Well that year flew past, didn’t it? Despite the continuation of the pandemic, there was a massive influx of great releases this year. I typically am not fond of putting together year-end lists, but I do think it’s important to highlight some of my personal favorite records from the last 12 months, especially so I could shout out all of the releases that might not be popping up on similar lists and the albums that I loved but couldn’t get the time to write about.
Below you will find 100 of my favorite LPs of 2021, in no particular order, plus some of my favorite live albums, reissues/compilations and EPs/singles in individual sub-lists. What are your favorites this year? What did I leave out? Let me know in the comments below!
- The Midwest Book of the Dead, by Wes Tirey (Dear Life Records)
- Eight Point Star, by Eight Point Star (VHF Records)
- Urban Driftwood, by Yasmin Williams (Spinster Records)
- Bent Ring, by Wendy Eisenberg (Dear Life Records)
- Lunar Gardens, by Possum (Idée Fixe Records)
- Horizontology, by Tarotplane (12th Isle Records)
- Post Wook, by Andrew Scott Young/Ryan Jewell/Ryley Walker (Husky Pants Records)
- Psalms, by Nathan Salsburg (No Quarter Records)
- Made Out of Sound, by Chris Corsano and Bill Orcutt (Palilalia Records)
- Hidemi, by Patrick Shiroishi (American Dreams Records)
- I’m Gonna Love You ‘Til The End Of Time, by Wasted Cathedral (Centripetal Force Records/Cardinal Fuzz Records)
- Seafarin’ and Backporchin‘, by Sky Burrow Tales (Feathered Coyote Records)
- Bring Backs, by Alfa Mist (Anti-Records)
- Pharaonic Crosstalk, by Rhyton (Feeding Tube Records)
- Afrique Victime, by Mdou Moctar (Matador Records)
- Lamplighter, by Gerycz/Powers/Rolin (American Dreams Records)
- Friend’s Peace, by Black Twig Pickers (VHF Records)
- Space 1.8, by Nala Sinephro (Warp Records)
- Bianca, by Weak Signal (Colonel Records)
- Laid Under Leaf, Under Branches, by Dark Leaves (Ramble Records)
- Promises, by Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra (Luaka Bop Records)
- Elixir of Life, by Jeffrey Alexander and The Heavy Lidders (Centripetal Records/Cardinal Fuzz Records)
- Somewhere Different, by Brandee Younger (Impulse!)
- The Veiled Sea, by Six Organs of Admittance (Three Lobed Recordings)
- Yaral Sa Doom, by Wau Wau Collectif (Sahel Sounds)
The Best Live Albums of 2021
Deep Fried Grandeur by Ryley Walker And Kikagaku Moyo (Husky Pants Records) 
At Pioneer Works by Les Filles de Illighadad (Sahel Sounds) 
A Love Supreme Live in Seattle, by John Coltrane (Impulse!) 
Bear’s Sonic Journals: That Which Colors The Mind by Ali Akbar Khan (Owsley Stanley Foundation) 
Buck Curran: WFMU ‘The Frow Show’ Live Session (Feat. Jodi Pedrali) (Obsolete Recordings) 
FLY or DIE LIVE by Jaimie Branch (International Anthem) 
The Golden Lag by Elkhorn (Bluehole Recordings) 
Bear Sonic Journals: Johnny Cash at the Carousel Ballroom April 24, 1968 (Owsley Stanley Foundation) 
Live at The Red Room (2019) by Mark Mulcahy (Mezzotint) 
Live at The 5 Spot by Jack Silverman (Centripetal Force Records) 
Rare Dreams: Solar Live 2.27.18 by Chris Forsyth and The Solar Motel Band (Algorithm Free) 
Die Schute, Hamburg, DE – September 12, 2019 by DWLVS 
Live 7-21-21 by Garcia Peoples 
Bear’s Sonic Journals: Merry Go Round at The Carousel by Tim Buckley (Owsley Stanley Foundation) 
Live Ateliers Claus by 75 Dollar Bill 
Live in Stuttgart 1975 by Can (Spoon Records) 
Samba in Seattle Live at the Penthouse (1966-1968) by Bola Sete (Tompkins Square Records)
