The 2022 List
You know what they say about the new year… there’s no better way to ring it in by listening to music from last year (?). Check out some of our staff’s top album picks from 2022.
Aryan Ashraf
Nymph album cover. Because Music 2022.
Shygirl released her debut album Nymph this year, and I have been listening to it nonstop. I have been a fan of hers since her Cruel Practice EP, and, though this album is much more polished and less noisy than that EP, she still delivers tight lyricism over excellent production to create songs that you rarely hear elsewhere. Each song across its tracklist is unique from the others, making the album fun to go through as a whole body of work as well.
Alternate album cover for Preacher’s Daughter. Daughters of Cain 2022.
Ethel Cain released her debut album Preacher’s Daughter this year as well, a long and brooding conceptual album on the life and death of her namesake’s character, Ethel Cain. Each track is so cumulative, building upon its instrumentals throughout its runtime to give catharsis after catharsis, which are only bolstered by Ethel’s poetic storytelling. It is definitely an album worth checking out.
Clare D’Amato
Pink Balloon / Sea Lions EP cover. Grand Jury Music 2022.
I’m too excited for Samia’s sophomore album Honey, which is set to release later this month. Samia has released a few singles in anticipation of the event, enough to produce an EP, Pink Balloon / Sea Lions. The EP’s title tracks and arguably its stand-outs, “Pink Balloon” and “Sea Lions”, tell a two-part story of a breakup; the first examines the relationship from a far, the second positively stews in it in. Samia’s lyricism really shines through on this EP; quite honestly, listening to each track feels like Samia somehow accessed your personal diary and is singing it back to you (?!). What’s most exciting about this EP is the direction Samia’s sound is heading in; typically known for her soft indie-pop sound, Samia really leans into the electronic side of things. Honey should be something special.
Hope Dworkin
God Save the Animals album cover. Domino Recording Company 2022.
God Save the Animals: The first time I heard Alex G’s newest album, I really didn’t like it. In fact, I wrote something for Orpheus about how much I didn’t like it. But, after seeing the Haverford native perform live at Union Transfer in Philly, my opinions changed. My initial complaint was that it didn’t sound like the Alex G that I had grown to love, with catchy riffs and emotional lyrics. However, God Save the Animals has all of that and more; this album shows that an old dog (now on his ninth studio album) can learn and perfect new tricks, bringing in more complex instrumentation and themes.
Tristan Haeger
Ugly Season album cover. Matador Records 2022.
Perfume Genius goes full avant-pop with the epic Ugly Season. What began as a collaboration with choreographer Kate Wallich, the 52 minute album is a sprawling orchestral soundscape that provides a cinematic experience. Created as a composition for a modern dance performance, the album features sparse lyrics and even looser song structure. The ebb and flow of the often 5-6 minute long songs swell and linger in both tender and ominous ways. Ugly Season can be a challenging album to get into, but is easily one of the most rewarding of 2022.
Ben Rotko
Rakshak album cover. Independent 2022.
I’ve been following Punjabi folk-metal band Bloodywood since 2018, and their music has grown so much since then. Rakshak leans into elements of nu-metal and metalcore. “Gaddar” rails against Indian sectarianism, while “Dana Dan” addresses the subject of sexual assault with a brutal anger rarely seen in modern music. “Yaad” is the album’s standout track, a soaring epic inspired by the death of singer Karan Katiyar’s childhood dog ten years ago. The song, whose title translates to “remember,” stirs chills and tears in me even after many listens.
Honorable mentions: Shadow Academy - Shadow Academy, Ghost - IMPERA, Best Bear - When, Rammstein, Angst
Katie Ryu
Being Funny in a Foreign Language album cover. Dirty Hit 2022.
There’s something charming about Being Funny in a Foreign Language. Perhaps it’s that “Wintering” is a good Christmas song, or that “Part Of The Band” was a stupidly impressive summer lead single—the outlandish lyrics, stream-of-consciousness style, Elvis impression and all. Carly Holt, guitarist Adam Hann’s wife, proved to be a stellar addition; her angelic vocals absolutely steal the show on “About You,” a gorgeous continuation of the band’s ever-beloved “Robbers” from 2013. At the very least, this is an album potently capable of drawing you back to your “The 1975” phase.