Best Music 🎵 of 2023!

Q1 Update

Total 2023 releases (albums/EPs/mixtapes) listened to as of March 31: 141

Been slower with listening this year compared to the previous years this decade. A bit of a mixed bag on everything I've tried, and more forgettable landfill than usual at the conclusion of the first quarter. Couldn't get to the usual 5x5 from past years into the Q1 cutoff and settled for the 4x5 instead. January was a huge reason for this...only two albums from my chart were released in the first month of the year. I've pretty much eschewed EPs from my listening log unless they are priority items (there haven't been any thus far).

Hoping for a stronger art pop showing next quarter. A few I really enjoyed, but not many. On the bright side, I found a new art pop love; Kate NV!

I'm saving releases from Friday, March 24 for Q2 consideration as I am still running through them. A few I deem good enough to be on next quarter's chart already.

Entries are alphabetized by band name/artist last name.

2023Q1Best.png
100 gecs - 10000 gecs [hyperpop, ska punk, nu metal]
John Bence - Archangels [dark ambient, choral]
James Brandon Lewis - Eye of I [spiritual jazz, free jazz]
Chasms - Glimpse of Heaven [ambient pop, ethereal, ambient dub]
The C.I.A. - Surgery Channel [synth punk]

deathcrash - Less [slowcore, emo, post-hardcore]
En Attendant Ana - Principia [indie pop, jangle pop]
Full of Hell & Primitive Man - Suffocating Hallucination [doom metal, sludge metal, dark ambient]
Mette Henriette - Drifting [avant-garde jazz, post-minimalism]
Kate NV - WOW [art pop, indietronica, progressive electronic]

Kelela - Raven [alternative R&B, electronic, UK bass]
Khotin - Release Spirit [ambient techno, ambient, downtempo]
Takashi Kokubo & Andrea Esperti - Music For a Cosmic Garden [new age, ambient, field recordings]
Model/Actriz - Dogsbody [dance-punk, noise rock, post-industrial]
Paramore - This is Why [dance-punk, new wave, post-punk]

Parannoul - After the Magic [shoegaze, post-rock, noise pop]
Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want to Turn Into You [art pop, alt-pop]
RAYE - My 21st Century Blues [contemporary R&B, UK hip-hop, alt-pop]
Spektral Quartet & Julia Holter & Alex Temple - Behind the Wallpaper [baroque pop, modern classical]
Ulthar - Anthronomicon [death metal]

Playlist with one standout song from each album above:


EDIT: Fixed date as @musicjunkiegreg pointed out below.
 
Last edited:
Rip_City said:
Q1 Update

Total 2022 releases (albums/EPs/mixtapes) listened to as of June 30th: 141

Been slower with listening this year compared to the previous years this decade. A bit of a mixed bag on everything I've tried, and more forgettable landfill than usual at the conclusion of the first quarter. Couldn't get to the usual 5x5 from past years into the Q1 cutoff and settled for the 4x5 instead. January was a huge reason for this...only two albums from my chart were released in the first month of the year. I've pretty much eschewed EPs from my listening log unless they are priority items (there haven't been any thus far).

Hoping for a stronger art pop showing next quarter. A few I really enjoyed, but not many. On the bright side, I found a new art pop love; Kate NV!

I'm saving releases from Friday, March 24 for Q2 consideration as I am still running through them. A few I deem good enough to be on next quarter's chart already.

Entries are alphabetized by band name/artist last name.

View attachment 170775
100 gecs - 10000 gecs [hyperpop, ska punk, nu metal]
John Bence - Archangels [dark ambient, choral]
James Brandon Lewis - Eye of I [spiritual jazz, free jazz]
Chasms - Glimpse of Heaven [ambient pop, ethereal, ambient dub]
The C.I.A. - Surgery Channel [synth punk]

deathcrash - Less [slowcore, emo, post-hardcore]
En Attendant Ana - Principia [indie pop, jangle pop]
Full of Hell & Primitive Man - Suffocating Hallucination [doom metal, sludge metal, dark ambient]
Mette Henriette - Drifting [avant-garde jazz, post-minimalism]
Kate NV - WOW [art pop, indietronica, progressive electronic]

Kelela - Raven [alternative R&B, electronic, UK bass]
Khotin - Release Spirit [ambient techno, ambient, downtempo]
Takashi Kokubo & Andrea Esperti - Music For a Cosmic Garden [new age, ambient, field recordings]
Model/Actriz - Dogsbody [dance-punk, noise rock, post-industrial]
Paramore - This is Why [dance-punk, new wave, post-punk]

Parannoul - After the Magic [shoegaze, post-rock, noise pop]
Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want to Turn Into You [art pop, alt-pop]
RAYE - My 21st Century Blues [contemporary R&B, UK hip-hop, alt-pop]
Spektral Quartet & Julia Holter & Alex Temple - Behind the Wall [baroque pop, modern classical]
Ulthar - Anthronomicon [death metal]

Playlist with one standout song from each album above:
Click to expand...

