[Stabbsy]

After a few years of not finding much time to listen to music, I've had a more successful year this year. Here's the Guardian top 50 (number 1 not yet released) and Piccadilly Records top 100 which have ended up including most of my choices for this year.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/dec/05/the-50-best-albums-of-2023

https://www.piccadillyrecords.com/counter/feature.php?feature=1378

Most listened (new) album this year was the first of The National's two releases - The First Two Pages of Frankenstein. If anyone had said at the start of the year that one of my favourite new songs would feature Taylor Swift, I'd have been horrified. However, The Alcott is one of my top tracks of the year.

Other albums, in no particular order :-

• Slowdive - Everything is Alive
• Boygenius - The Record
• Sufjan Stevens - Javelin
• The National - Laugh Track

Also, a few new to me albums that I've missed previously :-

• Better Oblivion Community Center - Better Oblivion Community Center. Off the back the Boygenius album. Always been a fan of Conor Oberst/Bright Eyes but totally unaware this existed.
• Out Lines - Conflats. Someone recommended a Twilight Sad album to me which led me to this (same vocalist). I can imagine the vocals might be a bit Marmite for some people, but worked for me.

The Piccadilly list in particular has identified a few releases I hadn't heard about or hadn't got round to listening to - Teenage Fanclub, King Creosote and The Coral.

As ever, looking forward to everyone else's highlights to stock my playlist for next year.

[edshakey]

+1 for the slowdive record. Absolutely brilliant.

Highlights from flicking through those lists:

- I notice Piccadilly have included Little Simz "No Thank You", think I mentioned it on last years thread but stand by it, great album.

- The new Squid album was good too, saw them twice this year and thoroughly enjoyed both times.

- Only heard bits from the Oneohtrix Point Never/Sofia Kourtesis/Nabihah Iqbal albums but they're good so far

- Saw Yves Tumor recently, didn't know much of their stuff going into it, but would definitely recommend


To add my own:

- Tapir! have released their first EPs, album out early next year. Saw them three times across festivals and supporting others, and enjoyed every second.

- the live Black Country New Road record was certainly different from previous, but good nonetheless

- new CASISDEAD album is decent

- Obongjayar's "Some Nights..." is from last year but I only heard it this year, and loved it.

[SA Chris]

Yes, favourite thread. For once I have been making a bit of effort to discover some new stuff, and found some stuff i really like

Maribou State (been around for ages) mostly from the Blackoak EP

but this is a standout



Dry Cleaning - also been around for a whille, Stumpwork from last year is better than recent stuff. Might not be to everyone's taste

 

Wolf Alice cover of the old Roxy Music classic;



New song by The Smile, new album coming next year;



There is also the new Chemical Brothers album, that delivers just what you'd expect; good but not amazing.

Likewise Gorillaz;

 

Also been listening to Antony Szmierek which has really grown on me



Roisin Murphy is good enough too (video is weird though)



Beach Fossils Bunny album is good if you like a bit of modern shoegaze,



and Coach Party (like a slightly angrier and noisier version of Wet Leg)



Oh yeah, and new Foos. I know a lot of the songs are about Taylor Hawkins, but resonate with me about ones I've lost this year, and it gives me a lump in my throat whenever I listen to it.

[JamieG]

• Better Oblivion Community Center - Better Oblivion Community Center. Off the back the Boygenius album. Always been a fan of Conor Oberst/Bright Eyes but totally unaware this existed.

Good shout, this is a great album. I hope they do another collaboration.

[JamieG]

Not sure I've listened to that much new music this year, but Jeff Rosenstock's new album Hellmode is good. Not sure it quite hits the heights of Worry, We Cool? and Post- but it's still good punk rock if that's your thing. 

[lukeyboy]

Excellent thread. I too have made a conscious effort to try and discover some new music this year. My highlights have been:

Ahnoni & the Johnsons - My back was a bridge for you to cross
This is hauntingly beautiful, yet at times feels like a scream of grief. The vocals are otherworldly. 'Sliver of ice' is a fave, plus interesting Lou Reed backstory.

Bug club - Rare birds: hour of song
I've only come across this one this week, but I've really enjoyed the sprawling and eclectic 47 (!) tracks. Try 'Marriage'.

Gabriels - Angels and Queens
Aside from anything else, for Jacob Lusks incredible voice!

