My Top Albums of 2020
By: Thomas Lewington
Tags: Album Review, 2020, Albums Of The Year, Music, Music Review

Despite 2020 being an unfortunate year for more reasons than one, it turned out to be an incredible year for music. In fact, it’s probably my favourite since 2016 or even earlier! If you’ve read my 2017 and 2018 lists you might be wondering, where’s the 2019 list? Well, my plan last year was to release my top 100 albums of the decade, but this ended up being a larger undertaking than I ever could’ve imagined.

Not only is it difficult to review a hundred albums released over a ten-year period, but the more I worked on it the more the rankings began to change. Add to this the fact that new albums would sneak in, bumping out albums I had already written reviews for, and I gave in to the fact that such a list was going to take a lot longer than I realized. Hopefully I’ll release it someday, but it might just remain a draft in my Medium account forever.

It was hard to decide how many albums to include this year, but I ended up splitting the difference between my other two lists and going with thirty. I’m also including ten honourable mentions which you can find below:

Adrianne Lenker — songs (Contemporary Folk, Indie Folk)

A. G. Cook — 7G (Electronic, Art Pop)

Cindy Lee — What’s Tonight to Eternity (Noise Pop, Dream Pop)

clipping. — Visions of Bodies Being Burned (Horrorcore, Industrial Hip Hop)

The Garden — Kiss My Superbowl Ring (Art Punk, Experimental Rock)

Hum — Inlet (Shoegaze, Alternative Metal)

King Krule — Man Alive! (Art Rock, Post-Punk)

tricot — Makkuro (Math Rock, Indie Rock)

Protomartyr — Ultimate Success Today (Post-Punk, Art Punk)

R.A.P. Ferreira — Purple Moonlight Pages (Jazz Rap, Abstract Hip Hop)

Like my previous lists, this year is hip hop-heavy while still containing a wide array of genres. Here is the breakdown:

Hip Hop — 12 or 40%

Pop — 4 or 13%

Electronic — 3 or 10%

Folk — 3 or 10%

Metal — 3 or 10%

Rock — 2 or 7%

Punk — 2 or 7%

R&B — 1 or 3%

As always, the embedded music links often contain explicit language and are not safe for work. So without further ado, here are my top albums of 2020!

30. Sewerslvt — Draining Love Story

Genres: Atmospheric Drum & Bass, Breakbeat

Considering Australian musician Sewerslvt doesn’t even have a Wikipedia page, the amount of attention Draining Love Story has received this year is all the more impressive. After quietly releasing her work on Bandcamp over the past few years, a stroke of luck from YouTube’s recommendation algorithm made this one of the most acclaimed electronic releases of the year.

While Draining Love Story doesn’t break new ground when it comes to drum and bass, it brings the elements of the genre together better than anything else I’ve heard. Ambient synth pads meet frenetic jungle beats and vocal samples that reinforce the album’s themes of depression and social isolation. My favourite track is Lexapro Delirium, which is more of a house track than anything without breaking the flow of the album. Headphone listening is recommended, this will take you to another world.

29. Ka — Descendants of Cain

Genres: Abstract Hip Hop, Conscious Hip Hop

I’m glad I discovered Brooklyn rapper Ka’s latest album Descendants of Cain when I did or else it probably would’ve flew past my radar. It had just been released on his website and Bandcamp, and while it wasn’t available on streaming yet I was able to listen to it on YouTube. This is my first Ka album but he’s been releasing music for over a decade and was even featured on GZA’s 2008 album Pro Tools.

Descendants of Cain continues a current trend in conscious hip hop with minimal production based on rhythmic loops instead of traditional percussion. Ka is a very talented rapper on both a lyrical and technical level, resulting in a compelling concept album weaving biblical metaphors with the realities of street life. My favourite track is Sins of the Father with a great guest verse from Roc Marciano. Old heads will appreciate this one.

28. Phoebe Bridgers — Punisher

Genres: Indie Folk, Indie Rock

Phoebe Bridgers released her debut album Stranger in the Alps in 2017, introducing her emo-tinged brand of indie folk to the world. Three years later she is back with Punisher, an album that manages to be moody, introspective, hopeful and uplifting all at once. Bridgers’ songwriting ability struck me on first listen with fantastic songs like Kyoto, Garden Song and Halloween.

