Best Records of 2021

When I first started writing this list in December 2021, never could I have imagined after two years of uncertainty due to coronavirus, that humanity would be facing the threat of increasing violence in Eastern Europe which would come to overshadow all of our lives, the world has since become a much darker place. 

In positive events, personal to me I have been lucky enough to see many great movies during the year and listen to a lot of excellent albums and 7inches which I compiled into the below list which includes some of the stand out out titles which I thought were worthy of a mention. As a side note, one scratch I finally got to itch in November was seeing my first live show since January 2020... 

Best Albums of 2020 

 

Maze - II LP

Lumpy Records

Tokyo (Japan)

M.A.Z.E. are on my 'best of list' two years running and for good reason. After a string of tapes and a 12" they have released their debut album on Lumpy Records. If you know the label well, you will instantly know the type of music they play. So expect a large helping of their trademark off kilter Post Punk weirdness (dubbed egg punk by many who care about such labels) This release contains a total of 9 Tracks of quirky non linear, hypnotic bass, guitar and drums that are throughly bombastic.

 

Game - Legerdemain 12"

Quality Control HC

London (UK) 

One thing I'm a huge sucker for is 'burning spirits' style hardcore & Game completely satisfy me in that area by taking elements of that style and mixing it with some furious, pre Nowa Aleksandria, Siekiera. Ola's vocal's have a particularly amped up intensity across all 6 tracks on this particular release. During the run time of this 12" you are never afforded the chance to breathe and that's the type of hardcore I really enjoy. Highly recommended.

Lysol - Soup For My Family LP

Feel It Records 

Seattle (U.S.A) 

The ambiguously titled, 'Soup for My Family' (presumably taken from that famous meme) seems a fitting name for this collection of eccentric garage & hardcore sounds. It's almost as if somebody has purposefully misplaced some early Black Sabbath LP's in a Brutal Knights record collection. It's fast, catchy and meanders along at a great pace, just the type of soundtrack to finish off a chaotic week. 'Blessures Graves' is the stand out track on this release because the tempo goes straight off the deep end and from then on the remaining tracks just pummel your cranium.

 

Unidad Ideológica - Unidad Ideológica LP

La Vida Es En Mus

Bogota (Columbia)

The Shitlickers, Anti Cimex and Disarm crash head on this release by Colombian hardcore outfit Unidad Ideológica. Found throughout this record is intense untamed energy, that jumps out of the vinyl grooves and takes a massive swipe at your lugholes. It's merciless in it's execution and builds into a frantic outpouring of noise!  

 

 

SPLLIT - Spllit Sides LP 

Feel It Records

Baton Rouge, Louisana (U.S.A)

SPLLT with their wonderfully named album 'Spllit sides' features great rhythmic & kinetic energy that layers interesting and unusual riffs on top of each other, these all satisfyingly bounce off one another throughout the course of the record. It's a really enjoyable listen and sounds like what would be the result of BB Eye, going in to the studio with Shopping or their sister band Trash Kit.

  

Whispers - Narok Bon Din LP 

The Coming Strife Records/ Divided We Fall Records

Bangkok (Thailand)

Being a child of the late 1980's but growing up in the 1990's, some of my earliest hardcore gig memories were of type of metalcore displayed on this release. Whispers play music that falls somewhere in the style of Kickback, Arkangel, Regression & maybe even some early Integrity, throw those bands all into a blender and you will get an idea of what this record sounds like before even listening to a note of it. It's absolutely not reinventing the wheel, but they do it so well, especially with so many choppy riffs throughout keeping a nice balance of metal and hardcore, allowing this release to stay interesting. Add this release to the increasingly amazing Thai DIY hardcore circuit. 

Landowner - Impressive Almanac LP

Born Yesterday Records

Massachusetts (U.S.A)

Landowner play extremely hyperactive punk, that sounds like BB Eye, got into a fight with Knowso and had their music amped up a few notches! the bass and guitar are hypnotic and it nicely coalesces into a strange and interesting album that really caught my attention. Technically this release came out in 2016, but has now been reissued on LP in 2021. Fans of strangely eccentric post/punk might enjoy this.

Kürøishi - Käärme Sisälläsi, Myrkyttää Maailmani LP

Fight Records / SPHC Records

Oulu (Finland)

Since the 00's there has been an increasingly long line of Japanese style 'burning spirits' influenced bands from across the world straddling the lines of hardcore and metal & blurring both successfully such as Dead Hunt, Teargas, Deathcage, Selfish & Overpower. Finlands Kürøishi were formed around 2017 and are another great contribution to that long running pedigree of bands with some added contemporary crust elements (such as the type Tragedy or Wolfbrigade play) Their riffs all spring off each other into abrasive bursts of energy. Another element I need to particularly point out is the excellent drumming, which adds a nice heavy crunch to their music. I feel by track 6 the appropriately named Kuro (as Japanese DIY punk aficionados will know) really tips the whole records into a higher gear. As I write this their song 'The Future Looks Bright' Seems sadly appropriate given current world events... 

 

אתה נמצא כאן-  פרינציפ LP

Self Released

Tel Aviv (Israel)

Interesting full length from this Tel Aviv based band, who maintain a consistent bass and guitar assault throughout this title. They play music that reminds me of Big Black mixed with Lost Sounds and maybe a dash of Red Dons. Their style can be quite introspective & melancholic & at other times it can sound quite upbeat, there's also nice throbbing melodies bobbing around this record as well as a little saxophone influence to mix it up. In short a mixed bag of musical raucousness can be found on this release, even if it admitedly looses its steam in the later half of the record.

