[Auricon]

A week before Christmas, a man has lost a friend.
May these songs reach her wherever she is.

Sincerest sadness for a man’s loss of his friend. A man was lucky to have found each other

Have a healthy and love filled New Year

 

[Scubadevils]

My albums of the year - these were all purchased via Bandcamp, as such I use the relevant blurb for each album and link directly to Bandcamp in the hyperlink name of artist/album... I chose not to embed as it will take a lot of space in the post.

Listed in no particular order.

Max Würden - Landmark [experimental, ambient, field recordings]

Blurb:

Max Würden returns with his second album on A Strangely Isolated Place after 2019’s ‘Format’, experimenting with a new style of music creation on ‘Landmark’.

Landmark sees Max Würden combine and integrate various external forces into his usual studio production process. Inspired by many paintings of powerful landscapes found in thrift stores throughout his hometown of Cologne, Max set out to bring various elements together as one whole over time - allowing an organic process of experimentation and collage.

Short phrases of music and field recordings that weren’t originally meant for each other were realized in isolation, such as sounds from his Klangkiste (sound box) built by Max himself, guitars, an old out-of-tune Schimmel piano, and samples of early jazz and classical music. These separate elements eventually, over time, connected and came together as Landmark - a recognizable moment and formation.

The collage of elements found throughout ‘Landmark’, expresses a number of different vantage points from which to gaze and focus your attention. From the more storied and instrumental-based ‘Reprise’ and ‘Range’, to the wide-scape visions of ‘Summiteer’, or the off-world portrayals in ‘Stereo A’ and ‘Stereo B’. Max can be found depicting a montage of intricately detailed moments that invite you to stand and ponder their storied creation, be it emerging from found sound, synthesizers, guitars, samples, or simply his own production sorcery.

Mikkel Rev - The Art of Levitation [ambient, trance]

Blurb:

Norwegian producer Mikkel Rev debuts on A Strangely Isolated Place with his most accomplished album to date; traversing nostalgic chillout, slow-burning downtempo and euphoric trance, in a similar approach to the diverse styles found within the early pioneering electronic ambient albums of the ‘90s.

As part of the growing label collective Ute Records, Mikkel Rev can often be found entertaining uninhibited ravers amongst the forests of Norway, where he and his labelmates are spearheading one of the many so-called Trance revivals. Just as comfortable releasing high-energy 140bpm electronic music alongside Filip Storsveen as Omformer, or creating expansive space-ambient pieces on the flip for the Sinensis label, ‘The Art of Levitation’ is the perfect gateway into the diverse array of electronic music to emerge from the world of Mikkel Rev.

Moving through various energies and BPMs, The Art of Levitation is clearly vivid in approach and concept, based on track titles and art alone. In a similar parallel to the main room and the chillout room often found at raves, the album invites you to take a journey through both over time. Touching on moments of early electronic ambient, to begin with, it soon evolves into a blissful beat-driven progressive chapter, culminating in a nostalgic nod to the very best moments Trance music has to offer. The ending can be found in the back room, as the journey finally tails into a more emotional point of reflection.

The Art of Levitation is a mirror to the feelings created, the friends made, the dancefloor antics witnessed, and nostalgic moments earned, by everyone who experienced the spectrum of energy and euphoria electronic music can offer during those special times.

Pépe - Reclaim [electronica, experimental]

Blurb:

Valencian producer Pépe's love of iridescent melodies, velvety pads and complex rhythms has seen him skilfully combine house, bass music and breakbeat in recent years. His music is globally reaching, having garnered attention from top artists including Ben UFO, Peggy Gou, Shanti Celeste, Moxie, Mount Kimbie and Disclosure.



His heartfelt, mercurial and emotive sound is ever present on his new album for Lapsus, which also incorporates a lush sonic forest, resplendent in detail and jam packed with influences. Reclaim' opens the door to experimentation and sound design, while embracing the braindance and hyperpop sphere with surprising maturity. It is an amalgamation of electronic sounds and pulsating structures in which orchestral sounds, folk music, ambient textures and a strong vocal presence, both synthetic and authentic, sparkle.


Reclaim' imagines a post-human future, where nature once again reclaims lost ground and is free to flourish and take root around manmade structures. Pépe exhibits his personal reverence for the work of Antonio Cortés Ferrando, the architect behind the Espai Verd building, which broke architectural and urban planning norms by using computation to create structures that promote the organic growth of foliage. It is a building designed for the future, where flora cultivates indefinitely.

In Pépe’s own words, "At a time when we have witnessed how nature strives to regain ground, once humans are removed from the streets, it is important to start thinking critically about new techniques in the creation of art and design, and imagining a future where posterity is embodied in the rejuvenation of a greener world".

VRIL- Animist [deep/dub techno]

Blurb:

Channelling his own explorations in search of the soul inside the machine, VRIL draws from the deep well of his live performances to present his third LP for Delsin, Animist. Inside lie 12 pieces which seem to probe at the unknowable distance between tangible consciousness and the astral plane, imbuing even the most seemingly synthetic of materials with a living essence. Given his illustrious back catalogue, it’s no surprise to hear VRIL conjure explicitly electronic music with such loaded emotional impact and seemingly organic animus, but in the process he also toys with the idea of how far the technology’s spiritual potential can reach.

iNFO - Alkaline Glades [IDM, electro]

Blurb: (limited, but this is a nod to IDM of the 90s and of course the legendary Warp Records)

Sheffield is the sound

Warmth - Essay (Remake) [ambient]

This has been a regular choice for me going to bed, helps me drift off...

Blurb - none, so I used a review from the page instead:

What was already a masterpiece… this remake is definitely of the same caliber, if not better… wow.., it feels nostalgic, peaceful, like this place we can imagine where you can be alone, in peace, with your thoughts and the stillness surrounding us… My go-to ambient album this summer for sure.

ECCO - Polypores [ambient, experimental]

Blurb:

Stephen James Buckley’s third album for Frequency Domain came about during the summer of 2022, while working on a live set for his first show in London, supporting The Transcendence Orchestra. Instead of engaging his usual modular set up, Stephen found himself exploring the relationship between the thick, wobbly, somewhat unpredictable analog sounds of the Lyra-8 synthesiser and the crisp digital tones of the 1010 Music Lemondrop granular sampler.

As is usually the case, feeding into his explorations was his reading material at the time - books by John C. Lilly and Jacques Vallée, concepts from which led him to question the nature of reality as we know it. Recording the tracks in his plant-filled studio during the summer heatwave contributed to the album’s heady, hallucinatory vibe. Released as 11 tracks which segue to form two continuous sides of a cassette, ECCO shifts from celestial dreamscapes and expansive pastoral vistas to dense drones and sultry soundworlds.

Hollie Kenniff - The Gathering Dawn [ambient]

No blurb - this is another top choice of mine for going to sleep, or relaxing... beautiful and captivating ambient.

Ambidextrous - Grounded Rectangle [electronica, krautrock, experimental]

Blurb:

Ambidextrous, aka Nick Zavriev, musician, popularizer of rare electronics, journalist and producer all in one, has dropped a release that is completely out of character for him. His latest album with the Mestnost label is titled Grounded Rectangle and it draws heavily on the krautrock style. Completely out of the blue, Nick turns away from the soft and melodious tracks and immerses himself in the mathematical monotony elevated by the Germans to its own separate style in the early 70s, which, like all trends that originate in Germany, is characterized by the uncompromising logic, well-defined structure and prevalence of reason over sensation.

What makes this release unique is not just its one-of-a-kind sound, but also the tremendous amount of effort put into it and the countless hours spent in the studio recording it. A combination of typical rock instruments with a synth playing in the background and a pulsating “motor” rhythm is common for this type of style; that is why most of the krautrock “scores” are recorded literally by hand. For example, you can hear the drums of Sergey Ledovsky in the track Reluctance Abuse.

At one time or another, Ledovsky played in the majority of Moscow-based indie bands from Silence Kit to NRKTK. He also participated in the Ambidextrous Live Band project. These days, Sergey is playing drums in the Californian dream-pop band Halou. Getting back to Ambidextrous and his latest album, it is interesting to note that Maestro, the Soviet synthesizer, which Nick is especially fond of, makes an appearance in most of his tracks.

“I still can’t believe that it’s been 9 years since the Marathon Machine track came out. I started composing it while watching broadcast of the London Olympics marathon. I became fascinated with the idea that running can also be described as a monotonous repetitive process that can easily be translated into the language of music,” shares Nick.

This style with its hypnotizing squareness could appeal to both the psychedelics lovers and the fans of electronic sound. If people could just look past the usual nods towards Kraftwerk and Faust, to an unbiased ear in 2023 it would seem like LCD Soundsystem has made a comeback.

Virgo - Remnants [IDM, ambient techno]

No blurb and actually this is a reissue but I'm counting in anyway! A wonderful melodic IDM / techno release from the brilliant Japanese artist.

