UnCL writers reflect on ten of our favourite releases of 2021, presenting a diverse range of records from indie folk to pop-punk to underground RnB.
Little Simz - Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, Little Simz’ fourth studio album, offers tender introspective lyrics and bold, playful sonics. Navigating a public existence as an introvert is the central lyrical theme; the opening track ‘Introvert’ asks simply ‘Simz the artist or Simbi the person?’ In ‘Standing Ovation’, lines like ‘take my energy, come to find there’s nothing left of me’ reflect on how the experience of writing and sharing writing can be disorientating for those whose energy is focused inward. If you are yourself an introvert, the lyrical aspect of this album is likely to be deeply evocative; Simz puts words to these experiences immaculately. If you’re not, the album is an insight into the mind of an introvert that deserves to be fully taken in.
The album’s other themes are also deeply personal; ‘Little Q Pt 2’ is one of my own favourite tracks, written about the life of her younger cousin, Qudus, from his own perspective, sharing a story of what it is to navigate young black masculinity in London. The album is also sonically mesmerising; the sampling and orchestral grandeur on songs like ‘Miss Understood’ and ‘Woman’ captivates alongside the lyrics, enabling the energy of the songs to remain long after you have listened to them. Altogether the album is a most beautiful work of art, surely one of Simz’ best offerings, and undoubtedly one of 2021’s highlights. Three stunning sold-out nights at 02 Brixton Academy to end her hugely successful UK tour is testament enough to that.
Words: Katie Sperring
On All Fours - Goat Girl
On All Fours is the second album from British rock quartet Goat Girl and is an album that I've been obsessed with all year. Every aspect of On All Fours, from lyrics to instrumentals to artwork to the music videos goes towards building an album that's not just a pleasure to listen to but also a pleasure to experience. The trippy artwork and apocalyptic imagery feeds an album that deals with grounded topics in enjoyably abstract ways. The album is also a testament to their growth as artists as they adapt the short and grungy sound of their first album into a better paced album that melds both the garage rock sound of their earlier material and a heavy dose of psychedelic instrumentals, rewarding repeat listens with layers of complexity.
Words: Dominic Gibson
Hand Habits - Fun House
The title of Meg Duffy’s third studio album as Hand Habits, Fun House, encapsulates sounds that are disorienting, and feel reminiscent of an old carnival. By creating images of reflection and a sense of manipulation that you signed up for, Duffy has created one of the most vibrant, musically restless albums of 2021. They’ve shaped something pointedly personal, navigating loss and their past with a deftness that allows the listener to go on a journey of self-discovery. Duffy said, ‘Fun House is about figuring out how to even talk about identity’. Fun House offers a buffet of musical profundity, from synth pop on songs packed with narratives of longing, to wailing electric guitar, relaxed electronics and countless elements that present the collaborative creativity of the music community. Duffy says they get nourishment from collaboration, and the influence of Perfume Genius, Sasami Ashworth, and Kyle Thomas add to the album’s adventurous peculiarity.
Every track is sprinkled with stunning, poetry-like lyrics that are almost disconcerting. Duffy said they wanted to ‘cloak some of the perils of mortality in a musical landscape that didn’t require the listener for a large amount of patience’ on 'Aquamarine'; shrouding the song’s heart-wrenching chorus, ‘Why can’t you talk about it/ I got used to being on the other side of truth’ in soft dance floor musicality does exactly that. The album is genre-bending, with each track having a unique sound to the extent that you wouldn’t expect it to flow. But Duffy so masterfully creates an experience where this multitude of energies and emotions make sense together. Fun House is relatable in that it was created from the quarantine resonance of having too much time to think, which adds to its ability to leave you awestruck or shattered, often both. It packs the emotional force of a scream.
Words: Nandini Agarwal
Sufjan Stevens and Angelo De Augustine - A Beginner's Mind
Sufjan Stevens is no stranger to a concept album, having written records dedicated to US states, New York boroughs, famous athletes and even planetary systems in his long-spanning career. However, his music’s core appeal has always been its continual ability to stay personal: though record’s like 2015’s Carrie and Lowell are understandably deeply introspective, reflecting on personal themes like Steven’s grief after his mother’s death, the emotional grip of his music pervades even when he tells stories which are not his own.
A Beginner’s Mind, a collaborative project between Stevens and Angelo De Augustine, is no exception to this rule. Written during an cabin retreat in upstate New York, each song takes inspiration from one the films Stevens and Augustine would watch each day; the stories of the disparate and often decidedly un-high-brow cinema chosen produce an record characterised by its emphasis on feeling, transmitting various characters’ triumphes and turmoil to the listener with ease.
Sonically, the record largely returns to the acoustic folk which characterised Stevens’ early career, and to great success. Lush acoustic guitars and piano provide a fitting pastoral backdrop to the hushed storytelling of Stevens and Augustine, whose voices, though surprisingly difficult to tell apart at points, combine to produce some stunningly beautiful harmonies. This is particularly true of the tracks where Augustine’s falsetto comes to the fore, with 'Fictional California' and 'Cimmerian Shade' particular highlights. Album opener 'Reach Out' provides perhaps the most pervasive proof of the merits of Stevens and Augustine’s collaboration, with its chorus, confessing one’s attempts to avoid “all that is and was and will be torn apart” containing possibly the most enchanting melody on the album. Stevens does make sure to sprinkle in his knack for experimentation through the record, with the abrasive electronics in the outro of 'Lady Macbeth in Chains', as well as the subtle synth pads on tracks like the closer 'Lacrimae', adding needed points of contrast.
