Top 20 Albums of 2020 (So Far)
2020 has been off to a…weird start to say the least. With all the stress and anxiety running rampant in the world at the moment, it’s important to not forget about the calming effects of music – especially music from your favourite artists and records.
That’s why we have taken the initiative to compile our 20 favourite records released in 2020 so far. From electronic to folk to indie, this year has already seen some amazing new releases.
Hopefully some of the albums you’ve heard of, and hopefully some you haven’t. That way, you can feel like you’ve accomplished something with your day.
Let us know what you think of our selection! Do you agree? Disagree? Did you get lost on the internet and found this post instead of an article about the best new tops to wear and are just confused at this point? Either way, let us know!
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20. Beauts – Dalliance
Release date: February 21, 2020
For the past five years, the Halifax indie rock five-piece of Palmer Jamieson, Jeff Lawton, Darryl Smith, Erik Van Lunen, and Joel Waddell, have been refocusing the band’s energy into creating more dynamic and layered songs. For an album titled Dalliance, it has much more foresight than a fleeting romance. While the songs may help evoke a sense of a summertime fling with its hazy guitars and ethereal vocals, it has much more substance and longevity that will keep Beauts moving forward in their career.
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19. Wolf Parade – Thin Mind
Release date: January 24, 2020
In a small studio in the woods of Vancouver Island, alternative rock group Wolf Parade jumped back into the songwriting process only a month after completing a world tour supporting Cry Cry Cry in 2018. The result is Thin Mind, a well-rounded alternative album that explores the theme of the world’s heightened use of technology and the negative consequences as a result. Thin Mind is upbeat, lively, and organic, but looking deeper into it, it is dripping with pessimism.
The contrast of catchy, danceable energy against the lyrical worry and anxiety about the world is what Thin Mind is about. But while the lyrical content of the album is heavy, the music remains fun, lively, and dynamic. It is still easy to sit back and enjoy as an alt-rock record with its strong hooks and riffs, in true Wolf Parade fashion. Just try not to let the dread set in for too long.
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18. Moses Sumney – græ Pt. 1
Release date: February 21, 2020
Art-pop/nu-R&B artist Moses Sumney tackles the greyness and subjectivity of art and identity on his compelling new release græ Pt. 1. Having released just the first half of the double LP græ Pt. 1, Sumney shows his dominating abilities as a songwriter and artist with its extensive track list. græ Pt. 1 is a compelling release, built on a foundation of nu-R&B emotion and articulate, yet avant-garde production. Sumney’s finely tuned falsetto takes the listener through his self-reflection and internal conflicts, and the result is nothing short of enchanting and captivating.
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17. R Grunwald – OMA
Release date: March 6, 2020
Renowned pianist R Grunwald has 100s of stage credits under his belt, including as the loyal accompanist for jazz singer Jill Barber and singer-songwriter Donovan Woods. But the Toronto musician released a solo album featuring a collection of solo piano pieces dedicated to his 96-year old grandmother, titled OMA. Grunwald’s ability to craft songs that evoke melancholy and excitement simultaneously comes through on the album. His minimalist and contemporary piano pieces showcase the instrument’s delicateness and versatility, bringing the music to life through story and character.
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16. Grimes – Miss Anthropocene
Release date: February 21, 2020
Claire Boucher, better known as Montreal art-DIY pop artist Grimes, has always been an enigma of sorts. Her music and style is transcending and unpredictable, giving audiences a compelling look into her mind. On our fifth album, Miss Anthropocene, she explores her pop musicality, but not without her crafty roots of glitchy electronic. Inspired by anime and video games, the new record explores the dystopian state of the world and crumbling innovation of technology. With a vast discography, Grimes discovers new ground on Miss Anthropocene, building her eclectic style of art-driven electronic pop.
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15. Oh Wonder – No One Else Can Wear Your Crown
Release date: February 7, 2020
London, UK indie pop duo Oh Wonder have released their third studio album this week with No One Else Can Wear Your Crown. The duo is composed of husband and wife Anthony West and Josephine Vander Gucht. Their natural chemistry comes through in their uplifting and ear-catching music, making the track list a stellar collection of indie pop tunes. Most notably, the bitter-sweet tune “Happy”, colourful chanting track “Hallelujah”, and synth-pop lead single “I Wish I Never Met You”. Oh Wonder are able to slow things down, with the lush, heartbreak song “In and Out of Love” and the love ballad “Nothing But You”, making No One Else Can Wear Your Crown an enjoyable listen from start to finish.
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14. Holy Fuck – Deleter
Release date: January 17, 2020
Toronto electronic rock band Holy Fuck have been around for almost fifteen years, and with their fifth album Deleter, the band’s musical progression has continued to evolve. Swapping bright melodies and dance floor-chasing energy for heavier, hypnotic rhythms, Deleter explores the kinetic power of Kraut rock and combines it with the trance effects of deep house, moving to a more edgy, technologically progressive sound for the band.
