2021 Favorite Albums

Apologies for not having a more thorough year-end list with commentary on the albums; real work, unfortunately, got in the way. With that said, here at least is a list of my favorite albums:

1. Pinkpantheress - to hell with it

2. Half Waif - Mythopoetics

3. Halsey - If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power

4. Dawn Richard - Second Line
5. Chvrches - Screen Violence

6. Dry Cleaning - New Long Leg

7. Turnstile - GLOW ON
8. SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE - ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH

9. Yves Tumor - The Asymptomatical World
10. Failure - Wild Type Droid

11. The KVB - Unity

12. Art School Girlfriend - Is It Light Where You Are?
13. Quicksand - Distant Populations

14. Floating Points & Pharoah Sanders - Promises

15. TRACES - 6HRS
16. Leon Vynehall - Rare, Forever

17. LoneLady - Former Things
18. DJ Seinfeld - Mirrors

19. When Saints Go Machine - Emotional
20. Sleigh Bells - Texis

21. RUFUS DU SOL - Surrender

22. ULTRAPOP - The Armed

23. Ethel Cain - Inbred
24. Elie & Fur - Found In The Wild

25. CHINAH - Feels Like Forever

26. Sad Night Dynamite - Sad Night Dynamite

27. Rochelle Jordan - Play With The Changes
28. Erika de Casier - Sensational

29. Gojira - Fortitude
30. Low - HEY WHAT

31. Men I Trust - Untourable Album

32. London Grammar - Californian Soil

33. Wolf Alice - Blue Weekend
34. The Notwist - Vertigo Days

35. Fred again.. - Actual Life (April 14 - December 17, 2020)

36. Lauren Auder - 5 Songs For The Dysphoric
37. The Weather Station - Ignorance

38. SG Lewis - times
39. Black Coffee - Subconsciously

40. Julien Baker - Little Oblivions 

41. Aparde - Alliance
42. Lil Nas X - MONTERO

43. Liars - The Apple Drop
44. Odd Beholder - Sunny Bay

45. Suzanne Kraft - About You

46. Small Black - Cheap Dreams
47. Low Island - If You Could Have It All Again
48. ISLAND - Yesterday Park
49. Porches - All Day Gentle Hold!
50. Arca - KicK ii, KicK iii, KicK iiii, KicK iiiii

FKA twigs ft. The Weeknd - "Tears In The Club"

FKA twigs teams up with The Weeknd for this sleek mid-tempo banger.

EKKSTACY - "delusions"

"delusions" by EKKSTACY is a dramatic, grunge-influenced track that reminds me of the best work of Yves Tumor.  

Orchid Mantis - "field of reeds"

Orchid Mantis (aka Thomas Howard) released its latest record visitations, which is an elegantly haunted collection of dream-pop tracks. "field of reeds" recalls, for me, the pastoral, ambient pop of English cult band Hood's final two records, Cold House and Outside Closer. 

Future Islands - "Thrill (COMPUTER DATA Remix)"

COMPUTER DATA takes Future Islands' stately ballad "Thrill" and adds a sleek beat along with hazy/trancey synths while folding and manipulating Samuel T. Herring's vocals into another musical element.  

Visible Cloaks - "Arcoíris"

Portland, Oregon electronic duo Visible Cloaks, aka Spencer Doran and Ryan Carlile, has created a hauntingly beautiful ambient work called "Arcoíris." 

St. Vincent - "Pay Your Way In Pain (IDLES Remix)"

St. Vincent hands over the reins to UK post-punk band IDLES for a remix of her single "Pay Your Way In Pain." IDLES provides thumping martial drums and an undercurrent of industrial menace. It's killer.  

EERA - "Ladder"

UK-born, Berlin-based musician EERA, aka Anna Lena Bruland, returns with her sophomore album Speak. The first single from it is the propulsive track "Ladder." Over a steady beat and driving bass line, Brulands ethereal vocals weave in and out of waves of 90s alt-rock guitars and subtle synths.

rosi - "Off The Tracks"

UK electronic duo rosi's new single "Off The Tracks" is a mesmerizing track with ethereal vocals, floating tendrils of acoustic guitar, and subtle electronics. It feels like a fresh update of trip-hop. 

Quicksand - "Phase 90"

Alt-metal legends Quicksand returns with their second post-reunion record, the super solid Distant Populations. One of the many highlights on the album is the wondrous "Phase 90" which is probably the greatest song ever written about losing one's place in a novel. The guitars are swirling and skyscraping and the vocal melodies are aching and beautiful.

No Rome - "ITS *NOT* LOV33 (Winter In London)"

No Rome, a.k.a. Filipino-born Guendoline Rome Viray Gomez, just released his debut record It's All Smiles on The 1975's Matty Healey's label Dirty Hit. You can feel Healey's influence throughout the record, but some of the best songs are when No Rome asserts his individuality, like on "ITS *NOT* LOV33 (Winter In London)," a dark, swirling trip-hop inspired track; his beautiful tenor wrapping itself around twisting beats, thunderous bass, and waves of synths.

The KVB - "World On Fire"

The KVB's new album Unity finally takes all their strengths and puts them together for a killer record of darkwave, dream pop, and shoegaze anthems. "World On Fire" feels like a lost collaboration between Jesus and Mary Chain and Voice of the Beehive. It's poppy and fun, with shimmering guitars and brisk electronic percussion and could easily be in a John Hughes movie. 

Oliver Heldens ft. Anabel Englund - "Deja Vu"

Oliver Heldens teams up with up-and-coming star Anabel Englund on this fantastic and fun dance track called "Deja Vu." It's a great Friday track to get you pumped for the weekend. 

FKA twigs ft. Central Cee - "Measure of a Man"

"Measure of a Man," from the upcoming film The King's Man is a cinematic track from FKA twigs and Central Cee. It luxuriates in languid trip-hop beats, lush strings, and her exquisite voice.

W.H. Lung - "Gd Tym"

British synthpop band W.H. Lung's sophomore record Vanities is full of killer earworm tracks. "Gd Tym" is no exception, being an irresistible banger. The video is a lot of fun as well, with a drag queen bringing joy and life to a listless town.