2024 Favs

This thing is insane, I discovered MAQUINA. this year and it amazes me how much I love their music. Their live shows are insane, so energetic, wild and danceable. I am so obsessed with this release and every time I put it on it brings me so much joy and energy. It has accompanied on my late night drives to work, hazy mornings and on the day that I got my first job in a different area (I bought it after the last interview). Its given me everything I am looking for in music and it will for sure be a timeless listen. I am so obsessed with what might yet come from the band. They are one of the reasons I finally decided to pick up the bass.

Favourite track: denial

It's great, it's the record of 2024 and even though I might prefer how I'm feeling (I will never be sure tbh) there's not a single bad moment in this. Really happy that Charli is this successful. There's not much else to say about BRAT. (My girlfriend bought me this record for valentine, isn't she amazing?)

Favourite track: 365

I have yet to do a full dive into GYBE's discography having only listen to their F# and Skinny Fists prior to this. Their records never feel like a very casual listen so I am trying to do a deeper dive this following year. However since I've trying to listen to more music coming out today this was a mandatory album. It's just amazing how much they can do with instruments alone. Somehow it felt like an hopeful message despite referencing the ongoing genocide in Palestine. Can't wait to dig deep into their discography and their show next year at Lisbon. Free Palestine.

Favourite track: RAINDROPS CAST IN LEAD

Well this is a very late entry. There's someone I follow on twitter who's recommendations have been outstanding and this kept popping up on my feed. Later that week I was at a record store and they had this tucked away in a corner. I obviously couldn't ignore such a coincidence and had to listen to it as soon as I could! It blew me away instantly. A week later I went back to pick it up and like Cool World has been on repeat. Such an amazing end of the year find and I can't wait to spin it for many years to come. Thank you Annie for helping me listen to weird music.

Favourite track: American Standard

My first listen was actually in a concert with my girlfriend. The line to get in was huge and we lost hope of getting in but decided to try our luck since we didn't have much to do anyway and I'm so glad we did. The whole thing felt like listening to jazz in space, it was such a wonderful time! After the show I got very excited to listen to this front to back and it has been my morning commute soundtrack ever since.

Favourite track: Continuum

Probably the second record I was most excited to listen this year. Their debut got me back into listening to heavier music and this just reinforces how much I enjoy it. Sludgier metal wasn't easy to get into for me but Chat Pile has kept me hooked with every release. I have been coming back to this very regularly and it's keep wanting to listen to it more and more. Really hope that I can catch their first show in Portugal at Primavera.

Favourite track: Masc

It's funny that this album ended up here because even though the online discourse was extremely positive my first listen was quite underwhelming. I listen to Image with my girlfriend expecting it to change our lives and it just didn't. It wasn't bad but we just didn't have much to say about it. However the following day I felt like I had to come back to it. And the next one and next one. I finally gave in and listened to the whole record and I don't know how but I think it ended up on my queue everyday for 2 weeks. I love when a record makes me change my mind especially something brings back a Depeche Mode-esque feeling.

Favourite track: Death & Romance

I've followed JPEG's work since VETERAN and even though every release has been great, nothing has quite hit the same spot as that first listen. However this one has scratched that same hitch. It's so strange, chaotic, energetic and had me bopping whatever is going on in "it's dark and hell is hot" (I really never expected to enjoy this track but it hits so hard) Glad to finally have a new JPEG favourite.

Favourite track: JPEGULTRA

This record was such a pleasant surprise, one day it was just everywhere on my feed so I had to give it a listen. When I read that it had been put together by a 20 year old girl from Brazil in her bedroom and that it was a post rock album I had to immediately put it on. It's so grand yet with such vulnerable moments, it had me rooting for our little sheep. Glad to have kept this one on rotation throughout the year.

Favourite track: Storge

Best EP of the year and fantastic release from Maruja. Can't wait for a full album release. Got to see them live at Musicbox and getting to listen to this and the rest of their small, yet so powerful, catalogue was truly a transcendental experience. Thought they would leave out Kakistocracy but played it right at the end and had me tearing up.

Favourite track: The Invisible Man