#21
  1. Babygirl - Nevermind (this has been a massive earworm for me)
  1. Dry Cleaning - John Wick (ā€œSomeone pissed on my leg in big Sainsburyā€™sā€)
  1. Cassandra Jenkins - Hard Drive (Iā€™m a sucker for spoken word stuff in music)
  1. Mogwai - Here We, Here We, Here We Go Forever (weeeeeee)
  1. Big Thief - Off You (Big Thief covering Breedersā€¦ Two of the best Bs!)
2 Likes
#22

Oh, man, really? Thatā€™s embarrassing. I normally fact check these kinds of posts, too. No idea how I got the impression they are Irish, then.

#23

You should probably start double-checking.

To be sure, to be sure.

1 Like
#24

This is far, FAR too hard so Iā€™m going to go on first instinct and try not to overthink it

1: CHAI - ACTION (House / Indie-Pop)

2: Japanese Breakfast - Be Sweet (Pop / Rock)

3: The Armed - An Iteration (Rock / Hardcore)

4: Noga Erez - End of the Road (Pop / Hip-Hop)

5: Flock of Dimes - Price of Blue (Indie Rock)

6: Cassandra Jenkins - Hard Drive (Singer-Songwriter)

7: YOUHA - abittipsy (Pop)

8: Lizzie Reid - Cubicle (Singer-Songwriter)

9: The Staves - Best Friend (Folk-Pop)

10: Chung Ha - Flying on Faith (Pop)

If anyoneā€™s looking for some inspiration (and if youā€™ll pardon the JAG) I started a blog a couple of months ago and have done a top 40 tracks playlist for each month since January. You can listen to them on Spotify, YouTube and Apple Music.

2 Likes
#25

Nice - I will be checking out your blog for sure!

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#26

Thank you, that would be really awesome :smiley:

As a fair warning the layout is a bit messy on smartphone (website creation is new to me). But Iā€™m pretty pleased with the content so far. I hope you enjoy!

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#27

Think that is the 3rd list that Cassandra Jenkins - Hard Drive has featured in. It is a track that I listened to a couple of times and didnā€™t really impact me (which could have been to any number of other external factors). That is what I love about threads like this - if a bunch of other people (or even just one tbh) say that a song has really hit the spot for them then I will always give it a bit more time to try and find what I might have missed on first listen.

1 Like
#28

Yeah I was going to ask, do you tally up points from this? Feels like Cassandra Jenkins has got off to a sprint start.

#29

I wasnā€™t going to tally up points as such this time, for various reasons. But I might highlight some trends / popular choices at the end of the month if we get enough nominations.

Edit - also going to stick everything in a playlist on Spotify and YouTube and share the links.

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#30

In no particular order because there isnā€™t really one, these are ten of the tracks that have kept me going this year.

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#31

Thanks - Iā€™ve only heard one of those tracks I think (the first one), so looking forward to having a listen!

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#32

Some tracks Iā€™ve enjoyed over the last 6 months (like this thread a lot, thanks for bringing it back)

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#33

I have put everything so far in a YouTube playlist. Wonder if the mods can add this link to the OP?

Itā€™s sorted by date published to YT ascending. I will look at doing a Spotify list too, although I am seriously pissed off with them at the moment!

Listened to a bunch of these tracks earlier and the level of quality is top drawer, well done all :slight_smile:

Edit - keep the nominations coming.

3 Likes
#34

Put this together before the Music League 2021 round, ended up having to change it.

Mogwaiā€™s Ritchie Sacramento is probably my song of the year, and Shameā€™s Harsh Degrees and black midiā€™s John L should be on my list too, but since theyā€™ve already been mentioned hereā€™s another ten. No order whatsoever (aside from maybe the first three), and going to keep it to one per artist:

Mogwai - Pat Stains

Like a sad sequel to Ratts of the Capital. Amazing.

Parannoul - White Ceiling

In that special zone where someone who hasnā€™t broken through completely goes for it and unleashes their opus without any guarantee of people ever hearing it.

Cloud Nothings - The Room It Was

One of their very best. Almost like Iā€™m Not Part of Me, but rawer and with some pandemic anxiety thrown in. Incredible album closer. Highly recommend listening to it with the song that comes before it, they fit together perfectly.

