Riley's Top 15 Albums of 2021
- Riley
- Dec 21, 2021
- 32 min read
Updated: Apr 26, 2022
Was 2021 better than 2020? Yeah, probably. It felt more like a sequel to a bad movie than anything else, though. In many ways, 2021 was more like a reaction to the horrors of 2020 rather than a new year and a fresh start. There’s no doubt that we’re going to be feeling the reverberations from the shockwave for a long time, and I think this year was the first time we’ve moved some rubble aside to assess the damages. Last year, we might have all just been in shock, but this year, we’re actually processing the effects of what happened to the world. If there has been any sense of a return to normalcy, then it has been with a vague and unsettling guise that this could all revert back to pandemonium and sh** could hit the fan all over again in a moment's notice. I mean, look at all the variant drama that pops up every few months. Will the chaos ever end?
Music has been free therapy for most of my adulthood, and boy oh boy, did I need some therapy in 2021. I would like to credit my freshman year of college for helping me see music in this way. Back in 2016, when I had an Evergreen container-ship-sized blockade of issues to work through but had nobody to talk to about them, music was quite literally my only friend. Ever since then, I’ve looked at the artform as a means of salvation from dark times. And God, have we been in some dark times these last couple years. Sure, I’ve had plenty of personal problems to work through without much of an apparent answer, but all of the messed up sh** happening outside of my own little world felt twice as bad when put in perspective. Many people lost their livelihood or their lives this year. I feel like I have very little room to complain too much, but if you’ll allow me to be candid for a second: I have been very depressed. I wish this feeling on no one. You may have noticed that my activity on this website has been quite limited as a result. What’s more, I have not released or even come close to completing a major project for the first time in years. I have been far too busy spending every day and night trying not to want to die, so yeah, my point in telling you this is that I needed a lot of help from my favorite artists to get me through. I feel very underqualified to exercise many of my creative liberties at the moment, but talking about music actually does not fall under that feeling considering how much of it I have listened to this year.
Sure, this might just be a list of the albums from 2021 that I loved, but just know that to me, it’s more of a thank you letter to the artists that made each day in this dystopia more bearable. With that in mind, let’s get to it.
Honorable Mentions
First and foremost, I want to give Corbin’s Ghost with Skin a nod. I’ve been listening to his music since all the way back in the Spooky Black days, and it’s been a pleasure to grow up with this guy. Outside of what I would call an impeccable run of 6 or 7 tracks to open this album, the good moments unfortunately grow less and less common as it rolls on, keeping it from a defined spot on my final 15. Nonetheless, I listened to the beginning run of this record so many times this year that it felt worth mentioning.
I also cannot go without bringing up Vince Staples, who took us in closer than ever before on his brief but sobering self-titled project. We journey back to a rainy and somber Long Beach as he recounts even more tales from his upbringing that was rampant with poverty, gang violence, and paranoia. It’s even more minimalist than his previous releases, but I would still recommend listening to it, especially if you’re remotely close to being a fan of his. Also, LB represent.
Lastly, I want to give a shout-out to Rural Internet, a group that dropped two inventive and lively albums in 2021, Breaking Up and Escape Room. Despite each of these having a bit of a craggy exterior and Hot-Topic-ish sheen to them, there are a whole heap of angsty bangers with bold production and witty lyrics on both that had me jumping around quite a few times this year.
*Be advised that the YouTube link to every album is hyperlinked to each title
Alright, so I don’t listen to too much electronic music but I’m pretty sure this album is almost phenomenal. This isn’t normally something I’d even mess with, and honestly I don’t even know who or what a Porter Robinson is, but I swear to God, this specific project has been like the golden boy of the music rating community this year. Everywhere I go online, I see praise for this thing, and the album cover looked fluffy and amiable so I ultimately gave in. I figured “hey this doesn’t seem like something that’d make me want to take a toaster bath after hearing,” and my assumptions were quite confirmed. Let me tell you right now that this album nails the cover art, because it sounds almost exactly how it looks. This is the type of music that you’d expect to hear in an amazing 2011 Minecraft video or maybe like one of those overly epic Dude Perfect trick shot montages. I must say that 14 year old Riley would have LOVED this album because he totally went through a phase that was suited for it. Some of these comments may sound like insults depending on your perspective, but I promise you that they aren’t, really. This album just unlocks some youthful feelings. Sometimes EDM stuff like this with the gaudy overuse of flamboyant drops and sped up female vocal samples does come off as a little cringe to me for whatever reason, but that doesn’t mean it still can’t be a treat if the vibe is right and it’s done with effectively careful means. With Nurture, those means are met with subtlety, nuance, and ethereal coloring. Big BIG ups to this record for never playing pretend, because it easily could have sold itself short. What we get is a genuine adventure where the music isn’t nauseatingly dull, but whimsical and fun. It’s like “yeah, I know the world is ass right now and life sucks, but hey, hop in my jeep, man. We’re gonna go to this hidden meadow I know about, and there’s a waterfall you can jump in at the end of the trail, and we can just take a break and let loose for a day,” and that’s what I appreciate most about Nurture. It’s very, uhhh, dare I say…nurturing? The tasteful use of piano all over the track list is a nice touch that helps you feel less drowned out by some of the more artificial sounds that come flooding in. This project lives in this happy middle area where both the natural and the man-made can hold hands. I almost feel like I can’t put it higher in my total rankings because of HOW happy and optimistic it is. Hence, the placement here at 15. It’s placement could change so who knows. I’m too much of a debby-downer about life right now to get behind these messages of finding joy. However, I do appreciate how dedicated Robinson is to providing a real escape that is as fresh and airy as it is here.
