- Andrea - Ritorno (Ilian Tape)
- Daniel Avery & Alessandro Cortini - Illusion Of Time (Mute)
- Julianna Barwick - Healing Is A Miracle (Ninja Tune)
- Chouk Bwa & The Ångstromers - Vodou Alé (Bongo Joe)
- Cindy Lee - What's Tonight To Eternity (W.25th)
- Coldbeat - Mother (DFA)
- Cyril Cyril - Yallah Mickey Mouse (Born Bad)
- Das Das - S/T (Detriti)
- DNGDNGDNG - Continentes Perdidos (On The Corner)
- En Attendant Ana - Juillet (Trouble In Mind)
- Freak Heat Waves - Zap The Planet (Telephone Explosion)
- Lucy Gooch - Rushing (Past Inside The Present)
- The Green Child - Shimmering Basset (Upset The Rhythm)
- Group Rhoda - Passing Shades (Dark Entries)
- HHY & The Kampala Unit - Lithium Blast (Nyege Nyege Tapes)
- Kate Nv - Room For The Moon (Rvng Intl.)
- Loving - If I Am Only My Thoughts (Last Gang)
- Minae Minae - Flossensäume (Marionette)
- Mr. Elevator - Goodbye, Blue Sky (Castle Face)
- Naked Roomate - Do the Duvet (Trouble In Mind)
- Omni Gardens - Moss King (Moon Glyph)
- Peel Dream Magazine - Agitprop Alterna (Slumberland)
- Rejoicer - Spiritual Sleaze (Stones Throw)
- Repeated Measures - S/T (grn+gld)
- Sepehr - Shaytoon (Dark Entries)
- The Serfs - Sounds Of Serfdom (Detriti)
- Tornische - Interiorismo (Cititrax)
- Ulla - Tumbling Towards A Wall (Experiences Ltd.)
- Vague Imaginaires - L'île D'or (Not Not Fun)
- Katya Yonder - Multiply Intentions (Métron)
- Various Artists - Cherrystones Presents Critical Mass Vol. 2 'Hearts Of Champions'(Touch Sensitive)
- Various Artists - La Locura de Machuca 1975-1980 (Analog Africa)
- Various Artists - Tchic Tchic - French Bossa Nova - 1963/1974 (Born Bad)
BestOf
((echoplex))
Favorite Albums of 2020, Listed Alphabetically
A Pancake
A Pancake's Top 16 Albums of 2020 (Loosely Ordered):
- The Microphones - Microphones in 2020 (P.W. Elverum & Sun)
- Charli XCX - how i'm feeling now (Warner)
- Perfume Genius - Set My Heart on Fire Immediately (Matador)
- Dorian Electra - My Agenda (S/R)
- Oneohtrix Point Never - Magic Oneohtrix Point Never (Warp)
- Monolake - Archaeopteryx (imbalance computer music)
- Poppy - Music to Scream To (Sumerian)
- Yves Tumor - Heaven to a Tortured Mind
- Grimes - Miss Anthropocene (4AD)
- Jeff Rosenstock - No Dream (Polyvinyl)
- Moses Sumney - grae (Jagjaguwar)
- Autechre - Sign (Warp)
- 100 gecs - 1000 gecs and the Tree of Clues (Dog Show)
- Frances Quinlan - Likewise (Saddle Creek)
- Blu & Exile - Miles
- Arovane - Gestalt (Puremagnetik)
Honourable Mentions:
- Against All Logic - 2017 - 2019 (Other People)
- Poppy - I Disagree (Sumerian)
- Rian Treanor - File Under UK Metaplasm (Planet Mu)
- Rina Sawayama - Sawayama (Dirty Hit)
- Dan Deacon - Mystic Familiar (Domino)
- Food House - Food House (Dog Show)
- HMLTD - West of Eden (Lucky Number)
- Thundercat - It Is What It Is (Brainfeeder)
- Deerhoof - Future Teenage Cave Artists (Joyful Noise)
- Conway the Machine - From King to a GOD (Griselda/Drumwork/Empire)
- Ash Koosha - Bluud (Realms)
- Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist - Alfredo (ESGN/ALC/Empire)
- Boldy James - The Price of Tea in China (Deluxe Edition) (ALC / Boldy James)
- Deerhoof - Love-Lore (Joyful Noise & Deerhoof)
- Carl Stone - Stolen Car (Electro-Acoustic Music (ASCAP))
- The Soft Pink truth - Shall We Go On Sinning So That Grace May Increase? (Thrill Jockey)
- R.A.P. Ferreira - Purple Moonlight Pages (Ruby Yacht)
- Machine Girl - U-Void Synthesizer (S/R)
Favorite EPs:
- Jockstrap - Wicked City (Warp)
- Burial - Chemz (Hyperdub)
- Slauson Malone - Vergangenheitsbewaltigung (Crater Speak) (Grand Closing)
- JPEGMAFIA - EP! (EQT / Republic)
- Shygirl - Alias (Because Music)
- Fraxiom - Feeling Cool and Normal (SONG)
- Papaya & Friends - Szn 1 (AAAHH)
- Penelope Scott - Public Void (S/R)
- Machine Girl - Reporpoised Phantasies (S/R)
- OCD - Alignment (Aurawire)
- Folie - cortisol (Dog Show)
Berkestir
Berkestir 2020
New Stuff
- The Beths-Jump Rope Gazers (Carpark)
- Boris-No (S/R)
- Chromatics-Closer To Grey (Italians Do It Better)
- Elizabeth Cook-Aftermath (Agent Love)
- Death Valley Girls-Under The Spell Of Joy (Suicide Queeze)
- Dave Douglas-Marching Music/Dizzy Atmosphere (Greenleaf Music)
- Bob Dylan-Rough And Rowdy Ways (Columbia)
- Roger Eno And Brian Eno-Mixing Colours/Luminous (Opal Music)
- The Flaming Lips-American Head (Warner)
- Eliza Gilkyson-2020 (Red House)
- Gnod & Joan Pais Filipe-Faca De Fogo (Rocket)
- Hawkwind Light Orchestra-Carnivorous (Cherry Red)
- Robyn Hitchcock-The Man Downstairs Demos & Rarities (Tiny Ghost)
- Hum-Inlet (Earth Analog)
- Metz-Atlas Vending (Sub Pop)
- The Pretty Things-Bare As Bone,Bright As Blood (Madfish)
- Rose City Band-Summerlong (Thrill Jockey)
- Emma Ruth Rundle & Thou-May Our Chambers Be Full/The Helm Of Sorrow (Sacred Bones)
- Emma Swift-Blonde On The Tracks (Tiny Ghost)
- VA-Habibi Funk Solidarity With Beirut (Habibi Funk)
- VA-Tonal Unity Volume 1 & 2 (Tonal Unity)
- VA- What is This That Stands Before Me (Sacred Bones)
- White Hills-Splintered Metal Sky (Heads On Fire)
- Sarah Willis-Mozart Mambo (Outthere)
- Wire-10:20 (Pinkflag)
- Yvonne And The No Regrets-World Of Women (S/R)
Ep's And Singles
- Carrie Elkin-Embroidery Star (S/R)
- Chester Hawkins-K516156/91044 (Intangible Arts)
- Robyn Hichcock-The Presdent (Tiny Ghost)
- Juana Molina-Forfun EP (Crammed Dics)
- The Notwist-Ship Ep (Morr Music)
- Ophelias-For Luck EP (S/R)
- Danny Schmidt-2020 EP (Live Once)
- Richard Thompson-Bloodly Noses EP (S/R)
- White Hills-Time Ep's 1-9 (S/R)
Old Stuff
- Arica Rhythm And Movement Band- Arica Heaven (Tidalwaves Music)
- B.C.Gilbert G.Lewis-3R4 (Superior Viaduct)
- Boris-Amplifier Worship (Third Man)
- Eastern Flower-S/T (Piano Piano)
- The EX-Disturbing Domestic Peace/History Is What's Happening (Superior Viaduct)
- Fredom Power-S/T (Sonor Music Editions)
- Mort Garson-Ataraxia The Unexplained Electronic Musical Impressions Of The Occult (Sacred Bones)
- Mort Garson-Didn't You Hear Soundtrack (Sacred Bones)
- Mort Garson- Lucifer Black Mass (Sacred Bones)
- Mort Garson-Music From Patch Cord Production (Sacred Bones)
- Groudhogs-Split (Fire)
- Jazz Sabbath-S/T (Black Lake)
- July-The Complete Recording (Grapefruit)
- King Crimson-The Complete 1969 Recordings (DGM)
- Joni Mitchell-Archives-Volume 1 The Early Years (1963-1967) (Rhino)
- Thelonious Monk-Palo Alto (Impulse!)
- Tangerine Dream-Thief Soundtrack (Mond)
- VA-Brown Acid:The Tenth/Eleventh Trip (Ridingeasy)
- VA-Funky Coup Korean Soul,Funk & Rare Groove Nuggets 1973-1980 Vol. 1 (Beatball)
- VA-Wamono A To Z Vol. 1 Japanese jazz Funk & Rare Groove 1968-1980 (180G)
- Neil Young-Archives Vol. 2 (Reprise)
Big Lunch
Big 20 + 20 of 2020
Albums
- Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters (Epic)
- The Avalanches - We Will Always Love You (Modular) [“album of the year”]
- Bullion - We Had a Good Time (Deek)
- Destroyer - Have We Met (Merge)
- Bob Dylan - Rough and Rowdy Ways (Columbia)
- Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist - Alfredo (ESGN)
- Hum - Inlet (Earth Analog)
- Kate NV - Room For the Moon (RVNG Intl.)
