Top 25 Albums of the 2020s so Far

Honorable Mentions

Top Albums of 2020s so far

#25: death’s dynamic shroud.wmv and galen tipton - You Like Music

You Like Music is a collab album from death’s dynamic shroud and galen tipton as a part of NUWRLD Mixtape Club, a monthly subscription series that has been running since November 2020. Despite being part of a one month production cycle, this album is fully fleshed out, transporting you into a synthetic, eclectic, and chaotic world. The way that this is achieved is with addicting melodies that are interspersed with chaotic plunderphonic samples. No song shows this better than the title track, which has a fast-paced, airy melody that layers in various high BPM vocal samples that’ll heighten your blood pressure. The album also offers off-kilter hooks in Herobrine Shell 2049 with its abrupt beat that sounds like someone trying to beat down a door. This beat lays the groundwork for a glitching vocal sample incorporated halfway through that changes to another glitching vocal sample every fifteen seconds, as if two entities are trying to communicate through this song. It also just amazes me what kind of sounds are created on this album. Generate Utopia showcases this, sounding like someone or something is having an absolute breakdown despite it just being a quick vocal sample that’s repeated over itself at very quick tempo. After a lot of time in this chaotic world, the closing track Full Body 2 flip is a proper sendoff to the album. With its grand reversed sample, it feels like riding off into the sunset after a long journey, which is appropriate for this LP. This truly is unlike anything else that I’ve listened to this year and should be at the top of any electronic enthusiasts list to check out.

#24: Armand Hammer - Haram

Haram is where the legendary underground duo Armand Hammer meets the best gangster rap producer of the modern age Alchemist, resulting in one of the best rap albums of the decade so far. It’s immediately apparent that Alchemist is tuned in to the duo’s unique style from the opening track, where he utilizes a brooding, swirling that Billy Woods and ELUCID weave around in their opening bars. These bars are as expected well-crafted, especially from Billy Woods. The lyricist continues to show his sharp storytelling ability on the auto-biographical Indian Summer, where Billy raps about his ideals that resulted from changes in his childhood (death of his father and moving to the US) and the summer jobs that he had that reinforced these concepts. The imagery that he presents on the track puts you into his shoes throughout the years, quickly showing the layers of his psyche to the listener. Where I think the group shines the most is on the standout track Falling out the Sky. Here they bring out Earl Sweatshirt who actually connected the Alchemist and Billy Woods initially for this very track. The production on this track takes you straight to Cancun with its chill, lackadaisical vibes. This allows for the MCs to shine over the beat, with some quick samples of Little Richard and David Lynch to act as smooth transitions between the verses. The beat also contrasts the verses from everyone on the track, with Earl speaking on moving forward from the death of his father, Billy about surviving in the unforgiving world and ELUCID about surviving summer camps growing up. These verses, while showing the traumas of their past, layered on this beat suggests that they are making peace with them without forgetting their significance to their lives. With Haram, Armand Hammer has perhaps created the most focused project that the duo has made, making it continue to be one of the most essential underground records of the decade.

#23: Carly Rae Jepsen - The Loveliest Time

These B-Sides continue to age well over time, still managing to be some of the catchiest songs that Carly has released. To start, the opening track has one of the most unique hooks of her career with Jepsen repeating “Never Over, Never Never Over” for the chorus, with her voice almost acting as an instrumental solo on the track. Similarly, on So Right Carly upscales her vocal octaves on the chorus to make for another unique hook. This album also has CRJ venturing into other genres aside from her typical dance pop. Kollage leans into the sophisti-pop genre with its slower instrumentals that help enhance the moody, slow burn aura that the entire track has. The Loveliest Time also offers potentially her first venture into house with Psychedelic Switch. The whirling, psychedelic backing instrumental mirrors the feeling of being enamored with someone, a familiar trope from Carly, but with this house production that gives it a unique edge. Of course there are also some trademark CRJ songs on the record that are pretty straightforward dance/synthpop like Shy Boy and Kamikaze which offer her infectious hooks and bright production that we’re used to. Even though this collection of tracks are B-Sides and have no cohesion outside the consistent sound, their catchiness is what makes this one of the best pop records of the decade so far.

