Below is a list of my top 50 albums of 2020, followed by EPs, singles, archival releases, live albums, and further releases I dug. For each release I embedded listening links from bandcamp and included some vague descriptors to help each listener decide what might be up their alley, hopefully you can find something new to explore and enjoy. Dig in!
Top 50 Albums:
Irreversible Entanglements – Who Sent You?
Style: Free Jazz, Jazz Poetry
Vibe: Anthemic, Bombastic, Cathartic, Communal, Conscious, Earthy, Energetic, Groovy, Intense, Passionate, Angsty, Political, Powerful, Ritualistic, Spiritual, Triumphant, AfroFuturist
Musical Attributes: Acoustic, Complex, Collective Improvisation, Percussive, Poetic, Polyphonic, Polyrhythmic, Progressive, Spoken Word
Listen:
“Infinite possibilities coming back around. I know we are more than circles”
Irreversible Entanglements follows up the scathing fire music of their debut with regenerative and ritualistic earth music. “Who Sent You?”, is a record that casts its gaze not only to the violent “rhythms of oppression” that need to be burnt to the ground, but to a future built from the ashes of these unjust systems. “No más, No more will they divide and conquer, divide and oppress, define our humanity”. Irreversible Entanglements are simply one of the most powerful bands in existence, building their symbiotic improvisations with fervent passion, hypnotic rhythm, and urgent truths.
Moor Mother – Circuit City
Style: Free Jazz Theater, Jazz Poetry
Vibe: cathartic, cerebral, dystopian, energetic, futuristic, bombastic, intense, noisy, passionate, poetic, political, powerful, rebellious, urban, heavy, AfroFuturist
Musical Attributes: Complex, Conceptual, Dense, Dissonant, Spoken Word, Theatric, Progressive, Polyphonic, Improvisation
Listen/Purchase:
Moor Mother & billy woods – Brass
Style: Experimental Hip-Hop
Vibe: Cryptic, Dark, Futuristic, Philosophical, Political
Musical Attributes: Lyrical, Beats, Sampling
Listen/Purchase:
Style: Sound Sculpture, Ambient Pop, Progressive Electronic
Vibe: Introspective, Mysterious, Nocturnal, Dark, Hypnotic, Abstract, Meditative
Musical Attributes: Electro-Acoustic, Digital Production, Progressive, Studio-as-an-instrument
Listen/Purchase:
Yves Tumor – Heaven to a Tortured Mind
Style: Art Rock, Progressive Pop, Neo-Psychedelia
Vibe: Dramatic, Eclectic, Energetic, Imaginative, Love, Nocturnal, Psychedelic, Romantic, Sexual, Surreal, Woozy
Musical Attributes: Catchy, Dense, Lush, Polished, Progressive, Rhythmic
Listen/Purchase:
R.A.P. Ferreira – Purple Moonlight Pages
Style: Jazz Rap, Abstract Hip-Hop
Vibe: Confident, Cerebral, Conscious, Introspective, Mellow, Philosophical, Poetic, Spiritual, Uplifting
Musical Attributes: Groovy, Rhythmic, Lush, Lyrical
Listen/Purchase:
Style: Psychedelic Rock
Vibe: Introspective, Existential, Spiritual, Hypnotic, Confident, Conscious, Mystical, Psychedelic
Musical Attributes: Lyrical, Motorik, Sparse, Repetitive
Listen/Purchase:
Spires That in the Sunset Rise – Psychic Oscillations
Style: Avant-Folk, Post-Minimalism, Experimental
Vibe: Hypnotic, Nature, Psychedelic, Ritualistic
Musical Attributes: Electro-Acoustic, Minimalistic, Pulse
Listen/Purchase:
Psychedelic electro-acoustics and earthy minimalism from long-running avant-folk group. The multi-instrumentalist duo ritualistically loop and layer a hypnotic tapestry of pre-verbal vocalizations, upright bass, flute, saxophone, synth, and autoharp, running each instrument through trippy stereo delays. Psychic Oscillations finds the band as entrancing as ever.
Style: Art Pop, Trip-Hop, Post-Rock
Vibe: Existential, Brooding, Cathartic, Exploratory, Futuristic, Heartfelt, Introspective, Sentimental
Musical Attributes: Atmospheric, Loops, Polished, Lush, Progressive, Headphone Album, Lyrical
Listen/Purchase:
Style: Organic Beat Music, Tribal Ambient, Gamelan, Post-Minimalism
Vibe: Earthy, Ethereal, Hypnotic, Soothing, Tribal, Warm,
Musical Attributes: Percussive, Polyrhythmic, Loops, Rhythmic, Electro-Acoustic, Minimalistic
Listen/Purchase:
Nihiloxica – Kaloli
Style: Organic Beat Music, Psychedelic Electronic,
Ugandan Drum Music
Vibe: Hypnotic, Tribal, Intense, Eerie
Musical Attributes: Percussive, Polyrhythmic Atmospheric, Complex, Dense, Dissonant, Repetitive, Electro-Acoustic
Listen/Purchase:
Amani + King Vision Ultra – An Unknown Infinite
Style: Experimental Hip-Hop
Vibe: Conscious, Poetic, Suspenseful, Political, Confident, Gritty, Cinematic, Spiritual
Musical Attributes: Sampling, Sparse, Atmospheric, Spoken Word
Listen/Purchase:
Armand Hammer – Shrines
Style: Progressive Hip-Hop, Experimental Hip-Hop
Vibe: Apocalyptic, Cerebral, Conscious, Philosophical, Rebellious, Urban
Musical Attributes: Sampling, Lyrical, Rhythmic, Progressive
Listen/Purchase:
Decolonize Your Mind Society – A Courteous Invitation to an Uninhabited Anabatic Prism
Style: Psychedelic Rock, Free Rock, Tishoumaren-Influenced
Vibe: Groovy, Hypnotic, Colorful, Ritualistic, Psychedelic
Musical Attributes: Microtonal (Just Intonation), Improvisation, Instrumental, Progressive, Repetitive, Rhythmic
Listen/Purchase:
Yves Jarvis – Sundry Rock Song Stock
Style: Psychedelic Bedroom Pop, Lo-Fi Singer-Songwriter
Vibe: Breezy, eclectic, ethereal, intimate, loner, mellow, peaceful, psychedelic, soft, soothing, stoned, warm
Musical Attributes: atmospheric, lo-fi, lush, melodic
Listen/Purchase:
dumama + kechou – Buffering Juju
Style: Nomadic Future Folk, Organic Beat Music, South African Folk
Vibe: Heartfelt, Imaginative, Futuristic, Ritualistic, Spiritual, Earthy, Psychedelic
Musical Attributes: Electro-acoustic, Percussive, Polyrhythmic, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Progressive
Listen/Purchase:
Golden Retriever & Chuck Johnson – Rain Shadow
Style: Ambient
Vibe: Soothing, Peaceful, Mellow, Meditative, Sleepy, Rainy
Musical Attributes: Atmospheric, Electro-Acoustic, Droney, Instrumental, Soft
Listen/Purchase:
Bass clarinet, pedal steel guitar, and synthesizer swirling together into a highly immersive and emotive combination of voices. Truly beautiful soundscapes that melt the worry away, with moments of quiet catharsis that I don’t experience very often in ambient music.
