Following on to my round up of the singles in part I, here are my favourites albums, compilations and reissues from 2024.
It has to be said that, as with the singles, I haven’t been actively following the flow of new releases as I did in previous years. Of course I still spent a good chunk of my time looking for records, but older ones rather new ones. Plus, as I was writing here same time last year, I am still in the process of trimming down my collection. While still digging. Realising that the record room has to be ever evolving. Not a museum. I am not a collector. And there’s a baby on the way. The baby room is filled with records. Oops! Oh the dilemma 🥹
Oh and there was aja monet. The extraordinary 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘦𝘵 / storyteller / activist / freedom fighter / soldier of love. I won’t review her album When The Poems Do What They Do since it was released in 2023 but a/ I only discovered it last year, b/ it’s a masterpiece and c/ her live show at Church of Sound was by far the best gig I went to last year, the kind of performance that gives some much needed faith back in humanity, in the power of poetry, of art, art as a conduct for social change, of sharing and community.
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ALBUMS
(In alphabetical order)
- Àbáse – Awakening (Oshu Records)
Though I wasn’t familiar with Berlin-based Hungarian musician, producer and polymath Szabolcs Bognár, the driving force behind Àbáse, his latest project came to my ears thanks to the involvement of Analogue Foundation, the great Japanese company whose mission is to promote the “timeless beauty of analogue sound”. Recorded at the fame Brewery Studios in Berlin, the sound is rich, warm and effortless – easily the most audiophile album which came out last year – with the album design matching the sonics to perfection.
On a quest for cosmic grooves of unity
(Oshu Records’ motto)
As for the music, Awakening is a spiritual affair, a stunning tapestry of cosmic grooves and influences, weaving together Afrobeat, Hungarian folk, Yoruba rhythms, and even Detroit house, techno and hip hop, with exquisite modal improvisation a la Coltrane circa his classic 60s era. And a good dose of Sun Ra too (‘Sun Is Away‘).
A real treat and future classic, to enjoy and revisit without moderation.
- Mr Beatnick – île Flottante (International Feel Recordings)
Beatnick goes full on Balearic on this superb tribute to the white isle. Floaty, breezy and effortlessly danceable, think Software with a Balearic b boy stance. One to put on repeat at the first glimpse of a sun ray. Aperol on the rocks please.
- Clan Caimán – Pica-Pau (woodpecker) (EM Records)
Lysergic, charming and hypnotic post-exotica from Argentina by ways of Japan’s impeccable Em Records. Think nu cumbia after party shenanigans morphing into languid Balearic bliss, played on a self-made percussion instrument (the so called kalimabafon) and sung in an invented language (!). The music flows and meanders like an endless river, on a lost highway to the holy mountain. Much love to Josh for the t(r)ip.
- Emanative – Abstract Intuition (Home Planet Recordings)
I included the percussive organic trance of ‘Messimalism (Above Thought)’ in my tracks of the year already, as it’s a dance-floor bomb, but the whole album deserves to be praised. Drummer and multi instrumentalist Emanative has been at the forefront of the UK cosmic jazz scene for a good fifteen years, blending electronic, jazz, oriental and hip hop influences. Recorded for the most part “on one extremely rainy evening” with a line-up of stellar guest (Peter Zummo, Sarathy Korwar, Jessica Lauren), Abstract Intuition sounds ultra fresh and flows incredibly well. This was one of the albums Silvia and I tested the new batch of greens on, and lord knows how deep we went (outta sight!). Essential release!
- Ezra Collective – Dance, No One’s Watching (Partisan Records)
“God gave me feet for dancin” was indeed one of if not the definite singles of 2024, but there’s plenty more to like in the latest offering from the mighty Ezra Collective. Check the breezy, cosmic funk groove of ‘N29’ for instance (as cool as):
And just watch this amazing Tiny desk Tive performance, featuring Joe Armon-Jones on extremely fine form (even more as cool as). Pure love and passion right there.
- Amaro Freitas – Y’Y (Psychic Hotline)
Perhaps the album of the year for me, at least the one I listened to the most. As we learn in the liner notes, “trying to rescue things that came before coloniality is a theme that has been woven into Freitas’s work for years, and Y’Y is his attempt “to codify his fresh ‘decolonised’ interpretation of Brazilian jazz.”
