The Best Albums of 2021 (So Far)
Prying back the curtains of 2020 and stepping out into the light of 2021 has been a thrill ride unto itself. After a seriously long year of introspection, artists around the world are breaking loose of their domestic confines with new ideas and new energy. If, like us, you’re still listening, then you can surely feel it in the air: it’s in the frantic paranoid attitude of Black Country New Road’s debut; it’s woven throughout the indulgence of St. Vincent’s return; we dare say that each and every album featured in this article is proving a strong candidate for our end of year list. With an entire half of this year of music already unleashed, here are our picks for the greatest albums of 2021 (so far, at least…)
Alice Phoebe Lou - Glow
All-in-all, Glow makes for a very rewarding listen. The album is a resplendent rollercoaster of emotions and feelings. We go from utter despair to breathless, pure elation in a blink of an eye, which certainly keeps the listener engaged. Lou is an excellent storyteller, too; all of these songs have a spellbinding and haunting quality to them which offers the listener a form of escapism.
Anna B Savage - A Common Turn
The record is Anna’s space to reflect, to mull over thoughts and feelings, and stream her consciousness. But, in doing so, she allows space for us to learn from her experiences; she teaches us to ignore ridiculous taboos and helps us understand ourselves and our human connections a bit better. A Common Turn is a lesson in self-awareness, of earnestness and of cathartic release.
Arlo Parks - Collapsed In Sunbeams
Sunbeams is the hug from a friend, the cup of tea on a cold evening and the casual afternoon in the pub garden all in one. It’s subtle in its volumes and hides its ambitions beneath its mellowness but will continue its reach and influence far and wide. The best part is, you know you could be sitting around Arlo’s place with a few friends as she performs the record for you and would feel exactly the same as a night sold out at the Albert Hall. It’s neat, laidback, effortless and radiant in its relaxation.
Ashnikko - DEMIDEVIL
DEMIDEVIL is undoubtedly one of the funnest records of 2021. With a silly sense of humour running throughout, the album makes for a a really enjoyable listen. Standout tracks ‘Daisy’ and ‘Toxic’ will captivate you with their infectious corny melodies and leave you coming back to the album time and time again.
Black Country, New Road - For the first time
Dissonant, raw, but at times oddly beautiful, For the first time has been creating a lot of noise, to no huge surprise considering the cult following they had already built, and the splash made by their contemporaries Black Midi with their debut album in 2019. Despite division over some of the decisions made in terms of production and lyrics in their fanbase, and accusations of pretentiousness by their critics, Black Country, New Road have produced a really impressive and ambitious debut album here.
black midi - Cavalcade
Rhythm, tempo and absurdity have been all but perfected by black midi between their debut and this sophomore record. The cabaret of characters presents an interesting concept, well executed and leaving the curious listener with a good few Wikipedia pages to trawl through — the John Frum Cargo Cult possibly referred to by the title John L being among the more interesting. There are some moments where complexity seemed to be valued over songwriting, but overall this still makes for an exciting second step in black midi’s journey.
Dry Cleaning - New Long Leg
Having toned down the immediacy, Dry Cleaning continue to charm with this record. Enjoying a boost in exposure, they have drawn comparisons to many other bands under the “post-punk” umbrella, from Life Without Buildings to The Wire, but they demonstrate a relatively unique sound here. Shaw tends to get most of the plaudits for her lyrical style, with her narratives likened to Phoebe Waller-Bridge, but the relationship between the guitar and bass really helps them to stand out from other bands with the same spoken-word aesthetic.
Familiar Action - Familiar Action
On their self-titled debut, Familiar Action exhibit a collection of quirky tracks that have an odd feeling of nostalgia to them. Whilst the tracks feel warmly familiar (pardon the pun), there’s undoubted individuality to this group that makes them stand out. The peculiar vocals and eccentric music in particular are a strong highlight. Additionally, there’s closeness to the production on the record, creating an intimate atmosphere that stays consistent throughout.
Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra - Promises
It is difficult to overstate how much restraint is at work. Promises takes its time, never feeling hasty. Cameo notes from an array of instruments quietly interject, complementing the moment, only to then disappear for lengths of time, later returning with more confidence, similar to the typically responsive performance of free jazz, but here played out with a soft elegance.
Genesis Owusu - Smiling with No Teeth
Smiling with No Teeth is a thoroughly modern work that is not to be missed. It’s hip-hop, synth punk, soul, funk, rock, and R&B, all buoyed by a punk ethos; the list of influences is extensive and kaleidoscopic but, instead of a mere patchwork, the result is a unique statement and a rewarding listen.
Goat Girl - On All Fours
Goat Girl are a band who know who they are and are unashamedly confident in it. From the grungy, spooky ‘They Bite On You’, through to the vast, sustained landscape of closer track ‘A-Men’, there’s something for even the most skeptical listener to enjoy. Though On All Fours is a little less rough around the edges than their previous feat, it demonstrates the exploratory and high-spirited nature of the band’s essence.
