#n0v3l

2021 best of. At least I beat my time last year and actually wrote?

What a freakishly dark year. Amidst our dystopian descent, one where D-beat and grindcore record covers seem particularly apt, independent record labels and artists keep providing and grinding, delays and inflation be damned. What the fuck else are ya gonna do? I wince reading headlines - the world is dying, tribalism reigns, someone just burned down the Planned Parenthood blocks from where I live - but music remains a constant source of elation, solace, rejuvenation and invigoration for me. It's helped me through a lot this year, and turned into a form of self-care in a way, given that increasingly rare free time was almost always accompanied by immersion into music. When I survey the past 12 months, these are the records that resonated. Grown man photographs his precious belongings, 2021. Take care of yourselves and each other, support the music venues and artists suffering through the pandemic's never-ending coda, and I hope this list can introduce you to something new even if I gave away the top dog months ago. Damn, what an amazing time for new music - happy digging.

LP

Nusidm, Hatred of Pain (self-released)

Cube, Drug of Choice (Alter)

Monokultur, Ormens Väg (ever/never / Mammas Mysteriska Jukebox)

Nightshift, Zöe (Trouble In Mind)

Quarantine, Agony (Damage United 82 / La Vida Es Un Mus)

Heimat, Zwei (Teenage Menopause)

Mortiferum, Preserved In Torment (Profound Lore)

Lea Bertucci, A Visible Length of Light (Cibachrome Editions)

The Body, I've Seen All I Need To See (Thrill Jockey)

N0V3L, NON-FICTION (Flemish Eye)

Six more:

Cerebral Rot, Excretion of Mortality (20 Buck Spin)

CIA Debutante, Dust (Siltbreeze)

Jean-Luc Guionnet & Will Guthrie, Electric Rag (Ali Buh Baeh / Editions Memoire)

Maraudeur, Puissance 4 (self-released)

Emily Robb, How To Moonwalk (Petty Bunco)

Waste Man, One Day It'll All Be You (Feel It)

12" / 7" / cassette

CIA Debutante, Music For Small Rooms 12" (ever/never)

CIA Debutante, Pier 7" (SDZ)

Earwig Deluxe, It's An Emergency To Them CS (Striped Light)

The Fulmars, The Lost Ones 7" (Hüüpnootsche Platen Un Kassetten)

Horrendous 3D, The Gov. and Corps. Are Using Psycho​-​Electronic Weaponry To Manipulate You and Me​... 7" (Whisper In Darkness)

Sial, Zaman Edan 7" (La Vida Es Un Mus)

Suffocating Madness, s/t 7" (Active-8 / Roachleg)

Stomachache, Good Machine CS (self-released)

Taphos, Blood Plethora 7" (Night Shroud)

Treasury of Puppies, Lollos Dagbok 7" (I Dischi Del Barone)

Rap

Separate category because I'm a tourist at best. Here's what I was listening to that hit a nerve.

Armand Hammer feat. Earl Sweatshirt, "Falling Out the Sky"

Bigmutha AKA BbyMutha, Muthalificent 2 and Bastard Tapes Vol. 3 (self-released)

Boldy James & the Alchemist, Bo Jackson (ALC)

Flint & Detroit Rap 2021 mix by the best @thehotboxsocial

MIKE, "Disco!" (10K)

Pooh Sheisty feat. Lil Durk, "Back In Blood"

R.A.P. Ferreira, the Light Emitting Diamond Cutter Scriptures (self-released)

Starlito, Funerals & Court Dates and Insomnia Addict (Grind Hard) Not new, but it's never a bad time to revisit my favorite rapper's discography. The two albums I listened to most this year in any genre or form.

Young Nudy, Rich Shooter (RCA)

Omega Radio for December 4, 2021; #290.

Marissa Nadler: “Moon / Stars” + “Turned Into Air”

Chelsea Wolfe & Emma Ruth Rundle: “Anhedonia”

Emma Ruth Rundle: “Return”

Halsey: “You Asked For This”

Sault: “9″

Angel Olsen: “Safety Dance”

Sharon Van Etten & Angel Olsen: “Like I Used To”

Iceage: “Shelter Song”

Squid: “Paddling”

Maxband: “Case Of Dust”

N0V3L: “Status”

Shame: “Alphabet”

Spirit Of The Beehive: “Give Up Your Life”

Dry Cleaning: “Scratchcard Lanyard”

Yard Act: “Dark Days" + “Fixer Upper”

Laundromat: “Milky”

Floatie: “Voyage Out”

Hooveriii: "Erasure”

Water From Your Eyes: “Everybody Wants To Rule The World”

Palberta: “Never To Go” + “Before I Got Here”

Lily Konigsberg: “True”

Maxshh: “500 Miles High”

Sweeping Promises: “Pain Without A Touch”

Marissa Nadler: “Moon / Stars” + "Turned Into Air" (Instead Of Dreaming + The Path Of The Clouds) Chelsea Wolfe & Emma Ruth Rundle: "Anhedonia" (single) Emma Ruth Rundle: “Return” (Engine Of Hell) Halsey: “You Asked For This” (If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power) Sault: “9″ (Nine) Angel Olsen: “Safety Dance” (Aisles) Sharon Van Etten & Angel Olsen: "Like I Used To" (single) Iceage: “Shelter Song” (Seek Shelter) Squid: “Paddling” (Bright Green Field) Maxband: "Case Of Dust" (Top Of The Stairs) N0V3L: “Status” (Non-Fiction) Shame: "Alphabet" (Drunk Tank Pink) Spirit Of The Beehive: “Give Up Your Life” (Entertainment, Death) Dry Cleaning: “Scratchcard Lanyard” (New Long Leg) Yard Act: “Dark Days" + "Fixer Upper” (Dark Days) Laundromat: “Milky” (Red e.p.) Floatie: “Voyage Out” (Voyage Out) Hooveriii: "Erasure" (Water For The Frogs) Water From Your Eyes: “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” (Somebody Else’s Songs) Palberta: “Never To Go” + “Before I Got Here” (Palberta5000) Lily Konigsberg: "True" (Lily We Need To Talk Now) Maxshh: "500 Miles High" (As A Treat) Sweeping Promises: "Pain Without A Touch" (single)

Welcome to Omega Radio, WUSB’s most diverse show on its roster. This month we start our tenth year in operation, a major new milestone for us. We want to thank all of our followers, listeners, and supporters of both our show and WUSB for supporting diversity and non-corporate independent radio.

We start Year Ten like we do every December with our end-of-the-year ‘Winners Of...’ broadcasts. In our first of two shows, we feature two hours worth of 2021′s most notable, talked-about, and best music in indie, post-punk and d.i.y. (Some selections played on previous shows.)

Join us again in two weeks for our second ‘Winners Of...’ broadcast as we say goodbye forever to 2021 and celebrate more victories in other deluxe genres. See you soon.

December 18, 2021 (10PM New York City):  Winners of 2021 Pt. 2.

The red- and black-clad young punks of N0V3L are here to preach us about our finite existence, all with optimism!