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cristalconnors · 4 months
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ALBUMS OF THE YEAR, 2023
Best Songs of 2023 can be found here.
Honorable Mentions (alphabetical): Black Rainbows, Corinne Bailey Rae // Heaven is a Junkyard, Youth Lagoon // Love in Exile, Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, Shahzad Ismaily // New Blue Sun, André 3000 // Radical Romantics, Fever Ray // Rat Saw God, Wednesday // SAVED!!!, Reverend Kristin Michael Hayter // Scaring the Hoes, JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown // This Stupid World, Yo La Tengo // trip9love…???, Tirzah // With a Hammer, Yaeji // WOW, Kate NV
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20. *1, RẮN CẠP ĐUÔI
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19. GIRL WITH FISH, FEEBLE LITTLE HORSE
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18. THE LAND IS INHOSPITABLE AND SO ARE WE, MITSKI
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17. ATLAS, LAUREL HALO
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16. BURNING DESIRE, MIKE
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15. CENSUS DESIGNATED, JANE REMOVER
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14. WHY DOES THE EARTH GIVE US PEOPLE TO LOVE?, KARA JACKSON
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13. DESIRE, I WANT TO TURN INTO YOU, CAROLINE POLACHEK
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12. OH ME OH MY, LONNIE HOLLEY
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11. DID YOU KNOW THAT THERE’S A TUNNEL UNDER OCEAN BLVD, LANA DEL REY
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10. SUNTUB, ML BUCH
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9. PICTURE OF BUNNY RABBIT, ARTHUR RUSSELL
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8. SPACE HEAVY, KING KRULE
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7. RAVEN, KELELA
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6. PRAISE A LORD WHO CHEWS BUT WHICH DOES NOT CONSUME; (OR SIMPLY, HOT BETWEEN WORLDS), YVES TUMOR
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5. MY BACK WAS A BRIDGE FOR YOU TO CROSS, ANOHNI AND THE JOHNSONS
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4. MAPS, BILLY WOODS & KENNY SEGAL
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3. JAVELIN, SUFJAN STEVENS
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2. FOUNTAIN BABY, AMAARAE
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1. SOFTSCARS, YEULE
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hit-song-showdown · 3 months
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My favorite songs of 2023
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I am putting together my favorite songs released in 2023. I started off doing a project where I listened to as many new albums as I could (and recording my findings in a spreadsheet), but that project tapered off around June when my move + school year started. But even though I wasn't able to listen to every album that came out, I still came out of 2023 with some of my favorite musical projects of all time. Also as another disclaimer: I am not a professional music writer.
I am also limiting this list to 1 song per album/project.
1. Scaring the Hoes by JPEGMafia and Danny Brown. I wish I could go back and experience again what happened to my brain when I first heard this track so I could properly convey it with text. When I first saw this project was announced, I knew it would take over my life. When I heard this track before the album was released, I knew I would have to form some kind of religion around it. The reason why I'm limiting this list to one track per album is because Scaring the Hoes has 14 tracks so I wouldn't be able to fit them all (other songs I would have given the number 1 spot include Burfict!, Shut Yo Bitch Ass Up/Muddy Waters, God Loves You, and Kingdom Hearts Key). But the title track is the perfect introduction. It's less of a single and more of a thesis statement for the entire project. The production throughout this album is incredible, but STH hits different. The rhythmic, almost menacing handclaps (fun fact: those aren't handclaps--that's the sound my asscheeks make when this song comes on) and the horn sample which I can only describe as Blood Money era Tom Waitsian, it is by far my favorite beat of 2023. Combined with Danny and JPEG's charisma and the way they bounce back and forth, this song is a shot of adrenaline straight to the heart. Also I saw them live and that experience elevated a 10/10 to a 20/10 for me.
2. Prof. Aronnax' Descent into the Vast Oceans by Ahab. I started seriously listening to German nautical funeral doom metal band, Ahab around early 2022 so this was the first new release I got to experience. Even though I loved what I heard previously, nothing could have prepared me for this. The opening track is everything I want from a doom metal song. It starts out with a frantic onslaught of screaming and inhuman growls before mellowing out into a serene instrumental before the mournful vocals kick in. It really feels like the initial shock of your body slamming into the water, then having to slowly drift among the waves as your muscles give out and you're taken deeper into the depths. That's what I like about doom metal: it's music to decay to. This track (and by extension this album) hooked me from a story-telling perspective right away, which shouldn't be a surprise as it was based on Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. The story presented in this album intrigued me so much that I had to read the book for myself. Then I read it again. Then I read two different translations. Now I'm working on a visual novel adaptation. I know metrics for album rankings are subjective, so I'm willing to give an album an extra bump if it gets me to read a 19th century novel at least five times in less than two months and learn Python coding. (Other tracks I would have included: the album is at its strongest as a single listening experience, but I especially enjoyed Mobilis in Mobili and Ægri Somnia).
