- Black Country, New Road
- Squid
- Wolf Alice
- Genesis Owusu
- Lost Girls
Dunno whether to include Carnage or not. First half is probably my favourite of the year, second half is b-sides from the last album.
Dunno whether to include Carnage or not. First half is probably my favourite of the year, second half is b-sides from the last album.
No order:
The Weather Station
Andy Stott
Mr. Mitch
Mogwai
Future Islands
That Floating Points album [shrug], just canāt get the interest in what is essentially one track played 8 times continuously, followed by another v short track (a significant portion appears to be silence).
In no particular order:
Dry Cleaning - New Long Leg
BCNR - For The First Time
Elori Saxl - The Blue of Distance
Simon McCorry - And Where Are You Really From?
Vladislav Delay - Rakka II
Skee Mask
Armand Hammer and Alchemist
Lost Girls
Black Midi
DJINN
The Weather Station - Ignorance
SMERZ - Believer
Cassandra Jenkins - An Overview on Phenomenal Nature
Andy Stott - Never the Right Time
Lost Girls - Menneskekollektivet
Jeez top 5 not very varied genre-wise
Porter Robinson / Nurture - Such a beautiful, comforting listen, itās melding of delicate acoustic instruments and the otherworldly vocals and EDM style feels so unique, other acts have attempted it before for sure, but none have made it feel so authentic. Not sure itāll be my most listened to album of the year but genuinely believe in a few years time thisāll be the one album I associate 2021 with.
Japanese Breakfast / Jubilee - Michelle knocks it out of the park, thought Soft Sounds was a little style over substance after falling hard for Psychopomp but itās reassuring to have Jubilee be such a versatile set of well written tracks, hardly any fat worth cutting. Will get a lot of mileage out of this one.
Cassandra Jenkins / An Overview On Phenomenal Nature - Donāt think anything could live up to Hard Drive but the rest of the songs almost get there, perfect Sunday morning listening, a haunting, beautiful journey that ends with a perfect 7 minute cathartic instrumental.
Citizen / Life In Your Glass World - Major guilty pleasure, sounds kinda straight out of the mid 00s indie resurgence with a bit of a dance punk style, hooks for days. Album closer is a real gem.
Benedikt / Balcony Dream - found this via one of the new releases thread, lush instrumentation, whispery Sufjan-esque vocals, found a lot to love here.
I really love it. Itās so cohesive and atmospheric, but in a totally different way to their other records. Sorry youāve not connected with it!
and hopefully 4. Wolf Alice ā Blue Weekend [havenāt listened yet]
Iām not much of a neo-classical guy, and wasnāt a massive floating points fan before this record (so didnāt come in expecting beats etc), but would thinking about it as a single piece of music help any? I listen to it as a whole, with the ātracksā being movements/expressions on a single theme (which i guess was the intention based on the limited amount Iāve read around the album). I connected with it so strongly I find it hard to imagine not being moved when those strings start to swell in the second half of the album, or not being taken aback by just how good Pharoah Sandersā playing is all the way through. I know itās not for everyone, but from first or second listen itās taken my breath away
Flo Po / Pharaoh Sanders
Sons of Kemet
Japanese Breakfast
Andy Stott
BC,NR
Lots Iāve not listened to enough to judge yet, eg the new n0v3l
I listen to a lot of long form ambient, electronica, a fair bit of trad jazz and some modern jazz, but it really isnāt doing anything for me at all unfortunately. I get what theyāre going for, but, for example, Movement 7 is nothing like as awe inspiring (to me) as it is written about. I guess sometimes things donāt click!
Read this as Jackie Weaver for a second, thought wow, sheās really milking it
off the top of my head
Arab Strap
Mogwai
Squid
Shame
Hannah Peel
feel like iām a bit behind on stuff currently though
really into Witch Egg but havenāt heard Moon Drenched or the one before yet, heās really pumping them out
Yeah I thought it sounded like a cool collaboration, stuck it on and was impressed at first but gradually realised each track was just the same track continued. Got increasingly bored as it went on. Get the appeal but think itās too minimal for me
Going to try to not overthink it for once:
Then 2-5 in no particular order:
Very honorable mention to Charlie Martinās Imaginary People.
Cassandra Jenkins
BC,NR
Sun June
Mustafa
Loraine James