MOPE: The Top 20 Albums of 2021

We're back, baby. Thanks for checking out my fourth(!) annual AOTY list on MOPE.

Before we get stuck in to the actual list, here are a few honourable mentions:

• Converge & Chelsea Wolfe - Bloodmoon: I: Difficult one, this, because I can almost guarantee that it would've been in my top 20 (maybe even top 10) if it'd come out in, say, April? The only reason it's been relegated to an honourable mention is because I simply haven't had enough time with it yet and it's so much to take in on one listen. As it stands, this collaboration between the two world-class artists came out in mid-November and it's an absolute match made in heaven, with both bringing their A-game. A perfect tonal balance of uncompromising heaviness and porcelain beauty. Listen here.
• Knocked Loose - A Tear in the Fabric of Life: It doesn't qualify for the end-of-year list because it's an EP, but holy fuck are Knocked Loose at the height of their destructive powers on this release. Accompanied by a haunting animated short film, A Tear in the Fabric of Life was a surprise in more ways than one; nobody expected this band to drop their best ever music out of absolutely nowhere. Unadulterated anger and intensity in the form of murderous metallic hardcore, darker than a black hole and twice as heavy. Listen & watch here.
• Bo Burnham - Inside (The Songs): Beyond the memes, Inside is a generation-defining comedian's lockdown-era opus, and the music is what the Netflix special builds itself around. I've excluded the album from my list because... well, it's a soundtrack, but a lot of these songs are extraordinary. Whether we're talking the brilliantly satirical 'Comedy', a deconstruction of online life in 'Welcome To The Internet', or epic closer 'All Eyez On Me', Burnham uses this music to provide more pertinent and intelligent commentary on the last two years than any other artist out there. Listen & watch here.

I've also been enjoying albums this year from (deep breath) '68, JPEGMAFIA, The Chisel, Employed To Serve, The Coral, Black Midi, Death Goals, Green Lung, Gojira, JOHN, Dave, Regional Justice Center, Backxwash, Amyl & The Sniffers, Citizen, Spellling, Noctule, Mogwai, Arlo Parks, Portrayal of Guilt (twice), Cruelty, Injury Reserve, Dying Wish, The Bronx, Knoll, and - yes - Kanye West.

Alright, now onto the 20:

Number 20: Pupil Slicer - Mirrors

Best tracks: Martyrs, L'apell Du Vide, Wounds Upon My Skin, Mirrors Are More Fun Than Television

FFO: The Dillinger Escape Plan, Knoll, Rolo Tomassi, Today Is The Day

Never has a band's name suited their sound more. Mathcore upstarts Pupil Slicer made substantial waves in the scene this year with their debut record, Mirrors; a caustic blast of frantic percussion, panic chords, throat-shredding screams, and titanic distorted guitars. Alongside the obvious, mathy reference points in early Converge and Dillinger, there's plenty of even heavier influence from deathgrind and powerviolence mixed in to absolutely crushing effect. Vocalist/guitarist Katie Davies is the driver of this runaway train, commanding 100% of your attention at all times and offering up a fantastically versatile performance along the way. Songs like 'Mirrors Are More Fun Than Television' and 'Collective Unconscious' prove that beyond the brutality, we can expect some even more astonishing work from Pupil Slicer in the future.

Number 19: Black Country, New Road - For The First Time

Best tracks: Athens, France, Sunglasses, Opus

FFO: Slint, black midi, Squid, Dry Cleaning

I remember first hearing Black Country, New Road on 6Music when their debut single, 'Sunglasses', was released; a sprawling, 9-minute-long, arty post-punk track which (on the surface) did absolutely nothing for me... but I started to find myself enjoying it more and more each time it came on. Eventually, I'd go back to it of my own accord pretty much every day, and after a couple months I was shouting along to "Leave Kanye out of this!" while driving in my car. Fast forward two years and the hype train for BCNR has lived up to its lofty expectations on their first full-length album. Admittedly, this re-recording of 'Sunglasses' is slightly inferior to the more chaotic single version, but other tracks like 'Opus' and 'Athens, France' have that same quality of improving with every subsequent listen. There are so many elements to uncover, from the dry wit of the lyricism and drawling vocal delivery right down to the bed of complex percussion, atmospheric horns and strings, grooving basslines, and angular guitarwork. Promising stuff from the London 7-piece.

