According to the press release, Fold feels like a statement. It leans into the expansive spirit of early 2000s electronic albums while embracing a fearless pop sensibility where anything can happen. Dancefloor euphoria sits next to tender folktronic moments and even a sharp left turn into rap. The guest list is just as wide ranging and exciting. The always excellent Helena Deland appears more than once, alongside CFCF, billy woods, POiSON GiRL FRiEND, BEA1991, Deaton Chris Anthony, Harmony Index and Loukeman. Many of these artists are familiar names to us, so we’re even more curious.

To introduce the album, Jump Source are sharing a lead double single that captures this duality perfectly. “Shattered,” featuring Helena Deland and Ross Meen, glides forward with a cool, understated pulse, Deland’s vocal floating through the haze with precision and intimacy. On the flip side, “Affect” with Loukeman leans into warm, quietly radiant house textures. The track feels both introspective and ready for the dancefloor, a combo of we particularly love. Both tracks come with a visualizer that you can watch below.

BEA1991‘s “Remina Two” is named after a Roman goddess

“‘Remina Two’ is the spontaneous extension of an earlier written track titled Remina One – a demo retrospectively acting as a mother, birthing a new song while staying behind as the observer,” she explains. ““Remina” is the colloquial name for Rhea Silvia; a red-haired goddess who was one of the Vestal Virgins in early Rome. She bore two sons, Romulus and Remus, after being raped by the god Mars (!) She then notoriously flung herself into the Tiber River while her two sons, after being smuggled, were raised by a wolf who lost her cubs, and continued to found Rome.”

Watch the self-directed video and support BEA1991 via Bandcamp below.

BEA1991 has unveiled a Sega Bodega-produced two-parter this Wednesday. “Tranquility / Free Young Man” marks her first release since her 2019’s Lost Demo EP and excellent debut album Brand New Adult.

This new offering starts with BEA1991‘s harrowed yet determined voice alongside a synth palette shrouded in melancholic mystery, a combination that excellently evokes the complex, uncertain aura carried by the song’s subject who’s recently wrested themselves from a relationship. Contemplative hums and disembodied keys interject throughout the steady yet pulsating main synth line before tension is briefly relieved as the song transitions to its second, lengthier movement. A similarly possessed keyboard propels the listener forward, now supported by sparse drum machine whose rimshots contrarily add further to the sonic haze. The chorus breaks and tenderly blooms into a very danceable yet restrained outburst smattered with more varied drum programming and an anchoring bassline that carries the song through to its outro. The suppressed wails accompanying the artist’s continued steady tone here may well be the most expressive vocal element of the two-parter – lest one forget that no amount of individualist determination can allow full detachment from one’s emotions while plotting a course into the lone unknown.

Like every December, we close a year of music with our traditional lists. After the Best Albums and Best EPs and Mixtapes, we’re happy to unveil the songs that made 2019 according to our team. Are these the best releases of the year ? Maybe yes, maybe no. But for sure, they represent what we have loved over the 12 months.

2019 is also the end of a decade and, even if the blog did not exist 10 years ago, we will try to share our favourite tracks of this era during the first quarter of 2020.

Finally, I’d like to mention that HighClouds would not be the same without its team of dedicated writers. People don’t always realize it but running a blog and contributing, even only from time to time, requires a lot of energy on top of your full-time job. So thank you to each of you for this.

And now, here are the 100 tracks of 2019, as well as a huge Spotify playlist to go through our selection and discover some other amazing tracks that almost made the cut this year. Thank you for reading us and see you next decade!

[su_spacer]

100. 0171 – “1000 Words”

99. Modern Feelings – “Culture”

98. STAINWASHER – “Joy For Me”

97. Alina Bea – “King of Nothing”

96. Lowly – “baglaens”

95. Yot Club – “no way !”

94. Helado Negro – “Running”

93. BEA1991 – “Did You Feel Me Slip Away?”

92. Deaton Chris Anthony, Clairo, Coco & Clair Clair – “RACECAR”

91. Sandy – “Signals”

[su_divider top=”no”]

