Ice 2024: seasons passing ❄️🌷☀️🍁
As always: this is a list of the albums I discovered last year, not of the albums that were released in 2024. |
| 1 |  | Dead Can Dance
Within the Realm of a Dying Sun
1. MAIN LIST - my favourite albums discovered last year, ranked by the month I feel they belong in |
| 2 |  | Ben Howard
How Are You Feeling?
2024 / indie folk / singer-songwriter
January – waking up on a dark, dreary Monday morning after a bad night, not yet able to get out of bed, realizing the holidays are over but winter is decidedly not
‘Lotus flower’ |
| 3 |  | Malcolm Middleton
5:14 Fluoxytine Seagull Alcohol John Nicotine
2002 / singer-songwriter
January – hating yourself for being the absolute clown you think you are
‘Crappo the Clown’ |
| 4 |  | OXN
CYRM
2023 / avant-folk / darkwave
February – burning witches in the middle of the night
‘Farmer in the City’ |
| 5 |  | Sea Oleena
Shallow
2014 / ambient pop / dream pop
February – accidentally falling asleep on the couch on a cold winter day, as the sunlight slowly leaves the room
‘Vinton, LA’ |
| 6 |  | Lankum
False Lankum
2023 / Irish folk music
March – walking through the forest on a misty morning, all by yourself, vaguely hearing some folk music in the distance…
‘Lord Abore and Mary Flynn’ |
| 7 |  | There Will Be Fireworks
Because, Because
2011 / indie rock / certified Icebloomcore
March – at home on a rainy day, missing your friends, waiting for a message from the girl you’ve been texting with
‘Harmonium Song’ |
| 8 |  | Fuubutsushi
Natsukashii
2021 / chamber jazz
April – taking a lazy stroll through the park and realizing you can take off your jacket
‘Chopin Park Kite’ |
| 9 |  | Smog
A River Ain't Too Much To Love
2005 / folk / singer-songwriter
April – taking a slow boat ride on an early spring morning, neither warm nor cold, under a perfectly blue sky
‘Drinking at the Dam’ |
| 10 |  | Blonde Redhead
23
2007 / dream pop / indie rock
May – dancing your socks off at a concert from a band you never even listened to
‘Top Ranking’ |
| 11 |  | Driftless
Perfect Blue
2022 / post-rock / shoegaze
May – biking with the wind at your back
(also: stay strong efp!!)
‘Renew’ |
| 12 |  | Novastar
Novastar
2000 / pop rock
May – wearing your favourite shirt
‘Moreau’ |
| 13 |  | Four Tet
New Energy
2017 / microhouse
June – just chilling, all day long
‘Two Thousand and Seventeen’ |
| 14 |  | Everything Everything
Mountainhead
2024 / indie pop
July – hanging out with friends on a seemingly never-ending summer day
‘The Witness’ |
| 15 |  | GoGo Penguin
Everything Is Going to Be OK
2023 / nu jazz
July – looking at an album cover and realizing it perfectly encapsulates the music
‘You’re Stronger Than You Think (Revisit)’ |
| 16 |  | Palace Music
Viva Last Blues
1995 / folk rock / alt-country
July – being out with friends but not your best friends and you’re drunk and happy but also a bit sad, maybe, and it’s too hot
‘The Brute Choir’ |
| 17 |  | Mojave 3
Ask Me Tomorrow
1995 / slowcore / alt-country
July – drifting in and out of sleep on a hot summer morning
‘Tomorrow’s Taken’ |
| 18 |  | Sweet Trip
You Will Never Know Why
2009 / indie pop / dream pop
July – enjoying your stay at a stereotypical tropical beach with stereotypical palm trees and whatnot
‘Acting’ |
| 19 |  | Bent
Ariels
2004 / downtempo / indie pop
August – going scuba diving at that same tropical beach
‘Silent Life’ |
| 20 |  | The Comet Is Coming
Trust in the Lifeforce of Deep Mystery
2019 / jazz fusion / nu jazz
July – trying to murder the mosquito that’s been buzzing around your head just as you tried to sleep
‘Blood of the Past’ |
| 21 |  | St Germain
Tourist
2000 / nu jazz / deep house / downtempo
August – it’s a summer party! the weather is perfect, all the right people are around and you have lots of things to say
‘Rose rouge’ |
| 22 |  | Jungle by Night
Livingstone
2018 / jazz-funk / afrobeat
August – going to a festival and it’s actually sunny and warm and bright the whole weekend??
