Best Albums Of 2021 [HALFWAY POINT]

Hello everyone. As you all know, the halfway point is here as every reviewers impatient minds create a halfway list. So far, I have a feeling 21' is really just a good year. I first off want to say thanks for reading my reviews. Second off, we've had some good releases this year so let's get into it.

Black Country, New Road-For the first time

Starting off with this extravagant debut, Black Country, New Road prove to us that they are faces to watch in the forthcoming decade. The instrumentation is chaotic and surreal and their style is truly unidentifiable. Isaac Wood proves himself as a prolific songwriter telling vivd stories, narratives and mindsets. This is truly an amazing album.

Month Of Release:Febuary

Label:Ninja Tune

Genres:Post-Punk,Experimental Rock,Post-Rock

For Fans Of:Swans,Liars,Slint

Nick Cave & Warren Ellis-Carnage

Coming up next is an album from Australian singer, songwriter and true music vet Nick Cave. Collaborating with Warren Ellis, they created a sparse and minimal project that is completely different from what I knew Nick Cave from. Nick Cave is in introspective mode as a songwriter and Warren Ellis is really connecting to his poetic and thought provoking lyrics. I might not be as big on it now, but I still enjoy it enough to include it.

Month Of Release-February

Label:Goliath

Genres:Chamber Pop,Art Pop,Ambient Pop

For Fans Of:Perfume Genius,Sufjan Stevens,The National

Armand Hammer & The Alchemist-Haram

Honestly, growed on me pretty well overtime. The Alchemist and Armand Hammer provide intricate rhymes and double meanings laced with psychedelic and hypnotic Alchemist production. Billy Woods and Elucid are extremely layered with every line they speak and their features and production choices compliment it real well.

Month Of Release-March

Label:Backwoodz

Genres:Abstract Hip Hop,East Coast Hip Hop,Hardcore Hip Hop

For Fans Of:Ghostface Killah,Cannibal Ox,Flatbush Zombies

Godspeed You! Black Emperor-G_d's Pee AT STATE'S END!

Godspeed returned with a great one. When I first heard about the release, I knew we were going to be in for a treat. Due to the recent pandemic we had, there would be no better time for Godspeed to release a new album. Combining their usual styles of climactic suites and suspenseful drones as well as the chamber influenced palettes, they return with something that even sounds modern to this day. Godspeed returns with a symphony on this one.

Month Of Release-April

Label:Constellation

Genres:Post-Rock,Drone,Chamber Music

For Fans Of:Swans,Boris,Earth

BROCKHAMPTON-ROADRUNNER:NEW LIGHT,NEW MACHINE

BROCKHAMPTON returns with their most energetic release since SATURATION III. Bringing in great features, charismatic performances as well as their usual deep tracks, BROCKHAMPTON know how to touch every nook and cranny of their group.

Month Of Release-April

Label:Question Everything

Genres:Hip Hop

For Fans Of:Jaden,Tyler The Creator,Lil B

Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra-Promises

This was a collaboration we didn’t know we needed until we heard it. Using a 7 note motif, orchestral backing, emotive and expressive saxophone as well as meditative electronics, Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & the London Symphony Orchestra create one of the most innovative suites in recent memory.

Month Of Release:March

Label:Luaka Bop

Genres:Post-Minimalism,Third Stream,Progressive Electronic,Chamber Jazz

For Fans Of:Colin Stetson,Mingus,Roland Kirk

Jeff Rosenstock-SKA DREAM

Jeff Rosenstock re-interprets NO DREAM with elements of Ska. What more do I need to say?

Month Of Release-April

Label:Polyvinyl

Genres:Ska Punk

For Fans Of:Sublime,The Offspring,No Doubt

Cannibal Corpse-Violence Unimagined

Cannibal Corpse are back with another brutal release. With former Morbid Angel guitarist Pat O’Brien coming in as guitarist and producer, this album has some of the best metal production of this year. Even though Cannibal Corpse doesn’t bring anything new to the table, they still bring one of the most extreme listens I’ve heard this year.

