What a time we’ve had. In what will undoubtedly be the year we’re all asked about most when we grow old, there was plenty to focus on and deal with outside of music. But whether you were cooped up all day every day, forced to work because the government wasn’t interested in your safety, inspired to join those marching in the streets or simply overwhelmed by the chaos of life, music was there to soothe, enrage, inspire and comfort for every second of the hell-year.
Well before everything became unraveled, I made a choice to track everything I listened to. Originally, this was for my own edification. It was meant to contrast personal taste with consensus taste, but as time went on, it was clear it could be used for something more. And here we are, 2258 albums later. Each one has been considered, scored, ranked and fussed over till it stopped sounding like music. But now the weight of that particular albatross rests in this final list.
Getting through the year took a lot of work from all of us. So let’s take this final day of the year to loose the albatrosses we’ve all carried. Hopefully you enjoy this list as much as I enjoyed listening to the albums that comprise it.
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Runners-Up
These ten albums just barely missed the cut. They deserve just as much love as the rest of the list, but if I didn’t cut it off it’d be 100 albums long and we’d both hate that.
Apotheosis’ 50 Favorite Albums of 2020
50. Gesu No Kiwami Otome - ストリーミング、CD、レコード (Streaming, CD, Record)
In case you have yet to be swept up by the musical movements in Eastern Asia, it’s time for you to grow up and admit that they often do it better than we do over here. Gesu No Kiwami Otome brings a free-spirited, jazzy, playful edge to pop and hip-hop melodies that immediately wriggle their way into your soul. It’s a true joy from start to finish.
49. Paysage D’Hiver - Im Wald
The ever secretive Paysage D’Hiver seems incapable of delivering a miss. Im Wald is a perfect black metal album. Describing as anything less would be a lie. But like many of the records on this list, the relentless pursuit of progress pulls the record into a nigh-transcendent realm. Unwilling to simply create an excellent black metal album, Paysage D’Hiver tinkers with electronic elements and atmospheric elements that pull the record into the 21st century. The precision with which he explores these ideas elevate Im Wald far beyond its peers.
48. Caribou - Suddenly
In a year when electronic music had much of its power removed by distance, Caribou pulled through with a record that found power in isolation. The carefully considered compositions of this record demand close inspection and utmost focus. Should you be able to provide Suddenly with the attention it deserves, you’ll be rewarded with some of the lushest soundscapes in music.
47. The Chicks - Gaslighter
The story of The Chicks is far too gnarled and complex to unpack in a single paragraph, but for the group to weather a politically induced industry blacklisting (simply for speaking the truth), a name change and 14 years without an album release, is no mistake. In a genre so devoid of innovation and intrigue, The Chicks have long been standouts for their tremendous songwriting and affecting lyrics. Even still, Gaslighter features some of the best songwriting, and easily the best lyrics, of any album by The Chicks. They’ve adapted to the modern era of music without skipping a beat, and have done so with a record that’s as enjoyable as it is relevant.
46. Igorrr - Spirituality and Distortion
Igorrr doesn’t give a damn what anyone thinks. Spirituality and Distortion is all the better for it. Bullying its way through Middle-Eastern psych, symphonic metal and breakcore, the record refuses to be sequestered into any definition. Luckily, records don’t need a genre to be a blast, and few things were more entertaining than Spirituality and Distortion. At times the album reaches for a level of absurdity that borders on camp, but no matter how high far they have to stretch, Igorrr always grabs the ring.
45. Andy Shauf - The Neon Skyline
If the lack of lyricism in modern music is a lament of yours, then Andy Shauf is the cure to your ails. The Neon Skyline continues his tremendous run of storytelling focused records, and this time the magnifying glass is even more focused. Much like The Party, The Neon Skyline focuses on a single series of events, but this time the lens solely looks at a bar known as the Neon Skyline. Getting to know the characters, their motivations and the way they interact with one another is such a joyous experience. The excellence of the music doesn’t hurt either.
44. Vous Autres - Sel de Pierre
Cannon fire. It’s the first thing that comes to mind listening to Sel de Pierre. It ripples with an energy that borders on apocalyptic. Yes, the group shows off impressive structural ideas like the slow build in “Onde” and the doomy end section of “Vesuve” but their key triumph rests within the way the instruments actually sound. “Sans Séves” serves as the best example on the record. The oceanic depth of the bass, piercing thrust of the lead guitar, half-drowned screams and drums that hit with the force of an unmoored container ship all meld into the deadliest track of 2020. In a year when the world felt like it would often end, Sel de Pierre provided a fitting soundtrack.
