Listen to a mix of our favorite music from San Francisco, Oakland, and the rest of the Bay in 2023 (so far)! We figured the same way other publications post “end of year” lists in November, we could get away with posting our “end of half year” list in May.
In all earnestness, we’re feeling deeply grateful for how much good music has already come out of the Bay this year. We also know we probably missed some good ones, so feel free to send us angry emails or comments expressing your displeasure. (And maybe that will help us correct it for the actual year-end lists.)
Thank you to Jody Amable, Elise Mills, and Elliot Engel for contributing to this list!
CLUB / ELECTRONIC
TRAX SOLAR – agropol
Sideshow – Bastiengoat
MIATA – DJ JUANNY
Alley Ghost – Kush Arora, HMXGOD
KMS JUICE – Taraneh
FLIPFOOTS – Tom Marsi
Dear Johnny – Compilation by As You Like It
Immortal Sin 03 – Compilation by Squirrels on Film
MONIKER001 – Compilation by Club Moniker
HIP HOP / R&B
Cardboard People – Cardboard People
“History of the Bay” – Dregs One, B.C. the Producer
“I Know I’m Not Alone” – Isaiah Mostafa, SisterCody, Dani Fanning
North Star – Isaiah Mostafa
The Great Escape – Larry June, the Alchemist
Slaponia – Ozer, EaSWay
Qamp II – Qamp, Casey Cope, Marquito
Altered – Ricky Lake
FLIPS V2: FLIP-TUCK – Sndtrak
Around the World – Stunnaman02 & Clayton William
INDIE / FOLK / POP / ROCK
shapes & colors – abracadabra
Petrolia – Arts & Crafts
Water Words – Asha Wells
I would give songs numbers instead of names if I could. I can? Ok. Here I go, but not really. – B. Hamilton
Jump on It – Bill Orcutt
All in Good Time – Blues Lawyer
Why Not Now? – Cindy
No Refunds – Cunstomer Servixxx
Between the Lines – Forest Bees
Somewhere Over the Mystic Moon – India Sky
In the Store – The Lost Days
Soft Like an Apricot – Marika Christine
The Beasts of History – Michael James Tapscott
NN – Nothing Natural
The New Country Sounds of Ryan Wong – Ryan Wong
EXPERIMENTAL / METAL / PUNK
Factory – Cheree
Control Sessions (Live at Gilman 9/24/22) – Gumby’s Junk
The Magi – Harjo
Spiritual Pollution – Public Interest
pouring water in the dark – rose cherami
lycanthropic nemesis 420 – ^-^