Best of 2023
20 of the best overlooked tracks from 2023
It’s that time of year again, and I’m doing another round-up of the best songs overlooked by all the mainstream list-makers. Though, I’m not really sure what to say this time around as almost everything I said about the 2022 lists still applies to the 2023 lists.
Only this time it was Rolling Stone with the wacky #1 placement instead of NPR — who upped the crazy and presented a jumbled mess of 123 randomly-ordered songs in lieu of any kind of list. The others — Pitchfork, Brooklyn Vegan, Needle Drop, etc. — didn’t offer any surprises in format or content.
This year it seems there was only one artist my list had in common with any of theirs, and just like last year they picked the wrong song… though it almost seems like it was done on purpose. For some reason NPR included “Autobahn” from Vagabon. It’s not a bad song, just very forgettable. It’s like they wanted to avoid using her most popular single, but didn’t really know where to go from there… so they grabbed the 8th most-played song on the album and called it a day.
In the upcoming weeks/months I’ll likely be adding songs to the Spotify playlist as I find them. 2022’s list started out with 15 tracks, but a few months after publishing it was up to 22 — which I thought was a good place to stop… will probably do something similar this year.
As usual, the list is only loosely in order, starting with my pick for best overlooked track of the year. Check out the Spotify playlist embedded above, or the official list (with Youtube embeds) below — as well as a link to last year’s list in case you missed it!
Absolve — Jacques, Absolve
October 25, 2023
Jacques Auberger is a French experimental musician, currently living in Morocco, who works with found sounds and loops to create his compositions — during live performances he uses only samples recorded on the spot.
I can understand why this wasn’t at the top of any of the other lists, but I don’t know how it wasn’t included at all. Beautiful sound design? ✓ Unconventional structure? ✓ Has a music video, that I can only assume is about doing acid in the Louvre, shot in the Louvre? ✓
The vocals for this four and a half minute song only last about 34 seconds. The last word echoing another 18 seconds while slowly morphing into a synth patch mirroring the delayed vocals’ melody, which itself morphs into several other patches echoing the same melody before a beat drops for like 20 seconds before morphing into… well, you get the picture. Just listen to it already!
While the song is strong enough to stand on its own, I think the video definitely enhances it — even just seeing it once will help you appreciate what you’re hearing. The effect itself isn’t anything new, but I can’t say I’ve seen anything like this over all concept for a music video: crying in front of a painting while tripping at the Louvre… only coming to when someone trips over you. I like it.
Also: his hair cut, which you kinda just have to see for yourself... he's been rocking that since at least 2015, at all lengths — I guess one thing you can't say is that he isn't dedicated.
2 Wheel Drive — Magdalena Bay, mini mix vol. 3
April 13, 2023
Magdalena Bay is an indie synth/hyper-pop duo — Mica Tenenbaum & Matthew Lewin — originally from Miami, now based in Los Angeles. Their last few albums, mini mix vols 1-3, have been released via 10-15 minute music videos that transition through each of the albums' songs, which are then released as single tracks.
mini mix vol. 3 has been getting attention for its single "Top Dog" — which is a perfectly catchy song, but I can't not hear "Lil Thing” by Knox Fortune (even if they don't really sound alike at all). Personally, I think "2 Wheel Drive" is the better single... though, isn't a bicycle technically 1-wheel drive?
Deer Hana — Ours Samplus, Bepolar
May 12, 2023
Ours Samplus (pronounced: Ooze Samploose) is an instrumental hip-hop duo, again from France. I swear, not on purpose — I'm just finding this out myself. I don't remember if I found this through Youtube or Spotify, but up until a few months ago I never heard of them... but since then I’ve had 5 tracks from their latest album in rotation. Aside from “Deer Hana”, “Morning Sunset”, “Many Times”, “Exode”, and “Angel” are stand out tracks — great music to listen to while working.
New Midsts Acid — Windows 96, How To See Through Walls
February 11, 2023
Windows 96 is the electronic music project of Brazilian composer and producer Gabriel Eduardo. I posted about him back in 2022, just about 2 months before this album came out. Personally, I think it’s some of his best work since 100 Mornings. It was hard to pick which track to include, but the switch-up around 2/3 into the track puts it ahead of other tracks IMO. I go back and listen to that part an embarrassing number of times in a row.
Do Not Reply — Stuck, Freak Frequency
May 26, 2023 [Originally as single October 18, 2022]
Stuck is a post-punk band from Chicago. Their second album was released in May of 2023, and until writing this I assumed that's when this song was released as well, but... it was actually first released as a single back in October 2022 — which is likely why it was just tacked on to the end of this album. But it's kinda the best song, IMO, and I don't feel like changing the playlist now. Other tracks worth checking out: “Scared” and “The Punisher”.
