ILM 2023 Listening Club

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3LepUxNYiFuV00PWeQ3Hap

I really enjoyed listening to songs others ilxors queued on turntable/plug/outloud but it was live so you had to be there to queue songs and there was no easy way to archive and listen later. Would there be interest in a “ilm listening club” in the form of a private, collaborative spotify playlist? Only rules would be to not delete other people’s songs and only post one track before another ilxor adds another, so if there’s at least two people sharing back and forth the playlist keeps rolling…
Idk I’ve discovered some amazing tracks via this year’s noms playlist and get lost in the individual rolling threads so if several ilxors are interested in participating it could turn out into something great.
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Tuesday, January 24, 2023

I like the idea of a current year listening club starting after the polls with a thread where people comment on latest additions (offhand or Tim F style). I would aim for 3-7 songs per week, either on first-come first-served basis, or people mention when they have a song they want to post and Moka adds it.
― Nabozo, Wednesday, January 25, 2023

Post whatever you want to share here in accordance with the general guidelines above and it will be added to the playlist if it's available on Spotify US.
YouTube, Tidal, Apple playlist copies are welcome and encouraged; please post here.

youtube or just song titles is fine.

starting myself with Royskopp's "There, Beyond the Trees"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbRtVZzR0xg

For the moment, what say we try to keep recommendations here to late 2022/2023 tracks only?

We can change that or start another listening thread for "released whenever" as best meets interest.

(at which point he notices that the royskopp came out in April 22, lol)

Thanks! Looking forward to this.

ok this is good i think? Avalon Emerson working with Bullion - I don't know who did what but it's a fairly unexpected curveball from Emerson, an indie song apparently about our smallness as individuals against the vastness of time. Very pretty and serene but there's also this undercurrent of strangeness and unease. Anyhow, two very disparate artists but both generally liked by ilxors, seems worth mentioning at least...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kutp_SR9QcU
Avalon Emerson - Sandrail Silhouette

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxvhZRtyHV0

Cécile McLorin Salvant’s new album, Mélusine, is due March 24 on Nonesuch; vinyl is due May 19. Mélusine is a mix of five originals and interpretations of nine songs, dating as far back as the 12th century, mostly sung in French along with Occitan, English, and Haitian Kreyòl. They tell the folk tale of Mélusine, a woman who turns into a half-snake each Saturday after a childhood curse by her mother. The track “D’un feu secret,” Michel Lambert’s 1660 air de cour, is available today, along with an animated video by Amanda Bonaiuto that may be seen here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPG4XX_X9rs

New single from Rosalia is seemingly one of her most straightforward pop songs to date, including a chorus sung in English, but still experiments with styles, textures, and tempos.

FWIW, as somebody who counts the new album as a favorite for the year, i really don't like it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0q9UN5-zNXk
Rian Treanor & Ocen James • Agoya

from the Rolling Club Music (Non-Bobbins, Non-Techno) 2023 thread:

Jordan said:

First great release of the year, Rian Treanor & Ocen James (a Ugandan fiddle player) on Nyege Nyege, really fun and interesting record
https://nyegenyegetapes.bandcamp.com/album/saccades

count me in as well. first album to go in my 2023 Potential EOY Albums playlist.
not all the tracks work for me (I find things like “As It Happens” too ‘experimental’, for want of a better descriptor), but the highs are Himalaya-like (“Agoya” and “Naassaccade”!).

bonus points for occasionally triggering my Palais Schaumburg pleasure centres.

"Old Note" by Lisa O'Neil. I'm not familiar with her work. I know she sung on the first Yorkston/Thorne/Khan album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQGUYgNhQa4

this avalon emerson is wonderful

Cosign on the Avalon Emerson.
It was the track I was going to post too

Also loving the sound of Agoya, good one!

All of these are good to great to my ears, so a very nice start and proof of concept for the thread.

new Yves Tumor album on the way and this is the (very catchy) first track off it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cxk-QeZ6Rus
Yves Tumor - Echolalia

making me think of outkast for some reason

New Caroline Polachek song “blood and butter” sounds great on headphones and has a very gorgeous 90’s vibe. William Orbit-esque?

https://open.spotify.com/track/1QmWunl2nbV9o9lujiLIDn

This album is going to be the best in her career.

Echolalia is 0 experimental for Yves Tumor! Sounds fun. I’m not quite hearing Outkast… I know it will probably sound insane but the first band that came to mind was Dandy Warhols.

Yeah Caroline Polachek is definitely on my most-anticipated list.

My favorite album of 2023 so far is the new Margo Price. It has lots of good songs, but this one sounds most like Led Zeppelin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvzRPv23zU0

breaking my own rules again but I'm enjoying drag hip hop duo The Dragon Sisters' 2021 EP The Fine Print
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBqRL50Lb7k

Aiming for Enrike: a Norwegian guitar + drums duo formed 10+ years ago. That lineup may put you (ie me) in mind of e.g. Hella, and their early stuff seems in that vein (or it could just be that I lack better references), but they've certainly gone places from there.

I first heard "Empty Airports" blind, and assumed it was one of those electronica producers/projects that liked their sounds beefy rather than spare; was then happy to find a live youtube video. The thing is split across three tracks on Spotify; I'm not sure how well that fits with playlist policies, but there you are. I'd recommend something else from the album, except I haven't got around to it, being somewhat obsessed by this bit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Em-l1-XcFAE

Song of the month for January was this unofficial Knife reunion track.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpxEXMIY64c

Morgan Wallen performs country songs well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBkpoTbJAsI

Not playlistable but I want to recommend this killer bandcamp collection of 1920's Shanghai pop
https://deathisnot.bandcamp.com/album/waiting-for-your-return-a-shidaiqu-anthology-1927-1952-pt-i

This piece from Third Coast Percussion composed by Tyondai Braxton is sick:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XE4rN-Xt4M

(album forthcoming, but I believe this is the only Braxton collab)

Some hyper-garbage from Denmark. I'm kinda obsessed with the time signature of this track (apropos the year-end thread)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUbutpdbe5s

The verses are in 6 (3+3) and then the chorus is in 4 (2+2), so the pre-chorus switches back and forth, and is in 8, then 7, then 5 (or rather 3+3+2, 3+2+2, 3+2). Check it from 0:37. It's a great way to connect the two different parts of the song.

