It’s always tempting to focus on the negatives of any given year: when we reflect on 2024, looking back at the political struggles and international conflicts that dominated the headlines is inevitable. Still, this year— like all years— gave us some unbelievable new music to enjoy as artists across the world pushed the boat out in terms of artistic expression. Though there are an uncountable number of releases we haven’t managed to check out, we’re nonetheless happy to confirm that the best albums of 2024 were truly outstanding: below are our top ten albums of the year, as well as three honourable mentions, all of which are well worth your time.

Building itself a delightful collection of sounds using soft acoustic guitars and Flores’ willowy vocals, ‘Flower of the soul’ is undoubtedly one of the prettiest and most soothing listens of the entire year, full of lush, immersive arrangements. Though it’s a somewhat one-note listen, we can’t deny that the atmosphere created throughout this record is infectious, and Flores does an excellent job crafting just enough jazz-infused melodies to keep us engaged. From the easy-going opening of ‘Hello again’ to the closing acoustic wanderings of ‘Slowly,’ there’s not a moment of discomfort to be found across this 39-minute meditation session.

Taking inspiration from a host of modern metal and alternative rock bands including Linkin Park, Bring Me The Horizon and Bad Omens, Amongst Liars have improved by leaps and bounds on their sophomore release, throwing themselves into ‘By Design’ with as much enthusiasm as you could hope to find. Everything, from the thunderous chorus of ‘Vice’ or ‘Mind’ to the social commentary of ‘You Are Not A Slave’ or ‘Wolf Machine,’ is bold, confident and impactful, and the band’s passion shines through at all times. With further experimentation to define their own unique sound, we have no doubt that Amongst Liars are headed for stardom, and we can’t wait to have them in our top ten in years to come.

Fear is arguably the most overwhelming, overpowering emotion mankind is capable of feeling, and no release had us more terrified this year than this new LP from Finnish black metal outfit ‘Oranssi Pazuzu.’ ‘Muuntautuja’ is a claustrophobic listen, burying the listener under waves of metal screeches, guttural vocals and dissonant grooves— despite that, however, the album manages to carve itself out a nuanced and interesting identity as moments of hauntingly beautiful piano and eerie ambience punctuate an otherwise deafening album. A slightly weaker second half is the only thing keeping ‘Muuntautuja’ from a spot in the top ten: any fans of unique sound design, intense musical atmospheres or unhinged black metal are doing themselves a disservice by failing to check this one out.

‘KING OF THE MISCHIEVOUS SOUTH’ is hardly Curry’s most nuanced or lyrically intricate release: compared to the introspective musings of ‘Melt My Eyez See Your Future’ or the poignant commentary of ‘TA1300,’ this 2024 release is a much more stripped-back album. It may be Curry’s most consistently infectious though, with each track wringing out the grimy stylings of southern hip-hop for all they’re worth. Tracks including ‘Hot One’ and ‘Black Flag Freestyle’ are as punchy and boisterous as you could ask for, showcasing Curry at the top of his game in terms of flow and charisma— the album also benefits from the late addition of more melodic cuts like ‘P.O.P.’ which bring a healthy degree of variety to the project. While not the most innovative release, we can’t deny that there are few albums more instantly enjoyable in 2024 than ‘KING OF THE MISCHIEVOUS SOUTH.’

Brilliantly walking the line between minimalism and experimentation, ‘Endlessness’ is an album just as comfortable to sit in the background as it is to completely captivate you. Fusing two worlds of music together, Sinephro’s latest release combines spacey electronic soundscapes with the rich instrumentation of jazz, blending the two in a shockingly natural fashion. Despite the percussion that guides the album across its ten tracks, there’s a wonderful feeling of weightlessness to ‘Endlessness,’ capturing the essence of ambient music to a tee without becoming bogged down in repetition. By guiding jazz into the modern era, Sinephro elegantly demonstrates the timeless quality of the saxophone across this release, embellishing each track with an odd but understandable mix of synthesisers and strings— if that sounds both weird and wonderful, it’s because it is.

Staying on that theme of space, Blood Incantation capture the sheer scale and power of the cosmos on ‘Absolute Elsewhere,’ creating an album as lofty and ambitious as it is blistering. Combining the classic death metal sound of 2019’s ‘Hidden History of the Human Race’ with the experimental ambience of 2022’s ‘Timewave Zero,’ the Colorado four-piece have reached a new apex in their sound, setting them far apart from many more by-the-numbers death metal releases to come out of this year. Blood Incantation’s riffs are some of the best in the game, leading to unstoppable barrages of sound like the ending of ‘The Stargate [Tablet III]’ though these never impede the thoughtful mood that the record’s softer moments instil: rather, ‘Absolute Elsewhere’ uses all its disparate influences in tandem to create one of the grandest and most definitive listens of the year.

