Top 10 of 2021
It’s been one heck of a year here at Which Coast and we wanted to take a few minutes to recognize some of our favorite songs of 2021. The rules for this Top 10 list are:
We have to have written and posted an article about all of the music included on this list
The song itself doesn’t have to be from 2021 but we must have written about it this year
Only one song per artist
Without further ado, let’s jump in!
#10 - Ty Bru - C.A.M. Memories Made It Better
Our friend Ty Bru came in with an incredible tribute to his friend Corey. Over a decade in the making, “C.A.M. Memories Made It Better” is a genuinely emotional track that showcases some of my favorite things about Bru’s music - and most importantly, it is a stirring tribute to his friend. Listen below:
#9 - Junya Komori | KJ Warriors’ Sound - Conqueror of the Seven Seas
Junya Komori unleashes his KJ Warriors’ Sound with this massively enjoyable pirate-themed piece. Komori’s compositions are typically emotive and energetic and this song is no exception. We’ve covered a lot of this artist’s work over the latter half of this year and have come to really enjoy the KJ Warriors’ Sound - and spirit. Listen below:
#8 - Sofia Husein - Fantasy
One of the most recent songs we covered - and therefore a very late entry into the running for this list - Sofia Husein’s “Fantasy” creates a dreamy soundscape that was extremely easy to get lost in. You would be hard-pressed to find a Dream-Pop song better than this one. Listen below:
#7 - Half Cashed House Band - I Miss Buffets
“I Miss Buffets” is a fun example of the kind of humor you can find in HCHB’s music. These guys entertained me throughout the year and I cannot say enough about the ridiculous levels of humor, wit and charm you can find in their songs. Listen below:
#6 - Terry Blade - Ms. Mizell
Switching gears, “Ms. Mizell” from Terry Blade walks us through the story of a son coming out to his mother - a story with, thankfully, a happy ending. Terry Blade’s music covers some heavy topics and the way he is able to effortlessly navigate them shines through in this touching track. Listen below:
#5.1 - Raymond Revel - Walls
Raymond Revel was one of the first artists we ever covered here at Which Coast and it has been a real treat to see his career progress in the time since then. “Walls” is a beautiful piece from Revel’s album The Living Room and I think it is my favorite of all of his excellent songs. Listen here:
#5.2 - Trey Connor - Aloof
Trey Connor is one of those artists that we keep coming back to; his sound continues to evolve in such a meaningful way. “Aloof” captures an 80’s-style vibe with all of the melodic and lyrical chops that we have come to expect from Trey Connor and it is such a refreshingly reflective track. Listen below:
#4 - Ayane Yamazaki - 風の谷のナウシカ
Japanese artist Ayane Yamazaki’s take on “風の谷のナウシカ” from the classic Ghibli film is extremely beautiful and peaceful. Her execution of the complex vocal melody in this song is also on-point and from the bottom of my heart I truly enjoy her take on this legendary song. Listen below:
#3 - Skysonix - Chronos
Skysonix has some awesome Drum & Bass vibes on her new EP Solar and my favorite track from it is “Chronos”. I likened the song to the soundtrack for a space-themed bank heist though the song’s inspiration is actually more time-oriented; no matter what you get out of “Chronos”, know that there is something special to find within it. Listen below:
#2 - ET Boys - Sober
ET Boys really came up big with “Sober”. Absolutely infectious, this song is so incredibly brimming with melody that you can overlook the surprisingly dark lyrics. This song is incredibly well-made and I found it to be quite impressive. Listen below:
#1 - Nadia Vaeh - Never Leave the Basement
An anthem for the Pandemic Years, “Never Leave the Basement” is incredibly catchy and relatable. Vaeh brings the theatrics in a really awesome way that brings out the melody perfectly. This song was nearly literally the only thing I listened to for a week after hearing it originally and, wow - it’s special. Listen below:
And that’s the list! We hope you enjoyed these 10 (I know, I know, it’s actually 11) songs we checked out this year.
Some fun facts about this list:
Both Nadia Vaeh and Skysonix contributed to our “one song per artist” rule as Vaeh’s “Spellbinding” and Skysonix’s “Solar” would have otherwise made this list in addition to the songs we chose.
On first listen, Vaeh’s “Never Leave the Basement” was so impressive that it inspired this list - all the way back in April when we first heard it.
Sofia Husein’s “Fantasy” caused a mini-panic because we had to completely re-do this list at the last minute to accommodate for a legitimately worthy song.
It was hard to focus in on just one song from Terry Blade’s American Descendant of Slavery as there are so many incredibly meaningful songs on that album. We chose “Ms. Mizell” because it perfectly captures the anxiety and fears of coming out while also providing us with a happy, accepting ending that felt truly inspiring.
We almost forgot to post this today.
And with that, thank you all for reading and listening with us this year! Here’s to another great year in 2022!
