Best of 2021
Albums I Enjoyed in 2021
- Alessandro Cortini - Scuro Chiaro (Mute)
- Anika - Change (Sacred Bones)
- Astral Brain - The Bewildered Mind (Shelflife)
- Aya - Im Hole (Hyperdub)
- Azu Tiwaline - Draw Me A Silence (IOT)
- Black Marble - Fast Idol (Sacred Bones)
- Bobby Lee - Origin Myths (Tompkins Square)
- Christina Chatfield - Sutro (Mysteries Of The Deep)
- Colleen - The Tunnel And The Clearing (Thrill Jockey)
- Dame Area - Ondas Tribales (Mannequin)
- Dax Pierson - Nerve Bumps (A Queer Divine Dissatisfaction) (Dark Entries)
- Dummy - Mandatory Enjoyment (Trouble In Mind)
- Fake Fruit - S/T (Rocks In Your Head)
- Helado Negro - Far In (4AD)
- Karl Kave & Durian - Untergang Und Finsternis (Detriti)
- Liars - The Apple Drop (Mute)
- Marauder - Puissance 4 (S/R)
- Maston - Panorama (KPM)
- Midnight Sister - Painting The Roses (Jagjaguwar)
- Paul Jacobs - Pink Dogs On The Green Grass (Blow The Fuse)
- Remember Ecstatic Duo - Palo Santo (Aural Canyon)
- Smoke Bellow - Open For Business (Trouble In Mind)
- Suuns - The Witness (Joyful Noise)
- Taqbir - S/T (La Vida Es Un Mus)
- Tonstartssbandht - Petunia (Mexican Summer)
- Vanishing Twin - Ookii Gekkou (Fire)
Reissues & Compilations
- Geneva Jacuzzi - Lamaze (Mexican Summer)
- Grand Veymont - Route Du Vertige (Moon Glyph)
- Hailu Mergia / The Walias Band - Tezeta (Awesome Tapes From Africa)
- Henri Salvador - Homme Studio (Born Bad)
- Kiko Kids Jazz - Tanganyika Na Uhuru (Mississippi)
- Rogér Fakhr - Fine Anyway (Habibi Funk)
- V/A - Back Up: Mexican Tecno Pop 1980-1989 (Dark Entries)
- V/A - Sabor Surf (El Palmas)
- V/A - Wizzz! Volume 4 (French Psychorama 1966-1974) (Born Bad)
Berkestir 2021
New Stuff
- Acid Twilight-S/T (Not Not Fun)
- Anika-Change (Sacred Bones)
- A Place To Bury Strangers-Hologram (Dedstrange)
- The Beths-Demos (Carpark)
- The Bevis Frond-Little Eden (Fire)
- The Bug-Fire (Ninja Tune)
- Cloud Nothing-The Shadow I Remember (Carpark)
- Dinosaur Jr-Sweep it into Space (Jagjaguwar)
- Domingae-ae (Sacred Bones)
- Steve Earle & The Dukes-J.T. (New West)
- Filippo Diana-Formula Abstracts (Medical)
- Future Children-The Crying of Lot 49 (StrawberryMIDI)
- Gnod-La Mort Du Sens (Rocket)
- Grand Veymont-S/T- Persistance et Changement- Route du Vertige (Moon Glyph)
- Colleen Green-Cool Hardly Art)
- Hawkwind-Somnia (Cherry Red)
- Jerusalem In My Heart-Qalaq (Constellation)
- Charles Lloyd & the Marvels-Tone Poem (Blue Note)
- Low Flying Hawks-Fuyu (Magnetic Eye)
- Meitei-Kofu II (Kitchen)
- Mdou Moctar-Afrique Victime (Matador)
- Jessica Moss-Phosphenes (Constellation)
- Marissa Nadler-The Path of the Clouds (Sacred Bones)
- The Notwist-Vertigo Days (Morr Music)
- The Ophelias-Crocus (Joyful Noise)
- Part Chimp-Drooooool (Wrong Speed)
- Pye Corner Audio-Volume 5: The Lost Tapes Black Mill Tapes (Lapsus)
- Emma Ruth Rundle-Engine of Hell (Sargent House)
- Dr. Lonnie Smith-Breathe (Blue Note)
- Strawbs-Settlement (Cherry Red)
- Masahiro Takahashi-Flowering Tree, Distance Moon (Not Not Fun)
- Richard Thompson-Serpent’s Tears (Beeswing)
- VA-A Place To Bury Strangers Hologram/ Destroyed & Reassembled (Dedstrange)
- VA-The Problem of Leisure * A Celebration of Andy Gill & The Gang of Four (Gill Music)
- Jane Weaver-Flock (Fire)
- White Hills-Performs Music From Splintered Metal Sky Live at BC Studios (Heads On Fire)
- Sven Wunder- Natura Morta (Piano Piano)
- X.Y.R.-Wave Tapes (Constellation Tatsu)
- Neil Young Crazy Horse-Barn (Reprise)
Old Stuff
- Bad Brains-S/T (Bad Brains)
- The Beach Boys-Feel Flow The Sunflowers & Surf’s Up Sessions 1969-1971 (Brother)
- Karen Black-Dreaming of You 1971-1976 (Anthology)
- Bardo Pond-Volume 2 (Fire)
- Can-Live in Stuttgart 1975 - Live in Brighton 1975 (Spoon)
- Caravan-Who Do You Think We Are? Complete Recordings 1967-2018 (Madfish)
- Stu Cisco-Amanita (Glossy Mistakes)
- Coil-Love’s Secret Domain ( Infinite Fog Production)
- John Coltrane- A Love Supreme Live In Seattle (Impulse!)
