Okay, here's what will be keeping me busy for the next couple of weeks. Every year around this time I start collating "Best Of" lists from a handful of places (NPR, the
New York Times, the
Guardian,
PopMatters, Pitchfork). I'm still waiting on a couple of people--Ann Powers, David Hajdu, Nate Chinen--to cough up their choices, but this is what I have so far. I'm estimating that somewhere around half the albums have Atmos mixes. I was previously acquainted with maybe two dozen of these titles. Because, you know, I'm old.
Legend:
* = known Atmos mix
(*) = "meh" (IMO) Atmos mix
hm = honorable mention
Culled from:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/30/arts/music/best-albums-2023.html (Jon Pareles, Jon Caramanica, Lindsay Zoladz)
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/07/arts/music/best-jazz-albums.html (Giovanni Russonello)
https://www.npr.org/2023/12/05/1211225533/best-albums-2023
https://www.npr.org/2023/12/13/1218517774/the-10-best-classical-albums-of-2023 (Tom Huizenga)
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/dec/05/the-50-best-albums-of-2023
https://www.popmatters.com/the-best-albums-of-2023
https://www.popmatters.com/category/the-best-music-of-2023 (includes links to individual genre lists)
https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/best-albums-2023/
(One or two of the above features include Spotify and/or Apple Music playlists)
*100 gecs,
10,000 gecs (Pareles hm, Caramanica, Zoladz, NPR, Pitchfork)
Acid Arab,
Trois (PopMatters)
Aesop Rock,
Integrated Tech Solutions (PopMatters)
Aizuri Quartet,
Earthdrawn Skies (Huizenga)
Algiers,
Shook (PopMatters)
Allison Miller,
Rivers In Our Veins (NPR)
*Allison Russell,
The Returner (Pareles hm)
Altin Gun,
Ask (PopMatters)
*Amaarae,
Fountain Baby (NPR, Guardian, Pitchfork)
Ambrose Akinmusire,
Owl Song (Russonello)
Andre 3000,
New Blue Sun (Pareles hm, Pitchfork)
Animal Collective,
Isn’t It Now? (PopMatters)
*Anohni & The Johnsons,
My Back Was a Bridge For You to Cross (Zoladz, Guardian, Pitchfork)
Armand Hammer,
We Buy Diabetic Test Strips (PopMatters)
Anti-God Hand,
Blight Year (PopMatters)
Arvo Part,
Tractus (Huizenga)
*Asake,
Work of Art (Caramanica)
Avalon Emerson,
& the Charm (Pitchfork)
Awadagin Pratt,
STILLPOINT (Huizenga, NPR)
awakebutstillinbed,
chaos takes the wheel and I am a passenger (NPR)
*Bailey Zimmerman,
Religiously. The Album (Caramanica)
Beach Fossils,
Bunny (PopMatters)
Bill Orcutt,
Jump On It (NPR)
billy woods & Kenny Segal,
Maps (NPR, Guardian, Pitchfork, PopMatters)
*BLK ODYSSY,
Diamonds & Freaks (NPR)
*Blondshell,
Blondshell (PopMatters)
Blonde Redhead,
Sit Down For Dinner (PopMatters)
Blue Lake,
Sun Arcs (Pitchfork)
(*)Blur,
The Ballad of Darren (Guardian)
*boygenius,
The Record (Pareles, NPR, Guardian, Pitchfork, PopMatters)
Caroline Polachek,
Desire, I Want to Turn Into You (Zoladz, Pitchfork, PopMatters)
Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah,
Bark Out Thunder Roar Out Lightning (Russonello)
Chris Stapleton,
Higher (PopMatters)
Cleo Sol,
Heaven (NPR)
*CMAT,
Crazymad, For Me (Guardian)
*Corinne Bailey Rae,
Black Rainbows (Pareles hm, NPR)
Danny Brown,
Quaranta (Pareles, Guardian)
Darcy James Argue,
Dynamic Maximum Tension (NPR)
Darius Jones,
fluXkit Vancouver (NPR)
Debby Friday,
Good Luck (Zoladz)
Depeche Mode,
Memento Mori (PopMatters)
*Doja Cat,
Scarlet (NPR)
Drake,
For All the Dogs Scary Hours Edition (Caramanica)
Durand Jones,
Wait Till I Get Over (PopMatters)
Earl Sweatshirt, the Alchemist,
VOIRE DIRE (PopMatters)
Eddie Chacon,
Sundown (Guardian)
Ekiti Sound,
