Top 10 Things I Heard in 2023

So here we are. The Top 10 things I heard in 2023. As per usual, it's not stuff that necessarily came out in 2023, but what I first heard this year. 

And TBH it was a bit of a struggle. Maybe I've been more depressed than I thought? Or busier? Why not both? Despite a late flurry of posts, this year has been the quietest on the blog since I started in 2009. No radio shows, not even a Buzz review. Maybe next year will be different. Maybe not.

Anyway, fuck you 2023, here's a final playlist...

In no particular order:

• Yellow Magic Orchestra - Cue (1981)
• The Style Council - Shout To The Top (1984)
• Idris Muhammad - Could Heaven Ever Be Like This (1977)
• Midnightrats - Goalmaker [Instrumental Version] (1983)
• Hudson Mohawke and Nikki Nair - Set The Roof feat. Tayla Parx (2023)
• Com Truise - Brokendate (2011)
• Dampé - Glow (2023)
• Sfire - Sfire 1 feat. Marcela (2019)
• Confidence Man, Daniel Avery - On & On (Again) (2023)
• Käärijä - Cha Cha Cha (2023)

Album of the Year

Probably Chemical Brothers - For That Beautiful Feeling (I bought about three albums that came out this year).

Gig of the Year

Again, it is probably Chem Bros down at 'The Bay Series'. Gwilym was also good in Clwb, as was Gold Panda. Struggling to think of any others.

Mix of the Year

Obvs my All Welsh Colour Run Bangers YouTube playlist but if I had to pick something else, either Teki Latex at HÖR or the NTS show of game music for water levels.

Related post: Top 10 Things I Heard in 2022

Another plug for the old Xmas mixes

As it's a week to go, figured I might as well push the old mixes I used to do at Christmas.

They're collated here on a MixCloud playlist and here are the posts from when they went out 10+ years ago...

• Xmas Mix 2010
• Xmas Mix 2011
• Xmas Mix 2012
• Xmas Mix 2014
• Xmas Mix #5

Nadolig llawen!

Yuletide Bangerz

It's about time I got some Christmas music on here.

As recommended in a recent newsletter from The Fence - top top magazine BTW - Yuletide Bangerz from Jonwayne is in the vein of that DOOM XMAS tape from a couple of years ago. Beats and cut up old samples and that. Particularly enjoyed the Jingle All The Way bits.

9 in 1 (30)

Got to get a few more posts in before the end of the year. Pump those numbers. This'll be the least number of posts in a year ever on Ceefax of Life. Too much life if you ask me. 

Bill Nelson - When The Birds Return

Outsider synth-pop from 1982 that has immaculate vibes. Rinse and repeat.

The Clash - Train in Vain (Stand by Me)

One for the dads.

Barry Manilow - Let's Get On With It

Now, if you told me when I started this blog in 2009 that it would feature Barry Manilow... but things change. Everything changes and nothing changes. Let's Get On With It was featured on a recent episode of Launette's Hour on NTS. Worth a listen like.

Whitney Houston - Love Will Save the Day

I was gonna make the same gag about 2009 but It's Not Right But It's OK is a stone-cold banger. Always has been. Always will be. Love Will Save the Day, from much earlier in her career, well, 1987, also slaps.

Pharoah Sanders - Love Is Everywhere

This is just glorious. Joyous, raw, bordering on ramshackle but not, every note is deliberate. Just wonderful, uplifting, soul-purifying jazz. If you need a pick me up in the God-forsaken world, bang this on. 

LIFECOACH - 90% RAW

Should get something from this century in this list at least. The YouTube description has it as "Chilled, tripping leftfield House/Ambient House" and they've nailed that. Hangover house, maybe? From 2016.

Kraftwerk - Der Telefon Anruf (François Kevorkian Remix)

Right, that's it back to the 80s. Pristine electro, as per.

Osrsbeatz - Great Fairy's Fountain

I don't care, trap remixes of old Zelda OSTs are my jam.

MJ Cole - Slum King

Feel like MJ Cole gets overlooked a lot. Sincere remains a banger of an album.

Related article: You Want To Make Something Real. You Want To Make A Jazz Record.

9 in 1 (29)

Two months off etc and so forth. A promotion and other shite have got in the way of my top priority, this blog, my OG baby.

So, I made this playlist ages ago and prob forgot why, so yeah, enjoy.

hemlocke springs - ‘enknee1

Sounds like about five songs from 20 years ago mashed together into this sugary pop mess. Kinda cool.

Gwilym - Gwalia

Saw them Clwb Ifor Bach ages ago (see note above) and they were v v good. Wouldn't have had the kids being into it, but boy was I wrong.

Red Zebra - I Can't Live in a Livingroom

Scratchy new wave punk that I vaguely recall the boy bouncing around the room to. First band from Bruges to feature on Ceefax of Life?

Iglu - Eisbaer

Chuggy reworking of the Grauzone banger.

Eye to Eye - Nice Girls

Super slick early 80s pop. Western city pop?

Michael Franks - When Sly Calls (Don't touch that phone)

One of the tracks that Rose Matafeo played when she guested on Flo Dill's NTS show *checks notes* over two months ago.

Radiance Feat Andrea Stone - You're My Number 1

More 80s boogie. I'm guessing Do!! You!!! Radio.

Sfire - Sfire1 (feat. Marcela)

The more I hear of SOPHIE's work, the more and more I wish she was still here. Incredible producer. Incredible track. Like so good.

SunO))) - Aurora

Well, I wasn't gonna start a mix with this was I now.

9 in 1 (28)

It's my wedding anniversary today. I shouldn't be doing this.

Dream Academy - Life In A Northern Town

Sampled by Dario G for Sunchyme if you're wondering.

Paul Simon - You Can Call Me Al

Some would say miming the bass solo bit as it played on one of the tiny buses that drive around Falmouth is incredibly naff. Not this guy.

Clan Of Xymox - Stranger

As featured on The Chain a few weeks/months back. Dutch darkwave from 1985.

Devo - Social Fools

Rare-ish Devo from 1978, much closer to punk than synthy new wave.

Digitalism - Pogo

The sound of uni, baby. I'll never tire of this maximalist indie electro schtick.

Benga - Pleasure

I was reminded of this dubstep rumbler on one of those 6 Music's Rave Forever playlists because I am ancient and my back hurts and so do my knees.

808 State - 808091 (Live)

Finally got my vinyl situation sorted out (I needed a mini pre-amp) and can play records again. So, I collected some of my old stuff from my mum's when I was last down. This is on the b-side to Ooops, which I picked up for 50p from god knows where god knows when. Still prefer CDs mind, have you seen the prices?

San Soda - Juno Love

It's been a while since I jotted this one down, but I'm guessing I heard it on Do!! You!!! Radio. Laid-back driving music for 80s cars. Immaculate vibes.

The Other People Place - Let Me Be Me

Again, I know very little of this tune, but it's one of those minimal epics from Detroit, techno/electro for the soul. It came out on Warp in 2001, so I've no idea how I missed it.

Chillwave to the grave

Ah, you think Chillwave is your ally? You merely adopted the chill. I was born in it, molded by it.

OK, this one made me feel old. NTS doing a guide to chillwave. I knew most of the stuff in there but this jam, Brokendate from Com Truise is superb (do you think he regrets that choice of name?). Synthy artificial nostalgia that has looped around. And on Ghostly International too, you love to see it.

Time to die.

9 in 1 (27)

Enjoying this Indian Summer? That's still fine to say, right?

Anyway here are nine tracks I've been enjoying since the last one of these... 

Alan Braxe & Fred Falke - Intro

It's one of those tracks that really should've been on one of these lists long before now. Maybe it was, lemme check. Nope. Classic French filter house from the year 2000 that still abso slaps.