Favorite tracks: Wind Tempos, Musician, Unfold
An aptly titled project, Gumbo offers a whole mish-mashed palate to sample from. Don’t get it twisted, though. Just like the dish it’s named after, this album has southern influence written all over it. It’s only a shame it doesn’t come with a side of biscuits. This record is dedicated to Atlanta trap rap and the stylings of southern hip hop. So, if you think that this might be too all over the place for you at first, then think again. It’s a spectrum within a rainbow. If that kind of phenomenon sounds impressive or hard to capture, that's because it is. Siifu looks to have a nice little finger on the pulse of the listening experience, though, since each flavor doesn’t ever seem to linger too long. You’ve got your spicy songs and your sweet ones working in tandem, and neither overpowers the other. Tracks mostly begin and end right when they need to, and the sound doesn’t ever venture too far from where you feel like it should, which I feel like is an underrated feature here. For example, you might think you know what you’re in for after the spacy first track until “Wayans bros” hits you over the head with a frying pan. It’s that type of zest that made me fall in love with this in the first place. The whole yin-yang thing going on with this LP doesn't even stop there, though, as old/new appear to be in harmony, too. Siifu takes his love for Outkast, Lil Wayne, and Dungeon Family, does it, and then reshapes that sound with a futuristic, or at the very least, 2021 perspective. Despite Siifu’s clear homages to his OGs, there are even some nods to his contemporaries like Migos and Playboi Carti. The smooth soul, funk, and jazz samples that pervade southern rap are all still there, but it’s how Gumbo plays with them in today’s context that intrigues me. The first act of it is great, but the middle gets even better in my opinion. My compliments to the chef for the amazing combo of “Back’!” and “Doin Tew Much.” And to what pleasure do we owe the Alchemist for supplying a truly vintage beat on “Living Proof?” I could go on, but it would take too long. This release is just a fulfilling listen in every sense of that word. All in all, I absolutely think Siifu created a goldilocks project that settles in right where it needs to. I would say it should be named “Porridge” instead, but Gumbo is jusssst right. If you’re a fan of rap and haven’t heard this yet, then shame on you. It’s time to do right by your mistakes. You know who you are!
Favorite tracks: Back, Call tha Bro, Big Ole
This is a nightmarish industrial hip hop project with lots of faces to spit back in. Backxwash has a take-no-prisoners approach as she confronts everything from religion, substance use and abuse, racism, corporate capitalism, and her own mental health. There is also an evident face-off with transphobia in the backdrop of the track list. You get a real sense of the frustration and building resentment within the LGBT community that this album, which dropped in the midst of the deadliest year for US transgender people ever, brings to a head. We start out with a very ominous and suspenseful opening track which is an excellent lead into the bone-saw laden trapdoor, “WAIL of the BANSHEE.” It’s like the first time you get a look at the monster in a movie and the initial chase starts. It’s thrilling but grimly impending. Then, the title track is something you’d expect to hear at an after hours cemetery rager held by a band of vampires in rave gear. I swear I wanted to start dressing like Jim Carrey from Once Bitten (1985) after I heard this for the first time. It gave me that kind of uncomfortable intrigue that few things do. It terrified me but had me ready to hear more. Which is good because there are no seat belts from this point on. All bets are off as Backxwash takes you through her hit list. When I first heard the midpoint transition track, “Blood In the Water,” I thought, “man, this sounds like something clipping. would do,” and I wish I wasn’t such a genius because I was right on target. In all seriousness, though, this collaboration just makes sense considering how much both of these creative entities live and breathe in horror-core. Perhaps this is a sneak peak into further, more full-length collaborations? I would say that’s all but confirmed, and fans of this genre will be itching for more after getting a taste. I can’t not mention the closing track, “BURN to ASHES,” either. It might be one of if not THE bleakest cut I’ve heard all year as Backxwash mulls over her deteriorating mental state under the grips of the pandemic and her shrinking tolerance for the day-to-day. It’s certainly not the mood you’d hope to end on, but at least it is an honest and upfront one. I’m happy to be included in the terror that rains down on my ears whenever I listen to this record. We have to continue to elucidate harder that black trans lives matter as more and more violent acts are being carried out on these individuals everyday. Perhaps that message will echo louder as artists like Backxwash continue to receive well-deserved attention for their contributions to music and art across the board. If you’re ever seeking a visceral and to-the-point rage fest that doesn’t hold back, then this is for you.
