Best Music 🎶 of 2022!

wokeupnew said:
Yeah this Beach House album is undefeated. I was seriously thinking it could be dethroned but I listened to it in full today for the first time since late March and "ESP" and "Sunset" floored me. "Sunset" in particular is just something else.


Best of 2022:

Updates in bold

  1. Beach House - Once Twice Melody
  2. Yumi Zouma - Present Tense
  3. Hatchie - Giving the World Away
  4. Black Country, New Road - Ants From Up There
  5. Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You
  6. Fontaines D.C. - Skinty Fia
  7. Widowspeak - The Jacket
  8. Alex Cameron - Oxy Music
  9. Thyla - Thyla
  10. Spiritualized - Everything Was Beautiful
  11. Wet Leg - Wet Leg
  12. Say Sue Me - The Last Thing Left
  13. Spoon - Lucifer On The Sofa
  14. Porridge Radio - Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder to the Sky
  15. caroline - caroline
  16. Kikagaku Moyo - Kumoyo Island
  17. Belle and Sebastian - A Bit of Previous
  18. Oceanator - Nothing's Ever Fine
  19. Mitski - Laurel Hell
  20. Gang of Youths - Angel in Realtime
  21. Anaïs Mitchell - Anaïs Mitchell
  22. Melody's Echo Chamber - Emotional Eternal
  23. SASAMI - Squeeze
  24. Pinegrove - 11:11
  25. Band of Horses - Things are Great
  26. Arcade Fire - WE
  27. Animal Collective - Time Skiffs
  28. Wallows - Tell Me That It's Over
  29. Empath - Visitor
  30. Pup - The Unraveling of PUPTheBand

Anticipated albums from/Need more listens before deciding:
  1. The Mountain Goats
  2. Angel Olsen
  3. Kiwi Jr.
  4. Julia Jacklin
  5. She & Him
  6. Soccer Mommy
  7. beabadoobee
  8. Momma
  9. Wilco
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lots of very middling albums in this update 💁‍♂️

Best of 2022 mid-year update!:

Updates in bold

  1. Beach House - Once Twice Melody
  2. Yumi Zouma - Present Tense
  3. Hatchie - Giving the World Away
  4. Black Country, New Road - Ants From Up There
  5. Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You
  6. Fontaines D.C. - Skinty Fia
  7. Soccer Mommy - Sometimes, Forever
  8. Angel Olsen - Big Time
  9. Widowspeak - The Jacket
  10. Alex Cameron - Oxy Music
  11. Thyla - Thyla
  12. Spiritualized - Everything Was Beautiful
  13. Wet Leg - Wet Leg
  14. Say Sue Me - The Last Thing Left
  15. Spoon - Lucifer On The Sofa
  16. Porridge Radio - Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder to the Sky
  17. caroline - caroline
  18. Kikagaku Moyo - Kumoyo Island
  19. Andrew Bird - Inside Problems
  20. Belle and Sebastian - A Bit of Previous
  21. Oceanator - Nothing's Ever Fine
  22. Mitski - Laurel Hell
  23. Gang of Youths - Angel in Realtime
  24. Anaïs Mitchell - Anaïs Mitchell
  25. Melody's Echo Chamber - Emotional Eternal
  26. Day Wave - Pastlife
  27. SASAMI - Squeeze
  28. Pinegrove - 11:11
  29. Perfume Genius - Ugly Season
  30. Sound of Ceres - Emerald Sea
  31. Band of Horses - Things are Great
  32. Kevin Morby - This is a Photograph
  33. Animal Collective - Time Skiffs
  34. Wilco - Cruel Country
  35. Wallows - Tell Me That It's Over
  36. Horsegirl - Versions of Modern Performance
  37. Empath - Visitor
  38. The Smile - A Light For Attracting Attention
  39. Arcade Fire - WE
  40. Pup - The Unraveling of PUPTheBand

Anticipated albums from/Need more listens before deciding:
  1. The Mountain Goats
  2. Nils Frahm
  3. Kiwi Jr.
  4. Julia Jacklin
  5. She & Him
  6. beabadoobee
  7. Momma
  8. Alvvays
  9. Dry Cleaning
  10. Monster Rally
 
Rip_City said:
Q2 Update

Total 2022 releases (albums/EPs/mixtapes) listened to as of June 30th: 191 320

I've slowed down with new listening in recent weeks, mostly with no longer having a job in which to listen to music concurrently with work responsibilities. As such, I couldn't convince myself to make a 5x5 for this quarter, and instead dropped down to a 4x5. I thought about adding Angel Olsen, Patricia Wolf's second album from this year, and a few other rap albums to flesh out a full batch of 25, but couldn't convince myself to do it. I still feel strong about the 20 below.

