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Another year and another sack-load of brilliant albums… I’ve made a list of my favourite 50 here, all of which I’ve thoroughly enjoyed in 2024. There’s indie, rock, punk, jazz, electronic, acoustic and global sounds to dig into here. It’s been a real pleasure playing music for you every week on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Scotland and ´óÏó´«Ã½ Sounds, and I’ve managed to play tracks from almost all of these over the last 12 months. I hope you find some inspiration and musical nourishment from some, if not all of these excellent records. Dig in and investigate…

Albums of the year

• Hamish Hawk – A Firmer Hand (Fierce Panda & So Recordings)

It’s always tricky choosing one album to put on top of the pile, but taking the #1 spot for me this year is… The man, the myth, the legend… Hamish Hawk! An artist I have been supporting for many years and have had the pleasure of welcoming into the ´óÏó´«Ã½ studios for LIVE sessions and sets on various occasions. This new album is his best yet, featuring darker lyrical themes and leaner, meaner musical arrangements from his excellent band. The singles have all been bangers, but the album itself warrants repeat listening and hooks you further in with every play. You’ll find wit, wisdom, poetry and some killer tunes in there. Hamish is on fine form and this new album proves it.

Then in alphabetical order:

• Afterlands - We Are The Animals In The Night (Lost Map)
• Amyl & the Sniffers – Cartoon Darkness (Rough Trade)
• Andrew Wasylyk & Tommy Perman – Ash Grey and the Gull Glides On (Clay Pipe)
• Arab Strap – I’m totally fine with it, don’t give a fuck anymore (Rock Action)
• Arooj Aftab - Night Reign (Verve)
• Beth Gibbons – Lives Outgrown (Domino)
• BMX Bandits - Dreamers On The Run (Tapete)
• Broken Chanter - Chorus of Doubt (Chemikal Underground)
• Bull - Engines of Honey (Self Release)
• Camera Obscura – Look to the East, Look to the West (Merge)
• Chrysanths - Leave No Shadow (Chemikal Underground)
• Corto Alto – 30/108 (New Soil x Bridge the Gap)
• Dead Pony – Ignore This (Lab Records)
• Field Music - Limits of Language (Memphis Industries)
• Fontaines DC – Romance (XL Recordings)
• Goat – Goat (Rocket Recordings)
• Grandaddy – Blu Wav (Dangerbird)
• Gruff Rhys - Sadness Sets Me Free (Rough Trade)
• Gurry Wurry – Happy For Now (Self Release)
• Hifi Sean & David McAlmont – Daylight (Plastique Recordings)
• Ibibio Sound Machine - Pull the Rope (Merge)
• Jack White – No Name (XL Recordings / Third Man)
• Jane Weaver - Love In Constant Spectacle (Fire)
• Jill Lorean - Peace Cult (Monohands)
• Kilgour - How To Put Your Hat On (Last Night From Glasgow)
• Kim Deal – Nobody Loves You More (4AD)
• Kim Gordon – The Collective (Matador)
• Lauren Mayberry – Vicious Creature (EMI)
• Loma - How Will I Live Without A Body (Sub Pop)
• Magic Fig – Magic Fig (Silver Current)
• Man of Moon – Machinism (Self Release)
• Nubya Garcia – Odyssey (Concord Jazz)
• OSEES – Sorcs 80 (Castle Face)
• Port Sulphur - Meta Guru (Creeping Bent / Last Night From Glasgow)
• Public Service Broadcasting – The Last Flight (So Recordings)
• rEDOLENT – Dinny Greet (Post Electric)
• Scorpio Leisure – Audio Pleasure (Last Night From Glasgow)
• St Vincent – All Born Screaming (Virgin)
• The Cure – Songs of a Lost World (Fiction)
• The Darts – Boomerang (Alternative Tentacles)
• The Joy Hotel – Ceremony (So Recordings)
• The Kaisers - More from The Kaisers (Imperial Wireless)
• The Jesus and Mary Chain – Glasgow Eyes (Fuzz Club)
• The Smile – Wall of Eyes / Cutouts (XL Recordings)
• The The – Ensoulment (Cineola / Earmusic)
• Walt Disco – The Warping (Lucky Number)
• White Denim – 12 (Bella Union)
• Withered Hand & Kathryn Williams – Willson Williams (One Little Independent)
• Wojtek The Bear - shaking hands with the NME (Last Night From Glasgow)

And before the shouting starts… I know that ‘Music isn’t a competition’! This is only MY own personal list… And if I’ve missed out your favourite, you can always drop me a line one week when I’m on air? Or make your own list? Have a listen to this lot anyway. Some you’ll know, some you might not… But they’re all ACE!

Track of the Year

• Corto Alto – Chubbby (New Soil x Bridge the Gap)

EP of the Year

• Kosmischer Läufer– Track Club EP (Unknown Capability Recordings)

Compilation album

• Congo Funk! – Sound Madness From The Shores Of The Mighty Congo River (Kinshasa-Brazzaville 1969-1982) (Analogue Africa)

Reissue

• Roots Rock Rebels – When Punk Met Reggae 1975 – 1982 (Cherry Red)

Merry Christmas, Happy Hogmanay and all the best for 2025…

Cheeers,

Vic xxx