2022? June 30th?
 
Last edited:
Update:

Tier 1:
Caroline Polacheck- Desire, I Want to Turn into You (art pop)
Yves Tmor: Praise a Lord Who Chews (art/indie rock)
Wednesday: Rat Finds God (indie rock)
Danny Brown & JPEG MAFIA: Scaring the Hoes (experimental rap)

Tier 2:
Boygenius: The Record (indie folk / rock)
Shame: Food for Worms (post-punk)
SlowThai: Ugly (rap)
Paramore: This is Why (pop punk)
US Girls: Bless This Mess (art pop)

Tier 3:
Fever Ray: Radical Romantics (electronic)
Yaeji: Like a Hammer (electronic pop)
Yo La Tengo: This Stupid World (indie rock)
Young Fathers: Heavy Heavy (you tell me)
Miss Grit: Follow the Cyborg (art pop)

* = could move up
 
Last edited:
Rip_City said:
Q1 Update

Total 2023 releases (albums/EPs/mixtapes) listened to as of March 31: 141

Been slower with listening this year compared to the previous years this decade. A bit of a mixed bag on everything I've tried, and more forgettable landfill than usual at the conclusion of the first quarter. Couldn't get to the usual 5x5 from past years into the Q1 cutoff and settled for the 4x5 instead. January was a huge reason for this...only two albums from my chart were released in the first month of the year. I've pretty much eschewed EPs from my listening log unless they are priority items (there haven't been any thus far).

Hoping for a stronger art pop showing next quarter. A few I really enjoyed, but not many. On the bright side, I found a new art pop love; Kate NV!

I'm saving releases from Friday, March 24 for Q2 consideration as I am still running through them. A few I deem good enough to be on next quarter's chart already.

Entries are alphabetized by band name/artist last name.

View attachment 170775
100 gecs - 10000 gecs [hyperpop, ska punk, nu metal]
John Bence - Archangels [dark ambient, choral]
James Brandon Lewis - Eye of I [spiritual jazz, free jazz]
Chasms - Glimpse of Heaven [ambient pop, ethereal, ambient dub]
The C.I.A. - Surgery Channel [synth punk]

deathcrash - Less [slowcore, emo, post-hardcore]
En Attendant Ana - Principia [indie pop, jangle pop]
Full of Hell & Primitive Man - Suffocating Hallucination [doom metal, sludge metal, dark ambient]
Mette Henriette - Drifting [avant-garde jazz, post-minimalism]
Kate NV - WOW [art pop, indietronica, progressive electronic]

Kelela - Raven [alternative R&B, electronic, UK bass]
Khotin - Release Spirit [ambient techno, ambient, downtempo]
Takashi Kokubo & Andrea Esperti - Music For a Cosmic Garden [new age, ambient, field recordings]
Model/Actriz - Dogsbody [dance-punk, noise rock, post-industrial]
Paramore - This is Why [dance-punk, new wave, post-punk]

Parannoul - After the Magic [shoegaze, post-rock, noise pop]
Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want to Turn Into You [art pop, alt-pop]
RAYE - My 21st Century Blues [contemporary R&B, UK hip-hop, alt-pop]
Spektral Quartet & Julia Holter & Alex Temple - Behind the Wallpaper [baroque pop, modern classical]
Ulthar - Anthronomicon [death metal]

Playlist with one standout song from each album above:


EDIT: Fixed date as @musicjunkiegreg pointed out below.
Click to expand...

Glad I could help! 🤣👊 Also, you've got a few damn fine picks on this list 👀
 
chart (42).png

*EP1 a2751735059_10.jpg



ALBUMS:
DJ Muggs - Notes & Tones
Alexandra Stréliski - Néo-Romance
London Brew - London Brew
Daily Bread - Invisible Cinema
boygenius - the record
Shalom – Sublimation
Zulu - A New Tomorrow
Sissoko Segal Parisien Peirani - Les Égarés
Yazmin Lacey - Voice Notes
EPs:
Jellyfish Brigade – Machines and the Gods
Nia Archives – Sunrise Bang Ur Head Against Tha Wall
Ric Wilson, Chromeo & A-Trak – CLUSTERFUNK
 
chart (44).png



12 by Ryuichi Sakamoto
A New Tomorrow by Zulu
Afterpoem by Faten Kanaan
Anarchist Gospel by Sunny War
Attachment Styles by M(h)aol

