Tawnus

9. Spiro World, by Time Wharp

Sweet woodwind timbres and mellow marimba abound on this charmingly pleasant album with a distinct NYC sound, hints of Joni Mitchell and Sufjan Stevens, and featuring Nina Keith(!) on cello

Standout tracks: Mixo World, No Furniture/Tanagra, Tezeta

Check out the album here:

10. Grief, by Samora Pinderhughes

This is another album that falls under the "jazz" macro-umbrella, but it's got a LOT to say, and it touches a number of genres along its journey. At once melancholic and intricately defiant, the album comes across as a sort of anti-Algiers in that it tackles similar subject matter, but with an overwhelming sense of pathos rather than rage

Standout tracks: Holding Cell, Masculinity, Rise Up, Grief

Check out the album here:

11. Pink Dolphins, by Anteloper

Spaced-out jazz trumpet on the surface, but with layers upon layers of extraordinary sounds below, spanning genres far and wide. The long tracks let you float away and just enjoy the vibe and the journey

Standout tracks: Delfin Rosado, Earthlings

Check out the album here:

12. Torschlusspanik!, by The Fernweh

Taking inspiration from folk rock bands like The Byrds and Fairport Convention, The Fernweh have a pleasantly lovely (and jangly) throwback sound and feel as at home today as they'd have been in 1968

Standout tracks: Happy As Larry, Pas Devant Les Enfants, Let's Go Out

Check out the album here: