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Staff
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Last Active 01-01-70 12:00 am
Joined 01-01-70
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| a sleepy 2023
SEE FIRST LIST ENTRY. | | 1 |  | Elbow
Asleep In The Back
In case you have escaped my excessive amount of list bumps (apologies if you havenāt): I have been listening to an album a day, recommended by the users, themed around a particular genre each month (with the exception of May, when Johnny and I tortured each other with recs). Because of this, I have not listened to very much from 2023, making an actual Sleepy 2023 list largely pointless. | | 2 | | Elbow
Asleep In The Back
THEREFORE, I have made this list instead, cataloguing my favourite 8 albums from each month. Includes names of recāers, date listened to, and rough genre (taken from RYM donāt at me). NB: In chronological order - not ranked. If it appears here, chances are Iāve rated it a 4.3 or above. | | 3 |  | Burial
Untrue
January///Electronic
1) Burial - Untrue [me] 1st Jan [2007, Dubstep]
2) Venetian Snares - Rossz [billiesp] 7th Jan [2005, Breakcore]
3) Four Tet - There is Love in You [granitenotebook] 12th Jan [2010, IDM]
4) Basic Channel - BCD [hyperion] 14th Jan [1995, Ambient Techno]
5) Steve Roach - Structures from Silence [Kompys2000] 21st Jan [1984, Space Ambient]
6) The Field - From Here We Go Sublime [markjamie] 25th Jan [2007, Minimal Techno]
7) James Ferraro - Live at Primavera Sound 2012 [dedex] 30th Jan [2012, Ambient Trance]
8) Vladislav Delay - Anima [Sniff] 31st Jan [2001, Ambient Glitch] | | 4 |  | Venetian Snares
Rossz Csillag Allat Szuletett
What was it like: January was relearning how to walk. When your bread and butter is the guitar with the drums with the screm and/or sing, music that avoids not only those instruments but the associated aesthetics and structures is, uh, hard, but fun! Complete third eye opening epithanies every third day. Music is more than you think music is. | | 5 |  | Four Tet
There is Love in You
What did I like: I, clearly, have a preference for the ambient side of things; the dancier numbers confused my sm0l introverted soul. That being said, the variety here did a great deal to shake my preconceptions re HOW to listen to music - sometimes passive listening while cooking/cleaning/commuting is preferable, sometimes an eyes closed on beanbag in dark alone and focused is needed, sometimes somewhere between the two - and how applying different contexts to different albums can reveal more about them. | | 6 |  | Basic Channel
BCD
Would I do it again: YES! Lots more work still to be done here. | | 7 |  | Steve Roach
Structures from Silence
Further lines of enquiry: Glitch, Ambient in general, Breaks and related genres, Trance and Psych, probs the whole House/Techno/Dub smorgasbord so I can figure out where each of those areas start and end ā¦ basically everything lol. | | 8 |  | The Field
From Here We Go Sublime
Average Rating: 3.75 (4th highest month) | | 9 |  | James Ferraro
Live at Primavera Sound 2012
Honourable mentions: The Prodigy - Experience; Aphex Twin - SAW1; The Knife - Shaking the Habitual; Biosphere - Substrata; Source Direct - Secret Liason; Hallucinogen - Twisted | | 10 |  | Vladislav Delay
Anima
Best user participation award: Hyperion and Ryus | | 11 |  | Bill Evans
You Must Believe In Spring
February///Jazz
1) Bill Evans - You Must Believe in Spring [ryus] 1st Feb [1981, Cool Jazz / Post-Bop]
2) Nara Leao - Dez Anos Depois [brainmelter] 10th Feb [1971, Bossa nova]
3) Eddie Palmieri - Unfinished Masterpiece [MoM] 14th Feb [1975, Salsa / Jazz Fusion]
4) Electric Masada - At the Mountains of Madness [JOTW] 17th Feb [2005, Avant Jazz Fusion]
5) Herbie Hancock - Head Hunters [Ars] 19th Feb [1973, Jazz-Funk]
6) Pharoah Sanders - Karma [z00sh] 20th Feb [1969, Spiritual Jazz]
7) Cecil Taylor - Unit Structures [Ryus] 27th Feb [1966, Free Jazz]
8) Ornette Coleman - The Shape of Jazz to Come [Sloth] 28th Feb [1959, Avant-Garde / Free Jazz] | | 12 |  | Nara Leao
Dez Anos Depois
What was it like: February was relearning to walk after having just re-learnt to walk. Jazz does not play by the same rules as Electronic or Guitar-music. It does not, even, play by its own rules e.g. see the whole big band into bop into post-bop into modal into free and avant into fusion story arc the genre underwent over 30 years (which I am drastically oversimplifying and probably getting quite wrong lol). I had to literally buy a book called āHow to Listen to Jazzā to help me decipher the month, which worked, albeit it did read in an unhelpfully gatekeepy pretentious kinda way (Ted Gioia is a very knowledgeable and very narrow minded gentleman re what makes music good). I digress: GOOD MONTH! | | 13 |  | Eddie Palmieri
Unfinished Masterpiece
What did I like: Some of the ambient jazz stuff was easiest to grasp (e.g. Darkjazz Ensemble, Sunset Mission, etc.) but most of my love fell into a couple of camps: the energetic easy boogies of Hard Bop and associates, and the weird///energetic stuff, most of which is listed in this list. What I really loved, however, was how much variety the genre contains, way more than I expected - so many styles, cultures and emotions encapsulated under the same roof with so many legendary musicians and characters to learn about. | | 14 |  | Electric Masada
At the Mountains of Madness
Would I do it again: YES! A seemingly never ending treasure trove of difficult, brilliant albums. | | 15 |  | Herbie Hancock
Head Hunters
