ease up's favorite albums of 2020
Ivy — Charmer
Charmer’s sophomore LP, Ivy, delivered consistency in a year otherwise devoid. Despite the amount of music released, there wasn't much that drew me in repeatedly, regardless of season or mood. This album, however, is beautifully mixed; each instrument plays its own role beautifully, taking the space allowed and never overstepping any boundaries. Tracks like “Wolf Fang Fist” and “Doom” are prime examples of this, for even in the midst of their swells and climaxes, every note uttered by the band is present and noticeable. The guitar twinkles and the bass languishes, while the vocals lay in the middle, not urgent but not lazy. This may be the peak of midwest emo. Listen to this thing. Now.
— Anders Dahl
Big What — Brotherkenzie
This June, Nathan Stocker released Big What, which is his third release under Brotherkenzie. In a year that has been overwhelming and lonely, Big What provided a sense of comfort and company. This album is more introspective than his previous releases, but very much in tune with the distinct Brotherkenzie style. Big What acknowledges emotions of sadness and isolation instead of suppressing them, which makes it a perfect comfort album, especially this year. I admire how Nathan has the incredible ability to convey such emotions through his music and how it has given me space to feel those emotions in any capacity. I have always appreciated the calm and genuine spirit of Nathan’s music, and Big What is no exception. This album quickly became not only the soundtrack of my summer but continued to be the soundtrack of this unpredictable year and I cannot wait to hear what is next from Brotherkenzie.
— Mackenzie Wagner
MAP OF THE SOUL : 7 — BTS
In 2020, I found myself gravitating towards music that made me feel good, which is exactly what I experienced with BTS’ album MAP OF THE SOUL : 7, released in February this year. Combining their mini-album MAP OF THE SOUL : PERSONA with fourteen new songs, BTS created an album filled with hope, love, anger, and sadness. Throughout the album, BTS masterfully maneuvered through multiple music genres such as R&B, rap, and pop. This genre mixing made the album perfect for any possible mood I could be in, which resulted in me finding myself listening to the album over and over again. It’s so filled with love and hope that, even in the worst moments of 2020, I was able to find happiness. The album was also fundamentally important on a larger scale, breaking record after record and making further progress for non-English music in the western music industry.
— Shannon Hogan
Future Nostalgia — Dua Lipa
Future Nostalgia, the sophomore album by Dua Lipa, ranks #1 for me this year. The emotional and topical range of this record is incredible — touching on things like toxic masculinity, the feeling of being in love after not thinking you’d ever trust someone again, and female empowerment — all bundled up into 43 minutes of pure pop. Lipa truly shines against slapping bass lines, like in the track "Levitating," and glossy synth riffs, such as the ones in "Cool." Lyrically, it’s as sweet, simple, and sugary as cotton candy — and just as sinfully delectable. Of course, it’s also easy to dance and belt along to in the car. Roll your windows down and soak in the sounds of the future. Future Nostalgia, that is.
— Sydney Hise
Teratoma — Bugsy
Bugsy’s debut EP, Teratoma, is spunky as fuck. This thing is a high energy and emotionally charged conglomeration of punk tempos, sick ass harmonies, indie guitar licks, and distortion that makes me wanna headbang and cry, usually simultaneously. Lead single “moody knows best” is my favorite off the release, as the guitar riff in the chorus is a work of art. The closer, “drunk,” is a close second. The vocals are so incredibly powerful, and the voicemail in the background during the outro adds an element of chaos that somehow invokes regret and brings tears to my eyes. This band is so unique and exciting and I can’t wait to see what comes next.
— Anders Dahl
folklore — Taylor Swift
I think I’m speaking for many people when I say when folklore dropped, it was the most excited I had been all year. There was no telling what it was going to sound like prior to hearing it for the first time. Based on Taylor Swift’s varied discography, exploring pop, country, synth, or EDM, she could’ve gone in any direction. So, when I stayed up until midnight to binge-listen to all of her new tracks, I was delighted at the soft, unapologetic masterpiece. Each track is completely complex in its own way, twisting and turning through made-up fables and her own life. The quiet, laidback, acoustic instrumentation is the perfect base for the romanticized journey she takes the listeners through. And, while the melodies are soft and sweet, she’s unafraid to be biting and spiteful in tracks like “my tears ricochet” and “mad woman.” This album is probably her most cohesive one yet, which is where she’s often received critical backlash from in the past. This growth, mixed with her strong collaborations with Aaron Dessner and Bon Iver, widened her audience. Those who might not have listened to her in the past are recognizing her fierce talent for writing and musicianship (so can we please stop hating on her?). It might not fully warrant the title of alternative, but it’s still revolutionary. More than anything, folklore is a testament to Swift’s ingenuity and constant evolution, showing that above all she is an incredible songwriter. Whereas her seventh studio album Lover tied a neat ribbon around final feelings of domestic love and happiness, folkore delves back into scorned love and reopens old wounds put there by Red, much to the listener's dismay and delight. Only a true artist can write a narrative that cuts as deep as folklore does. While “august” and “betty” stole the show for most people, my forever favorite track from folklore is “seven.” It’s hauntingly sweet and melodic, so simple yet so masterful, a shared lost memory between every single listener. This is what Swift does; she digs into the deep roots of the soul and relays the human experience, almost as if she’s always been there for our most formative experiences. This is why she’ll never go out of style, and why folklore is the album of the year.
— Nora Rhein
Punisher — Phoebe Bridgers
Born in the midst of 2020’s unavoidable chaos was Punisher, marked as Phoebe Bridgers’ sophomore album. It’s just as painful and heartbreaking as one would expect and easily became my summer soundtrack. With a runtime of 40 minutes, the introspective singer-songwriter journeys through dauntingly relatable themes of loss, desire, and vulnerability, all while reflecting upon burying a nazi in her yard and cathartically screaming for a minute straight into oblivion about everything that’s wrong in the world. The album flows in between soft, acoustic-centered tracks (like “Garden Song,” “Halloween,” and “Savior Complex”) and more upbeat, sonically ambitious indie-rock pieces (“Kyoto” and “ICU”), all of which effectively showcase Bridgers’ fluidity and skill as a newly Grammy-nominated artist. Having had countless listens, Punisher undoubtedly contains some of Bridgers’ best work and it makes for a perfect shoulder to cry on.
— Amy Tang