40. Wallis Bird – ‘Hands’
What We Said…
When Irish singer and songwriter Wallis Bird was eighteen months old, she was involved in a horrible accident that caused her to lose all her fingers on one hand. Thankfully the doctors were able to reattach four of them, but she ended up spending much of her childhood relearning how to hold things and function normally again. This then bled into how she was forced to learn guitar and create the vibrant music she is known for. So for her seventh studio album 'Hands', she is searching for acceptance of who she is and how even the darkest moments of her past have defined who she is today.
Despite the harrowing story that influenced her new record, 'Hands' is an instantly broad and upbeat listen from start to finish. While she has dabbled with fresher and more adventurous tones on her previous outings, the singles littered throughout 'Hands' have this genuinely inventive approach to them. Channelling an 80s synth vibe for the track 'I Lose Myself Completely', and the almost Tune-Yards-inspired gem that is 'What's Wrong With Changing', there is this bubbling energy running throughout her latest full-length that has resulted in some truly warm and loveable cuts.
Wallis Bird may have spent the majority of her early days struggling for a home as she moved from label to label, but 'Hands' sees her rediscover the expressive nature she has always looked to conjure. Bold and exciting at almost every turn, she is standing out as one of the more invigorating artists working today.
39. Katy J Pearson – ‘Sound Of The Morning’
What We Said…
When Bristolian singer and songwriter Katy J Pearson first arrived on the scene with her breakthrough debut LP 'Return' in 2020, most of her fans and listening public thought they had her figured out. Harking back to the sweeping and soaring ambitions of acts like Kate Bush and Stevie Nicks, she kept herself close to the country and trad-folk inspirations that cemented her in her earliest years. But she never planned to pigeonhole herself within any specific guise, and so returns with her eagerly-awaited sophomore album 'Sound Of The Morning', a record that sees her branch out into more unknown territory.
Collaborating with visionary producer Dan Carey, 'Sound Of The Morning' sees her bring her rich and enigmatic direction to a broader and more inventive light. Having spent the last few years intertwining herself with modern indie royalty like Orlando Weeks and Yard Act, she has clearly picked up some fascinating ideas and delivered a brilliantly diverse new offering. Seeing her incorporate a more progressive and adventurous agenda throughout her newest full-length, we see her explore a fresh multitude of new aesthetics that aid in bringing her light and euphoric voice to an exciting new world.
While 'Return' served as a shining light of hope within the pandemic, 'Sound Of The Morning' is almost the feeling of that yearning to break free realised in full. Unleashed from the shackles of both her formative approach and COVID lockdowns, she sounds so much more at ease within herself this time around, leading to an incredibly absorbing listen.
38. Courting – ‘Guitar Music’
What We Said…
Over the course of the last few months, Liverpool's Courting have been greeted as the future sound of the UK's indie-rock scene. With a flurry of fresh and dynamic releases under their belt already, the band have been cracking through the strict veneer of people's expectations at almost every turn, landing them as one of the most hyped-up bands on the circuit right now. So just as their buzz reaches its zenith, they have now delivered their eagerly-awaited debut studio album 'Guitar Music', a record that looks to cement their glittering reputation so far.
Despite it's title, 'Guitar Music' opens up with a gnarled frenzy of glitching electronics on initial effort 'Cosplay / Twin Cities', no doubt an effort to trim the herd of those not willing to delve into their inventive ideals. But from there, the group unearth one exciting and energetic indie-rock cut after another, instantly ratifying their adventurous direction to date. Clearly looking to follow in the post-punk-inspired avenue that many others have chosen to tread these last few years, Courting still manage to find something fresh and interesting to do with their sound, making for a surprising and explosive initial full-length.
The acclaim surrounding them up until now was clearly an exciting ride, but 'Guitar Music' is a release that perfectly justifies their mouth-watering praise. A band brimming with kaleidoscopic ideas of where to take their sound and aesthetic, it feels like we are only just beginning to scratch the surface of what they are capable of.
37. alt-j – ‘The Dream’
What We Said…
What has been fascinating about alt-J over the years has been their ability to remain consistent to their formative sound, yet still produce something fresh and exciting with every release. Ever since they dropped their stunning debut album 'An Awesome Wave' in 2012, the group have rarely mixed things up in the years since, but have still managed to find something new and interesting to focus on this last decade. And now with a five-year break since their previous LP 'Relaxer', they return with another warm and sweeping dose of their unique direction.
