Herb Sundays - Herb Midyear MMXXIV
A Bouillabaisse of 77 Herbs and spices that "hit hard" this year.
Herb Sundays Midyear 2024 (Apple, Spotify).
Art by Michael Cina.
A global survey of Herb, from artists, writers, and enthusiasts.
Not a “best of” or a critical compendium.
The prompt: “What song hit you hard in 2024 (new or old)?”
In a fight against recency bias, the old blends with the new, but it is mostly new. I added a few of mine as well.
I couldn’t include every song mentioned or every blurb, but I did my best. Please enjoy and share your song below and they may get added too. A lot of these were new to me and moved me deeply. It reminds us there are vast tributaries of great music flowing underground, ready to be tapped. - SV4
A-Trak (Fool's Gold) - Nikki Nair - "Worm"
“This track has so much attitude. It's punk but it's clubby. Sonically it's crazy, there's a stereo field thing that makes my brain melt.”
Alex Berenson (All Flowers Group) - Sammi Smith - “Help Me Make It Through The Night”
Anthony Valadez - Omar Apollo - “Pedro”
Ari Kuschnir (M ss ng p eces) - James Blake - “Thrown Around”
Arielle Lana LeJarde (ariellenyc) (HEADS KNOW) - The Era Footwork Crew - “Who Betta”
Bailey Richardson (OpenAI) - Charlotte Day Wilson - “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”
“My mom used to sing this song to me as a little girl. It makes me emotional to hear Charlotte Day Wilson put her voice to it.”
Barbie Bertisch (Love Injection) (HERB 42) - Bryony Jarman-Pinto - “Willow”
Ben Dietz ([SIC] Weekly) - Charli XCX - "Apple"
"Apple" ≠ "Airport" is 2024 "Career" ≠ "Korea." Makes me just want to drive...”
Ben Swanson (Secretly Group/All Flowers Group) - John Martyn - “Couldn’t Love You More”
“A friend of a friend turned me on to this song. John Martyn has always had such a deep and intimidating catalog; having a track like this gives the perfect entry point.”
Benoit Pioulard (editors note: new orcas album next week!) - James Devane - “Kilter”
“The best electronic artist I’ve heard in quite a while ; melodic, moving, weird as hell.. all the sweet spots”
Bobby Solomon (The Fox Is Black) - Charli XCX - "I think about it all the time”
“There's something about it that reminds me of The Streets' "Weak Become Heroes," this sort of talking singing track explaining how one is feeling with an immensely catchy chorus. I hum it to myself constantly.”
bre morell (crushed) - Mk.gee - "Dream Police"
“I know I’m far from alone in this, he’s every artist’s favorite artist etc etc, but I haven’t been this struck by a record in a very very long time. I could pick any single song off the album but Dream Police might stand slightly above the rest for me. Perfect song, incredible guitar playing, and such a special quality to his voice that is so addicting and inspiring.”
Cameron Parkins (All Our Dreams) - Chappell Roan - "Pink Pony Club"
“I'm a Herb purist, and there is nothing more Herb than honesty and the risk of appearing incredibly uncool in front of those you respect. I am a late-stage fan of Chappel Roan, 2024's clear breakout pop star. If I had been on my shit, I would have been blasting "Pink Pony Club" for the past four years, but I'm just grateful I have it in my life now. It's the first new artist my 4-year-old daughter and I have discovered together, which is special and something that has seared it deep into my psyche.”
Casey MQ - Alexandre Desplat - “Prologue (Birth)”
“I saw the movie a few months ago and have been listening to the song ever since!”
Chad Pratt (Same Eyes) - Bullion - “We Had A Good Time”
“The song has the right amount of heart and passion to make it just outside of normal; it feels nostalgic but also current. That's what I strive for in writing and producing. This song is perfect!”
