The Ephemeric

Welcome back to The Ephemeric's 2022 Hot List. This week we will be having a look at the most exciting new music due for release in the coming year.


Music is always the most difficult list to compile. Every year the volume of new content seems to increase, doubly so over the pandemic years. On top of which, the advent of digital self-publishing through services like Spotify has made it more difficult to keep tabs on all the promising new talent in the industry, and resulted in release schedules that are less formalised and harder to predict.

But an abundance of options can hardly be a bad thing and while many exciting artists were axed in the process of whittling down to this short list, those that remain are very promising indeed, encompassing a healthy mix of old returning favourites and newcomers.

So without further ado, here is our list of the top albums to keep an eye on in 2022, starting with number 15:


15. Arctic Monkeys

Alex Turner has become something of an icon in the British music scene in recent years, but it is still his first vehicle, Arctic Monkeys that represents his most successful outlet to date. In 2022, AM is returning with their 7th, as yet unnamed, LP.

Given the lack of a formal release date, yet the apparent completeness of the record, I would expect this one to drop on short notice. Potentially in the spring, but more likely a summer release.

Release Date: Summer 2022


14. Sarah Kinsley (New band)

A release date has yet to be confirmed, but this is expected to be a 2022 release.

Release Date: TBA 2022


13. Gabriels (New band)

Another exciting newcomer in the form of LA's Gabriels. This soul-singing trio has been hotly tipped for success by many pundits in the industry and attracted glowing endorsements from heavy hitters like Elton John, who described last year's EP release as one of the most seminal releases of the past 10 years.

12. "The Tipping Point" by Tears for Fears

Release Date: February 2022


11. "Time Skiffs" by Animal Collective

Always intriguing, Animal Collective's latest will launch in February.

Release Date: February 2022


10. "As I Try Not to Fall Apart" by White Lies

An underrated part of the British music landscape, White Lies have been putting out consistently solid music a number of years now. New album As I Try Not to Fall Apart releases in 2022.

Release Date: March 2022


9. "Once Twice Melody" by Beach House

Once Twice Melody will release in February.

Release Date: February 2022


8. Toledo (New band)

New York-based indie due Toledo have been quietly building a reputation with a string of well-received single and EP releases over the past two years. 2021's return to the touring circuit saw them partner up with a number of well-known artists including Julien Baker and Dirty Projectors. With work now underway for an unnamed debut LP, many are tipping the band for success.

Release Date: TBA 2022

7. "Unlimited Love" by Red Hot Chili Peppers

I do not think it would be controversial of me to say that the legendary California rockers Red Hot Chili Peppers have recently been punching somewhere below the peak of their heyday. But they are far from the spent force that some would suggest. There is a reason that the band has enjoyed the remarkable longevity of a nearly forty year career, during which time they have crafted an enviable discography.

As they approach studio album number 12, there is particular cause for excitement with the return of longtime guitarist John Frusciante, who had sat out the last two albums. For many, Frusciante's sound is key to the band's identity, and his return bodes well for what could be a major return to form.

The newest album Unlimited Love is said to be in the late stages of production, with a release expected this spring. So far, we have heard just the one single Black Summer, an introspective track with gorgeous guitar-work reminiscent of the Californication era. Looking forward to this.

Release Date: April 2022

6. Skullcrusher (New band)

A name like Skullcrusher evokes the blackest of heavy metal, but this couldn't be further from the reality of Helen Ballentine's music. This is some delicately crafted multi-instrumental folk pop. Tranquil, lush, and grounded with some deft lyrical work.

Release Date: TBA 2022


5. "From Capelton Hill" by Stars

Canadian band Stars are an iconic name in the indie music scene for many of my generation. A soundtrack to many a coming of age story and a consistent purveyor of gorgeous music over many years and nine albums. Album number 10, From Capelton Hill releases in 2022.

The band has many classic tracks to their name, including Your Ex-Lover is Dead, Ageless Beauty and so many other near flawless tracks. If early single Pretenders is any indication, then the band finds themselves in fine, if familiar form.

From Capelton Hill releases in May and I personally am looking forward to it with great relish.

