James Acaster's Perfect Sounds
For James Acaster 2016 is the greatest year for music of all time. Following a breakup James set out to rekindle his love for music by buying hundreds of new and niche releases from 2016. Now he's sharing his obsession with fellow comedians, exploring his favourite albums: from Beyoncé's internet-breaking Lemonade, to Colombian math rock fusion, and everything in between.
Fri, May 27, 2022
Fatiha El-Ghorri is in Heavn
Heavn by Jamila Woods fuses R&B, Jazz and various other genres including classic indie. Surely it must appeal to Cure-loving Fatiha!
Fri, May 20, 2022
Aparna Nancherla & Freetown Sound
Freetown Sound by Blood Orange is such an "immaculate" album that James worries he might burst into tears just talking about it. Here's hoping Aparna feels the same, otherwise trouble could be afoot.
Fri, May 13, 2022
Jen Ives & An Escape Into Space
Splendor & Misery is a sci-fi concept album by experimental rap trio Clipping. Lyrics and soundscapes combine to tell an Afrofuturist story of an escape from oppression into the void of space. Jen Ives prepares to be transported.
Fri, May 06, 2022
Stuart Laws & ScHoolboy Q
James confesses to being in love with ScHoolboy Q's Blank Face LP. With a Gangsta rap core but with psychedelic overtones and great production, is there enough to seduce Stuart Laws too?
Fri, April 29, 2022
Toussaint Douglass & The Life Of Pablo
The ever-polarising Kanye West can be controversial at times but James can't help but like the music. After all, his 2016 album The Life of Pablo has a vein of weirdness running through it that is right up James' street. However, is it a path Toussaint Douglass is willing to tread?
Fri, April 22, 2022
Fern Brady & The Punk Beyoncé
Black Terry Cat by Xenia Rubinos is a magical album drawing on many influences and described by the artist herself as "a punk Beyoncé". However, is it enough to impress one of Scotland's finest, Fern Brady?
Fri, April 15, 2022
Sadia Azmat & Black Girl Blues
Fetish Bones by Moor Mother delivers a powerful message via a sonically abrasive backdrop. Labelled by the artist herself as Black Girl Blues, Project Housing Bop or Slaveship Punk, it's an album that demands the listener's full attention. However, was it enough to hold Sadia Asmat's attention?
Fri, April 08, 2022
Sara Barron & Emily's D+Evolution
Emily's D+Evolution, a brilliant Jazz-Rock-Funk fusion album by Grammy Award winning Esperanza Spalding, is usually the last thing Sara Barron would listen to. However, some finely crafted lyrics start to reel her in.
Fri, April 01, 2022
Nathan Caton & an OST to Nothing
Wes Borland you may remember as the guitarist in '90s rock/rap outfit Limp Bizkit. In 2016 he released Crystal Machete, a soundtrack to an imagined film. James and Nathan try to imagine what that film would look like.
Fri, March 25, 2022
Thanyia Moore, Illusion & Destruction
Mahoroboshiya by Japanese folk singer Ichiko Aoba is an album with such a delicate and intimate feel that James can't help but relax to it. However, is it enough to chill '90s R'n'B-loving Thanyia Moore?
Fri, March 18, 2022
Jayde Adams & Hard Pop Opera
Rien by Perrine en Morceaux has a sound so big, it envelopes James and (in his words) makes him feel like a little boy. But is it too big for Jayde Adams to handle?
Fri, March 11, 2022
Rhys Nicholson & That '70s Funk Thang
Awaken My Love was a massive left turn for Childish Gambino and produced one of the best songs of 2016 in the form of Redbone. Influenced by George Clinton's '70s band Funkadelic but with modern techniques, it made Rhys Nicholson "Horny... but not for sex".
Fri, March 04, 2022
Charlie George, Vampires and Periods
Jenny Hval’s 2016 concept album, on the theme of blood, is a collection of light and beautiful melodies interspersed with dark and haunting soundscapes. James tasks Charlie George to have a listen and report back.
