Have compiled my favourite albums of the year so far, but need to listen to them to properly order them. Anyhow, some albums I have been loving:
Alexandra Savior - The Archer (so many good songs on this album, hard to pick a favourite. Apparently sounds like LDR, but I’m indifferent to her, so Alexandra is obviously a lot better)
Austra - HiRUDiN (super catchy songs and sound. Also many good albums, although Risk It is my stand-out favourite)
Spirit Fest - Mirage Mirage (includes members of The Notwist and Tenniscoats, and almost makes me as happy as a proper album from The Notwist. Such an upbeat magical album)
Caribou - Suddenly (I haven’t listened much to him previously, but this album is great)
Dan Levy - I Lost My Body (soundtrack to the great animated movie of the same name on Netflix. Lovely warm synthy electronic sounds. Plus he’s one half of The Dø!)
Have also been loving DakhaBrakha, Destroyer, CocoRosie, NNAMDI, Dana Gavanski, and a bunch more!
Away Team Shell of a Shell - Indie-rock
Stephen Malkmus Traditional Techniques - Malkmus
Brigid Dawson and the Mothers Network Ballet of Apes - Ex Oh Sees, FFO Broadcast (maybe?, I don’t know)
Junk Drawer Ready for the House - Psych/Indie Band
Lewsberg In This House - Velvets indebted Netherlands Indie Rock
Nothing really stands out so far, but I have enjoyed (NPO etc)
Cornershop - England Is A Garden
Erland Cooper - Hether Blether
Four Tet - Sixteen Oceans
Hilary Woods - Birthmarks
Julian Cope - Self-Civil War
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith - The Mosaic Of Transformation
Sonic Boom - All Things Being Equal
The Magnetic Fields - Quickies
The Oscillation - Droneweapon
Tuluum Shimmering - various releases!
U.S. Girls - Heavy Light
Charli XCX - How I’m Feeling Now
Fiona Apple - Fetch The Bolt Cutters
Yaeji - What We Drew
Ka - Descendents of Cain
Jay Electronica - A Written Testimony
Top three are the ones that have stuck me for one reason or another and I’ve found myself returning to. Second three to a lesser extent. Listened to lots of good albums this year but not many have left a mark.
Thank you everyone who mentioned Bow Church. This is some seriously great darkwave/outrun stuff, right up my street. Fans of Carpenter Brut will find a lot to love.
ah it fills my heart that not only you’ve put my band second from the top there but also three other people clicked on it (also that we apparently have WWE in our youtube link)
Dunno, this year feels like an absolute write off so far (for obvious reasons), think the only album i’ve been into is the new Run The Jewels which is perhaps their best yet, but its largely down to the current climate. My band put an album out we worked so fucking hard on for the last 4/5 years and then COVID happened and we can’t do anything with it, but we are so fucking proud of it, so idk, give it a listen?
Never heard of Brigid Dawson until your post but anything that gets compared to Broadcast is going to get a listen from me. It’s wonderful, not as absract/experimental as Broadcast but kinda midway between them and that Unloved record from last year. Thanks for recommending
yeah Steve Lamaq has been playing us fairly consistently, and we’ve had a couple plays elsewhere to on some BBC introducing shows, I think also absolute radio London or something? Pretty grateful because at least it means we haven’t completely disappeared during this period and hopefully can pick it back up when gigs and such will happen again but man it was horrible timing.