sammy

Single panel cartoon in the style of Gary Larson Far side. Hacker T. Dog, a dog puppet in a flashy shirt, pulls a goofy smile behind a table of 4 crudely made tools as his co-host, Lauren, puts her thumb and forefinger to her nose trying to stifle laughter. Caption reads "just normal tools."

what do you mean 'normal tools'?

bro last night was ludonarrative dissonance

couldn't save us from my gut by ok cowgirl album art

1. Forever – Ok Cowgirl

ok cowgirl is my breakout band of the year. the sound supports the emotions in her voice so well. the drums… the guitar… the simple lyrics… i absolutely adore ok cowgirl. couldn’t save us from my gut would’ve had 5 songs on this list if i didn’t limit myself

beyond beyond beyond by the crane wives album art

the first time i heard it i listened for about two hours straight. i love what the crane wives do so much.

the up-tempo beat with the same harmonizing, emotion-filled vocals works so well. with the guitar & drums from the second half onward, especially the hits after the bridge and last verse, this is a song that both band and listener can lose themselves in & is just so special to me…

2. Arcturus Beaming – The Crane Wives

The Crane Wives are back!! i’ve been waiting for an album release for what feels like forever, and while on the whole it was average (read: excellent, but that is the standard), AB stood out from the pack (as well as Black Hole Fantasy, i must mention).

prelude to ecstasy by the last dinner party album art

the lyric change from liver to liqour aaagg i’m eating it up. this is the future of music like this. so much inventive music!! the instrumentation overall is so intentional and gives an almost orchestral feel to the whole song. the whole project is truly grand

3. The Feminine Urge – The Last Dinner Party

my most listened album of the year and TLDP kill it. something in this is so personal to me despite me not really being a woman. something about the instrumentation and the melody, especially in the last chorus, is just so tantalizingly painful.

the new sound by geordie greep album art

but holy holy reaches a higher level than blues ever does. i love the way greep’s lyrics let desperation and hunger greep into his voice. i love the way the song builds. it needs six minutes to feel like this. and when the background vocals come in… and the simple fade out… a masterpiece

4. Holy, Holy – Geordie Greep

insane energy!! they should inject this song into my veins forever. using this style of song for this level of storytelling is mwah!! also just being a modern take on this style i really haven’t heard a lot of. big shoutout to blues by greep for being similar...

imaginal disk by magdalena bay album art

death & romance has such a groove to it. the vocals are soft but are laden with latent energy until the chorus when they pop!! the piano rules. the whole project is so impressive. i’ve never heard anything like it and probably never will again.

5. Death & Romance – Magdalena Bay

probably my favorite song of off probably my aoty. but there’s also image and killing time and the ballad of matt and mica and cry for me so i might be wrong. imaginal disk is truly ethereal. dreamlike and wondrous. synthpop’s greatest.

brat by charli xcx album art

6. von dutch – Charli XCX

best song on the consensus aoty imo (shoutout to girl so confusing w lorde tho). i don’t have much to say about this that hasn’t already been said so i will say just this: i love to dance when this song comes on because it fucks

no one noticed (extended) by the marías single art

the bass, especially near the end, is gut-wrenching. the extended version just makes the outro that much more crushing. the more i listen the more i think this should actually be higher it’s such a work of art.

7. No One Noticed – The Marías

absolutely hypnotizing. i find myself listening to this at all times. it’s so emotional it’s so beautiful it presents this ethereal moment so exactly. haunting and honest and brutal. her voice on this is perfect.

big ideas by remi wolf album art

it’s so good!! so cute. it's the song that makes me most wish i was posting audio clips with these blurbs tbh

8. Cinderella – Remi Wolf

remi wolf wins vibe of the year. i could listen to this and jam for hours. and i have. and i will. the whole song is so repetitive. but that only serves it. the brass & the sax & the beat & the whistles!! i don’t know how someone could not at least enjoy this song.

tethered by deux visages single art

the bass rules, the vocal tone is so nice, the song never really lets up even in the lighter sections. and the lyrics fit the instruments so well… great song great EP overall deux visages album one day pleaseee

(also i realize now that this came out in 2023 but oopsies the EP came out this year)

9. Tethered – Deux Visages

i don’t know how to explain deux visages. it’s alt/indie, yes, but it’s rock but it’s shoegaze but it’s not but it’s addictive is really what it is. they have such a distinctive tone that feels like wholesome sugar water. i don’t know if that makes any sense.

girl prometheus by flower face album art

shocking on a first listen, and hits just as hard listening again. the background vocals make me feel insane. i almost wish they were the lead vocals. the heartbeat of this song is so strong.

10. Biblical Love – Flower Face

this genre of indie girl/singer songwriter/produced music isn’t something i venture into often but damn!! flower face has this one down. it’s such a good opener to the album, and the intensity delivered by the first hit was absolutely

liminal space by mxmtoon album art

they have the bedroom pop vibes but the song is much more produced and feels more thoughtful. it’s a nice feeling. i think it’s funny that she wrote “cruising down the 1” while she (at the time) could not drive. the guitar is so understated & it’s perfect.

11. rain – mxmtoon

i thought i wasn’t going to like this album. i am so happy i was wrong. i love the soundscape of this one, & i love maia’s voice on the lower harmonies. i connect with the simple coming-of-age lyrics as well.

you could stay in one spot, and i'd love you the same (deluxe) by sabrina song album art

i love that the title is two okays, and that she plays with that during the song. i love the use of orchestral strings, i revel in the emotions in their voices. this song hinges on an emotional connection, as it’s not musically like impressive or innovative for most of the song, but it's great.

12. Okay, Okay – Sabrina Song ft. Ok Cowgirl

i’m running out of things to say about songs. #musicsky i love this oneee sneakily getting a second ok cowgirl song on here with the feature but of course main credits to sabrina. i love the harmonies & the background vocals & the percussion.

WAIL by sophie hunter album art

13. Own Devices – Sophie Hunter

whole ep is so deeply personal and i fw it heavy. i enjoy the almost campy? beat and the ferocity she raps/enunciates with. often i don’t care too much about the lyrics in a song like this–here i connect with them deeply. the sample sound effect is so fucking fun.

fairweather friend by the umbrellas album art

the more accelerated moments which takes talent. i love the buildup in the bridge. i love the title drop of the album. i love the sonic environment and the quiet desperation. i just really like this one ok guys

14. PM – The Umbrellas

lowkey this was actually my most listened song of the year due to a couple days in january… rather basic “twee pop” but it feels like nobody else really sounds like this nowadays. i’m a huge fan of the vocals (2 vocalists!), rather quiet and understated even in...

guts (spilled) by olivia rodrigo album art

15. So American – Olivia Rodrigo

catchy as all hell, the basic bitch shit rocks sometimes. found myself humming this so often this year. it’s such a cute song!! one of her only positive songs & she rules it. not a second is wasted. gas never is let up and for good reason!!

everyone's gone and i know i'm the cause by the greeting committee album art

16. Don’t Talk – The Greeting Committee

don’t talk is a very fitting closing track to this mellow album. it actually embraces the groove of the greeting committee’s sound more than others on this album, leaning into the bassline and the more rock aspects of the track.