Best Albums of 2021

2021 was a mind-blowing year for music, possibly the greatest year of individual album releases since 1991's revolutionary advances and changes in all forms of rock experimental and electronic music. On top of so many new leaps and bounds in these genres this year, so many powerful, innovative, and meaningful albums were produced this year across the spectrum of all kinds of music. My list this year has more records than any previous year's I've ever made, and it traverses more styles of music from more areas of the world. I'm excited to share so much great music with you!  One shout out note, the ">" symbol is used for any artist's debut full length release.

1.  Arca - "kick iiii"
2.  Shitkid- “Sort Stjerne!”
3.  Ian Sweet - “Show Me How You Disappear”
4.  Space Afrika - “Honest Labour”
5.  >Dina Ögon - “s/t”
6.  >Arushi Jain - “Under the Lilac Sky”
7.  Helado Negro - “Far In”
8.  Chad VanGaalen - “World’s Most Stressed Out Gardner”
9.  Drape - “Ecstatic Truth”
10.  >gglum - “once the edge has worn off”
11.  >Old Saw - “Country Tropics”
12.  Noveller - “Aphantasia”
13.  Iosonouncane - “IRA”
14.  Grouper - “Shade”
15.  >Smerz - “Believer”
16.  Tara Jane O’Neill - “Dispatches from the Drift”
17.  Floating Points, Pharaoh Sanders, & the London Symphony Orchestra - “Promises”
18.  Isaac Symonds & Yaeshun “Natura Sophia”
19.  Arca - “kiCK iiiii”
20.  >PACKS - “Take the Cake”
21.  40 Winks - “Field Works”
22.  Colleen - “The Tunnel & the Clearing”
23.  Suuns- “The Witness”
24.  >If I Promise - “Where You Built Your Nest”
25.  >Dummy - “Mandatory Enjoyment”
26.  >Ouri - “Frame of a Fauna”
27.  King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard - “Butterfly 3000”
28.  Ylayali - “Magic Eye”
29.  >Peter Talisman - “Lord of the Harvest”
30.  Lighting Bug - “A Color of the Sky”
31.  Darkside - “Spiral”
32.  Ben Bertrand - “Dokkaebi”
33.  Little Simz - “Sometimes I Might Be Introvert” 
34.  S. Maharba - “Cold Friend”
35.  Eartheater - “La Petite Mort Édition”
36.  Mint Julep - “In a Deep Dreamless Sleep”
37.  Jane Weaver - “Flock”
38.  Benoît Pioulard - “Bloodless”
39.  >Rock - “Rock”
40.  Eera - “Speak”
41.  >Coco - “s/t”
42.  Puma Blue - “In Praise of Shadows”
43.  Machinefabriek - “Re:Moving”
44.  Wednesday - “Twin Plagues”
45.  Night Beats - “Outlaw R&B”
46.  The Black Dog - “Music for Photographers”
47.  Smerz - "Før og etter"
48.  Lump - “Animal” 
49.  >John Glacier - “Shiloh: Lost for Words”
50.  Holy Hive - “s/t”
51.  Deafheaven - “Infinite Granite”
52.  Søjus1 - “Orwo”
53.  >Never Temple - “Throwing around an Invisible Ball”
54.  Pearl & the Oysters - “Flowerland”
55.  Vanessa Amara - “Music for Acoustic Instruments & Feedback” 
56.  Goat Girl - “On All Fours”
57.  F.S. Blumm & Nils Frahm - “2X1=4”
58.  >Hildegard - “s/t”
