Sounds of Silva – Vol. 4
Zach's Favorite Tracks of 2021
Every December since 2008, I’ve prepared a meticulously crafted list of my favorite music from the past year, counting down the albums from 20 to 1. At some point about a decade into the endeavor, I decided to drop the rankings and just publish everything at once – as my music taste expanded beyond rock, it became too difficult to justify one genre over the other. Now with my new newsletter avenue, I’m able to highlight specific songs that made an impact on me this year. (Do not fear – my Medium has my traditional full list of Favorite Albums and EPs, as well as my most anticipated releases of 2022.)
It’s been a strange year, but one with a lot of thoughtful songs that made the uncertainty a bit more bearable.
Thanks to all the subscribers in the youth of this newsletter. Let’s make this an ongoing conversation rather than a one-way street – please reach out and let me know what you like or don’t like, or if you’d like to hear more.
With all that said, here are some of my favorite songs released this year.
Ada Lea - “damn”
In November, I visited Omaha, Nebraska, home to Saddle Creek Records who seem to have struck gold on one of their newest signings, Ada Lea. I loved the debut in 2019 and the new album picks up where she left off. This one actually reminds me a bit of “Not” by Big Thief, my favorite song of 2019, in structure and passion.
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Angel Olsen & Sharon Van Etten - “Like I Used To”
The collab of the year belonged to Angel Olsen & Sharon Van Etten who teamed up for a Springsteen-ian anthem that I saw performed live in person at Pitchfork Music Festival. Not sure anyone predicted these two indie powerhouses coming together, but I sure am glad they did and hope to see what else the two worked on (it can’t have only been one track, right???).
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Cassandra Jenkins - “Michelangelo”
The opening lines of this song get me every time:
I’m a three-legged dog working with what I’ve got
And part of me will always be looking for what I lost
The whole album, An Overview on Phenomenal Nature, is beautiful and hypnotic and became my comfort album in 2021 to tune out everything around me.
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Clairo - “Wade”
Immunity was my favorite album of 2019 and while it seemed like Clairo’s next offering went a bit under the radar (as many releases during the pandemic have been), it’s just as good. “Wade” is a 60’s pop-style track with lush instrumentation and a dancing piano line throughout – it could very well be placed as a Beach Boys or Beatles b-side and I wouldn’t blink an eye.
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Dry Cleaning - “Unsmart Lady”
For vocal delivery as seemingly uninspired as that of the entire debut from U.K. post-punk group Dry Cleaning, it sure makes for a really compelling listen. There’s something in the water in the U.K., as Dry Cleaning was one of many post-punk groups with fun albums this year, but this one takes the cake for strangest in the best possible way.
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Japanese Breakfast - “Kokomo, IN”
Michelle Zauner has had quite the year – between her best-selling memoir Crying in H Mart and her critically-acclaimed Jubilee, we’re lucky to have this inside glimpse into her life over the last decade. “Kokomo, IN” is a highlight, a heartfelt ballad
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Katy Kirby - “Traffic!”
Katy Kirby was the first addition to my Favorite Albums of 2021 list this year, releasing her debut Cool Dry Place in February. It’s easy to miss albums that hit you right at the turn of the calendar, but this one has stuck with me for its tenderness and gentle lyricism. “Traffic!” is the brightest song on Kirby’s debut, thanks to its playful autotune and catchy chorus.
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L’Rain - “Find It”
To be honest, I only first came across L’Rain when they were announced as the opener for Animal Collective’s 2022 tour. Now, as someone who has seen Animal Collective several times, I know that their show (and subsequently the artists they have open for them) can be wildly unpredictable and difficult. But L’Rain, with their newest album Fatigue and prominent track “Find It”, strikes a beautiful balance between ambient and soulful that has me eagle-eyed, looking for their next headline shows.
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Lucy Dacus - “Hot & Heavy”
With what was easily my most played song of the year, Lucy Dacus hit the nostalgia sweet spot with her album Home Video and lead single “Hot & Heavy”. Moving back to your hometown as a full-grown adult seemed to be a theme for the pandemic, so the opening line “Being back here makes me hot in the face” likely rung true with lots of folks. Believe me when I tell you how cathartic it was to blast this song during the summer with my car windows down driving up and down Route 22, being reminded of childhood memories like the crooked tree behind the Red Rooster which was able to seat almost our entire Little League baseball team but has since been torn down in a renovation. Things certainly change faster than you’d like to admit.
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Magdalena Bay - “Chaeri”
The debut from Los Angeles duo Magdalena Bay was probably the last addition to my favorite albums list, mostly because I’m guilty of letting most pop music pass me by in what is definitely my biggest personality flaw. Thankfully Magdalena Bay found its way into my playlists. Their debut is a true banger of an album, somewhere between electro-pop and early Grimes.
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Spirit of the Beehive - “The Server Is Immersed”
Spirit of the Beehive (and the next item on the list) both challenged my music taste in really interesting ways, which is a simple way of saying I’ve never really heard music like it before. Equal parts tender and erratic, this song from the second half of ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH is a great example of just how boundary-pushing the music has been in this band’s young career thus far.
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Yves Tumor - “Jackie”
Yves Tumor’s 2018 breakthrough Safe In The Hands of Love introduced us to the artist’s now-signature blend of electronic, experimental, and rock. 2021 gave us a teaser of what’s next, with The Asymptotical World EP as another blast of unique energy. “Jackie” is the first song and the most “radio-ready” but the whole EP is worth the listen and will leave you wondering when their next full-length will see release.
Follow the full playlist of Sounds of Silva featured tracks.
Check out the full list of Zach’s favorite albums of the year on Medium.
Listen to Zach’s radio show archive for Friend From A Big City on Deadbeat Radio. Ring in the New Year this upcoming Saturday, January 1st with some of these songs and other favorites in 2021 from around the world.