Personally, 2022 was a big year for me because I now see my life in two parts: BSA (Before Sudan Archives) and after. Upon first listen of Natural Brown Prom Queen, the experimental violinist superstar’s sophomore album, I knew Sudan Archives was the kind of musician I had been looking for all my life. (It’s true!)
So many things about music in 2022 annoyed the shit out of me, but nevertheless, we came out with a stellar comeback from Kendrick and Beyonce (Arctic Monkeys, not so much) and the predictably lovely Big Thief release. We witnessed Obama fangirl over Ethel Cain twirling around in a southern field, FKA persevere with her suave moves over glitzy beats, and Rosalia judge us all harder than our mothers ever could.
Annual disclaimer: this list is still fully biased toward my own, superior music taste, consisting mostly of pop, electronic and experimental. Plugging The Quietus’ psych rock list, NPR Music’s hip-hop albums, Brooklyn Vegan’s punk list, and maybe even some folk for you all.
2022 favorite albums of the year:
1. Natural Brown Prom Queen – Sudan Archives
2. I Love You Jennifer B – Jockstrap
3. Caprisongs – fka twigs
4. MOTOMAMI – Rosalia
5. Preacher’s Daughter – Ethel Cain
6. RENAISSANCE – Beyonce
7. God save the animals – Alex G
8. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You – Big Thief
9. HYPNOS – Ravyn Lenae
10. And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow – Weyes Blood
2022 favorite tracks of the year:
1. Greatest Hits – Jockstrap
2. Sun Bleached Flies – Ethel Cain
3. Purple Hearts – Kendrick Lamar, Summer Walker, Ghostface Killah
4. SAOKO – Rosalia
5. CUFF IT – Beyonce
6. TDLY (Homegrown Land) – Sudan Archives
7. Runner – Alex G
8. Light Me Up – Ravyn Lenae
9. Neon – Jockstrap
10. thank you song – fka twigs
11. Move Me – Charli XCX
12. The Place Where He Inserted the Blade – Black Country, New Road
13. Call You – DJ Sabrina the Teenage DJ
14. Bad Habit – Steve Lacy
15. an Interlude Called “Circus” – Saba
16. Copycat (Broken Notions) – Sudan Archives
17. ESP – Beach House
18. Like Exploding Stones – Kurt Vile
19. Snooze – SZA
20. The Hills – Coco & Clair Clair
21. Happiness – the 1975
22. Moderation – Cate Le Bon
23. Atopos – Bjork
24. LET’S DO IT AGAIN – Jamie xx
25. Bliss – Yung Lean and FKA twigs
The Peeling 