33 out of '21

It's a pleasure to experience, that the album format is still popular in 2021. [insert moaning about digitalization, the short-lived world we live in, and that everything was better „back then“]. It's the masterclass for every songwriter and to me, as a listener, something I prefer over any playlist any time. Also the album format bears surprises every year, and 2021 was no exception. It definitely showed me new sites of myself, as a listener, of what I can enjoy, whether I shouldn't enjoy it based on my preferences. A double-concept-album of a forgotten 90s-HC/Punk-band? Check. A 50+ minutes Pop-Punk/New-Wave-Emo-record that is tight from start to finish? Check. An album that's main words are „bitch“ and „hoe“? Count me in, biaaatch!!

From new to old bands, from well know favourites to pleasant surprises, from House to Hardcore, from the 17-minutes-sprint to the 58-minutes-epic, there were a lot of '21-albums that got me. I struggled hard, while I was arranging my favs of the year in order, especially in my Top 3 it could've gone either way. But finally, here are my 33 favourites of 2021!

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// Honorable Mentions //

Chemical Fix // Our Shade casts far [Safe Inside Records]___Grow Grow // Lichterloh [DIY]___In Shambles // Vicious Cycle [Sad Nap Records]___Living Conditions // Vows [Middle Man Records]___Nas // King's Disease II [Mass Appeal Records]__meijar // meijar [Lala Schallplatten]___Tenue // Territorios [Zegema Beach Records/etc.]___Young Mountain // Infraröd [Through Love Records/Pundonor Records]

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33. Snag. // Death Doula

[Middle Man Records/Zegema Beach Records/etc.]

For the fact that this is only 18 minutes long, the album of Screamo-act SNAG. is full of cool, and pretty diverse moments. From slow, melancholic parts supported by horns to Post-Rock-epicness to mathy Chaos to cathartic outbursts, there's much to be liked by genre-enthusiasts. (Mini-Review)

32. Stars Hollow // I want to live my Life

[Acrobat Unstable Records]

The band's debut album is one of the better attempts at Midwest-Emo, being released this year. STARS HOLLOW are surfing the new wave of Emo, but it's a bit more down-to-earth and more puristic as other new(er) acts. That's something I appreciate, as well as the short song lengths and the dramatic lyrics. (Mini-Review)

31 // For those I love // For those I love

[September Recordings]

I can't rate this all too high, cause it contains a lot of tracks I can't get down with and overall it's not really up my alley. Still, when it hits, it hits hard. Someone compared this to THE STREETS and that's why I checked it out. So, what is FOR THOSE I LOVE all about? It's hard to categorize for me. It's some sort of House-music mixed with pretty powerful, british accented spoken words and an overall concept, as David Balfe wrote this album for his best friend, who passed away. I do love the melodramatic, intense atmosphere and the emotional overtone as well as the full production. As a whole it's too far out of my musical horizon, nonetheless this got many spins from me over the year. The opener and center-piece of the album “I have a Love” is an instant-classic in its own right.

30 // Cerce // Cowboy Music

[DIY]

Stumbling many times over this band's name, I possibly never cared enough to check them out. Their comeback album, after disbanding in 2013, was my first contact with CERCE. And I didn't regret it. This is a capable slap of groovy Hardcore and quite like PUNCH/DANGERS/GO DEEP strike a balance with early EVERY TIME I DIE. I especially dig Becca's cute, but simultaneously twisted singing, the evil lyrics and the Oldschool-Mosh-Parts.

29 // Youth Novel // Youth Novel

[Zegema Beach Records]

The starting point for this record was unfinished material from 2017, when YOUTH NOVEL disbanded. And then came the lockdowns and much free time. Time, some members used to revisit these songs and build upon it, ultimately creating their best material yet. This is intense, unrelenting Screamo/Emoviolence and among the heaviest stuff I've heard all year!

