2021 Year End Lists Chapter 7: The Top 100 Albums of 2021

The Album

as definitive of an artistic statement as you will get from most musical artists. There are no frills about this one, I listened to a LOT of albums this year. These are the best of them. Lets do it. 

100. Dark In Here - The Mountain Goats

Getting us started if John Darnielle and company who haven't been on their most creative streak in the bands storied history but delivered some really good singles and interesting deep cuts that play on John's coy and humorous style of songwriting. 

Listen To: The Slow Parts In Death Metal Albums, Dark In Here

99. Is 4 Lovers - Death From Above 1979

The third new DFA record since their "comeback" in 2014 splits the difference between the first two. While it has plenty of wild moments throughout they do spend quite a bit of time playing it relatively safe and sounding like some of their contemporaries.

Listen To: Mean Streets, N,Y,C Power Elite Part 1

98. The Art Of Losing - The Anchoress

Being billed as the next Kate Bush is impossible for anyone but after a long absence the Anchoress is back with a progressive pop album that at least shoots for the stars. While not every ambitious decision pays off there is enough here that is interesting and elevating the formulas of pop music that it is definitely worth hearing. 

Listen To: All Farewells Should Be Sudden, The Art Of Losing

97. Oh No - Xiu Xiu

Oh No is a bit of a departure for Xiu Xiu, rather then the brash and unpredictable horrorcore they've dabbled in over their past few records this is a collaborations album. The sound and quality of these tracks vary widely based on who those collaborators are and while it's inconsistent there are still some wonderful moments.

Listen To: A Bottle Of Rum, One Hundred Years

96. New Long Leg - Dry Cleaning

There are fewer debut albums than usual on the list this year but given how thoroughly excellent the genre of post-punk was this year I think most people could predict this one. Dry Cleaning presents a much more classic Joy Division style of instrumentation with an art school Life Without Buildings vocal style and the mix is plenty intriguing enough to show off their potential. 

Listen To: Scratchcard Lanyard, Unsmart Lady

95. Sound Ancestors - Madlib

Even though this album feels like it came out years ago I was still pleasantly surprised when returning to it later on in the year. Madlib has a creative and distinctive sound that really doesn't require any rappers over it to be effective. This album is pretty good proof of that.

Listen To: The Call, Road Of The Lonely Ones

94. Blue Banisters - Lana Del Rey

This is basically a dusted up B Sides project full of songs that have been floating around the Lana catalog for years now. But I guess when you're Lana Del Rey even the songs that don't make the ut are good enough to be among the better pop records of the year. 

Listen To: Dealer, Arcadia

93. Just A Matter Of Slime - YNW Melly

Once again I can't really explain what it is about Melly's music that continues to connect with me. Even this glorified collection of demos features some of the best singing I've heard from any rapper this year. He simply has a distinct voice that I really enjoy and this record delivers one great hook after another, that's all I can say. 

Listen To: Pieces, Caprisun Fun

92. Things Take Time, Take Time - Courtney Barnett

This is Courtney's most true songwriter album yet and she mostly thrives in that environment. It is quiet, indulgent and emotional but she brings her trademark charm to so many of these tracks, elevating them beyond the mere stories they're written around. 

Listen To: Rae Street, Write A List Of Things To Look Forward To

91. Welfare Jazz - Viagra Boys

Another day, another good post-punk record, though I assure you that Viagra Boys do not sound anything like their contemporaries. They have a sound that is much more rough around the edges, rowdy and raucous but they also have a strong sense of humor to a lot of what they do. All that charm comes through in the music and makes for a very unique experimental rock record.

Listen To: Creatures, Girls & Boys

90. The Off-Season - J. Cole

It shouldn't really be that much of a surprise that when Cole abandons album length gimmicks and complicated meta plots to just focus on making good music, he can make some pretty good music. The record is straight to the point and he finally allows himself some features, many of which bring great additions. This was the reminder everyone needed that J. Cole has quite a lot of raw talent and knows how to use it. 

Listen To: my life, punchin' the clock

89. Escapades - Gaspard Auge

Gaspard has spent over a decade making house and electronic bangers as a member of Justice, but here on his solo debut he aims for an even more nostalgic interpolation of their occasionally obvious influences. While some of the luster about the record wore of on me with more listens I still find it to be incredibly catchy and easy to return to time and time again. 

Listen To: Force Majeure, Vox

88. Un Canto Por Mexico Vol. 2 - Natalia Lafourcade

Natalia Lafourcade's career has taken on a whole new role in the past few years as she has fully sunk into the work of Mexican folk music. In part two of her most direct confrontation via the form of a covers album she continues to show her talent at revitalizing these these songs and making them all sound so fresh here in 2021.

Listen To: Alma Mia / Tu Me Acostumbraste / Soledad y El Mar, Laz de Luna

87. Lei Line Eon - Iglooghost

Iglooghost's music has always been hard to define but he stepped even further into the world of abstraction on this record. With more indirect compositions while still maintaining his unique soundplay this is really an album unlike anything I've ever heard. While some of these indulgences never seem to add up to anything, more often than not it's a worthwhile sonic journey.

Listen To: Yellow Umbra, Amu

86. Tha Wolf On Wall St. - Your Old Droog & Tha God Fahim

There's a lot of elaborate rap albums on the list this year, this isn't one of them. Droog and Fahim link up for a short and sweet series of direct lowkey rap tracks. They are content with flexing their conventional skill as rappers over some murky beats dusted with pretty compelling samples,

Listen To: Meditation, All Bidness

85. Hitler Wears Hermes 8: Side B - Westside Gunn

The Griselda records crew have thrived in the mixtape environment. They stick to their guns and deliver massive amounts of music ever year, Surprisingly this time around it was the B-side of Westside Gunn's acclaimed mixtape series that stood out far more than its predecessor. The beats hit harder, the features perform better and this is generally among the better collections of tracks from Gunn, or anyone on the label this year.

