Top 25 Albums Of 2021

Greetings, my fellow machines. Dalek Turret32 here, and we will finally be looking at my Top 25 favourite albums of 2021. It would usually be a Top 50, but I decided to shorten it this time. However, if you would like to check out the 50-26 section of this list, I recommend checking out “Albums Of 2021: The Prelude” first.

2021 was a year where a lot of music came out and I checked out a big portion of what came out. And so was pretty much every other year, but this decade so far has given us a bigger urge to check out new music. I don’t know if it’s the pandemic that made us seek out more stuff than usual, but that is a possible sign.

In 2021, I listened to 150 albums that came out that year, which is an impressive number! There were so many great albums to the point where I could expand this list to a Top 100 if I wanted to. But since I don’t want to make the list too large, I decided that somewhere between a Top 25 and a Top 50 was enough, so let’s get to the list.

My main rules for the albums list:

• This list will focus on studio albums
• There is a ‘one entry per artist’ rule. That way, this list will have as much variety as possible.
• For an album to be eligible for this list, the artist must have at least 300-400 monthly listeners on Spotify. Even better if that artist is verified.

#25. The Mutt's Nuts by Chubby And The Gang

We’re starting off this part of the list with some damn energetic punk rock. I didn’t know that this album was out and by the time I found out, I knew I had to check it out as soon as possible, and I’m glad I did.

Lead vocalist Chubby Charles has a throaty vocal style that sounds quite peculiar but I still like it. Also helps that the instrumentation compliments his vocals.

I also like how the evils of society are discussed throughout this album. These include homelessness and how it’s treated, rogue landlords, and police brutality. ‘How can you prove ‘em wrong if no one even gave you a chance?’ is a real hard-hitting line.

Fave Tracks: “It’s Me Who’ll Pay”; “Coming Up Tough”; “White Rags”

#24. An Evening With Silk Sonic by Silk Sonic

When I heard that Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars were collaborating together, ‘colour me intrigued’ was my response. Both artists have added elements of soul and funk to their respective material to great results, and this collab LP showcased the best of both worlds. A much-appreciated feature were the intros of the legendary Bootsy Collins, who conveys a cinematic feel thanks to his smooth spoken vocal.

Fave Tracks: “Blast Off"; "Fly as Me"; "Skate”

#23. Isles by Bicep

A brighter, more cinematic vibe than their self-titled debut. While some aspects of the debut can be heard, such as the synth choices and the occasional 2-step beat, we also get to hear some elements of other musical styles such as a choral chant on “Lido”.

Fave Tracks: “Fir"; "Hawk"; "Rever"

#22. Loving In Stereo by Jungle

Jungle move away from the synthpop elements of their last two albums and focus more towards the funk, soul and disco parts, thus blending those styles of music marvellously. Josh Lloyd-Watson’s vocals are incredible as usual, as is the production. There’s even a few instances where Jungle hand the role of the vocals to another artist, those being Bas and Priya Ragu (I liked both of their songs).

Fave Tracks: “Talk About It"; "Truth"; "Can't Stop The Stars"

#21. Intruder by Gary Numan

If you were expecting something along the lines of “Cars”, then prepare for something much different, as this album takes on a more industrial style. It reminds me of Tomorrow’s Harvest by Boards Of Canada in some way as both albums made me feel like I was listening to a movie soundtrack, with this one having a lot of tension to further amplify the cinematic aspect.

Intruder is set in a dystopian universe and explores topics like the passage of time, fundamentalism, nihilism and how we could turn into the very thing we swore to be against. Gary Numan’s vocal performances, along with the production, make this LP feel quite villainous.

Fave Tracks: “The Chosen"; "Intruder"; "Now and Forever"

#20. ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT NEW MACHINE by BROCKHAMPTON

BROCKHAMPTON come through with another excellent album. There’s a lot of bangers to be found, some of them even having eerie synth loops like the opening track. 

Like its predecessor GINGER, there’s some deep layers in the lyrical themes, such as on The Light tracks with some hard-hitting verses from Kevin Abstract and JOB, and “DON’T SHOOT UP THE PARTY”, which tackles systemic racism.

The guest features were also great (JPEGMAFIA nailed it with that ‘Duolingo / Dua Lipa’ line) and the gospel choir near the end of the LP was also a welcome addition. Overall, A nice swansong to this group's discography.