28 // Eyecandy // The Promontory

[The Ghost is clear Records]

After EYECANDY's tremendous debut-EP hyped me up earlier this year, I was expecting an "album of the year"-contender, when "The Promontory" dropped. My expectations were too high and couldn't be matched. Therefor this record needed some time to develop past my false hopes, and it did. In it's own right, this is a great Post-Hardcore-record for every UNWOUND-fanboy, either parts eccentric, intricate and beautiful. (Review)

27 // Zack Fox // Shut the Fuck up talking to me

[DIY]

"Shut the fuck up talking to me" is a fun compromise of Comedy and Oldschool-Rap. It's kind of offensive, but not as over-the-top as something from JON LAJOIE. There's also enough knowledge to be found here, especially the beats are really good. ZACK FOX himself is no genius on the mic, but he handles himself comfortable through these short tracks, that never overstay their welcome. (Review)

26 // Portrayal of Guilt // We are always alone

[Closed Casket Activities]

PORTRAYAL OF GUILT symbolize my personal border of how far I can go with Black Metal, and I've always thought about them as "HC kids playing Metal". It's fresh, at least in my own hemisphere, and I like that they don't overdo it with their evilness. However, with "We are always alone" they banished some HC/Screamo-elements and moved more towards Black- and Post-Metal. But I'm still "in" and think that they wrote a pretty tense album, which contains epic melodies and interesting song progressions.

25 // Dying Wish // Fragments of a Bitter Memory

[SharpTone Records]

This was a pleasant surprise to me. DYING WISH play Metalcore that would totally fit into the early 2000s. A big plus for me is, that they don't overdo it with the Sweden-worshipping. At times this is either parts the popular Metalcore of the 2000s and more old-fashioned Metal-Mosh. You get your stuff, that is reminiscent of bands like DARKEST HOUR or AS I LAY DYING, but you also get your chugs, your straight rhythms and your mosh-y breakdowns. On top of that they manage to incorporate some clean vocals without coming off as too cheesy. It's the same key as before: They don't overdo it. I also like the "Razorblade Romance"-touch and lyrics like "I seal this message with my blood and a bullet". The five-piece succeeds on many levels, still there's one flaw for me, as I get the feeling that all has been said halfway through the record. Despite that, I can't remember the last time when a pure Metalcore-record kept me this busy!

24 // Wired Shut // Tomorrow fades away

[Irish Voodoo Records]

I don't know if this album is even a thing or if it will be recognized by the band going forward. It was on Bandcamp for a short amount of time, but then quickly disappeared and never saw a physical release either. Just a few days ago the band itself wrote on Instagram „we recorded a whole LP this time last year but only one song saw the light of day because that one song was the only one that mattered“. If that is so, then I gotta disagree, as „Tomorrow fades away“ is a great collection of Hardcore tracks. You can hear traits of all their ex-bands, but WIRED SHUT don't play straight Beatdown neither they play some sort of „Post-Hardcore“. It's traditional, yet enough polished and kinda reminds of a modern version of bands like SLAPSHOT (one of their ex's), WARZONE and SHEER TERROR. It's raw, it's fast and it's full of memorable and honest lyrics. Hopefully the 7 "lost songs" are not buried forever!  (Mini-Review)

23 // Sweet Soul // So far no further

[New Morality Zine]

"So far no further" is a breath of fresh air when it comes to Pop-Punk. SWEET SOUL take their influences from the the 80s and the 90s and feel pretty old-fashioned. They incorporate elements of Power-Pop and Alternative-Rock into their sound and they promptly attract attention with their dreamy/sleepy vocals, that are quite unusual for the genre. Nonetheless, this kicks a lot of ass and covers some ground in its sparse 23 minutes. (Review) 

22 // yon // Order of Violence

[Zegema Beach Records/Dingleberry Records/etc.]