The whole album is out today, and is very good, imo.

"Nightstand" - dreamy little ballad from Dev Lemons, who I guess runs a fairly popular music account on TikTok? this was my first exposure to her via spotify recs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EZre5OC9cA

checked out her other stuff and she's got a bunch of great hyperpop tracks as well

That Dev Lemons song is great! Nice find.

The Avalon Emerson/Bullion is enjoyable in a very The Sundays kind of way, sort of a drastically different direction from what I know of AE.

That Treanor/James track was good enough that I am working through the album. Plenty of keepers!

Lisa O'Neil's "Old Note" is very much a song where I can connect if I'm in the right headspace and otherwise I run screaming. Nice to have those kind of tracks available to help accentuate moods properly.

Aiming for Enrike are another major find for sure. The full Empty Airports cycle is worth bathing in.

Fever Ray's new one is great of course; they're playing at Terminal 5 later this year and I may have to force myself to get over the ticket price and the venue just to have the experience.

Will dig into the Braxton and Aperly High shortly.

Liking that Dev Lemons song a lot

I don’t know when this will be out on spotify - I guess at midnight? - but I stan Men I Trust and their new song “ring of past” sounds good and has a nice archival music video of skating rings to boot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSGwL5wORJY

i just started a thread for her but I'm adding Anna B Savage's new one, Pavlov's Dog, here too
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiRT-49MXcI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lT1XdNPCH0Q

Zoran Simjanović - Dvije Polovine Srca

Hopefully being reissued this year

have been really enjoying the new album from abracadabra (a duo from oakland who have been at it for a few years now i think), an enjoyable mix of talking heads/tom tom club/esg/lizzy mercier descloux-style post-punk along with more dubby/psychedelic sounds and some good bloopy synths. bandcamp blurb also references deerhoof and mort garsson, and as the album goes on you do feel there's a richer fusion of influences than your initial impressions might have led you to believe. anyhow this is the lead track from it, the steel pan drums lending a lovely sparkle to things, like sunshine reflecting off a lake:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT6eesjkSL4
abracadabra - talk talk

Yeh good little album

does it... reach out and grab ya?

i really like the idea of this thread - essentially a non-genre based rolling 2023 thread - and had been trying to get the motivation to start something like it when i saw that this thread was already going. i listened to the playlist so far and there's lots of cool stuff on there. the abracadabra song was the one that jumped out the most.

i'm adding wretched lie by the tubs, from their album dead meat. it is indie rock, kind of halfway in between a new zealand jangle and a more aggressive u.s. sound. their singer sounds like richard thompson and writes some great vocal hooks. fans of the goon sax or the smiths might be into it.

pretty terrible video though

I just got the Tubs and it RULES, haven't loved an indie rock record like this in a while.

Trouble in Mind is such a great label.

the Richard Thompson thing is kind of uncanny but seems like it's just his voice.

another influence that stuck out is Bob Mould, but specifically early solo and some Sugar stuff not Huskers

"wretched lie" might not be the most representative song bc it is on the extreme end of their jangliness/smithsiness but the hooks are undeniable. "i don't know how it works" and "sniveller" are two other favorites but the whole album is good

they've just got the tunes

I really am liking this new collab between Ilxor mainstay, Javiera Mena and the legendary Mexican band Moenia . It definitely takes and samples from other songs, mainly Donna Summer I Feel Love and New Orders Bizarre Love Triangle, but sounds great blasted through speakers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5v9r2vlfrY

I really am liking this new collab between Ilxor mainstay, Javiera Mena and the legendary Mexican band Moenia . It definitely takes and samples from other songs, mainly Donna Summer I Feel Love and New Orders Bizarre Love Triangle, but sounds great blasted through speakers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5v9r2vlfrY

It is actually a cover of a well known 80’s song in spain/latinamerica

Ivan - fotonovela

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XNscCzSL6s

Listening to this 2022 album from Adrian Quesada (Boleros Psicodelicos), the instrumental half of Black Pumas. He's kind of like the the American Inflo, flawlessly retro production & playing, but less idiosyncratic and more pop.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGUGd0m8CxY

I've been digging the Oakland-based Zamrock band Orchestra Gold, whose new album Medicine was released in January. The lyrics are in the Bambara language. I can see some people here dismissing this as sounding too retro, but they know how to kickstart the old sounds in a contemporary, rough-edged but hypnotic way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0M5lBYBbcC8

I would have believed you if you told me it’s a reissue of an album from 1978. Sounds interesting will give the full album a listen.

This electronic/jazz collaboration between Saint Abdullah & Jason Nazary (drummer who was in Anteloper with Jaimie Branch) is out today and is sounding really interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLAQkX_KWf0

Presuming this remains a relatively benign space to make contributions, I figure this might be the one thread I continue posting to on ILX as I almost always have a new song that I want to share and would likely otherwise be abandoning the shared playlist.

Composer/saxophonist Sam Gendel continues his remarkably prodigious, diverse and and excellent recording output with the just released COOKUP LP. It's a clever, loving and suitably twisted selection of 90's/00's R&B covers. I'm only two listens in and my fave cut on the album is still a toss-up, so I'd really recommend exploring the whole thing. It's on the streaming services or Bandcamp.

