Best of 2019

Another year and another few hundred albums and a few thousand songs listened to and filtered into this concise list of brilliance. 2019 was the first year in a long time that dancefloor suitability wasn’t a factor. In its place, more soundtrack, classical, and incidental type music mostly due to the increase in writing and research.

Lingua Ignota, very much an acquired taste, and Chelsea Wolfe would be my joint-favourites. Tummyache was one of my finds of the year: Hole meets PJ Harvey. Another was the ecclesiastical drone organ music of Kali Malone: think Anna Von Hausswolff without the vocals. Again, like Lingua, not for everyone. Big Thief didn’t disappoint either with two albums released in the year. The Soft Cavalry is Rachel Goswell’s (Slowdive, Mojave 3) new project with her husband Steve Clarke. Full album listing after the playlists with Apple, Deezer, and Spotify links.

Two playlists below both feature tracks from the favourite albums list and other songs I liked that were either singles or from albums that didn’t make the list. Links below for both Spotify & Deezer playlists. Please follow and play on shuffle.

2019 PLAYLISTS

Spotify or Deezer

Spotify or Deezer

 

2019 ALBUMS OF THE YEAR

 

Lingua Ignota – Caligula

Apple Music * Deezer * Spotify

Chelsea Wolfe – Birth of violence

Apple Music * Deezer * Spotify

Emily Jane White – Immanent fire

Apple Music * Deezer * Spotify

Sharon Van Etten – Remind me tomorrow

Apple Music * Deezer * Spotify

She Keeps Bees – Kinship

Apple Music * Deezer * Spotify

Drahla – Useless coordinates

Apple Music * Deezer * Spotify

Proper Ornaments – Six Lenins

Apple Music * Deezer * Spotify

Big Thief – U.F.O.F. and Two Hands

Apple Music * Deezer * Spotify & Apple Music * Deezer * Spotify

Drab Majesty – Modern Mirror

Apple Music * Deezer * Spotify

Vivian girls – Memory

Apple Music * Deezer * Spotify

Chromatics – Closer to Grey

Apple Music * Deezer * Spotify

Blushing – Blushing

Apple Music * Deezer * Spotify

Swans – Leaving meaning

Apple Music * Deezer * Spotify

Tummyache – Humpday

Apple Music * Deezer * Spotify

Keaton Henson – Six lethargies

Apple Music * Deezer * Spotify

Winged Victory for the Sullen – The undivided five

Apple Music * Deezer * Spotify

Cherry Glazerr – Stuffed & Ready

Apple Music * Deezer * Spotify

Hand Habits – Placeholder

Apple Music * Deezer * Spotify

The Soft Cavalry – The Soft Cavalry

Apple Music * Deezer * Spotify

Chastity Belt- Chastity belt

Apple Music * Deezer * Spotify

Kali Malone – The sacrificial code

Apple Music * Deezer * Spotify

Diiv – Deceiver

Apple Music * Deezer * Spotify

 

Notably absent from this list is the new Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds. The album as a whole doesn’t work for me. Some of their albums didn’t at the time and some never have (looking at you ‘Nocturama’). It took me years, for example, to appreciate ‘Boatman’s call’. I’m sure ‘Ghosteen’ will get there in time.

 

My ALBUMS OF THE DECADE (2010-2018) list can be found HERE