Each day of December this year, I’m highlighting one of my favourite albums of 2024. Counting down the list, we start with #31 on December 1st and go all the way down until we’ve reached #1 on December 31st. Today, #15 on my Album of the Year list: Home Counties – ‘Exactly As It Seems’.

Crank Wave. That genre turned out to be my most dominant one of 2023, according to Spotify’s statistics at least. The music I’ve been dubbing ‘Post-Punk Revival’ apparently turned out to be its own thing instead. You learn everyday. Either way, in an era where crank wave albums are being released in large numbers on the daily, it’s pretty refreshing to have one standing out as being ‘too catchy’ to be considered post-punk.

I first learned of Home Counties existence when their video for ‘Village Spirit’ (not on the album) appeared on my YouTube home screen, back in October 2023. I watched and enjoyed their music video as I thought “Ha, another one of these bands.” I put them on a pile of ‘2023 indie bands’ and moved on with my days up until I picked up a new release: ‘Bethnal Green’. Together with ‘You Break It, You Bought It’, this release made my anticipation for Home Counties’ debut album rise and my opinion change from “Another one of these bands” to “An exciting newcomer”. ‘Exactly As It Seems’ addresses serious (social) issues ranging from expensive pints to gentrification and shitty landlords to growing old, while being full to the brim with synth heavy disco, funk and dance punk beats. To say this makes it the most original and unique album I’ve ever heard would be a lie. However, this album sure is one of the most surprising and creatively written ones of 2024. The musical structures can be a bit predictable and the similarity of the songs makes me zone out at times, but overall it’s a very clever and witty album. The surprise factor on ‘Exactly As It Seems’ is very present throughout the entire thing and if you ever thought you couldn’t mix lyrics about depression with bossa nova, think again. Home Counties got you covered.