Lasssies 2024
Certainly been a long year and not the easiest but the music this year has been mindblowing. And i turned 30 last month so i feel kinda old now, yeah.
Obviously there are tons of albums this year that should have been included on a list like this but these are just among my favorites anyway |
| 1 |  | State Faults
Children of the Moon
I mean, duh! Ever since this behemoth of an album was released ive been floored with each listen. Its instrumentation feels massive, at times overwhelming and its lyricism flooding with emotion. This album has is surprisingly uplifting in a strange way.
From the first second of the interlude where a distant voice of a woman can be heard saying "Ive never seen such infinite beauty in my life" and the seamless transition to Blood Moon, which was the first track i heard from this album and the opening line, "softer now the song cries out" and the attention grabbing shouts of "i cant find my happiness", we know from the get go we are in for a wild ride.
Palo Sant gives us the joy of hearing the band sing out the title of the album! YAY! With its very Circa Survive esque hook on the chorus it gives us one of the moments with more singing than screaming which Jonny Andrew stated in an interview was something hed wanted for a while to try out. For some this is seen as the weak link on this |
| 2 | | State Faults
Children of the Moon
album, but i disagree!
Next on with Leviathan this album goes from amazing to straight out breathtaking. The drumming and guitars from here on keeps on getting more and more intense, impressing and emotional. With a very Deafheaven like guitar solo and lines like "Im gonna bloom if i want to", this doesnt fail to bring shivers down my spine.
Heath Death is the second shortest track on this and feels like and is relentless in its vocal delivery and instrumentation and the repetition of the line "I`ll be fine, I`ll be fine", it is another triumphant moment on this album, but as there are so many of those in this, Heat Death are one of the tracks (among with Palo Santo) that might easily get overshadowed on this incredible tracklist.
And now we are getting to the real good stuff! Looming beging with atmospheric sounds and a church bell in the background until a guitar riff slowly kicks in. I attended an baptism this autumn and in church when the bells rung i for some reason thought this |
| 3 | | State Faults
Children of the Moon
song was on lol. After Looming we get straight into the real standout on this. NO GOSPEL! I mean, everyone must at least have heard of that song on this site by now, right? It is the best song of the year on the best album of the year. The whole song is a true tour de force. The drumming alone on this is just.. wow! This song just has to be heard. If youre not convinced: Bongos! Also one of the albums most memorable lines can be heard on it: "The only hole book is the one inside your heart!"
No Gospel transitions perfectly to Transfiguration which is maybe the most beautiful song on the album with its gorgeous chord progression and heartfelt vocal performance. "The soil choked on my blood, now the garden wont grow!"
Next are Divination, which is also among the standouts on the album. "The emptiness is a womb not a grave!"
Distant Omen continues in the same vein and is also great. "In the dead of night i have lost my pulse!"
Next is Nazar. Another standout, but by now almost every track |
| 4 | | State Faults
Children of the Moon
is a standout to be fair. This is the reason im still writing on this.
Palm Reader is another heavy track that infuses all the ingredients that has made all the other songs on this so good. "Happiness, happiness together!"
Wind Song is one of my personal favorites on this with its slow post rock ish build up and introspective lyrics. "Now think back, what do you think of yourself?"
The closer on this are among the greatest closers in recent memory (which can also be said of another closer on an album found later on this list hehe). With its acoustic guitars, clean vocals and lyrics this one really stands out. Like, who the hell would have thought a screamo power ballad would be a thing that could work? "seconds fall to hours, fall to days". With this State Faults have really cemented themselves as a force to be reckoned with and they have created a true masterpiece. Cant remember last time ive given an album a 5/5 this fast. Still listen to this often and it is without a doubt AOTY |
| 5 |  | The Cure
Songs of a Lost World
Earlier this year when i read about The Cure having new music in the works i thought to myself "When did i last care for a new The Cure album and why should i care for this?". I had my reservations for this, but man was i wrong. I actually didnt listen to the singles either because i didnt expect anything special from Robert Smith and the boys in 2024.