Month Of Release-April

Label:Metal Blade

Genres:Death Metal

For Fans Of:Autopsy,Incantation,Morbid Angel

Porter Robinson-Nurture

Being my introduction to Porter Robinson, this was an album that somewhat grew on me. Sounding straight out of a digital universe, Porter Robinson takes his multiple electronic and pop influences and androgynous performance to create an electropop album that sounds otherworldly and nostalgic. Not to mention that Porter Robinson can also be a motivational songwriter and being an electronic producer with songwriting chops, really says a lot. Please check it out if you’re into electropop. You might even like it more than me.

Month Of Release-April

Label:Mom & Pop

Genres:Electropop

For Fans Of:Crystal Castles,Charli XCX,Grimes

St Vincent-Daddy's Home

Here we have St Vincent throwing it back to the 70s. I was already looking forward to it when it came out and it still took me by surprise. The instrumentation is the most lush St Vincent has ever touched and the blend of soul, pop and rock is done amazingly well. St Vincent has unlocked character after character as a songwriter on this one.

Month Of Release-May

Label:Loma Vista

Genre:Art Rock,Psychedelic Soul,Soft Rock

For Fans Of:Childish Gambino (Awaken My Love),Funkadelic,Thundercat

black midi-Cavalcade

Wow….where do I start? Black midi take progressive rock to the most noisy and dense level that 2021 has seen. Combining elements of jazz rock and post rock, black midi create a left field record with dense instrumentation, peak musicianship and Zappa like improvisation and composition. Really one hell of an album and I won’t be surprised if this winds up being my album of the year.

Month Of Release:May

Label:Rough Trade

Genre:Avant-Prog

For Fans Of:The Mothers Of Invention,Primus,Scott Walker

Sematary-Rainbow Bridge 3

Right after listening to this, I knew Sematary was going to be an artist to watch. Fusing the aesthetic of 90s black metal and early 2010s trap mixtapes seems like an impossible task but Sematary proves that wrong. The production on this thing is boosted, compressed, distorted and overwhelming to create something that sounds like a 50 minute jump scare. Sematary is a mastery of the ideology of horror as he creates a mixtape that is nearly an hour of it.

Month Of Release-April

Label:Haunted Mound

Genre:Horrorcore,Experimental Hip Hop,Trap Metal,Drill

For Fans Of:Ghostmane,Backxwash,Cheif Keef

Tyler,The Creator-CALL ME WHEN YOU GET LOST

Tyler has continued to evolve but now he has went back to the more hip hop direction of his older releases. His production is infectious and hard hitting and the addition of DJ Drama makes it feel even more like a hip hop record. This might be the best Tyler project when it comes to a pure hip hop standpoint due to the colorful production, top-notch lyricism and above level variety. So far, this is rap record of the year.

Month Of Release:June

Label:Columbia

Genre:West Coast Hip Hop

For Fans Of:Quasimoto,Anderson Paak,NWA

Panopticon-...And Again into the Light

Being my introduction to Panopticon, this was real impressive. Easily my favorite metal record of the year so far. On this record, Austin avoids black metal aesthetic creating something that sounds triumphant while still sounding in your face. He also gets bonus points for adding country music to his sound too.

Month Of Release:May

Label:Bindrune

Genres:Atmospheric Black Metal,Post-Metal

For Fans Of:Agalloch,Alcest,Boris

Bladee-The Fool

I know I haven’t posted my review of this, but let me tell you that my verdict on it is positive. Bladee does the usual brining charming production, infectious melodies and strong hooks while staying rooted in his drained aesthetics.

Month Of Release:May

Label:YEAR0001

Genre:Trap,Cloud Rap,Pop Rap

For Fans Of:NAV,Playboi Carti,Gunna

Let me know your favorite albums of the year. what do you anticipate for the second half? Let me know down below.

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/songswithmusic/

Podcast:https://youtu.be/42pcyyLCIhk

Links to All Reviews

https://www.247otb.com/post/panopticon-and-again-into-the-light-album-review

https://www.247otb.com/post/tyler-the-creator-call-me-if-you-get-lost-album-review

https://www.247otb.com/post/sematary-rainbow-bridge-3-mixtape-review

https://www.247otb.com/post/black-midi-cavalcade-album-reviee