Make It Home Alive
Edition #98 recommends fresh tracks by IAMTHELIVING, Nina West, Edwin Rosen, Theo Bleak, and ÄTNA. Get your dose of new music right here.
In today's selection of new tracks, we travel around the globe, from smooth Australian jazz by Nina West to IAMTHELIVING's soulful R&B originating in Vancouver. We lay over in Germany for the haunting compositions by ÄTNA and Edwin Rosen.
The final station is Scotland, where «it's raining all the time.» But when Theo Bleak sings it, it's not so bad after all.
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You can listen to today's curation on selected streaming services:
Nina West – Trouble
Trouble, the debut single by 21-year-old Australian/British multi-instrumentalist Nina West, is a shimmering outlook to a bright future. The song's jazzy soul vibe invites to relax; however, the lyrics tell the story of ignoring red flags. Trouble isn't easy, but a demonstration of West's musical sophistication with her not only singing but playing the piano, alto sax, and bass.
ÄTNA – Alive
German duo ÄTNA are known for their delicate and eclectic electronic songs like Come To Me. However, in their latest single release, Alive, they sound refreshingly reduced and acoustic. The piano takes centre stage in this balladesque song, while Inéz Schaefer's voice still evocates the same atmosphere that ÄTNA's tracks usually encompass—a beautiful piece.
IAMTHELIVING – Make It Home Alive (feat. Jake Isaac)
Raised in Peckham, London, Rian Peters is now working out of Vancouver as IAMTHELIVING. Collaborating with South London's rising neo-soul star Jake Isaac, he released the compelling single Make It Home Alive. Their voices complement each other perfectly over a laid-back yet soulful rhythm. It's a song that drips like honey, immediately prompting an emotional bond.
Theo Bleak – Raining All The Time
Hailing from Dundee, Scotland, Theo Bleak released her fourth EP, Pain, on October 31. With a bit of delay, we still wholeheartedly recommend the EP's closing track, Raining All The Time. The song starts innocent, like a classic indie-pop ballad, but then erupts into a louder, rockier chorus while Bleak's voice ethereally hovers over the dark, rumbling composition.
Edwin Rosen – kontrollverlust
Edwin Rosen: Posterboy of Germany's new wave of post-punk artists and child of pandemic bedroom sound. After a surprising breakthrough with single releases like leichter//kälter in 2020 and Vertigo (2022), Rosen follows up with his second track this year, kontrollverlust. Pushing his fast-paced sound again, combined with pleading, echoing vocals, the song is another anthem for the lost youth.
Discover All Grammy Nominations 2024
Discover all nominations in every category for the prestigious Grammy Awards 2024.
The Grammys are an annual music awards ceremony honouring outstanding music industry achievements. The awards cover various categories, including pop, rock, jazz, classical, country, and many more.
The Grammys are considered to be one of the most prestigious awards in the music industry, and winning a Grammy is a coveted achievement for many musicians.
Already, the nominations bear a new record for Taylor Swift. With the nomination of her song Anti-Hero in the «Song of the Year» category, Swift became the first songwriter to score seven nominations—beating Paul McCartney and Lionel Richie with six nominations each.
Here are all the categories and nominations for the Grammy Awards 2024:
Record of the Year
Billie Eilish - What Was I Made For? [From the Motion Picture “Barbie”]
Boygenius - Not Strong Enough
Jon Batiste - Worship
Miley Cyrus - Flowers
Olivia Rodrigo - Vampire
SZA - Kill Bill
Taylor Swift - Anti-Hero
Victoria Monét - On My Mama
Album of the Year
Boygenius - The Record
Janelle Monáe - The Age of Pleasure
Jon Batiste - World Music Radio
Lana Del Rey - Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd
Miley Cyrus - Endless Summer Vacation
Olivia Rodrigo - Guts
SZA - SOS
Taylor Swift - Midnights
Song of the Year
Billie Eilish - What Was I Made For? [From the Motion Picture “Barbie”]
Dua Lipa - Dance the Night (From Barbie the Album)
Jon Batiste - Butterfly
Lana Del Rey - A&W
Miley Cyrus - Flowers
Olivia Rodrigo - Vampire
SZA - Kill Bill
Taylor Swift - Anti-Hero
Best New Artist
Coco Jones
Gracie Abrams
Fred Again..
