2021 Year End Lists Chapter 6: The Top 100 Songs of 2021

Lets get crazy.

This is the first list of the week that is truly and honestly separated completely from everything in the world around it. Every single song released on any album, mixtape or EP this year is eligible for the list no matter how abstract, experimental or unconventional. From major pop hits to tracks that test the very conventions of what a song even is, these rankings set out to find the 100 best songs of 2021, and put them in order. 

Enjoy <3

100. Cold Summer - Issa Gold

Starting off the list we have one half of rap group The Underachievers whose solo album has gone painfully under the radar this year. While he isn't rewriting the book on conscious hip hop he does have plenty lyrical ability, tight flows and compelling thematic points to touch on. Nothing here will sound unfamiliar but the level of execution Issa Gold works with on this track is thouroughly impressive.

Key Lyric: "Before we finish one thought, we thinkin what to say next, quiet that mind, there's a beauty in the silence"

99. Rae Street - Courtney Barnett

While Courtney's songwriting has always shined no matter what style she's operating in, her new album leaned in further than ever before to her own stories. Rae Street served as the lead single and a proud provocation of her willingness to wear her emotions on her sleeve. It's a touching indie folk song with a sheen of pandemic isolation stretched over the top of it making for a touching and loveable tune.

Key Lyric: "Well, time is money, and money is no man's friend"

98. White Horses - Low

White Horses is the absolutely riveting introductory track to Low's new career defining album. It kicks the whole thing off with heavy blistering walls of guitars that's likely to make some listeners question whether their equipment is malfunctioning. Then soaring out of that dense haze comes a beautiful and impactful lead melody. The layering of vocals and distortion makes for an expansive sound with compelling details to pick apart throughout. 

Key Lyric: "Still, white horses take us home"

97. Friends That Break Your Heart - James Blake

A cutting and extremely emotional ballad from James Blake, there isn't much better than that. In this gripping and extremely depressing song James discusses the various heartbreaks he's experienced in his lifetime before tragically proclaiming the grip that those closest to him still have on his psyche. Allowing his vocals to wander this intimate space makes for one beautiful, touching refrain after another as he bears his soul on what became the thesis statement behind his newest album.

Key Lyric: "As may loves that have crossed my path, in the end, it was friends, friends who broke my heart"

96. The Stellar Ray Theory - Mach-Hommy

Mach-Hommy seemed to thrive in the underground niche he had built for himself over the past few years. But with the rising popularity of Griselda records in recent years he returned to collaborate with some of the labels staple voices, though it was this track that made the most impact on his comeback. With a murky and almost melodious jazz beat he delivers on the promise of strong lyrical focus and uncompromising performance style through his bars. For an artist who has occasionally done everything possible to hide their talents from the general public, Stellar Ray puts everything on display.

Key Lyric: "Shit hard when the rays don't shine"

95. Back To Oz - Sufjan Stevens & Angelo De Augustine

On their new collaborative album Sufjan and Angelo watched movies together to get inspiration for their songs and while some of these are interpolated in a bit of an obtuse way, Back To Oz isn't shy. Once you've heard the bright pop hook on this song you'll want to be transported into their vision of Oz. The songs verse and chorus dynamic sets up one memorable moment after another and it all serves as a bassline example of how great songwriting can elevate everything around it.

Key Lyric: "I can deal with falling, all good reasons carried away, you want me but you can't own me, I survived but I'm still afraid"

94. my life - J. Cole (Feat. 21 Savage & Morray)

The Cole and Savage team up worked pretty damn well for all parties when they first connected for a lot, so why not do it again. While my life is a very similar song it similarly does all the same things right and delivers a focused hard-hitting banger with the very welcome addition of Morray on the songs hook. 

Key Lyric: "Ja Morant, I'm on my Grizzly"

93. 333 - Tinashe

Tinashe has always been perfectly capable of making an R&B album that fit in with everything else, but this year she proved she was capable of stretching her artistic scope and pulled it off with pretty great results. The best of the bunch is this title track which sees her diving into far more unconventional vocal passages without losing a hint of her swagger as a performer. The beat is also one of the stranger you'll hear in contemporary R&B this year but one that still delivers on the warm qualities we've come to expect 

Key Lyric: "Sun touches morning, shine on my body, you give me love that, I ain't never had before"

92. Dealer - Lana Del Rey

We're gonna talk about Lana a few times today, but in fairness the best pop songwriter of the 2010's did deliver us two full albums of material to digest this year. One of the songs that most resembled her classics in terms of aesthetics was Dealer, a collaboration with Last Shadow Puppets member Miles Kane of all people. Despite some familiar themes these vocals are brand new as she reaches and strains for a level of anguish we rarely hear from her, and it translates flawlessly. 

Key Lyric: "I don't wanna give you nothing, cause you never gave me nothing back"

91. Slow - Black Midi

Black Midi's post-punk meets prog rock sound has been the subject of much discussion this year and Slow certainly won't be the last time we talk about it. The band isn't quite as sonically intense here as they have been in the past but it feels just as crushing as their dense arrangements pummel you repeatedly with sound. The monotone nearly spoken delivery of the surreal lyrics serves as the perfect steadying accompaniment and shows off the bands nearly unmatched attention to detail.

Key Lyric:  "Slowly it falls, slowly it dies, slowly it crumbles right under my eyes"

90. Chapters - Sweet Trip

Simply mentioning that it's 2021 and Sweet Trip came back to deliver this unique acoustic meets electric flavor of an indietronica song should be all the explanation required for a spot on the list. The band has a dynamic vision for sounds that are difficult to even conceptualize but they seem to pull it off so easy. Everybody will have a different favorite track from their long but enjoyable new comeback album, and mine has been Chapters since the moment I first heard it. 

Key Lyric: "And if you tell the world, you will take a chance, know that I, will walk it with you"

89. Car Crash - Idles

It's basically a yearly occurrence on the list to bring in a world class banger from Idles. This track trades out the constantly pummeling and heavily distorted sound the band typically delivers and serves up a more punchy but equally explosive rendition. The dense and hard-hitting sound of the song coupled with the raw nature of it's subject, a head on metaphor for drug abuse, combine for one of the most intense songs of 2021. 

Key Lyric: "I got the keys to the lambo, I took a walk instead, I am the prophecy. I did not come from nothing. and nothing came from me"

88. Shelter - Vic Mensa (Feat. Wyclef Jean & Chance The Rapper)

Vic Mensa and Chance The Rapper have teamed up for a couple of major moments in their respective careers, and where many would still call Cocoa Butter Kisses one of the best songs of Chance's career, Shelter is the best song of Vic's career. Thus far at least. After an absolute gem of a hook from Wyclef the pair trade off verses with pointed bars attacking systematic inequality on a number of levels from the school system to the justice system. They flex both their respective lyrical abilities but also a dynamic difference in vocals that gives the song a consistently refreshing energy throughout. This was one of those collaborations that stuck with me all year. 

