- Afrorack - The Afrorack (Hakuna Kulala)
- Authentically Plastic (Hakuna Kulala)
- Carmen Villain - Only Love From Now On (Smalltown Supertown)
- Cate Le Bon - Pompeii (Mexican Summer)
- Coral Club - Lost Cities (Moon Glyph)
- Daniel Rossen - You Belong There (Warp)
- EXEK - Advertise Here (Castle Face)
- Flore Laurentienne - Volume II (RVNG Intl.)
- FOQL - Wehikuł (Mal)
- Francesa Heart - Eurybia (Leaving)
- Green/Blue - Offering (HoZac)
- Jamie Levinson - s/t (s/r)
- Julmud - Tuqoos (Bilna'es)
- Katarina Gryvul - Tysha (Standard Deviation)
- La Punta Bianca - Disquiet (Detriti)
- Latest Fad - LSD Spider (Fading Systems)
- Matt Evans - Soft Science (Moon Glyph)
- Mauskovic Dance Band - Bukaroo Bank (Bongo Joe)
- Meridian Brothers - Meridian Brothers & El Grupo Renacimiento (Ansonia)
- Naima Bock - Giant Palm (Sub Pop)
- Non Plus Temps - Desire Choir (Post Present Medium)
- Onyon - s/t (Trouble In Mind)
- Papercuts - Past Life Regression (Slumberland)
- Pye Corner Audio - Let’s Emerge! (Sonic Cathedral)
- Salamanda - ashbalkum (Human Pitch)
- Sessa - Estrela Acesa (Mexican Summer)
- Société Etrange - Chance (Bongo Joe)
- Sofie Birch - Holotropica (Intercourse)
- The Soundcarriers - Wilds (Phosphonic)
- Sunfear - Octopus (Dark Entries)
- Winged Wheel - No Island (12XU)
- Yves Jarvis - The Zug (Anti-)
BestOf
((echoplex))
2022 Favorites
Reissues & Compilations
- Branko Mataja - Over Fields And Mountains (Numero Group)
- Coco Lagos y sus Orates - Descargas (Vampi Soul)
- Groupo La Droga - s/t (Vampi Soul)
- Hydroplane - s/t (Efficient Space)
- Iceblink - Carpet Cocoon (Moon Glyph)
- Los Kintos - s/t (Vampi Soul)
- Travesía - Ni Un Minuto Más De Dolor (Little Butterfly)
- V/A - The Afrosound Of Colombia Vol. 3 (Vampi Soul)
- V/A - Color de Trópico Vol 3 (El Palmas)
- V/A - Perú Selvático - Sonic Expedition into the Peruvian Amazon 1972-1986 (Analog Africa)
- V/A - Saturno 2000 - La Rebajada de Los Sonideros 1962-1983 (Analog Africa)
- V/A - Síntesis Moderna: An Alternative Vision Of Argentinean Music 1980-1990 (Soundway)
Babu
Babu Best of 2022
Babu’s New Releases
- Beyoncé - Renaissance (Parkwood)
- Shygirl - Nymph (Because)
- Junglepussy - Jp5000 (Junglepussy)
- Sudan Archives - Natural Brown Prom Queen (Stone’s Throw)
- FKA twigs - CAPRISONGS (Young)
- Black Rave Culture - BRC Vol 2 (Black Rave Culture)
- Paurro - Galavisión (Cómeme)
- Björk - Fossora (One Little Independent)
Albums that are not new but I fell in love with during 2022 (Babu)
- Solange - True (Terrible)
- Lady Gaga - ARTPOP (Interscope)
- Sunbear - Sunbear (Soultrain)
- Arca - KICK ii (XL)
- Arca - kick iiii (XL)
- Azealia Banks - Broke With Expensive Taste (Prospect Park)
- JAY-Z - The Blueprint (Roc-A-Fella)
- Blood Orange - Coastal Grooves (Domino)
Live Shows (Babu)
- Smino - March 11 - Lower Sproul @ UC Berkeley
- Yves Tumor - March 18 - 1015 Folsom
- Doja Cat - April 17 - Coachella
- Phoenix - June 8 - Primavera Sound
- Gorillaz - June 9 - Primavera Sound
- Arca - Sept 24 - Portola
- Five Armed Sloth - November 4 - Battle of the Bands @ UC Berkeley
- Machine Girl - November 29 - Regency Ballroom
DJ sets (Babu)
- Ash Lauryn - February 6 - The Monarch
- Jamie xx - April 17 - Coachella
- Tygapaw - June 11 - Primavera Sound
- Honey Dijon - June 20 - Battle Hymn - NYC
- Mike Q - October 1 - Space 550 San Francisco
- Physical Therapy - October 8 - Club 6 San Francisco
- The Carry Nation - October 30 - Unter - NYC
Berkestir
Berkestir 2022
New Stuff
- Afrorack - The Afrorack (Hakuna Kulala)
- Marisa Anderson - still,here ( Thrill Jockey)
- A Place To Bury Strangers - See Through You (Dedstrange)
- Chris Bathgate - The Significance Of Peaches (Quite Scientific)
- The Beths - Expert In A Dying Field (Carpark)
- Black Jesus Experience - Good Evening Black Buddha (Agogo)
- Boris - Heavy Rocks (Relapse)
- Jane Antonia Cornish - Sierra (Cantaloupe Music)
- Brian Eno - Foreverandevernomore (Opal)
- Fenella - The Metallic Index (Fire)
- Floating Points Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra - Promises (Luaka Bop)
- Goat - Oh Death (Rocket)
- Gnod - Hexen Valley (Rocket)
- Harlem Gospel Travelers - Look Up! (Colemine)
- Hawkwind - We Are looking In On You (Cherry Red)
- Robyn Hitchcock - Shufflemania! (Tiny Ghost)
- Latest Fad - Lsd Spider (Fading Systems)
- The Linda Lindas - Growing Up (Epitaph)
- Mikayla Mcvey - Time Turns Everything (The Long Road Society)
- Meridian Brothers & El Grupo Renacimiento - S/T (Ansonia)
- Jessica Moss - Galaxy Heart ( Constellation)
- Marissa Nadler - The Wrath of the Clouds(Sacred Bones)
- Posthuman - Echo Almaz East (The Dark Outside)
- Pye Corner Audio - Let’s Emerge! (Sonic Cathedral)
- The Soft Moon - Exister (Sacred Bones)
- Troposphere 7 - Grey Parrots (Hakuna Kulala)
- Veryan - Here//Now (S/R)
- Erie Wanda - Internal Radio (Joyful Noise)
- Johanna Warren - Lessons for Mutants (Wax Nine}
- White Hills - Mitosis( Heads On Fire Industries/White Hills)
- White Hills - The Revenge Of Heads On Fire( Heads on Fire/ White Hills)
Old Stuff
- Can - Live In Cuxhaven 1976 (Spoon)
- Coil - Musick to Play In The Dark 2 (Dais)
- Sandy Denny - Early Home Recordings (Earth)
- Minoru Fushimi - Thanatos of Funk(180G)
- Hawkwind - Dreamworkers of Time Th I’ll e BBC Recording 1985-1995 (Atomhenge)
- Nazz - Lost Masters & Demos (Purple Pyramid)
- Nik Turner - Space Ritual 1994(Purple Pyramid)
- V/A - Dave Brock Presents…This Was Your Future Space Rock (And Other Psychedelics) 1978-1998 (Cherry Red)
- Walter Wegmuller - Tarot (Breeze)
Carnacki
11 favourite cassettes (in alphabetical order)
Diane Barbé - A Conference of Critters (forms of minutiae)
Andrew Chalk - Dreams (Faraway Press)
David Colohan - Small Moves Ellie Small Moves / Night, North Paterson (Was Ist Das?)
