January 29, 2023
Favorite Albums of 2022
At the end of each year, I compile a list of my favorite music albums, mainly to document what I enjoyed listening to but also to share with others.
Just like 2021, 2022 was a huge year for music releases, so much so that I had a difficult time cutting down my list to just 10 albums. There was a lot of momentum in getting past COVID-19, and many musicians were able to get back on the road again. However, the rising cost of fuel and inflation caused a lot of logistical issues for smaller acts, resulting in tour cancellations. By the tail end of 2022, it seemed like most of the world had gone back to normal, concerts were back, and musicians were working again.
My weekly routine of music hunting and listening didn’t change in 2022. Each week, I take time to look for new music via Apple Music’s Browse section as well as the new music app/service Music Harbor and the new releases section of the app Albums. I preview, then add anything that sounds interesting to my Apple Music library, then give it a spin. I’ve had to be a bit more ruthless when it comes to cutting or removing albums that don’t resonate with me, as there was just a ton of music each week.
Just like in years past, I still gravitate toward downtempo, lo-fi, and ambient grooves, but I also found a lot of new artists in other genres as well. This year, I found myself exploring a few African and Sudanese bands that I enjoyed.
These are the albums and artists that I’ve spent the most time with and/or connected with over the past year. There are more than a few albums that didn’t make the cut, but I’ve added them as either honorable mentions or Moar Music.
Also, I’ve compiled these albums on the Album Whale service to make it easier to get to other streaming and purchasing services.
Full disclosure: Purchasing any of the music using some of the links below will give a small percentage of the sale to my wife.

10. Matthew Halsall - Changing Earth
Matthew Halsall released two albums in 2022 and I couldn’t decide which to choose… so I didn’t! Both albums are 4 tracks (one is labeled an EP), each with deeply meditative yet groovy “Spiritual Jazz” tunes. Both feature fantastic instrumentation, including flute, harp, percussion, saxophone, electronic additionas and of course Halsall’s trumpet. If you enjoy Miles and Coltrane, you just might dig what Halsall is doing.
Hot tracks: Positive Activty, Yogic Flying
Listen: Bandcamp | Apple Music | Spotify
Buy: Bandcamp | iTunes | Amazon

Matthew Halsall - The Temple Within - EP
This EP features unreleased tracks from Halsall’s Salute to the Sun sessions. That album was also featured on last years Even Moar Music list.
Hot tracks: The Temple Within, A Japanese Garden in Ethiopia
Listen: Bandcamp | Apple Music | Spotify
Buy: Bandcamp | iTunes | Amazon

9. Ron Trent - What do the stars say to you
I wasn’t familiar with Chicago dance music producer Ron Trent’s work before What do the stars say to you. I was lured by his blending of house, jazz, and funk while adding live instrumentation via collaboration with artists like Khruangbin, Jean-Luc Ponty, Gigi Masin, Azymuth’s Ivan Conti, and Alex Malheriros. I really loved Lars Bartkuhn’s “Methenyisque” guitar solo on the track ‘Cool Water’.
Hot tracks: Cool water (feat. Ivan Conti & Lars Bartkuhn), Flos Potentia (Sugar, Cotton, Tobacco), On my way home
Listen: Bandcamp | Apple Music | Spotify
Buy: Bandcamp | iTunes | Amazon

8. Toro y Moi - MAHAL
Chazwick Bradley “Chaz Bear” Bundick, known for his previous chillwave recordings, lays out a 40 minute set of fresh tunes, full of playful bass lines, fuzz guitars, and psychedelic grooves. From the very first track, Mahal (which means “love” in Filipino) takes you on a sonic ride.
Hot tracks: The Medium (feat. Unknown Mortal Orchestra), Mr. Postman, The Loop
Listen: Bandcamp | Apple Music | Spotify
Buy: Bandcamp | iTunes | Amazon