I revisited Ravyn Lenae's debut from earlier this quarter and determined that I love it. In fact, Q2 had a very strong R&B/soul-adjacent stretch. Ditto with art pop. One gripe I have with this year so far is that I am missing a electronic record that I would mark as a favorite for the year, and I hope that one will impress me in the upcoming three months.

A bit rushed as I am on vacation, the chart below is a collage of my 20 favorites from Q1 of this year. No entries are ranked yet; sorted in alphabetical order by band name/artist last name.

View attachment 144428

Artificial Brain - Artificial Brain [death metal, black metal]
Boldy James, Real Bad Man - Killing Nothing [gangsta rap, drumless]
Ethel Cain - Preacher's Daughter [slowcore, Americana, singer/songwriter]
Darkher - The Buried Storm [ethereal wave, dark folk, post-metal]
Hatchie - Giving the World Away [dream pop, neo-psychedelia, shoegaze]

Marina Herlop - Pripyat [avant-folk, post-industrial, art pop]
Ibeyi - Spell 31 [alternative R&B, art pop]
Kathryn Joseph - for you who are the wronged [singer/songwriter, ambient pop]
Ravyn Lenae - Hypnos [alternative R&B, contemporary R&B, neo-soul]
Let's Eat Grandma - Two Ribbons [electropop, synthpop]

Obongjayar - Some Nights I Dream of Doors [neo-soul, psychedelic soul, ambient pop]
Petrol Girls - Baby [riot grrl, post-hardcore]
Tess Roby - Ideas of Space [dream pop, ambient pop, art pop]
Joel Ross - The Parable of the Poet [post-bop]
The Smile - A Light for Attracting Attention [art rock, math rock, jazz-rock]

Regina Spektor - Home, before and after [chamber pop, singer/songwriter]
Whatever the Weather - Whatever the Weather [ambient techno, ambient]
Billy Woods - Aethiopes [abstract hip hop, experimental hip hop, drumless]
Yaya Bey - Remember Your North Star [contemporary R&B, neo-soul]
Zola Jesus - Arkhon [art pop, darkwave]

Q1 Update
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Lots of excellent picks here! We share several. I missed the Marina Herlop album. Gonna give it a listen this weekend 👍
 
Took an extra few days to get this put together - a decent amount of stuff has shifted since my monthlies and even quarterlies...

After checking out over 500 new releases, these are my favourite albums from the first half of the year (in alphabetical order, by artist):
chart (12).png

(25) olovson.jpeg


700 Bliss - Nothing to Declare
Poppy Ajudha - The Power In Us
Arms and Sleepers - former kingdoms
Big Thief – Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
The Bogie Band feat. Joe Russo – The Prophets In the City
Rosa Brunello - Sounds Like Freedom

Shane Cooper & MABUTA - Finish The Sun
Drive-By Truckers - Welcome 2 Club XIII
Fantastic Negrito - White Jesus Black Problems
Catrin Finch and Seckou Keita - Echo
Florence + The Machine - Dance Fever
Heroes Are Gang Leaders - LeAutoRoiOgraphy

Ibeyi - Spell 31
Imarhan – Aboogi
King Hannah - I’m Not Sorry, I Was Just Being Me
Kendrick Lamar - Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio - Cold as Weiss
Los Bitchos – Let the Festivities Begin!