Haruomi Hosono - Heliotherapy

Blippy trippy electronica from yerr man from YMO who did Sports Men. 

Mali Hâf - SHWSH!

Tidy electro-pop yn Gymraeg from earlier this year.

Sandy Steel - Mind Your Own Business

Boy, do I wish I had known about this track while I was at uni? Delta 5's post-punk indie-disco classic gets a slightly beefed-up and extended cover courtesy of Sandy Steel, of whom I know zilch. Anyway, this was played by Sofie K and DJ Subaru on NTS a couple of weeks ago, def worth checking out Sofie K's Work Out shows on the station.

Killer Mike - Scientists & Engineers ft. Future, Andre 3000, Eryn Allen Kane

Always good to hear Andre 3000, especially in 2023. And y'know, Killer Mike too.

Danger Doom - Old School

Joyous, summery hip hop from DOOM and that.

Egyptian Lover - I Cry (Night After Night)

Incredible videos, immaculate vibes. You don't get more 80s than this. Pure electro gold.

Olof Dreijer - Rosa Rugosa

Yerr fella from The Knife doing his minimal peak techno thing on Hessle Audio. I don't know how he makes his synths sound like that but I love it. Feels like a continuation from Oni Ayhun - OAR003-B which he released in 2010.

The Chemical Brothers - Saturate

Seeing Chem Bros in Event City tonight, cannot wait. While doing my homework ahead of it, refound this banger from 2007's We Are The Night, which was also an Electronic Battle Weapon (8).

9 in 1 (26)

 

I'm so glad you could tear yourself away from the rebirth of social media / 'mecca of Millennial brain rot' that is Threads to visit here for a few moments.

If you are new here, this is just a YouTube playlist of tracks I've been enjoying recently... on Blogger, remember blogger? It's still going. It's here. 

And that picture at the top, which kinda has an Alien/Predator on the Gameboy vibe? That's a picture that's been through PhotoMosh 26 times and counting. I can't remember what it was off originally, but would've been off Wikimedia.

Anyway here's the playlist, 9 in 1 (26): 

And here are some words...

Pys Melyn - Bywyd Llonydd

Loungy laid-back pop from Pwllheli. Big summery vibes yn Gymraeg. Neis.

Novelist - Stay With Me

As mentioned on the first episode of Digging with Flo -  Flo Dill from NTS's new gardening/interview podcast - where Novelist was helping with prepping an allotment. It's kind of a similar vibe to Pys Melyn despite being utterly different music. The video is a scream as well you can just tell he's cracking up doing it. 

Malcolm Neon - Llygaid yr Haul

Not 100% sure where I heard this oddball scratchy pop, again yn Gymraeg, but it's lovely stuff.

Underworld - Jumbo

I'm sure I've said this before, but the older I get the more I get Underworld. As a kid, they weren't up there with Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, or even Orbital in the big 90s dance acts for me. Now though, I'm digging the proggier vibes more and more. Jumbo is just lush and a single I completely missed at the time in 1999.

Charli XCX - Vroom Vroom

Dumb /v. clever fun. Not on PC Music but I've been on a SOPHIE tip recently (she produced Vroom Vroom) following the news that the label is to become archive-only after 2023.

Chris Korda and The Church of Euthanasia - Buy

Sofie K closed a recent NTS show with this nagging electropop that eventually led me to read up on the Unabomber... Chris Korda was behind the Unabomber for President campaign in 1996.

Joy Orbison x Overmono – Blind Date

Bit of a thumper from Joy Orbison and Monmouth's finest Overmono. It stood out in ANNA's Essential Mix on the drive back from Bridport a couple of weeks ago.

FRMAND - Heuldy

One of the big finds from the research into the Colour Run playlist I did for the boy's school event the other week. Big room house yn Gymraeg, neis neis.

