37. IMMUNITY by Clairo

2019 saw Clairo (Claire Cottrill) emerge from being a viral bedroom pop star to a full-fledged indie pop sensation, thanks to this debut album, with production and musical help from members of Vampire Weekend and Haim. One way to describe this record is “chill.” Though the beats are there, a level of restraint in the production allows her vocals to come through in a way that they hadn’t when she was recording tracks in her bedroom. Though I’m not a fan of auto-tune, it is used to “okay” effect in one of the album’s standout tracks, ‘Closer to You.’ The other hit is ‘Bags,’ so check that one out too. ‘North’ is a song that doesn’t get mentioned much, but I think it’s just as good as the others. While the first half of the album focuses more on the beats and overall music with her vocals gliding on top, the second half is weighted more towards the opposite - her singing takes the spotlight (runs and all) with the music acting as the vehicle. Have a listen and see if you agree.