Number 18: IDLES - CRAWLER

Best tracks: The Wheel, Car Crash, The Beachland Ballroom

FFO: Fontaines D.C., Parquet Courts, shame, Death Grips

A band who really need no introduction at this point, IDLES' latest effort is the biggest and boldest evolutionary step they've taken thus far. Not every experiment here works equally well, but it's a fascinating and varied listen which far surpasses 2020's Ultra Mono; a record which felt like the group playing it safe, and weaker for it by the band's own admission. CRAWLER, on the other hand, sees the Bristol post-punks travel further outside their comfort zone than ever with tracks like 'Car Crash' (a bass-heavy Death Grips/Ho99o9-style jam), 'The Beachland Ballroom' (a soulful waltz through gritted teeth), and 'Wizz' (a 30-second burst of noise rock kicked off by a blast beat). The lyrics are poetic and introspective rather than blunt and confrontational, and cutting-edge production from Kenny Beats is stellar as always. These stylistic shifts - representational of the album as a whole - feel incredibly refreshing; the start of an exciting new chapter for IDLES.

Number 17: Tyler, The Creator - CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST

Best tracks: CORSO, LUMBERJACK, JUGGERNAUT (feat. Lil Uzi Vert & Pharrell Williams)

FFO: MF DOOM, Earl Sweatshirt, Vince Staples, BROCKHAMPTON

Tyler, The Creator, easily one of the most interesting and exciting rappers of the 21st Century, continues his spectacular artistic progression with CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST, a record which introduces a new persona in "Tyler Boudelaire". It's almost a summation of his work up to this point, blending everything from R&B to jazz to the dark, hard-hitting hip-hop that made him famous - and it ends up feeling simultaneously like a mixtape and a concept album (both in equally brilliant ways). These songs are coated in a heavy layer of nostalgia, looking through rose-tinted glasses at a wide range of subject matter, specifically with a focus on Tyler's personal relationships, his (often-controversial) rise to fame, and the unimaginable level of success he now finds himself at. Creative use of sampling and ambitious songwriting prevail, with two tracks clocking in at over 8 minutes long but never once outstaying their welcome. Through it all, it's crystal clear that this album is a strong musical vision which has been realised to its fullest extent.

Number 16: SeeYouSpaceCowboy - The Romance of Affliction

Best tracks: Misinterpreting Constellations, Anything to Take Me Anywhere but Here, Melodrama Between Two Entirely Bored Individuals

FFO: Underoath, Fear Before, Static Dress, Kaonashi

Connie Sgarbossa, SYSC's charismatic and enigmatic frontwoman, went through hell around the release of their sophomore record, The Romance of Affliction; attempting suicide by deliberate drug overdose just two weeks after their time in the studio. This being the band's strongest work yet, that darkness and pain behind the songs is palpable, and yet they manage to retain the same energy and unhinged playfulness that has served them so well thus far. It's a wonderful blend of 2000s metalcore and "sasscore" revivalism, with genre legends like Keith Buckley and Aaron Gillespie both providing stellar vocal features. Hand claps, disco-beat breaks, huge soaring choruses, and crushing breakdowns combine to create a uniquely addictive listening experience. More please.

