Becky Rogers

Dec 22, 2023 | thevinylfactory.com | Kelly Doherty |Becky Rogers |Annabelle Van Dort |James Hammond

Many of 2023's best albums look inward. From the over-analytical self-awareness of boygenius' the record to the reflective sketches of Ryuichi Sakamoto's 12, many of our favourite releases this year were concerned with the self and identity and offered vulnerability to listeners. From propulsive hip hop to Irish trad metal, read on for our favourite albums this year. Words by Kelly Doherty, Becky Rogers, Annabelle Van Dort, James Hammond and Emily Hill. Our favourite EPs of 2023 are here.

Dec 21, 2023 | thevinylfactory.com | Kelly Doherty |Becky Rogers |Annabelle Van Dort |James Hammond

Some compilations and reissues offer an opportunity to explore the forgotten and the overlooked. Others are a chance to re-examine and re-appraise the essentials we all know and love. As vinyl sales continue to increase year-on-year, reissues and compilations this year reflected a sense of curiosity and learning-whether it's the niches observed in Charles M Bogert's Sound of North American Frogs or The NID Tapes or the continued excavation of shoegaze with reissues of Duster and Lush.

Dec 20, 2023 | thevinylfactory.com | Kelly Doherty |Becky Rogers |Annabelle Van Dort |Emily Hill

In a digital landscape where a 30-second clip can propel bedroom artists and underground reliables to the top of streaming charts and festival line-ups, succinctness increasingly holds power in the music industry. The ability to forge a voice and a connection in the shortest of interactions dominated the mainstream this year, but the EP format remained a reliable tool for artists looking to indulge in brevity-whether to experiment, bridge gaps or just have fun.

Nov 27, 2023 | thevinylfactory.com | Becky Rogers

One band paving the way with their take on global psych-funk are YĪN YĪN. Their upcoming LP, Mount Matsu , takes a different path than their previous offerings. Their debut The Rabbit That Hunts Tigers and follow-up The Age of Aquarius were made solely by founding members, drummer Kees Berkers and multi-instrumentalist Yves Lennertz, with Lennertz recently leaving the band.

Nov 19, 2023 | thevinylfactory.com | Becky Rogers

With The Records That Made Me, VF uncovers the vinyl releases that have influenced and shaped our favourite musicians, DJs and artists. Artist and polymath Es Devlin is best known for her genre-defying large-scale installations, sculptures and stage designs. Over the past 30 years, she's designed concert tours for Beyoncé, The Weeknd, U2, Rosalía, Dr Dre, Kendrick Lamar and more, and had her work showcased at the Tate Modern, Serpentine, V&A, Barbican, Imperial War Museum and Lincoln Centre.