Not strictly this year, but other new finds for me:

Kae Tempest - The line is a curve
I have completely fallen in love with Kae, such an exquisite wordsmith. Try 'I Saw Light' as an intro.

Fontaines DC - Skinty Fia
I'm no music journalist and don't really know how to describe this, other than it's brilliant atmospheric post punk and give it a go. 'I love you' is a stand out, but the whole album is strong.

I'm sure there's more but that's all that springs to mind for now.

P.s. The new Chemical Brothers album was mentioned above, I've really enjoyed that too

[lukeyboy]

I've been recommended The National by a few friends (usually as a response to my saying that I love Arcade Fire) and have listened to them a bit over the years but never really got into them. This thread has prompted me to resolve to try again with the latest 2 albums.

[sxrxg]

As usual I didn't listen to many new things this year, the one album that did stand out though was Mil Spec - Marathon. Canadian melodic hardcore in a style that isn't that prevalent in the current hardcore scene.

https://youtu.be/sguLPgLCfAc?si=9JJcVgMKj2JoHlSM

[Stabbsy]

I've been recommended The National by a few friends (usually as a response to my saying that I love Arcade Fire) and have listened to them a bit over the years but never really got into them. This thread has prompted me to resolve to try again with the latest 2 albums.

As good as this year’s two albums are, their high point for me would still be High Violet and Trouble Will Find Me.

[Dingdong]

This project between turnstile and badbadnotgood has been on repeat non-stop since it dropped. They reimagined a number of songs from their incredible hardcore album Glow On.

https://open.spotify.com/album/532ZmwSwZF55jqvzgq70fC?si=Ox-bTlzeR6y2QxGYITIBJA

And obviously Sundial by noname was beautiful https://open.spotify.com/album/1RThtoZbeE7OQHMBzaBCJt?si=VzIJnjhkRvS8iDhfOa_5cQ bonus points for her tiny desk show https://youtu.be/JtCB7vy1q2E?si=150d9XxdvMaJHrfI

[sxrxg]

As much as I love Glow On i do miss the more straight forward hardcore of Non Stop Feeling and Step 2 Rhythm Turnstile era.

[Dingdong]

Aye I getcha, they still go so hard live - it’s been pretty amazing to see their transformation over the years. What I loved about Glow On was how much more mainstream it made hardcore music. They’re proper trailblazers in that respect!

[lukeyboy]

I've been recommended The National by a few friends (usually as a response to my saying that I love Arcade Fire) and have listened to them a bit over the years but never really got into them. This thread has prompted me to resolve to try again with the latest 2 albums.

As good as this year’s two albums are, their high point for me would still be High Violet and Trouble Will Find Me.

Noted, cheers 👍

[sherlock]

I've been recommended The National by a few friends (usually as a response to my saying that I love Arcade Fire) and have listened to them a bit over the years but never really got into them. This thread has prompted me to resolve to try again with the latest 2 albums.

As good as this year’s two albums are, their high point for me would still be High Violet and Trouble Will Find Me.

Noted, cheers 👍

The National are the sort of band that you begin to love by osmosis.
Play stuff by them and it all seems a bit underwhelming but gradually a lyric or melody will seep into your subconscious and the growing realisation that yes, you really really need to listen to that track again.And again....
That's how it was for me, I'd also agree that High Violet is a great entry point.
Highlights for me include
Goat-Medicine
and unbelievably the new work from Jethro Tell, who I've hated for over 50 years, go figure as they say..

[Hoseyb]

Always love this thread. I've been mainly discovering old music, but here's one with an album from this year.

https://youtu.be/EpXIt_7uso8?si=g0uxL-derCeEkhT5

[SA Chris]

I've been recommended The National by a few friends (usually as a response to my saying that I love Arcade Fire) and have listened to them a bit over the years but never really got into them. This thread has prompted me to resolve to try again with the latest 2 albums.

I'm the same, tried to like them, but never managed to.

[jwi]

I've been recommended The National by a few friends (usually as a response to my saying that I love Arcade Fire) and have listened to them a bit over the years but never really got into them. This thread has prompted me to resolve to try again with the latest 2 albums.

I'm the same, tried to like them, but never managed to.

The American U2.

[jwi]

Oh well. I have not listen a lot to new music in 2023, so my list will be well suspect. I go with a mixture of top 5 from my plays on youtube music and spotify.