Euphotic - Conjugate Regions (Ikuisuus)
Kemper Norton - Rife (Woodford Halse)
Lia Kohl - Too Small to be a Plain (Shinkoyo)
Daniel McLennan - Unfurling Redemption (Cruel Nature)
Marissa Nadler - The Wrath of the Clouds (Sacred Bones)
Manja Ristić - Him, Fast Sleeping, Soon He Found in Labyrinth of Many a Round, Self-Rolled (mappa)
Skyminds - Terra Preta (Not Not Fun)
To End It All - Live At Teatro De La Psychomachia / Strength Is Nothing (ft. Zvi) – A Partial Soundtrack For Andrei Tarkovsky’s “Stalker” (Scry Recordings)
11 favourite digital-only releases (in alphabetical order)
Eszter Balint - I Hate Memory (S/R)
Jesse Olsen Bay - weather/weight (S/R)
Cinder Well & Jim Ghedi - I Am A Youth That’s Inclined To Ramble (S/R)
Circuit Des Yeux - Sunset Poem, reimagined by Claire Rousay (Matador)
Clipping - Remxng series (Sub Pop)
irr. app. (ext.) - “Attention Dear” 2022 Digital Monthly Single series (errata in excelsis)
Lime Rickey International - The Train (S/R)
Carol Anne McGowan - re:versions (S/R)
Rabbit Rabbit - Rabbit Rabbit Radio Volume 5: Love Is Code (S/R)
Songs Of The New Erotics - There Walked Slowly From Time To Black Rosettes, Golden Eye Breathing It In, And They To Spring (Disembraining Songs)
Various - For Ukraine vols. 1-3 (Headphone Commute)
11 favourite small things (in alphabetical order)
Bevis Frond - Typical Freakout 7” (Hypnotic Bridge)
Danielle Dax - Invictus Arduis 7” (Heaven’s Lathe)
The Doomed Bird of Providence - Ransoms for Cars 7” (10 to 1)
DWLVS - On a Clear Drop You Can See Forever 7” (Stoned to Death)
Andrew Liles / Lux Lyall & Andy Votel - Care In The Community / Six 7” (Golden Lion Sounds)
Nurse With Wound - Shipwreck n’ Roll 7” (ICR)
People Like Us - Free Sunshine 7” (Heaven’s Lathe)
Shanna Sordahl - So She Shone / So They Shone 7” (Full Spectrum)
Surplus 1980 with GW Sok - Kremlin Gremlin 7” (A Dull Fiddler) (Surplus Industries)
Andrew Weathers - Early Works 8” (Full Spectrum)
Nick Cave - Seven Psalms 10” (Cave Things)
22 favourite live shows (in chronological order)
- Senyawa, 1 March, The Lab, SF
- Kali Malone, 10 April, Grace Cathedral, SF
- Dean Santomieri / Tom Nunn, 15 April, Mosswood Chapel, Oakland
- Jake Blount, 19 April, Freight & Salvage, Berkeley
- Cheryl E. Leonard, 22 April, Mosswood Chapel, Oakland
- Grouper, 29 May, The Castro, SF
- Emily Wells, 10 June, Starline Social Club, Oakland
- Grale, 22 July, Mosswood Chapel, Oakland
- Steve Von Till / Helen Money, 9 Aug, Starline Social Club, Oakland
- Emily Jane White, 11 August, The Chapel, SF
- Lia Kohl, 12 August, Mosswood Chapel, Oakland
- Circuit Des Yeux, 17 August, The Lab, SF
- Marissa Nadler / Jessica Way / Serpentent, 24 August, Golden Bull, Oakland
- Sarah Davachi, 10 September, Grace Cathedral, SF
- Melt-Banana, 1 October, Great American Music Hall, SF
- Fierce as Death: Queer at the Song of Songs, Jewlia Eisenberg memorial, 2 October, CJM SF
- Dire Wolves, 2 October, The Knockout, SF
- Luxury Skin, 25 October, Sid Gold’s Request Room, NYC
- Trevor Dunn’s Trio-Convulsant plus four, 27 October, Solar Myth, Philadelphia
- Edward Schocker / Keith Evans, 13 November, Shapeshifters Cinema, Oakland
- Old Million Eye, 17 November, Beauty Supply, Oakland
- Kristin Hersh, 28 November, Bottom of the Hill, SF
25 favourite records (in alphabetical order)
Abronia - Map of Dawn (Cardinal Fuzz / Feeding Tube)
Marisa Anderson - Still, Here (Thrill Jockey)
Félicia Atkinson - Image Language (Shelter Press)
Jake Blount - The New Faith (Smithsonian Folkways)
Burd Ellen - A Tarot of the Green Wood (Mavis)
Matti Bye Ensemble - Häxan (Time Released Sound)
Charming Hostess - The Ginzburg Geography (Tzadik)
Common Eider King Eider - Yearn (Cyclic Law)
Jane Antiona Cornish - Sierra (Cantaloupe)
Current 93 - If a City is Set Upon a Hill (HomAleph)
Dreadnought - The Endless (Profound Lore)
Clara Engel - Their Invisible Hands (Elephant Shrew)
Laibach - Wir Sind Das Volk (Mute)
Adrian Lane - Missing The Crows (whitelabrecs)
Cheryl E. Leonard - Antarctica: Music from the Ice (Other Minds)
Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch - Ravage (130701)
Mama’s Broke - Narrow Line (Free Dirt)
Jessica Moss - Galaxy Heart (Constellation)
Nina Nastasia - Riderless Horse (Temporary Residence)
Nurse With Wound - Nefarious vols. II - III (United Dairies)
Raum - Daughter (Yellow Electric)
Various - Women Take Back The Drone (UBUIBI)
Emily Wells - Regards to the End (Thesis + Instinct)
Emily Jane White - Alluvion (Talitres)
Kristeen Young - The Beauty Shop (S/R)
Some favourite plain ol’ reissues (in alphabetical order)
Human Greed - Black Hill: Midnight at the Blighted Star (Was Ist Das?)
Nurse With Wound - The Ladies Home Tickler (United Dirter)
Nurse With Wound - Salt Marie Celeste - Salt (United Dirter)
Some favourite reissues into physical form of previously digital-only items (in alphabetical order)
Kate Carr - Making Do Vol. 1 (Tool Use)
Dark Leaves - Laid Under Leaf, Under Branches (Ramble Records)
Clara Engel - The Cicada Session & In The Fog (Ramble Records)
Mekons - Exquisite (Glitterbeat)
Carolyn
Best of 2022
Carolyn’s 22 Favorite Albums of 2022
- The Cool Greenhouse- Sod’s Toastie LP (Melodic)
- New Buck Biloxi - Cellular Automaton LP (Total Punk)
- Alien Nosejob - Stained Glass LP (Anti Fade/ Total Punk)
- Petrol Girls - Baby LP (Hassle)
- Unsanitary Napkin - All Billionaires Are Bastards LP (Sorry State)
- Fat Earthers - Bored LP (s/r)
- Ghost Car - Truly Trash LP (One Little Independent)
- Bret McKenzie - Songs Without Jokes LP (SubPop)
- Billiam - Billie Dafoe (fan club exclusive)
- MIT - The Male Idiot Theory cassette (Discos Peroquébien)
- Otoboke Beaver - Super Champon ス ー パ ー チ ャ ン ポ ン LP (Damnably)
- Peace De Résistance - Bits and Pieces LP (Peace De Récords)
- Hurry Up! - Dismal Nitch LP (Comedy Minus One)
- Jon Spencer & The HITmakers - Spencer Gets Lit LP (In The Red)
- Judy & The Jerks - Music To Go Nuts LP (Thrilling Living)
- Ribbon Stage - Hit With The Most LP (Perennial Death)
- Sniffany and The Nits - The Unscratchable Itch LP (PRAH Recordings)
- The Mary Veils - Esoteric Hex LP (PNKSLM Recordings)
- McQQeen - II casette (Big Neck)
- Split System - Vol 1 LP (Legless)
- Sweet Knives - Spritzerita LP (FDH)
- R.E.D - Religion Equals Decay - Music For The Masses Volume 1 and Music For The Masses Volume 2 (s/r)
Carolyn’s 22 Favorite Eps of 2022
- Model Zero - Little Crystal 7” (Sweet Time)
- Sprints - A Modern Job 7” (Nice Swan)
- Smallspeaker - This Record Kills Trend Scums 7” (Smlspk)
- Arrêt - Demo cassette (1753)
- Billiam/ The Vovos - Vampire Club 7” (Billiam)
- Gut Health - Electric Party Chrome Girl 7” (Marthouse)
- Cosmit - It’s Cosmit cassette (Specialist Subject)
- Snõõper - Town Topic 7” (s/r)
- RMFC - Access 7” (Anti-Fade)
- CPR Doll - Music For Pleasure cassette (Under The Gun)
- Dr. Sure’s Unsual Practice/ Bench Press - A Split 7” Between Friends 7” (Marthouse)
- Real Distractions - Stupid 7” (Perennial Death)
- The Necessary Evil - Vida Desastre flexi disc (1753)
- Sex Shop Boyz - EP (Enlarged Penis)
- Silicone Values – Burn the 1980’s (s/r)
- Würst Nürse - The Würst Nürse Cürse (s/r)
- Gee Tee - Rock Phone 7” (Goner)
- Isolation - Fabric Tear 7” (s/r)
- Dangüs Tarküs - Concrete Hearts (Ketchüp and Müstard Indüstries)
- Wild Evel and The Trashbones - Berlin On Fire 7” (s/r)
- Hannah Barberas - When You Were My Boyfriend (s/r)
- Battlebeats - You Don’t Know Me 7”
Carolyn’s Favorite Songs of 2022
- Da Groins - The General Public
- Snõõper - Powerball
- Cool Greenhouse - Get Unjaded
- Sick Thoughts - Mother, I Love Satan
- Half Heads - Green and Gold
- Trash Knife - Stand Up
- Man A Monster - Warm Blooded Creatures
- Dion Lunadon - It’s The Truth
- Nasty Rumors - Shut The Hell Up
- MC16 - Class War
- Tite Nauts - On Your Lawn (Antifas)
- Les Dead Boobs - Marre
- Glycereens - Electric
- Memes - Second Thought
Carolyn’s Favorite Reissues/Archival Releases released in 2022
- Ivy Green - I'm Sure We're Gonna Make It / Pak 'm Beet 7” (Wap Shoo Wap)
- Ervin Berlin - Junior’s Got Brain Damage 7” (Total Punk)
- Dr Sure’s Unusual Practice - Scomo Goes To Hawaii / While Aus Burns LP (Marthouse/ Swash)
- Les Calamities - Encore! 1983-1987 LP (Born Bad)
- Dangerous Girls - Recordings 1978-1982 LP (Rave Up)
- Aunt Sally LP (Mesh-Key)
- Schoolgirl Bitch - Abusing The Rules 7” (Breakout)
- Antler Joe and The Accidents - Go Commercial 7” (Last Laugh)
- Neighborhood Blues Boys - Slave Girl 7” (Mighty Mouth)
- Bam Bam - Villains (Also Wear White) 7” (s/r)
Carolyn’s Favorite Compilations of 2022
- GTRRC III 2xLP (Legless)
- Polish Sausage Sauerkraut A Collection Of Gizmos Covers cassette (Gulcher)
- She Don’t Need You cassette (Girlsville)
- Swatches Vol 2 (Painters Tapes)
- Standing With Ukraine (Socks On)
- When Are You Gonna Quit & Get A Real Job? (Raving Pop)
- Typical Girls Volume 6 (Emotional Response)
Carolyn’s Favorite Shows of 2022
- Bono - The Orpheum
- Snooper - Eli’s Mike High Club
- My Name Is Joe - Ireland’s 32
- Bauhaus - The Masonic
- Bret McKenzie - The Fillmore
- Jon Spencer and the HitMakers - Bottom of the Hill
- Tav Falco- The Great Northern
- Soft Cell - The Masonic
- Roxy Music - Chase Center
- Bruno Mars - Lincoln Center, NYC
2022 Songs to Inspire Us To Finally Eliminate the Patriarchy
- Petrol Girls - Baby, I Had An Abortion
- Petrol Girls - Clowns
- Unsanitary Napkin - All Billionaires Are Bastards
- Trash Knife - Stand Up
- Isotope Soap - The Power Of Weak Minds
- Panic Shack - Jiu Jits You
- Sniffany and the Nits - The Unscratchable Itch
- Gut Health - Lethargic
- Hurry Up - No!
