Best of 2024 – Johan Carlsson

Here is the Best of 2024 picks and a Spotify playlist from Johan Carlsson, Release Magazine.

Albums

Indochine: “Babel Babel”
Yet another strong album, with hit after hit.

Bill Leeb: “Model Kollapse”
After a 40 year career, Bill Leeb suddenly comes out with a solo album. Filled with danceable tracks featuring Leeb basslines (™) and guest vocalists, it’s a very strong effort.

Confidence Man: “3AM LA LA LA”
A tribute to 90:s dance music, this bunch of songs will make you remember the raves of yesteryear. Catchy, fun, and nostalgic.

The Cure: “Songs of a Lost World”
After 16 years, we finally got a new The Cure album, and we saw that it was good. Slow, sad, beautiful songs, with Robert Smith’s iconic voice intact.

Cyberaktif: “Endgame”
The industrial legends came together again to bring us a new Cyberaktif. While I enjoy the old school tracks like “Broken Through Time” the most, there’s a lot to love here.

Haujobb: “The Machine in the Ghost”
Daniel Myer and Dejan Samardzic focused on sampling a lot of found sounds this time around, but the result is very much Haujobb. Atmospheric and intriguing.

Pet Shop Boys: “Nonetheless”
This is a strong era for the boys. A fantastic album, plus a whole bunch of really great B-sides. Even the remixes are good this time, especially the Boy Harsher remix of “New London Boy”.

Unit:187: “KillCure”
This is an album I didn’t see coming, as lead singer Tod Law died of leukemia in 2015. But the group rallied, and brought in a new singer in Kerry Peterson and the result is amazing.

Your Enemy: “Broken Toys”
Dancey, monotone and catchy at the same time.

Ugress: “Retrotopia”
I just discovered this in the beginning of December, and it’s already made its way onto my list. Norwegian “cinematronica” that sounds like Röyksopp went synthwave and added a buttload of movie samples.

Songs

Your Enemy: “I Am the Surprise”
An immediate hit. Listen loud.

Cyberaktif: “Broken Through Time”
My favourite song off “Endgame”, and also the most old school sounding one. Maybe I’m getting old…

Houses of Heaven: “Within/Without”
The album didn’t quite live up to the fantastic heights set by this track, but that doesn’t diminish the power of “Within/Without”.

Pet Shop Boys: “New London Boy”
Some of my favourite PSB tracks seem to be the ones where Neil reminisces about the past, like “Being Boring” and now “New London Boy”.

Indochine: “Les Chant des Cygnes”
Catchy as hell, as most songs on the new album.

Maschine Brennt: “Communication”
No one does “modern Kraftwerk” better than Sweden’s own Maschine Brennt.

Confidence Man: “I Can’t Lose You”
A bona fide hit, and their enthusiastic performance of this song at Glastonbury this summer was how I discovered them.

The Cure: “Alone”
The first taste of the new album, and still my favourite. Achingly beautiful.

FKA Twigs: “Eusexua”
Dark, twisting and erotic. Very cool music video too!

Color Theory: “Punching Shadows”
Color Theory is an American synthpop project, and they’re usually quite uneven. This time though, they hit a home run.

Ugress: “Exit 44”
Like a soundtrack to a movie that doesn’t exist. Dramatic, electronic and filled with suspense.

Unit:187: “KillCure”
The absolutely massive final track on Unit:187’s return.