2018 was an incredibly busy year for music, and as such, we’ve spent the last few weeks constantly revising, debating, and organizing our year-end lists. We’ve even checked them twice.
This year saw a slew of fresh modern releases that continue post-punk’s ever-evolving story. 2018 also saw the triumphant return of several classic bands, whose latest work is as vital as any of their most classic material. We’d like to thank all the incredible artists who released music this year, especially those who we may have missed.
Without any further ado, here are our top picks for the year:
Alex Baker’s Picks
1. Kælan Mikla – Nótt eftir nótt
2. The Soft Moon – Criminal
3. Holygram – Modern Cults
4. Whispering Sons – Image
5. Zanias – Into the All
6. SRSQ – Unreality
7. Buzz Kull – New Kind of Cross
8. Lebanon Hanover – Let Them Be Alien
9. Creux Lies – The Hearth
10. Adult. – This Behavior
11. Twin Tribes – Shadows
12. Public Memory – Demolition
13. Selofan – Vitrioli
14. Some Ember – Submerging The Sun
15. Actors – It Will Come To You
Very special recognition to:
Them Are Us Too – Amends
Best Gigs
- Wave Gotik Treffen 2018
- Peter Murphy: 40 Years of Bauhaus ft. David J. @ Columbia Theatre, Berlin 11/27
Frank Deserto’s Picks
1. Rendez-Vous – Superior State
2. Gazelle Twin – Pastoral
3. Low – Double Negative
4. SRSQ – Unreality
5. Lycia – In Flickers
6. Public Memory – Demolition
7. Dead Can Dance – Dionysus
8. Zanias – Into the All
9. Silent Servant – Shadows of Death and Desire
10. Kælan Mikla – Nótt eftir nótt
11. Nine Inch Nails – Bad Witch
12. Beak> – >>>
13. Suede – The Blue Hour
14. Shadow Age – Shadow Age
15. Молчат Дома – Этажи
16. Silent Em – Foreign States
17. Essaie Pas – New Path
18. Nostalgist – Disaffection
19. Marissa Nadler – For My Crimes
20. Various Artists – Holodeck Vision One
Extended Plays
1. Inhalt – Commerce
2. HTRK – Drama
3. Kontravoid – Undone
4. Second Still – Equals
5. Sextile – 3
Best Gigs
- Poptone @ Warsaw, Brooklyn 6/28
- Clan of Xymox, Bootblacks @ St. Vitus, Brooklyn 3/26
- Felte Label Showcase @ Pico Union Project, LA 11/16-17
- Nine Inch Nails, Jesus and Mary Chain @ Radio City Music Hall/King’s Theatre, NYC 10/13-14, 10/16-17
- Cindytalk, Das Ding, Eric Random @ Knockdown Center, Queens 5/24
- Fever Ray @ Brooklyn Hangar, Brooklyn 5/13
- Light Asylum @ St. Vitus, Brooklyn 12/20
- Smashing Pumpkins @ Madison Square Garden, NYC 8/1
- Skeletal Family @ Mercury Lounge, NYC 4/14
- Bootblacks, Automelodi @ St. Vitus, Brooklyn 3/9
Andi Harriman’s Picks
1. Buzz Kull – New Kind of Cross
2. Qual – The Ultimate Climax
3. Kontravoid – Undone
4. Fractions – Control
5. Rhys Fulber – Your Dystopia, My Utopia
Best Gigs
- Clan of Xymox @ St. Vitus, Brooklyn 3/26
- Killing Joke @ Irving Plaza, NYC 9/12
- Light Asylum @ Brooklyn Bazaar, Brooklyn 11/30
- Front Line Assembly @ Cold Waves Festival – Gramercy Theatre, NYC 9/15
- The Damned @ Irving Plaza, NYC 11/18
- Boy Harsher @ Cloak & Dagger Fest, LA 11/10
- Screaming Dead, Pawns, Blu Anxxiety @ Brooklyn Bazaar, Brookyn 4/7
- ChameleonsVox @ Wave Gotik Treffen 5/21
- Zanias/Xerox @ Zone One Elsewhere, Brooklyn 6/27
- Hante @ St. Vitus, Brooklyn 8/7
Check out a Spotify playlist of all of our favorites below: