In an uncertain year one thing we could depend on was music. We take a look back though a few of our favourite album releases of 2020.
Robert Hood – Mirror Man
Robert Hood’s Rekids album ‘Mirror Man’ was 14 tracks of pure, straight-up 100% authentic Detroit machine-soul.
Mirror Man by Robert HoodJessy Lanza – All The Time
The pristinely produced synths and space-age beats of Jessie Lanza, her brilliant vocals and a set of strong songs all combined to make ‘All The Time’ one of the year’s stand out albums.
All The Time by Jessy LanzaKrust – The Edge of Everything
The sound of the future arrived earlier this year in the shape of Krust’s triumphant return, his drum and bass odyssey ‘The Edge of Everything’ on Crosstown Rebels.
The Edge Of Everything by KrustAleksandir – Skin
Techno, house, breaks and electronica rub shoulders on ‘Skin’ from producer Aleksandir who deftly weaved influences from the past with contemporary sounds to create a wide ranging yet cohesive debut.
Skin by AleksandirDaniel Avery – Love + Light
Gorgeous double album from Daniel Avery featuring stark contrasts between moments of thudding, dancefloor intensity and elgiac stillness.
Love + Light by Daniel AveryHAUS of ALTR – HOA010
Superb compilation from HAUS of ALTR from a host of forward-thinking Black techno producers and featuring, as the sleeve notes say “the future of Black electronic music… we come together to stake claim on the roots of techno and its potential future”.
HOA010 by HAUS of ALTRCharles Webster – Decision Time
A sublime piece of work from Charles Webster, his first full length artist album under his own name for nearly two decades, ‘Decision Time’ is a beautifully put together collection of deep house and electronic soul.
Decision Time by charles websterMoodymann – Taken Away
More Detroit goodness from Kenny Dixon Jnr., his highly original take on deep house – which directly acknowledges the soul and jazz influences at its heart – is as powerful and potent as ever.
TAKEN AWAY | KDJ-49 by MoodymannRóisin Murphy – Róisin Machine
Superb collection of absolute-disco from Róisin Murphy, packed full of quality songs including the anthemic Amy Douglas-penned ‘Something More’, all produced with the magic touch of UK Uber-producer Crooked Man.
Andrea – Ritorno
Andrea’s sound on ‘Ritorno’ was a hybrid of techno, breaks, IDM, ambient, electronica and more, expertly moving between genres with ease to create a detailed and emotive cross-pollination of an album.
ITLP06 Andrea – Ritorno by AndreaKelly Lee Owens – Inner Song
From smooth electro-pop through to dance floor techno via epic electronica, Kelly Lee Owen’s ‘Inner Song’ was a pristinely produced collection full of emotion.
Inner Song by Kelly Lee OwensNicolas Bougaïeff – The Upward Spiral
‘The Upward Spiral’ is rammed full of power and torque, with the over riding sense that everything in the studio was redlining. Bougaïeff’s production on here is an uncompromising metallic and at times industrial audio assault.
The Upward Spiral by Nicolas BougaïeffSession Victim – Needledrop
A confident and engaging collection of dusty downtempo grooves very much in the 90s trip hop vibe from the ever-reliable German duo of Hauke Freer and Matthias Reiling.
Needledrop by Session VictimBoof – Rebirth Of Gerberdaisy
Book is an alias of Maurice Fulton and with ‘Rebirth…’ he was on top form, deftly blending strands of funk, jazz, techno and house to create his own very specific sonic vision.
Rebirth Of Gerberdaisy by BOOFAna Roxanne – Because Of A Flower
A largely beat-less collection of ambient and electronica, ‘Because Of A Flower’ from American musician Ana Roxanne is at times stark and melancholy and at times epic and rich.
Because of a Flower by Ana RoxanneTheo Parrish – Wuddaji
In which Theo Parrish confidently pushes the envelope just a little, his rhythms existing in a parallel universe to the rest of us as he creates brand new jazz-ish house as though it were the easiest thing in the world.
Sault – Untitled (Rise)
The second album for 2020 from the mysterious Sault, ‘Untitled (Rise)’ was a triumphant follow up to its darker predecessor ‘Untitled (Black Is), with the raw funk and deep soul of both albums topping many DJ’s album of the year lists.
UNTITLED (Rise) by SAULT