2021 saw the long-awaited return of live music and what felt like an overflow of album releases. Once again there is a fantastic selection of albums by female artists organically dominating our list, something we’re keen to point out after noticing a staggering disparity by some publications and festivals over recent years.

If I was to draw a thread between our Top Albums, it would be that we’ve seen artists offer an insight into their lives, thoughts and feelings more than ever with these records. It has certainly been a stellar year for music.

So without further ado, I present to you Our Top 25 Albums of 2021…

25.

**FLOWERS FOR VASES / DESCANSOS**
HAYLEY WILLIAMS

Release Date: February 5th 2021
Label: Atlantic

The swift and surprise follow up to Hayley Williams’ 2020 debut album ‘Petals for Armor’ took many by surprise. Williams debut embraced alt-pop stylings, featuring Radiohead synthesised drum patterns, irregular time signatures and a sharp left turn in her sound. It was an intentional far cry from her work as Paramore. Making our top albums list last year we said “The message is clear, Williams has found herself again and nothing will stop her now”.

It turns out that nothing did stop her as she got straight back to work crafting FLOWERS for VASES / descansos. A true solo endeavour, written and performed alone. Thematically, it feels like a sister record to its predecessor, sonically, however, it’s a surprising stripped-back intimate folk album that places a spotlight on Williams underappreciated lyrical prowess. This is immediately apparent from the jump, with the beautiful opening track ‘First Thing To Go’.

A cohesive fourteen track collection of songs that feels like Williams is giving the listener a peek into her deepest thoughts and feelings. It’s clear there are strong influences from Taylor Swift’s ‘Folklore’ and Phoebe Bridgers ‘Punisher’ throughout the album. Like those, ‘descansos’ feels like an album Williams has always wanted to make. She brings a never before seen subtlety to the dark tenderness of ‘My Limb’ and channels her inner Johnny Cash on the stunning gentle strums of ‘Asystole’. There’s a sombre, reflective tone to an album that sees Williams work through her grief of a decade long relationship.

This doesn’t feel like a record made to chart or to prove a point. This is simply one of the most prominent alternative artists of the last two decades doing what she does best. Exploring her feelings through her art, and ultimately connecting with listeners on a deeper level.

Philip Giouras

24.

Release Date: 30th July 2021
Label: Chrysalis, Partisan

LUMP is the psychedelic collaborative project from award-winning acclaimed folk musician Laura Marling and progressive electronic producer Mike Lindsay. Their debut self-titled album embraced 60s psychedelic prog-pop with brilliant results. Surprisingly, follow up ‘Animal’ surpassed expectations as the pair combined psychedelia, pop, alternative rock and ambient sounds to create something that felt otherworldly.

In interviews surrounding the project, Marling stated her love for ‘LUMP’ perhaps even more so than her own solo material, that passion burns bright and is clearly evident on the record. Lindsay, inspired by his new home of Margate and its seafront, created rhythms set to the seas unusual time signature. An undeniable creative challenge for Marling's writing, but resulted in a spectacular selection of sonic waves and some of Marlings most profound poetic prose to date.

The album is simply a delight, featuring a diverse selection of tracks such as the fast-paced, glitchy funkadelic title track ‘Animal’, the mournful and foreboding ‘Red Snakes’ and one of the finest tracks of the last few years, the spectacular ‘We Cannot Resist’ which feels like a mash-up of Bruce Springsteen and The Beach Boys

Such is the cyclical nature of the album, I’ve found myself listening to the entire record on repeat for loops on end. In my original review of the record back in the summer I described how I adored the pairs ability to juxtapose inspired and unconventional ideas with an accessible and enticing sound. Marling’s voice throughout is soft, her lyrics and themes thought-provoking and fascinating, in part due to her studies of psychoanalysis whilst Lindsay’s unique method of production feel equal parts fresh, exciting and welcoming. Ultimately, ‘Animal’ is the showcase of two true creative forces firing on all cylinders, audibly inspired and passionate about the music they’re making.

Philip Giouras

We discussed the creation of LUMP’s incredible second album Animal with Laura Marling and Mike Lindsay for the cover of Presents Issue #3 which you can purchase a copy of here.

23.

Release Date: 22nd January 2021
Label: Ninja Tune

Kicking off the start of a rollercoaster year with their brand-new album, the two boys from Belfast really hit the ground running with this collection of electric tracks. The ten-track masterpiece shot to number one at the start of the year taking the top spot in the UK Official Vinyl Albums Chart.

Isles is only the second album released by Andrew and Matthew since their career kicked off back in 2009, with this album in particular further cementing their big successes from universal favourite dance track ‘Glue’ released back in 2017. Taking inspiration from their adopted hometown of London, they have created the ultimate pick me up. It was praised as being the perfect preparation for our eventual return to the dancefloors and I have to say after transferring them from my headphones to the sound systems of the clubs, these tracks are nothing short of twisted euphoria.

