40. Artificial Go - Hopscotch Fever
Cincinnati natives and musical quirksters Artificial Go released their first single "Pay Phone" in July and followed it up with their debut album in September. The 8-song, 20-minute offering in Hopscotch Fever scratches that itch for ever-listenable, ever-repeatable slices of rough-and-ready DIY lushness.
’Take your shoes off, you're in the big city now.’'
39. Silverbacks - Easy Being A Winner
The quirky and ever-so-slither-y sounds of Dublin's Silverbacks meet their third full length in Easy Being a Winner. The robust, Krautrockian grooves put on display are sure to have your head bopping, toes tapping and soul in line pronto. Silverbacks are one of the finest acts on the Irish music scene and have been for some time now.
38. Peony - Vast Animals
Peony surpassed any expectations that were set when I saw them support Maruja in Newcastle towards the end of 2023 - they became hot prospects on my radar. For a two-piece, Peony's sound is quite ahead of itself - thick and full. Walls of guitar thrust forwards as frontman William Rees shrieks and squirms and drummer Ryan Gray sets up drum shop. Vast Animals is a promising look into the North East's finest duo.
37. Hoplites - Paramainomeni
Weaving threads of guitar; inescapable webs of metal malaise; tones akin to shredding A4 paper; a relentless barrage of avenues opening and closing; left-turns in abundance; quick on it's feet, slow in its unravelling. The serpent eats it's own tail.
36. Joey Valence & Brae - NO HANDS
A silly as it is serious, NO HANDS - Joey Valence & Brae - plays to its strengths. Fun can be had in the midst of passion; in fact, it can turn passion into profit - take that however you will. Joey Valence & Brae tap into their New York kin in El-P and The Beastie Boys; NO HANDS has that East Coast energy and witty bars in abundance. Valence & Brae are on one hell of a run.
35. Courting - New Last Name
January saw the Liverpool lads release their sophomore album New Last Name. Packed with a rugged pop charm - as well as a somewhat expected layer of auto-tuned goodness - New Last Name defied the expectations set by 2022's Guitar Music. Sometimes the defining factor lies in the defiance to repeat past outcomes.
Something tells me that this will be a very important record in years to come.
34. Shrapknel - Nobosy Planning to Leave
Curly Castro & Prem Rock AKA Shrapknel combine to curate one hell of an urban sonic space. Back alleys. The chill of a cold environment. Sophisticated street codes; slick mindsets. Corner stores and corner poets. The smell of fresh cut concrete. Skyscrapers with little to no view of the sky they scrape against.
’Good morning Brook-Nam.’'
33. English Teacher - This Could Be Texas
English Teacher warmed the waters through their 2022 Polyawkward EP. Two years later and the full length debut was/is within our eyes and ears. Building on the witty, sardonic stylings of their early endeavours, English Teacher capture what one would and could have only wished for.
’Haven't you seen the sky at night? There's millions of them.’
32. Brittany Howard - What Now
A swirling kaleidoscope of psychedelia and soul. The sounds of an old soul breezing through life. The pages are fresh; the contents are withered, wise. It's been here before; seen here before and will certainly be here again - maybe inside different skin. Brittany Howard's What Now bathes in the blues of Soul and the ecstasy of a psychedelic stupor.
31. Xiu Xiu -
13" Frank Beltrame Italian Stiletto with Bison Horn Grips
San Jose's Xiu Xiu live their sonic lives on the fringe - somewhere out there in sonic space. They traverse the universe and bring back their findings in sonic form. Nuggets of gold line their findings. Sometimes an overbearing emanation of self-loathing is brought back also. The disdain of self put on show is bordering on unbearable at times. Beauty can't exist without it's equal beast.
'I have done almost nothing right my entire adult life.'
30. julie - my anti-aircraft friend
The long awaited, highly anticipated julie debut arrived in September. my anti-aircraft friend had a lot to live up to; the singles released years prior as well as the Pushing Daisies EP from 2021 - which found itself in pole position on my top EP's of said year - tapped into a fresh and exciting sonic space. Waves of fuzzed-out guitar constructed, drum infested worlds are ridden on as julie set sail on their debut project which also happens to be on a major label - Atlantic. julie hit the big time with my anti-aircraft friend.
