2022 Ranked

A post-rock masterpiece! It's cathartic, artistic, climactic, and a thousand other positive adjectives.
Issac has poured his heart into the lyrics and he delivers them with incredible passion. The production is flawless and without any surprise, the instrumentals are both intricate and technical. All of the elements come together to create an immersive listening experience that keeps you on your heels and tugs at your heartstrings. I'm excited to listen to this album time after time over and I'll expand on my review as I do so.

Stand-out Track: Snow Globes

Holy shit, this is good! The dense yet free-flowing soulful aesthetic created by Danger Mouse is flawlessly complimented by Black Thoughts' sharp lyrics and smooth delivery. Furthermore, the features are absolutely incredible as is the consistency of this record. Definite AOTY candidate.

The Smile, a band comprising of two Radiohead members Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood with Sons of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner, are here with their debut record, and surprising to no one it is absolutely incredible. The amount of emotions Thom Yorke is able to pull out of someone through his songwriting never ceases to impress me, and his vocals are gorgeous throughout the album, especially his falsetto.
Instrumentally, the record is exquisite, whether it be the delicate string orchestration on Free in the Knowledge, the instantly captivating riff on The Smoke, the vigorous guitars on Thin Thing, or the synths on Waving a White Flag. Mood wise, it is quite gloomy, even nihilistic at times, with the poetic lyrics delving into many social and political topics.

Overall, A Light for Attracting Attention goes down the familiar Radiohead sound but does it superbly. Can't wait to listen to this as well as my favourite Radiohead projects a bazillion times more while waiting for their new record.

Standout track: Free in the Knowledge

This album offers so much variety, not only stylistically but also in terms of tone and mood. The production is incredibly rich, as are the instrumentals that at moments grow into colossal mountains of pure bliss.

It's a listening experience that is both heart-warming and spellbinding.

Almost as good punk as the new MGK album.

On a serious note, this record goes HARD. I'm always quite concerned about going into a screamo project as many of them are nothing but screamo, making them mind-numbing and obnoxious. Soul Glo however has poured so much life and excitement into their album through infectious guitars, relentless drums, and mad song structures. The elements of punk, rap, and screamo are blended together magnificently, creating a chaotic smoothie of pure insanity.

Honestly, this is one of the most captivating, intriguing, and unique experimental projects I've heard/seen in a while. The Youtube movie created for it is incredibly impressive and truly an experience. There are so many cool visuals and animation components that depict a dark, somewhat abstract but powerful story. One can easily see how much passion and effort went into this.
Sonically, it is diverse with elements of experimental music, glitch pop, post-industrial, psychedelia, rock, and even some shoegaze bits being present, yet through all this variety the album remains both consistent and coherent. Mood-wise, it is entrancing yet devastating as it delves into many tragic and sombre topics such as trauma, depression and suicide. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this phenomenal record and watching the youtube movie for it and I will return to it lots more, both on Youtube and Spotify.
Go show Sam some love and check out this project. Here's the link to the youtube full album movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aubi1nt6hgI

Hellfire is a brutal Avant-prog record that puts you in a world of erratic jazz instrumentals, the ramblings of a mad man, and an overall sonic aesthetic of pure chaos. It's one of those albums where bumping your head to it will give you such severe whiplash, you'll probably have to spend some nights in a hospital bed. Or in other words, it's a listening experience that is both fun and intense.

The Forever Story is a fantastic hip-hop album, displaying crisp production, groovy beats, and poetic lyrics. JID shows off many slick flows as well as his overall ability with the pen. One of the best hip-hop records of the year.

Blue Rev is a shoegazy indie-pop record that showcases lush layering, sweet melodies, and colorful lyrics. It might not be the most groundbreaking or versatile, but it is an album that is incredibly consistent, warm, and fuzzy.

A lovely baroque record filled with dreamy vocals and luscious orchestral arrangements.

Sometimes less is more. This recent piano album by Ludovico Einaudi is gorgeous, sweet, and incredibly moving. It shines not for its musical complexity but for the tender emotion it conveys.
The spacing on it is great and I love the natural soundscape - the delicate reverb, the way you can hear the pedals and piano keys being pushed, and the intricate volume/tone control it leads to. The atmosphere it creates is both immersive and mesmerizing. And of course, the melodies are both beautiful and bittersweet. A wonderful listen!

Stand-out track: Flora.

Even though the album is full of personality and carries many groovy melodies, it doesn't quite realize its potential and not everything is equally well executed. For example, the vocals range anywhere between great (Eg. the vocals on 'Wet Dream' or 'Ur Mum') and iffy (such as the verses on the record opener or the track 'Oh No'). Similar inconsistencies can be pointed out in other elements, such as the mixing or the lyrics.
That being said, Wet Leg is still a good debut project and the overall listening experience of it is both fun and exciting, even if inconsistent.