- Nasty Rumors - Shut The Hell Up
Deep Mission
Best of 2022
- Nadia Ackerman - Coconut Bunny Cake
- Gaye Su Akyol - Anadolu Esderi
- Elvis Costello & The Imposters - The Boy Named If
- Mary Fahl - Can’t Get It Out of My Head
- The Mutants - Curse of the Easily Amused
- Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio - Cold as Weiss
- Mayya - Infinite Possible Futures
- Steve ‘n’ Seagulls- Another Miracle
- Phuong Tam - Magical Nights
- Afro Yaqui Music Collective - Maroon Future
- Michelle D’Amour & The Love Dealers - Hot Mess
- The Great Necks - Impressions of Spain
- Cameron Knowler & Eli Winter - Anticipation
DJ Aahh
2022 Top 10 Releases Z-A
- Weval - Time Goes (Technicolor)
- Sonogram - Compendium (Simulacra)
- The Soft Pink Truth - Is It Going to Get Any Deeper Than This? (Thrill Jockey)
- Sen Morimoto - Sen Morimoto (Sooper)
- Momu - Moons of Jupiter (Loöq)
- Maps - Counter Melodies - Part 1 (Mute)
- Louis Cole - Quality Over Opinion (Brainfeeder)
- Kelly Lee Owens - Inner Song (Smalltown Supersound)
- J.Rocc - A Wonderful Letter (Stones Throw)
- Automatic - Excess (Stones Throw)
DJ Dokkaebi
DJ Dokkaebi’s Favorite Albums of 2022 (In No Particular Order)
- Mitski - Laurel Hell (Dead Oceans)
- Ethel Cain - Preacher’s Daughter (Daughters of Cain Records)
- Julia Jacklin - PRE PLEASURE (Polyvinyl Record Co.)
- Cate Le Bon - Pompeii (Mexican Summer LLC)
- The 1975 - Being Funny in A Foreign Language (Dirty Hit)
- Mapache - Roscoe’s Dream (Innovative Leisure)
- Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain (4AD)
- Andres Miguel Cervantes - The Crossing (Speakeasy Studios)
- Father John Misty - Chloe and The Next 20th Century (Sub Pop Records)
- Alex G - God Save The Animals (Domino Recording Co Ltd)
- SASAMI - Squeeze (Domino Recording Co Ltd)
- Beach House - Once Twice Melody (Sub Pop Records)
- Rubi Ate the Fig - Desert Electric (Desert Recordings)
- Khruangbin and Vieux Farka Toure - Ali (Dead Oceans + Night Time Stories)
- Kokoroko - Could We Be More (Brownswood Recordings)
- Xiomara Torres - La Voz Del Mar (Patois Records)
- Trombone Shorty - Lifted (UMG Recordings)
- Little Simz - NO THANK YOU (AWAL Recordings)
- The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble - Step Down (Colemine Records)
- Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio - Cold As Weiss (Colemine Records)
- Black Jesus Experience - Good Evening Black Buddha (Agogo Records)
- Sessa - Estrela Acesa (Mexican Summer)
- Weyes Blood - And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow (Sub Pop Records)
- Faye Webster - Car Therapy Sessions (Secretly Canadian)
- Park Jiha - The Gleam (tak:til)
Other Good Albums of 2022
- Fat Trout Trailer Park - Florida (22Twenty)
- Harlem Gospel Travelers - Look Up! (Colemine Records)
- Third Coast Percussion - Perspectives (Cedille)
- Ravyn Lenae - HYPNOS (Atlantic Recording Corporation)
- NewJeans - NewJeans 1st EP (ADOR Co)
- Toro Y Moi - MAHAL (Dead Oceans)
- Steve Lacy - Gemini Rights (L-M Records)
DJ Dokkaebi’s Favorite Albums of 2022 (In No Particular Order)
- Mitski - Laurel Hell (Dead Oceans)
- Ethel Cain - Preacher’s Daughter (Daughters of Cain Records)
- Julia Jacklin - PRE PLEASURE (Polyvinyl Record Co.)
- Cate Le Bon - Pompeii (Mexican Summer LLC)
- The 1975 - Being Funny in A Foreign Language (Dirty Hit)
- Mapache - Roscoe’s Dream (Innovative Leisure)
- Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain (4AD)
- Andres Miguel Cervantes - The Crossing (Speakeasy Studios)
- Father John Misty - Chloe and The Next 20th Century (Sub Pop Records)
- Alex G - God Save The Animals (Domino Recording Co Ltd)
- SASAMI - Squeeze (Domino Recording Co Ltd)
- Beach House - Once Twice Melody (Sub Pop Records)
- Rubi Ate the Fig - Desert Electric (Desert Recordings)
- Khruangbin and Vieux Farka Toure - Ali (Dead Oceans + Night Time Stories)
- Kokoroko - Could We Be More (Brownswood Recordings)
- Xiomara Torres - La Voz Del Mar (Patois Records)
- Trombone Shorty - Lifted (UMG Recordings)
- Little Simz - NO THANK YOU (AWAL Recordings)
- The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble - Step Down (Colemine Records)
- Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio - Cold As Weiss (Colemine Records)
- Black Jesus Experience - Good Evening Black Buddha (Agogo Records)
- Sessa - Estrela Acesa (Mexican Summer)
- Weyes Blood - And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow (Sub Pop Records)
- Faye Webster - Car Therapy Sessions (Secretly Canadian)
- Park Jiha - The Gleam (tak:til)
Other Good Albums of 2022
- Fat Trout Trailer Park - Florida (22Twenty)
- Harlem Gospel Travelers - Look Up! (Colemine Records)
- Third Coast Percussion - Perspectives (Cedille)
- Ravyn Lenae - HYPNOS (Atlantic Recording Corporation)
- NewJeans - NewJeans 1st EP (ADOR Co)
- Toro Y Moi - MAHAL (Dead Oceans)
- Steve Lacy - Gemini Rights (L-M Records)
DJ Donut Monoxide
Donut Monoxide - Favorite Live Music of 2022
- January 29 - Ivy Room - The Young Barons
- February 12 - Ivy Room - Generacion Suicida
- March 12 - Fox Theatre - Judas Priest
- April 16, and October 6 - UC Theatre - The CHATS
- April 19 - Independent SF - Viagra Boys
- May 17, SF Masonic - The Damned(original line-up except for Captain Sensible) , Blondie
- May 22, SF Masonic - Bauhaus
- May 28, Eli’s Mile High Club - BongFather, Rosie Plaza
- June 4th, Ivy Room - Year of The Fist, The Vulturas, Throw Rag
- June 16 - Ivy Room - Las Sucias, Fred Frith Trio
- June 17 - Great American Music Hall - Healing Magic, Cephalic Carnage, Calavera Brothers
- July 2,3 - Mosswood Meltdown - Twompsax, The Dirtbombs, Podium, The Carbonas, The Fevers, The Vaxxines (cover of Bondage Up Yours!)