Black Country, New Road - Sunglasses

Love how charismatic and all over the place this is, that Kanye section is so good and tense.

Charlie Martin - Sadie

Just a beautiful song from one half of Hovvdy, feels kind of nostalgic. Think fans of Strange Rangerā€™s more low key stuff will like this a lot.

KAUAN - Maanpako

Look at the album artwork, thatā€™s pretty much what youā€™re getting. Great stormy post-rock/metal with vocals.

The Antlers - Green to Gold

Itā€™s so nice having them back. Pretty and gentle and melancholic without going for the kill like Burst Apart and Hospice.

Beachy Head - Looking for Exits

Pretty, melancholic, melody-driven shoegaze from members of Slowdive.

Godspeed You! Black Emperor - OUR SIDE HAS TO WIN (for D.H.)

An understated, depressing album closer in the mold of the first part of Antennas to Heaven. Itā€™s an instant day ruiner.

Bleach Lab - Old Ways

Brand new discovery from Music League (thanks @Spen78). Beautiful song, feels very Trouble Will Find Me era The National melody-wise or like very slowed down Cloud Nothings. Thereā€™s a real weightiness to this, not your usual dream-pop/shoegaze song. The bass really elevates it too.

3 Likes
#35

BONUS 11th since itā€™s not on Spotify:

Talonsā€™ - Vampire

Could go with any song from this album, they all occupy the same space. Soft and calm and noisy at the same time. Perfect music for waking up from a pandemic nightmare and realizing youā€™re still in a pandemic that most of the country is ignoring. Very direct and affecting.

3 Likes
#36

1. Frederik Valentin (ft. Jeuru) - Blue
(despite being 8 minutes long, itā€™s my most listened to song this year. 43 times and counting. Not sure of the order of the rest of my songs)

The More Shallows - Ancient Baby

Fog Lake - Dakota

Bodies of Water - Every Little Bird

The Notwist: Oh Sweet Fire

Sam Skinner - Ankle 2

Mansfield.TYA - Ni morte ni connue

Elephant Micah - Glacier Advisors

WHO KILLED BAMBI - Lost at Sea

Meril Wubslin - ƀ part Ƨa

3 Likes
#37
  1. Wolf Alice - How Can I make it ok?
  2. Self Esteem - I do this all the time
  3. Everything Everything - SUPERNORMAL
  4. Skee Mask - Testo BC Mashup
  5. Dry Cleaning - Scratchcard Lanyard
  6. The Staves - Satisfied
  7. Mogwai - Itā€™s What I want to do mum
  8. For those I love - I have a love
  9. Arab Strap - Here comes Comus!
  10. Kings of Convenience - Rocky Trail
3 Likes
#38
  1. This Ship Argo - Why Are You Like This?
  2. Sofia Kourtesis - La Perla
  3. Pom Poko - Like A Lady
  4. Chiyu - Omokage
  5. Jane Weaver - Heartlow
  6. Lost Girls - Menneskekollektivet
  7. Altın GĆ¼n - YĆ¼ce Dağ Başında
  8. Bicep - X
  9. Audiobooks - The Doll
  10. Sarah Jarosz - Mama

Honourable mentions to:
4 Mars - Natesha
Clementine March - Panic Attack
Wyndow - Take My Picture
Eccentronic Research Council - Maxineā€™s Dream
Sasha and the Valentines - Witches
Cobalt Chapel - In Company

Will post the link to the This Ship Argo video, my favourite track of the year so far, cos itā€™s only had 30 views on Youtube and really deserves more love. This Ship Argo stuff is slow droney synths and electronica, which is not going to be everybodyā€™s cup of tea, but I think itā€™s terrific. The album itā€™s from, Always The Bees Never The Honey, is great, but this is the standout track for me. This Ship Argo is a solo project, Aileen McKenna from Belfast.

2 Likes
#39

Playlist is up to date, although this is the first track I havenā€™t been able to find on youtube.

I was surprised to find this on youtube, along with the rest of the album - I thought it wasnā€™t meant to be on streaming services?

1 Like
#40

Ah thatā€™ll be my error putting the album title instead of the artist name, sorry. Itā€™s Lycoriscoris - Omokage (from the album Chiyu)

2 Likes