Best of 2020: Josh Keller

Let’s not sugarcoat it: this year sucked. We’ll leave it to better writers and bigger thinkers to make context of this smoldering heap of a year, but we at least have some thoughts on music that came out this year. Check out Josh’s favorite music of 2020.

Top 10 (in no order, but kind of)

Jeff Parker – Suite for Max Brown

Damaged Bug – Bug on Yonkers

Shabaka and the Ancestors — We are Sent Here by History

Lindstrom + Prins Thomas – III

Kiki Jr. — Football Money

Kelly Lee Owens – Inner Song

Erik Hall – Music for 18 Musicians 

Emily Sprague – Hill, Flower, Fog

Shinichi Atobe ‎– Yes

Gunn-Truscinski Duo – Soundkeeper

Next 10 (in no order, but kind of)

Run the Jewels – RTJ4

Memory Pearl – Music for 7 Paintings

Knxwledge — 1988

Gong Gong Gong – Rytme Og Drone III | 節奏與嗡鳴三

Mdou Moctar — mixtape series 

Ezra Feinberg – Recumbent Speech

Yves Tumor: Heaven to a Tortured Mind

William Tyler — First Cow & New Vanitas

Powers/Rollin Duo – Powers/Rollin Duo

Beat Detectives/Nuke Watch – NYPD Records Vol. 5/Aftermath

Honorable Mention: SALUT — UNTITLED (Black Is); DJ Python – Mas Amable; X.Y.R – Pilgrimage; North Americans – Roped In; Juliana Barwick — Circumstance Synthesis; Yo La Tengo – Sleepless Nights + We Have Amnesia Sometimes; Thurston Moore – By the Fire; TALsounds – Acquiesce; Juliana Barwick – Healing is a Miracle; Omni Gardens – Moss King + Divine Mother; Denzel Curry/Kenny Beats – UNLOCKED

SONGS (*not* on top albums)

Noname “Song 33”

Kassa Overall “I Know You See Me”

Endless Boogie “Vote in Local Elections” (Live)

IIyas Ahmed “How to Transform Into Complete & Total Silence”

Tunde Adebimpe “People”

Destroyer — “Cue Synthesizer”

Park Hye Jin “Beautiful”

Albin “Tascam 38”

Jay Electronicia “Shiny Suit Theory”

Medhane “I’m Deadass”

Michael Stein “PLAY”

Moodyman “Do Wrong”

Khruangbin “Time (You & I)”

Gorillaz “Friday 13th”

Justo the MC “Shut Up & Rap”

Mary Lattimore “A Unicorn Catches a Falling Star in Heaven”

Top 20 Minnesota (In no particular order but kind of)

Dua Saleh – ROSETTA

Steve Palmer – Useful Histories

Iceblink – Carpet Cocoon

Elskavon & John Hayes – Du Nord

The Muatas  – The Upside Down Project

American Cream — Venus

Green/Blue – Green/Blue

Flavor Crystals — five

Various – Out of the Ashes: A Benefit Album for Minneapolis

Astralblak – Space & Time EP

IE – Aune + Terry Riley’s Keyboard Study No. 2

Loud Sun – Sweet Pit

Magnetic Ghost – Pixels 

Orchard Thief – The Gentle World

Black Market Brass Band – Undying Thirst

Black-Eyed Snakes – Rise Up!

Muja Messiah – Flowers Blossom on Top of Coffins

Waveless – Sugartree

Dizzy Fae “I’m Good”