Key Lyric: "Who do you call when the ambulances don't come?, or watch as the ones sworn by law to protect us, wrongfully convict us and call it corrections"

87. Crosshairs - Cassandra Jenkins

If you run in indie circles you know it hasn't been hard to find people lofting acclaim on to Cassandra Jenkins for her remarkably gentle and soothing vocal style and excellent songwriting on her new album. One of the more underrated songs of the bunch has been Crosshairs the albums most direct love song and an ode to falling for a stranger. It features a swaying gorgeous hook that is remarkably catchy given its reserved sound and is just generally one of the most touching and refreshing things I've heard all year. 

Key Lyric: "All I want, is to fall apart, in the arms of someone entirely strange to me"

86. Sailor's Superstition - serpentwithfeet

serpentwithfeet has always has a ridiculously beautiful vocal style and a clear knack for crafting thematically interesting songs. All of that finally comes together with a great hook and a Take A Daytrip produced instrumental to form sonic gold. The tracks theme of old sailor beliefs is worked so thoroughly into the core romantic instincts it's built on that you may wonder which of the two elements is really taking point. The best element is by far the excellent hook with a beautiful falsetto vocal dishing out refrains that have been stuck in my head for months and months. 

Key Lyric: "Heard most couples stop smiling after the first year, baby boy sailor's superstition will help us here"

85. Blackout - Turnstile

While all of Turnstile's new album has been praised amid their unexpected breakout this year, Blackout in particular seems to be receiving more than its fair share of buzz. The reason for that centers around it being an absolutely ripping blend of classic punk and modern hardcore but with refrains arranged in a way that give each other space. The result is a song that sounds like five different great tracks squeezed together into a two minute thrash and bash that clearly won over a lot of people this year, me included. 

Key Lyric: "And if it makes you feel alive, well then I'm happy to provide, and when you see me on the floor, it's just a part of my show"

84. Chain On - Brockhampton (Feat. JPEGMAFIA)

While Brockhampton have been pushing rap music into new directions for 4 years now they occasionally dip back into the bag of something more conventional to hip hop. On Chain On they let their most conventionally talented rapper and lyricist Dom McLennon team up with underground hero JPEGMAFIA for a slick, smart and absolutely infectious banger. The hook is simple and to the point and the Wu-Tang sample it ends on is a clear point of reference but the track is truly made by its two killer rap verses. 

Key Lyric: "Tried to see me on the CCTV couldn't scan em, like the serial was scratched off on the barrel of the branding" 

83. I Notice - Ka

How do you pick a key lyric in a song that is so thouroughly creative that almost every line works as pointed set-up for at least one or two others and they all build on a collective theme, I have no idea. I also have no idea how Ka is even capable of writing something so expertly crafted and lyrically cohesive but I've been impressed and amazed by pretty much everything he has done so far. If you're familiar with Ka this is exactly what his style promises and his execution level is nearly unmatched.

Key Lyric: "Cops got us under microscopes, to make sure we see cells, know my first vitamin was iron, but just wanted to beat 12"

82. Menneskekollektivet - Lost Girls

Jenny Hval is no stranger to ambition and with the title track to her full length collaboration with musician Havard Volden as Lost Girls she set her sights high, as in, creation of the entire universe. The title is Norwegian for "The Human Collective" and Jenny's impressionistic poetry is fully intent on exploring that theme over the course of the tracks 12 minutes. The instrumental patiently unfolds alongside her prophesizing resulting in a resoundingly beautiful final product. 

Key Lyric: "You knock on the door because you believe in the concept of a door, and of conviction, preaching, spreading the good word, in the beginning there is no good word"

81. Seniorita - Arca

In case you were under a rock in December Arca released four entire studio albums in one week and they features a creative and drastically different set of sounds. The breakout hit of the bunch kick III contained one of Arca's most exciting and futuristic bangers to date, the raging Seniorita. The dense pummeling electronics and Arca's unrelenting vocal prescence team up for a song with no relief to be found, but that's just the way it should be.

Key Lyric: "Get wrapped up in some shit, not sure who you think you're dealing with"

80. I Know I'm Funny haha - Faye Webster

It seems like every year there are more and more indelibly charming indie singer-songwriters but they don't always break out with great songs. Faye Webster did just that with I Know I'm Funny haha a gentle swaying indie pop cut that breezes through its short runtime with one catchy refrain after another. Her gentle girlish vocals and practical approach to storytelling make for a fun and loveable track that helps set her apart from her contemporaries.

Key Lyric: "I made her laugh one time at dinner, she said I'm funny and I thanked her, but I know I'm funny haha"

79. How Can I Make It Ok? - Wolf Alice

Wolf Alice have had an interesting and ever evolving sound over the years and while they've settled on something a bit less specific than previous records, great songwriting is universal. How Can I Make It Ok? features a dramatic build, rousing hook and dense instrumental backing. It's really the hook which is both triumphant and anthemic that brings everything home and like so many good songs everything else is the wonderful icing on the cake. 

Key Lyric: "How can I make it okay? I just want you to be happy"

78. Queens - Aeon Station

After an 18 year break from The Wrens we got probably the closest thing we will get to new material from the band in Aeon Station. They made up for lost time with a great lead off single that bounces between their classic 90's emo and indie influences with a splash of rock mixed in. The dynamic composition heightens these individual pieces and brings them together for a spectacular overall experience. The songs versatile presentation helps sell the emotional undertones of its lyrics and creates one shimmering high point after another,

Key Lyric: "I wonder where you might have gone to, and if you still feel the same, as if it never happened here"

77. White Elephant - Nick Cave & Warren Ellis

Nick Cave's haunting lyricism and chamber sound often deals in evocative subject matter but rarely is it as contemporary as White Elephant. In reaction to some of the social change in 2020 Nick delivered this sweeping, dramatic and overtly political track. His intense vocal style perfectly matches the songs vicious introduction and is contrasted well by the soaring group harmonies on its back end. Rarely do careers last this long and maintain such a level of execution but Nick Cave still has everything going for him. 

Key Lyric: "I'm an ice sculpture melting in the sun, I'm an ice sculpture with an elephant gun, I'm an ice sculpture made of elephant sized tears" 

76. An Archaea - Amusement Parks On Fire

One of the most underrated shoegaze acts of the 2000's has made a comeback in recent years which finally culminated in a long awaited new album. They delivered pretty consistently on the sound many had anticipated with the highlight coming on it's sweeping and dreamy title track. While it's not the heaviest song they've ever written they still effectively use layers of sound to craft gorgeous melodies and rich, detailed sonic environments on this excellent song. 

Key Lyric: "All matter is subterfuge, any opponent begs to lose, the frontline's resolute, a position once removed"

75. Pica - Bloodslide

One of the breakout groups in the realm of post-punk this year is a super group bringing together members of some of the genres other star acts in Preoccupations and Protomartyr. They picked up quite a bit of momentum for their debut EP with this ripping lead single and one of the most sonically dense songs you'll hear all year. It pairs careening lead vocal harmonies with with chugging backing instrumental for a weird but impactful song that stuck with me all year.

