music

Top 10 Albums of 2024

10. Lives Outgrown – Beth Gibbons

Chamber Folk
Key Track: Reaching Out

Beth Gibbons may not exactly be a household name, but listeners in the know will recognize her as the singer and lyricist fronting the 90s trip-hop outfit Portishead. Rather than the synthetic rigidity and metallic sheen of her previous band, here Gibbons (assisted by prolific producer James Ford and Lee Harris of Talk Talk) embraces an organic, earthy sound hewn out of woodwinds, hand drums and baroque strings. The result is a remarkable shift in tone from her previous work – perhaps that’s part of the inspiration for the title Lives Outgrown. What hasn’t changed is Gibbons’ immense vocal talent and her ability to deliver her own weighty, introspective lyrics with delicacy and finesse.

9. Songs of a Lost World – The Cure

Gothic Rock
Key Track: Alone

It isn’t often that bands are able to stage a commercially successful comeback after an extended hiatus (much less a critically successful one) but The Cure have managed to attain a spot in that esteemed pantheon. Songs of a Lost World is not only the first studio album from the seminal UK gothic rock band in 16 years, but is their first number one album in their home country since 1992’s Wish and the first to be entirely composed by Robert Smith since 1985’s The Head on the Door – an astounding testament to the longevity of this group. Fitting, since longing has long been a key concept for The Cure, with the songs here largely continuing to explore themes of loneliness and loss. Booming drums and instruments heavily laden with reverb help to evoke an expansive atmosphere and the untethered feeling of an asteroid endlessly drifting through space.

8. Manning Fireworks – MJ Lenderman

Alt-Country
Key Track: Wristwatch

I didn’t know what was meant by “Manning Fireworks” before listening to this album, but it was immediately obvious after its nonchalant delivery in the title track. That’s the magic that MJ Lenderman brings in his fourth studio album, filled with dry one-liners like “Every Catholic knows he could’ve been Pope” and “I’ve got a beach house up in Buffalo.” Lenderman and his bandmates in Wednesday (who also make contributions here) are quickly putting Asheville, NC on the indie map; but, while the group effort flirted with noise rock, this music is much more easy listening. That’s not to say Lenderman’s guitar work has lost any of its edge – the gross tone on the solo “Wristwatch” is one of the best moments of the album, and dedicated listeners will find a six-and-a-half minute drone capping off “Bark At the Moon.”

7. HIT ME HARD AND SOFT – Billie Eilish

Alt-Pop
Key Track: Birds of a Feather

In an era that rewards artists who release oversized albums just to rack up streaming numbers, the decision to release a streamlined package that barely reaches a double-digit track count was a bold gamble to fight the industry standard. It paid off, as Billie Eilish became the most-streamed artist on Spotify for a short time after this album was released. With no shortage of slick grooves courtesy of Finneas O’Connell, who provides most of the production and instrumentation, Hit Me Hard and Soft is also Eilish’s most tender work to date. The “bad guy” era seems like a distant memory compared to the open vulnerability shown here; yet, the vocal performances come across as more confident and powerful than any she’s delivered so far in her career.

6. No Name – Jack White

Garage Rock
Key Track: Old Scratch Blues

By many accounts, No Name is Jack White’s best effort of his new blue aesthetic. What was it that inspired this baker’s dozen of blues-rooted rip-roaring rock cuts after a decade of dabbling in almost every genre that could use a guitar? Despite a decidedly old-school approach, nothing on this album sounds tired, outdated or overdone. It’s just one gritty, catchy riff after another, with enough variety to make the listener want to get up and flip the record for more.

5. Plastic Death – glass beach

Indie Rock
Key Track: Commatose

The First Glass Beach Album (2019) was a quirky collection of power-pop-punk with cutesy chord progressions and a few bedroom ballads; the second, Plastic Death, is an abrupt swerve into progressive rock and post-hardcore, a move which seemingly alienated longtime fans while not doing enough to impress the notoriously fastidious online metalheads. So who was this album made for, besides those making it? Me, obviously, who sees the “Diet Radiohead” label often bandied as a criticism of this work as a major compliment rather than the disparaging comment it was meant to be. The songwriting on display is incredibly creative, with an immense amount of variation not only between the songs but within them as well.

4. BRAT – Charli XCX

Electropop
Key Track: Von dutch

Charli xcx has always put the alternative in alternative pop, although 2022’s Crash seemed to indicate a shift toward a more conventional pop sound. With brat, Charli instead diverted the mainstream altogether to include her interpretation of the London rave scene, successfully topping charts across the world with her own signature brand of harsh electropop. It’s easy to forget after all the deluxe re-releases, remixes and viral marketing campaigns that this is a very complete album exploring not just the intense highs of being a club acolyte, but the lows as well, with mature contemplations of grief and motherhood arising between the thumping bass and vain bravado.

3. Dark Times – Vince Staples

West Coast Hip Hop
Key Track: Little Homies

“We deserve better” was Vince Staples’ answer when asked about the much-publicized rap beef between fellow LA rapper Kendrick Lamar and Toronto’s Drake. Seemingly neither distracted nor fazed by the happenings in the wider music sphere, the Long Beach native’s sixth studio album is a concise 35-minute package that flows as easily between songs as the emcee flows over his unique production style. Some of these instrumentals seem more like downtempo electronica than hip-hop beats, but Vince sounds right at home delivering bars with his characteristic calm nonchalance. The hooks are some of the catchiest of his career, and combined with the hazy psychedelic ambiance, the music does well to conjure the feeling of a hot summer night.