This is YON's swan song, and what a way to go out! Leaning more on the Post-Rock/Post-Metal-site of things on earlier releases, the German Screamo-act found a perfect balance on their one and only full length. This is packed with emotions and atmosphere, while they also demonstrate much talent and creativity when it comes to the songwriting. (Review)

21 // Breeze Brewin // Hindsight

[Flat Beats Records]

To me, the first JUGGAKNOTS-record, released way back in 1996, is a hidden Hip-Hop-gem. That's probably why I appreciated BREEZE BREWIN's solo-album more than others. It's no coherent written album though, as the collected cuts were recorded between 2004 and 2018. It's in the old-fashioned Boom-Bap-style, being simple, straight and fast-paced most of the time, with the sole focus on beats and raps. It's a classic formula, that is translated flawless on "Hindsight". The production is hit or miss, though more hit, as there are some cool, creative beats on here. BREWIN himself is a skilled and fucking likeable MC, who delivers on every given track. I definitely miss Hip-Hop-records like that!

20 // Karloff // Karloff

[Zegema Bech Records/I.Corrupt Records/etc.]

The band out of Canada absolutely suceeded with their debut full length. At the core they delivered a dark and heavy Screamo-record, full of chaos, pummeling rhythms, earsplittering screaming and tons of energy, while also showing their more artistic site, diving into Post-Rock or quiet sections. They don't pretend to be the next CIRCLE TAKES THE SQUARE though, they don't overdo it and they don't feel pretentious with this kind of stuff. This is a beautifully crafted Screamo-record of the new decade!

19 // Portrayal of Guilt // Christfucker

[Run for Cover Records]

When „Christfucker“ dropped, it polarized within the scene. PORTRAYAL OF GUILT received a lot of criticism for dropping another, all too similar and uninspiring album just 10 months after their last. I was expecting the worst, but „Christfucker“ won me over, even more than „We are always alone“. Sure, in essence it's not too far way from its predecessor, but it's no copycat and differs a lot in its nuances. Like the title and the artwork might suggest, this is a pretty gloomy affair, in fact the most darkest stuff these guys have done so far. Some cuts might be straight out of a Horror-movie! Musically POG incorporate less melodies than on „We are always alone“, while discovering sludgy and noisy territories this time around. It's a fresh approach at their style and overall „Christfucker“ is a tense and coherent album.

18 // Masada // II

[Zegema Beach Records/I.Corrupt Records/etc.]

On their second record Germany's MASADA continue with their playful, diverse Screamo/Emo-sound and their blend of german and english lyrics. In terms of style this goes a long way, from fast and chaotic parts to scream-y, mosh-y breakdowns to beautiful pop harmonies and catchy hooks. Their songwriting improved a lot and entirely they made a big leap forward with „II“. The flow of the album is really smooth, the production is more powerful and clean, and on top of that they feel very unique with their open-mindedness.

17 // Orphan Donor // Unraveled

[Zegema Beach Records]

Jared Stimplf already impressed me last year with his debut album „Old Patterns“. In this project he gets help on the vocal front, anything else is done by him alone. Just 15 months after the first album, he dropped its successor, who is even more complex. „Unraveled“ is not just more complex, it's also superior in every way. It's heavier, it's more intense, it is more melodic, more epic and as a whole more unique. Genre borders don't matter, as Stimpfl takes inpiration from various heavy music styles, like Noise, Screamo, Mathcore, Sludge, Grind, Postrock and everything inbetween. This album hurts my ears sometimes, but it is heavy music as an artform all the way through! They call it „a nightmare in seven songs“ themselves and I think you can't describe „Unraveled“ any more appropiate... (Mini-Review)

16 // R.A.P. Ferreira //
The Light Emitting Diamond Cutter Scriptures

[Ruby Yacht]

This is no "Purple Moonlight Pages", but it's well above "Bob's Son", released earlier in 2021. FERREIRA's flow and delivery are as unique as ever, while the overall approach is experimental, yet not as unworldly as on the predecessor. Everything floats smooth, and FERREIRA even manages to up his game on the second half of the record. This is easily one of my favourite Hip-Hop-records of the year!