Key Lyric: "Soap in your mouth for the pain mama, a taste that you just can't explain mama"

74. Hard Times - The Body & Big Brave

One of the least popular songs that cracks the list this year snuck up on me right in the middle of this unexpected collaboration between two of experimental music more intriguing bands. It's a rumbling, isolating folk tune detailing the unchanging pain of poverty. It has a distinctly nostalgic feeling to it but the lyrical content is surprisingly contemporary in its application. The echoing repetitive vocals prove to be high impact and drive the point home in a fantastic and very unique way. 

Key Lyric: "They raised our wages up half a cent more, but they went up a dime at the company store"

73. Nobody - Nas (Feat. Lauryn Hill)

If you're going to get Lauryn Hill on a track in 2021 you better have something good, thankfully Nas did. The two veterans of hip hop share a meditation on fame and how much they have come to appreciate isolation and separation from the drama of public life. Not only do they sound like veterans from a lyrical and performance standpoint but they also sound genuinely happy to reflect on their choices and current place within the music landscape. It's just nice to hear them both so deep into their careers still sounding so creative and content. 

Key Lyric: "One city, one country, one state, some place to be nobody"

72. Disordered Minds - Grouper

Liz Harris has always been one to experiment with sonic texture but on Disordered Minds she is reaching deeper than ever before. The song is a distant crackling folk cut with a fuzz soo thick it can be difficult to even make out the details. That haze brings out so much mystical fascination in the song which made it worth returning to and dissecting over and over again. 

Key Lyric: I'll level with you guys I can't actually make out the lyrics on this song clear enough to transcribe them, sorry. 

71. Timid, Intimidating - BADBADNOTGOOD

In terms of pure musicality, this may be the most impressive thing Badbadnotgood have ever done. They translate classic jazz wisdom into an exciting and occasionally neurotic piece which bounces between acidic up tempo explosions and reserved moments of reflection. The band takes you on an emotional rollercoaster with riveting and dynamic shifts throughout that continue to amaze me time and time again. 

Key Lyric: This is a jazz piece, it's the lyrics you don't hear.

70. Well Rested - Kero Kero Bonito

Kero Kero Bonito have proved beyond any shadow of a doubt that they can write amazing electro pop and indie pop songs. On Well Rested they prove they can also randomly pull off transcendent multi-faceted epics about the inevitable fate of humanity. As weird as it sounds there is still so much great KKB here with an irresistible instrumental and Sarah's vocals managing to even sound adorable as they are cascading over the song delivering apocalyptic spoken prophesies. This is obviously a weird one, but also an amazing song at that. 

Key Lyric: "False prophets claim that the end is nigh, and that humanity is not worth existence, this is a trap laid to ensnare the living, a lie for the weak willed"

69. The Slow Parts In Death Metal Albums - The Mountain Goats

Hmm, a Mountains Goat song about death metal that doesn't sound anything like death metal, there's a good precedent.  From the best ever band to a much slower and dreary indie folk cut this time around the subject matter is clearly producing for John and company. The track thematically dabbles in trying to find your place in the world and the subject matter clearly isn't taken lightly. Despite that the song has an element of fun to it that makes it mostly irresistible. 

Key Lyric: "In a new universe, trying to find the mask that fits me"

68. Cowboys - Slayyyter

Slayyyter was no stranger to sexually charged bangers coming into 2021 but on Cowboys she has finally delivered on metaphor game in a deeper sense than "King Kong I want the banana". Slayyyter plays the man eating ranch babe calling out passé cowboys for being too fast on the draw and having a snake that's too small. It's a fun, catchy and thematically consistent sexual banger. 

Key Lyric: "Cowboys tryna break my heart, but this is not my first time at the rodeo"

67. brutal - Olivia Rodrigo

Taking all things into consideration Olivia Rodrigo has as good a 2021 as anybody. Where she really impressed me in terms of the songs list was when she set the 2000's revival in motion on brutal. The kicking opener to her debut album made an instant impression sounding different and frankly better than anything she'd ever done before.

Key Lyric: "God, it's brutal out here"

66. Born In Luton - Shame

Another day, another great post-punk track, that's the story of 2021 if nothing else. Shame have a driving and intense sonic aesthetic and that comes through more than anywhere else on Luton. The thick guitar riffs that twang off the versatile lead vocals make for a great listen and one that managed to set itself apart in what was truly a sea of post-punk excellence. 

Key Lyric: "I've been waiting outside for all of my life, now I've got to the door, there's no one inside"

65. Get Up - Jimmy Edgar (Feat. Danny Brown)

Jimmy Edgar's raw and ripping style of harsh electronica feels like the exact kind of thing that only Danny Brown would be bold enough to rap over. Unsurprisingly he was up to the task delivering a pseudo motivational, brief but hard-hitting performance. Compared with Jimmy's electronic wizardry this song is one of the most unique bangers you'll ever hear.

Key Lyric: "Got us trapped in this rat race, I mean we chasing this cheddar"

64. Whisper - Ty Segall

It is hard to come up with anybody in 2021 who can shred harder than Ty Segall. In a classical sense his music just fucking rips there's no two ways about it. Whisper is a loud crashing rock jam with a hook that could fill an arena. It won't be the most technical or compositionally mystifying song you hear this year but is straight up rules in a purely rock and roll sense.

Key Lyric: "Learning my name again, a slow fade and then, I saw you turn into a whisper"

63. Scatter Brain - Conway The Machine (Feat. JID & Ludacris)

Griselda's own Conway The Machine certainly has an intensity to his delivery, but not quite in the same way as an artist like Ludacris, which had me a little bit curious about how this collaboration would go over. Turns out it works perfectly as the trio each manage to deliver their own style of verse that compliment each other really well. As usual JID in particular shines though I certainly could also throw a bone to Ludacris' killer finale. 

Key Lyric: "I always knew you were a bitch, and I just wrote your obituary"

62. Don't Need You - Genesis Owusu

On his debut album this year Genesis Owusu proved he could do almost anything. While Don't Need You isn't the biggest stretch he makes it is one of the most killer hooks I've heard all year. His shouted almost chant like performance is absolutely infectious and the hilarious message of independence at the core of the track is universal. 

Key Lyric: "I said your ass is stinky, and you built like a mole"

61. Climb Every Wall - Lump

There are a number of great songs on the full length debut of this collaborative project between Mike Lindsay and Laura Marling. This track is at the crossroads of a beautiful pop song and some surprisingly dark and subversive elements hidden underneath. It's a intimate and compelling singer-songwriter cut, the likes of which Laura has been known for consistently for years. 

