As we approach the end of 2024, it’s time to list here, there and everywhere! Industry and Media found the perfect way to improve sells for Christmas a few decades ago, and honestly we love it! You can go back to those albums that didn’t hear during the year or just discover references that are not under your radar.
From indie gems to chart-topping hits, the music scene has been diverse and innovative this 2024. Whether you’re a die-hard music enthusiast or just looking for the perfect soundtrack to your holiday season, or albums to discover we hope you find something interesting in this list. Let’s dive into the top 15 albums of 2024, Vibes Mgzn edition, and let’s see if we can still surprise you…
Top 15 Albums of 2024
1. Kim Gordon / The Collection Deluxe Edition
- Genre and Style: Her own
- Why It Stands Out: Kim Gordon’s Deluxe Edition offers a comprehensive look at her influential career, with an excellent production and a touch of modernity that has left us completely in love. Without loosing her essence she has been able to take a step forward, creating one of the best albums (if not the best…) of all Sonic Youth member’s, after SY and demonstrating that there’s still lots of music in her mind.
2. Angeles Toledano / Sangre Sucia
- Genre and Style: Flamenco
- Why It Stands Out: Angeles Toledano’s debut album showcases her unique voice and performing skills, giving an example of flamenco and vanguard. A unique first album, where innovation and tradition meets without confrontations, conforming one of the best debuts of the Spanish scene in years.
3. Dame Área / Toda la verdad Sobre Dame Área
- Genre and Style: Electronic
- Why It Stands Out: Dame Área duet is a journey through soundscapes, featuring industrial beats and a visceral singer that makes you vibrate, in every live performance. This album is the confirmation of a project perfect for those who love to explore new musical territories, in the dancefloor or while listening their unique blend of electronic styles. Dame mas area, por favor….
4. Za + Perrate / Jolifanto
- Genre and Style: Flamenco, Frankzappaism, unclassificable….
- Why It Stands Out: Za + Perrate’s collaboration album brings together two powerhouse artists, resulting in an excellent album where the virtuosity of ZA! and its innovative spirit meets Perrate, a classic flamenco singer, that together with the Barcelona duo have created an album that perhaps being difficult in its first approach, it’s another step forward to join Flamenco and Experimentation. Will take time to understand but many of the themes included here are authentic hidden gems and excellent pieces of contemporary Flamenco music.
5. The Cure / Songs of A Lost World
- Genre and Style: Unique
- Why It Stands Out: The Cure’s latest album is a return to form, featuring their signature sound without losing quality or sound like an orchestra of themselves. This fact, with their long career, is enough for us to consider this album one of the best of the year. A must-listen for fans of the band.
6. Ruhr / Live Rough Tracks
- Genre and Style: Synth-Wave
- Why It Stands Out: Ruhr’s live album captures the raw energy of their performances, offering a glimpse into their powerful stage presence. Their synth sound makes us return to the best years of the genre. Martial’s Canterel breakfast soundrack.
7. Beth Gibbons / Lives Outgrown
- Genre and Style: Contemporary songwriter
- Why It Stands Out: Beth Gibbons’ solo album is a deeply personal and emotional journey, showcasing her powerful vocals and introspective lyrics. Portishead vocalist, keeps on playing in a top league and as in Kim Gordon’s case, makes us a perfect demonstration of how to create beauty and emotions.
8. Alicia Acuna / Narcotablao
- Genre and Style: Flamenco, Electronic
- Why It Stands Out: Alicia Acuna’s flamenco album is a celebration of the young Spanish flamenco sound. She works in muddy lands. Tradition of flamenco sound and vanguard of electronic beats is not an easy territory to work in, and many people have failed while attempting to conquer these places. In this case, the result is notable and the risk taken enough to place her in our top 10.
9. Fat Dog / Woof
- Genre and Style: Punk Rock
- Why It Stands Out: Fat Dog’s debut album is a high-energy punk rock experience, featuring raw vocals, impossible synths and powerful riffs. It’s perfect for those who love to turn up the volume and let loose. A new triumph of the UK working class sound.
10. Helado Negro / PHASOR
- Genre and Style: Helado Negro Style
- Why It Stands Out: Helado Negro’s latest album is a blend of multiple genres that demonstrate his maestry as a songwriter and musician, creating a unique and captivating listening experience. It’s perfect for those who enjoy pushing musical boundaries with echoes of many styles and a unique personally. For those who follow this artist, Phasor confirms an step forward in his career, reaffirmating the excellent sound of previous albums.
11. Amen Dunes / Death Jokes
- Genre and Style: Indie Rock
- Why It Stands Out: Amen Dunes’ album features thought-provoking lyrics and a unique sound, making it a standout in their genre. After a long silence since the excellent “Freedom” (2018) in Sacred Bones Records, the long wait has been rewarded with an excellent double that evidences the quality and the evolution of a band that deserves much more recognition. Amen.
12. Fontaines DC / Romance
- Genre and Style: Post-Punk
- Why It Stands Out: Fontaines DC’s latest album is a powerful post-punk experience, featuring raw energy and introspective lyrics. Solid sound and great songs constructing a round album that evidences excellent references and a solid marge of improvement that will probably lead in one of the best bands of the next decade.
13. Latin Mafia / Todos Los Días Todo El Día
- Genre and Style: Latin
- Why It Stands Out: Latin Mafia’s album is a celebration of the future in Latin sound, featuring powerful lyrics and complex compositions. In their own style, and as artists like Helado Negro, here we have the future of south-american sound made present. And that’s a lot these days, when talking about music…
14. Loss of Balance / Endurance
- Genre and Style: Electronic, Techno
- Why It Stands Out: Loss of Balance’s album is a unique blend of electronic sounds, creating a captivating and unpredictable listening experience. Endurance is key: it fuels the relentless evolution of this genre. Loss of Balance has an absolute control of the different styles and this album is a perfect demo of how to navigate through the deep waters of the Electronic sounds without getting wet.
15. Hinds / Viva Hinds
- Genre and Style: Garage Rock
- Why It Stands Out: Hinds’ latest album is a high-energy garage rock experience, featuring raw vocals and powerful riffs. Personality and self-identity have decided us to include their last reference in our list. How many young bands can you hear today with these easiness to being identified?
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Additional Criteria
- LP’s released in 2024
- unique listing for International and Spanish Productions
- Evaluate innovation, risk and personal touch for debutants or not consolidate artists.
- Same criteria + equal or superior production level for artists or band with 2 or more LP’s
- Our Redaction team criteria with the valuable help of @inverse75 and PLC. Thanks To both of them
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