Let's just get this next section out of the way

Top 10 EPs of 2023

Edited June 21, 20241 yr by DalekTurret32

10. Infirmary / Unknown Summer by Kode9 / Burial

Came here for the Burial track, but I was really impressed by the Kode9 cut with its moody piano. Should get me to check out more of his stuff

 

 

9. We Go Again by ENNY

Two years after her fabulous Under 25 project, ENNY is back with some smooth vibes. Her lyrics are also quite intriguing, from dismantling the concept of the ‘conscious’ rapper on “U Shld Heal” to tackling internalised misogyny embedded in the hip hop culture on “Champagne Problems”

 

Fave Track: “Take It Slow”

 

 

8. Blackbox Life Recorder 21f / in a room7 F760 by Aphex Twin

In 2014, Aphex Twin came back with the magnificent Syro and towards the end of the decade, dropped a bunch of EPs that were close to matching that level, with Collapse being placed amongst one of my favourite EPs of the 2010s. It’s been a while since that EP dropped, but he’s finally back.

This short project gets you soaked into the synth-driven atmosphere, with calming ambient textures being contrasted by more pulsating drum loops later on

 

Fave Track: “in a room7 f760”

 

 

7. For The Light Within by Crimson Monocle

One thing I like about jazz is that the brass instruments add a lot of colour to the aesthetic of the music and can excel at both slow and fast speeds. This EP, in particular, carries a jazz fusion style, which, according to the act’s Bandcamp page, blends the jazz elements with the ‘timbres of Japanese folk music’, resulting in sounds that are not only wonderful, but unique as well.

 

Fave Track: “Butterfly Wings”

 

 

6. Poems To Dance To by Antony Szmierek

The beats make for a good late night vibe, switching between vibrant house and chill R&B. Szmierek’s rapping feels like Mike Skinner if he had Loyle Carner’s calm vocal tone.

 

Fave Track: “Rock And A Calm Place”

 

 

 

5. Prisoner Of Circumstance by Boldy James and ChanHays

I have checked out a couple of Boldy James’ projects since being wowed by Bo Jackson, his collaborative album with The Alchemist from a few years ago. What I like about him is his deep spoken voice compliments the chillness of the beats, doesn’t matter if there’s drums or not. This EP carries a mixture of trap and the nice drumless style that usually comes with Boldy’s works, plus some nice soul samples to boot.

 

Fave Track: “Flashback”

 

 

4. Epic The Movie by Cowboyy

Time for some energetic post-punk. It’s more of a math rock project, but it still gets the listener moving. Amusing scenarios ensue such as Stanley Powell trying to find his way through Google Maps and a tennis ball that can crush ants. The first thing that comes to mind when listening to this is Black Midi, but Powell assures us that they’re not a ‘rip-off’ of said band, doing so on the track “Algorithmic”. The track serves as a criticism of the music industry and consumerism, and also includes a comment on the minimalist blue cover art and the artistic statement behind it.

Fave Track: “Gmaps”

 

 

3. Sunrise Bang Ur Head Against Tha Wall by Nia Archives

The moment that Brazilian Portuguese chant comes in on the opening track is when the drum ’n’ bass bangers start to kick in (or should I say ‘sunrise bangers’). Nia made it onto my EPs countdown last year with Forbidden Feelingz, but the main difference between that EP and this one, is that Sunrise Bang focuses more on guitar strumming than the dub echoes of the previous EP. The guitars sound soothing and warm as Nia sings about themes like loneliness (“No Need To 2 Be Sorry, Call Me?”) and contemplations on leaving a broken relationship (“So Tell Me”)

 

Fave Track: “So Tell Me”

 

 

2. My Eyes Brother by Opus Kink

I listened to Opus Kink’s EP Til The Stream Runs Dry just a few weeks after finishing my 2022 EPs Countdown. It gave off the wonderful fusion of post-punk and jazz embraced by bands like Black Country New Road, Black Midi (Hey look! Second time they're mentioned this countdown!) and Squid back in 2021. This EP also falls into this category, but this time, the music feels more hectic and there’s some morbid lines every now and then (but in a good way): from the suddenly loud yelling and unsettling trumpet during the chorus of “Malarkey” to the delightfully dark “Children”, the latter of which ends up as the big highlight of this project.

 

Fave Track: “Children”

 

 

 

And my number one EP of 2023 is...

