We maybe said this last year and maybe the one before – but it’s been a weird 12 months…

But, the quality of music has if anything been better than ever – maybe isolation focuses the creative mind, or something.

We’ve as usual limited ourselves to 50 albums (if I counted right), and it’s pleasing to see that at least 45 of them are available on Bandcamp – they’re indie releases in the main but sensible acts are getting with the programme (there are a couple of acts who are clearly happy to give their money to Jeff Bezos to spray into the atmosphere – we’ve self-righteously ditched the Amazon links except where there only alternative would be Spotify… (we have ordered the top 20 as usual but opted for a sort-of random list for the ‘bottom end’ of the chart).

We’ve also ditched the wee ‘pen pictures’ of the top 5 as we have better ways to spend the holidays. er, sorry, we believe that we should let the music do the talking.

So, without further ado, please find below our favourite 50 of 2021 – an oddly-ordered list of top recommendations to hear before another onslaught of quality music arrives in 2022.

1. Hamish Hawk – Heavy Elevator (Assai)

2. Lonely Tourist – Near Here (Tourist Info)

3. Constant Follower – Neither Is, Nor Ever Was (Shimmy Disc)

4. Mogwai – As The Love Continues (Rock Action)

5. Limo Cunningham – Scenic Routes (Bandcamp)

6. Annie Booth – Lazybody (Last Night From Glasgow)

7. Arab Strap – As Days Get Dark (Rock Action)

8. Broken Chanter – Catastrophe Hits (Last Night From Glasgow)

9. Adam Stafford – Trophic Asynchrony (Song, by Toad)

10. Sulka – Take Care (Lost Map)

11. Mood Taeg – Anaphora (Happy Robots)

12. Wozniak – Bruises (Morningside Young Team)

13. James Yorkston and the Second Hand Orchestra – The Wide, Wide River (Domino)

14. Iklan – Album Number 2 (Soulpunk)

15. Callum Easter – System (Moshi Moshi)

16. We Were Promised Jetpacks – Enjoy The View (Big Scary Monsters)

17. Stanley Odd – Stay Odd: The Magic of Everyday Things (Handsome Tramp)

18. Minerva Wakes – Mirrored Moon (Traffic Cone)

19. Admiral Fallow – The Idea of You (Chemikal Underground)

20. Randolph’s Leap – Spirit Level (Fika Recordings)

and the best of the rest…

Conscious Route & True Note – Lost Routes Flip Tape (True Hold)
Slovenly Hooks – Slovenly Hooks (Baba Yaga)
Grant J Robson – Lit By The Dark (Bandcamp)
Starry Skies – Do It With Love (Fox Star)
The Poppermost – Hits To Spare (TLAK)
Martin John Henry – RTFCL PRSN
Jan the Man – Long Player (Chute)
Loup Havenith – Big! (Heavenley Creature)
Paul Research – Skate The Royal Mile (Prevs)
King Ugly Delight – National Disgrace (Bandcamp)

Adrian Crowley – The Watchful Eye Of The Stars
Chris Connelly and Monica Queen – The Birthday Poems
Andrew Wasylyk – Balgay Hill: Morning in Magnolia (Clay Pipe)
Wojtek the Bear – Heaven By The Back Door
Django Django – Glowing in the Dark (Because)
Mungos Hifi – Antidote (Scotch Bonnet)
Teenage Fanclub – Endless Arcade (PEMA)
Main Primate – …For The Lamplighters (Brawsome)
Deer Leader – We’ve Met Before, Haven’t We (Last Night From Glasgow)
Roddy Woomble – Lo! Soul (Modern Way)

Scott Twynholm – Tekstura (Blurred)
Gates of Light – Gates Of Light (Shimmy Disc)
Willie Campbell – Nothing’s Going To Bring Me Down
Damaged Goodz / Butterscotch – Brothers From Another Planet
Fuschia Phlox – Snurgleria
Robin Guthrie – Pearldiving
National Jazz Trio of Scotland – Dreams 2021
Iain Bethel – A Modern War
Jim McAteer – Here Be Dragons
Linzi Clark – All I Have Now
Eliza Shaddad – The Woman You Want

*Usual E&OE. We’re bound to have forgotten some album or other – and compilations etc would probably have doubled the list, so we had to draw the line somewhere – so if your favourite is missing then best just assume that rather than it being (IMO) rubbish, it simply got overlooked, perhaps by just being so good everyone was dazzled by its brilliance or it had become so much a part of our lives that it was hiding in plain sight.

*And, sorry, no playlist – since we’re supporting the #boycottspotify campaign you’ll have to wait util Bandcamp have added in that functionality… just click on the links!