The Best Songs of 2021 (40- 30) #YCTR
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How are you supposed to make a list of anything? on a different day I would choose different songs in a different order but today is the day where I looked back at the YCTR Recommends playlist of 300 songs and tried to narrow it down to 40. So this is far from definitive and lists mean very little in the grand scheme of things but I thought it would be nice to reflect on my favourite tunes and give a wee shout-out to artists who brought a little bit of joy to my ears during this bin fire of a year.
40. The Moods feat. Yoko Pwno - ‘Blessings’
A collaboration between Manchester and Edinburgh as two of my favourite live acts came together to create a surprisingly retro , old skool rave vibe for ‘Blessings’. Technically the video dropped in the final days of December 2020 but it was cemented with a proper album release in 2021 when it appeared on The Moods seminal album ‘Somebody’s Hero, Nobody’s Soldier’ . The Moods came to Scotland in August to play the cancelled Doune the Rabbit Hole to an empty field that we live-streamed on our youtube channel . They still kept that energy they are renowned for and you can watch that back here
It`s hard to pick a favourite from Bram’s stunning dystopian, sci-fi hip hop epic ‘ILLVMINATE’ but this one jumped out at me as I listened back today. The whole album saw him level up over Asthmatic Astronauts production and become more melodic and angrier than ever before. Nobody else can hold a torch to his vocabulary where he paints well thought out depictions of a planet on fire. Some of the flows breeze from spoken word to boom bap to grime and even drill while the beat s remain layered and consistent throughout.
38. Spiritualised- ‘Always Together With You’
During a particularly stressful day in 2021 (and there was a few of those) , I heard that distinctive voice of Jason Pierce beam out a taxi driver’s radio like a beacon of hope as the opening lyrics ‘If you want a radio I would be a radio for you’ set out their stall. It is everything I would hope and dreamed of a new Spiritualised song to sound like . I immediately went home and blared the back catalogue at full volume which was a much-needed trip into simpler times. It`s a textured, heartfelt ray of positivity with enough of an edge to sum up a good day in a bad year. Outstanding!
37. Midnight Ambulance - ‘Black Gloves’
They seemingly came out of nowhere during lockdown and have made a big splash since live gigs returned earlier this year. I have no idea what kind of witchcraft is involved to play the drums so ferociously whilst singing so sweetly but she somehow does it as distorted guitars blaze over the top. This duo seemed to have been making big moves the last few weeks by touring with the likes of Fatherson and Pigeon Detectives plus getting critical acclaim and big radio plays. Defo ones to watch for 2022.
It has been a joy to see Calum Easter evolve over the years. I am never really sure what to expect when I click that play button and that’s what sets him apart from most. ‘We want a system that looks you in the eye‘ he exclaims over a musical backdrop of what sounds like a hybrid between a bluesy jazz bar and the best circus you never went to. Both his and the backing vocals take it to some kind of Screamadelica heights while maintaining a unique presence, jaunty keys, and an on-point message.
Mog has long been considered one of Scotland’s best emcees and underrated writers around. With an unbelievable, neverending back catalogue and zero social media presence, it can sometimes be a challenge to keep up with all the records he makes. This year he made a cracking collab album with Y.B (Young Brido) , a sharp concept album in ‘Pot of Frogs’ and various other stand-alone releases. I picked this one due to the beat by Nity Gritz and lyrically Mog is on fire as ever. He also is currently touring with a live rock band called The Ducks . You Can watch a full set they did for our youtube channel over here .
34. Bronze Nazareth- ‘The Precipice’
One of the most legendary Hip Hop producers on the planet Bronze Nazareth has made albums with the likes of Wu-Tang Clan, Kxng Crooked, and Canibus but on the new ‘Ekphrasis ‘ L.P he has left the beats to Roc Marciano and focussed on his pen game and flows. Spitting fire from start to finish. I chose this track because it`s the one I have played most. Effortless on the mic , and fitting complex rhymes together perfectly like a jigsaw The album gets better with each listen as well thought out wordplay reveals itself. We also has the pleasure of chatting to Bronze on our podcast which you can watch here
One of Scotland’s most exciting, new bands right now Memes takes us on a journey through their ‘Heavy Night’ which involves leaving ‘Their heart in San Fransico, Left my nose in some shit disco’ . But you will be glad to know they are alright, alright, alright. Fun, frantic and demands your attention. I still haven’t managed to see them live yet but hope to put that right in 2022 because this sounds like a good night out. They have the songs and the buzz so expect big things.
32. Steve Duffield- ‘Blood Flows’
You are probably most familiar with Steve’s phenomenal work from The Beta Band’s seminal ‘The Three E.Ps’ which is probably the greatest piece of music I have ever heard. In recent years, Steve has been reunited with Steve Mason for tours and recordings while also playing in numerous other projects including Janitors, Rems , Knave, Milton Underground Resistance & much more. So it was a pleasant surprise when I woke up one-day scrolling through my phone and saw that he had begun a new solo project. It`s a beautifully crafted song that transports you to somewhere peaceful and otherworldly for the full 3 minutes and 16 seconds. Defo one for Beta Band fans but I can hear a host of influences (perhaps Mercury Rev? Pink Floyd? ) combining to create something truly unique.
32. Post Coal Prom Queen feat. Conscious Route- Dragon’s Jaw
The band formerly known as L Space made a lot of waves this year with big live shows and a host of new releases. This song features Conscious Route spitting some of his best lyrics yet, which is no small feat bearing in mind how much he has released over the years. It`s my favourite track from the ‘Music for Hyper-Capitalists’ L.P which is set in the year 2050 or thereabouts and featured a host of vocalists telling a tale of futuristic dystopia over lush, weird synth-based compositions interspersed with an unsettling yet sometimes hilarious narrative of a job interview. I did one called ‘Familiar Foreword’ on there too . It was an honour to play a tiny part in such a brilliant project. You can hear the song I featured on over here .
They dropped one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the year in ‘Vanities’ and this is the song I keep coming back to. An instant anthem from an album of anthems that combines synth-pop, post-punk, and a wee bit of repetitive krautrock. They are making something interesting whilst still retaining an accessibility that should stand them in good stead over the coming years. I had a brief chat with them during their soundcheck at the Hug and Pint which you can watch here
