James Acaster's Perfect Sounds

James Acaster's Perfect Sounds

BBC Sounds

For James Acaster 2016 is the greatest year for music of all time. Following a breakup James set out to rekindle his love for music by buying hundreds of new and niche releases from 2016. Now he's sharing his obsession with fellow comedians, exploring his favourite albums: from Beyoncé's internet-breaking Lemonade, to Colombian math rock fusion, and everything in between.

Fatiha El-Ghorri is in Heavn

Fatiha El-Ghorri is in Heavn

Heavn by Jamila Woods fuses R&B, Jazz and various other genres including classic indie. Surely it must appeal to Cure-loving Fatiha!

May 27, 2022 • 26:55

Aparna Nancherla & Freetown Sound

Aparna Nancherla & Freetown Sound

Freetown Sound by Blood Orange is such an "immaculate" album that James worries he might burst into tears just talking about it. Here's hoping Aparna feels the same, otherwise trouble could be afoot.

May 20, 2022 • 28:34

Jen Ives & An Escape Into Space

Jen Ives & An Escape Into Space

Splendor & Misery is a sci-fi concept album by experimental rap trio Clipping. Lyrics and soundscapes combine to tell an Afrofuturist story of an escape from oppression into the void of space. Jen Ives prepares to be transported.

May 13, 2022 • 26:50

Stuart Laws & ScHoolboy Q

Stuart Laws & ScHoolboy Q

James confesses to being in love with ScHoolboy Q's Blank Face LP. With a Gangsta rap core but with psychedelic overtones and great production, is there enough to seduce Stuart Laws too?

May 6, 2022 • 29:03

Toussaint Douglass & The Life Of Pablo

Toussaint Douglass & The Life Of Pablo

The ever-polarising Kanye West can be controversial at times but James can't help but like the music. After all, his 2016 album The Life of Pablo has a vein of weirdness running through it that is right up James' street. However, is it a path Toussaint Douglass is willing to tread?

Apr 29, 2022 • 28:41

Fern Brady & The Punk Beyoncé

Fern Brady & The Punk Beyoncé

Black Terry Cat by Xenia Rubinos is a magical album drawing on many influences and described by the artist herself as "a punk Beyoncé". However, is it enough to impress one of Scotland's finest, Fern Brady?

Apr 22, 2022 • 25:40

Sadia Azmat & Black Girl Blues

Sadia Azmat & Black Girl Blues

Fetish Bones by Moor Mother delivers a powerful message via a sonically abrasive backdrop. Labelled by the artist herself as Black Girl Blues, Project Housing Bop or Slaveship Punk, it's an album that demands the listener's full attention. However, was it enough to hold Sadia Asmat's attention?

Apr 15, 2022 • 23:47

Sara Barron & Emily's D+Evolution

Sara Barron & Emily's D+Evolution

Emily's D+Evolution, a brilliant Jazz-Rock-Funk fusion album by Grammy Award winning Esperanza Spalding, is usually the last thing Sara Barron would listen to. However, some finely crafted lyrics start to reel her in.

Apr 8, 2022 • 29:35

Nathan Caton & an OST to Nothing

Nathan Caton & an OST to Nothing

Wes Borland you may remember as the guitarist in '90s rock/rap outfit Limp Bizkit. In 2016 he released Crystal Machete, a soundtrack to an imagined film. James and Nathan try to imagine what that film would look like.

Apr 1, 2022 • 28:02

Thanyia Moore, Illusion & Destruction

Thanyia Moore, Illusion & Destruction

Mahoroboshiya by Japanese folk singer Ichiko Aoba is an album with such a delicate and intimate feel that James can't help but relax to it. However, is it enough to chill '90s R'n'B-loving Thanyia Moore?

Mar 25, 2022 • 28:33

Jayde Adams & Hard Pop Opera

Jayde Adams & Hard Pop Opera

Rien by Perrine en Morceaux has a sound so big, it envelopes James and (in his words) makes him feel like a little boy. But is it too big for Jayde Adams to handle?

Mar 18, 2022 • 29:10

Rhys Nicholson & That '70s Funk Thang

Rhys Nicholson & That '70s Funk Thang

Awaken My Love was a massive left turn for Childish Gambino and produced one of the best songs of 2016 in the form of Redbone. Influenced by George Clinton's '70s band Funkadelic but with modern techniques, it made Rhys Nicholson "Horny... but not for sex".

Mar 11, 2022 • 26:05

Charlie George, Vampires and Periods

Charlie George, Vampires and Periods

Jenny Hval’s 2016 concept album, on the theme of blood, is a collection of light and beautiful melodies interspersed with dark and haunting soundscapes. James tasks Charlie George to have a listen and report back.