Listen To: Free Kutter, Best Dressed Demons

84. As The Love Continues - Mogwai

This wasn't exactly the best year there's ever been for straight up prog, but some of the genres classic artists did manage to score late career successes. Mogwai mostly played it straight on this new album but broke character for some punkier riffs or more conventional sung vocals here and there. The results are a record that won't blow you away but display all the technical proficiency and style you'd expect from a group of their pedigree.

Listen To: Ceiling Granny, to The Bin My Friend Tonight We Vacate Earth

83. The Shadow I Remember - Cloud Nothings

If you know Cloud Nothings and you're familiar with the progression they've been on in recent years then you'll know what to expect here. The album has a modest pop punk sound that isn't afraid to be loud and brash just as it isn't afraid to show its true feelings. The results are plain and simple enjoyment throughout. 

Listen To: Am I Something, Nothing Without You

82. The Melodic Blue - Baby Keem

One of the more enigmatic and unique rap debuts in recent memory, The Melodic Blue showed off Baby Keem's ability to step outside the box and try new things. While this resulted in some pretty majorly memeable tracks, those songs are also generally pretty good. Keem is more comfortable blending into a generic trap song here and there than I would have hoped, but when he gets creative there isn't anyone else quite like him.

Listen To: South Africa, Range Brothers

81. Great Spans Of Muddy Time - William Doyle

When you're dealing with indie music sometimes following the crowd can reap great rewards. While I've been following William since his East India Youth days this was by far the most attention I've ever seen one of his solo albums get and for good reason, it's one of his best. His strong melodies, intimate vocals and command of the subtle electronic instrumentation all comes together for a composed and generally rewarding experience.

Listen To: And Everything Changes, Nothing At All

80. Music For Psychedelic Therapy - Jon Hopkins

This is one of the more unique entries on the list given that the title almost implies some sort of wellness ambitions that the record has for its listeners. In reality it's more like an ambient music sampler. While there is a wellness guru sampled on the albums finale by that point the much more soothing sounds have come from the records fantastic field recordings. If you're knew to ambient and want a taste test of some of its microgenres this certainly isn't a bad place to start out.

Listen To: Tayos Caves, Ecuador i, Ascending Dawn Sky

79. Crawler - Idles

Gone are the days of the simple smash and bash stylings of Idles. These days even when they dial it up to deliver a hard-hitter it's usually dealing out more compositionally unique elements. Thankfully they are also bringing refreshing new directions to their sound on numerous tracks here which result in a number of highlights. While they haven't quite been able to translate their original appeal into a new more dynamic style, they are getting very close.

Listen To: Car Crash, The New Sensation

78. Afro Pessimist - CENSORED Dialogue

If you're plan is to step outside the box and make something unique in 2021, you better fucking bring it. Censored Dialogue does just that on Afro Pessimist, about as raw of an emotional statement you'll hear in the form of a rap record this year. Nothing feels off limits as CD rattler off insecurities and personal demons but the record isn't dejected. If anything is has the kind of infectious veneer that makes you feel like you can achieve anything, or maybe that's just me. Her technical talent and thematic focus is extremely impressive nonetheless.

Listen To: Hate Crime, Social Death

77. Bright Magic - Public Service Broadcasting

Public Service Broadcasting are nothing if not ambitious. Whether they are chronicling the Space Race or telling the sonic history of Berlin like here on Bright Magic it feels like they leave no stone unturned in pursuit of great music. From smattering industrial instrumental tracks to shimmering synth pop songs their versatility is on full display, which is something you really need to tell a story this involved with impressionistic focus. 

Listen To: Der Rhythmus Der Machinen, Blue Heaven

76. Heaux Tales - Jazmine Sullivan

One of the albums this year that really adds up to more than the sum of its parts is Jazmine Sullivan's Heaux Tales. Even with some very noticeable weak points in the tracklist the smart way that she interpolates the personal tales of numerous women helps add weight to everything the record aims to do thematically. On top of all of that the high points on the record are extremely high and features some of the best songs of her entire career.

Listen To: Pick Up Your Feelings, On It

75. Green To Gold - The Antlers

Gone are the days of painfully raw Antlers albums and in it's place is a pleasant and dreamy indie rock act. These songs are gentle and fragile but thrive in that beauty and always feel like the band is using the exact right amount of restraint to pull them off. Between their breezy indie stylings and some authentically engaging songwriting they assemble quite a compelling record.

Listen To: It Is What It Is, Wheels Roll Home

74. Smiling With No Teeth - Genesis Owusu

This debut album from Australian newcomer Genesis Owusu first came across my radar last year when people were hyping him up as potential breakout star. I had pretty measured expectations but it's safe to say that they were easily cleared. From rapping, singing, songwriting, thematic focus and instrumental selection Genesis Owusu really is a dynamic and versatile talent. With smooth pop fusions and hard rap bangers this was one of the most versatile albums of the year and it's done quite well.

Listen To: Don't Need You, Gold Chains

73. The Light Emitting Diamond Cutter Scriptures - R.A.P Ferreira

If you remember one entire year ago R.A.P Ferreira kicked off the year with a surprise album on January 1st, the first record I reviewed in 2021. This isn't that, many months later he came back with a different, more focused and more direct mixtape style project that I enjoyed a lot more. These songs give Rory a much better platform to show off his lyrical wit and creative flows. 

Listen To: Hyperion, East Nashville

72. Haram - Armand Hammer & The Alchemist

One of the most raw and uncompromising rap albums of the year is this collaboration between a few of the genres underground veterans. The murky beats and powerful vocals somehow end up playing a side show to the incredibly dynamic and interesting lyrical themes that the Armand Hammer boys weave in and out of all these tracks. Even if some of the indulgences go well beyond what's necessary there are enough great experiments that work here to firmly place it among the best rap albums of the year.

Listen To: Indian Summer, Falling Out The Sky

71. Deacon - Serpentwithfeet

While serpentwithfeet didn't really have a true breakout this year, it's coming. I know I've been saying that for years now, but it's coming. The music is still so refreshing and so thematically dense despite being packed full of catchy refrains and often simple song structures. The album sits right at the crossroads of great lyrics, instrumentals and vocals and the only thing really holding it back is that it doesn't quite make as good use of the album format as I think it could have.