With its atmospheric and rich instrumentation and vocals from a singer who hasnt sounded this good or inspired in a long time is really something to behold. From the opening line "This is the end of every song we sing" and to the incredible closer (and maybe one of the best closers in a long time) Endsong with lines like "Left alone with nothing at the end of every song" really proves that bands that have existed for such a long time still can deliver works that can compete with their strongest outing from their glory days in the 80s. |
| 6 |  | Crippling Alcoholism
With Love From a Padded Room
I had never heard of Crippling Alcoholism before listening to this and didnt know what to expect. Judging from the album cover i thought this was a death metal album or something, but man was i wrong. Its dark lyricism, vocal delivery, synths and instrumentation this album grabs your attention and never lets go. Red Looks Good On Him is one of my favorite tracks of the year and it has no reason to be as catchy as it is with lyrics like "Family is a burden, friends is just a chore!". If you havent heard this one i urge you to check it out. |
| 7 |  | Ceres
Magic Mountain (1996—2022)
With a runtime thats over an hour and songs with lengths varying from just over a minute to a little over 4 minutes this album could have been a mess full of half baked ideas and some more fully realized songs; luckily this feels very thought out and complete and is without a doubt a labour of love from a band that had taken a break and no one knew if they would even return. From songs with great hooks like Britney Spears that could easily been played on radios in the summers to more introverted cuts like Mercury In The Next Room and everything in between i love every one of the 25 tracks on this and wouldnt change a thing. With each listen comes a new favorite song emerges. "There is a fire on top of magic mountain", and i dont think that fire will burn out anytime soon. |
| 8 |  | Alora Crucible
Oak Lace Apparition
Intricate, soothing and just so damn relaxing. Listening to this album is like meditation. As some of the pieces on this reaches its climax it can almost be overwhelmingly powerful, but Toby Driver always knows how to balance the tops and bottoms and this is among his best works. My english skills are not good enough to describe this music good enough so for anyone who hasnt checked this one out i think you should do it now. |
| 9 |  | Blood Incantation
Absolute Elsewhere
Just like State Fault`s Children Of The Moon this album feels so damn essential and a modern masterpiece within its genre. Blood Incantation have really created something unique here, which also with its massive amount of acclaim have brought its criticism from the hardcore death metal community at large. With ambient passages and help from synths to strenghten the theme of space and time and strong influences from their musical heroes mixed with their own death metal mastery, they have here forged a masterpiece that will be talked about for years to come. "OPEN THE STARGATE!" |
| 10 |  | Foxing
Foxing
The buildup and anticipation to this album was very interesting. Their last album was good but didnt live up to their masterpiece Nearer My God, but has somehow gotten a better reception over time. The singles were even more perplexing. The slow and hauntingly beautiful Greyhound with its fantastic music video and relatable lyrics could be seen as an indicator of how the album would be. Maybe longer and slower songs? The next single turned all my expectations on its head. Hell 99 with its shouting/screaming vocals and pessimistic lyrics almost felt shocking as a polar opposite to Greyhound, and with the election and everything else happening in the world it felt eerily relevant. The opener Secret History almost has this shocking jump scare kind of effect that goes well along with Hell 99. It almost feels like they have sections with different genres on this. After the initial shock of Secret History and Hell 99 we are introduced to the sexy groove of the industrial NIN type of song; |
| 11 | | Foxing
Foxing
Spit. It is hereafter i have some very few and minor complaints with the intro for Barking, which is Cleaning that feels kind of slow just like the outro for Hell 99. The Dead duo also arent the best, but overall this record is just so good and ive listened to it so much that i just couldnt justify not having it on this list. Gratitude and Hall of Frozen Heads are among my favorite songs of this year as well. The self titled output from Foxing might not reach the greatness they achieved with NMG but what they try to do here and mostly succeed with is just so damn endearing. |
| 12 |  | Respire
Hiraeth
2024 has been a great year for screamo. This might be a little harder to pin down genre wise, but i think it does fit under that umbrella at least to some degree. With Hiraeth, Respire have created something real special: a mixture of chaos and beatuy, screams colliding with violins and cymbals crashing against the sound of horns. Listening to this feels like going on an adventure and i hope more people give this a chance. |
| 13 |  | Dvne
Voidkind
A welcoming return after waiting some years for a follow up to their excellent previous album Etemen Ænka which i have loved and listened to a lot since it was released. Must also say the artwork on this is among one of this years most beautiful album covers. |
| 14 |  | A Place For Owls
how we dig in the earth
I initially liked this album a lot but was not sure if i would include it on a list like this, but ever since its release it has been on the back of my mind and grown on me so immensely. Admittedly im a sucker for this kind of music. Some have said the lyrics on this are corny and stupid but i find its earnestness disarmingly charming.
"Theres a starbucks across the street! There i will wait for you" |
| 15 |  | Shellac
To All Trains
Honorable mentions: this gem that serves as a swansong for the genius that is Steve Albini is a perfect culmination of everything that made him the giant he was. |
| 16 |  | The Story So Far
I Want to Disappear
Even if One Step Closer realistically released the better album in this vein of music this year i must admit the sentiment and heart on this album is undeniable. I have listened more this this than i care to admit and it is impossible to not be a littled moved by White Shores. |
| 17 |  | Lupe Fiasco
Samurai
A return to form. Fantastic artwork and another incredible closer on this. |
| 18 |  | Iress
Sleep Now, In Reverse
For some reason this did not click with me at first as i didnt find it to be that special but after further listens it does for sure deserve an honorable mention. |
| 19 |  | Slift
Ilion
Im such a fool that i didnt listen to this until earlier this week and what can i say? It is incredible. It might have ended up higher if i just listened to it before |
|
