It’s that time of year—the unveiling of the Best of 2024 list!
Kicking things off is my Top 50 Albums selection.
If you’re not familiar, this list is inspired by one of my favorite radio shows on KEXP called Pacific Notions.
The show showcases music in the realms of instrumental, ambient, classical, modern classical, and experimental genres.
1. Nick Schofield – Ambient Ensemble
2. Hollie Kenniff – For Forever
3. Michael Scott Dawson – The Tinnitus Chorus
4. Lyndsie Alguire – time is but the drawing of a sword
5. Luke Kokoszka – ...And Then Everything Was Beautiful Again
6. Masayoshi Fujita – Migratory
7. Nala Sinephro – Endlessness
8. Joseph Shabason, Nicholas Krgovich & M. Sage – Shabason, Krgovicah, Sage
9. Rikuto Fujimoto – Distance Landscapes
10. Scott Orr – Miracle Body
11. nubo – Planetary Vision
12. Dawn Richard & Spencer Zahn – Quiet in a World Full of Noise
13. Richard Reed Parry, Sarah Neufeld and Rebecca Foon – First Sounds
14. Alaskan Tapes – Something Ephemeral
15. André 3000 – New Blue Sun
16. IKSRE – abundance
17. Total Blue – Total Blue
18. Lifted – Trellis
19. Li Yilei – NONAGE
20. Jónsi – First Light
21. Tashi Wada – What is Not Strange?
22. Mizu – Forest Scenes
23. kita kouhei – Beautiful Strange
24. Isik Kural – Moon in Gemini
25. Paul Kerdommarec – Sel
26. Daigo Hanada & Yoko Komatsu – Where Clouds Are Born
27. Marysia Osu – harp, beat & dreams
28. Matt Karmil – No Going Back
29. Rhucle – Place
30. Marigold Sun – Worlds Apart
31. Gaister – Gaister
32. aus – Fluctor
33. Melissa Galosi – Acorn
34. Celia Hollander – Perfect Conditions
35. Koshun Nakao – Birds In The Valley
36. Olivia Belli – Intermundia
37. Marika Takeuchi – Wandering Notes
38. Colin Stetson – the love it took to leave you
39. The Vernon Spring – Earth, on a Good Day
40. Ezra Feinberg – Soft Power
41. yutaka hirasaka – Now Is Now
42. Cephas Azariah – Joy Paradox
43. Caméra – Caméra
44. Andrew CS – caught in pointers
45. Arushi Jain – Delight
46. Paige Emery – Intercommunications
47. Arooj Aftab – Night Reign
48. Carlos Niño & Friends – Placenta
49. Chihei Hatakeyama – Thousand Oceans
50. Jon Hopkins – Ritual
Best of 2024: Top 50 Experimental, Ambient, Modern Classical & Instrumental Albums