43. Uniform - Shame
Few things are more satisfying than watching a band grow and evolve. Throughout their career, the folks in Uniform have shown that the only place they don’t want to be is wherever they were last seen standing. This desire for an ever-changing artistic expression has had its potential fully unlocked over the last few years through collaborations with label-mate The Body. The impact these collaborations have had on Shame are clear and pronounced. “The Shadow of God’s Hand” tinkers with doom and sludge, “Life in Remission” borders on grindcore before flicking a switch into pure noise. Much like the band who made it, Shame refuses to hold still. And in its restless pursuit of something new, Uniform has constructed their strongest effort yet.
42. Aesop Rock - Spirit World Field Guide
The way that Aesop Rock’s accomplishments have been flattened into “isn’t he the really wordy rapper” has never been more frustrating. Between The Impossible Kid and now Spirit World Field Guide Aesop has shown he’s more than worthy of consideration as one of the most engaging and skillful rappers currently making music. While Aesop Rock has never been constrained by the usual formats of hip-hop, Spirit World Field Guide fully divorces from reality, allowing his verbose style to function as a disjointed, eclectic journey of paranoia. From the hilarious “Dog at the Door'' to the thought provoking “Marble Cake” Spirit World Field Guide is filled with fascinating scenarios that are perfectly painted by Aesop’s ever sharp tongue.
41. Soccer Mommy - color theory
You could be forgiven for thinking that color theory is just another sad-indie-girl-guitar album, but if you write it off on that alone you’ll miss out on one of the most impactful experiences of the year. Each lyric comes straight across the plate, but is couched in just enough metaphor and subtext that you’re apt to miss your swing if you don’t pay close attention. The excellent lyrics are bolstered by instrumentals that deliver a fresh take on mid-90s pop-rock sensibility, especially on album standout “Circle the Drain.” You never needed to worry that this would be just another sad indie record.
40. Duma - Duma
Metal has never suffered from a lack of international appeal. But it’s hard to look at a map of where most metal bands are from without noticing the primarily pasty populations of those countries. Hailing from Nairobi, Kenya, Duma challenges both the European death-grip on the genre and the foundations of the genre itself. Duma’s ambition is so great that calling it metal begins to feel reductive, but you’d expect that from former members of Lust of a Dying Breed and Seeds of Datura. Even still, Martin Khanja (aka Lord Spike Heart) and Sam Karugu, surpass any expectation laid before them. Seamlessly blending noise, black-metal, power-electronics and about a half-dozen other styles of extreme music, Duma is a solitary work that feels fully capable of redefining both the African and Western metal scenes.
39. Sadness - Alluring the distant eye
Metal so often falls into the trap of “if it’s hard to play, that means it’s good.” This reductive line of thinking has hampered the genre so terribly that unpacking the damage would take more than a few tomes. Luckily, the necessity for those books quickly evaporates in the brilliant light of sadness’ music. Poured into the Deafheaven mold of “emotion before all else” Alluring the distant eye is a crippling work of emotional honesty that puts almost every album to shame. Whether the lyrics unfurl themselves in your ear or the songs exist only as sound, the internal journey of each song rings so clear that you can’t help getting ensnared in its siren-like call.
38. The Avalanches - We Will Always Love You
We Will Always Love You trades the bombastic sampling of previous Avalanches records for a subtler, more emotionally focused approach. Consequently, the album takes a bit longer to grow on you, but once it has taken root it won’t easily be dislodged. Despite the gargantuan runtime of 71 minutes, the record never loses steam. The rotating cast of featured artists far outshines any of the listed features on either of their previous works too. It’s quite the shift for the group, but it’s more than welcome.
37. Poliça - When We Stay Alive
If you love the catchy hooks of pop, but crave something with a bit more bite, then Poliça has a life preserver with your name on it. When We Stay Alive truly works for everyone. Filled with unpredictable sounds and unique song structures, it catches you off guard no matter how much music you’ve consumed. Anyone who says they can resist the allure of Channy Leaneagh’s vocals is a liar and a fool. When her remarkable voice couples with her inspired synth patterns, the album becomes an irresistible concoction of forward thinking indie-pop.
36. Mammal Hands - Captured Spirits
Jazz eludes understanding for most people. The improvisational nature of the genre leads to songs that quite literally fly by the seat of their pants, and if you lack the musical know-how to appreciate what’s happening, you’re likely to get lost. To those who have had a difficult time with the genre, Mammal Hands’ Captured Spirits offers a welcome reprieve. It brings a silky-smooth soulfulness to a knotty style of music, but abandons none of the complexity in the process. Instead, the more intently composed songs let listeners to bask in the instrument of their choice, or to be swept along in the tides of emotion that the album constantly delivers. No barrier to entry exists here. Unlike many records, the accessibility of Captured Spirits is it’s utmost strength.
