The Ephemeric

If variety is the spice of life, then there has never been a finer time to be into music. Democratisation of music streaming and a departure from the traditional "album" has left us with an overabundance of new artists and releases each year. The sheer volume can be difficult to manage, which is why the act of curation is more vital than ever. With this year's Hot List, The Ephemeric aims to provide a concise and thorough list of the most exciting music coming from debut artists as well as returning favourites. Tastes may differ, but if you start your 2023 musical adventure off here, you won't go far wrong.

So without further ado, here is our list of the top albums to keep an eye on in 2023, starting with number 15:


15. MGMT

MGMT are still best known for their trailblazing debut, Oracular Spectacular, released some 15 years ago. The singles from their first album, Time to Pretend, Kids, and Electric Feel, proved to be generational hits with longevity to this day.

It would not be accurate to say they have struggled since this strong beginning, so much as they have eschewed the familiar pop stylings that made them such an instant success. Their work since then has veered more into the experimental and genre-defying, to rather more divisive reception. 

This all seems to have changed with their most recent album, 2018's Little Dark Age, marking a return to the radio-friendly electronic pop that worked well on the debut. That album was a critical and commercial success, considered by many to be some of their best work to date. 

In 2023, the band is set to release a new, as yet untitled album. We have no idea what it will look or sound like; if it is to continue the formula of OS and LDA, or dive into something new entirely. Whatever comes of it, it's sure to be worth checking out.

Release Date: Summer 2023


14. "Bubblegum" by Biig Piig (New band)

Next we have Irish performer Biig Piig, a consistent fixture on the music industry's one-to-watch lists for 2023. 

A series of EPs released over the last few years have generated considerable hype for the West London-based rapper and songwriter, including tracks such as Sunny and Feels Right. In 2023, her debut album Bubblegum will release and it has industry watchers very excited.

Biig Piig stands out for her unique, genre-hopping blend of pop and rap, with lead singles as disparate as the tender and delicate In the Dark and the more acerbic Kerosene (which I don't care for as much). There's considerable talent here and Biig Piig are likely to be a name we hear more going forward.

Release Date: January 2023


13. "Angels & Queens: Part II" by Gabriels

Last year's winner of the Debbie for best debut album, along with a host of other lesser awards, 2023 will see an immediate follow up from Gabriels. 2022's debut album was intended to be released in two parts and in 2023 we will get Angels & Queens: Part II.

This soul-singing trio has been hotly tipped for success by many pundits in the industry and attracted glowing endorsements from heavy hitters like Elton John, who described last year's release as one of the most seminal releases of the past 10 years.

Gabriels' sound builds on the entire history of Black American music, with influences in gospel, soul and blues. Their debut release last year earned hype reviews and awards.  At the time of writing, no tracks have been released from the upcoming Part II, aside from the fact that it will feature the lead track from their 2021 EP, and still the best song they have written, Love and Hate in a Different Time.

12. "Continue as a Guest" by The New Pornographers

While they may not be the flashiest name in the music industry, few things are as dependable as Vancouver rock band The New Pornographers putting out an album of catchy, crowd-pleasing tracks every couple of years.

Considered a supergroup, comprised of musicians who have succeeded either as solo artists or as part of other notable bands in the Canadian indie scene. I could spend all day listing out some of their memorable tracks, so here's just a sample: On the Table, Falling Down the Stairs of Your Smile, and Challengers.

The band's latest album, Continue as a Guest is set to release in March and promises more of the same quality, with lead single Really Really Light boding well for what is to come.

Release Date: March 2023


11. Crawlers (New band)

While I am inherently skeptical of bands that go viral online, I will make an exception for Liverpudlian rock band Crawlers, who are set to cap two years of building hype with a full LP release in 2023.

The track that originally launched the group to fame, Come Over (Again) is just pure gold, but there is plenty else to admire with tracks like I Can't Drive released last year to similar praise.

This has all resulted in Crawlers being one of the more hyped bands of 2023, included in many of the industry's one-to-watch lists. That debut album should hit sometime later in 2023 and it is one to be excited for.

Release Date: TBD 2023


10. Tseba (New band)

Another new artist for 2023, Tseba have been making waves in the electronic music scene for their collaborations with genre artists such as JAM and Electric Fields.

Billed as a project to blend the old and new in electronic music, hearkening back to the roots of house with with a modern pop twist. Tseba's work manages to tap into nostalgia without sounding tired.