Her lyrics are down to earth and direct while relating to emotions and situations that are universally relatable. While they’re not as stream-of-consciousness as artists like Mark Kozelek or Phil Elverum, I find her themes to be just as emotionally resonant. Punisher comes to a stunning conclusion with I Know the End, with its climactic horn section and tortured screams making it a clear highlight. I haven’t checked out her debut yet but this is a fantastic indie folk record. Recommended for fans of Angel Olsen and Elliott Smith.

27. Yung Lean — Starz

Genres: Cloud Rap, Ambient Pop

Swedish rapper Yung Lean first rose to prominence back in 2013, becoming a pivotal artist in the cloud rap movement as it reached its peak in popularity. In addition, his “Sad Boy” aesthetic was extremely influential on the wave of emo rap that took hold later in the decade. While I’ve always liked Yung Lean’s hit singles like Kyoto and Yoshi City, his songwriting chops were never strong enough to carry an album-length project.

That is until this year’s Starz, which is easily his most fully realized album yet. All the issues I had with his previous releases seem to have vanished as it flows from atmospheric trap bangers to dreamy ballads effortlessly. Highlights include Boylife in EU, Pikachu and the title track with an unexpected feature from Ariel Pink. While Starz received lukewarm critical reception like most of his other projects, I personally think this is his crowning achievement.

26. Caribou — Suddenly

Genres: Indietronica, Deep House

After getting his start in the band Manitoba, Dundas native Dan Snaith has remained active in the UK electronic scene, releasing dancefloor-ready tech house as Daphni and playful indietronica as Caribou. His indie hit Odessa from his 2010 album Swim is one of the most recognizable dance tracks of the last decade, and its follow-up Our Love progressed his sound effectively with more of a deep house influence.

His latest album Suddenly is his best yet, featuring a heavy focus on vocal samples in the vein of UK funky and garage. The production is very polished, almost too much so, but the more I listened to Suddenly the more I realized how fantastic the songwriting is. While there are a few missteps, mainly the long and uneventful closing track, this is his strongest work and a must for anyone looking for easy-going electronic pop.

25. Armand Hammer — Shrines

Genres: Abstract Hip Hop, Experimental Hip Hop

I first listened to Billy Woods last year with his impressive solo album Hiding Places. This year he’s back with confidant Elucid under the Armand Hammer name. While I enjoyed their previous album Paraffin, this one is on a whole other level. It also easily wins for my favourite album cover of the year.

Shrines is an album that hit me hard on first listen. The production is fantastic, sampling live instruments to create an atmospheric and unsettling sound. The looped strings on opener Bitter Cassava are both gorgeous and creepy, setting the standard for the rest of the album. Other highlights include Leopards, with its head-bobbing beat of sampled drums and electric guitar, and Frida, with its somber piano and gorgeous female vocals. While Armand Hammer’s sound is dark and complex, Shrines is a masterpiece of avant-garde hip hop and I patiently await what Billy Woods brings us next.

24. Deftones — Ohms

Genres: Alternative Metal, Post-Metal

Deftones’ roots go back to the nu-metal scene of the late 1990s, but their unique sound combining downtuned riffs with the beauty of shoegaze and post-rock has allowed them to fully transcend the genre. White Pony has slowly become one of my favourite albums of the 2000s, and I was lucky enough to see them live at a festival where they performed Around the Fur in its entirety.

Ohms is their ninth studio album and another fantastic addition to their discography. Longtime producer Terry Date is back for the first time since their 2003 self-titled release. It’s bookended by its strongest songs — Genesis and the title track — but other highlights include Urantia, Radiant City and The Link is Dead. While Gore felt like a transitional phase for the band, Ohms is much more confident in its sound and could dethrone Koi no Yokan as my second favourite Deftones record.

23. Denzel Curry x Kenny Beats — Unlocked

Genres: Hardcore Hip Hop, Southern Hip Hop

Denzel Curry is one of my favourite rappers active today. After releasing the ambitious TA13OO in 2018 and the summer-ready ZUU in 2019, he is back this year collaborating with in-demand producer Kenny Beats. Unlocked is a mini concept album following Denzel and Kenny through a psychedelic, cartoon world in search of their missing demo files. The story plays out through music videos for each song which are available on YouTube.

After a brief intro that brings to mind vocal samples from MF DOOM’s early work, the duo gets right into it with the fantastic Take_it_Back_v2. At a cool seventeen minutes with the longest track barely exceeding three, the album breezes by in the blink of an eye. My favourite track is DIET_ with Denzel flowing effortlessly over the album’s most experimental beat. I hope Zeltron can continue releasing quality work at this frequency without burning himself out.