35. Kaatayra - Toda História pela Frente
2020 brought a lot of horrible things with it, but Brazilian metal was certainly not among them. Releasing two albums this year, Kaatayra boldly asserted the presence of the South American metal scene, showing that it stored just as much potential as the longstanding institutions of European metal. The structures and tones found on Toda História pela Frente will certainly ring bells for any seasoned metal listener. But the record never settles for a single influence. When it sinks towards atmoblack it pulls out of the groove with a searing guitar solo, when the blistering pace begins to overwhelm the structure it smoothly glides into traditional Brazilian acoustic. The record excels at keeping listeners on their toes, not because of complexity of over-technicality, but because the ideas they present are so musically enlightening you can’t help but float away on their lightness.
34. Hot Mulligan - you’ll be fine
The strength of pop-punk lies in how well the artist can communicate gut wrenchingly sincere ideas in a candy coating. Of all the excellent pop-punk artists who put out albums this year, Hot Mulligan pushed this strength to its absolute limit. Each song teeters just on the edge of falling apart. Between the rattling “recorded in a garage” aesthetic, juvenile vocals and a tendency to scream every time there’s even a hint of emotion, this album really shouldn’t work. But it pulls together just enough successes that every single thing that could have derailed the record holds it onto the track. And of course, there’s enough saccharine sincerity in this record that it’s making the notebook full of high school poetry under your bed jealous.
33. Boris - NO
After a lengthy period of experimentation with style, Boris has re-emerged into their comfort zone. While their return was announced by 2017’s Dear, NO reasserts their importance in the world of metal by combining their signature style of drone metal with the lessons they learned from their releases in the aughts. NO brings a blistering interpretation of hardcore punk run through the filter of absurd heaviness that only Boris could create. Bouncing happily through hardcore tracks like “Anti-Gone,” “Non-Bloood Lore” and “Temple of Hatred” the album is balanced with the droning delights of “Genesis” and “Zerkalo.” Their famous style flashes throughout the record, but even when they swing for the fences on hardcore, they retain a wondrous undergirding of texture and depth that Boris alone could create.
32. Dorian Electra - My Agenda
After obliterating genre and gender conventions on their previous record, Flamboyant, Doran Electra takes their experimentation even further with the bewildering My Agenda. Written largely from the perspective of an “edgelord shitposter” the format opens up Electra’s options, allowing them to completely obliterate any sense of genre cohesion. While you could fairly accurately label the record as hyperpop, listening to “Ram It Down” will quickly relieve you of such restrictive definitions. The song quickly blasts through hyperpop, 90’s pop, nu-metal, and even mid-aughts European club music. Each song on the record features similar levels of variation, and Electra’s ability to keep a firm grasp on the record’s overall tone is nothing short of miraculous.
31. Woodkid - S16
Woodkid certainly felt comfortable leaving fans waiting for a follow up to the highly acclaimed The Golden Age. But after hearing S16 it’s clear that the wait was well worth it. While his previous record showed off an undeniable ear for interesting soundscapes and sonic elements, the record never quite reached a cohesive pinnacle. The past seven years must have led to some sort of breakthrough for Woodkid because any issue of cohesion has been solved on S16. Boasting the same big sounds that pushed The Golden Age ahead of its contemporaries, S16 takes them a step further by more seamlessly integrating them into each track. The resulting record manages to be both intoxicatingly original and easily listenable. It’s a rare combination of elements that deserves the undivided attention of every music fan.
30. Denzel Curry, Kenny Beats - Unlocked
Unlocked doesn’t mess around with big bold ideas or absurd art rap combinations. All it does is ask, “what if we took one of the hottest producers in the game and one of the most talented rappers in the game and put them in a room together?” The answer, somewhat predictably, was “magic.” Kenny Beats is freer and more unleashed than he’s ever been, and that freedom translates to Curry’s effortless delivery and belly-laugh inducing punchlines. The brisk runtime and strange track names might deceive you into believing that this project was a throwaway studio session, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
29. Bríi - Entre Tudo que é Visto e Oculto
Some people enjoy metal because they need music that would happily gouge out their eyes using their own clavicles as spoons. If that’s your preferred style of metal, scroll on down, because Bríi has no interest in sticking to your timetable of violence. Filled to the brim with innovation, Entre Tudo que é Visto e Oculto promises to be unlike anything you’ve ever heard. Sometimes it’s blending electronics and Brazilian folk, other times it’s pure black metal, but no matter the style being utilized, it remains high-quality. Entre Tudo que é Visto e Oculto needs to be heard to be understood. It will take patience, but you’ll be rewarded for each second you spend in its arms.
28. neànder - Eremit
If stoner-doom sounds up your musical alley, but you’re tired of bats, babes and bongs, then neánder may just provide the relief you require. Cast in the mold of groups like Monolord, neánder forgoes much of the lyrical content of stoner-doom and exchanges it for heavier riffs and a more varied range of sounds. Opener “Purpur (Prelude)” happily fiddles around in post-metal, while sections of “Eremit” almost drown in the realm of black metal. Eremit happily crunches these genres together into a nearly homogenous under the suffocating weight of ten ton riffs and bulky guitar tones. The lack of focus is the allure, but so are the riffs. They even use the time honored trick of playing something slow and heavy, then pausing and playing it again slower and heavier. God that never gets old. We’ll break our necks headbanging to this record one day, but until then it’ll keep punishing our eardrums and the structural integrity of our neighbor’s walls.