Black Ceasar by Russell Hall
Dogsbody by Model/Actriz
Eye of I by James Brandon Lewis
Glimpse of Heaven by Chasms
Invisible Cinema by Daily Bread

London Brew by London Brew
My 21st Century Blues by RAYE
Néo-Romance by Alexandra Stréliski
Notes & Tones by DJ Muggs
On & On by José James

Point Of No Return by Malcolm Strachan
the record by boygenius
The Reset by Macy Gray & The California Jet Club
Seeking the Sources of Streams by Cicada
SHOOK by Algiers

Sublimation by Shalom
Taken By Force by CIVIC
What a Time to be DEAD by Day Tripper
Your Mother Should Know: Brad Mehldau Plays The Beatles by Brad Mehldau
Ψευδομένη by Ὁπλίτης
 
wokeupnew said:
Updates in bold
  1. Tennis - Pollen
  2. Yo La Tengo - This Stupid World
  3. Jedu Heart - Derealised
  4. The Muder Capital - Gigi's Recovery
  5. Narrow Head - Moments of Clarity
  6. Belle and Sebastian - Late Developers
  7. White Reaper - Asking For A Ride
  8. Trillion - So Soon Now
  9. Parannoul - After the Magic
  10. Steady Holiday - Newfound Oxygen
  11. Shame - Food For Worms
  12. Italia 90 - Living Human Treasure
  13. M83 - Fantasy
  14. Andy Shauf - Norm
  15. The Men - New York City
  16. Fucked Up - One Day
Click to expand...

Updates in bold

Best of 2023:
  1. boygenius - the record
  2. Tennis - Pollen
  3. Yo La Tengo - This Stupid World
  4. Jedu Heart - Derealised
  5. The Muder Capital - Gigi's Recovery
  6. Narrow Head - Moments of Clarity
  7. Belle and Sebastian - Late Developers
  8. Caroline Rose - The Art of Forgetting
  9. White Reaper - Asking For A Ride
  10. Trillion - So Soon Now
  11. Parannoul - After the Magic
  12. Steady Holiday - Newfound Oxygen
  13. Shame - Food For Worms
  14. Italia 90 - Living Human Treasure
  15. M83 - Fantasy
  16. Andy Shauf - Norm
  17. The Men - New York City
  18. Fucked Up - One Day

Needs more listens before ranking:
  • The New Pornographers
  • Black Country, New Road

Anticipated albums from:
  • Angel Olsen (EP)
  • Beach Fossils
  • Beach House (EP)
  • Bodywash
  • Daughter
  • Eluvium
  • Jenny Lewis
  • Jess Williamson
  • Protomartyr
  • The National
  • The Tallest Man on Earth
  • Tim Hecker
  • Sigur Ros
  • Squid
  • Swans
  • Wednesday
  • Wild Nothing
  • Youth Lagoon
 
wokeupnew said:
Updates in bold

Best of 2023:
  1. boygenius - the record
  2. Tennis - Pollen
  3. Yo La Tengo - This Stupid World
  4. Jedu Heart - Derealised
  5. The Muder Capital - Gigi's Recovery
  6. Narrow Head - Moments of Clarity
  7. Belle and Sebastian - Late Developers
  8. Caroline Rose - The Art of Forgetting
  9. White Reaper - Asking For A Ride
  10. Trillion - So Soon Now
  11. Parannoul - After the Magic
  12. Steady Holiday - Newfound Oxygen
  13. Shame - Food For Worms
  14. Italia 90 - Living Human Treasure
  15. M83 - Fantasy
  16. Andy Shauf - Norm
  17. The Men - New York City
  18. Fucked Up - One Day

Needs more listens before ranking:
  • The New Pornographers
  • Black Country, New Road

Anticipated albums from:
  • Angel Olsen (EP)
  • Beach Fossils
  • Beach House (EP)
  • Bodywash
  • Daughter
  • Eluvium
  • Jenny Lewis
  • Jess Williamson
  • Protomartyr
  • The National
  • The Tallest Man on Earth
  • Tim Hecker
  • Sigur Ros
  • Squid
  • Swans
  • Wednesday
  • Wild Nothing
  • Youth Lagoon
Click to expand...

I need to play that Caroline Rose album
 
Towa Bird's debut single might be my song of the summer.



(Gotdamn, The Naked + Famous & Luna Shadows production crew really know how to strum my pop heartstrings just right.)
 
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