Artwork by Michael Christy

Another topsy turvy year, by the numbers…

Another year, another soundtrack. At this point, it’s getting hard to keep up. There’s just simply too much music out there to digest.

But as always, we worked backwards and did our best to narrow it down to 50 albums that really stood out and encapsulated this past year in music. And what a strange year it was! On the mainstream level, three storylines stood out. First, Kendrick Lamar’s thorough demolition of Drake. It’ll be talked about and analyzed for generations to come. Second, while Taylor Swift outsold everyone, it was an unlikely trio of other pop girlies who captured the zeitgeist. Chappell Roan, who emerged from relative obscurity off an album released last year to low fanfare, but who’d go on to top charts and set attendance records at every summer music festival. Sabrina Carpenter, essentially an industry veteran at this point, who finally skyrocketed to the top via a very solid album and two of the year’s biggest singles. Charli XCX, the experimental pop weirdo whose album was a cultural phenomenal that defined an entire summer. The final storyline? Oasis is back, baby! Now let’s just hope they make it through the entire tour. I paid a lot for those Rose Bowl tickets.

Of course, in our corner of the musical universe, it’s safe to say that our tastes skewed a bit weirder this year. In fact, every Top 50 list since our first (2019) has gotten progressively weirder. But then again, the world has also gotten weirder. Maybe our tastes are just a reflection of that. Alas!

For the first time ever, I took a closer look at some stats with regards to the artists represented on this list – namely, where each act hails from. While we do strive for diversity in the styles represented, it was pleasing to see some diversity in nationality as well. Feel free to check them out below.

Just under half of the artists operate out of North America: 21 in the U.S. and 2 in Toronto, Canada. Los Angeles was the most represented American city, with five acts currently claiming it as their home base. Of course, New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia are represented, but so are smaller markets like Louisville, Miami, Denver, Asheville, NC, Birmingham, AL, Charleston, SC, and Gary, IN.

The rest of the acts are totally scattered across the globe, although The U.K. is extremely well-represented; London alone claims a whopping 10 artists on the list – the most of any city. Meanwhile, eastern Europe (Germany, Poland) has a few, Stockholm, Sweden has a couple, and Japan and South Korea each have one apiece. Australia has three artists, each hailing from a different city: Melbourne, Sydney, and Gold Coast. Finally, South America has three artists represented – two from Brazil, one from Argentina.

I don’t know exactly what the point of sharing all this data was, but I suppose it does demonstrate that the indie music sphere – or most genres in general – have truly transcended geographical boundaries. With how widespread the internet and social media has become, anyone can find creative inspiration from any corner of the globe at the tap of a button. While the internet has certainly accelerated this weird spiral that is life, it’s also allowed artists to tap into sounds and styles that might not have been as accessible even several years ago. Inspiration-wise, there isn’t as much separating artists creatively – other than their own unique, lived-in experiences. And that’s where the true beauty of the music can be found. Because no matter how weird things get, we’re all experiencing it together and sharing our feelings about it. Put it in a song, even better.

50. Korea Town Acid – In Motion

Exactly as its title suggests, In Motion truly never lets up. On her polished, glistening fourth album, the Seoul-born, Toronto-based DJ producer Jessica Cho, aka Korea Town Acid, harnesses an intricate array of glitch hop, jazz, footwork, and jungle – painting with a wide and colorful brush and a finesse that feels both unpredictable and totally infectious.

Opening track “dis-co-theque” delivers a twitchy hip-hop beat packed with samples of ‘90s party synths and chopped-up vocal refrains. From there, “No Hard Feelings” introduces a lounge pop feel backed by skeletal jungle beats, layering jazzy piano and sax samples over warped basslines for a vibe that’s cool and transfixing. At every step, Cho demonstrates an inventive approach to structuring beats; funky grooves, imaginative samples, and momentum-shifting rhythmic detours that keep the listener on edge while also giving them exactly what they want. Tracks like “Malibu” utilize jazz horns and amen breaks to conjure a sense of urgency, while “Closed Doors” and “Heads Up” nod to Detroit footwork and ghettotech with their spliced vocal clips and techno time signatures. Altogether, Korea Town Acid’s stuff is ripe for the picking, and In Motion hits the sweet spot. -Jeff Cubbison

49. Mannequin Pussy – I Got Heaven

I’ve Got Heaven begins with Marisa Dabice’s raging screams, which she suddenly casts aside, giving way to a delicate chorus – like the wind before a storm on a hot summer day. Mannequin Pussy is warning us: a storm is coming.

The title track demonstrates the band’s fluidity. “I’m stuck inside my loneliness, I’m stuck inside my grief,” she howls. She’s fighting the battle between rage and sadness – feelings people often forget coexist and can’t exist without each another. On “Loud Bark,” they flip the script – soft to hard – which continues throughout the record. I’ve Got Heaven feels like a cycle of being consumed by fury: first you kick a wall, then crumble to your knees in tears, only to later be giggling on your couch at how silly it all was – all that rage. From the late-‘90s pop song “Nothing Like” to the the yearning “Softly,” the record explores themes of control – a word used 13 times in “Of Her.” They want to regain control, and they want to lose it. “Split Me Open” is wiser, settled from the ashes, honest and longing for love – with the power of a thousand burning suns burning ‘til one. Dabice screams on repeat, “nothing’s gonna change.” And then the record ends, and everyone’s changed. -Kelly Kerrigan

48. twikipedia – For the Rest of Your Life

I love when music radiates genuine creativity and joy for the form. The joy of twikipedia, a DIY artist hailing from Rio de Janeiro, is that they feel unbound from stifling anxiety and doubt. Their fourth album, the hard stylistic pivot for the rest of your life, captures the feeling of creating for the pure love of it. There are a lot of risks taken in every song that may not work if they weren’t so confidently and boldly executed. 

None of this may be true. It could have been a tortured process full of pain and doubt, but it doesn’t translate to the finished product. The flow of each song sounds so natural and effortless, and the mid-2000s, Guitar Pro-style midi instrumentation only builds on the feeling of not being bound by the strictures of budget, space, or personnel. Even though the instrumentation on for the rest of your life is noticeably digital, twikipedia creates a rich, textured sound that never feels stilted or plastic. -Seena Ratcliffe

47. Saramalacara – Heráldica

Hip-hop has never been a more dominant global force. Take Argentinian collective RIP GANG, whose members have been pumping out visionary projects that push the boundaries of rap for a new, terminally online generation. Now its latest breakout star – producer, singer, and rapper Saramalacara – has made an emphatic mark with her utterly galvanizing debut LP Heráldica.

The poignant beauty of the album lies in how she corrals emo rap, rock, and rave into an emotionally-charged highlight reel; majestic drum and bass on “Más Feliz,” trance and goth synths on the ghostly confessional “.tumblr,” Hatsune Miku’s hyperpop and dark web aesthetics on “10percs,” the pulse-pounding cinematic swell of “_cuervos,” and the chopped-up Linkin Park sample on “Tokio Hotel.” All along, Saramalacara peels back her vulnerabilities through haunting verses, concluding with the surging shoegaze anthem “tu droga,” in which she pleads “no necesito tu droga” (“I don’t need your drug”) – a cathartic departing message signifying the turning of a new leaf. With Heráldica, Saramalacara dissects the nostalgia of her past, parses the anxiety of a lawless digital future, and copes with her own plight in an industry that takes more than it gives. If her ambition is as potent as her clarity, then her worldwide ascension is imminent. -JC

46. Kneecap – Fine Art

West Belfast trio Kneecap are a fiery cauldron of political defiance, cultural pride, and calculated chaos on their galvanizing sophomore LP Fine Art. Comprised of rappers Mo Chara and Móglaí Bap, along with balaclava-clad DJ Próvaí, the group seamlessly blends modern and old-school hip-hop, garage, jungle, drill, and techno into an anarchic but cohesive statement. 

Switching fluidly between English and Irish, their storytelling is vivid – laced with sardonic humor, and steeped in the spirit of rebellion and debauchery. Tracks like “I bhFiacha Linne” dive headfirst into the bleak realities of Belfast’s drug trade, pairing dark, zig-zagging synths and flickering hi-hats with hard-nosed imagery of retribution and chaos. “I’m Flush” erupts as a hardstyle breakbeat anthem, celebrating the hedonistic highs of being loaded on drugs. But Fine Art isn’t all about sordid tales and partying. Kneecap use their music as a rallying cry, channeling their Irish heritage, the working-class experience, and the Republican fight for reunification into their verses. Beneath the humor and energy lies sharp political subversion, making their work as meaningful as it is relentless. Heavy is the head that wears the crown, but with Fine Art, Kneecap prove they’re born to bear the weight. Good thing they’ve got the proper “supplies” to take the edge off a bit. -JC

45. Nubya Garcia – Odyssey

Escapism is the central theme shared within Nubya Garcia’s brilliant latest album Odyssey. Fans seeking a more articulate form of the medium have come to the right place. Filled with catchy jazz-funk progressions, listeners are easily transported while also tempered with a sense of fluid space. Throughout, each song reaches a welcoming hand out – an expressive invite to a poetic translation of endless interpretations. When the instrumentals hit, they remain a foundational guide for the gliding vocals to come for that aesthetic appeal. 