#22: JPEGMAFIA x Danny Brown - SCARING THE HOES

JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown’s collab album from last year continues to hit, in large part due to the top-notch production from Peggy which I want to highlight. Some of the tracks on here have more traditional Peggy production, like Jack Harlow Combo Meal and Orange Juice Jones which have jazz and soul samples respectively. Orange Juice Jones in particular uses its sample from Michael Jackson to be a complete foil to the overly raunchy lyrics that the duo present on the track. What separates this production however is how creative Peggy gets with it. The title track has an uncanny clapping percussion sample with an out of tune middle eastern instrument that evolves into more industrial percussion as the song progresses, living up to its name. Garbage Pale Kids introduces sludgy metal chords at the instrumental break and end of the song, a sign of what Peggy would bring to his next LP. Muddy Waters features a sample with what sounds like a death’s dynamic shroud vocal flip that is used to centralize the track, with a Parliament sample pitched upwards to sound like the Jackson 5 interspersed within it to create a chaotic track that is still somehow cohesive. And lastly I still want to highlight my favorite sample of the decade so far with God Loves You. This is just an amazing sample flip of a church choir layered with that trademark experimental hip hop bass that makes the sample really pop, not to mention the bars from Danny Brown in particular that help drive the energy from the track as well. The duo’s release still holds up as one of the biggest boundary pushing releases and should be a prereq for anyone thinking of producing in the hip hop scene.

#21: Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher

Off the back of Stranger in the Alps where Bridgers showed some promise of great songwriting with an emotional potency, she continues to build on these strengths on her record with her exploration of the indie sound that can showcase her songwriting ability. Halloween demonstrates these songwriting skills with a tale of Phoebe and her partner’s relationship issues, where she highlights that they can’t even put their problems aside for one night to have some fun. All of this is put over a slow and depressive sound design, guitars, and bass that help establish the mood of the track. Similarly, Savior Complex details another aspect of her relationship struggles. Here she blames her own savior complex to save herself from the toxic relationship that she’s in, set over a beautiful but heartbreaking string arrangement that again reflects the tone of the track and album in general. In addition to the songwriting, the instrumentals on this record are great. In particular this can be found on Kyoto, which features a deceptively upbeat guitar instrumental that is the hookiest on the record, but is also where Bridgers reflects on her contentious relationship with her father, helping bring it back down to earth. These chops all culminate on I Know the End. This piece begins with a delicate sound design, feeling like you're floating along the instrumental guided by Phoebe’s voice, like a calm before the storm. The storm then begins to brew, with added horns and percussion and builds to a cacophony of drums, vocals and Bridgers screaming until she can't to mark one of the most cathartic moments of the decade so far. Phoebe’s undeniably a brilliant songwriter who will be relevant as long as she continues to pour this raw emotion that she has on every track presented here.

#20: Porter Robinson - SMILE! :D

With the release of Nurture, Porter Robinson showed that he could expand his sound from the catchy EDM that Sad Machine represented into other adjacent genres like electropop with some folk influences mixed in. SMILE :D marks another evolution of his sound with a venture into indietronica, very reminiscent of Jane Remover’s earlier works at points, with a focal point of emotional resonance tying all of the tracks together. This resonance is shown well on Russian Roulette where Porter shares his thoughts on depression with lyrics like “Maybe this time I won’t be alright” to show where Porter’s headspace is at. This then has a turning point on the third verse where he goes through various aspects of life that he wants to experience, reflecting a positive change towards hope for Porter. The venture into the singer-songwriter Easier to Love You continues to show these emotions, where he revisits letters from his past self.  Lines like “Please be disappointed in me” are heartbreaking, but the overarching theme of self-love on the track offers some sense of hope. Porter also tackles the complexity of fame on the album, in particular on the opening track. Here he notes how absurd it is to be famous, with people online willing to continuously fight for and against you, even if you only intend to make music and not have any other influence. Despite this, Porter pushes forward as the positives for his fans outweigh the vocal minorities that occupy these spaces. The album’s ethereal quality is another highlight, especially on Cheerleader where Porter’s voice and ecstasy emulating synths create an otherworldly experience that showcase the production quality of the album. Porter’s continued upward trajectory and evolution with this album is exciting to see and I’ll be looking forward to whatever the next evolution may look like.

