Burzum "Hvis Lyset Tar Oss" (1994)

 

Enter a naturalist sublime, as inspiration finds it form, the stars align. Opening with a spirited union of mystic synthtone and sizzling guitar distortion, we embark through three minutes of atmospheric bliss, isolated with the cruel beauty of mother nature. Estranged and peculiar as ever, this is Burzum's peak, perfecting aesthetic, craft and vision. Its opener, Det Som Engang Var, sharing name with his previous album, then roars into life. A barrage of tumbling tom fills ushers in an iconic, anthemic riff. Triumphant and resolute, it plays like a battle cry from a Bathory classic. The song swings between these juxtaposing temperaments, laying in simplistic lead guitar overtones at the midpoint to slip us along the songs lengthy final passage, which further revels in its arcane guitar distortion and korg/cassio synth chemistry.

Title track Hvis Lyset Tar Oss leans into darkness. Blast beats and grizzly guitar grinding turns attention to the broody harmonizing bassy synth lurching below the songs unrelenting march. After a couple of minutes the pace thickens, a hard snare strike leading charge as fuzzy guitar chord arrangements breed emotional relief among its harsh offerings. Venturing deeper, the grind shifts again, pierced by Varg's despairing howls. Returning to its opening stature, an unsettled conclusion emerges as flickers of lead guitar overtone offer little more than reinforcing its darkly premise.

My absolute favorite track, Inn I Slottet Fra Droemmen, offers up the brutality of frozen landscapes. Resolute in its repetitive, obnoxious grind, a chilling thrash of harsh riffs bombards. The wobbling high baseline furthering its gratifying peculiarity. Grinding through dissonance, it eventually releases this tension for moments of worldly reflection as those stunning synths re-emerge alongside string plucking riffs that revel in the messy guitar distortion. Teasing the release of its steady build up, the climax is godly. When drums crash in, its conclusive riff roars triumphant and eternal. Its peak, yet somehow, Varg yields more, lining up gratifying riffs, the return of harmonizing synths and a glorious guitar lead for an unforgettable spiritual experience.

At its conclusion, we a treated again to visionary offerings. Although easily associated with the retroactive Dungeon Synth label, Tomhet transcends. Seemingly a simple arrangement based on minimalism, the chemistry of its tones, octave shifting whistle and subtle percussive thud birth something remarkable. Meditative, introspective, lonesome... insert all your adjectives here! So much is conjured from so little, highlighting our deep humanist connection to music. The midpoint pivots entirely to a new construct, refining its calming powers and evoking even more curiosity. After some minutes, a gentle drum pattern emerges alongside this soulful flute melody that somehow makes sense of all this spiritual peculiarity. Such a remarkable record.

Rating: 10/10

One Arc Degree "The Forest And The Milky Way" (2023)

Inconsequential! That's the word I've been seeking. A peaceful setting, absent of self. This describes my current obsession with these meditative Psybient sleepers. One Arc Degree's prior effort didn't resonate quite like this one. With soft touches of Yagya alike dreamy Downtempo droning, The Forest And The Milky Way toys with Cosmic Ambience aesthetics as steady thuds of percussive life pull us through serine soundscapes that swell and contract through luscious layers of shimmering synths. Its sweetest fruits emerge through covert arrivals. The driving kick bass locks in with an emergence of soft snare and quiet cymbals, conjuring a hazy dancefloor energy.

Its construct sequences lengthy songs dwelling on an aesthetic tones. Instruments gracefully dodge melody, lurching in limbo, toying with their own ambiguity. A web of sounds hang in perpetuity, whirling, murmuring, drifting on by without a care. The result is soothing, meditative, blending earthly vibes with astral synths that land in their own strange yet welcoming space. My preferred tracks lure me in to a deep calm, the others pass by without concern. Its a wonderful listen. The moments that spin to my rhythm are entrancing. Its not the entirety of the record but worthy of much merit!