Edited June 21, 20241 yr by DalekTurret32

#1. Real Cultural Shit by Channel Tres

 

My first exposure to Channel Tres was on “Lavender” from Disclosure’s album Energy back in 2020, and I was very much impressed by the style of hip house on display, so I was curious to here what was in store on his works as a lead artist, which leads us to this EP.

The fusion of hip hop and house colours most of this project, radiating both KAYTRANADA and SG Lewis vibes (producers which Tres himself has collaborated with), but we also get some nice elements of soul on “Just Can’t Get Enough”. I can definitely see this EP kickstarting the ultimate late night club experience.

 

Fave Track: “6am”

 

Honourable mentions (EPs):

• METAL DRAGON: VOL 1 by MAMBA
• Nice Idea by Kae Tempest
• A Comforting Nation by Heartworms
• MORE UK GRIM by Sleaford Mods
• P*W*R // PL*Y by Grove
• You Okay by Shelf Lives
• More Truth by Daniel Avery
• Sofa Kings by Royel Otis
• Higher Than The Sun by Rose Gray
• The Architect by Dawn Richard

Edited June 27, 2024Jun 27 by DalekTurret32

Now let's get started with the albums

 

#50. Pain Provided Profit by Conway The Machine and Jae Skeese

I’ve heard Jae Skeese on a couple of spots on previous Conway albums, now the two team up together to cook up a short collection of gloomy beat loops with some gripping lyrics focusing on gang violence, trust issues and the ‘rags to riches’ story.

Fave Tracks: “Promise”; “Le Chop”; “Metallic 5’s”

 

#49. Action Adventure by DJ Shadow

On the same day King Gizzard dropped their galactic trip of an album (we'll get to them), DJ Shadow just so happened to do the same here. Blending elements of synthwave and synth-funk together, but also diving into Hudson Mohawke style trap on cuts like “Witches Vs. Warlocks”. This is also the first project of DJ Shadow’s in a long time to not have any featured artists, which comes as surprising

Fave Tracks: “A Narrow Escape”; “The Prophecy”; “Ozone Scraper”

 

#48. Stereo Mind Game by Daughter

What makes Daughter’s music stand out is the melancholy atmosphere they convey both in their music and their lyrical themes on mental health. This album carries those feelings, but there’s also a bit of art rock elements in the vein of Nigel Godrich’s production for Radiohead. I can hear that influence on the drum and guitar layers on some songs like “Too Rage”. Furthermore, I like how in that song, vocalist Elena Tonra sings about feelings of anger over calm instrumentation, making for a neat contrast

Fave Tracks: “Dandelion”; “Swim Bad”; Junkmail”

 

#47. Worlds End FM by Hak Baker

Yeah! It's one of those albums that has a recurring radio concept, but the main twist is that it's set in the apocalypse. Hak Baker switches between post-punk and folk rock wonderfully as he touches on working class struggles and brings some witty cynicism on tracks like "Doolally".

Fave Tracks: "Doolally"; "Telephones 4 Eyes"; "Bricks In The Wall"

 

#46. Sundial by Noname

Noname’s style of rap infused with jazz and soul gives off a really soothing experience. The fusion of the two styles serves as a positive contrast to the heavy themes she tackles throughout this LP, which include colonialism, police brutality and capitalism.

Fave Tracks: “balloons”; “namesake”; “gospel?”

 

#45. Hit Parade by Roisin Murphy

Between this album and the ones from Jessie Ware and Alison Goldfrapp this year, we seem to be getting a second wave of synthpop and retro stylings this decade, with the first coming in 2020 (Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia, The Weeknd’s After Hours, Lady Gaga’s Chromatica). Main difference is that people can actually go outside and into the clubs now. This one, though, leans more towards an electronic music style, with DJ Koze blending house, R&B, funk and chillout to great results. The chill vibes of cuts like “The Universe” and “You Knew” make this LP a good fit for a beach bar setting, especially during the sunset.

Fave Tracks: “The Universe”; “CooCool”; “Hurt So Bad”

 

#44. The Record by Boygenius

I liked Phoebe Bridgers’ Punisher album, but not as much as the critics did. I bring this up because she is in a supergroup with Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker called Boygenius. The folk pop of this first album gives off a warm, calming vibe, and the way the lyrics explore relationships and emotion can resonate with the listener.

Fave Tracks: "Satanist"; "Not Strong Enough"; "Anti-Curse"

 

#43. Black Classical Music by Yussef Dayes

A virtuosic breath-taking jazz experience with beautiful textures, the piano, harp and saxophone standing out the most of those sounds. Some aspects of this album feel fitting for the summertime, and the occasional improvisational moment was also welcome.

