The best albums of 2023 (so far)

Disclaimer: This article was finished on 24/09.

The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We – Mitski

A recent entry to the “album of the year” race, Mitski returns to her roots, dropping the 80s synth aesthetics of Laurel Hell in exchange for warmer, acoustic tones in what could very well be her best album to date. Bug Like an Angel is a trademark Mitski opener. With the track starting off so stripped-back, the arrival of her harmonised vocals caught me entirely off-guard on my first listen with their rousing depth and warmth.

There is a soothing tranquillity to the dejectedness she expresses on these baroque-pop ballads. She’s very lyrically succinct track-to-track, being able to say so much about love found and love lost in so few words. The Frost is a quaint wee track that I adore for this very reason. I think fans of acts like Weyes Blood, Father John Misty and even Lana Del Rey would really resonate with this 180-degree turn Mitski has made.

Desire, I Want To Turn Into You - Caroline Polachek

Succeeding her 2019 record Pang, Desire, I Want To Turn Into You sees Caroline Polachek hone her avant-garde pop sensibilities as she propels the genre to vibrant new heights. With tightly wound percussives and ethereal vocal performances, the hyper pop soundscapes she crafts are alive and kicking.

Where Pang feels grand and airy, Desire, I Want To Turn Into You is bright and maximalist with a sunny flourish. This is best shown on singles Bunny Is A Rider and Welcome To My Island which are a must-adds to any rotation, especially with spring in the works and summer just around the corner.

One of the notable quirks to the geography of this record is Polachek’s blending of her distinctive style with sounds outside of her cultural wheelhouse. Sunset features Polachek layering her hyper pop vocals over Mariachi guitars, and Blood And Butter sees her merge her usual synth-driven sound with Scottish bagpipes.

Food for Worms – shame

A page from Trinny and Susannah’s 2002 book “What Not to Wear”.

This album marks a moment of realisation for me in the evolution of my music taste. I did not get the appeal of the post-punk sound at all before listening to Food for Worms. I tried getting into it with Fontaines DC last year to no avail but shame was the band that made it all finally click and cracked open the doors of the genre for me.

On Food for Worms, shame flutters between slower-paced indie rock cuts and high-octane post-punk anthems with grimy walls of sound. Adderall makes for one of the quieter songs on the record. Here, Charlie Steen’s vocals are drowsy and eventually melt into a flurry of sound the band constructs around him.

On the other side of the coin, The Fall of Paul is upfront in causing a ruckus, featuring filthy, distorted riffs and climactic builds.

the record - boygenius

After teasing their combined might on their 2018 EP, the formidable singer-songwriter trio of Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker lived up to expectations on their full-length debut. This is exactly what musical synergy sounds like.

All three girls have their fingerprints over every track as their personal artistries mesh and flourish. Not Strong Enough is a serious frontrunner for my personal song of the year. Despite what the lyrics actually say, it sounds like it was sung with a smile and has a contagious energy to it.

Tracks like Emily, I’m Sorry and Cool About It are more in line with the usual sad indie aesthetic these three front the folk scene with (particularly Phoebe, that is). Overall, the record toes the lines of indie rock and indie folk better than any solo attempt by the girls, making it a true testament to the time-old saying that there is strength in numbers.

O Monolith - Squid

Of all the bands to emerge from the immensely talented UK Windmill scene, art-rock outfit Squid have hurled themselves to the forefront with the release of their sophomore album. O Monolith compacts the raw chaos of their first rodeo, Bright Green Field, into a surreal yet refined collection of eight tracks. Opening with Swing (In A Dream), the band comes out the gate with a menacing blend of electronic synths and post-punk guitars.

Lead singer Ollie Judge’s vocal style is unconventional, but on this record, it seems he’s found a pocket for his eccentricity to thrive, singing with more conviction and playing off of the bizarro instrumentation of tracks like Devil’s Den and Undergrowth. Siphon Song – my personal favourite – exemplifies the sonic direction the band appears to be headed in. Beginning with a subtle swinging drum, the song gradually builds with vocoded singing, choir-like harmonies, and layered electric guitars, creating an intense and dramatic atmosphere that’ll pin you to your seat.

Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love? - Kara Jackson

A poet turned contemporary folk prodigy; Kara Jackson’s debut album is a sobering exploration of the double-edged sword that we call love. The deep, rich timbre of her voice shrouds each track in a mist of despondence, allowing the weight of her words to sink in. On the lead single no fun/party, Jackson deals with the winding blow of rejection over ever-so delicately plucked guitar strings. Here she closes with a message of self-reassurance, singing, “Don’t be sorry for missing the party // ‘Cause somebody’s party is missing you too.”

As she stumbles her way along the rocky pathing of the dating scene, tracks such as dickhead blues and therapy journal the questions that arise and the conclusions she draws.

Another stand out is the questioning titular track why does the earth give us people to love?, which is reminiscent of King Crimson’s In The Court Of The Crimson King. Jackson’s sincerity combined with crisply recorded fingerstyle guitar gives the album a very organic, down-to-earth feel.

STRUGGLER - Genesis Owusu

I don’t think the term “genre” has ever once crossed Genesis Owusu’s mind. The 25-year-old Aussie artist continues to foster an ever-evolving, eclectic sound on STRUGGLER that is what I can most concisely describe as funk meets dance-punk. Between breakbeats and rubbery basslines, Owusu tells an uplifting story of resilience through the character of “The Roach.”

The record starts at a fever pitch with an animated opener in Leaving The Light, featuring pop-esque electronic production. Cuts like Stay Blessed and Balthazar see Ouwusu dig deep into his post-punk bag with more choppy, agitated verses. But if funk and R&B are more your flavour, tracks like That’s Life (A Swamp) and See Ya There best highlight

Owusu’s buttery vocal chops and innate feel for being one groovy dude.

Despite being so stylistically nomadic, STRUGGLER has a seamless flow start to finish and makes for one of the most exhilarating listens of the year.