It's the Test Pressing 2023 Round Up! With more records than ever released this year (well digitally at least) it feels more important than ever to reach out to friends, family and respected piers to ask for their records (and TV) of the year. As ever massive thanks to those that took the time to think about the music that mattered to them this year and we hope you find something in here that you didn't know.
Happy holidays to you and yours and we hope 2024 brings you all the good stuff. Cheers. x.
Alex Kassian
Top 3 Singles:
1. Fantastic Man - Visions of Dance Vol.2
2. Q Words / Needle / F*O*X* - Non Volvevo Ma Volavo 2
3. E-Talking - The Cosmic Egg
Album of the Year:
Andre 3000 - New Blue Sun
Rediscovered / Reissued Album:
Finis Africae - El Pulso De La Madera
Apiento
Top 3 Singles:
1. Driss Bennis pres. OCB - But In Time
2. Reedale Rise - This Beautiful Life
3. Toumba - Istibtan
Album of the Year:
Tapes - Funk Plates Vol.1 (M208 Funk!!)
Rediscovered / Reissued Album:
Wally Badarou - Colors of Silence
TV Show:
The Bear (Seasons 2) / Succession
Andrew Hale
Top 3 Singles:
1. Serebii - Really You
2. Sammy Virji & Flowdan - Shella Verse
3. Payfone - I Feel You
Album of the Year:
Kiefer - It’s OK B U
Rediscovered / Reissued Album:
James Taylor - In The Pocket
TV Show:
Disco - Soundtrack Of A Revolution
Brian Not Brian
Top 3 Singles:
1. David Chalfont - Tracy Song 7”
2. LNS - Misiats EP
3. Mike ‘Agent X’ Clark - Activate E.P
Album of the Year:
DJ Cam - Westside Gun Soul
Rediscovered / Reissued Album:
Lino Squares - The Role Of Linoleum
TV Show:
Blue Lights
Budino
Top 3 Singles:
1. Fantastic Man - Spiritual Guidance
2. Massimiliano Pagliara - All The VCOs You Can Eat
3. Nairless - Balearic Dreams
Album of the Year:
Suzanne Ciani, Jonathan Fitoussi – Golden Apples Of The Sun
Rediscovered / Reissued Album:
Hole In One - Spiritual Ideas For Virtual Reality
TV Show:
I don’t watch tv really : )
Castro (Castro & Nemo)
Top 3 Singles:
1. Mark Grusane - Book Me for Your Birthday Party
2. Deep Concentration - Un-Earthed Essentials Vol1
3. An-I - Rabble
Album of the Year:
Precious Bloom - Consequences
Rediscovered / Reissued Album:
Not sure if this counts since it’s a compilation, but the America Dream Reserve compilation. If it has to be a non compilation album, I’d go with Hamid El Shaeri - The Slam Years
TV Show:
If only I had time for TV shows…but let me know of any good ones you saw! I could use a good TV show in my life, hoping to have more time for this kind of stuff next year
Chez De Milo
Top 3 Singles:
1. Miss Tiny - DEN7
2. Ghost Assembly - I Miss Your Love
3. Cosmo Vitelli - Medhead Remixes
Album of the Year:
a.s.o - a.s.o
Rediscovered / Reissued Album:
Delkom - Futur Ultra
TV Show:
Don’t really watch TV. The Last of Us was about the only thing…
Dubwise Vinyl
Top 3 Singles:
1. 7FO - "Healing Sword"
2. Sukanya - "Djaanemann"
3. Craig Bratley Featuring Amy Douglas - "No In Between" (Ashigaru Dub)
Album of the Year:
Paul St. Hilaire - "Tikiman Vol. 1"
Rediscovered / Reissued Album:
Jackie Mittoo - "In Africa"
TV Show:
Top Boy
Fantastic Man
Top 3 Singles:
1.Solar Plexus - Lost & Found EP
2.Cousin - Second Message
3.Alex Kassian - Voices
Album of the Year:
a.s.o - a.s.o
Rediscovered / Reissued Album:
Gaia: Selected Ambient & Downtempo Works (1996 - 2003)
TV Show:
Succession
Ivan Smagghe
Top 3 Singles:
1. Twelve - Grund/Schmeck
2. Santaka X Rytis Mazulis X Melos Collective - Autoportretas
3. Wladimir M - Prive Onderzoek
Rediscovered / Reissued Album:
Naked Beast Soundtrack
TV Show:
I don’t watch TV
Jason Boardman
Top 3 Singles:
1. Falk & Klou - UFO (Andi Hanley Rework)
2. Skeet - Park Road EP
3. Quad 90 - Le Blank
Album of the Year:
V/Z - Suono Assente
Reissued Album:
Wally Badarou - Colours Of Silence LP
Rediscovered Album:
Playgroup - Going Overdrawn
TV Show:
The Detectives - Taking Down An OCG (BBC)
Jeff Barrett
Top 3 Singles:
1 Joshua Idehen - Learn To Swim Pt 2
2. 7FO - ヒーリング剣 (Healing Sword)
3. Kieran Hebden & William Tyler - Darkness, Darkness
Album of the Year:
Yusef Dayes ‘Black Classical Music'
Rediscovered / Reissued Album:
On one hand this is tricky to answer simply cos there’s been so many great records revived, on the other hand it’s a no-brainer cos one of those is Bob Andy's 'Song Book'.