3. What A Man by Debby Friday. This is a track off of Nigerian-Canadian electronic musician Debby Friday's first album Good Luck and holy shit, what a debut. This is such a well-formed project I can't believe it. I was already enjoying the album throughout the first few tracks. It brought me back to listening to 2000s club music and thinking "wow I wish I got invited to parties." But then I got to What A Man and the world screeched to a halt. I think I was posting on my main blog at the time, so anyone unfortunate enough to follow me had a chance to see my incoherent screeching in real time. This track is incredible. Debby's warm and sultry voice, the spacey production, THE ELECTRIC GUITAR? The first time the guitar kicks in, that's just a teaser for what ended up being one of my favorite music moments of the year. The electric guitar feels like an oncoming storm and Debby is standing strong before it, taking on the wind and rain as her voice becomes louder and almost yearning. Then the song builds with Debby yelling to the high heavens as the guitars wail around her before fading back down into the low bass and rhythmic breathing motif found throughout the album. This track is an experience, and the music video is gorgeous too (the picture I chose for the banner is from the video itself) and the fact that it has less than 20K views hurts me. (Other tracks I would have included: I Got It, So Hard To Tell, Let U Down)
4. Bite Back by Algiers (ft. billy woods and Backxwash). Speaking of songs that build... This is the sixth track off of Algiers' album, Shook and by this point I was already feeling pretty good about the release. I was already prepared to put the opening track, Everybody Shatter on my top 20, but when Bite Back kicked in, something changed. Here's a recreation of my initial reaction: "this sounds pretty good, I like the way this intro...is that billy woods??") Just to be transparent: billy woods' involvement would have been enough to give this an automatic top slot for me, but it helps that his verse is fantastic. His flow is slower than the introductory verse, but that only makes his lyrics stand out more. From the opening lines "One hand wash the other, they both wash the face / Centrifugal force and inertia keep everything in its place / Slowly, spinning in space, speeding, lead foot on the brakes" I knew I was in for something special. One thing I really appreciate about this track is the production. billy woods has a very steady flow with an almost menacing quality to it depending on the subject matter of the lyrics, and the beat shifts during his verse to reflect that. It sounds like it could be a billy woods beat, but it doesn't sound like one of his beats was carelessly shoved into an Algiers song. It's like the beat ebbs and flows with the artists involved. The production gets gradually more intense as billy picks up more ferocity in his delivery. A detail I really like is when billy says "claws rattling, delicate as roaches' wings," the percussion on the backing track picks up an almost rattling quality, but it doesn't sound corny or too obvious. Then billy continues, the backing track picking up even more intensity until it feels like each noise is blasting at full power...and then the tension releases and settles down with Algiers frontman, Franklin James Fisher, delivering the second verse. His delivery contrasts wonderfully with billy woods' too, with his faster, almost whispered vocals allowing the track to pick up momentum again after the previous release of tension. This track knows when to breathe and it's fantastic. But it also knows when to take the air from your lungs as Fisher goes all out with the vocals in the hook and third verse, reinstating what an absolute powerhouse vocalist he is. And just when the track is at its peak ferocity, in comes Backxwash with the steel chair! If billy and Fisher were allowing the beat to gradually shift under their performances, Backxwash grabs the song by the throat and makes it do whatever she wants. Her verse then trades off into Fisher delivering the outro, operating at full power in his delivery. This song is so well-crafted and none of the artists feel out of place. (Other tracks I would have included: Everybody Shatter, A Good Man, Irreversible Damage)
5. Billions by Caroline Polachek. As of writing this, I haven't been keeping up with other people's year end lists, but I know this album is going to make everyone else's. So I feel a bit intimidated to talk about it, but I will try. The production on this album is so good my brain can't even comprehend how it was crafted. I've seen it described as "maximalist," but that doesn't fully capture how well this album knows when to pull back and let the tracks breathe. Billions is one of the more sparse tracks compared to some of the others, but that only makes each production decision stand out more. The second time Caroline says "give me the closure," you hear a little musical sting in the background (probably some kind of synth, but at first listen I thought it was an electric guitar) which didn't show up after the first time that lyric was sung. It's that attention to detail and letting the production build on itself that makes this project incredible. And it goes without saying that Caroline is an outstanding vocalist. She sounds like a siren. It's ridiculous. (Other tracks I would have included: Welcome to My Island, I Believe, Hopedrunk Everasking)
6. The Black Seminole by Lil Yachty. Opening track off of Lil Yachty's psychedelic rock album, Let's Start Here, and what an opening track on a fantastic project. It should be clear by this point that I love songs that build, and holy shit does this song build. I first listened to this album while I was on a plane, and this track synced up with my takeoff. So while the plane was lifting off the ground and I was being pressed against my seat, Lil Yachty gave the final line before the electric guitars and the female vocalist kicked in, both wailing with equal ferocity. Top 10 music experiences of the year, but even going back to listen to that same track when I'm not on an airplane delivered the same euphoric experience. (Other tracks I would have included: Drive Me Crazy, Should I B, We Saw the Sun)
