Vyva Melinkolya (aka Louisville, KY artist Angel Diaz) released a new collaboration with Midwife in May, Orbweaving, which she followed with a new solo album, Unbecoming, in November. Stream both below. With 2023 nearing its end, we’ve been asking artists about their favorite music of the year, and Vyva made us a list of nine albums. Read it, along with her commentary, below.
ØXN – CYRM
I can’t remember the last time, on first listen, I felt absolutely terrified by an album. I was awake working on a music video just before sunrise when I put this on, and I was absolutely paralyzed. I appreciate traditional Irish folk, want to learn more about it, and post rock feels like an old friend at this point; so this album couldn’t be more perfect for me. Incredible rhythm as well, “Cruel Mother” makes me two-step and I’ve slammed my wrist to the point of bruising to “Love Henry”. Listen to this outside in the cold, either autumn or early spring.
Nicole Dollanganger – Married In Mount Airy
The queen has returned. Though ethereal in every era, this feels like the most “psychedelic” work of hers to date. Can imagine total submersion in a technicolor waterscape, or a heart shaped tub. To me, she is North America’s greatest living songwriter and this album is further proof; songs like “Dogwood” have me laying down, clutching my chest every time. I have a very specific memory, when I first moved to Pennsylvania, of listening to the title track on a city rooftop, spinning in circles: absolutely hypnotic. Matthew Thomasi (who also mastered my new album) is an absolute genius of production, and Nicole has been one of the most important artists to me the past 4 years. I wait with bated breath for the next edition to her already expansive world. Listen to this while getting ready, even if you’re going nowhere.
Squirrel Flower – Tomorrow’s Fire
Some of the best guitar tones I’ve heard in years, and lyricism to match. This is an “I need to go home and pick up my guitar” album. Devastatingly relatable songs, no skips among them. “Emotionally diverse” too, some songs to dance to (“In The Skate Park”), some to weep to (“Finally Rain”). I got into Ella’s music back in 2020, and seeing her live a couple months ago (incredible performer by the way) brought a lot of feelings full circle for me. Perfect album for both “driving away” and “driving to” somewhere, so listen in a car, as fast as you can.
Decalius – Dehumanizing Loneliness
After years of not quite “understanding” black metal the way I do drone/doom/post-metal, something finally clicked for me. A friend has been sending me a bunch of DSBM recommendations, this was by far my favorite of those, track-for-track. As absolutely brutal as it is gorgeous; “earthy” too, the lovely tape hiss. Have had the guitars on “Misanthropy” and the title track stuck in my head the past few weeks. Listen to this alone, if you can.
Maria BC – Spike Field
This album, like most of my favorite music, is best heard in the hours just before sleep, under low, warm lights — if any at all. Rather than a monolith, this record feels like a literal “field” of structures, some ancient, some of the future. On many of the songs, the familiar comfort of lush vocals and guitar is fractured by “cold flashes” of synths and textures I cannot discern. It’s disquieting, in the most delightful way. Headphones recommended for this one, the panning is kaleidoscopic, and close your eyes.
Niecy Blues – Exit Simulation
I’m a sucker for a sprawling album and sonic diversity; “Exit Simulation” is the best of both. There’s ambient (both ethereal and dissonant), electronica, pop and folk across 13 tracks. “Analysis Paralysis” has some of my favorite vocal arrangements I’ve heard all year, and probably my favorite track overall. That song feels circular in nature, perfect for “on repeat”. I think Kranky couldn’t have been a better fit for this record and vice versa. Listen to this in the early morning, when you should be sleeping.
George Clanton – Ooh I Rap Ya
Impossible for me to be unhappy listening to a mid tempo break beat. His 2018 album Slide has been a “sunny day” favorite of mine for a while (maybe my most listened to electronic album period) and this record, to me, feels like a perfect extension of that sound. Cannot help but see bold, primary colors. When I visit my little sister in Los Angeles, we drive around and listen to the opener from Slide, “Livin Loose”. I want to continue that tradition with this album’s opener, “Everything I Want”. Listen under an unclouded sky.
Eloise Chamber – Departure EP
Heavy, but not belligerently so; slow, but still driving. To me, this is the very best of shoegaze. The layering — vocals and guitar alike — are immersive and extensive, but the songs still manage to impart a feeling of vulnerability that would normally be found in music more “stripped down”. Pedal bros take note, please. For a first release, this is a powerhouse. Keep an eye on her y’all. “Departure” fits perfectly with this time of year, when the days are at their shortest. Listen at night, maybe somewhere you’re not supposed to be.
Lana Del Rey – Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard?
Though I played instruments on and off since I was little, finding Lana when I was 14 and later seeing her live for the first time just after graduating high school was an a-ha moment where I thought “I want to be a singer”. Watching her artistry develop over the past 11 or so years has been really cool, never sacrificing the grandeur. Saw her live for the second time a few months ago, she seems at her most confident – the most distilled version of herself. With a run-time of an hour and 17 minutes (again, I love an album that sprawls), there’s a lot to pour over. However, my favorite section is between tracks 11 and 14. This record has so many moods, so it’s hard to pinpoint one “time” to listen. However, the title track is perfect for a daytime walk, especially near water. Any weather will do.