Key Lyric: "Write yourself a map to your healing, linger over why to leave now, climb every wall"

60. Mazza - Slowthai (Feat. A$AP Rocky)

This one is easy. Slowthai brings the high energy and A$AP Rocky brings the cool, both deliver tight catchy refrains and everything coalescence into one of the slickest songs in recent memory. These two operating at the top of their game made for an unmatched collaboration this year that I've had to stop and talk about in pretty much every list this year. 

Key Lyric: "Failed to revert to my old ways, cricket tickets, stacks of cocaine, sticky fingers, shoplifters, we got tools like Homebase"

59. The Limit - Darkside

When you have the attention to detail and level of sonic proficiency of Nicolas Jaar that's honestly half the battle. Throw in a great, surprisingly to the point composition and his soft always perfectly placed vocals and you've got yourself a hit. If I wanted to I could probably justify including their entire new album on this list, only if I wanted to.

Key Lyric: "Submit to the pace, the waters erase, nothing left to see, I'm you and you're me"

58. Solar Power - Lorde

On this list being on a bad album isn't held against you. No matter how disappointing Lorde's third record may be, it's title track belongs with the best tracks of her career. It's a breezy acoustic jam that flirts with environmentalism but never gets too thinky so as to interrupt the natural swaying bliss. Lorde is charismatic and fun as a vocalist and the whole song has the immediacy to draw you in and the details to keep you coming back. As far as pop goes it at least showed Lorde still has a high ceiling. 

Key Lyric: "Come one come all I'll tell you my secrets, I'm kinda like a prettier jesus"

57. Blood Moon - Converge & Chelsea Wolfe

Even though the rumbling doom metal stylings of this track aren't native to Chelsea Wolfe or Converge they manage to come together and thrive within the sound. Chelsea's chamber vocals are a haunting accompaniment in a totally different way than the hectic screaming the other half of the song delivers. It is such a great and clear stylistic pursuit that the amount of artists who came together to create it is honestly surprising. Thankfully the talent shined through on one of the heaviest and best metal songs of the year.

Key Lyric: "You cut me open, but I won't let you find, what's under the surface, entombed in my mind"

56. Whiplash - The Horrors

So yeah. Not only do The Horrors make industrial electronic rock now, their rendition of it is even more insane than you may think. While a song like Lout was lead single worthy they threw everything they fucking had at Whiplash. It's glitchier, harsher and much more unpredictable, if those elements sound like your kind of experimental rock song then don't miss this.

Key Lyric: "Make me live like a ricochet, like an engine runaway, I wanna raise you high up, I wanna feel your blood"

55. I Can Feel My Heart Touching You - Parannoul

This year Parannoul came out of nowhere with one of the most thematically gripping albums I've ever heard and the exclamation point on his masterpiece is this curious little emotional catharsis of a song. After an hour of painful self deprecation I Can Feel My Heart is an eruption of raw feeling and an ambiguous finale to the highly emotional journey that I'm not even close to done talking about on this list. 

Key Lyric: "On the green grasslands, under the blue sunset, high up in the sky, far away"

54. Live In The Dream - St. Vincent

St. Vincent has turned a corner in recent years and delivered a number of claustrophobic hard-hitters. On the longest song she's made in years she proves that she can work with atmosphere and spacey instrumental passages just as efficiently. She pulls together some diverse influences onto this expansive and fittingly dreamy cut. I love falling headfirst into this song and getting lost in its glistening instrumental wandering. I can't think of that many contemporary artists I find as impressive as Anne. 

Key Lyric: "Cause there's a lot of people who wanna do you harm, but stay with me you fallen lamb, and I'll keep you in my arms"

53. White Dress - Lana Del Rey

One of the more attention grabbing moments in the pop sphere early this year was the opening track to Lana Del Rey's Chemtrails. The track, White Dress, sees Lana bearing her soul vocally more than ever before with a dramatic and harrowing first person tale of her journey to success in the music industry. Everything if filtered through her always brilliant use of lyrical metaphors and it sets up the albums aesthetic dynamic perfectly. 

Key Lyric: "Down at the Men In Music Business Conference, I only mention it cause it was such a scene, and I felt seen"

52. Frozen - James Blake (Feat. JID & Swavay)

James Blake works so well with rappers its occasionally unbelievable. Despite the gentle impassioned balladry he brings he just has a knack for finding the right collaborators to fit in perfectly with his eerie soundscapes. JID and Swavay are up to the task on this appropriately chilling and thematically dark song. Just remembering that this comes shortly after a SZA collaboration on the record is proof enough that everyone involved is remarkably impressive.

Key Lyric: "Blood trickling, melting the snow, I'm numb so I never felt it before"

51. Knees - Injury Reserve

Grief is one of the most difficult things to express musically because everyone experiences it so differently. Rather than approach the track with a raw demeanor Injury Reserve decided to express their emotions with a heavily obscured cloud of haunting rap music. In fact even calling this rap seems like a stretch or at least underselling what it actually is, an anguished and harrowing expression of grief and loss through ambitious musicality. 

Key Lyric: "I should probably take this booze off my rider, okay this last one is my last one, shit, probably said that bout the last one, probably gon' say it bout the next two"

50. Terror Packets - Backxwash (Feat. CENSORED Dialogue)

Despite winning over most of the trans music community as a stunningly raw and openly trans rapper, Backxwash's new album focuses much more on issues like depression and existentialism rather than directly contronting trans issues, enter Censored Dialogue. She takes on the opening verse of this track with one of the standout moments in rap this year. The pummeling intensity of the performance contrasts with the painfully vulnerability of the subject matter and the result is an incredible start to the song. However it's hardly the last thing the track does right as Backxwash's slamming hook is delivered with bone rattling intensity. The future of rap music will come from people who don't look like out conventional image of "a rapper", Ashanti and Jazz are ahead of the curve. 

Key Lyric: "Terror packets in my early habits on the verge of losing my soul, I see the terror happen just from where I'm standing"

49. Change - The War On Drugs

The War On Drugs have always been able to make blissful music and while they traded out psychedelia for a more heartland rock inspired sound they didn't lose any of that ability on Change. It's a beautiful and poetic moment reminiscent of so many classic folk staples dabbling in similar subject matter, but more important than anything else is that instrumental palette. Adam's arrangements are pure bliss and despite the overall compositional simplicity this has proved to be some of his best work to date. 

Key Lyric: "Shelter in the doorway, from rising storms, caution in the darkness, where we have fallen"

48. Reach Out - Sufjan Stevens & Angelo De Augustine

Sometimes you don't need to overthink things. Sufjan and Angelo had a simple but spectacular hook on this one and they did everything they needed to set it up for perfection. From the gentle vocals to the dramatic bridge to the folk instrumentation everything here is reveling in it's gentle beauty and the results are an undeniably great song.