That said, it's hard not to like this reimagining of "Are You That Somebody?" as a recitation of a Woman-Seeking-Man personal over synths, vibraphone and assorted trippy percussion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbcLS5tFnAk

was gonna check out the rest of the gendel but i viscerally hated the aaliyah cover

lot of people whose taste i respect like gendel and i loved his 2018 album with sam wilkes, so idk why his recent stuff has been leaving me cold

digging the new album by nyc producer/dj swami sounds. atmospheric, soulful breakbeats, with reflective lyrics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uP_56TNDAZI

liking that, very nice

wow I'm loving that!

Gendel's a bit hit and miss with me but I will check out anything he releases

I'm fascinated with the whole slowed and reverb / lofi remix trend, on one hand it's an algorithmic cashgrab of functional homework muzak, but sometimes it really hits the spot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTOoNhM_qgE

Sei Raate Raat Chhilo Purnima - Lofi (Sanjay S Yadav remixing Kishore Kumar)

Woah this swami sound album rules

Enjoyied the last link too!

the cover of "fotonovela" is pretty good but i had never heard the original before (which Moka posted) and it rules

Yeah original “fotonovela” is great. A party staple in Spain and in my house parties lol.

have been really enjoying the new album from abracadabra (a duo from oakland who have been at it for a few years now i think), an enjoyable mix of talking heads/tom tom club/esg/lizzy mercier descloux-style post-punk along with more dubby/psychedelic sounds and some good bloopy synths. bandcamp blurb also references deerhoof and mort garsson, and as the album goes on you do feel there's a richer fusion of influences than your initial impressions might have led you to believe. anyhow this is the lead track from it, the steel pan drums lending a lovely sparkle to things, like sunshine reflecting off a lake:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT6eesjkSL4
abracadabra - talk talk

― o shit the sheriff (NickB)

This just clicked listening to the playlist. Great one

Woah this swami sound album rules

yeah, this is gorgeous. i'm loving the garage remixes he has up on his youtube too e.g. Ice Spice's "In Ha Mood"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvvaau6E5tE

yes those are really well done

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tdPKlYTWn4

really into "barley" by water from your eyes, weird seasick rock music - makes me think of a less apocalyptic liars

wow they've only ever been mentioned one other time on ILM? weird

i think i was the other mentioner. this new one is excellent. i think i hear in these guys what a lot of other people hear in jockstrap

i listened to a few of their older songs and i was mostly into them (i prefer their noisier/more atonal side to their poppier side). great band name too

yeah the noisier stuff is what sets them apart imo

I love Gendel's whole thing, but the r&b covers album is not really clicking for me either yet.

“Barley” sounded annoying at first but it eventually settles on a groove and it’s great.

Not really hearing Jockstrap. It kept reminding me of Radiohead’s TKOL but it was probably the shaker sound.

40 thieves - don’t turn it off (session victim remix)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0pRy6ztQTU

Original is from 2010 and there was a really good Brennan Green remix from the time, but new remixes from session victim and bella boo were released this year.

very enjoyable

what a good thread this is

Note to forks: you added the 2010 original to the playlist! The 2023 remix is this one:

https://open.spotify.com/track/2BNc3VoxXiotAqBP6C5FV9

Or rather this one as the extended remix is better imho :p

https://open.spotify.com/track/3F1Zz6MvFDIp1dIs98fXpW

That Aaliyah cover by Gendrel is a resounding no, never imagined I would ever get annoyed by that melody but somehow it was accomplished in that track, then to be accompanied by bordering on pretentious lyrics, it managed to omit all the life of the original.

Btw I think it's Bandcamp + physical only, but there's a new Necks album (Travel) and it's always a blessing to hear The Necks.

new Nabihah Iqbal album on the way, the follow-up to her 2017 debut album, and the lead track is very much in the same vein as the best song on that ('zone 1 to 6000') - a driving cure-like number overlaid with Nabihah's spoken word vocal, somewhat sad and wistful in feeling but still hopeful nonetheless. the delay between the two records sounds like it was a rather frought time for her personally, so it's good to see her bouncing back again:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFRIaix41cU
Nabihah Iqbal - 'This World Couldn’t See Us'

https://nabihahiqbal.bandcamp.com/album/dreamer

New Amsterdam Records generally focuses on experimental nu-classical stuff but their artists occasionally dabble in music that crosses over into pop. Percussionist/producer Ben Sloan, who worked with Moses Sumney on his BLACKALACHIA project, has a debut album coming out shortly with the pleasant confection "1e&a" featuring shambhala-esque singer Madeline Kenney. It's a sweet date and a Sesame Street jam.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFJxt7OnRvc

new Nabihah Iqbal album on the way, the follow-up to her 2017 debut album, and the lead track is very much in the same vein as the best song on that ('zone 1 to 6000') - a driving cure-like number overlaid with Nabihah's spoken word vocal, somewhat sad and wistful in feeling but still hopeful nonetheless. the delay between the two records sounds like it was a rather frought time for her personally, so it's good to see her bouncing back again

no idea if you have seen this nickb, but this is from the press release re the delay :

‘DREAMER’ see’s Nabihah reflect on her experiences during the early months of 2020, when her studio was burgled. All her work was lost, including her long-awaited album. Already suffering from a broken hand and a severe case of burnout, she felt helpless. While the forensic police looked for fingerprints in her studio, she received a call. It was her grandmother; her grandfather had suffered a brain haemorrhage. Nabihah got on a plane to Karachi, Pakistan the next day. “Going to Pakistan turned into a blessing in disguise,” she says. “It affected my perspective on music. At the time, being forcefully removed from the whole scenario of the burglary felt frustrating, but it was the best thing that could have happened.” Nabihah spent those months remembering why she made music in the first place. She went back to basics and bought an acoustic guitar and a harmonium.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtUhDoSwOFM

Alec Falconer & Harry Wills - Working On Myself (ft. 2step Bec)

Came for the record stayed for the free pair of socks

Nabihah Iqbal might appeal to the Real Lies contingent

haha that's a wonderful track saer, brings a smile

Still coming around to this but the new Joseph Yano album hits the same-ish sweet spot as the Shabason/Krgovich album from last year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD_mc5-E-L8

Jonah Yano!

really enjoyed that album, felt like it was a bit harder-edged and weirder than the s&k album. but lovely nonetheless,

my fav track:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qq_lh61hCk

That Aaliyah cover by Gendrel is a resounding no, never imagined I would ever get annoyed by that melody but somehow it was accomplished in that track, then to be accompanied by bordering on pretentious lyrics, it managed to omit all the life of the original.