 

Rating: 7/10

Burzum "Det Som Engang Var" (1993)

 

 

 The blemishes of Burzum's growing pains fade as Varg's sophomore effort plays concise, sharp, effortlessly flowing through the fruits of his lonesome esoteric craft. A masterclass in how to structure a record, Det Som Engang Var houses the final remains of sinister metallic groove, before sequestering into the depths of lonely atmosphere on future releases. With a bold linearity, songs brood, evolve and venture to breaks, deviations and climaxes at thoughtful pace. Its flow gushes with musicality, weaving in plenty of nightly heathen melody to its monstrous demeanor. Varg jostles extremities, shuffling between tuneful lockstep grooves and frighting bursts of discordant terror held together by loose blast beats, arriving at wild destinations.

Opening with the scowling ferocity of Key To The Gate, this roar of dissonant metalic anger matures through blues pains punctuated by Vargs anguished howls with a stunning uplift of anthemic melody. Proceeded by En Ring Til Aa Herske, we revel in the echo's of Black Sabbath groove twisted to a frozen landscape as soft murmuring chants bestow a glorious ritualistic mood. Lost Wisdom returns in its best incarnation. Bereft of fuzzy fidelity, the track shines with a fierce might. Jostling Varg's typical arsenal of disheveled chords, roaring groove and dusky melody, the song blooms.

Next we hit the Dungeon Synth note, Han Som Reiste showcases an ear for melody evoking naturalistic and ancient cultural themes, tilted to a lonely peculiarity. Its a gorgeous song, the following Naar Himmelen Klarner shares its qualities but is performed on dueling guitars drenched in fuzzy distortion. It creates a stunning atmosphere but its underlying composition suggests it too could have been performed with synths. The gradual build to arrive of a simple drum groove is always enchanting.

Snu Mikrokosmos Tegn has long been a favorite. Its pummeling dissonance and dreary persona grinds with repetition, shuffling into hardy guitar riffs that highlighted the values of brooding on an idea to a young me. Its offering of light at the midpoint plays a swell, gratifying reward, ideas we will hear again later on, explored deeper still. The track then muddies its way through another spooky spell of intensity, lacking the pummel of barbaric drums, to arrive at that magical destination once again.

Either side of all these cuts lay some Dark / Black Ambient pieces, masterfully composed, estranged, mystic and complimentary of the five songs nestled between them. This lean approach will evolve as we embark on Varg's finest work next.

Rating: 10/10

Naughty By Nature "Naughty By Nature" (1991)

An understated classic from the other side of Hudson River, Naughty By Nature's sophomore effort stands the test of time. Uniting radio friendly Hip Hop of the era with Hardcore Rap. This trio's tuneful beats and energetic rhymes somehow grapple the gritty verbal craft and easy pop appeal in the same space. Kicking off with Yoke The Joker, we hear a ferocious Treach drop one of Rap's most legendary verses, rhyming practically every word in the dictionary beginning with s. The whole song is fierce display of talent, his words leap out at you through undying rhyme schemes.

 

In retrospect, he seems ahead of his time. Leaving the classic post N.W.A flow behind. One can anticipate rhymes arriving yet his vocabulary depth is loquacious, a fluent stream of surprises with words beyond casual tongue delighting on a frequent basis. Slick, swift deliveries and chopped cadences are thoroughly entertaining. Every tracks words house a few surprises up the sleeve, spit fit for purpose, wonderfully contrasting the often upbeat, poppy instrumentals with street rugged rhymes.

 Some instrumentals play strapped with typical sampling of the era, reveling in childhood influences of 70s R&B, Soul and Funk. The balance struck sets them apart, with hard hitting drum samples more akin to House music and tight, purpose built baselines. They aid its aesthetic personality along with simple Piano strikes, adding stiff flushes of color and melody to the mix. So to do soft organ or synths chime in on occasion. A Saxophone and Piano solo also liven this sense of elevated beats.

