Weirdo Music Forever’s Top 20 Tracks of 2020
2020 has been an unprecedented and strange year on many fronts, and not one we will soon forget. Global challenges and hardships notwithstanding, 2020 has also been a great era for exciting new music, and that’s something for which we are profoundly grateful here at WMF. It is indeed that time of year once again when we share some of our favorite tracks released in the past twelve months. As is our WMF custom, we’ve compiled not merely a list of the track titles and links, but also exclusive information related to those creative works, directly from the artists themselves.
It is our honor and delight to acknowledge these twenty gems with you here, and each and every one of them represents the most impactful music we’ve encountered over the last twelve months. We hope the collection’s order* is interpreted in that spirit, and within the context of a flowing playlist. This 2020 collection is composed of music that stands on its own merits, more culturally valuable than any attempt at ranking could ever accurately capture.
As in past years, the purpose of our annual list is not to quantify or critique, but rather to present a playlist that works independently as a fun and important audible document, representing a year of music we feel warrants recognition and celebration. And with that preamble concluded, we hope you enjoy these exceptional twenty tracks that encapsulate what has been a remarkably strange year, but also one with brilliant bursts of creativity.
1. “Fall Into Your Dream” — Tim Koh
It’s difficult to believe that Tim Koh’s album In Your Dreams (O Genesis Records) is his full-length solo debut, but what a debut it’s been for him. Fast favorite “Fall Into Your Dreams” perfectly captures the zeitgeist of the full-length release, and yet is only one of several album highlights. In Your Dreams includes multiple songs that have been among the most-played here WMF HQ, including “The Stomach”, “DNA Spray”, “Please Don’t Go”, and “Covered with the Moss of Time”, adding up to one of 2020’s most highly-recommended albums.
Tim Koh shared the following with us about “Fall Into Your Dream”:
I fell down the stairs while sleepwalking one night and the next morning, I woke up to a poem my friend Abel texted me. I was dying from a breakup and to not think about it. I had decided to record some music. I used some of his poem and parts of my dream and it became FIYD.
2. “Ancient Grief” — Jorge Elbrecht / Presentable Corpse
Though Jorge Elbrecht may be best known to some thanks to an illustrious history of collaborations with the likes of Ariel Pink and Kirin J. Callinan among others, he has also steadily released heartily-recommended solo work in recent years. 2020 has undeniably been a well-deserved breakout year for Jorge Elbrecht as a solo artist, perfectly exemplified by his “sunshine pop” treasure, “Ancient Grief”.
Jorge Elbrecht gave us the following insights into “Ancient Grief”:
If I remember correctly, "Ancient Grief" was plucked from the shelves by The Executors of my Estate to fill the position of "cruise track" within the context of the Presentable Corpse full-length. They had already selected some faster, more forward-leaning songs from 2002 and 2006 (back when I lived in NYC) for the LP, but they thought that the sequence lacked a 4th or 5th track that listeners could have on while driving around with the windows down and no apparent destination. I am rarely in on these discussions, but this time I was asked to identify a song for this purpose.
3. “Vape Smoke” — Enjoy
Wyatt Shears is known the world over for being half of The Garden (along with twin sibling Fletcher, aka Puzzle), and also dilgently works under the Enjoy moniker when releasing his solo music. “Vape Smoke” came out in October 2020 as part of Enjoy’s Sessions with a Nasty Old Tree album, and quickly became an unofficial pandemic-era anthem here at WMF HQ, deftly providing levity while also reflecting the spirit of the times.
Wyatt shared this background to the inspiration for “Vape Smoke” with us:
“Vape Smoke” is about staying dedicated to what you love to do no matter what your surrounding circumstances may be. I also refer to reading and getting lost in a story and how that can be the best way to mentally escape. Driftingggg offf but not faddinnggg awayyyyyy.
4. “Asleep” — Sofie
When we spoke with Sofie Fatouretchi back in 2019, we had an inkling that her upcoming debut solo album would be special. High as our expectations were for the album, however, Sofie exceeded them with her dazzling debut, Cult Survivor. In truth, there are several tracks from the album that could have ended up on our year-end list (“99 Glimpses”, “Try to Reach Me”, and “Hollywood Walk of Fame”, to name just a few), but “Asleep” feels like a great entry to represent one of the year’s strongest albums in our world here at WMF.
