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Edit: From the L2T mod team: After much discussion amongst the mods, we've decided to re-approve this post as a rare exception to the rule. u/mgraunk puts in a ton of work every year, and while the sub does not officially allow playlists posts, u/mgraunk has worked with the mod team to thoroughly vet each artist included to make sure they're within our limits. Thank you to everyone who commented sharing your thoughts on the decision.
Spotify playlist is here
2020 was a crazy year, so it’s understandable if you had a hard time keeping up with new music releases. I was in that other camp of people who found themselves listening to music even more than normal. I continued my (admittedly obsessive) tradition of listening to as many new albums as possible each week, and once again I’d like to share a few hidden gems.
These are not my top 25 albums. These are just 25 albums that I felt were sorely overlooked, based on the criteria that (almost) none of these artists have more than three songs with over half a million plays on Spotify. Hopefully we can bring their music to a wider audience. Without further ado, here are 25 great albums you might have missed in 2020:
1. Keleketla! - Keleketla! (Released 7/3/20, Multinational)
I’m going to break the rules right off the bat by including my absolute favorite album of 2020, which includes contributions from internationally famous recording artists like Tony Allen, Antibalas, and ColdCut. But in addition to these names, the musical project known as Keleketla! features many obscure and underrated artists, both from across the African continent and from members of the diaspora living around the world. It may not meet the letter of the law, but it certainly fits the spirit of this community. It’s a funky, jazzy, groovy blend of musical styles that’s truly unparalleled among album releases this past year. The vocals are carefully selected and powerfully performed, with lyrics that serve as a reminder of the many perspectives often overlooked by western-centric media.
Standout Tracks: Future Toyi Toyi, International Love Affair, Freedom Groove, Crystallise
2. Frankie and the Witch Fingers - Monsters Eating People Eating Monsters... (Released 10/2/20, California, US)
If you’ve listened to my playlists from the past two years, then you know I love me some psychedelic rock. King Gizzard and Tame Impala are great, but the field is really broad right now, and there are plenty of lesser known acts like Frankie and the Witch Fingers who can hold their own. Despite putting out several albums in recent years, this was the first release from Frankie and the Witch Fingers that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish. It has a reckless energy, as if the performers are trying to thrash the life from their instruments before the album ends. Given the ongoing absence of live music in my life, this was one of the few albums from 2020 that almost managed to deliver that raw concert experience to the isolation of my apartment.
Standout Tracks: Activate, Sweet Freak, Simulator
3. Gooral - Ethno Elektro 2 (Wolno/Fusion) (Released 3/19/20, Poland)
This album seems to have been released in a couple different formats. When I first discovered Ethno Elektro 2, it was as a 6-song mini-album released in March with the subtitle “Wolno”. But on Spotify, there is an earlier version of Ethno Elektro 2 featuring a completely different tracklist with the subtitle “Fusion”, categorized as an EP. Discogs, however, lists Ethno Elektro 2 as a single 2-disc record containing all the tracks from both Fusion and Wolno. Long story short, they’re both uniquely amazing records, and the album works perfectly when listened to from the first track on Wolno to the last track on Fusion, smoothly fluctuating between EDM-tinged pop and eastern European folk. In addition to techno and D’n’B, Gooral draws heavily upon Polish ethnic styles to create a dance record that is seriously unmatched.
Standout Tracks: Spod tego jawora, Wadi rum, Cas siy nom uodmienić
4. Thy Catafalque - Naiv (Released 1/24/20, Hungary)
Back in the before time, I got together with a friend to make sausage. It was our first attempt, and we were working on a recipe he’d found for “hot Hungarian” sausage. I told my friend I had the perfect record to occupy us while we worked, and put on Naiv, which I had not yet listened to all the way through. We were surprised by just how suitable it turned out to be, and it quickly became my go-to album while working, doing chores around the house, and during further sausage-making ventures. The driving melodies and distorted growls are great for motivation, while the epic choral vocals and diverse instrumentations keep you from getting bored. But if you have a minute to pause and pay closer attention, you’ll also be able to appreciate the unusual time signatures and top-notch production characteristic of great progressive rock.
Standout Tracks: Embersólyom, A valóság kazamatái, Kék madár (Négy kép)
5. Suzie Stapleton - We Are the Plague (Released 7/31/20, Australia)
She may not have garnered much attention yet, but I’m really looking forward to following Suzie Stapleton’s career given the strength of her debut album, We Are the Plague. The album opens with the lyrics “We are the plague / we are the execution / we are the caged / we are the revolution”, and I’ll be damned if that isn’t just the perfect way to sum up 2020. What follows is a murky expedition into the gloomiest manifestations of western popular music - goth rock and dark folk tinged with blues, delivered by a rasping voice that’s equal parts Janis Joplin, Beth Hart and Lucinda Williams. The lyrics conjure images of desolation, destruction, and loss. This is not a happy record, but it is nonetheless a beautiful one.
Standout Tracks: We Are the Plague, Blood on the Windscreen, Don’t Look Up
6. Yuri Gagarin - The Outskirts of Reality (Released 1/31/20, Sweden)
Sweden is known more for its black metal and death metal than for spacey stoner rock, but Yuri Gagarin proves a welcome exception to that stereotype. The Outskirts of Reality hits the ground running with two lengthy jams over ten minutes apiece which together make up the bulk of the five track album. Laboratory1, the shortest track, creates a similar effect to the ambient middle section of Pink Floyd’s “Echoes”, developing an atmosphere that becomes progressively more eerie and unsettling, only to pull you roaring back when the album’s title track kicks in to end the record. It’s not a long album, just under 45 minutes - but that’s enough time for at least, like, three DMT trips, right?
Standout Tracks: Oneironaut, Crystal Dunes, The Outskirts of Reality
7. Aging - Sentenced to Love (Released 5/1/20, England, UK)
Sentenced to Love seems to embrace the notion espoused in the early days of How I Met Your Mother that “nothing good happens after 2 AM”. It is a soundtrack to dastardly deeds committed undercover of the night; the kind of jazz you might hear in a seedy strip club under a freeway while a shady man in a trenchcoat and fedora stares you down from across the bar. There’s an ominous undertone to the album that keeps you on edge, almost paranoid. If the movie Drive were set in the 1940s, this could be the soundtrack. In fact, one look at the album cover should adequately prepare you for what you are about to experience. As someone who works a graveyard shift, this album really resonates. Not the dastardly deeds part though, I swear.
Standout Tracks: The Trapped Man, Sentenced to Love, The Shadow On My Name
8. Ajate - Alo (Released 3/6/20, Japan)
An album like Alo is the musical equivalent of a British television series - it hooks you immediately, and then just as quickly, it’s over. Put it on repeat and you’ll have an album of a more satisfying length. I promise you won’t get bored listening to it over and over, though you might find yourself cursing the universe that there aren’t more bands fusing traditional Japanese and West African dance music, much less on homemade instruments of their own invention. There really isn’t a single other band in the world like this.
