Welcome once again to the annual tradition of Song Bar’s favourite album releases of 2023. This is Part 1, and Part 2 is also out here. There’s no such thing as a chart rundown or ‘best of’ here, and these come in no particular order. This is all about quality and innovation …
Read moreSusanne Sundfør: Blómi
New album: Strange and strikingly beautiful, the sixth album by the Norwegian singer-songwriter is a mix of classic 70s piano-pop and alternative folk, with echoes everything from Karen Carpenter to Rufus Wainwright
Read moreRöyksopp: Profound Mysteries
New album: Not presented as an album, but an art piece sequence with visuals, these 10 numbers, variously ambient to dance electronica, are still very much in the LP form, half with guest singers Alison Goldfrapp, Beki Mari, Pixx, Susanne Sundfør and Alison S
Read moreNew albums: International Teachers of Pop, Yak, LCD Soundsystem, Elder Island, Mercury Rev (& various), Flat Worms, Jessica Pratt, Cosey Fanni Tutti, Panda Bear, Lemonheads
Electronic pop from the International Teacher and Elder Island, Yak’s long -awaited indie, covers by Mercury Rev and Lemonheads, slow beauty by Jessica Pratt and lo-fi live studio recordings by LCD Soundsystem are among this week’s bumper roundup
Read moreDrunk, dark and humorous: favourite albums of 2017 – part 1
Father John Misty to Randy Newman, Thundercat to Sleaford Mods, Richard Dawson to DUDS, Björk to Lorde – who is on the first part of this week's reader-voted list, and what is the running theme?
Read moreNew albums: Queens of the Stone Age, Nadine Shah, Cabbage, Susanne Sundfør, Martin Hannett, Iron & Wine
Josh Homme and co work with Mark Ronson, Nadine Shah and Cabbage go political, Martin Hannett's tribute to Delia Derbyshire, plus Susanne Sundfør and Iron & Wine decorate this week's selection
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