INDISPENSABLE LISTS
Best of New Music Monday 2024
by Kristine England
It's always a challenge to whittle the list down to only 10 songs. In collaboration with playMYMusic.FM, New Music Monday is all about indies of any genre. The trick is for both of us to agree, and it's always interesting to see how our top ten lists differ.
This year, I'll include a few honorable mentions: Hot Garbage, Kit Sebastian, Bibi Club, and Lime Garden were SO close.
The Dead Tongues
I Am A Cloud
I thought I had my favorite song of the year wrapped up in March, but then I heard this. You'll never hear a more beautiful existential crisis than this, with lush steel guitar and backing vocals. I listen to it every few days, at least. The Dead Tongues released two companion albums this year, and this is from the second. It's breathtaking.
FEATURED TRACK: "I Am a Cloud"
Ferris & Sylvester
Otherness
The tie for first place belongs to a song that took me quite by surprise. The opening strains did not prepare me for this powerful song, a plea from a child for her mother to get her to safety. Incredible vocals, a beautiful melody, and a fuzzy guitar solo complete this haunting song.
FEATURED TRACK: "Mother"
Pond
Stung!
It was a difficult choice to make. Which song to feature? I love "So Lo" so much, but I love "Neon River" almost equally and much prefer the video. It's hilariously, perfectly Pond. Since this is a visual medium, "Neon River" won out, but I strongly encourage you to listen to as much Pond as possible and get Stung! today.
FEATURED TRACK: "Neon River"
Amythyst Kiah
Still + Bright
One of my favorite singers Amythyst Kiah these days released an album of intense songs filled with rock, blues, and roots -- a sound she calls “Southern Gothic.” Damn, she can SING, and she's not afraid to express her opinions. She's my kind of artist. Long may she reign.
FEATURED TRACK: "Play God And Destroy The World (feat. SG Goodman)"
Elephant Stone
Back to the Dream
In an era when people throw the "psychedelic" label around a lot, a band like Montreal's Elephant Stone is the real deal. Back into the Dream has layers upon layers of glorious, aural grooviness. And it helps me practice French. J’adore Elephant Stone!
FEATURED TRACK: "The Spark"
WILDES
Subsidence
Most of the time when I hear a girl start to sing about her heartbreak, I flee as fast as I can. But WILDES makes it far more interesting. Quietly captivating, her approach is far more subtle and impactful. The minimalist electronic beats (reminding me a bit of Aphex Twin) deepen the mood, and the listener is immediately invested. I'm looking forward to hear more from her.
FEATURED TRACK: “Heartbreak Is Silent”
Marika Hackman
Overcoming her writer's block during the pandemic lockdown, Marika Hackman played every instrument (sans strings and brass), on her deeply personal that offers a desolate soundscape rife with lyrical unease. NME hailed Big Sigh as “a defining moment for one of our most intriguing songwriters.”
FEATURED TRACK: "Big Sigh"
MABE FRATTI
Sentir Que No Sabes
Guatemalan cellist Mabe Fratti's mix of classical with other genres like jazz, reggae, funk, and blues results in highly listenable, harmonically dynamic textures. Avante-garde sensibilities, and the use of inventive percussion made this a stand-out for the year.
FEATURED TRACK: “Enfrente”
Zeshan B
O Say, Can You See?
Indian-American singer Zeshan B sounds like he's from Motown or Chicago from 50 years ago. In the best tradition of Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield, his vehicle is classic R&B. His message is a call for social justice, inspired by the BLM movement. His unusual collaborator and Executive Producer was former U.S. Attorney for NY SD Preet Bharara as Executive Producer.
FEATURED TRACK: “On My Own”
In the Valley Below
The Black Moon
It's not just because we all hail from Michigan originally. This duo's dramatic, guitar-driven pop songs and a Angela Gail Mattson's powerful vocals are a real treat. Their third album, produced by Sam Cohen (Sharon Van Etten, Danger Mouse), was nearly complete when a brush fire cut the power to Cohen's studio. True story.
FEATURED TRACK: "Brushfire"