The track “Set It Free” is a prime example of such exemplary musicianship that promotes a genuine hopeful soul of creativity. Jazz initiates much of the album’s key songs, such as “In Other Words” and “Living,” and acts as a keen welcome mat to the comfort Nubya has in store within Odyssey’s boundaries. Her unique pairing of all aspects of vocalizations and instrumentals are what give this collection a sense of original grace. This musician proves that the most intricate, creative endeavors can also just sound pretty damn amazing all the same. Fans will be, and are, here for it. -Myles Hunt

44. Jawnino – 40

Jawnino’s debut mixtape 40 is as calmly beguiling as it is murky and raw. The rising south London rapper oscillates between high-energy bangers and intricate ballads, weaving through layers of U.K. hip-hop, grime, breakbeat, and cloud rap with nocturnal flair. Here, gritty realism and introspection is the name of the game.

Tracks like “Dance2” showcase Jawnino’s meditative, stream-of-consciousness flow over flickering breakbeats, hazy piano melodies, and bubbling basslines. Meanwhile, “Lost My Brain” channels jungle and grime grooves through squiggly synths and simmering bass, slowly evolving into a frenetic EDM burst. The zoned-out “Short Stories” features underground rap mainstay MIKE, who adds another layer of depth to Jawnino’s vivid storytelling. And then there’s “Wind,” an ethereal ballad full of poetic musings that look inward, with the vocal refrain “let it be, let it be” underscoring a feeling of acceptance in the face of great change. The tape ends on a trifecta of remixes from producers evilgiane, One Bock, and Airhead, transforming 40’s raw emotion into an adrenalized finale. At its core, 40 captures the cyclical nature of Jawnino’s life, as he falls back into old patterns and routines while grappling with newfound fame and fortune. Both self-aware and brutally honest, it cements Jawnino’s place as a future voice in U.K. rap who is unafraid to tell it like it is. -Kaya Haskins

43. DJ Sabrina The Teenage DJ – Hex

Hex can best be described as joy. The record drifts within its own acid-laced fever dream, inviting listeners to groove alongside it for two hours – a relatively short runtime by DJ Sabrina standards, especially compared to last year’s four hour behemoth Destiny. None of the tracks stay in one lane for long; they layer on themselves, introducing a flood of seemingly random samples, and you never quite know what’s gonna hit next. 

The album’s opener “Come In, Carmen” is an epic, upbeat dance floor pop ballad, which is then followed by “This Station,” a track that jitters through a flute solo and a surreal, videogame-esque backing track. No matter the track, the record consistently itches the part of your brain that loves the texture of gooey beats and warped electronic voices. It’s unpredictability makes it that much more satisfying as the project moves through itself. Pulling from a diverse range of sources, DJ Sabrina the Teenage DJ expertly produces a soundscape that is equal parts nostalgic, luscious, and otherworldly. -Makaila Heifner

42. 2K88 – Shame

Some of the best rap and ambient electronic is coming out of…Poland? On Shame, producer 2K88 – Przemysław Jankowiak, formerly known as 1988 – departs from his former rap-heavy projects to lean into a sprawling electronic tapestry spanning dub, house, and jungle, while still incorporating Polish trap textures throughout. 

For lack of speaking or understanding Polish, and unable to find any lyrics posted online, there’s no way to clarify if the lyrics are poetic or anything but gibberish. But the flows are satisfying even to an untrained ear. It’s simultaneously fresh while maintaining a slight Y2K aesthetic, and draws similarities from the hip-hop of other former-Bloc countries. With its dark and stunningly heavy beats and reverb, it could very well be the soundtrack for a contemporary Trainspotting-type film, or a journey through one of Berlin’s dungeon clubs. 2K88’s Shame seamlessly blends electronic subgenres at the forefront of Polish rap to create an immersive and almost familiar sound for an international audience. As Poland’s electronic and hip-hop scenes continue to grow, 2K88 will remain at the forefront to push boundaries and redefine the constraints of genres. -Makaila Heifner

41. Nilüfer Yanya – My Method Actor

Nilüfer Yanya is just plain cool. On her third record, the 29-year-old Brit effortlessly represents her generation at a time when it’s easier to be anywhere but where you really are. My Method Actor is a genuine and personal stand against any and all distraction from the truth with a beautiful, deep hum coming from its core. The strength in its poetry comes from intentional reflection without the nerves or anxiety to poison the stream of intimate expression. 

It sounds like how a single candle in a dark room feels. How can you deny the grungy bedroom pop that mirrors her tough and tender tone? Yanya’s melodies are so good that they could easily be sold to sequined pop radio rats, but we can be thankful for her brooding guitar that colors these songs in earthly tones and make the project feel less polished in a completely satisfying way. “Like I Say (I runaway)” is a winner, and the pitted desire in “Just A Western” is alluring enough to make a listener reconsider everything. It’s clearly the work of someone that listened to Radiohead and Robyn and didn’t get too weird about it, thank goodness. -Jacob McAdams

40. Kelly Lee Owens – Dreamstate

A sonic journey through the world of house, techno and emotive electronic music, U.K. producer Kelly Lee Owens returned with another stunning production in the form of Dreamstate. Working alongside producers Tom Rowland of The Chemical Brothers and George Daniel of The 1975, this album showcases Owens’ refined approach to melding her ethereal vocals with textured electronic beats. Tracks like “Love You Got” and “Time To” explore a range of sonic spaces, from Berlin techno to drum and bass, giving the album a dynamic flow reminiscent of a live DJ set rather than a traditional dance-pop structure.

The album as a whole presents a “brightmare” quality – vivid yet dreamlike, tapping into both joy and longing. Songs like “Sunshine” and the title track “Dreamstate” emphasize repetitive, almost hypnotic beats and layers, grounding the listener in an immersive experience that blends ambient and euphoric vibes. Owens’ restrained yet impactful vocals offer a haunting presence that guides listeners through a cohesive vision, setting Dreamstate apart as an evolution in her style. It may take repeat listens for it to warm up to the level of 2020’s Inner Song – but then again, that one was nothing short of a masterpiece. -AG

39. Black Decelerant – Reflections Vol. 2: Black Decelerant

Charleston duo Black Decelerant – comprised of Khari Lucas, aka Contour, and Omari Jazz – create a meditative haven on Reflections Vol. 2: Black Decelerant. This intimate ambient masterclass operates without drums, weaving hypnotic tones and instrumental jazz textures into a serene electronic sound collage. The album exists at the intersection of the natural world and a digital utopia, offering a transcendent sonic exploration of Black history, identity, and culture.

Tracks like “Three” conjure tranquil landscapes, with waves of keyboard tones and soft strings evoking a misty lakeside at dawn. “One” balances silky piano notes, warbling bass, and kaleidoscopic synths that feel transportive, while “Four” closes the album with a swirl of ASMR-like synths and awe-inspiring crescendos that soothingly brush the ears – a sonic rebirth brimming with vitality. Akin to the spirit of the early Romantic poets, the album feels sparse yet expansive, inviting isolation, introspection, and inner peace. Its fluctuating energy whisks listeners to a metaphysical realm, where strength and vulnerability coexist. Reflections Vol. 2 isn’t just deeply felt music; it’s a mood board, a ruminative escape that’s existential yet deeply grounded, challenging the natural world order by asking us to transcend ourselves and reconsider our limits. -JC

38. Ghost Dubs – Damaged

Fizzy, foggy, and grimy in its aura, Damaged marks a compelling debut under the Ghost Dubs moniker for Stuttgart producer Michael Fiedler – known previously for his dub reggae work as Tokyo Tower and Jah Shulz. Released on Pressure, the independent label led by Keith Martin, aka The Bug, Damaged wades ominously into dub techno’s murky waters, weaving Fiedler’s expertise in hazy atmospherics with a new, darker edge. The album’s signature style combines minimalistic, clanging percussion with dragging ambient and drone, creating soundscapes that pulsate with eerie vitality.

Standout track “The Regulator” embodies this with its industrial throb, layering warbling beats over amorphous basslines. The track feels alive like a heartbeat, softly building intensity in unpredictable waves. On “Second Thoughts,” Fiedler explores tension in a more spacious arrangement, where simmering bass and off-kilter kick drums pulse in and out, leaving listeners on edge and suspended in the gaps between each beat. With Damaged, Fiedler crafts a hauntingly sparse and atmospheric journey through dub techno. The immersive sound design and fragmented rhythms make for an LP that’s both hypnotic and slightly unsettling, proving Ghost Dubs to be an intriguing and enigmatic project to keep an eye on. -JC

37. Friko – Where we’ve been, Where we go from here

Indie rock had a strong 2024, and Friko’s Where we’ve been, Where we go from here was a shining light. The rising Chicago group harmonizes in an anxious yell that flows along with instrumental bumps and grinds, capturing the angst and imagination of its listeners. It is head-banging music for the fan who wants to bash their heads through the wall but with a bouquet of flowers readily in hand. 

