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Our favourite 57 albums of 2019

  • Writer: Dusty Cut
    Dusty Cut
  • Dec 21, 2019
  • 4 min read

It feels like it was a long, long year - how on earth was Sharon Van Etten's record released this year?


Whatever happens though there's always lots of good music. So much than we've got a bumper edition this year - a nice, round number of 57 of our favourite albums.


Here they are in some sort of order - it changes all the time so y'know, whatever.


We put it all together in this Spotify playlist.


Enjoy!


***Quick note*** Here's some albums it seems we forgot when putting this together that should be in there somewhere:

Floating Points - Crush

Stormzy - Heavy Is the Head

57. Nilüfer Yanya - Miss Universe


A very exciting talent to emerge from 2019.









56. Stealing Sheep - Big Wows


Big wows at their Clwb gig.











55. PARCS - I'm Not Having a Nice Time


Our favourite south Wales trip-hop team.









54. Bruce Springsteen - Western Stars


Maybe the production is ever-so-slightly too slick for our tastes, but the songwriter is still the boss.







53. Craig Finn - I Need a New War


The lead singer from the Hold Steady knows how to tell a cracking story in a song.








52. Y La Bamba - Mujeres


Y La Bamba had two albums this year. Both are good, this one is very rhythmic and explorative. Great cover too.








51. Stella Donnelly - Beware of the Dogs


Aussie-Welsh with catchy hooks for days.









50. Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?


She's a big deal.










49. These New Puritans - Inside the Rose


There New Puritans create a dark and delicious sound.







48. Arthur Russell - Iowa Dream


An album of off-cuts from a hero.











47. Jamilia Woods - LEGACY! LEGACY!


Sumptuous R&B.













46. BROCKHAMPTON - GINGER


Another album of bops from the prolific boys.











45. Y La Bamba - Entre Los Dos


Second entry for Luz Elena Mendoza. She's a unique musician and the world is a better place because of her vibrant music.









44. Silent Forum - Everything Solved at Once


Superb post-rock about office work. One of the best live shows around too.










43. Barker - Utility


EDM that's perfect for jogging.












42. Vanishing Twin - The Age Of Immunology


The smooth groove you deserve.











41. Kero Kero Bonito - Civilisation I


Stonking little EP.











40. CHAI - PUNK


Wonderful pop-punk from Japan. Play for fun times.











39. Burna Boy - African Giant


Political and pumpin' Afro-fusion.











38. Carly Rae Jepsen - Dedicated


A whole bunch of pop gems.












37. Baroness - Gold & Grey


A welcome addition to their ongoing colours records.











36. Bennie Maupin - The Jewel in The Lotus


You have reached the jazz section.











35. Sampa the Great - The Return


Come this way for absolute hip-hop belters.









34. Tyler The Creator - IGOR


Refinement of the Tyler sound and lots of soul.











33. 5K HD - High Performer


Buckets of cool and fun ideas.












32. Caroline Shaw - Orange


Caroline Shaw has produced for Kanye and The National, and here she drops a beautiful classical album with the Attacca Quartet.








31. Cass McCombs - Tip of the Sphere


Cassy gets a bit rocky.











30. Thom Yorke - Anima


Thom gonna Thom.













29. Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising


Gloriously cinematic ballads.











28. Clairo - Immunity


We were the oldest folks in the crowd at her gig and the kids aren't wrong. This is a sumptuous album and Clairo is wonderful and expressive musician.



27. Angel Olsen - All Mirrors


An album that oozes the class of an indie star at the height of her powers.











26. Jenny Hval - The Practice of Love


Tip-top art-pop. She makes it feel so light and effortless.










25. slowthai - Nothing Great About Britain


No one waves around a severed prime ministerial head quite like him.









24. Cate Le Bon - Reward


We lover the Cate's wonky pop.












23. Solange - When I Get Home


A little revolution in R&B going on.











22. Aldous Harding - Designer


Showing off her catchy folk licks.











21. Holly Herndon - Proto


I read that algorithms were used to make this album. The results are astonishing. Computer magic.









20. Hot Chip - A Bath Full of Ecstacy


Another delightful Hot Chip record. Big beats, big feels.










19. The Comet is Coming - Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery


Forget everything you think you know about saxophones and 'Jazz'.








18. Danny Brown - uknowhatimsayin¿


So so so inventive and maybe more accessible on this album than ever before.









17. Bill Callahan - Sleeping in a sheepskin vest


Snug warm folk, just sheep's wool.










16. Charli XCX - Charli


Full pop power.













15. Lizzo - Cuz I Love You


Blew everyone away this year with probs the best bangers of the year.











14. Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell!


One of the best song writers around, no doubts about it.











13. Flying Lotus - Flamagra


Four sides of the most inventive sounds you'll hear this year.










12. Big Thief - U.F.O.F.


A very exciting band, making very exciting music all the time.










11. Big Thief - Two Hands


Alright Big Thief, we get it, you're good. 'Not' makes a push for year of the song too.











10. Sunn O))) - Life Metal


Sometimes all you need is a really really really good drone.










9. FKA twigs - MAGDALENE


Production that's as breathtaking as ever with a bit of extra introspection.










8. Helado Negro - This is how you smile


Blissful, chilled out and deep album.










7. Kate Tempest - The Book of Traps and Lessons


Went to see her at Tramshed and had a little cry, it was that good.









6. Purple Mountains - Purple Mountains


A masterful record from an artist who will be much missed.









5. Little Simz - Grey Area


Best flow in the game, not a single filler track on there.











4. Richard Dawson - 2020


His last album was a Medieval village pressed into vinyl. This one brings us right to moment of the start of the new decade and all the time's anxieties and worries.







3. Anderson .Paak - Ventura


Funky and sexy as hell. YES LAWD












2. Michael Kiwanuka - KIWANUKA


Such a confident record with all the grooves.










1. Sharon Van Etten - Remind Me Tomorrow


Deep enough to swim in and strong and powerful, and with a bazilion more synths. Everything we wanted from one of favourite singer-songwriters.

 
 
 

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