I said in the worst list that what tied together the worst of this year was disappointment but I'd say what tied together the best was surprise. A surprise release from a legacy act that wound up being good, an act I had been following releasing the album I knew they were capable of, all elements of positive surprise. I would say on the whole this year was really great for music, and now I am going to celebrate the very best of it.
25. Silicone Prairie - Vol. II
The Hypnagogic Punk project Silicone Prarie is back with a second album and one that I think is just as excellent as the first. This one leans into a more eclectic blend of sounds and tones than the first and what it lacks in the sheer hits of the first, it makes up for in a more compelling blend of different styles. The vocals are as wonderfully weird as ever and the instrumentation is an absolute blast. My only real issue is that the two interludes don't add much but they are so brief they don't impact my enjoyment too much. It is nice to see the softer side of the Silicone Prairie sound along with the punchier Punk.
24. billy woods & Kenny Segal - Maps
billy woods has firmly cemented himself as an artist who can do no wrong, after an unbelievably excellent pair of releases in 2022 his return in 2023 comes complete with another excellent release, now with producer Kenny Segal on board for the whole project. These two complement each other excellently, Segals sinister jazzy flair matches woods' husky delivery in a way that elevates the power of both. Not only that but billy woods is expectedly on top form here, his flow and darkly political storytelling are always a treat and here there is not a bar that falls flat. The production here is also extremely effective. Though the beats lack some of the consistency of tone of other billy woods releases it makes up for it having the feel of an improv session by a jazz band at the seediest coffee shop in the world, which of course, suits billy woods very well. On the whole this is another excellent project, both of these performers are on top form and they are a pairing that work wonders together. It lacks some of the liquid cohesion of Aethiopes but its frantic energy makes for an almost equally great record.
23. hemlocke springs - going...going...GONE!
From the very first single hemlocke springs has stood out as one of the most exciting and energetic artists in the Bedroom Pop space and her debut project going...going...GONE! delivers. On every song on this release, there is a charming off-kilter feel to the songwriting while still keeping the hooks and structures tight and memorable. Not only this but hemlocke springs possesses a vocal delivery that radiates personality, too many artists nowadays lack a real personal touch to their vocals but it is here in spades with hemlocke springs. The instrumental palette is also vast and varied, from the Devo-esque bass synths on "heavun" to the sparse funky instrumental on "pos". The creativity on display with the songwriting is matched with the sounds on display. Despite its eclectic style, the flow here is incredible, it feels cohesive in tone and ethos but not cohesive in style. This is a star-making release for hemlocke springs, from the very first release this is an artist who I am certain is going to go on to do great things.
22. André 3000 - New Blue Sun
When this was announced and shortly after release the music community joined together in shock that this is what the first real solo album by André 3000 is. What this says to me is that people haven't been paying attention to what he has been doing for the past couple of years. I was surprised for sure, but I was surprised that we got an album at all, I knew if one ever came, it would be exactly like this. Now what isn't surprising is that this is excellent. The soundscapes here are gorgeous the whole album makes you feel like you are floating on light. André is a remarkably talented multi-instrumentalist and the cast of additional musicians do excellent work as well. Some may be worried that there isn't much happening in the mix but that is not true, there are countless amounts of interesting textures and motifs that keep the album continuously engaging. The thick bass hits on "Ninety Three 'Til Infinity and Beyoncé" act as an ear-catching melody that drives the song. The greatest highlight however is the textural buffet that is "Ants to You, Gods to Who ?" which makes it the best song on the album in my view, it is such an excellently executed work. This album is just such a gorgeous project, if André 3000's career from this point onwards is more albums like this I would not complain.
21. Meaningfound1 - Tell Me When You Find It
Hunting for unspoken gems is pretty much always rewarding, and that is without question the case with this Meaningfound1 album. From the abstract artist name, an impression of the energy of the music could potentially be inferred but I do not think you could imagine the lengths this goes to. This album gets weird, it has a complete disregard for conventional structure and melody, instead taking on this jovially explosive style of songwriting, where the artist bombards you with ideas that don't always seem to connect but just, work. The strange choices don't end with the songwriting but also the textural choices, you will hear harsh midi instrumentation that does not blend into the mix, a lot of the individual instruments are garish and ugly but they all combine in this absurd tapestry of mayhem. You will be greeted by constant diversions, the artist seemingly dropping the idea they were pursuing for another, especially in the ever-changing "So Many Things To Say" which feels like surfing TV channels late at night and hearing these bursts of genius on every station. In short, this is one of the most creative albums of the year and the fact this artist only has 5 monthly listeners at the time of writing is a travesty.