Chen Chen (Chen Chen and Kai Williams) -Nickelback - “How You Remind Me”
Cherie Hu (Water and Music) - Charli XCX - “Sympathy is a knife”
“the first 32 seconds, you wonder if the song is for you, and what exactly it’s trying to say. and then the chorus comes and the conflicting feelings from past memories hit you all at once, like a knife. crystal castles adapted for our hyperpop times.”
christopher taber (analogue) -Jason Molina - “Everything Should Try Again” (ed. note: there’s also a great Molina Substack)
claire rousay (HERB 09)- Loren Connors - “evangeline”
“i have been deep in loren connor’s discography over the past 18 months and this one felt like “the hit”. so many of his pieces could be proper ballads. this one especially. heartbreaking.”
Daisy Alioto (Dirt) - 1010benja - “Waterworks”
“The whole album is great. Who among us isn't living in the past so they don't get their feelings hurt?
Dan Lissvik (Atelje/Studio) - Sam Gopal - “Grass”
Colloboh (ed note: currently on tour with Brijean) - Ryuichi Sakamoto - “Solari”
Darius Van Arman (Secretly Group/All Flowers Group) - Fugazi - “Blueprint”
Dart Parker (Goliath Artists, etc) - Killer Mike - “Humble Me”
Dave Sutton (Stadiums & Shrines) - Marnie Stern - "Believing is Seeing"
“A two-part, very indie rock-dad answer here: starting with Marnie Stern's "Believing is Seeing," the most-played track in our household, from one of the best comeback stories of 2024. From the first listen, my daughter (age 5) was transfixed, and for weeks, she kept requesting the "This place is cold" song over and over. The intro reminded me of Yeah Yeah Yeahs' "Maps." She got even more obsessed with this, the "They don't love you like I love you" song. We then tried Ponytail's "Easy Peasy," but it didn't stick. I saw Marnie live around this time and her son was dancing on stage, fitting!”
David Brandon Geeting - ML Buch - “High Speed Calm Air Tonight”
“I have not been surprised by music this way in 20 years. It sounds like Enya meets Nirvana meets the first time you ever opened Garageband meets one of the most gorgeous vocal melodies I've ever heard. All without drums. I think I've listened to it at least once a day since October.”
Dean Bein (True Panther) - J.P. - “YDKM”
“The bars crack me up every time, JP's melodies like a zoomer Fetty Wap, the drum pattern, the dang sample. Just everything about this song.”
Dina Litovsky (In The Flash) - Tyler, the Creator - “WUSYANAME”
DJ Python - Colle - “Silent But For Joy”
Dua Saleh (Ed note: new single “Want” out now, i added it in) - Aphex Twin - “#19”
Eric Martinez (Secretly Group) - claire rousay - “lovers spit plays in the background”
Frankie Banks - Nina Simone - “22nd Century”
“Nina Simone with an amazing cover of Bahamian artist Exuma’s 22nd Century (who I’m also a huge fan of!). I was recently flying into Los Angeles on the 4th of July. The flight descended down into LA right after sundown and I was lucky enough to have a window seat to watch the entire cityscape erupting with fireworks on the way into LAX. I had my headphones on with a playlist on shuffle and this song came on. The combination of the visuals with this song soundtracking hit XXL… surreal, cinematic…. heavy! Still burned in my brain ha”
Graham Jonson (quickly, quickly) - "Lali Puna - “Grin & Bear”
“My girlfriend who has the best music taste of anyone I know showed me this song. It somehow has every attribute of what I believe to be a perfect song - wispy female vocals, driving beat, cool chords, simple but effective production, and cool little synth stuff. Complete fkn package”
Greg Mendez (HERB 112) - Make Your Maze - “Peck”
Something about it makes me feel a very particular kind of long. It’s a very beautifully crafted song in every sense and it takes a couple unexpected turns that feel very right.
GRRL - Still House Plants - “More More Faster”
Gucci Pineapple (Dana & Alden) - Las Chuchas - “Como Ronea”
“some crazy flamenco from spain with Y2K girl band vibes”
gum.mp3 (Gum Studio) - Brazilian Girls - “Pussy” (2005)
My first time Shazaming a song from somebody in a long time. I was visiting Los Angeles , staying with my best friend before going on tour in Tokyo. I've come to hate LA a little less over the years because of my amazing friends, and they have excellent taste in music. Thanks to Hash and Justin for playing this one in the car.
hana vu (Ed: Hana is on tour!) - charly bliss “nineteen”
Hassan Rahim (12:01) - kendrick lamar - “purple hearts ft. ghostface” 💜💜💜
Heathered Pearls - ML Buch - “Flames Shards Goo” (ed note: see ML Buch’s Herb 101)
“When I first heard this song it felt like turning on the light in a room of an old house of someone else's things that have been untouched for years. Strangely recognizable, the calm sort of hits a few pegs below what you've felt in a while. You finally realize your mouth has been hanging open for 3 mins when the song ends.”