15 // Campbell Trio // ///

[Yeah You! Records/Overall Records/Zegema Beach Records]

This is another success story of the pandemic, as the origins of this album harken back to 2012. Some issues within the recording process and personal struggles led the CAMPBELL TRIO to cancel the process of the album creation. The focus got lost and as the band itself said, the album was „forgotten“ ever since. Until 2020, where they rescued their material, eventually finishing it at the beginning of 2021. And honestly, it would've been a shame if these songs would've remained unheard of. The Brazilians are playing some sort of Skramz/Emocore/Post-Hardcore, one part mathy and hectic, one part highly melodic, emotional, catchy and full of hooks, even throwing in some jazz-y trumpet-parts every once in a while. They kinda sound like someone melted HOT CROSS, DAITRO and ADORNO together! But what really makes the album, besides the thrilling songwriting, is how passionate and sincere this feels all the way through.

14 // Black Ink Stain // Incidents

[Pogo Records]

The debut album of the french men is something like the „best of 90s Noise-Rock“. They combine the abrasiveness from UNSANE with the crazy attitude of THE JESUS LIZARD, the precision of SHELLAC and the groove of HELMET. Finally they throw in some melodic sections to give these tracks some epicness. „Incidents“ is a great record, from start to finish, and totally up to international standards. (Mini-Review)

13 // Quicksand // Distant Populations

[Epitaph Records]

Expecting not too much, QUICKSAND's fourth album turned out to be a nice surprise. Being a critic of revivals, I gott say, that's the way to do it! QUICKSAND in 2021 bring enough of their trademarks to cater to their early crowd, but they are not ripping off themselves. They expanded their style with new elements, ultimately creating a matured, more toned-down version of their classics. This is no “old guys playing their best of”-kind-of-record, this is full of dedication, full of passion and aims at creating something new! Personally I was never that deep into their 90s-stuff, though I have to admit, that "Distant Populations" is my favourite QUICKSAND-record so far. If the last third would be on par with the stuff before, this would've easily entered the top 10... (Mini-Review)

12// Delta Sleep // Spring Island

[Sofa Boy Records]

I was new to DELTA SLEEP, despite them releasing music for well over a decade now. Lead single “Old Soul” and the first song on the album, “The Detail”, ultimately dragged me in and and they're still my favs on the record. Usually I'm not into Math-Rock that much, but “Spring Island” is either parts Indie/Emo, with a bit of Post-Rock thrown in. These guys do a great job of combining two different worlds, one more reserved, playful and technical, and the other one more personal, sensitive, and outbursting. They are pretty creative within their songwriting and have the tools to create beautifully crafted moments and songs. But I won't lie, I couldn't get into the spiritually breathed sentiment of the album a 100%. Still, “Spring Island” is a great album that was totally refreshing for me, while discovering it. I'm looking forward to dive into their back-catalogue!

11 // Botfly // Lower than Love

[No Funeral Records]

BOTFLY blend slightly metallic, groovy Bulldozer-Hardcore in the vein of BOTCH with AmRep-like Noise-Rock/Post-Hardcore. With that alone they'd won me over, but 15 minutes in the record they throw in the title track, a reduced power-ballad that explodes near the end. From their on they incorporate more and more quiet sections within their sound, but never forget about their foundation. From pure reading, you'd suggest that „Lower than Love“ is a wild genre-cocktail without focus, but it isn't. It's extremely homogeneous, tense and cohesive. What adds a lot of personality to the album/the band are its intimate lyrics, dealing with depression and heartache. I totally feel this band and love the fact that they can strive with hard contrasts, while coming off as sincere all the way through... (Review)

10 // Nas // Magic

[Mass Appeal Records]

The magic (no pun intended) of this record is its minimalism. 29 minutes. 9 tracks. No interludes. No skits. No samples. No silly experiments. No effort to reinvent the wheel. No fancy features of R'n'B-singers, and only one MC on the record that is not called NAS. "Magic" is a refreshing, Old-School-Boom-Bap-record reduced to its core elements: The beat and the rhyme. I did like "King's Disease II" earlier this year, but it did have its dull moments. "Magic" on the other hand is unbelievable entertaining and allows no real breather. It is perfectly balanced, without a track that lets down, just cool beat after cool beat and a 48-year-old MC who rekindled his own flame. I will shy away from the worn out "Illmatic"-comparisons, but I'd say this is NAS' best album in at least 20 years.