- Dead Boys-Young Loud And Snotty (Sire)
- Aaron Dilloway & Lucrecia Dalt-Lucy & Aaron (Hanson)
- Willie Dunn-Creation Never Sleeps,Creation Never Dies (Light In The Attic)
- Dyke & The Blazers-Down On Funky Broadway Phoenix 1966-1967 (Craft)
- Fire- The Complete Fire Father’s Name is Dad (Grapefruit)
- Follakzoid-S/T (BYM)
- Goat-Head Soup (Rocket)
- Gang of Four-This Heaven Gives Me Migraine 77-81 (Matador)
- Elton John-Regimental Sgt. Zippo (EMI)
- Kiko Kids Jazz-Tanganyika Na Uhuru (Mississippi)
- Masashi Kitamura And Phonogenix-Prologue for Post Modern Music (Light In THe Attic)
- L7-Wargasm The Slash Years 1992-1997 (Cherry Red)
- Kenka Oyaji-Hoodoo Fushimi (Greg Gouty)
- Nancy Sinatra-Start Walkin’ 1965-1976 (Light In The Attic)
- Sun Ra-Lanquidity (Strut)
- Nik Turner’s Sphynx-Xitintoday (Cleopatra)
- VA-Back Up Mexican Tecno Pop 1980-1989 (Dark Entries)
- VA-Brown Acid The Thirteenth Trip Heavy Rock from the Underground Comedown (Ridingeasy)
- VA-Country Funk III 1975-1982 (Light in the Attic)
- VA-Dirty French Psychedelics Selected by Dirty Sound System (Born Bad)
- VA-Heisei No Oto Japanese Left-Field Pop From The Cd Age 1989-1996 (Light In The Attic)
- VA-La Ola Interior Spanish Ambient & Acid Exoticism 1983-1990 (Bongo Joe)
- VA-Somewhere Between Mutant Pop Minimalism & Shadow Sounds Of Japan 1980-1988 (Light In The Attic)
- VA-Stone Crush Memphis Modern Soul 1977-1987 (Light in the Attic)
- VA-Wezin,Jakwar and Guitar Boogie from the Islamic Republic of Mauritania (Mississippi)
- VA-Wizzz! French Psychorama 1966-1974 Vol. 4 (Born Bad)
- Tony Joe White-The Complete Warner Bros. Recording (Real Gone Music)
- Tony Joe White - Smoke from the Chimney (Easy Eye Sound)
- Bobby Womack- The Poet- The Poet II ( Abkco)
Brickbats Best of 2021
- Acavernus & Yantra: "Gnose" (Buh)
- Olivia Block: "Innocent Passage In the Territorial Sea" (Room 40)
- Circuit Des Yeux: "-io" (Matador)
- Joe Colley: "Trance Tapes" (No Rent)
- Aaron Dilloway & Lucrecia Dalt: "Lucy and Aaron" (Hanson)
- Godspeed You! Black Emperor: "G_d's Pee at State's End" (Constellation)
- Grouper: "Shade" (Kranky)
- Hide: "Interior Terror" (Dais)
- Kris & Tavi: "Chiral" (Post Present Medium)
- Cheryl E Leonard: "Schism" (Mappa)
- Jessica Moss: "Phosphenes" (Constellation)
- Diana Rogerson: "Blue Bottle In a Jam Jar" (S/R)
Carnacki Best-of 2021 lists
25 Favourite Physical Releases in alphabetical order
- Leila Abdul-Rauf - Phantasiai (Cyclic Law)
- Liz Allbee - Rille (Relative Pitch)
- Marisa Anderson & William Tyler - Lost Futures (Thrill Jockey)
- Angel Archer - LightRay Variations (S/R)
- Anoice - The Hidden Forest (Ricco)
- The Body and Big|Brave - Leaving None But Small Birds (Thrill Jockey)
- Nick Cave & Warren Ellis - Carnage (Goliath)
- Chloe Foy - Where Shall We Begin (S/R)
- Circuit Des Yeux - -io (Matador)
- Clara Engel - Dressed in Borrowed Light (S/R)
- Val Esway + Global Spider Community - No One Ever Said This Would Be Pretty (S/R)