Confidence Man and Daniel Avery - On & On (Again)

I've got to keep better records of where I hear things. But yeah, the summer anthem for me here. Big 90s throwback vibes, it just sounds massive, and fun, and yes mate, love it.

All-Welsh Colour Run Bangers

Need a YouTube playlist of all-Welsh bangers to soundtrack your next social gathering? CeefaxOfLife has you covered buddy.

I made this for the Colour Run at my boy's school, the remit was up-tempo songs in Welsh. I stretched that to include instrumental tracks by Welsh artists... or artists with connections to Wales... or that sound kinda Welsh. 

But mainly we're talking Diffiniad, Dom James & Lloyd, FRMAND and lots of Gwilym. On brand and within remit.

But there are over 50 tracks here, so you can skip a couple if needed.

9 in 1 (25)

Hi. How are you? A playlist? Sure.

Róisín Murphy - CooCool

Strong summer vibes from Murphy, formerly of Moloko.

Alle - Den Rette Vej

I don't know much about this one, apart from it being a right rumbler with solid summer vibes. Danish if you were wondering.

Fiwsion · Dau Gog A Compiwtar

Welsh New Age from 1993. Think this is Dafydd Pierce of Gwalaxia.

Tapes - Aquarium Trousers

Keeping it on the same line here, heady electronic noodles. This came out in 2021 on Research Records.

Lee Tracy & Isaac Manning - Jesus Going to Clean House

Again I don't know the story here but it sounds like a found record of something. Fuzzy, uplifting, lofi house.

Dampé - Glow

I'm sure they're saying 'Bore Da'. Love it either way.

Tyler, the Creator - Sorry Not Sorry

Album offcut that bangs more than most out there.

Spooky - Stereo

I could've chosen a newer version, but the crunchiness in the fidelity and the lo-res image on this 15-year-old YouTube video all add to the weird melancholy vibe of this sad boi rave anthem.

Käärijä - Cha Cha Cha

Robbed.

Related post: 9 in 1 (24)

9 in 1 (24)

Been a minute, right? I didn't get that job in the end. And Mother 3 took longer than I thought. Plus I've started reading The Fence, A Confederacy of Dunces, and seeing what Substack is about. What I'm saying is, I've been busy doing nothing.

Here's a playlist I made ages ago, I hope it's still good...

Billy Paul - Only The Strong Survive (J*Ski Re-edit)

Stretched out disco. Big summer vibes.

Ruth - Mots

I assume that the last one was from Do!! You!!! Radio and that this one was on Veronica Vasicka's NTS show. Skeletal coldwave from early 80s France.

Ifan Dafydd - Llonydd (gydag/feat Alys Williams)

Right, I know where this one and the next one came from. They're from Cwm Dancing episode 4 - "A unique electronic experience that celebrates the many underground sounds of Cymru". NGL, this was what I wanted to do with Amser Electroneg, but it never quite came together in the end. Anyway, Llonydd is Ifan Dafydd doing his post-dubstep thing.

JUICE MENACE - Pink Notes

Juice Menace is a Cardiff MC, I think usually does grime but this is bouncy hip house and again big summer vibes. Super fun video to boot.

Missy Elliott - Gossip Folks (Fatboy Slim Radio Remix) (feat. Ludacris)

Sticking on a hip house tip, here's a version of Gossip Folks I somehow missed at the time. Heard on that 00s throwback show on Radio 1 on Sunday mornings, while driving past Roath Rec.

Midnightrats - Goalmaker (Instrumental Version)

This has gone straight into the best things I've heard this year list. Stick with it as the bassline gets absolutely honking halfway through. Early 80s Italo disco where it's infinitely better without the vocals.

Strika - The Hotspot

A tip from one of Flo Dill's newsletters, World In Flo Motion. Told you I was deep into Substack now. Fun grime this, hot stuff coming through!

Mace The Great - My Side Of The Bridge

Taking a bit of Juice Menace and Strika, here's some local grime with a great video featuring loads of places around Cardiff, including the tennis courts in Victoria Park. Bonus points for having an album called Splottworld.