Fave Tracks: “THE LIGHT PT. II"; "DON'T SHOOT UP THE PARTY"; "WINDOWS"

#19. Smiling With No Teeth by Genesis Owusu

A brilliant hip hop debut from the Australian newcomer, and it’s not just hip hop, we also have elements of rock, R&B, soul, gospel and psychedelic pop, all making for a versatile project. Genesis is also gripping in his lyricism as he tackles racism, including a track called “I Don’t See Colour” and a line reminding us that we’re not in the 50s and we ‘ain’t talkin’ shit’, as well as love, lust and the pains of fame.

Fave Tracks: “The Other Black Dog"; "Gold Chains": "Bye Bye"

#18. On All Fours by Goat Girl

I remember checking out Goat Girl’s eponymous debut around the time it came out. It was one of the many pleasing indie rock albums that soundtracked my final years of secondary school. Fast forward three years later and they put out this follow-up album, and I found it to be even better.

Goat Girl add some synthesizers to the mix and they have this lush texture to them. There’s also some more upbeat vibes while also tackling anxiety in the second half, thus forming a tonal contrast.

Fave Tracks: “Sad Cowboy"; "Jazz (In The Supermarket)"; "Once Again"

#17. All The Unknown by Grandbrothers

An ambient album that I decided to listen to during my Summer holiday. I was not familiar with this act before diving into the album, and now that I have done so, I can safely say that this album is absolutely magnificent.

Grandbrothers showcase what amazing things can be done with prepared pianos, like John Cage before them. In this case, the piano is prepared with electromagnetic hammers, which results in some delightfully cinematic melodies. Top it off with some synth patterns and strings and you’ve got one of the most unique electronic experiences of the year.

Fave Tracks: “Black Frost"; "Unrest": "Four Rivers"

#16. Private Space by Durand Jones & The Indications

More 70s R&B/soul throwbacks! The production here sounds lush and smooth, making the atmosphere truly bright. Parts of this remind me of Marvin Gaye a fair bit, and there’s even a distorted guitar on the song “I Can See”. That guitar wouldn’t sound out of place in a Pond song.

Fave Tracks: “Witchoo"; "Private Space"; "The Way That I Can Do"

#15. Former Things by LoneLady

Just when I was wondering what happened to Lonelady after their 2015 album Hinterland, they come back with a new studio effort, and it’s one that sounds vastly different from the retro rock stylings of Hinterland. Former Things, instead, goes for a marvellous blend of synthpop, alternative dance and acid house. I feel like there’s a New Order influence in this album, especially in the bass guitar.

Fave Tracks: “Threats"; "Time Time Time"; "(There Is) No Logic"

#14. Comfort To Me by Amyl & The Sniffers

This album came out in a week where there were a lot of interesting releases for me to check out. The James Blake album Friends That Break Your Heart (which caught my eye the most) was originally going to be released that week, but then it got delayed by a month, so I checked this one out. And weirdly enough, I like this one more than Friends That Break Your Heart (still a good album though).

Amy Taylor already impressed me through her contributions on the Sleaford Mods album that popped up earlier on this list, but this album was what made me a fan. The album sees her throw shots at society and the government as she tackles internalized sexism and shows body positivity. The album’s cover art does radiate that ‘Spongebob episodes be silly as hell then have one shot like this’ vibe, but give it a listen and you will find yourself amazed by the dynamic punk rock to be heard throughout this LP.

Fave Tracks: “Security"; "Hertz"; "Capital"

#13. Legacy + by Femi Kuti and Made Kuti

Well, here’s a long album! Two descendents of the legendary Fela Kuti come together to deliver 88 minutes of wonderful afrobeat sounds. Virtuosic instruments (including the brass instruments) and wonderfully integrated instances of call and response evoke a sense of unity.

The album’s main focus is peace and power, as well as the lyrics looking at the corruption running through the Nigerian government, and how the issues Nigeria has faced in the 1970s remain today. ‘We do not criticize government because we want government to fail / We criticize government because we want government to stop and change their bad ways’: Femi reminds us in the song “Na Bigmanism Spoil Government”.

