Better Days Radio – My 2023

The new edition of Better Days Radio follows a tried and tested pattern: it’s an annual best list. However, it’s not exclusively about music that was released in 2023. It’s about records that have accompanied me this year: new, old and rediscovered.

Bartosz Kruczynski is omnipresent. The Polish musician, whose early “Pan Barto” mixtapes really revitalized my love of Polish music in the old Myspace days, had a busy year in 2023 and released two new albums under his synonym Pejzaz. He was also involved as the producer of Wirski, whose EP this year focused on the dark side of Warsaw and whose dramatic synth melodies inspired me. What else was there? New records by Theo Parrish, of course, which should not be missing from the list. With Aerobics, Cologne presented itself as a Mecca for city pop. Hardly anything could go wrong. As a hardcore fan of the Pet Shop Boys, the concert was a must-see this year. At the concert, I rediscovered “Can You Forgive Her” and remembered how good the MK remix of it was. Finis Africae accompanied me on my vacation in Mallorca, which is probably similar for many people. There are also tracks by Terry Callier and Jon Hassel and GErman French House from The Discowboys that I rediscovered this year.

Better days all around, enjoy the ride!