Number 15: Little Simz - Sometimes I Might Be Introvert

Best tracks: Introvert, Woman, Standing Ovation, Rollin Stone

FFO: Sampa the Great, Injury Reserve, Tyler, The Creator, Cleo Sol

London rapper Little Simz has been at the forefront of British hip-hop for a number of years now for good reason, and on Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, she wrestles with the pedestal that her brilliant music has put her on - as an introvert in the showbiz world of extroversion. Lyrically, she also covers a smorgasbord of other pertinent topics (from systemic racism to female empowerment) all with their own style and flair. The production and use of samples, interludes, and interesting guest features ensures that this album feels like a proper journey; constantly taking the listener to places they may not expect, never once settling into a formula, and always radiating an incredibly strong sense of personality and artistic expression. It's one of the most thoroughly engaging records of 2021.

Number 14: Teenage Wrist - Earth Is A Black Hole

Best tracks: New Emotion, Wear U Down, Wasting Time, Earth Is A Black Hole

FFO: My Vitriol, Can't Swim, Narrow Head, Citizen

I hope you like massive hooks, because Teenage Wrist's Earth Is A Black Hole hardly ever goes a single minute without introducing a new one. Leaps and bounds ahead of their debut LP, this is a perfect mix of chunky instrumentation, shoegazey effects, lavish production, and world-beating choruses which fully embrace the pop in their songwriting. One listen to the title track alone will have you singing and dancing to it for days on end, while 'Wear U Down' and 'High Again' recall the best of 90s alt-rock in all their slacker-esque glory. Sure, sometimes it can be incredibly sugary (almost saccharine on a track like 'Yellowbelly') but when the songs are this irresistible, there's nothing wrong with indulging. Big tunes, good vibes.

Number 13: Wolf Alice - Blue Weekend

Best tracks: Delicious Things, Safe From Heartbreak (if you never fall in love), Play the Greatest Hits, The Last Man on Earth

FFO: HAIM, Beach House, Gengahr, Black Honey

Maybe a scandalous statement for long-time fans of the band, but Blue Weekend is easily the Wolf Alice album I've listened to the most. There simply isn't a single skippable track on this thing, which takes the band's signature sound and sinks it even further into their dreamy, spaced-out indie rock world. A couple of more up-tempo bangers ('Smile' and 'Play the Greatest Hits') are nestled amongst an overall more low-key and progressive sound; singer Ellie Rowsell always shining at the forefront with a voice and lyrical turn of phrase to die for. One notable highlight is the almost a-capella track 'Safe From Heartbreak (if you never fall in love)', which features nothing but a picked acoustic guitar and layers upon layers of beautifully harmonised vocals. With an aesthetic to match the sound and a series of music videos easily amongst the best of 2021, what's not to like?

Number 12: Delta Sleep - Spring Island

Best tracks: The Detail, Planet Fantastic, Old Soul, Hotel 24

FFO: TTNG, Feed Me Jack, Wild Cat Strike, Beach Fossils

Brighton math-rockers Delta Sleep's third full-length, Spring Island, is an album born out of lockdown living as much as it is a celebration of life and love out in the big, wide world - and a warning regarding the future of that world. The opening lyric of "I've been dreaming / About leaving the house" sets the scene perfectly and subsequent songs range from explorations of human relationships to the ever-present fear of climate change. Musically, it brings everything wonderful to the table that we've come to expect from Delta Sleep: shout-along gang vocal refrains, intricate and mathy lead guitars, a masterclass in dynamics, and yet another man-of-the-match performance from drummer Blake Mostyn. As always, they make the most challenging instrumentation look easy, with guitar riffs and leads snaking around one another seamlessly atop a mind-blowing rhythmic bed. Spring Island cements the band as one of the best math-rock groups in the world today.

Number 11: BROCKHAMPTON - ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE

Best tracks: BUZZCUT, WINDOWS, THE LIGHT, DON'T SHOOT UP THE PARTY

FFO: Kevin Abstract, slowthai, Denzel Curry, Duckwrth

Don't let the lackluster name or artwork fool you: this new BROCKHAMPTON record is the best of their highly-prolific career.

