1️⃣ Bird’s Eye by Ravyn Lenae (soul, R&B, and everything else)
are you tellin’ me this is a soul album that is fun but also has some deep dark corners and spans tons and tons of genres? aw hell yeah. sign me up.

3️⃣ Closer by Maria Chiara Argiro (DIY electronic windshield wave)
pinning this album into the “electronic” category just feels wrong. so much going on here. and it’s all vibey, moody, and special. good for a night drive or a lazy apartment that is lit solely by neon.

4️⃣ The Pilgrim, Their God and The King of My Decrepit Mountain by Tapir! (British art rock)
love me an album that has three “discs.” such an ambitious project that tells such a lovely story from a mystical fairytale land. there are a few of these bands popping up in the UK and i ain’t mad!

5️⃣ Windswept by Photay (experimental electronic)
i got swept away by this album, man. pun intended. seeing this album performed live? i got even more swept awayer. cool sounds. cool vibes. i feel like i’m in a steampunk video game that exists in the foothills of the west coast and the mechanical levels of Donkey Kong 64.

6️⃣ Third Time at the Beach by LICE (noisy and f*ckin weird art rock)
jesus h. talk about an album that sounds like nothing else. these guys are wild. i’ll never forget listening to this album for the first time and audibly saying “HELL YEAH BRUTHER.” for real. give the whole thing a chance. it’s wild and weird!

7️⃣ Slump by Improvement Movement (classic rock with a hint of soul)
yeah if you like Vulfpeck and The Eagles you’ll like these guys. it’s just smooth and funky and good. this is the album you show to your friends to make you seem cool. these guys have hooked onto something good and have a bright future, here ye hear ye.

8️⃣ See You At The Maypole by Half Waif (indie wave)
okay so YEAH, i get it. my favorite band is Pinegrove, and as a Pinegrove alum, i like everything Half Waif does before i even hear it. bias be damed! BUT LISTEN. this album IS INCREDIBLE. from the first song it is SICK and NEVER LETS YOU GO. the lyrics. the production. the everything. do yourself a favor.

9️⃣ Twice Around the Sun by Ugly (whimsical British art rock)
genuinely one of my favorite finds from the whole year. remember when I mentioned the UK art rock movement before? yeah. this is more where that came from. a young band who can write banger singles and eight minute tracks and you still want more. here’s hoping they come to the US this year.

1️⃣0️⃣ This Could Be Texas by English Teacher (British art rock)
okay i’m sorry there’s so much art rock from the Brits on here, but that scene is really exploding right now believe me!! this album got all sorts of prizes, but it’s that good. an album fit for a inter-dimensional king.

1️⃣1️⃣ nublues by Joel Ross (jazz)
one of my favorite residents of the Village Vanguard jazz club in West Village, Joel hypnotized me from the very beginning. this guy. to start, how many prestige xylophonists do you see out there writing albums and collaborating with the best the jazz scene has to offer? he’s on his on level. give it a listen.

1️⃣2️⃣ Two Things at Once by Bendigo Fletcher (folk rock)
when these guys played The Sultan Room in NYC, you would have thought the Beatles were on stage. everybody in that room wanted to marry these guys. they are just so talented and not to mention cayute! but for real. they don’t miss. this album was no exception. catchy, cozy, great.

1️⃣3️⃣ A place between us by Okvsho (experimental jazz)
i didn’t have experimental swiss jazz on my bingo card this year. but here we are. this album makes me want to sit on a carpeted floor and smoke hooka. (mom, dad, i’ve never smoked hooka before.) it is all so smooth and has some songs that catch you by surprise. let’s go.

1️⃣4️⃣ Pure Love by Mall Girl (nordic indie rock n’ roll baby)
if there’s one thing that was no surprise at all on my Spotify Wrapped, it was the prevalence of Mall Girl. my god. i love this band. and i can’t wait for them to come to NYC in March. if you read this newsletter, you are invited to come with me. let’s pack this place out.

1️⃣5️⃣ What Now by Brittany Howard (experimental soul rock)
if there was an album that i was shocked (shocked!) to see left off of so many lists this year, it was this one. soul, rock, one of the most talented vocalists in existence today, good vibes. i don’t get it. this album was better than Beyonce’s and T-Swift’s catalog combined. truly singular.

1️⃣6️⃣ The Wind by Ann Annie (atmospheric soundscape magicianship)
the raw talent involved on this record is insane. completely original compositions that transport you to another world. hints of jazz, hints of classical, hints of mother nature. i’m not saying that drugs would improve your listening experience, but it’s something to consider???

1️⃣7️⃣ So Medieval by Blue Bendy (rock that is too cool for school)
the freshman record from yet another British rock group (!!!!). it’s an album that is whacky but you can’t help falling in love with. a lyric in the opening track is “setting fire to my underpants". amazing. also, what an utterly talented roster. every instrument in every song is doing something noteworthy. a treat!

1️⃣8️⃣ Below a Massive Dark Land by Naima Bock (singer songwriter folksy rock tunes brah!)
ugh, what a voice. hypnotizing. not to mention those lyrics. ow! it all just meshes and i love how Naima can take a genre that can get repetitive and make every song something special. that’s effin’ hard and she makes it seem easy.

 1️⃣9️⃣ Baggy$$ by Fcukers (let’s dance)
as you can obviously tell by the band name, these guys take themselves very seriously. for real! no fun here! no creative and dancey and fun tunes here! just frowns. and tears. in other news, i saw their album release party this year in a strip mall in chinatown. as i said!! strictly by the book!!

2️⃣0️⃣ Sombras by Lauren Henderson (jazz and soul)
a collaborator with Joel Ross (also featured on this list) this album is simply scintillating. there’s so much talent going on here, showcasing the best nyc’s jazz scene has to offer. this album will have you shaking your head and tapping your foot and going “mm!”.

🅱️ONUS The Healer by Sumac (banner of war catharsis metal)
i can’t put this album on the playlist! i just can’t. this album is an hour long and has four songs. not to mention, it’s some of the craziest metal you’ve ever heard in your life. but if you’re willing to tap into the dark, experimental metal side of MTIG’s musical tapestry, give it a try.

brought to you by our friends at See Your Sounds