Favorite Tracks: WAIL of the BANSHEE, Title Track, SONG of SINNERS
I found out about this project through the recommendation of Jean Dawson, who many of you may know as somebody I’ve been obsessed with over the course of this last year. This project kicks so much ass, and I haven’t been this excited about a new artist in awhile. There’s obviously a ton of Bon Iver influence in the sound here, and I’m not surprised in the slightest to see that the two will be doing a few shows together next year. However, I’m also detecting a fair blend of other genres from an array of different time periods. I try not to make this comparison too often, but Frank Ocean came to my mind a lot, too. More specifically, the passionate ensembles from Blonde (2016). At its root, Absolutely really just sounds like a bunch of friends having a jam session together. It's hard not to get caught up in the musical river current that this album lulls you into because I rarely end up listening to just one song without listening to at least a few of the ones following. There’s surprisingly a lot to get out of this tracklist as we go from cozier and longing ballads to electric R&B jams. Speaking of the latter, “Many Times” is in contention for my favorite song of the year. If you listen to any song that I bring up on this list, it should be that one. This album is very upfront with how rough around the edges it feels, but that lends extremely well to how it sounds, in my opinion. Dijon’s vocals are very imperfect with plenty of rugged poignant yelps and voice cracks mixed in with the forlorn lyrics, and the instrumentation can be raw and gritty at times, too. This garage pop aesthetic elevates the creative energy to heights that I feel are hard to pull off. With some more focus as far as structural consistency, I seriously think that Dijon could put together a very special and uber-definitive release in the future. This record just needs even more fleshing out to arrive at that next tier of music-making. Still, this is just straight up innovation to the nth degree, and I cannot wait to see where Dijon goes next, because there is so much promise within his artistic approach. Definitely in my top five artists to keep an eye on over the next couple years. Some listeners may be turned off by a few of the more repetitive cuts, but if nothing else, this album is a great start for a musician with high prospects. Go listen to it because not enough people are.
Favorite tracks: Scratching, Many Times, The Dress
You know I had to show some love to Detroit this year. It’s hands down my favorite city and I’m a diehard fan of most of its products. I have also been a supporter of all things Bruiser Brigade since I became a fan of Danny Brown, who draws a lot of similarities to Zelooperz, something you’ll be able to tell out right off the bat if you haven’t heard him yet. Plus, I would actually argue that Ze somehow manages to be a lot wackier and more varied in his approach. I truly never know what I’m going to hear when I hit play on a new track of his. So, I’ve always liked Zelooperz but never saw him as the type of guy to deliver an “album experience” if you know what I mean. However, I’m pleased to report that Van Gogh’s Left Ear is probably his most consistent and well orchestrated project to date. I actually had the pleasure of watching Ze perform as the undercard for the JPEGMAFIA tour a few weeks ago, and he was just as zany and high powered as you’d expect. He gave me his approval of my Detroit Tigers hat that I’m always proud to don and brought the house down shortly after with the MULTIPLE hits from this latest release. If anything, that was a final testament to show me that this album is indeed a firework show that deserves some rowdy spectators to ooh and aah. Energy energy energy. That's the best way to describe this. Most tracks come, do their thing, and move onto the next totally different banger without wasting much time. The hype train keeps chugging for way longer than you’d think. This record even has that somber and more serious point that you’d expect in a standard full fledged album, and I would say it doesn’t bring us to a halt or anything. Ze tries his hand at creating some of those more personal moments, which mostly come as welcome additions. Cuts like “Andrea Bocelli”' and “Dedicated my life” are surprisingly touching, and some of my favorites to come back to a lot of the time. I will say that this album would actually finish way higher on this list if it didn’t run into a few walls in the second half. Luckily, the album ends as gloriously as it began with “Satellites,” which might be one of the best closers on anything the year. This is a really promising step in the direction of higher tier artistry for Zelooperz, and I hope he can continue to refine his approach and come out with a gem in the coming years.
