Our favourite 62 albums of 2020
It's been a wild year, but looking back, there's been a lot of music this year that's made me happy.
The list is in a vague order that would be different if I put this list together tomorrow. But that doesn't really matter, I just want to share some music with you that I've enjoyed this year. Let me know if I've missed out your favourites - I probably didn't come across it in my listening and would love to know what it is.
Here's hoping I'll be seeing you at the gigs when these albums finally get toured in 2021.
Honorable mentions that should probably in the mix below:
Annie - Dark Hearts
Haru Nemuri - LOVETHEISM
62. Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas – III
Mellow grooves by two of my favourite electronic musician, hanging out in a happy middle ground between ambient and electronica.
61. Amy Duncan - The Hidden World
Blissful pop-folk from Edinburgh.
60. Silvia Tarozzi - Mi specchio e rifletto
Fascinating compositions based on the rhythms of poetry.
59. Tomberlin - Projects
Slow-burning folk. A lovely EP.
58. Deyah - Care City
Winner of the Wales Music Prize 2020. Laid back beats, silky vocals and lyrics about keeping faith though tough times.
57. Duval Timothy - Help
A very creative soul. Expansive, reverb-drenched piano-focussed tunes.
56. Sylvan Esso - Free Love
Pop songs made with creative swagger and super fun arrangements.
55. Katie Dey - Mydata
Glitchy and twisted pop tunes make a sunny album about digital intimacy.
54. Isabella, Jasper and Simon Fisher Turner - Savage songs of Brutality and Food. By the Extreme Angels of Parody.
Compositions featuring children singing and chanting. 'Idiot Song' is a wonderful highlight.
53. Peter Broderick - Blackberry
A surprise that was dropped out of the blue. Recorded in his London bedrooms about connecting with our local surroundings.
52. Declan McKenna - Zeros
Bizarrely missed out on the no.1 album spot to a Rolling Stone re-issue but he'll get another shot I'm sure.
51. Loma - Don't Shy Away
Indie that's as dark and glossy as a lake in winter.
50. Moses Sumney - Græ
Like floating on beautiful warm currents.
49. Jeff Rosenstock - NO DREAM
Dream no more if you're looking for some naughties style politically charged pop-punk.
48. Haim - Women in music PT III
So damn catchy and styled to perfection.
47. Gruff Rhys - Pang!
Another assembly of wonderful musicians to make an individual and exciting record.
46. Ada Lee - woman, here
A profound little EP, with guitars like George Harrison and a little bit of the same worshipful spirit.
45. Fenne Lilly - BREACH
Elegant and powerful - a real stunner.
44. Matmos - The Consuming Flame: Open Exercises in Group Form
99 collaborators! 99! The result is gleeful archaic electronica.
43. Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia
My sugarboo.
42. Gunn-Truscinski Duo -Soundkeeper
Chunky scapes of guitar and percussion.
41. Angel Olsen - Whole New Mess
Hushed and spare and all the more exciting for it.
40. Bill Callahan - Gold Record
Wonderful and liberal instrumentation and the quality song writing we expect from Bill.
39. Dorian Electra - My Agenda
Archaic, high-concept pop that delves into incel culture.
38. Caribou - Suddenly
Endless hooks pop from always clever clever music.
37. William Basinski - Lamentations
Clever things with loops that feels galactic in scale.
36. Khruangbin - Mordechai
Khruangbin with Leon Bridges - warm and chill rock pop. A good time. Some of my favourite bops of the year.
35. Flaming Lips - American Head
Back with a narrative album that feels like a homecoming to a sound and a spirit of earlier Lips.
34. Slauson Malone - Vergangenheitsbewältigung
Jazzy, mumbly, glitchy, intimate, free.
33. Georgia - Seeking Thrills
Thrilling pop for the dancefloor.
32. Adrianne Lenker - songs / instrumentals
Almost like overhearing her writing and recording.
31. Hen Ogledd - Free Humans
Another grand statement of shabbiness.
30. Kelly Lee Owens - Inner Song
Loops and lyrics and lyrics and loops that build to be spiritual.
29. Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters
100% Fiona Apple as soon as the piano arpeggios start in 'I Want You To Love Me'.
28. Lomelda - Hannah
Open-hearted and heart-aching indie.
