My Favourite Albums of 2021

Yes, you read that right. 2021?

After a pandemic-influenced bout of writer’s block on my personal writing, my top albums of 2021 list is finally here. Guess I should get started on my 2022 one now!

While 2021 wasn’t as strong of a year as 2020 was, the year still had a bunch of fantastic albums that I return to often. As always, the music clips embedded in this list often contain explicit language and are not safe for work! So without further ado, here are my favourite albums that were released last year.

Honourable Mentions

Armand Hammer & The Alchemist — Haram (Abstract Hip Hop, Conscious Hip Hop)

Brockhampton — Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine (West Coast Hip Hop, Pop Rap)

Boldy James & The Alchemist — Bo Jackson (Gangsta Rap, Jazz Rap)

Dean Blunt — Black Metal 2 (Art Pop, Neo-Psychedelia)

Lingua Ignota — Sinner Get Ready (Neoclassical Darkwave, Avant-Folk)

RXK Nephew — Slitherman Activated (Trap, Experimental Hip Hop)

Rx Papi — 100 Miles and Walk’in (Trap, Cloud Rap)

Turnstile — Glow On (Post-Hardcore, Alternative Rock)

Vince Staples — Vince Staples (West Coast Hip Hop, Trap)

Westside Gunn — Hitler Wears Hermes 8 (Hip Hop, Gangsta Rap)

Genres

Hip Hop — 6 or 30%

Pop — 4 or 20%

Punk — 3 or 15%

Rock — 2 or 10%

R&B — 2 or 10%

Electronic — 1 or 5%

Folk — 1 or 5%

Jazz — 1 or 5%

20. Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra — Promises

Genres: Post-Minimalism, Spiritual Jazz

Pharoah Sanders is one of my favourite jazz musicians, and one of the first I discovered along with Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Charles Mingus. His spiritual jazz compositions from the late 60s and early 70s remain some of the best jazz records I’ve ever heard. Now 81 years old (2022 update: R.I.P. Pharoah Sanders), he has teamed up with electronic music producer Floating Points and The London Symphony Orchestra to release one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the year.

Promises was recorded over the span of two years and marks Pharoah Sanders first studio album in over a decade. Compared to his more energetic and avant-garde works, this is much more minimal, ambient, and meditative. It may not grab your attention when played in the background, but a careful listen with a good pair of headphones will take you on a journey and reveal the production’s finer details.

19. DJ Sabrina the Teenage DJ — The Makin’ Magick II Album

Genres: Outsider House, Plunderphonics

DJ Sabrina the Teenage DJ is a unique artist that has dropped several impressive albums over the last few years. She effectively incorporates the nostalgic sounds of the 80s and 90s into uplifting house tracks, with her albums often surpassing the two hour mark without getting boring. My first exposure to DJ Sabrina was the original Makin’ Magick album, followed by the even better Charmed. Now, she has returned with a sequel to her 2017 debut.

Like its predecessor, The Makin’ Magick II Album delivers a seamless mix of transcendent dance music and gorgeous vocal samples. Highlights include Being Alone, the album’s 12-minute long centerpiece, and Each Time, a funky and anthemic track with an earworm of a chorus. Recommended for fans of The Avalanches and Daft Punk’s Discovery.

18. Sufjan Stevens & Angelo De Augustine — A Beginner’s Mind

Genres: Indie Folk, Chamber Pop

Sufjan Stevens is somewhat of an intimidating artist for me. I first discovered him through his 2005 album Illinois, which I haven’t listened to enough to fully absorb how great it is. While his 2010 album The Age of Adz didn’t do much for me, 2015’s Carrie & Lowell is one my favourites of all time and a hauntingly beautiful tribute to his late mother.

This year, he teamed up with Angelo de Augustine for the collaborative album A Beginner’s Mind. Like Carrie & Lowell, this is a more traditional indie folk album compared to his more progressive and electronic-tinged works. Each song is inspired by a movie that they watched while working on the album. My favourite track is Back to Oz, inspired by the 1985 Disney film Return to Oz. One day I will delve more into Sufjan’s discography, but for now I’ll keep enjoying the random albums of his I’ve stumbled upon.

17. Silk Sonic — An Evening With Silk Sonic

Genres: Smooth Soul, Funk

I’m not the biggest Bruno Mars fan, and outside of his great debut album Malibu, I’m not a big fan of Anderson .Paak either. That’s why I’m surprised by how much I enjoyed the debut album from Silk Sonic, a new project featuring the two artists. While I wasn’t totally on board at first, the more I listened to it, the more I appreciated how well written and produced these songs are.