Two key tracks to listen to are ‘Lido’ and ‘Sundial’, showing off the different faces this album has perfectly. Diving into the calming state of ‘Lido’ and then into the reinventing nature of ‘Sundial’. During the lockdowns the duo streamed two shows, broadcasting across 5 different time zones with the second recorded in London’s Saatchi Gallery, praised by NME for being ‘an innovative and boundary-pushing audio-visual show’.

Lead single ‘Altas’ won Best Track at DJ Mag Best of British Awards in 2020 with its fellow siblings ‘Apricots’ and ‘Saku’ also being nominated at the Berlin Music Video Awards this year. Bicep themselves have also been nominated for Best British Group and Best New Artist at this year’s BRIT Awards and I personally wish them all the luck as they break into the mainstream introducing the world to their electric impulses.

Charlie Hall

22.

Release Date: 30th April 2021
Label: Warner

What is 2021 without a little dance-rock? A shit year that’s what. That’s where the English rock duo come into play releasing their third studio album since their career started back in 2014.

This album was long-awaited and hits harder than their last, which in my opinion wasn’t too imaginative and felt like chapter two of the same book. Typhoons however is the bands cooler cousin taking off the leather jacket but keeping the Doc Martins on, sticking to their heavy roots whilst diving into the complexity of what it means to be a diverse musician.

Holding more texture than before, title track “Typhoons” has been described by Mike about being lost in your own thoughts and my god does it do that. “"everyone can get lost in their own mind and they can have dark spells in their own mind”. And to be honest who doesn’t want to see these guys live and scream back at them “TYyyyyyyyyyyyyPHOOOOOOOOOONS!”.

The key song on this album however has to be “Boilermaker”. This specific track is what ended up selling the idea of being into Royal Blood cool again after being obsessed with their debut album as a kid. This powerhouse of a track slaps you around, showing off that even towards the end of this mega album they can still sell you everything you didn’t know you needed. This right here is the gateway to sheer complex genius.

Charlie Hall

21.

Release Date: 5th November 2021
Label: O___o?

Dawuna’s debut album drags you into its world of fragmented sounds and loops, and in doing so clarifies the world around us. The lyrics speak in fables and parables, yet the subject matter is always sharply modern, making the wisdom within the songs feel ancient and prescient. Opening track ‘The Ape Prince’ retells the tale of Adam & Eve, presenting man as an ape desperately trying to “escape body-mind” – to be “sublime”. The Ape’s greed eventually “chase[s] all the fawn and smoke[s] all the trees” in the garden, a clear meditation on the climate emergency. Subjects such as oppressive political leaders, modern love, and a self-destructive desire to be oppressed are all considered in profound depth.

The rhythms in each track are created from, among other sources, loops of field noises, recordings of reverberations, and experiments with echo effects to create rhythmic patterns, meaning they feel totally organic while remaining in an abstract realm. The beats are often, at their core, offshoots of traditional African and Latin music, yet are layered and manipulated to create novel perspectives on them. Very often the sounds in each track form soundscapes as opposed to a backing track. What is most impressive is that through the dissonant drones and experimental soundscapes there is always a distinct rhythm and clear connection between the backing tracks and the lyrics, meaning that each song becomes the natural world in which the song’s thoughts reside.

Tom Clegg

20.

**IF I CAN’T HAVE LOVE, I WANT POWER**
HALSEY

Release Date: 27th August 2021
Label: Capitol Records

Halsey, since their beginning, has managed to forge a bold and captivating image, exemplified by the music they release. Unapologetic in the expression of their experience through pregnancy and motherhood, Halsey has shown once again how compelling an art form music is.

‘If I can’t have love, I want power’ opens with the sombre piano-lead ‘The Tradition’ hypnotising the listener with Halsey’s near mournful vocal. While not completely separate from their pop roots, there is a clear exploration into the tools of creativity to create music that demands being listened to. ‘I am not a woman, I’m a god’ meanwhile begs to be heard from its beginning, with its resonating synths, Halsey’s dominating vocals, and a near heartbeat strumming through the song.

Halsey uses this album to display the variety their craft can show. With acoustic track ‘Darling’ highlighting the sweet intricacies of their vocals, and their masterful lyricism in its gentle expression. While tracks such as 'the Lighthouse’ display their more powerful and evocative vocal capability.

‘If I can’t have love, I want power’, shows the listener what love and power would feel like, allowing them to decide for themselves which they would rather have. An equally balanced debate, that Halsey leaves to us to interpret their own decision.

Eleanor Paine

19.

Release Date: 16th April 2021
Label: Metal & Dust / Ministry Of Sound

This album is in a whole league of its own from start to finish with each track speaking to its listener in a whole different language to the last. Released mid-April of this year it is the third album from the trio and is not too dissimilar from its two sisters.

They have certainly honed in on their house style, utilising the haunting sounds of Hannah’s vocals, whilst keeping the peace with sticking with the relaxing sonics Dom and Dan create. Every track on this record has the ability to wrap you up and show you the future in a warm and soothing embrace.

