Stories from a long time ago, scenes that can’t be forgotten and the very best trips. Our favourite compilation albums from 2024.
Even the Forest Hums: Ukrainian Sonic Archives 1971-1996
An amazing new project from the folks that specialise in amazing projects. Even the Forest Hums is the first comprehensive collection of Ukrainian music, recorded prior to - and immediately following - the USSR’s collapse. It has been lovingly compiled in partnership with the Kyiv based reissue label Shukai (meaning “to hunt, or search”) and one of its biggest victories is how consistent the vibe remains across decades of style and genre. Ambience, exotic jazz, baroque pop, fuzzed-out guitars, dulcimers, electro bangers and heartbreaking folk. A really remarkable listening experience.
Congo Funk! Sound Madness From The Shores Of The Mighty Congo River (Kinshasa/Brazzaville 1969-1982)
The Analog Africa team undertook a hugely ambitious trawl through some 2000 funk songs (making two journeys to Kinshasa and one to Brazzaville) to compile this effervescent set of swirling funk goodness from 1969 to 1982. We won’t paraphrase any of the stories as there are fantastic liner notes and this is a trip (down river) that you should really take in yourselves. Great stories, stunning art, and music to shake the limbs.
Ayo Ke Disco
Translating as "Let's go to the disco" in Indonesian, Ayo Ke Disco is a collection of lovingly-curated bangers from the vibrant discotheques across Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong and the Philippines. Rare cuts from the 1970s and 80s and all loads of fun.
Ghana Special 2 - Electronic Highlife & Afro Sounds In The Diaspora, 1980-93
Highlighting a time when new music technology and recording techniques offered experimentation in “Electronic Highlife & Afro Sounds” across the west of Africa. It’s all so vibrant, with plenty of hot swaying, blazing horns and squelching beats. There isn’t a wasted minute here! Absolute bangers.
Verckys et l´Orchestre Vévé - Congolese Funk, Afrobeat & Psychedelic Rumba 1969-1978
Originally released in 2014, this splendid compilation charts Verckys et L'Orchestre Veve at the height of their powers; hot nights and never-ending grooves from Kinshasa’s nightclubs and dance floors. Four sides of rumba hip shakers and burning psychedelic shimmer from multi-instrumentalist Georges Mateta Kiamuangana’s red-hot band.
Cosmic American Music: Motel California
As far as we are concerned, Numero’s 2016 private country rock compilation Cosmic American Music is an absolute stone cold classic, so a new edition in the series - Cosmic American Music: Motel California - got us pretty desert-heat-hot. It is, as you’d naturally expect, another proper belter. A snapshot of the very weirder edges of the west coast folk rock scene of the late 1960s. Long forgotten cuts that fill in gaps in the valley scene story. Two records, four sides and we just kept spinning and spinning them, falling in love with the cosmic.
Broadcast
Spell Blanket: Collected Demos 2006-2009
Distant Call: Collected Demos 2000 - 2006
Two final releases from the treasured and dearly missed Broadcast. Spell Blanket gathers songs and sketches drawn from Trish Keenan’s extensive archive of 4-track tapes and MiniDiscs, showing the groundwork for what would have been Broadcast’s fifth album. Distant Call is a collection of early demos of songs that would subsequently appear as finished productions on the albums Haha Sound, Tender Buttons and The Future Crayon. Ideas forming out of whispers, it’s really special stuff and a beautiful last gift.
Galaxie 500 - Uncollected Noise New York '88-'90
A 24-track chronological journey through rarities and outtakes of the iconic Galaxie 500. It includes never-heard-before songs from the start of their incendiary career to their final studio sessions. They were the forerunners of so many wonderful bands, so vast was the trio’s influence that it’s hard to quantify. A great band and much of this is thrilling.
Night Train: Transcontinental Landscapes 1968 – 2019
I know that we are forever telling you to take a trip, but this one really is the perfect soundtrack for trip-taking from the heads at Two-Piers. “From Dusk, through to Dawn. A collection to accompany the change of the fields, the coastline, the colour of the sky outside your window as you take your journey.” Pastoral loveliness through to giddy propulsion via J.J. Cale, Linda Perhacs, Tangerine Dream, The Byrds and Leon Russell.