Madalitso Band - Musakayike
Nduduzo Malhathini - In the Spirit of Ntu
Melt Yourself Down – Pray For Me I Don’t Fit In
Mydreamfever - Rough and Beautiful Place
Willie Nelson - A Beautiful Time
Noori & His Dorpa Band - Beja Power! Electric Soul & Brass from Sudan's Red Sea Coast

Olovson - Storytelling
Kresten Osgood - Plays the Organ For You
The Plastik Beatniks ‎– All Those Streets I Must Find Cities For
Max Richter - The New Four Seasons - Vivaldi Recomposed
SOMI – Zenzile: The Reimagination Of Miriam Makeba
Oded Tzur - Isabela

Various - Fragments: Erik Satie
Matthias Vogt - Pianissimo
Immanuel Wilkins – The 7th Hand
Patricia Wolf - I'll Look For You In Others
Xinobi - Balsame
Zeal and Ardor - Zeal & Ardor


And here are my favourite of the 82 EPs I checked out during the last six months (also alphabetical by artist):
chart (13).png

(2) afrochawi.jpg (3) dj krush.jpg


Auntie Flo & Sarathy Korwar - Shruti Dances
Hazem B - Afrochawi
DJ Krush – 道 Story Vol. 1

Lilblackkids – Planet of the Blues: Part One
Bennie Maupin & Adam Rudolph - Symphonic Tone Poem for Brother Yusef
Ego Ella May - FIELDNOTES PT II

Orion Sun - Getaway
Shabaka - Afrikan Culture
Taxi Kebab تاكسي كباب - Visions al 2ard
 
avecigrec said:
Took an extra few days to get this put together - a decent amount of stuff has shifted since my monthlies and even quarterlies...

After checking out over 500 new releases, these are my favourite albums from the first half of the year (in alphabetical order, by artist):
View attachment 144927

(25) View attachment 144928


700 Bliss - Nothing to Declare
Poppy Ajudha - The Power In Us
Arms and Sleepers - former kingdoms
Big Thief – Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
The Bogie Band feat. Joe Russo – The Prophets In the City
Rosa Brunello - Sounds Like Freedom

Shane Cooper & MABUTA - Finish The Sun
Drive-By Truckers - Welcome 2 Club XIII
Fantastic Negrito - White Jesus Black Problems
Catrin Finch and Seckou Keita - Echo
Florence + The Machine - Dance Fever
Heroes Are Gang Leaders - LeAutoRoiOgraphy

Ibeyi - Spell 31
Imarhan – Aboogi
King Hannah - I’m Not Sorry, I Was Just Being Me
Kendrick Lamar - Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio - Cold as Weiss
Los Bitchos – Let the Festivities Begin!

Madalitso Band - Musakayike
Nduduzo Malhathini - In the Spirit of Ntu
Melt Yourself Down – Pray For Me I Don’t Fit In
Mydreamfever - Rough and Beautiful Place
Willie Nelson - A Beautiful Time
Noori & His Dorpa Band - Beja Power! Electric Soul & Brass from Sudan's Red Sea Coast

Olovson - Storytelling
Kresten Osgood - Plays the Organ For You
The Plastik Beatniks ‎– All Those Streets I Must Find Cities For
Max Richter - The New Four Seasons - Vivaldi Recomposed
SOMI – Zenzile: The Reimagination Of Miriam Makeba
Oded Tzur - Isabela

Various - Fragments: Erik Satie
Matthias Vogt - Pianissimo
Immanuel Wilkins – The 7th Hand
Patricia Wolf - I'll Look For You In Others
Xinobi - Balsame
Zeal and Ardor - Zeal & Ardor


And here are my favourite of the 82 EPs I checked out during the last six months (also alphabetical by artist):
View attachment 144930

(2) View attachment 144931 (3) View attachment 144932


Auntie Flo & Sarathy Korwar - Shruti Dances
Hazem B - Afrochawi
DJ Krush – 道 Story Vol. 1

Lilblackkids – Planet of the Blues: Part One
Bennie Maupin & Adam Rudolph - Symphonic Tone Poem for Brother Yusef
Ego Ella May - FIELDNOTES PT II

Orion Sun - Getaway
Shabaka - Afrikan Culture
Taxi Kebab تاكسي كباب - Visions al 2ard
Click to expand...
I always love your lists because they are a constant reminder that there is so much music out there that I haven't even tapped into yet ✌️ Seems like the first half of 2022 was quite impressive for you!
 
musicjunkiegreg said:
I always love your lists because they are a constant reminder that there is so much music out there that I haven't even tapped into yet ✌️ Seems like the first half of 2022 was quite impressive for you!
Click to expand...