The hip-hop collective seem to be looking to shake off their "boyband" moniker here, on what is supposedly their penultimate album. Sure, there are a fair few pop-laden bops to jump up and down to ('DON'T SHOOT UP THE PARTY', 'BANKROLL') but for the most part the songwriting is more nuanced and reminiscent of old-school rap. This is the perfect middle ground between their hyped-up early days in the SATURATION trilogy, a more experimental record like iridescence, and the sickly-sweet GINGER; balancing the best elements of each to create a more well-rounded sound. It also provides a platform for the previously more "gimmicky" members of the group to show us what they're really made of, as Merlyn Wood gives the best performance of the entire album on 'WINDOWS' and Joba's verse on 'THE LIGHT' (about the recent suicide of his father) is deeply affecting to hear.

Number 10: Full of Hell - Garden of Burning Apparitions

Best tracks: Guided Blight, Burning Apparition, Industrial Messiah Complex, Reeking Tunnels

FFO: Nails, Black Breath, The Body, ENDON

Listening to Garden of Burning Apparitions by Full of Hell feels like being bludgeoned to death. In a really good way. 

A constantly-evolving beast of a record, this is ugly, abrasive, violent, and unfathomably dark, melding grindcore with death metal, noise rock, and powerviolence to create something which feels alive - and insidiously so. Dylan Walker's demonic vocals continue to astound me in that they don't sound human whatsoever, but the same could then be said for Dave Bland's drumming ability. Equally impressive bass and guitarwork combined with huge production and engineering from legendary noisenik Seth Manchester makes Garden of Burning Apparitions absolutely mighty in every sense... and even in amongst the madness, there are pockets of accessibility. From the demented but infectious rhythm of 'Reeking Tunnels' to the chugging riff at the centre of 'Burning Apparition', there's stuff here to latch onto for those not yet initiated into FOH's personal world of extremity. For established fans, on the other hand, this is simply another step up. Disgustingly good.

Number 9: Frontierer - Oxidized

Best tracks: Heirloom, Southern Hemorrhage, SVVANS, Removal of the Copper Iris and the Lightning Pill

FFO: Car Bomb, Meshuggah, The Armed, Gaza

This third record from Frontierer goes above and beyond their usual masterclass in overwhelming mathy tech-metal maximalism to deliver something even more spectacular. The band continue to push the boundaries of extreme metal further and further here, with results so intense and deranged that it's literally impossible to take it all in on a single listen. I'm on maybe my 8th or 9th at this point and I've only just begun to scratch the surface.

Opener 'Heirloom' should adequately prepare you for the insanity of what follows, and is a good respresentation of the album as a whole. Beyond the inhuman screams, impossible drumming, and walls of distorted guitar and bass (making noises you've never even heard before), however, there's more experimentation with electronic and noise elements. 'SVVANS' is the standout in this regard, taking a page from the book of experimental hip-hop in all its grooving, bass-boosted glory - and segueing flawlessly into the brutal 'Stereopticon', heightening the impact of both songs. Oxidized is a sonic tornado made of razorblades and computer glitches, but when you manage to reach the eye of the storm and marvel at the chaos around you, the reward is easily worth the risk.

Number 8: Chubby & The Gang - The Mutt's Nuts

Best tracks: It's Me Who'll Pay, Coming Up Tough, Lightning Don't Strike Twice, I Hate The Radio

FFO: Big Cheese, Ramones, Violent Reaction, The Clash

Staring down the barrel of 21st-Century life in Britain with a chip on their shoulder, Chubby & The Gang spit in the face of authority with glee on this sophomore record. The Mutt's Nuts blows their first album (a loud, bold statement of intent) out of the water with bigger and more versatile songs (but no less energy). This is raw, catchy punk rock at its finest - and with much more to offer than might first meet the eye.