7. Xena by Skrillex and Nai Barghouti. I debated whether to put this song or Hydrate on the list, but Xena was the first track that made me fall in love with this album. With vocals by Palestinian singer, Nai Barghouti, Skrillex delivers an absolutely outstanding dubstep track. Like Billions, it's the kind of music production that makes me have to step back and fully appreciate the craft. The song is incredible at building intensity, but he also knows when to pull back to let the tension build again. And Barghouti isn't just a feature--she is the heartbeat of this song. Her voice melds with the production so well, but in a way that sounds like she's commanding it. My absolute favorite part of the song is when she starts singing in her lower register as the production turns to more naturalistic instruments. Sometimes I see electronic producers robbing their singers of their voices for the sake of cohesive production, but that isn't the case here. Nai Barghouti's voice is crisp, unique, and perfect. It's a fantastic melding of producer and vocalist that makes way more sense than it should. (Other tracks I would have included: Hydrate, Rumble, Ratata)
8. Babylon by Bus by billy woods and Kenny Segal. I already talked about billy woods, but he was a feature so this still counts. Everything I already said about billy woods' skills applies here as well, especially now that he has full control over the track. billy's flow sounds both effortless, and that he knows the perfect word to use for each line. And he uses interesting words. "Glistening waterbug on clean counter / Plague mask, gave the place a cursory glower / He ran away, I gave chase but gave up and sat on his gate for hours" I love this series of bars. He is a storyteller. And then, the beat pauses after billy's first verse, with low menacing notes, a clattering of naturalistic metallic percussion, and then the switch up??? Seriously the way the beat ramps up for SkrapKnel's verses takes the song to another level. The way the Curly Castro and PremRock pass the mic back and forth to each other is outstanding. This doesn't feel like a guest verse; this is a fully realized project. The shamelessness is even more apparent when billy takes the mic again for the final verse, but now with more ferocity in his delivery as if he's building off of the energy created by SkrapKnel. This song is masterful. "I take care of these words, Munchausen by proxy / Somehow beat the tox screen / God save the queen, but that train doesn't stop here anymore" (Other tracks I would have included: FaceTime, Year Zero, Soft Landing)
9. Drain You Empty by Cannibal Corpse. I listened to this album right around midterms and I needed it. But this was the song I kept coming back to. For one, it's fun. Obviously: it's Cannibal Corpse. But I love the way the song opens with a full minute of just blasting you before the drums, riffs, and screams really kick in. Good god the drumming on this album is so good. I absolutely love Corpsegrinder's delivery on this track. The way he shifts from bellowing growls to shrieks, the way he speeds up his delivery to match the pace of the drums, it's so good. I'm sorry I don't have a better analysis. It's fun. (Other tracks I would have included: Chaos Horrific, Overlords of Violence, Blood Blind)
10. Crossing Guard by Model/Actriz. This is a song that made me wish I went to gay clubs more. Yes, it's a killer dance song, but what draws me in is how chaotic the production is. It starts out slow and quiet, then bam! The production starts screeching at you in a glorious onslaught of noise, held together with a fantastic bassline. I love the vocalist too. He can be monotone and subtle, but he also knows how to raise his voice to match the ferocity of the production. I listened to this song countless times last year (often while crossing the street and trying not to get hit by cars), and the line "Like Germanotta, Stefani / Pull the weight from under me" will be stuck in my head forever. (Other tracks I would have included: Donkey Show, Amaranth)
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beatsforbrothels · 30 days
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billy woods & Kenny Segal - Bad Dreams Are More than Dreams (ft Serengeti)
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oldestsoul · 1 year
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musicmakesyousmart · 1 year
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billy woods & Kenny Segal - Maps
Backwoodz Studioz
2023
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soundgrammar · 7 months
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Listen/purchase: Babylon by Bus featuring ShrapKnel by billy woods & Kenny Segal
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cheddar-baby · 11 months
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The realest thing Busdriver ever said was "Kenny Segal's drums sound like he's dropping desks"
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My Favorite Albums of 2023*
*not necessarily from 2023
Last year, I decided that, instead of limiting my "favorite" list to just the past year, I would broaden the scope to include any CD I acquired that year, whether it was released that year or not. Over the past 12 months, I've added 155 CDs to the already over-burdened collection (which may seem like a lot but it's down from 260 last year, so I believe some praise is due). These are my favorite 9, in alphabetical order by album title.