- A Sky Record, by Damon & Naomi (20-20-20 Records)
- Binary Star, by Galecstasy (Aural Canyon Records)
- Gathering, by Maybel (Idée Fixe Records)
- Mother Sauce, by Hot Mustard (Color Red Records)
- Sounds From The Ancestors, by Kenny Garrett (Mack Avenue)
- Open Arms to Open Us, by Ben LaMare Gay (International Anthem)
- The Dharma Wheel, by Howlin Rain (Silver Current Records)
- Origin Myths, by Bobby Lee (Tompkins Square Records)
- Luke Stewart & Jarvis Earnshaw Quartet, by Luke Stewart & Jarvis Earnshaw Quartet (No Quarter Records)
- When Sorrow Encompass Me ‘Round, by Magic Tuber String Band (Feeding Tube Records)
- No Medium, by Rosali (Spinster Sounds)
- I Told You So, by Delvon Lamar Organ Trio
- Guitar Meditations “In C”, by Davide Cedolin and Tito Ghiglione
- The Path of The Clouds, by Marissa Nadler (Sacred Bones)
- Anticipation, by Cameron Knowler and Eli Winter (American Dreams Records)
- Mayan Space Station, by William Parker (AUM Fidelity)
- Branches and Leaves, by Joseph Allred (Feeding Tube Records)
- Se Permiten Submarinos, by Se Permiten Submarinos (Ramble Records)
- Lost Futures, by Marisa Anderson and William Tyler (Thrill Jockey Records)
- New Spells, by Ava Mendoza (Astral Spirits)
- Songs of Horaman, by Mohammad Mostafa Heydarian (Radio Khiyaban)
- Switched on Ra, by Bitchin Bajas (Drag City Records)
- Black Encyclopedia of the Air, by Moor Mother (Anti-Records)
- Do You Fall?, by Weeed (Halfshell Records)
- Open The Gates, by Irreversible Entanglements (International Anthem)
The Best Reissues/Box Sets/Compilations of 2021
The Complete Life at the Lighthouse by Lee Morgan (Blue Note) 
Long Shadows: 2003-2006, by Urdog (Rocket Recordings) 
Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera, by Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera (Guerssen Records) 
Infinity by Khan Jamal (Jazz Room Records) 
Song of the Avatars: The Lost Master Tapes by Robbie Basho (Tompkins Square Records) 
Edo Funk Explosion Vol.1 by VA (Analog Africa) 
Willie Dunn by Willie Dunn (Light in The Attic Records) 
Archives – Volume 2: The Reprise Years (1968-1971), by Joni Mitchell (Rhino Records) 
Elektronik Türküler, by Erkin Koray (Guerssen Records) 
Kirtan: Turiya Sings by Alice Coltrane (Impulse!/UME) 
The Time Has Come, by Anne Briggs (Earth Recordings) 
Essiebons Special 1973 – 1984 // Ghana Music Power House by VA (Analog Africa) 
Déjà Vu (50th Anniversary Box Set) by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (Atlantic Records) 
Coyote Canyon, by Rick Deitrick (Tompkins Square Records) 
Soundmagnificat by Fitz Gore & The Talismen (Sonorama Records) 
Volume II, by Russell Potter (Tompkins Square Records) 
Listen To The River: St. Louis ’71 ’72 ’73 by Grateful Dead (Grateful Dead Records/Rhino Records) 
It’s So Easy (When You Know What You’re Doing): A Tribute to Ted Lucas by VA (Perpetual Doom
- Doran, by Doran (Spinster Sounds)
- Jeffrey Alexander and the Heavy Lidders, by Jeffrey Alexander and the Heavy Lidders (Arrowhawk Records)
- World What World, by Mountain Movers (Trouble in Mind Records)
- Wary + Strange, by Amythyst Kiah (Rounder Records)
- Keys, by Bill MacKay and Nathan Bowles (Drag City Records)
- Upupayāma, by Upupayāma (Centripetal Force Records/Cardinal Fuzz Records)
- Temple of Spring, by Black Brunswicker
- Reticence/Resistance, by Pelt (Three Lobed Recordings)
- The Intimate Landscape, by Ben Chasny (Drag City Records)