Ultimately, A Beginner’s Mind is not a radical reinvention of Stevens’ sound, but its success comes in its embodiment of why he is so beloved as an artist, reaping yet more rewards from the comfort-inducing venn diagram of sonic beauty and emotional poignance.
Words: Yash Zodgekar
Monsters - Tom Odell
Monsters is regarded as Odell’s rawest album, and as a huge fan of Tom since 2013, I had a hard time myself understanding this record. I gave it a lot of time to grow on me and, eventually, all tracks did. 'Numb', my number one song on Spotify Wrapped this year is the main single of Monsters and captures the essence of Odell’s vision immaculately.
Monsters is a quarantine mixtape turned into an album and this gives Tom the opportunity to explore new bedroom pop, Billie Eilish infused beats, and piece them together in a musical patchwork. That being said, I finally got Monsters. This being Odell’s final album as a record label tied musician it makes sense why it is so experimental and at times unnecessarily political. It’s a major statement that never planned to be a better album than his previous record Jubilee Road, which is a pop-ballad masterpiece, but rather it represents a good time for Tom to explore new sounds and give a middle finger to, as Tom puts it in 'Fire with Fire', ‘corporate liars’.
This record is a step forward from Odell’s previous work: it’s introspective, and it’s a definite earworm which freezes in time a lot of quarantine and isolation angst. This feels more like an album for Tom’s fans to enjoy, however, I am really looking forward to his new single coming out on March 11th, 'Best Day Of My Life', which promises to strike a good balance between Tom’s piano-ballad roots and the experimental Monsters.
Words: Alexia Mihaila
Dean Blunt - Black Metal 2
Seven years had passed since the release of Dean Blunt’s second solo masterpiece Black Metal, when in the summer of 2021 we were blessed with its sequel - Black Metal 2. At 23 minutes long (under half the length of its predecessor) and with a far more conventional and cohesive sound, Black Metal 2 is Blunt at his most accessible so far. The album begins with ‘VIGIL,’ its punchy strings, Blunts apathetic delivery and the ghostly voice of frequent collaborator Joanne Robertson all evoking memories of the faux grandeur of 2013’s The Redeemer. The lush orchestration ends there though as we are plunged into the murk of ‘MUGU,’ with a beat supplied by melodious guitar that tiptoes over some rather ominous moans, walking the line between comfort and unease.
Thematically, Black Metal 2 deals with many of the same concepts common to Dean Blunt’s other projects, with the need to perform in order to survive and the emotional turmoil that then accompanies living a life of pretence encompassing much of the lyrical matter. However, these themes are also exhibited in the instrumentation, with the dizzying, distorted guitars on tracks like ‘SKETAMINE’ and ‘LA RAZA’ suiting Dean Blunt’s voice just as well as they would the exploits of some western outlaw on the run. The syrupy, psychedelic portion of the album ends with ‘ZaZa,’ as the recording seems to skip and warp as if corrupted, before trailing off into auditory distortion. Distortion gives way to clarity as the heralding pipes of the instrumental track ‘WOOSAH’ mark a clear change in the direction of the album, a moment to breath and take stock amongst the emotional tumult of what has come before. The final track ‘the rot’ represents the outcome of this moment of clarity, as Blunt instructs as that we ‘might as well relax,’ instead of trying to struggle against that which we cannot change. Black Metal 2 is more of the same lethargic and dreamy music that is synonymous with Dean Blunt, but in a year so wrought with change it was comfort, not a bore to listen to something so immediately familiar.
Words: Red Preston
Bright Green Field - Squid
My favourite album of 2021 is Squid's Bright Green Field. Originally from Brighton, 5-piece band Squid are a core part of the fertile music scene centred around the Brixton venue 'The Windmill' alongside other up and coming bands such as Black Midi and Black Country New Road. Squid first caught my attention back in 2019 with their single 'Houseplants', a nervous, angsty song concerning the declining state of middle England. In the years since then, Squid have honed their unique brand of jittery post-punk and their efforts have culminated in one of the finest debut albums of all time, Bright Green Field.
Sonically, this album is a treat: tight, catchy bass lines play in lockstep with driving motorik drums whilst guitars and synths squawk and squeal resulting in a listening experience that is both head-banging and hypnotic. Gang of Four and Can are to my mind the most obvious influences. Its lyrically engaging too with lead singer Ollie Judge (he's also the drummer!) covering everything from the pharmaceutical industry in G.S.K to the classic sci-fi novel Ice in Peel St. Judge's manic and melodramatic vocal style won't be too everyone's liking but I think it perfectly complements the album's frenetic vibe.
