There's a lot of conversation in our Trivia Mafia editorial sessions about Sound Rounds. Our Sound Rounds, which feature clips from five songs that share a common theme, are notoriously difficult to assemble. That's largely because music has become much less of a universal experience in the streaming era. Now that everyone has on-demand access to playlists and recommendations tailored to their specific, algorithmically determined tastes, it's that much harder to come up with five songs that everyone will recognize.
But that's a trivia-specific downside of an era where listeners have access to a broader and more diverse array of music than ever before. That's reflected in the wide-ranging variety of stuff our team put into our ears in 2023. From pop stars to brass bands to harp jazz to Icelandic volcano drone, here's what we listened to while we made trivia for you. – Editor Ira
Brenna’s Picks
Janelle Monáe, “The Age of Pleasure”
The full-frontal frothy joy in this pool party is a far cry (aesthetically and lyrically, if not rhythmically) from the suited, sci-fi themes of their “Metropolis” debut. I don’t think it’s Monáe’s best work, but it made for an incredible concert experience, and damn if I’m not going to be listening to “Champagne Sh*t” on December 31.
SZA, “SOS”
Technically this came out in 2022, but December, so it counts. I really love SZA’s dry, almost backhanded emotion in these searing but chill tracks, which shows up especially well in “Kill Bill” – makes you wonder how serious she is when she says “I’d rather be in hell than alone.” Best track: “Snooze.”
Paramore are still so fun, and great at writing upbeat songs with melancholy lyrics. Bonus listen: “Re: This Is Why” has all the tracks sorta remixed/covered by or with other bands (like The Linda Lindas and Wet Leg!).
Little Dragon, “Slugs of Love”
Perfect background music for when you’ve just had dinner with friends and are still sitting around a table piled with empty plates, soft lighting, and a ready set of quips. Nothing stands out, but it’s a great vibe. – EVP Brenna
Greg’s Picks
I grew up playing trumpet, and there’s just something about a quick blast of brass that gets me going. Vulfpeck’s “Schvitz” was released two days before 2023, but got me through the bleak winter and some bleak times all year.
Louie Zong is a storyboard artist for the “We Bare Bears” world of animated shows. But in his free time, he somehow released 22 singles and 10 albums/EPs just this year. Particular faves are "It's Black Friday, Charlie Brown," his imagined soundtrack to a Peanuts special that wasn’t, "Boss Rush," an album of boss themes for an imagined Kirby-style platform game, and "Ballad of Weird Dog," the video for which features hundreds of fan-submitted doodles of the titular weird dogs. And if you need to knock out some work in 5 minutes and 29 seconds or less, "Wizard Disco" is the best Justice song I’ve heard in years. But Louie made it!
A new single called “Wall St.” from a Brooklyn band called Boys Go to Jupiter landed with a brassy cataclysm just weeks ago. They threw themselves a Tiny Desk Concert months ago with under a thousand views, so you can get in on the ground floor with a band that feels really special. – Event Specialist Greg
Ira’s Picks
Don Niño & Françoiz Breut, "Cover songs in inferno"
A covers album for folks who dislike covers. French chanteuse Breut and indie weirdo Niño craft smoky, spooky, trippy tunes that pull from the darker corners of psychedelia and trip-hop to reinvent The Kinks, Shocking Blue, Donovan, Black Sabbath, Jefferson Airplane, and more. Haunting in the best sense of the word.
Brandee Younger, "Brand New Life"
An album of harp jazz backed with hip-hop beats is right up my alley, and Younger exceeds my high expectations. Her soulful command of the strings makes the harp feel like a natural jazz instrument, enough so that guests like Meshell Ndegeocello and Pete Rock take a back seat to her mesmerizing innovations.
Alto saxophonist Benjamin pulls off a miracle with an edgy, aching social statement of a jazz album that's also a ton of fun to listen to. Her style veers from traditional to spacey and back again, with assists from heavy hitters like Dianne Reeves, Wayne Shorter, and Angela Davis.
Yard Act, "The Trench Coat Museum"
The British rabble-rousers' new album won't drop until 2024, but this 8-minute absurdist single about the meaning of trench coats will sate me for now. – Editor Ira
Andrea’s Picks
Is no one going to talk about Olivia Rodrigo’s “GUTS”? “GUTS” is the “Let Go” by Avril Lavigne and the “Night Time, My Time” by Sky Ferreira of the 2020s. Fusing the Breeders and Alanis Morissette with bubblepop punk and owning all of it, Olivia Rodrigo delivers with this empowering and mature sophomore triumph. – Editor Andrea
Chucks’s Picks
I listened to a lot of music on YouTube in 2023. Here are a few of the videos I enjoyed most:
This weirdo jazz-funk track, with its horn-heavy groove and wildly catchy lyrics, has been in my head for about two months now, with no sign of packing it in. When singer Genevieve Artadi sings "Who's the president? Me. Landslide fucking Genevieve," it's not only the most optimistic vision for America's future I've heard in a while, it's also my favorite musical moment of the year. (Bonus points for her "Fart Loading" t-shirt.)
I'll listen to anything Big Thief puts out. We don't have many songwriters better than Adrianne Lenker.
Ólafur Arnalds live from Hafursey, Iceland
I turn to this Icelandic composer whenever I need to crank up the productivity and crank down the monkey-brain. This particular video is a two-hour live-band performance shot on-site on a glaciofluvial plain at the base of a volcano in rural Iceland. The drone budget is a little high for my taste, but whatever, don’t overthink it, it works.
Alexandr Hrustevich playing Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" on accordion
What this guy's doing with a button accordion is just nuts. This video’s 10 years old but who cares.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, "Gila Monster"
Gila monsters had quite a year in 2023. Did you know Ozempic was derived from Gila monster spit? Their role in inspiring this absolutely crushing tune is maybe even more impressive. Further proof that the best metal bands never take themselves too seriously.
This lady's gag-scream when she realizes her dog has a live rat in its mouth
Other-worldly. Irreplicable. Pure art. – Co-founder Chuck
Check back tomorrow to find out what books and podcasts grabbed our attention this year!
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