1. This is the album of the year. No kidding. Maybe one or two could compete with it, but I doubt it. It's just too good.
2. I really like what Quinn was up to with Bing Ji Ling, but I fucking adore this. Loose funky balearic (but not too balearic) jams with just the right amount of west coast rock to tickle my chest hair.
3. I'm a sucker for Indonesian gamelan already, and this is an amazing effort by Black Merlin to steer the listener away from the "world music" cosyness that is often the packaging when Asian folk music reaches western audiences.
4. Heard this last year and have cherished these tracks since, now they are here under new titles and they still sound amazing. I just hope it won't be treated as a rarity, don't let the Discogs hustlers have their way: hold on until the repress because this shit is timeless anyway.
5. Antinote is maintaining their throne as a go-to label, and this could be one of their strongest outputs of the year.
6. Andy doing a private press concept album about his dad, which is both sweet and funny. Arty + some nice grooves.
7. One of the unsung heroines of the British new wave scene.
8. Will most def go for the "Disco Mix" myself, as it sounds like no disco I've ever heard before.
9. Not sure I can say this is a solid release, as I'm mainly in it for the "Big Crunch". Nice sleeve art though.
10. More Antinote, as they are keeping very busy these days. Super-dazed stuff here, especially the Eden Abhez-smelling "La Chateau De Corail"
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