2. Imaginal Disk – Magdalena Bay

Synthpop
Key Track: Cry For Me

Pop duo Magdalena Bay burst onto the scene in 2021 with Mercurial World, an exciting blend of synthpop and neo-psychedelia that set expectations very high for the group’s future. With Imaginal Disk, any fears about a lack of follow-up material are quickly put to rest, as MagBay clears that high bar with ease. This new endeavor caters even more to the dance floor than the debut, as the album follows a loose concept of transcendental self-actualization through various party scenes. Overflowing with immediately groovable baselines and memorable choruses replete with multi-tracked vocals, the music is perhaps at its best when the rhythm section is fully uninhibited. The album climaxes multiple times with powerful drums roaring across layers of keys and synths – particularly in the outro sections of “Death & Romance,” “Tunnel Vision” and “That’s My Floor.” The musicianship is impressive for a band that leans so heavily on its visual aesthetic, proving that behind the adornments and special effects is an inimitable talent.

1. “NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 2024 28,340 DEAD” – Godspeed You! Black Emperor

Post-Rock
Key Track: Babys in a Thundercloud

From the first moments of “No Title as of 29 December 2024 45,514 Dead”, the listener is transported to a rich landscape of shifting, rustling air with bright notes streaking in, backed by the ever-present drone that underpins Godspeed You! Black Emperor’s unique sonic aesthetic. The serene atmosphere of the opening track – which serves as a sort of prelude for this rock symphony – is then slowly, agonizingly shredded apart on the next, which grows from a foreboding hum to an urgent march and finally to a chaotic scramble of screaming strings. Unparalleled cinematography unfolds across this album as Godspeed, who in the past has obscured their agenda with cryptic titles, openly flies their flag – from the valiant ode of “Raindrops Cast in Lead” to the bitter condemnation of “Pale Spectator Takes Photographs.” Powerless but for the ability to plant the seed of hope that is the image of new life breaking through rubble, the collective here is the most focused, ferocious and visceral that they’ve been in decades.

The 10 Best Albums of 2023

Another year, another chart. Many albums came out this year that I enjoyed, and it always feels like splitting hairs narrowing down the list. These are my picks: the 10 Best Albums of 2023.

10. Rat Saw God – Wednesday

Indie Rock
Key Track: Hot Rotten Grass Smell

After four studio albums Wednesday can’t still be called a fledgling band, but Rat Saw God represents a serious step up in terms of ambitiousness and creativity when compared to the other items in their discography. A particular standout is “Bull Believer,” an 8-and-a-half minute epic of terror culminating in a truly unsettling series of shrieks emanating out of the band’s cauldron of noise and dissonance. But whereas the first two tracks see the band gazing deeper into the abyss of noise rock than ever before, the remainder of the album is a comparatively mellow affair resembling the kind of alt-country that one would expect from a five-piece act out of Asheville, NC.

9. VOIR DIRE – Earl Sweatshirt & The Alchemist

Abstract Hip-Hop
Key Track: The Caliphate (ft. Vince Staples)

Supposedly existing since 2021 hidden in the depths of YouTube, Voir Dire (a legal term meaning “speak the truth”) brings together the number one name in experimental rap with one of the most experienced producers in the game. At a concise 27 minutes, the albums leans towards Earl’s recent predilection towards short, dense tracks – many of the songs consist of only a single verse. However, in comparison to the glitchy loops Earl has favored lately in his songs, The Alchemist formulates his beats with a certain clarity but with a keen ear towards incorporating the kind of chopped vocal samples for which the former has become known.

8. O Monolith – Squid

Post-punk
Key Track: Blades

Bolstered by the singles “Swing (Inside a Dream)” and “The Blades,” Squid’s second album O Monolith arrives as a more refined, if more restrained, example of their take on post-punk in the modern age. A heady group, each member of Squid is a multi-instrumentalist, with influences ranging from baroque paintings to ancient burial chambers to obscure 90s post-rock. Sonically, the album is laced with angular melodies and subtle rhythms, but still features the explosions of energy which catapulted Squid to the forefront of the UK punk scene.

7. The Loveliest Time – Carly Rae Jepson

Dance-Pop
Key Track: Psychedelic Switch

The Loveliest Time is one of those albums that showcases the sophistication of the pop music industry, with an enormous list of musicians, engineers and mixing personnel working together to create a collection of extremely polished and vibrant songs. Jepsen conceived this work as a companion piece to 2022’s The Loneliest Time, but it is more than a collection of B-Sides from those recording sessions. Whereas the preceding effort focused on themes of solitude inspired by lockdown, The Loveliest Time is about coming out of that time and reentering the world. “I want it to feel like growth and sound like celebration,” she says in an interview with Rolling Stone, but also notes there is an undercurrent of yearning to meet a new partner. The resulting songs are upbeat and catchy with bright background subtleties – a jangly guitar treated with reverb and delay persists behind the beat in “Psychedelic Switch,” an ethereal saxophone hides in the outro of “So Right.” One notable exception to the danceability is “Kollage,” a sensual groove with decidedly atmospheric layers of keys that turns out to be a major highlight of the album.