Style: Electro-Acoustic, Experimental, Noise
Instrumentation: Electric Cello w/ fx
Vibe: Eerie, Noisy, Suspenseful
Musical Attributes: Atmospheric, Electro-acoustic, Improvisation, Dynamic
Listen/Download:
Sélène Saint-Aimé – Mare Undarum
Style: Avant-Garde Jazz, Vocal Jazz, Chamber Jazz
Vibe: Ritualistic, Hypnotic, Spiritual, Elegant, Moody, Incantatory
Musical Attributes: Complex, Progressive, Thematic, Improvisation, Technical, Acoustic, Dynamic, Rhythmic
Instrumentation: Upright Bass, Vocals, Saxophone, Cello, Trumpet, Drums, Violin
Listen/Purchase:
Shabaka and the Ancestors – We Are Sent Here by History
Style: South African Jazz, Spiritual Jazz, Progressive Jazz
Vibe: Conscious, Intense, Ritualistic
Lyrical Themes: History, Politics, Death, Spirituality
Musical Attributes: Acoustic, Complex, Spoken Word, Technical
Mourning [A] BLKstar – The Cycle
Style: Neo Soul, Trip-Hop, Avant-Soul
Vibe: Conscious, Eclectic, Futuristic, Heartfelt, Intimate, Nocturnal, Passionate, Political, Spiritual, Uplifting, Raw, Groovy, Rhythmic
Musical Attributes: Progressive, Beats, Studio-as-an-Instrument
Listen/Purchase:
Style: Chamber Pop, Singer/Songwriter
Vibe: Intimate, Introspective, Melancholy, Personal
Musical Attributes: Atmospheric, Melodic, Polished, Lush
Listen/Purchase:
Holy Sons – Raw and Disfigured
Style: Loner Folk, Psych Rock, Singer/Songwriter
Vibe: Introspective, Loner, Dark, Nocturnal, Psychedelic
Lyrical Themes: Philosophical, Existential, Death, Personal
Musical Attributes: Lush, Melodic, Lyrical
Listen/Purchase:
Young Jesus – Welcome to Conceptual Beach
Style: Post-Rock, Art Rock
Influences: Free Jazz, Shoegaze
Vibe: Anthemic, Cathartic, Passionate, Philosophical, Poetic, Spiritual, Existential
Musical Attributes: Dynamic, Lyrical, Improvisation, Polished
Listen/Purchase:
Ezra Feinberg – Recumbent Speech
Style: Post-Rock, Post-Minimalism, Folk
Vibe: Airy, Focused, Imaginative, Impressionistic, Nocturnal, Pastoral, Peaceful, Warm
Musical Attributes: Atmospheric, Complex, Dynamic, Instrumental, Headphone Album, Minimalistic, Odd Tim Signatures, Pulse, Progressive
Listen/Purchase:
Susan Alcorn Quintet – Pedernal
Style: Avant-Garde Jazz, Chamber Jazz
Vibe: Open, Abstract, Suspenseful, Warm
Musical Attributes: Collective Improvisation, Instrumental, Complex, Technical, Dynamic
Musicians: Susan Alcorn (slide guitar), Mary Halvorson (guitar), Michael Formanek (upright bass), Mark Feldmen (violin), Ryan Sawyer (drums)
Listen/Purchase:
Mary Halvorson’s Code Girl – Artlessly Falling
Style: Avant-Garde Jazz, Jazz-Rock
Vibe: Angular, Focused, Triumphant,
Musical Attributes: Complex, Progressive, Dynamic, Improvisation, Odd Time Signatures, Polyphonic, Technical
Featuring Robert Wyatt on vocals on 3 tracks
Listen/Purchase:
Style: Avant-Rock, Math Rock
Influences: Tishoumaren, Kosmische, Totalism
Vibe: Hypnotic, Political, Surreal, Triumphant
Musical Attributes: Complex, Microtonal, Polyrhythmic, Repetitive, Technical, Droney, Odd Time Signatures
Listen/Purchase:
The Heliocentrics – Telemetric Sounds / Infinity of Now
Style: Abstract Groove, Psychedelic Jazz, Kosmische
Vibe: Exploratory, Spacey, Psychedelic, Cosmic
Musical Attributes: Groovy, Instrumental, Improvisation, Rhythmic, Odd Time Signatures
Listen/Purchase:
Jeff Parker & The New Breed – Suite for Max Brown
Style: Organic Beat Music, Future Jazz, Instrumental Hip-Hop
Vibe: Eclectic, Groovy, Warm, Peaceful, Breezy, Mellow
Musical Attributes: Loops, Melodic, Sampling, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Beats, Jazz Guitar
Listen/Purchase:
Josh Johnson – Freedom Exercise
Style: Organic Beat Music, Post-Bop, Future Jazz
Vibe: Groovy, Anthemic, Sunny
Musical Attributes: Rhythmic, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Improvisation, Melodic
Lisen/Purchase:
Chicago Underground Quartet – Good Days
Style: Post-Bop, Future Jazz
Vibe: Colorful, Futuristic, Warm, Eclectic, Mellow
Musical Attributes: Improvisation, Instrumental, Melodic, Technical, Percussive, Rhythmic
