2022 AOTY So Far

I don't know what my favorites are in general yet, but here is what I've bought physical copies of this year

Horsegirl - Versions Of Modern Performance
Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul - Topical Dancer
P.E. - The Leather Lemon
NoSo - Stay Proud Of Me
Soccer Mommy - Sometimes, Forever
Kat Frankie - Shiny Things
Yumi Zouma - Present Tense
Jackie Cohen - Pratfall
Cate Le Bon - Pompeii
Tallies - Patina
Twen - One Stop Shop
Phoebe Green - Lucky Me
Flasher - Love Is Yours
Mitski - Laurel Hell
Maita - I Just Want To Be Wild For You
Maren Morris - Humble Quest
The Afghan Whigs - How Do You Burn?
Cécile McLorin Salvant - Ghost Song
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Cool It Down

Oh, and these, which haven't arrived yet...

First Aid Kit - Palomino
Julianna Riolino - All Blue
Warhaus - Ha Ha Heartbreak

An adjunct list to the immediate ones I mentioned upthread. Unranked because haven't really listened to them repeatedly:

Beach House - Once Twice Melody
Blushing - Possessions
Cloakroom - Dissolution Wave
Elkhorn - Distances
Ghost Woman - s-t
Gwenno - Tresor
King Hannah - I'm Not Sorry, I Was Just Being Me
Loop - Sonancy
Marisa Anderson - Still, Here
Naujawanan Baidar - Khedmat Be Khalq
Onyon - s-t
The Routes - The Twang Machine
Sault - everything they've released this year
Shearwater - The Great Awakening
The Soundcarriers - Wilds
Viagra Boys - Cave World
Wet Leg - s-t
50 Foot Wave - Black Pearl

There's a lot more I've bought and listened to this year, but they're all folks who just keep on keeping on. Sure, I like the new BJM, Spiritualized, Robyn Hitchcock, Graham Day, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, albums a lot but it's not like I'm going to put them on a list.

In lieu of posting a first draft of my ILXOR ballot I'll pretend this is the "77 voting recommendations" thread and mention a few albums that have received little to no attention here or elsewhere (as far as I know):

Lady Wray - Piece Of Me - Nicole Wray of "Make It Hot" fame continues what she started with the Lady s/t in 2013 and her own album Queen Alone in 2016 - comforting, warm, accomplished soul.

Eliza and the Delusionals - Now And Then - I started a thread for this and unfortunately it received no replies, but despite that silence I am continuing to enjoy this debut from these Australian nostalgists. Widescreen dreampop that takes the Sixpence None The Richer sound and runs with it, as many others have this year.

Say She She - Prism - I've found it hard to place this, but I feel like it sits at the intersection of a host of ILM vectors - Lady Wray herself might be one, but also Natalie Prass, We Are King, Emily King, Kadhja Bonet, that short-lived band Juce, Esperanza Spalding when she's in a more straightforward mode, etc. Their band name is horrible and the album is on the short side, but it's lovely to listen to and hard to fault.

renforshort - dear amelia is my pick for 2022's best imitation of Olivia Rodrigo's SOUR.

Finally, Javiera Mena - Nocturna has the feel of a compilation for me as I'd previously rinsed so many of its component tracks, some of which were released years ago, but at the same time I wouldn't begrudge anyone calling it her best album and if pushed I might give it that description myself. A banger-a-thon that concludes with the song she tried to enter Eurovision with and its spooky-ooky organ solo.

Xp Elvis Telecom thanks for the Teri Gender Bender rec. This shit is unreal.

Still mulling my list but it will def include:

Yeule - Glitch Princess
Death's Dynamic Shroud - Darklife
Arp - New Pleasures
Emily Wells - Regards to the End

Plus previously mentioned Richard/Zahn, Soccer Mommy, Horsegirl, Beth Orton et al.

Definitely a strong year for releases.

Teri Gender Bender - COMPLEXIFY EPs (putting them all together, they will easily be my #1 for the year)

Ooh, didn't realize she had something new out.