#19: Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want to Turn Into You

Caroline Polachek is one of the most unique mainstream adjacent pop musicians at the moment, opting for an approach of art and alt pop influences instead of embracing what would typically be seen on Billboard. What I think helps her success, that is in particular shown on this album, are the catchy choruses and Caroline’s signature voice. The opening track exemplifies this with her vocals luring you into the track, much like a Siren, and a earworm chorus with the title of the album. Other tracks like I Believe also utilize her voice to propel the song forward on the chorus, with her voice also being used as an additional instrument sweeping from left to right to help add to the airyness of the track. Polachek also pays homage to the late 90s/early 00s art pop on the record, with two tracks standing out in this regard. The first is Pretty In Possible, which layers in her vocals over an Imogen Heap like percussion, creating a familiar soundscape to the aforementioned artist. The second is Fly to You, which has Dido featured on the track, but also has the campy church bells, drum and bass, and harp that immerse you back to that time period. Caroline is also not afraid to get artsy on the record, in particular with Crude Drawing Of An Angel. This slow, moody cut establishes this tone with its Weyes Blood-esque basslines and percussion, but also has some airy instrumentals to help balance the track. Caroline’s legacy continues to cement itself with her releases and will hopefully be an influence for other artists in the near future.

#18: Jane Remover - frailty

Frailty is the second full-length LP from Jane Remover, but feels like the first proper album as her first release was just under 25 minutes long. In this fleshed out release, Jane is able to showcase her lyrical ability, and I think the first to demonstrate this is the second track Your Clothes. At the surface it feels like it’s about an unreciprocated crush, with lyrics about gracing past someone and thinking this connection was one-sided. However this could also serve as a metaphor for the trans experience as well with the chorus of “I wish I was in your clothes” hinting at this underlying meaning. This lyrical prowess continues on Movies for Guys, which again has lyrics about crushing on someone, but this time with a more devastating edge, rejecting them  not just for the person that Jane is, but the idea of you, another glimpse into the trans experience. The track also exemplifies her mastery in song structure. It begins as a somber piece, then starts to ramp up with some metal guitars interspersed into the track before transitioning into the second half of the track. This half marks a thirst for revenge with the sinister delivery from Jane. Kodak Moment again shows this instrumental awareness that helps convey the emotions on the album. This track features a beratement of electronic sounds for a minute straight to show her angered feelings, that then breaks into a beautiful piano melody afterwards, as if to mark some measure of peace. With Frailty, Jane laid the groundwork for her artistry, paving the way for her next releases to continue on with this artistic revolution.

#17: The Snow Strippers - April Mixtape 3

Snow Strippers have solidified their place in the electroclash and electropop scene over the past half decade. With an impressive output in that time period with many mixtapes, EPs, and their first full-length LP the duo has built a reputation based on their addictingly catchy songs with a hedonistic tone that speaks to their listeners. I think no album encapsulates their sound better at this point than April Mixtape 3, their latest mixtape. The production is an obvious highlight to the record, with opening tracks Again and Under Your Spell showcasing their signature sound with the pulsating beats, ethereal vocals and general mystical vibe to the tracks. There are also some creative production choices throughout the record to keep this sound engaging. On Now It’s Not the Same Graham chops up a vocal sample pitched downwards to sound haunting that drives the energy of the track. This same technique is utilized on Deceitful Eyes, where Tatian’s fading vocals are layered over this technique to create the cold but ethereal vibes. There are also some straight ragers through the album like Sick and Under A Siege that push that pulsating bass to its limit as well as some more atmospheric tracks that act as a breather for these tracks. Don’t You Feel in particular has some downtrodden vocal samples and a slower tempo that makes you feel like you are melting right into the track. With April Mixtape 3, this duo continued to carve out their lane and should continue to grow as they gain exposure in the music scene.