29. Previous Industries - Service Merchandise
Intelligent MC's line-up to say their piece - it feels like the innocent, early days of Hip-Hop. Clever angles and points of entry are taken. It sounds and feels like a group of MC's enjoying their time spent together. Out-wit the witty; uplift the lifted; out-do what's done. Unseen forces collide.
28. Serpent Column - Tassel of Ares
Intertwining dirges of rusted lament. Sorrowful spirits shriek through the ether; a blackhole of insurmountable magnetic force - Serpent Column awaits on the other side of the event horizon. Dig your own grave and fill it up behind you.
A message on Serpent Column's Bandcamp reads: 'Bootleg and pirate as you wish. Soulseek and P2P forever.'
27. Knocked Loose - You Won’t Go Before Supposed You’re Supposed To
Thick and to the point, Knocked Loose bear their nasty grins once more and dump the motherload of sonic sludge on 2024. In the back of your mind and at the front of your attention at all times, the grip on your soul tightens by the second. An over-bearing wide load that you can't face nor run away from; it will find you once it's given you the breathing space to think the coast is clear. You won't go before he's had his way with you; before he has you undertaking his dastardly deeds.
26. Mo Dotti - opaque
The debut album from Los Angeles' Mo Dotti packs a mighty, whirling, swirling, glitter-infused punch. Harnessing all the effective tropes of Shoegaze, and doing them justice, Mo Dotti find themselves among the most well adjusted groups on the noisier side of the sonic spectrum. You get the feeling that this is just the beginning also. Big ups Mo Dotti.
It shimmers, it shines and it fucking SLAPS.
25. Spirit of the Beehive - YOU’LL HAVE TO LOSE SOMETHING
Spirit of the Beehive's kaleidoscope of what-the-fuckery continues on album number five YOU'LL HAVE TO LOSE SOMETHING. The twisted sonic plateaus in which the band construct swing on a scale from eclectic pop to absurd abstractions. Spirit of the Beehive remain one of the most consistently awkward and unable-to-be-pigeon-holed bands on the contemporary music scene. You'll have to lose something, but you may gain everything.
24. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 2024 28,340 DEAD
Does the world fit around GY!BE or does GY!BE fit around the world? - an apocalyptic symbiosis unlike any other. Dark but understanding energy drifts forth. A sorrowful experience; a bone which breaks time and time again; a wound which refuses to heal.
Every horror needs its soundtrack.
23. Friko - Where We’ve Been, Where We Go From Here
Friko come through with their brand of ever-sharp-though-subtle Indie - familiar enough to feel like home, fresh enough to feel nourishing. From crushing guitar-based tracks to orchestrated piano ballad-esque bits, Friko run the gamut with a maturity rarely seen on a debut effort. Hints of Beach House come through in the sweeter moments and the perennial Sonic Youth in the sour spots. Tasteful rock lineage has been referenced through and through on Where we've been, Where we go from here.
'I haven't said what I mean to say; haven't done what I mean to do.'
22. Blue Bendy - So Medieval
The debut project of London six-piece Blue Bendy is one of ambitious intent. The "six-piece" tag feels like it's worth something with this lot. Bumping into thought streams; seeing where they lead. So Medieval elegantly stumbles forwards - it's a delicate affair. The uniqueness of the frontman’s pitter-patter approach to performance is refreshing, to say the least. The out-there-ness of So Medieval is akin to a controlled craze - under wraps but certainly a few steps away from the plot being lost.
I saw Blue Bendy open for Squid on their tour for O Monolith. They were great.
‘Come into Heaven; please sit down.’
21. Knitting - Some Kind of Heaven
Montreal based band Knitting - a much more exciting prospect than your grandma's favourite past-time - released their full-length debut back in September. Some Kind of Heaven harbours hushed, monotone-by-intent vocals, trudge-y aesthetics and a dreamy sound palette. It feels like a daytime nap that turned into a full-on 12 hour sleep. A hazy world is woken up to. Produced by Scott Munro of Preoccupations fame, Some Kind of Heaven packs a snarky bite.