20. Frog - Grog
I have been discovering that Frog are one of the most underappreciated acts of the past few years and this newest record adds to that. The songwriting is as tight as usual, with the bands shifting yet endlessly memorable style of songwriting oozing from each track. What makes this one is the textural variety, while the band's past albums have not shied away from this diversity, this one feels especially adventurous, shown in moments such as the Funk Rock groove on "Black on Black on Black" or the joyous bounce of "Maybelline", the album isn't afraid to experiment with rhythm or tone and it makes for an engaging listening experience. While I don't think this is their best work (it will be quite hard for any of their stuff to beat Kind of Blah for me) this is another excellent project that proves that this band deserves to be huge.
19. MIKE - Burning Desire
I think I can officially call 2023 the year of Hip Hop, the number of essential albums this year that are in the Hip Hop world is absurd, and on Burning Desire, MIKE has made an album to join that list. This album has a pretty loose structure, it jumps from song to song, thought to thought, giving us just enough time to enjoy the song we are on but also just the right amount to make us excited for what comes next. The production is thick and psychedelic, matching MIKE's deadpan delivery perfectly, it gives it a, not relaxing, but laid-back energy. But that doesn't mean it can't go hard, tracks like "African Sex Freak Fantasy", "Do You Believe" and others show MIKE at a more energetic delivery that combined with the other styles helps it feel tonally diverse. Equally, it leaves room for gorgeous cuts like the stunning "should be!", and with all these different tones the album never gets stale. There is just a unique energy to this album, it feels like floating through space unsure of when you are going to find somewhere to stop but you are just in awe of the sights.
18. Circuit Circuit - Body Songs
I think I can officially put Circuit Circuit right at the top of the priority list for bands to keep an eye on. Of all the modern Sasscore this band do it the best, the energy is on point and it never gets stale even for a second. This thing is brutal all the way through, the riffs are wildly engaging and pummeling and it works wonders with the consistently brilliant vocals. My one comment is I thought the snap cut in the final track was a mistake on the first listen, it seems like a weird decision but doesn't detract from the song's otherwise greatness. Circuit Circuit have not only managed to make another excellent EP but have outdone their last, please pay attention to this band.
17. Tarrkam - Fresh Grad
Okay, I must admit where my biases lay, I love Egg Punk, pretty much always. So if you are making an Egg Punk album I am probably going to like it. Lucky for me not only is this an Egg Punk album, but it's a great Egg Punk album. This album has an amazingly off-kilter style that keeps your attention the whole way through, bouncing from odd idea to odd idea and I love it. This thing is also packed with memorable moments. "Produk-Produk Mutakhir" is utterly insane, and the excellent vocal melody and memorable synth line make this a deeply enjoyable listen. The bizarre rhythm on the intro to "Kameleon" that explodes into this intense pounding groove is probably my favourite moment on the album, as well as the song being one of my favourites on the record. This is an amazing and unique album in the Egg Punk sound and if you have even a passing interest in the genre, check this out, you will not regret it.
16. Water From Your Eyes - Everyone's Crushed
As someone who loves the more unconventional and angular side of Pop this is exactly up my alley. The album starts off great, with constantly shifting and wonderfully creative song after song, but really steps it into high gear for the second half starting at "Everyone's Crushed" and gives the listener one of the best runs of songs of the entire year, with some of the most mind blowing tracks you will hear. The chaotic energy of the instrumentals is perfectly complemented by the vocalist, who's monotone, uncaring delivery gives a sense of normalcy that just makes the music itself even more exciting. One of the most innovative and creative albums of the entire year, absolutely check it out.
15. Luge - I Love It Here, I Live Here
I haven't been the biggest fan of Luge's previous work despite my love for all the aesthetics they pull from, I liked the self titled but I felt something was missing, they have however completely won me over on this release. They keep outdoing themselves with each song that comes up, every single one has a perfect balance between eclectic freakiness and an off-kilter hookiness that keeps them all feeling individually distinct. The vocals are also excellent, all the way through they perfectly capture the intense energy of the rest of the release. The energy is infectious and the songs are great. This is the exact style of modern Zolo that I gravitate to, it takes the best elements of the genre structurally and adds its unique style and charm to it. If you are in the market for some unique and entertaining music to overwhelm and delight you, check this one out.
14. Godflesh - Purge
Industrial Metal icons Godflesh are back with another project, and their style of EDM flavoured Industrial Metal, last seen in the 90s is back in maybe its best form. This album is filthy, it is dense and murky in the best possible way, you feel as if you are being drowned in a swamp of nails for the whole release. The instrumentals here are absolutely crushing, from start to finish these instrumentals are some of the most vicious of the whole year, and the vocals are somehow just as evil sounding as they were at the band's beginning. After a 6 year break, Godflesh have come back swinging and are here to show that they are still able to contend with everyone else and this incredible album is absolutely proof of that fact.