#16: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation

King Gizzard is a group that has continued to put out a massive amount of albums in the past half decade, putting out 11 official releases in that time span, outpacing the previous half decade by 3 full albums. Despite this increase in output, the group has retained the quality releases, consistently iterating on their sound. Omnium Gatherum is a prime example of this, with ventures into new territory like hip hop for the band, but also showing off their ability to make long winded tracks like The Dripping Tap. However the album that has impressed me the most over the decade so far has been this one here. It manages to be a tight record with what I believe to be the best metal of the decade so far. The opening riffs of Motor Spirit remind us of the bands thrash roots on Infest the Rat’s Nest. This energy builds to the follow up track Supercell, acting as more of a speed metal track with its faster tempo drumming, and has chanty vocals to announce the supercell tornado that is conjured on the track. Other tracks like Flamethrower and Dragon show King Gizz’s progression with the metal sound, mixing in their most aggressive guitar tones to date. This is all done with a narrative that is weaved together as a metaphor for humanity’s impact on earth, similar to Infest the Rat’s Nest. This story tells the tale of a society that is obsessed with oil, whose reckless actions lead to a supercell tornado being created. Witches attempt to tame the storm, but end up creating a gila monster that eventually turns into a dragon and destroys the earth itself. PetroDragonic Apocalypse highlights the best of what Gizz has to offer this decade, and should be an indication that they’ll never stop innovating on their sound.

#15: Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You

Big Thief’s latest record continues to stack up as one of the best records of the decade, in particular because of its songwriting and instrumentation that are leagues ahead of most contemporary folk at the moment. In the instrumentation department, Big Thief shows these strengths with the variation of sounds on the LP which I noted in my previous review. In particular, one of the standouts in this regard is Flowers of Blood, which is a neo-psychedelic song that has grungy undertones with its deep toned bass and looming guitars. This vibe continues onto Blurred View, with similar bass and guitars that mark a brooding atmosphere, that combined with the four stanza structure make it feel like a love letter within a horror movie. These variations of genre help with the pacing of the album, helping it feel more like an adventure than a slog especially given the run time. On the songwriting side, what I think helps cement the legacy of this record are the inquisitive feelings about the human experience. These are apparent with the tracks Changes, Spud Infinity, and Certainty, where Adrianne explores the ideas of changes in life, acceptance and appreciation of yourself and others, and being lovestruck with someone, all of which are very common experiences. Where I think the group showcases the best of songwriting and instrumentals is on the track Little Things. This has an upbeat and jangly wall-of-sound guitar alongside another jangly hopeful guitar tone that help complement the lyrics about infatuation with a partner, one that is so great that they’d never lose sight of them. This album continues to cement the legacy of the group and shows why Big Thief, and Adrianne Lenker by proxy, are some of the best songwriters and instrumentalists of modern folk.

#14: Wednesday - Rat Saw God

To call Rat Saw God an homage to middle America might be a stretch, but it’s unapologetically authentic to that experience. This is shown through the vivid anecdotes scattered through the record and the noisy alt-country sound that the group has manifested. The opening track acts as a thesis to these ideas, with imagery of a town strip, smells of hot summer grass and shoegaze guitars that establish the scene of an average American town. These anecdotes continue on Got Shocked, where Hartzman details getting electrocuted and reflecting on her late landlord who configured these wires, dreaming of being a racecar driver at the end of his life. Chosen to Deserve is a more personal tale, as she opens up to her partner, now chronicling all of her worst stories now that all of the best have been told. This consists of tales of underage binge drinking, nightmares on and stomach pumps caused by Benadryl, and unsafe sex in a cul-de-sac as acts of rebellion. The last verse on this track is a reformation from these tales, citing boredom from drugs as this rebellion has since faded. It would also be a miss to not reflect on the instrumentals of the record, which elevate Wednesday to a powerhouse on this record. This is shown particularly well on Bath County, where the sludgy shoegaze guitars help emphasize these internalized experiences of death at a Planet Fitness parking lot and overdoses in these communities. But where this is showcased best is on Bull Believer, which has two separate acts, the first of which has driving noisy guitars and lyrics about watching someone succumb to addiction. The tempo then slows, transitioning into the second act, a dip into the sadness as a teenager. This builds into a barrage of pulsing guitars and Karly simply screaming Finish Him, one of the peaks of emotional anguish for the decade and a testament to the work that the group has produced on the record.

#13: clipping. - Visions of Bodies Being Burned

Clipping.’s latest LP marks the hip-hop trio’s fifth studio release and their second explicit exploration of horror-themed storytelling following their 2019 album. Like its predecessor, this album fuses industrial hip-hop, experimental hip-hop and horrorcore all grounded under the central horror themes that act much more like a horror movie put into an album than a traditional hip-hop album. Right from the opening track listeners are placed into this murky, chilling world as a loud pulsing boom sets an ominous tone, establishing the atmosphere to be expanded on through the rest of the album. The first full length track Say the Name combines a synth and industrial backing track with lyrics referring to the urban legend of Candyman, continuing to build upon this atmosphere established from the start. In addition to the production, Daveed Diggs elevates this brooding atmosphere with his vocal performance. This is most evident on Something Underneath, where his quick delivery and the urgent percussion evokes the feeling of being hunted by Ghostface or Michael Myers. The occasional slower moments on this track mimic a brief relief of escaping danger, only dumping you right back into the track to remind you that the threat still looms around the corner. This effort by clipping. shows that they are still one of the most innovative underground hip-hop acts working today with a unique approach that I hope they continue to explore.

#12: feeble little horse - Girl With Fish

Feeble Little Horse’s sophomore effort is a short, but sweet record packed with catchy shoegaze instrumentals and deadpan delivered lyrics. The track Tin Man feels Alex G-esque with its guitar driven progression intermixed with various bells and vocal grunts, but is distinguished with the heavier shoegaze guitar that adds some grittiness to the song. Another track to highlight the instrumentals is Paces, which shows the expertise that the group has on the guitar, providing an irresistibly upbeat guitar riff that hooks you into the songwriting, making you almost forget about the rest of the song. Other tracks like Steamroller showcase the sharp deadpan lyrics on the album, turning sex into some clever cooking metaphors (“Wet the flour and mix it together” being a personal favorite). Pocket also shows an elevation in penmanship. The deceptively sweet opening of “Do you wanna be in my pocket?” starts the track off innocent, but the cracks of insecurity (“Do you think I’m cringe”) hint at something gone awry. As tension builds, the noisy guitars crack open, with Lydia screaming the opening lines to confirm this notion. Feeble Little Horse undoubtedly knows how to make a charming but chaotic record that makes it highly desirable to any indie fan.

#11: Jockstrap - I Love You Jennifer B

A few years after release, Jockstrap’s debut album remains as not only one of the most exciting debuts of the 2020s, but just one of the best in general because of the experimental boundary pushing done at the highest level of execution. One of the tracks that I’d like to highlight in this respect is the last single Greatest Hits, which starts out as a fairly tame electronic-influenced pop track with Georgia’s angelical vocals layered over it. As the track progresses past the post-chorus, the production starts to get funky with pot and pan instrumentals being layered over the underlying arrangement. This shifts the pace, allowing the bridge – which highlights the pop industry’s largest icons – to shine. Another aspect that I’ve praised before with Jockstrap is the exceptional production from Taylor Skye, one of the best producers in the game at this point. Alongside other experimental cuts like Jennifer B and Concrete Over Water, Taylor’s production also excels with more traditional tracks. I think a perfect example of this is with the breakbeat/techno closing track 50/50. Here Skye shows his prowess in electronic production with the seamless layering of Georgia’s vocals into multiple of the beat drops on the track, even incorporating them into the penultimate beat drop of the album. This album continues to age well and I suspect that once the next LP drops Jockstrap will cement their place as one of the most prominent electronic acts in the indie scene.

#10: Charli XCX - brat

Bumpin’ that, bumpin’ that, bumpin’ that, bumpin’ that, bumpin’ that.

#9: Sevdaliza - Shabrang

Shabrang was my first introduction to Sevdaliza, an Iranian-Dutch artist who specializes in art pop and R&B with a distinct electronic flair. Her music made a huge impression on me with her sound, which is art pop at its core that benefits greatly from the vocals provided on the record. Joanna is an example of this art pop aesthetic, containing an immaculate piano and string arrangement that are able to accentuate her vocals. Sevdaliza’s vocals also act as a focal point on Lamp Lady, which have an earwormy vocal riff that intertwines with the wonky electronic percussion and guitar on the track. On Gole Bi Goldoon she employs a more orchestral approach, where strings and piano are the main focus of the track as opposed to the vocals, making it feel straight out of Vulnicura by Björk. Shabrang is also a fairly lengthy record, but the variety of genres help make the runtime feel shorter. Trip hop is one of the most recurring genres on the record, with Wallflower being a prime example with its classic trip hop percussion. The track has her vocals taking center stage of the track, acting as commanding narration on the chorus but as an entrancing melody on the verse. There are also some less common genres that are scattered throughout the record. All Rivers at Once is Sevdaliza’s shot at art rock, featuring punchy percussion and haunting guitars that contrast with the beautiful piano on the track. The most outlandish genre in the mix is the trap-influenced Oh My God. This is easily the catchiest of the record as its laid back trap beat allows the voice manipulations on the chorus to take over the track. This is easily one of the most overlooked albums of the decade and should be highly sought after if art pop or trip hop are up your alley.

