The 10 best albums of 2019. All featured in a handy Spotify playlist amongst many other fine tunes.
1. Holy – All these worlds are yours
Second from little-known Swedish creative Hannes Ferm – perfectly judged worlds of trippy psych-pop to get lost in.
2. Erlend Cooper – Solan Goose
Samples from the birdlife of the far north (Orkney), coupled with soft strings and electronics full of beauty and longing. Brought back memories of working in Ultima Thule.
3. Idles – Joy
Funny, joyous, honest, emotionally intelligent and loin-girding battle anthems for tough softies, remainers and left-leaners everywhere.
4. Young Fathers – Cocoa sugar
Another YF album on the end of the year list? Oh yes. The original 00s genre hoppers – still so original, and so good.
5. Beak> – >>>
Superlative kraut-inflected grooves inspired by obscure places in Somerset, wouldn’t you know.
6. Maribou State – Kingdoms in colour
Luscious, cavernous dance music infused with soul, Afrobeat, Bollywood and come down sessions on sunrise beaches.
7. Courtney Barnett – Tell me how you really feel
Far and away her best record – worth it just for Nameless, Faceless (contender for single of the year?), its a stack-o-tracks full of pop meathooks…clever, slanting lyrics and great angular, grungy guitar.
8. Trembling Bells – Dungeness
My gawd this is a beautiful record. Doom-laden folk-metal from the edge of the world. ie Kent.
9. Peter Kernel – The size of the night
For fans of Amanda Fucking Palmer, Deerhoof, Ut and other avant-pop. Check out the great drumming too.
10. Gnod – Chapel perilous
Like this year’s endless coverage of Brexit: hypnotic, repetitive, dark, terrifying…and perilous indeed.