Before the Silence - Mixed by Biophonix (Various Artists) [ambient, dub, experimental]

No blurb, but this is a fantastic mix from the wonderful Touched label. I usually buy CDs from Touched but actually missed this one unfortunately. As per comment on Bandcamp, it could very easily have been a release from The Orb - it really reminds me of their work in the early 90s at times.

Nick Barber - The Ambient Picnic [ambient, downtempo]

Blurb:

Relax, turn off your mind and float downstream...

Anthene - Mainland [ambient]

No blurb, but this review sums it up wonderfully.

far beyond. deep within. upon ebb n' flow and unrushed melodies of disarming atmospheric guitar, Anthéne ushers me towards a place and/or situation to ponder both literally and figuratively. the shoegaze quality of several pieces takes hold and pilots me towards safe waters. thanks for the beautiful journey

Tyresta - Small Hours [ambient]

Blurb:

On the new album "Small Hours" by Tyresta, subtlety and intimacy intertwine harmoniously, resulting in a listening experience that continually unveils novel intricacies upon each subsequent listen. As the title ostensibly implies, the album's resonance transcends its sonic realm, particularly when savored during the late hours, wherein its evocative potential finds its zenith.

In a musical tapestry where every thread is meticulously woven, "Small Hours" stands not merely as an album but as a testimonial to the transformative power of sound. Its gentle cadences and evolving harmonies weave a sonic haven, wherein the listener finds solace, rejuvenation, and a rekindling of the unfettered spirit. Small Hours is the direct follow up to Tyresta's 2020 album All We Have and continues to explore similar themes related to the human condition including impermanence, grief, loss, healing, and growth.

Rod Modell - Ghost Lights [ambient]

I listened to this with Loki a few days ago, and while it might sound 'cheesy', there was such a vast sense of a soundscape, I felt like I was actually in the music... an amazing experience.

Blurb:

A year on since the collaborative Mystic AM project in 2022, Rod Modell returns solo to Astral Industries with AI-35. The album - entitled ‘Ghost Lights’ - comes as a gatefold 2x vinyl LP, showcasing the latest epoch of Modell’s signature soundscapes. Spread across four parts, ‘Ghost Lights’ draws out a wide, cinematic sound - with long arching contours, rippling textures and cavernous sound design.

Woven with layer upon layer of hidden fragments and supernal transmissions, each chapter takes the listener successively deeper into the twilight zone. Harking to dramatic off-world topographies and interstellar spaces, the work glistens with opulent sound treatment and monumental grandeur. Dense pulsations move with oceanic force, marked by washes of celestial light and subterranean drones. Exercising another side to Rod Modell's typically atmospheric productions, this album comes with an ambitious framework and a more assertive sound. Featuring some of Modell’s most epic storytelling to date, ‘Ghost Lights’ delivers a powerful immersive experience.

Scuba - Digital Underground [rave, techno, breakbeat, oldskool]

No relation of mine plus I bought this one on cassette due to the very oldskool nod to early 90s rave/hardcore.

Blurb:

Hotflush - the label founded by Scuba in 2003 - continues its celebratory 20th anniversary year with a mixtape of takes on the acid house - early hardcore era.

‘Digital Underground’ is the culmination of Scuba's two part vinyl-only series entitled ‘Hardcore Heaven’. Taking influence from acts like Top Buzz, SL2, and Shades of Rhythm, the familiar collision of hard-edged beats, euphoric breakdowns, and helium vocals got a 2023 update on the first installment which dropped in April to coincide with Record Store Day UK. The sequel lands on vinyl in September featuring alternative versions of four tracks from ‘Digital Underground’.

The 12-track mixtape expands the ideas found on ‘Hardcore Heaven’ into altered versions and additional tracks, connecting the dots between acid house, early hardcore, breaks, and techno. Thow in a few nods to early 2-step, as well as some moody vocal rubs and you have 12 tracks of uncompromising action designed specifically for the dancefloor.

Woob - 9009 [ambient, dark ambient]

This is another album that is fantastic to listen to with a set that really presents a large holographic stage.

Blurb:

Ambient isolation, incorporating foley, live sound recordings and lucid dream audio projections.

Carbon Based Lifeforms - Seeker [ambient, psychill]

No blurb, Carbon Based Lifeforms are legends of the genre and speak for themselve really with each release. I've noted one review below however...

I love this album. It's emotional, hopeful, sad, powerful and moving. Retaining all the things we love about CBL. "Gone" hits me in the feels so hard I can cry.

Sun Electric - Live at Votivkirche Wien [ambient]

Blurb:

Sun Electric, the Berlin-based electronic music duo of Tom Thiel and Max Loderbauer, were among the pioneers of “live” electronica presentation in the early 1990s, when options for real-time reproduction of one’s sound were a fraction of what we enjoy today. Perhaps a spiritual successor to earlier forms of “kosmische” music, which saw the exploration of outer and inner space as being equally worthwhile undertakings, Sun Electric’s music was expansive, epic, and involving in a way that prioritized the communion between sounds and listeners over the public exposition of the musicians’ personalities. Space was, of course, utilized as an instrument unto itself: a fact that is evident in this new release of a notable 1996 set in which Sun Electric performed at the neo-Gothic Votivkirche in Vienna. Over 75 minutes of performance time, the duo took full advantage of the 20-second reverb decay time offered by the space.

It’s the consistent application of these strengths which allows the music of Sun Electric not to be a “nostalgic trip” to a simpler time, but very much a part of the musical dialogue of the present.

Vince Clarke - Songs of Silence [ambient, krautrock]

Stunning album, and no surprise to see it appear on a few lists of best albums this year.

Blurb:

As the album title suggests, Songs of Silence is a lyricless, instrumental album, and is hugely evocative for that. Unlike anything you’ve previously heard from Vince Clarke as an artisan of dynamic electropop, Songs of Silence has about it a more sober ambient electronic beauty, its unique characteristics put it in a category of its own.

For the creation of the record Vince set himself two rules – first that the sounds he himself generated for the album would come solely from Eurorack (a modular synthesizer format introduced in the mid-90s) and secondly that each track would be based around one note, maintaining a single key throughout. The resultant pieces, with the Eurorack sound clay then manipulated on Logic Pro, amount to wordless narratives, in which a sense of synthgenerated, cosmic remoteness is often jolted by stark interventions, reminders of the human hand at work amid this machinery.

TSVI - Stella Remota [techno, abstract]

I only bought this a couple of weeks ago, and it has been on regular rotation since. Stunning production from start to finish, and some tracks really get the most out of your IEMs, especially those that dig deep down low...

Blurb:

Not many people know, but last year in April I lost all my project files (thanks Dropbox backup!). My entire project folder, and everything that I worked on for the past three years were instantly wiped out. This included what would have been my second album. Written during the pandemic, It was not yet finished but I had almost 25 demos to pick from.

At first I was deeply upset and sad for days. Eventually I started to get over it: I was never fully into the album – I liked it but also had my doubts, that it wasn’t as strong as my first album – I didn’t know how it would’ve been received, as it sounded like nothing else I’d released. So I put it aside, tried to move on with my life, eventually forgot about it.

Seven months later, my mum was taken into biopsy for suspected stomach cancer. During that time I stumbled upon that forgotten album. I remember listening to it on repeat after all those months; it helped me get through one of the most difficult times of my life.

Fortunately, my mum has recovered now, but this incident made me realise that this project can’t sit on my hard drive forever. In these trying times, I believe it's worth sharing this music with the world, hoping it can bring some positivity and comfort to those who listen.

So here it is, Stella Remota. What was for me a light guiding me out of the darkness. What would have been my 2nd album, now for you all to enjoy.

Thanks for your support, as always. Lots of music coming in 2024.

Kevin Richard Martin - Black [ambient, experimental]

A recent discovery, but again on repeat.

Blurb:

'Black' is a musical eulogy to Amy Winehouse, a heartfelt memorial to a sorrowful demise. Its an album of predominantly beatless ambience possesed by the ghost of 'Back to black'. Fragmented moods and hypnotic drones melt together, as its circular beauty is set adrift, floating away into an endless void.. where the original only remains in spirit alone...

It doesnt make particular sense why i was drawn to this idea and compelled to immerse myself in the original song, and her life in general, but sometimes you just have to roll with your muse..Having barely registered her whilst she was alive, and not cared for Mark Ronson's poptastic productions, it was only when i heard of her tragic death, that it struck an unexpected chord, recalling the same surreal emotional impact, as when i had heard of Kurt Cobain's premature passing previously.... Both figures were unarguably gifted, but both left this planet largely without essential support, whilst they were at the peak of their powers and on top of the musical world..