Fri, February 25, 2022
Fatiha El-Ghorri & Cohen's Final Bow
Fatihah El Ghorri, by her own admission, loves Cliff Richard and Shrek. So will the mournful, gravelly tones of Leonard Cohen appeal to her?
Fri, February 18, 2022
Sikisa Bostwick-Barnes & Bollywave
Ami Dang, a classically trained sitar player, fuses ancient Sikh hymns and poems of Gurus with a modern dance feel and calls it "Bollywave". Will it be enough to sweep Sikisa Bostwick-Barnes off her feet?
Fri, February 11, 2022
Aaron Chen & ОЭЩ МАГЗИУ
ОЭЩ МАГЗИУ (or Oesch Magziu to you and me) by ГШ (or Glintshake to you and me) is an album inspired by the Russian avant-garde, a creative movement popular in Russia in the early 20th Century and worked into a more modern sound. However, will it translate across the globe? Australia's finest, Aaron Chen, is here to tell us.
Fri, February 04, 2022
Jen Ives & A Journey Into Darkness
The Caretaker's Everywhere At The End of Time is a 6-hour project exploring the descent into dementia. It had a profound effect on James, but what effect will it have on Jen Ives?
Fri, January 28, 2022
Kiri Pritchard-McLean & Portuguese Fusion Pop Jazz
James and Kiri discuss Portuguese maestro Bruno Pernadas's 2016 album, Those Who Throw Objects at the Crocodiles Will Be Asked to Retrieve Them.
Fri, January 21, 2022
Dai Henwood & Pop Royalty
Carly Rae Jepsen's 2016 album Emotion: Side B is 110% pure pop, with enough sweetness to thaw James' cold heart towards the genre. However, is there too much sugar for Dai Henwood to digest?
Fri, January 14, 2022
Isy Suttie & International Prog Folk
With music inspired by improvisational Jazz, Persian and African folk and vocals in myriad languages, it's hard to tie Léonore Boulanger to a specific genre. Will Isy Suttie, with her background in jazz and prog rock bands, be won over?
Fri, January 07, 2022
Chloe Petts On The Quest...
We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service. Hip hop legends A Tribe Called Quest released their final album in 2016 and surely reinforces James' claim that this was indeed, the greatest year in music - of all time! But will Chloe Petts agree?
Fri, December 17, 2021
Ahir Shah & Baroque Classic Pop
Inspired by classic art, sculpture and a year in Rome, Meilyr Jones' album 2013 is quite simply beautiful. James is hoping that Ahir will agree.
Fri, December 10, 2021
Rosie Jones and Isolation Indie Rap
The Impossible Kid is a charming and personal album written by Aesop Rock whilst isolating in a cabin in the woods. Full of fables and colourful characters, surely Rosie Jones will be charmed..? James has his fingers crossed.
Fri, December 03, 2021
Sikisa Takes A Seat At The Table
Sikisa thought R'n'B was dead... Then came Solange's 2016 album, A Seat At The Table. A masterpiece that brought Solange out of the shadow of sister, Beyoncé.
Fri, November 26, 2021
Aparna Nancherla & A Rich, Heavy Ethereal Blanket
Mirror Breathing by Shield Patterns is an electronic album of inventive melodies, set in atmospheric and sometimes haunting soundscapes. But will Aparna Nancherla be scared or (like James) seduced?
Fri, November 19, 2021
Bonus Sounds: Zach Phillips of OSR Tapes
Whilst trawling for music from 2016, James noticed a common thread through some of his favourite records - OSR Tapes. A label founded by Zach Phillips. James gets to speak to Zach about what inspired him to start a label, why he closed it and everything in between.
Fri, November 19, 2021
Harriet Kemsley and 'Absolute Chaos!'