Fave Tracks (Femi): "Young Boy / Young Girl"; "Set Your Minds and Souls Free"; "You Can't Fight Corruption With Corruption" 

Fave Tracks (Made): "Different Streets"; "Higher You'll Find"; "Your Enemy"

#12. Times by SG Lewis

A gorgeous sounding aesthetic of disco, funk and electronic music. I like the guitar licks but what amazed me the most were how the synths sounded. They made me feel like I was taken to another dimension.

A wide range of guest features includes the legendary Nile Rodgers and an interlude from Alex Rosner, the legendary sound engineer who pioneered sound systems in New York’s disco clubs during the 1970s. My fave of them has to be Channel Tres on “Impact”. His rapping there was excellent!

Fave Tracks: “Impact"; "All We Have": "Feed The Fire"

#11. Vanities by W.H. Lung

I remember listening to W.H. Lung’s debut Incidental Music not too long before putting up my list for my Top 50 albums of 2019. The Mancunian band have now followed it up with an album that shifts from the psychedelic, spacey rock of that debut to a more synthpop style with a bit of electronica. 

The lyrics feel quite zany too. “Figure With Flowers” tells a story involving a baby, a woman and some guy called William. “Pearl in the Palm” has this poetic gem: ‘This could this be the verse, ignominy festers inside of Johan Strauss / In the closet composes a waltz’.

Fave Tracks: “Somebody Like": "Calm Down"; "ARPi"

#10. Typhoons by Royal Blood

Royal Blood smash it again! With more funk-influenced grooves that not only mesh well with their style of garage rock, but their upbeat feels also show a positive contrast to the lyrical themes, which focus on mental health and substance abuse. Listening to this album on vinyl only made me appreciate the bangers even more.

Fave Tracks: “Boilermaker"; "Typhoons"; "Oblivion"

#9. L.W. by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

They made it to the Top 10 this time!

This LP serves as a continuation of K.G. by borrowing the microtonal tuning technique used on that album (and Flying Microtonal Banana) causing it to blend with the distorted guitars and sitars to excellent results. 2021 showed us that climate change awareness was more important than ever, so I appreciate the look at environmental issues like global warming and climate change even more in retrospect. Plus I found the Jenga tower metaphor in “Pleura” to be fantastic.

Fave Tracks: “Static Electricity"; "Supreme Ascendancy"; "Pleura"

Before we move on to these next picks, I would like to say something.

After returning to my favourite tracks from most of these albums, I started to like the albums a little more than I did before. Two of these albums got a GOLD rating from me, but if i give albums #8 to #3 more time and they will definitely be up there too.

#8. For the first time by Black Country, New Road

Starting off the saga of post-punk albums to have made my Top 10 is Black Country, New Road.

I don’t think I’ve heard an instrumental opener establish the aesthetic of its respective album this perfectly since The xx’s eponymous debut (That album is a contender for one of my favourite albums of the 2000’s so that’s a huge compliment from me). I also love how the usual distorted guitars of post-punk are blended with those glorious saxophones, making for some nice jazz fusion elements (though there’s two more albums on the list that add jazz elements to post-punk). 

Isaac Wood brings a sense of agitation to the tense scenarios through his vocals, whether he quivers or yells. Also helps that the tracks make the most out of their relatively long runtimes thanks to the soundscapes they offer.

Fave Tracks: “Opus"; "Sunglasses"

#7. Boy From Michigan by John Grant

With every new album of his I listen to, I start to appreciate John Grant more as an artist, especially when it comes to his knack for synthesizers, and this album comes in the form of a galactic synth trip. The lyrical themes look at sexuality and toxic masculinity, while also briefly touching on nostalgia as evident on the song “County Fair”.

What really makes this album is not just Grant’s vocal performance, but the production. It feels atmospheric and energetic across the board. Plus there’s some stripped-back ballads that manage to work just as well for me as the energetic cuts.

Fave Tracks: “Boy From Michigan"; "Just So You Know"; "Rhetorical Figure"

#6. Forever Isn't Long Enough by Alfie Templeman

Alfie Templeman made it to my list for the Top 10 EPs of 2020 last year with Happiness In Liquid Form. I listened to this new mini-LP not too long after and it’s even better, shifting from indie rock to a vibrant mix of synthpop and funk.

It has that same retro appeal that artists like Dua Lipa, The Weeknd and Jessie Ware showcased last year, but it’s not just the 70s/80s stuff that carries over to this record. We also have elements of psychedelia, as well as electronic music of the 90s like house and trip-hop, all adding up to a versatile aesthetic.

