I’m sure by now you’re tired of your family and having the mid-winter vacation doldrums. Here’s some music to try on! You might hate it. You might love it. Give it a try
Two things I love the most- Music and books. I gave you my books of the year, not all of them came out this year but heck, who cares!? Here’s my favourite music of this year!
I discovered 1021 new songs this year, new and old artists, and my insatiable appetite for music will never be quenched. It’s my passion. I didn’t write much music this year (a bit) but I sure did listen. It was great.
These ones actually did come out this year. I’ve put a little mix of everything in here, since my music tastes are quite diverse. I’ve linked all of them, and it should give a link to most streaming services. In no particular order of favourites:
N3B, Brotoype (Metal, Electronic)
It’s electronica.
No wait, It’s metal.
Considering what a disappointment the new singles by Bad Omens have been this year, it’s been refreshing to hear someone else release stupid loud electronic/metal stuff that makes me, a toxic masculine (this is a joke) loser, happy. He keeps posting screenshots of his upcoming album tracklist though, and I’m very excited. The white boy headbanger in me is turnt. If you like metal, or electronic music this is the best.
Best Track: Make Light (though honestly I love every track on the EP.)
JID, God Does Like Ugly (Rap)
If you’re a fan of hip hop, JID is probably someone already on your radar. An amazing rapper, with stories and flow that will blow your mind. This album is nowhere near as good as his masterpiece, The Forever Story from 2022, but it’s a really good album. This has been a standout year for hip hop, but this one is the best of the bunch, except maybe for Clipse’s new album (also on this list.)
I was a bit disappointed with Billy Woods’ output this year, and I’m not as much of a fan of Tyler’s most recent album, and last year’s Kendrick album was a huge disappointment after the drama and fun of his public beef with Drake, but if you like Hip Hop, this one is special! I saw his show this year, which was shockingly cheap, and it was fantastic.
Best Track: GZ
Emma Harner, Taking My Side (Guitar girl)
Emma Harner is a total phenomenon online. She’s gonna become the indie Radiohead. She’s a genius. You’ve probably seen some of her viral reels. Her debut EP is stunning, and what Radiohead would sound like if they were a little redheaded girl from midwest America. We love Emma in this household. Follow her now so that you can hear her debut album next year.
If you can walk away from this album without crying, you’re a heartless monster.
Best Track: Do It
Enfants Sauvages, Avant la mort (Punk)
Angry feminist Quebec punk band yells about femicide. ‘Nuff said. Go listen if you like punk.
I interviewed them during Pouzza fest, in case you want to read a cultural article I wrote!
Went to their show in November. Best show I saw this year, bar none. If you live in Montreal and wanna see a bunch of angry women fight cops without shirts on (don’t worry, they wore pasties) while screaming about how terrible everything is, this is the best band you’ve ever heard of. No, really, they’re phenomenal.
Maro, Lifeline / Live Trio Sessions (Electro Pop / Jazz Pop)
Maro represented Portugal in Eurovision 2022. She didn’t win, because Ukraine won. We can understand why Ukraine won. Their song wasn’t very good, but it was about solidarity because they’re living through an invasion by Russia.
Maro’s album, Lifeline, comes after a very different album that captured my soul, hortela. Actually, I didn’t like Lifeline when I first listened to it. The production sucks! After hortela, which is one of the finest recordings I’ve heard, with dynamic range and space, I was let down. But the songwriting got into my heart. Her tragic, affecting voice, low and breathy, it seeped its way into my soul, and it was easily the album I listened to the most this year. It’s Electronic pop, and it’s sublime. Then, after having listened to it ten million (no exaggeration!) (Okay, some exaggeration.) times, she released an acoustic version of the album with a fucking jazz band, and Montreal’s own Charlotte Cardin was on the album! What!
Anyways, whether you want a perfect acoustic jazz album or you want a stunning electronic heartbreaker, Maro released two of my favourites this year.
Best Track: I DON’T WANNA FEEL THAT WAY
Thrice, Horizons/West (Hardcore, Metal)
This band slaps, but it’s been a long time since they made an album that was, front to back, unbelievably good. The lyricist, Dustin Kensrue, comes from a very conservative Christian background, and some of their older tracks show that. But, since 2018, the band reckoned with their beliefs and has done a lyrical transformation that has been a pleasure to witness. Being a public figure who changes while being in the spotlight is not easy.
Their openness as a group of people is commendable, but not only that, this is the first time since 2008 they’ve released an album that is no skip.
It’s post-hardcore and metal music, being some of the angriest, most aggressive tunes you’ll hear this year. Sort of. This band is hard to pin down, because they keep writing new styles into their music. They play with time signatures, scream a lot, but then they’ll throw in a quiet acoustic passage into a song. This band is unlike anything else you’ve ever heard. I don’t think that this album holds up to their 2008 masterpiece, Beggars, but it’s hard to top that one.
I saw them live as well, with my brother Ben. It was an amazing night, probably the best day I’ve had this year, and thinking about how special that day was brings me to tears. On a personal note, this is my brother’s favourite band, and they played all of his favourite tracks, including the song Vesper Light from this album, which is a highly experimental track that has quickly become a fan favourite. When the band played it, they expressed confusion at why it was so popular, and how they weren’t prepared for it to become a live track. Well, I’m glad it is, because it’s a wholly unique track, unlike anything I’ve ever heard.
Best Track: Vesper Light
Clipse, Let God Sort Em Out (Rap)
Clipse is a fun band. They’re an old school coke rap group, the combined power of Pusha T and Malice, and this album is widely being acknowledged as the best rap album of the year. I don’t know if it’s my favourite, but it’s either this or God Does Like Ugly. This album deals with these two rappers reckoning with their lives, their families, their past with drugs, and winds up telling a lifelong struggle that can only be expressed by black Americans, and it’s awesome.
This album’s song structure is great to see, and anyone who is a fan of old school Kanye West will love it. This is what we all thought would happen after My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Uh, Kanye has gone a bit off the rails and become a neo-nazi, but here we are with an album fulfilling the promise of 2010. This is a must listen album for any hip hop fan!
Best Track: Chains & Whips
André Manoukian, La Sultane (Jazz)
André Manoukian is a French-Armenian jazz musician who captures a mystical songwriting that you won’t find anywhere else. This album isn’t quite the peak of his previous album, but it’s well recorded, dancy, and fun. I highly recommend listening to this beautiful, dark album. The man is an unbelievable composer, and you’ve probably not heard anything like this in jazz.
Best Track: Sorhag
That’s it. Those were my favourites this year. There’s some really good music out there. What was your favourite this year? What should I go check out? Let me know!
Did a word search on Substack for “Radiohead.” Emma is now on my to listen list. Thanks for the recommendations. Cheers!
What services do you use for sourcing your music? Apologies if you've mentioned that before. Trying to get away from big tech.