Standout Tracks: Uka, Galar, Mammamelie
9. Blessed Black - Beyond the Crimson Throne (Released 1/17/20, Ohio, US)
If you like metal bands that draw from desert rock, grunge, doom metal, and classic Sabbath, then put your bong down and pay attention. Now pick it back up and put on Beyond the Crimson Throne by Blessed Black. It’s derivative in all the best ways, accessible enough for the radio but with enough credibility for the metalhead purists. Expect catchy riffs rather than intricate solos, and clean vocals in place of growls or screams. I daresay this is the best damn butt rock record of the decade.
Standout Tracks: The White Wolf, Arioch’s Bargain, Stormbringer
10. Smoke Fairies - Darkness Brings the Wonders Home (Released 1/31/20, England, UK)
Smoke Fairies is not a new band, but their latest album is definitely their most polished and complete so far. Taken as a whole, the album has a great atmosphere - dark and mysterious, as its name would suggest, with rich harmonies reminiscent of Cocteau Twins. Without the context of the album, the individual songs still stand up. Each one is distinct and engaging, and despite the album’s brooding tone, there are a few good earworms in the mix.
Standout Tracks: On the Wing, Out of the Woods, Super Tremolo
11. The Cool Greenhouse - The Cool Greenhouse (Released 5/29/20, England, UK)
Most of the time, I prefer strong instrumentals over strong vocals. Much of my favorite music is entirely lyricless. The first time I heard The Cool Greenhouse, I wasn’t thrilled with the repetitive 3-note riffs that characterize this album. I almost wrote them off until I started picking up on what their vocalist (I hesitate to call him a singer) was listlessly droning on about in the most unapologetically British way possible. If John Cleese performed slam poetry, I’m not sure he could deliver as scathing a critique of western culture and society as The Cool Greenhouse. Their biting sarcasm is underscored by the apathetic delivery and appropriately low-effort guitar work, but the songwriting is actually pretty brilliant. The more I listened, I realized that what I initially heard as sloppy and uninspired was in fact quite intentional. It’s punk rock for the Doomer generation; the righteous anger is still there, but it manifests in a very different way.
Standout Tracks: Cardboard Man, Life Advice, Smile, Love!
12. Angellore - Rien ne devait mourir (Released 2/14/20, France)
The notes on Angellore’s bandcamp page describe the recording process of this album as “burdensome and depressing”, and while I can promise that listening to it will provide a much more enjoyable experience, this album certainly does take its time to get where it’s going. It doesn’t immediately hook you, but it promises a journey that will be well worth your while. The opening track is 20 minutes long, and starts with a Gregorian chant. From there, it unfolds like the plot of a novel, gradually building to some intense and compelling moments that don’t require any understanding of doom metal growls to be emotionally effective. And there are enough diverse vocal styles over the course of the album that even those who are turned off by unclean vocals can appreciate the vaguely necrophilious lyrical cliches of gothic rock.
Standout Tracks: A Romance of Thorns, Dreams - Along the Trail, Que les lueurs se dispersent
13. N to the Power - Autogenesis (Released 9/4/20, New York, US)
This is some weird, trippy jazz. This is some “don’t put it on until you’re comfortable with the headspace of the acid you just took” jazz. It’s not an easy listen, but it’s not hard to make the time for just five songs. There’s a lot to take in if you can give this music your undivided attention and just focus on the interplay between the different instruments. Each composition expresses a distinct musical idea, and while there are some common elements between them, the album is more an anthology of vignettes than a single theme. But with most of the songs over five minutes in length, none of the songs seem rushed or incomplete.
Standout Tracks: The God Particle, Marrakesh Mesosphere, To the Jackpot
14. Bambara - Stray (Released 2/14/20, Georgia, US)
Stray is a gloomy concept album that combines shimmery surf rock guitars with the gritty imagery of a Rob Zombie or Robert Rodriguez film. There are traces of neo-noir and western in the loosely connected stories of the album’s dismal characters, and also in the music, which vaguely resembles both Nick Cave and Ennio Morricone in trace amounts. While the album is best enjoyed from beginning to end like a nonlinear rock opera, the self-contained stories in each song stand on their own as well - particularly the final track, “Machete”, which would make for a great horror film if the name weren’t already taken.
Standout Tracks: Heat Lightning, Serafina, Machete
15. Tidiane Thiam - Siftorde (Released 5/15/20, Senegal)
There’s not a whole lot to say about Tidiane Thiam. He’s just a guy who taught himself to play guitar, plucking out simple melodies without adornment. His straightforward approach cuts to the heart of the innate human desire to make music. This album is as close as recorded music can get to capturing the experience of sitting around a campfire with your closest friends while someone noodles on a guitar, and the ambient background noises further contribute to that illusion. We may not be able to locate each others’ hometowns on a map, but the universality of this album tells me that we have something in common.
Standout Tracks: Djatasoun, Douga, Yeery-Mayo
16. Zenobia - Halak Halak (Released 6/5/20, Israel)
The duo of Palestinian DJs known as Zenobia make some pretty wild dance tunes. They combine elements of EDM and synthpop with various styles of Arabic pop and folk music that I’m too American to identify. If you’re accustomed to the rhythmic patterns of European and American dance music, you might find this album refreshingly dissimilar. I don’t know what the current slang would be, but in the words of my wife when she’s trying to get under my skin, “this one slaps”.
Standout Tracks: Edine, Halak Halak, Funky Egal
17. Gwenifer Raymond - Strange Lights Over Garth Mountain (Released 11/13/20, Wales, UK)
Not only is she the best primitive guitar player since the OG, John Fahey, Gwenifer Raymond is also a professional game designer and holds a PhD in astrophysics. So she’s got that going for her, which is nice, but neither of those other pursuits have any significant bearing on this album. Her guitar playing is front and center without any vocals to get in the way. Strange Lights Over Garth Mountain is colored by Raymond’s Welsh background, but also draws from the full spectrum of Americana styles and beyond. If you’re yawning at the prospect of another instrumental folk guitar album, just listen to her shred on “Hell for Certain” before deciding this album isn’t worth your while.
Standout Tracks: Hell for Certain, Gwaed am Gwaed, Strange Lights Over Garth Mountain
18. Malena Zavala - La Yarará (Released 4/17/20, Argentina)
I’m going to break the rules ever so slightly again, because Malena Zavala does have three songs with over 500k streams, two of which are different versions of the same song, and none of which are on this album. Her debut was decent, but Zavala’s sophomore release is a lot more polished in performance and production. She displays confidence and purpose in her vocals without sacrificing the emotion. The rich instrumentals reflect her diverse musical influences, with a variety of electric and acoustic instruments that keep things sounding light and bouncy even when the lyrics tend towards more melancholy and introspective topics. A tropical ambiance seeps through on every song, making this the perfect soundtrack for drinking away a bad breakup somewhere on a sandy beach.
