In the last instalment of The Mic's Albums Of The Year 2021 before the full list is unveiled, we dive into albums from Indigo De Souza, Injury Reserve, Olivia Rodrigo, Dave, Måneskin and deathcrash.
Any Shape You Take - Indigo De Souza
Hold U is a stand-out track on Indigo De Souza's sublime grunge, pop, indie love potion of a record. “You are a good thing, I’ve noticed, I’ve seen it” is so wholesome and pure as a lyric, it sparks a Wizard-Of-Oz-like colouring in of the grayscale world that often seems to surround us. There are countless similarly sweet lyrics from this album that stick with you, they live in somewhere in your head and surface unexplainably from time to time. There are edges of pain in the beautifully composed songs, but the overall effect of this album is to submerge you with the feeling of blissful contentment with the unpredictable condition of existence. It’s hard to single out specific tracks amongst the array of melodious and unique stories told in 12 songs, because they are all just so enjoyable to listen to. Pretty Pictures particularly makes you pay attention to fuzzy guitars and gentle drums that put a beat to loss and longing but also the feeling that life goes on. More than anything Any Shape You Take captures the notion that peoples flaws are what makes them infinitely worth of love. Christi Smith
By the Time I Get to Phoenix - Injury Reserve Injury Reserve’s By the Time I Get to Phoenix is one of the most forward-thinking, dystopian post-rap albums released this year. Dedicated to lead vocalist Stepa J. Groggs, who passed away last year, the album deals with anger, loss, self-hatred and acceptance. It is truly an emotional roller-coaster and takes the listener through several stages of grief. Some tracks here give an overwhelming sense of hopelessness, whilst others feel like insights into mayhem, through glitchy beats and the broken rap style of member Ritchie. The single Knees is also one of the most emotionally intense tracks released this year. All in all, whether Injury Reserve decides to continue or not, the group have managed to create a dissonant masterpiece. Rest in power Groggs. Josh Jones
SOUR - Olivia Rodrigo
With its perfect combination of teenage angst-filled pop rock and heartfelt acoustic break-up ballads, Olivia Rodrigo’s SOUR has been the guilty pleasure I’ve kept coming back to throughout 2021. Of course there’s no better demonstration of the contrast between Rodrigo’s two different song styles than drivers license and good 4 u, which both became two of 2021’s biggest pop anthems, but other highlights of the album include more of her more vulnerable songs such as 1 step forward, 3 steps back and enough for you. Painstakingly relatable, and written with a beautifully conversational lyric style, Olivia’s youthful yet delicate vocals show a lot of promise, especially for her age. Furthermore, the fact that she has received seven Grammy nominations for this album alone suggests that my prior description of her record being a ‘guilty’ pleasure is a touch too harsh. An easy, albeit emotional, listen, SOUR is without a doubt a sound choice for album of the year, not only due to the great content, but also due to the massive impact it has had on pop culture! Cat Jordan
We’re All Alone In This Together - Dave
To follow up an album as emotionally raw and widely commended as Psychodrama, winner of the 2020 Brit Award for Album of the Year, would be no easy feat, but with his latest project, We’re All Alone In This Together, Dave successfully navigates this terrain. Known for his socially conscious and often political lyrics, Dave’s 2021 project is no exception, foregrounding issues concerning racial inequality, conflict in the Middle East and the Windrush scandal, providing a voice to those who are too often silenced. Sonically, while the album is eclectic in its influences, Dave’s piano characteristically shines through, providing a plaintive and often soulful backdrop to his incisive social commentary. Combined with lengthy track times, ad lib voice recordings and extensive features, We’re All Alone In This Together reinforces the musical change of pace, initiated by Psychodrama. With his roots in grime however, Dave supplements his album with the much-loved tracks: Clash and Verdansk, sure to satisfy older fans, with their hard hitting and up-tempo production, proving reminiscent of earlier work. Providing a voice to the voiceless, We’re All Alone In This Together, reflects a marked maturity to Dave’s artistry, combined with unrivalled lyricism and well considered production, this is not an album to be skipped this year. Mia Versluys
Teatro D’Ira - Vol I - Måneskin
Most known for winning 2021’s Eurovision song contest, Italian rock-band Måneskin have been the group to watch this year. At just eight tracks long, their 2021 sophomore album Teatro d’Ira - Vol I has gained widespread international success and critical acclaim, containing chart topping viral hits such as I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE and ZITTI E BUONI. Part of a longer, ongoing project entitled Teatro D’Ira translating into “theatre of wrath” the album shows the versatility of the group to not only perform in Italian and English, but also through their exploration through themes such as the transition into adulthood, love, and the struggles of individuality. While it may be daunting to listen to an album where only two songs are in English, the Italian four-piece manage to transcend this language gap by combining the beauty of the Italian language with a unique backdrop of 70s-inspired rock, infused with contemporary pop influences. Even when you don’t understand the lyrics, standout tracks such as VENT’ANNI, LA PAURA DEL BUIO and CORALINE are easy to fall in love with, as they use not only lyrics, but drums, bass, and guitar to make a statement about youth, societal expectations, and who Måneskin are as individuals. Teatro d’Ira – Vol I in short stands as confirmation that Måneskin are no one-hit wonders and will inevitably continue to dominate the charts in 2022. Rose Hitchens
People Thought My Windows Were Stars - deathcrash
Ok, so it’s not an album – rather, an ‘album length EP’ – but I’m cheating so that I can mention this incredible and daring release from London slowcore band deathcrash (not that my friends haven’t heard enough from me about them already). Characterised by contrasting moments of distortion and downbeat guitar melodies, this introspective and cinematic piece contains some truly refreshing and original sounds. A master class in space, phrasing and sound scaping, Songs for M, i-iv will mesmerise you with its delicate guitar interplay and minimalist writing, whilst the beautiful 15-minute title track People thought my windows were stars delivers a carefully curated mix of melancholic and musical depth. On this EP, deathcrash manage to deliver two entirely different scenarios – the first, you’re laid tranquilly staring at the stars, and the next you’re being pulled relentlessly under icy, white-water rapids – in a haunting contradiction that will have you re-listening from the start in order to figure out just exactly how they did it. Tom Liversidge
Edited by: Gemma Cockrell and Joe Hughes
Featured image courtesy of Olivia Rodrigo via Facebook.
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