Best of 2023 | Best albums | Best songs | Irish albums | Best Of Podcasts | Guest lists |
Dwayne Woods is an artist manager and publicist at Butter Wouldn’t Melt.
His top three gigs of the year were Fever Ray, Pj Harvey and Pavement.
See all Guestlist of 2023 choices.
2023 was a year of big change for me and I listened to a ridiculous amount of new music from everywhere and anywhere.
It’s been a strange old year but a very busy one. As always, I am very grateful to have such an eclectic mix of brilliant music to soundtrack my journey.
I hope you can just get lost in the playlist. I also hope you enjoy it as much as I have spending time with and finding comfort in these tunes.
Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.
A link to Dwayne’s Spotify playlist of the 10 tracks.
10.
Agar Agar
Fake Names
When I first heard this track I thought it sounded like a long lost Beth Orton collab from the 90s for a moment. I was obviously wrong but I love this track. Great lyrics and production. The album is a vibe too. Highly recommend it.
9.
Damefrisør
D.O.D
I love this band. Damefrisør are from Bristol. I first heard their track 2hehV and was hooked. I was waiting to see what they would do next and D.O.D was the result. Intense and emotive. Taken from their Island of Light EP. Give them a go. If you haven’t already.
8.
Nabihah Iqbal
Sunflower
Great track from a great album. I only got into this artist recently.
Sunflower warmed my heart after dealing with loss and grief this last year. It’s nice to have a bop too as well.
7.
Post Coal Prom Queen
Free Radio Phobos
Another Scottish entry this time from alt-pop duo Post Coal Prom Queen, who delivered a fine album/electronic-pop-opera in 2023 with Music for First Contact. Free Radio Phobos is my favourite cut from that. Brilliant stuff.
Looking forward to seeing what they do next and I would love to see them play in Dublin.
6.
Clark
Dismissive
Dismissive is one of my favourite singles from one of my favourite albums of the year. The Thom Yorke produced Sus Dog is a mighty return for Clarke. I love it. I’m enjoying the remix album too. This is another earworm from a collection of many.
5.
Eyes of Others
Once Or Twice, Or Thrice
A Scottish entry this time, from Eyes of Others. I straight away clicked with this track and this artist. I read somewhere that Eyes of Others is ‘post-pub couldn’t get in the club music’ I’m down with that. This track is such an earworm. On repeat at Butter wouldn’t Melt HQ.
4.
Miya Folick
Cockroach
“I’m a fucking Cockroach and you can’t kill me” This has been one of my mantras for 2023. Haters gonna hate. I find myself laughing at this a lot.
3.
PJ Harvey
Lwonesome Tonight
One of my favorites off the latest album. It was a tough choice.
I like how this track is a nostalgic reminder of the innocence of youth and how naive we can be in our sexual explorations. “Are you Elvis, are You God, Jesus, sent to win my trust”
Brilliant track on a brilliant record. These songs really came to life on stage accompanied by intense lighting and well choreographed movement. The music really took on a new life from the book or the album. Gig and album of the year for me.
2.
United Freedom Collective & The Social Singing Choir
Space Intention
This one was served up to me via the Spotify algorithm and the choir part scared the life out of me asI had it playing loud on a speaker system. It got my attention anyway and what a beautiful track it is.
1.
break_fold
The Morning Commute
A late contender to the list is break_fold from Bradford. I love this producer and he recently dropped this gorgeous track. I lose myself in how it is both ambient and intense with a climatic forward motion. A morning warmer these last few weeks. You can find this track on his recent NZ529260 EP.
Best of 2023 | Best albums | Best songs | Irish albums | Best Of Podcasts | Guest lists |