Listen To: Sailor's Superstition, Same Size Shoe

70. The Color Blu(e) - Blu

In case you weren't already impressed with Blu as a mind bending lyricist this entire album is built around the color blue, and I really do mean that. It is honestly incredible how much he is capable of pulling from that simple theme while also bringing great instrumentals and even proper song structures. Even if this is somewhat of a gimmick way to approach an album Blu is to talented and pulls it off so well that it might as well honestly just be any other really good rap record. Amazing.

Listen To: Everyday Blu(e)s, Mr. Blu(e) Sky

69. Drayan! - Kai Whiston

Frequent Iglooghost collaborator Kai Whiston surprise dropped an insane new EP full of electronic bangers and a loose concept all about his alien child from the album cover. I think the whole thing is beyond understanding so all I can really do is sink into the tracks here and be impressed by how intense and insane they are.

Listen To: Drayan!, Bothering Me

68. Texis - Sleigh Bells

Another album that is hard to nail down with words. Texis is a whirlwind, tailspin, hurricane, explosion of rock and pop and electronica but somehow even more crazy than that. The bright pop hooks soar over chugging electric guitars and stuttering electronic beats refusing to let you settle down for even a second. The whole thing just can't be pinned down and it's thoroughly exciting. 

Listen To: SWEET75, Locust Laced

67. Animal - Lump

Laura and Mike's full length debut of their Lump project was one of the more hyped up indie released this year on the back of a few great singles. While it may not have been every bit as great as people were expecting it still brings quite a few great songs and manages to feel very timely in the modern indie scene. Laura Marling's creative streak seems like it's almost certain to carry on into 2022.

Listen To: Climb Every Wall, Animal

66. Sour - Olivia Rodrigo

The most talked about debut album of the year was easily Olivia Rodrigo's Sour. In fact you could make a case that it was one of the most talked about albums of the year period. She adopted the rising trend of 2000's pop punk nostalgia and by the end of it all she was the leader of the pack. She delivered career making hits, fan favorite deep cuts and social media sensations and all on her very first outing. It feels like she can only go up from here.

Listen To: brutal, drivers liscence

65. Call Me If You Get Lost - Tyler, The Creator

Tyler is back, does this mean that people in my real life will stop talking to me about my IGOR review. Probably not because I apparently didn't give this one a high enough score either. Much like J. Cole earlier on the list Tyler is dialing it back on this record and focusing on the fundamentals with great results. there are certainly lyrical themes that emerge consistently but the closest thing it has to a concept is DJ Drama screaming his brains out annoyingly on literally, literally, every single song. 

Listen To: Manifesto, Juggernaut

64. Glow On - Turnstile

There's been quite a lot of talk this year about the breakout that hardcore band Turnstile have had for for good reason, I don't think I've seen a single year end list without them. That really does point to how essential their exciting fusion of new and old is and how universally appealing it is even when they are chugging away at hardcore riffs or screamed punk refrains. If they can continue to write songs this catchy and interpolate the perfect amount of dreamy production they could have a legitimate hit on their hands one day. That just feels weird to say.

Listen To: Blackout, WILD WRLD

63. Observatory - Aeon Station

Kevin Whelan of The Wrens finally broke the bands long standing musical silence this year, sort of. Aeon Station does contain tracks that were once intended for a new Wrens album but after reading through some of the very revealing interviews Kevin did in the lead up to the record it seems like they've been out of play for a while. Regardless this became one of my most anticipated new releases of the year and I have to say I'm pretty happy with the results. The band still have a youthful flourish to their take on indie staples that should impress both long time fans and new listeners.

Listen To: Queens, Hold On

62. Sketchy - Tune-Yards

I thought this album had the potential to be one of the best of the year based on some absolutely killer singles, and while its short length doesn't go great with a few duds in the tracklist there are still plenty of great songs here. The bands variety of influences and splashes of creativity as songwriters make these songs pop and they come together for yet another versatile and fun experience in their catalog.

Listen To: Hold Yourself, Nowhere Man

61. Cheetah Bend - Jimmy Edgar

Early on in the year Jimmy Edgar quietly dropped one of the more interesting electronica records of the year. It serves up a hyper pop meets EDM meets deconstructed club style which also sees him working in numerous rapper features. The creativity involved is quite impressive and he really is throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks. The brash music that results and the array of talents involved make it an exciting and unique listen that I returned to frequently this year,

Listen To: Get Up, Metal

60. Only Child - Uncommon Nasa

Reserved hip hop albums had a great year and while Uncommon Nasa may not have been the most popular voice in the mix his level of execution firmly puts him near the top of the creative output within the style. He delivers a worldly and veteran prescence to his performances and song topics that worked as a major breath of fresh air for hip hop this year.

Listen To: Vincent Crane, Brooklyn Soup

59. Bo Jackson - Boldy James & The Alchemist

Rappers have a long tradition of channeling sports stars in their music and on this album Boldy James chose to take on one of the most exhilarating two sport athletes of all time. If you're modeling after Bo Jackson you really do need to bring it and thankfully he did with high levels of braggadocio and lyrical execution backed by beats from a producer who surely knows what he's doing. These two ooze talent and channel it expertly into what they do throughout this album.

Listen To: Double Hockey Sticks, Steel Wool

58. Tempus - Issa Gold

Another day and another very smart rap record, though this time one that went under the radar. I'm not exactly sure why Issa Gold's solo work hasn't achieved more recognition given how much acclaim the Underachievers have generated over the years. He seems to be thriving as an underdog though and working the chip on his shoulder into his witty and confrontational song writing. Whether he wants the recognition or not, this was certainly one of my favorite records of the year.

Listen To: Cold Summer, Envy

57. Bloodmoon 1 - Converge & Chelsea Wolfe

A lot has been said this year about Bloodmoon being a doom metal album rather than living within the specific genres of either of the key artists involved. While I was also confused by the decision I actually think it paid off in the end. The longer tracks on the record are a distant rumbling indulgence that erupts into major highlight moments. There isn't anything here that is quite as blisteringly loud as other metal records this year, but the compositional nuances really do help sell everything they do on the record. 

