Diego’s
24 for 2024!
24for24
What a year it’s been. Both personally and
in the realm of music, it has been an absolute
whirlwind. Can’t believe it’s over! That being said,
I have been super busy with a lot of personal things,
but I have wanted to use this site a lot more than I
ended up doing this year. Bearing that in mind, I
wanted to make this list as both a collection of albums
and songs from 2024 that I personally enjoyed.
Some of these albums will see a more in-depth
review as I find more time with the spring semester.
I hope you enjoy! (:
Below is a button that will direct you to
a playlist containing all of the songs
listed below on most all DSPs, for your convenience.
If yours isnt here, just let me know and I can
probably do it!
TEXAS BLUE - Quadeca
between Jane Remover’s great singles, Exhibition Mode,
and this release from Quadeca, DeadAir has been on a
tear this year. a fantastic supporting performance by
BROCKHAMPTON’s very own Kevin Abstract, flowing
beautifully on the closing track of Quadeca’s excellent
entry in SCRAPYARD, thoroughly loved this ending
song and the album as a whole.
don’t rely on other men - JPEGMAFIA
doing my best to withhold bias (I’m a huge fan and I did
see him three times this year lol), don’t rely on other men
was just one of many cuts from I Lay Down My Life For You
that could have made the list. One of his most cohesive and
dynamic projects to date, don’t rely on other men shows off
Peggy’s unique and mercurial production style, with its
deep, gritty bassline and splashy and noisy drums. Just a cut
above the other tracks on what was one of my favorite
records of the year.
hoarder - Josetta
I love to say that music tends to find you in many ways
and often by pure chance, and that’s exactly the
circumstances that led me to Josetta’s debut EP,
digitally altered. Just minding my own business on Twitter
and her post mentioning the EP floated right onto my TL,
and I’m very glad it did. hoarder is a standout piece on the
record, showcasing her prowess on both the lyrical and
musical fronts. A fantastic synthesis of a more stripped
down indie production with an electronic underbelly that
blends together gracefully, while also having a great music
video to boot. I highly suggest you check it out, it’s one of
my favorites of the year.
don’t tell nobody - Dazegxd
Chock full of moving groove and renders you unable to not
bob your head at the very least. The same can be said of the
rest of the album, Exhibition Mode is just an energetic show
of force, reinforcing dazegxd as some of jungle’s very best.
Also, while I enjoyed the entire album, don’t tell nobody
goes on top because of the fact that the funkmaster flex
Otis sample at the end quite literally stunlocked me the
very first time I listened to it. Absolute psychic damage. If
you have not seen this segment, please do. you will piss
yourself laughing.
Sliding Doors - Rex Orange County
Emerging from the depths of controversy, last year’s
The Alexander Technique was an incredibly personal and
intimate affair, laying bare many of the emotional details
of the past couple years for Alex, and while yet again,
there were many pieces to choose from, my personal
favorite was Sliding Doors. a beautifully introspective
piece, and in terms of production, my favorite off the album.
Is There Really No Happiness? - Porter Robinson
SMILE! :D was arguably one of my favorite records of the
year, with Porter reprising a more alt style sound that I
hadn’t heard from him before, but was a welcome
throwback and was well executed with Porter’s usual
prowess in electronic music. Is There Really No Happiness?
was my personal standout from the album, as it really just
spoke to me on a personal level. That desire to want to
preserve those fleeting moments of happiness is a feeling
that I feel everyone has held at some point, and it just
resonated with me on a personal level. It was also another
song I was fortunate enough to experience live this year,
so altogether, great song on a great album.
Highly recommend.
Like A Dog - Jordana
I hadn’t heard her works between Summer’s Over and her
current album, but by chance, Like A Dog had appeared in
an autoplay, and I had to give it a listen. A beautiful blend
of soft rock and indie pop, Like A Dog is a really enjoyable
listen that feels to me like a perfect accompaniment to a
sunny day. Despite the album, Lively Premonition, being a
little hit or miss with its tracks, this was honestly one of
my favorite tracks of the year.
reincarnated - Kendrick Lamar
I am going to assume that you the reader are privy to at
least a portion of the circus that unfolded for the world
this year between two of rap’s heavyweights, and truthfully,
however you slice it, us the listeners getting a Kendrick
release out of it is a win for everyone. GNX, while not
nearly as cohesive as the usual for Kendrick, is spectacular
in its own merit, and reincarnated is a fantastic entry in
what I like to call his “Kendrick vocally paints a fucking
tapestry for the masses in real time” genre of song, and
I’m here for it.
Juna - Clairo
I tried to be quirky and not like the other girls and not just
pick the hit single from these albums, but I’d just have to be
a dipshit to deny the absolute crack on wax that Juna is.