Standout Tracks: En la Noche, Company, Ritmo de Vida
19. Ak’chamel, the Giver of Illness - The Totemist (Released 3/27/20, Texas, US)
What even is music, maaan? This album is more like a sound collage, beginning with a relatively familiar psychedelic rock melody that quickly fades to the background amidst distant bird calls and other sound effects. By the end of the first song, an eerie, whispering voice is pulling you deeper into your trip, and that’s when you remember that you aren’t even high. If it weren’t for the percussive instruments providing rhythm and meter, you might even forget you’re listening to an album at all. It’s a sort of new age parody, twisting and distorting the tropes of meditative music into something conspicuously unsettling. If you get anxious easily, you may want to avoid listening to this one when you’re all alone at 3 am. Unfortunately, I speak from personal experience.
Standout Tracks: Firedriver, The Funeral of a Woman Whose Soul is Trapped in the Sun, Dark Hat
20. Ka - Descendants of Cain (Released 5/1/20, New York, US)
As much as I enjoy the genre, hip hop albums don’t often rate very high on my list. A lot of hip hop albums feel bloated and uncurated, with too many filler tracks that rely on lyrical cliches without offering fresh perspectives. Ka’s Descendants of Cain is an excellent exception. The 11 songs center around an allegorical theme that compares the violence in economically depressed communities of color to the Biblical story of Cain and Abel (“brothers killing brothers”). Throughout the album, Ka reflects on his upbringing in cocaine culture, taking every opportunity to insert religious allusions through brilliant wordplay and double entendres. I can’t count how many times I’ve listened to this album already, and every time I pick up on clever details I haven’t noticed before. You don’t have to be a hip hop fan to appreciate the artistry on this album, although it might help to have an English degree.
Standout Tracks: My Brother’s Keeper, The Eye of a Needle, Sins of the Father
21. Matthieu Saglio - El Camino de los Vientos (Released 4/24/20, France)
Matthieu Saglio plays the music of the Mediterranean on El Camino de los Vientos, which features his own cello playing in addition to the contributions of various international collaborators. From song to song, the album travels around the entirety of the Mediterranean Sea, with stops around both Europe and North Africa. The individual pieces are distinct enough to sound as though they were created by completely different composers, but as a whole, the album is a cohesive masterpiece that bridges the cultural gaps between disparate styles of jazz, folk, and neoclassical composition. My wife tells me this album makes her feel like she’s in the “old country”. She doesn’t have an “old country”. She’s under 30 and has lived in the US her entire life. All the same, I can’t say I disagree with her interpretation.
Standout Tracks: Bolero Triste, Amanecer, Sur Le Chemin
22. Dool - Summerland (Released 4/10/20, Netherlands)
There aren’t enough truly great prog groups these days, especially female-fronted prog groups. Dool fills that niche quite nicely with a 70’s-flavored driving rock album that falls somewhere between Rainbow and early Heart. Dool may not have the instrumental virtuosity to place them among the greats, but they have an abundance of psychedelic guitar licks and instrumental jams, with enough catchy hooks to stick with you after listening. There are also elements of contemporary hard rock and metal, but the album isn’t particularly heavy by today’s standards. Summerland is a broadly accessible album for rock fans of any generation, hearkening back to the days when groups like Led Zeppelin were viable for pop radio. And if you have no natural affinity for classic rock, you can at least take solace in the fact that this style of dad rock isn’t likely to catch on again anytime soon. I’m just glad someone is still out there making it.
Standout Tracks: Sulphur & Starlight, God Particle, Ode to the Future
23. Cambriana - Hedonism (Released 12/18/20, Brazil)
A last-minute addition to my favorite albums of 2020, Cambriana’s Hedonism took me completely by surprise at a point when I thought that the year had nothing left to offer. It’s an album of artsy indie-pop jams in the vein of Glass Animals and The Neighbourhood that crawl into your brain and make themselves at home. The songs are simultaneously more delicate and more textured than most of today’s pop hits, with muted drums, shimmering guitars, and layers of synths. The album is immersive even at its slowest moments, and while it never gets too boisterous, there is a restrained energy on songs like “Induction Bread” that gives you the urge to get up and move.
Standout Tracks: Induction Bread, Gamma-Ray Burst, Huge!
24. Sa-Roc - The Sharecropper’s Daughter (Released 10/2/20, Washington, D.C., US)
For most of hip hop’s history, female contributors have been largely overlooked as serious rappers. Sa-Roc has the chops to compete with any of the greats, and a wisdom to her lyrics that would make Tupac proud. While a couple tasteful features provide the opportunity for some interesting back-and-forth dialogue, the album is overwhelmingly just Sa-Roc without any assistance. Lyrically, she surpasses virtually all of her peers in terms of staying on topic throughout the album, keeping her laser focus on topics of social justice without resorting to lazy sex jokes or excessive braggadosio. Not that there’s anything wrong with those tropes, but in 2020, a hip hop album the sort of substance found on The Sharecropper’s Daughter was both welcome and needed.
Standout Tracks: Gold Leaf, The Black Renaissance, Goddess Gang
25. Will Wood & the Tapeworms - The Normal Album (Released 7/10/20, New Zealand)
The first thing you hear when you put on The Normal Album is a darkly hilarious parody of 1950s doo-wop that flawlessly transitions into an Elvis-esque rockabilly jam over a wailing saxophone, then back to doo-wop. Thirty seconds later, you get a sample of what it might sound like if Tom Waits collaborated with the Mr. Bungle. That’s just the opening track. Suffice to say, the title of The Normal Album is a goddamn lie. Will Wood, the multitalented multimedia artist behind the Tapeworms’ music, lays out his relationship with mental illness and the world around him in the most eccentric mishmash of musical styles imaginable. His quirky artistic vision puts him in league with singer-songwriters like Ben Folds and Regina Spektor, though Wood seems even less constrained by the stylistic norms of popular music. His lyrics are dense, but even before you have the chance to decipher Wood’s musings on life and society, the absurd theatrics will suck you in by subverting your expectations roughly once a minute.
Standout Tracks: 2econd-2ight-2eer (that was fun, goodbye.), Laplace’s Angel (Hurt People? Hurt People!), Marsha, Thank You for the Dialectics, but I Need You to Leave.
Have a great 2021!
2020 Reddit Grammy Awards!
Song of the Year: Tomer Krail - Quadropede
Female Vocalist of the Year: Brianna Barnhart in Sun Might Set
Male Vocalist of the Year: Luke Chiang - Used to Me
Music Video of the Year: Isla - Kids Like Me
Best Rock Song: Sherwood Forest - Glow
Best Pop Song: C.HAOS - Y.ou
Best Metal Song: Zaru - Eye Of The Storm
Best Singer-songwriter Song: Aaron Lindsay - Hide & Seek
Best Indie Song: Tyler Quehl - Connection pt. 1, Limitless
Best Folk Song: River roots - Bare Feet
Best Jazz Song: Fuzen, Kate Burns - Dystopia
Best Lofi Song: Soran Leif - Wistful Nostalgia
Best Dubstep Song: BLCK WLF - Sea of Glass
Best Drum & Bass Song: Aethereal Assassin - V.H.S.
