Monday, 23 December 2024

My Top 10 Music Discoverys In 2024

 
This years picks were no struggle. I've pivoted away from picking up every record a band I follow releases. You accumulate a lot over the years and being fussy means avoiding acts that are spinning their wheels. This attitude freed up my time for more discovery and thanks to spotify shuffle its easier than ever to unearth new names and projects that peak your interest.

(10) Clown Core

A perfect example of bizarre internet age musicianship reveling in the obscure, toying with the deranged and masking rhythmic appeal with confronting aesthetics. Moments of magic arise from the memish presentation that often feels like an in joke.

(9) Dimmu Bongir

Another project with a comedic premise plays its stoner parody as an excuse to exercise love letters to early 90s Black Metal. Including the Symphonic scene in tone, these two records superbly resurrected the feel-tone of my most enamoured sound.

(8) Labyrinthus Stellarum

Operating within familiar terrain, Labyrinthus Stellarum's breed of cosmic, atmospheric Black Metal plays a delightful fright. Their embrace of exotic synths gives the rapturous music a curious edge whilst pummeling darkly riffs through the night skies.

(7) Sabrina Carpenter

Pop music is in a shockingly good place right now. So many acts cherry pick the best ideas of decades gone by, repackaging them with a level of aesthetic indulgence that almost surreal. As one of the biggest acts, she has the voice to meet this high bar conjuring echo's of greats like Madonna, bringing authentic country roots along too.

(6) Fogweaver

A fine discovery for the Dungeon Synth archives, a tired genre where unearthing quality feels rarer these days. Although I've only covered one record, Fogweaver has plenty more quality records with a particular flavor to indulge with.


My issue with House music is that I never quite find what fits me, despite loving the rhythm, aesthetics and overall concept. Fred Again.. has captured my interest with his lovecraft of personal moments bottled into beautiful songs. They explore intimacy through samples of snippets from conversations with friends, repeating the motif through ebb and flows that find gratifying swells over and over again.

(4) Willow
Children of success often carry an illusionary burden, the "bar set high" of their senior. However high Will soared with his eclipsed music career, Willow has simply smashed that idea apart. She stands apart, her own entity willing to dabble in all sorts of musical directions and finding a voice that blossoms in many directions, feeling natural and deeply expressive at every exciting turn.

At the peak of my Pop interest, Rina too plays this current game of resurrecting the past whilst casting a broader net of influences. Resulting in delightful rides across the musical landscape, rooted in Pop appeal, Rina's emotive voice and passionate lyrics reach into places I didn't expect, birthing absolute gems like To Be Alive. Its some of the most moving music I've heard in a while.


From the moment I heard this artist, it all fit together, a struggling, depressive Shoegaze venture into the dark reaches of moody Metal. Reflexively toying with indulgence and relief from personal woes, the music plays with hints of Deftones and Cocteau Twins. It's Jess's endearing voice and distraught lyrics that tie it all together, making the dense walls of engulfing of sound feel deeply personal.

I recall listening to Eternal Blue upon release, dismissing it in the process. How foolish! It was knowledge of seeing them live later in the year that prompted me to try again. Its baffling how the magic was locked away. After many spins it started to click. Since then I've become completely engrossed by their unique dynamic, routinely binging their best numbers, eagerly anticipating more! These are now like Metal anthems to me and I absolutely loved their live show. Can't wait to see them again in the new year!