YMO - Light In The Darkness

Yellow Magic Orchestra are incredible, aren't they? Maybe that should be past tense now that Ryuichi Sakamoto and Yukihiro Takahashi have both passed in 2023. End on a happy note, eh Sam?

Related post: 9 in 1 (23)

Water Levels

Oh hi. Sorry that it's been a little quiet here the past couple of weeks. That's down to a mix of playing Mother 3 and job applications and prepping for interviews eating into my blogging time. That precious, precious blogging time.

So, while I'm working up another 9 in 1 list here's something I've been enjoying while on the job hunt, alongside those fan-made ambient Aphex mixes on YouTube. It's Otaku: Water Levels, a show on NTS from last month, "diving deep on the best aquatic video game sound from Donkey Kong and Ecco The Dolphin's timeless chiptune ambience, to modern water stages in Sekiro, Mario Galaxy and beyond." 

NTS Monday · Otaku: Water Levels 200323

Chill AF.

Related posts:

• Game On with Teki & Nick's Mixtape Quest Adventure
• Battle Against a Machine

9 in 1 (23)

It's on baby, Summer is coming, Spring is almost here. I bought a wood chipper. I will master the garden. By the summer it will be there. Completeness. 

Idris Muhammad - Could Heaven Ever Be Like This

Stone cold disco classic. Maybe more funk than disco? Jamie xx sampled it on Loud Places but head straight here. Shit is joyous. I can taste the sun.

Jaga Jazzist - Oban (Todd Terje Remix)

I get the feeling that Todd Terje and the whole cosmic disco thing have fallen right out of fashion but I just love it, man. It's the best. I'd not heard this remix until a week ago, but it's right up there for me, just a groove, y'know?

Clark - Town Crank

When the 6 Music DJ said this snarling weirdo synth racket was Clark, I was certain it wasn't the Warp techno don. Boy, did I have egg on my face when I learned it was the very same! 

The Fall - Kicker Conspiracy

As featured in a recent The Knowledge column on music videos filmed in football grounds. Fun fact, I've had two questions answered in this long-running series (why Celtic is pronounced with a soft 'c' and prisons on club badges). I'm one cool cat.

Tŷ Gwydr - Cyna Fi Dân

Still on my New Year's Resolution of listening to more Welsh language music radio, here's some banging early 90s rave from yerrrrrr. Wish I found this while I was still doing Amser Electroneg.

Dom James, Lloyd & dontheprod - Calon y Ddraig

Wales are finally back in action this month and while I'm glad I found this banger I am well annoyed I missed it when it came out in November for the World Cup. Actually, let's forget the whole Cwpan y Byd.

Mr Phormula - Un Cenedl

Sticking with football and yn Gymraeg bangers, here is Mr Phromula with a track written for the Ukraine game. Again, gutted I missed it at the time. Big Screamadelica vibes for me, Clive. Tekkers.

Feist - My Moon, My Man (Boys Noize Remix)

I caught the original on the radio the other day. Yet all I could think about was that there was a bangin' remix of this doing the rounds when I was down in Falmouth at uni. YouTube says it's Boys Noize, and the scuzzy vocal refrain is on point, but I swear it went harder? Maybe there was another version of the remix? Or I'm misremembering. Still, this is a tidy remix of a really nice song.

Dillinja - Thugged Out Bitch

I had day pints. I came home. Big Bad Bass went straight in the Bose. So it goes.

Related post: 9 in 1 (22)

9 in 1 (22)

Proper Sunday Fear kicking in right now, fending it off with some decent tracks like...

Gong - Love Is How You Make It

I first heard this track on Four Tet's DJ Kicks comp. I hear he's now hanging out with Skrillex and serial Wikipedia fiddler and son of King's Counsel barrister Charles Anthony Warneford Gibson, Fred Again. He looks happy.