Fave Tracks: “Everybody's Gonna Love Somebody": "Film Scene Daydream"; "Hideaway"

#5. Bright Green Field by Squid

Not only is this album very zany, but it also feels theatrical in its instrumentation. Further adding to the theatricality is the agitated delivery of vocalist Oliver Judge whose vocals fit many different concepts, such as on “Narrator” where he plays his ‘part’ as a narrator with a god complex, and on “Global Groove” where the protagonist is ‘sick and tired of dancing’. We also find out on the latter that the character got exposed to news of a plane crash when he was young.

Like Black Country, New Road, Squid add some elements of jazz to their style of post-punk through the use of brass instruments, which help increase the tension, but we also get some elements of industrial music too.

Not the most theatrical post-punk release of this year though. We’ll get to that!

Fave Tracks: “Pamphlets"; "Narrator"; "Paddling"

#4. Crawler by IDLES

It’s IDLES coming through with the usual punk rock bangers, but now with elements of industrial music. These include some discordant noises to represent moving cars on “Car Crash”, with Joe Talbot’s voice becoming more distorted near the end of the 1st verse. What also excites me about this project is that it’s a little more versatile, including rock n roll rhythms, a slow soul cut and even a dive into electronic folk a la Four Tet on “Progress”. I also like the parts when they throw shots at Rishi Sunak on “The New Generation”

Fave Tracks: “The New Generation"; "Crawl!"; "Car Crash"

#3. Survivalism by Sepehr

Following the ambient Shaytoon, Sepehr goes for a darker more drum’n’bass influenced style for this project. The production feels reminiscent of artists from the Ram Records label back in the late 90s and early 2000s (e.g. Ram Trilogy, Shimon, Andy C). It still has that eerie feel that characterized Shaytoon, but through a different vibe. There’s also some of those rapid, glitchy elements that made me love Squarepusher’s album from last year.

Fave Tracks: “Bipayan"; "Lavashak Love"; "Solitary Tool"

#2. Cavalcade by Black Midi

Here’s the most theatrical post-punk album of 2021!

Schlagenheim was already an impressive debut from the London band, but I found this one to be even better. The instruments feel more rapid and intense, plus there’s more discordant sounds added to the mix. However, we do get a contrast, as there are some occasional moments of calmness.

The storytelling is great too, with the highlight being on the closing track “Ascending Forth”. It has such a compelling story, yet not a lot of crazy sounding instruments, allowing the plot to fully shine.

Fave Tracks: “Slow"; "Ascending Forth"; "John L"

I could easily put my Top 3 into a three-way tie as they all have elements that make them really stand out. Survivalism’s best elements come in its pulsating beats and atmosphere, Cavalcade’s best elements come in its theatricality and tension that make you feel like you’re watching an orchestra perform rock music in a fever dream. My pick for the number one album of 2021 has its best elements come in its emotion, how the instrumentation and vocals convey those emotions, as well as bringing a sense of nostalgia to the table.

#1. For Those I Love by For Those I Love

I don’t know if this may qualify, since the project was originally recorded in 2019, but it wasn’t until 2021 when it got a wide release (and possibly re-recorded).

This is an album that manages to convey emotion through both its atmosphere and its lyrics. The atmosphere comes in the electronic beats that feel both heartwarming and heartbreaking, and the lyrics focus on David Balfe as he deals with the death of a best friend. The themes look at both positive and negative moods following the death, the positive involving nostalgia and the memories Balfe cherished with his friend, and the negatives look at depression and alcoholism. They feel quite poetic overall, with Balfe’s spoken word reminding me a fair bit of Kae Tempest in some way (they’ll be putting out an album soon and even announced a collab with Kevin Abstract BTW. Can’t wait!). What’s also interesting is that the opening and closing tracks flip the piano line from Sampha’s “(No One Knows Me) Like The Piano”. I knew that piano sounded familiar!

With the addition of a heartfelt atmosphere and a welcome use of sampling, For Those I Love’s eponymous debut takes the spot for my favourite album of 2021.

Fave Tracks: “The Myth / I Don't"; "You Stayed / To Live"; "I Have A Love"

And that's the album countdown finished!

Next up on my 2021 End Of Year countdown is the Top 10 UK Hits Of 2021, but I may be putting something else out before that. It's going to be a surprise!