As we pass the midway point of 2024, we've taken the opportunity to reflect upon our top albums of the year so far. From alternative to indie, pop, electronic and beyond, we're reminded of how brilliant this year has been for music.
Whilst we continue to put our thoughts to paper, you can check out the full collection here!
One of the highlights of the year for all those involved in the worlds of folk and singer-songwriter was the release of Adrianne Lenker’s Bright Future. It's no secret that Lenker is a truly singular songwriter in today’s music landscape and Bright Future only serves to support this. Each song is harmonically and lyrically rich, considered and felt. There is something special about an artist sharing their mind and soul with as much honesty and tenderness as Lenker does on this record. Adrianne Lenker, along with producer Philip Weinrobe opted to record, mix and master the album fully analog, meaning they didn’t have the aid of digital editing or altering to clean up natural imperfections that pop up across the record. Everything on the album is recorded organically onto tape which perfectly compliments the honesty and vulnerability of Lenker’s songwriting.
The pair's first collaborative album as a duo, Ash Grey and the Gull Glides on is rooted in Perman's ambient-acid-house grooves and multi-textural percussion built from sampling the knocks, clangs and creaks of the upright piano of Dundee multi-instrumentalist and composer, Andrew Wasylyk.
These are woven through a palette of drum machines, rolling transcendal piano motifs, fluttering synths, swells and hymnal choral vocals. Meditative and gorgeous.
This Is How Tomorrow Moves showcases beabadoobee’s undeniable talent, blending old school indie rock vibes with modern pop sounds. The collection really captures the essence of nostalgia and transforms it into a musical experience which resonates with listeners of all ages.
Standout tracks include: 'Take A Bite', 'California', 'Real Man' and 'Post'. Following a pair of very strong efforts, we believe this to be her best work yet.
Crafted in home-studios from Dundee to Woodstock to Berlin and back, Self Help and Fictional Doubts is a 12-track sonic tapestry that seamlessly blends big pop anthems with intimate acoustic moments, showcasing Be Charlotte's versatility as both a songwriter and performer.
At the core of the album are Be Charlotte's unmistakable vocals, delivered in her signature Scottish accent, which ground the storytelling with raw authenticity. Each track is a poignant reflection of the human experience, touching on themes of empowerment, resilience, and the quest for identity in an ever-changing world. A very strong debut album!
Been Stellar's highly anticipated debut perfectly embodies the spirit of New York City and serves as a sonic nod to their indie rock predecessors: The Strokes, Interpol and The Rapture.
With duelling, scratchy guitars and an overall live, moody feel, there’s no reason why Scream From New York, NY can’t be regarded in that same light for many years to come.
A beautiful and heartbreaking masterpiece which strikes the perfect balance of melancholy vs upbeat compositions with nuanced lyrical content distinctive to the signature Billie Eilish sound.
With the help of her brother and sole collaborator, FINNEAS, Hit Me Hard and Soft was written, recorded and produced together in their hometown of Los Angeles. This album is poignant, cathartic and touches delicate themes that showcase Billie's capability as an artist.
Cinematic in some places, folky in others, Bill Ryder-Jones eased us gently into the new year with 13 of his most delicate and personal songs to date.
Iechyd Da (a Welsh toast to good health) acts as the perfect tribute to both his musical and ancestral histories, executed in the dreamiest way imaginable.
Being a Scottish record shop, we feel it's our duty to celebrate the album artwork - an incredible painting of Crail, Fife [Texture & Light, Crail] by Dale Bissland.
The third album from New York City musician Cassandra Jenkins cartwheels the tightrope between artistic ambition and modern pop-sensibility. There is a sophistication in both the writing and instrumentation across Jenkins' record that reimagines the timeworn class of artists like Radiohead or Wilco whilst embracing the wilder imaginativeness of Baroque-pop acts like Julia Holter or (dare we say it…) Fiona Apple, all whilst managing to deliver her songs as deft and digestible pop parcels that would fall kindly on the ears of any Phoebe Bridgers fan!
Cast's seventh album, Love is the Call celebrates the classic sound of 90s Liverpool in the present day. It's an album which is so unashamedly and authentically Cast - boasting plenty melody, non-pretentious guitar work and delivers a constant 'phones aloft, arms around each other' singalong energy. For a band with over three decades in the game, Love is the Call could easily serve as an equally strong introduction to the band as their early albums.
BRAT summer has completely taken the world by storm this year, becoming a cultural phenomenon and movement - and for good reason. Electro-hyper-pop which draws major inspiration from the early '00s rave scene.
It's a messy, vulnerable and unmistakably exhilarating Charli XCX record to its core and one which will undoubtedly be heavily cited as a staple of the 2020s musical landscape for years to come.