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The album grew on me quite a bit: 60 --> 70

Before the album came out, the single King completely blew me away, but unfortunately, the rest of the record can't quite follow in its footsteps. It's still a rather wonderful art-pop project but I was expecting more. I don't quite see the need for so many interludes and many of the middle tracks feel a bit weak such as Back in Town or The Bomb. I will most certainly return to the peaks of this album but I don't see myself returning to this record as a whole.
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Update: Dance Fever grew on me a bit more. 65 -> 70

The gritty beats, cold flows, and sharp production all go together real well. It does have some weaker moments such as few of the hooks but for the most part it's incredibly solid.

Sadly, for whatever reason I struggle to connect with this album on a personal level but I definitely still admire it.

Jockstrap delivers an impressive debut album that is both aesthetically pleasing and stylistically creative. I am quite blown by how intricate, lustrous, and unique the production is on this project. It is truly admirable.
As for the negatives, there are a few tracks here that I didn't care for too much and the album lacks in cohesiveness but besides that, it's a wonderful listen.

Direct, consistent, and well-executed. Nas has mastered this corner of hip-hop and once again, he showcased it. However, I do wish he would go out of his comfort zone a little more and deliver something with a tad more spice and innovation.

Gorgeous ambience inspired from a trip to Antarctica. Worthy of checking out if you are into ambient music.

Track scores: 70 | 70 | 55 | 70 | 70 | 80 |80 | 55 | 80 | 70

'Circles' is a heartfelt pop-soul record showcasing dreamy vocals, intricate production, and warm melodies. Perhaps it's a little formulaic here and there but nonetheless, it's a beautiful listen.

Stand-out track: Lift You Up

Two Ribbons is a thematic electropop album that is stylistically consistent and pleasantly sweet.
I do wish it had a bit more bite eg through some sort of instrumental build-ups or vocal explosions but overall, it's a lovely album that I enjoyed quite a bit.

NO THANK YOU might feel like the B-side to her previous record but that is in no way an insult considering just how highly praised and critically acclaimed her previous record was. Sure, it might not be as consistent or comprehensive, but the incredible lyricism, pristine production, and lush orchestral instrumentals are all still there, making it an enjoyable listen that is most certainly worth your time.

Logic is back with some groovy boom-bap, lyrical verses, and vintage aesthetics. A very solid project!

A lovely folky album with poetic lyrics and dreamy melodies but I do wish it was sonically more exciting.

A lively rap record with introspective lyrics, intricate transitions, and versatile elements. I do think the middle section of the album wasn't as strong as the beginning or the end but overall, it's still a great album with some incredible moments.

A beautiful blues-rock album, displaying lots of diverse instruments, rich textures, and spiritualized harmony.

PAINLESS is a captivating indie-pop album, showcasing immersive soundscapes, emotive lyrics, and groovy instrumentals. Nilüfer Yanya does a fantastic job at displaying variety while also being consistent and coherent in sound.

There are a couple of things that I do dislike about this album, such as some of the mixing or unnecessarily obnoxious beats on a few tracks but overall, it's an incredibly enjoyable listen.

Caroline's self-titled debut album brings to the table a large variety of intricate instruments, warm textures, and buckets of artistry. There are moments on this album that just ooze creativity and breathe life, moments that are beyond gorgeous.
As for the negatives, not everything comes together on this record and I do wish some of the 1-minute tracks were actually full-length pieces but for their debut, this is a hell of an opener. Damn excited for their future projects.

Stand-out track: IWR

Duality is a lovely bedroom pop album that displays dreamy vocals and a variety of delicate instruments which blew me away again and again. I do think it lacks a bit of excitement and carries some fat here and there but overall, it's a delightful listen and a fantastic debut project.

After 19 years of activity, the legendary indie rock band Spoon is back with their 10th album, showcasing infectious guitar riffs, groovy melodies, and excellent songwriting.

The production is crisp and the murky vocals match well with the moody instrumentals. The record might not be overly innovative but it is both well constructed and incredibly consistent. Definitely worth checking out!

Stand-out tracks: The Hardest Cut, Wild, Feels Alright, Satelite.

Another great project! Keep crushing, man!

The album struggles a bit with consistency but for the most part, it's a lovely listen with some beautiful moments of bittersweet bliss.

Innovative, thrilling, and erratic.

Perhaps it's structurally too all over the place and not every track works as well as some of the others, but overall, it's a gripping listen.