TV Show:
A tie between Top Boy and Happy Valley
Laani
Top 3 Singles:
1. Space Ghost - New World Energy Ambient Mix
2. LCSM "Likwid Continual Space Motion" - The Score
3. Gayance - Nunca Mais Extended Version
Album of the Year:
Dave Okumu - I Came From Love (Transgressive Records)
Rediscovered / Reissued Album:
Kofi - Black…With Sugar (Ariwa Sounds)
TV Show:
Disco: Soundtrack of a Revolution
Lexx
Top 3 Singles:
1. Jamma-D ft. Mndsgn - Jammas Jam
2. Eddie Chacon - Sundown
3. Larry June & The Alchemist - 89 Earthquake
Album of the Year:
Jonny Nash - Point Of Entry
Rediscovered Album:
Yo La Tengo - Green Arrow, song from 1997
Reissued Album:
Emerson - Sending All My Love Out
TV Show:
The Last of Us
Make A Dance (Ben)
Top 3 Singles:
1. Rakim Under - Vice feat MC Jack
2. Ben Gomori- Chin Chin Boom
3. Mark Seven - Vibes (Sunsplash Vibe Mix)
Album of the Year:
Traces of Illusion Compiled By Skyrager
Rediscovered / Reissued Album:
Contact Contagious (Discrete Recordings)
TV Show:
The Bear (Season 2)
Make A Dance (Josh)
Top 3 Singles:
1. DMX Krew - Night Creatures
2. Polo & Pan X Red Axes - Mumia (Red Axes Remix)
3. Pampidoo - Synthesizer Voice (Legowelt Remix)
Album of the Year:
Slump Recordings Artists For Palestine Compilation 2023
Rediscovered / Reissued Album:
Rex Omar (Soundway Records)
TV Show:
I didn’t finish one. Mainly watching bodybuilding and Science Podcast's video’s on YouTube these days
Martyn Pepperell
Top 3 Singles:
1. Cybotron - Maintain
2. Ayesha - Buzzz
3. Gayance - Full Moon Rising feat Judith Little D
Album of the Year:
Mogwaa - Translucent
Rediscovered / Reissued Album:
Dorothy Carter - Waillee Waillee
TV Show:
John Griffin's FROM
Matthew Busy Circuits
Top 3 Singles:
1.NFO - Various Artists EP
2. Tapes - Not in Colour
3. Aphex Twin - Blackbox Life Recorder 21f
Album of the Year:
Forest of Tines (Egil Kalman plays the Buchla 200)
Rediscovered / Reissued Album:
Black Dog - Bytes (of course!)
