Albums of the year 2021

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Happy Cycler
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I love an end of year list. It's been a strange year (again) and once again music has definitely helped. These are probably my favourite albums of the year - I'm sure there's some I've missed; Dot Allison's Heart Shaped Scars was a strong contender, but I haven't found myself going back to is as much as the others. I'm sure I'll come to love Richard Fearless' Future Rave Memory, but it's only ben out a couple of weeks and didn't really sit right with me on the sunny autumn day when I tried to listen to it. I'll come back to it in the depths of January. Similarly, I just haven't got into the Low album - I think that might take a while too


Mogwai – As the Love Continues
Always one of my favourite bands of the last 25 years, and they’ve never released a duff album yet, but the last few did start to feel a bit Mogwai-by-numbers. This was a really strong album though and has been a constant all year – I think it’s up there with their best; a top 3 ‘Gwai album (CODY and Hardcore Will Never Die being the others). I love how the 90s influences they probably had as teenagers come through at times – they’ve definitely dusted off copies of Siamese Dream.

St Etienne – I’ve Been Trying to Tell You
Gorgeous, dreamlike and not a million miles away from BoC in places, with the odd touch of MBV too. I love how they’ve been so specific in trying to evoke memories of 1997-2001-ish, which looking back was a bit of an odd time culturally – it’s really got a lovely hazy summer atmosphere to it. The best thing they’ve done since Tiger Bay I reckon

Jane Weaver – Flock
Along with Mogwai, probably the 2021 album I’ve played the most. Anyone who loves Stereolab and Broadcast (and who doesn’t?) should give it a listen – it’s a great pop album, with just enough off-kilter psychedelia to make it something really interesting as well as being just a really enjoyable listen.

Emma-Jean Thackery – Yellow
One of the biggest discoveries for me this year; there’s so much going on here – think Alice Coltrane and 70s Miles Davis; really cosmic jazz, but always with one foot on the dancefloor too. I’d heard the single on the radio and thought it was *fine*, but gave the album a chance and my God it is great – stick it on some headphones and pour a large whisky (or your relaxant of choice) and just DIVE into it.

Bicep - Isles
I haven’t been clubbing for years, and quite frankly I’d probably hate it if I went to one again (I’m writing this wearing a cable knit jumper, drinking rooibos tea and listening to Fairport Convention – draw your own conclusions), but this album – possibly enhanced by +1 year of staying in A LOT – made me yearn for a packed dancefloor. It was a total nostalgia trip, with echoes of Orbital, Leftfield and loads of others from that era when I was 15 and everything was exciting.



Hannah Peel – Fir Wave
Just a gorgeous, gorgeous album. I keep coming back to it and keep finding new things in there. Along with Sophia Kourtesis' Fresia Magdalena (which was officially an EP so makes a different list...) it provided a perfect soundtrack to a hot and sunny holiday on a cliff-top cabin in Cornawall

Obay Alsharani – Sandbox
I’ve written a bit about this album and included a link to Obay’s background (https://www.twoism.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=14761&p=294902&hilit=obay#p294902). It’s an incredible story and the album is just fantastic. Definite shades of BoC in there.

Pearl Charles – Magic Mirror
The 1st track is ABBA via Laurel Canyon and the whole album has a great MOR / cosmic country feel. It doesn't reinvent the wheel at all, but it sounds lovely

GLOK – Pattern Recognition
I made Andy Bell’s 1st solo album one of my favourite albums of last year, so it’s funny including a different album by the same person under a different name this year; he’s a busy and talented dude. It’s background music in the best possible sense of the word (in the same way that The Campfire Headphase is but Geogaddi isn’t). There’s definite echoes of Weatherall in a few of his guises on here, which is fine by me.

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Dayvan Cowboy
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I listen to so much new music but always forget the albums that came out this year.

So, from the top of my head;

1. Wolf Alice - Blue Weekend
My absolute favourite this year, last.fm states that I have over 250 plays from this album already. Listened to it non stop the first month it came out, and still go back to it alot. Might have something to do with my first kid being born as well then, but to me, this album is absolutely flawless.

Loess - Totems
Absolute lush IDM. Always loved their work, but this for me is their best so far. I need to listen to this album from beginning to end, it's a nice mellow little idm trip.