The crown jewel on Charm, my personal top record of 2024,
I swear Clairo and Leon Michels were performing
incantations in the booth when they cooked up this album,
and especially this single. Between the absolutely silky
production, catchy hook, and actual mouth trumpet at the
end of the song for a whole verse, it has a little something
for everyone (this bit was funnier in my head). It was such
a great track that I jumped instantly when they released the
7” vinyl with Juna and Terrapin. Pure magic, fantastic song.
Clairo perpetually undefeated. 10/10.
talk talk - Charli XCX
No 2024 list can be complete without acknowledging the pop
behemoth that was brat. Personally, I don’t get the fervor that
has propelled it to multiple #1 of the year placements, but it
is a great album and a dance masterclass. Top 10-15 contender
for sure, but I can’t fathom placing it #1. That being said,
talk talk is an incredibly fun track that kind of encapsulates
the energy that brat provides, neatly packaged into a catchy
and bouncy track. Honorable mention goes to the remix with
Troye Sivan that flips the track into the club demon it was
always destined to be.
Take Your Mask Off - Tyler, The Creator
CHROMAKOPIA was just another gold star onto the
absolute show of force that west coast hip hop launched into
existence this past year, and Tyler showed out in true Tyler
fashion. I personally didn’t enjoy it nearly as much as
Call Me If You Get Lost, but it is fantastic just the same.
Take Your Mask Off is just one of the many excellent tracks
on CHROMAKOPIA, with the smooth jazz inspired
instrumental lifting up Tyler’s message of living your true self
and not hiding behind a mask. Daniel Caesar’s feature on the
chorus only serves to elevate what I feel is the most cohesive
song on the album.
CATFISH - Doechii
I feel like I’m going on and on with all of these West Coast
albums, but like it or not, it really was a revival of the golden
coast and they truly owned it this year.
Alligator Bites Never Heal was an emphatic debut statement
from the ever talented Doechii, and she did not shy from the
occasion. CATFISH was the standout track for me, as it
showed that she is incredibly versatile and can shift between
flows and styles, and she showcases a more grungy and harsh
flow a la Rico Nasty or even a bit of Nicki at points. Honestly
an electric album and I am absolutely excited to see what’s
next on the horizon for her.
Magic I Want U - Jane Remover
being the catalyst for DeadAir’s incredible 2024 run, Jane
Remover has released singles that have now been revealed to
lead up to their upcoming 2025 release Revengeseekerz. One
of which, has been the intriguingly poppy hit Magic I Want U,
which in my listening of Jane, has been quite a bit poppier
than the likes of Frailty or Census Designated, but exceedingly
enjoyable either way. Moving bassline and catchy hook, it’s
been stuck in my head for months now. Thoroughly looking
forward to Revengeseekerz and to seeing it live in May.
NO HANDS - Joey Valence & Brae
I have a million thanks to my bestie for suggesting this album
to me, because it scratches the “this shit could have banged
on the THPS4 soundtrack” itch I never knew I had. The same
can be said for the rest of the album, it’s just so much fun. Fun
is the word I’d use to describe it, between the boom bap
instrumental to the random ass Round1 and COD Zombies
references, this was very my-best-friend-and-I-coded and
targeted music. Love it a ton, highly recommended.
Killing Time - Magdalena Bay
Imaginal Disk was one of those records that comes along
once in a while and just swings a sledgehammer to the music
landscape of the moment, and considering just how stacked
of a year 2024 was, it is a testament to just how big of a
sledgehammer this album is. I plan to go further in depth on
this record at a soon (Diego time) moment, but I have a hard
time articulating just how much I adored it. Killing Time is
my favorite of the bunch, with a couple of other tracks that
came real close. The smooth rolling rock vibe that begins to
crescendo into the energetic climax towards the end is just a
small sampling of the beauty that is Imaginal Disk. Yet
another 10/10, love love love it.
M3 N MIN3 - femtanyl
And yet another artist I must credit my dear friend Sky
(thank you pookie) for, femtanyl was another act I was
fortunate to see live in person (at the absolute worst show
of the tour, shoutout Portland). REACTOR was dropped
towards the end of the year, but has some fantastic glimpses
as to what is coming next. M3 N MIN3 was a track that
caught me by surprise, because I did NOT see a Danny
Brown feature as even a possibility (however, considering
that one picture I saw with him, underscores, and Jane,
anything’s possible at this point. shoutout Danny.) and he
slots in so well into this bouncy and energetic release.
Absolutely excited to see what Noelle comes up with next,
and definitely hope to see her in person again.
