BEST TRACKS OF 2021
The general consensus is that this was a strange year, almost as strange as 2020. After almost twenty years of living in Halifax, Nova Scotia I am moving to the next province over, called Prince Edward Island…so my music intake this year will definitely feel like a goodbye to Halifax of sorts. These aren’t necessarily the “best” tracks of the year, but these were definitely my favourites. Hopefully you’ll find a few bangers in my list below :
20
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE : “Prester John”
“His heart is breaking down, down
Treating every day
As an image of a moment that’s passed”
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19
LITTLE SIMZ : “Protect My Energy”
“I’m so guarded/ Heart is like a stone
I, I, I, I hate to be controlled
Total silence is my therapy/ Protectin’ my energy”
also: “Good Ones” / “New Shapes”
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18
LANA DEL REY : “Dark But Just a Game”
“Life is sweet or whatever, baby/ Don’t ever think it’s not
While the whole world is crazy/ We’re making out in the parking lot”
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17
ICEAGE : “Shelter Song”
“Damn it, I’m short of something to live for/ Free me from my thirst
Gravitate to unlearn/ Simple abstract, brace for impact”
also: “Drink the Rain”
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16
YVES TUMOR : “Jackie”
“These days have been tragic/ I ain’t sleeping
Refuse to eat a thing/ I can’t tell you what happened
Old flame/ We were torn apart right by the sleeve, oh, baby”
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15
CHARLI XCX : “911” (Lady Gaga Remix feat. A.G. Cook)”
“Struck me like a chord
I could do something so radical
Lately I’m feelin’ so blue
I know you’re feelin’ it too
If it’s all getting way harder
Turn it up, party to Gaga”
also: “Good Ones” / “New Shapes”
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14
JAPANESE BREAKFAST : “Posing in Bondage”
“When the world divides into two people
Those who have felt pain/ And those who have yet to
And I can’t unsee it/ Although I would like to
Posing in bondage/ I hope you come home soon”
also : “Be Sweet”
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13
KERO KERO BONITO : “The Princess and the Clock”
“High up in a chamber/ She painted pictures of the land that made her
Just to remember/ For the memory got lost in the dark”
As the nights ran/ Together blurring into years/ Her brushstrokes never disappeared”
also : “Well Rested”
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12
JESSIE WARE: “Please”
“If you wanna get in my life/ Doesn’t always care to play nice
You want yours, I gotta get mine/ I’ll give you the world if you
Please me, please me/ We can make it mutual”
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11
JPEGMAFIA : “Hazard Duty Pay!”
“Talk, n****s just rap, don’t back up what they talk
Pray for me, got so much smoke in my heart
Rap like I’m gifted and grew up on guard, yeah
Shorty want dick, money, and leverage
One out of three, feel like three when I’m in it“
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10
LOW : “All Night”
“Nature fucking with me, unconditionally
“Don’t hide/ Your secret’s safe inside/ I see a shadow in your eyes
All night/ You fought the adversary/ It was no ordinary fight“
also: “Days Like These” / “Hey”
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09
ARCA : “Señorita”
“Get wrapped up in some shit/ Not sure who you think you’re dealing with
Phlegm spit in your open hole before I cum in it
Pullin’ it out then returnin’ it/ Like this is a revenant
All these other bitches are irrelevant/ Heaven-sent“
also: “Joya” / “Incendio”
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08
INJURY RESERVE : “Knees”
“I need to put down the bottle
My knees hurt, knees hurt ’cause I’m grown
And that’s a tough pill to swallow“
also : “Superman That”
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07
BEACH HOUSE : “Superstar”
“When you were mine/ It may be out of sight, but never out of mind
Backlit up against the wall/ Superstar, shining far“
also : “Through Me” / “New Romance”
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06
SPELLLING: “Boys at School”
“I guess you’ll never know/ How much this moment means to me
You were the hero on my TV
Tomorrow, I turn sixteen years and I don’t want to grow older
You don’t even know, you don’t even bother/ You gave me a heartbeat”
(Also: “Little Deer”)
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05
DOSS : “Strawberry”
“Maybe this song won’t leave you/ Maybe this song believes you
And maybe I have fun too/ And maybe I could sing, too”
(also: “Puppy“)
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04
CASSANDRA JENKINS : “Hard Drive”
“…She said, “Oh, dear, I can see you’ve had a rough few months
But this year, it’s gonna be a good one
I’ll count to three and tap your shoulder
We’re gonna put your heart back together”
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03
TINASHE : “Bouncin”
“Been a minute since I found/ Someone who could hold it down… What you really talking bout?
I been sending dirty pics/ Hope they make it to the cloud”
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02
SOPHIE : “Gelato” / “Inside Out” (feat. SHYGIRL)
*technically these were released on SOPHIE’s last ever mix Heaven Suspended in 2020, but I didn’t hear these until 2021. Two of the greatest, hottest Shygirl features ever.
“I can see you like my name, let me rest it on your mouth, bitch
Tripping, right, let me finger fuck myself, ya
Let me touch myself, let me slide a finger in”
also : “Bipp (Autechre Remix)”
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01
MAGDALENA BAY : “Chaeri”
“If I could do it all again, I would’ve said: “Chaeri, please. You’re killing me”
It’s only that bad, it’s only that bad/ If you tell yourself you’ll never get out of bed”
(also : “You Lose!” / “Secrets (Your Fire)”
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10 Runners Up :
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