Speaking about the album Hannah discussed the key themes of the album, feminism and fame “This record is about gaining possession of my own life.”. Hearing these ideas in ‘Lord It’s A Feeling’ is paramount to being able to fully appreciate what the band are doing. The laps of electronic waves hold you as you let the band's ideas swamp your being.

Key tracks on this album have to be ‘Baby It’s You’ and ‘Californian Soil’, both completely compelling tracks with the ability to explore the ever-stretching ends of London Grammars talent and skills. Hesitant at first, I can understand why some were not fans of this album BUT if you are in doubt the only way to cement this, is to see them live. As my first live band since shows returned this year, this album and band will always have a special place in my heart. The euphoric feeling washing over you as you sing at the top of your lungs “Youuuuuuuuuu, baby it’s you” back at the band can not be compared to any other feeling in the world.

Charlie Hall

18.

Release Date: 30th July 2021
Label: Darkroom / Interscope

I think it’s fair to say, Billie Eilish has pretty much taken over, the music industry, since she came onto the scene in 2015 with her debut single, ‘Ocean Eyes’. In 2021, firmly holding her place, as one of the best selling, female artists of this generation. Billie Eilish showed us all, she has still got it, with her second album, ‘Happier Than Ever’. A 16 track album, which sees her brother, Finneas, once again at the songwriting and production helm.

Here is an overview of this incredible album and unsurprisingly, it has been nominated for two Grammy’s for 2022, Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album. ‘Happier Than Ever’ is an incredibly honest and raw record. Listeners are captivated by Billie’s beautifully soft, gentle and silky vocals. The album is a mix of ballads, such as the opening track ‘Getting Older’ and more musically, upbeat staples, such as ‘OverHeated’. This album shows, maturity in the lyrics and a real insight into what it has been like growing up in the spotlight. ‘Happier Than Ever’ is certainly a strong contender for one of this year's best albums.

Emily Ewing

17.

Release Date: 20th August 2021
Label: Universal

Heralded as the most left turn any established popstar has made in decades. ‘Solar Power’ is a record that has deeply divided both critics and fans alike. I fall firmly into the category that the album is in fact Lorde to its very core. Ignore the naysayers, Lorde even proclaims in the opening track ‘The Path’ that “Now if you’re looking for a saviour, well that’s not me”. Yes, it’s not on the same mythological pedestal as Melodrama, and to an extent her equally phenomenal debut ‘Pure Heroine’. ‘Solar Power’ is a completely different entity, more Joni Mitchell and Kate Bush than the likes of Billie Eillish and Olivia Rodrigo who her groundbreaking earlier records would go on to inspire.

Lead single and title track ‘Solar Power’ is pure Vitamin D, an injection of sunlight into the soul, the perfect introduction to the bright world Lorde has crafted with the record. Her ability to blend unconventional sounds, sighs and unique effects is once more present, noticeably within the fantastic ‘Fallen Fruit’. Whilst, the aforementioned Kate Bush influences can be heard on the expermentaive and expansive ‘The Man With The Axe’. Perhaps the largest influence however is that of 90s pop which can be heard heavily throughout tracks such as the sublime ‘Secrets Of A Girl’ which invokes Natalie Imbruliga and features a joyous contribution from Pop royalty Robyn. That love for one of pop’s greatest decade is also present on album highlight, the marvellous ‘Mood Ring’.

Meanwhile, one iconic factor of Lorde’s unique style of writing, her sage-like wisdom shines on tracks ‘California’, ‘Stoned at the Nail Salon’ and ‘Oceanic Feeling’. Since its release it’s been easy to pin the record and Lorde herself as out of touch, or not reading the mood of a world filled with unease, I’d argue, the fact Lorde’s happiness stings is a reflection of the listener, not the wonderful art she has unapologetically created. Whilst on its surface the record is fluorescent, it’s the murky underbelly which is most captivating and that makes it one of the highlights of 2021.

Philip Giouras

16.

**CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST**
TYLER, THE CREATOR

Release Date: June 25th 2021
Label: Columbia

Every two years we’ve got accustomed to a new Tyler record that would once again swerve the heavy expectations of the listener. His previous album, the undeniably brilliant ‘IGOR’ cut through in such a way that going into ‘Call Me’ you’re thinking surely he won’t dare risk dropping from the mountain peak he’s seemingly climbed. If the perfection of ‘IGOR’ is Tyler’s Mount Everest, then ‘Call Me If You Get Lost’ is a sister mountain, that is nonetheless a beast in its own right, even if it isn’t quite the pinnacle of the range.

What ‘Call Me If You Get Lost’ is, however, is the record Tyler, The Creator has wanted to make for the best part of a decade. One that combines the effortlessly smooth flow of a mixtape with the production and features of a studio album. DJ Drama plays the controversial compère as he drops ad-libs, scratches the turntables and praises Tyler’s razor-sharp rhymes frequently across the records hour runtime.

