Happy New Year Music Lovers.

Heres a quick recap of the last few months.
Krister Axel

Krister Axel

12

 min read time

Well, that went by quickly.

I had a few weeks off between positions, which really didn't yield much free time, mainly because we had a blizzard in the end of December so for a week there around Christmas I really spent most of my time moving piles of snow around the farm.

As some of you may know, I started a new job in December, and of course that's been taking up a lot of my time to get up to speed. For example, installing Ruby 2.6.5 on a Macbook running Ventura and XCode 14.2 — honestly, that took me the better part of the week to get straight. But I just pulled an all nighter to figure it out, so here I am, ready to talk about music.

Lately it occurs to me that pretty much nothing ever turns out exactly as planned, but I have learned to embrace that. I think in a larger sense, I'm just really forced to come to terms with the fact that there's more that I want to do than there is time to do it. I have more or less come back up to speed in terms of writing music reviews, but editing for the CHILLFILTR Review has again been pushed back, and I have not had much time to attend to the newsletter in any meaningful way. I think my resolution for this year is really just to accept things as they are, and be satisfied with doing the best I can. So that means I probably won't be sending out as many newsletters as I had originally hoped, and instead will be sticking with the monthly recap.

For our paid subscribers, please, accept a thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your support means the world, and I just wish I had more exclusive content to share.

For now, I hope you will be satisfied with a huge list of songs that were added to our blog and playlists over the month of November and December. As I've said times before, independent music is alive and well, and I continue to be impressed with the music that I'm hearing.

image for Happy New Year Music Lovers.

Creating a little recap of recent reviews was really the original idea for the newsletter in the first place, because I've had many requests from people just wanting to get pinged every time I add a new review. So this is the closest I can get to that. If you sign up for this newsletter, and even stay on just the free tier, you'll be getting a monthly list of recent reviews. That's my promise. And scroll down to the bottom of this page for a list of new adds for CHILLFILTR Radio.


Chicago Folk Duo Set to Release New LP. - Frances Luke Accord: Saint Mary

Sat, 31 Dec 2022 11:58:00 -0500

The music of Frances Luke Accord offers a bridge between a classic era of folk-inspired pop and the current day.

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Americana Storytelling from Edmonton. - Scot Free Sessions: Istanbul

Thu, 29 Dec 2022 16:11:00 -0500

When it comes to 'shaking the sadness from our bones,' we so seldom find what we are looking for.

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Feel Good Funk from Germany. - Cuezy. x Mindsogone: Can't You See

Thu, 29 Dec 2022 14:40:00 -0500

Using sound and frequency to alter your dimension, embracing music played on vinyl, classic hip hop, and 70s-style funk.

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Sumptuous Note to an Infant Son. - Zack Fletcher: Little Hollow

Thu, 29 Dec 2022 14:08:00 -0500

The care and attention to detail evident in this song is truly stunning, with a production aesthetic as powerful and meditative as the miracle of life and family.

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A Powerful Mix of Folk and Pop. - Mary Middlefield: Two Thousand One

Thu, 29 Dec 2022 13:36:00 -0500

Mary Middlefield might call Switzerland home, but her music certainly would be comfortable on the coffeeshop circuit of the Pacific Northwest.

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LA Pop Legend Delivers Wistful Retrospective. - Wingtip: Mr. 29

Wed, 28 Dec 2022 14:45:00 -0500

A track that feels both uplifting and slightly retro, matching a playful cynicism with the celebration of all things wistful.

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An Inspired Mix of Modern Pop and Classic Soul. - Rowe: Daze

Wed, 28 Dec 2022 13:57:00 -0500

Mixing elements of chilled-out synth, layers of vocal harmony, and riffs on the electric piano into a personal testimony about losing yourself in the throes of confusing love.

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Baltimore Polymath Prepares for Enticing Debut. - Lawrence Connor: Love Affair

Mon, 26 Dec 2022 12:54:00 -0500

Breathing fresh life and vibrancy into his genre-bending experimentations with melody, texture, and groove.

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Bentonia Bluesman Returns with Fire. - Robert Connely Farr: Shake It

Mon, 26 Dec 2022 11:36:00 -0500

His lyrics tell of lost love and catfish in the swamp—of hard nights and howling guitars.

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Baltimore Writer and Performer Makes Soul Magic. - Imani Wj Wright: So I Thought

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 19:01:00 -0500

We are left to wonder why the end always comes too soon.

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Indie Folk Songwriter Pays Respect to Lesotho. - Luke Beling: My African Dream

Sun, 11 Dec 2022 19:15:00 -0500

A fittingly beautiful and deeply resonant love letter to a corner of the world that is as unique as it is unspoiled by the hand of modern consumerism.