 

Ubiquitious Meh! - Songs Wrought Wrong CD Album 

Damnsonic

Plymouth (UK)

If ever there was a band that would feel right at home on Lumpy Records, it's Plymouth based Ubiquitous Meh! who have in recent years expanded into a fully fledged live unit who after a number of CD & cassette releases have returned with a full length which continues in the vein of their previous material, encompassing eerie (often catchy) organ and synth. This album seems vintage, without being retro. At times I hear the music and beat poetry esque line delivery of Mark E Smith of The Fall as well as riffs reminiscent of the Swell Maps. The synth at times reminds me of the brilliant Oppenheimer Analysis & Linear Movement. For a more contemporary comparison, think of bands like Powerplant, but much stranger in musical execution.

 

Sial - Zaman Edan 7" 

La Vida Es En Mus

(Singapore)

After a string of tight and aggressive hardcore releases blazing a trail in the Singaporean DIY circuit, Sial, dial it back on their latest 7". While that would usually mean a band has taken a step back in quality or the dog losing it's bite, that is the complete opposite of what we are presented with here. On this two track release we are given some seriously catchy post punk with rhythms which weave themselves throughout hypnotic cowbell & musical tub thumping. I really enjoyed the experimental direction this 7" went in.   

 

Stingray - Feeding Time 7"

La Vida Es Un Mus

London (UK) 

On this 7" Stingray, show off their riffy metal chops and filter it through some thunderous hardcore, kind of like Celtic Frost, mixed with some of that powerful Japanese hardcore precision like Gauze, minus all the chaos that band brings to the table., I can also hear a lot of influence from Onslaught's 'Power From Hell' album rumbling throughout the 5 tracks featured here. Hopefully we will see a full length in the near future.

   

Socio La Difekta - Kreski 7" 

Beach Impediment Records

Tokyo (Japan)

Socio La Difekta are a Tokyo based band containing members of Dreadeye, Unarm, Breakfast & Malimpliki singing in Esperanto! In terms of music they aren't that far removed from the aforementioned Malimpliki, however, they also remind me a lot of  New York's Nausea in the dual male/female vocals and Disclose in the sonic department, with some intense crunch that Voĉo Protesta do so well. Unfortunately this record is over too soon and made me want to hear more, so i'm looking forward to hearing their next release.

 

Death Side - Unreleased Tracks & Video Archives 7" 

Break The Records

Tokyo (Japan)

Death Side might be one of my favourite bands of all time. I can still remember when I first heard them how blown away I was with their overdriven guitar and pummelling drums & bass. Well it turns out that they have uncovered a number of tracks that have been unreleased until now. Some of this material hints at what lead guitarist Chelsea would do in his later project Paintbox and others have that trademark, updated Discharge sound, with lots of metal guitar leads, taking the songs in many different directions. The track 'Sunshine Blind' rounds out the 7" perfectly with some ominous female vocals that open the track and this is coupled with some driving nervous guitar. I'm so glad that these tracks eventually saw the light of day. As for the DVD included in this release, it stands as a great bonus in which the band members retell a brief history of the group and what they are currently doing. 

Snõõper - Snõõper 7"

Goodbye Boozy

Nashville Tennessee (U.S.A)

At the risk of once again mentioning Lumpy Records, here's another band that would fit comfortably on their roster. I also think mentioning that label at this point, conjures up a good idea of the sound they are going for. Coneheads & C.C.T.V. are a good starting point for comparisons to their sound, but it's their anxiety ridden garage rock that really grabs my attention. Hyperactive is another word to describe this whole record. If you like music that's instantly going to vie for your attention, then look no further.

Suitor - Communion Cassette

Just Because Records

Cleveland, Ohio (U.S.A)

Technically this is a collection of previous releases plus 2 bonus tracks added to this cassette, but it was released during 2021 so I'm going to count it as a 'compilation' However more important is the music. Suitor play mysterious, Post Punk that at times reminds me of Dolly Mixture with a touch of 'Garlands' era Cocteau Twins. The bass drives really nicely throughout and this record has some excellent 90's indie rock production values. I can imagine this band would have been pretty popular in Washington had they been from that state or around when the sound that they are playing was at its height. Expect lots of nice jingly jangly sounds and reverb on the feedback. I'm into it.. 

 

Ismatic Guru- Ismatic Guru Cassette 

Swimming Faith

Buffalo, New York (U.S.A)

My first thoughts when I hear this cassette are fans of The Cool Greenhouse and The Lithics will particularly enjoy this release. It's a tape full of solid, arty punk, that features great bubbling guitar riffs and nice breaks that develop into combustable energetic outbursts. Garage/art with some Lumpy-isms thrown in for good measure. I'm very interested to see if they will expand on their already exciting sound in their next releases.

OOPS - Demo (Digital) 

Self Released

Osaka (Japan)

I'm really captivated by the music of OOPS, they have effortlessly blended, hardcore & post punk, into one cohesive package. I believe as of writing, this self released demo is digital only and I'm not sure if it was recorded before the wonderful 'Out of Pictures' 7" but this was officially put out digitally in 2021 so it makes it onto this list. I really like the vocalist's, slightly anxious and at times barked vocals, which ride over the bouncy guitar lines. The music overall is actually quite musically optimistic in it's execution. It's difficult to quite pin down their sound. The bass on the tracks remind me of the Small Brown Bike, however they share very little in common with that band. At other times, I also think of Pear Of The West, especially, in their current indie rock/punk incarnation they have developed into nowadays. The hardcore parts remind me of NO NO NO. A really great record. I hope it gets a physical release one day.