Favorite tracks: Battery, Each and Every Moment, Satellites
Jesus is King (2019) let me down. It was what I felt like was Kanye’s first actual miss EVER in his discography, but I accepted that. Nobody can be perfect forever. I figured, “Hey, even if he wants to haphazardly assemble Christian rap for the rest of his career, so be it.” Still, there was never a doubt in my mind that even if the man kept making music in that same vein as JIK, he still wasn’t capable of delivering classics. This is the dude who ran MANY of my summers. Talent doesn’t vanish like that, so I kept at my Kanye fandom in a more low key manner. Then, the listening events came along. I paid them little mind. I was too well acquainted with the type of tomfoolery that led up to the release of this record to get involved so quickly. This was not my first Kanye album rodeo. I was a veteran. But after I was exposed to some clips of LP2 (listening party 2) and then witnessed the project take a more realized shape with LP3, all of that went out the window. This creative energy felt like The Life of Pablo (2016) all over again, and it sort of did end up becoming that with all of the different features, track orders, and changes that this thing has undergone. I’m happy it’s here now, though. I’ll put it this way: I like to think of Donda as a massive Thanksgiving potluck. The stuffing just hits different, the mac and cheese is straight up delicious, and Stacy killed it on the pie this year. Don’t get me wrong, there’s some crappier stuff mixed in there, too. Keith clearly half assed the mashed potatoes and I’m pretty sure Carley brought dinner rolls from a party that happened two weeks ago. Regardless, there’s still more than enough good stuff to go around. Most of it is almost overwhelmingly tasty, and you’ll leave the meal with a very full belly and a satisfied smile on your face. Ok, I’ll quit it with the extended metaphor. As someone who has spent more than half of his life listening to Kanye, I just have a lot to say about this guy and his releases. I’ll keep the rest short. Just know that as imperfect as it may be, Donda is a titanic album with some top tier Kanye content available. I’ll leave it at that. It’s like a lot of what Jesus is King was trying to do finally came to life, and it’s an impressive body of work, albeit with a few duds, that actually deserves to share a shelf with the other finished projects under Ye’s belt.
Favorite tracks: Off the Grid, 24, Moon
Was it wrong of me to assume that anything could top Igor (2019)? With this round, Tyler did what all artists do after dropping an opus, and that’s take a big ole’ victory lap to soak in the glory. Call me if you get Lost is Tyler rightfully popping some champagne and letting everyone know how far he’s come. It’s not what I expected, but frankly, I’m not quite sure what I expected to begin with. This album has a lot of the boastful and aggressive Tyler that we grew accustomed to before Flowerboy (2017), but also the introspective and sensitive Tyler that we have come to know and love after it. It very much feels like a mix of the new and the old in simultaneity, and in some ways, it seems like Tyler is trying to do right with a sound that he appeared unhappy with how he was executing for so long. After all, he has said himself that he didn’t “figure it out” until recently and wishes he could refine his approaches from the past. This record aims to take the listener on a luxurious European vacation with expensive meals, lavish modes of transportation, and a scandalous love affair steadily sneaking in from the backdrop. “SIR BAUDELAIRE” establishes this atmosphere instantly before Tyler brings out the pyrotechnics on the following tracks. The addition of DJ Drama shouting over most of the track list was something that had a lot of people distracted, but I personally don’t care too much either way. I support Tyler layering in stuff that he likes but see what people are saying about it feeling needless, too. I definitely do want to give a ton of props to the features all over this project. Tyler has become one of the rare orchestrator-types who knows how and when to use another artist and then brings the best out of them while they do it. One aspect of his game that I feel Tyler has continued to excel at recently is his storytelling. He is hyper-focused on picture-painting with his lyrics this time around and I appreciate him taking the time to be so attentive in that department. You can tell he wants this to be a cinematic experience. As much as I love what Tyler has done with this record, I have to admit that the novelty wears off after continual listens. Your love for the tracks will peak and plateau much quicker than you’d expect and I think that’s because CMIYGL is so strictly based in conceit. There’s nothing wrong with that, though, especially since it knows what it is. So, is CMIYGL better than the last two masterpieces that Tyler released? Probably not. Is it better than 99% of albums put out by other people this year? Probably. Listen to it!
