2021, despite being a pretty bad year, just like 2020, had some really good music to offer. It was hard for me, to put on a ranked list, so I tended just list some music I listened to:
Grimoires: Book I (EP)
Book I is the debut EP by the Shoegaze-Post-Rock-something band Grimoires. I was and still am really astounded by this EP. It may be only three songs long, but the first two songs „Heartless“ and „Swerve“ were the soundtrack to my summer.
Genghis Tron: Dream Weapon
To say I was pumped when I heard that Genghis Tron were coming back is an understatement. When they went on hiatus in 2008 I was extremely disappointed. Dream Weapon is their triumphant return and a great change of course. The new singer and the „real“ drummer add a whole new level of atmosphere and layering to the sound, which will leave you hypnotised and hoping that they will stay together and create further music for a long time.
Review and interview back then
Deafheaven: Infinite Granite
The next entry in my list is a another readjustment of the trademark sound. Deafheaven surprised a lot of their longtime fans with Infinite Granite: nearly no screaming or blast-beats and a lot more Post-Rock and Indie influences. Infinite Granite paved the way for a whole different musical direction for Deafheaven and I am really up for it.
Review and Interview back then
Outlander: Sundowning / Unconditional EP
Take an Indie intro, Shoegaze vocals and merge it Post-Rock greatness and then you got Outlander. Those two songs got me hooked these lads. Everyone who has a sweet spot for epic Post-Rock and likes to get lost in atmosphere, should add Outlander to their music-library.
Halsey: If I can’t have Love, I want Power
Being a big Nine Inch Nails fan for a long time I was of course interested in an album Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross would be producing. I am not familiar with the work of Halsey (I only knew her name because of a track she did with Bring me the Horizon), I immediately fell in love with this album. Imagine poppy Nine Inch Nails instrumentals with a great voice over it. „I am not a Woman, I’m a God“ is my favourite Pop-Song of the year 2022.
Citizen: Life in your Glass World
To be honest, I wasn’t a big fan of the interim singles released between As you please and this album („Big Mouth“ and „Open your Heart“) but when Life in your Glass World dropped I spun it nearly every day. „Edge of the World“ or „I want to kill you“ are among the best songs Citizen released.
Amenra: De Doorn
De Doorn succeeds in keeping the high level of Amenra releases and even sets the bar higher for the next release. „De Evenmens“ and „Het Gloren“showcase the new qualities of this release: more spoken word-parts and the addition of Caro (Oathbreaker) to the fold. Listening to this record is like nearly closing your eyes and suddenly big bright flames rush towards you.
Just like Genghis Tron before, this band has been a secret to most of colleagues. Devil sold his Soul weren’t on hiatus, but it was a damn long time between the last full-length Empire of Light and Loss. „Witness Marks“ and „Loss“ show Devil sold his Soul at their prime. Soaring melodies and two singers that work perfectly together.
This band is the equivalent of an 80s action movie: very entertaining and so over top it is simply awesome. This record has hooks and melodies for days. You’ll feel twice your size when listen to songs like „Instinct“ or „When will God‘s Work be done“.
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