Sofie shared this with WMF about “Asleep”:
“Asleep” was written about the inevitable feeling that accompanies the pursuit of something, whether it be a meaningless crush to an existence choice, something you know is a dead end; which as inane as it is, will ultimately always be better in your head or imagination rather than reality. ‘“Asleep” is about trying to stay on that precipice of fantasy between being awake and unconscious.
5. “Empathy for the Devil” — Tim Burgess
Tim Burgess is an iconic name known to millions of music fans across the globe, but the person behind it holds an especially dear place in our hearts here at WMF. While much of his well-earned international fame is often associated with his storied history as The Charlatans’ frontman, he is also a published author three times over, label head of O Genesis (which makes two appearances on this years list via Tim Koh and Lean Logic), DJ, curator, and solo artist.
It is first and foremost in the capacity of solo artist that Tim Burgess joins this year’s Top Tracks list, thanks to “Empathy for the Devil”, the lead and tone-setting track from his consistently brilliant full-length album I Love The New Sky (released this year via Cocteau Twins alumnus Simon Raymonde’s label, Bella Union). Nearly any song from the album could have made the present list, though “Empathy for the Devil” is a great introduction to this highly-recommended album, in addition to being a fantastic stand-alone track.
Tim Burgess gave WMF the following insights into “Empathy for the Devil”:
The song started at the beginning. As in the title. That’s a rare thing for me. I had a book of notes that I’d made over the previous few months and I was at the start of I Love The New Sky. The scene was set - I didn’t have a plan for which way it go, and it set off at a hoofed gallop in a gospel style. It was a fairly quick process to write and is still one of my favourites on the album. We had lots of fun making the video in Brussels, we had our very own devil who caused quite a stir.
6. “Cholla” — Jerry Paper
It feels like Jerry Paper is perpetually making music we love hearing, and it’s not surprising that this isn’t their first appearance on our annual Top Tracks list here at WMF. “Cholla” is a standout track not only on their latest album, Abracadabra, but also from 2020 in general, and surely a track that will remain with us for a long time.
Jerry Paper shared this background to “Cholla” with WMF:
Lyrically, I tried to inhabit a warped version of myself living in one of America’s expansive deserts. The song is essentially a character study of this person, their isolation and paranoia shining through the mundane sweat and lip balm of their life. The core of their life is harshness, having absorbed the nature of the desert, so while in their isolation they have a malleability of thought, a flexibility of self-definition that only comes with having nobody to talk to, they also find firm, immovable, holy truth in the pain and resilience of cacti.
7. “Become a Mountain” — Dan Deacon
While Dan Deacon has been diligently adding to his acclaimed film score body of work, 2020’s Mystic Familiar marked his first album since the 2015 full-length Gliss Riffer. The remarkably poignant “Become a Mountain” jumped out to us immediately upon hearing it, and this rather epic entry has remained a favorite track throughout 2020.
Dan Deacon provided us with this behind-the-scenes glimpse into “Become a Mountain”:
I wrote the music for "Become a Mountain" first, around 2016 or so while working on the score for Rat Film and producing the album Riddles by Ed Schrader's Music Beat. It took me about 3 years to find first the vocal melodies and then the lyrics. I was in a heavy state of doubt and anxiety about the process, and the first verse is a reflection on that. I came up with the Mystic Familiar concept while writing some verses that ended up getting cut from this song, about seeing a cat in the rain and then becoming that same cat in the rain seeing myself see the cat in this endless locked feedback loop of split time. I started thinking about what the me cat would want human me to do, and it was to close my eyes and become a mountain. So the song started building on that idea.
8. “Flowers of Neptune 6” — Flaming Lips
Legends that they are, Flaming Lips need no introduction here. Earlier this year, WMF was honored to have an in-depth conversation with Wayne Coyne, which ranks among our most treasured documented discussions. And while psychedelic pop pioneers The Flaming Lips could deservedly rest on their proverbial laurels and past accolades, they opt instead to forge ahead with a seemingly endless stream of new and compelling music. Gem “Flowers of Neptune 6” appears on 2020 Flaming Lips album American Head, and brilliantly captures the zeitgeist not only of a band still firmly in its creative zone, but also that of what can only be described as a surreal year.
Wayne Coyne offered us these insights in “Flowers of Neptune 6”:
We were writing and shaping and figuring out the production we would use for this track (“Flowers Of Neptune 6”) while we were still using the album title American DEAD ( we soon after changed the title of the album to American HEAD) and we kept reminding ourselves that we didn’t want the track to sound too heavy or too scary or too hippie…cause we didn’t want it to sound like the a monster movie title AND we didn’t want it to remind anyone of The Grateful Dead...so…the track ended up strikingly soft and emotional while at the same time still singing about taking acid...
