Underrated 2022 Albums for Each Zodiac Sign

Tired of catastrophic horoscopes or confusing planetary retrogrades? We’ve got the perfect alternative for you: an under-the-radar album release to match your zodiac sign.

Written by C.S. Harper

Photos courtesy of Anthony Vanity, Mach-Hommy, Ebru Yildiz, Katie McCurdy, and Dexter Lander

With publications left and right putting out their end-of-the-year lists, it can be daunting to keep up with all of the lauded releases of the year, especially the indie albums. To help you catch up with the underground records that came out this year, we’re making it fun for you: Here’s a list of indie albums categorized by the zodiac traits they match best.

**Aries (March 21 – April 19): Most Normal by Gilla Band**

Aries traits: Angsty, fiery, candid

Dublin group Gilla band (formerly known as Girl Band) is known for its experimental, almost horror-drug-trip take on noise rock. With frontman Dara Kiely’s rambling sprechgesang, the menacing grime of his backing band’s guitars, and a constant whirlwind of lyrics that sound like they came from a disaffected teenager’s diary, Most Normal perfectly encapsulates Aries’ energy in its 36-minute runtime. Lyrics like “I ramble and give up / Once upon a shut up” and “I’m in between breakdowns, constantly” can hit home for the average Arian who feels overwhelmed by the passion of their internal monologue. But this record doesn’t just wallow in chaos — there’s also moments of peace woven into its noisy production. “The Weirds” begins with an oddly calming wall of sound composed of white noise and undulating synths, which like waves of water, calm an Arian’s fire and allow them to carry through the rest of the album. Overall, Most Normal is anything but its title, with cathartic noise rock production interrupted by brief moments of serenity that allow listeners to take it all in. Just like Aries, who is ferocious, bold, and even sometimes intimidating, this record also has its unappreciated beauty, which Aries can take inspiration from by embracing the chaos of their fiery minds.

**Taurus (April 20 – May 20): Svengali by Cakes da Killa**

Taurus traits: Understated opulence, sensuality, hedonism

“Opulence! You own everything!” but make it an album — that’s Svengali. Created by one of the most exciting new names in house music, the record combines elegant lo-fi jazz beats with Cakes da Killa’s buttery flow to create songs fit for Taurian royalty. However, the thematic material of Svengali isn’t so idyllic, as it covers a “love affair from hookup to breakup.” Nevertheless, the rapper navigates it with panache, mixing funk and spacey jazz beats with his sultry, unrelenting lyrics. In true down-to-earth Taurus fashion, he cockily asks his lover in the eponymous track, “I know you’re touching me / But are you feeling me?” Throughout the rest of the album’s 36-minute runtime, he casually namedrops Galliano and Margiela and calls himself a “Black panther wrapped up in a mink stole,” fancying himself a lifestyle of pure Taurian luxury. As such, the record’s Dionysian self-indulgence makes it the perfect soundtrack for Taurus’ journey to conquer the pleasures of life.

**Gemini (May 21 – June 20): ’Til the Stream Runs Dry by Opus Kink**

Gemini traits: Multifaceted, animated, clever

Geminis might have accrued infamy as the two-faced signs of the zodiac, but they’re really just multidimensional beings. Similarly, Opus Kink explores dualism with ’Til the Stream Runs Dry, the Brighton band’s latest effort of the jazz-punk persuasion. In “St. Paul of the Tarantulas,” riveting saxophone and trumpet solos alternate over a vacillating piano line and wall of fuzzy guitar shreds à la the Lounge Lizards as the lead vocalist Angus Rogers screeches, barks, and howls across the track’s runtime. But the band also knows when to cool things down, delivering a heartfelt love song with “I Love You, Baby” and a sultry stream-of-consciousness jazz track with “(I’m Going Down To That) Hole In the Ground.” Once called “a bit too much” by famous Taurian Robert Smith, Opus Kink shows with this record that their “excessive” cacophony is just enough, and so are the Geminis it represents.

**Cancer (June 21 – July 22): Bad Influence by Ojerime**

Cancer traits: Moody, yearning, vulnerable

Cancers often get flack for being the “crybabies” of the zodiac, but in reality, they just have strong emotions that easily overtake them. With Bad Influence, Cancers can take these feelings in stride, wallowing in them as they experience the complex emotional journey that South London singer Ojerime creates with her heartfelt lyrics. With twangy guitars and the singer’s deep purrs, opening track “Alarming” takes the listener back to ‘90s R&B, appealing to Cancer’s nostalgic sentiments. Other songs, like “Nothing,” are simply devastating, as Ojerime sings, “What was I to you? / Nothing,” in a prolonged, pained note. By the end of the album, though, she burns down bridges “down to the fucking roach,” along with the emotions that came with these relationships. As an emotional rollercoaster, Bad Influence may be exactly that — a bad influence on the internal chaos of Cancer, but a necessary, cathartic one. So, Cancers, put on Bad Influence and pour your heart out.

