MUSIC

Albums That Made You Want to Join a Cult in 2019

From the self-care cult of Lizzo to Lingua Ignota's cult of vengeful women.

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

2019 saw a lot of fabulous releases, but which ones will stand the test of time?

While some albums are critically acclaimed but then rapidly fade into obscurity, others are so good that they could easily inspire cults. The albums on this list may not have been the year's most highly acclaimed, but they are the most likely to inspire (if they haven't already) massive cultural shifts and changes that will persist long into the 1920s.

1. Lingua Ignota — Caligula

Lingua Ignota's raging, heavy, monstrous Caligula mixes harsh noise with effects and lyrics that blend liturgical services with murderous impulses. It's a howl of rage that damns all abusers to eternal hell and suffering; and, at a time when women are getting tired of the inaction that accompanied #MeToo, Caligula could easily inspire a cult of women to take to the streets and take back what was taken from them.

LINGUA IGNOTA - DO YOU DOUBT ME TRAITOR (official audio)www.youtube.com

2. Lizzo — Cuz I Love You

The cult of Lizzo is already in full swing, and it looks like it's only going to continue to grow. Lizzo already has tremendous sway, and her lyrics are ubiquitous in Instagram captions and in politicians' Twitter feeds. As many of us resolve to get over self-hate and turn over a new leaf in 2020, Lizzo will certainly only gain notoriety and acclaim. It's easy to imagine a massive group of Twerking, face mask-using, body-positive Lizzo fans and imitators snapping selfies, going viral, and starting the defining cult of the next decade.

Lizzo - Cuz I Love You (Official Video)www.youtube.com

3. 100 gecs — 1000 gecs

100 gecs didn't mean for their album to go viral, but their absurd, chaotic collection of angsty electronica has sparked a revival movement for ex-scene kids who moved out of their small towns into big cities and immediately gravitated to the local noise venue. Like the best memes, the duo's meme-inspired album toes the line between hyper-seriousness and total parody, and ultimately it hits the perfect level of absurdity for what's going to be a very chaotic decade.

100 gecs - money machine (Official Music Video)www.youtube.com

4. Tyler, the Creator — Igor

The Igor wigs were one of this Halloween's most popular costumes, and it's likely that Tyler, the Creator and his Igor alter-ego aren't going away anytime soon. Tyler, the Creator was already powerful enough to inspire Frank Ocean to start his music career, and Igor was a master-class in the art of transformation—and really, who wouldn't follow him to the edges of the Earth?

IGOR'S THEMEwww.youtube.com

5. BTS — Map of the Soul, Persona

The BTS ARMY is already a kind of cult, and the group's powers are continuing to escalate. They're even going to ring in 2020 as special guests on New Years' Rockin' Eve in Times Square. If BTS asked their fans to do anything or cancel anyone, there's no real doubt of what would result, and in the 2020s as algorithms become the center of warfare, the ability to instantly get something trending is a unique and formidable superpower.

BTS (방탄소년단) 'DNA' Official MVwww.youtube.com

6. Kanye West — Jesus Is King

This one is contestable, because cult experts have reviewed Kanye West's Sunday Services movement and have determined that it doesn't really have the signs of an actual cult. It's just really, really born-again Christian. Whether you think Christianity itself is a cult is another discussion (but also, it is).

Kanye West - Jesus is King - Sunday Service Experience (The Forum - 11.03.19)www.youtube.com

7. Better Oblivion Community Center — Better Oblivion Community Center

Earlier this year, Phoebe Bridgers (emo-folk queen of the late 2010s) and Conor Oberst (emo-folk king of the 2000s) came together to create a cult-inspired emo-folk band about apathy, drunk nights out, and togetherness. They're definitely trying to recruit you, though it's not clear if BOCC practices any specific ideology or if they're just real sad about everything but still excited to hang out.

Better Oblivion Community Center - Dylan Thomaswww.youtube.com

What artists or albums would you follow all the way to Jonestown?

MUSIC

Six New Songs You Should Hear This Week: Musical Mixology

This week's best tracks include new songs from Lizzo, Aisha Badru, Johnyswim, and more.

This week's best new releases combine disparate genres and unexpected sounds to create listening experiences that are alternatively climactic, relaxing, and transportive.

Whether you're seeking a soundtrack for your trip to the beach, a venture out on the town, your next car chase, or a night lounging around in your lingerie, there's something here for you.