Personnel: Josh Johnson (bass synth, organ, piano); Rob Mazurek (piccolo trumpet, electronics, bells, composer);
Jeff Parker (electric guitar, editing, composer); Chad Taylor (drums, kalimba, percussion, composer)
Listen/Purchase:
Rob Mazurek / Exploding Star Orchestra – Dimensional Stardust
Style: Avant-Garde Jazz, Experimental Big Band
Vibe: Cosmic, Energetic, Passionate
Musical Attributes: Complex, Dynamic, Progressive, Suite, Polyrhythmic
Listen/Purchase:
Speaker Music – Black Nationalist Sonic Weaponry
Style: Industrial Techno, Experimental Electronic
Vibe: Protest, Conceptual, Dark, Dystopian, Gritty, Heavy, Intense, Mechanical, Philosophical, Political, Powerful, Rebellious
Musical Attributes: Noisy, Dissonant, Glitchy, Percussive, Repetitive, Rhythmic, Sampling
Listen/Purchase:
Patrick Shriroishi – Descension
Style: Free Jazz, Noise
Vibe: Powerful, Political, Cathartic, Intense
Musical Attributes: Improvisation (Solo), Noisy
Instrumentation: Saxophone, Effects, Voice
Listen/Purchase:
Neptunian Maximalism – Éons
Style: Avant-Metal, Free Jazz, Drone, Heavy Psych
Vibe: Apocalyptic, Conceptual, Epic, Heavy, Psychedelic, Ritualistic, Tribal
Musical Attributes: Complex, Dense, Improvisation, Odd Time Signatures, Progressive, Droney
Listen/Purchase:
Sault – Untitled (Black Is) / Untitled (Rise)
Style: Progressive Funk, Neo-Soul, AfroBeat
Vibe: Conscious, Groovy, Political, Rebellious, Uplifting, Warm, Modern, Cathartic, Summer, Eclectic
Musical Attributes: Lush, Rhythmic, Group Vocals, Progressive
Listen/Purchase:
Marisa Anderson and Jim White – The Quickening
Style: Free Improvisation, American Primitivism, Free Folk
Vibe: Contemplative, Rootsy, Rustic, Exploratory, Loose, Pastoral, Warm
Musical Attributes: Dynamic, Free Improvisation (Duo), Instrumental
Listen/Purchase:
J.H. Guraj – Introspection / Migration
Style: Primitivist Guitar, Avant-Folk
Vibe: Earthy, Rootsy, Suspenseful, Loose
Musical Attributes: Acoustic, Atmospheric, Electro-Acoustic, Improvisation, Instrumental, Studio-as-an-Instrument
Listen/Purchase:
Botany – End the Summertime F(or)ever
Style: Instrumental Hip-Hop, Psychedelic Beats
Vibe: Cosmic, Dance, Earthy, Meditative, Psychedelic, Spiritual, Warm
Musical Attributes: Sampling, Electro-Acoustic, Groovy, Instrumental
Listen/Purchase:
Style: Organic Beat Music, Tribal Ambient, Psychedelic Folk, Progressive Electronic, Experimental
Vibe: Hallucinogenic, Mysterious, Nature, Exploratory, Ritualistic
Musical Attributes: Electro-Acoustic, Percussive, Rhythmic, Atmospheric, Loops, Beats, Polyphonic
Listen/Purchase:
Style: ECM-Style Jazz, Ambient Jazz, Post-Rock
Vibe: Airy, Contemplative, Focused, Impressionistic, Pastoral, Peaceful
Musical Attributes: Instrumental, Lush, Thematic, Improvisation
Listen/Purchase:
Style: Art Pop, Chamber Folk
Vibe: Catchy, Eclectic, Groovy, Mellow, Soft, Soothing, Uplifting,
Musical Attributes: Lush, Atmospheric, Complex, Polished
Listen/Purchase:
David Lord – Forest Standards, Vol. 2
Style: Jazz Fusion, Future Jazz, Post-Rock
Vibe: Forest, Knotty, Intricate, Nature, Impressionistic, Mysterious
Musical Attributes: Improvisation, Modal
Personell: David Lord – Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Chad Taylor – Drums, Billy Mohler – Upright Bass, Jeff Parker – Electric Guitar, Sam Hake – Vibraphone
Guitarist David Lord’s sylvan impressionism is equally knotty and lush on his new LP of lydian improvisation. The rhythm section of drummer Chad Taylor and bassist Billy Mohler hold it down with naturalistic rhythms that never settle into anything too predictable, while Sam Hake’s vibraphone contributions pad out the sound like green leaves and flowers among jagged branches. The proceedings are especially thorny when Jeff Parker’s guitar gets entangled with Lord’s on 8 of the 14 cuts. Like anything recorded at Long Beach’s Big Ego studios in the past few years, the production has clarity and polish without sacrificing the liveliness of a great room sound.
