A year where Bad Bunny and Beyonce set the bar and underground sounds range from Soul Glo to the art rock of Yard Act can’t be bad
2021 was a disaster. Remembering the haze of last year’s musical endeavors helps us appreciate just how good 2022 was.
2022 is a completely different matter. First of all, the Beyonce released an album that is, perhaps, her best yet.
“Renaissance” is an exercise in strength for everyone and especially for the singer. It was an album that emerged through the pandemic and has only now seen the light of day, because when it comes to someone with her influence, everything takes time.
His new proposal was almost as good Belgian artist Stromae, whose album “Multitude” once again gave us a “cocktail” of African sounds, hip-hop and French-speaking tradition, combining poetry and realism. Also back after a period of… drought is English poet and rapper Kae Tempest, whose stripped down digital sound and lyrics are an absolute triumph.
Another reason to celebrate was the return of Spoon. A return, which was somewhat more unexpected. The Austin band delivered an outstanding album that was hailed as a classic, reminding us that, at this point in the 21st century, bands that were great when they started are now bordering on legend.
It’s more than likely that, 20 years from now, we’ll think of Big Thief the same way we think of Spoon or Wilco now, and we’ll do so thanks to the fact that they released an absolutely stellar double album this year.
Big Thief will never be another ‘Wet Leg’, but their latest album was a breath of fresh air in an indie rock world that, despite continuing to produce great bands, knows it’s nearly impossible to recapture its glory days. which ended when ‘Kid A by Radiohead’ was released.
Basically, a year where Bad Bunny and Beyonce set the bar and underground sounds range from Soul Glo to the art rock of Yard Act can’t be bad…
These are the artists and records that stood out
Sudan Archives – Natural Brown Prom Queen
In her second full-length album, the violinist Britney Denise Parks abandons all restraint and throws himself into a mix that includes everything from hip-hop to African beats, R&B and 90s radio pop. After a somewhat uninspired debut that lacked actual songs and focused too much on visuals, with violin as a prop, Parks delivers a fantastic album, allowing her to fill the void left by Janelle Monáe, who now seems to be more interested in pursuing a film career…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries
Beyonce – Renaissance
The cover is a tribute to Studio 54. “Renaissance” is Beyonce’s strongest work to date.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries
Stromae – Multitude
After five years, the Belgian rapper and songwriter Paul van Haver, better known as Stromae, has announced his comeback in early 2022. His track record includes hitting number one in 19 countries, working with the likes of Lorde and Dua Lipa, and some setbacks on his African tours . A break was necessary. When asked about his mental health issues during an interview on French TV, he responded by singing ‘L’enfer’, the first single from ‘Multitude’. The clip went viral. Paul van Haver was not coming back quietly. ‘Multitude’ is a full-length album featuring EDM, Europop, reggaeton and French chanson. It has a circus feel, a sense of everything from a tamer to a drunken tightrope walker. There is a waltz beat and an aggressive hip hop base. Few artists manage dexterity as well as he does.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries
Wet Leg – Wet Leg
The album is fun, aggressive, sweet and extreme. A debut album that serves as a reminder that revolution isn’t just about dancing, it’s about causing a vibe from people in ‘The Slits’ t-shirts who haven’t showered in a week…
Big Thief – Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
It’s a double album, which eventually emerged from a stormy creative process that nearly broke up the band and killed its lead singer, Adrianne Lenker. Given these circumstances, one would expect something too big and complacent, too introverted, that no one dared to cut to avoid further pain. But “Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You” is a delightful catalog of folk and Americana, a kind of Blonde on Blonde for millennials, in which no song is too long and which even has a sense of humor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries
Black Country New Road – Ants From Up There
Just days before the release of their second album, Ants From Up There, the English band announced that Isaac Wood is leaving. Still, this is a great album. If previously they produced a wild, disjointed post punk sound for people, scoffing at mundane activities like studying for a test, on this album they morphed into a mixture of John Cale, Divine Comedy and Scott Walker, for a generation that thought it didn’t belong she liked her parents’ taste in music. Now this generation is ready to listen: Black Country New Road just had to explain it to them.
Fontaines DC – Skinty Fia
This Irish band debuted three years ago with a great extreme punk album that turned them into a mid-sized phenomenon in the guitar indie music world. In this, their third album, they indulge in a personal review of the darkest indie playlists of the 90s, with one of the melancholic bands of that era, Whipping Boy, as the main point of reference. The result is impressive.
Kae Tempest – The Line Is a Curve
After “The Book of Traps and Lessons,” poet-rapper Kae Tempest could continue to combine her music and literary acumen the same way she did on that Rick-Rubin-produced album. “The Line Is a Curve” is a completely different matter. Kae mixes recitation with classic hip-hop and the beats range from British garage to electro, creating sounds that are always interesting and sometimes even danceable and singalong. And the words? Well, nobody puts words together like Kae.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries
Bad Bunny – Un verano sin ti
The album was recorded in Puerto Rico. It’s split into two parts: one that leans closer to electro-pop, reggaeton and pretty much everything that comes from the Caribbean, while the other is an overall more introspective and political affair.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries
Spoon – Lucifer on the Sofa
Between 2002 and 2007, this band from Austin was absolutely unstoppable. With a sound halfway between Gang Of Four, David Bowie and Elvis Costello, they established themselves as a safe haven during the second wave of American indie while eschewing a revivalist vibe. Then they broke up, first because they wanted to go vintage and then because they wanted to modernize. ‘Lucifer on the Sofa’, their first album in five years, is, surprisingly, some of their best work.
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I am Frederick Tuttle, who works in 247 News Agency as an author and mostly cover entertainment news. I have worked in this industry for 10 years and have gained a lot of experience. I am a very hard worker and always strive to get the best out of my work. I am also very passionate about my work and always try to keep up with the latest news and trends.