#8: Ethel Cain - Preacher’s Daughter

Ethel Cain’s debut album is one that instantly put her on the radar of many enthusiasts and it’s easy to see why. The album’s standout quality is its songwriting throughout the record. This is shown on the standout single American Teenager, in which Ethel discusses the American dream. With her experience, Ethel reflects that this dream is unachievable for most, especially given how many have to risk their lives being a soldier in order to have a chance at prosperity in the US. Religious imagery is also a large part of the album, with Family Tree highlighting it best. Here she sings of washing herself clean of sin, hell not scaring her, and the crosses on her body that remind her of her religious upbringing. The song’s instrumental helps provide a dramatic backdrop to the track, giving a gothic crime drama movie vibe. What sets Preacher’s Daughter apart from most other singer-songwriter records is how Ethel is not only able to have great tracks with songwriting, but also has an overarching narrative of three generations of women. This narrative is the most devastating on Ptolemaea, where the character in question spirals through drug-induced hallucinations and eventually is confronted with their inevitable death by the hands of their partner. This death is inflicted with Ethel’s scream, and is followed by the sinister guitars and percussion that mark one of the peaks of the album sonically. Ethel’s impact here has been an immediate splash in the music world. Her intertwined storytelling, grounded themes, and cinematic instrumentals position her as one of the best songwriters of the decade already.

#7: Charli XCX - how i’m feeling now

how i’m feeling now captured a singular moment in time where we were all just a few months into serious isolation from COVID. Charli took this time in isolation to create this album from scratch, reflecting perfectly what most people were thinking socially and created some of the greatest pop songs of the decade in doing so. These feelings were captured immediately within pink diamond, “I just wanna go real hard” reflecting on the pent up energy that the world experienced, wanting to dance everything out in a club. Amid these high energy tracks, Charli is also able to capture her personal feelings on the record. Forever and 7 years reminisce on the relationship that Charli had at the time with her boyfriend, with the former having synths that perfectly capture the vibe of reminiscence. I finally understand is also a vulnerable take on Charli’s feelings, with Charli expressing her feelings of depression or anxiety that finally pushed her to go to therapy for the first time during quarantine to help with those emotions. Despite getting into her feelings on the record, Charli is also able to make some of the best bops of the decade. Claws stands out as a simple but effective track with its “I like everything about you” hook and hyperpop beat fused with some club percussion. The penultimate track anthems may as well be an anthem for the both and COVID, perfectly capturing the feelings around that time about being stuck inside all the time, just wanting to “feel the heat from all the bodies”. All of this is set over a bumping bass and hyperpop instrumental produced by hyperpop legends Danny L Harle and Dylan Brady to make it one of the best of the decade. The last song visions is a proper sendoff to the record with another bumping beat, this time from A.G. Cook and BJ Burton that absolve a lot of the pent up feelings of the era. This is the quintessential COVID album and will be remembered as such from popheads alike who were there for its release.

#6: Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters

Fiona Apple’s latest record is one that was 8 years in the making, one that was well worth the wait for many Apple enthusiasts. The element that sticks out the most on first impression is the instrumentation throughout the record. These are shown from the start, with delicate pianos to set the scene on the opening track. This is contrasted with the much punchier, higher tempo pianos on Shameika that create a much more chaotic song. Apple’s voice is also utilized as an instrument throughout the tracklist. For Her is a trademark example of this, where the first half relies on her emotive voice that is double layered over minimal production. The percussion might just be the best part instrumentally on the album, as Apple has commented that she has specifically built most of the tracks here starting at percussion. Heavy Balloons showcases this with a variety of crisp percussion, including bells, creating a tribal / jungle like feel on the track. Newspaper also shows the masterful percussion with its thunderous drums and a variety of lighter drums that create a sense of anxiety on the track, adding to the lyrics of private pains that Fiona is experiencing. On subsequent listens, the themes help give the album the importance that it deserves. The title track shows one of these themes with Apple reflecting on her self-image and defiance of media expectations. Here she fetches the metaphorical bolt cutters to cut these chains, allowing her to speak her own truth. Tracks like Relay and Ladies confront the topic of abuse from men in various ways. On Relay, Apple comments on the cyclical nature that an abusive relationship lends itself to and relates it to a neverending relay race of burns. Ladies shifts focus to the lies that some men use to pit women against each other, with Fiona’s message being to band together and put the blame on these men instead. The combination of these tackled topics along with the inventive and appropriate instrumentation make this one of the boldest of the decade.