9 // Rid of me // Traveling

[The Ghost is clear Records/Knife Hits Records]

Early on you could feel that RID OF ME were heading somewhere else with their first album. Somewhere more artsy, more toned-down, moving a bit away from their HC/Punk/Noise-roots. “Traveling” turned out to be just like that. But it also turned out to be a pretty damn good album. What I like most about this record is the dark, tense, coherent atmosphere that is woven over the course of this 35 minutes. It's not only accomplished with the help of an exceptional vocal performance by Itarya Rosenberg but foremost with a perfect production. You can especially make that out with the old songs that were re-recorded, cause each and every one of them sounds so much better than in his original form. RID OF ME and their producer built an oeuvre of an album that is full of nice details but reduced to its meat like no other record I've heard in 2021. Now, if they don't get the recognition they deserve, than, fuck the music industry! (Review)

8 // Fever Strike // Spin

[Patient Zero Records]

Sure, the HC-scene was busy this year, keeping up with all those thrilling releases, but FEVER STRIKE's "Spin" would've deserved way more love and attention. The North Carolina-collective plays Hardcore in the tradition of SNAPCASE, but straight to the point. All of the songs are roughly 2 minutes long, but leave nothing to be desired, as this is crammed with groovy mosh parts, creative rhythm changes, awesome guitar-work with the right amount of melody, and some of the most powerful singalongs of 2021. "You light the flame, and I'll carry the torch!" (Mini-Review)

7 // Hawak // nuoc

[Zegema Beach Records/Left Hand Label]

You know what I like the most about this album? Whenever I put it on, it has an hypnotic effect on me. “nuoc” is a “Screamo hypnosis”, so to say. Maybe that's the reason, why this record became my personal vacuuming cleaning-soundtrack in the last couple of months?! Yeah, it's not my favourite activity, but bearable enough with company like that! “nuoc” does the same to me as “Jokes” (by KIDCRASH) or “Orthodox” (by NATIVE) did many years ago: It draws me in its wonderfully built instrumentals and never let's me go, before it's over. These instrumentals are full of passion and full of emotions, there are no words needed to describe these emotions. But they, the words, the screamed words, further intensify the feeling of the whole record. HAWAK have their own approach as well, as this surely is math-y/technical/nested like the mentioned references, but they blend their playfulness with a more traditional Screamo/Emo-rawness and lyrics like these: "It’s an unforgiving reminder: nothing takes away the price we pay to own our pain." (Mini-Review)

6 // Lygo // Lygophobie

[Kidnap Music]

Wenn sich eine Band, 10 Jahre nach ihrer Gründung, und nach diversen Veröffentlichungen, darunter zwei Alben, so steigert wie LYGO das mit „Lygophobie“ getan haben, dann ist das verdammt beeindruckend. Vor allem in einer Zeit, in der dieser Stil nicht mehr ganz so angesagt ist, wie noch vor 10 oder 15 Jahren. Ich mochte das Trio aus Bonn/Umgebung schon immer, doch komplett weggeblasen haben sie mich nie ganz. Mit ihrem dritten Album gelang ihnen das allerdings! Es klingt abgedroschen, doch es ist so: LYGO haben in jeder Hinsicht einen großen Satz nach vorne gemacht. Man tut sich fast etwas schwer damit, einen besonderen Knackpunkt hervorzuheben, denn sowohl musikalisch (schöner Mix aus bekanntem Punkrock-Rotz & stärker fokussierten Indie-Elementen, mit atmosphärischen Melodien), als auch textlich (hier hat alles Relevanz!) und in Sachen Songwriting (Ausfall? Nein! Die besten Songs ihrer bisherigen Laufbahn? Fix!) überzeugen LYGO auf voller Linie. „Lygophobie“ war mir in 2021 deshalb so wichtig, weil es mir klar machte, wie schön, wie mitreißend, wie berührend die deutsche Sprache in derartigen Platten sein kann. Beim „binge-hearing“ zig-dutzender, amerikanischer Releases, ist das etwas, dass ich manchmal vergesse. Danke für die Erinnerung, Jungs! (Review)