Gone too soon, departed too young, a world weary voice, carried on a downward spiral, Amy Winehouse seemed trapped in her self destructive descent... It was only years later, whilst randomly watching Asif Kapadia's moving bio doc 'Amy', on a long distance flight that i realised the scale of her greatness and the tragedy of the circumstances that led to her untimely death...This album is simultaneously a treatise on lovelessness, tragedy and loss, echoing the absence of a support network when it matters most during such a freefall. And just as myself and others i know shed tears watching that 'Amy' documentary, this album is as much a reaction to the universal emotional themes conveyed within that touching documentary as to the tragic life of Amy herself.

I have been workin on the idea of this sonic album for over a year, and the slo-mo dream rotations remain as blurred and impressionistic as they are repetitive and haunting... An eerie cocktail of spectral jazz, shoegaze drone and dubbed out ambient music, it continues the solo path i have been developing as KRM.

I hope it strikes a chord.

Azu Tiwaline - The Fifth Dream [experimental, abstract, techno]

Another album that shows off any highly resolving set to their very best... my choice for this album lately is Loki.

What comprises a dream?

An astral plane of our own making where thoughts, love, and desires of the inner mind abound with irreverence - ripe with connection & perspective beyond constraints of time, set, and setting.

Azu Tiwaline exists within the wonders of these interstitial worlds, diving deeper towards inner sanctums of mystic imagination, sublime intrigue, & profound understanding on her second full length LP “The Fifth Dream”.

Released again through her beloved partnership with I.O.T Records, “The Fifth Dream” finds Azu painting an expansive vision towards unified multitudes, mercurial realities, & abundant inner sanctums.

Where her first album “Draw Me a Silence” was a loving ode to her family & upbringing in the form of an elegant diptych, “The Fifth Dream" is the enactment of actualizing her roots into new routes, taking her multifaceted identity into new means of communication towards herself, the world, & the cosmic unknowns that surround her.

Throughout The Fifth Dream’s 54-minute runtime, we hear all elements of the uniquely transcendental sound that Azu is beloved for worldwide. “Antennae Opening”, “Blowing Flow”, & “Amen Dub” embody her talents for tectonic, dubwise soundscapes that channel the innately maternal elements of bassweight into bold & abstracted pulsations, indebted to the most psychedelic & body activating ends of dubstep.

Still attuned to the spatial awareness of dub sonics but giving way to the hypnotic syncopation & synaptic frequencies of techno, “Reptilian Waves”, “Long Hypnosis”, & “Mei Long” bring forth her spectacular expertise for entheogenic rave rhythms - guiding us warmly towards trance-inducing hyper states of dance & delight. Fluctuating between an adventurous velocity and enveloping stasis, the expansive abyssal planes of “Golden Dawn”, “Night in Palm Tree”, & “Canope Imaginaire” conjures a wondrously invigorating rhythmic enlightenment & celestial comprehension - simultaneously moving us forward, inwards, & outwards through Azu’s uniquely omnidirectional & kaleidoscopic musical visions.

Adorned with sampled field recordings of her deeply inspiring home in the desert of El Djerid in South Tunisia, Azu opens a portal into the synergistic inner sanctums of being, self, and the world around us that’s essential to her work as an artist - from the macro levels of humanity’s naturally intimate connection to the Earth we share, down to each of our own micro levels of culture, ancestry, and belonging. All of this is alchemized through a combination of timeless Saharan knowledge & modern cybernetic tools, creating new dimensions of bewitching, euphonious sonic energy. This is music that gives back as much as the listener wants to give themselves unto it - detailed and layered, orbiting a steady core as ethereal swirls and intonations of the natural world embrace us warmly within a spellbinding journey.

8 of the album’s 9 tracks feature a deep level of collaboration from innovative Franco-Iranian percussionist Cinna Peyghamy. Cinna’s use of Tombak, the principle drum of Iranian music throughout time, is beautifully sonorous - channeling the passion of centuries of Southwest Asian rhythm & expression into his own personalized flourishes, with Azu adding her own electrifying frequencies & undiluted artistic freedom to their shared interplay. This profoundly communicative diasporic essence is transmuted between Azu & Cinna, their expression, & the listener. Both are music lovers, intimately connected to their respected Iranian and Tunisian cultures - concurrently acknowledging the wisdom of their resonant pasts, while proudly bringing the sounds of their heritage into the present & future.

“The Fifth Dream” embodies a cosmic anodyne for those feeling caught in between life’s abyssal inbetweens, whilst aiming for a consonant awareness of where our home truly lies in the swells of life’s spiritual maelstrom. This dream belongs at once to none & to many, that of a common language unified in concentric depth - finding beauty in all aspects of our world, and ultimately, within oneself.

Jezebell - Jezebellearic Beats Volume 1 [house, downtempo, balearic]

A perfect choice for chilling in the sun, something I'm not seeing much of here in Ireland during this dreary dull winter...

No blurb, Bandcamp review instead:

A selection box of Balearic and Experimental sounds, based on some timeless classics. Played 'Hypnorise' and 'Vibrations' on my 'Mixed Feelings' programme, with 'Hyporise' enjoy A List status on station playout through November 2023

Dream Dolphin - Gaia: Selected Ambient & Downtempo Works (1996-2003) [ambient, experimental, downtempo]

I mentioned this just the other day having had an amazing listening experience with Perpetua.

Blurb:

Co-compiled by long-time friend of the label Eiji Taniguchi, it draws from a vast discography of music oscillating between IDM, Pop and Ambient. First appearing on Eiji’s compilation ’Heisei No Oto - Japanese Left-field Pop From The CD Age (1989-1996)’, this selection of rediscoveries, further shines a light on the singular musician known as Dream Dolphin and her place in Japan’s rich electronic music legacy.

Dream Dolphin was originally an Ambient and Electronic project by the Japanese artist referred to simply as Noriko, who moved from studying classic Italian songs as a child, to increasingly being inspired by artists such as PIL, Yellow Magic Orchestra, KLF and movies such as ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ and ‘Le Grand Bleu’. The music she released under the name Dream Dolphin, from the age of sixteen, is unique and versatile in style, encompassing Ambient, IDM, Techno, Trance and even Drum & Bass, whilst fusing natural sounds with her own spoken word lyrics.

Dream Dolphin released an incredible twenty albums in just eight years. In addition to her own projects, she has also put together a number of fascinating compilations herself, as well as composing ambient music to be used in hospitals and other caring contexts. ‘Gaia: Selected Ambient & Downtempo Works (1996-2003)’ contains 15 tracks thoughtfully selected from various albums that until now were only released on CD format.

 

[Simpeler]

Yeah because 20-30 years ago the Bay Area was a different area. I grew up in Tracy and the one thing I hated was the insane commute that I had to do for damn near everything
1 hour commute for the nearest community college
1.5 ( double that if I’m using train/bus connections) to SFSU
1 hour commute to my old private high school.
1+ hour commute to my old job in Mountain View

The one silver lining that I like about living in SF is that I can generally walk to places. No car needed! I’ll probably do what my parents did for school and swallow the costs for private school and keep investing whatever money I make.

Its still a dream if mine to live in SF with my family. Its very difficult to make that happen though, since im from The Netherlands (even though I work in IT).

But living in Amsterdam is pretty nice to

 

[CharlyBrown]

A very happy new year 2024 to all Coolers and Head-Fi!!

It's been a ride for the last 10 years and will certainly continue. This such a great community bringing so much fun to my everyday life. I hope to see as many of you as possible in the near future. Maybe at a CanJam or HighEnd or mini-meet

You are awesome !!

Special thanks to @Rockwell75 for creating this very special place within head-fi!!

I hope you all stay/become healthy and wish you all the best of luck for the new year

 

[zikarus]

Happy new year to all you coolers! Above all stay healthy, confident and curious aka open-minded...

The first coffee in 2024 has been made and while enjoying it's awakening effect my thoughts wandered through the just ended 2023.... A lot to think about and audiowise one of the most exciting years in my 20 head-fi years - have a look below:

End of 2022

End of 2023

Glad to see some more music lists today, especially those by @jwilliamhurst, @Leonarfd and @Scuba Devils as the music is what all this should circle around lastly...

Mine from a few weeks ago has not changed a lot in the end but I have expanded it to a Top 25 as 2023 was a good year for music imo

Bibiza - Wiener Schickeria


Grian Chatten - Chaos For The Fly


Roisin Murphy - Hit Parade


Yussef Dayes - Black Classical Music


Slowdive - Everything Is Alive


Clark - Sus-Dog


Blur - Ballad Of Darren


Bipolar Feminin - Ein Fragiles System


Barry Can't Swim - When Will We Land


Nation Of Language - Strange Disciple


Kommand - Death Age
https://listen.20buckspin.com/album/death-age


Zoë McPherson - Pitch Blender


KMRU - Dissolution Grip


Hassan Abou Alam - Shalfata


Gumm - Slogan Machine


The Serfs - Half-Eaten By Dogs


Symba - Supermann


Matthew Halsall - An Ever Changing View


Norken & Nyquist


Guardian Singles - Feed Me To The Doves


Vince Clarke - Songs Of Silence


Henselt - Grimwood


Roth & Les Siècles


Nielsen - Luisi & Danish National Symphony Orchestra


Chamayou & Emerson Quartet

 

[Auricon]

Happy 2024 and New Year wishes to friends, Coolers and Head-Fi!

