Annual Music Review for 2024: The Year of Purpose

Cal W. S.
50 min readDec 31, 2024

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This is the 8th year I’ve done my Albums of the Year feature on Medium, starting all the way back in 2016. At the last turn of the decade I started trying to define each year in a word or two, and this time settled on ‘Purpose.’ When I looked back at the last 12 months, the thing that set it apart from the last few years was a sense of pure intention finally starting to take form; which I think is the product of emerging from a long period of simply needing to survive. In 2024 I published just 3 creative pieces — M26, Nov 5th, divine wind and We Did It, Kid — but I think they traced the journey of my year better than I have in years when I may have written more. I signed up for my first marathon (Paris ‘25) and ran over 1,400 km since New Year’s Day, 200 more than previous high 2023. I got a brand new job starting in January, and I also began a 3-year Psychotherapy diploma course. So much change happened to me the last few years, and 2024 finally felt like I started to have the power to actually enact changes myself, for my own better future.

Anyway! While all that was going on we had I think the best year in music for quite a long time; and for once it felt like the wider listening population agreed with me. From colossal rap beefs to Brat Summer there was so much to enjoy; whatever music you like. I had a real job trying to wrap it all up and started this piece a good while ago in order to make it happen before 2024 closed out. I hope my joy comes across some as you read through.

My Favourite 100 Songs from 2024

At the start of July I rounded up the 30 best songs of the year at its halfway point which was weirdly hard to narrow down, even then. They all appear in my Top 100 songs of 2024 playlist, linked on Spotify below. But I just wanted to take a moment to shine a light on 5 that came out in the second half of the year that ended up as some of my most played:

  • ‘Cool’ feat. Låpsley by Sega Bodega
    Recorded during the first lockdown; a 2004 Gwen Stefani cover turned into a heartbreaking duet that came to me right when I needed it most.
  • ‘Purple Hearts’ feat. Real Lies by Kettama
    Kharas’ featherlight voice contrasts perfectly with Kettama’s pummeling beat here: “But just like that my late bouquets are back in bloom” Stunning.
  • ‘Situated’ feat. Sauce Walka & Big KRIT by Jae Skeese
    The whole song rules but Sauce Walka might just have the best feature verse of the year; rapping like he has moments left to live.
  • ‘Jomon (Preservation Rework feat. Armand Hammer’) by Hatis Noit
    billy woods had another huge year without dropping an album. This is him at his most mystical sounding; like an end-times incantation.
  • ‘4 Me’ by Cameo Blush
    His second year running making this list; this was the moment the up and coming London producer turned everything up to 11.

Check out the full 100-song playlist below — save it, put it on anywhere and find your new favourite thing —

The ‘Sero, Sed Serio’ Award

The second year of this award, named after my mum’s family motto translating as ‘late but in earnest’ — to honour music that I discovered this year but came out last year and was too late to give the nods to before! This year I’m going to shout out 3 albums because they all had equal impacts on me. The first was Come Around And Love Me by Jalen Ngonda, the 30 yo East coast soul singer who sounds like he was beamed 50 years from the past. This was my most played album when entertaining this year; big shout out to BR for putting me onto it. What a voice. Next up is DÉTWAT by HiTech which in my defence wasn’t available on streaming when I first heard about it last year. It’s the sound of 3 young rapper-producers crafting a mixture of rap music and Detroit juke/footwork to electrifying effect. Absolutely undeniable. And lastly homeless n**** pop music by Jim Legxacy who is like a young Weeknd from South East London. I cottoned on to him when he signed to XL this year and found so much character and emotion to love on his debut album. Don’t make the same mistake I made sleeping on any of the above!

LP Honourable Mentions

I listened to over 350 albums released in 2024 — a new record high. I didn’t set out to break the record; on the contrary I thought I might end up listening to less new stuff this year. But I hope the (50 strong) list of honourable mentions below goes some way to demonstrating quite how much music came out this year that I absolutely loved. It pained me to have to nudge each and every one of these out of the Top 100:

070 Shake, 21 Savage, Action Bronson, AG Cook, Bbymutha, Berwyn, Big Sean, Bladee, Blvck Svm, Bruiser Wolf, Bugzy Malone, Cadence Weapon, Cindy Lee, Channel Tres, Death’s Dynamic Shroud, Chelsea Wolfe, Christopher Owens, Chiedu Oraka, Chief Keef, Clairo, DIIV, FaltyDL, Four Tet, Freddie Gibbs, Future Islands, Future, Iglooghost, James Blake & Lil Yachty, Jawnino, Jlin, Jon Hopkins, Jordan Rakei, Justice, Kaytranada, Kim Gordon, Machinedrum, Mannequin Pussy, Megan Thee Stallion, Michael Kiwanuka, Mura Masa, Nemahsis, Pataka Boys, Rapsody, Rema, SAULT, Sprints, St. Vincent, Tierra Whack, Yaya Bey and Yeat.

My Favourite 100 Albums from 2024

OK! We’re on to the main event — my 100 favourite albums of the year. One of the tools I use to put this list together is my last.fm profile which tells me what I listened to most over the year (think Spotify Wrapped, but dynamically updating constantly) I was intrigued t find that some of my most played albums were ones that I didn’t care much for at all — Metro Boomin & Future’s We (Still) Don’t Trust You, Kanye and Ty Dolla’s Vultures 2 among them. I think this is because I’d loved previous works by these artists and spent a lot of time with these trying to understand quite why they weren’t working for me this time round. Conversely — some of my very favourite records this year I may have decided I adored after only a few plays, then not over-played them for fear of spoiling them. Either way, here’s the countdown. I’d say #1, #2 and #3 were a lock, with everything else up to about #30 being really, really difficult to rank. So take with a pinch of salt and enjoy!

100. ¥$ — Vultures Vol. 1: I think I explained my enjoyment of this record when I talked about ‘Paid’ halfway through the year but I had fun with it and I’m sorry. Plus any album than interpolates Joe Goddard’s ‘Gabriel’ is good in my book.

99. SZA — LANA: The most recent drop on this list; it probably would end up higher if I had more time with it; and if it was billed as a full new album (which it is) rather than a SOS Deluxe. But it’s another beautiful collection from SZA.

98. Chat Pile — Cool World: Probably the heaviest album on this list; the sarcastically titled Cool World is another venomous takedown of modern life from the Oklahoma hardcore punk band. Impossible to ignore.

97. Zach Bryan — The Great American Bar Scene: I do not like country music; but Zach Bryan is the closest I’ll get to the scene. There was something really compelling about this one; possibly because of how gentle it sounded to me.

96. Jack White — No Name: Getting a full Jack White album in 2024 that sounded more like The White Stripes than anything he’s released since their split was a huge unexpected joy. Rough round the edges in the very best way.

95. Shabjdeed & Al Nather — سلطان (SULTAN): Hailing from the West Bank, Shabjdeed & Al Nather are vital voices in Palestinian hip hop and their latest album is another sonic snapshot of life in one of Earth’s most oppressed places.

94. $uicideboy$ — New World Depression: This was a year I listened to a tonne of $b$ and their latest was simply another stellar addition to their bulletproof catalogue. If you’ve never listened, this is as good an intro as any.

93. A$AP Ferg — DAROLD: I was not expecting one of the most vulnerable and honest rap albums of the year to come from Ferg but he really did that. The sound of an artist taking a giant evolutionary leap forward to huge results.

92. Mustafa — Dunya: Toronto’s Mustafa has made grief a foundation of his art; and his sophomore came in the aftermath of the shooting of his older brother. His grace is breathtaking; and inclusion of ‘Gaza Is Calling’, essential.