Mar 4, 2022 • 27:43

Fatiha El-Ghorri & Cohen's Final Bow

Fatiha El-Ghorri & Cohen's Final Bow

Fatihah El Ghorri, by her own admission, loves Cliff Richard and Shrek. So will the mournful, gravelly tones of Leonard Cohen appeal to her?

Feb 25, 2022 • 27:45

Sikisa Bostwick-Barnes & Bollywave

Sikisa Bostwick-Barnes & Bollywave

Ami Dang, a classically trained sitar player, fuses ancient Sikh hymns and poems of Gurus with a modern dance feel and calls it "Bollywave". Will it be enough to sweep Sikisa Bostwick-Barnes off her feet?

Feb 18, 2022 • 28:12

Aaron Chen & ОЭЩ МАГЗИУ

Aaron Chen & ОЭЩ МАГЗИУ

ОЭЩ МАГЗИУ (or Oesch Magziu to you and me) by ГШ (or Glintshake to you and me) is an album inspired by the Russian avant-garde, a creative movement popular in Russia in the early 20th Century and worked into a more modern sound. However, will it translate across the globe? Australia's finest, Aaron Chen, is here to tell us.

Feb 11, 2022 • 27:17

Jen Ives & A Journey Into Darkness

Jen Ives & A Journey Into Darkness

The Caretaker's Everywhere At The End of Time is a 6-hour project exploring the descent into dementia. It had a profound effect on James, but what effect will it have on Jen Ives?

Feb 4, 2022 • 29:32

Kiri Pritchard-McLean & Portuguese Fusion Pop Jazz

Kiri Pritchard-McLean & Portuguese Fusion Pop Jazz

James and Kiri discuss Portuguese maestro Bruno Pernadas's 2016 album, Those Who Throw Objects at the Crocodiles Will Be Asked to Retrieve Them.

Jan 28, 2022 • 27:33

Dai Henwood & Pop Royalty

Dai Henwood & Pop Royalty

Carly Rae Jepsen's 2016 album Emotion: Side B is 110% pure pop, with enough sweetness to thaw James' cold heart towards the genre. However, is there too much sugar for Dai Henwood to digest?

Jan 21, 2022 • 27:39

Isy Suttie & International Prog Folk

Isy Suttie & International Prog Folk

With music inspired by improvisational Jazz, Persian and African folk and vocals in myriad languages, it's hard to tie Léonore Boulanger to a specific genre. Will Isy Suttie, with her background in jazz and prog rock bands, be won over?

Jan 14, 2022 • 29:01

Chloe Petts On The Quest...

Chloe Petts On The Quest...

We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service. Hip hop legends A Tribe Called Quest released their final album in 2016 and surely reinforces James' claim that this was indeed, the greatest year in music - of all time! But will Chloe Petts agree?

Jan 7, 2022 • 27:57

Ahir Shah & Baroque Classic Pop

Ahir Shah & Baroque Classic Pop

Inspired by classic art, sculpture and a year in Rome, Meilyr Jones' album 2013 is quite simply beautiful. James is hoping that Ahir will agree.

Dec 17, 2021 • 28:22

Rosie Jones and Isolation Indie Rap

Rosie Jones and Isolation Indie Rap

The Impossible Kid is a charming and personal album written by Aesop Rock whilst isolating in a cabin in the woods. Full of fables and colourful characters, surely Rosie Jones will be charmed..? James has his fingers crossed.

Dec 10, 2021 • 29:00

Sikisa Takes A Seat At The Table

Sikisa Takes A Seat At The Table

Sikisa thought R'n'B was dead... Then came Solange's 2016 album, A Seat At The Table. A masterpiece that brought Solange out of the shadow of sister, Beyoncé.

Dec 3, 2021 • 26:34

Aparna Nancherla & A Rich, Heavy Ethereal Blanket

Aparna Nancherla & A Rich, Heavy Ethereal Blanket

Mirror Breathing by Shield Patterns is an electronic album of inventive melodies, set in atmospheric and sometimes haunting soundscapes. But will Aparna Nancherla be scared or (like James) seduced?

Nov 26, 2021 • 29:19

Bonus Sounds: Zach Phillips of OSR Tapes

Bonus Sounds: Zach Phillips of OSR Tapes

Whilst trawling for music from 2016, James noticed a common thread through some of his favourite records - OSR Tapes. A label founded by Zach Phillips. James gets to speak to Zach about what inspired him to start a label, why he closed it and everything in between.

Nov 19, 2021 • 34:49

Harriet Kemsley and 'Absolute Chaos!'

Harriet Kemsley and 'Absolute Chaos!'

Hello New York by Maher Shalal Hash Baz is an album described by founder Tori Kudo as "a revolving cast of players from varying backgrounds and varying experience". Described by Harriet Kemsley as "chaos". However, the more she listens...