CRASH is a groovy electro-pop record with pristine production and gripping melodies. I like how it's stylistically quite experimental and eccentric, making it into a more unique and exhilarating listening experience.

On the negative side, the lyrics on this project are rather poorly written nor was I a fan of every vocal effect on this record, but for the most part, it was a captivating and enjoyable album.

Didn't expect a Curb Your Enthusiasm rap beat 😂. Gotta go watch some episodes now.

As for the album, it's more or less what you'd expect. Mostly decent beats, iffy hooks, and standard Snoopy lyrics. Some features were great, such as The Game on 'Jersey In THe Rafters', and some were not. The album is very inconsistent as a whole and it might not be objectively great but it is quite a fun listen nonetheless.

Omnium Gatherum is a genre-bending pop/rock album that breathes vibrant energy while showing off colourful instrumentals and psychedelic aesthetics. Perhaps, it's a little too bold at times with its variety of sounds and styles, making it feel somewhat discombobulated, but for the most part, it's both a consistent and a thrilling listen.

A pleasant country-pop album with lively vocals and captivating, somewhat cheeky lyrics. There are some tracks here that feel sonically a bit stale but for the most part, it's a lovely listen.

Crisp, pristine in production, and melodic but not as inventive or enticing as I hoped it to be. Still, an enjoyable listen.

A decent rap record but it ain't nowhere close to The Heart Part 5.

Dawn FM is a smooth synthpop record that begins strong, especially the first couple of tracks, but slowly deteriorates as the album progresses. To illustrate that:

My average score of the FIRST 8 tracks: 73.7
My average score of the LAST 8 tracks: 59.4

That's a 14 point difference. Still, it's a rather satisfying listen but I doubt I'll be returning to the full album.

Stunning, intimate, and heartfelt, but perhaps a little too laid back instrumentally and lacking variety as a whole.

The recent Aurora album is nothing overly art poppish, mainly just standard pop. However, some tracks are executed quite well, such as Cure For Me or A Dangerous Thing. That being said, this album is nothing life-changing and it's somewhat forgettable.

Fun in mood and pristine in production but lacking variety.

Marchita is a beautiful chamber folk record that showcases potent vocals, Latin American music traditions, and delicate use of various instruments. There are moments on this album which feel a little too skeletal and forgettable but for the most part, it's a lovely listen.

A pleasant bedroom pop album that is stylistically colourful, aesthetically dreamy, and lyrically bleak. Perhaps not everything works on this record nor is it overly life-changing but it is an enjoyable listen.

Björk is back with some more Björk-like weirdness, showcasing a dense sound palette, icy aesthetics, and unique song-structures.
The album has a dystopian quality to it with various industrial elements and odd atmospheres being present, making it feel like an extraterrestrial trip at times, similar to the one on 2001: A Space Odyssey. I also enjoyed most of the lyrics which I found to be both sincere and meaningful.
As for the negatives, some of the tracks did become quite stale due to lack of progression and general excitement. It most certainly wasn't a bad listen but it didn't captivate me or blow me away as much as I hoped for.

Overall, this record sounds great and the world created on it is awe-inspiring. However, at the end of the day, I struggle to pull anything more out of it. Hopefully, it clicks for me more in the future.

Colourful and fun but a little too all over the place.

A decent art-pop project with some blissful moments but also sections that come off a bit tedious and pretentious.

Alt-J's new record lacks some of the excitement and innovation their previous albums brought but it's still quite enjoyable, even if somewhat snoozy.

Stand-out track: Philadelphia.

Pleasant on the ears but rather dull and forgettable as a whole. It's decent but I was expecting more.

Similarly to her debut, I am not overly blown away by this project.
Even though I do like the few more innovative tracks and the overall energy that she brings, there are also many aspects that I find off-putting, such as the song-structures often being predictable, and many of the full on pop tracks sounding Eurovision-like. If I heard "Hold The Girl" or "Hurricanes" for the first time and someone told me they are competing in the Eurovision, I would be like "yeah, that sounds about right". And not only sonically but often lyrically as well, with lines such as "Once upon a time there was a girl, pleasing the world".

Now, that does not mean the record is horrible. In fact, I find it to be a fair bit above mediocre, but I struggle to give it anything higher than 60-65.

I'm coming to this album from recently listening to The Suburbs and man, is this underwhelming in comparison. WE is not a horrible album but it is not good either. It lacks a lot of excitement and nostalgia their previous records had, the lyrics feel a tad petulant, and the overall sound of it is quite forgettable. It's still a relatively decent record but it completely falls in the shadows of their earlier works and honestly, I don't see myself ever returning to it.