This tailored musicality bridges the cheery tones of OPP, Everyday All Day and Everything's Gonna Be Alight, with hard hitting bangers like Let The Ho's Go, Strike A Nerve and Guard Your Grill. Lyrically, its often gritty. The contrasts this breeds on its upbeat numbers plays a charm that's hard to forget. Naughty By Nature has got it all, endearing beats, enduring rhymes. When it comes to discussing Hip Hop classics this has to be in the conversation.

 

Rating: 9.5/10

Burzum "Aske" (1993)

To my ears, Aske is where things take off. Consisting of three solid songs, refined aesthetics compliment their musical vision. Gnarly guitar distortions are softened into an indulgent flavor of nightly fuzz, brooding an estranged emotive atmosphere. Stemmen Fra Taarnet, the voice from the tower, jostles between metallic power chord arrangements and discordant touches of dark melody. Wounded howls anchor its evil inspirations, shifts invite an esoteric melancholy that swells in the tracks third phase.

Dominus Sathanas, master Satan, highlights a compositional prowess. Commanding a craft for sinister melodies, Varg melds them into clouds of fuzzy overdrive to break the linearity. Its key tune embarks as a lone reflection, to captivate ones imagination in his realm. We've heard flickers of this motif before. It will return again but with this song, a vision is fully realized. A delight to indulge with upon its brief duration.

A Lost Forgotten Spirit returns in its best incarnation yet. Fined tuning percussion and slowed tempos aid the droning distortions. Blast beats tone down intensity, double pedals rumble steadily. Its a better performance that elevates the songs unique mood. The track's first slow down beyond the minute mark is an utter delight. In prior version it sailed by to fast. It demonstrates Varg honing in on what makes his music tick. Something that won't need stating again after this remarkable turning point.

Final notes to share, the album cover is of a Church Varg was suspected of burning down. It is also suspected he took the photo too. This is how wild and real these deranged ideas where within the scene. Leading to more arson and murder, most of the madness emanating from a handful of madmen with the inner circle.

Rating: 7/10

Puremusic "Serenades Of The Night" (2016)

 

From algorithmic shuffle, to library, to playlist, Serenades Of The Night has swiftly won me over as another meditative ambient mastery record worthy of stashing away for the calmness it can bestow in an instant. Cutting through many flavors of sound design, Puremusic encroaches on Worldbeat, Downtempo, Psybient, Drones and subtle natural world aesthetics with an easily persuasive, engrossing distinction.

Every song feels carefully crafted. Dreamy instruments warped in soft reverbs add flashes of ambiguous melody to dense sways of inviting sound. With ebb and flow, intensities steadily muster, expanding from humble origins into succulent swells, expanding scope with entrancing repetitions ever disguising their form with timely subtle iterations and shifting nuances woven into the fabric of its alluring construct.

Highlights include Kama, a fusion of nightly Arabic suggestions, mesmerized by hypnotic rhythmic drive. Warmth strips out all percussion for a dense lavishing of droning synth. No Fairy Tales pushes its drums into electronic territory, conjuring fond echos of classics like Carbon Based Lifeforms. Only Pour L'amour breaks convention for a lonely piano piece that was a little to simplistic to evoke the emotion it aims for.

I didn't bond that much with the proceeding outro track Dawn either but despite this closing drop off, its first nine tracks are well executed and deeply soothing. A lot of this music can depend on mood and apatite yet among my musical ventures, true charm can still shine and I felt as if this record captivated me on its terms, not my own.

Rating: 7/10

Burzum "Burzum" (1992)

Armed with iconic, eerie, unsettling and darkly album art, upon its release, this debut was a freighting extremity, unleashing a new, esoteric strain of Black Metal into the wild. To seasoned ears, these abrasive aesthetics are now somehow easy, especially after enduring the fuzzy swamps of noise heard on the demos. Its Varg's shrill howls that hold up the horror. Sounding like a dying animal, raw shouts through strained vocals skirt the appeal of normal screams. I'm certain the idea is to sound off putting.

