This month I listened to 125 albums new to me. This is going to be a rather sad and depressing top five list. If you're not in the mood for sad music then at least save one of these albums for when the time is right.

My criteria for ranking these will be kind of loose. It will be around the sounds, emotions they evoked, the feelings and sensations I was feeling during the listen, and if I felt like the artists made me feel how I think they intended the album to feel. I'll be giving a short summary of each album and my opinion.

Just like the last top five blog I did, I will be starting with two honorable mentions.

Black Kray - Back to the Wi✞chhouse

A trap/witch house album. An absolute perfect blend between trap and witch house. The beats by Jayyeah (Cold Hart) are ethereal and, at times, haunting. Somehow, I haven't heard any songs off of this album despite listening to Black Kray since 2019. The reason this didn't make the list is because of the five minutes of silence after tracks 6 and 7. Great songs the two of them, but the inconvenience of the silence isn't an ignorable one.

Psychonaut 4 - Dipsomania

One of the most popular DSBM albums. I don't know why it took me so long to get to this album. The screams, singing, riffs, and drumming all come together in a beautiful chemistry of depressiveness. I have no good reason as to why this didn't make the top five list. Perhaps I just like the actual list more than this. I don't know. The 15 albums I nominated for this list all could have easily made the top five. 

To the actual list now.

1. 空夜coo:ya - 静焔

A lush dream pop album released in 2005 by a Japanese duo. Very lethargic and gorgeous sounding album. This is the only album on this list that CLEARS every other one here. What intrigued me to listen to this album was the cover. I am so glad that I came across this beauty of a record. This is a rollercoaster of a listen all while maintaining the dream pop sound. Tracks 1-5 have the grand shoegazey dream pop sort of thing going on. Track 6 is where they take us through a sweet laid back interlude transitioning into the second half of the album. The second half is more of a funky poppy thing happening while keeping it dreamy, almost surreal. This album is entirely approachable despite the eerie, unsettling cover. Upbeat, warm, and more synonyms alike. I wish I was a better writer to fully convince you to listen to this album. This is a top five album of all time for me. The only gripe I have with this album is that it isn't on Spotify. It is available on Apple Music and Youtube.
My standout track is 'Hungry Girl'.

2. Julee Cruise - Floating Into The Night

"Floating Into the Night" is a mesmerizing album by Julee Cruise, released in 1989. It's an ethereal journey through dreamy melodies and haunting atmospheres. One of the album's strengths lies in its ability to transport listeners to a realm of mystery and intrigue. Each track feels like a journey into the unknown, with Cruise's ethereal voice guiding the way. From the haunting balladry of "I Float Alone" to the atmospheric soundscape of "The Swan," Floating Into the Night is a cohesive experience that invites listeners to immerse themselves in its dreamlike ambiance. This album is a must-listen for fans of dream pop, ambient music, or anyone looking to escape into a world of mystery and enchantment.
My standout track is 'I Float Alone'.

3. Candy Claws - Ceres & Calypso in the Deep Time

Here we have another dream pop album but from an entirely different realm. This is an album to get absolutely lost in while trying to decipher each layer this record has to offer. Every time you listen to this you hear another element to it that you haven't heard before. Listening to this is a very warm and immersive experience, a warm blanket of noise. The album sets a tone of awe and wonder, with swirling synths and echoing vocals that create a sense of vast, open spaces. The music is dense yet accessible, with melodies that emerge from the sonic texture like fossils from the earth. Everything is so complex and methodically layered. It's so embarrassing that it took me this long to listen to this album, considering how big of a fan I am of dream pop. Don't make the same mistake I did and listen to this!
My standout track is 'Transitional Bird (Clever Girl)'.

4. Decalius - Dehumanizing Loneliness

A fairly popular DSBM album at the moment with the people on TikTok. Glad to see some good bands get more recognition. I've known about Decalius for some months now but never listened to an album until now. One of the more melodic DSBM albums out there. This album is loaded with iconic guitar riffs and nihilistic lyrics. The lead guitar riffs have a case to be considered some of the best of all time. The vocals definitely add to the very dreary atmosphere this entire record exerts. This album is a punch in the face by Mike Tyson of depressiveness. The guitars sounding like alarms or sirens at times absolutely add to this notion. This album can wrap you into a different type of depressiveness that no other album can. It's difficult to explain.
My standout track is 'Loneliness' (because I can play this one on guitar).

5. Codeine - The White Birch

To top this list off, I have here a landmark album in the slowcore genre. Slowcore is one of my favorite genres because of the melancholy it brings. In slowcore, most of the time, the main focus isn't going to be on the instrumentation but rather the heavy lyrics and somber vocals. Despite being fixated on the lyrics, Codeine has done a magnificent job of making a point with the instrumentation. Songs in this record like "Tom" have a gradual build-up and cathartic release that encapsulate the essence of "The White Birch," showcasing the band's ability to create powerful moments of beauty in the midst of sorrow.
My standout track is 'Wird'.