“Get Numb To It!” is a great starting point for that desired energy. The beauty of this band is their ability to leap into epic ballads that showcase their musicianship as well as genre-expanding filler. “For Ella” is soft yet begging for a yearning sensation that will keep the tears just at bay, if only for a moment. Strings and pianos pierce through with grace that sorrow cannot place, yet longs for. Listeners are given a wide array of genre paths thanks to this band’s exploratory sensations of sounds. The band tries everything in the book, especially with instrumental pairings, and it pays off. Listeners who are eager for sonic variety and cleansing emotional connection will be in heaven with this album. Find solace in the anger, sadness and joy that pertains to each individual as 2024 ends and an uncertain 2025 begins. -Myles Hunt

36. TURQUOISEDEATH – Kaleidoscope

Rising from the forum threads of the internet’s musical underground, London teenager TURQUOISEDEATH now counts as one of the most imaginative, forward-thinking producers working in the jungle and drum and bass sphere – with a growing body of work that continues to mold atmospheric breaks into a blissful swirl of shoegaze.

Following on the heals of last year’s breathtaking Se Bueno, TURQ-DEATH levels up again on new album Kaleidoscope, with songs that go bigger and target a wider range of sounds and emotions. The opening ambient swell of “Entrance” gives way to a run of tracks that oscillate between bleary, buoyant beauty and raw, rapid-fire intensity. Songs like “Hold Tight” and “Lullaby” gently float and waft like ASMR against flickering amen breaks; serene, but full of energy and uplift. And then there’s tracks like “Subterrane” and “Leviathan Sanctuary,” which morph into pounding, static-laced trance and breakcore bangers. It all culminates with the soaring shoegaze post-rock ballad “So Far Away,” followed by 10-minute chillwave epic “Underneath,” the prettiest one-two final punch on any album this year. With Kaleidoscope, TURQUOISEDEATH sounds like they’re levitating and plunging through a gauzy, celestial technicolor dreamscape. Take a gander at the album cover. It sounds like THAT. -JC

35. Chief Keef – Almighty So 2

As an artist, Chief Keef doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone. On a personal level, what he needed was a redemption story. Turns out, the two arcs are inextricably linked. Over the past decade, Keef has transformed from the bad boy pioneer of Soundcloud to the scene’s elder statesman, and he finds an extra gear on Almighty So 2, the sequel to his infamous 2013 cult mixtape. Like his earlier work, it’s possible that we might not grasp its influence for years to come. 

Keef’s production sounds laser-focused, hive-minded, and hurtling towards a dangerous future. Gothic, grandiose beats and chilling verses work in tandem through sobering epiphanies, cold hard truths, bare-knuckled motivation. On “Two Trim,” ominous pianos and stuttering hi-hats clash with no-nonsense self-reflection: “Shout out to my mans, I mean shout out to my friends/ If they shot your ass once, they’ll shoot your ass again.” On “Jesus,” Keef recounts relocating from Chicago to L.A. – a move that turned his life around and gave him his shot at a legacy – underscored with a diabolical beat switch from inspiring ballad to imposing banger. Once again, Chief Keef evolves his bombastic brand of drill to stratospheric new heights, remaining two steps ahead of the game at all times. -JC

34. Xylitol – Anemones

Catherine Backhouse, the Brighton-based producer behind Xylitol, redefines jungle on her mesmerizing new album Anemones. While rooted in the genre’s signature breakbeats, Anemones trades high-octane chaos for a more nuanced approach, weaving in ambient textures, garage grooves, IDM intricacies, and footwork energy. The result is a sound that feels botanical and aquatic – like a sonic dive through kelp beds on the ocean floor.

Anemones finds a balance between fast-paced beats and a comforting warmth, creating a vibe that feels nostalgic and futuristic all at once. Tracks like “Okka” mix spastic amen breaks with mellow, glitchy new age grooves, offering an unexpectedly soothing experience. “Miha” layers fizzing atmospherics and an infectious synth loop over mid-tempo MPC breaks, creating a calming, almost meditative pulse. Meanwhile, “Dubro Jutro” leans into effervescent synthesizers and 2-step beats, evoking both velocity and tranquility. With its experimental looseness and improvisational spirit, Anemones feels like a window into Xylitol’s creative process – a fluid exploration that remains perfectly cohesive while still indulging in unpredictable, momentum-shifting detours at will. It’s an album that operates at a “just right” energy, balancing fast tempos with placid melodies while never overwhelming the listener. If Goldilocks were a raver, Anemones would be her ultimate jam. -JC

33. Envy – Eunoia

There are few songs or albums that I truly will push to get people to listen to. I truly don’t care if someone doesn’t listen to something I suggest. But when Eunoia came out, I bothered our dear, fearless leader at Impose consistently over the period of weeks to listen to it. The day he told me that he listened to it and loved it, I was more relieved than anything. Nothing could be worse than pestering someone that much only for them to tell you that it wasn’t worth their time. 

Eunoia is such an interesting and loving synthesis of Envy’s 32-year lifespan as a band. It hops around genre and style between songs as if it’s nothing. Eunoia showcases an astounding amount of skill and versatility, from the manic, thrashing, proggy thrills of “Whiteout,” to the anthemic earnestness that bookend the album with “January’s Dusk” and “Imagination and Creation,” to the mystery and wonder that surround “Beyond the Raindrops” and “Lingering Light,” to the single best transition I’ve heard this year in the bridge of “The Night and the Void.” To show this amount of passion and vigor in your art more than three decades in is stunning. -Seena Ratcliffe

32. Denzel Curry – King of the Mischievous South Vol. 2

Florida rapper Denzel Curry has spent the better part of the past decade releasing concept-driven albums that transcend genres, showcasing his deeply considered approach to storytelling. From 2018’s critically acclaimed TA13OO to 2020’s Unlocked with Kenny Beats and 2022’s Melt My Eyez See Your Future, Curry’s meticulous artistry has consistently set him apart from his peers in the 2016 XXL Freshman class. His latest album King of the Mischievous South Vol. 2, sequel to his 2012 self-released mixtape, further underscores his versatility, and traces a path from his early career output to 2024.

This guest-heavy release feels deliberately looser, but Curry’s chameleon-like adaptability elevates it to remarkable heights. Tracks like “ULTRA SHXT” and “SKED” tap into the raw energy of his Dirty South lineage, bolstered by memorable contributions from legends like Project Pat and Juicy J, and incredibly compelling production that reveals new layers upon repeated listening. Even with the album’s grab-bag feel, Curry’s commanding presence serves as a through-line even as it leans into its playful, low-stakes, near posse cypher-vibe. The album’s standout track, “HOT ONE,” features an electrifying, scene-stealing verse from TiaCorine, encapsulating the energy and collaborative spirit of the project. -Chris Cubbison

31. Tim Reaper & Kloke – In Full Effect

If you were lucky enough to grow up in the UK in the ‘90s and early ‘00s, then drum and bass and jungle are likely to have a place in your heart. Tim Reaper and Kloke’s In Full Effect is a dynamic debut that signals a potent collaboration between two artists shaping jungle and DnB for the modern era. Although they work on opposite sides of the globe – Reaper from England and Kloke from Australia – these two artists are united by their fresh take on jungle’s legacy and future potential. Hyperdub, a label long associated with UK bass and dubstep, hasn’t released a jungle album in its two-decade history, making In Full Effect a milestone as well as a natural fit within its broader sonic explorations.

The album’s eight tracks pulse with a mix of peak-time energy and atmospheric intricacy. From the opener “Continuities,” with its scuffed beats and expansive, ambient pads, to the jagged rhythms of “Blood Pressure,” the record showcases each producer’s unique touch while merging their strengths into a cohesive journey. The tracks blur boundaries, merging hardcore, darkside, and jungle influences, while capturing the rawness of early ‘90s rave. “Alienation” is a standout, with eerie atmospheres that recall Source Direct. It’s an album that does more than hark back to glory days – it’s a genuine effort to push jungle forward into the new sonic frontier. -AG

30. Stay Inside – Ferried Away

In the not-so-distant past, the world collectively underwent a loss of community – a trauma that we are only now beginning to have the time and space to grapple with. As we emerged into a changed world, returning to traditions and rebuilding social networks, an angst built up around a “return to normal” (read, “return to the way things were”). With this comes the toil of reconnection as well as grief for the lost relationships that will never be the same. This anxiety, exemplified simply by lyrics like, “I miss you, but I don’t have the time” or “Somewhere I lost track, of someone I won’t get back,” are central to the themes and emotions explored on Stay Inside’s excellent sophomore album Ferried Away. 