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Instant Classic from California's Latest Soul Sensation. - Khamari: Tell Me

Sat, 10 Dec 2022 14:15:00 -0500

Features a sticky, easygoing groove, a buttery bass line, and layers of Khamari's signature vocal presence: warm, intimate, and full of passion.

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Nashville Rising Star Puts Spotlight on Juvenile Diabetes. - Drew Now: TYPE

Sun, 04 Dec 2022 16:09:00 -0500

This tribute to an amazing boyfriend will have you hugging your own sweet someone just a little bit tighter tonight.

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Rapturous Latin Jazz Pop from Buenos Aires. - Galean: Goza ft Luiza Brina

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 22:25:00 -0500

At once hypnotic, suave, and dignified, this jazz-adjacent candombe was written as an open invitation to enjoy Galean's broad appreciation for a variety of different styles.

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Progressive House from London. - Ross Quinn: Out Of Time

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 12:07:00 -0500

Early experience as a studio assistant for the now defunct Gin Factory has prepared him for a quick rise to fame.

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Intimate Indie Folk from Munich. - Henny Herz: Constant Flow

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 12:55:00 -0500

Leaving listeners with a positive and buoyant feeling, this fun, mid-tempo groove is perfect for an introspective afternoon.

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A Shining Light in the World of Folk Pop. - Hazlett: Tell Me What You Dream About

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 16:03:00 -0500

Hazlett writes consistently fantastic songs at the intersection of folk and pop, with a distinctive vocal aesthetic and an ever-present acoustic guitar.

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Psychedelic Electronic Dance Pop from Melbourne. - Fonteray: Green Viridian

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 13:27:00 -0500

This dance friendly track is a no-brainer for any playlist that combines evocative soundscapes with a touch of the unexpected.

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Glitchy Alternative Electronic Pop from Austin Texas. - Vivid Fever Dreams: Twenty Five

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 12:11:00 -0500

A worthy anthem to the unfortunate phenomenon of coming to terms with the slow collapse of society.

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Cathartic Alt Rock with Support from Nettwerk. - DYLYN: Just A Boy

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 12:11:00 -0500

DYLYN's music is meant to empower her listeners, by underscoring the value of simplicity and the joy of personal liberation. Word has it she is only just getting started.

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We added more than 100 songs to our radio playlist in the end of 2022. Typically, I pick one new artist to future, so for this wrap-up, I am giving a nod to Caamp. My wife put them on my radar, and I gotta say I'm pretty impressed. That being said, there are many different artists on this list that all deserve recognition—you really can't go wrong picking any of these bands for a deeper dive.

As always, visit us at CHILLFILTR Radio for great new music streaming 24/7, or just search for "CHILLFILTR Radio" wherever you stream your music. Via our new partnership with TuneIn, we are now available on Apple Music and lots of other fun places. :)

Acre Memos, Lomelda - A Collection of Bird Songs - 04 Birds Swim Away

Acre Memos, Lomelda - A Collection of Bird Songs - 07 Warning

Acre Memos, Lomelda - A Collection of Bird Songs - 10 Double Wide

Alberta Cross - Find a Home out There

Alberta Cross - Ghost of City Life

Alberta Cross - Magnolia

Alberta Cross - Money For The Weekend (Pocket Full Of Shame)

Bhi Bhiman - Bad Times

Bhi Bhiman - Burn Out

Bhi Bhiman - Haunts Me

Bhi Bhiman - Helpless

Bhi Bhiman - It_s Only Just Begun

Bhi Bhiman - Mercury

Bhi Bhiman - Up All Night

Bhi Bhiman - Who Knows

Caamp - Lavender Days - 02 Believe

Caamp - Lavender Days - 03 The Otter

Caamp - Lavender Days - 04 Apple Tree Blues

Caamp - Lavender Days - 06 Light

Caamp - Lavender Days - 07 Found (Forever)

Caamp - Lavender Days - 08 Lavender Girl

Daisy the Great _ AJR - Record Player

Devon Gilfillian - Let The Water Flow

Drew Now - Type 01

flipturn - Brooklyn Baby

flipturn - Halfway

Frances Luke Accord - Saint Mary

Galean - Goza

Hand Habits - Just to Hear You (feat. Perfume Genius)

