Favorite Albums of 2020: Part 1

Author Tyler Weaver of Parenthetical Recluse, a fascinating blog about music, movies, literature, running, Ohio election signage, and so much more, has asked me to contribute a monthly recommendation (probably, mostly, music, but maybe other stuff?) for his MacroParentheticals newsletter. The newsletter comes out every Sunday and is chock full of Tyler’s own current media consumption, musings, “fascinations, perspirations, and whatever else comes to mind,” plus pictures of Tyler’s adorable dogs.

Since it’s the end of the year, this month I figured I’d do a roundup of 20 favorites from 2020. I could probably do a top 50 but 20 will have to do. These are all wonderful and should give someone looking for new stuff a place to start. And so, in alphabetical order by album title:

• 3月EP March EP, by SPC ECO [self released]
• 4K, by O.L.I.V.I.A. [Deathbomb Arc]
• After Geography, by Forest Robots [Wormhole World]
• DUSK, by Pale Spring [Doom Trip Records]
• Fountain, by Lyra Pramuk [Bedroom Community]
• Halocline, by Duet for Theremin and Lap Steel [Stickfigure Recordings]
• Heaven To A Tortured Mind, by Yves Tumor [Warp]
• Kaigo Kioku Kyoku, by Hiroki Tanaka [Coax Records]
• Love Doesn’t Exist, by Netta Goldhirsch [Wormhole World]
• Love-Lore, by Deerhoof [Joyful Noise Recordings]

Part 2 will be in the December 20 issue of MacroParentheticals; signup to get it first, and you’ll be treated to a fascinating dispatch from Tyler every Sunday morning.