- R.K. Faulhaber - Dugong Weeps (Helen Scarsdale)
- Godspeed You! Black Emperor - G_d’s Pee At State’s End! (Constellation)
- Adrian Lane - Slow Autumn at my Window (Preserved Sound)
- Cheryl E. Leonard - Schism (mappa)
- Lime Rickey - F U T U R E F A I T H (S/R)
- Low - Hey What (Sub Pop)
- Jessica Moss - Phosphenes (Constellation)
- Marissa Nadler - The Path of the Clouds (Sacred Bones)
- Sarah Neufeld - Detritus (Paper Bag)
- Nurse With Wound - Opium Cabaret (ICR)
- Dax Pierson - Nerve Bumps (A Queer Divine Dissatisfaction) (Ratskin)
- Rudimentary Peni - Great War (Sealed Records)
- Tele Novella - Mervyn Belle (Kill Rock Stars)
- Yat-Kha - We Will Never Die (The Lollipop Shoppe)
25 Favourite Digital/Ephemeral Releases in alphabetical order
- Kate Carr - Making Do #1, #2 (S/R)
Damon and Naomi - A Sky Record (20|20|20)
- Dark Leaves - Laid Under Leaf, Under Branches (S/R)
- Thomas Dimuzio - Sculpting Electric: In the Ice Phase (Gench)
Alexander Hacke, Danielle De Picciotto, Mick O’Shea - Tricephalus (Ground0)
- Ionophore - Knells (S/R)
Irr. app. (ext.) - Legends of Frogtown digital single series (S/R)
- Julia Kent - Stories From The Sea Original Soundtrack (S/R)
- Carla Kihlstedt and Rafael Osés - Necessary Monsters (S/R)
- Andrews Liles - 1221 (S/R)
- My Heart, An inverted Flame - A Collection Of Essays… series (S/R)
- Kemper Norton - Troillia (S/R)
- The Owl Service - (Love Is Like A) Railway Station (Hobby Horse)
- Poisoning Wave - As Fog In Sunlight (S/R)
Potter / Coleclough / Hill - Rituals of Breath and Bone (ICR)
- Prueba de Aislamiento - Response No. 3 (S/R)
- Rabbit Rabbit - Rabbit Rabbit Radio Volume 4: The Animal I Am (S/R)
- The Redwood Flowers - The Redwood Flowers (S/R)
- Diana Rogerson - Blue Bottle in a Jam Jar (S/R)
- Geneva Skeen - Universal Building Supply (Superpang)
- Southeast of Rain - 42 Days (S/R)
- Stephen Vitiello - Soundtracks for Lynne Sachs (Room40)
- Various - Make Noise Myanmar (S/R)
- Various - Lost In Catland: A Cat Compendium (S/R)
- Various - All Creatures (Polar Seas)
DJ Aahh's 2021 Shortwave Electronica Z-to-A
DJ Aahh's Top 2021 Shortwave Electronica Songs Z-to-A
- Poté - “Open Up” (Ninja Tune)
- The Pop Group - “We Are Time (Dennis Bovell Dub Version)” (Mute)
- Planningtorock - “Girl You’ve Got My Heart (rRoxymore Remix)” (Human Level)
- 박혜진 PARK HYE JIN - “Y DONT U ft Clams Casino & Take A Day Trip 1” (Ninja Tune)
- Metronomy - “Monday feat. Brian Nasty & Folly Group)” (Because Music)
- Jules - “Miami Breaks” (S/R)
- José González - “Tjomme (DJ Koze Remix)” (Imperial Recordings)
- Flowdan - “Welcome to London (J. Sparrow Remix)” (Tru Thoughts)
- boerd - “Ice Hot” (Anjunadeep)
- Bad with Phones - “HOME” (S/R)
Excuse My French Best of 2021 Playlist
- Woob "5005"
- Ceephax Acid Crew "Box Steady"
- Matthieu Faubourg "Aqua EP"
- The BasementDiscos "Chapter 14 edits"
- u-Ziq & Mrs. Jynx "Secret Garden"
- Awakened Souls & From Overseas "Keep the Orange Sun"
- AES Dana "(a) period."
