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I like a lot of music and I like evangelizing it too. So here’s a big list of great music, broken up into tiers. I hope you’ll listen to some of it, or at least message me about the stuff you agree about.
Albums and EPs
Tier 1: mandatory listening
Imaginal Disk by Magdalena Bay. It’s hard to pin this album down. It has thumping dance beats, psychedelic soft rock, and epic prog rock crescendos, and rather than leaning all the way into one, it tends to veer back and forth between vibes, permeated by a sense of uneasiness. Even in the most harmonious, pleasant moments, you know that unknown discomfort is lurking somewhere. This isn’t a knock, though—the songwriting and production are masterful from front to back. Best songs: Cry for Me, Angel on a Satellite.
Liminal Space by Ill-Considered. This album “goes hard”, as the kids say. It’s easy for jazz fusion albums to lose my attention and slip by without me noticing; this album absolutely does not do that. It’s intense and utterly gnarly the whole way through. Despite only being a three-piece band, Ill-Considered sound huge because of the sound design and the intensity of their playing. Best song: Dervish (!!).
Playful Spirits by in love with a ghost. This album actually did slip by without me noticing the first time (for the most part). It’s not aggressive or intense or anything. It’s just a series of pleasant, cute electronic musical sketches. And that’s why I keep returning to it – it’s very comforting and sweet. And by Jove do I need something like that sometimes. Best song: the end (rejected demo) (!!).
So It Is by Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Preservation Hall Jazz Band are based out of New Orleans, and this album is a combination of their New Orleans sound and the sound of somewhat-nearby Cuba. For about half a year after I heard this album, I kept searching for Latin- and Cuban-inspired jazz with as much energy as it, but I guess I didn’t find any. It’s upbeat, it’s cool, it has flair and finesse. Best songs: Santiago, La Malanga.
The Theatrical Death of Julie Delicious by HOLYCHILD. The singles from this album are my church, my priest, and in fact my communion wafers as well. They are the bubbliest of bubblegum pop and I can scarcely imagine how to improve them. The non-singles are hit-or-miss but at least some of them are hit. Best songs: Hundred Thousand Hearts (!!!), Over You (!!!), Wishing You Away (!!!), Carmelo.
The Turning Wheel by Spellling. This album is transportative and very mystical in its atmosphere. It feels like how I suspect tarot cards are supposed to make me feel. The instrumentation is beautiful and Chrystia Cabral’s voice is beautiful over it. Her songwriting is artistic but not in a lame sense – just really well-written art pop / rock. Best songs: Boys at School, Awaken (!!!).
Tier 2: really, really good, but not mandatory listening
10,000 gecs by 100 gecs. This is more punk / ska than their previous work, and a lot catchier and less glitchy. It loses a bit of edge in that way, but it still has enough for me because I’m basic. Best songs: Doritos & Fritos, Frog on the Floor, mememe (!!).
Air Guitar by Sobs. This is very much indie pop, but its average quality is so high compared to most pop albums. The guitar and the buzzy synth and the singer’s voice are all so bright which allows almost every song to reach out and grab me. And this is neither here nor there, but I notice Sobs’ choruses tend to repeat phrases much less than most pop choruses. Best song: Friday Night (!).
can opener’s notebook: fish whisperer by Vylet Pony. Some electropop but mostly slightly vibey, sometimes glitchy EDM. The second half especially is very pleasant to let wash over me. Best song: good grief!
CUTIEMARKS (And the Things That Bind Us) by Vylet Pony. A mix of electropop, EDM, and dubstep, with some of the best hooks and drops I’ve heard. It’s admittedly a bit bloated, but I can forgive this for the sheer excellence of its best tracks. Best songs: ANTONYMPH (!!!), BONNIE (!).
Mena by Javiera Mena. It’s just a very relaxing electropop album for me. It is a little more vibey than most electropop, but it still has good, memorable hooks. It’s simply produced, earnestly sung and doesn’t have any weak songs.
Nurture by Porter Robinson. Porter Robinson is great at making EDM drops feel huge but not harsh or grating. But this one isn’t totally drop-centered—there’s a lot of more ambient or songwriter-y moments as well, which are executed just as well as the EDM. The lyrics are very earnest, uplifting, and sweet. Also see his Secret Sky Set, May 9, 2020 featuring several songs from this album. Best songs: Sweet Time, Unfold.
