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
| Rank | Score | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | The Rich Are Only Defeated When Running for Their Lives | Anthony Joseph | May-07-2021, Jazz Poetry | |
| #2 | Vulture Prince | Arooj Aftab | Apr-23-2021, Chamber Folk | |
| #3 | The Heart Pumps Kool-Aid | ---__--___ | Sep-10-2021, Electroacoustic | |
| #4 | Don't Get Comfy / Nowhere | Carmen Q. Rothwell | Aug-06-2021, Art Pop | |
| #5 | Made Out of Sound | Chris Corsano, Bill Orcutt | Mar-26-2021, Free Improvisation | |
| #6 | a softer focus | claire rousay | Apr-09-2021, Ambient | |
| #7 | BLACK METAL 2 | Dean Blunt | Jun-11-2021, Art Pop | |
| #8 | Icons | Eli Keszler | Jun-25-2021, Nu Jazz | |
| #9 | Eternal Home | Fire-Toolz | Oct-15-2021, Post-Industrial | |
| #10 | Promises | Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders | Mar-26-2021, Post-Minimalism | |
| #11 | Shade | Grouper | Oct-22-2021, Contemporary Folk | |
| #12 | Fatigue | L’Rain | Jun-25-2021, Neo-Psychedelia | |
| #13 | SINNER GET READY | Lingua Ignota | Aug-06-2021, Neoclassical Darkwave | |
| #14 | Luke Stewart & Jarvis Earnshaw Quartet | Luke Stewart, Jarvis Earnshaw | Oct-15-2021, Avant-Garde Jazz | |
| #15 | both feet en th infinite | model home | Nov-05-2021, Experimental Hip Hop | |
| #16 | Black Encyclopedia of the Air | Moor Mother | Sep-17-2021, Abstract Hip Hop | |
| #17 | Space 1.8 | Nala Sinephro | Sep-03-2021, Nu Jazz | |
| #18 | Ngủ Ngày Ngay Ngày Tận Thế | Rắn Cạp Đuôi | Jul-16-2021, Epic Collage | |
| #19 | Son | Rosie Lowe, Duval Timothy | Nov-12-2021, Electronic | |
| #20 | inglish | Shubh Saran | Oct-29-2021, Jazz Fusion | |
| #21 | Colourgrade | Tirzah | Oct-01-2021, Minimal Wave | |
| #22 | FEMINISTA | Tomu DJ | Aug-20-2021, Ambient House | |
| #23 | Uneasy | Vijay Iyer, Linda May Han Oh, Tyshawn Sorey | Apr-09-2021, Avant-Garde Jazz |
Markdown
| Rank | Score | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | | The Rich Are Only Defeated When Running for Their Lives | Anthony Joseph | Album, May-07-2021, Jazz Poetry |
| #2 | | Vulture Prince | Arooj Aftab | Album, Apr-23-2021, Chamber Folk |
| #3 | | The Heart Pumps Kool-Aid | ---__--___ | Album, Sep-10-2021, Electroacoustic |
| #4 | | Don't Get Comfy / Nowhere | Carmen Q. Rothwell | Album, Aug-06-2021, Art Pop |
| #5 | | Made Out of Sound | Chris CorsanoBill Orcutt | Album, Mar-26-2021, Free Improvisation |
| #6 | | a softer focus | claire rousay | Album, Apr-09-2021, Ambient |
| #7 | | BLACK METAL 2 | Dean Blunt | Album, Jun-11-2021, Art Pop |
| #8 | | Icons | Eli Keszler | Album, Jun-25-2021, Nu Jazz |
| #9 | | Eternal Home | Fire-Toolz | Album, Oct-15-2021, Post-Industrial |
| #10 | | Promises | Floating PointsPharoah Sanders | Album, Mar-26-2021, Post-Minimalism |
| #11 | | Shade | Grouper | Album, Oct-22-2021, Contemporary Folk |
| #12 | | Fatigue | L’Rain | Album, Jun-25-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #13 | | SINNER GET READY | Lingua Ignota | Album, Aug-06-2021, Neoclassical Darkwave |
| #14 | | Luke Stewart & Jarvis Earnshaw Quartet | Luke StewartJarvis Earnshaw | Album, Oct-15-2021, Avant-Garde Jazz |
| #15 | | both feet en th infinite | model home | Album, Nov-05-2021, Experimental Hip Hop |
| #16 | | Black Encyclopedia of the Air | Moor Mother | Album, Sep-17-2021, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #17 | | Space 1.8 | Nala Sinephro | Album, Sep-03-2021, Nu Jazz |
| #18 | | Ngủ Ngày Ngay Ngày Tận Thế | Rắn Cạp Đuôi | Album, Jul-16-2021, Epic Collage |
| #19 | | Son | Rosie LoweDuval Timothy | Album, Nov-12-2021, Electronic |
| #20 | | inglish | Shubh Saran | Album, Oct-29-2021, Jazz Fusion |
| #21 | | Colourgrade | Tirzah | Album, Oct-01-2021, Minimal Wave |
| #22 | | FEMINISTA | Tomu DJ | Album, Aug-20-2021, Ambient House |
| #23 | | Uneasy | Vijay IyerLinda May Han OhTyshawn Sorey | Album, Apr-09-2021, Avant-Garde Jazz |