- Garland of Heads feat. Tatsu Aoki, Thymme Jones & Jacob Fawcett, by Mako Sica (Astral Spirits)
- Places Remember Us, by Rootless (Aural Canyon Records)
- Day by Day, by Norman Blake (Smithsonian Folkways Recordings)
- Kissing Rosy in the Rain, by Mason Lindahl (Tompkins Square Records)
- Admonitions, by Endless Boogie (No Quarter Records)
- Dogwood Dance, by Blake Hornsby
- Hush Harbor Mixtape Vol. 1 Doxology, by Angel Bat Dawid (International Anthem)
- Primitive Future II, by The Modern Folk (Warhen Records)
- Course in Fable, by Ryley Walker (Husky Pants Records)
- Drew Gardner, by Drew Gardner (Eiderdown Records)
- Cerulean, by Nashville Ambient Ensemble (Centripetal Force Records/Cardinal Fuzz Records)
- Solely, by Natalie Jane Hill (Dear Life Records)
- Trails, by The Floating Mountain Band (Feeding Tube Records)
- Earth Trip, by Rose City Band (Thrill Jockey Records)
- Transfigurations, by Xisco Rojo (Holy Hoof Records)
- Superwolves, by Matt Sweeney & Bonnie “Prince” Billy (Drag City Records)
The Best Singles/EPs/Split-Releases of 2021
Torii Gates by Jeffrey Silverstein (Arrowhawk Records) 
The High Priestess and the Hierophant by Burd Ellen (Thread Recordings) 
Blues Ambush by Blues Ambush 
Modern Scene (Remix) by Ben Pirani & Ghost Funk Orchestra (Colemine Records) 
Three Feral Pieces by Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Nathan Salsburg and Max Porter (No Quarter) 
“Worldly”/”The City Is A Painting” by Nico Hedley and Field Guides (Whatever’s Clever) 
Open Up The Watergate by One Eleven Heavy 
Ütiwaah by Aaron Dooley 
So Far Behind by Color Green (Org Music) 
Heavy Lidders / Rhyton (split CS) by Jeffrey Alexander + The Heavy Lidders and Rhyton (Pome Pome Tones) 
Mendocino County by Osmium House 
Step Down / La Fachada by The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble (Colemine Records) 
Eau’d to a Fake Bookie Volume 4 by Wet Tuna 
Four, by Old Smile
- Descension (Out of Our Constrictions), by Natural Information Society with Evan Parker (Eremite Records)
- The Fawn, by Greta Ruth (American Dreams Records)
- How it Was, by The Rizzos (King Pizza Records)
- Axacan, by Daniel Bachman (Three Lobed Recordings)
- Gold Dust, by Gold Dust
- First Welcome, by White Manna (Centripetal Force Records/Cardinal Fuzz Records)
- The Time of the Foxgloves, by Michael Hurley (No Quarter Records)
- Harpoon of Sunlight, by Future Museums (Aural Canyon Records)
- Hail Star of the Sea!, by Seven Rivers of Fire
- Roy’s Garage, by Roy (Idée Fixe Records)
- Red Resonant Earth, by Matt LaJoie (Flower Room Records)
- Strange Fortune, by Powers/Rolin Duo (Astral Spirits)
- Where The World Quietly Sing Their Song, by City of Dawn (El Gran E Records)
- Pick a Day to Die, by Sunburned Hand of The Man (Three Lobed Recordings)
- Sundays, by Nate Mercereau (How So Records)
- Poor Boy on The Wire, by C. Joynes (Cardinal Fuzz Records/Sophomore Lounge)
- Open for Business, by Smoke Bellow (Trouble in Mind Records)
- Places of Consequences, by Cameron Knowler (American Dreams Records)
- The Incandescent Switch, by Old Million Eye (Feeding Tube Records)
- More Energy Fields, Current, by Carlos Niño & Friends (International Anthem)
- Petunia, by Tonstartssbandht (Mexican Summer Records)
- Volume 1, by The Man from Atlantis (Ramble Records)
- Engine of Hell, by Emma Ruth Rundle (Sargent House)
- Lost Children, by Allysen Callery
- Last Time I Saw Grace, by New Bums (Drag City Records)
-KH
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