Yes, even reviewers forget albums or get things wrong.
It’s that time when Australian music critics assemble Best Of The Year lists. But often their selections are predictable – and homogenous. If the ARIA Awards are anything to go by, in 2024 everyone will have those releases from Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Royel Otis, Hiatus Kaiyote…
These are all great records, don’t get us wrong! But let’s instead recognise the homegrown albums that deserve to be listed, but have been overlooked, under-promoted or faded from popular consciousness too soon.
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Jessica Mauboy, Yours Forever
- Warner Music Australia
Like Kylie Minogue, Jessica Mauboy is an Aussie pop queen – but she isn’t always granted her critical dues. Nor is Mauboy supported by triple j, though the station playlisted her 3% collab, Won’t Stop.
This year Mauboy delivered her most assured album, Yours Forever, spanning pure pop, piano balladry and disco (PNAU’s Nick Littlemore is a producer). She actually revisits her Tamworth country roots on Whitney.
Mauboy has long collaborated with international names (remember Snoop Dogg?) and received an ARIA nomination for the single Give You Love alongside Jason Derulo. But her duet with Miiesha, Little Too Late, is more memorable.
Big Scary, Wing
- Pieater
Mid-career acts can struggle to attract attention because media types believe that there’s no story left to tell. But, since winning the Australian Music Prize for 2013’s Not Art, the Naarm/Melbourne duo Big Scary have consistently experimented within the indie-rock idiom – and introduced synths.
Wing is especially contemplative as Tom Iansek sings about relationships ending and shattered idealism. The pinnacle is Perfect World with its uncanny spoken word.
Allday, The Necklace
- Dew Process/UMA
Allday deviated from his singular emo-hop on 2021’s underrated indie-rock foray, Drinking With My Smoking Friends. This year marked the 10th anniversary of his classic debut Startup Cult and the now UK-based rapper has returned to that hip-hop foundation.
Allday conceived The Necklace after a girlfriend discovered jewellery belonging to another at his home. He examines his failings and inconsistencies – the choral Toxic, inspired by Ye’s Sunday Service, unusually confessional.
Jordan Rakei, The Loop
- Decca Records
Though born in New Zealand, Jordan Rakei was raised in Meanjin/Brisbane. Today the prolific artist resides in the UK, where he’s established himself as a tastemaker favourite in the soul and nu-jazz scenes.
On The Loop, Rakei charts his personal growth as a young father. The album has extravagant orchestral and choral arrangements, but Rakei’s tremulous voice elevates songs like Learning.
Christine Anu, Waku-Minaral A Minalay
- ABC Music
Torres Strait Islander singer-songwriter Christine Anu serendipitously became a hip-hop soul trailblazer with 1995’s Stylin’ Up and she’s still exploring layered cultural expression with Waku-Minaral A Minalay, her first proper album since 2003’s 45 Degrees.
Reuniting with producer David Bridie, Anu has described the project as “Stylin’ Up’s older sister”, but it’s also redolent of Vika & Linda’s 1996 opus Princess Tabu. Anu shares stories through folk, gospel and ambient.
The “waku” is a woven mat and here it’s a metaphor for the passage of life, as Anu pays homage to her grandfather, Saibai songman Nadi Anu, using archival recordings.
Milan Ring, Mangos
- Astral People Recordings
Milan Ring might be the best-kept secret in Australian music, the mysterious vocalist and virtuoso guitarist from Eora/Sydney straddling progressive RnB and future soul.
Following 2021’s cult I’m Feeling Hopeful, Ring has resurfaced with a buoyant, even groovy, sequel in Mangos, capturing a summer romance.
Repping her Asian heritage, Milan Ring incorporates guzheng on the slinky title track, co-produced by 18YOMAN (Kaiit, Kid Cudi), but the stand-out is the discofied Leo.
PNAU, Hyperbolic
- Etcetc
The roll-out for PNAU’s sixth album Hyperbolic began back in 2019 with the disco anthem Solid Gold – the first of seven singles.
Championed by Elton John, the trio have fully embraced pop. Hyperbolic is stacked with guests like Troye Sivan (last year’s ARIA-nominated You Know What I Need), Khalid and a revelatory Emily Wurramara. There’s even a eurodance PNAU/Empire Of The Sun opener, AEIOU.
Hyperbolic didn’t chart as highly as 2017’s ravey Changa, but it may be your summer soundtrack.
Emma Volard, Alibi
- The Operatives Records
Western Sydney is equated with hip-hop and RnB, but Naarm/Melbourne is the future soul hub with Hiatus Kaiyote as its figurehead. Emma Volard has followed 2022’s Deity with the bolder Alibi – Two Sides about queer identity.
Volard envisaged their sophomore as more dancefloor-driven. Recording with a band, the music veers into broken beat and even on the epic titular track, math rock.
Cool Out Sun, A Lion Is A Lion
- House of Beige
N’fa Jones is a Naarm/Melbourne hip-hop legend. 1200 Techniques’ former MC aired a brilliant solo album, Black + White Noise, in 2014.
Jones now leads the dynamic supergroup Cool Out Sun with REMI producer Justin “Sensible J” Smith – their 2018 self-titled debut celebrating the African diasporic community.
The lowkey ALion Is A Lion finds Jones pondering parenthood and legacy. Sampa The Great materialises on the Afrobeat Asskin For More, a joyous surprise.
Soweto Gospel Choir & Groove Terminator, History of House
- House of Latroit
Tandanya/Adelaide’s Groove Terminator (AKA GT) is best known as a ’90s DJ-producer and member of Chili Hi Fly and Tonite Only. In 2019 he partnered with the Soweto Gospel Choir for a live spectacle, culminating in the ambitious History Of House – Detroit veteran Dennis “Latroit” White assisting.
The choir cover dance classics such as Delerium’s ’90s trance Silence, Inner City’s ’80s Good Life and Candi Staton’s You Got The Love in Zulu and English.
Most idiosyncratic is a rousing take on Christopher Cross’ soft-rock Ride Like The Wind – in fact a staple at Larry Levan’s Paradise Garage. A churchy Afro-house mixtape? Why not?
For more on the best albums of 2024, head here.