Indeed side A serves as an expression of connection to the earth and to the ancestors, paying homage to the forest and rivers of the Amazon (Y’Y means “water” or “river” in Sateré Mawé dialect) as well as the incandescent power of enchanted spirits who intervene on behalf of the community in times of struggle. Freitas is heard at his most wide-ranging, embodying soft natural ambience as well as dramatic action on the piano. Truly spectacular. On side B the connections with the global Black avant-jazz community become apparent with the presence of Shabaka Hutchings on flute (who appears on both the title track and the closing track, “Encantados”, two summits of the album), guitarist Jeff Parker, harpist Brandee Younger (on the majestic ‘Gloriosa’), and drummer Hamid Drake. The music weaves together jazz traditions from across the world, while staying rooted in the unique sounds and rituals found in Afro-Brazilian and indigenous cultures. Crucially for an album of mood music which strongly refuses to settle, the sound is nothing short of spectacular, warm and vibrant like the river it is dedicated to. An absolute must.
- Leonidas & Hobbes – Pockets of Light (Hobbes Music)
Pockets of lights is a monumental effort of cosmic proportions, in all senses of the word. “Space Symphony”, “What is Space”, “Space Raga”, “Lost in Space”… One gets the drift. Conceived during lockdown, this is a concept album about the state of our future. Think futuristic, cinematic techno a la Drexciya, Orwelian state control, Terence McKenna, (the album is sprinkled with choice sampled speeches throughout) and you’re not far out. While the dance-floor orientated tracks are gathered on a vinyl sampler (including the superb “Magik” and “Keep Livin'”), these are only one side of the album. One must head to the digital release for the full trip.
- Ariel Kalma, Jeremiah Chiu, Marta Sofia Honer – The Closest Thing to Silence (International Anthem)
It was another incredible year for Chicago’s (global) community label International Anthem, which has been a constant fixture in my charts since its inception a decade ago. Out of the crop of releases which came out last year, this collaborative album between Australia-based, French born fourth-world music legend Ariel Kalma (his drone heavy, Don Cherry-esque 1975 LP Le Temps des Moissons is an absolute treasure to rediscover) with International Anthem recording artists Jeremiah Chiu & Marta Sofia Honer was an absolute delight.
Their collective approach to this work was born in improvisation and realized via collage-based editing. The end result brings several distinct musical moments — recorded sometimes decades apart — into conversation with one another, forming new narratives from building blocks of old ones. There are snippets of improvised playing from each musician, edited together with recordings that Kalma had made in the 70s at GRM, and even moments of audio notes — like Kalma explaining his ideas — that would make it into the final mixes.
Ultimately, the collection of music highlights the work of all three musicians, intertwining the contextual immersion heard on Chiu & Honer’s 2022 LP Recordings from the Åland Islands with an intergenerational reverence for Kalma’s decades-spanning body of work which has enshrined him as one of the true, transcendent pioneers and sages of new age and fourth-world music.
A must watch is this amazing documentary made in 2014 by RVNG Int which starts with a quote of Kalma saying “The closest thing to music is silence”, itself an interesting spin on ECM‘s famous motto, “the most beautiful sound next to silence”. Fascinating stuff.
- Jeff Parker ETA IVtet – The Way Out Of Easy (International Anthem)
And this was the other summit of the crop of International Anthem releases, a fascinating live recording from the ever inspired and long time hero Jeff Parker, here on a delicate, unhurried, and expansive mood with his LA IVtet. So deep, so warm, so hypnotic. What Sundays are made for.
- E Ruscha V – Seeing Frequencies (Fourth Sounds)
As ever a staple in my end of the year recaps, the latest offering from Secret Circuit‘s Eddie Ruscha is an immersive suite of flow-state synth improvisations, one that is better described in moods and colours. Something (even) further than synesthesia explains Ruscha to Anton Spice in the superb liner notes; where music, painting and sound imagery become inextricably intertwined.
- Shabaka – Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace (Impulse)
I have been raving repeatedly about how important Shabaka Huchings is for many years my end-of-the-year reviews regularly. All of his projects, with the Ancestors, Sons Of Kemet and Comet is Coming have been groundbreaking in their own ways, and I’ve always been looking forward to his next moves.
