#21

Sasami debut album is really good and will be on my end of year list. Lo fi indie shoegaze. It sounds like buried treasure to me.
Also. Young guv - GUV I again indie lo fi. Really good.
Lastly, Barrie - happy to be hear - dream pop.

1 Like
#22

Only came across this artist a few days ago when looking to see who’s playing next week. Lovely dream electro pop. Worth checking out.

#23

Future Teens - Breakup Season for me. Takes the Tinder love songs of the last album to the next level, which I’m fully on board with.

I feel like if these guys had been around in the late 90s they really could have crossed over into some sort of mainstream, with this album soundtracking a coming-of-age sex comedy or something.

#24

Palm Haze - Rêve Bleu

I have no idea how to place this one in a year end list, but it’s by far the most exciting release for me. It’s like they got into my brain, listened to my complaints about most shoegaze, and formed a band over addressing them. Instead of noodling aimlessly over mid-tempo chord progressions, they hit you with explosive, focused walls of sound and take things to the next level with jarring tempo changes.

I think they’re at that magical point in a band’s lifespan where it’s almost like you’re hearing them figure out how to be great in real time while knowing their best is yet to come (kind of like Sleater-Kinney’s Call the Doctor in that regard).

I’ve already posted this 200 times, but it’s a must listen and already one of my favorite songs ever. Nine minutes of shoegaze at its very best. Fast, melodic, layered careening into sadness. I wish it went on forever.

I think anyone who likes early Silversun Pickups will enjoy this.

1 Like
#25

Big fan of this record especially Michael’s Soliloquy! Deffo thought it would have perked the ears of all fans of Ought / Parquet Courts on DiS…

#26

From the release day thread. Probably the album I’ve enjoyed most this year.

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#27

Dunno if it’s buried but the Malibu Ken album which came out in January is still one of my favourites of the year. Aesop Rock on great storytelling form over some stomping psych synth beats.

Also Rozi Plain’s album What A Boost is perfect, great hooky dreamy songwriting

3 Likes
#28

Kishi Bashi is a Japanese American violinist and his new album Omoiyari is one of the best things I’ve heard this year. Light, warm, orchestral folk with gorgeous vocals.

#29

really enjoying Squarehead - High Time. their first album since 2013 after a bit of a mental health break, but Frankie Cosmos fans might have seen them touring with her last year. nice slightly melancholic, slightly jangly, occasionally slightly angsty indie rock that wouldn’t be out of place on Sub Pop.

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#30

Just listened to the Jorja Chalmers record off of the back of your recommendation and it’s seriously impressive. I’m hearing Angelo Badalamenti’s ‘Twin Peaks’ crossed with Bowie’s ‘Low’ with the odd John Carpenter-esq detour, all of which is like catnip to me.

As soon as i saw the record cover on Spotify though i thought "Ah! so that’s the lady who they kept showing on the screen at the chromatics gig!’ Thanks for recommending, I’ll be playing this a lot.

Edit: this was meant to be a reply to Sean’s opening post.

1 Like
#31

Possible Humans - I’m always banging on about these guys - they don’t seem to tour or self-promote much but they released one of my favourite records of the year.

Nanami Ozone - this one may not make my final list, but it’s good solid 90s-style American indie rock that should appeal to people on here.

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#32

Pivot Gang - You Can’t Sit With Us

Yer man Saba and his mates. Just a wonderful album of laid back rap, glitchy beats and great synth hooks. Don’t know if it will quite make my top five, but it’s definitely been on heavy play since release.

Not an introspective work like Saba’s solo work from last year, but still plenty engaging nonetheless. The lyrics are full of pop culture references (as you might expect from a Friends inspired moniker/monica), and all the various contributors knit together seamlessly. They’re all clearly comfortable in each other’s company and it shines through.

Even the titles give you a flavour of what this record’s all about. Check out the triple punch of Colbert > Mortal Kombat > Hero

Ace.

1 Like
#33

W. H. Lung - Incidental Music

Melodious neo-psychedelic, simultaneously captivatingly catchy and musically fresh.

Dark Water - Night Ghosts

an exploration of it’s dreamy air and how it can deceive and posses . how it makes you fall in love with ghosts and dreams that aren’t there . how it makes you lust for something so distant. so ethereal .… or a pretty good copy of Beach House’s vibes.

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#34

William Tyler Goes West is one of my favourites of this year - subtle, beautiful and evocative Americana:

Big|Brave’s A Gaze Among Them got a lot of love in the heavy music thread earlier this year, but as @colossalhorse said in there, there’s a lot for people who don’t listen to metal to love.

4 Likes
#35

SHHE - SHHE

Released a few weeks ago but not talked about enough. Reminds me of the atmosphere of Daughter, but with more moody ambient passages. I saw her live supporting Kathryn Joseph earlier in the year and was really impressed, she created such a great mood for someone performing by themselves with many loops, synths and other equipment. The album itself is good for the early dark nights, Su Shaw’s voice is great and yeah it is great. Not very good at writing about albums, but really love this one and think it is a real gem.

2 Likes
#36

Oh hey - I got a shout out and I found out I’d missed a William Tyler record this year! Great stuff.

Can’t recommend Big|Brave enough. They’re a heavy band but they’re not exactly riff based - they’re heavy in the same way Swans are heavy. Only better.

2 Likes
#37

Amason Galaxy I

The 2nd album from the Swedish ‘Super Group’ Amason.

No idea why they haven’t broken through in the UK. Eminently radio friendly classic shiny pop - influences from Fleetwood Mac, Steely Dan, Neil Young, Prefab Sprout, Joni Mitchell …but with a very contemporary sound of dry drums and woozy analog synths & piano, all topped of with the incredible voice of Amanda Bergman.

like this -

which is about the 4th or 5th best song on the LP

#38

I’m in!

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#39

it’s a real treat of a record

#40

Erin Durant - Islands

and anything else released on Keeled Scales

1 Like