ILM 2023 Listening Club

Yeah, I only discovered them from the EOY nominations last year and Cut Copy was a definite reference point.

Assuming the cover is a direct nod to 45:33 too

JIM - James Baron aka Ron Basejam and one half of Crazy P(enis) and White Elephant - releases his debut album next month but with his solo project he's channeling Laurel Canyon balearica rather than house & disco. This is probably my favourite of the recent tracks he's released (his cover of The Cult's Phoenix from a couple of years ago is also a fave)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6KFM2DzPPg...

New Overmono LP seems like ILM bait, much more vocal-heavy and pop than I was expecting so far

haha it's only a matter of time until they have a dedicated thread!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INWz87rlegg

Haven't heard the album yet but Is U has been on repeat most of the year.

I enjoy the recent EP from Yunè Pinku, Babylon IX... I guess it's sort of "RIYL early Grimes"? The final track, "Fai Fighter," feels like a standout to me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN_F6BRwrVk

(It was apparently a single released in late 2022, but I searched and didn't see that it or she has been discussed here)

new nabihah iqbal album has an unexpected lo-fi house stormer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWMY-JKFhL4

I wasn’t into the Nabihah Iqal album when I first heard it but it has gradually won me over. “Sunflower” is certainly a highlight, probably the song that opened the album for me. “This world couldn’t see us” is my favorite one atm. It nails a very nostalgic sound and era.

Also love the Yune Pink song above!

i like the new collection by the band the Lavender Flu. they don't really sound like Deerhunter but their general aesthetic reminds me of Deerhunter - classic '50s/'60s melodies but with wonky/fuzzy arrangements: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp5ua-pE5pI

new album from a.s.o. is decent, vibe is kind of dreampop-meets-triphop and in certain moments makes me think of folks like bowery electric, love spirals downwards, mazzy star or portishead, or more recently, that acopia album from last year. but this song - THIS SONG! - had it on repeat all day and it is killing me dead:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-5V-rwfGUY

its called 'love in the darkness' btw

oops, album is here: https://itsaso.bandcamp.com/album/a-s-o

Just to rewind a couple of months, have really been enjoying the Water From Your Eyes record that NA posted about. Its a sign of a good album when the tracks that aren't the obvious bangers are the most interesting songs.

Updated!

This seems like prime ILM-bait melancholy dance pop.

ISOLA - LP1 (co-produced by Nick Sylvester)
https://isolalv.bandcamp.com/album/lp1

"mama's eyes" by mette belongs here, percussive dance pop with a soaring chorus. it has a bunch of elements that don't feel like they should fit together, but it never quite falls apart. the chorus is good enough to make up for a lot, anyway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi9OBRzbMNI

Updated.

Added two 2023 tracks that have been hitting the spot:

Freak heat waves feat. Cindy Lee - in a moment divine
Jack J - foolish man

I'd never heard of neo-Irish folk band Lankum before perusing AOTY So Far lists, but their 2023 release False Lankum caught my ear. My track pick below, along with a quality write-up from Nabozo from the thread:

Listening now, first time with the band. They do hypnotic real well. Their songs have the monotony that comes from comfort and are built with the economy that comes from confidence. Soundscape and sustained atmospheres are a good alternative to C93 or R. Dawson. Their style is not easy to place though, there's neo-folk, trad, some lullaby-singing, songwriter stuff, the guy has a voice not unlike R. Thompson, and yet the whole thing is one of a kind so kudos to them for carving that space. Imago should listen to The New York Trader. Master's Crowley also stood out, the opener of course, On a Monday Morning, and more. Every song holds together. I've heard few albums this year, but I'm confident saying this is higher tier.