Nov 19, 2021 • 28:25

Stuart Laws & Angela Sawyer

Stuart Laws & Angela Sawyer

Ukulele strumming, high-pitched yodelling and dissonant keyboards - Angela Sawyer’s On The Pedestrian Side is an album “not designed to make you feel comfortable”. No wonder Stuart Laws feels he is being pranked!

Nov 12, 2021 • 27:33

Maisie Adam & Who-Pa-Zoo-Tic Sounds

Maisie Adam & Who-Pa-Zoo-Tic Sounds

James and Maisie discuss Hartley C White's album Something Better and his attempt at creating a whole new genre. Maisie loved the last album James sent her, so James is hoping she'll be equally impressed with this one.

Nov 5, 2021 • 29:16

Fern Brady & Emo R&B

Fern Brady & Emo R&B

James Acaster talks about one of the many albums he collected from the year 2016 with one of his comedy friends. This week Fern Brady states from the outset that Half of My Love by Fauxe is not for her… oops. Even though the title comes from one of her favourite albums. Can James change her mind?

Oct 29, 2021 • 27:08

Bonus Sounds: Anthony Fantano Explains Himself

Bonus Sounds: Anthony Fantano Explains Himself

James delves deeper into the online music community with founder of The Needle Drop and gets him to explain why his WORST album of the decade came from 2016.

Oct 22, 2021 • 42:00

Sadia Azmat & Cheltenham Trip Hop

Sadia Azmat & Cheltenham Trip Hop

James Acaster talks about one of the many albums he collected from the year 2016 with one of his comedy friends. This week, Sadia Azmat discusses the album One Tusk by Moth Equals. But will Sadia be impressed by the plethora of different influences and Bollywood samples?

Oct 22, 2021 • 26:26

Nathan Caton & old-school hip hop

Nathan Caton & old-school hip hop

James breaks his own rules by picking a 2016 album which sounds "old-school", rapper Westside Gunn's debut Flygod. He discusses it with guest Nathan Caton, plus they delve into Nathan's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles obsession.

Oct 15, 2021 • 28:06

Sara Barron & retro indie-pop

Sara Barron & retro indie-pop

Sara Barron confesses to James that she has very questionable music taste but is left feeling very Parisian listening to Cate Le Bon’s Crab Day, an album about a fictional day.

Oct 8, 2021 • 28:41

Thanyia Moore & Rihanna's ANTI

Thanyia Moore & Rihanna's ANTI

Thanyia Moore goes on a rollercoaster journey with Rihanna's most personal album yet, ANTI.

Oct 1, 2021 • 28:09

Bonus Sounds: James' dad - Johnnie Frierson - Have You Been Good To Yourself

Bonus Sounds: James' dad - Johnnie Frierson - Have You Been Good To Yourself

James sits down with his dad David Acaster to talk about the Johnnie Frierson album Have You Been Good To Yourself. They chat about the records played in the house growing up, the musical game they played when James was young and the 2016 mixtape he made for his dad.

Sep 24, 2021 • 26:06

Jayde Adams & self-penned gospel

Jayde Adams & self-penned gospel

Jayde reminisces life through 'lost album' Johnnie Frierson's Have You Been Good To Yourself which was found by a crate digger in a thrift store.

Sep 24, 2021 • 28:28

Harriet Kemsley & Krip Hop

Harriet Kemsley & Krip Hop

Harriet Kemsley warms to Wheelchair Sports Camp's avant-garde rap album No Big Deal. The record features humorous and political lyrics from disabled rapper Kalyn Heffernan, who is part of the Krip-Hop movement which uses hip-hop as a means of expression for disabled artists.

Sep 17, 2021 • 28:11

Rhys Nicholson & gothic Americana

Rhys Nicholson & gothic Americana

Despite not expecting to like someone called Marissa, Rhys Nicholson enjoys a negroni while enjoying Marissa Nadler's dreamy gothic American folk album Strangers.

Sep 10, 2021 • 27:52

Charlie George & Kendrick Lamar's untitled unmastered.

Charlie George & Kendrick Lamar's untitled unmastered.

Charlie George is pushed out of her dad rock listening habits, and finds much to love in the lyrical imagery created by Kendrick Lamar, in his sort-of B-side album untitled unmastered.

Sep 3, 2021 • 24:49

Toussaint Douglass & eccentric indie

Toussaint Douglass & eccentric indie

Toussaint thinks James hates him after listening to Four Thing, the eccentric indie project based around the number 4, created by Zach Phillips. Four vocalists, singing alternate lines written by four lyricists, to create 16 songs. But does Toussiant’s nan like it?

Aug 27, 2021 • 27:16

Maisie Adam & comedic post-punk

Maisie Adam & comedic post-punk

Maisie Adam feels grabbed and shoved against a wall by the one-man-band Christian Fitness and their post-punk album This Taco Is Not Correct that features darkly funny commentary on Britain.