Fave Tracks: “Black Classical Music”; “Rust”; “Gelato”; “Marching Band”; “Tioga Pass”

 

#42. Food For Worms by Shame

I appreciate how Shame mix their style of post-punk with other styles of rock on this album. There’s “Six-Pack”, which takes on a Led Zeppelin-esque hard rock banger form, and there’s also the acoustic driven “Orchid”. The lyrical themes are quite compelling as Charlie Steen sings about feelings of frustration and sadness.

Fave Tracks: “The Fall Of Paul”; “Six-Pack”; “Alibis”

 

#41. Voice Notes by Yazmin Lacey

Here, we have a nice blend of neo soul and jazz, resulting in an immaculately chill vibe. On top of that, Yazmin offers the occasional reggae-influenced cut, adding to the versatility, as well as some soothing keyboard sounds across the board.

Fave Tracks: “Late Night People”; “Bad Company”; “Tomorrow’s Child”

 

 

 

 

 

#40. Careful Of Your Keepers by This Is The Kit

Folk rock with a nice calming vibe, and Gruff Rhys on the production was a cool feature. I noticed more electric instruments, plus some piano, than on the previous two albums, and they blend well into the primarily acoustic aesthetic.

Fave Tracks: "Doomed Or More Doomed"; "This Is When The Sky Gets Big"; "Inside Outside"

 

#39. Playing Robots Into Heaven by James Blake

The way James Blake emphasises the robotic aesthetic through beeping sounds and pitched vocals makes for a fascinating experiment. He also succeeds in conveying feelings of vulnerability by embarking this android persona. Alas, I feel like some of the more instrumental beats like “He’s Been Wonderful” and “Night Sky” feel like they remain in a static state through their runtime.

Fave Tracks: “Tell Me”; “Loading”; “Asking To Break”

 

#38. Raven by Kelela

It’s been six years since Kelela put out an album. She is back, and this time the sensuality and atmosphere are amped up to bigger levels, with a lot of ambience too. Aside from R&B, there were also some nice breakbeat cuts, with “Contact”, in particular, radiating Bicep vibes.

Fave Tracks: “Contact”; “Happy Ending”; “Enough For Love”; “Bruises”; “Closure”

 

#37. Bunny by Willie J Healey

Willie comes through with an uplifting retro soul aesthetic that results in a nice sunshine vibe to close off the holiday season. There's even some of that bluesy stuff from People And Their Dogs in some moments of the second half like on "Little Sister"

Fave Tracks: "Dreams"; "Sure Feels Good"; "Woke Up Smiling"

 

#36. The Age Of Pleasure by Janelle Monae

Five years after her lyrically and sonically gripping Dirty Computer, Janelle Monae switches for a more simplistic album, but still offering a good amount of versatility like she did on Dirty Computer. In this case, we get elements of dub and reggae on songs like “Lipstick Lover” and “Only Have Eyes 42”, but also a mix of both traditional and modern arrangements of afrobeat, further emphasised by the addition of Seun Kuti (son of afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti) to the featured artists. This all results in a short, but very summery album that offers up a lot of sensual vibes.

Fave Tracks: “Phenomenal”; “Know Better”; “Water Slide”

 

#35. Javelin by Sufjan Stevens

The new Sufjan album carries a gorgeous, delicate atmosphere, along with some beautiful vocal harmonies every now and then. I also like how the piano occasionally has an ambient texture to it.

Fave Tracks: "A Running Start"; "So You Are Tired"; "Shit Talk"

 

#34. Girl In The Half Pearl by Liv.e

I remember checking out Liv.e’s previous album last year and as much as I admired its lo-fi aesthetic, I felt like a lot of the tracks ran too short. For this follow-up, however, I got a more clear picture of the atmosphere and the vibe. The keyboards give off a smooth sound, and there were some unexpected, but also intriguing, dives into electronic music, such as the breakbeat pattern on”Ghost”.

Also, is it me or did Crazy Bus sound effects pop up on the beginning of this LP?

Fave Tracks: "NoNewNews!!!!"; "Gardetto"; "Wild Animals"; "RESET!"; "Underground"

 

#33. CACTI by Billy Nomates

Billy switches it up on her follow-up, going from the indie rock with hints of americana of her debut to a mix of post-punk and synthpop. Parts of the production palette are reminiscent of that period in the early 80s when some punk bands like The Stranglers shifted to a new wave aesthetic. I’m not sure if I like it as much as the self-titled debut, but it’s currently on equal levels of excellence.