59.  >April Magazine - “Sunday Music for an Overpass”
60.  Croatian Armor & Varg2TM- “Body of Content”
61.  >Damiana - “Vines”
62.  Cold Beat - “War Garden”
63.  Low - “Hey What”
64.  bliss3three - “I’m Going to Miss You”
65.  >Joy Orbison - “Still Slipping vol. 1”
66.  From the Mouth of the Sun - “Light Caught the Edges” 
67.  Sega Bodega - “Romeo”
68.  >Evan Wright - “Sound from out the Window”
69.  Trees Speak - “PostHuman”
70.  Ex:Re w’ 12 Ensemble - “s/t”
71.  Aloa Input - “Devil’s Diamond Memory Collection”
72.  MJ Lenderman - “Ghost of Your Guitar Solo”
73.  Tim Hecker - “The North Water”
74.  Blankenberge - “Everything”
75.  James Blake - “Friends that Break your Heart”
76.  The Humble Bee - “A Miscellany for the Quiet Hours”
77.  Courtney Barnett - “Things Take Time, Take Time”
78.  Circuit Des Yeux - “-io”
79.  Munya - “Voyage to Mars”
80.  Julia Shapiro - “Zorked”
81.  W.H. Lung - “Vanities”
82.  Rachel Baiman - “Cycles”
83.  >Fine Place - “This New Heaven”
84.  Deux Filles - “Shadow Farming”
85.  Nov3l - “Non-Fiction”
86.  Exek - “Good Thing They Ripped up the Carpet”
87.  Genghis Tron - “Dream Weapon”
88.  Penelope Trappes - “Three”
89.  >Trip Show - “The Far East Is The Near West And The Wild West Is The Near East”
90.  Sweet Megg - “I’m in Love Again”
91.  Spirit of the Beehive - “Entertainment, Death"
92.  Maarja Nuut - “Hinged”
93.  E.Vax & Ratatat - “s/t”
94.  Sault - “Nine”
95.  >Organi - “Parlez-vous Français?”
96.  Ada Lea - “One Hand on the Steering Wheel the other Sewing a Garden”
97.  Saint Etienne - “I’ve Been Trying to Tell You”
98.  Argo Nuff - “anneboyln”
99.  Benoît Pioulard & From Overseas - “Anon 2”
100.  New Candys - “Vyvyd”
101.  You’ll Never Get to Heaven - “Wave your Moonlight Hat for the Snowfall Train”
102.  Arca - KICK ii
103.  Lael Neale - “Acquainted with Night”
104.  Daniel Wyche - “Earthwork”
105.  Hana Vu - “Public Storage”
106.  The KVB - “Unity”
107.  Gruff Rhys - “Seeking New Gods”
108.  >Bachelor - “Doomin’ Sun”
109.  Joan as Policewoman w’ Tony Allen & Dave Okumu - “The Solution is Restless”
110.  Richard Skelton - “Four Workings”
111.  Tomaga - “Intimate Immensity” 
112.  >Samuel Organ - “A Safe Place in Cyberspace” 
113.  Marissa Nadler - “The Path of the Clouds”
114.  La Luz - “s/t”
115.  Billie Eilish - “Happier Than Ever”
116.  Kramer - “And the Wind Just Blew it Away”
117.  Clinic - “Fantasy Island”
118.  Mas Aya - “Máscaras”
119.  Haerts - “Dream Nation”
120.  >Blue Ocean - “s/t”
121.  Vanishing Twin - “Ookii Gekkou”
122.  >Gustaf - “Audio Drag for Ego Slobs”
123.  A Winged Victory for the Sullen - “Invisible Cities” 
124.  Fleece - “Stunning & Atrocious”
125.  The Antlers - “Green to Gold”
126.  Dean Blunt - “Black Metal 2”
127.  Reymour - “Leviosa”
128.  Dolphin Midwives - “Body of Water”
129.  Hectorine - “TEARS”