― aguzman1990

Yeah, I really connected with "BlueBlue" from last year, but now I'm wondering if I'm actually a Sam Gendel fan, or if i just never before realized that he's such a corndog.

Sam Gendel is good, he’s super prolific so not everything will stick imho. I don’t hate the Aaliyah cover as so many in here lol, but I urge you to check the whole album. There’s some great covers in there.

P4k review of it mentions some of the highlights:

https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/sam-gendel-cookup/amp/

A week out from its release, sorry to inform no other track from the new Karol G album reaches the height of that calypso, afrobeat influenced goodness of Provenza. Still a decent album, albeit a bit all over the place. My pick of the moment would have to be Mercurio.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flhJf94TzPc

Nothing particularly mindblowing but The Beloved’s “sweet harmony” is one of those 90’s tracks that gives me guilty pleasure and this song lifted its chorus and title from it. Any excuse to hear an update on it:

Sirens of Lesbos - sweet harmony
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLIl7Dvzwuc

I'm sorry for spamming this thread with Danish indie, but I absolutely love this one. Probably the best incorporation of uk drill into indie pop I've ever heard. I love the sound of ricocheting hihats at the end. I've got that age where when I was a teen rock was supposed to try and incorporate whatever was going on in hiphop/dance music at the time, and even though it's twenty years since Kid A made everyone else give up on that idea, I still love it when someone makes a truly great fusion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trlPRV4Um8k

this is some lush asmr songwriting I'm v into

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN0GuO8uLkY

Lucinda Chua - Echo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSfHelxwj1Q

crisp tees and the dream of a cup run from Boink

really loved lucinda chua’s ep from a few years ago, will check this one out

Rian Treanor & Ocen James

This.
Niche, sure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsaXwqZ6vts
Pampidoo - Synthesizer Voice (Legowelt Remix)

Ha! Was thinking of posting that one. Fantastic remix.

where do you come across this stuff? love it

gonna start posting rap songs on this thread because nobody reads the rap thread. this one is infernally catchy and lots of fun

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8G6HkkhUxs

Nigerians keep coming up with creative ways to use the amapiano log drum:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMHxgrvdPMQ
Nonso Amadi ft. Zinoleesky • Lock Up

That Nonso tune is grand. Drums amplified in certain parts while not disturbing the general rythim

I posted this to hypergarbage, but this Holly Waxwing EP is sick. It's super dense, rhythmic, and pointillist, but drumless so it's a very relaxing listen for me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7ORsWAtgJ4

love that - will check out the EP.

The Nonso Amadi tune is really good too.

new Jenny Lewis is excellent

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tA0ewSoW14

Jenny Lewis - Psychos

Nice track, I like its brevity / how it leaves you wanting more

Absolutely loving this Eddie Chacon album that kitchen person posted

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3-l8rtOLDA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5z2FD5SYgew

Yeah the Eddie Chacon sounds great. I feel super old for enjoying it so much

gorgeous South African track;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e72O1QSi5Fs
Tete ft. Thakzin, Cubique DJ & Leko M • Frostan

Le Pain - Rachel Veut Danser
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_0RWzugWvA

French retro synth pop. Fits my mood today.

Dorothy Moskowitz & the United States of Alchemy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caqDtSUxxZk

moskowitz was in the classic psychedelic group the united states of america. 50+ years later, she's collaborating with an italian composer. the 24-minute title track has her intoning occasional marianne faithfull-style vocals over a gorgeous orchestral drone

Alex Anwandter - Qué piensas hacer sin mi amor?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ggVjvmM3hw

queer disco pop from Latin America. Javiera Mena is the obvious (lazy) comparison point but I hear more Neil Tennant than Kylie in this, as well as shades of Morgan Geist and Kelley Polar. I love this video too: sexy, provocative and kitsch - why can't the Sam Smiths of the world be doing this?

holy cow i love that

love Alex Anwandter - a giant in Chilean pop along with Mena (it's a fair comparison imo considering they've worked together in the past and are generally seen as part of the same scene. and iirc they both made our top 77 in the same year back in 2012 or something :))

I'm excited for his new album - was a bit meh on Maricoteca, but this and Precipicio are both great. And all three have great videos!

Don't know where else to put this, but I think it's great –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVCNgOi4kFg

Labrinth - Never Felt so Alone (feat. Billie Eilish)

absolutely killer psychedelic disco soul single from NY trio Say She She:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wQrg2IYrRU

That's the stuff.

no recent pop single has given me joy as has "Burnt Pictures" by Audiobooks.

MIAMI IS NOTHING LIKE LONDON
MIAMI IS NOTHING LIKE LONDON
I'M TRRRYING TO ORDER A BLOODY MARY AND YOU'RE WEARING A TINY THONG

Cool live clip of that song I posted (which is absolutely gonna be at or near the top of my EOY list):

Never felt less alone @Labrinth @billieeilish

Tune in tomorrow for more surprises on the @youtube live stream at https://t.co/gW7w2jV5nG pic.twitter.com/awsrsAma3i

— Coachella (@coachella) April 16, 2023

that Alex Anwandter rules. thanks for sharing. re: the kelley polar reference, i vaguely recall KP contributed strings to a couple songs of his 10+ years ago after he'd gone quiet with his own material. they'd def make a good pair!

only just catching up on the smokey r'n'b of the new yazmin lacey album. i like the lo-fi production on this song and the way it slowly builds momentum into a little blissed-out synthy moment:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62KO_n6deZE
Yazmin Lacey – Late Night People

smoky not smokey but hey, maybe smokey too

that's a jam

Yeah, this is the stuff. I could DMOR but is this an Inflo gig? Big Sault/Cleo Sol vibes.