- July 4 - Backyard of house a few doors down from Stay Gold - Poison Ruïn
- July 8, - Bottom of the Hill - Electric Machine Gun Tits, Top Secret Robot Alliance
- July 16 - SF Independent - Bombino
- August 13 - Bargain Rock Showcase - Durty Whyte Boots, Boars, Phantom Surfers
- August 27 - The Fillmore - Mdou Moctar
- September 9 - Shoreline - George Thorogood
- September 23 - Fox Theatre - Grace Jones
- September 25 - The Last Dirtbag Challenge - Hot Laundry
- September 27 - Concord Pavilion - Iron Maiden
- October 2, - Hardly Strictly Bluegrass - Amythyst Kiah
- October 5, The Chapel - King Khan & The BBQ Show
- October 7,9 - Thee Stork Club - The Mummies
- October 8,9 - Halloween Meltdown - Amyl & The Sniffers, The Spits, Sheer Mag, Body Double, The Bugs.
- October 13 - Great American Music Hall - Brujeria, Napalm Death
- October 29 - Masonic SF - The B-52’s
- October 31, A Driveway in Oakland - Driveway Follies Puppet Show. Founded by Larry Schmidt…
- November 5 - Downtown Oakland - Penury, Cancer Christ, DeathgraVe, Necrot, **Possessed**
- December 11 - Regency SF - The BellRays, Me First & The Gimme Gimmes
E. Lit
Favorite Albums of 2022:
- Wrecking Crew - Sedale Threat (Wrecking Crew)
- Billy Woods & Preservation - Aethiopes (Backwoodz Studioz)
- Elucid - I Told Bessie (Backwoodz Studioz)
- AJ Suede & Televangel - Metatron’s Cube (Fake Four Inc)
- WateRR & Tone Beatz - Order of the Day: Return of the Cherry Tree (Filthe)
- Buck 65 - King of Drums (s/r)
- Andrew - The Rain Knows What It’s Doing (Three Dollar Pistol)
- Roc Marciano & The Alchemist - The Elephant Man’s Bones (ALC)
- Louis Cole - Quality Over Opinion (Brainfeeder)
- Psalm One & Custom Made - Bigg Perrm (Filthe)
Excuse My French
Excuse My French Best of 2022 List:
New Releases:
- bvdub - Violet opposition (n5MD)
- Mark Barrott - Travelling Music EP (International Feel recordings)
- S.O.N.S. - The Escape (S.O.N.S.)
- Zakè & 36 - Stasis Sounds For Long-Distance Space Travel II (PITP)
- Biosphere - Shortwave Memories (Biophon records)
- Horace Andy - Midnight Rocker (On-U Sounds)
- Horace Andy - Midnight Scorcher (On-U Sounds)
- Kyle Hall - Good Hado EP (Forget The Clock)
- Eris Drew & Octo Octa - Day After A Night With U / Stars & Water (fabric originals)
- Marine Eyes - Chamomille (PITP)
- Karsten Pflum - Camera Obscura (Touched Music)
- Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs - When The Lights Go (Nice Age)
- Bon Enfant - Diorama (Duprince)
- Veronica Stanton - Caught Up On A Feeling (s/r)
- Tiken Jah Fakoly - Braquage de Pouvoir (Chapter Two)
- Khondo - Plus Haut Que La Tour Eiffel (La COuvreuse)
- Mademoiselle K - Mademoiselle K (Kravache)
- Les Gordon - Nuances (Morning Crash Record)
- Bjork - Fossora (One Little Independent Record)
- La Féline - Tarbes (Kwaidan Records)
- Zazie - Aile-P (La Zizanie)
- Montparnasse Musique - Archeology (Real World Records)
- Maxence CYrin - Melancholy Island (Warner Classics)
- Fally Ipupa - Formule 7 (F'Victeam Entertainment)
- This Immortal Coil - The World Ended A Long Time Ago (Ici Ailleurs)
- Gaël Faure - L'Eau et La Peau (Zamora Label)
- Arovane + EMHO - In Between (Sonic Dialogue)
- Gimmik - Sonic Poetry (n5MD)
- Okada - Fragility (n5MD)
- Jean-Michel Jarre - Oxymore (Columbia, Sony Music)
- Gaël Faye, Grand Corps Malade & Ben Mazué - Éphémère (Anouche Records)
- Aldous Harding - Warm Chris (4AD)
Re-releases & compilations
- v/a - Penrose Showcase, Vol. 1
- v/a - NFRv_009 Natural Rhythm, Saison, Risk Assessment (No Fuss Records)
- v/a - Found Sound, VOl. 3 (Touched Music)
- Adham Shaikh - Early Works 1992-1994 (re-discovery records)
- FM Skyline - Deluxe Memory Suite (100% Electronica)
- Nuron + Fughe - DAT Tapes 1993-1994 (De:tuned)
- v/a - Dailysession Gig Pak EP 1 (Dailisession Records)
- This Immortal Coil - The Dark Age of Love (Ici Ailleurs)
- v/a - Inside Records, Vol. 1 (Inside Records)
- OrelSan - Civilisation (7th Magnitude, 3ème Bureau, Wagram Music)
Excuse My French Best of 2022 List:
New Releases:
- bvdub - Violet opposition (n5MD)
- Mark Barrott - Travelling Music EP (International Feel recordings)
- S.O.N.S. - The Escape (S.O.N.S.)
- Zakè & 36 - Stasis Sounds For Long-Distance Space Travel II (PITP)
- Biosphere - Shortwave Memories (Biophon records)
- Horace Andy - Midnight Rocker (On-U Sounds)
- Horace Andy - Midnight Scorcher (On-U Sounds)
- Kyle Hall - Good Hado EP (Forget The Clock)
- Eris Drew & Octo Octa - Day After A Night With U / Stars & Water (fabric originals)
- Marine Eyes - Chamomille (PITP)
- Karsten Pflum - Camera Obscura (Touched Music)
- Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs - When The Lights Go (Nice Age)
- Bon Enfant - Diorama (Duprince)
- Veronica Stanton - Caught Up On A Feeling (s/r)
- Tiken Jah Fakoly - Braquage de Pouvoir (Chapter Two)
- Khondo - Plus Haut Que La Tour Eiffel (La COuvreuse)
- Mademoiselle K - Mademoiselle K (Kravache)
- Les Gordon - Nuances (Morning Crash Record)
- Bjork - Fossora (One Little Independent Record)
- La Féline - Tarbes (Kwaidan Records)
- Zazie - Aile-P (La Zizanie)
- Montparnasse Musique - Archeology (Real World Records)
- Maxence CYrin - Melancholy Island (Warner Classics)
- Fally Ipupa - Formule 7 (F'Victeam Entertainment)
- This Immortal Coil - The World Ended A Long Time Ago (Ici Ailleurs)
- Gaël Faure - L'Eau et La Peau (Zamora Label)
- Arovane + EMHO - In Between (Sonic Dialogue)
- Gimmik - Sonic Poetry (n5MD)
- Okada - Fragility (n5MD)
- Jean-Michel Jarre - Oxymore (Columbia, Sony Music)
- Gaël Faye, Grand Corps Malade & Ben Mazué - Éphémère (Anouche Records)
- Aldous Harding - Warm Chris (4AD)
Re-releases & compilations
- v/a - Penrose Showcase, Vol. 1
- v/a - NFRv_009 Natural Rhythm, Saison, Risk Assessment (No Fuss Records)
- v/a - Found Sound, VOl. 3 (Touched Music)
- Adham Shaikh - Early Works 1992-1994 (re-discovery records)
- FM Skyline - Deluxe Memory Suite (100% Electronica)
- Nuron + Fughe - DAT Tapes 1993-1994 (De:tuned)
- v/a - Dailysession Gig Pak EP 1 (Dailisession Records)
- This Immortal Coil - The Dark Age of Love (Ici Ailleurs)
- v/a - Inside Records, Vol. 1 (Inside Records)
- OrelSan - Civilisation (7th Magnitude, 3ème Bureau, Wagram Music)
Film Close-Ups
Film Close-ups' Favorite Films of 2022:
- Aftersun
- Banshees of Inisherin
- The Batman
- Confess, Fletch
- Crimes of the Future
- EO
- Everything Everywhere All At Once
- Fire of Love
- Flee
- Glass Onion
- Good Luck to You, Leo Grande
- Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
- Hatching
- I Didn't See You There
- Memoria
- Men
- The Menu
- Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris
- My Old School
- Nope
- The Northman
- Petite Maman
- Prey
- Remember This
- Tár
- Three Thousand Years of Longing
- Turning Red
Foob
Music that shaped Foob in 2022
Music that was released in 2022 (or very close to 2022)
- Biosphere - Shortwave Memories (Biophon)
- Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra - Promises (Luaka Bop)
- The Necks - Three (ReR Megacorp)
- Los Days - West Winds (Too Good)
- Sote - Majestic Noise Made In Beautiful Rotten Iran (Sub Rosa)
- Chris Child & Micah Frank - Tape Pieces Vol. 3 (Foil)
- Simon Posford – Flux & Contemplation - Portrait Of An Artist In Isolation (Twisted)
Music that was not released in 2022
- Victrola - Maritime Tatami / A Game Of Despair (Dark Entries)
- René & Angela - Wall To Wall (Capitol)
- Ethnic Heritage Ensemble - Impressions (Red Record)
- TOPS - Picture You Staring (Arbutus)
- VA - Anthology of Electroacoustic Lebanese Music (Unexplained Sounds Group)
- Delegation - Eau De Vie (Mercury)
Imaginary Radio
Imaginary Radio’s Best Of 2022
Imaginary Radio’s Top 2022 Releases
Belle & Sebastian - A Bit Of Previous (Matador)
Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You (4AD)
Bill Callahan - YTI⅃AƎЯ (Drag City)
Charley Crockett - The Man From Waco (Son of Davy)
Courtney Marie Andrews - Loose Future (Fat Possum)
Dr. John - Things Happen That Way (Rounder)
Frankie Cosmos - Inner World Peace (Sun Pop)
Jazzanova - The Sound Of Detroit (Strata)
Julia Jacklin - Pre Pleasure (Polyvinyl)
Kingdom Of Mustang - Into Beautiful Blue (Kool Kat)
Lambchop - The Bible (Merge)
Laura Veirs - Found Light (Raven Marching Band)
MONO - My Story, The Buraku Story [soundtrack] (Temporary Residence)
ORA Singers - Stella (harmonia mundi)
Rusty - The Resurrection Of Rust (EMI)
Tedeschi Trucks Band - I Am The Moon [all four] (Fantasy)
The Beths - Expert In A Dying Field (Carpark)
The Dead Tongues - Dust (Psychic Hotline)
The Linda Lindas - Growing Up (Epitaph)
Toro Y Moi - Mahal (Dead Oceans)
Imaginary Radio’s Top 2022 Shows
AJ Lee & Blue Summit - The Independent
Anaïs Mitchell - The Chapel
Avett Brothers - JazzFest
Bela Fleck - Freight & Salvage
Bonnie Light Horseman - Hardly Strictly
Dashawn Hickman & Charlie Hunter - Hardly Strictly
New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars - Quarterfest
NRBQ - The Chapel
Rhiannon Giddens - SF Jazz
Sarah Shook & the Disarmers - Hardly Strictly
Leftfield Lance
2022 Favorites
7"
- Communicant - La Roue (Six Tonnes de Chair)
- The Gabys - S/T (Fruits & Flowers)
- Lassie - Temporary Cemetery (Turbo Discos)
- Neutrals - Bus Stop Nights (Static Shock)
- Paperniks - S/T (s/r)
- Snooper - Town Topic (Electric Outlet)
12"
- Children Maybe Later - What a Flash Kick! (Sloth Mate)
- Horsegirl - Versions of Modern Performance (Matador)
- Non Plus Temps - Desire Choir (Post Present Medium)
- Ribbon Stage - Hit with the Most (K)
- Rose Mercie - ¿Kieres Agua? (Celluloid Lunch)
- Smirk - Material (Feel It)
- The Submissives - Wanna Be Your Thing (Bruit Direct)
- Tony Jay - Hey There Flower (Mt St Mtn)
Tapes, Downloads, etc.
- Added Dimensions - S/T (s/r)
- Galore - Blush (Paisley Shirt)
- Onyon - S/T (U-Bac)
- Red Pants - When We Were Dancing (Paisley Shirt)
- Self Improvement - Visible Damage (Floating Mill)
- Society - All Flies Go To Hell (Spared Flesh)
Lucky Star
Lucky Star 2022 Favs
New(ish) Releases:
- Indigo De Souza - Any Shape You Take (Saddle Creek)
- Wet Leg - Wet Leg (Domino Recording Co.)
- Girlpool - Forgiveness (Girlpool Music)
- Chalk Talk - Sometimes I Call You (S/R)
- Arlo Parks - Collapsed In Sunbeams (Transgressive Records)
- Weyes Blood - And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow (Sub Pop Records)
- FKA Twigs - Caprisongs (Atlantic Recording)
Old Releases:
- Elliott Smith - Figure 8 (UMG Recordings)
- Amy Winehouse - Frank (Universal Island Records)
- Mazzy Star - She Hangs Brightly (Capitol Records)
- The Meters - Rejuvenation (Atlantic Recording Corp.)
- Marvin Gaye - I Want You (UMG Recording)
- Stevie Wonder - Signed, Sealed, And Delivered (UMG Recording)
- Pretty Sick - Angel Landing (Dirty Hit)
- Cymande - Promised Heights (Partisan Records)
- Minnie Ripperton - Come to My Garden (Capitol Records)
- Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings - I Learned The Hard Way (Daptone Records)
- Donny Hathaway - Live (Atco Records)
- Funkadelic - America Eats Its Young (Westbound Records)
- Parliment - Mothership Connection (The Island Def Jam Music Group)
Megasoup
Megasoup's Favorite Albums From 2022:
- Acid Twilight - Mustang Zodiac (Not Not Fun)
- Adrian Quesada - Boleros Psicodélicos (ATO)
- Afrorack - The Afrorack (Hakuna Kulala)
- Al Lover - Cosmic Joke (Fuzz Club)
- Alina Bzhezhinska - Reflections (BBE)
- Amanda Whiting - Lost in Abstraction (Jazzman)
- Arthur King - Changing Landscapes {Mina Las Pintadas} (AKP Recordings)
- Auntie Flo & Sarathy Korwar - Shruti Dance (ManMakeMusic)
- Barbie Bertisch - Prelude (Love Injection)
- Beau Sorenson - Indifference Will Devour You (Bandcamp self release)
- billy woods - Aethiopes (Backwoodz Studioz)
- Bitchin Bajas - Bajascillators (Drag City)
- Carmen Villain - Only Love From Now On (Smalltown Supersound)
- Chancha Vía Circuito - La Estrella (Wonderwheel)
- Channelers - Time, Space, and Thought (Inner Islands)
- Chip Wickham - Cloud 10 (Gondwana)
- Coral Club - Lost Cities (Moon Glyph)
- Daniel Villarreal - Panamá 77 (International Anthem)
- Derya Yildirim & Grup Simsek - Dost 2 (Bongo Joe)
- Emeka Ogboh - 6°30′33.372″N 3°22′0.66″E (Danfotronics)
- Ensemble Nist-Nah - Elders (Black Truffle)
- Esmerine - Everything Was Forever Until It Was No More (Constellation)
- Fields Of Mist - Illuminated60 (Ilian Tape)
- Ghost Power - Ghost Power (Duophonic Super 45s)
- Gi Gi - Sunchoke + Lamella Pressed (Good Morning Tapes + INDEX:Records)
- Gianluca Petrella & Cosmic Renaissance - Universal Language (Schema)
- Golden Brown - Luminous (Inner Islands)
- Greg Foat - Psychosynthesis (Blue Crystal Records)
- Günter Schlienz - Ausflüge I (Cosima Pitz)
- Homeboy Sandman - Still Champion (Mello Music Group)
- Horace Andy - Midnight Rocker + Midnight Scorchers (On-U Sound)
- Hugjiltu 胡格吉乐图 - Cycle 循环 (Dustyballz)
- Immanuel Wilkins - The 7th Hand (Blue Note)
- Jasper Høiby - What It Means To Be Human (Edition)
- Joel Ross - The Parable of the Poet (Blue Note)
- Kanot - Textile Fantasies (Höga Nord Rekords)
- Kraus - Fire! Water! Air! Kraus! (Soft Abuse)
- Lara Somogyi - Exclamation (Mercury KX)
- Los Amparito - Recalentados (Bandcamp self release)
- Lucrecia Dalt - Ay! (RVNG Intl.)