Kristian Mattson, The tallest man on earth, is about my age (give or take ten years), from my neck of the woods (in a generalised sense), likes Woody Guthrie and open tuning and lived abroad for many years. I really liked his album "The wild hunt" from 2010 but since then I have not listed alot to his music. I really like his year's album "Henry St"



The second most played album this year was a recording of Bach's Goldberg variations by Vikingur, the Icelandic metronome, as a friend dismissively calls him. I find it great, especially for us who cannot stand Glenn's humming.



Other than that, I have listed to all new music by Lau Noah, even though she has not released an album. I am also blown away that someone can write such good lyrics in their second (Spanish) and third language (English). Really great compositions as well. If she was just a bit better on the guitar I would not listen to anything else.



Two weeks ago, Moon Safari, a bunch of guys from my hometown released an album of progressive-ish rock with Beach Boys harmonies. Three of the band members are sons of a locally famous choir leader and song teacher. The vocal harmonies are amazing. I also like anyone who sings in my dialect.




New discoveries of old stuff:

Since I discovered the concert series recorded in the living room of jazz pianist great Emmet Cohen, I have according to youtube's yearly overview spent an unhealthy amount of time on his youtube channel

Here's a teaser:

[moose]

+1 for the slowdive record. Absolutely brilliant.

Souvlaki was my chosen "chilling out and nodding off" album for years. Their being active again had completely passed me by - will definitely download that.

In the improbable event anyone's interested (and definitely not in the 2023 spirit), my successor to Souvlaki has been 2814's Birth of a New Day. It's 2015 a Vaporwave / Dreampunk LP - music made for wondering around neon-lit cities in the rain - nostalgia for a Tokyo / Bladerunner future that never happened. Mediated by distorted, resampled, and reimagined Muzak.

[JamieG]

I've been recommended The National by a few friends (usually as a response to my saying that I love Arcade Fire) and have listened to them a bit over the years but never really got into them. This thread has prompted me to resolve to try again with the latest 2 albums.

I'm the same, tried to like them, but never managed to.

The American U2.

Ouch!    (if that was a dig, it landed)

[Stabbsy]

I've been recommended The National by a few friends (usually as a response to my saying that I love Arcade Fire) and have listened to them a bit over the years but never really got into them. This thread has prompted me to resolve to try again with the latest 2 albums.

I'm the same, tried to like them, but never managed to.

The American U2.

My mistake. I’ll make sure I run it past you before I start liking anything next year. I clearly can’t be trusted to have my own opinion.

[jwi]

Sorry if it came out as a dig, I mean that they are very similar in the sense that they are in the same genre of music, sound incredibly similar to me, and I understand why lots of people like them.

[Stabbsy]

Definitely came out as a dig! Maybe likening something to U2 has more positive connotations in Sweden/France than it does in the UK

Tallest Man on Earth came up in a previous iteration of this thread a few years ago - album was Dark Bird is Home. Possibly a Fatneck selection as I ended up getting a few hits from his selections over a few years. I’ll give the new one a listen.

[duncan]

The Ezra Collective were more than just token 'jazz' act for this year's Mercury Prize. Nothing very original but if you're going to show your influences then 70s Afrobeat is not a bad place to start from.



Was also going to choose Víkingur Ólafsson's Goldberg Variations. Human Metronome...phah!



The Beatles Red and Blue albums had a remix for the bluetooth speaker and ear bud market this year. This often meant boosting the upper bass and drums a little, coincidentally bringing the surviving two to the fore. He who pays the piper. AI was used to separate all the vocals and instruments from the original mono tapes. Like cleaning a Leonardo this has had mixed reviews, especially in the later material, but the early tunes now punch out of speakers like they were recorded yesterday. I Saw Her Standing There opens their first album which means - per Philip Larkin - the 1960s started with a "One, two, three, four!"...

[JamieG]

Sorry if it came out as a dig, I mean that they are very similar in the sense that they are in the same genre of music, sound incredibly similar to me, and I understand why lots of people like them.

Haha no worries jwi. I thought it was hilarious and a great dig. And I actually really like the national. 

[Duma]

The American U2.

LOOOOOOOL

I still bloody love Bloodbuzz Ohio though

[Falling Down]

Some great selections folks.  Thanks for taking the time to write about and share.

Here’s some of mine from ‘23.

Hana Stratton - Soon

https://youtu.be/DlzcmjVTtec?feature=shared

Gentle, hushed impressionistic portraits.  Piano, six and twelve string and her gorgeous voice.