Favorite tracks: CORSO, LEMONHEAD, HOT WIND BLOWS
Yeah, Peggy came out with another killer album to the surprise of nobody. If the two EPs that he released before this didn’t already prove that he is still white hot, then this is your proof in broad daylight that all of the chaos since his last major release did not put out his flame at all. The man is still full-steam ahead and torching anything in his path. One thing that I do want to note about this release before we get going on it is that there are two versions: One that is available on all major streaming platforms referred to as the “online” version, and another with extra tracks that probably have sample clearance issues on YouTube and such called the “offline” version. While I have listened to the online edition more because of convenience, I highly suggest that you don’t skip the offline content like “HAZARD DUTY PAY!” and “UNTITLED.” Despite a lack of easy access, these songs are a great time. Regardless of whichever you choose, though, you still get all of the brilliant JPEGMAFIA content that you could need. The opening three tracks specifically might be up there with my favorite song trios of 2021, and the proceeding cut, “END CREDITS!” is a manic bloodthirsty jolt of electric rap-rock that had me wiping sweat like I was on Hot Ones. Can we also take a second to appreciate how often Peggy feels the need to cover these classic pop songs like “Baby One More Time?” It’s important to get a range of influences, and Peggy has never been shy at mixing in what he feels like. It’s what adds uniqueness to his style. Anyways, not long after all the opening festivities, there’s “REBOUND”, which is one of the most ruthless takedowns that I have EVER heard with production that’s at full power to boot; Easily one of my favorite tracks all year, period. I will admit that much like Call me if you get Lost, I think it’s the weakest when grouped in with the other two albums that immediately precede it. Does Peggy still deliver? Absolutely. There are a handful of top ten JPEGMAFIA tracks on here with some of the best glitch-hop bangers I have heard from anyone. Do NOT get it twisted, because Peggy’s still got it. LP! is a statement to the industry that he will lay down the hurt on anybody in his way if need be. That much is clearer than ever as the next time we hear from him like this, he will presumably be off of any sort of contract.
Favorite tracks: NEMO! REBOUND! BMT!
I died a little bit inside when I bore witness to the videos captured of slowthai at the 2020 NME awards. I was a huge fan of his debut album, Nothing Great about Britain (2019), and a big supporter of the aggressively progressive cultural movement that he looked to be leading the charge of behind his music. Anyways, I was going to link the clips from that fateful show on here, but it feels too gossipy and newsbloggy to share what was clearly an uncomfortable night for many involved who have all now expressed that they just want to move on from it. If you want to look up the specifics, then you can, though. Just know that the guy goofed bigtime. Fans like me were disappointed with how out of character his behavior appeared, especially with how much of it seemed to be exactly what he was so actively standing against with his music. In classic 2009 MTV Awards Kanye fashion, he issued an extremely heartbroken apology shortly after, and then went into exile. Flash forward to almost exactly a year removed from the incident, we get the release of this album, simply titled Tyron, which is slowthai's first name. If that didn’t give people a perspective into what kind of personal deconstruction we were getting, then we definitely knew we were in for something vulnerable when heartfelt singles like “feel away'' and “nhs” dropped ahead of release. When I first listened to this album at the beginning of the year, I thought it was pretty dang good. It wasn’t until I came back to it at the end of the year that I realized how good it was. It’s crazy how brutally honest slowthai is on this project. I mean, after the kind of unintentional self-sabotage that transpired, it’s almost like he had to be in order to regain trust with a majority of his core fanbase again. This feels like a do or die career moment and slowthai rises to the occasion with remorse and humility. With this release, he delivers the best of both worlds. We get an in-your-face, hard-hitting, and cold-blooded first half with an extremely depressing and emotionally-charged second half. By the way, It’s actually because of just how freaking masterful that second half is that puts Tyron all the way up here in seventh place. This album feels like an ode to the f*** ups who are lost on the bottom, because those are the people that get the real opportunities to grow and learn from shame and actually become their best selves instead of stagnating. People learn a lot from the bottom. That is, if they do not succumb to it. Many, including myself, were reintroduced to the bottom this year, and are still searching for the ladder. All this external turmoil has forced a lot of people to search internally for satisfaction, and that’s why I feel like this record will resonate with many listeners. Whether you choose to forgive slowthai for his mistakes or not, you cannot deny how effectively he pulls back layers of the self in search of uncompromising artistic eminence here. For me, with this album, slowthai reproves himself as an artist that is capable of looking inward, acknowledging their flaws and mistakes, and then using what they find to do good. I also believe that he has reaffirmed himself as a major symbol for the youth, especially in the UK, whose frustration with the people that put them in these torn situations and mental states seems to be mounting. The humanity displayed on Tyron earns so much of my respect, and for that, it belongs right here. You get a sense that the perspective he gained from this will pay dividends in the coming years, and that’s inspirational to me.