13. Katie Dey - Never Falter Hero Girl
I'm beginning to wonder if (and hope that) the dominating trend in underground Pop is going to be a full plunge into textural exploration. This album fully dips into this, while also keeping its extremely engaging and compelling songwriting as the primary focus. The album feels like being trapped inside a painting, the aesthetics are so colourful and vivid, you get lost in them. That is not to say the instrumentals are the only appeal, Dey's distorted and electronically warped vocals act as the guide through this abstract world and they are extremely effective. From potent energetic cuts to the atmospherically brilliant slower ones, this album is fully formed and utterly brilliant and the multifaceted vocals play a big part. As someone who is only really familiar with Katie Dey's work with Devi McCallion, this has absolutely blown me away, this is not only one of the finest Pop albums of the year, but also one of the finest albums of the year in general.
12. Alice Low - Transatlantic Sugar
Alice Low is a genius and one of the most promising musicians in the world right now. No I am dead serious, across this debut EP we some of the most wildly creative music of the year, melding modern off kilter aesthetics with a clear love for the Glam Rock era of the 70s. For a debut release this really is exceptional, each song is wonderfully engaging while being sonically diverse and leaving so much room for future development. I have full faith that Alice Low is going to become one of the greatest artists of all time and I cannot wait to see her career progress.
11. Arthur Russell - Picture of Bunny Rabbit
Arthur Russell is one of the saddest what-if's in music for me. Someone with boundless creativity, a unique sound, and a fierce work ethic was taken away before they were able to express their full potential. Thankfully for those of us still mourning what could have been there has been a steady stream of respectfully delivered and thoughtful archival releases that capture snippets of his incredible back catalog of recordings. This newest one is once again excellent, every song here is gorgeous and is even further proof of the excellence of Arthur Russell's songwriting. This whole album feels like a comforting embrace with a loved one that leaves both of you crying by the end. For anyone who enjoys any of Russell's previous releases you are doing yourself a disservice by not checking this out, it is beautiful and wonderfully creative.
10. Jeromes Dream - The Gray in Between
It is extremely rare for a band who have been gone on a long hiatus to ever release a great album after their reunion, however on this album Jeromes Dream do something even more impossible, they make an album better than their debut. There is a manic and ferocious rage that permeates the record, from the vicious pinching guitars to the suffocating lower end, the drums pummelling as the vocalist yelps in agony, it is a fantastic sound through and through. Unlike a lot of Screamo it never feels too short, songs have the ideal amount of time to execute their ideas and they never get stale. The song writing really is on top form here, taking the expected viciousness and supplementing it with quieter moments that give the entire record a real sense of balance. I never thought I'd say this, but Jeromes Dream have made an album that is not only better than Seeing Means More Than Safety but one that stands shoulders above it, I cannot wait to see what they do next.
9. El Michels Affair & Black Thought - Glorious Game
Last year Black Thought was half of one of the best Hip Hop albums of the year and here he is, doing it again. Black Thought is expectedly on top form, at this point he is one of the most reliably excellent rappers in Hip Hop so his immense talent on this project is really no surprise. The beats he finds himself on however are wonderfully unique, with lush instrumentation that gives off a dream like and psychedelic quality, while still being wonderfully punchy, with the tight percussion fitting Black Thoughts delivery brilliantly. This is a wonderful album and I really hope that this group work with Black Thought again because there is a stunning synergy here.
8. Cherry Cheeks - CCLPII
Egg Punk has quickly become one of my all-time favourite sounds and Cherry Cheeks may be the best act to ever do it. This second album is an explosive blast of Punk mayhem. Each song falls into this wonderfully unique style while feeling individually delightful in songwriting. Sure the album is short at a miniscule 20 minutes but I am very used to short lengths within the genre. Sure I would like more but when the songs I have been provided with are this good I can't complain. The vocals are perfect, the instrumentals have the garagy and intense feel I love and there is not a second wasted. While it is a bit of a downgrade from their debut this is another incredible album from Cherry Cheeks, how this is the work of one person I have no idea.
7. Rebecca Black - Let Her Burn
Of all the artists to make a fantastic Pop album, Rebecca Black was maybe the bottom of my list, but after being completely blown away by "Crumbs" I was excitedly anticipating the full release. And it does not disappoint, the album is a tight 10 tracks and each delivers with some wonderful creativity and exceptional hooks. Rebecca Black has really came into her own vocally and has a powerful grip over every song on the album. "Sick To My Stomach" is a bit underwhelming but every other song is brilliant. If there was an award for most improved over the period of a career I think Rebecca Black would win it because this is a triumph.