Best EDM Song: Pete Barta - Mega
Best House Song: BobaBoi - Open On Acid
Best Techno Song: Sharp Sevens - Moonshine
Best Future Bass Song: hann - Midnight
Best R&B Song: Luke Chiang - Used to Me
Best Rap Song: C’eon - Mazes
Best Trap Song: Scriptz - Nightcrawler
Best Reggae Song: Wicked Penmann - Struggle
Best Punk Song: Pelison Jetty - Pelison Jetty
Best Synthwave Song: Cru Kza - Softwaves
Best Chiptune Song: Esmajin - Electric Journey
Best Glitch Hop Song: Max Exodu$ - Don’t U Wanna?
Best Experimental Song: Thick Planet - Up With the Larks
Best Classical Song: Daniel Diaz - Pi
Best Ambient Song: Juan Maria Solare - Has the Rain a Father? (ambient guitar)
Best World Song: David M. Goncalves - SpaceErhu - V3
Best Piano Instrumental Song: Lisztlovers - Olya’s Night
Best Acoustic Guitar Instrumental Song: Lunng Fern - Chant
Sub Genre Categories
Best Alternative Rock: Tunnel Traffic - Another Story
Best Heavy Rock: King Ibex - Ballot
Best Pop Rock: Arcanum - Family Man
Best Indie Rock: Shasta Gilmore - They’re Airborne
Soft Rock: Jericho - Moonlit Dancer
Best Surf Rock: Beach Bomb - Dunkelheit
Best Psychedelic Rock: Sam Kruger - All Sick Again
Best Blues Rock: Crooked Fix -Troubled Eyes
Best Folk Rock: Tony Appleseed - Entropy
Best Synth Rock: CitizenEarth - Catfish Burial
Best Funk Rock: Tomer Krail - Quadropede
Best Post Grunge Rock: Phantom Noise - Shut Down
Best Experimental Rock: The Anthropophobia Project - In My Room
Best Space Rock: Cosmic Carpool - Necrophage
Best Emo: Agnes Pine - Flakes
Best Emo Rock: I Feel Better When I’m Sad - Upon Your Dead Body
Best Emo Metal: Between the Heart - You Wouldn’t Want to Drink With Me at Sea Level
Best EDM Rock: SXVR - Here Again
Best Electronic Rock: Mymodulatingheart - Fyresyde
Best Progressive Rock: A Perennial Daydream - Cerebral Surf
Best Instrumental Progressive Rock: Calm Like Rye - Restorer
Symphonic Rock: Teun Segers - Blind Faith
Best Math Rock: Lybra - Mazes
Post-punk Rock: Moonglow - Hurts Like Hell
Best Noise Rock: Flynn’s Ego - When You Grow Up
Best Punk rock: Junko Daydream - Bad
Best Electropunk: RubberDollies - Good Faith
Best Pop Punk: Harold’s Last Chance - Hit The Lights
Best Ska: Sally and the Monkeys - Liar Liar
Best Reggae Fusion: Bi Harcourt - Make Believe
Best NuMetal: Sable - Zoomers
Best Thrash Metal: Tragic Forms - Caldera
Best Death Metal: In Silent Agony - Scandalous
Best Symphonic Metal: Scarlet Desire - Cry For Your Name
Best Black Metal: Rymrgand - Broken
Best Metal Instrumental: Stefan Wenger - Dualism
Best Djent: Altered Animal - A New Place
Best Industrial Metal: Rookie - Blind Is
Best Progressive Metal: Kaiber Koi - Archaic Wave
Best Instrumental Progressive Metal: Stefan Wenger - Dualism
Post-Metal Instrumental: Darkfield Xxxviii
Best Industrial: PomBo - Defeatism
Best Folktronica: Aadams - Forever on the Fence
Best Folk Singer-Songwriter: Tomber Krail - Saturday Morning
Best Instrumental Dubstep: Freakyt - Ready for Takeoff
Best Chipstep: Merlinsyoshi - Deep Breath
Best Indie Pop: Matt Dubrow & The Captives - Waste My Time
Best Electronic Pop: Somewhat Incognito - Night Light Appetite
Best Bedroom Pop: Kahika - What You Want
Best Alternative Pop: Tom Oro - Nothing More
Best Synthpop: Kantama - Dance Music
Best Darkpop: Bae Wolf - Online
Best Drunkpop: SEB - CUTE
Best Baroque Pop: Sebastian and the Deep Blue - It’s Not the Same
Best Dream Pop: Slacker 2 - Drifting Away
Best EDM Instrumental: Char.s - Pace
Best Electro House: Harvester - Halcyon Dreams
Best Progressive House Song: Kuchi - Falling
Best Oldschool House: Rasart Records - Aftermath
Best French House: Micromusic - Friday Night...Again!
Best Tech House: Reyska - Next Door
Best Deep House: Aveiro X Liam Zeno - Guilty Tabs
Best Acid Techno:Gregory Cook - Corrosive
Best Future Bass Remix: Tankk - Sweet Disposition
Best Future Bass Chiptune: Good Doggo Licks - Your Dream
Best WestCoast HipHop: Sam Ruckus - You Aint Doin Nothin
Best EastCoast Rap: Scriptz - Golden Age
LoFi HipHop: No Legs - 100
Experimental HipHop: Aeons Elevator - HuckleBerry Smokewagon
Best Nerdcore: Deadloser - Blue
Best Instrumental Trap: Add Pattern - Virtual Reality
Best Dream Trap: PetenMusic - Vanilla Sky
Best Trip Hop: J00lz - Miles
Best Nu Disco: Chrylo - Superstar!
