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Top 50 Albums of 2022: #40-31

40. Present Tense by Yumi Zouma

As ever the Music Twitter community have handed me some incredible recommendations over the last 12 months, and one strong favourite came earlier this year from Twitter pal Kiley Larsen (@kilarzleesen) and his Check This Out! blog. 2022 was flush with great dream pop records with the likes of Cannons and Beach House narrowly missing out on a spot in this list, but my pick of the bunch was the mesmerising fourth album from New Zealand’s Yumi Zouma.

The sound of a band hitting their stride, this is gorgeous, string-tinged dream-pop that will frequently move you and whisk you away to some place magical. Front-to-back this is just a blissful 34-minute listen, with a special shout out to Haunt, Of Me And You, If I Had A Heart For Chasing, Mona Lisa and Astral Projection, which are probably my five favourites from the sub-genre all year.

Best tracks: Haunt, Of Me and You, Astral Projection

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39. Sing With Abandon by VLMV

Every year there are multiple albums that fly under the radar and don’t get the attention they deserve. One of the big ones for me this year was this absolutely spellbinding album from London-based ambient post-rock outfit, VLMV.

If you are partial to soaring instrumentals from the likes of Mogwai, Explosions In The Sky and Godspeed You! Black Emperor, then do not sleep on this album. Boasting haunting, beautifully atmospheric, string-drenched soundscapes, it makes for a constantly enchanting and spine-tingling listen. With the album almost a 50/50 split between complete instrumentals and some vocal-led pieces, the moments when the soft ethereal harmonies come in really take the record to another level. On tracks like There Are Mountains Underneath Us, For Empire and The Navigator, it adds just another dimension to the melancholic beauty that seeps out of every pore of this record.

Also perfect winter listening!

Best tracks: For Empire, There Are Mountains Underneath Us, The Navigator

Listen here

38. Radiate Like This by Warpaint

There were more than a few welcome comebacks in 2022, with one of the top ones being the re-emergence of American indie rockers Warpaint, who returned with their first new album in six long years.

Whilst Radiate Like This mostly sticks to Warpaint’s usual winning formula of understated, wonderfully chilled-out guitar grooves, the big difference this time is the emotional heartbeat of the record. It’s the same four women that first captivated the world with their dreamy shoegaze sound over a decade ago, but their perspective has changed as they’ve grown and that shines through in the writing here. Across this collection of songs, they explore motherhood, relationships, and their own lasting friendship with one another, as only they can - in a shimmering haze of desert rock that indeed radiates.

Welcome back Warpaint, please don’t leave it so long next time!

Best tracks: Champion, Melting, Trouble

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37. Fear Fear by Working Men’s Club

With their first album placing 13th in my final Albums of 2020 list, whilst also being my highest rated debut of that year, Yorkshire industrial synth-pop outfit Working Men’s Club had given themselves a tough act to follow. However just two years on, Fear Fear arrived packed with songs troubled by loss, panic, isolation and trepidation – perfect for the times.

Just like their debut, the album’s dark underbelly is glossily sheened over thanks to the neon-soaked drench of pulsating, nostalgia-laced electronica. Addictive lead single Widow is my personal highlight, carrying shades of New Order and the spirit of the 90s Madchester rave scene, with a wonderfully hypnotic central synth groove.

With a dark, moody aura, lots of fun sonic exploration and plenty of replay ability, Working Men’s Club continue to ride their wave of momentum on this very solid second outing that is just as fun as their brilliant debut.

Best tracks: Widow, Ploys, Cut

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36. Every Moment, Everything You Need by Deserta

Another album recommended to me earlier this year by Kiley and then duly reminded of its greatness recently by Twitter Shoegaze guru Stevy (@StevyK1973), this majestic second album from Matthew Doty is something quite special to behold.

Bringing together those atmospheric walls of sound synonymous with shoegaze alongside some welcome synth and dream-pop stylings, Matthew’s second Deserta album is an utterly awe-inspiring listen from beginning to end. The fact that Every Moment… was recorded at home during the pandemic while Doty was continuing his day job as a nurse makes it even more impressive.

There’s plenty of highlights here too courtesy of some dreamy melancholic soundscapes, with Far From Over my personal favourite, standing out as the album’s glistening six-minute centrepiece. Elsewhere, I’m So Tired is the record’s most pure pop moment with its scintillating melody, It’s All A Memory hits you like a gentle breeze amidst a siren of synths, and Goodbye Vista is just a gorgeous glide across some towering guitar weaves towards the end.