- Gcom "E2-Xo"
- Noé Preszow "À Nous"
- Alice et Moi "Drama"
- Dua Lipa "Future Nostalgia (Moonlight Edition)"
- Joy Orbison "Still Slipping, Vol. 1"
- The Future Sound of London "Music For Calendars"
- Min-Y-Llan "Involatile"
- Humanoid "7 Songs"
- Derek Carr "Arrival"
- Norm Chambers "Seaside Resonance"
- Air "Air I - You"
- Anjimile "Stranger"
- Freedom to Spend Catalogue Compendium, Vol. 6
- Gaudi "KARMA"
- Biosphere "Angel's Flight"
- Gas "Der Lange Marsch"
- Frozen Compilations
- Jessica Moss "Phosphenes"
- Clara Luciani "Coeur"
- Magdalena Bay "Mercurial World"
- Tim Dup "La Course Folle"
- Bistro Boy "Drifting"
- Pauline Anna Strom "Angel Tears in Sunlight"
- Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra "Promises"
- Dr. Atmo & Mick Chillage "Ruhleben"
- Christine Ott "Time to Die"
- Ocoeur "Connections"
- Tim Story "Moebius Strips"
- Leif "9 Airs"
- Ochre "An Eye to Windward"
- Masayoshi Fujita "Bird Ambience"
- MOY "Dynamics of Acid"
- The Black Dog "Music for Photographers"
- Modeselektor "Extended"
- 36 & Awakened Souls "The Other Side of Darkness"
- World Circuit "Desolate Snow Road"
- Infinite Scale "Accolade"
- Nuron "Likemind06 Remastered"
- Mick Chillage "Year One Before & After Silence"
- Neotantra's compilations "Tantra XX"
- Dr. Atmo "Lost Tapes"
- Globular "Long Grass for Small Frogs"
- Heogen "Odd Radio Circle"
- Cult 48 "Underground Signals...."
- Ludwig A.F. Rohrscheid "Velocity"
- Placid Angles "Touch The Earth"
- Golden Donna "The Truth About Love EP"
- A Positive Life "Synaesthetic"
- KiloWatts "Six Silicates (remastered)"
- Octo Octa "She's Calling"
- EOD "presents the Symbols"
- PCM "Macro"
- Halftribe "Lucenyt Forms Travelling"
Film Close-ups Top Films of 2021
FILM CLOSE-UPS Top Films of 2021
- About Endlessness by Roy Andersson [CB]
- Another Round by Thomas Vinterberg [EA]
- Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar by Josh Greenbaum [EA]
- Bernstein's Wall by Douglas Tirola [CB]
- Bo Burnham: Inside by Bo Burnham [EA]
- Bring Your Own Brigade by Lucy Walker [AB, SM]
- The Card Counter by Paul Schrader [CB, AB]
- Censor by Prano Bailey-Bond [GS]
- A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks by John Maggio [SM]
- The Devil All The Time by Antonio Campos [AB]
- Don’t Look Up by Adam McKay [GS]
- Dune by Denis Villeneuve [EA]
- The First Wave by Matthew Heineman [SM]
- The Green Knight by David Lowery [EA, GS]
- Identifying Features by Fernanda Veladez [AB]
- Julia by Julie Cohen & Betsy West [SM]
- Lamb by Valdimar Johannsson [GS]
- Last Night in Soho by Edgar Wright [GS]
- Listening To Kenny G by Penny Lane [CB, SM]
- Lost Leonardo by Andreas Koefoed [GS]
- Madres Paralelas (Parallel Mothers) by Pedro Almodóvar [AB, SM]
- Motian In Motion by Michael Patrick Kelly [CB]
- Nightmare Alley by Guillermo del Toro [GS]
- No Sudden Move by Steven Soderbergh [CB]
- No Time to Waste: The Urgent Mission of Betty Reid Soskin by Carl Bidleman [SM]
- Paper & Glue by JR [SM]
- Pig by Michael Sarnoski [GS]
- The Power of the Dog by Jane Campion [CB, EA, AB]
- Procession by Robert Greene [CB]
- Saint Maud by Rose Glass [AB]
- The Souvenir: Part II by Joanna Hogg [EA]
- The Sparks Brothers by Edgar Wright [EA, AB, SM]
- Street Gang: How We Got To Sesame Street by Marilyn Agrelo [SM]
- Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson [EA, AB, SM]
- Terra Femme by Courtney Stephens [GS]
- Tove by Zaida Bergroth [GS]
- The Underground Railroad by Barry Jenkins [CB, SM]
- The Velvet Underground by Todd Haynes [CB, AB]
