Top 10 EPs of 2021 (Quickie)
So… It’s been 9 months since my last blog post. I was planning on doing a retro countdown and a new reviewing series near the end of 2021 but that didn’t happen. The retro countdown may come some time this year so that is something to be excited for. Anyway
Greetings, fellow androids! This is DalekTurret32 commencing his 2021 End Of Year countdown. Starting off quick with the Top 10 EPs of 2021.
This was quite the extraordinary year for EPs as I have listened to about 55 of them (5 of them I listened to in the first few days of 2022). And there were like so many contenders for this list (24 of them being at least a 9/10 for me), and my entire Top 10 is better than my #1 EP of 2020, so you can tell this year has been exciting for this type of musical project. There were a few more that I wanted to listen to before putting this out but then I wanted to get this list out of the way before moving on to the albums.
For an EP (Extended Play) to qualify for this list
*It must have at least three tracks.
*If an EP has two tracks and is at least ten minutes long, then that is do-able
*The artist must be a verified artist on Spotify with at least 300-400 monthly listeners
Let’s start the list!
Honourable mentions:
- Grand National by Courting
- Pyrex Picasso by Benny The Butcher
- Posse EP Volume 1 by Metronomy
- In The Sweetness Of You by Logic1000
- Panther In Mode by Alewya
- Never Enough by Disclosure
- Dark Days by Yard Act
- Typing by Pozi
- Heartbeats by UNIIQU3
- Emergency Telephone by Billy Nomates
2021 was the year of the post-punk revival. There’ll be a couple of albums in this lane popping up on my Albums Of 2021 countdown later on, but let’s look at the EPs first.
Folly Group’s style of post punk feels very upbeat and energetic, but also puts emphasis on tension, making for interesting contrast. The project starts off with a horror story with sound effects of heartbeats and footsteps before transitioning to a set of distorted guitars which later serve as the driving force of the EP’s instrumentation After that, we are treated to some robotic sound effects on “Fewer Close Friends” and an 80s synth line during the chorus of “Ripples”. There’s even some amazing lines including ‘cancroid clasp’, ‘Ideology congeals, Ideology reveals’ and one about getting eloped to a castle on the hill.
Fave Track: “Sand Fight”
#9. Under 25 by ENNY
Of all the nominees for BBC’s Sound Of 2022. This up and coming rapper is in my Top 3, along with Yard Act and PinkPantheress (the former of whom made it onto the honourable mentions section of this list and the latter has been announced as the winner of the Sound Of award a few hours after I finished typing this list), and this EP provided a swell introduction to her, further helped by some smooth, positive vibes that come from the production.
The EP can be listened to at any time of the day, whether it’s the SG Lewis-esque beat on “I Want” or the smooth vibes of songs like “Malibu” and “Under 25”.
Fave Track: “Malibu”
#8. American Cockroach by Deap Vally
I have been aware of this California duo for quite a long time now, but I have not heard a lot of their stuff. However, one listen to “I Like Crime” blew me away so much that I had to check this out. And wow, this is filled to the brim with distorted gritty rock.
Repetition is used excellently on the title track “American Cockroach” as we see the protagonist take on the role of the aforementioned insect. It is a weird concept to be exploring but I think it works well. And if that wasn’t exciting enough, they even got Esya, the bassist from the excitingly explosive rock band Savages, to deliver a bass line similar to that of Kim Deal on the closing track.
I checked out Marriage, the album they put out this year, [a few days] before putting this list out. While not as good as this EP, it was still an enjoyable listen.
Fave Track: “I Like Crime”
#7. Afrikan Rebel by Pa Salieu
I listened to Pa Salieu’s debut mixtape Send Them To Coventry to close off my MWE earlier this year and needless to say, the Sound Of 2021 winner impressed me as he delivered bangers throughout the project. This follow-up EP is just as majestic, with the addition of bongos to spice up the production. “Style & Fashion” has an earworm of a chorus. The string synths in the chorus of “Lit” helps add intensity, along with Pa’s use of the triplet flow.