Drum Money (PopMatters)
Enji,
Ulaan (Russonello)
*Everything But the Girl,
Fuse (Pareles, Guardian)
Explosions In the Sky,
End (PopMatters)
Faten Kanaan,
Afterpoem (PopMatters)
Fatoumata Diawara,
London Ko (PopMatters)
*Feist,
multitudes (Pareles, NPR)
*Fever Ray,
Radical Romantics (Zoladz, NPR, Guardian, Pitchfork)
*Fito Paez,
EADDA9223 (NPR)
*Forest Swords,
Bolted (PopMatters)
Frankie and the Witch Fingers,
Data Doom (PopMatters)
Fucked Up,
One Day (PopMatters)
*Geese,
3D Country (Pareles hm)
Gia Margaret,
Romantic Piano (PopMatters)
Gina Birch,
I Play My Bass Loud (Guardian)
(*)Gorillaz,
Cracker Island (PopMatters)
Grian Chatten,
Chaos for the Fly (Guardian)
Hannah Diamond,
Perfect Picture (Guardian)
*Hannah Jadagu,
Aperture (Pareles hm)
Hayden Pedigo,
The Happiest Times I Ever Ignored (PopMatters)
HiTech,
Detwat (Pitchfork)
*Ice Spice,
Like…? (Caramanica, Pitchfork)
Iris DeMent,
Workin’ on a World (NPR, PopMatters)
*Irreversible Entanglements,
Protect Your Light (Pareles hm)
Jaimie Branch,
Fly or Die… (Russonello, Guardian, Pitchfork)
*James Blake,
Playing Robots Into Heaven (PopMatters)
*Jamila Woods,
Water Made Us (Zoladz, PopMatters)
Jana Horn,
The Window Is the Dream (Zoladz hm)
*Janelle Monae,
The Age of Pleasure (Pareles hm, NPR, Guardian)
*Jason Isbell,
Weathervanes (PopMatters)
Jess Williamson,
Time Ain’t Accidental (Pitchfork)
*Jessie Ware,
That! Feels! Good! (Zoladz, NPR, Pitchfork, PopMatters)
Jim Legxacy,
Homeless N***a Pop Music (Guardian)
Joan Tower,
Concerto for Piano (Huizenga)
Joanna Sternberg,
I’ve Got Me (Pitchfork)
Jonathan Suazo,
Ricano (Russonello)
*Jordan Ward,
FORWARD (NPR)
*Jorja Smith,
Falling or Flying (Pareles hm, NPR, PopMatters)
*Joy Oladokun,
Proof of Life (NPRR, PopMatters)
JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown,
SCARING THE HOES (NPR, Guardian)
*Julie Byrne,
The Greater Wings (Guardian, Pitchfork)
*Jung Kook,
Golden (Caramanica hm)
*Jungle,
Volcano (PopMatters)
*Kali Uchis,
Red Moon In Venus (Pareles hm, Guardian, Pitchfork)
Kara Jackson,
Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love? (NPR, Guardian, Pitchfork)
Karol G,
Mañana Será Bonito (Pareles)
Kassa Overall,
Animals (Russonello)
Kelela,
Raven (Pareles hm, Guardian, Pitchfork, PopMatters)
King Krule,
Space Heavy (PopMatters)
*Kylie Minogue,
Tension (Guardian, PopMatters)
L’Rain,
I Killed Your Dog (Pareles hm, Zoladz hm, Pitchfork)
*Lana Del Ray,
Did You Know… (Caramanica hm, Zoladz, Guardian, Pitchfork, PopMatters)
Lankum,
False Lankum (NPRR)
Laurel Halo,
Atlas (Pitchfork, PopMatters)
Le Sserafim,
Unforgiven (Caramanica hm)
Liv.e,
Girl in the Half Pearl (Pitchfork)
Lonnie Holley,
Oh Me Oh My (Pitchfork)
Loraine James,
Gentle Confrontation (Guardian, PopMatters)
Lotta Wennakoski,
Sigla/Flounce/Sedecim (Huizenga)
Lydia Loveless,
Nothing’s Gonna Stand In My Way Again (PopMatters)
M83,
Fantasy (PopMatters)
*Maisie Peters,
The Good Witch (PopMatters)
Mandy, Indiana,
I’ve Seen a Way (Caramanica hm, Guardian, Pitchfork, PopMatters)
Margaret Glaspy,
Echo the Diamond (Pareles hm)
Margo Cilker,
Valley of Heart’s Delight (NPR)
Margo Price,
Strays (PopMatters)
*Maria Jose Llergo,
Ultrabelleza (NPR)
Matana Roberts,
Coin Coin Chapter 5 (Russonello)
*Megan Moroney,
Lucky (Caramanica)
Mendoza Hoff Revels,
Echolocation (Russonello)
(*)Meshell Ndegeocello,
The Omnichord Real Book (NPRR, PopMatters)
Micah Thomas,
Reveal (Russonello)
*Mick Jenkins,
The Patience (NPR)
*Miley Cyrus,
Endless Summer Vacation (PopMatters)
Missy Mazzoli,
Dark With Excessive Bright (Huizenga, NPR)
Mitski,