Steve Gunn & David More - Reflections Vol.1 Let the moon be a planet

https://youtu.be/XSm4L455PKI?feature=shared

A lovely instrumental LP.  Gunn on guitars with More accompanying on piano.  Very beautiful.  Got to see them both play this live earlier in the year which was a treat.

Richard Skelton - Selenodesy

https://youtu.be/xsyYUCRvXnQ?feature=shared

Skelton lives somewhat off the grid in a remote part of Cumbria making long-form drone, ambient, field recordings and films under several alias’s.  This one’s in his own name.  Also got to see him play this in a church sometime during the spring. 

ØXN: CYRM

https://youtu.be/fuaLiowElxE?feature=shared

Two members of Lankum including the unique voice of Radie Peat.  Dark Irish trad and blistering rock.  Fab!
 
Richard Norris - Several

https://richardnorris.bandcamp.com

Monthly 20 minute ambient pieces continuing the Music for Healing series and a cracking minimal dub techno LP ORACLE SOUND.

Junkboy - Litoral States

https://youtu.be/RRhZ9dHVbyE?feature=shared

Pastoral electric folk from Sussex.  I really like this album.

Overmono - Good Lies

https://youtu.be/\_EKC7JLBaJ8?feature=shared

Brilliant house/techno/bass/breakbeat.  Popular with the kids I hear.

Ben Chasny & Rick Tomlinson - Waves

https://youtu.be/8C9cXfWIBMA?feature=shared

More instrumental acoustic guitar I’m afraid.  Chasny (Six Organs) and Tomlinson picking around each other in a house in Todmorden.

Arvo Pärt - Essential choral works

https://youtu.be/EqfGFAGguFA?feature=shared

Stunning four CD collection of the most beautiful choral music from the maestro.

Tuluum shimmering - Beyond the cloud horizon

https://tuluumshimmering.bandcamp.com/album/behind-the-cloud-horizon

Four more CD’s. Long-form psychedelic ragas from the midlands based instrumentalist.

The Necks - Travel

https://youtu.be/2kr2ixO\_0bI?feature=shared

Awesome improvised vibes from the trio.  I’ve wanted to see them live for years and finally managed it in November.  They’re brilliant.  I almost died whilst listening to The Necks after driving on the wrong side of the road in California in the early 00’s after a solo bouldering session at Castle Rock.

MPU101 - ITX027 MPU103

https://youtu.be/NvpAVvWE-3Y?feature=shared

As close to (early sounding) Boards of Canada as you’re gonna get this year.

Stretch & Enjoy / Tek 9 (feat. Rufige Kru) - Back to School EP

https://youtu.be/6cd1y2c4E4A?feature=shared

An absolute banger of retro jungle/D’nB. Amen, rave stabs, ‘Think about it’ loop, fairground organ, ragga gunshots - the full works.  Stretch, Enjoy and Goldie knock it out of the park.

DJ Trystero - Castillo

https://youtu.be/ZSYw5GlhCrM?feature=shared

Sleek and propulsive techno and some more ambient sounding things.

Ricardo Villalobos reimagines: Stars Planets Dust Me

https://youtu.be/4PRAs4-lNXU?feature=shared

Yer man Villalobos hands a deft remix touch to A Mountain of One’s album.  Black Apple Pink Apple is brilliant.

Have a great ‘24 everyone!

[Fiend]

Mixes:

Presha - HOR

Somewhat inevitably Samurai Records and PRSPCT Recordings have been the sources of the year's best music and I don't see this changing any time soon. Hard to pick a particular favourite from Samurai but this superbly varied, deep, creative and uncompromising mix from the boss man Presha sums it all up - and hints at more excellent releases to come.

To compliment that, favourite releases from Samurai this year, I can't pick a track to show off but both EPs are excellent in their own right:
https://presha.bandcamp.com/album/sacrifice
https://rdgs.bandcamp.com/album/samurai-outliers-004


Tracks and EPs...

Dom & Crystl - Stimulant

(6:52 timestamp. From https://domandroland.bandcamp.com/album/dom-crystl )
Dom has been at the top of his game for nearly 3 decades with no sign of wavering, and this is as good as it gets. From FADNB thread: "a lovely blend of soaring melodies and tones like the cry of avian aliens, militant drums of a victorious army, and bass pulses direct from the earth's core"

Dom & Roland - Clash Of The Titans
(From the Against A Dark Background album - https://domandroland.bandcamp.com/album/against-a-dark-background-lp )

Roland too has been at the top of his game and this is one for the podium of classics. Epic hardly does it justice but it's a start - the soundtrack to your gnarliest board session, hardest redpoint, or walking onto stage at the Olympics. This track turns men into titans, mortals into heroes, and will make a champion out of you too.