130.  Besnard Lakes - “…Are the Last of the Great Thunderstorm Warnings”
131.  >Indigo Sparke - “Echo”
132.  Tasha - “Tell Me What You Miss the Most”
133.  Paul Leary- “Born Stupid”
134.  Penelope Isles - “Which Way to Happy”
135.  Sam Evian - “Time to Melt”
136.  Controller 7 - “exhale 02: Moments”
137.  >Tamar Aphek - “All Bets Are Off”
138.  Haco - “Nova Naturo”
139.  Piroshka - “Love Drips & Gathers”
140.  Robert Farrugia - “Voicemail”
141.  >Marion Raw - “Deep Cuts”
142.  >Scam Avenue - “s/t”
143.  >Nala Sinephro - “Space 1.8”
144.  >Jodi - “Blue Heron”
145.  >Tobacco City - “Tobacco City, USA”
146.  Chloe Frances - “Zulu Giant (String of Hearts)”
147.  Crumb - “Ice Melt” 
148.  Erika de Casier - “Sensational”
149.  Lambchop - “Showtunes”
150.  Hawke - “The Dark Art of Light Work”
151.  Amanda Berlind - “Green Cone”
152.  Tirzah - “Colourgrade”
153.  Loscil - “Clara”
154.  Still Corners - “The Last Exit”
155.  >Henry the Rabbit, Beatrice Journel, & Semay Wu - “Songs of the Marsh”
156.  Alexalone - “Alexaloneworld”
157.  >Skirts - “Great Big Wild Oak”
158.  Emma Ruth Rundle - “Engine of Hell”
159.  Satomimagae - “Hanazono”
160.  Anne Imhof - “Sex”
161.  >Painted Shrines - “Heaven & Holy”
162.  >Rachel Chinoiriri - “Four° in Winter”
163.  Parquet Courts - “Sympathy for Life”
164.  Corduroy - “s/t”
165.  Holy Other - “Lieve”
166.  >JuJu - “La Que Sabe”
167.  Dear Laika - “Pluperfect Mind”
168.  >Elori Saxi - “The Blue of Distance”
169.  Water From Your Eyes - “Structure”
170.  Postcards - “After the Fire, Before the End”
171.  Viagra Boys - “Welfare Jazz”
172.  Fatima Al Qadiri - “Medieval Femme” 
173.  Bill MacKay & Nathan Bowles “Keys”
174.  Mister Baby - “Sidewalk Pop”
175.  Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith & Emile Mosseri - “I Could Be Your Dog (prequel)”
176.  The Third Sound - “First Light”
177.  Danny Paul Grody - “Furniture Music 2”
178.  Collin Weiland - “Now & Thus Suite”
179.  Bar Italia - “bedhead”
180.  Hovvdy - “True Love”
181.  Chuck Johnson - "The Cinder Grove"
182.  Audiobooks - “Astro Tough”
183.  Rachika Nayar - “Our Hands against the Dusk”
184.  Yung - “Ongoing Dispute”
185.  Yellow Ostrich - “Soft”
186.  >Feral - “The End”
187.  Mt. Mountain - “Centre”
188.  Film School - “We Weren’t Here”
189.  >Robbie & Mona - “Ew”
190.  Robert Ames - “Change Ringing” 
191.  Facs - “Present Tense”
192.  Baal & Mortimer - “The Torso Tapes”
193.  GCom - “E2-XO”
194.  Sis - “The Killer in the Looking Glass”
195.  Lowertown - “The Gaping Mouth”
196.  John Beltran - “Asthete”
197.  >Mah Kee Oh - “Dogfood”
198.  Pip Blom - “Welcome Break”
199.  Julien Baker - “Little Oblivions”
200.  Swim Ignorant Fire - “Bufo Alvarius”
201.  Luwten - “Draft”
202.  Sungaze - “This Dream”
203.  >Bnny - “Everything”
204.  >Alphabet Holds Hostage - “Where Were We?”
