Your Top 10 Favourite NON-Prog Albums of 2021

I expect that I am forgetting ones that really should be on my list. There commonly isn't a clear divide between Prog and Non-Prog music mostly in my modern music collection -- a lot of my favorites incorporate psychedelia or spacey music. Often it is jazzy, folky, incorporates Krautrock qualities, electronica, might be quite exotic, and/or has experimental rock qualities. I do like art pop/ chamber pop/ baroque pop, and often retro qualities in the most modern of music. Most of what I listen to I consider to be sort of prog related. This is not a very diverse list and it's a bit disorderly.

LUMP - Animal (Art Pop, Indietronica, Folktronica, chamber pop...). A collaboration between Laura Marling and Mike Lindsay. https://lump.bandcamp.com/album/animal

Amnoliac Teastone - Manic Manipulator (progressive pop, neo-psych...). This is Alex Verbickas', of the progressive math rock band Sun Colored Chair, solo project. If you haven't heard it yet, I would recommend you might give this a shot, Mirakaze. https://amnoliacteastone.bandcamp.com/album/manic-manipulator

Jane Weaver - Flock (Psychedelic Pop, Art Pop, Indietronica, Dream Pop). I prefer her earlier Stereolab-like Modern Kosmology (which has Krautrock qualities), but this is a good pop album and very listenable for me (feels quite Blondie in part). https://janeweaverfire.bandcamp.com/album/flock

Xiu - Xiu - OH NO (experimental art pop, post industrial...). I got very into Xiu Xiu after getting very into Twin Peaks and discovering the band's take on the music of the show Twin Peaks with Xiu Xiu's tribute album. This album is definitely less weird, less brutal" and more accessible, but still has a surreal and rather avant edge (the and reminds me of Current 93 and Swans in part). https://xiuxiu.bandcamp.com/album/oh-no

Sloppy Jane - Madison (Art Pop, Progressive Pop, Chamber Music). Unlike the majority of albums, of course, this was recorded in a cave to echo a certain void that was being felt. I like it a lot. https://sloppyjanemusic.bandcamp.com/album/madison

SEA - The Garden We Shared (Art Pop, Post-Industrial, Plunderphonics). A very interesting album, very pretty in parts and quirky. https://noproblematapes.com/album/the-garden-we-shared

Spelling - The Turning Wheel (art pop, progressive pop, baroque pop, neo-psych...). This Chrystia "Tia" Cabral album has extensive personnel and reminds me rather of of Kate Bush meets The Beatles. https://spellling.bandcamp.com/album/the-turning-wheel

Bruno Pernadas - Private Reasons (Progressive Psych, Exotica Dream Jazz Pop).   He is extremely talented and well versed in composition, and while I love music off this album (though he is never consistently quite to my tastes) I do much prefer his earlier Those Who Throw Objects at the Crocodiles Will Be Asked to Retrieve The (I so love "Spaceway 70"). The newer album is not as dense and feels more superficial to me. I do like the nostalgic qualities of his music. https://brunopernadas.bandcamp.com/album/private-reasons

Matt Berry - The Blue Elephant (Psych Pop/Rock). Not my favourite album of his, but I'm a fan of his both for his music and comedy, and I haven't listened to it much yet. https://mattberry.bandcamp.com/album/the-blue-elephant

Spiral - Darkside (Neo-Psych, Art Rock...) It has a kind of Boards of Canada feel to it. I like the music, but It can wear a bit thin for me. Feels a bit superficial. [url]https://darkside.bandcamp.com/album/spiral[url]

Vanishing Twin - Ookii Gekkou (Neo-Psychedelia, Psychedelic Pop, Space Age Pop). This hasn't connected as much with me as 2019's The Age of Immunology, but I want to mention Vanishing Twin as the band was a very nice quite recent discovery for me. It appeals to my love of Pram, Stereolab and Broadcast. Getting into those had a big effect of me. https://vanishingtwinmusic.bandcamp.com/album/ookii-gekkou

Edited by Logan - January 27 2022 at 13:18