Dan Digs Top 100 Tracks of 2022

  It was a joy to hear great, great songs from Chronixx, Ural Thomas & The Pain, SAULT, Flying Lotus, Jimetta Rose, Toro Y Moi, Floating Points, Kokoroko, Gabriels, Mount Kimbie, Kutiman, River… Continue reading

Dan Digs Top 30 Albums of 2022

  Toro Y Moi, Vieux Farka Touré & Khruangbin, DOMi & JD BECK, Whitney, СОЮЗ, Triathalon, SAULT, Beth Orton, Kutiman, and many more all feature in my 30 favorite albums of 2022.  … Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Pale Jay & Okonski (Durand Jones and the Indications) – “By the Lake” (Karma Chief/Colemine Records)

  Dusty and sweet vintage soul honey.        “By The Lake” is a new collaborative single from Los Angeles-via-Germany artist Pale Jay (who lists his musical guides as Donny Hathaway, J… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Wild Child – “Photographs” (Reba’s Ranch Records)

  Brass-powered rootsy soul from Austin, Texas.       Fronted by songwriters Kelsey Wilson and Alexander Beggins, Wild Child is a seven-piece ensemble that create richly constructed songs like “Photographs,” my favorite… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Nilüfer Yanya – “Midnight Sun” (Sampha Remix)

  Any and all new output from Sampha gets an automatic post from me.       The London artist has reshaped a standout track from Nilüfer Yanya‘s latest album, PAINLESS, into a… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: СОЮЗ – “Beige Days (Бежевые дни)” (Mr Bongo Records)

  Magnificent MPB from Minsk.       I am stunned by the musical expertise on display here.     Led by Alex Chumak and featuring Mikita Arlou and drummer Anton Nemahai, Belarus… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Afternoon Bike Ride – “Not Ideal” (Friends of Friends)

  Gorgeous lo-fi folk.       “Not Ideal,” the latest song from the Montreal trio of Lia (vocals, guitar), David (vocals, guitar, drums), and Éloi (vocals, keys, drums), is lush yet bittersweet… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Movulango – “The Peak” (DEEWEE Records)

  Alt-electro from Belgium.       Antwerp‘s Mozes Mosuse aka Movulango‘s latest, “The Peak,” is a dizzying rush of pulsing electronic drums paired with a vocal that imagines Kurt Cobain meeting Gary Numan.… Continue reading

Recommended Gem: Scenes: SoCal Soul by SoundCloud

  A recommended gem of a music documentary.       One of the most beautifully shot docs I’ve seen.     I truly loved watching SoCal Soul, the latest in the Scenes series… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Goon – “Flower Bell” (Démodé Recordings)

  I first fell in love with the sounds of Goon when I first heard “Garden of Our Neighbor” back in January of this year, which was the first track on their Paint… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: DanDlion – “Knock Knock” (Official Video)

  Featuring an eccentric and bee-centric video.        London’s DanDlion will get you dancing with this Tom Misch-ish dance-pop bop.     DanDlion – “Knock Knock”          … Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Julien Chang – “Snakebit” (Transgressive Records)

  Hints of Unknown Mortal Orchestra-esque psyche-pop.       “Snakebit,” my favorite track from Julien Chang‘s new album, The Sale, is a dreamy yet faded cut of filtered funk-indie.     Julien… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Pozi – “Slightly Shaking Cells”

  Stay pozi.       “Slightly Shaking Cells,” the latest track from the London trio Pozi, is a Stereolab-ish bass-led groove with discordant strings and digitized rain stick flourishes.     Pozi… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Jitwam – “Confidence” (Roya/Warp Records) (Official Video)

  A Quincy-esque soul bossa nova ode to self-belief.       Brooklyn-via-Assam, Northeast India artist Jitwam‘s “Confidence” brims with bravado.     Jitwam – “Confidence”              … Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Awkward Branches – “A Frame (Not a Window)” (Tip Top Recordings) (Official Video)

  A new project from Phil Swan (guitar) and former Fiction frontman Mike Barrett (vocals, keys).       Phil and Mike have worked together previously in outfits such as Brand New Moon… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: FFFACTS – “Lonely” (Fresh Selects)

  A mid-tempo nu-soul 2-step skip.       “Lonely” is my favorite song to date from Brooklyn’s FFFACTS, a trio comprised of Soul Clap’s David Marston, Dan Izco, and Mirror Gazer’s Dorian… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Paddy Fred – “Found You” (Extra Soul Perception)

