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Global Top 50 Albums of 2020: 30 – 11

By Sowing Tuesday January 12, 2021

50-31 | 30-11 | 10-1 | EP/Live/Compilation

30. The Weeknd – After Hours

Abel Tesfaye always had the ’80s flair in him. Instead of the blatant hedonism of his reference decade, he uses the same tropes to criticize the lifestyle he lives. Self-loathing his way through new wave-y, dream-poppy R&B, Tesfaye appears less dysfunctional than ever, yet fails in becoming the man he strives to be. It seems he possibly can never become that man: the night never ends, the drugs never stop, and plastic surgery isn’t unaffordable anymore. Under such conditions, it’s no surprise his newest collection of songs falls into the category of the nocturnal mega-bangers, the kind of songs that ravage everything in its path thanks to its intelligent fusion of 808s rhythms and ’80s nostalchic elements. I bet this guy will crush the competition at the upcoming Grammy Awards. –Erwann S.

29. Akhlys – Melinoe

[Bandcamp] // [Spotify]

Naas Alcameth is part of a restricted niche of artists who manage to embody their spiritual dimension in all its fullness. Those who are aware of his many musical projects know that his own private reality roams between consciousness and dream, trapped within a disturbing parallel existence. It is simply not enough to add some random dark tone to a composition to make it terrifying; it must be able to genuinely reverberate that unsettling dimension. Melinoë…

Global Top 50 Albums of 2020: 50 – 31

By Sowing Monday January 11, 2021

46 Comments

50-31 | 30-11 | 10-1 | EP/Live/Compilation

50. Intronaut – Fluid Existential Inversions

[Bandcamp] // [Spotify]

Intronaut’s rise to fame over the last decade and a half has been anything but luck, but in a year as turbulent as 2020, the band’s Fluid Existential Inversions somehow moved past the success of their 2015 release and a change of drummers (normally a spanner in the works of any established band). Largely, the group’s newest piece offers up most of the familiar progressive nuance of the scene while adding a heavier all-around presence. Fans will find the likes of “The Cull” and “Speaking Of Orbs” more familiar — their mood reaffirms Intronaut’s more introspective, natural songwriting patterns — but it’s deeper cuts like “Contrapasso”, “Pangloss” or “Sour Everythings” that showcase a bunch of well-practiced musicians moving forward in a truly successful direction. Intronaut continues to meld a clinical display of rhythms into wonderfully crafted melodies while resonating with the success that’s followed them since their debut. –Robert Garland

49. Slift – Ummon

[Bandcamp] // [Spotify]

The 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded for black hole discoveries that revealed the “darkest secrets of the universe,” but Slift are the ones truly challenging the stretch of cosmic confines. With their blend of psychedelic space rock, stoner, and krautrock, the French riffaholics created an epic journey through space, time, and many, many mushrooms. –Erwann S.…

folkever/morelore

By Sowing Monday December 14, 2020

31 Comments

folklore (deluxe version) [Explicit] evermore

Overwhelmed by all the stuff on your news feed about Taylor Swift? Does the task of listening to 32 tracks (49 counting the Long Pond Sessions, 51 counting the yet-to-be released Evermore bonus tracks) appear daunting? Well, there’s no longer any need to fear ostracizing from your social circles due to a humiliating lack of familiarity with T-Swizzle’s most recent masterpieces – folklore and evermore – which quite frankly make Abbey Road sound like dogshit. Lest you be caught in such an awkward situation as not knowing that ‘marjorie’ is a tribute to Swift’s late grandmother, give this brilliant mashup between her two 2020 LPs a listen. folkever (or morelore) delivers only the highest quality cuts from each album, and in a little under an hour. For best results, give this a spin while sipping Starbucks™ lattes in your very own privately owned ski lodge overlooking lush gardens and majestic mountain ranges.