Sometimes I Might Be Introvert by Little Simz. This is the only hip hop album I like all that much, and it’s because Little Simz’s flow integrates so well with the music and the instrumentals are so interesting and lush. I don’t usually care about lyricism but the lyricism is good too.
The Dollyrots by The Dollyrots. Extremely campy pop punk. Way too catchy to be annoying (most of the time). When I saw them live they brought their kid up on stage at one point to show off some yo-yo tricks. That’s the type of punk they are. Best song: After 2012 (!!).
Yellow by Emma-Jean Thackray. Some rather spiritual jazz, in an astrological way more than a religious way. Not every song grabs me, but it even without that the sound and groove make it worthwhile. The players are delicate, precise, and cohesive. Best song: Say Something (!).
Tier 3: really good, with a few reservations
1 by The Nychillharmonic. (Try beating this alphabetically!) It strikes a great balance between jazz / big band and more aggressive guitar-driven parts. More impressively, it manages to get technical at times but always in service of the song, not just for the sake of showing off.
Beyond the Fleeting Gales by Crying. It’s upbeat at times and wistful at others. Just a really nicely done indie electronic / rock / slightly chiptune record. Best songs: Children of the Wind, Premonitory Dream.
Blue Rev by Alvvays. It’s backed by waves of shoegazey noise but there’s a great alt pop sensibility to it. I expected a record like this to drag towards the end and start feeling samey but it didn’t. I mean, it doesn’t change that much by the end, I just don’t get tired of it like I expected to.
Carousel by Vylet Pony. It’s amazing how many genres (electropop, glitch, dubstep, cabaret, even metal) Vylet Pony pulls together on this album, and she makes it work. There are a few too many interludes and intros/outros, but the production and the melodies are fantastic. Best song: Creekflow (!).
Dirty Computer by Janelle Monae. This album likewise has hits and duds, but the hits are really quite good. The lyrics add a lot, which isn’t usually the case for me. Best songs: Americans.
Ed Buys Houses by Sidney Gish. It makes me feel like I’m in high school, hanging out in her garage as she puts on a show for just a couple friends. So earnest and fun. I like when she uses ping pong noises as percussion in that one song.
Esquemas Juveniles by Javiera Mena. This is like Mena if it had higher highs but more duds. Best song: Cámara Lenta.
Flamboyant by Dorian Electra. One of the premier releases of the “bubblegum bass” moment. Dorian Electra’s greatest talent may be writing witty lyrics that still sound great musically. Best songs: Career Boy, Man to Man.
I Disagree by Poppy. The first four songs fascinate me with their mix of metal and shiny over-the-top pop. After that the pop is lost and it falls off a bit. Best song: Concrete (!!).
Juno by Remi Wolf. Breezy, fun pop that you can play out your car windows as you drive down the avenue with your friends in the backseat. Best song: Quiet On Set.
Keepsake by Hatchie. Like Sugar & Spice below, this is waves of guitar with strong pop melodies on top.
Mercurial World by Magdalena Bay. Funky, electronic, sort of disco, and a little bit fey. Magdalena Bay have a very strong aesthetic and sound. They’re clearly amazing at music but admittedly a lot of the songs on this kind of bore me. Best songs: Secrets (Your Fire), You Lose!, The Beginning (!).
Our Extended Play by beabadoobee. This is a short EP of chill 90s acoustic guitar pop, and in terms of average quality it could easily be in the tier above. Each song is really nice and playful and I like them a lot. Best song: Last Day On Earth.
Quality Over Opinion by Louis Cole. If there’s one thing Louis Cole likes doing, it’s jamming out on keys with amusing lyrics over a funky as hell groove. And if there’s a second thing he likes doing, it’s ethereal, bittersweet vocal harmonies. Most of this album is one or the other.
SMILE! :D by Porter Robinson. Mostly electropop but you can tell he used to make EDM. I wish it leaned a bit more into the EDM / high energy, but the songwriting is great on a lot of songs anyway. Best songs: Cheerleader, Is There Really No Happiness?, Knock Yourself Out XD.
Starsick by Maude Latour. A lot of people compare her to Lorde, which is fair enough. I was sooo into this in summer 2020. Best songs: Ride My Bike (!).
Sugar & Spice by Hatchie. You can get lost in the waves of soft guitars and reverb. But there’s still a strong pop thread behind every song. Best song: Sure.
the bird and the bee by the bird and the bee. Sort of pop but more strange and meandering. Music for sipping cocktails dreamily in a sophisticated, cool lounge from a film. Best song: Again and Again (!).