I'm grateful for your friendships, Head-Fi community and especially @Rockwell75 for Watercoolers – it's been truly a special place in this vast Head-Fi universe. This past year has been full of challenges, and sending wishes that this coming year brings you, your family and friends brighter days, good health, love and bubbly cheer.

Figured it was a good time to pop open some "vintage" bubbly to celebrate



And kicked off the New Year breaking one of my yearly resolutions – no new cables

 

[Scubadevils]

Happy new year to all you coolers! Above all stay healthy, confident and curious aka open-minded...

The first coffee in 2024 has been made and while enjoying it's awakening effect my thoughts wandered through the just ended 2023.... A lot to think about and audiowise one of the most exciting years in my 20 head-fi years - have a look below:

End of 2022

End of 2023


Glad to see some more music lists today, especially those by @jwilliamhurst, @Leonarfd and @Scuba Devils.

Mine from a few weeks ago has not changed a lot in the end but I have expanded it to a Top 25 as 2023 was a good year for music imo

Bibiza - Wiener Schickeria


Grian Chatten - Chaos For The Fly


Roisin Murphy - Hit Parade


Yussef Dayes - Black Classical Music


Slowdive - Everything Is Alive


Clark - Sus-Dog


Blur - Ballad Of Darren


Bipolar Feminin - Ein Fragiles System


Barry Can't Swim - When Will We Land


Nation Of Language - Strange Disciple


Kommand - Death Age
https://listen.20buckspin.com/album/death-age

Zoë McPherson - Pitch Blender


KMRU - Dissolution Grip


Hassan Abou Alam - Shalfata


Gumm - Slogan Machine


The Serfs - Half-Eaten By Dogs


Symba - Supermann


Matthew Halsall - An Ever Changing View


Norken & Nyquist


Guardian Singles - Feed Me To The Doves


Vince Clarke - Songs Of Silence


Henselt - Grimwood


Roth & Les Siècles


Nielsen - Luisi & Danish National Symphony Orchestra


Chamayou & Emerson Quartet

How could I forget Slowdive - fantastic album. Actually I know how, I only used Bandcamp to check albums but didn’t buy Slowdive on Bandcamp… a few others no doubt have been missed as a result.

Look forward to checking out more from your list and others, @jwilliamhurst - Laurel Halo an obvious gap in my collection and I’ll have to fix that tonight.

 

[Rockwell75]

Hello Cooler Friends!! I hope everyone New Years Eve (here in the states) and New Years Day (elsewhere) is going awesome!! It has been a very successful year for music I must say. I have well over 150 favorite albums just released this year alone, so narrowing it down took some heart ache and stewing. I am drawn to all and every type of music. Sound in general is my passion and the way I express and release. I built this list specifically based off what I found the most unique, creative and satisfying to my ears. I love popular music but I have a fascination with experimental tropes and off kilter sounds. Some of these selections may not be to many of your tastes but I believe all of these are worthy of at least checking out for the artistry involved. I am purely an album listener so if you love something here, I recommend full listens start to finish and repeated listens are encouraged. But alas, I wont tell anyone how to listen to music, just a humble suggestion. The little blurbs under each title is just my scaled down interpertation of each to help better guide you through the list. I hope everyone that reads this will find something to enjoy here and maybe, hopefully something new that ignites curiosity to seek out more music! At this current time in history we have endless and copious amounts of music at our fingertips which is one the most amazing achievements in modern human history IMO. But, most importantly if you like/love something, share it with another! Pass it on, so these artists get the recognition they deserve. Enjoy Friends and I wish you all A Very Happy New Year full of Love, Friends, Family, Good Health and Peace.


So Without further adieu, here is....


MY TOP ALBUMS OF 2023 ~in no particular order, listed by genre only

Electronic (varying sub-genres)

1.Laurel Halo-Atlas ALBUM OF THE YEAR
A light showing the way through a dense fog, diffused. Atlas is that album. A modern classical album drudged through the grime of a wasting world. Breathtaking and my personal Album of The Year! Best for late night listens.

2.Tara Clerkin Trio-On The Turning Ground
This is one of the most interesting and addictive albums I have heard in a very long time, piano, harmonia, guitar, vocals and electronics combine to create the most highly intriguing and intellectual electronic/folk/jazz/dub music I have heard in at least a decade. Heady and addicting. A must listen start to finish. Third album of the year for me.

3.Lee Gamble-Models
Another compelling Lee Gamble album that just hits for me, great minimal wave with well thought out samples and drumless beats that swirl and hypnotize.

4.Vince Clarke-Songs of Silence
This is steadily becoming one of my favorite synth albums of all time. Klaus Schulze eat your heart out! Mr. Clarke is carving the way for new synth artists to modulate till hearts are content. A very compelling album that deserves a full listen as many times as possible as you will continue to find new things for your brain to latch onto. Join the ride!

5.Hania Rani-Ghosts
Sultry, slinky and sensual vibes here for me, but also just a terrific album with great sonic blade runner-esque landscapes. But those vocals!!! This is why Ghosts is in my top albums. A haunting and measured listen that is well worth it.

6.Galya Bisengalieva-Polygon
A visceral and terrifying landscape full of weightiness and lush synth crescendos as eery visuals emanate from this utopian universe. This one has become a late night favorite. Has a horror soundtrack feel to it but not cheesy, more of a build up of tension with little to no release.

7.Not Waving-The Place I’ve Been Missing
A haunting and breathtaking minimal wave album full of heavenly synth nuggets, droning beats and reverb drenched cold night-hot boxed moments.

8.Actress-LXXXVIII
Big Bass Beats along with minimal distorted beats slowed down and sometimes sped up samples, and layers of synth pads that wash over you with finesse. Some tracks are challenging but its another album that had me keep coming back to hear more. Anything good in life has some challenges and I have found in music these challenges are most often more than not, rewarded. This album builds like its own little electronic world, taking its time with its own agenda to take you to another realm where Actress reigns.

9.Purelink-Signs
I havent found a downtempo techno ambient album this pleasing in a very long time. This is great headphone commute music and music to zone out to and contemplate life or whatever makes you chill.

10.Koan Sound- Led by Ancient Light
What a ride this album is! It has a very cinematic OST feel, then erupts into heavy bass blasts and then turns into jazz, while keeping the above elements at play. A very exciting listen. Not to be missed!


Rock/Indie/Folk

11.Greg Mendez-S/T
Singer songwriter simplicity that is masterful and gut wrenching. A short album with its heart on its sleeve.

12.ML Buch-Suntub
A truly great album that I doubted at first as it is quite midi-full. But the intricate layers of instruments included with the midi influence along with the female vocals blend into something very complete and calls for repeat listens.

13.Maria BC-Spike Field
A beautiful album and while melancholy, it is a slow burn that is worth repeat listens. An angelic voice with acoustic guitar closely mic’d and ethereal swirls of electronics in a ghostly setting make this album a great pick for the winter season.

14.Sonic Youth-Live in Brooklyn NY
One of the greatest live performances from one of the seminal and most influential indie rock/noise bands of our time. Great energy throughout! Dont miss this gem.

15.Dorothy Carter-Wailee Wailee
This is an old-new album. This was a vinyl crate diggers dream find once upon a time. It is now finally released to the masses and this is honestly what the world needs right now. A genuine gifted spirit that gave to her community and poured herself into her music. This is true art, craft of her instrument and a masterpiece of an album. This should not be missed.

16.Julie Byrne-The Greater Wings
One of if not my favorite voices in this genre or any for that matter. Her voice is so captivating and engaging that I find it hard from the moment I push play not to be pulled in for the entire album. Great production and mastering here. A truly breathtaking album.

17.Narrow Head-Moments of Clarity
A brilliant heavy album that reminds me of so many other bands but still strictly there own sound. If you like heavily distorted guitars and deftones-esque breakdowns, this album is up your alley.

18.Olimpia Splendid-2
Angular rock from the most rad rock album I have heard this year! I wish there were more songs! I cant wait to hear more from these amazing ladies! Angular no wave that is completely compelling and addictive.

19.Silicone Prairie-Vol. II
If you like weirdo rock a la Ariel Pink’s earlier albums that were obvious R. Stevie Moore love letters then this is your jam. It is Lo-fi weirdo art rock. There are so many moments of greatness on this album if you let yourself get past the recording as its supposed to sound that way. I personally love it and cant wait for more from this Kansas City band.