Those rhymes are some of Tyler’s strongest and punchiest of his career, tracks such as ‘LUMBERJACK’, ‘MASSA’ and ‘JUGGERNAUGHT’ are powerful reminders that one of the most soulful singers of his generation started off as a brutal emcee who can tear you apart in two lines. The record is a love-letter to not just Tyler’s origin but a whole golden era of hip-hop. The album isn’t a complete 180 switch-up, the suitably sugary sounds of ‘SWEET / I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE’ is a reminder that it’s not just Taylor Swift’ who can make a ten minute masterpiece, as Tyler grooves and slides his way through two-step soul into ska and reggae in a heartbeat on the album’s sensational centrepiece

Philip Giouras

15.

Release Date: 12th November 2021
Label: Planet Z Records

Queensway Tunnel is Liverpool. It’s more than a historic landmark that connects Birkenhead to the city centre. It’s everything that makes Zuzu the person she is and the fantastic artist she has become. It also cements the record of the same name as a piece of Liverpudlian cultural heritage all on its own. It’s symbolic of the emotional journey Zuzu has made over the past few years as she’s come to terms with her old life, relationships that have evolved or dissipated or how receiving a toaster for a birthday present is in fact a vivid reminder of family.

The long-awaited debut record is full of heart and charm, Zuzu’s personality shines through brightly on the stunning ‘Queensway Tunnel’ title track. ‘My Old Life’ is a slice of vibrant nostalgia, a love letter to Liverpool. ‘Lie To Myself’ is one of the finest indie rock songs of the last few years, a fine showcase of her killer songwriting and knack for incredible melodies. Finally, ‘Endlessly Yours’ is a heavenly ballad that elevates a great album to something truly special.

With her long-awaited debut album, Zuzu takes you on a true journey. I’m yet to visit Liverpool but I haven’t felt this connected to the city since I first heard ‘Penny Lane’. It’s hard to find a songwriter whose lyrics are brimming with as much authenticity as Zuzu’s, you feel every word, and that’s why I’ve kept coming back to the record. Despite only releasing in November, I’ve felt like I’ve been listening to this album my whole life. For me, this is the diamond discovery of 2021.

Philip Giouras

We went in-depth with Zuzu, discussing the creation of her debut album Queensway Tunnel in Issue #4 of Presents Magazine. Which is available to purchase here.

14.

Release Date: 26th March 2021
Label: Sony Sweden / Columbia

A bold tribute to Leonard Cohen, brought together brilliantly by First Aid Kit and guests. Hypnotic from its trance-inducing opening with a spoken rendition of “Tired” till its reflective closing with ‘You’d Sing Too’. The beautiful evocative voices of First Aid Kit and collaborators propels Cohen’s timeless artistry into a world hungry and desperately chasing the meaning that is amplified in this tribute.

Covering Cohen classics such as ‘Hallelujah’ ‘Suzanne’, ‘So Long, Marianne’ and ‘Famous Blue Raincoat’ and setting them in arrangements that will have old fans listening with new ears, and new listeners feeling a nostalgia that shouldn’t quite belong to them. Cleverly scattering Cohen’s poetry throughout the performance, one can’t help but be reminded of the genius wordsmith he was. Spoken word performances such as ’The Asthmatic’ and ‘Prayer for a Messiah’ bring life to the ink that sat on our shelves in printed book so that now it can send listeners beautifully into states of turmoil before offering them a salvation in the music that follows.

Sensitively arranged and beautifully performed, First Aid Kit add their own special flourish to create a heavily engaging album. ‘Who By Fire’ is a worthy tribute to a great songwriter, who I'm sure would be as equally impressed as I am with the tribute.

Eleanor Paine

13.

Release Date: 5th February 2021
Label: Atlantic

A lot has happened to The Staves, the sisters behind the glorious vocals of the Folk trio. Since their last album, relationships have ended, children have been born, their mother has died. Their new soul-baring album Good Woman is a gentle exploration of the people and places that shape us. The result is an eclectic fusion of indie-folk that sets the tone for an exploration of the things that really matter in life.

Like waves rolling in and out, the trio’s vocals rise and fall to guide each track, riding tides that have clearly been turbulent with a sense of togetherness and cohesion. The album has a slightly more produced sound, the folk singers having worked with award-winning mixer and producer John Congleton.

The end result is a gentle fusion of hope and nostalgia. The title track Good Woman culminates in a crescendo of harmony and emotion, building slowly up through heavy percussion and vocals production, building on lyrics that quietly convey the depth of emotion - ‘I’m carrying weight, but I know it’s not mine’.

Elsewhere, the sisters’ harmonious vocals pierce through the production, such as on Careful Kid, which is a digitalised blur of sound and vibrations; its lyricism warning of the pitfalls of youth. The album is hopeful too, with numbers like Next Time tightly spiralling upwards, and Best Friend the antithesis of new beginnings in both lyricism and production. ‘Paralysed’ has a hugely comforting, intimate, ukelele-in-the-basement feel, which explodes into confident percussions, in a transformation not unlike the albums’ sound itself, and of their own in the face of life-changing events.