22. Against All Logic — 2017–2019

Genres: Post-Industrial, Tech House

Nicolas Jaar released his debut album as Against All Logic in 2018 which ended up being my second favourite album from that year. While no one was expecting him to follow it up so soon, 2017–2019 takes the project in a bold and exciting new direction. Compared to the first album’s throwbacks to soul, disco and funk, its sequel leans more towards industrial and techno. While this threw me off at first, I actually like this more than the first!

Opener Fantasy introduces us to the project’s new sound with glitchy percussion and melancholic synth work, chopping up a Beyoncé sample until it’s nearly incomprehensible. Deeeeeeefers is another highlight, switching from clanging techno to climatic white noise and back again with ease. Considering he released two other albums this year under his own name, Jaar seems to be at the top of his game in 2020.

21. Run the Jewels — RTJ4

Genres: Hardcore Hip Hop, Political Hip Hop

When Run the Jewels dropped their first album in 2013 they quickly became one of the most respected hip hop groups in the mainstream. Now they’re back for their first album of the decade with RTJ4, and I think it’s their best yet! Released early in the wake of police brutality protests around the world, Killer Mike’s lyrics are more politically charged than ever and El-P continues to outdo himself on the production front.

Lead single Ooh La La is a boom bap throwback featuring guest production from DJ Premier himself. Walking in the Snow is another highlight and their second collaboration with Three Six Mafia’s Gangsta Boo. The Ground Below masterfully samples Gang of Four’s Ether, introducing some art punk sounds to a new generation. Even if you’re not a rap fan, if you listen to one hip hop record this year, make it this one.

20. Yves Tumor — Heaven to a Tortured Mind

Genres: Neo-Psychedelia, Art Rock

Yves Tumor first landed on my radar with 2018’s Safe in the Hands of Love, introducing me to Sean Bowie’s unique blend of psychedelic rock, industrial and electronic experimentation. His follow-up Heaven to a Tortured Mind sees him incorporating more rock and pop elements into his sound. For all intents and purposes, this is his art rock record.

Opener Gospel for a New Century was the first track teased for the album and I loved it on first listen. Its heavy horn samples and bass groove sound great over Bowie’s soulful vocals. My favourite track is Kerosene! which has become my favourite song of his. It builds to a beautiful climax and features some great female vocals near the end. While Heaven to a Tortured Mind is still quite experimental, it’s his most accessible release yet and an obvious entry point for the uninitiated.

19. Fleet Foxes — Shore

Genres: Indie Folk, Chamber Pop

Fleet Foxes released their third studio album Crack-Up in 2017, making it six years since they had released new music. While the delay was the result of a three-year hiatus, I still wasn’t expecting them to follow it up so soon with this year’s Shore. Three years between albums is a lot for most bands, but not for Fleet Foxes!

On Shore, frontman Robin Pecknold’s goal was to try a “new, brighter way” of songwriting. The result is their warmest and most accessible effort since their self-titled debut. It feels like a natural progression after the dense progressive folk of Crack-Up. There’s still some experimental moments though, like the weird piano solo on Featherweight or the screeching horn sounds on Cradling Mother, Cradling Woman. Shore is a great introduction to their discography, but you owe it to yourself to listen to everything they’ve done.

18. The Weeknd — After Hours

Genres: Alternative R&B, Synthpop

I’ve been a fan of The Weeknd since he dropped his excellent first mixtape House of Balloons back in 2011. I was also lucky enough to see him live at my university on one of his first tours in early 2012. However, I didn’t care for his major label debut Kiss Land and since then I haven’t really felt the need to sit down and listen to one of his albums in full, despite liking the big singles.

That is until After Hours, which is easily his most accomplished and arguably best work to date. The production here is incredible and it contains some of his best and most recognizable songs like Blinding Lights and Heartless. My favourite is In Your Eyes, a pitch-perfect, sophisti-pop banger with a great saxophone solo. While I still prefer House of Balloons, I’m glad he’s finally found his footing as an album artist again.

17. Future — High Off Life

Genres: Trap Rap, Southern Hip Hop

While Future’s relevance peaked with the release of DS2 in 2015, there is no denying his influence on today’s hip hop artists and he remains one of my favourites in the genre. From his debut Pluto to last year’s The WIZRD, Future has stayed true to his classic sound with each release. High Off Life is his first studio album of the new decade and another masterpiece in his catalog.

