Not sure what can express my feelings more this year than all that hardcore has got to give. The hardcore that I keep coming back to is angry, political, feminist, quick, and yet hopeful at times. Power Alone embodies all of these in a swift, poignant album. All We’ve Got is a 40 second song and is the perfect anthem for the shitshow that was 2020. Other hardcore that falls into this field is from Initiate, Nø Man, Buggin, Smut, & Raspberry Bulbs. While hardcore fills up the many of my top 25 - there are other gems that brought me joy in their lightness (Diet Cig), danceability (Korine), and ease (Georgia Maq). This year exasperated the gaps between so many and so much. You need a balance of hard and soft to get through it. Personally, 2020 has brought so much rage & pain and yet I have found some solace in the midst of chaos. Isolation forces reflection and self-acceptance. I go into 2021 knowing more of who I am, what I want, and how I want to live.
Cheers and remember we are all we’ve got.
🖤ab
Power Alone - Rather Be Alone
Soft Kill - Premium Drifter (Demo)
Emma Ruth Rundle/Thou - May Our Chambers Be Full
GILT - Ignore What's Missing
Diet Cig - Do You Wonder About Me?
Korine - The Night We Raise
Ratboys - Printer's Devil
Soft Kill - Dead Kids R.I.P. CIty
Georgia Maq - Pleaser
Jeff Rosenstock - No Dream
Initiate - Lavender
Lucky Malice - Magnetic
Narrow Head - 12th House Rock
Peel Dream Magazine - Agitprop Alterna
Caroline Rose - Superstar
Couch Slut - Take a Chance on Rock'n'Roll
Bully - SUGAREGG
Vile Creature - Glory, Glory! Apathy Took Helm!
THICK - 5 Years Behind
Nø Man - Erase
Insect Ark - The Vanishing
MSW - Obliviosus
Knxwledge - 10,000 Proof
Retirement Party - 1988
Buggin - Buggin Out
“We’ve all been burned, our patience wears thin
Try to protect ourselves, guard our emotions
And yes, a big “fuck you” to those who abuse
But we need to be real to the ones who are true
Because the only thing that prevents despair
Is knowing that our friends will be there
Listen to each other, it’s how we grow
And challenge what we think we know
'Cause in the end, we’re all we’ve got
Drop your fucking ego, bring each other up”
Power Alone “All We’ve Got”