Weekly Releases: December 2020

By Sowing Wednesday December 2, 2020

21 Comments

Here’s a list of major new releases for the entire month of December 2020. These releases have been condensed into one post as, historically at least, December is a slower time for new musical releases. In the meanwhile, our staff will be working on compiling their highly anticipated “Top Albums of 2020” feature, so stay tuned to see what we anoint as the album of the year. With regards to the below releases, please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums. From our staff and userbase to you, we wish you and your loved ones a safe and happy holiday season. We’ll see you in January!

– List of Releases: December 4, 2020 –

Live at the Royal Albert Hall

Arctic Monkeys: Live At The Royal Albert Ha
Genre: Alternative/Indie Rock
Label: Domino

For the Music

Blackfield: For the Music
Genre: Alt/Progressive Rock
Label: WM Germany

Seasonal Shift

Calexico: Seasonal Shift
Genre: Country/Americana/Folk
Label: Anti/Epitaph

In Decay, Too

Com Truise: In Decay, Too
Genre: Electronic/IDM
Label: Ghostly Int’l

10 Years Gone (Live)

Deafheaven: 10 Years Gone (Live)
Genre: Black Metal/Shoegaze
Label: Sargent House

Rotting Dreams of Carrion

The Deviant: Rotting Dreams of Carrion
Genre: Death/Black Metal
Label: Soulseller

Sea Savage [Explicit]

Gama Bomb: Sea Savage
Genre: Thrash Metal
Label: Prosthetic

Death of an Optimist [Explicit]

grandson: Death Of An Optimist
Genre:…

Sowing’s Top 25 Albums of 2020

By Sowing Wednesday November 25, 2020

80 Comments

Category I: Welcome

It’s the conclusion of yet another interesting year in this, um, “unique” corner of the internet. Our site’s aesthetics may be firmly entrenched in 2010, but this “best of” feature ushers 2020 out of our collective memories. For many of us that brings immense relief, even if most of the same issues that plagued this year will follow us right into January. Still, there are reasons for optimism as we delve further into this still young decade. One of them is how music stepped up to the plate in a time of crisis. It’s during humanity’s most trying times that art seems to give us the most hope, and from invigorating protest music to pensive quarantine albums, musicians acted like first responders to our emotional needs in 2020.

Everyone’s way of navigating this crazy, chaotic year was different – a fingerprint consisting of our own unique challenges. Personally, I found myself relating to mellow folk (and even country!) as an escape from the psychological stresses caused by the pandemic and its consequences, but it’s just as understandable for others to have taken solace in elated pop, metal, or woke hip-hop (and there’s a little of each here!). It was all we could do not to sink into despair, basically. That’s part of the reason I decided to, at least temporarily, retire my Sowing’s Music Awards shtick (2014-2019, RIP) – replete with its “worst album” and “biggest disappointment” categories…

Weekly Releases 11.27.2020

By Sowing Monday November 23, 2020

21 Comments

Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of November 27, 2020. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.

– List of Releases: November 27, 2020 –

How Beauty Holds The Hand Of Sorrow

Ane Brun: How Beauty Holds The Hand of Sorrow
Genre: Folk/Indie-Rock
Label: Balloon Ranger

No Fun Mondays

Billie Joe Armstrong: No Fun Mondays
Genre: Punk/Rock
Label: Warner Bros.

Lightning To The Nations 2020

Diamond Head: Lightning To The Nations 2020
Genre: Heavy Metal/Hard Rock
Label: Silver Lining Music

Distant Memories - Live in London

Dream Theater: Distant Memories: Live In London
Genre: Progressive Metal
Label: Century Media

Weight Of The False Self

Hatebreed: Weight Of The False Self
Genre: Hardcore/Metalcore
Label: Nuclear Blast

Plastic Hearts

Miley Cyrus: Plastic Hearts
Genre: Pop/Psychedelic
Label: RCA

While Time Disappears

Our Oceans: While Time Disappears
Genre: Progressive/Post Rock
Label: Long Branch

Plini: Impulse Voices
Genre: Progressive Rock/Metal/Jazz Fusion
Label: N/A

Beyond The Shores (On Death And Dying)

Shores of Null: Beyond The Shores (On Death And Dying)
Genre: Progressive/Melodic Death Metal
Label: Spikerot