91. Bright Eyes — Five Dice, All Threes: I don’t know what I expect from a Bright Eyes album in 2024 but this jangly, ramshackle offering was very fun. Great to hear Conor alongisde Cat Power and Matt Berninger too.

90. Don Toliver — Hardstone Psycho: This one was the sound of Toliver finally hitting his stride and locking into a sound that really served his signature vocals for a whole album. Raucous and exhilarating solo or with guests.

89. Da Flyy Hooligan — Hooli Hansen II / Culture: I was put onto Hooli this year and spoilt with material to explore. My favourites were headline mixtape and the collab record with Sonnyjim. This guy is definitely one to watch.

88. Kamasi Washington — Fearless Movement: “Keep a horn on me, that Kamasi!” went Kendrick this year; immortalising the LA sax genius. Here he made room for George Clinton, Thundercat and Andre 3000’s galactic flute.

87. Arab Strap — I’m totally fine with it: The patron saints of Glasgow’s underbelly continued their comeback this year with more unparalleled dispatches from the wrong side of 2am. Moffat is now in his 50’s and still bang on it.

86. Brittany Howard — What Now: The much anticipated follow-up to Jaime finally arrived this year and it was worth the 5 year wait. Pouring out the speakers like sunshine on an oil spill; there’s no-one else who does what she does.

85. Boldy James — Penalty Of Leadership / Across The Tracks: Just the 4 albums from rap’s hardest working man this year; the collabs with Nicholas Craven and Conductor Williams respectively being the best. Uncanny skill.

84. pigbaby — I don’t care if anyone listens to this: Not much is known about pigbaby other than he is from Dublin and signed to Vegyn’s record label. His debut album feels like the future of folk music in disconnected, meaingless world.

83. Lex Amor — Forward Ever: Someone who I have come to rely on for an incredible feature verse; it was great to hear Lex return on her own latest solo album; twitchy nocturnal raps with the London backdrop.

82. Prostitute — Attempted Martyr: I don’t know much about this noise-rock assault, other than it was “written and recorded under duress of a world in turmoil” and has raised money for Palestine, Lebanon, and Sudan. Incendiary.

81. Mount Kimbie — The Sunset Violent: Mount Kimbie’s transformation from producer duo to full-blown indie rock trio is now complete. The addition of vocalist Andrea Balency-Béarn elevates their vibe to whole new levels.

80. Ezra Collective — Dance, No One’s Watching: These guys were a band I’d always liked but not loved; until their latest album. This was a jazzy jubilation; blending afrobeat sounds with soulful collaborations that’s fun til the end.

79. MAVI — shadowbox: I’d admired MAVI’s work before now but his latest album just really clicked for me and I found myself returning to it a lot when walking home at night; probably because of its heady atmosphere.

78. Beth Gibbons — Lives Outgrown: Lead singer of Portishead and turning 60; Gibbons’ solo album this year was a murky folk odyssey in the lineage of the greats; set apart by her haunting and familiar vocals.

77. Denzel Curry — King of the Mischievous South: After his last dense full-length it was great to hear Denzel return to the Memphis rap sound that he came up making. The album comes across like the dirtiest mixtape of the year.

76. Bashy — Being Poor Is Expensive: One of my favourite discoveries this year was the album from Black Mirror/Top Boy/The Night Of actor Bashy after seeing his amazing Daily Duppy Freestyle. Another to add to the UK rap canon.

75. Nala Sinephro — Endlessness: Sinephro’s last album was an ephiphany in cosmic jazz for me; so I was extremely ready to dive back into this one. Fans of that Floating Points/Pharoah Sanders record will find much to love here.

74. J. Cole — Might Delete Later: The album prophetically titled after Cole Ctrl+Z his Kendrick diss response was overshadowed by the drama. The remaining 11 tracks show the MC at the casual height of his powers.

73. Gwendoline — C’est à moi ça: Socialist no-wave from Brest, France was not something I was expecting to fall for this year but here we are. Even if your French is lacking, you can hear the righteous rage towards the upper classes.

72. Mount Eerie — Night Palace: For someone who grew up obsessing over The Glow Pt.2 and later Wind’s Poem, this new one from Phil Elverum was a very welcome return to his stormy, lo-fi fuzz; the full-band accentuating his words.

71. Kelly Lee Owens — Dreamstate: A team-up with Bicep, Tom from The Chemical Brothers and George from The 1975, Dreamstate is KLO’s brightest and airiest set yet and on ‘Love You Got’ — maybe her best ever song.

70. Navy Blue — Memoirs In Armour: With each passing release I become more sure that Navy Blue is one of the most creative and captivating voices in rap music right now. He is a poet first, MC second and this album demonstrates it.

69. The Last Dinner Party — Prelude To Ecstasy: The Kate Bush-esque drama of this act was impossible for me to deny and I can’t remember the last time a rock band put out a debut album with zero skips. Here for whatever’s next.

68. Vince Staples — Dark Times: Thrillingly, it’s become impossible to predict where Vince will go next, but this laid-back, soulful entry to his discography was a real treat. As he gets old his musicianship and artistry deepens more and more.

67. Courting — New Last Name: Dropping in the hinterlands of January 2024, this Liverpool sophomore exploded out the speakers shrugging off the lazy ‘UK post-punk’ movement tag and delivering something really technicolour.

66. English Teacher — This Could Be Texas: This deserving Mercury Prize winner of an album announced the arrival of this exhilarating Leeds band. It reminded me of the acts I obsessed about as a teenager, but updated perfectly.

65. Jae Skeese — Testament of the Times / Ground Level: Of the 2nd wave of Griselda talents (Stove God, Rome Streetz etc) Skeese is definitely my pick. He put out 2 incredible rap albums this year brimming with earned self-confidence.

64. Foxing — Foxing: Foxing were the heavy act that really captured my imagination this year; fusing post-hardcore guitars with 80s melodies and emo infused vocals; I was reminded of last year’s amazing Model/Actriz record.

63. Kenny Mason — 9 / Angel Eyes: By all accounts Kenny Mason should be at least as big as Denzel Curry or JID in the Southern rap scene but despite 2 more albums this year proving his consistent greatness, he still goes under the radar.

62. Fat Dog — WOOF: Never judge a band by a shit name! These guys remind me of what I loved about Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster, but with Ed Banger style synths and twisted orchestration too. Exploding with attitude & style.

61. Nubya Garcia — Odyssey: This album is aptly titled. The London saxophonoist crafted a jazz album that transcends the genre into something truly cinematic with the help of the orchestral strings interlaced throughout.

60. Nia Archives — Silence Is Loud: The Manchester DJ expanded past her jungle sound and delivered a debut full length that introduced her as one of the most vital voices in the UK music scene right now. Fun, loud and honest.

59. LYAM — The Art Of Letting Go: In 2020 East London MC put out one of the most impressive UK debuts in years then dipped. So I was psyched to hear him follow-up here and eclipse it. With features from Wiki, Jianbo, John Glacier.

58. SOPHIE — SOPHIE: The first and only posthumous SOPHIE album; this was a hard one to approach. Aparently mostly finished at the time of her death, it’s 4 suites of 4 span her vision of club music, pop and ambient with unique power.

57. Lupe Fiasco — Samurai: Somehow inspired by Amy Winehouse’s desire to be a battle-rapper; this album is another Fiasco masterclass whether you tune into the concept or not. At only half an hour its his most concise and choppy yet.

56. serpentwithfeet — GRIP: I love absolutely everything this man does, and GRIP was another masterclass in modern R’n’B, proving again that a man doesn’t need to be singing about a woman to make something damn sexy.

55. Alex G — I Saw The TV Glow: The official score for one of the most intrugiging films of the year; the great Alex G crafted something that sounded like Oneohtrix Point Never reimagining the Twin Peaks OST. Mesmerising.