The band’s use of instruments and miscellaneous tools to create electronic music gives them a slight edge to other electronic artists that use the more traditional route of software and splicing to create their sound. Even fifteen years later, you can still hear their organic production highlight the tracks. The raw sound of floor toms and bass kicks hit a little differently than a digitally created sound would, and this consistency is what takes the album to a higher place.
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13. Mura Masa – R.Y.C.
Release date: January 17, 2020
Mura Masa released one of the best dance albums of 2017 at the age of 21. Fans of the young British producer patiently waited for new music to come out, and back in mid-2019, the silence was broken. Following up his successful 2017 self-titled LP, Alex Crossan has dropped his new record R.Y.C. – short for Raw Youth Collage. Although many may have been expecting Mura Masa to follow suit with a dance record, R.Y.C. instead is a youthful, pop-fuelled perspective leading the way for Gen Z.
Mura Masa‘s new album shows that he can evolve and shift his focus from the dance floor to bedroom mixtapes almost effortlessly, while still holding onto the heart of someone looking forward into his early 20s (he is only 23 after all). R.Y.C. sounds like someone who grew up watching Skins and Freaks & Geeks, and transferred their memories and emotions of their expectations for their future-self onto a computer to splice into songs.
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12. Bombay Bicycle Club – Everything Else Has Gone Wrong
Release date: January 17, 2020
It’s been close to six years since London-based Bombay Bicycle Club released their last album, So Long, See You Tomorrow back in 2014. The British four-piece felt they had hit their peak after touring the album and playing their largest show at the London Earl Court in 2015, and decided to split.
Nevertheless, the band are back together and have put out their new album, Everything Else Has Gone Wrong. The 11-track effort encapsulates the band’s mutual understanding of finding solace and meaning in their music. With six albums under their belts, Everything Else Has Gone Wrong may not end up being their most popular release, but it is definitely their most mature and well-rounded, with plenty of layers to unpack and appreciate as they continue to grow and find new ways to surprise their fans.
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11. Loate – I Let It In And It Took Everything
Release date: February 7, 2020
Liverpool five-piece Loathe blend together heavy metal, nu-metal, and metalcore to create a sound with clear inspirations from TOOL, Linkin Park, Deftones, and early-Slipknot. But they’re paving their own way in the hardcore music scene, and their latest album I Let It In And It Took Everything should help solidify their name in the genre.
Not for the faint of heart, I Let It In And It Took Everything is a powerful re-introduction for a band that has been around since 2014, but is finally hitting people’s radars (and rightly so).
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10. TOKiMONSTA – Oasis Nocturno
Release date: March 20, 2020
L.A. electronica veteran TOKiMONSTA continues to deliver unwavering and stunning music throughout the years. Her sixth full-length Oasis Nocturno is fresh off the press and features her signature blend of house, R&B, soul, and future-pop for a smooth electronic party.
Including handful of stellar features that help bring the album to life, Oasis Nocturno also contains a few instrumental tracks that standout on their own, showcasing TOKiMONSTA’s ability as an independent songwriter and producer. Her knowledge as a classical trained musician helps to bring a certain depth to the record that allows for more personal expression as an artist.
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9. Caribou – Suddenly
Release date: February 28, 2020
Electronic artist Caribou is best known for his lively trance-like house music, using glitchy synthesizers and bass drums for dynamic, odd-ball party music. Dan Snaith, the man behind the music, stepped away back in 2015 to deal with personal and family matters. Five years later, he is back but with a shift in his sound that is both peculiar and loveable.
Suddenly is as unpredictable as the title suggests, playing with distortion and warped melodies, giving each song its own fingerprint. Nothing feels repeated or overdone on the new record, as he plays around with elements of hip-hop, house, deep house, trance, and electro-pop. Just in time for summer, Suddenly is the perfect soundtrack for late-night subway rides, backyard festivities, or 4am after-parties with their own unpredictability.
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8. Easy Life – Junk Food
Release date: January 10, 2020
UK-indie electro-pop group Easy Life are still very fresh to the music scene. Formed in 2017 in the outskirts of Leicester, England, the five-piece have been releasing tunes gradually after signing to Island records in 2018. But that doesn’t mean they should be overlooked; if anything, their quick path to success means they are worth checking out.
Their debut studio release Junk Food is a quick, but captivating album that blends the groovy pace of soul, with the melt-in-your-mouth sounds of electro-pop, and just a little bit of homegrown bounce. Easy Life are easily described as a conglomeration of Glass Animals, new-era Arctic Monkeys, and a little bit of the bedroom hip-hop of Chance the Rapper.
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7. Andy Shauf – Neon Skyline
Release date: January 24, 2020
Andy Shauf’s music is fitting to his demeanour. Just like how sometimes a dog resembles his owner, Shauf’s quiet and articulate personality shines through in his personable and captivating songwriting. It is rich with storytelling and soft pop detailing, giving it a Prairies-meets-Paul Simon-esque.
