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

30. Ashenspire – Hostile Architecture

[Bandcamp] // [Spotify]

The overall takeaway from multiple 2020 releases was this overbearing sense of isolation. Across the globe, seclusion was imposed to alleviate a growing pandemic, and its sudden necessity caused a mass dissolution of social connections and relationships. Perhaps, as a response, 2021’s cycle had a bevy of familiar faces delivering solid, safe records, offering comfort that had previously been dismantled. Toss that all out the window — it is 2022, two years removed from when life shut down and power systems demonstrated their profound weaknesses when addressing it. Ashenspire’s purpose on Hostile Architecture is to survey the damage; their scathing social critique takes aim at calculated oppression, malignant government bodies, and the widening divide between the haves and have-nots, firing with such precision that it’s impossible to not envision burgeoning crowds stocked to the brim with pitchforks and torches aplenty. It came out of left field, but the Scots’ sophomore release was certainly something that the new decade’s omnipresent uncertainty was craving.

Given the subject matter at hand, Hostile Architecture is appropriately claustrophobic, erecting shadowy soundscapes that echo about crumbling cities, ringing in the alleyways and reverberating in shelters as frustration bubbles to a boiling point. The band’s grab-bag of influences and contributing elements that they use to portray this hauntingly real dystopia possesses incredible depth. Dissodeath and black metal forge a mesmerizing foundation, while touches of post-punk…

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

50. CMAT – If My Wife New I’d Be Dead

[Official site] // [Spotify]

CMAT resides in the soft, pillowy safety of a thought bubble, in the sunset hues of daydream and if-only. Hers is a particular longing, and who can blame her, for the tropes born of country denizens Dolly Parton and Glen Campbell — she wants the tall boots with spurs, the rodeos, and the heartbreak that birthed all those lovelorn Foghorn Leghorn country classics. She wants a slice of the adulation reserved only for pop megastars the ilk of Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey. She wants not to be tangled up in the humdrum of abject normality.

If My Wife New I’d Be Dead plays out like a self-exposing fantasy, a simulation as far removed from reality as possible. It’s full of biting humour aimed very much inward — album standout “No More Virgos” frames her failing relationships as being astrologically determined, denying any possibility of her own shortcomings and pithy demands. On “Every Bottle (Is My Boyfriend)”, a bittersweet romp on the subject of over-imbibing in the face of the absence of romance, she geo-locates herself as being very far away from Nashville indeed with a reference to the Gaelic Athletic Association: “Honky tonk girl of the G.A.A., with about the same glamour and half the game.” But ultimately, CMAT’s reality is right in front of us. There’s no character work…

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

10. Dvne – Etemen Ænka

[Bandcamp] // [Spotify]

While progressive sludge metal might be a rather sparsely-inhabited sub-sub-genre, Dvne have assuredly claimed their kingship over its fertile lands with Etemen Ænka. Standing tall as an epic journey built upon the stones of crushing virtuosity and wizard-level songwriting festooned in ribbons of grandiose, this Edinburgh quintet have procured an especially astute amalgamation of poise and power with their sophomore LP.

Compared to their 2017 debut longplayer Asheran, the whole affair is noticeably tighter as it follows the story of a civilization’s journey through the centuries. The ‘float like a butterfly, sting like a bee’ production job helps these matters by offering a wide breadth for the myriad layers to breathe, and moreover, work in harmonious fashion to maximize the emotive gestures and unbelievably devastating heavy sections (think Cult of Luna’s Salvation here). There are parts, like the epic peak of “Sì-XIV”, that hit so fantastically hard you’d swear you can feel the tectonic plates below the soil shift to the movement of the riffs. It’s all very dynamic, with every player sounding loose and totally electrified as they tap into the very tactile power of the music they’re conjuring. Truly cohesive and utterly gripping through its entire runtime, this is prog for the peasantry and sludge for the sommeliers. –Evok

9. Arab Strap – As Days Get Dark

[Official site] // [

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

10. Gates (USA-NJ) – Here and Now

[Bandcamp] // [Spotify]

Here and Now sees Gates return with their first new music since 2016. Frankly, it’s like they never left, with the EP’s six songs residing firmly in the band’s sweet spot, ensconced in the lush middle of the triangle of post-rock, emo, and indie rock. It’s all good, although the staunchly post-rockian (that’s a word) intro “Out Of Nothing” and the melodious anthem “We Are” stand above the rest. If Here and Now doesn’t quite reach the quality level of the group’s two full-lengths, that’s quite OK. Hearing something new from these New Jersey boys is always a treat, especially given the long drought between releases. –Sunnyvale

