Recommendations from our readers and artists themselves.

Already a sampling veteran, Ulaanbaatar-based beatmaker Bodikhuu keeps producing consistent albums both sound- and quality-wise, in spite of giving us new material every year on average.

There is a nihilistic, nocturnal brand of psychedelia with Menesses that could be explained with thei krautrock rhythms, guitars overdriven into furiously combusting engines.

Mabe Fratti has become one of the most reliable sources of forward-thinking and constantly evolving music that sticks to the “beauty” aspect at the same time.

Hồ Trâm Anh’s “The Poetry of Streetlights” is my best Vietnamese album this year. So beautiful, so emotional.

Sound-wise, her 11 tracks are situated in the alternative/dream pop area, or you could say they seem like surrounded by the mist, even her vocals seem to be hidden within it.

While she’s been playing dream pop for a long time, the dreamy feeling is the norm here. And the dreaminess is also in the lyrics (all in English): “Wish I could look in your eyes/ And let loose all that we hide”.

“The Poetry of Streetlights” redefines the concept of dream pop, at least in the context of the Vietnamese music, and what’s more important it shows Hồ Trâm Anh’s beautiful soul.

While it’s not available on streaming platforms for reasons she has explained here, you can stream this album on her website. (Nam Tran)

Stream “The Poetry of Streetlights” LP.