27. Perfume Genius - Set My Heart on Fire Immediately
More people should be discussing Perfume Genius as a potential “best artist of this century” title contender. Not a single record he has put out has a dud on it and Set My Heart on Fire Immediately may just be his magnum opus. While it isn’t as radio friendly as No Shape, and it lacks the glossy appeal of Too Bright, it’s more artistically focused than either album. Lyrically, the album is operating at peak efficiency. Each word conjures worlds worth of imagery. From the swoon-worthy “His loving felt like rivers” from “Describe” to the enduring picture that “Jason” builds with its opening lines, “Jason undressed me / lying on his sheets / he did not do the same / even his boots were on.” Set My Heart on Fire Immediately is the sort of record that attempts to wrap its arms around the whole of human experience, its flaws, failure, triumphs and specificities. It succeeds in doing so.
26. Gil Scott-Heron, Makaya McCraven - We’re New Again
It’s commonly accepted wisdom that touching classics is a poor decision. Classic albums don’t magically attain their status, and are well-beloved for how they already exist. But Makaya McCraven works magic on the indelible music of Gil-Scott Heron, updating it for a modern audience and paying respect to the songs as they already existed. This sort of gamble rarely pays off, but the results of We’re New Again speak for themselves.
25. The Weeknd - After Hours
Now the subject of much controversy thanks to the Grammys, After Hours was the first time that The Weeknd has been on top of his game since Trilogy. Just when it felt like he had fully transitioned to a singles artist, After Hours pulled through with an inspired mix of production choices, melancholy debauchery and predictably top-tier vocals to create a must-listen piece of art. Focused and clean, After Hours brings all the heat it could possibly pack. Need a perfect single? Check out “Blinding Lights.” Need to feel the ravages of stardom? “Heartless” has your back. Messed up and need a quick wallow? “Hardest to Love” is the best “I’m a piece of garbage” song in years. After Hours shows that The Weeknd can still be everything to everyone without changing what makes his music truly special.
24. Ornassi Pazuzu - Mestarin Kynsi
Ornassi Pazuzu refuses to be constrained by something so silly as genre. Ostensibly considered black metal, the group would much rather throw spaghetti at the wall than sit around and work in sandboxes where others have played. Mestarin Kynsi shows the group exploring the boundaries of extreme music, reaching even further out than their masterful work on Muukalainen Puhuu and Värähtelijä. They come across as unrestrained and fearless, plowing through genres as varied as folk, doom, death, black and electronic. Somehow they melt these all together into a soundtrack more sickening than the monster from Society, but you can’t help but watch as it all bubbles and steams before you. Hold still too long and you might just get swallowed up into it.
23. Moses Sumney - græ
A wide and sprawling mural of emotion, bold statements and pure soul, græ capitalizes on the musical promises made by Sumney’s previous work. As a double-album, græ rewards close listening and patience, but doesn’t demand it. The record functions just as well in the background as it does in the foreground thanks to some of the most compelling arrangements in modern music. These arrangements pull the record out of the world of modern soul and R&B pushing both genres forward in the process. Whether you’re enjoying the jaunty swagger of “Cut Me” or basking in the menacing guitar of “Virile” it’s clear that the sounds Sumney utilizes are things that other artists don’t have the skill to touch. Making them sound so natural is a talent all its own, and it’s one that Sumney has in spades.
22. Sturgill Simpson - Cuttin’ Grass Vol.1 (Butcher Shoppe Sessions)
Usually I’d avoid putting remix albums on year end lists, but Cuttin’ Grass Vol.1 (Butcher Shoppe Sessions) deserves all the love in the world. This record continues to show that putting Sturgill Simpson in a box is a futile exercise. After releasing the best southern rock record of 2019, Simpson swung back hard towards the country angle. This time, he did so with the intent of reimagining some of his best work from his first three records with a bluegrass twist. The results speak for themselves. Featuring a menagerie of the most talented bluegrass musicians in the world, these songs are imbued with an additional layer of pathos and impact that, at times, even outshine their original constructions. Whatever your take on old versus new nets out to, this is one record that cannot be denied or ignored.