Listen/Purchase:
Luke Stewart – Exposure Quintet
Style: Free Jazz
Vibe: Abstract, Communal, Powerful
Musical Attributes: Acoustic, Collective Improvisation, Complex, Thematic
Listen/Purchase:
The Necks – Three
Style: Avant-Garde Jazz, Post-Minimalism
Vibe: Driving, Hypnotic, Suspenseful
Musical Attributes: Atmospheric, Collective Improvisation, Minimalistic, Repetitive
Listen/Purchase:
CMFRTR / Ghost Coast / Hidden Music – Energy Hum Vol. 1
Format: Triple Cassette
Style: Ambient, Progressive Electronic
Vibe: Cosmic, Psychedelic, Exploratory, Atmospheric, Meandering
Listen/Purchase:
EP’s, Mini-Albums, & Singles:
Ilyas Ahmed & Jefre Cantu-Ledesma – Torch Songs
Style: Drone, Noise Pop, Ambient
Vibe: Haunting, Mellow, Nocturnal, Soothing
Listen/Purchase:
Lamin Fofana – Darkwater / Blues
Style: Ambient, Experimental
Vibe: Philosophical, Rootsy (Blues), History, Mechanical (Darkwater)
Musical Attributes: Atmospheric, Electro-acoustic, Sampling, Field Recordings
Listen/Purchase:
Animal Collective – Bridge to Quiet
Style: Neo-Psychedelia, Ambient Pop
Vibe: Aquatic, Atmospheric, Exploratory, Hallucinogenic, Abstract
Musical Attributes: Improvisation, Sampling, Atmospheric
Listen/Purchase:
Anderson Paak – Lockdown
Style: West Coast Hip-Hop, Neo-Soul
Vibe: Conscious, Groovy, Political, Rebellious
Watch/Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgItkJCm09c
Numün – Voyage Au Soleil
Style: Tribal Ambient, Psych-Folk, New Age
Vibe: Earthy, Meditative, Psychedelic, Cosmic
Musical Attributes: Atmospheric, Electro-Acoustic, Rhythmic
Listen/Purchase:
Moor Mother – Forever Industries
Style: Experimental Hip-Hop
Vibe: Confident, Existential, Futuristic, Mellow, Personal, Poetic
Musical Attributes: Sampling, Spoken Word, Lyrical, Rhythmic
Listen/Purchase:
Black Ends – Stay Evil
Style: Gunk Pop, Math Rock, Noise Rock, Psychedelic Grunge
Vibe: Fuzzy, Riffs, Bluesy, Grimy, Catchy, Angular, Energetic
Listen/Purchase:
Angel Bat Dawid – Transition East
Style: Creative Music, Avant-Garde Jazz, Organic Beat Music
Vibe: Earthy, Groovy, Cosmic, Spiritual, Warm
Musical Attributes: Improvisation, Percussive
Listen/Purchase:
Dengue Dengue Dengue – Fiebre
Style: Organic Beat Music, Digital Cumbia, Progressive Electronic
Vibe: Dark, Eerie, Hypnotic
Musical Attributes: Percussive, Polyrhythmic, Electro-Acoustic, Instrumental, Loops, Studio-as-an-instrument, Atmospheric, Repetitive
Listen/Purchase:
William Fowler Collins & Marshall Trammell – Untitleable
Style: Free Improvisation
Vibe: Cathartic, Hypnotic, Political, Noisy, Droney
Listen/Purchase:
Efrim Manuel Menuck – Baby It Has to Fall
Style: Experimental Singer/Songwriter, Drone
Vibe: Droney, Intimate, Murky, Political, Rebellious
Watch: https://vimeo.com/464859417
Listen/Purchase:
New Balance – The Spirits will Shimmer while I stare at their Shadows
Style: Ambient Folk, New Age
Vibe: Meditative, Hypnotic, Soothing, Contemplative
Musical Attributes: Electro-acoustic, Atmospheric, Banjo, Synthesizer, Manipulated Vocals
