New Commute Albums of the Year 2020

Artwork by Connor Mikita

We compiled a list of the new release albums that held our attention during the year 2020. What more can be said about this twisted and turbulent period of world history and the impacts and difficulties carried throughout our music and art institutions. Each record found on this list was released with unprecedented risk. Will record stores be open? Will a tour happen? Will music even be important?

Bravely, each band or artist believed in these records’ importance despite the challenging circumstances. Thankfully, the year 2020 produced a wealth of incredible, fearless music and we’re honored to share some of those albums that resonated deeply at New Commute.

Each album is a link that will guide you to Bandcamp where you can support these artists directly. Please remember your city’s local record stores are vitally important and need your support too.

Alabaster DePlume- To Cy & Lee: Instrumentals, Vol. 1
[International Anthem]

Alex Izenberg- Caravan Château
[Weird World/Domino]

Andras- Joyful
[Beats In Space]

Andrew Wasylyk- Fugitive Light and Themes of Consolation
[Athens of the North]

Angel Bat Dawid- LIVE
[International Anthem]

Angel Olsen- Whole New Mess
[Jagjaguwar]

Anjimile- Giver Taker
[Father/Daughter]

Bananagun- The True Story of Bananagun
[Full Time Hobby]

Barry Walker Jr.- Shoulda Zenith
[Holy Mountain]

Benny Yurco- You Are My Dreams
[Little Jamaica/People In A Position To Know]

Bobby Lee- Shakedown in Slabtown
[Natural Histories]

Bullion- We Had A Good Time
[DEEK Recordings]

Cactus Lee- Tarantula
[709 Recording Co.]

Centre El Muusa- Centre El Muusa
[Sulatron]

Channelers- Isles Beyond
[Inner Islands]

Chris Forsyth with Garcia Peoples- Peoples Motel Band
[Self-released]

Chris Frisina- Carolina (Out Of My Mind)
[Sleepy Cat]

Cindy Lee- What’s Tonight To Eternity
[Superior Viaduct]

Color Green- Color Green
[Maximum Exposure]

Colorama- Chaos Wonderland
[Agati]

CMON- Confusing Mix of Nations
[Mexican Summer]

Contento- Lo Bueno Está Aquí
[El Palmas]

Cut Worms- Nobody Lives Here Anymore
[Jagjaguwar]

Daniel Romano- How Ill Thy World Is Ordered
[You’ve Changed]

Daniel Romano- Okay Wow
[You’ve Changed]

David Nance- Staunch Honey
[Trouble In Mind]

Deeper- Auto-Pain
[Fire Talk]

Dirty Art Club- Gardens
[Paxico]

Discovery Zone- Remote Control
[Mansions and Millions]

D.K.- The Goddess Is Dancing
[Good Morning]

Dougie Poole- The Freelancer’s Blues
[Wharf Cat]

Dougie Stu- Familiar Future
[Ropeadope]

Drab City- Good Songs For Bad People
[Bella Union]

Eddie Chacon- Pleasure, Joy and Happiness
[Day End]

Fleet Foxes- Shore
[ANTI-]

Floating Action- Outsider Art
[People In A Position To Know]

Flying Vipers- Cuttings
[Music A.D.D.]

Fools- Fools’ Harp Vol. 1
[Music From Memory]

Frankie Reyes- Originalitos
[Stones Throw]

Fratelli Malibu- Ciro Miami
[La Scimmia]

Garcia Peoples- Nightcap at Wits’ End
[Beyond Beyond Is Beyond]

Gilbert Cohen & Ariel Kalma- Head Voices
[Versatile Records]

Gold Star Gold Star- Introducing​.​.​.​Gold Star Gold Star
[Earth Libraries]

Green-House- Six Songs for Invisible Gardens
[Leaving Records]

Heather Trost- Petrichor
[Third Man]

Honey Harper- Starmaker
[ATO]

Jack Name- Magic Touch
[Mexican Summer]

Jay Israelson- Make A Lobster Clap
[Self-released]

Jeff Parker- Suite for Max Brown
[International Anthem]

Jeffrey Silverstein- You Become The Mountain
[Arrowhawk]

Jess Williamson- Sorceress
[Mexican Summer]

Jesse Kivel- Infinite Jess
[New Feelings]

J.H. Guraj- Introspection / Migration
[Maple Death]

John Carroll Kirby- My Garden
[Stones Throw]

Jon Mckiel- Bobby Joe Hope
[You’ve Changed]

Jonathan Personne- Disparitions
[Michel]

Josh Kimbrough- Slither, Soar & Disappear
[Tompkins Square]

Josiah Steinbrick- Liquid / Devotion & Tongue Street Blue
[RVNG Intl.]

Julian Neel- Call the Mountain
[Self-released]

Kacy & Clayton and Marlon Williams- Plastic Bouquet
[New West]

Kahil El’Zabar- Kahil El’Zabar’s America the Beautiful
[Spiritmuse]

Kate NV- Room for the Moon
[RVNG Intl.]

