Imagine This Is a High Dimensional Space of All Possibilities – James Holden
James Holden’s label Border Community introduced me to electronic music that I probably would never have listened to otherwise. Over the years, he seems to have moved away from club-based music in favour of a more organic, human sound. It’s been almost 20 years since the creation of Border Community and this album is a celebration of that. Each track feels like a nod to parts of his previous discography. The percussion on most tracks is very faint and makes the album feel like a lost memory. The only track where the beat hits with a thud is Worlds Collide Mountains Form, which sounds like a band playing by the fire, feeding off each other in a trance-like state. To me, that signals where James is now and he wants you to join in. Ross, 35, Norwich
in|FLUX – Anna B Savage
This year I made a resolution to find more ways to explore new music. I started out by asking my friends to share their favourites and the first recommendation I received was a home run: in|FLUX by Anna B Savage. It’s folky, organic and a touch electronic, with sharp teeth and some pretty horny lyrics. Intricate songwriting that deserves to be listened to over and over again. Her live show was spectacular, too. One for fans of Laura Marling, the Delgados, St Vincent. Ben Thomas, 38, Manchester
That! Feels Good! – Jessie Ware
Jessie Ware’s That! Feels Good! has been the standout release in a year filled with phenomenal albums. From the opening moments of the title track to the bold and self-assured These Lips, which closes the album, this is a captivating body of work from an artist at the peak of her creativity. The propulsive and bombastic Free Yourself; Hello Love’s yearning beauty; and the naked dancefloor abandon of Freak Me Now are the album’s best moments, yet with each listen you’ll find something else to fall hopelessly in love with. Ware’s magnetic personality is on full display across the 10 songs. It is an album I return to daily, and one that doesn’t merely feel good but sounds incredible. Michael Meir-Wright, Nottingham
All of This Is Chance – Lisa O’Neill
A stunning, thought-provoking album that combines O’Neill’s gravelly voice with some beautiful melodies. Her Irish lilt adds warmth and sincerity to the powerful lyrics that talk of life, beauty, fragility and love. It took me a few listens to get into it but now the power of each song just sweeps me into a reverie. If I Was a Painter and Old Note are the highlights, dripping with beauty and subtle hints of the absurdities of life. When Goodnight World starts, we are given a moment to reflect on those we love, those we have lost, and our own sense of immortality. Captivating and beautiful. Michael Sewell, Brussels
Heavy Heavy – Young Fathers
So far it’s still Heavy Heavy by Young Fathers. They maintained everything that’s been so special and unique about their sound – that sense you get when listening to their music that you’re tapping into a small but almost overpowering fraction of the animating energy of the universe or the human mind or God or whatever – but applied it to a dancier, more jubilant set of songs than ever before. Karl, 39, Philadelphia, USA
Brandy Clark – Brandy Clark
Brandy Clark’s eponymous album is stunning. It’s an Americana gem with interesting lyrics and hooks that get stuck in your head. Her way with words allows her to take specific experiences and make them relatable to a general audience. After a raucous opener – which some may say doesn’t fit with the rest of the record – the rest of the songs ease into one another, sliding together in a way that creates a sonic tapestry of personality, experience, and perspective. It’s a complete work of art that offers a glimpse into the artist and her many human facets. I can’t recommend it enough. Elizabeth, 49, Tucson, Arizona, USA
Chiremerera – Jah Prayzah
Chiremerera is the first part of a double album and I believe it’s Jah Prayzah’s best yet. It’s about an hour long but you wouldn’t notice as each song is beautifully composed, sung and arranged. While this album could mostly be categorised as Shona traditional music, it’s contemporary in the lyrics and musical arrangements. I found the music very emotional and almost spiritual. The lyrics are potent and some songs still bring tears to my eyes. It’s music that I deeply relate to and feels like it speaks directly to my soul. It’s so good that I have to share it with the world. But that makes me wonder how it sounds to people that don’t understand the lyrics or the history of the music. Tafara Duncan, 41, Johannesburg, South Africa
The Last Rotation of Earth – BC Camplight
It’s got pianos, jokes, strings, horns, strumming, so much sadness, and little distorted guitar moments. I don’t know what genre it is. But this album is full of wonderful songs that are beautiful, desolate and funny. There are melodies here that feel like they’ve been waiting for someone to find them since the dawn of time. And the lyrics don’t hang around doing nothing – they’re devastating, commiserating and make you laugh. The Movie is one of my favourite tracks ever. I find a lot of honesty in this album. Nothing is held back. Risks are taken and pay off. I think more people should listen to it. Zoe, 21, Seoul, South Korea
But Here We Are – Foo Fighters
Out of the grief of losing Taylor Hawkins, soon followed by his mother, Dave Grohl has created something that is part celebration and part tribute to them both. Some of the songs have a “classic Foo” sound, while others, such as the 10-minute The Teacher, tread new ground, with Grohl effectively using feedback as a musical instrument. It conveys a sense of loss and confusion along with the lyrics, which are some of his best in recent times. Foo Fighters have a new energy that has helped them create arguably their most vital album since 2011’s Wasting Light. Gary L Taylor, 41, East Tilbury
Gift from the Trees – Mammal Hands
Gift from the Trees by Mammal Hands is a powerhouse of inventiveness, walking the fine line between accessible structure and pure, discombobulating, time-fluctuating jazz. This album is their finest outing to date: somehow at once composed and singular, but also sprawling, traversing and seismic. A gem. Ben, 41, Edinburgh
A Fistful of Peaches – Black Honey
I feel so lucky to have caught this band seven years ago in their early days. They gig like another lockdown is imminent and Fistful, their third album, is laden with bangers. Catch them live – Izzy B Phillips is a great frontwoman and the boys are pinch tight. Richard Sutton-Smith, 62, Wadhurst
Desire, I Want to Turn Into You – Caroline Polachek
Caroline Polachek’s Desire, I Want to Turn Into You is a maximalist jewel box. The lyrics are poetic but not unapproachable, and her delivery can switch between almost-rap/trap and operatic swells, and her phrasing is so deftly attuned to each song – snappy, flowing, cantering. Her classical training is evident, and she writes incredible hooks and pop-happy tunes. Songs on here will make you want to dance, sing along, and sometimes weep. Most of them sample snippets from others on the record, making it one of the most cohesive and interesting albums in recent memory. It greatly rewards repeat listening. And try to see her live if you can for an immersive, emotional experience. Sophie Carsenat, 53, Toronto, Canada
Endless Affair – Ailbhe Reddy
I love everything about this album. I feel as though there is no wasted space on it and every track adds something. It is funny, melancholy, sweet, touching, and above all else catchy, with many excellent choruses throughout. There are many cathartic moments on the album, generally, in the satisfyingly loud choruses but she delivers some beautiful quieter moments with Pray For Me being the stand out. The lyrics present a good balance of experiences that can feel relatable and universal. But also, at times, small fragments of herself that feel highly personal and at times journalistic. There were many other albums I loved this year but this one has been a constant. Neil Cullen, Ireland