Listen To: Blood Moon, Daimon

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

Every year a new crop of young singer-songwriters have a breakout but it's never the ones I'm pulling for. Okay sometimes it is, we will get there. Faye Webster wasn't one of my favorites in the genre when the year started but this record really did win me over. Her gentle girlish delivery and charming songwriting goes a step beyond some of her contemporaries and actually back her character with some legitimate talent. The results are charming and catchy tracks laced one after another adding up to a damn good record.

Listen To: I Know I'm Funny haha, In A Good Way

55. Black Encyclopedia Of The Air - Moor Mother

Over the last few years Moor Mother truly has become one of the most acclaimed musicians in all of experimental music. Despite basically playing with house money she is continuing to push her experiments in new directions and doing great things on this record. With a new set of versatile collaborators and an unwavering sonic intensity running throughout, this is one of the most interesting albums I heard all year.

Listen To: Zami, Mangrove

54. An Archaea - Amusement Parks On Fire

Eventually I will do a Spotlight video on the Amusement Parks On Fire song Smokescreen over on the YouTube channel but for now I will say that on top of being an underrated 2000's shoegaze act they have also proven their breezy dreamy sound to be pretty transcendental by returning and dropping another great record in 2021. There really is something to their hazy melodies and increasingly dense guitar passages that spawns one magical moment after another.

Listen To: Ad Archaea, Old Salt

53. Blue Weekend - Wolf Alice

One of the most acclaimed records in the indie scene this year came from Wolf Alice who managed to come to an extremely crowd pleasing concession of the numerous sounds they've flirted with over the years. Blue Weekend features songs that are heavy but never pummeling, catchy but not poppy and hazy but not obscured. The result was a record that many people, myself included, really enjoyed. 

Listen To: How Can I Make It OK?, The Last Man On Earth

52. Black To The Future - Sons Of Kemet

This isn't quite the transcendental piece of futuristic jazz that some expected following their last album but those expectations don't need to be hold against Sons Of Kemet. This project stands alone as a slashing contemporary statement on race that sees them tumbling their jazz techniques and social themes into the future with the help of some absolutely remarkable collaborators. This is a must hear for a jazz heads, and a probably should hear for everyone else. 

Listen To: Field Negus, To Never Forget The Source

51. Tyron - Slowthai

Slowthai's sophomore album is split down the middle with bangers in the first half and more indulgent more emotional songs in the second half, and the second half is better? Maybe you could claim that the bangers don't quite hit like they used to but I would argue that Slowthai was expanding his creativity well beyond the box that many placed him in and bringing along a great roster of collaborators to do it. If he wasn't firmly cemented among your list of artists to look out for going forward, he should be now. 

Listen To: Mazza, Feel Away

50. Kick IIIII - Arca

Spoiler alert, this isn't the last Arca record that will appear on the list. She dropped four entire new albums earlier this month as a part of the kick series and part 5 is the most spacious and ambient leaning of the bunch. Even Arca's take on minimalist soundscape driven music seems so futuristic and surreal that hearing these tracks feels more like wandering the halls of an alien spaceship than it does relaxing in a peaceful forest. Her ability to craft intoxicating environments takes the record to transcendental places. 

Listen To: Estrogen, Fireprayer

49. An Evening With Silk Sonic - Silk Sonic

If six months ago you had told me that An Evening was gonna be my album of the year I would have definitely believed you, that's how much of a slam dunk I was anticipating this being. Even though it turned out to be a little half baked once we got the whole thing that shouldn't be used to downplay some of the incredible things it achieves. As an album long experience it is impossible not to be charmed by Anderson and Bruno and if you grab hold to the records 4 or 5 great songs there is something truly spectacular about what they're doing.

Listen To: Smokin Out The Window, 777

48. In Ferneaux - Blanck Mass

This is probably the most compositionally abstract and difficult to consume record on the list. Blanck Mass do deliver some of their trademark blistering noise music but also blend it together with drone, field recordings and some general ambient haze. The entire record works in two massive 20+ minute phases but it is really the individual moments that I so easily get lost in. If you have an ear for sonic space, texture and nuance there is a lot here that should really interest you. 

Listen To: Phase 1, Phase 2

47. I Don't Live Here Anymore - The War On Drugs

The War On Drugs are already one of indie music's most beloved acts and that allows them to wander ever so slightly from their sound and maintain that core audience. This album is an indulgence into the world of heartland rock that is straight out of the Springsteen playbook, a comparison pretty much every single critic has made. Even with that strong reference point at its core the album still manages to be a enjoyable and refreshing experience.

Listen To: Change, Wasted

46. Kings Disease II - Nas

King's Disease II is everything the first record was and more. The albums serve as a reflection for Nas on his career and status as a hip hop legend. Hit-Boy's production is a wonderfully detailed base over which Nas paints vivid pictures of his past and his current life with the veteran poise you'd expect from someone of his status. With so many artists this long into their career simply coasting, it's impressive that Nas can keep pushing himself in new and intriguing ways.

Listen To: Nobody, Death Row East

45. Jubilee - Japanese Breakfast

This is probably the most talked about album of the year among critics so I will keep it brief. Michelle's adorable voice lends itself perfectly to both the spacey and more poppy cuts on the record. It all comes together to paint her as not only an eandearing and talented artist, but a fascinating person, listen to it.

Listen To: Be Sweet, Savage Good Boy

44. La Maquina - Conway The Machine

I got some flack last year for dishing out praise to Westside Gunn and Benny The Butcher last year but not touching much on Conway. Thankfully he must have taken it personally, since he obviously saw my reviews right. He came out of the gate hot in 2021 with the best record of his career and one of the best Griselda releases in their entire catalog. His directness, uncompromising song topics and pounding beat selection come together for a consistently rewarding selection of rap tracks.