Hello New York by Maher Shalal Hash Baz is an album described by founder Tori Kudo as "a revolving cast of players from varying backgrounds and varying experience". Described by Harriet Kemsley as "chaos". However, the more she listens...
Fri, November 12, 2021
Stuart Laws & Angela Sawyer
Ukulele strumming, high-pitched yodelling and dissonant keyboards - Angela Sawyer’s On The Pedestrian Side is an album “not designed to make you feel comfortable”. No wonder Stuart Laws feels he is being pranked!
Fri, November 05, 2021
Maisie Adam & Who-Pa-Zoo-Tic Sounds
James and Maisie discuss Hartley C White's album Something Better and his attempt at creating a whole new genre. Maisie loved the last album James sent her, so James is hoping she'll be equally impressed with this one.
Fri, October 29, 2021
Fern Brady & Emo R&B
James Acaster talks about one of the many albums he collected from the year 2016 with one of his comedy friends. This week Fern Brady states from the outset that Half of My Love by Fauxe is not for her… oops. Even though the title comes from one of her favourite albums. Can James change her mind?
Fri, October 22, 2021
Bonus Sounds: Anthony Fantano Explains Himself
James delves deeper into the online music community with founder of The Needle Drop and gets him to explain why his WORST album of the decade came from 2016.
Fri, October 22, 2021
Sadia Azmat & Cheltenham Trip Hop
James Acaster talks about one of the many albums he collected from the year 2016 with one of his comedy friends. This week, Sadia Azmat discusses the album One Tusk by Moth Equals. But will Sadia be impressed by the plethora of different influences and Bollywood samples?
Fri, October 15, 2021
Nathan Caton & old-school hip hop
James breaks his own rules by picking a 2016 album which sounds "old-school", rapper Westside Gunn's debut Flygod. He discusses it with guest Nathan Caton, plus they delve into Nathan's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles obsession.
Fri, October 08, 2021
Sara Barron & retro indie-pop
Sara Barron confesses to James that she has very questionable music taste but is left feeling very Parisian listening to Cate Le Bon’s Crab Day, an album about a fictional day.
Fri, October 01, 2021
Thanyia Moore & Rihanna's ANTI
Thanyia Moore goes on a rollercoaster journey with Rihanna's most personal album yet, ANTI.
Fri, September 24, 2021
Jayde Adams & self-penned gospel
Jayde reminisces life through 'lost album' Johnnie Frierson's Have You Been Good To Yourself which was found by a crate digger in a thrift store.
Fri, September 24, 2021
Bonus Sounds: James' dad - Johnnie Frierson - Have You Been Good To Yourself
James sits down with his dad David Acaster to talk about the Johnnie Frierson album Have You Been Good To Yourself. They chat about the records played in the house growing up, the musical game they played when James was young and the 2016 mixtape he made for his dad.
Fri, September 17, 2021
Harriet Kemsley & Krip Hop
Harriet Kemsley warms to Wheelchair Sports Camp's avant-garde rap album No Big Deal. The record features humorous and political lyrics from disabled rapper Kalyn Heffernan, who is part of the Krip-Hop movement which uses hip-hop as a means of expression for disabled artists.
Fri, September 10, 2021
Rhys Nicholson & gothic Americana
Despite not expecting to like someone called Marissa, Rhys Nicholson enjoys a negroni while enjoying Marissa Nadler's dreamy gothic American folk album Strangers.
Fri, September 03, 2021
Charlie George & Kendrick Lamar's untitled unmastered.
Charlie George is pushed out of her dad rock listening habits, and finds much to love in the lyrical imagery created by Kendrick Lamar, in his sort-of B-side album untitled unmastered.
Fri, August 27, 2021
Toussaint Douglass & eccentric indie
Toussaint thinks James hates him after listening to Four Thing, the eccentric indie project based around the number 4, created by Zach Phillips. Four vocalists, singing alternate lines written by four lyricists, to create 16 songs. But does Toussiant’s nan like it?