21. Future Islands - As Long as You Are
Sometimes an artist just has “A Voice.” Future Islands front man Samuel T. Herring is one of those artists. But that voice isn’t what separates As Long As You Are from the other excellent synth-pop records this year. The separation emerges in the way the songs build, rise and fall. The cool, relaxing atmosphere of synth-pop allows Herring’s immaculate tenor to cut through to your core like a searing hot knife. When all these elements combine with the heart-wrenching lyrics of the record, it creates something truly revelatory. Nowhere is this power more apparent than on the gut-wrenching chorus of “For Sure” where Herring practically pleads to his love “I will never keep you from an open door… / that’s how much I feel in everything you are.” The power in the performance inspires genuine belief in the plea. You can’t help but to feel the pain and ecstasy Herring communicates on every aching second of this record.
20. Judicator - Let There Be Nothing
Restraint can do a lot for a power metal album. When so many records are nothing but full blown power fantasies (a thing I enjoy) Judicator uses the genre for something a bit more high brow. Focusing on the woes of a Roman general named Belisarius, Let There Be Nothing has enough characters to fill an episode of Game of Thrones and enough narrative to be adapted into a feature film or two. This strong focus on storytelling helps to ground the record, allowing the vocals and instrumentals to soar freely with the theatricality of Andrew Lloyd-Weber. It all culminates in a slew of heart-pounding anthems that are as impactful as they are empowering. It’s the very pinnacle of power metal.
19. food house - food house
If 100 gecs kicked open the door to hyperpop, then food house decorated the room. A collaborative project between Gupi and Fraxiom, food house sees the two working to encourage their genuine weirdness while tamping down on their more excessive urges. The mash-ups of the two artist’s unique production styles allow the pop bit of hyperpop to shine through, but enough noisy absurdity still lingers that it never feels dull. In particular, the album elevates itself with the three-song run of “clown nose,” “pharmacy” and “metal.” Of these three tracks, “metal” is one of the rare moments of genuine pain and lyrical intent on the record. Starting out silly, as many of these songs do, it quickly pivots to Fraxiom’s rage at the injustices levied against them as a non-binary person in Massachusetts. The thrust of the song pierces the defensive layers of chaos production with one of the most memorable passages of the year. I’ll leave Fraxiom to do the talking, “You can call a paramedic, have 'em say your legal name / As they wheel you to the ambulance for being fucking maimed / See how you like that you townie het from southeastern MA / Saying fairy and Mark Wahlberg like it's southie any day / I'm out of patience (x4).” The pure rage cannot be denied, and the reasonable justification of those emotions is beyond question.
18. FR/BLCK/PR - I Don’t Write Rhymes, I Write Code
Unpacking the power of I Don’t Write Rhymes, I Write Code, the latest output from Busdriver’s multimedia project FR/BLCK/PR (pronounced Free Black Press), is futile. The album works with thematic densities that even the greatest critics would struggle to wholly unpack them. As such, we can only hone in on moments — small clippings of what Busdriver hopes we might take away. Listening to the record in real time, the theme that feels most prevalent, though certainly not the easiest to unpack, is the way that Black Americans are treated by those who claim to love them. These themes rip through the fabric early in the record, but require context to be fully appreciated. If you take nothing else from this, at least make sure to listen to “Athletes and Entertainers.” That track alone digs deeper into the complex relationship of Black art and its reception by white audiences than most would dare to attempt. That Busdriver manages to state it so plainly and effectively makes this a must listen record from both the standpoint of quality and morality.
17. døves - ULTRACLUB4K
Most albums that end up being excellent work on paper and then end up being executed with a special level of skill. ULTRACLUB4K does not work on paper, at all. The record blends the juvenile genre of emo-rap with the most repetitive and obnoxious style of electronic — hardstyle. Somehow, døves spins it into a truly intoxicating combination. The opening three-song run of “fuck,” “die slow” and “doom” cannot be denied, and the remaining tracks don’t linger far behind. Each song blasts you with catchy instrumentals and production choices, then are further heightened by døves’ disaffected vocals. Maybe the contrast of a more stoic genre with something hyper-bombastic pushes both into a more enjoyable space. Maybe døves is just a genius. Whatever the reason, it works far better than it should.
16. Dopelord - Sign of the Devil
All hail Black Sabbath! You can practically feel the demonic pipes of Ozzy Osbourne cackling with glee as this masterful interpretation of stoner-doom metal washes over you in a terpene laden haze. Best enjoyed seven steps away from sober, Sign of the Devil refuses to bother with ideas that would classify as groundbreaking. It may feel as though that’s an insult, but asking Dopelord to do anything other than what they do on this record would be akin to asking John Wick to put down the gun and pick up a paintbrush. If you need a little more variance, Dopelord does shake things up with flashes of thrash and death metal, but they know you’re really here for the bowel shaking riffs. On that promise they more than deliver.
