The author’s picks for the best albums of 2024.
In the Year by Year series, I’ll go through my favourite albums from 1969 to the present day.
- Beth Gibbons: Lives Outgrown (UK) *****
- Geordie Greep: The New Sound (UK) *****
- Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp: Ventre unique (CH) ****½
- The Smile: Wall Of Eyes (UK) ****½
- Sleepytime Gorilla Museum: Of The Last Human Being (US) ****½
- Present: This Is NOT The End (BE, 2024) ****½
- Opeth: The Last Will And Testament (SE) ****½
- Arooj Aftab: Night Reign (SA) ****½
- Tomeka Reid Quartet: 3+3 (US) ****
- Mary Halvorson: Cloudward (US) ****
See the best albums of 2023 here
1. Beth Gibbons: Lives Outgrown
Lives Outgrown is Beth Gibbons’ first solo album.
Born in 1965, Beth Gibbons is best known for the Bristol-based Portishead, formed in 1991, which, together with Massive Attack, put triphop on the world map. After their first two albums, Portishead took a long break and since their third album, Third, in 2008, the band has gone quiet again.
Gibbons’ recording career has not been particularly busy during Portishead’s hiatus. In 2002, Gibbons made an album called Out Of Season with Rustin Man, aka Paul Webb, formerly of Talk Talk on bass. In 2019, Gibbons surprised everyone by singing on Henryk Górecki’s Symphony No. 3 (Symphony of Sorrowful Songs). The orchestra was conducted by the legendary Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki…
2. Geordie Greep: The New Sound
The New Sound is Geordie Greep’s first solo album.
Founded in 2017, the eclectic music of the English experimental rock band Black Midi was either avant-garde punk or avant-garde prog, depending on the perspective and background of the listener. This contradiction made the band one of the most interesting newcomers of the 2020s. The trio, led by Geordie Greep (b.1999), recorded three albums of successive excellence, but apparently there were so many conflicts between the young musicians that it was better to call it a day. In August 2024, Greep announced on Instagram that the band was on an ”indefinite hiatus”. Some of Greep’s statements since then have been more strident and based on them, I wouldn’t expect Black Midi to return in the near future.
Greep had been quietly working on his first album while Black Midi was still touring for their last album Hellfire, so the start of his solo career didn’t have to wait too long after the break-up announcement…
3. Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp : Ventre unique
Ventre unique is the sixth studio album by Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp.
Orchestre Tout Puissant, founded in 2006 by double bassist Vincent Bertholet in Switzerland, is Marcel Duchampo’s ”progressive big band”, which could be compared to the French Ghost Rhythms, Masal and The Very Big Experimental Toubifri Orchestra or the German Monika Roscher Bigband.
However, OTPMD differs from all the bands mentioned above, especially in the sense that their music is not as clearly jazz-based. Jazz is just one of the band’s many influences, with post-punk, pop, minimalist art music, krautrock and African music being equally important. In general, OTPMD’s music is also lighter and less complex.
Recorded in ten days by 12 musicians, Ventre unique continues OTPMD’s string of strong albums. Its music is often based on loops (compositionally, that is, everything is hand-arranged) which are then varied and deliciously spiced up with the instrumental palette provided by the big band. The music, which is often rhythmic in a danceable way, is usually coloured by two interlocking marimbas, strings striking in staccato fashion, electric guitar weaving rock riffs, double bass swinging hypnotically forward, two drummers providing polyrhythms, and wind instruments (trumpet, saxophone, trombone) that bring in tones of jazz or orchestral art music. To top it all off, there are playful vocals sung by several different vocalists in either English or French.
Ventre’s unique sound is mostly gently inviting and surprisingly airy, considering how large the ensemble OTPMD operates with. At times, the music still grows into quite frenetic polyrhythmic climaxes and the album’s catchy post-punk vocals add an edge in their own charming way. Ventre unique’s chorus hooks are sometimes really addictive!
