Urban75 Album of the Year 2020

[belboid]

Here we go again. As if this year hasn't been shit enough already, you now have to choose between umpteen collections of audio recordings issued as such on compact disc, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium. Pick up to twenty that were released from December 15 2019 onwards, put them in order from first to last and send them to me in a nice (preferably unnumbered) list, Artist - Title. I'll then work some magic which somehow always works out with Nick Cave winning. You will not include compilations or special edition re-releases. We will argue but my word will be final.

What will we like this year? Solid ambient wibble that sounds great sat at home, or banging beats and riffs that make us go 'I want to take lots of drugs and throw myself around like an idiot'? Only time will tell. And you. Then me. You tell me by MIDNIGHT FRIDAY DECEMBER 18th. I'll do my stuff for the big reveal on the 20th. Still enough time for those final orders (limited edition Botswanan imports excluded.)

Not many lists yet, I'll add when/where I can.

Quietus Albums Of The Year 2020 (In Association With Norman Records) | The Quietus

How does the thing you love most survive a crisis? How can music, that force that has got you through a lifetime of personal neurosis, self-doubts, depressions, and impossible situations still retain its power against a situation that not only feels, but is, entirely beyond your control? This is...

thequietus.com

https://www.roughtrade.com/gb/albums-of-the-year

BBC - 6 Music Recommends Albums Of The Year 2020

Which albums have 6 Music presenters loved most in 2020? See the top 10 in full.

www.bbc.co.uk

The Best Albums of 2020

www.albumoftheyear.org

Previous Years
2005: Urban 75's albums of the year... The Countdown Begins!
2006: urban75's albums of the year 2006
2007: U75's albums of the year 2007
2008: Albums Of The Year 2008
2009: Urban75's Album of the Year - The Countdown
2010 - Urban75 Album of the Year 2010
2011 - Urban75 Album of the Year - The Results
2012 - Urban 75's Albums of the Year... The Results!
2013 - Urban75 Album of the Year 2013 - The Results
2014 - Urban75 Album of the Year 2014 - The Results
2015 - Urban75 Album of the Year 2015 - The Results
2016 - Urban75's Album of the Year 2016 - The Results!
2017 - Urban75 Album of the Year 2017 - The Results!
2018 - Urban75 Album of the Year 2018 - the Results
2019 - Urban75 Album of the Year 2019 - the results!

 

[cloudyday]

 

[May Kasahara]

Thank you for this public service

 

[belboid]

Apparently I will be including a lot of ‘chamber psych’ this year, although I have no idea what that actually is.

 

[killer b]

I've usually got a clear front runner by now, but there's been loads of really strong albums this year and it's harder than usual. A good problem to have.

 

[marty21]

Apparently I will be including a lot of ‘chamber psych’ this year, although I have no idea what that actually is.

spotify told me it was my 5th favourite genre

 

[killer b]

Its a genre Spotify invented i think

 

[marty21]

Just in case people are curious about my genre

 

[belboid]

Its a genre Spotify invented i think

I have listened to 147 new genres this year (probably including radical drone folk) and suspect 146 of them are invented.

funnily enough, Spotify has a playlist of chamber psych to recommend. From Moon Duo n Gruff (somewhat psychedelic stuff, with strings) to fat whites and dicky Dawson. Hmmm...

 

[belboid]

 

[killer b]

I'm guessing it's just a way to try and separate out the more pastoral poppy psych stuff from the facemelting stuff.

 

[danny la rouge]

This is my 2020 according to Spotify. None of it new.

 

[MBV]

Apparently I will be including a lot of ‘chamber psych’ this year, although I have no idea what that actually is.

This is also my top genre according to Spotify! Never heard those words put together before.

 

[May Kasahara]

Just in case people are curious about my genre View attachment 241480

Wot no fuckstep?

 

[killer b]

I'm afraid I have no spotify account to be able to give you my stats. I've mostly been listening to radical drone folk though.

 

[marty21]

Wot no fuckstep?

It was a disappointing year for fuckstep , I'm hoping 2021 sees a great fuckstep renaissance.

 

[Spandex]

"French Indietronica"

Spotify love making up genre names.

 

[danny la rouge]

I’ve no idea why “performance” gets tagged onto “classical”. Is nothing else performed?

 

[killer b]

everything else is created algorithmically by computers now.