Hailing from Brooklyn – a scene not known for emo – and espousing a New York City-for-life swagger, on Ferried Away, Stay Inside move on from the post-hardcore of 2020’s Viewing by embracing past influences. In an interview with Stereogum, guitarist-vocalist Chris Johns called Interpol his “favorite band of all time.” As a result, the album’s introspection is paired with a kinder, more pleasant-sounding emo, embracing the anthemic nature of pop-punk and the sentimentality of indie rock all the while exploring the sadness of our newfound estrangement. While the subject is heavy and may be something we have yet to fully comprehend, Ferried Away still somehow feels hopeful, a reminder to “get out of my own way” and call/check in on those that I love. -Michael Christy

29. Jlin – Akoma

Jlin’s third album, Akoma, is an exploration of rhythm that demands your attention in its entirety. It’s percussion-heavy, boundary-pushing, and pace-setting. It’s a sound built in the bones of Gary, Indiana – the home of producer and composer Jerrilynn Patton, a.k.a. Jlin. To the uninitiated, Akoma introduces Jlin’s pioneering and experimental electronic textures. She drives percussive elements and syncopated complexity to their outermost bounds. 

Our entry point is “Borealis,” where premeditated glitches and truncated melodies run free. Sawtoothed sounds interlock with a disembodied voice, presumably Björk’s. Melodies and rhythms break before they become too familiar. “Sodalite” features Kronos Quartet’s strings in conversation with Jlin’s spiky and sandpapery pulses. Technological motifs churn in and out with near-constant forward momentum. Like a Möbius strip, Philip Glass’s piano and Jlin’s rhythms dance on “The Precision of Infinity.” Her songs are progressive and narrative. There are glimmers of her footwork roots on “Speed of Darkness” and “Open Canvas.” This music is not made for the dancefloor, nor even for the casual listener. Marching band cadences are in superhuman form in “Challenge (To Be Continued II).” Chimes hang in thin air on “Summon,” the most sinister track by far. Later, “Granny’s Cherry Pie” provides airy, almost cheerful relief. Akoma offers uncharted topography over 11 songs. Time signatures flip on a switch, and tempos aerate. Jlin is a force of nature: singular, trailblazing, and mathy. A must-listen for fans of Chicago footwork, Björk techno, and minimal classical. -Alexandra Howard

28. Skee Mask – Resort

Perhaps it’s not normal for an electronic producer to stay off social media and keep their music off Spotify, but Skee Mask isn’t a normal electronic producer. Bryan Muller is a German artist who’s more than adept at constructing straightforward techno heaters, but chooses to spend his albums inventing new electronic genres on every track. Resort is no exception. Although it doesn’t boast the driving heft of Pool or Compro before it, it opts for something equally effervescent and more hypnotic, resulting in the artist’s most painterly album yet. It’s loop-based music that never actually repeats itself – calming even at its most propulsive, and deceptively complex.

Skee Mask’s amorphous sound owes a lot to dub techno, and per usual, Resort sees him treating each song’s echo chamber as a liquid canvas. The ambient “Nostalglitch” floats through ghostly nebulae with the fleeting guidance of a bassline that sounds like Boards of Canada reincarnating 25 years later, and the skittering IDM of “Daytime Gamer” feels like sailing on an inner tube through a low-gravity waterslide. True to the album title, the vibe towards the end of Resort coalesces to something befitting a getaway to coastal, cliffside pools; it sounds like crisp wind, panoramic views, and an air of possibility. It’s not what you’d expect to get out of such a virtuosic, stylistically adventurous electronic album, but you never know quite what to expect from Skee Mask anyway. -John Warlick

27. Nala Sinephro – Endlessness

Nala Sinephro’s Endlessness is a sweeping expanse lying somewhere between a jazz record and the inspiration for the next melancholy indie blockbuster. The Brussels-born, London-based musician expertly layers each track on the album to flow easily between one another, briefly landing on inspirations of psychedelia, glimpses at electronic, and more traditional elements of classical and jazz. 

While some jazz purists may see this project as a strange bastardization of the genre, others will find Endlessness to be a unique and beautiful ode to the jazz of yesterday that also breathes new life into it. Every track – titled “Continuum” and followed by the number in which it lives on the list – was produced, mixed, and arranged by Sinephro herself. She also plays the harp, piano, and synths throughout the album, and enlists help from friends and other jazz musicians from the London scene to fill out her sound. Nala Sinephro dares to challenge jazz to extend itself into a more contemporary sound. Where she may lack many comparisons in today’s scene, she is sure to bring new musicians into her world, and continue to shape the next iteration of the genre’s future. -Makaila Heifner

26. Two Shell – Two Shell

“Our pranks don’t mean we’re not sincere,” Two Shell conveyed to The Guardian ahead of the release of their long-awaited debut LP. Anyone who’s seen the masked-anonymous duo tenderly embrace each other during live performances would understand just how much the project means to them. But with their penchant for shenanigans – using imposters for DJ sets, AI-generated FKA twigs vocals on a track, and meme-ing themselves into oblivion – you’d be forgiven for thinking otherwise. But on Two Shell, the mysterious UK breakbeat unit sets the record straight with the most cohesive, crowd-pleasing, and downright heartfelt release of their career.

Their ability to sample and manipulate vocals remains unmatched. On “⊹gimmi it,” a chirpy voice is chopped, bit-crushed, rearranged, and fused into melancholic piano notes and twitchy blast beats. The result is an anthem of intense euphoria and mangled chaos – a sugar rush of emotion within every moment of hysteria. On yearning ballad “Stars..” an autotuned voice pines “I’m a little beat up but I’m still beating, and I don’t mind the stars if it leads to you,” over a surge of bittersweet IDM. They also indulge their knack for dark web hyperpop on “Everybody Worldwide,” and yet, there’s not a single gimmick to be found. On Two Shell, the duo lift the veil and show their cult followers who they really are. Behind the masks, visual bells and whistles, and the occasional trolling, there’s a beating human heart that’s impossible to not connect with. -JC

25. Blood Incantation – Absolute Elsewhere

Absolute Elsewhere is, to put it bluntly, a god damn trip. It starts in familiar territory, but very quickly launches you through space and time. As you sling shot around unseen gravitational forces and tumble through wormholes, you start out bewildered – a castaway on the galactic sea, keeping your finite body afloat, while drowning the infinite of your soul. Shadows pass before your eyes, warping and gliding to and fro, only to dissipate before they can set. You are pulled back aboard a passing ship where you slowly gain your senses and start to grasp the voyage you’re on; an orphan of the cosmos aboard a ship whose crew are either keeping you ignorant of your destination or don’t know themselves. You start to realize that this is digging up memories long since buried, sating itches that you didn’t know you had, and, only when you’ve whetted your appetite for the infinite, the journey is over. You’re shackled once again to your earth-bound cage of a body, only moments after gaining your sea legs. You rush back to find the parts you could certainly pick out as memorable, but it doesn’t have the same effect. You try to listen to just one song, but it is a pale simulacrum of the sensation you realize is now only a memory of a memory. You realize you must rest and tide yourself over until you can board that vessel once more and separate your consciousness from your lowly corporeality once more, and hurl it into the vast macrocosm upon the good ship Absolute Elsewhere. -Seena Ratcliffe

24. Total Blue – Total Blue

The self-titled LP from Total Blue is a new age release for the ages. On their debut album, the Los Angeles trio achieves a spiritual and sonic nirvana through a collection of nine lush, soothing, surreal tracks. The end result lulls listeners into a retro-futuristic dream world full of psychedelic arrangements, glassy instrumentals, heady beats, and jam band grooves.

Opener “The Path” establishes that Total Blue sounds like so many things at once, but contains a sonic fiber that connects everything into one homespun package. Tribal ambient courses through effervescent chimes, bending bass synths, and mechanical, percussive tapping. Progressive electronic consumes “Corsair” with its hollow drum loops and digital IDM flickers, while nu-jazz layers unfold through fluttery saxophone notes and jagged slap bass. Neo-psychedelia and dub emerge from the hypnotic grooves of “Heart of the World,” evoking the refreshing sensation of a nocturnal jam session deep in the heart of a jungle. As the album progresses, the trio of Total Blue keep everything intact with their dynamic, telepathic performance chops. On “Chaparral,” vaporwave and slushwave flourishes calmly balance new age guitar chords and celestial synth tones with tranquilizing effect. Every element of Total Blue – whether it’s a disparate, far-flung sample or a perfectly-layered instrumental – is in lockstep with one another, dedicated to a sound that’s as comfy and inviting as it is experimental and forward-thinking. It’s very much the product of three musicians sharing a hive mind. -JC

23. The Cure – Songs of a Lost World

“The Cure’s new single [“A Fragile Thing”] is really good,” a friend promised. And they were right. By the time Songs Of A Lost World was released, there’d been enough musings from music-nerds and Cure fans, spreading the word that their first studio album in sixteen years truly rocks. 