- KeiyaA - Forever, Ya Girl (Forever)
- Jessy Lanza - All the Time (Hyperdub)
- Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia (Warner UK)
- Material Girl - Tangram (No Agreements)
- Oneohtrix Point Never - Magic Oneohtrix Point Never (Warp)
- Pa Salieu - Send Them to Coventry (Warner UK)
- Shabason, Krgovich & Harris - Philadelphia (Idée Fixe)
- The Soft Pink Truth - Shall We Go On Sinning So That Grace May Increase? (Thrill Jockey)
- Thaumiel Sonozaki - Amber Ethereal (Grimalkin)
- Steve Spacek - Houses (Black Focus)
- Thundercat - It Is What It Is (Brainfeeder)
- Westerman - Your Hero Is Not Dead (Partisan)
& some stray tracks
- Andrea - “Isabelle’s String” - Ritorno (Ilian Tape)
- Arca - “Time” - KiCk i (XL)
- Caribou - “You and I” - Suddenly (Merge)
- Disclosure - “Douha (Mali Mali)” - ENERGY (Island)
- Neil Frances - “Games (Sam Wilkes Remix)” - Remixed (Nettwerk)
- Georgia - “About Work the Dancefloor” - Seeking Thrills (Domino)
- HAIM - “Gasoline” - Women in Music Pt. III (Columbia)
- Hanna - “Spaceland” - Patchwork: Compiled by Sassy J (Rush Hour)
- Jon Hassell - “Fearless” - Seeing Through Sound: Pentimento Vol. 2 (Ndeya)
- James Holden & Waclaw Zimpel - “Saturday” - Long Weekend (Border Community)
- Jaga Jazzist - “Spiral Era” - Pyramid (Brainfeeder)
- Loraine James ft. Joannine - “Don’t You See It?” - Nothing (Hyperdub)
- Mildlife - “Memory Palace” - Automatic (Heavenly)
- Victoria Monét - “Dive” - Jaguar (Tribe)
- Nihiloxica - “Busoga” - Kaloli (Crammed Discs)
- Frank Ocean - “Dear April” - Dear April 7” (Blonded)
- Moses Sumney - “Gagarin” - græ (Jagjaguwar)
- Tame Impala - “Tomorrow’s Dust” - The Slow Rush (Modular)
- Yves Tumor - “Kerosene!” - Heaven To a Tortured Mind (Warp)
- U.S. Girls - “4 American Dollars” - Heavy Light (4AD)
Carnacki
Carnacki's Best of 2020
Some Favourite Physical Releases, in alphabetical order
- Kristine Barrett - Unvisited Tombs: Mödrar (S/R)
- Blabbermouth vs. Lachlan Young - The Edge of Reason (S/R)
- Black Glass Ensemble - Arise from the Twilight (Omnempathy)
- Cinder Well - No Summer (Free Dirt)
- Shirley Collins - Heart’s Ease (Domino)
- Common Eider, King Eider and Cober Ord - Palimpsest (Cyclic Law)
- Thomas Dimuzio - Balance (Gench)
- Clara Engel - Hatching Under The Stars (S/R)
- Euphotic - Isopleths (Public Eyesore)
- Insect Ark - The Vanishing (Profound Lore)
- Susan Matthews - Fisher Of Men (Sirenwire)
- Matmos - The Consuming Flame: Open Exercises in Group Form (Thrill Jockey)
- Lau Nau and Matti Bye - Signals (Time Released Sound)
- Maud the Moth - Orphne (Música Máxica)
- Mika Akim - Till Kroppen (Krumelur)
- My Heart, An Inverted Flame - Plague Notes, Unnames, Unknown, A Finger Dragged Through
- Dust (tUMULt / Zum)
- Old Million Eye - Now Land (S/R)
- The Prison Music Project - Long Time Gone (Righteous Babe)
- Paul Roland - Lair of the White Worm (Unifaun Productions)
- Colin Stetson - Color Out Of Space soundtrack (Milan)
- Sangre de Muérdago - Xuntas (Música Máxica)
- Skyminds - Shapes & Traces (Internal Rhythm)
- Soft Pink Truth - Shall We Go On Sinning So That Gracfe May Increase? (Thrill Jockey)
- David Tibet - Ferelith / Fontelautus (Cashen’s Gap)
- Emily Wells - In The Dark Moving (Thesis + Instinct)
Some Favourite Digital Releases, in alphabetical order
- Aho Ssan - Simulacrum (Subtext)
- Angel Archer - C4NM (Live - 2020) (S/R)
- Anoice - Invisible Wall (Ricco)
- Little Annie Anxiety & Hiro Kone - Repossessed (S/R)
- The Bim Prongs / Furchick - EC Split 15 (Hal McGee)
- Cedar Deamer - Solastalgia (S/R)
- W.A. Davison - RE/CYCLING series (S/R)
- Dust Bowl Faeries - The Plague Garden (S/R)
- Simon Finn - Be Here Then (EP) (10 to 1)
- Diamanda Galás - De-formation: Piano Variations (S/R)
- Paris Hurley - Monthly Moon Package series (S/R)
- irr. app. (ext.) - Vesicular Distributor series (errate in excelsis)
- irr. app. (ext.) - HCA (errata in excelsis)
- Chuck Johnson - Somewhere South (original soundtrack) (S/R)
- Julia Kent - Forsythia / Waverly / Drops / Clouds Light The Night (S/R)
- Storm Large - Crazy Weather (S/R)
- Mekons - EXQUISITE (S/R)
- Jessica Moss - Opened Ending (Constellation)
- Marissa Nadler - Moons (S/R)
- Old Lake Million Eyes - Old Lake Million Eyes (S/R)
- Josh Pollock - Music for Film and Theatre III (S/R)
- Tiger Lilles - COVID-19 vol. 1-2 / Lemonaki (Misery Guts)
- Transient and Darren Johnston - It Was Always Here (S/R)
- Norman Westberg - Short Songs for the Long Winter (S/R)
- Olga Wojciechowska - Unseen Places (A Strangely Isolated Place)
Some Favourite Benefit Compilations, in alphabetical order
- CosmoPraesidium (Eiderdown)
- Let It Come To You (Clatsop Animal Assistance)
- A Musical Benefit for the Yanomami (Orb Weaver Collective)
- Particle Count (Room40)
- Pattern Recognition (A Benefit for Collage Artist Bradley Kokay) (No Part Of It)
- Plague Song (for Médicins Sans Frontières) (Nick Gill)
- Remembrance Species 2020 (Remembrance Species)
- To NRDC With Love From Qvästlafve (Qvästlafve)
Some Favourite Reissues, in alphabetical order:
- Current 93 - Horsey / Sleep Has His House (HomAleph)
- Jo Quail - Five Incantations (Adderstone)
- Olga Wojciechowska - Maps and Mazes (Time Released Sound)
Carolyn
Carolyn's Favorites of 2020
Good riddance to 2020. Here’s to 2021!
My Favorite Songs of 2020
Brandy – “(Wish You Was) Madball Baby” - The Gift Of Repetition (Total Punk Records)
ISS – “Too Punk For Heavy Metal” - 7” (Total Punk Records)
Dicklord – “Boring” - It’s Soooo Boring (Valve Records)
Moviestar – “Evel Knievel” - The Curse and The Currency of The Twenty-First Century (Bored Airline Music)
Illegal Visions – “Antifa” - South Bay Curse - The Lo-Fi Pandemic Sessions (S/R)
Cable Ties – “Tell Them Where To Go” - Far Enough (Merge Records)
Girl Friday - “Earthquake” - Androgynous Mary (Hardly Art)
MC16 – “Anti” (S/R)
Chemtrails – “Paranoiacs” - The Peculiar Smell Of The Inevitable (PNKSLM Recordings)
Powerslut - “Nostalgia” - Fun With Junk (S/R)
My Favorite Albums of 2020
Brandy – The Gift Of Repetition (Total Punk Records)
Kim Salmon and The Surrealists - Rantings From The Book Of Swamp (Kim Salmon)
Quintron and Miss Pussycat - Goblin Alert (Goner Records)
Flat Worms – Antartica (God?)
Mr. Wrong – Create A Place (Water Wing Records)
Gino and The Goons – Off The Rails (Big Neck Records)
Cool Greenhouse – Cool Greenhouse (Melodic Records)
Jackson Reid Briggs and The Heaters – Hammered (Grubby Publications)
All My Friends and Me - First Time (S/R)
Rubber Blanket - Our Album (Spacecase Records)
My favorite EPs of 2020
- Dr. Sure’s Unusual Practice - While Aus Burns (S/R)
- Noxeema – Noxeema EP (dotx3)
- Kool and The Gang Bangers – Year Of The Kool Pt. 3 (S/R)
- CB Radio Gorgeous - EP (Thrilling Living)
- Buck Biloxi and The Fucks - Put You In The Gulag (Goodbye Boozy Records)
- Gee Tee – Atomic (Goodbye Boozy Records)
- Collective Hardcore/ Disco Junk - split (Goodbye Boozy Records)
- Names – Et Tu & The Warning (Misanthropic Agenda)
- Ray Gun - Lunkhead (It’s Trash!)