Kevin Morby- Sundowner
[Dead Oceans]

Koney- Koney
[High Dive]

L'Eclair- нощта
[Bongo Joe]

La China de La Gasolina- La China de La Gasolina
[Self-released]

Le Ren- Morning & Melancholia
[Secretly Canadian]

Leah Senior- The Passing Scene
[Flightless]

Libby Rodenbough- Spectacle of Love
[Sleepy Cat]

Liquid Canoe- Liquid Canoe
[Growing Bin]

Liv.e- Couldn't Wait To Tell You​.​.​.
[In Real Life]

Loving- If I Am Only My Thoughts
[Last Gang]

Luka Kuplowsky- Stardust
[Mama Bird]

Luke Schneider- Altar of Harmony
[Third Man]

Mapache- From Liberty Street
[Yep Roc]

Meridian Brothers- Cumbia Siglo XXI
[Bongo Joe]

Military Genius- Deep Web
[Unheard of Hope]

Misha Panfilov Sound Combo- Days As Echoes
[Funk Night]

Modern Nature- Annual
[Bella Union]

Mong Tong- Mystery 秘神
[Guruguru Brain]

Monster Rally- Castaways Vol. 1
[Gold Robot]

Moses Boyd- Dark Matter
[Exodus]

Mountain Man- Look At Me Don’t Look At Me
[Nonesuch]

Mulatu Astatke & Black Jesus Experience- To Know Without Knowing
[Agogo]

Nailah Hunter- Spells
[Leaving Records]

Nap Eyes- Snapshot of a Beginner
[Jagjaguwar]

Navy Blue- Àdá Irin
[Freedom Sounds]

NNAMDÏ- BRAT
[Sooper]

North Americans- Roped In
[Third Man]

Oneohtrix Point Never- Magic Oneohtrix Point Never
[Warp]

PAINT- Spiritual Vegas
[Mexican Summer]

Parbleu- Danse Cette Zik
[Periodica]

Patois Counselors- The Optimal Seat
[ever/never]

Penza Penza- Beware of Penza Penza
[Funk Night]

Photay- Waking Hours
[Mexican Summer]

Pink Siifu & Fly Anakin- FlySifuu’s
[Lex Records]

Pool Holograph- Love Touched Time and Time Began to Sweat
[Sunroom]

Portray Heads- Portray Heads
[Minimal Wave]

Pure X- Pure X
[Fire Talk]

Purr- Like New
[ANTI-]

Qur’an Shaheed- Process
[Preference Records]

RAS- RAS II
[Botniss]

Reuben Vaun Smith- Warm Nights
[Soundway]

Rose City Band- Summerlong
[Thrill Jockey]

Rubber Band Gun- Adventure Violence, Scary Images
[Self-released]

Ryan Sambol- Rail Sing
[Perpetual Doom]

Sam Burton- I Can Go With You
[Tompkins Square]

Shy Boys- Talk Loud
[Polyvinyl]

Skyway Man- The World Only Ends When You Die
[Mama Bird]

Sleeper And Snake- Fresco Shed
[Lulu’s Sonic Disc Club]

Spencer Cullum- Spencer Cullum’s Coin Collection
[yk records]

Star Feminine Band- Star Feminine Band
[Born Bad]

Sunwatchers- Oh Yeah?
[Trouble In Mind]

Surprise Chef- Daylight Savings
[Mr Bongo]

Sweeping Promises- Hunger for a Way Out
[Feel It]

Tenci- My Heart Is An Open Field
[Keeled Scales]

The Dead Tongues- Transmigration Blues
[Psychic Hotline]

The Koreatown Oddity- Little Dominques Nosebleed
[Stones Throw]

The Mauskovic Dance Band- Shadance Hall
[Dekmantel]

The Nude Party- Midnight Manor
[New West]

The Plain Glass Windows- The Plain Glass Windows
[Self-released]

Thibault- Or Not Thibault
[Chapter Music]

Total Revenge- Total Revenge
[Forged Artifacts]

Traffik Island- Sweat Kollecta’s Peanut Butter Traffik Jam
[Flightless]

Trummors- Dropout City
[Ernest Jenning Record Co.]

Very Nice Massage- Based On The Data
[Babyrace]

Vex Ruffin- LiteAce Frequency
[Stones Throw]

Whitney- Candid
[Secretly Canadian]

Widowspeak- Plum
[Captured Tracks]

William Tyler- New Vanitas
[Merge]

Woods- Strange To Explain
[Woodsist]

Yaya Bey- Madison Tapes
[Elevated]

Yves Jarvis- Sundry Rock Song Stock
[ANTI-]

Zac Farro- Zafari
[Congrats Records]

Zeroh- BLQLYTE
[Leaving Records]

ZZZWalk- Holy Royal Casino
[Tall Texan]