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10. Johan Niemann – solo

I would never guess that the bass player for Evergrey would end up on my favorite keys list, but that happened. Johan’s solo effort is a crazy ride, and one of its pillars is the keyboard horizons and melodies it evokes. I loved both the playful and the dark ideas he conjured.

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9. Jens Lueck

– Single Celled Organism

Jens is a guitarist in my mind, but he’s a multi-instrumentalist, and his keys on the latest Single Celled Organism album are amazing. I loved the excellent synth tones and crazy passages he included, both atmospheric and direct.

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8. Michał Łapaj – Riverside

If there is a Riverside album, Michał will certainly be among my favorite keyboardists that year. He’s one of my favorites ever, after all, and I feel like he’s only getting better. On the latest Riverside album, his air of complexity and yet, I daresay, fun had a massive impact. You’ll hear it in the catchy hooks, but sometimes it’s just the electric atmospheric he creates that simply soaks my brain with adoration.

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7. Tim Smith – Harp

Tim’s long-awaited Harp debut proved to be worth the wait, and one of my favorite things about it was the keys. I especially liked how reserved and warm his chosen synth tones felt, and how sparingly he utilized them at all. When the keys filter into the music, they are purposeful and highly addictive. You’ll want to listen to the album again and again.

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6. Diego Tejeida – Temic

Diego is another favorite keyboardist of mine, and his debut with Temic reminded why that is. Stylish and flashy, his work on the record is full of fireworks and electronica, and it makes for an exciting listen. I’m really looking forward to what the band does next.

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5. Vikram Shankar – Silent Skies

Vikram tends to show up on this list every year now, he is that busy. His work on the new Silent Skies album is gorgeous and alive, winding around Tom’s soulful vocals with precision and heart. I can’t get enough.

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4. Tree Stewart

– The Emerald Dawn

Tree’s keyboards define The Emerald Dawn’s sound, in my opinion. They are a veritable tapestry of rich ambience, lucid synth, and poetic touches. I never tire of her playing.

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3. Erlend Viken – Giantsky

Erlend (of the band Soup) released his second Giantsky album last year, and what a beholden experience it was! Deft and mature, and oftentimes full of wonder, Erlend’s keys captured my mind on this album, especially in how balanced and precise every effect and every note feels.

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2. Frank Sacramone – Earthside

Frank’s playing on the new Earthside album is absolutely riveting. Not only is it full of energy and youth, it is also so damn beautiful and cinematic, making for breathtaking vistas and undeniably hypnotic rhythms. You really need to see him play live, too, as that is an experience on a whole new level, too.

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**1. Geoffrey Langley**

– The Twenty Committee

The Twenty Committee released their long-awaited new album (seems to have been a theme last year), and I was instantly enthralled with Geoffrey’s miraculous keyboard performance. His diversity in tone and style are truly rapturous and beautiful, and his storytelling elegance is certainly the main character in this story. As soon as I heard the album for the first time, I knew his keys would be at the top of this list.

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