Albums of the Year 2023 // Comps & Reissues

Artwork by Mickey Miles

In tradition, we’ve rounded up an inventory of compilation and reissue titles that kept and held our attention throughout 2023. Each record featured here is made possible by tireless work from independent labels who invest time, money, and manpower to thoughtfully and artfully produce these wonderfully unique albums. These records commemorate momentary microcultures, bizarre historic personalities, overlooked hobbyists, obscure geniuses, and out-of-print treasures.

Enjoy the selections on Spotify / Apple Music but it’s better to support your local record store.

Abdul Wadud
By Myself
[Gotta Groove]

Abeichizoku
Abeichizoku
[First & Last]

Ambiance II Fusion
Come Touch Tomorrow
[Freestyle]

Ara Tokatlian
Inspiraci​ó​n
[Altercat]

Arthur Russell
Picture of Bunny Rabbit
[Audika]

Bardo Pond
No Hashish, No Change Money, No Saki Saki
[Three Lobed Recordings]

Black Disco
Discovery 1975-1976
[Soultown]

Bobby Boyd
Bobby Boyd
[Athens of the North]

Bowes Road Band
Back in the HCA
[Jakarta]

Brotherhood of Peace
Cuttin’ Loose
[Riding Easy]

Charlie Megira
Love Police
[Numero Group]

Chico Lessa
Chico Lessa
[Vampisoul]

Child of Nature
[Forager]

Christian Gaubert
Last Exit
[Mad About]

Craig Peyton
Overflight
[ULYSSA]

Danny Ward & Reality
Danny Ward & Reality
[Jazz Room]

Dave Bixby
Ode To Quetzalcoatl
[Guerssen]

Dave Evans
Elephantasia
[Earth Recordings]

David Horridge
Journey Within
[Smiling C]

Del Jones
Court Is Closed
[Now-Again]

Delores/Ronnie and the Revelation
Why Did You Ask Me To Marry You
[Paxico]

Dorothy Carter
Waillee Waillee
[Palto Flats]

The Durutti Column
Time Was GIGANTIC…When We Were Kids
[London Recordings]

Duster
Stratosphere
[Numero Group]

Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru
Jerusalem
[Mississippi Records]

Enzo Randisi
Enzo Randisi
[Eating Standing]

Fantasy Train
Fantasy Train
[Subliminal Sounds]

Folk Magic Band
Folk Magic Band
[Black Sweat]

The Free Music
Free Music (Part 1)
[Habibi Funk]

Fusion Global Sounds Vol. 2
[Favorite Recordings]

G.C. Cameron
Live For Love
[Soundway]

Hako Yamasaki
Tobimasu
[WRWTFWW]

Hiroshi Yoshimura
Surround
[Temporal Drift]

Horace Ferguson
Sensi Addict
[Death Is Not The End]

If There’s Hell Below
[Numero Group]

Imaginational Anthem Vol. XII : I Thought I Told You - A Yorkshire Tribute to Michael Chapman
[Tompkins Square]

Jes​ú​s Gom​é​z
Jes​ú​s Gom​é​z y su Grupo
[El Palmas]

Jody Stecher and Krishna Bhatt
Rasa
[Don Giovanni]

John Fizer
Treasure Man
[Scissor Tail]

John Michael Roch
With You In My Arms
[Subliminal Sounds]

Johnny’s Uncalled Four
The Lost Album
[Daptone]

Keith Paul
Keith Paul
[La Freak]

Laraaji
Segue To Infinity
[Numero Group]

Les Abranis
Amazigh Freedom Rock 1973-1983
[Les Disques Bongo Joe]

Les Rallizes Dénudés
CITTA’ ‘93
[Temporal Drift]

Mad Anthony
The Lost Tapes
[Earth Libraries]

Mainstream Disco Funk
[WEWANTSOUNDS]

Michael Hurley
Sweetkorn
[Mississippi Records]

Morris Belknap
Jesus Saves
[Skull Valley]

Mort Garson
Journey to the Moon and Beyond
[Sacred Bones]

New World Generation
New World Generation
[Now-Again]

Oscar Rocchi
Magic Keys
[Four Flies Vaults]

Paolo Casa
Nature
[Redi Edizioni]

Patrick Gibson
Elbow Room in Paradise
[Efficient Space]

Pauline Anna Strom
Trans-Millenia Consort
[RVNG Intl.]

Peter Jefferies
Closed Circuit
[Grapefruit]

Pharoah Sanders
Pharoah
[Luaka Bop]

Prairie Biscuits
[Torn & Frayed]

Professor James Benson
The Gow-Dow Experience
[Jazzman]

Puzzle Pulsion
Pygmalistique
[Anthology Recordings]

Rainbow Generator
Dance Of The Spheres
[Left Ear]

Randy & The Goats
On The Lam
[Riding Easy]

Richter Band
Smetana
[Infinite Expanse]

Roxy Gordon
Crazy Horse Never Died
[Paradise of Bachelors]

Searchlight Moonbeam
[Efficient Space]

Shira Small
The Line of Time and the Plane of Now
[Numero Group]

Shizuka
III
[Concentric Circles]

Som Imaginário
Banda Da Capital
[Far Out Recordings]

Sonic Youth
Live In Brooklyn 2011
[Silver Current]

Souled American
Fe
[self-released]

Steve Weichert
Steve Weichert
[Frederiksberg Records]

Sylvester
Private Recordings, August 1970
[Dark Entries]

T. Honda
What’s Going On
[Jazz Room]

Talvé
Naked In The Park
[Yoga Records]

Tapestry: Koto & The Occident
[Cinedelic]

Tatsuya Nakamura
Locus
[BBE]

Terry Telson
While In Exile
[Skull Valley Records]

The Air Music International
Pass The Santa-Lucia Gate In Manilla
[Music That Shapes]

The Particles
1980s Bubblegum
[Chapter Music]

The Penny Arkade
Not The Freeze
[Sundazed]

The Toms
The Toms
[Songgram]

Tokyo Riddim 1976-1985
[Time Capsule]

Traces of Illusion
[Spacetalk]

Wilbur Niles
Thrust
[We Are Busy Bodies]

Will & James Ragar
Will & James Ragar One
[BBE]

With Love: Volume 2
[Mr. Bongo]

Woo
Into The Heart of Love
[Palto Flats]

David Walker