20.Sweeping Promises-Good Living is Coming For You
Glorious lo-fi power pop/punk that recalls the girl groups of the 60’s. Another surprise for me this year as I am generally not drawn to catchy punk music however this is done to my tastes i.e. grimy, lo fi sticky sweet with a new wave twist. And yes its supposed to sound like this!



R&B/Hip-Hop/Rap

21.Niecy Blues-Exit Simulation
This is one of my most favorite albums this year. If you love lo-fi soundscapes and vocals a wash with reverb a la ‘grouper’, love r&b and have a taste for something that is different and takes time to encompass you? This is it! This toes the line of traditional R&B being more experimental in nature.

22.L’Rain-I Killed Your Dog Runner up Album of the Year
Her best yet! Every song is a journey and yet the album flows together as a fluid whole. Deserves repeat listens and upon those listens this album blooms into pure bliss! Her vocals are on full display and wonderfully portrayed. This was a potential album of the year for me! Runner up for sure!!

23.Armand Hammer-We buy diabetic test strips
This one took some time to grow on me, but man! this is my favorite hip-hop/ rap album in almost a decade. Its a statement and a very unique (from my experience) rap album when it comes to beats. Some are drumless more airy and synth laden with liquid smooth flows over the top. When the beats and percussion do hit they indeed hit so good. I am truly impressed by this album. Its a modern art piece and as I said previously, A Statement!

24.Liv.e-Girl in the Half Pearl
Another experimental RnB album that is playful, serious and sincere all the same time. Many elements of sound that mesh together for one of the best in its genre.


Classical

25.Roger Eno-The Skies, they shift like Chords
An emotional album that transcends space and time. Roger Eno builds an ethereal sound universe with depth and emotion. This is a classical album in the sense that it uses classical instrumentation but I would call it more of a meditative soundscape conveying a thousand moments in the span of a few minutes.

26.Hauschka-Philanthropy
This is quite the album, each song is different from the next, some being highly dynamic structures of PRaT and others being more chilled/ambient works. This album is a favorite because I always discover something new with each listen. It is an album that is as adventurous as it is restless but will reward you in spades.


Jazz

27.Titanic-Vidrio
An incredible jazz album with the help of one of my all time favorite vocalists Arooj Aftab. A bit avant garde and experimental but completely engaging.

28.Jonah Yano-Portrait of a Dog
One of my most listened to jazz albums this year, Jonah is backed by badbadnotgood on this record and its a thrilling album full of wonderful moments that to me brings a new focus to the jazz genre.

29.JSPHYNX-Reflex
UK Jazz is on fire this year with Alpha Mist, Jaimie Branch, Yussef Dayes, etc. releasing amazing new albums and either of those albums deserves a spot on this list but at the end of the day, this album is what I kept going back to. This is jazz at its most youthful, modern and eclectic. A must hear!

30.The Necks-Travel
Long form jazz trio at is very best! These guys are at the top of the game. A very measured and extended listen but it is very rewarding.

31.Mary Lattimore-Goodbye, Hotel Arkada
My favorite harpist album this year and there were several great ones. This one tops my list for its emotional and introspective nature. This is not your typical jazz harp album, neither would I call it spiritual. Its more of an atmosphere of hope and longing imbued by her beautiful instrument.

32.Fabiano do Nascimento-Mundo Solo
A prolific artist that has released some wonderful material over the years, but this sees Fabiano at his most creative and adventurous incorporating textures and loops into his solo classical flamenco style guitar playing. A truly gratifying take on a solo jazz instrumental album.


I hope Ya'll Enjoy!! I tried to provide links but head-fi's whacky link implementation messed it up, so no links, apologies I tried! Peace and Love, Jeremy

Happy New Year fellow addicts and music enthusiast

2023 has been a big year for me in music, the years before I often stuck to my favorite albums from years going back.
This year has been focused much more on new releases, either from friends recommendations or due to browsing what's new on Tidal/Bandcamp.
The list consists of many good albums, probably a few that some would find odd also.

Anyway, here are some of my favorites that were released this year. Hope it can bring some joy, cheers.

My albums of the year - these were all purchased via Bandcamp, as such I use the relevant blurb for each album and link directly to Bandcamp in the hyperlink name of artist/album... I chose not to embed as it will take a lot of space in the post.

Listed in no particular order.

Max Würden - Landmark [experimental, ambient, field recordings]

Blurb:



Mikkel Rev - The Art of Levitation [ambient, trance]

Blurb:



Pépe - Reclaim [electronica, experimental]

Blurb:



VRIL- Animist [deep/dub techno]

Blurb:



iNFO - Alkaline Glades [IDM, electro]

Blurb: (limited, but this is a nod to IDM of the 90s and of course the legendary Warp Records)



Warmth - Essay (Remake) [ambient]

This has been a regular choice for me going to bed, helps me drift off...

Blurb - none, so I used a review from the page instead:



ECCO - Polypores [ambient, experimental]

Blurb:



Hollie Kenniff - The Gathering Dawn [ambient]

No blurb - this is another top choice of mine for going to sleep, or relaxing... beautiful and captivating ambient.

Ambidextrous - Grounded Rectangle [electronica, krautrock, experimental]

Blurb:



Virgo - Remnants [IDM, ambient techno]

No blurb and actually this is a reissue but I'm counting in anyway! A wonderful melodic IDM / techno release from the brilliant Japanese artist.

Before the Silence - Mixed by Biophonix (Various Artists) [ambient, dub, experimental]

No blurb, but this is a fantastic mix from the wonderful Touched label. I usually buy CDs from Touched but actually missed this one unfortunately. As per comment on Bandcamp, it could very easily have been a release from The Orb - it really reminds me of their work in the early 90s at times.

Nick Barber - The Ambient Picnic [ambient, downtempo]

Blurb:



Anthene - Mainland [ambient]

No blurb, but this review sums it up wonderfully.



Tyresta - Small Hours [ambient]

Blurb:



Rod Modell - Ghost Lights [ambient]

I listened to this with Loki a few days ago, and while it might sound 'cheesy', there was such a vast sense of a soundscape, I felt like I was actually in the music... an amazing experience.

Blurb:



Scuba - Digital Underground [rave, techno, breakbeat, oldskool]

No relation of mine plus I bought this one on cassette due to the very oldskool nod to early 90s rave/hardcore.

Blurb:



Woob - 9009 [ambient, dark ambient]

This is another album that is fantastic to listen to with a set that really presents a large holographic stage.

Blurb:



Carbon Based Lifeforms - Seeker [ambient, psychill]

No blurb, Carbon Based Lifeforms are legends of the genre and speak for themselve really with each release. I've noted one review below however...



Sun Electric - Live at Votivkirche Wien [ambient]

Blurb:



Vince Clarke - Songs of Silence [ambient, krautrock]

Stunning album, and no surprise to see it appear on a few lists of best albums this year.

Blurb:



TSVI - Stella Remota [techno, abstract]

I only bought this a couple of weeks ago, and it has been on regular rotation since. Stunning production from start to finish, and some tracks really get the most out of your IEMs, especially those that dig deep down low...

Blurb:



Kevin Richard Martin - Black [ambient, experimental]

A recent discovery, but again on repeat.

Blurb:



Azu Tiwaline - The Fifth Dream [experimental, abstract, techno]

Another album that shows off any highly resolving set to their very best... my choice for this album lately is Loki.



Jezebell - Jezebellearic Beats Volume 1 [house, downtempo, balearic]

A perfect choice for chilling in the sun, something I'm not seeing much of here in Ireland during this dreary dull winter...

No blurb, Bandcamp review instead:


Dream Dolphin - Gaia: Selected Ambient & Downtempo Works (1996-2003) [ambient, experimental, downtempo]

I mentioned this just the other day having had an amazing listening experience with Perpetua.

Blurb:

Happy new year to all you coolers! Above all stay healthy, confident and curious aka open-minded...

The first coffee in 2024 has been made and while enjoying it's awakening effect my thoughts wandered through the just ended 2023.... A lot to think about and audiowise one of the most exciting years in my 20 head-fi years - have a look below:

End of 2022

End of 2023


Glad to see some more music lists today, especially those by @jwilliamhurst, @Leonarfd and @Scuba Devils as the music is what all this should circle around lastly...