Ian Michna (Jenkem) - Pretty Sick - “Superstar”
“Talented & beloved NYC band that has been at it for a while. They have newer releases, but I enjoy their 2020 release most out of the discography so far.”
Ilirjana Alushaj (The Pop Manifesto) - Fontaines D.C. - “Starburster”
“A song this year that I really connected with was Starburster by Fontaines D.C. I love the Madchester swing it has, the pop grit it breathes both musically and visually, and of course the asthma inhaler sample as a hook.”
Jason Voltaire (Martyn Bootyspoon) - Crydajam - “Loaded”
It's no surprise or shock to anyone that I've been in an absolute French House k-hole over the last 3.5 years. I've had this one playing at a very low hum in my mind for months, it's probably my favourite Crydamoure track in terms of how overtly Chicago-informed it is. That Chicago 12-Bit Bassline, The 'Paul Johnson' low-end slamming kick that somehow sucks you in each time it hits. Even though Play Paul is French, the vocals are also pretty reminiscent of Jamie Principle-esque sultriness. The song is Booba-Kiki at it's finest.
Jeff Carvalho (Culture Club Show) - Raffa Guido - “Famax”
Jocelyn Brown (Warp Publishing) - Flaviano Venturini and Milton Nascimento - “Qualquer Coisa A Haver Com O Paraíso”
Jubilee (Magic City) - NIGELTHREETIMES - “FUN FANTASY: RELAXATION”
Jules Dressner (Louis/Dressner Selections) - MOOD - “Oblivion (Naux Remix)”
Justin Hunt Sloane - Owls - “Everyone Is My Friend”
“When Steve Albini passed and everyone was sharing all the production credits and recordings I was super surprised to see this on his Wiki page. Because it stood out from other work associated with him, and also because I hadn't thought about it since I was a teenager. Played it back and it still hits.”
(+ bonus YouTube: Phil Lynott One Wish demo with Huey Lewis 1985 “Stare at the ocean and rethink your life type of song.”)
khotin - Jump Source - “Sad Salad”
“patrick [Ed note: the great Patrick Holland] played this for me about a year ago at his studio right after they finished the record probably knowing this would be my favourite jump source tune ever. a dance track but can really also just listen to it on repeat, such an ear worm. reminds me of something that could've come out on kompakt or dial back in the day. love it!”
Kieran Press-Reynolds -LAZER DIM 700 - “Giwout”
“A deliciously apocalyptic blast of blown-out rap. LAZER tumbles over some infrared bass and synths wigging out like feral rabbits - there's not a moment of calm, just pure intensity.”
Kyle Raymond Fitzpatrick (The Trend Report™) - Physical Therapy & Nick Léon - Genesis (DJ Swisha Remix)
Marilyn Minter (HERB 98) - Beyoncé - “Bodyguard”
Matt W (RVNG Intl) - Ezra Feinberg - "Soft Power"
“The turns back from the "chorus" to the verse brings chills every time. Love that the entire piece sits on top of a shaker, love the Lanois synth wilding / widening at the end, love everything about this.”
Raihan_(unknownvariable) - Dean Blunt & Joanne Robertson - repeat offenders (feat. Elias Rønnenfelt)
M. Sage (Herb 118) - Ulla and Ultrafog - “Jesse’s Car”
Matthew Dear (Matthew Dear) - MGMT - “Bubblegum Dog”
“It hits the funny bone in my heart.”
Matthew Schnipper (Deep Voices) - Varg2™ ft. Eartheater, Earth -“Lucky”
“Strong, simple, and freaky”
Matthewdavid (Leaving Records) - Sam Wilkes, Craig Weinrib, Dylan Day - “I'll Find A Way”
“It's a cover of my fav Ted Lucas song. Soft Country Jazz.”