I've never been that keen on this record. Varg's writing at this point is yet to be refined. Returning to it decades later highlights the dissatisfaction yet also illuminates my lack of appreciation for the vision. Spell Of Destruction's mental break down consisting of enduring wretched screams and similarly Feeble Scream From Forests Unknown's slip into blurry dissonance and hurtful cries, created ugly sticky points I never got past.

Burzum encapsulates the raw rebellious ideology but lacks a finesse to character the essence of inspirations. A bulk of its lengthy tracks are pegged into a corner, pairing sloppy blast beats with endless strings of guitar riffs that entirely dictate the musical vision. Varg has the sense to shuffle percussive rhythms to aid the shifting moods of his power chord expressions. Twisted and woven throughout, iterations on the chords own structure play with dissonant melody to birth a fantastical sense of earthly darkness, devoid of cheese, frothing with cold suffering and tormenting loneliness.

Between these retroactively embryonic incarnations, we hear swaths of the maturity to come. Channeling lends its ear to the mystic tones discovered in classic Korg synths, laying the foundations for Dungeon Synth to emerge. Dungeons Of Darkness ends the record with a stroke of Black Ambient genius. A slow brooding suspense of ambiguous noise builds up a rumble of terror for what sounds like anguished souls to cry out in the depths of its foreboding visit. The Crying Orc showcases Varg's ear for Middle Earth inspiring melody, something to be developed on the next full length.

Then we have War. Fun and goofy, it plays like a Venom cover, or tribute to the first wave of Black Metal, its ending guitar solos reminiscent of Bathory's Heavy Metal energy. It showcases Varg's metallic prowess and yields to a new strain of dark anger. Before the records guitar driven presence concludes, A Lost Forgotten Spirit plays, another lengthy stint of primitive Black Metal ideology that will be immediately rectified on the next release. We hear glimmers of the genius yet to unfold, the difference between the two highlights a musicians growth, as aesthetic construct and tempo shifts arrive raw and unrefined, dispelling some of its enchanting and strange magic.

So there you have it, a mixed bag of ideas yet to settle into something concrete but taking us to a bewildered setting. Interestingly much of his music was written around this 91/92 era. What follows these songs will later be unimaginable in such crude and coarse form. Revisiting it again, a better understanding yet it has not grown on me.

Rating: 6/10

The UMC's "Fruits Of Nature" (1991)

Having explored the depths of 90s Hip Hop, it can be hard for records to have an impact on these matured ears. Keen not to pass by The UMC's warm and friendly tone, I've stuck with Fruits Of Nature for a fair few spins. Its struck me as one I could have easily adored if discovered earlier on the journey. Leaving the golden era behind, moving boldly into the Jazz Hop era, this complimentary duo capture the essence of a colorful scene with questions as to how its 91 release fits into the tapestry of influences. I've heard them mentioned in plenty of rhymes, possibly listened to it decades ago but opening track One To Grow On really caught my ear this time.

Its the cream of the crop, with righteous rhymes and a bouncy beat, the pair pack positive messages of personal growth into its Jazzy groove. Devoid of cursing, the record plays with an uplifting tone, two youthful voices with heads held high, aiming for a thoughtful impact on their audience, given the lyrical content which rarely deviates.

Fitting snugly into the era, cadences and rhyme structures entertain with competence, perhaps lingering in Guru of Gang Starr's shadow on occasion. Producers Haas G & RNS line up temperate percussive grooves with colorful instrumental loops. Warm, often sunny, Jazzy and Soulful in nature, halve these track play a cut above the norm. The other half getting a touch tired on its repetitious nature. A few flashes of the "phunky fresh" vibe from Cypress Hill's early sound pass by too. All in all a fun listen, a solid record that possibly held more impact on the scene at the time of its release.

