Over the past few weeks, our most active record reviewers have had the task of choosing their 5 favorite recordings of 2023, and here they are. This selection is unique and quite different of all you can find on the web or through traditional medias.
Much like a frenzied trip on psychedelics, on Water, It Feels Like It’s Growing, just when you think you understand a song’s shape, it suddenly splits into a droney and hypnotic whirl. Atsuko Chiba will offer a haunting guitar trill or synth flourish halfway through a track like “Seeds” before bursting into an orchestral interlude with a string section of violins and cello. The third full-length from the Montreal experimental prog rock group is a concoction of unexpected ingredients, revealing a new melody or hidden rhythm with each listen. It’s a vicious cycle that offers little reprieve, but Atsuko Chiba manages to make the onslaught feel alive with possibilities.
To see the complete list, click here!