Aphex Twin - QKThr

This was trending on Spotify last month amongst Aphex tracks. Apparently, it was popular on TikTok with the #corecore. I don't know what this means. Know Your Meme says "Many corecore edits hark on sadness, depression and loneliness with many using sad slideshow audios." OK, pal.

Newyddion / Geraint Davies - Arwyr

Proper good 80s indie pop, a little like Prefab Sprout, which features on a comp called Caneuon yr 80au: Dal i Freuddwydio that came out last year on Sain Records.

Bando - Shampw

Same era as Newyddion, but a completely different vibe, this is slick disco funk yn Gymraeg.

The Clash - The Magnificent Dance

A bassline that can walk for days, when people say punk funk, this is right up there with ESG.

Suburban Lawns - Flavor Crystals

I promise we'll move on from the 80s in this list soon, but for now it's Suburban Lawns from 1983. Its angular post-punk has a bassline that reminds me of Milk and Alcohol by Dr Feelgood or maybe it's something else entirely. Good though.

Comet Gain - Love Without Lies

Right, this came out in 2008 but it's still pure post-punk revival indie sleaze. The best I can do right now. Not sure how I missed this at the time?

The Bucketheads - The Bomb

I always thought it was 'peace and boogie in my mi-i-ai-ind'. Apparently, it's 'these sounds fall into my mind'. Fun time commercial house from 1995.

Ginuwine - Pony (Rustie Remix)

Genuinely gutted I only just learned this existed. Like Comet Gain, how the hell I missed this when it came out I'll never know. It's disappeared off SoundCloud but my word what a ripper. In related news, it looks like Rustie is returning. Get. In.

Related posts:

• Roughion's Dydd Miwsig Cymru History of Welsh Dance Music Mix
• 9 in 1 (21)

Hudmo SlowJams

Somehow, despite digging Hudson Mohawke for years, I learned about his Valentines Slow Jams series just this week.

Starting in 2007 and apparently getting 'worse' every year, I've not listened to all of them yet but they mainly seem to be super syrupy 80s and 90s R'n'B, funk, and soul with the occasional gunshot SFX.

And keeping with the old school vibes this year's mix, Hudson Mohawke’s Valentines Slow Jams Chapter 12, doesn't appear to be on the streamers right now. Instead, you can listen over on the LuckyMe website and download it too with all the other chapters.

I did this by accident, thinking it was a WAV when I saw the huge file. So imagine my delight when unzipping it there were 12 mixes in there.

I've definitely downloaded worse suspiciously large files from the internet.

Panel Beaters From Prague

Disco Pogo, the reincarnation of Jockey Slut, marked the third anniversary of Andrew Weatherall's passing with an oral history of his early career.

Featuring contributions from Danny Rampling, David Holmes, and Terry Farley amongst many others, From Boy's Own To Panel Beaters From Prague is well worth carving out an hour with this in one tab and YouTube open in the other.

A few of the top top tracks mentioned along the way include:

Chris & Cosey - October (Love Song)

The Style Council - Shout To The Top

Capricorn - 20Hz

Fail we may, sail we must.

Related post: Crack Mix 97: Andrew Weatherall

Teki Latex at HÖR

The big man, Teki Latex, played that white-tiled room last week and tore it down like he always does. I now know that the white-tiled room is HÖR.

For the most part, this is a pretty restrained mix for TL, until we get to the last ten minutes when Dead or Alive's You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) and the chiptune kicks in. According to the comments section on YouTube the final track is The Moon Theme from DuckTales, released on NES and Game Boy. This ties in nicely with it being nearly three years since Teki & Nick's Mixtape Quest Adventure was released.

Anyway, definitely find an hour to bang Teki Latex | HÖR on, the king never misses.

Related posts:

• Game On with Teki & Nick's Mixtape Quest Adventure
• Teki Soulwax

9 in 1 (21)

Did you feel that sun the other day? Could it be Spring? It felt so good, so close.

