51 for 50 – 2020

And so we reach the end of this project, album 51 in a series of 51 albums that chart the 51 calendar years that I’ve been around on the planet.

As I set out at the beginning (my game, my rulz), this isn’t necessarily the 51 best albums in my lifetime. There are masses of things that don’t make an appearance because they came in a year when there was too much competition. 1975, meanwhile, remains a year of which I have little or no musical knowledge.

But it’s been an interesting way to chart my life, a bit of musical reflection over the course of a year that, let’s be honest, hasn’t turned out quite like we were expecting.

So what of 2020? Well, given all of the digging in the virtual crates I’ve not really taken in loads of new music this year. But by late summer I got wind that Groove Armada would be releasing a new album in October, so I placed my bets on that being the one.

And it turns out it very much is. Whilst Edge of the Horizon isn’t the best album of their career, and I doubt is the best album of 2020, it’s a very fitting way to tail this project. A wonderful slab of 80s retro sounds, bringing to mind the sounds of my formative years.

So, almost done then. next week the full rundown and the chance to download a mix of all 51 so that, if you so wish, you can join me in celebrating my 50th birthday in lockdown style on the last Saturday in November.