Further lines of enquiry: Discog runs of some of the bigāunās (Davis, Coleman, Coltrane, Evans, Blakey, Sanders, Mingus, Taylor, etc.) as well as digging in the weirder places (the whole salsa crossover thing is very exciting to me, as is the whole Zorn multiverse). | | 16 |  | Pharoah Sanders
Karma
Average rating: 3.79 (3rd highest month) | | 17 |  | Cecil Taylor
Unit Structures
Honourable mentions: Kamasi Washington - The Epic; Charles Mingus - Black Saint; Miles Davis - Bitches Brew | | 18 |  | Ornette Coleman
The Shape of Jazz to Come
Best user participation award: Dancore, 0xME and Porc | | 19 |  | OutKast
Aquemini
March///Hip Hop
1) OutKast - Aquemini [Milo] 4th March [1998, Southern]
2) Slum Village - Fan-Tas-Tic Vol.1 [norma] 8th March [1997, Jazz Rap / Boom Bap]
3) UGK - Ridinā Dirty [z00sh] 9th March [1996, Southern]
4) Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - E 1999 Eternal [Drifter] 13th March [1995, G-Funk / Horrorcore]
5) N.O.D. - Niggaz of Destruction [someone] 22nd March [1996, Memphis]
6) Nujabes - Modal Soul [Relinquished] 28th March [2005, Jazz Rap / Instrumental]
7) A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory [Sniff] 30th March [1991, Jazz Rap / East]
8) GZA - Liquid Swords [me] 37th March [1995, Hardcore / East] | | 20 |  | Slum Village
Fan-Tas-Tic Vol.1
What was it like: March was remembering how to run. I wasnāt a complete newbie with rap as I was with Electronic and Jazz, albeit my focus had been on modern fantanocore (Kendrick, RTJ, etc.) and obvious classics (Biggie, Pac, Nas, Wu-Tang, etc.), meaning my map still had a lot of gaps to fill. Given that prior experience: an easier month (at least I had foot in door). It was also the first month I distorted space and time with 40 recs, and I moved into my first house; chaotic, therefore, for other reasons. | | 21 |  | UGK
Ridin' Dirty
What did I like: Memphis! Holy shit! Jazz Rap!! Double shits!! Southern Funk!!! You get the point - this is a big fucking genre and contains loads of disparate goodies, to an extent (again) I simply had not comprehended. No matter how much good music you think is out there, there is always more. | | 22 |  | Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
E 1999 Eternal
Would I do it again: YES! The old-school 80s/90s lineage remains an iceberg, and I haven't really touched any post 2000 stuff. | | 23 |  | N.O.D.
Niggaz of Destruction
Further lines of enquiry: Memphis, Jazz Rap and Funk (East, West and South). Probs post-2000 as well - trap/drill/et al remains unknown. | | 24 |  | Nujabes
Modal Soul
Average rating: 3.88 (1st highest month a.k.a. THE WINNER whoo) | | 25 |  | A Tribe Called Quest
The Low End Theory
Honourable mentions: Artifacts - Between a Rock and a Hard Place; Scarface - The Diary; Gravediggaz - 6 Feet Deep; Billy Woods - Historyā¦; Cannibal Ox - The Cold Vein; Digable Planets - Blowout Comb; J Dilla - Donuts; Mobb Deep - The Infamous | | 26 |  | GZA
Liquid Swords
Best user participation award: pots, Kompys, foxblood and drifter | | 27 |  | Weakling
Dead as Dreams
April///Black Metal
1) Weakling - Dead as Dreams [Ryus] 6th April [2000, Atmos Black Metal]
2) Ulver - Bergtatt [botb] 13th April [1996, Atmos / Folk Black Metal]
3) Murmuure - Murmuure [dedex] 14th April [2010, Atmos / Ambient / Avant-Garde Black Metal]
4) Trha - novej [zaruyache] 24th April [2020, Atmos Black Metal]
5) Ashenspire - Hostile Architecture [Kompys2000] 26th April [2022, Avant-Garde Black Metal]
6) Dakhma (SA) - Suna Kulto [Sniff] 30th April [2016, Blackened Crust]
7) Leviathan - Scar Sighted [Dedes] 31st April [2015, Blackened Death Metal]
8) Burzum - Hvis Lysetā¦ [me] 40th April [1994, DSBM / Dungeon Synth] | | 28 |  | Ulver
Bergtatt - Et eeventyr i 5 capitler
What was it like: April was the most homogenous month by this stage, and therefore a low point in terms of breadth of discovery, but also fucking great - I GOT RIFFS BACK yay GUITAR MUSIC yay SCREM MUSIC yay!!!! A genre I knew only (really) by the earlier LPs from the oldies (Venom, Bathory, Mayhem, etc.) and the occasional hybrid modern hardcore/metalcore/thrash LP that does the blastbeet/beat tremolo thing, so went in mostly blind. | | 29 |  | Murmuure
Murmuure
What did I like: What this ābest ofā reveals, which I hadnāt clocked, is that I lean towards the atmos side of the genre (good to know; i thought it'd be the lofi potatocore but there we go). While not making the top 8, DSBM a la Sterbend, flamboyant OTT stuff like Cradle of Filth and Caladan Brood, and more trad oldies like Immortal and Bathory (Black Mark) all did very well. | | 30 |  | Trha
novej qalhnjƫnno
Would I do it again: NO lol there is too much of a good thing and this was that. Perhaps if I broadened a month to include Thrash, Death, Doom and Black Metal in one go, thatād provide enough variety for a relative non-metal head. Shrugs. | | 31 |  | Ashenspire
Hostile Architecture
Further lines of enquiry: The borders with which BM blends with Death seem interesting. Discog runs of some of the big bois e.g. Darkthrone, Ulver, Bathory, etc. Excavate more of that airconditioner lo-fi filth, too. | | 32 |  | Dakhma (USA)
Suna Kulto
Average rating: 3.59 (11th highest month a.k.a lowest scoring rip) | | 33 |  | Leviathan
Scar Sighted
Honourable mentions: Sterbend - Dwelling Lifeless; Immortal - At the Heart of Winter | | 34 |  | Burzum
Hvis Lyset Tar Oss
Best user participation award: budgie, Chippe, DungeonBoy, deez, quite alot of people tbh this one was fun re communal bants | | 35 |  | Pavement
Slanted and Enchanted
May///JohnnyOfTheWell
1) Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted [JOTW] 1st May [1992, Slacker / Indie Rock]
2) Shiina Ringo - Shouso Strip [JOTW] 2nd May [2000, J-Rock / Noise Pop]
3) The Flaming Lips - Clouds Taste Metallic [JOTW] 5th May [1995, Noise Pop / Neo-Psych]