My favourite track is the mega hit Leave the Door Open, but I’m also fond of the closer Blast Off. The album is short, sweet and to the point at just over a half hour in length. While their 70s soul and funk-inspired sound is not the most original thing in the world, they nail it perfectly and are clearly having a lot of fun doing it. This is the feel good album that many of us needed to get through 2021.

16. Squid — Bright Green Field

Genres: Art Punk, Post-Punk

The first of three albums on this list to come out of Britain’s recent post-punk explosion, Squid’s Bright Green Field brings the attitude of bands like Devo and The Fall into the modern era. My introduction to Squid was through their song Narrator, which was released as a single before the album and remains my favourite song by the band. After checking out their 2019 EP Town Centre, I patiently waited for their debut album to drop.

One thing I really like about Squid that makes them stand out from their contemporaries is their distinct krautrock influence. While other bands in this current wave of British post-punk often have complex song structures with multiple movements, Squid focus more on hypnotic grooves and motorik drum beats. Bright Green Field is a dense and quirky album that grows on me every time I listen to it, and I look forward to where they take their sound from here.

15. Japanese Breakfast — Jubilee

Genres: Indie Pop, Dream Pop

When I think of Japanese Breakfast’s Jubilee, I’ll always remember the summer mornings up north it provided the soundtrack to. There doesn’t seem to be much to it at first, but the more I listened to Jubilee the more I realized how expertly crafted it is.

The album effortlessly blends warm synths, danceable beats, heartfelt string arrangements, and gorgeous vocals into a diverse yet cohesive sound. There is some great guitar work here as well, like on the funky Slide Tackle and the dreamy closer Posing For Cars. My favourite track is Be Sweet, a catchy synthpop number that gets stuck in my head all the time. While Jubilee was my first Japanese Breakfast album, it certainly won’t be my last.

14. Low — HEY WHAT

Genres: Post-Industrial, Ambient Pop

Low’s previous album Double Negative was my fourth favourite album of 2018 and marked a radical departure in their sound. Three years later, they have finally released a follow-up that progresses this new direction for the band. While Double Negative was glitchy, atmospheric, and meandering, HEY WHAT brings the noisy, industrial-tinged elements into sharp relief with slightly more conventional song structures and vocals placed very high in the mix.

The opener White Horses eases you into the album with some stunning vocals before bludgeoning you with layers of distorted guitar drone. My favourite track is Days Like These, with its catchy vocal hook giving way to some instrumental ambience reminiscent of their previous album. While I don’t like HEY WHAT quite as much as Double Negative, it is still an excellent follow up and a great addition to Low’s impressive discography (2022 update: R.I.P. Mimi Parker).

13. Black Country, New Road — For the First Time

Genres: Post-Punk, Experimental Rock

For the First Time is the debut album from British post-punk band Black Country, New Road. After the critical success of their breakthrough single Sunglasses, the hype for the album before its release was already astronomical. Their unique sound incorporates klezmer, a style of Jewish folk music, which is immediately apparent on the opener Instrumental. It sounds as if the band is introducing themselves to the world by asking us to dance in celebration.

Tracks like Athens, France and Science Fair are more representative of the band’s core sound. Longer tracks are split into multiple movements with horns and sarcastic lyricism throughout. However, my favourite song here is Track X, a ballad inspired by minimalist composers like Steve Reich and Arthur Russell. While For the First Time sounds like a new band working out their kinks, Black Country, New Road offers a refreshing new take on punk music that I’m sure will only mature in time.

12. Spellling — The Turning Wheel

Genres: Art Pop, Baroque Pop

I first discovered Spellling with her 2019 album Mazy Fly. While it didn’t do much for me at the time, this year’s follow-up The Turning Wheel grabbed my attention immediately. The musicianship is impeccable, the production is fantastic, and its grand scope makes it feel like I’m watching a film or a musical in album form.

My favourite songs include opener Little Deer, Awaken, and Boys at School. While it’s a bit long at nearly an hour in length, Spellling’s The Turning Wheel is one of the most impressively crafted albums of 2021. She also has a great KEXP session which only helped me appreciate this album more!

11. Parannoul — To See the Next Part of the Dream

Genres: Shoegaze, Emo

One of my biggest surprises of the year came from the anonymous Korean musician Parannoul and their sophomore album To See the Next Part of the Dream. It is a shockingly accomplished album for an independent release on Bandcamp! It brings together shoegaze, emo, indie rock, and noise pop with a rough-around-the-edges production style that only adds to the appeal.