The key track here is the smash hit Life is Good with long-time collaborator Drake, with its classic line “working on the weekend like usual” becoming an anthem for today’s overworked and underpaid youth. Young Thug also provides a great feature on Harlem Shake, and Lil Uzi Vert makes an appearance as well. Future won’t win any new fans with High Off Life, but those of us who have been following his career from the beginning will not be disappointed.

16. Flo Milli — Ho, why is you here?

Genres: Trap Rap, Southern Hip Hop

Flo Milli’s debut Ho, why is you here? is one of my favourite mixtapes of the year, which is impressive considering she’s only a couple years out of high school. Its release was highly anticipated after last year’s singles Beef FloMix and In the Party went viral on TikTok. It definitely feels like a traditional mixtape with little cohesion between tracks, but every song is a banger and its half-hour runtime breezes by in no time.

While the beats are pretty standard, they are well-produced and don’t distract from the main event: Flo Milli’s impressive delivery and boastful lyricism. Her style is unique and fully realized while drawing influence from her contemporaries throughout. I hear Denzel Curry’s flow on 19 and Rico Nasty’s aggression on Pockets Bigger. Ho, why is you here? is a straightforward but effective mixtape and I look forward to how she progresses her sound from here.

15. Young Nudy — Anyways

Genres: Trap Rap, Southern Hip Hop

My introduction to Young Nudy was through his Playboi Carti collaboration Pissy Pamper / Kid Cudi, a fantastic song which was never officially released due to sample clearance issues. Nudy’s unique voice and flow captivated me instantly and set him apart in the notoriously homogenous trap scene. Anyways is his second studio album, and while it didn’t do much for me when I first heard it, it slowly grew on me to become one of my favourite trap albums of the year.

My favourite track is Blue Cheese Salad, featuring the most effective use of the album’s playfully strange synth loops and his double time flow here is particularly impressive. Other highlights include Understanding, with its hilarious interlude featuring a weed-smoking demon, and No Go with its catchy, rapid-fire chorus. This a must for trap fans, Young Nudy has emerged as one of the most talented artists in the genre.

14. Oranssi Pazuzu — Mestarin kynsi

Genres: Avant-Garde Metal, Pyschedelic Metal

When you’ve been into metal as long as I have it starts to sound like you’ve heard everything. I’ve heard folk metal, polka metal, Viking metal, even pirate metal! As a result it’s hard for the genre to surprise me, but that’s exactly what Finnish band Oranssi Pazuzu have done with their latest album.

Mestarin kynsi sounds like a psychedelic prog rock band from the seventies being plunged into the murky waters of hell. While there’s a great video for the track Uusi teknokratia, it’s definitely an album that works best when listened to in its entirety. Black metal vocals are combined with psychedelic guitar riffs and atmospheric synths that sound like they’re coming from another dimension. Mestarin kynsi leaves me in awe every time I listen to it, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for the freshest sounds in metal today.

13. Jeff Rosenstock — NO DREAM

Genres: Pop Punk, Power Pop

Jeff Rosenstock got his start in the band Bomb the Music Industry! which broke up in 2014. He has regularly released work under his own name since the band’s dissolution, starting with We Cool? back in 2015. After nearly perfecting his energetic, pop punk sound on WORRY., he released the polarizing POST- two years ago, causing some fans to wonder if he was starting to lose steam.

Those worries were obliterated with NO DREAM, which I think is not only his best album but one of the first punk masterpieces of the new decade! The album continues his themes of frustration with millennial life and American politics while fine-tuning his songwriting, resulting in a forty-minute adrenaline rush that’s as bright and fun as the album art. While I’ve never been a huge pop punk fan, Jeff Rosenstock is easily my favourite musician in the genre.

12. Dogleg — Melee

Genres: Emo, Post-Hardcore

The third wave of emo hit its peak during my sophomore year of high school when bands like My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy and Panic! at the Disco ruled the airwaves. This also happened to be the peak of my edgy phase where I thought I was so cool for looking down on such whiny nonsense. I know better now, and I’ve come to enjoy quite a few emo bands like Brand New, American Football and The Hotelier.

Dogleg have entered my emo rotation with their debut album Melee. The album has a fun and carefree vibe more akin to pop punk than emo, which is reflected in song titles like Kawasaki Backflip, Wartortle and Prom Hell. The lyrics are typical fare for the genre, but the anthemic choruses are fun to sing along to. My favourite new band of the year, recommended for fans of PUP and Alexisonfire.