Although it is fair to say that they have refined their sound over the years, there is still something almost nostalgic about listening to 'The Dream'. Sounding closer to their first full-length than they ever have since, the band are leaning into their initial identity like never before. Jam-packed with a warm and intense atmosphere that sees frontman Joe Newman deliver another instantly identifiable and rousing performance throughout, this kind of stuff seems to come so easy to them at this stage. Rarely faltering and maintaining a fascinating aesthetic from start to finish.
Now one decade into their career, alt-J have pulled off an incredible run of records, and 'The Dream' shows that they are far from falling short of the mark just yet. It has this wonderfully inventive yet consistent flow to it, filling itself with rich and ambitious ideas that seem only possible when these three are involved.
36. Porridge Radio – ‘Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky’
What We Said…
While it is usually a very rare thing when a band becomes big through cult appeal rather than overbearing buzz, it is usually the most rewarding. For almost a decade now, Brighton-based outfit Porridge Radio struggled around the peripheries of the scene, before finally breaking through with their stunning 2020 sophomore LP 'Every Bad', a record that landed them their first Mercury Prize nomination. And since then, they have been on the tips of everyone's tongues as we all waited hesitantly for this, their third studio album 'Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky', a record that looks to cement their legacy until now.
While 'Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky' is without a doubt their most high-profile release to date, they have made great strides to make sure it still finds comfortably within their repertoire so far. Continuing to explore more of that raw and gloomy approach to indie-rock that they have always pursued, they create yet another beautifully constructed release. But although the general tone of this collection remains in the sunken bowels of their direction, there are still the odd moments of hope shining through, giving this new offering a more nuanced approach than many have given them credit for in the past.
It may have been conceived under a more intense atmosphere for the group, but the pressures of notoriety have barely scuppered their drive and compassion. 'Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky' stands equally tall as 'Every Bad', and will serve them extremely well into the future.
35. The 1975 – ‘Being Funny In A Foreign Language’
What We Said…
When The 1975 released their self-titled debut album in 2013, no one could have predicted the meteoric rise the band would go on to complete. While there was never any doubt that initial release showcased some huge potential, it wasn't the groundbreaking game-changer than many other outfits were producing at the time. But since then, the band have moved from strength to strength, shaking off the uneasy tropes of their infancy and blossom into one of the world's most in-demand outfits. And after another strong showing on their fourth full-length 'Notes on a Conditional Form' in 2020, they return once again with their new studio album 'Being Funny In A Foreign Language', a record that continues their vibrant rise.
Teaming up with producer Jack Antonoff for the release, who has already revamped the sounds of Lana Del Rey, Taylor Swift, Lorde, St. Vincent, and so many more in recent years, 'Being Funny In A Foreign Language' feels like one of their most concise offerings to date. While the band have always dabbled in the sweet and sultry sounds of 80s pop-rock since they first emerged, their near co-dependence on the aesthetic throughout this new LP is more than palpable. Yet despite its cliched ambitions, they have still managed to deliver something brimming with fresh and inventive ideas, forever pushing their sound forward throughout.
While Antonoff's influence seems to be the main hook amongst these upbeat gems, The 1975 have still managed to create a familiar and exciting release that would rather improve on what came before than explore something entirely different. Their constant pursuit of self-improvement has been a joy to listen to this last decade, and it feels like they aren't quite done yet.
34. Black Midi – ‘Hellfire’
What We Said…
If there has been any band to completely split musical opinion over the last few years, both critically and commercially, it is black midi. When they released their breakthrough debut album 'Schlagenheim' in 2019, many were left pondering exactly what, who, and why they are. Their outlandish experimental nature that fused jazz, prog-rock, and avant-garde textures together made them one of the most compelling cult names on the scene, and now they are rebuilding themselves from scratch once again on their third full-length 'Hellfire', a record that sees them breakdown and then rebuild themselves throughout.