The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd. It’s classic because it’s both epic and accessible, with great lyrics, sound design, and performances. A real journey. Best songs: Time, Eclipse.
The Good Life by Sammy Rae. Lots of this EP is just ecstatic, with Sammy Rae’s bold singing over a brass-based head-nodding groove. And I like feeling ecstatic. Best song: The Feeling.
Time by Louis Cole. The vibe dial is turned up to 70% on this and the funkiness dial is also turned up 70%. This makes for a lot of funk and vibes at the same time, more than I realized could be compatible. That said, some tracks are a little too vibey and turn out dull. Best song: Things.
Time Won’t Stop by Sara Wakui. Its sound is very typical for ‘out-there’ jazz fusion records of the last decade, but it’s better executed than most of them. Weird and entirely listenable. Sara Wakui is very good at playing piano.
[USA] by Anamanaguchi. It grasps the potential for grandeur in electronic dance/pop/chiptune music, especially in the middle section. Overwriting Incorporate (!).
Tier 4: also notably good
- A Dream Is All We Know by The Lemon Twigs. 70s throwback soft rock.
- Alvvays by Alvvays. Indie pop.
- Ants From Up There by Black Country, New Road. Post-punk / indie rock. Best songs: The Place Where He Inserted the Blade, Basketball Shoes.
- Ascension by Sarah Kinsley. Best song: Oh No Darling!.
- Background Songs For Your Boring Life, Part I by Revenge Wife. Electropop. Best song: Dream I Had (!!).
- Beachwood Canyon by Jem. Singer-songwriter but not as in super bare instrumentation. Best song: Don’t Look Back.
- Beatopia by beabadoobee. Indie pop.
- Brand New Eyes by Paramore. Pop punk.
- Bonito Generation by Kero Kero Bonito. Electropop.
- Bonnie by spill tab. Pop.
- Bright Green Field by Squid. Is this what music buffs call post-punk? Best song: Narrator.
- Chromatica by Lady Gaga. Electropop.
- dawn111 by dawn111. Peaceful ambient.
- EAT by Poppy. Alt-metal. Best song: EAT.
- E·MO·TION by Carly Rae Jepsen. Best song: Run Away With Me (!).
- Expert In A Dying Field by The Beths. Clean indie rock.
- Flux by Poppy. 90s-sounding alt-rock / alt-metal.
- For the first time by Black Country, New Road. Post-punk.
- Four of Arrows by Great Grandpa. Indie rock / pop.
- Freetown Sound by Blood Orange. Vibey pop. Best song: Hands Up (!).
- gay story by in love with a ghost. Chill, cute electronic tunes.
- Girls Who Are Wizards by Vylet Pony. Electropop / EDM / dubstep. Best song: Facing Oblivion to Become the Lode Star (!).
- Give Me A Minute by Lizzy McAlpine. Sadgirl indie.
- Giving The World Away by Hatchie. Indie pop.
- going…going…GONE! by hemlocke springs. Quirky alt pop. Best song: enknee1.
- Head Hunters by Herbie Hancock. Best song: Chameleon.
- Heaven Come Crashing by Rachika Nayar. Ambient.
- In Ghost Colours by Cut Copy. Electropop. Best song: Lights and Music.
- Inner Fire by The Souljazz Orchestra. Jazz fusion.
- It’s Hard to See Color (When You’re So Impossibly Far Away*) by Jaron. Indie electronica.
- Jubilee by Japanese Breakfast. Indie pop. Best song: Be Sweet.
- Knower Forever by KNOWER. Funk with the occasional chorale.
- Melodrama by Lorde. Electropop.
- Minecraft: Volume Alpha by C418. Ambient / soundtrack. Best song: Sweden (!).
- Motorcycle.jpg by Slaughter Beach, Dog. Singer-songwriter.
- NADIE LO VA A HACER POR MÍ by Rakky Ripper. Hyperpop.
- Nocturna by Javiera Mena. Best song: Diva (!).
- On the Way Out by wylie hopkins. Sadboy indie.
- Over the Moon by TILAR. Jazz pop. Best song: Talk Like That (!).
- Parallel Realms by STRFKR. Chill, groovy indie synthpop.
- Perfect Picture by Hannah Diamond. Very shiny pop clearly made by a former PC music artist.