Granada — Uma, Jai
September 15, 2023
Uma Bunnag, or Uma, is a singer-songwriter from Catalonia, Spain — along with her songwriting partner Luke Bower. I don't really know much more about them, but this song has been on repeat for a couple months now. I generally try to get the music video or at least the album version embedded, but this live session version actually does the album version justice... probably why it's the official music video.
Guilty Pleasures — Unknown Mortal Orchestra, V
March 17, 2023
Unknown Mortal Orchestra is a psychedelic rock band from Portland. Ruban Nielson has been putting out material under the name UMO since around 2011, but he's been around in other bands for a lot longer. If you aren't familiar with his work yet, “From The Sun” — which is kinda his first "hit" off UMO’s second album in 2013 — is a good place to start… or try the live set in 10 Live Sets Worth Checking Out.
I wouldn't say V is his best work, but I've found myself listening to this song a lot pretty much all year. “Meshuggah” and “That Life”1 were pretty good, too.
Do Your Worst — Vagabon, Sorry I Haven't Called
September 15, 2023
Vagabon is the stage name used by Laetitia Tamko, a self-taught multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and music producer based in NYC. This is the one artist my list has in common with any of the mainstream lists. For some reason NPR chose to highlight her song “Autobahn”, which hasn't even been re-uploaded by random YT users the way her singles have — and for good reason. It's kind of a snore-fest. I also skipped her single “Can I Talk My Shit” for the same reason... plus the music video was an obvious rip-off of the 2012 video for “Genesis” by Grimes.
For some reason “Do Your Worst” was her worst performing single, not sure if it’s just because it was third in line… but I actually think it was the catchiest song on the entire album, and probably should have been the lead single.
Star — LA Priest, Fase Luna
April 6, 2023
Sam Eastgate, formally of the UK band Late of the Pier, has gained a reputation as a subversive and unpredictable musician, constantly innovating over the course of his career with his previous band and with his project Soft Hair & as a solo artist under the name LA Priest ["Lah"... or sometimes “El-Eh”… w/e].
For his 2020 release Gene, he used a drum machine he made by hand... called Gene. This led to Sam being invited to work in an electronics shop in Belize. He actually took up the offer, but somehow neglected certain travel restrictions that prevented him from actually moving to Belize. Instead he found himself stuck in Puerto Morelos, Mexico, where he recorded his latest album Fase Luna.
Afternoon X — Vanishing Twin, Afternoon X
July 13, 2023 [Album: Oct. 6]
Vanishing Twin is a London-based experimental indie band, kinda reminiscent of Stereolab. This is another group I don't know much about, but I will say: this song would have been a lot higher on the list if it wasn't for this weird break that uses these farty-sounding synth patches about 30 seconds before the end of the track, then again for the last 10 seconds. It makes no sense — doesn't work thematically or aesthetically. At first I thought I could just ignore it, but the more I listened the more it bugged me. Still a great song, but getting docked a few points for forcing me to make my own edit of it.
Four Sisters — The Bug Club, Rare Birds: Hour of Song
July 19, 2023
The Bug Club is a 3-piece indie band from Wales, UK that have been together for just a few years now. While I generally don't do "album of the year", I'd likely put their latest up for consideration. Minus the quirky interludes between nearly every single song (which, honestly, I could do without), Rare Birds: Hour of Song is packed with rough, catchy, witty indie rock songs that seriously remind me of The Vaselines.
Other songs to check out: “Marriage” [almost picked this, but if you see a list with this album on it, it's prob gonna be this song], “Can You Change A Thing”, “Samual Was Beautiful Tonight”, “We Can't All Play Saxophones”, “Is This The Music You Like”
All Your Love — Mystic Braves, The Spinning Wheel
November 30, 2024
Mystic Braves are a psychedelic rock band based in Los Angeles. They've been around for over a decade now, but I honestly haven't listened to them much except for “Cloud Nine” off their 2012 self-titled album. "All Your Love" is kind of your typical 60's pastiche — it isn't going to blow your mind, but it will definitely get stuck in your head.
Metasphere — Pomegranate Tiger, Metasphere
August 17, 2023
Pomegranate Tiger is a progressive instrumental metal band from Windsor, Ontario. They've been around since 2010, but 2023's All Input Is Error has been their first album since 2015. Other tracks to check out: “The Great Filter” and “The Cryptographer” (which was technically a 2022 single)
Bon Voyage — Eyeliner, brb
November 11, 2023
Luke Rowell is an electronic musician from Lower Hutt, New Zealand. Since 1999 his main pseudonym has been Disasteradio, but in 2012 he created Eyeliner as a way to explore the then emerging Vaporwave scene.