**Leo (July 23 – August 22): The Girlfriend Experience by Chase Icon**

Leo traits: Main character syndrome, vivacious, drama-seeking

At only 10 minutes long, The Girlfriend Experience is one of just two EPs that made the list. And with good reason: Its short runtime makes it the perfect hype-up record for Leos as they sashay to the site of their next drama. The record has everything a Leo would ever need — catchy club pop production, braggadocious lyrics, and even a Britney Spears interpolation in “Save You From the Streets.” Beginning with the aptly titled “You Can’t Come to My Party,” the EP finds Chase Icon ruling the club scene over hyperpop-adjacent beats. At the end of the track, she harnesses Leo-like energy to nonchalantly read a party guest: “And she came out all, ‘Chase, let's go to the hot tub!’ / And I was like, ‘Sorry, I forgot I don't hang out with horses, plus, I'm busy, slut.’ This tone carries on to “Bang (My Body),” where the singer brags about her immaculate figure that could turn “a transphobe to a chaser.” With its bimbolicious energy, The Girlfriend Experience will have any Leo living out their Regina George fantasy.

**Virgo (August 23 – September 22): Duck Czn: Tiger Style by Mach-Hommy**

Virgo traits: Articulate, meticulous, analytical

Much like the introverted Virgo, Mach-Hommy is a reclusive figure, hiding his real name and covering his face with his now-iconic bandana. But also like the maiden of the zodiac, the elusive Haitian rapper has smarts and an eye for detail, which shine through in Duck Czn: Tiger Style. His second collaboration with Atlanta producer-MC Tha God Fahim, the record features slick bars and carefully curated beats to make for perfect lo-fi hip-hop tracks. “Lemme tell you a toy story: whip color potato bread / Ridin' with this cowboy to blast at your potato head,” spits Mach-Hommy’s collaborator over sultry saxophone lines and mellow piano chords in “Chimay Bleues.” And of course, the record also features the now customary once-an-album collaboration with underground legend Your Old Droog: “Blue Hill @ Stone Barns,” a track reminiscent of ‘90s trip-hop with its violin-driven beat. With Duck Czn: Tiger Style, forget lo-fi hip-hop playlists for studying — listening to this record will maximize your Virgoan brain power during your next study session.

**Libra (September 23 – October 22): Marchita by Silvana Estrada**

Libra traits: Charming, dreamy, harmonious

In perfect harmony just like a Libra, Silvana Estrada takes inspiration from the whimsies of life to forge a simply breathtaking acoustic record. In opener “Más o Menos Antes,” she marries idyllic imagery with soft guitar plucks, creating a happy-go-lucky, storybook feel. “Más o menos antes no había mucho que defender / Un gato, una ventana, y algunas lluvias sobre papel” (“More or less in the past, there wasn’t much to defend / A cat, a window, and some rain over paper”), the songstress reminisces about the past. In “La Corriente,” she includes a mellifluous saxophone and delicate piano keys to accompany her Librean musings about the sea. “Cambiaste mareas y corrientes, dejaste tu nombre en el mar / Volteaste la cara sonriente y yo que no supe nadar” (“You changed tides and currents, you left your name in the sea / You turned your smiling face, and I didn't know how to swim”), she laments. Overall, the melancholy lyrics and gorgeous instrumentals of Marchita make it ideal for Libra’s next daydreaming episode.

**Scorpio (October 23 – November 21): HIS HAPPINESS SHALL COME FIRST EVEN THOUGH WE ARE SUFFERING by Backxwash**

Scorpio traits: Devout, tumultuous, intense

As one of the most hated signs of the zodiac, Scorpios are also one of the most misunderstood. With so much pent-up passion, Scorpios need a cathartic album to help them release it. In comes Backxwash’s fifth effort, the last of an autobiographical trilogy on her trans identity and relationship with religion. The rapper captures the tumult of the Scopio mind as she completes a Catholic confession in lyrical opener “VIBANDA.” “I confess / I’m a mess / I'm a dog / I'm a pest,” she scream-raps. The inner darkness continues in horrorcore banger “NYAMA,” where featured artist Pupil Slicer screeches the hook in a pig squeal: “The nothingness to which I aspire / Fed by parasites, they revel in every single second of the pain.” However, the record changes tone in the cheery closer “MUKAZI,” where Backxwash reflects on being “less stressed these days'' and expresses her devotion to a loved one (“Every little thing in my heart is for you now”). Although the better half of HIS HAPPINESS SHALL COME FIRST EVEN THOUGH WE ARE SUFFERING isn’t exactly a crowd-pleaser, Scorpios can revel in its happy ending, taking it as a sign that they too will find the light at the end of their mind’s tunnel.

**Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21): Teatro Lúcido by La Femme**

Sagittarius traits: Free-spirited, adventurous, dynamic

Just like Sagittarians, La Femme’s Teatro Lúcido flows between different modes of existence, trickling in and out of a variety of genres and languages. In its fourth album, French rock band La Femme tries its hand at Spanish psychedelia, incorporating samba rhythms and flamenco guitars in songs like “Sacatela” and “Y tu te vas.” This free-flowing — albeit appropriative — incorporation of diverse genres brings to mind the lively nature of the galloping Sagittarian archer. Beginning with the instrumental synth and trumpet-driven epic “Fugue Italienne,” Teatro Lúcido transitions into “Cha-cha,” a groovy funk throwback that will have any Sagittarius breaking it down on the dance floor. In standout single “No pasa nada” (which translates to “Nothing happens”), the band takes on Sagittarian YOLO energy as it recounts a drunken night: “No pasa nada / En mi cabeza / Una memoria borrada” (“Nothing happens / In my head / An erased memory”). With its rebellious energy and psychedelic soundscapes, Teatro Lúcido will make the perfect soundtrack for Sagittarius’ next smoke session.

**Capricorn (December 22 – January 19): AMERICAN GURL by Kilo Kish**

Capricorn traits: Ambitious, materialistic, wise

Capricorn is the poster child of the all-American girl. Materialistic overachievers with a can-do attitude, Capricorns can accomplish anything they set their minds to. But as Kilo Kish points out in AMERICAN GURL, there’s a high price to this mindset: the loss of identity. Speaking about the eponymous track, Kilo Kish (born Lakisha Robinson) explains that it’s about “Trying to overcome my own history, overcome the need to be a success story, an achiever. Trying to outrun it all with the weight of expectation on your shoulders.” A true Capricorn anthem, the track sees Robinson question her sense of self over a catchy anti-pop instrumental: “Will I find me an American girl?” Other songs, like “NO APOLOGY!” and “NEW TRICKS: ART, AESTHETICS, AND MONEY,” delve into the darkness of the Capricorn mind, respectively carrying an unapologetic, snarky attitude and ruminating on capitalist materialism, while juxtaposed with danceable synth-pop beats. All in all, this ambitious concept album will give much for Capricorns to reflect on in their own lives as G.O.A.T.s while dancing the night away at the club.

**Aquarius (January 20 – February 18) - Aethiopes by billy woods**

Aquarius traits: Introspective, boundary-defying, progressive

Blessed with the gift of introspection and a passion for social justice, Aquarius carries the spirit of conscious rap, and there’s no better up-and-coming rapper from the subgenre to represent the water bearer of the zodiac than billy woods. In Aethiopes, the master crate digger melds jazz and vintage Nigerian film samples with African instruments to create a masterful amalgamation of the Black diaspora. From the album cover (a Rembrandt painting of two African men) to the record’s name (a Latin word for “Ethiopian”), the project is clearly rooted in Black history. But woods’ genius shines most in his lyrics, whether he’s spitting bars about life in the projects in “Asylum” or lamenting European colonialism in “Haarlem.” Perhaps most unique is the fourth track, “Sauvage,” the production of which is composed of an unending loop that accompanies woods’ storytelling, which has no clear beginning or end. All things considered, billy woods’ wit and out-of-the-box approach to conscious rap makes Aethiopes the perfect album for Aquarius’ next philosophizing session.

**Pisces (February 19 – March 20): Heterosexuality by Shamir**

Pisces traits: Quirky, creative, imaginative

As the wild child of the zodiac, Pisces warrants an album that’s just as unique to represent them. Deconstructing systems of oppression through the lens of industrial, avant-pop, R&B, and more, the ironically titled Heterosexuality is exactly that. Over a sea of guitar fuzz, Shamir contemplates his gender: “I don't wanna be a girl / I don't wanna be a man / I'm just existing on this godforsaken land / And you can take it or leave it,” he belts. This defiant tone carries onto the funky “Marriage,” wherein the singer declares that he’s “married to me.” In penultimate track “Reproductive,” Shamir perfectly captures Pisces’ unconventional energy with the lines “At best, I’m exceedingly protean / And at worst, I’ll never know peace.” With its subversive lyrics and genre-bending sound, Heterosexuality is a quintessential Pisces album.

To wrap things up, here’s a playlist with zodiac anthems from these albums to get you exploring these records.

Afterglow ATXDecember 19, 2022zodiac2022, C.S. Hayter, listicle, aoty