Madeleine Battersby

12.

Release Date: 27th August 2021
Label: EMI, Glassnote

Screen Violence is an unflinching reflection of the things that simultaneously entertain, terrify and horrify us, delivered without ever compromising on Chvrches’ distinctive sound. Led by Lauren Mayberry’s vocals, mixed by bandmates Iain Cook and Martin Doherty, the trio have delivered an album of bold, synth-infused pop production that reflects the paradoxes of both sides of the screen.

The lyricism spells it out for us, to the backdrop of expansive 80s-Esque digitalised melodies. In Lullabies, Mayberry sings ‘televise the great disaster / We’re better off inside of the screen sometimes’ in what could both be a nod to our collective obsession with the consumption of trauma, as well as a drive to introspection. Asking For a Friend is the album’s somewhat melancholic opener that explores nostalgia and regret, while ‘He Said She Said´ is post #MeToo decry of the paradoxical messages endured by women. The band’s renowned digitalisation acts as a filter, or screen, that only enhances its vulnerability. The Cure’s Robert Smith joins Mayberry in a duet in How Not to Drown, where Mayberry’s bold hopefulness meets Smith’s distinctive darkness, in a collaboration that feels like Mayberry and Smith are encircling one another, only to be drowned themselves by the sound.

The album’s richer, darker themes create a sense of seeing things more clearly, even if that means facing some of the horrors directly. The end result is an intense, unfiltered exploration of past nightmares and present horrors.

Madeleine Battersby

11.

Release Date: 21st May 2021
Label: Geffen

After the success of ‘Drivers License’ the breakthrough single by Olivia Rodrigo, earlier in 2021. The world waited with bated breath for the release of her debut album, ‘Sour’ and it did not disappoint. Opening the album with pop-punk guitar riffs and teen angst is ‘Brutal’, a perfect high energy song to begin, the highly anticipated record. As the guitars and vocals slow down, it flows beautifully into ‘Traitor’ a gorgeous ballad and a personal favourite of mine.

Leading on from that, is ‘Drivers License’, the chart-topping first single. An instant classic and an absolutely stunning song, written by the then 17-year-old. Next is ‘1 Step Forward’ an angelic track, after that comes ‘Deja Vu’ the second single from Sour, a blend of 90’s inspired pop/rock with a modern twist.

After four slower tracks, there is another burst of glorious energy with ‘Good 4 U’. ‘Enough for you’ is a pretty, acoustic song and ‘Happier’ has a waltz feel with the melody and music. The last three tracks are an exceptional addition. The foot-tapping and catchy ‘Jealousy’, ‘Favorite Crime’ and ‘Hope Ur Ok’ are both tracks, that strike up memories in all of us, with friends that have come and gone. Olivia has gorgeous vocals throughout.

’Sour’ is a triumph and deserved every accomplishment it received during 2021. Worthy of buying a copy, if you have not already. This is a must-have album of the year.

Emily Ewing

10.

Release Date: 15th January 2021
Label: Dead Oceans

Post-punk captains, Shame, lead the way with their January release of Drunk Tank Pink, the successor to the band's 2018 debut Songs of Praise. Due to the current state of affairs, it’s no real surprise that the South London boys have taken inspiration from the pandemic in their newest offering. The overarching sensation of anxiety and identity loss wasn’t foreign to that of Charlie Steen, Shame’s lead singer. Being deprived of what he loved and found comfort from the most – touring, gigs and crowds, resulted in one of the most exciting post-punk releases of 2021.

Drunk Tank Pink is an engaging and thoughtful insight into the inner workings of Steen’s mind, with offerings of both frantic, springy post-punk brashness, to emotional, poetic rambles. In one breath, Steen is quavering “I never felt human before you” in track ‘Human, For A Minute’ in the next, he’s possessed again with his shouty vocal delivery in ‘Great Dog’, these tracks shouldn’t fade so effortlessly into one another, but they do.

Whilst Drunk Tank Pink maintains the derivative ideas of its post-punk inspirations, it attempts to branch out into its own lane of sound. It means Shame continue their status of being one of the most gripping bands of their genre, and completely obliterate the notion of the “difficult second album”.

Cerise Hodgson

09.

Release Date: 4th June 2021
Label: Dead Oceans

2021 feels like it belongs to Michelle H Zauner, her incredible third record ‘Jubilee’ arrived alongside her New York Times Bestselling memoir ‘Crying in H Mart’. Both are celebrations of grief. Zauner has spent her career unpacking and processing the loss of her mother from pancreatic cancer. ‘Jubilee’ combines luscious new wave synth-pop with modern indie-pop to craft a joyous and bombastic record that embraces finding life after loss.