Aug 20, 2021 • 27:05

Bonus Sounds: Andrew Falkous - Christian Fitness

Bonus Sounds: Andrew Falkous - Christian Fitness

James and friend David Trent chat to the man behind Christian Fitness, Andrew Falkous. James delves deep into the album's meaning and David asks if his son can have one of his guitars, (among other very awkward and unsavoury questions).

Aug 20, 2021 • 36:21

Aaron Chen & dark reggae

Aaron Chen & dark reggae

Aaron Chen gets into a plunge pool to rid himself of the dark and sad vibes of Mournful Skank's Ghost Hunter.

Aug 13, 2021 • 27:40

Kiri Pritchard-Mclean & experiemental sampling hip hop

Kiri Pritchard-Mclean & experiemental sampling hip hop

Kiri Pritchard-Mclean feels shoved around by Coin Locker Kid's 90's influenced experimental hip hop album The Salmon of Doubt, featuring a dense sound collage of samples.

Aug 6, 2021 • 29:10

Dai Henwood & the house party concept album

Dai Henwood & the house party concept album

James introduces Dai Henwood to an indie concept album that he regularly gets recommended. Singer-songwriter Andy Shauf's The Party features a series of closely observed and intersecting characters at a house party, and Dai enjoys doing his taxes to it.

Jul 30, 2021 • 25:55

Isy Suttie & a drum duo

Isy Suttie & a drum duo

Multi-instrumentalist and comedian Isy Suttie is engulfed by the purely percussive self-titled album Rattle, featuring two drummers and their vocals.

Jul 23, 2021 • 27:18

BONUS SOUNDS: Radiohead's Colin Greenwood

BONUS SOUNDS: Radiohead's Colin Greenwood

James visits Colin Greenwood at home to discuss making 2016's A Moon Shaped Pool, plus Colin suggests what Radiohead tracks James should get into, whether music scenes are cool, and Colin's impending Radiohead tribute act!

Jul 23, 2021 • 32:28

Chloe Petts & bedroom indie pop

Chloe Petts & bedroom indie pop

Chloe Petts discovers that Frankie Cosmos - the stage name of Greta Kline - and her 2016 album Next Thing is exactly her kind of cap-wearing DIY bedroom indie pop.

Jul 16, 2021 • 28:22

Ahir Shah & a blissful sound collage

Ahir Shah & a blissful sound collage

Ahir Shah discovers 'Good Will Come to You' from artist Jean-Sebastian Audet's project Un Blonde. A blissfully mellow sound collage that incorporates field recordings, vocal harmonies and acoustic guitars, it was released on tape cassette in 2016. And for Ahir it's the perfect music to chop vegetables to.

Jul 9, 2021 • 28:20

Rosie Jones & Radiohead's A Moon Shaped Pool

Rosie Jones & Radiohead's A Moon Shaped Pool

Both James and Rosie have always felt intimidated about getting into Radiohead's back catalogue because of their hard-core fans. Can this album, from one of the biggest bands in the world, win them over? And more importantly convince Rosie that 2016 is the greatest year for music of all time?

Jul 2, 2021 • 29:06

2016 is back and more perfect than before!

2016 is back and more perfect than before!

For James Acaster 2016 is the greatest year for music, ever. Since launching the podcast his record collection has grown to over 700 albums from that year and he wants to share his obsession with even more comedian friends... but will they admit that 2016 is the great year for music of all time?

Jun 25, 2021 • 6:59

2016 is back and more perfect than before!

2016 is back and more perfect than before!

For James Acaster 2016 is the greatest year for music, ever. Since launching the podcast his record collection has grown to over 700 albums from that year and he wants to share his obsession with even more comedian friends... but will they admit that 2016 is the great year for music of all time?

Jun 24, 2021 • 6:59

Eleanor Tiernan & Run The Jewels 3

Eleanor Tiernan & Run The Jewels 3

Eleanor Tiernan is drawn in by hip-hop duo Run The Jewel's critically acclaimed epic third album.This is the final episode of series 1 but we'll be back this summer so subscribe to the podcast to be the first to hear new episodes!

Apr 30, 2021 • 29:16

BONUS SOUNDS: Trim & Jamali Maddix discuss 1-800 DINOSAUR Presents

BONUS SOUNDS: Trim & Jamali Maddix discuss 1-800 DINOSAUR Presents

James invites friend of the podcast and grime fan Jamali Maddix to sit down with him and Trim to discuss working with James Blake on 1-800 DINOSAUR Presents and Trim's role in the grime scene.

Apr 23, 2021 • 29:18

Kwame Asante & outsider grime produced by James Blake

Kwame Asante & outsider grime produced by James Blake

Comedian and doctor Kwame Asante is persuaded by outsider grime artist Trim's experimental collaboration with James Blake's label 1-800 DINOSAUR.