Mine from a few weeks ago has not changed a lot in the end but I have expanded it to a Top 25 as 2023 was a good year for music imo

Bibiza - Wiener Schickeria


Grian Chatten - Chaos For The Fly


Roisin Murphy - Hit Parade


Yussef Dayes - Black Classical Music


Slowdive - Everything Is Alive


Clark - Sus-Dog


Blur - Ballad Of Darren


Bipolar Feminin - Ein Fragiles System


Barry Can't Swim - When Will We Land


Nation Of Language - Strange Disciple


Kommand - Death Age
https://listen.20buckspin.com/album/death-age


Zoë McPherson - Pitch Blender


KMRU - Dissolution Grip


Hassan Abou Alam - Shalfata


Gumm - Slogan Machine


The Serfs - Half-Eaten By Dogs


Symba - Supermann


Matthew Halsall - An Ever Changing View


Norken & Nyquist


Guardian Singles - Feed Me To The Doves


Vince Clarke - Songs Of Silence


Henselt - Grimwood


Roth & Les Siècles


Nielsen - Luisi & Danish National Symphony Orchestra


Chamayou & Emerson Quartet

Thanks to all above for taking the time to share some of your favorite music. I'm going to add a few cool "end of year" lists that I've come across and "pin" this post to the front page as a reference.

1) Bleep.com best albums of 2023.

Spotify playlist here.

2) Pitchfork 50 best albums of 2023

Spotify playlist here.

3) Resident Advisor best albums of 2023.

Spotify playlist here.

4) The Quietus top 75 tracks of the year.

5) Bleep.com top 100 tracks of 2023.

Spotify playlist here.

Happy new year and happy listening everyone!

 

[Scubadevils]

Thanks to all above for taking the time to share some of your favorite music. I'm going to add a few cool "end of year" lists that I've come across and "pin" this post to the front page as a reference.

1) Bleep.com best albums of 2023.

Spotify playlist here.

2) Pitchfork 50 best albums of 2023

Spotify playlist here.

3) Resident Advisor best albums of 2023.

Spotify playlist here.

4) The Quietus top 75 tracks of the year.

5) Bleep.com top 100 tracks of 2023.

Spotify playlist here.

Happy new year and happy listening everyone!

Oh I’ve yet to check Bleep, always find gems there that I’ve missed… likewise Boomkat actually.

 

[Rockwell75]

1-Not knowing where to start: Do I buy a high end DAP first, IEM, cable?
2-Not knowing when to end: We all have been where we buy POM, only the be disappointed. We than through more money on even more expensive cable, thinking that is going to fix it. If you dont like the sound, no cable will fix that.
3-Not factoring in our change in taste as we spend more time in hobby. Variety is the key of not getting bored, keep a few opposite sounding gear, and rotate. If you eat the same food everyday, you will get over it, no matter how much you like it. I believe same applies to audio.
4-Not knowing what live music sounds like. I don't use IEM because I want to experience such sound, IEM for me is about extraction of resolution.
5-Not attending meet up, beside of been able to experience new gear, the most important part of this hobby for me is meeting incredible people, forming life long friendship.

I thought of a few off the top of my head. This better not show up in a future video of yours without due credit.

1) Assume you hear the same way someone else does, and vice-versa: Audio is massively subjective. What’s perfect to someone else may not be perfect to you, and what’s trash to them might appeal to you. That’s not even mentioning the different music you may listen to, different sources you may have, etc.

2) Only read one or two reviews before making a purchase: Going off no. 1, it’s best to gather as many data points as you can before buying anything, so bias is as minimized as possible.

3) Think a brand’s flagship is the one you “have to” buy: This is a mistake I’ve even seen veterans make. Sometimes, the flagship may have better technical performance, but also a tone you may not agree with. So, never discount a brand’s cheaper offerings. They might happen to be the best ones for you.

4) Think reference sound is the ultimate sound: It’s not. Just like warm, bright, punchy or relaxed, it’s just one of many sounds. You might love it, you might hate it. Don’t let marketing fool you. A lot of the products that brands call reference would be laughed out of the studio by actual engineers anyway.

5) Base purchases off a specs sheet: More drivers does not mean better. More crossovers does not mean better. They just give the tuner more options to craft the IEM’s sound with. Whether or not they did a good job crafting is another matter entirely. Not all drivers and crossovers are made the same either. A single-driver IEM with 5 years of R&D can leave a slapped-together, 10-driver hybrid in the dust. So, don’t be shocked if the former turns out pricier and better.

6) Listen way too loud: Not only can this give you a bad impression of an IEM, but it’s bad for your long-term hearing as well. Train yourself to listen quieter, and I guarantee you’ll get more out of IEMs; even the ones you already have.

7) Settle for a lesser product, rather than save a bit more for the one you actually want: I’ve seen people do this countless times, and it only leads to disappointment. After a while, they end up selling off the IEM they settled for at a loss, then saving up again to get what they originally wanted anyway. Save yourself the hassle, just wait a bit longer for the next paycheck or two, and spend it on something you truly desire.

8) Overestimate the differences cables, burn-in, etc. can make: I’ve seen salespeople snake beginners into buying a product they don’t really want by telling them 100 hours of burn-in or swapping out the cable will fix all its problems. In reality, the changes those bring are completely situational, and they won’t turn an IEM into something it’s not. This is especially true if you’re a beginner and you can barely hear those differences anyway.

The last one’s the most situational, but I feel it’s the most crucial one too.

9) Buying without trying: I know, in 70-80% of the world, this is simply down to unavailability. Not everyone lives in SG, HK or JPN, where auditioning every IEM in the world is a car or subway ride away. But, rather than gambling, buying blind and potentially incurring massive losses, I’d always recommend spending the money to go to your nearest CanJam or audio meet, if possible. It’s money you’re likely to lose if you’re blind buying anyway, and you’re at least guaranteed the chance to meet fellow Head-Fi’ers, explore a new city and meet the people behind the products you love. The dozens of products you get to try are almost a bonus, and just those 2 days should be enough to give you a base vocabulary of IEMs that you can then interpret reviews or comparisons better with. For example, maybe you heard the Fei Wan at a CanJam and loved it, but wanted less treble. The next time a respected poster calls an IEM a “warmer Fei Wan,” you’ll know to look out for that IEM.

I'd definitely echo the sentiment of the mistake of buying before trying, and the biggest one for me in every hobby is spending too long in the entry-level phase. Obviously don't dive straight into the deep end as people have already said, but if you realize you are enjoying the hobby and feel ready to appreciate better gear, just save up and go for it. I've seen so many people waste so much money and TIME on buying/trying multiple "mid" equipment when they could have SAVED money on just buying an end-game product (which is a concept that does exists for some people). I am very guilty of this.

Also not really a mistake for beginners but for everyone here: you don't have to think about audio 24/7 to be "into" the hobby. You can take breaks. You can still be an audiophile without buying anything. You don't have to "quit" audio because you've reached end-game. You can try new gear without having any intention to own it. Enjoy the journey and don't worry about the destination. Maybe that's the broke boy in me speaking but some people seem so all or nothing or lack so much self control that they feel the need to abandon their hobby friends just because they want to stop chasing gear or got bored of the hobby, and I'm not just talking about audio exclusively, I've seen it everywhere. It's bizarre to me. If something interesting pops up, come back, and if there's nothing interesting you then go do something else... no one says you can't have multiple hobbies.

To sum it up, #1 mistake is speed running to the point where you're not enjoying yourself anymore.

@Deezel177 made some great points and many of my own are just footnotes or alternate ways of saying the same thing. Following is how I would frame advice to folks new to the portable space based on my own experiences as a "noob" just a few years ago (2019 seems like a different world ago, in more ways than one).

1) First and foremost for me is: don't let others do your thinking and listening for you. This hobby is full of people-- some of whom are sincere, others not so much-- who want to tell you what to like, what not to like, what is worth the money, what is not, what good sound is, what it isn't, what is snake oil, what is not, and so on and on. In my experience the greater the extent to which one is able to follow their own inclinations, desires and convictions and not get caught up in what everyone else is doing and saying...then greater will be the degree of their own satisfaction in this hobby. This is not to say that we shouldn't take advice from or consult others...far from it. It's just that I have found-- even with people I tend to jive with most of the time-- that there will be times when we just flat-out disagree or hear things differently. The most fundamental rule in this hobby for me is: let thine own ears be the judge.

2) Youtubers, high profile reviewers and influencers are often some of the worst people to listen to for advice. Sorry but it's true. The more someone tries to posture that they're just "keeping it real" or "telling it like it is" the greater the odds are that they're just a shill after clicks and likes beholden to whoever is sponsoring them. There are exceptions, of course...but exceptions they are for the most part in my experience.

3) Listen to anything and everything when you are just getting started. You have no idea what your ideal sound will be and no amount of consulting others will reveal this to you. Remember: One must taste the fruit to know the flavor.

4) Don't underestimate the value of sources and synergy. This is a lesson I am still learning to this day. In my experience good synergy can add a kilobuck or two to the perceived "value" of your setup.