It’s full of The Cure’s classics: Robert Smith’s inquisitive poetry, Simon Gallup’s crooning basslines, and lengthy ballads about what is and what may never be. The record, according to Smith, is part one of a three-part collection – bridging harrowing grief and joy. Songs Of A Lost World is etched in aging, endings, and regret: “I never thought I’d need to feel regret for all I never was/ But all this time alone has left me hurt and sad and lost,” Smith sings on “A Fragile Thing.” In an interview with NPR, Stephen Thompson asked Smith, “As a greedy and entitled Cure fan, I have to ask: What took so long?” to which he replied, “There’s no such thing as a greedy and entitled Cure fan…the short answer is, I have no idea.” But the non-greedy, non-entitled Cure fan knows that this record is drenched in grief through its heartbreaking beauty and texture, and also understands why Songs Of A Lost World may have taken forever to be released. The album begins with the lyrics, “This is the end of every song that we sing,” and it ends with a three-track-run that brings us back to the beginning. -Kelly Kerrigan

22. Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross – Challengers

In the nearly 15 years since Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross made their film scoring debut with their Academy Award-winning effort for The Social Network, the duo has cemented their reputation as masters of translating and elevating their collaborators’ artistic visions across any sound or genre. And their original score for Luca Guadagnino’s exceptional, carnal tennis thriller Challengers marks an interesting, nearly full circle moment for their journey as musicians and artists. 

While the two have never shown a reluctance in methodically evolving their sound and approach since its beginnings, Challengers (Original Score) stands as a testament to their deep reverence for dance music and culture. Reznor – long vocal about celebrating the group’s lineage and early influences in similar shape-shifting groups and artists like Depeche Mode and Kraftwerk – joins Ross in elevating the film’s breakneck, competitive nature, youthful arrogance, and deepening interpersonal drama between the film’s three leads (played by Zendaya, Josh O’Conner, and Mike Faist). Light on its feet, equally accelerative as it is playfully curious, and always dominating on-serve, the score’s highlights like “Challengers: Match Point” and “Brutalizer 2” incorporate colorful arpeggios, driving rhythms, and sweeping synths to ratchet up tensions before exploding. Game, set, match. -Chris Cubbison

21. samlrc – A Lonely Sinner

Some music can’t be put into a box – especially when actual boxes are involved. Sometimes, it takes a true outsider with a singular vision and particular life experience to produce that. Enter samlrc, a young Brazilian bedroom musician whose fourth LP A Lonely Sinner has captivated the internet’s DIY underground. Functionally, Sinner is post-rock in its scope and diversity, but between the notes, it unfolds into a vast collage; chamber folk, drone, shoegaze, ambient, metal, slacker rock, plunderphonics, and lots of sheep imagery.

Its longing spirit shines in a pair of 12-minute epics: “Philautia” and “Storge.” The former features swelling rhythms crashing into strings and guitars in pensive, bittersweet waves. The latter journeys through molten layers of shoegaze and drone, exuding terror and defiance. “Sinner” opens with cooing vocals, dueling guitars, and baa-ing sheep samples before exploding into a wall of noise. Wonder, agony, or triumph at every turn. To better understand samlrc’s unique approach, look at her Bandcamp notes. Recorded in a bedroom with a BM-800 microphone, BMG interface, guitars, harmonica, tambourine, flute, boxes, soda cans, violin bow, and “samples from songs I love” – Björk, Low, Swans, even the Silent Hill soundtrack and Princess Mononoke theme. Every element helps convey her vision and speak her truth. Sinner is about making sense of life, overcoming hurdles, and finding love in an increasingly confusing world. Its sounds channel the beautifully ugly mess that is life and the light at the end of the tunnel. Or, as samlrc more succinctly puts it, “an album about a sheep experiencing love in its nature.” -JC

20. Adrianne Lenker – Bright Future

Recorded, mixed, and mastered on tape, Adrianne Lenker’s sixth album Bright Future is a capsule of preserved emotions. Like bugs trapped in amber, songs are warm and staticky in the wholeness of analog. She holds up a mirror to grief’s ever-presence, asking us to see the brighter side. In the mundane, in the sea and the sky, and in the dim candlelight, how can we alchemize longing into a gift? 

The album starts and ends with a poignant lump in the throat over the piano. “Real House” opens with a diaristic entry. “Ruined” closes on the cusp of falling apart; her voice is about to break. The feelings swell up on “Sadness As a Gift” and into laughter on “Fool.” She hits a romantic stride on the back-to-back run of “No Machine,” “Free Treasure,” and “Vampire Empire.” For fans of Big Thief’s polished version of the latter, we get a playful lyric change: “I’m the fish, and she’s my gills.” Feelings ebb through wordplay on “Evol” and “Donut Seam.” Feelings float up to the surface. “Already Lost” is raw, delightful, and urgent: “The mirror is your eye on mine.” Lenker’s lyricism is like a kite tethered to the ground on a windy day – buoyant, intimate yet unfettered, and bewitching with each turn of phrase. Crackles of imperfection, parlor instruments, and purity of emotion set this album apart. Bright Future isn’t overworked. Here, Lenker is at her best, and it’s earned her first solo Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album. -Alexandra Howard

19. SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE – YOU’LL HAVE TO LOSE SOMETHING

Ever get that feeling when things are going well, that something bad is lurking around the corner? And even that feeling of anticipation can’t brace you for when it hits? If there was ever a band to convey that frazzled state of mind, it’s Spirit of the Beehive. On its surface, the Philadelphia psych-punk trio’s fourth LP You’ll Have To Lose Something captures some of the prettiest sounding music they’ve ever put to record. But while there’s a sonic lightness to it, it’s still an extremely abstract, challenging, and ominous ride. 

On “Let the Virgin Drive,” dazed guitars simmer under Zach Schwartz and Rivka Ravede’s whispery verses, projecting a false sense of security. Sudden bursts of distortion and stabbing beats jolt you back into a fluster, as Schwartz opines, “what is racing towards me? Is it close? (It’s here).” Just life throwing another intense curveball. Even at their most chilled-out, there’s so many rough-and-tumble bumps in the road, thanks to their dissonant songwriting arrangements. Things fully unravel on “Something’s Ending,” a cacophonous swirl signaling the end of an era. On You’ll, Spirit highlight a sense of agitation and fear of change. Much of this deeply personal album is rooted in Ravede and Schwartz’s breakup – with the band picking up the pieces and reconciling their shifting interpersonal and creative dynamics. Ultimately, life has its own cruel plans – like having your van and gear stolen on tour. Whether you like it or not, disruption is inevitable, and the only way forward is to march on. -JC

18. Kali Malone – All Life Long

All Life Long, the latest album from Denver-born, Stockholm-based artist Kali Malone, will always be described as meditative. Its slow, wandering passages, layered round choruses, and organ compositions that let themselves wander away and return in a perpetual list feel purposefully meditative. Each song feels indirect and evasive of tactility, choosing to search another corner of the composer’s mind. It feels medieval, but not in the way that movies portray it. Rather, in the way that it was a real place with real people. 

Though the arrangements are sparse in terms of number of instruments and notes played at any one moment, they don’t feel empty in terms of emotion. Each song starts on a path and emotes as your mind might on a quiet night alone. One emotion may be more prevalent at one moment in a song, but as it moves, different amounts of different emotions filter in and out, creating an ephemeral dynamic to each song and the album overall. Though All Life Long may move slowly, it is stirring and strong, and creeps over the listener like cold fog rolling in over rocky ocean cliffs at night. -Seena Ratcliffe

17. Bladee – Cold Visions

After a string of releases characterized by philosophical musings and pillowy, angelic tones, Bladee surprised fans this year with an about-face. Unrelenting, frantic, and endlessly quotable, Cold Visions is peak “evil” Bladee, channeling the Swedish rapper’s dejection and introspection into the most pulverizing and exciting music of his career. Reunited with razor-hot producer F1lthy, executive producer of 2017’s Working On Dying, Cold Visions sees Bladee taking the bitterness of that tape and cranking it to 11 over a nuclear warhead of distorted bass. The sound is a perfect fit for his theatricality; he’s “waiting for disaster or something bad to happen” on “WODRAINER,” and F1lthy’s incapacitating subs meet him there for the next 28 songs. Since this is a Bladee album, amidst the chaos, you’re also ensconced in a layer of ethereality. Take the blissed-out midi harp arpeggios that poke out between blown-out bass bombs on “ONLY GOD IS MADE PERFECT,” or the narcotically-smeared producer tags scattered across the album by L.A. vaporwave stalwart James Ferraro.