― Nabozo, Monday, June 19, 2023 2:26 PM (two days ago) bookmarkflaglink

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p1p2sb6Duc

xp yes Moka, the FHW/Cindy Lee track is beautiful, really looking forward to the album:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAoSD9S7dpY
Freak Heat Waves with Cindy Lee - In A Moment Divine

It's not on Spotify, but I saw Tobias Rahim at Roskilde live yesterday, and I need to post this older live-video. It's hard to overstate how crazy it is in a country like Denmark, the first country in Europe where the far-right became kingmakers in parliament, and where anti-immigrant policies has become normalized perhaps more than anywhere else, that 100.000s of people join in in this celebration of Kurds in Copenhagen, a celebration of the positive potential in immigration both for the immigrant and the countries they arrive at. In a more than 7 minute trip through kurdish folk, melancholy hiphop and technorave with circle dancing everywhere.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6f_SBAkvgk

updated my discover weekly playlist with some new finds,

some highlights (but they are all highlights!)

the late ethiopean nun pianist Emahoy Tsegue-Maryam Guebrou
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srX8W7Z30gQ

new bright and findlay album with a slow cooking nu disco cabriolet drive!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UPzwaiY_7M

new album by japanese world fusion band teke::teke

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnM29JXOmtg

this new compilation of old private presses, and this amazing psychedelic pop/folk piece by Luellen Reese

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmDz8ivnAKM

-

got 30 songs on this last playlist can't go thru them all, but they are all nice! look for it on spotify with my name.. xx

Not heard mention of the Joanne Robertson album - her album from March this year is some lo-fi folk goodness. Think Grouper, Florist, someone in the next room playing with lots of reverb.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3Xu6XhTp4k

Updated

Adding too:

Alex Kassian - strings of Eden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZy0Ns4qGgk

X-post -

the late ethiopean nun pianist Emahoy Tsegue-Maryam Guebrou

There’s more discussion of her on Ethiopiques thread

New Ben Howard album is produced by Bullion and this track in particular is great

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjYvS26-xe0

love this thread

New Julie Byrne album is gorgeous.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLdyptr8HKQ

Feel like a big dummy for not knowing about this sooner but DJ Python and Ana Roxanne (!!!) are collaborating under the name Natural Wonder Beauty Concept and have an album coming out this Friday. This is the lovely lead track off it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18QOYwkA-cs
Natural Wonder Beauty Concept - Sword

https://djpythonnyc.bandcamp.com/album/natural-wonder-beauty-concept

thanks for the reminder on the julie byrne record chinaski! interesting hearing that one song, i know that tune already cos she sang it on an amazing collab she did with jefre cantu ledesma a couple of years back - check this if you missed it, so fucking amazing

oops, i obviously need a new superlative

Thanks for the Byrne/Ledesma link, Nick - holy shit! That could easily have been twice as long.

And the Ana Roxanne/DJ Python is surely too good to be true?! Three available tracks are great.

Prolly a clueless comparison but first thought was Billie Eilish (especially on 'Driving').

no, i hear that!

Updated!

Thanks for the heads up on the python/ana roxanne album!

Bullion nails it again with the Ben Howard album. “Spirit” probably my fave because it sounds heavily influenced by Arthur Russell

The Parade - Dreamer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkP6UGYujBI

Heard it on the weekend at a friend’s party and loved it. Saint Etienne / Air France balearic house pop vibe.

Echo Chinaski on the Julie Byrne album.

Finally out and easily going to be one of my favourites of 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3QqjAyhXME

wonderful

reminded me of this classic meme

https://i.imgur.com/AL8gTYj.png

finally got around to checking out freak heat waves. album is great, loving the louche, balearic vibe

Adding Amaarae : co-star

I know she’s already sort of popular around here, it sounded a bit annoying when I first heard it but it has won me over and turned into one of my favorite singles this summer.

https://djprotein.bandcamp.com/album/be-yourself

yes “owner of a lonely heart” goes to the warehouse party

Dane Law - Castle in the Marsh (slice of sampled guitar beauty)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g79Rc_iWlb8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wg4PoSOTKg

Crooked Man - Nemesis - dark sleazy disco made of thick throbbing bass and dubbed-out vocals that make me think of Curve

also that The Parade track is so up my street it's unreal