Top 10 – Diciembre
“I was in a dream, but now I can see that change is the only law.”
With a credo adapted from science fiction author Octavia E. Butler, an album title from a collection of metaphysical poetry, and an expansion in consciousness brought on by personal crisis, guitarist and songwriter Shana Cleveland learns to embrace a changing world with unconditional love on News of the Universe, the new full-length from California rock band La Luz.
News of the Universe is a record born of calamity, a work of dark, beautiful psychedelia reflecting Cleveland’s experience of having her world blown apart by a breast cancer diagnosis just two years after the birth of her son. It’s also a portrait of a band in flux, marking the first appearance for drummer Audrey Johnson and the final ones from longtime members bassist Lena Simon and keyboardist Alice Sandahl, whose contributions add a bittersweet edge to a record that is both elegy for an old world and cosmic road map to a strange new one.
News of the Universe is a record born of calamity, a work of dark, beautiful psychedelia reflecting Cleveland’s experience of having her world blown apart by a breast cancer diagnosis just two years after the birth of her son. It’s also a portrait of a band in flux, marking the first appearance for drummer Audrey Johnson and the final ones from longtime members bassist Lena Simon and keyboardist Alice Sandahl, whose contributions add a bittersweet edge to a record that is both elegy for an old world and cosmic road map to a strange new one.
1. mdou moctar – funeral for justice – matidor
2. necrot – lifeless birth – tankcrimes
3. fyear – s/t – constellation CC*
4. big/brave – a chaos of flowers – thrill jockey
5. empanadas illegales – papayón – we are time CC
6. cloud nothings – final summer – pure noise
7. ibibio sound machine – pull the rope – merge
8. kee avil – spine – constellation
9. bktherula – lvl5 p2 – warner
10. pro-v – north face and tech fleece: the seventh summit – self CC*
11. mary halvorson – cloudward – nonsuch
12. omni – souvenir – sub pop
13. hua li – ripe fruit fall not in your mouth – nextdoor CC*
14. yaya bey – ten fold – big dada
15. shabazz palaces – robed in rareness – sub pop
16. creation rebel – high above harlesden 1978-2023 – on-u sound
17. grim beverage – sparkling water – self CC*
18. okan – okantomi – lulaworld
19. nadah el shazly – the damned don’t cry – asadun alay records
20. kavain wayne space & xt – yesyespeakersyes – feedback moves
21. alastair galbraith – talisman – otic
22. reynols – minecxio greatest no hits – beat generations
23. kim gordon – the collective – matador
24. ruth mascelli – no stop healing frequency – disciples
25. bill orcutt guitar quartet – four guitars live – palillalia
26. chard chenier- blues in a suitcase – self CC*
27. matmos – return to archive – smithsonian folkways
28. la luz – news of the universe – sub pop
29 greg saunier – we sang therefor we were – joyful noise
30. skull channel – illegal music – numbers station records CC*