While escapism is an understandable instinct in times of turmoil, The Spirits Will Shimmer encourages reflection on our current realities rather than turning a blind eye. New Balance’s Jeremy Leasure thoughtfully constructs a sonic cocoon of backwoods ambience from warped banjo improvisations and Casio synth atmospheres, foregoing the vivid lyrical imagery and lush arrangments of past releases. By offering a temporary respite from overstimulation, these meditative mood pieces carve out the space necessary to process the endless stream of information weighing on our hearts and minds. (Full Review)
Listen/Purchase:
Jefre-Cantu Ledesma & Julie Byrne – Love’s Refrain
Style: Noise Pop, Dream Pop, Drone
Vibe: Ethereal, Hypnotic, Lush, Noisy, Sensual, Warm
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07d_coPy7Ws
Archival Releases:
Style: Abstract Groove, Ambient Jazz, Raga Jazz, Jazz Fusion
Vibe: Abstract, Exploratory, Hypnotic, Mysterious, Psychedelic, Suspenseful
Musical Attributes: Complex, Dense, Rhythmic
Don Cherry – Om Shanti Om
Style: Spiritual Jazz, Ecstatic Folk Music
Inspirations: African Folk Music, Hindustani Classical Music
Vibe: Ritualistic, Spiritual, Uplifting, Meditative
Musical Attributes: Acoustic, Chants, Improvisation, Percussive
Listen/Purchase:
Style: Free Folk, Free Improvisation
Vibe: Psychedelic, Ritualistic, Tribal
Musical Attributes: Acoustic, Atmospheric, atonal, dissonant, droney, improvisation, percussive, Electro-Acoustic
FFO: Taj Mahal Travellers
Listen/Purchase:
Style: Ethio-Jazz, Soul
Vibe: Heartfelt, Passionate, Uplifting
Musical Attributes: Groovy, Melodic, Rhythmic, Raw
Purchase: https://www.vinylmeplease.com/products/ayalew-mesfin-che-belew-march-forward?variant=32417921433690
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4NsvCs311o
Various Artists – How the River Ganges Flows: Sublime Masterpieces of Indian Violin [1933-1952]
Style: Carnatic Classical Music
Vibe: Spiritual, Transcendent, Cathartic, Energetic, Rootsy
Musical Attributes: Technical, Virtuosic, Acoustic
Listen:
Purchase: https://portofsoundrecords.com/products/how-the-river-ganges-flows-sublime-masterpieces-of-indian-violin-1933-1952
Bushpilot – 23
Style: Post-Punk, Kosmische-Influenced
Vibe: Angsty, Motorik, Primal
Musical Attributes: Rhythmic, Repetitive, Dynamic, Driving
Listen/Purchase:
Live Albums:
Beverly Glenn-Copeland – Live at Le Guess Who? 2018
Style: Singer/Songwriter, Chamber Folk
Vibe: Intimate, Live, Lyrical, Passionate, Spiritual, Uplifting
Listen/Purchase:
Angel Bat Dawid & The Brothahood – Live
Vibe: Intense, Conscious, Fiery, Angry, Triumphant, Spiritual, Political, Raw
Musical Attributes: Improvisation, Live, Loose
Listen/Purchase:
Nicole Mitchell & Lisa E. Harris – EarthSeed
Style: Avant-Jazz Opera, Creative Music, Chamber Jazz
Based on the Works of Octavia Butler
Vibe: Communal, Conscious, Dramatic, Earthy, Eccentric, Spiritual
Musical Attributes: Complex, Conceptual, Dynamic, Improvisation, Live, Poetic, Polyphonic, Progressive, Storytelling, Suite, Theatric
