Is it necessary to listen to an album from start to finish? Or are you allowed to shuffle around to your heart’s content? Whatever your stance on this age-old debate, we can all agree there’s nothing like falling in love with an entire body of work. It’s about time that our talented Aussie and Kiwi artists are getting this level of recognition on a global scale, and after another year of showing the world what we’re made of, choosing between our favourite homegrown records has never been tougher.
Still, BB’s Besties have pulled it together for you (you’re welcome). In no particular order, here are our favourite records of 2021:
Odette – ‘Herald’
Producer: Damian Taylor
Sydney Aussie artist Odette (aka Georgia Sally Banks) is not one to hide behind a mask. Her music is so disarmingly raw, with lyricism that cuts through so sharply you can feel your chest tighten with every crescendo, eventually finding catharsis. Featuring the production fingerprints of Damian Taylor (Björk, Arcade Fire, The Killers), Odette’s second studio album is a bold interrogation of self, with stunning indie-pop atmospherics that serve as a cinematic backdrop to Odette’s own crystalline vocals. Perfect for solo bus rides in the rain. – Mina Kitsos
The Jungle Giants – ‘Love Signs’
Producer: Sam Hales (of The Jungle Giants)
The chameleons of Australian music, The Jungle Giants continue to impress us. With each release, they’ve changed their sound and with ‘Love Signs’, their fourth studio album, they’re here to make us dance. Right from the beginning, the Brissie four-piece have us feeling the love with the title track. This is easily maintained throughout the record with certified bangers thrown our way, from “Treat You Right” to “Sending Me Ur Loving”. I can’t wait to see what’s next. – Tyhe Reading
Genesis Owusu – ‘Smiling With No Teeth’
Producers: Andrew Klippel, Dave Hammer, Harvey Sutherland, Joe LaPorta, Matt Corby
It has been Genesis Owusu’s year, and for good reason. The Canberra-based artist’s debut album ‘Smiling With No Teeth’ dropped in March and set the standard for what an album can be. It’s an ambitious project that melds genres together into something that’s uniquely Owusu, with lyrics that traverse mental health, experiences of blackness and much more. ‘SWNT’ offers new gems with every listen, and is sure to be considered a classic in years to come. – Georgia Griffiths
Middle Kids – ‘Today We’re The Greatest’
Producer: Lars Stalfors
It’s been a while since I have felt as many emotions listening to an album as I have when listening to Sydney outfit Middle Kids‘ sophomore album ‘Today We’re the Greatest’. Every track is a deep dive into the lives of each band member, held together by strong instrumentals and beautiful lyrics. Each song could easily be released as a single, however the trio somehow narrowed it down to a select few. Standouts for me are “Questions”, “Run With You”, “I Don’t Care”, and the LP’s incredible title track, which features a style we haven’t heard in previous releases. I’m hoping to hear much more like this from Middle Kids in the future. – Tyhe Reading
RÜFÜS DU SOL – ‘Surrender’
Producers: Tyrone Lindqvist, Jon George, James Hunt and Jason Evigan
RÜFÜS DU SOL’s fourth studio album takes us on a journey of hope, whilst also allowing us to dive into the lows of the last few years. ‘Surrender’ invites us to cathartically embrace these emotions, as the sonic landscape they’ve created dips and pulses around us. It isn’t a huge shift from the Sydney trio’s previous album ‘Solace’, but there’s a sense of comfort — when the world around us has changed so much, we can rely on RÜFÜS to bring us into their world of atmospheric synths and anthemic choruses. – Gabrielle Clement
Hiatus Kaiyote – ‘Mood Valiant’
Producer: Arthur Verocai
Grammy nominated for Best Progressive R&B Album, ‘Mood Valiant’ is the third LP from Melbourne natives Hiatus Kaiyote. On this record, the musicianship is taken to the next level with the band sounding incredibly cohesive with every jazzy texture deftly woven yet they’re also at their most accessible. A live Hiatus show is an ecstatic experience and here they manage to capture this magic. Lead singer Nai Palm is as raw and honest as ever. Her idiosyncratic vocals swoop between raspy whispers and glorious harmonisations. After the frontwoman’s recent experience with breast cancer, Nai sounds like she’s really having fun with it all. On “Stone or Lavender” Nai confesses: “I don’t wanna be small, I wanna be full of life.” This kind of vitality and imbues the soul of every track. I can see why the group is often described as “future soul” with this record somehow managing to sound like both the past and the future, cosmic and earthly, and utterly gorgeous. – Ben Harvey
Nerve – ‘Tall Poppy Season’
Producer: Toby Nicholls (Nerve)
Nerve‘s fourth record is proof positive that the man continues to go from strength to strength. One of the most polished hip-hop releases of 2021, the Brisbane MC doesn’t hold back on ‘Tall Poppy Season’, an album that really demonstrates his skill not only as a rhymesmith but as a producer. Charismatic and aggressive, he effortlessly flits between tough drill synth breaks and horns to more lo-fi beats across 28 minutes of distilled, pure Australian rap goodness that you’re doing yourself a disservice if you don’t listen to ASAP. – Jamie Weiss
Lorde – ‘Solar Power’
Producers: Jack Antonoff
Lorde’s third studio album was not what many were expecting, as ‘Solar Power’ sees Lorde pull back from the heavier pop-centred production and explore a more acoustic and raw side to her sound. We are taken on a journey through growing up in the spotlight as Lorde shows us how important it is to step back from the flashing lights and reconnect with the natural world around us — something she immersed herself in by moving back to Auckland and taking herself away from social media. After two years of what has felt like constant negative news stories, this album was a moment to switch off and remember to breathe in. Lorde has offered us a warm embrace. We aren’t experiencing a break-up through a house party, we are no longer insecure teens growing up in a scary world. Lorde is allowing us to be comfortable with ourselves and embrace the warmth of nature, to find a sense of calm. – Gabrielle Clement
flowerkid – ‘everyone has a breaking point’ EP
Producer: Flynn Jorge Sant
Former triple j Unearthed feature artist flowerkid has garnered a passionate following, racking up millions of streams from only a few single releases. With a very ‘float like a butterfly, sting like a bee’ approach to songwriting, Flynn Sant crafts delicately penned ballads that pack an emotional punch. ‘everyone has a breaking point’ is the debut EP from the Sydney singer-songwriter and is a collection of emotional tracks that speaks to Flynn’s journey in gender identity. The trans artist bears all, showing an emotional maturity well beyond their 18 years, and revealing a confident vulnerability that makes every song resonate far beyond conclusion. With a debut record like this, there is no question of the bright future ahead for flowerkid. – Nick Robertson
ASHWARYA – ‘Nocturnal Hours’ EP
Producer: Jarrad Rogers
ASHWARYA has, for me, been hands-down the most exciting Australian act to watch bloom this year. After the release of a couple huge singles in 2020, this seven-track debut EP has seen the Melbourne-based artist forge her own sound — one that beautifully illustrates the Indian-Australian diaspora, with rich nuances that fuse Punjabi-style bhangra percussion with tempo-testing contemporary RnB. From ballads to beat-pushing numbers, the amount she has squeezed into this project is astounding. It’s a remarkable masterclass in sound from someone so early into their career. – Mina Kitsos