I've been very excited by the output and discoveries of this year so far! I've also been fortunate that work is very often conducive (though, not this month!) to my being able to check out a bunch of new albums, which has helped in checking out so much.
 
Fleetwood-Matt said:
Been extremely whelmed by the releases I’ve listened to so far this year. Only 1 album that I love and even that I’m not shouting my love for it from rooftops. So here is my mid year list

AOTY
CMAT - If My Wife New I’d Be Dead

Solid Albums I like
Anitta - Versions of Me
Denzel Curry - Melt My Eyes, See Your Future
Mitski - Laurel Hell
PUP - The Unraveling of PUPTHEBAND
Yard Act - The Overload
Kendrick Lamar - Mr Morale
The Weeknd - Dawn FM
Hatchie - Giving The World Away
Florence - Dance Fever

Albums that did nothing for me
Father John Misty - Chloe
Black Country New Road - Ants From Up There
Ethel Cain - Preachers Daughter
Charli XCX - Crash
Kilo Kish - American Girl

Most Anticipated Albums for the rest of the year
Lizzo
Beyonce
Rina Sawayama
Click to expand...
Based on CMAT being your current AOTY, I went back to give it another listen (I had listened to it when the album had first dropped and remembered I didn't hate it, lol). Upon second listen, I really enjoyed it!

I'm curious what about the Ethel Cain album that didn't do it for you? Preacher's Daughter is currently one of my top albums of the year ✌️
 
musicjunkiegreg said:
Based on CMAT being your current AOTY, I went back to give it another listen (I had listened to it when the album had first dropped and remembered I didn't hate it, lol). Upon second listen, I really enjoyed it!

I'm curious what about the Ethel Cain album that didn't do it for you? Preacher's Daughter is currently one of my top albums of the year ✌️
Click to expand...

Glad you like it! I know the album isn’t like mind blowing but the clever songwriting and the ear wormy songs keep me coming back nonstop!

As for Ethel Cain it’s an album that has all the pieces I like in an album but the slow pace really takes me out of it. I’m gonna keep giving it more tries because if it clicks I do see myself really liking it but as of now it’s a no for me
 
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Fleetwood-Matt said:
Glad you like it! I know the album isn’t like mind blowing but the clever songwriting and the ear wormy songs keep me coming back nonstop!
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I did notice a more earworminess to the songs on the second go round 👂🐛

Fleetwood-Matt said:
Has for Ethel Cain it’s an album that as all the pieces I like in an album but the slow pace really takes me out of it. I’m gonna keep giving it more tries because if it clicks I do see myself really liking it but as of now it’s a no for me
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Preacher's Daughter is a long album, I'll give you that. And I may be biased as I have always been fond of longer, more drawn out (and melancholic) albums. And if it doesn't click for you, then it just doesn't #MusicIsSubjective ✌️

(I know you didn't ask for it 🤣, but here is a very brief summation of why I love this album)

Rarely does an album/artist come around where I completely immerse myself in it. I've, admittedly, done extensive research on the album and on the character/pseudonym Ethel Cain, I've listened to several interviews, etc. The overarching concept and story centers on a young trans American woman (Ethel Cain). Religion/anti-religion, adventure, love and love loss, sex, emotional and sexual abuse, pimping/rape, drugs, murder, cannibalism - this album has it all. It's gothic, it's dark, it's disturbing, it's devastating, but it's beautiful at the same time. Dare I say it's the next great all-American tale? And it's actually the first (well the last) album in a trilogy focusing on intergenerational trauma surrounding three women, and it offers a dark and bold take into rural, white America quite unlike anything I've yet heard.

Hayden (Ethel Cain) gives breathtaking vocal performances across the entire tracklist, as well as applaudable instrumental performances. And Preacher's Daughter is only her debut LP! I would call something this good a "swan song", but I can only imagine the best from Hayden is still yet to come.
 
