Saint’s 33: My Take on the Best Albums of 2024
Part 1: A Personal List of the Music That Defined the Year 2024
2024 was a year of creativity, challenges, and transformation in music. Artists responded to an ever-changing world in different ways, with some reflecting the turbulence in their work and others offering a much-needed escape. The year gave us a range of albums that told deeply personal stories and tapped into universal emotions. Some gained the recognition they deserved while others remained hidden treasures waiting to be discovered.
This is a new tradition I’m starting in my newsletter. I will highlight 33 albums that defined my year. Why 33? Honestly, I don’t have a concrete reason. I’m just a little superstitious and have always loved the number three. In this first installment of my Top Albums of 2024, I’ll share 11 records that left a lasting impact on me. These aren’t just the best albums but the ones that truly resonated, whether they made me think, feel, or move.
What I’ve Been Up To
Before diving into the music, here’s what I’ve been up to lately:
Reading: The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin—speculative fiction at its absolute finest.
Watching: Foundation on Apple TV+—a visual and narrative feast.
Listening To: Sea Lemon, Silica Gel, and Lulli Lee—on repeat.
Snacking On: Kombucha and French Onion Popcorn—Trader Joe’s is undefeated.
Lately, I’ve been spending my weekends exploring NYC record stores and adding to my vinyl collection one find at a time. Each discovery feels like uncovering a piece of history, and it’s been such a rewarding way to reconnect with music. If you’re in NYC and have any favorite record stores, I’d love to hear your recommendations!
I’ve also been thinking about reviving my old YouTube channel. I stopped posting back in 2021, even though it had over 2,000 subscribers. Getting back into it feels both exciting and a little intimidating, but I’m ready to give it another shot.
This year hasn’t been easy. A busy work schedule and a stretch of writer’s block had me questioning my creative direction. Taking a break gave me some much-needed clarity, and now I feel ready to reconnect with you and with the music that’s always been my source of inspiration.
Black Noise Rating System 🔥
Before we get started, here’s a refresher on how I rate the albums in this list:
🔥🔥🔥🔥 Absolute Fire: Modern classics, essential listening.
🔥🔥🔥 High Heat: Exceptional albums with the potential to stand the test of time. Highly recommended.
🔥🔥 Warm Glow: Solid, genre-specific gems that will keep you warm and satisfied.
Every album here is worth your time! I only include music I genuinely love.
1. Chanel Beads – Your Day Will Come
Release Date: April 19, 2024
Black Noise Rating: High Heat 🔥🔥🔥
Chanel Beads’ debut album is a haunting, shape-shifting experience. Shane Lavers crafts a sonic world that feels like a lucid dream, blending ghostly vocals with warped strings and dense textures. From the opening track “Dedicated to the World,” you’re drawn into an otherworldly realm where nostalgia and experimentation collide.
The standout track “Police Scanner” melds nostalgia with an eerie, otherworldly soundscape. It feels like listening to a memory you can’t quite place. Meanwhile, “Idea June” showcases Lavers’ gift for weaving dense, layered compositions that pull you in deeper with each listen.
What makes Your Day Will Come truly special is its ability to feel simultaneously human and alien. It’s an album that rewards patience and repeat listens, revealing new details every time. This isn’t background music—it’s an immersive experience that demands your full attention.
Standout Track: “Police Scanner” – Nostalgic and surreal, it stays with you.
2. Mk.gee – Two Star & The Dream Police
Release Date: February 9, 2024
Black Noise Rating: Absolute Fire 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Mk.gee’s debut album feels like stepping into a cinematic dreamscape. Michael Gordon combines analog warmth with cutting-edge production, creating a sound that’s both nostalgic and innovative. From the opening notes of “New Low,” you’re transported into a world of shimmering synths, intricate acoustic textures, and deeply personal lyrics.
“New Low” showcases Gordon’s falsetto against a backdrop of dreamy, industrial soundscapes, setting the tone for the album’s emotional depth. Each track unfolds like a carefully curated scene, with “How Many Miles” offering a poignant reflection on loss and longing.
What sets this album apart is its ability to balance intimacy and expansiveness. It’s music that feels handcrafted yet cinematic, perfect for listeners who want to immerse themselves in every detail. Whether played through high-quality headphones or filling a room with its lush sound, this is an album that rewards close attention.
