Words: Saam Das
Having kicked off way back in 2007, the annual international Record Store Day event has crept up on us yet again. From Ennio Morricone to iconic pro wrestler Macho Man Randy Savage to newer heavyweights like Taylor Swift, Bastille, and The 1975, there are plenty of exclusives, limited editions, and re-releases to tantalise fans of artists new and old. Here are some of our top picks for RSD 2023, in alphabetical order.
Baby Queen - 'Colours Of You'
Written for the wonderful Netflix coming-of-age drama 'Heartstopper', Baby Queen slotted effortlessly into the show's dreamy aesthetic. See also: the brilliant 'Love, Simon' for more of the same, and a similar integration of music, with Jack Antonoff's Bleachers propelling the soundtrack.
dodie - 'Hot Mess' EP
We definitely missed the rise of dodie from '6/10' category (their words, not ours!) to 'Hot Mess', by way of a UK #3 charting debut album. We're all for it, of course, with this EP collecting recent singles 'Got Weird' and 'Hot Mess' onto vinyl for the first time.Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes - 'The Drugs'/'Parasite'
An incendiary outing from Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, with an appearance from Jamie T on 'The Drugs', returning the favour for appearing on the latter's most recent album. The biting 'Parasite' edges this 7" for us however.
Metronomy - 'Small World' Special Edition LP
RSD 2023 features its fair share of remix albums but Metronomy have opted for something of a similar ilk but with a splendid twist - taking their 2022 studio album 'Small World' and re-doing the tracks each with an additional artist. The eclectic mix of talent features such names as Katy J Pearson and Sebastian Tellier.
Sam Smith (feat Kim Petras) - 'Unholy'
Unholy? More like holy moly! A boundary-pushing track from Sam Smith and Kim Petras that feels subversive and yet achieved massive mainstream success, topping charts and winning a Grammy to boot. In her Grammy acceptance speech, Petras also gracefully noted the influence of fellow trans musician, the sadly departed SOPHIE, whose musical style gifted obvious influence on 'Unholy'.
The Week That Was - 'The Week That Was' LP
A relatively short-lived and unsuprisingly off-kilter project from Peter Brewis of Field Music fame, the one and only The Week That Was album gets a welcome re-issue (and a re-mastering from David Brewis) fifteen years following its original release.White Town - 'Women In Technology' LP
Jyoti Mishra (aka White Town) is easily best known for their 1997 UK number one single, 'Your Woman', sampled in recent times on 'Love Again' by Dua Lipa. Commercially speaking, it's perhaps fair to say that White Town were very much a one-hit wonder but as Mishra once noted, "better than a no-hit wonder". Explore the album that spawned such an iconic single.
Find a full list of Record Store Day UK releases here.