Apr 23, 2021 • 26:15

John Kearns & celebratory North African sampled vinyl

John Kearns & celebratory North African sampled vinyl

John Kearns wants to dance to Tunisian producer and DJ Ghoula's celebratory album Hlib El Ghoula, which features rare North African vinyl that the artist sourced from Tunisian markets then sampled and scratched with live instrumentals.

Apr 16, 2021 • 26:43

Rachel Parris & an orchestral art-rock collaboration

Rachel Parris & an orchestral art-rock collaboration

Classically trained Rachel Parris dissects the one-off album Balter/Saunier, a collaboration between the Chicago orchestra Ensemble Dal Niente, influential art-rock band Deerhoof, and Brazilian composer Marcos Balter.

Apr 9, 2021 • 28:04

Jen Brister & experimental Majorcan folk

Jen Brister & experimental Majorcan folk

Jen Brister has a strong reaction to 'Folk Souvenir', an album by Joana Gomila that uses field recordings and improvisation to bring a new approach to traditional Majorcan folk.

Apr 2, 2021 • 21:48

BONUS SOUNDS: Joana Gomila & Dr Judith R Cohen

BONUS SOUNDS: Joana Gomila & Dr Judith R Cohen

James talks to Joana Gomila and Dr Judith R Cohen about the Spanish folk recordings of ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax and the making of Joana's album 'Folk Souvenir'.

Apr 1, 2021 • 23:03

Jack Rooke & thoughtful inventive indie

Jack Rooke & thoughtful inventive indie

Jack is over the moon to be introduced to all 24 tracks of Thoughts Lined Up by award-winning artist Martin Creed.

Mar 26, 2021 • 26:29

Alison Spittle & extreme industrial metal

Alison Spittle & extreme industrial metal

Alison is willing to persevere with the album End Position by experimental Texan duo Street Sects.

Mar 19, 2021 • 27:32

Dane Baptiste & infinite looping psych rock

Dane Baptiste & infinite looping psych rock

Dane enjoys the frantic Nonagen Infinity by King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, the eighth album from the prolific Australian psych rock band.

Mar 12, 2021 • 30:19

Suzi Ruffell & The Tut's Update Your Brain

Suzi Ruffell & The Tut's Update Your Brain

Suzi adores the melodic feminist anthems on this debut punk album from Hayes-based three-piece The Tuts.

Mar 5, 2021 • 28:29

BONUS SOUNDS: The Tuts

BONUS SOUNDS: The Tuts

Hayes-based three-piece The Tuts take James on a tour of their hometown including their rehearsal room, a local radio station and the venue for one of their early gigs.

Mar 5, 2021 • 39:55

Guz Khan & generational jazz rap

Guz Khan & generational jazz rap

Guz is up for giving the self-titled project by Sélébéyone another chance. The album features two saxophonists and two rappers, Senegal's Gaston Bandimic and HPrizm from the US.

Feb 26, 2021 • 25:33

Athena Kugblenu & Frank Ocean’s Blonde

Athena Kugblenu & Frank Ocean’s Blonde

As a huge fan of his debut mixtape nostalgia, Ultra, Athena is underwhelmed by Frank Ocean’s 2016 album Blonde.

Feb 19, 2021 • 29:49

Gabriel Ebulue & personal beat-fired balladry

Gabriel Ebulue & personal beat-fired balladry

Gabriel is excited to be introduced to For Good by Fog, a crowd-funded comeback from Minneapolis musician Andrew Broder.

Feb 12, 2021 • 22:58

BONUS SOUNDS: Drummers Adam Betts & Seb Rochford

BONUS SOUNDS: Drummers Adam Betts & Seb Rochford

Adam and Seb bring their drum kits along to talk to James about the virtuosic drumming on Jon Bap's 'What Now?'. Recorded at BBC Maida Vale Studios in London.

Feb 5, 2021 • 27:36

Rob Deering & outsider soul music

Rob Deering & outsider soul music

Rob Deering is up for the challenge of Jon Bap's 'What Now?', an album that James describes as one of the most life-changing from his whole 2016 project.

Feb 5, 2021 • 25:53

Nish Kumar & Kevin Abstract's American Boyfriend: A Suburban Love Story

Nish Kumar & Kevin Abstract's American Boyfriend: A Suburban Love Story

Nish is blown away by this concept album from Brockhampton's Kevin Abstract. The album tells the story of him growing up in Texas with homophobic parents and a racist boyfriend.

Jan 29, 2021 • 29:18

Sindhu Vee & conceptual club bangers

Sindhu Vee & conceptual club bangers

Sindhu is not judging anyone who wants to listen to Popp by Oval, a 2016 solo project by glitch pioneer Markus Popp.