On opener ‘Paprika’ triumphant horns rise around Zauner as she enquires “How’s it feel to stand at the height of your powers, to captivate every heart?”, before you can answer you’re interrupted by the elongated euphoric outpouring of “Oh! It’s a rush!”. Every note is encompassed with jubilance and she wants the listener to be as well. Lead single ‘Be Sweet’ meanwhile bathes you in glorious synths and spiky 80s guitar riffs before you’re hit by its intoxicating chorus of ‘Be sweet to me baby”. It’s the sound of Zauner opening her heart to new romantic possibilities. You can sense through her tone the mix of excitement and trepidation about offering up her heart so willingly.

‘Kokomo, IN’ floats along like a psychedelic dream, a perfect mixture of acoustic melodies and soaring strings that add a glisten and gleam to the production. While it’s admittedly joyous in both name and nature, Zauner isn’t afraid to frequently mix things up: ‘Slide Tackle’ floats over a trip-hop, almost lo-fi garage beat before sharply shifting into a smooth saxophone break whilst ‘Posing In Bondage’ is a dark sparse synth-pop track, in which Zauner’s words when not echoing around your brain are cutting deep into your heart.

Ultimately, ‘Jubilee’ is the sound of a pop pioneer at her peak. Zauner’s third record is a triumphant and one of the best pop records of 2021 by far.

Philip Giouras

08.

**IF I COULD MAKE IT GO QUIET I WOULD**
GIRL IN RED

Release Date: 30th April 2021
Label: AWAL

Girl in red is a voice for the youth of today, her new album ‘if I could make it go quiet’ solidifying this fact. She details battling anxiety, the rollercoaster that is love and relationships, and the desire to find certain stability in life, rich emotive narratives.

In a blend of rich indie-pop with heavy influences from her bedroom pop days, Girl in red has crafted an addictive concoction for fans old and new. Inviting the listener into this candid world, through music that stokes warmth in your chest at the tumultuous experience of youth being understood, and validated.

Opening with ‘Serotonin’, which embodies a superficially pop chorus to package a desperate need for support, creating a captivating and deeply moving introduction for an album that suspends this cry for help. ‘You stupid bitch’, being the pinnacle of the album, showing the heartbreak of unrequited love, leading on to the heart-rendering ode to the same experience in ‘Rue’.

Closing in a sweet hopeful soundtrack of what the resolution of all these problems would feel like in ‘it would feel like this’, one can barely stop themselves from repeating the whole listening experience a dozen more times. Finding both comfort, foot-tapping joy, and a new outlook on commonly sung topics.

Eleanor Paine

07.

Release Date: 19th November 2021
Label: Polydor

Flying Dream 1 is above all human. Lyrically exploring family, grief, love, nostalgia and joy. Sonically nodding to the genres of traditional jazz, country, and classical music, it lightens the darkness of our times with a human touch. The album was recorded in Brighton’s Theatre Royal during lockdown, symbolically yearning for days gone by when this music could be communally heard. The atmosphere that space provides also becomes the glue of the album.

Most strikingly, each song consists of few constituent parts, and each part performs a relatively simple riff or a steady chord progression, yet the combination is rich and complex. It is a study in the immense power of minimalism, of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. For this to be achieved, each song needs to be balanced perfectly, meaning that a slight moment of overexcitement or lapse in energy is particularly noticeable, for example, Red Sky Radio’s fractionally over-zealous energy. However, this is forgotten the moment the balance is rediscovered.

Guy Garvey’s lyrics, as ever, are delicate and touching. Lines such as ‘what am I on the earth for if not to put you to bed?’ intentionally blur the lines between his love for his son and for his wife, and lead single The Seldom Seen Kid conjoins imagining his wife meeting close friend Brian Glancy, who tragically died, and the feeling of slipping in and out of dissonance that Garvey experienced during lockdown. It is a joy to experience.

Tom Clegg

06.

**SOMETIMES I MIGHT BE INTROVERT**
LITTLE SIMZ

Release Date: 3rd September 2021
Label: Age 101, AWAL

Foreboding drums and an uplifting chorus open the first track Introvert, alongside the refrain of ‘there’s a war’, setting the scene for Sometimes I Might Be an Introvert by Little Simz, the title of which of course spells out her name, Simbi (short for Simbiatu Ajikawo). She explores big topics like womanhood, race, gang violence, near-death experiences and her career, while inwardly reflecting on her inner world. ‘Woman to woman I just wanna see you glow’ she raps on Woman, and it’s not clear which part of Little Simz is speaking. The effect is raw and unfiltered, executed with precision, taking us on a tour of vulnerability expressed through lyrical rap set to massive musicality invoking R&B as well as jazzy, gospel and operatic flavours.

There are many voices in this album, from child-like choirs on Little Q, Pt. 1 – Interlude and Little Q, Pt. 2, to features from Cleo Sol and Obongjayar. Emma Corrin’s spoken-word interludes serve to underline the inauthenticity of platitudes ‘pressure makes diamonds’/ ‘follow your heart’ from Corrin, who is in the business of pretending (linked as she is to Princess Diana who she plays in The Crown. Standing Ovation seems to retort, ‘Standing ovation for the one who’s wearing the crown, I got royalty in my blood I was born great, don’t allow anyone to undermine your fate’. There’s no need to pretend.