Dave Okumu produced the Lacey album

I like that Say She She song and just listened to their 2022 album Prism. maybe a touch too retro for me but it sounded like serious ilm-bait

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkgjhz82F_Q

they did a kexp session a couple months back which was an absolute joy. beautiful harmonies, killer band

I'll have to watch that. I could see them being super fun to see live!

I'm a bit pissed off that I missed out on their show here in a super small venue. They dont actually start out with their best material on that kexp thing imo, but when they get going, they're phenomenal

Prism is great, one of my favourite albums of last year.

Only discovered De Lux last year from the year end nominations but their new one is a 29 minute jam that absolutely bops

De Lux - Love Is Hard Work

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgHvyCFnzDM

no recent pop single has given me joy as has "Burnt Pictures" by Audiobooks.

This admittedly slight and drunken note of mine seems to have escaped notice of playlist maintenance crew. I think I pretty much stand by it.

Doesn't look like anything's been added to the playlist since March 27.

I think forks quit ilm.

I can make a new one tomorrow and update it.

Ok adding a new song from the amazing avalon emerson album.

And here’s the new playlist since forks is m.i.a. if he comes back and he wishes to re-update i’ll pause.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0kWbwhTo9c6hueUu8xplzV?si=xU0o45dgQhu2jLadYVggyg

forks quit ilm wtf?

It might be temporary. Hopefully.

Say She She sounds great lol at the ilx bait comment

I tried to pull some support together for Say She She's album in last year's poll, but I think only one other person ended up voting for them. Glad to see others catching on!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UOW8pe3YGs

Kassi Valazza - Watching Planes Go By

Don't think I've seen this mentioned. A country tune, with a breakdown that sounds like Chris Forsyth jamming with the Doors (hyperbole clearly, but not a million miles off).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkj0j8wrfd0

new album by Melati ESP is awesome

fantastic, thanks for sharing

Adding those and Payfone’s I feel you

Been really digging the Mudd remix of that Payfone track the last few weeks

new album by Melati ESP is awesome

― soup of magpies (geoffreyess), Thursday, May 4, 2023 10:21 PM (six days ago) bookmarkflaglink

enjoying this a lot, thank you

The DJ Danifox record on Principe Discos is a really nice listen. Takes the batida sound and adds a lot nice chords, live bass, dubbiness, and 'lo-fi' textures.

https://principediscos.bandcamp.com/album/ansiedade

that 30 min De Lux track is a lot of fun. reminds me very much of Cut Copy's In Ghost Colours, which also essentially played like a long mix. IGC also produced by Goldsworthy; no shortage of DFA homage here. that bassline that kicks in after the 5 min mark had me thinking Black Leotard Front

Yeah, I only discovered them from the EOY nominations last year and Cut Copy was a definite reference point.

Assuming the cover is a direct nod to 45:33 too

JIM - James Baron aka Ron Basejam and one half of Crazy P(enis) and White Elephant - releases his debut album next month but with his solo project he's channeling Laurel Canyon balearica rather than house & disco. This is probably my favourite of the recent tracks he's released (his cover of The Cult's Phoenix from a couple of years ago is also a fave)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6KFM2DzPPg...

New Overmono LP seems like ILM bait, much more vocal-heavy and pop than I was expecting so far

haha it's only a matter of time until they have a dedicated thread!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INWz87rlegg

Haven't heard the album yet but Is U has been on repeat most of the year.

I enjoy the recent EP from Yunè Pinku, Babylon IX... I guess it's sort of "RIYL early Grimes"? The final track, "Fai Fighter," feels like a standout to me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN_F6BRwrVk

(It was apparently a single released in late 2022, but I searched and didn't see that it or she has been discussed here)

new nabihah iqbal album has an unexpected lo-fi house stormer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWMY-JKFhL4

I wasn’t into the Nabihah Iqal album when I first heard it but it has gradually won me over. “Sunflower” is certainly a highlight, probably the song that opened the album for me. “This world couldn’t see us” is my favorite one atm. It nails a very nostalgic sound and era.

Also love the Yune Pink song above!

i like the new collection by the band the Lavender Flu. they don't really sound like Deerhunter but their general aesthetic reminds me of Deerhunter - classic '50s/'60s melodies but with wonky/fuzzy arrangements: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp5ua-pE5pI

new album from a.s.o. is decent, vibe is kind of dreampop-meets-triphop and in certain moments makes me think of folks like bowery electric, love spirals downwards, mazzy star or portishead, or more recently, that acopia album from last year. but this song - THIS SONG! - had it on repeat all day and it is killing me dead:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-5V-rwfGUY

its called 'love in the darkness' btw

oops, album is here: https://itsaso.bandcamp.com/album/a-s-o

Just to rewind a couple of months, have really been enjoying the Water From Your Eyes record that NA posted about. Its a sign of a good album when the tracks that aren't the obvious bangers are the most interesting songs.

Updated!

This seems like prime ILM-bait melancholy dance pop.

ISOLA - LP1 (co-produced by Nick Sylvester)
https://isolalv.bandcamp.com/album/lp1

"mama's eyes" by mette belongs here, percussive dance pop with a soaring chorus. it has a bunch of elements that don't feel like they should fit together, but it never quite falls apart. the chorus is good enough to make up for a lot, anyway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi9OBRzbMNI

Updated.