Standout Track: “New Low” – A cinematic, ethereal opener that pulls you in.
3. Ally Evenson – Blue Super Love
Release Date: November 21, 2024
Black Noise Rating: High Heat 🔥🔥🔥
Ally Evenson’s Blue Super Love is indie rock at its rawest and most cathartic. With fuzzed-out guitars, biting lyrics, and bratty vocals, Evenson channels the chaos of heartbreak, anger, and vulnerability into a sonic explosion.
The title track is a distortion-heavy anthem that captures the emotional intensity of the album, while “You Poor Thing” pairs sharp wit with an anthemic sound that feels like a cathartic scream into the void. Producer Nydge’s lush production gives the album a widescreen quality, amplifying every emotional peak and valley.
Tracks like “Something in the Water” showcase Evenson’s ability to craft hooks that linger in your mind, while “Cross My Fingers” offers a glimpse into her playful side without losing the album’s emotional weight.
This is music for anyone who’s ever felt their heart break and needed to turn the volume all the way up to cope. It’s messy, unapologetic, and deeply human.
Standout Track: “Blue Super Love” – A fiery, fuzz-filled anthem.
4. Erika de Casier – Still
Release Date: February 26, 2024
Black Noise Rating: Absolute Fire 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Erika de Casier strips R&B down to its essence with Still. Her hushed, intimate vocals sit atop minimalist beats and lush string arrangements, creating a sound that feels both nostalgic and forward-thinking.
“Ice,” featuring Tampa duo They Hate Change, is a standout slow jam that blends sensuality with hypnotic rhythms. Meanwhile, “The Princess” offers a reflective meditation on vulnerability and empowerment, showcasing de Casier’s poetic lyricism.
What makes this album special is its ability to evoke deep emotion with restraint. Every note feels deliberate, every lyric carefully chosen. It’s music that invites you to lean in and lose yourself in its understated beauty.
Standout Track: “Ice” – A sultry, hypnotic slow jam that lingers in your mind.
5. YATTA – Palm Wine
Release Date: October 25, 2024
Black Noise Rating: High Heat 🔥🔥🔥
YATTA’s Palm Wine is a transformative blend of experimental soundscapes and West African pop. Tracks like “Circle” pull you into a world of abstract textures, while “MTV” shifts into hook-driven territory that retains YATTA’s experimental edge.
This album feels like a journey of self-discovery, where each track builds on the last to create something profoundly unique. Sierra Leonean influences add depth and richness, grounding the album’s avant-garde moments in cultural resonance.
For those who love music that pushes boundaries without losing emotional depth, Palm Wine is a must-listen.
Standout Track: “MTV” – A bold, infectious bop that defies expectations.
6. Nourished By Time – Catching Chickens
Release Date: March 22, 2024
Black Noise Rating: High Heat 🔥🔥🔥
Baltimore’s Nourished By Time delivers a kaleidoscope of sound with Catching Chickens, a genre-defying fusion of shoegaze, R&B, and funk. Marcus’ ability to craft deeply personal yet universally relatable music is on full display.
“Hell of a Ride” feels like cruising down a sunlit highway with the windows down, its dreamy, nostalgic melodies wrapping around you like a warm breeze. In contrast, “Romance In Me” taps into 90s soul, adding a fresh, modern twist to its smooth production.
This album excels at creating emotional resonance while daring to experiment. The layering of shoegaze-inspired textures over soulful melodies feels both innovative and deeply comforting, making it perfect for introspective moments or late-night drives.
Standout Track: “Hell of a Ride” – A dreamy, nostalgic gem that feels like freedom.
7. Astrid Sonne – Great Doubt
Release Date: January 26, 2024
Black Noise Rating: Absolute Fire 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Astrid Sonne’s Great Doubt is a breathtaking fusion of modern classical elements and avant-garde pop. Sonne’s classical training shines through in the meticulous structure of each track, but the album is anything but conventional.
“Do You Wanna” starts with minimalist precision, building tension with sparse instrumentation before erupting into thunderous drums that deliver a powerful emotional punch. Meanwhile, “Staying Here” pairs warped synths with haunting vocals, creating a soundscape that feels beautifully alien.
This is music that demands your full attention. Each track feels like a chapter in a larger story, pulling you into a richly textured world that challenges and comforts in equal measure.