  Toro Y Moi meets Thundercat.       Love this gauzy psychedelia from Wellington, New Zealand’s Paddy Fred.      (And love love those light yet ride cymbal-heavy drums.)     Paddy… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: bb sway – “Like Honey”

  A buoyant dry beat that hops and skips around a rubbery bassline.       “Like Honey” is a late-night bedroom-pop-meets-R&B soundtrack to a lonely cityscape from the Hong Kong-born, London-based artist… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: SAULT ft Chronixx & Jack Peñate – “Angel” (Forever Living Originals)

  A 10-minute 10-second song released on 10/10 that scores a 10/10.       The mysterious UK outfit led by producer Dean Josiah Cover aka Inflo has teamed up with the Jamaican… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: KIRBY ft Dave Guy – “Take Care”

  If Minnie Ripperton and Erykah Badu co-wrote an ode to self-care, it would sound a lot like this.       “Take Care” is a mellow and soulful jazz cut that features… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Weval ft Eefje de Visser – “Never Stay For Love” (Technicolour)

  Love these scattered drums.       Harm Coolen and Merijn Scholte Albers are Weval.     “Never Stay For Love” sees the Amsterdam-based duo teaming up with Dutch singer Eefje de… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Ben Zaidi – “Younger With Time” (Acoustic) (Nettwerk Music Group)

  Is there a more beautifully poetic coda to a song than this?   “Let the decades come down And let the years just float by ‘Cause when you spend them in love… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: FIG – “Pair Of You”

  A funk-steeped verse turns into a breezy soulful pop chorus.        Into this new track “Pair of You” by NYC artist FIG, a “bop you can listen to while munching… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Ghost Orchard – “Rest” (Winspear)

  Grand Rapids, Michigan musician Sam Hall is Ghost Orchard.       “Rest” is a loose and lo-fi acoustic guitar-led jam.     Love that dreamy pedal steel courtesy of Bennett Littlejohn.… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Myele Manzanza ft Omar – “Therapy” (DeepMatter)

  Into this irresistible bouncing bass.       “Therapy” is a feel-good and freeing dancefloor spinner from Wellington, New Zealand artist and producer Myele Manzanza and Omar, one of the UK’s most… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Men I Trust – “Billie Toppy”

  A new musical direction for the Montreal trio.       “Billie Toppy” sees Men I Trust trading their singular style of downtempo jazz-inspired indie for taut uptempo post-punk.      Love… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Kennebec ft Samuel T. Herring – “Leaving The Canyons” (Night Time Stories)

  A pastoral, flute-imbued track that features the Future Islands frontman.       “Leaving the Canyons” is the latest single from the Portland, Oregon producer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Eric Phillips aka Kennebec.… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Skinshape – “High Tide, Storm Rising” (Lewis Recordings)

  Orchestral warmth that swells and sways.       Love this latest brass-soaked sunbeam from Skinshape aka Will Dorey who hails from Swanage, England.     Skinshape – “High Tide, Storm Rising”… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Cy Gorman – “Hiwave” (Heard and Felt)

  It’s all about that sax and those synth swerves.       New track “Hiwave” from Melbourne, Australia’s Cy Gorman is a lazy river of experimental jazz and spacious R&B slumbers.  … Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Elkka – “I Just Want To Love You” (Ninja Tune)

  Elkka’s latest track features a John Martyn sample.       “I Just Want To Love You,” the London artist, producer, and DJ’s first solo release of 2022, lifts the John Martyn song… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Thunder Jackson ft Chet Faker – “Take Me Back” (VERO Music)

  Piedmont, Oklahoma meets Melbourne, Australia.       What a collaboration.     “Take Me Back,” the latest song by Thunder Jackson aka Piedmont, Oklahoma musician Kyle Bradley and Melbourne, Australia’s Chet… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Blue Lupin – “Soak” (Official Video) (Quiet Crown/3tone)

  This blurry dream-pop composition is one of the strongest debuts of 2022.       Her very first release, London artist Joanna Wolfe aka Blue Lupin‘s “Soak” is a collaborative effort with… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Makaya McCraven – “The Fours” (Official Video) (International Anthem/Nonesuch Records/XL Recordings)

