And so, though we already said goodbye to 2022, its music will remain with us forever. in this article, I'll be going through my top ten albums that came out this year, and talking briefly about them.
Reviewing the shortlist, it didn't take that much to make the final list, as even though a lot of amazing records that I liked came out this year, Aethiopes by Billy Woods, Big Time by Angel Olsen, Crash by Charli XCX, Dawn Fm by the Weeknd, or The Forever Story by JID to name a few. But my top 10 favorites were on a lane of their own.
10. Cheat Codes - Black Thought & Danger Mouse
Black Thought, once the lead MC of the legendary hip-hop group The Roots, and none other on the keys than Danger Mouse himself. the mere idea of these two names collaborating is already great enough, and naturally, the music that came out of that too. Cheat Codes is somewhat of a short yet dense project spanning barely below 40 minutes, where Danger Mouse entertains the listener with a catalog of sick cold head bopping old school yet modern beats and jazzy samples, whilst Black Thought and other legendary names in the hip-hop scene; MF DOOM, Raekwon and Run The Jewels to name a few; spit the most gut-punching condense bars, with a delivery that bleeds the golden era. This is a timeless album right here, this is hip-hop at its finest. Beautiful.
Favorite 3 tracks: Because (feat. Joey Bada$$, Russ and Dylan Cartlidge), Belize (feat. MF DOOM), Aquamarine (feat. Michael Kiwanuka)
9. The Car - Arctic Monkeys
One thing I appreciate about Arctic Monkeys is their constant attempts to explore more ideas and more sounds or take an entirely different direction with every new album of theirs. The most notable change of sound was their highly controversial Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, where they ditched their last commercially successful indie rock guitar-driven sound and went on to explore the realms of art rock, lounge, and piano rock... a sound they went on to develop even further with their new album The Car, this time including baroque pop elements and these grand-Esque nostalgic orchestral passages touching your soul every now and then.
Favorite 3 tracks: There'd better be a Mirrorball, Body Paint, Big Ideas
8. Dragon New Warm Mountain: I Believe in You - Big Thief
I'll have to admit that at first glance at this album, the runtime stretching a little over 80 minutes seemed a little daunting to me, however, the only word I could think of to describe it after the first listen was "beautiful". In this project, Big Thief is blessing us with a collection of deep, thoughtful, and extremely rich music, varying from the freakiest art rock to the softest quietest ballad to the wildest country woop, covering personal topics to philosophical outlooks on life, to reflections on intimacy and dealing with breakups. the vast variety not only helps keep the album refreshing but also provokes all kinds of feelings in the listener, tears of sorrow can very well turn into tears of joy at any given moment.
Favorite 3 songs: Certainly, Red Moon, Blue Lightning
7. Yeyo - Lil Supa
Favorite 3 songs: CLOACA, OXIDO, POLVO
6. De Todas Las Flores - Natalia Lafourcade
if I had to highlight one thing here it would be Natalia Lafourcade's singing, her voice is simply stunning and very warm, and her emphasis and the love she gives each word conveys incredible meaning even if you don't understand Spanish, I don't understand Spanish, yet I find myself longing forgiveness from an old lover when listening to El Lugar Correcto, or picturing myself far away from my loved ones and feeling homesick when listening to Caminar Bonito, or attending a bolero show in the front row, as the performer is dancing in circles too close to me that I can feel the subtle wind her movements create in Canta la arena. To add to all of this, gorgeous, beautiful, and pretty instrumentation, consisting mainly of guitar and piano, creates an atmosphere in which you feel as if you are listening to songs that have been passed down through generations, rather than being recorded in the past year or two.
Favorite 3 songs: De Todas Las Flores, Caminar Bonito, Mi manera de querer
5. Once Twice Melody - Beach House
for a band that only makes one genre of music, it's really incredible how diverse the Beach House catalog can get. at some point you start thinking surely now they're running out of ideas when it comes to making dream pop songs, only for them to release a double LP filled with their best work up to date, how? Looking back now, I grew a pair of wings and floated along the clouds in the sky thanks to this album in February when it was released but as time moved onward I found myself even more enamored with this grand golden masterpiece, that brought me to tears on multiple occasions.