4) Leonard Cohen - Songs [JOTW] 7th May [1967, Folk]
5) Carissaās Wierd - Ugly [JOTW] 8th May [2000, Slowcore]
6) John Zorn - The Circle Maker [JOTW] 15th May [1998, Chamber Jazz / Klezmer]
7) Kazumoto Endo - While You Were Out [JOTW] 16th May [1999, Harsh Noise]
8) Seiko Oomori - PINK [JOTW] 17th May [2012, Indie Folk] | | 36 |  | Shiina Ringo
Shouso Strip
What was it like: May was different lol. Going from a one-genre format to the boing-ing around the entirety of MUSIC that this style of list necessitated - everything JOTW in 1 month - was challenging, added to the fact that we do not regularly align in our tastes, and that I was simultaneously having my childhood torn to shreds before my eyes on the sister list. Still, good bants and good recs. | | 37 |  | The Flaming Lips
Clouds Taste Metallic
What did I like: These 8 albums. Aside from these, Johnny has a particular eye for where the haze meets the dissonance meets the POPHOOKS meets the depression and IT IS an interesting place to be. These particular albums, however, converged a little more with my preferences - noisy things, sloppy and sincere things, folken things, etc. | | 38 |  | Leonard Cohen
Songs of Leonard Cohen
Would I do it again: YES, kind of. With different users, and a different format. I have an idea of jamming five 5s from 5 different users in a given month, which would lend itself to more variety and potentially more user engagement. | | 39 |  | Carissa's Wierd
Ugly But Honest: 1996-1999
Further lines of enquiry: Will continue to pillage Johnnyās 5s and the whole Japanese noise rock and harsh noise etc. THINGs as I really fuck the LoUD NoISES (more on that later). | | 40 |  | John Zorn
The Circle Maker
Average rating: 3.63 (9th highest month) | | 41 |  | Kazumoto Endo
While You Were Out
Honourable mentions: Anathema - Judgement; The Goslings - Grandeur of Hair; Supercar - Highvision | | 42 |  | Seiko Oomori
Pink
Best user participation award: Ryus and Pots, oddly lol | | 43 |  | Jackson C. Frank
Jackson C. Frank
June///Folk
1) Jackson C. Frank - Jackson C. Frank [Phero] 6th June [1965, Folk]
2) Balkan Beat Box - Balkan Beat Box [Pots] 10th June [2005, Turbo-Folk]
3) Sirom - The Liquified Throne [Porc] 13th June [2022, Free Folk]
4) The Rural Alberta Advantage - Hometowns [Sloth] 15th June [2008, Indie Folk]
5) Leonard Cohen - Songs of Love and Hate [Ryus] 19th June [1971, Folk]
6) Comus - First Utterance [Dewi] 22nd June [1971, Freak / Prog / Psych Folk]
7) John Donne - A Mutable Feast [Kompys2000] 23rd June [2021, Indie Folk]
8) Robbie Basho - Visions of the Country [z00sh] 34th June [1978, American Primitivism] | | 44 |  | Balkan Beat Box
Balkan Beat Box
What was it like: June was returning home and finding that everyone has changed and so have you. Folk has been one of my favourite things since around 2009, which was about 2 years after I first started listening to music as a 10 year old. My interest in the genre has been relatively narrow, though: the Sufjans, Tallest Mans, Frank Turners, Adrienne Lenkers, Regina Spektors, etc etc etc. AKA my knowledge of the folken oldies and oddities was (and still is) fairly poor. This month was a helpful course correction. It was also interesting - assimilating 4 different new genres over 4 months and then going back to an old favourite had an element of internal dissonance and existential crisis to it. I was no longer the person that I was. We are shaped by the places we have been and the people we meet. | | 45 |  | Sirom
The Liquified Throne of Simplicity
What did I like: Robbie Basho was one of the single greatest discoveries of the entire year - how to take a genre and completely shirk all of its core elements while compounding distilling exaggerating celebrating all that it is. It left me tearing up on the train in the sunset and I love it. I also learnt, from further recs, that folk could do more, be poems, be danceable, be freeform, be weird. | | 46 |  | The Rural Alberta Advantage
Hometowns
Would I do it again: NO. Despite my love for the genre, the month format doesnāt work. Another example of homogeneity becoming a hindrance. | | 47 |  | Leonard Cohen
Songs of Love and Hate
Further lines of enquiry: Iām in no rush to dig deeper. The recs from this month require more of my time. Iām just going to sit here, a while, and breathe. | | 48 |  | Comus
First Utterance
Average rating: 3.85 (2nd highest month) | | 49 |  | John Donne
A Mutable Feast or: The Ghost of a Flea
Honourable mentions: Woodie Guthrie - Dust Bowl Ballads; Paavoharju - Yha Hamaraa; King Creosote - Diamond Mine; My Kappa Roots - The Houseā¦ | | 50 |  | Robbie Basho
Visions of The Country
Best user participation award: pots | | 51 |  | Parliament
Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome
July///Funk
1) Parliament - Funkentelechy [Ars] 6th July [1977, P-Funk]
2) Funkadelic - Cosmic Slop [Jalepeno] 7th July [1973, Psych-Soul / Funk]
3) Sly and the Family Stone - Stand! [Sloth] 10th July [1969, Psych-Soul / Funk Rock]
4) Manu Dibango - Soul Makossa [ffs] 11th July [1972, Jazz-Funk / Makossa]
5) Louis Cole - Time [Pots] 12th July [2018, Synth Funk / Pop]
6) Funkadelic - One Nation [Porc] 17th July [1978, P-Funk / Funk Rock]
7) Slave - Slave [widow] 20th July [1977, Funk Rock]
8) Fela Kuti - Zombie [dedex] 26th July [1977, Afrobeat] | | 52 |  | Funkadelic
Cosmic Slop
What was it like: July was HOT and FUNK gave me the GROOVES to BOOGIE. A genre I had entirely misunderstood by virtue of jamming Maggot Brain and assuming it was representative of the entire genre when itās more of an outlier than anything. Ars set me straight. | | 53 |  | Sly and The Family Stone
Stand!