SKED - Denzel Curry
Now, I was not a huge fan of King Of The Mischievous South,
but of the handful of tracks I did enjoy from this project,
SKED was certainly a standout. Denzel absolutely rocks the
gritty and moving 808s while Kenny Mason and Project Pat
tie together a strong showing from Denzel. I think if I had to
pin down why I didn’t love this album is probably due to
just how much I adored Melt My Eyez, and I really do hope
that Denzel returns to that sound soon. However, I did love
Pat’s feature, he sounded way better on this production than
I expected him to, and the flow worked just so well.
Blueslides - ScHoolboy Q
Right back to it with yet another cog in TDE’s legendary
2024 run, ScHoolboy Q’s BLUE LIPS was another stop in
Q’s ever rising stock as a strong lyricist and artist as a whole.
Blueslides was my highlight of the project, as Q is able to
show that even without any drums, he is able to demonstrate
a head bobbing flow on even the most gentle and beautiful
drumless jazz backing track. Haven’t heard anything like this
before, but man, it was such a great listen, and easily some
of his best work.
Shame On The Devil - Vince Staples
One of my personal favorite artists, Vince Staples continues
to awe me with every release, and Dark Times was no
different. As if the West Coast couldn’t take any more
victories, this album is yet another gold medal to throw into
the 2024 trophy case. Shame On The Devil was one of the
lead-up singles in the album rollout, and even from the first
snippet, I knew this track would be special. Its somber and
downbeat pacing mixed with the downtrodden chorus allow
Vince to show his flexibility in flow and exemplify his
versatility as one of the best rappers in the industry
at the moment.
Thinking About You - Faye Webster
No matter how many times I get flamed for having her as a
top artist of mine, I do not care and will die on this hill if I
have to. Underdressed at the Symphony is yet another entry
from the fantastically consistent Webster, and while it does
not push any boundaries, it’s just comfy and pleasant to
listen to. A fantastic example of this is my choice of song,
Thinking About You, the intro to the album. The soft rock
melody carrying Faye’s wispy and relaxing vocals as it lays
the foundation for one of my favorite albums of the year.
sole - orange flavored cigarettes
A deep cut for those in the audience getting a bit bored from
these more popular choices, South Korea’s very own orange
flavored cigarettes has been a personal favorite of mine for a
while now. Earlier in 2024, they dropped their table #2 EP,
and it’s only filling me with anticipation for their eventual
debut album. sole is my pick of the EP, with its grooving
guitar melody and sweeping synthesizer in the backdrop
that just come together with the moving bassline that
highlight just what this group is capable of and what I hope
to see from them when they eventually make their debut.
Very excited to see what’s next.
Husk - Men I Trust
Despite me not really being super interested in their releases
since Oncle Jazz, their release of the single Husk towards the
end of 2024 piqued my interest, as I really do dig the more
rock-instilled sound that they seem to be pivoting to, while
retaining the more airy melodic style that they are known
for. Really enjoyed the single and I am curious to see what
else is in store for the rollout.
Samurai - Lupe Fiasco
I am the first to say that I am not a real Lupe fan personally.
I know this might run a bit contrary to the fact that I am a
big fan of Kendrick, Saba, and other really lyrical rappers
that trace heritage to ol’ Lupe, but between his personal life
and the fact that just not a ton of his releases have interested
me, that’s where I’ve found myself with him. 2024’s Samurai
was a bit of a shock to me, as overall, I thoroughly enjoyed
the album, and the titular song is a fantastic example of it.
Despite the (assuredly crazy) premise of the album being an
ode to the late Amy Winehouse as a battle rapper (???), the
production is premier and Lupe’s flow is immaculate as he
rattles away at whatever fantastical story is supposed to be
the plot for the record. Still good, though.
Lately, Nothing - Lexa Gates
To cap off the list, another album from an artist that I don’t
think many of you have heard of, New York’s very own
Lexa Gates. I can’t remember how or why I ended up finding
out about this album, but it’s rather enjoyable from
beginning to end, and I think part of it is that I can somewhat
relate to the record on a personal level in some off-kilter,
weird way. The stringy, melodic production on top of some
classy boom-bap beats makes Lately, Nothing stand out as
(what should have been the intro track imo) the best showing
on the record. I do plan to have some more words about the
album, Elite Vessel, at another time, hopefully soon.
To whoever reads this, I hope you had a great 2024 and have a
fantastic 2025. Reach out, don’t be a stranger.
I love talking with all of you.
Much Love and Happy New Year,
diego
ps: i know formatting is broken on desktop, sorry but its
3am rn and i cant be fucked to fix it. if it looks bad on
mobile , just dm me. ill cry to the owner of this hosting site.