Key Lyric: "All my life I tried so hard, to separate myself, from all that is and was and will be torn apart"

47. Point And Kill - Little Simz (Feat. Obongjayar)

There's a LOT of great collaborations on the list this year and maybe I throw the word chemistry around a bit too much. I can't think of any other artists whose voices sound as spectacular together as Simz and Obongjayar. His entirely unique vocal style gives a fantastic and unique curiosity to this hook but once Simz comes in and the pair trade off refrains the track is really hitting its stride. I could talk about how great the song is thematically or how talented of a lyricist Simz is but you probably knew that already. These two work brilliantly together, go listen to it.

Key Lyric: "Snakes in the grass, no trust em, point and kill any imposter"

46. Opus - Black Country, New Road

Black Country, New Road had a difficult take on their hands when trying to find a closer for one of the most instrumentally verbose and thematically dramatic albums of the year. In Opus they found a finale just as grand as the scope and ambition of their spectacular debut. Opus is a roaring, expansive rush to the head to conclude the project that synthesizes everything the band have become known for doing so well across 8 minutes. It's an unmistakably epic finale unlike anything else you'll hear this year.

Key Lyric: "Now everybody's coming up, I guess I should've had something else to say, and now everybody's coming up, what we built must fall to the rising flames"

45. Dropout Boogie - Your Old Droog (Feat. MF DOOM)

The theme of Your Old Droog's Time album is, well, time duh. On this track he and MF DOOM reflect on their time in the public school system and how it failed to prepare them for life. The sentiment is strong but they both can't help but make cracks in between bars of pointed critique which gives the track a fun goofball energy. With how much thematic focus they maintain and the bassline lyrical ability of everyone involved this has all the making of an underground hip hop classic.

Key Lyric: "You see where that took me, all those years of not payin bookies and playin hookie, I never danced at the prom, I did the dropout boogie" 

44. Manifesto - Tyler, The Creator (Feat. Domo Genesis)

Talk about taking me back. Tyler and Domo turn back the clock on a song that sees the Odd Future alumni coming together like its 2011 and ranting against anyone else telling them what to do. It's irresponsible, juvenile, and absolutely infectious. While I've had my reservations about both of these artists at one time or another they are absolutely bringing out the best in each other on Manifesto.

Key Lyric: "I was a teener, tweetin Selena crazy shit, didn't wanna offend her, apologize when I seen her"

43. Creatures - Viagra Boys

Viagra Boys are nothing if not unique and this anguished eruption of depravity is wrapped in a social metaphor with as many literal layers as Parasite. the bands visions of the "Creatures" living at the bottom employs a deeply ironic vision of the class system which is all wrapped up in an intense postpunk jam building up to one great refrain after another. 

Key Lyric: "We are the creatures, down at the bottom, we trade in scrap metal, and electronics"

42. Field Negus - Sons Of Kemet

The introduction to Sons Of Kemet's newest album is a brilliantly narrated piece of spoken word poetry performed by the indelible Joshua Idehen. His words say what the albums jazz instrumentation can't quite articulate but it sets the tone for the entire records slashing indignance and gives life and meaning to so many of it's brilliant moments. Everything about the track is pure provocation expressed in the most artistically virtuous way possible.

Key Lyric: "Leave Candance Owens by the plantation, foolish us thinking the overseer even had the keys to these chains"

41. Dream In Color - Cordae

If you thought that Cordae was a remarkably talented lyricist and rapper, you're correct. But now we also know he has some vocal chops lightyears ahead of his peers as the brilliant hook of the song proves. He shares a beautiful vision for progress and manages to sell it with his own vocals bearing it all for a chorus that honestly feels too good for 2021.

Key Lyric: "I don't know why these blessings is comin, rich as hell won't stress over nothing, I don't listen tot he public opinion, their portrayal it is just an assumption"

40. Shelter Song - Iceage

In approximately chapter 1 million of the great post-punk recap this year we have Iceage who basically have great songwriting down to an exact science. On Shelter Song they pull off a high impact track worth gathering behind. From the crashing drums to the thick twangy guitar lines everything about the track is rousing and it brings the whole thing together around a spectacular hook. They really do this stuff well and it doesn't seem like they're stopping any time soon. 

Key Lyric: "Come lay here right beside me, they kick you when you're up, they knock you when you're down"

39. The Embers At Dawn - Panopticon

There aren't a whole ton of winding epic fusions of Appalachian folk and black metal on the list this year. In fact there aren't any, except for this of course. Panopticon returned with a vengeance this year and this patient but explosive song is the records high point. Patient really is the right word as the song takes its time developing to deliver its punches at just the right moments. In the hands of a lesser songwriter this could have turned aimless, but every moment of Embers has a purpose.

Key Lyric: I can't find the lyrics to this song, I even bought my own copy of it but I guess the digital version doesn't have liner notes. Frick

38. Quiet Town - The Killers

This year The Killers dialed up their narrative focus to a level many didn't think they even had to tell a series of heartfelt and often tragic stories about the shortcomings of small rural towns. Brandon's personal history with the subject matter gives the songs a revealing and honest edge that comes to life best on the albums biggest highlight Quiet Town. The song perfectly expresses his difficult position, balancing the nostalgia he feels for these places with the damaging mentalities they are known to spread. It's a fascinating meditation on a unique subject, even by folk music standards. 

Key Lyric: "In this quiet town, families are tight, good people, they still don't deadbolt their doors at night"

37. Always - Spellling

It took some serious reservation to not fill this entire list with Spellling songs. When you boil her new album down to its best and most essential elements however, they are best represented by a handful of tracks. Always comes early on in the record but has an embattled tone of surreal beauty as her isolated vocals echo out into the tracks expansive mix. This also features a handful of the best melodies you'll hear on any record this year and it's wrapped up in the brilliant production you can find throughout the entire album.

Key Lyric: "Lonely the word rings like a bell, toiling from heaven fell, I always wanted to be a lover, but I can't take the pain"

36. Repent Now Confess Now - Lingua Ignota

Uncompromising, sonically detailed and thematically focused is the promise that Lingua Ignota makes on her music. Repent Now Confess Now delivers all of that at peak quality. While the song is a tragic and harrowing one out of context when we recently learned the core of it focuses on surgery Kristin needed as a result of sexual abuse it becomes straight up tragic. Her raw vulnerability is almost unbelievable but the way she translates it into music is incredible. 

Key Lyric: "The surgeon's precision is nothing, no wound as sharp as the will of god"

35. Beautiful World - Parannoul

If you see that the song is called Beautiful World and you've checked out the albums admittedly pretty art you may think you are in for a positive or uplifting experience. The painful reality is that this serves as just the tip of the iceberg of Parannoul's self-deprecation an detchment from reality. What makes the song so strong is the contrast with the actual music itself which does sound nearly blissful enough to fit a song called Beautiful World. It is yet another wonderful way that pain was translated into music this year.

Key Lyric: "I wish no one had seen my miserable self, I wish no one had seen my numerous failures"

34. Syrup - Tkay Maidza

Heat, that's it. After some of the most emotionally draining songs on the entire list Tkay eerges like a phoenix with a straightforward and incredibly hard-hitting banger. The flows are simple and the lyricism is direct but I wouldn't have it any other way. Syrup is as hard a hitter as you'll hear on the hot girl summer playlist for years to come.