What did I like: The grooviest of the grooves sucked me in the most. It seemed dumb that 2-3 bands had a monopoly of this genre for its heyday but jesus fc Parliament, Funkadelic and Sly were so far above everything else here in terms of quality, at least re P-Funk. Branching out, Fela Kuti and William Onyeabor were great alternative discoveries, as were jazzy hybrid Hancock, Soul Makossa is its own special thing, and modern funky masterpiece that is Louis Colesās Time. | | 54 |  | Manu Dibango
Soul Makossa
Would I do it again: NO. However, I am interested in branching towards Soul, R&B, Jazz-Fusion and other adjacent locations. The uniqueness of Dibango, Kuti and Onyeabor also made the prospect of doing an Africa month, or other countries/continents, very appealing. | | 55 |  | Louis Cole
Time
Further lines of enquiry: see above. | | 56 |  | Funkadelic
One Nation Under a Groove
Average rating: 3.65 (8th highest month) | | 57 |  | Slave
Slave
Honourable mentions: Herbie Hancock - Thrust; Black Merda (s/t); Ohio Players - Fire | | 58 |  | Fela Kuti
Zombie
Best user participation award: Ars | | 59 |  | Arthur Russell
World of Echo
August///Experimental
1) Arthur Russell - World of Echo [Ryus] 2nd August [1987, Avant-Folk / Ambient Pop]
2) Ground Zero - Consume Red [Porc] 4th August [1997, Noise / Drone]
3) Diamanda Galas - Plague Mass [DadKungFu] 7th August [1991, Spoken Word]
4) Tom Waits - Bone Machine [squiggly] 10th August [1992, Gothic Country / Blues]
5) Shoji Aketagawa - Daikanjyo [Sniff] 14th August [2002, Avant-Folk / Free Improv]
6) Oxbow - King of the Jews [JOTW] 16th August [1991, Noise Rock / Punk Blues]
7) Colin Stetson - New History Warfare Vol 2: Judges [dedex] 21st August [2011, Post-Minimalism]
8) Eliane Radigue - Trilogie [Sniff] 26th August [1998, Drone] | | 60 |  | Ground Zero
Consume Red
What was it like: August was hard lol experimental is not a genre label but a designator of uncategorability. Piling 31 very different / challenging / evasive albums into 1 month was probably a stupid idea - I am convinced I did not give half of these albums the thoroughness or time they deserved. HOWEVER, it did get me over the dread and intimidation that āexperimentalā music has long had for me; Iāve avoided it, for fear of not getting it, being too stupid, ignorant, musically challenged etc. If you feel the same MY GOD JUST THROW YOURSELF IN THE DEEP END the water is warm and welcoming. Music is just music. | | 61 |  | Diamanda Galas
Plague Mass
What did I like: ALL OF IT! The more dissonant and outrageous, the better, though, apparently. The album a day format does not benefit subtlety / grace. Top segment of my pie chart is now experimental which is dumb. | | 62 |  | Tom Waits
Bone Machine
Would I do it again: YES, but differently. One-a-day is silly, but seeking out experimental weirdo things in general is not. Will bake into my routine: stretch horizon, break it, and paint a new one. | | 63 |  | Shoji Aketagawa/Kan Mikami/Toshiaki Ishizuka
Daikanjyo
Further lines of enquiry: Japan - why do they have so many cool things??? Also drone. Also noise. | | 64 |  | Oxbow
King of the Jews
Average rating: 3.70 (5th highest) | | 65 |  | Colin Stetson
New History Warfare Vol 2: Judges
Honourable mentions: Boredoms - Chocolate Synthesizer; Boredoms - Vision Creation Newsun; The Pyramids - Lalibella; Ben Frost - By the Throat; David Shea - Satyricon; Blind Idiot God (s/t); Naked City (s/t); Stomach Book (s/t); Bondage Fruit (s/t) | | 66 |  | Eliane Radigue
Trilogie de la Mort
Best user participation award: jots, hyperion, havey, porc, dad, avagantamos, tim (lots of good conversations this month) | | 67 |  | Phyllomedusa
Fijian Fantasies
1) Phyllomedusa - Fijan Fantesies [hyperion] 11th September [2019, Gorenoise / Sludge]
2) Pedestrian Deposit - Volatile [DadKungFu] 14th September [2004, Harsh Noise]
3) The Gerogerigegege - Instruments Disorder [Tim] 17th September [1994, Noisecore]
4) Yellow Swans - Going Places [Kompys2000] 22nd September [2010, Noise / Drone]
5) Ramleh - Hole in the Heart [someone] 31st September [1987, Death Industrial / Power Electronics]
6) Merzbow - Venereology [Colin] 34th September [1994, Harsh Noise]
7) Werewolf Jerusalem - God [DadKungFu] 35th September [2001, Harsh Noise]
8) Fuck Buttons - Street Horrrsing [JOTW] 36th September [2008, Drone / Noise / Neo-Psych] | | 68 |  | Pedestrian Deposit
Volatile
