Late? Indisputably. But we can't let 2020 go without acknowledging a raft of outstanding compilations that, like our recent Festive Twenty, succoured these ears over a challenging year.
The list numbers a baker's dozen. It mostly comprises conventional collections of a single label's output, though one collects disparate pieces from a single artist. It also includes a mix confined to a single label, which seemed both eligible & worth celebrating too.
Along with two further instalments (initiatives that went beyond a single release & an alternative 20), the list helps broaden the Festive Twenty. As emphasised, the Twenty makes no claims of 'best' but is rather what resonated most with us when we recapitulated the year (subject to the restriction of one pick per label/artist, for each contributor's list of 10).
Besides the deliberate restrictions to maximise inclusiveness, we no doubt overlooked many compelling candidates.
This is the same. In contrast to the Twenty's democracy, however, this list is largely the responsibility of jl - though with al's helpful input.
Several of the releases benefit health, social & environmental charities. Others simply showcase the work of labels or individual artists - including the ultimate meta release in this territory, a vast compilation of compilation tracks...
The longest pick contains over 100 tracks; the shortest, nine. Most are pay what you want. None is more than $10 (for the digital version, anyway).
One was released on New Year's Day 2021, while another (along with a single artist mix that would also have been included but for the 'one pick per' hairshirt) was originally available as a crowdfunding reward for a 2019 campaign. This list is unflinchingly claiming both for the year just gone, all the same.
Mea culpa corner: LMYE, er, compiled a list of outstanding 2019 compilations too, but failed to publish it at the start of 2020 when life (or death, strictly speaking) got in the way. Still not sure how to resolve that failure, but this list - which features several labels who also graced the unpublished list - is a first down-payment on doing so.
Building A Better Reality: A Benefit Compilation (JMY)
Distant Lights Receding (TVO)
Gap In Time (Dronarivm)
Healing Sounds II: A compilation for those in need (Past Inside the Present)
Home Normal (Home Normal)
homework - year 5 (taalem)
LINEmix6 (LINE)
Moving Music: sounds from the rocking chair (Moving Furniture)
Mutatis Mutandis (Spire)
Mysteries Compilation | Chapter One (Mysteries of the Deep)
Particle Count (Room40)
Points Of No Return (Beacon Sound)
Solitary Hymns (Vaagner)
Important: LMYE only makes music available that artists/labels have chosen to share freely. Let us know if something here shouldn't be.