90. Common Holly – “You Dance”

89. Teen Body – “Validation”

88. SOPHIE, Doss – “Whole New World (Sophie and Doss remix)”

87. Emily Reo – “Ghosting”

86. Barrie – “Darjeeling”

85. Caroline Polachek – “Pang”

84. 박혜진 Park Hye Jin – “I DON’T CARE”

83. Kraków Loves Adana – “Follow The Voice”

82. Jessica Pratt – “Aeroplane”

81. Ariel – “Dream Team”

[su_divider top=”no”]

80. Spellling – “Under The Sun”

79. MUNYA – “It’s All About You”

78. Von – “Dealer’s Gone”

77. Makthaverskan – “Demands”

76. SASSY 009 – “Maybe in the Summer”

75. Jessie Ware – “Adore You”

74. PAT – “Love Will Find a Way Home”

73. XUXA SANTAMARIA – “Rudos Del Mar”

72. Ascendant Vierge – “Influenceur”

71. Thom Yorke – “Dawn Chorus”

[su_divider top=”no”]

70. Nilüfer Yanya – “Baby Blu”

69. Saeyers – “Cruise”

68. Quinn Christopher – “Erase Me”

67. The Dawdler – “Sylvie”

66. TR/ST – “Iris”

65. Jai Paul – “He”

64. Maria Somerville – “Brighter Days”

63. Morabeza Tobacco – “Orinoco”

62. Eartheater – “Fontanel”

61. Otha – “Tired and Sick”

[su_divider top=”no”]

60. Eugenia Post Meridiem – “Anjos”

59. Vagabon – “Water Me Down”

58. Lala Lala, WHY? – “Siren 042”

57. Jackie Mendoza – “De Lejos”

56. Dorian Electra – “Flamboyant”

55. Crack Cloud – “The Next Fix”

54. Chromatics – “You’re No Good”

53. Hana Vu – “Order”

52. Magdalena Bay – “Only If You Want It”

51. Ebhoni – “TGM”

[su_divider top=”no”]

50. Cherushii, Maria Minerva – “A Day Without You”

49. Maluca – “NYC Baby”

48. Tyler, The Creator – “EARFQUAKE”

47. JPEGMAFIA, Helena Deland – “Free The Frail”

46. Blue Hawaii – “Still I Miss U”

45. Oklou – “Forever”

44. Crumb – “Ghostride”

43. Ariana Grande – “NASA”

42. Weyes Blood – “Movies”

41. Pure Bathing Culture – “All Night”

[su_divider top=”no”]

40. Beauty Queen – “The Only One”

39. Couch Prints – “Tell U”

38. 070 Shake – “Morrow”

37. JORDANN – “Café Speed”

36. Lizzo – “Juice”

35. 100 gecs – “Money Machine”

34. Hand Habits – “can’t calm down”

33. Jenny Hval – “Ashes to Ashes”

32. (Sandy) Alex G – “Gretel”

31. Arlo Parks – “Super Sad Generation”

[su_divider top=”no”]

30. Grace Ives – “Anything”

29. Burial – “Claustro”

28. Sharon Van Etten – “Seventeen”

27. pronoun – “stay”

26. Requin Chagrin – “Sémaphore”

25. BEA1991 – “My Own Heaven”

24. Billie Eilish – “bad guy”

23. Sorry Girls – “One That You Want”

22. Japan, Man – “Stop Staring”

21. Drauve – “Haunted”

[su_divider top=”no”]

20. Big Thief – “UFOF”

[su_divider top=”no”]

19. MUNA – “Number One Fan”

[su_divider top=”no”]

18. Claud – “Easy”

[su_divider top=”no”]

17. Danny Brown – “Dirty Laundry”

[su_divider top=”no”]

16. Angel Olsen – “Lark”

[su_divider top=”no”]

15. Carly Rae Jepsen – “Want You In My Room”

[su_divider top=”no”]

14. Caroline Polachek – “Door”

[su_divider top=”no”]

13. Boy Harsher – “LA”

[su_divider top=”no”]

12. Magdalena Bay – “Venice”

[su_divider top=”no”]

11. Erika de Casier – “Do My thing”

[su_divider top=”no”]

10. Men I Trust – “Numb”

[su_divider top=”no”]

9. Charlotte Adigéry – “Paténipat”

[su_divider top=”no”]

