It’s that time of the year again when us music bloggers dip into the heap of music submissions we’ve received just to try and compile some sort of ‘Best Of’ list. This year has been especially hard as there have been so many immense releases by some seriously good worldwide artists who are either self-releasing out of a bedroom or signed to small independent record labels, that I didn’t want to leave any of them out. It’s a tough decision trying to whittle them down to a list of just 5 or 10 so I went all out and decided to settle on 20 releases. These various albums & ep’s by underground artists based all around the globe have been sent into the Primal Music blog and thus we have gone on to review them, so unfortunately there’s nobody out side of our submissions inbox on the list this year I’m afraid. I’ve also decided not to ask the other writers or Dj’s to give me their favourites as it took way too long so the following 20 releases are my choices alone. I’ve reviewed most of them, took them apart, fantasised about them, listened to them repeatedly and even today they still blow me away.

As I’ve already alluded to, we’ve been snowed under with submissions this year and as a result we’ve had to get very selective with our reviewing process and our best of 2016 year end list will reflect that fact. We don’t review reformed bands or artists signed to major labels so you wont read about them here. This is all about the underground psych, shoegaze, ethereal dream-pop and post-punk scene’s. As usual, I’d like to thank every one of you readers, writers, commentators, labels, artists and PR companies who have sent us music, liked & shared our reviews and generally supported us 110%. Without you guys & gals I would have given up months ago. I have some big plans for 2017 with some new developments happening right now behind the scenes. I’m very excited to bring them to you as 2017 progresses.

Del Chaney – Primal Music – December 2016

PRIMAL MUSIC’s TOP 20 RELEASES OF 2016:

(in no particular order)

JuJu – JuJu (Sunrise Ocean Bender Records) – https://primalmusicblog.com/album-review/album-review-juju-juju-sunrise-ocean-bender-records/

My Invisible Friend – S/T (Fuzz Club Records) – https://primalmusicblog.com/music/ep-review-my-invisible-friend-st/

Stella Diana – Nitocris (Vipchoyo Sound Factory Records) – https://primalmusicblog.com/album-review/album-review-stella-diana-nitocris/

RevRevRev – Des Fleurs Magiques Bourdonnaient (Northern Light Records/Custom Made Records/Kinotone Records) – https://primalmusicblog.com/album-review/album-review-revrevrev-des-fleurs-magiques-bourdonnaient/

Muertos – EP 1 (Wrong Way Records) – https://primalmusicblog.com/ep-review/ep-review-muertos-ep-1-wrong-way-records/

Magic Shoppe – Interstellar Car Crash (Optical Sounds) – https://primalmusicblog.com/album-review/ep-review-magic-shoppe-interstellar-car-crash/

Dead Rabbits – Everything Is A Lie (Fuzz Club Records) – https://primalmusicblog.com/music/album-review-dead-rabbits-everything-is-a-lie-fuzz-club-records/

Is Bliss– Velvet Dreams (Club AC30) – https://primalmusicblog.com/ep-review/ep-review-bliss-velvet-dreams/

In Violet – Amber (Bottle Imp Productions) – https://primalmusicblog.com/album-review/album-review-violet-amber/

Ghost Box Orchestra – High Plaine (Evil Hoodoo Records) – https://primalmusicblog.com/album-review/album-review-ghost-box-orchestra-high-plaine/

Rancho Relaxo – White Light Fever (Wrong Way Records) – https://primalmusicblog.com/album-review/album-review-rancho-relaxo-white-line-fever/

LSD And The Search For God – Heaven Is A Place (Deep Space Recordings) – https://primalmusicblog.com/album-review/album-review-lsd-search-god-heaven-place/

Follow The Sea – Blue Joy (Häxrummet Records) – https://primalmusicblog.com/album-review/album-review-follow-sea-blue-joy/

Ulrika Spacek – The Album Paranoia (Tough Love/ LEFSE Records) – https://primalmusicblog.com/album-review/album-review-ulrika-spacek-album-paranoia/

LEAF – Nothing Seems Real (Unsigned) – https://primalmusicblog.com/ep-review/ep-review-leaf-nothing-seems-real/

Travelling Wave – Simoom (Unsigned) – https://primalmusicblog.com/ep-review/ep-review-travelling-wave-simoom/

Mumrunner – Gentle Slopes (Wolves And Vibrancy Records/Soliti Records) – https://primalmusicblog.com/album-review/ep-review-mumrunner-gentle-slopes/

Living Hour – Living Hour (LEFSE Records) – https://primalmusicblog.com/album-review/album-review-living-hour-living-hour/

The Cult Of Dom Keller – Goodbye To The Light (Fuzz Club Records) – https://primalmusicblog.com/album-review/album-review-cult-dom-keller-goodbye-light-fuzz-club-records/

Bolywool – Hymnals And Bombs (Novoton Records) – https://primalmusicblog.com/album-review/album-review-bolywool-hymnals-bombs/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Del Chaney has spent the last four years not only fronting popular experimental Irish based electronic duo Analogue Wave but also dedicating his time to uncovering the best artists in the unsigned or small independent label based shoegaze, ethereal dream pop, post punk, post rock & modern psych rock from all over the globe & reviewing them for this blog – The Primal Music Blog. He is also a contributing writer for The Sound Of Confusion. His other arm – Primal Radio – has gained considerable respect from bands and promoters alike since its conception in 2013 & has helped him in actively promoting a genre of music that he is passionate about. Hailing from Dublin, Ireland, he is a keen Vinyl Collector, Tattoo Fan & all round good guy! He is a self confessed music freak & is never far away from a studio console or a turntable.