54. Jean Dawson — Glimmer of God: Jean Dawson is for me the most exciting artist out right now. His latest album was amazing but still doesn’t even feel like his final form yet. From ballads to trap songs; he can literally do anything.

53. MJ Lenderman — Manning Fireworks: Stoned, slacker folk rock is definitely not my favourite vibe, but this album is just completely undeniable. It’s like a huge, lush-sounding shrug and I foudn it completely addictive.

52. Colin Stetson — The love it took to leave you: A very late entry to the list but one that shot up. It’s got a cosmic horror to it; like hearing saxophone beckon you into a black hole. Totally immersive and unlike anything else I’ve heard.

51. Childish Gambino — Bando Stone & The New World: If this is to be the last LP Glover makes as Gambino it was a glorious finale. Tying in all the best parts of his output, it was a breathless kaleidoscope from THE renaissance man.

50. Jamie xx — In Waves

Waiting 9 years to follow up on your debut — one of the best electronic albums of the last 20 years — is a bold strategy. In Waves was less immediate than In Colour, and more a product of the different time. I couldn’t help thinking ‘The Feeling I Get From You’ sounded like a Fred again.. song; the person who arguably rose to fill the vacuum Jamie xx left, but elsewhere as on ‘Life’ with Robyn, “Falling Together’ with Oona Doherty and ‘Waited All Night’ with the rest of The xx; we were treated to the ruminative but propulsive sounds like only he has really mastered.

49. Two Shell — Two Shell

With all that’s written about the subversive shenanigans of producer duo Two Shell, it was somewhat surprising to see them drop an honest-to-god debut LP this year. Yes, one of the songs was titled ‘({~_-})’ and there were several computer voices throughout talking about the destruction of earth and the like. But on tracks like ‘gimmi it’ and ‘be somebody’ they also delivered some of the very best electronic music of the whole year. Like Kai Whiston and Iglooghost, Two Shell present another jewel in the crown of restless British electronic music, which had an unbelievable year.

48. Pa Salieu — Afrikan Alien

After spending nearly 2 years inside for his part in the attack of a man who fatally stabbed his friend; it was a happy day in September this year when Coventry’s Pa Salieu walked free. The young MC wasted no time with singles; having worked on the album in prison. Afrikan Alien followed in November; a slight 11 songs over 27 minutes but a record overflowiong with character, passion and black joy. Closing on ‘YGF’ (Young, Great and Free) was a masterstroke; solidifying this comeback record as a celebration — of his Gambian roots and bright future in the UK rap scene.

47. Bolis Pupul — Letter To Yu

I was completely enchanted by Bolis Pupul’s 2022 collab album with vocalist Charlotte Adigéry so when I heard he was releasing a solo record I was all over it. Pupul was born in Gent to a Belgian father and Chinese mother, and Letter To Yu is the producer embracing the roots of the latter. The result sounds like the best possible all-nighter in Hong Kong — all shimmering neon lights and pounding basslines reminiscent of the heyday of Ed Banger Records . Here Pupul proves that he has a unique sonic voice that doesn’t need a vocalist to elevate; and that it’s evolving at a rapid pace.

46. Quadeca — Scrapyard

Maybe it’s because his career started as a YouTuber, but I was slow and late to the greatness of Quadeca. I’d enjoyed bits of his work in the past; mainly for the ambitious sonic palettes he developed — but on Scrapyard he completely won me over. Which is strange as I think this one was billed as a collection of loosies. He presents the vocal acrobatics of brakence and the genre-bending confidence of Kevin Abstract; both present as guests here. The album showed me that he could take his sound in 100 different directions next if he wanted to, and I’ll definitely be along for the ride.

45. Clarence Clarity — VANISHING ACT II: ULTIMATE REALITY

Adam Crisp AKA Clarence Clarity’s last album, 2018’s THINK: PEACE was my #1 favourite album of that year, so the follow-up had very big shoes to fill. While the producer/singer’s unique blend of 90s/00s pop melodies, metal guitars and glitchy experimental production were still very much firing on all cylinders, it felt like there was less lore to get lost in this time round. His intoxicating lyrical nihilism that sucked me in as a teen was still here and still the main draw for me — ending your album with the repeated mantra “We’re never gonna make a difference?” Peak Clarity.

44. Dawn Richard & Spencer Zahn — Quiet in a World Full of Noise

Dawn Richard’s career has been a headspin to witness. After rising to fame as part of Diddy-formed talent group Danity Kane she launched a future-focused R’n’B solo career which really hit its stride when she teamed up with legendary electronic producer Machinedrum. I’ve always loved her work but teaming up with composer Spencer Zahn for 2022 Pigments and now its follow up has really let her experimental instincts flourish. The title of this album sums it up perfectly — this is a stunningly hushed and undersstated collection which provided me some much needed solace.

43. IDLES — TANGK

IDLES kind of lost me on 2020’s Ultra Mono but found me again on follow up CRAWLER. 3 years on, TANGK came through and further refined everything I loved about their new direction. It fizzes into life with eerie piano song ‘IDEA 01’ before gifting us an instant IDLES classic with the yelled chorus of “LOOK AT HIM GOOOO!” on ‘Gift Horse’. ‘POP POP POP’, ‘Jungle’ and ‘Grace’ all show off a new, restrained motorik rhythm from the group and on LCD Soundsystem collab ‘Dancer’ they may have just created there most defiantly jubilant record yet.

42. MIKE & Tony Seltzer — Pinball

Tony Seltzer made a huge fan of me last year on his incredible collab album with Wiki, and he returned again in 2024, this time teaming up with underground legend MIKE. It’s a short ’n’ sweet offering, with most of the 11 tracks coming in at under the 2 minute mark. But for someone who sometimes finds the East Coast MC’s flow a little flat; it was exhilarating to hear him bouncing off Seltzer’s mutant-trap sounds with real energy. There’s also a show-stealing verse from Earl Sweatshirt on ‘On God’ where he raps morosely “I feel like Uzi Vert, all my friends in the dirt

41. Marika Hackman — Big Sigh

Released 12th January, Big Sigh was simultaneously my first introduction to Marika Hackman and one of the first records I loved from 2024. Its haunting, windswept mood also moved me to grab it on vinyl; kickstarting a year of buying a good amount of albums of wax again. It’s a strange, bittersweet album, with the repeated howl of the title track’s refrain “Radio violence” summing up the mood well. The album closes on a delicate acoustic number reminiscent of a female Elliott Smith which had me immediately getting up to flip the record back over every time it finished.

40. LL Cool J — The Force

I wasn’t expecting LL Cool J’s first album in over 11 years to be one of the best hip hop records of the year; but the fact that Q-Tip produced the whole thing should definitely have tipped me off. This is the sound of one veteran resurrecting another in dynamic fashion. Helped along by Nas, Snoop, Eminem, Busta Rhymes and more, this became an instant classic in the ‘Albums by Rappers over 50’ canon. Dusty and ice cold, but urgent and unyielding in equal measure; it was a masterclass to the youngens in what can be achieved; what should be strived for in modern hip hop.

39. Nilüfer Yanya — My Method Actor

Yanya’s 2022 PAINLESS was in my Top 10 albums of that year, so its follow up had a lot to live up to. The first half of the record very much continues her dark, propulsive alt rock vibe which brings together 00s Radiohead and 90s grunge sounds to heady effect. The second half takes the decibels and the tempo down and brings in more acoustic-led songs that push the singer’s unique voice to the fore. The best here for me is ‘Just A Western’ which swirls like dust through a ghost town. Whether she’s rocking out or making something more contemplative; the woman is a national treasure.