After retiring the saxophone as announced (listen back to this fascinating conversation with Zakia if you haven’t already), Shabaka has been devoting his time to woodwinds instruments (flutes and clarinets), which he describes as fundamental. Back in April we were lucky to witness an intimate solo performance of Shabaka at Mu during which he played on an arsenal of flutes from various places in the world (including Mayan Teotihuacan drone flutes, Brazilian pifanos, Native American flutes, South American quenas, and Japanese shakuashi), with a little introductory note between each piece (explaining how he “started to appreciate the underlying principles that cause these instruments to resonate most fully and use this understanding to form a concept allowing me to freely move between instruments.”). He even built his own shakuashi flute after harvesting and carving the bamboo himself – that’s how dedicated and passionate he is. That concert was super special, a total one off which followed the release of his first solo EP, the deep and meditative Afrikan Culture. Expanding on that, he released his first solo album Perceive its beauty, Acknowledge its Grace, with the help of an all star cast (Andre 3000, Lianne La Havas, Carlos Niño, Floating Points, esperanza spalding, Laraaji, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Saul Williams, and rapper ELUCID). The result is a deeply meditative and moving suite, on which fear, courage and the power of breath work are underlying narratives, ending on the superb ‘Song of the Motherland’ featuring the voice and poem of Shabaka’s own father Anum Iyapo (whose solo 1985 dub poetry album of the same name was reissued last year – full circle!) on . One to let yourself fully immersed in, just like Shabaka miming the flute operatically underwater on the clip to the album opener ‘End of Innocence’.
- Nala Sinephro – Endlessness (Warp)
Having raised the (cosmic) bar so high release of Space 1.8, her spectacular debut LP which absolutely blew me (and a few others I believe!) away, the follow up was never gonna be an easy feat. Pursuing with her idiosyncratic mix of contemporary jazz with modular electronics and cosmic ambient sounds, Endlessness is another thing of beauty, altogether soothing and explorative (those strings!), comforting and intimidating. Sounds equally incredible at home on the system as it does in the headphones cycling through the woods during the golden hour. The guests of course are impeccable (Nubya Garcia, Sheila Maurice-Grey, Lyle Barton…) but there is no denying this music comes straight from the heart of Sinephro. The kind of release which makes you be happy to be alive.
- Vibration Black Finger – Everybody Cryin’ Mercy (Enid Records)
This one arrived way below the radar, with curiously zero hype to accompany such an incredible album. Vibration Black Fingers is the brainchild of Lascelle ‘Lascelles’ Gordon, and this is their third LP already (not that I would have known about it hadn’t Josh “Rude Movements” Beauchamp tipped me on it). Think War meets Brand New Heavies (of whom Gordon was a founding member) with firm roots in 1970s African-American spiritual jazz. Musically and sonically, this is truly outstanding! Only 300 copies were pressed apparently, no snoozing!
- Nídia & Valentina – Estradas (Latency)
An exciting new collaboration from two artists I love, the meeting of drummer-composer and multi-instrumentalist Valentina Magaletti (of Tomaga fame)’s explorative percussions with Afro-Portuguese artist Nídia’s singular beat-making (her solo 95 Mindjeres LP was a favourite of last year). A world where liquid kudoro beats are filtered with a post punk attitude to create thrilling new forms of rhythms and movements. Andiamo!
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REISSUES / COMPILATIONS
(In alphabetical order)
- Malik Adouane – After Raï Party, 1992-2008 (Elmir Records)
Big release with this dive into Franco-Algerian Cheb Malik‘s rich musical vaults. Not unlike a certain Rachid Taha, Malik embraced a melting pot of sounds and influences alongside traditional raï music, and even came up with the “After Raï’ concept. Think raï meets Euro house with a dash of trance and disco, a kind of Arabeat which might sound pretty dodgy on paper (indeed some of these tunes might well fall on the wrong side of borderline) but luckily the best of the crop has now been compiled by Rabah Mezouane, one of the finest connoisseurs of cosmic North African grooves. Most of these tracks still sound fresh and futuristic, perfectly relevant on today’s dance-floors, with lots of treasures to be found for different moods and contexts, compatible with orientalist new beat, rave or even Balearic downbeat (‘Trance Orient Express‘). It’s a(n after raï) party!
- Kampire presents: A Dancefloor in Ndola (Strut)
One of the great comps of last year, a collection of African tunes that were popular in Ndula, Zambia where (Ugandan DJ) Kampire spent her formative years. The music flows mostly through East and South African genres, from Congolese rumba and soukous to 1980s township bubblegum and the rich guitar-led sounds of Zambian kalindula. Worth alone for the inclusion of Pembey Sheiro‘s irresistible soukous banger ‘Sala Mi Toto‘, though there are big tunes a-plenty, like ‘P-Coq‘ by African House Party Project or ‘Mashariki‘ by (BATB favourite) Samba Mapangala with Orchestre Virunga.