5 // Baby Keem // The Melodic Blue

[Columbia Records/pgLang]

Recently I took a shower, while playing with... the idea of counting every „bitch“ that is mentioned in this record. I continued with my morning coffe, my wake-up-cigarettes and all the while 'til I was finished with my morning routine and even beyond that. The count was on 61 when the last song „16“ was over. No, I didn't play the same game with the word „hoe“, but you can easily account the same number for that neat word. Normally this is not my kind of thing, but I'm a sucker for this record, and a sucker for this kind of Hip-Hop, being waaaay into KENDRICK LAMAR, since discovering his stuff in 2015. BABY KEEM is LAMAR's cousin, so you know what you're in for. KEEM wears his influences on his sleeve (KENDRICK is even featured on two bangers), but he adds enough of his own flavour. Besides the awesome production, the diversity of „The Melodic Blue“ is what really makes it. From blant „big balls“-rap-tracks to sensitive ballads, from KENDRICK-like break-y, modern Hip-Hop to more reduced Rap-stuff, this album is an epic journey with a lot to discover. The main letdown are the topics of the tracks, as 80% is about sex and girls, but that could be due to the fact that KEEM is only 20 years old. In some tracks he proves more profoundity, what gives me hopes looking forward. Nonetheless I love that record. It's pure fun and I don't think any album (maybe besides my Top 2) got more spins from me over the course of 2021... (Review)

4 // Triggerman // A Place in the Sun

[DIY]

"A Place in the Sun" is the surprise of the year, no doubt. I knew TRIGGERMAN's 1992-album „Dead like me“, which was a solid Melodic-/Post-Hardcore-album, but nothing spectacular. So I never ever expected these guys, who must be in their 50s or late 40s now, to go THIS OUT on their comeback album. „A Place in the Sun“ is the most ambitious record I've heard all year! It was released as a Double-LP, clocks in at a length of 58 minutes and features a coherent story that is being told with a handful of samples from a movie out of 1951 and awesome lyrics, who go hand in hand with the movie-dialogues and underline the whole concept of the record. On top of that, you get two guest appearances, a youth chorus that is featured multiple times, trumpets, syntesizers, percussions and much much more. Musically this is the best stuff these guys have done yet, as they struck a perfect balance between creative/progressive, hymnic and more directly Punk-stuff. If you think with an seemingly overload like that, you can't write catchy tunes, than check out tracks like „Long Way Down“, „A Place in the Sun“ or „How did we get here?“. What really makes TRIGGERMAN's magnum opus a bonafied masterpiece are the lyrics, who are among the most inspiring and jaw-dropping stuff I've heard, not just in 2021, but since I'm following the HC/Punk-scene. TRIGGERMAN touch important and meaningful topics like existentialism, materialism, karma, our superficial society, fake lifestyles, the over-digitalized planet called world, social media, nature vs. technology or the power of technology. And how they do it is clever as fuck, it's all in a subtle and kind of cynic way, with lines like these: „...this is a house you can't buy / these are some pills you can take, to make it all seem ok“. DANG, on point! The world's a mess, and this is its score. (Mini-Review)

3 // Origami Angel // GAMI GANG

[Counter Intuitive Records]

