Favourite Records of the Year. Selected by: A Mote of Dust
Maybe the heartwarming, comforting beauty of ‚A Mote of Dust‚ works best on a cold December Sunday like today. Fact: together with Graeme Smillie, Craig B perfected the intimate and etherous pace, that already dominated Aereogramme final swan song ‚[amazon_link id=“B000L421IO“ target=“_blank“ ]My Heart Has a Wish That You Would Not Go[/amazon_link]‘ and The Unwinding Hours, and created an atmospheric embrace of an album. Similarly fulfilling: the musical recommendations the Scot suggests on Day 6 of the Heavy Pop advent calendar.
Craig Wedren & Isaac Carpenter – I am a Wolf, You Are the Moon
Shudder To Think had a profound influence on me when I was growing up. No-one and I genuinely mean no-one, sounded like them. They were truly unique and Craig Wedren (STT’s singer) had so much to do with their appeal. STT always had a uniquely fucked up, melodic element to their songs but this song is way more accessible and I don’t think I’ve heard another song this year that makes me happier. I’ve never seen the TV series it was written for and I don’t need to. The song stands on its own and it’s the most uplifting song I’ve heard all year.
Father John Misty – [amazon_link id=“B00P6NRSDS“ target=“_blank“ ]The Ideal Husband[/amazon_link]
There is something deliriously demented about Father John Misty. He has approached the relationship song in quite an original way across the entire album ‚I Love you Honeybear‘. „Let’s put a baby in the oven“ certainly grabbed my attention when I first heard it. Also, it must be so great to play live. It’s a fantastic song that I’ve never got tired of hearing and I think it’s going to be an album that will continue to be enjoyed for years to come.
Thy Art Is Murder – [amazon_link id=“B00X50ERSI“ target=“_blank“ ]Light Bearer[/amazon_link]
I always need some sort of metal in my life and Thy Art Is Murder tick all the appropriate boxes. It’s nasty and brutally heavy. Sometimes that’s all I need. No, it’s not anything original but so many metal bands make too many mistakes where I like the start and then something stupid happens half way through the song and I switch it off. TAIM start heavy and finish heavy without any stupid additions. It’s horrible, aggressive and technically interesting (especially the drumming) which for me, is exactly what I want. If you like metal you should certainly check this out. If you don’t, stay well away. It’s not for you.
Chelsea Wolfe – [amazon_link id=“B00W8UKAUU“ target=“_blank“ ]Carrion Flowers[/amazon_link]
Chelsea Wolfe are one of these bands that don’t fit into any simple category. It’s heavy, industrial, dark and intense but is always anchored with the melodies of Chelsea’s vocals which are mysterious and beautiful. I know very little about this band but every time I hear one of their songs, I’m instantly drawn in to their enigmatic and strange atmosphere. They sound like outsiders and that’s exactly what the music industry needs sometimes. If you are going to click on the link then make sure your stereo is turned up loud. The opening synth sound is gloriously dark and brooding and the song continues to creep and crawl along like some sort of beast from a horror film. It’s outstanding.
Nils Frahm – [amazon_link id=“B00VFUL904″ target=“_blank“ ]Some [/amazon_link]
If it’s not already obvious, I like extremes when it comes to music. I love my heavy music but it’s also the minimal, stripped back artists that grab my attention as well. Nils Frahm’s ‚Screws‚ album had a huge influence on A Mote of Dust and his album ‚Solo‚ continues to satisfy my interest in music that intentionally creates space for each note to resonate and breathe. I think he must have had a very successful year and it is thoroughly deserved (considering he gave away one of my favourite albums of 2012 for free)
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Thank you, Craig B!
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