Slowly, very slowly, we are crawling towards the end of the year. I predicted a slow-down in the last episode, but nothing like that is in sight yet. November brought us some of the best records of the year, and a lot of exciting little gems. Follow me through some amazing releases.

Monobody – Raytracing

November 1 // Sooper Records

In a year with many fantastic math rock releases, Monobody managed to deliver one of the absolutely best in the genre with Raytracing. This band should be on every forward-thinking music aficionado’s radar.

Bandcamp // Youtube

Ølten – Ambiance

November 2 // Hummus Records

Sometimes, working with only a few things can make something great. Here, the minimalist approach led to some really great compositions. Great album.

Review // Bandcamp // Youtube

The Ocean – Phanerozoic I: Palaeozoic

November 2 // Metal Blade Records

Heavy lies the crown which is PelagialThe Ocean are probably the only band which could deliver on that. And guess what: they did!

Review // Bandcamp // Youtube

Noise Trail Immersion – Symbology Of Shelter

November 2 // Moment Of Collapse

This is heavy and incredibly powerful. Get it onto your playlist!

Bandcamp // Youtube

Jo Quail – Exsolve

November 2 // Unsigned

Beautiful compositions and an amazing sound. A very august and elegant record.

Bandcamp // Youtube

Toska – Fire By The Silos

November 2 // Unsigned

It’s all about the songwriting. No technical overcompensation, just fucking phenomenal songs, masterfully produced.

Review // Bandcamp // Youtube

Sylvaine – Atoms Aligned, Coming Undone

November 2 // Season Of Mist

Absolutely beautiful. I wasn’t a big fan of her previous work, but this album is spot-on.

Review // Bandcamp // Youtube

Two Medicine – Astropsychosis

November 2 // Bella Union

Very delicate and epic. Some sprinkles of Porcupine Tree, 60’s psychedelic folk, and modern dream pop.

Bandcamp // Youtube

Sustainer – 503

November 2 // Interwar Records

It’s very surprising, but this record is constantly growing on me. Some amazing Norma Jean and Every Time I Die vibes!

Youtube

Moonface – This One’s For The Dancer & This One’s For The Dancer’s Bouquet

November 2 // Jagjaguwar

No party without steel drums. And vocoders. And marimbas, And vibraphones. Well, this is getting out of hand. Or not. I don’t know. What I do know is that I love this album.

Review // Bandcamp // Youtube

Saint Sadrill – Pierrefilant

November 2 // Dur Et Doux

One of the most impressive releases this year. Dreamy, trippy, and progressive.

Bandcamp // Youtube

Jacob Banks – Village

November 2 // Interscope Records

It was a good year for r’n’b/soul. Another example? This fantastic album by Jacob Banks.

Youtube

Richard Spaven – Real Time

November 2 // Unsigned

Richard Spaven came onto my radar as the drummer who refined Jordan Rakei‘s Wallflower. Now he’s back with his new solo album, and the groove is real.

Bandcamp // Youtube

Long Arm – Darkly

November 2 // Project Mooncircle

The Branches was one of the first records which brought me into electronic music back then, so Long Arm has a special place in my heart. Darkly brings all the traits which make this project to wonderful.

Bandcamp // Youtube

Kayoko Yoshizawa – 女優姉妹

November 7 // Nippon Crown

Incredibly catchy and compelling J-Pop. I like the fact that complex and experimental music seems to be more established in Japanese mainstream music.

Youtube

Kælan Mikla – Nótt eftir nótt

November 9 // Artoffact Records

Magnificent and dreamy post-punk. This record bursts with of atmosphere. Absolutely astounding.

Bandcamp // Youtube

Randall Dunn – Beloved

November 9 // Figureight

Easily one of the best ambient records of the year. If you have any interest in the genre, don’t sleep on this.

Review // Bandcamp // Youtube

OHHMS – Exist

November 9 // Holy Roar Records

Everything Holy Roar touches turns to gold. Excellent doom metal!

Review // Bandcamp // Youtube

Psycroptic – As The Kingdom Drowns

November 9 // Prosthetic Records

I was never that interested in Psycroptic, but this album is too good to ignore. Huge riffs and fantastic songwriting.

Review // Bandcamp // Youttube

Four Stroke Baron – Planet Silver Screen

November 9 // Prosthetic Records

Something else. Never heard anything like this before.

Review // Bandcamp // Youtube

Vessel – Queen Of Golden Dogs

November 9 // Tri Angle

So much more than your usual electronic music. Haunting.

Bandcamp // Youtube

Maisha – There Is A Place

November 9 // Unsigned

Groovy and super smooth modern jazz, sprinkled with r’n’b and soul!

Bandcamp // Youtube

Liela Moss – My Name Is Safe In Your Mouth

November 9 // Bella Union

2018 is full of great ambient pop releases which also tend to tickle the nostalgic aesthetics. One of the nicest examples right here!