His songs are simple enough to enjoy, but laden with rich instrumentation to give them an abundance of layers. The record is very much a glimpse into the mind of Shauf and his creativity. He wrote, recorded, and produced the entire album, and also performed every instrument on the album – including drums, bass, keys, and clarinet. An impressive credit to say the least. And you can hear his hard work as you listen carefully between the layers of instruments, each one with a strong sense of purpose and working in synergy to build dense, lyrically-driven songs.
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6. Soccer Mommy – Color Theory
Release date: February 28, 2020
Nashville songwriter Sophie Allison breaks down her psyche in three acts on her sophomore album Color Theory: “blue” for depression, “yellow” for physical/mental illnes, and “gray” for mortality”. She mixes together nostalgia, sadness, and lo-fi pop into the 10-track effort.
Color Theory carries with it the same sensations of staying up on the corded phone in your room talking to your friend late at night on a dreaded Wednesday evening; swapping pains and stories for relief and companionship.
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5. Matt Holubowski – Weird Ones
Release date: February 21, 2020
Hudson, Quebec singer-songwriter Matt Holubowski is well known for his ability to craft together folk, pop, and experimentation. His new album Weird Ones is a well-rounded and captivating folk release that has plenty of replay value. Happiness, heartbreak, and self-reflection are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of thematic elements on the record. Featuring Holubowski’s crisp, haunting vocals, his new record is a breathtaking collection as he seamlessly blends his lyrics, voice, and instrumentation on each track.
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4. Son Little – aloha
Release date: January 31, 2020
After his hard drive filled with semi-finished demos fried, Son Little (born Aaron Livingston) was forced to start over, just before heading to the studio to record his sophomore album aloha. Instead of claiming defeat, the soul singer-songwriter took it as a challenge to create something truly organic and in the moment. It took him eight days to write and record aloha, and the result is a laid-back, heartfelt record of soulful R&B melodies and slick guitar riffs.
Son Little’s ability to flex both his blues-rock guitar upbringings, and soft R&B ballad vocals to varying degrees on the record makes aloha captivating proof of his talent as a songwriter and musician. The mixing of underlying themes of aloha helps strengthen the alluring melodies and riffs laden through the record, making the new album his strongest and most charming release to date.
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3. Mac Miller – Circles
Release date: January 17, 2020
It’s hard to believe the young Philadelphia hip-hop icon passed away in 2018 at the age of 26 – especially with the post-humous release of his final collection Circles, released by his family on his behalf. The 12-track release is regarded as a sister album to his 2018 LP Swimming, and complements the more organic and intimate sound Miller had been working towards.
Naturally, Circles was not entirely completed before Miller’s passing, but producer Jon Brion, with whom Miller worked on Swimming, finished and filled in some of the gaps. There is plenty of emotion and pain filtered into the album, providing a lens into Miller’s psyche before his passing. But there are also plenty of upbeat, fun tracks throughout as well.
Hopefully Circles will be act as a form of closure for fans, bringing his musical career to a close with a final showcase of his musical growth, maturity, and songwriting ability.
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2. The Districts – You Know I’m Not Going Anywhere
Release date: March 13, 2020
After playing over 200 shows in just two years in support of their third album Popular Manipulations back in 2017, Philadelphia alternative rock group The Districts faced a period of tough self-reflection, and almost called it quits. Fortunately, their creativity and drive persevered, and their latest album You Know I’m Not Going Anywhere was born.
Considering the band has had a knack for trusting their creative instincts since they first began in high school, it is no surprise their new album is a compelling album that is and isn’t a Districts album…It captures the group’s rugged college bar sound but with twists and turns that are new to discography. The shift of their sound is undeniable and a crucial, but welcomed factor as the band continues to evolve. The group’s fourth effort holds some of their best work to date.
Knowing that Grote and the band nearly called it off, it’s a relief to know their determination and creativity won after all.
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1. Tame Impala – The Slow Rush
Release date: February 14, 2020
Kevin Parker is one of the most prolific musicians of this generation. Not just because he has written, recorded, and produced all four of his records. It goes a little further than that. Since his 2010 debut Lonerism, Parker has seeped his way into the world of pop, rock, hip-hop, psychedelic, and electronic. From his isolated studio in Australia, his music over the last decade has played a part in inspiring artists across different genres, including A$AP Rocky, Mark Ronson, and Rihanna (just to name a few).
Blending together psychedelic rock with interstellar electronic, and sample-worthy hip-hop beats with retro-filtered funk, Tame Impala’s new album The Slow Rush has Parker setting his own bar a little higher yet again. The 12-track release spans just under an hour, and is quite an extensive listen. But at the same time, flies by. It is easy to get lost within the layers of sonic detailing and even easier to get lost within the hooks and riffs that Parker seems to craft so effortlessly. The Slow Rush is certainly Kevin Parker’s strongest release to date, as he continues to impress with his isolated and individualistic music production style.
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