 

[belboid]

I’ve no idea why “performance” gets tagged onto “classical”. Is nothing else performed?

is it 'in concert' v studio recording?

 

[belboid]

View attachment 241502

"French Indietronica"

Spotify love making up genre names.

#5 is also interesting. Indigenous, Indian or unadulterated?

 

[cloudyday]

I've usually got a clear front runner by now, but there's been loads of really strong albums this year and it's harder than usual. A good problem to have.

will this be making your shortlist?

 

[Spandex]

#5 is also interesting. Indigenous, Indian or unadulterated?

Indian



All through the first lockdown a car kept pulling up outside my house every night at around 10pm blasting this stuff out. I went on a spotify journey to figure out what the fuck they were playing and ended up listening to a load of it.

 

[Raheem]

Possibly my album of the year. Free to download.

 

[killer b]

will this be making your shortlist?

It's a great album but Stephen's a mate and it feels a bit dodge voting for mates even in such inconsequential polls as this...

 

[killer b]

Hello btw. Who are you??

 

[ska invita]

The one album i heard, downloaded, played and loved was this
its big imo - all 107 minutes of it - epic stuff

IG Culture Presents LCSM - Earthbound

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2020 Vinyl release of "Earthbound" on Discogs.

www.discogs.com

With last year’s ‘EP1’ release on the Super Sonic Jazz label, broken beat icon IG Culture introduced the world to the afro-futuristic and forward-thinking jazz of LCSM “Likwid Continual Space Motion”. Now, the UK pioneer kicks off the new decade by expanding on the project with a full-fledged album entitled Earthbound. The interstellar instrumentals blur borders between funk, soul and space-age jazz, while maintaining the signature ‘London Bruk Boogie’ sound IG Culture is recognised for. The album also serves as a score for the accompanying science fiction theatre production that goes by the same name.

Earthbound delicately propels listeners out of orbit and into the vastness of space. The conveying message behind the album is based on the work of author Zecharia Sitchin, who translated ancient Sumerian tablets that explain the origins of humans. The story revolves around the ancient people of Nibiru who return to earth, only to discover that the humans they had once passed down their knowledge are now living in a world of chaos. LCSM translates this esoteric journey by using intergalactic live jazz fusion. The resulting collage is a melange of live sax, alternating percussions sessions, Sun-Ra like piano lines, and otherworldly synth sessions.

Produced in cooperation with Saido Lehlouh, Johanna Faye and Summer Dance Forever Amsterdam, Earthbound sees IG Culture team up members from the London artist collective Steam Down, Alex Phountzi of Selectors Assemble (Bugz In The Attic), and Rhythm Section’s Neue Grafik. Collectively, the hive mind creates a holistic listening experience, to be enjoyed both on and off the dancefloor.

IG Culture is one of the most important protagonists of the UK’s broken beat jazz scene. Having set up the legendary CoOp night at Plastic People, he’s also the man behind CoOp Presents and Selectors Assemble. IG Culture is no stranger to Super-Sonic Jazz, having released an homage to Sun Ra on KC The Funkaholic first imprint, Kindred Spirits back in 2003. With three decades worth of prolific production nuance, Earthbound is the next challenge in the IG Culture’s legacy, an idea that was spurned on and encouraged by Super Sonic Jazz central figures KC The Funkaholic and brothers Vincent and Siemen Tenzer. With the theatre production making its debut late 2020, the full soundtrack and LP sees its release on June 15th.

 

[belboid]

inconsequential..

...halves the values of killer b’s votes...

 

[cloudyday]

Hello btw. Who are you??

my old account was sunnysidedown, i got locked out after changing my longterm password and instantly forgetting the new one (and an email account i've not used in years). I thought the same icon colour and tag-line and a similarly mopish username should suffice.

That Polypores album is great btw, definitely the best thing i've heard by him.

 

[killer b]

my old account was sunnysidedown, i got locked out after changing my longterm password and instantly forgetting the new one (and an email account i've not used in years). I thought the same icon colour and tag-line and a similarly mopish username should suffice.

That Polypores album is great btw, definitely the best thing i've heard by him.

I'd probably go for the Brainflowers tape or his side of the Front & Follow split if pushed - Azure is the best album he's done this year though. It's all good mind - for someone so prolific he's managing to keep the standard high.

(I think the mods can merge your two accounts easily enough if you wanted your old name back fwiw)