5) When getting started scour the length and breadth of the land to get a sense where everyone is coming from. There are all kinds of ideologies and temperaments out there-- what works for some may not work for others, and where some fit in, others may not. I don't personally relate to the audio nihilist and graph worshiping crowd-- but many do. Perhaps that is your ticket to finding meaning in this hobby...and if it is, jump right in. The main point-- don't fixate on or limit yourself to one particular community, especially at first, as often these can be echo chambers that can limit your perspective or keep you from experiencing something that could be right up your alley.

6) Find the price tier you are most comfortable with and which gives you the most satisfaction-- and focus on that. You might not need the summit of the summit priced IEMs to hit your particular groove. Similarly, avoid the fantasy that out there somewhere deep within the audio abyss is some mythical $50 IEM that will render all flagships obsolete. While it's not unversally true, it's overwhelmingly the case that spending more will result in better gear and more satisfaction. I have personally found the sweet spot to be about ~$1500...but it might be different for others.

7) FOMO is a thing. There is no sense complaining about this, it isn't going to go away, so we may as well learn to process it. This hobby depends on a relatively constant stream of new releases. Every now and again many of us-- even vets-- get super excited about some new release, quickly proclaiming it the greatest thing ever, prompting everyone else to succumb to that most pernicious of curses in this hobby-- curiosity-- only for the hype to die down sometime not too much later and the thing in question fades into relative obscurity before too long.

8) If it's not doing it for you, let it go. This can be a hard one. We've all been there-- over the moon hyping the sh1t out of some new release, or jumping on something that everyone is interested in...only to have this nagging voice at the back of your head telling you that it's not really doing it for you. Listen to that voice and move on-- your own personal satisfaction with what you have is the most important grail in this hobby inho.

9) Don't be afraid to play the used market-- you don't need every new thing as soon as it comes out. One can save a lot of money and maximize their enjoyment by waiting a bit and picking up something on the used market for a great price after a time. One can hear a lot of great stuff at minimal cost by judiciously buying and selling used gear at a minimal loss. I did this early on and got to hear a lot of great stuff.

10) If at all possible go to a CanJam or some other meet. Curiousity is the burning and driving force of this hobby. Hearing as much as you can at various meets or through tours will eliminate that curiousity which often prompts us to make poor choices around what to buy and it liberates us from the temptation of FOMO and the babel of everyone's hype and conflicting impressions.



In other news we're just about down to the last 24 hours to vote in the Watercooler IEM of the year Survey so if you haven't voted yet and want to, now is the time.

I think I reasonate with this post the most. What I’ve come to realise in this hobby is to just feel comfortable in my own skin and ears. I often feel like my hearing must be whacked / nonsensical because (many) others have given diametrically opposite insights, but I think I’m past that (for the most part). I acknowledge the FOMO and embrace the insensibilities of this hobby. We’re all adults here and should know where to draw the line when things are getting too hot to manage. I practise blind buy a lot but I don’t regret these lessons when I sell items for whatever reason. In this regard, I’ll differ from what some others have said, cause my value proposition is different.
I wish all here the best of health and a better year in 2024!

I think many excellent points have been said, but here's my Top 5 based on my experience:

1. DO NOT RELY ON "TOP 10 BEST IEMS/HEADPHONES OF 2023" LISTS
Whether on Youtube or Google or anywhere else, a lot of these TOP 10 lists that pops up easily are usually not the best place to start looking into the gear that you want. Yes, they may appear informative, but most of these lists are done by "reviewers" that spend most his/her time listening to TWS. Try to do more research, dig deeper, hopefully you will stumble onto a forum like Head-fi and get a better understanding of what you should be looking into and where you should go. (Especially in the Watercooler thread )

2. DEMO THE GEARS, STOP READING FR GRAPHS !!!
This is something that i truly can't understand, since I started my IEM journey from Jaben where I was taught to TRUST MY EARS. Many IEMs these days show FR graphs as an important tool for us to 'understand' how an IEM might sound like. Yes it's an important thing to be mindful of, but I trust the old way of demoing gears as much as I can and come to a conclusion whether it's for me or not, learn by listening not reading. Audio is Aural, meant to be heard and eventually felt, not read. Oh gosh, how many times have I encountered fools who came to an audio store and refuses to listen to a gear because the "fR gRapH dOeSn'T lOoK gOoD" man, I stopped myself from throwing a punch..

3. BIG NAME BRANDS DOES NOT ALWAYS MAKE A GOOD PRODUCT
Just because a brand is popular, doesn't mean that you're guaranteed a good product. Oh boy, where do i start... The first time I fell into this rabbit hole was when stupid innocent younger me was enamoured by 'Beats by Dre' advertising and how it looked cool and every artist wore one.. THANK GOD I accidentally got lost in the Adelphi Building back in 2011, got into a small headphone store called Jaben Network in Singapore, went inside and stupidly, proudly asked "Hey man, do you guys sell 'Beats By Dre' Headphones?" the staff was nice enough not to laugh and proceeded to tell me "No we don't have that here, if you want that headphone you can try the Funan Mall next door, but by any chance do you mind trying better headphones than it?" "Whaa... there are better headphones than Beats? " "Give this a try *handed me a Beyer Dynamic DT 880 Pro*" and the rest is history. I thank Jaben for saving my dear life and ears that day, and to that staff who kindly humbled me, thanks man....

4. AUDIO IS A JOURNEY NOT A DRIVE-THRU
Take your time exploring audio gears whether they are transducers, sources, cables, tips, pads, and what have you. Keep an open mind approach despite of what people say and savour different flavours of sound. Find your taste, your needs, your desires in this endless journey, go for it if you have the means, if you don't, then don't push yourself. Appreciate your gear and find a great synergy for it. Everyone has their own pace, their own rhythm in this audio journey.

5. DON'T TAKE THINGS TOO SERIOUSLY
Audio is an exclusively subjective hobby. So please don't take things seriously. Everyone has their own taste, their own music, their own needs, their own unique ear shape, and also their own financial stability. People may call things trash, hey, even your gear might be trash for them. But remember, trust your ears they are your best judge and because it's YOU who listens to YOUR music and YOU who enjoy YOUR gears mate, not other people, so never take things to the heart, it's not that serious. If you ever encounter such comments, just try to understand why they think so, but thats all, keep loving what you love. Remember, NOTHING should ever stop you from enjoying your music the way you like it, the way you hear it.

Bonus: Please refrain from listening at a high volume for an extended period of time. If you wanna stay in this utopia for a long time, your aural well-being always comes first.

KEEP AN OPEN MIND. TRUST AND BELIEVE IN YOUR EARS. ALWAYS.

Albert, I really love this list. I would like to use it as my starting point and then add to it.

Audio is definitely a journey and not a destination. It is every bit as complex and subjective as art. Even so, there are underlying principles that can be generalized and synthesized into a critical examination of the art form. Here are my observations as an observer who has had the opportunity to wind my way through several audio rabbit holes in the past 4 years of critical listening.

1. Audio preferences are subjective and those preferences change over time. They can change over the course of a listening experience, time of day and what you have listened to immediately before or after it, your mood, what's on your mind, what someone told you, etc. Until you have had a minimum of 1000 hours of critical listening time, you probably do not know what you like and even then what you like will probably change over time as you get more experience. It may take up to 10,000 hours of listening to really know what your preferences really are. I am a trained musician and I can honestly say that it's only been this year that I believe I understand my preferences.

2. Audio memory is terrible. Our minds play tricks on us. Even though everyone will tell you to listen to gear before you buy it, it's not a reliable gauge of whether or not you will like something when you first get started. Why? Because our minds can easily convince ourselves that we like something when indeed it is actually not sure. Our perceptions are heavily influenced by our expectations, what we've read, what we think we are hearing. Without a well established benchmark of sound acquired through thousands of hours of listening, we can easily confuse ourselves into believing we like something when we find out after a week we were totally wrong. To avoid this, you need to do a lot of a/b testing and listen over a period of time until you get consistent and repeatable impressions. This takes time to learn.

3. Decide upfront to take the Blue pill or the Red pill. Your life will be easier and your wallet will be best served if you just take the Blue pill, get your Airpods Pro II, Galaxy Buds Pro or Sony WF-1000XM5 truly wireless earphones and be happy. This is what 99.999% of the world has done. If you are unaware of the options available, you won't be tempted to find that last 1% of performance that doesn't matter anyway to your overall listening experience. If you want to experience the what Audiophile gear can offer, but don't want to jump into the deep end of the pool, just have someone experienced listen to what you like in music and provide you with a short list of products to demo. Go to an audio store that has those products or borrow them from someone who has them and buy the one you like the best and move on. If, on the other hand, you want to experience a new universe with multiple divergent paths that provides a social, technical, artistic and even political and business dynamic, then take the Red Pill and we will show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.

