5. Default Genders – Main Pop Girl 2019

Main Pop Girl provides ethereal indietronica which comes screaming out of the early 00s midwest, bringing with it all the subtle angst and rose-tinted nostalgia of a disillusioned 20-something from a nowhere city. The record pays homage to the early days of the internet when online communities still felt underground, placing that nostalgia next to tales showcasing the hardships of modern living. Default Genders’ idolisation of the past reaches a fever pitch with a Springsteen cover and a reimagining of Tom Waits’ Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis. Much like these old masters, Default Genders explores the struggles of the blue-collar youth in a contemporary setting, but does so using infectious and danceable electronic beats.

Listen to: Vietato Calpestare i Prati

4. Xiu Xiu – Girl With Basket of Fruit

Xiu Xiu is back on their hyper experimental wagon with the intensive and overwhelming Girl With Basket of Fruit. This record contains chaotic energy which induces an unnerving sensation in the listener, a similar feeling of unease to a David Lynch film. The lyrics explore feelings of disillusionment with society and focus on the treatment of women and minorities in particular, but they do so in a surrealist way. The album’s content gets increasingly dark as it continues and reaches a peak with Mary Turner Mary Turner; a song about the real-life brutal murder of Mary Turner and her unborn baby. In short, this album is similar to modern art; difficult to process and rather esoteric, but packed with meaning and significance.

Listen to: Pumpkin Attack on Mommy and Daddy

3. Rina Mushonga – In A Galaxy

Sometimes all you want is a fun pop record, something which Mushonga has provided expertly on her second album. In A Galaxy is packed with personality and brings a broad and eclectic range of instrumentation that gives the album a real sense of scale. The scale of the backing tracks is contrasted by lyrics which focus on common issues and everyday arguments inspired by the singer’s time in South London. Throughout the record, Mushonga moves effortlessly between high synthpop and piano ballads all while displaying a powerful vocal performance. These factors combine to produce a joyful and accessible pop experience.

Listen to: 4qrtrs

2. Panda Bear – Buoys

Many reviews criticise Buoys for being a lot more one dimensional than Panda Bear’s previous solo work. While this is a legitimate observation, I think the album’s toned-down style it part of the appeal. Panda Bear has created a record with a lighter and airier feeling to his part work. This open, spacious sound combines with nautical embellishments and ghostly vocals to conjure memories of long, lazy summer days spent at the seaside. While this album lacks the grandness or depth of Person Pitch or his work with Animal Collective, Buoys is a solid record which adds another feather in the cap of Panda Bear’s discography.

Listen to: Token

1. Various – Kankyō Ongaku: Japanese Ambient, Environmental & New Age Music 1980-1990

Kankyō Ongaku translates to environmental music; a fitting title for an excellently curated collection of Japanese ambient music. The genre grew during the 80s in Japan much how it did in the West, but cultural differences in the regions resulted in a different outcome. Western ambient fixated on manipulating analogue sounds which drove deep, rich music that was also messy and imprecise. The early rise of digital in Japan meant clarity was key in their ambient music which led to meticulously assembled tracks. The result is a compilation as minimalistic and beautiful as a Japanese rock garden; about as good a collection of ambient music as has ever been put together.

Listen to: Blink by Hiroshi Yoshimura