20. Chat Pile - Cool World
The sludge-filled worlds of Oklahoma's own Chat Pile rear their murky heads to pull us feet first through the oozing, guttural swamps of the misaligned mind once more. The motoric drums provide a stable backbone for the ruthless, caustic soundscapes to sake shape. It's a cool, cool world.
‘And escape into the dark....’
19. JPEGMAFIA - I Lay Down My Life for You
At the forefront of the Experimental Hip-Hop world sits JPEGMAFIA. It's a difficult thing to experiment and remain listenable; to push and bring listeners along with you. Not many have the wherewithal to constantly change but remain true to the creative self. The scathing witticisms never stop for JPEG.
18. Vampire Weekend - Only God Was Above Us
There's a gorgeous mix of the old afro-influence from the debut; new atmospheric ground ventured through tracks like "The Surfer"; the organic Pop etiquette that pervades their whole output - Only God Was Above Us is one of the best albums to come out this decade. It's an albums album.
17. Four Tet - Three
The heavily nostalgic avenues of Four Tet find themselves traversed with a joyous air on Three. Admittedly, I've never been a great lover of Four Tet full lengths - I find him to be better in short bursts - but Three is more than solid throughout. The happy-sad of it all is so strangely life-affirming I can't help but feel fulfilled when tuning in.
16. SENTRIES - Snow as a Metaphor for Death
Alberta/Vancouver based band SENTRIES, the brainchild of Kim Elliott, set 2024 up to be a scathing banger of a 365. All of your favourite bands, acts, artists will be found on Snow as a Metaphor for Death. The breadth of sounds and avenues ventured down is noteworthy; to do them justice is another thing altogether. SENTRIES is/are still finding SENTRIES' sound, but when SENTRIES do it will be one of immeasurable worth.
15. Mount Eerie - Night Palace
Night Palace is 80-minutes of Mount Eerie - more need not be said; but I continue. Fortified forests; electrified fortresses; thick and prickly foliage; ever-unfolding paths to cross; never-ending journeys; campfires; frigid and fragile fauna; the smell of crystal clear night; the infinite present moment. A clarity of expression has always emanated out of Phil Elverum's work - Night Palace is a masterpiece.
‘I saw lightning last night... but heard nothing.’
14. Little Kid - A Million Easy Payments
A sore spot telling its side of the story; a crippling self-awareness; a shyness mistaken for sourness; a sensitivity to life unseen by some. Little Kid tap into that introspective space in which is only beneficial if it's worked with and not against. Sad times lead to beautiful breakthroughs. A Million Easy Payments, eight gorgeous songs.
'Everybody you've met has something to say about something you said.'
13. Cameron Winter - Heavy Metal
Geese frontman Cameron Winter breaks away from the gaggle and sets sail on a solo journey with an intimate palette cleanser to wash the choc-a-bloc calendar year of 2024 with. Ballad-come-folk-come-experimental-train-of-thought tracks line Heavy Metal. Off the bat, Winter's way with words is apparent; they link up in the most awkward of ways. Fresh as fuck and out there to an alarming - you love to see it - degree, Heavy Metal offers to unlock a few new doors for many a music lover. See the year out before finalising your year-end lists folks.
12. Nala Sinephro - Endlessness
Step inside the jazz-filled continuum of Endlessness; Nala Sinephro's second full length masterpiece. Endlessness is of a bubbly disposition; like thoughts frothing out of the mind-stew. Clouds hover on the horizon. A calm breeze sweeps through. Things never end; they just begin again.
11. Stalled - Dust Inside A Dream
Dust Inside a Dream was one of my most anticipated albums of recent times and Stalled didn't let a man down. The Chicago three-piece take the sludging crush of their earlier works and muster up a full-length debut that's bound to strike home with many that encounter the sounds put on show. The Slowcore influences throughout add a nice balance to the pace of the album. The three-track run of "Eyes Like Saucers", "Blue Mound" and "...and Stars Are Dying Fires of the Gods" may just be my favourite run of songs on any project of 2024.
‘Nothing works anymore. Nothing moves with purpose.’