CYR

Smashing Pumpkins: CYR
Genre: Alt-Rock/Shoegaze/Grunge
Label: Sumerian

Lost Machine - Live

Voivod: Lost Machine – Live
Genre: Thrash/Progressive Metal
Label: Century Media

Black Heart

Within The Ruins: Black Heart
Genre: Death/Progressive Metal/Metalcore
Label: eOne Music

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Staff’s Q4 Playlist

By Sowing Tuesday November 17, 2020

8 Comments

2020: Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4

Sputnikmusic Staff’s 2020 Q4 Playlist

Welcome to the fourth installment of our 2020 quarterly playlist/mixtape! Feel free to jam the playlist below while reading what our writers had to say about each selection. Tell us what your favorites are in the comments, as well as any new artists you may have discovered here – or, alternatively, tell us what we missed! Thanks for reading/listening.

Tracklist:

zombie girl

Adrianne Lenker – zombie girl

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a song that will make you feel warmer inside than ‘zombie girl’. It portrays sad romance and hopeful longing: “I sworn I could’ve felt you there, and I almost could’ve kissed your hair” / “Then the next night, dreaming I could feel your skin, but the dream escaped so easily”. songs follows suit as one of the most moving folk albums of 2020; a piece that consistently portrays total intimacy and crushing vulnerability. — Sowing

Collapse Under the Empire – Red Rain

Many of the genre’s stalwarts have released a new record this year, but I haven’t heard something that whets the third-wave whistle in Q4 quite yet, so I’m banking on the German

…

Weekly Releases 11.20.2020

By Sowing Monday November 16, 2020

23 Comments

Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of November 20, 2020. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.

– List of Releases: November 20, 2020 –

Super Deluxe [Explicit]

Bearings: Hello, It’s You
Genre: Pop-Punk/Post-Hardcore
Label: Pure Noise

Real Me [Explicit]

Brit Taylor: Real Me
Genre: Country
Label: Cut a Shine

Vasto

Cabaret Voltaire: Shadow of Fear
Genre: Industrial/Post-Punk
Label: Mute

Hiding from the World

Communic: Hiding From The World
Genre: Progressive Rock/Thrash Metal/Power Metal
Label: AFM

Only Time Will Tell

Contrarian: Only Time Will Tell
Genre: Death/Progressive Metal
Label: Willowtip Inc

Moment

Dark Tranquillity: Moment
Genre: Progressive/Melodic Death Metal
Label: Century Media

A Philosopher At The End Of The Universe

Darzamat: A Philosopher at the End of the Universe
Genre: Black Metal/Gothic
Label: Sleaszy Rider

Ring Road

Dirty Projectors: Ring Road
Genre: Indie Folk/Pop
Label: Domino

Alive in Melbourne (Live) [Explicit]

Jinjer: Alive In Melbourne
Genre: Progressive Metal/Metalcore/Death Metal
Label: Napalm

Reluctant Hero [Explicit]

Killer Be Killed: Reluctant Hero
Genre: Thrash Metal/Metalcore/Hardcore
Label: Nuclear Blast

K.G. [Explicit]

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard: K.G.
Genre: Psychedelic/Progressive Rock
Label: KGLW

III

Lindstrøm and Prins Thomas: III
Genre: Electronic/R&B
Label: Smalltown Supersound

Origin of the Alimonies

Liturgy: Origin Of…

Black Stallion

By Sowing Friday November 13, 2020

23 Comments

White Pony (20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) [Explicit]

I’m not normally one who appreciates remixes. Usually they just feel like bad covers designed to take advantage of club goers and helpless mainstream addicts who want the same three beat variations for the rest of their lives. However, I’ve been proven wrong a lot lately when it comes to music, and I think that’s something that’s important to admit when you’ve been analyzing and critiquing music for well over a decade. Sam Amidon’s self-titled album of mostly early-1900s folk/Americana covers was released last month and completely altered my view on what a “covers album” is capable of, and now Deftones might be on the cusp of changing my mind about remixes. These two similar but separate avenues of re-imagining art have always been throwaways, but the tide is changing.

