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Though I expected greater of 2021 - on account of all the free time artists were given courtesy of the quarantine in 2020 - to say it disappointing would be a lie. After all, nothing in recent years has been more exciting than watching U.K.'s Art Punk scene grow, as the three-headed beast of black midi, Black Country New Road, and Squid all released incredible debuts within a four-month window. Fearless and exceptionally-talented, their prowess headlined the year. Though stewing in a niche community was a cult, bound by a love for 90's melodrama, aspirational romance, and Dance music that ascends to the heavens. It was spurred by the faceless DJ Sabrina The Teenage DJ, a transformative artist who took my breath away with each intrepid exodus. She mustered optimism in the face of overwhelming dread. Represented those Life Is Good t-shirts better than the t-shirts themselves. These two halves - the palpitating anxieties of the Windmill collective, and the calming resurgence of an impassioned DJ - helped put 2021 into context.
All before Lil Ugly Mane tore it apart. Both he, with the near-perfect Volcanic Bird Enemy, and other established artists grew in satisfying ways. There was Japanese Breakfast flexing her versatility in Pop. Lingua Ignota descending further into the reaches of Hell. Little Simz embracing Hip-Hop as a means to overcome. No matter where you looked, in music circles both large and small, artful progression could be found. In a way, it's a testament to human resilience. That a worldwide quarantine needn't be the central topic for musicians, for overcoming the odds was the expected outcome. Art could still prosper even when our chips are down. And boy has it ever.
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20
Poppy | Flux
Alternative Rock | Listen
Flux is arguably more important to Poppy's odd ascension than her laudable breakthrough I Disagree. Why? Whereas the latter proved her capable of merging her persona's shock n' awe tactics to catchy, monumental moments, Flux shreds the gambit, focusing entirely on the music quality itself. Self-aware tracks like 'So Mean' and 'Her' scaled behind contemplative dissections of the self, while others like 'Hysteria' and 'Never Find My Place' let the new sonic template do the talking. Alternative Rock commandeered tender detours, much in the same way as Wolf Alice.
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19
Tonstartssbandht | Petunia
Neo-Psychedelia | Listen
Tonstartssbandht's transition from foolhardy brothers, experimenting with every whim, to easygoing adults delving into everlasting grooves has been admirable at worst, electrifying at best. Petunia further expands upon the grounds that Sorcerer set, in that Jam Band style excursions thrive best when under refined restraint. Nowhere was that seen better than 'Pass Away' and 'What Has Happened,' the two stunners that sailed for the heavens while contemplating the purpose of it all.
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18
Feu! Chatterton | Palais D'argile
Nouvelle Chanson Française | Listen
At the beginning of the year I wasn't expecting Nouvelle Chanson Française to sweep me off my feet, yet Feu! Chatterton did just that by incorporating familiar genres, ambitious excursions, and exacerbated flirtation to Palais D'argile. 'Un Monde Nouveau,' radio Pop for the ultra-sophisticated, 'Compagnons,' beaming coda brilliance reflecting 70's Rock, and 'Cantique,' unraveling tales of emotional instability, provided Palais D'argile with variety and wonder despite the language barrier. A beautiful one at that.
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17
Blu | The Color Blu(e)
Conscious Hip-Hop | Listen
Last year it felt as though Miles was a miracle. After years of trudging onwards, defining the very essence of underground, West Coast Hip-Hop, Blu had finally returned to the promised land. With Exile and like-minded producers in tow, The Color Blu(e) went above (and way, way beyond) defining who Blu is and what his music means for the common good of the common people. Light, scattered percussion, rich Soul samples, and Blu's ever-fighting spirit graced uplifting perils like 'Blu(e)r Than Blu[e]' and 'Mr. Blu(e).' It's a match forever made in heaven.
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16
Spellling | Turning Wheel
Art Pop | Listen
Despite the rich tapestry of sources - be it Kate Bush, Björk, or Erykah Badu - Spellling's elfish personality and inspirational femininity bears no comparison. On The Turning Wheel, she revels in Grimm fairy tales; eloquent and deranged. On the surface, polished and innocent ('Little Deer,' 'Always'), but deep down lies menacing, macabre tendencies ('Boys At School,' 'Queen Of Wands'). Spellling's medieval landscape resembles that of a castle forgotten by time, as exquisite, exterior garnishes hide the torture chambers, indentured servitude, and tales of woe.
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15
Squid | Bright Green Field
Art Punk | Listen
Despite the bountiful output from U.K.'s Post-Brexit revival scene, Squid - slightly aged from the others - still managed to corner a market in desperate need of repair. That being Dance-Punk, and the manic drive that steamrolls its percussion. Tracks like 'Narrator' and 'Pamphlets' unfurled extended distress, tapping toes not just from the rhythm but from that nervous twitch. Centered around Ollie Judge's exclamatory work, Bright Green Field spewed unmatched energy due to his dual role as singer and drummer. Performance art, the sweat declares.
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14
Sufjan Stevens | A Beginner's Mind
Indie Folk | Listen
When it comes to Sufjan Stevens' myriad of styles, his chaste, austere Singer/Songwriter fixtures tend to breeze on by. Not A Beginner's Mind, which levies his Christian wholesomeness with De Augustine's theatrical ornamentations. Songs are quaint, but never hollow. As early album hits like 'Reach Out' and 'Lady Macbeth In Chains' showcase, anthemic majesty can coexist with solitary humility. Others, like 'It’s Your Own Body & Mind' and 'Cimmerian Shade,' gild Stevens' patented acoustics under echoing gasps of weightless breath.
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13
Yves Tumor | The Asymptotical World
Post-Punk | Listen
Since Yves Tumor began distancing themselves from tender, obscured Sound Collages, every project of theirs has been outfitted with a categorical identity. The Asymptotical World was no different, admiring the world of underground Post-Punk from within. Tracks like 'Jackie' and 'Secrecy Is Incredibly Important' found grooves alive in the sewer, pulling alleyway arguments from stormy couples down to the muck. An observer to the break-up, Tumor excels by adding ambience to intimate, dire straits.
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12
DJ Sabrina The Teenage DJ | Makin' Magick II
Outsider House | Listen
She released ten hours of music over a four year, five album span. How could DJ Sabrina possibly top that, when her passionate peak seemingly knew no bounds? How's four hours of music, spread across two albums, released on Thanksgiving night sound? And though Makin' Magick II's highs weren't as opulent as we've seen before, it's noted consistency deserves applause. Sample-laden House beats; endless and eternal. A sense of maturity blossomed in both the production ('Each Time') and lyrical implications ('Being Alone'). But above all else, in spite of the odds and dejections, exalted optimism guided DJ Sabrina ('I'll Never Stop,' 'Princess').
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11
Little Simz | Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
Conscious Hip-Hop | Listen
She bore the torch for a revolution. At least that's how Sometimes I Might Be Introvert sounds; desperate and dignified. Little Simz fought oppression - of race, of gender, of cultural outcasts like her - on defiant pieces like 'Introvert' and 'Little Q, Pt. 2.' Orchestral flourishes reminiscent of Kanye West's Late Registration lent her lofty aspirations a real weight and vitality. Whether overwhelmed in the ceremony, like on 'Standing Ovation,' or flexing in the streets, like 'Rolling Stone,' Little Simz proved her resonance as a voice of a generation.
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50-21 | 10-1 | Top 100 Tracks
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