Bandcamp // Youtube

Cult Leader – A Patient Man

November 9 // Deathwish Inc

Heavy.

Bandcamp // Youtube

Cash Pony – Roughhousing

November 9 // Unsigned

While most of the bigger prog names failed to impress me with their releases, I can always rely on those amazing little gems sprinkled over the year.

Bandcamp

He Was Eaten By Owls – Inchoate With The Light Go I

November 10 // Unsigned

Orchestral progressive folk rock? Extravagant songwriting? Yeah!

Bandcamp // Youtube

1914 – The Blind Leading The Blind

November 11 // Redefining Darkness Records

Really dark and intense. A death metal concept record about WWI, with a very morbid vibe.

Review // Bandcamp // Youtube

MNMM – Minimum

November 14 // Art As Catharsis

Kinda rough and trippy. Nice ambient/post-rock.

Bandcamp // Youtube

Sir. Fennek – Monsters In My Closet

November 14 // Unsigned

Fantastic little math rock gem from Japan!

Bandcamp // Youtube

Elephant Gym – Underwater

November 14 // Unsigned

Speaking of Asian math rock: this is Elephant Gym‘s best album to date, and overall one of the best releases in that very genre.

Bandcamp // Youtube

Esben And The Witch – Nowhere

November 16 // Season Of Mist

All the ambience. Never expected this record to be that good or to hit me that hard.

Bandcamp // Youtube

Yama Warashi – Boiled Moon

November 16 // Small Pond

Wonderful art rock. Really, it’s like a fever dream x fairy tale.

Bandcamp // Youtube

Baring Teeth – Transitive Savagery

November 16 // Translation Loss Records

This new movement of atmospheric death metal brought some really awesome releases to life. Meet one of them.

Review // Bandcamp // Youtube

Azusa – Heavy Yoke

November 16 // Solid State Records

The best of all worlds.

Review // Bandcamp // Youtube

itoldyouiwouldeatyou – Oh Dearism

November 16 // Alcopop Records/Failure By Design Records

I love these kinda records. Just a bunch of easy indie songs.

Bandcamp // Youtube

portrayal of guilt – Let Pain Be Your Guide

November 16  // Holy Roar Records

Damn it Holy Roar.

Review // Bandcamp // Youtube

Phoxjaw – Goodbye Dinosaur…

November 16 // Unsigned

Really interesting and powerful post-hardcore. Criminally overlooked.

Review // Bandcamp // Youtube

Marley Carroll – Flight Patterns

November 16 // Unsigned

Electronic music has a streak going this year.

Bandcamp // Youtube

Lupe De Lupe – Vocação

November 16 // Unsigned

Nothing makes your day more ‘teeny angst’ than some good old Brazilian shoegaze.

Bandcamp // Youtube

The Great Sabatini – Goodbye Audio

November 16 // Ancient Temple Recordings

I’ve been following this band for years, and it’s awesome to watch how they progress and mature. Noisy, sludgy rock.

Bandcamp // Youtube

Invisible Minds – Make Up Your Own Stories

November 16 // Moshi Moshi Records

As I’ve mentioned earlier, the year is packed with great electronica records. This might be the best one.

Bandcamp // Youtube

Sunless Dawn – Timeweaver

November 16 // Unsigned

For whatever reason, nobody talked about this, even though it’s one of the coolest metal records of the year.

Bandcamp // Youtube

Lenio – Weight On A Scale

November 18 // Unsigned

Probably the most surprising little gem I’ve encountered this year. Overly charming prog rock featuring Tymon of Exivious/Our Oceans on vocals.

Bandcamp // Youtube

Zhaoze – Birds Contending

November 23 // Unsigned

Recorded in a Belgian forest. How post-rock can you get?

Bandcamp // Youtube

The Intersphere – The Grand Delusion

November 30 // Long Branch Records

Such a good band. Damn. Another phenomenal release from Germany’s best prog/alternative rock band.

Review // Bandcamp // Youtube

Zela Margossian Quintet – Transition

November 30 // Art As Catharsis

Awesome little jazz gem for fans of Tigran Hamasyan!

Review // Bandcamp // Youtube

Mae – Multisensory Aesthetic Experience

November 30 // Tooth & Nail Records

Wonderfully catchy. Fantastic comeback!

Youtube

Foxwarren – Foxwarren

November 30 // ANTI-Records

Surprisingly compelling indie with a great sense for pacing, melody, and arrangements.

Bandcamp // Youtube

The Redneck Manifesto – The How

November 30 // 251 Records

20 years of excellent math rock, and finally a new album by the legendary The Redneck Manifesto!

Youtube

The 1975 – A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships

November 30 // Polydor Recordings

This is awesome. What a relief.

Youtube

Thanks for scrolling.

Toni Meese

Toni Meese

I know more than you.

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