Rating: 6/10

Burzum "Demo II" (1991)

 

Depending on where you venture to hear this follow up to Demo I, the quality varies greatly. This fidelity mess is further muddied by its complied nature. Including Depressive Visions Of The Cursed Warrior, later omitted to not be a Burzum song, leaves an unsolved mystery as to where this music actually originates from. I couldn't find an answer online. The other ten tracks are pulled from various rehearsal sessions of varying quality, some with drums, some without. Also present are the three songs from its predecessor. This makes for a messy listen. Three tracks appear twice but so do two songs from later releases that proceed his debut full length.

Essentially, four new tracks. Only two have drums. Between them we are showcased to the oddity of Varg's esoteric guitar riff visions. Linear movements shuffling from the dark eerie to strange metallic grooves, much like before. Only A Lost Forgotten Sad Spirit hints towards the acts future trajectory, something to be discussed later on. Stuffed with aesthetic blemishes from audio drops, swells of bass noise and playing off beat from a click track, a lack of vocals doesn't give this messy release a specific purpose. It ends up feeling hastily assembled to throw something out into the ether.

Rating: 4/10

The Brand New Heavies "Heavy Rhyme Experience Vol 1" (1992)

 

 

British act The Brand New Heavies try their hand at collaboration with rap heavy hitters of the era. Adding story driven rhymes to the mix, the Acid Jazz outfit come full circle on their Hip Hop persuasions that mostly shape up percussive loops with repetitious groove. The fit seems perfect, given the shared influences of Soul, Funk, R&B and Disco on both the bands style and young rappers parental music.

Working with a pre-Wu-Tang Clan Master Ace, Kool G Rap, Main Source, Guru of Gangstarr and legendary The Pharcyde, the band scoop up some top talent among other guests, each track receiving a guest act to layer in the vocal element. The band shape their slick Acid Jazz grooves into fruity, flavorful loops - lively, tailored with apt color and melody. Despite its organic nature, the performance stiffens, stripping out the opportunity for tangents, iterations or progressive leaning song structures.

 

Once a beat makes itself known, it sticks firmly, resting a lot of the music on its rappers who meld with the tone to various degrees of success. With such smiley, friendly instrumentals, its curious to hear Kool G Rap excellence on Death Threat. A strutting baseline and shimmering guitar leads add a soft gangster attitude to its tone. Kool takes it the rest of the way with fierce rhymes and aggressive energetic delivery.

Heavy Rhyme Experience Vol 1 is a competent listen, capturing the rap scene at the end of its Golden Era / Jazz Hop sound, right before big shifts in tone over the next couple of years. With quite a few weak performances and a lack of identifiable hooks, its served as a fun listen to plunder a couple of fun tracks from. Sadly wont have me returning for more, despite the disappointment, its a shame more crossovers like this haven't taken place in this era of Hip Hop. There was such potential here.

Rating: 5/10

Burzum "Demo I" (1991)

With the coldest wintery months of the year upon us, the isolating weather apt for a nostalgic journey into the heart of Black Metal's most notorious musician, Varg Vikerness. A musical genius, yet Nazi with abhorrent views convicted of arson and murder of fellow Mayhem band mate Euronymous. In the naivety of youth, these tales of church burning seemed like mythical acts of anti christian rebellion, however I was deep into the music before being deterred by the realities of its author. This is the first cassette Varg handed to his would be victim, wanting a way in on the niche elitist scene. Its cover, which includes one of his crimes, is from a pressing on Helvete Records released some time later. The original sleeve is said to be long lost for now.

These three dusky tracks, muddied by low fidelity, play like a stream of rumblings, resembling simple linear melodies and basic rhythm through its eerie, groaning distortion fuzz. In patches, one can barely hear the rough drums but the snare and kick manage to jolt this wall of sound, maintaining its pace. Remastered recordings do a great job of bringing out the double base kicks and cymbals. I'm captivated by a curiosity as to how knowing these songs taints the experience. Would fresh ears hear the brilliance in these wistful tunes that toy with metallic might and nightly dissonance?

