1. Bejahung by ELEFANT (Belgium)
Released: 24 January 2020
TUTV: Soundtastic explorations, making me think of longtime weirdos The Residents. The Belgian – we do what we like – crusaders have entered another cutting-edge space with layers of special effects, some steamy knockouts, some puzzling razzmatazz, a cappella surprises and an overall arresting Sturm Und Drang sonority. The 2020 winner!
Stream/buy here…
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2. Bedroom by bdrmm (Hull, UK)
Released: 3 July 2020
TUTV: Talking about a flabbergasting debut. Believe the hype NME started: “It’s a gripping modern-day shoegaze classic.” Totally spot-on. Dream-stimulating, romantic, blue-sky and yes, angelic. Stroke of genius. Bingo!
Stream/buy here…
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3. Hot Slick by PINS (Manchester, UK)
Released: 29 May 2020
TUTV: Lockdown blues? Turn your living room into a cozy discotheque with Xmas lights and dance, sway, twirl, shake and sweat like it’s 1999 all over again. Party record of the year. Hot stuff with bad girls!
Stream/buy here…
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4. Deap Lips by DEAP LIPS (California/Oklahoma)
Released: 13 March 2020
TUTV: When the blues-punk-rock Amazons of Deap Vally and the surreal fairy tale daydreamers of The Flaming Lips join forces… motherfuckers got to go. Jump on your Yamaha, let your hair blow in the wind and imagine that you’re an Easy Rider.
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5. Under The Spell Of Joy by DEATH VALLEY GIRLS
Released: 2 October 2020
TUTV: Without a shadow of a doubt the best DVG album (so far). A joyful choir, 60s organs, a line-up of addictive tunes, garage rock thrills, sultry sax salvos and Bonnie Bloomgarden leading the troops as usual. Hold her hand and she’ll make you swing on cloud nine.
Stream/buy here…
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6. Every Bad by PORRIDGE RADIO (Brighton, UK)
Released: 13 March 2020
TUTV: This quartet rolls from amplified pop to post-punk and back, with ardent passion, anarchic and sweet, chaotic and intense, zealous and plainspoken with frontwoman and future indie star Dana Margolin as the driving force.
Stream here…
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7. A Hero’s Death by FONTAINES D.C. (Ireland)
Released: 31 July 2020
TUTV: Reflections on daily life embedded in spine-tingling post-punk jams. A loud and clear confirmation of what they achieved on their awesome debut LP. Another bold accomplishment! These Irish heros are here to stay! Life is not always empty, indeed!.
Stream/buy here…
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8. Atlas Vending by METZ (Canada)
Released: 9 October 2020
TUTV: A thunderous tsunami of jaw-dropping sledgehammers. Apocalyptic guitars and battering drum attacks while Alex Edkins yowling vocal-chords challenge the Richter scale
of madness. Explosive tour de force! Fasten your seatbelt.
Stream/buy here…
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9. Dances/Curses by HEY COLOSSUS (UK)
Released: 6 November 2020
TUTV: Never ever a dull moment with these post-punk-tastic groove machine. They master the art of wrapping sickly sticky tunes in a wall-of-bang-up sound. Tons of riveting hooks, never-ending riffs and mind-bending licks. Shake your booty to the blistering beats!
Stream/buy here…
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10. The Doctrine Of Infinite Kindness by THE MIGHTY ORCHID KING (UK)
Released: 26 June 2020 – debut LP
TUTV: An existential, bizarro piece of psychedelic work. Otherworldly, metaphysical, mind-boggling and rainbow-colored. Lose yourself in these zealots’ nature-caring stratosphere. Go outside and hug a tree.
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11. The New Abnormal by THE STROKES (New York)
Released: 20 April 2020 – their sixth LP
TUTV: A terrific longplayer with several moody and melancholic moments. Most tracks sound like introspective meditations. Wholehearted, spellbinding and captivating with Julian Casablancas‘s characteristic voice yearning in the middle. One of their best achievements. This is it!
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12. Sun Racket by THROWING MUSES (California)
Released: 4 September 2020
TUTV: Leading lady Kristin Hersh is still as driven and ambitious as she was about 30 years ago when she and her stepsister Tanya Donelly formed the Muses. A solid gold return!
Stream/buy here…
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13. Self-Surgery by MRS PISS (US)
Released: 29 May 2020
TUTV: Bloodcurdling shrieks / Firework in hell / Schizophrenic underground hysteria / Mind-crushing eruptions / Sisters of darkness in crime / Bone-chilling frenzy and dark waves.
HAVE FUN!
Stream/buy here…
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14. Division by VIOLENT VICKIE (Long Beach, Califonia)
Released: 4 September 2020
TUTV: Influenced by Goth, electro-punk and industrial greats such as Crystal Castles, Adult., Siouxsie and the Banshees, and one of Atari Teenage Riot‘s former, awesome voices Hanin Elias Californian Vickie made a be-witch-ing twilight record for illegal graveyard parties. Electro-swart, psyche-petrifying and Chelsea Wolfe-esque. She actives your serotonin’s stream with shadowy stimuli and droning doom and gloom beats. Midnight hour kicks!
Stream/buy here…
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15. Rough And Rowdy Ways by BOB DYLAN (US)
Released: 19 June 2020
TUTV: My all-time favorite singer/songwriter. Say no more.
Stream here…
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16. Fall To Pieces by TRICKY (UK)
17. Ultra Mono by IDLES (UK)
18. England Is A Garden by CORNERSHOP (UK)
19. American Head by THE FLAMING LIPS (Oklahoma)
20. Imploding The Mirage by THE KILLERS (US)
Have a safe and cozy Xmas and a splendid and healthy 2021, music junkies!