Key Lyric: "Own it never just a part of it, goddess like Artemis, big boss walkin big boss cross and bows"

33. WTF - Erick The Architect (Feat. Col3trane)

Sometimes the shortcomings of the world around us are so painfully obvious that we just have to stop and say what the fuck. Erick's revelations on the track aren't necessarily new but the approach they take is a compelling and dynamic one. It really makes you wonder how all this bullshit is still such a big problem. They had a melody good enough on the hook to help you ignore all these problems but instead chose to use it to heighten the awareness of anyone listening, a decision that paid off. 

Key Lyric: "Brother don't go outside, there's murders left and right, the rivers are running dry, they fillin em with out kind, they supposed to protect our lives but they killin us, what the fuck"

32. La Brea Tar Pits - Weezer

Weezer's take on baroque pop was somehow a major breath of fresh air for both the band and honestly just music in general. Hearing Rivers' charming melodies drift over these densely populated and incredibly charming instrumentals just sounds great and this is the moment where they dial in the formula to its most essential elements. All I realty want is to be able to give Rivers the lift that he so eloquently calls out for on the chorus. 

Key Lyric: "I'm sinking in the La Brea Tar Pits, and I don't want to die cause there's still so much to give" 

31. Hold Yourself - Tune-Yards

One album cycle after another and Tune-Yards just continue to deliver on great songs in a variety of methods. The track really does have a somber core addressing the inability for different generations to understand each other and see things through each others eye, but you couldn't tell just from listening. The song has a bright sheen and a soaring chorus that I find completely irresistible and it works as such a tangible high relative to the songs lyrical themes.

Key Lyric: "No choice of when and who knows how, but we must hold ourselves now"

 

30. A Lament - The Body

It's no secret that I love spoken word, in fact this isn't even the last time it will come up on the list . While every song on The Body's new album is thick and pummeling none of them have the benefit of this absolutely perfect set up. The gruff spoken word delivery throws me back to some 90's GY!BE and sets up both this song and the entire album for the pummeling intensity we've come to expect. 

Key Lyric: "I climb these stairs a dozen times a day, and by the window wait, looking in at where you died"

29. Pick Up Your Feelings - Jazmine Sullivan

Jazmine Sullivan's tales of love, sex and heartbreak got a big boost on her newest album with a strong concept guiding it thematically through its tracks. But another major element that helped the record was just how good those songs are, highlighted perfectly by what I believe to be the best song of her entire career, Pick Up Your Feelings. If there is a better, more dramatic, more compelling R&B song released by anyone in 2021, I certainly haven't heard it.

Key Lyric: "Boy please, I don't need it, memories, all that shit, you can keep it"

28. Great Mass Of Color - Deafheaven

Deafheaven's ability to translate humanity and feeling through their dense layers of sound is so good that even when they dial those layers back it only helps the genuine angst coming through. The verses are gentle despite the heavy instrumental backing but the hook is where the band really dials it in and deliver a harrowing high point that I still adore despite the fact that it was one of only a few highlights on their new record. 

Key Lyric: "My great former terror when trees gave doves the leaves, and I was grim drunk death, a stramger to myself"

27. Buzzcut - Brockhampton (Feat. Danny Brown)

There is always room for a fantastic futuristic rap banger. Both Brockhampton and Danny Brown have been responsible for plenty of these in the past but they came together this year for a highlight among highlights and one of the most zany, infectious tracks of either acts career. The surreal lyrical imagery, unconventional flows and unmistakable vocal delivery the track has absolutely everything necessary to enter hip hops canon as a permanent favorite. 

Key Lyric: "Who let the dope boys out?"

26. I Love You, I Hate You - Little Simz

This is another track with an appeal that is easy to communicate. On the song Simbi brilliantly expresses the conflicting feelings she has for her father and does so as poignantly as I can even imagine someone pulling off in a rap song. The song has a killer hook that is completely irresistible but the most satisfying thing it does in the long term is give you so much quality songwriting to digest. 

Key Lyric: "I'm amazed by it, lyin to myself pretending not to be phased by it, maybe cause you're in my DNA"

25. Thirstier - Torres

Torres has been carving her own unique lane out within the singer-songwriter genre for years and she really proved just how special she was with yet another great album this year, perhaps her best. The title track lands here as a loud and beautiful expression of lust wrapped up in a whirlwind with love. The hook on the song is a flat out barn burner and Torres brings the vocal power to sell it, this is the very definition of a standout track.

Key Lyric: "Baby, keep me in your fantasies, baby, keep your hands all over me"

24. I Lie Here Buried With My Rings And My Dresses - Backxwash (Feat. Ada Rook)

Rap and metal fusion, no wait it's not what you think. I already lost people didn't I. Well if you stuck around then this song is your treat. Ada Rook of Black Dresses steps in for a shrieking death metal style hook which would normally be a bit intense for most rappers to live up to. Backxwash steps up to the track with has massive vocal ability and delivers the verses it deserves.  Her biblical grade lyricism and arena sized voice give the song a brilliant, world conquering intensity that I couldn't get enough of this year.

Key Lyric: "My sisters are dying, no chance giving up trying, I see the lord has witnessed, the many swords in my ribcage"

23. Chemtrails Over The Country Club - Lana Del Rey

Okay this is the last time this year were gonna talk about one specific Lana song, even though the album list tomorrow does once again feature more of her music. This song is the synthesis behind her newest record which feels like both a maturity to her sound but also a loving tribute to where she came from. This song and the unique, vivid aesthetic it creates is quintessential Lana, who has always used songwriting to create vision well beyond what her contemporaries are capable of, and it's no different here. 

Key Lyric: "Well I don't care what they think, drag racing my little red sports car, I'm not unhinged or unhappy, I'm just wild"

22. Days Like These - Low

If you've followed the world of critical music in 2021 you have almost certainly heard of Low and the accompanying lead single Days Like These. In case your new the band, who once years ago made a name for themselves with a style of music so reserved they had to come up with a new name for it, have suddenly become one of the loudest and most brash acts in all of music. The song brilliantly pairs gorgeous and almost sweet vocal melodies which simply soar over the track with a heavy and dense sea of distorted guitars that is even hard to comprehend. What results is an extremely unique and dynamic sound that kept me coming back seemingly daily all year.

Key Lyric: "No you're never gonna feel complete, no you're never gonna feel released, maybe never even see believe, that's why we're living in days like these again"

21. "" Government Came" (9980.0kHz 3617.1kHz 4521.0kHz) / Cliffs Gaze / cliffs' gaze at empty waters' rise / Ashes to Sea or Nearer to Thee" - Godspeed You! Black Emperor

Godspeed You! Black Emperor have been spinning mystifying compositional wonders into their grand post-rock songs since before I was born. This mouthful of a title is the next great one in line delivering a massive sweeping four part epic. Across nearly 20 minutes the band uses grand orchestration and impending silence as tools to thread listeners through their vision. The level of emotional storytelling the band can still achieve through their instrumental virtuosity continues to be one of the most impressive things in all of music.