8. Σtella – “Samba”

[su_divider top=”no”]

7. GEORGIA – “About Work The Dancefloor”

[su_divider top=”no”]

6. Lana Del Rey – “hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have”

[su_divider top=”no”]

5. Aldous Harding – “The Barrel”

[su_divider top=”no”]

4. Big Thief – “Not”

[su_divider top=”no”]

3. Charli XCX, Christine and the Queens – “Gone”

[su_divider top=”no”]

2. FKA twigs – “Cellophane”

[su_divider top=”no”]

1. Clairo – “Bags”

[su_divider top=”no”]

Firstly, albums are not a thing of the past! Lof of people have claimed that this format was not relevant anymore in the streaming era, but the artists below have proven the contrary this year. Albums remain the best way to fully express an artistic direction and a vision.

Then again, it’s never easy to definitively rank albums so we guess that this list is only a photography of our tastes at this very moment. In one year, it could be totally different…

Finally, if you like any of these releases, and we’re sure you will, don’t forget to support the artists. Streaming is a good start, but it’s unfortunately not enough.

On Friday, we will unveil our Best Tracks of 2019 and you can already check the 20 EPs and Mixtapes that made our year. But for now, here are our 50 favourite albums of the year (you can also browse the entire list with our Spotify playlist at the bottom of the page).

[su_spacer]
[su_divider top=”no”]

50. Konradsen – “Saints and Sebastian Stories”

49. Sneaks – “Highway Hypnosis”

48. Tobi Duchampe – “The Saddest Game.”

47. Kelsey Lu – “Blood”

46. PAT – “Love Will Find A Way Home”

45. XUXA SANTAMARIA – “Chancletas D’Oro”

44. Toro y Moi – “Outer Space”

43. The Japanese House – “Good At Falling”

42. Dorian Electra – “Flamboyant”

41. Bodywash – “Comforter”

40. Holly Herndon – “PROTO”

[su_spacer]
[su_divider top=”no”]

39. Stella Donelly – “Beware of the Dogs”

38. Black Belt Eagle Scout – “At The Party With My Brown Friends”

37. Carla dal Forno – “Look Up Sharp”

36. Octo Octa – “Resonant Body”

35. TR/ST – “The Destroyer – Part 1”

34. Sharon Van Etten – “Remind Me Tomorrow”

33. Thom Yorke – “Anima”

32. Common Holly – “When I say to you Black Lightning”

31. Jessica Pratt – “Quiet Signs”

[su_spacer]
[su_divider top=”no”]

30. Boy Harsher – “Careful”

29. Two People – “First Body”

28. Charli XCX – “Charli”

27. Nilüfer Yanya – “Miss Universe”

26. Yeule – “Serotonin II”

25. Noah – “Thirty”

24. Crumb – “Jinx”

23. Morabeza Tobacco – “Morabeza Tobacco”

22. Tyler, the Creator – “IGOR”

21. Clairo – “Immunity”

[su_spacer]
[su_divider top=”no”]

20. Angel Olsen – “All Mirrors”

[su_divider top=”no”]

19. Aldous Harding – “Designer”

[su_divider top=”no”]

18. 100 gecs – “1000 gecs”

[su_divider top=”no”]

17. Danny Brown – “uknowhatimsayin¿”

[su_divider top=”no”]

16. Carly Rae Jepsen – “Dedicated”

[su_divider top=”no”]

15. JPEGMAFIA – “All My Friends Are Cornballs”

[su_divider top=”no”]

14. Sir Babygirl – “Crush on Me”

[su_divider top=”no”]

13. Chromatics – “Closer To Grey”

[su_divider top=”no”]

12. Men I Trust – “Oncle Jazz”

[su_divider top=”no”]

11. FKA twigs – “MAGDALENE”

[su_divider top=”no”]

10. Lana Del Rey – “Normal Fucking Rockwell!!”

[su_divider top=”no”]

9. Weyes Blood – “Titanic Rising”

[su_divider top=”no”]

8. Jenny Hval – “The Practice of Love”

[su_divider top=”no”]

7. Maria Somerville – “All My People”

[su_divider top=”no”]

6. Requin Chagrin – “Sémaphore”

[su_divider top=”no”]