 

The fidelity downplays it magic yet emphasizes the strange mood Varg has conjured from his Pagan and D&D influences. Lost Wisdom and Spell Of Destruction both jostle with hard grooves and eerie, esoteric melodies in such a mesmerizing way. Personality is vivid, the vision punctuated by a third synth track, which we now retroactively call Dungeon Synth. With this song you can really hear the lonely adventures into shadowy realms filled by mythical creatures. Audio quality aside, its clear that Varg started writing music with a firm footing in a majestic direction.

Rating: 5/10

Entombed "Clandestine" (1991)

 

Here lies a classic from the early years of youthful Metal discovery that I fortuitously happened upon, a shadowy, venomous breed of dark, scowling heavy. Hailing from Sweden, the tuneful stains of an emerging melodic death metal lingers as whiffs of sinister melody trail this wild ride of ponderous riffs and pounding percussion.

The darkly atmosphere is Clandestine's key distinction. No atypical "meat and potatoes" grind of punching brutality. With a pair of unusual, bristling distortion guitars, a fuzzy menace bleeds a tonality that propels its arsenal of hard hitting riffs into a grimacing aura. Danger and death lurk around the corners of its intense sways.

Swinging from cunning grooves to axe grinding malevolence the music hurls with nonlinear momentum, jumping through iterations, finding pertinent moments to build suspense and roar with tuneful fire. Lead guitars erupt with brief flickers of chaos to guide its path, occasionally unraveling into open breaks, evil and atmospheric.

The drums clatter away with individuality, laying foundations for head banging beats whilst steering the ship with bespoke fills and rhythmic articulations to perk the ears in an embrace of its rough sincerity. Out front Nicke Andersson bellows and howls with a raw guttural cadence, stuck somewhere between Death and Thrash Metal.

Early on he punctuates apt moments with deep shouts amplified by timely reverb. Its gritty and menacing, shaping up a character that surpassing genre norms. So to do sprinklings of esoteric synth shape up this covenant of plundered spoils. Both melody and rhythm boldly embark on equal footing, shaping a consistent brood of songs.

Shadowy, conspiring, sequestered, a devious mood truly clandestine. Its a classic from my early journey of discoveries that's held magic over the years. My only critique? Perhaps it tires as its final couple of tracks lack the moments to break up a riff grind that kept the first half of the record so memorable. Imperfect, as is all art!

Rating: 9.5/10

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.

(7) Fred Again..

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.

(3) Rina Sawayama

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.

(2) Graywave

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.

(1) Spiritbox

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!

My Top 10 Albums Of 2024

 
This years list practically picked itself with a clear distinction of eleven records above the rest, so special mention for Erang's The Kingdom Is Ours. A truly novel record, uniting a scene of isolated, anonymous musicians together for a love letter to the strange and wonderful worlds they have individually created.

(10) Billie Eilish "Hit Me Hard And Soft" (2024) link

Still on top of her game, Billie and brother Finneas continue to explore their musical passions. Not as experimental or impactful as prior adventures, the merits of her soft voice carry these great instrumentals to soothing places on a breezy record that's all too easy to enjoy and hard to forget.

(9) Boston Manor "Sundiver" (2024) link

Despite reveling in the echo's of 90s Alternative Metal, these songs transcend their inspirations, making anthemic strides fit for the big stage. Grabbing and infectious, big riffs and soaring vocals ascend. Its been hard to ignore this fresh crop of tuneful ear worms, often wriggling out my subconscious.

(8) Chaosbay "Are You Afraid?" (2024) link

Having firmly grasped my attention and consistently delivered memorable Metal for a few years now, Chaosbay return with one of their best efforts to date, continuing to wrap Pop sensibilities into punchy aggressions that sway from the extremes of rhythmic brutality to tuneful melodies, all within a distinct dystopian capsule.