When listened to whole, the album flows fantastically, with each song contributing to the chaotic momentum of the album. Bright Green Field truly is 'all killer no filler'. Individual highlights from the album include 'Pamphlets' and '2010'. Pamphlets is an 8-minute beast of a tune where the band really show off their song writing capabilities as they gradually build tension before completely letting go in an ear-piercing outro. 2010 is a sonic masterpiece too, featuring beautiful clean guitar lines and hypnotic vocals interrupted by outburts of noise. In what was a year of great music, Bright Green Field stands out from the rest by finding the sweet spot between experimental and danceable, noisy yet catchy. If Squid keep this up, they will soon take their rightful place in the canon of cutting-edge British rock.
Words: John Milne
Joe James - Jöetry
British music overseas has seen a renaissance in recent times, the melodies and lyrics of its major artisans plastered to the walls of teenage bedrooms on both sides of the Atlantic. Not since the ‘Brit pop’ epidemic of the nineties has it enjoyed such global exposure. So, in an era epitomised by catchy snippets, deafening 808s and 140bpm - is there room for a resurgence of British underground RnB?
When considering underground hip hop and RnB, artists such as Finn Foxell, Frankie Stew and Harvey Gunn, Coops or Kojey Radical may spring to mind, but one who circles the periphery of the uninitiated is the West London native Joe James. Behind the scenes, Joe has slowly been perfecting his craft, bashing out the kinks from his smooth-running style, notably reaching nominal heights with tracks such as ‘Mumzy’ and ‘Namaste’. His debut album Jöetry, is a demonstration of all that he has learnt thus far, a creamy blend of emotive, raw lyricism and inviting repetitive melodies, designed to ingratiate the listener into the melancholia of his reality.
Like any debut, an over reliance on rawness can give itself to a drop in qualitative content, a fact that becomes apparent when the tunes, ‘Blackberry curve’ and ‘Mate in five’, begin to meld into one after multiple listens. The run time, totalling just over 30 minutes, lends credence to this melding, however, as you feel the album would be better suited to a vinyl release, one perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon spent sprawled on the sofa. The album cover epitomises this shifting dynamic, the image of a young woman shielding her eyes slightly too bright and amateurish to appear on a major artist's album cover, but perfectly encapsulating the relaxed but personal journey Joe endeavours to take you on.
The first track, ‘Polythene Gucci Belt’, further encapsulates this impression, using Anthony Hamilton's RnB classic ‘Charlene’ as a sample over which a story of manufactured clout is created, or Joe vs the plastic. This is a common theme throughout, Joe combining the typical self-congratulatory lyrics with genuine self-reflection. It may be a fine line he treads, but it's widened and expanded upon by his expert cadence and penchant for storytelling.
Upon first, fifth and fiftieth listen of the album, such is its cyclical nature, you’re left with the distinct impression that the sonic odyssey from which you’ve just disembarked is a more subtle inauguration than a finished expression. Gone are the drill beats of his yesteryears, this is an indication of what Joe is willing to explore in his music and the depths of himself that he’s willing to explore to do so. This is an album of Goldilocks desires; so short you wished it was longer, so candid you wished it was deeper. But at its core, Jöetry has all the elements that make it just right.
Words: Reuben Henry-Fellows
Sour - Olivia Rodrigo
The industry plant is very talented! Olivia Rodrigo got the right water to bloom this year, and what is so great about her is her mass appeal. Whether you love or hate her, everyone had ‘Drivers License’, ‘Good 4 U’ or ‘Deja Vu’ stuck in their head at least once during the pandemic. Teens love her because she is the embodiment of TikTok culture, pre-teens grew up with her on Disney and millennials get to relive their angsty teens again and love to love her for stanning Taylor Swift. Whilst the album may not be wholly original, it is an amazing achievement full of bangers by an 18 year old and the tracks that resemble her idols, such as ‘Good 4 U’ (‘Misery Business’ - Paramore) and ‘1 Step Forward’ and ‘3 Steps Back’ (‘New Year’s Day’ - Taylor Swift) feel like odes rather than a copycat. I strongly believe if it weren’t for her crazy success people wouldn’t complain about any of her songs sounding similar to others because there would be no money or royalties to gain out of lawsuits. Sour was a cultural phenomenon, giving life to a new pop princess of gen Z and opening up discussions about what is the very fine line between sampling and copying.
Words: Alexia Mihaila
Friends That Break Your Heart - James Blake
Friends That Break Your Heart is an authentic James Blake album; for anybody not up to date with his work, that entails a creative blend of orchestral and electronic music, R&B, and soul. I had ‘Say What You Will’ on repeat everyday for a month straight and I still keep falling in love with songs from the album every time I give it another listen. James Blake has a phenomenal voice and he also writes and produces his tracks, making them even more outstanding. His sound is reminiscent of Sam Smith and Bon Iver and on this introspective album he explores his social insecurity and how that translates in his professional life, love of self and of his partner. Many tracks evoke much pain and hope: “And if I'm insecure, How have I been so sure that I'm gonna care for you?”. While It might take a while to get used to Blake’s sound if you are new to R&B indie, once you get the taste of it, James Blake will undoubtedly become a staple in your playlists.
Words: Alexia Mihaila
Comments