Trying to be more on top of this in 2023, feels like this year so far is already topping 2022.
KG "Come Closer, We're Cool"
Absolutely blown out noise pop that never over stays it's welcome. I wish there was more modern indie pop that leaned this way, right now all we got is Star Party and UVTV, who both kick ass. More along the lines of Henry's Dress, Black Tambourine and Ecstasy and Wine era MBV.
https://freekg.bandcamp.com/album/come-closer-were-cool
Jpegmafia x Danny Brown "Scaring The Hoes"
I presume most people reading this already know, but goddamn what a triumph of a record. The production is bonkers, plundering at its best, lyrics that have me rolling on the floor laughing and just HARD beats. Both men are in top form, and these songs just wanna make me punch the world. This is hiphop at its finest. Top 3 of the year I'd guess.
https://jpegmafia.bandcamp.com/album/scaring-the-hoes
Ectogram "Singles 94 - 97"
Nathan from Dummy sent me the song "Mary" and I was hooked immediately. That song is a noise pop gem with very groop sounding synth stuff. The rest of a songs have a similar vibe to Too Pure records bands like Moonshake and Pram. Janky production, weird guitar sounds and child like vocals. It's a very cool collection of tunes, that shows a band finding their footing and experimenting.
https://ankstmusik.bandcamp.com/album/singular-1994-1997-by-gan-ectogram
Hysterical Love Project "Lashes"
Fantastic triphop/dream pop duo second release that has shades of great groups like Insides, Love Spirals Downward and Bowery Electric but w hints of techno/house music weaved in as well. The vocals a haunting, sensual and inviting, with obvi fits the music perfectly. I think this record will end up being a favorite of the year.
https://motionward.bandcamp.com/album/hysterical-love-project-lashes
IE "Junkbody"
Fuck yea, new IE album, their last record was on a toneburst favorite label Moon Glyph . This continues their meditative brand of kosmiche. If you can imagine it, it's like if Tony Conrad w Faust made a minimalist ambient record inside of the punishing drone feedback jams. The vocals pop in sometimes to add an even more haunting hypnosis. The amount of space they use to create such trance inducing worlds of sound. Highly recommend esp if you dig early Smoke Below or VU at their mellowest.
https://iesounds.bandcamp.com/album/junk-body
Azusa Plane - Where the Sands Turn To Gold
The criminally underrated Azusa Plane needs to get some sorta glow up, unfortunately Jason DiEmilio took his own life in 2006. So, it's up to us to lift this amazing artist up further ( shout out to Ned Raggett who reviewed this for p4k 2012). The music Jason made was in line with rural psychedelia of Flying Saucer Attack, Roy Montgomery or more recent Jefre Cantu Ledsema. Blissed out walls of guitars, drones and feedback, just blistering shit. This is primitive explosions of sound, with cheeky references to everything from Daniel Johnston to Beatles to K Records. This collection is beautifully immersive and punishing DONT FUCKING SLEEP.
https://azusa-plane-rocketgirl.bandcamp.com/album/where-the-sands-turn-to-gold-rgirl83
a.s.o. "2 singles"
Lastly, point yr way to these first 2 singles from Berlin, Germany's a.s.o. who's triphop influenced dreamy pop is just fantastic. The slight resurgence of triphop is cool cuz it can often show some cool/creative production. But most importantly the vocals are GREAT, unlike ALOT of this sorta stuff, this is a confident vocalization, with weird/interesting melodic choices. Fuck with this esp if you dig the above Hysterical Love Project.
https://itsaso.bandcamp.com/music