9. “Quest to Impress” - Special-K
Special-K is the moniker of Icelandic artist Katrín Helga Andrésdóttir (who also appears on this list as one-half of Norwegian-Icelandic duo Ultraflex). “Quest to Impress” is the lead track from this year’s Special-K EP Lunatic thirST, and exemplifies why she is one of the most exciting new artists out there.
Special-K shared this “Quest to Impress” background with us:
The lyrics: A little insight into dating hell.
The music: I was inspired by Joanna Newsom's use of polyrhythm and wanted to make something slightly challenging to play and sing at the same time.
The video: Filmed in a snow storm in Iceland with my dear friend and frequent collaborator Kristín Helga Ríkharðsdóttir. Since I never have any money, I made cookies for the people who lent me the horse and costume as payment. About half a year later one of my favourite musicians, Soko, released a music video with a very similar theme and I do wonder if someone from her team might have seen my video. I would be very honoured to know that they had been inspired by it, as I myself have borrowed from Soko in my music - the bass line in “Imposter Syndrome Self Help Song” is inspired by the bassline in “Sweet Sound of Ignorance”.
10. “Spirits Alone” — Doctor Fluorescent
Eddie Ruscha and Scott Gilmore are the two talents behind Doctor Fluorescent, and the resulting eponymous Doctor Fluorescent album from the combined efforts of the two prestigious music makers is nothing short of brilliant. The full length release is as quirky as it is accessible, and as experimental as it is inviting. Without a doubt, “Spirits Alone” is an imperative pick as a 2020 highlight.
Scott Gilmore and Eddie Ruscha gave us the following details pertaining to “Spirits Alone“:
Scott: The first day Eddie and I got together one of the songs we wrote was “Spirits Alone”. The overall structure of the whole song was improvised using the arpeggiator on a Jupiter and a Linn Drum. At the end of the day we had the outlines for “Sprits Alone” and “Carbon Footsteps”. We had never played together before. It was pretty clear from that day that something was going to come from our collaboration.
Eddie: We started “Spirits Alone” at one of our first sessions and it ended up being the song that gave our project a vision and character. To me it reminds me of an imaginary lost solo project from a side member of a huge progressive rock band. What impresses me is how naturally the whole song came together for having so many distinct turns. It’s like going through a mansion and wandering down different hallways of moods.
11. “Devil Doll” — Drab City
Drab City’s 2020 album Good Songs for Bad People may be the pair’s official full-length debut (Asia and Chris have worked under monikers Islamiq Grrrls and oOoOO, respectively), but this recommended record is a formidable, full-fledged statement from a project that delivers a painstakingly heartfelt, personal vision to an ever-growing audience. “Devil Doll” caught our attention the moment we heard it, and it’s never been far from our playlists or turntables since.
Drab City shared these thoughts on “Devil Doll” with WMF:
Chris had this crazy kick drum, vibraphone and flute recording he made. Those 30 seconds he had at that point were running through me like warm throbbing blood. I immediately knew what he meant and started recording melodies to it. At the time, I was reading Naked Lunch for the third time in my life, I keep returning to that book for some reason. The line ‘I can feel the heat closing in… setting me up to be their “Devil Doll’ is taken from the book. The violent, rotten chaos that is Naked Lunch always acts as some kind of painful relief to me, like some people like to pick on scabs or something. It is like the book helps me understand the insanity I have suffered in life all whilst reliving it, and “Devil Doll” is a parallel product of that process. It’s a collection of subconscious images and memories that are haunting my body and mind to this day, written in gibberish words and chaotic sounds that came out of us as good as they possibly could.
12. “Plans” — Kate NV
Kate NV’s album Room for the Moon (out via RVNG Intl.) is one of our most highly-recommended releases in 2020, so it was a rare pleasure to speak with Kate NV earlier this year. Fabulous throughout, choosing a highlight track from the album was a daunting task, but “Plans” is a wonderful introduction to not only Room for the Moon, but also Kate NV’s larger body of work.
Kate NV shared the following background to “Plans” with us:
Probably the strangest and most unexpected thing about the track “Plans” is that it almost didn't make it to the album. I was choosing between “Plans” and another new song, which I had at that time, and which I liked more. But, I couldn't come up with lyrics for this track and it was a little longer than Plans and since the amount of time is quite limited when you do an LP, I had to choose ‘Plans’ instead of another track. So I simply chose it cause it was shorter! I'm really happy that this is how it happened, but it's still fun to remember that I used to think that no one would like “Plans”, haha.
