Artist Record Label 1 CRANIAL CONTAMINATION “Hive Mind” [Single] RealityFade 2 ABOMINABLE PUTRIDITY “Non Infinite Sequence” [Single] Self-Released 3 STILLBIRTH Revive The Throne Unique Leader 4 INGESTED Where Only Gods May Tread Unique Leader 5 UPON A BURNING BODY Built From War [EP] Seek & Strike 6 CURRENTS The Way It Ends SharpTone 7 MAKE THEM SUFFER How To Survive A Funeral Rise 8 BEFORE I TURN Lovelorn: Moon Self-Released 9 DESPISED ICON Purgatory Nuclear Blast 10 CARNIFEX “Cursed” [Single] Nuclear Blast
Artist Record Label 1 AVALANCHES, THE “Wherever You Go” b/w “Reflecting Light” [Single] Astralwerks 2 CHRISTINE AND THE QUEENS La Vita Nuova [EP] Because/Capitol 3 CARIBOU Suddenly Merge 4 SASSY 009 KILL SASSY 009 Luft 5 KITTY Charm and Mirror [EP] Pretty Wavvy 6 COWGIRL CLUE Icebreaker Vada Vada 7 PARK HYE JIN How Can I [EP] Ninja Tune 8 GRIMES Miss Anthropocene 4AD/Beggars Group 9 BLOOD ORANGE Angel’s Pulse Domino 10 YVES TUMOR Heaven To A Tortured Mind Warp
Artist Record Label 1 JOPIPPINS Digital Native Boring Life, a division of DOTWAV Media 2 LANCEY FOUX “India” [Single] PSYKE 3 LOU PHELPS AND TONY STONE “Cinnamon Toast” [Single] Self-Released 4 SKY D From Insult to Result Self-Released 5 KXG “Tonka” [Single] Self-Released 6 FEMDOT “94 Camry Music” [Single] Self-Released 7 ZACK COKAS “Notorious” [Single] Young Cack 8 NONAME Room 25 Self-Released 9 FRANK OCEAN “In My Room” [Single] Blonded 10 DUCKWRTH “Crush” [Single] Exist
Artist Record Label 1 NYALLAH Reflections [EP] Self-Released 2 ILLUMINATI HOTTIESFREE I.H.: This Is Not The One You’ve Been Waiting For Self-Released 3 JUNIOR MESA “Losing My Grip” b/w “Creep” [Single] Nice Life 4 EVE OWEN Don’t Let The Ink Dry 37d03d 5 EX NORWEGIAN Hue Spotting Beyond Before 6 MELODY Teacher’s Pet [EP] Self-Released 7 LIME CORDIALE 14 Steps To A Better You Chugg/London Cowboys 8 BECCA MANCARI The Greatest Part Captured Tracks 9 IGGY T AND THE CRAZYMAKERS Just Can’t Get Enough Underground Sun 10 CIRCULATORY SYSTEM Circulatory System Elephant 6 11 BABA ALI This House [EP] 30th Century 12 LADY LEGS Off Days Communicating Vessels 13 YUMI ZOUMA Truth Or Consequences Polyvinyl 14 JACK COLWELL SWANDREAM Self-Released 15 ST SOUTH Get Well Soon Nettwerk 16 BUGS Self Help Self-Released 17 EDITH FROST Nothing Comes Around Drag City 18 AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT, THE Hollywood Park Rounder/Concord 19 BRUNO MAJOR To Let A Good Thing Die Harbour 20 DISQ Collector Saddle Creek 21 BINKI “Heybb!” [Single] Fader 22 VLOSSOM My Friend [EP] Etc Etc 23 LOVE FAME TRAGEDY Wherever I Go, I Want To Leave Good Soldier/AWAL 24 CARMANAH “As I See You” [Single] Self-Released 25 SIMEN LYNGROTH Muse Self-Released 26 DENISON WITMER American Foursquare Asthmatic Kitty 27 KHRUANGBIN Mordechai Dead Oceans/Secretly Group 28 SLOW LEAVES Shelf Life Self-Released 29 NICK PIUNTI AND THE COMPLICATED MEN Downtime Jem 30 ALAE “Summer Thing” [Single] Anti Gravity
TOP ADDS 1 DOUBLE GRAVE Goodbye Nowhere! Forged Artifacts 2 BETHS, THE Jump Rope Gazers Carpark 3 FONTAINES DCA Hero’s Death Partisan 4 LOMELDA"Wonder" [Single] Double Double Whammy 5 ILLUMINATI HOTTIESFREE I.H.: This Is Not The One You’ve Been Waiting For Self-Released 6 BECCA MANCARI The Greatest Part Captured Tracks 7 NYALLAH Reflections [EP] Self-Released 8 EX NORWEGIAN Hue Spotting Beyond Before 9 LIME CORDIALE 14 Steps To A Better You Chugg/London Cowboys 10 EVE OWEN Don’t Let The Ink Dry 37d03d
Artist Record Label 1 IN HEARTS WAKE Kaliyuga UNFD 2 FIT FOR A KING “Locked (In My Head)” [Single ]Solid State 3 DISAVOWED Revocation Of The Fallen Brutal Mind 4 UPON A BURNING BODY Built From War [EP] Seek & Strike 5 INGESTED Where Only Gods May Tread Unique Leader 6 WITHIN DESTRUCTION Yōkai Ultra Heavy 7 ACACIA STRAIN, THE Slow Decay Rise 8 DAWN OF ASHES The Antinomian Artoffact 9 BURY TOMORROW Cannibal Sony 10 LAMB OF GOD Lamb Of God Epic
Music billed as “the sound of our particular moment in time” can feel a little gimmicky, but Porridge Radio aren’t chasing trends, trends are catching up to them. The rest of the world is now just as bitter and disillusioned as Porridge Radio, and they have decided that this moment belongs to them alone. Seriously, lead singer Dana Margolin went into a NME interview and said “I’ve always known that we’re the best band on earth.”
If that claim makes them sound a little full of themselves, it’s not entirely unjustified. The album is built off a pretty traditional post punk formula, but it never feels like a throwback. The aggressive dour guitar tones, repetitive song structures, and wounded sarcasm call back to bands like Public Image Ltd, Pere Ube, and, of course, Joy Division. However the sound of the band takes a lot of risks as well, incorporating heavier noise-influenced passages and more memorable melodies.
Another appeal, aside from the overall sound, comes from the vocals. Margolin’s voice could hardly be described as beautiful, but she exudes the kind of self-assured, yet depressive swagger usually only rewarded in male alt-rock stars. Her lyrics repeat often, going into dark spirals, but the sheer intensity of her performances keep the music from getting stale.
The album isn’t a joyous experience, but if you need a intensely cathartic outlet for some negative emotions (And don’t we all right about now?) then I would highly recommend this album.