15. Chris Stapleton - Starting Over
Country is oft maligned, and not without reason. The lifeless qualities that the most popular artists bring to the genre have removed everything except commercialism from the music itself. But Chris Stapleton seems like he could be the answer to the artistic trials that popular country has experienced. Combining stellar songwriting and top tier lyricism, Starting Over reclaims the days of John Prine and Willie Nelson. With his heart on his sleeve, Stapleton chews his way through a buffet of dense material. Need some vitriolic anthems of lamentation? Check out “Watch You Burn.” Need an album to get over the ex who you can’t seem to shake? Drop the needle onto “You Should Probably Leave.” Trying to kick back and relax? Let “Worry B Gone” guide you to a state of transcendence. Each track brings something truly memorable to the table, but it always holds a piece of Stapleton’s personality in the writing. It’s a perfect country album, that’s all there is to it.
14. Xenobiotic - Mordrake
Sometimes you just have to strap in and do the damn thing. Xenobiotic shows their willingness to dive to the heart of the matter on Mordrake. Opening with a short intro on “Insomnia” the album exists only as a thrill ride. Mordrake’s seams practically burst with an overstuffed combination of brutal screams, complex drums and compelling guitar and bass sections. Harmony rarely comes to mind when discussing metal, but each element blends so well with its partners that harmonious may be the only way to describe this record outside of brutal.
13. ZEBRA KATZ - LESS IS MOOR
I’m deeply saddened that I couldn’t attend a show to hear this record. Some music just demands an in-person experience and few albums have the infectious energy of LESS IS MOOR. Luckily, that same energy comes through in your car and your headphones. Bristling with innovative production choices that teeter on the verge of noise, the album mixes hyper-intense bass elements with clubby, danceable song structures. LESS IS MOOR feels like it could be the future of hip-hop, and whether it is or isn’t, it’s easily the most original hip-hop project of 2020. Should you give this one a chance, know that it functions best when played loudly. Who cares what your neighbors think. If they don’t love it they have bad taste.
12. exhalants - Atonement
Most artists shy away from depicting desperation in their music. Those that attempt it often fail. It’s that particular, hyper-specific emotion that sets the work of exhalants apart from so many of their peers. Choosing to operate in the noise rock and sludge realm of metal, exhalants refuses to shy away from the reality that created them. Born out of the South, like so many of their sludgy influences, exhalants focuses on the things they know, and leave the rest to you. What they do that subverts expectations, and ultimately makes them special, is that they balance their desperation and aggression with interspersions of idyllic soundscapes. Much like the poorer areas of the South intertwine their desperation with the mythos of a verdant land. In particular, Atonement shows that exhalants know how to push listeners towards a reaction. The way they blend the beautiful and the horrid is not only thrilling, it’s realistic, and it remains the plight of many places in this country. Hell, they even do it on the album cover.
11. Against All Logic - 2017-2019
Against All Logic, a side project of electronic artist Nicholas Jaar, takes joy in exploration above all else. By not attaching his name to the project, at least at first, Jaar has unlocked a level of freedom that sees him focusing more on sampling than original constructions. But the magic occurs in how the samples that he plays with end up as pieces in a larger musical puzzle. For instance, in sampling Beyoncé on “Fantasy,” Jaar pulls away from the natural inclination to put one of our most talented artists front and center. Instead, he turns her chorus into an accented flair, and builds cities of sound around it. In every song, from the clattering, Clark-like, “Alarm” to the bouncy, noise-filled “If You Can’t Do It Good, Do It Hard,” Jaar pushes the limits of his songwriting to the absolute edge. What he finds at those limits both excites and opens up a wide array of doors that Jaar may explore in future releases.
10. Spanish Love Songs - Brave Faces Everyone
Everyone who listened to emo in high school, whether the band in question was the Smiths, The Cure, Jimmy Eat World, American Football or My Chemical Romance, has heard the accursed words “Oh, it’s just a phase.” Spanish Love Songs boldly asserts that it very much wasn’t. Often described (by me) as “emo for grownups” Spanish Love Songs leans away from both vague sadness and hyper-specific issues, and in doing so absolutely bullseyes the primary causes of despondency; economic anxiety and aging. Questions like “if we weren’t bailed out / every time by our parents we’d be dead / what’s gonna happen when they’re dead?” litter the album like landmines. It constantly digs one or two layers deeper than you’d think an emo album capable of digging, and does so without pulling away from the instrumental formulae that makes emo and pop-punk so enthralling. Your parents may have been correct when they told you it was a phase in high school. But this — this isn’t a phase. How could it be?
9. Charli XCX - how i’m feeling now
Charli XCX has always been one of the more interesting pop stars, but it wasn’t until last year’s Charli that our interest turned into a well-earned fascination. By leaning into the bombastic production of her collaborators (A.G. Cook, SOPHiE, etc.) she carved out her own niche in the world of pop. how i’m feeling now continues to operate in that niche, while expanding the limits of where it can take us. While it’s most obvious on the absurdly noisy “Pink Diamond” that same dense, distorted approach infects each and every song on this record. Further adding to the mythos of Charli XCX, how i’m feeling now was written and recorded entirely during quarantine, and touches heavily on the upsettingly relevant themes of isolation, loneliness and separation. But above all else, listening to this record is fun, just like it should be.