Fave Tracks: "vertigo"; "spite"; "balance is gone"

 

#32. Intercepted Message by Osees

Quite the immersive space journey we have here! But behind the psychedelic vibe, Osees tell tales of revolt and power that are bound to keep not only the ears hooked, but the brain too!

Fave Tracks: "Goon"; "Sleazoid Psycho"; "Intercepted Message"

 

#31. Memento Mori by Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode are back after six years, and they return to the dark, industrial vibe of their 90s work. This time, there’s some cool space sounds thrown into the mix.

Fave Tracks: “Always You”; “Caroline’s Monkey”; “Never Let Me Go”

 

 

 

 

 

 

#30. Maps by Billy Woods and Kenny Segal

Pulled me into the gloomy atmosphere. Sometimes the production feels mellow, and sometimes there's some nice drumless beats. Oh, and the jazz elements were a cool touch too.

Fave Tracks: "Waiting Around"; "Rapper Weed"; "FaceTime"; "The Layover"; "Baby Steps'

 

#29. Laugh Like A Bomb by Baba Ali

A neat synth-driven album with some subtle galactic sounds. The way the album’s soundscape emphasises the bass helps bring out the melody in the motifs, and the weirdness of the lyrics further add colour. Needless to style, Baba Ali’s style of alternative dance is bound to get the speakers pumping.

Fave Tracks: "Burn Me Out"; "Laugh Like A Bomb"; "A Circle"

 

#28. My 21st Century Blues by RAYE

After many years worth of a messy record label deal with Polydor, RAYE left the label and finally dropped her studio debut. The result comes in the form of a gripping showcase of the dark realities of the music industry, as well as fusing together multiple genres, such as trap, blues, funk and gospel.

Fave Tracks: “Hard Out Here”; “Black Mascara”; “Ice Cream Man”

 

#27. My Soft Machine by Arlo Parks

Sounds chiller and more dreamy than her debut, and manages to retain the smoothness of that album. The guitars in “Purple Phase” very much have that Mac DeMarco meets Men I Trust atmosphere to them, plus the trip-hop drum pattern on “Puppy” was pretty cool.

Fave Tracks: "Blades"; "I'm Sorry"; "Weightless"

 

#26. MICHAEL by Killer Mike

I know Killer Mike for his work with El-P as part of the dynamic duo Run The Jewels. I am not as familiar with his solo work, but this was an interesting listen, especially with the way Mike tackles black identity on this project, backed with elements of trap, soul and gospel.

Fave Tracks: "MOTHERLESS"; "HIGH & HOLY"; "SOMETHING FOR JUNKIES"

 

 

 

 

Now that we've reached the halfway point, here's some honourable mentions:

• Turn The Car Around by Gaz Coombes
• Red Moon In Venus by Kali Uchis
• Strange Disciple by Nation Of Language
• TW2052 by KayCyy (unsure whether this is an EP or LP, but AlbumOfTheYear lists this as an LP)
• UTOPIA by Travis Scott
• Shook by Algiers
• In Times New Roman by Queens Of The Stone Age
• V by Unknown Mortal Orchestra
• Good Lies by Overmono
• Crop Circle 2 by Nines
• Prize by Rozi Plain
• Chaos For The Fly by Grian Chatten
• Gigi's Recovery by The Murder Capital
• Everything Is Alive by Slowdive
• MERCY by John Cale

 

 

 

 

#25. Land Of Sleeper by Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs

I was looking forward to this one considering how much I enjoyed Pigs x7’s previous album Viscerals. This LP bears the usual psychedelic metal from this band, with highlights including the concept of killing a beast in “Terror’s Pillow” and the ritual feel of “The Weatherman”

Fave Tracks: “Ultimate Hammer”; “Big Rig”; ‘The Weatherman”

 

#24. Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply Hot Between Worlds) by Yves Tumor

Distortion and chorus effects are used on the guitars frequently to marvellous results as Yves Tumor sprinkles their style of experimental rock with elements of 80s goth rock. There’s also some religious references that help colour this album’s lyrical content.

Fave Tracks: “Heaven Surrounds Us Like A Hood”; “Echolalia”; “Operator”

 

#23. Cracker Island by Gorillaz

Step into a digital dystopian universe, where Gorillaz bring in a synth-driven atmosphere. There don’t seem to be as many guest features as the group usually have, but the ones we do get deliver excellently.