5. Big Thief – “U.F.O.F.”

(It was really not easy to decide and it could have been “Two Hands” as well)

[su_divider top=”no”]

4. Caroline Polachek – “Pang”

[su_divider top=”no”]

3. Grace Ives – “2nd”

[su_divider top=”no”]

2. BEA1991 – “Brand New Adult”

(and artwork of the year)

[su_divider top=”no”]

1. Erika de Casier – “Essentials”

Amsterdam-based experimental pop artist and polymath Beatriz Colette Hanneke, better known as BEA1991, unveils a new single ahead of the release of her debut album Brand New Adult in a couple of weeks. Following up on the excellent “My Own Heaven” and “Did You Feel Me Slip Away?” (both already featured in our Best Tracks of 2019 playlist), here’s the enthralling “Modern Comforts,” which is one of our favourite songs from the record. Listen below.

Before your well-deserved holiday break, we come up with a playlist loaded with good music only. We are aware that it’s not always easy to keep up with all the daily releases and posts. Therefore our team made everything easier just for you. Enjoy our 50 favourite songs of 2019 so far and don’t forget to follow our Spotify playlist to check future additions.

1 GEORGIA – “About Work The Dancefloor”

2 BIG THIEF – “UFOF”

3 ARLO PARKS – “Super Sad Generation”

4 CRUMB – “Part III”

5 REQUIN CHAGRIN – “Sémaphore”

6 YOT CLUB – “No Way !”

7 CARLY RAE JEPSEN – “Julien”

8 070 SHAKE – “Morrow”

9 MEN I TRUST – “Numb”

10 TEEN BODY – “Validation”

11 HAND HABITS – Can’t Calm Down”

12 MARIA SOMERVILLE – “Brighter Days”

13 ERIKA DE CASIER – “Do My Thing”

14 SHARON VAN ETTEN – “Seventeen”

15 BEAUTY QUEEN – “The Only One”

16 MORABEZA TOBACCO – “Ally McBeal”

17 GRACE IVES – “Mirror”

18 BARRIE – “Darjeeling”

19 KEVIN ABSTRACT – “Georgia”

20 ALDOUS HARDING – “The Barrel”

21 EMILY REO – “Ghosting”

22 BOY HARSHER – “LA”

23 AUGUSTINE – “A Scent Of Lily”

24 PURE BATHING CULTURE – “All Night”

25 ΣTELLA – “Samba”

26 CELESTE – “Father’s Son”

27 CHARLOTTE ADIGERY – “High Lights”

28 LALA LALA, WHY? – “Siren 042”

29 PRONOUN – “Stay”

30 STAINWASHER – “Joy For Me”

31 LANA DEL REY – “hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have…”

32 JACKIE MENDOZA – “Mucho Más”

33 BASEBALL GREGG, PECAS, WILLIAM CORDUROY – “The Movies”

34 BEA1991 – “My Own Heaven”

35 GRACIE GRAY – “Morphine”

36 ROSALÍA, J BALVIN – “Con Altura”

37 WEYES BLOOD – “Movies”

38 HATCHIE – “Without A Blush”

39 PECAS – “T-Shirt”

40 FKA TWIGS – “Cellophane”

41 OMAR APPOLO – “Ashamed”

42 MAKTHAVERSKAN – “Demands”

43 SANDY (ALEX G) – “Gretel”

44 CLAUD – “Easy”

45 JAI PAUL – “He”

46 JAPAN, MAN – “Stop Staring”

47 THE DAWDLER – “Sylvie”

48 ARIEL – “Dream Team”

49 EUGENIA POST MERIDIEM – “Blue Noon”

50 0171 – “1000 Words”

Following up on her amazing track and video for “My Own Heaven,” Amsterdam-based experimental pop and bedroom R&B artist BEA1991 has finally announced the release of her debut album. Coming with this exciting news, here’s a bewitching new single, “Did You Feel Me Slip Away?,” featuring the bass and vocals of Dev Hynes in the intro. An emotional ballad loaded with haunting, sophisticated vocals, the track is another great offering from the Dutch multi-skilled artist. Watch the accompanying video below.

[su_youtube_advanced url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bfL_AvJpvQ”]