Building on the spirit of the 2023 annual best-of list, this edition of Better Days Radio shakes off the constraints of rigid formats to deliver something freer and more dynamic. It’s a blend of fresh discoveries and cherished rediscoveries. This year brought standout releases like albums from Pigbaby, Roc Marciano, Ka, and Joanne Robertson that left a lasting mark. The dancefloor also had its anthems, with Omar-S’s irresistible “Can’t Get” and The Perpetual Singers’ euphoric “Elena” leading the charge.
But the list doesn’t stop there. It also celebrates older tracks that found their way back into heavy rotation for me. Photek’s “Modus Operandi” is an annual obsession, its brilliance as striking as ever. Timeless house classics from Recloose and Circulation proved their staying power, sounding as fresh today as they did years ago.
Finally, this year’s journey wouldn’t be complete without a nod to the vibrant Polish music scene, which I still follow with admiration. Highlights include Wojciech Bąkowski’s avant-garde explorations and Julia Rover’s debut EP on The Very Polish Cut Outs Originals, a tantalizing taste of what’s to come.
This is a list shaped not just by the new, but by the enduring and the inspiring—tracks that remind me why I love music in the first place.
QST | Walking
Pigbaby | Crying In Burger King
Gerda | Sindbad
Joanne Robertson & Dean Blunt | Sassy
Der Assistent | Klinik unter Palmen
Zona Utopica Garantita | Tanz Minimal (AHEADACHEADAY Version)
Montel Palmer | Just What You Do
Photek | The Hidden Camera
Roc Marciano | Gold Crossbow
Ka | Beautiful
No I.D. | The Real Weight
Actress | It’s Me ( G 8 )
TAH | DIDNT I BRING YOU UP?
Sound Stream | Just Do It
The Perpetual Singers | Elena
Bell Towers | Lucky
Omar-S | Can’t Get
Marcellus Pittman | Pick Yourself Up
Circulation | Memory
Recloose | Soul Clap 2000
Julia Rover | Co Z Tobą?
Mazarati | Champagne Saturday