4. Audio preferences are as much a social construct as an expression of personal taste. Because Audio is subjective, audio memory is terrible, and we do not know what we really like until we have traversed significantly down a specific audio rabbit hole, preferences are highly influenced by whom you know and respect. That could be a reviewer, a friend, an expert, a dealer. It could be the impressions posted on a message board like head fi. It's why when you see rankings in the Watercooler, many new sets will have votes from people who have never heard the product. Definitely use the watercooler rankings to see what is hot at the moment, but look at which IEMs last the test of time and remain at the top of the rankings to see which ones are truly the best.

5. Small changes in sound make a huge difference in preference. On head fi, there is an ongoing religious debate on whether or not cables make a difference to sound. Sound science guys say they don't make a difference until you can measure it or pass a double blind test. Cable believers simply say that all you need to do in listen enough and if you can hear a repeatable change, then cables make a difference in sound. I happen to believe that everything in a chain impacts the sound is some small way. Sometimes those changes are hard to measure. Our ears can detect these small changes and at times those very small differences can make a big difference in our minds about whether or not we like that particular sound. I was a cable believer, then a cable skeptic when I read the arguments from the sound science guys. Now I am once again a cable believer because I have critically listened to scores of IEMs with dozens of cables over thousands of hours and I can fine tune a chain with IEM, cables, DAPs and tips in a matter of hours. This is one of the benefits of going down the many rabbit holes. It's the satisfaction of knowing I got about the best sound I could out of a given set up. This is why I do it. It's why I am an audiophile.

6. Ignore the graphs and the reviews. This is a hot take the will likely upset most objectivists in the hobby. Do not look at graphs until after you listen to an IEM. If you look at it before hand, it will give you an expectation that your mind will use to shape your listening experience. Only look at the graph after you have heard it so that you can see what you like or dislike may look like on a graph. I, too, am completely against the idea of a target curve. That's like giving a piece of art a set of rules for evaluating when it is good. An IEM is great if it lasts the test of time and people still love it. All target curves do is make everything attempt to sound the same. It removes the artistry out of the art of creating a great IEM. It does eliminate the poser from the savants in the tuning world. I would pick a great tuner over a great technology company. Reviews are worse because you have no idea if a reviewer has your preferences and when listening, if you have the bias in your mind that some reviewer ranks this IEM as an S-tier IEM, your mind is going to act as an apologist for that IEM. So, ignore the reviewers and the graphs until you have learned what you really like and can relate them to your situation.

7. There are an infinite number of ways to enjoy this hobby. At the end of the day, it's your money and your preferences. Don't ever let anyone take that away from you. If you like something, state it proudly. If you hate something, let people know why, but don't dwell on it. One man's trash is another man's treasure. The way I enjoy this hobby is as a social, technical, and artistic endeavor. I love the comradery of the community, the great things I can learn from it technically and artistically and seeing great friends in cool places. If you choose the Red pill, buckle up and get ready for the ride of your life.

Above is a compendium of "advice" from Watercooler regulars to newcomers to the hobby. Just placing it here so I can link all these posts in one to one spot on the front page. Many gems of wisdom found above.

 

[maegnificant]

Well since we are all at it I am also gonna post my top 10 Bandcamp releases of 2023 (excluding some I saw were already in lists here):



Jazz Emu melts funky, original and well produced music with some damn good humor. I recommend watching his youtube music videos, they are extremely well-produced on a shoe-string budget and the songs unfold their full potential together with visual media.



This is a 2023 re-release of an ambient classic. I love Hiroshi Yoshimura, he spearheaded the japanese ambient scene like no other imo.



Miho Hazama is an extremely prolific Jazz talent. This might be her best album yet, extremely modern influences but still totally her sound.



ATA might be one of my favorite labels of today. This is the third entry in their Library Archive series, which are made out of great tunes that will make you want to move your butt!



Green-House produces music in the spirit of Kankyō Ongaku, the sub-genre of Ambient music I enjoy the most. All their releases are gems.



I could just copy and paste the last description here. Love this kind of music, it soothes my soul.



Jonathan Scales makes great music with his steel pan jazz trio. I recommend watching the Tiny Desk Concert where they perform with Béla Fleck on banjo as a quartett. Very unique sound in the space, even after Jaco Pastorious attempt to get the steel pan into the "mainstream" of Jazz. This new album is the amalgamation of all the years refining their sound.



These two EP´s count as one release, since they are connected. A third EP is still coming. This has gotta be the biggest surprise of the Year. I saw PoiL playing with Ueda at the Rudolstadt Festival 2023 where they performed all of these songs + the third EP in a row. Highly complex progressive Rock and Metal mixed with traditional Japanese Folklore stories. Just an amazing sonic experience, but needs time to settle and develop in the brain. Seeing them live first helped me immensely.



If you don´t know KNOWER, get over to youtube and take a good look and listen. Extremely impressive mix of Drum´n´bass, Jazz, EDM, sometimes Dubstep, Funk and more. Simplistic, yet complex. This is their best record to date and I doubt it can better than that (but I am open to be surprised again) Highly engaging music, lots of fun.

Honorable mention:


Marquis Hill has released banger after banger these last years. And while this album did not quite do it for me as the others did before, it is still a great record. His trumpet sound is just silky smooth (he sounds like that live, as well) and the production of his albums is extremely modern. Mixing Jazz, R´n´b, Spoken Word and Rap and connecting all the songs of each release to a certain theme, makes them very special.

 

[zikarus]

Happy 2024 and New Year wishes to friends, Coolers and Head-Fi!

I'm grateful for your friendships, Head-Fi community and especially @Rockwell75 for Watercoolers – it's been truly a special place in this vast Head-Fi universe. This past year has been full of challenges, and sending wishes that this coming year brings you, your family and friends brighter days, good health, love and bubbly cheer.

Figured it was a good time to pop open some "vintage" bubbly to celebrate



And kicked off the New Year breaking one of my yearly resolutions – no new cables

Strange - did not receive EAs Mail though having been subscribed to the waiting list.

Well, anyways, I am in for blue too

 

[CharlyBrown]

Elysian Annihilator (Titanium Version) available at MusicTeck. If anyone is interested, here's the chance to get it quickly. Probably only 1 avail (low stock).

 

[Zachik]

Nothing like a 6:30am wakeup call of a two-year-old shouting "MOMMEEEEEEE, DADDYYYYYY" at the top of her lungs to ring in the new year. A day is coming when I can lay in bed and listen to my walkman, but that day is not today

In 10 or 15 years, you will remember those mornings and tell yourself that life was simple back then...
Speaking from experience

 

[1oad3r]

Well since we are all at it I am also gonna post my top 10 Bandcamp releases of 2023 (excluding some I saw were already in lists here):



Jazz Emu melts funky, original and well produced music with some damn good humor. I recommend watching his youtube music videos, they are extremely well-produced on a shoe-string budget and the songs unfold their full potential together with visual media.



This is a 2023 re-release of an ambient classic. I love Hiroshi Yoshimura, he spearheaded the japanese ambient scene like no other imo.



Miho Hazama is an extremely prolific Jazz talent. This might be her best album yet, extremely modern influences but still totally her sound.



ATA might be one of my favorite labels of today. This is the third entry in their Library Archive series, which are made out of great tunes that will make you want to move your butt!



Green-House produces music in the spirit of Kankyō Ongaku, the sub-genre of Ambient music I enjoy the most. All their releases are gems.



I could just copy and paste the last description here. Love this kind of music, it soothes my soul.



Jonathan Scales makes great music with his steel pan jazz trio. I recommend watching the Tiny Desk Concert where they perform with Béla Fleck on banjo as a quartett. Very unique sound in the space, even after Jaco Pastorious attempt to get the steel pan into the "mainstream" of Jazz. This new album is the amalgamation of all the years refining their sound.



These two EP´s count as one release, since they are connected. A third EP is still coming. This has gotta be the biggest surprise of the Year. I saw PoiL playing with Ueda at the Rudolstadt Festival 2023 where they performed all of these songs + the third EP in a row. Highly complex progressive Rock and Metal mixed with traditional Japanese Folklore stories. Just an amazing sonic experience, but needs time to settle and develop in the brain. Seeing them live first helped me immensely.

https://knowermusic.bandcamp.com/album/knower-foreverhttps://poil.bandcamp.com/album/yoshitsune
If you don´t know KNOWER, get over to youtube and take a good look and listen. Extremely impressive mix of Drum´n´bass, Jazz, EDM, sometimes Dubstep, Funk and more. Simplistic, yet complex. This is their best record to date and I doubt it can better than that (but I am open to be surprised again) Highly engaging music, lots of fun.

Honorable mention:


Marquis Hill has released banger after banger these last years. And while this album did not quite do it for me as the others did before, it is still a great record. His trumpet sound is just silky smooth (he sounds like that live, as well) and the production of his albums is extremely modern. Mixing Jazz, R´n´b, Spoken Word and Rap and connecting all the songs of each release to a certain theme, makes them very special.

Thank you for these album recommendations my friend, most are right up my ally! Thats my evening sorted