#5: Black Country, New Road - For the First Time

Black Country, New Road burst onto the scene in 2021, introducing the indie world to some of the most innovative rock of the 2020s. This debut album showcases an already mastery of progressions throughout the album that weaves its layers into some of the best climaxes of the decade. The opening track Instrumental is a testament to this, with its start of light percussion, slowly layering in the central synthesizer tone, horns and bass into the song. This progresses into the chaotic climax of the song consisting of fly-by exhausted saxophones and a force of guitar to end the track. Sunglasses is my personal favorite example of this, starting with a staticky guitar that resembles GYBE!, and transitions 2 minutes into the track into a much clearer guitar with percussion starting to build on the track. The group continues to add in layers, with lyrics about the narrator meeting their partner’s wealthy parents along with a string arrangement that eventually builds into dissonant horns that bring us to the second half of the song. The second half ramps up the intensity, with some tight guitars and more intense sound design being added into the mix. This all builds into the second climax, where lead singer Isaac shouts over the bombastic arrangement from the group, perhaps the best moment on the record. The lyrics on this record also standout, for better or worse depending on the listener. Track X is the quintessential example of this as it manages to be both cringe and endearing at the same time with Isaac singing about loving someone in front of Black Midi and struggling with suicidal thoughts within the same verse. These may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but show the emotional side of the band, one that is highlighted much more on their follow-up record. It’s disappointing that this iteration of the group will likely never release music again with Isaac’s departure, but at least we have some of the best rock music of the decade to compensate for it.

#4: leroy - Grave Robbing

One year after grabbing the #1 slot for the top albums of 2023, Grave Robbing still manages to be one of the most eclectic, yet danceable records of the decade. This dariacore album is able to maintain its listenability through its nostalgia that is conjured from the recognizable samples housed in an EDM base. This is shown through the opening track which offers an airy sample of Justin Bieber mashed with many other samples to create a punch transition into the Heads Will Roll sample that continues onto the next track, becoming a focal point of it. Aside from its nostalgia, the samples here are what give the album its character. Jack’d My Swag is a prime example of this, sampling My Jeans (a terrible terrible song from a 12 year old in 2010) anchoring the track, eventually transitioning into a Dark Side like progression with a sample just saying “You ugly as fuck”. It’s an absurdly hilarious moment on the tracklist that still manages to work as a legit dance track because of the backing electronic beat. The album also offers some of the best electronic beats that you’ll hear this decade. It’s up to YOU now is an example of this with its barrage of bass, one that wouldn’t be unrealistic to hear in the club. Bouncin off da window is another great track that is centered around a sample from Tinashe, mashed into one of the best electronic breakdowns at the midpoint of the track, one that I wish lasted much longer. There are still some relatively straightforward and chill moments on the album, in particular with Put me back together and Front Door. These two back to back tracks are euro-trance inspired, with the former using a sample from Back Together interlaced with some various left-field samples to make it give it that distinct dariacore edge. This album continues to be pure pleasure in album form, and if not for being off of streaming services might be one of my most listened to in the past few years.

