Best Albums of 2022, So Far

The most influential, sonically ambitious records of 2022 so far, according to Corsair Staff.

Illustration by Gavin Quinton

FKA Twigs - “Caprisongs”

Artpop icon FKA Twigs returns to music with the triumphant “Caprisongs” mixtape. On social media, she described the mixtape as a way to channel her lockdown loneliness in a joyful and inclusive manner by weaving in quarters of facetime conversations with friends directly into the mix. “Having such wonderful people around me to laugh with made me feel lucky,” Twigs said in her Twitter thread on Jan. 13, “If you are lonely or feel isolated or void of encouragement by your immediate circle, you can borrow my friends on the mixtape.”

Caprisongs is a glitchy, kaleidoscopic variety show of the most interesting elements of artpop, dancehall, and UK drill— though Twigs has no issue maintaining her signature atmospheric complexity. The clicking of a cassette player, which Twigs uses to shift genres and styles, frames the record. Listeners hear it right at the beginning of “ride the dragon,” which plays like a low-energy Texas chopped and screwed beat at first. About a minute into the track, the cassette player clicks. Twigs stutters through the middle of her hook. The song doubles in speed. All of a sudden, it's an energetic glitch pop anthem.

“Caprisongs” caps off with “thank you song,” an overcast ballad with vocal layering reminiscent of Imogen Heap. In it, Twigs says “I wanted to die, I'm just being honest… Love in motion seems to save me now.”

Death Insurance - “I’m in Your Walls”

Andy "Flatlander" Morin of Death Grips has launched his label A2B2 Records as part of a larger collective project which aims to bring artists and musicians together. “I'm in Your Walls,” an album by Death Insurance, is the first to be released on the label. The record is a high-energy, genre-bending ride exploring complex drum breaks as fluttering synth melodies carry the listener along. The beat is extremely fast but Kat Liu, the artist and vocalist behind the experimental pop project, manages to keep up. Liu raps "eyes on the prize and I'm feeling great" as electric guitar begins to swell, leading to a breakdown that reminds fans of her roots in metal and grindcore.

Beach House - “Once Twice Melody”

The Baltimore duo Beach House takes listeners on a journey once again on their eighth studio album, “Once Twice Melody.” The band explores new dynamic sounds and ideas with 18 total tracks, though this record is still invariably Beach House. 

The album, as a whole, is fun and airy. The band's signature atmospheric synths, slowcore vocals and filtered guitar sounds ground the listener. Subtle changes in energy and harmony aid in telling the story baked into the album. “Once Twice Melody” was released in four "chapters" which makes it play out like a storybook. 

Black Country, New Roads - “Ants from Up There”

English post-rock band Black Country, New Road released their sophomore album "Ants from Up There", which marks the end of the band’s vocalist, Isaac Woods', membership in the band. The album is significantly softer and more upbeat than their debut "For The First Time." Where "For the First Time" is gloomy and ambient, "Ants from Up There" is harmonic and jazzy. Yet a lot of the signature markers of the band remain, such as jazz saxophones,  structures that change from song to song, spoken lyrics, textured production, and gruff vocals.

Saba - “Few Good Things” 

On “Few Good Things,” Chicago-native emcee Saba demonstrates an ability to retain his classic soulful-trap blend while updating his themes and stories to accommodate his new lifestyle. Unlike his previous ventures, which saw a more hopeful, hungry Saba (“Bucket List Project”) and a more mournful, somber Saba (“CARE FOR ME”), “Things” sees the emcee at the peak of his success and chronicles the view from above. He reminisces about the youthful exuberance he lost on the journey to the top. On the song “2012,” light strings and backing hums serve as a beautiful backdrop to a story of young love, of a time before his stardom.

More than anything, “Few Good Things” is about the precariousness of wealth, specifically Black wealth. Saba knows that, despite how far he’s come, all he has achieved could be taken away in an instant. The success he’s found doesn’t necessarily cover up the trauma he’s endured on his journey. On “Circus”, this is seen on full display. In the interlude, the emcee is nostalgic for recording songs in the basement with his childhood friends. This theme is further reinforced by “One Way.” In the song, the rapper longs for that aforementioned innocence while reflecting on his path to success. The contrast between wealth and poverty, fame and innocence, is a clear theme throughout the album.