Listen To: Scatter Brain, KD

43. LP! - JPEGMAFIA

Peggy is nothing if he's not unpredictable. After releasing two EPs where he took a turn for more conventional and direct songs, even occasionally leaving the realm of hip hop entirely, he turned around and dropped a surprise record of truly daunting experimental rap. While there are two distinct versions of the record that have different strengths and weaknesses, but if you've really got the time to engage, just hear them both and decide for yourself.

Listen To: BMT!, NEMO!

42. 333 - Tinashe

I've been a Tinashe skeptic for years, yes I know you can stop bothering me about it in Twitter DMs. I don't feel like I was late to the party when I found myself really enjoying this record, because it doesn't sound like anything else she's ever made. She takes a bold step into some creative new sounds with excellent production throughout that carries her R&B stylings in new directions. Not only does this help her music be more engaging but it also allows her personal character to come to life in all kinds of new ways. I'm anticipating that 333 will be her launch pad towards more great R&B records to come. 

Listen To: 333, I Can See The Future

41. Der Lange Marsch - Gas

If you're the sort of person who would enjoy a German ambient album of recreated forest soundscapes then you're probably already familiar with Gas, so in a sense this description may be a completely lost cause. But if for some reason that sounds like you're thing this record comes highly recommended and once you finish with it dive into the rest of the Gas discography.

Listen To: 7, 1

40. Pray For Haiti - Mach-Hommy

Unless you've got tons of money to burn buying Mach-Hommy's expensive ass records through his website there's a good chance that he may have fallen off your radar for a few years aside from a handful of features here and there. He came roaring back to prominence with this Griselda records reunion that turned heads once again proving how lyrically proficient and vocally intense Hommy can be. This was a breakout hit in rap circles this year so there's a good chance you've already heard it but if you somehow haven't, do yourself a favor.

Listen To: The Stellar Ray Theory, Magnum Band

39. Carnage - Nick Cave & Warren Ellis

Nick Cave is another veteran who is still remarkably innovative at this point in his career. This collaborative album puts the "Bad Seeds" name aside and Nick seems to take that to heart, trading out some of his typical surrealism and making it overwhelmingly contemporary. Despite that change the rewarding and dynamic compositions as well as the rich array of baroque chamber instrumentation are both here to stay. It all adds up to yet another great addition to the Nick Cave collection.

Listen To: White Elephant, Hand Of God

38. Drunk Tank Pink - Shame

We had a little bit of a break from the post-punk but it's not going anywhere now. Shame kicked off this legendary year with perhaps the first really great post-punk record of the bunch. They have a dark muddling sound that certainly pays its respect to the classics but there's always a heavy edge to their performances. The bands ability to work in instrumentally dense and pounding passages into intimate and vulnerable moments is impressive throughout and always keeps me on my toes. 

Listen To: Born In Luton, Snow Day

37. Time - Your Old Droog

Keeping up with all the music Your Old Droog releases is basically impossible. Still i do try to pop in on his new records as much as I possibly can and I'm really glad I did on Time because it's his best in years. Even with the admittedly loose way that he applies the albums time based concept he manages to get into some interesting subject matter. In fact he uses the idea of time as something like a springboard to explore all kinds of new ideas that its hard to imagine any other artist taking on. Throw in some hilarious Anthony Jeselnik interludes and you've got a great Droog album.

Listen To: Dropout Boogie, The Magic Watch

36. ...And Again Into The Light - Panopticon

It's a good year when Panopticon emerges again. There is something about the unique blend of black metal, Appalachian folk and shoegaze that draws me in and keeps me in for some of the more winding compositions. This record in particular has the patience to set up so many exciting moments and the longest tracks in its arsenal are often the best. When this all comes together it creates a fascinating sond that is executed with poise and focus, but never feels too technical. 

Listen To: The Embers At Dawn, A Snowless Winter

35. Harmonizer - Ty Segall

Somewhere in this year of rock and roll being experimented with, thrown into abstraction or expanded upon, there is still room for some classic ripping ad shredding, enter Ty Segall. Between the soaring group melodies and huge riffing and Ty Segall's meaty style of songwriting every song on the record grabs you from the first few notes and holds on tight. If you're really feeling the blistering side of rock, but can keep the experimental stuff on this side, Harmonizer is just for you.

Listen To:  Whisper, Waxman

34. Shade - Grouper

On Shade Grouper asks the question what if we took some of the most distant sounds of folk music and made them even more distant by soaking them in distortion and pushing them to the back of a huge mix. Well in the hands of a talented soundplay artist like Liz Harris, great things happen. Okay not every single song on the record is completely indistinguishable but in those moments she just dips into her history of wonderful folk music to pull out new great things. This has all the looks of a normally stark, minimalist folk record but with the attention to detail and ambition put behind it, the record reaches far beyond that conclusion. 

Listen To: Disordered Mind, Unclean Mind

33. A Martyr's Reward - Ka

While we are dealing in the realm of minimalism lets take on the most lowkey rapper in the game today. Ka has a performance style so reserved and beat choices so distant that you have no choice but to listen to the lyrics. That's actually a good thing, a very very good thing because Ka is a wordsmith in a class all its own. His unbelievable ability to weave metaphors in and out of each other and maintain a tight grip on his thematic focus from song to song has always been impressive. On this record he allows himself a little bit more freedom to stretch his topical focus without a strong overarching concept, but all it really does is allow us the chance to see him take on all kinds of new directions.

Listen To: I Notice, I Need All That

32. A Tiny House, In Secret Speeches, Polar Equals - Sweet Trip

Trying to encapsulate everything this album does or even what to expect from Sweet Trip's sound is virtually impossible in one paragraph. The band does so much dabbling in different genres, styles and emotions across this long return album that I can't really slap any label on it. All I will say is that they are good at what they do and I'm sure almost anyone can find something here that impresses them.

Listen To: Chapters, Walkers Beware

31. Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine - Brockhampton

After working out some emotions as a group on their more somber and sung album Ginger in 2019, Brockhampton dragged themselves kicking and screaming back into the world of hip hop on this album. With fretures from a number of their contemporaries the boys dialed up one more classic hip hop track after another, but continue to do it with an unrivaled level of excitement and a restless desire to experiment that many other popular rap acts would greatly benefit from.