6. Lahai – Sampha

Alternative R&B
Key Track: Spirit 2.0

Despite not having released an album since his debut Process in 2017, Sampha has accumulated an impressive resume of collaboration having appeared on works by Kendrick Lamar, Frank Ocean, Travis Scott, and Solange, among others. Now, 2023 brings the second album in his discography Lahai, which displays not only Sampha’s extraordinary voice but also his talent for intricate drum programming. In additional to lyrical themes of time which tie the songs together, there is also a compositional theme of blending live and electronic instruments so as to make them indistinguishable. For example, the fast high hat and clustered kick drum work on “Suspended” one might associate with trap production is in fact provided by jazz musician Kwake Bass; Morgan Simpson of black midi contributes the quiet groove of “Jonathan L. Seagull.” By contrast, the snappy drums of “Spirit 2.0” are apparently Sampha’s own delicate programming. This song also contains a reference to the 1970 novella Jonathan Livingston Seagull, an allegorical tale of self-realization, in one of my favorite musical moments of the year: the third verse, where Sampha synthetically duets himself, splitting each line into a rapid-fire delivery and a softly-spoken punctuation.

5. DATA – Tainy

Reggaeton
Key Track: Mojabi Ghost

Rarely is there an album that changes my perception of a genre at large, but when DATA clicked for me this year it opened the door to the rest of the modern reggaeton scene. Although it is the first solo album from Puerto Rican producer Tainy, this is by no means an amateur effort as he has already cemented himself as the preeminent Latin producer most notably through his chart-topping collaborations with Bad Bunny and J Balvin. Rather, the debut serves as a launchpad for Tainy to push the boundaries of reggaeton. Each song brings a unique approach as a different guest is featured on every track, but Tainy’s own work on production remains the most forward thinking component of the album. Take “MOJABI GHOST,” which eschews the traditional reggaeton rhythm for the kind of driving beat one would expect from four-on-the-floor electronica, or “Sci-Fi,” a song that keeps the dembow rhythm but borders on psychedelic pop through the inclusion of dreamy synthesizers. The inevitable classic status DATA deserves is cemented by the late inclusion of “COLMILLO,” a multi-part track that meanders through production styles before landing at the expected reggaeton groove in an impressive display of creative flexibility.

4. After the Night [Live] – Parannoul

Shoegaze
Key Track: Polaris

Parannoul followed up their 2021 debut To See the Next Part of the Dream with the studio record After the Magic this year, but it was the live release After the Night that really made waves. Both albums from 2023 open with a version of “Polaris,” and while the studio version shimmers with hyperreal clarity, the live take by contrast rips through the venue with the jagged edge of a saw blade. The dense, noisy, and raw lo-fi aesthetic that was so meticulously crafted on the first album is translated to the stage perfectly by Digital Dawn, a collective of Korean musicians who helped Parannoul (who writes, records, and produces solo) bring his music to a live setting. In an extraordinary display of confidence, After the Night captures Parannoul’s first ever concert(!), and for a set of entirely new material the band is exceptionally tight. Still, the most astonishing feat here is the epic rendition of “Into the Endless Night,” which clocks in at a mind-boggling 46 minutes to close the show in a cinematic transcendental experience.

3. Space Heavy – King Krule

Indie Rock
Key Track: Flimsier

When Space Heavy dropped, it immediately resonated with me and sent me digging through King Krule’s back catalogue. I couldn’t call myself much of a fan of theirs before, and all of a sudden “Dum Surfer” from 2017’s The OOZ became one of my most played songs. I will contend, however, that Space Heavy is their most complete album to date. An unrepentantly mellow affair, the album quietly builds a gloomy atmosphere that hangs around like a haze song after song. Dim but not dark, the vibe is consistently construed by downtempo drums, chorus-warbled guitar chords, a vagrant saxophone, and of course Archy Marshall’s immediately recognizable voice. Certain songs show sparks of energy, such as “From the Swamp” or the jarring “Pink Shell,” but these serve to further highlight the moments where the music is truly at its best: a supremely serene calm, best exemplified by “Seaforth” fading out to the sound of waves and seagulls.

2. Ooh Rap I Ya – George Clanton

Neo-Psychedelia
Key Track: I Been Young

Lush, bombastic, and psychedelic, George Clanton’s latest solo effort sees the multi-talented singer/songwriter/producer/performer straying from the synth-pop stylings of 2018’s Slide for an even more idiosyncratic blend of nostalgia pop. Alternative dance still provides a foundation for the music, and his distinct ability to build pillowy layers of synths remains unparalleled; not content to simply repeat past successes, Ooh Rap I Ya incorporates more varied instrumentation and greater emphasis on rhythmic elements when compared to previous albums. The drums in the lead single “Justify Your Life” sound heavy and close, while “I Been Young” introduces a scratchy wah-wah guitar to swing the groove in the chorus. The album proceeds as a hypnagogic odyssey, with airy, nearly ambient passages interspersing the more upbeat 90s-dance inspired sections.

