Ooh, the Acoustasonic Telecaster. Do like the look of it. The early models had horrendous reliability issues, hopefully that's been ironed out since

I played MindMaze at a friend's house and immediately asked my dad if I could get Encarta for my birthday. Encarta was not released for the Amiga and we didn't have a home PC until 18 months later, so he got me a different encyclopedia software package that did not have a surrealist educational maze

I didn't dislike it! It just didn't quite make the cut, I liked bits of it but felt very little compulsion to revisit it

The Yacht Club - I Don't Think That I Am Ready To Be Without You

Plenty of good math rock/Midwest emo EPs out this year, but none is quite as intricate or attuned to the heartstring tug as this offering from The Yacht Club. Absolutely their best work to date. 11/end

@weareunpeople.bsky.social - unpeople

From the ashes of Press To Meco come unpeople - anthemic heavy pop-punk but with a more sophisticated edge and plenty of blistering hooks and harmonies. This band deserves to become huge. 10/11

Sithu Aye - Kindness

The masterful Scottish guitarist returns, this time dialing back the heavy themes of recent releases to just focus on good songs and a bit of jazz fusion amidst the metal. It's a mature and effective record. 9/11

@merex.bsky.social - Smilodon

Myles McCabe is back with his clever songwriting shtick helming ME REX. This time around - more earworms, some experimental short pieces, and a song (Canada Water) which alternates words beginning with C and W throughout. 8/11

@lysmorke.bsky.social - Knife Therapy

I raved about Lys Morke after their opening slot for Bossk and Maybeshewill earlier this year. The subsequent EP doesn't disappoint - dark electronica summoned from the ether, anchored by a strong vocal performance. 7/11

Kaonashi - A Second Chance At Forever

Missed them at ArcTanGent this year (curse these clashing bands) - but this record seems tailor made for 20 year old me. Burnout 3 soundtrack vibes injected with some old school Saosin? Sign me up. 6/11

Richard Henshall - Mu Vol. 1

The Haken guitarist is off doing his solo thing again - lots of weird time signature intricacy, impossible eight-string Strandberg guitar runs doubled with saxophone. My kind of shit. 5/11

Graywave - Dancing in the Dusk

Shoegaze has yet to reach a saturation point (obvious joke is obvious), no doubt helped by the quality of bands like Graywave. For fans of dark walls of reverb, heaviness and catchy tunes. 4/11

@benquadok.bsky.social - Ephemera

Look, there's screams and hooks and frantic tapping on guitars and this is everything I want and need from Ben Quad. Hits hard and fast and deserves to be left on repeat. 3/11

@baalbanduk.bsky.social - Soft Eyes

I didn't have "gets strongly into black metal" on my personal predictions for 2024, but Ba'al (among others) pushed the needle with some terrific stuff this year. Their label Ripcord Records has had a vintage year. 2/11

Max lemon, teaspoon of honey. Fight me (when you're less ill)