best of HONESTLY, 2024. - Top 50 Albums (50-41)

[Lee!!]

Doechii, Angel Of My Dreams, Genesis, Heat

[TRF.]

 

 

#50. Molina When You Wake Up Genre: Dream Pop, Neo-Psychedelia Ambient Pop, Indietronica, Slowcore, Ethereal Wave From: Copenhagen, Denmark || Label: Escho   If you know Molina at all, it's likely you do from her synth-heavy single "Hey Kids", which went viral on TikTok and still being used on that site to this day. But if that's what you're looking for on her debut album When You Wake Up, you'd be better off looking elsewhere. Instead what you have is something more experimental relatively-speaking, noisy guitars that contrast wonderfully with the Chilean-Danish's artist sweet-sounding voice, that sounds close to "shoegaze", but isn't quite that. Synths/electronics are present, yes, but feel rather abstract compared to any 80's worshipping around. Written during her pregnancy, it's not necessarily a record about motherhood, but the concept of "new beginnings" seem to be present, if not on the lyrics, then at least on her change of sound, a very welcome one certainly.   Highlights: "Navel", "Scorpio", "I Am Your House", "The Valleys of Tomé", "Organs" (feat. ML Buch) RIYL: Stereolab, ML Buch, A.R. Kane

 

 

#49. Tyla Tyla Genre: Afropiano Contemporary R&B, Dance-Pop From: Johannesburg, South Africa || Label: Epic   One of the brightest stars of this 2024 was South African singer Tyla and deservingly so, but her debut self-titled album was a bit more of a slow burner for me than something that hit immediately. While there are plenty of great tracks that borrow influence from South African amapiano into a context of global pop music, going back and relistening to the record, basically almost every hook on the record was immediately memorable for me. Sonically this album doesn't deviate far from its hit "Water", but it also makes for a super consistent release, Tyla's voice and personality really shines through every track (especially those on the deluxe edition!). It'll certainly be exciting to see her only grow further from here, because again, it'd be very much deserved.   Highlights: "Shake Ah" (feat. Tony Duardo, optimist, Maestro Fresh Wes), "Push 2 Start", "Safer", "Water", "No.1" (feat. Tems), "Breathe Me", "On and On", "Jump" (feat. Skilibeng & Gunna), "To Last" RIYL: Simmy, Tems, Music of the Sun-era Rihanna

 

 

#48. Carme López Quintela Genre: Drone, Electroacoustic Avant-Folk, Post-Minimalism, Galician Folk Music From: O Incio, Spain || Label: Warm Winters Ltd.   As someone whose European background is mostly Galician, I am more than familiar with the bagpipe, and Galician sound artist Carme Lopez's take on the instrument on her debut album Quintela is one of the most interesting ones I've heard in recent times. While its intro and outro seem to take a relatively accessible approach to it, akin to the most traditional forms of folk music from Galicia and other Celtic/Celtic-adjacent regions, the usage of bagpipes on the majority of the record seems to add texture to really intense, heavy droning sounds, that are almost amusical at times. While bagpipes might have oddly earned a bit of a divisive reputation, Carme's work on Quintela feels like a very much contemporary approach to it, definitely breaking tradition, but still honoring her roots.   Highlights: "Prologue: Cando a pena me mata, a alegría dame alento", "II: MATICOLO. Aos cans da casa: Piri, sil, duma e mouri", "IV: CACHELOS. A césar de farbán" RIYL: Kali Malone, Eliane Radigue, Brìghde Chaimbeul

 

 