Michael Cina (Cina Associates) - Charlotte Day Wilson - “My Way”
"My Way" resonates in a way that’s hard to pinpoint, capturing the essence of heartbreak with a ethereal, almost gospel-like grace. This track stands out with its chugging tempo and textured layers of the vocals that jitter in and out. The line "living in the clouds that never rain" encapsulates the empty unresolved sorrow perfectly.
Miguel Senquiz - Vince Staples - “Black&Blue”
more eaze - Eric Chenaux - "There They Were"
“eric chenaux music constantly steeps into my life in a nearly imperceptible but deeply impactful way. more and more I find myself coming back to his records and I particularly find myself returning to 2022's "say laura." to me, this song oozes romance and the way it gradually builds into it's looped refrain is endlessly fascinating on a formal and emotional level. it's accompanied many long late night walks through my neighborhood during the winter and soundtracked journeys to and from the beach this summer. on top of that, "say laura" really ignited my love of avant chord laden "pop" in a way that I haven't experienced in years.”
Nick Barat (Fool’s Gold) (ed note: check Nick’s great substack) - Duckboy "Excalibur"
“Side project of one of the $uicideboy$. They are arena level "niche huge," happy for them but it does little for me (there are many Project Pat records I already enjoy listening to). But this? I LOVE THIS. Even less cognosenti friendly! Uber-melodic Warped Tour chugga chugga will always hold a special place in my heart; critical disrepute just makes the mosh parts hit that much harder.”
Nick León - Casey MQ - “Grey Gardens”
Nigil Mack (drink sum wtr) - THEY. - “Diamonds and Pearls”
Patricia Wolf - Broadcast - Follow The Light”
“It's been a over a decade since the tragic passing of Trish Keenan. I was not expecting to hear any new music from one of my favorite all time bands, Broadcast, but when I heard the news that a new album of theirs was coming out I was overjoyed. Upon listening to it I was blown away with its beauty, mystery, and in some cases rawness. It's hard to pick a favorite, but "Follow The Light" and "I Want To Be Fine" have me under their spell. This album is truly a timeless treasure.”
Paul Raffaele (Love Injection) (HERB 43) - Asuka Ando - “Dubuku (Dub)”
Phil Bator (Lunch Reads) - Otis Redding - '“(Sitting On) the Dock of the Bay”
Thanking my luckiest, herbiest of stars for the particular phrasing of your ask, the song that hit me hard in 2024. Even in the midst of our collective brat summer, nothing has moved me quite like my reacquaintance with Otis Redding’s (Sitting On) the Dock of the Bay. We all know it! A song this deeply seeped into our world is easy to take for granted. But after watching the Stax documentary on HBO, my once most-skipped Otis track now has me weepy as I type this out. Steve Cropper’s steady, spare guitar. Booker T’s tiny kiss of a key plunk at the 2:08 mark. And the one and only Otis – a 26-year-old on the heels of an explosive Monterey Pop performance and resulting polyps surgery – giving us all his final piece of peace.
Philip Sherburne (Futurism Restated) (HERB 80)- Cassandra Jenkins - “Delphinium Blue”
“Delphinium Blue” is a song about making the best of things. A new job, maybe a new town, the kind of alienation that makes one happy to be picking up extra shifts at work, just to fill up the time. Our narrator recounts her tasks at the flower shop with a kind of zen determination: “Chin up/Stay on task/Wash the windows/Count the cash.” What’s left unspoken are the vastness of her loneliness and the precise nature of her relationship to the “you” of the song, whose eyes she sees in the blue of the delphinium. It features the single best line I’ve heard all year: “Nights fall like thorns/Off the roses.” The Enya-like vox pads and glowing electric bassline offer a purely sensuous pleasure to match the lyrics’ careful handful—not too much, not too many—of perfectly rendered images. It’s a ship in a bottle, a masterpiece of songwriting economy.”