1. Maps – billy woods & Kenny Segal

Jazz Rap
Key Track: Soft Landing

Both Kenny Segal and Billy Woods had prolific years, with each releasing more than one album along with earning a handful of feature credits, but Maps find both producer and emcee at the top of their games. Their second collaboration, this more recent work sees a refinement of the mature, gritty sound crafted on 2019’s Hiding Places with more accessible jazzy instrumentation and catchier hooks. The pairing seems to bring out the best between them, as each pushes the other creatively while tempering their most uneven edges. It’s impossible not to draw parallels to other jazz rap duo projects like Madvillainy (2004), and comparisons come favorably. Maps is full of novel ideas, from Woods’ torrent of clever wordplay weaving together detailed vignettes of a sordid lifestyle, humorous accounts of foiling FBI foes, and poignant observations of relational and societal woes; to Segal’s intricate and varied choices when crafting the atmosphere. None of the beats are simple loops, but are ever-shifting and ornately decorated with various melodic flourishes and rhythmic elements. Even the features are tied in perfectly, such as Samuel T. Herring’s beautiful chorus in “FaceTime,” or Aesop Rock’s verse on “Waiting Around” that rivals any other bars on the album for acuity and verbosity. For me, Maps is infinitely listenable, bringing a vibe that is relaxed, melancholy, witty, colorful, and rewards revisiting and actively listening.

The Doldrums

At the start of the summer, the weight of the many increasingly hot days ahead can feel like an impossible burden to bear. At the end, it feels hard to let go of the late sunsets, windows-down drives, and evening walks after an afternoon thunderstorm. I’ve been telling out-of-towners and newcomers that summer in the south is like reverse winter: it gets so hot that everything slows as people shut themselves inside–or escape to better climes, pools and patios. The Doldrums seeks encapsulate the kind of summer heat that doesn’t ever seem like it will fade.

Earlier this year I discovered a remix of Mind Mischief by Tame Impala (already a favorite) by ambient artist The Field that felt like a distillation of an entire summer’s worth of long days. Stretched out and cavernous, this song predates the “slowed + reverb” trend by half a decade and was a major inspiration for this playlist. After all, Kevin Parker’s trademark neo-psychedelia, especially on Lonerism, is already reminiscent of being pleasantly semi-delirious from too much sun; transforming one of those songs into a shimmering ambient-techno marathon is sure to accentuate that feeling.

It’s not accident that many of my favorite releases from this year slot nicely into this playlist. The downtempo beats of mixmaster Kenny Segal featured on this year’s Maps (but also Purple Moonlight Pages (2021) and So the Flies Don’t Come (2015), both with R.A.P. Ferreira) pair melodic riffs and jazzy percussion with sustained chimes and bass booms, providing a calm but colorful backdrop for his emcee to work with. “Sun in the sky, you know how I feel / breeze drifting on, you know how I feel,” billy woods croons in the hook of “Soft Landing” and you have to imagine he’s feeling pretty good. Maps comprises the second collaboration between Segal and woods, with their previous effort Hiding Places being represented here by “Spongebob” — whose weighty, spartan groove feels like a natural accompaniment to the weariness brought on by heat.

George Clanton’s Ooh Rap I Ya was one of my most anticipated albums of the summer given my love of 2018’s Slide and the 2020 single “Aurora Summer” (a key track of that year’s summer indoors). I will admit to initial doubts given the inanity of the title, but the title track itself became one of my favorites. Of course, the preceding single “I Been Young” is perhaps the best example of Clanton’s nostalgia-pop to date, as is evident just from the title. He’s long been accustomed working with the kind of lofty synths that hang behind the music like puffy clouds.

I didn’t have the chance to see many concerts this summer, but one act I made sure to catch was King Krule. Fresh off of the release of their fourth album, King Krule went from a band that held a passing interest for me to one I had in constant rotation. The delicacy of songs like “Flimsier,” “Seaforth,” and “Tortoise of Independency” were a surprise to me, and in fact became a catalyst for me to dive deeper into Archy Marshall’s back catalogue. The live renditions of the songs are invigorated with a new energy (a glimpse of which can be felt in the recent live album You Heat Me Up, You Cool Me Down ). The hit “Dum Surfer” was a standout of the set, although I did find myself wondering how the band felt about an audience so passionate about the lyric “the band is playing f***ing trash…”

King Krule @ The Eastern , 9/8/2023

A couple of songs I wasn’t sure fit into the criteria I had self-determined for The Doldrums, namely the shoegaze songs “Polaris” and “Something in the Summer Rain” by Parannoul and Sadness respectively. The latter seemed appropriate in its general vibe but is rather long and gets quite a bit yelly; the former came out early in the year, but I still found myself queueing up “Polaris” often when listening to this playlist. Ultimately, the release of everything is alive by shoegaze titans Slowdive on September 1 helped influence my decision, as it brought more spacey, guitar-forward late additions to the theme. I love the imagery of “chained to a cloud,” which comes less from the lyrics and more from the title and overall impression of the music.

I did try to feature mainly recent releases, not all of the entries here are strictly from 2023. One of the key tracks that inspired The Doldrums was “Knees” by Injury Reserve, which comes from 2021. A few songs from By The Time I Get to Phoenix actually made the list, as it is an album that perfectly engenders a feeling of suffocating heat with oppressively dense production and vivid lyrical depictions of a world on fire. In stark contrast to other songs on the album, “Knees” appears to be in slow motion.

There’s plenty more to discover within this playlist that represent a lot of my listening rotation from the past several months. Among them a couple of hazy tracks from Memphis-rapper-turned-hypnagogic-pop-artist Lil Ugly Mane, a chillwave/reggaeton crossover from producer Tainy’s breakout solo effort, and the latest trippy breakbeat from IDM legend Aphex Twin. To hear them all, you will have to endure The Doldrums yourself.