HMS Morris - Myfyrwyr Rhyngwladol

My New Year's Resolution is to listen to more Welsh-language radio shows. So here we are. Buzzy, bright art-rock-pop that mentions City Road and features my beloved Grangemoor Park in the video.

Tara Bandito - Croeso I Gymru

You wait for a bus etc. Another Lwp video, this is a fun bassy rumbler yn Gymraeg.

Yellow Magic Orchestra - Cue

I started a new note on my phone for the best things I heard in 2023 after one play. Synth-pop at its finest and years ahead of its time. Yellow Magic Orchestra are/were incredible. RIP Yukihiro Takahashi.

Yukihiro Takahashi - Drip Dry Eyes

Let's have a solo track as well from the great man, who passed away last month.

Wire - Strange

From 1977's Pink Flag. Definitive post-punk like.

The Stranglers - No More Heroes

I joined a game of that Music League last month. No More Heroes (great Wii game) was one of the tracks entered in the 'reminds you of your parents' round. I chose Here Comes The Rain Again by Eurythmics. I did not win.

Diana Ross - I'm Coming Out (Original Chic Mix)

Irresistible even in the gloom of this eternal winter. As sampled on Biggie's Mo Money Mo Problems.

Dafydd Pierce - Gorsaf y Gofod

Gwalaxia very nearly made it onto my Top 10 Things I Heard in 2022, and here's the title track from the space funk rock concept album released on cassette in 1980 or 1981.

Moderat - Milk

Sprawling, chugging, forever building electronic music from Moderat's second album in 2013.

Related posts:

• Multiple Visions On Grangemoor
• No More Heroes
• 9 in 1 (20)

9 in 1 (20)

We continue. What else is there to do?

Wings - Arrow Through Me

'They're only the band...' etc and so forth. Big Stevie Wonder vibe to this.

Paul McCartney - Coming Up

I promise this is the last Macca one for a while. Big fan of McCartney aping Ron Mael playing the keyboards in the video.

Tears For Fears - Head Over Heels

Big fan of the synth from nowhere at the desk around 1:30. 100% Mum-banger.

Super Furry Animals - Ymaelodi Â'r Ymylon

Finally into the 21st Century on this list, just, here's some classic SFA.

Christiane F - Wunderbar (JD Twitch Edit)

My mum got me JD Twitch - Kreaturen Der Nacht (Deutsche Post-Punk Subkultur 1980-1985) for Christmas, which was a lovely surprise gift. This is probably the highlight, though looking at the comments via Google Translate, there are a few Germans who would appear to disagree.

Diffiniad - Symud Ymlaen

Glorious early 90s sunshine raver yn Gymraeg. Performed for telly on someone's lawn. Here for it.

T2 - Heartbroken

UKG will never die. Loving all the shoutouts for sharing this on a Sony Ericsson in the comments. Cracker of a bassline. 

Gang - KKK (Dub Mix & Bonus Beats)

They don't lie about the bonus beats, clocking in at over 10 minutes like. Melancholic Italo Disco from 1983 with an awkward title. A groove though.

Pearson Sound - Red Sky

Another rumbler from Hessle Audio, still banging them out after 15 years.

Related post: 9 in 1 (19)

Autechre's Artificial Intelligence - 1992 Contextual Mix

Absolutely done with 2023 already? Why not disassociate/return to the early 90s with a five-and-a-half-hour Autechre mix?

"In celebration of Warp's re-release of Artificial Intelligence - a mix of some of the stuff that was floating around us at the time." is what those mad lads say about it. Lots of LFO basically. Some other mad lads are crowdsourcing a tracklist with YouTube and Discogs links.

It's hosted on Mixlr, a platform I've not heard of before, and they don't seem to offer an embed option to listeners. It's already been pulled from YouTube, so you'll just have to head to Autechre's Mixlr page for now like.

Related post: "In rochdale bus station, at about 2am..." [Autechre's Resident Advisor Mix from Summer 2019]

9 in 1 (19)

Hi, how are you?