7. L’Impératrice - Tako Tsubo
The cover of Tako Tsubo from the French group L’Impératrice looked as if it could have been music from the anime Ghost in the Shell, and that got me curious enough to put it on. I wasn’t disappointed! The tracks are a mix of disco, dance, funk, and techno, with a touch of City Pop too. While Tako Tsubo came out in 2021, I discovered L’Impératrice at the start of 2022 and quickly became of a fan.
Hot tracks: Anomalie Bleue, Peur des filles, Fou
Listen: Apple Music | Spotify
Buy: iTunes | Amazon

6. Madison Cunningham - Revealer
No stranger to the favorites list, Madison Cunningham is back with her second full-length album, Revealer, and there’s no sign of a sophomore slump! Cunningham is an incredible guitarist and amazes with her unique tunings and chord choices, but it’s her strong songwriting that gets Revealer a spot on this list.
Hot tracks: All I’ve Ever Known, Hospital, Collider Particles
Listen: Bandcamp | Apple Music | Spotify
Buy: iTunes | Amazon

5. rusenkei & hitomitoi - Talio
Talio has the appeal of smooth City Pop but was produced as the soundtrack for the NHK TV series “Talio.” The album is a collaboration between Ryusenkei (Takiguchi Cunimondo) and Hitomitoi (Amano Hitomi), who are both amazing artists on their own. I was surprised to find that two tracks feature Horigome Yasuyuki, formerly of Kirinji. This collection of instrumental and vocal tracks has the sound of the final days of summer. Technically, this one was released in 2020, but I only discovered it in 2022.
Hot tracks: Kinyoubi No Venus (feat. Yasuyuki Horigome), Talio No Theme. But seriously, just listen to the whole thing.
Listen: Apple Music | Spotify
Buy: iTunes | Amazon

4. Los Days featuring Tommy Guerrero and Josh Lippi - West Winds
West Winds picks up where Los Days’ previous album, Singing Sands, left off. The album was recorded at the House of the Rising Sun, a solar-powered one-room house in Wonder Valley, California. Surrounded by desert, they created a deeply meditative, western sound. Listening to West Winds with headphones on, I can almost see tumbleweeds floating by the lone cactus in the middle of the desert.
Hot tracks: Tierra De Sombre, West Winds, Centuries of Fire
Listen: Bandcamp | Apple Music | Spotify
Buy: Bandcamp | iTunes | Amazon

3. Utada Hikaru - BADモード (BAD MODE)
I’m always excited whenever Utada Hikaru releases new music. Each release is different, and she always follows her fancy. BADモード is another album of reinvention for Utada and feels very personal. There seems to be less live instrumentation and more electronic than her previous album, and that may be because she wrote and produced the album during lockdown, but it’s still full of signature Utada songwriting chops.
Hot tracks: BAD MODE, Time
Listen: Apple Music | Spotify
Buy: iTunes | Amazon

2. Eric Johnson - The Book of Making / Yesterday Meets Today
Guitar virtuoso Eric Johnson dug through his archives during the COVID-19 lockdown and put together the double-album The Book of Making / Yesterday Meets Today. Many of the tracks, some as old as 25 years, were in various stages of completion. He spent his time during lockdown finishing them up since he couldn’t tour. A lot of the tracks sound like they could have come off of Johnson’s 1986 debut album, Tones, which has always been my favorite.
Hot tracks: All tracks, both albums.
Listen: Bandcamp | Apple Music | Spotify
Buy: Bandcamp | iTunes | Amazon