- Civic - “Radiant Eye b/w Making Time” (Flightless Records)
My Favorite Cover Songs of 2020
- Mattiel – “Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun” - Double Cover (ATO Records)
- Munlet - “El Ser Que Quiero” - Ghost Highway Recordings (Music For Gloves)
- Itchy Kitty - “Psycho Killer” - Under The Covers (Corporat Records)
- G.T.R.R.C. - “Food Fight” - G.T.R.R.C. II (G.T.R.R.C.)
- Tropical Fuck Storm featuring Amy Taylor - “This Perfect Day” - Suburbiopia 7” (Joyful Noise Recordings)
- Billiam - “Agitated” (Billiams Fan Club)
- Superchunk - “Political Song For Michael Jackson To Sing” - Good Music To Avert The Collapse Of American Democracy (Good Music)
- Big Clown - “DDDDC” - Big Clown Big Mad (S/R)
- UK Gold - “Punk Rock Ist Nicht Tot” - Be Gay, Do Crime! (Girlsville Records)
- Kiss Boom Bah - “Out Of Our Tree” - 7” (Sweet Time)
My Favorite Reissues of 2020
- El Pifco - “Meltdown b/w Bananas” - 7” (Metallic Rainforest)
- 14 th Wish - “I Gotta Get Rid Of You b/w 14th Wish” - 7” (Hozac Records)
- Ted Cassidy - “The Lurch/ Wesley” - 7” (Jackpot Records)
- The Generics - Cost Cutter EP (Feel It Records)
- The Prissteens – The Hound (Girlsville Rceords)
- Os Tartaros - The First Portuguese Surf-Garage Group 1964-1967 (Groovie Records)
- Whirlywirld - The Complete Studio Works 1978-80 (Hozac Records)
- The Zits - Back In Blackhead EP (Feel It Records)
- The Protagonists – 1983-1985 (Alona’s Dream Records)
My favorite Archival Realeases of 2020
- The Pathetx – 1981 LP (Third Man Records)
- Rebel Truce – The Lost Tapes EP (Green Recordings)
- Snot Puppies - TV Tantrum EP (No Matrix Records)
- Skinned Teen - Nancy Drew EP (Vague Absolutes)
- The Only Ones – Live In Chicago 1979 (Alona’s Dream Records)
- An Uneasy Peace - Speaking In Tongues EP (Dirt Cult Records)
- Red Lights - Red Lights 12” (In The Red Records)
- V/A - Brazilian Nuggets: Back From The Jungle Vol 4 (Groovie Records)
- V/A - Days Of A Quiet Sun (Feel It Records)
My Favorite Compilation Albums of 2020
- V/A - There’s Gotta Be Hope, Right? (Billiam)
- V/A - G.T.T.R.C. II (G.T.T.R.C.)
- V/A - Be Gay, Do Crime! (Girlsville Records)
- V/A – Typical Girls Volume 5 (Emotional Response Records)
- V/A - Black Lives Matter (Yeah Right!)
- V/A – Killed By Boredom - 27 Songs By Lock-Down Survivors (One Chord Wonder)
- V/A - Quarantine Age Wasteland: A Benefit for Boston's Small Venues (Quarantine Age Wasteland)
- V/A - No Gigs Does Not Have To Mean No Music (Desert Highways)
- V/A - Protest & Survive (Protest & Survive)
My Favorite Live and Virtually Live Shows of 2020
- Kim Salmon and The Surrealists – live at Rolling Stock, June 13 & 14, 2020
- Gonerfest 17 - Memphis, TN and beyond, September 24-27, 2020
- Shimane Jett Fest - Japan, September 26, 2020
- Los Dug Dugs - Rickshaw Stop, San Francisco, CA, January 30, 2020
- Steve Nieve and friends – live from his house in France, March through present, 2020
- Chemtrails record release - June 21, 2020
- The Archaeas – record release live from Goner Records, Memphis, TN, August 14, 2020
- Memorial Day Meltdown - various locations, May 24, 2020
- Doug and Jamin – live from The Rite Spot, San Francisco, multiple days 2020
- Lydia Lunch’s Retrovirus - The Knockout, San Francisco, CA, February 21, 2020
MY FAVORITE SONGS TO CELEBRATE TRUMP’S LAST YEAR
- The Owen Guns – “The Ballad of Cheeto Hitler” - Violating Community Standards (Riot Records)
- Amy Rigby and Wreckless Eric – “Vote That Fucker Out” (S/R)
- Hobocop – “I’m A Troll” - Hungry Freaks In The Data Mine (S/R)
- Xylitol – “(There’s Something In Your) Void” - I’m Pretty Sure I Would Know If Reality Were Fundamentally Different Than I Perceived It To Be EP (Thrilling Living Records)
- Paris – “Baby Man Hands” - Safe Space Invader (Guerrilla Funk Recordings)
- Idles – “Grounds” - Ultra Mono (Partisan Records)
- Public Enemy – “State Of The Union (STFU)” - What You Gonna Do When The Grid Goes Down? (Enemy Records)
- Research Reactor Corp – “Big Baby” - The Collected Findings Of The Research Reactor Corporation (Erste Theke Tontraeger)
- Dick Move – “Ladies Night” - Chop! (Holiday Records)
- Psychedelic Furs – “Tiny Hands” - Made Of Rain (Cooking Vinyl)
Control Issues
Control Issues - Best Songs of 2020
- Brittney Howard - “13th Century Metal” - Jaime (ACO)
- Bad Moves - “Party With The Kids Who Wanna Party With You” - Untenable (Don Giovanni)
- Weye Oak - “AEIOU” - No Horizon (Merge)
- Alien Nosejob - “Pointed Shears” - Once Again The Present Becomes The Past (Iron Lung)
- Sakuran Zensen - “Taximan” - I Am Sakuran Zensen (たわしレコーズ)
- The Beths - “Dying To Believe” - Jump Rope Gazers (Carpark)
- Eri Yamamoto Trio - “Echo of Echo” - Gasho Ondo Suite (AUM)
- Pictish Trail - “Turning Back” - Thumb World (Fire Records)
- Ben Wendel - “Drawn Away” - High Heart (Edition Records)
- Dark Forest - “Relics” - Oak, Ash and Thorn (Cruz Del Sur)
- This Is The Kit - “Coming To Get You Nowhere” - Off Off On (Rough Trade)
- Snakefinger - “Man In The Dark Sedan” - Live in Melbourne, 1981 (Secret)
- Stick In The Wheel - “Villon Song” - HOLD FAST (From Here)
- Alice Clark - “I Keep It Hid” - Alice Clark (Mainstream Records)
- Dry Cleaning - “Traditional Fish” - Sweet Princess (It’s OK)
- The Smarts - “Smart Phone” - Who Needs Smarts, Anyway (Feel It)
- Chrome - “Fudge Bunny” - Tidal Forces/No Humans Allowed Pt. II (Secret)
- Mourn - “This Feeling Is Disgusting” - Self Worth (Captured Tracks)
- Cyril Cyril - “Les Gens” - Yallah Mickey Mouse (Born Bad)
- The Oh Hellos - “Lapis Lazuli” - Borealis (S/R)
- No Joy - “Nothing Will Hurt” - Motherhood (Joyful Noise)
- Christian Singles - “A Dream Ends Without Starting” - Maybe Another Time (Mt.St.Mtn)
- Naked Roommate - “Repeat” - Do The Duvet (Trouble In Mind)
- Deerhoof - “Damaged Eyes Squinting Into The Beautiful Overhot Sun” - Future Teenage Cave Artists (Joyful Noise)
- Bitch Falcon - “How Did I Know?” - Staring at Clocks (Small Pond)
DangerVenture
DangerVenture’s Best of 2020
Top 10 Debut Albums
- Bartees Strange - Live Forever (Memory Music)
- Cubby and the Gang - Speed Kills (Partisan)
- Gum Country - Somewhere (S/R)
- Park Hye Jin - How Can I (Ninja Tune)
- Ela Minus - Acts of Rebellion (Domino)
- Mamalarky - Mamalarky (Fire Talk)
- Pillow Queens - In Waiting (S/R)
- Alaska Reid - Big Bunny (Terrible Records)
- Rina Sawayama - SAWAYAMA (Dirty Hit)
- Samia - The Baby (Grand Jury)
Top 10 Local Releases
- Cocktails - Catastrophic Entertainment (Wizards & Potions)
- Quinn DeVeaux - Book of Soul (S/R)
- Elder Brother - I Won’t Fade on You (Pure Noise)
- Fantastic Negrito - Have You Lost Your Mind Yet? (S/R)
- Ismay - Songs of Sonoma Mountain (S/R)
- Madeline Kenney - Suckers Lunch (Carpark)
- Monophonics - It’s Only Us (Colemine)
- Low Praise - Tanning Beds (S/R)
- The Seshen - CYAN (Tru Thoughts)
- Unconditional Arms - Formation (Sell The Heart)
2020’s Top 10 Local Shows has been converted into the last live show I’m glad I witnessed
before the world paused: Unconditional Arms, Commissure, Reptoid at Elbo Room on 2/27/20
