The Top 10 Albums of 2020

Well, this is long overdue, but I wanted to make a first post on this page and well here it is, my top 10 favorite albums from last year. If you don’t know my taste, then you’re about to find out. I really am into EDM specifically future bass and similar genres. We will be counting down from number ten to number one. This is my personal thoughts, it is by no means objective. Very opinionated, keep that in mind. Also this will be a precursor to more music posts in the future. Also, forgive me for the varying album cover sizes, it’s my first post, alright?

Number 10:

Parachute - Petit Biscuit

We all know Petit Biscuit, and if you don’t think you do, search for the song Sunset Lover; it will sound familiar. Parachute was PB’s first album since Presence in 2017 which is a huge project to follow up. While it didn’t quite hit the highs that Presence did, in my opinion, this is a very solid album. The song Hang On is by itself one of my favorite PB tracks of all time and in my favorites of the year. Definitely check it out, Drivin Thru the Night and I Leave Again are the other highlights of this album.

Number 9:

Free Your Mind - Big Gigantic

It honestly feels kind of cheap to put Free Your Mind this low on the list, but there were albums that resonated more with me personally last year, so Big G slides in at a comfortable 9. This album is stacked from top to bottom with vibey goodness with plenty of sax and thumping bass. There are some great hip hop influences as well, if you’re into that sort of thing. The standout track by far and away is Moonlight with its almost haunting string plucks and angelic vocals.

Number 8:

BRONSON - BRONSON

Odesza fans had their appetites at least moderately satiated as they waited for more music from the duo with this collaborative album with Golden Features being released last August (I’m talking about me, I’m Odesza fans). Again, I feel bad ranking this project kind of low on the list but it didn’t quite resonate with me like the upcoming albums. This was definitely an interesting direction for Odesza to go in with Golden Features; the album has a really unique blend of Odesza’s more melodic sounds with the dark house sounds of Golden Features, while still maintaining both group’s influence. Stand out tracks for me, since it seems that’s a thing I’m doing on this list are: DAWN, KEEP MOVING, and HEART ATTACK.

Number 7:

Fantasy - Whethan

From here on is where numbering the list got super difficult for me. Fantasy is Whethan’s follow-up album after Life of a Wallflower, Vol. 1 from 2018 and this is a hell of a follow-up. Just listen to the killer features and collabs that Whethan has on this album and tell me you’re not impressed (but you’ll be wrong if you did): Oliver Tree, K.Flay, The Knocks, The Wombats, The Front Bottoms, Grouplove, and RL Grime. And that’s not even all of them. This album is perfect for the summer and absolutely crushes the indie-electronic soundscape. Stand out tracks, here we go: Clouds, Sunshine, and Wave. Do you see a bit of a trend in the song titles?

Number 6:

I Need Space - Mounika.

Ok, quick little history lesson with Mounika. before I get into this album specifically. Mounika. (yes it is stylized with the period) is a lofi producer from France. I began listening to Mounika. in 2018 and was immediately enraptured by the sounds. At the time, Mounika. had two albums released Seagulls and How Are You that were released in 2016 and 2017 respectively. On May 17, 2018, Mounika. posted a tweet about how he didn’t know what he was doing while producing music before that point, how some tracks will disappear, others will stay, and more will come. At the time, he scrubbed the entire Seagulls album and about half of How Are You from streaming services. I believe he did this because most of the tracks heavily utilized samples, and he felt guilty for borrowing/piggy-backing so much off the work of others, but that is just my speculation. I highly encourage everyone to go check out these songs as they are still on YouTube and the tracklists can still be found on Google. Also, the tweet is still up on his Twitter (@mounika_beats; please go follow him). I remember when the tracks were scrubbed, because I tried to listen on Spotify like I normally did while at work, and they were just simply gone. With all of that being said, this was Mounika.’s first album from that time and it really delivered. It still sounded like Mounika, whimsical, almost youthful and innocent sounding, and very relaxing. Seriously, go check it out, it is a very brief but very worthwhile listen. Stand out tracks: THE WHOLE FREAKING ALBUM. Seriously, go listen, I’m not saying it again. And while you’re at it I’ll recommend some older Mounika. tracks to listen to for homework: Car Sans Toi Je M’ennuie, Cut My Hair, I Know After Laughter, and Tea for Two.

Number 5:

The Making of a Paracosm - Kasbo

This album is beautiful. Full Stop. Here is your vocabulary lesson for the day, a paracosm is detailed imaginary world. Kasbo did exactly that with his second album where the world is overflowing with emotion. Every track is beautifully expressive and every note is placed with such intention that you can tell that the paracosm that Kasbo is creating is extremely detailed. Stand out tracks: Hemma, För Evigt, and Lune. We’re reaching the point where the stand out tracks are getting hard to because the albums are becoming masterpieces.

