The Noise Of November 2020

The year is slowly coming to an end, and after all, 2020 lasted for seven long years at least, so the end is…I would say appreciated. I’m kinda scared to say that 2021 can’t possibly be worse than 2020 since 2021 could view that as a challenge, so let’s circle back to the one true love which bears with us throughout every shitshow the humankind throws at us.

I’ll once again show you some damn fine records released in November 2020 and hope for the best. Let’s ride.

We had some really great grind this year, a genre which isn’t usually my cup of tea. Powerhouse goner. from Syracuse shave your mind. Bleak, gritty, and fucking angry.

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There is nothing particularly outstanding about this album, at least on the style level. The one thing BRTHR does better than most of their peers is incredible songwriting. Every tune on High Times For Loners is silky smooth, catchy, and groovy. You won’t regret getting into that.

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Nothing short of one of the best metal records you can listen to in 2020. While Nero Di Marte held that candle for most of the year for me, Déluge came swiping in with a stellar production, intricate and compelling songwriting, and epic sound design. Fuck yeah.

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We had a lot of great post-metal-ish music this year, so this one kinda fell off a bit. Which is a sad thing, because Mere is so punchy, effective, and never looses its focus. An intense record from start to finish.

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Even in dealing with music on an intense level for years, there are still so many mysteries veiling the magic of wiggly air. But if my experience taught me one thing, then that it’s often just a little something extra which makes a record special. Hence, Bitch Falcon

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I was certainly not expecting that when I hit play on this album. I always connected Novo Amor to melancholy, but Cannot Be, Whatsoever is a burst of energy and hope. This versatility makes Amor even more impressive as an artist, and this album to something you shouldn’t miss.

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Sound design is a quality in music which has become more and more fascinating for me over the years, so it’s almost natural that plunderphonics as a ‘genre’ is something I keep my eyes on. Scribble is an awesome and adventurous experience in that regard.

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The Chemical Mind is not something you can explain. You have to experience yourself. If you are bold enough, this project should be worth your time, and I can guarantee, you never heard something like that before. That Benign Terror will give you a new perspective.

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While they still struggling with some filler material on Konke, Seba Kaapstad definitely show growth and progress on their new album. From the great features to great bits of songwriting, this project makes one curious for its future.

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I enjoy both artists on their own quite a lot, so of course I was going crazy about this collaboration. Those vibes are turning the smoothness to 11, so If you are looking for a good hip hop gem, take that!

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There wasn’t that much straight-up death metal I enjoyed this year, so Sulfuric Disintegration hit me like a train. There’s some elegance about the way they write their razor-sharp riffs which is almost hypnotic, and it makes it a must-listen album for every metal fan.

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Let me get this straight: One should simply listen to everything which has the involvement of Nels Cline. Share The Wealth is amazing and gorgeous, so please don’t waste any time and get into that.

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Asia was always a strong birth place for screamo, and I’m very glad that Singapore-based Naedr are bringing back those vibes. A relentlessly powerful and exciting record to be part of the 2020 screamo pantheon.

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Good soul is a treasure because it gives you warmth and hope. There’s Only Being Yourself is a shining example for that since it delivers grooves and smoothes with understatement and ease. A perfect album for cold days.

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Monad opens up the abyss and tears it apart. Crushingly heavy and dark, Farer are turning heads with their debut record and created one of the most devastating releases of the year.

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Onségen Ensemble are one of those bands which, despite having some great records in their discography, are still massively under the radar. Somewhere between post-rock, prog, and psychedelia, Fear is a great addition to their catalogue and will hopefully increase their number of fans drastically.

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I didn’t have Matthew Halsall on my notes to swipe in with one of the best jazz records of 2020 so late in the year, but here we are. The balance between intimacy and mystery on Salute to the Sun makes this album a wonderful experience.

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You want skramz, but with a modern hardcore production? Well, Crowning got you covered! Survival/Sickness is a greatly produced hardcore/screamo album, carrying the spirit of great ’90s/early ’00s screamo, but framing it with a modern sound without loosing any of its energy.

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I loved Badge Èpoque Ensemble‘s last album Nature, Man & Woman from last year a lot, so I was super excited to get their new album Self Help, and again, this project surprised me with its catchy and clever take on pop in the context of jazz. Great album!

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This great jazz duo invited vibraphonist Pascal Schumacher to elevate their fantastic album Haven. This record sucked me in with its beauty with no effort, and snuck its way onto my AOTY list. One of the most mesmerizing experiences I had with jazz in 2020.

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For some unknown reason, I had a hard time getting into this album. Liking their debut a lot and seeing them last February playing some new songs live at Complexity Fest (yeah, we all miss shows), it should be a no-brainer for me, but it took some time until I got the pulse of this record. Once you have it, you’ll never give it away.

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A very sweet little gem, providing an elegant balance between ambient, jazz, and folk. A bit dark, a bit melancholic, a bit hopeful, and some damn cool songwriting make this record quite memorable.

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Palm Reader have been a UK sleeper hit since their beginning, and it’s satisfying to finally deserve the band blossom into the spotlight, like they always deserved. Sleepless rivals the very best out of the heavy UK scene and that’s saying a lot.

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This is the closest to early Slim Shady Eminem, and I say that in the best way possible. There is so much energy going on here. Don’t miss this!

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This year, I was a bit more in touch with metal compared to the previous years, so I welcomed this great late-year present by Polish prog death outfit Obsidian Mantra. Groovy, slightly mathy songs and a great pulse make this record kinda special.

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Thanks for scrolling!