Best Disco: Leeveye - World
Best Country: Taylor Red - Catch Me If You Can't
Best Dark Country: Bug Martin - Dharma Blues
Best Country Rock : Matt Dubrow & the Captive - Brunch
Best Country Rap: Proper Einstein
Best Jazz song: Fuzen, Kate Burns - Dystopia
Best Jazz Fusion: LittleRaineBand - Dreamwalker
Best Blues: Emmett LaFave - Sun Might Set
Best Retrowave: Lux Atomic - When Androids Dream of Sunset
Best Darkwave: Venator - Werewolf Angels From Atlanta
Best Chipwave: Baddon & Casual Boys Mastodontic Foot
Best Darksynth: Soft Neon - The Fabulous Moolah
Best Chiptune Pop: Megan Timings - Dreaming of You
Best Chiptune Rock: Decay - Blazing Steel
Best Glitch: Tropiik - Glaze
Best Contemporary Classical: Juan Maria Solare - Has the Rain a Father? (piano)
Best NeoClassical: Daniel Diaz - To the Moonlight
Best Jazz instrumental: Pat Butcher’s Beef Banquet - Nugget to Nuggetland
Best A capella: Bad Songwriting - Floating On Glass
Best Soundtrack: Farmer George - Beach Flight
Best Downtempo: Closed Loop - Empirical Evidence
Best Electronic Instrumental: Lost Rejects - Mizu
Best Electro Swing: Jordan Dube - Bisque
Best Electro Instrumental: Harvester - Tribalism
Chill-Hop Instrumental: Nhan Synthesis - Slow Finish
Best Experimental Instrumental: There by the Trees - December Diary
Music Video Category
Best Folk Music video: Isla - Kids Like Me
Best Rock Music video: Iduna - Nosedive
Best Alternative Rock music video: Green Leather - Tiny Box
Best HipHop Music video: Dayda Banks ft. Nolto - Yellow Bricks
Best emo rock Music video: Peter Hunt & the Great Outdoors - June Carter
Best Pop Music Video: Baby Brave - Blue Skies
Best Indie Music Video: Street Joy - I’ll Be Waiting
Best Singer Songwriter Music Video: Thrillhouse - One of These Days
Best Indie Rock Music Video: S.J. Smith - Dojo Daze
Best Hard Rock Music Video: Tradgedy Channel - Can’t Hold On
Best Jazz Rock Music Video: Wavery - Plain Sight
Best Metal Music Video: Puddle head - Severance
Best Progressive Metal Music Video: Dallas Stewart - Lunchtime
Best Lo-fi Indie Surf Music Video: Goon Lei Goon -Spitting Caves
Best Indie Pop Music Video: Porkboii - Junebug
Best Animated Music Video: Pea Green Boat - Penguins Holding Hands
Best Smooth Jazz Music Video: Aqua De Beber
Best Neo Soul Music Video: Forrest Del - Rock With Me - Original Song
Best Darkwave Music Video: Big Blind - Baran
Best Experimental Music Video: The Kitchen Groove - Making music only using sounds from the kitchen
Best Electronic Instrumental Music Video: Statx - Pleadings
Best Atmospheric Music Video: Fish Basket - Fatamorgana
Best Comedy Music Video: Emmit - I’m Harder Corer Than You!
Best Reggae music video: Diplazar - Getaway
Best Spaghetti Western Music Video: One Last Ride- Laser Rey
Soundcloud Playlist: https://soundcloud.com/user-772857285/sets/2020-grammy-winners
Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0V1PScdPTX1Xe1kR6QXrKK?si=BaUyOophToGY7wUDSpv10w
Apple Music Playlist: https://music.apple.com/ch/playlist/2020-reddit-grammys/pl.u-pMyl1KlI4X25Rpl?l=en
Google Playlist: https://play.google.com/music/playlist/AMaBXymn7v9lsg1DswsvE7XR1e6ahlxySRDgN7AEjd3wwuMMfUnqw1E04q95hdhQo7Bw3u7EO3MQKyLJ-mB7bpf6PThtJdXL1w%3D%3D
Edit: I am seriously blown away by the response from this community! I can’t thank all of you enough for giving these musicians a chance! 🥳
So I've only ever listened to hip hop and RnB. I want to try listening to other genres but because I've listened to hip hop and RnB exclusively I have no clue where to start.
If you're kind enough to help me out I would prefer starting off with rock music something similar to Nirvana... Tbh I've only ever listened to smells like teen spirit and I really enjoyed that, I've also listened to a small amount of Linkin Park and when I was younger I used to listen to Hollywood undead.
Im very new to this sub, so please excuse me if this is against the rules, but I thought it would fit in pretty well. Electroswing is one of my favourite genre and I think it needs more recognition. Whenever people think about eswing, they primarily think about Parov Stelar and Caravan Palace.
While these are both great musicians/bands, there are many many more which sadly never get talked about much. I hope to fix this a bit by providing a long list of all the eswing-artist I know. This will still not be a complete list by any means, its meant to be a starting point for anyone trying to get more into the genre.
If I forgot someone you think I should add, please tell me! (I mostly listen to music on Spotify, so I will miss people on Soundcloud/smaller Youtubers)
I will split the artists into categories like „Club Electroswing“ or „Swing Hop“, however, all of them are completly subjective! They are only meant to give a rough idea of what kind of electroswing the artist usually makes. I’ll also add a short description/funfact about a few artists, but not all. Some artists also only have a few electroswing songs.
CLASSIC ESWING:
Artists that make electroswing what it is. Without these, the genre would miss its essential parts.
- Parov Stelar - Often regarded as the „father of electroswing“ as he massively helped in popularizing it
- Caravan Palace - Lone Digger, need I say more?
- Jamie Berry - Everything from „classic“ electroswing to more electronic songs
- Gramatik - While mostly popular for his hip-hop-instrumentals, he also has a fair share of eswing tracks
- 11 Acorn Lane - Hated by as many as loved, their impact is still pretty big
- Pisk - My personal "hidden gem", not as popular as parov etc, but DEFINITLY should be
- Dutty Moonshine Big Band - Incredible sound, „Smokey Blues“ is my favourite song ever
- Heppy - Hey there, I know youre active on this sub :P
- 5 In Love
- Alanna Lyes
- AlgoRythmik
- Alice Francis
- Annella
- Atom Smith
- Bakermat
- Bart & Baker
- Benny Berigan
- BMVT
- Boogie Belgique
- Caro Emerald
- CATJAM
- Charlie Beale
- Chinese Man
- Crazy Red Balls
- Deluxe
- Dimaa
- Dimie Cat
- Dirty Honkers
- DJ Dabelyu
- DJ Dunya
- DJ MIBOR
- Dutty Moonshine
- Extra Medium
- Fab Samperi
- Free Shots
- Ginkgoa
- Grant Lazlo / Lazlo
- Harry Chestwig
- High Step Society
- JAWN
- Jem Stone
- Johnny Lectro
- Jules Gaia
- KimSka
- Kiss Me Yesterday
- Klischée
- Lamuzgueule
- La Rochelle
- Leo P
- Little Violet
- Mack The Producer
- Marc Spieler
- Minimatic
- Mr. Scruff
- Nick Hollywood
- OdjBox
- Phos Toni
- ProleteR
- Sepiatonic
- Sim Gretina
- Skeewiff
- Sound Assembly
- Sound Nomaden
- Swing Republic
- Swingrowers
- Tape Five
- The Electric Swing Circus
- The Sweet Life Society
- The Swing Bot
- Tia Brazda
- Tomato Jack
- Too Many Zooz
- Varrick Frost
- Waldeck
- [dunkelbunt]
CLUB ELECTROSWING:
Anything that has a strong „i could dance to that in a club and still talk to others on the bar“ vibe. These songs can also be mixed very well into eachother.
- Wolfgang Lohr - Incredibly danceable songs
- AKA AKA
- Balduin
- Biboulakis
- DJ ZsuZsu
- Drauf & Dran
- Enzo Siffredi
- Flatfoot Jones
- Gramophonedzie
- Groovejuice
- Incontrol
- Jazzotron
- Jesse Rose
- Jfth
- Kalletti Klub
- Kormac
- Mr Jazzek
- Nikola Vujicic
- Shemian
- Stereo Express
- Stranger Danger
- Swahn
- Tinush
- Umami
- Yolanda Be Cool
SWING HOP:
Hip Hop plus Electroswing? Hell. Yes.