- Zola by Janicza Bravo [EA]
AB: Anthony Bonet
CB: Chandler Bennett
EA: Esme Agilar
GS: Greg Scharpen
SM: Sonia Mistry
Foob - What Shaped Foob in 2021
Things that came out in 2021 (December 2020 counts)
- Roundhay Garden Scene - Some Rain Must Fall (S/R)
- Biosphere - Angel's Flight (Biophon)
- Burial & Four Tet & Thom Yorke - Her Revolution / His Rope (XL Recordings)
- Aindulmedir - The Winter Scriptures (Hypnagoga Press)
- Jane the Message - High Functioning (S/R)
Albums I discovered in 2021 that did not come out in 2021
- Blackhill Transmitter - Blackhill Transmitter (FSOLdigital)
- Dis Fig - PURGE (Purple Tape Pedigree)
- Polyphia - New Levels New Devils (Equal Vision)
- Pantayo - Pantayo (Telephone Explosion)
Tracks I discovered in 2021 that did not come out in 2021
- Yellow Magic Orchestra - "Prologue" - Technodelic (Alfa)
- Chris Child & Micah Frank - "Debris Of The Days" - Tape Pieces Vol. 1 (Foil)
- Hudson People - "Trip To Your Mind" - Trip To Your Mind / Power To The Hour (Hithouse)
- Dee D. Jackson - "Automatic Lover" - Automatic Lover (AVI)
- Disparition - "Eliezer’s Waltz" (S/R)
- Vito Tommaso - “Fred Astaire” - A Day in Rome (REKON)
- Naoki Kodaka "Under Pressure" - Gremlins 2: The New Batch [NES] (Sun Corporation)
- Busdriver - "The Troglodyte Wins" - RoadKillOvercoat (Epitaph)
- Song Sung - “I’m Not In Love” - LateNightTales - David Holmes (LateNightTales)
- Yellow Magic Orchestra - "Epilogue" - Technodelic (Alfa)
Leftfield Lance 2021 Favorites
7"
- CDG - Unconditional (Domestic Departure)
- Friendly Boyfriend - Pick Up! (Happiest Place)
- Set Top Box - Max Headroom (Polaks)
- Snooper - Snõõper (Goodbye Boozy)
- Snoozers - S/T (No Town)
- Tee Vee Repairman - Patterns (Warttmann Inc.)
- Warm Exit - S/T (Belly Button)
12"
- BRNDA - Do You Like Salt? (Crafted Sounds)
- Dry Cleaning - New Long Leng (4AD)
- Dummy - Mandatory Enjoyment (Trouble In Mind)
- Fake Fruit - S/T (Rocks In Your Head)
- Hits - Cielo Nublado (Paisley Shirt)
- Smirk - Smirk EP (Total Punk)
- Spread Joy - S/T (Feel It)
Tapes, Postcard Flexis, etc.
- April Magazine - Sunday Music For An Overpass (Paisley Shirt)
- Blues Lawyer - Scenic Route (S/R)
- Toe Ring - Collapsed Mine (S/R)
- Famous Mammals - S/T (S/R)
- Fugitive Bubble - No Outside (Impotent Fetus)
- Mesh - S/T (Born Yesterday)
Little Citrus’ Favorite 2021 Albums
Little Citrus’ Favorite 2021 Albums
- Japanese Breakfast-Jubilee (Dead Oceans)
- Bo Burnham-Inside (The Songs) (Netflix)
- Ginger Root-City Clicker EP (Acrophase Records)
- Nation of Language-A Way Forward (Play It Again Sam)
- Hand Habits- Fun House (Saddle Creek)
- Lin Manuel Miranda, Germaine Franco, Encanto Cast-Encanto Motion Picture Soundtrack (Walt Disney Records)
- Olivia Rodrigo-Sour (Geffen Records)
- Doja Cat-Planet Her (Kemosabe Records)
- Black Marble-Fast Idol (Sacred Bones)
- Lauer-Answers To Trouble (Permanent Vacation)
- Arlo Parks-Collapsed In Sunbeams (Transgressive)
- Tyler The Creator-Call Me If You Get Lost (Columbia)
- Benny Sings-Music (Stones Throw Records)
- Durand Jones & The Indications-Private Space (Dead Oceans)
- Arcade Fire & Owen Pallett-Her (Original Score) (SONY)
- Bryan and Aaron DessnerC’mon C’mon (Original Motion Picture Score) (A24 Music)
- Taylor Swift-Red (Taylor’s Version) (Taylor Swift)
Majority Whip’s Favorites of 2021
Meatypaws best of 2021
Best Discoveries and Re-Discoveries of the Great Pandemic of 2020 & 2021
(Some new songs and some old ones that I forgot about until I found them again).
