As our annual rollout of genre-specific album lists for the Best of the Year — which so far has covered the Top 20 Pop & Rock Albums, Top 10 Soul and R&B Albums, Top 10 Metal and Hardcore Albums, Top 10 Folk and Country Albums, Top 10 Hip-Hop Albums and Top Ten Dance and Electronic Albums of 2017 — comes to an end, we're honouring that lesser-recognized-but-not-lesser release form: the EP.
Shorter but often sweeter and more concise, the extended player stayed relevant in 2017; so relevant, in fact that we couldn't pick just ten. Below, find our picks for the 11 best of the year.
Top 11 EPs of 2017:
11. Mastodon
Cold Dark Place
(Reprise)
After delivering their acclaimed Emperor of Sand at the top of the year, Mastodon unearthed some previously unreleased tracks for Cold Dark Place to show how far their influences actually stretch. Recorded during the sessions for the aforementioned Emperor and 2014's Once More 'Round the Sun, the four-track effort is steeped in the Atlanta outfit's progressive and Southern rock influences, highlighted by Brent Hinds' tasteful pedal steel playing.
Those pining for the band's earlier years can moan about heaviness all they like — it shouldn't matter when the writing and arranging are as good as this.
Calum Slingerland
10. Beta Frontiers
Heights
(Buzz Records)
We're still waiting for a full-length from them, but in the meantime, Beta Frontiers offered us another excellent extended player in 2017; Heights might even be their best work yet.
Throughout these five songs, the Toronto artist deftly mixes the past and present, evoking Ratatat on hard-hitting opener "Rangor" and previewing pop's future on the soft-hued, Laura Hermiston-aided "Stars Align." The centrepiece, though, is "If I Stayed," Beta Frontiers' yearning second collaboration with DIANA's Carmen Elle. If they keep making EPs like this, maybe we don't need a full-length after all.
Stephen Carlick
9. Nicola Cruz
Cantos de Visión
(Multi Culti)
Though he was born in France, Nicola Cruz's South American heritage plays a crucial part in his captivating approach to electronic music. His style, which he playfully refers to as 'Andes Step,' mixes traditional Andean instruments and Cumbia rhythm in with house elements like sampled and chopped vocals. It's a beguiling sonic bouillabaisse, one captured summarily on this year's four-song Cantos de Visión EP.
The best of Cruz's deeply percussive soundscapes are haunted by vocal snippets that make them feel alive — particularly "Danza de Visión," on which a number of sampled voices seem to converse and spur each other on energetically over a throbbing, hypnotic rhythm.
Stephen Carlick
8. Steve Lacy
Steve Lacy's Demo
(Three Quarter)
While the Internet originators Syd and Matt Martians stepped out from behind their band with solo LPs this year, it was guitarist Steve Lacy that delivered the biggest surprise. Recorded largely using an iPhone, Steve Lacy's Demo is an all-too-brief slice of funk and soul highlighted by the infectious "Dark Red," Lacy's jangly Rickenbacker leading listeners through a creative chord progression.
Lacy then parlayed the buzz behind the release into writing and production credits on Kendrick Lamar's DAMN. — though we still can't wait for a full-length debut of his own.
Calum Slingerland
7. Sam Gellaitry
Escapism III
(XL)
Twenty-year-old Scottish producer Sam Gellaitry's third release in as many years capped his Escapism EP trilogy in a manner both bigger and brighter than its predecessors. The sweeping orchestration of opener "Jungle Waters" gives way to Gellaitry's powerful employment of tight rhythms and active synths on "Ceremony" and "Midnight Racer," aligning himself firmly with fellow countrymen Rustie and Hudson Mohawke.
Expect the young beatsmith to take his sound and standing in electronic music to even greater heights on his next release.
Calum Slingerland
6. Blue Iverson
Hotep
(Independent)
When stacked against any of Dean Blunt's recent offerings under his own name or as Babyfather, the enigmatic producer's Hotep is surprisingly… normal. Straightforward, even. Released under the alias Blue Iverson, the eight-track effort places the phrasing and groove of funk and neo-soul paramount, with Blunt's own identifiable production traits at the fore on "Nappytex" and "Brown Grrl." It's a welcome reprieve from his more recent divisive steps into electronics and noise.
Calum Slingerland
5. Swet Shop Boys
Sufi La
(Customs)
Maybe it's because I'm a sucker for self-titled theme songs by bands, or maybe it's the way Heems yells out "Fuck the Pet Shop Boyssss!" in the intro, but there were few opening salvos this year as emphatic as "Anthem," the first song on Swet Shops Boys' Sufi La — and that's just the beginning of this six-track rap masterwork.
Throughout, Heems and Riz MC are irreverent pranksters, plus a little extra swagger: on "Anthem," Riz refers to himself as 'Paki Chan,' 'Paki Robinson,' 'Pak Nicholson' and 'Pak Daniels,' while on "Birding," Heems compares scoping out girls to bird-watching.
