The Wire's Releases of the Year 2023
Special bumper double issue . On the cover: Releases of the Year : We asked our contributors to vote for their top ten records, CDs, streams and more, then added up the votes; Critics’ Reflections : Our writers discuss their memorable cultural experiences of the year; Columnists’ Charts : Our specialist critics delve deep into their musical niches from noise to modern composition; Archive Releases of the Year : We asked our contributors to vote for their top ten archive records, CDs, streams and more, then added up the votes. Plus: Engineered Phantoms : AI for the masses. By Abi Bliss; Back to the Land : Strange as folk. By Louis Pattison; Rival Camps : Crossing the streams. By Britt Brown; Weapons of Mass Distraction : Artists and Gaza. By GAIKA. Also inside this issue: Invisible Jukebox: Linton Kwesi Johnson : The veteran reggae poet faces down The Wire’s mystery record selection. Tested by Gabriel Bristow; Laetitia Sadier : The Stereolab founder promotes community and healing with her new solo work. By Claire Biddles; Fred Frith : The Henry Cow co-founder returns to his groundbreaking 1974 album Guitar Solos with a reissue and a new album. By Clive Bell. Plus: Unlimited Editions: Bead Records ; Unofficial Channels: Lanner Chronicle ; Phil Geraldi ; HUUUM ; Lisa Ullén ; Thomas Ignatius ; Global Ear: Chicago ; The Inner Sleeve by Vince Clarke ; Epiphanies by Mariam Rezaei ; many pages of reviews and much more.
Source
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | This Stupid World | Yo La Tengo | Feb-10-2023, Indie Rock |
| #2 | Oxmardyke | Philip Jeck, Chris Watson | Jun-16-2023, Field Recordings |
| #3 | fLuXkit Vancouver (i̶t̶s̶ suite but sacred) | Darius Jones | Sep-29-2023, Free Jazz |
| #4 | To Be Cruel | Khanate | May-19-2023, Drone Metal |
| #5 | Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the garden... | Matana Roberts | Sep-29-2023, Avant-Garde Jazz |
| #6 | Bown | Mariam Rezaei | Sep-29-2023, Turntable Music |
| #7 | Protect Your Light | Irreversible Entanglements | Sep-08-2023, Avant-Garde Jazz |
| #10 | Une Aventure De VV (Songspiel) | Aksak Maboul | Mar-03-2023, Progressive Pop |
| #12 | Tête-À-Tête | Ruth Anderson, Annea Lockwood | Apr-28-2023, Electroacoustic |
| #13 | Skultura | Nick Dunston | Sep-29-2023, Free Jazz |
| #14 | Potential | Sunik Kim | Jun-23-2023, Glitch |
| #16 | Under an Endless Sky | Dorothy Moskowitz | Mar-17-2023, |
| #17 | I Am Not There Anymore | The Clientele | Jul-28-2023, Chamber Pop |
| #18 | Sundial | Noname | Aug-11-2023, Jazz Rap |
| #19 | My Back Was A Bridge For You To Cross | ANOHNI | Jul-06-2023, Soul |
| #20 | 12 | Ryuichi Sakamoto | Jan-17-2023, Ambient |
| #23 | Rhizomes | Aho Ssan | Oct-06-2023, Epic Collage |
| #24 | Maps | Billy Woods, Kenny Segal | May-05-2023, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #25 | Requiem for Jazz | Angel Bat Dawid | Mar-24-2023, Third Stream |
| #26 | Eye of the Sea | Svitlana Nianio, Tom James Scott | Jul-07-2023, Avant-Folk |
| #27 | Jump On It | Bill Orcutt | Apr-28-2023, American Primitivism |
| #28 | Radical Romantics | Fever Ray | Mar-10-2023, Art Pop |
| #29 | Laughing | Coffin Prick | Jun-02-2023, Art Rock |
| #31 | Fire Illuminations | Wadada Leo Smith, Orange Wave Electric | Mar-31-2023, Jazz Fusion |
| #32 | Girl In The Half Pearl | Liv.e | Feb-10-2023, Neo-Soul |
| #33 | Isn’t It Now? | Animal Collective | Sep-29-2023, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #34 | Agua Dulce | Ale Hop, Laura Robles | Apr-07-2023, Tribal Ambient |
| #36 | Drift | Gaika | Sep-08-2023, Experimental Hip Hop |
| #37 | Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war)) | Jaimie Branch | Aug-25-2023, Avant-Garde Jazz |
| #38 | Leather Blvd. | B. Cool-Aid, Pink Siifu, Ahwlee | Mar-31-2023, Neo-Soul |
| #39 | Pop-Up! Ker-Ching! And The Possibilities Of Modern Shopping | Mozart Estate | Jan-27-2023, Indie Pop |
| #40 | Reconfiguring the Landscape | Natasha Barrett | Sep-01-2023, Acousmatic Music |