A killer rhythm section and beautifully reckless guitarwork sets the stage for "Chubby Charles" Manning-Walker to run the lyrical punk gamut here. Whether it means taking on racist cops, the capitalist rat-race, an unjust justice system, or the vicious cycle of poverty, everything is worded with sharp wit and a disgusted snarl. 'It's Me Who'll Pay' takes the cake, on which the chorus rings out: "Sell my soul to the fucking job? No way / If time is money then it's me who'll pay / And all the coppers and politicians keep it all in place". To break up the anti-establishment onslaught, we're also treated to more melodic, emotive cuts like 'Take Me Home to London' and closer 'I Hate The Radio', proving that C&TG have an impressive grasp on light, shade, and structure which puts them far ahead of most of their peers.

Number 7: Tigercub - As Blue As Indigo

Best tracks: As Blue As Indigo, Stop Beating on My Heart (Like a Bass Drum), As Long As You're Next To Me, Beauty

FFO: Royal Blood, Queens of the Stone Age, Muse, Phoxjaw

Tigercub's 2017 debut album, Abstract Figures in the Dark, should've catapulted them to stardom just like Royal Blood's self-titled did for them. It was ambitious, creative, and intelligent as well as being a brilliant rock record, with tracks like 'Control', 'Memory Boy', and 'Omen' sounding absolutely huge and all standing the test of time. As it happened, AFITD was criminally overlooked, and with their comeback LP, it feels as if Tigercub have said "Oh, that wasn't enough? Well, have this then, you bastards."

Heavier, more mature, more expansive, and even catchier - As Blue As Indigo is as thrilling as it is nuanced. The journey it takes you on is immense, bursting out of the gates with an unbelievable run of four bangers before an emotive, progressive, and forward-thinking side B which refuses to sacrifice the bold energy of the opening salvo. These tracks call to mind musical giants such as Muse, QOTSA, and Jack White, and at the centre of it all is Tigercub's frontman, Jamie Hall. This is his album, in both the fuzzed-up earworm riffs and the brooding, thoughtful lyricism. Rock music is simply at the height of its powers in small venues across the UK, and As Blue As Indigo is the latest stadium-sized offering from a band that deserve much more attention.

Number 6: Manchester Orchestra - The Million Masks of God

Best tracks: Inaudible, Keel Timing, Let It Storm, Obstacle

FFO: Band of Horses, Frightened Rabbit, Wilco, Bon Iver

A band that rarely (if ever) put a single foot wrong, Manchester Orchestra returned this year with the apparent intention of making everyone who listened to their new record turn into an emotional wreck. It worked, guys. Hope you're happy.

The Million Masks of God feels like a natural continuation from their 2017 masterpiece A Black Mile to the Surface, in that it utilises the same low-key style of evocative and subtly dynamic songwriting. Guitars, bass, and drums intermingle with synthesisers, strings, and sampling to bring the sound of the record into three dimensions; an all-encompassing sonic experience. Lyrically, Andy Hull is on fine form once again, but guitarist and co-songwriter Robert McDowell takes centre stage as much of the record really focuses in on the recent death of his father. These songs are for driving late at night; for lying on your bed in the dark; for watching the sun set. Gorgeously melancholic in a way that only this band can pull off.

On a more personal note, 2021 has been a year of pretty intense ups and downs for me. Going through said downs, this album and this band have been a constant presence, and for that I'm incredibly grateful. Long live Manchester Orchestra.

Number 5: The Dirty Nil - Fuck Art

Best tracks: Doom Boy, Ride or Die, Damage Control, To the Guy Who Stole My Bike

FFO: Weezer, Metallica, PUP, Thin Lizzy

Let's all just take a second to appreciate how ballsy it is of the The Dirty Nil to release one of the year's best albums on January 1st. The sheer confidence and knowing swagger in that decision alone is enough to give you an impression of what Fuck Art sounds like; a raging, rollicking, rock n' roll bombshell, their best album from a near-perfect run of 3.

This record wears its influences on its sleeve, and that mainly means going back to classic rock and metal. Lovesick opener 'Doom Boy' kicks off with a big-four-style thrash chug; 'Ride Or Die' takes its percussion from "Philthy Animal" Taylor; the bridge of 'Possession' is straight-up glam-rock stomp. At the forefront of all of this, of course, we have Luke Bentham's signature guitarwork and stratospheric choruses keeping everything fresh and exciting, seemingly made for main stages of festivals the world over. The lyrics are as witty as they are catchy, with lines like "I'm done with drugs, I hope they're done with me" delivered with tongue audibly in cheek. 