Hand Habits - More Than Love

Hannah Ascher - The Room

Hans Williams - All Is Well

Hans Williams - Weekend

Hazlett - Tell Me What You Dream About

Henny Herz - Constant Flow

Imani Wj Wright - So I Thought

Jacob Lee - Sick _ Tired

Jake Whiskin - Jake Whiskin - 01 Absence

Jake Whiskin - Jake Whiskin - 02 The Trail Went Cold

Jake Whiskin - Jake Whiskin - 03 Headfirst Dive

Jake Whiskin - Jake Whiskin - 04 Satanic Panic Love Song

Jake Whiskin - Jake Whiskin - 05 Heatwave

Jake Whiskin - Jake Whiskin - 06 Cold Morning

Jake Whiskin - Jake Whiskin - 07 Slow Motion

Jake Whiskin - Jake Whiskin - 08 Halfway Down The Street

Jake Whiskin - Jake Whiskin - 09 Drive You Home

Jake Whiskin - Jake Whiskin - 10 Long Way Home

Jake Whiskin - Jake Whiskin - 11 Half Asleep

Jesper Hasnaoui - Solitude

Joe Henry _ The Gospel According to Water - Choir Boy

Joe Henry _ The Gospel According to Water - Orson Welles

Joe Henry _ The Gospel According to Water - The Fact of Love

Joel Ansett - Cluttered Soul

josh teskey _ ash grunwald - Hungry Heart

josh teskey _ ash grunwald - Push The Blues Away

josh teskey _ ash grunwald - Thinking _Bout Myself

KALEO - Hey Gringo

KALEO - Save Yourself

Khruangbin _ Leon Bridges - Texas Sun

Lawrence Connor - Love Affair

Lindsey Buckingham _ Christine Mcvie - Love Is Here to Stay

Lorkin O_Reilly x Melanie MacLaren - Tadpole Emporium (EP) - Clearance Aisle

Lorkin O_Reilly x Melanie MacLaren - Tadpole Emporium (EP) - Sleeping With Headphones

Luke Beling - My African Dream

Madison Cunningham - All I’ve Ever Known

Madison Cunningham - Anywhere

Madison Cunningham - Hold On

Madison Cunningham - Hospital

Madison Cunningham - In My Life

Madison Cunningham - Lover, You Should’ve Come Over

Madison Cunningham - No Surprises

Madison Cunningham - Poses

Madison Cunningham - The Age Of Worry

Mariel Buckley _ T. Buckley - Bobcaygeon

Mary Middlefield - Band Aid

Mary Middlefield - Two Thousand One

Meadowlark - Goodbye

Melanie MacLaren - Dissociating at a Tiki Bar in a Landlocked State

Melanie MacLaren - Summer in Sweden

Neal Francis - Sentimental Garbage - 04 Strawberry Letter 23

Neal Francis - Sentimental Garbage - 07 Can_t Stop The Rain (Parsonage Mix)

Old Sea Brigade - Motivational Speaking - 01 How It Works

Old Sea Brigade - Motivational Speaking - 02 Day by Day

Old Sea Brigade - Motivational Speaking - 03 Salt

Old Sea Brigade - Motivational Speaking - 04 Nothing Clever

Old Sea Brigade - Motivational Speaking - 06 Caroline

Old Sea Brigade - Motivational Speaking - 08 High Times

Old Sea Brigade - Motivational Speaking - 12 4th of July

Patto - The Man

Robert Connely Farr - Shake It

Ross Quinn - Out Of Time

Samia - Honey - 03 Pink Balloon

Samia - Honey - 04 Mad At Me

Scary Pockets - Jealous Mashup (ft. Jacob Luttrell)

Scot Free Sessions - Istanbul

Shakey Graves - Dearly Departed

Shakey Graves - Ready or Not (feat. Sierra Ferrell)

Shakey Graves - Tomorrow

Shovels _ Rope - Unknown Legend (with Shakey Graves)

Six Missing - Peaceful One

Sugarloaf - Don_t Call Us, We_ll Call You

Switchfoot - This Is Your Life

Vieux Farka Touré _ Khruangbin - Ali - 02 Lobbo

Vieux Farka Touré _ Khruangbin - Ali - 04 Tongo Barra

Vieux Farka Touré _ Khruangbin - Ali - 05 Tamalla

Vieux Farka Touré _ Khruangbin - Ali - 06 Mahine Me

Vulfpeck - Animal Spirits

Vulfpeck - In Heaven

WIDOWSPEAK - True Blue (Demo)

Wingtip - Mr 29

WMD - Nowhere

WMD - Yearn

Zack Fletcher - Little Hollow

Photo credit: Krister Axel via Midjourney

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Krister Axel

Paris, France. Madison, Wisconsin. Los Angeles. Ashland, Oregon. Upstate New York. I write music, I write about music, and I write code. See also: photography, prose, podcasting. I have 1 gorgeous wife, 2 amazing kids, and many interests.

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