Ice Spice
Jelly Roll
Noah Kahan
Victoria Monét
The War and Treaty
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
Daniel Nigro
Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II
Hit-Boy
Jack Antonoff
Metro Boomin
Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical
Edgar Barrera
Jessie Jo Dillon
Justin Tranter
Shane McAnally
Theron Thomas
Best Pop Solo Performance
Billie Eilish - What Was I Made For? [From the Motion Picture “Barbie”]
Doja Cat - Paint the Town Red
Miley Cyrus - Flowers
Olivia Rodrigo - Vampire
Taylor Swift - Anti-Hero
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
Labrinth Featuring Billie Eilish - Never Felt So Alone
Lana Del Rey Featuring Jon Batiste - Candy Necklace
Miley Cyrus Featuring Brandi Carlile - Thousand Miles
SZA Featuring Phoebe Bridgers - Ghost in the Machine
Taylor Swift Featuring Ice Spice - Karma
Best Pop Vocal Album
Ed Sheeran - - (Subtract)
Kelly Clarkson - Chemistry
Miley Cyrus - Endless Summer Vacation
Olivia Rodrigo - Guts
Taylor Swift - Midnights
Best Dance/Electronic Recording
Aphex Twin - Blackbox Life Recorder 21f
Disclosure - Higher Than Ever Before
James Blake - Loading
Romy & Fred Again.. - Strong
Skrillex, Fred Again.. & Flowdan - Rumble
Best Pop Dance Recording
Bebe Rexha & David Guetta - One in a Million
Calvin Harris Featuring Ellie Goulding - Miracle
David Guetta, Anne-Marie & Coi Leray - Baby Don’t Hurt Me
Kylie Minogue - Padam Padam
Troye Sivan - Rush
Best Dance/Electronic Music Album
James Blake - Playing Robots Into Heaven
The Chemical Brothers - For That Beautiful Feeling
Fred Again.. - Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9 2022)
Kx5 - Kx5
Skrillex - Quest for Fire
Best Rock Performance
Arctic Monkeys - Sculptures of Anything Goes
Black Pumas - More Than a Love Song
Boygenius - Not Strong Enough
Foo Fighters - Rescued
Metallica - Lux Æterna
Best Metal Performance
Disturbed - Bad Man
Ghost - Phantom of the Opera
Metallica - 72 Seasons
Slipknot - Hive Mind
Spiritbox - Jaded
Best Rock Song
Boygenius - Not Strong Enough
Foo Fighters - Rescued
Olivia Rodrigo - Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl
Queens of the Stone Age - Emotion Sickness
The Rolling Stones - Angry
Best Rock Album
Foo Fighters - But Here We Are
Greta Van Fleet - Starcatcher
Metallica - 72 Seasons
Paramore - This Is Why
Queens of the Stone Age - In Times New Roman…
Best Alternative Music Performance
Alvvays - Belinda Says
Arctic Monkeys - Body Paint
Boygenius - Cool About It
Lana Del Rey - A&W
Paramore - This Is Why
Best Alternative Music Album
Arctic Monkeys - The Car
Boygenius - The Record
Gorillaz - Cracker Island
Lana Del Rey - Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd
PJ Harvey - I Inside the Old Year Dying
Best R&B Performance
Chris Brown - Summer Too Hot
Coco Jones - ICU
Robert Glasper Featuring Sir & Alex Isley - Back to Love
SZA - Kill Bill
Victoria Monét - How Does It Make You Feel
Best Traditional R&B Performance
Babyface Featuring Coco Jones - Simple
Kenyon Dixon - Lucky
PJ Morton Featuring Susan Carol - Good Morning
SZA - Love Language
Victoria Monét Featuring Earth, Wind & Fire & Hazel Monét - Hollywood
Best R&B Song
Coco Jones - ICU
Halle - Angel
Robert Glasper Featuring Sir & Alex Isley - Back to Love
SZA - Snooze
Victoria Monét - On My Mama
Best Progressive R&B Album
Diddy - The Love Album: Off the Grid
Terrace Martin and James Fauntleroy - Nova
Janelle Monáe - The Age of Pleasure
SZA - SOS
6lack - Since I Have a Lover
Best R&B Album
Babyface - Girls Night Out
Coco Jones - What I Didn’t Tell You (Deluxe)
Emily King - Special Occasion
Summer Walker - Clear 2: Soft Life EP
Victoria Monét - Jaguar II
Best Rap Performance
Baby Keem Featuring Kendrick Lamar - The Hillbillies
Black Thought - Love Letter
Coi Leray - Players
Drake & 21 Savage - Rich Flex
Killer Mike Featuring André 3000, Future and Eryn Allen Kane - Scientists & Engineers
Best Melodic Rap Performance
Burna Boy Featuring 21 Savage - Sittin’ on Top of the World
Doja Cat - Attention
Drake & 21 Savage - Spin Bout U
Lil Durk Featuring J. Cole - All My Life
SZA - Low
Best Rap Song
Doja Cat - Attention
Drake & 21 Savage - Rich Flex
Killer Mike Featuring André 3000, Future and Eryn Allen Kane - Scientists & Engineers
Lil Uzi Vert - Just Wanna Rock
Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice Featuring Aqua - Barbie World [From Barbie the Album]
Best Rap Album
Drake & 21 Savage - Her Loss
Killer Mike - Michael
Metro Boomin - Heroes & Villains
Nas - King’s Disease III
Travis Scott - Utopia
Best Spoken Word Poetry Album
Aja Monet - When the Poems Do What They Do
J. Ivy - The Light Inside
Kevin Powell - Grocery Shopping With My Mother
Prentice Powell and Shawn William - For Your Consideration ’24
Queen Sheba - A-You’re Not Wrong B-They’re Not Either: The Fukc-It Pill Revisited