Fri, August 20, 2021
Maisie Adam & comedic post-punk
Maisie Adam feels grabbed and shoved against a wall by the one-man-band Christian Fitness and their post-punk album This Taco Is Not Correct that features darkly funny commentary on Britain.
Fri, August 20, 2021
Bonus Sounds: Andrew Falkous - Christian Fitness
James and friend David Trent chat to the man behind Christian Fitness, Andrew Falkous. James delves deep into the album's meaning and David asks if his son can have one of his guitars, (among other very awkward and unsavoury questions).
Fri, August 13, 2021
Aaron Chen & dark reggae
Aaron Chen gets into a plunge pool to rid himself of the dark and sad vibes of Mournful Skank's Ghost Hunter.
Fri, August 06, 2021
Kiri Pritchard-Mclean & experiemental sampling hip hop
Kiri Pritchard-Mclean feels shoved around by Coin Locker Kid's 90's influenced experimental hip hop album The Salmon of Doubt, featuring a dense sound collage of samples.
Fri, July 30, 2021
Dai Henwood & the house party concept album
James introduces Dai Henwood to an indie concept album that he regularly gets recommended. Singer-songwriter Andy Shauf's The Party features a series of closely observed and intersecting characters at a house party, and Dai enjoys doing his taxes to it.
Fri, July 23, 2021
Isy Suttie & a drum duo
Multi-instrumentalist and comedian Isy Suttie is engulfed by the purely percussive self-titled album Rattle, featuring two drummers and their vocals.
Fri, July 23, 2021
BONUS SOUNDS: Radiohead's Colin Greenwood
James visits Colin Greenwood at home to discuss making 2016's A Moon Shaped Pool, plus Colin suggests what Radiohead tracks James should get into, whether music scenes are cool, and Colin's impending Radiohead tribute act!
Fri, July 16, 2021
Chloe Petts & bedroom indie pop
Chloe Petts discovers that Frankie Cosmos - the stage name of Greta Kline - and her 2016 album Next Thing is exactly her kind of cap-wearing DIY bedroom indie pop.
Fri, July 09, 2021
Ahir Shah & a blissful sound collage
Ahir Shah discovers 'Good Will Come to You' from artist Jean-Sebastian Audet's project Un Blonde. A blissfully mellow sound collage that incorporates field recordings, vocal harmonies and acoustic guitars, it was released on tape cassette in 2016. And for Ahir it's the perfect music to chop vegetables to.
Fri, July 02, 2021
Rosie Jones & Radiohead's A Moon Shaped Pool
Both James and Rosie have always felt intimidated about getting into Radiohead's back catalogue because of their hard-core fans. Can this album, from one of the biggest bands in the world, win them over? And more importantly convince Rosie that 2016 is the greatest year for music of all time?
Fri, June 25, 2021
2016 is back and more perfect than before!
For James Acaster 2016 is the greatest year for music, ever. Since launching the podcast his record collection has grown to over 700 albums from that year and he wants to share his obsession with even more comedian friends... but will they admit that 2016 is the great year for music of all time?
Thu, June 24, 2021
2016 is back and more perfect than before!
For James Acaster 2016 is the greatest year for music, ever. Since launching the podcast his record collection has grown to over 700 albums from that year and he wants to share his obsession with even more comedian friends... but will they admit that 2016 is the great year for music of all time?
Fri, April 30, 2021
Eleanor Tiernan & Run The Jewels 3
Eleanor Tiernan is drawn in by hip-hop duo Run The Jewel's critically acclaimed epic third album. This is the final episode of series 1 but we'll be back this summer so subscribe to the podcast to be the first to hear new episodes!
Fri, April 23, 2021
BONUS SOUNDS: Trim & Jamali Maddix discuss 1-800 DINOSAUR Presents
James invites friend of the podcast and grime fan Jamali Maddix to sit down with him and Trim to discuss working with James Blake on 1-800 DINOSAUR Presents and Trim's role in the grime scene.
