Mane – ‘Black Beatles’
YG feat. Nipsey Hussle – ‘FDT’
Kanye West feat. Kendrick Lamar – ‘No More Parties in LA’
Konshens – ‘Bruk Off’
Drake – ‘One Dance’
Danny Brown – ‘When It Rain’
Trends & Boylan – ‘Norman Bates’
Rihanna Feat. Drake – ‘Work’
DBM – ‘Squeeze’
Capo Lee – ‘Liff’
Alkaline – Block & Delete’
Slackk – ‘Hundred Flute’
Vince Staples – ‘Smile’
Future feat. The Weeknd – ‘Low Life’
Anderson .Paak – ‘Heart Don’t Stand a Chance’
Vybz Kartel – ‘Fever’
Last Japan feat. AJ Tracey – ‘Ascend’
The Bug feat. Riko – ‘Iceman’
Young M.A – ‘OOOUUU’
Jammz – ’10 Missed Calls’
Yaroze Dream Suite – ‘In the Moonlight’
Denzel Curry – ‘ULT’
Beyoncé – ‘Daddy Lessons’
Zomby & Burial – ‘Sweetz’
Things that need to change in 2017
Ratio dancehall to “tropical house” coverage in mainstream publications
The severe Roc Marciano album drought going on year four
The lip service approach to protecting clubbing spaces
Billionaire superstars being the only ones who can afford sample clearance
Pretty much everything else about 2016
Daniel Montesinos-Donaghy
10 great albums you may have missed but should totally catch up on
Xenia Rubinos – Black Terry Cat
Phonte and Eric Roberson – Tigallerro
Takuya Kiroda – Zigzagger
Pears – Green Star
Ka – Honor Kills the Samurai
Yussef Kamaal – Black Focus
Homeboy Sandman – Kindness for Weakness
Swet Shop Boys – Cashmere
Audio Push – 90151
Black Milk and Nat Turner – The Rebellion Sessions
20 great songs you may have missed but should definitely listen to
Kvelertak – ‘1985’
Adult Jazz – ‘Eggshell’
Cryface Jordan – ‘Ransom’
Your Old Droog – ’40 Deuce’
Jesse Boykins III Feat. Melanie Fiona & Trinidad James – ‘LARain’
Kadiata – ‘Onda’
Reniss – ‘Dashiki’
Céu – ‘Arrastar-te-ei’
Dayme Arocena – ‘El 456’
J Balvin – ‘Veneno’
Corinne Bailey Rae – ‘Horse Print Dress’
Masego – ‘Send Yo’ Rita!’
Tweet – ‘Neva Shoulda Left Ya’
John Roberts – ‘Six’
NCT U – ‘The 7th Sense’
Wiz Khalifa – ‘Call Waiting’
Joey B – ‘U x Me’
BOSCO and Speakerfoxxx – ‘Acting Up’
Jay Park Feat. Hoody & Loco – ‘All I Wanna Do’
The Team -‘Can I’
10 pro wrestling matches that you should definitely watch
Kazuchika Okada vs Hiroshi Tanahashi NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 10
Shinsuke Nakamura vs Sami Zayn NXT Takeover Dallas
Kazuchika Okada v Tetsuya Naito NJPW Invasion Attack
#DIY vs The Revival NXT Takeover Toronto
Kazuchika Okada v Hiroshi Tanahashi NJPW G1 Climax Night 17
Katsuyori Shibata v Chris Hero Revolution Pro High Stakes
Kenny Omega v Hirooki Goto NJPW G1 Climax Final
Sami Zayn v Kevin Owens WWE Battleground
Kenny Omega v Tetsuya Naito NJPW G1 Climax Night 18
Will Ospreay v Ricochet NJPW Best OF The Super Juniors Night 6
Mikey IQ Jones
Albums
Shintaro Sakamoto – Love If Possible (Zelone)
Videotapemusic – Nights Of The World (Kakubarhythm)
David Bowie – Blackstar (ISO/Columbia)
Jenny Hval – Blood Bitch (Sacred Bones)
Dil Withers – Studies (GrandGarden)
Luisa Maita – Fio da Memória (Cumbancha)
Charles Barabé – Cicatrices (Never Anything)
Seekersinternational – LoversDedicationStation (Bokeh Versions)
Beipana – Lost In Pacific (Tiny Wave)
Yves Tumor – Serpent Music (PAN)
Dawn Richard – Redemption (Local Action)
Stuts – Pushin’ (Space Shower Music)
Eugene Tambourine – North Satellite EP (Tummy Touch)
Tracks
Paul Atreides – ‘Arrakis Walk’ (Going Home)
A Tribe Called Quest – ‘The Space Program’ (Epic)
Frank Ocean – ‘Pink + White’ (Boys Don’t Cry)
Videotapemusic ‘Sultry Night Slow’ (Kakubarhythm)
Fred Pallem & Le Sacre Du Tympan – ‘Et Si On Invitait James Dean?’ (Train Fantôme)
Syunsuke Ono – ‘Disco Is’ (Zelone)
Andy Stott – ‘New Romantic’ (Modern Love)
Radiohead – ‘Burn The Witch’ (XL)
Dom McLennon feat. Chad Browne-Springer – ‘Mentality’ (Self-Released)
Micachu + Tirzah – ‘I Dare You’ (DDS)
Alain Chamfort – ‘Paradis (Paradis Reprise)’ (PIAS)
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