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Best Music of 2024

One advantage of living in the countryside is commuting into the office. I live about forty-five minutes away from the city, which is the perfect time to listen to an album. I made more of an effort to listen to new music which paid off.

Here's a playlist full of music I enjoyed, and here's some albums released this year that are worthy of your time.

Los Campesinos! - All Hell

I love Los Campesinos. One of my favourite bands, with a unique lyrical and musical style. Their last album was 2017, so it had been a little while since we had anything new from them. This year saw the release of their seventh studio album, All Hell and it is one of their best. Returning with a new sense of purpose, this deals with nostalgia as a danger and still dealing with the same issues even into your thirties. In Long Throes, Gareth sings "I'd like to teach the world to scream at all of the above- anxiety and maladies and falling out of love". It sounds like a band restating their mission and is utterly thrilling - a cathartic, impassioned rage against the injustices of the world. I saw the band three times this year, listened to the album multiple times and never bored of it.

Canadian Rifles - If The Sea Would Ask Me

I listen to a lot of ambient and drone while working and this is one of the best drone releases of the year. Entirely composed on a church organ, it's warm with overlapping melodies and rhythms. An album to lose yourself in.

Fred Thomas - Window in the Rhythm

A new discovery for me. Fred Thomas writes deceptively simple songs that contain a lot. Unafraid to take his time, these nine songs on the album are beautifully intricate, with storytelling and a voice that reminds me of early Bill Callahan. I listened randomly and I am very glad I did.

Priori - This But More

Mixing together ambient, trip hop and techno, this is a unique blend of genres that shouldn't work as well as it does. It flows so well from one song to the next you barely notice. It's powerful and deeply emotive music whilst remaining mysterious and out of reach at the same time.

Adrianne Lenker - Bright Future

I knew Adrianne Lenker from Big Thief. This is a stripped back solo album that highlights her unique voice. It's so raw and powerful, with songs built around worry and love, with a incredible song writing skill throughout. It's been one of my favourite albums that has carried me throughout the year.

There's been so much more than I can mention in one blog post. The Decemberists and GodSpeed you! Black Emperor both had strong returns, as did The Cure. Ambient wise, I loved Kali Malone and 36's Trance Anthems for a Sunken Generation. Stroud had a good year as well with Mermaid Chunky and Orbury Common providing the weird and wonderful. Dive into my playlist above for more.