What was it like: September was a silly exercise in self-one-man-up-ship (experimental into noise ayayaya) BUT, also, inadvertently, revealed to me that THIS is is is is IS the genre I have been so sorely missing from my repertoire all these years. Of course as a mathcore fiend grind enjoyer sludge practitioner loud-grr-screm person OF COURSE going even louder would be a sensible idea. I can hand-on-heart say I loved every single album this month, it was a fulfilling experience. Except Merzbob. And that ambient album Hawks recommended. | | 69 |  | The Gerogerigegege
Instruments Disorder
What did I like: The harsh noise, most chaotic of the noise rock, and (most surprisingly) anything unnecessarily long that made me forget my own sentience. Ego death = good. | | 70 |  | Yellow Swans
Going Places
Would I do it again: YES, I plan to, soon, tinnitus permitting. | | 71 |  | Ramleh
Hole in the Heart
Further lines of enquiry: All of it. | | 72 |  | Merzbow
Venereology
Average rating: 3.61 (10th highest month, surprisingly low but shrugs in mic contact) | | 73 |  | Werewolf Jerusalem
God Has Shot Himself
Honourable mentions: Wolf Eyes - Human Animal; Vomir - Claustration; Prurient - Frozen Niagara Falls; La Torture des Tenebres - Civilisationā¦; Uboa - The Origin Of My Depression; Dreamcrusher - Suicide Deluxe; Xinlisupreme - I Am Not Shinzo Abe; I Am A Lake Of Burning Orchids - Innocence | | 74 |  | Fuck Buttons
Street Horrrsing
Best user participation award: dad, kompys, foxxxy, someone, porc, MoM | | 75 |  | Kikagaku Moyo
Mammatus Clouds
October///Psychedelic
1) Kikagaku Moyo - Mammatus Clouds [Buddha] 3rd October [2014, Psych-Folk / Raga Rock]
2) Les Rallizes Denudes - ā77 Live [Tim] 5th October [1991, Noise / Psych Rock]
3) The Olivia Tremor Control - Black Foilage [Conmaniac] 24th October [1999, Psych-Pop]
4) High Rise - II [Foxxxy] 25th October [1986, Heavy Psych]
5) Colour Haze - Colour Haze [MeatSalad] 33rd October [2004, Stoner Rock / Heavy Psych]
6) Deakin - Sleep Cycle [Tim] 34th October [2016, Neo-Psych / Folk]
7) Time Machines - Time Machines [mystagogus] 38th October [1998, Binaural Drone]
8) Hum - Inlet [mort] 42nd October [2020, Alternative Metal / Shoegaze] | | 76 |  | Les Rallizes Denudes
'77 Live
What was it like: THE RETURN OF MELODY holy shit. October was pretty. Chords, tones, textures, all very high, loopy, hazy, and no longer trying to kill me. Big genre, this; not really a genre, really; as with Experimental, more a signifier of methodology and/or HOW one ought to listen. As such: a mixed bag of petite pois. | | 77 |  | The Olivia Tremor Control
Black Foliage: Animation Music Volume 1
What did I like: The stoner rock the long form ego deaths (again) less so the psych pop and 70s prog, but that (I think) didn't really suit the format - the hooks don't have time to sink in and the expansive soundscapes don't have time to plant roots. Ambience, loops, vibes and flows were king. | | 78 |  | High Rise
II
Would I do it again: NO. Too much in this eclectic bag, more focused deep dives required (but a fun month, regardless). | | 79 |  | Colour Haze
Colour Haze
Further lines of enquiry: Stoner, Doom, Sludge + Psych. Probs trance. The Animal Collective discog. Weird folk. Psych jazz. | | 80 |  | Deakin
Sleep Cycle
Average rating: 3.67 (7th highest month) | | 81 |  | Time Machines
Time Machines
Honourable mentions: Solar Fields - Leaving Home; T2 - Boomland; Candy Claws - Ceres and Calypso; Szun Waves - New Hymn to Freedom; Can - Tago Mago; Mid-Air Thief - Crumbling; Luuli (s/t); Acid Mothers Temple - Crystal Rainbow; Motorpsycho - Heavy Metal Fruit | | 82 |  | Hum
Inlet
Best user participation award: ars, mort | | 83 |  | Polvo
Today's Active Lifestyles
1) Polvo - Todayās Active Lifestyles [mort] 1st November [1993, Math Rock]
2) Drive Like Jehu - Yank Crime [Sniff] 12th November [1994, Post-Hardcore]
3) NoMeansNo - Wrong [Sloth] 13th November [1989, Post-Hardcore]
4) Husker Du - Zen Arcade [Tim] 15th November [1984, Post-Hardcore / Hardcore]
5) Super Thief - Stuck [Kompys2000] 21st November [2017, Noise Rock]
6) Minutemen - Double Nickels [Dad] 24th November [1984, Post-Punk / Post-Hardcore]
7) Fugazi - The Argument [Cylinder] 29th November [2001, Post-Hardcore]
8) mewithoutYou - Brother, Sister [BlazinBlitzer] 35th November [2006, Indie Rock / Post-Hardcore] | | 84 |  | Drive Like Jehu
Yank Crime
What was it like: This genre still makes no sense to me. November was a constant cycle of death and rebirth: getting to grips with first wave PxHxCx only to be told there are at least 2 more waves to go; learning that it can intersect with indie, alt, noise and math rock, metalcore, emo, skramz, post-sludge and post-punk (eek!). A cumbersome but tasty cucumber. | | 85 |  | NoMeansNo