Japanese Breakfast - Jubilee
If the standout opening track Paprika isn’t enough to instantly get you hooked to this album you need to clean out your ears. Japanese Breakfast returns with her most joyous and happy record to date, exploring pop and conquering it with triumphant glory.
Johanna Samuels - Excelsior!
Recorded in Sam Evian's cabin in upstate New York, Johanna Samuels new album Excelsior! Is not one to be missed by any folk fans. The record calls on a plethora of powerful female artists: Courtney Marie Andrews, Hannah Cohen, A.O. Gerber, Olivia Kaplan, Maví Lou, and Lomelda's Hannah Read. Even with all these great contributors, it’s Samuels’ gorgeous songwriting that really takes the cake.
Kaitlyn Shuko - Disposition
That which Kaitlyn Shuko offers – dreamily crafted bedroom pop born of the lo-fi hip-hop scene – may not seem necessarily unique. But you’d be remiss to dismiss it on those grounds alone, as Shuko’s intersection between the Japanese and the American grants her a truly unique voice and leaves her sonic niche engaging, novel, and fresh. Disposition is testament to this, easily listenable and easily laudable.
Lael Neale - Acquainted With Night
No individual track stands out more than another; they are all expertly crafted and the whole thing flows beautifully. Lael has created an album that demands it be listened to in its entirety, truly a bard of the modern age. As she eloquently sings: “Well, some will say the truth springs, For reservoir seekers, But I think the truth sings To whoever listens”.
McKinley Dixon - For My Mama and Anyone Who Look Like Her
At eleven tracks and nearing fifty minutes in length, you’d be like us in first assuming that Dixon was biting off more than he could chew with this album. Yet the man delivers with the kind of finesse and sophistication that you rarely get to see smaller hip-hop artists actualise in such a grassroots project. Ultimately, it proves one of the more memorable and creative independent hip-hop ventures in recent memory, with most tracks honed to near-perfection and accommodating only a scant handful of what one might dare to call “filler”.
PACKS - Take the Cake
Full of crunchy riffs of jangly guitars and the charming droning vocals of its vocalist, Madeline Link, this album puts to the test the rising traction of the Toronto four-piece with great results. Engaging from the start, satisfyingly snappy, and with a confidence that seems almost ambitious in the scale of a debut album, this project finally show that the hype around Link and her bandmates was no fluke.
Rattletooth - Rabbit! Rabbit! Oh Wait Squirrel
Moody, angsty and underground, the debut record from Rattletooth, Rabbit! Rabbit! Oh Wait Squirrel is one of our favourite records to come out of the London post punk scene. Angular riffs and distorted guitars help form a tight rhythm section that drives this record into compelling new territory.
Rosali - No Medium
The spirit of this heartfelt album, comprised of ten emotionally-wrought tracks, is perhaps best encapsulated by the name of its closing track, ‘Tender Heart’. Exposing a real vulnerability and humanity to its creative voice and proving itself a more-than-competent musical endeavour in the process makes us proud to assert its place among the year’s finest.
Shame - Drunk Tank Pink
Drunk Tank Pink takes the swagger of Shame’s debut and expertly amplifies what makes them so important. There’s an overwhelmingly anxious energy that runs through the veins of this album. Steen’s self-imposed isolation and profound search for self flows through the music like its bloodstream. The volatile nature of this record and noticeable lyrical and sonic experimentations pay off massively. This record sees Shame break through the monotony of the current post-punk UK music scene.
Skee Mask - Pool
In a recent interview, Müller explained how many of the tracks arose out of an altered approach to music production, with an increased focus on hardware, and that around three quarters of the album is the result of analogue jamming sessions. There’s certainly a live, free-flowing feel to the music; the beats duck, weave and bob and the synth pads are soaring and expansive with featherlight melodies that zoom hither and thither like birds in flight.
slowthai - TYRON
TYRON isn’t the work of someone who’s blindly punching their way out of a corner. It’s the work of someone who’s had a long hard look at themselves and decided that they want the world to shift its focus from the mistakes that they’ve made and instead, appreciate them for the extraordinary talent that they are.
Squid - Bright Green Field
At their best, which they are here for the most part, they have built a unique, eccentric and downright fun style, which is able both to make you want to move and showcase their brilliant musicianship. Also, stop calling them “the new Black Country, New Road”.
St. Vincent - Daddy’s Home
On Daddy’s Home, St. Vincent expertly wears her influences on her sleeve for one of the finest albums of 2021 — perhaps even St. Vincent’s best. The album is a triumph of stunning deconstructed pop, drenched in nostalgia ranging from Pink Floyd to Stevie Wonder. There’s a great deal of intimacy on this record, with a closeness to the production that gives the whole album underlying warmth. It’s a musical comedown that wanders away from the limelight and avoids making any well-defined assertions, but relentlessly bears a sense of strength that carries throughout.
TV Priest - Uppers
It’s difficult to stand out in a sub-genre as seemingly standardised and sometimes decorative as alt-punk, but in Uppers we have something that feels fresh, stands tall, and aches to be played live. With its tracks full of introspective thoughts and frantic energy, this album ably earns its place among the finer offerings of this promising year.