38. Nicolas Jaar — Piedras 1 & 2

The Piedras project started as one song created for Santiago’s Museum of Memory & Human Rights for an exhibition about the Pinochet regime but grew and grew. Jaar was to Chilean parents with Palestinian ancestry on his father’s side and donated the Bandcamp proceeds of the record to Mapuche communities and Palestinians in Gaza. But listening to the sister albums; I’m once again flunged into the weightless, cavernous vaccums of the producer’s debut; all clicks and reverb and hushed incantations. It was amazing to hear him back in this space, especially for such great causes.

37. Oscar #Worldpeace — Mum, Pray For Your Son

Oscar must have made an impression on 2020’s Sporadic because I hadn’t thought of him again until the rollout started for his new one. I’m so glad I jumped back in though because this is one of the best UK rap albums in years. #Worldpeace has a sleight, icy coolness to his flow and absolutely glides across this lithe 10-track record. A lot of familiar tropes are here but the 1970s sample that buoys ‘Pure Intent’ is one of my favourite beats of the whole year. I’m not sure what’s next but I really hope he gets some more recognition, at least here in the UK cos I think he has real star power.

36. The Cure — Songs of a Lost World

Listening to The Cure’s latest album, I was immediately transported back 20 years to hearing Robert Smith’s voice for the very first time at my friend’s house; itself 20 years removed from the band’s heyday. Perhaps the most striking thing about the album is how unchanged they sound — in a good way. This is up there with some of their best work; somehow untainted by age or time. SOFLW languishes magnificently in darkness; like moonlit waves crashing against an ancient coastline. Half the songs here are over 6 minutes; slowly unfurling themselves with hard-won grandeur.

35. Sega Bodega — Dennis

I was a bit slow to 2021’s Romeo and its genius; but have made up for it with the mass of plays since. So when Sega Bodega came back with a new album this year in Dennis I was really excited. The Irish-Chilean producer has quickly become one of the most vital voices in electronic music and this new collection is just further proof. While their sounds are very different, I get a similar feeling from Sega Bodega’s music as I did from his friend the late SOPHIE in that they both take synthetic music to emotional realms I’ve never followed into before. This song could also be his masterpiece.

34. Sango — North Vol. 2

Vol. 1 of North came out in 2013 and ignited a long-lasting love for the producer Sango. From the beginning he’s always been influenced by the baile funk sound of the favelas of Rio De Janeiro and this is something he’s carried into his bigger name collaborations. There’s serious star turns here from Smino, Bryson Tiller, Masego and many more — all of whom absolutely float over Sango’s gorgeous palettes. And what a joy to see day 1 collaborator Xavier Omar still here and still sounding incredible over these beats. Sango’s got heart and he deserves every big look he gets.

33. Toro y Moi — Hole Erth

What, exactly, possessed synth-funk/chillwave artist Chaz Bear to create an entire album in homage to autotuned emo-rap? This is not a record I expected to hear this year, let alone love — but here we are. There are some great distorted guitar moments reminiscent of the hybrid Kenny Mason has mastered, and he features here. So too does Travis Scott protégé Don Toliver whose croons fit with the sound here perfectly. It’s not something I’d expect to say of an LP that also features Ben Gibbard but that’s part of what makes Hole Erth so special — it makes no sense but is irresistable.

32. The Smile — Wall Of Eyes / Cutouts

In half the time between Radiohead’s King Of Limbs and subsequent album A Moon Shaped Pool, these guys have now released 3 full length records. In 2024 The Smile became more than a side project and gained a full life of their own. Jan’s Wall Of Eyes gave us the twisting guitar hypnotics of ‘Read The Room’ and the plunging orchestral inferno of ‘Bending Hectic’ while Oct’s Cutouts delivered the cosmic folk of ‘Instant Palm’ and mind-bending return-to-electronic-form of ‘Don’t Get Me Started’ There were countless moments that showed there was no need to wait on a Radiohead reunion.

31. Friko — Where We’ve Been, Where We Go From Here

Kinda crazy that Bright Eyes’ 11th album wasn’t even the best Bright Eyes album that came out in 2024. OK it sounds like I'm doing the Chicago two-piece a disservice there, but it’s meant as huge praise. Friko’s heart-on-sleeve, balls-to-the-wall debut album came out of nowhere with its sights set specifically at the ghost of my teen nostalgia. The guitar lines howl, the gang vocals soar, and when the quieter moments come; they cut like a knife. And the lyrics work as the cherry on top; for example: “Someday, we’ll lay statues of our own / For now, we’ll bow to memories made of stone

30. Bubble Love (Ross From Friends) — Bubble Love

It’s helps me to think of Bubble Love as the Daphni to Ross From Friends’ Caribou. The most recent release on this list, Bubble Love dropped in December preceded only by a handful of singles released in the last few months. I’d been eagerly awaiting more RFF music since his amazing single ‘The One’ from last year. This takes his vocal sampling and turns it to 10, crafting an album full of beautiful moments that takes me right back to the early 2010’s post-dubstep days of yearning R’n’B chipmunk vocals, but updated for 2024. Features from Cameo Blush & Jeshi just seal the deal.

29. Geordie Greep — The New Sound

Black Midi were already a tough band to love. They were like avant-jazz musicians with an express desire to confuse post-punk fans. It’s astounding to think they released 3 unbelievable albums before they even hit their mid-twenties. But here we are, post-break up with the lead singer’s first solo outing. If you were expecting a more hushed affair — Greep recorded this alongside 30 session musicians in São Paulo and emerged with a record of Jazz Fusion, Avant-Prog, Latin & Samba music. It’s A LOT, but if you like being overwhelmed like I do, dive in. Also: album art of the year.

28. Floating Points — Cascade

The writings had been on the wall since early 2022. Sam Shepherd, fresh from the huge success of his Pharaoh Sanders collab album dropped loosies ‘Vocoder’ and ‘Problems’. It was immediately clear he was back in his house music bag, and better than ever before. The former kicks of Cascade and ushers in nearly a full hour of seamlessly heady electronic music. Like the very best DJ sets you have no idea of anything outside the music while it’s playing; lost in every synth line of drumbeat. Only on closer ‘Ablaze’ are we offered the chance to calm down. Breathlessly good.

27. Xiu Xiu — 13" Frank Beltrame Italian Stiletto with Bison Horn Grips

I’ve been a fan of Xiu Xiu since 2010’s Dear God, I Hate Myself sucked me into their black hole of dark mystery. I followed them through the esotericly beautiful Twin Peaks cover album, through the abject horror of Girl With Basket of Fruit and now, on their most belligerently titled album so far; I feel somewhat rewarded. Calling 13"… the band’s most accessible record yet is a bit like awarding someone title ‘least evil serial killer’ but it’s a start. They’re still dark as hell, but now with a more rhythmic swagger. Their album best yet; it screeches, it pounds, but most of all it seduces.

26. JPEGMAFIA — I Lay Down My Life For You

Rap’s Most Online Hero wasted no time returning this year hot on the heels of 2023's ground-breaking collab Danny Brown Scaring The Hoes. Sampling everything from Fortnite to Succession, to an AI-generated Motown cover of Future (yes, really) ILDMLFY is pretty much the quintessential Peggy record. Once again he completely sticks the landing (despite the aggressively strange beats he produces for himself) largely down to his infectious flow and immediately quotable bars. If you still need an intro, this is it. And remember — if the cops come around: “No sé qué pasó!