8. The Microphones - Microphones in 2020
Despite the record being only a single 45 minute song, Microphones in 2020 manages to be as emotionally arresting as each of its predecessors. Featuring a wide range of real time ruminations, the album feels akin to something that Mark Kozelek would have put out if he could focus on themes rather than anecdotes. Elverum clearly trusts his audience, because the lyrics, which are basically what people come to Elverum for, don’t appear until almost seven minutes into the song. The wait is more than worth it. His opening lines “the true state of all things / I keep on not dying / the sun keeps on rising” capture the only truth that we could ever possibly confirm. Every struggle and triumph only branches out from this simple fact.
7. Arkheron Thodol - Rituals of the Sovereign Heart
Black metal has always been a popular subgenre of choice, but it has never been THIS popular. Around the time that Deafheaven released Sunbather, a tremendous album whose influence has been litigated to the point where we have little to add, everyone suddenly became an atmospheric black metal (atmoblack) artist. While the debate as to why still rages on, the real issue emerged when these bands began to oversaturate the metal scene with tired ideas and poorly conceived songs. Pushing back against the rising tide of mediocrity emerging from atmoblack, much of the metal world turned their back on the genre, which had become a hipster haven. But this didn’t mean there weren’t concepts to explore within the genre, but rather that there weren’t enough serious bands to explore them.
Arkheron Thodol has all the clout, skill and various adjectives they needed to shatter our shallow perception of the genre. By playing with post-metal structures, ripping riffs and memorable solos, Arkheron Thodol asserts that atmoblack can be more than just a fad or a Deafheaven ripoff. This record is decidedly metal-ass metal, and it demands to be taken seriously. Luckily the music speaks for itself by thoroughly exploring a variety of musical approaches and emotional expressions. Rituals of the Sovereign Heart is memorable, potent and endlessly listenable. Without a doubt, it’s one of the year’s most impressive triumphs.
6. Liturgy - Origin of the Alimonies
Origin of the Alimonies exists as a transformative work in the realm of metal. At only 37 minutes long, the record teeters close to the edge of a long EP more than it does a full length album. Not a surprise given that Liturgy’s last project H.A.Q.Q., which this record builds upon, released almost exactly a year before it. But this shortened runtime allows Hunter Hunt-Hendrix, the frontwoman of the band, and essentially the sole member of Liturgy, to see how closely she can cram different musical modes without losing the audience. She comes awfully close. But of course her unrivaled intuition for extreme music, which has already yielded two confirmed classics, an opera, and two more potential classics, manages to pull together these disparate ideas into a work so cohesive that it would turn even the most seasoned composer into a slack-jawed child.
Hunt-Hendrix is not the first person, or even the first woman to combine metal with more symphonic elements. But as far as I am aware, she is the only person to break new ground in both realms then slam them together with the force of a MOAB. Add in her perception shattering use of electronics, glitch elements and other cutting edge production and you’ll find that she’s created something unlike anything before it. Origin of the Alimonies demands admiration, one listen will surely pull it out of you.
5. Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters
Rightfully, no one was shocked when Fiona Apple put out an album that was good. But that the record was this good deserves a moment of applause. Having put out perfect albums for nearly thirty years at this point, it’s well past time that Apple is rightfully placed among the greatest living songwriters, poets and lyricists. As for the album itself, there’s a unique comfort and honesty to it. Even though honesty has never been something that eluded Apple, the choice to record the album within her Venice Beach home has imbued it with a level of comfort and frankness rarely discovered within the grooves of a record.
Does the album get weird? Ask the dolphin noises at the end of “I Want You To Love Me.” But for all the unique proclivities of Apple as a songwriter, the specificity of the record makes it even more impactful. These stories and song constructions may have happened only to Fiona Apple, but these stories and lyrics echo out, becoming truth in the ears of its listeners. Connecting to a record has never been easier.
4. Run the Jewels - RTJ4
As much as it’s silly to give albums bonus points for coming out at the right time, you can’t deny that RTJ4 was released the second it was needed. Unleashed upon the world in the days following the murder of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis Police Department, it may feel like this record was recorded during the BLM protests that consumed the waking lives of every American in 2020. But despite the presence of the line “And every day on the evening news, they feed you fear for free / And you so numb, you watch the cops choke out a man like me / Until my voice goes from a shriek to whisper, ‘I can’t breathe’” on “Walking in the Snow” the album was recorded well before these events took place. It should leave you wondering how Killer Mike was able to predict the future so accurately. The answer, sadly, is that predicting violence against Black Americans has never been particularly difficult, and it doesn’t take Nostradamus to know that it will continue unless things change soon.