Lone - Always Inside Your Head
To me this is his best work so far. He used to frequent this forum, and now is widely known artist. This album sounds really differs from the stuff he normally makes. It is more mellow, some DnB influences with some otherworldly ambient influences. Everything is right about this album to me.

I must have forgotten shitloads of albums again, but these are my 3 favourites I guess.
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Dayvan Cowboy
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Quite a few favourites this year!

Crumb - ice melt
This is a good follow up to their 2019 short psych-pop odyssey titled 'jinx' It’s extremely well produced with quite a few lush arrangements and melodies, a refinement of their style, unfortunately it doesn’t progress their sound any further and is a bit lacklustre compared to the debut.
Lead vocalist Lila ramani has not changed her delivery of daydreamy drawl and some vocals are not very clear to understand what she’s singing about without consulting a lyric sheet.
With that being said, this being a lockdown album, it’s a great effort (even if lacking in variety) and the production is tight and focused.
I do like it. :D


Jean-Michel Jarre - amazonia
Wizard of synths JMJ created music to accompany a exhibition on the amazon rainforest on his newest project.
There are two versions of this album available, standard stereo & binaural surround edition.
It’s a very immersive experience, with samples of the native tribes popping up often (some dating back to 1956) at times It feels like a bit of a callback to his 1984 album 'zoolook' which was made entirely out of human vocals samples, there are many ambient passages that lull you into a sort of relaxing slumber.

I’m not sure if it’s necessarily identifiable as Jarre though, as sometimes it gets swept up in its own samples and sounds and featuring less of his trademark synths.
I think if your a fan of field recordings you’d enjoy at least some aspects of it.


Andy shauf - wilds
A bit of a oddball release, Canadian songwriter Andy Shauf feels more at home as ever on an album which is comprised of leftover songs from his last full length 'the neon skyline' which was released autumn last year on the ANTI- label.
It follows similar character driven lyricism and storytelling that's known to be andy’s trademark, there are less clarinets as he prefers a familiar acoustic folk driven sound on wilds.

Some lyrics are instantly snappy and memorable like this verse from 'wicked and wild'
"two sides, one coin goes spinnin' around, wondering which sides gonna hit the ground. One big fight out in the cold, trying to fall asleep in the wind and the snow."

Soft spots on this record are slightly reminiscent of early fleet foxes material (being of a rustic nature) and I recommend to anybody who’s a fan of indie-folk singer-songwriter type material. Can’t get enough of it, love it! :)


John grant - boy from Michigan
Quite fond of this one right now, lots of electro/dry witted synth-pop music here.
The title track has two minutes of BoC-ish ambient sounds before a pulsating 80s beat takes over and transforms it into a gorgeous pop waltz. Not as much could be said about the rest of it though, it’s political and lengthy which means it takes a few replays to get a grasp of it.
Although what makes me return to this one so often is the mixing, talk about a wall of sound!

Recommend for new-wave synth-pop heads.
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Happy Cycler
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Orbited insanitarium wrote:Andy shauf - wilds


I wasn't a huge fan of Neon Skyline. It sounded really derivative of Paul Simon in some places, which is fine. Just not my thing. That said, The Party is one of the best albums I've heard in years. Clever and catchy songwriting and the album sounds phenomenal from a production standpoint.

A_Northern_Soul wrote:Emma-Jean Thackery – Yellow


My local jazz station played Golden Green earlier this year. The song blew my mind! It sounds so good. Lush, spacey, and funky. The second I got home I had to look it up and hear it again. I need to check out the rest of that album for sure.

I'll throw these albums in the ring...

The Pattern Forms - The Scenic Route
Quite a bit different from their first album. Much less electronic. More jazzy and laid back. Sports a huge library music influence.

Curved Light - A User's Guide To Existence
If you like early 80's Tangerine Dream and some of the earlier OPN albums you might dig this. It's a wonderful, flowing, chill, synthsploration. He also dropped an album earlier this year called Spirit Echo that is much more intense. These albums both sound rich and clear as crystal.

