Top Albums of 2022
I have made a top albums list on and off over the years. It’s helped me better connect with the music and it has been fantastic to look back on some of my favorites of the past (2012 was a fun one to revisit!). While there was a lot of music made during COVID pandemic, I feel like this year gave us a lot of music that was created out of some of the feelings and emotions that COVID brought upon us followed by subsequent feeling of freedom that came after restrictions began to loosen. I’m amazed at the amount of music that comes out each year but this year had a ton of quality music, including some awesome stuff from some artists that wouldn’t typically be in my heavy rotation. I’ve also been fascinated with the concept of music genres lately and how the number of unique genres continues to grow at what feels like an exponential pace. This year you’ll see what Spotify lists as the genre for an artist as part of a longer project I’m working on which I’ll share in the future. Alright, let’s get to it!
Greentea Peng - GREENZONE 108
Genre(s): Alternative r&b, indie r&b, indie soul, uk alternative hip hop, uk contemporary r&b
GREENZONE 108
A good friend turned me on to Greentea Peng last year and I’ve been a fan ever since. Greentea Peng and “GREEZONE 108” seems to draw from a lot of inspirations. I hear jazz and reggae influences in addition to the genres that Spotify lists above and this is a chill out album I can throw on just about any time.
Favorite Tracks: Lose My Mind, Look to Him, Top Steppa
Jack White - Entering Heaven Alive
Genre(s): Garage rock revival, garage rock, punk blues, modern blues rock, rock, blues rock, alternative rock, modern rock
Entering Heaven Alive
Jack White put out two entire albums in 2022 and both were strong enough to make it onto my favorites list. As you might imagine, each album is quite different from the other with “Entering Heaven Alive” bringing a more folk and acoustic sound topped with lyrics and fantastic production that I’ve come to expect from Jack White.
Favorite Tracks: I’ve Got You Surrounded (With My Love), Queen of the Bees, Man from Manhattan
Bonobo - Fragments
Genre(s): electronica, downtempo, jazztronica, ninja, trip hop, nu jazz
Fragments
I’ve been a fan of Bonobo, aka Simon Green, since I first discovered his music in the early 2000’s with the release of his first album “Animal Magic”. He’s put out some of my favorite music for chilling and relaxing out of any artist out there and has continued to evolve his sound over the years. While I have a particular nostalgia for his older music, “Fragments” is a fantastic journey through many different soundscapes and I’ve listened to it a ton this year.
Favorite Tracks: Shadows, Age of Phase, Otomo
Stavroz
Genre(s): organic electronic, organic house
Mindibu
I’ve been listening to Stavroz for a few years since finding them on a Youtube mix. I’ve never heard of the genre’s “organic electronic”, or “organic house” before, but I think “organic electronic” describes their sound well. While it sounds like electronic music, it has a more earthy sound that is soulful, deep, and dark (while also being bright if that makes sense). Love, love love, this sound and hoping I can see them live in the near future.
Favorite Tracks: In Mindibu, Jabrama, Nobody Around
Beyoncé - Renaissance
Genre(s): Dance pop, pop, r&b
RENAISSANCE
While I can absolutely appreciate what Beyoncé has done in the industry as well as having a lot of songs I’ve enjoyed over the years, I never thought I would have one of her albums as one of my favorites of the year. Her music is great, but not something I would typically be drawn to pull up for a listening session. I listened to “Renaissance” once when it came first came out and wasn’t wowed, but when I listened to it a second time I was blown away and have been revisiting it a lot since. There are so many influences here from pop and r&b to Caribbean, to house, to reggae, and the production on the album was off the charts for me. Throw on some headphones and give this one a listen.
Favorite Tracks: ENERGY, ALIEN SUPERSTAR, PURE/HONEY
Jack White - Fear of the Dawn
Genre(s): Garage rock revival, garage rock, punk blues, modern blues rock, rock, blues rock, alternative rock, modern rock
Fear of the Dawn
Louder, heavier, and the in-your-face sibling to the aforementioned “Entering Heaven Alive”, Jack White’s first album of 2022 quickly went to the top of my list. I love a great rock album and there is so much in “Fear of the Dawn”. It’s all over the place in the best Jack White way and I’ve gone back to it a ton this year. I struggled to think of how to describe this album for a while and in the end we’ll just have to go with Pitchfork’s description, which to me, is perfect:
On his first of two solo albums planned for this year, Jack White earns his eccentricity. An illogical fusion of blues-rock and carnival prog, this music is genuinely, imaginatively weird.
Favorite Tracks: Hi-De-Ho, Fear of the Dawn, What’s the Trick?
Charlotte Audigery & Bolis Pupul - Topical Dancer
Genre(s): belgian electronic, belgian indie, chamber psych, electronica
Topical Dancer
Talk about unique, different, out-there, and sometimes strange, “Topical" Dancer” is right at home next to Jack White. I have never in my life heard an album like this which unapologetic and sarcastic lyrics Charlotte Audigery that add commentary around endless thoughts as well as race and misogyny. These lyrics pair perfectly to music by Bolis Pupil complementing the themes of this album so well. I listened to this album a ton this year and still think “wow” every time I listen to it. I’m listening to it as I write this, and, “wow”.
Favorite Tracks: Ceci n’est pas un clicé, Mantra, Thank You
Florence + The Machine - Dance Fever
Genre(s): baroque pop, pop, uk alternative pop
Dance Fever
I had my first experience with Florence + the Machine at a festival called Governors Ball in 2015. There were a lot of great artists at the event and I didn’t intend to go see Florence, but I was walking across the festival grounds to see a band and was overtaken by the sound coming from one of the main stages. I had to go listen to this music. As I got closer I Florence had a leg in a cast who was still somehow running and hopping across the stage absolutely rocking out. I was blown away by the show and have been a fan since.
There is so much depth to this album. It is dark, it is bright, it is sad, it is happy, it is soulful, it is tribal. I could go on and on. This album is a journey, and just rocks. If you’re a Florence fan you’ve likely already listened to it and I’d love to hear what you think of it. If you’ve never listened to Florence + The Machine there are many places to start but if you were asking me, I’d point you to “Dance Fever” first. I know some people would aggressively disagree with me but I believe this is her best album to date in a catalogue of incredible albums. Bravo to this gem. And, if you ever have the chance to see her live I would so strongly suggest you take the opportunity.
Favorite Tracks: Dream Girl Evil, My Love, Free, King
If you’ve made it this far thanks for exploring some of my favorite music of the year. I’m always game to hear about new music so feel free to contact me if you might feel like sharing some of your own favorites. Lastly, I’ve put together my favorite tracks of the year from the above albums along with a few other tracks I loved from 2022. Happy new year all and see you in 2023! ~Matty