13. “Sacred Place” — Jack Name
Jack Name is a luminary here at Weirdo Music Forever, and with good reason: his solo albums Light Show, Weird Moons, and 2020’s Magic Touch are each unique achievements, reflective of an artist who possesses not only an unwavering and clear artistic vision, but also the proven ability to distill those qualities into remarkable recordings that stand the test of time. As if that weren’t more than enough (and it is!), Jack Name’s CV includes collaborations with Tim Presley and Ariel Pink, among others. As with Jack’s previous albums, 2020’s Magic Touch is a thoughtful, poignant work that is an immersive experience from start to finish, but the “Sacred Place” single is also a rewarding listen on its own.
Jack Name shared these thoughts with us about “Sacred Place”:
I have somewhat mystical beliefs about the origins of music. I’m not sure if I can define it, but I think it’s more female than male, or maybe that’s a way of saying I feel like music as a force is more compassionate and loving than most powerful things in our world. She loves me as much as I love her, and she’s earned the purest love I have to give by always giving me comfort and meaning in my life, when nothing else would or could. A lot of my songs are about her or dedicated to her, this one’s just a little more explicit.
14. “You Looked Cool in Outer Space” — Gary Wilson
Forty-three years since Gary Wilson self-released his fabled You Think You Really Know Me, the legendary genius continues to write, record, and perform his iconic bedroom bops. With its signature vocals, space-themed lyric, irresistible groove, and timeless sense of cool permeating the track’s chord changes, 2020’s “You Looked Cool in Outer Space” embodies everything we’ve come to know and love in the wonderfully weird world of Gary Wilson.
Gary Wilson had this to say about “You Looked Cool in Outer Space”:
One night I had a dream that I blasted off to outer space. I had a special date with my girlfriend from Mars. She looked real cool that night.
15. “Olympic Sweat” — Ultraflex
Icelandic-Norwegian duo Ultraflex (consisting of Farao and Special-K) became fast-faves here at WMF with this year’s singles leading up to their debut album, Visions of Ultraflex. We spoke with Ultraflex earlier this year about their debut single “Olympic Sweat”, and the Soviet-synth-laden gem has been a Top Track here at WMF throughout the remainder of 2020.
Ultraflex encapsulated “Olympic Sweat” for us:
When we started making the song, our common goal was to create the kind of music that you would put on a ‘best of’ compilation from the Olympics…the kind of music [you might hear] when people cross the finish line. So we created it specifically for Olympic achievements.
16. “Safe in a Dream” — Lean Logic
WMF premiered Lean Logic’s “Safe in a Dream” in September of this year, and the track has deservedly remained one of our favorites ever since. The duo (consisting of Rose Keeler-Schäffeler /Keel Her and Nick Carlisle) has their debut album The Last Mirage cued up for 2021 release, but in the meantime, “Safe in a Dream” is one of the most inspiring tracks we’ve come across this year.
Nick and Rose gave the following thoughts and background to “Safe in a Dream”:
Nick: At the beginning of 2020 Rose and I hatched the idea of doing some new music together, and amidst the messaging back and forth Rose sent me a latter day track by Nico called One More Chance. I’d never heard it before, I loved it and began to see a way forward for our collaboration. As a result I wrote and recorded the instrumental tracks for “Safe In A Dream” and “Man-Made” with the synth bass and Mellotron viola.
Rose: It was a fun challenge for me to sing on “Safe In A Dream” because there is a lot going on. The chorus came first, Go-Betweens inspiration for the high vocals... I've always appreciated and acknowledged dreams, they’re a break from the reality of this world. They are safe - non permanent, different every time, you can escape sometimes very easily, unlike the real world . I guess the lockdown was an inspiration too because I have always felt the way we live, at least in the western world, cannot continue.
17. “Again” — GRETA
Copenhagen-based German artist Greta Louise Schenk — who works under the briefer moniker GRETA — finds a well-deserved place on this year’s list with her track “Again”. The stellar single is included on GRETA’s 2020 Farao-produced album Ardent Spring, and is not only an album highlight, but also a wonderful and worthy addition to our list this year.