Fave Track: “Style & Fashion”
He had my favourite mixtape of 2020, but do you know who had my 2nd favourite mixtape of that year?
#6. Final Rage by Flohio
A late addition to this list, but a great one at that. Flohio’s flows go hard throughout this EP as she raps over menacing beats switching between drill and trap. I can definitely imagine these tracks going off in a live setting, especially “Rollercoaster”. The rapid synth line in that track helps evoke the feel of a rapid rollercoaster.
Fave Track: “Rollercoaster”
#5. Intimidated by KAYTRANADA
KAYTRANDA’s last album BUBBA just barely made it onto my list for the Top 50 Albums Of 2019. Since it was a December release and I only just listened to the album while typing up that list, it unfortunately didn’t have enough time to sit with me. Had I made the list today, BUBBA would definitely be at a higher spot (maybe somewhere between #20 and #26).
This EP that dropped two years later was originally going to be in the honourable mentions section, but it grew on me upon repeated listens. It’s the usual night time electronic vibes that I like hearing from KAYTRANADA. H.E.R. sets the tone of the project well on “Intimidated”, Thundercat delivers a sensual performance over some mellow synths on “Be Careful”, and Mach Hommy’s feature on “$payforhaiti” was quite the uplifting addition. It is a shame that Mach’s lyrics aren’t easily accessible online though (due to copyright reasons).
Fave Track: “$payforhaiti”
#4. Moral Panic II by Nothing But Thieves
Nothing But Thieves follow their Moral Panic album from last year and raise the stakes, going for a darker, more garage rock influenced sound in the vein of Royal Blood (we’ll get to them in the Albums countdown, BTW). The result ends up being some of the most explosive rock I’ve heard from an EP this year.
The lyrical themes look deeper into corruption, power and greed, and lead vocalist Conor Mason does a good job unleashing his rage, especially on the EP highlight “C’est ne rien”.
Fave Track: “C’est ne rien”
#3. Five Fruit by Steam Down
Had to check this out after being amazed by “Can’t Hold Me Back”, I even managed to get a vinyl copy of this and span it as my first listen, and I’ve got to say, this is a very uplifting EP. Elements of jazz and gospel are blended together to create a wonderfully cinematic experience. The brass instruments especially shine in the spotlight with the vocalists.
Fave Track: “Can’t Hold Me Back”
These next two EPs will be getting a GOLD rating from me. The last time I gave an EP this particular rating was back in 2018, with Aphex Twin’s Collapse.
Warning: Unsettling cover art
#2. Against The Blade by The Horrors
Lout was originally placed so high on this list, but then I listened to the follow-up EP and it turned out to be even more impressive.
While Lout had elements of nu-metal, this one goes for a more industrial metal lane. The line ‘No time to be bitter / Got a taste that's fresh in your mouth’ weirdly fits with the tense vibe of “Twisted Skin”, and we are treated to some welcome elements of breakbeat hardcore and hardcore techno on the EP’s closer “I Took A Deep Breath and I Kept My Mouth Shut In”, which feels reminiscent of The Prodigy in their Jilted Generation era.
Fave Track: “I Took A Deep Breath and I Kept My Mouth Shut In”
And my pick for the number one EP of 2021 is...
#1. All Hours by Anz
This turned out to be a late night surprise as I was listening to this as part of my EP catchup following the Christmas season. This has some of the most energetic, vibrant house music I have listened to this year. Like Jamie xx’s masterpiece In Colour, this showcases just how wonderful house music can be.
“You Could Be” has that upbeat synthpop vibe that reminds me of 2010’s Hot Chip, particularly In Our Head, my favourite album of theirs. “Inna Circle” samples “Think (About It) by Lyn Collins (one of the most sampled songs in history) and adds a hint of Afrika Bambaataa’s Planet Rock to it. “Last Before Lights” is the EP’s highlight as it integrates a pitched vocal saying ‘You can’t stop me now’ while fusing elements of house and early 90s rave. The EP closes with “Quest Select”, which goes for a more 80s vibe, adding to the eclectic range of styles that can be found throughout this project.
Fave Track: “Last Before Lights”
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