Mad Professor - Dub Me Crazy Part 5: Who Knows The Secret Of The Master Tape
TV Show:
Blue Eye Samurai (Netflix)
Mudd
Top 3 Singles:
1. Cloud - This Is Your Woman
2. Mudd - in The Garden Of Mindfulness / Katanaboy
3. Payfone - I Feel You / I Feel You (Remix)
Album of the Year:
Ferdi Schuster - Playing Life
Rediscovered / Reissued Album:
Wally Badarou - Colors of Silence
TV Show:
Beef
Nancy Noise
Top 3 Singles:
1. Malia - Pellegrino & Zodyaco
So beautiful. I’ve been totally addicted to this. Been on repeat
2. Mareas EP - Fernando
Always love Fernando’s musica. Been loving playing Pete Herbert’s remix of Mareas out. A right stomper
3. Alek Lee - Fun Control EP
Have loved playing Prins Thomas discomiks out. A top cosmic journey vibes from Prins
Album of the Year:
Rogê - Curryman
Such a beautiful lush album which brought me so much joy this year
Rediscovered / Reissued Album:
Too Slow To Disco – Yacht Soul 2
Love love love
TV Show:
I don't really watch TV but I enjoyed Kin recently. It was scary as hell for me but beautifully shot and a top cast
Paramida
Top 3 Singles:
1. Alex Kassian - Voices
2. E-Talking - Pads & Frogs
3. Fantastic Man - Visions Of Dance vol. 2
Album of the Year:
a.s.o - a.s.o
Rediscovered / Reissued Album:
Haruomi Hosono - N.D.E.
TV Show:
Real Housewives (all of them)
Paul East
Top 3 Singles:
1. Payfone - I Feel You
2. Al Wooton - Vitus
3. Jack J - Foolish Man
Album of the Year:
Cleo Sol - Gold
Rediscovered / Reissued Album:
Sipho Gamede - Something to say EP
TV Show:
Colin From Accounts
Phil Mison
Top 3 Singles:
1. One Gram - AEO
2. Ghoßst Assembly- I Miss Your Love
3. She She She - Trouble
Album of the Year:
Calm - Quiet Music Under The Moon
Rediscovered / Reissued Record:
Viola Wills - These Things Happen
TV Show:
Endeavour
Piers Harrison
Top 3 Singles:
1. N-GYNN - Alistera EP
2. Ingrid Chavez - Justify My Love (Original Mix)
3. Sal Asrula - Poor Boy (Dub Mix)
Album of the Year:
DDWY - Sprig Songs
Rediscovered / Reissued Album:
Jazz Insects - Elephants
TV Show:
The Bear (Season 2)
Robert Harris
Top 3 Singles:
1. Richard Norris (Oracle Sound) - Birthday Dub - Group Mind
2. Kulture Blak & Ras Asha - On My Path - Studiostarline
3. Joe Yorke & Yaksha - Rocking Ship - Steppas
Album of the Year:
Earth Angel - Foundation Music
Rediscovered / Reissued Album:
Thomas Almqvist - Nyanser
TV Show:
Normal People
Saige Sounds
Top 3 Singles:
1. Yasushi Ide - A Place In The Sun
2. Kokoroko - We Give Thanks (KeiyaA Remix)
3. Last Nubian - Babylon Shuffle
Album of the Year:
Sundown - Eddie Chacon
Rediscovered / Reissued Album:
Joyce - Gafieira Moderna
TV Show:
Always gotta be Curb Your Enthusiasm
Stacy Christine
Top 3 Singles:
1. Two Mamarrachos - Let's Find Another After
2. Josh Caffe - You (w/ Erol Alkan Rework)
3. Remotif - Don't Do It
Album of the Year:
E-Talking - The Cosmic Egg
Rediscovered / Reissued Album:
Air - Moon Safari
TV Show:
Succession
Stu Clark
Top 3 Singles:
1. Mark Seven – Sunsplash Vibe
2. Surprise Chef – Spiky Boi
3. Laroie – Friend Or Lover (Manuel Darquart Remix)
Album of the Year:
Michael J Blood & Ratheart – Nite Mode Vol.2
Rediscovered / Reissued Album:
Don Blackman - Say You’ll Be Mine
TV Show:
The Bear (Season 2)
Tornado Wallace
Top 3 Singles:
1. James K & Hoodie - 065 (Scorpio) - AD 93
2. PLO Man - Anonymousmaterial - Acting Press
3. Fantastic Man - Spiritual Guidance
Album of the Year:
Hysterical Love Project - Lashes or Maara - The Ancient Truth
Rediscovered / Reissued Album:
Bryan Ferry - Boys & Girls
TV Show:
Gintama
Happy holidays. Love love, Test Pressing. x. x. x