Deep Mission
Deep Mission’s Best of 2020
As in A Tale of Two Cities, it was the best of years, it was the worst of years
Best Singles
- Cormac Russell - “Lotus Train” (s/r)
- Dream Aria - “Fairy Dust” (s/r)
- Enzo Monk - “Ballad of George Floyd” (s/r)
- Lizki - “Press Rewind” (Seayou)
- Preach - “Likor” (Seayou)
- Rosa Rendl- “Opportunity Lover” (Seayou)
- Samantha Margret - “Emotional” (s/r)
Best Covers
- Juliana Hatfield - Sings The Police (American Laundromat)
- Khalia - “Hallelujah” (K-Licious)
- Robbie Quine - “Sugar Sugar” (s/r)
Best New Releases
- Klo Pelgag - Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs (Secret City)
- Jed’s A Millionaire - The Beautiful Ones - (Kona)
- Dylan Sherry - Western Sky - (s/r)
- Clown of God - Clown Times ep - (s/r)
- Various Artists - Tokyo Dreaming (WeWantSounds)
Best Re-releases
- Ammar el Sherei - Oriental Sounds (WeWantSounds)
- Omar Khorshid - With Love (WeWantSounds)
DJ Aahh
DJ Aahh's Shortwave Top 10 Z-to-A
- Yppah - Sunset in the Deep End (Future Archive)
- Wajatta - Don't Let Get You Down (Brainfeeder)
- Thundercat - It Is What It Is (Brainfeeder)
- Sneaks - Happy Birthday (Merge)
- Romare - Home (Ninja Tune)
- Potatohead People - Mellow Fantasy (Bastard Jazz)
- Omar-S - You Want (FXHE)
- Moon Boots - Bimini Road (Remixed) (Anjunadeep)
- Jayda G - Both of Us / Are You Down (Ninja Tune)
- Emancipator - Mountain of Memory (Loci)
DJ Massari
Massari’s 2020 Faves
- Novelist - “Stay With Me” (S/R)
- Coby Sey - River (Curl)
- Krust - The Edge of Everything (Crosstown Rebels)
- Katya Yonder - Multiply Intentions (Métron Records)
- V/A - HOA010 & HOA011 (HAUS of ALTR)
- Parris - Polychrome Swim (The Trilogy Tapes)
- Parris - Terrapin (Wisdom Teeth)
- Josey Rebelle - Josey In Space (Beats In Space)
- EquiknoxxMusic - Equiknoxx Music in 2020(EquiknoxxMusic)
- Upsammy - Zoom (Delmantel)
- Nailah Hunter - Spells (Leaving Records)
- Good Bad Happy Sad - Shades (Textile Records)
- Beatrice Dillon - Workaround (Pan)
- Call Super - Every Mouth Teeth Missing (Incienso)
- Autechre - Sign (Warp Records)
- Nidia - Não Fales Nela Que A Mentes (Príncipe)
- Magnetizer - Soulseeker (S/R)
- Duval Timothy - Help (Carrying Colour)
- Laura Groves - A Private Road (Bella Union)
- Speaker Music - Black Nationalist Sonic Weaponry (Planet Mu)
- Vague Imaginaires - L'Île Sous l'Eau (12th Isle)
- Actress - 88 (S/R)
- Actress - Karma & Desire (Ninja Tune)
- Actress - Unseen_Werk No.1 (Braindead)
- Lafawndah - The Fifth Season (Latency)
- LOG - LOG ET3RNAL (Experiences Ltd.)
- Klein - Frozen (S/R)
- Overmono - Everything U Need (XL Recordings)
- Molero - Ficciones Del Trópico (Holuzam)
- Space Afrika - hybtwibt? (S/R)
- Niagara - Pais & Filhos (Príncipe)
- U - Lowlands (Where To Now?)
- Ulla - Tumbling Towards A Wall (Experiences Ltd.)
- CS + Kreme - Snoopy (The Trilogy Tapes)
- dBridge - Inhibited (Exit Records)
- KeiyaA - Forever, Ya Girl (Keiya)
- Jonnine - Blue Hills (Boomkat Editions)
- John Carroll Kirby - My Garden (Stones Throw Records)
- Minor Science - Second Language (Whities)
- Bullion - We Had A Good Time (Deek Recordings)
- Loraine James - Nothing (Hyperdub)
- Karl D’Silva - Disapear (S/R)
- Novelist - Quantum Leap (S/R)
E. Lit
Some Albums That Helped E. Lit Survive 2020, In Alphabetical Order:
The staggering volume of amazing music released in 2020 was the silver lining of one of the most challenging years of my adult life. Here are some of the highlights:
- Aesop Rock - Spirit World Field Guide (Rhymesayers)
- AJ Suede - Knowhatimean? (self-released)
- Al.Divino & Futurewave - Kataklizm (self-released)
- Archie Shepp, Raw Poetic & Damu the Fudgemunk - Ocean Bridges (Redefinition)
- Armand Hammer - Shrines (Backwoodz Studioz)
- Arms and Sleepers - Corpus Dei (Future Archive)
- Awol One - Tony the Walrus (Speakerface)
- Batsauce - Shelter Skelter (Full Plate)
- Blockhead - Quar and Peace (self-released)
- Blu & Exile - Miles: From An Interlude Called Life (Dirty Science)
- BlUu Edwards - All We Need Is Kill (Wrecking Crew)
- Boldy James - The Price of Tea In China (ALC)
- Buckwild - Music Is My Religion (Kurrup Money)
- Brzowski & C Money Burns - The Subjugation of Bread (Milled Pavement)
- Cargo Cults - Nihilist Millennial (Wrecking Crew)
- Chester Watson - A Japanese Horror Film (POW)
- Controller 7 - Exhale01 (self-released)
- Controller 7 & Buck 65 - Billy (self-released)
- Count Bass D - CBD (self-released)
- Day Tripper - Langford Landscapes (Full Plate)
- Dillon & Batsauce - Self Medicated EP (Full Plate)
- DJ Muggs & Al.Divino - Kilogram (Soul Assassins)
- DJ Scientist - The Artless Cuckoo Vol. II (self-released)
- Doseone - G Is For Job (self-released)
- Dr. Oop & Nada Clue - Essential Business Vol. 1 & 2 (self-released)
- Ear Dr.Umz - Mental Picture Show (self-released)
- Ecid - Post Euphoria Vol. 3 (Fill In the Breaks)
- 80's Babies - unLEARN (self-released)
- Escape Artists - Evergreen (Cathexis)
- Factor Chandelier - First Storm (Fake Four Inc)
- Factor Chandelier - Eastlake (Fake Four Inc)
- Fielded - Demisexual Lovelace (Backwoodz Studioz)
- 4-IZE - Look Into My IZE (Ultra Beast United)
- Gel Roc - Grandeur (Abolano)
- Googie & Henry Canyons - Hijinx (Backwoodz Studioz)
- Griff/Scorcese - Midnight Express (Insubordinate)
- Haphduzn - Visceral (self-released)
- Heliocentrics - Infinity of Now (Madlib Invazion)
- Henny L.O. & Ohbliv - Sages (Mutant Academy)
- Him Lo - Slapyagoddamnfaceoff (Grilchy Party)
- ialive - I'll Wait Forever (Cold Rhyme)
- Ill Scholars - Ill Scholars (self-released)
- Illogic - Autopilot (self-released)
- Junclassic - The Hope Business (self-released)
- Ka - Descendents of Cain (Iron Works)
- Kay the Aquanaut & Maki - The Nautical Blue (self-released)
- Kid Abstrakt & Emapea - Jazzy Vibes (self-released)
- LAPIS - Third Person You (Fresh Selects)
- lojii - lo&behold (self-released)
- Lt Headtrip - Dreamery (We Are the Karma Kids)
- Lydia Liza & Big Cats - Oh Boy (self-released)
- Mestizo & Controller 7 - Couch (self-released)
- MidaZ the Beast - Where the Sidewalk Ends (self-released)
- Moodie Black - F U Z Z (Fake Four Inc)
- Napoleon Da Legend & Ro Data - The Stuff of Legend (Chong Wizard)
- Nation GVNG - Nation GVNG (Insubordinate)
- Nolan the Ninja - Talk Soon (Sport Cast)
- Observe Since '98 - Royaume Du Sauvage (Loretta)
- Open Mike Eagle - Anime, Trauma & Divorce (Auto Reverse
- Pink Siifu & Fly Anakin - FlySiifu's (Lex)
- Proe & MF Shalem B - Belove Below (Childproof)
- Pro Zay - Alley Muzik (self-released)
- Pseudo Intellectuals - A Late Stage Malaise (Lo Do)
- Ransom & Nicholas Craven - Director's Cut: Scene 2 & 3 (Chong Wizard)
- R.A.P. Ferreira - Purple Moonlight Pages (Ruby Yacht)
- Rasheed Chappell & Buckwild - Sinners and Saints (Get On Down)
- Rigz & Futurewave - Substance Abuse (self-released)
- Roughneck Jihad - The Red Sentence (Expanded-Art)
- Salami Rose Joe Louis - Chapters of Zdenka (Brainfeeder)
- Señor Kaos & Illastrate - Kings of Vice (Ultra Beast United)
- Serengeti - AJAI (Fake Four Inc)