Added two 2023 tracks that have been hitting the spot:

Freak heat waves feat. Cindy Lee - in a moment divine
Jack J - foolish man

I'd never heard of neo-Irish folk band Lankum before perusing AOTY So Far lists, but their 2023 release False Lankum caught my ear. My track pick below, along with a quality write-up from Nabozo from the thread:

Listening now, first time with the band. They do hypnotic real well. Their songs have the monotony that comes from comfort and are built with the economy that comes from confidence. Soundscape and sustained atmospheres are a good alternative to C93 or R. Dawson. Their style is not easy to place though, there's neo-folk, trad, some lullaby-singing, songwriter stuff, the guy has a voice not unlike R. Thompson, and yet the whole thing is one of a kind so kudos to them for carving that space. Imago should listen to The New York Trader. Master's Crowley also stood out, the opener of course, On a Monday Morning, and more. Every song holds together. I've heard few albums this year, but I'm confident saying this is higher tier.

― Nabozo, Monday, June 19, 2023 2:26 PM (two days ago) bookmarkflaglink

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p1p2sb6Duc

xp yes Moka, the FHW/Cindy Lee track is beautiful, really looking forward to the album:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAoSD9S7dpY
Freak Heat Waves with Cindy Lee - In A Moment Divine

It's not on Spotify, but I saw Tobias Rahim at Roskilde live yesterday, and I need to post this older live-video. It's hard to overstate how crazy it is in a country like Denmark, the first country in Europe where the far-right became kingmakers in parliament, and where anti-immigrant policies has become normalized perhaps more than anywhere else, that 100.000s of people join in in this celebration of Kurds in Copenhagen, a celebration of the positive potential in immigration both for the immigrant and the countries they arrive at. In a more than 7 minute trip through kurdish folk, melancholy hiphop and technorave with circle dancing everywhere.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6f_SBAkvgk

updated my discover weekly playlist with some new finds,

some highlights (but they are all highlights!)

the late ethiopean nun pianist Emahoy Tsegue-Maryam Guebrou
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srX8W7Z30gQ

new bright and findlay album with a slow cooking nu disco cabriolet drive!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UPzwaiY_7M

new album by japanese world fusion band teke::teke

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnM29JXOmtg

this new compilation of old private presses, and this amazing psychedelic pop/folk piece by Luellen Reese

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmDz8ivnAKM

-

got 30 songs on this last playlist can't go thru them all, but they are all nice! look for it on spotify with my name.. xx

Not heard mention of the Joanne Robertson album - her album from March this year is some lo-fi folk goodness. Think Grouper, Florist, someone in the next room playing with lots of reverb.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3Xu6XhTp4k

Updated

Adding too:

Alex Kassian - strings of Eden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZy0Ns4qGgk

X-post -

the late ethiopean nun pianist Emahoy Tsegue-Maryam Guebrou

There’s more discussion of her on Ethiopiques thread

New Ben Howard album is produced by Bullion and this track in particular is great

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjYvS26-xe0

love this thread

New Julie Byrne album is gorgeous.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLdyptr8HKQ

Feel like a big dummy for not knowing about this sooner but DJ Python and Ana Roxanne (!!!) are collaborating under the name Natural Wonder Beauty Concept and have an album coming out this Friday. This is the lovely lead track off it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18QOYwkA-cs
Natural Wonder Beauty Concept - Sword

https://djpythonnyc.bandcamp.com/album/natural-wonder-beauty-concept

thanks for the reminder on the julie byrne record chinaski! interesting hearing that one song, i know that tune already cos she sang it on an amazing collab she did with jefre cantu ledesma a couple of years back - check this if you missed it, so fucking amazing

oops, i obviously need a new superlative

Thanks for the Byrne/Ledesma link, Nick - holy shit! That could easily have been twice as long.

And the Ana Roxanne/DJ Python is surely too good to be true?! Three available tracks are great.

Prolly a clueless comparison but first thought was Billie Eilish (especially on 'Driving').

no, i hear that!

Updated!

Thanks for the heads up on the python/ana roxanne album!

Bullion nails it again with the Ben Howard album. “Spirit” probably my fave because it sounds heavily influenced by Arthur Russell

The Parade - Dreamer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkP6UGYujBI

Heard it on the weekend at a friend’s party and loved it. Saint Etienne / Air France balearic house pop vibe.

Echo Chinaski on the Julie Byrne album.

Finally out and easily going to be one of my favourites of 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3QqjAyhXME

wonderful

reminded me of this classic meme

https://i.imgur.com/AL8gTYj.png

finally got around to checking out freak heat waves. album is great, loving the louche, balearic vibe

Adding Amaarae : co-star

I know she’s already sort of popular around here, it sounded a bit annoying when I first heard it but it has won me over and turned into one of my favorite singles this summer.

https://djprotein.bandcamp.com/album/be-yourself

yes “owner of a lonely heart” goes to the warehouse party

Dane Law - Castle in the Marsh (slice of sampled guitar beauty)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g79Rc_iWlb8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wg4PoSOTKg

Crooked Man - Nemesis - dark sleazy disco made of thick throbbing bass and dubbed-out vocals that make me think of Curve

also that The Parade track is so up my street it's unreal

Glad you enjoyed it! Loved that one at first listen.

Adding “ untitled halo - limewire “ doesn’t do anything spectacular but its sound triggers a very specific nostalgia of my teenage years.

