34/16 - The Simple Way You Fold Your Grace

Merry Christmas! I was going to post a distinctly non-seasonal list, but then I listened to Nils Frahm's excellent christmas mix, and it softened my heart. So, inspired by that, here's my post-Christmas mix:

Philip Glass - Six Etudes For Piano: Etude No. 2

It feels like none of the versions I find on Spotify of this is as perfect as what I heard on radio the other week, but nevertheless, there's plenty of beauty here.

Maria Callas - Norma: Casta Diva

Lifted directly from Nils' mix. The moment when the choir comes in kills me.

Ariel Ramírez - Gloria (Carnavalito-Yaravi)

An old parental favourite that was ever so familiar to me, without me ever having looked up what it was. Dad fished out the vinyl from the shelf though and we listened to the whole, amazing, recording.

People Like Us - Driving Flying Rising Falling

All the christmas merriment at once. This is what the unwrapping of gifts was like, with four kids in a mountain of presents.

Ian William Craig - A Single Hope

I've started the project of listening to all the 'best of 2016' albums that I missed during the year, and this is my first gorgeous discovery, as Christmas fades into that grey crackly static of the last few days of the year...

RTJ3 was surprise-released yesterday. I've only listened once yet, but I dare say – with the exception of the birth of my nephew Sigge – it's probably the best thing that happened in 2016:

33/16 - Open Up The Parachute!

The year, and other things, are coming to an end. The London family disperses.

Midlake - Rulers, Ruling All Things

Thinking the world was mine to get lost in
I ran with freedom and sank in between

Neil Young - I Believe In You

For Francis, Zbong, Manuel, Zhen, Tamar and all the other lovelies leaving London to spread out across the world. 

The Shins - It's Only Life

You've been talking for hours
You say time will wash every tower to the sea
Now you've got this worry in your heart
Well I guess it's only life, it's only natural

Geraint Watkins - Only A Rose

Hoarse breathing makes everything heartfelt.

Sigur Rós - Stormur

The storm sweeps in. Wipes the slate clean. I am waiting for the calm after. Winter can be beautiful with an Icelandic soundtrack.

32/16 - Tired Are Your Splendid Soldiers

Finally I've got a job. Before then, in the grip of anxiety and growing hopelessness, I started composing this portentous atmosphere of a list.

Miles Davis - Tout de Suite (alternate take)

I'm not generally prone to having songs on repeat, but with the preposterous care I put into compiling these lists I do end up listening to the top 5 candidates quite a few times in a short period. Sometimes, like with this track, they're even on the waiting list for a couple of weeks before getting included, and through getting to know them over time they suddenly reveal their full splendour. This might at first listen strike one as a decent but longish outtake. Give it time though, and there's a magisterial austerity that creeps under your skin. The moment Miles comes in on the second beat at 3:17 for example; it's just so... clean. Restrained and perfectly balanced, like a gleaming ore running through granite.

Kaada + Patton - Viens, Les Gazons Sont Verts

Old favourite obscure record. Mike Patton teams up with Norwegian soundtrack composer John Erik Kaada to create ghostly non-verbal incantations.

Mercury Rev - Love Is Pure

More cinematic music, here from a band that started out improvising unofficial scores to nature documentaries. But this piece is darker than the most harrowing scenes from Planet Earth (racer snakes!!!!).

Alev Lenz - Fall Into Me

Finished watching the latest season of Black Mirror. Surely one of the most poignantly scary/dystopic TV shows ever created. Painfully good. And at the darkest moment of all, this amazing combination of frail gorgeous vocals and ominous drones fades in and chills. me. to. the. bone.

Daniel Johnston - Poor You

A song that works on two levels. As a sincere and beautiful admission of depression, and as an ironically send-up of self-pity. Both can be needed at times.