- Smokey Joe & the Kid - Heavy Beats with heavy bars
- Mr.B The Gentleman Rhymer - A jolly ol chap
- Offbeat - British swinghop with incredibly relatable lyrics (also #offbake)
- Open Minded - Gritty fallout raps
- Lyre Le Temps
ELECTRO-ELECTROSWING:
My own name for all the music that has a clear swing-base, but heavy electronic drops.
- Odd Chap
- Jenova Collective
- Duke Skellington
- JFB - The song „Wobble and Squeak“ says it all
- Volatile Psycle - The song "Gramophone" is basically Dubswingstep... if thats a thing
- AronChupa - Electroswing mixed with Melbourne Bounce and EDM
- Thomas Vent - Electroblues pretty much
- Ninjula - Glitch Hop meets ESwing
- Alligatorz
- C2C
- Kiwistar
- Stepcat
- Landis
- Y&V
PS: Edits only mean I added more artists
I tried to adhere to rules as much as possible for this post, but if it's not in line, no worries if it gets deleted. Just figured I'd share these.
Basically I have one huge Spotify master "2019 listen list" that I add to as new music comes out. As I listen, I fill other playlists with my favorites. At the end of 2 months, I start a new playlist. As such, the lists don't necessarily represent the release dates of the music, just when I actually heard them, but they were all released in 2019.
My tastes are pretty diverse but I mostly like heavier stuff, I'd say. That said, I have everything from folk to hip hop to electronic to black metal. I typically don't like pop or country but those are probably some of the only exceptions to stuff I won't at least check out.
January to February - 35 tracks - 3 hours and 5 minutes
March to April - 32 tracks - 3 hours and 5 minutes
May to June - 44 tracks - 4 hours and 44 minutes
July to August - I'll add to this through the month of August
The Jan/Feb list has 2 tracks from each release mostly, and then after that, I switched to one track per release, mostly because there was a lot more music released by then.
I hope you enjoy it and find something new!
Hey everyone,
Been collecting/doing write ups about my favourite tracks since 2013 (~4.5k posts) and last year I started re-thinking how to organize music + putting together playlists on the major streaming platforms.
Took me a while to be happy and comfortable with the end result, but I hope you enjoy it. Planning on updating them on a monthly basis. The playlists are organized in a strange genre/mood manner, which I hope it makes sense.
Have a great day and any feedback or suggestions are also highly appreciated.
Chill Beats | lofi hip hop, chillhop & jazzhop
Spotify | Apple Music | SoundCloud | YouTube
Groovy Beats | instrumental hip hop, soul, funk & bossa nova
Spotify | Apple Music | SoundCloud | YouTube
Funky Flavors | electro funk, break beats, hip hop & electro soul
Spotify | Apple Music | SoundCloud
Soulful Hip Hop | hip hop, neo soul, jazz & r&b
Spotify | Apple Music | SoundCloud
Acoustic Escape | indie, acoustic, folk & folktronica
Spotify | Apple Music | SoundCloud
Dance Vibes | nu disco, electro, funky house, indie dance, french house
Spotify | Apple Music | SoundCloud
Ambient Space | downtempo, chillstep & trip hop beats
Spotify | Apple Music | SoundCloud
Bass Waves | future beats, future bass, electronic dance and trap
Spotify | Apple Music | SoundCloud
Lush Vibes | r&b, soul & future beats
The idea to build a playlist from reddit's artists is to show inside and outside reddit what we are doing and promote everywhere we can, if we can stream it daily would be a plus but is not a must. You would have to send me your best song, the one that gots most streams in order to succeed with the project and obviously following the playlist at least. I would like to add 50 songs to the playlist.
You can left me the links on this thread or send me a DM.
Thank you guys, hope someone join it.
Ok people here it's the link of the playlist so far (it wasn't edited yet so please be patient): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2BfBJLxOfWUjSa4gJL45s6
UPDATING NEWS
Ok people, 50 songs in. I'm sorry if I've answered some people before others who send the link first but I was checking everything as I seen it on the income box and then I had to check out comments because some of your messages wasn't on the income box as notifications but I've added all of you who post the links as I requested.
This post it's officially closed but I promise I will do a Vol. 2 in a couple of days because I've seen there are lot of people interested and that's great. Here it's the thing, I will take the time listening all the material and trying to put it in order on the playlist. I think most of you suscribed rock songs or alternative music but in any case It would be an "alternative multi-genre playlist" after all.
Thanks to all of you for your participation. Give me some hours/ days to give it a listen and move up and down your songs and in fact maybe to all of us have the same opportunities to be listened I will be changing the order of your songs weekly so it's fair to all of us. Once I've done I will post a message like this one or I will be updating this post but the playlist it's full with 50 songs from literally "REDDIT ARTISTS" which was the main idea. I'm pasting this message on the comments and also on the post that way all of you will be notified.
P.D: english it's not my main language obviously so probably I will make some mistakes here and there but I think most of you captured the whole idea of this. :) Thanks again to all of you. It was amazing how in just a few hours lot of people come to share their work and I think that's a good start. You can give it a listen meanwhile to check out your partner's work as well.
UPDATING NEWS 2
I did a group chat so we can exchange ideas and share material or even get in contact each other, there are lot of people who I think could do something together. I got 44 members and there should be 50, so If I didn't add you it's because I couldn't find you on the comments or I lost you somewhere, so please send me a message by saying that you are on the list and I will join the group chat.
Playlist it's done guys. START SHARING IT! I organize the material starting from pop/commercial/warming danceable if you could say songs, then following the trance dance to really burn calories, then rock to destroy everything and mixing it with alternative, indie rock and then going to more suitable quite songs and for the last hip hop, chill and ambient songs.
Hope you like it, I really think it's an amazing playlist what we got and I hope you can stream it once in a while and share it because believe me, there are really really good songs in there. In fact mine at the top it's like what the fuck? But I really don't know where to put it or in fact I should kick myself out hahahaha, that was the worst part.
Hope you participate on this chat to share ideas about how can we do campaign and obviously sharing the playlist everywhere we can. Tomorrow I promise I'm gonna start working on Vol. 2 for those who got out from this one but also if there are not too many I'm gonna think about including them. But these playlist got almost every single genre, the quality's tracks it's amazing and just you have to enjoy.
Thanks to all of you. Really, thanks a lot. In fact you would click the like button on most of the songs by yourself, believe me. Once I got more time I'm gonna star listening completely and start liking them.
I'm not sure if this is the proper way to ask but I've been trying to find this song all day and its killing me. What I remember is that it was an indie/hip hop song that was in either French or German and the music video was just two people walking down a railroad track. If anyone can help I'd appreciate it.
Spotify playlist is here
In 2018, I attempted to listen to every new album release, using a website called Album of the Year to track new music. It turned out to be an impossible task, as over 600 albums were released each month, for a total of more than 7500 new albums over the course of the year. I did still manage to listen to over 850 albums, and kept track of my favorites in Google Sheets(If anyone is interested, you can see my top 500 albums in order here.) I spent about 20 hours every week listening to new music, and discovered hundreds of new artists I’d never heard of.