For a band that has been such a unique entity amongst us in recent years, they seem to have a very easy time completely reinventing themselves. Last year's LP 'Cavalcade' saw them embark on a more progressive direction, but for 'Hellfire', it feels like they all forgot how to play their instruments correctly and had to learn all over again. There is this strong connection to their earlier work, but almost as if those at the helm have been inhabited by completely different creatures, posing as black midi but ultimately taking the band down a completely different path altogether.
That is not to say that 'Hellfire' is anymore lacking than their previous outings, because truthfully, they are more inventive and innovative than ever before. black midi are like a Rubik's Cube that keeps changing its colours; just when you think you have figured it out, it morphs into something even harder to place. A merit that very few can say they can do even remotely well.
33. Foals – ‘Life Is Yours’
What We Said…
Throughout the last fifteen years of their career, Foals have shown themselves as a brilliantly original and adventurous outfit. While starting out in a fresh math-rock-inspired guise, they began to move further through a more atmospheric lens, earning them a reputation for broad and inventive compositions that stood out amongst their contemporaries. But with bassist Walter Gervers departing in 2018 and keyboardist Edwin Congreave following suit in 2021, the now three-piece are looking to reinvent themselves for their seventh studio album 'Life Is Yours', a record that spells an enormous rebirth for the band.
From the very start, 'Life Is Yours' sees itself as one of their most commercially-leaning releases to date. While they have often dropped the odd radio-friendly ditty on their LPs in the past, they have never aimed to create a bold and pop-focused release like this before. And while the cynical crowd may put this down to "selling out", they actually have a strong and explorative hold on this new direction. They have clearly been yearning to do something like this for a while, and it feels like they are finally breaking free in order to try something new and interesting.
It may be lacking the vivid soundscapes they have produced over the years, but regardless, 'Life Is Yours' makes for a wonderfully enjoyable listen. If this is meant to spell the beginning of a new chapter within their tenure so far, then they are off to a terrific start and we can't wait to hear where they take this next.
32. Panda Bear & Sonic Boom – ‘Reset’
What We Said…
Throughout the last decade, Panda Bear and Sonic Boom have been regularly collaborating on each other's material. While Panda Bear originally made his mark within Animal Collective, and Sonic Boom a member of Spaceman 3, the pair have usually seen their solo work as another opportunity to bounce ideas off one another, with Sonic Boom also mixing and co-producing Panda Bear's 2011’s LP 'Tomboy' and 2015’s 'Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper'. Now sharing top billing for the first time, their collaborative studio album 'Reset' sees them hark back to their earliest influences.
While both artists have a respective reputation for seeking out forward-thinking ideals and aesthetics within their sounds, 'Reset' has more of a regressive appeal as they look back to the 60s psych-rock era for inspiration. As a result, their latest endeavour has this brilliantly familiar yet sprawling direction that still manages to pack itself with plenty of fresh and enticing moments. Taking that classic and almost experimental guise and reinventing it for a modern ear, they have created a wonderfully original and spacey offering that captures both of their inventive majesty perfectly.
These two have always felt one step ahead of the crowd with everything they do, and 'Reset' is another bold step into unknown territory that they have managed siphon gold out of. It has a beautifully peaceful and serene aura running through it, something that we can all appreciate right now.
31. Björk – ‘fossora’
What We Said…
Throughout her tenure, Björk has remained one of the few truly experimental artists embraced by the mainstream. Despite such an adventurous and innovative approach to her sound for nearly thirty years, she is still one of the rare exceptions that still finds something new and interesting to explore, building on her reputation as one of the most distinctive artists to ever walk the earth. But with her mother Hildur Rúna Hauksdóttir sadly passing away in 2018, Björk has now returned to her spiritual Icelandic home for her tenth studio album 'fossora', a record that harks back to her origins like never before.
Usually when it comes to new Björk records, she is always one to invite fresh and inventive aesthetics into her work that accompany the current zeitgeist and trends. But with 'fossora', she takes us back to those atmospheric origins and delivers a beautifully warm and wistful endeavour throughout. Continuing to build a brilliantly fascinating and textured direction from start to finish, this new collection is a rare reflection of her true voice as she offers up a beautifully rich and endearing release that always finds a exciting and engaging avenue to venture down.
Björk has always had a magical and passionate feel to her material, but hearing her still on top of her game after thirty years is an impressive feat nonetheless. Spiritually and professionally enigmatic, 'fossora' will go down as one of her most honest and personal releases to date.