In the same spirit, some of Cold Visions‘ best moments jump between angry industrial noise and withered beauty. The elegiac ending of the exhilaratingly batshit “YUNG SHERMAN” gives highs similar to a Nine Inch Nails album, but with none of the pretense and a much different kind of ennui. Indeed, Bladee’s very much in a bad place here, but his unassuming charm makes for some of the most relatable bad-vibes-listening in the genre. It’s a true testament to his artistry that he can own such an aggressive sound, and Cold Visions is a fresh, vital turn for him. -John Warlick

16. Iglooghost – Tidal Memory Exo

On his fourth LP as Iglooghost, Seamus Rawles Malliagh sheds his skin and dives into the labyrinth-like marine world of Tidal Memory Exo. While the world was put on pause during COVID-19 lockdowns, the Dorset-born, London-based producer found creative exploration in “a rust-ridden flooded squat in a weird UK seaside town,” and looked to the shore-washed detritus that recent storm surges had beached as a spark to spawn an uncanny, mutant realm.

What he found in these forgotten remnants of past society carried him deeper and deeper into the abyss, categorizing Tidal Memory Exo as a collection of songs “about oceanic scum, illegal teletext transmissions, & the prehistoric trilobite angels lurking in the sewers.” Melting rave and trance, post-punk and IDM, UK drill and trip-hop, Iglooghost crafted an unpredictably dense journey that slowly reveals new, undiscovered species that rule the bottom with each movement. Songs like “Coral Mimic” and “New Species” lay his icy-brute voice at the forefront, before quickly shifting and warping them through frenetic tides and jarringly affected vocal processing. Hollowed-out, steel-like rhythms melt away with numerous chimeric synth textures and leads. Tensions rise and fall with the current.  Reach for the “Nemat0de,” but don’t expect to master this world, let alone contain it in your hand. -Chris Cubbison

15. Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood

We’re so lucky to have a voice coming from the absolute center of the USA. Katie Crutchfield emerged as the unofficial delegate of Americana with Grammy-nominated Tiger’s Blood. Performing under Waxahatchee, which pays homage to her Alabama home, she hails and wails from a place that feels timeless. There’s a feeling that her roots are deep underneath the country, and the music flowers in such an obvious and beautiful way.

In her sixth studio record, Crutchfield explores her relationships with enough gentle care and tough consideration to startle anyone who plugs in unprepared. The poetry is warm, but it is not shy. Her voice calls back to both the original female country legends and Alanis Morissette, and her music somehow finds itself right in the middle. “Right Back To It,” the duet with alt-country darling MJ Lenderman, could carry an entire album of senseless and talentless songs to the promised land of positive critical reception all by itself. “Bored” is an excited burner that can drop jaws with the line “My spine’s a rotted two-by-four, barely hanging on, my benevolence just hits the floor, I get bored.” “Crowbar” is a gritty heartbreaker that can draw connections from most in “I move awkwardly at the speed of light, maybe it’s easier to be afraid, drenched in tragedy, man-made.” The title track inspires youthful yearning and gnarly nostalgia, even though the memories she shares aren’t ours. God bless honesty. God bless this experience. God bless Waxahatchee. -Jacob McAdams

14. Joey Valence & Brae – NO HANDS

If anyone can turn your mood around with pure, unfiltered energy, it’s rap unit Joey Valence & Brae. On the duo’s smashing album NO HANDS, the former college buddies and best friends pull out all the stops, creating a party-rocking fusion of influences from ’90s hip-hop – Run-DMC, Tribe, and Beastie Boys – to hyphy, crunk, classic club and old school rave.

The album kicks off with “BUSSIT,” a high-intensity track whose earth-shaking synths and liquid jungle interlude feel like a Pulp Fiction-style adrenaline shot to the heart. It’s the type of energy that’ll have you running through walls at parties like the Kool-Aid man. The zoned-out, Z-Trip-assisted title track “NO HANDS” channels De La Soul with warm sax, piano samples, and record scratches as the duo’s tag-team flow highlights their undeniable chemistry. Hard-hitting highlights “LIKE A PUNK” and “THE BADDEST” serve up zig-zagging synths, blown-out drum kicks, and relentless singalong choruses, with the latter poised to be a party anthem for years to come. That epic call-and-response “I’M THE BADDEST BITCH IN THIS CLUB” will reverberate in clubs and dorm rooms for the rest of time. NO HANDS might come across as all fun and games, but it’s also a shockingly nuanced masterclass in modern party rap, blending nostalgia with fresh Gen-Z energy. Already, JV-B songs have soundtracked viral TikToks, Instagram extreme sports reels, and an utterly insane frat party fight sequence in Cobra Kai. If you’re ready for a wild ride, crank this album up, throw caution aside, and join the party. -JC

13. Mk.gee – Two Star & the Dream Police

Mk.gee has been recording music since 2017, but Two Star & the Dream Police marks his debut full-length release. The album sees the Los Angeles-based musician switch to less pop and melody-driven tracks, and finding more room for experimentation. He wedges himself between thick layers of reverb and distortion to showcase his majestic voice and unique songwriting arrangements.

Two Star & the Dream Police is a masterclass in melding familiar genres with fresh, inventive soundscapes. The album subverts recognizable forms – R&B ballads, downtempo anthems, and pop-rock grooves – with a vast landscape of unexpected tones and textures. Mk.gee’s distinctive guitar playing and half-screamed, half-sung vocals are filtered through murky, sporadic mixes and effects. Despite the elusive and exploratory nature of his music, he chisels striking, richly detailed pop songs from cluttered compositions. Tracks like “How many miles” and “Are You Looking Up” highlight Mk.gee’s ability to blend complex construction with emotional, heart-on-your sleeve yearning. Balancing those experimental sounds with heartfelt songwriting makes Two Star & the Dream Police an original and expansive record that feels both timeless and contemporary. Mk.gee’s willingness to push boundaries while maintaining melodic integrity positions him as a significant rising force, especially within the pop sphere. -Makaila Heifner

12. Blind Girls – An Exit Exists

Sometimes, an album just won’t let you tap out. Blind Girls, hailing from Gold Coast, Australia, deliver an unrelenting surge of despair on their third album An Exit Exists. Clocking in at a razor-sharp 21-minutes, this dissonant, funereal, and cathartic release portends their rise from DIY cult stardom to potentially one of the most beloved screamo bands in the world.

Front-and-center is singer Sharnie Brouwer, whose blood-curdling screams steer the album’s harrowing descent, embodying pain and anguish in equal measure. On tracks like “Blemished Memory” and “Closer to Hell,” bludgeoning rhythms and towering riffs generate throttling breakdowns and crescendos. The album is a consistent statement from start-to-finish, with tracks blending beautifully together like one long song – packed with incinerating peaks and haunting valleys. “AI Generated Love Letter” entrances with mathy arpeggios and shifting time signatures that feel both mesmerizing and devastating. Closing track “Home Will Find Its Way” is a towering pinnacle; guitars, drums, and bass slam together with whirlwind velocity, seamlessly weaving technicality with raw power. Brouwer’s tormented screams of suicidal rage slice through frenzied riffs and relentless percussion, plunging the listener deeper into a wallowing pit of darkness. An Exit Exists is as much an emotional excavation as it is a musical journey, digging up a well of repressed grief while demanding confrontation and release. Its rawness is vital, offering an unflinching look at trauma through endless anger and fury. With An Exit Exists, Blind Girls solidify themselves as an undeniable force in skramz, making every second of this short, savage ride count. -JC

11. Floating Points – Cascade

After collaborating with Pharaoh Sanders on what would become the jazz great’s last living statement (2021’s triumphant Promises), you have to respect Samuel Shepherd for having no intention to rehash it. Instead, his latest album Cascade is a hard pivot in the opposite direction – a guest-less tech house clinic that is every bit as inspired as its epic predecessor, albeit in an entirely different domain. 

Although it’s a record easily characterized by its formal exactitude – Shepherd is an academic neuroscientist, ever-evidenced by his emphasis of process – what Cascade immediately stands out for is its playful sense of composition. Amid an all-time rote tech house landscape, it’s so refreshing to hear a producer take left turns just because he so obviously loves music. Check the chord shift just a minute into “Vocoder [Club Mix]“ or the addictive cycle of the 6-bar phrase at the heart of “Fast Forward,” or the moment when the bass finally wades in through “Ocotillo”‘s seawall of spectral arpeggios only for the arrangement to shift course completely in its wake. It all amounts to a delightfully intricate, yet unpretentious gem in an over-commercialized genre starved for this kind of colorful, considered long-player. We’re lucky we have Floating Points for the job. -John Warlick

10. Thou – Umbilical

The sixth album from Baton Rouge sludge metal group Thou is an unblinking, wrathful hurling of humanity and self and all of its ugly, contradictory ills, into the dirge-less abyss below. The band’s unrelenting intensity carries these songs through a streamlined approach in the scope of their discography, tapping into the group’s influences across hardcore (“House of Ideas” and “I Feel Nothing When You Cry”) and doom metal (“Siege Perilous” and “I Return Chained and Bound to You”) to pummel listeners into submission. Driving, distorted guitars snarl overtop complex drum parts, and equally propulsive bass. Singer Bryan Funck pushes his vocals into oblivion and scorches the Earth below him: “Lament over an empty tomb/ Forsaken, I gave up too soon/ Kneel before the empty tomb/ I am the scourge, the self-inflicted wound.”