Sparks - Tryouts for the Human Race

Because I'm a dedicated father, one night, after the CBeebies Bedtime Story finished, I flicked around the channels on the hunt for something else to end amser gwely.

The big lad Hypnos smiled down at me. I could ignore CITV and the truly dire POP. BBC Four was showing lots of old kids' TV shows as part of the #BBC100 celebrations. Bagpuss was brill but then it switched to Crackerjack. And halfway through, just as we were both slipping off, Sparks suddenly appeared banging out Tryouts for the Human Race. Lovely stuff. Here's the extended alternate version.

Wings - Listen To What The Man Said

They're only the band The Beatles could have been.

Paul McCartney - Frozen Jap

Both this and the Wings track featured on this old Radio Jiro show that NTS repeated before Christmas. And bam, about six months after Glastonbury, I'm suddenly a Paul McCartney fan. I mean this track is extraordinary, an odd-ball minimal synth workout from 1980.

Dwight Druick - Georgy Porgy (Disco Version)

French language take of Toto's yacht-rock banger. All day.

Should probably include something from this century in this list.

Sally Shapiro - Holiday

The best I can do is a recent cover of Madonna. Sally Shapiro do their breathy Swedish synthpop thing for an Italians Do It Better tribute comp to Madge.

Moodymann - The Thief That Stole My Sad Days (Ya Blessin Me)

Spiritual, spiritual house music. The build and release of that kick. Yes, mate.

Juniore - Panique

Moody indie-pop from France. C'est Bon, buddy.

Aphex Twin - Soundlab20

I ventured back onto Reddit during post-Christmas purgatory. And there was this Aphex World Cup graphic, where someone did a knockout comp ranking AFX tracks. I can't remember what won, but Soundlab20 went deep in the comp. And it was new to me like, so here it is like.

Marie Davidson - Work It (Soulwax Remix)

Been on a bit of a Soulwax tip recently, what with the 20th anniversary of As Heard on Radio Soulwax Pt. 2 and that. While I 100% disagree with the lyrical content of this track, it still bangs.

Related post: 9 in 1 (18)

Top 10 Things I Heard in 2022

Here are the top 10 things I heard in 2022 in one YouTube playlist. About a month after everyone else amiright!

As with the other times I've done this, it's not necessarily new stuff from 2022, but 2022 was the first year I heard it. Some of it is old, I'm old, everything is old. There's no order and I've also got my album, radio moment, mix, and sound of 2022 below.

• Mariah - 心臓の扉 (Shinzo No Tobira) (1983)
• 3dl - From Still To The Birth (1987)
• De Ambassade - Geen Genade (2016)
• Dream_E - Violet (2022)
• Dog And Fox - Who Gets The Cows? (2018)
• Heddlu - Daw Eto Haul (2022)
• Sweeping Promises - Pain Without a Touch (2021)
• Lipelis x TMO - Diet 505 (2022)
• KH - Looking at Your Pager (2022)
• Hudson Mohawke - Bicstan (2022)

Album of the year 2022

Dry Cleaning - Stumpwork. Conservative Hell.

Mix of the year 2022

Odilo's NTS show from October. Mid-00s electro is back baby, not that it ever really went anywhere in my silly old world.

Radio moment of the year 2022

Charlie Bones playing Two Months Off by Underworld three times in a row on Do!! You!!! Radio. Maybe you had to be listening at the time but it was on a Friday in June and it felt joyous. Properly, rave-around-the-room joyous.

Best sound in 2022

The final whistle at Wales v Ukraine. Don't let what happened in Qatar ruin what was a magical moment. I've never felt a sensation like it. Here's to a proper tournament in Germany in 2024.

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Anyway, so long 2022, you were shit. But less shit than 2021, which was less shit than 2020. Let's see if this upward trajectory lasts.

Related post: Top 10 Things I Heard in 2021