Overall, this is an incredibly enchanting record and I’m so grateful to have had this one sent my way several times this year, as it’s turned into a really big favourite – so huge thanks to both Kiley and Stevy for the recommendation!

Best tracks: Far From Over, Goodbye Vista, I’m So Tired

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35. Hugo by Loyle Carner

Hip-hop as a genre has had an absolutely massive 2022 and I think I could’ve easily made a separate list just for all the great rap records this year. Although I couldn’t find space for them all here with heavyweight records from the likes of Vince Staples, Denzel Curry, Nas and Billy Woods all just missing out, there’s still several that have made the final cut. The first to feature in my year-end list is the dazzling third album from young British wordsmith, Loyle Carner.

Hugo finds the rapper back on top form, as he eloquently explores racial identity and fatherhood across the album’s brilliant 10 tracks. Usually friendly, calm and collected, opener Hate finds Carner in an angry and defiant mood, as he puts the world to rights over racial inequality and injustice against an infectious piano-driven beat. Recent single Nobody Knows is then a soulful exploration of his heritage whilst Georgetown is a Madlib produced track that is interspersed with spoken word poetry from Afro-Guyanese playwright, John Agard.

As great as the singles are though its arguably the album tracks that hit the hardest here, as Speed of Plight sees Loyle let loose his frustrations over a brilliant electronic beat, whilst Polyfilla and A Lasting Place show off his softer side with a pair of beautifully written, piano-backed pieces.

As a huge fan of his Mercury Prize-nominated debut Yesterday’s Gone, it’s been great to hear Loyle back to his best in 2022 and producing one of my favourite hip-hop releases of the year.

Best tracks: Hate, A Lasting Place, Speed of Plight

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34. Stellar Drifting by George Fitzgerald

Speaking of genres that have had an amazing 2022, there has been a real abundance of fantastic electronic records this year. Again whilst I sadly couldn’t include them all, a shout out to the likes of Bonobo, Brothertiger, Daniel Avery, Hot Chip, Lane 8, Kavinsky, Moderat, HAAi and Mall Grab, who are just some of the artists who have helped make this year a hallmark one for synth-soaked, mind-bending sonic whirlpools. However, representing the genre is my personal favourite from this brilliant bunch, the imaginative latest outing from Mr George Fitzgerald.

Titled Stellar Drifting, this third album from George began life with him using pictures of stars and galaxies and turning them into audio wavelengths. From there he would build the sounds out, until they eventually became the 10 tracks found on Stellar Drifting. Cosmonaut Alley takes the listener on a journey across Jupiter whilst The Last Transmission imagines a spaceman’s final message to Earth. Therapeutic and uplifting, this collection of ambient tracks will charm, soothe and relax in equal measure. Amidst all the celestial wonder, there’s some great collaborations to be found too with George teaming up with the likes of Panda Bear (Passed Tense), SOAK (Rainbows and Dreams), Ellie Goulding (Cold) and London Grammar (The Last Transmission).

As a huge fan of George’s last album All That Must Be – which also finished in my Top 20 Albums of the Year back in 2018 - I’m pleased that this latest effort is as equally spellbinding. Magically constructed from cosmic patterns, it’s an interstellar trip that you’ll want to take again and again.

Best tracks: Cold, Passed Tense, Setting Sun

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33. Cub by Wunderhorse

One of 2022’s biggest surprise packages and another one of the year’s top debuts. Having seen that Wunderhorse (the solo project from Jacob Slater, the former frontman of now-split London outfit The Dead Pretties) were due to support Fontaines D.C. on their UK tour, I dived into this record back in October to get a heads up on what I could expect to hear and see. With no expectation going in, I was quite frankly blown away with what I found.

On this brilliant solo debut, Slater serves up a blistering collection of country-infused rock songs with plenty of replay value. Leader of the Pack draws big shades to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Sweet Home Alabama but without the cringe, whilst Purple is a heartfelt track reminiscent of some of Idlewild’s more melodic cuts. After Teal’s bluesy guitar slides, Poppy then offers up big Stone Roses vibes with plenty of added haze. All that said, Slater arguably saves the best moment for last as the aptly-titled Epilogue delivers a raw, coming-of-age track, drawing comparisons to Nirvana as the pained acoustic-backed vocals steadily build into a big, grungy finale.

