the millennium
i was born in 2007, so as such most of my musical education is based on me reading up on history, not based on me living it. i worry i have been rather prone to miss some post-millennium classics. list is some of my fav albums that came out 2000 or later (oldest to youngest), look through my ratings and rec me anything y2k or newer |
| 1 |  | Yo La Tengo
And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside...
frankly this is their best: the definitive balmy summer night record. perfect for when the sun has gone down but the sky is still bright. an understated affair, this album brings to mind warm sidewalks, late-night drives, and the Velvet Underground self-titled. |
| 2 |  | Boards of Canada
Geogaddi
this summer this became my single favorite "purely" electronic album, a lovely blend of clattering drum loops, field recordings, and the most haunting synths you'll ever hear. a more sinister (and as such, richer) project than Music Has the Right to Children. |
| 3 |  | Pig Destroyer
Terrifyer
absolute classic release. for a while, i would have told you Jane Doe was likely the craziest, most intense album i had ever listened to but that was until i listened to this |
| 4 |  | LCD Soundsystem
Sound of Silver
part of the reason I've done a half-hearted job mining the 2000s for music is because so much of it is bullshit pitchforkcore (considering my largest pie chart section is indie rock, you think i'd be fond of pitchfork, but not really). however, as far as the pitchfork canon goes, this album has treated me kindly: an enthralling dance-punk cocktail that brings to mind Berlin-era Bowie. right on. |
| 5 |  | Death Grips
Exmilitary
this one barely beats the money store for its spot here, although the records have the same standing in my head. beware is just an untouchably good opener. the group feels at their meatiest and, ironically, most accessible here, helping lay the foundation for some great experimental hip-hop throughout the teens |
| 6 |  | Lord Snow
Solitude
this album is a rather recent discovery, but it sounds insane. manic lo-fi skramz that has equal footing in both hardcore and noise rock. if you liked The Heat Death of the Universe or the 2023 Jeromes Dream album you'll adore this |
| 7 |  | Deafheaven
New Bermuda
this is their best stay mad m/
for a while i had this at a 5 b/c i would go on eight or nine mile walks after dinner in the dead of winter while listening to this and it was so situationally perfect. i still enjoy this album---i find Deafheaven to be a far more exceptional at playing black metal than they are at playing dream pop---but the album falls off ahrd on the last track |
| 8 |  | Danny Brown
Atrocity Exhibition
i've known about this album for almost two years now and recently i've been appreciating it more than i ever have. Danny's lyricism is inventive, and the beats are one-of-a-kind. albums that are this intensely hedonistic are not normally very fun, potentially alienating the listener left unable to relate, but Brown's masterful bars add a tragic depth to his character rather than flatten it. |
| 9 |  | ECCO2K
E
hyperpop-influenced cloud rap? i'm not sure what exactly you'd call this but man it's a blast. an album i'd feel comfortable comparing this to is Die Lit, with its mindless earworm hooks: the producers seem to have a phenomenal knack for crafting beats that are the ideal canvas for Ecco's breathy soprano. |
| 10 |  | Black Country New Road
Ants from Up There
2022 was one of the best years i can think of in music. perhaps not quite a '94 or a '97, but certainly on the board. this is my favorite album from that year: i found it a year late in 2023 and missed most of the internet drama but this sounded incredible upon first listen and while i'd say i'm past my peak enjoyment of this record, it still sounds golden and magical, especially during the colder months. |
| 11 |  | Shearling
Motherfucker, I Am Both: "Amen" and "Hallelujah"..
figured i'd finish the list off with my aoty i'm almost completely confident that if the Ethel Cain releases didn't top this then nothing will |
|