Fave Tracks: “New Gold”; “Cracker island”; “Tarantula”

 

#22. Bubblegum by Biig Piig [mixtape of the year]

A nice, vibrant atmosphere across the board. There’s some synthpop in here, with a hint of R&B to flavour this style. The way “Liquorice” has this bright 2-step pattern reminds me of Caribou’s Suddenly album in some way.

Fave Tracks: "This Is What They Meant"; "In The Dark"; "Liquorice"

 

#21. The Love Invention by Alison Goldfrapp

Alison Goldfrapp isn’t new to synthpop, as she dived into this style before on “Ooh La La”, “Rocket” and more recently on 2017’s Silver Eye. This recent take on synthpop results in a lush, vibrant atmosphere that feels almost galactic. It’s in a slightly similar throwback lane to the Jessie Ware album from earlier this year, but with a bigger emphasis on the synths.

Fave Tracks: "So Hard So Hot"; "Fever (This Is The Real Thing)"; "Digging Deeper Now"

 

 

 

#20. Alchemy by Disclosure

Through a soaring, exuberant atmosphere, Disclosure deliver a love letter to the electronic dance music of the past decades, taking in elements from multiple styles of music such as UK garage, breakbeat and dubstep.

Fave Tracks: “Simply Won’t Do”; “Higher Than Ever Before”; “We Were In Love”

 

#19. Space Heavy by King Krule

The new album by King Krule has some of that signature moody vibe as the lyrics look at broken relationships and desolate societies, but the instrumentation aims for a soothing, dreamy atmosphere in contrast to the spine-chilling tones of The Ooz and Man Alive. I also like the chorus effects Archy Marshall integrates onto his guitar work. It gives off an 80s alternative rock feel that reminds me a bit of Sonic Youth in some places.

Fave Tracks: “From The Swamp”; “Hamburgerphobia”; “Seaforth”

 

#18. Angels & Queens by Gabriels

Through his emotionally expressive voice and medium range tessitura, vocalist Jacob Lusk brings in a 60s style of R&B and soul that is quite reminiscent of the Motown stuff from around that decade, particularly Marvin Gaye. The elements of gospel and jazz were also a nice touch. There's also a few cuts from Gabriels' 2020 EP, but they're re-recorded this time. I especially appreciate the extra percussion line added to the album's version of "Love And Hate In A Different Time"

Fave Tracks: "Love And Hate In A Different Time"; "Offering"; "Glory"

 

#17. STRUGGLER by Genesis Owusu

More rock oriented than his previous album, and there’s some really energetic moments on here such as on “Balthazar” and “Stay Blessed”, which I can especially imagine going hard in a live setting. The way Genesis looks at his internal struggles is interesting too, especially when he throws in the recurring theme of cockroaches.

Fave Tracks: "Stay Blessed"; "Tied Up!"; "The Roach"

 

#16. We Buy Diabetic Test Strips by Armand Hammer

After having checked out the Alchemist-produced Haram two years ago, I was quite curious to see what this New York duo would have in store for their next release. Production is more glitchy and experimental this time around with the occasional metallic sound. Having JPEGMAFIA and El-P in the production team was also cool.

Fave Tracks: "The Gods Must Be Crazy"; "Don't Lose Your Job"; "N*ggardly (Block Call)"; "I Keep A Mirror In My Pocket"; "Empire Blvd"

 

#15. Exotico by Temples

It’s nice to have some psychedelic breeze from the Temples, especially as we get nearer to the long hot summer. There seems to be some cryptic environmental messages in some of the lyrics, as well as the existential theme involving the passage of time. I also thought it was cool that they got Sean Lennon on the production team, whose father was in one of many bands that helped shape the OG psychedelic rock in the late 60s (i.e. The Beatles).

Fave Tracks: “Meet Your Maker”; “Cicada”; “Afterlife”; “Inner Space”; “Slow Days”

 

#14. AudioLust & Higher Love by SG Lewis

Getting a lot of that 80s night time vibe here, thanks to the euphoric synth pop production on display. The album seems to have less guest features than Times, as SG Lewis’ vocals are more prominent, opening listeners to a wider presentation of his craft.

Fave Tracks: "Fever Dreamer"; "Missing You"; "Call On Me" by Tove Lo; "Another Life"; "Lifetime”

 

#13. Lahai by Sampha

It’s been 6 years since Sampha dropped the amazing debut Process. Now he’s back with his second album, and it elicits a beautiful atmosphere all around. Sampha’s journey of soul searching and finding love proves to be a fascinating journey, as he offers a piano-driven aesthetic blending elements of ambient, jazz and electronica together.