Featuring Tomeika Reid (cello) & Ben Lamar Gay (trumpet)
Listen/Purchase:
Carlos Niño & Miguel Atwood-Ferguson – Chicago Waves
Style: Ambient Jazz, New Age
Vibe: Airy, Dreamy, Impressionistic, Meditative, Mellow, Peaceful
Musical Attributes: Atmospheric, Improvisation, Instrumental, Live
Listen/Purchase:
Abrams/Damon/Graham/Mendoza – Sometimes There Were Four
Style: Free Jazz, Free Improvisation
Vibe: Abstract, Exploratory
Musical Attributes: Collective Improvisation, Complex, Live
Listen/Purchase:
75 Dollar Bill – Live at King Tubby’s
Style: Psychedelic Jam Band, Tishoumaren, Experimental Rock
Vibe: Psychedelic, Hypnotic, Groovy, Exploratory
Musical Attributes: Collective Improvisation, Microtonal, Polyrhythmic, Repetitive
Listen/Purchase:
Further Digging:
- Askal Maboul – Figures (Progressive Pop; catchy, eclectic, lush, odd time signatures, surreal)
- Wendy Eisenberg – Auto (Experimental Songwriter; Intimate, Angular, Improvisation, Guitar Genius)
- Ka – Descendents of Cain (Abstract Hip-Hop; Dark, Deadpan, Existential, Slow, Spiritual, Mellow, Sparse, Cinematic, Floating, Storytelling, Conscious)
- Bob Dylan – Rough and Rowdy Ways (Singer/Songwriter, Americana; Bittersweet, Melancholy, Mellow, Poetic, Reflective, History, Storytelling, Acoustic, Bluesy, Lush)
- Dougie Poole – Freelancer’s Blues (Outlaw Country, Hypnagogic Pop; Anthemic, Catchy, Conscious, Futuristic, Humorous, Imaginative, Introspective, Political, Satirical, Storytelling, Warm)
- Sam Amidon – Sam Amidon (Modern Bluegrass, Folk; Lush, Atmospheric, Pastoral, Rootsy, Rustic)
- Stephen O’Malley & Senyawa – Bima Sakti (Ritual Folk, Drone Metal, Indonesian Folk Music; Dark, Earthy, Haunting, Murky, Nocturnal, Noisy, Ominous, Ritualistic, Spiritual, Dissonant, Atmospheric)
- Oranssi Pazuzu – Mestarin kynsi (Psychedelic Black Metal, Space Rock; Aggressive, Dark, Epic, Heavy, Intense, Ominous, Spacey, Complex, Dense, Odd Time Signatures, Progressive)
- Special Interest – The Passion Of (Synth Punk, Industrial; Angry, Angsty, Cold, Conscious, Dance, Heavy, Mechanical, Moody, Noisy, Political, Raw, Sexual)
- Doug Carn, Adrian Younge, & Ali Shaheed Muhammed – Jazz is Dead 005 (Soul Jazz, Organ Jazz;, Groovy, Passionate, Melodic, Rhythmic, Technical, Instrumental)
- Sufjan Stevens – The Ascension (Progressive Pop, Synth Pop; Colorful, Epic, Existential, Imaginative, Spiritual, Lush, Melodic, Dense, Progressive)
- The Microphones – The Microphones in 2020 (Lo-Fi Songwriter; Contemplative, Hypnotic, Intimate, Introspective, Melancholy, Existential, Personal, Philosophical, Nature, Storytelling, Repetitive)
- Mako Sica / Hamid Drake – Blancing Tear (Jazz Rock, Psychedelic Jazz, Nocturnal, Ritualistic, Spiritual, Improvisation)
- Ross Hammond – Our Place on the Wheel (Slide Guitar, Saxophone, & Drums improvisations; Blues, Free Americana; Rustic, Driving, Impressionistic, Rootsy, Atmospheric, Collective Improvisation)