<not ordered>
- Robert Earl Keen “I’m the Man Around Here”
- Jesse Ashlock “My Bank Account is Gone”
- Joe West “Keeper of the Light”
- JD McPherson “Bloodhound Rock”
- Hank Williams III “D.Ray White (Rebel Yell)”
- Maria McKee “Ways to be Wicked”
- Los Straitjackets “Popcorn”
- Grover Anderson “Handle the Lonely”
- Meat Puppets “Warranty”
- Grace Chang “I Want Your Love”
- Wu Fei & Abigail Washburn “Banjo Guzheng Pickin Girl”
- Petty Booka “Bla Bla Bla Cha Cha Cha”
- Moonlighters “Big Times”
- Kitty Rose “Halleluia”
- Albert Lee “Rainbows All Over Your Blues”
- Margo Price “Since You Put Me Down”
- Rachel Brooke “The Loneliness in Me”
- Peter Cooper “The Last Laugh”
- Rodney Crowell “Stars on the Water”
- Cristina “Whats a Girl to Do?”
- Trixie and the Trainwrecks “No Good Town”
- Elizabeth Cook “All the Time”
- Pistol Annies “Got My Name Changed Back”
- Sarah Shook & the Disarmers “Nothin Feels Right but Doin Wrong”
- Alex the Astronaut “San Francisco”
- SOL “Coma Queen”
- Aquadolls “Mine”
- Gorillaz “On Melancholy Hill”
- Fruit Bats “The Balcony”
Megasoup's Favorites of 2021
Microtone’s Most Memorable from 2021
Microtone’s Most Memorable 25 Albums and + 2 Retrospectives from 2021 (ordered by release date)
- Yu Su 苏玉 - Yellow River Blue (Music from Memory)
- Chuck Johnson - The Cinder Grove (VDSQ)
- A Winged Victory for the Sullen - Invisible Cities (Artificial Pine Arch Manufacturing)
- Dax Pierson - Nerve Bumps (A Queer Divine Dissatisfaction) (Rat Skin/Dark Entries)
- Alex Albrecht - Campfire Stories (Analogue Attic)
- Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders and the London Symphony Orchestra - Promises (Luaka Bop)
- Tomaga - Intimate Immensity (Hands in the Dark)
- Flock of Dimes - Head of Roses (Sub Pop)
- Damon Locks Black Monument Ensemble - NOW (International Anthem)
- Howie Lee 李化迪 - Birdy Island 鸟岛 (Mais Um Discos)
- Inhmost - Early Horizons (Huinali)
- Mong Tong 夢東 - Music from Taiwan Mystery 台灣謎景 (WV Sorceror)
- Sarah Neufeld - Detritus (Paper Bag)
- Gianluca Petrella & Pasquale Mirra - Correspondence (Tuk Music)
- Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp - We’re OK. But We’re Lost Anyway (Les Disques Bongo Joe)
- Arushi Jain - Under the Lilac Sky (Leaving)
- Guzz - Seven Days and Twelve Nights 七天十二夜 (S/R)
- Haco - Nova Naturo (Someone Good)
- Li Yilei 李亦蕾 - 之 / Of (Metron)
- Low - HEY WHAT (Sub Pop)
- Hania Rani & Dobrawa Czocher - Inner Symphonies (Deutsche Gramaphon)
- Channelers - Another Entrance (Inner Islands)
- Jon Hopkins - Music for Psychedelic Therapy (Domino)
- Fishdoll 漁 - Moonsense 月感 (S/R)
- Hualun 花伦 - Wuhan Wuhan 武汉武汉 (S/R)
+ Two Retrospectives
- Willie Dunn - Creation Never Sleeps, Creation Never Dies (Light in the Attic)
- “Blue” Gene Tyranny - Degrees of Freedom Found (Unseen Worlds)
Pop Goes the Weasel Best of 2021
Favorite Songs:
- Alt-J - “U&Me” - SINGLE (Atlantic)
- Bitchin Bajas - “Outer Spaceways Inc” - Switched on Ra (Drag City)
- Cold Beat - “See You Again” - The War Garden (S/R)
- Dry Cleaning - “Unsmart Lady” - New Long Leg (4AD)
- House of Yahweh (feat. Lily Konigsberg) - “Glass Realty” - Moon’s Toons Vol.1 (RVNG Intl.)