The most astonishing thing about Ventre unique is how Bertholet and his team have managed to build a natural whole out of diverse influences. Ventre unique’s eleven tightly constructed tracks have no weak moments and at 40 minutes, the album is just the right length. You’ll want to hear it again soon!
OTPMD seems to be getting better with each album and Ventre unique does not break this trend. Ventre unique is Marcel Duchamp’s best album so far and a great proof that it is still possible to make fresh-sounding, original progressive music that is at the same time not only sophisticated but also accessible.
Best tracks: ”Tout Cassé”, ”Breath”, ”Coagule”, ”Ils Disten”, “Smile Like A Flower”
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4. The Smile: Wall Of Eyes
Wall Of Eyes is The Smile’s second studio album.
The Smile was born as a creative outlet for Jonny Greenwood and Thom Yorke of Radiohead fame during the Covid. The guys’ real band was too slow-moving to satisfy the gentlemen’s need to release new music. Greenwood has said he wants to release music twice as fast even if the quality is only 90%. I also assume that releasing music under The Smile label will provide a welcome release for Greenwood and Yorke from the enormous pressures of the Radiohead brand.
Formed in 2020, The Smile was completed as a trio with the addition of drummer Tom Skinner from psychedelic afro-jazz band Sons Of Kemet. The Smile made their surprise debut at the Glastonbury Festival streaming concert (because of the Corona virus) in May 2021 and released their first studio album A Light for Attracting Attention around the same time…
5. Sleepytime Gorilla Museum : Of The Last Human Being
Of The Last Human Being is Sleepytime Gorilla Museum’s fourth studio album.
The Sleepytime Gorilla Museum (hereafter SGM) was born in California in the late 90s. Vocalist/guitarist Nils Frykdahl and bassist Dan Rathbun, formerly of Idiot Flesh, joined forces with violinist Carla Kihlstedt and two percussionists Moe! Staiano and David Shamrock to form SGM in 1991. The band recorded their debut album Grand Opening And Closing (2001) a couple of years later.
On the next album Of Natural History (2004), after a few drum changes, the line-up was stabilised with Frykdahl, Rathbun, Kihlstedt, drummer Matthias Bossi (who is also Kihltedt’s husband) and multi-instrumentalist Michael Iago Mellender.
This quasi-definitive line-up of the band recorded one more album In Glorious Times in 2007. In 2011, SGM announced three farewell shows and after that it all seemed to be over. Permanently…
6. Present : This Is NOT The End
This Is NOT The End is Present’s eighth studio album.
The recent past has seen the return of three major avant-prog bands. Univers Zero returned in 2023 after a break of almost ten years, while Sleepytime Gorilla Museum released a new studio album in spring 2024 after a gap of 17 years. The most bittersweet of these major comebacks, however, is the release of Belgian band Present’s new album This Is NOT The End, as founder and mastermind Roger Trigaux died in the middle of the recording process.
Born in Belgium in 1951, guitarist/composer Roger Trigaux founded Univers Zero in 1973 with drummer Daniel Denis. With Denis, Trigaux created a style that combined rock and art music in a dark and distinctive way. Univers Zero’s untitled debut (1977) and the subsequent Hérésie (1979) remain a significant benchmark for avant-prog’s dark chamber music direction. After Hérésie, Trigaux left Univers Zero to form his own band, Present…
7. Opeth : The Last Will And Testament
The Last Will And Testament is Opeth’s 14th studio album.
Founded in 1990, Sweden’s Opeth is one of the most important prog-metal bands of all time. Guitarist/vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt’s groundbreaking insight was to combine elements of extreme metal, especially death metal, with progressive rock. Åkerfeldt’s influences came equally from prog bands like Genesis, Jethro Tull and Camel, but also from heavy metal bands like Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath and Slayer, and eventually from the mid-80s death metal scene.
