With the autumn leaves having all but decomposed and winter’s bite setting in– it’s time to look back at the past few months and rate our picks for the five best albums of autumn. This publication also features updated ratings for previously reviewed records.
#5: SEKAI: YYou and MMe – moreru
8.4/10
This year has been an incredible year for screamo and emoviolence adjacent genres. With Gingerbee’s “Apiary” redefining what screamo can entail through its use of saxophones and bossa nova; and Crochet’s “Cherish” shining a spotlight on extremely technical guitar playing– there’s no shortage of high quality emo.
This record from japanese group moreru ventures into proto-punk and experimental rock influences resulting in a technical record that still has unbridled energy. It’s obvious that everyone involved with the record had a great deal of fun– on “3songs” you can hear that classic airhorn sample integrated with the guitar and “Perfect Tasatsu Manual” features some light synth riffs in the introduction.
The guitar riffs aren’t as mathy as some new-wave screamo can become at times, (that aforementioned Crochet record features their one guitarist playing two riffs at once) though it walks a line between the more aggressive harsh-noise sounds and the actual audible riffs. There are plenty of times on the album like “ROCKSTAR” where despite the screaming, it leans more into its noise influence opposed to its screamo ones.
It’s a high quality record no doubt, though like much screamo its mixing is its downfall. The bass is barely audible (and when it is, the lines are not great) and some of the songs in the middle blend for me– but those only bring it down a bit. If you’re looking to expand your taste in experimental rock, I highly recommend this record.
#4: Iconoclasts – Anna von Hausswolff
8.5/10
When this album was announced, there was no doubt in my mind that it was going to be incredibly good. Anna von Hausswolff has proven herself as perhaps the defining name in the neoclassical darkwave scene and it’s truly impressive how she manages to endlessly innovate release after release. “Ionoclasts” was no exception and was exciting from start to finish.
This album moves away from neoclassical darkwave and ventures closer to something in the post-rock adjacent zone– though the classical crossovers are still heavy and the standout feature. More so than an artist like Godspeed You! Black Emperor or Sigur Ros with classical instruments, yes, but not a lot of classical orchestration.
The album traps you in the center of a swirling storm of her music, watching chaos unfold as the instruments wreak havoc and leave a chill of destruction in their wake. Admittedly, that’s a bit of hyperbole, but there’s a clear energy to be found here that feels like it’s perpetually coming at you though you’re never affected.
Von Hauswolff’s voice is also incredible, with gorgeous operatic tones that wail across the track and add a touch of haunting, mysterious atmosphere to each song. There are some tracks towards the end that fall short and it can take a bit to get going, but overall I think it’s a wonderful record.
#3: Mercy – Armand Hammer & The Alchemist
8.5/10
Armand Hammer, made up of Billy Woods and ELUCID are responsible for incredible rap music year after year. They’ve put out one album a year for almost a decade now and none of them back down on quality. The last time Armand Hammer teamed up with The Alchemist it resulted in their then-best, “Haram”. The album was wild and filled with inventive beats that showed The Alchemist’s range– but sometimes it’s important to play to your strengths.
Here, the group goes for a more traditional Alchemist jazz-rap vibe and it results in their best work to date. The beats aren’t anything insane, but they’re fun and incredibly enjoyable. It’s excellently produced (as you might expect from The Alchemist) and everything is an audial treat, musically and vocally.
The lyrics themselves are delivered perfectly and typically deal with complex social issues in a surprisingly mature way, making the album not just a fun listen but a conscious one. The features also help with this, and Earl Sweatshirt’s support is always a joy on any album.
I fell quickly in love with this album, and while it has grown off me slightly, I still think it’s one of the best records of the year.
#2: Cabin in the Sky – De La Soul
8.6/10
Saying goodbye to someone is never easy. Saying goodbye to a bandmate is much harder– and when you’re a trio known for being a trio (their debut album literally centers around the number three), it can be devastating. That was the case for rap group De La Soul, who recently lost the life of David Jolicoeur, one third of their genre-defining group. They however, did not let it bring them down musically– and after a near decade absence returned with one of their best albums and one of the best rap albums of the year.
From the get-go, you’re thrown into their carefully constructed world of jazz rap. Shimmering strings, pounding drums and groovy basslines dance alongside their fun and upbeat rhymes. There’s huge variety in the beats too, everything from inventive dance tracks to stripped-back traditional jazz rap pieces.
The feature list is through the roof too, including Nas, Killer Mike, Black Thought, Q-Tip, Common, hell even Slick Rick is there. With a name as big as De La Soul, it’s no surprise all these other legends returned to congratulate them by giving a show of force.
Out of all the oldheads returning thanks to Nas’ “Legend Has It” series, this is definitely the best so far. It’s not the group’s best work, but the fact that it can squeeze into their top five after 35 years or so is insane.
#1: Getting Killed – Geese
8.9/10
To anyone who has been listening to anything this year– it should come as no surprise that this album is the best album of this past fall and definitely one of the best albums of this whole year. Over the 2020s, bandleader Cameron Winter has grown from mediocre art-punk musician with a bizarre voice into a phenomenal art-rock musician with a bizarre voice. His band Geese’s most recent record marks a step away from their previous art-punk sound in favor of a more indie rock, krautrock piece.
The music is incredibly exciting and it never lingers on one vibe too long. The blazing intro of “Trinidad” into the soft guitar riffs of “Cobra”, all the way down to the frantic “Long Island City Here I Come”, the band’s ability to keep you on the edge of your seat is always refreshing. The guitar riffs are effortlessly catchy, the bass tone is groovy and the drums thick and powerful.
Of course the real star of the show is Cameron Winter’s insane voicing– it has an excellent warmth and warble to it that is strangely comforting while the musical chaos erupts around it. He can go to a soft hum in tracks like “Au Pays du Cocaine” or a desperate shout in “Taxes”. Really, he’s all over and in between and I am here for it.
It’s one of the best records of the 2020s, there’s no reason to have not listened at this point.
