2026
I still can't believe it! I’ve embarked on this adventure all over again! And that’s despite the fact that I put the odds of not even being able to give notice of an early tournament shutdown at fifty-fifty!))
Be that as it may, the first round—the most technically challenging one—is already behind us. It wrapped up back on October 1st. But it took me another couple of days just to remember the formatting process and finally publish the results.
I had planned to introduce some rule changes this year. But that would have complicated the scoring for me—something the current unstable state of the world simply doesn't allow for. So, all I can do is hope the stars align and let me run the tournament at least along the same lines as last year. After all, there are times right now when I’m practically navigating with my eyes closed!))
Just as I did last year, I will aim to share my thoughts on the round winners and explain my own entries in each category following each draw.
There is a bit of time before the next round concludes on October 15. Everyone is free to review the entries submitted prior to the first draw. I will also announce the entries submitted for the second round at a later date.
Music Videos: Guide (A-Z)
1. Boards Of Canada - Introit / Prophecy At 1420 MHz (7/V) Ambient
2. Charlotte Cornfield - Hurts Like Hell (13/I) Indie Folk
3. Genesis Owusu - Stampede (19/II) Electropunk
4. Gorillaz - The Hardest Thing / Orange County (ft. Tony Allen, …) (15/I) Art Pop
5. Johnny Blue Skies & the Dark Clouds - Don’t Let Go (12/IX) Funk Rock
6. Modern Cult - Connection (18/IX) Indie Rock
7. Paul McCartney - Days We Left Behind (Live) (17/V) Pop Rock
8. Squarepusher - K2 Central (25/II) Jazz Fusion
9. Star Moles - Time (22/II) Indie Folk
10. Starbenders - The Beast Goes On (27/II) Glam Rock
11. The Rolling Stones - In The Stars (14/V) Classic Rock
12. The Twilight Sad - Designed to Lose (7/I) Indie Rock
13. Tom Waits & Massive Attack - Boots on the Ground (16/IV) Trip-Hop
14. Tomora - Come Closer (5/II) Art Pop
15. Voxtrot - My Peace (3/II) Indie Pop
Tracks: Guide (A-Z)
1. Angine de Poitrine - Fabienk (6/II) Math Rock
2. Boards Of Canada - Prophecy at 1420 MHz (7/V) Ambient
3. Devlin and The Harm - No Havana (18/III) Indie Rock
4. Genesis Owusu - Stampede (19/II) Electropunk
5. Gorillaz - Orange County (ft. Bizarrap, …) (15/I) Art Pop
6. Johnny Blue Skies & the Dark Clouds - Don’t Let Go (13/III) Funk Rock
7. MPTL Microplastics - Sod In Heaven (6/II) Noise-Folk
8. Ms Ray - You're Here (13/III) Sophisti-Pop
9. Paul McCartney - Days We Left Behind (26/III) Pop Rock
10. Starbenders - Summon My Heart (10/II) Glam Rock
11. The Rolling Stones - In The Stars (5/V) Classic Rock
12. The Twilight Sad - Designed to Lose (6/I) Indie Rock
13. Tom Waits & Massive Attack - Boots on the Ground (16/IV) Trip-Hop
14. Tomora - Come Closer (5/II) Art Pop
15. Кассета Юность [Kasseta Yunost] - Дыдыдым (18/IX) Indie Pop
Albums: Guide (A-Z)
1. Angine de Poitrine - Vol.II (3/IV) Math Rock
2. Boards Of Canada - Inferno (29/V) Ambient
3. Genesis Owusu - Redstar Wu & the Worldwide Scourge (15/V) Electropunk
4. Gorillaz - The Mountain (27/II) Art Pop
5. MPTL Microplastics - Sod In Heaven (6/II) Noise-Folk
6. My New Band Believe - My New Band Believe (10/IV) Progressive Folk
7. Neurosis - An Undying Love for a Burning World (20/III) Post-Metal
8. Paul McCartney - The Boys Of Dungeon Lane (29/V) Pop Rock
9. Protomartyr - Hotel Usona (25/IX) Post-Punk
10. Star Moles - Highway to Hell (26/II) Indie Folk
11. Starbenders - The Beast Goes On (27/II) Glam Rock
12. The Exbats - My Dinner With Crumar (11/IX) Garage Pop
13. The Rolling Stones - Foreign Tongues (10/VII) Classic Rock
14. Tomora - Come Closer (17/IV) Art Pop
15. Twisted Teens - Blame The Clown (13/II) Garage Rock
My thoughts on the winners in the three categories of Round #9—the first in the sequence, yet numbered nine. I already explained the reasons for this confusion last year.