My longlist at the moment (mostly metal-adjacent)

Autopsy – Morbidity Triumphant
The Beths – Expert in a Dying Field
Chat Pile – God’s Country
Cloakroom – Dissolution Wave
Cloud Rat – Threshold
Desiccation – Cold Dead Earth
Early Moods – Early Moods
Fellowship – The Saberlight Chronicles
Ghost – Impera
Martha – Please Don’t Take Me Back
Moon Tooth – Phototroph
Moonlight Sorcery - Piercing Through the Frozen Eternity
Negative Plane – The Pact…
Satan – Earth Infernal
Sloan – Steady
Sumerlands – Dreamkiller
Sunrise Patriot Motion – Black Fellflower Stream
Voivod – Synchro Anarchy
Vórtize – ¡Tienes Que Luchar!
Wormrot – Hiss

Favourite tracks: “Toma Acción” by Vórtize, “Wolven Hour” by Moonlight Sorcery

Xp Elvis Telecom thanks for the Teri Gender Bender rec. This shit is unreal.

I need to start a thread. I love the Le Butcherettes albums, but these new EPs are something else

My favourite 2022 album that hasn't been mentioned on this thread is Marlon Williams' My Boy. Up until now, he's been a serious-minded country crooner, but on his third album, he's discovered a sense of fun.

This is one of my favourites:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhaZBN3m2EI

nice, alex cameron vibes

I don't believe the new Cass McCombs has been mentioned?

apart from that I highly recommend Glass Horizon by Precipitation, lovely ambient bobbins

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEdP99xQCEM

In no particular order,new records by:

Weyes Blood
Big Thief
Black Midi
BCNR
Alvvays

Honorable mention:

Ethel Cain

Wizkid - More Love Less Ego
Homeboy Sandman - Still Champion
Horse Lords - Comradely Objects
Floating Points - Whatever the album is called, the EP of singles is great

I just got through a second play but Nicola Cruz's Fabric mix is a motherfucker and likely to get in the mix

Also big late pass but I've got Ryuichi Sakamoto's Revenant OST on heavy play the last two weeks

Finally checking out the Guitarricadelafuente album that was only listed on NPR's Mid-Year list, and it's a really lovely, unassuming folk pop record with a unique mix of acoustic and electronic instrumentation, mostly in Spanish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aA90hkaCXs

Couldn't put my finger on it at first, but reminds me of C. Tangana's El Madrileño. Traditional Spanish music with modern updates that are mostly successful.

I haven't played anything else as frequently as Loop's Sonancy all year.

In lieu of posting a first draft of my ILXOR ballot I'll pretend this is the "77 voting recommendations" thread and mention a few albums that have received little to no attention here or elsewhere (as far as I know):

Lady Wray - Piece Of Me - Nicole Wray of "Make It Hot" fame continues what she started with the Lady s/t in 2013 and her own album Queen Alone in 2016 - comforting, warm, accomplished soul.

Eliza and the Delusionals - Now And Then - I started a thread for this and unfortunately it received no replies, but despite that silence I am continuing to enjoy this debut from these Australian nostalgists. Widescreen dreampop that takes the Sixpence None The Richer sound and runs with it, as many others have this year.

Say She She - Prism - I've found it hard to place this, but I feel like it sits at the intersection of a host of ILM vectors - Lady Wray herself might be one, but also Natalie Prass, We Are King, Emily King, Kadhja Bonet, that short-lived band Juce, Esperanza Spalding when she's in a more straightforward mode, etc. Their band name is horrible and the album is on the short side, but it's lovely to listen to and hard to fault.

renforshort - dear amelia is my pick for 2022's best imitation of Olivia Rodrigo's SOUR.

Finally, Javiera Mena - Nocturna has the feel of a compilation for me as I'd previously rinsed so many of its component tracks, some of which were released years ago, but at the same time I wouldn't begrudge anyone calling it her best album and if pushed I might give it that description myself. A banger-a-thon that concludes with the song she tried to enter Eurovision with and its spooky-ooky organ solo.

― monotony, Friday, November 4, 2022 2:39 AM (three months ago) bookmarkflaglink

Hey monotony! I saw an upcoming listing for Say She She at a local club, and for whatever reason decided to check out their record. Holy shit, I love this album! Then I came to see if anyone at ILM had been talking about them and it turns out that it's pretty much just you. As a gesture of solidarity, I'll check out your other picks from this post.

Anyone else who's reading the 2022 AOTY thread in 2023, give Say She She a shot!