6. Brainiac - The Predator Nominate EP
As a writer I feel it is important for me to make my biases extremely clear, Brainiac are at this point my favourite band of all time. Every single thing that has ever been released under the Brainiac name has been at the very least great, and that extends to the archival releases that have been steadily released since the resurgence of the bands popularity. So I was pretty excited to hear this was coming, the last release to ever be put out under the Brainiac name. What a way to go out. What we are greeted with is by far the most synth driven Brainiac release, bordering once again on the sonic palettes of EBM and Synth Punk. I was astounded mainly by how complete these songs sound, if you gave this to me as the secret unreleased Brainiac EP, I would believe you, each song feels fully formed and wonderfully crafted, with Taylor's unique brand of song writing oozing from every element of each song. As a fan this is the best ending I could have possibly hoped for, an unbroken expression of the bands creativity and a real glimpse of what could have come next. Despite it's short length and despite it's rough recording this is just what I wanted. God bless Tim Taylor.
5. Armand Hammer - We Buy Diabetic Test Strips
Here is a phrase that should immediately convince you to listen to this album, it is an Armand Hammer album. E L U C I D and billy woods are both on top form, as they always are and the production is just as excellent as it always is on any project that involves either the two. That isn't to say this isn't doing anything new because that would be a lie because it absolutely is. This is seen most clearly in the fact that this is the most texturally diverse production I have heard on any of their releases. The production seems to cover every single mood and genre but it always feels distinct to their overall style. The chemistry between the two is of course excellent, they bring out the best in each other on every track here, they are both individually some of the most uniquely talented people in music right now as far as flow and lyricism is concerned and together they are even stronger. The winning streak continues.
4. Xiu Xiu - Ignore Grief
On Ignore Grief Xiu Xiu have successfully created one of the most manically sinister albums I have ever heard. The whole album is packed with off kilter instrumentation, suffocating drones, horrifying vocals and utterly hopeless sounding strings, and all these elements come together to create something wholly unique in its musical horror. A further point on the vocals, Stewart and Seo both take half of the album each and their unique voices complement their songs in unique ways, with Stewart offering a more hopeless yelp which gives his songs a feeling of writhing pain with Seo bringing in more foreboding powerful presence that gives a wildly different effect to the overall sound of her tracks. A lot of people have complained about the lack of cohesion between the two sides of this album but I think it only helps to further alienate and unsettle the listener and helps to make the elements I love about this all the stronger.
3. Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!?
From its opening moments, this album feels special, the droning instrumentation and the novel excerpt reading set up the mood for the rest of the album. For every moment after this, the album is beautiful. Instrumentally this is some of the most incredible Jazz in Jazz Rap I have ever heard; every instrumental is dense yet never too busy. The performers on top of these instrumentals are what matters here however. Mckinley Dixon is a captivating performer throughout, with richly detailed lyricism and a fantastic flow. He not only grabs your attention but keeps it for the projects whole duration, and I found myself always focused and engaged in his performance. The features here are also great, whether they are here for backing vocals or to add a verse, they all add so much to the album. In short, this album is brilliant, whether it is it's usual gorgeous or harder such as on "Mezzanine Tippin'" it all comes together in one genius whole. I am kicking myself for not giving McKinley Dixon attention sooner.
2. MSPAINT - Post-American
This project is a lean, no nonsense collection of brilliantly written and tightly performed Synth Punk. The bands style of impactful riffs combined with fantastic hooks that immediately drew me to them has only been made even greater than it already was, as they have practically perfected that sound on this release. They don't stay in their own lane though, they are always finding new ways to excite, from the infectious confidence of "Information", the ball of energy that is "Acid" which feels as if it is constantly ramping up more and more, the anthemic scream of "Hardwired", the angular synths and manic vocals of "Decapitated Reality" and the fiercely powerful vocal delivery on "Titans of Hope" the band constantly find new ways to pummel the listener. MSPAINT have a level of power and energy to them that I feel has been sorely lacking with a lot of Punk this year. Each song feels like an exercise in vigour that never lets up for its whole duration while remaining fiercely imaginative and wildly creative. As far as I'm concerned, that makes it pretty much the ideal Punk album, if you are even remotely interested in Punk and especially if you are interested in Synth Punk this is one you need to check out, you will not regret it.
1. KÅ“nig - 1 Above Minus Underground
Possibly the most imaginative Hip Hop album I have ever heard. Every beat on here is unreal, meshing organic sounding instrumentation with alien accents that give the entire project a wonderful creeping and uncomfortable atmosphere. An example of this is the wild, bending and pulsating synth that blasts in a minute into track 2, which creates an unnerving feeling in the mix, as it feels as if an unknown creature is wailing in pain, and textures this fascinating are all over the project. To add to these incredible instrumentals, the majority of these songs have features and every single one kills it. From the immediate, punchy flow of Sensational, to the winding tone of Moor Mother to the always fantastic Dälek, every single feature adds so much to the record, even the extremely unconventional feature from Elvin Brandhi which sounds unlike anything I have heard. In short this album is phenomenal, 2023 was an amazing year for Hip Hop and this album stood shoulders above the rest, as a titanic and monolithic testament to sheer creativity.