#3: Jane Remover - Census Designated

Last time I reviewed this album I focused on the lyrics of the record, which dive into various themes, including the abuse of the artist in the industry as well as the overarching horror aesthetic presented throughout. This time I’d like to dive into the change in sound from noise/glitch pop to a more expansive shoegaze sound that Jane has ventured into. The sound in particular is more atmospheric than her previous works, setting a cohesive tone that is reflected through the entire album, as opposed to Frailty that worked more as individual songs that contribute to the album. In particular the ties that help elevate the atmosphere are the post-rock influences on the album. Some notable segments of this influence are the little vocal samples at the beginning of Holding a Leech as well as the drone at the beginning of the final track. In addition to this, the instrumentation on the album helps build into this atmosphere that Jane is trying to create. This begins on Cage Girl / Camgirl which has a low tempo brooding guitar to start, contributing to an atmosphere that feels like the start of a brewing horror. This mood carries onto Lips which opens with distant guitars reminiscent of Feels from Animal Collective that builds a level of anticipation for the track. These guitars gradually evolve into grungy shoegaze that build to a collage of sound to enter into the next track, showing Jane’s prowess in building a sound. Another highlight of the sound are the vocals on the record, with the ones on Backseat Girl in particular standing out. Here Jane’s vocals have an addicting rhythm that contrast with the crushing shoegaze guitars. This helps establish the emotional weight of the track, especially when she declares that she’s a backseat girl. It’s an impressive feat for Jane to land 3 albums on my list of the best albums of the decade and should she continue with this pace, she might become the artist of the decade.

#2: Bruno Pernadas - Private Reasons

Bruno Pernadas’ latest album might just be the brightest record that I’ve ever listened to. This is in large part due to the varied instrumentation and ventures into various genres along the way. The opening track Family Vows is a modern day indie psychedelic pop mix, which allows for Bruno’s sometimes hazy vocals to weave in and around the lush arrangement. Lafeta Uti is another brilliant mix, this time starting with more traditional vocals that evolve into a psychedelic piece driven by its vibrant bass and synths. Fuzzy Soul lives up to its name with the fuzzy vocals that sound like an homage to Laurie Anderson, that are then distorted to become unrecognizable, but still radiant and endearing. Theme Vision is an addictingly catchy song with its mystical synths and vocals that progress into a barrage of bee buzzing psychedelic goodness. Little Season I has a little dose of Age of Adz, both on the electronic and woodwind influences, combining with some city pop vibes with the female vocals and dreamy keyboard. It transitions seamlessly into Little Season II as a classical interlude that functions as a perfect winding down from the first leg of the song. There are also a couple of exotica songs in the tracklist with Recife and Jory, both built around the caribbean instrumentals, flutes and drums as well as vocal performances that help the tracks pop. These performances are also a highlight on Loop Joy, where Bruno showcases his inner Brian Wilson, easing into the chill vibe of the track. With its shimmering vibe and genre bending, this album continues to shine on each successive listen.

#1: Alvvays - Blue Rev

Alvvays’ latest is their farthest venture into shoegaze yet, one that builds on the sound that they’ve established and takes it to the next level. Blue Rev has the tight choruses that we’d expect from the band, like on Easy On Your Own? which teases the chorus on the first round then fleshes it out on each subsequent chorus. These shoegaze influences come to the forefront on Belinda Says, where traditional shoegaze guitars drive the most catchy chorus on the album. These guitars envelope the track on the outro, where Molly declares that heaven and hell are both on earth (in context of love creating both heaven and hell on earth depending on the outcome). Ironically on Many Mirrors it’s the refrain rather than the chorus that is the most catchy. The addicting vocal riffs and guitars on the track create an earworm that’ll linger even after the track ends. The group is also able to balance the emotional moments of the album with lighter songs like the cheeky Very Online Guy. This track has lyrics about overconfident reply guys, with the winding/distorted vocals and harpsichordian keyboards helping provide this carefree vibe on the track. While the catchy choruses and sonic exploration of shoegaze may be some of the highlights of the record, nostalgia is perhaps the biggest driver in why this record has so much staying power. Pharmacist captures this with its nostalgic guitars that help drive the theme of visiting home and working through the pain of seeing it differently than you had before. A similar tone permeates on Velveteen, which reflects on seeing a partner change their behavior, emphasized by the melancholic but reminiscent guitars on the track. Both tracks explore this yearning for the past, but cannot preserve forever. This nostalgia is painted the best on After the Earthquake, which laments on past days and has an explosion of emotion and guitars to end the song, marking for one of, if not my favorite moment of the decade. This is the sharpest the group has been with their songwriting and instrumentation, which combined with the emotionally baked nostalgic feel makes it my favorite of the decade so far.