If you are a fan of rock music or any of the bands mentioned above and ended up having this album bypass you during the year, then definitely give Cub a spin. It really is an excellent introduction to Wunderhorse’s chameleonic sound and chances are, like me, you’ll find plenty to enjoy.

Best tracks: Leader of the Pack, Purple, Epilogue

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32. Where Myth Becomes Memory by Rolo Tomassi

There wasn’t too many metal records that captured my imagination in 2022 (although further recommendations always welcome!), however one early year highlight did leave a lasting impression to make it onto this countdown – this majestic sixth album from Sheffield metalcore outfit, Rolo Tomassi.

The charm of Rolo Tomassi’s music has always been how they manage to seamlessly marry the beautiful with the ugly. This is characterised in their music by effortless switches between frontwoman Eva Korman’s gentle clean vocals to her loud screams, as well as jumps from melodic electronica over to brutal, pummelling metal riffs. This is again what they lead with on Where Myth Becomes Memory, however now with years of songcraft under their belt, it has become second nature to them. The compositions are masterfully constructed and more refined, with various pieces from across their musical spectrum intricately sewn together.

Almost Always is the perfect scene-setter, a glorious six-and-a-half-minute opener of hazy noise, spine-tingling vocals and ambient piano. Mesmeric 2021 single Cloaked is then propelled initially by a mind-melting heavy central riff and Eva’s aggressive vocals, however towards the back end it morphs into a twinkly pop song contrasted against some crushing drums and thrashing guitars.

From there, Tomassi pretty much spend the album swaying between divine beauty and ferocious anger, with gorgeous piano-driven pieces like Closer and Stumbling sandwiched between more high-octane cuts like Labyrinthine, Drip and Prescience. It all plays out like a captivating trapeze act, with not a single dull moment to be found.

The isolation of lockdown has clearly given them the time to fine-tune these songs and their flawless waltz between the angelic and the punishing has never been more enthralling. This album set the bar for other metal albums early on in 2022 and in the end, for me at least, nothing toppled it.

Best tracks: Closer, Prescience, The End of Eternity

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31. The Family / TM by Brockhampton

It is never fun when a band you love decide to call it a day, however when they go out on such a high and with a sense of finality to their work, it can really help soften the blow. Thankfully that closure is what rap troupe Brockhampton gave to their fans as a parting gift when they finally split up in 2022, delivering not one but two great albums to round off their tumultuous but rewarding decade together.

Taking inspiration from Frank Ocean’s Endless/Blonde release a few years back, the two albums were delivered back-to-back on consecutive days in November, with The Family emerging first and feeling more like the band’s definitive final album. On that record, group leader Kevin Abstract takes centre stage and essentially presents a whirlwind tour of Brockhampton’s entire journey – from their initial meetings on a Kanye West Fan Forum, through to their supersonic rise to stardom, as well as the reasons behind their eventual split. Each chapter is short and snappy, with most of the tracks either well under or just over two minutes long.

As a project to close the book on Brockhampton, they really couldn’t have asked for a better swan song – not only is it one of their finest albums to date but also one of the very best hip-hop records all year. Lyrically it is sharply written, the mix of hard electronic-driven beats and soul samples is dazzling, and the performance from Abstract is also both frequently impressive and heartfelt. There’s a bucketload of highlights and eclectic sonic treats throughout, but the eponymous closer is the one that ends up hitting the hardest. A string-soaked, real gut-punch of a finale, it sees Kevin bidding a touching final farewell to the band and all its members.

Before fans could even fully process The Family, a day later TM arrived featuring a collection of songs that were started by the group during a two-week stint in California last year but were never originally completed during those sessions. Now finally released, this may be more of a full band project compared to The Family but it feels more like just an extra treat for fans than anything else. That said though, there’s some great trap-style thumpers to be found such as ANIMAL, NEW SHOES and MAN ON THE MOON.

If The Family is the emotional goodbye, then TM is the jubilant celebration of everything that made the band so great. Together, it’s a triumphant final send-off for a group that have put their stamp firmly on the hip-hop scene over the last few years and leave behind an impressive legacy. Farewell Brockhampton and really, thanks for everything.

Best tracks The Family: Brockhampton, All That, My American Life

Best tracks TM: MAN ON THE MOON,GOODBYE, ANIMAL

Listen to The Family here

Listen to TM here

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