The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We (Pareles hm, Zoladz hm, Pitchfork, PopMatters)
Model/Actriz,
Dogsbody (Pitchfork)
*Molly Tuttle,
City of Gold (PopMatters)
*Mon Laferte,
Autopoietica (NPR)
*Morgan Wade,
Psychopath (Caramanica hm)
*Morgan Wallen,
One Thing At a Time (Caramanica hm)
Nabihah Iqbal,
Dreamer (Guardian)
Natanael Cano,
Nata Montana (Caramanica hm)
Nation of Language,
Strange Disciple (PopMatters)
*NewJeans,
Get Up EP (Caramanica, PopMatters)
Niecy Blues,
Exit Simulation (PopMatters)
Nkosazana Daughter,
Uthingo Le Nkoszaza (Pareles hm)
Noname,
Sundial (Pareles hm, NPR, Guardian, Pitchfork. PopMatters)
Nourished By Time,
Erotic Probiotic 2 (Pitchfork)
*Olivia Rodrigo,
Guts (Pareles, Caramanica, Zoladz, NPR, Guardian, Pitchfork, PopMatters)
P.J. Harvey,
I Inside the Old Year Dying (NPR, Guardian)
Pangaea,
Changing Channels (Guardian, Pitchfork)
*Paramore,
This Is Why (Guardian, Pitchfork)
Parannoul,
After the Magic (Pitchfork)
Paul Simon,
Seven Psalms (Pareles)
*Peso Pluma,
Genesis (Pareles hm, Caramanica)
*Pink,
Trustfall (PopMatters)
Prins Emanuel,
Diagonal Musik II (PopMatters)
Purelink,
Signs (Pitchfork)
Quantic,
Dancing While Falling (PopMatters)
*Ralphie Choo,
Supernova (NPR)
Ratboys,
The Window (PopMatters)
*Raye,
My 21st Century Blues (Pareles hm)
Reverend Kristin Michael Hayter,
SAVED! (PopMatters)
*Romy,
Mid Air (NPR, Guardian)
*Ryuichi Sakamoto,
12 (Pitchfork)
Saint Levant,
From Gaza With Love (Caramanica hm)
Sam Wilkes,
Driving (PopMatters)
*Sampha,
Lahai (NPRR, Guardian, PopMatters)
Sexyy Redd,
Hood Hottest Princess (Caramanica, NPR, Pitchfork)
Shamir,
Homo Anxietatem (PopMatters)
*Skrillex,
Quest for Fire (Caramanica hm)
*Slowdive,
Everything Is Alive (Guardian, PopMatters)
*Sofia Kortesis,
Madres (Guardian, Pitchfork, PopMatters)
Speedy Ortiz,
Rabbit Rabbit (Pareles)
Spencer Zahn,
Statues I & II (Zoladz hm)
Sufjan Stevens,
Javelin (Zoladz hm, Guardian, Pitchfork, PopMatters)
Sunny War,
Anarchist Gospel (PopMatters)
Sweeping Promises,
Good Living Is Coming For You (NPR, Pitchfork)
*SZA,
SOS (Pareles, Caramanica, NPRR, Pitchfork)
*Tanner Adell,
Buckle Bunny (Caramanica)
The Clientele,
I Am Not There Anymore (NPR, PopMatters)
*The Church,
Hypnogogue (PopMatters)
*The Japanese House,
In the End It Always Does (NPR)
The Latin Dead,
Eyes of the World (NPR)
The Lemon Twigs,
Everything Harmony (Guardian)
The Mountain Goats,
Jenny from Thebes (PopMatters)
*The National,
Laugh Track (Guardian)
*The National,
The First Two Pages of Frankenstein (Guardian)
The New Pornographers,
Continue as a Guest (PopMatters)
(*)The Rolling Stones,
Hackney Diamonds (Pareles hm)
Thomas Ades,
Dante (Huizenga, NPR)
Tianna Esperanza,
Terror (NPR)
Tomb Mold,
The Enduring Spirit (Pitchfork, PopMatters)
*Troye Sivan,
Something to Give Each Other (Caramanica, NPR, Guardian)
Upper Wilds,
Jupiter (PopMatters)
Veeze,
Ganger (Pitchfork)
*Victoria Monet,
Jaguar II (NPR)
(*)Vijay Iyer, Arooj Aftab, Shahzad Ismaily,
Love in Exile (Pareles, Pitchfork)
*Water From Your Eyes,
Everyone’s Crushed (Pareles hm, Zoladz, Guardian, Pitchfork, PopMatters)
Wednesday,
Rat Saw God (NPR, Guardian, Pitchfork, PopMatters)
WITCH,
Zango (PopMatters)
*Yaeji,
With a Hammer (Guardian, Pitchfork, PopMatters)
*yeule,
softscars (Pitchfork)
Yo La Tengo,
This Stupid World (Guardian, Pitchfork)
*Young Fathers,
Heavy Heavy (PopMatters)
Youth Lagoon,
Heaven Is a Junkyard (Pitchfork)
Yves Tumor,
Praise a Lord Who Chews… (Guardian, Pitchfork)
Yussef Dayes,
Black Classical Music (NPR, PopMatters)
Zach Bryan,
Zach Bryan (Caramanica)
Zoh Amba et al.,
The Flower School (Russonello)