I was surprised how many amazing albums came out this year (and presumably every year) that no one seems to talk about. I wanted to share a few albums that I felt were sadly overlooked. These aren’t my top 25 albums, these are just 25 great albums that I want to spread to a wider audience. Hopefully some of them can get the recognition they deserve!
1. Ripe - Joy in the Wild Unknown (Released 4/6/18, Massachusetts, US)
This was easily my favorite album of the year from the moment I heard it. It’s a light, fun album with straightforward lyrics and catchy grooves. Ripe incorporates rock, funk, soul, and pop into their timeless sound. They’re as accessible as any big name pop rock group, but without the same cliches. I could see them blowing the roof off a festival if they got the chance, but blowing the roof off a dive bar wouldn’t be any less fun to see. If you only listen to one new artist from this list, please listen to Ripe!
Standout Tracks: Little Lighter, Flipside, Young Tom Rose, Pedro
2. Black Mirrors - Look Into the Black Mirror (Released 8/31/18, Belgium)
Of all the incredible female-fronted rock bands to release great albums this year, Black Mirrors’ debut was my favorite. Their music draws tons of influence from the blues and garage rock of the late 60s, as well as its revival in the early 00s, without attempting to replicate either directly. They don’t stick to a single style throughout, but the sound they create is uniquely their own. If you like the idea of Greta Van Fleet, but ultimately think they’re too unoriginal, give Black Mirrors a try instead.
Standout Tracks: Funky Queen, Günther Kimmich, Till the Land Wind Blows
3. Fantastic Negrito - Please Don’t Be Dead (Released 6/15/18, California, US)
His first album already won him a Grammy, and this album has been nominated for another, yet for some reason, few people I’ve met have heard of Fantastic Negrito. If you’re one of those people, that should change. His contemporary treatment of a classic blues and soul sound is a bit more raw, and honestly more creative, than most of his contemporaries. The songs on Please Don’t Be Dead are all over the place, yet the album still holds together as an impressive and cohesive work with lots of relistenability.
Standout Tracks: Plastic Hamburgers, A Boy Named Andrew, The Duffler
4. Rhye - Blood (Released 2/2/18, Canada)
It’s a simple album, but beautiful in its simplicity. The smooth electronic melodies set a perfect backdrop for smokey vocals delivered in a style reminiscent of early XX. Relaxing enough to serve as background music but also interesting enough for a closer listen, Blood was my favorite album of the year to fall beneath the massive “electronic” umbrella of music.
Standout Tracks: Taste, Please, Blood Knows
5. Emma Ruth Rundle - On Dark Horses (Released 9/14/18, Kentucky, US)
On Dark Horses is actually pretty dark, musically and thematically. Rundle’s vocals sound like they would fit with acoustic guitars and other traditional folk instruments, but she instead opts for a relentlessly heavy post rock atmosphere. Her emotional delivery, combined with swirling layers of electric guitars and percussion, make this a powerful album.
Standout Tracks: Darkhorse, Races, Light Song
6. Red Lama - Motions (Released 2/23/18, Denmark)
The psychedelic prog rock on Motions is more subtle than the musical excess of the early 70s, though still just as compelling for fans of the classics. The songs play out through steady grooves rather than grand fanfares, and the vocals lack the soaring falsettos and epic lyrics that characterize a lot of classic prog rock. But the band is just as tight, and extremely talented. This album would be excellent paired with a tab of acid.
Standout Tracks: Awakening feat. Bjonko, Post Optimism, Fular
7. Stonefield - Far From Earth (Released 4/13/18, Australia)
Another of the great female rock groups of the decade, Stonefield is already on their third album, but lack the recognition they deserve. They’re talented musicians with strong vocals, exceptional songwriting, a classic psychedelic sound, and the type of chemistry that only a band of four siblings can achieve. Far From Earth encompasses a dynamic range of musical stylings and influences, and Stonefield kills it on every song. They sound like a band that shares many common musical influences with Jack Black, but (no disrespect to Jables) actually have the talent to make it work without resorting to a comedy routine.
Standout Tracks: Far From the Earth, Visions, Through the Storm
8. Jean-Michel Blais - Dans ma main (Released 5/11/18, Canada)
Jean-Michel Blais is already a critically acclaimed composer, and this album was nominated for the 2018 Polaris prize. But being a mostly instrumental piano album, it’s not the kind of thing you’re likely to hear on the radio. So if you haven’t heard this album, here’s my suggestion: Draw a bath, get cozy in bed, or however you do. Turn off the lights, put this album on, and just listen to it beginning to end. It’s really an experience.
Standout Tracks: Roses, Dans ma main, Igloo
9. Earthless - Black Heaven (Released 3/16/18, California, US)
Earthless have been turning out solid psychedelic hard rock albums for over a decade, though until now their work has been largely instrumental. Their first album to feature vocals throughout is a masterpiece, partially because they obviously don’t need a singer to create great music. You can tell that the vocals on this album were written with intention, not to be highlighted in their own right, but to complement the instrumentals. Though the band themselves would probably disagree, adding bluesy vocals reminiscent of Deep Purple or Motorhead finally makes the band sound complete.
Standout Tracks: Electric Flame, Black Heaven, Sudden End
10. Circles Around the Sun - Let It Wander (Released 8/17/18, US)
Obviously I have a thing for psychedelic jams, but this album is different in that it draws influence more heavily from jazz than from rock. While each song is a journey and experience in its own right, the album is also accessible enough to put on in the background without turning too many heads. The songs on this album are pretty long, but never sound pretentious or self-gratifying. It’s easy enough to get lost in this album that by the time it’s done you haven’t even realized the time has passed, and you might be tempted to just play it on repeat.
Standout Tracks: Immovable Object, Halicarnassus, Electric Chair (Don’t Sit There)
11. LAUREL - Dogviolet (Released 8/24/18, England, UK)
Laurel’s music sounds like it could have been written for pop radio, but the songs are generally more understanded and lack any grandeur. The Florence Welch-like richness of her voice carries the album with its emotional delivery, but the synth-heavy instrumental arrangements add a lot to each song as well. Fans of London Grammar will probably enjoy this album.
Standout Tracks: Life Worth Living, Adored, Sun King
12. The Blue Stones - Black Holes (Released 10/26/18, Canada)
First there were the White Stripes, then the Black Keys. The Blue Stones could easily complete the trifecta. They tend to be a bit heavier than either of the former, but no less catchy or groovy. Black Holes is surprisingly consistent for a debut album. There’s plenty of room for growth, but it sets a high standard for future releases to live up to.
Standout Tracks: The Drop, Black Holes (Solid Ground), Be My Fire
13. Novo Amor - Birthplace (Released 10/19/18, Wales, UK)
In a lot of ways, Novo Amor sounds like he’s trying to be the next Bon Iver. Both artists employ a light and airy falsetto, and both experiment by pushing the boundaries of indie folk. But Novo Amor’s music is different and unique enough to recognize that he’s got plenty of talent in his own right. Birthplace showcases a broad spectrum of emotions, with plenty of interesting instrumental arrangements that go beyond the indie folk cliche of acoustic strings.