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Dayvan Cowboy
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A_Northern_Soul wrote:I love an end of year list. It's been a strange year (again) and once again music has definitely helped. These are probably my favourite albums of the year - I'm sure there's some I've missed; Dot Allison's Heart Shaped Scars was a strong contender, but I haven't found myself going back to is as much as the others. I'm sure I'll come to love Richard Fearless' Future Rave Memory, but it's only ben out a couple of weeks and didn't really sit right with me on the sunny autumn day when I tried to listen to it. I'll come back to it in the depths of January. Similarly, I just haven't got into the Low album - I think that might take a while too


Mogwai – As the Love Continues
Always one of my favourite bands of the last 25 years, and they’ve never released a duff album yet, but the last few did start to feel a bit Mogwai-by-numbers. This was a really strong album though and has been a constant all year – I think it’s up there with their best; a top 3 ‘Gwai album (CODY and Hardcore Will Never Die being the others). I love how the 90s influences they probably had as teenagers come through at times – they’ve definitely dusted off copies of Siamese Dream.

St Etienne – I’ve Been Trying to Tell You
Gorgeous, dreamlike and not a million miles away from BoC in places, with the odd touch of MBV too. I love how they’ve been so specific in trying to evoke memories of 1997-2001-ish, which looking back was a bit of an odd time culturally – it’s really got a lovely hazy summer atmosphere to it. The best thing they’ve done since Tiger Bay I reckon

Jane Weaver – Flock
Along with Mogwai, probably the 2021 album I’ve played the most. Anyone who loves Stereolab and Broadcast (and who doesn’t?) should give it a listen – it’s a great pop album, with just enough off-kilter psychedelia to make it something really interesting as well as being just a really enjoyable listen.

Emma-Jean Thackery – Yellow
One of the biggest discoveries for me this year; there’s so much going on here – think Alice Coltrane and 70s Miles Davis; really cosmic jazz, but always with one foot on the dancefloor too. I’d heard the single on the radio and thought it was *fine*, but gave the album a chance and my God it is great – stick it on some headphones and pour a large whisky (or your relaxant of choice) and just DIVE into it.

Bicep - Isles
I haven’t been clubbing for years, and quite frankly I’d probably hate it if I went to one again (I’m writing this wearing a cable knit jumper, drinking rooibos tea and listening to Fairport Convention – draw your own conclusions), but this album – possibly enhanced by +1 year of staying in A LOT – made me yearn for a packed dancefloor. It was a total nostalgia trip, with echoes of Orbital, Leftfield and loads of others from that era when I was 15 and everything was exciting.



Hannah Peel – Fir Wave
Just a gorgeous, gorgeous album. I keep coming back to it and keep finding new things in there. Along with Sophia Kourtesis' Fresia Magdalena (which was officially an EP so makes a different list...) it provided a perfect soundtrack to a hot and sunny holiday on a cliff-top cabin in Cornawall

Obay Alsharani – Sandbox
I’ve written a bit about this album and included a link to Obay’s background (https://www.twoism.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=14761&p=294902&hilit=obay#p294902). It’s an incredible story and the album is just fantastic. Definite shades of BoC in there.

Pearl Charles – Magic Mirror
The 1st track is ABBA via Laurel Canyon and the whole album has a great MOR / cosmic country feel. It doesn't reinvent the wheel at all, but it sounds lovely

GLOK – Pattern Recognition
I made Andy Bell’s 1st solo album one of my favourite albums of last year, so it’s funny including a different album by the same person under a different name this year; he’s a busy and talented dude. It’s background music in the best possible sense of the word (in the same way that The Campfire Headphase is but Geogaddi isn’t). There’s definite echoes of Weatherall in a few of his guises on here, which is fine by me.


As I'm a bit of an old fart now, I always come late to new music and rarely end up buying anything in the year it came out, however I did buy the Mogwai and Bicep albums this year and have to agree with every word of the above. Bicep in particular took me back to my old raving days in mid-90s and I can hear that influence in their music - they apparently went to the same Belfast clubs as I did, although they were there probably there a good few years later.
Both albums were recommendations on here if I remember correctly, so thanks, Twoism!

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Bicep's Isles has something unique in it that makes it feel oddly nostalgic...
Fly!

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I've really been enjoying the Day/Night double album by Parcels.
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My Top 5 list so far:

Godspeed You! Black Emperor - G_d's Pee AT STATE'S END

Modest Mouse - The Golden Casket

Bo Burnham - Inside (The Songs)

Panopticon - ...And Again Into the Light

Squid - Bright Green Field

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My 2021 AOTY is probably 'Entertainment, Death' by Spirit of the Beehive, a band I was unfamiliar with before this record came out. I checked it out on a whim and it blew me away.