- Permutation by Amon Tobin. “Nu jazz” aka jazzy but with a liquid / drum’n’bass-style groove.
- Pest by Daffo. Noisy rock.
- PLASMA by Perfume. Electropop / J-pop. Best song: Saisei (!!!).
- Run Devil Run by Ozark Sheiks. Blues / americana; also by far the most obscure album on this list.
- Smiling With No Teeth by Genesis Owusu. Dark, funky R&B.
- Speak for Yourself by Imogen Heap. Electropop sort of. Best song: Hide and Seek (!).
- Strangers Forever by Maude Latour. Electropop. Best song: One More Weekend (!!!).
- STRUGGLER by Genesis Owusu. Alt / punk / hip hop.
- Super Pony World: Fairytails, Part I by Vylet Pony. Electropop / EDM / dubstep. Best song: Fairytails.
- The Girlfriend Experience by Chase Icon. “Miami bass” aka somewhere between dance, electropop, and rap.
- The Loneliest Time by Carly Rae Jepsen. Electropop.
- The Worm by HMLTD. Rock opera. Best song: Wyrmlands (!).
- There Must Be Something Here by acloudyskye. Indie electronic / rock.
- This Is Why by Paramore. Pop-punk.
- Two Fold Pt. 1 by Haywyre. “Glitch hop” / nu jazz.
- Wearing Out The Refrain by Bad Moves. Power pop.
- WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? by Billie Eilish. Dark synthpop.
- Wonderful now by Anatole Muster. Soft slightly jazzy electropop. Best song: Auntie Mabel.
- WORRY. by Jeff Rosenstock. Pop punk / power pop.
Songs
Tier 1: mandatory listening
money machine by 100 gecs. I’ve heard it so many times that it’s lost a bit of luster for me, but this song was the hyperpop moment, and for good reason. It feels like the uncoolest person you know absolutely owning you and crying while doing it.
My Love by the bird and the bee. The flutes are beautiful in this! This song feels like walking along the boardwalk at night, holding hands and smiling as you pass the ferris wheel; or rather, like the fond memory of having done so.
rom com 2021 by Soccer Mommy and Kero Kero Bonito. This song is like Pixy Stix for my brain. The only thing happening in my mind as I listen to it is “Yeah! Yay! Yeah!”
Semicircle Song by The Go! Team. This song makes me feel like a character in an after-school special or a Saturday morning cartoon. It’s unabashedly joyful and dare I say spunky.
The Procession of Celestial Beings I by Joe Hisaichi. This song is like when, for a brief moment, you get a glimpse of heaven to see some of your loved ones who truly are in a better place now; but you can’t stay, and you can’t interact. But at least you know they’re happy.
Tier 2: really, really good, but not mandatory listening
- complex feelings about my own existence (feat. jungkook) by in love with a ghost. Chill electronic sketch.
- DigitalLung.EXE by Hey, ily!. It’s hyper and sort of pop, but not hyperpop.
- Filming School by Sidney Gish. Bedroom pop / singer-songwriter.
- Fire / Freezer by El May. Indie rock / pop.
- I Won’t Fall Apart by Jager. Eurobeat.
- Magika by Two Steps From Hell. Epic orchestral.
- Metropolis by Octave Cat. Poppy synth jam session.
- No Reason by Big Thief. Indie folk.
- One Trick Ponies by Kurt Vile. Indie rock.
- Spoiled little brat by underscores. Hyperpop.
- Strange Things Will Happen by The Radio Dept. Dream pop.
- Winterspell by Two Steps From Hell. Epic orchestral.
- xXXi_wud_nvrstøp_ÜXXx by 100 gecs (splee remix). EDM.
Tier 3: really good, with a few reservations
- Abittipsy by YOUHA. K-pop.
- American Dream by LCD Soundsystem. Sad synthpop.
- Beautiful World by Hikaru Utada. J-pop.
- Big Cat by girli and P!NCH. Upbeat groove.
- Brothers on the Slide by Cymande. Funk.
- Chicago by Sufjan Stevens. Indie folk / chamber pop.
- Complicated by Whethan, aldn, and 8485. Electropop with hyperpop characteristics.
- Dinner by Kacy Hill. Sad indie.
- Disconnect by Kitty. Ethereal pop / rap.
- Emerald Princess by Two Steps From Hell. Epic orchestral.
