Year-end lists have always posed a conceptual challenge for me. Some things I appreciate might be a bit too obvious to mention. Attempting to encapsulate an entire year's worth of music within a singular framework feels inherently reductive, particularly in a landscape where the production and dissemination of music are ceaseless, and personal taste remains fluid and non-context-dependent. My listening habits are often anchored in retrospective exploration, gravitating toward the enduring soundscapes of the 1960s and 1970s—an era that continues to captivate my attention. However, within the domain of 'everyday noise'—those auditory experiences that seamlessly integrate into daily routines while gradually asserting their significance—a select number of releases have distinguished this year:
Aube - Huile Sur L'Eau (Advaita) - cassette
I've written a review of this. I still have about 10 copies left in the distro, priced at 13 euros each for anyone interested in revisiting it. It's professionally dubbed, unlike what many manage to achieve these days.
Merzbow - Mercurated x 2 LP (Urashima)
Review already written.
Frans de Waard - RRR book (Korm Plastics).
Review already written in the Classifieds-thread.
Taint reissues from Freak Animal.
Star – Hormone Lemming 10" (History Buff Records).
Inconsequential CD by JIM HAYNES and the other releases on WCN, XN's-latest, + Satauhatta's activities.
Honorable mentions of new cassettes from Suomi: Finno-Ugrian Suicide Hypothesis and Giärmäi (a few copies left).
The Caligula031 & Taeter – Escalation CD from Cipher Records was the only Christmas gift I received this year, and one of my family members accidentally opened the package and read the booklet.
Skuggsidan 14:
Pain Appendix split w/ Hollow Serpent Tooth quickly sold out, and I think there are still a few copies left at Freak Animal. For the next release, we'll probably make 150 cassettes, or adjust the quantity based on the level of interest in the release. Hence, a "pre-order" in this case. We are focused on finalizing and releasing projects that have been in development for some time.
Looking forward to what 2025 will bring, I have much more from 2024 year to revisit and explore.