Fri, April 23, 2021
Kwame Asante & outsider grime produced by James Blake
Comedian and doctor Kwame Asante is persuaded by outsider grime artist Trim's experimental collaboration with James Blake's label 1-800 DINOSAUR.
Fri, April 16, 2021
John Kearns & celebratory North African sampled vinyl
John Kearns wants to dance to Tunisian producer and DJ Ghoula's celebratory album Hlib El Ghoula, which features rare North African vinyl that the artist sourced from Tunisian markets then sampled and scratched with live instrumentals.
Fri, April 09, 2021
Rachel Parris & an orchestral art-rock collaboration
Classically trained Rachel Parris dissects the one-off album Balter/Saunier, a collaboration between the Chicago orchestra Ensemble Dal Niente, influential art-rock band Deerhoof, and Brazilian composer Marcos Balter.
Fri, April 02, 2021
Jen Brister & experimental Majorcan folk
Jen Brister has a strong reaction to 'Folk Souvenir', an album by Joana Gomila that uses field recordings and improvisation to bring a new approach to traditional Majorcan folk.
Thu, April 01, 2021
BONUS SOUNDS: Joana Gomila & Dr Judith R Cohen
James talks to Joana Gomila and Dr Judith R Cohen about the Spanish folk recordings of ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax and the making of Joana's album 'Folk Souvenir'.
Fri, March 26, 2021
Jack Rooke & thoughtful inventive indie
Jack is over the moon to be introduced to all 24 tracks of Thoughts Lined Up by award-winning artist Martin Creed.
Fri, March 19, 2021
Alison Spittle & extreme industrial metal
Alison is willing to persevere with the album End Position by experimental Texan duo Street Sects.
Fri, March 12, 2021
Dane Baptiste & infinite looping psych rock
Dane enjoys the frantic Nonagen Infinity by King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, the eighth album from the prolific Australian psych rock band.
Fri, March 05, 2021
Suzi Ruffell & The Tut's Update Your Brain
Suzi adores the melodic feminist anthems on this debut punk album from Hayes-based three-piece The Tuts.
Fri, March 05, 2021
BONUS SOUNDS: The Tuts
Hayes-based three-piece The Tuts take James on a tour of their hometown including their rehearsal room, a local radio station and the venue for one of their early gigs.
Fri, February 26, 2021
Guz Khan & generational jazz rap
Guz is up for giving the self-titled project by Sélébéyone another chance. The album features two saxophonists and two rappers, Senegal's Gaston Bandimic and HPrizm from the US.
Fri, February 19, 2021
Athena Kugblenu & Frank Ocean’s Blonde
As a huge fan of his debut mixtape nostalgia, Ultra, Athena is underwhelmed by Frank Ocean’s 2016 album Blonde.
Fri, February 12, 2021
Gabriel Ebulue & personal beat-fired balladry
Gabriel is excited to be introduced to For Good by Fog, a crowd-funded comeback from Minneapolis musician Andrew Broder.
Fri, February 05, 2021
Rob Deering & outsider soul music
Rob Deering is up for the challenge of Jon Bap's 'What Now?', an album that James describes as one of the most life-changing from his whole 2016 project.
Fri, February 05, 2021
BONUS SOUNDS: Drummers Adam Betts & Seb Rochford
Adam and Seb bring their drum kits along to talk to James about the virtuosic drumming on Jon Bap's 'What Now?'. Recorded at BBC Maida Vale Studios in London.
Fri, January 29, 2021
Nish Kumar & Kevin Abstract's American Boyfriend: A Suburban Love Story
Nish is blown away by this concept album from Brockhampton's Kevin Abstract. The album tells the story of him growing up in Texas with homophobic parents and a racist boyfriend.
