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Strong Island Sounds Playlist – January 2022

Strong Island Sounds Playlist – January 2022

To launch this year’s playlist I’ve actually decided to do that classic New Year act of reflection and review so this list is a selection of 15 of my favourite songs of the past 12 months. Many of these tracks come from my favourite albums which dropped in 2021. William Doyle (known by his moniker East India Youth in a previous artistic life) released his second solo record ‘Great Spans of Muddy Time’ which revealed itself to be a collection of highly inventive, sonically impressive songs. I was also a huge fan of Du Blonde’s LP ‘Homecoming’ which, alongside Andy Bell also contained guest artists Ezra Furman and Shirley Manson.

New discoveries for me included Adam Melchor and Silvertwin. Melchor’s tales of heartbreak are wrapped up in gorgeous pop melodies whilst Silvertwin take their ELO and George Harrison influences and run with them. I’ve also included Derbyshire based multi-instrumentalist Debris Discs whose debut album lands next year and this stand-alone single from the summer got stuck in my head over and over again.

2022’s musical landscape promises to be an exciting one and I look forward to hearing more from Gabriels in particular. Their single Blame sounded unlike anything else when it was released at the tail end of 2021. The final track of the playlist – Brandy’s (no, not the American singer!) ‘Madball Baby’ is one of the best new band calling cards I’ve heard in a long while with a riff that’ll get stuck in your brain for an age.

Last year also saw the return of live music on a regular basis and I’m very much looking forward to seeing Villagers play the Wedgewood Rooms on 14th March – the Flaming Lips esque ‘So Simpatico’ comes from his 5th studio album ‘Fever Dreams‘; a real highlight in 2021.

William Doyle – And Everything Changed (But I Feel Alright)
Tune-Yards – Hold Yourself
Adam Melchor – Moon in the Morning
Silvertwin – Ploy
Du Blonde (feat Andy Bell) – All the Way
Debris Discs – Caravan (feat Polyhymns)
Sons of Raphael – Yeah Yeah Yeah
Villagers – So Simpatico
Sharon Van Etten & Angel Olsen – Like I Used To
Sam Evian – Easy to Love
Gabriels – Blame
Idles – The Beachland Ballroom
Curtis Harding – Can’t Hide It
The Courettes – Too Late to Say I’m Sorry
Brandy – (Wish You Was) Madball Baby

Make sure to add the playlists to your account as we’ll be aiming to update these at least every month, if not even more regularly. Hopefully you’ll enjoy our diverse selection of tunes and it’ll keep you entertained while working, travelling at home, in the bath or wherever you choose to listen. 


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