The myth of Black Stallion has been a topic of discussion for years in diehard Deftones circles, and now we’re finally getting it on December 11th via the White Pony 20th Anniversary Edition. I have to say, the two remixes released so far (‘Knife Prty’ and ‘Passenger’) have done more than merely avoid disappointment – they’ve caused real excitement from a fan of the band who just spent the last 2 months relentlessly jamming Ohms and who should be tired of the band’s sound by now. Purity Ring’s ‘Knife Prty’ remix is something to behold – a gorgeous, dazzling blend of keyboards, synths, and drums that has a smooth glazed finish and a downright haunting air. It…

Weekly Releases 11.13.2020

By Sowing Tuesday November 10, 2020

20 Comments

Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of November 13, 2020. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.

– List of Releases: November 13, 2020 –

POWER UP

AC/DC: POWER UP
Genre: Hard Rock
Label: Columbia

Spirit World Field Guide

Aesop Rock: Spirit World Field Guide
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label: Rhymesayers

DEMIDEVIL [Explicit]

Ashnikko: Demidevil
Genre: Hip-Hop/Pop
Label: Parlophone

Szabodelico

Causa Sui: Szabodelico
Genre: Psychedelic/Stoner Rock
Label: El Paraiso

Starting Over

Chris Stapleton: Starting Over
Genre: Country
Label: Mercury

Night Network

The Cribs: Night Network
Genre: Indie-Rock/Post-Punk
Label: Sonic Blew

Off the Deep

The Darcys: Fear & Loneliness
Genre: Indie-Rock/Shoegaze
Label: The Darcys Inc. Records

Buddies II: Still Buddies [Explicit]

Frank Turner & Jon Snodgrass: Buddies II: Still Buddies
Genre: Folk/Rock/Punk
Label: Xtra Mile Recordings

Survival Kit [Explicit]

Goodie Mob: Survival Kit
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label: Organized Noize/Goodie Mob Worldwide

Terminus

Jesu: Terminus
Genre: Shoegaze/Drone/Post Metal
Label: Avalanch Recordings

Renegades

L.A. Guns: Renegades
Genre: Hard Rock
Label: Golden Robot

Trip

Lambchop: Trip
Genre: Country/Americana
Label: Merge

Through Shaded Woods

Lunatic Soul: Through Shaded Woods
Genre: Progressive Rock/Ambient/Psychedelic
Label: KSCOPE

Carnival Of Killers

Macabre:…

Weekly Releases 10.30.2020

By Sowing Monday October 26, 2020

23 Comments

Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of October 30, 2020. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.

– List of Releases: October 30, 2020 –

The Human Demands

Amy MacDonald: The Human Demands
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label: Infectious Music

HARK!

Andrew Bird: Hark!
Genre: Indie-Folk/Classical
Label: Loma Vista

After The Great Storm

Ane Brun: After the Great Storm
Genre: Folk/Indie-Rock
Label: Balloon Ranger

Ariana Grande: Positions
Genre: Pop/R&B
Label: Republic

Black Foxxes [Explicit]

Black Foxxes: Black Foxxes
Genre: Alt-Rock/Emo/Post-Hardcore
Label: Spinefarm

The Human Condition

Black Stone Cherry: The Human Condition
Genre: Hard Rock/Blues
Label: Mascot

POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR [Explicit]

Bring Me The Horizon: Post Human: Survival Horror
Genre: Metalcore/Post-Hardcore/Pop-Rock
Label: RCA

Despicable

Carcass: Despicable
Genre: Melodic Death Metal/Grind
Label: Nuclear Blast

Crack a Light

Dope Body: Crack A Light
Genre: Noise-Rock/Punk/Grunge
Label: Drag City

Under A Godless Veil

Draconian: Under a Godless Veil
Genre: Doom Metal/Death Metal/Gothic
Label: Napalm

Are We Alright Again

Eels: Earth To Dora
Genre: Indie-Rock/Indie-Pop/Lo-Fi
Label: E Works

Hey Clockface

Elvis Costello: Hey Clockface
Genre: Pop-Rock/Post-Punk
Label: Concord

May Our Chambers Be Full

Emma Ruth Rundle & Thou: May…

Weekly Releases 10.23.2020

By Sowing Tuesday October 20, 2020

22 Comments

Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of October 23, 2020. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.