I mentioned the comp this is from on a couple of threads (the whole thing is so good), but seriously ilm listen to this, it's so delightful:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wq0lZcl-yzM

Richie - I Was Born in Africa

Adekunle Gold takes afrofusion to the next level. Combining the naija sound with amapiano rhythm as so many others do, but then getting Habib Koité from Mali to put some desert guitar on top of it. Nigeria is just one of the most creative places on earth right now, musically.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDqaVLUvrvs

Really cool pair of songs! Added to the playlist

A friend had been recommending me this artist called “Nourished by time” and loved the album. A weird mix between bedroom r&b and hypnagogic pop. Several cuts are interesting but choosing “the fields” which is the highlight imho

nourished by time is definitely one of my favorites of the year. it took me a moment to get used to his voice, but the melodies were really sticky and the vibe incredibly inviting, so i paid a bit more attention and found that his lyrics, while a bit "woo woo" for my usual tastes, had some real wisdom in them. "the fields" is great but my personal favorite might be "rain water promise"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3eMTnsLXm8

Yes that one is also excellent! And yeah his voice is an acquired taste but once you get past that it has a very unique thing going on.

ooh glad to see Nourished by Time mentioned, pretty easily my album of the year at this point

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S49TpPcB-_Y

Got introduced to Zoon's Bekka Ma'iingan via this most perfect sounding shoegaze tune, but the rest of the album, also extraordinary, has a sort of serenity/severity that reminds me of hearing Julianna Barwick for the first time.

I’m gonna break my self imposed rule of not saturating the list but it has been fairly passive in the past weeks and we’re leaving behind many artists that are popular enough to deserve a spot in 2023’s musical panorama so adding:

Newjeans - asap
Jessy Lanza - marathon
George Clanton - ooh rap i ya
Slowdive - shanty
Tinashe - talk to me nice

I'll add one more in that case. First track from the upcoming Mint Field album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF0O3VkX9vQ

Oh good one!

The new Allison Russell album is really nice. I've seen her twice this year, she's great live and has a fantastic band, highly recommend.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQu1CzAwDmQ

Adding the Daniel Avery remix of Nation of Language - weak in your light. Sweet song.

Not sure I've seen it mentioned on ilx but I'm still really enjoying the Obey Robots album from earlier in the year, an unlikely collaboration between Laura Kidd (Penfriend/She Makes War) and Rat (Ned's Atomic Dustbin).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb734Q9HuK4

have been enjoying the latest nathan micay album a lot. it's widescreen electronic dance stuff, and when i say widescreen, he has actually been doing soundtracks for the last few years (including 'industry' and 'reality' for HBO) and i believe that some of this record uses some of the leftover scraps from that work. but it ain't just moody numbers, there's some glorious upbeat stuff and it's those that really elevate it. riyl bicep, orbital, martyn... one of the year's best imo, check this joyous banjo banger:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYFIUD54POo
Nathan Micay - It's Recess Everywhere

oh here's the album btw, it's called 'To The God Named Dream':

https://luckyme.bandcamp.com/album/to-the-god-named-dream

Centerpiece of the new Brian Blade Fellowship record:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b7RT3TAJvI

There's a new DJ Sabrina the Teenage DJ album out. It is, uh, 4 hours long. Her last album (also very long) was well-received by a few folks here -- it sounded like the Avalanches with a heavy dose of 80s and 90s pop culture nostalgia. First track is "Honey" and continues with a similar aesthetic: bright and vibrant sample-based dance pop.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdxkOkYSmCk

Fun album

I liked these lines from the P4k review today:

Daunting as its length may appear, Destiny is less an Odyssey than a “most romantic moments” YouTube compilation: easy to dip in and out of, because the payoffs just keep coming. Let it wash over you, and Destiny conjures a rare kind of immediate, cup-filling catharsis.

https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/dj-sabrina-the-teenage-dj-destiny/

Sorry for not updating, will do later today

Welp done

thanks moka!

The new Allison Russell album is really nice. I've seen her twice this year, she's great live and has a fantastic band, highly recommend.

― a man often referred to in the news media as the Duke of Saxony (tipsy mothra), Thursday, September 14, 2023 10:34 PM (six days ago) bookmarkflaglink

Totally missed she had a new one out. Thank you for sharing! And thanks Moka for keeping the playlist updated!

Quite contrary thank you all for feeding me these great music

*this

I don't know much about this catchy, romantic, house tune but I do enjoy it a lot (seems four tet might be in on the drums/samples)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peIBCNTY8hA

Fred again.. - adore u (feat. Obongjayar)

For the moment, what say we try to keep recommendations here to late 2022/2023 tracks only?

We can change that or start another listening thread for "released whenever" as best meets interest.

― POLIZISTEN VERSINKEN IM SCHLAMM (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 26 January 2023 17:09 (seven months ago) bookmarkflaglink

did a "released whenever" thread/spotify playlist ever get started? I'd be interested in something like this thread but not restricted to tracks from the current year

catching up on this thread and just wanna say thanks everyone for all the recs - but esp for the Nourished By Time record, instant fave

did a "released whenever" thread/spotify playlist ever get started? I'd be interested in something like this thread but not restricted to tracks from the current year

― soref

It did not but also heavily invested in this one! I’m sure without the release date brake we can chime in some great recommendations. Will do a thread and start a playlist if there’s enough interest!

oh yeah, I meant a new thread/playlist as a complement to this one, if that wasn't clear, not suggesting that we change the criteria for this one. I'm also enjoying everyone's 2023 recommendations.

this is from 2023. SANAM are a "Beirut-based,free-rock,post-folk sextet"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgI9aMvM12U

96 Back - Laco

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uPnCjKlPaQ

sheesh, i really gotta go through this thread. so much stuff.

i made my own playlist. gonna listen at home with the big t.v. and big speakers. cheers, you guys!

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE1-7P1reTFingvjHD6aleth0VPwqqKDj

Rose Gray - Happiness

Pop banger taking inspiration from a certain early 90s smash

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfkoaS6-pxU

at this point random interpolations like that are just kinda annoying more than anything else

it's just jarring to go into "groove is in the heart" for a bit

So I got an idea for two collaborative playlist/threads in this same vein, let me hear what you think:

ILM club listening

ILM home listening

Two playlists with no genre/decade restrictions, one for sharing “party” music that we’d play to make ILM dance… cumbia, house, pop, salsa, hip hop, funk, disco… and one playlist for more introspective listening jazz, ambient, experimental, singer-songwriter…

Not sure about the names and of course what some would find as party/home music might not fit the bill for the next person but you get the idea.