25. Father John Misty — Mahashmashana

A much-anticipated late entry to the list, Mahashmashana is an extremely satisfying round up of all FJM’s greatest palettes so far. You have the raw rockin’ out of Fear Fun on ‘She Cleans Up’, the endearing self-satirisation of Honeybear on ‘Josh Tillman and the Accidental Overdose’, the wide-scope societal take-down of Pure Comedy on ‘Time Just Makes Fools’. Then there’s the white-knuckle repentance of God’s Favorite Customer on ‘Screamland’ and finally the ornate orchestration of Chlöe.. on closer ‘Summer’s Gone’ It’s a wild ride, and a record that retreads old ground in a rare fashion that doesn’t feel like retreat, but celebration. Misty exists in a space where “publicly treating acid with anxiety” is not only acceptable but entertaining — he is post-etiquette, post-culture and yet still makes truly beautiful music. Mahashmashana just proves that he still has it and likely always will.

24. Heems — LAFANDAR / VEENA

As someone who’s been a fan of Queen’s own Himanshu since his late 00’s work with seminal group Das Racist — it was amazing to see him return for his flowers this year. It’s been nearly 10 years(!) since his last solo album, the still underrated Eat Pray Thug. His team up with Riz Ahmed as Swet Shop Boys is still one of my favourite collab groups ever but seeing his On The Radar Freestyle appear seemingly out of nowhere a year ago brought me so much joy. He was back, touching 40, filled out and with white hair in his beard but sounding hungier than ever before. This heralded not 1 but 2 comeback albums in 2024, the Lapgan-produced LAFANDAR, followed 6 months later with VEENA. Together they make up a career-high for the rapper; the perfect distillation of his talents hardened by experience and bouyed by an amazing roster of friends along the way. Hell yeah.

22. Tyler, the Creator — CHROMAKOPIA

This year needed a Tyler release and I didn’t even realise it until he teased it a week before the drop. The 33-year old has become known for completely reinventing himself with each release; a full rebrand and fresh concept. With Chromakopia the new aesthetic was there, but when the music dropped it was actually simply a refined version of everything he’s done so far. As soon as you got on board with this; you realise what an accomplishment it is. The Pharrell-worshipping instrumentals are better than ever; and lyrically we get something like a retrospective from T. He raps about the discomfort of fame, the ticking clock of parenthood and most interestingly comes to terms with the absence of his father. Star turns from GloRilla and Doechii elevate the project higher still; and narration from the rapper’s mum tie it together as his most introspective yet.

22. Mk.gee — Two Star & The Dream Police

Spotify Wrapped has just informed me that Mk.gee’s 2020 song ‘Dimeback’ was my 3rd most played song of 2024. I hadn’t listened to the artist before this year — not knowingly anyway. His fingerprints (guitar work) was all over Dijon’s Absolutely; my favourite debut album of the decade so far. Having fallen head over heels for ‘Dimeback’ I didn’t immediately click with the lo-fi take on 80’s soft rock of Two Star. But the song that clicked first and bowled me over was ‘Alesis’ which sounds like a young Springsteen transported 100 years into the future and given guitar pedals that are yet to exist. Once you realise that Mk.gee is pushing everything here — his vocals, his guitar, the production — into another realm the album becomes an absolute gift. Apparently he’s now working with Justin Bieber, so who knows what the future holds for this elvish-faced virtuoso.

21. Ghetts — On Purpose, With Purpose

In 2021 Ghetts blew me away with Conflict Of Interest — a blockbuster UK Rap album released at a time when Skepta and Stormzy are arguably fumbling the bag. 3 years on and with the scene the same, Ghetts shows the feat was no fluke. Skepta & Stormzy are both absent; replaced by Kano, Tiggs Da Author and stars of tomorrow Lancey Foux and Unknown T. Notably, Ed Sheeran is thankfully absent for this follow up; blissfully replaced by the best Sampha appearance of the year on ‘Double Standards’ Moonchild Sanelly is back, gifting album highlight ‘Laps’ an immediate ear-worm. Ghetts is lyrically on fire but my favourite words come from his mum introducing favourite ‘Anakin (Red Saber)’: “The thing is they got us mixed up, son. They want us to be like the slaves in the field. All we keep doin’ is lookin’ to the big house; that’s not our aim, that’s not our purpose. Let’s own the field.”

20. Adrianne Lenker — Bright Future

Ask me any year, I will always want a new solo Adrianne Lenker over a full Big Thief one. Back in 2022 when their Dragon New Warm Mountain album was topping all the year-end lists I couldn’t get it and was still obsessing over Lenker’s songs which was already 2 years old. So imagine my joy at the arrival of Bright Future this spring. From the feather-soft piano of opener ‘Real House’ it’s clear that this is the artist’s creative opus. She’s captured the breath-taking fragility of her voice which in turn gives it great power. I listened to this in bed so many nights this year and it made me feel like I had warm company. I can’t still think of a song more beautiful this year than ‘Ruined’ with its repeated mantra “So much coming through, every hour too / Can’t get enough of you, you come around I’m ruined” — it’s like witnessing something so intimate that you feel you should look away.

19. Ab-Soul — Soul Burger

What a year TDE had, even without Kendrick. Many hailed this as Soulo’s best album in years but I’d been big into 2022’s HERBERT and 2016’s Do What Thou Wilt. There was however something unmistakably exciting about this new one. Starting off with only a Soul II Soul acapella to rap over was a bold move, but when those Mobb Deep guitars come in you’re thrown right back to Black Hippy’s 2013 freestyle at the BET awards where they rapped over the same sample. It’s an album full of these moments of reference and reverence. JasonMartin (FKA Problem), Vince Staples, Ty Dolla $ign and Blaxst all turn up to represent for L.A. while Soul himself pays homage to West Coast legends Kendrick and Nispey on stunning closer ‘Righteous Man’. In 2022 Soul tried to take his life after losing his friend Doe Burger, who the album is dedicated to — look how far he’s come.

18. Vegyn — The Road to Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions

Last year I crowned the album by Vegyn’s side project Headache my favourite album of 2023 which goes some way to explaining how much I love his work. This 13 song collection felt like the perfect distillation of his talents as a producer — the synthetic harp and string sounds that sound so beautiful not in spite of their electronic nature but because of it. Similar to the Headache album, the tone throughout again feels like a beautiful run-through of your life flashing before your eyes as you die happy. The drums are nostalgic for a 90s that I was too young to remember; adding to the surreality. Vegyn picks his collaborators flawlessly, ceding to label mate John Glacier, British-French trans singer Lauren Auder and the bewitching Léa Sen to enhance the heady atmospheres. I couldn’t name another producer right now who makes such magic — can’t wait for whatever’s next.

17. ScHoolboy Q — Blue Lips

After the mixed bag of previous album CrasH Talk and the departure of old friend Kendrick their TDE label, Q found himself at an interesting junction. On Blue Lips we heard him rise to the occasion in exhilarating fashion. 18 songs where not a moment is wasted, the MC veers from planet-crushing braggadocio on tracks like ‘Back n Love’, ‘Yearn 101’ and ‘THank god 4 me’ to more meditative jazzy rap cuts like ‘Nunu’, ‘Blueslides’ and closer ‘Smile’ He makes room for old collaborators like Ab-Soul and Freddie Gibbs and new faces like Devin Malik and AzChike, What brings it all together so successfully though is the hunger that you hear from ScHoolboy from beginning to end. He sounds absolutely locked in on every instrumental; as if he’s just come out of a coma and is making up for lost time. This was the first amazing hip hop release of the year and it’s really stuck around.

16. Caribou — Honey

Dan Snaith’s last album as Caribou, 2020’s Suddenly sounded like an intricate labour of love. In stark contrast, Honey feels almost tossed out. There are next to no vocals recognisable as Snaith (although apparently they’re all him, just ran through various filters) and sonically the LP shares a lot more with his Daphni side-project; usually reserved for his dancefloor experiments. The singles leading up to the album were enormous. ‘Honey’ with it’s warping sub bass and stuttering vocal chops, the bubblegum noughties throwback of ‘Broke My Heart’ (later called back to on ‘Campfire’) and the hypnotic menace of ‘Volume’ — it was unavoidably clear that the latest iteration of Caribou was meant for the club. There were still some more familiar touchpoints like the sweet and comparably gentle ‘Only You’, but this felt like a whole new evolution for the producer.

