10. QUBIT- 9BIT
Daoko’s band’s debut for me, was the strongest Japanese pop album released in 2023. Banger upon banger, there’s not a moment (or enough time at 34 mins) that the band lets up the fun throughout this remarkable record. Daoko’s vocals are fantastic here, but most impressive is how much control the band has over their maximalist approach to pop. That’s probably because the band consists of seasoned veterans like Fishmans/Soutaiseiriron’s Seiichi Nagai, Little Creature’s Masato Suzuki and Shohei Amimori. This is how you do a supergroup.
9. Liturgy- 93696
If anything can be said about Liturgy, is that the band constantly evolves and often are confounding. 93696 is no different, and is one of the most difficult albums they have put out to date. That said, it is in turn one of the most rewarding. The latest offering from Haela Ravenna Hunt-Hendrix’s project is both an amalgamation of previous works and a new, bold piece of art in it’s own right. On one hand you have the tight, heavy burst-beats and mathy black metal from earlier works, on the other you have the synthesized orchestration, glitchy electronics and conceptual lyricism that have made them truly unique in the metal scene. There’s no easy way to approach the album, it’s long, its dense and it’s proggy. All of these things require patience- and a lot of it. But it will definitely reward those who put the time into it. I wouldn’t be surprised if this album ends up being seeing as Liturgy’s magnum opus further down the line.
8. PJ Harvey- I Inside the Old Year Dying
PJ Harvey’s return was definitely her most personal record in a long time. Embracing her history, this time PJ has taken her poetry book Orlam and made a concept album around it. Mostly in Dorset dialect, the album is alluringly haunting, and hauntingly sparse. PJ hasn’t sounded as intimate as this since White Chalk, and yet, still sounds worlds apart from that album. Flood’s co-production on this album plays a big part in how unique it is in her discography- both embracing Polly’s songwriting style and challenging her into new territory. Most of the album is sung in a child-like register, as it’s main protagonist is a young girl called Ira-Abel Rawles. It is not until the closing track where we hear trademark PJ Harvey singing, as if the child has grown into a woman. It’s a fascinating album from end to end, but is also one that will require a few spins to really settle in. Amazing stuff as always from Polly.
7. Bully- Lucky For You
Bully’s latest album was an absolute blast. Absolutely nailing the pop-grunge aesthetic of the mid 90s, there isn’t a single second wasted in its 31 minute runtime. Alicia Bognanno’s vocals snarl and spit across some of the hardest riffs she’s ever come up with. Everything is catchy as fuck, every time you play the album your spirits are immediately lifted. Try not to head-bang along to “All I Do” or “Hard to Love”. Even better, Soccer Mommy joins in on the album’s best track “Lose You”, which is one the most cathartic, beautiful duets you’re likely to come across this year. Don’t skip this one.
6. Yaeji- With A Hammer
Yaeji’s first studio album “With A Hammer” is frankly, goddamn great. Synthy, airy, playful pop all wrapped up with Yaeji’s quirky sense of humor, With A Hammer is really become a comfort album for me. This work is definitely her most introspective and personal to date, focusing on family, stereotypes and identity throughout. Deceptively sweet at times, Yaeji’s control of beats here is impeccable. Whether it be a drum and bass breakdown or a wonderfully slow build, every track serves it’s purpose and fits in with the overall record. Addictive, complex and unforgettable, one of my absolute favorite albums of 2023.
deadgrandmablog 