While re-listening to Bitches Brew tonight it occurred to me, there’s never been anything that sounds quite like it since, and there never will be again.
What are your favorite unicorn albums?
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Want to save this thread for later, may as well name a couple as well
The Faceless - Planetary Duality. Technical death metal album that found an outstanding balance between technically-impressive musicianship, interesting compositional intricacacies, and raw primal brutality. Nothing scratches that itch like this album does for me. And if you’re into drums, Alex Rudinger’s drumming in Xenochrist is wholly and entirely inhuman. The dude is an octopus trapped in a man’s body. I’d recommend watching his Xenochrist drum playthrough video if you’re particularly interested
Infected Mushroom - Converting Vegetarians. These two guys are absolute wizards of music production, and this album showcases their insane ability to bring out such colorful personalities from their meticulously crafted synth leads, through gradual and dramatic evolution… Which they usually do in a familiar psy-trance setting. But the “chill side” half of this album accomplishes this wonderfully in a unique, much more relaxed, low-tempo style that I’m genuinely struggling to find words to describe
Let’s put in Joker’s Daughter - The Last Laugh. The track Lucid particulary is exemplary of what puts the corn on this uni. A Danger Mouse joint.
Weird Tales by Golden Smog. Kind of like country on acid but not like the Grateful Dead. Very creative.
Between the Buttons by The Rollong Stones. Unlike other Stones albums - Jagger and Richards don’t even seem to like it anymore. But it has a sound of its own, and might be Brian Jones’ last significant effort with the Stones.
And of course T.Rex
Endtroducing by DJ Shadow
It’s his inaugural album and there’s never been anything quite like it. Even his follow up albums, with his unique sound, feel a bit different than this one (not in a bad way, but I don’t think they meet your unicorn criteria).
Also, I think this easily goes in my top ten albums list.
The North Borders - Bonobo
reporting back; this album is lit.
In particular “Since I left you” and “Frontier Psychiatrist” are both jams.
Natural Snow Buildings - The Dance of the Moon and the Sun. It’s a mix of drone, post-rock, and folk that is unlike anything I’ve ever heard (NSB’s other albums have similarities, but this one stands out to me)
Honorable mentions:
Boris - Flood
Agalloch - Ashes against the grain
Grace Cathedral Park - In the evenings of regret
My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
Nothing sounds quite like itIt may not be a “unicorn” per se, but it’s often forgotten since it came out in 2020 and they weren’t able to tour the album. Coldplay’s Everyday Life is an art piece to me.
Honorable mentions:
Black Pumas - Black Pumas Watsky - x Infinity The Avett Brothers - Mignonette Parker Barrow - Jukebox Gypsies Childish Gambino - Because the Internet Chance the Rapper - Coloring Book Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium The Black Keys - Brothers
Porcupine Tree - In Absentia
Absent Moon by Chuck Salamone
Animal Collective
Cocteau Twins: Heaven Or Las Vegas