Though the potency of RTJ4 is undeniable, it only matters because the musicianship is equally impactful. Featuring the same dense wordplay and bone-breaking production that carried the duo through three universally-acclaimed albums, RTJ4 doubles down on each element, resulting in their most impressive output to date. Not a single one of the first seven songs has any misses, putting this album on a run of tracks that nothing else matches this year. The bonus element of good politics and genuine rage only further elevates the record.
Expecting art to bear the burden of social change is foolish. Art can only alert people to a situation that demands change. The people need to carry out the demand for that change themselves. By releasing RTJ4 for free, Killer Mike and El-P have more than done their part. It’s time that we did ours.
3. Melted Bodies - Enjoy Yourself
It concerns me that the best metal album of the year could slip though unnoticed. It concerns me even more that this album will never get it’s full due. In past dissections, I compared this record to System of a Down, and focused primarily on lyrical dissections. But to focus only on the lyrics misses what makes this album succeed. Sure, the lyrics are a key element, and certainly go a long way towards lifting this album above all the other excellent records this year. However the true strength of this record is its ability to feel both adventurous and painfully plotted out. Take “Funny Commercials” for instance. The track itself is less than five minutes long, and even then it still contains at least four distinct sections, all of which feel fully thought out. They blend together brilliantly, and get wild enough to satisfy even the pickiest of extreme metal fans, while remaining somewhere in the realm of accessible. It’s a truly stunning achievement, except it takes place on virtually every song on this record.
We cannot take this record for granted. It swings for the fences every single second. Once the pitching machine runs out of juice and the dust finally clears, we’ll see that there were a lot more home runs than anything else. It’s a politically relevant work of magic that pushes boundaries to places that hold only tragedy; and come out victorious. This does not happen often, it may not happen ever. If you listen to a single piece of metal this year, make it Enjoy Yourself.
2. Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher
Usually high expectations for a record, especially a sophomore album, are an automatic death sentence. Either Bridgers didn’t get the memo or simply didn’t know that people were very excited for this record, because it surpasses every mark against which it could be measured. Each element that stood out as special on Stranger in the Alps, from her glassy-clear voice to the minimalist construction of her songs is improved on Punisher. Even her lyricism has improved in the past three years. Where Stranger in the Alps had an occasional gut punch, Punisher delivers an unrelenting flurry of haymakers. From the tear jerking, “I grew up here, 'til it all went up in flames / Except the notches in the door frame,” to the equally heart rending “I’m gonna kill you / If you don’t beat me to it” Bridgers shows that she operates on a level entirely separate from most lyricists.
But for all its cool, chilly sadness, Punisher remembers to be fun. Title track “Punisher” features the comical line “From the window, it's not a bad show / If your favorite thing's Dianetics or stucco” and the instrumentation on “Kyoto” is as enjoyable as anything this year. While some may decry the album as another “sad-girl with a guitar” record, that’s both reductive and obviously sexist. Punisher is a delight from start to finish. And the magic of the record can only be traced back to Bridgers herself. She has an incredible ability to make it feel like she wrote each and every song for you and you alone. Her intimate delivery can trick you into feeling like she personally knows you, even if you’ve never stepped foot in the same state. What she’s done is remarkable, and then to cap it off with the best song of the year “I Know The End,” strips away any illusions that this record is just a flash in the pan.
1. HMLTD - West of Eden
Every so often a record pulls you into its orbit and never lets go. That was the case when I first listened to HMLTD’s debut record West of Eden. At first, tracks like “LOADED,” “Death Drive” and “Blank Slate” stood out for their catchy, bombastic nature. The way they capably blended theatricality, camp, darkness and experimentation was instantly appealing. As the months went on, the record mysteriously kept playing in my headphones and I gained a newfound appreciation for the campier and slower tracks. “Joanna,” “Mikey’s Song” and “Nobody Stays in Love” wriggled their way into the crevices of my brain. Ultimately, I was forced to concede that every second of this record was so well considered and intentional that it practically carved its name into the number one spot.
But what really pulled this record away from the pack was the lack of fear. Not a single punch is pulled across its 49 minute runtime. At times, it seems destined to collapse under its ambition. Recurring characters pop up in tracks like a game of Whack-a-Mole, and even with these tangled cords encircling the record, each song has its own fulfilling or unsettling narrative. West of Eden doesn’t expect a lot from the listener — it demands everything. Let your attention slip for a single moment and the record will eat you alive, elude you or even murder you in your sleep. But despite the high expectations West of Eden carries with it, it refuses to be an academic exercise. It thrills just as readily as it perplexes, and for every second of societal commentary, there’s another second filled with jaunty tunes about imagined murders. West of Eden is unlike anything else this year, both in ambition and execution. It demands to be considered in a class all its own. And so it is.