2016 IN SOUND

A finely curated collection of sounds that captured my ear, heart and mind in 2016. I'm still leaning heavy on SoundCloud as my go-to for discovering new music, with Spotify coming in as a close second. I also continue to find new stuff on Noisetrade, the ISO50 blog and Twitter. For probably the first time in my adult life, I did not purchase any music on CD this past year. I've gone to vinyl for all my "forever" music with everything else either purchased digitally from iTunes or streamed online.


Onto the music: Spotify Playlist


Tycho . Division
Off of their excellent release, Epoch, Division has every essential element that makes Tycho my go-to time and time again for instrumental/electronic music.


LaPeer . Favorite Day Thanks to Noisetrade for the introduction. Sit back and enjoy the 80s all over again!


The Lumineers . Cleopatra This is the self-titled foot-stomper off of my favorite album of year, Cleopatra.


Ry-Lo . Come Close
My brightest find this past year. Absolutely cannot wait to hear more from her!


Sara Hartman . Monster Lead Me Home
Perfect indie-pop.


Radiohead . Burn the Witch
An all-time favorite returns.


Cubicolor . Fictionalise
Such a complex sound mirrored perfectly with equally complex vocals.


Kyson . You
Floating...


Dauwd . What's There
Perfect house.


Broods . Free
Energy.


DJ Shadow (feat. Nils Frahm) . Bergschrund
Classic Shadow; reimagined perfectly.


Beacon . Fault Lines
Deep, dark and complex.


Missio . Can I Exist
I mean, this song stops you in your tracks! And the video checks in as my favorite of the year, tackling a very current issue that deserves your thought.


Medic . Giants (Intro)
Probably the only time the "intro" to an album makes the cut, but I just can't shake this one.


Halfnoise . Know the Feeling
You can always count on Zac Farro (aka Halfnoise) to deliver the indie rock goods!


Social . Drive
New indie outfit turning out that fresh synth pop!


Chris Bartels . Missoula
Hardest working man in independent music with more projects than you have fingers on one-hand!


Mr Little Jeans . Fevers
#dreampop


Leah Lawson . Israel
Favorite singer-songwriter find this past year. Take a listen.


The Lumineers . My Eyes
I can't fully explain why, but probably the song I listened to most this past year. Highly recommended on vinyl.


Switchfoot . Hope Is The Anthem
Going out on a positive note with a group of guys who have been around for quite some time and for whom I have a ton of respect.


SoundCloud Playlist


Previously: 2015 IN SOUND . 2014 IN SOUND . 2013 IN SOUND . 2012 IN SOUND . 11 IN SOUND . twenty-ten in sound . 08 IN SOUND . 2007 In Song . Six for '06