Best Chunes 2024 (Part 3)
Five songs selected by Martin 'Postcrunk' Bell
Welcome to Human Pursuits, the column that features need-to-know names and stories in media and other creative spaces. Today, five more of 2024’s best songs, courtesy Martin ‘Postcrunk’ Bell.
No survey of the musical landscape is complete without a check-in from Martin Bell.
Better known by his online handle, Postcrunk, Martin has been contributing to our year-end music recap since its inception in 2022.
While the two of us share similar tastes, he usually manages to surprise me, inspiring further exploration of artists like Freddie Gibbs, Boldy James, and Sexyy Red.
For the first time ever, we discussed his picks via Zoom. I enjoyed the conversation and hope you do as well.
Happy New Year.
THIS IS PART 3 OF 2024’S BEST CHUNE COVERAGE. READ PART 1 HERE AND PART 2 HERE.
DEATH ROLL – Doechii
ES: Do you want to share these in rank order? Alphabetically?
MB: Yeah let’s rank them from #5 to #1.
ES: Perfect.
MB: So #5 is “DEATH ROLL” by Doechii.
ES: Oh, hell yeah. So good.
MB: It’s hard to pick one song on an album like Alligator Bites Never Heal because every track is its own journey. But I like the mood of this, it’s introspective, and it has this wistful beat. Doechii doesn’t break her stride.
ES: Was Doechii on your radar before 2024? I only discovered her through Tyler the Creator and CHROMAKOPIA.
MB: I was wondering that. I looked through my Spotify and I only liked one of her previous songs. That was back in 2021.
ES: She had a strong Q4 between Tyler, her appearance on Stephen Colbert, and the NPR Tiny Desk.
Overboard – Boldy James and Harry Fraud
ES: And so #4.
MB: The #4 slot belongs to “Overboard” by Boldy James and Harry Fraud.
ES: You’ve included Boldy on previous lists, right?
MB: Yeah, I’m a huge Boldy fan and I included him in my list back in 2022. I just love his baritone voice and his flow. And Harry Fraud is an amazing producer. His stuff is really synthesizer-heavy.
ES: You’re a big southern rap guy. Would this fall into that category?
MB: No. Laughs.
ES: How would you describe this track to someone who hasn’t heard it?
MB: He just kind of raps about daily life, and hustling, but he doesn’t do it in a trite way. It sounds natural, you know?
ES: Is this something you’re listening to in the morning? When you get off work?
MB: It’s a good midday listen – spacey beats but also more upbeat.
Juna – Clairo
MB: #3 is kind of a surprise since I usually do all rap, but I love this Clairo album.
ES: We got a Clairhead in the chat. Laughs.
MB: I couldn’t escape this song. I really love it. I love the melodies. Her sound has matured into this nice ‘70s soul throwback.
ES: Someone on Twitter compared Charm to Carole King, which I actually sort of agree with.
MB: I can see that.
ES: Did I see you sharing her song “Bags” on Instagram?
MB: Yeah. I used to be a manager at Urban Outfitters, so I’ve definitely heard my fair share of Clairo. She writes great melodies that get stuck in your head.
THank god 4 me – ScHoolboy Q
MB: #2 is “THank god 4 me” by ScHoolboy Q.
ES: Is that on Blue Lips?
MB: Yes.
ES: Great album.
MB: It’s definitely a return to form. His first album in about 5 years, I think. I love the flute beat on this. At least, I think it’s a flute.
There’s a real swagger and confidence on display. I feel like that is a song to start your morning with.
ES: I have to admit, I liked this album, but I only listened to it once or twice. This makes me want to check it out again.
MB: You know, on the first listen I thought it was only okay. But “THank god 4 me” grew on me and everything opened up from there.
Not Like Us – Kendrick Lamar
ES: I have a guess as to what your #1 song of the year is, but I’d like to hear it from you. Laughs.
MB: At #1… The song of the summer… The song of the year… “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar.
ES: Obviously, a huge moment for many people. But since you took the time to rank everything, walk me through your logic. Why is this the best song of 2024 in your opinion?
MB: I think it just captured the public’s imagination. The night it dropped, Twitter was just wild. It also worked out so poetically. People thought Kendrick couldn’t write radio bangers, they thought he couldn’t do A, B, or C and he proved them all wrong with a single track. And this came after dropping a crazy song (“Meet The Grahams”) the night before.
ES: How do you feel about [his latest album] GNX?
MB: I love it. I love a surprise drop, I really love the beat choices. It has a unique sound. It’s solid.
ES: I really like “Luther” on that record.
MB: For sure.
ES: Can Drake ever come back from this?
MB: At first, I would’ve said yes. But his songs have flopped since then, his next tour is really tiny and it starts on the same day as the Super Bowl.
ES: It kinda seems like he’s crumbling psychologically.
MB: I agree.
What were your favourite Chunes of 2024? Let me know in the comments.