Key Lyric: "Hallelujah, Hallelujah"

20. Mirror Song - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

While the newest Clap Your Hands Say Yeah album was impressive based on the singles we heard alone, it was hiding a few genuinely beautiful moments most notably the raw and somber Mirror Song. This track allows Alec to stretch and strain his vocals pushing them in an emotionally wrought direction that I'm not sure I've ever heard before. What results is a difficult but gorgeous sound that feels like the synthesis of what lo-fi indie promises.

Key Lyric: "And I can tell you've been thinking you can outrun all the nightmares, it took a while to find out some people care and some don't"

19. Be Sweet - Japanese Breakfast

You CERTAINLY don't need me to tell you anything new about Japanese Breakfast and one of the most acclaimed songs of the year Be Sweet. Michelle absolutely gives everything she has to this cute, bright and unbelievably catchy piece of indie pop which went on to become the perfect representation of her sound. Between her vocals and her entire aesthetic there is something so adorable about Japanese Breakfast and yet Michelle has the singing and songwriting chops to put some real power behind these melodies and the hook on Be Sweet is the shining example of why she isn't going anywhere any time soon.

Key Lyric: "So come and get your woman, pacify her rage, take the time to undo your lies, make it up once more with feeling"

18. Say What You Will - James Blake

In the past it felt like James Blake's style always leaned toward use of brief and high impact metaphor to make his songs emotionally soar. This time around on Say What You Will we are getting a more involved and more detailed narrative than ever before, and its absolutely heartbreaking. The song is a beautiful and harrowing meditation on fame, admiration and James' imposter syndrome. Of course it is worked into gentle impassioned melodies that extract every hint of emotion of of his voice, but this song actually features one of the warmer and more welcoming instrumentals you'll ever hear on one of his songs. He already has decades worth of incredible songs by most artist standards, yet Say What You Will manages to find an entirely new way to be spectacular. 

Key Lyric: "I've been sobered by my time on the shelf, and I've been normal, I've been ostracized, like a comet blazing through an empty sky"

17. Obsessed (With My Shadow Self) - Clarence Clarity

After all of the raw and tragic beauty in the songs on the list you may start to wonder if I'm even capable of appreciating a great banger anymore, enter Clarence Clarity. This sneaky little cut on his new EP was perfectly capable of going under the radar, but I wasn't gonna let that happen. This song fucking rips. The chorus is both insanely catchy and hard-hitting when paired with the versatile array of electronics backing it in the instrumental. The ability Clarence has to write perfect melodies and then surround them with jittery and futuristic production comes together brilliantly on this song, a song I will refuse to let die no matter how annoying I have to be about it.

Key Lyric: "Better off losing, better in bed, better opportunities, better off dead, and just like that you're obsessed"

16. Pay Your Way In Pain - St. Vincent

St. Vincent kicked off her new era with an uncompromising lead single that announced her intentions with an impossible to ignore blend of sensual confidence and high impact instrumentation. Anne and long time producer and pop music workhorse Jack Antonoff come together in the absolute best way with a song that makes absolutely perfect use of her swagger as a performer. The lyrics paint such a vivid and infectious picture of her aesthetic and served as the perfect launchpad for Daddy's Home. This was just one of those songs this year with no such thing as too many listens. 

Key Lyric: "I went to the park just to watch the little children, the mothers saw my heels and they said I wasn't welcome"

15. Smokin Out The Window - Silk Sonic

Earlier this year Silk Sonic, AKA Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars, released one of the biggest hits of the year. Then about 6 months later they released a catchier, funnier and infinitely better follow-up, how about that. From the very first time the world heard Smokin Out The Window it feels like everyone just kind of knew. THIS is the track that a collaboration like this is built for, every unique element of talent that the pair bring to the table shows up perfectly here on a track good enough to potentially be the best thing in both of their discographies. When the song is so catchy, charming and funny that it makes us all ignore the played out feminine stereotypes it deploys, you know there is a dangerous amount of charisma floating around.

Key Lyric: "This bitch got me paying her rent, paying for trips, diamonds on her neck diamonds on her wrist, but here I am all alone"

14. John L - Black Midi

One of the most talked about indie songs of the year was this ripping prog punk epic from Black Midi. The band deploys some dizzying technicality alongside a larger than life lyrical sentiment that doesn't even feel like it's from this world. All of those things come together to make John L one of the most sonically unique and expansive things I've heard in rock this year, or maybe ever. They really are just working on an entirely different level.

Key Lyric: "This is the scene on main street when John Fifty comes to town, the gargling non-song whips throng into a frenzy, and the echoes of his crooning now cease to be heard"

13. Hard Drive - Cassandra Jenkins

From one of the most challenging songs of the year to one of the most soothing, there is something about Cassandra Jenkins spoken word vocals that make everything feel okay. Her soft and meditative poetry has been a crutch for so many this year on a touchingly simple and direct song. Despite the narratives being firmly first person she manages to hit on so many universal notes that it often really feels like she's singing about you. How can we be asked to appreciate any of the forgettable industry pushed singer-songwriters when Cassandra is making songs like this, Hard Drive is excellent.

Key Lyric: "I'll count to three and tap your shoulder, we're gonna put your heart back together, so all those little pieces they took from you, they're coming back now"

12. Narrator - Squid (Feat. Martha Skye Murphy)

There was one distinct moment where everyone realized it was time to start taking Squid seriously, the hook of Narrator. Yes this song is a ripping 8 minute post-punk odyssey that ends in tortured screaming but it starts off with tight and technical performances setting up for one of the best hooks you'll hear anywhere this year. Squid may not have dropped a definitive post-punk ALBUM this year, but you'd be hard pressed to find a song that meant more to the genre in 2021 than this.

Key Lyric: "Losing my flow and my memories are so unnatural, I am my own narrator"

11. The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows - Damon Albarn

Strictly on a conceptual level the idea of Damon Albarn crafting musical representations of Iceland's natural landscapes sounds fucking amazing, in reality it is even better. The lead single and title track is such a remarkable fragile tightrope walk with Damon's intimate falsetto guiding you through a legitimately transcendental space. Words can't really do this song justice, find your best headphones and let yourself drift into its world and you'll understand exactly what I'm trying to say. 

Key Lyric: "To think of life that did laugh on your face, in the beautiful past, left so desolate now"

10. Self Destruct - Slayyyter

Kicking off the top 10 is one of last years hardest hitting singles. Slayyyter's pop prowess came crashing together with her brash sexuality for this insane electro pop banger that I still can't get enough of. Even with all the versatility she put on display on her new record it is really in the clubby, intense and sensual environment where she continues to shine, and do it better than just about anyone else. 

