The start of the year is usually slow for new releases, but this year some real gems have already been released

.
Here is my summary of the releases I loved the most in JANUARY.

The list is in no particular order, but the ones I loved the most are marked with a red ||.

A Spotify playlist with songs from this list can be found below or via this link.
Did you miss the other posts in this series? Click the link to view them. 

SINGLES I LOVED THIS MONTH

Happy Spendy

In no particular order:

Happy Spendy – “Feelings 2”  DIY pop from Glasgow. This synth-based song is full of beautiful menancholy. I LOVE the vocals! (Spotify)

Peaness – “Kaizen”  They’re always good. Upbeat indiepop with lovely harmonies. (Spotify)

Boniface – “Oh My God”  I have fallen in love with this synthpop-track and the lyrics from Canadian Boniface. (Spotify)

Beach Bunny – “Cloud 9”  Heartfelt energy-pop. (Spotify)

Heart Beach – “Together”  The arrangement and instrumentation is so minimal here, but so effective. The lyrics and melody are always in front, and it is so beautiful. (Spotify)

(more singles after the photo)

Peel Dream Magazine

Peel Dream Magazine – “Pill”  Gorgeous, dreamy shoegaze with My Bloody Valentine- and Stereolab-vibes
. (Spotify)

Alex The Astronaut – “I think you’re great”  This makes me happy. (Spotify)

Penny Diving – “Nineteen”  Montreal’s Penny Diving is what you can call a family band, with two twins and one twin’s husband. Their new single is so good and catchy, and I always find myself humming along to it. They call their style “basement dream pop”. (Spotify)

Diet Cig – “Night terrors”  Impossible not to like. Catchy, charming guitar-pop. (Spotify)

Birgitta Alida – “Past”  Birgitta Alida is the singer of Norwegian bands Strange Hellos and Lumikide. This is a wonderful song, with a cool orchestral sound. Brian Wilson should hear this. He would love it. (Spotify)

You will find even more of my other favourite singles in the Spotify list.

ALBUMS I LOVED THIS MONTH

Frances Quinlan (photo by Shelly Duncan)

Frances Quinlan – Likewise || Brilliant solo-album from the front-woman of Hop Along. She sings with so much emotion, (Spotify)

Alexandra Savior – The Archer || Dark, atmospheric, twangy, dreamy, psychedelic pop, – equal parts 50s crooning and 90s/00s trip hop a’la Portishead and Morcheeba. Her music could fit well in a David Lynch movie. (Spotify)

The Chap – Digital Technology || They’re kind of veterans now, after having released 9 (?) albums with music in their unique, quirky indie electro pop style. (Spotify)

Whyte Horses – Hard times || The band’s third album is a cover-album where they have collaborated with artists like Tracyanne Campbell (Camera Obscura), John Grant, Badly Drawn Boy, Gruff Rhys and others. The result is a very soulful album, with covers of both obscure and well known songs. (Spotify)

(more releases after the photo)

The Just Joans (photo by Allan Whyte)

The Just Jones – The private memoirs and confessions of The Just Joans || Impressive new album from the Scottish duo. Indiepop/indiefolk/indiesomething… (Spotify)

Alice Boman – Dream on || Calm, fragile,  melancholic and sad, but also with a sense of hopefulness. Beautiful songs. (Spotify)

Husbands – After the gold rush party || Very fine lo-fi power pop from Oklahoma City.  (Spotify)

The King in Mirrors – Wasting precious time || One-man indiepop band from Swindon, UK.  Fans of The Go-Betweens, early R.E.M. or the bands on Flying Nun Records will love this. (Spotify)

(more releases after the photo)

Kiwi jr.