15. Doechii — Alligator Bites Never Heal

2024 was Doechii’s year. To be honest, I’d been patiently waiting for it to be since she signed to TDE back at the top of 2022, but it was finally time. She kicked things off with the incendiary future-club-classic ‘Alter Ego’ (ft. a great verse from City Girls’ JT) but then didn’t even include the hit on the album. Next came her ‘Swamp Sessions’ — spell-binding visuals for songs that would make the record. Early highlight was ‘Boom Bap’ where she references Kendrick: “Get Top on the phone!” before exaplaining her lane perfectly: “It’s real, and it’s rap, and it boom, and it bap, and it bounce, and it clap, and it’s house, and it’s trap — It’s everything, I’m everythingABNH cements Doechii’s rap credentials but you get the sense she’ll be an enormous star in whatever scene she decides to conquer. I haven’t been this excited since Nicky on ‘Monster’ fourteen years ago.

14. Vampire Weekend — Only God Was Above Us

The 16-year old cardigan’d, white plimsol-wearing Me absoultey fell for Vampire Weekend’s debut album but not long after that I kind of moved on; only enjoying the odd song from each of their albums since (‘Cousins’, ‘Diane Young’, ‘Hold You Now’) But with Only God.. all that changed. 1 minute into the intro pianos, distorted guitars and drumrolls all rush in creating this intoxicating crescendo, and it barely lets up for the rest of the runtime. It’s the production throughout that kept me coming back — even on the quieter songs; everything sounds so punchy and alive. Interestingly, for a band over 15 years into their career; they actually sound more free-wheeling and fearless here than ever before. From the sound palette, to the lyrics — even the artwork! — this one really felt like a future classic in their discography. Consider me completely back on board.

13. Mach-Hommy — #RICHAXXHAITIAN

Mach-Hommy is as prolific as he is elusive. This is the masked MC’s 28th full-length project and it often feels that he is doing things entirely to please himself. However, on #RICHAXXHAITIAN he feels more vivid, more in focus than ever before. With absolutely gorgeous production from Conductor Williams, SadhuGold and others; this record eschews the ‘drumless’ tag favoured for Griselda associates’ music. Instead, their are myriad grooves and rhythmic pockets for Mach to duck, weave and ride on — none more kinetic than Kaytranada-produced title track; one of the most unexpected bops of the whole year with 03 Greedo floating over the chorus. Elswhere Hommy calls in underground greats like Roc Marciano, Black Thought, Your Old Droog & frequent collaborator Tha God Fahim but — often in his native Haitian Kreyòl — it’s his own voice that hits hardest.

12. Keaton Henson — Somnambulant Cycles

Why is there a neo-classical ambient album by a folk singer with no vocals so high up in my favourite albums of the year? The main culprit is the 30 to 60 minutes it takes me each night in bed to turn my brain off and fall asleep. Fittingly for an album named after sleepwalking it wholly encapsulates a heady but calm mood; warm in its haziness. For anyone familiar with Henson’s collaborative album Romantic Works with cellist Ren Ford (now 10 years old!), news of this latest instrumental LP’s mastery will be less surprising. For all the allure and heartbreak of the artist’s vocals and lyricism; he is an exceptional composer too. This year I really needed something hushed and insular for night time and Somnambulant Cycles had me coming back night after night. Closing my eyes with this on I felt like someone understood the need to balm the loneliness of nighttime.

11. Matt Champion — Mika’s Laundry

It’s been weird since Brockhampton split back in 2022. Kevin Abstract made an indie rock record, Merlyn brought Ameer back into the fold for a collab album, Bearface still hasn’t dropped anything. Luckily Matt Champion stepped up to the plate to deliver something that entirely steps out the shadow cast by the band’s legacy. Teaming up with Dijon definitely shaped the mood and textures of the album and a lot of the best moments do remind me of his own Absolutely debut. But Champion imbues the project with real heart and unique flair. From his bluesy yelp “Alabama bluuues!” that starts things off to the penultimate power ballad with Jennie from K-pop ground Blackpink — there are so many moments here vibrating with restless creativity firing in several directions. Let’s see where he goes next; but this was such a rewarding debut statement.

10. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds — Wild God

2016’s Skeleton Tree, 2019’s Ghosteen and 2021’s Carnage are to me the most incredible late-career album run of any artist ever. 2013’s Push The Sky Away was just as good, but the death of Cave’s teenage son in 2015 created an unavoidable ‘before and after’ divide in his work. Because not only are those 3 albums a perfect run; but in my view document a parent’s grief in a way that no other art piece has ever achieved, nor hopefully will again. Enter then Wild God, which Cave himself described as “deeply and joyously infectious…it seems we’re happy.” Having read his book Faith, Hope and Carnage at the top of the year I felt I had an inkling of what he meant as in it he touches on how his journey was approaching some kind of lightness. The centrepoint to the album is ‘Joy’ wherein the singer sees “a ghost in giant sneakers, laughing, stars around his head…this flaming boy he said ‘We’ve all had too much sorrow, now is the time for joy’” Everything else happening on Wild God needs to be understood through this dream-like moment of epiphany. The reality of loss will always be; but it can gradually be made into something else. Choirs re-enter The Bad Seeds’ fold again here in miraculous fashion, particularly on the title track and ‘Conversion’, a real highlight. In this way it carries reminders of 2004's Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus. There is jubilation to be had here; only this time it’s battle-won. Perhaps the most crucial song here is ‘O Wow O Wow (How Wonderful She Is)’ — a tribute to Cave’s old flame the late Anita Lane, including a treasure of a voicemail from her at the end. A perfect tribute.

9. Fontaines D.C. — Romance

Any year in which Dublin’s Fontaines D.C. release an LP is a good one. But when the lead single ‘Starburster’ dropped in April as the first taste of the new record’s direction; it personally sent me reeling. This was the most bombastic, gripping and visceral rock song I’d heard in absolutely years; with Chatten chanting the lyrics in between desperate gasps for air — it was like listening to a psychotic break in audio form. In some ways it was was a red herring for what Romance would end up sounding like. In hindsight, the band’s newfound abrasive fashion sense, coupled with the warped technicolour ugliness of the album’s artwork were all, in my opinion, part of a concerted effort to confound expectations for where they’d go next. The intro/title track borrows its bassline from Metallica’s ‘Enter Sandman’, immediately confusing things further, while single ‘Here’s The Thing’ has Nirvana-sounding guitars. But really the whole sound is now entirely their own as they twist and carve their name onto everything they produce. When Chatten sings “Amazing stars from the drink” he sounds just as much in awe as we are listening. As if just to flex, they close the album with an honest-to-god ballad with ‘Favourite’ — as if just to prove that they could do the whole Oasis/Blur thing if they really wanted to. But for someone too young for Britpop at the time (and therefore still slightly uncharmed), these guys are exactly what I’ve waited on.