Little Simz’ lyricism is sharp, authentic and sometimes unpredictable. She shows there’s confidence in quietness, but this album is anything but. ‘Over ten years in the game I’ve been patient’ she raps in the monumental Standing Ovation. She shouldn’t have had to be patient, but it’s paying off now.

Madeleine Battersby

05.

Release Date: 8th October 2021
Label: Polydor

On Sam Fender’s brilliant debut record he tackled subjects such as white privilege, male suicide and even the existence of world-destroying ‘Hypersonic Missles’. On phenomenal follow-up ‘Seventeen Going Under’, Fender turns his gaze inwards for an incredibly personal and mature reflection of his life.

Fender has a remarkable talent to transform his strife into powerful, empowering rock anthems. On the sublime title track, saxophones swoon over almighty percussion as he grapples with an inner turmoil to deal drugs at 17, to support his mother. ‘Aye’ is a sobering sucker punch that leaves no prisoners, unafraid to namecheck the political influences involved in the Epstein atrocities or the government's utter contempt for the working class.

‘Get You Down’ meanwhile is a roaring, festival-ready heavyweight anthem that speaks of his romantic self-destruction, all wrapped up in a gorgeous melody. ‘Spit Of You’ is a gutwrenching analysis of a generation of hard-hearted fathers who struggle to speak frankly about mental health, and their emotions with their sons, and the friction that inevitably causes, it’s a very special moment on an album full of them.

Ultimately, At the album's very core is a message of hope, and prevailing through it all. Fender sums it up perfectly on the wise ‘Mantra’ full of sage advice, it’s the perfect example of an incredible level of maturity within his songwriting, which has made Fender such a relatable figure that many have turned to in their own darkest moments.

Philip Giouras

04.

**WE’RE ALL ALONE IN THIS TOGETHER**
DAVE

Release Date: 23rd July 2021
Label: Neighbourhood

Dave’s powerful debut record ‘Psychodrama’ felt insurmountable. An award-winning concept album based around a year of therapy that tackled the challenges of living life as a black British man. Incredibly personal it featured a beautiful celebration of his skin on ‘Black’ as well as the struggles that entail. This lead to an incredible culture-shifting moment with his Brits Awards performance of the track.

Follow-up, ‘We’re All Alone In This Together’ manages to take Dave’s introspective journey further as he analyses his upbringing, personal relationships and newfound fame. This is balanced with tackling racial injustices on a global scale and critiquing Britain’s place within those. ‘We’re All Alone’ tells the tale of Dave balancing his fame, unwittingly becoming a role model and the intensity of inadvertently helping fans battle suicidal thoughts. Meanwhile, ‘Clash’ offers a counterweight, it’s a joyful victory lap as he trades verses with fellow genre heavyweight Stormzy. The track is a celebration of allowing yourself to indulge in the pleasures money and fame offer, notably luxurious watches.

There are countless memorable moments throughout the record, Award-winning actor Daniel Kaluya stars on the devastating ‘Three Rivers’ which brilliantly tackles Britain’s racial injustices, specifically Windrush, the Middle-East and the nations two-faced attitude towards migrant keyworkers that ‘we’re quick to shut the door on’. James Blake collaboration ‘Both Sides Of A Smile’ is an ingeniously produced tit-for-tat argument between Dave and that of a partner, whilst ‘Twenty to One’ is the melodic masterpiece of the record, sombre rhymes are placed over a beautiful choral arrangement and soaring strings, resulting in a captivating centrepiece.

‘Heart Attack’ however is bound to leave you an emotional wreck. A spiritual successor to fan favourite single ‘Panic Attack’, the track features some of Dave’s most hard-hitting rhymes to date but the spotlight belongs to his mother who weeps as she describes the trauma she underwent migrating from Nigeria to the UK, difficulties faced when finding herself homeless, and dealing with the emotional complexities of Dave’s brother being in prison.

It’s almost impossible to imagine Dave recreating ‘Psychodrama’, but more impressively, he’s surpassed it, this is a mature masterpiece

Philip Giouras

03.

Release Date: 4th June 2021
Label: Dirty Hit

This album needs no introduction, as Wolf Alice’s first number one album Blue Weekend is a piece of music like no other. Nominated for the Mercury Prize, it became an instant hit gaining universal acclaim not only in UK but across the world.

Announcing the album at the start of the year they released “The Last Man on Earth”, the start of the sweet trail of singles leading up to the album. The track takes you back to their early EP work triggering emotions that not only make you feel a euphoric sense of belonging, but as Ellie intended, it destroys the need to interpret the song into something else. With Wolf Alice you know what you’re going to get, a couple of mosh pit slappers mixed into the calming arms of lead singer Ellie’s voice. This lead single however dips away from that, with Ellie wanting the listener to understand that not everything needs to mean something “Why does everything need to mean something more?”.