GRETA shard the following information about “Again” with WMF:
“Again” is a song about the patterns we humans keep repeating even though we would like to break out of them. How we spend our entire life waiting for it to happen instead of living it. Even though I wrote it in 2018 it truly is a 2020 song because we were/still are all waiting for our lives to happen and had to make the best of huge changes in a whole world turned upside down. I think many of us recognized a lot of patterns in their own lives but also in the world that are ready for a change.
The video for “Again” is about a transition to something new and about preparing for that change. About being afraid of uncertainty, but finding strength in each other and oneself. It is about taking its place in the world. About strength and vulnerability. It is an invitation to be with everything you are and a promise that everything is more beautiful on the other side.
It is directed by Stine Thorbøll and is starring some of my dearest friends: Helena Heinesen, Mary Jean Moore, Julie Gro, Luna Matz - all artists and frontwomen in their own bands. Me and Luna (who also styled the video) had a dream about making a video like this for a very long time. We were tired of the competition in the danish music Industry and together all of us decided to join forces, help and and lift up each other instead of keeping our cards close.
18. “Picture of the End” — Midnight Prisms
Midnight Prisms is a new and welcome addition to the Weirdoverse in 2020, on the heels of a prolific year that included a WMF video premiere for “Picture of the End” and an evolving cycle of recommended astrology songs, among other highlights. We look forward to hearing and seeing more from LA-based Midnight Prisms in 2021, and in the meantime are grateful for the musical highpoint that is “Picture of the End” .
Midnight Prisms shared the following additional background to “Picture of the End” with WMF:
“Picture of the End' is a song about the complexities of endings. Sometimes they aren’t as clear cut as we’d like them to be, which can lead to feeling like you have one foot in the past and another in the present. Kind of like you’re stuck in a never-ending loop unable to move on. This song describes the struggle that comes along with letting go.
I loved having my mom play flute on this track. It was a lot of fun and super special. Besides flute, she's also an excellent jazz pianist who taught me how to sing a lot of the old standards growing up. So the process of her learning a song that I wrote felt like some kind of cathartic role reversal. Before recording the solo, I sent her a track by the legend flutist, Tee-Mac, for some inspiration. After only a few takes, she totally nailed it like a pro.
19. “Darker Darkness” — Kraków Loves Adana
Another newcomer to our world here at WMF, Hamburg-based Kraków Loves Adana joins our year-end list via their 2020 single “Darker Darkness”. This atmospheric gem swiftly found itself in heavy rotation on our unofficial WMF HQ playlists, and now snugly fits with this year’s Top 20 Tracks selections.
Kraków Loves Adana shared this with WMF about “Darker Darkness”:
Placed as the closer track to our album "Darkest Dreams" this song plays a key role. With its eerie and gloomy atmosphere it not only captures the album’s main theme of exploring and embracing your own darkness but can also be seen as the conclusive transition to a deeper understanding of accepting who you are and where this might lead you. With the accompanying video, inspired by the 70s movie "Picnic At Hanging Rock", we tried to mirror this thought - going from day to night scenes, movement to halt, and a promising mysterious light at the end.
20. “I Could Use a Miracle Now” — Dent May
As referenced earlier in our list, it just wouldn’t be 2020 if we didn’t acknowledge the underlying global challenges this year has brought. To varying degrees, whether by design or not, many of the tracks on our 2020 list reflect the emotional spectrum we’ve experienced through this admittedly strange and trying year. It feels appropriate, then, that we conclude this year’s installment of our Top Tracks compilation with an entry from perpetual fave Dent May.
Late Checkout single “I Could Use a Miracle” brilliantly captures the multi-faceted zeitgeist of a truly weird year. Deftly and characteristically juxtaposing pain and optimism, Dent (along with co-writer Jimmy Whispers) nails it yet again with this pop gem.
Dent May gave us the following insights into “I Could Use a Miracle”:
“I Could Use A Miracle” is about feeling down and out and holding out hope for something good to happen. I wrote the chorus and had struggled for months to find the right verses. Luckily my good friend Jimmy Whispers stepped in and helped me finish writing the song.
We extend heartfelt gratitude to all the artists represented on this list not only for their unique and valued artistic contributions, but also for sharing these exclusive insights related to them. As always, profound thanks to you who visit our list and continue to support, appreciate, and spread the word about this music and WMF. Happy listening, and a happy new year to you all.
*That said, we have enjoyed listening to the list in this order, which is the order in which it appears in the WMF 2020 Top Tracks Spotify playlist, which you can listen to here.