Sufi La is smart-aleck rap for those who found 2017 too absurd not to laugh.
Stephen Carlick
4. Jean-Michel Blais & CFCF
Cascades
(Arts & Crafts)
Last year, Quebecois pianist Jean-Michel Blais quietly but emphatically announced his arrival with Il, a full-length album of gorgeous minimalist piano that, at its dramatic peaks, flirted with electronic production and experimentation.
Enter soundscaping vet Michael Silver, aka CFCF, who picked up and elaborated on Blais' compositions on collaborative EP Cascades. Throughout these five compositions, the two musicians show a playful and deft touch, buoying each other to incredible heights on "Hypocrite" and bringing the spirit of Philip Glass's hypnotic best work to vivid life on "Two Mirrors." This is balanced, nuanced collaboration at its finest.
Stephen Carlick
3. Yaeji
EP2
(TBA)
One of 2017's breakout names in music was Yaeji, aka New York and Seoul-based Kathy Yaeji Lee. After turning heads with her debut self-titled EP in March, the house producer and vocalist cemented her status as one to watch with EP2, a five-song showcase of her myriad strengths: fluid, vivid production; a strong grasp of and an ability to transcend genre; and a mesmerizing, alternately wispy and powerful singing voice.
Her alchemical prowess is best demonstrated on EP highlight "drink I'm sippin on," a rich cocktail that blends trap drums, ambient synths and Korean lyrics. It's one of the year's best, but then, 2018's looking pretty bright for Yaeji, too.
Stephen Carlick
2. Denzel Curry
13
(Loma Vista Recordings)
As hard as the internet tries to meme his earlier material to death, Denzel Curry remains one of Florida's best young rap exports, a status he furthered with the release of the five-track 13 this year.
Not a minute of the EP's 13-minute runtime feels wasted: the Carol City native packs "Bloodshed" and "Hate Government" with gritty delivery and airtight flows, while "Heartless" and the Lil Ugly Mane-assisted "Zeltron 6 Billion" feature new takes on his vocal gymnastics. And with his new full-length Ta13oo expected to arrive next year, Curry's poised to maintain the momentum.
Calum Slingerland
1. Bernice
Puff
(Arts & Crafts)
Sometimes EPs — even debut EPs — can feel like significant, official statements of intent; such is the case with Toronto band Bernice's Puff, released through Arts & Crafts this past June.
On memorable tracks such as the dream-like, Radiohead-esque "Don't Wanna Be European," vocalist Robin Dann and her cast of musicians (who play for Owen Pallett and DIANA, among others) weave electronic dramas that balance tension and release, passion and intellectualism with an ease that betrays their collective experience and quality.
Puff feels like a preview of more magic to come; we can't wait to be proven right.
Stephen Carlick
Shorter but often sweeter and more concise, the extended player stayed relevant in 2017; so relevant, in fact that we couldn't pick just ten. Below, find our picks for the 11 best of the year.
Top 11 EPs of 2017:
11. Mastodon
Cold Dark Place
(Reprise)
After delivering their acclaimed Emperor of Sand at the top of the year, Mastodon unearthed some previously unreleased tracks for Cold Dark Place to show how far their influences actually stretch. Recorded during the sessions for the aforementioned Emperor and 2014's Once More 'Round the Sun, the four-track effort is steeped in the Atlanta outfit's progressive and Southern rock influences, highlighted by Brent Hinds' tasteful pedal steel playing.
Those pining for the band's earlier years can moan about heaviness all they like — it shouldn't matter when the writing and arranging are as good as this.
Calum Slingerland
10. Beta Frontiers
Heights
(Buzz Records)
We're still waiting for a full-length from them, but in the meantime, Beta Frontiers offered us another excellent extended player in 2017; Heights might even be their best work yet.
Throughout these five songs, the Toronto artist deftly mixes the past and present, evoking Ratatat on hard-hitting opener "Rangor" and previewing pop's future on the soft-hued, Laura Hermiston-aided "Stars Align." The centrepiece, though, is "If I Stayed," Beta Frontiers' yearning second collaboration with DIANA's Carmen Elle. If they keep making EPs like this, maybe we don't need a full-length after all.
Stephen Carlick
9. Nicola Cruz
Cantos de Visión
(Multi Culti)
Though he was born in France, Nicola Cruz's South American heritage plays a crucial part in his captivating approach to electronic music. His style, which he playfully refers to as 'Andes Step,' mixes traditional Andean instruments and Cumbia rhythm in with house elements like sampled and chopped vocals. It's a beguiling sonic bouillabaisse, one captured summarily on this year's four-song Cantos de Visión EP.
The best of Cruz's deeply percussive soundscapes are haunted by vocal snippets that make them feel alive — particularly "Danza de Visión," on which a number of sampled voices seem to converse and spur each other on energetically over a throbbing, hypnotic rhythm.
