some of what i listened to in 2024
This is going off of Full Mandy Jacket's post of the same title, as I'm also a big enjoyer of music! I take a lot of pride in discovering new music, although most of the time, like Mandy, it doesn't necessarily mean new in the published sense. I listen to everything, and I do really mean everything. I find that this year, I've had mostly a blend of folk, disco, house, and a punk/garage resurgence recently.
Note that I'm not a big listener of albums, more of single songs. Maybe that's a symptom of the streaming age, however I do enjoy properly sitting and listening to albums when the time calls for it. At home, I have a pretty sizable record collection that regularly gets appreciated (and when I have the funds, added to). This list will be of albums from this year, but maybe I'll get down to the nitty gritty and write about individual songs another time.
Charm - Clairo
This album was really special for me, mostly because I listened to this on repeat for 3-4 hours straight while working on one of my first studio projects. This album is nothing short of amazing, with it's bossa and r&b influences. I need my music to have a little flair to it, usually in the form of a funky chord progression or key, or unexpected instrumentation.
This album is full of surprises of that nature. My personal favourites are Slow Dance (the chorus is nothing short of incredible), Terrapin (for it's beautiful piano fills and vocal fills that play off of each other), and Glory of the Snow (simply because it's so wonderful, truly does remind you of crisp white snow in the morning).
Anthrope - Poll
While I was in Greece this summer, I went on the search for music in Greek, as I wasn't feeling the connection listening to my regular music while in my homeland. I needed the full experience. I stumbled across this band from the 70s, with their folk-rock with (obviously) Greek influences, mostly in their instrumentation. My personal favourite is Stin Pigi Mia Kopela, again for funky reasons. Just beautiful harmonies.
We'll Have a Time - Dear Nora
Note that I've been a fan of Dear Nora's music for about 5-6 years now, but I simply keep discovering more and more beauty in their work. This album was listened to maybe once or twice in previous years, but this year I just completely latched onto it. The really great thing that Dear Nora does is create such a nostalgic and relatable energy in their music that allows you to reflect on your own life with it's aid. Some of my best works on here have definitely been written with their music as the backdrop. Personal favourites on this album would be Rollercoaster, When the Wind Blows, and a Lullaby.
Vladimir Dubyshkin's entire discography
Just pure, awesome house music. I usually listen to house while I'm in the thick of a project, usually late at night, where I really just need a heavy, quick beat to drown out my thoughts and allow me to focus. Only side effect is that I end up dancing instead of working. What I really like about his work is how clean it is, and also how innovative! The samples don't take over the song, they sit in the backseat and add some crunch and intrigue to the beat, which is the driver. Personal favourites are the rothschild party and lady of the night.