Also well worth checking is the guest appearance she did on Jamz Supernova‘s BBC Radio 6 Music show, on which she talks about the roots of the compilation (Ed note: the show also somewhat magically features “Karambolage“, my very own edit of Kassav ☺️)
- Okay Temiz – Drummer Of Two Worlds (CAZ PLAK)
A landmark album and a summit of psychedelic Turkish/Brazilian jazz fusion from master drummer and multi percussionist Okay Temiz. An all time hero of mine!
While in Istanbul last year I spent an afternoon digging around the incredible record shops in Kadıköy and this was one of my lucky finds, as the album was reissued last year on the great Turkish label Caz Plak, which also reissued the great Don Cherry / Okay Temiz collaboration Music For Turkish Theater 1970.
“Drummer of Two Worlds is a star map of Okay Temiz’s musical worlds. Blending elements from the grand piano to his handmade drums, and from the amplified Berimbau to his cowbell array, weaving Turkish rhythms like 9/8 and 7/8 with the universality of 4/4, it presents a unique sound narrative that resonates with the dimensions of a well-traveled mind.” (Haluk Damar)
And since we’re at it, here’s a two hour tribute to Okay Temiz by the ever amazing Cami Layé Okún on her INSOLAR show. Essential listening!
- V/A: Wagadu Grooves: The Hypnotic Sound of Camara 1987-2016 (Hot Mule)
Hands down the best compilation of the year, and a big coup for Hot Mule who chanced upon the incredibly vast catalog of Camara Production, the label started in Paris in 1977 by Soninke exiled Gaye Mody Camara to provide a space for Malian music and culture in Europe. My good friend Louis “Hot Mule” spent countless hours digging through Camara’s veritable treasure trove of eclectic and often forward thinking productions to present this fantastic showcase. Koras, lute and ngoni sit alongside digi synths and vocoders in a variety of styles, from traditional Soninke grooves to reggae, zouk or disco, while these beloved and oh so powerful Malian voices shine throughout the whole set.
As usual with Hot Mule the sound restoration is spot on, which on top of the music makes this comp an even more essential archival work. Very much looking forward to the second volume!
- V/A: Nippon Acid Folk 1970-1980 (Time Capsule)
It’s been a big year for Kay Suzuki’s label, with a strong emphasis on the 70s and 80s Japanese music, from reggae to psychedelic soul to acid folk. All their comps are top quality and really insightful, true labours of love as always, and include some real treasures. I’ve discussed the great Tokyo Riddim comp in my part 1 already, but the Nippon Acid Folk is also a big favourite. The song selection is fantastic, starting with one the scene’s forefathers Haruomi Hosono, but also full of great surprises with two mind-bending tracks by Hiroki Tamaki, a classically-trained violinist and committed iconoclast, whose synth-prog odysseys hinted at his obsession with the teachings of (Indian mystic) Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (!), alongside the startling “Anmari Fukasugite” by a certain Tokedashita Garasubako. Outta sight! The sequencing of the album however is what really makes this compilation so special. You really feel immersed in a Japanese wonderland which you never knew existed, and you can’t help but jumping back down the rabbit hole. Full points!
- Terre Thaemlitz – Tranquilizer (30th Anniv. Restored & Expanded Ed. 1994-2024) (Comatonse Recordings)
Saving the best for last. For once, the best reissue of the year wasn’t released on vinyl (well it was, though only partially) but on CD! And a double CD even, to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of Terre Thaemlitz’ monumental first full-length album. Originally a single-CD release on the New York imprint Instinct Ambient in 1994, this “Restored & Expanded Edition” is well over two hours long and features previously unreleased delectable deep cuts, and perhaps most important of all: the notably missing title track ‘Tranquilizer’ itself.
As always with Terre there’s no digi presence for the music (excepts for short clips on Boomkat), though if you think ambient house downbeat masterpiece from one of the deepest and most defining electronic artists of all time you shouldn’t hesitate too long.
To top it all, the double CD was self-released on Comatonse Recordings with custom packaging hand assembled by Terre herself. Note that there was also a series of three EPs released on vinyl (which I also bought of course, not least for the inclusion of Mancuso‘s favourite ‘Raw Through A Straw’ – an upgrade on the 2004 release I had) but some key cuts are not included.
PS: don’t forget, more than ever (in the wise words of Reggie Watts), Fuck spotify.
And on that note, that’ll be me for now. Till next year ❤️