Best Music 🎵 of 2023!

Never heard of Lankum, but I did some searching/listening and they're an Irish Folk band which is interesting to be featured so heavily on Year End Lists so far. Most critics like Pop, Rock, Indie Rock, Hip Hop, some Jazz, those dominate most people's taste. So it's kind of odd that this one Irish Folk album is so acclaimed. Not saying it doesn't deserve it, I only listened to 2 songs and it wasn't my thing, but why this album? Have there been other Irish Folk albums released in the past that are good? Yes, definitely. Why is this one breaking through to the mainstream? who knows. It reminds me of a few years ago that all the indie kids were going nuts over that one Deafheaven album. It's a good album, but why the sudden appeal to a different set of fans? That one album is where most people's interest in Black Metal started and ended. It didn't spearhead a resurgence in that genre with those fans. Again, with this album, it seems like every year there's always a couple of albums that defy logic and appeal to people that they wouldn't normally appeal to.
 
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wokeupnew said:
Never heard of Lankum, but I did some searching/listening and they're an Irish Folk band which is interesting to be featured so heavily on Year End Lists so far. Most critics like Pop, Rock, Indie Rock, Hip Hop, some Jazz, those dominate most people's taste. So it's kind of odd that this one Irish Folk album is so acclaimed. Not saying it doesn't deserve it, I only listened to 2 songs and it wasn't my thing, but why this album? Have there been other Irish Folk albums released in the past that are good? Yes, definitely. Why is this one breaking through to the mainstream? who knows. It reminds me of a few years ago that all the indie kids were going nuts over that one Deafheaven album. It's a good album, but why the sudden appeal to a different set of fans? That one album is where most people's interest in Black Metal started and ended. It didn't spearhead a resurgence in that genre with those fans. Again, with this album, it seems like every year there's always a couple of albums that defy logic and appeal to people that they wouldn't normally appeal to.
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I think the doomy droning almost industrial sound of this album has pushed it to being covered by folks who wouldn’t normally talk about it. I mean i thought it was folk metal when I listened to it and that’s how I would describe it. I don’t know if it was signing to Rough Trade that got this one noted or just a bit of synchronicity but it is pretty good and got lots of attention which isn’t a bad thing. I mean why did Black Pumas hit a zeitgeist with their first album and Monophonics are at best obscure to the general public? My hope is that people explore their catalog and the genre.
 
Lee Newman said:
I think the doomy droning almost industrial sound of this album has pushed it to being covered by folks who wouldn’t normally talk about it. I mean i thought it was folk metal when I listened to it and that’s how I would describe it. I don’t know if it was signing to Rough Trade that got this one noted or just a bit of synchronicity but it is pretty good and got lots of attention which isn’t a bad thing. I mean why did Black Pumas hit a zeitgeist with their first album and Monophonics are at best obscure to the general public? My hope is that people explore their catalog and the genre.
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Rough trade seem to have been investing in folk for a little while now, first with the River Lea imprint which now appears to have folded into the main label.

I think with Lankum there’s been a bit of momentum behind them for a few years now. It began with the last album and particularly their 8 minute long take on the Wild Rover which is both epic and found itself on a fair few soundtracks to documentaries. Whilst they may appear to be a bolt from the blue to you lads they aren’t so much to me although I’ll admit i saw them more as critical darlings and musicians favourites rather than bothering these types of lists. You also have to bear in mind that RT aside its mojo and uncut, generally the oldies publications, rather than say NME or a young persons website that is putting them top.

In general there is a real thriving artistic movement over here and lots of interesting things happening in Dublin and the country at large. It’s like an artistic tap has been opened along with the social opening up of the country. There is a still a thriving singer songwriter scene, there are a bunch of bands taking trad into all sorts of directions (the gloaming and offshoots towards ambient, minimal classical and jazz and these and offshoots towards drone in one direction but with a sort of cinematic scope in another) and of course the post punk acts as well. Spud Murphy and his sonic signature are all over all of these and even some of your favourite British artists that come to record in his studio up in the Dublin mountains.
 
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Joe Mac said:
Rough trade seem to have been investing in folk for a little while now, first with the River Lea imprint which now appears to have folded into the main label.

I think with Lankum there’s been a bit of momentum behind them for a few years now. It began with the last album and particularly their 8 minute long take on the Wild Rover which is both epic and found itself on a fair few soundtracks to documentaries. Whilst they may appear to be a bolt from the blue to you lads they aren’t so much to me although I’ll admit i saw them more as critical darlings and musicians favourites rather than bothering these types of lists. You also have to bear in mind that RT aside its mojo and uncut, generally the oldies publications, rather than say NME or a young persons website that is putting them top.