Favorite tracks: CANCELLED, the entire second half, but if I have to choose then: nhs, adhd
Fantano gave it a ten so that’s why it’s good. Just kidding, can you imagine? Sarcasm aside, I wouldn’t have listened to The Turning Wheel if it weren’t for this level of elusive praise from him. I’m happy I trust his opinion because I don’t think I’ve ever quite had an experience with an album like this before. This is easily the most epic piece of art that I’ve been exposed to in 2021. To be honest, I have never been subjected to a more colorful, vibrant, and spectacular musical arrangement like this one. This is the kind of music that you would expect to be paired with a Shen-Yun level production with hundreds of dancers to contribute to this kaleidoscopic and transcendental vision that Spellling, aka Kristia Cabral, has in store. Why does she sound like she’s in a Disney movie the entire time? I’m not complaining, because I swear that a charm of finches came to remove my headphones for me after all was said and done. If we’re being honest, I probably couldn’t have done it myself anyways since I was in a state of transfixiation. Everything on this record feels alive. The lush strings sweep you on a twinkling magic carpet ride and the bright horn sections gyrate with enough force to blow your hair back while you’re on it. It’s like watching one of those ultra high-budget productions like Planet Earth but in album form. The stunning and whimsical adventure that this album will take you on can be only paralleled by those huge and fantastic Broadway shows you’d expect this to be taken from. And somehow, it is its own thing. The ethereal and psychedelic world that Cabral builds on this album will forever be one of my highlights of 2021. What she manages to pull off here is nuts, and I know you might be asking “Riley, it sounds like you have endlessly good things to say about this. Why isn’t it higher on the list then?” Astute questioning, so I’ll answer it with another question: Do you always want candy for breakfast? When I Listen to The Turning Wheel, I get enthralled, dazzled, and perhaps even enraptured. It’s so much fun. But, those descriptors that I just used are all very similar fancy words that coincide with similar reactions. What I’m trying to say is that while the music never gets too “one note” for me AT ALL, sometimes the feelings do. I can’t always walk around with Cupid’s arrow in my left pant pocket. To put it plainly, some of the work that I have above this just takes me through a much wider range of emotions. While this might be an objectively perfect album, it doesn’t mean as much to me as others do. This album has everything but the ability to deeply penetrate my heart and head right now. Alas, I hope it sticks around in my Apple Music library, because I have an absolute blast with this record when I’m in the right mood.
Favorite tracks: Always, Awaken, Boys at School
What? Are you surprised to see this on here? If you look up consistency in the dictionary, there will be a cute picture of Brockhampton right next to it. I’m sorry. These boys just know how to make great music. We need to savor this time we have while the group is still together, because it won’t be this way for much longer. It was a joy to hear that they would be back with another official LP in 2021, and I wasn’t disappointed. How could I be? They come back with a flare on the explosive walk-out song, “BUZZCUT,” which just about has me ready to run through a brick wall any time I hear it. Right out of the gate, the band continues to up the presence of features with this one, as stars like Danny Brown, A$AP Rocky, and Charlie Wilson become welcome additions to the already diverse talent-base that Brockhampton offers. Plus, one of their core members, Jabari Manwa, who has mostly contributed as a producer on previous ventures, takes on the role of a vocalist several times here. You’d think that throwing in too many voices would detract from the final product, but it's this continual push to showcase different approaches and try out new sounds while simultaneously keeping what fans love that keeps people like me obsessed and enamored with what Brockhampton does. Nobody has ever complained about there being too many lasers at a laser-light show, after all, and that’s exactly what Roadrunner is. It has its highs and lows orchestrated nearly perfectly. I will say that the spiritual side of the album doesn’t feel as fully realized to me here as it did on something like Ginger (2019). The “dear lord” interlude feels somewhat out of place, and would feel even more so if it weren’t for all of the broader references to salvation throughout the album. The trend that I’ve noticed with many of the titles on this year’s list of mine is that they share very therapeutic traits. Sure, all music does that to some extent, but these ones feel more direct in their response to the events of the last year or two. The world is on fire right now, and people are reeling from that. Lead member Kevin Abstract has some gut-wrenching anecdotes to work through, but the central voice behind this one is Joba, who unpacks a horrifying dosage of trauma on this project. It’s seriously hard to listen to at some points with just how vivid of a picture he paints. I won’t get into specifics here, but just know that the group really seems to rally behind him to tie together this track list with themes of holding onto hope of better days ahead for us all. “The light is worth the wait, I promise, wait,” was my motto for much of the year, and will continue to be for many others as we wage our battles.
Favorite tracks: BUZZCUT, WINDOWS, THE LIGHT PT. II
How can one’s brain generate anything of substance or discover real artistic merit within themselves without adequate stimulation? How are you supposed to craft a vibrant film, song, or story when you’re staring at the same set of walls for 24 hours a day and seven days a week? What the heck ever happened to the comedy album? Bo Burnham put those questions to the test this year. He somehow debuted what feels like a totally new artform and then resurrected a few old ones at the same time in the summer of 2021 with a Netflix “comedy special” that quickly became the talk of the town on social media. Quarantine or post-pandemic art is definitely a new genre, and this should be crowned the king. People were flocking to see it whether they knew of Bo’s work or not, and it resonated with many. A lot of us walked away from this thing baffled, but still somehow able to understand so much of what he expresses about being locked away for so long. At the risk of severe permanent mental fatigue, making something out of next to nothing is possible, and this project is a testament to that. When there is nothing else to explore but the self, we can cause irreparable damage in the process of seeking and examining what we find. Stark realizations are made in the face of great dread. A have a favorite Susan Sontag quote that goes like this: “One of the tasks art has assumed is making forays into and taking up positions on the frontiers of consciousness and reporting back what’s there. Being a free-lance explorer of spiritual dangers, the artist gains a certain license to behave differently from other people; matching the singularity of his vocation, he may be decked out with a suitably eccentric lifestyle, or he may not. His job is inventing trophies of his experiences.” She said this in an essay titled “The Pornographic Imagination” (1967), and I feel like it heavily applies to what Burnham is doing with Inside. He manages to explore his own psyche, the rapid succession of the digital age, and what it would feel like to live in end times all with a comedic edge that deeply connects to what seems like almost everybody who engages with it. This album, and the visual media that it originates from has so much to say about the current state of humanity and our increasingly cybernetic tendencies that we’re forming. It’s one thing to pull this off while being funny, but the music itself is generally excellent. It’s as thought-provoking as it is entertaining. This album is the most unique item on this list, and I’d go as far to call it genius work. I guarantee you that if you watch the special, some of those songs will get stuck in your head, and then you’ll end up right on Bo’s music streaming page like I did. I haven’t met anyone who doesn’t enjoy this, so you’ll be sorry if you miss out on what could be a cultural landmark.
