I will leave it to more astute writers and thinkers to assess exactly what kind of year it was for our city and scene. Suffice to say it was a transformative period, one where the dream of an arts district on South Broad Street was stabbed in the heart, while new havens for DIY music, art, and culture sprouted up in Southwest Atlanta and Decatur. As in every year, there were substantial triumphs that forced forward the steady march of progress. But those victories were coupled by immeasurable losses and far too many lives cut short far too early, as tragically evidenced by the recent passing of the Queen of Atlanta, DJ Speakerfoxxx.

From a purely creative standpoint, however, Atlanta and Athens continued their shift towards greater diversity, inclusivity, and cooperation, with more experimentation and cross-pollination than we’ve seen in some time. The result, as evidenced by the 30 records on this list, is a local music scene exploding with purpose and possibility. As Lee Adcock referenced in her intro to our favorite songs of the year, local artists are sharpening their skills, pushing their limits, and becoming increasingly comfortable with the unexpected and unfamiliar. That bodes well for the future, sure, but like they say, there’s no time like the present. And even just a quick peek through all there is to offer here will tell you all you need to know: the state of the local scene remains as strong, healthy, and forward-thinking as ever. – Guillermo Castro



House Cat Records House Cat Records

Antarcticats

I Know You Are But What Am I?

The searing energy of Antarcticats is finally evolving beyond the surf-punk stomp that initially drew me to the band. The emotionally-resonant record covers a surprising amount of territory, from sunny pop to slinky retro rock. Lisa Rossi joined the band just before this record, and her added lead guitar drives the ecstatic abandon of the album, along with vocalist Andrew Joyce’s heartfelt paeans to summers past. – Russell Rockwell

Read the full review.



DKA Records DKA Records

Anticipation/Voice of Saturn

Split Cassette #2

The album is symbiotic in that each side helps decipher and define the other. Daresta’s pulverizing wash of noise on “Harsh Emotions” is rendered all the more impactful thanks to Thatcher’s playful melodies on the kickoff to side B, “Gateway.” Throughout the split, both artists display aspects of their sound that often are buried in the ether of their typical releases. For Anticipation, this means the jagged beats which are usually the centerpiece of his songs are superseded by the reassuring cyclical hooks that gird his tracks. For Voice of Saturn, however, the main unifying factor is consistency. Over the past decade, Thatcher has experimented with everything from traditional ambient music to harsh industrial, but on this release he keeps everything firmly locked within the techno and synthwave universe (although on “Outrun” he incorporates jazzy backbeats that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Ninja Tune release). – RR

Read the full review.



Self-released Self-released

Bicycle Eaters

Petals of Youth

Minimal presence or not, Petals of Youth retains the cinematic allure that has long been a hallmark of Jeffrey Bützer’s songwriting. Accompanied by longtime collaborators Cassi Costoulas (vocals), Kristin Haverty (cello), Sean Zearfoss (drums), Chad Shivers (guitar), Eric Balint (percussion), and Matt Steadman (bass), the music is transportive, leading you through lands both familiar and foreign—tropical seascapes, bustling urban streets, dusty desert panoramas. It’s dynamic and detailed, with songs that ring with eccentric clarity. Lead track “The Dark” serves as a Technicolor overture, a sweeping piano-led ballad that sets Costoulas’ graceful vocals as the lead figure in a swaying, sprightly dance. Like most of the tracks, it comes and goes in under three minutes, but not before leading you through the narrow streets and back alleys of a rain-swept Paris neighborhood. – GC

Read the full review.



Irrelevant Music Irrelevant Music

Breathers

Designed to Break

Too often synthpop feels like an exercise in maximizing aesthetics and surface impact, and while there is much about Designed to Break that is lush and shiny and pretty, there is little about the record that caters to your expectations. There are no true buzz-worthy singles or arena-rattling anthems to be had. What the LP does offer, however, are a bounty of surprises lurking around every corner. If anything, Breathers’ dedication to inventiveness and innovation delivers almost too many captivating left turns. With so many detours flying by, there’s a real sense of missing out. So much so that the record should come with some sort of label or sticker: Rewind is your friend. Or, alternately: Don’t be afraid to mash repeat. – GC

Read the full review.



Self-released Self-released

CRT

CS1

The insistence of CRT’s mechanized EBM is reflected in the audacious songwriting of Michael Keenan, who though best known for fronting ATL noise kings Hawks, has been creating dark, thematic electronica since the early 2000s. Despite his willingness to scrap and rewrite tracks, don’t call CRT an experimental project. More intent on pushing boundaries than killing time, CRT came into its own as Keenan deconstructed industrial idols into something more reflective of his identity and aspirations. The version of the project heard on his debut EP CS 1 developed as Hawks dissolved, taking the shape of rough, brittle beats that evoke a dim world where the cycling of pistons and thrum of machinery are the only sign of life. – RR

Read our interview with Michael Keenan.