Angry Millennials Playing Loud Music

Punk rock has always been about breaking the rules. Whether in the form of outlandish stage antics, anti-establishment subject matter, or the abandonment of traditional songwriting, punk and counter-culture have been invariably intertwined since its origins in the mid-70’s. That ethos is still very much present in the bands at the cutting edge of punk in 2021. The late 2010’s proved to be a hotbed of creativity for the genre, and this year alone has seen excellent releases from acts like Squid, shame, and Black Country, New Road (not to mention a punk-adjacent album by prog rock group black midi). These songs are noisy, nervy, shameless, frantic and above all mindbogglingly creative.

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April Showers

It’s been an arduous and tumultuous year on Earth. Recent news seems to warrant some careful optimism, but we aren’t out of the woods yet. When you’re upset, having some music to empathize with might help you feel better. This playlist of weary indie songs will hopefully give you a cathartic outlet for feelings of frustration or distress. Still, you know what they say about April showers…

Top 25 Albums of 2020

Let’s face it: 2020 wasn’t the best year, but at least a lot of great music was released across a wide array of genres. These are the albums I enjoyed most from this year!

25. Starting Over – Chris Stapleton

Country
“Wherever we are is where I wanna be”

Chris Stapleton is a veteran of country music if anyone is. Having moved to Nashville, Tennessee early in his career, he subsequently earning writing credits on a number of hit songs recorded by pillars of the industry such as Kenny Chesney, George Strait, Luke Bryan, Brad Paisley… the list goes on. On Starting Over, Stapleton taps into his abundance of experience and offers up samples of every flavor of country, from blues stomps to soulful ballads to the stereotypical (if extraordinarily heartfelt) tune dedicated to the passing of his dog. Each track is rooted in Stapleton’s own powerful voice, which lends a since of stability to an otherwise diverse album.

24. Melee – Dogleg

Punk Rock
“Will you be the fire or the wind?”

Dogleg’s debut album bridges many aspects of the various subgenres of punk–the catchiness of pop punk, the aggression of hardcore punk, the pent up angst of emo–and does so without sacrificing astute attention to melody. The band’s enormous and energetic sound belies the fact that the band records at the home of one of their members, Alex Stoitsiadis, who also produced the album. Stoitsiadis serves as the vocalist (and rhythm guitarist) and his raw voice is well complemented by the heavily distorted guitars and ferocious drumming supplied by the band.

23. We Are Sent Here By History – Shabaka and the Ancestors

Spiritual Jazz
“We are sent here by history!”

Shabaka Hutchings is a member of a number of groups in the UK Jazz scene (also including Sons of Kemet and The Comet is Coming), none of which subscribe to traditional jazz concepts. Of course, eschewing typical musical composition is something that is often associated with jazz itself, and Hutchings certainly has been inspired by the avant-garde trappings of artists like Pharoah Sanders and Fela Kuti. We Are Sent Here By History sees him as bandleader of a new nonet, fulfilling the role of tenor saxophonist and clarinetist. The rest of the band avoids electronic instruments (with the exception of a Rhodes piano) for a distinctly “older” sound in keeping with the spiritual jazz and afrobeat music of their predecessors.

22. Fetch The Bolt Cutters – Fiona Apple

Art Pop
“I grew up in the shoes they told me I could fill”

Fetch the Bolt Cutters is one of the most idiosyncratic releases not just of 2020 but in recent memory. The music forgoes typical songwriting to an extent that it’s difficult to point to any immediate influences; some comparisons have been drawn to Tom Waits because of the experimental instrumentation he would often employ. On Fiona Apple’s fifth album, this is manifested in what the artist describes as “percussion orchestras” that involve pianos, drum kits, and seemingly random objects seemingly randomly struck. Somehow, the artist manages to find structure among the pandemonium and uses the belligerent sound to highlight the confrontational themes that run through the songs.

21. Visions of Bodies Being Burned – clipping.

Industrial Hip Hop
“Can you say the name? Say the name, say it”

“Unsettling” is the best way to describe Clipping’s music, and it’s obvious that their brutal aesthetic will not appeal to all listeners. Visions of Bodies Being Burned is the follow-up to the group’s highly acclaimed There Existed an Addiction to Blood (2019), both of which are inspired by slasher films and horrorcore. However, Clipping’s unique take on the genre does not glorify violence for the listener to revel in, but rather emphasizes the experiences of the victims for a more fearful and cinematic experience. This is accomplished in large part by excellent lyricism provided by Daveed Diggs (of Hamilton fame), but producers William Hutson and Jonathan Snipes are indispensable in their ability to create a dark, tense, and abrasive ambience.

20. Ohms – Deftones

Alternative Metal
“I’ve finally achieved balance, balance, balance”

Early in their career Deftones was branded as a nu-metal group, but listening to Ohms you’d never guess it. Their latest effort is heavy and raw, full of riffs churning with menace backed by powerful, thumping drums. Dynamics remain a major part of their repertoire, as the band ebbs and flows between tense quiet and explosive noise. The band’s flirtations with shoegaze are also apparent, as reverb and delay effects help to expand their sound to almost oppressive levels. It’s probably not an accident that reuniting with Terry Date, producer of fan favorites like Around the Fur and White Pony, has yielded one of the group’s most successful albums in years.