Favorite Tracks: Comedy, Welcome to the Internet, All Eyes On Me
Back in 2019 when Kristin Hayter’s Caligula was making the rounds as one of the highest critically acclaimed albums of the year, I walked away from it feeling conflicted. It was impactful as hell, but a few things kept me from fully attaching to it like I could have. Namely, there’s a sort of musical “jump scare” approach that’s applied to much of the record that kept my full-enjoyment at bay. Stuff like that doesn’t horrify me, it DISTRACTS me, especially when the horrific material already exists so prominently in Hayter’s shrill instrumentation, chilling vocal delivery, and harrowing lyrics. Those kinds of choices formed a barrier between Caligula and I. Despite missing out on my 2019 list, there was something about Hayter’s music that kept me coming back to a few tracks. The sinister atmosphere was simply unmatched. A couple years removed from that, and Sinner Get Ready feels like everything I wanted out of Caligula and more. It's an improvement in every way. The grim nature is all still there but it has matured into a very satisfying yet unsettling glimpse into Hayter’s personal, moral, and spiritual dilemmas. If you allow it to, this record sort of takes you on a spiritual journey itself, partly because of how the energy within the music shifts, but also with how the tone begins to parallel a real human metamorphic process. For instance, mostly every song in the first half sounds like something bad is about to happen. It’s like there’s a terrible storm approaching and you don’t have much time to prepare. The track “Many Hands” specifically stands out. It feels like sitting around a campfire in the middle of a pitch black field while Hayter sings with a group of cannibals equipped with junkyard instruments as her accompanying band. What’s more, I was surprised at just how beautiful sounding this record became after that. “Pennsylvania Furnace” will knock you back with desperate sadness if you’re not ready. That being said, there were almost more moments of chills from bliss than chills from fear for me, which is what’s so gripping about this in my opinion. There are several shockingly breathtaking sections of euphoria that find their way into the mix that are incredibly welcome. Couple that with the aforementioned abrasiveness that comes with sonically working through hardcore trauma, and much of this album sounds like the soundtrack to some forbidden healing ritual. I love it. Sinner Get Ready isn’t a project you want to listen to all the time, but when you do, it’s sure to leave a strong and long-lasting impression.
Favorite tracks: Many Hands, The Sacred Linament of Judgement, Perpetual Flame of Centralia
My first experience with Little Simz was back in 2019 with her awesome record, Grey Area. If I had to describe it in one other word, it would be sharp. Extremely sharp. Headline tracks such as “Boss” or “101 FM” had a kick like a hot pepper to them, and Simz better solidified herself as a conscious rapper to keep an eye on when all was said and done. If Grey Area was Simz's approach to a refined, tight, and somewhat minimalist album, then Sometimes I Might be Introvert is her commitment to constructing a grandiose and colorful soundscape. It’s got the vibrancy of a record like Flowerboy (2017) but with the prodigious statements of something a Kendrick Lamar project would have. It’s really just a theme park of an album that has so much to offer on so many fronts. I just don’t think it’s possible for it to bore you at any point. If it does, then you need to talk to your psychiatrist about how blocked some of your pleasure receptors might be or something, I don’t know. While I can appreciate Grey Area for how it goes about itself, this record makes up for anything that I felt like that one was missing. No song overstays its welcome and the flavor palette here is so satisfying to take in. The fabulous and almost hypnotic instrumentals coupled with Simz VERY diverse set of flows make this entire track-list a delight to the senses. The opening, “Introvert” might be one of the most epic and sweeping entrances to an album that I’ve ever heard. Then, on stuff like “Speed” you can literally hear Simz leveling up and reaching another echelon mid-record. SO many other moments on this album take you on these soaring adventures that I can’t possibly mention them all without filling this web page. I like to keep my favorite tracks at three to make it harder on myself to weed out the brilliance, but you seriously can’t go wrong with whatever you might pick here. There are so many that I could swap out for depending on the mood I’m in each day, but I found myself returning to the ones you see below most often. I will say that I found some of the interludes to be the only thing stopping me from giving this a perfect score. They’re a tad corny for my liking, but I will admit that they still serve the luxuriousness of the album well. My number one album that’s coming up isn’t an easy listen, and it won’t be for everybody, but I would confidently say that THIS is. So if there’s anything that you haven’t heard on my 15 that I think you’ll definitely like on this list, it’s this one. I can’t see anyone in their right mind not vibing with it.