Number 4:

Renaissance Boy - Galimatias

Ok, if you don’t know the name Galimatias right off the bat, he was the producer for the absolutely monster collaboration album Urban Flora with Alina Baraz. Yes, that’s him. Renaissance Boy is his first album since Urban Flora came out in 2015. That is a five year gap, and I was so happy when he announced the album last year and dropped it. It is one of those continuous mix albums that tells a story of a relationship from it failing to trying again. All those sweet baby-making sounds that are expected from Galimatias tracks are in there: some absolutely skull-rattling bass, sensual lyrics, and almost orchestral arrangements. Stand out tracks: Let Go, Redeye, and GPS. Ok, quick little music thing to listen to. Towards the end of Let Go, the beat shifts and keeps building where the main hook is “I’ve been waiting on you, I just want to know when it will stop” and you can feel the tension building and building because it is not stopping despite the singer’s wondering. One of the parts that really stands out to me is in the background where initially there is a string trill that slowly transforms into a vocal performance as the tension builds. It’s really freaking cool. Listen carefully and I guarantee you’ll hear it.

Ok top 3, here we go.

Number 3:

The Color of Nothing - ford.

ford. (yes it’s stylized that way too, get off my back) was a new artist discovery for me last year before The Color of Nothing came out and this album really solidified his music to me. ford. is a part of the Foreign Family Collective (the third on this list with Kasbo and BRONSON), which is Odesza’s curated musical collective, so like you know his music must be good. His music is very calming and melodic, the very definition of easy listening. Stand out tracks are Living, Breathing, which has such an energy and life to it, In My Eyes, which is the perfect song to listen to while laying in a field with your eyes closed on a sunny day, and the titular/opening track The Color of Nothing. Also, like the album cover image (let’s take moment to see how sick it is too), the album’s sound is circular, where the final track 4:38am leads directly back into the first track. It’s a really nice touch, definitely try looping the album when you do a listen through.

Number 2:

RIPPLS - Medasin

Medasin is hard to put a label on for the music he makes, as he has got an incredible amount of range, with some super vibey tracks, to bouncy trap-esque beats, and is definitely influenced by hip hop. This album tells a story, about it’s own creation and it is a joy to listen to (that is probably a post/video that I will dive more into on another day). Also, there is a super cool visualizer to watch along with while listening that shows a spaceship exploring new worlds and spaces (almost like a producer exploring new sounds arrangements, get it?). Also, I have another cool thing to listen for while listening. In the song Everytime, during the chorus, where you will here a nice marimba roll, but as it continues, it subtly transitions into a vibraphone by the end of the phrase. Other stand out tracks are Sumn Lite, Melody X, and Go Crazy.

Honorable Mentions:

You didn’t think I was just going to jump into number 1 without some honorable mentions, did you? There was a lot of good music that came out last year, so I wanted to shout out a bit more. First, Oliver Tree finally came out with his album Ugly is Beautiful after what seemed like a million delays. Something about his pop-punk like whiny voice is just awesome, and his blend of indie and electronic is really good. Up next, technically isn’t an album, but it pretty much is one. That would be San Holo’s stay vibrant EP. At the beginning of the global lockdown last year, San committed to releasing a song a week to both purge out what he was feeling and to help people out. It is a collection of some of the most raw and emotionally cathartic tracks you will ever here. It’s not technically an album so that’s why it’s not on the list, but it definitely needed the shout-out. Lastly, Lane 8 released the album Brightest Lights super early last year (literally January 10th). If you’re into trance, it is very good and relaxing. Now, onto #1.

Number 1:

Dreamland - Glass Animals

That’s right, Glass Animals came in with my favorite album of 2020. I am making this post while Heat Waves is all over the radio, so it’s fitting right? But don’t worry, I was ahead of the normies and was listening to the album since release in August of last year and Heat Waves isn’t even my favorite track from the album. That would be reserved for the song Tangerine. If you haven’t heard of Glass Animals before, they are an indie rock band with a great sound. I don’t have too much crazy stuff to say about this album, it is just beautiful and there are some really emotional lyrics that will hit you in the feels (just listen to Domestic Bliss). My other top tracks, to round out the top five with the other three I mentioned already, are Tokyo Drifting and Your Love (Déjà Vu).

Well that’s my top 10 albums of 2020. Hopefully you found some new music or tracks that you really get down with. Let me know some of your favorite favorite albums from last year, or feel free to scream at me and tell me I’m an idiot. Also, check out my Vibes 2020 playlist on Spotify (I have it linked on the home page, and it will be the subject of many more blog posts in the future, for the Vibes 2021 playlist) which features many of the songs mentioned on here. My socials are linked below/ on the contact me page, so feel free to reach out! Thanks for reading.