Jan 22, 2021 • 24:48

Kemah Bob & Noname's Telefone

Kemah Bob & Noname's Telefone

Kemah is a huge fan of this beautiful debut mixtape, written and recorded by rapper Noname and collaborators in LA and Chicago.

Jan 15, 2021 • 26:32

BONUS SOUNDS: Akenya, Cam O'Bi and Phoelix on Noname'sTelefone

BONUS SOUNDS: Akenya, Cam O'Bi and Phoelix on Noname'sTelefone

Three of Noname's key collaborators from the Chicago scene share their memories of helping to create her debut mixtape.

Jan 15, 2021 • 24:13

Felicity Ward & nostalgic American indie

Felicity Ward & nostalgic American indie

Felicity is super in to Not Good At Spending Time Alone A.K.A. Cleanliness by Market, a project written and recorded by New York based musician Nate Mendelsohn.

Jan 8, 2021 • 26:05

Nathaniel Metcalfe & live improvised blues

Nathaniel Metcalfe & live improvised blues

Nathaniel would like to dig New Guitar Old Hat Knew Blues, an album recorded by Mike Cooper live in Geneva.

Jan 1, 2021 • 22:42

BONUS SOUNDS: Jeff Rosenstock, Matthew Crosby & Ed Gamble

BONUS SOUNDS: Jeff Rosenstock, Matthew Crosby & Ed Gamble

A Christmas treat for you featuring James, Matthew and Ed on seeing Jeff Rosenstock live and then an interview with the man himself about his album Worry.

Dec 25, 2020 • 47:17

Mae Martin & Jeff Rosenstock's Worry

Mae Martin & Jeff Rosenstock's Worry

Mae Martin is thrilled by the album from which the podcast takes its name. The final track on the punk musician's second solo album is called Perfect Sound Whatever.

Dec 25, 2020 • 25:37

Jamali Maddix & screamcore rap

Jamali Maddix & screamcore rap

James is attempting to win Jamali's support for 2016 with the album SUI // RAP by youngster jiji, the brainchild of Seattle rapper James Campbell.

Dec 18, 2020 • 23:06

BONUS SOUNDS: Foonyap

BONUS SOUNDS: Foonyap

Foonyap talks to James about the mental and emotional struggles that inspired her beautiful album Palimpsest.

Dec 11, 2020 • 20:07

Desiree Burch & intricate fragile folk

Desiree Burch & intricate fragile folk

Desiree is in two minds about Palimpsest by the classically trained Canadian musician Foonyap.

Dec 11, 2020 • 26:44

Phil Wang & electronic Mexican folk

Phil Wang & electronic Mexican folk

Phil absolutely loves Me Demandó DEMOS, recorded by San Cha on the farm where her mother grew up, without the opportunity to collaborate with a producer.

Dec 4, 2020 • 23:56

Evelyn Mok & a technophobic metal nightmare

Evelyn Mok & a technophobic metal nightmare

Evelyn is back and introduced to Boy Man Machine by Drose, an album that fuses experimental metal with sounds recorded in a factory.

Nov 27, 2020 • 24:11

Romesh Ranganathan & head-scrambling math rap

Romesh Ranganathan & head-scrambling math rap

Romesh is delighted to discover Badd Timing by The Sooper Swag Project, an album recorded with the intention of using as many different and difficult time signatures as possible.

Nov 20, 2020 • 26:17

BONUS SOUNDS: Cyril Yeterian from Bongo Joe

BONUS SOUNDS: Cyril Yeterian from Bongo Joe

James explores the mystery behind Song I-V by Rocks & Waves Song Circle, with the head honcho of one of the two record labels behind its release, Bongo Joe.

Nov 13, 2020 • 17:48

Sarah Keyworth & a mysterious choral album

Sarah Keyworth & a mysterious choral album

Sarah needs convincing about the story behind Songs I-V by Rocks & Waves Song Circle, supposedly recorded spontaneously by Swedish artist Isak Sundstrom at a Church in Mexico.

Nov 13, 2020 • 23:40

Joe Sutherland & Car Seat Headrest's Teens of Denial

Joe Sutherland & Car Seat Headrest's Teens of Denial

James has selected one of the biggest indie albums of the year for Joe's second appearance on the pod, Teens of Denial from songwriter Will Toledo's Car Seat Headrest.

Nov 6, 2020 • 21:57

Sophie Duker & a raw, genre-hopping record

Sophie Duker & a raw, genre-hopping record

Sophie is back! Last time she wasn’t completely won round, so James goes all in with the crowd-funded debut album Kiid from Mal Devisa.

Oct 30, 2020 • 19:41

Rachel Parris & blissful ambient folk

Rachel Parris & blissful ambient folk

Rachel is drawn to the folk side of Hands In Our Names, an album recorded by Karima Walker in the desert of New Mexico.