8. Rex Orange County — The Alexander Technique

2017’s Apricot Princess was one of my very favourite albums of the 2010’s but then (save for the amazing ‘Pluto Projector’), I kind of lost track of the young singer-songwriter. Then in 2022, he was charged and then cleared of a sexual assault allegation — with all charges against him dropped after CCTV and alibis conflicted with the accuser’s account. I mention all this because The Alexander Technique finds Rex a much older and contemplative artist than the 19 year old I got to know on his sophomore project back then. The record makes its palette clear on the opener; a spare, man-and-piano song recounting a visit to the doctor for back pain, coming over like a young(!), British Randy Newman. Another early highlight ‘2008’ sees Rex find a gorgeous melody for the chorus “Free your mind and treat it kindly / 10 years old, I was unbothered / Spent my hours in the garden, I was alright” It betrays a yearning for a more simple past, which is understandable given what he’s been through. There’s only one song (‘Carrera’) which speaks semi-directly to the legal case, and he only dedicates 2:16 to it; talking about losing his mind. At the end, the simple line “On the phone, they told me it was finally over / 6:30 in the evening / Overwhelmed with closure” says so much with very little. The album’s only vocal feature is none other than James Blake on the single ‘Look Me In The Eyes’, the song that got me back in the fold. It sounds every bit the guest’s song, but it’s beautiful all the same. This is a record full of simple warmth, honesty and real musicality, particularly on ‘The Table’ — it felt like a rare gem in a very noisy year.

7. KNEECAP — Fine Art

Hailing from Belfast, The North of Ireland (not NI) KNEECAP exploded into my life in 2024 like a detonation. I’d been aware of what they were doing but not really tuned into the music, until the image of that haunting balaclava in the ornate gold frame became impossible to ignore any more. From the moment I heard the opening song with it’s mixture of Bonobo-esque instrumentals, drill, dub and Irish language vocals soaring over the top; I knew I was in for a treat. What I didn’t realise is that the intro song is actually the pretty calm before the storm — from there on Fine Art launches a tirade on the police, the Brits and good taste. The title track takes a leaf out of Kendrick and Kanye’s books by including a news report decrying their shenanigans. From there out the record doesn’t let up, with production throughout from the great Toddla T (alongside the band’s own DJ Próvaí) that brings in fiddles, penny whistles, a gospel choir and plenty of sirens among the pounding beats. The concept revolves around a big night in the pub, until the group are whisked off to London for one song ‘Harrow Road’ which is also the only song to feature a British vocalist, the city’s own Jelani Blackman who absolutely kills it. Elsewhere Fonataines D.C’s Grian Chatten also shines on ‘Better Way To Live’ The album shows that you can have a lot of fun (see ‘Rhino Ket’) while protesting at the same time. In France they say “Notre Jour Viendra”, in Ireland it’s “Tiocfaidh ár Lá’s” — and with Fine Art KNEECAP brought that day a whole lot closer.

6. Laura Marling — Patterns In Repeat

After an initial babble from her baby daughter, Patterns In Repeat opens with the line “You and your dad are dancing in the kitchen / Life is slowing down but it’s still bitchin’” This is a beautifully laid back and thrown out couplet to start an album with, especially from one who was garnering Dylan comparisons on her first album aged just 18. Now 34 and a mother for the first time, Marling is a different artist. Four years ago she released Song For Our Daughter — bestowing to an imagined child “all the confidences and affirmations I found so difficult to provide myself.” It was at that point her best album. How thrilling then to follow her story into having a daughter for real and to see that album eclipsed, with Patterns In Repeat standing tall as the very pinnacle of a discography full of incredible work. The title speaks to the patterns that are passed down through families from generation to generation — something that immediately spoke to me as I’m currently studying a psychotherapy diploma. I was surprised and warmed by the discovery while writing this that Marling did the same thing in 2020. But most importantly of all; the music is stunning. Led largely by acoustic guitar but fleshed out with lush strings — I played the album the morning it came out before I got out of bed; and remained there as I played it through three times in a row. Yes, anyone can appreciate the artistry here, but having a daughter myself and witnessing motherhood first hand etched this album into my heart from the start.

5. NxWorries — Why Lawd?

What do you do when your first collaboration Yes Lawd! was a laid-back, hazy party album but now you’re 8 years older and reeling from a divorce? Simple; you lean right into it and call the thing Why Lawd? Anderson .Paak returned this year — with crate-digging producer genius Knxwledge — a humbled man. Following the biggest success of his career with Bruno Mars as Silk Sonic, Paak split with his wife and mother to his children after 13 years of marriage. Here he doesn’t shy away from self pity; often languishing in his character traits that may have led to the relationship’s end. Case in point: “You said you needed peace, then spent the week in Greece / Phone off, you said you was asleep” before imaginging the sex acts his ex was likely getting up to. It’s striking to hear a multiple Grammy winner this unguarded, raw, weak, but that’s the charm. Knxwledge once again brings the warm, dusty loops in abundance but they’re brought further to life with electric guitars (‘Daydreaming’, wow) and guests like Thundercat, Earl Sweatshirt, H.E.R. and Rae Khalil. Even the interludes serve the wider message, with ‘MoreOfIt’ ending with the line “Just paid off my mama mortgage” immediately followed by a voicemail from Paak’s actual mother admitting she has no advice and asking if he can call back after the baseball game finishes(!) Another interlude ends with the singer pleading with a friend “Why are you bringing it up again?…Make me feel warm and shit, bro” before losing his temper and breaking something; a sound which smashes you into the next song. It’s messy and real, just like divorce is.

4. Ka — The Thief Next To Jesus

The late, great Kaseem Ryan, known musically as Ka released 11 full length albums in his career. Alongside his music he worked for 25 years for the FDNY, rising to the rank of fire captain. He was a first responder to the World Trade Center on 9/11. As an artist, he self-released all his music; often delivering records to people in the city himself where he was able to. He died aged 52; the cause of death unknown to the public. I loved the monochromatic, brutalist poetry he crafted — each album committing to a different motif through which to spin street tales into vivid images. My bio on this very website contains an excerpt from Ka: “The people love me deeply cos I speak that ugly elegant” Ironically, the word ‘monastic’ was used a lot to describe his hushed vocal delivery but here — on the record most heavily inspired by religious imagery and sonics — his voice sounds more urgent than it ever has. Perhaps it was because of the rich sampling of old gospel records (all produced by Ka himself) that brought unexpected colour to his words. The impassioned cries underline and buoy his bars with a crackling warmth. It’s a sound I’ve always loved so this was pure alchemy to me. On the closing song ‘True Holy Water’ the live service being sampled seems to include a woman’s screams; unclear whether they’re from extreme religious reverie or immense pain. There lies the key to the album. Ka’s last 4 records all landed in my Top 15 albums of their respective years and I believe this, tragically his final statement, to be his best. Rest In Peace, Ka.

3. Bill Ryder-Jones — Iechyd Da

I love it when an album I first heard just 12 short days into the calendar year manages to end Top 3 on this list. To persevere and protect its place in my heart all the way through to the close of the year is really something; and it’s usually the sign of a record that will stay with me for many more years to come. Iechyd Da is the perfect example of this. I grew up loving The Coral but after the indie years I never really listened to Ryder-Jones’ subsequent solo work. But there was a buzz about his latest that made me track it down. After only a couple of plays I was completely in awe and had tracked down the vinyl with some urgency. Maybe it connected with me because at its core it plays like a break-up album. Maybe it’s because that break-up sounds extremely adult; in an exahusting and soul-breaking way. But after complete desolation the only option is to rebuild; and Bill has crafted in my opinion the perfect soundtrack for that moment. His lyrics are somehow beautiful and staid in equal measure — he can sing something straightforward like “You’ve got to get outside, go get some sun / got to get yourself together because this can’t go on” as if it’s the most important revelation in the world. On several of the songs his words are sung along to by a school choir from a village in his beloved Wirral — recorded in Bidston Observatory. This adds something truly magical to the 40 year old’s beaten and bruised salvation; they lift his words higher like angels. It’s good to look up however low you fall — I’ll be returning to this lighthouse of an album whenever I need reminding.
I felt loved / I’m still lost, but I know love,
And I know loss, but I chose love,
I chose lovе and what it costs

