Still working my way through older posts, particularly ones that I need to take time to digest and consider, so I’m a little late to the party on this one.
Really like that Yannis and the Yaw track. I’m not familiar with them but am a sometimes fan of Foals. Saw them live at House of Blues in Boston years ago and they were phenomenal. Tony Allen was so prolific in the years leading up to his death, felt like I saw/heard him everywhere in the early 2020s.
I connected with a large gathering 20+ of my UK family in November and my older cousin and his wife told me the latest gig they’d been to was Ezra Collective which prompted me to search them out. I’d heard of them but never listened to them. Their album is one that I missed out on in 2024 and I need to spend some time with it.
Weirdly, although I enjoy much of Mdou Moctar’s music I find myself struggling to get through entire albums as it all becomes a bit too much for me after a while. Hard to describe exactly why, but I can only consume his music in small doses.
Quick hits: Sarah Halgen and Nathalie Joachim were brand new to me but both of these tracks were fantastic! Really enjoyed the Shirlette Ammons, Allergies and Oddisee tracks but Heems (and Das Racist) didn’t really work for me.
I also learned about Doechii from Jami in her year-end picks and am looking forward to digging into the album further.
9/10 great tracks for me on this post - not too shabby Steve!
Love seeing Nathalie Joachim here - she was on my mid-year list but had to be painfully placed in the Best Of Classical list yet to come. I also got to hear the NY Premiere of her cello concerto, phenomenal stuff. I think you’d dig Dogo du Togo’s Avoudé if you haven’t already heard it!
Phenomenal list Steve. I immediately gravitated to the pieces by Mdou Moctar and Sahra Halgan,the only two on the list with whom I was familiar. Also liked the sound of Yannis and the Ezra Collective, hope to check out more. Not a big lyrics guy as you know but I agree with you about those lines from DAME. As I've written in my own year-end post, I have no idea how you pack in so much new music...impressed!
Thanks, Charles. I thought you’d like Ezra Collective. Yannis only put out a 4-song EP so there’s a lot more of Ezra to explore. Glad I could get you to connect with a lyrical song!;)
I listened to the Doechii and Ezra Collective videos, liked both, and then after that YT auto-played this which is seven years old but also a very nice musical discovery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhicDUgXyNg
Still working my way through older posts, particularly ones that I need to take time to digest and consider, so I’m a little late to the party on this one.
Really like that Yannis and the Yaw track. I’m not familiar with them but am a sometimes fan of Foals. Saw them live at House of Blues in Boston years ago and they were phenomenal. Tony Allen was so prolific in the years leading up to his death, felt like I saw/heard him everywhere in the early 2020s.
I connected with a large gathering 20+ of my UK family in November and my older cousin and his wife told me the latest gig they’d been to was Ezra Collective which prompted me to search them out. I’d heard of them but never listened to them. Their album is one that I missed out on in 2024 and I need to spend some time with it.
Weirdly, although I enjoy much of Mdou Moctar’s music I find myself struggling to get through entire albums as it all becomes a bit too much for me after a while. Hard to describe exactly why, but I can only consume his music in small doses.
Quick hits: Sarah Halgen and Nathalie Joachim were brand new to me but both of these tracks were fantastic! Really enjoyed the Shirlette Ammons, Allergies and Oddisee tracks but Heems (and Das Racist) didn’t really work for me.
I also learned about Doechii from Jami in her year-end picks and am looking forward to digging into the album further.
9/10 great tracks for me on this post - not too shabby Steve!
It is amazing how much music you must listen to each year. Do you do anything else?
Merry Christmas, Steve!
Listening to and exploring music is my 2nd full-time unpaid job!;)
Happy holidays to you, Jim!
Love seeing Nathalie Joachim here - she was on my mid-year list but had to be painfully placed in the Best Of Classical list yet to come. I also got to hear the NY Premiere of her cello concerto, phenomenal stuff. I think you’d dig Dogo du Togo’s Avoudé if you haven’t already heard it!
Had not heard Dogo du Togo — loved it! Definitely up my alley. I’m listening to a lot more music from around the world lately so keep ‘em coming.
Arooj Aftab for an alternate list.
Good luck with packing and moving!
Yep! She would have been in this post but I was keeping it high energy. I’m getting to see her in concert in two weeks!
Phenomenal list Steve. I immediately gravitated to the pieces by Mdou Moctar and Sahra Halgan,the only two on the list with whom I was familiar. Also liked the sound of Yannis and the Ezra Collective, hope to check out more. Not a big lyrics guy as you know but I agree with you about those lines from DAME. As I've written in my own year-end post, I have no idea how you pack in so much new music...impressed!
Thanks, Charles. I thought you’d like Ezra Collective. Yannis only put out a 4-song EP so there’s a lot more of Ezra to explore. Glad I could get you to connect with a lyrical song!;)
I listened to the Doechii and Ezra Collective videos, liked both, and then after that YT auto-played this which is seven years old but also a very nice musical discovery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhicDUgXyNg
I love the Delvin Lamarr Organ Trio! I had their album in my top 10 I want to say three years ago. Whenever their last album came out.
Nice! That was the first time I heard them and I was impressed.