If there was any justice, this band would be unbelievably huge. For now, they feel like the rock world's best-kept secret. The question is - for how long?

Number 4: Lingua Ignota - SINNER GET READY

Best tracks: THE ORDER OF SPIRITUAL VIRGINS, I WHO BEND THE TALL GRASSES, MANY HANDS, MAN IS LIKE A SPRING FLOWER

FFO: Diamanda Galás, Emma Ruth Rundle, Fiona Apple, Pharmakon

Somewhere between a desperate confessional and an apocalyptic sermon; a preacher at the end of the world speaking to God one last time. SINNER GET READY finds Kristin Hayter at her most musically dynamic and emotionally vulnerable, which is an immeasurably powerful combination. The follow-up to 2019's CALIGULA (a furious, terrifying, raw record), this album touches upon the same motifs of abuse and oppression whilst also encompassing the topic of religious devotion; linking the relationship between a devotee and their God with a victim and their abuser.

From the initial wail of "Hide your children, hide your husbands" to closer 'THE SOLITARY BRETHREN OF EPHRATA's hymnlike comedown of "No longer shall I wonder / Ugliness my home / Loneliness my master / I bow to him alone", SINNER GET READY is no less thematically or lyrically intense than its predecessor - arguably more, in fact - but the approach to songwriting and structure is somehow more impressive. Lingua Ignota's signature multi-tracked vocals are haunting as ever and unbelievably brilliant on a technical level, combining a plethora of singing styles at once to create something truly distinctive. The instrumentation used is based largely in traditional Appalachian folk music, and combined with audio samples from televangelists and bible thumpers, this is probably the most quintessentially Pennsylvanian record you'll ever hear (not released by The Menzingers, that is). It examines the state's relationship with religion as much as it exposes Hayter's own feelings about living there during a dark time in her life.

SINNER GET READY is a brave, beautiful and disturbing masterpiece; more so since the details of the abusive relationship at the centre of it have recently surfaced. Essential listening for 2021.

Number 3: Turnstile - GLOW ON

Best tracks: BLACKOUT, FLY AGAIN, ENDLESS, ALIEN LOVE CALL

FFO: Higher Power, Angel Du$t, Snapcase, Blood Orange

Turnstile had a challenge ahead of them this year - that of outdoing their damn-near-perfect 2018 album, Time & Space. As 1/3rd of the "big three" of 2010s hardcore (with Code Orange and Knocked Loose, since you asked), the Baltimore band clearly take pride in re-moulding the genre and pushing it ever closer to the mainstream, and the glittering, bouncy, irresistibly fun GLOW ON is the biggest release we've had in that regard for a long time.

Where Time & Space played around with pop, alt-rock, and electronic elements, GLOW ON throws itself headfirst into all those influences and more without ever compromising Turnstile's hardcore punk backbone. In fact, those lighter moments provide an ideal contrast with the chugging guitars, Daniel Fang's pounding percussion, and yelled vocal refrains from Brendan Yates, so all that stuff hits a little bit harder. Once again, the riffs steal the show, whether that be on the joyous 'HOLIDAY', grooving 'BLACKOUT', or 'FLY AGAIN' - vying hard for my song of the year. Atmospheric, spacy, melodic tracks like 'ALIEN LOVE CALL' and 'LONELY DEZIRES' provide the aforementioned juxtaposition; both featuring R&B artist Blood Orange, who adds warmth and a whole load of good vibes to proceedings.

With appearances on American chat shows and a headline slot at 2000 Trees over here, it looks like Turnstile are finally making substantial waves with their refreshing approach to hardcore - and GLOW ON is probably their best release yet, purists be damned.