Wrong
What did I like: The old-school shit, apparently. Anything from the 80s seemed to work for me; nothing from the 00s really tickled my pickle; the 90s were hit and miss but mostly hit. I checked Fugazi and was pleased about it. | | 86 |  | Husker Du
Zen Arcade
Would I do it again: NO though see below. | | 87 |  | Super Thief
Stuck
Further lines of enquiry: Post-Punk, Hardcore Punk, more weird loud 80s shit. | | 88 |  | Minutemen
Double Nickels on the Dime
Average rating: 3.68 (6th Highest Month) | | 89 |  | Fugazi
The Argument
Honourable mentions: Unwound - New Plastic Ideas; Thrice - Beggars; No Knife - Fire in the City of Automatons; Treepeople - Guiltā¦; Number Girl - Sappukei; OāBrother - Garden Window; Hot Snakes - Suicide Invoice and Audit in Progress; Bitch Magnet - Umber | | 90 |  | mewithoutYou
Brother, Sister
Best user participation award: JOTW, Mort | | 91 |  | Lil Ugly Mane
Uneven Compromise
December///YOU
1) Lil Ugly Mane - Uneven Compromise [dedex] 4th December [2012, Memphis]
2) Arvo Part - Tabula Rasa [Dad] 6th December [1977/1984, Classical / Minimalism]
3) The Drones - Gala Mill [Porc] 8th December [2006, Punk Blues / Folk Rock]
4) Anna von Hausswolff - Dead Magic [pangea] 14th December [2018, Neoclassical Darkwave]
5) Dinosaur Jr. - Youāre Living All Over Me [foxxxy] 16th December [1987, Indie/Noise/Slacker Rock]
6) Hermit and the Recluse - Orpheus vs. The Sirens [someone] 17th December [2018, Abstract Hip Hop / Drumless]
7) Xanopticon - Psicicte [Avagantamos] 22nd December [2006, Breakcore]
8) Iron Monkey - Our Problem [ffs] 28th December [1998, Sludge Metal] | | 92 |  | Arvo Part
Tabula Rasa
What was it like: A big hug. We celebrated the close with a run through your 5s. Really interesting experience - helped me reevaluate what a 5 is, completely rejigged my own 5s in the process, and great opportunity to get better acquainted with the cool quirky taste pool that is sputnikmusic.com. | | 93 |  | The Drones
Gala Mill
What did I like: All of it you are all cool people. | | 94 |  | Anna von Hausswolff
Dead Magic
Would I do it again: YESYESYES. | | 95 |  | Dinosaur Jr.
You're Living All Over Me
Further lines of enquiry: All the 5s of all the users, forever. | | 96 |  | Hermit and the Recluse
Orpheus vs. The Sirens
Average rating: probs 5. | | 97 |  | xanopticon
Psicicite
Honourable mentions: All of you! | | 98 |  | Iron Monkey
Our Problem
Best user participation award: All of you!!!!!!! | | 99 | | Elbow
Asleep In The Back
///FAQs///
FAQ1: WHY DID I START DOING THIS LIST SERIES THING?!?
I ended last year questioning whether I ought to remain a Staffer, given the narrow lane in which my taste (and musical knowledge) was restricted: folk, hard/metalcore, emo / indie things, etc. etc. etc. I felt a bit under-informed for my station, having not moved away from these comfort zoneās since I first properly got into music (2015-2018).
To try to rectify at least some of my blind spots, and after having got back into exploration in late 2022, I had planned to do between 1 and 3 monthly rec lists, covering my biggest gaps: (a) Electronic, (b) Jazz and (c) Hip Hop. Simply jamming the top rated / classic albums in those genres using sput/rym charts seemed boring, so I tried the crowdsourcing approach. It went well, so, uh, I just kept going.
FAQ2: UNFORESEEN BENEFITS OF THIS LIST SERIES THING?!?
Beyond the obvious (i.e. learning about genres Iād often neglected in a focused manner, that therefore helped breakdown the barrier to entry) this series has also achieved the following:
(a) It has introduced me to some cool people (uh, hi! how are you?). My sense of the community that Sput is has grown and the detail coloured in and this is a good thing!!!
(b) It has provided a sense of structure and consistency, in both how I pursue this nerdy indulgent hobby, but also in life more generally. Where i would have skipped out on listening to new music in a busy day/week/month, i now try ensure i carve out a few minutes to myself each day to do so, which MY GOD has been a lifeline - the headspace and sense of peace forcefully making this time has been super super essential and a good thing!!!
(c) It has also changed my perspective of what āmusicā can/ought be, beyond my personal comfort blanket, into cultural/temporal looking glass, into meditative reset, into intentional alienation, among many other things, which is a good thing!!!