One of the key characteristics of progressive rock is the dynamics between the soft/quiet and the harsh/loud sections. Opeth took this to extremes as the band could go from frenetic double bass rumbling and brutal growling vocal sections to feather-light passages carried by acoustic guitars and vocals sung in a pure, clear voice in an instant. This gimmick was potentially surprising and very effective..
8. Arooj Aftab : Night Reign
Night Reign is Arooj Aftab’s fourth studio album.
Pakistani-born singer/songwriter Arooj Aftab (b.1985), who has since moved to the US, made his definitive breakthrough with his Grammy-winning third album Vulture Prince, released in 2021.
A student at Berklee’s famous music school, Aftab’s music has been described as a combination of Hindustani art music, Pakistani folk music and jazz. In terms of jazz, Aftab’s music leans slightly towards ECM-inspired chamber jazz. These premises may give the impression of something very ancient, but in fact there is something very modern, or perhaps rather timeless, about Aftab’s records that is difficult to put into words. Perhaps it is to some extent the influence of Billie Eilish, whom Aftab has said she is a fan of. So it’s not retro music at all, but a fresh fusion of genres that draws on history but is also firmly rooted in the present.
Vulture Prince was quiet and low-key music, and Aftab’s fourth album raises the stakes in an interesting way. Night Reign’s music is much livelier, groovier and more dynamic. The thickly roaring bass guitar of ”Bolo nan” even reminds me of Massive Attack’s masterpiece Mezzanine. When Moor Mother’s emphatic spoken word comes in, the triphop impressions are even stronger. However, ”Bolo na” does not particularly represent the overall feel of the album which is generally more ethereal and acoustic.
What almost all the songs on the album have in common is that they have a certain ”nocturnal” feel to them, which is of course what the title of the album refers to. There is also something very mysterious about the atmosphere, which may have something to do with how nimbly Aftab moves between different cultural influences. The vocals on the album are alternately sung in Urdu and English, and both sound equally natural in Aftab’s dark-toned music.
The album is a rich mix of acoustic and electronic sounds. Tuba, double bass and flugelhorn play in harmony with synthesizers and electric guitars. Taking centre stage alongside Aftab’s powerful vocals is the often quite energetic harp of Scottish Maeve Gilchrist, which creates a bright beam of light in an otherwise nocturnal atmosphere.
The most surprising visit on the album is made by Elvis Costello. He plays Wurlitzer on ”Last Night Reprise”, a new, more dynamic arrangement of a song already heard on Vulture Prince. Costello’s visit stems probably from the fact that he once proclaimed Vulture Prince ”the cultural highlight of 2021”.
The main attraction of Night Reign, however, is Aftab’s own vocal voice, which is at the centre of the successful arrangements and full-bodied production. It sounds mostly softly intimate, but often grows into a powerful performance. Aftab’s voice has a hint of charming huskiness that adds its own personal touch and a touch of extra edge.
Like Vulture Prince ,Night Reign has received a rapturous reception and has already picked up two Grammy nominations for 2025. The fate of the Grammys remains to be seen, but for me, the sombre and powerfully gripping Night Reign definitely gets the ”best Arooj Aftab album so far” nod.
Best tracks: ”Aey Nehin”, ”Na Gul”, ”Bolo na”, ”Last Night Reprise”, ”Raat Ki Rani”
9. Tomeka Reid Quartet : 3+3
3+3 is the third studio album by the Tomeka Reid Quartet.
American Tomeka Reid (b. 1977) is a classically trained cellist who is, however, mainly oriented towards jazz. In 2022, Reid was awarded the MacArthur Fellowship, which is given to individuals who demonstrate ”exceptional talent” in their field. The MacArthur Fellowship includes an $800,000 grant to be paid over five years.
Reid has released four albums as leader of the band, including three under the name Tomeka Reid Quartet. The quartet includes another MacArthur Award-winning guitarist Mary Halvorson, double bassist Jason Roebke and Tomas Fujiwara.
