Best Of 2015: The DIY List 2015: The year in music [61-70]

The DIY List is a combination of DIY writers’ favourite albums and tracks, and the stunning pinch-yourself moments that took place throughout the year. We’ve sat down and tried to take stock of the past twelve months, whether it’s a bizarre news story or an unforgettable headline slot.

Nothing ‘earns’ more ‘points’. This isn’t a deep analytical discussion or a frog-leaping competition. It’s a collection of the best and most bonkers acts, all ranked in a list (because lists are fun, let’s face it).

Catch up with the top 100 below:

100-91
90-81
80-71

Much was made at the time of James Murphy’s contribution to the shift in sound on Arcade Fire’s ‘Reflektor’, but after the release of Will Butler’s solo debut it was immediately evident those post-punk stylings didn’t necessarily come from the DFA main man: ‘Policy’ is stripped-back proto-punk, 21st Century style. Direct as hell, repetitive in the best way possible and coming in under a mere half-hour, it’s not quite the opposite of his day job, but it has a good go. Out of his brother’s shadow, the ‘strange man with the drum’ done good. Emma Swann

Read: Will Butler’s DIY interview.

Hudson Mohawke is a busy man. It just so happens that, until this past year, he’s spent more time on his array of differing projects – we’re talking collaborating with Kanye West and touring the world with TNGHT - than his own solo endeavours. Having made his mark in the late Noughties with his 2009 debut ‘Butter’, it’s taken him six years to finally put the finishing touches on its follow-up. But what a follow-up it is; ‘Lantern’ shows Ross Birchard at his euphoria-building finest. Sarah Jamieson

Read: Hudson Mohawke’s DIY interview

Every so often a new act emerges with an alien sound. “Every so often” might be overstating it. This is extremely rare, to be honest. But Amber Bain isn’t your everyday newcomer. On her first two EP’s, she’s given a futuristic slant to pop that could easily be borrowing parts from outer space. She gets to the point, never shunning a big chorus for a fancy trick, but there’s a bright and inventive spark to The Japanese House, something that hasn’t been witnessed elsewhere all year. Jamie Milton

Read:The Japanese House’s Class of 2016 interview.

This Forth Worth, Texas newcomer’s timeless hybrid of Motown and soul was a no-brainer for 2015 success. But few imagined it’d take on such huge form. The peak of Leon Bridges’ year arrived just two weeks back, when he took on the Saturday Night Live musical slot, joining the likes of Lorde, Sia, Miley Cyrus and Adele. Not exactly small fare, but Bridges was more than up to the task. His stripped back performance of ‘River’ is a late contender for one of the year’s telly highlights (way better than an Eastenders omnibus, actually). He’s become a fully-fledged star way ahead of anyone’s predictions. Jamie Milton

Read: Leon Bridges’ DIY interview.

From a goofy ‘Goon’ to Adele’s best mate - Tobias Jesso Jr. has had quite the year. Back in 2014, he remained a fairly elusive figure, the voice behind ghostly demos that carried a fleeting timelessness. Since then he’s exposed a different side, one that headbangs on a piano when accompanied by a full band, one that finds the idea of Adele liking his songs laughable before actually working with her. With a potential Haim collaboration in the works and goodness knows what else, this previously struggling musician has been given his deserved big break in 2015. He’s not far from becoming a fully-fledged star in his own right. Jamie Milton

Read: Tobias Jesso Jr.’s DIY interview.

For many, Refused were the band who would never release another record. With their legacy signed and sealed with the infamous phrase ‘Refused are fucking dead’, it became one of the unwritten rules of punk law that we would never see a follow-up to the iconic 1998 album ‘The Shape Of Punk To Come’. Three years ago, there was a shift: the band reunited for a slew of shows, to finally give their masterpiece the live airing it deserved. Turns out, things can change, and legends can be unwritten. This year, Refused released their first album in seventeen years and proved – with ‘Freedom’ – that they’re still one of the most politically-charged punk forces we’ve ever witnessed. And that never goes out style. Sarah Jamieson

Read: Refused’s DIY interview.

By the time that Best Coast released their newest full-length ‘California Nights’, it had been two years since their last offering. Turns out, a fair bit can change in that amount of time. While previously, the duo – Bethany Consentino and Bobb Bruno – had dealt more in the laid-back, sun-drenched charms of lo-fi pop, with their new album, they seemed bolder and brighter. A hint of nostalgia here, a spark of light there, in 2015 Best Coast have found themselves in a much braver, confident place. Sarah Jamieson

Read: ‘Our catch-up with Best Coast pre-‘California Nights’

In the space of less than a year, The Big Moon have gone from nobodies (once called The Moon) into a newfound treasure. They’ve starred in the Neu Tour, conquering UK cities and making mates for life with INHEAVEN and VANT. They came up with a slightly rubbish dance routine in their ‘Nothing Without You’ and still didn’t look like pillocks. They came up with the year’s best Twitter handle (@commoonicate) and they’ve speedily risen into one of 2016’s best prospects. They’re basically the best new band around, and to think they didn’t actually exist this time last year is mind-boggling. Jamie Milton

Read: The DIY Class of 2016 interview with The Big Moon

Parading around in their customary all-black band garbs, with spoken-word cries to ‘Shut Up’ and ‘Silence Yourself’ Savages already had the cool and confrontational thing completely nailed back in 2013. This year, the gears began to shift towards something more connective, Jehnny Beth flinging herself into surging crowds with an extra spring in her step; steadily deploying a growing stash of new material. Hungry and urgent, ‘The Answer’ heralded the official start point for Savages amping up for second album ‘Adore Life’. Still an unforgiving powerhouse, but honed and more inhabitable, 2016 is this lot’s for the taking. El Hunt

Read: Our recent In The Studio feature with Savages

When Everything Everything decided to follow-up their curveball album ‘Arc’, they realised they needed to inject it with more energy, feed it more aggression. The results, then, seem to have lived up to their aims perfectly. ‘Get To Heaven’ is, at times, ferocious in its assault of the current political landscape. There are horrors embodied within their third album that just aren’t being addressed by other bands, in turn making this their most outlandish and ballsy album yet. Luckily, the Manchester four-piece can pull it off. Sarah Jamieson

Read: DIY’s interview with Everything Everything

Tags: Everything Everything, Best of 2015, The DIY List 2015, Features