Pitchfork's Best Jazz and Experimental Music of 2021

From Anthony Joseph’s forceful poetry to Tomu DJ’s deconstructed club; from Fire-Toolz’s calculated sprawl to Rosie Lowe and Duval Timothy’s expansive exploration of harmony—these are the jazz and experimental releases that made our year.

Published: December 17, 2021 15:00 Source

# 1
Album • May 07 / 2021 Jazz Poetry Avant-Garde Jazz
# 2
Album • Apr 23 / 2021 Chamber Folk Ghazal
# 3
The Heart Pumps Kool-Aid by ---__--___
Album • Sep 10 / 2021 Electroacoustic Experimental
# 4
Album • Aug 06 / 2021 Art Pop
# 5
Album • Mar 26 / 2021 Free Improvisation Experimental Rock
# 6
Album • Apr 09 / 2021 Ambient Sound Collage Field Recordings
# 7
Album • Jun 11 / 2021 Art Pop
# 8
Album • Jun 25 / 2021 Nu Jazz
# 9
Album • Oct 15 / 2021 Post-Industrial Progressive Electronic Avant-Garde Metal
# 10
Album • Mar 26 / 2021 Post-Minimalism Third Stream
# 11
Album • Oct 22 / 2021 Contemporary Folk Singer-Songwriter
# 12
Album • Jun 25 / 2021 Neo-Psychedelia Neo-Soul
# 13
Album • Aug 06 / 2021 Neoclassical Darkwave Avant-Folk
# 14
Album • Oct 15 / 2021 Avant-Garde Jazz Spiritual Jazz
# 15
Album • Nov 05 / 2021 Experimental Hip Hop Glitch Hop
# 16
Album • Sep 17 / 2021 Abstract Hip Hop Experimental Hip Hop Conscious Hip Hop
# 17
Album • Sep 03 / 2021 Nu Jazz Avant-Garde Jazz
# 18
Album • Jul 16 / 2021 Epic Collage
# 19
Album • Nov 12 / 2021 Electronic Choral Post-Minimalism
# 20
Album • Oct 29 / 2021 Jazz Fusion
# 21
Album • Oct 01 / 2021 Minimal Wave Art Pop
# 22
Album • Aug 20 / 2021 Ambient House
# 23
Album • Apr 09 / 2021 Avant-Garde Jazz