Highlights include opener Beautiful World, the epic White Ceiling, and the Ride-influenced closer I Can Feel My Heart Touching You. The album also includes some effective samples from movies and TV shows that influenced Parannoul as a teeanger, like the anime Welcome to the NHK and the Japanese film All About Lily Chou-Chou. Highly recommended for any fan of shoegaze, emo, or those who like their indie rock on the more melancholic and introspective side.

10. black midi — Cavalcade

Genres: Avant-Prog, Jazz-Rock

Two years ago, black midi released their debut album Schlagenheim, quickly making them one of my favourite rock bands recording music today. Their innovative blend of noise rock, math rock, and post-punk scratched a particular itch that I didn’t know I had. With Cavalcade, black midi have drastically changed their sound in a more progressive direction. Ditching the noise rock influences for the avant-prog of Larks Tongues in Aspic-era King Crimson and the jazz fusion of Mahavishnu Orchestra, the album is an incredible achievement of musicianship and scale.

Opener John L is my favourite song on the album and sets the tone instantly with its chaotic horns and effective use of silence. I also really like Slow, which has a great animated music video. For those looking to get into black midi, I highly recommend listening to both of their KEXP sessions as they are some of the best live performances I’ve ever seen!

9. MIKE — “Disco!”

Genres: Abstract Hip Hop, Experimental Hip Hop

MIKE first grabbed my attention with his 2020 release weight of the world, which was my eighth favourite album of that year. His experimental style of hip hop was an influence on Odd Future alum Earl Sweatshirt, and any fan of Earl would be doing themselves a disservice by not diving into MIKE’s discography. His latest album “Disco!” continues to progress and refine his sound with more short bursts of creativity.

Highlights include opener Evil Eye, the creepy beat on Ghoulish, and the piano sample on closer Spiral. “Disco!” marks another successful album in the rapper’s increasingly impressive discography, and I look forward to his next album Beware of the Monkey which will be released in the coming weeks. For anyone convinced that mumble rap is devoid of creativity, MIKE is here to single-handedly prove you wrong.

8. ZelooperZ — Van Gogh’s Left Ear

Genres: Trap, Abstract Hip Hop

ZelooperZ is a member of Danny Brown’s collective Bruiser Brigade, but I was not familiar with his music until this year’s Van Gogh’s Left Ear. As a fan of weird and experimental hip hop, this album connected with me immediately. Adopting a Detroit-style flow similar to RXK Nephew, who appears on the album’s third track, Zelooperz’ persona is goofy and off-kilter in the best way.

Highlights include opener Battery, with its massive trap beat starting the album off with guns blazing, and Bash Bandicoon, a track that cleverly samples the theme song from Crash Bandicoot. While the album breezes through nearly 20 songs in just over 40 minutes, there is never a dull moment and the production is excellent throughout. Van Gogh’s Left Ear is an essential listen for anyone looking for something new from the often stale trap sound.

7. Tyler, the Creator — Call Me If You Get Lost

Genres: Hip Hop, Neo-Soul

Tyler, the Creator had big shoes to fill after releasing his two most critically acclaimed albums yet: Flower Boy and IGOR. While Call Me If You Get Lost unfortunately doesn’t come close to the genius of either of those albums, it’s still a significant improvement over his early work and one of the best albums of the year.

The album takes a few tracks to get warmed up before truly getting started with the catchy Wusyaname. Other highlights include the hard-hitting Massa, the progressive pop epic Sweet / I Thought I Wanted You To Dance, and Juggernaut featuring Lil Uzi Vert and Pharrell. With Call Me If You Get Lost, Tyler has proved that his last two albums were not an anomaly. He has officially entered a more mature phase of his career, and I hope he continues producing more great albums.

6. Sweet Trip — A Tiny House, In Secret Speeches, Polar Equals

Genres: Dream Pop, Indietronica

It’s a saying that gets overused all the time, but Sweet Trip were a band that were truly ahead of their time. After releasing their breakthrough album Velocity : Design : Comfort in 2003, the band gained a cult following for their unique blend of shoegaze, IDM-inspired electronic, and noisy glitch pop. They eventually released its follow up You Will Never Know Why in 2009, and twelve years later we finally have another album.

A Tiny House… was a bit of a disappointment when I first heard it. It is neither as experimental or refreshing as Velocity nor as cohesive or well-written as its successor. Instead, they operate in a middle ground that doesn’t hit the highs of either of those albums but still provides a ton of great new material from the band (2022 update: it would be remiss of me not to mention the upsetting situation that led to the band’s breakup, trigger warning for sexual assault).