- ShrapKnel - ShrapKnel (Backwoodz Studioz)
- Sons of the James - Everlasting (Fresh Selects)
- Thundercat - It Is What It Is (Brainfeeder)
- Ultra Beast - Rush the Court (Ultra Beast United)
- Verbal Kent & The Other Guys - Blade of the Short Cut (HiPNOTT)
- Vic Spencer - Psychological Cheat Sheet (Old Fart Luggage)
- Vitamin D - Flips Vol. 1 & 2 (self-released)
- WateRR - Workshop of the Mind (self-released)
- White Horse - White Horse (Uncommon)
- Wrecking Crew - Raheem's Lament (Wrecking Crew)
- Yppah - Sunset In the Deep End (Future Archive)
- Zilla Rocca & Chong Wizard - Midnight Sons (Chong Wizard)
Picking the very best of that bunch is difficult, but if I had to narrow it down to only 10 of those titles they most likely would be:
- Armand Hammer - Shrines (Backwoodz Studioz)
- BlUu Edwards - All We Need Is Kill (Wrecking Crew)
- Serengeti - AJAI (Fake Four Inc)
- Controller 7 & Buck 65 - Billy (self-released)
- Blu & Exile - Miles: From an Interlude Called Life (Dirty Science)
- 4-IZE - Look Into My IZE (Ultra Beast United)
- Ill Scholars - Ill Scholars (self-released)
- Open Mike Eagle - Anime, Trauma & Divorce (Auto Reverse)
- Chester Watson - A Japanese Horror Film (POW)
- WateRR - Workshop of the Mind (self-released)
Entry Level Garbage
My Favorite 2020 Albums and EPs
- Pinegrove - Marigold (Rough Trade)
- Fleet Foxes - Shore (ANTI-)
- Sufjan Stevens - The Ascension (Asthmatic Kitty)
- Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher (Dead Oceans)
- Purity Ring - WOMB (4AD)
- Carly Rae Jepsen - Dedicated Side B (Schoolboy and Interscope)
- beabadoobee - Fake It Flowers (Dirty Hit)
- Frances Quinlan - Likewise (Saddle Creek)
- Into It Over It - Figures (Triple Crown)
- Standards - Fruit Island (Topshelf)
- Baths - Pop Music/False B Sides II (Basement's Basement)
- Liza Anne - Bad Vacation (Arts and Crafts)
- Field Medic - Floral Prince (Run For Cover)
- Starchild and the New Romantic - Forever (New Romantic World)
- Yumi Zouma - Truth or Consequences (Polyvinyl)
- The Japanese House - Chewing Cotton Wool (Dirty Hit)
- Braids - Shadow Offering (Secret City)
- The Beths - Jump Rope Gazers (Carpark)
- PUP - This Place Sucks Ass (Rise)
- Rina Sawayama - Sawayama (Dirty Hit)
- Hayley Williams - Petals For Armor (Atlantic)
- HAIM - Women in Music Part III (Columbia)
- Waxahatchee - Saint Cloud (Merge)
- The Mountain Goats - Getting Into Knives (Merge)
- Dryjacket - Going Out Of Business (Lesser Matters)
Feel Good Weird
Feel Good Weird’s Favorite Releases of 2020
FGW ♥ Reissues of 2020
- Hiroshi Yoshimura - GREEN (Light In The Attic)
- Admas - Sons of Ethiopia (Frederiksberg)
- Patrick Cowley - Some Funkettes (Dark Entries)
- Ranil - Ranil y Su Conjunto Tropical (Analog Africa)
- Sharhabil Ahmed - The King of Sudanese Jazz (Habibi Funk)
- Thelonious Monk - Palo Alto (Impulse!)
- Elliott Smith - Live at Umbra Penumbra - September 17th, 1994 (KRS)
- The Heshoo Beshoo Group - Armitage Road (We Are Busy Bodies)
FGW ♥ Albums/EPs of 2020
- Moaning - Uneasy Laughter (Sub Pop)
- Against All Logic - 2017-2019 (Other People)
- Perfume Genius - Set My Heart on Fire Immediately (Matador)
- SAULT - Untitled (Black Is) / Untitled (Rise) (Forever Living Originals)
- Widowspeak - Plum (Captured Tracks)
- King Krule - Man Alive! (True Panther Sounds / Matador)
- Frankie Reyes - Originalitos (Stones Throw)
- Adrianne Lenker - songs / instrumentals (4AD)
- Fontaines D.C. - A Hero’s Death (Partisan)
- Angel Olsen - Whole New Mess (Jagjaguwar)
- JPEGMAFIA - EP! (EQT)
- Hama - Music From Saharan Whatsapp 08 (Sahel Sounds)
- Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross / Jon Batiste - Soul (OST) (Disney)
- Charli XCX - how i’m feeling now (Asylum)
- Candace - Ideal Corners (S/R)
- Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher (Dead Oceans)
- Bosca Banks - Winner (S/R)
- Deeper - Auto-Pain (Fire Talk)
- Nicolás Jaar - Cenizas (Other People)
- Peel Dream Magazine - Agitprop Alterna (Slumberland)
- Duma - Duma (Nyege Nyege Tapes)
- Emily Montes - Emily Montes (S/R)
- Various - Care Not Cops (In This Together LA)
- Various - The Song is Coming from Inside the House (S/R)
FGW ♥ Singles of 2020
- Connan Mockasin - “I Want Troll With You (Gentle Dom Remix)” (Mexican Summer)
- Car Seat Headrest - “Can’t Cool Me Down” (Matador)
- Jamie xx - “Idontknow” (Young Turks)
- Burial, Four Tet & Thom Yorke - “Her Revolution” (XL)
- Terrace Martin, Kamasi Washington, Robert Glasper & 9th Wonder - “Freeze Tag (feat. Phoelix)” (Sounds of Crenshaw / EMPIRE)
- Porridge Radio & Lala Lala - “Good For You” (Secretly Canadian / Hardly Art)
- RMR - “RASCAL” (CMNTY CULTURE)
- Dummy - “Pool Dizzy” (Born Yesterday)
- Aoife Nessa Frances - “Geranium” (Ba Da Bing!)
- Anderson .Paak - “Lockdown” (12Tones)
- Frank Ocean - “Cayendo (Side A - Acoustic)” (Blonded)
- Justin Bieber & benny blanco - “Lonely”
- Kurt Vile & John Prine - “How Lucky” (Matador)
- Whateverglades - “Don't Call Me Baby / I Watch Over Me” (No Egrets)
- Fenn Rosenthal - “Dinosaurs in Love (feat. Tom Rosenthal)” (Dinosaur)
Fernando
Fernando's Favorite Songs of 2020
- En Attendant Ana - "Down The Hill" - Juillet (Trouble In Mind)
- Jeanines - "Everyone Should Be Warned" - Things Change (wiaiwya)
- Galore - "Silence" - S/T (Rocks In Your Head)
- Melenas - "En Madrid" Dias Raros (Elsa)
- Seablite - "High-Rise Mannequin" - High-Rise Mannequin (Emotional Response)
- Potpourri - "Postcards" - First Dance (Bingo)
- Nightshift - "Make Kin" - "Make Kin" (Trouble In Mind)
- Gustaf - "Design" - S/T (Royal Mountain)
- Lithics - "Hands" - Tower of Age (Trouble In Mind)
- Shopping - "Follow Me" - All Or Nothing (FatCat)
- Flowers - "Erik" - Erik (Slumberland)
- Candace - "DM-100" - Ideal Corners (S/R)
- Torrey - "Recording 119" - Recording 119 (S/R)
- Radiator Hospital - "Summer Movie" - New Depression (S/R)
- The Reds, Pinks and Purples - "I Should Have Helped You" - I Should Have Helped You (Burundi Cloud)
- SOAR - "Corner of a Room" - Soft Dial Tone (Lost Sound Tapes)
- Latitude - "I Love the Radio" - Mystic Hotline (Emotional Response)
- Axolotes Mexicanos - "Te Quiero (...)" - Uwu (Elefant)
- Habibi - "Angel Eyes" - Anywhere But Here (Muddguts)
- Soft Palms - "Not Love" - S/T (Everloving)
- Boyracer - "Girl in a Soul Band" - On a Promise (Emotional Response)
- Parsnip - "Treacle Toffee World" - Adding Up (Anti Fade)
- No se a quien matar - "Bacilococo" - Bacilococo (Casa Maracas)
- Baby Shakes - "Really Really" - Sweet 'n' Sour (Dimple)
- Ribbon Stage - "Favorite Girl" - My Favorite Shrine (S/R)
- The Stroppies - "Burning Bright" - Look Alive (Tough Love)
- Terry - "Take the Cellphone" - Take the Cellphone (Sub Pop)
- Lisasinson - "Volverte A Enamorar" - Volverte A Enamorar (Elefant)
- Brontez Purnell - "In Between" - White Boy Music (Post Present)
- Neutrals - "Personal Computing" - Personal Computing (Slumberland)
- Sweeping Promises - "Cross Me Out" - Hunger for a Way Out (Feel It)
- Lewsberg - "Through the Garden" - In This House (S/R)
- Cindy - "Falcon Heavy" - Free Advice (Mt.St.Mtn.)