Best Jazz Performance
Adam Blackstone Featuring The Baylor Project & Russell Ferranté - Vulnerable (Live)
Fred Hersch & Esperanza Spalding - But Not for Me
Jon Batiste - Movement 18’ (Heroes)
Lakecia Benjamin - Basquiat
Samara Joy - Tight
Best Jazz Vocal Album
Cécile McLorin Salvant - Mélusine
Fred Hersch & Esperanza Spalding - Alive at the Village Vanguard
Gretchen Parlato & Lionel Loueke - Lean In
Nicole Zuraitis - How Love Begins
Patti Austin Featuring Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band - For Ella 2
Best Jazz Instrumental Album
Adam Blackstone - Legacy: The Instrumental Jawn
Billy Childs - The Winds of Change
Kenny Barron - The Source
Lakecia Benjamin - Phoenix
Pat Metheny - Dream Box
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
ADDA Simfònica, Josep Vicent, Emilio Solla - The Chick Corea Symphony Tribute - Ritmo
The Count Basie Orchestra Directed by Scotty Barnhart - Basie Swings the Blues
Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society - Dynamic Maximum Tension
Mingus Big Band - The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions
Vince Mendoza & Metropole Orkest - Olympians
Best Latin Jazz Album
Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band - Vox Humana
Eliane Elias - Quietude
Ivan Lins With the Tblisi Symphony Orchestra - My Heart Speaks
Luciana Souza & Trio Corrente - Cometa
Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo - El Arte del Bolero Vol. 2
Best Alternative Jazz Album
Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, Shahzad Ismaily - Love in Exile
Cory Henry - Live at the Piano
Kurt Elling, Charlie Hunter, SuperBlue - SuperBlue: The Iridescent Spree
Louis Cole - Quality Over Opinion
Meshell Ndegeocello - The Omnichord Real Book
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Bruce Springsteen - Only the Strong Survive
Laufey - Bewitched
Liz Callaway - To Steve With Love: Liz Callaway Celebrates Sondheim
Pentatonix - Holidays Around the World
Rickie Lee Jones - Pieces of Treasure
Various - Sondheim Unplugged (The NYC Sessions), Vol. 3
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
Béla Fleck, Zakir Hussain, Edgar Meyer, Featuring Rakesh Chaurasia - As We Speak
Ben Wendel - All One
Bob James - Jazz Hands
House of Waters - On Becoming
Julian Lage - The Layers
Best Musical Theater Album
Kimberly Akimbo
Parade
Shucked
Some Like It Hot
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Best Country Solo Performance
Brandy Clark - Buried
Chris Stapleton - White Horse
Dolly Parton - The Last Thing on My Mind
Luke Combs - Fast Car
Tyler Childers - In Your Love
Best Country Duo/Group Performance
Brothers Osborne - Nobody’s Nobody
Carly Pearce Featuring Chris Stapleton - We Don’t Fight Anymore
Dierks Bentley Furingeat Billy Strings - High Note
Jelly Roll With Lainey Wilson - Save Me
Vince Gill & Paul Franklin - Kissing Your Picture (Is So Cold)
Zach Bryan Featuring Kacey Musgraves - I Remember Everything
Best Country Song
Brandy Clark - Buried
Chris Stapleton - White Horse
Morgan Wallen - Last Night
Tyler Childers - In Your Love
Zach Bryan Featuring Kacey Musgraves - I Remember Everything
Best Country Album
Brothers Osborne - Brothers Osborne
Kelsea Ballerini - Rolling Up the Welcome Mat
Lainey Wilson - Bell Bottom Country
Tyler Childers - Rustin’ in the Rain
Zach Bryan - Zach Bryan
Best American Roots Performance
Allison Russell - Eve Was Black
Blind Boys of Alabama - Heaven Help Us All
Jon Batiste - Butterfly
Madison Cunningham - Inventing the Wheel
Rhiannon Giddens - You Louisiana Man
Best Americana Performance
Allison Russell - The Returner
Blind Boys of Alabama - Friendship
Brandy Clark Featuring Brandi Carlile - Dear Insecurity
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - King of Oklahoma
Tyler Childers - Help Me Make It Through the Night
Best American Roots Song
Allison Russell - The Returner
Billy Strings Featuring Willie Nelson - California Sober
Brandy Clark Featuring Brandi Carlile - Dear Insecurity
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Cast Iron Skillet
The War and Treaty - Blank Page
Best Americana Album
Allison Russell - The Returner
Brandy Clark - Brandy Clark
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Weathervanes
Rodney Crowell - The Chicago Sessions
Rhiannon Giddens - You’re the One
Best Bluegrass Album
Billy Strings - Me/And/Dad
Michael Cleveland - Lovin’ of the Game
Mighty Poplar - Mighty Poplar
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway - City of Gold
Sam Bush - Radio John: Songs of John Hartford
Willie Nelson - Bluegrass
Best Traditional Blues Album
Bobby Rush - All My Love for You
Eric Bibb - Ridin’
John Primer - Teardrops for Magic Slim Live at Rosa’s Lounge
Mr. Sipp - The Soul Side of Sipp
Tracy Nelson - Life Don’t Miss Nobody
Best Contemporary Blues Album
Bettye LaVette - LaVette!
