aside from RIYL and tagged-on genres. If you look through your favourite albums is there a common theme connecting them? Additionally is there a particular style or trait that draws you to an album irrespective of word of mouth/album reviews?

An example from myself, acoustic music can be very twee, but if the instrumentation is used to reflect a natural beauty and harshness, the music seems both unhinged and awe-inspiring. Think The Microphones or Shearwater.