(7) Sabrina Carpenter "Short N' Sweet" (2024) link

At thirty six minutes, Short N' Sweet is an apt title. Without a touch of filler, Sabrina navigates the current context of revivalist Pop music, weaving in soothing flavours of Country between flashes of Synthpop arcitetchure. She has the voice the match the mission, elevating these instrumentals to another level.

(6) Marilyn Manson "One Assassination Under God - Chapter 1" (2024) link

Although fresh in memory, Marilyn's latest offering has shudders of greatness. Its lyrical anger and relevancy to his recent legal proceedings channels something real through the filter of his cunning juxtapositions. Always one for clever lyrics provoking thought and reflection, his routine has felt somewhat played out over the years. Turning to personal woes with The Pale Emporer resurrected his career and although this chapter hasn't resonated on a broader scale, it feels like another signficant growth.

(5) Tyler The Creator "Chromakopia" (2024) link

Tyler's longevity is already impressive. Chomakopia just marks another chapter where he channels inspirations into grabbing music. The personal themes and intimate nature gives one a lot to chew on as he walks us through some of life's deeper challenges. Of course, its all backed by banging instrumentals to get stuck in your head alongside the topics he brings to light.

(4) Willow "Empathogen" (2024) link

What a voice! So expressive and dexterous, I love how Willow ventures around the flow of the music, complimenting and swaying with its candor. Given its her Sixth album, the maturity of a growing musician who's been at it since her teen years really shines bright on Empathogen.

(3) Knocked Loose "You Won't Go Before You're Supposed To" (2024) link

Metal album of the year, no doubts. The non-linear nature of its sporadic outbursts of frothing frustration had me questioning how long this magic would last. The verdict is in, these songs stick. Knocked Loose continue to refine and elevate their focus and bring us a horrifying indulgence in frenzied aggression, the soundtrack to all your woes.

(2) Kyros "Mannequin" (2024) link

Forging somewhat of a modern Prog masterpiece, Kyros put together a dazzling record. Indulging in musical dexterities, bombarding us with animated melody a rhythmic chops. The band dance through a love of Metal, Rock and Synths, all dressed up in big playful theatrics. Its bold, ambitions and delivers on its promise set by the mighty Showtime.

(1) Aurora "What Happened To The Heart?" (2024) link

Despite a stunning voice, this was somewhat unexpected. As a musician who does music for her fans, more so than herself, it was quite the shock to get such an emotionally resonating album. With Folk-like roots and world music inflections, Auroa's latest record reflects Pop music trends. Taking the care and craft of modern production, the lean towards these more ancient musical vibes resonates deeply with the journey her voice ventures on, routinely finding fantastic upheavals of emotion as the music flows into swells of intensity from soothing settings. Its a magic that's unforgettable.

State Azure "Stellar Descent" (2023)

 

 

This will be my last record for the year, a documentation of discovery. One for the "space music" playlist, State Azure caught my ear with a level of care worthy of attention. At a mammoth one hour forty five minutes, Stellar Descent plays as a astral mood setter. Carefully crafted compositions straddle between shimmering synths yawning in cosmic wonder and a digital counterpart of bustling, whirling synthetic instruments, skirting tuneful melody and conjuring echos of 70s electronica.

No compositions stood apart as distinct or memorable. With everything from its subtle mechanical percussive sways to melting galactic aesthetics serving its atmosphere, these songs drift by in a haze of temporal relaxation. Although structured with transitions and pivots, they flow by calm and understated. These instrumentals never lean into a hook or catchy tune but forge deep tones suited for the star gazing imagination. Excellent background music for focusing on a task of mental demand.

 

My time with Stellar Descent didn't unearth new ground or reach the emotional highs of a Dreamstate Logic. It was a familiar feeling, executed with class and care, finding the meditative balance I enjoy. Subtle by design and intent, I think this is a fair fit for anyone looking to add more to this type of niche listening experience.

Rating: 6/10