1. Saxsyndrum: Up To You

The Canadian trio Saxsyndrum just released their sophomore album, Second Nature, and it's an expansive fusion of dream-pop and luxurious saxophone. Having cut their teeth in the Montreal underground scene, they're ascending to the mainstream with their unique blend of danceable beats, ethereal synthesis, and raw instrumental talent, which all come together to form something both accessible and complex. The album's first track, "Up To You," is a carefully crafted bath of catchy beats, flawless production, and folky vocal lines. All in all, it's a treat for the ears, a swirl of saxophone and rhythmic bass that balances out to create a track that's calming and energizing at the same time.


2. IYVES: Gold

Iyves returned this Friday with a new single, "Gold," a seductive, cinematic track that feels appropriate for a striptease, a James Bond-esque car-chase, or a montage of both. The singer's flawless vocals take center stage, flanked by elegant production and an extravagant chorus backed by a wall of thunderous, gritty basslines. Ultimately, it's a dramatic tribute to opulence and excess, packaged into a gleaming track that seems made for the climax of the next blockbuster.

3. Crimson Apple: Somebody

Hawaii-born, LA-based up-and-comers Crimson Apple just dropped a new single and video, "Somebody." It's a crystalline alt-pop earworm that takes notes from singers like Broods and MARINA, combining alternative edginess with the refined, polished pop sensibilities of LA's top producers. It's a tribute to all-encompassing love that combines the anthemic ecstasy of a hit song with the darkness of edgier influences, which come together to form something as inviting as a path of tall grasses leading towards the ocean.

CRIMSON APPLE - Somebodywww.youtube.com

4. Aisha Badru: Enough

Aisha Badru has steadily been crafting some of the best dream folk out there, and her acoustic rendition of "Enough" continues this tradition. Like most of her songs, it manages to be a complex bundle of emotions that doesn't shy away from the truth, but maintains a sense of hope and faith in something greater than the self. "We're made to rise above," she sings. "Don't be afraid to love." In another artist's hands these lyrics could sound trite, but Badru's mix of lamentation and quiet optimism manages to be believable and uplifting without veering into the territory of disingenuity. "Maybe loneliness brings us closer to ourselves," she muses. Starting from quiet introspectiveness, the song builds up to a luminous chorus; and combined with her soft, lush vocals, it's an easy-listening piece of sonic magic.

Aisha Badru - Enough (Acoustic)youtu.be

5. Johnnyswim: Souvenir

On "Souvenir," the husband-and-wife duo mix genres into a balanced confection of alternative rock, pop, and folk, forming a buoyant medley of voices and sounds that's beachy and melancholic at the same time. This song, off their LP Moonlight, has the makings of a sleeper hit; quietly optimistic, light and unassuming but with enough drive to dance along to, it's a collage of instruments and textures that fits together like a puzzle. It helps that Amanda Sudano's voice sounds uncannily similar to Kimbra's, and combined with its bouncy synth motif, the duet evokes memories of "Somebody That I Used to Know," but with more ambient, atmospheric leanings.

Moonlight - Souvenir (Official Stream)www.youtube.com

6. Lizzo: Lingerie

No list of the best new songs out this week would be complete without the gift of Lizzo's new album, Cuz I Love You. Mostly a collection of uncontainably joyful, electric hip hop, the final track, "Lingerie," has more of a laid-back, classic R&B feel, with Lizzo's incredible vocals soaring above a punchy guitar line. Beginning quietly, it quickly becomes a hybrid of soul, alternative, and pop; and when it all comes together, the whole thing kind of feels like lying down to paint your nails cherry red after you've cleaned your whole place, completed your self-care routine, and lit incense. The bittersweet chorus, with its growling guitars and dreamy violins, evokes the vague romance of a 50's standard, but the verses showcase Lizzo's mastery of hyper-modern rhythms. She's a master at conjuring sensation and evoking emotions through her tunes, and this one is no exception.

Lizzo - Lingerie (Official Audio)www.youtube.com


Eden Arielle Gordon is a writer and musician from New York City. Follow me on Twitter @edenarielmusic.


POP⚡DUST | Read More...

Lana Del Rey, Billie Eilish, and the Sexist Backlash Against Female Sadness

Kodak Black Arrested at U.S. Border on Weapons, Drug Charges

Lizzo Releases New "Juice" Video Featuring "RuPaul's Drag Race" Queens