Best of 2021 (part 1)

It's that time of year again. I've been really enjoying my blogging hiatus, and truth be told, I can't really be arsed to start up again. But as this is something of a tradition, I've decided on a few short posts to summarise my favourite sounds of the year. Perhaps unsuprisingly, there's a predominance of female artists in here which continues the trend of recent years. 

As usual, they're not in any particular order, but here's my top four, and the first one probably pips the others to the coveted title of 'Robster's Album Of The Year', but it's a close call.

YUNG - 'An Ongoing Dispute'
It took Danish upstarts Yung five years to follow-up their debut, and it was quite a tumultuous period by all accounts. But my word, what a return. As good a record as I've heard all year, it came out in January and still deserves regular plays.

TORRES - 'Thirstier'
For her 5th album, Mackenzie Scott (aka Torres) didn't stick to any formula and as a result we got a stylistically diverse offering and her most adventurous to date. Some great songs on it, but this is the one I come back to again and again, a track in which she channels Springsteen and the Killers while remaining very much herself. This could well be my song of the year.

DU BLONDE - 'Homecoming'
The artist formerly known as Beth Jeans Houghton delivered her third - and best - album this year and it's absolutely riddled with riffs and quirky musings on life and relationships. With the added bonus of special guests including Shirley Manson, Andy Bell and Ezra Furman, its a fun ride in spite of its rather short duration.

JANE WEAVER - 'Flock'
Another masterpiece of psychedelic pop from Jane Weaver who, even this long into her career, seems to be churning out her best work in recent years. 'Flock' really should have been the album of everyone's blissed-out summer. Of the four videos on show today, there's little doubt that this one for Solarised is by far the best, though granted, the bar was pretty low...

Four more next week...