2019 was an outstanding year for music in all the genres that make up our Post Punk Darkwave Coldwave Shoegaze Post Rock Playlist. Having featured the best 50 tracks from among our Post Rock inclusions on Tuesday, today is Post Punk’s turn. The diversity of styles on offer is quintessentially Post Punk, a much loved but often much misinterpreted genre in terms of what it is and what it is not…and that depends on who’s telling the story.
Much congratulations to Houston DIY trio Astragal for taking out our best Post Punk track of 2019 with the multi-faceted angularity and delay-soaked power of ‘Bloomer’. While it may surprise some, as soon as it hit this editor’s ears in that little coffee shop in Kallio, Helsinki back in late March, it was destined for number one. Kudos also to Los Angeles Drab Majesty, the only act to have two tracks featured in the list, for their layered sensation ‘Long Division’ who took out second spot. The inimitable Melbourne duo Skydeck took out third best with ‘Tourniquet Too’ a a veritable law unto itself work of instant and infectious originality. At number four was Leeds outfit Drahla with the electrifying ‘Stimulus For Living’ while Cologne duo SPARKLING rounded out the top five with their pertinent and plaintive appeal for integrity ‘It Isn’t True.
Further shout outs to three American outfits for their places in the top 10, Brownsville’s Twin Tribes, Raleigh’s Truth Club and Melldrop out of Athens GA while special and extra special mention for same respectively goes out to Melbourne’s returning quartet Eddy Current Suppression Ring and Cleveland veterans Pere Ubu, who finished their illustrious boundary pushing on an appropriate high.
The full playlist of sixty is below and whether you agree with the placings, each is a more than worthy inclusion. If you’re surprised that you can’t find a particular band on the list, such is the fine line between Post Punk and Darkwave, they may appear on the Darkwave/Coldwave playlist due imminently.