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Foo Fighters - But Here We Are
"Times Like These," whether he intended it to be or not, was one of the very few, great post-9/11 songs. And while I might expect that from Springsteen, Grohl didn't immediately spring to mind as a voice of comfort and empathy, so the song's impact may have actually been a bit greater than something akin to "The Rising" (which, don't get me wrong, is an amazing song). And now, a couple decades later, it shouldn't be surprising that a Foo Fighters album dealing with intense and intimate grief would also be stunning, but, like before, I certainly wasn't expecting it and also, like before, I've turned to it a hell of a lot more than I would have thought.
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Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
You know those albums where you really like a bunch of the songs but not all of them but you also know that, with each repeated listen, you're going to find ways into the songs you didn't like as much on previous listens and come up with reasons why you actually do like those songs and therefore, think the entire album is brilliant? Yeah, this is one of those albums.
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billy woods and kenny segal - maps
Let me preface this by saying that I am years late to the billy woods party, so I do not have any way of comparing this to his previous, abundant discography, but if it is at all indicative of the rest of his work, I have some major catching up to do! woods is a top notch lyricist with a clear love of language and the ways in which it can be structured. His metaphors and imagery are complex and layered but never so obtuse that they alienate the listener. And all of this verbal brilliance is nestled comfortably on segal's inviting but never settled production. I'll come back to this one often.
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Stevie Wonder - Original Musiquarium I
I'm not normally a fan of "best of" compilations but this one, with the addition of the four unreleased tracks capping each "side," is so well put together and clearly thought through, I'm thrilled to have it as a part of my collection. Plus, it's really hard to ever go wrong with Stevie.
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Laura Mvula - Pink Noise
Roughly 5 years ago, I heard "She," and was blown away. I added Sing to the Moon to my discogs want list but never got around to snagging a copy. About 3 years ago, I heard "Got Me" and decided to be a bit more active in trying to acquire a copy of Pink Noise, but I think there were some transatlantic issues because nothing seemed to be remotely affordable. Fast forward to midway through this year, the album miraculously pops up on Amazon for under 10 bucks and a day or two later, I'm finally blessed with these 10 fiercely intelligent yet uncompromisingly catchy pop bangers.
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Pool Kids - Pool Kids
It's mathy, it's tappy, it's stupidly technical, but if you strip that all away, at its heart, these are 12 solid pop-punk/emo songs. So while the base effort is already worthwhile, the tremendous musicality turns them into something truly special.
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Atmosphere - Sad Clown Bad Fall 10
Okay, so it's only 5 tracks but hear me out. I was introduced to Slug and Ant through their brief stint with Epitaph Records and their, imho, brilliant album, Seven's Travels. Over the years, I've picked up an Atmosphere album here and there, but my takeaways have been lackluster and I started to wonder whether they were just a one-off in my book. And then I found this at a used record store in Seattle, and it not only reignited the flame but made me want to revisit the rest of my collection. That's pretty impressive for only 16 minutes of music.
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Triple Fast Action - Triple Fast Action
Triple Fast Action were probably the favorite band your favorite 90's alt-rock band (The Colour and the Shape was, apparently, greatly influenced by Broadcaster) and with only two albums to their name, it was a wonderful surprise to discover this treasure trove of unreleased and rare tracks, most of which were recorded in their rehearsal studio. While not everything is great, there's a general bittersweet air hovering around this 2-disc compilation - they could have been big, but for whatever reason, the stars didn't align. At least we now have so much more music.
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Ratboys - The Window
Ratboys aren't reinventing the wheel here. They pull upon most of the major indie rock tropes of the past couple of years (Americana, pop-punk, prog rock...) but even with the genre hopping, the album shifts seamlessly from track to track and always feels authentic. What would we do with a new wheel anyway? Wouldn't you rather just get the top-of-the-line version?