Listen To: Buzzcut, Chain On

30. Talk Memory - BADBADNOTGOOD

If yu're old enough to remember BadBadNotGood for their YouTube covers of Zelda music and rap songs, well those guys are quite a bit more aware of classic jazz stylings now and on this record they try their hand at a much more recognizable style for jazz heads. The bands compositions and playing style are much more reminiscent of some jazz pioneers and the final product they craft is one of the most defnitie jazz statements of the year. 

Listen To: Timid Intimidating, Signal From The Noise

29. Menneskekollektivet - Lost Girls

Jenny Hva; and Havard Volden using their Lost Girls project to kind of tell the sonic history of the entire universe ad also kind of do some other stuff. Sign me up. Nobody who writes about Jenny Hval has her unique style of writing so it's occasionally hard to even describe her style. On this record she is afforded the opportunity to run free and conceptualize an admittedly kind of massive vision, but like always she delivers. For an album hose title translates to "The human collective" it really does live up to that ambition.

Listen To: Menneskekollektivet, Losing Something

28. A Beginner's Mind - Sufjan Stevens & Angelo De Augustine

This is another record whose appeal is pretty simple. Sufjan and Angelo would watch movies and then use those movies as inspiration for these songs. Given how much talent there is between the two that should be setting off alarm bells. This thing is an instrumentally charming and extremely well written collection of sweet folk songs with cinematic intrigue far beyond your average album of the like.

Listen To: Reach Out, Back To Oz

27. OK Human - Weezer

Yes, since the release of this album Weezer did record and release a ham fisted tribute to 70's hard rock that is literally called Van Weezer but even that can't wash the good taste of OK Human out of my mouth. Their turn towards baroque pop was certainly one of the more unexpected transitions this year but it paid off really well. These songs are simple but the hooks really hit one after another and the charming beauty of the instrumentation somehow makes the goofiness of Weezer's songwriting even more enjoyable. This is probably the most plesant surprise I had in 2021, at least early on.

Listen To: La Brea Tar Pits, Grapes Of Wrath

26. Space 1.8 - Nala Sinephro

Another record that kind of came out of nowhere at least for me was Space 1.8. I'm not sure where exactly the build up for this record came from but once it was here I couldn't get enough of the really interesting blends of reserved jazz and lounge music styles. The whole album is reflective, spacious and ultimately meditative giving it an allure that I find completely irresistible. Even now months later I frequently get the strong desire to return tot he record, simply for the fascinating place of mind it can put me in.

Listen To: Space 8, Space 1

25. New Fragility - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

Welcome back CYHSY. The indie rock veterans never really went anywhere but on this album they released their best collection of tracks since they first broke out and did so exactly the way they always have, raw emotion and rustic instrumentation. While they've slipped the bounds of that overrated "pitchfork indie" label the sound they present here still has strong ties to the work of their early days. That should draw in fans of indie folk both new and old to admire the talent the band puts on display. 

Listen To: Mirror Song, Thousand Oaks

24. Troubled Paradise - Slayyyter

The long journey to Slayyyter's debut album finally paid off. In the lead up she released a set of singles that proved she's just as good at writing heartfelt wailing pop anthems as she is making sexually charged pop rap bangers. That's exactly what she does on her debut album and it's the sign of a very promising career to come.

Listen To: Self Destruct, Cowboys

23. Seek Shelter - Iceage

Post-punk time again. This time its some veritable veterans of the genre a decade into their career who continue to make fantastically engaging music. On the record Iceage slow it down a bit from some of their more up-tempo thrashing early on but the results are songs with more time to breathe and more time to reel you in for key moments. The songwriting on the record really shows where the band has improved over the years and they need far less bells and whistles to assemble great high points on Seek Shelter. 

Listen To: Shelter Song, Vendetta

22. Bright Green Field - Squid

Squid might have come into 2021 as the "other" highly anticipated British post-punk band making their debut, but much like their contemporaries early on in 2021, they debuted successfully with this raw and exciting album. From the youthful impassioned lyricism and vocals to the pounding relentless style of instrumentation they consistently deploy the entire record is a pummeling expression or anger at the status quo. If you think that sounds more punk than post-punk you're not alone, but the band has an instrumental virtuosity to their line-up that elevates everything they do. 

Listen To: Narrator, Peel St.

21. Thirstier - Torres

A lot has been said about the singer-songwriter genre this year, by me, and by "a lot has been said" I mean I've talked a lot of shit and handed down a lot of average reviews. Torres has always been an undeniably breath of fresh air in the scene and on Thirstier she may have dropped her best record to date. With much more robust instrumentation than her contemporaries and the unique song structures and topics that many other artists wish they could have, Torres continues to stand above the pack and this is a great collection of indie rock jams. 

Listen To: Thirstier, Are You Sleepwalking?

20. Kick III - Arca

Arca has dozens of different facets to her artistry, and if you're the type of person who loves her intense futuristic electronica ragers, kick iii is for you. This record is a jittery and uncompromising set of deconstructed club parallel bangers that not only overflow with her personality but also push the genre in new and challenging directions with her brash instrumental choices and hazy production style. It all comes together into one of the craziest albums you'll hear this year as well as one of the coolest. 

Listen To: Seniorita, Electra Rex

19. An Overview On Phenomenal Nature - Cassandra Jenkins

If you're listening to these albums in order, you're welcome. After one of the most sonically intensive records of the year from Arca take in the space and beauty of one of the most instrumentally poignant and emotionally reflective albums I think I've ever heard, Cassandra's sweet and subtle vocals and open emotional vulnerability create a therapeutic like mix that I found completely irresistible. I've said it before and I'll say it again, these songs feel like talking to an old friend and one whose prescence makes everything feel like it's going to be okay. 

