This is probably a good day to do this, so the year end routine continues with my favorite Finnish albums of this godforsaken year. Same deal as with the earlier favorite EPs post. First 20 in completely random order and then there’s top 10 in some sort of not-that-serious ranking. The numbers are arbitrary. Music is love not a competition. I think it’s just maybe helpful for the reader to have some sort of vague order, because not everyone is an music addict like me and have time or interest to listen 30 EPs or 100 albums and therefore might be interested in what were the ones that I loved the most. I hope I didn’t forget anything important. There’s a Spotify playlist at the bottom if you are into that sort of thing. I will however make a much larger playlist when I post the Finnish songs of the year closer to Christmas. That will include more albums, songs from best EPs and the finest singles.

Neiti Olga – Minä, aina (Luova Records)

Ninni Forever Band – Uusi yhtye (Jukan Musiikki)

Jani Matti Juhani – Jani Matti Juhani laulaa Elvistä Suomeksi (Ainoa Productions)

Jerry Lindqvist feat Janne Hyöty – Waiting Out the Storm

Bizzarro & Jukka Nissinen – Taipale Broadcast (Vol1) (Humu Records / Hillotehdas)

Pöllöt – Taas vähään aikaan (Svart Records)

Sam Shingler – Strange Security (Soit Se Silti)

Maustetytöt – Eivät enkelitkään ilman siipiä lennä (Is This Art)

Metsäheikki – Sammakko saunassa (Helmi Levyt)

Joni Ekman – Sinulle.. (Soit Se Silti)

Pintandwefall – Your Stories Baby (Soliti)

Vasas flora och fauna – Möte med skogsgardisterna (Startracks)

Maybe this one could go to the international list as well, but I’ll keep them here forever.

Hermaja – Kultasuoni (Helmi Levyt)

Joku Iiris – Joku Iiris (Humu Records / Hillotehdas / Jukan musiikki)

Guggenheim-projektz – Dersu Uzala (Helmi Levyt)

Arppa – Laavalamppuja (Arppa Music)

Joose Keskitalo – Nukkekoti (Helmi Levyt)

Bad Sauna – Olen rikas sillä minulla on teidät (All That Plazz)

A real last minute entry, because it just came out on friday. I’m loving it so far. Might become a huge favorite and push for top 10, but it’s too early to tell. However, it’s already clear that it has to be on this list.

Lätsä – Lätsä (Helmi Levyt)

I would like to bend the rules of math a little bit and squeeze this one into the top 10.

Matti Jasu – Up and Running

10. Message Field – A Brief Visit to Skull (Soit Se Silti)

I little bit slept on the debut album and never learned to love it as much I would have liked. I may need a revisit, because I think I was the one at fault there. I love this new album.

9. Robert Ensio Niemistö – Joilla on korvat se kuulkoon (Jukan Musiikki)

An excellent solo record from Robert Ensio Niemistö. This has been a bit of a slow burner for me. Not that there’s anything particularly difficult about it, but it took me a while to understand how great it is. He also released another record called Tincan Folklore. Plenty to love there as well.

8. Veli – I Am Changing (Evil Veli Recordings)

Veli was a busy man and released this beauty of album and two EPs of home recordings. And all of them are pure gold.

7. Rosita Luu – Samettisuu (Helmi Levyt)

Rosita Luu is getting better all the time. That trio of Kuollut monta kertaa, Suorat mutkiksi and Toista maata is just remarkable. Not that there’s anything wrong with the rest of this either. Such a great record.

6. The Sugarrush – High Status (Nature Suck Anyway Records)

My all-time favorite Finnish band The Sugarrush did some cupboard cleaning and released an album they recorded a decade ago. High Status is a damn fine pop album and I’m thrilled that this beauty is finally out and available.

5. Puhelinseksi – Sydänkohtaus tanssilattialla (Svart Records)

I think this is the Finnish album that I’ve listened the most during this year. It’s a fabulous punk rock power pop blast and a much needed energy boost, if the world tries to keep me down with vicious curve balls. And damn there’s been a few of those directed my way in 2020. I’ve needed this record badly and it has delivered each time.

4. Kalevi Suopursu – Yksin yksiössä (Helmi Levyt / Jukan Musiikki)

I wanted a record like this since I once saw Kalevi Suopursu karaokeshow and loved every second of it. Sweet that it’s here now. I love the whole thing, but got really addicted to the song Minä olen sinun sunnuntai.

3. Nightbird – Travelin’ Baby (Ella Ruth Institutet)

This album just entered into the world a couple of weeks ago, but it already found its way into my heart. A really beautiful folk/blues album from singer-songwriter Nightbird aka Anna-Stina Jungerstam.

2. Amuri – Amuri (Helmi Levyt)

This one was a year of the Suopursu for me. Kinda loved every project he was involved in. Highlight being this debut album from Amuri. The opening song Halla was my song of the year 2019, so the expectations were extremely high. Perhaps nothing else is as brilliant as Halla, but there’s so much to love and cherish. Kalevi Suopursu and Mikko Siltanen are both so great in this songwriting thing and what an awesome band too.

1. Laura Moisio – Laulaa kun ei voi muutakaan (Texicalli)

And the Finnish album of the year is Laulaa kun ei voi muutakaan by Laura Moisio. This one challenges my music taste maybe a bit more than the previous picks, but damn how it also cuts the deepest. Kaukana onnesta is by far my favorite Finnish song of the year and Kehä don’t fall far behind. A tremendous album and I love it so so much.