Other assorted 2023 stuff
Favorite Albums NOT acquired in 2023:
Proper. - The Great American Novel
Tigers Jaw - I Don't Care How You Remember Me
Elvis Costello - Brutal Youth
Face to Face - Face to Face
Florence + The Machine - High As Hope
Beauty Pill - The Unsustainable Lifestyle
Favorite Live Bands seen in 2023:
The Verve Pipe (City Winery - 4/23)
Home Is Where (Elsewhere - 7/8)
Four Year Strong (Rocks Off Concert Cruise - 10/15)
The Hold Steady (Brooklyn Bowl - 11/30)
Favorite Movies watched in 2023:
Soft and Quiet
Poor Things
Shotgun Wedding
Pearl
Favorite TV Shows watched in 2023:
Alice in Borderland (Season 1)
The Fall of the House of Usher
The Curse
This is Pop
Channel Zero (Seasons 1 and 2)
Evil (Seasons 1 and 2)
The Last of Us
Favorite Books read in 2023:
Lonesome Dove - Larry McMurtry
In the Dream House - Carmen Maria Machado
Wraith - Joe Hill and Charles Paul Wilson III
Favorite Podcasts listened to in 2023:
Fearful Symmetry
Love and Radio
Detoxcity
U Springing Springsteen on My Bean?
"Finn and the Bell" episode of Radiolab
"Wake" episode of The Memory Palace
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koshigurajumy · 8 months
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Billy Woods & Kenny Segal - Spongebob
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kaneseatheadrest · 1 day
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declanlikesmusic · 1 month
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MusicDeclanLikes: Mar 2024
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After the most tumultuous month I've had this year so far, I am finally proud to present my third monthly instalment of playlists where I showcase some of my favourite discoveries & listens of recent memory!
Yard Act – Blackpool Illuminations
The Beths – Little Death
The Smashing Pumpkins – Tonight, Tonight
Sophie B. Hawkins – Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover
Ariana Grande – we can't be friends (wait for your love)
The Blue Nile – The Downtown Lights
Everything Everything – Enter the Mirror
The Orb – Little Fluffy Clouds
TJ Mack – Comments
Jennifer Lopez – Jenny from the Block (feat. Jadakiss & Styles P.)
Porter Robinson – Cheerleader
Ride – Seagull
Muse – Plug in Baby
Ulver – The Future Sound of Music
christtt – disc utility
JPEGMAFIA – Thot Tactics
billy woods & Kenny Segal – Spongebob
Cheesy Hfj – Cold Case
Kraftwerk – Computer Liebe
Portishead – Strangers
Burial – Ghost Hardware
Madonna – Frozen
Lana Del Rey – Cruel World
ML Bush – Can't Get Over You With You
Justin Timberlake – What Goes Around… / …Comes Around (Interlude)
猫 シ Corp. – Wifi&Airco
Tierra Whack – TWO NIGHT
Mr FijiWiji & Direct – Hysteria
Infinity Frequencies – Implanted Memories
Blur – Battle
Billie Eilish – What Was I Made For?
SEA – Broken Glass
Injury Reserve – Chin Up (Outro)
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cristalconnors · 4 months
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SONGS OF THE YEAR, 2023
The best albums of 2023 can be found here. Click through the links below to listen to the songs. :)
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20. "MAKING THE BAND (DANITY KANE)", EARL SWEATSHIRT
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19. "GOOD LIES", OVERMONO
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18. "RUSH", TROYE SIVAN
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17. "I SWEAR, I REALLY WANTED TO MAKE A 'RAP' ALBUM BUT THIS IS LITERALLY THE WAY THE WIND BLEW ME THIS TIME", ANDRÉ 3000
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16. "HEAVEN", MITSKI
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15. "POUND TOWN", SEXYY RED & TAY KEITH
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14. "OVULE (feat. SHYGIRL) [SEGA BODEGA REMIX]", BJÖRK
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13. "STRONG [I. JORDAN REMIX]", ROMY & I. JORDAN
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12. "RAPPER WEED", BILLY WOODS & KENNY SEGAL
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11. "MOUNT MEIGS", LONNIE HOLLEY
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10. "IT'S MY FAULT", ANOHNI AND THE JOHNSONS
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9. "A&W", LANA DEL REY
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8. "SEAFORTH", KING KRULE
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7. "EVEN IT OUT", FEVER RAY
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6. "DAZIES", YEULE
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5. "BOY'S A LIAR, PT. 2", PINKPANTHERESS & ICE SPICE
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4. "CONTACT", KELELA
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3. "PRETTY IN POSSIBLE", CAROLINE POLACHEK
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2. "SO YOU ARE TIRED", SUFJAN STEVENS
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1. "CO-STAR", AMAARAE
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I already knew the options was lose/lose
baby, that’s nothing new
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beatsforbrothels · 1 year
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first sign of trouble, motherfuckers shimmy right out that human skin
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oldestsoul · 1 year
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musicmakesyousmart · 1 year
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