  It’s all about those harp strings for me.       Looking forward to this new album from the Paris-born, Chicago-based percussionist, producer, and musician Makaya McCraven.     “The Fours” is… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Rozi Plain – “Agreeing For Two” (Official Video) (Memphis Industries)

  Featuring vocals from Kate Stables of This is the Kit and saxophone from Alabaster de Plume.       “Agreeing For Two” is a jazz-flecked gentle indie gallop from Bristol, UK’s Rozi… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Jonah Yano – “Always” (Produced by BadBadNotGood) (Innovative Leisure)

  The Montreal-via-Hiroshima singer returns.       Love this emotion-rich new single from the Japanese-Canadian artist Jonah Yano, produced and backed by Toronto jazz luminaries BadBadNotGood.     (And how good is… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Beth Orton – “Fractals” (Partisan Records)

  A beautiful new song that pairs Beth’s ruminative folk vocals with an unexpectedly vivacious percussive jazz bounce.       As someone who has loved the music of Beth Orton ever since… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Dorian Concept – “Let It All Go” (Brainfeeder)

  A bleepy and soulful excursion from the Austrian musician and synthesizer wizard.       “Let It All Go” is the first single to be taken from Oliver Johnson’s new album, What… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Arima Ederra – “Portals” (Guitar by Jon Bap)

  Heartfelt and honest.       I first got into the sounds of Los Angeles artist Arima Ederra when I heard her track “Questions” almost a decade ago.     Ten years… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Arjuna Oakes & Serebii – “Tired Faces” (Innovative Leisure)

  Cloudy electronic soul from the land of the long white cloud.       “Tired Faces,” the latest cut from Aotearoa’s Arjuna Oakes and Serebii (also known as Callum Mower) is an… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Svaneborg Kardyb – “Op” (Official Video) (Gondwana Records)

  Nordic jazz served chilled.       I remember really enjoying “Haven” by Svaneborg Kardyb, the Danish duo of Nikolaj Svaneborg who plays the keys on the Wurlitzer, Juno, and piano alongside… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: 9m88 – “Tell Me” (Produced by DJ Mitsu the Beats)

   A song sung in English and Mandarin from the New York-via-Taipei artist.        Produced by Japanese beatmaker DJ Mitsu the Beats, “Tell Me” by 9m88, also known as Joanne Tang… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Brian Brown – “Early Bird”

  Some of the mellowest hip-hop I’ve heard in a minute.       “Early Bird” by Nashville’s Brian Brown is one for the dawn risers, a fluid and dreamy beat that perfectly… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Nosaj Thing ft Julianna Barwick – “Blue Hour” (Official Video) (LuckyMe)

  Jason Chung‘s surprise new single.       Featuring vocals from Julianna Barwick and echoes of the beat from Massive Attack’s “Teardrop,” the Los Angeles producer’s latest track is stark, nocturnal, and… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Jye – “Don’t Wanna See You Down”

  An upbeat indie-pop breeze.       Containing shades of Toro Y Moi’s insouciant grooves, “Don’t Wanna See You Down” by Melbourne, Australia’s Jye is casual and caring.     Jye –… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Melody’s Echo Chamber – “Unfold” (Fat Possum Records) (Official Video)

  Any day with new Melody’s Echo Chamber is a good day.       Unfold is the lost follow-up project to French musician Melody Prochet‘s self-titled debut album, Melody’s Echo Chamber, released… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: EFÉ – “Before Sunset”

  Beatless bliss from the Dublin, Ireland bedroom pop artist.       “Before Sunset” is a simple and shimmering new song from Anita Ikharo aka EFÉ.     It instantly puts you… Continue reading

Recommended Gem: Charles Stepney: Out of the Shadows by International Anthem (Documentary)

  A recommended gem of a music documentary.       If you love “I Am The Black Gold Of The Sun,” one of the greatest songs in existence, then you already love Charles… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Little Dragon – “Frisco” (Ninja Tune)

  Into “Frisco,” a spare yet dreamy new electronic bop from Little Dragon, although I have it on good authority that locals would prefer that you just call it “The City” or “SF.”… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Kutiman ft Dekel – “Believe In You” (Siyal Music)

  I’m getting some worry-free New Zealand soulful dub vibes from this that recall the lilting beats of Fat Freddy’s Drop and the choral haze of Lord Echo.       “Believe In… Continue reading