Favorite tracks: Introvert, Speed, Rollin Stone
Welp, we’ve reached the number one spot, and this one was actually fairly clear to me when I was deciding. Wow. I don’t know where to start with this. This album sounds like the end of the world. The fact that this project exists is sort of insane. 2020 was the worst year that many of us have experienced on this planet. I don’t want to be dramatic but the world kind of ended for a second. Last year was reported to be the deadliest year in US History, and as time passed it began to feel more and more like the rapture would be coming any day. As I mentioned in the prelude to this list, one of the few things that can rise from the ashes of true tragedy is some great art. I knew going into this year that so many music makers would devote much of 2021 to simply processing what the hell happened the year before, and what is STILL happening now. Enter Injury Reserve, a trio from Arizona that was finally picking up steam in the hip-hop world with their self-titled 2019 album. The hit-makers that were notorious for not getting the recognition they deserved, suffered their own tragedy last year, too. It was announced in June of 2020 that one of the group's members, Steppa J. Groggs tragically passed away at age 32. So, this album is every bit as personal as it is society sweeping. You know how every computer was supposed to crash and the world was supposed to enter a nuclear Holocaust with Y2K? This is kind of what that sounds like, actually. The mutated, pitched, and muffled vocals mix with the distorted, glitchy, and industrial production to form this kind of toxic soup of an album. The only thing I can remotely compare this despondent collage to is Earl Sweatshirt’s Some Rap Songs (2018), which is one of my favorite albums ever. I mainly make that assessment just because of how it experimentally approaches the rawness of communicating the kind of emotions that come with this feeling of empty devastation. I can tell that all that time they spent on tour with Slauson Malone rubbed off on them, because the absolute abuse of whatever typical Injury Reserve sound that you may have come to expect is all the way up front now. Once things get going, this is like auditory water-boarding. Honestly, the monstrous emotional cries that ring out from this dilapidated record would have left me in a bad headspace afterward if it weren’t for the last track, “Bye Storm.” I don’t want to spoil the experience but this song almost made me cry like an idiot. Sometimes, finally seeing the credits roll after a real life horror movie is the most relieving part of the whole ordeal. There’s just something about picturing that day that you can finally say “it’s over. It’s finally f***ing over” after being in the pits for so long. A lot of the time, this imagined ending, this idea of turning the page once and for all, is what gets so many of us out of bed in the morning. This record proves that artists are still very much necessary (perhaps even paramount) in a post-apocalyptic world because someone needs to explore and reflect upon what has transpired. Someone needs to assign meaning to the catastrophic events that plague the modern experience on planet earth. Someone needs to guide society through a kind of therapy as we process what just happened. Groundbreaking album. If you've ever dealt with true grief, deflation, or straight up mental decay before, then it might strike a chord in your poor soul somewhere. Which, hey, might be alright. It's good to get a reminder of humanity every once in awhile.
Favorite tracks: Outside, Wild Wild West, Bye Storm
I want to do a quick little thank you if you made it to this point in the article. Taking any time out of your day to listen to my tiny opinion on a topic so massive and sweeping like music is greatly appreciated over on my end. Apologies if any of the writing above this felt stiff or I did not come off as verbose as I usually might. I am still trying to regain my sea-legs and reteach myself how to have fun with anything again, and I’m hoping this was an exercise to jump back into one of my true loves and rediscover some joy. I found out that as much as writing makes my brain happy, I can’t do that if I don’t have the capacity for happiness in the first place. Like, if you wanna drink a glass of water then you need a glass to begin with or else water is just gonna go everywhere, silly. Anyways, 2021 Riley had a hard time finding the glass…
We’ll see how things sound next year and hopefully it will be a fun then vs. now comparison thingy. Will there be a #RileyReturnToForm? Tune in next time. These December album recaps are nice for me because I can put a cute bow on some of my significant experiences in the past 12 months and be more appreciative of the artists who helped me get by. I hope to continue these annual articles for as long as I can.
Happy holidays everyone! Keep being safe, supportive of loved ones, and grateful for life. Until next time.
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