11. Fluisteraars — Bloem

Genres: Atmospheric Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal

I was a pretty big metalhead in high school and black metal quickly became one of my favourite subgenres. With its atmospheric sound, tortured vocals and tremolo guitar riffs, it was the perfect soundtrack for long winter nights as a teenager. It’s been a while since a black metal release made my top albums list, but Dutch band Fluisteraars have released something truly special with their latest album Bloem.

The first time I heard Tere Muur, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes a bit. The riffs packed an emotional punch, but they felt slightly derivative and manipulative. With repeat listens however, I came to appreciate Fluisteraars’ accessible take on the genre. They also bring some folk metal sounds into the mix reminding me of acts like Moonsorrow and Windir. While it’s certainly not a kvlt choice, Bloem has quickly become one of my favourite black metal albums of all time.

10. Drake — Dark Lane Demo Tapes

Genres: Pop Rap, Trap Rap

Drake has been a polarizing artist since his first hit single Best I Ever Had over a decade ago. Following the release of his album Nothing Was the Same in 2013, Drake’s best work can be found on his mixtapes, with albums like Views and Scorpion receiving tons of hype that — outside of a few key singles — they failed to live up to.

This trend continues with Dark Lane Demo Tapes, which is my favourite Drake release since 2015’s If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late. The tape contains some great features from Playboi Carti, Future and Young Thug with fantastic production throughout. I hated Toosie Slide at first but it grew on me; it’s a silly song about a dance and it doesn’t try to be more than that. Considering his lacklustre studio output as of late, I’d be happy if Drake stuck to mixtapes for years to come.

9. Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist — Alfredo

Genres: Gangsta Rap, Jazz Rap

Freddie Gibbs has always been one of the most technically proficient rappers around, but it wasn’t until he released the Madlib collaborations Pinata and Bandana that I came to realize this fully. Every syllable and every inhale is exactly where it should be, with his flow reaching a level of perfection only matched by the all-time greats like Nas and Eminem.

This year Gibbs has given us Alfredo, a new collab with Californian producer The Alchemist. While the results aren’t quite as magical as his work with Madlib, this is still full of great material for an album released less than a year after Bandana. Highlights include the guitar-heavy 1985 and the jazzy Something to Rap About featuring a great verse from Tyler, the Creator. Freddie Gibbs has been on a roll lately and I hope he has more bars in him to keep these yearly releases coming.

8. MIKE — weight of the world

Genres: Abstract Hip Hop, Experimental Hip Hop

While weight of the world is the first album I heard from New York-based rapper MIKE, I listened to everything else I could get my hands on soon afterwards. MIKE is part of New York’s sLUms collective which was greatly influenced by Odd Future alum Earl Sweatshirt, who in turn influenced Earl’s sound on his 2018 masterpiece Some Rap Songs.

weight of the world follows last year’s mixtape tears of joy, a tribute to MIKE’s mother who passed away not long before its release. His latest sees him continuing to grieve for her loss while taking his sound in exciting and experimental new directions. Earl makes an appearance on the album’s final track Allstar which shows the duo playing off of each other effortlessly. I think weight of the world is MIKE’s best work yet and I look forward to what his still-young career brings us next.

7. 21 Savage & Metro Boomin — Savage Mode II

Genres: Trap Rap, Southern Hip Hop

Metro Boomin is my favourite producer in the trap scene, and with Savage Mode II he makes a case for joining the ranks of J Dilla and Madlib as one of my favourites of all time. After releasing the surprisingly amazing Without Warning a few years ago, he is back with 21 Savage for a sequel to 21’s breakthrough mixtape Savage Mode.

The album contains several skits featuring Morgan Freeman. Yes, that Morgan Freeman. While Metro’s production doesn’t break new ground, long-time fans will appreciate how he has refined and perfected his sound here. 21 Savage is in top form as well, making more references to the female anatomy than I’ve ever heard from a rapper before. The fantastic album art from legendary southern design house Pen and Pixel is their first in nearly fifteen years, and the music contained within is as good as it looks.

6. Róisín Murphy — Róisín Machine

Genres: Nu-Disco, Deep House

Róisín Murphy was one half of the Irish electronic group Moloko which were active from 1994 to 2004. Since then she has a released several solo albums under her own name. While Róisín Machine is her fifth studio effort, the album was a decade in the making, and opening track Simulation was originally released as a twelve-inch single back in 2012. Her brand of experimental pop was always influenced by deep house and disco, but her latest sees these throwback sounds being thrust into the spotlight.