Probably time to dig through the last couple pages of your all's recs. Just updated my list to a top 20.

That said, wanted to say that I was already fond of Just Mustard's album and then I bought it on wax last week. It's been in HEAVY rotation and I can't recommend it enough for people who like shoe gaze and post punk. There are even shades of dream pop and desert metal. Super unique. And the wax sounds GREAT.



 
DownIsTheNewUp said:
Probably time to dig through the last couple pages of your all's recs. Just updated my list to a top 20.

That said, wanted to say that I was already fond of Just Mustard's album and then I bought it on wax last week. It's been in HEAVY rotation and I can't recommend it enough for people who like shoe gaze and post punk. There are even shades of dream pop and desert metal. Super unique. And the wax sounds GREAT.



Click to expand...

This album has been the definition of a grower for me. It seem like something I would like but underwhelmed me on first listens. Now I just love it. It’s an amazing driving album.
 
The Quietus has always been my favourite publication to follow for new music reviews. They recently put out their Best Albums of 2022 so far list. As usual, it's packed with plenty of albums you've not heard of.

thequietus.com

The Quietus | Features | Quietus Charts | The Quietus Albums Of The Year So Far Chart 2022

At the year's half-way mark, all of tQ's editorial staff, core writers and columnists have voted for their essential 2022 albums so far, released between January and June
thequietus.com thequietus.com
 
So here's my Q2 tap. I'm quite late to this because of the Covid infections my boyfriend and me had end of June/ start of July. I've tried to listen to as many albums as possible, but this time didn't get around to listen to everything, so if some of your favorites are missing the most likely is I didn't come around to check them out yet (but I will in the future). As usual the ranking is completely subjective and up to change. I include the last release week of March and leave out the last of June. I hope you may discover some albums you didn't know yet and enjoy them as much as I do. :)


Q2 1.png


1. Florence + the Machine „Dance Fever“

2. Let's Eat Grandma „Two Ribbons“

3. Everything Everything „Raw Data Feel“

4. Leikeli47 „Shape Up“

5. Kendrick Lamar „Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers“


6. Foals „Life is yours“
7. Belle and Sebastian „A bit of previous“
8. Alec Benjamin „(Un)Commentary“
9. TV Priest „No other people“
10. Monophonics „Sage Motel“

11.The Smile „A light for Attracting Attention“
12. Sharon Van Etten „We've been going about this all wrong“
13. Bloc Party „Alpha Games“
14. Selah Sue „Persona“
15. Rammstein „Zeit“

Q2 2.png


16. Fontaines D.C. „Skinty Fia“
17. Baby Strange „World Below“
18. Ethel Cain „Preacher's Daughter“
19. Placebo „Never let me go“
20. Wet Leg „Wet Leg“


21. Kehlani „Blue Water Road“
22. Max Cooper „Unspoken words“
23. Red Hot Chili Peppers „Unlimited love“
24. vory „Lost Souls“
25. Angel Olsen „All the good times“


26. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever „Endless Rooms“
27. Denzel Curry „Melt my eyez see your future“
28. Alice Merton „S.I.D.E.S.“
29. Sunflower Bean „Headful of sugar“
30. Jack White „Fear of the dawn“



Q2 3.png


31. Ella Mai „Heart on my sleeve“
32. Mallrat „Butterfly Blue“
33. Liam Gallagher „C`MON YOU KNOW“
34. Praises „In this year: Hicrophant“
35. Kelly Lee Owens „LP.8“
36. Flor „Future Shine“
37. yaya bey „Remember your North Star“
38. The Regrettes „Further Joy“
39. obongjayar „Some Nights I Dream of Doors“
40. Alison Wonderland „loner“

41. Winona Oak „Island of the Sun“
42. Tove Styrke „HARD“
43. Moderat „MORE D4TA“
44. Aldous Harding „Warm Chris“
45. PUP „The Unraveling of PUPTHEBAND“
46. Vanessa Wagner „Study of the Invisible“
47. Drive-by Truckers „Welcome 2 Club XIII“
48. Soccer96 „Inner Worlds“
49. Alunah „Strange Machine“
50. Halestorm „Back from the dead“
 
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