#47. Hakushi Hasegawa Mahōgakkō Genre: Art Pop, Glitch Pop Nu Jazz, Deconstructed Club, Folktronica, Progressive Pop, Hardcore EDM, Neo-Psychedelia From: Tokyo, Japan || Label: Brainfeeder   Tokyo-based singer/songwriter and producer Hakushi Hasegawa has been creating their own "brand" of avant-garde music for a while now, but for their debut album under Brainfeeder Records, they decided to go all in. Mahōgakkō is a record that can sound very overwhelming, at its most, it feels as if one opened 15 YouTube tabs at the same time, one playing a recording of a jazz orchestra, one a catchy J-pop song, other a very fast-paced hardcore club track, and the rest of random audio effects and abrasive noise that can hit your ear at any moment. But while there are moments are little more acoustic, a little more conventionally "beautitful", it's in that chaos in which the record shines the brightest, it's frenetic and dense, and in all of its weirdness, still pop.   Highlights: "Departed", "Gone" (feat. Kid Fresino), "Mouth Flash (Kuchinohanabi)", "Repeal (Tekkai)" "Enbami", "KYŌFUNOHOSHI", "Outside (Soto)" RIYL: Katie Gately, MON/KU, Clarence Clarity

 

 

#46. Dillom Por cesárea Genre: Experimental Hip Hop Horrorcore, Alternative Rock, Abstract Hip Hop, Industrial Hip Hop, Trip Hop From: Buenos Aires, Argentina || Label: Bohemian Groove   If I'm being honest, my first impression of Argentinian rapper/singer Dillom was that he was a bit unserious, at least in comparison to some of his contemporaries. But beginning on Post Mortem, his debut album, he started showing different facets of artistry that on his sophomore Por cesárea he delves fully deeper into. It's not by any means an easy listen, while a rap album overall the presence of different subgenres of rock music is still heavy, and the topics he touches on even moreso. Drug abuse, parental neglect, ideation, and even though it has a "happy" ending, it's surely A Lot. And yet, even at its most intense moments, there is a touch of humour that feels very characteristic of him, and of us as Argentinians that I find myself very reflected on.   Highlights: "Últimamente", "La carie" (feat. Lali), "Buenos tiempos", "Muñecas", "(Irreversible)", "Reiki y yoga", "Ciudad de la paz" RIYL: an ethically sourced Slowthai, Ill Quentin, Atrocity Exhibition-era Danny Brown

 

 

#45. KMRU Natur Genre: Drone, Noise, Ambient Field Recordings, Musique concrète, Dark Ambient From: Nairobi, Kenya || Label: Touch   The works that introduced me to the music of Kenyan musician KMRU used field recordings in a way that almost felt nostalgic, through ambient music that sounded ethereal, like a distant memory of when you were growing up as a kid, or being around nature. Now having recently moved to Berlin, you can hear how that has had some influence on his music through his new album Natur. It does use field recordings, but the way they are layered over the much denser, noisy instrumentals, makes everything sound way more intense, a bit claustrophobic even, while still somehow being able to drift away and lose yourself into the music. A 52-minute-long piece separated into five parts, Natur is probably the noisiest (solo) record KMRU has released to date, one of his best too.   Highlights: it's just one track technically RIYL: Fennesz, Yellow Swans, Aho Ssan

 

 

#44. Mount Eerie Night Palace Genre: Avant-Folk, Post-Rock, Slacker Rock Indie Folk, Noise Rock, Drone, Field Recordings, Spoken Word, Noise From: Anacortes, USA || Label: P.W. Elverum & Sun   After having released some of the most emotionally intense and brutal records of the past decade, Phil Elverum's most recent album as Mount Eerie, Night Palace, feels like a bit of a change of pace. Now, just like any other Phil Elverum record, particularly post-2017, it's certainly not a comfortable listen, especially since it's a behemoth of a record, but I can see myself returning to it often, even growing onto becoming my favorite Elverum project eventually. Perhaps because of it's oddball tracklist (see: "Swallowed Alive"), perhaps due to its slight darkly humorous tint, perhaps due to the fact that despite its very experimental nature it still manages to find time to pull on your heartstrings a little bit anyway. But whatever it is that makes Night Palace work for me, I'm glad it does.   Highlights: "Night Palace", "Huge Fire", "Swallowed Alive", "Broom of Wind", "I Walk", "Empty Paper Towel Roll", "Wind & Fog Pt. 2", "I Heard Whales (I Think)", "I Saw Another Bird", "I Spoke WIth A Fish", "Non-Metaphorical Decolonization", "November Rain", "& Sun", "Stone Woman Gives Birth to a Child at Night", "I Need New Eyes" RIYL: The Microphones, Tim Buckley, Godspeed You! Black Emperor