Listen To: Hard Drive, Crosshairs

18. Daddy's Home - St. Vincent

Anne Clark has a few major things on her side beyond just her talents as a musician. Namely a diverse array of incfluences and a bottomless pit of charm, both of which come into play in a major way on Daddy's Home. This is one of her most instrumentally exploratory album to date with 70's influences psychedelic and funk instrumentals but it really is Anne herself that sells these songs. From her ability to soak vocals in a variety of compelling emotions and her consistent execution in the brightest and best moments on the record she is coming into her own in a more extravagant way than ever before on Daddy's Home.

Listen To: Pay Your Way In Pain, Live In The Dream

17. Chemtrails Over The Country Club - Lana Del Rey

While Lana's second album of the year was clearly made up of some odds and ends, Chemtrails I packed full of song that obviously belong together. The consistent styling and thematic ties that run through the entire record are exactly what Lana has always done so well. Some of the most noteworthy pop moments of the year come on the record when she stretches her vocals into new directions or pulls off larger than life moments with talented collaborators. Ultimately this is a record that absolutely deserves to live among the shelves of Lana's best work, which if you've been around for a while you know is saying something.

Listen To: Chemtrails Over The County Club, White Dress

16. By The Time I Get To Phoenix - Injury Reserve

The way that artists handle loss in their music can often tell you more about them as people than as musicians, that isn't necessarily the case here. rather than dialing it back after the tragic loss of one third of their groundbreaking hip hop trio, Injury Reserve decided to push further than ever before. Not only are they making an extremely experimental brand of rap that pulls from the kind of influences I've never heard before in the genre, but on a number of songs here they seem intent on transcending the entire genre of rap as a whole. It's an extremely challenging but extremely rewarding expedition that anyone who hopes to be challenged can't miss.

Listen To: Knees, Postpostpatrum

15. I've Seen All I Need To See - The Body

If you want an album to really put the pressure on your skull, really just crush your brain and obliterate your spirit, look no further. The impenetrable walls of distortion and distant screaming wails of The Body have always been a challenge to digest but this time they've taken it to a whole new level. I'm not sure I've ever heard an album so singularly dedicated and effective as pilling so much dominating noise on top of itself to create something so crushing. It's another experience that really needs to be heard to be understood.

Listen To: A Lament, The Handle/The Blade

14. Pressure Machine - The Killers

The Killers and "concept album" don't even sound like they go together. And yet one of the best concept albums of the year sees the band diving into intense detail on the toxic environment of small rural towns. I'm fascinated by the dichotomy of Brandon Flowers' own personal feelings of nostalgia, reminiscing on his time growing up in one of these type towns. But there is a sneaky darkness that infests the albums portrayal of these places and rots your viewpoint of them across its runtime. This feels like the band maturing as songwriters, musicians and worldbuilders all at the same time and I really couldn't be more excited about it.

Listen To: Quiet Town, Terrible Thing

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

Yet again the appeal of this album can be boiled down to a few core essentials really easily. Damon's latest solo effort is a sonic tour through the environmental landscapes of Iceland and they are manifested just as beautifully as the real places they're based on. He plays with space in a subtle way but still manages to evoke rich seas of beautiful music filled with minor details that add up to spectacular songs. The record is fragile but expansive and the ways it wanders through those sonic atmospheres is consistently compelling throughout. 

Listen To: The Nearer The Fountain More Pure The Stream Flows, Polaris

12. The Turning Wheel - Spellling

From a record that extracts beauty from minimalism to a record that crafts beauty with seas of sound that come together in a focused and magical way. Spellling is truly creating fairy tale like worlds with these songs where she brings fantastical vision to her real world song topics. Everything from the vocals to the percussion and all the glittery dusts of instrumentation woven over top of it all sounds larger than life and elevates her vision for these tracks to something that is frankly one of the most majestic album experiences I've ever had.

Listen To Little Deer, Always

11. I Lie Here Buried With My Rings And My Dresses - Backxwash

How to describe Backxwash's rap meets death and doom metal sound. Apocalyptic is a good place to start, all encompassing, biblical in a nefarious way, scary. It's fucking scary. Not only is it scary in the conventional sense of haunting instrumentation and harrowing screams but the subject matter has an edge to it that is far more personal and far more real than most records that sound like this. Backxwash's lyricism doesn't merely aim to be as shocking as possible, but it achieves an uncompromised vision through authentic pain and a look into some of the most tortured parts of her reality. This record is absolutely not for the feint of heart. but if you give yourself to it, Backxwash will blow you away.

Listen To: I Lie Here Buried With My Rings And My Dresses, Terror Packets

10. Hey What - Low

Entering the top 10 we have yet another album with an uncompromising vision. On their newest record Low seeks to not only amaze you with the harrowing vocal refrains they weave into almost every song, but also blow out your speakers with layers of distortion so think they sound impossibly vast. Not only is this a unique vision but also an incredibly ambitious one that I could imagine going horribly wrong in less talented hands. But Low show us all why they have the reputation they do as musical veterans with this absolutely thrilling new record.

Listen To: Days Like These, White Horses

9. G_d's Pee At State's End! - Godspeed You! Black Emperor

The last time we heard from Godspeed You! Black Emperor, or maybe even the last two times depending on who you ask, they didn't sound like themselves. If you avoided this record because you felt that way, its time to give in and listen to this thing because they are firmly back in action. The apocalyptic vision and masterful compositions that you expect from the band are here and while they have faded on vocal samples in recent years, there is still so much story in these songs. Whether it's the two massive swaying epics or the shorter, laser focused songs that follow them the band is doing what they've always done, elevating their music to more than just the music.

Listen To: Government Came, Military Alphabet

8. Cavalcade - Black Midi

From post-rock, to something perhaps even harder to nail down. Black Midi's approach to post-punk has always been creative but they took a big step on Cavalcade that is hard to imagine any of their contemporaries being able to match. The bands technical instrumental prowess is incredibly but the creativity that they apply to it is what's even more impressive. They sound like a vision of rocks insane future and I can't get enough of how fascinating their arrangements, compositions and even down to individual parts are. If they started off as post-punk for post-punk fans, now they are simply transcendent of genre and anybody willing to take on their wild ride is sure to have a good time doing it.

