It's my first post of the new year and, though late to the game, I wanted to share my favourite music from last year. 2016 was a notoriously terrible year (not that this year is exactly peachy so far!), but thankfully the same can't be said of the music that came out last year. It was, to quote Lisa Simpson's insensitive future fiancé, like a flower that grew out of a pot of dirt. I feel spoiled by the amount and variety of quality music I've been enjoying from last year's offerings. There are the gorgeous vintage European pop sounds of The Yearning and Lia Pamina, the visionary retrofuturism of Adrian Younge, the moving, classic songwriting of Big Smoke, the raw garage rock of The Mystery Lights, some fresh takes on dream pop, and many outings in psychedelic-influenced, experimental pop. Some of these albums have quickly become all-time favourites, not just favourites of the year. Below is a playlist of songs from my most-loved releases of 2016, including albums, singles and EPs, in no particular order. A list of my top eleven albums (I could not narrow it down to ten!) of the year – again, in no specific order – follows it.

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If you prefer Spotify, listen here. Update: By request, now also on Deezer (but missing the Samara Lubelski song).

Tracklist:

Click  next to tracks for individual players | Show all

  1. Britta Phillips - Daydream (Luck Or Magic)
  2. Big Smoke - Honey, I (Time Is Golden)
  3. Margo Price - Hands Of Time (Midwest Farmer's Daughter)
  4. Kadhja Bonet - Fairweather Friend (The Visitor)
  5. The Yearning - When I Lost You (Evening Souvenirs)
  6. Le Super Homard - Maple Key (Maple Key)
  7. Gloria - Show Me Your Trail (Gloria In Excelsis Stereo)
  8. Lake Ruth - Helium (Actual Entity)
  9. Adrian Younge Presents Venice Dawn - Ready To Love (Something About April II)
  10. Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions - A Wonderful Seed (Until The Hunter)
  11. Julia Jacklin - Pool Party (Don't Let The Kids Win)
    Name your price download.
  12. Beverly - Victoria (The Blue Swell)
  13. Nice As Fuck - Door (Nice As Fuck)
  14. The Limiñanas - Dahlia Rouge (Malamore)
  15. The Mystery Lights - Follow Me Home (The Mystery Lights)
  16. Gaye Su Akyol - Eski tüfek (Hologram İmparatorluğu)
  17. La Femme - Le vide est ton nouveau prénom (Mystère)
  18. Lia Pamina - Créeme (Love Is Enough)
  19. Cat's Eyes - Everything Moves Towards the Sun (Treasure House)
  20. Innerspace Orchestra - One Way Glass (One Way Glass single)
  21. Whyte Horses - Peach Tree Street (Pop Or Not)
  22. Charlie Hilton - Pony (Palana)
  23. Prudence Rees-Lee - Fair Witness (Fair Witness single)
    Free download.
  24. Olympia - Smoke Signals (Self Talk)
  25. Juniore - Panique (Panique single)
  26. September Girls - Quicksand (Age Of Indignation)
  27. Heron Oblivion - Your Hollows (Heron Oblivion)
  28. Delphine Dora - Alpha centauri (Le Fruit de mes songes)
  29. Morgan Delt - Sun Powers (Phase Zero)
  30. Charles Bradley - Ain't Gonna Give It Up (Changes)
  31. The Honey Pot - Almost Exactly Beautiful (Inside The Whale)
  32. Beautify Junkyards - Constant Flux (Other Voices 08 single)
  33. Lush - Lost Boy (Blind Spot EP)
  34. Exploded View - Stand Your Ground (Exploded View)
  35. Bat For Lashes - In God's House (The Bride)
  36. Adrian Younge presents The Electronique Void - Black Noise (Black Noise)
  37. TOY - Dream Orchestrator (Clear Shot)
  38. Jarvis Cocker - Theme From "Likely Stories" (Likely Stories EP)
  39. The Galaxy Electric - Nightmares (Everything is Light and Sound)
  40. Jenny Hval - Female Vampire (Blood Bitch)
  41. Leonard Cohen - Traveling Light (You Want it Darker)
  42. John Cunningham - I Can Fly (Fell)
  43. Paul Kelly - Sonnet 73 (Seven Sonnets & A Song)
  44. The New Lines - Love and Cannibalism (Love and Cannibalism)
  45. Mild High Club - Homage (Skiptracing)
  46. COTE - London (London single)
  47. Samara Lubelski - What's Up Rider (The Gilded Raid)

Top 11 albums:

  • Lake Ruth - Actual Entity (The Great Pop Supplement)
  • The Yearning - Evening Souvenirs (Elefant Records)
  • Lia Pamina - Love Is Enough (Elefant Records)
  • Big Smoke - Time Is Golden (Barely Dressed Records)
  • Adrian Younge Presents Venice Dawn - Something About April II (Linear Labs)
  • Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions - Until The Hunter (Tendril Tales)
  • Britta Phillips - Luck Or Magic (Double Feature Records)
  • Beverly - The Blue Swell (Kanine Records)
  • Gloria - Gloria In Excelsis Stereo (Howlin' Banana Records)
  • The Galaxy Electric - Everything Is Light And Sound (Self-released)
  • Kadhja Bonet - The Visitor (Head Count Records / Fat Possum Records)

Related entries:

Comments (3)

  • fran  
    hi, I've discovered here a treasure (that great album by Lake Ruth...)!

    Thank you!!!

    (the whole list is great, but i missed Agnes Obel...)

    Best.
    #1 Reply
  • LondonLee  
    Hi, bit late but wanted to say this is a great list. Heard lots of terrific stuff that was new to me
    #2 Reply
  • sr_formica  
    I´ve discovered Le superhomard! Sounds just like Le Futur Pompiste!, one of my favourite bands..!
    I also didn´t know Megadodo label, it seems veeery interesting!! thanks!
    #3 Reply

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