I think separating them into two main moods could help into making them workable playlists. Of course we’d probably end up with a playlist that shifts into a scorching soul piece from the 60’s then into a 20 min IDM piece or bubblegum pop followed by 60s ska but I think it’d be interesting either way.

thank you for that pompidoo remix!

good idea Moka!

I also like the idea of party/home playlists

vince clarke - the lamentations of jeremiah

i don't know what to make of this but i watched the whole thing and vince is some sort of god and i won't make a gollum joke.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQK95AtGi0U

Ok I’ll probably make a new thread tomorrow. I can’t decide on the verbalization for them…

Ideas:

ILM Home Listening / ILM Club Listening
ILM: Sunrise / ILM: Sunset
ILM Café / ILM Bar
ILM Office Stereo / ILM Dance Party

Help lol I have no idea what would be a good title to separate moods between playlists.

No restrictions in genre or decade.

Also no restrictions on the number of tracks you want to add, I’d even encourage to post two or three tracks to set a vibe that might or might not be disrupted by the following person. That said, please try not to add too many tracks at once so it doesn’t become a solo session.

There’s no contest if a song is better suited for the opposing playlist… some genres like say r&b could be suited for both home and club listening… it’s up to your criteria where to add them. If you think a 20 min sludge metal track makes for a dancefloor filler, well why not?

Ok here we go:

ILM Listening Club --- collaborative playlists: HOME / CLUB

This is not streaming anywhere that I can find it, but I'm extremely interested in this record by goat (Japan):

https://boomkat.com/products/joy-in-fear

vyva melinkolya's unbecoming is an album of room-enveloping, dreamy, slow doomgaze that has created a strangely comforting world for me to sink into. this was my fav track on the album

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRvven46Ot8

Added!

can't find much info on Sulah Jordan, she seems to be from San Fransisco and I gather she sings and plays... guitar?

anyway, "Jasmine" is an understated delight, soulful vibe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VlWgZwPu20

Ah got recommended that one via “discover weekly” last week and loved it.

My 22 year old cousin told me Remi Wolf's "Prescription (extended)" is her song of the year. I knew some of her music before, but I hadn't been paying attention that much, but this is kind of good? Strongly influenced by Prince which is always a good thing. Also, 7min+ pop songs for the tiktok generation? hell yes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNw1c5iRdsM

also while I'm at it adding

Andrea - remote working

as that song and the album it comes from has been my fave discovery of the week.

Also forgot to add

melenas - bang

An early stereolab copy but good one.

This is not streaming anywhere that I can find it, but I'm extremely interested in this record by goat (Japan):

https://boomkat.com/products/joy-in-fear

― Jordan s/t (Jordan), Thursday, 12 October 2023 23:35 bookmarkflaglink

This seems to be the only mention of this album on ILM - I don't know if there are any discussions of their earlier albums (they're not the easiest band to search for), but this album is great on first listen.

let's do 2024?

yyy

So there’s some options.

Empty the playlist and Change the name of the playlist to 2024… previous songs can be send to an archive.Or make a new playlist… but if we’re doing this every year I’ve found is easier to just keep using the same playlist otherwise you end up with a bunch of playlists.

sounds like a good idea with an archival catch all playlist and then just keep going with this one

Aight every song from 2023 has been moved to this archive playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4nDuSiSubdcuTA1u9Fh9sd

Previous playlist has been clean slated and changed name to ILM LISTENING CLUB 2024!

Adding the first song:

Bullion feat Carly Rae Jepsen - Rare

I haven’t even heard it yet but it’s Bullion and CRJ and we love them on ILM don’t we? Worth a mention methinks. Will report later on if it was a good choice or not.

Oh also new Fabiana Palladino produced by Jai Paul. And new Discovery Zone… I won’t hog the thread and add them yet but yeah probably should listen to those too.

You know what forget the Bullion track, I’m leaving it clean until I can decide which song I want to throw in. I’m seeing so many updates

oooh i look forward to hearing the discovery zone! need new thread though??

Oh wow. Had no idea that track even existed.

Thanks Moka

ILM also loves a bit of Nia and the new track finds Ms Archives in a more reflective mood

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMwzooIPbHw

anyone starting a matching playlist on Tidal? I would but work often keeps me too busy to keep up regularly and Tidal doesn't do collaborative playlists

and I reckon "Lucky" by Erika de Casier should go on it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZOKYZtERFQ

I was just about to post that one! But then let me post another good Danish one: Astrid Sonnes dubtechno/chamberpop hybrid Say You Love Me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTPiJqVgh78

enjoying this record

Posted this in the Tinashe thread and loving it now so think it deserves to be added to the playlist

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlV8zVUgdLM

Agreed!

Also this one suggested by groovypanda on the other thread is great:

Open Space x Laura Groves - Tied

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvpQ3hbhERI

ahem: ILM 2024 Listening Club

Lol I think mods should lock this thread

This is not streaming anywhere that I can find it, but I'm extremely interested in this record by goat (Japan):
https://boomkat.com/products/joy-in-fear

― Jordan s/t (Jordan), Thursday, 12 October 2023 23:35 bookmarkflaglink

This seems to be the only mention of this album on ILM - I don't know if there are any discussions of their earlier albums (they're not the easiest band to search for), but this album is great on first listen.

― toby, Wednesday, 20 December 2023 08:01 (eleven months ago)

Yeah, very hard to trawl through old threads on goat and this / their earlier albums (NEW GAMES and Rhythm & Sound), but they're all sounding great in a This Heat / Battles / Moin / 70s Miles / "live Autechre" kinda way. Great woodwinds!