The year is nearly over. Based on life things, we are way into December already, the AOTY machine is rolling, but THE NOISE OF has to keep rolling too. Luckily, November unleashed a bunch of fantastic material, so this new episode is an easy task! Except putting it together, that’s always a shit-ton of work.
Vægtløs – Kakofoni
November 3 // Independent
Isla Craig – Echo’s Reach
November 4 // idée fixe records
Isla Craig‘s The Becoming was an amazing little gem back in 2018, which progressed into one of my favorite records of that year. The announcement of her new record Echo’s Reach hit me like a train of excitement, and I’m more than happy that it’s once again an overlooked and underrated masterpiece of art pop and indie.
InTechnicolour – Midnight Heavyweight
November 4 // Small Pond
The UK produced a myriad of fantastic rock bands in the last years – Arcane Roots, Black Peaks, Delta Sleep, just to name a few – and with InTechnicolour, they had their very own ‘little brother of Biffy Clyro‘ thing going on. And with Midnight Heavyweight, the band proved that their are some of the coolest cats on the patch.
Svaneborg Kardyb – Over Tage
November 4 // Gondwana Records
Gondwana jazz should be a thing by now. The label keeps releases fantastic jazz gems (amongst other things, of course), and I’m confident to say that Svaneborg Kardyb‘s Over Tage is one of their very best. A Danish duo with just a Wurlitzer and drums, they unfold some of the most beautiful soundscapes I’ve encountered all year.
Special Interest – Endure
November 4 // Rough Trade Records
R.A.P. Ferreira – 5 to the Eye with Stars
November 4 // Independent
Ezra Collective – Where I’m Meant To Be
November 4 // Partisan Records
Tom Skinner – Voices Of Bishara
November 4 // International Anthem
Christina Vantzou – No. 5
November 11 // kranky
Wickerbird – The Sea Weaver
November 11 // Lost Tribe Sound
An album like a warm blanket, like sunrays, like wind gently wandering through the trees – there is so much to discover if you’re keen on it, but you can also just close your eyes and get lost in those wonderful soundscapes. One of the most beautiful records of the year.
Dream Unending – Song Of Salvation
November 11 // 20 Buck Spin
Fjørt – nichts
November 11 // Grand Hotel van Cleef
FUCK YEAH! It’s fantastic to have this band back at their full potential – Fjørt are Germany’s finest post-hardcore outfit, and they’ve released great album after great album. With nichts, they are still angry and impatient – but also more balanced and sophisticated.
Ben LaMar Gay – Certain Reveries
November 11 // International Anthem
Jean Jean – Fog Infinite
November 11 // A Tant Rêver Du Roi Records
Strawberry Girls – Prussian Gloom
November 11 // Independent
Epectase – Nécroses
November 18 // Independent
Sometimes, I just wanna scream good music from the roofs. I know that a lot of people would love Epectase‘s phenomenal new prog black metal offering Nécroses, but due to their relatively unknown name and not that much of PR buzz, it will be overlooked by many. Don’t be one of them and listen to this beauty!
Sun-Mi Hong – Third Passage: Resonance
November 18 // Edition Records
Oh, I love my jazz gems. This beautiful record by South Korean/Dutch percussionist Sun-Mi Hong turned some heads in the Amsterdam jazz scene with her quintet, and now she will hopefully get more international recognition with Third Page: Resonance. There is elegance and energy within these compositions, driven by an addictive pulse.
yungmorpheus – Burnished Sums
November 18 // Lex Records
Weyes Blood – And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow
November 18 // Sub Pop
Scuare x sow – Slippery People
November 18 // Exosciety
I’ve said it before, and I say it again: this year is packed with high-quality hip hop. I was never so connected to the genre, and if people I admire and respect who are more into hip hop wouldn’t agree, I would say this the density of awesome hip hop would be solely subjective. Slippery Poeple is just another example of that, and it’s so fucking great at it.
Hedvig Mollestad & Trondheim Jazz Orchestra – Maternity Beat
November 18 // Rune Grammofon
Could this be Hedvig Mollestad‘s best work to date? Definitely possible! Teaming up with the outstanding Trondheim Jazz Orchestra ended up being a blast, and in turn, I can’t get enough of Maternity Beat.
isomonstrosity – isomonstrosity
November 18 // Brassland
Doodseskader – Year One
November 18 // ISOLATION REC.
Dødsmaskin – Herremoral | Slavemoral
November 21 // ant-zen
Elder – Innate Passage
November 25 // Stickman Records
Let’s talk about the mammoth in the room: the weight of Reflections of a Floating World hangs heavy over Innate Passage, Elder‘s newest album. That they still managed to create something so cool, catchy, and compelling speaks for them. A great album by a fucking great band.
SpiritWorld – DEATHWESTERN
November 25 // Century Media Records
Work Money Death – Thought, Action, Reaction, Interaction
November 25 // ATA Records
Fievel Is Glauqe – Flaming Swords
November 25 // la Loi
Let’s end with something outstanding. Fievel Is Glauque sounds like nothing else, infusing jazz with chanson elegance, or chanson with jazz grooviness – who knows? Their newest album Flaming Swords is probably their finest work to date, and I can’t stress enough that this belongs on your playlist.
Thanks for scrolling.