JPEGMAFIA’s output has long been more critically acclaimed than commercially dominant, even if the Brooklyn rapper has managed to cultivate a loyal fanbase over the years— with his new album ‘I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU,’ it’s high time that more hip-hop lovers were listening to one of the wildest and most consistent voices in the genre. The out-of-the-box sound design and chaotic energy of this new album will likely scare off many would-be fans, but the fact remains that ‘I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU’ is a tour-de-force in experimental hip-hop, varying wildly across its runtime as JPEGMAFIA incorporates everything from blaring rock guitars to peppy jazz drums to classic sample loops, fusing them all into his most emotionally potent release yet— the proof is in the pudding, as this stands as the best hip-hop album of 2024.

‘Head Hammer Man’ is surely the most underrated album of 2024, generating far less of a splash in the sludge metal scene than it deserved to— for fans of pulverising metal grooves, monstrous harsh vocals and brilliantly dusty sound design, Horndal’s new album is absolutely deserving of a listen. Telling the true story of Alrik Andersson’s fight against oppression in 1909 and his subsequent blacklisting, the album explores topics of inequality and martyrdom is a bold and unflinching manner without losing its focus on pure brutality. Between the crushing riffs of ‘Calling: Labor’ and ‘Blacklisted’ and the ominous chimes and horns of ‘Famine’ or ‘The Shining Specter,’ Horndal demonstrate an unbelievable range of sounds while keeping their third LP consistent and cohesive: though the wider metal community has glossed over them, we’re thrilled to give Horndal the flowers they deserve.

After the plain acoustic guitar parts and indistinct musical identity of 2022’s ‘Cub’ left us unimpressed, we were ready to write off Wunderhorse as another soon-to-pass fad: how wrong we would’ve been, as new LP ‘Midas’ is a drastic improvement by every metric. The group are far from abandoning their indie rock sound, instead fusing it with noise rock and notes of grunge to create a heavy and emotionally gripping album: from the ballsy title track to the crushing weight of ‘July’ to the melancholic acoustics of ‘Superman,’ every moment is steeped in despair, with Jacob Slater’s vulnerable lead vocals selling the poignant, personal lyrics. It’s not a perfect album, but that’s almost the point: ‘Midas’ reflects the flaws and struggles of its creators, and winds up as one of the most harrowing and gut-wrenching listens of the year.

2024 is a new time for Geordie Greep, exchanging the extreme abrasion of black midi for a surprisingly accessible jazz-rock approach on his first solo release, ‘The New Sound.’ Every track here is instantly infectious, whether it be the ridiculous hooks of lead single ‘Holy, Holy,’ the insane musicality of ‘Blues’ or the haunting melodies of ‘Motorbike— despite the range of styles and session musicians to be found across the album, Greep manages to tie everything together into a bizarre but poetic package, even if the bow on that package is a bizarre, fantastical character study. The delusions of grandeur across this record, along with Greep’s signature vocal style, may put off some listeners: for others though, ‘The New Sound’ is an exciting and adventurous release, sounding quite unlike anything else to release in 2024.

‘Imaginal Disk’ has been one of the biggest critical darlings of the year, and we can’t help but add our voice to the cacophony of praise this album has received: for fans of raucous dance pop, this is the holy grail. Every track here could have made Top of the Pops last decade, demonstrating how succinctly Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin have captured that retro sound with their new album: even still, the group have confidently forged into the future on ‘Imaginal Disk,’ injecting notes of progressive rock in places to make this a highly multi-faceted, conceptual release. The storyline, while enjoyable, is mere salad-dressing though: its the brilliant dance pop that has us coming back to ‘Image,’ ‘Death & Romance’ and ‘Cry for Me’ again and again, and its those endless grooves that have carved Magdalena Bay out as one of the most exciting new acts in the modern pop sphere.

Ulcerate have been releasing unbelievable death metal experiences for two decades now, but their newest album ‘Cutting the Throat of God’ might just be their most unstoppable yet. Across seven tracks, the New Zealand three-piece crush the listener under wave after wave of dissonance and brutality, making this one of the heaviest and most overwhelming listens not just of the year, but in death metal, period. A greater focus on melody and atmosphere elevates this album above previous releases like ‘Stare Into Death And Be Still,’ with the haunting themes of ‘To Flow Through Ashen Hearts’ and ‘The Dawn is Hollow’ marking some of the most anthemic and instantly iconic in recent memory. Rounding things out on its title track— a powerful exploration of nihilism and religion— ‘Cutting the Throat of God’ is a new high-point for one of the best groups in modern metal.

Our album of the year for 2024 goes to Cindy Lee’s two-hour masterpiece, ‘Diamond Jubilee.’ Across a staggering 32 tracks, Patrick Flegel delivers a touching and impassioned love letter to music’s history, leaning into a range of styles from psychedelic pop to dreamy indie to funky bass-forward jams. The record is far from stuck-in-the-past though, carving itself out a unique identity through its hazy, immersive production and progressive tendencies. It’s like the radio station from heaven, drifting from the endless grooves of the opening title track all the way to the angelic closer ’24/7 Heaven’ without a moment of indecision— it’s stunning, truly, and you owe it to yourself to venture outside the streaming services to discover one of the most ambitious, climactic and gorgeous pop albums of the era.