Kiwi jr. – Football money || This is so good! Kiwi jr. are from Toronto, and make jangly pop songs with lots of energy and great melodies.  (Spotify)

Termination Dust – Growing down || Termination Dust is a band from Anchorage, Alaska, named after “a light, high-altitude snowfall that indicates the end of summer”. Their sound is kind of lo-fi indie-rock, and their songs are great! (Spotify)

Cold Mailman – Baby wake up we’re losing the fire || Probably my favourite Norwegian band. This is their 5th album, and also the 5th album of theirs that are high on my list of favourite albums

. On their Facebook, they call their style “Postapocalyptic-surf-emo-pop”. I just stick with my usual “warm, beautiful music”-genre
. (Spotify)

Pia Fraus – Empty parks || The Estonian band has been around since 1998, with their blend of dreampop, shoegaze and electronic elements. I think they have released 7 albums including this, but I am not very good at counting, so I may be wrong. I really enjoy this new one. (Spotify)

(more releases after the photo)

Mura Masa

Mura Masa – R.Y.C. || One of the most interesting albums this month comes from a popular artist with millions of streams on Spotify
. A refreshing blend of styles, interesting ways of composing and producing, good melodies, a little bit of roughness and definitely not a streamlined pop sound.  (Spotify)

Various artists – The Turning (Original soundtrack) || I have heard that the movie is not very interesting, but the soundtrack definitely is. On the album, you find new songs from artists like Mitski, Girl in Red, Soccer Mommy, Cherry Glazerr, Vagabon and others. (Spotify)

Deserta – Black aura my sun || Washed out, dreamy songs that has a lot in common with bands like Slowdive and Sigur Ros. (Spotify)

Poliça – When we stay alive || This arrived on the last day of the month, so I have only listened briefly to it. Sounds very good. Dreamy electronic pop. (Spotify)

(more releases after the photo)

En Attendant Ana (photo by Chloé Lecarpentier)

En Attendant Ana – Juillet || The 2nd album from the Parisian indiepop quintet En Attendant Ana. Melody- and harmony-focused fuzzy, jangly pop with lots of drive. (Spotify)

Holy Fuck – Deleter || Rhythmic, raw, organic semi-electronic music, with warm vocals and some kraut-elements. (Spotify)

Mint Julep – Stray fantasies || Married couple Hollie and Keith Kenniff have released their 3rd album of electronic based dreampop with some rougher elements. Keith is also responsible for two other favourites of mine, Goldmund and Helios, where he makes neo-classical and ambient music. (Spotify)

Squirrel Flower – I was born swimming || This arrived on the last day of the month, so I have only listened briefly to it. Sounds very good. From the bio: “Squirrel Flower’s music is ethereal and warm, gushing with emotional depth that the listener can step into like a warm bath.” (Spotify)

EPs I LOVED THIS MONTH

Big Baby (photo by Linda Moses)

Big Baby – Fizzy Cola || Refreshing, fuzzy indiepop from Richmond. Brilliant songs, and lots of energy. “String of pearls” is probably the song I have listened the most to so far in 2020. (Spotify)

Remington Super 60 – New EP || My favourites are back, and I am so happy to hear this! Beautiful, sweet, classic popsongs.  (Spotify)

Public Memory – Illusion of choice || Dark and dreamy electronic pop. (Spotify)

Purple Heart Parade – Desolation angel || Warm, big-sounding shoegaze/dreampop from Manchester.  (Spotify)

Wild Nothing – Laughing gas || New music from Wild Nothing! This arrived very late in January, so I haven’t listened enough to it, but I think you will like it. (Spotify)

Strawberry Generation – Recollection || Sweet, lovely indiepop-melodies from Providence. Album out in February on Sunday Records. (Spotify)

OTHER THINGS I ENJOYED THIS MONTH

Pale Saints – The Comforts of Madness (30 anniversary reissue) || Remastered version of this classic album, and lots of extra tracks. (Spotify)

Operator Music Band – Duo Duo The Remixes || Remix version of their 2019 album. (Spotify)

The Beloved – Where is it? (Special Edition) || The Beloved is most known for their 90s dance/electronica pop hits, like Sweet Harmony, Hello and The Sun Rising, but they started as a jangly post punk/indiepop guitar band, and on this reissue of their 87-album, you will hear this. The album also features several unreleased songs. (Spotify)

Listen to the songs from this list on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6qca6CzOzR0tDfZE22vAk1?si=23q0mFxGTDSxIC8621iiRA