If tracks such as Must Be Love and Smile are anything to go by, then Tseba's reputation as one of the more exciting new songwriters in the dance genre appears to be well-founded. Their debut LP is going to be one ot keep an eye on.

Release Date: TBD 2023

9. Lemon Twigs

Long Island art rock maestros Lemon Twigs have been going strong since their hype 2016 debut Do Hollywood. 

A smattering of EPs, tours with major acts like Arctic Monkeys, and experimentations in various nostalgia-tinted projects had been met with mixed success until their most recent album, 2020's Songs for the General Public nailed the formula. The result was some of their finest work to date, most notably hit single The One.

In 2023, Lemon Twigs are returning with a new, as yet untitled album that will build upon the band's niche in retro, harmony-rich rock and roll. Starting with recently released single Corner of My Eye.

Release Date: TBD 2023

8. Tommy Lefroy (New band)

Next up, another exciting new artist in Tommy Lefroy, a London-based folk duo inspired by Jane Austen and musicians such as First Aid Kit and Phoebe Bridgers. 

Tommy Lefroy followed up their well received 2021 EP with a series of tours through Europe and America in 2022. Now they are hard at work at putting out their debut album, which is expected to release in 2023.

Folk duos are a dime a dozen, but Tommy Lefroy stand out for their lush instrumentals and impeccable production, with some superb tracks released with their EP, notably The Cause and Shoot. They have just put out the first track from their upcoming debut, Worst Case, and it is a gem of a track. Definitely one to keep an eye on.

Release Date: TBD 2023

7. Jamie xx

The 2010s were a good time to be in the "xx" business. This was the decade where London rock band The xx took the world by storm with their trio of albums, and at the same time saw the launch of founding member Jamie xx's own highly successful solo career, in particular his platinum single Loud Places.

Now several years since either act has released a new album, both have been teasing an imminent release. Of the two, Jamie xx's as yet untitled third album appears to be the farthest along, allegedly in the final stages of editing before release. 

Little is known of this new album, other than that it will feature a collaboration with Melbourne's legendary plunderphonics duo The Avalanches, and is said to have been highly influenced by their sampling work with old records. We're expecting this to release sooner rather than later and when it does it will be one of the most highly anticipated releases of the year.

Release Date: Spring 2023

6. Fleet Foxes

Few bands evoke as much anticipation as Seattle's Fleet Foxes, one of the modern day masters of folk rock. 

Of their four albums to date, at least two have been bona fide masterpieces, including The Ephemeric's album of the decade, Helplessness Blues. Their most recent album, Shore marked a strong return to form and was one of the finest records of 2020, earning runner up position in the 2020 Debbies. 

In 2023, the band will release an as yet untitled fifth album. No tracks have yet been released, but the existence of the new record was confirmed during interviews following the recent release of new single A Sky Like I've Never Seen. This track itself is not expected to be part of the new record, written instead as the soundtrack to a new Amazon documentary, but if it is any indication Fleet Foxes are in fine form.

Release Date: Summer 2023


5. Braxe + Falcon (New band)


Release Date: TBD 2023




3. "Cracker Island" by Gorillaz

It feels like a long time since we have had a truly great release from Gorillaz. The Damon Albarn-led virtual band has been a core fixture in pop music for 20 years now, producing some of the world's biggest hits with tracks like Feel Good Inc, 19-2000, and On Melancholy Hill.

2010's Plastic Beach was a masterpiece and arguably the last great album from the group, with their more recent work, Humanz, The Now Now, and Song Machine: Season One, being met with more lukewarm reactions, despite the occasional nugget of gold. 

Their latest album, Cracker Island, looks like a return to the style of their older work, with excellent early singles Baby Queen and Skinny Ape boding very well indeed for what's to come. This could be a genuine return to form and is one of the most exciting albums to keep an eye on in 2023.

Release Date: February 2023


2. The Killers

Next we have a band that requires absolutely no introduction. You all know their hits. The Killers are one of the world's biggest bands, now with decades of seminal work under their belt.

The band have been on something of a creative hot streak since the pandemic, with albums released in 2020 and 2021. 2023's as yet untitled album is set to make it three in four years, an impressive output in just a few years. Even more impressive is that these albums have represented some of their best work to date, with Imploding the Mirage, and Pressure Machine both releasing to immense critical acclaim.

So far just the one track has been released from the upcoming album, Boy, and it is a good one, with a danceable, electronic style that hints at a throwback to the pop stylings of Day & Age. I don't know how long the band can keep this up, but they are absolutely in the midst of a creative renaissance and long may it continue.