Listen To: John L, Slow

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

I have never been crazy about the music of Floating Points and I let that get in the way of my anticipation for this record despite hearing nothing but good buzz in the lead up to its release. That was wrong, this album fucking rules. Turns out the talents of everyone involved come together perfectly for a gentle, atmospheric and fascinatingly beautiful asbstract jazz piece that has been among my most listened albums of the year. The way every single thign in this mix comes together so effortlessly despite how creative and often unpredictable it all is blows me away time and time again. This album just sounds amazing from the way it's composed to the way it's performed and above all the way it's presented to the listener on the record. If this truly is a one time gathering of talent, they really made the absolute most of it.

Listen To: Movement 6 Movement 8

6. Friends That Break Your Heart - James Blake

Seeing James Blake in the top 10 of one of my albums of the year lists almost feel cliché at this point, but his consistency and excellence is truly bewildering. Whether its a murky hip hop banger, a soothing R&B relationship jam, or a tragic chilling electronic ballad, he can do it all. Once again he impresses with his level of execution but also with his impeccable attention to detail and versatility. Everything he's ever set out to do, he's been able to pull off and this record is yet another emotional journey courtesy of his magnificent and touching ability to craft brilliant sounds with both his instruments and his voice. James Blake is just unfair.

Listen To: Say What You Will, Frozen

5. Spiral - Darkside

Another familiar name to Music Corner top 10's is Nicolas Jaar, who in 2021 teamed up with Dave Harrington for a sequel to  their beloved 2013 debut album as Darkside. Even though expectations were high for the pair they absolutely smashed them with one of the most textured, creative and unconventionally great albums I heard this year. The musical creativity of the duo is unmatched and the ambition they are able to pair it with is equally impressive. The album doesn't just feel larger than life, it is larger than life and deserves to be heard through your absolute best set of headphones for a truly transcendent listen.

Listen To: Lawmaker, The Limit

4. To See The Next Part Of The Dream - Parannoul

If you've been following any of my content this year you definitely know that I can't atop talking about Parannoul. That's because for once I was in early on the next great internetcore record and watching the albums appeal expand and the critical acclaim it received grow was brilliant. It deserves every bit of that acclaim as Parannoul pulls off something truly special with his authentic wail of self-hatred. Even being in a language most of its listeners don't understand the music and vocals on the album perfectly communicate the records rich story line. There isn't enough great things I can say about the ability of the record to evoke emotions with sound and adding onto how impressive it all is, there isn't even any authentic instrumentation on the record it's all digital. Hopefully one day this record will be the lo-fi stuff of legends but in the mean time I will be pushing it as one of the most impressive and impassioned records I've heard in years.

Listen To: White Ceiling, Beautiful World

3. For The First Time - Black Country, New Road

Obviously this is the most impressive debut album I heard this year, but it s honestly one of the most impressive debut albums I've heard in a very long time. Black Country, New Road had huge expectations lofted onto them and managed to not only live up to it, but exceed them. The band brings the youthful edge and angst that has transcended genre and time across all of musical history to translate raw emotion into compelling musical themes. But they also have an instrumental ambition far beyond their years and the result is a record that is both rewardingly technical and emotionally engaging. Even that feels like it's selling the record short because these compositions really do thrive and yet I find myself even more attracted to the earnest and often paranoid lyrical approach. Impressive that is the word to describe the band regardless of their age or the incredible year that their genre had, they are singularly extremely impressive.

Listen To: Sunglasses, Science Fair

2. Sinner Get Ready - Lingua Ignota

I undersold this one in my review, I will be the very first person to admit that. While I was expecting something a but more sonically intense and punishing after Kristin's last record, I failed to realize just how brilliant the quieter moments of the album are. Not only do some of its most reserved songs pack a punch far beyond anything else I've heard this year but they have the patience to set up for some truly incredible moments along the way. When we recently learned about the origins of the subject matter on this record it didn't make me any more impressed by the songs themselves, because that was basically impossible. All it did was shed light on how harrowing of an experience someone must have to even be able to conceptualize music like this, and how spectacular Lingua Ignota pulled it off. This record is difficult, occasionally even tortured but if you read between the lines there is an utter magnificence to its scale both sonically and thematically. Lingua Ignota is obviously one of the most brilliant musical talents I've ever heard and this is one of the most incredible sonic experiences I've ever had, but after digesting her raw and unbridled personal expression on the track, all I want for her is good things. like so many brilliant classic before her, Kristin translated pain into unfathomable art, but this one is a particularly difficult listen. Her emotions and pain are so clear that I can't hear the music without feeling them, or at least as close an approximation as I can create. If that isn't a statement for a compelling piece of art I don't know what is, most years this would unquestionably be the most awe inspiring artistic statement of the year, but I guess this isn't most years.

Listen To: I Who Bend The Tall Grasses, Repent Now Confess Now

1. Sometimes I Might Be Introvert - Little Simz

My 10/10 review of Little Simz new record earlier this year was the longest review I wrote in 2021, and one of the longer reviews I've ever written for the blog and yet I still had so much more to say. It is impossible in this paragraph to explain to you what makes this record so brilliant aside from just saying that Simbi herself is brilliant Her vulnerability as both a person and an artist, the vivid emotional journey she takes us on, the brilliant beats, compositions, lyrics and song structures she composes and the intoxicating personal style she delivers it all in. Everything about this album is bewilderingly impressive. The ambition to create something this bold, this larger than life and this grand is enough of an accomplishment on its own, but the ability to pull it off is only held by a once in a generational talent. We've known for years that Simbi is great but whit this record under her belt she is well on her way to being one of the greatest of all time. If all of that hasn't inspired you to give the record a chance I'm not sure what else I can say, her greatness is simply awe inspiring and it is on full display from the very first moment until the very last note on Sometimes I Might Be Introvert the best album of 2021. 

Listen To: Introvert, I Love You I Hate You

Thanks for reading. This is the last list of the year! Stay tuned in 2022 for more reviews every week and more weird niche content updated to my YouTube channel. Goodnight besties, Lav <3