I’ll admit that as an audio reviewer, I have a tendency to listen to the same collection of songs whenever I review a pair of headphones. Even if they’re a personal pair and I’m not reviewing them, I’ll give a quick listen through snippets of four or five tracks to get a sense of things like frequency response, soundstage, and detail.
Why do I listen to the same songs? For one (or both) of two reasons: I’ve become intimately familiar with them over the years, or they’ve been recommended to me by other reviewers — and in consequence, I’ve become intimately familiar with them over the years. But it’s also good for the mind and the soul to keep things fresh, and with thousands upon thousands of songs being released every year, it’s worth appreciating and adding new recordings to the mix.
Instead of proclaiming “the best songs from 2024” I have instead put together some of my favorites (so far) that I feel are worthy of a listen — ones that are available in Dolby Atmos and were released in 2024 (be it a new song or a re-release). Without further ado…
Broken Man from All Born Screaming — St. Vincent
One thing you’re guaranteed to get from a new St. Vincent album is a sonically interesting experience that is musically complex and intriguing. All Born Screaming is a perfect example. While it might not be quite as cohesive from track to track as some of St. Vincent’s previous releases, All Born Screaming artfully explores a variety of emotions and styles that leaves the listener with an air of hopefulness by the end of its final title track.
The first single from the album, Broken Man, is an industrial-inspired rage fest that draws on the expertly crafted build of songs like the end of NIN’s Closer. The bass slowly grow through the first first and chorus, as the second half answer of the musical line slowly fades in to respond to its question. The slow growth of intensity continues through the next verse and chorus with the introduction of Dave Grohl’s drums, dramatic chordal stabs, and a more desperate vocal into a killer groove of the song a minute and a half in. The remainder brings that groove to another level with layering of thick, crunchy guitar lines, thumping drums, metallic percussion, atmospheric synth and vocals, lead by St. Vincent’s angry, pleading lyrics of “What are you looking at?”
While the Dolby Atmos mix of Broken Man doesn’t get as experimental as some other tracks later on this list, it gives more space to the layering of musical ideas to create a full, but not overcrowded soundscape.
Drone:Nodrone from Songs of a Lost World — The Cure
It’s been 16 years since The Cure have released a new studio album, and to say Songs of a Lost World is a triumphant return is an understatement. It’s not the same more light-hearted fare of their 80s catalog, instead coming across as a more grown-up look at their own mortality. On Drone:Nodrone are some familiar sounds from The Cure of old, but everything is turned up to 11, especially with the wailing guitar of Reeves Gabrels, the newest member being featured in his first album with the band — even though he joined as a full-time member back in 2012.
There’s a lot to listen to here, with the atmospheric effects and guitar distortion coming together within the first few seconds from out wide left and right, before the nearfield is filled with guitar, synth, bass, and drums. The highlight for me is Gabrels’ wah-wah guitar work on the second half of the track, that weaves through the texture of the band and Robert Smith’s vocals.
The strength of Drone:Nodrone lies more in Smith’s composition and arrangement than in its Dolby Mix, but its worth a listen on whatever format you have available just to sit back and revel in the return of The Cure.
Avalon from Avalon — Roxy Music
It’s difficult to choose a single track from Roxy Music’s final, and most successful, studio album. It’s release this year as a Dolby Atmos album is not it’s first non-stereo treatment, with the 20th anniversary 5.1 SACD being considered by many to be one of the best examples of multichannel music mixing. Some might question why to even go back and attempt an Atmos version, but with this release it was worth it. Producer Rhett Davies and mixer Bob Clearmountain succeeded in creating another excellent mix of the iconic album. An interesting tidbit revealed to Jonathan Cornell at immersiveaudioalbum.com is that the tracks used for the Atmos remix were from 96kHz/24-bit high-resolution digital transfers from the original analog multitrack tapes.
There isn’t a lot of movement on title track, instead allowing the instruments to generally sit and own their space. The multiple guitar tracks have some back and forth interaction across the soundfield, while backing vocals soar in the back left while playing off the sax solo to the back right for the second half of the track. It’s the perfect track to close your eyes and feel the music around you.
In the Morning of the Magicians from Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots — The Flaming Lips
I’ll fully admit that when my wife, then girlfriend, introduced me to Yoshimi soon after it was released in 2002, I was confused. Did I love it? Did I hate it? I honestly didn’t know. “Give it a couple more listens,” she said, and boy am I glad she did. Within a week it was in regular rotation as I commuted through LA traffic from my apartment in Burbank to the USC campus.
Released in November 2024, the Dolby Atmos mix of the album is wild. The Flaming Lips are experimental in all facets of music and performance, and that extends into the Atmos mix. Synths circle around your head, crowd noise spreads and dissipates, Wayne Coyne’s lead vocals spend a lot of time in the back left channel, drums fly through the air — it’s enveloping and at times disorienting. But there’s no question it uses Atmos to its fullest.
In the Morning of the Magicians begins with the synth orbiting the space before the bass and drums enter to fill in around you with vocals sound effects popping in to the left and right at different heights. It’s all followed by the acoustic guitar and lead vocals coming in from the back left before beginning their own journey around, eventually supported by electrics guitars from the sides and deep “oohs” and “aahs” filling things out. A similar treatment happens as the second verse begins with some more atmospheric sounds along for the ride.
Do I love it? Do I hate it? I think it’s accurate to say I’m fascinated by it. If you want to hear the potentials of Dolby Atmos music, The Flaming Lips have delivered an excellent example. I’d expect nothing less from them.