In general there is a real thriving artistic movement over here and lots of interesting things happening in Dublin and the country at large. It’s like an artistic tap has been opened along with the social opening up of the country. There is a still a thriving singer songwriter scene, there are a bunch of bands taking trad into all sorts of directions (the gloaming and offshoots towards ambient, minimal classical and jazz and these and offshoots towards drone in one direction but with a sort of cinematic scope in another) and of course the post punk acts as well. Spud Murphy and his sonic signature are all over all of these and even some of your favourite British artists that come to record in his studio up in the Dublin mountains.
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Stereogum had another Irish Trad Drone thing as their aotw this week:
 
Lee Newman said:
Stereogum had another Irish Trad Drone thing as their aotw this week:
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Thank you! I’d heard the name and actually seen that cover in the pre orders but not known the artist. After a little google there I came across this interview for it that I enjoyed!

www.theguardian.com

‘People’s idea of Irishness is so warped’: John Francis Flynn, the folk singer fighting for Dublin’s spirit

Having started out playing a twee take on Irish music on a cruise ship, Flynn is determined to fight stereotypes with music that confronts the truth of the capitalist forces ravaging his home city
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 
Lee Newman said:
Stereogum had another Irish Trad Drone thing as their aotw this week:
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I listened to that on the way into work. For a few reasons my concentration is totally on point today but my initial impressions are that it’s probably the most straightforwardly folk/trad albums out of all of those we’ve been mentioning. Although maybe that’s the fact he uses the tin whistle so much. I think every kid in Ireland or the diaspora has had one of those things handed to them at one stage or another!
 
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Joe Mac said:
I listened to that on the way into work. For a few reasons my concentration is totally on point today but my initial impressions are that it’s probably the most straightforwardly folk/trad albums out of all of those we’ve been mentioned. Although maybe that’s the fact he uses the tin whistle so much. I think every kid in Ireland or the diaspora has had one of those things handed to them at one stage or another!
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Oh yeah, it’s not as interesting as Lankum, but this is clearly a rabbit hole I should spend some time with. I was serious about my comparison to Norgren. It’s like a more accesible version of what he is doing. I’ll be looking into all the recommendations related to this. You know I enjoyed the Gloaming and Anna Mieke album that my awesome Santa sent me last year 😉. It does seem like an interesting time for music from that way.
 
Lee Newman said:
It was pretty good.
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Joe Mac said:
I listened to that on the way into work. For a few reasons my concentration is totally on point today but my initial impressions are that it’s probably the most straightforwardly folk/trad albums out of all of those we’ve been mentioning. Although maybe that’s the fact he uses the tin whistle so much. I think every kid in Ireland or the diaspora has had one of those things handed to them at one stage or another!
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Yeah, it was okay enough. But definitely anywhere near as exciting or interesting as ØXN or Lankum.
 
This one can be a little hard to read but I always enjoy how they do this.

www.newcommute.net

Albums of the Year 2023 // Artist Friends — New Commute

We asked some of our favorite graphic artists friends who work within the music ecosystem to share their favorite music from the year through their own creative languages. We appreciate these artists and all others that use their talents to enhance the music universe’s visual component. Everyone bel
www.newcommute.net www.newcommute.net
 
Well, this is the earliest I've ever completed both my Top100 Songs of the year playlist and my year end AOTY list. Idk, 2023 was just easy for me and things came together very smoothly (unlike almost every year previous). For now, I'm just sharing with you all my Top100 Songs of 2023 playlist on my Spotify (you'll have to wait a bit longer for the AOTY list reveal - I'm still not quite sure how I'm going to reveal it this year 🤔). If any of you are traveling this weekend, I figured it would be something you could put on to make the trip a little better 😉🤘 Hope you enjoy!

 
musicjunkiegreg said:
Well, this is the earliest I've ever completed both my Top100 Songs of the year playlist and my year end AOTY list. Idk, 2023 was just easy for me and things came together very smoothly (unlike almost every year previous). For now, I'm just sharing with you all my Top100 Songs of 2023 playlist on my Spotify (you'll have to wait a bit longer for the AOTY list reveal - I'm still not quite sure how I'm going to reveal it this year 🤔). If any of you are traveling this weekend, I figured it would be something you could put on to make the trip a little better 😉🤘 Hope you enjoy!

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"Who the fuck is fuckin' Steven?!"
 
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