THE NOISE OF DECEMBER 2024

It’s weird that the first episode of THE NOISE OF in the new year is always about the last month of the previous year – well, not weird per se, because it makes sense chronologically, but it just feels weird. Our AOTY list is out, the whole shebang is gone, and this is the final swan song of 2024. Stuff that comes out in December often gets overlooked, so I’m happy to share some great albums that came out.

Amazing vibes. Very warm and vibrant, hazy pop vocals, pumped to the brim with reverb. Catchy and trippy.

Bandcamp // Youtube

Similar to Concealer‘s very charming last EP, foricouldonlydream plays a very endearing kind of mathy, skramy metalcore, reminiscent of the early Myspace days. There is a lot of nostalgia here, but this EP is also full of good energy, a great pulse, and well-written songs.

Bandcamp // Youtube

A great one-man project that has been producing great metal tracks for over 10 years now. There is never a lot of buzz around these releases, and Christian Kolf, the artist behind Owl, just keeps progressing and pushing his awesome songwriting style through the years. I would love to have a full-length one day, but I’m okay with these little tidbits.

Bandcamp

Transcending Obscurity had an amazing run in 2024, solidifying the label as one of the best in underground metal. With PILLAR OF LIGHT they said goodbye to 2024 with one of the best death/doom albums of the year. Absolutely massive.

Bandcamp // Youtube

You know the drill: mid-tempo ’90s alt rock with a bit of a dreamy look sprinkled on top is catnip for me, and for whatever reason, I never get tired of it. Spanaway‘s new album Songs of Yesteryear is a prime example of this style, and if you like it too, don’t skip it.

Bandcamp // Youtube

The third album from French post-metal outfit Dragunov packs some super heavy punches. Contextualizing their strange Soviet imagery in the face of a turbulent and horrific war in Ukraine hits especially hard, and VERP is devastatingly massive.

Bandcamp // Youtube

Bad timing. I’m sure if Unionen had released their new album a bit earlier in the year, it would have appeared on some AOTY lists with more of a jazz focus. It’s an absolute highlight of the jazz year for me and shows once again that the Scandinavian jazz scene is still going strong.

Bandcamp

I’m following City Girl‘s music for quite a while, and I’m happy about this new album. Dreamy urban-dwelling tracks, charming bedroom pop. You know exactly what you are getting here, and it’s damn awesome.

Bandcamp // Youtube

Colombian phenomenon Filmmaker has released so many albums in the last few years, and there are hardly any misses. While not every album hits me completely, Great Tribulations is amazing and one of my favorite Filmmaker releases ever.

Bandcamp // Youtube

Really charming little prog album, kinda folky, kinda goofy, kinda whimsical, but very charming.

Youtube

Another victim of a late album release. This is without a doubt one of the best metal albums of 2024, and it was overlooked because everyone had already made up their minds about the end of the year. If you are looking for a less pretentious version of Ne Obliviscaris, this is your jam.

Bandcamp // Youtube

Awesome, heavy-ass project featuring Lee Fisher (Fawn Limbs, ex-Psyopus) on drums and Chad Kapper (Frontierer, A Dark Orbit, When Knives Go Skyward) on vocals. There was also a new Frontierer EP out in December, but I liked this more. Shit slaps.

Bandcamp // Youtube

I can feel the gaze.

Bandcamp

Absolutely nasty collection of songs by this Italian band. Somewhere betwee crust and black metal, Othismos is just heavy and gritty.

Bandcamp // Youtube

We are keeping it nasty. Horse Butcher is what the cover suggests – disgusting, in a good way.

Bandcamp // Youtube

And the last one. Sweet little grungegaze (I’m making this up) album with good vibes.

Bandcamp // Youtube

Thanks for scrolling.