Favorite 3 songs: Superstar, New Romance, Finale
4. Melt My Eyez See Your Future - Denzel Curry
Out of the songs that came out this year, I think Walkin was my most played, I know at least for a fact I had it on repeat non-stop for a few weeks when it first came out as the leading single for this album, so as you can imagine I had big expectations. Expectations that Denzel casually surpassed by far, and at this point it's just unfair to compare him to any of his peers, having shown already enough versatility and ability on previous projects, Melt My Eyez See Your Future takes his game to a whole new level and cements his spot in the goat discussion. it's worth pointing out that Zel's pen game is stronger than ever here, delving into themes of personal trauma and growth, referencing occasionally works of fiction such as Star Wars or Cowboy Beepop to draw his own unique aesthetic and image, as he flows along these hard-hitting boom-bap beats at times and laid-back chill jazzy instruments at others, although limiting it to these two categories is massively inaccurate as he adds to the mix other elements from Soul, Pop, Horrorcore and even Trap all the way across the runtime of this album.
Favorite 3 songs: Walkin, Mental (feat. Saul Williams & Bridget Perez), Zatoichi (feat. Slowthai)
3. SICK! - Earl Sweatshirt
SICK! was the anthem of the year, all the way back from January when it was released to the last week of 2022, I had it on rotation. I'll have to admit it's thanks to its short runtime but it does go beyond that. SICK! is the follow-up I've been yearning for ever since Some Rap Songs had Earl and everyone listening to that album broken to pieces of how dark it was... Earl seems to be doing much better now thankfully and it shows in the little package of songs this album has to offer, his delivery is as sharp and on point as ever and the Earl beat selection never disappoints, but what really surprised me is how the two features; Zeeloper and Armand Hammer; seem to blend perfectly amid Earl's sound
Favorite 3 songs: Vision (feat. Zeeloper), Tabula Rasa (feat. Armand Hammer), Fire in the Hole
2. Ants from up there - Black Country, New Road
Up until now, I would've laughed at you if you had told me a song about having a wet dream of Charli XCX would make me shed a tear, but after hearing Basketball Shoes I'd agree with you. In a way, this whole album follows a similar concept, lyrics that are too silly or don't really mean much when read together but as soon as the band starts playing it's a whole different experience and every crushing depressing melancholic, and shivering feeling music is able to conjure pay you a visit. I feel like I can listen to Isaac Woods forever, his unique vocal approach alone serves as an instrument of its own, matter of fact most of the emotions this record provokes are thanks to Isaac's voice, it can very well turn from gentle and toned down to intense and feel like it's on the verge of breaking down at any second, leading to some of the most memorable and emotionally impactful moments on the whole album: the 4:51 mark on The Place Where He inserted the blade, the 4:42 mark on Concorde, and the 11:40 mark on Basketball Shoes to name a few. This might be my number two pick, but believe me when I say that Ants From Up There inhabited my heart and soul for so long that it could easily be one of my favorite albums of all time. I am not kidding when I say I can't live without it
Favorite 3 songs: Concorde, The Place Where He Inserted the Blade, Basketball Shoes
1. Blue Rev - Alvvays
Out of every album on this list, I find Blue Rev the most difficult to talk about, I sort of have this weird sensation that no matter what I write or say I won't be able to accurately express the love I have for this album. It's almost as if Blue Rev was written, recorded, and released for me, so much so that I can use it as a turning point that defined a new era in my life. Anyways, I never saw this coming, I started listening to Alvvays around the past April and quickly became addicted to the two albums they had previously released back in 2014 and 2017 respectively, and as the time marched on, the idea of a third album coming out the year I started listening to this band seemed only like a distant desire, too good to be true. Eventually, the album was announced around the last weeks of June, then released in October, yet I'm still processing the state of awe Blue Rev threw me in that I seem unable to escape, I mean how can something like this actually exist? how is it logical for me to listen to this album almost every day since the day it came out and still not a single song of it has grown off me? I cannot stress enough how emotional Molly's voice paired with those dreamy shoegazey instrumentals makes me, nor how perfect and flawless I find every last aspect of this album, the immediacy and intimacy of it all, the contrast of heartbreak and growth, the existential questions, and the relatable conclusions across these nothing but gorgeous songs. Thank you Alvvays for making my 2022
Favorite 3 songs: Easy on your own?, Velveteen, Belinda Says
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