Standout Track: “Do You Wanna” – Bold, haunting, and deeply human.
8. Nilüfer Yanya – My Method Actor
Release Date: March 15, 2024
Black Noise Rating: Absolute Fire 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Nilüfer Yanya’s My Method Actor takes her introspective songwriting to new heights, stripping back her sound to reveal raw emotion and depth. The album feels like a series of private confessions, delivered with Yanya’s signature blend of indie rock and jazz influences.
“Ready For Sun (Touch)” cuts through with its stark acoustic arrangements, while “Just A Western” builds from delicate beginnings into a sprawling, spacey crescendo. Each track feels like a delicate balancing act between vulnerability and strength, with Yanya’s voice acting as the anchor.
This is her moodiest, most introspective record yet—a masterclass in less-is-more storytelling through music.
Standout Track: “Ready For Sun (Touch)” – A hauntingly beautiful reflection on longing and resilience.
9. Hildegard – Jour 1596
Release Date: October 18, 2024
Black Noise Rating: Warm Glow 🔥🔥
Montreal duo Hildegard’s sophomore album Jour 1596 is a delicate dance between spontaneity and precision. Helena Deland and Ouri craft richly atmospheric tracks that reward attentive listening, creating soundscapes that feel both expansive and intimate.
“Beverly” stands out with its lush production and emotional depth, drawing you into its layered world of swirling melodies and heartfelt lyrics. “Pour Your Heart Out” demonstrates their mastery of tension and release, with crescendos that feel both cathartic and restrained.
This is a headphone album, designed for quiet moments of reflection. It’s not about immediate gratification but about the slow build of emotion and texture that stays with you long after the music stops.
Standout Track: “Beverly” – A lush, emotionally resonant highlight.
10. Jessica Pratt – Here In The Pitch
Release Date: May 3, 2024
Black Noise Rating: High Heat 🔥🔥🔥
Jessica Pratt’s Here In The Pitch is a masterclass in baroque folk storytelling. Her delicate melodies and intricate arrangements feel timeless, evoking a sense of nostalgia while remaining entirely her own.
“World on a String” is a standout, with Pratt’s ethereal vocals floating over gentle acoustic guitar and minimalist orchestration. Meanwhile, “Life Is” captures the bittersweet beauty of fleeting moments, its lyrics painting vivid emotional landscapes.
This album feels like a quiet conversation between the artist and the listener, intimate and deeply personal. It’s perfect for those who crave introspection and warmth in their music.
Standout Track: “World on a String” – A tear-jerking triumph that lingers long after it ends.
11. Willow – Empathogen
Release Date: May 3, 2024
Black Noise Rating: Absolte Fire 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Willow’s Empathogen is a bold, genre-blending exploration of identity, emotion, and sound. At just 32 minutes, the album is lean and purposeful, packing an impressive amount of creativity into its runtime.
“Run!” bursts with frenetic energy, riding a Thundercat-style bassline into punk territory. On the other end of the spectrum, “Between I and She” slows things down with introspective lyrics and lush, jazzy instrumentation. Willow’s ability to balance intensity with vulnerability makes this album a standout in her discography.
At its core, Empathogen is about connection—both to others and to oneself. It’s an album that encourages listeners to embrace their complexities and emotions unapologetically.
Standout Track: “Run!” – Electrifying, layered, and endlessly replayable.
That’s it for the first part of my list of 33 albums that defined 2024. These 11 albums played a big role in my year, each standing out for different reasons. Some challenged me, some comforted me, and some just refused to leave my headphones. They represent the creativity, resilience, and reinvention that made this year in music so exciting.
But the journey isn’t over. Tomorrow at 3:33 PM, I’ll share the next 11 albums that shaped my 2024. There are more hidden gems, breakthrough releases, and personal favorites I’m excited to talk about. Whether you’re here for new music recommendations or just to reflect on what made this year special, I hope you’ll join me for the next part of the list.
Stay noisy friends.
Until next time, stay noisy, friends! ✌️
—Saint Virgil
A hearty “heck yeah” to Chanel Beads and Astrid Sonne! As for NYC record stores, I like Academy and A-1 in the East village and Record Grouch and Academy Annex in Greenpoint to name a few. Rough Trade is always a destination for new vinyl and in-store shows. Would be fun to have a substackers record store crawl!