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"This is an album by Ukrainian producer The Lazy Jesus. It was released at the end of the year and became one of my favourite albums. UA TRIBAL is a fusion of traditional Ukrainian music and contemporary dance music, with some occasional jazz-style basslines and industrial techno elements. The rhythms are very experimental, composed by polyrhythms and sampling, but the songs are warm rather than industrially rigid, and very danceable. It combines minimalism and complexity, experimentation and catchiness. Analogue rhythms harmonise with straight kicks and put me in a trance.
I also really like his live sets on Youtube. He performs wearing a mask similar to traditional Ukrainian embroidery. And hand-drawn animated VJ is very pretty. His world in red and black is very aesthetic. I think it is the music born from the intermingling of new cultures."
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"When Deathbomb Arc dropped some of the first material by BBBBBBB early in the year, they immediately became one of my favourite new bands even on the strength of just a few tracks. The trio from Okazaki, Japan makes ballistic and completely overloaded music that resembles digital hardcore, breakcore, or straight up noise depending on which second of any given track you’re listening to. Their first album Positive Violence is so much fun, and so inspiring for me as a producer and someone who tries to make music that could be described as 'extreme'.
BBBBBBB’s version of extremity is charged with a sense of humour and a predilection for warp-speed tempos, clipped rushes of noise texture, and over-the-top vocal performances, to the point that the sum total of their sound makes you just sit there stunned, chuckling to yourself at just how bonkers it all is. I can’t wait to hear more music from them in the future and I will be following closely :)"
Mukqs is an artist
"People know me for writing a lot of high energy music, but the reason I got into Wave in the first place was artists like almogfx and countless future garage artists way back in the day.
nyc flow reflects that spacious, atmospheric and emotive vibe I adore. almogfx has carved out his own sound by using a lot more organic samples and soundscapes than your typical Wave producer and I think that's what makes his sound so distinctive and recognisable. It always takes me to another place, and each listen reveals something new that you hadn't noticed before. He's up there as one of my favourite producers for sure."
Static Angel is a DJ and an artist
"I know that it can be kind of lame to choose something that you released on your own label to have as your pick for favorite record of the year, but in this case, I would be lying if I didn’t say that still here by fairy lights was my absolute favorite album that came out in 2023. There’s a bittersweet beauty interwoven across the variety of ambient textures and digital sampling combined with nightcore editing and playback manipulation that juxtaposes hope and wonder against a cold, crystalline backdrop. It truly makes for a transcendent and unforgettable experience. All that being said, it was an honor to have the pleasure of releasing this album, and I hope more listeners get a chance to bask in its transportive, therapeutic luminescence."
Myles Byrne-Dunhill makes music as Treasure Hunt, runs Pedicure Records
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"One of my favorite releases this year was Gentle Confrontation from Loraine James, which combines everything I like about vaporwave and ambient glitch/IDM production with really intimate and moving vocal performances and lyrics. Deep hypnotic textures paired with lyrics that share details of her life as if with a friend, embracing the line between introspective and casual. Best of all, faster/harder IDM tracks like I DM U and Prelude of Tired of Me blended perfectly into the mix in clubs and on the radio when I played them interspersed among high-speed Jersey club chaos–good stuff :)"
"Magnus Prophecy, the brainchild behind the album Arena Phantasy and the visualisation of Nmesh's iconic Dream Sequins album returns with a bombastic collection of epic, triumphant melodic vaporwave. Highly, highly recommended to fans of emotive sample-driven electronic post-rock."
"A lullaby for the lonesome. The album feels like the last day of a long bout with insomnia. Sounds vibrate shimmer with an eerie combination of hope and fear. This is either the beginning of a new day, or your last sleep."
Yung Shiro is a DJ and member of the Rosewood Collective. Skeleton Lipstick is an artist and is one-half of Lipstick Elite. They host the 'Hot Takes' podcast together
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"In 2023 I DJ’ed more than I ever had... I’ve travelled the US and have performed in almost 30 different states, something I still can’t fathom!
This year, my taste for music, on the road especially, has been for sounds more energetic, bombastic and simply put, inspiration for my live sets.That being said, Skrillex’s new album Quest For Fire could not have come out at a better time in my life (it was like when Animal Crossing came out right before COVID and we all got stuck inside, it was just perfect timing).
The album is full of bangers, and being a fan of Skrillex back when I was in high school, I really love his new approach to his once “super loud” dubstep sound (as I like to call it). Each song has spawned so many awesome remixes as well which I love to chop up live, it’s such a fun experience from start to end and just could not have come out at a better time for me!
2023 was all about energy, performing, and fun noises that make ya want to go wild, and that’s why Quest For Fire was just perfect for me."
Pad Chennington is a DJ, video essayist and runs the now-concluded label Kats Kill Records
"Somewhat deviating from his habitual stylings, Faex Optim switches things up with Crystal Pleasures, which proves to be an instant hit. From start to finish, the album draws you in, with its pristine production, superb structure and excellent progression. ‘Crystal Pleasures’ is indeed an album of superlatives, everything just makes sense. Sometimes reminiscent of Jon Hopkins and Rival Consoles – to name but a few points of reference – but undoubtedly in a category of its own, Crystal Pleasures is my album of 2023."
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"One of my favourite albums that was released this year was Celia Hollander’s 2nd Draft on Leaving Records. I’ve been on a giant piano kick lately and I felt the timing of this release was too perfect. Celia is such an incredible artist and composer. Anything she puts out does not miss (insert fire emoji)! Highly recommend this record and check out her monthly show “Section Cut” on dublab!"
Chuck Soo-Hoo makes music under the name Ki Oni and helps to run dublab
"Lucy Liyou’s Dog Dreams feels like you’re sitting in a room surrounded by someone’s most inner thoughts. Like memories, moments are fleeting and scattered, but when allowed to linger, these thoughts seem both nostalgic and warm, of times when things were better, to cold and traumatic, often within the same moment. Much is life where our most significant events share a myriad of dialectics. The music is often foreboding but soft enough to force you to reach down to feel, and sharp enough to break glass. Held together through Liyou’s impressionist piano playing and close up vocals, Dog Dreams invites you to a place you are not sure you are allowed to go, but you are thankful for the experience of being there."
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