– List of Releases: October 23, 2020 –

songs and instrumentals

Adrianne Lenker: songs
Genre: Indie-Folk/Country
Label: 4AD

Adrianne Lenker: instrumentals
Genre: Indie-Folk/Country
Label: 4AD

Karma & Desire

Actress: Karma & Desire
Genre: Techno/House/IDM
Label: Ninja Tune

Punching the Sky [Explicit]

Armored Saint: Punching the Sky
Genre: Heavy/Thrash Metal
Label: Metal Blade

Paperback Writer (In Isolation)

Blossoms: In Isolation
Genre: Indie-Rock/Pop
Label: Virgin EMI

Wachito Rico [LP]

Boy Pablo: Wachito Rico
Genre: Lo-Fi/Indie-Rock
Label: 777 Music

Letter To You

Bruce Springsteen: Letter To You
Genre: Rock/Americana/Folk
Label: Columbia

Celestial Season: The Secret Teachings
Genre: Doom Metal/Death Metal/Stoner Rock
Label: Burning World Records

Visions of Bodies Being Burned [Explicit]

clipping: Visions of Bodies Being Burned
Genre: Hip-Hop/Industrial/Experimental
Label: Sub Pop Records

Order of Magnitude - Empath Live, Vol. 1 [Explicit]

Devin Townsend: Order Of Magnitude – Empath Live Volume 1
Genre: Progressive Rock/Metal
Label: InsideOutMusic

All Blessed [Explicit]

Faithless: All Blessed
Genre: Electronic/Trip-Hop/Trance
Label: BMG

III

Fuzz: III
Genre: Psychedelic/Sludge Metal/Stoner Rock
Label: In the Red Records
…

Weekly Releases 10.16.2020

By Sowing Tuesday October 13, 2020

21 Comments

Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of October 16, 2020. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.

– List of Releases: October 16, 2020

Dark Hearts

Annie: Dark Hearts
Genre: Pop/Electronic/Indie-Pop
Label: Annie Melody

SIGN

Autechre: SIGN
Genre: IDM/Experimental/Ambient
Label: Warp

Fake It Flowers [Explicit]

Beabadoobee: Fake It Flowers
Genre: Grunge/Indie-Pop/Indie-Rock
Label: Dirty Hit

Legacies [Explicit]

Chaos Divine: Legacies
Genre: Progressive/Death Metal
Label: Chaos Recordings

The Rockfield Files - EP

The Damned: The Rockfield Files
Genre: Post Punk/Gothic
Label: Spinefarm

Impossible Weight

Deep Sea Diver: Impossible Weight
Genre: Indie/Alt Rock
Label: High Beam

The Time it Takes (Transparent Marigold Orange Vinyl)

Goldmund: The Time It Takes
Genre: Classical/Minimal/Post-Rock
Label: Western Vinyl

Gulfer

Gulfer: Gulfer
Genre: Emo/Post Rock/Math Rock
Label: Topshelf

DISCO4 :: PART I [Explicit]

HEALTH: DISCO4 :: Part I
Genre: Noise Rock/Alt-Rock/Electronic
Label: Loma Vista

Horse

Holy Motors: Horse
Genre: Alt-Rock/Dream Pop
Label: Wharf Cat

Sundowner

Kevin Morby: Sundowner
Genre: Indie-Folk/Rock
Label: Dead Oceans

Wildhorse

Malin Pettersen: Wildhorse
Genre: Country
Label: Die With Your Boots On

Serpentine Prison

Matt Berninger: Serpentine Prison
Genre: Indie Folk
Label: Concord

Anime, Trauma and Divorce | Open Mike Eagle

Open Mike Eagle: Anime, Trauma and Divorce
Genre: Hip-Hop/Experimental
Label: AutoReverse