Oct 23, 2020 • 29:09

Kwame Asante & noise rock

Kwame Asante & noise rock

Kwame puts in the work for A Self-Help Tragedy by noise rock supergroup Doomsday Student.

Oct 16, 2020 • 29:00

Eleanor Tiernan & recorder prog folk rock

Eleanor Tiernan & recorder prog folk rock

Eleanor is challenged by the album A V by Surface To Air Missive, a solo project from the musician Taylor Ross.

Oct 9, 2020 • 31:55

BONUS SOUNDS: Netty Rhodes & the SWeet Recorder Consort

BONUS SOUNDS: Netty Rhodes & the SWeet Recorder Consort

James attempts to learn Morning Thought by Surface To Air Missive from scratch with recorder teacher Netty Rhodes and the SWeet Recorder Consort.

Oct 9, 2020 • 13:19

John Kearns & teenage three piece rock

John Kearns & teenage three piece rock

John prefers the second half of Out of Sight by the former Minneapolis rock band Falling.

Oct 2, 2020 • 21:53

Alison Spittle & dark spoken word

Alison Spittle & dark spoken word

Alison has a strong reaction to Rook to TN34, a dark, experimental and comedic spoken word album by the duo eMMplekz.

Sep 25, 2020 • 22:53

BONUS SOUNDS: Damien Cluzel

BONUS SOUNDS: Damien Cluzel

James chats to the guitarist at the heart of two of his favourite 2016 albums, Awo by uKanDanZ and the self-titled release by Pixvae.

Sep 18, 2020 • 20:40

Guz Khan & Ethiopian Crunch

Guz Khan & Ethiopian Crunch

Guz is on board with this hybrid of hard rock and Ethiopian music that features on the album Awo by uKanDanZ.

Sep 18, 2020 • 27:20

Kemah Bob & Colombian Crunch

Kemah Bob & Colombian Crunch

Kemah Bob marvels at this self-titled album from the band Pixvae. The album combines traditional South Colombian music with Math Rock to create a brand new genre.

Sep 11, 2020 • 26:16

Jack Rooke & twisted-pop

Jack Rooke & twisted-pop

Jack Rooke meets NHS nurse Law Holt's diva alter ego, a persona who spits and cheats in her twisted pop album City.

Sep 4, 2020 • 23:35

Athena Kugblenu & Japanese folk-indie-jazz fusion

Athena Kugblenu & Japanese folk-indie-jazz fusion

Athena Kugblenu gets into Aragehonzi's one of kind album, Hanatsuoto, that fuses Japanese folk with neo-soul, funk, jazz, rock, indie, and everything in between.

Aug 28, 2020 • 26:12

Gabriel Ebulue & Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds' Skeleton Tree

Gabriel Ebulue & Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds' Skeleton Tree

Gabriel Ebulue shares his love for Skeleton Tree, the ominous and emotional album steeped in Nick Cave's personal tragedy.

Aug 21, 2020 • 28:22

BONUS SOUNDS: Kojey Radical

BONUS SOUNDS: Kojey Radical

A bonus conversation with British rapper and spoken word artist Kojey Radical recorded live at the 6Music Festival, discussing themes of love, his connection to his Ghanaian heritage and his dad.

Aug 14, 2020 • 27:39

Dane Baptiste & Kojey Radical’s 23Winters

Dane Baptiste & Kojey Radical’s 23Winters

Hip-hop fan Dane discovers Kojey Radical's masterful 23Winters for the first time. At 42 minutes the EP spans rap, spoken word, and a conversation with Kojey's dad that covers themes of love, life in London, and their Ghanaian heritage. Which makes James ask, is this really an EP?

Aug 14, 2020 • 27:01

Mae Martin and a drone folk crossover

Mae Martin and a drone folk crossover

Mae Martin gets dark and moody to the drone folk crossover album Salt, by Irish singer-songwriter Katie Kim. Plus the track James will judge your music taste on.

Aug 7, 2020 • 27:19

Suzi Ruffell & the One Women Orchestra

Suzi Ruffell & the One Women Orchestra

Suzi is dazzled and slightly confused by the album Conarium, based on the dreams of its creator, Latvian musician Elizabete Balčus

Jul 31, 2020 • 24:02

Nathaniel Metcalfe & David Bowie’s Blackstar

Nathaniel Metcalfe & David Bowie’s Blackstar

Bowie fan Nathaniel revisits his brilliant final album released just two days before his death.

Jul 24, 2020 • 26:38

Sindhu Vee & Death Grip’s Bottomless Pit

Sindhu Vee & Death Grip’s Bottomless Pit

Sindhu Vee puts in the effort and learns to really like this album from experimental hip hop trio Death Grips.

Jul 17, 2020 • 24:21

Felicity Ward & Public Speaking

Felicity Ward & Public Speaking

Felicity Ward struggles with Caress, Redact, the stripped-back experimental electronic album by Public Speaking that's all about violence.

