ILM’s Top 77 Albums of 2021

another ilm fave who i had no idea dropped an album this year. add it to the pile along with saint etienne and vanishing twin

Liked what I heard from this Bicep, but kind of felt that I'd already got what I needed from them with their debut.

yeh another i enjoyed and left without going back to

Soon entering the top 50 and this is a gallery of illustrious unknowns so far for me, with two votes only (Eris Drew, Kabza de Small). I did hear and like Altin Gun and there's maybe 1-2 other things I've checked and that's it. Will give me plenty of listening ideas.

never liked bicep, every time I've tried to listen to them in the past I get this stadium rave vibe that I just can't get with, something a bit nu-big beat about it all. maybe that's just me though. Will give this a listen but i can't say I'm looking forward to it much

The thing I admire about what Bicep do is that they make me nostalgic for a time and scene I wasn't ever a part of. I think that's kind of impressive, tbh.

https://i.imgur.com/CVPxDt3.jpg
51. Nite Jewel - No Sun
169 points / 6 votes
Video from the album: “This Time”
NITE JEWEL thread

Oh, I love this record! Also there's an RA podcast interview with her which is super fascinating, all about the history of professional mourners and her musicological studies of divas, totally recommended if your ears have a spare hour

https://i.imgur.com/MVUPalR.jpg
50. Flock of Dimes - Head of Roses
170 points / 6 votes
Video from the album: “Price of Blue”
Wye Oak

Love that Nite Jewel record. The album didn't make my ballot, but the Sun Ra cover was my only vote in the tracks poll.

Head of Roses is one of those deceptively simple, outrageously good albums. An artist executing exactly what she does well to perfection.

god i love this album. too low!

Nite Jewel is TOO LOW. One of the most pristine, beautiful and expressive records of the year.

honestly, this flock of dimes album and the last wye oak album (louder i get, etc.) are probably my two fav-ever wasner-involved projects to dae

Flock of Dimes sound like somewhat Low-ish in that video. Never heard of them.

I meant to spend more time with the yu su album

I'd say FOD sound more like next year's winner than this one's

this/last's even lol

I was going to say, what do you know that we don't?

no no, that was a prediction!

A double one in fact

I was told ILM is legally required to feature an album by this artist in the top 50 each year:

https://i.imgur.com/hlow6rS.jpg
49. Lana Del Rey - Chemtrails Over The Country Club
174 points / 5 votes
Video from the album: “Chemtrails Over the Country Club”
Lana Del Rey - Chemtrails Over The Country Club (2021)

Huh I'd hoped my #1 might squeak in when all the mood/vibe stuff was dropped earlier. Don't expect it in the top 50 though, so I'll pour one out for Mabe Fratti here 😢

You don't need to be Nostradamus to know with about 90% confidence who's going to win both this poll and the 2022 one, lol

I'm with you on this year, but what's the 2022 one?

Wait 3 days and you can even hear it

Oh yeah, I figured we're all assuming Low are winning this one, but I'm also stumped on 2022.

To be fair, the only album from this year that has permeated my brain so far is Beast Nest, and I'm pretty sure it's not that.

xp what was that you were saying about irksomely coy? :)

Lol I mean Big Thief obviously right let's move on

Glad we've had this discussion just after LDR placed tho

Oh, bleurgh. You're quite possibly right but why would I be paying any attention to their release schedule??

I was hoping imago meant voivod

Haha, in some parallel universe. The Slaying Universe

What is this image trying to tell us ?

Chemtrails is the first Lana album I didn't connect with. Voted for Blue Banisters instead. I don't think anyone else rated it on here though.

As for next year, might as well get an early prediction in for Real Lies taking it.

https://i.imgur.com/aJjtJHm.jpg
48. Insides - Soft Bonds
177 points / 5 votes
Video from the album: “Ghost Music”
insides - euphoria

I gave up on Lana Del Rey a couple of albums ago. I used to think I liked her, but I think I only like Ultraviolence.

I liked that Insides album from the playlist. Apparently they're a '90s band (the unsearchable name is a giveaway I guess) and this is their first record in 20 years??? You love to see it.

awe insides! <3<3<3

Really excellent to see Soft Bonds here! I thought it was a long shot and it's such a colossally gorgeous satisfying return.

Last one for the day!

So happy to see Insides make it! Such a gorgeous album that sounds like it could have come out a couple of years after Euphoria. I think it was in my top five.

https://i.imgur.com/kiDTnYh.jpg
47. aya - im hole
182 points / 5 votes
Video from the album: “Emily lights us moor”
Rolling Re-Re-Reconstructed Club Music 2021

damn how did i miss the new insides record entirely

thee. vibe. hath. placed

RESULTS

47. aya - im hole
48. Insides - Soft Bonds
49. Lana Del Rey - Chemtrails Over The Country Club
50. Flock of Dimes - Head of Roses
51. Nite Jewel - No Sun
52. Bicep - Isles
53. Yu Su - Yellow River Blue
54. Joy Orbison - still slipping, vol 1
55. Mogwai - As The Love Continues
56. Loraine James - Reflection
57. Arab Strap - As Days Get Dark
58. Natural Information Society & Evan Parker - descension (Out of Our Constrictions)
59. Damon Locks & Black Monument Ensemble - NOW
60. Saint Etienne - I've Been Trying To Tell You
61. Mach-Hommy - Pray for Haiti
62. Sarah Davachi - Antiphonals
63. Howie Lee - Birdy Island
64. Black Midi - Cavalcade
65. Vijay Iyer Trio - Uneasy
66. Altın Gün - Yol
67. Kabza de Small, DJ Maphorisa & Tresor - Rumble in the Jungle
68. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - G_d’s Pee AT STATE’S END!
69. Can - Live in Stuttgart 1975
70. Vanishing Twin - Ookii Gekkou
71. Eris Drew - Quivering in Time
72. Emeka Ogboh - Beyond the Yellow Haze
73. Spellling - The Turning Wheel
74. Hayley Williams - Flowers for Vases / Descansos
75. Doja Cat - Planet Her
76. Manchester Orchestra - The Million Masks of God
77. Various Artists ‎ - Heisei No Oto- Japanese Left-Field Pop From The CD Age, 1989-1996

xp to Brad lol there's been a lotta "how did I miss this" posts like that ITT, the landscape is fragmenting

tomorrow had better be the most imago day in poll history ffs lol