“Are we not ourselves constrained to our own rigid morality?” the band asked in the circulated press release for the album. In an interview with Idioteq, Funck shared that his process for writing and recording involved tapping into his younger, “hyper-idealogical self,” and surveying the compromises they themselves are forced to make in their course of existence. Modern life is plagued with revolting contradictions. Umbilical is the mirror, reflecting the knots and wounds that manifest within us as a result of participating in them, whether that be actively or passively. But what is the cure? “So speak our names as a warning, as a curse, as a failure,” sings Funck on “Narcissist’s Prayer.” “At last, it’s time to die. So die.” -Chris Cubbison

9. JPEGMAFIA – I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU

JPEGMAFIA’s I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU is a chaotic mix of rap, punk, and noise. If you stop paying attention even for a second, you’ll probably miss several genres, pop culture references, and remixes of ‘80s funk tunes or wrestling intros. Where JPEG’s flow can sometimes feel repetitive, his production is fascinating, ensuring each track is a unique collaboration in its own right. Within his lyrics, he tiptoes between vulnerable truth and creative fiction, and where he draws the line isn’t quite clear.

I LAY DOWN features rap heavy hitters Denzel Curry (on “JPEGULTRA!”) and Vince Staples (on “New Black History”). Trading frenetic verses, each rapper brings their signature style to the album and plays off each other’s riffs while exploring the ever-changing genres and layers of their respective tracks. “Don’t Put Anything on the Bible” brings back another of Peggy’s frequent collaborators, Buzzy Lee (also known as Sasha Rebeca Spielberg). Her airy yet soaring vocals contrast well with JPEG’s pointed lyricism and delivery as he explores his inability to change the past and the regret that follows. The production on this album makes it my personal favorite of his. Within the record, he showcases his unrelenting storytelling, masterful production, and fearless experimentation. Each track is a testament to Peggy’s ability to push the boundaries across genres and his versatility as an artist. -Makaila Heifner

8. Beth Gibbons – Lives Outgrown

“People started dying,” explained Beth Gibbons on her decision to return to music after a lengthy hiatus. It’s true that artists tend to pour themselves into their work as a way to cope with pain, grief, and loss. Lives Outgrown, the Portishead frontwoman’s first solo album in 22 years, is a ghostly, gothic collection of chamber folk that sounds like its haunted by the spirits of the loved ones she’s referring to.

Absent the trip-hop breaks, Lives Outgrown isn’t too far removed from peak Portishead, but it’s Gibbons’ distinct songwriting that renders a singular vision of what it means to be human in the face of darkness. Together with producer James Ford, Gibbons utilizes a blackened, somber palette of plucky orchestral instruments – bass, clarinet, cello, farfisa, harmonium, bowed saw, western guitar, metal spoons on piano strings, and more. Her smoky vocals guide the eerie opener “Tell Me Who You Are Today,” eulogizing over a mournful swirl of strings. “Floating on a Moment” is full of existential pondering: “I’m floating on a moment, don’t know how long,” she croons, “without control, I’m heading toward a boundary that divides us.” Her poetic musings touch on the thin line between life and death, as she envisions herself spiraling closer towards its door with each passing second. The twinkling instrumentals, skeletal percussion, and background children’s choir transport us to a moment of corruption, disillusionment, and lost innocence – like a dark fairytale with a bleak conclusion. With each track, she gives us a glimpse into her plight – as a mother, as a professional musician – and the anxiety she’s weathered through her experiences. Ultimately, Gibbons’ journey is one of solemn, sobering acceptance. But is there peace of mind to be gained from that feeling? That much is entirely up to the listener. -Kaya Haskins

7. Vampire Weekend – Only God Was Above Us

As pretentious as this may be, I’ll use a French phrase to describe Vampire Weekend and their endless crusade for satisfied expression. On Only God Was Above Us, VW once again proved that they absolutely wield the mot juste – the exact right word or phrasing. There is not one note or lyric out of place in the project’s 10 tunes, which is wild considering the breadth of subject matter and the creativity of the music. As always, they found a way to represent their perspective of modernity with an incomparable brand of eclectic, heartfelt wit – never removing the tongue from the cheek.

It’s that reliable, intelligent playfulness that allows OGWAU to startle listeners with its opening line. “Fuck the world,” a fan understands that cleverness is incoming, “… you said it quiet.” “Ice Cream Piano” goofily considers the rampant societal cynicism and sets the scene for the entire record as a comment on modern culture. They conjure bending baroque on “Classical” while considering history’s place in the future. “Connect” is the most whimsical track, trading frantic piano for bouncing bass and whining falsetto – a giant punchline to our laughable dependence on the internet. Every meaningful coming-of-age movie of the next five years can depend on “Prep-School Gangsters” to bring home those feelings of complex growth to pair with pining over a long-time crush, graduating, or moving to a new city. Then comes “The Surfer,” a spacey hypocrisy primed for hip-hop samples. “Gen-X Cops” brings the gritty energy that makes OGWAU’s sweetheart “Mary Boone” even sweeter. The tenth track is the finale and the resolution. It upends the startling pessimism that opened the record, and calls for grace and mercy everywhere, turning the listener around to look at the smoking carnage that was put on direct display throughout the entire record. It puts an understanding hand on your shoulder, and pushes you forward in spite of the obvious and abounding heartbreak. It’s called “Hope.”

“The righteous rage was foolish pride, the conquerors did not divide, the call keeps coming from inside, I hope you let it go.” Vampire Weekend is indispensable. -Jacob McAdams

6. MJ Lenderman – Manning Fireworks

MJ Lenderman makes music about regular guys who live regular lives, who kinda hate themselves and know it. What’s the point? Well, Lenderman’s music isn’t going to answer that question for you; that’s for you to decide, or not decide – it doesn’t matter to the narrator either way. On sophomore LP Manning Fireworks, Lenderman tackles the monotonous in monotone, heaped over stunning, sneaky productions; harmonies, fiddles and clarinets singing lonesome duckwalks. Over half the songs are haunted by their own conclusions – or lack there of – with guilt-tripping guitar solos to end them, “Bark at the Moon” being seven minutes long. 

Manning Fireworks is a love album in that it that yearns for love. The guy in “Rudolph” will leave the church if he could be with the one he loves. The guy in “Joker Lips” spends hours on the couch in front of the T.V. but just wants to be needed – to be seen by the woman he loves. On “Wristwatch,” he’s reminded he’s all alone, and she is too. “On She’s Leaving You,” he does nothing as she walks away, contemplates a Ferrari, sings the blues, praises another man. Men will always try to figure out how to love women and women the same as men. Maybe they’ll never figure it out, but damn, they’ll keep trying and dreaming about it in their loneliest hours. 

Through the thickets of hangovers, water parks, and motel rooms, Manning Fireworks’ ruthless realities set the stage in a small southern town; at times they’re heartbreaking and lonely, and others, hilarious. Sometimes, you snarl at the characters in disgust, but after a second listen, you want to give them a second chance. Why? Because we’ve all been there. We were all babies before we were jerks, before we ever knew what it felt like to feel alone. -Kelly Kerrigan

5. Parannoul – Sky Hundred

There is an intangible quality to Parannoul’s music that goes beyond genre and language and transmits pure emotion. Sky Hundred takes the maximal, noise-drenched, poppy, emotional building blocks of his past works – like 2023’s After the Magic – and allows his songwriting and composition to sublimate, expanding and taking on new, boundless shapes. The songs can, at once, be completely overwhelming, with layers of instruments bouncing around each other, intersecting, and filling every moment of space, as well meditative and nostalgic. Even though there is a veritable chamber orchestra’s worth of instruments playing at once, they seem to all work in concert, changing dynamic as they form and swirl and dissipate. Alongside my lofty and pretentious description of his growth as a producer and songwriter, there is still a strong, crowd-pleasing album of fun to be found here.

Sky Hundred didn’t quite land the first time I heard it, but it stuck within the recesses of my brain, coming to the surface in quiet moments. After a couple of weeks, I revisited it and realized how much there is to go through in this album, and how much I loved it. That stirring of somewhat indescribable emotion reminds me of watching an Andrei Tarkovsky movie or seeing a late-career J.M.W Turner painting. They lack concrete or explainable elements, but transmit a wordless feeling that the audience may understand subconsciously. Sky Hundred is truly a next step for Parannoul, and it’s incredibly exciting to see an artist becoming more in touch with their art and letting it make a world of its own. -Seena Ratcliffe

4. Knocked Loose – You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To

If you’d told me six years ago that Knocked Loose would become one of the biggest heavy bands of their generation, I would’ve believed you. But if you’d told me they’d get this big, I would’ve been flabbergasted. Recently, the Louisville metalcore overlords performed on Kimmel, and nearly opened up a “tear in the fabric of life.” You have to admire a band that can represent metal and hardcore on such a huge stage in 2024, as it’s rarely done anymore. And when a band gets to that level, you’d assume there’s a great deal of creative sacrifice being made. But with Knocked Loose, that’s simply not the case. 

