Under these quarantined restrictions we all find ourselves in, it seemed like a necessary moment in which to drop my albums of the year so far. From the metalcore-pop hybrid of Poppy, to ethereal ambiance of Dan Deacon and Nicolas Jaar, these LPs have been birthed from far and wide so have a read and let me know whether you agree or heavily, inextricably disagree. What would you have included? Who should we all be listening to this year? Let's go. Tracks from all of these LPs can be found on my playlist here.
Poppy: I Disagree (Sumerian)
This popular YouTuber and songwriter, Moriah Rose Pereira, commenced 2020 by producing her 3rd LP, I Disagree, dragging together the antithetical tropes of metalcore and electro-pop across a rapturous 35 minute adrenaline rush. Traversing effortlessly through the nefarious waters of Immortal’s black metal and into the glistening sheen of BTS-stylised J-pop, Poppy ultimately shines through an agreeably “perfect album to start 2020.” If you’re looking for your fix of bubblegum pop with an added spice sprinkled in, then look no further.
Dan Deacon: Mystic Familiar (Domino)
In a similar vein to that of minimalist legends Steve Reich and Philip Glass, electronic composer Dan Deacon has produced his ethereal 5th LP, Mystic Familiar, buried amongst neo-psychedelic licks and flares. With many artists depending upon pure introspective nostalgia at the turn of this new decade, Deacon has similarly embarked on a sonic journey full of soul-searching and life-reckoning thoughts encased in deeply pervasive electronic instrumentals a-la Reich and Glass. His recent show earlier this year undoubtedly had us commit to some soul-searching, too - read the in-depth review here.
Moses Sumney: græ: Part 1 (Jagjaguwar)
Truly one of the finest art/chamber-pop LPs of the year thus far. Sumney has ultimately set the new bar of standards for these genres on this latest set of tracks. Amidst the recent flourish of his musical contemporaries (from Perfume Genius, to Jenny Hval, and Fiona Apple), Sumney has quickly leapt from strength to strength since his not-so-distant debut LP of 2017, Aromanticism. Featuring sumptuously fluttering instrumental bells and whistles, an intensely romantic narrative plays out, leaving a myriad of open ends set only to be concluded by the second part to this two-part series (released on May 15th).
Bad Bunny: YHLQMDLG (rimas)
Providing a personal, historic ode to the Puerton Rican’s musical roots of reggaeton, Bad Bunny has at last triumphed through with a convincingly exuberant and colourful LP. Admittedly, this artist’s previous music never appealed to my ears all that much, however on his 2nd LP, Bunny sticks enough landings within this mammoth run of tracks to warrant a feature on this coveted list of 2020 so far. While some quality control over track selection and sonic/rhythmic diversity went amiss on this piece of work, this LP will undoubtedly become embedded in the fibres of Puerto Rico and the wider reggaeton world for some time to come.
Horse Lords: The Common Task (Northern Spy)
Indelibly hypnotising every listener which stands in their path, the post-rock act ultimately pushed me to the brink of emotional collapse on their 4th LP. Short of breath complete with heart palpitations, the captured 41 minutes (if you dare to choose such a listening experience) will consume you with its omnipresent, krautrock-esque smouldering of guitars and syncopated rhythms - with every intention of shitting you out as a hollow shell of your former self. But these symptoms suffered at the hand of this LP can only be taken as an indelible sign of this record’s sheer magnitude and reckoning in the post-rock world.
Nicolás Jaar: Cenizas (Other People)
In a similar vein to Dan Deacon’s aforementioned minimalist and ambient universe, the legendary Chilean-American composer has turned a new chapter within his illustrious discography. For those expecting a continuation of funkadelic tropes from his previous LP under the alias of A.A.L., may initially be disappointed - yet this spacious piece of work invites an enticing group of ethereal, encompassing electronic worlds. From co-producing FKA twigs’ Magdalene LP last year, to this impressive LP last month, one can only have high hopes from what’ll come next in Jaar's jaw-dropping trajectory.
Fiona Apple: Fetch the bolt cutters (Epic)
Last but by no means least, comes the enigmatic singer-songwriter's 5th LP, Fetch the Bolt Cutters. Released mere weeks ago, Apple's latest piece of work has easily garnered the most amount of critical acclaim of her 26-year musical tenure - understandably so, extrapolating the corners of independent, creative songwriting to every inch of its tether. Brimming with searing emotions courtesy of Apple's emphatic vocal delivery and lyricism, the reticently raw accompaniment of jazzy instrumentals brilliantly adds further fuel to the brazened fire of her soul. An indelible, yet cryptic, retelling of Apple's pastures - one not to be missed.
Honourable Mentions
Code Orange: Underneath
HMLTD: West of Eden
King Krule: Man Alive!
Laura Marling: Song for Our Daughter
R.A.P. Ferreira: Purple Moonlight Pages
Rina Sawayama: SAWAYAMA
Sorry: 925
The Weeknd: After Hours
Tracks from all of these LPs can be found on my playlist here.
To find my favourites of 2019, please follow the article here.
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