I Don't Feel Well

Pluralone: I Don’t Feel Well
Genre: Indie-Pop/Alt Rock
Label: Org Music

All of Us

Sam Roberts: All Of Us
Genre: Indie-Rock
Label: Known Accomplice

Big Vibe

Seaway: Big Vibe
Genre: Pop Punk/Emo/Pop Rock
Label: Pure Noise

Strange Days [Explicit]

The Struts: Strange Days
Genre: Pop Rock/Indie Rock
Label: Interscope

Ta-ku: All Things Considered Vol. 1
Genre: Hip-Hop/Ambient/Electronic
Label: 823 Records

Projections

Tomberlin: Projections
Genre: Folk/Ambient
Label: Saddle Creek

S16

Woodkid: S16
Genre: Folk/Alt-Rock/Electronic
Label: Island

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Weekly Releases 10.9.2020

By Sowing Wednesday October 7, 2020

21 Comments

Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of October 9, 2020. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.

– List of Releases: October 9, 2020

Sad Hunk

Bahamas: Sad Hunk
Genre: Indie-Folk/Alt-Rock
Label: Brushfire/Universal

The Symbol Remains

Blue Oyster Cult: The Symbol Remains
Genre: Hard Rock/Psychedelic
Label: Frontiers Music SRL

Skeletons

Brothers Osborne: Skeletons
Genre: Country
Label: EMI Nashville

Ellengæst

Crippled Black Phoenix: Ellengæst
Genre: Post/Progressive/Stoner Rock
Label: Season of Mist

Dealing with Demons I [Explicit]

Devildriver: Dealing With Demons I
Genre: Thrash/Melodic Death Metal
Label: Napalm

Tragic Separation

DGM: Tragic Separation
Genre: Progressive Rock/Metal
Label: Frontiers Music SRL

April/月音

Emmy the Great: April/月音
Genre: Indie-Pop/Folk/Electronic
Label: Bella Union

As Long As You Are

Future Islands: As Long as You Are
Genre: Indie-Rock/Pop/Electronic
Label: 4AD

The Affair of the Poisons [Explicit]

Hellripper: The Affair of the Poisons
Genre: Thrash/Black/Heavy Metal
Label: Peaceville

Somewhere Nowhere

Hundredth: Somewhere Nowhere
Genre: Shoegaze/Hardcore/Post Metal
Label: Hundredth

Moon Piano

Laraaji: Moon Piano
Genre: Ambient/Experimental
Label: All Saints

Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory: 20th Anniversary Edition [Super Deluxe Edition] | Craft & Vinyl - #YouBelongHere

Linkin Park: Hybrid Theory – 20th Anniversary Edition
Genre: Nu-Metal
Label: Warner Records

A View Of U (SILVER, BLACK, WHITE MARBLED VINYL)

Machinedrum: A View Of U
Genre: House/IDM/Electronic
Label: Ninja Tune

Silver Ladders

Mary Lattimore: Silver Ladders
Genre: Ambient/Minimal/Experimental
Label: Ghostly International

Atlas Vending

METZ: Atlas Vending
Genre: Noise Rock/Post Punk/Hardcore
Label: Sub Pop Records

SISTER

Mina Tindle: SISTER
Genre: Pop/Folk/Soul
Label: 37d03d

Space For The Earth

Ozric Tentacles: Space For The Earth
Genre: Psychedelic/Progressive/Jam Rock
Label: Kscope

I Wonder

Teramaze: I Wonder
Genre: Progressive Metal/Power Metal/Progressive Rock
Label: Wells Music

Lament

Touché Amoré: Lament
Genre: Hardcore/Emo/Post-Hardcore
Label: Epitaph

10 Songs

Travis: 10 Songs
Genre: Britpop/Indie-Rock/Pop
Label: BMG

Sleepless Night

Yo La Tengo: Sleepless Night
Genre: Indie-Rock/Shoegaze
Label: Matador

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Weekly Releases 10.2.2020

By Sowing Thursday October 1, 2020

42 Comments

Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of October 2, 2020. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.