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram - Live in London
Larkin Poe - Blood Harmony
Ruthie Foster - Healing Time
Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton - Death Wish Blues
Best Folk Album
Dom Flemons - Traveling Wildfire
Joni Mitchell - Joni Mitchell at Newport (Live)
The Milk Carton Kids - I Only See the Moon
Nickel Creek - Celebrants
Old Crow Medicine Show - Jubilee
Paul Simon - Psalms
Rufus Wainwright - Folkocracy
Best Regional Roots Music Album
Buckwheat Zydeco Jr. & The Legendary Ils Sont Partis Band - New Beginnings
Dwayne Dopsie & The Zydeco Hellraisers - Live At The 2023 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
Lost Bayou Ramblers & Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra - Live: Orpheum Theater Nola
New Breed Bass Band - Made in New Orleans
New Orleans Nightcrawlers - Too Much to Hold
The Rumble Feature Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr. - Live at the Maple Leaf
Best Gospel Performance/Song
Erica Campbell - Feel Alright (Blessed)
Melvin Crispell III - God Is
Kirk Franklin - All Things
Stanley Brown Featuring Hezekiah Walker, Kierra Sheard & Karen Clark Sheard - God Is Good
Zacardi Cortez - Lord Do It for Me (Live)
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song
Blessing Offor - Believe
Cody Carnes - Firm Foundation (He Won’t) [Live]
For King & Country Featuring Jordin Sparks - Love Me Like I Am
Lauren Daigle - Thank God I Do
Lecrae & Tasha Cobbs Leonard - Your Power
Maverick City Music, Chandler Moore & Naomi Raine - God Problems
Best Gospel Album
Erica Campbell - I Love You
Maverick City Music - The Maverick Way
Jonathan McReynolds - My Truth
Tasha Cobbs Leonard - Hymns (Live)
Tye Tribbett - All Things New: Live in Orlando
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
Blessing Offor - My Tribe
Da’ T.R.U.T.H. - Emanuel
Lauren Daigle - Lauren Daigle
Lecrae - Church Clothes 4
Phil Wickham - I Believe
Best Roots Gospel Album
The Blackwood Brothers Quartet - Tribute to the King
Blind Boys of Alabama - Echoes of the South
Becky Isaacs Bowman - Songs That Pulled Me Through the Tough Times
Brian Free & Assurance - Meet Me at the Cross
Gaither Vocal Band - Shine: The Darker the Night the Brighter the Light
Best Latin Pop Album
AleMor - Beautiful Humans, Vol. 1
Gaby Moreno - X Mi (Vol. 1)
Maluma - Don Juan
Pablo Alborán - La Cuarta Hoja
Paula Arenas - A Ciegas
Pedro Capó - La Neta
Best Música Urbana Album
Karol G - Mañana Será Bonito
Rauw Alejandro - Saturno
Tainy - Data
Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album
Cabra - Martínez
Diamante Eléctrico - Leche de Tigre
Fito Paez - EADDA9223
Juanes - Vida Cotidiana
Natalia Lafourcade - De Todas las Flores
Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano)
Ana Bárbara - Bordado a Mano
Flor de Toloache - Motherflower
Lila Downs - La Sánchez
Lupita Infante - Amor Como en las Películas de Antes
Peso Pluma - Génesis
Best Tropical Latin Album
Carlos Vives - Escalona Nunca Se Había Grabado Así
Grupo Niche y Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Colombia - Niche Sinfónico
Luis Figueroa - Voy a Ti
Omara Portuondo - Vida
Rubén Blades con Roberto Delgado & Orquesta - Siembra: 45° Aniversario (En Vivo en el Coliseo de Puerto Rico, 14 de Mayo 2022)
Tony Succar, Mimy Succar - Mimy & Tony
Best Global Music Performance
Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer & Shahzad Ismaily - Shadow Forces
Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer & Zakir Hussain Featuring Rakesh Chaurasia - Pashto
Burna Boy - Alone
Davido - Feel
Falu & Gaurav Shah (Featuring PM Narendra Modi) - Abundance in Millets
Ibrahim Maalouf Featuring Cimafunk & Tank and the Bangas - Todo Colores
Silvana Estrada - Milagro y Disastre
Best African Music Performance
Asake & Olamide - Amapiano
Ayra Starr - Rush
Burna Boy - City Boys
Davido Featuring Musa Keys - Unavailable
Tyla - Water
Best Global Music Album
Bokanté - History
Burna Boy - I Told Them…
Davido - Timeless
Shakti - This Moment
Susana Baca- Epifanías
Best Reggae Album
Buju Banton - Born for Greatness
Beenie Man - Simma
Burning Spear - No Destroyer
Collie Buddz - Cali Roots Riddim 2023
Julian Marley & Antaeus - Colors of Royal
Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album
Carla Patullo Featuring Tonality and The Scorchio Quartet - So She Howls
David Darling & Hans Christian - Ocean Dreaming Ocean
Kirsten Agresta-Copely - Aquamarine
Omar Akram - Moments of Beauty
Ólafur Arnalds - Some Kind of Peace (Piano Reworks)
Best Children’s Music Album
Andrew & Polly - Ahhhhh!
DJ Willy Wow! - Hip Hope for Kids!
Pierce Freelon & Nnenna Freelon - Ancestars
Uncle Jumbo - Taste the Sky
123 Andrés - We Grow Together Preschool Songs
Best Comedy Album
Chris Rock - Selective Outrage
Dave Chappelle - What’s in a Name?