- Makaya McCraven - In These Times (International Anthem)
- Mary Halvorson - Amaryllis (Nonesuch)
- Maya Youssef - Finding Home (self released)
- Mega Ran x Amerigo Gazaway - STRANGERS: Back To The Lab (Soul Mates)
- Melody's Echo Chamber - Emotional Eternal (Domino)
- Misha Sultan - Roots (Hive Mind Records)
- Montparnasse Musique - Archeology (Real World)
- N Chambers - Mirage Colony (Soft Profile)
- Natalia Lafourcade - De Todas las Flores (Sony)
- Nok Cultural Ensemble - Njhyi (SA Recordings)
- Nomade Orquestra - Na Terra das Primaveras (Bandcamp self release)
- Oren Ambarchi, Johan Berthling & Andreas Werliin - Ghosted (Drag City)
- Park Jiha - The Gleam (Tak:til / Glitterbeat)
- Perkutao - Mis Ancestros (Buh)
- Popp - Blizz (Squama)
- Purelink - Puredub (Lillerne Tape Club)
- Raveena - Asha’s Awakening (Warner)
- Rhabdomantic Orchestra - Almagre (Agogo)
- Rokia Kone & Jacknife Lee - BAMANAN (Real World)
- Rosa Beach Mason & Sean Conrad - Wake (Inner Islands)
- Sabla + Đ.K. - Totem Society (Worship)
- Salamanda - ashbalkum (Human Pitch)
- Sarathy Korwar - KALAK (Leaf)
- Sault - UNTITLED (God) + 11 (Forever Living Originals)
- Sessa - Estrela Acesa (Mexican Summer)
- Soda Lite - Aqua Solar Cura (Not Not Fun)
- The Soft Pink Truth - Is It Going to Get Any Deeper Than This? (Thrill Jockey)
- The Soundcarriers - Wilds (Phosphonic)
- SpaceMoth - No Past No Future (Wax Nine)
- The Spy from Cairo - Animamundi (Wonderwheel)
- The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble - Step Down (Colemine)
- Tapani Rinne & Juha Mäki-Patola - Open (Hush Hush)
- Tim Bernardes - Mil Coisas Invisíveis (Psychic Hotline)
- TOROZEBU - TOROZEBU (Black Acre)
- Wau Wau Collectif - Mariage (Sahel Sounds)
- The Weather Station - How Is It That I Should Look At The Stars (Next Door)
- WEMA - WEMA (!K7)
- Weyes Blood - And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow (Sub Pop)
- Winter - What Kind Of Blue Are You? (Bar/None)
- V/A - Adrian Sherwood Presents: Dub No Frontiers (Real World)
- V/A - ZZK Sound Vol. 4 (ZZK)
Megasoup's Favorite Reissues and Archival Releases from 2022:
Broadcast - Maida Vale Sessions (Warp)
Celestine Ukwu - No Condition Is Permanent (Mississippi)
Charles Stepney - Step on Step (International Anthem)
Faust - Punkt (Bureau B)
Los Golden Boys - Cumbia de Juventud (Mississippi)
Luis David Aguilar - Ayahuasca: Música para Cine de Luis David Aguilar: 1978-1983 (Buh)
Martin Franklin & Richard Clare - Invocation (Oryx_Records)
Thinking Fellers Union Local 282 - Strangers From The Universe (Bulbous Monocle)
V/A - The Afrosound Of Colombia Vol. 3 (Vampi Soul)
V/A - Eccentric Deep Soul (Numero Group)
V/A - Exploring Gong Culture In Southeast Asia: Massif And Archipelago (Sub Rosa)
V/A - Padang Moonrise: The Birth of the Modern Indonesian Recording Industry 1955-69 (Soundway)
V/A - Perú Selvático - Sonic Expedition Into The Peruvian Amazon 1972-1986 (Analog Africa)
V/A - Pierre Barouh and the Saravah Sound - Jazz, Samba and Other Hallucinatory Grooves 1965-1976 (WeWantSounds)
V/A - Saigon Supersound, Vol. 3 (Saigon Supersound)
V/A - Saturno 2000: La Rebajada De Los Sonideros 1962-1983 (Analog Africa)
V/A - Soul Jazz Records presents STUDIO ONE MUSIC LAB (Soul Jazz)
V/A - Unity Is Strength (Trojan)
V/A - Wamono Groove: Shakuhachi & Koto Jazz Funk '76 (180g)
V/A - With Love: Vol. 1 (Mr. Bongo)
Megasoup's Favorite Singles, EPs, and Mini-Albums (less than 30 minutes):
Chip Wickham - Astral Traveling (Gondwana)
Cousin - Hudson (Nummer)
Dania - Voz (Geographic North)
Esau - Other Places (Bandcamp self release)
Julian Zyklus - Waterpiano (Hush Hush)
Malibu - Palaces of Pity (UNO)
Matthew Halsall – The Temple Within + Changing Earth EPs (Gondwana)
N Chambers - Grid Flora (Bandcamp self release)
Pachyman - El Sonido Nuevo de (ATO)
Shabaka - Afrikan Culture (Impluse!)
Microtone
Microtone: 22 Albums I Kept Returning to in 2022 (chronological by release date)
- The Soundcarriers – Wilds (Phosphonic)
- Voision Xi 喜辰晨 - Lost for Words 欲言又止 (JZ Music)
- Big Thief – Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You (4AD)
- Carmen Villain – Only Love from Now On (Smalltown Supersound)
- Park Jiha – The Gleam (Glitterbeat)
- YĪN YĪN – The Age of Aquarius (Glitterbeat)
- Maya Youssef – Finding Home (S/R)
- Saphileum – Ornaments (Oslated)
- Amine Mesnaoui & Labelle – African Prayers (Lo Recordings)
- Golden Brown – Luminous (Inner Islands)
- Billow Observatory – Stareside (Felte)
- Wema – WEMA (!K7)
- Shabaka Hutchings – Afrikan Culture (Impulse!)
- Acid Twilight – Mustang Zodiac (Not Not Fun)
- Salamanda – Ashbalkum (Human Pitch)
- Esmerine – Everything Was Forever Until It Was No More (Constellation)
- Medicine Singers – Medicine Singers (Stone Tapes/Joyful Noise)
- Skyminds – Terra Preta (Not Not Fun)
- Sun Dawei – Yòu 右 (SR)
- Emeka Ogboh - 6°30′33.372″N 3°22′0.66″E (Danfotronics)
- The Soft Pink Truth – Is It Going to Get Any Deeper Than This? (Thrill Jockey)
- Lucrecia Dalt – ¡Ay! (RVNG Int’l)
Microtone: A few notable compilations, collections, and retrospectives
- Kiyoshi Yamaya, Toshiko Yonekawa, Kifu Mitsuhashi – Wamono Groove: Shakuhachi & Koto Jazz Funk ’76 (180g)
- Liang YiYuan 梁奕源 – Those that Die in a Dream: A Twenty Years Retrospective (Unexplained Sounds Group)
- Various Artists – Begging the Moon: Phleng Thai Sakon & Luk Krung, 1945-1960 (Death is Not the End)
- Various Artists – Drifting with Friends (Eating Music)
- Various Artists – For Ukraine Volumes 1, 2, and 3 (Headphone Commute)
Pop Goes The Weasel
Favorite Songs of 2022
- Charlotte Adigery & Bolis Pupul - "HAHA" - Topical Dancer (DeeWee)
- EXEK - "Beyond Currency" - Advertise Here (S/R)
- James Hunter Six - "Never" - With Love (Daptone"
- Ibibio Sound Machine - "!7 18 19" - Electricity (Merge)
- Julia Jacklin - "I Was Neon" - Pre-Pleasure (Polyvinyl)
- Cate Le Bon - "Dirt on the Bed" - Pompeii (Mexican Summer)
- Tove Lo - "True Romance" - Dirt Femme (Pretty Swede)
- Modal Melodies - "Driving" - Modal Melodies (Anti Fade)
- Kevin Morby - "This is a Photograph" - This is a Photograph (Dead Oceans)
- Weyes Blood - "It's Not Just Me, It's Everybody" - And in the Darkness Hearts Aglow (SubPop)
Favorite Album from 2021, Not Heard Until 2022:
Dummy - Mandatory Enjoyment (Trouble in Mind)
Rare Earth
2022 Favorites
New Releases:
- Cate Le Bon - Pompeii (Mexican Summer)
- Papercuts - Past Life Regression (Slumberland)
- OSEES - A Foul Form (Castle Face)
- Alvvays - Blue Rev (Polyvinyl Record Co.)