9. Rebecca Black – Rebecca Black Was Here

[Facebook] // [Spotify]

…

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

30. JPEGMAFIA – LP! (offline) (online)

[Official site] // [Spotify]

Leave it to JPEGMAFIA to create hip-hop that’s equal parts abrasive, experimental, and just plain bold. I guess it comes as no surprise when looking at his list of influences, which includes artists as stylistically disparate as Kanye West, Bjork, MF DOOM, and even Hanson. However, LP! might just be the best record of his career thus far: the balance between accessibility and risk-taking is at its strongest here, leading to a record that never stays in one place — musically or emotionally — for too long. “Hazardous Duty Pay!” and “Tired, Nervous & Broke!” bring out the aggro side of JPEG perfectly and manage to be two of the biggest bangers he’s ever put out, but it’s impressive that he’s able to juxtapose these songs so well with more tender, melancholic moments. You’ve got the gospel-inspired “What Kinda Rappin’ is This?”, the low-key vibes of “Thot’s Prayer!”, and even a goddamn Animals as Leaders sample on “End Credits!”. Moreover, LP! can be seen as JPEG’s “fuck you” to the hip-hop industry, which is even more apparent on the ‘(Offline)’ version, which he considers “the true LP!“. LP! largely acts as a commentary on exploitation and favoritism, as well as JPEG’s disillusion with an industry that “never had my best interest at heart.” Really, it’s no wonder that he wanted to go all-out with LP!, and thankfully, he did. –Brendan Schroer

29. Failure

…

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

50. Lord Huron – Long Lost

[Official site] // [Spotify]

Although Lord Huron have been of note in indie folk circles for a while, the group’s fourth LP Long Lost really sees them come into their own. While still treading indie folk/Americana waters, here the band have moved into a much more lush sonic direction (think Honey Harper with a tinge of Ruston Kelly), while also leaning into classic country influences. While the country aspects of this record can feel like pastiche, they work, especially as it’s pretty clear that Lord Huron mastermind Ben Schneider is self-aware enough to understand he’s not Waylon Jennings. For listeners who, like most of my music-loving friends and I, are enthralled by forlorn old songs drenched in bourbon and steel guitar, this album is a godsend. Before the sunset haze of a lengthy ambient drone closer brings us home, Long Lost leaves us with the repeated mantra, “What does it mean if it all means nothing?” — a line that ultimately isn’t just a reflection on familiar tropes of long lost love and hard-drinking wandering songsmiths. More than anything, it’s a reminder that simple words can capture elusive and quite deep concepts. Now that’s a true country music tradition! –Sunnyvale

49. Porter Robinson – Nurture

[Official site] // [Spotify]

Have no fear, ladies and gentlemen:…

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

10. The Ocean – Phanerozoic II: Mesozoic | Cenozoic

[Bandcamp] // [Spotify]

The modern era of The Ocean Collective — a settled aggregate as opposed to the revolving door era of the early 2000s — forced audiences across the metal world to pay attention with Pelagial. Unlike the prior -centric series, it was a record that combined the band’s growing emphasis on atmosphere with their crushing post-metal soundscapes, threatening sludge background, and emerging vocal talent in Loic Rossetti. No longer did an identity crisis plague the group; their newfound individuality, birthed from the novel ambient and progressive leanings, had been solidified in perhaps the crew’s best flowing and paced output in a titanic discography. Striving to succeed such a laudable effort with yet another concept release dual threat seemed like a second chance, correcting the criticism of years past. Armed to the teeth with members that had now begun to cooperate at a high level, the run began with the promising Phanerozoic I: Palaeozoic, which was designed with consistency in mind — a goal that the record, what with its stunning sonic environments populated by massive riffs and evocative moods, certainly excelled at reaching. Per the band’s own admissions, cliché as it may be from a marketing perspective, a treasure trove of surprises awaited in the anticipated second part. Eyes were predictably rolled in anticipation, yet what emerged precisely as advertised: a product that aimed to…

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

10. Amenra – Mass VI Live

[Bandcamp] // [Spotify]

