music 2024: TOP 4 non-album releases

Same rules as in previous years: Only releases I own in physical format. No re-issues, no studio or live albums. The only albums allowed in this category are split releases. Other than that singles, EPs and compilations were considered.

Then why such a short list? Well, of course I could have crammed more artists into this post, but I'm just trying to keep these rankings proportional. And I simply didn't buy very much music meeting the specific criteria in question. So with that in mind please be content with this small but exquisite selection of my...

TOP 4 non album releases 2024:

1. EAGLE TWIN & THE OTOLITH - Legends of the Desert Vol. 4
   
   
   

   What an awesome split! Heavy Desert Sludge duo Eagle Twin crunches your bones and scatters the remains in the sea of sand. From there the violins and voices of The Otolith pick them up and blow them through the spheres with arguably the strongest songs since they arose from the Doom of their former band SubRosa.
   
   
   
   
   
2. CHELSEA WOLFE - Unbound EP
   
   
   

   Only a guitar or piano and the magical lure of her voice. Anything from Chelsea Wolfe is strong, but in this constellation, reduced to the very essence, the Goth singer / songwriter is close to unbeatable.
   She also deserves credit for not just copying her album songs in acoustic form, but actually finding very distinct alternate arrangements which work just as great.
   Even though this beautiful EP is quite short it surprisingly contains two versions of "Whispers In The Echo Chambers"; the second one is just clad as a cover version with title and lyrics lent from Spiritbox.
   
   
   
   
   
3. KING DUDE - Songs of the 1940s - volume 3 & 4
   
   
   

   Déjà vu! More raw recordings of eight very old Country songs, presented on two 7" records in a gatefold cover in an embossed box. It looks as great as the previous double release of this series and the songs are just as compelling, too. Strummed acoustic guitars, ghostly organs and electric sprinkles, the Dude's raspy sonorous, but occasionally also yodeling voice - that's all it takes to create a perfect example of imperfect perfection.
   
   
   
   
   
4. TEUFELSKELLER / TORU & CR3C3II3 - Split
   
   
   

   This split tape is a satisfyingly glitchy chaotic double assault of apocalyptic Avantgarde. Side A belongs to the brutish and relentless "Tour de Force" of exile Russian trio Teufelskeller. On the even crazier side B French Experimental Metal maniacs Toru are teaming up with Noise artist CR3C3II3. And no matter if "Rattles Are Out" or "Rattles Are Back", one thing is for sure: Rattles are indeed completely bonkers.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

favorite MUSIC 2024 - all my lists:

TOP 24 albums   |   TOP 7 live albums   |   TOP 5 reissues

TOP 4 non-album releases   |   TOP 24 live shows

EAGLE TWIN & THE OTOLITH - Legends of the Desert Vol. 4

Of course attending and reviewing live shows is great and all, but damn, I'm falling behind with releases I want to write about! Yet again.

Well here's something I only very recently became aware of and had to order immediately. Because who doesn't love a great Doom Metal split LP?

EAGLE TWIN & THE OTOLITH - Legends of the Desert Vol. 4 (Copper Nugget vinyl LP) (2024)

Luckily I didn't have to order this fourth part of a split series from the New Mexican label Desert Records from overseas, because they offered a beautiful variant for Europe, too.

The two tracks on its A side belong to a group unfamiliar to me until now, the super sludgy amplifier worship Doom duo Eagle Twin. And yes, these two dudes look exactly as much as American truckers as the name suggests. Their extremely boosted brand of Blues with many other influences, while keeping an uncompromising focus on the power of the riff, exudes strong Yob vibes more than once. The raw vocal style, which sometimes almost slides off into throat singing territory, undoublty is a part of that. And I'm absolutely here for it!  

The reason I even checked this record out however is of course The Otolith, the Doom Metal band with two violins and multiple vocalists from Salt Lake City, featuring four former members of the legendary SubRosa. Even though their 2022 debut album "Folium Limina" undoubtly is great, I had some issues with it, which were mainly routed in me just missing the contributions of Rebecca Vernon.
By now however the desert dust has settled a bit. Vernon powerfully came back with the debut of her own new band The Keening and that also helped me to appreciate "Folium Limina" more for what it is than mourn what it was missing for me at first.

And what about the two tracks on this split? Both "Crossway" and "Phosphene Dream" are at least on par with the greatest songs from the album - maybe this even is the group's best material so far.
Doom Metal just doesn't get more epic, crushingly heavy and emotional at the same time than this. It feels like The Otolith have stepped up in several aspects, with the most important one just being confidence. It shines through especially in the arrangements and the harmony vocals of Sarah Pendleton and Kim Cordray. And I'm sure it helped that live bassist Matt Brotherton is also a fully involved band member now.

Guys and girls, if you keep up this level for your next album, it will be spectacular!
Just like this split actually already is, thanks to the awesome contributions of both bands and the consistent killer production, as all four tracks have been recorded and mixed by The The Otolith's drummer Andy Patterson in his studio.