- Harrington, Gustin & Zahn – Tura Lura (Free Americana, ECM-Jazz; Collective Improvisation, Melodic, Pastoral, Rural, Smooth, Western)
- T.V. Sun – Mosses (Neo-Psychedelic, Progressive Folk; (Motorik, Eclectic, Psychedelic, Rhythmic, Progressive, Lo-Fi)
- Oneohtrix Point Never – Magic Oneohtrix Point Never (Progressive Electronic, Hypnogogic Pop; Catchy, collage, futuristic, longing, melancholy, sentimental, surreal, uplifting, woozy)
- Jahari Massamba Unit – Pardon My French (Abstract Groove, Black Classical Music, Organic Beat Music, Spiritual Jazz; Exploratory, Instrumental, Improvisation, Rhythmic)
- Kairon; IRSE! – Polysomn (Prog, Shoegaze, Space Rock; Fuzzy Driving, Energetic, Futuristic, Progressive, Rhythmic, Riffs, Technical, Atmospheric)
- Bill Fay – Countless Branches (Singer/Songwriter, Folk; Gentle, Contemplative, Intimate, Introspective, Melancholy, Peaceful, Philosophical, Reflective, Simple, Sparse, Lyrical, Soft)
- Bent Arcana – Bent Arcana (Psych-Jazz, Free-Rock, Abstract Groove; communal, energetic, epic, exploratory, improvisation, instrumental, loose, psychedelic)
- A Grape Dope – Backyard Bangers (Glitch Pop, Instrumental Hip-Hop, IDM; Energetic, Playful, Beats, Uplifting)
- Shirley Collins – Hearts Ease (English Folk; Rootsy, Traditional, Mellow, Morning, Soft)
- Odem Medo – Somber Sylvan (Ambient Folk, Atmospheric Western, Post-Rock; Nature, Meditative, Instrumental, Lush, Soothing)
- Jordan Reyes – Sand Like Stardust (Ambient Folk; Contemplative, Introspective, Meditative, Atmospheric, Loops, Electro-Acoustic)
- Eric Van Thyne – A Million Miniscule Moments (Ambient; Contemplative, Soothing, Grainy, Atmospheric, Sparse, Warm, Improvisation, Studio-as-an-instrument, Sound Collage)
- fightmaster – quiet for quiet / sunday driver (Ambient; Sparse, Grainy, Soothing, Atmospheric)
- Tuluum Shimmering – Five From the Vault (Ritual Ambient, Free Folk; Cosmic, Hypnotic, Peaceful, Psychedelic, Soothing, Tribal, Warm, Droney, Instrumental, Loops, Repetitive)
- Califone – Echo Mine (New Weird Americana, Psych Folk; Percussive, Psychedelic, Rhythmic, Rustic)
- Clipping – Visions of Bodies Being Burned (Experimental Hip-Hop, Horrorcore; cinematic, cold, complex, dark, death, eclectic, noisy, ominous, suspenseful, technical)
- David Toop – Apparition Paintings (Experimental Ambient; Atmospheric, Exploratory, Mysterious, Improvisation)
- Landon Caldwell – Unity (Ambient Jazz, New Age, Progressive Electronic; Meditative, Spiritual, Atmospheric, Improvisation, Minimalistic
- Puppy Soul – Welcome Home Pup (Bedroom Pop, Neo-Psychedelia; Intimate, Heartfelt, Playful, Colorful, Melodic, Rhythmic)
- The Nels Cline Singers – Share the Wealth (Abstract Groove, Jazz Fusion; dynamic, exploratory, improvisation, instrumental, progressive)
- MSSV – Main Seam Stop Valve (Jazz Rock, Surf, Post-Punk; Angular, Energetic, Improvisation, Instrumental)
- Sumac – May You Be Held (Free Sludge Metal; atmospheric, dissonant, dynamic, epic, heavy, improvisation, monolithic, murky, noisy)