Album Gorillaz - The Mountain (27/II-2026/09) (Album)
The Mountain (2026) by Gorillaz
Tournament ranking – #1, (rewards: a star and the right to an additional entry in a category).
Number of points – «+30».
lead over the nearest pursuer in points – 5.
A spot on my list – #10, points – «+1».
Position on the list AOTY - #35.
Position on the list BEA - #1.
In my view, the album doesn't particularly stand out from the rest, yet the five-point lead over the nearest runner-up is quite significant.
To me, this success is explained by the fact that the winners garnered support from almost every participant; the band is well-known to everyone and appears on many lists. That is how brand recognition works—it is precisely why advertising exists.
Issues may arise once more than five slots on the participants' lists are filled; at that point, the lowest-ranked entries will start deducting points rather than adding them.
It is possible that my personal rating is a bit low. Primarily because I find it hard to believe I might have missed something. At the same time, I may not have even listened to the album all the way through to the very last second. In essence, the release consists of two lead singles positioned at the beginning of a rather long 15-track list.
It was only thanks to the comments on BEA that I took an interest in the story behind the album's creation. However, not knowing English, I couldn't really connect with the emotions involved. Besides, I have no reason to consider myself an ardent admirer of Albarn. Nor was I a fan of Blur; only a handful of their songs had ever caught my attention. Admittedly, I was even more indifferent toward their counterparts, Oasis—whose songs never moved me at all.
It is quite possible that the album will remain in first place throughout the entire tournament. I see no issue with that, as a release winning in a category earns the team an extra bet only once. What’s far more interesting is how the team will use this additional entry—and whether it might spoil their winning track record in the battle for team super-entries!))
Tournament ranking – #1, (rewards: a star (☆) and the right to an additional entry in a category; a team star (★) and the right to a "super entry" in any category).
Number of points – «+36».
lead over the nearest pursuer in points – 4.
A spot on my list – #5, points – «+6».
Position on the list AOTY - #---.
Position on the list BEA - #---.
The time came for me to use the translation to assess the content. I must admit, it was a revelation; the parallels extended to the very finest details. Consequently, I had to put aside the fascinating stories I had previously intended to write about until a more suitable time, for there is nothing more pressing than matters of life and death.
Because Albarn and I are only a year apart in age, we lost the people closest to us at roughly the same time.
Unfortunately, the reputation associated with the cartoonish personas the group had adopted played a cruel trick on the creator this time. After all, artificial characters cannot experience genuine grief over the departed—being neither flesh nor blood, they are shielded from all of that by their immortality.
Then, as often happens to me, mystical coincidences began to occur.
When I first heard the song, I immediately noticed that the melody sounded very familiar. I even had a rough idea of where I might have heard it before. However, so many changes had taken place in my life over the last two or three years that the thought of actually tracking it down never even crossed my mind.
Of course, prior to writing this mini-review, I had made a concerted effort to find the similar release. Yet, once again, I came up empty-handed. It was driving me crazy, but there was nothing I could do about it.
And then today—after having already familiarized myself with the song's content and practically finished the review—I suddenly found myself pondering one final question.
Gorillaz - Orange County - What is the meaning behind the song's title?
Quote:
Literal origin of the title
• Recording location: The track was named after the studio in Anaheim (Orange County, California) where the recording sessions took place. Mexican rapper Peso Pluma was originally slated to feature on the track; although the collaboration ultimately did not happen, the recording location itself left its mark on the title.
Everything instantly fell into place in my mind, finally revealing the very password that granted me access to my own archived records—Peso Pluma.
I really liked that video back then, and I definitely intended to nominate it when the results were tallied at the end of 2023. It was precisely in the year-end lists that I conducted my main searches, but the stars willed that my choice for June be different, and all trace of that release was ultimately lost to me.
Quote:
Artistic and thematic significance
• Contrast between form and content (the ultimate "happy-sad" song): The song sounds light, danceable, and sunny—aided by a brisk beat, whistling, and Anoushka Shankar’s sitar—yet the lyrics and the album’s overall context are steeped in profound grief, loss, and reflections on death. The image of an affluent, sun-drenched California county serves as a façade—a bright exterior masking deep emotional turmoil.
Yet another coincidence! The Russian-language song I submitted for this round might fit this description perfectly. Its melody didn't particularly stand out among the songs of September, but the contrast between form and content literally moved me to tears. But that review is still to come.
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