Matt's Top 10 Releases Of 2024

This list is in no particular order though the Shabaka album particularly suited the year for me.

Special musical mention to the Master Musicians of Joujouka who in 2024 more than satisfied the 35+ years wait for me to experience them live, which I finally did in June - they were utterly overwhelming in all the best ways.

Footnote: only just got my hands on the Throbbing Gristle “TG Berlin Box Set” (Mute) which on first listen sounds immense and may well have made this list in time.

SHABAKA - PERCEIVE ITS BEAUTY, ACKNOWLEDGE ITS GRACE

Genre: Spiritual Jazz
Label: Impulse! Records
WE HAVE THIS!

The Shabaka album is a deeply meditative listen - initial perceptions was that it was very minimal but with every repeated listen it reveals more and more. He’s switched from playing saxophone to a myriad of flutes accompanied at different times by harps, synths and piano.

There’s a wealth of collaborators including his own father Anum Iyapo plus André 3000 (OutKast), Floating Points and also on some tracks accompanied by a number of vocalists and poets - including Saul Williams and Laraaji. I was fortunate to see him live in a church in Bristol a month ago and it was utterly sublime. This is the album I’ve listened to most this year.

Tracks: End of Innocence, Insecurities (feat. Moses Sumney), I'll Do Whatever You Want (feat. Floating Points and Laraaji).

EMAHOY TSEGUÉ-MARYAM GUÈBROU - SOUVENIRS

Genre: Classical
Label: Mississippi Records

Not sure if this quite qualifies, as it was a lost recording rather than a reissue, but I’m putting it in. Emahoy was an Ethiopian nun who had previously been classically trained on piano and only actually died last year at the fine age of 99 - she created incredible haunting evocative piano-led music - like a deeply spiritual work filled with beautiful lilting melodies. Primal yet complex.

Tracks: Clouds Moving on the Sky, Like the Sun Shines on the Meadows, Tenkou! Why Feel Sorry?.

NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS - WILD GOD

Genre: Indie / Alternative Rock
Label: PIAS Recordings
WE HAVE THIS!

Mr. Cave returns to a more anthemic song based album after the sombre, atmospheric recent offerings - “Skeleton Key” and “Ghosteen” particularly. The Bad Seeds are back with a vengeance - this one hits you between the eyes and straight to the heart... packed with big songs that's not perhaps to every Cave fan’s taste but it works for me.

He was immense on the Wild God tour in Cardiff recently, a performer at the peak of his more matured powers, Warren Ellis conducting from the heavens and the Bad Seeds finding rough groove after groove. A strange thing to say when talking of Nick Cave but the album exudes joy.

Tracks: Frogs, Conversion, Long Dark Night.

AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS - CARTOON VIOLENCE

Genre: Alternative Rock
Label: Rough Trade Records
WE HAVE THIS!

No messing from Amyl and the Sniffers on this one as they go from strength to strength. There’s even a ballad on this. Incredible to think they’re one of the biggest bands in the world right now. All power to them with Amy always extolling a positive message underneath that blunt Aussie attitude - big, ballsy and catchy as hell. They’re a great no-frills rock n roll band who definitely hit the mark.

Tracks: U Should Not Be Doing That, Big Dreams, Chewing Gum.

PAPA M - BALLADS OF HARRY HOUDINI

Genre: Alternative Rock
Label: Drag City Records
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Got a massive soft spot for the work of David Pajo, particularly in his Papa M output. His album “Whatever Mortal” stands up there with my favourite albums. An incredible guitarist who came to prominence with post-rock pioneers Slint and has played in numerous groups and projects since, including the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy. He is currently playing with Gang Of Four.

This new album is purposefully all over the place - in fact it defiantly celebrates the fact - jagged indie, post rock, waltz and an acoustic singalong, the beautifully titled and very catchy Rainbow of Gloom - the album hangs together well despite and because of that.

Tracks: Rainbow of Gloom, Ode to Mark White, People's Free Food Program.

