TLMT’s Top 20 Albums 2022

“Fatima is an outward expression by an artist whose approach to the act of self-expression is captivating in and of itself. Debut records can be a tricky prospect, sometimes retrospective and often anachronistic to who the artist is upon release. Farah Elle’s first offering maintains relevance because it feels like every note, beat and word is intrinsically linked to her artistic voice. All of which makes Fatima an attention-grabbing introduction.”

“George Bernard Shaw once said, “You use a glass mirror to see your face. You use works of art to see your soul.”, and so goes World Still Blue. Rosa Nutty’s debut record resonates with the expressionism of intimate songwriting. World Still Blue is life from the artist’s perspective. “

“Black Forest could play out as a Nouvelle Vague film score, heard in crowded cafés, Parisian streets and small party balconies as it follows our protagonist’s journey captured in black and white. Black Forest is compelling in its abstraction of retroelements through Clara Tracey’s artistic prism. A stylish culmination of influences and flourishes, Tracey’s debut carves out an identity of its own. “

“Hour Of The Ox is a postcard from the edge. Once Katie Kim establishes herself as an artist dancing to a different beat, existing and thriving outside everything else. Much like Cage’s arctic sonic explorations, Kim’s journeys far from the crowd in Hour Of The Ox yields the same fascination, and are essential to the diverse tapestry of Irish music.” 

“Leave The Light On is made all the more powerful by the way Pillow Queens perform it. Pillow Queens is a band who connects with people because they write and perform from a place of absolute honesty. Leave The Light On builds on the rawness of their debut with a sound that finds the emotion in each word and note, bringing out the impactful nature of Pillow Queens all the more. An album of performance, production and presence.”

“Delusions of Grandeur could only come, and indeed work, at this point in Thumper’s evolution. Juxtaposing the immediate nature of the music, Thumper is a band that waited patiently, striking at the right moment. This attention to detail and craft plays throughout as they confidently contort noise, melody and meaning within a record alive with clarity and precision. A few years in the making and a long road to traverse, but the destination is truly worth every step.” 

“Heart Under is a beast. A sure-footed sophomore release from Just Mustard, Heart Under builds on the feral foundations of Wednesday by adding a sense of lucidity to the music, whilst never losing the initial unpredictability that has made the Just Mustard so striking. Heart Under is the sound of band in complete control of their expression.”

“Bands rarely maintain their vitality three albums in. All too often, directionless rust sets in. Fontaines D.C barge right past this potential pitfall by adding more sonic scope to deliver their music. The untamed rattle and hum of their early days have been left behind. In its place is something grander but far more consequential.” 

“What is singular must stand alone, abstract from everything else. Time Bend and Break the Bower is the other, the unknown. Through Sinéad O’Brien’s sheer undefinable presence the album is a triumph of individuality and voice. A tour de force from start to finish, no album this year will hit or sound like Time Bend and Break the Bower. That’s authenticity, that’s singularity.”