Fave Tracks: “Can’t Go Back”; “Suspended”; “Spirit 2.0”

 

#12. KAYTRAMINE by KAYTRAMINE

JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown put out their bombastic collaborative album earlier this year. As if that wasn't thrilling enough, we get another fascinating hip hop crossover album. This time, blending the slick production of Kaytranada with the lyrical charm of Amine. Their chill vibes coalesce together marvellously throughout this album.

Fave Tracks: "4EVA"; "Sossaup"; "Who He Iz"

 

#11. UGLY by Slowthai

Warning: brief discussion of sexual assault

I very much was wowed by Thai’s switch to punk rock and the dark aesthetic (as I brought up just now) that runs through this album. The two singles especially are ones I come back to every now and then (particularly “Feel Good”)

This was originally higher up on my list, but two months after the album came out, Slowthai was charged with rape. I am aware that the jury of the trial has yet to reach a verdict, but it’s a bit of a You Won’t Get What You Want by Daughters case, where the albums were delightfully dark back then (and still are), but the allegations/charges against the respective artists affected the way I view the album.

Fave Tracks: "Feel Good"; “Selfish”; "Never Again"

We're now at the Top 10

 

#10. UK Grim by Sleaford Mods

The aesthetic of punk with electronic elements from their last two albums shows up, but some of the bass guitar tones from their mid-2010s work come in too (and more frequently than on Spare Ribs), like on “Pit 2 Pit”, where the bass plays over a fast-paced rhythm similar to some cuts off Divide And Exit. I also liked the guest features on here, Florence Shaw of Dry Cleaning coming up on “Force 10 From Navarone” was unexpected, but even moreso, was Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction on the banger “So Trendy”.

Fave Tracks: “So Trendy”; “Pit 2 Pit”; “On The Ground”

 

#9. Quaranta by Danny Brown

Not too long after his collab album with JPEGMAFIA, Danny Brown puts out his own studio album. On the LP, he opts for a more chiller vocal style compared to the manic yelling style found in previous albums (though that voice still comes up on a few cuts like “Tantor”). The soul style beats are quite soothing as Danny Brown reflects on his past life, drug abuse, his status in the rap game and how much has changed since his XXX album came out. The second half of the album especially hits deep.

Fave Tracks: “Jenn’s Terrific Vacation”; “Hanami”; “Celibate”

 

#8. Off Planet by Django Django

The new album from Django Django Unchained Unchained serves as a love letter to the dance music of the 80s and the 90s (like Disclosure’s album that popped up in the list earlier on), blending together elements of breakbeat, rave, garage house and acid house to wonderful results. There’s also some jazz elements to be found, such as the timbres in the piano solo near the end of “Complete Me” and that saxophone giving off a Comet Is Coming vibe in “Black Cadillac”. The synths on this LP are vibrant and lushly produced.

This went through a similar EP rollout to Beach House's Once Twice Melody, but like with that album, I waited for the whole thing to drop before I could listen to it. That way, I would get the most complete experience possible (and I did).

Fave Tracks: "Dumdrum"; "A New Way Through"; "Don't Touch That Dial"; "Slipstream"; "No Time"

 

#7. Dead Club City by Nothing But Thieves

Carrying over from the dystopian universe concept of Moral Panic, the listener now gets taken to a hidden underground society possibly within that universe. I’ve got to say, I really admire the synth-driven aesthetic of this album. The album kicks off with a funky bass guitar which not only bears a striking resemblance to the one from The Weeknd’s Sacrifice, but also has a bit of a Daft Punk vibe to it.

Other styles include The Thieves’ own style of garage rock, but also heartland rock on “Overcome”, blues rock on “City Haunts” and psychedelic pop on “Foreign Language”, all of which helps add some versatility to the LP.

Fave Tracks: “Welcome To The DCC”; “Tomorrow Is Closed”; “Pop The Balloon”

 

#6. That! Feels Good! by Jessie Ware

While the previous album What’s Your Pleasure was dominated by 80s throwback sounds, this one goes further back in time to the 70s, blending soul, funk and disco to smooth sounding results. Is Jessie a timelord or something? If so, cannot wait for her to go 60s Motown on the next joint!

There’s lotsa bongos in the album! Lotsa bongos is cool!

