Top 2023 (Part 1)
There’s been so much good music so far this year I decided to do myself a favour and split my Top 2023 up into two halves.
I’m also aware of how small a slice this is of what’s out there. I’ve got a bit better at keeping up with new music over the past few years, but I’m still no great shakes. If you want well-researched, balanced recaps, though, you can get them elsewhere. This list is what’s been catching my ear — and making me jump around when I play out — since January.
Part 1 contains 15 EPs and tracks with short blurbs, then my Top 10 will follow with longer reviews in Part 2.
Ali Berger – Continuation EP [Sequencias]
The Bergs returns to vinyl with a three-tracker full of movement, longing and a sweetly tentative optimism. ‘Interstate’ is the one I’ve been anchoring myself with at the start of my sets — Ali’s music is always the best for this.
COLA REN - Hailu EP [AMWAV]
From its esoteric cover art to the music within, this beautiful EP fits in neatly with the current Third Place/Wisdom Teeth/Nummer-school of bright and earthy music that is simply crying out for a name. “Mulch house”, anyone?
DIOGO – ‘I Don’t Give A Fuck’ [Discos Extendes]
Killer breaks and samples straight outta Lisbon! This is the track people have been asking me to ID the most recently. Expect news from DIOGO on Welt Discos later this year…
GIDEÖN – ‘The West Bank’ [Homo-centric]
GIDEÖN’s homo-centric house manifesto has gained further momentum with the summer smash ‘Brighter Days’ but for me this 100bpm chugger is where his signature mix of classic grooves, vocal cut-ups and oddball hooks really comes into its own.
Kurc & Chausi – Cham Dance EP [Gop Tun]
The Gop Tun juggernaut marches on, sometimes too relentlessly, but if you can weather the pace you’ll keep finding musical, versatile EPs like this one. I’ve played every track out, but ‘Ichi No Torii’ and ‘Hemis Gompa’ are my favs.
Marcellus Pitmann – ‘Sanskrit Body Rock’ [Acid Test]
It takes its time to get going but that’s part of its appeal: just when you think the Gherkin Jerks beat and acid line are it, over two a half minutes in Marcellus hits you with those sweet house chords and the patience pays off.
Pangaea – ‘Hole-A-Way’ [Hessle Audio]
‘Installation’ landed like a bomb going off and has rightly been getting rinsed all over, including by me. But ‘Hole-A-Way’ has snuck in as my favourite for the masterful way it goes about nailing that garagey swagger. Concise yet deadly.
Photonz – Orpheus EP [One Eyed Jacks]
It was Photonz’s original that drew me in at first, but at gigs it’s been the SHE Spells Doom remix I’ve been reaching for. A funky, angular tool for taking people in a new direction, it works every time. Full review here.
Schuttle – BH006 EP [Bakk Heia]
“For his next sonic sacrament, schuttle travels gallantly forward, unearthing the seeds sowed by the Ancients, to plant them anew in the shadow of the Mystic Mountains.” — Bakk Heia, the kings of good music and info text.
Physical Therapy & Davis Galvin – ‘Sugaring’ [Allergy Season]
Softness is back in style, at least in certain circles, and boy am I glad about it. When I heard this track the first time I immediately thought of Dean DeCosta, and that simple act of recall instantly made everything seem OK with the world. More please.
The Hacker – Red Team EP [Pinkman]
As far as The Hacker goes I mainly just carry on caning his turn-of-the-00s remixes. But then I casually listened to this new EP and realised he’s still got it: knife-sharp drum programming and just the right balance of rave and melancholy.
Soul Of Hex – ‘Phuria (Acido Corrosivo)’ [Funnuvojere]
Like M. Pittman above, Soul Of Hex take almost three minutes to expand on the driving acid and Chicago groove of this version of ‘Phuria’. When they do it’s a celestial moment, OTT but totally earning it.
Sphynx – ‘Upstairs’ [Self-released]
No-nonsense italo-electro synth business from the dream team of Márcio Vermelho and Zopelar. It’s right on the edge of crunchy but that just lends it a kind of videogame maximalism that really works. I want to see Sphynx DJing in Europe please.
T. Jacques – ‘Quadruped’ [Self-released]
The rest of this archival release of tracks from 2018-2021 leans heavily on the pastiche. But then there’s this beguiling track with its loose groove, strange harmonies and unexpected movements. I play it constantly and each time it lifts my mood.
Tape_hiss – A Linear Progression EP [Darker Than Wax]
As played in my RA mix, my The Lot Radio show, my Kiosk Radio show…and on and on. Full review here.
And a bouncy bonus!
Rafiki – The Source EP [Welt Discos]
I think it’s important to stand up here for Rafiki’s amazing EP on my label Welt Discos. I’m still rinsing it and I’ve been gratified to see the Bandcamp purchase notifications coming through from diverse and often unexpected quarters. For me that’s proof that the label’s occupying the space I wanted it to all along.