- Peel Dream Magazine - "Too Dumb" - Agitprop Alterna (Slumberland)
- Virginia Wing - "I'm Holding Out For Something" - I'm Holding Out For Something (Fire)
- Cold Beat - "Flat Earth" - Mother (DFA)
- Primo! - "Love Days" - Sogni (Upset The Rhythm)
- Suzie True - "Bailey" - Saddest Girl at the Party (Get Better)
- Porridge Radio - "Circling" - Every Bad (Secretly Canadian)
- Mitimitis - "Todas las Fiestas del Manana" - Terror en el Autocine (S/R)
Leftfield Lance
Leftfield Lance's 2020 Favorites:
7"
- Aladean Kheroufi - Sorry If I Hurt You (Kimberlite)
- CB Radio Gorgeous - EP (Thrilling Living)
- Lewsberg - Through the Garden (S/R)
- Neutrals - Personal Computing (Slumberland)
- Neutrals - Rent/Your House (Domestic Departure)
- Ribbon Stage - My Favorite Shrine (K)
- Romero - Honey (Cool Death)
- Shark Toys - Out of Time (Chunklet)
- Violent Change - S/T (Sloth Mate)
12"
- Astute Palate - S/T (Petty Bunco)
- Chronophage - Th' Pig Kiss'd Album (Cleta Patra)
- The Cool Greenhouse - S/T (Melodic)
- Galore - S/T (Rocks in Your Head)
- Lithics - Tower of Age (Toruble in Mind)
- Sweeping Promises - Hunger For A Way Out (Feel It)
Cassettes, Demos, etc.
- Dummy - EP2 (Born Yesterday)
- Hits - Sediment Seen (Paisley Shirt)
- Modern Needs - Survey of the Animal Kingdom (S/R)
- Nape Neck - S/T (S/R)
- Permits - Time Permits (Tenth Court)
- Privay Issues - S/T (S/R)
- The Snogs - Boyfriend's Dead (Paisley Shirt)
Madame X
Madame X's Best of 2020
- IDLES - Ultra Mono (Partisan)
- Klo Pelgag - Notre-Dame-Des-Sept-Douleurs (Secret City)
- Fiona Apple - Fetch the Boltcutters (Epic)
- Yelle - L’Ere du Berseau
- Alex the Astronaut - The Theory of Absolutely Nothing (Network)
- Buen Aurelio Malazar - pre.pro.post (Unknown Tone)
- U.S. Girls - Heavy Light (4AD)
- DakhaBrakha - Alambari (S/R)
- Wu Fei & Abigail Washburn - Wu Fei & Abigail Washburn (Smithsonian Folkways)
- The Architect - Une Plage Sur La Lune (Face B)
Majority Whip
Majority Whip’s Favorite Albums of 2020, Listed Alphabetically
- Actress - Karma & Desire (Ninja Tune)
- Ammar 808 - Global Control / Invisible Invasion (Glitterbeat)
- Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters (Epic)
- William Basinski - Lamentations (Temporary Residence)
- Andrew Bird - Panthology Songs (S/R)
- Bo Ningen - Sudden Fiction (Alcopop!)
- Louise Bock - Abyss for Cello (Geographic North)
- Rose Bonica - Tears for The Tea Maker (Roses are Red)
- Café Ale - Third Age (Simballrec)
- Sonia Calico - Simulation of An Overloaded World (More Time)
- Clap Clap - Liquid Portraits (Black Acre)
- Cocina Povera - Tyyni (Night School)
- Cold Beat - Mother (DFA)
- Cornershop - England Is A Garden (Ample Play)
- Cults - Host (Sinderlyn)
- Philippe Doray & Les Asociaux Associes - Nouveaux Modes Industriels (Souffle Continu)
- Steve Earle - Ghosts Of West Virginia (New West)
- Matt Evans - New Topographics (Whatever's Clever)
- Fatwires - The Wicked Path (Depth of Field)
- Four Tet - Sixteen Oceans (Text)
- M. Geddes Gengras - Time Makes Nothing Happen (Hausu Mountin)
- Guedra Guedra - Sun of Son (On the Corner)
- Lilly Hiatt - Walking Proof (New West)
- Anna Homler - D? Ya Sa´ Di D? (A Sonic Geography) (Berlston)
- Boldy James/Sterling Toles - Manger on Mcnichols (Sector 7-G)
- Jiony - Sí Y No (Drosssel)
- Kaleema - Nómada (Tropical Twista)
- Faten Kanaan - A Mythology of Circles (Fire)
- Kassa Overall - I Think I’m Good (Brownswood)
- Madeline Kenney - Sucker's Lunch (Carpark)
- Mikado Koko - The Japanese Rimbaud (S/R)
- Various Artists - Komposisi Kompos (Divis162)
- Kraus - A Golden Brain (S/R)
- Sophia Loizou - Untold (Houndstooth)
- Loma - Don't Shy Away (Sub Pop)
- Mapache - From Liberty Street (Yep Roc)
- Ela Minus - Acts of Rebellions (Domino)
- Moodymann - Taken Away (KDJ)
- Moon Wiring Club - Tabitha Reverb (S/R)
- Mukdad Rothenberg Lankow - In the Wake Of Memories (Clermont Music)
- Sascha Muhr - Fuive Part 2 (S/R)
- Naked Roommate - Do the Duvet (Trouble in Mind)
- Nape Neck - Nape Neck (Gringo)
- Thiago Nassif - Mente (Gearbox)
- Nazar - End of Guerilla (S/R)
- North Americans - Roped In (Third Man)
- Novellor - Arrow (Ba Da Bing!)
- Agnes Obel - Myopia (Blue Note)
- Lawrence Pike - Prophecy (Leaf)
- Public Practice - Gentle Grip (Wharf Cat)
- Red Brut - Cloaked Travels (Ikuisuus)
- Lina Raül Refree - Lina Raül Refree (Glitterbeat)
- Romperayo - Uyuyuis (S/R)
- RVG - Feral (Fire)
- Sault - Untitled (Black Is) (Forever Living Originals)
- Seabuckthorn - Through A Vulnerable Occur (Iikki)
- Sevdaliza - Shabrang (Twisted Elegance)
- Shabaka And the Ancestors - We Are Sent Here By History (Impulse!)
- Sufjan Stevens - The Ascension (Asthmatic Kitty)
- Sweeping Promises - (Feel It)
- Sylvan Esso - Free Love (Loma Vista)
- Tl0741 - Refractory (HC3)
- Terror/Cactus - Confluencia (S/R)
- Azu Tiwaline - Magnetic Service (Livity Sound)
- Yosuke Tokunaga - 13 Monotonousness (Audio Visual Atmosphere)
- David Toop - Apparition Paintings (Room40)
- Tvii Son - Tvii Son (Music Inspired)
- Melanie Velarde - Bez (Commend There)
- Winter - Endless Space (Between You & I) (Bar None)
- Women of The Pore - Folk Music (Orb Tapes)
- Woods - Strange to Explain (Woodsist)
- X - Alphabetland (Gat Possum)
- Y-Bayani & Baby Naa And the Band Of Enlightenment - Nsie Nsie (Philopon)
- Zenobia - Halek Halek (Crammed Discs)
Megasoup
Megasoup's Favorite Music from 2020, In Three Lists:
~ Megasoup's 50 Favorite Albums (plus one fantastic compilation) from 2020 ~
- Ak'Chamel The Giver Of Illness - The Totemist (Akuphone)
- Alabaster DePlume - To Cy & Lee: Instrumentals Vol.1 (International Anthem)
- Alicia Keys - Alicia (RCA / AKW)
- Andrea - Ritorno (Ilian Tape)
- Aril Brikha - Dance of a Trillion Stars (Mule Musiq)
- Aukai - Game Trails (aukaimusic)
- Awkward Corners - Dislocation Songs (Shapes of Rhythm)
- Azu Tiwaline - Draw Me A Silence (IOT)
- Babani Koné - Babani Koné (Discograph)
- Channelers - Isles Beyond (Inner Islands)
- Clap Clap - Liquid Portraits (Black Acre)
- Cleo Soul - Rose In The Dark (Forever Living Originals)
- CS + Kreme - Snoopy (The Trilogy Tapes)
- D.K. - Live At The Edge (12th Isle)
- Emily A Sprague - Hill, Flower, Fog (RVNG)
- Ezra Feinberg - Recumbent Speech (Related States)
- Flying Vipers - Cuttings (Jump Up!)