On their third LP You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To, a “cleaner” production approach actually allows them to go bigger, harder, and gnarlier than ever before. The decision to work with producer Drew Fulk (Lil Peep, Motionless in White) was a savvy one. Despite losing some of those rougher edges, the crisp execution only amplifies their pulverizing power. Lead single “Blinding Faith” sees singer Bryan Garris opining on the hypocrisy of fanatical religious communities, unleashing larynx-shattering screams over explosive guitars, chugging rhythms, and brain-busting time signatures. They’re also definitely not beating the “breakdown merchant” allegations, thank god. On the monolithic, Poppy-assisted “Suffocate,” they throttle into a legendary breakdown with drummer Kevin Kaine laying down an actual raggaeton beat, with throat-slitting snares conjuring one of the most hype moments in heavy music in years. As scarily intense as things get, it’s always fun as hell, and that’s what makes them such great ambassadors.

I get Knocked Loose isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and not everyone vibes with Garris’ yelping, blood-hailing screeches – which sound like an angry tweenager hopped up on too much Code Red. But if this is your thing, then it’s really your thing, and as unrelenting as they are, Knocked Loose are also a nice entry point for people getting into heavier music. After You Won’t Go, they’re now the best torchbearers the scene’s got. Creatively and commercially, the sky is their limit. Until then, ARF ARF and away. -JC

3. Cindy Lee – Diamond Jubilee

Is it pop? Is it outsider art? Is it girl-group tragi-pop as kabuki theater? Or is it the indie rock comeback story of the year? Years ago, Cindy Lee mastermind Patrick Flegel led the knotty Calgary post-punk quartet Women, delivering two of the most exquisitely inscrutable indie rock albums of the 2000s. Now, a decade removed from that group’s tragic dissolution, Diamond Jubilee is a juggernaut of an exquisitely inscrutable indie rock album, a lonely panorama of haunted sunshine pop and its own tragic self-contained universe.

Listening to Diamond Jubilee feels like tuning into a long-forgotten time capsule from a murky time period. You could easily fool yourself into thinking these songs came from some curio dated to the time of the Ronettes or Carpenters until you’re hit with a fascinating anachronism, like the queasy reversed strings on “Baby Blue.” It’s hard to fully explain the pull of the homely, skeletal, slightly uneasy brand of hypnagogic pop Flegel’s come upon, but much of Jubilee’s coiled charm is the result of understated craft. It’s almost disorienting to hear such a gorgeously searching ballad as late-album highlight “Government Cheque” rendered in Cindy Lee’s raw fidelity, and that’s certainly by design.

Sequenced to work with its own superhuman length, Jubilee‘s 32 songs feel like an infinite well – like discovering episode after episode of a mysterious romantic drama, each its own warped window into Cindy Lee’s lonely world. But there’s nary a confession as to what ails Cindy so; on “Always Dreaming,” she concedes that “when the tears start fallin’…I just keep rollin’.” It’s this tantalizing obfuscation throughout Jubilee that raises it beyond its contemporaries. Hundreds of anonymous retro-soul rock bands could pump out the basic form of a song like “To Heal This Wounded Heart” with none of the passion, subtle detail, and implicit world-building that make Cindy Lee’s music so interesting. Rumors state that Diamond Jubilee is Cindy Lee’s swan song, which feels ever more tragic the further you wade into the record – for all she’s shared, there’s still a sense that we barely know her. -John Warlick

2. Charli XCX – BRAT

At this point, it’s hard to talk about BRAT without speaking in past tense; the inescapable jingle of “360,” the sudden slide into “Brat Summer,” and the blunders of the 2024 Democratic Presidential campaign have cast quite an oblong shadow onto the year’s most indelible pop album. So let’s do her a favor and press rewind. 

A year ago, Charli XCX was just doing her best to follow up on a sort-of-dud, trying to find some inspiration in herself. BRAT‘s predecessor Crash had ridden the narrative of being Charli’s long earned cash-in of major-label goodwill, but it more or less amounted to an album’s worth of indistinctive, impersonal pop exercises. It makes sense that in 2024, culture found so much resonance in what came after – one of music’s most colorful stylists and personable songwriters dispensing with algorithmic slop and leaning hard into being herself. Seemingly effortlessly, BRAT flips the pop rulebook with Charli’s most honest, direct music ever, lifting the veil between artist and listener over and over and sparking electricity with every look. 

Part of the connection that BRAT inspires comes from Charli’s newly unguarded writing.  Whereas Charli has been perfectly happy in the past to write her club bangers with some personal remove, Charli of BRAT is shouting out Julia Fox across the room (“360”), telling you exactly who she’s dancing with and to what songs (“Club Classics”), and making anthems out of her struggles to coexist with specific peers (“Sympathy Is a Knife”, “Girl, So Confusing…,” “Von Dutch”). She’s taking possibly the most insane and transcendent production of her career to properly convey how magical her Italian vacation was (“Everything Is Romantic”). And executive producer A.G. Cook ties the seams together throughout, weaving candy-coated timbres across the album that uniformly scream Charli just as much as the infamous cover. In the end, BRAT and its exuberant remix album gleam through the shadow of cultural baggage with a burst of personality that cuts through the entire year. Truly, the only way to break through the noise these days is to just do you. -John Warlick

1. Magdalena Bay – Imaginal Disk

Imaginal Disk is a concept album about a humanoid who rejects a CD that’s implanted in their forehead, then undergoes a spiritual journey to learn what it means to be human. As heady (pun intended) as that sounds, it’s right within the wheelhouse of Magdalena Bay, the L.A.-by-way-of-Miami duo who’ve been dauntlessly pushing the boundaries of alt-pop for the past half decade and change. Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin still operate as a DIY unit – writing and self-producing all their material – and their homespun charm and sense of childlike wonder remain intact on Imaginal Disk. On their wondrous, awe-inspiring sophomore LP, MagBay delivers some of the most forward-thinking pop music ever put to record, with an endlessly expansive range of sounds that soothe the ears, expand the mind, and capture the heart and soul at every inventive turn.

“She Looked Like Me” starts out at a soft whisper and ends at a paranoid scream – a bleary swirl of lo-fi synths and pounding digital beats. We then enter a musical highlight reel operating with a vast scope. “Killing Time” is a mid-tempo piano-pop jam that progressively adds layers of frantic sci-fi sounds. Our narrator waits around and pines for love to arrive but fears it never will – while pondering the strangely violent imagery of the phrase “killing” time. The rest of the album spirals like existential dystopian cyberpunk, exploring themes of consciousness, memory, death, romance, and embracing adulthood with a dreamy grandiosity.

“Death & Romance” splices synthpop and ’70s prog rock with its anthemic piano melody, as Mica croons cloyingly, “My hands, your hands, I’ll hold forever/ No way, I’ll break hold, no, not ever” – deeply in love, but perhaps holding on a bit too tight. “Love is Everywhere” is a psychedelic yacht rock stunner, wherein a Gerry Rafferty-type sax solo wouldn’t even feel that out of place. Elements of shoegaze, new age, and disco shine the rest of the way, and each stylistic maneuver is a welcome detour. The soulful, open-ended finale “The Ballad of Matt and Mica” sees the duo succumbing to the anxiety of the “extraordinary” and embracing the “ordinary,” but it’s up to listeners to decide whether that’s a good thing or bad thing. As you’d expect, Imaginal Disk is full of retro-futurism. As is their modus operandi, MagBay mine nostalgia, harness it, and transmit it epochs into the future. Ultimately, their music is timeless; it sounds like the past, present, and the very distant future all at once. 

Unlike their debut Mercurial World, whose immediacy was felt in its tight songwriting and concise production, Disk takes repeat listens to really settle in. It’s a bit daunting to wrap your head around all the radical tempo shifts, unconventional songwriting arrangements, arpeggiated melodies, and wistful moods, but once it all coalesces, the music and all its subliminal messaging stays lodged within you. On a more personal level, Magdalena Bay was the first artist I wrote about when I began my tenure as Impose editor. Our list was not ranked in 2021, but had it been, Mercurial World would’ve undoubtedly nabbed the number 1 spot. With Imaginal Disk, that makes it back-to-back titles for them. Is a three-peat in their future? At this point, whenever their third album arrives, it’ll be the safest bet you can make. Until then, like True the CD-implanted cyborg, close your eyes, insert the disc in your forehead, and become one with the noise – just as Magdalena Bay intended. -JC