Well, it's about that time. What were everyone's favorite records that came out in 2024?
Here's my top 20 (and that was tight; it's been a great year for music):
(I'd include Aphex Twin's Music From The Merch Desk, but it's a compilation, whereas the Deluxe version of Ween's Chocolate and Cheese contains just about a whole album's worth of unheard tracks).
Caravan Palace - Gangbuster's Melody Club
The electro-swing band on top form with a bop album that pulls from all previous records and era's, toning down Chronologic's now dated modern pop tropes but retaining all the melodies. Now only a 3 piece band in core members, but stronger than ever, it's an absolutely crazy project!
Mercury Rev - Born Horses
A new spoken word style is adopted for this one, and admittedly you will find it jarring if you went from Deserter's Songs to this. I do find it a deeply atmospheric and lush listen, and it has a jazzy transporting nocturnal sound that is equally as psychedelic as per the bands ethos, as it is intimate. Beautiful recording.
Pet Shop Boys - Nonetheless
A little late to Nonetheless. Like Born Horses from above, it's orchestrated satisfyingly by master producer James Ford, who I originally knew from the short trippy indie band Simian (which was my introduction to psychedelic music in 2020). Not that far removed from PSB's most recent work, although there is much more thought here and classic PSB melancholia than Hotspot, their prior release. So many standouts and really, it works as an introduction to their music just as well as Actually from 1987 would. A couple stinkers, I think "The Schlager Hit Parade" might be the worst thing they've ever done, but "Loneliness", "Feel", "New London Boy" and "Bullet For Narcissus" more than make up for it. All are stone cold melodic classics expertly tugging at your heart strings.
Tycho - Infinite Health
I don't give a rats arse if he's the quintessential Boards of Canada Campfire rip-off og, Tycho's production simply floors me every time, and I think Infinite Health may be his best sounding release. A throwback to pure chillout of the Dive album, uncomplicated in it's vision but beneath the surface there's really a lot going on here. For a guy who has only one strong formula and sticking to it/doubling down, it made me want to get more of his CD's.
Charli XCX - Brat
It's really been Charli's year, and it will be so very very hard to top or match the heights set by Brat. The album was so huge commercially that it took over the queer spaces I was in online, and I heard it all over. It was worth the hype too, if you are looking for pure pop fun, no strings attached, and a confidence boost, this album will do you more than fine. A powerhouse and a loose look at the caricatured life of Charli XCX. Endless substance and the ease of earcandy, no matter the format you play it on, it's sugar out of your stereo.
Crumb - Amama
Lila Ramani and her blissed out lethargic vocals are back with another short and sweet album of indie rock and psych pop, with elements of Drum and Bass, and Techno flickers in the mix. Unfortunately not much aside from a simulated breakbeat here and there, this new album from her band is tricky to pin down. While Jinx was a syrupy and golden dream pop affair emulating the cover in a low-key allure, and Ice Melt was a stoic refinement, AMAMA is not either, though the Crumb sound and melodies are a constant recognisable force, it feels like it mostly blends together. But great to have them back and hopefully more to come, the album has revitalised me for a look-back.
Four Tet - Three
Ooh my isn't it nice when a familiar feeling comes to visit in the form of a musical hug? Three from Four Tet does just that, it's perfect for just about any positive and relaxed mood you find yourself in, I'm rather new to Four Tet but it's so nice to have a work just take you to a new surrounding with each track. This is the late night affair.
Jon Hopkins - Ritual
It rises and falls in one sitting. It used to be an event when Jon Hopkins released an album, not so much nowadays with the pure ambient of Music For Psychedelic Therapy (my personal favourite). I will take more of an adjacent sound to his previous, on a beach this really wowed me. For that reason it might be a matter of circumstance, but I see myself coming back to it more often.
Albums I wanna see in 2025: Frost Children! With the dizzying amount of collaborations this year on Porter Robinson's new album, to appearing with Babymorroco, the EP with SEBii, the Danny Brown song, the Soul Kiss EP, they have pretty much overtaken all of my listening habits this fall and I have fallen in love with their discography. I know through live performances of an unreleased song, "Electric", that next year will be a powerhouse of electropop and hyperpop bliss from the frosties, bring it on!
Cindy Lee - Diamond Jubilee
Bibio - Phantom Brickworks II
Skee Mask - Resort
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - No Title
Chat Pile - Cool World
Mount Kimbie - The Sunset Violent
Louis Cole - nothing
Squarepusher - Dostrotime
Cloud Nothings - Final Summer
Spirit of the Beehive - You'll Have to Lose Something
As always, I'm sure I'll end up stumbling upon some more gems from 2024 in the coming years.
Cindy Lee - Diamond Jubilee
Jessica Pratt - Here In The Pitch
Broadcast - Spell Blanket
Broadcast - Distant Call
Bibio - Phantom Brickworks II
Nick Power & McKowski - Throat
Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan - Your Community Hub
Bullion - Affection
John Canning Yates - The Quiet Portraits
Romance - In My Hour Of Weakness, I Found A Sweetness
Negamuse wrote:King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - Flight b471
What if 70's swamp rock was good?
Overall, I wasn't too impressed with that record (I'm not really one for this style of blues rock) but I can't deny that some of those tracks were absolute all-timers!
beak 4 and the new Beth Gibbons for me but I did not check out a lot of stuff from this year will be based on your lists looking up more I guess reissues do not count or do they
