This Year In Music - Part 4

 

Of course, not all albums have been mentioned in this short series, as they will probably appear in other end-of-year lists and deserve to. There were reasons why new albums by Nick Cave, Michael Head, Floating Points, Sprints, The Bug Club, Pye Corner Audio, Ducks Ltd. and Chelsea Wolf were not mentioned in the previous posts. But not because they are bad, but simply because they didn't fit into my concept.

But finally, just a few tracks that should not go unmentioned.

New Songs On Sunday

 

Dublin's most popular post-punk band Fontaines D.C. announced a new album later this year. With this album they finished their long-time collaboration with producer Dan Carey and it seems that they chosen a new road in their sound. Starburster. With nervous strings and subtle piano sprinkles, this song initially suggests a restrained sound like on Grian Chatten's solo album, but then transitions into an almost rapping vocal with crashing hip-hop drums. It is a good song and the more I listen to it the more I like it.

We don't have to worry about Dan Carey because he has already found other artists he can produce. His latest project is Friedberg, an Austrian-English band based in London that takes its name from the birthplace of singer Anna Wappel. Friedberg stands for a dark, rocking drive that meets intuitive melodies and a mystical vocal style. Post-punk and alternative rock borrowings merge with sensitive pop to create a sound that is both familiar and quirky at the same time. An interesting new discovery that could be worth following