50 albums that thrilled us – with records by Pearl Jam, Last Dinner Party and Charli XCX.
In 2024, a number of remarkable and strange records were released again – and of 50 of these releases we can say with a clear conscience that they are our albums of the year!
50. Astrid Sonne – GREAT DOUBT
Small cause, big effect. On her third album, the classically trained Danish composer and viola player demonstrates how her voice fits into minimalist but colorful arrangements based on electro-acoustic experiments. Astrid Sonne sings on an album for the first time. This mix of ambient and trip-hop vibes, sampled brass instruments, folk and deconstructed R’n’B makes GREAT DOUBT, in unity with her voice, the most beautiful avant-pop album of the 2024 vintage.
Albert Koch
49. Porridge Radio – CLOUDS IN THE SKY WILL ALWAYS BE THERE FOR ME
You can hear on the new album that frontwoman Dana Margolin suffered burnout before recording: her writing style has transformed into a kind of lyrical meditation with which she deals with themes such as clarity and longing. In the most intense moments, in songs like “A Hole In The Ground” and “Lavender Raspberries”, she draws us under her spell, pulls us very close to her and doesn’t let us go. While Dana Margolin herself is looking for consolation, she is already giving it to us. A suffering shared is a suffering halved and leads to twice as good music.
Stephan Rehm Rozanes
48. Jamie xx – IN WAVES
The xx’s return is likely to be imminent, now that all members have released solo albums – and thus failed commercially. The sound inventor’s second record after nine years is no exception: while its predecessor IN COLOR was certified gold in the UK, the new record only stayed in the charts for two weeks. That’s shameful in view of this magnificent set of euphoric rave monsters like “Still Summer” and soul numbers like “The Feeling I Get From You”.
Stephan Rehm Rozanes
47. King Hannah – BIG SWIMMER
Since their first EP in 2020 it’s been an XL pleasure, Hannah Merrick and watching Craig Whittle try out and stretch more and more. Even if the duo from Liverpool are reserved in conversation, they break out into such dark, big noise excesses on the album and on stage that you have to listen to them. The storytelling was also further refined for the second record, so that the American trip, which they report on in detail here, plays like a slide show in your mind’s eye.
Hella Wittenberg
46. Bill Ryder-Jones – IECHYD DA
The title means “good health” in Welsh. The thirteen songs from Bill Ryder-Jones’ very good fifth album impress with dreamy, almost picturesque arrangements. The 41-year-old songwriter sings about love, failed relationships and getting older. In recent years, the former singer of The Coral has also established himself as a producer. These skills are evident in the album’s sometimes orchestral, sometimes reserved production. An early highlight of 2024 that will resonate for a long time in its enchanting melancholy.
Louisa Rooms
45. Beabadoobee – THIS IS HOW TOMORROW MOVES
In her explorations of emotional distortions, the 24-year-old songwriter confidently reveals her own insecurities (“In a way I’m figuring it out at my own pace / Just a girl who overthinks about proportions or her waist”), but doesn’t dish it out either (“It was my song / You made it worse just by singing along”). Produced by Rick Rubin, the mix of 90s alternative guitars, indie folk pop and gently dabbed piano ballads went all the way in his native Great Britain.
David Numberger
44. Isolation Berlin – ELECTRONIC BABIES
After the band went on an orphaned winter journey with the previous album GEHEIMNIS, stroller Tobias Bamborschke leads his listeners through the hustle and bustle of the capital. Both dark wave titles and indie rock ballads are energetically charged. They are anchored by a joy in linguistic romps – and, last but not least, the maturity for ambivalence. For the first time in Isolation Berlin’s oeuvre, the dark and the light are balanced: “Love feels so good, love hurts so much. Like summer, autumn, your lies, jumping into the Spree.”
Martin Student
43. Coco & Clair Clair – GIRL
Truly astonishing: the more sedated the duo from Atlanta performs their chants, the more irresistible they become. Taylor Nave and Claire Toothill, who have been active together since 2014, embed their allusive lyrics between diss track and subversive submissiveness in a light, fashion shoot-ready mixture of cloud rap, bedroom and hyperpop, in which a guitar solo is not out of place. Even the drum’n’base cover of Crosby, Stills & Nash’s “Our House” fits the concept perfectly.
David Numberger
42. Sorry 3000 – GREETINGS FROM THE FAST LANE
This year, the cute collective from Leipzig and Halle has finally set out to once again evoke the indie nerd hype that their debut WHY OVERTHINKG DICH DESTROYED. Album number two wasn’t entirely successful. Certainly also because a super song like “Nasal Spray” wasn’t easy to repeat. Nevertheless, there are wonderful hit miniatures in the fast lane that oscillate between loving nonsense, melancholic pop and friendly global disgust. Now stay tuned, people!
Linus Volkmann
41. SOPHIE – SOPHIE
Sophie aka Sophie Xeon died three years ago. Probably due to an accident. At the beginning of her career she worked primarily as a producer, including for Charli XCX, and later slipped into an independent artist persona, both DJing and performing. It wasn’t easy for her as a trans woman in the business. She spoke about it in “It’s Okay To Cry” in 2017. Her self-titled final album ultimately had to be completed by her brother, who handled the material intelligently and delicately.
Rebecca Spilker
40. Cindy Lee – DIAMOND JUBILEE
Prompted by a rave review on Pitchfork, the two-hour-long record from the drag solo project of Patrick Flegel, formerly of the indie band Women, sparked insider hype. The fact that you could initially only stream it on YouTube added to the myth. Reference points include Lou Reed, Nico, 60s girl group pop and Daniel Johnston. Ghostly echoing sounds from a rock’n’roll parallel world that you can just as easily listen to with concentration or leave playing in the background like one of those hour-long Andy Warhol films.
David Numberger