(d) In doing so, it has helped shatter self-imposed barriers/assumptions that I have held for years regarding the limits of my taste. Bashing your head against unfamiliar sounds for 30 consecutive days does, it turns out, help. I have realised I am more stupid than I could have imagined and held assumptions about other genres (and the genres I already love) that I couldnāt see from inside my own fishbowl. Personal growth is a good thing!!!
(e) More on structure: Iāve certainly found the ā1 album per day and write about it before you move onā format helpful for me, in that it has forced me to fully grapple with each given album before dropping it, at least enough to form coherent written opinion. The vague accountability to the users providing the recs has (i think) guarded against impulsive snap judgments / half-baked opinions, and has been key (in addition to the focused āby genreā format) in getting me into types of music that (without the same checks/balances) Iāve struggled to enjoy for so many years now. It hit an essential middleground between encouraging relatively fast consumption of music (which has helped develop understanding) whilst avoiding shallow exploration = win WIN (also known as a good thing!!!).
(e) It - in addition to the epiphany I had in 2022, documented in my self-indulgent Staff Wars thing - has revitalised my faith in exploring beyond the BIG albums, hunting for hidden gems, doing the dirty work, informed by a broader and more accurate set of likes and dislikes, which has injected an old hobby with new life, and is a good thing!!!
(f) It has (hopefully) helped me improve as a writer/critic - in terms of having more background know-how on more things, but also in that daily regular snappy writing helps lubricate my creative bones. The learning is a good thing!!!
(g) Finally, as a more external benefit, I hope the series has provided useful resources for those looking to get into the same genres, or at least provide a diary-style narrative of the virtues of dumb rampant exploration (at the very least it appears to have inspired a few equivalent rec comps e.g. JotW, Ryus, Pots, Mort, Zac, Hawks, probs more idk.) which has been a nice wholesome community thing (one final good thing!!!).
FAQ3: ANY LAST WORDS???
Honestly, and embarrassingly, this has been one of the most impactful and rewarding projects Iāve ever undertaken, musical or otherwise. It has had such an impact, that Iām seriously rethinking my 4.5s-5s; while I still love most of them, they no longer feel representative, of me or my taste, and I feel a little lost at sea, but excited!
Will I be doing this again next year? NO lol but I will probably take up another project, whether thatās music/sput related (e.g. some sort of user showcase list) or outside of music (I wanna read more). A book a week, maybe? Idk. I could learn guitar, properly this time. Or actually spend time with real life people? Probs not. | | 100 | | Elbow
Asleep In The Back
///STATISTICS///
STATISTICS (1): WHICH MONTH WON??? - by Average Rating
1st - Hip Hop (March): 3.88
2nd - Folk (June): 3.85
3rd - Jazz (Feb): 3.79
4th - Electronic (Jan): 3.75
5th - Experimental (Aug): 3.70
6th - Post-Hardcore (Nov): 3.68
7th - Psych (Oct): 3.67
8th - Funk (July): 3.65
9th - JotW (May): 3.63
10th - Noise (Sept): 3.61
11th - Black Metal (April): 3.59
STATISTICS (2) WHICH MONTH WON??? - by number of 4.3+ (superb) ratings per list
1st - Hip Hop (March): 8 recs
2nd: Folk (June): 7 recs
3rd - Electronic (Jan) / Psych (Oct): 5 recs
4th - Black Metal (April) / Post-Hardcore (Nov): 4 recs
5th - JotW (May) / Experimental (Aug) / Noise (Sept): 3 recs
6th - Jazz (Feb) - 2 recs
7th - Funk (July) - 1 rec
STATISTICS (3): Which month did I actually enjoy the most i.e. developed my taste significantly i.e. Iām most interested in exploring going forwards???
FIRST i.e. literal epiphany territory: Noise (Sept). Although rating av. is surprisingly low, I loved every second of my twisted spiral into tinnitus circa September 2023. Will be returning frequently and often (and will also dabble in some ambient).
SECOND i.e. heck i love these genres more than i thought i did: Electronic (Jan) / Jazz (Feb) / Hip Hop (March). They were why I started this series and, in line with expectations, appear to be the areas I have the most gold left to mine (makes sense; these are very wide genre labels lol).
THIRD i.e. this was cool pls sir may i have some more: Experimental (Aug) / Psych (Oct) / Post-Hardcore (Nov). Very much worth the journey, by no means firm favourites, but the highlights still got me HYPED to keep plundering. Perhaps too broad as genre categories??? I have particular sub-sub genres that Iām gonna look into.
FOURTH i.e. i feel better informed now but wonāt be returning immediately: Black Metal (April) / JotW (May) / Funk (July). Funk is such a narrow slice of pie, Iām much more inclined to explore outwards into Soul, R&B and Blues than I am just to stay put. Black Metal was more homogenous than Iād realised please dont hate me. Inclusion of Johnny here is merely happenstance; I dont think month rec comps based on one other human beingās individual taste are as useful developmental springboards as a genre month (or perhaps time period or geographical list format), which is no slight on Johnny, I enjoyed our time together xoxo, but Iām happy to go our separate ways and reconvene intermittently in Adrienne Lenker and Seiko Oomori threads.
STATISTICS (4): USER ENGAGEMENT i.e. which month did yāall vibe/engage with the most (based on number of comments)
This appears influenced by (a) the number of recs accepted in that month and (b) Sputās genre preferences and (c) the more this series took off (Jan/Feb didnt get much traction vs. later months) and (d) the users involved (pots, Johnny, someone, dad, ryus, mort etc tended to drive up numbers on particular lists).
