Ben

Best of 2026

Unordered, good tunes from 2026
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  1. Panorama Yerevan - Never Ending Sunday by Lucia Kagramanyan

    "Lucia Kagramanyan brings together an 80 minute Armenian music special, tracing a path from archival folk recordings and sacred hymns to outsider pop, tape warped disco and contemporary underground sounds."

  2. U by underscores

    U
    underscores

  3. Haneda by Cruel Force

    Haneda
    Cruel Force

    German thrash/speed metal, you'll probably know if it's for you before going in but man this pushes all the right buttons

  4. Torn by Cobrah

    Torn
    Cobrah

  5. When There Is No Sun by various artists

    When There Is No Sun
    various artists

    Techno meets Sun Ra, not as pretentious as that maybe sounds

  6. Tragic Magic by Julianna Barwick, Mary Lattimore

    Tragic Magic
    Julianna Barwick, Mary Lattimore

  7. Fire and Blood by Viserion

    Fire and Blood
    Viserion

    Game of Thrones(!) influenced melodic Black Metal, clearly not reinventing the wheel but goes hard

  8. Valentine by Courtney Marie Andrews

    Valentine
    Courtney Marie Andrews

  9. Still Nothing by Sweet Reaper

    Still Nothing
    Sweet Reaper

    Fun album, punky garage rock - lots of energy, what's not to like

  10. Backengrillen by Backengrillen

    Backengrillen
    Backengrillen

    Experimental noisy doom jazz fusion, essentially the members of Refused with Mats Gustafsson skronking his saxophone over the top

  11. Solo Three by Erik Hall

    Solo Three
    Erik Hall

    Everything this guy touches is great, brings new life to minimalist masterpieces

  12. Secret Love by Dry Cleaning

    Secret Love
    Dry Cleaning

  13. In Unreality's Coffin by Ectovoid

  14. Convergence by Björn Meyer

    Convergence
    Björn Meyer

  15. Gospel Music by Joel Ross

    Gospel Music
    Joel Ross

  16. Euphoria Bound by Shackleton

    Euphoria Bound
    Shackleton

  17. FLARE by plantoid

    FLARE
    plantoid

  18. Langeleik by Joe Harvey-Whyte & Geir Sundstøl

    Langeleik
    Joe Harvey-Whyte & Geir Sundstøl

  19. Isle Peaks by Bitchin Bajas

    Isle Peaks
    Bitchin Bajas

    Qobuz exclusive!

  20. The Medieval Drone Society by Laura Cannell

  21. Cantus for Winter in Six Parts by zakè

    nice dronez

  22. Theta Seven - 206CD (2026) by Orchestra Of The Upper Atmosphere

    Theta Seven - 206CD (2026)
    Orchestra Of The Upper Atmosphere

  23. Noor by Yamila

    Noor
    Yamila

  24. Wahj by Toni Geitani

    Wahj
    Toni Geitani

  25. Rabbit Hole by Pauli Lyytinen Rabbit Hole

    Rabbit Hole
    Pauli Lyytinen Rabbit Hole

  26. EXPO by Ulrika Spacek

    EXPO
    Ulrika Spacek

  27. Tempa Allstars (Vol. 9) by Various Artists

    Tempa Allstars (Vol. 9)
    Various Artists

  28. Can I Get A Pack Of Camel Lights? by Geologist

  29. Essam by Imarhan

    Essam
    Imarhan

  30. URGH by Mandy, Indiana

    URGH
    Mandy, Indiana

  31. Aquáticos by Fabiano do Nascimento, E Ruscha V

    Aquáticos
    Fabiano do Nascimento, E Ruscha V

  32. Seeing Is Forgetting by Elori Saxl, Henry Solomon

    Seeing Is Forgetting
    Elori Saxl, Henry Solomon

  33. Stillamentum by Gorrch

    Stillamentum
    Gorrch

  34. While I Was Away by Julia Hülsmann Octet, Julia Hülsmann

    While I Was Away
    Julia Hülsmann Octet, Julia Hülsmann

  35. Naive Melodies by Various Artists

    Naive Melodies
    Various Artists

  36. A Bleak King Cometh by Qasu

  37. Posthumous Imprecation by Void Monuments

    Posthumous Imprecation
    Void Monuments

  38. Cerulean by Danny L Harle

    Cerulean
    Danny L Harle

  39. Celestun by Tyler Ramsey, Carl Broemel

    Celestun
    Tyler Ramsey, Carl Broemel

  40. low clouds hang, this land is on fire by Tashi Dorji

  41. Advent of Wounds by Fossilization

    Advent of Wounds
    Fossilization

    Crushing, metal album of the year so far

  42. Garip by Altin Gün

    Garip
    Altin Gün

  43. OTONOMA by Midori Hirano

    OTONOMA
    Midori Hirano

  44. Sounds of Malice by REDIVIDER

    Sounds of Malice
    REDIVIDER

  45. Autechre Guitar by Shane Parish

    Autechre Guitar
    Shane Parish

  46. Powder Keg by Clémentine March

    Powder Keg
    Clémentine March

  47. Shaking Hand by Shaking Hand

    Shaking Hand
    Shaking Hand

  48. At Source by Caterina Barbieri, Bendik Giske

    At Source
    Caterina Barbieri, Bendik Giske

  49. Circadia by Mammal Hands

    Circadia
    Mammal Hands

  50. HYMNS by David August

    HYMNS
    David August

  51. Momoko by Momoko Gill

    Momoko
    Momoko Gill

  52. Live at Public Records by The Cosmic Tones Research Trio, Harlan Silverman, Roman Norfleet, Kennedy Verrett

    Live at Public Records
    The Cosmic Tones Research Trio, Harlan Silverman, Roman Norfleet, Kennedy Verrett

  53. Strictly 4 The Scythe by Denzel Curry, The Scythe

    Strictly 4 The Scythe
    Denzel Curry, The Scythe

  54. The Patterns Lost to Air by Marielle V Jakobsons

    The Patterns Lost to Air
    Marielle V Jakobsons

  55. dance! skip! hop! by Tomeka Reid

    dance! skip! hop!
    Tomeka Reid

  56. An Undying Love for a Burning World by Neurosis

  57. Ladeiras De Santa Teresa by Neves E Silva, Antônio Neves, Thiaguinho Silva

    Ladeiras De Santa Teresa
    Neves E Silva, Antônio Neves, Thiaguinho Silva

  58. Electrical Field of Love by Harriet Tubman & Georgia Anne Muldrow

    Electrical Field of Love
    Harriet Tubman & Georgia Anne Muldrow

  59. Brilliance of a Falling Moon by Dälek

    Hard-edged alt-rap straight out of the 90s/early 00s - not a criticism

  60. Future Present Past by Irreversible Entanglements

    Future Present Past
    Irreversible Entanglements

  61. Kinshasa In Action by KINACT

  62. Good Thoughts, Bad Thoughts by France

    Hurdy-Gurdy drone, better than it sounds

Best of 2026 is an album list curated by Ben:

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