Sarah Silverman - Someone You Love
Trevor Noah - I Wish You Would
Wanda Sykes - I’m An Entertainer
Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording
Meryl Streep - Big Tree
Michelle Obama - The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times
Rick Rubin - The Creative Act: A Way of Being
Senator Bernie Sanders - It’s OK to Be Angry About Capitalism
William Shatner - Boldly Go: Reflections on a Life of Awe and Wonder
Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
Daisy Jones & the Six - Aurora
Various Artists - Barbie The Album
Various Artists - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - Music From and Inspired By
Various Artists - Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3: Awesome Mix, Vol. 3
“Weird Al” Yankovic - Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media (Includes Film and Television)
John Williams - The Fabelmans
John Williams - Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Ludwig Göransson - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Ludwig Göransson - Oppenheimer
Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt - Barbie
Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media
Bear McCreary - God of War Ragnarök
Jess Serro, Tripod & Austin Wintory - Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical
Peter Murray, J Scott Rakozy & Chuck E. Myers “Sea” - Hogwarts Legacy
Sarah Schachner - Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare II
Stephen Barton & Gordy Haab - Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Best Song Written for for Visual Media
Billie Eilish - What Was I Made For? [From the Motion Picture “Barbie”]
Dua Lipa - Dance the Night (From Barbie the Album)
Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice Featuring Aqua - Barbie World [From Barbie the Album]
Rihanna - Lift Me Up (From Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - Music From and Inspired By)
Ryan Gosling - I’m Just Ken [From “Barbie the Album”]
Best Music Video
The Beatles - I’m Only Sleeping
Billie Eilish - What Was I Made For [From the Motion Picture “Barbie”]
Kendrick Lamar - Count Me Out
Troye Sivan - Rush
Tyler Childers - In Your Love
Best Music Film
David Bowie - Moonage Daydream
Kendrick Lamar - Live From Paris, the Big Steppers Tour
Lewis Capaldi - How I’m Feeling Now
Little Richard - I Am Everything
Tupac Shakur - Dear Mama
Best Recording Package
The Arcs - Eletrophonic Chronic
Brad Breeck - Gravity Falls
Caroline Rose - The Art of Forgetting
Dry Cleaning - Stumpwork
Ensemble Cadenza 21’ - Cadenza 21’
Leaf Yeh - Migration
Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package
Bo Burnham - Inside: Deluxe Box Set
Lou Reed - Words & Music, May 1965 - Deluxe Edition
Neutral Milk Hotel - The Collected Works of Neutral Milk Hotel
Ngọt - Gieo
Various Artists - For the Birds: The Birdsong Project
Best Album Notes
Howdy Glenn - I Can Almost See Houston
Iftin Band - Mogadishu’s Finest: The Al Uruba Sessions
John Coltrane - Evenings at the Village Gate: John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy (Live)
Various Artists - Playing for the Man at the Door: Field Recordings from the Collection of Mack McCormick, 1958–1971
Various Artists - Written in Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos
Best Historical Album
Bob Dylan - Fragments - Time Out Of Mind Sessions (1996-1997): The Bootleg Series, Vol. 17
Lou Reed - Words & Music, May 1965 - Deluxe Edition
Various Artists - The Moaninest Moan of Them All: The Jazz Saxophone of Loren McMurray, 1920-1922
Various Artists - Playing for the Man at the Door: Field Recordings from the Collection of Mack McCormick, 1958–1971
Various Artists - Written in Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
Bokanté - History
Boygenius - The Record
Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
Feist - Multitudes
Victoria Monét - Jaguar II
Best Engineered Album, Classical
Gustavo Dudamel, Anne Akiko Meyers, Gustavo Castillo & Los Angeles Philharmonic - Fandango
Manfred Honeck & Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra - Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 & Schulhoff: Five Pieces
Mehmet Ali Sanlikol, George Lernis & A Far Cry - Sanlikol: A Gentleman of Istanbul - Symphony for Strings, Percussion, Piano, Oud, Ney & Tenor
Riccardo Muti & Chicago Symphony Orchestra - Contemporary American Composers
Shara Nova & A Far Cry - The Blue Hour
Producer of the Year, Classical
Brian Pidgeon
David Frost
Dmitriy Lipay
Elaine Martone
Morten Lindberg
Best Remixed Recording
Depeche Mode - Wagging Tongue (Wet Leg Remix)
Gorillaz Featuring Tame Impala & Bootie Brown - New Gold (Dom Dolla Remix)
Lane 8 - Reviver (Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs Remix)
Mariah Carey - Workin’ Hard (Terry Hunter Remix)
Turnstile & BadBadNotGood Featuring Blood Orange - Alien Love Call
Best Immersive Audio Album
Alicia Keys - The Diary of Alicia Keys
Bear McCreary - God of War Ragnarök (Original Soundtrack)
George Strait - Blue Clear Sky
Madison Beer - Silence Between Songs
Ryan Ylyate - Act 3 (Immersive Edition)
Best Instrumental Composition
Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer & Zakir Hussain Featuring Rakesh Chaurasia - Motion
John Williams - Helena’s Theme
Lakecia Benjamin Feuringat Angela Davis - Amerikkan Skin
Ludwig Göransson - Can You Hear the Music
Quartet San Francisco Featuring Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band - Cutey and the Dragon
Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella
Hilario Duran and His Latin Jazz Big Band Featuring Paquito D’Rivera - I Remember Mingus
Just 6 - Angels We Have Heard on High
Ludwig Göransson - Can You Hear the Music
The String Revolution Featuring Tommy Emmanuel - Folsom Prison Blues
Wednesday Addams - Paint It Black
Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals
Cécile McLorin Salvant - Fenestra
Maria Mendes Featuring John Beasley & Metropole Orkest - Com Que Voz (Live)
Patti Austin Featuring Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band - April in Paris
Säje Featuring Jacob Collier - In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning
Samara Joy - Lush Life
Best Orchestral Performance
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra - Scriabin: Symphony No. 2; The Poem of Ecstasy
Los Angeles Philharmonic - Adès: Dante
Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra - Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra; Four Pieces
The Philadelphia Orchestra - Price: Symphony No. 4; Dawson: Negro Folk Symphony
San Francisco Symphony - Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring
Best Opera Recording
The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus - Blanchard: Champion
Boston Modern Orchestra Project & Odyssey Opera Chorus - Corigliano: The Lord of Cries
The Dime Museum; Isaura String Quartet - Little: Black Lodge
Best Choral Performance
The Clarion Choir - Rachmaninoff: All-Night Vigil
The Crossing - Carols After a Plague
Miró Quartet; Conspirare - The House of Belonging
San Francisco Symphony Chorus - Ligeti: Lux Aeterna
Uusinta Ensemble; Helsinki Chamber Choir - Saariaho: Reconnaissance
Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance
Anthony McGill & Pacifica Quartet - American Stories
Catalyst Quartet - Uncovered, Vol. 3: Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, William Grant Still & George Walker
Roomful of Teeth - Rough Magic
Third Coast Percussion - Between Breaths
Yo-Yo Ma, Emanuel Ax & Leonidas Kavakos - Beethoven for Three: Symphony No. 6, ‘Pastorale’ and Op. 1, No. 3
Best Classical Instrumental Solo
Andy Akiho - Akiho: Cylinders
Curtis Stewart - Of Love
Louisville Orchestra - The American Project
Robert Black - Adams, John Luther: Darkness and Scattered Light
Seth Parker Woods - Difficult Grace
Best Classical Solo Vocal Album
Reginald Mobley, soloist; Baptiste Trotignon, pianist - Because
Julia Bullock, soloist; Christian Reif, conductor (Philharmonia Orchestra) - Walking in the Dark
Karim Sulayman, soloist; Sean Shibe, accompanist - Broken Branches
Laura Strickling, soloist; Daniel Schlosberg, pianist - 40@40
Lawrence Brownlee, soloist; Kevin J. Miller, pianist - Rising
Best Classical Compendium
Aaron Diehl & The Knights - Zodiac Suite
Andy Akiho, Omaha Symphony & Ankush Kumar Bahl - Sculptures
Chick Corea & Orchestra da Camera della Sardegna - Sardinia
Los Angeles Philharmonic, Gustavo Dudamel, Anne Akiko Meyers & Gustavo Castillo - Fandango
Peter Herresthal, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, James Gaffigan, Arctic Philharmonic & Tim Weiss - Missy Mazzoli: Dark With Excessive Bright
Various Artists - Passion for Bach and Coltrane
Wild Up & Christopher Rountree - Julius Eastman Vol. 3: If You’re so Smart, Why Aren’t You Rich?
Best Contemporary Classical Composition
Andy Akiho, Ankush Kumar Bahl & Omaha Symphony - Akiho: In That Space, at That Time
Awadagin Pratt, A Far Cry & Roomful of Teeth - Montgomery: Rounds
Gustavo Dudamel & Los Angeles Philharmonic - Adès: Dante
Peter Herresthal, James Gaffigan & Bergen Philharmonic - Mazzoli: Dark With Excessive Bright
Roomful of Teeth - Brittelle: Psychedelics
How To Best Support Your Favourite Musicians
Streaming is not a viable business for most indie artists. Here are four ways you can actually support your favourite musicians.
By now, it should hardly surprise anyone that streaming services are not a viable business model for most artists, especially if they're walking outside the big mainstream path.
While streaming platforms like Spotify or Apple Music have made it easier for consumers to access new music, the revenue model doesn't work for the majority of musicians.
Suppose you're paying a premium subscription for any of the services. In that case, the money goes into a pool—and you're financing the big labels and streaming giants like Ed Sheeran or Talyor Swift, whether you're actually listening to them or not.
While it is completely understandable not to want to ditch the convenience of streaming, every music fan should know that simply paying for a premium service does not support their favourite artists.
However, there are five easy ways alongside streaming you can use to actually (financially) support your beloved musicians and enable them to keep doing what they do best.
Buy Their Music
Okay, this should be obvious: Buying is better than streaming. When you buy an album or single physically or digitally, the artists get a fixed amount of money.
There are even two main advantages for you as the buyer: If you purchase a physical product like a vinyl record, you have a piece of art to decorate your home (provided the cover art is outstanding).
And if you buy a digital download, the music is protected, and you actually own a copy of the file. Streaming services often remove songs from their platforms, or the artists themselves delete them for various reasons.
