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NPR Music 2022 Staff Picks: Otis Hart

Molly Nilsson.
Courtesy of the artist
Molly Nilsson.

For the second time in three years, the U.K. collective SAULT placed two records on my personal Top 10 list, and I could have included a third (go listen to Hendrix-inspired Today & Tomorrow, which was the last of its surprise Nov. 1 downloadable albums to hit streaming services). The members of the group continue to operate under the veil of plausible deniability, which I believe is the only reason we haven't truly reckoned with this historic run of excellence. Whoever gets the first Inflo interview should win a Peabody. As for the rest of these lists, my favorite discovery of the year was Olympia, Wash., songwriter Field School, who makes jangle-pop with the gain cranked ever so slightly. I usually have to wait until after year-end season to go on my annual twee spree, but thanks to When Summer Comes, January arrived early.

Top 10 Albums of 2022

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1. Molly Nilsson, Extreme
2.
SAULT, Air
3. Field School, When Summer Comes
4. Oren Ambarchi, Shebang
5. SAULT, 11
6. Panda Bear & Sonic Boom, Reset
7. Angeline Morrison, The Sorrow Songs: Folk Songs of Black British Experience
8. Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul, Topical Dancer
9. Shirt & Jack Splash, I Turned Myself Into Myself
10. Pinch Points, Process

Top 10 Songs of 2022

▶ LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

1. Molly Nilsson, "Pompeii"
2. Ethel Cain, "American Teenager"
3. MUNA, "What I Want"
4. Fireboy DML & Asake, "Bandana"
5. Russ Millions x Buni x YV, "Reggae & Calypso"
6. Let's Eat Grandma, "Happy New Year"
7. Joy Orbison x Overmono (feat. Abra), "Blind Date"
8. Conway the Machine, "Stressed"
9. Taylor Swift, "Mastermind"
10. Sunbeam Sound Machine, "I Promise That I'll Try To Give You All My Love"

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