19 . 2017-2019 – Against All Logic

Industrial Techno
“I’m stepping in hotter this year”

Nicolas Jaar had already established himself in the experimental electronic community when he debuted the Against All Logic project in 2018. His first album under the name, 2012-2017, brought a more accessible, funk oriented sound than his previous works; 2017-2019, on the other hand, maintains many of the deep house elements of its predecessor but forgoes the funk for a harsher sound utilizing heavily processed drums and metallic percussive elements. With Jaar’s capable hand at the helm, though, the product is an ingenious blend of chaos and rhythm.

18. NO DREAM – Jeff Rosenstock

Pop Punk
“I’m distracted by public displays of happiness”

Jeff Rosenstock’s personal brand of power pop combines millennial dread with tongue-in-cheek lyricism and a reverence for 90’s punk music. A fun, uptempo, and raucous sound has long been his trademark, but No Dream kicks it up a notch with more speed and more overdrive. Even his singing seems more impassioned, often falling between exasperation and outrage while always remaining exciting.

17. Spirit World Field Guide – Aesop Rock

Abstract Hip Hop
“Never let me die on a regular hill”

Master wordsmith Aesop Rock was already an outsider to the rap game when he broke on the scene at the start of the millennium, and the decades of experience he’s accrued have only made him more idiosyncratic. His lyrical density outclasses every other rapper by a wide margin, something he has refused to compromise on over the course of his career. Spirit World Field Guide sees him taking his production to another level, with instrumentals taking inspiration from a diverse array of genres. The psychedelic sound forms the perfect complement to the artist’s perplexing and often incomprehensible lyrics.

16. Dreamland – Glass Animals

Indietronica
“I don’t wanna be around you, just wanna be like you”

The third album from Glass Animals is mainly the brainchild of frontman Dave Bayley, who wrote and produced the work mostly on his own. While he spearheaded previous efforts from the group, Dreamland differs in that it features largely autobiographical lyrics. The sound is very summery and laced with nostalgia for his childhood in the 90’s, albeit often incorporating modern hip hop beats (evidence of Bayley’s recent collaborations with artists such as 6lack and Khalid).

15. Lianne la Havas – Lianne la Havas

Neo-Soul
“I’m born again”

Lianne La Havas made waves with her stellar r&b reimagining of Radiohead’s “Weird Fishes,” but it would be a mistake to allow that cover to overshadow her own songwriting on her self-titled third album. The lyrics are quite personal, as the singer’s sensual crooning vaguely narrates the stages of a relationship as it passes from infatuation to ending over the course of the album. Despite the tumultuous themes, the music rarely breaks from its cool and soothing sound. An eclectic array of influences, from Brazilian singer-songwriter Milton Nascimento to virtuoso bassist Jaco Pastorius, inspires a jazzy tone in the instrumentation, much of which was recorded live–“Sour Flower,” for instance, was recorded by the band and La Havas in a single take.

14. Im Wald – Paysage d’Hiver

Black Metal
“Schwarz und grob ist das holz in diesem winterwald”

Swiss multi-instrumentalist Wintherr has been releasing demos under the Paysage d’Hiver moniker since the late 90’s, but Im Wald constitutes his first full length studio LP. Clocking in at a total of 2 hours with most songs having a length of over ten minutes, it is an album of epic proportions. Sonically it can be described as opaque to a degree that eclipses essentially any other black metal release in history: the drums crash at a seemingly impossible tempo and the guitars are cloaked in such a wash of distortion that the chords become formless and blend in with one another. The vocals are alternately screamed, shouted, and growled (in German, no less) but are still barely audible beneath the maelstrom. What makes this album special, though, is its adherence to and execution of its concept. Im Wald translates to “In the forest” and that’s exactly the feeling this music is supposed to evoke. Just as depicted on the album art, it’s as though as the listener you’ve been transported deep into the heart of a dense forest in winter and you can’t find your way out. Instrumental to this effect are the interludes interspersed between the lengthier tracks, which offer reprieve from the blizzard-like black metal while maintaining a cold and empty atmosphere through sounds like wind whistling or boots trudging through snow.

13. Inner World – Dalai Lama

New Age
“For as long as space endures, and for as long as living beings remain, until then may I too abide to dispel the misery of the world”

Amid one of the most chaotic and tumultuous years in recent memory, the 14th Dalai Lama released his debut album centralized around themes of peace and unification. While some songs feature traditional Buddhist mantras, others are simply musings by the Lama on modern life. However, the draw here is not just the words of the spiritual leader but the beautiful, calming ambient music that accompanies them. A standout instrumental is found on the track “Ama La,” to which sitar prodigy Anoushka Shankar lends her talents.

12. Microphones in 2020 – the Microphones

Indie Folk

This entry is a little bit different since Microphones in 2020 wasn’t released on major music streaming platforms, but also because the music is only one part of this art piece. Accompanying the album is a video of the same length, which mastermind Phil Elverum described as “not a music video… This is kind of a lyric video, but also a slideshow, a PowerPoint presentation, a flip book.” The project begins hypnotically with nearly 8 minutes of acoustic strumming as Elverum places photograph after photograph (this one a landscape, this one an empty road, this one includes himself) in the frame to introduce the concept. Then, he begins to sing-talk in a stream of consciousness manner about the history of his musical projects and their intersection with his life. Slowly the pictures start to make sense and reflect the words–punctuated by swells of percussion, additional vocals, and more distorted instruments. This goes on as one unbroken song for a mesmerizing 45 minutes.