FFRANCON - GADAEL Y TRIDEGRED GANRIF

Genre: Electronica / Techno / Ambient
Label: Ffrancon
WE HAVE THIS!

I always like to recognise some home-grown talent and after seeing him perform live recently at the marvellous Nawr Festival in Swansea I took a liking to this music - after previously associating it as a North Wales take on Detroit techno, which was in some way self-prescribed ‘Machynlleth New York Chicago Detroit’, being the title of a track on his previous release.

This album is a collection of tracks that Geraint Ffrancon has amassed over the past 20 years. Whilst there is a techno root it’s far more nuanced and varied in style- electronics blend with interesting soundscape elements and live there’s a strong element of fun and mischief to his performance.

Tracks: Machynlleth New York Chicago Detroit, Everything Is Complicated, Cadair Idris.

MULATU ASTATKE AND HOODNA ORCHESTRA - TENSION

Genre: Ethio-Jazz / Afrobeat
Label: Batov Records
WE HAVE THIS!

While remaining fairly uneducated in the field of Ethiopian jazz my ears have been leaning that way recently and a great place to start is with the so called father of Ethio-Jazz, Mulatu Astatke, who has been recording since the 60’s and whose albums have been steadily reissued over the past years by the excellent Strut label.

Interesting fact pop pickers: Mulatu came to study engineering in Wales  but stepped sideways and studied music in Wrexham Lindisfarne College before getting his degree in the Trinity College of Music in London.

He went on to record a number of hugely influential albums straddling the US and his homeland Ethiopia picking up influences both traditional and more contemporary jazz with soul/funk influences. This new album is funky, grooving and brooding in equal measures with production from the Dap-King Neal Sugarman. Easy listening in the best possible manner.

Tracks: Major, Dung Gate, Tension.

Genre: Soundtrack
Label: Digitmovies

An absolute treat for Jess Franco fans - a double-LP of the music from not only ‘AVATLD’ but also ‘Eugenie De Sade 70’, ‘Nightmares Come At Night’ and ‘99 Women’ - all composed by Franco regular Bruno Nicolai who captures the dark, dreamy Franco vibe with his perfect accompaniment.

The music of the films is held up as a mirror and very important in adding to the visual qualities to create the Franco experience that fans know and love.

MOIN - YOU NEVER END

Genre: Indie / Electronic / Post-Rock
Label: AD 93

Okay, hands up: to my shame I hadn’t heard this until I saw it as the Quietus album of 2024. I had however previously enjoyed the dark electronics of Raime, whose members Tom Halstead and Joe Andrews - joined by the exceptional drummer Valentina Magaletti - are Moin.

Slint sound like an influence in this with snatched snippets of vocal along with infectious, inventive licks - there’s even elements of acts like Fugazi albeit with a more electronic production. This album is still growing on me but since reading that Quietus recommendation I’ve played it on repeat a multitude of times, the enjoyment is still growing with every listen.

Tracks: Lift You (feat. Sophia Al-Maria), It's Messy Coping, Anything But Sopo.

FLOCK - FLOCK II

Genre: Jazz / Experimental
Label: Strut Records
WE HAVE THIS

I enjoyed the previous Flock album and the other works of drummer Sarathy Kowar. This album seems to push the experimental nature of Flock further from their debut album - intense in places, sparse in others, the music all tied together by a loose frame of Indo-Jazz.

Their bandcamp page tells of the recording process, recorded down the road in Pembrokeshire at Studio Owz, with an opening track aptly called Druidstone Incantation: 

"Nestled within the enchanting environs of the Druidstone, a mystical coastal retreat in West Wales, the group embarked on an immersive week-long recording session. Here, they crafted unique 'jump-off' devices for each musical piece, drawing inspiration from unconventional structures and atmospheres.

"From diagrams utilising shapes and repeated patterns to a revolving lamp throwing out dappled light and a mobile app creating intense strobe effects in front of each musician, each device set a state of mind and a unique approach to their compositions."

It makes for a very enjoyable listen to these ears and that’s for sure.

Tracks: Capillary Waves, Large Magellanic Cloud, A Thousand Miles Lost.