Council Meeting Memo #079 —Phil Raffaele’s Top 10 for 2023

10 records that made the house go hum in 2023

1. DJ Trystero: Castillo (Incienso) https://djtrystero.bandcamp.com/album/castillo
   All class flawless front to back stunner from the city-2 st giga bossman — fits many moods.
2. Purelink: Signs (Peak Oil)
   https://purelink.bandcamp.com/album/signs
   Perfect temperature water, soothing and enigmatic — very excited to see the future from these three.
3. Pmxper: Pmxper (Smalltown Supersound) https://perilazone.bandcamp.com/album/pmxper
   I really enjoy the solo works from both but this linkup is truly something special and delicate.
4. Hysterical Love Project: Lashes (Motion Ward)
   https://motionward.bandcamp.com/album/hysterical-love-project-lashes
5. ASO: ASO (Low Lying)
   https://itsaso.bandcamp.com/album/a-s-o
   When I hear the words “trip hop revivalism” I want to cringe and lobotomize myself yet ASO & HLP manage to capture a real magic that transcends time and space that doesn’t imitate old styles, instead it energizes a whole new sphere in modern music — real bright spots.
6. Nueen: Link (3XL)
   https://nueen.bandcamp.com/album/link
   Gospel music for dope smokers.
7. Rezzett: Meant Like This (The Trilogy Tapes)
   https://rezzett.bandcamp.com/album/meant-like-this
   The unassuming masters at work — the long awaited TTT100 did not disappoint.
8. Lukid: Tilt (Glum)
   https://lukid.bandcamp.com/album/tilt
   Sine surfing between harsh rhythms and delicate melodies — unique and unfadeable as always.
9. John T Gast: Sinead Memory Tape (5 Gate Temple)
   https://johntgast.bandcamp.com/album/sinead-memory-tape-2015
   More smoke for the fog machine — musical incense that fills the whole room.
10. Shinetiac: Not all who wander are lost (West Mineral)
    https://westmineral.bandcamp.com/album/not-all-who-wander-are-lost-ouest084-2
    West Mineral Traveling Wilburys deliver fine ooze that delights as it quivers.

Reissues

Voices From the Lake: S/T (Spazio Disponibile)
https://voicesfromthelake.bandcamp.com/album/voices-from-the-lake
Utterly essential and still perfect a decade later.

Dorothy Carter: Wailee Wailee (Palo Flats / Putojefe Records)
https://paltoflats.bandcamp.com/album/waillee-waillee-2
Unreal sounds — great companion to ernest hood records.

Hiroshi Yoshimura: Surround (Temporal Drift)
https://hiroshi-yoshimura.bandcamp.com/album/surround
Sublime perfection.

Compilations

PRESSURE I & II (MAL)
https://malrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/pressure-part-i
https://malrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/pressure-part-ii
Huge tunes, big attitude, all class.

Searchlight Moonbeam (Efficient Space)
https://efficientspace.bandcamp.com/album/searchlight-moonbeam
Gorgeously curated treasures on this one.

Phil is a voracious record hunter / DJ who lives in Connecticut with his wife (hi Sam!) and his cat (hi Noodle!)

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