Here’s wishing you all a belated Merry Christmas and a very warm welcome to this year’s Listmas celebrations! That’s right, it is time once again for us to look back at all the highest highs that the music world has brought us in the past twelve months. This latest edition of our end of year extravaganza begins as ever with a look at our favourite album artwork. It’s my favourite list to compile, and in an age of soulless AI abominations it feels more important that ever to celebrate the boundless creativity of hard working artists. Here are the covers that most caught our eyes, lingered in our minds, and ignited our imaginations in 2024.
10. Yard Act – Where’s My Utopia?
I like the warm sunset palette of reds and oranges. The art style reminds me of when a film pans to one of the bad kids at the back of the classroom doodling people they dislike being struck by lightning or some other such misfortune.
9. POHL – Mysteries
This style of religious iconography is always fertile ground for interesting covers. Pairing it with the Russian doll style picture-within-a-picture makes for a winning combination in my book.
8. Kalandra – A Frame of Mind
It looks like a figure sat by the water’s edge for so long that a tangle of mangrove roots has gradually grown to consume them. Also love the bright corona of light peaking out around it.
7. The Smile – Wall of Eyes
Love the vibrant colour of this surreal landscape; immensely eye-catching (pun intended). It also provides a great contrast for the stalagmites, feeling like a dark void piercing through.
6. God Is An Astronaut – Embers
My second favourite tree of the year. I like how the tangled roots offer a reflection of the burning branches above, and I really appreciate the hatch shaded art style. Dark and intricate, much like the music contained within.
5. Cloud Tangle – Dreaming Again
There’s so much to enjoy here, from the verdant palette of greens and yellows, to the way the pool of water ripples, to the haunting white figure at its centre. A fittingly dreamy work of impressionism.
4. Vampire Weekend – Only God Was Above Us
Something about it feels like a classic album cover from a bygone era. The iconic artwork from some politically charged 70s concept album. Using the newspaper article (which gave the album its name) as a title card is a superb detail.
3. Foster The People – Paradise State of Mind
There are so many curious elements contained within this absurdist pillar that you could spend a week trying to decode it. However it stills remains striking and memorable even when seen from across the room.
2. Los Campesinos! – All Hell
A strong runner up that does so much with relatively little. I just adore how smothering and all-consuming the darkness feels here. The forest barely illuminated by the car’s lights, with the world beyond simply lost to shadow.
1. Oddleaf – Where Ideal and Denial Collide
The gorgeous pastel nebula clouds, the immense tree consuming the very mountain it stands on. Its winding staircase and trail of radiant golden leaves. Just… wow! Amazing work from artist Nele Diel.
Belwood Music 