I wasn’t sure whether to start this with a laughing or a crying emoji, I swore to myself that I wouldn’t do this again and here I am writing about a year in music that people will have long since forgotten on a site that remains completely anonymous. Nevermind, I guess that old thing called life got in the way again …… Anyway preamble over, here’s the list.
Inspired by the tragic passing of her mother, Michelle Zauner released her memoirs “Crying in H Mart” which saw the artist intimately exploring and reflecting on her heritage. Months later she releases her third studio album “Jubilee” which feels like a defiant and optimisitc awakening from her trauma and introspection. Unashamedly anthemic and bravely chasing catharthisis “Jubilee” contains Zauners boldest and most sonically expansive music to date. Big hooks, glistening synths and her striking vocals coalesce throughout into an irresistible combo of transcendental dream pop grandeur.
The title of Cassandra Jenkins second album coupled with the scenic cover hint at “new age” and whilst that wouldn’t be an unfair categorisation, An Overview on Phenomenal Natures interrogative tone is too intense for it to sit comfortably in that genre. Jenkin’s explores difficult topics with her supporting characters, bidding to capture truth and then deconstruct it. These anthropological explorations unfold to a resplendent tapestry of hushed guitar tones, subtle bass and elegant sax which culminate into a beguiling and introspective experience for the listener that’s equal parts satisfying and rewarding.
It would’ve been easy for a grizzly music veteran like me to have slept on Olivia Rodrigo’s debut album, purely on the shallow presumption that a teenage girl (who shot to fame on the Disney channel) wasn’t capable of catering for ears as “refined” as mine. Well, after putting my bias to one side I was duly vindicated for doing so. Rodrigo’s channels her broken hearted melodrama so earnestly on “Sour” that you willingly hop aboard her emotional rollercoaster and bear witness to the turmoil. The ebbs and flows of her emotions are deftly underscored by her accomplished bedroom pop melodicism and amongst the bitterness and melancholy she reveals herself to be a genuinely talented musician. One publication asked “who would’ve thought sad girl pop would have such universal appeal?” and I can’t comment on that, but great songwriting always shines through and “Sour” contains one of 2021’s finest collections.
Many bands have revived and reworked post punk over the last decade or two, but few have done so as confidently as Dry Cleaning did on their excellent debut album “New long Leg”. The band produced a delectable combination of sharp basslines, quicksilver guitar solos and metronomic drumming which were blithely complemented by the quotidian lyrics of charismatic frontwoman Florence Shaw. Her apathetic spoken word proved to be the perfect foil for the bands intense and muscular instrumentals here, as her insouciant delivery and humorous non-sequiturs created a unique contrast that set the band apart apart from any contemporary new wave revivalists.
Artists attempting to scale lands previously unchartered can often get lost ashore, but L’rain feels perfectly at home on “fatigue” as she reveals herself to be a true experimentalist. She skillfully perverts, blends and mutates a multiplicity of genres seemingly at will here and in the process produces what can very loosely be described as experimental pop music. The atmosphere of the album naturally feels alien, but is far from impenetrable, as the soundscapes and motifs are sumptuously alluring throughout and with a running time of less than half an hour you’ll find yourself constantly returning to her sui generis world to discover the myriad of hidden pleasures that it has to offer.
Whilst it feels silly to refer to an album this late into Mach-Hommy’s career as a breakthrough release “Pray for Haiti” certainly stands as a high watermark in the elusive New York Rappers discography. Mach’s overt sociopolitical theme provided a fitting backdrop for his complex and incisive lyricism to flourish and his bars were punctuated by a cavernous production style that was just as potent as his rapping. Burying the hatchet with co-producer Westside Gunn proved to be an inspired move on “Pray For Haiti” so here’s hoping they stay on good terms long enough to produce future collaborations of this ilk.
One could argue that de riguer poptermism is primarily responsible for the more favourable treatment R&B has enjoyed in recent times, but I’d suggest that the confessional nature of artists like Jasmine Sullivan simply chime with gen Z sensibilities and it doesn’t get more intimately revealing than an album entitled “Heaux Tales”. Sullivan used her slick immaculately conceived neo soul on this bold album to reveal her unique perspective on sex, relationships, gender roles and social status. Taken out of context, one could view “Heaux Tales” as superficial and morally subversive as she appears to be openly indulging in male objectification and “sexploitation” but that’s not really the point. This album does do a bit of much needed table turning, but it’s not ideologically driven. Sullivan is more concerned with self expression and reclamation and she’s also not afraid to reveal her insecurities, and shortcomings whilst doing so. Aside from focusing on the relative virtues of “Heaux Tales” themes, the production and instrumentation were lavish and silky whilst retaining a tasteful minimalism that really suited her commanding and accomplished vocals. Perhaps it’s fair to say that Jazmine Sullivan’s music got lost in the shuffle in years gone by, but with this superb album, she’s put herself firmly on everybody’s radar.
Art and politics don’t always make the most natural of bedfellows, as they are generally prone to stifling rather than complementing one another. Tamara Lindeman’s aptly titled fifth studio album “Ignorance” confidently bucked that trend though, drawing inspiration from her research into climate change and injecting her clarion calls with a personal intimacy and a compositional fluidity that couldn’t help draw comparisons with the superlative Joni Mitchell. A quick glance at the personnel involved in the conception of “ignorance” revealed Linderman’s arrangements were clearly ambitious, but the net result never felt overly elaborate, as light smattering of percussion, saxophone and keys were expertly infused into her baroque folk with guile and restraint. I don’t think Tamara Linderman expected to single-haneddly turn the political tide when she released “Ignorance” but her pensive reflections of existential angst captured the hearts and minds of all those that were wise enough to listen.
Endless controversy only carries so much currency even in the world of hip hop, so it would’ve been easy to have thought that Tyler the Creators popularity would eventually wane following the emrgence of the Odd Future Collective just over a decade ago. The once impish agitator demonstrated considerable maturation on his 2017 masterwork “Flower Boy” though and proved that he was a more compelling and complex proposition than many had presumed. “Call Me If You Get Lost” is another artistic another leap forward for Tyler and might be his most accomplished work to date. Tyler presents himself as a modern incarnation of controverisal French poet Charles Baudelaire drawing parallels between himself and the 19th century provocateur. Keenly aware of his outsider status, but defiantly championing his artistic progression and personal growth. Tyler juggles genres with consumate ease here and demonstrates Ye level studio wizardry in how seamlessly he pieces everything together. Getting to the top of the mountain is an impressive feat, but doing so as an uncomprising iconoclast must feel particularly satisfying.
When I first heard about this collaboration between Floating Points, Pharaoh Sanders and the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) I was certainly intrigued, but I didn’t expect them to produce the most singular and uniquely sublime record of the year! “Promises” is an ethereal masterpiece of contemplative minimalism that engulfs you into it’s otherworldly atmosphere. Each movement slowly unfolds and subtly morphs into the next and whilst Sanders freewheeling Sax and LSO’s majestic strings periodically show up to ignite the piece, Floating Points harpsicord consistently emerges to subsume you back into a meditative state. Sanders passing months after releasing “Promises” meant this ineffable album bookended his remarkable career and I couldn’t think of a more resounding compliment than to say it was a fitting final act for the legend to depart us with.
Metacritic Music 