2. Kendrick Lamar — GNX

Friday night and I’m getting my kid into pajamas — suddenly my phone starts blowing up with message after message: “Kendrick’s dropped an album.” I try and put it out my mind as I read bedtime stories and the moment she falls asleep I creep into the next room and put my headphones on — it was time. Clearly some recency bias is at play, but Kendrick has always been my favourite rapper, and 2024 was his year. I’m sure you know about the decimation he exacted on Drake back in Spring — we were all keen to know where he’d go next but I quietly wasn’t expecting an album for at least another year. What we have instead is a late entry to the year which announces itself fiercely, proudly as an instant West Coast Classic. This was clearly his intention and he was not gonna miss, sounding murderous from the jump. He calls out his heroes (Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg) on ‘wacced out murals’, perfects the pop formula at last on ‘luther’, hits you with “Tell me why you think you deserve the greatest of all time, motherfucker”…there’s more — he dedicates all the feature space to lesser-known LA MCs AzChike, Dody6, Peysoh, Hitta J3 & YoungThreat, gives Mustard his victory lap in insane fashion on ‘tv off’ and gives Black Hippy and TDE the swan song they deserve on ‘heart pt.6’ (while snatching the title back from Drake in the process) As a hip hop head the first listen genuinely left me jaw-dropped and breathless. It was hard to vocalise before hearing it but GNX is exactly the record missing from Kendrick’s discography if there was one, and now it’s here — no one can ever touch him. The G.O.A.T.

1. Charli xcx — Brat

I actually almost tried not crowning Charli Aitchison’s sixth record my favourite album of the year. It sounds ridiculous but it’s true — the idea that it would top so many other year-end lists made me think I should try and nudge a more esoteric or personal choice to the #1 spot. But I knew that I’d be lying to myself as well as anyone reading this by pretending that Brat wasn’t the album that brought me more joy than any other released in 2024 (or any other pop album from the last 5 years) From the moment I heard ‘Von Dutch’ back in Feb, and learned that she was hooking up with AG Cook again on production — I knew that this album was gonna be a blast.

When the full project arrived though it achieved so much more than I expected. There were more bangers — ‘B2B’, ‘Club Classics’, ‘Rewind’ — but there were songs here that sonically pushed past the paradigm — ‘Everything is Romantic’, ‘Sympathy is a Knife’ — which, without hyperbole, have genuinely forged new ground for pop music. Then there were the introspective moments which showed immense vulnerability in discussing anxieties around motherhood, bereavement, jealousy, regret. But it was all still unmistakably Brat in the process — a word that immediately gained new meaning from the moment the record dropped.

It’s crazy to think that Charli’s breakout single ‘Boom Clap’ came out a full 10 years ago. There were several moments in her career where it looked like she was going to break out as the next huge pop girl. But then she also fostered a legendary working friendship with the most experimental producer of a generation; the late, great SOPHIE. She seemed to straddle between not-quite-mainstream and too-big-for-the-underground for years, much to the pity and frustration of her fanbase. This is explored on the Taylor Swift-poking ‘Sympathy is a Knife’:
Oh no, don’t know why / All this sympathy is just a knife,
Why I can’t even grit my teeth and lie? I feel all these feelings I can’t control

Which made it all the more life-affirming to see Brat carry her star into the stratosphere internationally where it’s always belonged.

Because yes, there was a huge cultural impact; a moment that captured the nihilistic zeitgeist placing fun over fear when it was needed most. But in all honesty, the largest influence on me loving this album so much came from my 5 year old daughter Roma (hence the custom artwork!) No, I introduced her to it rather than the other way around (although the day that flips is fast approaching) but it was the first full LP she’s ever listened to front-to-back (and indeed, back 2 back) This was a massive moment for me as a music-loving dad; because this was a major part of how I bonded with my own music-loving dad as a child. I don’t get out partying much these days, but those long drives from her mum’s belting it in the car, and the nights spent dancing in my living room together were some of the best times I had over the last 12 months. And as well as Roma, I have Charli to thank for them.

Huge thanks to Ben for gifting Roma her first ever vinyl for her birthday this year

And so I’ll leave you with a few of the best observations I gathered of Roma enjoying our best album of 2024:

  • Blowing her baby mind by telling her I met Charli about 8 years ago when she was dating an old friend of mine
  • Pouting and making peace signs in the sun visor mirror during ‘360’, especially when Charli sings “So stylish
  • Asking me what paranoid means and why Charli’s boyfriend would say that about her on ‘Sympathy’
  • Still, nearly a year later refusing to refer to ‘Von Dutch’ as anything other than ‘I’m Your Number One’
  • Looking at me like :O the first time she heard the line “Used to sit in my bedroom, putting polish on my toes” on ‘Rewind’ (because she does too)
  • The knowing and world-weary nod that she earnestly does when Charli sings “It’s so confusing sometimes to be a girl
  • Getting me to maniacally mime playing the keyboard part on the steering wheel during the bridge in ‘Mean Girls’
  • Explaining that ‘I Think About It All The Time’ is about Charli wondering about being a mummy and her saying “Ahh yeah, me too
  • Introducing her to the concept of a remix with …And it’s completely different as Charli doing the songs again but in a different way with her best friends

My Favourite 20 EPs from 2024

I like to finish off this annual wrap up with a quick nod to the EPs that I loved most this year — a format that I think goes increasingly underrepresented. My #1 this year was weirdly a collection recorded 4 years ago; Sega Bodega’s Reestablishing Connection [2020] — a collection of acapella cover duets recorded over Zoom during lockdown. Took me right back to that time and choked me up several times. Jean Dawson’s Boohoo was 3 breathtaking songs that were better than most of the work that ended up on his 2024 album. Bon Iver came back with the SABLE EP, treating us to a return to the sound of his self-titled sophomore album. Little Simz released an enthralling experimental EP Drop 7 which pushed her sound is amazing new direction. Longtime favourite tobi lou blessed us with another 3 songs of futurist hip hop on Young Bopalopalous. Elsewhere in rap, newcomer Mark Lux blew me away with the unbothered Bona Fide New Man and Westside Gunn preceeded his new album with the ruminative 11 EP. Nourished by Time continued on his mission to redefine R’n’B with Catching Chickens while from China, Alice Longyu Gao put out another stunning collection of future pop called Assembling Symbols Into My Own Poetry.

Electronic music was thriving this year with stunning EPs from the UK in particular — aya’s Lip Flip, Blawan’s BouQ, Cameo Blush’s Just Concentrate, Shygirl’s Club Shy and yunè pinku’s Scarlet Lamb all bowling me over. From across the pond, godfather of this shit Flying Lotus returned with Spirit Box to remind us of his powers. Manchester post-punks Maruja put out yet another stunning EP Connla’s Well — lads we need an album though! Huge surprise of the year for me was Twice Around the Sun by Cambridge band Ugly who put forward their vision of experimental choral folk rock. The myterious and beguiling Moses Sumney treated us to Sophcore, another impossible to pigeon-hole collection while jazz legend Shabaka gave another interstellar transmission with his Posssession EP. Lastly, post-hardcore band Show Me The Body embraced collaboration with a collection of surprising team-ups on Corpus II EP II featuring Spellling, Corbin and others.

Well, that’s it. 2024 was a year for the record books in terms of music; I think it will likely go down as the best in public consciousness since 2016. I hope next year can be at least close to as great as this one’s been. As always, thanks so much for reading, and thanks especially to those who encouraged me to write and finish this! I hope you had a lovely Christmas and see in the New Year with the people you love xx Cal

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Cal W. S.
Cal W. S.

Written by Cal W. S.

I write short stories, lyrics without songs, talk about music and mental health and share photography. “I speak that ugly elegant”

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