Fave Tracks: "Shake The Bottle"; “Pearls”; "Begin Again"

 

 

 

#5. SCARING THE HOES by JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown

After bringing up that album more times than expected in this EOY countdown, it's finally here!

A collab between these two isn’t unexpected because JPEGMAFIA had a guest feature on Danny Brown’s uknowhatimsayin album. The result is a nice snappy batch of assertive, edgy humour over glitchy, experimental beats. Song titles like “Jack Harlow Combo Meal” and “Kingdom Hearts Key” immediately grab the listener’s attention and pressing the play button pays off. I also like the occasional breakbeat moment and the gospel sample

Fave Tracks: “Fentanyl Tester”; “Jack Harlow Combo Meal”; “Burfict!”

 

#4. O Monolith by Squid

There’s relatively slower tempos than on Bright Green Field this time, but nevertheless, Squid manage to maintain that sense of agitation and intensity from that debut. The orchestral textures help elevate the artistry of the production palette, evoking a hint of art rock reminiscent of Radiohead.

Fave Tracks: "Green Light"; “Undergrowth”; "If You Had Seen the Bull’s Swimming Attempts You Would Have Stayed Away"

 

#3. Volcano by Jungle

The funk and soul of Loving In Stereo carries over to this album, but whereas that album had a nightclub vibe to it, Volcano feels more summery and gives off a pool party atmosphere. There’s even some plunderphonics elements from The Avalanches and parts of the chipmunk soul aesthetic Kanye went for on his College Dropout album.

Fave Tracks: “Candle Flame”; “Holding On”; “Don’t Play”

 

#2. The Silver Cord by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

King Gizzard’s first studio effort of that year saw them bringing back the thrash metal style of Infest The Rats Nest. If that didn’t amaze me enough, they would embark on a galactic space trip not too long after that album came out. The vibes on this album are other-worldly, plus some smooth transitions to boot!

Stu Mackenzie said in an interview with Stereogum that the band was intending to test the ‘boundaries of people’s attention spans’ by adding extended versions of the tracks on top of the standard versions. A move that’s understandable in an age where the TikTok phenomenon has led to generally shorter song lengths, and thoughts of people going to a Steve Lacy concert only knowing the hook of “Bad Habit” come to mind.

I was curious to see how the extended version would play out, and I think that version offers more immersion (plus robot voices). The only drawback that version has is that some of the instrumentals loop for a bit too long.

Fave tracks (Standard): “Swan Song”; “Extinction”; “Gilgamesh”

Fave tracks (Extended): “Theia”; “Extinction”; “Chang’e”

 

 

 

 

 

AND THE NUMBER ONE ALBUM OF 2023 IS....

 

 

 

#1. Heavy Heavy by Young Fathers

 

A marvellously bombastic album that fuses hip hop with gospel and industrial electronic music, with the backing vocals adding to the theatricality of this LP. That has been Young Fathers’ style since their debut, but there’s a bigger emphasis on the gospel and electronic elements this time.

It was originally a close race between this one and the Squid album, but as time went by and I thought more and more about my picks, the Young Fathers LP is the one I gravitate to more.

Fave Tracks: "Drum"; "I Saw"; "Rice"

 

 

 

And that's it for the album countdown

Edited June 27, 2024Jun 27 by DalekTurret32

Top 40 UK Top 40 Hits Of 2024

1. Houdini by Dua Lipa
2. (It Goes Like) Nanana by Peggy Gou
3. Boy’s A Liar by PinkPantheress and Ice Spice
4. Messy In Heaven by Venbee and Goddard
5. Eat Your Young by Hozier
6. DOGTOOTH by Tyler, The Creator
7. bad idea right by Olivia Rodrigo
8. adore u by Fred Again and Obongjayar
9. Can’t Tame Her by Zara Larsson
10. River by Miley Cyrus
11. Golden Hour by JVKE
12. Now & Then by The Beatles
13. Militerian by J Hus feat. Naija Marley
14. Daylight by David Kushner
15. BADDADAN by Chase & Status feat. Bou, IRAH, Flowdan, Takura and Trigga (it switches between this and "Liquor & Cigarettes)
16. How Does It Feel by Tom Grennan
17. Martin’s Sofa by Headie One
18. Shut Up My Moms Calling by Hotel Ugly
19. Us Against The World by Strandz
20. Ready To Fly by Sub Focus and Dimension
21. AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM Remix by Beyonce feat. Kendrick Lamar
22. Escapism by RAYE feat. 070 Shake
23. Snooze by SZA
24. Miracle by Calvin Harris feat. Ellie Goulding
25. Strangers by Kenya Grace
26. Rush by Troye Sivan
27. Calendar by Nines feat. Aisa
28. Creepin’ by Metro Boomin and The Weeknd feat. 21 Savage
29. Players by Coi Leray
30. Cha Cha Cha by Kaarija
31. Hell N Back by Bakar
32. Fly Girl by FLO feat. Missy Elliott
33. My Love Mine All Mine by Mitski
34. I’m Not Here To Make Friends by Sam Smith feat. Calvin Harris and Jessie Reyes
35. Rumble by Skrillex, Fred Again and Flowdan
36. Toxic Trait by Stormzy feat. Fredo
37. HYAENA by Travis Scott
38. Here With Me by D4VD
39. 22 by JayO
40. Speed Drive by Charli XCX