Key Lyric: "Bitch I am the queen white castle, pussy real fat with a tight bleached asshole, reverse cowgirl tie him with a lasso, take all of his money run away to El Paso"

9. Jesus Lord - Kanye West (Feat. Jay Electronica)

I will be talking about Kanye exactly twice throughout the entirety of list week and both times the point is to tell you just how transcendently good Jesus Lord is. Kanye's new record is WAY too indulgent to be enjoyable but there are a few points where he truly succeeds in a remarkably way. Jesus Lord approaches spiritual themes of forgiveness and spreading love across a few distinct passages. The space that Kanye allows the song to exist in lets it breathe between his own refrains and Jay Electronica's spectacular standout verse. Even the long closing monologue courtesy of Larry Hoover Jr. is an un-skippable moment that brings together everything the track stands for. Kanye doesn't hit his peak often these days, but on Jesus Lord he does absolutely incredible things.

Key Lyric: "Tell me if you know someone that needs jesus, lord"

8. Science Fair - Black Country, New Road

As overplayed as it is to project the neurotic nature of post-punk music onto its fans, Black Country, New Road make it pretty hard to ignore here. Isaac relives embarrassing mistakes and even an existential panic attack across the tracks two verses each of which end in panic calls out into the distance. This track certainly isn't for the feint of heart and the further you dive into the instrumental palette and lyrical subject matter the more you'll find yourself buried in a hole of painful discordance. I wouldn't have it any other way. 

Key Lyric: "I love this city despite the burden of preferences, what a time to be alive, I know where I'm going, it's black country out there"

7. Movement 6 - Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra

What a remarkable collection of talent coming together to do something brilliant. I will be talking more tomorrow about what makes Promises so special because it can't all fit into one track. This song is really just one piece of a greater puzzle and I highly recommend you listen to it in context with the rest of the record. Even on its own this is a gentle, touching and utterly immaculate piece of abstract jazz that I can give the rare honor of being willing to recommend to absolutely anyone, its bliss is that universal. 

Key Lyric: That synth line, you know the one.

6. Little Deer - Spellling

The single most mystical and otherworldly song of the year is obviously Little Deer, nothing else really even comes close. Spellling's brilliant fantasy of a song deploys some beautiful natural imagery to tell a story that very few artists are capable of. While she is brilliant as a worldbuilder she also delivers as a producer and songwriter with dazzling touches of instrumental bliss and one catchy refrain after another throughout. Everything about the song is utterly magnificent and it hasn't lost a bit of its luster even after dozens and dozens of repeat listens. 

Key Lyric: "Dead of winter dead of eve, little deer will marry me, tender lovers of the earth, turn us back into the dirt"

5. I Who Bend The Tall Grasses - Lingua Ignota

Calling Lingua Ignota's music confrontational is underselling it, this is apocalyptic. Her intense, harrowing screams of desperation deliver on the promise that she is as uncompromisingly raw about her faith and emotions as even feels possible. Seeing Kristin bear her heart with this blunt explosion of pain and anguish never got any less impactful as a listener, if anything given more and more time to digest the song its brilliance turned even more bewildering. This is absolutely remarkable as music but it just makes me want Kristin to be okay. All I can hope for is that so many good things happen to her the she decides to drop a gospel record oozing spiritual positivity next, she deserves it.

Key Lyric: "I don't give a fuck, just kill him, you have to, I'm not asking"

4. The Princess And The Clock - Kero Ker Bonito

Let's change lanes real quick. On the other side of the fantastical and otherworldly is Kero Kero Bonito who dropped one of the best songs of their entire career on the vivid and fairy tale grade Princess And The Clock. It lives up to its name with not only a truckload of catchy refrains but also legitimate intrigue regarding the narrative throughout. I've talked about this song a lot this year and frankly I've said everything I can about how brilliant it is, go and listen to it just know that you'll be singing it for days afterwards. 

Key Lyric: "As the nights ran together blurring into years, her brushstrokes never disappeared"

3. Introvert - Little Simz

This is one of the most singularly epic things I've ever heard in all of hip hop, maybe even in all of music. Little Simz put every part of herself into Sometimes I Might Be Introvert from her greatest successes to her deepest vulnerabilities. All of that is set up by this masterful, fully orchestrated introduction track. It's a portrait of an artist that works in brilliant contrast with the thematic intensity brought on by the instrumentation and the intimate and personal delivery of her smart lyrical refrains. Nothing is off limits for Simbi and that level of extreme personal deliberation gives the track so much intrigue and so much passion. It's hard for me to even imagine how one could possibly get more grand than this on a rap song, Simz might have hit the ceiling.

Key Lyric: "I sabotage what we are trying to build, cause of feelings I kept inside, but it's time to reveal"

2. Lawmaker - Darkside

Where can I even start with this song. Nicolas Jaar's attention to detail and ability to craft sonic texture has always been impressive but this is a new high. From the thick basslines, bustling shrill electronics and even the intimate and very timid vocals every single sound on the song is placed so brilliantly in the mix. Normally a song with this level of attention to detail approaches its composition without a need to win you over with anything inherently catchy, but this song has both. The hook on this track is among the best I've heard anywhere this year and it even works to heighten the production around it. Nic is really just showing off at this point because he and Dave are sounding truly one of a kind and numerous steps ahead of their contemporaries on Lawmaker.

Key Lyric: "He's wearing a doctor's coat, but in his hands is the ring of a lawmaker"

1. White Ceiling - Parannoul

Parannoul's break out album earlier this year is truly bedroom rock recorded with all digital instrumentation by just one person, an anonymous Korean college student. Technical proficiency was never the buy in for this music, what it does have is an unmatched eruption of youthful angst, painful self-deprecation and a remarkable journey of self-actualization. In that sense the production style of the record works in its favor and on its brilliant 10 minute centerpiece White Ceiling everything comes to a peak. As Parannoul wails out about waking up every day to the same bland ceiling, disappointing life and self-hatred the instrumental is a blistering whirr of crashing drums and wiry electric guitar. Everything bleeds together into a dense, pummeling, brash expression of personal tragedy. The song feels like something we shouldn't be seeing, something too raw, too unfiltered and too vulnerable. But in all of those authentic expressions we get a true vision of an artist, more personal than most are even capable of realizing about themselves, much less putting on display. To See The Next Part Of The Dream is the next timeless internet age indie rock classic and its remarkable centerpiece is one of the most impassioned and incredible things I've ever heard, certainly the best song of 2021. 

Key Lyric: When I wake up today, there's a white ceiling, when I wake up yesterday, there's a white ceiling, when I wake up tomorrow, there's a white ceiling, when I wake up everyday, there's a white ceiling, always, always, always"

Thanks for reading! You can listen to all these songs on a Spotify playlist here

This is the second to last list of the week and tomorrow will be the Top 100 Albums of 2021

If you'd like to read any of the other lists check them out here, Singles, EPs, Features, Album Art, Production