| #41 | Marjaa: The Battle of the Hotels | Mayssa Jallad | Mar-03-2023, Singer-Songwriter |
| #42 | Modern and Unique | Position Normal | Oct-08-2023, Avant-Folk |
| #44 | Since Time Is Gravity | Natural Information Society | Apr-14-2023, Avant-Garde Jazz |
| #45 | Mirage FM | patten | Apr-14-2023, |
| #46 | Travel | The Necks | Feb-24-2023, Avant-Garde Jazz |
| #47 | Imagine This Is a High Dimensional Space of All Possibilities | James Holden | Mar-31-2023, Progressive Electronic |
| #48 | Psykor | Avola | Feb-03-2023, |
| #50 | For Mahalia, With Love | James Brandon Lewis, Red Lily Quintet | Sep-08-2023, Free Jazz |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | This Stupid World | Yo La Tengo | Album, Feb-10-2023, Indie Rock |
| #2 | Oxmardyke | Philip JeckChris Watson | Album, Jun-16-2023, Field Recordings |
| #3 | fLuXkit Vancouver (i̶t̶s̶ suite but sacred) | Darius Jones | Album, Sep-29-2023, Free Jazz |
| #4 | To Be Cruel | Khanate | Album, May-19-2023, Drone Metal |
| #5 | Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the garden... | Matana Roberts | Album, Sep-29-2023, Avant-Garde Jazz |
| #6 | Bown | Mariam Rezaei | Album, Sep-29-2023, Turntable Music |
| #7 | Protect Your Light | Irreversible Entanglements | Album, Sep-08-2023, Avant-Garde Jazz |
| #10 | Une Aventure De VV (Songspiel) | Aksak Maboul | Album, Mar-03-2023, Progressive Pop |
| #12 | Tête-À-Tête | Ruth AndersonAnnea Lockwood | Album, Apr-28-2023, Electroacoustic |
| #13 | Skultura | Nick Dunston | Album, Sep-29-2023, Free Jazz |
| #14 | Potential | Sunik Kim | Album, Jun-23-2023, Glitch |
| #16 | Under an Endless Sky | Dorothy Moskowitz | Album, Mar-17-2023, |
| #17 | I Am Not There Anymore | The Clientele | Album, Jul-28-2023, Chamber Pop |
| #18 | Sundial | Noname | Album, Aug-11-2023, Jazz Rap |
| #19 | My Back Was A Bridge For You To Cross | ANOHNI | Album, Jul-06-2023, Soul |
| #20 | 12 | Ryuichi Sakamoto | Album, Jan-17-2023, Ambient |
| #23 | Rhizomes | Aho Ssan | Album, Oct-06-2023, Epic Collage |
| #24 | Maps | Billy WoodsKenny Segal | Album, May-05-2023, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #25 | Requiem for Jazz | Angel Bat Dawid | Album, Mar-24-2023, Third Stream |
| #26 | Eye of the Sea | Svitlana NianioTom James Scott | Album, Jul-07-2023, Avant-Folk |
| #27 | Jump On It | Bill Orcutt | Album, Apr-28-2023, American Primitivism |
| #28 | Radical Romantics | Fever Ray | Album, Mar-10-2023, Art Pop |
| #29 | Laughing | Coffin Prick | Album, Jun-02-2023, Art Rock |
| #31 | Fire Illuminations | Wadada Leo SmithOrange Wave Electric | Album, Mar-31-2023, Jazz Fusion |
| #32 | Girl In The Half Pearl | Liv.e | Album, Feb-10-2023, Neo-Soul |
| #33 | Isn’t It Now? | Animal Collective | Album, Sep-29-2023, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #34 | Agua Dulce | Ale HopLaura Robles | Album, Apr-07-2023, Tribal Ambient |
| #36 | Drift | Gaika | Album, Sep-08-2023, Experimental Hip Hop |
| #37 | Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war)) | Jaimie Branch | Album, Aug-25-2023, Avant-Garde Jazz |
| #38 | Leather Blvd. | B. Cool-AidPink SiifuAhwlee | Album, Mar-31-2023, Neo-Soul |
| #39 | Pop-Up! Ker-Ching! And The Possibilities Of Modern Shopping | Mozart Estate | Album, Jan-27-2023, Indie Pop |
| #40 | Reconfiguring the Landscape | Natasha Barrett | Album, Sep-01-2023, Acousmatic Music |
| #41 | Marjaa: The Battle of the Hotels | Mayssa Jallad | Album, Mar-03-2023, Singer-Songwriter |
| #42 | Modern and Unique | Position Normal | Album, Oct-08-2023, Avant-Folk |
| #44 | Since Time Is Gravity | Natural Information Society | Album, Apr-14-2023, Avant-Garde Jazz |
| #45 | Mirage FM | patten | Album, Apr-14-2023, |
| #46 | Travel | The Necks | Album, Feb-24-2023, Avant-Garde Jazz |
| #47 | Imagine This Is a High Dimensional Space of All Possibilities | James Holden | Album, Mar-31-2023, Progressive Electronic |
| #48 | Psykor | Avola | Album, Feb-03-2023, |
| #50 | For Mahalia, With Love | James Brandon LewisRed Lily Quintet | Album, Sep-08-2023, Free Jazz |