You’d be hard-pressed to pick Mass VI Live out of a lineup of Amenra’s studio records were you not already well acquainted with their 2017 release of the same name. The live rendition of the Belgian post-metal legends’ most recent opus is sublime, sporting better production values than most bands’ core albums whilst still packing in all the immediacy, wonder and passion you’d expect from an ‘in the moment’ performance, even with the notable absence of a live audience. “Children of the Eye” still hits like a freight train, “Diaken” bristles with all of the same gorgeous little details and “A Solitary Reign” is “A Solitary Reign” which, as you’ll know if you’ve heard the original, is all that it needed to be. It may have only made it onto this list at the whim of two particularly determined users, yet it deserves to be recognised amongst the most impressive releases of 2020, whether live or otherwise, because Mass VI Live is an event. Come and witness it. –Asleep

(tie) 8. DVNE – Omega Severer

[Bandcamp] // [Spotify]

…

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

30. The Weeknd – After Hours

[Official site] // [Spotify]

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…

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.…

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

10. Periphery – Periphery IV: Hail Stan

[Official site] // [Spotify]

Whether you love Periphery or hate them, you can’t ignore them. Well, you can, but where’s the fun in that? 2019 was a pretty huge year for the shitposting meme-lords of the progressive metal world. They started their own record label and released Hail Stan, which is somehow simultaneously their most ambitious, cohesive, diverse, mature, and meme-y record yet. If you don’t believe me just look at the evidence: they named the album Hail Stan [sic]; opening track “Reptile” is an impressively epic and surprisingly engaging seventeen minutes long; they raised the heaviness bar with “Blood Eagle”; they raised the saccharine pop-savviness bar with “It’s Only Smiles”; they threw in a shockingly catchy industrial/synthwave track in “Crush”; and they capped an incredible Spencer Sotelo vocal performance on “Satellites” — Jesus, can that guy hit the notes or what? — the album, and hell, their entire decade, with an impersonation of Eric Cartman saying, “Suck my balls.”

I mean, if you can’t appreciate any of that, it probably means you’re a human being with taste, but it also probably means that you’re more than just a little dead on the inside. –SitarHero

9. Blood Incantation – Hidden History of the Human Race

[Bandcamp] // [Spotify]

Hype. Sweet mother of unholy hype. When I heard that Blood Incantation were releasing a follow-up to Starspawn I…

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

10. Nostromo (CHE) – Narrenschiff

[Bandcamp] // [Spotify]

Sailing Narrenschiff (aka “Ship of Fools”) is like getting your ass kicked for 20 minutes straight by a bunch of deranged Swiss freaks. Nevertheless, this massive display of power never really gets out of control, just like an experienced fighter who always delivers his blows at the right moments. Nostromo’s 2019 EP mirrors maturity and capacity for synthesis without ever losing irreverence. It’s a relentless slab of European grindcore, whose lethal riffs, fierce vocals, and tight musicianship should not pass under the radar. –TheNoTrap

9. Sodom – Out of the Frontline Trench

[Official site] // [Spotify]

8. DJ Python – Derretirse

[Soundcloud] // [Spotify]

Latinx influence on popular music in 2019 is hard to overstate, but most online music discussion seems to circle back to maybe five different artists. Bad Bunny and Rosalia are certainly progress…

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

30. Lightning Bolt – Sonic Citadel

[Official site] // [Spotify]

29. Jimmy Eat World – Surviving

[Official site] // [Spotify]

Emo bands aren’t known for ageing gracefully…

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

50. Prince Daddy and The Hyena – Cosmic Thrill Seekers

[Bandcamp] // [Spotify]

In case you couldn’t tell from that gloriously stupid band name, Prince Daddy are a bit of an audacious bunch. Cosmic Thrill Seekers is the most ambitious emo release of the 2010s and can be counted as one of the best, too. Hung loosely on a narrative framework of watching The Wizard of Oz while tripped out on acid, this really just gives the band free rein to try pretty much anything they’d like. The fact that it results in a blissed-out masterpiece instead of a drug-addled mess instantly places Prince Daddy as one of the premier bands to watch in any genre. Combining Weezer-esque power-pop, outbursts of atonal punk outrage, and glistening emo theatrics, Cosmic Thrill Seekers deserves to be just as fondly remembered and endlessly influential as the likes of Whenever, If Ever or Nothing Feels Good Anymore within the always outwardly expanding genre of emo. –Slex

49. The Tallest Man On Earth – I Love You. It’s a Fever Dream.

[Official site] // [Spotify]

Following on from the growing pains of the transitional Dark Bird Is Home, I Love You. It’s A Fever Dream. might just be Kristian Matsson’s most accomplished release yet. While it isn’t as raw or effortless as the landmark 2011 album The Wild Hunt, it’s exponentially more layered, musically and otherwise. There’s a juxtaposition of warm and weightless wide open space being…