Standout Tracks: Birthplace, Utican, Seneca
14. Valley Maker - Rhododendron (Released 10/12/18, Washington, US)
There are a lot of layers to Rhododendron. The songs have detailed instrumental arrangements, poetic and reflective lyrics, hauntingly beautiful vocal harmonies, and melodies that get stuck in your head (in a good way). It’s frank and bare, which makes it instantly relatable. If indie folk is your jam, you might find this among your favorite albums of the year.
Standout Tracks: Light on the Ground, Rise Up, Wonder
15. Fewjar - Gamma (Released 5/25/18, Germany)
On the surface, Gamma is a damn good synthpop album. On a deeper level, it’s still a good synthpop album, but with a lot of musical depth. Fewjar incorporate a lot of diverse stylistic influences that make this a solid album beyond just the danceable songs. Like all good pop albums, it has darker and more introspective moments as well. The album shifts tone frequently, but never loses momentum.
Standout Tracks: Skeleton, Gamma, Treasure
16. Demonauta - Temaukel, the Spirit Before Time (Released 8/13/18, Chile)
Demonauta is like a psychedelic biker gang of swamp monsters travelling through time and space to bring you the crunchiest, bluesiest metal this side of Hell. If you like dropping acid and fighting demons with alien weaponry, this album could be your personal soundtrack. They may not have the most original sound, but they have an abundance of talent with which to pull it off.
Standout Tracks: Sons of Black Sun, Blues para Angela Loij, Psilocybeat
17. Joey Pecoraro - Music for Happiness (Released 4/6/18, Michigan, US)
Music for Happiness sounds like Joey Pecoraro went into a coma in 1945, woke up 70 years later in a recording studio full of computers, and immediately started making music. The album is full of samples and sound bytes that conjure images of a smokey lounge in interwar Europe. It’s the perfect combination of downtempo and jazz. If you chill out to Tycho, Emancipator, Little People, and Nujabes, add Joey Pecoraro to your playlists.
Standout Tracks: Don’t Be a Fool, I Think I Am Falling in Love, Play It Again
18. PEALS - PEALS (Released 5/11/18, Germany)
If you fear the death of rock music; if you hate Imagine Dragons; if you grew up on rock radio in the 90s and 00s - check out PEALS. They play straightforward rock music with no pop production gimmicks. They’re not making huge strides in musical innovation by any means, but their songs are catchy and memorable. Compared to other album releases this year, PEALS stands out as almost a novelty for their basic guitar-bass-drums approach to alternative rock.
Standout Tracks: Radiation Safe, The Tenant, The Salvation and the Power
19. Say Lou Lou - Immortelle (Released 10/26/18, Australia/Sweden)
These are the daughters of Steve Kilbey, lead singer of the Church, but even if you aren’t a fan of the Church you should give Say Lou Lou a chance. Their style is similar to the indie bands of the 00s - Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Santigold, Tegan & Sara, etc. You can hear the influence of the 80s on this album, but also a ton of originality. Even their cover of Under the Milky Way sounds completely different, though it does make me wonder if the family sang this together in the car Step Brothers style when they were kids.
Standout Tracks: Ana, All Love to Me, Under the Milky Way
20. Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs - King of Cowards (Released 9/28/18, England, UK)
This album is heavy as fuck. I realize it’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. But if your cup of tea is actually a cup of whiskey because you’re not a punk ass bitch, you should listen to Pigs x7, if for no other reason than because of the awesome band name. But also because it’s one of the best metal albums released this year.
Standout Tracks: GNT, Thumbsucker, Cake of Light
21. Kadhja Bonet - Childqueen (Released 6/8/18, California, US)
This album is weird and artsy, but the more I listen to it the more I like it for that very reason. Kadhja Bonet obviously has more talent in her pinky toe than I have in my whole body. She flawlessly combines musical styles to create a brand new sound that draws equally on psychedelic and R&B, but with a healthy pinch of whatever else she feels like. Each song is a unique experience, which makes the whole album infinitely relistenable.
Standout Tracks: Delphine, Wings, Mother Maybe
22. Bombino - Deran (Released 5/18/18, Nigeria)
A great singer-songwriter is a great singer-songwriter, even if they don’t speak your language. He’s toured around the world and released several albums before this, but Bombino still doesn’t get the sort of mainstream attention he deserves. If you like expanding your musical pallet, even if you don’t speak Tamasheq, you should give this album a listen (and maybe look up the lyrics). It’s got enough elements of blues, rock, and folk to be accessible even if you typically prefer western music styles.
Standout Tracks: Imajghane, Tehigren, Tenesse
23. Le Trio Joubran - The Long March (Released 10/12/18, Israel)
I never imagined I would love Palestinian oud music until I heard this album. I had to immediately go listen to Le Trio Joubran’s entire back catalog. They’re mostly instrumental, and the few vocals are in a language I can’t understand, but this music just moves me on a whole other level. It’s expressive, emotional, and performed with expert precision. If you don’t frequently listen to non-western music, this is worth a listen or twelve.
Standout Tracks: The Long March, The Hanging Moon, Our Final Songs
24. Rainbow Kitten Surprise - How To: Friend, Love, Freefall (Released 4/6/18, North Carolina, US)
It seems like Rainbow Kitten Surprise is starting to gain some traction, but apparently aren’t significant enough to merit a Wikipedia page yet, and I’d like to see that change. Not only was this among my favorite albums of the year; not only did I play Fever Pitch on repeat all summer, but this was the best concert I saw in 2018 as well. This band absolutely kills it in every aspect - lyrics, songwriting, musicianship, and onstage theatrics. It’s hard to classify their style, as they effortlessly jump from folk to hip hop to rock within a single song, but there’s almost nothing to dislike about this band.
Standout Tracks: Fever Pitch, It’s Called: Freefall, Hide
25. courtship. - Denial in Paradise (Released 5/11/18, California, US)
There’s a soft spot in my heart for bouncy, overproduced indie pop. It can be cheesy and cliche, but when it’s done right, nothing puts me in a better mood. Courtship. generally doesn’t stray far from their comfort zone, but they have a knack for catchy hooks, and in this case that’s enough. It’s a fun, summery album that doesn’t really make you think or challenge you as a listener. Not every album needs to be Dark Side of the Moon.
Standout Tracks: Nice Guy, Warm Waters, Bad Fun
I'm an album guy, for sure. I enjoy single tracks when in discovery mode, but I love queuing up an album and knowing that I'm about to travel with it.
So for me, this has created a small barrier to lofi / chill / the genre easily described as "hip hop beats to study to". There are so many artists with one or two tracks ... which is okay, but I bet there are a hundred out there that have dropped some serious albums worthy of a cover-to-cover listen.
Which is where we discuss - which albums in the last three years or thereabouts have stood out to you?
I was recently introduced to French and German Hip-Hop/Chillhop (Orē and dude26 namely) and I'm hooked! I'm looking for more non-English artists in these genres.
TIA!