Release Date: May 2022

4. Aloboi (New band)

Another year gone with no LP, but still Aloboi remains one of the most exciting new artists in electronic music. The Berlin-based composer has continued to release new tracks at a steady clip, each highlighting the artists flair for dreamy soundscapes and eclectic influences.

Aloboi's work-to-date has been highly impressive. From the retro chill out vibes of A Pleasing Smile, to the more danceable electronic stylings of Want To Love, the classical remix of Night Train (Claire de Lune), or the dazzling genre mash up of Somebody Feel, it's a very impressive array of work for a newcomer that is fast establishing Aloboi as one of the more exciting talents in the industry.

As we await a debut album, one gets the impression that there is a lot more to come from this artist, whether its in 2022 or beyond, Aloboi is definitely one to keep an eye on.

Release Date: TBA 2022

3. "Chloe and the Next 20th Century" by Father John Misty

In any case, we won't have long to wait with a release set for April. This won't be one to miss.

Release Date: April 2022


2. The xx

French house artist Kavinsky spent much of the 2000s developing his signature synthwave sound, inspired by the cinema and pop culture of the 1980s. That process culminated in his debut, and so far only studio album, OutRun.

An ambitious concept album, complete with its own mythology and distinct artwork. But it's the great singles we care about, including his most famous tracks Nightcall, and Odd Look. Indeed OutRun was so successful that it is considered among some internet subcultures to have created its own aesthetic genre, and is now an umbrella term used to describe any form of neo-futuristic 1980s revival.

Yet despite the success, there has been almost complete radio silence since that album's release in 2013. Until now. A follow up album, Reborn, is finally on the way and we have the first two singles. If Renegade makes for a delightfully funky, over-the-top slice of nostalgia, the second release Zenith is an absolute masterpiece. Oozing with atmosphere, melancholy, and even a twist of irresistible saxophone goodness. This is as close to an "event" album as it gets.

Release Date: March 2022

Welcome back to The Ephemeric's 2022 Hot List. This week we will be having a look at the most exciting theatrical productions coming to the stage in the coming year.


The last two years have not been kind to theatre, with pandemics, lockdowns, and tight restrictions on when and how you can congregate indoors. So much so, that this blog skipped the Theatre list entirely in its 2021 preview. But in 2022, theatre makes a comeback. The playhouses are reopening, the great thespians of the world are returning to the stage, and the pent-up creative output of two years is ready to be unleashed.

Make no mistake, we are still not back at 100%. I hold tickets for several 2020 productions that have still yet to be rescheduled and there is no guarantee that conditions won't worsen once again. For this reason, this year's list will be reduced from 15 to 10.

So without further ado here's our list of the top 10 theatrical productions to keep an eye on in 2022, starting with number 10:


10. "Glass Menagerie" by Tennessee Williams, at Duke of York's Theatre

9. "Marys Seacole" by Jackie Sibblies Drury, at the Donmar Warehouse

A new play about the pioneering Jamaican nurse who braved the battlefield to heal soldiers in the Crimean war. Billed as a metafictional biography, Marys Seacole is a story about what it means to be a woman who is paid to care, and how, ultimately, no one is in charge of their own story.  

Marys Seacole will run from April until the end of June.


8. "4000 Miles" by Amy Herzog, at the Old Vic

A dramatic comedy and Pulitzer Prize finalist when it launched on Broadway, Amy Herzog's 4000 Miles is one of several delayed 2020 productions looking to make its long-awaited curtain-fall this year. 

The exact date of this launch has yet to be confirmed, but is said to be sometime in the summer.


7. "The House of Shades" by Beth Steel, at the Almeida

Another rescheduled 2020 production, The House of Shades promises a working class epic, told over five generations of a family struggling through the industrial landscape of 20th Century Britain.

This world premiere at the Almeida comes courtesy of Hampstead Theatre regular Beth Steel, best known for her productions of Wonderland and Labyrinth on that stage. Here, she collaborates with director Blanche McIntyre, a familiar face for patrons of the Almeida following her star studded production of The Writer.

The House of Shades will run over the summer, with previews commencing in May this year.

6. "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Aaron Sorkin and Harper Lee, at the Gielgud Theatre

But not all of 2020's rescheduled productions have re-emerged unscathed. The Gielgud's production of the classic Harper Lee novel To Kill a Mockingbird will finally see the light of day in 2022, albeit with a notable casting change.

