2021 Best of | Best albums | Best songs | Irish albums | Irish songs | Podcast episodes | Guest selections
30.
Lana Del Rey
White Dress
It was a funny year for Lana. After the massive success of Norman Fucking Rockwell, Del Rey’s two albums this year – Chemtrails Over The Country Blue and the late-arriving companion Blue Banisters settled into more standard Lana fare. Chemtrails opener ‘White Dress’ contrasts the simpler times of Lana as a young artist looking for a breakthrough at a music conference, wondering whether life could be better if it went a different way.
29.
Charlotte Adigery, Bolis Popul
Thank You
A banger of a tune aka “a cheeky and cynical revenge for all the unwanted unsolicited opinions some people generously offer us”.
No… Thank you.
28.
M(h)aol
Gender Studies
M(h)aol are a feminist punk band based between Dublin, London and Bristol’ and ‘Gender Studies’ is a short song that employs a simple repetitive riff over a persistent percussion that dips into a low-end rock sludge, while confronting the discourse around gender identity, that is based on one side by self-acceptance and understanding and on the other, by insecurities and fear.
The song is, in their words: “a response to how gender changes throughout our lifetime, and how some people wish to force the gender binary. It’s about going on an intersectional feminist journey where you become less palatable to wider society, but more palatable to yourself.”
27.
Turnstile
Holiday
Baltimore punk band Turnstile made some of the best guitar music of 2021 with Glow On, and ‘Holiday’ channels the best of ’90s rock with strains of Jane’s Addiction and Beastie Boys’ punk music with elegant production and percussion touches.
26.
Self Esteem
Prioritise Pleasure
‘Prioritise Pleasure’ is a siren song that foregrounds self-acceptance that rises with a defiant electronic noise-bed of a chorus and strings that serve as a moving mantra to putting your own needs first.
Shave my pussy (That’s just for me)
Unfollow you (That’s just for me)
Keeping busy (That’s just for me)
And sleeping in (That’s just for me)
Fuck where I’ve been (That’s just for me)
My daydreaming (That’s just for me)
I’m sexting (That’s just for me)
My freedom (That’s just for me)
25.
Kanye West
Jesus Lord Pt 2
Donda was a bloated bag of mixed messaging. The problematic nature of the album and its guests were occasionally transcended by flashes of Ye genius throughout. The extended 11+ minutes of ‘Jesus Lord Pt. 2’ holds the some of the album’s most realised energy with Kanye elevating gospel sentiments and sounds to verses from Jay Electronic and The Lox that match the heavenly tones.
24.
Big Thief
Time Escaping
Big Thief at their idiosyncratic best.
‘Time Escaping’ is a beautiful song that employs a unique muted harmonic guitar pattern (using business cards to mute the strings) to provide a rollicking percussive base for Adrianne Lenker’s vocals, that sounds more like a gamelan than a guitar.
The band are releasing a 20-track double LP Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You on 11th February through 4AD.
23.
Orla Gartland
More Like You
Orla Gartland’s nuanced songwriting on ‘More Like You’ is inspired by jealousy felt for the relationship a best friend had with another. The songwriter addresses feelings of inadequacy and insecurity in a friend relationship, wishing to swap places with the other person who seemed perfect in every way. The idealised version of the person lead to the song’s beginnings.
The “I heard it from a woman on the internet,” line is one that I’ve thought about a lot this year.
22.
Joy Orbison, Léa Sen
Better
Joy Orbison’s Still Slipping Vol.1 was billed as a mixtape, allowing the UK producer to skirt expectations for his debut long-player. ‘Better’ is perhaps the most conventional hook-featuring track on the record, a shady nocturnal house number.
21.
Mall Grab
Love Reigns
An evocative piano-house rolling track from Mall Grab that soundtracked yearning for better days this year. The end of the night closing vibes are strong with this one.
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.
