2024 Rewind 491/492 The Wire

Bumper double issue. On the cover: 2024 Rewind: the Year in Underground Music, including the Top 50 Releases of the Year; the Top 50 Archive Releases of the Year; Critics’ Reflections: our writers discuss their memorable cultural experiences of the past 12 months. Columnists’ Charts: our specialist critics delve deep into their musical niches from noise to modern composition. Plus: YATTA: the New York based artist fuses noise, pop and improv with a spiritual sensibility. By Stephanie Phillips; Music Ex Machina: the epic history of algorithmic music is surveyed at a new exhibition in Lausanne. By Robert Barry; Bridget Hayden: the Vibracathedral Orchestra member swaps free rock for folk on a stark new album. By Lucy Thraves; Sakina Abdou: Ground and improvisation. By Stewart Smith; Oranssi Pazuzu: Mutant metal. By Derek Walmsley; Black Rain: Neo-Neuromancer. By Phil Freeman; Michael J Schumacher: Living space sounds. By Kurt Gottschalk; Invisible Jukebox: Pat Thomas: will the pianist and improvisor have a grand time with The Wire’s mystery record selection? Tested by Seymour Wright; Global Ear: Zurich: the peripatetic noise scene resists gentrification in Switzerland’s biggest city; Unlimited Editions: tape label Strategic Tape Reserve prepare to fail. By Antonio Poscic; The Inner Sleeve: Pamela Z on Robert Rauschenberg’s Talking Heads cover; Epiphanies: Rafael Toral learns that music is the boss; 40 pages of reviews and much more.