- Lewis, Molly - “Oceanic Feeling” - The Forgotten Edge (Jagjaguwar)
- Owusu, Genesis - “I Don’t See Color” - Smiling With No Teeth (Ourness)
- Sons of Kemet (feat. Moor Mother & Angel Bat Dawid) - “Pick Up Your Burning Cross” - Black to the Future (Impulse!)
- St Vincent - “Down” - Daddy’s Home (Loma Vista)
Favorite Album:
- Gay, Ben Lamar - Open Arms to Open Us (International Anthem)
qb(x) Best of 2021
qb(x)’s Favorite Albums of 2021
(unordered)
- The Body & BIG|BRAVE - Leaving None But Small Birds (Thrill Jockey)
- Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra - Promises (Luaka Bop)
- Mary Lattimore - Collected Pieces: 2015-2020 (Ghostly International)
- Damon Locks - Black Monument Ensemble - Now (International Anthem)
- Lingua Ignota - Sinner Get Ready (Sargent House)
- MMMD & Alem - L’âge de l’absolutisme (Antifrost)
- Meitei - Kofū II (KITCHEN. LABEL)
- Mong Tong - Music from Taiwan Mystery (WV Sorcerer Productions)
- TEKE::TEKE - Shirushi (Kill Rock Stars)
- Xochimoki - Temple Of The New Sun (Phantom Limb)
Renée Black Best of 2021
Renée Black’s Favorite New Releases of 2021
Not in Order
- The Chisel - Retaliation (La Vida Es Un Mus)
- La Femme - Paradigmes (Disque Pointu)
- Oi Boys - S/T (La Vida Es Un Mus)
- Collision - Sur Les Trottoirs (Un Vie Pour Rien)
- The Skinflicks - “Won’t Bend the Knee” (Trisol)
- Mess - Intercity (Mendeku Diskak)
- The Gluts - Ungrateful Heart (Fuzz Club)
- Viagra Boys - Welfare Jazz (Year001)
- Amyl & The Sniffers - Comfort to Me (ATO)
- Chubby & the Gang - The Mutt’s Nut (Partisan)
- Rata Negra - “Desconfía de ese chico” (La Vida Es Un Mus)
- Sweeping Promises - “Pain Without a Touch” (Feel It, Sub Pop)
- Various Compilation - Staring At The Rude Boys (Pressure Drop)
Sparkle Motion's Faves of 2021
SPARKLE MOTION’S FAVE ALBUMS OF 2021 in no particular order
MUSIC WITHOUT WORDS (mostly)
- Vijay Iyer Trio [with Linda May Han Oh & Tyshawn Sorey] - Uneasy (ECM)
- Dr. Lonnie Smith [ft. Iggy Pop] - Breathe (Blue Note)
- Tyshawn Sorey & King Britt - Tyshawn & King (The Buddy System)
- Chuck Johnson - The Cinder Grove (Vin du Select Qualitite)
- Molly Herron [with Science Ficta] - Through Lines (New Amsterdam)
- Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra - Promises (Luaka Bop)
- Toumani Diabate & London Symphony Orchestra - Korolen EP (World Circuit)
- Nik Bartsch - Entendre (ECM)
- Peter Manning Robinson - Double Helix (Heart Dance)
- Benoit Delbecq - The Weight of Light (Pyroclastic)
- Hannah Peel - Fir Wave (My Own Pleasure)
- Tomaga - Intimate Immensity (Hands in the Dark)
- Lea Bertucci - A Visible Length of Light (S/R)
- Buke and Gase and So Percussion - A Record Of (Brassland)
- Chris Liebing - Another Day (Mute)
- John Dwyer and Bent Arcana - Moon Drenched (Castle Face)
MUSIC WITH WORDS
- Nathan Salsburg - Psalms (No Quarter)
- The Weather Station - Ignorance (Fat Possum)
- Rosalie - No Medium (Spinster)
- Lana Del Rey - Chemtrails Over the Country Club (Interscope)
- Cassandra Jenkins - An Overview on Phenomenal Nature (Ba Da Bing)
- Yasmin Williams - Urban Driftwood (Spinster)
- Rhiannon Giddens - They’re Calling Me Home (Nonesuch)
- Le Ren - Leftovers (Secretly Canadian)
- Arlo Parks - Collapsed in Sunbeams (Transgressive)