In the five albums under that name, he's produced some of my favorite tracks of the genre... including the longest v a p o r w a v e track I've heard (and listen to on repeat despite being over 13 minutes long). If you like the vibe of "Bon Voyage" be sure to also check out "Uptown Virtual".
ANNIE, PICK A FLOWER.. (MY HOUSE) — Saya Gray, ANNIE, PICK A FLOWER.. (MY HOUSE)
September 28, 2023
Saya Gray is a session bassist from Toronto, Canada. Over the last couple years she's been releasing her own original material, which I covered last year right before she released the follow-up to her 2022 album2. There were a few good songs, but really felt more like disc 2 of a double-album — kinda the same approach/lyrical topics... but with a heavy drum & bass aesthetic. That's why I chose this stand alone single from September instead of something from her album back in May. While still similar to her first album, it feels like there's been some growth beyond swapping out the beat… which was still kinda cool, but I like this a bit more.
999 — Kid Kapichi, 999
December 11, 2023
Kid Kapichi (Kapee-chee) is a punk bank from Hastings, England. This track is from an album that isn't coming out until this March. Just like the Stuck song that I didn't realize was actually released in 2022 until writing this, I didn't know Kid Kapichi had an upcoming album until writing this. “999” is by far the strongest of all the singles I've heard, so not totally sure what to expect for the album — but if this is your thing, keep an eye out in the upcoming months.
Toad Mode — Sex Week, Toad Mode
November 3, 2023
Sex Week is an indie duo — Richard Orofino and Pearl Dickson — from Brooklyn, NY. This is the first thing they've ever released, so that's all I really know about them — other than that the video was shot right up the street from me.
So… I guess we'll just have to see what these two do in the future, but for now we have “Toad Mode” — a sweet, yet kinda sexy ode… to a cat? I still haven't quite figured this out, because even before seeing the video I was like, "OK my cat does almost everything they're singing… wtf is this song about?" Aside from the "The color of a pear" (in reference to her hair) and "Making me see double" lines... it's about cats. Right?
BEAT004 — Waldo's Gift, BEAT TAPE
November 22, 2023
BEAT003 — Waldo's Gift, BEAT TAPE
November 22, 2023
BEAT007 — Waldo's Gift, BEAT TAPE
November 22, 2023
Waldo's Gift is a three-piece alt-Jazz band from Bristol, UK — another group I’ve previously covered; they were also at the top of 2022’s list. This year they have 3 entries because each track is only about 1 minute long, but have been moved down significantly — not because there’s anything specifically worse about these tracks, I just think they nailed their sound with last year’s Flowerbed, and to an extent they’re kinda treading the same path with a lot this album. If the 3 tracks I chose were woven together into one track, WG’s placement would be a bit higher on the list. I think that would show a bit more evolution than a bunch of separate 1-minute tracks. Still pretty cool.
Everybody's Safe Until... — Paris Texas, MID AIR
June 16, 2023 [Album: Jul. 21]
Paris Texas is an alternative hip-hop duo from Los Angeles. This is the third single from their debut album "MID AIR". I see lots of “Next level” or “So unique" comments, but I assume they’re part of the PR team or just didn’t experience the 90s. That said, it is catchy, and the lack of over auto-tuned vocals or a generic trap beat was a welcomed change.
Speaking of the 90s: the final third of the video recreates Jamiroquai’s iconic music video for “Virtual Insanity”. Something I’ve noticed in a few music videos lately — newer artists not just copying an aesthetic, but actually re-creating entire concepts of music videos from the 90s.
Still Inside (Acoustic) — Sean Downey, Still Inside
November 24, 2023
Sean Downey is a musician from Seattle and founding member of the new wave band The Fabulous Downey Brothers — though, he is mostly known as a “vaporwave” artist despite his catalogue of solo material spanning multiple other genres. Plus, as mentioned in my article on him last year, the song that gave him that label — “Encarta ‘97” — isn’t even really vaporwave… more like a pastiche of vaporwave… which kinda makes it meta-vaporwave, which would actually be more vaporwave-y than vaporwave in a weird Mark Fisher-esc kind of way.
Anyway, that’s not what this is... this is an acoustic version of a FDB song he released under his own name. It’s nothing groundbreaking, but I still find it stuck in my head every now and then.
another song released as a single in a different year than the album — first as a stand-alone single in 2021 and then again in 2023 on V
which forced me to send out my first double-email… which is kind of ironic considering I described her new material as feeling a bit like the second half of a double-album
BRILLIANT, JAW DROPPING WORK FROM LOWKEY GENIUS. Some music outlet should find out who he is and hire him for a mainstream record publication ... if he'd let you....JUST GREAT.