Stephen Carlick
8. Steve Lacy
Steve Lacy's Demo
(Three Quarter)
While the Internet originators Syd and Matt Martians stepped out from behind their band with solo LPs this year, it was guitarist Steve Lacy that delivered the biggest surprise. Recorded largely using an iPhone, Steve Lacy's Demo is an all-too-brief slice of funk and soul highlighted by the infectious "Dark Red," Lacy's jangly Rickenbacker leading listeners through a creative chord progression.
Lacy then parlayed the buzz behind the release into writing and production credits on Kendrick Lamar's DAMN. — though we still can't wait for a full-length debut of his own.
Calum Slingerland
7. Sam Gellaitry
Escapism III
(XL)
Twenty-year-old Scottish producer Sam Gellaitry's third release in as many years capped his Escapism EP trilogy in a manner both bigger and brighter than its predecessors. The sweeping orchestration of opener "Jungle Waters" gives way to Gellaitry's powerful employment of tight rhythms and active synths on "Ceremony" and "Midnight Racer," aligning himself firmly with fellow countrymen Rustie and Hudson Mohawke.
Expect the young beatsmith to take his sound and standing in electronic music to even greater heights on his next release.
Calum Slingerland
6. Blue Iverson
Hotep
(Independent)
When stacked against any of Dean Blunt's recent offerings under his own name or as Babyfather, the enigmatic producer's Hotep is surprisingly… normal. Straightforward, even. Released under the alias Blue Iverson, the eight-track effort places the phrasing and groove of funk and neo-soul paramount, with Blunt's own identifiable production traits at the fore on "Nappytex" and "Brown Grrl." It's a welcome reprieve from his more recent divisive steps into electronics and noise.
Calum Slingerland
5. Swet Shop Boys
Sufi La
(Customs)
Maybe it's because I'm a sucker for self-titled theme songs by bands, or maybe it's the way Heems yells out "Fuck the Pet Shop Boyssss!" in the intro, but there were few opening salvos this year as emphatic as "Anthem," the first song on Swet Shops Boys' Sufi La — and that's just the beginning of this six-track rap masterwork.
Throughout, Heems and Riz MC are irreverent pranksters, plus a little extra swagger: on "Anthem," Riz refers to himself as 'Paki Chan,' 'Paki Robinson,' 'Pak Nicholson' and 'Pak Daniels,' while on "Birding," Heems compares scoping out girls to bird-watching.
Sufi La is smart-aleck rap for those who found 2017 too absurd not to laugh.
Stephen Carlick
4. Jean-Michel Blais & CFCF
Cascades
(Arts & Crafts)
Last year, Quebecois pianist Jean-Michel Blais quietly but emphatically announced his arrival with Il, a full-length album of gorgeous minimalist piano that, at its dramatic peaks, flirted with electronic production and experimentation.
Enter soundscaping vet Michael Silver, aka CFCF, who picked up and elaborated on Blais' compositions on collaborative EP Cascades. Throughout these five compositions, the two musicians show a playful and deft touch, buoying each other to incredible heights on "Hypocrite" and bringing the spirit of Philip Glass's hypnotic best work to vivid life on "Two Mirrors." This is balanced, nuanced collaboration at its finest.
Stephen Carlick
3. Yaeji
EP2
(TBA)
One of 2017's breakout names in music was Yaeji, aka New York and Seoul-based Kathy Yaeji Lee. After turning heads with her debut self-titled EP in March, the house producer and vocalist cemented her status as one to watch with EP2, a five-song showcase of her myriad strengths: fluid, vivid production; a strong grasp of and an ability to transcend genre; and a mesmerizing, alternately wispy and powerful singing voice.
Her alchemical prowess is best demonstrated on EP highlight "drink I'm sippin on," a rich cocktail that blends trap drums, ambient synths and Korean lyrics. It's one of the year's best, but then, 2018's looking pretty bright for Yaeji, too.
Stephen Carlick
2. Denzel Curry
13
(Loma Vista Recordings)
As hard as the internet tries to meme his earlier material to death, Denzel Curry remains one of Florida's best young rap exports, a status he furthered with the release of the five-track 13 this year.
Not a minute of the EP's 13-minute runtime feels wasted: the Carol City native packs "Bloodshed" and "Hate Government" with gritty delivery and airtight flows, while "Heartless" and the Lil Ugly Mane-assisted "Zeltron 6 Billion" feature new takes on his vocal gymnastics. And with his new full-length Ta13oo expected to arrive next year, Curry's poised to maintain the momentum.
Calum Slingerland
1. Bernice
Puff
(Arts & Crafts)
Sometimes EPs — even debut EPs — can feel like significant, official statements of intent; such is the case with Toronto band Bernice's Puff, released through Arts & Crafts this past June.
On memorable tracks such as the dream-like, Radiohead-esque "Don't Wanna Be European," vocalist Robin Dann and her cast of musicians (who play for Owen Pallett and DIANA, among others) weave electronic dramas that balance tension and release, passion and intellectualism with an ease that betrays their collective experience and quality.
Puff feels like a preview of more magic to come; we can't wait to be proven right.
Stephen Carlick