SamuraiDrifter wrote:My Top 5 list so far:

Godspeed You! Black Emperor - G_d's Pee AT STATE'S END

Modest Mouse - The Golden Casket

Solid choices. State's End is probably my favourite post-hiatus GY!BE record. I've got tickets to see them in January, but I worry a looming lockdown will put a stop to that.

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Honorable mention for

Parra for Cuva - Juno

Some pretty nice dancy stuff, reminiscent of some of Bonobo's stuff.
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It was a fine year musically speaking. One album absolutely stood out for me.

Arovane - Atol Scrap (2021 Remaster)
Arovane - Reihen
Deep Forest - Eponymous (Version 2021)
Holy Other - Lieve
KiloWatts - Six Silicates (Remastered)
Kings of Convenience - Peace Or Love
Loess - Totems
Lone - Always Inside Your Head
loscil - Clara
loscil - Lux: Refractions
Marconi Union - Signals
Nils Frahm - Old Friends New Friends
Obay Alsharani - Sandbox
Ocoeur - Connections
Planetary Assault Systems - Sky Scraping
Ross From Friends - Tread
STIKSTOF - FAMILIE BOVEN ALLES
The Black Dog - Music For Photographers
Valley Maker - When the Day Leaves
VC-118A - Spiritual Machines
µ-Ziq - Scurlage
µ-Ziq & Mrs Jynx - Secret Garden

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Sherbet Head wrote:My 2021 AOTY is probably 'Entertainment, Death' by Spirit of the Beehive, a band I was unfamiliar with before this record came out. I checked it out on a whim and it blew me away.

Another great record! Would be in my top 10 for sure if I were to put one together..


Solid choices. State's End is probably my favourite post-hiatus GY!BE record. I've got tickets to see them in January, but I worry a looming lockdown will put a stop to that.

I've got tickets to see them too! Absolutely psyched, the last time they came around where I live was like 3 years ago and I had to miss. I jumped on them literally the second they went on sale.

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Fredd-E wrote:It was a fine year musically speaking. One album absolutely stood out for me.

Arovane - Atol Scrap (2021 Remaster)
Arovane - Reihen
KiloWatts - Six Silicates (Remastered)
Loess - Totems
loscil - Clara
loscil - Lux: Refractions

Great list here.

Another excellent album this year for me is:

BADBADNOTGOOD - Talk Memory

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jcotteri wrote:
Fredd-E wrote:It was a fine year musically speaking. One album absolutely stood out for me.

Arovane - Atol Scrap (2021 Remaster)
Arovane - Reihen
KiloWatts - Six Silicates (Remastered)
Loess - Totems
loscil - Clara
loscil - Lux: Refractions

Great list here.

Another excellent album this year for me is:

BADBADNOTGOOD - Talk Memory

If you like those in my list, definitely try these two too:
Marconi Union - Signals
Ocoeur - Connections

Coincidentally I read some negative news about BADBADNOTGOOD just yesterday: https://pitchfork.com/news/badbadnotgoo ... from-band/ - kinda a party pooper.

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I like both of those artists, so I will have a listen. Thanks.

Bummer about BADBADNOTGOOD, but really their music has dramatically improved since he left.

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Some belting releases mentioned above. I second the albums by Emma Jean-Thackray, Hannah Peel, Jane Weaver and Lone. For me, Tom VR's 'Please Keep Shimmering' was my favourite electronic album of the year:

https://tomvr.bandcamp.com/album/please-keep-shimmering
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All the songs I loved are on my 2021 Faves list here: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/202 ... k77hNx71EY

No order. Not a lot came out this year that caught my ear. It was like 2020 released so much good music that no artist could do anything with because of the pandemic, then 2021 gave us sloppy seconds.

Maybe I just didn't dig properly. I'll be looking through this topic for some recommendations.

Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum - Thanks for Coming
Lil Nas X - Montero
Clark - Playground in a Lake
Moby - Reprise
Martina Topley-Bird - Forever I Wait
Garbage - No Gods No Masters
Nas - King's Disease II
Tori Amos - Ocean to Ocean
Kanye West - DONDA

The Garbage record is probably my favorite of the year.
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