Time for my traditional look back at my fave LPs from the year just ended. One of the strongest years for a while with many excellent titles missing out on the 50.
Is there more dream-pop, indie guitars, and EDM again? Let’s see.
Noting that there are trans men, trans women, and non-binary artists all featuring here, I send particular love with allyship to all in the beautiful LGBTQ community.
Happy New Year.
2 Antony Szmierek - Service Station At The End Of The Universe
Antony comes across as a likeable and infectious personality in interviews and on stage. His music reflects all of this. One of my most played albums of the year.
3 POLIÇA - Dreams Go
Nearly a decade from its live debut, the title track gets the studio recording I’ve been craving. My favourite song from my favourite band
4 Greentea Peng - TELL DEM IT’S SUNNY
5 Kae Tempest - Self Titled
An extraordinary album. All power and love to Kae.
6 swim school - Swim School
My fave debut of the year.
7 Baxter Dury - Allbarone
Indie-dance homages and a vocal delivery that unavoidably reminds me of his dad. Superb.
8 SPRINTS - All That Is Over
9 Wolf Alice - The Clearing
One of the best UK bands of all time. It’s been an exciting ride following them from the start.
10 Marie Davidson - City Of Clowns
11 Nxdia - I Promise No One’s Watching
Nxdia’s 30 minute set at Latitude blew me away. I didn’t know any of their songs beforehand and *every* *single* *one* hit like fully formed banger, including a Katy Perry cover! My fave discovery.
12 De La Soul - Cabin In The Sky
RIP Dave. The remaining duo collaborate with a galaxy of their peers for a celebratory and energised record.
13 Just Mustard - WE WERE JUST HERE
14 Oklou - choke enough
What can I say, I’m a sucker for dreamy albums that span ambient, trance and synth-pop! Gorgeous.
15 The Lemonheads - Love Chant
16 MayKay - MayKay
Debut solo album from MayKay from Fight Like Apes. Yay.
17 Pulp - More
Adding to the list of great 90s bands who come back decades on with some of their best work.
18 Wet Leg - moisturizer
Kudos for their second album having an even catchier tune than Chaise Longue. “Man down!”
19 Sharon Van Etten - Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory
By some distance my favourite thing I’ve heard from Sharon. I hope it’s not a one-off as this full band, big sound is magnificent.
20 Cassandra Jenkins - My Light, My Massage Parlor
A companion piece to last year’s My Light, My Destroyer, made up of essentially piano instrumentals. Lovely.
21 Lorde - Virgin
22 Water From Your Eyes - It’s A Beautiful Place
23 Ela Minus - DÍA
24 HotWax - Hot Shock
25 Emily Breeze - Rats In Paradise
26-30
Penfriend - House Of Stories
HAIM - I quit
Kathleen Edwards - Billionaire
Hayley Williams - Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party
Panic Shack - Panic Shack
31-40
Black Honey - Soak
Andy Bell - pinball wanderer
Juliana Hatfield - Lightning Might Strike
Deacon Blue - The Great Western Road
Gully Boys - Gully Boys
Lambrini Girls - Who Let The Dogs Out
Shura - I Got Too Sad For My Friends
Rachel Bobbitt - Swimming Towards The Sand
Coach Party - Caramel
Ethel Cain - Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You
41-50
Blondshell - If You Asked For A Picture
jasmine.4.t - You Are the Morning
Deep Sea Diver - Emergency
Japanese Breakfast - For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women)
Miki Berenyi Trio - Tripla
NewDad - Altar
The Ting Tings - Home
Horsegirl - Phonetics On and On
Allie X - Happiness Is Going To Get You
The Beths - Straight Line Was A Lie