The sheer variety of this album is unmatched, hitting every genre as it drags you through emotions you haven’t felt in a long time. Each track on this album is unique in its own right to the other, tackling a variety of genres from the shoegaze drifting of finale track “Beach II” to the heavy fuck the world attitude alternative rock of “Smile” and “Play The Greatest Hits”. There is a track on this masterpiece for everyone satisfying the hunger of Wolf Alice fans whilst letting the foursome discover the bounds of their own musical limits.

There is no track on this album that disappoints, with each offering its own take on sharp songwriting and a real talent for tackling bigger human issues. Setting a standard for the rest of the UK music scene, there are very few bands like Wolf Alice with their musical talents hard to challenge.

Finally, contradictory to my Spotify wrapped top track “Lipstick on the Glass”, my favourite track on this album is “Feeling Myself”, with its slow touch, lapping at your ears, helping you reach a better understanding of what music’s true potential is. The track really dives into the pool of musical excellence, stripping you of all of life’s complexities in order to help you sit back and truly appreciate what perfect lyricism is.

Charlie Hall

02.

Release Date: 29th January 2021
Label: Transgressive

Arlo Parks is an artist who manages to magnify the minutiae, finding the beautiful… as well as the painful moments of everyday life before exploding and exploring them with her precise’ poetic prose. Her triumphant debut album, Collapsed In Sunbeams is the sonic equivalent of a flower blooming into life.

A collection of striking and sublime poems, in which Parks has the ability to pass by a domestic argument in the street and be inspired to paint the masterpiece that is ‘Caroline’, a vivid sonic image that plucks out the tiny details of the couples characteristics, we hear of the man’s ‘strawberry cheeks flushed with defeated rage’, his pleas becoming the chorus, as rhythmic percussion slowly escalates to match the frantic situation before Park’s eyes.

Parks also frequently turns her microscopic glance inwards, with devastating effect. ‘Black Dog’ explores her unfounded feelings of inadequacy at being able to help guide her friend through an intense period of depression, to defeat the aforementioned black dog. ‘Green Eyes’ shows a wise Parks, able to empathise with a lover who is struggling with ‘eyes baying for blood’ and ‘folks who want to make you cry’ as they judge the pair’s openness and how just holding hands in public can create such a strong reaction to their sexuality and relationship which inevitably feels the struggle, it’s all so delicately described with such tenderness that your heart breaks for Parks as you listen.

Sonically, the record perfectly balances an alternative, Radiohead-esque use of guitars, bass and loops with a smooth contemporary jazz mellowness. Each track has a unique instrumental identifier but is encased within a distinct, cohesive film that gives the listener a powerful compulsion to instantly loop back to the start. The album is a joy to listen to for hours on end, even nearly twelve months on from release.

Within just one cycle of the record you feel a part of Park’s world, she manages to give you a comprehensive insight into her life and you can instantly understand why she is one of the most exciting wordsmiths of her generation. Each time I press play I know I’m going to hear about Alice with her Robert Smith style panda eyes or the crush whose Park heart desperately pines for, yet she’s busy showing Parks favourite records to Eugene instead. I know all these stories by heart, yet I never lose that thrill of hearing about them from Park’s lips each time, and that’s why this record is such an easy recommendation as one of the best albums of 2021.

Philip Giouras

01.

Release Date: 22nd October 2021
Label: Universal

‘Second album syndrome’ is a concept about as alien to Rebecca Lucy Taylor as it’s possible to get.

Prioritise Pleasure is the critically acclaimed follow-up to her debut album Compliments Please (2019) and it’s been more than worth the wait. The album is a hammering antidote to misogyny, oppression and self-doubt, served up on a platter of heady production, rich vocals and percussion that pulls a punch, released as it is under the stage name Self-Esteem – a reclaiming of all the things she thought she had not. The result is not only the super-charged, pop-tastic breath of fresh air that has seen it sweep a load of awards and top rankings (Best Album of 2021 by The Guardian, The Sunday Times, Gigwise and i to name a few), but an album that speaks to the collective change too. It unfolds like a rebirthing, speaking profoundly to anyone who has been put down, left out, cast aside, and had to come back stronger.

Its legacy of thunderous beats, absolute bangers and soul-piercing lyricism populate it. A range of influences shape the perfusion (Taylor was a drummer before she was a singer), evident on tracks like Hobbies 2 and It’s Been a While. The album’s pace oscillates between big beats (Moody and Fucking Wizardry) and slower numbers (The 345 and Just Kids). The gem in the crown is the iconic I Do This All The Time delivered with poignant spoken word – One day I would love to tell you how the best night of your life was the absolute worst of mine.

An album operating thematically, musically and existentially at this level does not come from nowhere. Taylor has gone to some dark places to get here. And now it’s a joy to see her shine.

Madeleine Battersby

Top 25 Albums of 2021

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The 30 Albums You Have to Hear in 2022

Live Act of the Year 2021 - Self Esteem