Fri, January 22, 2021
Sindhu Vee & conceptual club bangers
Sindhu is not judging anyone who wants to listen to Popp by Oval, a 2016 solo project by glitch pioneer Markus Popp.
Fri, January 15, 2021
Kemah Bob & Noname's Telefone
Kemah is a huge fan of this beautiful debut mixtape, written and recorded by rapper Noname and collaborators in LA and Chicago.
Fri, January 15, 2021
BONUS SOUNDS: Akenya, Cam O'Bi and Phoelix on Noname'sTelefone
Three of Noname's key collaborators from the Chicago scene share their memories of helping to create her debut mixtape.
Fri, January 08, 2021
Felicity Ward & nostalgic American indie
Felicity is super in to Not Good At Spending Time Alone A.K.A. Cleanliness by Market, a project written and recorded by New York based musician Nate Mendelsohn.
Fri, January 01, 2021
Nathaniel Metcalfe & live improvised blues
Nathaniel would like to dig New Guitar Old Hat Knew Blues, an album recorded by Mike Cooper live in Geneva.
Fri, December 25, 2020
Mae Martin & Jeff Rosenstock's Worry
Mae Martin is thrilled by the album from which the podcast takes its name. The final track on the punk musician's second solo album is called Perfect Sound Whatever.
Fri, December 25, 2020
BONUS SOUNDS: Jeff Rosenstock, Matthew Crosby & Ed Gamble
A Christmas treat for you featuring James, Matthew and Ed on seeing Jeff Rosenstock live and then an interview with the man himself about his album Worry.
Fri, December 18, 2020
Jamali Maddix & screamcore rap
James is attempting to win Jamali's support for 2016 with the album SUI // RAP by youngster jiji, the brainchild of Seattle rapper James Campbell.
Fri, December 11, 2020
Desiree Burch & intricate fragile folk
Desiree is in two minds about Palimpsest by the classically trained Canadian musician Foonyap.
Fri, December 11, 2020
BONUS SOUNDS: Foonyap
Foonyap talks to James about the mental and emotional struggles that inspired her beautiful album Palimpsest.
Fri, December 04, 2020
Phil Wang & electronic Mexican folk
Phil absolutely loves Me Demandó DEMOS, recorded by San Cha on the farm where her mother grew up, without the opportunity to collaborate with a producer.
Fri, November 27, 2020
Evelyn Mok & a technophobic metal nightmare
Evelyn is back and introduced to Boy Man Machine by Drose, an album that fuses experimental metal with sounds recorded in a factory.
Fri, November 20, 2020
Romesh Ranganathan & head-scrambling math rap
Romesh is delighted to discover Badd Timing by The Sooper Swag Project, an album recorded with the intention of using as many different and difficult time signatures as possible.
Fri, November 13, 2020
Sarah Keyworth & a mysterious choral album
Sarah needs convincing about the story behind Songs I-V by Rocks & Waves Song Circle, supposedly recorded spontaneously by Swedish artist Isak Sundstrom at a Church in Mexico.
Fri, November 13, 2020
BONUS SOUNDS: Cyril Yeterian from Bongo Joe
James explores the mystery behind Song I-V by Rocks & Waves Song Circle, with the head honcho of one of the two record labels behind its release, Bongo Joe.
Fri, November 06, 2020
Joe Sutherland & Car Seat Headrest's Teens of Denial
James has selected one of the biggest indie albums of the year for Joe's second appearance on the pod, Teens of Denial from songwriter Will Toledo's Car Seat Headrest.
Fri, October 30, 2020
Sophie Duker & a raw, genre-hopping record
Sophie is back! Last time she wasn’t completely won round, so James goes all in with the crowd-funded debut album Kiid from Mal Devisa.
Fri, October 23, 2020
Rachel Parris & blissful ambient folk
Rachel is drawn to the folk side of Hands In Our Names, an album recorded by Karima Walker in the desert of New Mexico.