Buy Tickets Early
Concerts are great to support your favourite musicians. They not only earn money from ticket sales but shows provide an easy opportunity for them to sell merchandise (see next point).
However, since the pandemic, pre-sales have been struggling, sometimes even leading to cancelled shows because the financial risk was too high.
So if you really want to see your favourite artist live, buy a ticket early. And keep this also in mind: You're simultaneously supporting your local concert venue. What a great feeling!
Buy Their Merchandise
As mentioned above, merchandise aside from physical music has become an essential revenue stream for artists. While certain genres like metal have engrained it into their culture with band shirts and patches, it isn't as common in other scenes.
So purchasing merchandise like shirts, stickers, or other bits and pieces is an effective way to help artists make ends meet—especially because compared to the music itself, there are fewer stakeholders like labels, publishers, or distributors involved.
Support Them On Creator Platforms
Some musicians take advantage of newer opportunities to gain the support of their fans. They might be present on creator platforms like Patreon or Fanklub, where you pay a small monthly subscription. These platforms provide them with a steady income, often trading the money for exclusive content for their paying supporters.
Other artists seek funding for their next album on a crowdfunding platform. Also, there, you can directly support the musicians in their creative endeavours.
Spread The Word
Well aware that all of these support approaches require a certain disposable income in a time when life, in general, gets more expensive, it's also worth considering that the same is true for musicians.
It is important to remember that music, despite all the contrary signs, is not just a commodity but art created with passion and inspiration. It brings us relief, channels emotions, and sparks joy.
However, there's one thing that helps and is completely free: Spread the word! Recommend artists to your friends and multiply their reach through social media.
reLISTEN #17: Goosebumps II
In the following edition of reLISTEN, we uncover four classic studio recordings that provoke goosebumps. However, the last track deviates from the norm.
In one of the first reLISTEN editions, we already presented five goosebump-provoking songs from artists like Adna or Louis Dunford.
It was one of the most popular issues of this format, where we recommend older songs—mainly around a specific subject. So, it's definitely time for a follow-up.
Today's edition consists again of five songs; however, only four of them were recorded in a studio. The last song adds a bit of a twist but arguably has one of the highest «chills factor» amongst today's selection.
The Beauty of Gemina – When We Know
Released in 2014 as part of their album Ghost Prayers, The Beauty of Gemina's When We Know is undoubtedly one of their most hauntingly beautiful songs. The acoustic guitar reverbs in the dark, accompanied by singer Michael Sele's deep voice. Faint strings appear in the background.
When We Know builds up slowly, the guitar gains energy, and the bass adds depth. But the knife that pierces right into your heart is the chorus with its cello melody and some of the best lyrics Sele has ever written:
Artificial Flame
Edition #97 recommends the new tracks by Tusks, HOME, ill peach, Stainwasher, and A Certain Someone. Discover here.
From vulnerable melodies to the raw power of rock—welcome to today's Weekly5 edition. Curated from an array of astounding new songs, the following five tracks encompass contemporary (but not dull) pop sounds, nostalgic shoegaze, and haunting compositions.
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You can listen to today's curation in the Weekly5 playlists. Head here for:
Tusks – Artificial Flame
After two celebrated albums, London-grown singer-songwriter Emily Underhill, aka Tusks, returns to the spotlight with the new single, Artificial Flame. Juxtaposing a fragile piano with cathedral-esque synthesizers, the composition remains reduced but also overwhelming. It's gigantic intimacy.
HOME – JOHJI
Founded in 2020 in Okinawa, Japan, the trio HOME haven't yet found their way to European ears. But if their second single, JOHJI, is any indication, their global aspirations become evident. Combining a pop melody with post-punk-styled drums and wrapping everything in an 80s vibe—it's an intriguing recipe.
ill peach – HUSH
Jess and Pat wrote for Pharell, SZA, Miley Cyrus, and K. Flay. But in 2020, they sailed off to new shores with their own project, ill peach. THIS IS NOT AN EXIT, the duo's eclectic, synth-infused pop-rock debut album, was released on Friday. HUSH feels a bit like Metric—melodic, yet aggressive, loud, and radical.
A Certain Someone – Pathetic Fallacy
René Arbeithuber, member of the bands Slut and Pelzig, embarks on his solo journey as A Certain Someone. Pathetic Fallacy, the German's debut single, promises excellent guitar work in a melancholic shoegazing soundscape, clearly inspired by the likes of Depeche Mode or Interpol.
Stainwasher – Circle Trails
Residing in Stockholm, the enigmatic sound of Stainwasher invites you to lay in darkness and fall into an ethereal universe. Circle Trails, the musician's latest single, features a faint, slow banjo sound, overshadowed by eerie, vast synths and commanded by Stainwasher's mystical singing.
Angie McMahon – Light, Dark, Light Again
Australian singer-songwriter Angie McMahon demonstrates artistic and emotional sophistication in her sophomore album.
It was the song Missing Me that introduced me to Angie McMahon in 2019. The single's raw and reduced composition felt like a long-awaited return to rock music's essence.
With Salt, the Melbourne-born artist delivered a highly praised debut album, even shooting up to 5th place in Australia's charts. Eddy Lim, reviewer at the Beat Magazine, wrote: «While Salt is primarily driven by deft guitar work and a tight rhythm section, it's McMahon's stunning vocal performance that unequivocally captures the spotlight.»