5. Little Simz — Sometimes I Might Be Introvert

Genres: Conscious Hip Hop, Neo-Soul

My introduction to Little Simz was through her fantastic 2019 album GREY Area. I was immediately impressed by her lyricism and production choices which put her on par with some of the best rappers around right now. While the album was a hit in her native U.K., that success didn’t quite cross overseas. That all changed with her latest album, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, which is arguably the most critically acclaimed album of the year!

The album opens with Introvert, which is probably my favourite song on an album chock-full of fantastic tracks. Other highlights include Woman, I Love You, I Hate You, and Point and Kill, the latter of which features Nigerian musician Obongjayar. Those searching out the best albums of 2021 have probably already heard this, but every hip hop fan owes it to themselves to listen to it at least once.

4. JPEGMAFIA — LP!

Genres: Experimental Hip Hop, Hardcore Hip Hop

JPEGMAFIA is one of my favourite rappers recording today, so it’s always exciting to hear him release a new album. Since his 2018 breakthrough Veteran, which was my twenty-second favourite album of 2018 (it would most definitely rank higher now), he has become an influential figure in the experimental hip hop landscape. His latest release, simply titled LP!, may be his best work yet.

Highlights include the trippy beat of End Credits, the menacing horn samples on Rebound, and the bonus track Bald which ranks with some of his best work. There are actually two versions of this album with different track listings on Bandcamp and Spotify, for what I’m assuming were sample clearance issues at the time of release. However, the tracks not included on the Spotify version have now been released as the EP OFFLINE! JPEGMAFIA has crafted another great record with LP!, and I can’t wait to sink my teeth into his next effort.

3. Lil Ugly Mane — Volcanic Bird Enemy and the Voiced Concern

Genres: Neo-Psychedelia, Indie Pop

While I was surprised to see Virginia rapper Lil Ugly Mane return with his first full-length since 2015’s Oblivion Access, I was even more surprised that Volcanic Bird Enemy and the Voiced Concern is not a hip hop album at all. Despite delving into a new sound inspired by psychedelia, dream pop, and alternative rock, I think this is his best album since his Memphis rap revival masterpiece Mista Thug Isolation.

The experimental nature of the album is disorienting on the first few listens, but eventually I realized there are excellently crafted pop songs hiding amongst all the weirdness. Highlights include the guitar-heavy Headboard and Porcelain Slightly, as well as the melancholic and catchy Benadryl Submarine. I’m happy to see Lil Ugly Mane making albums again, and I hope we hear more of this new sound from him as this might just be his best work.

2. Genesis Owusu — Smiling With No Teeth

Genres: Neo-Soul, Alternative R&B

I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone combine so many genres successfully on their debut album as Genesis Owusu does on the fantastic Smiling With No Teeth. This album will always remind me of last summer when I blasted it on a boat cruise up north with my family, which must’ve raised the eyebrows of a few nearby cottagers.

Despite clocking in at almost an hour, there isn’t a dull moment on Smiling With No Teeth. The Ghanian-Australian musician takes us through a journey of soul, funk, hip hop, electronic, and even post-punk, all somehow wrapped up in a cohesive way. There are too many highlights to count, but you might as well start with his most popular single Don’t Need You. This was one of the first albums to grab my attention in 2021 and remained one of my favourites until the very end!

1. Kanye West— Donda

Genres: Trap, Experimental Hip Hop

Sometimes I wish Donda wasn’t my favourite album of 2021.

In a way, it makes sense that I’m writing my top albums of 2021 list in 2022, now that Ye’s fall from grace has become all the more spectacular. Just when I thought he couldn’t stoop any lower, he has emerged as an anti-Semitic, Nazi-sympathizing, far-right interview troll. So many Kanye fans are now asking themselves the same question: how can this be the same man that has given us so much great music?

This sprawling, jumbled mess of brilliance takes the fragmented feel of The Life of Pablo and magnifies it tenfold. Other than the head-scratching Tell the Vision, there are no duds over a double album spanning almost two hours.

Highlights include The Weeknd’s angelic chorus on Hurricane, the bass-heavy drill of Off the Grid, Baby Keem’s stunning verse on Praise God, the heartfelt hymn that is 24, Kid Cudi’s beautiful contribution to Moon, a peek at the old Kanye on Believe What I Say, the epic centerpiece Jesus Lord, and Andre 3000’s touching tribute to his own mother on Life of the Party.

I would be thrilled if this was Ye’s last album. While I seem to be in the minority, I think it’s a fantastic statement to end his musical career.