Fri, October 16, 2020
Kwame Asante & noise rock
Kwame puts in the work for A Self-Help Tragedy by noise rock supergroup Doomsday Student.
Fri, October 09, 2020
Eleanor Tiernan & recorder prog folk rock
Eleanor is challenged by the album A V by Surface To Air Missive, a solo project from the musician Taylor Ross.
Fri, October 09, 2020
BONUS SOUNDS: Netty Rhodes & the SWeet Recorder Consort
James attempts to learn Morning Thought by Surface To Air Missive from scratch with recorder teacher Netty Rhodes and the SWeet Recorder Consort.
Fri, October 02, 2020
John Kearns & teenage three piece rock
John prefers the second half of Out of Sight by the former Minneapolis rock band Falling.
Fri, September 25, 2020
Alison Spittle & dark spoken word
Alison has a strong reaction to Rook to TN34, a dark, experimental and comedic spoken word album by the duo eMMplekz.
Fri, September 18, 2020
Guz Khan & Ethiopian Crunch
Guz is on board with this hybrid of hard rock and Ethiopian music that features on the album Awo by uKanDanZ.
Fri, September 18, 2020
BONUS SOUNDS: Damien Cluzel
James chats to the guitarist at the heart of two of his favourite 2016 albums, Awo by uKanDanZ and the self-titled release by Pixvae.
Fri, September 11, 2020
Kemah Bob & Colombian Crunch
Kemah Bob marvels at this self-titled album from the band Pixvae. The album combines traditional South Colombian music with Math Rock to create a brand new genre.
Fri, September 04, 2020
Jack Rooke & twisted-pop
Jack Rooke meets NHS nurse Law Holt's diva alter ego, a persona who spits and cheats in her twisted pop album City.
Fri, August 28, 2020
Athena Kugblenu & Japanese folk-indie-jazz fusion
Athena Kugblenu gets into Aragehonzi's one of kind album, Hanatsuoto, that fuses Japanese folk with neo-soul, funk, jazz, rock, indie, and everything in between.
Fri, August 21, 2020
Gabriel Ebulue & Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds' Skeleton Tree
Gabriel Ebulue shares his love for Skeleton Tree, the ominous and emotional album steeped in Nick Cave's personal tragedy.
Fri, August 14, 2020
Dane Baptiste & Kojey Radical’s 23Winters
Hip-hop fan Dane discovers Kojey Radical's masterful 23Winters for the first time. At 42 minutes the EP spans rap, spoken word, and a conversation with Kojey's dad that covers themes of love, life in London, and their Ghanaian heritage. Which makes James ask, is this really an EP?
Fri, August 14, 2020
BONUS SOUNDS: Kojey Radical
A bonus conversation with British rapper and spoken word artist Kojey Radical recorded live at the 6Music Festival, discussing themes of love, his connection to his Ghanaian heritage and his dad.
Fri, August 07, 2020
Mae Martin and a drone folk crossover
Mae Martin gets dark and moody to the drone folk crossover album Salt, by Irish singer-songwriter Katie Kim. Plus the track James will judge your music taste on.
Fri, July 31, 2020
Suzi Ruffell & the One Women Orchestra
Suzi is dazzled and slightly confused by the album Conarium, based on the dreams of its creator, Latvian musician Elizabete Balčus
Fri, July 24, 2020
Nathaniel Metcalfe & David Bowie’s Blackstar
Bowie fan Nathaniel revisits his brilliant final album released just two days before his death.
Fri, July 17, 2020
Sindhu Vee & Death Grip’s Bottomless Pit
Sindhu Vee puts in the effort and learns to really like this album from experimental hip hop trio Death Grips.
Fri, July 10, 2020
Felicity Ward & Public Speaking
Felicity Ward struggles with Caress, Redact, the stripped-back experimental electronic album by Public Speaking that's all about violence.