The album approaches the hour mark but not a minute is wasted on Róisín Machine. Highlights include the anthemic Something More, the high-powered Jealousy and my personal favourite Murphy’s Law, a near-perfect disco track that ranks with the best from the era. While Róisín Machine is my first Róisín Murphy album, I’m excited to check out her others and Moloko’s work as well.

5. The Strokes — The New Abnormal

Genres: Indie Rock, Post-Punk

The Strokes were a key player in the post-punk revival scene of the early 2000s. Their debut album Is This It is one of the most acclaimed rock albums of the twenty-first century, with classic songs like Last Nite, Someday and Hard to Explain entering the zeitgeist with ease. While Room on Fire avoided the sophomore slump, the rest of their work failed to make the same impact and their relevance within the genre slowly faded.

That is until the release of their latest album The New Abnormal, which I actually think is even better than Is This It! My favourite track is At the Door, a moody track with an excellent animated music video. Bad Decisions is an unpretentious single and one of my favourite radio rock tunes of the year. The New Abnormal sees the band entering a new revelatory phase that I hope continues for years to come.

4. Charli XCX — how i’m feeling now

Genres: Electropop, Bubblegum Bass

Charli XCX has been pivotal in the UK electropop scene since she co-wrote and featured on Icona Pop’s hit track I Love It when she was only nineteen. After doing the same with Iggy Azalea’s breakout hit Fancy she was already a bona-fide pop star. In 2015 she started collaborating with artists on A.G. Cook’s PC Music label, taking her music in an exciting new direction starting with the SOPHIE-produced EP Vroom Vroom.

Her latest album how i’m feeling now is a near-perfection of her new sound, eclipsing the mixtape Pop 2 to become her most acclaimed work. It was recorded in its entirety during the COVID-19 pandemic in an online collaborative process with her fans. The entire album is top notch, but highlights include Forever, Claws and I Finally Understand. how i’m feeling now is an experimental pop masterpiece that can be played again and again without getting old.

3. Jessie Ware — What’s Your Pleasure?

Genres: Dance-Pop, Nu-Disco

Jessie Ware’s 2012 debut album Devotion received quite a bit of hype upon release. It didn’t do much for me at the time, but I’ve since gone back to it and really like it now. After releasing two more albums she considered quitting music due to low sales and becoming disillusioned with touring life.

It’s a good thing she didn’t though, since What’s Your Pleasure? is not only her best work but one of the best albums of the year! Not only is every song fantastic, but the overall disco vibe and the way the songs flow together are sublime. My favourites are the funky Soul Control, the dreamy Spotlight and closer Remember Who You Are, with its gospel choir vocals reminding me of the final track on Gorillaz’ Demon Days album. I am so thankful for this and Róisín Machine, it’s been a great year for feel-good dance music.

2. The Microphones — Microphones in 2020

Genres: Indie Folk, Avant-Folk

After fourteen years recording as Mount Eerie, Phil Elverum has returned to The Microphones project for the first time since 2003. Why you ask? Well, he does a good job explaining it in the song, so I won’t spoil the fun. Microphones in 2020 consists of one, forty-five minute track which is not available on any streaming services. The only way to listen to it is through the official music video on YouTube.

If you’ve been following Elverum’s work for any extended period of time, even just since 2017’s A Crow Looked at Me, this is an emotional powerhouse and possibly his magnum opus. Elverum pulls back from his recent themes of death to reflect on his life up until this point. I’m sure the lyrics will resonate with any young man looking back on his life. I love The Glow, Pt. 2, but this might be his best.

1. Fiona Apple — Fetch the Bolt Cutters

Genres: Art Pop, Progressive Pop

If you’ve paid attention to music criticism this year, you might’ve seen this coming from a mile away. Yes, I am joining popular consensus in calling Fiona Apple’s Fetch the Bolt Cutters album of the year, and it has set the bar high for album of the decade like Kanye’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy did ten years ago.

Her 2012 album The Idler Wheel… and her sophomore album When the Pawn… are masterpieces of piano-led art pop. Her first album in eight years is no different and might even be her best work yet. Every song is brilliantly written, and the experimental percussion sounds like she’s banging pots and pans in her kitchen in the best way. This is my favourite album in what has been a tumultuous year for everyone, forcing us to re-evaluate what’s important in life and what needs to go. Fetch the bolt cutters!