 

#43. FLO Access All Areas Genre: Contemporary R&B, Pop Dance-Pop, Trap Soul, Smooth Soul From: London, UK || Label: Island   A couple years ago, London-based girl group FLO became decently viral with their song "Cardboard Box". Reminiscent of peak Y2K girl groups on both sides of the Atlantic like Destiny's Child or the Sugababes, they only ever became more popular, garnering a large fanbase over the years. Except it was a little more complicated than that, and their debut album Access All Areas clears that up. While addressing their rise to fame and the hurdles they've experienced, it's also a record full of beautiful R&B and pop songs that rely on nostalgia just the right amount, with harmonies and hooks that are pure ear-candy to those who can appreciate it, and with immaculate production all the way through. If anything, the trio already have the energy of experienced veterans, of people who know they're stars. Highlights: "AAA", "Walk Like This", "Check", "On & On", "IWH2BMX", "Nocturnal", "Shoulda Woulda Coulda", "Get It Til I'm Gone", "I'm Just a Girl" RIYL: Chloe x Halle, Sugababes, Brandy

 

#42. Loidis One Day Genre: Microhouse, Dub Techno Rominimal, Tech House, Outsider House From: Emporia, USA || Label: Incienso   Brian Leeds, better known as Huerco S., has become a prominent figure in experimental electronic music over the last decade. The Kansas-born producer gained recognition in the early 2010s for his outsider house style, characterized by lo-fi and experimental elements. However, his versatility led him to explore diverse paths, through projects like Pendant and PDP III he delved into dark ambient sounds, while with Loidis showcased his more danceable side. One Day, his debut album as Loidis, is clearly a techno and house album, but several tracks also use a lo-fi aesthetic, a bit of a departure from the basics of mainstream tech-house. While the tracks, which can stretch for quite a remarkable length, can be repetitive and minimalistic, they never feel tiresome, and you can always find something to latch onto that feels hypnotizing.   Highlights: "Tell Me", "Wait & See", "Love's Lineaments", "Dollarama", "Why Do" RIYL: Basic Channel, Petre Inspirescu, Kenny Larkin

 

#41. Crizin da Z.O. Acelero Genre: Funk brasileiro, Industrial Hip Hop, Abstract Hip Hop Tamborzão, Deconstructed Club, Hard Drum, Conscious Hip Hop, Political Hip Hop, Batucada, Industrial Techno, Glitch Hop From: Curitiba, Brazil || Label: QTV   The take on Brazilian funk that Curitiba-based group Crizin da Z.O. develops is far from conventional - you can hear influences from different subgenres of hip hop, of industrial and experimental club music, even a non-insignificant presence of metal and punk rock. And yet on Acelero, their most recent album, it all feels genuine, and while its lyrics touch a lot on Brazil's politics, in its past, present and future, it's still tied to the music feeling like a love letter to the genre in all of its glory and weirdness. Released through QTV, one of the coolest labels around, in a moment where the genre is becoming more gentrified than ever, it's cool to see that Brazilian artists will still be far ahead of everyone else in this game.   Highlights: "O fim um" (feat. Iggor Calavera), "Calmo a pesar de tudo" (feat. Saskia), "Demônio do Rio da Prata", "Festa da carne", "Território", "Simulado", "Acelerado" RIYL: Tantao e os Fita, Linn Da Quebrada, Injury Reserve

[Alldeezy]

Tyla