Stationary Travels

By now it’s no secret that I’m a fan of Brian Housman‘s labour and his Stationary Travels site. Two years ago I even unveiled a brand new Best of the Year list, dedicated to his very own selections, appropriately titled “Music For Your Stationary Travels“. I suspect that the respect here is mutual since he recently revealed his highlights from music spotted on HC’s Best of the Year feature. Yes, in this little corner of this strange and often ruthless “music business” it’s less about competition and more about the support. And both of us support the music, at least through mixes or through words. And so, without any further ado, I present to you a reflection on the last year, as put together by Brian for this very special mix. There are lots of beautiful pieces on here, but as usual with this particular feature – less words and more music, yes? And please, be sure to support the featured artists and labels on this mix!

The 2021 edition of ‘Annum’ is a journey through some of the outstanding modern and post-classical music released throughout the year. It is not a “best of” collection per se – no single mix could possibly contain that! – but many tracks that resonated in a special way with me personally are included. In such a difficult year especially, I think the beauty these artists (and so many others) put out into the world is something to be deeply appreciated and hopefully, that comes across in the listening.

— Brian Housman