11. songs – Adrianne Lenker

Indie Folk
“I don’t wanna talk about anything”

Adrianne Lenker is quickly becoming one of the most prolific artists in indie music, having written two albums last year with her band Big Thief and another two this year as solo projects. Released concurrently with instrumentals (an album so sparse it may well be ambient), songs is an acoustic suite consisting of little more than a guitar and Lenker’s beautiful voice. The album was conceived in a similar way to Bon Iver’s now classic For Emma, Forever Ago–in the aftermath of a breakup the composer isolated herself in a cabin and poured her heart into her songwriting. The resulting music evokes a fragile sadness and intense sense of longing.

10. What’s Your Pleasure? – Jessie Ware

Dance-Pop
“I just wanna stay in the moonlight, this is our time, in the spotlight”

Jessie Ware was in rare form this year, with danceable, disco-inspired grooves filling her fourth album from cover to cover. While not the most energetic dance music, each song pulses with an infectious beat bolstered by Ware’s airy and seductive singing. The crisp production lends itself well to the sleek city pop sound, complete with funky bass lines and eighties-like synth runs. The album even manages to maintain a comfortably consistent tempo without sounding samey, adding to its value as a self-contained set for the dance floor.

9. Descendants of Cain – Ka

Abstract Hip Hop
“When age speaks, youth listens, sometimes”

A veteran firefighter pushing 50 is an unlikely identity for a rapper in 2020, but that didn’t stop Kaseem “Ka” Ryan from quietly releasing one of the most pensive and poetic albums of the year. With largely self-handled production, Ka builds a bleak sound that emphasizes the weight behind his lyrics using unorthodox instruments for hip hop such as strings and wah-wah guitars. The lyrics are indeed heavy: flowing as naturally with street slang as with heady biblical references, he weaves a personal history characterized by misfortune and violence. Still, the album ends on a positive note, with “I Love” expressing gratitude towards his wife, mother, and best friend.

8. Shore – Fleet Foxes

Indie Folk
“I’m gonna swim for a week in warm American water with dear friends”

Fleet Foxes really played to their strengths with their latest album–gorgeous vocal harmonies, complicated song structures, and an upbeat acoustic sound make this entry just as strong as any other in their catalogue. What sets Shore apart, though, is the abandonment of the quiet melancholy of past efforts such as Helplessness Blues for a more uplifting tone. Even in its most energetic moments the album cultivates a gentle atmosphere, and the more restrained songs strive for a feeling of calm rather than gloom.

7. After Hours – The Weeknd

Synthpop
“I’m back to my ways ’cause I’m heartless”

The Weeknd’s After Hours represents one of the artist’s most successful efforts to date, with the album reaching no. 1 in the U.S. and the single “Blinding Lights” topping charts in 34 countries. A distinct 80’s influence does not prevent the music from sounding fresh, with immaculate production handled by longtime collaborator Illangelo, trap master Metro Boomin and pop veteran Max Martin. Overall the album has a ethereal and spacious sound, with booming bass and the singer’s trademark falsetto perfectly complementing the layers of synths that form the core of each song.

6. Punisher – Phoebe Bridgers

Indie Folk
“I have everything I wanted”

Punisher is for the most part a quiet and weary record, but a sinister undercurrent flows through what are already somber folk songs. Bridgers’ delicate voice and emotive lyricism are the focal point in every song, but hiding in the background something might be off–ghostly backing vocals, an out of place chord, or some unusual distortion–that adds even more tension to her sardonic singing. The languid midsection is bookended by two livelier tracks: “Kyoto,” a fun-sounding indie rock song that belies an intense animosity towards her estranged father, and “I Know The End,” an apocalyptic number whose self-effacing lyrics are mirrored by a cacophony of discordant horns and shouting from the various people who were featured on the album.

5. RTJ4 – Run The Jewels

Hardcore Hip Hop
“We don’t mean no harm but we truly mean all the disrespect”

Run The Jewels return as the standard bearers of contemporary protest music with another album of hard-hitting, fast-paced, in-your-face hip hop. El-P’s off the wall production is as boisterous as ever, providing a backdrop of unrivaled intensity to the duo’s most political album yet. The chemistry between he and Killer Mike has already made RTJ one of hip hop’s all time greatest two piece outfits, and this album only solidifies their consistency.

4. The Slow Rush – Tame Impala

Synthpop
“I never wanted any other way to spend our lives”

The first album from Tame Impala since 2015, The Slow Rush builds on the dramatic shift in the band’s sound established with Currents. Gone are the guitar driven rock songs that launched Kevin Parker’s career, replaced by synth-forward grooves rooted in drums and bass (of course, it wouldn’t be Tame Impala without a generous dose of psychedelia, and that element is certainly retained). Parker, who writes, records, and produces all of the music himself, left behind one other aspect of his earlier albums: the dissociative malaise that was the central theme of Innerspeaker and Lonerism. 2020 finds him more confident in himself and his work and, while inner turmoil remains prevalent in his lyrics, the songs are more positive in tone than ever before.

3. We Will Always Love You – The Avalanches

Nu-Disco
“We step out of our solar system into the universe seeking only peace and friendship, to teach if we are called upon, to be taught if we are fortunate”

The past two releases by The Avalanches have been album-oriented packages of good vibes dance music, and so it’s no surprise that their latest effort falls in the same vein. This time The Avalanches (currently consisting of Robbie Chater and Tony di Blasi) venture into space, with many of the songs making liberal use of cosmic imagery. Unlike the others, though, We Will Always Love You is not nearly as sample based and so deviates from the plunderphonics style of Since I Left You and Wildflower. Turnaround time was apparently more of a consideration for their third album, so instead of collecting thousands of samples, Chater and Di Blasi were more willing to provide their own instrumentation and relied on a veritable wealth of featured talent to augment their grooves. Make no mistake though–despite the guest list this is still very much an Avalanches project, with the album sounding remarkably cohesive as it meanders between bouncy synth beats, upbeat funk, and old-school house styles.