- Fools - Fools Harp Vol. 1 (Music From Memory)
- Golden Retriever and Chuck Johnson – Rain Shadow (Thrill Jockey)
- Greg Foat - Symphonie Pacifique (Strut)
- Halftribe - Cloud Dreaming And Shadows (Shimmering Moods)
- Heliocentrics - Telemetric Sounds (Madlib Invazion)
- Huerta - Junipero (Voyage Recordings)
- Julianna Barwick - Healing Is A Miracle (Ninja Tune)
- Kenji Kihara - Slow Slope Sleeps (Inner Islands)
- Kiln - Astral Welder (Ghostly International)
- K-Lone - Cape Cira (Wisdom Teeth)
- Koyil - Healing Cycles (DIG)
- Kutiman - Wachaga (Siyal Music)
- Let It Come Down - Songs We Sang In Our Dreams (Joyful Noise)
- Luke Jenner - 1 (Manono)
- Martina Bertoni - All The Ghosts Are Gone (Karlrecords)
- Mary Lattimore - Silver Ladders (Ghostly International)
- Matthew Halsall - Salute To The Sun (Gondwanna)
- Mourning [A] BLKstar - The Cycle (Don Giovanni)
- Nat Birchall Meets Al Breadwinner - Tradition Disc In Dub (Tradition Disc)
- Nihiloxica - Kaloli (Crammed Discs)
- Numün - Voyage Au Soleil (Musique Impossible)
- Ocoeur - Everything (n5MD)
- Plant Lab - Plant Lab (Crash Symbols)
- Run The Jewels - RTJ4 (BMG)
- Sault - Untitled (Rise) (Forever Living Originals)
- Sarah Davachi - Cantus Descant (Late Music)
- Siti Muharam - Siti of Unguja: Romance Revolution on Zanzibar (On The Corner)
- Sven Wunder - Wabi Sabi (Piano Piano)
- The Sorcerers - In Search Of The Lost City Of The Monkey God (ATA)
- Vagues Imaginaires - L'île D'or (Not Not Fun)
- Vestals - Holy Origin (Dust Editions)
- Wanderwelle - A State of Decrepitude (A Strangely Isolated Place)
- X.Y.R. - Pilgrimage (Not Not Fun)
- V/A - A Little Night Music: Aural Apparitions from the Geographic North (Geographic North)
~ Megasoup's 10 Favorite EPs & 12" singles from 2020 ~
- Azu Tiwaline - Magnetic Service (Livity Sound)
- Dengue Dengue Dengue - Continentes Perdidos (On The Corner)
- Deradoorian - Cosmic Garden EP (Self Released)
- D.K. - The Ancient Kingdom (Good Morning Tapes)
- Green House - Six Songs For Invisible Gardens (Leaving)
- Nicola Cruz - Hybridism (Multi Culti)
- Penya Na Msafiri Zawose - Penya Safari E.P. (On The Corner)
- Planets Don't Last - Planets Don't Last (Aural Canyon)
- Sugarloaf Gangsters - Temarasa / Chor Gway (G.A.M.M.)
- V/A - Espectrum 2, Ep1 (AvantRoots)
~ Megasoup's 20 Favorite Reissues / Archival Releases from 2020 ~
- Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Just Coolin' (Blue Note)
- Brian Eno - Film Music 1976-2020 (UMe)
- Global Communication - Transmissions (Evolution)
- Hiroshi Yoshimura - Green (Light In The Attic)
- Intergalactic Federation - 1 / 2 (Fantasy Enhancing)
- Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry with Seskain Molenga & Kalo Kawongolo - Roots From The Congo (Planet Ilunga)
- OK Jazz - Pas Un Pas Sans (Planet Ilunga)
- Orchestra Baobab - Mouhamadou Bamba (Syllart)
- Orchestra Baobab - Viva Bawobab S1/Si Bou Odja (Syllart)
- Prince - Sign O' The Times: Super Deluxe Edition (Warner)
- Priscilla Ermel - Origens Da Luz (Music From Memory)
- Ranil - Ranil y su Conjunto Tropical (Analog Africa)
- V/A - 12 Bombazos Bailables (Vampi Soul)
- V/A - Cadence Revolution: Disques Debs International Vol. 2 (Strut)
- V/A - Color De Tropico: Compiled by El Dragon Criollo & El Palmas (El Palmas)
- V/A - Excavated Shellac: An Alternate History Of The World's Music (Dust To Digital)
- V/A - Oriental Rare Groove: Rare Funky Songs From The Arabic World (Wagram)
- V/A - Guasa, Cununo y Marimba - Afro-Colombian Music From The Pacific Coast (Vampi Soul)
- V/A - The World Is A Cafeteria: American Soul Music (and one song from Ghana) 1955-1998 (Cairo)
- V/A - Time, Tone, & Texture (Invisible, Inc.)
Microtone
Microtone's Best of 2020
I didn’t get to everything in 2020 but these 15 albums got to me:
- Martina Bertoni - All the Ghosts Are Gone (FALK)
- Aril Brikha - Dance of a Trillion Stars (Mule Musiq)
- Mettaverse - Light Forms (S/R)
- Ak’chamel, The Giver of Illness – The Totemist (Akuphone)
- Wanderwelle – A State of Decrepitude (A Strangely Isolated Place)
- Spirit Fest – Mirage Mirage (Morr Music)
- Chouk Bwa & The Ångströmers – Vodou Alé (Bongo Joe)
- Raymond Richards – The Lost Art of Wandering (ESP Institute)
- Azu Tiwaline – Draw Me a Silence (IOT)
- Flock of Dimes – Like So Much Desire (Sub Pop)
- Greg Foat – Symphonie Pacifique (Strut)
- Skyminds – Shapes & Traces (Internal Rhythm)
- Let It Come Down – Songs We Sang in Our Dreams (Joyful Noise)
- Various Artists – Door to the Cosmos + Dancefloor Sampler (On the Corner)
- Kiln – Astral Welder (Ghostly International)
Plus Five Songs:
- Luke Jenner – “All My Love” – 1 (Manono)
- Wye Oak – “Sky Witness” – No Horizon (Merge)
- Torgeir Waldemar – “Black Ocean” – Love (Jansen)
- Julianna Barwick (ft. Mary Lattimore) – “Oh, Memory” – Healing is a Miracle (Ninja Tune)
- New London Drone Orchestra – “Antisocial Closeness” – Isolation/Collaboration (Enter the Circle)
Poindexter
Ten Albums I Liked in 2020, Alphabetically
- Cold Beat - Mother (DFA)
- En Attendant Ana - Juillet (Trouble in Mind)
- Galore - Galore (Rocks in Your Head)
- Jeanines - Things Change (Where It’s At Is Where You Are)
- Lithics - Tower of Age (Trouble in Mind)
- Melenas - Dias Raros (Trouble in Mind)
- Mr. Wrong - Create a Place (Water Wing)
- Naked Roommate - Do the Duvet (Trouble in Mind)
- Peel Dream Magazine - Agitprop Alterna (Slumberland)
- R. Aggs - Tape 1 (S/R)
- Sweeping Promises - Hunger For a Way Out (Feel It)
Pop Goes The Weasel
Favorite Songs of 2020
- Bye Bye Blackbirds - “Baby It’s Still You” - Boxer at Rest (Double Potions)
- Ela Minus - “Pocket Piano” - Acts of Rebellion (Domino)
- Julie Jacklin - “To Perth: Before the Border Closes” - To Perth: Before the Border Closes (SubPop)
- Latitude - “Tick Tock” - Mystic Hotline (Emotional Response)
- Leave Me Alones - “Stop You” - Race to the Bottom EP (S/R)
- Moodyman - “Do Wrong” - Taken Away (KDJ)
- Moore Brothers - “Just Cover Me in Leaves” - Autobiography (Unavailable)
- Sault - “Monsters” - Untitled(Black Is) (Forever Living Originals)
- Sleaford Mods - “Mork N Mindy” - Mork N Mindy (Rough Trade)
- Sneaks - “Scorpio on the Side” - Happy Birthday (Merge)
qb(X)
qb(X)'s Best of 2020
Smash Albums
- Lucrecia Dalt - No era sólida (RVING Intl.)