1st - Post-Hardcore (Nov): 336 comments
2nd - Black Metal (April): 296 comments
3rd - Hip Hop (March): 235 comments
4th - Noise (Sept): 225 comments
5th: Experimental (Aug): 218 comments
6th - Funk (July): 195 comments
7th - Folk (June): 187 comments
8th - Electronic (Jan): 157 comments
9th - Psych (Oct): 155 comments
10th - Jazz (Feb): 136 comments
11th - JotW (May): 54 comments [we did not market this very well lol]
STATISTICS (5): Misc.
Total number of recs listened to: 386 [aka just under 20% of all the albums I have rated, or 22% increase in ratings]
Number of users who submitted recs: 108. This would be nearer 150-200 users, if weāre counting those who submitted recs but didn't make it onto any of the lists due to lack of space.
Old Chart, December 2022 | 1735 ratings |
Hardcore: 19%
Folk: 15%
Emo: 14%
Punk: 13%
Metalcore: 13%
Indie Rock: 12%
Indie Folk: 11%
New Chart, December 2023 | 2252 ratings |
Experimental: 21% (š)
Folk: 16% (ā 1%)
Hardcore: 13% (ā 6%)
Psychedelic: 13% (š)
Hip-Hop: 12% (š)
Emo: 11% (ā 3%)
Punk 10% (ā 3%)
GONE: Indie Rock (12%), Metalcore (13%) and Indie Folk (11%)
Piechart goals: replace emo and punk with jazz and electronic and swap psychedelic for noise. | |
AsleepInTheBack
12.30.23 | this is WIP but watch me copy and paste from my google doc ig | Ladron93
12.30.23 | Steve Roach - Structures from Silence, Herbie Hancock - Head Hunters and Burzum - Hvis Lyset Tar Oss are great albums I've listened to, Asleep. | AsleepInTheBack
12.30.23 | all v good albums ladron check 8, 9 and 10 if you havent
ALSO this is done now i am tired happy holidays everyone | Azazzel
12.30.23 | wew lad what an adventure. not wrong about mono-black metal, I most always leaven mine with genre hybrids or the more proggy experimental kind, or the adjacent subgs where black is an influence but not a narrow tremolo picking aperture stranglehold though those have their own jaunty charm. same with atmo, closer it is to grandiouse epic and post the better else zzz | Hyperion1001
12.30.23 | awesome writeup my friend and props for the dedication to actually see this through. i would have given up in the first month lol. | Mort.
12.30.23 | good user glad to have you here | Ryus
12.30.23 | wowww big effort congrats sir this was a great project | mkmusic1995
12.30.23 | This was such an interesting read and unique way of looking at the year! Awesome stuff Sleepy! :D | Egarran
12.30.23 | This is like seeing the pyramids for the first time. | AsleepInTheBack
12.30.23 | Thanks gang thank you for contributing/bants/recs/good vibes | 0xME
12.30.23 | I loved watching this project this year, thank you for doing this! | ArsMoriendi
12.30.23 | If you want noise on your pie chart you're going to need to get taggin', as a new genre tag, a lot of artists need that noise tag | ArsMoriendi
12.30.23 | This was a very fun list series
Thank you for letting me push funk on you :D | AsleepInTheBack
12.30.23 | Thank thank thank
Ars Iāll get taggin | Winesburgohio
12.31.23 | i love this so much, massive kudos for your thirst for knowledge and beautiful transmissions | Sniff
12.31.23 | Bro. This has been enjoyable af. | someone
12.31.23 | Gosh darn that must've been some work that went into this list.
Thx for that rec series, twas fun. Hope some other good soul takes up a similar effort next year, or you'll come around and start it over. | AsleepInTheBack
12.31.23 | eyyyy glad people had fun
and eyyyy YES another individual(s) ought to pick up the mantle. im defo gonna do another rec related thing next year i think i just dont know what it will be yet. certainly wont be as life consuming as this, but i am glad i did this. | Flugmorph
12.31.23 | now i understand what you meant with excessive amount of list bumps | budgie
12.31.23 | that black metal thread was a lot of fun | Sniff
12.31.23 | Hmu if you want life consuming discogs to jam | Dewinged
12.31.23 | This is absolutely insane and I love it lol | BitterJalapenoJr
12.31.23 | I love how in depth you went with the stats. Props for carrying out such a demanding challenge and sticking to it all year. | AsleepInTheBack
12.31.23 | Hugs hugs hugs | JohnnyoftheWell
12.31.23 | Omg yes the datacrunch! This was a rly cool series to observe/participate in - curious to see what format inevitably replaces this throughout the new year | robertsona
12.31.23 | Good lord | DadKungFu
12.31.23 | Crazy fun year and crazy great recs from near everyone | BlazinBlitzer
12.31.23 | Ayy, I'm glad you included Brother, Sister in the list. That album's a Sput classic, but they're absolutely right on that one. The closer especially is something else. | AsleepInTheBack
01.01.24 | More hugs hugs hugs
Happy new year and such | ffs
01.01.24 | have a lovely sleep sir | Egarran
01.01.24 | Aw look at him all cuddled up.
We're so lucky to have him. | AsleepInTheBack
01.01.24 | Shhhh Iām sleepin | bighubbabuddha
01.01.24 | Happy you digged Kikagaku Moyo as much as me | granitenotebook
01.01.24 | "No matter how much good music you think is out there, there is always more" is the most true thing anyone has ever posted on this website | Egarran
01.01.24 | You don't know how much good music I think is out there. Maybe it's scientifically impossible for there to be more. | budgie
01.01.24 | there is always SOME more
when i browse thru bandcamp the ratio of good to garbage is something like 1:60 | Egarran
01.01.24 | No there isn't more music than how much I think is out there, stop talking for me, bird brain |
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