The Note Wrapped ‘24
We asked The Note’s music nerds to give us their end of year lists.
Zara Richards – Senior Writer
Best Release: Nilüfer Yanya’s My Method Actor. Her songs scratch all my sonic itches. Blondshell and Bully’s single collab ‘Docket’ quickly became an all-time favourite, too.
Best Gig: Coldwave at Jive. It felt like an intimate living room show and a headline gig all at once – an unparalleled energy.
Best Local Release: It’s a coin flip between Coldwave’s AA-side single ‘The Ants/Italia ’06’ and Swapmeet’s Oxalis. Both make me feel 16 and 26 simultaneously, I can’t really explain it.
Best Festival: Space Jams! The energy, music and community at this festival is truly magical. I won’t shut up about it.
One To Watch: Coldwave, Swapmeet, Wake In Fright, My Chérie, The Empty Threats and Divebar Youth make some of the most exciting noise this side of the hemisphere in my opinion!
Tobias Handke – Digital Writer
Best Release: Mannequin Pussy – I Got Heaven. If you think rock music is dead, give this record a whirl. It’ll blow your mind. Special mention to Kendrick Lamar’s GNX.
Best Gig: Air performing Moon Safari in its entirety at the Sydney Opera House. One of those ‘I can die happy’ moments.
Best Local Release: Saint Sinner by Elsy Wameyo. Thirteen tracks of rapid rhymes, soulful hooks and trap-meets-afrobeat production. A cracking debut from an emerging superstar.
Best Festival: I’m too old for festivals, but I’ll go with Spin Off purely because I was able to witness The Last Dinner Party in the flesh. Incredible.
One To Watch: I’m a big fan of The Vains. Powerful, emotive punk rock with a message. These women are the real deal.
Jack Paech – Contributor
Best Release: Sorry – ‘Waxwing’. Ominous and conceptually fascinating, the band once again showed their penchant for seductive indie music with a dark underbelly.
Best Gig: Coldwave – ‘The Ants/Italia ’06’ launch. Coldwave were at their best at this show. I felt every note in my chest.
Best Local Release: DIVEBAR YOUTH – ‘Idioms’. Adelaide’s most prolific indie-rock-glitch-hop-cyberpunk-dance artist synthesises his wide-ranging influences into an explosive track tinged with nostalgia and longing.
Best Festival: A Nice Day to Go to the Club. The Port Noarlunga Footy Club is the perfect venue for a wholesome day of music from bands across Australia. Nothing could beat listening to West Theb while soaking in the setting sun.
One To Watch: Ebony A Million. Ebony’s songs are super glossy and her voice drips smooth as honey. She’s developed a confidence that’s intoxicating to listen to and watch live.
Will Oakeshott – Heavy Curator
Best Release: SPEED – Only One Mode. Undeniably, this LP is tough with maniacal breakdowns, but its social awareness and empowering lyrical messages place it above the ocean of other hardcore acts.
Best Gig: Hanabie. at The Gov. Their genre fusion of J-Pop-nu-metalcore is brilliantly bewildering. How they execute such perplexing melodies so immaculately is beyond superhuman.
Best Local Release: SIGNALS – Poetry Of Spite EP. The ascension of this young quintet is undoubtedly one to marvel at.
Best Festival: Froth & Fury. An incredible day at Hart’s Mill featuring local and national acts in heavy genres and delicious craft beer. This Adelaide-only festival filled the gap in our souls left by Soundwave.
One To Watch: J A G U A R G O D. Epic post-metal explorations incorporating doom and sludge soundscapes that could soundtrack a documentary about a monstrous predator hunting its prey.
Wayne Saunders – Designer
Best Release: Jack White – No Name. Bluesy, punky, lo-fi rock sounds are the vibe here. A true treat from start to finish.
Best Gig: blink-182. One off the bucket list and peak nostalgia at its finest.
Best Local Release: West Thebarton – Mongrel Australia. High energy, wall-to-wall rock bangers – everything you want out of a rock album and nothing but.
Best Festival: Notestock. I might be biased, but it had one of the best double headliners you could ask for. Plus, you can’t go wrong with a mechanical bull!
One To Watch: Coldwave. Sure, I’ve been watching them for a while now, but after a string of EPs, a full-length would be nice. Please and thank you.
Olly Raggatt – Director
Best Release: Amyl and the Sniffers – Cartoon Darkness. The fact that one of Australia’s biggest musical exports is a proudly bogan, female-fronted punk act fills me with hope for the future of Aussie guitar rock.
Best Gig: Jack White at the Corner Hotel. I’m calling it early. I’m driving over this weekend, and by the time you read this, it’ll be done and dusted. If it’s not the gig of the year, I’ll eat this mag with a knife and fork.
Best Local Release: West Thebarton - Mongrel Australia. A fantastic album from start to finish, which is criminally underrated on a national level.
Best Festival: Adelaide Beer & BBQ Festival. Good Bands, Good Beer, Good BBQ. What more could you want?
One To Watch: The Empty Threats. I have a strong feeling this is the year they truly make their mark on the national stage.