Kilbourne - Sunshine Terror
(From the Milkshake EP https://prspctrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/milkshake )

The Empress of Electronic Music returns for the 4th year in a row having a best of the year track (previous ones being Pillsurfer, Pain Becomes Pleasure, and Cathedrals). Definitely both euphoric and energetic, but other than that it's a classic yin-yang of good and evil, light and dark, hard and soft, sunshine and terror.

The Bug - Brutalized
(From the Machines EP series https://thebugmusic.bandcamp.com/music )

Apocalyptically good industrial doom dub from the master. Who know the soundtrack to the Earth melting under the weight of human civilisation would be so damn groovy??

Neurocore - Dawn Of The Rising Spirits
(From the Existences album https://prspctrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/existences )

Is this uncategorisably excellent track the ultimate electronic dance music track?? Are there any sets it wouldn't fit into perfectly as peak time euphoria?? There's only one way to find out, and that's a full listen at full volume. Once you've done that, check out the album for all your cinematic-euphoric-techno-ambient-soundtrack-trance-melodic-hardcore-electro-rave needs.

Offish & Attempt - The Faceless
(From https://armoryrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/armory-008 )

A fantastic future-looking track on Homemade Weapon's "Armoury" imprint so you know it's going to be good.  Smoothly rolling drums, pulsing caresses of downright erotic bass, and taut analogue bleeps combined in a perfect cyberfunk blend.

Homemade Weapons & Red Army - Spellbound (Homemade Weapons remix)
(From https://redarmy.bandcamp.com/album/armory-003 )

An unusually direct track from the deadly Homemade Weapons, but no less quality than his more creative and quirky dubbed out steppers. Absolutely fierce, absolutely groovy, headbanging and bootyshaking.


Rediscovery of the year:

Pascal - Johnny - )E|3( remix

A Bad Company track / remixed I missed for 20 years?? I've been making up for that with repeated plays in the last fortnight. As good as anything they've done with that classic BC energy - YA BADBWOY

[lagerstarfish]

2023 has seen me listening to a fair bit of frenchcore whilst racing round bowls and skateparks on a surfskate

turns out that the only tracks actually released in 2023 that I have been listening to have been a few by D'ort.

[JamieG]

ØXN: CYRM

https://youtu.be/fuaLiowElxE?feature=shared

Two members of Lankum including the unique voice of Radie Peat.  Dark Irish trad and blistering rock.  Fab!
 

I thought both this and the new Lankum album False Lankum were good, but neither reached the soaring heights of the awesome Livelong Day. Felt like they were trying a little too hard on these albums. Although Radie Peat vocals are still an absolute treat.

[Falling Down]

She’s really something isn’t she.  There’s quite a bit of decent, new, folk/trad with a twist around at the moment. I saw The Shovel Dance Collective in a big old church just before Christmas and they were brilliant.

[JamieG]

Cheers Falling Down. I’ll check them out. 👍

[lagerstarfish]

most of the "new to me" music of 2023 has not actually been all that new

I was a fan of Bodycount's album Cop Killer back in the day and was pleased to find that they have done a fair bit of new stuff since then. Particular favourites are No Lives Matter and Black Hoody





on the frenchcore trip, I have enjoyed a few novelty (well, they are all novelty really aren't they) tracks



this one is thanks to Fiend (although this isn't his genre)


this is just what I want from frenchcore

[Fiend]

Thanks for earworming me with that Alestorm remix you bastard. You might also be getting a wad point for posting Frenchcore at all.

Anyway here's one I genuinely like:

[lagerstarfish]

Thanks for earworming me with that Alestorm remix you bastard. You might also be getting a wad point for posting Frenchcore at all.

Anyway here's one I genuinely like:

Dr Peacock's album Medication Time was a good find for me 

[lagerstarfish]

Anyway here's one I genuinely like:

you must like Das Boot?

[JamieG]

Just realised that Fever Ray released Radical Romantics this year. As per usual it’s fantastic. Carrying the torch for her weird brand of electronic pop that she started with her brother as The Knife. This must be my album of the year.