2. Purple Moonlight Pages – R.A.P. Ferreira

Jazz Rap
“They hate how I spit it with nonchalance”

Rory Allen Philip Ferreira seems like one cool dude. He owns the only record store in Biddeford, Maine, out of which he operates his own record label, Ruby Yacht. He released three albums on this label under the stage name Milo (including 2015’s So The Flies Don’t Come), but Purple Moonlight Pages is the first under the initials “RAP”–fitting since he has cemented himself as one of the premier jazz rap emcees of today. On this album in particular, the jazzy beats Ferreira flits over are built not from samples but largely from live instrumentation provided by The Jefferson Park Boys (among whom is past collaborator and producer Kenny Segal). Whether backed by spaced-out Rhodes or energetic horns, the rapper maintains his cool throughout this relaxed but cerebral work of art.

1. The New Abnormal – The Strokes

Indie Rock
“We are trying hard to get your attention”

The Strokes returned to form with The New Abnormal, their first full-length release since 2013’s Comedown Machine. In some ways it is reminiscent of their first album–a collection of relatively straightforward rock songs backed by extremely solid songwriting and tight interplay between the instrumentalists. However, 20 years is a long time to spend making music together, and the growth of the band is undeniable: the riffs are spicier, the tones are more varied, and the lyrics are more mature. Still, the songs are rooted in a simplicity that has added to the band’s listenability since the start of their career.

A Strange Party

Spooky season is upon us, and that makes it an opportune time to indulge in the unnerving and unorthodox. This playlist is perfect for just such an occasion, loaded with a litany of electronic cuts carried by a quick tempo and a sinister undercurrent. These tracks are moody and atmospheric without sacrificing danceability.

A major source of inspiration for this playlist was the music of Nicolas Jaar, whose two releases so far under the moniker Against All Logic provide a wealth of content for offbeat electronic music. In particular, this year’s release of 2017-2019 eschewed the approachable funk sound of his previous work in favor of a more industrial flavor. This is especially apparent in “Deeeeeeefers,” which combines clanging percussive noises with sirens and dissonant synths for a surprisingly infectious rhythm.

Still, if one artist were to be named the sovereign of the sound, the crown would undoubtedly go to Burial, whose 2007 release Untrue remains the paragon of murky and dark electronic music. As one of the seminal releases of dubstep, the album places strong emphasis on deep, echoey bass sounds and an irregular 2-step rhythm emphasized by humanized, imprecise hi-hats. Incorporating time-stretched and pitch-shifted vocals, as heard in “Archangel,” makes for an unmistakable and iconic ghostly vibe. Allusions toward this style can be heard among more recent tracks, such as in the deep, deep house of arctic circle resident AL-90’s “Experienced Girl” and “Melancholia Staroy Pornozvezdy.”

One other aspect that makes a song sound uncanny is if it is fully synthetic, something that predates even Burial. Experimental electronic works from the nineties–often designated collectively as IDM–provided the foundation for much of the development of electronic music in the new millenium, with Aphex Twin and Autechre being two of the most notable producers in the genre. The unusual sounds and samples heard in tracks such as “Bike” and “Windowlicker” opened the door for artists like Burial and Nicolas Jaar, and even Radiohead credits IDM as a major influence on the smash success of 2000’s Kid A.

I hope you find an opportunity to enjoy the heady groove of A Strange Party. Consider listening to this collection in order: it is front-loaded with more overt rhythms and recognizable names before descending into darker, longer tracks that simmer towards the end of the playlist.

summer indoors

Summer 2020 was a weird one. If you were lucky, you came into contact with as few people as possible. When you did go out it was hotter than ever, and you knew no stranger would talk with you. Not that there were many places to go. Still, you found a way to enjoy the space you had. This playlist looks back at my favorite gooey, glittery, shimmery vibes of the summer.

A lot of the inspiration for this playlist came from this year’s releases by multi-instrumentalist home producers such as Glass Animals, George Clanton, Tame Impala, Washed Out, and Sunbeam Sound Machine. These artists were among those who adapted most easily to the new working environment, being no strangers to working in isolation. Of course, to some degree the way they’d been making music hadn’t changed, and most of the songs here are pulled from earlier works in the 2010s. Even if the technology exists now for this style of production to thrive, that doesn’t mean the feeling is new–The Jesus and Mary Chain hit this vibe in ’85 and their reverb drenched guitars are a perfect pair for Sunbeam Sound Machine’s “Worry Wart” of 2020.

It’s no surprise that many practitioners of the sound have been categorized as Bedroom Pop, since the instrumentation is often limited to things that can be recorded at home without the extra amenities afforded by a professional studio. Programmed drum samples, layers of synths and a variety of electronic effects make their way into most of these songs, all of which can potentially be created with just a laptop. Of course, Tame Impala’s home studio (for example) has a few more bells and whistles than the average singer-songwriter’s.

Consider listening to this playlist in order, as it’s front-loaded with new releases. And enjoy!