Folk drum bass & beyond
I will very rarely create a new playlist based on mood unless i’m struck by a vision by god.
In contrast, this year I made 28 playlists (around 2.3 every month) of purely new music discovery. My data is clearly worth more than the monthly subscription music sites get from me, but to celebrate here are my favourites to join the rest of the EOTY fodder!
In no particular order:
Albums:
Iglooghost - Tidal Memory Exo
The front cover is a better representation of what the concept album is than anything I’ve read on it. The interview with No Tags is a particularly useful insight however.
claire rousay - sentiment
The first of several Thrill Jockey projects on this list I’ve shed many tears sitting with this emo-ambient soundscape ‘pop’ album. It’s on several EOTY lists so it’s getting its well-deserved flowers. The remixes are great as well. I’ve linked the KEXP session so you can see a glimmer of the live show.
Zaumne - Only Good Dreams For Me
As the title suggests, this has been really calming before bed and late-night travelling, expanding on each listen.
Clarissa Connely - World Of Work
A fantastic folk debut on WARP that’s grown on me each time I’ve revisited.
Shovel Dance Collective - The Shovel Dance
Queer working-class folk music. Stunning!
96 back - tender, exit
Mr Back never misses, post-club, post-pop, post-music via SVBCVLT.
Naima Bock - Below a Massive Dark Land
The indie folk that I can enjoy with my mother discussing womanhood, life, the universe and love.
Moin - You Never End
Post-post-rock. A more emotionally stimulating record than their previous (both amazing), the guest vocalists felt curated and used to the fullest. Via indie darlings AD93.
The Body & Dis Fig - Orchards of a Futile Heaven
Metal Dub-techno industrial
Underappreciated collab via Thrill Jockey. The best live show I’ve seen this year. It’s like when an immovable object meets an unstoppable force. Terrifying.
Mermaid Chunky - slif slaf slof
Silly disco kerflunk born from Stroud magic. Life! TREE! frogspawn! drum machines! Wembley Stadium. Via DFA.
Nidia & Valentina - Entranas
The second of the undisputed Valentina Magaletti record on the list (see Moin above), she is matched by a secondary force of nature Nidia (Boiler Room here), and the synergy is powerful. Punchy af.
Jabu - A Soft and Gatherable Star
Dub Trip Hop that makes you cry! Fantastic additions from Bristol’s finest Daniella Dyson, Memotone, Birthmark ++
TAAHLIAH - Gramarye
Indie pop from the queen of the club.
The perfect debut from TAAHLIAH. the world is hard but i’m soft like an angel, truly.
Iceboy Violet & Nueen - You Said You'd Hold My Hand Through The Fire
Queer Ambient drill
Hyperdub was the perfect place for this project (see Burial samples), I had to stop listening to this because it was getting warmer and keeping me in seasonal depression. Kiss me again, slay me again
Mount Eerie - Night Palace
Perfect for the seasonal depression/existential dread going into 2025. The world is on fire!
Confidence Man - 3AM LA LA
Pure silly dance pop. Modern fag-hag duo born from the Deee-Lite club fun.
BABii - DareDeviil2000
Mad Max kinda internet music. Production from some of the best.
SOPHIE - Posthumous
Everything that we got from SOPHIE is a gift.
gyrofield - A Faint Glow of Bravery
Every single release from gyrofield this year has been incredible. For Metalheads, this album stretches time, experimentally breaking apart the components of drum bass and beyond.
EPS
CCL - Plot Twist via K7
Andre Belfi & Jules Reidy - dessus oben alto up
gyrofield - Flower Burial via Best Intentions
gyrofield - These Heavens via XL
Mia Koden - 34U.2
Cecille Believe - Tender The Spark
Singles
Jules Reidy - via Thrill Jockey
James K - Blinkmoth via AD93 [This is the song of the year]
DJ Swisha - How U Feelin
This year I was also blessed to work on HAAL’s debut ‘Back To Shilmarine’ EP + remixes, Alfa Mist’s live album ‘Recurring’, Stefan Ringer’s ‘Soulflow’ EP, debut singles from Kaya Thomas-Dyke, Manuka Honey’s ‘3Eternities Beneath You’, several Loraine James remixes, Kampire’s debut compilation ‘A Dancefloor in Ndola’, & Kelela’s reimagined RAVE:N.
Thank you x