ILM’s Top 77 Albums of 2021

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59. Damon Locks & Black Monument Ensemble - NOW
156 points / 5 votes
Video from the album: “Forever Momentary Space”
International Anthem: S/D

I don't quite have the vocabulary to describe why I like this so much, something about the way the vocals kind of float above all the rest of the sound

Vocals are super dry while the woozy Rhodes is low-passed and even the bass has reverb? I really like it.

good album
xpost

I was really really enjoying that Mach-Hommy track linked up, but I wasn't paying much attention to the lyrics and all of a sudden I get "rock with Coldplay, it was all yellow" hitting me. Kind of burst me out of the magic.

rappers love coldplay

no one knows why

I think he mentions Barry Manilow in the next few lines as well!

Love that Damon Locks album. My second vote to place.

voted for it too, really invigorating

SE album was good but didn't find myself returning to it

https://i.imgur.com/HrZv93O.jpg
58. Natural Information Society & Evan Parker - descension (Out of Our Constrictions)
158 points / 4 votes / 1 #1 vote
Video from the album: “descension 1”
Rolling Jazz Thread 2021

Fuck yes, despite Parker's idiocy, this was certainly a highlight of the year for me. Amazing set.

I was the #1

Still have not listened to this, I need to.

It is an incredible set!

Ironic that an “information society” would be paired with him.

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57. Arab Strap - As Days Get Dark
159 points / 4 votes / 1 #1 vote
Video from the album: “The Turning of Our Bones”
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Arab Strap: Classic Or Dud?

There we go

Haven't felt like I need to listen to Arab Strap since the '90s but I heard one track of that somewhere (maybe DJP's radio appearance?) and it was good!

Surprised to see Saint Etienne make it today. Even though I know we're very good to them usually, I thought this one divided people too much. Based on the singles I was expecting this to be the first album that really disappointed me. Ended up growing on me like most of their more mellow albums do. They're probably the only band who've been going for a long time who haven't let me down. They haven't had their Elysium moment yet.

i had no idea there was a new arab strap album!!!!

maybe SE NEED their Elysium moment so that, duly stung, they can have their Electric moment next

listening to this Howie Lee again and it actually reminds me of Eyvind Kang!

I did listen to the Arab Strap album. Very much sounded like an Arab Strap album.

sounds great

NOW is such an awesome record. Those cicadas should get some kind of special grammy or something

https://i.imgur.com/4BcBf0v.jpg
56. Loraine James - Reflection
160 points / 7 votes
Video from the album: “Running Like That”
hmm, upon reflection... nothing like a Loraine James thread for you and i

Wow wtg Evan Parker

I think this might have to do with when it was released— June of last year— but despite being a fan of James, I totally missed this record. I kept myself from buying records from mid-June to September because of budget stuff.

purchasing now.

I had spent lots of time ignoring Arab Strap until this album; a couple of songs popped up on my Release Radar playlist and I was like "who is this band that sounds like an extremely Scottish Ulver"

lol! honestly sort of otm

The song I got obsessed with was "Fable of the Urban Fox": https://arabstrapband.bandcamp.com/track/fable-of-the-urban-fox

Yay, Loraine James! First one of my votes to appear.

I really need to listen to the Saint Etienne album again. Some of their stuff is some of my favourite ever music but I really didn't feel this.

Voted Natural Information Society and Parker very high.

Yeah, I think the Parker and NIS record was in my top five or ten...

https://i.imgur.com/RScD6Tq.jpg
55. Mogwai - As The Love Continues
163 points / 5 votes
Video from the album: “Ritchie Sacramento”
MOGWAI - Classic or Dud?

Hey Loraine James cool

GYBE, Arab Strap, Mogwai, Low...this poll has become an interesting way of learning which late 90s indie bands have been canonized

Mogwai with their number one album.

Last year was weird.

Yay, Loraine James! First one of my votes to appear.

― emil.y, Tuesday, 8 February 2022 17:13 (fourteen minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

xp
I actually meant this annual poll in general; there were a bunch last year too iirc. This isn't a criticism btw, and I remember wondering back then who was going to end up in this echelon, so it's not at all a dismaying sign of my aging that it's happening, I like it

Not sure what I think of the James, but I enjoyed this youtube comment:

S James
8 months ago
What an absolute beautiful melody and such mesmerising vocals from Eden Samara. My daughter has done it again. Mum is so proud of you ❤️

Mogwai have never been on an ILM EOY have they? It's a really good record and everything Mogwai related last year was very heartwarming.

Aw, that's so sweet. Not all of the album is as dreamy as that track, there are a bunch that hit harder and some nice sketches and bleeps in the mix as well.

xp

Mogwai have absolutely been on ILM EOYs in the past! Pretty sure I pulled teeth to get Music For A Forgotten Future into the 2011 tracks poll (actually I forget if it made it...) but nothing they've done since then (the Hardcore Will Never Die cycle) has gripped me...at all, really

Ah that's good to know emil.y, I was thinking "I don't want to listen to an entire album that is a vaporous as this." I'll add it to my now absurdly lengthy thanks to this poll queue

the Parker is sounding fantastic, will have to lash myself for not checking this out when people were raving about it in the jazz thread (in my defense I think his covidiocy was also being discussed)

Music For A Forgotten Future finished 73 :)

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54. Joy Orbison - still slipping, vol 1
164 points / 6 votes
Video from the album: “Sparko”
Joy Orbison

man, Joni Mitchell should give up smoking already