1. Tears for Fears - The Tipping Point
I have a hard time believing that it has been seventeen years since Tears for Fears released their last album, the Beatlesque Everybody Loves a Happy Ending. But, when I checked, it was 2004, and time had certainly flown by. Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith returned at last with finely crafted and wonderfully executed tunes. ‘Break the Man’ is proof that the duo can still write a great pop song.
Hot tracks: No Small Thing, The Tipping Point, Break The Man
Listen: Bandcamp | Apple Music | Spotify
Buy: Bandcamp | iTunes | Amazon
Honorable mentions
This is the first time I’ve felt the need to add a section like this, but I honestly had a tough time choosing the best 10 for 2022 out of all of these great albums.
KIRINJI - crepuscular
In 2020, KIRINIJI announced the end of their current incarnation and the departure of all members. Leader Takaki Horigome decided that KIRINJI would become his solo project with a variety of other musicians going forward. crepuscular is his first release as the sole writer of KIRINJI and nothing seems to be lost with this change.
Hot tracks: Tando Kaze, first call
Listen: Apple Music | Spotify
Buy: iTunes | Amazon
John Carroll Kirby - Dance Ancestral
Another great album from John Carroll Kirby! Readers might recall that his previous album, Septet, was one of last year’s favorite albums. Kirby returns with a more electronic, new-age-y album. From what I’ve read, Dance Ancestral loosely follows the narrative of a day unfolding, reflecting what Kirby calls “the innate steps we take in life.”
Hot tracks: Dawn of New Day (feat. Laraaji), Repettos for you my Lord
Listen: Bandcamp | Apple Music | Spotify
Buy: Bandcamp | iTunes | Amazon
Julian Lage - View With A Room
Similar in nature to Two Guitars by Jim Campilongo and Luca Benedetti (another 2021 favorite), View With A Room captures Julian Lage’s guitar work in a way that I’ve not heard before. Along with guitarist Bill Frisell (a legend in his own right), bassist Jorge Roeder, and drummer Dave King.
Hot tracks: Tributary, Temple Steps, Chavez
Listen: Apple Music | Spotify
Buy: iTunes | Amazon
Noori & His Dorpa Band - Beja Power! Electric Soul & Brass from Sudan’s Red Sea
I’ve never listened to Sudanese music before, but I really enjoyed the rhythmic, meditative, and at times hypnotic instrumentals on this collection.
Hot tracks: Saagama, Qwal, Daleb
Listen: Bandcamp | Apple Music | Spotify
Buy: Bandcamp | iTunes | Amazon
Shane Cooper & Mabuta - Finish the Sun
Finish the Sun is a jazz fusion album filled with a kaleidoscope of grooves from Africa. The band has a concert video where you can see them in action, live in Johannesburg.
Hot tracks: Where the Heart Is, Spirit Animal
Listen: Bandcamp | Apple Music | Spotify
Buy: Bandcamp | iTunes | Amazon
Even Moar Music
These are some other albums that I spent time with in 2022 that you might want to check out…
Jazz / Instrumental
Takuya Kuroda - Midnight Crisp
Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Bandcamp
Makaya McCraven - In These Times
Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Bandcamp
Jasmine Myra - Horizons
Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Bandcamp
Downtempo / Electronic
Horizon Terminal (Metic & Lamchop) - Pastel Lovers
Listen: Apple Music | Spotify
Luna Li - Duality
Listen: Bandcamp | Apple Music | Spotify
Also by Luna Li and great, but very short…
jams EP
Listen: Apple Music | Amazon
jams 2 EP
Listen: Apple Music | Amazon
Mild Monk - Pocket Comforts
Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Bandcamp
Greg Foat - Psychosynthesis
Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Bandcamp
edbl, Kazuki Isogai - The edbl x Kazuki Sessions
Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Bandcamp
Meditative
Patricia Wolf - See - Through
Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Bandcamp
Jogging House - Speak EP
Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Bandcamp
Eiko Ishibashi - Drive My Car Original Soundtrack
Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Bandcamp
Dance
Eden Samara - Rough Night
Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Bandcamp
J-Pop
Vaundy - strobo
Listen: Apple Music | Spotify
Yui Nishio - Tasty City
Listen: Apple Music | Amazon
LAGHEADS - What is “LAGHEADS”?
Listen: Apple Music | Spotify
See my Favorite albums of 2021 here.