Release Date: Summer 2023


1. "Fantasy" by M83

So there you have it folks: 2023 in music. Tune in next week for this year's final Hot List, where we look at the most exciting new movies in 2023.

Theatre is in vogue again. We talk about it around the proverbial watercooler. The biggest names in the dramatic arts, all around the world, flock to the London stage. 2023 is set to feature household names, on and off the stage, working their craft. We have world premieres, West End transfers, Broadway hits making their way across the Atlantic for the first time and, believe it or not, still some postponed 2020 shows due to make their long-awaited debuts. 

2023 is an exciting year for theatre in and around London. So without further ado here's our list of the top 10 theatrical productions to keep an eye on in 2023, starting with number 10:


10. "Next to Normal" by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt, at the Donmar Warehouse

We start off with Next To Normal, the London debut of the acclaimed Broadway musical about a bipolar woman coming to terms with her family's history.

With book and music by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt respectively, Next to Normal was a Tony and Pulitzer prize winning phenomenon during its time on Broadway, and a move to the London stage was always an inevitability. 

That this long awaited debut will come at the Donmar, rather than one of London's bigger stages, might come as a bit of a surprise. But this will ensure the ideal intimate experience for those who manage to get tickets when its run begins in August of this year.

9. "Best of Enemies" by James Graham, at the Noel Coward Theatre

James Graham is one those playwrights that demands attention. His recent work reads like a guide to some of the finest work in topical or political theatre, with This House, Ink, and Quiz to his name, among others.

His latest, Best of Enemies, is a fictionalised depiction of the 1968 debates between intellectuals William F. Buckley Jr. and Gore Vidal during the Democratic National Convention, the ensuing fallout and litigation, and the legacy that its coverage left on political discourse in America. 

This latest West End transfer stars two major film actors in Zachary Quinto and David Harewood and has been met with widespread critical acclaim. The current run only extends until the end of February (although another extension or transfer seems likely), so see it while you can.

8. "Free Your Mind" by Sabrina Mahfouz & Danny Boyle, at Factory International

Now for something a little bit different, in many ways. 

Free Your Mind is an immersive theatrical dance adaptation of The Matrix featuring hundreds of dancers, debuting at Factory International in Manchester, taking place over multiple "flexible spaces".

Sound weird, wild and ambitious? Sure. But it's also being directed by none other than Danny Boyle, the legendary film, stage and Olympics director who has won just about every accolade under the sun and produced work tantamount to genius over the past thirty years. It doesn't really matter what Free Your Mind is, with Boyle attached you're going to want to see it.

7. "Oklahoma!" by Rodgers and Hammerstein, at Wyndham's Theatre

I know what you're thinking. Really? That Oklahoma!? The cheesy, schmaltzy aw shucks musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein? Yes, is my answer. But this is Oklahoma! like you have never seen it before.

The original musical is primarily about love triangles, awkward romances and drama, but in an innocent, high school kind of way. This new interpretation, revived for Broadway in 2021 and the subject o widespread acclaim, is a much more provocative piece of work. Darker, more sexually charged, more real.

It's the same play, but reinterpreted in an entirely new light and energy. It should be an exciting watch for any musical fans, but particularly for those acquainted with the original.

6. "The Secret Life of Bees" by Lynn Nottage, Duncan Sheik and Susan Birkenhead, at the Almeida

Another musical, but this time a brand new world premiere. This one looks to be something quite special.

The Secret Life of Bees is a musical adaptation of the award winning novel of the same name. A coming of age story set against the backdrop of the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. 

The adaptation has a huge amount of theatrical pedigree behind it, including Lynn Nottage, writer of the incredible award winning Sweat, as well as the musical minds behind the Tony Award winning Spring Awakening. This is going to be a big one when it hits the Almeida this April.

5. "Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead" by Olga Tokarczuk and Simon McBurney, at the Barbican

A new production from Simon McBurney's legendary Complicité theatre company is always an event to be savoured. Complicité are renowned for their creativity and invention, often making groundbreaking use of technology, minimalism and visual ingenuity.

This latest work adapts a violent, genre defying Nobel Prize winning novel of the same name by Olga Tokarczuk. Set in remote rural Poland, men from the local hunting club are dying in mysterious circumstances and Janina Duszejko – an eccentric older local woman, ex-engineer, environmentalist, devoted astrologer and enthusiastic translator of William Blake – has her suspicions.