This is a production of the adaptation by legendary screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, previously a mega-hit on Broadway that has earned rave reviews from the critics. The London production had originally been cast with Rhys Ifans, but following a two year delay, he has been replaced by Rafe Spall. Ifans is one of the greats, but in Spall we have a very capable replacement. It will be interesting to see how he fares.

It is sad that in 2022, the 60th anniversary of the novel's original publication, its themes of racial injustice remain so pertinent, hopefully this production can serve as a timely reminder, and stir some fresh impetus into solving some of the problems that we still face as a society.


5. "The 47th" by Mike Bartlett, at the Old Vic

Mike Bartlett is one of those playwrights that merits attention any time he puts out new work. His plays have drawn critical acclaim and big budget adaptations. 

The 47th sees him tread the familiarly political ground of King Charles III and Albion, with a new darkly comedic script that imagines the hypothetical 2024 Presidential campaign of Donald Trump. Exciting casting news sees the highly accomplished Bertie Carvel in the starring role, seen recently in his Olivier award winning turn as Ruper Murdoch in the excellent Almeida production of Ink.

The 47th will run from the end of March until the end of May at the Old Vic.


4. "The Father and the Assassin" by Anupama Chandrasekhar, at the National Theatre

One of the main tentpoles of their summer line up, The Father and the Assassin is the National Theatre debut of acclaimed Indian playwright Anupama Chandrasekhar. 

A dramatic epic about the man who would become Mahatma Gandhi's assassin, The Father and the Assassin traces the life of Nathuram Godse over thirty years during India's fight for independence.

The Father and the Assassin opens in May and will run through the summer on the National's Olivier stage.


3. "The Pillowman" by Martin McDonagh, at Duke of York's Theatre

One of the most celebrated works of the multi award winning playwright, screenwriter and director Martin McDonagh, best known for his work in Hollywood that includes In Bruges, Seven Psycopaths, and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri. The Pillowman made its debut at the National Theatre back in 2003. Now, some 19 years later, it returns to the stage at Duke of York's Theatre.

The Pillowman is the story of Katurian, an author living in a police state whose work comes under scrutiny when it becomes apparent that the violence depicted in his writing bears striking similarities to a series of gruesome child murders that take place. This West-End revival comes with a fairly prominent star in Aaron Taylor Johnson, and a dark turn for comedian Steve Pemberton. 

This was one of those productions originally slated for 2020 before the pandemic hit. While a new release has yet to be confirmed, it is expected to hit the stage later in 2022.


2. "Jerusalem" by Jez Butterworth, at the Apollo Theatre

One of the most unmissable pieces of theatre to come along in a long while, yet unfortunately also one of the easiest to miss due to the high demand for tickets.

Jerusalem is a revival of the 2009 Jez Butterworth play, previously at the Royal Court Theatre. But the main attraction is its world-renowned star Mark Rylance, whose starring turn in the original production is commonly viewed as one of the all time great theatre performances. Rylance, incredibly, returns to the role some twelve years later, offering a new opportunity to witness this great piece of theatre.

This new production comes courtesy of the Apollo Theatre and begins its run in March. Tickets are going fast.


1. "The Burnt City" by Punchdrunk Theatre

But our number 1 play to see in 2022 is the latest from hugely ambitious immersive theatre maestros Punchdrunk, The Burnt City. While Sleep No More continues to run strong in New York some six years later, and now also in Shanghai, this marks their first London production since 2013's The Drowned Man.

A loose adaptation of Greek tragedies Agamemnon and Hecuba, The Burnt City will be another immersive showcase, taking place in not one, but two former military arsenal buildings in Woolwich. Attendees will be free to explore these sprawling, immaculately detailed environments while actors perform the rather loose narratives around them. 

A Punchdrunk theatre production is an experience like few other. An extraordinary mix of theatre, open-world videogame and hallucinogenic waking dream. Many others have since followed to try and do what they do, but none have pulled it off so convincingly. This will be a must-see event, possibly even multiple times..



So there you have it folks: 2022 in theatre. Tune in soon for our next instalment of the Hot List, covering the essential new music coming this year!