ILM’s Top 77 Albums of 2021

Another day of interesting results that make me realise I didn't do as well at keeping up with new music last year as I originally thought.

Jane Weaver was my only vote to place. Nice to see her make her first appearance on any of our lists. Probably her best album yet and Solarised is a career highlight.

I need to go back to the Snail Mail album. I ended up loving the title track. Her first album didn't do a lot for me. Halsey is another one I need to revisit.

I tried so hard with The Weather Station album. I heard a couple of songs and bought it immediately (Robber in particular stood out). I found myself getting kinda bored with it as the songs went by. It starts so strong. The exact same thing happened with the Dry Cleaning album. Neither live up to their opening songs and wore off very quickly.

Yay! for Deafheaven and Lingua Ignota, two albums I voted for. Since it doesn't seem like there's going to be a metal poll this year, these 2 placements may have to do. The Deafheaven in particular was one of my most-played albums from the year.

For those interested in Ran Cap, there is a very thorough explanation of who they are and their constellations on their Resident Advisor page.

It's like the more frantically I try to stay across things the more unrealistic that aspiration becomes.
― Tim F, Thursday, February 10, 2022 1:36 AM (six hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Really sharing this sentiment. The Top 77 had a very different year than mine, not in terms of appreciation, just in terms of exposure. But that's the true original definition of hivemind - little bees completely unaware of what they are building.

The Deafheaven is indeed their best by miles. Really enjoyed that, and I wouldn't have imagined saying that before.

Plenty to check out from yesterday. Let's start by resuming a very promising first contact with Wau Wau Collectif...

Really love how the tracks are segued in WWC. Little touches like that really elevate albums

God I sound so gauche there lol. I just mean that for an album that's a grab-bag of local Senegalese music, segueing it together is an inspired move

Julius Eastman/Wild Up in the top 40! good work folks.

Whoa, Rochelle Jordan has started GREAT

Charli XCX's recent (and directly thieving) take on UK garage becomes even more embarrassing in light of this having come out last year (not to mention Pinkpantheress)

All Along is like an avalanche of r&b

the rochelle jordan album ruled, r&b leaning so heavily into uk dance sounds worked so well. like, a lot of stuff has toyed around with r&d&b before but this really consistently went for it. my favourite r&b of the year

Yeah this is fresh

Not sure this needs tracks 8-10 (probably revealing the limits of my attention-span more than anything else lol), but otherwise very grand!

(the last two tracks are a lovely ending)

The vocal melodies on the Halsey track honey remind me unavoidably of Panic at the Disco.

Echoing all the praise for Rochelle Jordan. I hadn't heard this at all before, but it's way cool.

Forgot to say anything about The Bug. Voted for Pressure in tracks as I just didn't have enough time with the album, but it would have made my ballot. Such grimy, basement-dwelling grooves. Extremely weird and unsettling throughout.

I was the #1 for Rochelle Jordan; I love that she wasn't afraid to display the full gamut of emotional states, from fearless club sovereign ("Got 'Em", "Already") to vulnerable and reflective ("Lay", "Broken Steel"), and everything in between. Shout outs also to the ode to the fuck-off fund ("Count It") and "Dancing Elephants", possibly the best Disclosure track somehow not actually made by Disclosure

HTRK making me wish I was listening to Pygmalion instead tbh

Ah 'Heartlow' is a gorgeous return to waking life

sorry for liveblogging all this but in lieu of other people listening and responding...

wasn't super interested in htrk based on the example track, but if it sounds like pygmalion, i'm gonna queue it up

If I squint my ears I sort of hear the Pygmalion comparison. There's no ethereality to HTRK though, at their heart there's this feeling of being shackled to this life and a sort of quiet resistance to the gnawing emptiness of it all. Sonically I'd say this record is closer to Grouper than anything else. Best songs are 'Real Headfuck' and 'Reverse Deja Vu'

Do keep up th liveblogging though plz imago

First half of the Weaver was stellar. Second half wasn't so much until Solarised. First five (maybe six) plus that would have been a brilliant mini-album

HTRK reminded me of ilx favourites The XX.

quiet resistance to the gnawing emptiness of it all

ooh, when I go to a new record store I head straight for this section

The HTRK album is one of my few votes to place so far. It takes me back to highschool. Yeah I guess I’d RIYL: Slowdive, Grouper, Mazzy Star that sort of sulky, sad, nocturnal dream pop

I'm only on track 2 but I mostly hear Mazzy out of that grouping, though the opening guitar strum is what I assume made imago think of Pygmalion

The comparison only settled in during the second half tbh!

Before I formulate an opinion on The Weather Station, I hereby command Moka to save me

Here we go

https://i.imgur.com/yv9rdOb.jpg
29.(TIE) The Armed - Ultrapop
246 points / 7 votes / 1 #1 vote
Video from the album: “Average Death”
Evasive ultrapop-hardcore collective The Armed and their intense music

AND HOW!

Yes! A maxed-out dream of neon aggression. My #4 and the music I ran to most in 2021.

Liking how today's vibe has begun lmao

This was my #9. They put an insane amount of energy, effort and (apparently IRL) sweat into presenting and promoting this, and despite that it's essentially a continuation of Only Love (my 2019 #1), this is the one that broke through properly. Fair play to 'em. It bangs.

A continuation and a streamlining tbf; this really zeroes in on the (relatively, given it's all hypermelodic bubblegum post-hardcore) sleek 'ultrapop' sound. Every track (bookends aside) could be a single

I've honestly forgotten what the singles are because it's all so contagious. Ultrapop does not let up.

Ultrapoop amirite?

This has put me in such a grand mood that I'll admit that the Weather Station isn't nearly as bad as I expected. I'm rather enjoying it even

Oh wow voted for this too but didn't expect it to show up today

That track in the linked video for The Armed reminds me of Primal Scream. Does all of their stuff sound like that? I should probably listen to it if so.

I like this but I also find it very tiring to listen to for more than a few minutes at a time LOL

Now I'm wondering if VOTS made it xxp

https://i.imgur.com/Em0Np53.jpg
29.(TIE) Lil Ugly Mane - Volcanic Bird Enemy and the Voiced Concern
246 points / 7 votes / 1 #1 vote
Song from the album: “headboard”
lil ugly mane has gone sad psychedelia

aaaaaah TOO LOW

Yesss today is the day!

this was my #1. it is like hearing your entire life flashing before your ears

btw xpost to tabes: that's the longest and maybe slowest track on the album, but it generally all sounds a bit like that, yeah. The songwriting is very melodic and Britpop of some stripe is definitely an ingredient (the main songwriter is a confirmed Cardiacs fan lol)

that said if you haven't heard the LUM...head there. to me it is like a way, way strung-out Beta Band or WFANFC trying to make sense of cosmic sadness through the medium of relived childhood memory, but equally it could remind you of something else, something you grew up with. the following list is a clue as to this album's compass: https://rateyourmusic.com/list/extrarogers/things-rym-compared-volcanic-bird-enemy-to-within-the-first-week/

Way too low! This was the best possible surprise album release. Don't quite know how he's managed to pull off so many musical styles but this is the best account of that that I've heard.

Thanks imago! Going to give it a spin in the next days.