Fri, July 03, 2020
Nish Kumar & Bon Iver's 22, A Million
Bon Iver and folk music fan Nish Kumar listens for the first time to the band's 2016 experimental electronic masterpiece 22, A Million.
Fri, June 26, 2020
Sarah Keyworth & bedroom indie-pop
Sarah Keyworth learns about the hidden depths of Katie Dey's intriguing bedroom indie-pop album, Flood Network. Produced by Hannah Hufford Photography by Edward Moore Design by Danny Arter
Fri, June 26, 2020
BONUS SOUNDS: Katie Dey
The first bonus episode, an interview in Melbourne with artist Katie Dey on identity, the internet and mental health, and her 2016 album Flood Network.
Fri, June 19, 2020
Evelyn Mok & Malian hip-hop
Evelyn discovers the Malian hip-hop artist Luka Productions, named after his own studio, and his 2016 album Mali Kady. Plus 'Kettering Is Nice' makes its debut. Produced by Hannah Hufford Photography by Edward Moore Design by Danny Arter
Fri, June 12, 2020
Rob Deering & 80s stadium-rock-pop
Rob learns to love Beyond the Fleeting Gales by Crying, an album described by James as stadium rock for an anime film in the 80s. Produced by Hannah Hufford Photography by Edward Moore Design by Danny Arter
Fri, June 05, 2020
Desiree Burch & Danny Brown's Atrocity Exhibition
Desiree discovers Detroit rapper Danny Brown's album Atrocity Exhibition, aka CeeLo and Andre 3000's lovechild. Produced by Hannah Hufford Photography by Edward Moore Design by Danny Arter
Fri, May 29, 2020
Joe Sutherland & grindcore
Joe Sutherland takes a metaphorical HIIT class, with the grindcore metal-classical fusion album Discordia by Bologna Violenta. Plus Tilda Swinton's got a new project. Produced by Hannah Hufford Photography by Edward Moore Design by Danny Arter
Fri, May 22, 2020
Jen Brister & Laura Mvula's The Dreaming Room
Jen and James discuss why the Ivor Novello winning album The Dreaming Room got Laura Mvula dropped from her label. Plus a phone call with Laura's nan. Produced by Hannah Hufford Photography by Edward Moore Design by Danny Arter
Fri, May 15, 2020
Jamali Maddix & satanic spirituals
Jamali gets out of his comfort zone with the African American spirituals, satanic, black metal fusion album Devil is Fine by Zeal & Ardor. Plus, Buffy and Angel make a comeback. Produced by Hannah Hufford Photography by Edward Moore Design by Danny Arter
Fri, May 08, 2020
Sophie Duker & samba-punk
Sophie shocks James with a musical secret, as they discuss the samba-punk fusion album MM3 by Meta Meta. Plus, who is the Brazilian Tina Turner? Produced by Hannah Hufford Photography by Edward Moore Design by Danny Arter
Fri, May 01, 2020
Phil Wang & Eurosceptic hip-hop
Phil Wang gets to grips with the 2016 Eurosceptic experimental hip-hop album United Diktatürs of Europe, by Anarchist Republic of BZZZ. Plus why instruments are like tacos. Produced by Hannah Hufford Photography by Edward Moore Design by Danny Arter
Fri, April 24, 2020
Romesh Ranganathan & Beyoncé's Lemonade
Romesh Ranganathan discovers the world's best-selling album of 2016... but, more importantly, the album that turned James onto pop. Produced by Hannah Hufford Photography by Edward Moore Design by Danny Arter
Fri, April 17, 2020
This is James Acaster’s Perfect Sounds
For James Acaster 2016 is the greatest year for music of all time. Following a breakup James set out to rekindle his love for music by buying hundreds of new and niche releases from 2016. Now he’s sharing his obsession with fellow comedians, exploring his favourite albums: from Beyoncé’s internet-breaking Lemonade, to Colombian math rock fusion, and everything in between.
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