When you bring an all time great MC and DJ together, the expectations are always high. Both Pete Rock and Common have had illustrious careers and been behind some legendary albums within the hip-hop game, and you can add The Audiorium to that list.
Common has such a delicate and effortless flow, yet every word feels hand selected and precise, landing exactly in the pockets of Pete Rock's signature beats. Pete Rock gives us a flavour of the early '90s hip-hop beats which are smooth, soulful and funky, gradually easing you back in to a natural bop.
There are plenty of incredible features that further elevate this album, giving a new voice and flavour without overtaking anything.
Let's just hope there's a part 2 coming soon!
The day after Halloween (in classic Cure fashion, The Cure returned with their first album in 16 years - Songs of a Lost World - an album that gives tremendous throwbacks to their earlier music that's gloriously grim and gothic.
The emotional and heartfelt lyrical content welcomes us back into Smith’s beautiful mind and feels like one of The Cure’s most personal albums over their lustrous career.
There are beautiful cascades of piano runs and feedback-laden guitars wrapped in a warm blanket of synthesisers that runs through its 8 track runtime. The masterful production adds a dark, mysterious and nuanced atmosphere that makes Songs Of A Lost World a heavy and thunderously beautiful record that deals with loss, regret and coming to terms with where life takes us as we grow older, learning to leave the past behind.
IGNORE THIS is heavy, loud, and completely disproves the album's title with its punchy and impossible to ignore riffs and hooks. Produced in-house by guitarist Blair Crichton, the band's much-anticipated debut is the perfect snapshot of everything the Glasgow 4-piece have worked towards and everything they stand for.
Declan McKenna’s third album “What Happened to the Beach?” introduced a new mature sound compared to his previous releases, and also charts his own personal evolution lyrically. With shades of MGMT and Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s psychedlic pop, each song is melodically strong, inventive, and they are all guaranteed to get your head bopping.
Full of quirky lyrics and references, the album also shines a positive light on some undeniably heavy topics. Standout songs include Elevator Hum, Mulholland’s Dinner and Wine, The Phantom Buzz (Kick In) and Mezzanine. Definitely worth a listen!
A thirteen-track riot of hooks and energy!
Accidental Euphoria is a record that shares a taste for the synthpop extravagance of OMD, New Order and Soft Cell with its predecessor, Instant Transmissions, but which leans heavily into the band’s love for the noisy alternative rock of bands like Smashing Pumpkins, Idlewild, Nirvana and Trail of Dead.
86TVs' debut embodies the ethos of what art should be about—pure, unfiltered joy and the love of creation. Free from the pressure of chasing conventional ‘new band’ milestones, the album draws from the members' rich histories with The Maccabees and Stereophonics, focusing instead on reconnecting with the simple pleasures of making music as brothers and friends.
Across its 15 euphoric and anthemic tracks (although not lacking in heartbreaking moments like 'Komorebi'), 86TVs captures the nostalgic spirit of the great guitar bands that first sparked our lifelong infatuation with music: Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, The Strokes, Sea Power, all whilst maintaining a 2024 freshness.
It’s a reminder that when all the right elements align—a shared sense of conviction, chemistry, and passion—it’s impossible for it to go unnoticed.
It's been an amazing year for Leeds' English Teacher - with back-to-back sold out world tours complimented by their debut album This Could be Texas scooping the 2024 Mercury Prize. This is an album which beautifully encompasses genres, cultural references and musical concepts - which, altogether, is what creates their own unique sound. Classical infusions and surprise time signatures keep the listener engaged - a nod to the band members' musical backgrounds - followed by the energised, post-punk (anti-R&B) charms of 'R&B' and 'Nearly Daffodils'. It contains everything you'd want from a debut and is the epitome of a contemporary British classic.
Considering many of genius producer Floating Points aka Sam Shepherd’s eclectic projects (symphonic jazz collabs, ballet, anime soundtracks), it’s easy to forget his primary focus has always been the dancefloor. And that’s where Cascade is squarely aimed.
Returning to the pulsing grooves of his early 12” singles as a starting point, Shepherd ventures further into rave euphoria than ever before, upping the BPMs and threading all kinds of modular synth madness through the record’s eight extended tracks.
It’s a thrilling ride, and right up there with his pals Jamie xx and Four Tet’s 2024 excursions.
Whilst Fontaines D.C.'s previous albums have been full of youthful raw energy and post-punk tones, Romance introduces a new layer of experimentation, elevating them to quite simply one of the greatest bands on the planet right now.
Within the record there is the perfect cinematic blend of guitars, strings and electronics with Grian Chatten’s vocals maintaining a steady emotional pulse throughout the album. Standout tracks include singles Starburster, Favourite, Bug and In the Modern World, as well as the dynamic and dreamy Desire.