- Father John Misty - Chloë And The Next 20th Century (Sub Pop)
- John Carroll Kirby - Cryptozoo (Stones Throw)
- Automatic - Excess (Stones Throw)
- Mitski - Laurel Hell (Dead Oceans)
- Kendrick Lamar - Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers (TDE)
- Vince Staples - Ramona Park Broke My Heart (Blacksmith Recordings)
- Duster - Together
- Weyes Blood - And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow (Sub Pop)
- Kikagaku Moyo - Kumoyo Island (Guruguru Brain)
- Thee Sacred Souls - thee Sacred Souls (Penrose)
Reissues:
- Betty Lou Landreth - Betty Lou (Backatcha)
- Frank Ocean - Blonde (Blonded)
- John Coltrane - Blue Train (Stereo & Mono) (Blue Note)
- Hallelujahs - Eat Meat, Swear A Oath (Black Editions)
- Grachan Moncur III - Evolution (Blue Note)
- Farm - Farm (Guerssen)
- Grant Green - Feelin’ The Spirit (Blue Note)
- Jiro Inagaki & Soul Media - In The Groove (Deep Jazz Reality)
- Sandro Brugnolini - L’Uomo Dagli Occhiali A Specchio (Edizioni Musicali Redi)
- Alice Coltrane - Ptah, The El Daoud (Verve)
- Sun Ra - The Futuristic Sounds Of Sun Ra (Savoy)
- Harold Budd - The Pavilion Of Dreams (Superior Viaduct)
- Ziad Rahbani - Houdou Nisbi (Wewantsounds)
- Miho Kei & Jazz Eleven - Kokezaru Kumikyoku (HMV)
Compilations:
- V/A - America Dream Reserve (Smiling C)
- V/A - Busy Is Good (Big Nice)
- V/A - Down & Out (NTS)
- V/A - Padang Moonrise (The Birth Of The Modern Indonesian Recording Industry 1955-69) (Soundway)
- V/A - Perfect Motion (Perfect Motion)
- V/A - Saturno 2000-La Rebajada De Los Sonideros 1962-1983 (Analog Africa)
- V/A - Sky Dust Drifter (Forager)
- V/A - V4 Visions: Of Love And Androids (Numero Group)
- V/A - Vacation From My Mind (Forager)
- Norma Tanega - I’m The Sky: Studio And Demo Recordings, 1964-1971 (Anthology)
- Roberta Vandervort & Sally Townes - Roberta Vandervort & Sally Townes (Forager)
- Mary Lattimore - Collected Pieces: 2015-2020 (Ghostly)
- Stereolab: Pulse Of The Early Brain (Switched On Vol. 5) (Duophonic UHF)
- Karate - Time Expired (Numero Group)
7”:
- SvenWunder - Asterism Waltz (Piano Piano)
- Caroline Polachek - Billions (Perpetual Novice)
- Thee Oh Sees - Dark Weald (Philthy Phonographic)
- Sven Wunder - Jazz At Night (Piano Piano)
- Surprise Chef - The Positive And The Negative (Mr. Bongo)
- Thee Sacred Souls - Trade Of Hearts (Penrose)
Live Shows:
- Osees @ The Chapel
- Karate @ Great American Music Hall
- Kikagaku Moyo @ The Warfield
- Thee Sacred Souls @ The Chapel
- The Smile @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
- Stereolab @ The Fillmore
- Cate Le Bon @ The UC Theater
- King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard @ The Greek
- Cindy Lee @ Rickshaw Stop
- The Red Pears @ Bottom Of The Hill
- Margaritas Podridas @ Eli’s Mile High
- Os Mutantes @ The Chapel
- Hania Rani @ The Chapel
- Broken Social Scene @ Gundlach Bundschu
Sparkle Motion
Best of 2022 List
Music without words (mostly)
- Ahmad Jamal -Emerald City Nights Live at the Penthouse 1965-1966 (Jazz Detective)
- Caroline Shaw, Attacca Quartet - Evergreen (Nonesuch)
- Bitchin Bajas - Bajascillators (Drag City)
- Chip Wickham - Astral Traveling (Gondwana)
- Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch - Ravage (130701)
- Glenn Dickson - Wider Than the Sky (S/R)
- Jeffrey Derus, Brandon Elliott: Choral Arts Initiative - From Wilderness: A Meditation On The Pacific Crest Trail (Navona)
- Jóhann Jóhannsson, Theatre of Voices, Paul Hillier & American Contemporary Music Ensemble - Jóhannsson: Drone Mass (Deutsche Grammophon)
- Julian Lage - View With a Room (Blue Note)
- Kali Malone - Living Torch (Portraits GRM)
- Kham Meslien - Fantomes…Futurs (Heavenly Sweetness)
- Kirk Knuffke Trio - Gravity Without Airs (Tao Forms)
- Makaya McCraven - In These Times (International Anthem)
- Mary Halvorson - Amaryllis/Belladonna (Nonesuch)
- Matthew Shipp Trio - World Construct (ESP Disk)
- Myra Melford’s Fire and Water Quartet – For The Love of Fire And Water (RogueArt)
- Oren Ambarchi - Shebang (Drag City)
- Oren Ambarchi, Johan Berthling & Andreas Werliin - Ghosted (Drag City)
- Park Jiha - The Gleam (Glitterbeat)
- Shara Nova & A Far Cry - The Blue Hour (New Amsterdam)
- Third Coast Percussion - Perspectives (Cedille)
- Vicky Chow - Jane Antonia Cornish: Sierra (Cantaloupe)
- Vikingur Olafsson - From Afar (Deutsche Grammophon)
Music with words
- Aldous Harding - Warm Chris (4AD)
- Angel Olson - Big Time (Jagjaguwar)
- Aoife Nessa Frances - Protector (Partisan)
- Beach House - Once Twice Melody (Sub Pop)
- Beth Orton - Weather Alive(Partisan)
- Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You (4AD)
- Bill Callahan - Reality (Drag City)
- Cat Power - Covers (Domino)
- Cate le Bon - Pompeii (Mexican Summer)
- Cecile McLorin Salvant - Ghost Song (Nonesuch)
- Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul - Topical Dancer (Dee Wee)
- Daniel Avery - Ultra Truth (Phantasy Sound)
- Daniel Rossen - You Belong There (Warp)
- Derya Yildirim & Grup Simsek - Dost 2 (Bongo Joe)
- Fenella - The Metallic Index (Fire Records)
- Gwenno - Tresor (Heavenly)
- Horace Andy - Midnight Rocker (On-U Sound)
- Jake Blount - The New Faith (Smithsonian Folkways)
- Jenny Hval - Classic Objects (4AD)
- Kae Tempest - The Line is a Curve (American Recordings)
- Kurt Vile - (watch my moves) (Verve)
- Lucretia Dalt - Aye! (Rvng Intl.)
- Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band - Dear Scott (Modern Sky UK)
- Panda Bear & Sonic Youth – Reset (Domino)
- Rich Ruth - I Survived, It’s Over (Third Man Records)
- Rokia Kone & Jacknife Lee - Bamanan (Real World Records)
- S.G. Goodman - Teethmarks (Verve Forecast)
- Sam Prekop and John McEntire - Sons Of (Thrill Jockey)
- Sault - Air & 11 (Forever Living Originals)
- Sessa - Estrela Acesa (Mexican Summer)
- Spoon - Lucifer on the Sofa (Matador)
- The Smile- A Light for Attracting Attention (XL Recordings)
- Warpaint - Radiate Like This (Virgin)
- Weyes Blood - And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow (Sub Pop)
- Wilco - Cruel Country (dBpm)
Comps & special collections
- Bert Jansch - Bert at the BBC (Fire Records)
- Bill Callahan & Bonnie Prince Billy - Blind Date Party (Drag City)
- Hazel Dickens & Alice Gerrard - Pioneering Women of Bluegrass: The Definitive Edition (Smithsonian Folkways)
- Imaginational Anthem Vol. XI: Chrome Universal - A Survey of Modern Pedal Steel – Various Artists (Tompkins Square)
- Norma Tanega - I’m the Sky: Studio and Demo Recordings, 1964–1971 (anthologyrecordings)
- Pierre Barouh and the Saravah Sound -Jazz, Samba and Other Hallucinatory Grooves (1965-1976) - (WeWantSounds)
- Sarah Cahill - The Future is Female, Vol 1 & 2 (First Hand Records)
- Silberland - Vol. 1: The Psychedelic Side of Kosmische Musik 1972-1986 – Various Artists (Bureau B)
- Sky Dust Drifter: private press LP’s and 45’s from 1973-1980- Various Artists (Forager Records)
Best of 2022 List
Music without words (mostly)
- Ahmad Jamal -Emerald City Nights Live at the Penthouse 1965-1966 (Jazz Detective)
- Caroline Shaw, Attacca Quartet - Evergreen (Nonesuch)
- Bitchin Bajas - Bajascillators (Drag City)
- Chip Wickham - Astral Traveling (Gondwana)
- Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch - Ravage (130701)
- Glenn Dickson - Wider Than the Sky (S/R)
- Jeffrey Derus, Brandon Elliott: Choral Arts Initiative - From Wilderness: A Meditation On The Pacific Crest Trail (Navona)
- Jóhann Jóhannsson, Theatre of Voices, Paul Hillier & American Contemporary Music Ensemble - Jóhannsson: Drone Mass (Deutsche Grammophon)
- Julian Lage - View With a Room (Blue Note)
- Kali Malone - Living Torch (Portraits GRM)
- Kham Meslien - Fantomes…Futurs (Heavenly Sweetness)
- Kirk Knuffke Trio - Gravity Without Airs (Tao Forms)
- Makaya McCraven - In These Times (International Anthem)
- Mary Halvorson - Amaryllis/Belladonna (Nonesuch)
- Matthew Shipp Trio - World Construct (ESP Disk)
- Myra Melford’s Fire and Water Quartet – For The Love of Fire And Water (RogueArt)
- Oren Ambarchi - Shebang (Drag City)
- Oren Ambarchi, Johan Berthling & Andreas Werliin - Ghosted (Drag City)
- Park Jiha - The Gleam (Glitterbeat)
- Shara Nova & A Far Cry - The Blue Hour (New Amsterdam)
- Third Coast Percussion - Perspectives (Cedille)
- Vicky Chow - Jane Antonia Cornish: Sierra (Cantaloupe)
- Vikingur Olafsson - From Afar (Deutsche Grammophon)
Music with words
- Aldous Harding - Warm Chris (4AD)
- Angel Olson - Big Time (Jagjaguwar)
- Aoife Nessa Frances - Protector (Partisan)
- Beach House - Once Twice Melody (Sub Pop)
- Beth Orton - Weather Alive(Partisan)
- Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You (4AD)
- Bill Callahan - Reality (Drag City)
- Cat Power - Covers (Domino)
- Cate le Bon - Pompeii (Mexican Summer)
- Cecile McLorin Salvant - Ghost Song (Nonesuch)
- Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul - Topical Dancer (Dee Wee)
- Daniel Avery - Ultra Truth (Phantasy Sound)
- Daniel Rossen - You Belong There (Warp)
- Derya Yildirim & Grup Simsek - Dost 2 (Bongo Joe)
- Fenella - The Metallic Index (Fire Records)
- Gwenno - Tresor (Heavenly)
- Horace Andy - Midnight Rocker (On-U Sound)
- Jake Blount - The New Faith (Smithsonian Folkways)
- Jenny Hval - Classic Objects (4AD)
- Kae Tempest - The Line is a Curve (American Recordings)
- Kurt Vile - (watch my moves) (Verve)
- Lucretia Dalt - Aye! (Rvng Intl.)
- Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band - Dear Scott (Modern Sky UK)
- Panda Bear & Sonic Youth – Reset (Domino)
- Rich Ruth - I Survived, It’s Over (Third Man Records)
- Rokia Kone & Jacknife Lee - Bamanan (Real World Records)
- S.G. Goodman - Teethmarks (Verve Forecast)
- Sam Prekop and John McEntire - Sons Of (Thrill Jockey)
- Sault - Air & 11 (Forever Living Originals)
- Sessa - Estrela Acesa (Mexican Summer)
- Spoon - Lucifer on the Sofa (Matador)
- The Smile- A Light for Attracting Attention (XL Recordings)
- Warpaint - Radiate Like This (Virgin)
- Weyes Blood - And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow (Sub Pop)
- Wilco - Cruel Country (dBpm)
Comps & special collections
- Bert Jansch - Bert at the BBC (Fire Records)
- Bill Callahan & Bonnie Prince Billy - Blind Date Party (Drag City)
- Hazel Dickens & Alice Gerrard - Pioneering Women of Bluegrass: The Definitive Edition (Smithsonian Folkways)
- Imaginational Anthem Vol. XI: Chrome Universal - A Survey of Modern Pedal Steel – Various Artists (Tompkins Square)
- Norma Tanega - I’m the Sky: Studio and Demo Recordings, 1964–1971 (anthologyrecordings)
- Pierre Barouh and the Saravah Sound -Jazz, Samba and Other Hallucinatory Grooves (1965-1976) - (WeWantSounds)
- Sarah Cahill - The Future is Female, Vol 1 & 2 (First Hand Records)
- Silberland - Vol. 1: The Psychedelic Side of Kosmische Musik 1972-1986 – Various Artists (Bureau B)
- Sky Dust Drifter: private press LP’s and 45’s from 1973-1980- Various Artists (Forager Records)
Velvet Einstein
Favorites from 2022
- Alyona Alyona & Jerry Heil - "Dai Boh" (ENKO)
- Ibibio Sound Machine - "Electricity" (Merge)
- IC3PEAK - "Kiss OF Death" (S/R)
- Kobo Town - "Carnival of the Ghosts" (Stonetree)
- Leyla McCalla - "Breaking The Thermometer" (Anti-)
- Shilpa Ray - "Portrait of a Lady" (Northern Spy)
- Sudan Archives - "Natural Brown Prom Queen" (Stones Throw)
- Taeyeon - "INVU - The Third Album" (SM Entertainment)
- Wet Leg - "Wet Leg" (Domino)
- Yungchen Lhamo - "Awakening" (S/R)
Vernal Pools
Vernal Pools Best of 2022
Top 10 A-Z
- Charlotte Adigéry/Bolis Pupil - Topical Dancer (Dee Wee)
- Florist - S/T (Double Double Whammy)
- Halcyon - The will to nurture (GERYON)
- Immanuel Wilkins - The 7th Hand (Blue Note)
- Jemima Coulter - Grace After a Party (Hand In Hive)
- LEYA - Eyeline (NNA Tapes)
- Nora Brown - Long Time To Be Gone (Jalopy)
- Sarah Davachi - Two Sisters (Late Music)
- Valentina Magaletti - A Queer Anthology of Drums (bié)
- 700 Bliss - Nothing To Declare (Hyperdub)
Other Favorites A-Z
- Becca Stevens/Attacca Quartet - Becca Stevens | Attacca Quartet (GroundUP)
- Dialect - Advanced Myth (Warm Winters)
- Ellen Arkbro/Johan Graden - I get along without you very well (Thrill Jockey)
- Ethel Cain - Preacher’s Daughter (Daughters of Cain)
- Gwenno - Tresor (Heavenly)
- How Strange It Is - S/T (Bud Tapes)
- Huerco S. - Plonk (Incienso)
- Hurray For The Riff Raff - LIFE ON EARTH (Nonesuch)
- Ibibio Sound Machine - Electricity (Merge)
- Little Simz - NO THANK YOU (Forever Living Originals)
- Loshh - akọle (Don’t Sleep)
- Lowswimmer - Glasshouse 2 (Lowswimmer)
- Mabe Fratti - Se Ve Desde Aquí (Unheard of Hope)
- Marina Allen - Centrifics (Fire)
- Mono Moon - Boundary (S/R)
- Moor Mother - Jazz Codes (ANTI-)
- MUNA - S/T (Dead Oceans)
- Naima Bock - Giant Palm (Sub Pop)
- Nilüfer Yanya - PAINLESS (ATO)
- Odie Leigh - How Did It Seem To You? (S/R)
- Parannoul/Asian Glow - Paraglow (POCLANOS)
- Scarcity - Aveilut (The Flenser)
- Shannen Moser - The Sun Still Seems to Move (Lame-O)
- Sudan Archives - Natural Brown Prom Queen (Stones Throw)
- Tanya Tagaq - Tongues (Six Shooter)
- Wildlife Freeway - Sunny (Community Music)
- Yumi Zouma - Present Tense (Polyvinyl)
- Zguba - Znój (LOŻA Oficyna)
Vernal Pools Best of 2022
Top 10 A-Z
- Charlotte Adigéry/Bolis Pupil - Topical Dancer (Dee Wee)
- Florist - S/T (Double Double Whammy)
- Halcyon - The will to nurture (GERYON)
- Immanuel Wilkins - The 7th Hand (Blue Note)
- Jemima Coulter - Grace After a Party (Hand In Hive)
- LEYA - Eyeline (NNA Tapes)
- Nora Brown - Long Time To Be Gone (Jalopy)
- Sarah Davachi - Two Sisters (Late Music)
- Valentina Magaletti - A Queer Anthology of Drums (bié)
- 700 Bliss - Nothing To Declare (Hyperdub)
Other Favorites A-Z
- Becca Stevens/Attacca Quartet - Becca Stevens | Attacca Quartet (GroundUP)
- Dialect - Advanced Myth (Warm Winters)
- Ellen Arkbro/Johan Graden - I get along without you very well (Thrill Jockey)
- Ethel Cain - Preacher’s Daughter (Daughters of Cain)
- Gwenno - Tresor (Heavenly)
- How Strange It Is - S/T (Bud Tapes)
- Huerco S. - Plonk (Incienso)
- Hurray For The Riff Raff - LIFE ON EARTH (Nonesuch)
- Ibibio Sound Machine - Electricity (Merge)
- Little Simz - NO THANK YOU (Forever Living Originals)
- Loshh - akọle (Don’t Sleep)
- Lowswimmer - Glasshouse 2 (Lowswimmer)
- Mabe Fratti - Se Ve Desde Aquí (Unheard of Hope)
- Marina Allen - Centrifics (Fire)
- Mono Moon - Boundary (S/R)
- Moor Mother - Jazz Codes (ANTI-)
- MUNA - S/T (Dead Oceans)
- Naima Bock - Giant Palm (Sub Pop)
- Nilüfer Yanya - PAINLESS (ATO)
- Odie Leigh - How Did It Seem To You? (S/R)
- Parannoul/Asian Glow - Paraglow (POCLANOS)
- Scarcity - Aveilut (The Flenser)
- Shannen Moser - The Sun Still Seems to Move (Lame-O)
- Sudan Archives - Natural Brown Prom Queen (Stones Throw)
- Tanya Tagaq - Tongues (Six Shooter)
- Wildlife Freeway - Sunny (Community Music)
- Yumi Zouma - Present Tense (Polyvinyl)
- Zguba - Znój (LOŻA Oficyna)