- Angel Bat Dawid & Tha Brothahood - Live (International Anthem)
- Faten Kanaan - A Mythology of Circles (Fire)
- Killah Priest - Rocket to Nebula (Proverbs)
- Liturgy - Origin of the Alimonies (YLYLCYN)
- Mamaleek - Come and See (The Flenser)
- Mary Lattimore - Silver Ladders (Ghostly International)
- Meitei - Kofū (KITCHEN. LABEL)
- Neptunian Maximalism - Éons (I, Voidhanger)
- Quintron and Miss Pussycat - Goblin Alert (Goner)
Hit Singles
- Gaye Su Akyol - "İsyan Manifestosu" - Yort Savul: İSYAN MANİFESTOSU(Glitterbeat)
- Body Double – "Head Axe" - Milk Fed (ZUM)
- Damu the Fudgemunk, Archie Shepp & Raw Poetic - "Moving Maps" - Ocean Bridges (Redefinition)
- IDLES - "War" - Ultra Mono (Partisan)
- L.E.S. Douze - "Gone Daddy Gone" - Le String Noise (Nouveau Electric)
- Man Man - "Future Peg" - Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between (Sub Pop)
- 79rs Gang - "79rs Bout to Blow" - Expect the Unexpected (Sinking City)
- SPAZA – "The Black Consciousness Movement" – UPRIZE! (Mushroom Hour Half Hour)
- Special Interest - "Street Pulse Beat" - Passion Of (Thrilling Living)
- Tobacco - "Hungry Eyes" (Ghostly International)
Sex 14s
Sex 14's 50 Favorite Albums of 2020
- Ghostpoet - I Grow Tired But Dare Not Fall Asleep (Play It Again Sam)
- Michael Gordon; The Crossing - Anonymous Man (Cantaloupe)
- Tristan Perich - Drift Multiply (Nonesuch)
- ORA - Thomas Tallis: Spem in Alium; James Macmillan: Vidi Aquam (Harmonia Mundi)
- Jimmy Heath - Love Letter (Verve)
- Julianna Barwick - Healing Is a Miracle (Ninja Tune)
- Run the Jewels - RTJ4 (BMG)
- Irreversible Entanglements - Who Sent You? (International Anthem)
- Yves Tumor - Heaven to a Tortured Mind (Warp)
- Bob Dylan - Rough and Rowdy Ways (Columbia)
- Bob Mould - Blue Hearts (Merge)
- Avishai Cohen - Big Vicious (ECM)
- Tame Impala - The Slow Rush (Interscope)
- Damu The Fudgemunk - Ocean Bridges (Redefinition)
- Soccer Mommy - color theory (Loma Vista)
- Jessie Ware - What’s Your Pleasure? (EMI)
- Angel Olsen - Whole New Mess (Jagjaguwar)
- Kandace Springs - The Women Who Raised Me (Universal)
- Yelle - L’ere du Verseau (Recreation Center)
- Sunny Jain - Wild Wild East (Smithsonian Folkways)
- I Break Horses - Warnings (Bella Union)
- Wire - Mind Hive (Pink Flag)
- Katie Gately - Loom (Houndstooth)
- Epiphoni Consort / Tim Reader - When Love Speaks: Choral Music by Owain Park (Delphian)
- Kurt Elling - Secrets Are the Best Stories (Edition)
- Róisín Murphy - Róisín Machine (Skint)
- Sault - Untitled (Rise) (Forever Living Originals)
- Makaya Mccraven - Universal Beings E&F Sides (International Anthem)
- Prince Royce - Alter Ego (Sony)
- Christian McBride - The Movement Revisited: A Musical Portrait of Four Icons (Mack Avenue)
- Rina Sawayama - Sawayama (Dirty Hit)
- Lianne La Havas - Lianne La Havas (Warner Brothers)
- Maria Schneider Orchestra - Data Lords (Artistshare)
- Joel Harrison - America At War (Sunnyside)
- Shabaka & the Ancestors - We Are Sent Here by History (Impulse!)
- AC/DC - Power Up (Columbia)
- Jay Electronica - A Written Testimony (Roc Nation)
- Ambrose Akinmusire - On The Tender Spot Of Every Calloused Moment (Blue Note)
- Gregg August - Dialogues On Race, Vol. 1 (Gregg August)
- BC Camplight - Shortly After Takeoff (Bella Union)
- Deftones - Ohms (Reprise)
- Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia (Warner Brothers)
- Kylie Minogue - DISCO (BMG)
- Perfume Genius - Set My Heart on Fire Immediately (Matador)
- Gregory Porter - All Rise (Blue Note)
- Kurt Rosenwinkel Trio - Angels Around (Heartcore)
- Joel Ross - Who Are You? (Blue Note)
- Christian Sands - Be Water (Mack Avenue)
- Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit - Reunions (Southeastern)
- Hayey Williams - Petals for Armor (Atlantic)
Sparkle Motion
Sparkle Motion favorites 2020 (alphabetical by category)
CLASSICAL
- Bertrand Chamayou - Good Night! (Erato)
- Vox Clamantis & Jaan-Eik Tulve - Cyrillius Kreek: The Suspended Harp of Babel (ECM)
- Eric Whitacre - The Sacred Veil (Signum)
- JACK Quartet - Lines Made by Walking (Cold Blue)
- Maria Schneider - Data Lords: The Digital World/Our Natural World (ArtistShare)
- Patrick Yim - Memory: Works for Solo Violin (Navona)
- Sarah Davachi - Cantus, Descant (LATE)
- Tristan Perich & Douglas Perkins - Drift Multiply (New Amsterdam)
- Vikingur Olafsson - Debussy – Rameau (Deutsche Grammophon)
SOUNDTRACK
- William Tyler - Music from film First Cow (Merge)
COMPS
- Angelheaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan & T-Rex (BMG)
- Strum & Thrum: The American Jangle Underground 1983-1987 (Captured Tracks)
RE-ISSUES & RETROSPECTIVES
- Maggi Payne - Ahh-Ahh (Root Strata)
- Ryuichi Sakamoto - Hidari Ude No Yume [Left Handed Dream 1981] (WeWantSounds)
- Ella Fitzgerald - Ella: The Lost Berlin Tapes (Live) 1962 (Verve)
- Beverly Glenn-Copeland - Transmissions: The Music of Beverly Glenn-Copeland (Transgressive)
JAZZ/CREATIVE MUSIC
- Alabaster Deplume - To Cy & Lee: Instrumentals, Vol. 1 (International Anthem)
- Anna Hogberg Attack - Lena (Omlott)
- Bill Frisell - Valentine (Blue Note)
- Carla Bley, Andy Sheppard & Steve Swallow - Life Goes On (ECM)
- Eric Revis - Slipknot Through a Looking Glass (Pyroclastic)
- Fred Hersch - Songs from Home (Palmetto)
- Jeff Parker - Suite for Max Brown (International Anthem)
- Junk Magic - Compass Confusion (Pyroclastic)
- Lafayette Gilchrest - Now (Lafayette Music)
- Mary Halvorson’s Code Girl - Artlessly Falling (Firehouse 12)
- Moses Boyd - Dark Matter (Exodus)
- Nels Cline Singers - Share the Wealth (Blue Note)
- Quin Kirchner - The Shadows and The Light (Astral Spirits)
- Rob Mazurek Exploding Star Orchestra - Dimensional Stardust (Nonesuch)
- Susan Alcorn Quintet - Pedernal (Relative Pitch)
- The Ed Palermo Big Band - The Great Un-American Songbook, Vol. III: Run For Your Life (Sky Cat)
- Hugh Masekela & Tony Allen - Rejoice (World Circuit)
OTHER MUSIC WITH NO WORDS
- Ana Roxanne - Because of a Flower (Kranky)
- Kim Myhr - You Me (Hubro)
- Grand Veymont - Persistance & Changement (Objet Disque)
- Rival Consoles - Articulation (Erased Tapes)
- Hoshina Anniversary - Odoriko (Alien Jams)
- Nihiloxica - Kaloli (Crammed Discs)
- Sam Prekop - Comma (Thrill Jockey)
THE REST
- Adrienne Lenker - Songs & Instrumentals (4AD)
- Aoife Nessa Frances - Land of No Junction (Basin Rock)
- Deftones - Ohms (Reprise)
- Einsturzende Neubauten - Alles in Allem (Potomak)
- Fleet Foxes - Shore (Anti-)
- Fontaines DC - A Hero’s Death (Partisan)
- Frank Bey - All My Dues Are Paid (Nola Blue)
- Frank Ene - No Longer (Empty Cellar)
- Haley Williams - Petals for Armor I and II Eps (Atlantic)
- Jackie Lynn - Jacqueline (Drag City)
- Jeff Tweedy - Love Is The King (dBpm)
- Jennifer Castle - Monarch Season (Paradise of Bachelors)
- Kacy & Clayton & Marlon Williams - Plastic Bouquet (New West)
- Kate NV - Room for the Moon (RVNG INTL.)
- Kelly Lee Owens - Inner Song (Smalltown Supersound)
- Leyla McCalla - Vari-colored songs: Tribute to Langston Hughes (Smithsonian Folkways)
- Mary Chapin Carpenter - The Dirt and the Stars (Lambent Light)
- Mountain Goats - Getting Into Knives (Merge)
- Nicole Atkins - Italian Ice (Single Lock)
- Ohmme - Fantasize Your Ghost (Joyful Noise)
- Owen Pallett - Island (Domino)
- Perfume Genius - Set My Heart on Fire Immediately (Matador)
- Protomartyr - Ultimate Success Today (Domino)
- Sam Amidon - Sam Amidon (Nonesuch)
- The Mountain Goats - Getting Into Knives (Merge)
- This is the Kit - Off Off ON (Rough Trade)
- U.S. Girls - Heavy Light (4AD)
- Wire - Mind Hive (Pink Flag)
- Woods - Strange to Explain (Woodsist)
- Wye Oak - No Horizon (Merge)
Suhnharini Vasahn Suundelehguntah
Suhnharini Vashan Suundelehguntah - Ten Terrific Releases or Reissues of 2020
- Sam Burton - I Can Go With You (Tompkins Square)
- Frank Ene - No Longer (Empty Cellar)
- Green-House - Six Songs For Invisible Gardens (Leaving)
- Kacey Johansing - No Better Time (Night Bloom)
- The Moore Brothers - Autobiography (Unavailable)
- Numün - Voyage Au Soleil (Musique Impossible)
- Klaus Schønning - Lydglimt (Frederiksberg)
- Wasnt Wisnt- In Stasis (self-released)
- Chip Wickham - Blue To Red (Lovemonk)
- Hiroshi Yoshimura - Green (Light In The Attic)