205.  Pye Corner Audio - “Entangled Routes”
206.  10 000 Russos - “Superinertia”
207.  Dusted - “III”
208.  Hannah Peel - “Fir Wave”
209.  Dictaphone - “Goats & Distortions 5”
210.  >Mia Joy - “Spirit Tamer”
211.  Expo 70 - “Mystic Caravan”
212.  Vhvl - “hem/sew”
213.  Shannon & the Clams - “Year of the Spider”
214.  White Ring - “Show Me Heaven”
215.  >Molly Payton - “Slack”
216.  Kyle Bobby Dunn - “Bring me the Head of…”
217.  The Goon Sax - “Mirror II”
218.  Yu Su - “Yellow River Blue”
219.  Dntel - “The Seas Trees See”
220.  serpentwithfeet - “Deacon”
221.  Arooj Aftab - “Vulture Prince”
222.  Moritz Van Oswald Trio - “Dissent”
223.  The Notwist - “Vertigo Days”
224.  The Peacers - “Blexxed Rec”
225.  Pan Daijing - “Jade”
226.  American Culture - “For My Animals”
227.  Cucina Povera - “Dalmarnock Tapes”
228.  >Foam & Sand - “Full Circle”
229.  Pretty Sick - “Come Down”
230.  Hand Habits - “Fun House”
231.  L’Rain - “Fatigue”
232.  TV Girl - “Summer’s Over”
233.  Midwife - “Luminol”
234.  Sun June - “Somewhere”
235.  >White Flowers - “Day by Day”
236.  Plankton Wat - “Future Times”
237.  >Acavernus & Yantra - “Gnose”
238.  Boy Scouts - “Wayfinder”
239.  22° Halo - “Garden Bed”
240.  Devendra Banhart & Noah Georgeson - “Refuge”
241.  Matthew Dear - “Preacher’s Sigh & Potion”
242.  Dark Time Sunshine - “Lore”
243.  Orchid Mantis - “Visitations”
244.  Lisel - “Mycelial Echo”
245.  Bowerbirds - “becalmyounglovers”
246.  >The Same - “Sync or Swim”
247.  Massage - “Still Life” 
248.  >Allison Russell - “Outside Child”
249.  >Talking Violet - “Tell Your Friends You Love Them”
250.  >Maple Glider - “To Enjoy Is the Only Thing”
251.  Flyying Colors - “Fantasy Country”
252.  Bernice - “Eau du Bonjourno”
253.  Lee Noble - “The Man who Bites his Tongue”
254.  Vladislav Delay - “Rakka II”
255.  >Heta Bilaletdin - “Nauhoi”
256.  Cryogeyser - “timetetheredtogether”
257.  Houndmouth - “Good for You”
258.  KMRU - “Logue“

EPs:

1.  No Joy - “Can my Daughter See me from Heaven?"
2.  Dolce - “Grönja Höjder”
3.  Angel Olsen - “Aisles”
4.  Plum Lovers - “Stone Liquid”
5.  Nosdam + Rayon - “From Nowhere to North”
6.  Cherubs - “Slo Blo 4 Frnz & Sxy”
7.  Bomarr - “Fleshslap in Vaporlock”
8.  Dylan Henner - “Amtracks”
9.  Sylvie - “s/t”
10.  Vegyn - “Like a Good Ole Friend”
11.  Pale Jay - “The Celestial Suite”
12.  Mhaol - “Gender Studies”
13.  Sour Widows - “Crossing Over"
14.  Heka - “(a)”
15.  Julie - “Pushing Daisies”
16.  Nosaj Thing - “No Mind Extended”
17.  Hannah Jadagu - “What Is Going On?"
18.  Yves Tumor - “The Asymptotical World ep" 
19.  Victor Bongiovanni - “Dissociaterr” 
20.  Feels - “Subversive Reaction ep" 
21.  The Black Dog - “Dubs Volume 1, 2, and 3" 
22.  Lee Renaldo - “In Virus Times”
23.  Parva Karkhaneh - “Shabe Lajevardi”
24.  Deep Tan - “Creeping Speedwells”
25.  Upsammy - “Bend”
26.  Uma - “The Moth & the Dove”
27.  Mr. Airplane Man - “
28.  Old Smile - “Four”
29.  Chartreuse - “Is It Autumn Already?”