- epiphany by Taylor Swift. Sad indie folk.
- Everything is Different (To Me) by quickly, quickly. Alt R&B.
- Fdf by cero. Jazz fusion.
- Friday Night Big Screen by girli. Electropop.
- Guitar Song (Demo) by Frou Frou. Singer-songwriter.
- hawthorn by Rachika Nayar. Ambient.
- heart of the woods (ending theme) by in love with a ghost and Ukuletea. Bittersweet electronic sketch.
- Hold The Girl by Rina Sawayama. Electropop.
- I Know My Love by The Chieftains and The Corrs. Irish traditional.
- It’s Alrite 2 Cry by Francis and the Lights (Kool A.D. remix). Sad electropop.
- Kids by MGMT. Electropop.
- La de da de da de da de day oh by Bill Wurtz. Lighthearted indie pop.
- Lento by Julieta Venegas. Soft pop.
- Little Heartbeat by Cataldo. Electropop.
- Lucky 88 by Speedy Ortiz. Indie rock.
- Mother’s Love by The Sound of Modesty. Indie rock.
- NEW NEW by TWICE. K-pop.
- New Normal by Jack Stauber. Dark, noisy alt-rock / pop.
- Omigod You Guys from Legally Blonde. Showtune.
- Out Loud by Remember Sports. Indie pop / rock.
- Pangaea Girls (Magic Feeling) by Candy Claws. Shoegaze.
- Resonance by yuma yamaguchi. Crazy flute stuff.
- Shelter by Madeon and Porter Robinson. EDM.
- So Now What by The Shins. Indie pop.
- Some Dandruff On Your Shoulder by Jens Lekman. Chamber pop.
- Song For Zula by Phosphorescent. Sad indie.
- Standing in the Middle of the Field by Cut Copy. Indie pop.
- Stardust Diving from OMORI. Soundtrack.
- The I Love You Song from 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Musical theatre.
- The Scene Between by The Go! Team. Peppy noisy pop.
- Welcome to the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance. Pop punk.
- When You’re Around by Water From Your Eyes. Indie pop / rock.
Changelog
2023
Added: Time Won’t Stop, 1, The Worm, Over the Moon, Heaven Come Crashing, Spoiled little brat, Everything is Different (To Me), Filming School, Two Fold Pt. 1, Beautiful World, Big Cat, Shelter, Ascension, Hmayra, Nocturna, Mother’s Love, Air Guitar, Keepsake, On the Way Out, Out Loud, Semicircle Song, dawn111, I Know My Love, Knower Forever, going…going…GONE!, Head Hunters, Perfect Picture, STRUGGLER, The Scene Between.
Removed: Hmayra, jane_remover_remixes.zip, Kalk samen kuri no hana, L.D.K. Lounge Designers Killer, Like a Stone, Perfume ~Complete Best~, Those Who Throw Objects at the Crocodiles Will Be Asked to Retrieve Them, Wish You Were Here, #1 Crush, If I Had You, Multi Til’ The Sun Die, Boys, Casualty, Hanging On, Junk, Little Again, Make Me Cry, Oh No, This Time It’s Different, You Can’t Hide.
Upgraded: Frog on the Floor, enknee1, Heaven.
Downgraded: Carousel, Time, memoryland, [USA], Chromatica, Background Songs For Your Boring Life, Part I, Melodrama, Carmelo, Concrete, Emerald Princess, Friday Night Big Screen, Lucky 88, So Now What, Song For Zula, The Carrion Child.
2024
Added: Imaginal Disk, Beyond the Fleeting Gales, SMILE! :D, A Dream Is All We Know, Girls Who Are Wizards, Motorcycle.jpg, NADIE LO VA A HACER POR MÍ, Parallel Realms, Pest, There Must Be Something Here, Wearing Out The Refrain, Wonderful now, Strange Things Will Happen, Abittipsy, Fdf, hawthorn, La de da de da de da de day oh, NEW NEW, Resonance.
Removed: Memoryland, Beneath the Brine, Hoyt and Schermerhorn, Overexcited, Thingamajig.
Upgraded: 10,000 gecs, The Dollyrots, dawn111, Diva.
Downgraded: Four of Arrows, The Loneliest Time, The Worm, Lento, Hands Up, heart of the woods (ending theme), Make Me Feel, Superfruit, The I Love You Song, Things.
Also in 2024 I condensed the albums list from 5 tiers to 4.