February 2022 — Playlist Odyssey

Black Country, New Road Release An AOTY Contender; Hurray For The Riff Raff Shows Us ‘LIFE ON EARTH’; The Delines Have Us Pondering About The Sea; and yeule Is Our ‘Glitch Princess’

By Joshua Gutierrez - Editor

After the flurry of big releases and a total of 12 “Loves” given to Albums/EPs in January, February brought a bit more calm.

Not only did I fall in love with just 6 albums and roughly 20 less songs, February brought my first absolutely bare week of new music (Feb. 25 - Mar. 3)… There were a few singles I did like, but I thought I’d give myself a pass and pick them up when full albums get released.

And while February didn’t bring in as much quantity, it surely brought quality with “Ants From Up There” by Black Country, New Road and “LIFE ON EARHT” by Hurray For The Riff Raff leaping out as AOTY contenders.

The sophomore album from the English band Black Country, New Road was universally received by the new music community, garnering perfect scores and belligerent praise. I do not have a ratings system, but if I did, I imagine it being hard not to give a 9-10 score. But it was Hurray For The Riff Raff’s album, sparkling with soft melodies and introspective storytelling, which hit home more personally. There is no doubt both these albums will be in consideration by year’s end…. though yes, we have a lot more of 2022 to go.

My Album of the Month for an artist with above 1 million monthly listens on Spotify goes to “Once Twice Melody” by iconic Baltimore duo Beach House. Was this latest release on par with past work? Perhaps not. But the duo’s iconic and transcendent sound is hard to overlook and if anything, solidifies a once-in-a-generation sound.

If there has been one song I have had on repeat this month, it’s “Bites On My Neck” by English Hyper-Pop artist yeule. Off the mesmerizing album “Glitch Princess,” the Singapore-born artist expels a frantic, desperate pop song blistered by electronic mayhem. As a whole, the album drudges, sparkles and ponders into one of the most complicated albums in Playlist Odyssey’s history.

When music on the surface slows down a bit, I always have a bit more time to dive down into Hidden Gem releases. A perfect metaphor of diving into the sea is none other than my Hidden Gem Album of the Month, “The Seas Drift” by Portland-based The Delines. With haunting soft horns, lush vocals and mesmerizing storytelling, “The Sea Drift” is easily an AOTY contender for Hidden Gem artists.

To cap off my favorite albums of February, “Visitor” by Empath brought a handful of heaviness in a captivating lo-fi package. For me, attempting to find some heaviness is a constant as Playlist Odyssey, so to find such a fun album by a Hidden Gem band makes it even better.

I am still in the process of getting all my playlists onto Apple Music, as I am slowly moving away from Spotify. FYI, I have made a conscious effort to support artists who receive compensation 2-3x more on Apple Music than on Spotify. This is a personal choice which allows me to sleep better at night because I do not have the financial ability at this time to support artists by seeing shows, purchasing vinyl or buying merchandise.

Thank you and hope y’all love some new music!