Piotr Orlov (Dada Strain) - musclecars feat. Cesar Toribio - “Circles II”
BklynSounds 2024 meets Dada Strain herbology (see Herb Sundays 54). Great (seemingly) simple songwriting, an emo AF dance-pop hit for a parallel universe.
Priyanka Mattoo - Romy - "Lifetime"
I'm not great at enjoying when good things happen, and I wasn't going to let the release of my memoir (Ed note: buy it! Bird Milk & Mosquito Bones) go by without forcing myself to take it all in. I'm trying to learn to roll around in joyful moments as much as we all wallow in misery. I love the Romy album, period, but this pre-existing single--released during the pandemic, so I never got flail around to it in public--sets an ideal celebratory mood, whether I listen in the car, on a beach walk or at home with the kids.
raihan_ (unknownvariable) - Dean Blunt & Joanne Robertson - “repeat offenders (feat. Elias Rønnenfelt)”
Robin Sloan (ed note: dopest newsletter and new book) - The Supreme Jubilees -“Do You Believe”
I've been spending a lot of time in & around Fresno in recent years, and there's something ghostly about the knowledge that this music was recorded just down the road. One of the other songs on the same album (It'll All Be Over) has been pretty solidly re-injected into the bloodstream of algorithmic culture -- and it's gorgeous -- but I like this one even better. I bought the album (!) and I'll often play it loud in our little rented house in Fresno.
Ryan Schreiber (xtra/credit mgmt) (ed note: Ryan’s playlist is wild good) - Otha - “I Hate You in the Morning”
“Otha, an extremely slept-on duo from Norway, made an instant mark in 2018 with three irresistibly sour dance-pop smashes, then seemed to vanish entirely. This year, they've thrillingly rematerialized with two long-awaited follow-ups. "I Hate You in the Morning" epitomizes their brand of floor-filling pop— think Shygirl or Charli if they were minimal techno introverts. Here, a negative sentiment cuts against a euphoric hook and muted vocal delivery, contrasting the maximal approach of present-day pop to create a sound that is sharply crafted and, like Otha's first few singles, remarkably enduring.”
Shawn Reynaldo (First Floor) - Night Cycle - "Dead End of August"
“A new band featuring Canadian house heads Cooper Saver and Pop District, Night Cycle surprisingly swerves the dancefloor altogether, opting instead for the fuzz-filled early '90s and that brief period when MTV served up wall-to-wall alt-rock bands—and their artily abstract videos, of course. With its swirly guitars and dreamily disaffected attitude, "Dead End of August" would have been a perfect candidate for the Buzz Bin, but all these years later, it's something like a shoegazey successor to L7's classic "Pretend We're Dead."
Shawna X - Purelink- “Butterfly Jam Xphresh Bad Girl version”
swoozydolphin - Burt Bacharach & Elvis Costello - “Painted From Memory”
Tammy Lakkis - The Keyboys - “Savannah”
“I listened to this every day for a period and it would always cut right through anything else going on and give me the big feelings. Very haunting and nostalgic!”
Teen Daze (Teen Daze) (ed note: great ‘stack and new album) - Wallace - “Tanzanite”
Tyler Bainbridge (Perfectly Imperfect) - Threshold - “Dream All Night”
Tyrrell Winston - Chief Keef - “Treat Myself”
Will Calcutt (Herb 69) - Fabiana Palladino - “I Can’t Dream Anymore”
+ bonus: Will’s partner Simone (ed note: happy 1 yr off marraige!) - Riley Downing - “Start It Over” (Will:" “Metaherbal meditation on survival through listening to music (something already tattooed upon the heart of every Herb but the gruff poetry sure hits the spot)”)
ULYSSA - King Crimson - “The Sheltering Sky”
“I’ve played this song at least once a day since January 1st. No horseapples. It’s the soundtrack to a late night writing project ULYSSA is grinding away on. It’s a wretched and resplendent project. And this song is both wretched and resplendent. Banging your head on a wall over and over until you realize you can just walk through walls. You levitate in the town square and then everyone says “oh that’s just XXXX, they can’t REALLY levitate.” But it did happen.”
Spent the whole day going thru this... tysm <3
Keep on keeping’ on ❤️