Like its predecessor Old New (2019), Cuneiform’s 3+3 serves up avant-garde jazz that sometimes sparkles in a subtle abstract way and sometimes surrenders to energetic grooves that alternate between controlled chaos and surprisingly clear melodicism.With 3+3, Reid paints on a broader canvas than before, as while the songs on his previous albums have been relatively short, the album’s three tracks vary in duration from eight minutes to as much as 16 minutes.
The first track ”Turning Inward / Sometimes You Just Have To Run With It” grows from a wistful chamber improvisation to a cheerful, raw jazz stylings. Reid’s cello strums along briskly and Halvorson’s electric guitar rises to the challenge with its distinctive sound, but also playing more melodically than usual and even a little bluesy. Over the course of a long song, each member of the quartet gets their own star moment, but the soloing is cleverly woven into Reid’s supple, progressive composition.
”Sauntering With Mr. Brown” is more intense than the first song, but also more playful. Halvorson’s guitar runs are virtuosic and Fujiwara strikes a nice punch behind his drum kit, sometimes leading the quartet with a marching stride.
The album-closing 15-minute ”Exploring Outward / Funambulist Fever” is a darkly lyrical composition in which Reid’s beautifully buzzing cello is given plenty of space. The last five minutes, though, offer more free-form playing and Fujiwara’s frantically inheriting drums take over the stage for a while until the whole band returns for a powerful finale
3+3 may not match the intensity of its more fiery predecessor Old New, but on the other hand Reid’s music sounds more atmospheric and offers even stronger melodies this time around. 3+3 is a strong candidate for the best jazz album of 2024.
Best tracks: ”Turning Inward / Sometimes You Just Have To Run With It”, ”Sauntering With Mr. Brown”
10. Mary Halvorson: Cloudward
American jazz musician Mary Halvorson (b. 1980) has long enjoyed great acclaim as a guitarist and composer, but Amaryllis, released in 2022, seems to have taken her popularity to a whole new level.
Around the same time as Amaryllis with a sextet line-up, the sister album Belladonna was released with a string quartet. Now Cloudward returns to the brilliant Amaryllis sextet, with bassist Nick Dunston, drummer Tomas Fujiwara, trombonist Jacob Garchik, trumpeter Adam O’Farrill and vibraphonist Patricia Brennan playing alongside Halvorson on electric guitar. Art-pop icon Laurie Anderson makes a surprise guest appearance as violinist on one track. Anderson’s freewheelingly avant-garde violin playing is a nice little extra.
Cloudward’s music again seems quite precise and carefully composed, but the overall impression is a bit more spontaneous than Amaryllis and probably some of the songs, like Anderson’s ”Incarnadine”, are largely based on free improvisation.
Like Amyryllis, Cloudward offers intricate and edgy semi-acoustic chamber jazz that provides equally interesting moments for the entire Halvorson’s excellent line-up. This time around, the rich brass arrangements in particular often seem to rise to the surface, bringing to mind another of experimental jazz’s great female musician, the late Carla Bley. But as said, everyone gets to shine. Even the selflessly sparing Halvorson, whose strangely effected electric guitar buzzes and warbles, again in her typical way, when she dares to take a solo role. Halvorson’s psychedelically raging guitar solo on ’Desiderata’ is a brain-bending listen.
I have to admit that after Halvorson’s 2022 triumphs, Cloudward feels a little disappointing. In the end, however, it’s just that those albums managed to set the bar so high. Even if Cloudward doesn’t quite reach the heights of Amaryllis, it is yet another testament to Halvorson’s ability to compose highly sophisticated, yet accessible modern instrumental music. It is also definitely one of the best jazz albums of 2024.
Best tracks: ”The Gate”, ”Unscrolling”, ”Desiderata”
Author: JANNE YLIRUUSI
Other parts of the Year by Year series can be found here.
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