10. MJ Lenderman - Manning Fireworks
Funny but fierce; sarcastic but ever-so-serious, Manning Fireworks is subtle, sweet. Fertile with lyrical quandaries - damned if you don't; damned if you do - Manning Fireworks questions the essence of life itself through an Alt-Country demeanour. MJ Lenderman is building a body of work which is as revered as it is endearing.
‘Birds against a heavy wind that wins in the end...’
9. Fontaines D.C. - Romance
Album number four from the Fontaines camp brings with it a polish, a sheen, a shine. Said shine doesn't necessarily mean that it lacks that signature Fontaines grit; it's there in abundance, just under a newly desired direction. The Fontaines camp have inserted an update into their output - they've proven that they can do what's necessary, now it's time to venture into more 'experimental' territory. They know how the game is played, and much kudos to them for understanding the assignment.
8. Kendrick Lamar - GNX
After coming out victorious in the biggest battering in Hip-Hop history, Kendrick Lamar surprise-released GNX. This time, he's got that sort of hateful energy for everyone - fuck everybody; anyone can get it. Current events are reflected upon through sounds and styles that you can somewhat find on previous Kendrick albums - it's like an update on the contemporary king's present moment.
Watch the party die before your very eyes.
7. Geordie Greep - The New Sound
All good things must end; although it's never guaranteed, all good things must also begin. The black midi split left something of a blackhole in the contemporary scene - three albums in and not a speedbump in sight. Greep brushes off the not-so-distant past and re-emerges as a solo act of sorts. The New Sound is sure to fill many a fix for complex, and at times absurd, sounds.
6. Ramper - Solo postres
The sophomore outing from Spanish post-rockers Ramper solidifies them amongst the ranks of contemporary greats. The breadth of their output is astounding; the levels that the band ascend to elevates me along with their material; the love and care that goes into every instrumental passage floors me. Solo postres is a slice of life itself.
Ramper, gracias mis amigos.
5. Alexander Gregory Kent - Teaches Dust to Reason
The Sprain split left my heart in pieces; it felt like a void in my personal tastes was blasted wide open. Teaches Dust to Reason set to sorting out the black hole with it's sobering essence and eerily calm feel. Alexander Gregory Kent lifts the hood on harrowing feats and splays them out along a meandering funeral march.
55 minutes of gruelling serenity.
4. Skee Mask - Resort
The world of electronic music must know how lucky it is to be blessed with the skittery-smooth sounds of Skee Mask. The rugged elegance of Resort oozes a quiet confidence; an all-knowing understanding of what's necessary. Close your eyes and drift into the swelling atmosphere put forth. Get up and get down, or get up while you get down, with Resort.
Skee Mask doesn't miss.
3. Mamaleek - Vida Blue
The strange worlds of Mamaleek took a huge hit in March of 2023 - band member and keyboardist Eric Livingston would pass away. Death is just the beginning - terrible news for those that have spent their time living like a dribbling troglodyte; great news for those that try and try. Perseverance will keep time at bay. Vida Blue is the sound of sheer agony and the gruelling process of coming to terms with it all.
2. Cindy Lee - Diamond Jubilee
Two hours of a sparkling, sombre state; two hours of yearning; two hours of loss; two hours of Cindy Lee. Diamond Jubilee is a present moment snapshot of the past; a seismic sprawl of abandoned buildings and spent psyches. Disco-balls spin for spirits, said spirits spin for an eternity. Cindy Lee have conjured up a magnum opus with Diamond Jubilee; an unfiltered, dust-filled thirty-two track epic.
1. Tapir! - The Pilgrim, Their God and The King Of My Decrepit Mountain
Folk-y flurries. Electronic tinkerings. Blissful acoustic splendours. Encased in a gorgeous, sonically bucolic setting, Tapir! set the stage through a narrated set of story's tell'd and told. Put together by two initial EP's - Act 1(The Pilgrim) and Act 2(Their God) - and cherried-on-top by a third - Act3(The King of My Decrepit Mountain) - Tapir!'s debut bolsters an intimate setting; a warmth radiating energy; a well-needed campfire sing-along on a cold night; something to keep the spirit alive through dark days.
‘It's cold, it's dark, throw your bones in the ancient water.’'