Jul 10, 2020 • 25:38

Nish Kumar & Bon Iver's 22, A Million

Nish Kumar & Bon Iver's 22, A Million

Bon Iver and folk music fan Nish Kumar listens for the first time to the band's 2016 experimental electronic masterpiece 22, A Million.

Jul 3, 2020 • 27:22

Sarah Keyworth & bedroom indie-pop

Sarah Keyworth & bedroom indie-pop

Sarah Keyworth learns about the hidden depths of Katie Dey's intriguing bedroom indie-pop album, Flood Network.Produced by Hannah Hufford Photography by Edward Moore Design by Danny Arter

Jun 26, 2020 • 24:27

BONUS SOUNDS: Katie Dey

BONUS SOUNDS: Katie Dey

The first bonus episode, an interview in Melbourne with artist Katie Dey on identity, the internet and mental health, and her 2016 album Flood Network.

Jun 26, 2020 • 25:21

Evelyn Mok & Malian hip-hop

Evelyn Mok & Malian hip-hop

Evelyn discovers the Malian hip-hop artist Luka Productions, named after his own studio, and his 2016 album Mali Kady. Plus 'Kettering Is Nice' makes its debut. Produced by Hannah Hufford Photography by Edward Moore Design by Danny Arter

Jun 19, 2020 • 23:40

Rob Deering & 80s stadium-rock-pop

Rob Deering & 80s stadium-rock-pop

Rob learns to love Beyond the Fleeting Gales by Crying, an album described by James as stadium rock for an anime film in the 80s. Produced by Hannah Hufford Photography by Edward Moore Design by Danny Arter

Jun 12, 2020 • 26:03

Desiree Burch & Danny Brown's Atrocity Exhibition

Desiree Burch & Danny Brown's Atrocity Exhibition

Desiree discovers Detroit rapper Danny Brown's album Atrocity Exhibition, aka CeeLo and Andre 3000's lovechild.Produced by Hannah Hufford Photography by Edward Moore Design by Danny Arter

Jun 5, 2020 • 25:43

Joe Sutherland & grindcore

Joe Sutherland & grindcore

Joe Sutherland takes a metaphorical HIIT class, with the grindcore metal-classical fusion album Discordia by Bologna Violenta. Plus Tilda Swinton's got a new project. Produced by Hannah Hufford Photography by Edward Moore Design by Danny Arter

May 29, 2020 • 24:58

Jen Brister & Laura Mvula's The Dreaming Room

Jen Brister & Laura Mvula's The Dreaming Room

Jen and James discuss why the Ivor Novello winning album The Dreaming Room got Laura Mvula dropped from her label. Plus a phone call with Laura's nan.Produced by Hannah Hufford Photography by Edward Moore Design by Danny Arter

May 22, 2020 • 25:29

Jamali Maddix & satanic spirituals

Jamali Maddix & satanic spirituals

Jamali gets out of his comfort zone with the African American spirituals, satanic, black metal fusion album Devil is Fine by Zeal & Ardor. Plus, Buffy and Angel make a comeback. Produced by Hannah Hufford Photography by Edward Moore Design by Danny Arter

May 15, 2020 • 21:16

Sophie Duker & samba-punk

Sophie Duker & samba-punk

Sophie shocks James with a musical secret, as they discuss the samba-punk fusion album MM3 by Meta Meta. Plus, who is the Brazilian Tina Turner?Produced by Hannah Hufford Photography by Edward Moore Design by Danny Arter

May 8, 2020 • 23:33

Phil Wang & Eurosceptic hip-hop

Phil Wang & Eurosceptic hip-hop

Phil Wang gets to grips with the 2016 Eurosceptic experimental hip-hop album United Diktatürs of Europe, by Anarchist Republic of BZZZ. Plus why instruments are like tacos. Produced by Hannah Hufford Photography by Edward Moore Design by Danny Arter

May 1, 2020 • 21:35

Romesh Ranganathan & Beyoncé's Lemonade

Romesh Ranganathan & Beyoncé's Lemonade

Romesh Ranganathan discovers the world's best-selling album of 2016... but, more importantly, the album that turned James onto pop.Produced by Hannah Hufford Photography by Edward Moore Design by Danny Arter

Apr 24, 2020 • 23:38

This is James Acaster’s Perfect Sounds

This is James Acaster’s Perfect Sounds

For James Acaster 2016 is the greatest year for music of all time. Following a breakup James set out to rekindle his love for music by buying hundreds of new and niche releases from 2016. Now he’s sharing his obsession with fellow comedians, exploring his favourite albums: from Beyoncé’s internet-breaking Lemonade, to Colombian math rock fusion, and everything in between.

Apr 17, 2020 • 4:28

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