Mike Marchant
My name is Mike Marchant. I’m
a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer who has been releasing records
under a bunch of different names for about a decade. My latest project is
called Lightning Cult. It’s a collaboration with my pal Luke Bern Carr. You can
find us in record stores, at www.lightningcult.bandcamp.com, and on streaming
services. We have an Instagram (@lightningcultsound) but we mostly use it to
post pictures of dogs and bicycles.
Floating Points - Crush - The rest of this list is in no
particular order, but this is definitely my #1. It’s immersive and beautiful.
I’ve listened to it more than anything that came out this year. I think that
the most interesting sounds being made today are being made with modular
synthesizers. Every synth sound and drum sound and blip and squeal on “Crush”
sounds amazing... But, what makes this record really special is that all of
those amazing sounds are working in service of excellent compositions.
Peter Ivers - Becoming Peter Ivers - I used to cover
Ivers’ songs during solo performances. Every time I did, someone would come and
ask me, “hey, what was that one song?” Well, that one song and a bunch of other
great ones are on this record.
The New Pornographers - In the Morse Code of Brake Lights - A.C.
Newman knows his way around a huge hook…
I love pretty much everything he releases. Also, the string arrangements are amazing and Neko sounds better
than ever.
Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising - Impeccable songwriting,
impeccable production.
Fennesz - Agora - Most nights, around 8 or 9, I
take a walk around my neighborhood and listen to a record. I must have listened
to Agora a few dozen times during
these night walks. This is ambient music that rewards active listeners.
Oso Oso - Basking in the Glow - I guess I’m into
emo again? Is this emo? Whatever, it’s great.
Purple Mountains - Purple Mountains - RIP David Cloud
Berman. You and your songs mean whole lot to a whole lot of people.
Thurston Moore - Spirit Counsel - Woah. Two and a half
hours of Thurston Moore. I’m into it.
Thom Yorke - ANIMA - So I put this on and think,
“hey, this is cool, I like it but don’t love it.” Then this one melody shows up
(4:40 into “Twist”, it repeats through the end) and makes me weak in the knees
and brings me back to the record over and over again….
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Bevin Traylor
Former Twist & Shout
employee Bevin Traylor is now a manager at Euclid Records in St. Louis (https://www.euclidrecords.com/).
These are her faves of the year in no particular order/
Black Marble – Bigger Than Life
Ride – III
Nilufer Yanya – Miss Universe
Ezra Furman – Twelve Nudes
Highwomen – S/T
People Under The Stairs – Sincerely The P
Priests – Seduction Of Kansas
BabyFace Willette – Face To Face (reissue)
Fat White Family – Serf’s Up
Floating Points – Crush
Coathangers – Devil You Know
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Andrea Paschal
ThinkIndie GM/CIMS Executive
Director 2020
A Selection of Favorites from
2019:
1. Aldous Harding - Designer
2. Nick Cave and the Bad
Seeds - Ghosteen
3. Orville Peck - Pony
4. M83 - Knife + Heart (Official Soundtrack)
5. Bat For Lashes - Lost Girls
6. Blood Orange - Angel’s Pulse
7. Xeno and Oaklander - Hypnos
8. Vendredi sur Mer - Premiers Émois
9. Piroshka - Brickbat
10. Jenny Hval - The Practice of Love
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Bruce Trujillo
Host / Programming Assistant,
Indie 102.3
Colorado Public Radio
In alphabetical order:
Better Oblivion Community
Center - Better Oblivion Community Center
Black Belt Eagle Scout - At The Party With My Brown Friends
Alex Cameron - Miami Memory
Colfax Speed Queen - Dirty Mirror
Combo Chimbita - Ahomale
Helado Negro - This Is How You Smile
Kiltro - Creatures of Habit
Lizzo - Cuz I Love You
Angel Olsen - All Mirrors
Y La Bamba - Mujeres