HMs: Sprinter, Chemical, Labour, Attention, Little Things, Can't Play Myself, Relax My Eyes, Disconnect, Slow Dancing, Water

Note: Songs must have peaked between December 2022 and November 2023, and be no older than five years

 

 

 

 

 

Top 50 Songs Of 2024

1. Shades Of Love by The Blessed Madonna feat. The Joy
2. Drum by Young Fathers
3. Loading by James Blake
4. Welcome To The DCC by Nothing But Thieves
5. DOOLALLY by Hak Baker
6. Candle Flame by Jungle feat. Erick The Architect
7. Pearls by Jessie Ware
8. All My Friends by Channel Tres
9. Days Go By by SBTRKT feat. Toro Y Moi
10. Dumdrum by Django Django
11. Run, Run, Run by McKinley Dixon
12. Burn Me Out by Baba Ali
13. Dream Job by Yard Act
14. Houdini by Dua Lipa
15. Slugs Of Love by Little Dragon
16. Feel Good by Slowthai
17. How Did I Get Here by Antony Szmierek
18. Venom by CASISDEAD
19. So Trendy by Sleaford Mods feat. Perry Farrell
20. Fentanyl Tester by JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown
21. No Reason by The Chemical Brothers
22. WHAT A DAY by Tyler, The Creator
23. Loving You (DNA) by Billy Gillies feat. Hannah Boleyn
24. Pink Notes by JUICE MENACE
25. Blades by Arlo Parks
26. Swan Song by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
27. Popular by The Weeknd, Playboi Carti and Madonna
28. Higher Than Ever Before by Disclosure
29. DRACULA by Kenny Mason
30. Burnt Pictures by Audiobooks feat. OneDa
31. So Hard So Hot by Alison Goldfrapp
32. Jenn’s Terrific Vacation by Danny Brown
33. Children by Opus Kink
34. Undergrowth by Squid
35. MOTHERLESS by Killer Mike feat. Eryn Allen Kane
36. Ultimate Hammer by Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs
37. (It Goes Like) Nanana by Peggy Gou
38. Offering by Gabriels
39. From The Swamp by King Krule
40. Lover/Friend by KAYTRANADA feat. Rochelle Jordan
41. Movie by Jackson Homer and Saina
42. STINKIN RICH FAMILIES by Grove feat. Bob Vylan
43. The New York Trader by Lankum
44. Mindful Solutionism by Aesop Rock
45. Muscle Memory by KAMILLE feat. Nile Rodgers
46. Dancer by IDLES and LCD Soundsystem
47. Strange Neighbour by Folly Group
48. Paris by Kenya Grace
49. Out In The Streets by The Bug Club
50. Silence Of Love by Tiga and Hudson Mohawke feat. Jesse Boykins III

Honourable mentions:

• The Gods Must Be Crazy by Armand Hammer
• Parkour by Erick The Architect feat. James Blake
• SHAMELESS SUICIDE by $UICIDEBOYS and SHAKEWELL
• Tied Up by Genesis Owusu
• Watch Me by Biig Piig
• TIMELESS by KayCyy
• Echolalia by Yves Tumor
• Mayday by CMAT
• You Should Know Me by Porij
• The Universe by Roisin Murphy
• “NOISE OF YOU” by John Cale
• Eat Your Young by Hozier
• U Get Me by Guvna B feat. Ghetts
• Fairlies by Grian Chatten
• Mike (Desert Island Duvet) by Fred Again, The Streets and Dermot Kennedy

Edited July 17, 2024Jul 17 by DalekTurret32