Four years passed, and finally, Angie McMahon released her sophomore work: Light, Dark, Light Again. And it sounds significantly different from Salt—already anticipated with the first single release, Saturn Returning—yet arguably even better.
I have been listening to Light, Dark, Light Again for weeks at this point, yet I still struggle to fully grasp the album and put my thoughts into sentences that pay justice.
There are obvious observations like the piano replacing the guitar as the main character in most compositions—a development that originated in the 2020 compilation of Salt songs in piano versions.
Or that, suppose Salt was a raw blueprint of blues-infused rock music, the new album seems like a natural evolution: Its compositions are more complex and refined, sophisticated gems of singer-songwriter brilliance, encompassing all from rock, folk, blues, and country music.
Or the connection to nature as a facilitator of healing with references in the lyrics and soundbites introduced in songs like the opener, Saturn Returning.
However, none of these facts scratches the depth of the brilliance Angie McMahon displays in the 13 songs of Light, Dark, Light Again. There is more to unpack here, maybe too much for a single review.
Roman Reports
Edition #96 brings you new songs by Les Yeux Sans Visage, LNA, Hearts Hearts, Taranja Wu, and Compact Disk Dummies.
In today's Weekly5, we cheer to the long-hoped return of the gloomy Swiss band Les Yeux Sans Visage, question the state of the music business with LNA, and chuckle at Hearts Hearts' sarcastic new track.
You can also blow off some steam with Taranja Wu or dance away to Compact Disk Dummies. Enjoy another broad and handpicked selection of the latest music.
Les Yeux Sans Visage – Roman Reports
After their debut album, Tomorrow Is A Million Years, in 2013 and a reformation of the band in 2018, Les Yeux Sans Visage finally announced their sophomore record, Chair Of The Desolate. With Roman Reports, the Swiss quintet offers a convincing, eerie glimpse of their gloomy sound.
LNA – WANT WANT
Thematising the workload of musicians, LNA's new single WANT WANT is not only bold fingerpointing at the current state of the music business but also a captivating track, drawing from R&B, electro-pop, and some Middle Eastern flavours mixed in between.
Hearts Hearts – STOP BEING POOR!
Austrian's indie-rock rising stars Hearts Hearts take a sarcastic stab at the rich kids' lifestyle with their latest single release, STOP BEING POOR! The short track comes with a rough, fuzzy groove that builds up to a massive, brass-supported chorus—demonstrating once more the band's hymnic qualities.
Taranja Wu – Leonora
After the early passing of the musical companion, Olifr M. Guz, the duo Naked in English Class is no more. But Taranja Wu ploughs on and presents with Leonora a breathless, raw track in the trenches between garage rock, synth punk, and gothic vibes. «It's out of control!»
Compact Disk Dummies – fomo
Belgian brothers Lennert and Janus Coorevits, aka Compact Disk Dummies, embrace the easy-to-remember melodies driven by synths and pulsating rhythms. Their latest single, fomo, is all about longing, envy, and the fear of missing out. It's electrifying and danceable.
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You can listen to today's curation in the Weekly5 playlists. Head here for:
And check out the Weekly5 Bandcamp to support your favourite picks.
The Beauty of Gemina Announce New Album, «Songs Of Homecoming»
Swiss band The Beauty of Gemina announces their new studio album, four years after their last release.
With Songs Of Homecoming, the Swiss band The Beauty of Gemina announces their next album, four years after their last release, Skeleton Dreams, in 2020. The new record is set to be released in late summer 2024. It will be their 8th studio album with all new material.
The band’s frontman and mastermind, Michael Sele, writes: «I want to create an album that captures the essence of coming home and the magic of reunion. The songs are like a diary of my own journey home.»
Potential For Political Commentary
In their announcement, the band also writes about how the past four years have been dominated by the pandemic, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and a global climate and environmental crisis.
So, while the title and the previous work by The Beauty of Gemina suggest an intimate, personal album, much like Skeleton Dreams, the statement also hints at the possibility that Michael Sele explores his relationship with current affairs. In the past, the band often took on political commentary in songs like June 2nd, Kings Men Come, or Galilee Song alongside their emotional, introspective facet.
Acoustically Enhanced Wave
The Beauty of Gemina’s origin was the end of the Wave band Nuuk. Guitarist Michael Sele and drummer Mac Vinzens continued working together and released their first single, Suicide Landscape, in 2006 to wide acclaim.
Their unique and dense sound was a refreshed approach to dark wave and gothic rock, dominated by repetitive lyrics, delivered almost priest-like by Michael Sele’s deep voice. However, the band’s direction changed drastically in 2013 when they released The Myrrh Sessions, featuring acoustic interpretations of their songs.
Negative WhiteJanosch Troehler
Since then, they fuse acoustic elements, often rooted in blues, country, or Americana, with wave-inspired compositions. Although The Beauty of Gemina’s shift in sound distanced the band further from their gothic scene roots, their music remains highly melancholic.
The band went through several different bass players and live guitarists but found a more steady member in Andi Zuber, who joined in 2014. In 2020, keyboarder Daniel Manhart became a fixed part of the line-up.