‘Pompette’ |
| 23 |  | toe
NOW I SEE THE LIGHT
2024 / indie rock / math rock
August – driving back to the campsite while on holiday with a loved one, not saying much, both enjoying the slow fall of night
‘WHO KNOWS ?’ |
| 24 |  | Mark Kozelek
Lost Verses Live
2009 / singer-songwriter / folk
September – taking in the view from your apartment on a late summer evening, feeling melancholic and enjoying it
‘Tiny Cities (Live)’ |
| 25 |  | There Will Be Fireworks
Summer Moon
2023 / indie rock
September – visiting a place you have too many memories of
also: realizing every second word you say somehow – and strangely specifically – starts with an ‘s’
‘So Long, Sundown’ |
| 26 |  | Tindersticks
Tindersticks
1993 / chamber pop / indie rock
October – the weather seemed okay, but the moment you went out for an errand it started to rain – heavily – and it was windy too and altogether unpleasant and also you’re still bitter about your ex
‘Blood’ |
| 27 |  | The Cinematic Orchestra
Every Day
2002 / nu jazz / downtempo
October – walking through a beautiful forest on a remarkably warm late autumn day
‘Man With the Movie Camera’ |
| 28 |  | Kiasmos
Kiasmos
2014 / microhouse
October –watching a faraway storm creep closer and closer
‘Lit’ |
| 29 |  | Migala
Restos De Un Incendio
2001 / slowcore / post-rock
October – walking around your neighbourhood in the dark, a light drizzle coming down on you
‘Noche Desde un Tren’ |
| 30 |  | Submotion Orchestra
Finest Hour
2011 / downtempo / nu jazz
November – at the train station after having visited a close friend, seeing the many city lights reflected in the pools on the street, feeling home already
‘Finest Hour’ |
| 31 |  | Skalpel
Origins
2022 / downtempo / nu jazz
November – putting your coat on in a dark alley after leaving the club
‘White Label’ |
| 32 |  | Dispirited Spirits
The Redshift Blues
2023 / progressive rock / midwest emo
November – looking up at the stars, feeling insignificant
‘Ships Sailing Space’ |
| 33 |  | Alora Crucible
Oak Lace Apparition
2024 / neoclassical new age / chamber music / easy AOTY
December – taking a long walk in the snow, not a lot on your mind
‘Amidst Ewdendrift a Corridor’ |
| 34 |  | Spangle call Lilli line
or
2003 / indie rock / dream pop
December – reading on the couch on a snowy winter day, cozily covered underneath a blanket, the obligatory fireplace burning brightly
‘nano’ |
| 35 | | Dead Can Dance
Within the Realm of a Dying Sun |
| 36 | | Dead Can Dance
Within the Realm of a Dying Sun
2. LEFTOVERS - k so here are some more albums I enjoyed but felt weren’t strong enough to make my ‘main’ list, ranked from most to fewest scrobbles
e.g. here ends the effort part of this list |
| 37 | | Dead Can Dance
Within the Realm of a Dying Sun |
| 38 |  | Adrianne Lenker
Bright Future
first half is really good but I just don’t care for anything after ‘Vampire Empire’. ‘Free Treasure’ SOTY though |
| 39 |  | The Magnetic Fields
69 Love Songs
love the first 10ish songs on this |
| 40 |  | Copeland
Blushing
had 'As Above So Alone' on repeat, amazing song |
| 41 |  | Svaneborg Kardyb
Over Tage
nice chamber music |
| 42 |  | Sufjan Stevens
Javelin
'Shit Talk' is one of his best songs, don't care too much about the rest of the album |
| 43 |  | Peter Gabriel
So
ultimately decided against putting this one on my main list. Good album but I mostly just really like 'Mercy Street' and 'Don't Give Up' |
| 44 |  | Hammock
Raising Your Voice... Trying to Stop an Echo
too long |
| 45 |  | Ethel Cain
Carpet Bed EP
every Ethel Cain fan should listen to 'Growing Pains'. Heartbreaking |
| 46 |  | Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds
Wild God
great but didn't impact me as much as some of his other works |
| 47 |  | The Cure
Songs of a Lost World
will probably grow on me. Not vibing with the ""harsher"" tracks in the middle, 'Nothing Is Forever' is more my jam |
| 48 |  | NTO (FR)
Apnea
I went to a dance festival |
| 49 |  | dEUS
Following Sea
perfectly fine album, no real highlights though. Maybe the opener |
| 50 |  | A Winged Victory for the Sullen
A Winged Victory for the Sullen
sleeping |
| 51 |  | Micah P. Hinson
Micah P. Hinson and the Gospel of Progress
had some great listens with this, especially the magic closing track |
| 52 |  | Bear's Den
First Loves
this was nice |
| 53 |  | Bill Ryder-Jones
Iechyd Da
thought this was gonna be my AOTY for a day |
| 54 |  | Mammal Hands
Floa
nu jazz by the numbers |
| 55 |  | Stromae
Multitude
french |
| 56 |  | Beth Gibbons
Lives Outgrown
yeah good album but none of it stuck with me |
| 57 |  | Geotic
The Anchorite
good |
| 58 |  | Michael Kiwanuka
Love and Hate
missed out on seeing him live because I wanted to see football - stupid me |
| 59 |  | Toundra
Toundra (II)
post-metal by the numbers |
| 60 |  | (The) Slowest Runner (In All The World)
The Flophouse Session
this was cool |
| 61 |  | Ulver
Perdition City
album doesn't work for me, but 'Lost in Moments' and 'Hallways of Always' (best song title eva) are great tracks |
| 62 |  | Toby Driver
N.G.H.4.M.
more Toby. One song stretched out for 16 minutes |
| 63 | | Dead Can Dance
Within the Realm of a Dying Sun |
| 64 | | Dead Can Dance
Within the Realm of a Dying Sun
3. OLDIES REAPPRECIATED - old favourites I grew to like even more, also ranked by scrobbles |
| 65 | | Dead Can Dance
Within the Realm of a Dying Sun |
| 66 |  | Slowdive
Everything is Alive
I love comeback Slowdive |
| 67 |  | Portico Quartet
Monument
jammed this to death, best Portico |
| 68 |  | mewithoutYou
Catch For Us the Foxes
only mwY album I've been able to get into, keeps growing on me |
| 69 |  | Arab Strap
Philophobia
might be a 5 |
| 70 |  | Brian Eno
Ambient 1: Music For Airports
such a brilliant album |
| 71 |  | Portishead
Third
might be a 5 |
| 72 |  | Exquirla
Para Quienes Aún Viven
grew on me a lot last year, last two tracks are massive |
| 73 |  | Carissa's Wierd
You Should Be At Home Here
this is a 4.5 |
| 74 |  | Toby Driver
They Are the Shield
moooore Toby |
| 75 |  | Damien Jurado
The Horizon Just Laughed
surprised at how much I find myself enjoying this one when I had a Jurado binge |
| 76 |  | Kashiwa Daisuke
Program Music III
check if you like short songs |
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