This was my spring's soundtrack. And... ah... I was fighting with myself, while I simply couldn't believe how much I liked this record. The „New Wave of Emo“, that is essentially more like a gruff version of Pop-Punk on LSD, normally isn't my cup of tea. The first thing that turned me off about „GAMI GANG“ was the total length, cause I think no album of that style has any right to be 51 minutes long. The next thing that made me sure, I'll most definitely shit on ORIGAMI ANGEL was the super-cute singing voice. But eventually I made my peace with the voice and everything else that I should hate about this album. For me „GAMI GANG“ is a perfect example, of how important it is, to overcome your bias and look past the curtain. Maybe it's getting all to philosophical now, but it's always a crucial thing to do in life! I guess I'm right there, where I want to be, when cherishing ORIGAMI ANGEL's beautiful, easy to relate to, but oh so light-footed lyrics. „Light-footed“ is a nice word to define the whole record. Musically this is all over the place, with math-y parts, scream-y breakdowns, acoustic passages, and so on and so on... but it works, all the way through. Speaking about „all the way“: It was shocking to me, that these guys really pulled it off and wrote a 50+ minutes record of that style, that is entertaining from start to finish. The flow is simply extraordinary. At the end a message to the current „Wave of Emo“: Get off and let that new wave roll in, cause this is the current one's „Clarity“. Now built that album a fucking monument! (Review)

2 // Turnstile // Glow On

[Roadrunner Records]

There are a lot of albums in this Top 10 that are more tight, more coherent than „Glow On“. To me this isn't the perfect masterpiece of a record, you might suggest. I'm not too high on this version of „Alien Love Call“ and skip it most of the time, I think the first third of the album is a bit too awesome for its own good, and for a record like that, the closer „Lonely Dezires“ is pretty lame. I end „Glow On“ with „No Surprise“, more often than not. Also, the production is a bit over-the-top at some points, cause a handful of songs are superior in a more pure form. But... big BUT... this is a record that is more than the sum of its parts. It's an extremely important record, that garnered mainstream-attention for a whole sound. It is a kind of revolutionary, at least a very refreshing take on Hardcore. It is full of awesome moments. It is courageous. It is bold. It is full of energy an positive vibes and the perfect soundtrack to party hard to. Last not least, it's a record that goes beyond what a Hardcore-record should mean. Would I've expected a few months ago, that me and my 6-year old daughter would freak out together to the tunes of TURNSTILE, specifically speaking „T.L.C.“ or „Mistery“? THAT is the essence of cult material! Therefor „Glow On“ is an instant cult classic, with a lot of instant cult hits. A record that already means a lot to a whole scene and will probably continue to do so... (Review)

1 // Sad Park // It's all over

[Lauren Records]

SAD PARK came pretty much out of nowhere. I was aware of their album-precursor back in April and did like those two songs, but never cared beyond that. Their cool video for „Cash In“, uploaded just a few days before the records' release, was what gave these guys more personality in my own perception. I did check out „It's all over“ on the day it dropped, and it steadily grew on me in the weeks and months to come, up to the point of pure addiction. Forgetting to sleep and eat because of a record and stuff, you know?! When it comes to references and categorization, I already failed miserable in my review, but roughly speaking this is somewhere between Garage-Rock, Indie, Pop-Punk, Midwest-Emo and grand Pop-gestures. It doesn't matter though, as I can't think of a band, that does quite the same. These guys have their own style and they are exceptionally good at it. The thing is, this style is really basic. In fact, „It's all over“ is one of the more down-to-earth records on this jawbreaking list of devilish good albums! It shows that great Rock-music is timeless, that the ordinary verse-chorus-vers-formula is unfuckable with, and that you don't need a revolutionary concept or silly, mindfucking ideas to write the most thrilling record of the year. SAD PARK went all in with this one, and they suceeded big time, creating an album that is highly entertaining from start to finish, an album that will stay with me a long time coming, an album that I should now definitely call... a „masterpiece“. (Review)