Number 2: Every Time I Die - Radical

Best tracks: Dark Distance, Post-Boredom, Desperate Pleasures, All This And War

FFO: Norma Jean, The Damned Things, The Chariot, Stray From The Path

I know I'm prone to hyperbole, but at this point it's not an exaggeration to say that Every Time I Die are the most consistently brilliant band of all time. If there's another that can boast a run of EIGHT back-to-back albums of similarly outstanding quality (improving with each release, if anything), I want to know about it. Since their breakthrough classic Hot Damn!, the members of ETID have aged from their mid-20s to early 40s and showed absolutely no sign of slowing down in the process; instead opting to expand their sound in the best ways possible. Radical is the latest proof of their never-ending talent.

In many ways, this could be a greatest hits album, in that it takes the best stuff from every previous record and sticks it together in a beautiful amalgam of everything I love about the band; from the Parts Unknown and Big Dirty-style chaos of tracks such as 'A Colossal Wreck' and 'Planet Shit' to more melodic cuts like 'Post-Boredom' and 'People Verses', which recall the best hooks on Ex Lives and Low Teens. Keith Buckley is at the top of his game in both the "crazed Southern pastor" cleans and wild, animalistic screams, and he's backed by a range of outrageously great musicians who keep the mountainous riffs coming for 16 whole tracks. Josh Scogin and Andy Hull join the prestigious ranks of the ETID guest-feature hall of fame here, alongside the likes of Greg Puciato, Brendon Urie, Gerard Way, and Daryl Palumbo. Scogin's appearance on 'All This And War' is probably the best of them all, with the song itself being my favourite track of the year. On the other hand, Hull's voice adds another dimension to proceedings and brings out the softer side of Buckley's songwriting to gorgeous effect on 'Thing With Feathers'.

Radical is simply the best Every Time I Die record to date. And when you consider their previous output, that's a monumental achievement. 

 Number 1: The Armed - ULTRAPOP

Best tracks: A LIFE SO WONDERFUL, AN ITERATION, WHERE MAN KNOWS WANT, BAD SELECTION

FFO: Genghis Tron, Dan Greene & The Greenies, Converge, Andrew WK, Semisonic

Could it really have been anything else? 

The third full-length album from the greatest band in the world lives up to its bold proclamation of a name on every level. This is a brand new genre of music; a hypnotic, all-encompassing blend of everything from noise rock to synthwave to hardcore to post-punk which does not relent for one second and ultimately becomes the most artistically complex & profound release of the year. Utterly overwhelming upon first listen, ULTRAPOP rewards limitlessly each time you return to it, with layers upon layers to peel away and uncover. That said, much of the record is also instantaneous, and huge hooks on 'AN ITERATION' and 'BAD SELECTION' are only bolstered by their cryptic lyricism and unique delivery. Since The Armed are a largely anonymous collective, it's difficult to pin down individual performances which stand out more than others... but there's inimitable beauty in such a large collaboration producing such a singular piece of work.

On top of all this, though, there's the fact that ULTRAPOP is so much more than an album. If you know me personally you'll probably know that I was somewhat involved in the organic, fan-driven hype campaign for this record, at one point designing a billboard to promote the lead single which somehow ended up on display in Times Square. This feat of strength in numbers is down to the multi-dimensional world created by the collective through an ARG-style treasure hunt in January, which lead to an inner sanctum of fans ("Daniels", after the enigmatic ringleader Dan Greene) devoting themselves to the cause in a multitude of ways. That's all without mentioning the process of ascension, DJ John Toilet, the sacred Book of the Book of Daniel, or the best film of the year: ULTRAPOP: Live At The Masonic.

If I were to explain all the "lore" in detail here I'd end up producing a dissertation-length essay, but essentially what makes 2021 the year of The Armed is their attitude toward music and art as a whole. This record defies definition, breaks down barriers, and transcends any ideas or pre-conceptions you may have had about what music should sound like. It reinvents the wheel and feels like a catalyst for widespread positive change.

Refract.