- Lady Blackbird - Black Acid Soul (Foundation Music)
- L’Rain - Fatigue (Mexican Summer)
- Arooj Aftab - Vulture Prince (Verve)
- Sault - Nine (Forever Living Originals)
- Tirzah - Colourgrade (Domino)
- Lost Girls [Jenny Hval & Havard Volden] - Menneskekollektivet (Smalltown Supersound)
- Low - Hey What (Sub Pop)
- Dry Cleaning - New Long Leg (4AD)
- Shame - Drunk Tank Pink (Dead Oceans)
- Mega Bog - Life, And Another (Paradise of Bachelors)
- Squid - Bright Green Field (Warp)
- Colleen - The Tunnel and The Clearing (Thrill Jockey)
- Jane Weaver - Flock (Fire Records)
- Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds - Swing From the Sean DeLear EP (In The Red)
- Vanishing Twin - Ookii Gekkou (Fire Records)
- Parquet Courts - Sympathy for Life (Rough Trade)
- Suuns - The Witness (Joyful Noise)
- Field Music - Flat White Moon (Memphis Industries)
- Goat Girl - On All Fours (Rough Trade)
- Viagra Boys - Welfare Jazz (YEAR0001)
- RE -ISSUES/COMPS
- Karen Black - Dreaming of You 1971-1976 (Anthology Recordings)
- Akiko Yano - Ai Ga Nakucha Ne (WeWantSounds)
- Lee Morgan - The Complete Live at the Lighthouse (Blue Note)
- Jennifer Castle - Castlemusic 2011(Flemish Eye)
- Leslie Winer - When I Hit You - You’ll Feel It (Light in the Attic)
- ‘Blue’ Gene Tyranny - Out of the Blue 40th Anniversary Remaster (Unseen Worlds)
- Van Der Graaf Generator - The Charisma Years 1970-1978 (Charisma)
- Willie Dunn - Creation Never Sleeps, Creation Never Dies: The Willie Dunn Anthology (Light in the Attic)
- Seefeel - Rupt and Flex (1994-96) and St/Fr/Sp Eps (Warp)
- Various Artists - Eins Und Swei Und Drei Und Drei Und Vier: Deutsche Experimentelle Pop-Musick 1980-86 (Bureau B)
Squyd - Best of 2021
Best Albums of 2021:
- Driftmachine - Spume & Recollection (Umor Rex)
- Craven Faults - Enclosures (Nov. 2020 - Leaf)
- Renaldo & the Loaf - Hardly Gurning While the World is Turning (Klanggalerie)
- Terror/Cactus & Guazú - Botanas: Guazú & Terror Cactus EP (Shika Shika)
- Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp - We're OK. But We're Lost Anyway (Les Disques Bongo Joe)
- LNS & DJ Sotofett - Sputters (Tresor)
- Blectum From Blechdom - DeepBone (Deathbomb Arc)
- Anna von Hausswolff - All Thoughts Fly (Sept 2020 - Southern Lord)
- Jessica Moss - Phosphenes (Constellation)
Notable Mention 2021:
- Damiana - Vines (Hausu Mountain)
- D’Eon - Rhododendron (Hausu Mountain)
- Meridian Brothers, Conjunto Media Luna - Paz En La Tierra (Les Disques Bongo Joe)
- Fresnel Lens - EP#2 (Fresnel Lens)
- Smoke Bellow - Open For Business (Trouble In Mind)
- Zombi - Liquid Crystal EP (Relapse)
- El Búho - Cumbias Imaquinarias EP (Earthly Measures)
- Unknown Me - Bishintai (Not Not Fun)
- Sarah Neufeld - Detritus (Paper Bag)
- Low - Hey What (Sub Pop)
- Mdou Moctar - Afrique Victime (Matador)
- Suryummy - Polynators (Constellation Tatsu)
The Almighty Kaballa-Bonga Top Ten of 2021
- William Basinski - Watermusic
- Cabaret Voltaire - Shadow of Fear
- The Clash - Sandinista!
- Miles Davis - “He Loved Him Madly”
- Lana del Rey - Chemtrails Over the Country Club
- John Hassell RIP
- Sylvere Lotringer RIP
- Jim O’Rourke - Sleep Like It’s Winter
- Taylor Swift - Evermore
- Tex and the Horseheads - “Oh Mother”